website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
www.centralaviationwisconsin.com
Watertown Municipal Airport
Watertown Aviation
Wisconsin Aviation and Central Aviation
1920
XX XX AIRPLANE CRASH
c.1927
--
-- “THE
SPIRIT OF WATERTOWN”
Kusel
float at Main Street bridge. Arthur Benzel as Santa.
1938
PAPER CARRIERS TREATED TO AIRPLANE RIDE
Carriers of the Watertown Daily Times were treated to a
ride in what the paper said was “a huge deluxe airliner.” The photo showed a large plane with three
engines. The plane took off from a field
along Coffee Road south of Watertown.
That must have been back before the airport was in its present
location. WDT, 10 17 2009
1945
COMMISSIONED
The
Watertown Municipal Airport was commissioned in 1945 and has grown from two
short grass strips, a few buildings, and seven aircraft to one of the Midwest's
most progressive aviation service centers.
Airport-generated
contributions to the community include:
• Home base for two companies - Wisconsin
Aviation and Central Aviation.
• Employment - Wisconsin Aviation employs a
total of 50 employees; Central Aviation employs 5 employees.
• Customers - Student pilots, recreational
aircraft owners, and professional corporate travelers, often visiting local
businesses.
• Promotes community involvement - Marine's Aero Park, fundraisers, open houses, fly-ins,
Circus performances, and tours for local organizations.
• Provides site for military and governmental
law enforcement training, exercises.
Wisconsin
Aviation, in operation since 1981, maintains its corporate headquarters on the
grounds of the Watertown Municipal Airport.
Its president/CEO, Jeff Baum, serves as the airport manager for the
City. As the FBO (fixed base operator)
for the City's airport, Wisconsin Aviation is capable of providing a complete
line of aviation-oriented services to include:
• Air charter - 20+ charter aircraft ranging
from single engines to executive twin-engine jets.
• Maintenance - Factory-authorized service
center for five major aircraft manufacturers.
• Flight instruction/aircraft rental - A wide
selection of single- and twin-engine aircraft to meet training and rental needs
including high-performance, tailwheel, and other state-of-the-art aircraft.
• Corporate aviation management.
• Aircraft sales.
• Scenic flights - A bird's eye view of the
Watertown and surrounding communities.
In
addition, hangar rental and fuel services are available for its home-based
aircraft (80+), as well as all transient customers. In addition to the normal
amenities offered at most municipal facilities, Wisconsin Aviation offers
home-based as well as transient pilots with ground services such as towing,
baggage handling, courtesy/rental cars, catering, and hotel reservations.
Cookies and hot coffee are always available in the lobby.
Also
located on Watertown's airfield is Central Aviation, which has been in
existence since 1953. It is currently owned and operated by Randy Effinger.
Central Aviation provides aircraft refurbishing and remodeling services to
include painting, upholstery, interior design, repairs, modifications,
installations.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
c.1945
CRASH AT AIRPORT
1948
Two
daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Lange, 400 North Washington Street, recently
made their solo flights at the Watertown airport. Jeannine, 19, at the left, and Arlene, 18, at
the right.
The
girls are continuing their training at Mid-way Aviation, operated by Frank
Janczak. Both girls now are working for
their private licenses and are looking forward to the day that they can invite
their parents to take a ride. Arlene
plans to attend the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor his fall. Jeannine is a student at Stephens College,
Columbia, Mo. Lange is one of the owners
of the Jaeger Manufacturing Co., South Ninth street.
< < no linked image file
Among the Watertown flying enthusiasts is this father and daughter team, Miss Arlene Lange and H. W. Lange of 400 North Washington Street. Miss Lange received her private pilot’s license within two months from the day she began training and, quite naturally, Mr. Lange was Arlene’s first passenger. She and her father were snapped following the completion of their first flight. Miss Lange is shown at the controls of one of the planes owned by Mid-Way aviation, Watertown municipal airport, where she received her training under the direction of Frank S. Janczak. Mr. Lange is associated with the Jaeger Manufacturing Co., Watertown. He also has a never-to-be forgotten reputation as a bowler.
08 16 PLANES
BURN AT AIRPORT
1953
07 02 AIRPORT
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
In order to obtain needed fill dirt from an area west of the airport was moved. As a result, a hill on highway 26 west of the port was lowered. A temporary road was installed for equipment to travel over.
08 19 Ralph Duddeck
appointed by Watertown Airport Commission as its official representative at
the Watertown Airport. WDT
10 28 Two separate inspections for Watertown Airport and
Watertown Aviation Co. WDT
1959
01 17 Watertown
Association of Commerce favoring proposed airport expansion program WDT
02 11 Airport
Expansion Plan voted down WDT
03 17 City of
Watertown asked to comply with agreement to carry out improvement WDT
07 27 First major
fly-in at Airport WDT
1960
02 27 CAP CADETS
The weekly meeting of the Watertown C.A.P. Cadets is
cancelled this week due to the number of cadets planning to attend Ash
Wednesday church services. Saturday
afternoon has been designated for preparation of the annual wing inspection. Tuesday,
March 8, parents of cadets are invited to attend the regular meeting. Duty positions in the squadron are held by:
Cadet 2-Lt. James Rothschadl, commander of cadets, Cadet Chuck Robinson and
James Kellerman, flight leaders, Cadet Charles Doerr, projectionist and Cadet
Weaver, administrator.
07 15 SECOND ANNUAL FLY-IN
Perfect weather yesterday
brought out a huge crowd to the Watertown Municipal Airport where the second
annual Fly-In, under auspices of the Watertown Flying Club, was held. At one time as many as 3,000 persons were on
the field. Many kept coming while others
left throughput the afternoon. There
were 525 chicken barbecue dinners served to visitors. Approximately 100 planes flew in during the
day, coming from all parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. WDT
10 04 The city council is
being asked to advance $10,000 out of the general fund for completion of the
Watertown airport project and is to be reimbursed by the federal government for
that amount. The airport project has been
underway here for years and the acquisition of additional property was approved
some time ago in line with recommendations by the State Aeronautics Commission
of Wisconsin which is acting as agent for the city in the program and in the
securing of both state and federal funds.
WDT
10 15 Considerable
opposition to give the go ahead signal for the condemnation of certain lands at
the Watertown airport to obtain easements in order to permit the airport
expansion program to be carried out, flared at yesterday afternoon’s committee
meeting of the city council. The State
Aeronautics Commission of Wisconsin, which is serving as the city’s agent in
the matter of state and federal assistance in the airport program, had asked
that proceedings be started since it has been unable, up to now, to obtain the
easements on two pieces of property. At
yesterday’s meeting several councilmen said they would oppose any step for
condemnation at this time. WDT
1961
11 14 Santa Claus will arrive at the Watertown
Airport next Friday afternoon at 2:20 o’clock, make a quick trip to the
recreation building and join the parade which is scheduled to get underway
without delay soon after. It was also announced that the Candy Stick Palace
where Santa will make his headquarters will be placed in Memorial Park.
First plans were to locate it in Madison Street on the Bank of Watertown
parking lot but it was decided Memorial Park will offer better facilities and
that is where it will go up next week. WDT
1962
07 21 A transport plane out of aviation’s
exciting past, a Ford Tri-Motor of 1929 vintage, is giving flying fans a lot of
thrills out at the Watertown airport.
The plane arrived here Tuesday and will remain through July 25, taking
passengers up for aerial jaunts over the area.
The transport, known as the Tin Goose but much more recognized as the
safest airplane ever built, can carry 15 passengers at a cruising speed of 122
miles per hour. It is powered by three
450 horsepower Pratt & Whitney nine cylinder radial engines and has so much
buoyancy that it can stay aloft with only one engine functioning. WDT
04 19 AIRPORT CONSIDERED AS SITE FOR SCHOOL
The board of
education adopted a resolution calling for utilization of the Watertown Airport
as the site for a new high school building,
either junior or senior, as a long range plan for solving the growing space
problem at high school.
05 31 LAST
JET PLANE FLIES OUT
The last jet plane to
fly out of the Watertown municipal airport will leave sometime this week, Ralph
Duddeck airport manager, said today. The plane, a Canadian made craft, is now
stationed at the port, it having been flown in sometime
ago. Over the weekend the motors were
started, causing considerable noise and annoyance, with resulting phone calls
to the airport. The plane did not take
off. "When the plane leaves this
week it will be the last jet to use the airport," Duddeck
said. WDT
1964
05 14 AVIATION
BATTALION OPEN HOUSE
The 32nd Aviation
Battalion, Watertown, will hold an open house on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at
the armory and Watertown airport. The
program will consist of a display of all fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft
used by the Wisconsin Army National Guard.
There will also be an aerial display by several helicopters each hour
from 1 to 5 p.m. performing various aerial maneuvers which should be of
interest.
