Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed July 25 to 31 as Wisconsin Aviation Week—a week during which the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin (TDA) team up to promote, educate and celebrate the state’s aviation industry.
Wisconsin aviation is a thriving industry, and boasts hundreds of landing facilities—127 of which are public-use airports linking Wisconsin’s residents and businesses to national and global markets. Wisconsin aviation is a key driver of Wisconsin’s economy—and your local airports have many great stories to tell.
Recent Cabinet on the Road visits have highlighted just a few:
· Iowa County Airport, started by Texas cattle ranchers, recently welcomed UW Health’s Med Flight, which provides emergency medical services to residents in the area.
· Rice Lake Regional Airport, is critical for the operation of Rice Lake Weighing Systems, an international leader in the manufacturing and distribution of weight-related products and process-control equipment. Two of the business located at the airport include:
o Rice Lake Air Center, a full service aircraft repair business and the nation’s largest service center for the high-performance Socata TBM airplanes, and
o Lifelink emergency medical services.
· New Richmond Regional Airport is home to two innovative aviation businesses:
o Engineered Propulsion Systems manufactures clean-sheet diesel engines, has several military contracts and expects to achieve FAA certification soon.
o Non-Destructive Testing Solutions manufactures several high-tech instruments used to test components in aircraft. They are expanding their business to include a repair station.
A list of airport managers, great resources for aviation stories, is available at the WisDOT website. http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/air/pilot-info/pub-pub-addr.pdf
Aviation Week coincides with EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh—the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.” More than half a million people from more than 60 countries attend the seven-day event at Wittman Regional Airport—celebrating the past, present and future in the world of flight.
Additional information and story ideas about aviation around the state are forthcoming.
