by Skot Weidemann The annual “Midwest Antique Airplane Club” (MAAC) Grassroots Fly-In was held September 5-8th, 2024 at the Brodhead, Wisconsin airport (C37). Brodhead is a south-central Wisconsin small town…
Category: All Features
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Purchases Wag-Aero’s Assets… The Tradition, The Friendship, The Service Continues
by Dave Weiman If you have ever walked by their booth during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Mary Myers and her husband, Bill Read, of Wag-Aero of Lyons, Wisconsin, were busy waiting…
KCAC Aviation Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony On New Aircraft Maintenance Hangar
OLATHE, KAN. (September 3, 2024) – KCAC Aviation, the factory authorized dealer for both Pilatus and Piper aircraft in the Midwest, proudly held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning…
UW Health Opens Its Newest 24/7/365 Med Flight Location At Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, Janesville, Wisconsin
JANESVILLE, WIS. – UW Health opened its newest 24/7/365 Med Flight location at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (KJVL) in Janesville, Wisconsin in June. “Med Flight Janesville” is the third base…
Bolton & Menk
When it comes to our clients’ projects… the sky’s the limit! Founded in 1949, Bolton & Menk has evolved over the decades to become a trusted partner for the communities…
MKE: Origin to Destination
The History of Milwaukee’s Hometown Airport Few places are regularly referred to by their hometown airport’s three-letter International Air Transport Association (IATA) code, but “Milwaukee” and “MKE” are commonly interchangeable…
Charting Mead & Hunt’s Aviation History & Flight Path For The Future
A lot can change in 80 years—especially in an industry as essential and dynamic as aviation. One thing that remains the same is Mead & Hunt’s commitment to developing best-in-class…
WISCONSIN AVIATION
43 Years of Promoting & Serving General Aviation by Dave Weiman Over four decades ago, Wisconsin Aviation, Inc. was born – 43 years ago to be exact. Starting in Watertown,…
Twin Cities airports thriving as commercial and general aviation demand grows
New investments support improved services, passenger experiences and business opportunities by Jeff Lea In an industry where flights and top performance are measured down to the second, Minneapolis-St. Paul International…
Navigating the Latest FAA Airport Design Standards: 5 Highlights Airport Officials Need to Know
In March of 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released the long-awaited update to its Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5300-13B, Airport Design, providing new guidelines and recommendations for the geometric layout…
The Go-To-Guy, Always On The Go!
Darrel Walter Gibson February 2, 1933 – May 24, 2024 Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2024 Digital Issue by Dave Weiman When Darrel Gibson’s son, Darrel Gibson, Jr., of…
Coe Launches Flight School, Aviation Management Program With The Eastern Iowa Airport
by Vanessa Miller Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2024 Digital Issue CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA – On the wings of a pilot and aviation staffing shortage threatening aircraft, airlines and…
From The Frying Pan, Into The Fire: PFAS/PFOS Concerns For Airport Operators
by Brad Maurer, JD, CPCU Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2024 Digital Issue EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was originally published in the August/September 2020 issue of “Midwest Flyer…
Tenants Rally To Save Wisconsin Airport
by Rod Kleiss Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2024 Digital Issue I moved my gear business from Minnesota to Grantsburg, Wisconsin in 2004 because I needed more space, and…
NorthPoint Aviation… Complete Aircraft & Pilot Services In Northern Minnesota
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2024 Digital Issue NorthPoint Aviation is a full-service fixed base operation located at Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport in Brainerd, Minnesota. The company provides fuel…
The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association… Promoting & Protecting GA For You!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2024 Digital Issue The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) is the bonified representative of general aviation businesses in Minnesota, businesses which…
There Was No Rush In Getting His Captain Stripes For This Rush City Flight Instructor
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2024 Digital Issue RUSH CITY, MINN. – There is something to say about learning to fly in a small, rural community…
“If I can’t walk, I can still fly!”
A story about the willpower and determination of Peyton Wolter by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2024 Digital Issue For those of us who have…
Finley The Horse & Rider Gin Reach Pacific Ocean
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2024 Digital Issue Do you remember the article we published in the June/July 2023 issue of Midwest Flyer Magazine about how…
Midwest Antique Airplane Club Grassroots Fly-In 2023
Article & Photos by Skot Weidemann Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue The annual “Midwest Antique Airplane Club” (MAAC) Grassroots Fly-In was held September 7-10th, 2023…
AOPA’s Richard McSpadden Lived In The Present, But Cherished The Past
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue “Where our minds linger is a choice, and I choose the present.” Richard McSpadden Who would have ever…
The Borman Collection At EAA
“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.” Frank Borman by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue The EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wis.,…
GA Industry Announces “Climbing. Fast. Campaign”
As reported by Eric Blinderman Senior Director of Communications, AOPA Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue Leaders from general aviation associations and entities gathered at the National…
Aviation Photojournalist Don Winkler Remembered
March 30, 1931 – October 20, 2023 by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue Father, husband, friend, pilot and aviation photojournalist, Donald (Don) P. Winkler,…
What’s NASAO?
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue Many of us are familiar with the acronyms AOPA, EAA, NBAA, GAMA and several others, but there’s also…
Midwest LSA Expo 2023
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue MT. VERNON, ILL. – September 7-9, 2023, marked the fifteenth anniversary of the Midwest LSA Expo. The Expo…
Indiana Seaplane Pilots Association Celebrates 21st Anniversary With Splash-In & Wedding
by Randy Strebig President, Indiana Seaplane Pilots Association Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2023 Digital Issue OUTSTANDING!! Might be the ultimate summary in a single word to describe the…
Brodhead Hosts Annual Pietenpol Fly-In
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue I’ve been a member of “Cheeseland” Chapter 431 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Brodhead, Wisconsin (C37), since 1980, when…
AOPA Aviation Foundation Gathering & Breakfast @ Oshkosh 2023
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue Something I looked forward to attending this year at EAA AirVenture-Oshkosh in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was the AOPA Foundation…
Figure It Out
by Diane Earhart © Copyright 2023. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue Checklists are good. You should use them. But what do you do…
Light Sport Envelope Expansion Proposed At Last
by Jim Moore, AOPA Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue The FAA released a long-awaited rulemaking proposal to do away with light sport aircraft weight limits and…
Reuniting With Old Friends At EAA
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue OSHKOSH, WIS. – Whether it is at Camp Scholler, in the exhibit buildings or on the grounds, it…
Friday Lunch At Iola Is Pure Pilot Camaraderie!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue Wouldn’t you know it… the one day I had to miss flying to Iola, Wisconsin for lunch, they…
And the winner is…. Todd Niles & His RANS S6S Coyote II
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2023 Digital Issue Winning this year’s “Flour Bombing Contest,” June 3, 2023, at Milwaukee Lawrence J Timmerman Airport (KMWC), was Todd…
Milwaukee’s Flour Bombing Contest… Precision Flying Is What It’s All About!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2023 Digital Issue Experienced and inexperienced pilots alike participated in this year’s “Flour Bombing Contest,” June 3, 2023, at Milwaukee Lawrence…
Spot On: SIU’s Saluki Aces Finish Second In 2023 Air Race Classic
by Pete Rosenbery Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2023 Digital Issue CARBONDALE, ILL. – Trusting their instincts and making smart decisions to overcome difficult weather paid off for Southern…
Wisconsin Has Brodhead… Minnesota Has Buffalo
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2023 Digital Issue Two great Midwest airports are Brodhead in Wisconsin (C37), and Buffalo in Minnesota (KCFE), hosts of great aviation…
Relief At Last… AeroCreeper Will Make Maintaining Your Aircraft Much More Comfortable
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2023 Digital Issue For the past 40 years, I have been scooting around my hangar on a little red creeper I…
South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol Uses Missing Horse Search For Advanced Training
by Dave Weiman © Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2023 Digital Issue The South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was part…
