Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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In March of 2020 my family and I took a vacation to Mexico. Upon arriving at the airport, I wondered if I was making a big mistake. At the time I wasn’t worried about shortages of meat or paper products. What was troubling me was how this mystery virus might impact our return flight. It turns out that we arrived back in the United States about a week before the airline ceased operations to our destination. The definition of the word “trips” was about to change. As we entered the pandemic, the definition of trips had become more about climbing a...
As aviators, we know flying can be a highly rewarding activity. The sense of accomplishment which results from a well-executed flight is hard to beat. However, flying can also be a high-risk activity. Weather, terrain, aircraft unfamiliarity, pilot experience and many other factors all contribute to the overall risk picture. Do you have a tool which you use to help determine risk level prior to flying? A Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) is an essential item with which all pilots should be familiar, and is a required part of Safety Management...
In June, the Minnesota Department of Transportation's Aeronautics office announced that it had signed a Collaborative Partnership agreement with NASA's Advanced Air Mobility team to plan for the future of aviation. The partnership will support Minnesota's goals as the state plans for a future where advanced technology cargo aircraft and passenger air taxi services are integrated into Minnesota's multimodal transportation network. Minnesota is one of five government entities chosen to...
Funding for airport projects in Minnesota comes from a variety of different sources. One of the more unique programs is Minnesota's Hangar Loan Program. Rather than force hangar projects to compete for grant dollars with other infrastructure needs, this program provides loans to publicly owned airports to construct revenue-generating hangar facilities and provides protection for the fleet of general aviation aircraft registered in Minnesota. The program was established by the Minnesota...
In my time as a pilot the air medical flying was never in my purview. It wasn't in alignment with any of my disciplines. Or, so I thought. As a pilot, each flight is mission-centric. Whether it be for training, traveling, or to do a bit of sunrise appreciation flying, there is a mission. My flights have not been medical related. I've been fortunate to enjoy the North Shore tourist sort of flying mostly. It wasn't until 2010 when a close family member hit a deer coming home from Mille Lacs Lake...
Over the past 30 years, we have seen a lot of changes in our ability to gather and display weather information at Minnesota's local airports. MnDOT has a goal to make it as easy as possible for general aviation pilots to access last-minute weather and NOTAM information before departing, so they can make sound flying decisions with the best available information. To help with that goal, MnDOT's Aeronautics office has established weather computers at each public airport in the state. We refer to t...
Explore Minnesota is encouraging people to get out and explore the rainbow of colorful fall foliage in Minnesota. To find your True North visit: Minnesota Vacations & Travel Guide: Explore Minnesota at https://www.exploreminnesota.com/. Fly MN Airports! Passport program is sharing this opportunity to Explore MN by Air – Fall 2021 by encouraging you to get back into flying and visit unique places that are located near a Minnesota's public-use airport before Oct. 31, 2021. Just visit https://www.d...
The Minnesota Department of Transportation's Office of Aeronautics is developing an air mobility strategic plan to prepare for Minnesota's future as aviation technology evolves. The new Air Mobility Strategic Plan will lay out a framework for open decision making that provides and supports coordination, collaboration and innovation, as well as ensures efficient and effective use of state resources. As part of creating this new strategic plan, MnDOT is forming an Air Transportation Workgroup. The...
As pilots, we have a lot to think about when preparing for a flight. In fact, we're legally obligated. The Federal Regulation regarding Preflight Action (91.103), says, "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight." Further, 14 CFR Part 91.3, Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command says, "The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to the operation of...
For pilots – whether seasoned or novice – receiving an Instrument Flight Rules clearance is not a new concept. The delivery never varies from the standard C.R.A.F.T. format we've all been taught to love since flight school. Yet, the method of receiving those clearances from Air Traffic Control can wildly vary depending on your current location on deck within the airspace system. At a towered field, it's relatively easy – contact the clearance delivery controller as listed in the publi...
MnDOT's Office of Aeronautics has been working on several programs to improve communication services at Minnesota's local general aviation airports. The first of these improvements – improved internet services – will be rolled out in the coming months. Currently, most internet connections at Minnesota's general aviation airports are served by conventional DSL lines with max speeds of 1.5 megabytes down/768k up. When you are used to home speeds of 150 meg down and 30 meg up and faster, it is har...
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... Full story
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.... Full story
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... Full story
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... Full story
