MMMIIIDDDWWWEEESSSTTT FFFLLLYYYMAGAZINEEEERRR JUNE/JULY 2006 PPublliissheed FForr && BByy TThee MMiidwweesstt AAvviiattiionn CCommmmunniittyy SSiinccee 11978 J JA AERO AIRCRAFT SALES 630-584-3200 Husky Aircraft Sales Factory New Factory New Aviat Huskys Cessna Caravans J.A.J.A. AERO,AERO, INC.INC. DUPAGE AIRPORT – WEST CHICAGO, IL 630-584-3200 / www.jaaero.com [email protected] / [email protected] Factory Representation MN, WI, IL, MO YOUR SOURCE NEW! GPSMAP 396 w/Terrain, XM Weather & Music Chicago’s Premier General Aviation Service Center DuPage Airport (KDPA) – West Chicago, IL JA AIR CENTER • Maintenance • Avionics 800-323-5966 • Aircraft Sales • Instrument Shop 630-584-3200 • Handheld GPS’s • Aircraft Parts www.jaair.com DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport (KDKB) – DeKalb, IL After Hours GARMIN GPS Order Line • 630-306-7117 • FBO Services Elliott1Oct05ADS 9/29/05 4:05 PM Page 1 Fly The Best... Fly A Beechcraft! 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Dr. John Beasley Judy Peterson AWe want to challenge ourselves as aviators by Jim Bildilli Ben Redman refining our skills, whether that is in making precision, Bill Blake Greg Reigel Rose Dorcey Ray Rought smooth landings every time... staying current on instru- Robb Gessert Pete Schoeninger ments and maxing out the utility of our Garmins... get- Jim LaMalfa Jeffery Taylor ting type rated in different aircraft... learning aerobat- Ed Leineweber Tom Thomas ics... or obtaining advanced ratings and endorsements. Whether it is our dream to be a bush pilot, our love ADVERTISING PHONE: (608) 835-7063 of the out-of-doors, or our love and fascination with FAX: (608) 835-7063 how flying “used to be,” three forms of flying which E-MAIL: [email protected] are increasing in popularity are flying on floats, fly- WEBSITE: www.midwestflyer.com ue ing on skis, and flying taildraggers! g In this issue of MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE, you will ISSUE CLOSING DATES read about a new Light Sport Aircraft builder who is DEADLINE ISSUE building very affordable tailwheel aircraft that also work well on floats and November 1 December - January January 1 February - March (See article beginning on page 33.) dialo skis. Also, Curt Drumm of “Water Wings” March 1 April - May flight training explains what is involved in getting a seaplane endorsement. May 1 June - July (See article beginning on page 30.) July 1 August - September September 1 October - November For details on seaplane and tailwheel training, as well as aircraft sales, see JA Aero Aircraft Sales (page 2), Water Wings (page 6), Wausau Flying (page 13) (page 25) (page 31) COPYRIGHTS Service , Duffy’s Aircraft , Rare Aircraft , Cornell MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE is published bimonthly by Aero Works (page 34), Aeronautical Adventures (page 35), and Lakeshore Flyer Publications, Inc. with offices in Oregon, Wis. and Aviation and Adventure Seaplanes (page 54). Appleton, Minn. Copyright 2006 by Flyer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing in whole or in part may be This issue of MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE is also our “post-conference” issue, reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. featuring articles on what transpired at the Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois aviation conferences. What happened at these events affects all of us. (See arti- SUBSCRIPTIONS cles immediately following this editorial.) K $15 per year, or $25 for two years. DISTRIBUTION Readership consists principally of aircraft owners, fixed base operators, and airport management in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. MAIL ALL ORDERS & CORRESPONDENCE TO: MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE P.O. BOX 199 OREGON,WI 53575-0199 USA EXPRESS SHIPMENTS TO: MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 6031 LAWRY COURT OREGON,WI 53575-2617 USA JUNE/JULY 2006 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 5 D 2006 MeridianMeridian FAA/Minnesota Governor’s Award Presentation: (L/R) Chris Blum, Director, FAA Great Lakes Region; Kurt Claussen, Asst. Manager, Now Available with Avidyne Entegra Glass Rochester International Airport (RST); Steve Leqve, Manager, RST; Ardel Brede, Mayor, City of Rochester; Ray Rought, Director, MNDOT Office of Aeronautics; and Bill Towle, Manager, St. Cloud Regional Airport (emcee). CHICAGO Minnesota Council of Airports Requests www.dmfs.com www.chicagopiper.com State Lawmakers Return $15 Million To State Airports Fund Authorized Factory Sales & Service D WILLMAR, MINN. – Airport managers in Minnesota are Huge Piper Parts Inventory disappointed in Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and the Chris Siberz, Jack Peter, Willis Faux, & John G. Lowe state legislature first for borrowing $15 million from the Chicago (630) 466-9258 - Cell (630) 606-8338 State Airports Fund in 2003 in order to help balance the Des Moines (515) 256-5300 state’s general fund, and second, for not returning the Omaha (402) 753-0742 CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 If You Enjoy Boating, The Outdoors & Flying, You’ll Love Flying On Floats! 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For Details: www.seaplaneflying.com 920-901-2200 Member of Seaplane Pilots Associaton Primary, Commercial & Instrument Instruction Also Available 6 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE JUNE/JULY 2006 z Academy College of Aviation . 6 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Minnesota Petroleum Services . .18 Adventure Seaplanes . .54 Mooney Aircraft . .54 Aero Insurance, Inc. .28 & 41 Morey Airplane Company . .18, 50 & 54 Aeronautical Adventures, LLC . .35 Cirrus Aircraft . .51 NationAir Insurance Agencies . .41 Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association . .20 Columbia Aircraft . .51 & 54 National Air Transportation Ass’n . .41 Aircraft Propeller Service, Inc. .26 Cooper Engineering . .13 (The) New Piper Aircraft . 6 AircraftInsurance.com . .50 Cornell Aeroworks . .34 NewView Technologies, Inc. .17 & 41 airpac.com . .18 Cornell Airpark . .34 North Spirit Lake Lodge . .29 & 47 American Champion . .31 Dawley Aviation Corp. .41 OMNNI Associates . .33 Amstar Aviation Fuels . .33 Dekalb Taylor Municipal Airport . .15 Orr, Minnesota (Hangar Sites) . .50 ARMA Research, Inc. .50 Deke Slayton Airfest . .45 Pat O’Malley’s “Jet Room” Restaurant . .17 ASI Jet Center . .22 Des Moines Flying Service, Inc. 6 Phillips 66 . .26 & 50 Avemco Insurance Company . 3 Diamond Aircraft . .22 Price County Airport . .25 Avfuel Corporation . .51 & 54 DME Corporation . .30 R.C. Avionics . .10 Aviat Husky Aircraft . 2 Duffy’s Aircraft Sales & Leasing, Inc. .25 Racine Commercial Airport . .41 B2W/Win Air . .48 Duncan Avionics . .26 Rapco Fleet Support Services, Inc. .22 & 41 Basler Flight Services & Airlines . .26 E-Z