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…
Category: MN Aviation Industry News
The Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering (GMAG)
May 17 and 18, 2024 Buffalo Municipal Airport (KCFE), Buffalo, MN Sponsored by the Minnesota Pilots Association PHOTOS BY DAVE WEIMAN Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2024 Digital Issue…
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…
Operations At MAC General Aviation Airports Increased 8.3% In 2023 Long-term development strategy helps accommodate growth, expanded services
Long-term development strategy helps accommodate growth, expanded services Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2024 Digital Issue MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MINN. – General aviation airports owned and operated by the Metropolitan…
MSP Airport Unveils Design For Hanging Sculpture
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine April/May 2024 Digital Issue MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MINN. – Internationally renowned artist Kipp Kobayashi revealed his conceptual design for a 45-foot-wide suspended public art sculpture at…
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…
PUBLICATION NO. 8516 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS The City Council of the City of Hutchinson, Minnesota, will receive proposals by email, Attn: Mike Stifter, Director of Public Works, mstifter@hutchinsonmn.gov, until 4:00…
Meet Mark Schwichtenberg, Line Service Manager St. Cloud Aviation, St. Cloud, Minnesota
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2023 Digital Issue One of the newest members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) Board of Directors is Mark Schwichtenberg, the Line Manager…
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…
Minnesota Aviation Trades Group Awards Scholarships
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2023 Digital Issue ALEXANDRIA, MINN. – Members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) awarded two $1,000.00 flight training scholarships at their annual meeting,…
2023 Minnesota Aviation Day at the Capitol
When: 12 April 2023 07:00, CDT Where: Holman’s Table, 644 Bayfield Street, St. Paul, MN 5510 REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! Wednesday 12 April 2023 Holman’s Table @ STP Register for a breakfast…
2023 Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) ANNUAL MEETING
2023 MATA ANNUAL MEETING 2023 MATA ANNUAL MEETING Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Press Release Annual MATA meeting The Annual meeting of the MATA membership will occur on April 27th, 2023 at the Arrowwood Resort…
MSP Selects Artist For Next Major Public Art Project
Artist Kipp Kobayashi Will Create Work For Two-Story Concourse Rotunda Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2023 Digital Issue Minneapolis-St. Paul, MINN. – Internationally renowned artist Kipp Kobayashi has been…
Lake Elmo Airport Debuts New Runway
Latest Investment In Twin Cities Reliever Airport System Improves Operations & Safety For GA Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine October/November 2022 Digital Issue Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. – The Metropolitan Airports…
New Academy College Learning Institute Course Certifies Charter Flight Coordinators
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine August/September 2022 Digital Issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – On May 26, 2022, the Academy College Learning Institute launched the Charter Flight Coordinator Course — a two-week,…
Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering 2022
Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2022 Online Issue The Minnesota Pilots Association (MPA) will be holding its annual “Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering” (GMAG) at the Buffalo, Minnesota airport, Friday,…
New Fixed-Base Operator At Anoka County-Blaine Airport
Published In Midwest Flyer Magazine February/March 2022 Online Issue BLAINE, MINN – Atlantic Aviation is the newest fixed-base operator at Anoka County-Blaine Airport (ANE). Atlantic announced its acquisition of Lynx…
31st Annual Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame
Photos by Randy Arneson Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – December 2021/January 2022 Online Issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies was held October 30,…
Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics Auction
Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics Auction: Avionics, airport lighting parts, etc. (listed under miscellaneous). Proceeds will come back to the State Airports Fund. Bids close on September 14. Go to: https://www.minnbid.org/Mobile/Default Select “view all” and…
SEH Receives Four Engineering Excellence Awards From ACEC-MN, Including A Grand Award For Duluth Sky Harbor Airport Project
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2021 Online Issue SEH received the Grand Award for its work at Duluth Sky Harbor Airport in Duluth, and the new Northern Metal Shredder…
Encouraging Words From Isle, Minnesota
by Dave Retka, President Isle Airport Association Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – April/May 2021 issue So long 2020! A year consisting of more than a fair share of disappointment…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Announces New 2021 Date To Induct Class of 2020
Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine – April/May 2021 issue As promised, the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Board of Directors met in mid-January to reassess the status of the COVID-19…
NEW DATE FOR CLASS OF 2020 INDUCTION BANQUET!
