This article was originally published in the Summer 2016 edition of Briefings
This fall, you can visit the Buffalo Municipal Airport as it hosts the second day of the 2016 AirTAP Fall Forum. The airport is owned by the City of Buffalo, which is located 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis in Wright County, Minnesota.
The airport features on 3,200 x 75-ft. bituminous runway and full parallel taxiway that were constructed in 2010.
More than 70 based aircraft call the Buffalo Municipal Airport home. They are housed in 23 private hangars and 3 city-owned T-hangars that house an additional 26 sports. The city operates a 24-hour self-service fuel station.
West Metro Aviation is the airport’s fixed-base operator. Its commercial hangar houses a NASCAR-style shop where staff perform aircraft maintenance and restoration on all general aviation aircraft brands including American Champion, Aviat, Beechcraft, Cessna, Cirrus, Mooney, and Piper. West Metro Aviation also sells airplanes. Owner Mike Wiscus is a professional aerobatic pilot who participates in the Buffalo air show every other year.
Another aviation-related business at the airport is D’Shannon Aviation, which manufactures and installs after-market modifications for Beechchcraft Bonanza, Debonair, and Baron aircraft. The business began 50 years ago and, as a supplemental type certificate (STC) holder, works with clients around the world to upgrade and enhance general aviation aircraft.
This year marks the 50th anniversary for the airport, which opened with a grass strip in 1966. In the spring of 1980, MnDOT Aeronautics allocated money to pave hard surfaces around the airport’s two T-hangars and taxiways to the north and middle entrances of the runway. With the help of many volunteers and donations, a paved runway measuring 2600 x 60 ft. was completed in the fall of 1986. The paving of the runway led to Buffalo Aviation opening its door in the old operations building while construction of an 80 x 100-ft. commercial hangar (now owned by D’Shanon Aviation) was erected. Other additions in the years that followed were additional hangars and an Automated Weather Observation System. In early 2010, approval of an airport improvement project resulted in a runway extension, new full-length parallel taxi-way, runway pilot-controlled lighting and PAPIs, a larger ramp area, a larger parking lot with new south and north access roads with security gates, and new retention drainage ponds.
The Buffalo airport is managed by Chris Fredrick, who also serves as the city’s marketing director. Frederick’s expertise in marketing has resulted in several initiatives that bring the community to the airport, including opening in the 1,600-sq.-ft. arrival/departure building for meetings and community events (nonprofits can use the room for free).
He’s also active with local Rotary and Lions groups and works closely with the community the tourism department, and the chamber of commerce to publicize airport news. In addition, the airport hosts an annual air show in June in conjunction with the city’s Buffalo Days event the 2016 air show drew an estimated 2,500 visitors.