1965
01 27 AIRPORT
CANNOT BE ABANDONED
Watertown’s municipal
airport cannot be abandoned, T. K. Jordan, director of the State Aeronautics
Commission, advises Norman L. Larson, superintendent of schools. Larson had contacted Jordan for information,
and in a letter to him, dated Thursday, Jan. 28, he provided Larson with
information he had requested. The superintendent’s inquiry was prompted by the
suggestion of Alderman Paul Archambeau at the last council meeting that the
airport be abandoned and used for a site for the junior high school. WDT
1966
08 29 FLY-IN
AT WATERTOWN AIRPORT
1967
11 08 FLIGHTOMATIC
150
Armand Falk, 1418
South Ninth Street who, with his son, Lonny Falk, operates the Watertown
Airport and conducts the Falk Aviation Service, has installed the Flightomatic 150, a completely automatic flight simulator
for use in the flying school training they operate. This installation enables one to learn the
fast, modern way of the fundamentals of flying.
It duplicates radio navigation and instrument flight conditions. It is approved by the Federal Aviation
Administration. While installations are
increasing, few aviation services in cities the size of Watertown offer such a
training facility. Falk told the Times
today, “We are very proud to have installed this device and it is certainly
proving a valuable and important asset for our training courses.”
1969
07 23 AIRPORT
IN NEED OF REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENT
The Watertown Municipal Airport is badly in need of improvements, a group was informed at a luncheon meeting held at the Washington Inn. The runway must be increased in width from 50 to 75 feet and it must be lengthened 300 feet — from 2850 feet to 3150 feet, the group was advised. Prior to the luncheon session, those attending visited the airport to see the problem first hand. In addition to the widening and lengthening required, a 2-inch blacktop layer must be applied. It was pointed out that there are bad cracks in the blacktop runway which, for safety, must be covered.
08 05 NEED
OF REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENT
Paul Kehrer, a member
of the airport commission, told the city council Monday evening that the
Watertown Municipal Airport is in need of repairs and improvement and the state
has appropriated money to cover 50 per cent of the cost if the work is completed
during this construction season. Kehrer
urged the council to take quick action on the proposal which would cost the
city approximately $35,000, which is “0 per cent of the total cost.” He said the state has placed the local
airport on the high priority list but he did not known how long it would remain
there. Kehrer pointed out that the
commission had asked the council to provide a reserve of $3,200 per year in
1964 to be used for such repairs.
1970
05 08 PLANS
FOR REPAIR WORK DISCUSSED
Jim Fletscher of Fletscher Oil
Company in Beaver Dam; James Adams, airport manager; E. Temby, Wisconsin
Division of Aeronautics; Paul Kehrer and Ray Merville of the Airport
Commission; Robert Bender, city attorney; W. J. Zutter of Zutter Engineering,
consulting engineers; W. C. Cook of Wolf Construction Company, general
contractors; Floyd Usher, director of public works; and Ken Wilkes, mayor.
05 08 FRICKELTON
SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS
Bob Swailes, Jim Adams / Aircraft “being built here in Watertown”
06 17 RUNWAY PROJECT
Earthmovers and a
bulldozer are widening the runway from 50 feet to 75 feet. The entire runway will be re-paved, a new
taxi-way constructed and new runway lights installed in the $70,000 project
which is expected to be completed in September.
08 10 PLANE SURVIVED A FORCED LANDING
Runways Here Closed
so Plane Sets Down in Field East of Airport
The pilot of a
twin-engine airplane and the eight passengers in the plane survived a forced
landing at the Watertown airport Saturday night.
The pilot of the
plane, James R. Walters, Kenosha, attempted to land the plane, a twin engine
402 Cessna. As he was getting ready to
set the plane down on the airport's only blacktop runway, he observed yellow
X's on the runway, indicating that the runway was under repair, and could not
be used.
He then turned east
and landed the ship in a field adjacent to the runway. The plane came to a stop 100 yards from the
City Tool and Manufacturing Company, at 1002 South Twelfth Street. The field is part of the airport
property. The plane skidded only a short
distance, spun around and came to a stop.
The pilot attempted
to land at the Watertown airport because the plane was running low on fuel.
When police arrived,
seven of the nine persons in the plane were out of the ship. The two remaining passengers were removed by
Watertown police.
12 08 WATERTOWN AIR SERVICE FORMED
William Heileman
(left) and James Adams have formed a new air firm which is located at the
Watertown Municipal Airport. The new
firm is called Watertown Air Service and will offer a complete line of aircraft
service including flying lessons, aircraft rental, and charter flights.
James Adams and
William Heileman have jointly formed a new firm at the Watertown Municipal
Airport called Watertown Air Service.
Adams is the former manager of the Watertown airport, and had been
affiliated with Frickelton School of Aeronautics.
They are currently
offering a full air service at the airport.
Temporary quarters have been established in a trailer for office space,
but the two plan construction of a new building in the spring.
Aircraft sales,
flying lessons, air craft rental, and charter flights will be offered. Watertown Air Service holds a dealership for
the sale of Cessna air craft.
In starting their new
business Adams and Heileman stated they plan to continue to offer the best in
professional flight services as they have in the past.
Adams is a member of
the Watertown Rotary Club and the Watertown Jaycees.
09 20 RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES FOR NEW RUNWAY
Held as
part of the Fly-In, Drive-In festivities
Roger Hosfield, a
member of the Watertown Airport Commission; Clarence Hartmann, executive
secretary of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce and master of ceremonies
for the event; Paul Kehrer, a member of the Watertown Airport Commission;
Alderman Joe Ready, James Adams, airport manager; Alderman John Gartzke,
Alderman Kenneth Ceithamer, Alderman Dellmar Schwartz, Alderman G Yenser, Congressman Robert W. Kastenmeier, and Mayor Kenneth Wilkes.
10 21 AIRCRAFT CRASH SOUTH OF TOWN
Three persons were
killed in an airplane crash three miles south of Watertown shortly after 6
p.m. A portion of the wreckage landed
just a few feet from Ebenezer Drive, and the remaining portion in a hay field
owned by William Hertel.
11 12 JOE ALBERT
New manager of the
Watertown Municipal Airport and manager of the Frickleton
School of Aeronautics here. Replaced
James Adams.
1978
05 08 SAFETY
OVERRUNS
Construction of
safety overruns to each end or the paved runway at the Watertown Municipal
Airport will be considered by the Watertown City Council when it meets in
regular session Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the Watertown
Municipal Building. The Watertown
Airport Commission is requesting funds for construction of 75 by 400 foot
overruns to each end of the runway at a cost of $28,100. The city’s share would
be $14,050 and the remaining cost would be paid by the federal government. A
report by the airport commission noted that the additional space is needed
because, “Today’s corporate aircraft need a greater margin of safety and more
runway than the Piper Cub of yesteryear. Four hundred feet would greatly
increase that safety margin needed for bringing today’s faster aircraft to a
safe stop.” WDT
1981 WISCONSIN AVIATION, in operation since 1981
1982
11 06 Dodge County
Airport, Air Watertown offer to operate free of charge WDT
1983
07
05 A six year statement of
project intentions calls for expenditures of $120,000 in fiscal year 1984
and a new parking ramp and lights, $185,000 in 1986 for two-inch overlay on the
asphalt runway, a city project in 1988 of a new parking lot for cars and
$25,000 in 1989 for seal coating a runway.
WDT
1985
05 04 Airport expansion proposed;
County taxes proposed for expansion.
06
25 The chairman of the Town of Watertown told a city of Watertown
committee the township will not oppose the proposed expansion of the municipal
airport as long as Airport Road is altered to meet highway 26. Richard Gimler told the planning commission
the main concern of the community is not to have Airport Road, a major access
to the township, entirely closed. Gimler
said town residents had the initial perception the expansion would make Airport
Road a dead-end street. But airport
officials have assured him the road would be changed to meet highway 26 just
south of the airport if the expansion is performed. WDT
08
26 The possibility of having the voters decide the fate of the
proposed six-year Watertown airport expansion plan took another step toward
reality this morning. A 991-signature
petition was presented to the city clerk's office this morning asking the issue
be placed on the April 1986 ballot. For
a referendum petition to be valid, it must contain at least 15 percent of the
number of registered voters who participated in the last gubernatorial
election. In the case of Watertown, that
figure amounts to 859. The city clerk's
office has 15 days to check the validity of the signatures and if approved
submit it to council. WDT
09
23 JEFF BAUM: WISCONSIN
AVIATION BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR
LAKE GENEVA - Jeff Baum, manager of the
Watertown Municipal Airport, was named “Wisconsin Aviation Businessman of the Year”
by the Wisconsin Aviation Trades Association during ceremonies Saturday in Lake
Geneva. Baum, president of Wisconsin
Aviation Activities with operations at both Watertown and the Dodge County
Airport in Juneau, received the honor for his achievements in the field of
aviation business. “Jeff has displayed
superb skills as manager of the fastest growing flight center in Wisconsin,”
said Dave Weiman of the trade association.