Up North At The Minnesota Airports Conference
Article by Dave Weiman Photos by Peggy Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2023 Digital Issue The 2023 Minnesota Airports Conference was held April 26-28 at the Arrowwood Resort…
Connect With Your Community For Airport Success
by John Chmiel President, Wausau Flying Service, Inc. Manager, Wausau Downtown Airport (KAUW) Wausau, Wisconsin Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2023 Digital Issue Last October marked Wausau Flying Service,…
Airport Consultant Finds Flying Fun & Professionally Rewarding!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2023 Digital Issue Since 1954, Becher-Hoppe Associates, Inc., with offices in Wausau, Wisconsin, has provided engineer consulting and survey services throughout…
Flying the Line
by Dean Zakos © Dean Zakos. 2023 All Rights Reserved. Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2023 Digital Issue I was startled awake. The buzzing alarm clock did its job…
Smokeout 2021
by Patrick J. McDonald, ATP, CFI-I Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2023 Digital Issue The time is late summer of 2021, and for months, my only living brother and…
Wisconsin Aviation Conference 2022 Topics & Recognition
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2022/January 2023 Digital Issue EAU CLAIRE, WIS. – Welcoming attendees to the Wisconsin Aviation Conference, October 3 – 5, 2022, was…
Flanking the Derecho
by Patrick J. McDonald, ATP CFII © Copyright 2022. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2022/January 2023 Digital Issue The word, derecho, is fairly new to our…
Demon Ice
by Dean Zakos © Dean Zakos 2021. All Rights Reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine December 2022/January 2023 Digital Issue I always wanted to fly. I liked the satisfaction of…
Giving back, Observations from AirVenture
by Richard Morey Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2022 Digital Issue Aviation is amazing! As pilots, we know this. We have a level of freedom that few are privileged…
A Path in the Air
by Dean Zakos, S.J.A. © Dean Zakos 2020 All Rights Reserved Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2022 Digital Issue 1945 was a good year. It was autumn, but the…
THE SKY AND I
by Ann Holtgren Pellegreno Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2022 Digital Issue LEARNING TO FLY 1960 TO 1961 YOUNG FIELD ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN First Part of Chapter One First…
AOPA Foundation Hosts Donor Events At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2022 Digital Issue In appreciation of those AOPA members who support the AOPA Foundation, AOPA hosted an evening reception and breakfast…
How A Father & Son Flew 100 Hours Together During The COVID Shutdown
by Phil & Mark Peterson Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2022 Digital Issue We wanted to fly during the pandemic, but not stay overnight at any one location, so…
The Devil’s Triangle
by Dean Zakos © Dean Zakos 2022. All Rights Reserved Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2022 Digital Issue In my years of flying, I never thought much about ghosts…
Morning Mission
by Dean Zakos © Dean Zakos 2022 All Rights Reserved Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2022 Digital Issue I am sitting uncomfortably in my F4U-1 Corsair, “Dee-Light,” canopy back,…
The Genesis For Schweiss Doors Began On A Dance Floor Four Decades Ago!
by Pat Schmidt Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2022 Digital Issue Everybody seems to ask me how Schweiss Doors got started. It was 1980 at a wedding dance,” said…
Predicting the future
by Rick Braunig Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2022 online issue. Every once in a while, I feel like I can see into the future and then I think…
He Flew For Elvis & Now They Fly With You!
by Dave Weiman Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2022 Online Issue If you are fortunate to own a corporate jet, airliner, or warbird, chances are you realize the economics…
Economic Impact Analysis For Airports: A Primer On Measuring The Economic Contributions of Airports
by Aaron Gruen, Debra Jeans, and Andrew Ratchford Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2022 Online Iissue PURPOSE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS The common purpose of any economic impact analysis…
The Challenge Was On!
Spot Landing Contest At Milwaukee Timmerman Airport Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – December 2021/January 2022 Online Issue by Dave Weiman It’s not often I get to participate in the…
A Little Bit of Cold War History
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – December 2021/January 2022 Online Issue About half-way across Kansas, if you’re VFR and following I-70 or the old National Road (U.S….
Exploring Extraordinary Career Paths In Aviation With Minnesota Aviation Career Education Camp
by Katrina Mittelstadt Chairperson, Minnesota ACE Camp Board of Directors Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine Online October/November 2021 Issue Career exploration in high school is one of the most critical…
A Look At The Kansas Aviation Museum
by Grant Boyd NBAA Under 40 Honoree Photos Courtesy of Kansas Aviation Museum Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine Online October/November 2021 Issue If it wasn’t for Wichita, Kansas, there would…
A Distinguished Pilot & Mechanic Retires
by Harold Green Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine Online October/November 2021 Issue One of the unique aspects of general aviation is the people who have made it a career. Usually…
The Volunteers of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
by Harold Green Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine Online October/November 2021 Issue This year was a watershed year for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021, following the Covid hiatus of 2020. Not…
Some of the Pilots Who Flew To EAA 2021 & Their Airplanes
by Easton, The Kid Reporter Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine Online October/November 2021 Issue Hi guys and gals! Welcome to another article about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh from yours truly, “Easton,…
Fighting Lock-Down With A Flight Simulator
by Seán G. Dwyer Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2021 online issue Everybody has experienced a moody computer. Nothing you do will get it to work, and then —…
LSA Certification Within Your Reach!
by Tom Briden Copyright 2021. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2021 online issue Fellow Birdmen and future “Erks” (ref. WWII mechanics), I just returned from a…
Check that box and fly it to the ground!
by Chris Kruse Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2021 online issue Sometimes life comes at you in small drips. At other times, like a fire hose stream. And still…
Eagle River, Wisconsin… A Vacation Paradise Year-Around
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2021 online issue Just the name “Eagle River” suggests a Northwoods appeal… Abundant wildlife; rustic, yet modern accommodations; a river and…
Four Years Above The Earth – A Memoir by Field Morey
(A Review by Dave Weiman) Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – June/July 2021 Online Issue Whether it is a book entitled “Poberezny,” as told by his son-in-law, Chuck Parnall, and…
R. A. “Bob” Hoover Trophy Virtual Award Presentation… Like The Man The Award Is Named After, This Presentation Was An Event Like None Other!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – April/May 2021 issue Most spectators who have seen the late Robert A. “Bob” Hoover perform at airshows at Oshkosh and throughout…
Boundary Water Bush Flying
U.S. Forest Service Beaver Program Ely, Minnesota by Joel “Henny” Jungemann USFS Beaver Pilot Photos Courtesy of USFS Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – April/May 2021 issue Nearly A Century…
Tips That Could Save Your Life & Make Surviving An Accident A Little Bit Easier
by Dave Weiman Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 The article entitled “Miracle Over Minnesota… Survival After Carbon Monoxide Poisoning,” featured in the October/November 2020 issue of Midwest…
Sunglasses – Which Ones To Buy?
by Dave Weiman Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 Most aviators know that they should not wear “polarized” sunglasses, and “Sporty’s Pilot Shop,” being a leader in pilot…
Major Commercial Airport Contends With Pandemic
by Dave Weiman Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2020 MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MINN. – How does a major commercial airport contend with a pandemic that has all but shut…
Flight MH 370 – One More Great “Unsolved Mystery!”
by Allen Penticoff Copyright 2021. All rights reserved! Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 I wanted to comment on the article entitled “Miracle Over Minnesota… Survival After Carbon…
Despite Experience, Senior Pilots Are Charged Higher Insurance Premiums
by Victoria Neuville Copyright 2020. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue The saying goes that there are old pilots and bold pilots,…
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport Dedicates New Stellar Aviation Facility
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – On October 15, 2020, airport officials and community leaders dedicated Stellar Aviation Group’s…
Midwest LSA Expo Mt. Vernon-Outland Airport (KMVN) Mt. Vernon, Illinois
by Jim Bildilli Photos by Chris Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue If you attended the Midwest Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) Expo at Mt….