Dear MAHOF Banquet Guests, As promised, the MN Aviation Hall of Fame Board met in mid-January to re-assess the status of the Covid 19 virus, the community administration of the…
Minnesota Pilots Association Welcomes New & Returning Board Members
Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 MAPLE GROVE, MINN. – The Minnesota Pilots Association has reelected current board members, Steve Thibault and Patrick Halligan, and elected new board…
Scholarship Applications Now Available At Minnesota Pilots Association
Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 MAPLE GROVE, MINN. – The MN Pilots Association has opened its application period for its three $2,000.00 aviation scholarships. The eligibility requirements…
Academy College Announces 2020 Sherm Booen Legacy Scholarship Recipients
Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – Established in 2016 to celebrate Academy College’s 80th Anniversary, two $5,000 scholarships are awarded to degree-seeking students pursuing a…
Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association To Hold Annual Safety Seminar In September
Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 The Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association (MSPA) will hold its 2021 Safety Seminar, September 17-19, at Madden’s on Gull Lake near Brainerd, Minnesota…
Pilot Makes Emergency Landing On I-35W In Twin Cities Metro
Published online Midwest Flyer Magazine – February/March 2021 ARDEN HILLS, MINN. – The pilot of a Bellanca Viking made an emergency landing on I-35W at approximately 9:30 p.m. on December…
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…
2021 Virtual Minnesota & Wisconsin Aviation Maintenance Technician and IA Renewal Conference
MARK YOUR CALENDARS Based off conversations between MnDOT Aeronautics and the Minneapolis FSDO, we have determined the best course of action is to not conduct a MN Aircraft Maintenance Technician…
2020 Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Banquet Moved To 2021
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHF) has postponed its 2020 Induction Banquet for the second time, due to the uncertainly of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, and will again assess the situation in January…
Minnesota Aviation Day at the Capitol CANCELED
The Minnesota Business Aviation Association, in response to guidance provided by the Minnesota Governor and Center for Disease Control (CDC), has canceled Aviation Day at the Capitol and postponed MBAA…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Banquet Rescheduled!
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – In light of the spread of the coronavirus disease, the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Banquet scheduled for April 18 at the MSP Intercontinental Hotel has been rescheduled for November 7, 2020. All associated…
2020 Minnesota Airports Conference
April 29–May 1, 2020 (CANCELED) Mayo Civic Center Rochester, MN To comply with recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health on limiting the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Minnesota Council…
31st Annual Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame To Be Held At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue For the first time in the history of the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame, the annual investiture ceremonies will be held at…
Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Creates Mentorship Program For Member Businesses
Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2019 issue The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) has a “mentorship program,” which is available exclusively to member businesses, whose owners or managers need…
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…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Scholarship Applications Now Available!
Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame will be presenting four aviation scholarships to students from Minnesota who are pursuing…
Planes, Cranes & Automobiles
MAPLE LAKE, MINN. – The “Gearhead Days” celebration in Maple Lake, Minnesota, featured a Grumman G-44 Widgeon, owned by local resident, Jon Miller, who thought it would be a good…
AOPA Holds Congressional Meet & Greet At Thunderbird Aviation
Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2018 issue EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Longtime GA ally and supporter, Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), a member of the House General Aviation Caucus, and…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Dedicates Wall of Fame
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – After being in storage for nearly a decade, the plaques describing the lives and achievements of the nearly…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Inducts Six Aviators
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame inducted six aviators at its 2018 ceremonies April 21, 2018 at the Hyatt…
MATA Holds Annual Meeting At South St. Paul Municipal Airport
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) held its annual meeting May 7, 2018 in the terminal building…
Minnesota Council of Airports & MNDOT Honor State’s Finest!