WDT
12
09 With the release this week of the state 1986-91 Airport
Improvement Program, the question arises, “How significant is the April 1986
referendum on whether Watertown's airport should be expanded?” Except for an
anticipated expense of $300,000 for land acquisition in 1989, the tentative
program does not include any funds for the expansion of Watertown Municipal
Airport. There is no sign of a new paved crosswind runway. No sign of an added
700 feet on the airport's primary runway. The program, which is tentative,
undoubtedly fell well short of Watertown's request. In addition to the land
acquisition funds, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation plan does set
aside $1,300,000 for reconstruction work at the site in 1989. The work
includes: Reconstructing the primary runway; expanding the apron area;
improving drainage; and building a taxiway next to the primary runway. WDT
1986
01
10 RUNWAY EXTENSION OMITTED IN STATE PLAN
Despite the omission of major runway
extension work for Watertown’s Municipal Airport in the state six-year airport
improvement program, the state has not ruled out the 1990 and 1991 project, an
administrator of the facility says.
Richard Wolff, project manager for the airport, was reacting to a
December article in the Daily Times which summarized the recently released
state program. The program, developed by
the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, has Watertown scheduled for a $1.6
million project in 1989. The project
includes reconstructing the primary runway, constructing a primary taxiway,
expanding the apron area and acquiring land.
WDT
02
24 RUNWAY EXTENSION ON BALLOT
Supporters for the expansion of the Watertown
airport call their promotional efforts innocent lobbying, but already their
opposition is leveling charges of “dirty pool” and “intimidation” even though
their campaign contains a boycott threat.
With the April election just over a month away, the certain highlight of
the ballot will be the statement “Be it resolved that the city of Watertown
shall not expand the Municipal Airport beyond its present boundaries.” The issue is much more complicated than just
the fact a “yes” vote is against expansion and a “no” is for expansion. The information on the issue and the
arguments are seemingly infinite, and the beliefs are strong on both
sides. WDT
05
16 RUNWAY EXPANSION TO USE NO TAX DOLLARS
When Watertown airport officials proposed an
elaborate expansion plan in 1985, they said no taxpayers’ dollars would be used
to build a larger terminal building. A
year later, they’re holding true to their promise. Plans are still preliminary, but Watertown
Airport Project Manager Richard Wolff said he hopes a new 30 by 50 feet
terminal building, funded completely by airport users, will be in place by
October. WDT
06
22 If Watertown borrows the money to build a combination airport
terminal/hangar, it could then achieve a profit by leasing it to the airport’s
base operator, the city finance committee says.
“Absolutely no tax money will be used,” said Mayor Kenneth Thiel of the
proposal which would result in a new estimated $235,000 terminal building. According to a resolution, which will be
presented to the Common Council Tuesday, July 1, the city would borrow the
money needed for the new building. The
city in turn would lease the building to the base operator, now Air Watertown,
at a monthly rate higher than the loan payments. WDT
08
11 An Oconomowoc construction firm should build the Watertown
Municipal Airport’s new terminal/hangar facility, the city airport commission
says. The airport commission Tuesday
recommended that Oliver Construction, which submitted the lowest of four bids
to the panel, be hired at a cost of $261,900.
Oliver’s bid was nearly $35,000 less expensive than its nearest
competitor. The other firms bidding on
the project were H.F. Mallow Construction, $296,362; Joseph Lorenz
Construction, $304,500; and DEBCO, Inc., $364,950. WDT
09
01 Use of a low interest state trust fund loan for a new
hangar/terminal building at the Watertown Municipal Airport was approved on a
near unanimous vote of the Watertown Common Council Tuesday evening. The
council voted 12-1, with only Walter Nuernberg dissenting, to authorize the
loan at an interest rate of 6.5 percent. Although the actual bids on the
project were accepted by a narrow vote of 7-5 two weeks ago, aldermen followed
Mayor Kenneth Thiel’s recommendation to put aside their differences and support
the measure. WDT
11
03 A resounding referendum vote that endorsed a plan to expand the
Watertown Municipal Airport has hardly quieted debate on the possibility of a
larger facility. Last April, voters by nearly a 2-1 margin said Watertown
should expand its airport. Tuesday
night, nine aldermen defeated an attempt by four others to eliminate the item
from the proposed 1987 city budget. “If
you (the common council) want to kill the airport project, just go ahead. But you are going to have to be the ones who
answer the people,” said an irritated Mayor Kenneth Thiel. “I’m getting a little uptight that the
airport issue has to come up at every council meeting.” WDT
11
16 Members of the Watertown Common Council were reassured that
the state is not likely to stop its commitment to fund the expansion project at
the airport if the city shows interest and begins to provide some of the
funding. During a Committee of the Whole
meeting, Robert Kunkel, chief of airport development for the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation, explained to the aldermen that this year Congress
appropriated $1 billion for airport improvements. Based on the state’s population, Wisconsin
will receive $2.3 million. Kunkel could
not guarantee to the council that Wisconsin would receive that much funding in
1989 when Watertown Municipal Airport is scheduled to undergo a $1.6 million
improvement project, but said that Congress has been increasing its
allotment. WDT
12
23 Employees of the Watertown Municipal Airport are now operating
out of a new 11,100 square foot terminal building. Minor work still has to be done and the new
furniture has not arrived, but Airport Manager Jeff Baum said the building is
already getting rave reviews from the city’s chief executives. “This will probably be the finest terminal of
an airport this size in the state,” Baum said.
“People who have seen it (the terminal) love it.” The building, completed earlier than expected
by Oliver Construction of Oconomowoc, will be paid for through a lease with the
airport’s fixed base operator, Wisconsin Aviation. Watertown borrowed the $266,850 to build the
terminal, but the lease payments by the fixed base operator will exceed the
money the city has to pay back on the loan.
WDT
1987
01
04 70 ACRES ACQUIRED FOR EXPANSION
Watertown officials have finalized a deal
acquiring 70 acres for the expansion of the municipal airport, and a state
agency has asked the city to inspect the possibility of buying 31 more. Ruth
Funk has agreed to sell to the city two parcels of land south of the existing
airport, Assistant City Attorney Thomas Levi said. The closing date of the sale
was Dec. 30, but officials declined to reveal the purchase price, saying it
would hinder negotiations for other land necessary for the airport project. “We
are still in negotiations with those property owners and by statute we are not
required to give them the purchase price” of the Funk farm, Levi said. WDT
01
19 WEATHER STAR
A satellite hookup to the National Weather
Service is the latest innovation in the Watertown Municipal Airport terminal, a
facility which is already being called one of the best of its type in the state
of Wisconsin. The weather access system,
Weather Star, has been in operation for about two weeks, but it has been
extremely well-received, Richard Wolff, who recently returned as the airport’s
project manager, says. Weather Star is a
computer system hooked up via satellite with Haynes Environmental Programming
in Minneapolis. Haynes obtains the
information directly from the National Weather Service. WDT
06
12 The runway at Watertown Municipal Airport probably will
be moved about 250 feet to the south if the city goes ahead with the proposed
expansion program in 1989. On Tuesday,
the airport and plan commissions met with airport engineering firm Donohue and
Associates to discuss alternatives for improving the city airport. A representative of the state Bureau of
Aeronautics also attended the meeting.
The project, estimated to cost $1.6 million, would be funded mostly by
federal funds. Currently, the federal government plans to fund 90 percent of
the costs and the state and city will each provide 5 percent. WDT
08
17 About 6,000 to 8,000 people attended the open house at
the Watertown Municipal Airport Saturday, the biggest turnout in the event’s
history, according to Airport Manager Jeff Baum. The most popular attraction was the C-130
Hercules, piloted by Watertown native Col. Heinz Poellet. About 3,000 people lined up to see the Air
Force Reserve
1988
04
27 A hangar building to house additional corporate aircraft may
be built at Watertown Municipal Airport this fall. Richard Wolff, vice president of Wisconsin
Aviation Inc., told the city planning commission Monday that a private investor
was planning to construct a hangar building at the airport, one that was
suitable for the storage of larger cabin-class aircraft often used by
corporations. The construction costs for
the 60-by-240- foot building would be paid by the investor, who Wolff did not
identify at the meeting. The city, which
would retain the rights to the land, would pay for the development of the site
and for paving the taxiway adjoining the building. WDT
07
31 The Watertown Common Council will consider the sale of 11
acres of industrial land adjacent to the municipal airport to Cito Products of
Watertown. A resolution will be
presented to the council to authorize the sale of the land to the Watertown
manufacturer, which has outgrown its current facility at 1002 S. Twelfth
St. President Horst Wieder said he plans
to construct a multi-level building of about 40,000 square feet. His present building, which he would sell or
lease, has about 18,000 square feet. The
city resolution authorizes the sale of 11 acres to Cito Products for $7,000 an
acre, a price that would recover the city’s investment in the land. WDT
08
01 Nicholas E. Petros is seeking a judgment of $577,044 against
the city for damages he claims he incurred due to the city’s condemnation of
land needed for a runway clear zone for the Watertown Municipal Airport. “It’s frustrating,” said Mayor David R. Lenz,
who already had been disappointed by the city’s loss in the first Petros
suit. The new lawsuit, filed July 20 in
U.S. District Court in Madison, seeks damages in addition to the condemnation
settlement received by Petros in June. Including legal fees, the court
settlement cost the city nearly $200,000.
