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MSO GA NEWS

Spring 2019

Miss Montana departs 19 May 10:48am for points east Read more

Progress with MSO terminal; Name the Bear contest Construction timeline. Read more

Minuteman role in Sperry Chalet rebuild Read more

MSO CT hosts annual meeting Read more Ongoing terminal construction at MSO

Read more Missoula CAP cadets tour control tower Read more

Traffic pattern refresher. Read more

Remembering a landmark, historic MSO aviation event is among the summer features of the Museum of Forest Service History Read more

Goings-on at MSO: EAA, LZ hangars, airport badges Read more

New state law for Aeronautics funding Read more

News from Northstar/Neptune: flight school, Palmer benefit, plane pull Read more

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MISS MONTANA TO NORMANDY—A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

When the Museum of Mountain Flying DC-3/C-47 departed for Normandy on May 19th, 2019, at 10:48 a.m. none had greater feelings of reward than the Museum’s founders: Steve Smith (above), Stan Co-hen (top middle), and Dick Komberec (middle, with son, Eric). Kathy Ogren (right) played a key role in obtaining the aircraft and remains a major supporter of the Museum.

Museum President Eric Komberec directed the Miss Montana project along with Bryan Douglass. With Eric, above, are his wife, Tia, and daughters Taylor (age 5) and Avian (age 3). Bryan, at right, shows his apprecia-tion to his wife, Dawn, for her support.

Making Miss Montana airworthy could not have been done in just 10 short months without the Schone-mann family. Neptune aviation me-chanic Randy Schonemann (far left) and his wife, Crystal (far right) spent virtually all of their spare time working on the plane and directing volunteers. At Randy’s request, his dad, Bill (blue shirt) brought his mechanical skills all the way from Phoenix, accompanied by Randy’s Mom, Kathy (seated). They weath-ered Montana’s winter in a camper parked outside the Museum.

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Pilot Art Dykstra and former Museum Board mem-ber and current volunteer Mike Anderson (writing) get ready for the first flight with jumpers, May 14th, 2019.

Jason Junes (center), a smokejumper based in Grangeville, is obviously all tensed up before his first jump from Miss Montana. Others are busy getting into their gear. All the jumpers on the May 14th “first jump” are going to jump over Normandy.

Eric eases Miss Montana out of the Museum hangar for the first flight with jumpers.

Before: Jumpers scramble to get into all their gear and get ready for their first jump out of this aircraft, over Plains, Montana. After: Happy landings, in the truest sense! The first flight with jumpers went very well! At right, jumper Jason Junes clowns around in appreciation of pilot Art Dykstra’s capable handling of the aircraft.

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Larry Depute (right) and Adam Hubel (center) were among the many volunteers recognized at the Museum “Gala” on May 11th, 2019. Larry and Adam were the first two volunteers! Emcee for the Gala was Jeff Gordon (at left).

Skip Alderson, above, flew the DC-3 Miss Montana for Johnson Flying Service. With him in the above pho-to is Sharon Palmer, who served with Skip as flight attendant. Thumbs up from the Miss Mon-tana flight crew, let to right: Bryan Douglass, Art Dykstra, Eric Kom-berec, Jeff Whitesell, Randy Scho-nemann, Crystal Schonemann, Nico Von Pronay. Aviation mechanics Randy and Crystal will keep the air-craft running smoothly for the five pilots.

The Miss Montana overhaul/restoration was blessed with many volunteers. Some of them, below, were on hand to see the plane off on

Dane Elliot (above, on left) helps DC-3/C-47 pilot Nico Von Pronaycheck the fuel on board before de-parture. Dane’s Dad is Chad Elliot,a Neptune mechanic and volunteerduring the restoration of Miss Mon-tana.

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Missoulian reporter Kim Briggeman (on right, shown here interviewing the Museum’s Bryan Douglass) has covered the Miss Montana story in excellent detail from the beginning. His exceptionally well-written arti-cles can be found online by searching the Missoulian web site.

Neptune Aviation Services prefers that its contributions to the Missoula community and to aviation remain in the background. Howev-er, it must be observed that the Miss Montana restoration would not have happened without its support. Providing fuel through Phillips 66 partnership and sponsorship is one example among many. Another example is the Key mechanical personnel who are Neptune em-ployees.

