Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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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....
Donnie Gardner is expanding the world of aviation retail one market niche at a time. He credits his dad for providing the creative spark behind DGPilot Aviation Collectibles & More, located in downtown St. Paul. "My dad is a huge aviation enthusiast, and I didn't realize this until a few years back," Gardner explained. "I was visiting with him in Kansas City where I grew up and he pulled out his personal collection of diecast aircraft. He must have shown me 100 to 200 aircraft." Gardner hadn't c...
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...
Ken Snyder kept a simple mantra in mind throughout the course of his Le Sueur Municipal Airport hangar renovation project. "My whole goal was keeping costs in check," he said. "It wasn't hard, even though a lot of thought went into it. If there was a question, I just overbuilt it." Snyder bought the 40-by-36 foot hangar in August 2020. The structure didn't have a door, the roof leaked, and two posts were rotten. The hangar also had a dirt floor. Getting a roof installed was a priority to protect...
Osseo-based Wiley Properties has consistently renovated its Crystal Airport hangars to keep pace with market changes in general aviation. Wiley Properties got its start in 1954 with Hap Wiley, who owned and operated a well drilling company at the time. Since drilling is seasonal in Minnesota, Hap decided it would be beneficial to have his workers construct buildings during the winter months. That activity eventually evolved into a successful family real estate business that continues to include...
Merle Marshall's attention to detail served him well during his 33-year career as a Teamster. After retiring in 2017 as a Metropolitan Airports Commission senior maintenance worker, it wasn't long before Marshall's attention turned from runways to hangars after helping out a friend. "Larry Degner of Aerolift Door kept getting phone calls about hangar door cables and latches being broken," Marshall recalled. "He'd call me, and I'd go help him. Well, one day the phone rang so much I decided to...
One of the highlights of the year (ranking next to AirVenture at Oshkosh) is the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Banquet, which inducts new members annually. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a three-time rescheduling of the event, which was conducted on Saturday, Oct. 30, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington. Almost 500 people were in attendance at the banquet. I had a great time networking with aviation contacts, contributing writers, and making new industry friends, as well as reestablishing...
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...
Wings of the North, the aviation history non-profit that's based at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, hit unexpected organizational turbulence this summer. "We were informed just before July's AirExpo by the building owners (Bearpath Investment Group, LLC), that our lease was not going to be renewed, effective Aug. 31," said Wings of the North Board Chairman Gary Applebaum. Applebaum and Museum Director Bob Jasperson told the Minnesota Flyer the organization has secured its collection and...
The Husky National Sodbuster STOL Short Takeoff & Landing Competition Series Aug. 5 to Aug. 7 at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport featured almost 30 aircraft. "We were excited to bring this event to a larger airport," said Tom Flanary, Husky National STOL Series co-owner. We sold out Milaca two years ago, but we needed a bigger field." Five-hundred spectators watched the 2021 competition. In 2019, Milaca's annual August aviation celebration added the event, which tests pilots' skills during two...
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...
Three large Minnesota events commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with flyovers featuring F-16 fighter aircraft. Planes from the Minnesota Air National Guard's 148th Fighter Wing made aerial appearances over St. Paul, Duluth, and Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 11. Four F-16s completed a Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs 9/11 morning flyover of the state capitol, said Lt. Col. (Ret.) Audra Flanagan, who served as a second lieutenant with the Wing 20 ye...
A 1978 Bellanca Citabria 150S registered to Alan Kupferschmidt of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, prepares to touchdown at the Moose Lake Annual Fly-In Pancake Breakfast Saturday, Aug. 21....
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...
A 1946 Aeronca 11AC registered to Lowell Einerson of Alexandria pulls into the parking area during the 38th Annual Fly-In & Dine-In Breakfast, Saturday, July 17, in Henning, Minnesota....
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...
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...
The first Saturday in September the community of Battle Lake will welcome the return of an popular aviation event that will honor two special people. Pat Kostelecky, a driving force behind the Battle Lake Area Community Fund (BLACF) and the "Annual Tribute to Gerry Beck - Gathering of Airplanes," died unexpectedly in November 2019. "We are going forward," said Kathy Deal, a good friend of Kostelecky's and BLACF member. "This year will feature a tribute to Pat, and the annual tribute to Gerry....
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...
