This is the first article in the Aeradex Business Spotlight series, where we profile standout aviation businesses across the Upper Midwest. These are the operations that define what general aviation looks like in this part of the country — businesses built on expertise, passion, and a commitment to the flying community. If you know a business that deserves the spotlight, let us know.
There's a small airport in northern Wisconsin — four miles south of Rice Lake, in the town of Cameron — where aircraft owners from France, Chile, Mexico, Canada, and across the United States send their turboprop airplanes for maintenance. The airport is Rice Lake Regional Airport — Carl's Field (RPD). The business is Rice Lake Air Center. And the story of how a maintenance shop in rural Wisconsin became one of the most respected TBM service centers in North America is exactly the kind of story that makes aviation interesting.
From Startup to Specialization
Rice Lake Air Center opened its doors in 1992. A year later, Joe Robbins took over management and made a decision that would define the company's trajectory: rather than trying to be everything to everyone, RLAC would specialize.
The specialization Robbins chose was the Daher-Socata TBM — a single-engine turboprop that's become one of the most popular owner-flown turbine aircraft in the world. Today, Rice Lake Air Center is an Authorized Daher-Socata TBM Service Center and an FAA Part 145 Repair Facility, rated Class 1 and 2 for airframes. They handle roughly 120 TBMs per year — a volume that speaks to the reputation they've built over three decades.
But RLAC isn't a one-trick operation. Their capabilities extend to Cessna Conquest, Cessna Citation, and Beechcraft King Air aircraft. Their engine expertise covers Allison 250, Pratt & Whitney PT6A, and PT6 EXT powerplants — the engines that drive much of the turboprop and turbine helicopter fleet worldwide.
What They Do
For the non-technical reader, here's what it means to be a Part 145 repair facility: the FAA has inspected and approved Rice Lake Air Center's facilities, tooling, personnel, and procedures to perform specific categories of aircraft maintenance and return aircraft to service. It's a higher standard than a typical maintenance shop, requiring documented quality control systems, trained inspectors, and FAA oversight.
In practical terms, RLAC offers:
- Aircraft maintenance and inspections — from routine annuals to complex phase inspections on turbine aircraft
- Modifications and upgrades — avionics installations, performance modifications, and custom work
- Flight instruction — including type-specific training for TBM operators
- Executive charter — Part 135 charter services for business and personal travel
- Aircraft sales and management — helping owners buy, sell, and manage turbine aircraft
- Pilot services — contract pilot availability for ferry flights and owner support
- FBO services — fuel (AvFuel dealer), car rentals, and ground support
Their hours reflect the commitment: Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 8 PM. Saturday, 7 AM to 3 PM. Sunday, 8 AM to 3 PM. And for maintenance and technical support, they're available 24/7, year-round.
The World Record Connection
In March 2019, a TBM 930 broke the 34-year-old speed record for flying New York to Paris in the C1e turboprop class. The flight covered the Atlantic in 8 hours and 38 minutes. The technical preparation for that record-breaking flight happened at Rice Lake Air Center.
RLAC installed a 300-gallon ferry tank, bringing the aircraft's total fuel capacity to 600 gallons. They fitted Iridium Go satellite tracking and VHF navigation systems for the oceanic crossing. And they worked with the FAA to secure a special permit for an augmented takeoff weight of 9,500 pounds — well above the TBM 930's standard certified maximum.
It's the kind of project that requires deep knowledge of the aircraft, meticulous execution, and the confidence to push the boundaries of what a single-engine turboprop can do. That RLAC took it on — and succeeded — says everything about the caliber of work that happens in their hangars.
The Airport and the Area
Rice Lake Regional Airport has a 6,700-foot runway — more than enough for any turboprop and most business jets. The airport has ILS approach capability and has seen over $16 million in investment, making it a surprisingly capable facility for its location. The area serves corporate operators, the tourism industry in northern Wisconsin, and of course, the steady stream of TBM owners flying in for service.
For pilots flying in for maintenance, the experience is better than you might expect. Northern Wisconsin's lake country offers excellent restaurants, resorts, and golf courses. Many RLAC clients schedule their maintenance visits to coincide with a long weekend in the area — dropping off the airplane and enjoying the Northwoods while the work gets done. It beats sitting in a waiting room at a metro-area shop.
Why It Matters
Rice Lake Air Center is exactly the kind of business that makes aviation directories matter. Here's a world-class maintenance operation with a global client base, housed at an airport that most pilots have never heard of, in a town of 8,000 people. Without a platform connecting pilots and aircraft owners to the businesses that serve them, operations like RLAC rely entirely on word of mouth and industry reputation. That works when you've been around for 30 years, but it shouldn't be the only way.
The aviation industry is full of businesses like this — small in headcount, enormous in expertise, tucked away at airports that don't make anyone's list of "major" facilities. Finding them, knowing what they offer, and understanding what makes them exceptional — that's what Aeradex is built for.
Rice Lake Air Center is listed in the Aeradex directory. View their full listing for contact information, services, and hours.
If you own or operate an aviation business and want to be considered for a future Aeradex Business Spotlight, claim your listing and make sure your information is complete and current. The best spotlights start with businesses that take pride in how they present themselves.