Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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The Air Force's new Boeing KC-46A Pegasus air-to-air refueling tanker graced the main ramp. Set to replace or supplement the old KC-135 and KC-10, it's based on the 767 airliner....
They are the best of airports, they are the worst of airports. What makes an airport the best? Or the worst? There surely are a wide variety of airports in Minnesota, each with not only different local sights to see, each with different configurations of runways and ramps, each with different amenities. We are fortunate to have the Minnesota Department of Transportation-Aeronautics overseeing our airports, making sure that safety is integrated into the facilities, but once you get past quality...
I hope you never get hit with a laser but it is a situation that should be discussed before you get surprised. Unfortunately, shining aircraft with lasers is an increasingly popular past time for people often uneducated in its potential danger. There are thousands of reports of this activity yearly, with the number of events occurring increasing each year. Shining a laser on an aircraft is a federal offense that carries a large fine and jail time. In California a man was sentenced to two years i...
There are GOOD Oshkosh EAA Conventions—and there are OUTSTANDING Conventions—but there are no BAD Oshkosh Conventions. There have been Conventions that stand out in our minds—“Did you see Concorde at Oshkosh?” “Did you see Voyager at Oshkosh?” “The U.S. military demo teams?” “The French Connection act?” “Fifi” (or “Doc?”). “The Martin Mars water bomber?” The multitude of outstanding aircraft displayed every year at the Main Plaza? We remember the outstanding aircraft—we remember the outstand...
Stop by the pharmacy section at the grocery or drug store and you’ll find a dietary supplement for just about everything you want to be: strong, big, potent, smart, handsome. You name it and somebody will sell you an extract of herbs and vitamins to fit the bill. Now I know that there are folks that swear by whatever they’re taking to achieve whatever they want out of life and that’s fine, sort of. Indeed more than 50% of adults in the US consume dietary supplements to the tune of $35 billi...
Mitch Oskowski snapped this photo of Scott Granger, a retired Delta pilot who was at Oshkosh 2019, proudly wearing a Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering baseball cap with the Minnesota Flyer logo on the side. Scott is sitting in a DC-3 that he flew over Normandy in June for the anniversary of the D-day landings....
"Mud, mud, glorious mud – Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood..." From "The Hippopotamus Song" by Michael Flanders and Donald Swan More like curdling or boiling the blood. 2019 seemed a reprise of Sloshkosh and the Splash-In from earlier days. Due to heavy rains before the convention, parking autos, RVs, and airplanes proved a challenge and walk times to the gates for the notorious bag check seemed like infinity. In 35 years, I've never parked so far away. Packs of seagulls circled a...
Those who truly love flying find that aviation is one of the things that actually defines them. It is their love and in fact their passion for aviation, that sets them apart from most others. People like this are easy to spot. If they hear the sound of an airplane, any airplane going by, they immediately look up, even when in mid-sentence! There are a few other things that can immediately draw a pilot’s attention. Besides the sound of an airplane going over head, the sound of an engine sputtering and going rough, or worse yet, going silent. T...
Every day I learn more about Aviation and the impact our MnDOT Aeronautics office has on air transportation for Minnesotans. Although I still feel “new” at the office, it has already been more than five years since I became the Aeronautics Director – and in that time more than half the rest of the people in the office are new. While we miss those who have retired, or gone on to new challenges, we still have great people doing amazing things. We continue to work hard for aviation safety, aviat...
Nearly every child has a dream or dreams of what they want to do for a career in the future. Many have a dream to fly fighters, airliners or airshow aerobatic aircraft for instance. Once they have tasted the excitement and freedom of aviation, it becomes a burning ember in their hearts. For some, the ember becomes a flame that drives them to do amazing things in aviation. Many, if not most people in the aviation industry, no matter what their job or affiliation to aviation may be, are excited to see a young person take advantage of a chance to...
Flying in the cool, crisp air of fall can be absolutely spectacular as mile after mile of brilliant color passes beneath your wings. The variety of changing hues and distinct colors is quite simply awe-inspiring. It is in fact one of the great joys of being able to fly when and where you choose. Another great joy of the fall season for many is the opportunity to fly to locations where hunting is an active sport. Landing at a wilderness camp site can be relaxing, knowing of the solitude and peacefulness that is there the moment you shut down you...
Brooten is an industrious place. The City's economic success would be great for many towns but is remarkable for a smaller community like Brooten. One of Brooten's more interesting products is wood baseball bats. In the 21st Century most baseball is played with metal bats, with the notable exception of the professional leagues. Traditionally the pros have used ash bats, but the ones made in Brooten are "freeze dried" maple. The list of professional ball players using the maple bats is getting lo...
Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930) was truly one of aviation's great pioneers. He founded the Curtiss Aeroplane Company on 1 December 1910 in Hammondsport, NY. The company evolved through various mergers until 8 August 1929, when it combined with former bitter rival Wright to become Curtiss-Wright. Litigation between Curtiss and the Wrights had lasted from 1908 to 1913. In 1930, Curtiss-Wright absorbed Wichita based Travel Air. Curtiss-Wright did not survive long after WWII as an aircraft manufacturer,...
"What I'm most proud of this year is how our volunteers, staff, and the community joined to overcome the challenges resulting from the massive storms that hit the airport and campground just prior to opening day. It took a true team effort to meet the additional demands on time and resources to provide services to our members and visitors." Attendance: Approximately 642,000 – 6.8 percent above of 2018's record total. Comment from Pelton: "EAA members and aviation enthusiasts attended in large n...
Minnesota Flyer reader, Craig M. Rodamaker was recently awarded the top "Gold Level" award from MNDOT Aeronautics for completing their "Fly Minnesota Airports Passport" program. Craig states that "Essentially, I flew into over 130 of the 136 airports in MN and got my "passport" stamped at each, and also visited at least 6 aviation museums in MN and attended more than 6 FAA safely seminars. It took me about 6 years to complete this exercise, and according to Darlene at MNDOT there are only 43...
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. Oct. 12:White Bear Lake, MN. Benson Airport (6MN9), EAA Chapter 745 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In. Saturday, 9 AM - NOON. 5860 Highway 61 N, White Bear Lake, MN 55110.Airport: (651) 429-0315 or...
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. Oct. 12:White Bear Lake, MN. Benson Airport (6MN9), EAA Chapter 745 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In. Saturday, 9 AM - NOON. 5860 Highway 61 N, White Bear Lake, MN 55110.Airport: (651) 429-0315 or...