Indiana Seaplane Pilots Association Safely Holds 2020 Splash-In, Despite Pandemic
by Randy Strebig President, Indiana Seaplane Pilots Association Indiana Field Director, Seaplane Pilots Association Copyright 2020. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue…
Texan Makes Solo Flight In A Floatplane To Alaska…. Pure Joy & A Lesson In Pilot Preparedness!
by Ken Wittekiend Copyright 2020. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue Skylane N9681 Foxtrot is returning to Medford with an engine problem,”…
Going-to-the-Sun Road Skyway
by Yasmina Platt Copyright 2020. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue Glacier, Waterton Lakes, Banff, and Jasper National Parks have been on…
What to do? What to do? Where should I fly to?
by Jim Hanson Copyright 2020. All rights reserved! Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue As I write this article, I am manning my empty office…
Local Pilots Promote STEM In Springfield
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine (online) – December 2020/January 2021 issue About two years ago, four pilots at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois, had the…
Artist Focuses On Murals On Aircraft Hangars
by Richard Cross Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue We all use them – hangar doors! Cirrus Flight Operations, Inc., not to be confused with Cirrus Aircraft, would…
Know the Rules for Safe Ground Vehicle Operations at Airports Information from FAA Advisory Circular 150/5210-20A
by Joe Anderson Minnesota Aeronautics Bulletin – Department of Transportation www.dot.state.mn.us/aero Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue According to FAA Advisory Circular 150/5210-20A, “Each year, accidents, incidents, and…
Your Fly Minnesota Airports Passport Adventure Awaits You!
by Darlene Dahlseide Published Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue Flying is fun for aviators. The freedom experienced when you fly is little short of absolutely marvelous. And now and…
10 Memories of A Decade At EAA
by “EW” The Kid Reporter Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue EDITOR’S NOTE: Anyone who has ever attended EAA AirVenture Oshkosh at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,…
Years of Memories & Growing Up At Oshkosh
by Stacy W. Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue I may not remember my first time at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as I was too young, but…
Miracle Over Minnesota… Survival After Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
by Dan Bass Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue @October 2020. All rights reserved! In February 2017, I needed to visit a customer in Thunder Bay, Ontario. By…
The Last Light In Patsy Cline’s Life
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2020 issue Any time I hear about an aircraft accident which is attributed to “pilot error,” I cringe and try to…
From The Frying Pan, Into The Fire: PFAS/PFOS Concerns For Airport Operators
by Brad Maurer, JD, CPCU Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2020 issue Airports have long been concerned about environmental quality. Ever since we have understood the impact of fuel…
Wedding In Eleuthera
by Yasmina Soria Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2020 issue When one of our old friends announced he would get married in the Bahamas in February of 2020,…
Why we fly them, and how we make them fly?
by Sean Elliott Vice President, Advocacy and Safety Experimental Aircraft Association Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2020 issue EDITOR’S NOTE: On October 2, 2019, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress…
Island Hopping, Lake Michigan Style!
by Yasmina Soria Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2020 issue One may not always think of Michigan when thinking about “island hopping,” but there are a number of…
Flying On Floats Makes For Flying Fun!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2020 issue & June 1981 issue EDITOR’S NOTE: I first published this article in the June 1981 issue of Midwest Flyer…
A Positive Look At GA
Letter to the city finance director of Wayne, Nebraska. From Jim Hanson Corporate Pilot & Manager of Albert Lea Municipal Airport Albert Lea, Minnesota Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2020…
Wisconsin’s New Aviation-Specific Mechanic’s Lien Law
by Russell Klingaman Attorney at Law Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2020 issue In May 2014, I gave a presentation to the General Session at the annual Wisconsin Aviation…
Altitude Adjustment: Two Wisconsin Pilots Set Their Careers by the Altimeter
by Jim Neidert Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2020 issue Two Wisconsin pilots, Tom Ricchio from Iola and Tom Hegy from Hartland, have seen the earth from very different…
A Flight To End Polio
Photos republished with permission © 2020, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2020 issue If you ask Peter Teahen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, why he…
Illinois To Update Its Aviation Systems Plan & Economic Impact Report
by Clayton Stambaugh, James Bildilli & Zach DeVeau Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2020 issue After nearly 25 years, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has embarked on a…
Rochester International Airport
Meeting The Air Transportation Needs of The Mayo Clinic, Local Pilots & Businesses by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2020 issue Some airports have the unique status…
Lucy Newell… New Zealand Pilot Working In The Canada Bush
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue While the demand for commercial pilots may be at an all-time high, the Canada fishing lodge company, Wilderness North…
Midwest Talent Made Up The Cast At Price County Fly-In & Airshow
by Brittany Lueth (Nielsen) Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue The Price County Fly-In & Airshow in Phillips, Wisconsin, was another hit with the local community and people…
DICK READE
A journey back in time! by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue I’ve been flying for 58 years. You might well imagine that I’ve seen a…
Gassing Up, Then and Now
by Allen Penticoff Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue Recently, my plane partner and I undertook a fun flight on a beautiful warm Sunday afternoon across southern Wisconsin…
How To Create A Capital Improvement Program For General Aviation Airports
by Melissa Underwood Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 issue Developing capital improvement programs (CIP) to guide future investments can seem daunting. Funding sources, priority of needs, airport…
State Aeronautics Directors Meet For The Betterment of The Industry
88th Annual NASAO Convention & Trade Show Held In St. Paul by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – The fall season started…
Amelia Earhart’s Personal Photographer, Albert Bresnik
by Don Winkler Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 issue It was the opening day at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 1992 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. That meant lots of airplanes…
The STIHL National Championship Air Races At Pylon 4
by Jay Olson Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 The Genesis Decades have passed since I sat in the lobby of Thunderbird Aviation at Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM)…
16th Annual Flying Cloud Air Tour
by Kristie Derendinger Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 issue A rainy week cleared on Saturday morning, September 14th; perfect timing for 30 aircraft from Flying Cloud Airport…
Fire In The Cockpit
by Chuck Cook Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2019/January 2020 Issue This is the story of my inflight fire in the cockpit and crash landing of my 1954 T-28…
Duluth to the Moon
by Sandra Ettestad Founder & President, Duluth Aviation Institute Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2019 Issue DULUTH, MINN. – Like many great accomplishments, the goal began with one small…
One Kid’s Perspective of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019
by The Kid Reporter! Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2019 Issue When I walked into the grounds at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this year, July 22-28, 2019, I felt a…
The Sling TSi Makes Impressive Flight To Oshkosh
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2019 Issue In the 12 months between EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-ins at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, there is a…
Past, Present & Future: Opportunities For Women Aviators of All Ages
by Kristine Reigel Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2019 Issue Since the earliest days of aviation, women have been involved. From the first female mechanic in 1902, to the…
A Flight To Canada… Familiar Surroundings From A Different Perspective!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2019 Issue Last year, I wrote an article describing my flight to Ontario, Canada to participate in the annual Canada Fishing…
Blue Angels Headlined Sun ‘n Fun 2019
by Bill Blake Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2019 issue The Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In, held each year in Lakeland, Florida, was blessed with good weather the week of…
Madden’s Attracts Good Crowd of Seaplane Owners Despite Rain
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2019 issue Under the leadership of Steve Guetter, president of the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association (MSPA), the organization’s annual safety seminar…
Accelerated Flight Training – Is it for you?
