by Cassandra Isackson
Spring is within sight and I am confident most of us can hardly wait for its arrival.
The best part about spring is the renewal of so many great things. One of those things is the opportunity for pilots who don’t fly during the winter, to get back in the air.
Spring is also the beginning of construction season on the roads, as well as at the airports. I urge everyone to drive with caution and remember to slow down when passing through construction zones along our many miles of highways. Along with that I urge pilots to also be very cautious at airports you visit. They too may have construction or repair projects in progress.
Also be mindful of your use of power when maneuvering your aircraft through or near working sites. Too much power can cause rocks and other potentially harmful debris to be blown about and cause injury to personnel and property.
This is also the season when volatile weather conditions can pop up quickly. Be sure to get a good weather briefing before you take off and if you stop somewhere in state, check the current weather on one of our more than 100 dedicated weather computer systems located at airports around the state.
There are some important aviation events coming up soon, such as the MCOA Airports Conference, April 16-18, 2014, and Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Safety Seminar, May 2-4, 2014.
For additional information go to: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/events.html, and click on the event links of your choice.
When you are preparing to drive to the airport (…or anywhere ), take advantage of MnDOT’s real-time road travel information. Go to: http://www.511mn.org/. You can get continual updates about weather-related road conditions, road work, commercial vehicle restrictions, road closures and other travel information via the phone or Internet. It is a statewide service that provides information on the interstates, U.S. routes and state highways, but does not include county roads or city streets. 511 is a public service of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Please always make safety your number one priority on the ground, as well as in the air.