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2018 issue DULUTH, MINN. – The Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA) honored those who have made significant contributions to the Minnesota air transportation system…
Civil Air Patrol Support of Super Bowl Air-Defense Operations
Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2018 MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, ALA. – A demonstration of an airplane flying into restricted Super Bowl airspace was held January 30, 2018 with…
An Aviation Game Plan For Super Bowl LII
Published in Midwest Flyer – April/May 2018 issue MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – While the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots prepared to duke it out in Super Bowl LII at…
NATA Town Hall Meeting
NATA Town Hall Meeting for aviation businesses, sponsored by the National Air Transportation Association, Thursday, May 10, 2018, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm CDT, Thunderbird Aviation (FCM), Flying Cloud Airport, 14091…
Metropolitan Airports Commission Names New Chief Operating Officer
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 issue MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MINN. – Long-time Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) employee, Roy Fuhrmann, has been selected as the organization’s new chief operating officer,…
Premier Jet Appoints New Operations Manager
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 issue EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Premier Jet Center at Minneapolis Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has appointed Michael Lawrence to…
MATA Scholarship Recipient Reaches ATP Minimums
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – In a letter to Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) President Greg Reigel, the 2009 recipient of the MATA Scholarship,…
Malibu Aerospace Opens New Facility At Anoka County-Blaine Airport
Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 issue BLAINE, MINN. – Malibu Aerospace, located at Anoka County-Blaine Airport (KANE) in the Twin Cities, opened its new 70,000 sq. ft….
Premier Jet Center Becomes Pilatus Service Center
Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 issue EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Premier Jet Center (PJC), located at Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) in Eden Prairie, Minn., has been designated…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Scholarships Available For 2018
Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame will award three $1500 scholarships at its annual induction banquet in April…
St. Cloud State Graduate Receives 2017 MATA Scholarship
Published in Midwest Flyer – December 2017/January 2018 issue ST. CLOUD, MINN. – A graduate of St. Cloud State University and a student pilot at Wright Aero, Gjertine Maj Bagent,…
Flight Line Gift Store Now Open!
Published in Midwest Flyer – October/November 2017 issue BLAINE, MINN. – Flight Line Enterprise has started the first phase if its company by opening an aviation theme retail store. Like…
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…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Announces 2018 Inductees
Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2017 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame board of directors have selected six aviators to be inducted at its 2018…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Inducts Six Aviators
Published in Midwest Flyer – August/September 2017 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHF) held its 28th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet at the Hyatt…
Minnesota Aviation Day At The Capitol Symbolizes GA Unity
Published in Midwest Flyer – June/July 2017 ST. PAUL, MINN. – Members of three professional aviation organizations in Minnesota gathered April 26, 2017 to meet with their respective state legislators…
28th Annual Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Banquet To Again Be Held At Hyatt In Bloomington
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2017 issue BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame will hold its 28th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, April 22, 2017,…
Lynx FBO Network Acquires Cirrus Flight Operations & Key Air
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2017 issue BLAINE, MINN. – The Lynx FBO Network has acquired Cirrus Flight Operations and Key Air Twin Cities at Anoka County-Blaine Airport, adding…
When Things Go RIGHT!
by Jim Hanson Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2017 issue As aviation consumers, all too often we complain when things go wrong – and we ought to complain. Sub-par…
Apply Now For Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame Scholarships
Published in Midwest Flyer – Dec 2016/Jan 2017 BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHF) will be awarding up to four $1500 scholarships for aviation minded students…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame To Be Held At Hyatt In Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHF) will hold its 28th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota, April 22,…
Thunderbird Aviation’s Young Flyers Summer Camp
Published in Midwest Flyer – Dec 2016/Jan 2017 EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Thunderbird Aviation, located at Flying Cloud Airport and Crystal Airport in the Twin Cities, has been hosting its…
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…
Bolduc Aviation Under New Ownership
Published in Midwest Flyer – Aug/Sept 2016 BLAINE, MINN. – Bolduc Aviation Specialized Services at Anoka County – Blaine Airport in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, is under new ownership….
Flexibility & Commitment To Customer Service & Safety Make Red Wing Aeroplane The New First Class In Private Jet Travel
Published in Midwest Flyer – Aug/Sept 2016 A Citation departs the Mississippi River town of Red Wing, Minnesota, flying a heading in any one of the cardinal points of the…
Minnesota Pilots Association Hosts Minnesota Aviation Gathering In Twin Cities
BLAINE, MINN. – The Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering, April 29-30, 2016, was a fly-in/drive-in held at Anoka County – Blaine Airport in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis. Greg Herrick, owner…
What Defines A General Aviation Airport? History, Longevity, Community, Business, Family!