by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2019 issue I like to fish, and I fly to Canada often. There are so many great lodges in Canada, but…
Cheri Rohlfing… Wife, Mom, Airline Pilot, Educator & Volunteer
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2019 issue Cheri Rohlfing of Cleveland, Minnesota, first became interested in aviation while taking an Aerospace Science class her junior year…
Women In Aviation International At Sun ‘n Fun 2019
by Nancy Blake Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2019 issue I had the opportunity to renew an acquaintance of mine at Sun ‘n Fun 2019, when I saw Dr….
The New Golden Age of Small-Quantity, High-Quality Aircraft Parts Production: What Is It, And What’s Making It Happen?
Second In A Series of Articles by Ed Leineweber Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2019 issue In the December 2018/January 2019 issue of Midwest Flyer Magazine, I introduced Tromblay…
N966CD, A Stearman Story
by Noel Allard Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue The Chuck Doyle (Sr) story is long in the telling, but for this narrative, let us focus on one…
64th Annual Wisconsin Aviation Conference… Airports, Businesses, Awards & Recognition
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2019 issue The Wisconsin Aviation Conference (WAC) was held in Green Bay, Wis., May 5-7, 2019, at the Radisson Hotel &…
From Airports To People, The Minnesota Airports Conference Showcased Excellence In The Industry!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2019 issue The annual Minnesota Airports Conference held April 24-26, 2019 at the Willmar Conference Center, Willmar, Minnesota, featured everyone from…
A Seaplane Flight To Churchill
by Alan Lindquist Published In Midwest Flyer – June/July 2019 issue It’s been 10 years since my wife, Barbara Wiley, talked me into accompanying her in her Cessna 172XP amphibious…
Mr. Pietenpol, Bill Rewey… Famed Aircamper Homebuilder Turns A Page
by Ed Leineweber Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2019 issue Maybe you noticed the ad on the bulletin board of your local airport: For Sale ’94 Pietenpol Aircamper NX17WR….
Me, A Seaplane Pilot? Just Do It!
by Woody Minar Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2019 issue There are many reasons to get your seaplane pilot certificate: get it in lieu of a normal flight review;…
What’s the Risk?
by Rachel Obermoller MnDOT Pilot Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2019 issue What do Swiss cheese, bowties, and trapping have in common? When it comes to aviation, there’s a…
SkyWest Airlines Teams Up With Academy College To Recruit New Pilots
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2019 BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The only four-year accredited aviation college in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area – Academy College – has…
AirTAP – Minnesota’s “One Stop Shop”
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 issue Whether you are a full or part-time airport operator or manager, the state of Minnesota has created a program…
The People, Technicians & Pilots Behind Our Navaids
by Dave Weiman Published by Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 issue As pilots, we fly along, day in and day out, and at night, using a variety of navigational aids…
The First HARAAH
“Historic Airfield Rally to the Antique Airfield Homecoming” by Paul Berge AAA National Director Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 issue The Antique Airplane Association (AAA), and the Air Power…
The Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet & The Borman Collection
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 issue The EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wis., has opened “The Borman Collection: An EAA Member’s Space Odyssey,” an exhibit…
AOPA Announces 2019 Regional Fly-In Locations
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 FREDERICK, MD – In celebration of its 80th Anniversary, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will host three grand, two-day fly-ins for…
Dedicated & Professional Staff Help FBO Maintain Tradition of Excellence!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2019 issue One of the oldest, continuously family-operated, full-service fixed base operations in Wisconsin, is Morey Airplane Company at Middleton Municipal…
A Rusty Pilot No More!
by Ken Anderson Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue I recently took 11 hours of dual instruction and some ground school to knock the rust off this…
Passing On The Passion
by Doug Garin Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue So, there we were, three senior pilots standing around the little t-hangar in Alexandria, Minnesota on a Saturday…
Keeping The Champ Alive!
Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue Known by some as “The Stoughton Champ,” for the many years the 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champ (N84614) has been based at…
16th Annual Indiana Seaplane Splash-In A Success!
by Randy Strebig Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue The 16th Annual Indiana Seaplane Pilots Association Splash-In at Pokagon State Park in Angola, Indiana, was held September…
North Dakota Aviation Commission Receives National Award
by Jim Bildilli Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission has received the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) “Aviation Education Program…
Gate Guardians
by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 We’ve all seen them…airplanes, helicopters, tanks, artillery pieces, and other pieces of military hardware on display at military bases…
Tromblay Tool LLC – An Aviation-Focused Machine Shop In The New Golden Age of Small-Quantity Parts Production
by Ed Leineweber Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue Over the last couple of years, I’ve been working on modifications to an existing kit aircraft design and…
Building & Flying An Airplane In Retirement
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue Bob and Joan Zaleski spent most of their careers working and living in the Chicago area. Bob started…
Flying Salukis Once Again Headed For National Competition After Eighth Straight Region VIII Win
by Pete Rosenbery Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue CARBONDALE, ILL. – The Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) Flying Salukis punched another ticket to the national finals…
AOPA Makes Major Industry Announcements At Carbondale Fly-In
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2018/January 2019 issue Armed with a nationally acclaimed aviation program, the students and faculty of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois,…
Drone Summer Camp For High School Teachers & Their Students
Students and educators get hands-on experience with building, flying, and understanding what makes a drone tick. by Thomas Biller Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue Drones are everywhere…
Completing Flight Training Back In The USA
by Sharon Thiry Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue EDITOR’S NOTE: Sharon Thiry, 25, of Cadzand, Holland was featured on the cover of the February/March 2018 issue of…
One Kid’s Perspective – EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018
by The Kid Reporter Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue When I first arrived at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, July 23-29, 2018 at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., I…
Jet-Powered Yak 110 Woos Crowds At Oshkosh
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue EAA AirVenture Oshkosh never fails to amaze me, especially when it comes to innovations, aircraft modifications and great airshow…
EAA Featured Tankers & Other Big Jets & Welcomed British Participation
by Jim LaMalfa Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue EAA’s 2018 AirVenture opened Monday, July 23rd with ideal weather and large crowds. EAA had announced its 2018 event…
Introducing A Friend To GA With A Special Destination
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue I am convinced that there is no better way to introduce a non-flyer to general aviation than to fly…
Dranzik Up To The Challenge of Leading Two Metropolitan Airports
by Harold Mester Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2018 issue Brian Dranzik is the newly appointed Milwaukee County Airport Director, responsible for both of Milwaukee County’s airports, General Mitchell…
Tecnam… Something For Just About Everyone!
