Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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When asked recently to write about hangar usage, I immediately thought back to my manager days at a local FBO in the early 2000s. Even then, understanding what was allowed to be stored in a hangar, was a regular question raised by myself and others. To answer that question of proper and allowed hangar use, what I first needed to understand the rules that govern airports. What I discovered then – and still holds true today – is that if an airport is receiving federal funds, the airport manager must follow the FAA’s interpretation of what hanga...
As I write this, temperatures are far below zero and the decidedly non-gopher rodent in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania told me there are weeks of winter ahead. Still, I can’t help but think of spring, new flowers budding, birds chirping, and the smell of road construction in the morning. The warmer weather seems to also warm our Minnesota joy for all outdoor activities, and if this spring is anything like last year, the General Aviation community will again be busy learning to fly or renewing skills, buying gas, and putting more planes in the air t...
I started learning how to fly back in 1981–82. One of the things I remember most was trying to understand weather. I had to understand my personal limits and how weather could determine a decision to fly or not. I recall struggling with the weather information available during flight prep. Back in those days there were only a few FSS weather stations across the state of Minnesota. Pilots had widespread coverage gaps and had to guesstimate the weather conditions they were going to be flying through. Forty years ago, we had less than a h...
The successful landing of an aircraft isn’t usually something to write about, but in December, Minneapolis pilot Craig Gifford made his most noteworthy touchdown. After an engine failure late on the night of Dec. 3, 2020, Gifford guided his Bellanca Viking down for an emergency landing on Interstate 35W. Luckily, no one was injured. Traffic cameras captured the event and Gifford received his 15 minutes of fame. While the interstate is not the best place to land, it certainly isn’t the worst. According to the NTSB database, 62% of general avi...
Do you recall the last time you performed a go-around? Are go-arounds something you practice on a regular basis? Are you prepared to go-around with every lap in the traffic pattern and every instrument approach, or is your mind set on landing no matter what happens? As pilots we know that landing can be the most fun, challenging, and rewarding part of the flight. Have you noticed how passengers tend to judge the whole flight by the landing? Maybe you have had the experience, as I have, of flying on a gorgeous, smooth-air day when everything en...
Meteorological towers (met towers) are being built in Minnesota. The towers are used to collect wind data and other weather information such as temperature, humidity and rain. Met towers are getting built in large part because they are crucial in the development of modern wind farms. The data collected by met towers help developers determine if a site is economically viable for a wind farm. With increased interest in the development of wind energy, comes increased prominence of met towers. Met...
To say COVID-19 has changed our way of life is an understatement. Wearing face masks has become the new standard, families with children are adjusting to altered methods of schooling, and businesses are having to create new practices to keep customers safe. One specific area COVID-19 has had an effect on is how operators clean and disinfect aircraft before and after flight operations. As a pilot and/or aircraft owner, have you done anything differently? When cleaning and disinfecting aircraft, it’s important to follow any and all guidance p...
At 10:45 a.m. on April 13, 2018, a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor started its takeoff roll at NAS Fallon in Nevada. NAS Fallon is the home of the famed TOPGUN fighter pilot training course, and the air force fighter was scheduled to fly in a one-on-one graduation exercise against a TOPGUN student who would be flying an F/A-18. The F-22 accelerated to 120 knots and the pilot rotated. At 135 knots, recognizing visual cues that the fighter was airborne, he retracted the landing gear. Unfortunately, the fighter was not airborne, although enough weight...
Flying is fun for aviators. The freedom experienced when you fly is little short of absolutely marvelous. And now and then something comes along that makes flying even more fun, or even makes it like a new adventure! One of those things is the "Fly Minnesota Airports Passport" program. The program started in 2008, and to date, 46 pilots have qualified to receive a Fly Minnesota Airports leather flight jacket by visiting at least 130 of Minnesota's 133 public airports, six aviation museums and...
According to FAA Advisory Circular 150/5210-20A, "Each year accidents, incidents, and runway incursions occur involving aircraft, pedestrians, ground vehicle drivers, and personnel taxiing or towing aircraft at airports. These accidents and incidents can lead to property damage, injuries, and even death." Most of us are accustomed to driving our vehicles on public roadways, with a thorough knowledge of the rules of the road and the operating expectations of ourselves and other drivers. However,...
