Fleming Field Forms New Management Team

SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – After 21 years under the leadership of Glenn Burke, South St. Paul Municipal Airport (Richard E. Fleming Field) has a new management team, led by Philip Tiedeman, Manager; Joseph Carney, Operations Specialist; and Steve Sommers, Maintenance Technician. Burke accepted a position with the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) as manager of Anoka County – Blaine Airport in the northern Twin Cities suburb of Blaine.

Philip Tiedeman started at Fleming Field, August 19, 2015, after managing the Brookings, South Dakota airport for 5 years. Tiedeman describes himself as a “farm kid” from northwest Iowa, who was introduced to aviation by an uncle who took him on his first flight when he was a child. Another uncle was an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Air Force, a cousin is also pilot, and Tiedeman’s dad once took flying lessons. So Tiedeman had plenty of aviation role models growing up.

“Now I get to work at the airport and see aviation every day,” said Tiedeman, who got his Aviation Management Degree at the University of North Dakota – Grand Forks. Tiedeman has Commercial and Flight Instructor pilot certificates, and Instrument, Multi-Engine, and High- Performance ratings. He also had some aerobatic training.

Tiedeman was the airport operations manager in Midland, Texas for 4 years prior to becoming the manager at Brookings. He and his wife, Katie, who was an adjunct professor in Therapeutic Recreation in Brookings before moving to the Twin Cities, have two young children.

Tiedeman sees aviation changing over the past decade since he graduated from UND, and he is excited about that.

“Today, we have Space X, and youth programs, such as EAA Young Eagles,” said Tiedeman, who is pleased that the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is based at Fleming Field, as is the Southern Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF).

Like many UND college freshmen, Tiedeman had visions of becoming an airline pilot until he realized that the lifestyle was not what he wanted in a career. “Completing a large airport development project gives me a greater sense of accomplishment,” he said. Tiedeman is a certified member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE).

Joseph Carney has been the Airport Operations Specialist at Fleming Field since 2014. He spent 22 years in the U.S. Army as a Telecommunications Systems Supervisor, worked as a dispatcher with the Kansas Highway Patrol, and completed his degree in Aeronautical Technology – Airport Management at Kansas State University – Salina in 2014. Carney is also a certified member of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and an instrument-rated private pilot.

South St. Paul Municipal Airport – Richard E. Fleming Field (KSGS) is conveniently located near the I-494 corridor, 15 minutes from the Mall of America and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Fleming Field is a control tower-free airport with a 4000 ft. runway (Rwy 16/34), AWOS, and Approach Control through Minneapolis Air Traffic Control. Self-service 100LL, Jet A and Mogas are available 24/7 and is priced competitively for the area. Building sites with utilities are available for new hangar construction.

Tenants include Wipaire, Lake and Air, Lysdale Flying Service, Abtec Helicopters, Advanced Aviation, Alpha Zulu, Cadotte Training Systems, and J & J Aircraft Maintenance.

There are no landing fees, and Enterprise and Hertz car rental is available by reservation.

For additional information, call Philip Tiedeman or Joseph Carney at 651-554-3350 (www.flemingfield.com).

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