Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 6

Minneapolis Star and Tribune 5A July 19, 1986 kt. Pilots up to ISO WO)' it -It on CUSTOM CABINETRY Complete Kitchen Bath Remodeling Designing Installation Structural changes Windows skylights Plumbing wiring European appliances Ceramic til corian Whirlpool tubs Floor covering 'Savings based on mlg list price KITCHENS DATHS i by beeson homer 920-8603 4ftS1 Hwy. 7 St. Psrk Open Mon a Thurs Tum. Wild a Fri 9-S.

Sat 9-4 HHfi iBSAMBt Mil li A JTTTfc mti lifiiiMMiiai iiAv- Staff Photo by Regene Radniecki a KARE cameraman Tom Empey and pilot Max Messmer, who provided the first live account of the tornado. Queen Continued from page 1A "Not being able to say where you are when you are in command of an aircraft is really embarrassing," he said after he touched down to refuel at the Crystal airfield last night Messmer had to lower the chopper and read the street signs to find out where he was at the intersection of Hwys. 10 and 47. Messmer is no stranger to front-line action. A native of Switzerland, he first flew la tie Swiss air rescue service that found people stranded on mountains.

After a stint as an exchange student to the United States in 1954, he stayed on and first joined the U.S. Air Force and then the Army, where he learned to fly helicopters. He spent two years in Vietnam In the 1960s. After leaving the Army In 1969, he flew missions into Laos from a base in Thailand for Air America, which is operated by the U.S. government.

He next went to Iran and helped train. Iranian servicemen to fly Bell helicopters from 1975 to 1977. A more peaceful time followed in the Pacific northwest, where he flew logging helicopters, lifting and transporting logs. He joined Ch. 11 2 years ago when the station bought a Bell Jet Ranger III helicopter, taking the job because working for television is one of the more secure, settled jobs a helicopter pilot can find, he said.

"Being a helicopter pilot is different from anything else," he said. "We're probably a bunch of nomads, with no job security and go where the work Yesterday's work was anything but dull. He and Empey were on their way to film the Sommerfest and Nicollet Mall parties when they heard about the tornado from the air traffic control tower. When they looked north and saw it, there was no question then where their news was. Empey opened a window and started Size Set ECONOMY Jg PREMIUM Twin Full King JT Twin Full King Set Set Set" Set Set Set trouble.

That close, I'd have been a little scared it was amazing to watch Messmer was the first, by far, but some competition eventually did arrive Dale Dobesh in the WCCO-TV helicopter. "Somebody's got to win," said Dobesh, who had just landed from an assignment in Eveleth, when he was sent up again to chase the tornado. "I don't know if 11 won, but I heard they had good things." The KSTP-TV helicopter didn't show up at all. News director Scott Goodfellow said KSTP immediately picked up the tornado on its sophisticated Doppler radar but didn't have its helicopter in the air at the time. "Not then," Messmer said.

"But I am when I think about It now." He said it was like when he flew in Vietnam: He didn't think about fear during missions but got the shakes later. "We wanted the picture. I figured I could outrun it" Empey said he was too excited to be scared. Michael McDaniels watched Messmer hovering above him as he snapped pictures from the front yard of his Brooklyn Park home. He recognized the helicopter it was the same model he had piloted during his Army service.

"He (Messmer) was far enough away from the funnel cloud to be safe, but when the debris started flying around I decided he must be nuts," McDaniels said. "Those main rotor blades were taking a real beating and if they went, he'd be in 98 M48 268 AVAIL SEPARATELY M68 218 368 ALL ITEMS IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY BEDDING OUTLETS WE ARE THE BEDDING EXPERTS filming as Messmer flew to the fringe of the churning clouds and started broadcasting. Their's was the only chopper there for about 15 minutes, so he and Empey provided the first live account of the tornado. "This was the first time anyone ever shoved a microphone in front of my face," Messmer said, "and that was more terrifying than the tornado." They saw it fizzle, and tried to get to White Bear Lake where there were reports of another sighting, but a black wall of clouds blocked their path. "If I can't see, I'm not going in there," Messmer said.

"I take calculated risks." He mentioned his two daughters, 8 and 2, and his wife. After more than 14,000 hours of flying helicopters, Messmer says he is proud of never having had an accident or injured any passenger. Was he scared as he circled the 545-9402 6800 York Ave. S. Yorkdale Shoos East of Southdale 545-2482 13033 Ridgedale Drive Ridgesquare North West of Ridgedale EB HRS: M-F 12-8, SAT.

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