WDT
08
19 The city expects to receive about $660,000 from the federal
and state governments in reimbursement for money already spent on the municipal
airport expansion program. To date, the
city has allocated or borrowed a total of $731,750 for the development of the
Watertown Municipal Airport, according to Mayor David R. Lenz, mostly for the
acquisition of about 100 acres of land.
However, the city is responsible for only 5 percent of the costs for the
estimated $4.5 million project, so the city’s total obligation will be in the
neighborhood of $250,000. WDT
09 10 Emergency
personnel remove an injured passenger from a single-engine airplane that
crashed just south of Watertown Municipal Airport in a field west of River
Drive at approximately noon today.
Preliminary reports indicated that five people were injured and
transported to Watertown Memorial Hospital.
The plane was a Piper Cherokee 6.
WDT
09
14 The Federal Aviation Administration late Thursday afternoon
awarded a $626,400 grant to the city of Watertown for expansion work planned at
the Watertown Municipal Airport. U.S.
Sen. Robert Kasten made the announcement, saying, “I am pleased that Watertown
has received this money. It will be used
to acquire land for development and provide relocation assistance and
environmental assistance.” The $626,400
represents the 90 percent share of $696,000 in project costs incurred at this
point. Under that formula, the city of
Watertown and the state of Wisconsin would each pay $34,800 toward the
project. WDT
10
01 State officials have agreed to reimburse the city of Watertown
for money spent on the airport expansion project, but the city probably won’t
receive a check before the end of the year.
The city has invested about $707,500, either through direct funding or
borrowing, in the project for land acquisition, engineering studies and related
costs, according to figures released by Mayor David R. Lenz. Lenz expressed his concerns about the
reimbursement delay in a letter to Gelderman on Sept. 20. The mayor provided copies of the letter to
aldermen and the media. According to the
letter, the city has spent $137,482.85 of its own funds and has borrowed
$570,000 from the state since April 1985, yet has not received any remuneration
in return. WDT
1989
02
06 The relocation of Airport Road has troubled town residents,
who are concerned about the safety of using state Highway 26 for local
traffic. More than 50 residents met with
town officials Monday, as well as Mayor David Lenz, state Sen. Barbara Lorman
and state Rep. Randall Radtke. In
addition, the meeting was attended by officials from the Department of
Transportation, Bureau of Aeronautics, Jefferson County and the city of Watertown. Due to the extension of the runway at
Watertown Municipal Airport, Airport Road was closed to traffic last
summer. Because of this residents who
live on the road must use Highway 26 to travel to Watertown instead of Airport
Road. WDT
04
03 Bids for improvements to Watertown’s Municipal Airport are
much lower than anticipated, making it more likely that all of the proposed
work included in the first phase can be accomplished in 1989 rather than
delaying portions of it until next year.
Bids for the project ranged from $1.2 million to $1.9 million, with the
lowest bid about $600,000 below the original estimate of $1.8 million. WDT
07
30 PLANE OVERRAN RUNWAY
Four people escaped injury when their
airplane overran the runway at Watertown Municipal Airport Saturday
afternoon. According to Watertown police
reports, the single engine Piper Cherokee 180 was travelling too fast as it
attempted to land on the airport’s runway, coming from the northeast end, at
about 4:34 p.m. The plane, travelling
with the wind, slid on the wet pavement and off the end of the runway,
eventually coming to rest in the northbound lane of Airport Road. None of the occupants of the plane were
injured in the accident. WDT
08
04 EPA IMPACT
Oshkosh’s Wittman Field isn’t the only place affected
by the thousands of aviation enthusiasts attracted to the Experimental Aircraft
Association’s annual fly-in. Area
airports —including Watertown’s — say this is also their busiest time of the
year, as they handle spillover traffic from the world’s largest airshow. “This
is definitely our biggest week of the year,” said Air Watertown’s line
supervisor, Steve Danner. “In fact, last
weekend we ran out of tie-down space.
The best we could do was chock them out near the runway.”
08
14 AIRPORT CLOSED FOR 30 DAYS
Starting Monday, Watertown Municipal Airport
will close for 30 days to allow workers to move dirt for construction of the
new runway. John Schmeling, resident engineer for Donahue and Associates of
Madison, said earth-moving equipment from New Berlin Grading Inc. will be
moving dirt from the east side of the runway, across the existing runway, for
fill on the west side. Also, the workers will be installing pipe crossings for
drainage across the existing runway, a project expected to last two weeks. WDT
10
02 AIRPORT ROAD RELOCATED
Airport Road has been closed near the
Watertown Municipal Airport, due to construction for the airport project. The road was closed this morning to allow a gas
main to be installed in a trench across the pavement. Also, the road will be relocated to
accommodate a longer runway area for the airport. The new road will curve west, just on the
city’s southern limits, to connect with state Highway 26. Assistant city engineer Peter Thompson said
work on relocating Airport Road will not be finished by the end of this year.
The road project was delayed due to protracted negotiations for land
acquisition.
1990
01
14 RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY CONSTRUCTION
The federal Department of Transportation will
provide the city of Watertown with funding of $1.7 million for improvements at
the Watertown Municipal Airport.
According to Senator Robert Kasten, the money will be used for runway
and taxiway construction, land acquisition costs, and related expenses. Overall, the airport project’s cost has been
projected at $4.2 million, most of which is federal money derived from user
fees at the nation’s airports. The
federal government contributes 90 percent, while the state and city each
provide 5 percent. The city started to
renovate the airport last summer, although inclement weather slowed progress
somewhat. New Berlin Grading Inc. began grading work for the base of the new runway,
which is located just southeast of the current runway. However, rainy weather slowed down the
earth-moving work, delaying the paving of the new runway until the spring of
1990. WDT
05
12 PROPOSED PURCHASE OF 45 ACRES
The proposed purchase of 45 acres of land for
the Watertown Municipal Airport will not adversely affect local agriculture,
according to the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection. The department recently
issued an agricultural impact statement on the airport’s plans to buy land for
approach control for a new crosswind runway.
Except for about 1 1/2 acres of land owned by Johnson Control Corp., the
remainder of the property, located on County Trunk X, belongs to Charles and
Walter Hinterberg.
The land, zoned for agriculture, has been rented to local farmer Eugene
Kieck, who primarily grows corn on the land.
WDT
08
17 EFFORT TO RETURN RAILROAD PASSENGER SERVICE
Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers
(WisARP) is spearheading an organized effort to
return railroad passenger service to Watertown as early as 1992. As part of
that effort the organization is seeking support from the community for the
project, and also anticipates having Watertown take over responsibility for a
depot. Under the plan proposed by the rail group, two trains would operate
daily in each direction between Chicago and Madison via Milwaukee and
Watertown, and a second train would operate daily in each direction between
Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul. These two trains would also stop in
Watertown. WDT
08
18 AIRPLANE CRASH SOUTH OF AIRPORT
Two days after the accident, federal
officials are still searching for clues to explain why a single-engine airplane
crashed and killed seven people just south of Watertown Municipal Airport. Many questions remained unanswered today, but
investigators know that the airplane took off from the airport during stormy
weather at about 10 p.m. Saturday with three adults and four children. WDT
10
02 RENOVATIONS
PROPOSED
Two days after the accident, federal
officials are still searching for clues to explain why a single-engine airplane
crashed and killed seven people just south of Watertown Municipal Airport. Many questions remained unanswered today, but
investigators know that the airplane took off from the airport during stormy
weather at about 10 p.m. Saturday with three adults and four children. WDT
08 20 ADVANCED
WEATHER SATELLITE SYSTEM
Watertown Municipal Airport is serving as a
test site for an advanced weather satellite system. Area pilots shouldn’t feel
like guinea pigs, however, because the new system provides a wealth of
information about current weather patterns and forecasts for future conditions
for airports throughout the United States. Steve Danner, operations manager for
Air Watertown, said pilots enjoy using the new system, which was installed on
Thursday. “They love it,” he said. “At first, they’re a little bit leery of using
the thing ... but once they understand how the machine works, they think it’s
great.” WDT
08
26 AIRPORT GETS A COMPLETE MAKEOVER
For the third straight summer, employees at
Wisconsin Aviation have endured bulldozers, backhoes and dump trucks in the
midst of their airplanes and hangars.
Before the end of this construction season, their patience will be
rewarded, as Watertown Municipal Airport will have received a complete
makeover, including a longer runway, new taxiways and a greatly enlarged ramp
area. “We’re anxious to get it over
with,” said Jeff Baum, president of Wisconsin Aviation, the fixed based
operator of the airport. This week, work
crews from Mann Brothers of Elkhorn started ripping out the last of the old
ramp, located closest to the terminal building, in preparation for an entirely
rebuilt ramp. WDT
1992
07
12 CHEAPER TO TRAIN PILOTS HERE
Two Dutch pilots have traveled from the
Netherlands to train for their commercial pilot's license at Watertown
Municipal Airport. Marco Abeln and
Marcel Dekat say it's cheaper to log flight time in the United States than
their own country, the rate for using a plane at the Watertown airport is $68
per hour compared to $150 to $200 an hour in Holland. Plus, the men pointed out, they get to take a
vacation as they complete their training.
