Dave Weiman Photo
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2024 Digital Issue
The 34th Annual Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame was held April 20, 2024, at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota.
Inductees included the following individuals:
Paul F. Dye, who worked for NASA’s Manned Spaceflight Program and was the flight director for 39 Space Shuttle missions.
Stevan R. Petrich, a commercial airline and floatplane pilot, and the designer of the Gear Audio Advisory System for floatplanes.
Curtis L. Brown, a United States Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut. Brown flew six Space Shuttle missions. He is also a world-renowned airshow performer, airline pilot and motivational speaker.
Cherise “Cheri” Rohlfing, a Delta Air Lines Captain, and adjunct professor at Minnesota State University. Rohlfing was heavily involved with aviation outreach and mentorship through several youth education programs throughout the state.
Michael L. “Mike” Schweiss, a private pilot and entrepreneur, who designed the globally used bifold hangar door using nylon straps and the single-piece hangar door using hydraulics.
William H. “Pat” Magie III, a seaplane pilot, entrepreneur, and author, who accumulated over 40,000 flight hours flying 700 different types of aircraft while operating flying businesses, instructing and executing rescue missions.
Jonathan “Max” Haynes, an accomplished aviation photographer and artist. He worked with many aviation organizations including the Veterans Airlift Command, Red Tail Squadron of the CAF, and the WASP community. He helped to create books to inspire young authors and illustrators.
In addition to the inductees, the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame presented the 2024 Minnesota Aviation Writer of the Year Award to Paul Dye for his book “Shuttle, Houston,” and the Minnesota Aviation Art Award to Noel Dunn.
Scholarships were also awarded during the program, emceed by Al Malmberg of WCCO radio fame, and the producer of the “World of Aviation” on AM1280 “The Patriot Radio Station.” The weekly program on Sunday mornings is sponsored by Thunderbird Aviation and Academy College (https://am1280thepatriot.com/radioshow/world-of-aviation.)
Academy College, located in Bloomington, Minnesota, established the “Sherm Booen Legacy Scholarships” in 2016 to honor and continue the legacy of “World of Aviation” program founder, Sherm Booen, and to provide financial assistance to students studying at Academy College to join the field of aviation. The $5,000 scholarships are awarded each year to two students selected by the Academy College Scholarship Committee (https://www.academycollege.eduwww.academycollege.edu)
Academy College presented its “Sherm Booen Legacy Scholarships” to Katelynn Conover of Edina, Minnesota, and Micah Larson of Ely, Minnesota.
Katelynn Conover has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Westmont College and is currently a flight attendant. She began flight training at Thunderbird Aviation in May 2023, and is currently pursuing an Associate Degree in Commercial Pilot at Academy College. She is an Instrument-Rated Private Pilot working on her Commercial Pilot Certificate with plans to become an airline pilot.
Micah Larson marveled at the freedom of flight, first embodied by the roaring firefighting aircraft that barreled over his home as a youngster year-round. These unique aircraft – de Havilland Beavers, Air Tractor AT-802s, and Canadair CL-215s – all represented the boundless potential of aviation, as he imagined himself plying the skies alongside them. Having graduated from high school at the top of his class in 2022, Micah is working on his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration & Aviation Management at Academy College. He is currently working on his Private Pilot Certificate and is pursuing a career in aviation.
The “MAHF Scholarship” recipient for 2024 was Heather McNevin who is working on her PhD in Aerospace at the University of North Dakota. Evan Ekstrand, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Science-Professional Pilot, received the “Chuck and Jody Bartlett Aviation Scholarship.” The “Randy Sohn Family Memorial Scholarship” went to Sophia Bowman, a 2022 Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of St. Thomas with a degree in Neuroscience. Nicholas Carlson received the “Brig. Gen. George Schulstad Scholarship.” Carlson is attending the University of North Dakota, pursuing a degree in Commercial Aviation. Bennett Edelman received the “Betty Wall Strohfus Gift of Wings Scholarship” and is in the aviation program at Minnesota State University in Mankato.