Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 196
August 27 was the kind of day that just cried out "Picnic" to a group of friends in the Brainerd Lakes area. Destination, an island on Whitefish Lake with a sand beach just made for welcoming sea planes, pleasant conversation, and luxuriating in the sun. While formal Fly-Ins are a big draw, there are also times when a small group of flying friends have the desire for a little more laid back, private outing. Throwing lunch in a basket, donning comfortable summer clothes, and taking off for a day... Full story
Though receiving its non-profit status was a huge milestone for the Blaine Airport Promotions Group (BAPG), the organization, based at Anoka County Blaine Airport simply checked the accomplishment off their To Do list and kept on going. Comprised of businesses on and off the airport grounds, the group's purpose is to raise awareness of the economic impact of the airport on the surrounding region, promote greater participation of public activity at the airport, promote aviation education to... Full story
Flight Expo 2015 at the Princeton Airport was held in celebration of the 70th anniversary of VE-Day. The Commemorative Air Force displayed the B-25 Miss Mitchel and gave rides in the Vultee BT-13. Breakfast and lunch were served on the grounds both Saturday and Sunday, hosted by the Princetons 4-H group. EAA Chapter 237 provided Kiddie Rides for toddlers. Young Eagles gave free flights on Sunday. The Expo was enjoyed by all.... Full story
Stars of the North, the Minnesota chapter of the global organization Women in Aviation, is joining forces with AirSpace Minnesota to participate in Global Girl's Aviation Day in a very big way. "We've been told that will have the largest celebration gathering of all the participating chapters in the whole world," said Stars of the North President, Jenny Nietfeld. September 26, 1,000 participants are expected at this event for girls ages 10 to 17 at the Downtown St. Paul Airport for an... Full story
Cloud cover was welcome on the hot, sultry morning of August 15 at the Forest Lake Fly-In. Breakfast was followed by skydiving demonstration by Sky Dive Twin Cities, Forest Lake who also furnished the hanger space for meals. EAA Chapter 237 served over 200 breakfasts to attendees, in addition to the 56 breakfasts they gave pilots, sponsors, and crew members. Chapter 237 president, Bob Heavirland attributes the success of the day to team work under the "adopt an airport" policy promoted by... Full story
Attending the Annual Fly-In and Pig Roast at Surf Side Sea Plane Base is so important to such a large number of folks that they attend even if they have to drive an automobile rather than fly their favorite aircraft. Despite inclement weather, the August 9 event was packed with fun loving, good natured, conversational folks, delicious food, and foot tapping music. Owner Bruce Hanson says about 40 planes are based at Surf Side. Bob Timm runs the maintenance shop, swapping out floats for skis or... Full story
Twenty area students learned a whole lot more than just how to fly unmanned aircraft systems during Summer Camp at the Northland Aerospace campus in Thief River Falls. "They got everything from lab activities dealing with aircraft electronics to advance composite structures," said Northland Aerospace UAS Instructor and Program Manager, Jon Beck. "They actually got to go through and make parts for a multi-rotor UAS." The August 5-6 Summer Camp was hosted by Northland Community Technical College A... Full story
July 11-12 offered two perfect weather days for AirExpo 2015 at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie. Attendees watched and toured over 40 vintage airplanes including the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Miss Mitchell, P-51 Mustang, and TBM Avenger. A special treat was had when Paul Ehlen of Air Corps Aviation, owner and pilot of the P-51 Mustang aircraft, Sierra Sue II, and Joseph Aaron Hawkins, owner and driver of a 2002 Mustang GT automobile got together for an impromptu photo shoot arranged by... Full story
Those who love airplanes, cars, and outdoor cooking had plenty to see, watch, and eat at Aitkin Aviation Fly-In the weekend of July 27-28. Aviation Education Reaching Others (A.E.R.O.), the non profit organization providing opportunities to qualified individuals seeking an education in preparation for a career in aviation, enjoyed a perfect hangar dance and social the evening before the Fly-In. Dressed in period clothing, attendees danced to the music of the Red Rock Swing Band, periodically... Full story
Anoka County-Blaine Airport and Crystal Airport welcomed new manager Glenn Burke in June. Originally from Originally from New Jersey Shore, Brielle, New Jersey, Burke's first career was in construction working for a homebuilder on the east coast, then traveling to Seattle and Hawaii. "When Pamela, my wife and I had our first baby, she commented that traveling around following projects isn't the greatest of families lives," said Burke. "So I did some thinking. I've always loved aviation so I did... Full story
Discover Aviation Days 2015 gathered crowds at every aircraft on display at Anoka County Blaine Airport at Jane's Field. The skies were alive with stunning sights, the crowd generous with their ous, ahhs, and other exclamations of delight. Hot buttered syrupy pancakes, with bacon, sausages and eggs were served for breakfast in the comfort of the main hangar while food vendors provided a wide variety of delicious fare. Attendees who stayed the day engaged in the picnic type lunch in the hangar or... Full story
The Ray Fagen Memorial Air Show of June 20 was a day of tribute to World War II Veterans, to commemorate their sacrifices, their contributions to the freedom we hold so dear. The American Legion was on hand to present the flag at the show's opening, a ceremony for which the crowd was on its feet, hands over their hearts. Watching the Japanese Zero maneuver through sunny skies above the Lenzen-Roe Memorial Airport caused many to contemplate how folks who experienced seeing the Japanese Zero's... Full story
Sometimes people in aviation want to get together just for the fun of it. That is exactly what Larry and Karen Helwig did in June at their hangar at the Carlton County Moose Lake Airport. Of course, fun includes hot dogs, brats and chips, which the Helwig's supplied on the warm, misty, summer day. Attendees enjoyed swapping aviation stories, sharing ideas, and investigating each other's aircraft. Some of the aircraft at the gathering included a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, a Bonanza V35, and an RB8A kit... Full story
