The airports conference kicked off with an open house at Mankato Regional Airport, offering visitors a detailed look at one of Minnesota’s busiest regional aviation hubs.
Attendees were welcomed by Shawn Schloesser, associate director of transportation planning services with the City of Mankato, then explored poster displays throughout the lobby and joined guided small-group tours of the facility.
The Mankato Regional Airport supports over 150 aircraft operations daily and serves as the base for North Star Aviation, the flight training partner for Minnesota State University, Mankato. With more than 700 enrolled students and a fleet of 42 aircraft, the flight program is active nearly 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
In addition to training future pilots, the airport supports a range of aviation functions: medical flights for Mayo Clinic, aerobatic air shows featuring the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, pipeline and power line inspections, and agricultural spraying.
A highlight of the open house was information shared by general manager Rob McGregor on the airport’s current project—the construction of a new air traffic control tower. Postered details were also viewable in the lobby. This five-year project, currently in its planning and design phase, is expected to be operational by 2027.
Recent improvements include a newly completed concrete parking area in 2023 and a remodeled office space that opened in January.
Visitors toured the facilities with McGregor and Chris Plasek, flight school chief pilot. Stops included pilot lounges, check ride rooms, dispatch areas, and student workstations for flight planning.
On the tour, attendees learned that North Star Aviation currently employs 205 people, including 91 flight instructors—with 10 more expected to join by fall. Its FAA examining authority, held by fewer than 17 percent of US flight schools, allows it to conduct certification check rides in-house.
The school also provides full fixed-base operator services, including aircraft maintenance. Thirty mechanics maintain a strict safety protocol, checking all engines after every 60 hours of flight time. “We have a robust safety program,” McGregor says. “We put a lot of resources into it.”
The tour included a visit to the hangars, where McGregor pointed out designated areas for corporate use, city operations, and Mayo Clinic emergency aircraft—complete with on-site living quarters for round-the-clock readiness. The line hangar is at full capacity, with a two-plane waiting list—the shortest in years.
Back inside, attendees could sit in state-of-the-art flight simulators. These simulators, developed over a five-year research and design process, offer significant advancements in realism and training capacity. While the older system could simulate just 11 in-flight failures, the current system can replicate more than 90. The simulator also provides physical feedback for turbulence and integrates with PilotEdge, a tool connecting students to live communications with active or retired air traffic controllers.
As the Mankato Regional Airport continues to grow, the open house provided a glimpse into its evolving role in training, innovation, and regional aviation.
