Minnesota Flyer - Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960

For the third year in a row, this will be one for the record books. Last year's attendance was up about 4%, and I'm guessing this year will be up about the same. We arrived with our motor home...

I love Champion ("Champ") airplanes-from the Aeronca Defender of WW II-to the higher-horsepower airplanes of the 50s-to the advent of the 100 hp Citabria of the 1960s-to the various iterations of the...

Five days later, we got a chance to finish the flight check. Kirk came to Albert Lea so we could trade time-he wanted to fly my Lake Amphibian.Since the engine was still warm, it took no time at all t...

This isn't the first time I've flown the RV-10-but it is the one that counts! I don't count "flying" an aircraft unless I make a takeoff or landing in it-no "holding the wheel in cruise." Making a...

Lee purchased an Aviat Husky to tow gliders for his operation at Osceola, Wisconsin. He still loved to fly aerobatics, so he purchased a Great Lakes biplane. Lee was one of the first people in the...

Lee was born on December 17, 1933, 30 years to the day after the first flight by the Wright Brothers. He joined the USAF in 1951, and after being discharged in 1955, went to Parks College of...

I've been flying with ADS-B IN for over a year now. I use a Stratus 2S receiver linked to Foreflight Pro on my I-pad. I chose to go the portable route, because I fly a variety of airplanes-from a...

Like last year, this will likely be one for the record books—number of airplanes, number of attendees. We arrived the Saturday just before the Convention started—and like last year, the...

This is #325 in unique airplane types I've flown. As popular as the Van's RV-series airplanes are among homebuilders, I've never actually logged PIC time in them-though I've flown them, I don't count...

After pre-takeoff checks, we started the takeoff. The aircraft just didn't want to get "on the step" of the floats-we were half-plowing-half step-taxiing. We aborted the takeoff to check for anything...

Kirk Hiner keeps a hangar at Warroad, Minnesota. He uses his RV-10 to fly to Warroad at Bonanza speeds, transfers to the Rebel on floats, and flies to the Angle, eliminating the 1 ½ hour drive...

The Hiners had previously built a CH-300-and also completed a set of amphibious floats for it. Like every other floatplane operator, they were always looking for an aircraft with MORE-more range, more...

FLYING THE ZENITH 750 On the day that I flew the Zenith. The winds were directly across our main runway, gusting to 17. I own a Kitfox LSA, and I wondered what the ground handling would be like. I nee...

The airplane is owned and was built by Jim and Kirk Hiner, of Kenyon, Minnesota. See the sidebar about the Hiners-it is an inspiring story about a father-son relationship-and their shared love of...

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...

It was getting harder and harder to find a unique aircraft that I hadn't flown before, but since the start of this series, I've been offered the chance to fly some really unique aircraft. Taking them...

Jim Hanson This is my 321 unique type of aircraft flown. As mentioned previously, there is no set standard for aircraft flown. It's up to the individual as to how he/she counts them. My criteria are...

Every year, when I return from the EAA Convention (nobody calls it Airventure), people ask, "How was Oshkosh?" Usually they don't mean how was the city, and they don't mean how was the show? Most peop...

Time to turn the fun up another notch, and shut the engine down! Paul explained that we had to let the engine cool and stabilize. The time to do so was minimized due to the liquid cooling on the...

When flying any new aircraft, I like to study it first. I look it over carefully. In this case, I noted the long wings, the glider-like T-tail, the wide and roomy cockpit. Paul and I conducted a...

Most pilots enjoy flying different kinds of aircraft. Each aircraft has its own handling characteristics, performance, and even its own personality. In my aviation career, I've been able to fly a...

With a lull in the action at the runway, we toured the ramp at South Base. I was surprised to see a fleet of Skyhawks, and a T-42 Beech Baron. "Base flying club" said Haire, reading my mind. It's...

The next day, I met Haire at Century Circle, a collection of Century Series aircraft located just outside Edward's West Gate. Haire is a retired Army Aviator, who flew Huey's, Cobras, and Chinooks....

The Problem Like so many things that we "know" to be true today, facts are fungible. What may have been good advice 20 years ago is not good advice today-yet these false "facts" remain in place until...