Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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Each year, the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHOF) inductee selection committee meets in June to review nomination submissions and to select the following year's inductees. Selection includes evaluation of a candidate's significant aviation contributions to Minnesota, the area of the state the individual represents and other criteria involving career and professional contributions. This April's banquet will honor the MAHOF 2022 inductees and return the organization to its regular banquet...
Mille Lacs Lake's annual ICEPORT fly-in is the perfect cure for aviation cabin fever. Organizer Mark Priglmeier plans the gathering with an additional goal in mind. "It's all about getting people flying," Priglmeier said. "My goal for this event is providing a unique place that people can take their families." Many people give up flying because they have no place to go to or things to do, thus they find it hard to justify the expense and time of being a pilot, he contends. "If we give a little,...
Forest Lake-based EAA Chapter 1638 participated in a special event hosted by C&P Aviation's Pat Harker on Nov. 10, 2021. Almost 40 chapter members toured the company's hangar at Anoka County-Blaine Airport and observed a number of historical aircraft. C&P restores aircraft and manufactures replacement parts for many different types of vintage aircraft. Harker, in right of picture, is an airplane construction, restoration, and maintenance expert and highly accomplished pilot....
The 2021 Tree of Hope holiday toy collection event faced continued challenges prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but an ongoing public health crisis didn't stop the non-profit organization from helping children and families during trying times. For more than 30 years, Tree of Hope has been collecting toys for children who are hospitalized during the holidays, serving approximately 40 hospitals, shelters, and Ronald McDonald houses. "We delivered 3,200 toys," reported organizer Deb Klier. "There...
The Seventh Annual Girls in Aviation Day attracted more than 1,000 participants to a new location at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie. Jet Linx Minneapolis served as official site host for the Sept. 25 event. With 85 events around the world, Women in Aviation International's Girls in Aviation Day 2021 reached nearly 10,000 attendees. Minnesota's Stars of the North (SOTN) chapter has partnered with Minnesota's aviation community to provide a platform for girls to learn about career opportunit...
For more than 30 years, Holiday Tree of Hope has been collecting toys for children who are hospitalized during the holidays. The non-profit organization serves over 40 hospitals, shelters, and Ronald McDonald houses each year, bringing smiles to children and families who are dealing with trying times. This year, Tree of Hope is moving back to having an in-person toy collection event, with changes prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers are asking for limited socialization at the...
An airport encounter with a new Minnesota Flyer subscriber's vintage aircraft and a subsequent hangar visit took me down a pleasant mental path recently. The late summer experience was typical of editorial interactions that occurred during an inaugural fly-in season that included more than 25 event visits statewide. Here's the scoop from Minnesota Flyer command central: In mid-September, I was out and about on a sunny Sunday, making my second fly-in visit of the day. Arriving early at my...
The Metropolitan Airports Commission/Anoka County Aviation Association Annual Airport Barbecue Sept. 13 included plenty of food and aviation-related fellowship. The early evening event was attended by airport tenants, users, businesses, and families and friends and was held inside the MAC Equipment Building near the Air Traffic Control Tower, 8891 Airport Road N.E. in Blaine. The ACAA is an association of hangar owners and renters, FBO owners, pilots, flight instructors, commercial operators...
Weekends in September were a busy time for Minnesota's general aviation community. The events calendar featured plenty of summer-ending fly-ins. The Minnesota Flyer's October press time listings included events in Battle Lake, Superior, Wisconsin, Wells, Le Sueur, New Ulm, Mora, Grand Marais, and Hector. In addition, there were separate airport celebrations in Brainerd and Blaine. Here's a look at photo coverage from six of those events. Event organizers: Please send your 2022 listings to the...
EAA's local chapters are about people, bringing together individuals interested in learning more about aviation as well as sharing their own knowledge. The national organization considers Minnesota Chapter 237 a "go-to" group when it comes to getting things done. The chapter is based at Anoka County-Blaine Airport (Janes Field). Chapter members are involved in a variety of social and educational activities, including Young Eagles rallies, fly-ins, building seminars, and more, to build awareness...
Fly-in organizers around the state encountered two interesting challenges during the month of August. One was breakfast condiment-related and the other involved weather conditions. The hot, sultry days of late summer produced scattered storms and low ceilings that forced many pilots to make go/no-go VFR decisions the day of an event. Several events with high attendance had to send volunteers scrambling to the store when the pancake syrup ran out. The Flyer's most recent calendar listings...
Please check with contacts in this column to see if dates have been cancelled or changed. Send event information to editor@mnflyer.com. We will publish as we have space available. For full calendar listing, visit www.mnflyer.com and click on the "Events" tab. Sept. 18: Brainerd, MN: Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (KBRD) 75th Anniversary Open House Carnival 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact: Jennifer Knopik (218) 454-5632 or info@brainerdairport.com with questions. Sept. 18: Mora, MN: Pancake breakfast...
Homebuilt Kit Champion – Bronze Lindy Lee Hanson Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Van's RV-14A, N11VF Vintage Customized Aircraft Runner-Up Benjamin Redman Faribault, MN 1940 Waco UPF-7, N164 Vintage Custom Class B (86-150 hp) Small Plaque David Smith Milaca, MN 1950 Cessna 170A, N9775A Warbirds-Reserve Grand Champion: World War II Jordan Deters/CAF Minnesota Wing Vultee BT-13A Valiant, N52411 Gold Wrench, CAF Minnesota Wing Warbirds-Grand Champion: Post – World War II James and Patrick Harker For...
