Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
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In the Women in Aviation International's network of more than 115 chapters, corporate members, and partners, are making their plans for individual events for Girls in Aviation Day 2018. Celebrated worldwide, Girls in Aviation Day is now in its fourth year as a global event and is designed to introduce and educate girls 8 to 17 years of age on the many career choices and lifestyle possibilities offered by the aviation/aerospace industry. Recently, WAI's Girls in Aviation Day was recognized as an...
FAIRFAX, Minnesota. Winning an award for a job well done is surely gratifying, but a satisfied customer is the top priority among craftsmen in any field. Bill Buckner of B&B Welding in Sallisaw, Okla., installed a 46- by 15-foot hydraulic door from Schweiss Doors on the Ely Helicopter Services hangar project, complete with two remote openers. The hangar was constructed with products from Star Building Systems. The building measures 70 feet long with a 16-foot eave height and a 2:12 slope on the...
Established in 2016 to celebrate Academy College's 80th Anniversary, the scholarship provides $10,000 for one aviation degree seeking student pursuing a professional pilot career in honor of Sherm Booen. Academy College, Bloomington Meet Brigham Nelson: Brigham Nelson was born and raised in River Falls, Wisconsin. He was inspired by aviation at a young age because of his interest in remote control airplanes. In the beginning, he struggled with take-offs and landings, but with time, he acquired...
This year, the Lions Club of New Ulm is preparing for 1,800 to attend their annual Fly-In Pancake Breakfast, a number based on last year’s 1,700 breakfasts served. Proceeds of the event are donated to organizations that help people with challenges with vision, hearing, and diabetes....
The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame has completed their selection process for 2019. The following persons will be inducted at a Spring, 2019 banquet: Brian Addis, FBO of Wings, Inc., seaplane pilot, and flight examiner; Lee Bradshaw, airline pilot, air show performer, who, after accident injuries, came back to re-earn virtually every pilot rating in the book before returning to the airlines; Leon Frank, WWII Navy carrier pilot, entrepreneur, and soldier of fortune, flying for the Nation of...
Booen was born in Glenville, Minnesota, and learned to fly at Albert Lea in the Civil Pilot Training Program (CPT) before World War II. In 1942, he was assigned to the Air Material Command at Dayton, Ohio, where he inspected and trained flight crews on the Honeywell autopilot system. In 1945, Booen began a radio and TV career. He created "World of Aviation," a program that aired on WCCO-CBS TV for 28 years. After receiving his Marine Corps commission, he went to Korea as an air traffic...
New to Wings of the North AirExpo for 2018 was Northland Community Technical College Aerospace's DRONE TECH program. UAS Instructor/Program Manager Jon Beck and Boy Scouts of Northern Star Council Activities/STEM Director, Ryan McDonald teamed up to offer attendees a hands-on experience flying drones. "When the opportunity to partner with Northland Aerospace, Wings of the North, and Pathfinder (a section of the Boy Scouts planning adventures, trips, service, and projects) to do a DRONE TECH...
Why would a pilot want to fly to all 135 of Minnesota's airports? Lots of reasons. Consider adding the "Fly Minnesota!" program to your list. After you land at 130 out of 135 airports and participate in museum and seminar activities, you will: • Receive a cap, flight bag, and leather jacket, all with a patch with the program logo. You will enjoy explaining what the logo means when you are asked. • When someone asks, "Have you been to the airport in..." you may interrupt and say, "YES!" • Patro...
Thanks to Bob Heavirland for the following report and photos from the Isle Fly-In of July 7-8 Fly-In. Heavirland joined the Isle Flying Club three years ago. Isle Airport is a private grass strip maintained by its members. Current president, David Retka may be contacted at daveretka@gmail.com The Isle Fly-In was a great event with really nice weather. We had over 50 planes. A J3 Cub flew in from as far as Crystal. We also had a Cessna from Grand Rapids. There were five airplanes from Forest...
Thanks to Don Lilienthal for the following report and photos from the Starbuck Fly-In breakfast. The Starbuck Fly-In was held on Saturday, July 7. It was a windy day but no rain. We have a soft grass runway. The plane campers began to show up on Friday morning and stayed until Sunday. The Fly-In was very successful. We served 1,144 breakfasts. There were 65 planes that flew in for the breakfast. The Life-Link helicopter reported eight miles out inbound when they received an emergency call....
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport was the only stop in Minnesota for the 2018 American Barnstormer's Tour. Area residents took full advantage of all the July 15-17 event had to offer including rides in the vintage aircraft, a lineup of Model T automobiles, music from the 1920's and 30's sung by Mankato Barbershop Quartet, Oh Brother, and 5-cent popcorn, a price from1929, made fresh on the spot. NorthPoint Aviation, the airport's FBO and Wing's Airport Cafe accommodated tour participants and...
A short time ago, historian, writer, 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, and Menahga, Minnesota resident, Noel Allard sent us the above image with the following comment: Interesting picture from a few days ago...DNR practicing water pickups for fighting grass and house fires, right out in front of our dock! Thank you Noel! We love when readers share photos!...
The Minnesota Flyer joins a host of other aviation centered organizations in congratulating the Civil Air Patrol on their 75th Anniversary. According to the CAP website, more than one million cadets have benefited from the Cadet Programs' leadership, character development, fitness and aerospace/STEM education curriculum. We have seen CAP cadet's in action at a multitude of aviation events through the years (like the one pictured above at Anoka County Blaine Airport) and state, without...
