Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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If you can get past the fact that they have way too many moving parts, Helicopters are wonderful aircraft. Igor Sikorsky developed the first practical machine for the US Army called the R-4. About 400 were built and mostly used for medical evacuation during WWII. Helicopter flying during the Korean conflict was made famous by the movie and TV series MASH featuring the Bell 47. That same type was used by a Los Angeles TV station in 1958 as the first "eye and the sky" and called the "Telecopter."...
“The only constant is change.” That phrase has been attributed to Albert Einstein, the brilliant physicist who was able to address quite abstract concepts and shape the way we approach many physical observations. If social change is inevitable it is our hope that we can help shape that change in a way that is fair and benefits our society. It has been our charge to work to protect the privilege of flight in Minnesota, and we have worked alongside other national organizations (Aircraft Own...
David Berger is a District Medical Officer in Broome, Western Australia. There are nine regions in Western Australia. Broome is in the Kimberly region on the northwest coast. It's a fascinating place. Local indigenous people painted their thoughts in rock art that can still be seen 40,000 years later. Metals, petroleum, and agriculture sustain the local economy. Diving for natural pearls is a major activity, as is farming oysters. One third of the world's diamonds are mined in Kimberly....
The reason behind the flight was simple enough, my night currency had lapsed and with Minnesota winters comprised of short days and long nights, I decided that it was a prudent move to take a solo night flight. Not just for the sake of being able to carry passengers an hour after the sun sets, but also to make sure I stay proficient as a pilot. I noticed that my currency had expired not long before tonight, as I had made plans to take some friends on their first flight in a private airplane a few days ago and it had become a factor. My friends...
Looking for some aviation education, a Wings credit or two, or maybe just something to do while enjoying your Saturday morning coffee? Look no further than the KFCM Saturday Morning Webinar Series. We've moved our popular Saturday morning seminars online using the GoToWebinar platform. It is the same great content, presented in a convenient online offering. Seminars are held every Saturday morning, other than holiday weekends, from 0900-1000. These seminars are all free of charge. There are a...
Business and commercial flights to rural airports work best if take offs and landings can happen even if the weather's not so good. What does an airport owner do when some important users need lower instrument approach minimums to operate effectively? The city of Roseau recently debated that question and came up with the right answer. Snowmobiles were invented in Roseau and Polaris Industries is the premier manufacturer of those machines. Roseau native Edgar Hetten founded Polaris, but the...
t is my sincere hope that the day is near when I will not be devoting this column exclusively to Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, more Americans are dead from COVID-19 than died in the entirety of World War II. Pilots are in a unique exposure position. So it’s critical that we understand our options in dealing with this pandemic. As I write we are seeing a surge from the post-Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s gatherings. A new, more highly infectious strain of the virus is spreading across the country. It’s going to get w...
Is your checklist doing everything it should for you? If not, how can you make it better? Checklists are wonderful things. They turn us from forgetful mortals to clear minded creatures that get every step in the operation of a complex machine exactly right. Is your checklist up to date? Out of date would mean that it does not reflect the changes in transponder operations that have occured in the past five years. Does your checklist have you changing to ALT just before taking off? If so, bad checklist. The AIM calls for the transponder to be in...
Military interest in the autogiro centered on their use for surveillance and liaison. Only the Japanese succeeded in putting autogiros into service, and these, the Kayaba Ka-1, were for anti-submarine work from the escort carrier Akitsu Maru over the Tsugara and Korean channels. The Kayaba carried a pair of 132 pound depth charges. The U.S. Army tested the Kellett YG-1B for artillery spotting in the mid-1930s, but found light planes would serve better. The British Avro Rota, a license Cierva...
