Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 1 - 15 of 15
Look for "Back in the Family" for the story of this aircraft and how it came full-circle for one family.... Full story
Want to create an adventure, regardless of your age? Pick up the phone, call 2 or 3 people who you enjoy and who you trust to fly with and organize a flying trip someplace. The place doesn’t have to be a major adventure destination. No, it can be to an airport someplace that you can use as a base to explore using it as a base of operations. Perhaps it has camping facilities. Perhaps you can arrange hotel accommodations at a nearby airport. Has it been awhile since you camped out in a tent? Yeah,... Full story
Every once in a while, you'll hear or read a story that just makes you feel good inside, or you might say to yourself, "That's a great story!" Chuck Datko's story of how he came to sell his T-6 Texan, and more importantly, who he sold it to, is one of those "feel good" stories. Chuck Datko, age 75, from Coon Rapids, Minnesota, retired owner/president of Burmeister Electric Company, has owned a variety of airplanes over the years. His hanger at Anoka County Airport, in Blaine, Minnesota, has hous... Full story
I like to walk the field ahead of time. Early morning is best – time to drink in the atmosphere and savor, however briefly, the newly mown grass, listen to the birds that swoop low over the runway and get my old Rockports damp with dew. Snuggled next to Battle Lake, just outside the town of 875 or so, about 20 miles east of Fergus Falls, is the only grass field I've called airshows at in three decades of announcing. A bit under 2800 feet by 200 feet with hangars and a corn field on one side a... Full story
You have just had your old airplane updated with some new electronics. The availability is endless for general aviation airplanes, as is the cost. You want to update and expect it will make your life easy when you are flying VFR or IFR right? How much training are you going to get before you jump in and take off? If you are going IFR, you could get into trouble if you are not comfortable with the new equipment and how to set it up. As a CFII, I see people get the latest updates and normally a fe... Full story
The aviation world lost a special lady in June. Dame Vera Margaret Lynn Welch passed away at her home in England on June 18, 2020 at the age of 103.Vera gained popularity during WWII performing for the troops on the front line and became known as “The Forces Sweetheart”. Tom Lymburn mentions her in his “Merlin Magic” article in the May 2020 issue of the Minnesota Flyer....
Although there is still much work to be done and funds to be raised, the Isle City Council voted recently to keep the airport open. At the June meeting of the Isle City Council a vote was taken which would determine the future of the Isle Airport. In December of 2019 the city council and the Isle Airport Association received notice from the Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics that unless obstructions were removed the Isle Airport would be closed down. The obstructions... Full story
Back when "overnight delivery" was exotic, an interesting fleet of airplanes flew "time sensitive" stuff like legal papers and canceled checks. One such aircraft was the Beech 18. Originally a business transport or small airliner, it was a tail dragger with two radial engines. The "18" evolved. Some had turboprop motors and other's tricycle gear. A big player in the business with the intriguing name of "Sedalia, Marshall and Booneville Stage Line" once had the world's largest fleet of these now... Full story
This spring I received a note from an airman wondering about his odds of getting off a Special Issuance. Five years previously he had a heart artery calcium scan which showed heavy calcification in one of his coronaries-arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. He reported this to the FAA. They promptly requested additional studies including a stress test and imaging studies. These looked OK, according to the airman. However, they placed him on a Special Issuance requiring these tests... Full story
If you are in the process of building or restoring your own aircraft you can now send in a question to be answered in a future issue of the Minnesota Flyer by Technical Advisor Mark Manning. Please submit your questions along with a photo whenever possible to: verlena@mnflyer.com. As Technical Advisor, Mark Manning brings with him over 38 years of aviation experience. He has performed maintenance on over 35 different types of aircraft and has flown more than 25 different models of aircraft. Hope... Full story
Share your photo - This can be anything aviation related, an item of interest, i.e. artifact, piece of clothing, collector items, models, paintings, original photo's of aircraft in flight, and so forth. There are some pretty interesting things out there that many of us have never seen before. Please include a brief explanation with your photo. Send your submission to: verlena@mnflyer.com or Minnesota Flyer, PO Box 449, Moose Lake, MN 55767-0449.... Full story
The Douglas Dolphin evolved from the Sinbad flying boat of July 1930. Looking like the 1929 Saunders-Roe Cutty Sark, the Sinbad was powered by a pair of 300 hp Wright J-5 Whirlwind radials. It carried two pilots and up to eight passengers. First flown in July 1930 from Santa Monica Bay, the Sinbad was sold to the Coast Guard and served until November 1939. The amphibious Dolphin, designed for military and civilian use, was based on the Sinbad. Between 1931 and 1934, 58 Dolphins were constructed... Full story
Start talking pavement technology and almost everyone else's eyes glaze over. Pavements are fascinating. Discussions about fine and coarse aggregates can go on for hours and of course a great topic is the never-ending debate over which is more cost effective, asphalt cement concrete or Portland cement concrete. Ok, for airport engineers that's interesting. But in the 21st century good pavement is necessary for a good airport. Economics dictate that most general aviation airports in Minnesota... Full story
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. Aug. 1: Grand Rapids, MN. Grand Rapids Municipal Airport Fly-In. Free Young Eagle rides 8a.m-noon. Contact: Larry Dangle 218-244-3056. Aug. 9: Paynesville, Mn, Paynesville Municipal Airport...
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. Aug. 1: Grand Rapids, MN. Grand Rapids Municipal Airport Fly-In. Free Young Eagle rides 8a.m-noon. Contact: Larry Dangle 218-244-3056. Aug. 9: Paynesville, Mn, Paynesville Municipal Airport... Full story