by Nancy Blake Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2018 During Sun ‘n Fun 2018, I visited the Tecnam Aircraft Company display to say hello to a friend who is…
The People & Aircraft of Wings of The North Museum
by Chuck Cravens Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2018 issue There is a historical jewel located at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. That gem is the “Wings…
AirCorps Aviation…
The Company Behind Beautiful Warbird Restorations by Chuck Cravens Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2018 A talented team of people with a relentless obsession for accuracy, and clients whose…
Realizing One’s Dreams of Flight Against All Odds
by Brandon Stevens Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2018 issue I’d be lying if I said I dreamt of becoming a pilot as a child. Truth is, I had…
Home At Last! Memphis Belle Exhibit Unveiled At National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue It was the summer of 1989, and our family flew down to Memphis, Tennessee so I could help announce…
A Flight Back To Another Era
by Bill Blake Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue On April 11, 2018, military veteran and crew chief, Sergeant Bill Kelly of Lakeland, Florida, made his first flight…
A Flight To & From Sun ’n Fun With Lightspeed
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue It had been a few years since Peggy and I flew our Cessna 182 Skylane to Sun ‘n Fun…
Bem Vindos ao Brasil
by Yasmina Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue Two co-workers and I recently traveled to Brazil on a project assignment. When I realized we had a free…
SimpleFlight Radio
Helping To Spread Passion & Enthusiasm For Aviation Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue In August 2012, Al Waterloo and Marc Epner, both of Chicago, got together to…
The Voice of The Red Baron Stearman Squadron Goes Silent
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue “The year is 1925. Back from World War I, many young former fight pilots were trying to make a…
The Beauty & Uniqueness of Stearman Field
by Grant Boyd Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue Whether you rate an airport by the quality of the food at its restaurant, the variety of aircraft that…
Seaplane Flying In The Great Lakes Region
by Steve Smith Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue At the intersection of the 45 North latitude line and the 85 West longitude line is an area that…
Why You Should Be An AOPA Foundation Donor
by Bill Blake Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue If you are not an AOPA Foundation donor, you should be. The foundation’s two main programs are the “You…
Oh, The Places You’ll Go… In A Seaplane!
by Chris Hinote Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2018 issue Who hasn’t been enamored with the romance of seaplanes, or imagined splashing down on a remote mountain lake, far…
The Mississippi River Seaplane Tour
by Woody Minar Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2018 issue I’ve flown along the Mississippi River between Surfside Seaplane Base (8Y4), east of Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Lino Lakes,…
Where Does One Go On Floats In The Wintertime!
by Al Lindquist Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2018 issue The question is, what do you do with a Cessna 172XP on Wipline amphibious floats in the winter in…
Find Your Strength…
by Marta Micinski Dolan Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 My flying adventure began on a random morning two years ago when, at the end of my rope and…
Flying The Line
by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 I wanted to see the Air Choice One operation for myself, so I asked company officials if I could ride…
Tanis – Keeping Our Engines, Avionics & Cabins Warm In The Winter!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 If there is ever a winter in the Midwest that we need an engine preheater, insulated engine cover and avionics/cabin…
Fly, Buy & Ship…
by Sharon Thiry Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 issue A story about a couple from the Netherlands, who learned to fly in the United States, bought an airplane,…
Another Beautiful Day Flying In The Colorado Mountains
by Yasmina Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 issue It’s October 15, 2017, and the “end” of Colorado’s best mountain flying season is fast approaching, so I…
Remembering Beautiful People, On A Beautiful Island
by Dave Weiman Published In Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 Nestled between the beautiful turquoise blue waters of Lake Michigan to the east, and Green Bay to the west,…
ADS-B Proves Valuable On Canada Trip
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 issue When I started flying to Canada on fishing trips in 1981, we navigated by dead reckoning, sectional charts,…
Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula – Fly-in/Camp-out
by Yasmina Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 issue In previous articles, I have been detailing sample air trails or air tours, but if you prefer a destination…
Clarification On Minnesota Fuel Tax Sought & Clarified
by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 issue Recently, an airport manager from Minnesota who is responsible for the fuel sales at his airport, was confused over…
One Man’s Affection For Stinsons
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 I have known Tom Janssen of Appleton, Wisconsin, for at least 10 years, when I met him at Beaver Aviation…
Remembering An Air Racing Legend
by Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 issue Bill Brennand, 92, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, circled his last earthly pylon on March 14, 2017. Bill was…
Wheels & Wings – A Year In The Making!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 OSCEOLA, WIS. – It’s an air show, it’s a car show, it’s a motorcycle show, it’s a fly-in, it’s Wheels…
The EAA/DAHER International Scholarship Experience
by Michelle Peterson Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 Seven weeks, three countries, two world-renowned airshows, and experience working at a top-tier aviation manufacturer… How does one begin to…
Piper’s Deliveries & Revenue Continue Upward Trend In Q2 2017
Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 VERO BEACH, FLA. (July 24, 2017) – Piper Aircraft Inc. has announced its aircraft sales and delivery results for the second quarter of…
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017 – “The Year of the Bomber”
by Jim LaMalfa Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 issue Prior to the opening of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on Monday, July 24, 2017, the movie directed by Christopher Nolan,…
As The Geese Migrate, So Must The Seaplanes!
by Philip Mattison Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2017 issue I met Brian Schanche, the owner of Adventure Seaplanes, 20 years ago when I responded to a want ad…
Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association Safety Seminar Attracts Water & Land Pilots From Throughout The Midwest
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2017 issue Under the leadership of Steve Guetter, President of the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association (MSPA), and its board of directors;…
Wintering, Vacationing & Flying In Florida
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2017 issue When most of us Midwest flyers think of Florida, we think of getting away from the cold and snow,…
Keeping The “O’Malley” In The Jet Room
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 issue MADISON, WIS. – For the past two decades, the general aviation terminal restaurant at Wisconsin Aviation on Dane County…
Rewarding Legendary Showmanship… Kyle Franklin Receives 2017 Bill Barber Award For Showmanship
by Brad Donner Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 issue In the summer of 1989, aviation publisher Dave Weiman presented the Bill Barber Award For Showmanship to Jimmy Franklin…
Take The Bet & Get Your Seaplane Rating
by Curt Drumm Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 Issue It all started with a bet. My friend, Steve, bet me I couldn’t fly a taildragger. “Of course I…
Asphalt? Grass? Water?
by Woody Minar Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 issue Yes, I’ll take water with my Cessna 172 on floats. Stirred, not shaken, please! In the beginning, we learned…
ForeFlight… The Flight Planning & Electronic Chart Service That Has Revolutionized Flying For All Pilots
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 issue Founded in 2007, “ForeFlight” is devoted to giving pilots the best possible mobile electronic flight planning tools for the best possible price…
Transition Training from Fixed-Wing to Rotary-Wing
by Yasmina Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 I recently added “Rotorcraft – Helicopter” to my green plastic certificate and I quickly learned that science is what gets…
When Things Go Wrong…
by Woody Minar Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 In my 16 years and 8,000 flight hours, I’ve had more than my share of things go wrong in at…
Getting Back Into The Saddle Following An Accident
by Gus Hawkins Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 issue The days and weeks after an aircraft accident can be very stressful. Following my accident on May 2, 2009,…
Things That Go ‘Bump’ While Flying
by R.J. Reilly Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2017 Airplanes can play with your brain. Think about your engine running rough over water or inhospitable terrain. It was a…
Putting Kids In The Cockpit… Racine’s Young Aviators Program Celebrates 10 Years of Success!
by Stephen Myers Young Aviators Cofounder & Chairman Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2017 When I reflect on the experience I had at Young Aviators, some words come immediately…
Why Get A Seaplane Rating?
by Randy Schoephoerster Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2017 There are four primary reasons why pilots get a Seaplane Rating: 1) Counts as a biennial flight review. 2) Opens…
There’s Nothing Like Flying A Seaplane!
