Wings of the North – Summer Update
The past three months have been a whirlwind at the Wings of the North Air Museum — and we’re only getting started. Our Speaker Series continues to grow, drawing enthusiastic crowds on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
On May 7, WOTN volunteer Tim Beutell kicked off the season with an engaging look at his career, from launching off aircraft carriers as a U.S. Navy Ensign flying A 7 Corsair IIs to retiring as Northwest Airlines’ Chief Pilot in Minneapolis–St. Paul. His carrier ops videos and photos were a highlight of the evening. On June 4, volunteer and Museum Director Bob Jasperson shared his remarkable journey from taking flying lessons at age 15 on Flying Cloud Airport to flying more than 100 combat missions in the F 4 Phantom during the Vietnam War. On July 2, local WASP reenactor Danielle Hemmingsen will bring to life the contributions of the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. Then, on August 6, historian Jonathan Parshall will join us on the 81st anniversary of the Hiroshima mission to discuss the atomic bombings and their role in ending World War II.
WOTN on the Road
Our volunteers are out in the community representing Wings of the North at aviation events across the region:
• May 15–16: Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering (Buffalo Airport), sponsored by the Minnesota Pilots Association. WOTN is proud to be a full sponsor of GMAG for 2026.
• May 29–31: Schooner Days in Eden Prairie with the Lions Club.
• June 21: Pancake breakfast at Airlake Airport with EAA Chapter 25.
• July 5: Airlake Airport again for Lakeville’s annual Pan O Prog celebration.
At each event, we’ll be promoting the museum, sharing details about AirFair 2026, highlighting our airplane sweepstakes, and connecting with potential sponsors and volunteers. If you’d like to help at any of these gatherings, we’d love to have you join us.
Join Us This Summer
The museum is open every weekend, and we host private tours and events throughout the week. Whether you enjoy greeting visitors, sharing aviation history, helping behind the scenes, or supporting special events, there’s a place for you on the WOTN team.
If volunteering isn’t possible right now, we still hope to see you at our programs and events. It’s shaping up to be a busy, exciting summer at Wings of the North — and we look forward to seeing you often.
Restoration Hangar
Work on the BT 15 continues to move forward with steady progress. The tailcone installation is now complete, and several of the lower body panels have been fitted to the aircraft. During this phase, the team identified two Airworthiness Directives that must be addressed. One is a straightforward placard installation on the instrument panels. The second is more involved and required removing the fuel selector valve so we could retrofit the outlet fitting and add a low point drain to the system.
The four main side panels are currently being fitted to the aircraft. During this process, we discovered that two of the support channels had previous damage and needed replacement. Those channels are now back in the restoration hangar, where they are being repaired and prepared for installation.
Once the side panels are finalized, the team will move on to installing the wing to body fairings, followed by the lower mid wing panels and the cowlings. Each step brings us closer to returning this historic aircraft to its full, polished form.
AirFair
Our AirFair volunteers worked incredibly hard this year to bring the show to life. Unfortunately, despite everyone’s best efforts, we faced challenges that made it impossible to hold the event. Without access to a hangar and with fewer aircraft available, the difficult decision was made to cancel this year’s AirFair — something no one on the team wanted.
Many of the military aircraft we look forward to hosting have been tasked with deployments, while others are transitioning to new equipment. We look forward to seeing those aircraft next year. In addition, ongoing improvements at Flying Cloud Airport continue to make large scale events more complicated to organize. Even so, these obstacles are not insurmountable. Our volunteers remain fully committed to bringing AirFair back stronger than ever.
We are already looking ahead to next year, when we will honor Charles Lindbergh and the 100th anniversary of his historic flight across the Atlantic. Planning is underway, and your help can make all the difference.
Please join us on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. as we prepare for an unforgettable AirFair in 2027.
Sweepstakes
WIN A 1950 AERONCA 7EC CHAMP OR $25,000!!!
Our annual Sweepstakes is fully underway, and this year’s Grand Prize is truly special — a beautifully restored 1950 Aeronca 7EC Champ, finished in a striking red and white livery. This classic two seat tandem taildragger has 7,466+ hours total time and just 142 hours since major overhaul in 2006. It’s on display at the museum, so stop by and take a look in person.
All sweepstakes details and entry information are available at www.wotn.org/sweepstakes. Sales are entirely online, and entries are available now.
The Grand Prize drawing will take place during our Fall Pancake Breakfast at the Wings of the North Air Museum on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
In addition to the Champ, we’re holding 10 early drawings beginning in May— each for a brand new iPad, with drawings continuing every other week. We already have several winners:
• John Bostic, Fort Walton Beach, FL
• Gale Huey, Celeste, TX
• Greg Kalogerson, Edina, MN
Don’t miss your chance to win an iPad or the Aeronca Champ. All early drawing winners are returned to the barrel for the final Grand Prize drawing, so purchasing your entries now gives you a chance in all remaining drawings.
You do not need to be present to win.
Good luck — and thank you for supporting Wings of the North!