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Articles from the January 1, 2017 edition


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  • Heartwarming experience helps Santa avoid deep freeze

    C.M. Swanson|Jan 1, 2017

    It is not surprising to hear Santa Claus worked overtime during this season of gift giving, joy sharing, and celebrating the birth of baby Jesus. Flying about in his Super Cub, even before Christmas the jolly man in red and white visited Lino Lakes Airpark where he saw 40 children, and Park Rapids, where he saw over 100 chil- dren! This publication went to press prior to Santa's scheduled visit at Key Air at Anoka County Blaine Airport, however, a peek at his schedule indi- cated his visit was...

  • C.M. Swanson|Jan 1, 2017

    It's more important than pride to which the Northland Aerospace program at Northland Community & Technical College (NCTC) in Thief River Falls, Minnesota may righteously lay claim. It's about creating an educational foundation for emerging technology with such high impact, its full effect will only be known with passage of time. Marking a specific point in time where evolving technology and industry meet is where Northland Aerospace draws a line in the sand. The One-Two-Three Punch Northland...  Website

  • Hercules on skis

    Tom Foster|Jan 1, 2017

    School days in the 1950s were sometimes punctuated by "Air Raid Drills". The Cold War was on. The Soviet Union had built a nuclear bomb. It was probably false hope, but we practiced taking shelter in the school basement. Some wealthy people even had bomb shelters in their back yards. Military experts figured Soviet bombers would reach the United States by flying over the North Pole. To get us enough warning to take shelter, a series of radar stations was built to detect the incoming aircraft....

  • Tree of Hope 2016 overwhelming success

    Courtesy of Tree of Hope|Jan 1, 2017

    Tree of Hope Once again the Tree of Hope toy collection was held on the first Saturday of December at Maple Lake Airport. The aviation community came through to help support children and their families that are hospitalized over the holidays. The airport was kept busy with over 35 planes ( a record number) flying in to drop off toys. Even Santa took time to fly in with some toys! There was lots of activity inside also with over 65 volunteers helping to get toys ready to go to hospitals....

  • Supporting four-year-old's dream to fly

    Grandpa Tom Benson|Jan 1, 2017

    Since attending his first air show at two-and-a-half years old, our grandson Cash has been fascinated with airplanes and flying. To satisfy his curiosity, and possibly plant the seed for a lifetime of discovery and excitement, Carla, my wife and I arranged for Cash, now four years old, to take his first "flight lesson." On November 6, 2016 Cash, Jordan (his mother, who is also my daughter) and I went to Twin Cities Aviation based at Anoka County Blaine Airport. When we arrived, we were escorted...

  • #324 - The Super Ximango motor glider

    Jim Hanson|Jan 1, 2017

    The takeoff was "taildragger standard"-by the time the power was fully in, the tail wanted to come up. Even with a 9 knot 45 degree crosswind, the Ximango tracked the centerline dueto its 9' wide gear and the powerful controls. I allowed the aircraft to accelerate in a levelattitude on the main gear, then applied back pressure. The aircraft flew off at about 50-I held that attitude as the aircraft accelerated. "Climb at the yellow triangle-best rate of climb speed" Greg coached. I dutifully...

  • Airport of the Month

    Tom Foster|Jan 1, 2017

    In 1948 the Church of Christ in Tracy got a new pastor. About the same time the city opened its new municipal airport. These events are related, how? Pastor Homer Dobson was also a pilot. For 53 years he attended to the spiritual needs of his congregation while working to improve and maintain the Tracy Municipal Airport. He served on the Airport Commission, and for many years was the Tracy Airport Manager. Pastor Dobson learned to fly in 1946 when he was working in Carthage, South Dakota. His pl...

  • The Mystery Airplane

    Tom Lymburn|Jan 1, 2017

    Designed as a basic trainer with light attack capabilities, the S. 211 first flew on 10 April 1981. Powered by a 2,500 pound thrust P&W of Canada turbofan, it has a maximum speed of 414 mph and a service ceiling of 40,000 feet. With four underwing hardpoints, it can carry a variety of bombs, rockets, and gun pods. Only three countries ordered the S. 211: Haiti (4), the Philippines (24), and Singapore (30). Over 60 percent of the airframe was made of composites. The two crew members sit in...

  • FAAST Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team

    Heather McNevin|Jan 1, 2017

    Heather McNevin, CFI, Air Traffic Controller, NAFI Master Aviation Educator Have you ever landed at the wrong airport? Don’t worry, you are not alone. You may think this an impossible mistake given today’s technology but I assure you, people do it every year. Culprits range from student pilots to ATPs. In fact, a highly experienced flight crew for a major carrier just had this issue. In some locations, it happens, or nearly happens, several times a month! Often, these high occurrence areas will broadcast an advisory on the ATIS to warn pil...

  • EVENTS

    Check this column each month to see that dates have not been canceled or changed. Send notices of events at least six weeks in advance of publication to the Minnesota Flyer, P.O. Box 750. Sandstone. MN 55072-0750 or mnflyer@cpinternet.com or charlotte@mnflyer.com. February 11: EAA Chapter 237 Pancake All you can Eat Breakfast Social Fly-In, Anoka County Blaine Airport (KANE), south end by Golden Wings Museum, 8891 Airport Road NE, Blaine, MN 55449. For more info contact Kirk Fjetland, FJETAMILY@msn.com February 26: Warroad Minnesota Lions,...