Have you ever flown into an airport and found workers on the airfield? Do you ever wonder if they are listening to your radio calls? Do you expect they’ll give you the right of way? These are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself and the answers might not be what you assume. Workers at airports are essential and are there to help make improvements. However, sometimes the work they conduct can only be done during daylight hours, and on nice warm days. Sounds like a great day to go flying, right? On those good weather days, wor...
Do you ever think about the people that work in aviation? I don’t mean the people that use aviation, I mean the people that are in aviation, making the system work. At MnDOT Aeronautics, I’ve often heard our pilots marvel at what they didn’t know, they didn’t know. Until they began working with us, they had not spent much time thinking about all that must be done, who must do it, to make flying, landing and taking off, possible. Someone is plowing the runway. Someone is mowing the grass....
For public airports in Minnesota, the 2020 construction season is going to be busy, with numerous projects continuing in process and planned, in spite of the current health difficulties. Upcoming projects include several significant runway reconstruction projects. Some of the projects that will affect airport flight operations are described in this article, as well as a link with information about the CARES act. Please check with your airport destination and monitor NOTAMs for specific information. Let’s all Stay Safe in the air and on the g...
This past January, just before COVID-19 became widely known and the world would change in ways we could never imagine, I was on a flight to Washington DC preparing for the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. I’m honored to serve on TRB’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Relations in Aviation, or AV010 for short. AV010 focuses on important aviation research and this meeting is one of my favorite work events to attend. Not long before my DC trip, but well before I was paying attention to COVID-19, a very different kind of ris...
MnDOT creates a “Minnesota Airport Directory and Travel Guide” every year. Our goal is to provide the public with general aviation information on public airports and public seaplane bases in Minnesota that isn’t available in the chart supplement. We publish a map of the airport layout with runway numbers and length/width. We also provide travel information, such as local attractions, lodging, restaurants, camping, and airport events. Until last year, we had only made this Airport Directory in print form. In recent years the iPad has becom...
A few years back the Federal Aviation Administration started a new program to track where aircraft are based. The FAA made a significant investment to gather this information. The FAA now has a database of based aircraft for all airports eligible for federal funds except those with commercial service. It is detailed enough to pick out when the same aircraft is listed as located at two different airports. Occasionally, we will see a snowbird aircraft listed as based at an airport in Minnesota and another airport in Florida. The based aircraft...
In 2019, the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Aeronautics conducted a study of the annual economic impacts generated by 126 of Minnesota’s 133 public airports. In addition to the 126 study airports, there are seven public airports owned by the Metropolitan Airports Commission. The MAC recently completed two economic impact studies and both MAC studies were integrated into the 2019 Minnesota Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study to provide statewide totals. There are five economic impact categories where data was col...
One of the greatest perks of flying is being able to see and enjoy the beauty of the earth below. But while casually enjoying these sights, especially at lower altitudes, pilots must maintain awareness, not only of other airborne traffic, but also their proximity to military operations areas (MOAs) and low level training routes along or intersecting with their route of flight. What is a MOA, one might ask? According to the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) MOAs, "consist of airspace of...
As I reflect on my visits to International Falls, one constant comes to mind; a warm welcome, a smile, a hug, from Mayor and Airport Commission Chair Bob Anderson. Sadly, a visit to I-Falls will no longer begin with that smile from Bob, as he passed unexpectedly on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019. Bob was a true statesman with over 50 years of public service to his community, the state and the nation, in a variety of roles representing his many interests and his deep love of the place he called home....
To be a good pilot... The leading causes of general aviation (GA) accidents may come as a surprise to most GA pilots. In a June, 2019 article by Janice Wood, published in the General Aviation News, Wood said: “from 2008 to 2017, fatal accidents from controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) — another leading cause of GA accidents were reduced by about half.” She then included a list of the top 10 causes of GA accidents. The first three items in order on her list are: 1. Loss of control (LOC) in flight, 2. CFIT 3. Engine failure. What seemed to th...
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...
We all have likely heard the old axiom, "trust, but verify!" It holds true today in many facets of our lives, especially in aviation. With all the "gee-whiz" technology that is available in today's cockpits to make flying easier and safer, it is still critically important that you trust your displayed, and controller provided information. But it is equally important that you verify that information. When going into a towered airport for instance, it is common place to simply trust the air...
