MaryBeth Matzek: Oshkosh looks for ways to grow aviation industry

This is an excerpt from a column posted at BizOpinion.

The aviation world is focused on Oshkosh this week as thousands of visitors descend for EAA’s annual AirVenture. Local business leaders hope to capture some of that excitement to spur economic development in the burgeoning aviation industry.

Even before Oshkosh Corp. and its supply chain began feeling the effects of Defense Department spending cuts, local business leaders were looking for a way to reinvigorate the local manufacturing sector. With several aviation businesses, including Basler Turbo Conversions and Sonex Aircraft already calling Oshkosh home, plus the presence of EAA and an aviation program at Fox Valley Technical College, growing aero manufacturing made sense.

In the past year, two big initiatives moved forward to help grow the sector. After years of planning, the City of Oshkosh and Winnebago County bought 80 acres of land adjacent to Wittman Regional Airport for a new aviation business park. The University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh also announced plans for a business accelerator program focused on aviation and a study is in the works on identifying and recruiting aerospace industry clusters to the park.

The work may already be paying off. D’Shannon Aviation of Minneapolis just announced plans to relocate its aircraft engine overhauling business to Oshkosh. The company plans to start with five or six local employees and work with local fabrication shops on making parts. D’Shannon will start operations in a hangar at Wittman until it can construct a facility of its own in the new aviation park.

Read the full column for more