BLAINE, MINN. – Thanks to the efforts of Craig Schiller, the curator at Golden Wings Museum, and other tenants at Anoka-County Blaine Airport/Jane’s Field (KANE), volunteers, airport management, and air traffic controllers, “Discover Aviation Days” (DAD), May 30-31, 2015, was again successful in introducing the public to general aviation.
There are 400 aircraft based at KANE, more than a dozen air charter and aircraft maintenance businesses and flight schools, a world-class museum, and a restaurant and entertainment complex on the horizon called “Flight Line Enterprise.” All of this in itself is an aviation story worth sharing with the general public, and Discover Aviation Days does this each year.
Featured at Discover Aviation Days was an educational chalet filled with displays; modern and vintage aircraft on display; flybys to excite the crowd; airplane and helicopter rides; and good food and fellowship.
The Saturday night hangar dance was held May 30 at the Golden Wings Museum, featuring a 1940s swing band.
Golden Wings Museum owner, Greg Herrick, opens the doors to his private museum each year at no charge to promote aviation, and so people can learn something about America’s Golden Age of Aviation (1920s-1930s). The museum’s modern 45,000 square-foot hangar houses 36 rare vintage aircraft, some of which are one of a kind.
Some of the unique aircraft on display at Golden Wings Museum is NASA’s first aircraft; a stainless steel amphibian; the first airplane in which a pope ever flew; six trimotors, including a 1927 Ford Trimotor, America’s oldest existing airliner. Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart were among the many notable aviators who have flown some of these unique and rare aircraft.
Situated near the National Sports Center, Anoka County-Blaine Airport/Jane’s Field (KANE) continues to make improvements to accommodate a growing demand for general aviation in the northern suburbs. KANE is one of seven (7) airports operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which include Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), and six (6) general aviation reliever airports strategically located throughout the Twin Cities metro. All combined, MAC operates one of the largest and best airport systems in the nation!
KANE consists of 1800 acres, and features two runways: 9-27 (5,000 x 100 ft), and 18/36 (4,855 x 100 ft), a precision approach on Rwy 27, and a contract air traffic control tower. KANE supports more than 76,000 takeoffs and landings annually. KANE is managed by Glenn Burke.
There was no admission charge to Discover Aviation Days, but automobile parking donations were welcomed, and there was a raffle to help raise the revenue needed to produce the event.
For additional information on Discover Aviation Days, visit www.DiscoverAviationDays.org.
