The idea started as “we should take our wives to the musical in Medora,” then turned into “we should invite some friends.” After that, it’s not clear where the idea went. There was flying, golf for some, card playing, singing, dancing, and a cold beverage.

The event “Fly to Beach” was largely organized by Larry Mueller from Hillsboro, ND. He brought along Ron Lundquist of Kindred, ND, so in case it was a total bust, he could blame someone else other than himself.

As it turned out, the trip turned out to be a great time and a resounding success! To give you an idea how many airplanes flew in, all the tie downs at the Beach Airport were taken, the transient hangars were gone, and Karl Davis, the friendly airport manager, was kept busy shuttling loads of people back and forth to the Beautiful Buckboard Inn in Beach!  The musical was fantastic, the pitchfork fondue was tasty, and the group was even recognized at the show. 

The weather was the real hero for the trip, as the whole country had been experiencing smoke filled skies, but ended up clearing for the whole weekend.  

Stay tuned for adventures next summer that these two aviators cook up!

The Bowman Regional Airport (BWW) recently hosted a Fly-In and Poker Run, which included supper and bombing competition on June 26, 2021. Thirteen airports across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana were involved. New Town Airport and Bison Airport hosted breakfasts, and Bowman Regional Airport hosted supper. Cash prizes were awarded to five-card and seven-card poker run winners, as well as bomb competition winners.  Door prizes and kid prizes were also awarded. A basic medical/ FAA Physicals presentation was given by a Bismarck doctor.

Despite rain showers in the areas, some 38 aircraft landed at BWW. Another highlight was the arrival of a United States Air Force Huey helicopter, coming from Colorado Springs and heading to Minot Air Force Base. Everyone enjoyed the crew tours, night goggles, equipment, and interior. Due to weather, the crew spent the night and headed out the next morning.

The BWW Airport Manager, Brent Kline, commented that “After the lockdowns of 2020, aviators were eager to hit the airways again. We look forward to the 2022 Fly-In and Poker Run!”

Looking for a fun place to visit this fall? Check out Tioga, ND, the Oil Capital of North Dakota!

Here are a few local attractions to explore:

Drone Camp for Kids

Tioga is home to a free drone camp for kids each August. It is a two day program that teaches aerodynamics, principles of flight, and aviation career opportunities. Visit their website to learn more.

Hours: August 2022 dates TBA

Website: www.tiogand.org/drone-camp

Norseman Museum

The Norseman  Museum is proud to be the curator and historian of Tioga. With over 400,000 artifacts, exhibits cover the history of local churches, farming and ranching, schools, military, Native Americans, oil and gas, and the railroad. 

Hours: Sat and Sun, 2pm to 5pm

Address: 108 Welo St N, Tioga, ND 58852

Website: www.facebook.com/norsemanmuseum

If you work up an appetite while exploring Tioga, here are a few dining recommendations:

AJ Cafe

Italian American dining for every occasion. Menu includes chicken, pasta, wine, burgers, and beers. 

Hours: Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-8pm, Mon-Fri 10am-10pm

Address: 121 Gilbertson St N, Tioga, ND 58852

Website: www.ajcafend.com 

Red Moose Coffee Hus

A unique, downtown coffee shop offering a variety of coffee beverages, along with fruit smoothies, teas, chai and Redbull infused beverages coined “Northern Lights.”

Hours: Sat & Sun 9:30am-5:30pm, Mon-Fri 7am-7pm

Address: 102 Main St N, Tioga, ND 58852

Website: www.redmoosecoffeehus.com

Please visit these locations’ websites to confirm hours and availability. 

Do you have a favorite attraction to explore or a dining recommendation at your North Dakota airport to share with our readers? Submit your discoveries to editor@fly-nd.com.  

By Ryan Thayer, Executive Director/CEO, Fargo Air Museum

As we approach the end of the year and take a look at the year of 2021, the Fargo Air Museum has many  things to be grateful for. We added two different youth camps this year, STEAM and  Introduction to Aviation, as well as an adult education series, History Nights. Look for even more education expansion in 2022!

