Leonard E. Nelson, born in Kimball, Nebraska, was instrumental in the development of the Kimball Municipal Airport and operated the first Fixed Base Operation at that location. He also developed the Bar J Lazy V Airport, one of Nebraska’s few commercially licensed, privately owned and operated, turf airports.

Nelson was a founding member of the Panhandle Clouddusters and an early member and strong supporter of the Nebraska Aviation Trades Association, demonstrating his dedication to effective crop pest control with minimal environmental impact. During his more than 8,000 hours of flying, he flew everything from civil humanitarian aid missions, to Air Transport Command shuttles during World War II, to air taxi flights, to participating in commemorative airmail flights. He also instructed dozens of civilian and Army Air Corps student pilots.

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