Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 1 - 8 of 8
I go to Oshkosh (nobody in aviation calls it "Airventure") every year to cover what's new in the industry. It's a chance to try to gauge the health of the industry - to try to spot emerging trends - to see what products and programs get people excited. Some years are revolutionary, with new products introduced. Some are evolutionary - like baby elephants, products conceived years before are just now reaching the end of their gestation period. This was one of those years - very few NEW...
July 11-12 offered two perfect weather days for AirExpo 2015 at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie. Attendees watched and toured over 40 vintage airplanes including the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Miss Mitchell, P-51 Mustang, and TBM Avenger. A special treat was had when Paul Ehlen of Air Corps Aviation, owner and pilot of the P-51 Mustang aircraft, Sierra Sue II, and Joseph Aaron Hawkins, owner and driver of a 2002 Mustang GT automobile got together for an impromptu photo shoot arranged by...
Those who love airplanes, cars, and outdoor cooking had plenty to see, watch, and eat at Aitkin Aviation Fly-In the weekend of July 27-28. Aviation Education Reaching Others (A.E.R.O.), the non profit organization providing opportunities to qualified individuals seeking an education in preparation for a career in aviation, enjoyed a perfect hangar dance and social the evening before the Fly-In. Dressed in period clothing, attendees danced to the music of the Red Rock Swing Band, periodically...
Known as the Bird, Brunner-Winkle Bird, and the Perth-Amboy Bird, this 1929 gem has a lot of history behind it. Luminaries such as Wiley Post, Lee Gehlbach, Clarence Chamberlain, and Milo Burcham all had Birds. The best known owner of a Bird Model BK was Charles Lindbergh who purchased one for $3500 in the fall of 1930 for his wife Anne. It was in NC727Y that she earned her pilot's license, passing her flight test on 29 May 1931. NC727Y still flies, now based in Maryland. Produced under Approved...
Anoka County-Blaine Airport and Crystal Airport welcomed new manager Glenn Burke in June. Originally from Originally from New Jersey Shore, Brielle, New Jersey, Burke's first career was in construction working for a homebuilder on the east coast, then traveling to Seattle and Hawaii. "When Pamela, my wife and I had our first baby, she commented that traveling around following projects isn't the greatest of families lives," said Burke. "So I did some thinking. I've always loved aviation so I did...
The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) brought two major initiatives to fruition on a Spring trip to Washington, D.C.. RAF President John McKenna and Public Lands Director Mark Spencer completed national Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) documents with the US Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The stated purpose of the USFS MOU is to: “develop a framework for cooperation between the Forest Service and the RAF relating to support of Forest Service airstrips programs, including support for the operation, r...
William Alexander Aitkin was quite a guy. A native of Scotland who immigrated to the United States in the early 19th century, Aitkin became chief trader for the American Fur Company which was owned by John Jacob Astor. From his headquarters on Big Sandy Lake, Aitkin supervised a territory that included much of Northern Minnesota and North Dakota. After a falling out with Astor, he went in business for himself and operated a series of independent trading posts. He was reported to be one of the...
My father-in-law Harry was one of the greatest guys you’d ever hope to meet. He always had a ready laugh, a twinkle in his eye. He was a wonderful father to my wife and a kind and supportive grandpa to our kids. And, of course, he loved flying with us! How heartbreaking it was to see him decline mentally as a series of strokes progressively reduced his ability to function in his last years. Unfortunately stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a common health issue, and it’s not con...
