The Galesburg City Council is set to approve a resolution at the December 16, 2024 City Council meeting, which would name the Galesburg Regional Airport in honor of Harrel W. Timmons.
Timmons founded Jet Air Inc., the fixed base operator (FBO), for the Galesburg airport in 1969 and served as the President of the FBO until his retirement in 2023. Throughout that time, the airport has benefited the community with significant use by recreational pilots, as well as corporations and businesses. The airport was recently upgraded from a local municipal airport to a regional airport by the Federal Airport Administration (FAA), opening up opportunities for increased services and additional funding from the FAA.
Timmons has been instrumental in the airport’s success, and holds commercial, flight, and ground instructor ratings, as well as an airline transport pilot certificate with 20,000 hours flying time. Timmons is also an FAA designated pilot examiner and certified aircraft mechanic with inspection authorization. Through this expertise, he has helped many employees advance to the airlines or become corporate pilots and mechanics. His success in the aviation field was recognized in 2011 when Timmons was inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame.
The Galesburg Regional Airport is home to the National Stearman Fly-in, and Timmons has been a member of the National Stearman Board of Directors since its inception in 1971, as well as a member of the Stearman Foundation Board of Directors.
In addition to his substantial contributions at the airport, Timmons is active in the community and has been a member of the Galesburg Rotary Club for more than 40 years. He and his wife have been involved in the Rotary Youth Exchange, bringing students to our community from all over the world.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to honor and thank Harrel for his noteworthy contributions to the Galesburg airport,” said Eric Hanson, Galesburg City Manager. “The City is grateful for the leadership Harrel has provided at the airport and pleased to have this opportunity to thank him for his outstanding service to our community.”
The City of Galesburg will honor Harrel Timmons for his exceptional contributions to the Galesburg Regional Airport and the community by officially naming and referring to the airport as the Harrel W. Timmons Galesburg Regional Airport. A resolution will be presented in honor of Timmons at the December 16, 2024, Galesburg City Council meeting, which is open to the public and begins at 6:00 p.m. at Galesburg City Hall. An official naming ceremony and event will be held in the spring.
***Courtesy of the City of Galesburg***
