The past three months have been like an aerobatic performance at the Wings of the North Air Museum with lots of ups and downs. Attendance on the weekends has been affected by outside influences like extremely cold weather, snow, the Superbowl, etc. Private tours and parties seem to come in bunches with some months having none and other months having three or four. Thanks to our great docents, we remain #1 on the “Things To Do In Eden Prairie” list on Trip Advisor!
Every year we host our volunteers for a party. It is our way to say thank you for all that they do. This years party had great attendance and covered both of our hangars. Thank you to all our volunteers and friends for your time, flights, loaned aircraft that make this museum possible. We thank you for a great year and look forward to making 2025 memorable.
Recent groups visiting the museum include the Chaska Senior Center, Covenant Living in Golden Valley, and the Hopkins Adult Education Photography Club. Private events are a great source of additional income for the museum. Please help by spreading the word about our unique venue. We are looking for groups of up to 50 people for almost any type of event for families, friends, businesses, senior groups, scouts, or schools.
The major theme of the WOTN Air Museum is Minnesota’s rich aviation history. If you haven’t visited lately we encourage you to stop by and bring your friends. You will see the Boeing Stearman flown by George H.W. Bush, the replica of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, a “Mae West” life vest invented by a Minnesotan, and the hot air balloon that accidently flew out of the old Metropolitan Stadium during a Vikings game with an eleven year old boy alone in the basket! You will also hear about the B-52 crash in Inver Grove Heights, the Twin Cities B-24 and B-25 modification centers, the Waco gliders that were built on MSP airport, and the artwork featuring Minnesota’s aviation heroes. We really do have a fine collection!
It is time to spread the word! Museum hours are 11am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Private tours and events are available at other times by appointment. Contact the museum for availability and how your special day can be made better.
SWEEPSTAKES 2025 BEGINS APRIL 1
WIN A 1950 AERONCA 7EC CHAMP OR $30,000!!!
After searching far and wide for our next sweepstakes airplane we found a beauty right in our own backyard in Brainerd. It has a fresh annual inspection and is ready for you to fly it away, unless you choose to take the alternate prize of $30,000. (We’d actually prefer it if you would take the cash! It gets harder every year to find good, airworthy airplanes that we can give away and still call this a fundraiser!)
This year’s sweepstakes plane is a 1950 Aeronca 7EC Champ. This is a 2 person tandem taildragger. This beautiful aircraft has 7466 total time with only 142 hours on it since major overhaul in 2006. The aircraft is visually appealing with wings recovered in 2007 and the whole plane was painted. A new prop was put on in 2008. It has a Tanis heater, Garmin Com/GPS 250 XL, Auto Fuel, Wing Tanks, Scott Tailwheel. There is much more to this plane, feel free to come by the museum to check it out.
Check www.wotn.org/sweepstakes for details. All sales are done online. Entries will be available starting April 1, just days from now. The big drawing will be at our fall pancake breakfast at the Wings of the North Air Museum on Saturday, September 27, 2025. There are five other drawings every other week starting July 19 and these lucky winners go back in the barrel for all the other prizes including the Aeronca. So purchase your entries early for a chance in all six drawings! You do not need to be present to win. GOOD LUCK!!!
The BT Project
The ailerons and aileron assist tabs have been permanently installed on the BT and we are in the process of getting them properly rigged. Once completed we will be installing the flaps and rigging them as well.
We had to complete a technical order on the tail strut that was issued in 1944 but through the years was never completed. We now have the parts for that assembly and we will soon be rebuilding that strut and re-installing in the aircraft. Soon after that we will focus on installing the rudder, elevators and the trim tabs for these controls, which will all have to be rigged.
Our volunteers also turned a new flap crank handle. The previous handle was too long and made contact with the seat. The new handle was lathed to be a little shorter to get more clearance between the seat and the handle.
AirFair
AirFair is shaping up to be a great event. This year’s inaugural festivities are linked to the anniversaries of the Navy, Marines and Army. We are busy making plans for the event on the Third Thursday of every month after the volunteer meeting at 6:30PM. Please join us to help make this a memorable event. Our one-day event on July 12 will be held rain or shine. We are looking to celebrate each of the branches mentioned and share aviation history and the future with you.