stateaviationjournal-nov-dec2010

STATE AVIATION JOURNALWildlife Control Program

Getting more bang for the buck!

Nov/Dec 2010Issue #8

Aircraft InsuranceAccident Forgiveness - Popular

program improves safety

Special FocusAviation in Kansas

Victor BirdRolling in Oklahoma

Bob KunkelFormer state director inducted into Wisconsin Aviation Hall Of Fame

State aviation Journal Aug/Sept 2010

Photo by Cheryl Leighton, Griswold, Iowa.Ms. Leighton’s photo won 1st Provisional in the Iowa Office of Aviation 2010 Photo Contest.

“Flying with us is a family affair!”

advertise in the State aviation Journal

For advertising rates contact Kim Stevens at

[email protected] or call 623-326-1125

State aviation Journal Aug/Sept 2010

Publisher/Editor/ Kim J. StevensGraphic Design/ Andrew StevensLayout Design/ Andrew StevensPhotography/ Kim Stevens Shahn Sederberg Advertising Sales/ Gary Ness

ContributingWriters Lara Jackson Gary Ness Andrea Brennan

On the Cover The cover photo was taken by Jason

Mrachina, Pleasant Hill, Iowa and won first place in the General Aviation category of the Iowa Office of Aviation 2010 Photo Contest.

Contents

From the Publisher......................................Page 4

Victor Bird...................................................Page 5

Wildlife Management & Control

Program......................................................Page 6-7

Wildlife and Airports..................................Page 7

Birds, Birds, Birds........................................Page 8-9

Focus on Kansas Aviation............................Page 10-16

GIS - Leveraging FAA Data..........................Page 17Aircraft Insurance - What’s right for you......Page 18, 19Kunkel - Wis Aviation Hall of Fame..............Pge 20, 21Wings Over Nebraska - a photo history......Page 22, 23

State aviation Journal Nov/Dec2010

From the Publisher

Ambassador for Aviation

My son Andrew and I have been privileged to know Bob and Carrol Kunkel of Wisconsin for many years. We were delighted to see that Bob was recently inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame. (See coverage on page 20) I’ve enjoyed many good memories of time spent with Bob and Carrol over the years, many of which have occurred at AirVen-

ture in Oshkosh. One particular time, which my son was particu-larly fond of, was a visit to the casket. Some of you will under-stand. Another event does stand out, however. In 1998 while director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, we hosted a regional aviation meeting in Valentine, Nebraska for state

aviation officials. Bob was on a cross-country bicycle trip from Wisconsin to Oregon with Carrol driving the RV behind him. He timed it just right to join us. Bob said, by the way, that it was the only NASAO meeting that he had ever ridden to on his bike. The day after the meeting I had arranged for Bob, Carrol, Andrew and I, to take a guided canoe trip down the Niobrara River. Throughout his aviation career, Bob Kunkel has been an ambassador for aviation, not just in Wiscon-sin, but wherever his travels have taken him. Even to the Sandhills of Nebraska.

Insurance

Although a pilot for many years, I’ve never owned an aircraft and therefore haven’t had the need or occasion to look into or purchase aircraft insurance. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have assigned one of our writers to give us an overview had it not been for a handful of friends that are in the aircraft insurance industry today or have been at one time in their career. A couple of things that are consistent among them

is their knowledge of, and passion for aviation. Each of them are pilots and most continue to be aircraft owners today. A couple have gone on to represent aviation in other facets but carry with them a wealth of information derived from their time spent in the insurance industry. Take a look at our coverage beginning on page 18. It’s comforting to know that if and when the opportunity arises for you to purchase aircraft insurance, there are men and women out there that know airplanes, share your passion for them and can make sure you get what you need.

Iowa Photos

I want to say how thrilled we were to be able to use a couple of the winning photos from the 2010 Iowa Office of Aviation An-nual Photo Contest. A special thanks to Michelle McEnany, Director of the Iowa DOT Office of Aviation and her staff for the opportunity to showcase two of the winning entries in this issue of the State Aviation Journal, including the cover shot. We look

forward to being able to feature more winning photos in the future.

To see all of this year’s winning entries go to:http://www.iowadot.gov/aviation/photocontest/2010/index.html

State aviation Journal

Victor Bird By Lara Jackson

Former NASAO Chair Gains National Recognition State aviation officials are often overlooked when it comes time to hand out the hardware in recognition of jobs well done in the arena of creating state or national aviation policy that promotes and protects general aviation or fosters a healthier environment for the industry. One exception is Vic-tor Bird. On November 13, 2010 the Aircraft Owners and Pilots As-sociation (AOPA) awarded its highest honor for government officials to Bird, director of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Com-mission. The Joseph B. “Doc” Hartranft Jr. Award is presented by AOPA annually to an elected or appointed government official, whether federal, state, local, or foreign, who has made significant contributions to the advancement of general avia-tion. AOPA President, Craig Fuller, in presenting the award, said that Bird had done an outstanding job in using the state’s resources to advance the cause of the state’s 113 public air-ports, creating a climate in which general aviation will grow and thrive. Bird, appointed Director of the Commission in 2002, is the first Oklahoman to chair the National Association of State Aviation Officials, (NASAO), the organization that represents the men and women, in state government aviation agen-cies, who serve the public interest in all 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. “It was an honor and a privilege to be the chair of NASAO [last year] and have your peers place trust in you and to have an opportunity to really make a difference,” said Bird, who during his tenure at NASAO, had the opportunity to influ-ence the direction of the organization and be a part of many important issues including public policy and funding. “One ongoing project,” said Bird, “is a direct working rela-tionship with the Federal Aviation Administration on a task that will identify the criteria used for creating a national air-port classification system, which will be a strategic improve-ment.” The classification system will be used to determine the role each general aviation airport has within the system and the required infrastructure needed to fulfill that role. Bird, along with other board members supported and as-sisted in the updating of the NASAO’s bylaws to better reflect the current state of the organization. “The past few years have been tough fiscally for all of the states and we [NASAO] have had to tighten our belt and become more efficient. Unfortunately we’ve had to have staff reductions, but we are running a more efficient organization with our remaining staff,” said Bird. Of course, after the recent November election comes the potential for a change in government, so for Bird, the state of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, there may be changes in the future, however the aerospace indus-try, which employs approximately 145,000 people in Okla-homa, remains strong, thanks in part to the efforts of Bird.

