Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 706
ROBERT D. CABANA 1949 - Robert Cabana was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he grew up on his family's farm. He graduated from Washburn High School in 1967 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971. Upon graduation, Cabana was commissioned as a Marine Second Lieutenant and went on to Quantico, Virginia to attend The Basic School. Following that he began his aviation career in Pensacola, Florida. After completing naval flight officer...
An airport inspector is a critical role at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Aeronautics office. They maintain the safety and operational standards of airports across the state. These inspectors ensure that all airport facilities, ranging from large public airports to small private airstrips, comply with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and Minnesota state rules. The typical inspection season runs from spring to fall, during which inspectors travel...
The Minnesota Department of Transportation aims to provide general aviation pilots with easy, secure, reliable access to up-to-date weather and NOTAM information before taking off. This essential information helps pilots make informed decisions and ensure safe flying. One way MnDOT Aeronautics supports that critical flight information is by providing weather information computer stations at every local public airport in Minnesota. Pilots will find at least one "Minnesota Weather Access System"...
During the Korean War, Japan-based F-82Gs were among the first U.S. Air Force aircraft to operate over Korea. On June 27, 1950, all-weather F-82Gs shot down the first three North Korean aircraft destroyed by U.S. forces. The F-82 was the last propeller-driven fighter acquired in quantity by the USAF. It appears to be two P-51 Mustang fuselages on one wing, but in reality, it was a totally new design. The Twin Mustang carried a pilot and co-pilot/navigator to reduce fatigue on long-range bomber...
Among the aficionados of the war bird genre, the Beech Mentor is a popular airplane. Officially the T-34, the Mentor was used by both the US Air Force and Navy as a primary trainer. It was derived from the ubiquitous Bonanza, is easy to fly, and good at aerobatics. What could be better for pilot training? Walter Beech developed the T-34 as a private venture thinking the military would like an economical replacement for the North American T-6/SNJ then in use. As usual, Beech was spot on and sold...
CLARENCE J. KROTZ 1920 - 1981 Born in Chicago, Illinois, Clarence Krotz attended Von Stuber High School before studying Chemistry at Northwestern University. His passion for aviation led him to enroll at Duncan Aeronautical School, where he earned his mechanic's license in 1941. In 1943, Krotz enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a B-26 bomber pilot. He served with the 432nd Bomb Squadron in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations, flying missions over Sardinia, Italy, North Africa, and thr...
An early morning storm didn't stop the crowds from coming out to enjoy a pancake breakfast in Mora. The storm passed quickly and the sun came out to welcome visitors to a variety of events. A paper airplane contest for kids, free gifts for kids and adults, airplane rides from Hawk Aviation, a short take off and landing demonstration, tractors and airport equipment on display, fuel discount for visiting pilots and lots of interesting aircraft to see. The Sept. 21 fly-in sponsored by the city of...
The sun was going down at 8:00 p.m. on a warm September evening in 1958. August Kahl and his 15 year old son, Loren, were loading tomatoes into their farm truck so they could get an early start from their farm in Inver Grove Heights to the market at South St. Paul, Minnesota the next morning. The sound of jet engines high overhead were nothing new to the Kahls. They had heard the sound before. There were the new jet airliners landing at Wold-Chamberlain Field 15 miles away, and there were the...
This is the story of flight and how it came to one Minnesota family: my family. It’s a tale of inspiration and dreams, but also one of tragedy. Our story began in the 1930s in the fields and pastures of the southwestern part of the state in the little town of Springfield. The town’s population of 2000 is about the same as it is today. The fertile black soil encouraged farming. Dry winds blew off the prairie, carrying songs of meadowlarks. The roads ran straight as sticks, forming squares across the landscape. The Cottonwood River flowed on the...
Being invited to take a free flight on any airplane is always exciting especially when that plane is a historical military aircraft. The flight on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, out of the Anoka County Airport in Blaine was a media flight to promote the tour of a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber used during the second World War. Arriving at Atlantic Aviation at the north end of the airport, the tour started with a briefing of what to expect on the flight. "It will be cold and loud. If you...
About 6% of the world's professional pilots are women. Surprisingly India is the country leading the way where slightly over 14% of the pilots are female. Among helicopter pilots the number is just 4%, but in all categories, the number of women in aviation is rising. In 1938 Hannah Reitsch became the first of her gender to fly a helicopter. Ms. Reitsch was a German civilian test pilot who flew the first controllable helicopter, the Focke-Achellis 61. She also flew the Messerschmidt 163 making...
17 - Barbara Mack was born in Minnesota. In 1964 she experienced her first airplane ride at the St. Cloud airport in a Cessna 172. She earned her Private Pilot license a year later and proceeded to acquire additional licenses including Instrument, Commercial, Instructor, Seaplane SES, Seaplane MES, ATP, Balloon, Glider, Helicopter among others. After earning her Bachelor's and Master's degrees, she started a career as an Educator, teaching in the Robbinsdale School System. Eventually she...
