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OPERATIONS      
July | August 2026      AirportImprovement.com
SPI 
At Abraham Lincoln Capital 
Airport (SPI) in Springfield, IL, the 
quiet hum of electric technologies 
may someday drown 
out the traditional roar 
of jet engines. Mark 
Hanna, the airport’s 
executive director for 
the past two decades, 
no longer sees the 
facility as simply a 
collection of runways 
and terminal gates; it is a laboratory for 
the next transformational shift in human 
transport.
As the aviation industry pivots toward 
electrification and Advanced Air Mobility, 
SPI is positioning itself not just as a 
participant, but as a primary “node” in 
a high-tech regional network. Its game 
plan includes a massive “behind-the-
meter” solar program, the strategic 
decommissioning of airfield pavement, and 
a workforce pipeline designed to train the 
aviation technicians of 2030. If the plan 
works, SPI may be writing the manual on 
how a midsized airport can outmaneuver 
major metropolitan hubs as the industry 
changes. 
“Everything in aviation is about the 
micro-unit—the revenue per available 
seat mile, the cost per available seat mile, 
passengers daily each way,” says Hanna. 
“We are preparing to create a very specific 
site that can cater to the needs of future 
developers and operators while keeping 
start-up costs low. We are confident 
that we can provide and collaborate on 
everything a major metropolitan area 
is able to provide, but without space 
constraints and complications. Our facility 
is preparing in many ways for OEMs 
[original equipment manufacturers] of 
Advanced Air Mobility aircraft to come in 
and do business.”
Reclaiming Routes
The impetus for SPI’s “Smart Airport” 
program is rooted in a desire to reclaim 
lost regional connectivity. Hanna recalls a 
Abraham Lincoln Capital Prepares to Become 
a Major Player in Advanced Air Mobility BY CYRUS ARYANI
MARK HANNA
FACTS&FIGURES 
Project: Infrastructure to Support Advanced 
Air Mobility Operations
Location: Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, 
Springfield, IL
Primary Components: “Behind-the-meter” 
solar program; strategic decommissioning of runway; 
partnering with local colleges to create pipeline of 
aviation technicians for eVTOL & other new-technology 
aircraft; 180-acre Air Commerce Park
Key Benefit: Positioning airport to become a primary 
node in regional network for Advanced Air Mobility service
Electrification Study & Engineering 
Consultant: Hanson Professional Services

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