BEMIDJI — Airplane technology has continued to adapt since the Wright Brothers took to the skies more than 100 years ago, yet with each new revolutionary design, much has remained the same.
“There was a lot of development in engineering and design during World War II that's still part of aviation today," Erik Hokuf said. “A lot has changed with engines, but the structure and design of the aircraft are the same.”
Hokuf is one of the founders of AirCorps Aviation, specializing in restoring aircraft to flying condition.
The WWII era of aircraft has a special place in Hokuf’s heart. He described the design choices as a blend of practicality and beauty.
“If you're passionate about aviation, you immediately understand WWII was the most romantic period in aviation," Hokuf said. "The love of aviation and interest in history and WWII kind of come together.”
AirCorps is one of only a few businesses like this in the world, specializing in this era of aviation, and Hokuf and his partners brought this unique industry to Bemidji.
"We travel all over the world and all over the country, searching for parts, working with others in our industry and our customers. The question always comes up like, ‘Why are you in Northern Minnesota?’ and cold weather comes up, of course,” Hokuf said.
"We love that opportunity because it lets us talk about the people that we have and the reason we're here. The reason we're thriving where others in our industry are really having a hard time right now [is] because of workforce. We're here because of the people. We really believe that Northern Minnesota is full of people who know how to make things, know how to use their hands, have that grit and determination and know how to plan.”
Hokuf, 44, said airplanes were a family passion, shared with his three brothers.
“The four of us got interested in aerospace projects through the 4-H programs and things just kind of went from there,” he said. “My oldest brother learned to fly when he was 16 or 17, then graduated from the Air Force Academy and became a professional pilot. And so, when I was 16, just about 17, I got a job at the Bemidji Airport for Bemidji Aviation, and that started my career in aviation.”
Hokuf moved on to work at the Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie before connecting with the Fagen family of Granite Falls — home of the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum.
“I was fortunate to be able to connect with the Fagens and be part of their collection and museum. I had the opportunity to get my hands on vintage airplanes,” he said. “I think there are a lot of people that would love to work on vintage airplanes and just don't have the chance or the opportunity to.”
In 2011, Hokuf returned to the Bemidji area and — with partners Eric Trueblood, Mark Tisler and Dan Matecjek — founded AirCorps.
AirCorps has a workforce of about 60 and continues to expand. In addition to restoring vintage airplanes to flying condition, the business also manufactures parts for both historic and modern aircraft and maintains an online database of blueprints and other engineering documents of these machines.
Hokuf said the manufacturing department at AirCorps came about as a necessity.
“When we're restoring something, we can't just call up the manufacturer and order another part. We have to recreate that part ourselves.”
In this process, Hokuf described the blend of modern and midcentury technology used at AirCorps.
“We still make the parts in the same way they were made with the same materials,” Hokuf explained, but modern machinery like computer-aided drafting, or CAD, makes the process more efficient.
AirCorps still uses some “old-school” technologies, like a 1,500-ton press used to form the sheet metal parts with about 3 million pounds of pressure.
“In that forming process, it still takes hand work, and so that's where there's still a lot of art. Anytime you build a new airplane or rebuild an airplane, whether it's new or old, there's always an element of art that comes into it,” Hokuf said.
The AirCorps library is sourced from collectors who lend original documents of these historic aircraft. Hokuf said AirCorps’ mission is to make these precious documents available for fellow restorers and enthusiasts.
“We find copies all over the world; people saved copies as mementos. Our mission is to preserve the data," Hokuf said.
Much of AirCorps’ workforce is local, like Troy Tronnes, 38, who said he appreciates that each day on the job as a facilities manager is different from the day before.
“I'm getting to see these old planes that most people won't see in their entire lives. And it's really something to see them go from a pile of scrap to this shiny new flying object. It's amazing,” Tronnes said.
Tronnes said his fix-it skillset comes into play every day at AirCorps.
“I'm kind of good at this. I'm kind of good at that. I'm good at all these different things, and I'm in a position where you kind of have to be good at all the different things,” he said. “You know, if something breaks down, I have to know how to fix it. If they need something built or an addition put on, I have to know how to do that.”
The public can tour the facility during the next open house, scheduled for 5-7 p.m. May 9.
In June, AirCorps is partnering with Bemidji Aviation to host the vintage B-25 ‘Miss Mitchell’ June 15-16 at the Bemidji Regional Airport.
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