Red Eagle flies into familiar hands

Some things come full circle.

In the case of Kalispell’s Red Eagle Aviation, a quiet change in ownership has put its original proprietor, Dave Hoerner, back in the pilot’s seat.

On April 21, Red Eagle was officially signed over to Mark Tudahl. The transaction might have felt sudden, but Tudahl said that the conversation has been going on for more than a year.

And Hoerner, who started Red Eagle as a small operation in the 1980s, has returned to Kalispell City Airport as the director of operations  for Red Eagle. Along with Tudahl’s nephew, B.J. Holman, their goal is to make the facility a true community airport.

“I think that we could get the support of the airport back and make this a fun place to be,” Tudahl said.

Tudahl said that he started talking to previous owner Jim Bob Pierce about taking over as Pierce became more involved in piloting the Two Bear Air rescue helicopter. 

Tudahl has been involved with Red Eagle for years. He purchased a stake in the company in 2010 and eventually he felt it was a good fit for him to take over.

“[Pierce] was going to go in that direction, and I decided to step in,” he said.

A North Dakota native, Tudahl has lived in the Flathead Valley since 1995. He runs the Bigfork construction company RDJ Brothers Inc.

He said he started flying nearly eight years ago and jokes that he did it to overcome a fear of heights.

His nephew, Holman, recently retired after 17 years in the U.S. Air Force. Holman flew F-15 fighter jets, logging a “couple thousand” flight hours and almost 500 combat hours in multiple deployments.

Holman said that he had his first flight when he was 7 years old while he was growing up in Bigfork. Now finished with his military service, he was tapped by Tudahl for the wealth of knowledge and skill he possesses.

Holman said that he’s glad to be flying in the valley, even if the aircraft don’t move as quickly as the F-15s.

“Being back and working around the airport,” he said, “and getting kids into aviation like it did for me.”

Hoerner, also a native of the Flathead Valley, has a reputation as a skilled pilot, wildlife spotter and even Alaska gold miner. 

Most recently, he worked in Helena as a safety officer and flight instructor for the state of Montana. Now that he’s back at his old airport, Hoerner said he’s excited to boost flight-school programs.

“I wanted to get back with our students,” he said.

He said Red Eagle is finishing up the certification process to get Part 141 credentials with the Federal Aviation Administration, something Red Eagle has had in the past. He hopes to create partnerships with Flathead Valley Community College for students to earn credit through flying courses.

In addition, Hoerner said that military veterans can enroll in Part 141 flight schools with their Veterans Affairs benefits. They have eight people on that waiting list already.

Those programs, as well as the unique flying environment, are what excite Tudahl, Holman and Hoerner about the future of Red Eagle.

In addition to flight school, Red Eagle has maintenance, chartered flights and special training for piloting in mountainous environments.

“This airport is a diamond in the rough for our city,” Hoerner said.

THE ELEPHANT in the room for Red Eagle is its relationship with the city of Kalispell, which is in the middle of a comprehensive assessment of the facility’s future.

The South Kalispell Urban Renewal Plan has been ongoing for a few months now. It’s the latest push by the city to gauge the development path for the area, with the city’s airport at the center.

Red Eagle is contracted by the city as the airport manager. Red Eagle took over that duty a little over a year ago when the city decided to eliminate the airport manager staff position.

In 2013, voters rejected a plan to improve and expand the airport using federal grants. Since then, the future of the 71-acre facility has been up in the air as untended maintenance piled up.

Airport opponents have talked about the noise factor and say that the facility is a financial drain on the city. The airport is set up as an enterprise fund, relying on hangar leases and other services to keep itself afloat.

This current study isn’t ruling out closing the airport, but with considerable costs attached to that plan, it may be unlikely.

Tudahl said that he’s focused on rebuilding the community relationship the airport had in the past. The new managers have started with little changes such as having students fly the helicopter away from residential areas to minimize the noise impact.

He said that with the right kinds of programs, the airport could be a place that residents will come and interact with.

“Our goal is to win back the people who have kind of turned against us,” he said.

They’re planning an Airport Day in June that will include various activities, rides and programs. 

Hoerner said that it will be a chance for people to come out and see “their airport” because, as he points out, it is a city asset. It might also be a reintroduction of sorts because Red Eagle Aviation is about to undergo a name change. 

It will soon be Montana Air Ventures under the new ownership.

And even in this period of transition for south Kalispell, they’re looking to cement their 71-acre stake.

“The potential is just sitting here, and it’s available,” Hoerner said.

Reporter Matt Hudson may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.