This year’s recipient of the FAA/Minnesota Governor’s Award – Crookston Municipal Airport – Kirkwood Field (KCKN) – has all of these attributes: history, longevity, community, business, and family. This award,…
Academy College Announces $40,000 Scholarship In Honor of World of Aviation Founder, Sherm Booen
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – Academy College, serving the Twin Cities since 1936, hosted an open house, April 20, 2016 to celebrate its 80th anniversary and to announce the creation of a…
Pilots, Flight Department Managers, Aviation Businesses, Airport Management & Commission Members Meet For 5th Annual Minnesota Aviation Day At The Capitol
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA), Minnesota Business Aviation Association (MBAA), Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA) and the aviation community at large converged March…
Academy College Makes Becoming A Pilot Easier Than Ever Before!
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. –Academy College, serving the Twin Cities for 80 years, currently offering certificates and two-year and four-year degree programs in aviation, aircraft dispatch, medical science, computer technology, and business/accounting,…
Minnesota Aviation Coalition Suggests Talking Points For Participants of Aviation Day At The State Capitol
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) joined with members of the Minnesota Business Aviation Association (MBAA), Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA), Aircraft Owners &…
Wipaire Announces Return of Ben Wiplinger Memorial Seaplane Rating Scholarship
SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – Following a hugely successful introduction, Wipaire is pleased to announce the return of the Ben Wiplinger Memorial Seaplane Rating Scholarship. The scholarship was established in 2015…
New Airborne Cinematography System Designed & Built In The Midwest
BUFFALO, MINN. – Have you ever tried to shoot video footage from a moving car? How about video footage from an airplane in turbulence? If you have, you know that…
Minnesota State University-Mankato Student Receives Scholarship Sponsored by Aviation Trades Group
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following essay was written by Minnesota State University-Mankato student, Caitlyn Brady, in applying for a scholarship sponsored by the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association. Brady was chosen among…
Minnesota Trades President Asks U.S. Senator To Support Pilot’s Bill of Rights II
HOPKINS, MINN. – In an August 19, 2015 letter, the president of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA), Gregory J. Reigel of Reigel Law Firm, Hopkins, Minn., asked U.S. Senator…
Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Holds Annual Membership Meeting & Barbecue
BLAINE, MINN. – Members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) held their annual meeting, August 20, 2015 at Twin Cities Aviation, Anoka County – Blaine Airport, Blaine, Minnesota. A…
Madden’s Resort Hosts Minnesota Seaplane Seminar & Fly-In
BRAINERD, MINN. – Under the leadership of Randy Schoephoerster, owner of the flight school Air Trek North at Minneapolis Airlake Airport in Lakeville, Minnesota (www.airtreknorth.com), the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association…
Discover Aviation Days – The Doorway To Understanding General Aviation
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…
MATA To Hold Annual Meeting/BBQ
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) and invited guests will combine their annual meeting with a barbecue on Thursday, August 20, 2015, starting at 3:00…
Cirrus Announces New Vision Center
DULUTH, MINN. – In a special ceremony on May 6, 2015, at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, Tennessee, Cirrus Aircraft Co-Founder and CEO Dale Klapmeier joined Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam…
Bemidji Aviation Services Chief Pilot Receives National Award For Excellence
WASHINGTON, DC – The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has announced the recipients of its Industry Excellence Awards given annually to individuals, offices, and organizations that have helped improve the…
MATA President Meets With Minnesota Congressional Delegates
The president of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA), Greg Reigel, recently spent time meeting with staff members from the offices of all Minnesota Congressional delegates to thank them for…
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,…
Wipaire Holds Grand Opening For Florida Facility
Wipaire, Inc., with headquarters at Fleming Field, South St. Paul, Minn., held its grand opening for its Leesburg, Florida facility, February 28, 2015. Based at Leesburg International Airport (KLEE) since…
Richard Cross President & CEO, Cirrus Flight Operations
Richard (Dick) Cross is president and CEO of Cirrus Flight Operations, Inc., a family-owned business located at Anoka County-Blaine Airport in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He founded the company in 1977. Cirrus…
Backup Door Opening Systems For Your Hangar Door In Case of Power Outage
Before you place an order for a hydraulic or bifold door, have you given any thought to how you would get that big, heavy door open in case of a…
Fargo Jet Center Expands To Eden Prairie
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Exclusive Aerospace LLC, an affiliate of Fargo Jet Center (FJC), Fargo, N.D., has purchased the assets of Premier Jet Center at Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) in…
Transport Canada Awards STC To Tanis
BLAINE, MINN. – Tanis Aircraft Products has received formal acceptance by Transport Canada for its Supplemental Type Certificate on both the four and six cylinder Continental, Lycoming, and Franklin engines….
