A Mt. Vernon flight instructor and the Mt. Vernon Experimental Aircraft Association are among the inductees this year to the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame.
Lt Colonel Steve Willis. (Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame)
Steve Willis is a flight instructor at the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport. He served in the US Air Force from 1969 to 1997, flying F-4 Phantoms and F-16 Falcons and then serving as an instructor pilot. Following his tours of duty, he returned home to the Mt. Vernon area and became deeply involved with airport activities and flight instruction. He is the current President of the EAA Chapter 1155 at Mt. Vernon, where he currently leads the chapter in the restoration of a Pietenpol aircraft. Willis has also been involved in Rend Lake RC Club activities and Angel Flights. He participates in EAA Young Eagles activities as both a pilot and event coordinator and works with the EAA Chapter to assist with coordination at the Air Venture Cup Races and Midwest LSA Expo.
Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1155 at Mt. Vernon was organized in 1996 with a mission to further aviation in Southern Illinois. From 1997 to 2012, the chapter hosted the Little Egypt Fly-In and Veterans Reunion at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport. The chapter also assisted with the Balloons Over Mt. Vernon event occurring over the same weekend as the Fly-In from 2013 to 2018. Beginning in 2013 and occurring every other year, the association has provided ground support duties at the EAA Airventure Cup Race at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport. The chapter continues to offer at least one Young Eagle rally each year. To date, the chapter has flown over 3,500 Young Eagle missions. For three days each September, EAA Chapter 1155 members conduct all manner of volunteerism at the national aviation event.
The Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame will honor its inductees at its annual banquet to be held June 16th at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign. You may visit the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame website at ilavhalloffame.org for more details.