Well, like clockwork, twice a year, Gary asks me to talk about something for the GA Newsletter. I guess he must like my endless supply of witty and totally engaging stories. So imagine my chagrin when I couldn’t think of a single thing to talk about. I mean, there I was the Prime Minister of Ideas and I didn’t have any ideas. Nothing. Well that was just totally unacceptable. I had to find an idea and fast. So then I had an idea…. What if I wrote an article about absolutely nothing? I mean Jerry Seinfeld made career out of a TV series that was about nothing right? There are all of these saying going around about big fat nothing burgers and nothing doing. So then, I googled nothing and this is what came up. “"Nothingness is a philosophical term that denotes the general state of nonexistence, sometimes reified as a domain or dimension into which things pass when they cease to exist or out of which they may come to exist.” So I guess that means that nothing is really something. So I continued my internet search about nothing and discovered that

The Cookie Monster's real name is Sid.

Nephophobia is the fear of clouds.

Atoms overwhelmingly consist of empty space or nothing.

You can't hum and hold your nose at the same time...go ahead try it. See!

So actually, I have a confession to make. I bet Gary $5 that I could get everyone that read this

article to hold their nose. So Gary you can pay up when you’re ready. Really… it was nothing!

See Dan’s Desk, page 12

From Dan’s Desk (draft 1) By Dan Neuman, Business Development Manager, Missoula International Airport

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RSAT Meets at MSO

Air Traffic Manager Keith Eberhard on March 25th hosted the annual Runway Safety Action team meeting

at the Airport. About 20 pilots and airport staff attended. The purpose of the meeting is to review the safety of

airport operations and to invite feedback from airport users. “Surface incidents” that compromise safety

include: Operational incident (OI) – ACTC, Pilot deviation(PD), Vehicle or pedestrian incident (VPD), Other.

Operations at MSO have had only four incidents two “OTH”, one PD, and one VPD since FY2017 began on

October 1, 2016. None reported any damage or conflicts. This good safety record reflects the diligence with

which airport users operate at MSO.

The most common type of incident nationally is the runway excursion, with the aircraft departing off the

side of the runway during landing. Two of the incidents at MSO involved this type (classified as OTH, other).

A most serious incident with the greatest safety risk is the runway incursion from a taxiway onto an active

runway (see illustration,. classified into 4 types. The safety risk increases along with the extent of the

incursion. Pilots experiencing Class C or Class D incursions will receive remedial training from the FAA.

Nationally, runway incursions have been increasing from roughly 19 per million operations in 2010 to roughly

35 per million operations in 2017.

Missoula pilots and airport users are encouraged to recognize the key points of operations that keep our

airport safe:

Communicate effectively!

Speak clearly and at an appropriate volume and speed

Use standard phraseology

Maintain situational awareness; listen for radio traffic on the ground and in the air, being attentive to

where everyone else is

Read back all clearances (don’t respond by rote; be attentive; understand and comply)

If unsure of a clearance, request clarification

A frequent issue is failing to follow a clearance because it is different than the pilot expects to receive as

“normal practice.” Pilots get the same general clearance so often that when there is a change it doesn’t

really “soak in” to our consciousness.

RSAT meeting participants had few safety concerns at MSO. The increase in helicopter operations was

noted, carrying with it a greater need for pilots to be alert for local traffic. As a general summary, operational

safety at MSO remains high. Keep up the good work!

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Airport access badges

Remember to check your badge renewal date.

At one time, badges all expired on the same date. Now, they expire on your birthday and are good for two years. Because the process was changed less than 2 years ago, some of us will have badges expiring sooner than 2 years from the last issuance depending upon the date of our birthday.

Badges may be renewed 30 days prior to the expiration date.• There is no “grace period” after the expiration date.

There is a recent change in the procedure for obtaining/renewing AOA badges.

• The Missoula County Airport Authority will no longer be the signatory for pilot AOA badges. Pilot

issued AOA badges will now require a principal or representative of the associated FBO,

business, or hangar association to be the pilot’s badge signatory. Pilots were notified by letter that when

they come in for their next badge renewal, their application will need to be signed by their new signatory.

• All airport commercial ventures and hangar associations with plane owners/pilots, and/or mechanics

will need to have a signatory for their AOA access badges.

(See Badges. Continued on page 9)

General Aviation Barbecue

Mark your calendars for this much-anticipated

annual event, sponsored by the Missoula International

Airport in recognition of the role general aviation

plays here. This year’s BBQ will again be held at the

EAA hangar, located in the East LZ hangar complex.

All with an interest in aviation at MSO are invited to

this free event. Join old friends and make new ones at

this good-time event aimed purely at enjoyment.

