Groundbreaking Held Wednesday To Replace Double-Wide Trailer

By: Larry Stencel

Immediately after a quick ceremonial spade-turning, construction got underway November 3 on a new 2,000 sq ft FBO building at the Wautoma, WI airport (Y50). The project, which has been in the FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding cycle for a number of years, will result in a new building that local pilots say will be a welcome improvement over the existing double-wide mobile home style "temporary" structure which has served for almost 20 years. The new facility will provide a managers office, flight planning area, flight training area as well as restroom and shower facilities for transient pilots.

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Present for the ceremony were the City Manager and Council members, airport commissioners, airport co-managers as well as representatives from MSA Professional Services, the engineers and architects of Baraboo, WI and Eagle Construction, the general construction project managers of Wisconsin Rapids, WI. The project is expected to be complete in late spring 2011. AIP funds are covering 90% of the cost while State of Wisconsin and City of Wautoma will each pay 5%.

"Temporary" FBO

Wautoma, located 33 NM due west of Oshkosh, became a welcome divert airport during AirVenture 2010 when incessant rains forced closure of large portions of the Wittman Regional airport grounds. Early EAA traffic was diverted to the Fondulac airport but - when that facility filled to capacity - pilots began showing up in large numbers at Wautoma. Already known to a smaller number of repeat AirVenture pilots who choose not to fly into Wittman Field, the new arrivals were amazed to find such a "beautiful and friendly" airport so close to the FISK entry point to OSH. About 100 airplanes made Wautoma home during AirVenture and most pilots said they'd be back. Many camped under their airplanes. The City is hoping to better those numbers in 2011 and is planning on being proactive toward that end in advance of AirVenture 2011. EAA'ers are definitely welcome in Wautoma, said airport co-manager, Dick Jorgensen.

The new FBO is the fifth in a series of planned airport improvements that the City has in its long term planning cycle. About six years ago, a new ASOS station was installed. Four years ago, the existing taxiway system around hangars was improved. Two years ago, a new 24/7 automated fuel dispensing system was installed. Most recently, the 3,300' main runway was resurfaced and painted. Future projects will seek to lengthen all runways as well as re-do the existing parking ramp. The City of Wautoma treats its airport as one of the economic engines for the small rural resort community of 2,200 people in Waushara County and it definitely shows. In the last decade, numerous private individuals have erected hangars on the airfield precisely because of the towns proactive and friendly stance and reasonable cost.

Wautoma is also home to EAA Chapter 1331 which maintains a large hangar adjacent to the FBO. During AirVenture 2010, the EAA Chapter quickly reacted to the unexpected rush of transient airplanes by providing evening food and drink for the pilots and passengers of airplanes that had diverted. In addition, ground transportation was quickly organized to make several daily trips between Wautoma and Oshkosh. Transient pilots who had originally planned on going directly into Wittman Field were pleasantly surprised at what they found. The Chapter and City hopes to see them again in 2011.

FMI: www.airnav.com/airport/Y50