Meet Greg Reigel President, Minnesota Aviation Trades Association
GREG REIGEL of Reigel Law Firm, Ltd/Aero Legal Services of Hopkins, Minnesota, is serving his second term as president of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA). He is an attorney…
Park Rapids Aviation Expands Aircraft Painting Services
PARK RAPIDS, MINN. – Park Rapids Aviation has expanded its aircraft painting at Park Rapids Municipal Airport in Park Rapids, Minn. Jeff Voigt is president of the company, which in…
Wipaire Announces New Approvals For Cessna 182 Modifications
SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – Wipaire, Inc. has received approval for performance- and utility-enhancing modifications for the Cessna 182 Skylane. These modifications currently include the Lycoming IO-580 engine conversion and…
Meet MATA Board Member, Alison Wynne
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Alison Wynne is one of nine aviation professionals on the board of directors of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association – an organization made up of fixed base…
Thunderbird Aviation Removes Original Terminal Building To Make Room For Expanded Ramp
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – In 2012 – 50 years since the company was founded in 1962 – Thunderbird Aviation invested $2 million in building a new 8,000 square foot facility…
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…
AOPA & NATA Presidents Address Aviation Business Community At Minnesota Trades Conference
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – Mark Baker, President of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA), and Tom Hendricks, President of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), were featured speakers at the…
Minnesota Aviation Stakeholders Meet On Capitol Hill
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Anyone actively involved in aviation in Minnesota, and who believes in the importance of their local airport, showed up at the Minnesota State Capitol, March 5,…
Minnesota’s Budget Outlook Improves
K-12 Shifts To Be Completely Repaid, Including $15 Million Borrowed From Aviation Trust Fund ST. PAUL, MINN. – Changes in forecast general fund revenue and expenditures for the current biennium…
U.S. Senator Meets With Minnesota Aviation Stakeholders
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – On December 3, 2013, aviation industry stakeholders had an opportunity to meet with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar to discuss her advocacy efforts on behalf of the general…
FAA Finalizes Minneapolis-St. Paul Class B Airspace – Shelf Ceilings Lower
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The FAA gave Stanton Airfield a little elbowroom in its final redesign of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Class B airspace, although the floor of the airspace will be…
“The Miracle Landing”
A True Story of How The Minneapolis Lakers Almost Perished & The Crew That Saved Them The Minneapolis Lakers national basketball team may have perished in a flight over Iowa…
16-Year-Old Solos 10 Airplanes In A Single Day!
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Nathan “Nate” Bruss, 16, of Dayton, Minnesota, successfully soloed 10 airplanes on his 16th birthday, August 16, 2013, making him the only person in history known…
Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Board Sets Goals For 2013 & 2014
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – The entire nine-member board of directors of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) met August 22, 2013 at Thunderbird Aviation at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden…
Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Board Sets Goals For 2013 & 2014
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – The entire nine-member board of directors of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) met August 22, 2013 at Thunderbird Aviation at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden…
Keep it short? You sound like an editor!
