b'42 D25 HANGARSfor the last person and ask if thats what they would like or if Airport Committee Chairman Jerrythey have adjustments, he explains. They come back a week Wilke helps provide free introductory airplane rides to children. or so later with changes, and boom, they are ready to go. Although Walters Buildings is based in southern Wisconsin, it typically hires local electricians, plumbers, and concrete companies as subcontractors. Giving BackWilke emphasizes that the airport needs to be a good community partner if it wants to continue growing.Too many [airport operators] wonder why they get complaints. Its because people do not understand the airports benefits, he explains. They feel like theyve been kept on the other side of the fence. That is a mistake. Manitowish Waters Airport fosters goodwill within its community by hosting events that draw the public insidethe fence. Hes made the process easy because hes already done it with others, Wilke relates. They sign the lease, and then weOne example is the Experimental Aircraft Associations put them in touch with our recommended builder, though theyYoung Eagles program, which provides free introductory can use their own. airplane rides to children ages 8 to 17. They get their first ride, a logbook and a signed certificate, Wilke says. Some The airport recommends Walters Buildings of Allenton,kids come back year after year, and its a spectacular event for WI, because its product meets the airports requirements forthem and their families.quality, efficiency and appearance. Most customers take the airports recommendation and are pleased with the processThe airport also hosts an annual Hamburger Fly-In Social in and results, says Wilke. They show customers what they didAugust, always on a Thursday. Planes come from near and far, and the entire community is invited for food, music and aircraft tours. The airport also conducts training for volunteer firefighters, local police and other first responders. The sessions help familiarize emergency personnel with the airport layout and operations. Such preparation could prove crucial if a Flight for Life aircraft needs to operate from the airport or an incident occurs at the airfield.Hanson notes that recent and ongoing hangar development is just one aspect of long-term development at the airport. The next step is creating a master plan to detail future development. That process is expected to cost $250,000 and will be funded by the FAA. No matter what the master plan eventually contains, Hanson stresses that continued development would not be possible without community support and close cooperation between town leaders and the Airport Committee. Having that connection with the town government, the support of the community and the understanding of why the airport is important in the first place is what gets things done, he concludes. October 2024AirportImprovement.com'