Improved Transportation Crucial to Area
By Felicity Bosk
Two planes sit at the Richard I. Bong Memorial Airport –Photo by Josh Lee at the UWS Stinger
With budgets across the state being cut, one Superior cornerstone is going to receive $40,000 from the Federal Aviation Administration, according to state senator Janet Brewley.
“The prospect of improved air transportation options for businesses and families in the North is important to growth and quality of life in our area,” said Brewley.
The Richard I. Bong Memorial Airport sees 50 daily airport operations and has over 50 aircrafts based there.
“With so much discussion recently of infrastructure investments elsewhere in the state, it is good to see these federal and state resources directed to support economic development in Northern Wisconsin. This investment can have a significant impact in stimulating growth as well as paving the way to improvements at the airport. These dollars should come home to support Wisconsin families and Wisconsin’s economy.”
The airport is known to provide air rides, skydiving, hang glider training, powered parachute rides, glider rides, and hot air balloon rides.
The airport is named for the WW2 fighter pilot Richard I. Bong who is the highest scoring air ace in U.S. history, having shot down at least 40 aircrafts in the Pacific Theater. He was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944. He was born in Poplar WI, and went to college at UWS.
