Airport of the Week: KC29 - Middleton Municipal Airport. My home base!

Middleton Municipal Airport (KC29) holds a special place in my aviation journey. It's where I earned my private pilot certificate, and I've logged more hours at Morey Field than anywhere else. I have many fond memories of those early training flights and the welcoming atmosphere of KC29.

One of KC29's unique features is its combination of runways. There's the primary, solid 4,001-foot paved runway (10/28), equipped with instrument approaches for added utility, and a charming, 1,780-foot turf runway (1/19). That grass strip offers a different, more classic flying experience, though it's usually closed during the Wisconsin winter months, typically from November through April.

Here is a picture from my flight on final for runway 28! Yes, it was a cloudy day, but the clouds were high enough for my practice flight.

KC29 has a rich history, dating back to 1942, and it's remarkable that the Morey family still runs the FBO. This continuity speaks volumes about the passion for aviation at this field. Beyond its history, KC29 is a busy general aviation airport, providing essential services to pilots. And a fun fact: the company behind PaperMETAR is named after it: Charlie 29’R!

KC29 is also a fantastic training airport. Its proximity to Dane County Regional Airport (KMSN) means student pilots can gain experience operating near and in Class C airspace, which is invaluable for developing communication and situational awareness skills. Additionally, the nearby Sauk/Prairie Airport (K91C) offers a different training environment with its shorter and narrower runway, providing opportunities to practice a wider range of landing techniques.

While the weather around KC29 is often favorable for flying, I've certainly had my share of weather-related cancellations. To illustrate, consider the conditions on April 15th, 2025. The METARs from that day show a period of sustained strong and gusty winds:

202504151735Z: KC29 151735Z AUTO 29020G23KT 10SM BKN035 BKN041 10/01 A3000

202504151755Z: KC29 151755Z AUTO 31016G25KT 10SM SCT037 SCT044 10/00 A3000

202504151815Z: KC29 151815Z AUTO 32019G24KT 10SM SCT039 BKN047 11/00 A3000

202504151835Z: KC29 151835Z AUTO 31018G22KT 10SM SCT039 BKN047 BKN060 11/00 A3000

202504151855Z: KC29 151855Z AUTO 31013G24KT 10SM BKN049 BKN060 11/00 A3000

These METARs clearly show winds consistently above 20 knots, with gusts reaching 25 knots, making for challenging conditions, especially for novice pilots like myself.

On another occasion, on April 26th, 2025, a passing weather system also affected flying conditions. The METAR from that time shows:

202504261635Z: KC29 261635Z AUTO 01009G15KT 10SM SCT028 12/04 A3032

While the winds were not too bad, a gusty 15 knots with scattered clouds still presented conditions that required careful consideration, and I ended up canceling the flight.

Here is my shameless plug! On all these of flight days, in the morning, I had a prototype of PaperMETAR on the kitchen counter that I would gaze at everytime I passed by. Obviously, I did a full flight briefing in ForeFlight as the flight time got closer, but having that early view in the morning was great.