Website Loaded With Information
By ANN Correspondent Rose Dorcey
You've never been to Wisconsin. You'll be flying. You'll need
fuel. You'll need food. What one resource can give you Dairystate
flight planning information, along with likely places to fuel your
tummy? Check out the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's
Bureau of Aeronautics website.
The easy-to-navigate site provides a wealth of information to
those who are making their way to the Dairystate, whether by air or
auto, including road conditions and construction zones, rest areas
and scenic by-ways. But let's concentrate on the air-area of the
site, since we've already established that you're flying to this
year's big event.
The general information page includes a listing of aviation
publications. It's where you can find free access to several useful
pre-flight planning tools, such as the online Wisconsin Airport
Directory. Here you can download and print an overhead photo of the
airport you're interested in, and for larger facilities, an airport
diagram. You will also find the communication and navigation
frequencies, along with the services the airport offers and the
name and phone number of the FBO. Important notes and cautions are
also included, such as "deer, cranes and turkeys in vicinity of
airport" and "residential airport, people and equipment may be near
runway". Nearly 140 airports are listed.
A separate webpage shows a listing of fuel services at Wisconsin
airports, so if you're looking for 80 octane or 100 low lead, Jet A
or Mogas, you'll know where to find it.
Once you know where to fill your tanks, you need to know where
to fill your tummy. The Points of Interest near Wisconsin Airports
listing features over 500 restaurants and cafes that are located
either on or within five miles of an airport. Restaurant phone
numbers are included, along with courtesy car (and in some cases -
courtesy bike) information. Some restaurants provide pickup and
return services; at least one welcomes seaplanes. The document also
tells if golf, camping, and hotels are located nearby. Note: call
ahead for hours and days of operation. A quick look shows that a
few restaurants have since closed.
There are links to Wisconsin airports, weather-related websites
and aviation organizations. Flying a seaplane to Wisconsin? You
will find a list of seaplane bases and seaplane restrictions. A
handy poster shows Wisconsin airports with right-hand traffic
patterns. For your trip home, the site also features links to
Department of Transportation Aeronautics website from other
states.
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