We have new exhibits featuring the Blue Angels and our Military Spotlight exhibit to help  celebrate each and every military branch. The museum has two new interactive exhibits! We  received a North Dakota Main Street grant and a very generous donation from the Warren B.  and Irene O. Diederich Fund to be able to finish and open our virtual reality flight simulator lab in June. I-Sight Drones also donated a new drone cage and mini drones to fly. As members, you can get free time in the flight simulator lab and in the drone cage! Make sure to check them  both out.

And probably the most exciting news of all is the continued restoration of the BT-13 and a new  restoration project, the Stinson Reliant. The remaining pieces of the Stinson Reliant have  arrived at the museum after spending many years at the Casselton Regional Airport. We are  eagerly looking forward to starting the restoration process on this incredible vintage aircraft.  The Stinson Reliant V-77 Gullwing is a gorgeous single-engine, five-seat, high-wing monoplane,  powered by a radial engine. It was developed as a civilian sports and executive aircraft in the  mid-1930’s and was popular in the private and commercial market in the U.S. and overseas.  The United States Air Forces in WWII used it as a utility aircraft, designated UC-81 and as a  trainer designated AT-19. After the war, they were sold on the civilian market as the Vultee V-77.  The V-77 was a spartan version of the SR-10 with the 300 horsepower Lycoming R680-E3B engine, a single door on the left side, and the traditional “bump” cowl was replaced with a simpler smooth cowl. It is an amazing, historic aircraft that we plan to restore to an airworthy condition. We are currently looking for volunteers to help with its restoration! 

We are very thankful for all our sponsors, donors, friends, staff, our Board of Directors, and the  community for all your support! We could not have a special place like the Fargo Air Museum  without your support. So on behalf of all of us at the Fargo Air Museum, we would like to say  thank you for all your help and support! 

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Ryan Thayer is the Executive Director/CEO of the Fargo Air Museum. He has been involved with aviation since birth, received his solo license at 16, and his private pilot’s license at 18 from the University of North Dakota, as well as an Entrepreneurship Degree. He has always been passionate about aviation and business and is thrilled to be able to pursue both of his passions at the Fargo Air Museum. 

Congratulations! 

Hunter Anderson, Central High Grand Forks

Sponsored by: UND

Neil Baccay, Williston High

Sponsored by: Overland Aviation

Zoe Bundy, Fargo Davies

Sponsored by: Dakota Territory Air Museum & Fargo Jet

Jace Leshuk, Hillsboro High

Sponsored by: Ron/Leah Lundquist

Ali Moses, Thompson High

Sponsored by: Dakota Territory Air Museum & UND

Christian Riexinger, Magic city campus high

Sponsored by: Minot Aerocenter

Brian Wright, W Fargo Sheyenne High

Sponsored by: Dakota Territory Air Museum & NDAA

An amendment included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would reverse the FAA’s sudden change in flight training policy for certain types of aircraft garnered approval from the House of Representatives on September 23.

The bipartisan amendment put forward by Reps. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Kai Kahele (D-Hawaii) clarifies that a flight instructor providing student instruction, flight instruction, or flight training shall not be deemed to be operating an aircraft carrying persons or property for compensation or hire.

“This is an important first step toward a solution to the FAA’s misguided interpretation on flight training. The FAA did not heed the Committee’s bipartisan call to work toward a consensus solution in July, and now Congress is taking action,” said Graves. “I look forward to working with Rep. Kahele and our allies in both parties and both chambers to ensure that a legislative solution to the FAA’s new flight training guidance makes it into the final NDAA package.”

Kahele said, “I am pleased to cosponsor this bipartisan amendment with my colleague, Rep. Sam Graves. This important amendment will clear up the confusion associated with flight instruction for general aviation pilots and I look forward to working with the Senate to ensure it is signed into law.”

Although the amendment would restore what has been precedent for 60 years, the FAA’s ill-advised July 12 flight training directive currently requires operators of certain categories of aircraft to obtain a letter of deviation authority (LODA) in order to conduct flight training. According to the FAA, LODAs “prevent operators from broadly offering their aircraft for joyrides and other similar experiences under the guise of ‘flight training.’”

But the agency’s new policy has triggered an onslaught of backlash from AOPA and its members, as well as various stakeholders who believed it to be nothing more than red tape and paperwork exercises that do nothing to enhance safety—quite the opposite.