Aerospace is one reason why the state has maintained a low unemployment rate, which is currently at 6.8 percent, well under the nation’s average during the this economic down-turn. According to Bird, both the world’s largest commercial aircraft repair center, the Aircraft Modification and Operations Center, and the nation’s largest military repair base, Tinker Air Force Base, are located in Oklahoma City. Important aerospace legislation aimed at keeping and bringing more jobs to Oklahoma has been passed during Bird’s tenure as Director. “We [Oklahoma] offer many tax incentives and programs to aerospace professionals to come to Oklahoma and I expect there will be more things along these lines,” said Bird. According to the Com-mission, Bird was the driving force behind the passage of legislation designed to strengthen the state’s aerospace in-dustry, including House Bill 3239, also known as the Aerospace Industry Engineer Work Force Bill, which provides new engineers with a $5,000 state tax credit for choosing to work for an Oklahoma aero-space company. Other legislation influenced by Bird include House Bill 1577 passed in 2004, which basically exempts all Oklahoma aerospace companies from collecting sales taxes from all transactions associated with the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft; the Aerospace Development Act of 2008 (HB 3098), which transferred two key aerospace programs to the Aeronautics Commission: the Center for Aerospace Supplier Quality and the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute; HB 2501, which amended the Aircraft Dealers Protection Act and removed barriers to aviation manufacturers entering into dealership and service center agreements with Oklahoma aviation businesses; and HB 2919, which protects the lives of those who use the state’s public-use airports and military bases by regulating the construction of incompatible struc-tures near those facilities. Bird said that his experience as NASAO Chairman greatly enhanced his ability to perform his job better in Oklahoma and that it was great to see that NASAO has been so help-ful for the state aviation agencies. “Even though these have been tough times for all, my experience has been outstand-ing.”

Victor Bird

Nov/Dec2010


Wildlife Management and ControlBy Andrea Brennan

During takeoff, a nerve-wracking sensation overwhelms you with the sudden realization that an animal has entered the runway area. As you calmly make the split-second maneuvers to avoid a collision, you still brace anyway for the possibility of impact. The only thing taking flight now is your heart into your throat. Because nature and aviation sometimes coexist within the boundaries of an airfield, conflicts occur. However, using new technology and diligent area analysis, aviation managers might control or avoid accidents. A growing number of avia-tion managers are turning to the U.S. Department of Agri-culture Wildlife Control Program (WCP) for solutions to their wildlife-airfield conflicts. Michael Begier, who heads the USDA WCP, noted that in the twenty years since the program was created, the aviation community has raised its awareness of wildlife. This aware-ness has led to fewer incidents, such as bird strikes; innova-tive technology is also helping pilots avoid collisions with

animals. The Wildlife Control Program was launched in the 1980s, Begier said; the program began collecting data related to incidents in the 1990s. Since its launch, the program has grown from 44 airports requesting assistance to over 822 requests—317 from general aviation, and 73 percent of Part 139 airports. “We are starting to get good data to see, over the past ten years,

the number of potentially damaging strikes decreasing,” Begier said. However, he added, the cost of damage per strike has increased. The potential for cata-strophic engine failure due to bird strikes was dramatically illustrated by US Airways 1549 in 2009, when a double strike completely disabled the aircraft.

How The USDA WCP Works

The WCP is an information resource that responds to a re-quest to address a wildlife problem. When is it time to control wildlife at an airport? Airport managers can work with the USDA WCP to determine if there is a need to pursue wildlife control at the airfield. It begins with a phone call to the state USDA office; all fifty states have a local office. Some questions and problems can be handled for free with a quick answer or a recommendation to look at research related to the prob-lem. For example, Begier explained, getting rid of animals near a runway might be a simple matter of removing garbage that attracts them. If a problem exists that requires further analysis and direct management, the USDA program can provide a comprehen-

sive evaluation and recommendations for a fee. USDA will send a team of one to three biologists to the airport site to speak with the manager/operator and staff, take an in-depth tour of the airport and surrounding habitat, conduct surveys for wildlife during the day and night, and then report the data and recommend solutions. For example, Begier said, a small coastal airport in North Carolina reported debris on the runway that caused damage to aircraft. The debris seemed to be conch and clam shells. The airport paid the fee to the WCP to send a local team to investigate the problem. The WCP forensic evaluation deter-mined that the cause was nearby gulls gathering shellfish at low tide and then dropping the food onto the nearest hard surface to crack open the shells. The solution for this airport was to monitor and sweep the runway more often during low tide. Keeping the debris at a minimum level helped the airport better manage occurrences of damage. Regional field stations around the country have expertise that is relevant to a local airport, which might help the WCP team find an effective solution. For example, Begier said, the South Dakota station understands the problems associated with sunflowers, and the Southeastern U.S. stations are famil-iar with aquatic culture. The WCP also works with the National Research Center, using sound science and applied research to determine ways to reduce the risk of wildlife strikes. Solutions might be low-tech or high-tech. Changing the type of grass grow-ing near the runway to something less appealing to wildlife, Begier explained, might keep animals such as geese away. A different type of lights on an aircraft, he added, might alert birds sooner so they can get out of the path of an oncoming plane. The green roofs at O’Hare Airport, which are reducing air conditioning costs and air pollution without attracting wildlife, are an example of a National Research Center proj-ect; “we found that (the plants growing on rooftops) was not a problem if done the right way.”

Michael Begier

Begier with NTSB looking at flight 1549 engine

Nov/Dec2010


Looking for Ways to Meet Airport Needs

The wildlife control program is self-funded by the fees paid by participating airports. Some states have established rela-tionships with the WCP. The North Carolina program is eight years old; the WCP provides full wildlife assessments to Part 139 airports in addition to one-day training sessions. Begier said that as many as 486 additional airports would like to par-ticipate in the USDA program but do not have the funding. It could cost $13.8 Million to respond to all of the requests for help. However, Begier sees the potential for airports to gener-ate revenue from their wildlife control solution that could help pay for the program. “The amount of grassland at all of the airports is equal to an area the size of Rhode Island,” he said, and can be both unattractive to wildlife and a source for biofuel.

Begier sees the potential for improved analysis as more GA airports report strike incidents: out of 100,000 reports over a 20-year period, only six percent of the WCP data has been from GA airports. To increase outreach to these airports, the WCP has signed a memorandum of understanding with NASAO to host one-day wildlife hazard workshops and one-day training sessions. So far 2,751 people in 365 airports have participated, according to Begier. WCP will also provide more do-it-yourself information. To learn more about the USDA WCP, visit any of the follow-ing Web pages:http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=11105http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov/wildlife/default.aspxhttp://wildlife.faa.gov

