NEENAH, Wis. — The reason Keith Mustain runs a small airport isn’t overly complicated.

“The reason I do it is I like the people,” the owner of Brennand Airport near Neenah said. “People in aviation are very friendly and you meet people from all around the world.”

What You Need To Know

  • Brennand Airport is a small airport located just west of Neenah
  • It draws a few thousand pilots each year
  • It’s one of more than 100 small airports across Wisconsin​

Mustian’s focus at the airport is helping aviators. Some base their aircraft at Brennand while others are in need of self-service fuel or stopping to stop at a new destination.

The airport offers a single paved runway and a grass airstrip.

“My job out here is to keep the grass mowed nicely for the tail-wheeled aircraft,” Mustain said. “Keep the pavement plowed and stuff for the tricycle-gear guys and then make sure all the lighting and things work. That’s mainly my job.”

Open for public use, the airport draws several thousand pilots a year.

That includes people like Mark Corbett of Oshkosh who recently made a trip to the airport in a Super Decathlon. He likes operating out of smaller airfields.

“They’re wonderful to fly into,” Corbett said. “They’re not long, they’re typically maybe 2,000 feet long — the runway — or maybe 2,500 feet. Narrow, but fun to fly in and out of, especially with an airplane like this that’s designed for short airstrips.”

Aerobatic pilot Galen Killam bases his airplane at Brennand. He said it’s a tight knit community.

“I would say I know most of the people out here and everybody is just super-friendly and wants to help,” Killam said. “You need something? Go in the hanger and get it, bring it back when you’re done. It’s just really a great community and it’s a fun group of people to be around.”

Summer is the busiest time at Brennand, especially during AirVenture in Oshkosh when people will fly into the airport and stay there days.

Providing that kind of experience is why Mustain keeps the airport running.

“It’s knowing that you’re providing something that’s a lot of fun for a lot of people,” he said. “It’s not just for yourself, but a lot of other people get to have fun because of what you do.”