Even FAA Administrator Steve Dickson called the LODA a “four-letter word” and “document drill” at an EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021 forum, telling aviators, “I’m not any happier about this situation than you are.”

Thousands of general aviation pilots were put in regulatory noncompliance practically overnight—causing much confusion among the flying community. This uncertainty led AOPA to reach out to allies in Congress to fight for commonsense legislation.

On July 22, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Graves introduced the Certainty for General Aviation Pilots Act of 2021 in both chambers to address the issue. Subsequently, AOPA President Mark Baker launched a call to action to members urging them to reach out to their elected officials in Congress to support the legislation. This action, used sparingly but effectively by AOPA, resulted in a swift and strong response, with nearly 100,000 letters sent to members of Congress in a matter of weeks.

“We certainly appreciate the bipartisan effort on this and can’t thank Representative Sam Graves and Representative Kai Kahele enough for their work to quickly address this important safety issue.  We will continue to work with them as well as Senator Jim Inhofe and others to help move this to the president’s desk for signature,” said Baker.

The legislation is supported by AOPA, the Commemorative Air Force, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Flight School Association of North America, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Helicopter Association International, the International Council of Air Shows, the National Air Transportation Association, the North American Trainer Association, the National Business Aviation Association, and the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators.

Around 70 Soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment, departed Bismarck, N.D., en route to their nine-month mission in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Nov. 12, 2020. Some Soldiers drove their private vehicles while others traveled by UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from N.D. National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility in Bismarck, N.D. (National Guard photos and story by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs Office)

This past summer, four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters performed a flyover of Nationals Park stadium at the conclusion of the national anthem before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The trail aircraft is assigned to the N.D. National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment. 

The N.D. National Guard crew operated the trail aircraft in the formation and consisted of pilots Chief Warrant Officer 3 David Kilber and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dana Clifford; and crewchiefs Sgt. Zach Vollan and SGT Logan Maier. The trail position gave the N.D. Guard aviators the best vantage point of the formation allowing them to provide timely inflight correction instructions to adjust the other three aircraft’s spacing, speed, etc. during the flyover mission.

(National Guard story by Chief Warrant Officer 3 David Kilber, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment)

About 17 N.D. National Guard Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment returned home to North Dakota, Aug. 7, 2021. These Army aviators returned to airports in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot. The remainder of the company returned within a few weeks via privately owned vehicles and in Black Hawk helicopters. (National Guard story by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Highland, N.D. National Guard Public Affairs)

By The Staiger Consulting Group

“There’s something about the window seats. A place where you get lost in the realms of thoughts. “

-Rawat.sn

I love my Canadian friends, and I have missed the opportunity to visit them and their beautiful country over the last 18 months! August 9, 2021 was the day the Canadian border opened to air travel. So as soon as possible, I booked my flight for August 24. The trip came with a few extra hurdles, including COVID-19 testing in the US prior to my flight and again in Canada upon my reentry into the states. There was also an expensive and non-refundable ticket, as well as many moving and uncertain pieces. Nevertheless, I was anticipating an off-the-grid kayaking retreat with great friends in the Northwest Islands off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. I packed my passport, vaccination card, and my COVID-19 negative test results, and away I went – carrying all my gear on my back! I have never, ever done anything like this. 

If the last 18 months have taught me anything, it is to live your life now, try something new, take risks, and enjoy the ride! After travelling via commercial air travel to Vancouver, the real adventure began. I found my way to the local airport, home of a seaplane runway and the small aircraft that would take me to my next, remote destination. I had a few hours to spare, so I found a local eatery called “The Flying Beaver,” sat outside, and simply watched the seaplanes come and go every few minutes. I was in awe and felt like I had been transported to another world. At that moment, I could have turned around, come home, and called the trip a success! 

For the next leg of my adventure, I found myself in a small prop plane. As we ascended above the water, over majestic islands, with picturesque mountains surrounding us as the sun was beginning to set, I couldn’t help but get a little choked up at the beauty around me. I was so grateful to be able to discover this part of the world from this little airplane. I felt so close to nature and all its beauty. I was exhilarated for the adventures I’d already encountered and excited for what lay ahead. That breathtaking view and feeling in that moment washed away any trepidation. The next leg of the trip was on a water taxi to the remote location where I spent a week with friends exploring waters, wildlife, and nature from a kayak. 