by James Hanson Few of us have been lucky enough to do exactly what we wanted to do for a living. Even fewer have been lucky enough to make our…
JK Flyers Restaurant At St Cloud, Back In Business
ST. CLOUD, MINN. – Jeff Keller’s airport restaurant, “JK Flyers,” is back and doing better than ever. The restaurant opened just after the city unveiled a $5 million, 9,000-square-foot expansion…
Minnesota CFI of The Year
18, 2013) – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Minneapolis Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) has named Paul Van Brunt of Prior Lake, Minnesota, the 2013 Minnesota Flight Instructor of the…
Minnesota Aviators Needed For International Learn To Fly Day
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – “AirSpace Minnesota” is seeking volunteers to celebrate the importance of aviation to Minnesota’s economic future, just as it did in 1938 during the National Air Mail Week…
Aviation Community Meets With Minnesota’s Elected Officials
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Minnesota aviation community hosted its second annual “Aviation Day At The Capitol” event, January 30, 2013 at the State Capitol in St. Paul. Pilots, airport…
Thunderbird Aviation In The Twin Cities Metro – Minnesota’s Newest FBO
by Dave Weiman When you invest $2 million in a business during an economic downturn, you have to know your market, know your business, and believe in yourself and your…
D’Shannon Aviation Helps To Refurbish 2013 AOPA Sweepstakes Plane
PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association CEO Craig Fuller announced during the AOPA Summit in Palm Springs, October 11, 2012, that the winner of the sweepstakes aircraft,…
Minnesota Aviation Day At The Capitol
January 30, 2013 St. Paul, Minnesota You Won’t Want To Miss This Special Event! On Wednesday, January 30, 2013, the Minnesota aviation community will meet at the State Capitol to…
Wipaire To Certify Cessna 208B Grand Caravan On Wipline 8750 Floats
OSHKOSH, WIS. – Wipaire, Inc. announced July 23, 2012 during EAA AirVenture its intent to certify the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on Wipline 8750 floats. The Wipline 8750 floats were…
Wipaire Unveils Wipline 1450 Floats
OSHKOSH, WIS. – Wipaire, Inc. unveiled its brand-new Wipline 1450 floats July 23, 2012 at EAA AirVenture. This all-new float is designed for use on Light Sport Aircraft and other…
Schweiss Doors Develops New ‘Red Power’ Hydraulic Pump
FAIRFAX, MINN. – Schweiss Doors, a Minnesota-based company, providing quality bifold and hydraulic one-piece doors for aircraft hangars, agricultural buildings, businesses and other installations, has developed a new, more powerful…
Minnesota Business Aviation Association… In The Trenches For Businesses That Own or Operate Aircraft
MINNEAPOLIS – Any business that owns or operates an aircraft in Minnesota will be glad to know that there is an association working hard on their behalf. That organization is…
Newest Flight Instructor At Historic Stanton Airfield
STANTON, MINN. – Stanton Sport Aviation, Inc., owner and operator of Historic Stanton Airfield in Stanton, Minnesota, has appointed John Hall as its newest flight instructor. Hall is formerly a…
Mooney Owners Feel Relief From Leaky Fuel Tanks
WILLMAR, MINN. – Owners of Mooney aircraft can now have their leaky fuel tanks repaired with a unique process developed by former Willmar Air Service owner, Bruce Jaeger, and one…
Wipaire Completes Cessna 206 Project… Working On Caravan, Skylane Improvements
by Steve Schapiro The centerpiece of Wipaire’s display at Sun ‘n Fun this year, March 27 thru April 1, 2012, in Lakeland, Florida, was a custom-designed and built Cessna 206…
Minnesota Hall of Fame 2012
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame inducted six Minnesota aviation personalities, April 28, 2012 at investiture ceremonies held at the Ramada Mall of America Hotel in Bloomington,…
Minnesota Senator & Representative Recognized By Recreational Aviation Foundation
Senator John Carlson (R. Bemidji) and Representative David Hancock (R. Bemidji) have received national recognition from the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) for their efforts to amend the Recreational Use Statute…
Wipaire Completes Cessna 206 Project… Working On Caravan, Skylane Improvements
by Steve Schapiro The centerpiece of Wipaire’s display at Sun ‘n Fun this year, March 27 thru April 1, 2012, in Lakeland, Florida, was a custom-designed and built Cessna 206…
MATA Conference Focused On Fuel, Flight & Future of GA
BROOKLYN CENTER, MINN. – Concerned with rising fuel prices, fuel fees and taxes, fuel supplies, and the future of general aviation, business owners and their employees came together for a…
Major Change To Affect Businesses On Twin Cities Airports
Al Lange, President of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA), has confirmed that Gary Schmidt of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), will meet with members during MATA’s annual conference on Monday, March 19,…
Flight Line Enterprises To Move Forward In 2012
BLAINE, MINN. – Flight Line Enterprises (FLE), which plans to build a restaurant and conference center at Anoka/Blaine Airport in the Twin Cities, is now focusing on completing site preparation….
