Mingling At State Aviation Conferences, A Trade Group's #1 Membership Benefit!

by Bruce Botterman, President
Wisconsin Aviation Trades Association

A membership benefit to any organization is only valuable to members who use it. The Wisconsin Aviation Conference, and the aviation conferences held in other neighboring states, are examples of a very important membership benefit which is under-used by fixed base operators.

Where else does the fixed base operator have the opportunity to meet government officials, learn from various seminars and experts, and more importantly, "socialize" with airport commission members and airport managers? THE ANSWER: Nowhere else! Some of the best business is conducted standing around during a social hour when participants have the time to get to know one another and discuss common concerns. As a fixed base operator, you also have the opportunity to dialogue with fellow operators, in a non-competitive/cooperative atmosphere. And where else but a state aviation conference can you do all of this with minimal travel and expense? THE ANSWER: Nowhere else!

State aviation conferences, such as the Wisconsin Aviation Conference to be held April 10-12 at the Holiday Inn Convention & Expo Center in Stevens Point, are held once each year. If you are in aviation business and can attend no other event during the year, make sure that your state aviation conference is the one you attend. For additional information contact the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics at 608-266-3351.

If you cannot attend the entire conference, attend that portion which pertains most to FBOs on Tuesday, April 11. WATA will hold its annual meeting at 8:00 a.m. At 11:00 a.m, there will be a breakout session on urgent FBO insurance matters - its availability and surge in costs - and at 2:00 p.m., we will hold a round-table discussion on the costs of operating a refueling business, costs of operating an aircraft maintenance shop, the effect of discounting goods and services on operating profits, how and why operators should work together, and whether or not operators have enough management to effectively maintain (and grow) their business. See you there!  

Seagull Aviation Creates Niche To Meet Growing Demands by Dave Weiman 

CLINTONVILLE, WIS. - About a year ago, an article appeared in MIDWEST FLYER which talked about the "Changing Role of the FBO." It was noted that more and more fixed base operations are becoming "regional" in serving customers, that smaller airports will be forced to use self-fueling systems, and that many operators will be providing specialized services or creating "niches" in the market to survive. Seagull Aviation, Inc. at Clintonville Municipal Airport in Clintonville, Wis., has found not one niche, but several.

Seagull Aviation Parts, Inc. started on the kitchen table of Dan and Kelly Sigl in 1991 in Tampa, Fla., with the idea of creating an aircraft parts sales company. Dan Sigl, 41 - a native of Viroqua, Wis., a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and a graduate of the University of Southern Florida in Tampa - wanted to move back to Wisconsin, so they did in 1996. The Sigls now have five children, ages 10 months to 13 years old.

The Sigls owned a computer, fax machine and two telephones when they started their business. They went around the country and bought up new part inventories, then redistributed them to operators and individuals. The parts business is still going strong, but various new opportunities continue to come up.

Sigl says that his energy is fueled by the people he has hired, like aviation mechanic Rod Reed, 40, who got his start at Frickelton Aviation in Madison, Wis. Reed then went on to work at Raytheon with assignments in the U.S., Germany and Japan working on King Air maintenance contracts. He found his way back to Wisconsin three years ago, and while looking through the classifieds, saw a help wanted ad for a director of maintenance position at Seagull. Reed now has 14 aviation technicians under his supervision.

With Reed's expertise working on King Airs, and Sigl's ties to Turbine Design, Inc. in Deland, Fla., Seagull got into the business of replacing PT6 engines in King Air 90s with Czech Walter 601E-11 turboprop engines. Seagull's spin-off company is called "Performance Conversions of Clintonville, Wis." An overhauled PT6 can cost $400,000 per pair, compared to a Walter turboprop (750 shp thermo each, flat-rated to 550 shp) at $120,000 per pair, so it is a pretty easy sell to King Air 90 owners. The Walter 601E-11 also provides more power at altitude than the PT6, increased airspeed by 40 kts., is significantly quieter, and the fuel control override and auto-feather system increases safety.

According to Sigl, there are 848 C-90s, 140 B models, and 120 A models that could use the Walter conversion, so the market looks good for a long time to come. Besides King Air C-90 engine replacements, the Walter conversion also works on ag trucks.

In addition to the Walter engine conversions, Seagull does Raisbeck Engineering speed mods (performance enhancement systems) for the King Air, as well as Beryl D'Shannon speed mods for the Beechcraft Bonanza, and Knots 2U speed mods for Piper aircraft.

Another specialty business Sigl has launched is "Seagull Aero Finishes, Inc.." They can paint any aircraft with up to a 65 ft. wingspan.

One more business Sigl has underway is to complete FAA type design certification of the TA16 "Seafire," a four-place amphibian designed by David B. Thurston, known for the Colonial Aircraft "Skimmer C-1 and C-2 amphibs (later becoming the Lake LA-4 and Buccaneer production aircraft), as well as the Thurston "Teal" and homebuilt TA16. With all principal structural tests completed through ultimate load requirements on the first prototype, a second prototype intended for flight test and demonstration work was nearing completion at press time. The wings, tail surfaces, and landing gear will be assembled at Seagull Aviation Parts, Inc., while the hull, control system, powerplant installation, final assembly and flight acceptance will be completed in Florida by Turbine Design, Inc., Seagull's partner in the project.

Certification flight tests are expected to be completed by September 2000. Look for the "Seafire" to be displayed at EAA AirVenture-Oshkosh in July. "The Seafire has several advantages over other amphibians," says Sigl. "The aircraft is a tractor instead of a pusher, giving it better performance at low speeds and at a high angle of attack. The Seafire is also reasonably priced at around $350,000, has a canopy that slides back to accommodate larger cargo or a stretcher, and substantial wing floats which enable the aircraft to make high-speed water turns to shorten takeoff distance." The Seafire is powered by an O-540 Lycoming.

In addition to the Clintonville facilities, Seagull has a satellite aircraft maintenance facility at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee. Plans are to add an avionics maintenance shop for repairs and biennial checks (no installations) at that location. Seagull currently occupies three buildings, and a total of 24,000 sq. feet.

The Clintonville airport has a lot of history behind it, being the birthplace of Wisconsin Central Airlines, which later became North Central Airlines, and then Republic Airlines, which eventually merged with Northwest Airlines. An original Howard DGA-15P, which was the first aircraft used by Wisconsin Central, hangs in the rafters of one of the airport's original hangars waiting for someone to restore it. We believe that Seagull Aviation, and its subsidiary aviation businesses, will continue the tradition of entrepreneurship and service to the aviation community that Wisconsin Central Airlines started in 1944. For additional information, contact Dan Sigl at 715-823-8120, 1-800-842-6585, e-mail seagull@mail.cli.earthreach.com  or see their website at www.seafireta16.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is an editorial by the author, and may not reflect the opinion of other WATA members, corporate sponsors, MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE or its advertisers. Nothing can be reprinted without the written consent of the author, WATA and MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE. Any use of the information presented is done so without permission and at the user's risk.

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