"Future bodes well for regional airports"

Monday, July 31, 2000

Future bodes well for regional airports
Hub congestion means more traffic for facilities such as Outagamie
By Steve Wideman
Appleton (WI) Post-Crescent


OSHKOSH -- Growing congestion at the country's major airports spells a
bright future for smaller facilities like Wittman and Outagamie County
regional airports, top federal and state aviation officials said Sunday.

"Some of these smaller airports that have been called reliever or
non-primary airports are going to play a key role in the future of
commercial aviation. We need to think of this as a whole system. It's not
just a hub and spoke system, but includes the smaller airports as well,"
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Jane Garvey said.

Although construction of super jumbo jets capable of carrying 800 passengers
is at least 20 years away, jet planes holding as few as four passengers are
being built to satisfy customer desires and demand to bypass major airports
like Chicago O'Hare and fly more directly from home to destination.

Garvey said smaller airports such as Wittman and Outagamie County will be
taking on growth that threatens to overload the nation's 20 hub airports.

"As we move into the future these smaller airports will become very
critical," Garvey said.

Robert Kunkel, director of the state Bureau of Aeronautics said a new type
of commercial service is growing -- small, affordable business jets designed
to increase the efficiency of air travel.

"The fastest-growing segment of aviation is the business jet. You can see
from this convention that the size of business jets has gone down to where
in a couple years we will be at the four- to six-passenger level, which will
revolutionize aviation," Kunkel said.

He said the difficult part for the smaller planes will be getting into the
large hub airports.

"Places like Oshkosh and Outagamie County are going to be handling these
type of aircraft. The future is bright is the way I see it," Kunkel said.

There are four airports within a 40-mile radius capable of handling smaller
corporate jets, including the Oshkosh, Outagamie County, Fond du Lac County
and Austin Straubel International airports.

Kunkel said sales of corporate jet aircraft in Wisconsin have exploded in
recent years.

"In 1991 there was about $2 million worth sold in the state. Last year there
was $102 million. So far in 2000 there has been $106 million in sales of
corporate jet aircraft," Kunkel said. "We think this year it could even top
$200 million. To go from $2 million in 1991 to $200 million this year is
significant growth. If the economy holds up, that will continue."

He said there is no question the manufacturers of the small corporate jets
will set their sights on finding sales among businesses in the Fox Valley
and across the state.

"Time is valuable. It's very cumbersome to go by the airlines. You get
delays. You always have to transfer. You have to go through Chicago or
Detroit or Minneapolis. That's why companies are buying their own
airplanes," Kunkel said.

He said the buying is not confined to company presidents or executives, but
includes accountants, engineers, marketing and other specialized employees.

"Time is just so valuable," he said.

Kunkel noted one four-passenger corporate jet on display at the Experimental
Aircraft Association's AirVenture 2000, the Eclipse, has a list price of
just over $800,000.

"That is incredible," he said.

Kunkel said the manufacturers of the Eclipse sold 200 of the planes even
though it will not be brought to market for three years.

"You had to come with a $20,000 check, in person, to the company's
headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to order one," Kunkel said. "The
next 200 slots they put on a lottery system where you had to buy a ticket,
non-refundable, for $1,200 to order an airplane that won't be built for at
least five years.

"The demand is there and the need is there, so it is coming," Kunkel said.
"Wisconsin had always been a leader in aviation and it continues to grow all
the time."

   Post your opinion on this story in the CAA Discussion Forum
http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID8

*****************************************