by Steve Guetter President Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2017 Like many pilots, after I got my private pilot certificate in 1998, I began accumulating…
Shared Enthusiasm For GA!
by Brian Thuringer Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2017 General aviation has made the first 65 years of my life both meaningful and rewarding. It has provided fun, richly…
Fagen Fighters WWII Museum… A Flying Treasure Created By A Flying Family
by Jim Hanson Published by Midwest Flyer – February/March 2017 I’ve been to most of the big and famous aviation museums in the United States, and elsewhere. I love visiting…
Vintage Beech Across The Big Pond
by Klaus Plasa Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2017 issue Sven Schlothauer of Eisenach, Germany, hired me to ferry a 1942 Beech C45H across the Atlantic Ocean, which they…
DC-3… The Good Ol’ Days
by Richard J. (Dick) Reilly Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2017 In his poem “In The Droving Days,” Australian Poet Laureate, A.B. (Banjo) Paterson, refers to a drover’s lame…
When Things Go RIGHT!
by Jim Hanson As aviation consumers, all too often, we complain when things go wrong. Perhaps it’s just human nature to complain, but as one aviation mentor told me decades…
Island Hopping In The Bahamas
by Yasmina Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – Dec 2016/Jan 2017 Hurricane season just ended November 30, 2016. Winter is here! Brrrr…. And so is the holiday season, with more…
A Fireside Chat With EAA Chairman & CEO Jack Pelton
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – Dec 2016/Jan 2017 Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chairman and CEO Jack Pelton at…
The Bob Hoover Legacy Lives On!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – Dec 2016/Jan 2017 On October 25, 2016, the aviation community lost its mentor, Robert A. “Bob” Hoover, 94. Bob knew he was…
Log Cabin Airport Fly-In Raises Money For St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital… Midwest Flyer Magazine Challenges Others To Do Likewise!
by Dave Weiman Photos by Phil Peterson Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016 MONDOVI, WIS. – Doug Ward and Judie Ohm – owners of Log Cabin Airport (WS69) in…
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016… Lest We Forget!
by Jim LaMalfa Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016 Amid the night airshows, rock bands and fireworks at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, July 25-31, there sounded a serious note…
Piper M600 Fast, Furious & Luxurious
by Dave Weiman & Mick Kaufman Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016 APPLETON, WIS. – Piper Aircraft’s newest flagship, the single-engine turboprop M600, was type certified in June 2016….
Cirrus NOW Presentation In The Twin Cities – Informative & Action-Packed
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016 BLAINE, MINN. – Cirrus Aircraft chose Key Air at Anoka County – Blaine Airport, Blaine, Minn., for the site of…
Nebraska Nice – The Nebraska Air Trail!
by Yasmina Platt Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016 In the last issue of Midwest Flyer Magazine, I talked about developing “air trails” to give pilots (and their passengers)…
Touchdown Miminiska!
by Dave Weiman Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016 Each year, we get better at flying to Canada and the procedures of flying across the border get easier and…
Head of 16th Largest Airport Retires… Minnesota Native Appointed New Executive Director
by Dave Weiman Midwest Flyer – Aug/Sept 2016 MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MINN. – The executive director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), Jeff Hamiel, bid his friends, staff and business associates…
A Final Salute To Joshua Sanford Field, Hillsboro, Wisconsin
by Phil Peterson Published in Midwest Flyer – Aug/Sept 2016 issue HILLSBORO, WIS. – Round barns and long runways used to symbolize the quaint community of Hillsboro, Wis., located in…
It’s A Bird…It’s A Plane….Nope, It’s A Drone!
by James Bildilli & Matt Heyen Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – Aug/Sept 2016 No doubt you have heard about, seen or even operated a drone over the past couple…
AN IDEA WORTH SHARING Starting A Hamburger Social At Your Airport
by John P. Chmiel, Manager Wausau Downtown Airport (KAUW) – President, Wausau Flying Service Wausau, Wisconsin Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – Aug/Sept 2016 When we first came up with…
A GA Pilot’s Perspective On Flying The Space Shuttle
by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – Aug/Sept 2016 In the June/July 2016 issue of Midwest Flyer Magazine, I shared my experience flying a King Air 200 to…
The Grand Hotel On Mackinac Island… For That Special Getaway or Annual Vacation Destination
by Dave Weiman Midwest Flyer Magazine – Aug/Sept 2016 The next time you want to do something special for a friend or your significant other, jump in your plane, fly…
National Naval Aviation Museum – Pensacola… Selecting, Collecting, Preserving & Displaying Naval Aviation History
by Dave Weiman Since the 20th century, “Naval Aviation” has played a crucial role in combat. Eclipsing the battleship as the decisive weapon in war at sea, “aircraft carriers” have…
GA Pilot Lands GA Aircraft At Cape Canaveral
by Jim Hanson I recently had the opportunity to do something REALLY different–and REALLY fun in aviation! A national association of pilots (the name cannot be revealed because by their…
Florida – The Place To Fly To, When The Snow Flys In The Midwest
by Dave Weiman Depending on where you live in the Midwest and your final destination, Florida is between 1,000 and 1,500 nautical miles southeast, and the course is mountain free…
Fourth Building At National Museum of U.S. Air Force To Open June 8
by Rob Bardua National Museum of the U.S. Air Force DAYTON, OHIO – A $40.8 million building at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, which will include aircraft,…
A Seaplane Pilot At Work: Combining Conservation With Seaplane Flying
by Rachel Obermoller Aviation Representative – MnDOT Aeronautics Photos by Walt Rhodes, USFWS How many different jobs can you name for a seaplane pilot? Most pilots could probably call up…
Fly. Fish. Fly To Canada!
by Woody Minar It was in March 2015 that Adventure Seaplanes owner, Brian Schanche of Surfside Seaplane Base, Lino Lakes, Minnesota (8Y4), asked me if I wanted to go fishing…
SwitchBox – A Remote Control Device For Your Aircraft Preheater & More
by Dave Weiman When “Foreflight” came out a few years ago, I was impressed with founders Tyson Weihs and Jason Miller – first for inventing the best pilot aid in…
OPERATION LZ… A Community Air Show To Finally Welcome Home Our Vietnam Vets
by Jim Hanson Regardless of national policy in Washington, we tend to support our military personnel, whether we agree with that policy or not. For instance, when the decision was…
Under The Radar: Air Cargo At GA Airports
by Mike Maynard & Marc Cocanougher Picture this – you operate an automotive parts manufacturing plant in Indiana. An automotive assembly plant needs additional product by tomorrow morning in Montgomery,…
A Flight With Team Aerodynamix
by Larry E. Nazimek There are many formation teams on the airshow circuit, but Team Aerodynamix, the world’s largest air show team, is unique in that it consists of 10…
Patty Wagstaff… Passing On The Gold of Her Experience To Others
by Dave Weiman A regular performer at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and a dozen other airshows in the U.S. and abroad each year, is Patty Wagstaff, now flying the Extra 330LX….
