Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 1 - 17 of 17
"You've been coming here a long time." It wasn't a question and I wasn't sure if it had implied age or I just looked like an Oshkosh veteran. "Over 30 years," I admitted. "This is our first time. We've had it on our bucket list for years. Now we're finally here." The wind ruffled the umbrella shade over the yellow picnic table by the Subway near the Vintage Red Barn. They were about our age, a couple from Arizona, much farther away from home than we were. "What do you recommend we see?" the...
AirVenture winners in 2017 include Pat Harker's Stinson L-5, which not only won best L-5, but a Silver Wrench. The impressive aircraft is based at Anoka County Airport in Blaine. Tom Lymburn's coverage of the popular annual event held in Oshkosh....
Like last year, this will likely be one for the record books—number of airplanes, number of attendees. We arrived the Saturday just before the Convention started—and like last year, the campgrounds were 85% full already. By the Monday morning start of the show, aircraft arrivals were limited to “show planes only”—and Camp Scholler campground was full. Every year, aviation pundits and prognosticators try to measure the health of the industry by the attendance at the “big shows”—a practice that i...
I am not sure about you, but I am not fond of politics. Given the choice of spending time talking about flying a super cub or talking politics...I'll choose super cubs! Besides, talking about politics is dangerous territory. Unfortunately, there are times when we just have to get involved with the political system and let our elected of cials know how we feel. I have to admit that before becoming involved with the Minnesota Pilots Association, I rarely called or wrote to those who represented...
This year's MSPA's Annual Picnic saw a record number of attendees, in part due to the duo purpose of a much anticipated pig roast combined with the surprise awarding of a commemorative plaque to Bruce Hanson for 41 years of service managing the FBO at Surfside, the Seaplane Base in Lino Lakes. MSPA President Steve Guetter AOPA President Mark Baker awarded the plaque to Hanson at the August 13 event. When Hanson was congratulated, he differed credit to seaplane pilots for their support of the...
What can be more beautiful than a flight at noon on a day where the winds are three knots or less. The temperature is a steady 72 degrees. Visibility is unlimited and the skies are perfectly clear. The thought might come to mind, for most pilots that today is a good day to just enjoy the "severe clear" conditions and go flying for the beauty and fun of it. But is there anything that would make it even more fun? Perhaps a "$100" hamburger, or a chance to check out a new piece of property you are...
A safe pilot will always be aware of his/her personal condition, skills, and attitudes prior to climbing into the cockpit. But that awareness doesn’t stop there. In fact if you take a look at FAR 91.103, Preflight action, you’ll see that every pilot in command is required to be fully familiar with all available information about their intended flight. This includes alternate airports with appropriate runway length for your aircraft, and the weather expected at those alternates along your planned route of flight. For your convenience, FAR sec 91...
The primary job of every pilot from takeoff to touchdown is to fly the plane. One of the most important efforts prior to that is for the pilot to inspect the aircraft thoroughly to help ensure the aircraft is indeed safe and ready for flying. But is there anything before that, which is just as important? Yes! Inspect yourself. Ask yourself if in fact, you are truly ready to fly. You are the expert about what is going on inside you and in your life. You have the most current, and accurate information about how you feel, what may be a bit...
• General Aviation has a $12.2 billion impact on the State of Minnesota through its network of 135 public airports. • General Aviation has created 164,900 jobs in Minnesota, and provides more than $6.5billion in labor income annually. • General Aviation contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy annually and employs more than 1,265,000 people, nationally. • In the U.S., General Aviation aircraft fly almost 24 million hours and carry 166 million passengers annually. • There are nearly 4,000 paved General Aviation airports open to t...
Your office of Aeronautics is a strong supporter of four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in our schools. These areas of study and mastery are vitally important to the aviation industry and its future. That is why it is so important that we help our schools with guiding our youth toward involvement in STEM programs. No doubt you have heard about the pilot shortage in the US and in fact, globally. But did you know there is also a forecasted s...
Of all the seasons experienced in the upper Midwest, fall is certainly one of the most visually spectacular, especially from the air. Great vistas of bright red, orange and golden hues can be seen as leaves turn colors while the trees prepare for winter. Only from above is it possible to truly see the carpet of varying colors and the many shimmering lakes throughout the landscape. Even with all the delights for the visual senses, we must not forget to be alert for other aircraft in the air. We...
Lots of eye catching air traffic, food to salivate over (graciously served by Grant County Lions), an FBO fast becoming famous far beyond its local borders, an energetic, savvy engineering firm presenting the airport’s 25-year Master Plan, Paul Brutlag’s flyby in his impressive 1950 T-6G Warbird, and airplane rides for all those interested made a highly successful Elbow Lake Municipal Airport Fly-In and Open House hosted by Lakes Area Pilots Association August 5. Angela Holm Joe Gimse and Ang...
Hector, Minnesota is named after a legendary warrior from Greek mythology. Hector, a prince of Troy, figures prominently in the story of the siege precipitated by the famous love affair between Helen and Paris. First told by Homer in the Iliad, the story has been less skillfully portrayed in several movies. The most recent was "Troy"' where Hector was played by Eric Bana. The Minnesota City comes by the name indirectly. Many of the early settlers came from Hector, NY and brought the name with th...
General aviation is great. You can jump in your airplane (after appropriate and exhaustive pre-flight planning, of course), point her in any direction you please and buzz along for as long as winds, weather, avgas and ATC allow. What's not so great is that very few of our aircraft have rest rooms. I have yet to see a C-172 with a loo. I know you can buy nifty little plastic bags filled with super absorbent gunk from Sporty's. Of course there is always the old milk bottle. I have yet to convince...
With the soaring season well underway, upper Midwest pilots are working to improve their skills to safely fly their gliders longer and farther. As a long-time glider pilot, I often meet pilots who are surprised to learn gliders do more than glide. Pilots find and work thermals to climb thousands of feet (often to near cloud base), then depart on a 100 or 200 km out-and-back, or triangle flight, stopping at thermals along the way to "refuel." Not all glider pilots fly cross-country. Many are...
Designed by Armand Thielblot to an April 1945 US Navy specification for a new primary trainer, the XNQ-1 mockup was inspected in September 1945. Construction of three, two to fly and one for static testing, was authorized by the Navy. The prototype, Bu-75725, was first flown by Richard Henson on 7 October 1946, at Hagerstown, Maryland. It was joined in the test program by Bu-75726 in February 1947. Testing by Navy and Air Force pilots garnered good reviews. The Air Force gave it the designation...
Check this column each month to see that dates have not been canceled or changed. Send notices of events at least six weeks in advance of publication to the Minnesota Flyer, P.O. Box 750. Sandstone. MN 55072-0750 or mnflyer@cpinternet.com or charlotte@mnflyer.com. October 21: Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast, 9 a.m. – noon, EAA Chapter 745 Fly-In, Benson’s Airport (6MN9), White Bear Lake. Lat: 45° 6’ 59.88” North, Long: 92° 59’ 45.78” West, Unicom: 122.700; Runway 12/30, (2000’ x 75’), Grass. There is normally 100LL on the airport, but call...