The alarm interrupted the smoke jumper presentation "Ladies and gentlemen, please move to the side of the room, we have an alert." Obediently, we tourists moved to the side as the jumpers accessed their gear and exited. Once they were out of the building, we were allowed to go outside to the edge of the ramp upon which a CASA 212 and a venerable C-47A (N100Z) in United States Forest Service white and red awaited with engines already starting to turn over. Behind me I heard big radial engines,...
The 2022 EAA AirVenture had several highlights for me as a photographer and writer. There were fast planes with massive engines, small planes with tiny engines. Pilots who flew big jets and pilots who flew single engine props. But a highlight is always talking with the people! This year I had the pleasure to chat with John Dyke, a man who not only flew, but has designed one of the most unique airplanes I have seen around Minnesota and the Midwest. One of the great aspects about general aviation...
Hundreds of gorgeous, striking airplanes arrive at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh each and every year in hopes of winning a Lindy Award. Few aircraft, in comparison to the field, come away with any sort of award. Fewer still come away with a Lindy. Awards are given out across six categories: Homebuilts, Warbirds, Vintage, Rotorcraft, Ultralights, and Seaplanes. Entrants can be considered for only one category in a given year, and are not eligible for the same or any lower-tier awards if they have won...
Tom Poberezny, the retired president and chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Association, was mourned by the EAA and numerous aviation communities after his death July 25 at age 75, following a brief illness. Poberezny was EAA president from 1989 until 2010, and also served as chairman for two years until his retirement in 2011. EAA Director of Communications Dick Knapinski alerted aviation media of Poberezny's passing at the start of the Monday morning AirVenture daily briefing. EAA issued...
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Aviation recently reviewed key opportunities and challenges facing the industry. General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Peter Bunce addressed the subcommittee's July 13 meeting, stating the industry is still struggling with filling technically skilled jobs to operate, maintain, and manufacture aircraft. Bunce said workforce challenges will become even more acute as general aviation...
Each year, a Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHOF) selection committee meets to review nomination submissions and select new inductees. Selection includes evaluation of a candidate's significant aviation contributions to Minnesota, the area of the state the individual represents, and other criteria involving career and professional contributions. Starting this fall, the MAHOF will showcase one inductee a month in the Minnesota Flyer leading up to the organization's spring annual awards banquet. The MAHOF Board of Directors is proud to...
An FAA Registry and N-Number inquiry provides the basic information about Jay Schrankler's recently acquired 1965 Beechcraft Bonanza Debonair 35-C33. There a whole lot more to the story, however. The aircraft has been a Minnesota aviation fixture its entire operating life. That's one reason why Schrankler has a refined strategy for improving the aircraft's 1980's era avionics. Lake Elmo EAA Chapter 54 members learned about Schrankler's plans for the Debonair last November. The Beacon newsletter...
The Minnesota Navy League Council acted early when filing a special flight plan to celebrate the long-awaited sequel to a military aviation cinematic classic. "Top Gun: Behind the Curtain" landed Wednesday, June 1, at the U.S Air Force Joint Base Fort Snelling, 760 Military Highway, Minneapolis. Veteran U.S. Navy pilots, active-duty Navy F/A-18 and F-35 fighter pilots, and Top Gun graduates shared stories prior to a close-up viewing showcasing both aircraft. The paid admission event also include...
Back in the 1930s, the primary radio aid for navigating in airplanes was the "Four Course Range." The way it worked is the station sent out two signals which divided the world into four quadrants. You could tell which of the quadrants you were in by Morse Code for the letters A or N which merged into a solid tone on each of the four courses. Pilots navigated by listening, there were no instruments involved. Sometimes "fan markers" provided information on distance from the station. The system...
Flying clubs represent an outstanding opportunity to continue aviation adventures. They organize fly-outs and getaways to grassy airstrips and fun destinations. And few things in life are as satisfying as venturing to a new place, camping under an aircraft wing, and swapping flying stories with pilots from different backgrounds. That mantra was re-echoed by AOPA President Mark Baker during his May presentation at the Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering (GMAG) at the Buffalo Municipal Airport....
Five hangars were damaged Wednesday, May 11, at the Metropolitan Airport Commission's Crystal Airport after powerful spring storms plowed through the area. Airport Manager Mike Wilson said he received a call about 8:30 p.m. reporting a roof had blown off of a hangar. "Our initial call for closure came at 8:45 p.m. and we decided an hour later to close the airport overnight because of the lights being out," Wilson said, adding he had received a call from the tower informed him power was out at...
Over the last 15 years, Willmar-based Bollig Engineering's expertise has focused on airport projects that are crucial to the financial well-being of rural Minnesota. Smaller GA airports need both technical support and funding advocacy. Their communities often have a good grasp of infrastructure needs, but struggle to understand the myriad funding programs available and their ever-changing rules and regulations. "We help our clients understand and access the multitude of funding sources," said...
Brooten Municipal Airport/John O. Bohmer Field's recently added fuel system, completed in 2021, includes a 5,000-gallon tank for 100LL. It was provided and installed by O'Day Tank and Steel LLC, based in Fargo, North Dakota. The project was funded by MnDOT via 70%/30% split, with a private donor contributing to the project. Paul Jurek, PE, is a senior engineer with Bollig Engineering. He was involved with design and construction of the new aviation fuel system. "They didn't have fuel on the airp...