By Gary R. Ness Would you bet when Orville and Wilbur set out to do this funny thing called flying they never even had wildlife aware-ness on their first check list. However, by the time they flew in a controlled environment two years or more later I bet they had an encounter of the close kind… no record but there had to be an event or two. It just had to happen. I recall several years ago at a NASAO Washington Confer-ence, the group was briefed by a FAA Airports type and a USDA-Wildlife Services representative about the concerns of wildlife on airports. This was long ago before the “Miracle on the Hudson”. I do remember sitting in on the briefing and as the problems were outlined at several airports, the end game that ran though my mind was, “Shoot them all, that’s the only solution!” Neither, practical nor acceptable, to anyone close to me. Honestly, I didn’t think that was the answer either, just a comment on “one” solution to a very difficult problem. Flash forward several years to current times and experiences related to wildlife on/off airports - the events on the Hudson River along with the uncountable bird/wildlife strike reports from across the nation. This has brought not only the bird problem, but total wildlife population control, to the top of the "FIX" list on the nation’s airports. It has turned into an industry. Just “Google” any topic on wildlife control and you will be amazed at the information/products that are available for wildlife mitigation. Over the last 7 months I have had the honor to serve on a committee for the National Academy of Sciences, Trans-portation Research Board. The efforts will be published as: ACRP Synthesis-S10-04-05; “Bird Repellent Techniques on Airports”. The Synthesis PI is Jerrold Belant, PhD, from Mis-sissippi State University. The committee roster is Dr. Travis L. DeVault, USDA/APHIS/WS/NWRC, Sandusky, Ohio. Laura Francoeur, Port Authority New York & New Jersey, Dr. Edwin E. Herrick, PhD, University of Illinois, Steven Osmek, Port of Seattle-SeaTac Airport, John Ostrom, MAC, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Mike Smith, Salt Lake City Interna-

Wildlife and Airports; Study’s Target to Benefit GAtional Airport, John Weller, Senior Wildlife Biologist; FAA, and myself (retired guy). We were well guided by Ms. Gail Staba, AICP, TRB. This publication is targeted at the GA airport manager and operations staffs. It will be a guide to all of the available materials, equipment and process that have been used and information recorded about the use, effect/affect of the efforts that are available. Participation was a learning experience for me. The panel members are from all geographic areas of the nation and the interesting fact is, they have the same problems. Some solu-tions work the same, some do not. Some work in one area and not in another. This publication will be valuable to many across the nation that do not have the knowledge that will be required in the future to deal with some of the regulations that are in place and coming in the future. Why was I there? Good question; nominated and accepted. If any reader has a chance to serve on an ACPR committee, take the offer. It is well worth the time and a true learning experience. I have been working as a consultant over the last two years, for a company that markets a blackbird repel-lent in the North Dakota agricultural community. www.flock-buster.com We began, in 2009, a three year study at Devils Lake Airport, (KDVL) Devils Lake, North Dakota, on water fowl control on/off the airport. The two major problems are gulls and geese; we will complete our control study next year (2011). What has been learned in the last two years? Along with the opportunity to join in on this panel plus the experience on the ground at KDVL; no one thing is the answer to wildlife mitigation. You need a quiver of arrows to use. SHOOT THEM ALL IS NOT THE ANSWER EITHER.

Gary Ness


This article may be considered by some, an advertisement, it may well be just that; however we at “Flock Buster” consider the experiments which were conducted these last two sum-mers in North Dakota, Kansas and Arkansas well worth the effort to help make the aviation industry safer and it is vital we share the data we’ve gathered. The efforts started about 24 hours after the “Hudson River” event. The product “Flock Buster” has been on the agricul-tural market for three years in the Upper Midwest, focusing mainly in North Dakota. “Flock Buster” has a primary function to move Blackbirds, Starlings as well as other bird species out of farmers’ fields. It works…we have many return grower and aerial applicator customers that have proven its effectiveness (See testimoni-als, label and MSDS at www.flockbuster.com). The product is an eco-friendly concentrate with no restric-tions on application and is EPA FIFRA 25B registered.Flock Buster has been used on golf courses to deter geese from feeding on the greens. Thus we thought; “Would there be an application to airports and the bird problems in and around airport facilities?” We carefully considered the best way to conduct testing on airports and aviation in general. The best way seemed to be with hands-on work at an airport with severe bird problems. This would set the best methodology to test Flock Buster. We also needed a person who would have the connections, knowledge, and passion to make this effort complete and this individual could conduct analyses to determine whether Flock Buster was effective. Our company contacted Gary Ness of Bismarck who has extensive experience in aerial application, chemical applica-tion, and an extensive aviation background. Conversations ensued about direction, feasibility and methodology to pro-duce accurate documentation and results. After consultation with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ND Aeronautics Commission, USDA and National Sunflower Council along with conversations with airport engineers in the state, Mr. Ness took on the task of testing the product in the airport operations arena. After reviewing airports in the state, Devils Lake Regional Airport (KDVL) and Manager, John Nord, were invited to par-ticipate along with their engineering firm, Kadrmas Lee and Jackson (KLJ). This partnership proved to be very coopera-tive as this problem has so many ramifications related to….SAFETY of FLIGHT. There were three problems at KDVL. First and second are Gulls and Geese. Both are formidable adversaries in the spring during nesting time. The natural protective parental instincts are a controlling variable when attempting to move fowl from the runway’s approach zone.

The third problem is water. There is not an airport in the upper Midwest that has more H2O to deal with than KDVL. Devils Lake which is a land locked fresh water lake has tripled in size since 1993 creating one of the world’s largest lakes. As urban planning has proven many times, a good area to put waste water treatment ponds is right next to the municipal

airport (cheap land). KDVL has those treatment ponds on the approach end of runway 31. Flock Buster had a good, bad and ugly during the summer of 2009 project. To start, we found that you cannot get nested Gulls to move….hence, “the ugly.” The weather was not cooperative with certain efforts as we went through a very rainy period, an unpredictable, “the bad.” However, Flock Buster did move adult geese with young ones (young birds were “walked” out by the adult birds as they were unable to fly at this young age) from the runway’s approach zone, “the good!”

Birds, Birds, Birds… What Do We Do?By Barbara Howard

Barbara Howard


After three months of coordination with the Devils Lake Re-gional Airport management, a very cooperative maintenance staff and KLJ, Flock Buster made a significant difference in the water fowl environment around the airport. The numbers were driven down and the birds did not relocate with alarm-ing numbers in the area most critical to an airport: it’s Run-way Approach Zone. It is important to note that Flock Buster is not the total an-swer to the FOWL problem but it is an important tool in the toolbox of airport wildlife control. We were not able to have a complete seasonal record on this process in 2009 due to weather and other conditions. Flock Buster did return to KDVL in the spring of 2010 to conduct further testing and devise methods to completely discourage spring nesting in the Runway Approach Zones and adjourn-ing waste water treatment center. Seventy nesting pair of Geese along with about one thou-sand gulls were observed and recorded on March 29, 2010; controlled testing began on April 8, 2010. After two months of Flock Buster applications, with an operational drive by harassment program, the plan removed the nesting option for the Geese and Gull population. As the summer progressed, continued observations from staff were taken. On June 21, 2010 a census was taken on nested pairs. Three pair of Geese were observed on the com-plex with a total of fifteen goslings. The Gulls were gone too.