September 28, 11am to 2pm, EAA hangar, East

LZ hangar complex. (Grizzlies play out of town that

day)

EAA

EAA chapter 517 has about 60 members

consisting of both pilots and non-pilots interested in

aviation. On the first Saturday of each month through

summer and fall EAA chapter 517 is holding a

pancake breakfast, fly-in, and Young Eagles rally

(free youth flights). Breakfast is $5 from 8:00 to

10:00 AM and all are welcome. Come and meet

other pilots and check out the chapter hangar facility

in the East LZ Hangar complex.

EAA is also doing some Young Eagles flights

for middle school classes at Superior. These flights

are particularly relevant because the classes have

been studying flight. On May 18th the chapter held a

Flying Start event as part of national Learn to Fly Day

to inform interested people about what it takes to

obtain a pilot’s license and what resources are

available in the area. Also included were free intro

flights with experienced pilots.

Goings-on at MSO

East LZ hangars

General aviation energy is building at the East LZ Hangars: Aviation maintenance, a flight school,

gathering places for meeting, comradery, and hangar flying… what could be better than this “business and non

-profit hub of GA?!” There are still 3 units left for sale. Two are 60 X 60’ and one 65 X 60.’ Contact Todd at

(406) 544-0402 Todd@homesteadhelicopters.com

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House Bill 661 was signed into law by

Governor Steve Bullock on May 10, 2019 after a

roller coaster ride through the legislative process.

The bill was conceived by a group of aviators that

came to be known as “Pilots for Montana Airports”.

The group of volunteers was formed with the sole

purpose of finding a solution for aviation funding in

Montana and was comprised of Jerry Cain (Lincoln),

John McKenna (Bozeman), Walt McNutt (Sidney),

Carmine Mowbry (Seeley Lake), Doug Phair (Miles

City), Pete Smith (Lewistown) and Terry Spath

(Lincoln). The bill was introduced and sponsored by

Representative Geraldine Custer of Forsyth and

carried in the Senate by Senator Duane Ankney of

Colstrip.

The bill, in its original form, would have

provided funding as follows: 1) increase the aviation

fuel tax from 4¢ per gallon to 14¢ per gallon

distributed as 2¢ to Aeronautics operations, 8¢ to the

airport improvement grant fund, and 4¢ to a new

education fund; 2) repeal the ½¢ per gallon allocation

paid by the scheduled passenger carrying airlines for

the pavement preservation fund; 3) repeal the 2¢ per

gallon rebate to scheduled passenger carrying airlines;

4) change the distribution of aircraft registration fees

from 90% to the general fund and 10% to Aeronautics

operations to 30% to the general fund and 70% to

Aeronautics operations.

The bill got a late start in the session but was

introduced in the House on March 13 and then

referred to House Transportation. The House

Transportation hearing was held on March 20 and

included spirited testimony from proponents and

opponents alike. The bill was amended in House

Transportation to provide funding as follows: 1)

increase the aviation fuel tax from 4¢ per gallon to

6.5¢ per gallon distributed as 2¢ to Aeronautics

operations and 4.5¢ to the airport improvement grant

fund; 2) repeal the ½¢ per gallon allocation paid by

the scheduled passenger carrying airlines for the

pavement preservation fund; 3) repeal 1¢ per gallon

rebate to scheduled passenger carrying airlines

beginning July 1, 2021; 4) increase aircraft

registration fees by 50%; 5) change the distribution of

aircraft registration fees from 90% to the general fund

and 10% to Aeronautics operations to 30% to the

general fund and 70% to Aeronautics operations.

The full House heard 2nd reading on March 28

where an amendment to further change the funding

was defeated and the bill passed 2nd reading 71-29.

The bill passed 3rd reading on March 30 (only one day

before the transmittal deadline) by a vote of 70-28

and moved to the Senate.

The bill was referred to the Senate Highways

and Transportation Committee on April 4 and a

hearing was held on April 9. Like the House hearing,

the hearing was attended by a strong showing of both

opponents and proponents. The bill was amended in

Senate Highways and Transportation to provide

funding as follows: 1) increase the aviation fuel tax

from 4¢ per gallon to 5¢ per gallon distributed as ½¢

to Aeronautics operations and 4.5¢ to the airport

improvement grant fund; 2) repeal the ½¢ per gallon

allocation paid by the scheduled passenger carrying

airlines for the pavement preservation fund; 3) repeal

the 2¢ per gallon rebate to scheduled passenger

carrying airlines; 4) increase aircraft registration fees

by 50%; 5) change the distribution of aircraft

registration fees from 90% to the general fund and

10% to Aeronautics operations to 100% to

Aeronautics operations.