"It's a foreign holiday.
It's fun to be here," Abeln said.
1993
03
08 NEED FOR GRAVEL TAXIWAY
The Watertown Airport Commission is seeking
up to $5,000 for the construction of a gravel taxiway to serve new hangars. The
commission, which met this morning, is going to seek a meeting with Mayor
Frederick Smith and City Engineer Joseph Radocay,
which requires approval by the Watertown Common Council. “This has got to get done soon,” said Steve
Danner, airport operations manager. With
the spring building season approaching, the gravel taxiway is needed to allow
construction of the hangars to begin.
Danner said the airport has received eight requests from people who
would like to construct hangars at the airport.
However, no sites will be available until the taxiway is built west of
the airport, across River Drive. WDT
04
03 NEW TAXIWAY
A new taxiway for the west side of the
Watertown Municipal Airport has been recommended by the city’s finance
committee. The recommendation, which
requires approval from the Watertown Common Council, includes a cap of $15,000
in construction costs for this year.
Mayor Frederick Smith said city street department crews will attempt to
complete the work, which would cost an estimated $28,000 if a private
contractor was hired for the project.
The airport commission has sought expansion of the taxiway because of
the demand for hangar space at the airport.
Construction of the taxiway would provide access to land for five new
hangars. WDT
04
18 PLAYS MAJOR ROLE IN ECONOMY
Wisconsin Aviation, a fixed base operator
located at the Watertown Municipal Airport, plays a major role in the economy
of Watertown and surrounding communities, said James A. Schumacher, director of
marketing for the company, who spoke to the Watertown Lions Club. General aviation is a diverse industry that
offers efficient transportation to hundreds of communities that are not served
by airlines. He said Wisconsin Aviation
operates the largest aircraft fleet in the state with 23 planes ranging from a
Cessna 152 to a Cessna Citation S-II.
The business started in Watertown in 1981 and now operates three
airports located in Watertown, Juneau and Milledgeville, Ga. In 1992, Wisconsin Aviation flew over 1,400
corporate and charter flights totaling over 4,700 flight hours. The business served over 190 different
customers. Approximately 29 companies
from Water town use the charter services.
Some of Watertown’s major users include Wis-Pak, Eaton Corp., Menasha
Corporation-LEWISystems, Watertown Metals and Reiss Industries. Other corporate users include JHP of
Jefferson, Stokely of Oconomowoc, Quad/Graphics of Lomira,
Oscar Mayer of Madison and Land’s End of Dodgeville. WDT
07
03 AIRPORT GETS A COMPLETE MAKEOVER
The Watertown Common Council will consider a
resolution to seek $68,000 in federal and state aid for the installation of a
weather observation system at the Watertown Municipal Airport. The council will
meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the council chambers of the Watertown Municipal
Building. The state Bureau of Aeronautics has chosen the Watertown airport as
one of four airports in the state for the installation of an AWOS system. The
state is asking for a city contribution of $17,000 toward the project’s cost of
$85,000. The city’s contribution of $17,000 would be paid over three years,
starting with $6,000 in 1994 and 1995 and $5,000 in 1996. WDT
1994
06
01 OPEN HOUSE FETURES "TIN GOOSE
Rides aboard a historic 1929 Ford Tri-Motor
will be just part of the festivities at Wisconsin Aviation's annual open house
at the Watertown Airport Sunday. The
"Tin Goose" was one of the first transport airplanes to be used
regularly for business flying. It was
flown continuously until 1973 when it was severely damaged in a heavy
thunderstorm. The plane is powered by
three Pratt & Whitney engines that develop 450 horsepower each. It is being made available by the
Experimental Aircraft Association. The EAA's
Aviation Foundation spent 12 years restoring the aircraft. WDT
07
23 RELOCATING RIVER DRIVE OPTIONS
The Watertown Planning Commission is
considering options for relocating River Drive near the Watertown Municipal
Airport. Federal Aviation Administration
regulations require the relocation or abandonment of a portion of the street
because of its close proximity to a crosswind runway. The runway was expanded during the recent
airport project and the federal government requires the road closed for
clearance purposes. The city’s airport
commission has discussed several options for complying with the federal
requirements.
Assistant city engineer Peter Thompson said
the entire north-south section of River Drive from Boomer Street past the
airport could be abandoned with a new road established from Church Street, just
behind Holz Motors, to the airport.
1999
08 09 Plan
for development of private businesses in the west terminal area of
airport WDT
08 20 Transponder
Landing System (TLS); claim to first certified landing system WDT
2000
01 28 Wisconsin
Aviation expanded maintenance operations
WDT
06
12 FIRST AEROBATICS FLYING
TEAM PERFORMANCE
Sunday morning's overcast sky cleared in time
for an event marking the first time an aerobatics flying team performed at
Watertown Municipal Airport. Swift Magic
Aerobatic Team, a three-aircraft group of pilots from Tennessee that
specializes in high-speed stunts, put on an afternoon show of skydiving,
formation displays and mock combats during the airport's open house. The U.S. Air Force Reserve arrived from
Milwaukee and gave tours of its C-130, an aircraft flown globally and used to
ship cargo and troops. Also on display
was a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter that flew in from Madison. Several thousand people attended the open
house, estimated Jeff Baum, airport manager.
It was sponsored by Wisconsin Aviation, Inc., the company that manages
the airport.
They came from across the Midwest, and have a
variety of backgrounds, but they had one common thread of interest — an
aircraft called Stinson. Members of the Byron Smith Memorial Midwest Stinson
Association held their 16th annual convention at the Watertown Municipal
Airport during the weekend to share, compare and learn about one of the
earliest private aircraft built in the United States. While more than 75 people
showed up for seminars and meetings, 31 vintage Stinson aircraft that were
originally built from 30 to 60 years ago sat out on the tarmac. According to
event organizer Suzette Selig, there were also several people attending who
were Stinson fanciers, but didn’t own one of the early planes. WDT
2002
05
08 FUNDING OF AIRPORT
IMPROVEMENTS
The merits of an application for state and
federal funding of improvements at Watertown Municipal Airport were debated
Tuesday during a meeting of the Watertown Common Council. A public hearing on the application drew
several comments against moving ahead with planning for growth at the facility,
along with several in favor of keeping the doors of state and federal funding
open. Saying plans for future growth at
the airport embrace a “build-and-they-will-come mentality,” Lewis Miller of
Watertown told the council he was afraid money spent on such expansion would
not result in booming business. He said
if more air traffic was attracted to the city, it would open the door to more
problems, ranging from noise to decreasing property values in the surrounding
neighborhoods. WDT
06
05 Lt. CHRISTOPHER
TRIPLETT
A 1991 graduate of Watertown High School will
be flying a C130 military cargo plane to this weekend’s Watertown Municipal
Airport open house. Lt. Christopher
Triplett, a member of the 440th Air Force Reserve, will be flying the plane
which is used to transport military jeeps and tanks, to Sunday’s event. He is the son of Tom and Jan Triplett of
Watertown. WDT
2003
04
06 MEIGS FIELD RUNWAY
The runway destruction at Chicago’s Meigs
Field by that city’s mayor has Jeff Baum, president/CEO of Wisconsin Aviation,
upset. Wisconsin Aviation operates three
airports including Watertown Municipal Airport, Dodge County Airport in Juneau
and Dane County Regional Airport in Madison.
Baum said his company averages two to four trips a month to the
lakefront airfield which could result in a $30,000 loss. “We do quite a few trips each year and those
are gone. Richard Daley flat out lied
that they are doing it for homeland security.
There is no justification for that. He has been trying to close it for
years.” WDT
05
31 CAPT. DEREK POELLET
Capt. Derek Poellet
of the U.S. Air Force Reserve will be following in his father's footsteps on
Sunday when he flies a C130 Hercules transport aircraft to the Watertown
Municipal Airport's 22nd annual open house celebration. Poellet
will arrive at approximately 9:30 a.m. The aircraft will be on display and open
for tours during the daylong air show. The C130 is a four-engine turbo-powered
prop plane used to resupply troops through air-land missions and through aerial
resupply. It also carries paratroopers. On hand to watch his arrival will be
his parents, Heinz and Evalee Poellet of Oak
Creek. Heinz Poellet,
a former resident of Watertown, used to fly C130s before his retirement and has
flown the same type of aircraft to the show in the past. The Poellets have relatives in Watertown and the surrounding
area. WDT
Cross Reference: 04 10 2003 / Heinz Poellet’s days
as a military and civilian pilot are over, giving him more time to reflect on
the blessings he has had while living in a free country. The former Watertown resident’s career as a
commercial pilot recently ended, and he retired from the Air Force Reserves in
1995. Being affiliated with the military
provided him with several advantages, and he was proud to serve his
country. Being able to have two jobs,
with United Airlines as well as Air Force Reserves, gave him and his family
some financial security over the years while dealing with commercial airlines’
strikes, consolidations and downsizing.
