Military aviation is an important part of our state’s aviation community. In this spotlight, we highlight some of our local military aviators, who represent North Dakota around the world, and share their stories with you. We thank them for their dedicated service to our country and community.

Two of our North Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame (HOF) inductees recently celebrated over 100 years of life. Both are WWII veterans, who have pursued a lifelong passion for aviation. Please join us in wishing our HOF centenarians a happy birthday!

The North Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame was established to honor those who have made major achievements in aviation, in North Dakota. Since 1997, 47 aviators have been inducted. Hall of Fame inductees must have the following attributes:

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Hello! My name is Ryan Thayer and I am the Executive Director/CEO of the Fargo Air Museum (FAM). I have been part of aviation since birth, received my solo license at 16, and my private pilot’s license at 18 from the University of North Dakota, as well as an Entrepreneurship Degree. I have always been passionate about aviation and business and am thrilled to be able to pursue both of my passions at the Fargo Air Museum.  

This summer has been very busy and exciting, with plenty of fun aviation activities in North Dakota. With the summer heat and bugs, there are a few things you can do to help keep your plane looking good and your flights safe. With all the bugs in North Dakota, it is important to keep your aircraft clean by removing bugs after each flight, especially the windscreen. Bugs and other contaminants can affect your aerodynamics and visibility the next time you fly, as well as being hard on your paint/clear coat. Consider some of the new products coming out to assist with repelling bugs and making cleaning easier, like professionally installed ceramic coatings. 

Exploring North Dakota Airports

The annual Fly-ND Summerfest is taking place on August 19, 2022, at the Williston Basin International Airport (XWA.) Check out some fun places to visit in Williston, ND, also known as Boomtown! The North Dakota airport passport stamp can be found at Overland Aviation; please ask at the desk.

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By Bob Simmers

What a gorgeous beginning to summer! I recently took an early morning flight up the Missouri River and was in awe of the beauty that was present in North Dakota. I cannot remember a spring where the greens were greener, the prairies more lush, and the river in contrasting colors. It was truly one of those flights that is etched into my memory. Spring got off to a trying start with late and heavy snows, cool temperatures, and high winds, all not lending itself to leisure flying. The last couple of weeks have turned around and we have had beautiful mornings, calm evenings, and last night another shot of moisture to feed the green of the hills. What a great time to be an aviator in central North Dakota!

It is a common misconception that teachers don’t do any work during the summer. While they do have time to relax and are not going into school daily, teachers are still busy planning lessons for the next school year. In addition, many teachers take advantage of professional development opportunities. This summer, the North Dakota Aviation Association (NDAA) and the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) partnered with the University of North Dakota – Aerospace (UND) to host several aviation focused professional development opportunities. Funding for these opportunities was provided by a workforce development grant awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

I am very excited to share that we had nearly 50 educators from around the region attend these two-day courses. It was very exciting to see teachers from all over North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota wanting to learn more about our industry. We also had teachers from a variety of backgrounds, including elementary, middle school, and high school teaching a variety of subjects. It was a great audience who came with energy, ready to learn. 

NDAA Executive Director’s Note

By The Staiger Consulting Group

I grabbed my Starbucks coffee and found a quiet, sunny corner of the airport which overlooked the runway, ramp, and taxiway. I found myself simply mesmerized, watching all the people that make every single flight happen. 

Many challenges within the aviation industry have presented themselves over the last few months. Most of the vocalized concerns that we have heard within both the public and private sectors are tied to rising project and operational costs, as well as continued difficulties in hiring and retaining a qualified workforce. These impacts are being felt throughout the airline industry, General Aviation, and airport construction sectors.

The airline industry has come a long way, since the beginning stages of COVID-19 led to a 95% drop in passenger traffic in April of 2020. Now, many of our commercial airports are within reach of a full recovery in pre-pandemic passenger demand; however, new challenges have emerged. The airlines are currently citing inability to add additional flights into the system, due to the pilot and staff shortages that are currently plaguing the industry. Additionally, increased operational costs are resulting in higher fares for the traveling public. These new realities present headwinds for retaining and attracting new air service opportunities, which hurts the overall health of an industry that is now coping with rising break-even costs. In order to once again see sustainable passenger growth above pre-pandemic levels, additional flights or larger aircraft with additional seats will...