New FAA Recreational UAS/Drone Registration Program: Better Than Nothing?
by Russell A. Klingaman Attorney At Law On December 14, 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued its interim final rule entitled “Registration And Marking Requirements For Small Unmanned Aircraft”…
Oxygen Systems For Your GA Airplane
by Dave Weiman I have always followed the FAA requirement to use oxygen for any flight over 30 minutes at 12,500 feet MSL and above, but seldom go that high,…
Canadian Fishing Fly-Out Attracts Top Gun Pilot
by Dave Weiman What pilot can honestly say that as they push in the throttle of their Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft or Cirrus, and roll down the runway, that they have…
Beluga Whales, White Fox & Polar Bears…. Destination Churchill, Manitoba
by Herb & Mary Zimmers We are not sure how Churchill, Manitoba on the Hudson Bay, got on our bucket list; maybe we have been reading too many National Geographic…
Public Airports & Aerial Applicators Are Vital To Nebraska’s Farm Economy
by Russ Gasper Nebraska Dept. of Aeronautics When it comes to agricultural receipts, bigger is not better and size does not matter. Nebraska and Iowa rank in the top four…
The Rotec Radial Engine – A Perfect Match For The Aerolab LoCamp
by Ed Leineweber It has been said that form follows function; that is, a machine looks the way it does as a result of what it is intended to do….
Heavy Bombers Weekend Brings Back Memories
by Mike Nightengale MADISON, WIS. – EAA Chapter 93 hosted its third annual Heavy Bombers Weekend, July 17-19, 2015 at Wisconsin Aviation, Dane County Regional Airport, Madison, Wis. The event…
Strong Counts & Good Demos At AOPA’s Great Lakes Regional Fly-In
by Dave Weiman The official tally at the AOPA Fly-In, August 21-22, 2015 at Anoka County – Blaine Airport in Blaine, Minnesota (KANE), was 2,713 people, 161 aircraft and just…
The 2015 Chicago Air & Water Show
by Larry E. Nazimek The 57th annual Chicago Air & Water Show, one of the largest free admission events of its kind, was held along Chicago’s lakefront, August 15-16, 2015….
AirVenture 2015… New Challenges & Technology For General Aviation
by Jim LaMalfa I have attended EAA’s annual fly-in with my family since 1972. It was then, and is now, a showcase for everything old, new and yet to come…
An ADS-B Update
by Woody Minar As AOPA President Mark Baker recently wrote, “If you’re confused by the ADS-B Out mandate, you’re not alone. Most aircraft owners know that the FAA has set…
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh – Better With Age
by Dave Weiman The way an event like EAA AirVenture Oshkosh keeps getting better and better each year is with a lot of behind-the-scenes hard work and creative thinking on…
Moving Up To The Lightspeed Zulu PFX Headset For Comfort & Enhanced Functionality
by Dave Weiman Thirty-five years ago when Peggy and I bought our first airplane – a 1946 Cessna 140 – we bought two Dave Clark 10-40 headsets, and they served…
Jet Air Group, Serving Pilots & The Green Bay Packers
Story & Photos by Dave Weiman Jet Air Group at Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, Wisconsin (KGRB), aims to please its corporate high rollers on game days for…
Hey, Where’s The Tower?
by Jim Bildilli The concept of “remote control” has been around for years. We’ve used it for communications, flying hobby aircraft and for changing our TV channels. More recently, remote…
Illinois Aviation Halls of Fame Land In Springfield
by Jim Bildilli SPRINGFIELD, ILL. – On May 7, 2015, the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame and the Illinois Military Aviation Hall of Fame were finally combined and put on…
Spot Landing Contest To Be Held At Milwaukee-Timmerman Airport
by Harold Mester MILWAUKEE, WIS. – During training flights, instructors encourage pilots to pick a spot on the runway to use as an aiming point. This spot is generally at…
Teaching Students, Teaching Teachers, Teaching Ourselves – A Great Glider Weekend!
by Jim Hanson I was recently reminded why I like gliding: • It gets you into the air. • It’s a chance to improve your aviation skills and airmanship. •…
Harbour View Inn Awaits Your Arrival At Mackinac Island
by Dave Weiman As soon as you walk through the front door of the Harbour View Inn, you will be immersed in the historic charm that has made Mackinac Island,…
Round-Trip Flight To & From Oshkosh May Be Too Much For One Day
by Craig Petersen What pilot doesn’t want to fly into Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, during EAA AirVenture-Oshkosh? And making the flight roundtrip in a single day is tempting…
Beaver Island & The Three-Island Hop!
by Dave Weiman Looking for a remote island destination? Then consider flying to Beaver Island, Michigan in northeast Lake Michigan. Thirty miles from shore, the island is served by ferry…
Academy College & Cape Air Create Pathway To The Airlines To Meet Growing Demand For Pilots
by Dave Weiman BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The only four-year accredited aviation college in the Twin Cities – Academy College – has signed an agreement with Cape Air of Hyannis, Massachusetts,…
Pilot Report: Chicago Skyline Tour
by Ryan Dembroski The alarm sounded. It was 5:00 am. Still in bed, I groggily opened up ForeFlight on my iPhone and pulled up the weather for Milwaukee Timmerman Field…
Niagara Falls & Hudson River Flyovers
by Woody Minar Paul Durand and I were wheels up at 7 am, August 26, 2014, from Osceola, Wisconsin (KOEO) to Mansfield, Massachusetts (1B9) in Paul’s Cirrus SR22 – the…
Canadian Fishing Fly-Outs… Fast-Paced For Some – Relaxing For Others
by Dave Weiman Last year, participants in the “Canadian Fishing Fly-Outs” promoted by Midwest Flyer Magazine, had their choice of two fishing lodges, or they could opt to visit both…
Doolittles Woodfire Grill… A Midwest Restaurant About Pilots, Owned By A Pilot
by Dave Weiman In recent years, I have dined at Doolittles Woodfire Grill in Alexandria, Minnesota – a restaurant that uses the excitement of aviation as its theme. I have…
Student Success Is Priority One For The Learning Jet
by Dave Weiman More and more communities are realizing the educational benefits of having an “airliner” parked on the ramp at their local airport to increase student proficiency in Science,…
Captain Mick’s Meanderings A Landing & Takeoff On The Theodore Roosevelt
by Michael “Mick” Kaufman All of my life, I have admired Navy pilots and their ability to take off and land on aircraft carriers. The Navy calls their pilots “aviators,”…
Flying South? Add Insurance To Your Preflight Checklist
by Jenny Estes It’s the time of year when many pilots fly south to warmer climates, often to other countries. If you’re preparing to leave the country in your plane,…
Why & How To Avoid Aircraft Icing
by Greg Gorak, CFII This seems like an excellent time of the year to talk about icing. When I started my career as a charter pilot in a Merlin III,…
Once-And-For-All – No Question About It – Flying Motor Gliders Is The Way To Fly Without A Medical & Much More!
by Jim Hanson I like gliders. They are pure sport. There is not pretension of being able to use them for efficient and reliable travel. Gliders fly more like jets…
Yingling Aviation Opens Subway Café
by Molly McMillin The Wichita Eagle WICHITA, KAN. – Yingling Aviation, the fixed base operation at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, has opened a Subway Café inside one of its hangars. The…
Amelia Earhart Addresses Aviation Explorers
by Jim Bildilli Members of the Aviation Explorer Base at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014, July 28 – August 3, were treated to a presentation by Amelia Earhart on her around-the-globe…
Captain Mick’s Meanderings
by Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is over for another year, and I would like to share a few of my thoughts with you from my perspective. The…
NASA WB-57F Makes First Visit To EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
by Woody Minar OSHKOSH, WIS. – For what seems to be a small, yet large aircraft for high-altitude work, NASA showed off its WB-57F High Altitude Research plane at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh,…
AirVenture 2014 – A Time To Remember
by Jim LaMalfa Paul Poberezny, who founded the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in 1953, belongs to the ages now, but he was honored at this year’s fly-in at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh,…
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 – An Opportunity For Fun & Forums To Learn & Engage
OSHKOSH, WIS. – “It was a tremendous week on many levels,” stated EAA Chairman Jack Pelton during a press conference, August 3, 2014. “We filled Wittman Regional Airport with aircraft…
“Launch Your Career In Aerospace”
by Jon Beck We live in exciting times with amazing possibilities in the aerospace industry. With new innovations every day, the expanding field is evolving at a rapid pace. Being…
Discover Aviation Days – Education & PR At Their Finest!