As the airport operations staff said, “We moved the birds!” We will be returning to KDVL next spring, 2011, to watch for returnees to the nesting grounds in the RPZ and surround-ing areas. The main focus of these controlled tests has one goal, safety of flight in and around the airport proper. All have to understand that complete control is impossible but reduction of population of water fowl and accomplishment of movement away from the airport is the victory for airport management. In addition to successful agriculture and airport use of Flock Buster, we have also produced some very good results at America Crystal Sugar in Moorhead, MN with geese control around the water holding ponds and the adjoining farmland. Flock Buster was tested and deemed a success in many large military hangars to control bird populations in hangars and rafters. This evaluation was conducted at McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kansas (KIAB). We continue follow-up with the Air Force to work toward a viable solution. The Arkansas research was conducted with the University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Arkansas Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences and Rice Research Center and those findings will be published in spring 2011.

Barbara Howard is the General Manager of Flock Buster.

State aviation Journal Aug/Sept

Special Focus

Aviation in Kansas

The Kansas Aviation Museum, located in the art deco terminal building built in 1935. A Beech Starship sits on the apron in the foreground.


The aviation industry in Kansas has not only played a significant role serving local business and communities throughout the state but has made an impact glo-baly. Within state borders howev-er, no matter what region and the size of the airport, Kansas airport managers and directors can find common ground in their airports ability to impact their community. The most populous city in the state, Wichita is known as the “Air Capitol of the World” with such aviation pioneers as Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech and Bill Lear begin-ning projects here in the 20th century. Also, Stearman Aircraft, Cessna, Mooney and Beechcraft were founded in Wichita during the 1920s and 1930s. Cessna and Beechcraft are still based in Wichita as well as Learjet and Spirit AeroSystems. Airbus and Boeing maintain a work-force in the city. Aviation has proven to be the cornerstone of the community because it gives back in jobs and revenue. Victor White, director of airports for the Wichita Airport Au-

thority, has been managing airports for over 35 years. A graduate of St. Louis Parks University College of Aero-nautics, White acquired the airport management “bug” after seeing Burt Lancaster in the film Airport. “After seeing that movie I really wanted to make a differ-ence,” explained White.

White began his airport management career as an

intern during his senior year of college at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport in St. Louis, Mo., “I really got a feel for all of the departments,” said White. Upon graduation, he worked as a baggage handler at the airport. After taking a short break from working at an airport, he began his airport management career as an airport man-agement consultant at Landrum and Brown Aviation Consul-tants in Cincinnati, Ohio. “I received what was like the equivalent to a graduate degree while working there,” White explained, “I learned and worked on such intricate and essential topics as developing budgets, snow removal plans, master plans and the intricacies that go

into developing airline routes.” White then went on as the airport duty manager of the then, new Fort Worth Dallas Airport for five years, followed by executive director at the Waukegan Port District Authority in Waukegan, Ill, which is outside of Chicago. After Waukegan, White served as the Director of Airports at the Odessa Air-port in Midland, Texas where he was part of a local team that moved the Confederate Air Force Flying Museum onsite and saw a huge upturn in the economic development of the area. He then served as deputy director of airports at the Salt Lake City Port Authority and then the executive director of airports for seven years at the Orlando-Sanford International Airport in Orlando, Fla. before joining the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport as its director of airports in 2005. “I’ve been around a lot of different airports and learned so-phisticated techniques and managed many diverse projects where I have had to deal with tenants,” said White. His under-standing of program management, grants and revenue at the Wichita Airport are essential as the airport is currently in the midst of preparing to build a new terminal. “The current terminal was built in 1953.It is a constant opera-tional struggle and does not meet the Transportation Secu-rity Administration’s security requirements or the airport’s needs. The challenge is to keep the cost in line and not raise the cost of operations to customers,” explains White. Bids will begin for the new terminal in 2011. White estimates the construction will take a about three years. When com-pleted, the 275,000 square foot terminal will have 11 gates and seven jetways – overall more capacity and state of the art technology.

Wichita to Syracuse By Lara Jackson

Kansas Airports Impact State, Local Community

Victor White

Artist’s rendering of the new Wichita airline terminal


Even during tough economic times, Wichita has seen about seven million passengers so far this year, which is up three percent compared to 2009. A contributing factor is that Cess-na’s world headquarters is located in Wichita and Learjet still has a presence in the city with Bombardier Learjet, as well as Honeywell, Flight Safety International and Rockwell Collins. Currently, Delta, United, AirTran, Allegiant and Frontier fly out of Wichita. There has been a significant growth over the past seven to eight years with the addition of low-cost carri-ers, AirTran, Allegiant and Frontier. White said the addition of these low-cost carriers has been a great incentive that has at-tracted other airlines and has been a major cornerstone and a success in attracting passengers. The Affordable Airfares for Kansans program provides approximately $5 million back to the communities of Wichita and Sedgwick County and, according to White, has proven to be an innovative and fun pro-gram, which provides an economic benefit giving back between $50-60 mil-lion annually. According to White, “Over the past 10 to 15 years, airport management has changed. In the 1970s you saw a lot of retired military personnel such as colonels or generals in charge of airports now its [airports] more like a business – you are truly running a large business. But, I still think you need an operations background to be success-ful in airport management.”

Salina MunicipalLocated only 89 miles north of Wichita is the Salina Municipal Airport where Timothy F. Rogers, A.A.E. has been the execu-tive director of the Salina Airport Industrial Center, which houses the airport, for 25 years. Rogers acquired a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas. He was awarded the title of Accredited Airport Executive upon completion of the accreditation process administered by the American Associa-tion of Airport Executives. Known as “America’s Fuel Stop”, the Salina Municipal Airport is a common cross-country refueling stop for more than 7,000 corporate jets annually. Also, the Airport Industrial

Center is home to the Kansas National Guard’s Great Plains Joint Regional Training Headquarters. Additionally, the Salina Airport Authority is active in military operations and more than 5,000 military aircraft use the airport yearly. “It was a distinct pleasure to come back to Kansas. This is one of the top positions in the nation and after 25 years it’s still a very challenging and fulfilling position with a wide variety of projects,” Rogers said, “Salina is unique because it is an airport and an industrial center.” The Industrial Center is a significant contributor to the state and the community. The Center is home to 17 commercial aviation businesses. Additionally, Kansas State University Sa-lina’s College of Aviation has space at the Center where more than 3,000 students study workforce training and applied aviation research. Within the next several years, a 32,000 square ft. freight and

sorting location for FedEx Ground will be built adding 60-65 jobs to the area. “Financing day to day operations is a challenge during this downturn of the economy,” explains Rogers, “But, during the first nine months we [Salina Airport] have been ahead of budget compared to 2009.” Rogers notes that commu-nicating financial needs with municipalities has become more complicated – with the need for more details and financial reporting. The Salina Airport is the location for the future Wings Over Salina Air Museum, which will celebrate military and civilian aviation history. Steve Fossett’s Virgin Atlan-tic GlobalFlyer which made record-setting flights will be

a main exhibit. Under Roger’s leadership, Fossett chose Salina as mission control for the launch and landing site. “I’m looking forward to the museum’s opening because it will be educational and inspiring, especially for young people. It will be a place where families of all generations can visit,” said Rogers. Rogers was awarded the first Patriot Medal in March 2010 “for providing immeasurable support to the Great Plains Joint Training Center and Kansas National Guard,” the Salina Airport’s Web site states.