2005
02
07 JAYE MEMORIAL SQUADRON,
CIVIL AIR PATROL
Members of the Col. R. C. Jaye Memorial
Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (C.A.P.) were recognized at the annual awards
banquet Saturday night at the Holiday Inn Express. Cadet and Senior of the Year Awards were presented
to Cadet 2nd Lt. Jacob Pischer and Lt. Col. David Stewart . Members promoted to
the ranks indicated Christopher Heintskill to second
lieutenant, cadets Blake Stevenson and Matthew Lundy to cadet airman. Commander commendation awards were presented
to the following individuals for continued exemplary service, Lt. Cols. Randall
Tesch and David Stewart, Maj. Richard Rupnow, 1st Lt. Walter Bird and Wayne
Urban, 2nd Lt. Christopher Heintskill and 2nd Lt.
Jacob Pischer. WDT
09
01 BRETT FAVRE AND FAMILY AIDED
Watertown-based Wisconsin Aviation has
stepped up to the plate to aid the family, friends and neighbors of one of
their biggest clients, Brett Favre.
Favre’s Hattiesburg, Miss., home sustained damage in Hurricane Katrina,
and relatives and friends were left without phone service, electricity, food
and water in subsequent days. Jeff Baum,
a pilot for Wisconsin Aviation, has been flying Favre around the country since
Favre joined the Packers in the early 1990s.
Favre was in Green Bay working out with the team at the time the
hurricane hit his home state, but his immediate and extended family were
subjected to the high winds, rain and storm damage. WDT
2006
01
22 FUNDING STILL WITHHELD
The Federal Aviation Administration is still
withholding over $150,000 of state and federal funding from the Watertown
Municipal Airport until two outstanding items are cleared up. The local airport was set to receive $155,000
in 2005, but the FAA is not letting it see a dime until conflicting reports of
the River Drive closure are answered and the city signs an aviation easement
agreement with officials of Walmart. The
Watertown Common Council voted to close off River Drive, from Boomer Street to
Aviation Way, starting June 6, 2005, because of the threats from the FAA.
07
28 FOUR YEARS OF FUNDING
TOTALING $630,000
The conflict of the Federal Aviation
Administration withholding over $600,000 of state and federal funding from the
Watertown Municipal Airport and the removal of a section of River Drive seems
to be resolved. Watertown Mayor John
David, who recently concluded a conference call with two FAA officials and the
offices of Rep. Tom Petri, said he has received verbal confirmation that a
100-yard section of River Drive, from Boomer Street to the south, will not have
to be removed in order for the airport to receive four years of funding
totaling $630,000 that was being withheld. The city will not have to remove the
section of road, but the concrete and wooden barriers that are currently
blocking the street will have to remain there, David said. WDT
2008
03 08 BRETT FAVRE
HINTS AT RETIRING?
Wisconsin Aviation Inc. President Jeff Baum
fully expected Brett Favre to come back for his 18th season, but he did admit
them were some signs pointing to the Green Bay Packers legend retiring during a
flight earlier this year. Near the end
of the Packers’ season, Baum, who is also the manager of the Watertown
Municipal Airport, and his crew were treated to a dinner of Popeyes chicken
while flying with Favre to Green Bay.
“Favre came up and made sure everything was right there and he was
serving us, which was one of those things where I was going, ‘Hmm, I wonder if
he is going to leave. He is being pretty
nice.’”
06 30 MAJ. JODI
MARONEY
MADISON -- Oconomowoc native Maj. Jodi
Maroney, who at one time trained at Wisconsin Aviation in Watertown, made a
stop at Dane County Regional Airport Wednesday with her squadron's CH-53E Super
Stallion helicopter. Maroney flew in
from Edwards Air Force Base in California and stopped in Madison before making
her squad's final flight Thursday.
Maroney, 33, has been flying since she was 14 years old and received her
first training from her father, Wes Miller, the current vice president of
administration at Wisconsin Aviation.
07 22 SUNRISE
BUILDING SYSTEM HANGER
Airport Commission expected to take action on a Sunrise Building System
hanger. WDT
07 24 80 PIPER
COMANCHES
A top-notch airport and prime location make
Watertown the temporary home this weekend to about 80 collectors of the Piper
Comanche airplane. The famously reliable
craft is receiving recognition on its 50th birthday next week at Oshkosh’s EAA
Fly-In and Watertown is being used as a mustering point for pilots from around
the world who are members of the International Comanche Society (ICS). Comanches are considered by aviation experts
to be one of the most durable, longest-lived small aircraft ever made. So revered are Comanches that their
international appreciation society, the ICS, numbers well over 2,000. A formal, choreographed sendoff of all 80 of
the Comanches from Watertown to the EAA is scheduled for Sunday morning and its
organizers promise it will be quite a sight.
In addition to the increased air traffic over the weekend in Watertown,
the city’s hotels and restaurants will be crawling with pilots and their guests
attending the reunion — each plane can carry up to four people.
10 28 Airport and the flight school Watertown
Aviation Co. underwent two separate inspections
Wisconsin Aviation Inc., headquartered in Watertown,
relocated avionics dept of Madison location
WDT
2009
02 06 50-YEAR-OLD
ROTATING BEACON REPLACED
A 50-year-old rotating beacon at the Watertown Municipal Airport is
replaced with a new light. The former marker, which had stopped
rotating and needed refurbishing, was replaced through budgeted funds from the
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The sale of the old light to
an airfield in Mississippi financed the labor involved with the
replacement. The new light, which is smaller and brighter, began
operation Thursday evening. At top, Dave Mack assists in the removal
of the old lamp, while above, workers unpack the replacement. WDT
03 24 BEACON PAID
FOR BY STATE FUNDS
Gov. Jim Doyle has approved a $5,605 project that
involves replacing the rotating beacon at Watertown Municipal
Airport. The governor’s action releases the full $5,605 in state
funds for the project and the city of Watertown is contributing personnel and
equipment to install the new unit. New
beacon greatly enhances safety during night and low light conditions by
making it easier for pilots to locate the airport from the air. WDT
07 23 IMPACT OF
AIRVENTURE CONVENTION
Watertown Municipal Airport is expecting a
packed hangar over the next week. According to Jeff Baum, president of
Wisconsin Aviation Inc., the extra traffic at the Watertown airport can be
attributed to the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Convention that
is being held in Oshkosh Monday through Aug. 2. Although he could not give an
exact number on how many aircraft will be at Watertown Municipal Airport over
the next few days, Baum said on an average week during the Oshkosh Convention
the local airport sees a few hundred airplanes.
10 26 Adam West
killed in Tennessee plane crash, former Wisconsin Aviation employee.
2010 SOLVERSON
AVIATION
07
17 Wisconsin Aviation Inc. and Solverson Aviation in Reedsburg
have jointly agreed to consolidate some of their services in order to provide a
wider exposure for their customer base.
The services that will be consolidated are charter and aviation pilot
training. Wisconsin Aviation is
headquartered in Watertown and has operations in Madison and Juneau. It is the largest full-service fixed base
operations in Wisconsin. In combining
the charter and aviation pilot training services, the two companies will bring
a complete central service center to the Dane County Regional Airport. The center also includes a newly constructed
avionics hangar at the Madison facility.
The Watertown airport also has a complete maintenance operation.
2012
03 19 LOCAL AIRPLANE MECHANIC TO
RECEIVE AWARD
Avery Nofsinger will be honored with the
prestigious Charles Taylor Master Mechanic award Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the
Wisconsin Aviation terminal at the Watertown Municipal Airport. The Charles Taylor award is presented by the
Federal Aviation Administration and recognizes individuals who have spent 50
years in an aviation maintenance profession as master mechanics. Nofsinger is a former employee of Wisconsin
Aviation. Nofsinger’s name will be added
to the Roll of Honor leatherbound book on display at the entrance to the FAA
Aircraft Maintenance Division, FAA Headquarters, at the Orville Wright Federal
Building in Washington, D.C. The
applicant for the Charles Taylor award must have been a certified FAA
mechanic/repairman working on an N-registered aircraft maintained under Federal
Aviation Regulations for a minimum of 30 of the 50 years required. The 50 years
may be completed consecutively or nonconsecutively. The award is named after Charles Taylor, the
first aviation mechanic in powered flight. Taylor served as the Wright
brothers’ mechanic and is credited with designing and building the engine for
their first successful aircraft. WDT
10 05 OPERATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Wisconsin Aviation was cited for overall
completely friendly service to aviation.
12 03 AVIATION TERMINAL BUILDING DEDICATED
Wisconsin Aviation’s new $2.5 million general
aviation terminal building for private and corporate aircraft operators and
their passengers at the Dane County Regional Airport will be dedicated today.
The facility, located on the east ramp of the airport, will provide a
state-of-the-art facility to welcome business and recreational flyers to
Madison and Dane County. Wisconsin
Aviation has its headquarters in Watertown where it operates the Watertown
Municipal Airport. It is also the fixed
base operator for the Dodge County Airport.