AirExpo 2021 at Eden Prairie's Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) had a different field layout when compared with previous years. Featured aircraft were parked between the new Jet Linx Hangar and the East-West Runway. Attendance was a record-setting 7,500 both days of the July 24-25 event, reported Wings of the North Treasurer Gary Kreig. "Back to the Skies" was this year's AirExpo theme. Last year's AirExpo was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many changes to the summer aviation...
The hands-down highlight of the summer aviation season is the EAA fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Whether you call it Oshkosh, EAA, or AirVenture, the gathering remains one of the biggest aviation events in the world. Aircraft range from single-seat home built aircraft to giant C-17 cargo planes. Located just over 200 miles from the Twin Cities, Wittman Regional Airport is a short flight from local airspace. The Fisk arrival can be tricky with many planes from all over the U.S. queuing up to land...
The summer aviation season hit its stride with the Pan-O-Prog Fly-In July 11 at Airlake Airport in Lakeville. This year's participants were treated to warm temperatures and calm winds in the morning. The pancake breakfast was a huge success with over 1,850 people served. A total of 85 aircraft flew in. There was great variety in the planes that appeared. While the majority of the aircraft present came from the seven-county metro area, Detroit Lakes, St. Cloud, and Racine, Wisconsin were...
Minnesota's largest air show produced record-setting attendance during its post-pandemic return in late June. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels were among the high-flying crowd-pleasers this year at the Duluth Air and Aviation Expo. "In 20 years, this was the most challenging show I've ever worked on," said Ryan Kern, airshow president and founder. Organizers developed four COVID-19- related planning contingencies to meet state and federal health requirements. Saturday set a one-day show attendance reco...
EAA Chapter 1065 welcomed almost 60 aircraft and served nearly 300 meals during the 38th Annual Fly-In and Dine-In Breakfast, Saturday, July 17. About half of the aircraft visiting F.R Steuart Field at Henning Municipal Airport represented first-time attendees, said EAA Chapter 1065 President Grant Smith. "It was a very busy morning as planes started to arrive," Smith added. "I try to meet each pilot as they park, and give them a quick idea of what to do and where to go." Smith said one fly-in...
The Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing recently celebrated its 50-year anniversary. Approximately 300 attendees helped wing members celebrate July 10 during an open house that featured history flights, a food truck, aircraft tours, a silent auction, and plenty of cake. The Minnesota Wing formed at Fleming Field in South St. Paul as the first charter unit of the national headquarters wing, operating as a maintenance support arm. "Miss Mitchell," the Wing's B-25J, left the anniversary party ea...
Gary Powers Jr., the son of famed Cold War pilot Francis Gary Powers, will give a special presentation at this October's EAA Chapter 25 Banquet in Lakeville. Powers will provide a unique historical perspective on the dramatic shooting down of his father's U-2 spy plane, over Russia, in 1960. The Oct. 3 presentation will follow a social hour and buffet dinner at the Crystal Lake Golf and Banquet Facility, 16725 Innsbrook Drive. Seating is limited. A social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. with a cash...
Please check if dates have been cancelled or changed. Send info to editor@mnflyer.com. We will publish in print as space is available. Sept. 4: Glencoe, MN: EAA Chapter 1658 Annual Sweet Corn & Bratwurst Fly-In, Drive-In, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Glencoe Municipal Airport (GYL) PIC eats free. Drawing for free airplane rides. Free Young Eagle rides 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contacts: Stuart Selchow (320) 583-8367, Jim Benson (320) 310-8522, Ray Dann (320) 864-5805. Sept. 4: Battle Lake, MN: 14th Annual...
Summer 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere officially began June 20. Before that date became history, a dozen or more aviation events, namely fly-ins and pancake breakfasts, returned to fill the calendar after pandemic-forced absences. The roll call of airports was impressive, as was the pent-up interest in general aviation's return to communities around the state. The Minnesota Flyer's June press time listings included events in LeSueur, Eden Prairie, Alexandria, Grand Rapids, Superior, Wisconsin,...
Please check for date cancellation or change. Send info to editor@mnflyer.com. We will publish when space is available. July 25: Olivia, MN: Olivia Regional Airport (KOVL), Olivia Lions Fly-In Breakfast, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. PICs eat free. pancakes, eggs, sausage. Contact Rich Haugen (320) 522-2115 or email richard.haugen@yahoo.com. Aug. 1: Springfield Municipal Airport (D42) Fly-In with classic cars and bike drive-in. Serving from 8 a.m. to noon. Free to PIC. Contact John Ryan (507) 920-7816....
Please check if dates have been cancelled or changed. Send info to editor@mnflyer.com. We will publish in print as space is available. June 19: Blaine, MN: Burger Bash Fly-In, Anoka County-Blaine Airport (KANE) Lynx FBO, 9877 N. Airport Road N.E. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Food sales support EAA Young Eagles. Contact: Kevin Sislo (763) 486-6575 president@eaa237.org or Ellen Quist (763) 222-4952 quist.ellen.e@gmail.com. June 20: Canby, MN: Canby Father's Day Free Airshow, Canby Municipal Airport – M...
Please check with contacts to see if dates have been cancelled or changed. Send information to editor@mnflyer.com. We will publish when space is available. June 4-6: LeSueur, MN: Marginal Aviation "First Ditch" Fly-in, LeSueur Municipal Airport (12Y). Antique airplanes, reduced price fuel, self-service credit card pump. Contact: Jennifer Hanson, (952) 217-1366; Linda Lovley, (612) 799-3881; Debra Wilbright, (507) 461-0992 or email marginalaviation@yahoo.com for more information. June 5:...