Syracuse-Hamilton County Airport In the far western section of the state, near the Colorado border is Syracuse, a rural, agricultural community with a population of approximately 1,760. Needless to say, the avia-

Aerial of Wichita Mid-Continent airport

Kansas AirportsContinued from previous page

Nov/Dec2010


tion needs of this community vary from those of Wichita and Salina. Steve Phillips has been airport manager at the Syracuse-Hamilton County Airport for the past 15 years. He attended the aviation flight program at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Upon graduation his first job was in weather modification, which he is still involved in. Phillips has been cloud seeding for the past 15 years. Phillips’ first challenge upon accepting the position as manager was the development and construction of a new runway. “In general, a challenge that many airport managers face is communication because you have to work with many boards – county, city, airport board. Many of the processes require a great deal of planning and foresight – nowadays the various boards and the FAA want all of the answers presented at a meeting so you have to think of everything – this can be a slow process,” explains Phillips. The Syracuse Airport is key to this rural community, with many agricultural businesses (crop dusters) and even the air ambulance dependent upon the airport. One concern in particular to the airport is maintenance – according to Phil-lips it is difficult scheduling aircraft maintenance because the airport is critical to the farming community and when an ag aircraft is down it can cost the people in the community money. No matter what the individual needs are for these three Kansas communities, aviation and the local airport plays a key role.

Syracuse-Hamilton County Airport Manager Steve Phillips, right, pictured with crop duster John Dowd Jr., (Dusty), owner/op-erator of Syracuse Flying Service.

Nov/Dec2010


Stockton, KS -- The ‘Little Engine that Could’ would be very proud.

After three decades of starts and stops, the Rooks County Commission and its Airport Commission broke ground No-vember 12 on the first all-new airport constructed in the state of Kansas in 21 years. While not finished yet, the journey to build an all-weather airport in Western Kansas is nearing an end after more than 30 years. During a ground breaking ceremony at Stockton City Hall, Airport Commission Chairman Chris Kollman shared the process the county experienced to get to this momentous occasion. “Today is the culmination of 32 years work, by a lot of people, to bring an all-weather airport to our county,” he said during remarks at the ground breaking ceremony. “Years ago, Harold Clodfelty, county commissioner, started looking into putting in an airport, so Rooks County could fit into the FAA’s nationwide plan. The airport plan has been sitting on the shelf for 25 years,” Kollman said. “In 1978, Airport Commission Chair Paul Hancock was part of a group that wanted an all-weather airport along with Barry Gilliland and Norman Owings. If it hadn’t been for their vision, we wouldn’t be here today.” The new Rooks County Regional Airport will feature a 5,000-foot concrete runway and 200 x 200-foot concrete parking apron. The new airport was designed by Bucher, Willis, Ratliff of Kansas City, MO and will include medium intensity runway lights, runway end indicator lights, wind cone, two-box PAPIs, and an AWOS. The project will cost approximately $6 mil-lion and was funded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, which splits the cost between the FAA and Airport Sponsor on a 95-5 cost percentage. While building the airport is only the beginning, the Rooks County Airport Commission has commissioned Airport De-velopment Group, Inc. to work with the Commission to create a business plan that will encourage development at the airport, and generate revenue for sustainability. “We only get one opportunity to open a new airport and get the business end of it right from the first day,” Kollman

explained. Once opened the Rooks County Commission will close two turf single runway airports in Stockton and Plainville, and consolidate them into the Rooks County Regional Airport. The Airport Commission is targeting an opening date some-where in August or September 2011 depending on construc-tion progress.

Kollman said the starts and stops and uphill climbs remind-ed him of the story about the ‘Little Engine’ and a conversa-tion several years ago at the FAA Central Region Confer-ence in Kansas City with Jan Monroe, the Region’s Planning Director(now retired), about their efforts to build a new airport. “As we visited about all the steps necessary to get this proj-ect moving forward again, I said something to Jan about the length of time that had lapsed between various stages and how frustrating it had become,” Kollman recalled. “Jan looked me in the eye and said ‘we don’t give up on com-munities. We know you’ll make it.’”

Rick Bryant serves on the Board of Directors of the Kansas As-sociation of Airports, and is the Marketing and Communica-tions Director for Airport Development Group, Inc.

After 30 Year Wait, Rooks County Breaks Ground on New AirportBy Rick Bryant, Kansas Association of Airports

Rooks County celebrated November 12 with a ground breaking on the first new airport constructed in Kansas since 1989. Pictured from left: Dan Collins, Kansas 110th District Representative, Jim Circle, Chris Kollman, and Leonard Bristow, of the Rooks County Air-port Commission; Matt Jacobs and Don Klapmeyer, Bucher, Willis & Ratliff. (Photo credit: Roger Hrabe, Rooks County Economic Development Office)

Nov/Dec2010


Wichita Appropriate Home for Kansas Aviation Museum

“There’s no place like this” states a brochure promoting the Kansas Aviation Museum, located adjacent to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas. The museum, housed in Wichita’s old municipal airport building built in 1935, current-ly owns or has on loan approximately 40 historically signifi-cant aircraft. Some have been fully restored while others are pending restoration.

Lon Smith, Executive Director of the museum, told the State Aviation Journal that in the twen-ties and thirties – as a result of the influx of oil money – Wichita boasted some fifty companies building planes. Some of these companies came and went in a single year, building one or two or maybe five or six planes. But each contributed in its own way to the development of aviation technol-ogy; the general understanding

of flight and how it could be opti-mized. Most of these companies and their planes have been forgotten. But not at the Kansas Aviation Museum. Dedicated volunteers said Smith, painstakingly build or re-build everything from the famous Stearman 4D to un-knowns like the Swift Sport and the Watkins Skylark. No-where else will this aviation heritage be preserved, not even the Smithsonian. Yet you can visit the Kansas Aviation

Museum and see this develop-ment of aviation technology through these carefully restored planes, development that led Wichita, Kansas to an astound-ing but true claim: since about 1920, roughly 70% of all general aviation aircraft have been built in Wichita. That number still hovers around 40%, truly mak-ing Wichita the Air Capital of the World. The museum also houses a world-class collection of histor-ic, significant and one-of-a-kind aircraft engines, and according to Smith, it contains a huge ar-chive with thousands of records, schematics, books, photos and more. The museum is also home to the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame with an impressive line-up

of aviation heavyweights by any measure: state, national or

worldwide. In its heyday, Wichita Municipal was a major mid-continent stopover for airlines. During the 1940s, it was one of the busiest airports in the nation, with tower operators manag-ing the constant stream of incoming and outgoing com-mercial flights. In 1944, a take-off or landing occurred every 90 seconds. Wichita was a major destination for nearly every aviation luminary of the times. Charles Lindbergh, Kansas’ own Amelia Earhart and many other celebrities crossed the ramp, admired the beautiful art deco terminal and dined in its cafeteria and according to Smith Fred Astaire once en-tertained fellow passengers by dancing in the atrium while awaiting a flight.

