Around daRegion April 21, 2009 By Richard Collier Why GYY? Gary-Chicago International Airport (GYY) is located on the west side of Gary, Indiana on a parcel of land framed by the Indiana Tollway, Cline Avenue and U.S. 12.  Bordering the property are power lines, rail lines, heavy industry, the little Calumet River, wetlands and brownfields.  The airport has a long east-west runway, a shorter north-south runway, a control tower, a modest parking lot adjoining a renovated terminal, a variety of aircraft hangers and maintenance buildings, an out lot featuring a foreign trade zone, and a brand spanking new Indiana National Guard facility.  The airport is strategically located in the shadow of Chicago.   I’m describing GYY because it’s my sense that many reading this have not so much as set foot on the property.  Scores have driven by it en route to Chicago or the casinos, but I’m increasingly convinced most people have “newspaper impressions” of the place.   They’re planning to lengthen GYY’s runways.  GYY competes with Midway (MDW) & O’Hare (ORD) airports for air space and market share.  The theory is that lengthening the runways will breathe life into GYY making it viable, competitive, and attractive.  Experts say an improved GYY will become an “economic engine” in NW Indiana creating jobs and economic prosperity.  To do this they have to relocate railroad tracks, alter road elevations, move high power lines, preserve wetlands, and purchase land.  They may even demolish a nearby power plant.   The investment is considerable.   A handful of passenger airlines have come and gone from GYY leaving patrons abandoned, proponents disappointed, supporters embarrassed and GYY’s wallet lighter.  Boeing’s flight operations remain based at GYY (which explains the “heavies” - big jets - you see around the place).  The aircraft featured at both the Chicago and Gary air shows are staged at GYY (arguably, the busiest times of year at the airport).     GYY receives significant financial support through the efforts of its benefactors.  In 1995, the City of Gary partnered with the City of Chicago to create a regional airport authority.  As a result, GYY receives a token sum from the gate fees generated at ORD & MDW.  GYY also receives money from the newly created Regional Development Authority (RDA) which it uses to satisfy the local match required to secure Federal funding.  Most recently, President O’Bama announced that GYY may receive money as part of a Midwest high-speed rail initiative.    Why then has GYY become an increasing source of frustration?  Why is public confidence waning or non-existent?    My sense is that GYY is a plane in search of a flight plan.  Taxpaying citizens (arguably the principal investors in the place) see the plane at the gate, hear the engines roar, but aren’t convinced it’s taking off and going anywhere?  Presidential airport, passenger airport, freight airport, corporate airport, commuter rail station, high-speed passenger rail station, military facility, foreign trade zone, multimodal freight hub, Chicago’s 3rd airport?   What exactly is GYY going to be if and when the work is done?  GYY’s business plan appears to be driven by its airport improvement plan which appears to be driven by available funding.  A flight plan requires a destination. Passengers board a plane bound for a specific destination.        The sky’s the limit for GYY.  The prospects are promising.  But it owes itself, its customers and its investors a detailed flight plan.  A plan for a flight that Federal, State and local authorities are willing to board bound for a desirable destination.   One thing’s for certain, this plane won’t leave the gate without a flight plan and a pilot.   Richard Collier Notice to Reader: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of editor of the article or 219.com. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats