Midwest Flyer Magazine - June/July 2024

Aircraft Rental ........................................86 & 87 Aircraft Sales..........................................86 & 87 Aircraft Sheet Metal Repair ............................ 90 Aircraft Towbars ............................................. 90 Airlake Airport ................................................. 2 Airport Engineers & Consultants .................................................7, 9, 31, 35 & 36 Airport Fuel Systems...................................... 40 Airport Restaurants ........................................ 38 Airports.............................................37, 55 & 86 AIR-PROS.com .............................................. 86 Anoka County – Blaine Airport........................ 2 Avfuel Corporation ......................................... 87 Aviation Attorneys .......................................... 86 Aviation Charter ............................................. 27 Aviation Colleges & Universities ..................... 5 Aviation Insurance .................................18 & 86 Aviation Insurance Resources ....................... 86 Becher Hoppe ................................................ 36 Bolduc Aviation Specialized Services ........... 15 Bolton & Menk, Inc. ........................................ 51 Brackett Aircraft Co., Inc. ............................... 90 Canada Fishing Fly-Out .........................86 & 89 Cape Air .......................................................... 5 Commut Air ..................................................... 5 Cooper Engineering ....................................... 31 Crystal Airport ................................................. 2 Donaldson Company ..................................... 27 Eagle Fuel Cells ............................................. 53 Flight Training ..........................5, 85, 86, 87, 90 Flying Cloud Airport ........................................ 2 Fly-Ins & Airshows ......................................... 37 Fuhrman & Dodge S.C. (Attorneys at Law) ... 86 Garmin ........................................................... 87 Go Jet Airlines................................................. 5 Hawk Aviation ........................................27 & 85 Horizon Aircraft Engine Services, Inc. ........... 15 Itasca County Airport ..................................... 86 Jet Room........................................................ 38 Lake Elmo Airport ........................................... 2 Leading Edge Air Foils LLC ........................... 90 Maxwell Aircraft Service.........................27 & 48 Mead & Hunt ................................................... 9 Metropolitan Airports Commission .................. 2 Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp. .......................... 86 Midwest Flyer Magazine ..................39, 88 & 90 Milwaukee Timmerman Airport ...................... 37 Miminiska Lodge, Ontario, Canada .......86 & 89 Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport ...... 2 Minnesota Aviation Trades Ass'n (MATA) ..... 27 Minnesota DOT Office of Aeronautics ........... 24 Minnesota Petroleum Service ........................ 40 Mooney Aircraft Spatial Interior Upgrades ..... 87 Morey Airplane Company .............................. 86 Red Wing Aviation (RWA)............................... 5 R.C. Avionics ................................................. 27 St. Louis Downtown Airport............................ 55 St. Paul Downtown Airport .............................. 2 Schweiss Doors ............................................. 45 Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH) .............. 35 SkyWest Airlines ............................................. 5 Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport ............ 86 Spring City Aviation ........................................ 86 Sunset Lodge ................................................. 41 Thunderbird Aviation ................................5 & 90 Titan Aviation Fuels ....................................... 90 Travel Destinations ..........................41, 86 & 89 Tricor Insurance ............................................. 18 United Express................................................ 5 Westwood PS ................................................. 7 Wilderness North ...................................86 & 89 Wiley Properties ............................................. 49 Wisconsin Aviation, Inc... .......................86 & 87 Worthington, Bob (One Pilot’s Story) ............. 54 Index To Advertisers Editor/PublishEr Dave Weiman Production dirEctor Peggy Weiman WEb dirEctor Stacy Wilk Photo Journalists Chris Bildilli Brad Thornberg Skot Weidemann Skot Weidemann contributing Editors & PhotograPhErs Russell Bailey Mark Baker Lewis Berghoff Dr. Bill Blank Julie Carr Ryan Gaug Lisa Henkelmann Michael Kaufman Rod Kleiss Leo J. Kohn Richard Morey Mike Pfizer Yasmina Platt Gregory J Reigel Pete Rosenbery Pete Schoeninger Scott Slocum Marcia Smith Don Winkler Elbie Wood Dean Zakos MIDWEST FLYER Serving The Midwest Aviation Community Since 1978 JUNE/JULY 2024 MAGAZINE ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Call: Call: 608-772-1776 608-772-1776 Email: Email: dave@midwestflyer.com dave@midwestflyer.com ISSUE CLOSING DATES DEADLINE ISSUE October 15 December - January December 15 February - March February 15 April - May April 15 June - July June 15 August - September August 15 October - November COPYRIGHTS MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE is published bimonthly by Flyer Publications, Inc. Copyright 2024 by Flyer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing in whole or in part may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. 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For additional information, email dave@midwestflyer.com JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 7 by Dr. Bill Blank, MD Senior Aviation Medical Examiner © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved! The FAA ocular certification procedures are badly in need of an update. This has never been done before. AMEs are required to take a “basic science” course when they first become AMEs, and active AMEs are required to take a “refresher” course periodically. Both courses cover FAA rules and procedures. It’s hard to believe. I have been giving the ocular lectures at some of these courses for almost 20 years. As I gave these lectures, I began to think about some of the content and wondered why we were doing some of these things this way. Some of the procedures may have been justified when they were conceived, but now are obsolete. Sometimes when I gave these talks, important FAA decision-makers were in the back row, including the Deputy Federal Air Surgeon and Regional Flight Surgeons. As I became more comfortable, I started to make comments for the back row about things I thought could be improved. It has started to bear fruit. The current vision restriction is one example of such an improvement. That took 7 years. Some in the FAA have come to realize change is needed. This has partly been driven by the chronic shortage of FAA medical personnel, and also by the realization that some of these procedures complicate and delay the process for FAA personnel with no gain. Recently, a visionary FAA Deputy Federal Air Surgeon, Scott Rossow, MD, and Judith Frazier, MD, Manager Medical Policy and Standards, established a small committee to review many of the eye certification conditions and procedures. There are two AME ophthalmologists on the committee who bring practical clinical experience to the committee, something lacking in the FAA. Another member is Courtney Scott, DO. MPH, former Manager of AMCD (Aero Medical Certification Division) and the originator of CACIs (Conditions AMEs Can Issue). We meet virtually once or twice a month. Two or three subjects are discussed each time. Recommendations are made. They are discussed in Washington and sometimes re-discussed. The goal is to codify the changes and put them in disposition tables or in CACIs which will be available to AMEs. The disposition tables specify what data an AME needs to issue the medical certificate on the spot, and which medicals need to be deferred. Also specified is what information the FAA will need to issue a Special Issuance. I am cautiously optimistic that these changes will actually occur. Some are badly needed. Conditions which hadn’t even been recognized when the current procedures were established, have been added. AMEs will become aware of the changes when they are published online in the monthly updates to the AME guide. You probably won’t be aware of them unless you have an eye condition which requires special consideration. EAA and/or AOPA may decide to write about some of these changes after they have been published. I have purposely not listed the changes. They are too extensive and complicated to put into this short article and in addition, are subject to change until actually published and maybe afterwards. I hope they come to pass. Happy Flying! EDITOR’S NOTE: Columnist William A. Blank is a physician in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and has been an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) since 1978, and a Senior AME since 1985. Dr. Blank is a retired Ophthalmologist, but still gives some of the ophthalmology lectures at AME renewal seminars. Flying-wise, Dr. Blank holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and has 6000 hours. He is a Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFII) and has given over 1200 hours of aerobatic instruction. In addition, Dr. Blank was an airshow performer through the 2014 season and has held a Statement of Aerobatic Competency (SAC) since 1987. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 2021. DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of others, including their own AME, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations and FAA Aeronautical Information Manual for additional information and clarification. Ocular Certification Changes HigH On HealtH Dr. Bill Blank q 8 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved! Ihave used the phrase, “What Is It Doing Now,” in reference to autopilots in several of my previous articles in Midwest Flyer Magazine. But what do we do when we can’t find the answer? We put it on probation. A recent pilot participant at our Bonanza Baron Pilot Training Program (BPT) had 120K+ worth of avionics, including the Garmin GFC-500 with envelope protection, installed in his aircraft and a suite of avionics consisting of G500-TXi, G3X touch, GTN-750Xi, and a GNX-375. During a hand-flown GPS approach, the pilot noticed he was having to desperately fight with the controls, so he called for help!!!! With two pilots (participant and instructor) struggling to keep the aircraft from crashing, the avionics master switch was turned off and they successfully recovered. What went wrong? The answer is unclear at this time, so the autopilot is on probation. Was the envelope protection activated in error… was it the Airworthiness Directive (AD) on the Garmin autopilot servos not complied with, or possibly the wires shorted out… or was there an installation error? As I pointed out in several of my previous columns, when an aircraft just comes out of maintenance of any kind, pilots are advised not to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC)! Should this have happened with a pilot flying new avionics in IMC and no one to help him, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would have another investigation on their hands. Pilots, please learn what to do if any anomalies should occur in your aircraft, the location of the circuit breaker, whether or not there is a disconnect button on the yoke, or whether or not you need to turn off the avionics master, or if available, turn off a separate autopilot master. I hope to have a conclusion to this incident to share with you in my next column. We have seen way too much confusion by pilots with state-of-the-art avionics, so with one of my friends and coworkers, Bill Hale, we have developed a PowerPoint presentation to help pilots learn how to use their avionics. It should be noted that identical avionics in two different types of aircraft will not follow the same protocol, or different firmware can completely change the way an automatic system will behave. We have learned a lot in the development of this presentation as new situations arise and we need to find the answers. ForeFlight Voyager As a second topic for this column, I would like to inform readers of some of the new software available from ForeFlight called “ForeFlight Voyager.” Google it for more information. Before I continue, I want to emphasize safety in the cockpit. Do not attempt any operations with this equipment or software on your own without an instructor or qualified safety pilot in the right seat. As I have stated many times in this column, I am an old-fashioned pilot, who is also a geek for new technology. So, if you do any training with me, you will learn the methods of several decades ago before you learn any new modern methods. I was an early adapter of Apple’s new VR/IR/Spatial Computer (Apple Vision Pro) and was surprised to see that ForeFlight had already entered a new software product for the device on launch day designed specifically for this device. First, I must say that the Apple Vision Pro is the single most remarkable electronic device I have ever seen in my lifetime, despite what critics have said about it. The ForeFlight’s entry is designed specifically for the “Pro,” and will not run on any other platform. The Voyager entry allows pilots and others to view an airport for traffic in real time 3D. It has relevance to its viewers and some value while flight planning, but is more like a super-enhanced version of Flight Aware. ForeFlight Mobile, which almost everyone is familiar with on iPads and desktop computers, has been enhanced and works flawlessly with the Pro. It is a true gamechanger for flight planning and could be used in the cockpit as well. I have not yet flown with it in my aircraft, as my aircraft is in for its annual inspection, but when I do, I will have a qualified safety pilot in the right seat! Picture having full vision out of the windscreen and enroute and approach charts where you can actually see them and are able to position them precisely with eye movement. Visual traffic can be seen through the windscreen real time, and ADS-B traffic is super imposed on the display as well without needing to look down at your iPad. Connect the Pro to your aircraft’s AHARS and have a heads-up display (HUD) super imposed. I have not tried any of these concepts with the Pro yet, but have verified that these features work on ForeFlight Mobile, and also work on the Pro. Please do not do something stupid with the Pro and post a video on YouTube like a drone pilot did after flying his drone to 14,000 feet MSL in controlled airspace. I find that all of the features of ForeFlight Mobile work better on the Pro. You can do it better and faster with less errors and you will not be as frustrated as you are when trying to use touch screen in heavy turbulence (the jury is out). The Pro can do Flight Aware and many more functions that would require a powerful computer or normal tasks, like instrument FligHt Putting Your Autopilot On Probation Mick Kaufman JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 9 writing my column for Midwest Flyer Magazine. Apple Vision Pro will take us to the next generation in flying our aircraft and other computer-related challenges beyond our wildest imagination. Keep your eyes looking out the windscreen and fly safe! Till the next issue, “73s” – an amateur radio “CUL” slogan, or “See You Later!” EDITOR’S NOTE: Michael J. “Mick” Kaufman is a Certified Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) and the program manager of flight operations with the “Bonanza/Baron Pilot Training” organization. He conducts pilot clinics and specialized instruction throughout the U.S. in many makes and models of aircraft, which are equipped with a variety of avionics. Mick is based in Richland Center (93C) and Eagle River, Wisconsin (KEGV). He was named “FAA’s Safety Team Representative of the Year” for Wisconsin in 2008. Readers are encouraged to email questions to captmick@me.com, or call 817-988-0174. DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of their personal flight instructor and others, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, and instructional materials before attempting any procedures discussed herein. q q AOPA Offers “Rusty Pilots” Online Course Stay current and confident with AOPA’s free online course! Spring is here! Whether you’re gearing up for more time in the air or returning to the cockpit after a flying hiatus, AOPA has you covered. Members can take advantage of a fun, interactive course—Rusty Pilots Online —designed to refresh your aviation knowledge and polish your flying skills. The best part? It�s completely FREE to AOPA members! Here�s what you can expect: • Real-World Scenarios: Immerse yourself in the scenario of a cross-country flight as AOPA professionals cover critical topics such as medical reform, weather briefings, preflight planning, regulations, airspace, and more. • Access to Flight Schools: AOPA will assist you in locating flight schools in your area, making it easy to transition from the virtual cockpit to the real one. • Additional Benefits: This course qualifies for the AOPA Accident Forgiveness and FAA WINGS programs. Here�s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: • Pilot and aircraft requirements. • Flight planning and briefings. • Understanding airspace and sectional charts. • Operating in/around special-use airspace. • Embracing technology in the cockpit. Shake off that rust and get started now with Rusty Pilots Online! AOPA is here to support you every step of the way! (aopa.org) 10 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Richard Morey © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved! Iwas born into a flying family, which has been both a blessing and a curse. The curse, if one could call it that, is that flying, at least initially, was nothing special. I did not experience the infatuation with aviation as most students do. To me and my sister, flying was much like getting in the family station wagon and heading out on vacation. One of my good friends commented recently that the most relaxed he ever sees me is when I am flying in the right seat, giving instruction. My father is, and my grandfather was, a pilot. The family business was and is a flight school in Middleton, Wisconsin (C29). I grew up at the airport. The blessings of growing up in aviation are that I see flying for what it is. When I was younger, I asked my grandfather, Howard Morey, what his favorite aircraft was. Instead of some exotic high-performance aircraft, grampa’s answer was a Cessna 172. “The 172 is an airplane everyone can handle, and one a flight school can afford and make money with.” He went on to tell me that to run a flight school, you could not buy aircraft because you wanted to fly them… Rather, you must evaluate what is best for the business. I took those words to heart. Howard Morey started flying in 1923 at the Eddy Heath School in Chicago. After he graduated, he worked for Mr. Heath for a time, until he and a fellow student purchased a Curtis JN4-D, a surplus World War I training aircraft known affectionately as a “Jenny.” They headed north planning on spending the winter in Birchwood, Wisconsin with grampa’s family. They stopped in Monona, Wisconsin to spend the night with a cousin. That evening it snowed a lot. The snow made it impossible to continue their flight to Birchwood. Instead, they made arrangements to store the Jenny in a barn and continued their trip via train. When he returned in the spring, a neighboring farm owner convinced him to establish an airport and make the Madison, Wisconsin area his Fifty years of flying memories “I always knew I would get here. What I did not know is how quickly…” PilOt PrOFiciency Richard Morey Howard Morey at the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame banquet in 1992. Dave Weiman Photo Howard Morey with a Stinson SR10C Gullwing Reliant. A plaque displayed at the location of the old “Royal Airport,” once called “Pennco Field” on the south shore of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. Howard Morey was on hand in 1927 when Charles Lindbergh flew into Royal Airport with the “Spirit of St. Louis” following his historic 3,600-mile, 33.5-hour non-stop solo trans Atlantic flight from New York City to Paris. Royal Airport was eventually closed when the City of Madison purchased 290 acres of land on Madison’s north side for $35,380 and established what is today Dane County Regional Airport (KMSN). Howard Morey became the airport’s first manager. Airvue Photo by Don Winkler JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 11 home base. Grampa took his advice and started a flight school in the Madison area in 1925. In 1938, he moved operations to the brand-new Madison Airport (now Dane County Regional Airport) and became its first manager. In 1941, shortly after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States entered World War II, the Army Air Corps took over Madison Airport, and grandpa had two weeks to move operations, first to Lone Rock, then in the spring of 1942, he started operations in Middleton where Morey Airplane Company has been ever since. Howard’s son and my father, Field Morey, took over as manager in 1968 when I was 10 years old. I started cutting grass and cleaning aircraft in 1972, working myself into the exalted position of a “line guy” shortly thereafter. I learned to drive a manual transmission Clark Tug tractor and 1949 Dodge fuel truck. You did not shift the truck; you simply started it in the gear you wanted. There really was no reason to shift out of first. I felt the same way about the tug, earning myself the nickname “One Speed.” That suited me just fine. Slow and steady tends not to bend aluminum. My flight training started in February 1974. At least that was when I started logging my time. I am not sure how much unlogged time I had at that point. I soloed on March 24, 1974, on my 16th birthday. Thus, the 50 years of flying. I soloed with 7 hours and 25 minutes of instruction, most of which was doing crosswind landings. This was good experience, as I soloed in a strong crosswind. My father was my instructor through solo. Back before the FAA wisely expanded what is required to solo, it was common for students to solo in under 10 hours. Those of you who read my article on crosswind landings (https://midwestflyer. com/?p=15243), know the story. The short version is that I made what I considered horrible landings while riding with my father that day. Much to my surprise dad decided to send me up by myself to solo, despite my poor performance. The three landings that followed were considerably better. Despite my apprehension, by father knew I had the skills and ability, and faith in that I would rise to the level of my training. Fifty years later, I can still remember the pride I felt after soloing, and the focus I felt once dad left the airplane. Fifty years is a long time, especially regarding aviation. I have been reminiscing about how flying has changed from my first solo until today. My initial impression is that flying itself has not changed a great deal. Landing, taking off, and maneuvers have not changed. The Cessna 150 I soloed in back in 1974 is not much different than the Cessna 152s we use today. Same with the Cessna 172. Legacy aircraft when properly maintained do not seem to wear out. What has changed is the avionics, and the prevalence of computer use in aviation. For example, when I started flying, pilotage and dead reckoning were the most common way to fly cross country. Ground based navigation was used primarily for instrument flights, and occasionally for longer visual flights. Most aircraft used for private pilot training had one nav-com, and possibly a transponder. Sectional charts or world aeronautic charts (WACs) were always used for cross-country flights, with flight logs filled out. Check points, and estimated times to these points, were on the flight log. A trusty E6B was at hand to recalculate ground speed if necessary. Pilotage, for those who are unfamiliar, is the art and science of knowing where you are by simply looking out the window at the terrain and correlating that with the sectional chart. The old joke, “I fly IFR” (I follow Roads, Railroads Field Morey (center) is surrounded by his daughter, Debbie Maier, and son, Richard Morey. Dave Weiman Photo 12 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE and Rivers is based on pilotage and the even earlier days of aviation). When my grandfather flew Wisconsin’s governor to New York for an aviation conference back in the ‘30s, he used railroad maps. “They were the most accurate maps available at the time,” said Howard Morey. The rule when flying cross country via pilotage is, “verify your checkpoints.” Confirmation bias was not a term commonly used back in the 1970s, but the concept of wanting something to influence a person’s decision-making was well known. Mark Finley, one of the many excellent flight instructors I have had the pleasure to fly with, gave me very good advice when it comes to identifying checkpoints. “Always look for three things about the checkpoint before deciding it is what you want it to be,” or “when in doubt, read the water tower.” My long cross country for my private pilot certificate was flown in a Cessna 150 Aerobat with no gyro instruments and a very untrustworthy VOR. Understanding compass error and pilotage skill was essential for that flight. I made it from Middleton to La Crosse, Wisconsin and then to Dubuque, Iowa with no issues. In 1979, as a private pilot, I flew a brand new C172 with no radios installed, back to Wisconsin from the Cessna factory in Wichita, Kansas. I navigated via pilotage and dead reckoning. This aircraft did have gyros though. We still own that 45-year-old C172, now with radios. With over 16,000 airframe hours, it is one of the more popular aircraft in our training fleet! I wonder how many of today’s pilots would be comfortable flying cross country in an aircraft without radios using only sectional charts for navigation. Weather briefings were via telephone, not computer. An overview was available on the evening televised weather report. My memory suggests that the forecasts were every bit as accurate then as they are now. My meteorologist friends would disagree with me on this. In my 50 years of flying, I have logged over 20,800 hours of flight time, of which over 15,000 hours have been as a flight instructor. I have spent 2.37 years above planet Earth! My father has over “Four years above the earth,” as attested to in his book of the same title. Some of the highlights of the last 50 years include: • Attending Black Hawk Technical Institute in Janesville, Wisconsin from 1979 – 1981, obtaining airframe and powerplant certificates, and earning inspection authorization in 1984. • Being part of the Morey glider program as a tow pilot and obtaining a commercial glider rating. I hold a flight instructor-instrument certificate for both single-engine land and multi-engine land, and an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate. • I am a Gold Seal flight instructor, and an EAA Young Eagles flight leader. • In 2020, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh (UWO) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Management. (My mother always hoped I would eventually earn a bachelor’s degree.) UWO has a wonderful online program for those like me who have a two-year technical education, but not a four-year degree. Taking online classes in itself was an education in technology. It was interesting being the oldest student in my classes. My perspective was appreciated by my younger classmates. For my part, my love of learning made the classwork fascinating. My father sold Morey Airport to the City of Middleton in the late 1990s. The airport was “state of the art” in 1942, but needed improvements that the family could not afford. Now as a municipal airport, federal and state funding is available. The current airport is a result of the city’s foresight in recognizing its value to the community. The improvement project was completed in 2004. In March of 2003, I took over as owner of Morey Airplane Company, and became the airport manager for the City of Middleton. As airport manager, I was both eager and apprehensive. Much like my first solo flight, I knew I had the training and skills, and my father had faith in my abilities. Having to run the business largely on my own was a daunting task. After 21 years, I am struck at how similar my taking over the business is to my first solo. I honestly do not know how many student pilots I have recommended for their check-rides. I am blessed to have taught so many students, and humbled by their accomplishments and the friendships that grew out of their training. I do not know how many different models of aircraft I have flown. It is safe to say that if it is a single piston- engine Cessna with tricycle gear, I have flown it. I have some C195 time with my father. I have flown Cirrus, Diamond, Beechcraft, Piper, Husky, Citabria, Taylorcraft, and Luscombe aircraft and many others, and have enjoyed flying all of them, some of course more than others. Most recently, I went to school to get checked out in a Piper Malibu Mirage, a very capable, pressurized single-engine aircraft. I do not really have one favorite aircraft. I do believe that it is hard to beat a Cessna 152 as a trainer, a Cessna 172 as a rental aircraft, a Cessna 182 as a family aircraft, and a Cessna 310R or 340A, as a light twin charter aircraft. The most interesting flying I have done has been as a flight instructor on my father’s West Coast Adventures IFR training trips, flying a Cessna 182RG turbo. EAA Young Eagles and Willa Brown flights have been the most satisfying because I get to introduce aviation to young people. My work with Willa Brown is especially satisfying in that the focus is in introducing aviation to young people of underrepresented populations, women, and people of color for the most part. My oddest flight was as a passenger in a Goodyear blimp, which was moored at our airport sometime in the 1980s. Probably the most interesting aircraft I have flown is a Ford Tri-Motor during EAA AirVenture. My most dangerous flight involved un-forecast severe icing while giving instrument instruction. The details of which are worth mentioning. We had gone missed after an ADF approach into Dane County Regional Airport (KMSN), Madison, Wisconsin. JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 13 (Side note, I DO NOT miss ADF approaches.) We picked up some ice on the approach and a lot more ice on climb out. That was the first, and hopefully the last time I will have to declare an emergency. We were then vectored for an ILS approach. I remember thinking that we only had one chance at this approach and that a go-around was not an option. With this in mind, I resolved to make sure we made this approach, even if it required us to go below minimums. In an emergency, you may deviate from the regulations to the extent necessary. Oddly, I was not scared at the time and exhibited what the FAA calls “appropriate response to stress.” The extreme focus on flying excludes emotions. We were picking up clear ice; that is, water striking the leading edge of the airfoils, running back in liquid form, then freezing. This results in what some pilots call “horns” of ice. These horns act as spoilers and kill lift. A normal ILS approach in a C182RG is flown with 15 inches of manifold pressure, 10 degrees of flaps and gear down. This results in about a 500 feet per minute descent and 90 knots of airspeed. The additional drag we had from the ice required nearly full power with flaps and gear up to get the same performance. In other words, the drag of the ice was a great deal more than having gear and 10 degrees of flaps down! We broke out about 300 feet above the runway with the main struts vibrating. It is not unusual to get structural harmonics when iced up. This vibration sounds like a low- pitched hum. Luck played a part here as once we were clear of the clouds and in the above freezing surface air, all the ice broke free… first the right wing, then the left. The ice leaving the aircraft made a deep base note or boom. This loss of ice allowed for a normal landing. Once safely on the ground with my student, I found myself alone. That is when the shaking started. That is when the full weight of what had just happened came to rest on my shoulders. I had done what I needed to do for my student and myself to survive. Likely, there was very little margin for error in this. Both luck and skill came to play in the successful outcome of the flight. My most meaningful flights are the ones with my father and my grandfather. My father because of all he taught me. My grandfather because his last flight with me was the last time he flew an aircraft. I have flown light aircraft to Alaska, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and pretty much everywhere in between. In my 50-plus years of flying, I have been blessed to fly with some amazing instructors, students, and pilots. I do believe that every one of them taught me something of value. I have yet to pilot anything that burns Jet A, or fly in a balloon, both of which I would enjoy doing. When Cuba opens up again to general aviation, I would love to fly there. Revisiting Alaska and the Idaho back-country would be worthwhile. A seaplane rating may be in my future. Getting some stick time in the models of aircraft grampa flew is a goal. I doubt I will be able to fly a “Jenny,” but a Waco taper- wing is certainly possible. Mostly I look forward to another few decades of teaching people to fly. Dad is 85 now and still flying and instructing, so I expect another 20 years at a minimum for myself. My first 50 years have been an amazing experience. At 66, I am in the third quarter of my life. I plan on continuing this adventure for as long as I am allowed. What does it take to have a long career as a pilot? I would suggest that it is the same as having a long life. Take care of your health. This means staying fit and trim. Eat well, sleep well, enjoy your friends and family. We as pilots are incredibly fortunate in what we experience and the beauty we witness. Never stop learning and never lose your sense of curiosity. Keep your sense of wonder about you! We thrive when challenged. Do not fall into complacency but continue to challenge yourself both in your flying and your life. Make a difference; share aviation with those around you. If my last 50 years has taught me anything, it is the value of laughter. Life is too short and too important to be taken seriously! Live life with urgency! Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so do your best not to put off the important things in your life. Finally, the best advice I can give any pilot for having a long flying career is to invest in yourself by taking regular flight instruction. I have spent the last 50 years learning, studying, and practicing. As a charter pilot, I have flight checks with the FAA every six months. That, and learning to fly new aircraft with new avionics have kept me sharp. Work on your weak points, be it crosswind landings, learning the new-to-you GPS, or staying instrument current. Regular instruction is the only way to maintain your skill level and the cheapest life insurance you can buy. EDITOR’S NOTE: Richard Morey was born into an aviation family. He is the third generation to operate the family FBO and flight school, Morey Airplane Company at Middleton Municipal Airport – Morey Field (C29). Among Richard’s diverse roles include charter pilot, flight instructor, and airport manager. He holds an ATP, CFII, MEII, and is an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A&P) with Inspection Authorization (IA). Richard has been an active flight instructor since 1991 with over 15,000 hours instructing, and more than 20,000 hours total time. Of his many roles, flight instruction is by far his favorite! Comments are welcomed via email at Rich@moreyairport.com or by telephone at 608-836-1711. (www.MoreyAirport.com). DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only. Readers are advised to seek the advice of their personal flight instructor, aircraft technician, and others, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, and instructional materials concerning any procedures discussed herein. q 14 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Pete Schoeninger © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved! Q) Why would anyone consider buying a used engine? How do they become available and are they safe? A) If someone needs to get their airplane back to flying status quickly, considering a ready-to-install used engine may be a quick solution. Another reason for considering a used engine might be projected use/cost. Buying a $50,000 freshly overhauled engine with an expected 2000-hour/12-year expected life might be overkill if you expect to fly 100 hours a year. In that situation, an engine with “half-life” remaining, at about half the price, might be something to consider. When faced with an engine replacement, an owner has choices: 1) Have his current engine overhauled, which may take months waiting for a few parts, especially if an older model engine. 2) Buy a new engine. New engines are available for some models, but usually only for newer airplanes, and are very expensive. 3) Buy an overhauled/rebuilt engine that is sitting on a shelf waiting for a buyer. An overhauled or rebuilt engine is sometimes available from reputable engine rebuilders, but not all models can be found “on the shelf.” Used engines are often available after an unfortunate incident, such as a hangar collapse, a moving accident where the engine does sustain damage, or when the owner decides to part out an old airplane, rather than recover/repair as necessary. An internet search for used aircraft engines will find them available from salvage companies, individuals, eBay, etc. Because of some risk of getting a dud, I think it is MANDATORY that an owner involve his mechanic in the selection and installation of the used engine. Q) A charter pilot told me that his boss at his former place of employment called his pilots “Seagulls,” which my friend felt was derogatory? What does being called a “Seagull” imply? A) A “Seagull” is a derogatory description for a lazy pilot. The idea came from the fact that when Seagulls sometimes occupy a runway or taxiway, you sometimes had to yell at them or even throw rocks at them to get them to fly. Q) A friend owns a 1975 Cherokee 140, and I own a 1975 Cessna 172. My friend’s prop got some stone damage and is at the prop shop getting overhauled. My friend needs to make a trip and asked me if he could borrow the prop from my airplane. Since both airplanes have the same 150 hp Lycoming engine, would this be OK, or legal? A) NO! At a glance, you would think so, but that is not the case. If you do an internet search for type certificates for each airplane (somewhat hard to find on the internet, but it is there), you will find the only prop approved by the respective manufacturers for your Cessna 172 is either a McCauley 1C160CTM 7553 or a McCauley 1C160DTM7553, and the only prop approved for your friend’s Cherokee 140 is a Sensenich model 74DM or 76DM. There may be a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) owned by prop shops or others allowing changes, but paperwork is needed to document these changes. Without appropriate paperwork, you would be illegal, even though it may work. You should also note that while both airplanes were born with a 150 hp Lycoming engine, the engines are not exactly the same. The Cessna model is 0-320-E2D, while Piper’s model is 0-320-E2A. Q) My friend is having his annual inspection done at a new facility. The manager there has declined to sign off on the annual inspection because the propeller installed is not legal, as it is not listed as an approved prop on the airplane’s type certificate. How can this issue be resolved? A) The quickest answer is to remove the illegal prop and install a prop approved by the manufacturer, or a prop allowed by an STC from a current STC holder. You are probably looking at an expensive ($5,000-$15,000) switch. (See question above for details about props.) Q) What are maintenance hazards of buying an airplane with some missing maintenance paperwork? A) If the airplane has been modified by STC or other paperwork, that paperwork needs to be noted and available in maintenance records. For instance, you may have a 1975 Cessna 172 with a non-original engine, such as a 180 hp Lycoming. If that installation is in the maintenance record, you’re OK. But if it’s not there, indicating the engine change was done during the period of time that records are missing, you’re walking for a little while. (See the above question about the Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee 140, and note the only engine approved by Cessna for the 1975 Cessna 172 is the Lycoming 0-320-E2D.) There are several firms that have a STC allowing and detailing the installation of a larger engine. If nothing can be found in maintenance records indicating the engine change in accordance with an STC or other form of paperwork, the airplane cannot be legally flown. I am familiar with a few cases of this nature and the owner may face months and months of grief from the FAA getting this mess straightened out. The search can get very difficult if the STC owner no longer exists. It may get very expensive as well. ask Pete Pete Schoeninger Things To Consider When It’s Time To Overhaul Or Replace Your Engine JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 15 Q) Charles Lindbergh has been mentioned a few times by you as one of your heroes. What do you like about him? A) Thousands of very brave men and women have made historic flights. Lindbergh stands out in my mind because he did most of the legwork himself. He raised $10,000 (almost 100 years ago) to buy the airplane. He helped talented and under recognized engineer Donald Hall modify an existing airplane to get an unheard of 3500-mile range. His pilot skills were fantastic, as he had to fly an unstable, grossly overloaded airplane many hours over water in IFR weather, with only a ball and needle, airspeed indicators, and a magnetic compass, while sitting in a one-seat cockpit with but a periscope for forward visibility. Do an internet search for SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS INSTRUMENT PANEL, and note its instruments. Imagine the bravery required to takeoff with such minimal equipment for a 33-hour flight, mostly over water, eventually looking for and finding Paris with no electronic aids. Also, do an internet search for SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS TAKEOFF, and you will find a black and white video on YouTube of the original takeoff. Note after a very long takeoff roll, the airplane lifts off a couple of times in ground effect, but Lindbergh put it back down to accelerate a little more. His power loading was 24 pounds per horsepower, which is roughly twice the power loading of Skyhawks, Bonanzas, etc. And yes, some luck was involved as well. EDITOR’S NOTE: Pete Schoeninger is a 40-year general aviation veteran, starting out as a line technician as a teenager, advancing through the ranks to become the co- owner and manager of a fixed base operation, and manager of an airport in a major metropolitan community. Pete welcomes questions and comments about aircraft ownership via email at PeterSchoeningerLLC@gmail.com DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author. Readers are urged to seek the advice of others, including flight instructors, licensed aircraft technicians, airport managers, fixed base operators, and state and federal officials. Neither the author, Midwest Flyer Magazine, Flyer Publications, Inc., their staffs, employees or advertisers assume any liability for the accuracy or content of this column or any other column or article in this publication. q 16 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Dean Zakos © Copyright 2020, 2024. All rights reserved. To paraphrase: “When once you have tasted AirVenture, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned toward Oshkosh, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” There was no Oshkosh in 2020. All the weeks spent at Oshkosh under Wisconsin summer skies are memorable; some more memorable than others. I remember one Oshkosh of constant rain, ever-present rumbles of thunder, ubiquitous puddles, muddy grounds, but always pleasant dispositions. That summer became known as “SloshKosh.” Other summers held promising prospects of seeing things close up, most of us in general aviation never have a chance to experience. The sleek Concorde, performing not one, but two eye-catching passes prior to touchdown; the Airbus A380 hanging, low and slow, on short final; walking through an Air Force C-5 Galaxy transport; Bob Hoover entertaining the crowd in his Shrike Aero Commander; Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the crew of Apollo 11, appearing together on the 25 th anniversary of the Moon landing; Patty Wagstaff corkscrewing through the air in her Extra 300S; and, of course, who can forget “Jet Man,” one of the few attractions the summer our elected representatives (in their infinite wisdom and in keeping with their interminable rounds of political warfare) decided to reduce the Defense Department budget, grounding all military aircraft from performing demonstrations or participating in static displays. Because Wittman Field stood empty and silent, the summer of 2020 deserves a name as well. I believe it is entirely appropriate to tag this particular part of the last week of July and first week of August 2020 as “NotKosh.” We had little control over the sometimes random, sometimes contrived, events that unfolded in front of us in 2020. A worldwide pandemic and its inevitable economic recession, a hotly contested Presidential election, peaceful protests, and out-of-control riots and looting. In 2020, possibly more than ever before, we needed Oshkosh. My son and my daughter have been attending Oshkosh with me since they were little. One of our best memories, among many, was watching the afternoon air shows while reclining in the long shadow of the east side of the old control tower. The welcomed shade the tower provided, the perfect NOTKOSH FligHt exPeriences JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 17 angle of the grassy hill for reclined viewing, and the close proximity of the tower to cold drinks and ice cream, made that venue a perfect spot to spread our Tweety Bird bedsheet and relax. I had hoped that my grandson would join us at Oshkosh for the first time in 2020. The old control tower is gone now. A new control tower has taken its place. Change is inevitable. We have found other locations for enjoying the air shows. But even as we seek out the familiar and comfortable, we are continually amazed by the new attractions AirVenture offers each year. More aviation interests are being served and promoted and, even if you are not a pilot, there is more for you to do and see as well. One spectacular success is the Wednesday and Saturday night airshows and fireworks displays. If you have experienced these, you know how fantastic and entertaining they are. I have always found it interesting that there are so many shared memories of AirVenture, and so many individual/ personal memories as well. Oshkosh, in one sense, has always been comfortable and predictable. We all enjoy coming back to the same campsites; engaging again with groups of wonderful friends; having breakfast in the Warbird Café; gladly substituting cheeseburgers and deep-fried cheese curds for healthier lunch fare; spending time at KidVenture; standing three deep in front of an avionics vendor’s booth in an exhibitor hangar; enjoying a bag of freshly popped popcorn from the Red Barn in the Vintage aircraft area; drinking cool water from the tree-shaded bubblers next to the Brown Arch; standing in Warbird Plaza and listening to a pilot talk about an aircraft that made history; soaring above Wittman Field in a Bell 47 helicopter; delighting in “Jerry’s One Man Band;” watching the endless line of ultralights departing and arriving on the grass strip on the south end of the grounds; and sitting with a handheld radio under the wing of a parked DC-3 and tracking the arriving aircraft on Runway 27. “Red and Blue RV, make your base turn now. Green dot, land on the green dot.” “Yellow and white Cessna on downwind, rock your wings now.” “Piper Cherokee, nice job. Exit onto the grass when able and follow the flagmen to parking. Welcome to Oshkosh!” I often begin my mornings at Oshkosh with warm, freshly made donuts (plain, sugar, or cinnamon) and coffee. This operation, a not-so-well-kept secret, started in a tent next to the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) display area many years ago, approximately at the corner of Wittman Road and Boeing (fna AeroShell) Plaza. Years later it was moved slightly farther north where it now shares enclosed space with several hamburger/hotdog/chicken sandwich vendors. Wooden picnic tables with eye-catching blue and orange umbrellas providing mostly unrestricted views of the flight line and Runway 18-36, are set out in front of the walk-up windows. When not flying, I cannot envision a better place to be than sitting under an umbrella, watching AirVenture wake up slowly in the coolness of an early morning. In the distance, the Ford Trimotor’s engines are belching and turning over. The relative calm is broken only by a few GA aircraft landing or departing on 18-36, or the thunderous roar of a formation of T-6s, gracefully climbing and banking their polished wings in the direction of Lake Winnebago. Delivery trucks, transmissions grinding, occasionally pass in front of me, momentarily blocking the view of taxiway Papa and the runway. Pilots, friends, and families at nearby tables laugh and talk in low voices about their arrival experiences, how they spent the previous night, or formulate plans in anticipation of the day ahead. I am at a point in my life where there is no compelling need for me to buy stuff, but I want to walk through the Fly Market anyway. It would be a challenge to attempt to describe the Fly Market. Like Las Vegas, it is better to counsel others to walk through it and see for themselves. If you are a pilot or builder, often you can find exactly what you are looking for. To everyone else, it is a swap meet/ garage sale; an outdoor museum; and a sort of an open- air Walmart, offering everything from flight suits, t-shirts, aviation books, sunglasses, one-of-a-kind aircraft parts, Ginsu knives, hand tools, massage chairs, toys, aviation apparel, bed pillows, and cookware. Whatever you are looking for, you will likely find it there. In 2020, EAA offered many virtual seminars and presentations to fill the void left by the forums and workshops that were dark and empty on the grounds. On-line is fine, but it is not the same. No aviation celebrities on stage or sitting just a few feet away from you when you are participating only with your laptop from home. No arriving flight of F-22 Raptors in full afterburner to drown out a presenter’s voice. You can (and do) miss out by not being there. Several years ago, I attended a talk on the Grumman A6 Intruder, the Navy’s primary attack aircraft until retired in 1997. I watched a gentleman come in and take a seat a few rows away from me. He had shoulder length, tied-back hair, and a long beard. He sported denim bib overalls and sandals. He could easily be mistaken for one of the Smith Brothers of cough drop fame or, if holding a guitar, a member of the band ZZ Top. I surmised he was connected with a commune and probably sold dope out of the trunk of his car. He must have become lost and just wandered in. The presenter, neat and trim, was a retired naval aviator who flew A6s off a carrier deck in Viet Nam. About half-way through the presentation, the guy in the bib overalls raises his hand. He proceeds to stand up and inform the audience that he was a Marine Corps pilot who flew A6s out of Da Nang. He wanted to correct a technical point the presenter made concerning the A6, as the presenter was apparently accurate when referring to the Navy’s aircraft, but inaccurate as it related to the Marines’ shore-based ops. Once I recovered from the shock, I recalled something about not judging a book by its cover. I remember taking the bus to the EAA Museum and the strangers you meet on the short commute. You can walk to the museum, but it is easier to make your way to the Bus Park and board the regularly scheduled transportation. Always 18 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE lines, but everyone is courteous and happy. On the bus, it was not unusual to discover that the young couple in front of me flew in from North Carolina, the older couple behind me flew in from New Mexico, and the two young men sitting across the aisle, wide-eyed and excited, are from Brazil on their first trip to Oshkosh. The museum during AirVenture is always a buzz of activity. It is an opportunity to re-connect with aviation’s and EAA’s histories, and to see close-up many airplanes that you may have little chance to ever to be as near to again. If the mid-day warmth and sticky humidity outside are taking a toll, the museum’s air-conditioned interior offers an enjoyable, short-term respite. I remember many years ago attending a talk by Oscar- winning actor and pilot, Cliff Robertson, in the Vette Theater. Alone, sitting casually on a stool on the bare stage, he entertained with stories about growing up in San Pedro, California, fellow actors he had worked with, his flying, and his poetry. North and west of the Warbirds area, hidden along Cap Avenue, the Aviation Explorer Base was unoccupied and unattended in 2020. Explorer Scouts and advisor volunteers did not welcome and host hundreds of their fellow Explorer Scouts in 2020. No brightly colored tents were pitched, no eagerly anticipated meals were served, and no tram pulled by a John Deere tractor to transport the Scouts around the grounds when they were not engaged in projects or activities or volunteering to push/park aircraft or control pedestrians at taxiway intersections. The memories, the friendships, the good times, that could have, and would have, been made that summer were lost. The Seaplane Base (96W), located on a photogenic bay on the west shore of Lake Winnebago, south of Oshkosh, stood quiet and green and ready in 2020, but the colorful Super Cubs, Cessnas, Lakes, de Havillands, and larger multiengine types, were not circling overhead or carving Winnebago’s placid waters that summer. They were elsewhere. The woods, always inviting for its shade, was silent, with only the faint humming of insects and the chirping birds who make their homes within. Out on the lake, a few motorboats in the distance pulled water skiers or returned from a morning’s fishing. If you went there in 2020, you would have found the moorings empty and the bay’s waters still. There are ghosts who attend Oshkosh each year. Not scary phantoms or frightful spooks of disasters or mayhem, but good and endearing memories of pilots who once were and are no more. They may have been someone’s mom or dad, a spouse, a brother, a son or a daughter, or a good friend. If you look closely when you are on the AirVenture grounds, you can see their ethereal images sitting on a bench enjoying ice cream on a typical hot, humid Oshkosh afternoon. You can see them on the flightline, excited about being there, and proudly discussing the work and long hours they put in to build or restore their airplanes. You can see them strolling through the EAA gift shops, searching for that perfect t-shirt, ball cap, or other souvenir. You can see them at Theater in the Woods enjoying the warm breeze in the company of friends while taking in the evening’s program. You can see them in Paul’s Woods, or Camp Scholler, or the North 40, relaxing on lawn chairs outside of their campers and tents, or sitting next to their airplanes, laughing, and talking late into the dark and gentle night. Some say, if you love airplanes, Oshkosh is airplane heaven. I plan on returning to that heaven again this year. EDITOR’S NOTE: Dean Zakos (Private Pilot ASEL, Instrument) of Madison, Wisconsin, is the author of “Laughing with the Wind, Practical Advice and Personal Stories from a General Aviation Pilot.” Mr. Zakos has also written numerous short stories and flying articles for Midwest Flyer Magazine and other aviation publications. DISCLAIMER: Mr. Zakos’ articles involve creative writing, and therefore the information presented may be fictional in nature, and should not be used for flight, or misconstrued as instructional material. Readers are urged to always consult with their personal flight instructor and others about anything discussed herein. Dean Zakos q JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 19 by Mark Baker AOPA President & CEO If there is one thing that’s constant in aviation, and in life, it’s change. Everything in general aviation continues to evolve and our industry continually moves forward with enhancements in technology, updates to rules and regulations, and ever- changing issues to track. AOPA continues to take a leading role in making sure that these areas of change evolve to help you—our members, and our fellow pilots and aircraft owners. We are managing several of these issues that will have a great impact on your freedom to fly—including airports and FBOs that want to charge outrageous and often hidden fees, and the move to a fully unleaded future (progress is being made!). As the year unfolds, one of the biggest measures of change in GA that we’ll both follow and advocate for is the shifting definition of the light sport category through the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC). MOSAIC will redefine general aviation, inviting more pilots to join us in the skies, and permitting more aircraft to be covered under the category. All in the name of expanding this great passion we share. We need strength in numbers. No doubt you heard the good news from the FAA last year that it’s finally taking measures to redefine light sport. For many, this conversation is long overdue, and now I am hearing from pilots and aircraft owners across the country asking where MOSAIC stands, and what it will mean to them. As I write this, the FAA is reviewing more than 1,400 comments to the MOSAIC notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)—including comments from us on your behalf. We applaud the FAA for taking this long-awaited and overdue action, and we are watching with great interest. With the work ahead of it, the FAA expects to issue the final rule around mid-2025, which will begin an approximate six-month implementation period. As much as MOSAIC will shape the category and greatly change GA, AOPA looked at the fine print (the proposal is more than 300 pages!). While MOSAIC is a great step forward, we want to make sure it goes far enough so that we can all realize the full potential of this change and represent the full steps we’ve been advocating for over many years now. We want to make sure that the legacy fleet of GA aircraft get their due through the new rule. Consider some of the significant changes that MOSAIC will bring to GA in expanding the definition of light sport: an increase of the light sport stall speed (clean) to 54 knots and raising the maximum airspeed to 250 knots calibrated. Retractable landing gear and controllable-pitch propellers would also be allowed, and the aircraft weight limit (currently 1,320 pounds) would be eliminated. Thanks in part to AOPA’s advocacy efforts, MOSAIC would expand the privileges of sport pilots flying light sport aircraft to include certain operations such as aerial work and product demonstrations. Sport pilots would also be allowed to fly at night, operating more capable aircraft, with appropriate instructor endorsements. Good news, yes. But we don’t think it goes far enough and we are busy working on that for you. Too many of the legacy GA fleet would not be covered, and that includes many aircraft that have been used to train pilots and get them into GA. For instance, the maximum 54-knot clean stall speed is too low. MOSAIC would allow a Cessna 182 to fly under the category, but not allow some PA–28 aircraft and other popular four-seat aircraft. AOPA recommends increasing the maximum stalling speed to 61 knots with safety enhancing devices, and at minimum an increase to 58 knots. We are pushing hard to get the rule revised to incorporate all four-seat aircraft that makes sense for the category. We need to protect many of the thousands of legacy aircraft that are taking to the skies today. MOSAIC is a great step forward that AOPA (and you) have been long advocating for. It makes strides that we have been working on with the FAA for years now, and we just need to see the rule go the distance and expand the category to where it should be. This will continue to be a major priority for AOPA over the coming year and no doubt you’ll read more in these pages and hear more from me as we travel across this great country. Blue skies! q Redefining “Light Sport” & Realizing The Promise of MOSAIC aopa.org 800-872-2672 Mark Baker 20 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Yasmina Platt © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved! Summer is here! The mountains are calling, and we must go… fly them! I have a proposal for you. Let’s fly to Benchmark Airport (3U7), spend a couple of nights (different comfort levels identified), and enjoy some outdoor activities. Where is 3U7 you ask? Montana’s Lewis and Clark National Forest, 80 miles west of Great Falls. The airport is owned and operated by the U.S. Forest Service and is only open in the summer. Runway 12/30 is a 6,000 x 100 ft is paved and sits at an altitude of 5,434 feet MSL. It is important to take a look at the information in the Chart Supplement ahead of time to plan accordingly: 1) Mountains parallel east and west of the airport, 2) the runway is subject to moderate to severe crosswinds and turbulence, 3) Runway 30 is recommended for departures if conditions permit, 4) Runway 12 rises uphill 120 feet with rising terrain beyond, and 5) there are no services. Want to camp out and watch the night sky? There are two campgrounds on the west side of the airport: 1) Benchmark Campground on the northwest end that is often used by campers, and 2) Van Deriet Campground or “The Fly-In Campground,” as it is also known, on the southwest end, with an aircraft parking area. There’s also a good chance you can camp by your aircraft, if you prefer. Prefer to stay in a cabin? Benchmark Wilderness Guest Ranch is within walking distance of the airport. But, if you’re looking for something more private, rustic and off the grid, USFS’s Kenck Cabin is about 2.5 miles north of the airport and may be perfect for you. The outdoor activities are endless: fishing, hiking, hunting, horseback riding, stargazing… You may find me hiking up to the Patrol Mountain Lookout in the adjacent Bob Marshall Wilderness by following Trail Number 213. It’s about 12 miles roundtrip with 2,845 ft of elevation gain from the airport. It’s not an Summer Is Made For Flying & The Great Outdoors DestinatiOns DestinatiOns 22 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE easy hike, but the views and seeing the historic lookout are worth it! I also want to share some Montana travel tips to consider: bring bear spray, a bottle of water with an integrated filter so you can refill at any stream, clothing for a mixture of weather conditions, and keep in mind all food must be out of sight in approved containers once onsite. Have extra time to explore some more? Continue north towards Glacier National Park or other areas in northwest Montana! My website (https://airtrails.weebly.com/ montana) has some suggestions for you. Fly safe and fly often! (See if you can see the lookout from the air on your way in or out!) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yasmina Platt’s full-time job has her planning the future of aviation infrastructure for Joby’s electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. She also writes an aviation travel blog called “Air Trails” (www.airtrails.weebly.com), in addition to articles on pilot destinations for Midwest Flyer Magazine. Pilots can locate articles Yasmina has written by going to www.MidwestFlyer.com and typing “Yasmina” in the search box, or by going to the “Archives” section, then “Columns,” then “Destinations.” DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this column is the expressed opinion of the author only, and readers are advised to seek the advice of their personal flight instructor and others, and refer to the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, and instructional materials before attempting any procedures that may be discussed herein. Source: U.S. Forest Service Yasmina Platt q Source: FAA, https://aeronav.faa.gov/visual/11-30-2023/PDFs/Great_Falls.pd JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 23 Dick Weeden – 1932-2024 Pilot, Aircraft Technician & Inspector, Family Man, Leader and Friend EAA Chapter 431 charter member and first president, Richard (Dick) Marvin Weeden, passed away May 7, 2024, at the age of 91. A celebration of life took place at the Kelch Aviation Museum at the Brodhead, Wisconsin airport (C37), where Weeden worked as an aircraft technician and inspector for most of his adult life. Weeden was born July 1, 1932, in Beloit, Wis. to Marvin and Bessie (Opsahl) Weeden, the oldest of five kids. Always fascinated with aviation, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1952 during the Korean Conflict. He served as an aircraft instrument mechanic at Pinecastle Air Force Base in Orlando, Florida, working on B-47s, F-86s, and other top line aircraft of the time. He enjoyed this period of his life immensely and traveled the world on several tours of duty. At age 16, Weeden took his first flying lessons at the South Beloit, Wisconsin airport in a brand-new Piper Cub. He eventually obtained his Private Pilot Certificate in 1976, and attended Blackhawk Technical Institute in Janesville, where he received his Airframe & Powerplant Certificate with Inspection Authorization, something that he used daily for the rest of his life. According to his instructor, Archie Henkelmann, Dick Weeden was by far his best student in the more than 33 years Henkelmann taught. “Every day was a pleasant experience having Dick in my class,” said Henkelmann. Dick Weeden met his future wife, Pauline “Polly” Beischel, in 1954 at the North Central Airlines ticket counter at Midway Airport in Chicago. Polly worked there as a ticket agent, and Dick was trying to hitchhike home on a flight to Beloit. A ticket cost $9.55. and Dick had exactly $10 in his pocket. After a long-distance courtship through letters and visits, through moves and deployments, Dick proposed and they were married on August 11, 1956, in Beloit. In 1957, the Weedens had their first child, Thomas, followed by Michael, Mary, James, William, and Patrick. They moved to Brodhead in 1969, and that’s when Weeden began to play a huge part in putting Brodhead on the map in the worldwide aviation community. Weeden worked as a tool and die maker for Warner Electric Brake & Clutch Company in Beloit for 26 years, and for Knight Manufacturing (now Kuhn North America) as a model maker for another 19 years. In 1996, he retired to start his own machine shop in his hangar at the Brodhead Airport, where he continued to make custom parts for customers around the country. He was a master craftsman and aircraft restorer. Weeden was one of the founders of the current Brodhead Airport by organizing a now-legendary meeting in his living room in 1972 to arrange for the purchase of the airport and its conversion into a shareholder-owned, public-access facility. He was a charter member and served as the first president of Chapter 431 of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and instrumental in organizing the annual fly-ins that take place at the airport to this day. Dick Weeden and his family built one of the first modern hangars at the airport in 1974, when he started Weeden Aviation, an aircraft and engine maintenance shop. Though he worked on all kinds of aircraft, his specialty was vintage aircraft. He built and restored numerous aircraft and was especially proud of his scratch-built Pietenpol Air Camper, and his 1935 Rearwin Sportster 7000, which he rebuilt from almost nothing to an award-winning showplane. Weeden gave hundreds of airplane rides over his lifetime, and influenced pilots, mechanics, and restorers from all over the world through both example and encouragement. Old cars and trucks were a later love, and his restored 1949 Chevy Carryall – “just like the one I drove in the Air Force” – was a regular at area car shows. In retirement, Dick Weeden continued to enjoy aviation and the airport. Highlights included a trip to Australia in 1996 to visit friends from the international aerobatics team, an Honor Flight to Washington, DC for veterans, annual trips to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and always the fly-ins at Brodhead Airport. Dick Weeden is survived by his wife of 67 years, Polly, and children Thomas (Lesa) of Dodgeville, Wis.; Michael (Joanne) of Abilene, Texas; Mary of Verona, Wis.; James (Lisa Braley) of Blanchardville, Wis.; William (Jeni Shogren) of Albany, Wis.; and Patrick (Tracey Nelson) of Oregon, Wis., plus a large number of grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a wide community of extended family and aviation friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Don (Patricia) and David, and sisters Jeannine (Dan) Johnson and Carol (Paul) Brom, all of Beloit. A private funeral was held, with a public celebration of life on May 17, 2024, at the Kelch Aviation Museum at the Brodhead Airport. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations for a future memorial at the airport. For additional information, email Pat Weeden at pweeden@kelchmuseum.org q Dick Weeden flying his 1935 Rearwin Sportster 7000 Mike Pfizer Photo 24 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Ryan E. Gaug, Director It is truly an honor to be writing my second annual MnDOT update from the aeronautics director’s “seat.” I’m also excited to share that in April 2023, I was offered the director position permanently, thus removing the “interim” from my title. After immediately accepting, our team has been going full throttle ever since (and to be fair, our great team was in that mode well before I was offered the job). Like last year, MnDOT Aeronautics remains very focused on our workforce transition. One major update from this time last year – for the first time our office leadership team is fully staffed and in permanent positions. We now have full- time, permanent assistant directors and a dedicated supervisor for each of our work sections. This is a major milestone in our transition. If you’re ever wondering whom to contact about what, visit our MnDOT Aeronautics contacts page: mndot.gov/aero/contacts. As I write this update, the 2024 legislative session is in full swing and several interesting aviation-related bills have been introduced to date. Those bills cover topics ranging from a bonding program for airports not eligible for federal funding to roadable aircraft (a.k.a. “flying cars”), and we are eagerly tracking these and many other proposals. The flying car concept, while fascinating, is not new. Yet it does represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential new aircraft we may see in the National Airspace System in the next 5 to 10 years. To that end, we’re looking to get more engaged in the conversations surrounding these and other new aircraft types in the coming year. Speaking of legislative sessions, last year’s legislature provided historic levels of new funding for our aviation priorities. In addition to our annual $25 million appropriation, the legislature provided an additional $36 million to leverage additional federal aviation funding, $15 million to modernize Minnesota’s system of Automated Weather Observation Systems (AWOS), and $7 million to modernize MnDOT’s fleet of utility aircraft. The $7 million allocation towards the upgrade of MnDOT's fleet of utility aircraft is crucial for transporting maintenance personnel, and essential parts, and facilitating the modernization of aviation equipment and infrastructure across Minnesota's airports. Nationally, much of the legislative focus remains on the increasingly overdue FAA reauthorization and funding needs of the nation’s airports, including Minnesota’s. At a recent conference hosted by the National Association of State Aviation Officials, I had the opportunity to hear directly from the new FAA Administrator, Michael Whitaker. While he’s got a lot on his plate, it was a welcomed gesture that he spent time with Aeronautics Directors from across the country to understand our priorities and share some of his. With any luck, by the time this goes to print, we’ll have a new five-year authorization in our hands. Closer to home, the Minnesota State Aviation System Plan is now fully adopted and we’re proud of the progress we’re making in replacing some antiquated IT systems that are customer-focused, including our aircraft registration system. Minnesota is also now home to five FAA-approved weather camera locations across the state with the possibility of more to come. You can find the five locations on the FAA’s website here: https://weathercams.faa.gov/. Finally, it is worth highlighting some important work being done by an ad hoc group that is focused on transitioning Minnesota to PFAS- free firefighting foams at our airports, in accordance with state law. I’m grateful for the broad participation from the many individuals and entities working on this complicated transition. Thank you all for taking some time to read this annual update, and for everything you do for aviation. I look forward to strengthening our partnerships with all of you – and throughout the industry in the coming years. MnDOT Aeronautics Update Ryan Gaug q JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 25 by Julie Carr MnDOT Aeronautics – Business Section In Minnesota, all aircraft are registered with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, through MnDOT Aeronautics. There are more than 9,200 registered aircraft in Minnesota, including airplanes, balloons, and drones, active and unairworthy aircraft. Once an aircraft is registered in Minnesota, the owner receives a certificate as proof of registration. By law, aircraft must be registered within 20 days of purchase if the aircraft is based in Minnesota. Aircraft registration is required to be renewed every year by July 1, and aircraft registration must be paid in full by July 10 to avoid late fees. Paying online is the easiest way to renew aircraft registrations in Minnesota. Aircraft owners who pay by electronic check also save time and postage, as there are no fees for electronic checks. There is a fee for using a credit card. Funds from aircraft registration are used to support Minnesota’s excellent network of public airports, seaplane bases and aviation systems. All aviation-related taxes, including registration, go into the State Airports Fund (SAF). The SAF pays for airport maintenance and operations, airport equipment, NAVAIDs, project funding for Minnesota public airports and airport inspections. SAF funds are also used to match a portion of federal funds to National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) airports. New online registration and payment system launched in March. At the end of March 2024, MnDOT Aeronautics launched a new online payment system. There will also be numerous enhancements throughout the year. The goal is to create a single self-service online portal that makes it more convenient to register aircraft, pay any fees or taxes due, and provide any supporting information. The new online registration and payment system is also designed to increase efficiencies on the backend, which will help reduce the time it takes to process and complete registrations. And, MnDOT Aeronautics’ aircraft registration team will be available to answer your questions as we transition to the new system. You can get more information and set up your new aircraft registration account at mndot.gov/aero/aircraftregistration. q New aircraft registration system provides one-stop service online Meet your aircraft registration team: (L to R) Leanne, Maggie, and Jana are here to provide support and answer any questions as you register your aircraft. 26 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Dave Weiman It is tradition to rotate the annual Minnesota Airports Conference around the state to different host airports and communities. Last year, the conference was held in Alexandria, Minnesota. This year the conference was held at the Breezy Point Resort in Breezy Point, Minn., April 24–26, 2024. The conference features experts in aviation and aerospace who share their knowledge in a variety of sessions and presentations. The conference aims to deliver the most up-to-date and advanced information for Minnesota aviation professionals, especially airport managers, fixed base operators, and state and federal aviation officials. The whole idea of the conference is to exchange ideas on funding, trends, airport management, operations, maintenance, and best practices, and to recognize accomplishments. Conference highlights included a keynote presentation by best-selling author Ross Bernstein about the DNA of what makes champions in sports so unique and how that relates to business. Other speakers included former state legislator Mike Beard of Bollig Engineering; Dave Beaver of Owatonna Degner Regional Airport; Ryan Gaug, Kirby Becker, Casey Carlson, Tim Jarvis, Arika Johnson, and Jim McCanney of the MnDOT Office of Aeronautics; Joseph Block of Crown Consulting; Zach DeVeau of Kimley-Horn; Nicole Harris of the FAA Airports Division; Ben Melin, Andy Smuder and Nick Thoennes of Neo Electrical Solutions; Brian Ryks of the Metropolitan Airports Commission; Rob Sims of Mead & Hunt; Ann Johnson Stewart of Professional Engineering Services; Lindsay Terry of FAA’s Airport Division Office; Bill Towle of St. Cloud Regional Airport; and Andrew Wall of South St. Paul Municipal Airport. General session topics included airport funding challenges and successes, statewide priorities in the Minnesota State Aviation System Plan (MnSASP), advanced air mobility, connecting with the state legislature to influence decision-making, and more! Concurrent sessions were held on airfield lighting, airport improvement program (AIP) funding for multiple runways, 5010 focus areas, and emergency response. Airport project award recipients included Jackson Municipal Airport for “Project of the Year - Intermediate Small GA Airport” for its runway, taxiway, and apron improvements (HDR, consultant, Svoboda Excavating, Inc., contractor); Fillmore County Airport for “Project of the Year - Intermediate Large GA Airport” for its terminal building construction (SEH, consultant, Wieser Brothers General Contractor, Inc.); and Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport for “Project of the Year – Commercial Service Airports” for its new airport rescue, firefighting, and snow removal equipment facility (Mead & Hunt, consultant.) The chair of the Minnesota Council of Airports is Pam Schroeder of Fillmore County Airport in Preston, Minn.; Andrew Wall of South St. Paul Municipal Airport is vice chair; and Kyle Christiansen of Bemidji Regional Airport is secretary/treasurer. Mark Knoff is executive director. The conference is organized by the Minnesota Council of Airports and the Minnesota Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics, and facilitated by the University of Minnesota Airport Technical Assistance Program (AirTAP). The 2025 Minnesota Airports Conference will be held April 23-25 in Mankato. A Report On The 2024 Minnesota Airports Conference The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) holds its annual meeting during the Minnesota Airports Conference, and presents its scholarships at that time. Receiving the MATA Scholarships were Augie Gulbranson of Brandon, Minnesota, and Alex Flaten of Rush City, Minn. Gulbranson has been training at Alexandria Aviation in Alexandria, Minn., and Flaten has been training at Hawk Aviation in Rush City. Gulbranson is a freshman at Alexandria College, and Flaten is a sophomore at Rush City High School. Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Annual Meeting Ryan Gaug Dave Weiman Photo The board of directors of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association. Dave Weiman Photo at Our airPOrts q JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 27 In applying for the scholarship, Augie Gulbranson wrote: “The image of a pilot has always been stuck in my head. Dressing up as a fighter pilot for Halloween was almost a tradition as a little boy with big aspirations. The first knowledge of flying came from my grandfather who flew the Airbus A320 for Northwest Airlines in a span of more than 30 years. Growing up he would always show me his logbooks and his flight bag and all the materials he was required to have in his possession daily, while working. Beginning in middle school, my interest was sparked in possibly different careers other than aviation that I could receive education in the Alexandria community. As middle school was coming to an end and a new chapter of my life – high school – was beginning, I began thinking as to what career I wanted to pursue. Business was always in the back of my mind, and I always took an interest in financing and how it can help me in the future, along with my passion flying! During high school, I started to do some research on where I was going to pursue my dream of becoming an airline pilot while getting a separate degree in finance at the same time. I toured a couple of schools in which I could do both, including Mankato State and UND. After touring Mankato and going with my gut, I started to do a little more research on what my hometown of Alexandria could offer me. As it turned out, Alexandria Technical and Community College and Alexandria Aviation was the right combination for my current situation. I was fortunate enough to get hired at Alexandria Aviation as a line technician. For a young college kid with a passion for flying and in general loves being around airplanes, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. It is truly a blessing to interact with my co-workers and instructors and be surrounded by a great group of people with the same interests as mine, as I progress through my ratings. I would like to thank you for reading my letter and the opportunity to be considered an aviation scholarship candidate to help further my aviation career. Augie Gulbranson MATA Board members, Kreg Anderson of Alexandria Aviation (left) and Mark Schwichtenberg of St. Cloud Aviation (right), present a MATA Scholarship Certificate to Augie Gulbranson of Brandon, Minnesota. Dave Weiman Photo 28 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE In applying for the scholarship, Alex Flaten wrote: Hello, my name is Alex Flaten and I am applying for the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) Scholarship. I still remember my first flight. I was about 4 years old when my parents took my brother and me to the fly-in/drive-in that was being held at the Rush City Airport. My mom was able to book us a flight on a helicopter, a 20-minute ride that changed my life. About a year later, I went on my first commercial flight and the pilot allowed me to have a quick look at the cockpit. I was hooked and knew I wanted to become a pilot. In January 2023, I took ground school with instructor Jay Valex at Hawk Aviation. I found the class very interesting, and Jay was a very good instructor and told us some great flying stories. Mark Nelson was also a mentor after I finished the class and worked with me to pass the written exam. I passed in May 2023 and have been working with Dave Gunderson on my flight training. I took my first solo flight in early December 2023. I am a 10th grader at Rush City High School, with a GPA of 3.95. I am involved in football, track, and golf. I am also on the student council and serve as vice president, and president of the Leos Club, which is sponsored by the Lions of Rush City. As a member and president of the Leos Club, I volunteer many hours in Rush City. I attend First Lutheran Church and am a member of the praise band on Sunday mornings. After high school, I plan on attending North Dakota State University and majoring in Aviation. With encouragement from my parents, I was able to start my dream to become a pilot in January 2023. I work at the Rush City Aquatic Center, as a lifeguard in the summer to earn money for school. I hope to be awarded the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) Scholarship to help with my dream and continue flight training. Alex Flaten Speaking at the annual meeting was former Minnesota Legislator and MATA Board member, Mike Beard, who gave members a briefing on current Minnesota legislation. Ryan Gaug, Director of the MnDOT Office of Aeronautics, briefed members on current initiatives in his office, and concerns including Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as 'the forever chemicals' due to their persistence in the environment and having been linked to various adverse health effects. PFAS chemicals have been used in aviation as a fire retardant. New laws are intended to band PFAS chemicals, but nothing yet has been suggested to replace them. Elections were held with Mark Nelson of Hawk Aviation continuing as President; Joe LaRue of Prairie Air continuing as Vice President; Nancy Grazzini-Olson of Thunderbird Aviation and Academy College continuing as Treasurer; and Kreg Anderson of Alexandria Aviation continuing as Secretary. Other directors include Mark Schwichtenberg of St. Cloud Aviation; Tracie Walter of Bemidji Aviation; Joe Birkemeyer of NorthPoint Aviation; and Dave Weiman of Midwest Flyer Magazine. The board welcomed Tyler Brimmer of Klick Brimmer PLLC to the board. Gene DePalma is Executive Director. Fixed base operators and vendors are encouraged to join MATA. Visit https://www.mata-online.org/ or call Gene DePalma at 651-343-5986. EDITOR’S NOTE: What would an airport conference be without visiting the host airport – in this case, “Breezy Point Airport – Muller Field.” The airport is named after U.S. Army Viet Nam veteran and former St. Paul business owner, Cliff Muller. Cliff is the airport manager and an active GA pilot and aircraft builder. NOTAM: Breezy Point Airport is a private airport and pilots must call Cliff before landing: 218-838-3434. The airport hosts a fly-in and classic car show each year called “Breezy Point Aviation Day,” which is free to all visitors, including the food and beverages! This year’s event was held May 4, 2024 (www.breezypoint.com). Mike Beard Dave Weiman Photo MATA Board members, Kreg Anderson of Alexandria Aviation (left) and Mark Schwichtenberg of St. Cloud Aviation (right), present a MATA Scholarship Certificate to Alex Flaten of Rush City, Minnesota. Dave Weiman Photo q JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 29 Breezy Point Airport manager, Cliff Muller, in his home hangar in Breezy Point, Minnesota. A BD5J microjet, once owned by 1980 World Aerobatic Champion, Leo Loudenslager, and his “Bud Light Air Force,” is displayed above. Dave Weiman Photo Cliff Muller was a radio specialist in the U.S. Army during Viet Nam. Dave Weiman Photo Aviation artist “William S. Phillips” gave Cliff Muller this autographed painting called “Boots On The Ground,” showing what combat was really like in Viet Nam, which Muller knew only so well. Huey helicopters provided machine gun cover for troops after dropping them off. Dave Weiman Photo (L/R) U.S. General William Westmoreland thanked Cliff Muller for his service. Dave Weiman Photo 30 JUNE/JULY 2024 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE by Rod Kleiss Imoved my gear business from Minnesota to Grantsburg, Wisconsin in 2004 because I needed more space, and at the time Wisconsin offered a greater incentive for small businesses to relocate in the state. A failed business in Grantsburg left a relatively new 14,000 square foot factory available for a very good price, making my decision to relocate there an easy one. As the years went by, I decided that I really should get involved in the community, so I joined the village board in 2013 and received a warm welcome. The first two years were fairly uneventful, but as time went on, the board no longer wanted to support the library, the swimming pool, and were happy to leave the tennis court in poor condition. Some of us supported those services as necessary for the well-being of our children and convinced the village to at least support some of them. During my second term on the board, the issue of its airport – Grantsburg Municipal Airport (KGTG) – came up. There seemed to be a consensus that it was virtually unused and should probably be closed, suggesting that Burnett County Airport (KRZN) in Siren, Wisconsin, located 12 miles away, could serve both communities. I was not a pilot at the time, but my dad had been a dive-bomber pilot off the “USS Enterprise” during World War II, so I felt somewhat connected and offered to see what might be done to preserve our airport. The first thing I did was to go out to the airport and assess its condition. There was no doubt it had deteriorated. Some of the hangars were well maintained, but the runway and tarmac looked the worse for wear, and the airport administration building was marginal at best. The next time I went out there, one of the hangar owners was working on his airplane and I spoke with him. He loved the airport and was disappointed with the lack of support from the village. He introduced me to some of the other pilots and offered to take me up for a ride which I accepted. It didn't take long for me to realize that general aviation was very, very cool, and I started to think about getting my pilot's license. At the same time, I started looking into how airports were funded. I learned about “entitlement funds” – and fuel sales and hangar rentals – and the state and federal support available to airports. I spoke with officials at the Wisconsin DOT Bureau of Aeronautics about its support and started learning how our airport had been neglected and abandoned by the village years ago. I started to learn how other airports were an integral part of their communities and considered necessary and beneficial economically. Airports around us – Rush City, Siren, Osceola, Cumberland, Rice Lake – are all supported by their local communities and considered tremendous assets. I was confused as to why the Village of Grantsburg did not recognize the inherent value of its airport. First things first… We needed to improve the appearance of the airport. With the help of concerned citizens, we repainted the terminal building and replaced the windsock. The cooperation we received was very encouraging and everyone seemed fond of the airport. We then held a fly-in with Young Eagles flights and a pancake breakfast. Again, lots of local interest