For more information on the museum go to http://www.kansasaviationmuseum.org/museum.php

Lon Smith

Art Deco Terminal Parked on the ramp are a B-47 and a FedEx B-727

Nov/Dec2010


Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson recently signed an ex-ecutive order establishing the Kansas Interagency Working Group for Wind Energy. According to an October 27, 2010 press release, “Through Executive Order 10-13, the group will serve as a resource hub with relevant information necessary to optimize and expe-dite wind energy planning.” The Kansas Interagency Working Group for Wind Energy will bring together representatives from all relevant state agen-cies to ensure smooth and responsible wind expansion in Kansas and appropriate interagency communication be-tween various levels of government. As part of the Kansas Interagency Working Group, the Kansas Department of Transportation recently presented a navigational tool which presents a three dimensional image of airspace. According to Director of Aviation Ed Young, Kansas Depart-ment of Transportation, “Airspace is very difficult to visual-ize and the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] made it even more difficult to explain by calling the airspace surface imaginary. This tool takes the surfaces from the imaginary and literally paints them into Google Earth™. …[It] allows a wind developer to see whether a development will penetrate an imaginary surface, making it a little less imaginary. The

tool includes military training routes and navigational signal, such as VORS. The project is being funded by an FAA system planning grant.” According to Young, the project was requested because there were over 2,000 airspace obstruction cases in the state in 2009 and, for 2010, 2,000 cases were surpassed in October. A great majority of these cases were wind energy cases. “When requested to comment on a particular case, the state was required to defer to the FAA’s determination of whether the obstruction created a hazard. In the very near future, we [Kansas Department of Transportation] will be able to look directly at a given lat - long and paint an obstruction on the map. This will allow us to speak for ourselves. It also allows us to join the conversation with wind energy companies early. We will allow anyone open access to the tool. They can temporarily paint an item on the map. This allows the wind energy developer to move turbines and whole farms around,” explains Young. The tool works in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Natural Resource Planning Tool and offers wind developers a Google Earth presentation of areas that are sensitive or protected due to endangered species of plants or animals.

Navigational Tool Presented to Kansas Group

Gov Parkinson and the Kansas interagency working group, including Ed Young, Director of Aviation KSDOT.

Nov/Dec2010


Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a term you may be hearing more about these days. GIS tools seem to be every-where; from internet websites that help you map locations and directions to GPS enabled smartphones that can show a current location and information about nearby businesses, attractions, and transportation facilities. Beginning in the 1990’s airports started developing GIS systems to map their airport facility in an effort to help better manage the airport. As technology has continued to improve, more airports

across the country are dis-covering that having a GIS on their intranet can be another key tool to help effectively manage their infrastructure both above and below ground. GIS is also starting to be em-ployed by state aviation officials to enhance and streamline their planning efforts. With the advent of ef-fective GIS for airports,

the Federal Government also saw GIS as an effective tool for managing the National Airspace System (NAS). Executive Order number 12906 was issued in 1994, directing the FAA to transform outdated, inconsistent data standards and prac-tices. In order to make sure that all parties generating aero-nautical data are doing it the same way, the FAA issued three Advisory Circulars to establish standards for geodetic control, aerial imagery, and GIS data.With the release of Advisory Circulars 150/5300-16A, -17B and -18B in 2007, 2008, and 2009 respectively, the FAA established new surveying, field data collection, and GIS standards that made data exchange consistent. Airport sponsors must submit to the FAA Airports GIS (AGIS) website and national database, key “safety critical” and other airport data (runway end points, NAVAIDS, obstructions, part 77 surfaces, airport features, etc.) created as part of airport development projects. The FAA, with the assistance of the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), will verify the data so it can be used for airspace procedure development and other purposes in support of the NAS. Airport sponsors can view their data within AGIS and can also authorize state aviation officials to view the data and airport imagery when provided. Access to this “official” airport/airspace data will help state officials better plan other development such as wind turbines and other tall structures to be compatible with aeronautical needs and can assist states in the development of electronic airport directories.

One benefit to having consistent airport data will be to allow Airport Layout Plan (ALP) submittals and reviews to be completed solely in electronic format. ALP data can be circulated, reviewed, and approved electronically, with the goal of faster ALP approvals. No more will airports and the FAA struggle with the question of “is this ALP plot the latest data submittal?” The new FAA GIS data standards provide a foundation for airports to develop data that will also serve their own needs along with meeting the FAA’s data needs and requirements for airport data submittal. The FAA is directing airport sponsors that compliance with these new standards is necessary for projects funded through federal grant assistance programs. The FAA is currently fund-ing some “pilot” eALP programs to work out any “kinks” in the ALP data submittal and approval processes. Any “Lessons learned” from these pilot eALP projects are being shared with the aviation industry to help improve the standards. Addi-tional information, along with Free and advanced training, on the new standards is also available from the “FAA Integrated Distance Learning Environment” (FAA IDLE) training program through the FAA AGIS website at: http://airports-gis.faa.gov. Kevin Shirer, AAE is an accredited airport executive, aviation geospatial project manager with Woolpert, Inc., and a fre-quent speaker regarding GIS at airports. He may be reached at [email protected] or (602) 426-8900.

Geographic Information Systems: Leveraging FAA Data Compliance for Airport Infrastructure Management

By Kevin Shirer, AAE

Kevin Shirer

Nov/Dec2010


Throughout the years, aircraft insurance has seen its chal-lenges and progression, yet today remains a crucial commod-ity. Even before purchasing an aircraft, research should be done on what type of insurance is necessary. This insurance should match the needs of both the aircraft and the owner. As with all industries related to aviation, the aircraft insur-ance industry has struggled over the past few years. But, on a positive note, the downturn in the economy has given those who have never owned an aircraft the opportunity to pur-chase one because many owners have had to relinquish their aircraft. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Insurance Agency (AOPAIA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the AOPA, is a full-service brokerage which serves as a middle man for its clients. According to Janet Bressler, AOPAIA president, “We assist and educate our clients and procure the right insurance policy for them.” The AOPAIA serves approximately 40,000 policyholders and includes pilots and companies. As with any insurance carrier or brokerage, safety is the main goal of the AOPAIA, “Last year the AOPA spent $300,000 on its Safety Institute,” states Bressler. According to its Web site, AOPA’s Safety Institute is a “Nonprofit, tax exempt organiza-tion promoting safety and pilot proficiency in general avia-

tion through quality training, education, research, analysis, and the dissemination of information.” The Safety Institute provides a number of programs includ-ing online programs and live programs to maintain a pilot’s safety awareness. The Safety Institute and the AOPAIA devel-oped the Accident Forgiveness Program several years ago which aims at “…improving pilot safety consciousness while helping lower a pilot’s out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an accident.” Currently four carriers honor this program, which is free and waives a portion of the policy’s coverage and prevents an increase in the policy’s renewal rate. Participants can easily qualify by taking a qualifying Safety Institute online quiz or Webinar or attending an Air Safety Institute live safety semi-nar every six months. Another organization that offers insurance to its members is the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), which consists of members with a wide range of aviation interests and back-grounds who build and fly their own aircraft. These aircraft include antiques, classics, warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, ultra-lights, helicopters and contemporary manufactured aircraft. Falcon Insurance Agency, with 14 offices located in eleven states is the EAA’s official insurance administrator. Accord-ing to Falcon’s Senior Vice President Bob Mackey, “The EAA

