by Cassandra Isackson
Director, Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics
Summers in Minnesota ARE spectacular! It is a great time for flying as the days are long and sunshine abounds. With that in mind, I want to let you know we can help your community planner and/or zoning administrator with technical glare analysis of solar power installations that may be proposed at or near your airport.
Many communities are looking for new ways to be more energy self-reliant, and solar power is an often-considered alternative.
Before putting solar panels in place, there are a number of points to consider with an emphasis on aviation safety.
Solar panels can produce excessive glare, which can temporarily blind a pilot. Coming in for a landing with glare spots in your eyes can impact the safety of the pilot, passengers, and even people on the ground near the airport.
Good News! The airport has a tool to use: the Airport Safety Zoning Ordinance!
An infographic can be downloaded from our webpage at: www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/. When an analysis of a proposed project is needed, please contact our Aviation Planning group and ask for Rylan Juran at 651-234-7190 (Rylan.juran@state.mn.us).
Have you seen the 2016 Minnesota Airport Directory? Should your plane – or other aviation photo – be on the cover next year? We are pleased to congratulate Emmanuel Canaan on his winning contest photo of Mike Donatelle’s restored Stearman chosen to grace the cover of our 2016 Minnesota Airport Directory!
We are already looking for photos this summer for the cover of the 2017 directory. When you have a great photo to share, be sure to enter our contest. Photos need to be high resolution: 6 megapixels portrait or 12 megapixels landscape, and feature aviation in Minnesota. Keep in mind that the photographer must be the one to submit the photo, and must provide us with the rights to use the photo in the airport directory, other publications, website/social media, and other uses. The deadline is September 30, 2016. If you have questions or need an entry form, contact Aviation Representative Rachel Obermoller at rachel.obermoller@state.mn.us.
Please check the events page at: www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/events/flyins-and-events.html for a list of aviation activities across the state this summer. Also, remember to send us information about your favorite aviation event. We’ll post it on our “Events Page,” so others can attend. Send event information to: janet.dirtzu@state.mn.us. Although we cannot attend every fly-in or event, we do go to several each year, so please invite us! Thank you!
