Bult Field has been inspected.

Now the owner of the eastern Will County airfield formerly known as Sanger Field, Jim Bult now waits a certificate of occupancy from IDOT before his airport is considered "open."

Apparently Bult grew tired of IDOT stalling. For all intents and purposes, his airfield is already open. For weeks, planes have been landing and taking off from the newly-built runway.

IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey acknowledged that Bult Field was inspected last Wednesday.

"We collected some data, such as dimensions of the field," he said. "We are reviewing the data and will issue a certificate of occupancy in the near future."

Claffey did not elaborate on the definition of "near future."

Bult requested an inspection last December. He never dreamed some of the same same officials who provided the permits to build the runway, would stall on its final inspection for more than four months.

Every excuse available for stalling has been used by IDOT officials, including weather, not having the proper paperwork, and a need for a face-to-face meeting. Bult satisfied them all.

So last Wednesday, in what Bult described as IDOT inspectors landing at the airfield and taking a look around, finally inspected the runway.

IDOT has probably been under enormous pressure to perform its obligatory inspection. Public officials in Will Township have written letters. Members of the public have weighed in. Newspapers have editorialized. There was even an article in the "What’s New" section of the magazine for the 411,000 members of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, of which Bult is a member.

"Clearly, the state has responsibility to conduct an inspection of the new facility so that the improved airport can once again serve the needs of general aviation operators," wrote Greg Pecoraro, AOPA vice president of regional affairs.

The most frustrating part for Bult and his supporters is that a final inspection is really just a formality, which by definition is "an established order" or "method of proceeding." It is clear to anyone who has watched the airport games played throughout the last twenty years, that IDOT was miffed because Bult Field is in the way of its field of dreams - the Peotone Airport. That was evident when officials tried to use the same scare tactics on Bult as they did with others living in proximity to the proposed airport site. He received the same letters threatening to condemn his property as did others living in the site of the proposed airport.

But this is not a man who will be bullied. Bult has seemingly done everything by the book. He does not simply forget to dot I’s and cross the T’s. This is a man who built a very successful waste-hauling business out of little. It is a man who wants to make a living, and at the same time, help out the area and his neighbors where he lives.

The people who know him have been impressed with the way he has handled this situation, with patience and resolve. Bult allowed IDOT to play their game, even though they have been unable, to engage him in it.

Despite Claffey’s apparent surprise at learning from a reporter that Bult and others are using the airfield, it should have come as no surprise that planes and helicopters have been landing and taking off there. It is difficult to hide such a thing, especially from the watchful eyes of IDOT whose South Suburban headquarters are within a mile of Bult’s airfield. Not only do aircraft probably fly at low altitudes over IDOT’s fenced fortress commonly referred to as the "compound," but by their own admission, IDOT inspectors landed at Bult Field last week.

Still, Bult gambled in his defiance. But as he said, they can either have him arrested for operating an airport without a permit or they can simply issue the certificate to operate, which should have been done months ago.