On April 12, the bill was re-referred to the

Senate Finance and Claims committee. The bill

passed out of committee 6-4 but not before being

amended yet another time with a provision to prohibit

Aeronautics from retaining any money from the

increased revenue for administrative purposes. (See Funding. Continued on page 9)

Funding Aviation in Montana Contributed by Tim Conway, Administrator, Montana Aeronautics Division

Editor’s note: Some editors would seriously consider shortening this story by “cutting to the chase” and leaving out details about how the funding bill progressed through the legislature. This editor decided that Tim’s excellent recounting of the bill’s history accurately reflects what many find as a confusing complexity of our state’s lawmaking process. Supporters of HB 661 deserve kudos for weathering the whirlwind 90-day legislative session.

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The process to obtain or renew an AOA badge:

1. Go to the Airport office on the second floor of the terminal, confirm the currency of your identification

documents, and fill out the usual paperwork

2. Take the paperwork to your “sponsor” FBO, commercial operator, or hangar association manager and get it

signed

3. Return to the Airport office with your signed paperwork, take the tutorial, and receive your badge. This last

part of the process can be expected to take an hour or less.

Moving?! PLEASE let your sponsoring FBO or hangar association managers know! They are required to report

changes in hangar occupancy within 24 hours of the change. It is now the sponsor’s (signatory’s) responsibility

to: a) Let the Airport Public Safety Office know within 24 hours of any move; b) Ensure that the AOA badge is

turned in to the Airport within 30 days. The sponsor (not the badge holder, though the sponsor may attempt to

collect from the badge holder) may receive a monetary fine if either the 24 hour notification or the badge return

is not done.

Questions? Call Katie Derosier, Missoula County Airport Authority, 728-4381

(Badges. Continued from page 7)

The Senate heard 2nd reading on April 15

where yet another amendment to further change the

funding was defeated and the bill passed 2nd reading

33-17. The bill passed 3rd reading on April 16 with a

30-20 vote and moved back to the House for

concurrence of the amendments. Finally, on May 1,

the bill was presented to the Governor for signature.

The legislation will become effective on July

1, 2019 and go a long way toward meeting the needs

of Montana’s airports. The last legislative funding

increase was accomplished during the 1999 legislative

session via Senate Bill 205 that was introduced by

Senator Walt McNutt and carried by Representative

Bob Pavlovich. Since then, revenues have remained

relatively flat, but expenditures have steadily

increased. The new law will increase the airport

improvement grant fund by seven-fold and allow the

Aeronautics Division to consider reinstating programs

and services that have been reduced or suspended

over the past several years in addition to considering

the implementation of new programs and services.

The Aeronautics Division staff intends to meet with

industry enthusiasts to identify new areas of service to

the Montana aviation community.

It’s important to note, none of this would have

been possible without the unbelievable dedication,

commitment, and sacrifice by the Pilots for Montana

Airports in conjunction with the many pilots and

organizations that took the time to visit with their

legislative representation. Once the bill hit the House

on March 13, it was often a daily roller coaster of

anxiety and emotion as negotiations progressed,

rumors surfaced, and amendments were passed. In

the end, neither side got what they wanted but perhaps

that’s the true measure of legislative success. If you

see one of the Pilots for Montana Airports volunteers

out and about, consider thanking them for their hard

work to improve aviation in Montana.

(Funding. Continued from page 8)

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Name the Bear Contest Winner; MSO Terminal construction update Reported to MSO GA News by Tim Damrow, Projects Manager, Missoula International Airport

Name the Bear

As an effort to add some fun and compensate for the inconvenience of the ongoing

terminal construction the airport sponsored a “Name the Bear” contest. The bear

“stands guard” in a secure, glassed enclosure inside the terminal. Michael Thomas

submitted the winning name “Charlo.” Here is his story by reporter Lailani Upham,

reprinted with permission by Char Koosta News:

MISSOULA — Visitors arriving at Missoula Airport

will now be greeted with the visual roar of the rich

cultural history of the Bitterroot Salish, Pend

d’Oreille and Kootenai aboriginal land through a

bear named, “Charlo.” The iconic stuffed grizzly

bear at the Missoula International Airport was given

the name “Charlo” by a descendant of Chief Charlo’s

band of the Bitterroot Salish, Michael Thomas.

Thomas entered “Fly Missoula” contest where

hundreds of entries came in from around the local

area and beyond from October 2018 to February

2019.