WDT
2013
05
22 PRESENTATION BY WISCONSIN AVIATION
The Common Council held a Committee of the
Whole meeting to hear a presentation from Wisconsin Aviation regarding the
state of the Watertown Municipal Airport.
Wisconsin Aviation President Jeff Baum spoke to the assembled aldermen
about the airports general operations and the economic benefits the airport
provides the city.
The airport was built in its current location
in Watertown in 1946 and since that time has undergone many changes and
upgrades. Currently the airport has two
runways, one that is 4,430 feet and the other 2,800 feet. The airport sits on 390 acres and has 122,000
square feet of hangars that store 75 aircraft on site. In 2012, the airport handled 56,000 take offs
and landings, and more than 15,000 people moved in and out of the airport for
business last year.
Baum said the airport recently completed its
Airport Master Plan to lay out the next several decades of improvements and
upgrades to the airport. The master plan
is important because it allows the airport to apply for federal and state aid
in completing projects. Part of the
plans call for establishing a 5,000 foot runway at the airport, which Baum said
is important because for many businesses because that is the shortest runways
they are allowed to fly in and out of. The longest runway at the airport is actually
5,008 feet long, Baum said, but because of obstacles on properties around the
airport part of the runway cannot be used.
Other projects at the airport included
building a new terminal, a new fuel farm, better signs for the airport and
purchasing surrounding properties to allow the full runway to be used.
08 16 JEFF BAUM HEADED FOR WISCONSIN
AVIATION HALL OF FAME
Jeff Baum to be inducted into the Wisconsin
Aviation Hall of Fame.
08 31 JEFF BAUM SCHOLARSHIP
Avfuel establishes Jeff
Baum scholarship
2014 MEMORIAL
HELD FOR JIM “FANG” MARONEY
04
26
Aviators from across the country gathered at
the Watertown Municipal Airport Saturday to honor the life of one of the most
celebrated pilots in the country, Jim “Fang” Maroney. Maroney, a legend among pilots, used the
Watertown Regional Airport as his home base for his four airplanes for the last
10 years. Maroney, who lived in the
Brookfield area, was flying his Havilland DHC-1 plane from French Lick, Ind.,
to an air show in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., when something went wrong and he
crashed into a mountain in Tennessee on March 23. Wisconsin Aviation founder and CEO Jeff Baum
said Maroney was one of the top air show performers in the world and traveled
around the country performing at different shows.
More than 100 people attended the Saturday memorial, with some in attendance coming in from Florida, Michigan, North Dakota and other states. The ceremony featured two flybys by World War II era planes, a video tribute to Maroney’s life and many people sharing stories, memories and photos of Maroney. WDTimes article
Cross References:
Online article: Veteran
airshow pilot Jim 'Fang' Maroney dead after crashing 'Chipmunk' aircraft in
Cherokee National Forest
YouTube video clip: Jim spoke at the Mitchell
Gallery of Flight membership meeting, March 12, 2014, about his career in
aviation. Sadly, we lost Jim on March
23.
2015
06
11 MUNICIPAL AIRPORT DEDICATES SIGN
On May 27 a new sign marking the Watertown
Municipal Airport was erected at the corner of Aviation Drive and South Church
Street. The sign was a longtime goal of
the Watertown Airport Commission. The
late Art Risser was one the driving forces in getting the sign initiated and
approved.
The Watertown Municipal Airport was
commissioned in 1945 and has grown from two short grass strips, a few buildings
and seven aircraft to one that houses more than 80 aircraft and sees 56,000
operations per year. Wisconsin Aviation manages the airport for the city.
08 01 PLANE CRASH ON BERYL DRIVE
Initial investigation showed that as 1978 single engine Cessna was
approaching the Watertown Airport for a landing just before 6pm the plane lost
engine power and crashed through some trees, coming to rest on private
property. The pilot, who was alone in
the plane, received minor injuries and was transported to the Watertown
Hospital. Jefferson County Sheriff,
Watertown Police Department, Watertown EMS and Watertown Fire Department
responded to the scene. Jefferson County
Emergency Communications volunteers were also dispatched to the scene to
assist.
08 01 ADDRESSING AIRCRAFT vs.
WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS
A sharpshooter and a
burned sausage factory are playing key roles in keeping airplanes from slamming
into white-tailed deer. Milwaukee Journal article
09 05 “ALL ABOUT DRONES”
Wisconsin
Aviation, Inc.’s corporate office at Watertown announces a free seminar on
Sunday, September 13, concerning the fast development of the use of
drones. “Know Before You Fly” is an
awareness program started by the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address the concerns about privacy and
public safety when flying drones—particularly those with video/photographic
equipment. This free seminar follows
Wisconsin Aviation’s Pancake Breakfast & Airport Open House.
09 16 JOHNSONVILLE VOLUNTEERS:
PLANE RIDES PROPOSED
City
Council Proceedings: Review &
approve request for funds from the Watertown Municipal Airport. Krys Brown, from Wisconsin Aviation, was
present to talk about all of the volunteer work that was done by the
Johnsonville employees at the Airport by removing brush, clearing fence lines,
cutting down trees and cleaning up the habitat around the Airport. Krys estimates that this has saved the city
and the airport at least $30,000.00 in labor costs. Because of that, the Airport Commission is
asking the city to contribute $1,000.00 to take Johnsonville volunteers on
plane rides to look at the city from the air.
The Finance Committee thought this was a great idea and is suggesting
the airport look at all of their budget accounts to see if they could come up
with the money. If this could not be
accomplished, they will contact the Mayor and come back for further
discussion. A motion was made and
seconded to authorize expenditure of up to $1,000.00, which was seconded and
passed unanimously.
09 17 JOHNSONVILLE
SAUSAGE MAKERS; WORK CREW AT AIRPORT
Sausage
makers use downtime productively.
09 30 BENFITS OF A LOCAL AIRPORT
Jeff Baum, president and CEO of Wisconsin Aviation, gave a
presentation on the Watertown Municipal Airport and Wisconsin Aviation.
The airport only cost the city about $217,600 to operate in
2015. This low operating cost is
possible through the administration of the Watertown Municipal Airport by
Wisconsin Aviation, a private enterprise. The airport’s employees are actually
employees of Wisconsin Aviation, and thus receive their pay from that private
company rather than the city. Along with
the Watertown Municipal Airport, Wisconsin Aviation administers the Dodge
County Airport in Juneau and the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison.
Looking toward the future Baum said what the airport needs most is
to obtain classification for one of its runways to be considered 5,000 feet
long. The runway is already technically
that long, but due to four buildings and a road near the end of the runway, an
area called the clear zone, it is only considered 4,430 feet long. To do this the airport is seeking to purchase
the properties those buildings stand on and reroute Boomer Street to give the
clearance needed to achieve that 5,000-foot classification. WDTimes
article
10 12 REGIONAL
FLIGHT CONTEST HELD OVER WATERTOWN
Student flight teams from Minnesota State
University-Mankato, University of North Dakota, University of Dubuque and
University of Wisconsin-Madison all came to Watertown to compete in the
National Intercollegiate Flying Association's (NIFA) SAFECON Region V contest
this weekend. The University of North
Dakota finished the weekend in first place, and the University of Wisconsin
came in second. These two teams will
move on to the 2016 SAFECON national competition hosted by Ohio State
University on May 16 in Columbus, Ohio.
The four teams used the Watertown Municipal Airport as their base of
operations and a mix of about 15 Cessnas and Pipers to compete. WDTimes
article
2016
06
07 MOWER FOR AIRPORT
Council Proceedings: Review & approve mower for Airport. Krys Brown, from the Airport, and Street
Superintendent Schultz were present to explain the tractor mower situation at
the Airport. It had extensive repair
last year and is in need of more than $10,000.00 in repairs. Neither feel it is worth putting that kind of
money into this tractor. They are
proposing to purchase a John Deere tractor at a cost of $59,737.52. They are proposing to rent this for $1,400.00
per month, with those payments to go toward the purchase price. Motion was made, seconded and passed
unanimously to approve this rental purchase agreement.
06
07 FINAL PROPERTY FOR RUNWAY EXPANSION ACQUIRED
Following a court decision to sign a writ of
assistance, the city of Watertown, through its agent, the Department of
Transportation Bureau of Aeronautics can now acquire the final property needed
for the expansion of the runway clear zone at the Watertown Municipal Airport.
Late last year, the airport purchased three
other properties it required for the expansion of the runway's clear zone. The additional space will allow the airport
to accommodate larger aircraft that require a 5,000-foot-long runway for
regulatory and insurance purposes. The
three properties the airport has purchased include 1206 Boomer St. owned by Red
Corner Investments LLC, 925 S. 12th St. owned by TJL Investments and 1004 S.
Twelfth St. owned by Andreas and Christine Wieder.
2017
06
16 SITE PREPARATION FOR RUNWAY EXPANSION
08
17 WISCONSIN AVIATION CELEBRATES 36 YEARS IN BUSINESS
Jeff Baum, the company’s founder and CEO, is
active in day-to-day operations of the company and continues to fly charter
trips from all three of its locations.
