I'll second Ben's post. Airports here in Wisconsin are getting a lot of
State and Fed funding. STE just got a new taxiway, ramp paving & seal
coating and plans are in the works for an ILS as well as a second taxiway.
MFI is getting partial Fed funding for an FBO building. Have their been any
improvements made lately? Who paid? Is the airport board awake? Have they
applied for any lately?

As for the university.... find out how many professors are pilots then talk
to them about how the university uses the airport. Do the sports teams fly
or take busses? What about the coaches and their recruiting staff members,
do they fly? Does the University have an aviation program? any airplanes?
If not see if the local FBO(s) or CFI's can organize a program. I can't see
how a "State" university's budget can be hampered by a "local" airport.
What kind of local funding do they think they will gain by closing a "local"
airport? Or is it just a bunch of university types thinking too hard and
out loud about things they know nothing about?

Does the airport have any "key" tenants? such as large businesses with
corporate airplanes or aviation departments? I know several airports such
as Lone Rock, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan have gotten improvements and are all
but invincible to local "closure" threats because they have a strong tie to
the large businesses (employment) in the area. Have an employer of a few
hundred people tell the city that they will move if they close the airport
and my guess is that it stays open. Our farm just was forced to "sell" the
state of Wisconsin an aviation navigation easement across the road from the
Lone Rock airport. A large corporation bases their aircraft there and just
bought a larger jet. The larger jet uses more runway so the state extended
the runway and provided more clear area, basically to keep the business
owner happy.

--
Jim Burns III

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"Ben Smith" wrote in message
...
Doesn't the City have to ante so much of their own money to get federal
dollars for improvements? And if they have received funds in the past,
how
easy is it to just 'close' the airport? I don't think they could get away
with a 'Meigs' style closing.

Here in Wisconsin, despite a couple billion dollar deficit, there are a
bunch of improvements going on at small airfields. I just got my Wis DOT
published Airport Directory in the mail, and I was surprised to see a hand
full of airports with remarks about runway extensions, etc.., all to be
completed this year. Morey Airport west of Madison is getting a 4000x100
foot runway, more hangar lots for lease, etc.

--
Ben
C-172 - N13258 @ 87Y