Folks were asked to take selfies or pictures with the bear and post on the Fly Missoula social media, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages with a name to call the bear and their reason behind the name.

Thomas entered his submission at the very beginning in October.

Thomas said, “As some of us know, or should know, is that Missoula, Montana, and the Bitterroot Valley and much of the western part of the state is aboriginal land for the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d’Orielle and Kootenai.”

Thomas told the story of Chief Charlo’s band of the Bitterroot Salish being forced from their homeland to the area north of Missoula.

Prior to being forced to what is known as the Flathead Indian Reservation, Chief Charlo’s band of Bitterroot Salish Indians would travel great distance from Darby, Hamilton, Stevensville up to the Missoula valley to hunt and to gather medicinal plants and food. “Missoula once was full of

medicine, food, and environmental resources utilized for the survival of our people,” Thomas said.

He said Chief Charlo was a well known chief of the Tribe. “When his Salish name is translated to English, it refers to the grizzly bear and its claws. In fact his name in Salish is ‘S?mxe Qwoxwqeys’ and translated to English is ‘claw of the grizzly bear.’”

Thomas said to the committee in his submission that Missoula was a place that was very important to the Bitterroot Salish and Pend d’Oreille, Kootenai people. “As well as the four-legged and winged-animals,” he added.

Thomas impressed upon the committee that he would like to see the name of the bear at our local Missoula International Airport to have a Salish name. In his submission he stated that in the Salish language, the word for grizzly bear is “smxe” adding the pronunciation, (sm-heh) for the committee and public to say properly.

By January the Fly Missoula airport contest committee told Thomas that the Airport Board selected his submission as one of the top finalists.

The committee said the name ‘Charlo’ and would add the historical significance if the name was voted for by the public.

In April Thomas was told the name Charlo was selected as the ultimate winner of the Name the Bear contest. Prize was $500.

Thomas said by giving the bear a Salish name would let travelers who go through the Airport will take in bit of Missoula’s rich history and cultural significance.

Char-Koosta web site: www.charkoosta.com

Photo: Michael Thomas submitted the winning name “Charlo” for the airport’s grizzly. Translated to English, the name refers to the grizzly bear and its claws. Photo courtesy of Tim Damrow.

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Terminal construction

Travelers don’t get the same perception of change as do the rest of us who are frequently in and out of

the terminal. What a project!

Phase I, construction of the “south concourse” with 4 gates with jet bridges is estimated to be operational for passengers by late 2021 (December-ish). Phase II, construction of the east concourse will complete the entire project with 8 gates and 6 jetbridges. The actual completion date is dependent upon federal funding levels. Ideally,

this phase would follow the completion of the south concourse.

The new MSO terminal will be constructed in two phases. Graphic courtesy of Tim Damrow.

Graphic courtesy of Tim Damrow.

Among the special views for Northstar’s flight instructors and students is the Museum’s “other DC-3” (not Miss Montana) at the departure end of Rwy 30. Photo courtesy of Kynan Spethman

Flight students and GA pilots alike can expect marvelous views in western Montana, like this one of a frozen Flathead Lake. Photo courtesy of Kynan Spethman

See Flight School, page 14

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From Dan’s Desk (draft 2) By Dan Neuman, MSO Business Development Manager

How many of you remember Dennis Chudy?

Dennis was the Airfield Operations Manager at MSO

for over 29 years. Back when I started working at the

Airport (some 18 years ago), Dennis told me that

there was an airplane buried out here on Airport

property somewhere. I think he even told me that he

thought it was a Twin Beech, an iconic aircraft to be

sure. I have been looking for that airplane ever since.

Every time someone digs a hole, excavates a

foundation or drills a well I am eagerly anticipating

the gleam of a fuselage being exposed to the sunlight

for the first time in decades. You can imagine my

excitement when Martel Construction began

excavating for the foundation of the new Terminal

building! I was sure this was going to be the time

when the Airport clay gave up its treasure. Well, it

didn’t happen.

But being an eternal optimist, I feel compelled

to tell you… it’s a great hole! It’s about 215 feet by

100 feet and 18 feet deep. That means that roughly

14,500 cubic yards of dirt came out of that hole. It

took over 1,600 dump truck loads to haul all that

material away.

