On Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 12pm the Wings of the North Air Museum on Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie will host the unveiling of the plaques honoring seven new inductees into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame. They will join almost 250 previous inductees. The Class of 2026 includes:
Eugene “Gene” DePalma—Navy veteran and Aviation Executive
Charles “Chuck” Doyle, Jr.—Airline captain and airplane restorer
Cora May Fuller—One of Minnesota’s first female pilots
Conrad “Butch” Maxwell—Air Force veteran and propeller expert
James A. Olsen—Founder of Sun Country Airlines
Robert J. Pond—Navy veteran and vintage aircraft enthusiast
John R. Sandberg—Aviation mechanic, restorer, and designer
The museum will also be unveiling the actual US Navy Blue Angels flight suit worn by the first woman to fly fighter aircraft for the world famous demonstration team, Amanda Lee from Mounds View, Minnesota. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025.
Some of the inductees or their families are expected to be at the unveiling along with several past inductees and local dignitaries. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 11am and the public is welcome to enjoy the aircraft and displays of the Minnesota-themed Wings of the North Air Museum until 3pm. A formal induction ceremony and dinner will be held later that evening at the Mystic Lake Center.
Access to Flying Cloud Airport for both the public and media is through Gate H, one mile west of Flying Cloud Drive on Pioneer Trail.
More information: wotn.org/museum/ and mahof.org/awards-banquet/
Both Wings of the North and the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame are IRS 501c3 nonprofit educational organizations.