Blue Skies, Light Winds Greet TrickAir Flyers

The fly-in season of 2021 got off to a rousing start with the Sixth Annual TrickAir Ski Plane Fly-In at Jackson Seaplane Base in McGregor. The event was postponed twice, pushing the date to Feb. 20. Low ceilings and a polar vortex hampered earlier efforts to hold the annual event.

The morning of the 20th brought blue skies and light winds making the hosts look "Nostradamus-like" in their selection of this day. In previous years, good weather meant lots of arrivals. The anticipation of many planes created some frantic, last-minute plowing to expand the parking area for wheeled planes.

The fly-in day's temperature was also looking good. Temps started below zero in the early morning hours making set up a challenge, but it was forecast to be a balmy 24 degrees in the afternoon. While our friends in Florida would bristle at that temperature, a true Minnesotan would note it was 56 degrees warmer than the postponed date a week prior. After being cooped up for months with COVID-19 restrictions, followed by the extreme cold, pilots and enthusiasts alike were ready to get outside and enjoy the warmest day in many weeks.

Last year the decision was made to move all of the festivities down to the lake. Most pilots and enthusiasts said they wanted to be around the airplanes and see the comings and goings. A space was plowed next to the ramp and a tent was set up near shore to provide a spot for food and beverages. Portable firepits warmed the toes and the wind favored departures to the southeast allowing for fly-bys of the crowd with

each departure.

Food was again provided by Trick Air and catered by the Horseshoe Inn. Chef Trent and his staff outdid themselves with pulled pork, chili, and sides that fed the attendees. The "Shoe" is located on the same lake as the Jackson Seaplane Base and welcomes ski planes all season to land and have a $100 hamburger.

Arrivals started around 10 a.m. with a Husky on Alaska Bush Wheels out of Crystal. From there the arrivals picked up with a mix of ski planes and wheeled aircraft using the parallel snow and ice runways. 122.90 was busy and lots of cooperation and a few 360's on the downwind made sure everyone stayed

separated and spaced out. Patience was required as the ramp filled with wheeled planes and volunteers parked aircraft three deep in rows on the ramp. Ski planes were on their own to park and they lined up

parallel to the groomed and marked

snow runway.

Traffic peaked about noon and there were aircraft ready to depart with arrivals still steadily coming in. Traffic reached a point where a departure had to vacate the wheel plane ramp to allow an arrival a place to park. The volunteers that moved planes and the pilots who were parked in and patiently waited for their turn to depart made the day go smoothly. It was truly an aluminum and fabric jigsaw puzzle that was put together carefully with everyone's cooperation.

The arriving aircraft were of every shape and size. The Beaver on skis out of Grand Rapids was the crowd favorite with a beautiful cacophony of prop noise and radial engine on departure. It was countered by a single place Rotax-powered homebuilt which gave its own version of airplane noise on its departure. The list of planes read like a Trade-A-Plane as highly modified bush planes mingled with standard Cessnas and Pipers and several homebuilt aircraft. Pilots ranged in age from their 20's to some in their 80's. Some had made all six previous events and others were attending a winter event for the first time.

Bugging out at a ski plane fly-in happens in bunches. Everyone is trying to beat dusk and many with skis were looking to get a few more "whoosh and goes" in on the way home. The wind picked up out of the south in the afternoon and the tailwind was a bit much for many of the wheeled aircraft. Taxi backs from the ramp to the northwest end of the runway in flights of three were commonplace. Again, patience, cooperation and teamwork got everyone airborne and safely on their way back home.

Mike Noel of Milwaukee again won the distinction of greatest distance traveled to attend. He had some competition this year from Mike Weinfurter, who arrived from Rhinelander in his distinctive orange Bird Dog on skis. Arrivals came from all of the MAC airports in the Twin Cities and the

northern contingent arrived early and stayed late both on wheels and skis. It seemed that every corner of the state was represented by the 60-plus aircraft that arrived and participated.

Winter flying on a cloudless and calm day is a gift that Minnesota gives us with rarity. Having good weather made for a memorable day for all and reminds us why we love general aviation and hanging around people who are drawn to it.

Editor's Note: Paul Jackson is the vice president of the Minnesota Pilots Association and is retired from Southwest Airlines. He is also president of Investment Aircraft USA, an aircraft sales company.