They have installed “Soldier Pilings” to retain

the walls and keep the soil from falling back into the

pit. Soon they will begin forming the foundation in

anticipation of pouring concrete and setting up for

vertical construction. So while I didn’t find the

mystery Beechcraft, we are rapidly moving forward

on our Terminal building construction and that is

almost as exciting. In the meantime, I am going to

keep looking for that missing airplane. Oh and

Dennis is no longer at the Airport having retired in

2017. He now spends his time hunting and fishing.

12

Photos courtesy of Dan Neuman.

Fly the Big Sky license plates are now available through regular

county motor vehicle licensing departments. For each license

purchased, EAA Chapter 517 receives $20 to further its activities

promoting aviation. The additional cost for the specialty plate with

standard numbers is about $30, and for the personalized plate about

$60. Plates can be ordered at any time without affecting the renewal

cycle. Standard renewal rates apply, with the specialty plate cost being

added.

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Recently I have been doing more flying than I

have for awhile. This has been an opportunity for me

to see what’s going on in the real world and a

reminder of what I’ve seen even when I was flying a

lot. There is an issue that concerned me in the past,

and I have found still persists. In aviation, there are

many standards a pilot is expected to learn and abide

by in the interest of aviation safety for all who share

the National Airspace System. These standards are

an expectation for what we can anticipate when

operating near other aircraft. The issue that is the

subject of my concern for today is airport traffic

patterns.

When I’ve been flying in and around

Missoula, there seems to be a cavalier, or rather

sloppy, handling of aircraft in and around our airport

traffic patterns, both controlled and uncontrolled.

For that reason it seems as if a review of proper

procedures might be instructive. Before we get into

that, here is a question: Why do we have specific

procedures for traffic pattern operation? The short

answer is that this allows all of us to have a good

idea of what each of us is going to do in normal

operations. More important, it greatly reduces the

likelihood that we will crash into each other, always

a good thing! If one uses non-standard procedures,

not so much…. a bad thing!

According to the Aeronautical Information

Manual (AIM) the standard (expected) traffic pattern

departure procedure for all airports is as follows:

After takeoff climb straight ahead on the runway

heading until within 300 feet of the traffic pattern

altitude, then depart straight out or on a 45 degree

angle toward the downwind leg of the traffic pattern.

At a controlled airport, you can negotiate something

different with the tower’s approval.

The AIM standard (expected) traffic pattern

entry procedure for all airports is that: When

approaching all airports, the aircraft should be

established at traffic pattern altitude one mile before

approaching the traffic pattern. The traffic pattern

should be entered in the middle 1/3 of the downwind

leg at a 45 degree angle in the direction of the traffic

flow. Once again, at a controlled airport you can

negotiate something non-standard with the tower’s

approval.

If you find yourself on the wrong side of an

uncontrolled airport, the procedure is to overfly the

airport at a safe altitude above the traffic pattern,

then let down to traffic pattern altitude and make the

correct 45 degree entry into the traffic pattern. At a

controlled airport, negotiate an appropriate plan with

the tower and proceed accordingly.

At Missoula (KMSO), if you are coming in

from the Bitterroot, quite often you will be offered an

extended left crosswind leg entry when landing on

RWY 30. Approaching from Evaro and landing on

RWY 12 you may be offered an entry on an extended

left crosswind leg. The KMSO tower does a nice job

of working aircraft into an appropriate sequence

based on traffic conditions at the time.

Most important, remember standard

procedures are the expectation of all pilots that are

flying around an airport, controlled or uncontrolled.

It is doubly important around uncontrolled airports

because not all aircraft have radios. As long as

everyone operates in a standard manner, the safest

possible environment will be created around the

airport.

Steve Rossiter is a graduate of the University of

Southern California Aviation Safety Management

Program, he served as the National Aviation Safety

Manager for the US Department of Interior Bureau of

Indian Affairs and the Aviation Safety Officer for the US

Army’s 91st Infantry Division.

Something for All Pilots to Consider By Steve Rossiter

Graphic courtesy of Steve Rossiter.

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Trooper Palmer Benefit

On Saturday, May 4th more than 800 people

gathered at Neptune Aviation for a “301 Strong

Benefit” to raise funds for Montana Highway

Patrolman Wade Palmer. Trooper Palmer was

seriously injured in a shooting on March 15th. The

benefit raised mover than $100,000 to help defray

medical expenses that Trooper Palmer incurred as a

result of the shooting.

The event featured a live & silent auction, a raffle,

and live music by singer and songwriter Shane

Claus. The keynote speaker at the event was Montana

Attorney General Tim Fox. He took the time to thank

those in attendance, the entire first responder

community and those throughout the state that have

helped Trooper Palmer.

If any readers are interested in contributing to

Trooper Palmer, donations are still being encouraged.

