GARRISON, MINN. – “Who needs an airport when you have 3000 feet of plowed frozen lake?” This is the motto of organizers of the Second Annual “Iceport” Fly-In, March 8, 2014 on Mille Lacs Lake near Garrison, Minnesota. A record 87 airplanes landed on the lake, according to fly-in organizer, Mark Priglmeier of Sauk Rapids, Minn. Priglmeier started the event to share his love of off-airport flying. The fly-in is held at Twin Pines Resort, which is owned by the Eno family. Sponsors of the event include Twin Pines Resort, Tanis Aircraft, Wipaire Lake & Air, and Flame Engineering (Red Dragon).
“I just want to get people utilizing their airplanes by providing events that are as safe as they can be, considering the environment…ice,” said Priglmeier. For Priglmeier, flying off-airport started when he was just a child and his father landed his Cherokee 140 where they lived on the Mississippi River. “My Dad, an airplane, a frozen river…how cool is that?
“I still remember my first airplane ride – a Cessna XP seaplane. They were giving rides off the Mississippi River from a place called the Pirates Cove. I can still smell that beautiful new airplane to this day.
“I thrive on building wonderful relationships with the resorts and aviators alike. I want to teach everyone all I know about how to be safe, garner the respect of the resorts, and to be a courteous flyer. I don’t want to be in the spotlight…I just want to give people a reason to fly and socialize. It’s not a commercial thing…It is not a revenue venture…It is about my goal for the rest of my life – to be surrounded by honest, good people and to thoroughly enjoy what I do. I am doing just that.”
Priglmeier sets up flying events year-round. It is just that winter and ice is his passion. Since he doesn’t own a snowmobile anymore, he says that his plane is his snowmobile…“and a darn fun one at that!”
The fly-in had to be postponed because of sub-zero temperatures. Saturday, March 8 brought perfect winter temperatures and blue skies!
For additional information on Twin Pines Resort call 320-692-4413 (www.twinpinesmillelacs.com).
