Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 51 - 61 of 61
• Began service delivering the mail on CAM 9 (Minneapolis/Chicago) in 1926, using two rented, open-cockpit biplanes. • 1926 — Northwest became the first airline to operate a closed-cabin airplane in commercial service, the 3-passenger Stinson Detroiter SB-1. • 1928 — service expanded to Duluth (using a Sikorski S-38 amphibian), North Dakota, and Winnipeg. • 1929 — headquartered at “Speedway Field” (site of an old racetrack, now MSP International) • 1930 — headquarters relocated to St. Paul...
According to the narrative of the NWA History Centre, there were 13 airlines represented in the history of Northwest Airlines. Following are excerpts from that history: “During its first 60 years Northwest Airlines grew into one of the world’s legacy airlines without acquisitions or mergers. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 changed the rules of commercial aviation and Northwest began to adapt in order to survive and prosper. In 1986 Northwest merged with Republic Airlines. That merger mad...
Last year, I had a friend ask me to find him an airplane. That's always a loaded and open-ended task. Another friend told him "You ought to buy a Super Cub." Most aircraft dealers would be happy to find just the kind of airplane the customer asked for - but this man is a friend - and I knew a Super Cub was not the airplane for him. I asked him to better define his intended mission - and his budget. The prospective airplane owner is an avid hunter. To support his hunting habit, he owns several...
"How did we get this way?" Jim Hanson I picked the age of the AOPA and FLYING magazines reviewed in this series (late 50s and early 60s) because it was about the time I started flying. It is also a chance to contrast and compare what flying was like back then, compared to today. The difference between that time and today are many, and in revisiting the articles and advertisements, might even give us insight as to why General Aviation (though the term hadn’t been invented yet) was in its a...
From the April, 1960 issue of AOPA Pilot — provided by Minnesota Flyer Iowa reader Phillip Carson. I’ll try to introduce readers to the old printed pages — and make my own snark-filled commentary on them as well. DISCLAIMER: These ads do not depict current products or services available for purchase today. The material referenced is only for discussion and commentary. Nothing in this article should be construed as being applicable to the product or services as sold today. It was the last gasp...
Jim Hanson I save all my back issues of aviation magazines—literally, over 3000 pounds worth in the last 50 years. My wife calls me a “pack rat” — a “hoarder” — I tell her it is for “research”. In reality, I do use them for research — if people want to know anything about an aircraft they are considering, I can usually find them a pilot report. Business use aside — the old magazines are just fun to look through! If my own collection of magazines were not enough, people have given me a numbe...
The 99s-an international association of women pilots, (there were initially 99 charter members) recently completed a new compass rose for the Albert Lea Municipal Airport. The old compass rose had been obliterated during a recent paving project. Marcy Drescher is a local "99", and contacted Albert Lea Airport. She was aware of the construction, and the need for restoring the compass rose so pilots and mechanics could accurately swing their compasses. While a more utilitarian compass rose could...
There are some years at Airventure (Oshkosh) that are “breakthrough” years — notable for the appearance of new aircraft, avionics, or technologies. The “I-Pad Revolution” a couple of years ago would be a good example. This year was not one of the “breakthrough” years but that’s OK. Let me tell you why. Many of us go to Oshkosh to see “What’s New” in General Aviation. Almost anything new is usually showcased there. Evolving technologies usually take several years to come to market — some are onl...
Outside the Innovation Pavilion, Minnesota's own Greg Herrick, President of the Aviation Foundation of America, and Stu Horn, President of Aviat Aircraft show off the technology demonstator for a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered aircraft in a joint announcement. "I was looking at CNG for my cars and trucks," said Herrick, "and I wondered why nobody was doing it for aircraft. The cost of the fuel 80 percent cheaper than the equivalent gallon of avgas--the stuff is so cheap that they flare it...
A writer friend sought my counsel (that sounds SO much better than "hey, what do you think about......?") regarding information for ex-pilots getting back into flying after a long layoff. My reply to her was: There should be no such thing as an "ex-pilot" - just as there are no "ex-Marines." Once you become a pilot, you will ALWAYS be a pilot. You've learned a skill--and some vestige of that skill will be with you always. Even more important, you learned to THINK like a pilot - to think...
This could be the subject of an entire article, but I’ll limit the discussion to those pilots returning after a long layoff. Many pilots have heard of the benefits of going “Light Sport.” For pilots already certified, the attractions are many. • If your medical has not been denied, a valid driver’s license and self-certification for a medical is all that is needed. • You can fly simple airplanes (not to exceed 1320 pounds gross weight), without retractable landing gear and controllabl...