Visit https://www.gofundme.com/trooper-wade-

palmer-expense-fund for more information.

Special Olympics Plane Pull Coming June 22

If you have ever wondered how

much a BAe 146 airtanker weighs,

the upcoming “Plane Pull” at

Neptune Aviation is for you! On

Saturday, June 22nd Neptune

Aviation is hosting the 2nd Annual

Special Olympics “Plane Pull.” 6-person teams

compete to see who can muscle an airtanker 20 feet

in the shortest amount on of time (think of a tug-of-

war with the airtanker on the other end).

In addition to food, drinks and

prizes there will be static displays

from Life Flight, the Forest Service,

and First Responder agencies. For

more information visit: https://

www.classy.org/campaign/plane-

pull-2019/c226131

NSJ Neptune Flight School

Flight Instructors Danielle

Maniere, Sam Giese, and

Larry Waldman have been

busy! As the three flight

instructors for Northstar Jet/

Neptune Aviation, Danielle,

Sam and Larry have been

working all 7 days of the

week to offer customers slots

to fly!

The 4 Flight School

aircraft for NSJ, have flown

almost 900 hours so far in 2019! To put that in

perspective, the NSJ aircraft have taken off and

landed here in MSO, at least 2500 times so far this

year. With our MSO Tower operations numbers up

17% (Jan-April) over last year’s numbers, we’re

proud to say we contributed to the trend! Flight

Instruction, Aircraft Rental, Scenic Flights, Flight

Reviews, and 107 Drone Classes are all available

here at Northstar/Neptune. If you didn’t know, we

are also the only location in town offering a P.S.I

Testing Center, for any of your Aviation testing

certifications.

If you’re looking to rent an aircraft, learn to fly, or

just want to enjoy a scenic flight, please give us a call

406-721-8886 or visit our website.

www.northstarmso.com

News from NSJ Neptune Thanks to Kevin Condit, Neptune Marketing Manager, and Kynan Spethman, NSJ Neptune General Manager

Hundreds gathered at Northstar/Neptune for the Trooper Palmer fundraiser. Photo courtesy of Kynan Spethman.

Contestants attempt pulling a BAe 146 airtanker. Photo courtesy of Kynan Spethman.

Can Smokey pull the airtanker by himself!? Photo courtesy of Kynan Spethman.

CFIs Danielle Maniere and Sam Giese have kept Northstar’s flight school busy! Photo courtesy of Kynan Spethman.

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Last spring

Minuteman Aviation

was honored to be a

part of the Sperry

Chalet rebuild in

Glacier National

Park.

The Chalet

had been burned by

the Sprague fire in

the summer of 2017,

when the wildfire

ripped through the

area. In the fire’s wake, it had only left behind the

stone masonry walls of the 104 year old chalet.

Located 6.5 miles up from Going-To-The-Sun-Road,

at Gunsight Peak, the rebuild met overwhelming

support from the public.

Minuteman Aviation is honored to work

alongside the rebuild efforts to recreate the Glacier

Park icon. Having a busy fire season in 2018,

Minuteman managed the construction project along

with contracted firefighting duties. Minuteman

helicopters were on hand to haul various materials

and personnel to the Chalet’s site as well as

combating Glacier’s temperamental weather for

precise setting of rafters for the chalets roof. Overall,

the first initial phase in the Chalet rebuild was a

success. Minuteman Aviation looks forward to

teaming up with Dick Anderson for the second phase

of the rebuild starting in June.

To view more photos of the construction

process visit The Glacier National Park Conservancy

website https://glacier.org/sperry-chalet/photos/

Minuteman Aviation Inc. flying for Sperry Chalet By Jillian Mamuzich, Minuteman Aviation

On May 7th, the Missoula Civil Air Patrol

(CAP) Composite Squadron had the honor of touring

the MSO Control Tower. Keith Eberhard, director of

the Control Tower, led the tour and explained to the

squadron the huge responsibilities of an Air Traffic

Controller and the different paths to become an Air

Traffic Controller. We were able to observe

Controller Brian Cloudy that evening, as he

communicated to the pilots as they were preparing to

depart, to pilots as they were ready to land and just

how key communication is.

Keith and the Controller did an outstanding

job of answering all the cadets’ and seniors’

questions and MT018 truly appreciates the

opportunity to explore this exciting and rewarding

Aerospace career.

Missoula CAP Composite Squadron meets

every Tuesday from 1800-2000 at the Big Sky High

School. For questions regarding the squadron, please

contact Lt James Meixner at 406-550-2171.