Girls Aviation Day, May 2, at Airlake Airport in Lakeville, offered incentives to boys and girls alike. Pilots in EAA Chapter 25 gave free first rides to 53 to youngsters. Aircraft ranged from a J-3 Cub to a Cessna 172. There were also guided tours of the North Memorial helicopter facilities. Representatives from the 99's Flying Club, Air Trek North, Civil Air Patrol, Stars of the North, the Minnesota chapter of Women in Aviation, AirSpace Minnesota, Learning Jet, Minnesota Army Guard Reserve,... Full story
It is not uncommon for a kid to dream of building an airplane. In Princeton, it actually happens. "Right now we're working on a Kitfox," said John Bjornstad, Flight Expo's Build A Plane project manager. "The Kitfox came to us as a donation. Most of the airframe was complete but all the systems needed to be installed and some modifications needed to be put in place so we figured out what we needed to do, then every week we took a task to complete. "We began the program in mid-October last year.... Full story
Participants of the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association Safety Seminar at Madden's Resort on Gull Lake, May 15-17 arrived in an interesting variety of aircraft, each cozying up to the beach, or to the grass strip at the East Gull Lake airport. The agenda at the seminar included a wide variety of educational sessions, training in your own airplane, an exhibit area at Madden's Town Hall on the resort grounds, social hour, and gourmet food at every turn. Weather cooperated at just the right... Full story
In his career as a flight examiner based out of Maple Lake Airport, Bill Mavencamp Sr. has the record for giving more check rides than any other flight examiner in Minnesota. "The FAA doesn't have records, but the family has thick stacks of his paperwork dating back to the 70s," said Bill Mavencamp Jr. in an interview about his father who passed away in January this year. "The best we can estimate, is between 20,000 and 25,000 flight tests. That's a lot of time in the air." Born in 1927, Bill... Full story
"My start in aviation really began at the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, also know as the Air Zoo," said Alison Wynne of Hays Companies headquartered in Minneapolis. "Also, we didn't live too far from the airport. Aircraft flying over my house on final approach was a regular occurrence so at a very young age I knew I wanted to be a pilot." That desire manifested itself in Wynne's attending ACE Camp and volunteering at the Air Zoo. In high school, she took a course with credits towards... Full story
June 20 it is possible for you to drive back into the 1940s. Be in Granite Falls at the Lenzen-Roe Memorial Airport at noon. Available for your viewing pleasure will be over 40 WWII aircraft, ranging in size from a Stearman all the way up to a B-17. Rare fighters like the Japanese Zero, P-63 King Cobra, P-38, various WWII fighters and training aircraft, bombers, and related vehicles will be on the grounds as well. A ground battle re-enactment takes place at 1 p.m. complete with live pyro and... Full story
AirSpace Minnesota's Robert Gilruth Tribute Celebration at TFC Bank Stadium on April 23 featured guest speaker Robert Cabana, Director of the Kennedy Space Center. While the celebration honored Gilruth, the father of America's human space flight program, and many others who contributed to the region's innovation aviation legacy, the gathering also focused on supporting a new generation of learners. "There is no lack of enthusiasm for space exploration," said Cabana. St. Paul Mayor, Chris... Full story
Four minutes in the Civil Aerospace Medical Institutes's (CAMI) Hypoxia Chamber made a huge impression on qualified participants of the Minnesota Pilots Association Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering. Rogers Shaw brought the portable chamber to the event as part of CAMI's Airman Education Program. "We're giving pilots some portable reduced oxygen environment training in this tent," said Shaw. "It's a great safe environment. There's no partial pressure changes with this because all we're doing... Full story
Conversing with Jim Behrens is a joy on multiple levels. His sense of humor, which pops up with impeccable timing, is evident from the onset of a discourse. This pleasant aspect of Behrens' communication skills is even more impressive when taking into consideration that sometimes the pertinent subject matter isn't actually amenable to laughter. However, no matter what struggles have been served on his life's plate, Behrens meets them with the demeanor of a gentleman. Having grown up on a... Full story
Triple congratulations to Aero Minnesota on their recent achievements. First, it has attained its diligently sought after 141 Flight School Status. Second, the CATS Testing Center at the Aitkin Aviation location is now up and running. Third, two new flight instructors have been hired due to Aero Minnesota's steady and continued growth. Joining the current, highly capable Aero Minnesota team are Lynn Michael Ray and Dave Roether. Lynn Michael Ray, a United States Air Force veteran, has over... Full story
With the passing of a man so generous, and so passionate about aviation as Edward Erickson, there is much that will be missed. At Ed's Celebration of Life, held in August¬¬ at Anoka Airport last year, wife, Barb Mack, and children, Kathy Pavelko, Susan Beeso, and Eric Erickson were much comforted by the abundance of stories shared by friends, family and aviation enthusiasts whose lives were so highly impacted by this inspirational leader. "Flying was his life," said Barb in a recent i... Full story
Sturgeon Lake resident Randy Cichy looks at Moose Lake Carlton County Airport (KMZH) with two different perspectives. One is through the eyes of a pilot. The other is the view of a grounds keeper. As a pilot, he appreciates the layout of the airport because of some very practical points. It's clean. It's open. It's easy to see. Unlike most pilots, if any of those aspects were to change, the pilot would have to look in the mirror if he wanted to complain about how the grounds are kept because he... Full story