Accident Forgiveness

Popular Program Aims to Improve SafetyBob Mackey, Sr. Vice President of Falcon Insurance


is a very eclectic group of people and the aircraft they fly are varied, but we [Falcon] understand their [the EAA’s] special needs.” But needs are the number one purpose of aircraft insurance. What are the owner’s needs? When looking for aircraft insurance Mackey advises to “…work with somebody who knows what you will be flying and what type of flying you will be doing. Get an endorsement. There are many organizations out there. By getting involved with these organizations and building and owning a certain type of aircraft you then network with others and learn about different types of insurance.” “Choosing an aviation specialist broker is key in choosing the right aircraft insurance for your particular needs,” states Bressler, “The specialist will educate you and work with you to work through your options and determine your particular needs. Once you have chosen the right broker everything else fails into place.” Aircraft insurance can be mis-understood and many consum-ers do not understand it. Also, aircraft insurance is relatively unregulated compared to auto insurance, which is very standardized, Principal Agent Ryan Birr of Northwest Insur-ance Group, Hillsboro, Oregon, explains. Presently, choosing the right broker and the right insurance could never be more impor-tant. Due to the downturn of the economy there are many novice

owners who have taken advantage of the low cost of aircraft. Brian Rivers, vice president of C.V. Starr & Co. adds, “There was a period of increased aircraft for sale and repossessed aircraft, in addition to a general downturn of receipts for busi-nesses manufacturing or servicing aircraft shortly after the economic downturn. However, we [C.V. Starr] have seen that trend stabilize over the past year and recent months.” Regarding how the economy has affected aircraft and aircraft insurance, Starr Aviation Senior Vice President Jim An-derson also noted, “The insurance industry has seen a steady decline for product coupled with [the] devaluation of aircraft. Despite the reduction of hours flown, the industry did experi-ence some very significant losses domestically which has seemingly not influenced the underwriters to increase their pricing.” Another trend in avia-tion that has affected aviation insurance is the popularity of ultralight and light sport aircraft. Mackey comments, “I have no doubt that Light Sport and Sport Pilot are here to stay...the big-gest appeal with the …Light Sport aircraft is they are new and …have a modern look to them. There will be a continu-ing evolution…as flight schools adapt to this arena and the offering of aircraft also continues to stabilize. But, insurance for Light Sport aircraft can be slightly more than standard aircraft because of higher repair costs. Also, Light Sport is typically worth more than traditional aircraft, which causes the insurance to be higher; but insurance for Light Sport aircraft has declined steadily over the past years. Even though the aviation insurance industry has been soft the past few years, Rivers believes there will be changes in the future, “The shift of aircraft deliveries and activity are trending more toward the established international market and developing nations.” This trend could serve to balance the worldwide aviation activity. While creating new markets and opportunities, the challenge remains to attract experienced pilots to these loca-tions and safely develop the aviation infrastructure. Even though aviation and aviation insurance has seen some ups and downs lately, the advice everyone agrees upon is to shop around when purchasing insurance. “Be sure to ask your broker to shop as many markets as they can and understand the market you are buying from. Buyer beware – if you are getting a deal that seems too good to be true it might just be too good to be true. Policies and claims services can vary substantially from underwriter to under-writer,” explains Anderson.

Janett Bressler, AOPAIA President

Jim Anderson, Starr Aviation Senior Vice President.

Brian Rivers, Vice President, C.V. Starr

Nov/Dec2010


Kunkel Inducted into Wisconsin Aviation Hall of FameBy Michael Goc and Rose Dorcey Longtime Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics Director, Bob Kunkel, was one of five aviation notables inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame on October 30, 2010, at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Kunkel joins nearly 100 men and women who have been honored since 1986. Sharing the spotlight with Kunkle were, Jesse Brabazon, Jeannette Kapus, Richard Lutz, and Richard “Dick” Wixom. “I’m honored to be inducted,” said Kunkel. He will be joining such notables as Paul and Tom Poberezney, Steve Wittman, Jim Lovell, Richard Bong, Billy Mitchell and Fritz Wolf. “Wisconsin has a rich history in Aviation,” said Kunkel. “I was very fortu-nate to work for, work with or know very well, many of the inductees in the Hall of Fame. Every last one of them worked towards the betterment of Wisconsin Aviation.” Born in Montana in 1942, Kunkel was already a pilot when he earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1966. Commissioned as a Navy Ensign, he served two tours build-ing roads and airports in South Vietnam. A position as Airport Planning Engineer with the Division of Aeronautics brought him to Wisconsin in 1970. He soon earned commercial, instrument, flight instructor, multiengine,

and seaplane certificates and ratings and worked part-time as a flight instructor. At Aeronautics, he worked as Chief of Airport Operations, Chief Airport Development Engineer, Deputy Director and, in 1989, the Director of the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics. The satellite-based Weathermation reporting system, the development of 5,000-foot runways throughout the state, the Milwaukee ACE and Rocket for Schools programs, the expansion of the Hospital Heliport system, remote-controlled runway lighting, and a pioneering 3D GPS landing system are just a few of the leaps forward Wisconsin aviation made on Kunkel’s watch. Kunkel also served on numerous national committees, testi-

fied before Congress on FAA Airport Improvement Programs, and was elected as a director and chair of the National Asso-ciation of State Aviation Officials (NASAO). His fellow profes-sionals at NASAO gave him their highest honor, the Kenneth A. Rowe Ambassador of Aviation Award. After retiring from state service in 2000, Kunkel worked as a Senior Aviation Consultant for Mead & Hunt, helped develop and publish A Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, and volunteers one month a year at EAA’s Air Venture. As Aeronautics Director, he traveled the state to educate and advocate for aviation, easily earning the title bestowed by colleagues and friends as Wisconsin’s “Mr. Aviation.” Kunkel acknowledged the contributions of former co-workers at the Wisconsin DOT Bureau of Aeronautics, including many who are also WAHF Inductees, such as Fritz Wolf, Carl Guell, Duane Esse, as well as Joe Abernathy, who Kunkel referred to as his mentor. He thanked his wife, Carrol, for her unending support, and his daughter, Andrea, and grandson, Micah, for coming from Colorado to attend. Kunkel also thanked Andy Platz of Mead & Hunt for being, “one of the best leaders he’s had the opportu-nity to work for.” WAHF Board Member and fellow Inductee Tom Thomas presented an appropriate induction speech for Kunkel, highlighting the importance of Kunkel’s use of aircraft when

Carrol and Bob Kunkel

Kunkel at the controls. He held commercial, insturment, flight instructor, multiengine, and seaplane certificates and ratings.

