Any POA'ers in Minneapolis Wednesday 2/9?

TangoWhiskey

TangoWhiskey

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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Location
Midlothian, TX
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3Green
Home Airfield
KJWY - Mid-Way Regional
I'll be on the road, looking to connect with some POA folk Wednesday evening if anybody's up for it! If not, any good GA airport eateries to recommend, or a good "watch airplanes" spot?

For location reference, I'll be at the Marriott in Minnetonka, west of downtown.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
any good GA airport eateries to recommend, or a good "watch airplanes" spot?
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If you have some time to kill at MSP, there is a little advertised observation platform on top of concourse D (after the bathrooms on the left iirc, just a set of stairs 'observation deck').
 
weilke said:
If you have some time to kill at MSP, there is a little advertised observation platform on top of concourse D (after the bathrooms on the left iirc, just a set of stairs 'observation deck').
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Thanks! I presume this is on the secure side?
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Thanks! I presume this is on the secure side?
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Yes, inside. It has an electrical outlet for the cleaning ladies, makes it a good place to kill some time listening to liveatc.net and watching the traffic if you missed a connection. Pretty small, maybe room for 10 people.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
I'll be on the road, looking to connect with some POA folk Wednesday evening if anybody's up for it! If not, any good GA airport eateries to recommend, or a good "watch airplanes" spot?

For location reference, I'll be at the Marriott in Minnetonka, west of downtown.
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I'll be around Wednesday during the day but I have a ski race to attend after 6PM. Unfortunately there aren't any eateries at any of the GA airports around town. BTW, Minnetonka is on my side of town. Weather permitting we might be able to arrange a flight to Brainerd where there's an on-field cafe. There was one at St Cloud as well but I suspect it's closed now.
 
weilke said:
If you have some time to kill at MSP, there is a little advertised observation platform on top of concourse D (after the bathrooms on the left iirc, just a set of stairs 'observation deck').
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Can I assume this is indoors? When I worked in the building that used to support the original control tower we used to have lunch on the roof where the tower cab once sat but that would be mighty cold this time of year.
 
gismo said:
I'll be around Wednesday during the day but I have a ski race to attend after 6PM. Unfortunately there aren't any eateries at any of the GA airports around town. BTW, Minnetonka is on my side of town. Weather permitting we might be able to arrange a flight to Brainerd where there's an on-field cafe. There was one at St Cloud as well but I suspect it's closed now.
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Lance, that'd be fun, but the evening (after 5 or 6pm) will be all I have open for this trip. Thanks for the offer! I enjoyed flying with you at Gastons. Nice Baron you have.
 
gismo said:
Can I assume this is indoors? When I worked in the building that used to support the original control tower we used to have lunch on the roof where the tower cab once sat but that would be mighty cold this time of year.
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Yeah, this is indoors, barely. Sort of a glass cage. Can be a bit chill in the winter. Haven't been up there in a while, dont seem to miss that many connections these days.
 
weilke said:
If you have some time to kill at MSP, there is a little advertised observation platform on top of concourse D (after the bathrooms on the left iirc, just a set of stairs 'observation deck').
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There's also an outside spot over by one of the runways. It's a small parking lot just outside the airport fence with a great view of the runway. Particularly cool if you have a handheld radio. I don't remember where it is exactly (you have to cross the light-rail tracks, I remember that much!)...I'll have to ask my wife when she gets home for lunch.
 
weilke said:
Yeah, this is indoors, barely. Sort of a glass cage. Can be a bit chill in the winter. Haven't been up there in a while, dont seem to miss that many connections these days.
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Considering the highs are single digits and the lows are negative the next couple days, it might be frigid up there! If I'm in terminal D and have time, I'll look for it. :thumbsup:
 
Teller1900 said:
There's also an outside spot over by one of the runways. It's a small parking lot just outside the airport fence with a great view of the runway. Particularly cool if you have a handheld radio. I don't remember where it is exactly (you have to cross the light-rail tracks, I remember that much!)...I'll have to ask my wife when she gets home for lunch.
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Thanks, I will watch for your reply. I will be packing my handheld transceiver!
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Thanks, I will watch for your reply. I will be packing my handheld transceiver!
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EDIT:

This, from my wife:

I think it is off of Post road on county road 5 (exit off of 494) They have blocked part of it off with Sound barriers, but there is a Super America gas station right off of Post Road that has pretty good views too. Tell him to look for the Fort Snelling exit, there should be signs.
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I seem to remember there are some Jersey barriers blocking about half of the parking area, but I THINK some of it is still usable. Or the gas station, works, too.
 
Teller1900 said:
EDIT:

This, from my wife:



I seem to remember there are some Jersey barriers blocking about half of the parking area, but I THINK some of it is still usable. Or the gas station, works, too.
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You could park on top of the lot at the Humphrey Terminal also known now as Terminal 2. It's pretty damn cold right now so watching from your car might be okay. I think the view up there is good when you can get out of your car but I don't know for sure, I park on the 7th floor not the top.

Airport signage off of 494 is pretty good but Terminal 2 is where you want to aim for regardless of where you plan to watch planes. You can take 34th to Post Road (I think it's 34th but it runs parallel to the cemetery). I'll be in the airport sitting ready reserve or I'd help you out or take you to fly the simulator.
 
I'm here. It's cool! (pun intended)

Sitting at Flying Cloud right now after a day of work, watching planes, listening to 119.15 on my radio. Hi Lance!

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TangoWhiskey said:
I'm here. It's cool! (pun intended)

Sitting at Flying Cloud right now after a day of work, watching planes, listening to 119.15 on my radio. Hi Lance!

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Nothing quite says 'welcome to general aviation do you wanna learn how to fly' like those signs and the barbed wire fence.
 
I was probably there at the time, I left for home about 5PM. Hope you enjoyed the balmy temps.:D
 
weilke said:
Nothing quite says 'welcome to general aviation do you wanna learn how to fly' like those signs and the barbed wire fence.
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Worse yet, the FBOs that do flight training are all behind the fences with no direct access outside the gates because the airport was laid out long before anyone considered locking people out in the name of "National Security". For the first couple years after the gates went in they were set up to stay open during the day and at night they would open from either side if you pulled your car close. Now you have to punch in a "secret code" to open the gates from the outside or use the call box by the gate to get an FBO to let you in remotely.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
I'm here. It's cool! (pun intended)

Sitting at Flying Cloud right now after a day of work, watching planes, listening to 119.15 on my radio. Hi Lance!

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Dang I should have given you the gate code to Thunderbird's lot. They don't mind gawkers.
 
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