New terminal building opens at WI airport to replace 1940's
structure, but history remains
By ANN Contributor Rose Dorcey
It's a significant contrast from the old terminal building, with
its bright walls, gleaming floors, plush furniture and modern
fixtures. There's not a hint that this family-owned company has
been doing business here for over six decades. If it weren't for
the old weather-beaten wooden hangar a few hundred yards away with
the words 'Morey Airplane Company' painted on its side, you
wouldn't know you're at the same place at all.
A contrast to the old, indeed... but once inside you'll find
that not all has changed. Now in its third generation of family
management, you'll find Rich Morey and a staff of twelve ready to
greet you with a smile. Talk with them for a few moments, and you
will also find that the memorabilia, the photographs, and the
memories of the past sixty years have found a new home.
The Morey Airplane Company was founded in Middleton (WI) by
Rich's grandfather, Howard Morey, in 1942. When Howard's son, Field
Pendleton Morey, was born, he rapidly got involved in the family
business. The same is true of the company's current President, Rich
Morey. Rich began his career there in 1974, working "on the line" -
including duties such as cleaning, fueling and parking aircraft.
Like his kindred before him, Rich loved aviation, so he
concentrated on getting an aviation degree from Blackhawk Technical
College in Janesville (WI) and becoming a commercial pilot and
certified flight instructor.
While the original terminal building is gone, it's nice to know
that the family and nostalgia remain. Former students, some from as
far back as four decades ago, have stopped in to see the new
building, and inevitably, they begin to share their memories from
the past. Here and there you'll find pieces of furniture from the
old building, and the planked pine cabinets used by both his father
and grandfather now line an entire wall in Rich's office. Once the
Morey's get settled in, they plan to develop a historical display,
utilizing images of the airport's history.
"Universally, our current customers and former students are very
pleased," said Rich. "There is some nostalgia for the old place. We
would have people visit our old building who went through our
training program in the 40's or 50's, and they would come back and
say how very little had changed. It was just like stepping back in
their memories. We're going to miss that, but there was no way to
keep the old building."
A facet of the business that has put the Morey Airplane Company
on the national aviation map is the development of the West Coast
Adventures training program. Eleven times a year, Morey takes
students on a seven-day instrument-training program. The program,
established by his father three decades ago, is widely acclaimed as
an innovative approach to flight training.
Students fly Cessna T182RG Skylanes on a training adventure
through the Dakota's and several western states, then south to fly
over the top of the Los Angeles International Airport, back east
for an overnight in Sedona (AZ), then on to Colorado, Nebraska and
back to Wisconsin. Pilots from across the United States travel to
Middleton, just outside of the state capital, Madison (WI), to
begin their seven-day odyssey. In October, the Morey family will be
at the AOPA Expo in Long Beach, California to market the
program.
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