Ensign Kunkel

Nov/Dec2010


visiting airport managers and commission members throughout the state. Thomas also shared that as a leader, Kunkel was first-rate, one who found the tools neces-sary for his employees to get the job done. “It’s been a great career,” said Kunkel, who combined his career with his avocation. “My flying club activities, including flight instruction, made aviation the center of my life focus.” “It was great to see so many old friends,” said Kunkel, and it was such an honor to be included with so many people who I admired in my aviation career.” Nearly 250 WAHF members and guests were present at the event, a near-record crowd. Nine past inductees made the event extra special by their attendance: Bill Bor-deleau, Bill Brennand, Robert Clarke, Duane Esse, Archie Henkelmann, Jerry Mehlhaff, Tom Thomas, and Dick and Bobbie Wagner. WAHF President Rose Dorcey, in her introductory comments, asked for a moment of silence to remember two inductees who had passed away in 2010, Marie Schuette and Roy Shw-ery. Dorcey also presented three scholarships to Wisconsin aviation students.

The mission of the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame is to col-lect and preserve the history of aviation in Wisconsin, rec-ognize those who made that history, inform others of it, and promote aviation education to future generations.

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Left to right are Mike Goc, Tom Thomas, Rose Dorcey and Kunkel.

Nov/Dec2010


By Sheryl Schmeckpeper

When Vince Goeres watched planes fly over his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, he knew he wanted to fly. “I was a child of World War II when there was a lot of flying going on,” Goeres said. “I started building model airplanes when I was 10 or 11 and developed a love of flying.” When he became a teenager, the Lincoln resident set out to make his dream of flying come true. The desire to spread his wings drew him first to Little Joes Fruit and Vegetable Market on the corner of 14th and South Street where he worked after school and on Saturdays to earn the money to pay for les-sons. At Arrow Airport near Lincoln, Goeres paid instructors $9 an hour to teach him how to manipulate and maneuver “small planes,” such as Piper Cubs and Aeronca TACs, that flew about 70 mph. When college called, he landed, put away his wings and headed to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he earned a business administration degree. He retired 20 years ago after a career in banking and went in search of volunteer opportunities to fill his time. That search led him to the Nebraska State Historical Society, where John Carter, the society’s curator of photographs, put Goeres to work sifting through the society’s collection of aviation photographs. The project rekindled Goeres interest in aviation and, after some prompting from Carter, caused him to spend the next 10 years choosing photographs, reading dozens of newspa-per and magazine articles, and, building the framework for a book that was just released by Nebraska State Historical Society Books. “Wings Over Nebraska: Historic Aviation Photographs,”

includes more than 200 photographs of Nebraska’s avia-tion pioneers, their planes, their airfields, their triumphs and mishaps. It features an introduction by Roger Welsch. Kylie Kinley, an English major at the University of Nebras-ka-Lincoln, assisted Goeres with the writing and editing process. Goeres began by sorting through

photos taken by Frederich Macdonald, a commercial photog-rapher who documented much of Lincoln’s history during the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

“When I saw the beautiful pictures in the Macdonald collec-tion, I started looking for other collections,” Goeres said.He subsequently discovered work done by Nathaniel Dewell, who photographed “almost everything that happened in Omaha” while Macdonald was doing the same in Lincoln. Dewell and Macdonald worked during what Goeres calls the “golden age of aviation.” “It was a time when an individual or a small group of people

could have a great impact on aircraft design and on the ex-ploration of new frontiers of flight,” Goeres said.One of those early explorers was Charles Lindbergh, who made history by being the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in May of 1927. Five years before that flight, the 20-year-old rolled into Lincoln on his motorcycle and enrolled in flying classes at the Lincoln Standard Aircraft Company. There, I.S. Biffle prepared Lindbergh to take his solo flight. But Lindbergh didn’t solo in Nebraska, Goeres said. Ray Page, owner of Lincoln Standard, required $500 as a bond

“Wings Over Nebraska: Historic Aviation Photographs,” which contains more than 200 photographs of aviation pioneers, airfields, triumphs and tragedies, is available at the State Historical Society’s Landmark Stores at the Museum of Nebraska History and at the State Capitol building in Lincoln or by calling 402-471-3447.

Photos Document Early Nebraska Aviation

Vince Goeres


to cover potential damage to his airplanes, and Lindbergh didn’t have the money, so he went to work as a parachute jumper and wing walker for a barnstorming company. A year later, Lindbergh left Nebraska and went on to earn his place in history. Lindbergh’s story is just one of many fea-tured in the 176-page, soft cover volume, which measures 81/2 x 11-inches.Some of the others are Evelyn Sharp of Ord, who died in a crash while ferrying planes across the country during World War II, the Savidge Brothers, who flew their home-made airplanes above their ranch near Ew-ing, Ethel Ives Tillotson of Tilden and Battle Creek and Louise Tinsley Miller of Omaha, the first women in Nebraska to become licensed pilots in 1928. One chapter focuses on Orville Ralston from Weeping Water, who is considered Nebraska’s only World War I flying ace. There are also photos of some of the state’s most interesting plane crashes, including one that shows the remains of one of the Wright Brothers’ planes, piloted by Arch Hoxey, sticking out of the roof of the stables at the State Fair grounds.

The book also touches on the airfields that dotted the state during World War II and talks about the important planes that were built here, including the Enola Gay, which played a pivotal role in the end of World War II. Choosing the photographs to include in the book came to be a painful process, Goeres said. He estimates that he’s

looked at between 1,500 and 2,000 images, most of which had to be returned to the files. “I bled every time I cut one out,” he added. Still, the quantity of photographs in the archives is proof of the significance of Nebraska’s role in early aviation. “Nebraska has a much stronger aviation history than people

are aware of,” said David Bristow, the society’s associate director of research and publications. “I didn’t even realize so many important planes were built here. And few people know of Lindbergh’s connection to the state.” Having someone with Goeres’ knowl-edge of aviation involved made creating the book much easier because his keen eye caught mistakes. For instance some photos dated 1920 included airplanes with engines that weren’t built until the 1930s. “Because of his background, Vince was able to spot the error,” Bristow said. Although the Nebraska State Historical Society has published books in the past, this is the first under the “Nebraska State Historical Society Books” imprint. More history books for the general pub-lic will follow, Bristow added. For now, aviation and history buffs will want to add “Wings Over Nebraska” to their col-

lection. “No other book gathers so many high-quality photos of Nebraska aviation history,” Bristow

Wings Over Nebraska

Evelyn Sharp, “Sharpie.” Nebraska’s first aviatrix.

Lindbergh in Omaha

Nov/Dec2010

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