As is commonly known, inclement weather tends to put a damper on parades, lemonade stands, and aviation fly-ins. Such was the situation with the Moose Lake Carlton County Fly-In Breakfast, Saturday, June 16 when low clouds prevented the normally robust attendance by area pilots. Even though rain and the threat of rain kept many aviators from the airport, drive-in traffic was proof positive of interest in the annual event. Glen Kowitz of Moose Lake had his Ultralight T-Bird on display on the...
If you are looking for a role model to pick up a few pointers on how to be respectful to your heritage, drive or fly to Granite Falls, Minnesota for the next Ray Fagen Memorial Airshow. If you missed June's show this year, you missed a lot. From the opening ceremonies to the last of the evening's fireworks, the Fagen Family is all about paying homage to the Greatest Generation. This year's annual event was filled with thrilling aircraft displaying unique abilities in the air for an enthusiastic...
Major Heather Penney held her audience captive recounting her experiences as an F-16 pilot called into action after the Pentagon was struck by terrorists on September 11, 2001. At the conclusion of her presentation at the Wings of the North Air Museum (WOTN) in June, Penney spent another length of time fielding questions from her interested listeners. Yet, the focus of Major Penny's presentation was not on herself. It was on the "average, everyday Americans who answered the call," including fire...
One of the most positive aspects of community airport events is the family friendliness component. Always the Sunday before Father’s Day, this year’s Rush City Fly-In of June 10, gathered people of all ages to see aircraft as inspiring as the UH1-H “Huey” Helicopter famously flown in the Vietnam War, a 1941 Stinson L-5 from the Minnesota Commemorative Air Force, piloted by Jerry Kyser, president of honor Flight Twin Cities, several T-6s piloted by Chuck Datko, John Bormes, and Chris Koelzer...
Photographer Chris Lundberg captured the essence of the day with this image of the Saturday, June 23, Fly-Over at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul in honor of the Vietnam Veteran's Moving Wall, a three quarter replica of the wall in Washington D.C. There are 58,318 names listed on the wall by date of when each was killed. In the sky, at the top of the photo are three T-6 aircraft, followed by three T-34s in the missing man formation, and a T-28. In the foreground is a "Huey" UH-1A helicopter...
Buffalo Airport was the place to be June 10 for the sights and sounds of Mike Wiskus of West Metro Aviation and his Pitts S- 1-11B aerobatics aircraft. Wiskus flew right side up, upside down, tail down, nose down, vertical climb, extreme dive, and any other possible position in which man commands his aircraft to fly for the thrill of the crowd. In a surprise guest appearance, stunt pilot, Craig Gifford also gave the eyeballs of attendees something to fasten on with an air show performance of...
This is the final person in a list of the ten most important figures that have shaped Minnesota aviation over the years. In previous chapters, you have learned about Clarence Hinck, Shorty DePonti, Speed Holman, Ray Miller, Walter Bullock, Max Conrad, Charles Lindbergh, Chuck Doyle and Jeff Hamiel. Each figure a giant in their field and known across the region for their accomplishments. Saving for the last of my top ten, the one person who really made General Aviation known and respected in...
Discover Aviation Days at Anoka County Blaine Airport held in June offered a great pancake breakfast, FAA Safety Seminars, a Warbird Fly Over, T-6 Squad Fly-Overs, a K-9 Demonstration, Huey Helicopter Reenactment, an Education and Veteran's tent, and a parade of antique automobiles. Golden Wings Museum was open for public tours of its vintage aircraft. Food vendors supplied hot and cold menu items. Natured provided rain the first day of the two-day event and a chill wind the second but those...
Nothing cools off an extremely hot day like free ice cream and taking a turn at letting water escape from an official fire hose. Kids visiting the Crystal Airport Fly-In on an upper 90-degree day for their June 17 Fly-In, had the opportunity to do both. Though cloud cover graciously lent some relief from the sun's rays, high humidity pushed perceived temps up enough for the local Dairy Queen owner to offer several freezers full of free Dilly Bars to attendees of the event. Crystal Airport...
Phil Fisher was drawn into the field of aviation through his certified welding skills and desire to help others. Over 27 years ago, a friend of Fisher's, who was also a member of the Planes of Fame aviation group asked if he would be willing to come to a hangar to help with some welding needs. The answer was yes, not only to do welding jobs, but eventually to become a member of the group. When Planes of Fame moved its aircraft to Palm Springs, Fisher remained in Minneapolis where he was born and...
In the Beginning One typical school day as we were in the shop supervising our students' projects, two individuals I had never met walked into the school and introduced themselves. John Bucher, Maintenance Consultant for Banc of America Leasing and Eric Olson, Maintenance Manager for General Mills Air Transportation. Eric was a graduate of the A&P program back in 1993 and he wanted to show John his alma mater. After touring they said, if the school was interested, they would contact me at a...
A variety of seaplanes nestle into place on the beach at Madden's Resort on East Gull Lake in Brainerd, host of the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association 2018 Seaplane Pilots Safety seminar the weekend of May 18-20. Educational presentations by aviation experts, and banquet's deserving of royalty ruled the weekend. Education, entertainment, gourmet dining contribute to continued growth and popularity of this annual gathering....
