Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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A group of Flight Unlimited program participants with the 1973 Piper Cherokee in the background....
Flight Unlimited President, Reverend Linton Scott introduces inner-city kids to general aviation for much more than the thrill of riding in an airplane. Based at Crystal Airport, Flight Unlimited's office is housed in the administration building next to the control tower. Its 1973 Piper Cherokee sits in a hangar nearby. "The first thing is not a ride," said Scott about learning how to fly. "The first thing is to get a broom and a rag and learn how to clean the plane and sweep the hangar. Kids...
It takes a man of vision to see potential for a thriving restaurant in a space located away from foot traffic, devoid of retail business, housed in the last building on a dead-end road. However, restaurateur, Troy Reding is a man of vision. The last restaurant in the Holman Field Administration Building at the St. Paul Downtown Airport closed in 1999. Flooding in the early 2000s kept the space deserted until an offer was presented to Reding late last year by the Metropolitan Airport Commission...
This is an inspiring story of three forward-thinking Minnesota high school students. They are neighbors and best friends in life, and are now about to launch themselves into building their respective futures. The focus will be on one student, primarily because of her immediate efforts to give back to the very organization and community that helped guide her to make her dreams take flight, literally. Elizabeth "Ellie" Langdon, and her friends Jackie Little, and Molly Ruth, are currently Seniors a...
Students in the 10 through 12th grades have an opportunity to experience more aviation than they probably thought exists. They can do that by attending the one of the 2019 Aviation Education Careers (ACE) Camp. At ACE Camp in June or July, students will spend one week of their summer fully immersed in exploring the many exciting facets of aviation and dozens of well-paying careers found in the aviation industry! Camps are held in June and July accommodating 30 or more students per camp. There...
In my last column, I addressed Grant Assurances, what they are, what they do, and why we need them. This time I want to address Minimum Standards. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not require minimum standards, they are directly tied to grant assurances. Airport minimum standards must be met by all commercial service operators on an airport. This helps to ensure that FAA rules and regulations are met, while also ensuring safe operations, and providing opportunities for...
Most pilots who have flown for a year or more have likely experienced flying in cold weather. Some may actually prefer to fly in the winter months because there are few threats of thunderstorms (at least in the more northern regions of the US), and nearly unrestricted visibility on clear days. Also there are no bugs to clean off windscreens, struts and leading edges! In addition, the beauty of the winter landscape can be awe-inspiring in itself which can make flying in winter an amazing...
Attention Pilots! Be sure to get a Flight Service briefing from (800) WX-Brief before every flight and check your destination airport status. 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 750, Sandstone, MN 55072-0750 or mnflyer@pinternet.com or charlotte@mnflyer.com. Jan 26, 2019: White Bear Lake, 5860 Highway 61 N, MN, Benson Airport (6MN9), EAA Chapter 745 Fly-In-Drive-In Pancake Breakfast, Lat: 45° 6’ 59.88” North, Long...
Even after 56 years of flying and thousands of hours, I still love to fly new types of airplanes, but it's getting more and more difficult to find an airplane type that I haven't flown before. I only count it as a new model if there is a substantial change from its predecessors-not like changing model years in new cars. With the low production rates of aircraft today, more often than not, I have had to go to the Experimental aircraft to find a completely new type. Thus, I was really excited when...
Academy College, located in Bloomington, MN, has established Preferred Hiring Agreements with CommutAir/United Express, GoJet Airlines, Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines, and Redwing Aero Company. These programs create opportunities in these companies for the students of Academy College enrolled in either the Commercial Pilot, Aircraft Dispatcher or Aviation Business programs. Preferred Hiring Agreements include many benefits for Academy College students, including the opportunity to observe training classes at airline corporate headquarters, access...
In 2011, the FAA reviewed the toxicology reports of 1,353 recent fatal General Aviation accidents. They found that 42 percent of all pilots involved had drugs in their blood stream that impaired performance. It's a stark reminder that the most common cause of aviation accidents is pilot error, and that a frequent contributor to those errors is drugs, legal or illegal. If you're using crack, ecstasy or heroine, you've got no business going near an aircraft, much less trying to fly it. Now, I'm...
Golf and airplanes go together very nicely. Aviation makes many more golf courses available and in a much greater variety. In most cases, ground transportation is needed from the airport to the club house. Occasionally, you find a course that has a runway for the 19th fairway, but these are usually private and can be expensive. If your idea of a good time is putting the clubs the Bonanza and flying off for a day on the links, Tyler is the place to go. The Municipal Airport and Community Golf...
As we set our clocks back an hour each November, our thoughts shift toward coping with Old Man Winter's impending visit, and the best ways to cope without hibernating for five months. For those that choose to remain current and proficient, the following tips will help endure the season: Be Prepared When planning your flight, be sure all elements are covered such as: Weather - The night before the flight, obtain a standard weather briefing. Knowing what to expect in the form of frost or snow the...
Maritime patrol aircraft evolved during WWI with Curtiss and Felixstowe flying boats scouring the North Sea and Mediterranean for German U-boats and commerce raiders. Land based bombers followed. The Catalina, Sunderland, Wellington, and Liberator served during WWII. World War II also saw the modification of airliners into land-based patrol aircraft. The Lockheed Model 14 Electra became the Model 414 Hudson and the Focke-Wulf FW-200 Condor became Churchill's "scourge of the Atlantic." Post war,...
Happy Holidays to each and every one of you! What a terrific time of year, as we celebrate with family and friends and as we look back upon 2018 and count our blessings and our challenges. The Board members of the Minnesota Pilots Association are thankful for those of you who have become members or who have renewed membership in our organization. Thank you. While Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, we have the chance to thank people throughout the year for their good deeds, for helping to make...
