Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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This great shot is just one of many from the Brainerd Flash Mob event, shared by photographer Jeremy D. Dando....
A frequent question posed to members of the Minnesota Pilots Association is “Why should I become a member? What would membership do for me?” That was a question that the founding members of the board of directors asked ourselves as we were considering going through the steps of starting this organization, and a question that we frequently consider frequently as we turn introspective to ask if our organization makes a difference. I think it is important to do so, and the Great Minnesota Avi...
Highlights and photos: Courtesy of aviation writer/photographer Jeremy D. Dando Aviators in Minnesota are hardy folks. They do not let the long cold winters put an end to their flying. Not wanting to remain in hibernation the first fly in of 2020 was organized for 01 January, 2020! John Holand had the idea for a New Year's Day fly-in and did all the heavy lifting to get a group of aviators interested in heading up to Brainerd from the Twin Cities area. If you needed additional motivation to go...
Isle Airport Flying Club member Dave Retka terms it a "fight for survival" of the Isle Airport in a letter to airport supporters in early January. After growing membership of the club and making a positive difference in this small community of 751, located on the southeast edge of Mille Lacs Lake, the airport's survival is now in question. Just last July, 45 airplanes landed on its perfectly manicured grass runway, including one from the middle of South Dakota, Aberdeen. During the pancake break...
Born in Bremerton, Washington, on June 7, 1945, Hancock lived in Washington until he was 22. This is where he learned to fly and in 1963, soloed in a Cessna 140. He learned to fly in a Cessna 140 and 170 while pursuing his airframe and powerplant licenses. He finished his A&P at the University of Illinois. He went on to earn his instructor and multi-engine ratings. Over the years, he would earn several more ratings. In 1967, Hancock applied to Northwest Airlines for work and was hired as a...
William "Bill" Mavencamp was born in Maple Lake, Minnesota on January 19, 1927. His first airplane ride was with a barnstormer in a biplane at the age of 6 in his hometown. In 1947 he soloed in a J3 Cub in Monticello. He earned his instrument rating in 1965. In 1971 he was designated by the FAA as a flight examiner and instrument rating examiner. He became seaplane rated in 1974. Through his career he owned over 20 airplanes. During his lifetime he flew most of the Piper, Cessna, and Beechcraft...
In addition to regular helicopter traffic including medical transport, law enforcement, military, and pipeline patrol, there are seasonal periods where you’ll find an increase in helicopter operations, such as wildfire, pesticide application and construction. Some pilots are more comfortable operating around helicopters than others. A towered airport will assist in aircraft spacing, wake turbulence avoidance and general traffic flow between fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. As many Minnesota airports are non-towered, what can we expect f...
MnDOT creates a “Minnesota Airport Directory and Travel Guide” every year. Our goal is to provide the public with general aviation information on public airports and public seaplane bases in Minnesota that isn’t available in the chart supplement. We publish a map of the airport layout with runway numbers and length/width. We also provide travel information, such as local attractions, lodging, restaurants, camping, and airport events. Until last year, we had only made this Airport Directory in print form. In recent years the iPad has becom...
A few years back the Federal Aviation Administration started a new program to track where aircraft are based. The FAA made a significant investment to gather this information. The FAA now has a database of based aircraft for all airports eligible for federal funds except those with commercial service. It is detailed enough to pick out when the same aircraft is listed as located at two different airports. Occasionally, we will see a snowbird aircraft listed as based at an airport in Minnesota and another airport in Florida. The based aircraft...
In 2019, the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Aeronautics conducted a study of the annual economic impacts generated by 126 of Minnesota’s 133 public airports. In addition to the 126 study airports, there are seven public airports owned by the Metropolitan Airports Commission. The MAC recently completed two economic impact studies and both MAC studies were integrated into the 2019 Minnesota Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study to provide statewide totals. There are five economic impact categories where data was col...
One thing about the aviation community, we get around. We are exposed to many different terrains, population, cultures and, unfortunately infections. If you’re flying under Part 121 or 135 you often cover a lot of territory and come into contact with a lot of people and a lot of viruses. Many General Aviation operations also fall into that category. Given all that, a lot of pilots have been wondering about the Coronavirus epidemic that started in China in January. It is spreading. The possibility of coming in contact with it is not as remote a...
Minnesota is a vast and rural state, with much of it remaining unknown to outside residents. However, with the release of a new app, aiming to familiarize pilots with the state’s airports, flying over Minnesota’s endless forests and prairies will hopefully become much less daunting. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Aeronautics and Aviation division recently released the Minnesota AirportFinder App. In essence, the app is a digitized version of the MnDOT Airport Directory and Travel Guide. It is intended to provide all pos...
Before Sinclair Lewis made it to the big time, he was an aviation writer. His first published book was "Hike and the Aeroplane." He wrote it in 1912 under the pseudonym of Tom Graham. Literary terminology of the day would call it a "pot boiler." It's about 16-year-old Gerald (Hike) Griffin who helps an inventor land a contract with the US Army for his amazing tetrahedral flying machine. "Fate is the Hunter" it's not. Only 1000 copies were printed, but if you come across one it could be worth...
Donald Luscombe (1895-1965) served in France in WWI as an ambulance driver. It was in France that he took his first flight, in a Voisin pusher. After the Great War, he bought a Curtiss Jenny. His interest in developing enclosed cabin aircraft evolved from flying in the Jenny's exposed cockpit. The Monocoupe of 1927 came from his experiences. This was followed by the 145 hp Luscombe Phantom in 1933, the first all-metal light plane. Many readers will know or have flown the Luscombe 8 Silvaire and...
January 16, 2020 - EAA is very concerned that the FAA's proposed rule on Remote Identification (RID) of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) could have a severe detrimental impact on traditional model aviation, and is preparing a full package of comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The rule would require most UAS, no matter whether they are "drones" or traditional model aircraft, to carry equipment that identifies the device and broadcasts its location. Additionally, many would be...
Check this column each month to see that dates have not been canceled or changed. Send notices six weeks in advance of publication to the Minnesota Flyer, P.O. Box 449, Moose Lake, MN 55767 or, verlena@mnflyer.com. Attention Pilots Be sure to get a Flight Service briefing from (800) WX-Brief before every flight and check your destination airport status. June 14: Buffalo, Mn. Buffalo Municipal Airport (KCFE). West Metro Aviation hangar, EAA Chapter 878 Pancake breakfast 7:30 a.m.-noon. PIC free. Wright County Car Club 38th annual car show 9...
Donald Berndt, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, lived to age 95 and passed peacefully after suffering a stroke on December 15, 2019. Donald was born at home near Mayer, Minnesota, prematurely, after his mother suffered a fall on the ice on their farm. They kept him warm on the wood stove oven door with little hope of his survival. He was strong, a survivor from the start, and thrived. Don had a lifelong passion for aircraft that was fostered by Elmer Sell, the owner of Sell Airfield across the field from his home. During WWII, when the time neared...
Check this column each month to see that dates have not been canceled or changed. Send notices six weeks in advance of publication to the Minnesota Flyer, P.O. Box 449, Moose Lake, MN 55767 or, verlena@mnflyer.com. Attention Pilots Be sure to get a Flight Service briefing from (800) WX-Brief before every flight and check your destination airport status. June 14: Buffalo, Mn. Buffalo Municipal Airport (KCFE). West Metro Aviation hangar, EAA Chapter 878 Pancake breakfast 7:30 a.m.-noon. PIC free. Wright County Car Club 38th annual car show 9...