He is certified to fly many types of aircraft from twin-engine propeller
aircraft to executive jets. Baum also
serves on numerous state and local aviation boards.
Wisconsin Aviation’s history goes back to
1981 when interest rates were at 21 percent and the country was facing one of
the worst recessions ever. Baum, along
with a partner, started Wisconsin Aviation at the Watertown Municipal Airport
(KRYV). Since then the company has
continued to grow and offer more services.
Two years after its founding, the firm began operating a second
fixed-base operator at the Dodge County Airport in Juneau. On Jan. 1, 1994, Madison’s Four Lakes
Aviation was purchased by Wisconsin Aviation along with Coldstream Aviation
(South Ramp) in 1995. In 1998, the
company added avionics at Madison and interior repair and installation at the
Watertown location.
In December 2002, Wisconsin Aviation
dedicated its new $2.5 million, state-of-the-art general aviation terminal on
the east side of the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison. In 2008 Wisconsin Aviation’s growth continued
with the completion of the new avionics hangar in its Technical Services
Complex.
Wisconsin Aviation is now capable of
providing a complete line of aviation-oriented services including private
aircraft charter, corporate aircraft management, aircraft maintenance,
avionics, aircraft rental, aircraft sales and flight instruction for private
pilot through airline transport ratings.
Additionally, aircraft hangar rental and
fueling services are available for aircraft at all three locations.
The current aircraft fleet is well over 50
aircraft, ranging from a two-seat training aircraft to several luxurious
executive jets. Over the past 10 years,
Wisconsin Aviation’s annual charter operations averaged almost 19,000 flight
hours while traveling over 3 million miles.
08
17 ADDITIONAL FENCING
Exhibit #8531, to authorize entering into a
contract with Century Fence to provide fencing at a cost not to exceed
$40,000.00 at the Airport, to be taken from Airport Major Capital Outlay
Account #05-54-73-70 was presented.
Resolution carried on a roll call vote: Yes — 9. No — none. Council proceedings
10
30 HANGARS OFFERED ON ONLINE BIDDING
3 Airplane hangars are offered at this online
bidding only sale from Friday, October 30, 2017 to Friday, November 17, 2017
with lots closing at 10:00a.m. (CT) Hangars are located at 1755, 1759 and 1761
River Drive, Watertown Municipal Airport (RYV), Watertown, WI 53094. Hangars will sell As is, Where is, No
Contingencies or Exceptions. Bidding
requirements apply and successful bidder(s) are required to deposit $5,000 as a
down payment at the close of the sale.
Bidding requirements: All
interested bidders must submit a letter from their bank or financial
institution confirming the availability of sufficient funds to close the
transaction prior to being approved to bid.
The hangar at 1755 River Drive is 42 x 68; 2,856 sq ft. The hangar at 1759 River Drive is 54' x 60';
3,240 sq ft. The hangar at 1761 River
Drive is 54' x 60'; 3,240 sq ft. Contact
Stan Jones, CAI, Wisconsin Registered Auctioneer #993 at (920) 261-6820 for
complete details
2018
06
25 SITE PREPARATION FOR RUNWAY EXPANSION
Third annual Watertown
Military Show ran in conjunction with "A Hero's Welcome -- The Moving
Wall" at Watertown Municipal Airport.
11 30 CESSNA CITATION DISPLAY AT ENTRANCE TO
CITY
Photo posted on City of Watertown Facebook page
The Cessna Citation display being constructed
at the entrance to the city on state Highway 26.
After getting finance committee approval to
remove a billboard on city property and a number of pledged private donations,
the Watertown Municipal Airport is moving forward with the installation of a
welcome sign featuring the donated frame of a Cessna Citation Jet.
2019
05
07 SITE PREPARATION FOR RUNWAY EXPANSION
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS: Res. Exh. #8804,
approving a proposed Settlement Agreement to resolve legal disputes with
Timothy Otterstatter and BT Equipment, LLC, arising
from the Watertown Municipal Airport Improvement Project was presented. Adoption of this resolution carried by roll
call vote; Yes-8; No-0.
2020
09 16 WISCONSIN AVIATION EXPANDS CHARTER OPERATIONS IN THE MILWAUKEE/WAUKESHA MARKETS
WATERTOWN, WIS. -- Wisconsin Aviation, Inc.’s corporate
headquarters at Watertown, Wisconsin, announces the expansion of its air
charter department with the opening of a new office at Milwaukee Mitchell
International Airport, 401 E. Layton Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207. The
corporation looks forward to expanding its market to meet the needs of those
needing air travel in this area.
Some of the features of private air travel
include security in knowing everyone on your flight; clean and sanitized
aircraft that exceed the standards of the CDC; stress-free travel including no
long lines, layovers, connecting flights, or intrusive security screening; and
the convenience of utilizing smaller, local airports that are closer to your
departing location and your destination, to just name a few.
Wisconsin Aviation has been serving the
general aviation community since its inception in 1981 and offers a complete
line of services including air charter, aircraft maintenance, avionics repair
and installation, aircraft interiors, flight training and aircraft rental,
aircraft management, aircraft brokerage, and fueling services. The corporation
has locations at Madison, Watertown, Juneau, and now Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
2021
07 19 WISCONSIN AVIATION’S 40th ANNIVERSARY
From three employees in 1981 to 140 today, from
piston Senecas to Citation jets, from a 3,200-foot runway to Dane County
Regional, it’s been quite a journey.
Wisconsin Aviation started when Watertown
Aviation failed.
Wisconsin Aviation took over the Dodge County
Airport in Juneau in 1983 and took over as the flagship operation at the Dane
County Regional Airport in Madison in 1994.
08 23 WISCONSIN AVIATION IS TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PILOTS
WATERTOWN, Wis. — Wisconsin Aviation is busy
training pilots, many of whom will help with the current pilot shortage that is
being felt across the country. Samuel
Adams, a certified flight instructor at Wisconsin Aviation's Watertown
facility. Alexander Browne, student
2023
04 03 BOOMER STREET REPOSITIONING PLANS
To meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
runway protection zone requirements, the Watertown Municipal Airport is working
with the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics (BOA) to realign Boomer Street between
approximately S. Ninth Street and S. Twelfth Street. As part of the design and planning of this
project, soil borings are needed.
Starting today and running through tomorrow, subcontractors will collect
soil borings near Boomer street and on airport property. They will have signs and flaggers up with one
lane passable for traffic.
The Boomer Street repositioning plans should
be completed by late summer.
Construction could begin as soon as fall 2023.
04 14 PLANE CRASH AT BRANDT-QUIRK PARK
Retired Watertown dentist Dr.
William A. Buchholtz, 73, was a fatality, alongside his 8-year-old
grandson, Colin
Strebe.
The two people died in the plane crash at
Brandt-Quirk Park near Watertown High School
Federal officials identified the plane as a
Mooney M20R — a single-engine prop plane — and the incident report states it
was in its initial climb at the time the crash.
No one on the ground was reported injured, according to the FAA. The FAA report says the plane crashed “under
unknown circumstances,” according to an FAA incident report.
The crash was the first fatal crash in
Watertown since 2006, according to the National Transportation Safety Board
database. A crash that year killed three people during an attempt by flight
crews from two separate planes to photograph their planes in mid air.
Watertown police and fire crews were called
at 9:05 a.m. to the 800-block of Carriage Hill Drive for a report of a crash
involving a small plane, which took off from Watertown Municipal Airport.
Watertown firefighters quickly extinguished
small fires around the crash site.
The Federal Aviation Administration and
National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation with the
Watertown Police Department assisting.
The Dodge County Sheriff ’s Office, Dodge
County Office of Emergency Management and Dodge County medical examiner
assisted at the site.
Cross reference:
NTSB
releases preliminary report on fatal crash
10 02 INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT
The City of Watertown is pleased to announce
a significant infrastructure project at the Watertown Municipal Airport. In an
effort to enhance safety and accessibility, the project involves the relocation
of Boomer Street between S. Ninth Street and S. Twelfth Street, currently
situated within the Airport’s Runway Protection Zone (RPZ). The scope of the realignment project includes
storm sewer installation, biofilter construction, curb and gutter installation,
asphalt paving, and the removal of the existing Boomer Street from S. Ninth
Street to S. Twelfth Street. The
Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics and the City of Watertown have contracted with
Michels Highway of Brownsville, WI to complete the project.
2024
09 25 NEW TIP DOWN POLE TO REPLACE AIRPORT
BEACON TOWER
A replacement beacon is needed due to an
incident on Dec. 10, 2023, where a vehicle ran off the road and hit the
electric vault. The safety navigation
tool sat on a 55-foot tower, but that model is no longer made. However, most airports have new technology of
a tip down pole for ease of maintenance and replacing the light bulbs. The Finance Committee approved NEO Electrical
Solutions for the contract worth the amount of $61,099.41. The project will include a relocation of the
beacon.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin