Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 55
Most people are thrilled that spring is just about here. The many super cold weeks of this past December (2017) and January (2018) were, at the least, a test of our resolve to remain as residents in the area! But Minnesotan's are a hearty and determined group of people, and while the thoughts of warmer locations may hold some appeal, here is where we stay. It is a source of personal pride This is where we make our nest. Now, as spring approaches, we can hardly wait to do almost anything that is...
Fatigue, Stress, and Memory Flying, whether as a pilot or a passenger, can be an exhilarating and wonderful event most often. But there are times when environmental factors arise that have a significant impact on that exhilaration and, in fact, may become significant stressors in your day. An example is, you are cruising along with everything on the panel where it should be for optimum flight and speed. Then, suddenly, your engine hiccups, then hiccups again, and then once again as the tach...
How much can frost affect your plane? According to the NTSB: • Frost the size of a grain of salt, distributed as sparsely as one per square centimeter over a wing's surface, can destroy enough lift to prevent your plane from taking off. • Frost can reduce your wing's max lift by 30 percent or more. • It can also reduce the margin of your wing's critical angle-of-attack by several degrees. • Because frost disrupts airflow over your entire aircraft, it can increase drag by up to 40%. The Federal...
Flying in winter can literally be a breath-taking experience. From the air, the vistas of snow covered open land punctuated by the green of pine forests, can be awe inspiring in its simplicity and breathtaking as it stretches to a seemingly endless horizon. Another breath-taking moment of winter is when you walk out of the warmth and comfort of your favorite FBO's flight ops office and step onto a frozen, wind-swept, mostly white expanse of tarmac. Even though it was previously in a heated...
Tourism is a valuable source of revenue for many "mom & pop" shops in many communities throughout the state and nation. From a more local viewpoint, tourism can be a significant source of tax revenues for the cities and counties, as well as the state. An example of tourisms important financial contributions are discussed in an article by Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, written for the publication, Route Fifty. In that article he says, "States that invest in promoting...
In a recent Aeronautics Technical Bulletin article by this author titled; More than 637,000 new opportunities, I said 'there are 637,000 + opportunities for experienced pilots, technicians, or anyone in aviation to talk to young people about the opportunities before them in GA and beyond. You can show them (new potential aviators) what you do in and for aviation. Excite them about the many possibilities and opportunities that are coming available. Help them make a choice, and then be a mentor...
What can be more beautiful than a flight at noon on a day where the winds are three knots or less. The temperature is a steady 72 degrees. Visibility is unlimited and the skies are perfectly clear. The thought might come to mind, for most pilots that today is a good day to just enjoy the "severe clear" conditions and go flying for the beauty and fun of it. But is there anything that would make it even more fun? Perhaps a "$100" hamburger, or a chance to check out a new piece of property you are...
A safe pilot will always be aware of his/her personal condition, skills, and attitudes prior to climbing into the cockpit. But that awareness doesn’t stop there. In fact if you take a look at FAR 91.103, Preflight action, you’ll see that every pilot in command is required to be fully familiar with all available information about their intended flight. This includes alternate airports with appropriate runway length for your aircraft, and the weather expected at those alternates along your planned route of flight. For your convenience, FAR sec 91...
• General Aviation has a $12.2 billion impact on the State of Minnesota through its network of 135 public airports. • General Aviation has created 164,900 jobs in Minnesota, and provides more than $6.5billion in labor income annually. • General Aviation contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy annually and employs more than 1,265,000 people, nationally. • In the U.S., General Aviation aircraft fly almost 24 million hours and carry 166 million passengers annually. • There are nearly 4,000 paved General Aviation airports open to t...
Of all the seasons experienced in the upper Midwest, fall is certainly one of the most visually spectacular, especially from the air. Great vistas of bright red, orange and golden hues can be seen as leaves turn colors while the trees prepare for winter. Only from above is it possible to truly see the carpet of varying colors and the many shimmering lakes throughout the landscape. Even with all the delights for the visual senses, we must not forget to be alert for other aircraft in the air. We...
On January 1, 2020, the Federal Regulations 14 CFR§ 91.225 and 14 CFR § 91.227 go into effect, requiring any aircraft that flies in controlled airspace to have operating Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment on board. What is ADS-B? Basically, ADS-B is a precise, satellite-based system that uses GPS (via ADS-B Out) to quickly determine an aircrafts' airspeed and location (and additional data), then transmits that information to the ground station network, which, in tur...
One of the best parts of living in the Midwest is the opportunity to live in an area where "community" is important to most people, and neighbors are folks you actually know! Another version of "community" is the one that exists in the world of aviation. Think for a moment about how often you run into someone you know at an airport or at an aviation function. Remember when you met someone who is friends with someone you know, and who is your friend as well! Now that's community! If you attend an...
Thunderstoms need three things: • Moisture to form clouds and rain. • Unstable Air-relatively warm air that can rise rapidly. • Lift-fronts, sea breezes and mountains are capable of lifting air to help form thunderstorms. Surface dew point and temperature are a good indicator of storm severity. Thunderstorms forming over an area where the dew point is 50 F or higher with more than a 30 degree spread between temperature and dew point indicate a potential for extremely strong storms. Thund...
Every aviator who has taken the winter off from flying is now feeling a great excitement to get back into the air. The urge to fly is strong as the renewal of life pushes bright green chutes up through leftover piles of snow, or quickly expanding buds on bushes and tree branches rejuvenates our spirits. Spring is beautiful but its weather is at best, fickle. One may be brushing snow off aircraft wings and windscreens one day, and adjusting flight plans and alternates to avoid towering...
Each spring millions of birds make their way back to and through Minnesota along the Mississippi flyway, on their way to prime nesting grounds. It is also the time when pilots who do not enjoy the cold of winter begin to feel those deep-seated urges to take flight as the days get longer and warmer. It is also the time of year when all pilots must remember they share the skies with birds of a variety of sizes and weights. It is a time that requires pilots' extra vigilance, preparedness and action...
A departing or landing aircraft can experience a condition called hydroplaning when there is moisture on the runway. The moisture can be rain, slush, ice, snow or a combination of moisture types in a thin layer on the runway surface. Simply stated, hydroplaning is an event that occurs when the brakes are applied on landing for example, and the wheels lock, causing the tires to skid on top of the moisture surface, somewhat like water skiing. When taking off, the wheel and tire will initially...
After a warm, bright, sunny day, the still, cool air of the evening sky and the rising moon call you to take flight. For many, night flying is intimidating. Yet, to others, it is a challenge they willingly accept. Their reward is seeing the amazing beauty of villages and towns twinkling in the ocean of blackness below them and the moonlight shimmering on the lakes in a golden champagne color. Good night vision is a key to overcoming those challenges and enjoying night flight. It is much easier...
Aviation as a whole is global in reach and scope, yet it maintains a feel of a tight-knit family. How often have you experienced, or overheard someone say they ran into someone they know at some out-of-the-way airport or destination who is in aviation? What are the chances for an encounter like that? In the community of aviation it is a frequent occurrence for many. That is one part of aviation that is always fun! That begs the question, what are we as aviation individuals, as well as aviation...
There are nearly 5,000 airports around the country that have many things in common regardless of their size, number of based aircraft, or runway length. At nearly every one of these locations there is a coffee shop or lunch counter, an FBO, or hangar that always seems to be inhabited by a cross-section of the pilot and former pilot, community. This is where stories of past adventures, triumphs over adverse situations, and dreams of the future abound. This is where anyone can have "20/20 vision"...
MnDOT Aeronautics Many scientists believe that the human brain receives nearly 80% of the information it processes about the world around it, through vision. Thus only about 20% is derived from touch, taste, smell, and hearing combined. Illusions can occur when our senses misinterpret or receive ambiguous sensory information. Though there are a number of different illusions that can occur, this article will only address a few of them. Many illusions in flight can occur when visual acuity is...
The cool, still air of the evening tempts you like a siren to take flight. Then the rising moon acts like a beacon, adding to the temptation to fly. While flying at night is beautiful to some pilots, it is intimidating to many others. Though it is about the same as daylight flying in many ways, night flying comes with some important differences. One of these differences is night vision and its unique challenges. It is easier to understand night vision and its associated challenges if you first...
As the summer season begins to fade and fall approaches, we are about to enter what is arguably the most beautiful season in Minnesota (and the upper Midwest). Flying during the weeks of fall when the trees turn to spectacular colors, varies from totally magnificent to quite simply awe-inspiring! The lakes shimmer and sparkle like jewels while reflecting the brilliant blue sky, and even the color of the leaves turning on their shores! How fortunate we are to have the opportunity to see these won...
With the advent of summer and all its beauty there is also the greatly increased potential for thunderstorms that produce tornadoes. It is vitally important that everyone knows of the potentials and has a plan ready in case tornadic activity begins at or near your location. To help you understand more about tornadoes, read the rest of this brief article. The information presented here was taken directly from the NOAA Severe Weather Safety Guide. You can obtain a free copy of the complete guide at: http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/resources/t...
Minnesota's airports have a tremendous value not only to the cities and towns they are in, but also to the surrounding communities, the state and the nation. There are many factors involved that demonstrate the value of an airport to a community. Two very important ones are the economic and social impacts. First look at the social impact of an airport, then the economic impact, and their impact on the state and the nation. By definition, general aviation is considered to be all flying in the U.S...
The beauty of spring comes in a vast array of sights, sounds, and aromas. Once the snow is all gone and the earth has felt a few days of the suns warmth, dozens of different types of vegetation will spring forth. Many will grace our eyes and noses with beautiful flowers and sweet smells that invite us to come closer and enjoy. Even the simple blades of grass exude a sweetness that draws us to lie down for a few minutes and breathe-in the fresh sweetness as we watch the clouds quickly changing...
