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Federal Budget Sequester Threatens to Close Waukesha ATC Tower
You may have seen or heard a news report about the federal budget sequester debate and the potential impact it may have on the FAA ATC towers, including the tower at Waukesha County Airport. If you haven't been paying attention to the news, you can catch up on the latest information here and here.
In the past few days, the FAA announced a list of 238 ATC towers that "could" close if the federal budget sequester takes effect on March 1 as planned, and Congress does not find a way to avoid it. We have been in close contact with Midwest ATC, the company that runs and staffs the Waukesha tower, and we want to assure you that the tower will be operating normally in March, regardless of what happens with the federal government. There is no danger that the tower will be closed immediately after the deadline passes this weekend. The earliest that the tower could possibly close is April 1, which gives us all several weeks of advance notice if such a change is imminent.
We suspect that the tower closures are mostly a scare tactic to push legislators to take action to avoid the sequester, as the potential air safety risks of shutting down hundreds of ATC towers across the country would not be palatable to the public, nor would they present a risk that elected officials are likely to support. However, since tower closure is a possibility, we are paying close attention to the debate, and will keep you informed of any news that may impact Waukesha County Airport's ATC tower, as well as towers throughout the state and country that may be among your destinations.
Please note that our tower is part of a contract program and that any news reports of layoffs or furloughs of FAA employees will not impact our tower because all of our controllers are employed by Midwest ATC. If you have additional questions about this issue, we suggest that you check websites of the FAA, AOPA and other aviation resources. You may also want to contact your US congressman and senators to express your concerns about potential tower closures. As always, you are also welcome to contact airport management.
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Upcoming Events:
Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, March 2, 7 - 10 am
West Bend Airport
EAA Family Flightfest
March 2 and 3 from 10 - 4
EAA Hops & Props
March 9 from 5:30 - 10 pm
AirVenture Museum
Waukesha Aviation Club
Coffee Talk
Saturday, March 16 at 8:00 am
Terminal Conference Room
Free coffee and doughnuts and landing fees waived. All are welcome!
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Airport Commission
The Airport Operations Commission meeting schedule is as follows:
March 13
April 10
May 8
June 12
July 10
August 14
September 11
October 9
November 13
December 11
All meetings are held at 8:00 a.m. in the Waukesha County Airport terminal conference room.
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Greetings!
There's a lot of action going on around the airport these days, and I'm not just referring to the constant hum of snow plows lately. We are working hard on expansion and development of the airport, which you can learn more about in the article below. I'm also planning to hire a new Operations Manager in March and will be sure to introduce him/her to you as soon as possible to ensure you have another great resource to help with your airport needs.
In addition, we're closely watching the federal government to see if our tower will be impacted by their budget sequestration. More details on this issue are provided in the article below in the left column.
We're debuting two new sections for the newsletter today and I would love to hear your feedback. The Upcoming Events section is intended to promote events around the airport as well as events that you may want to fly out to attend at other airports around the state. The "In the News" section is offered as a way to help you keep up on interesting news about the aviation industry and all things "air and space."
We also plan to launch a new article series profiling pilots around the airport to introduce you to some of the fascinating people who are hanging out in your airport neighborhood. We would welcome any suggestions for these new articles, or any questions you may have about information provided in this newsletter.
Fly Safe, Kurt Stanich, Airport Manager Waukesha County Airport |
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Runway Safety Area Improvements and
New Hangars on the Agenda
The airport is set for some major improvements and expansion over the next few years, and we are currently working to secure funding assistance from both federal and state resources. The planned improvements include:
- Resurfacing and reconstruction of Taxiways D & F
- Terminal ramp expansion to accommodate new aeronautical service provider hangars
- Safety area Improvements to Runway 10/28
- Runway 10/28 repair and resurfacing
You may also have read in the newspaper that several airport businesses are interested in building new hangars. These plans are in the preliminary stages, but we are excited that their businesses are doing well, which is a great sign for the economy as a whole.
As runway and taxiway plans are finalized and dates for construction are set, we will provide you with more information. We have your flying activities at the top of our mind and will work very hard to minimize any impacts these projects might have. Thanks for your patience as we improve your airport.
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Waukesha Native Greg Anderson Receives Harrison Ford Legacy Award
In January, Greg Anderson, the former EAA Senior Vice President who helped launch the Young Eagles program, was honored with the Harrison Ford Legacy Award for his career contributions to the general aviation industry. A native of Waukesha, Anderson fondly recalls his love of aviation, which was sparked by watching aircraft take off and land from Waukesha County Airport when he was growing up.
The award was presented to Anderson by Harrison Ford at the 10th annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards in Beverly Hills, California, which was hosted by John Travolta. The event also featured a special tribute to Neil Armstrong, who passed away last summer. Anderson is currently president and CEO of Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, Colorado. He worked at EAA from 1983 - 2004. You can read more about Anderson at Airport Journals.
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Wings over Waukesha Air Show Books B-17, Ford Tri-motor and Air Show Legend Gene Soucy
The Wings over Waukesha Air Show, August 24 - 25, will feature the EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast and Ford Tri-motor, as well as aerobatic performers Mike Vaknin, Greg Koontz, and air show legend Gene Soucy for the 2013 show.
Additional attractions this year are a forum tent with aviation related speakers and the chance to meet the air show performers. There will also be expanded food and beverage services, including an aviation-themed bar & grill, and more interactive displays.
As always, the air show committee welcomes your suggestions, volunteerism and sponsorship! Send any inquiries to airshow@wingsoverwaukesha.com and watch the website for more updates!
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Aviation in the News
Here are some recent aviation industry articles that may be of interest to you. Enjoy!
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