Five Seats For Cirrus
DULUTH, MINN. – Cirrus Aircraft has expanded seating capacity in its SR20, SR22 and SR22T aircraft models beginning in 2012. The new 60/40 FlexSeating features a wider back seat, highlighted…
The “Fuel-ture of General Aviation” & What We Can Do About It, Theme of MATA Conference
BROOKLYN CENTER, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) will focus its one-day conference, Monday, March 19, 2012, at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on…
Minnesota Aviation Day At The Capitol February 9th, 2012
You Won’t Want To Miss This Special Event! On February 9th, 2012, the entire aviation community will come together at the Minnesota State Capitol to visit with their State Senators…
You Are Invited… Minnesota Aviation Day At The Capitol
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Date to be announced soon! The entire aviation community will come together at the Minnesota State Capitol to visit with their State Senators and Representatives to…
NATA President To Give Keynote Address At Minnesota Technician & Trades Joint Conferences
BROOKLYN CENTER, MINN. – The President of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), Jim Coyne, will give the keynote address at the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) and Minnesota Aviation…
Part IV – FAA Reforms Needed To Help Recruit & Retain Pilots
by Jim Hanson In previous issues of Midwest Flyer Magazine, CFII Jim Hanson began a discussion on “Student Starts & Pilot Retention,” which he wrote prior to the release of…
MSP Aero Celebrates Second Anniversary
by Gregory J. Reigel On August 18, 2011, MSP Aero – located at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Anoka County-Blaine Airport in the Twin Cities, hosted a lunch celebrating…
Weber Aviation Insurance Now Writing All Lines of Aviation Insurance
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Weber Aviation Insurance with offices at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was established on January 1, 2010 by well-known aviation insurance professional, John Weber of…
MATA Meets With Metropolitan Airports Commissioners
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – Members of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association, including the organization’s board of directors, met with several members of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) at Signature Flight Support…
Restad Joins Weber Aviation Insurance
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – Christa Restad has joined Weber Aviation Insurance as an account executive at the company’s Eden Prairie, Minnesota office. Restad has been involved in the aviation industry…
Duluth Sky Harbor Airport… Serving A Specific Need For GA
DULUTH, MINN. – When you look at an aeronautical chart and see three airports within close proximity to one another along a border between two states, one may conclude that…
Wipaire Appoints Distributor In China
SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – Wipaire, Inc., the United States distributor of aircraft floats, has appointed Aviation Supplies Ltd. as its first distributor in China. Wipaire is encouraged by the prospect…
Joint MATA & Maintenance Conferences A Success!
BROOKLYN CENTER, MINN. – The annual conference and meeting of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) was held March 28 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center, with…
Aviation Groups Meet With State Decision-Makers To Determine How Best To Fund Airports
The Minnesota Business Aviation Association (MBAA) with the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) and the Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA) co-hosted a Business Aviation Legislative Luncheon at the Kelly Inn,…
GAMA President To Be Keynote Speaker At Minnesota Trades/Maintenance Conferences
The President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Pete Bunce, will be the keynote speaker at the first joint conferences of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA)…
Wipaire Names Chuck Wiplinger President
SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN. – Wipaire, Inc. has announced that it has appointed Chuck Wiplinger as President. In a meeting to employees on December 23, 2010, Gene DePalma, Assistant to…
Exclusive Aviation Locates At St. Paul Downtown Airport
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Midwest Cessna dealer, Exclusive Aviation, has purchased an aircraft hangar on St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) and increased its sales staff. The 17,000 square foot facility…
Krueger Acquires 100% of Tanis Aircraft Products
GLENWOOD, MINN. – Tanis Aircraft Products has announced the 100-percent acquisition of company assets by its president Bob Krueger. Serving in this role and as majority shareholder since 2006, Krueger…
More About Kenneth H. Dahlberg
The stories Kenneth H. Dahlberg, a St. Paul, Minn., native, tells in “One Step Forward: The Life of Ken Dahlberg” with the help of writers Al Zdon and Warren Mack,…
Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame To Induct Inventor of Tanis Aircraft Preheater
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. – This spring the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame (MAHF) will honor nine leaders in aviation at the Ramada Thunderbird Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Thunderbird is located…
Wipaire Celebrates 50th Anniversary
OSHKOSH, WIS. – The staff at Wipaire, Inc., manufacturers of Wipline floats at Fleming Field, South St. Paul, Minnesota, started celebrating their 50th anniversary during EAA AirVenture-Oshkosh, July 26-August 1, 2010,…
Pilot Has Passion For Flight Training, But Loves Cows Too!
RUSH CITY, MINN. – There is something to say about learning to fly in a small, rural community versus a big city. There is very little air traffic at a…