lookout point Up in the air

Marquette County Flying Club promotes aviation as career or hobby

By Kristi Evans

The Marquette County Flying Club is quite possibly one of the oldest continuously operating organizations of its kind in the country, according to Greg Durand. The nonprofit was established in 1956 and persisted through lean periods of limited numbers before expanding over the past several years to its current roster of 50 members.

The MCFC operates out of the recently renamed Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport. It welcomes certified pilots, student pilots and anyone interested in learning more about aviation as a career or hobby. The club owns four airplanes that members can access: two Cessna 150s and two Piper Cherokees.

“The big benefit is that we can keep rates down for everyone, and it’s not necessary to own a personal plane in order to get training or fly regularly,” said Durand, who returned to the area after retiring from the U.S. Air Force and now serves as the club’s presi- dent. “We also host social gatherings so members can interact with others who share the same interest. I love aviation because you can have the worst day on the ground at work, at home or with friends, but when you book a plane on a beautiful evening, it can totally change your attitude and make you smile. You can travel from the airport to Lake Independence, then over to Pictured Rocks and back in an hour, viewing incredible scenery and watching the sunset in a peaceful environment.”

Myron Hillock lives about 10 miles away from the airport. He is a relatively new member of the MCFC, proving it is never too late to pursue a longtime passion and become a student pilot.

“Learning to fly a plane has been a goal of mine since I was 14, but I didn’t pursue it until I got the bug last summer,” Hillock said. “I contacted Greg, and he told me I was never going to get certified for a lower cost than the Marquette County Flying Club offers for plane rental, fuel costs and instructor fees. The club gives me very affordable access to four aircraft — both high-wing and low-wing styles — that I’ll be able to continue to fly after becoming certified. People ask if I’m going to buy a plane. I say I already own four.”

The initial joining fee is $1,000, memberships are $75 per month and plane rentals are $40 and up per hour plus fuel, depending on the plane. The hourly rate for instruction, which includes pre-flight ground training, the flight and a post-flight debriefing, varies in the $45 range. Kubick Aviation provides the MCFC with space in the back room of a hangar to house its simulator and performs maintenance on the club’s planes. Boreal Aviation provides a $1,000 annual grant to apply for a scholarship.

In addition to these partnerships, Durand said the MCFC has created a synergistic relationship with the local chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association, which has existed for almost as long, and the Civil Air Patrol. Several individuals, including Matt Bloch, are members of both the MCFC and EAA. Bloch serves as treasurer for the former and president of the latter.

“My dad is a pilot, so it’s been in my family for a long time,” he said. “I moved up here in 2010 to go to NMU and fell in love with the area, decided to stick around and discovered the flying club and got my license. Now I’m pursuing aviation as a career. I will be flying for Endeavor out of Detroit starting in November, but I will continue to live here with my family. You ask any pilot why they love aviation and 99 percent of the time they will say it’s the people. I’ve gained a lot of lifetime friends. Our aviation community is small but very close.”

The Marquette County Flying Club helps to facilitate the EAA’s Young Eagles program, which offers free introductory plane rides for ages 8 to 18 and scholarship opportunities for those who progress to flight training. The Civil Air Patrol, or CAP, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is also an option for ages 12 and up. While known primarily for its emergency service missions to locate the lost and provide comfort during disasters, the CAP also promotes aviation and related fields through aerospace/STEM education and helps to shape future leaders through its cadet program.

CAP Cadet Staff Sgt. Brad Luce of Champion is one of five youth in active flight training through the MCFC. He said he hopes to get his pilot’s license before graduating from Westwood High School, then plans to enroll in the ROTC program at Texas A&M. Luce recently applied for the EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship, which provides up to $11,000 to deserving youth to help cover their flight-training expenses. He will be attending the Air Force’s Aim High Flight Academy in Bakersfield, California, where he will fly and train with USAF pilots for three weeks. He will also log up to 15 flight hours and said he hopes to do a solo flight.

“Ever since I was a kid, I was always into planes,” Luce said. “I didn’t know I wanted to turn it into a career until I was a freshman in high school. I figured I might as well pursue it, and if I’m doing something involving planes and aviation, I might as well serve my country at the same time. I plan on retiring as a pilot from the Air Force and becoming a commercial pilot. [Civil Air Patrol] is perfect for those goals. It teaches facts about the military and its responsibilities, aviation, mechanics and what it takes to get into the field. I really want to thank the people here who’ve supported me over the past year.”

On a Saturday in April, Escanaba High School senior Zandy Knope arrived at the airport for her lesson with Bloch. After their pre-flight equipment check and before they boarded the plane, Knope said, “For a couple of years, I thought the idea of being a pilot in the Air Force was really cool. Then I realized that it was a real possibility and didn’t have to just be a dream, so I started taking lessons. It feels a little bit scary, but then you realize you’re in control and — I know this sounds cliché — but you’re free.”

Durand, the MCFC president, advises youth ages 12 to 15 to get involved in remote-control flying as an introduction to factors applicable to small and commercial planes, as well as fighter jets. These include takeoffs, landings, aerodynamics and optimal plane design. They can follow that up with flight instructions in the club’s planes and can fly solo at 16 and take a check ride to become a private pilot at 17.

“My first experience in a plane was traveling to Air Force boot camp, but it’s easier to start earlier now, beginning with Young Eagles,” Durand said. “The Marquette County Flying Club also offers discovery flights for prospective adult members. Those are sightseeing flights intended to be a fun introduction to aviation and what we can offer. … The club has been hard work, but highly rewarding, and a legacy I want to leave the community. Randy Girard kept it afloat for several years before he passed the torch to new leadership, and we’ve grown steadily since then. Matt and other members have made it easy to move the club forward.”

For more information on the MCFC, contact Durand at cmsgtdurand@gmail.com or follow the club on Facebook. MM