The Flying Hamburger Social

The Flying Hamburger Social is a moving social that travels all throughout each participating state each week between the months of June to August to a different location. We are always happy to have new airports and States join us.

Are you a pilot looking for something to do? Fly on out and join us at a social. Come share your love of flying with other like minded people.

Join us for Fun, Food, Friend and of Course FLYING!

2025 marks the twelfth year of the Wisconsin Flying Hamburger SocialsWe hope that you can come to one of the socials and join us. If you would like to host a social, we would love to have you on board as well!

Originally founded as the Putt Putt Patrol in Wausau, WI. Each week the group would fly to a different airport and have a meal. Trips started getting farther and farther away and soon only a few pilots and planes were doing it.

The Putt Putt Patrol was then soon developed into a hamburger night at the Wausau Downtown Airport. Rick Coe and Merrill McMahan hosted the event. Every Wednesday evening in the summer time, hamburgers were cooked on a grill for any pilots who came into the airport. This idea was well loved by local and nearby pilots. Eventually though, the cooks got tired.

In 2013 Bob Mohr and John Chmiel spoke with other airports in the immediate area to Wausau to see if they would be interested in hosting “Hamburger Night” at their airports. Jeff Gaier at Marshfield was one of the first people John spoke with and Jeff was enthusiastic to help participate. The Central Branch of the Wisconsin Flying Hamburger Social was created with Wausau, Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, Medford, Merrill and Antigo. The Wisconsin Flying Hamburger Social was born.

Jeff created a website that still serves the social today as the primary information source for where the social is hosted. In addition, a Facebook Page and Group was created to help market the social.

To this day John and Jeff donate their time and resources to market, manage and maintain the social.

Please help us by letting other pilots know about the Flying Hamburger Social. If you don't have one at your airport, Ask us how you can get a social or Branch going in your location or State.

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the Flying Hamburger Social, (we are not counting 2020). We hope that you can come to one of the socials and join us. If you would like to host a social, we would love to have you on board as well!

Pictured Left to Right: Jeff Gaier of Marshfield, WI (KMFI) and John Chmiel of Wausau, WI (KAUW)

Not Pictured but a Special Shout out to Rob Hom the organizer of the Northwoods Branch of Wisconsin whos tireless help organizing the busiest branch of socials is greatly appreciated!

Made in RapidWeaver