A lifelong love of airplanes has led to Clear Lake’s Bob Leaders recent induction into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame during a banquet and award ceremony at the Hyatt Regency in Bloomington April 21.

 

Along with five others, Leaders was nominated for the award and then chosen by a selection committee, who based their decisions on a number of criteria, including significant aviation contributions made to Minnesota and going above and beyond in dedication to the industry.

 

“I don’t know why I was nominated,” he said. “I was really surprised. I suppose it’s because of all the years of working on aircraft and people coming to learn to fly. I’ve always encouraged people to learn about their planes so they don’t panic if something happens.”

 

Leaders always wanted to learn to fly as a young boy. In the service, he volunteered for army airborne paratrooper and was based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. One day he saw a ‘learn to fly’ sign on the bulletin board, went across the street to Outlaw Field and signed up.

 

In 1954 at the age of 20, Leaders received his private pilot’s license. His commercial pilot’s license was next. After leaving the service he attended Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the GI bill and received his aircraft and power plant mechanic license.

 

Coming home to Minnesota he began working at the St. Cloud Whitney Memorial Airport. In 1969, he purchased a farm just outside of Clear Lake and opened the Leaders Clear Lake Airport, where he’s been ever since.

 

Around 30 of his family members attended the Hall of Fame induction ceremony with Leaders to show their support. To his surprise, one of his grandsons, who is attending the University of North Dakota’s aviation program in Grand Forks, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship at the same event.

 

Going up to receive their awards, each inductee was asked to make a short speech.

 

“It went better than I thought,” said Leaders. “I’m not a speaker.”

 

The Leaders Clear Lake Airport is classified private for public use and offers a north/south runway and a shorter east/west runway for windy days. Leaders and his wife, Diane, are still the owners, although they’ve turned the business over to their sons Kurt and Chase.

 

They mainly perform aircraft maintenance; people fly in from all over the country to have work done on their planes. The Leaders have over 30 airplanes of their own, and buy, sell and rent aircraft and offer flight instruction. They also donate airplane rides to help organizations raise money.

 

Leaders says the airport is busier than ever, and it’s hard to find experienced airplane mechanics. He’s trained many over the years, but they usually go on to work at larger airports.

 

Although he has no plans to retire, today Leaders spends most of his time helping with the engines, looking for parts and answering the phone. With all his years of experience, he always has lots of advice to offer.