TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: Air Illinois

During the 1970s and 80s, the regional airline market was filled with airlines named after their respective states. These included large, successful airlines, such as Air California, as well as many smaller airlines, such as Air Indiana. Neighboring Illinois was home to one of these small, intrastate carriers: Air Illinois. The airline was founded in 1970 in Carbondale, Ill., located in the southern half of the state. The city would remain the headquarters for the airline during its entire time…