Cheers to all of you adventure seekers out there. I hope the past 18 months have sparked a sense of exploration in you like it did in me and when you get the chance, say yes - hop aboard and explore! 

Wishing you clear skies ahead.

Stacy & Mike Krumwiede

It is exciting to see the aviation education opportunities available to our youth today. I believe that North Dakota does a very good job of exposing our youth to aviation careers and educational opportunities. I would like to share with you a brief update on the programs that are available in our state.

Let’s start with the opportunities for our younger students: the largest formal programs for our young students exist at our two air museums. Both the Fargo Air Museum and the Dakota Territory Air Museum offer youth educational camps, which range in length from a few hours to a few days and expose students to a variety of aviation concepts. Together, these camps provided nearly 1,500 students the opportunity to learn about the industry, including career opportunities for the future. In addition to these camps, a Drone Camp for Kids is offered annually in Tioga. This two-day camp shows students career opportunities in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), provides education about flying drones, and every student goes home with a free drone! 

The University of North Dakota will be hosting another community day on February 12, 2022, highlighting all that the university has to offer and providing a high energy event with lots of smiles. In addition to the formal camps that are offered around the state, students also have access to lots of less formal opportunities to become excited about aviation. Some of these events include air shows such as the Fargo AirSho, which included a STEM center and the XWA Fly-In and Airshow in Williston, as well as local fly-ins. I hope that you had a chance to bring a young person you know to one of these events or the many other events providing inspiration to our youth. Thank you to everyone who contributed your time and energy to these events, especially the pilots donating time and aircraft to flights through the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) Young Eagles or on your own.

Students in high school throughout our state have opportunities to enroll in career and technical aviation classes in many of our communities. Currently, face-to-face high school aviation education programs exist in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Williston, Kenmare (drone), and our newest program in Jamestown. Distance education is also available statewide through the Central Region Area Career and Tech Center, as well as the Center for Distance Ed. Through these programs, nearly every high school student has access to some form of aviation education. Along with the high school programs, the annual Fly-ND Career Expo is working to provide education, inspiration, and scholarship dollars to students in North Dakota. With more than 300 students enrolled in these programs, we have also seen an increase in the number of North Dakota students pursuing post-secondary aviation education at the University of North Dakota and other schools in our region.

I am often asked, “How do we get a high school aviation program in our community?” Typically, the first step is to have an informal conversation with your local school. If there is interest, please reach out to me and we can discuss the next steps. AOPA now has an excellent FREE curriculum for high schools and recently the EAA launched “Aeroeducate”, a curriculum for elementary teachers.

I hope that you will continue to expose youth in our state to the opportunities that are available. Together we can share the excitement of our industry and help students see the career and recreational opportunities available in aviation. 

Mike McHugh, Aviation Education Coordinator 

North Dakota Aeronautics Commission

701-328-9650 | mmchugh@nd.gov

The fifth annual Props & Hops fundraiser event was held at the Mandan Regional Airport - Lawler Field on October 7, 2021. The event took place on a beautifully warm and sunny evening in the Mandan Aero Center hangars and was open to the public. There were about 225 attendees, ranging from airport regulars to event sponsors to the local community, who enjoyed locally brewed beer, delicious home-cooked ribs, and live music from local artists Ben Suchy and Chuck Suchy. There was also an aircraft static display and silent auction. 

This year, all Props & Hops proceeds were dispersed amongst local Aircraft Technicians, actively working in the General Aviation industry and who live within 65 miles of the Bismarck/Mandan area. The selection committee chose to recognize Aircraft Technicians this year to appreciate them for the hard work they put in keeping aviation safe.  Aircraft Technicians being defined as individuals that actively work in positions as A&P Mechanics, Avionics Techs, Repairman, Restoration Specialist or Apprentice Technicians. 20 technicians were honored at the event and received a portable toolbox. The financial gift can be put towards tools or continuing education.

“Aircraft Mechanics go through a rigorous training program and work in the tough North Dakota weather to make sure all airplanes are safe; privately owned and commercial flights alike,” says Props & Hops committee member Dr. Danny Van Buskirk. “Their work often goes unnoticed because we don’t see just how hard they work. We just know that our airplanes make it safely to our destination. As a committee, we really wanted to bring to light how much these individuals contribute. Aircraft Mechanics are the unsung heroes of the aviation industry.” 

