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Owned and operated by the University of Illinois, Willard Airport is located just south of Savoy, adjacent to the U of I golf course. Named for former U of I president Arthur Cutts Willard, the airport is home to the university's Institute of Aviation, a major research facility at the university. The airport was dedicated on October 26, 1945, with the first scheduled commercial flights taking off in 1954. The first terminal building was constructed in 1960 and was used until the present terminal was completed in 1987. At one point, Willard had become the second-busiest airport in the state of Illinois. In recent years, other downstate airports have knocked Willard from that spot, but many locals and U of I students, faculty, and guests enjoy the charm and ease of having a small, hassle-free airport in town.