More Than a Half Century of Service

The Wisconsin Aviation Trades Association (WATA) was founded on February 9, 1945, as an organization intended to look out for the interests of fixed base operators and their customers.

Edward Knaup of Milwaukee was elected president, and James Mattson was elected secretary. Directors elected included Louie Wuilleumier of Four Lakes Aviation, Madison; Jack Fanta of LaCrosse; and William McBoyle of Reedsburg.

Other operators who got involved on committees and later as board members included Steve Wittman of Wittman Aviation, Oshkosh; Max Sagunsky of Fond du Lac; Harry Chaplin of Chaplin Aviation, Sheboygan Falls; Bill Lotzer of Gran-Aire, Milwaukee; Howard Morey of Morey Airplane Company, Middleton; Lyle Grimm of Wausau; Noble Lee of Lakeland Aviation, Minocqua; Boyd Miller of Green Bay; Art Hodge of Hodge Aero, Janesville; and Carl Guel and Fritz Wolf of the Wisconsin Division of Aeronautics.

Their Goals - Our Goals

The founders' goals in 1945 remain the goals of WATA's leadership today:

• To provide safe and economical aviation services to Wisconsin pilots and the general public
• To provide a free flow of information between fixed base operators, the State of Wisconsin, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other groups and organizations, including:
  • The Wisconsin Airport Managers Association (WAMA)
  • The Wisconsin Business Aviation Association (WBAA)
  • The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
  • The Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA)
  • The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
  • The National Air Transportation Association (NATA)

Standing Committees

• Airspace: WATA assures that air transportation for commerce and recreation will not be impeded or otherwise adversely affected by tall structures, or restricted by special-use airspace users.
• Fuel Storage, Ground/Water Contamination: WATA represents air commerce, in regards to fuel storage and ground/water contamination issues, before state and federal regulatory agencies, and provides members advice and counsel.
• Government Affairs: WATA serves as a liaison with state and federal agencies, and supports member companies relative to local issues with county and municipal government. Additionally, the committee is responsible for lobbying on behalf of air commerce in the state and federal legislature.

Directors/Officers

The WATA Board of Directors and officers are elected by the general membership at the annual meeting held during the Wisconsin Aviation Conference. WATA is an all-volunteer organization, managed by professionals, with management, communications, transportation, recreation, and travel expertise. WATA brings together these valuable resources and expertise for the betterment of all aviation businesses in Wisconsin.

Major Accomplishments

• WATA played a major role in the development and installation of the first statewide weather satellite computer access system in the United States, in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aeronautics. Today, satellite weather stations are located at every major airport in Wisconsin. WATA members continue to play a role in the testing of new weather system technology.
• WATA members were part of a task force which simplified aircraft registration in the state, which resulted in changing from annual to biennial registration, thereby reducing administrative expense and red tape.
• WATA successfully lobbied to enable flight training centers to administer FAA written examinations, thereby improving service for the consumer.
• WATA created the first "drug testing consortium" in Wisconsin, which has saved commercial flight operations a great deal of money over individual programs.
• WATA helped cosponsor the first model ordinance to protect public and private airports from cellular phone towers, which encourages land use compatibility and planning.

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