Props & Hops is a state and federally registered 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 2017. The organization’s mission is to bring positive attention to the aviation community by showcasing the benefits that the airport brings to local communities and raise funds for aviation related causes that are tied to Bismarck/Mandan and surrounding area. The organization designates a selection committee made up of five local aviators to determine an annual beneficiary within the surrounding aviation community. Props & Hops has been able to donate over $50,000 to selected causes over the years.

Here are a few of the local Aircraft Technicians, titled the unsung heroes of local aviation,  who were honored at the 2021 Props & Hops event:

Kent Picard, Chief of Maintenance, Basin Electric Power Cooperative

Q: Where are you from?

Redding, CA, a city at the North end of the Sacramento Valley, about 120 miles from Oregon.

Q: How long have you been an Aircraft Technician?

Since December of 1999

Q: What made you want to be an Aircraft Technician?

I always enjoyed working on mechanical equipment, aircraft were not on my radar but when the opportunity for school came up I was excited to head that direction and have enjoyed it.

Q: Where did you receive your training?

Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, OK

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an Aircraft Mechanic?

The people: aviation is a fairly small community and the people I have met and work with are very enjoyable.

Q: What is your favorite Aircraft?

Cessna Caravan, it is the ¾ ton truck of the sky.  It is reliable, comfortable, with plenty of room for maintenance. It is a simple aircraft to work on and can carry quite a bit.

Erik Peterson, Lead A&P Technician, Bismarck Aero Center  

Q: Where are you from?

Bismarck, ND

Q: How long have you been an Aircraft Technician?

A little over 15 years

Q: What made you want to be an Aircraft Technician?

I have always liked aviation and I am very mechanically minded, so I combined both and became an aircraft mechanic.

Q: Where did you receive your training?

I got my A&P certification at Westwood College of Aviation Technology in Broomfield, CO and received my B.S. in Aviation Management at UND. 

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an Aircraft Mechanic?

I like solving a problem that is very hard to figure out, usually one that other people have tried to figure out but could not. Also, getting called out to an airline where everyone is waiting to go and taking care of the issue and seeing everyone happy and relieved that they still get to leave on time.

Q: What is your favorite Aircraft?

Probably the Boeing 727. I used to work on them and I have always thought they were cool. Currently, my favorite aircraft to work on has become both the Cirrus SR20 and SR22.

John Martin, Senior Avionics Technician, Bismarck Aero Center

Q: Where are you from?

Bismarck, ND

Q: How long have you been an Aircraft Technician?

40 Years

Q: What made you want to be an Aircraft Technician?

Because I was a pilot, I wanted to own my own aircraft and I could afford it if I was able to do the maintenance myself.

Q: Where did you receive your training?

I got my training by working under an A&P mechanic in an aero club and in the U.S. Air Force.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an Aircraft Mechanic?

The love the challenges and making customers happy for the pride I take in my work.

Q: What is your favorite Aircraft?

My favorite aircraft is a F4U Corsair and the F14 Tom Cat.

Loran Urlacher, Director of Maintenance, Missouri Valley Aviation Management, LLC

Q: Where are you from?

New England, ND

Q: How long have you been an Aircraft Technician?

I started my career in January 1992. I have worked at BF Goodrich Aerospace, Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, Bismarck Aero Center, and MVAM.   

Q: What made you want to be an Aircraft Technician?

I grew up on a farm, where working on and fixing equipment was not an option but a requirement. As a senior in high school, I was on a commercial flight and during that flight I was inspired to work on aircraft.

Q: Where did you receive your training?

Dakota Aero Tech in Fargo, ND

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being an Aircraft Mechanic?

My favorite part is the feeling you get when you stand outside and watch the aircraft take off. The most rewarding aspect for me is that the ownership group allows and trusts me to maintain their aircraft which family/friends and coworkers fly on.

Q: What is your favorite Aircraft?

My favorite aircraft is one that isn’t broke! I really enjoy working on aircraft that require you to be a computer programmer and a technician. It is a whole different way of maintaining an aircraft, when you need to hook up your laptop to the aircraft and start troubleshooting.