Born: 01/16/1906
Died: 03/06/1995
Inducted: 10/29/1994
Louis Wuilleumier took to the air for the first
time in 1926 and for the next 60 plus years he owned and operated
aviation businesses, all in the Madison area.
In 1927 he joined five Madison businessmen to form
the Madison Midwest Air Transport Company. The company offered
flight instruction, charter flights and scenic rides. By 1932 the
company, like many others, was closed in the midst of the
depression.
In 1939 Louis and partner E. Merritt Anderson
formed the Four Lakes Aviation Corporation. For the sum of
twenty-five dollars a month they rented the land southeast of
Madison which became known as Royal Airport. By 1940 Wuilleumier had
bought out Anderson and became the sole owner.
Four Lakes Aviation was very active in the
Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) and War Training Service (WTS)
programs during World War II. Beginning in 1946 Four Lakes began
offering flight training programs under the GI Bill for veterans of
World War II and later veterans of the Korean War.
Louis stayed on at the Royal Airport until 1951
when he moved to the Madison Municipal Airport, now know as the Dane
County Regional Airport. He expanded the Four Lakes operation to
become a complete FBO and added a Piper Aircraft dealership.
Thousands
have received their training and pilot certificates at Four Lakes.
Many of those pilots went on to become flight instructors, airline
pilots, FBO owners and airport managers. Louis R. Wuilleumier has
had a long and distinguished career and has served Madison and
Wisconsin aviation well.
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