Whether you fly, build, restore or simply enjoy airplanes and aviation, you are welcome to attend our events and join our Chapter.  We are a group of aviation enthusiasts, aircraft builders, and pilots who get together with like minded people to share ideas, exchange information, encourage safety, serve the local aviation community and have a lot of fun doing so. Please come to our next meeting or event as our guest.  We normally meet at the Menominee County airport terminal the second Tuesday of every month at 5:00 p.m.

Airport News

AIRPORT DAY 2026

Airport Day on Saturday, August 1st was the first combined show with the M&M Auto Club. They added a lively display of vehicles to the area in from of the McDunnah hangar. A deejay played tunes and they gave out almost as many trophies as there were cars. Meanwhile the EAA and CAP organizations occupied the terminal and surroundings. The Children’s Museum brought their rocket launcher and chapter members helped youth make riveted key chains and color aviation themed drawings. The Police robot and drone were present. Young Eagles pilots were busy. The displays and crowds were light, mostly because of the weather. With possible rain predicted. Pilots and car owners were reluctant to bring out their beautiful treasures.

Blue Sky Aviation Expands

Blue Sky has increased its flight instructor capability and gained an excellent flight simulator.

Noah Ketchum has expanded Blue Sky lesson times to include week days and he has been busy all summer. After training in FlyBright Pilot Academy in Punta Gorda, Florida he returned to his home in the Gladstone area. He started a flight school in at the Escanaba airport before joining Blue Sky. His instructor ratings are CFI/CFII/MEI.

Peter Kolbeck is employed during the week as a Network Administrator at a business in Green Bay. He is a Commercial Pilot. He gives lessons on Saturdays.

The new simulator at Blue Sky is an exact replica of the panel in the Piper Archer. This maximizes the benefits of training in a simulator. The cost is much lower and procedures like emergencies and instrument approaches can be stopped and restarted.

Chapter News

 SCHOLARSHIPS

Dennis Martin soars and floats in a SeaRey

Some hangars at the Menominee airport have recently changed hands. Hangar 35 was sold to Dustin Kurath this summer to store his Blue Sky Aviation trainers. The hangar formerly housed an amphibious SeaRey, a kit plane built by Wayne Beyer. Wayne advertised the plane for sale and Dennis Martin recently purchased it as a business deal.

While Dennis prepares it for resale, he has been having a blast flying the plane on land or in our rivers. Sadly, the Oconto annual fly-in was cancelled this year after severe weather was predicted. The SeaRey would have made a popular novel attraction in the aircraft lineup.
From the internet, about 600+ Progressive Aerodyne SeaReys have been built since 1999. Cruise speed is about 100 kts. The wheels retract and it becomes a boat. The Florida based factory shut down in 2024 and owners are looking for a buyer.

Minutes For Tuesday, September 8th

• Members present: Pat, Dan Dustin, Steve, North, Dennis M., Rick, Alan, Delores, Scott

• Treasurer’s report: Little changed from previous month, Chapter Funds: $6,644; Scholarship Account: $13, 590.93; Allocated but unspent scholarship funds: $3,352.50. $252.59 Snack expense and pending Snack deposit of $266.
• We are determining what to do with unspent scholarship funds.
• Scholarship report. Eric completed. Cayden on hold. Delores talked with five potential applicants at the last meeting. She will be contacting them when the application process is ready.
  Changes for Kalishek Scholarship: raise age for applicants to 16-22 (instead of 19); remove GPA requirement since high school completion would be a better measure of persistence; require completion of FAA written test before starting training; require Class 2 medical; encourage chapter membership and active participation . The application form used previously was rejected and now the same form used for the Ray Scholarship will be used with the Kalishek but with a different cover letter.
• Ideas for programs for the remainder of the year would be appreciated. Submit suggestions to Pat. This includes fly outs to nearby airports or ground destinations.
  Reviving “Breakfast with Santa” was discussed contingent on finding a venue and management of event. M&M Aviation not available. Other suggestions, Pat and Alan hangar or Enstrom. Planning should start soon. Publicity always a problem. We would need Jeremy’s input of what was done in prior years. Pancake breakfast is labor intensive and might be a problem to execute.
• Contact needed to secure a special plane for next year’s Airport Day.
• Following the business meeting Dustin Kurath gave a talk on advanced topics in avionics and the six attendees received Wings credit.

Thanks to all our supporters for assisting our chapter