Wisconsin Aero Bureau Website Makes Planning Easier

By ANN Correspondent Rose Dorcey

Looking for an airport to land at in Wisconsin? Wondering what fuel services the airport offers? More importantly, where are you going to eat once you get there? These questions and more, can be answered by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Bureau of Aeronautics website. It can also help with your flight planning to Wisconsin's largest aviation gathering, AirVenture 2005 in Oshkosh.

The easy-to-navigate site provides a wealth of information to those who are making their way to the Dairy state, whether by air or automobile, including road conditions, construction zones, rest areas and scenic by-ways. But let's concentrate on the Air portion of the site, since more than 10,000 aircraft are expected to fly into this year's 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 Wisconsin Airport Restaurant Facilities page lists 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. Call ahead though, a quick check through the list shows restaurants that have since closed, like my favorite Chinese place in the state's capitol of Madison - The Red Pepper. There are also on-airport restaurants that aren't included in the list, like the fantastic Scott's Pastry Shoppe in Middleton (C29), located a few miles west of Madison, where you can find the area's best pastries, along with hot breakfast and fresh lunches. Again, I say, call ahead.

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. There is a handy poster that shows Wisconsin airports with right-hand traffic patterns. For your trip home, the site also features links to other State Department of Transportation Aeronautics websites.

FMI: www.dot.state.wi.us/modes/air.htm