by Dave Weiman BLAINE, MINN. – There is so much happening at Anoka-County Blaine Airport/Jane’s Field (KANE) nowadays with over 400 based aircraft, more than a dozen air charter and…
Lessons Learned About GA, From Unlikely Sources
by Jim Hanson It seems like it’s been years since we had any good news in the General Aviation industry. Oh, don’t get me wrong…innovation and new products come out…
How The FAA Deals With Pilots Who Consume Alcohol, & Why Owning A Breathalyzer Might Be A Good Idea
by Russell A. Klingaman In my legal career, I have been asked to help several pilots who have had their flying privileges put in jeopardy due to the consumption of…
Wisconsin Dells – A Hallmark Vacation Destination
by Dave Weiman Wisconsin Dells, located in south central Wisconsin, is heralded as a top tourist destination in the country. Businesses line main street with water parks, amusement rides, boat…
Wisconsin To California Via The Grand Canyon
by Woody Minar It was on our flight home from Sun ‘n Fun in his Cirrus SR22 when Paul Durand said he was flying to Anaheim, Calif. in a week…
“The Plane Skate” – Keeping A Blown Tire From Becoming A Runway Nightmare
by Michael Wiskus I manage corporate flight departments and own a fixed base operation at the Buffalo, Minnesota airport, on the western edge of the Minneapolis Class C airspace. We manage…
Why Airports Need A Wildlife Control Program All Year, Not Just During Hunting Season!
by Wayne Switzer Comedian Bill Engvall tells one particular story at some of his shows that many people find improbable, when the airplane in which he was a passenger struck…
The Need For An Aircraft Lien Recording Law In Wisconsin
by Russell Klingaman As an aircraft owner and operator, and as an attorney familiar with aviation law, I have identified a problem associated with buying and selling aircraft in Wisconsin:…
Ditching Isn’t Just For Trans-Oceanic Pilots
by Rachel Obermoller Aviation Representative MnDOT Office of Aeronautics Every pilot has pondered whether it’s better to go over or around a body of water. Whether it’s a relatively small…
Ice Leaves Gull Lake In The Nick of Time For Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association Seminar & Fly-In
by Dave Weiman When the ice left Gull Lake in Brainerd, Minnesota, organizers of the “Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association Seminar & Fly-In,” May 2-4, at Madden’s Resort, breathed a sigh…
The Lure of Float Flying
by Karen Workman It was one of those pivotal points in my life. I did not know it that day, or maybe I did, but I would not acknowledge it…
Wisconsin Isn’t A ‘Flyover’ State When It Comes To The Aerospace Industry
by Tom Still At first thought, the move of Kestrel Aircraft Corp. to Superior, Wis., may strike some skeptics as a curious landing strip for a company in the business…
The Lakes That Launched Thousands of Seaplanes
by Rachel Obermoller Aviation Representative MnDOT Office of Aeronautics It should come as no surprise to pilots that the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” played a pivotal role in the early…
Flying On Floats or Wheels…. Checklists Could Save Your Life!
by Philip Mattison I am a 5,000-plus hour pilot, with commercial, single and multi-engine, instrument, seaplane, skiplane, and instructor ratings. I have logged 1,200-plus hours in my Super Cub on floats,…
The Spin Begins At Aircraft Propeller Service…. Things You Need To Know About Your Propeller
by Dave Weiman When it comes to aircraft maintenance and the annual inspection, most aircraft owners are keeping their fingers crossed that the compression will be good in all cylinders,…
Cross-Country From The Midwest To The Southwest & West Coast… “If I Can Do It, You Can Too!”
by Mike Johnson With Editorial Assistance from Burgundy Johnson With friends now scattered across the country, and my wife, Burgundy, and I living in the Twin Cities, we decided to…
The History of A Legacy Airline In The Midwest
by Dave Weiman MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Growing up in the Twin Cities, everyone in the community looked up to Northwest Airlines because it was based at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport…
Outagamie County Regional Airport Dedicates Wisconsin’s Newest GA Terminal
by Dave Weiman Officials at Outagamie County Regional Airport in Appleton, Wisconsin, the county board, and the business community, were on hand October 15, 2013 to dedicate the grand-opening of…
Merrill Holds Ribbon Cutting For Airport Improvements
MERRILL, WIS. – The City of Merrill, Wisconsin, the Merrill Airport Commission and Merrill Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony July 23 for the extensive ($4 million) improvements…
Fixed Base Operations Combine Forces To Meet Immediate & Future Aviation Needs of North Dakota
by Dave Weiman WILLISTON, N.D. – Aviation has not seen such a surge in activity in the Midwest since the “oil boom” in North Dakota started over the past decade,…
Charting A Course To Accommodate North Dakota Aviation Growth
by Stephanie Ward Growth. It’s something every airport strives to achieve. It can be measured in a number of ways: the total number of operations, the number of based aircraft,…
Heavy Bomber Weekend Lands In Madison
by Greg Reigel The week of July 26, 2013, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Aluminum Overcast flew into Madison, Wisconsin (KMSN) to give the general public the opportunity to see…
Getting Seaplanes South For Winter Training!
by Woody Minar The weather has turned cold in the Midwest, and the snow is threatening, so it’s time for Brian Schanche’s Adventure Seaplanes operation at Surfside Seaplane Base (8Y4)…
Cross-Country To AOPA’s Final Summit
by Dave Weiman Whenever the AOPA Aviation Summit is held east of the Rockies, I like to fly our 1976 Cessna 182 Skylane there myself, rather than go on the…
One On One With AOPA’s New President & CEO, Mark Baker
by Dave Weiman I had the opportunity to interview newly appointed AOPA President Mark Baker at his request. He wanted Midwest Flyer Magazine readers to get to know him, and he…
Encouraging The Dream of Flight
The Unlikely Meeting Between Seventh-Graders and NASA Officialdom by Philip Handleman Spring was in the air. March winds swept across the northeastern Ohio flatlands carrying the balmy and aromatic scent…
Murphy Renegade Makes Appearance At EAA Seaplane Base
by Woody Minar A popular spot each year during EAA AirVenture is the EAA Seaplane Base on Lake Winnebago, about 5 miles from Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis. Through Paul Poberezny’s…
An ICON At EAA
by Woody Minar ICON Aircraft once again displayed its two-seat, light-sport aircraft (LSA), amphibian ICON A5, which just received a weight exemption from the FAA. The exemption increases the gross…
The SubSonex – When You Feel The Need For Speed!
by Woody Minar Sonex Aircraft, LLC of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, introduced the “SubSonex Personal Jet” at EAA AirVenture 2013 with a flight demonstration on July 29th. Sonex announced that refundable kit…
AirVenture 2013… Looking Back & Looking Forward!
by Jim LaMalfa Dave Weiman, Contributing Editor Standing at the main gates to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013, July 29 thru August 4, one had to recognized and give thanks to…