Civil Air Patrol Visits MSO Air Traffic Control Tower By Lt. Karen Anderson, CAP, Missoula Composite Squadron

CAP’s Lt. Adams visits with air traffic controller Brian Cloudy. Photo courtesy of Lt. Karen Anderson

From left, CAP’s Squadron Commander Lt. Meixner and Lt. Anderson with cadets in the MSO air traffic control tower. Photo cortesy of Lt. Karen Anderson

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16

Our airport’s neighbor to the west is undergoing remarkable growth and development. It will make a

fine destination for all of us, including visitors arriving from out of town! Aviators, note the June 29th event!

June 4, 2019: 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Ribbon Cutting Celebration and Dedication for our new amphitheatre, The James R. Yule Pavilion. Come and

celebrate this amazing new timber frame stage and seating area which will allow the Museum many

opportunities to celebrate and share America’s conservation legacy!

June 29, 2019: 3:00pm – 4:30pm

Higgins Ridge Fire Story. This is a panel discussion by the Higgins Ridge Fire survivors. The Higgins Ridge

Fire was a 1961 incident in which 20 smokejumpers were trapped in an explosive fire but were all rescued by a

helicopter pilot from Johnson Aviation. This is an amazing story which has virtually been hidden from history.

Eleven of the smokejumpers, and tentatively the pilot, are coming to Missoula to document and share their

experience. We will be conducting individual oral histories and the public panel discussion will take place at

3:00 pm.

July 27, 2019: 12:00pm – 4:00pm

Help us celebrate Smokey Bear’s 75th Birthday with food & fun, educational activities for all ages. Come wish

Smokey a Happy Birthday!

August 15, 2019: John Clayton Book Launch: 4:30pm – 6:00pm

John’s new book, “Natural Rivals: John Muir, Gifford Pinchot and the Creation of America’s Public Lands”

will be released along with a reading at this wonderful literary presentation.

September 13, 2019: 4:30pm – 6:00pm

Norman Maclean Festival. Book launch of the new edition of Eler Koch’s “Forty Years a Forester,” featuring

commentary by John Maclean and Peter Koch.

National Museum of Forest Service History – Upcoming Events

Fly the Big Sky license plates are now available through regular

county motor vehicle licensing departments. For each license

purchased, EAA Chapter 517 receives $20 to further its activities

promoting aviation. The additional cost for the specialty plate with

standard numbers is about $30, and for the personalized plate about

$60. Plates can be ordered at any time without affecting the renewal

cycle. Standard renewal rates apply, with the specialty plate cost being

added.

5225 HIGHWAY 10 WEST MISSOULA MT 59808

MSO GA News thanks Lt. Karen Anderson, CAP, Tim Conway, Administrator, Montana Aeronautics Division; Tim

Damrow, MSO Manager of Projects; Keith Eberhard, MSO ATC; Jillian Mamuzich, Minuteman Aviation; Dan Neuman,

MSO Business Development Manager; Steve Rossiter, EAA Chapter 517; Kynan Spethman, Northstar Jet General

Manager; Lisa Tate, National Museum of Forest Service History for their contributions to this “newsletter’ (news

magazine!).

If you have something interesting to write about we'd like to put it in the newsletter and share it with the Missoula aviation

community! Long (about 500 words), short, funny, serious, whatever. The News is published intermittently. Interested in

contributing? Contact the editor (see below).

MSO GA NEWS is published in Missoula Montana by Missoula International Airport and The Experimental Aircraft Association

(EAA) Chapter 517.

Editor and reporter: Gary Matson, Box 308, Milltown MT 59851 • 370-6584(c) • gjmatson@montana.com

Newsletter layout: Judy Matson

Missoula International Airport: 5225 Highway 10 West, Missoula MT 59808 • 728-4381 • www.flymissoula.com

EAA Chapter 517: eaachapter517@gmail.com • www.eaa517.org

MISSOULA AVIATION WEB SITES Missoula International Airport: http://www.flymissoula.com Homestead Helicopters: http://www.homesteadhelicopters.com/

Minuteman Aviation: https://www.minutemanaviation.net/

Neptune Aviation: http://www.neptuneaviation.com

Northstar Jet: http://www.northstarmso.com

Aerotronics: http://www.aerotronics.com/

Museum of Mountain Flying: https://www.museumofmountainflying.org/

Nat’l Museum of Forest Service History: http://www.forestservicemuseum.org/

Flying drones safely: http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

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