Archive: Around Town

Breakfast in a hangar

EFFC has hosted fly-in breakfasts for 45 years.  Originally it was held on Mothers day, but because of cooler weather it was migrated to Father's Day.  Sometimes the club also holds a Fall breakfast as they did on Sunday.

"We try to provide a number of things so we will be attractive to a variety of people," says David St. George, the club's manager and Chief Pilot Instructor.  "One of the major recent popular attractions are the birds from the Cornell Raptor program.  Two of our members are part of that."  Chris Moffat, a plane salesman, flew a new Barron, worth $1.2 million, along with his nine year old daughter from Leesburg, VA to show to potential customers.  In the past a Cirrus and a Mooney have been flown to the event to be sold.

"One of the other things," says Mr. St. George, "is that it's fantastic food.  New York maple syrup, New Hope Mills pancakes, real orange juice, brewed coffee... it really is a wonderful breakfast for the money."  He added, "Even if you have no interest in aviation it's a wonderful thing."

The 637 attendees agreed as they lined up for breakfast.  Tables were set up inside the hangar and people ate pancakes as quickly as volunteers could cook them.  About 50 club members volunteered to man the event, working in four hour shifts flipping flapjacks, taking tickets, offering plane rides, and showing planes to the visitors.  Betsy Grigoriu organized the event, e-mailing members a month ahead to make sure the shifts are all filled.  Members vie for spots on the different grills.  Jim Wells donated a ride in his Pitts that volunteers were elegible to win.

Bill Kaupe

One of those was club President Bill Kaupe.  His name tag said "The Airplane Ride Guy."  He was selling ride tickets and showing a Mooney to visitors and letting them climb into the cockpit to see what it feels like to sit in the pilot's seat.  "I spent many years on the grills, and decided I wanted to get out in the sunshine," he said.  He's been a club member for five years.

Carmen and Wayne Bezner Kerr

Wayne Bezner Kerr and his daughter, Carmen (6), were shoing their Tanarg, made in France.  "This is part of a rennaissance in general aviation which is happening all across the United States," he explained.  "The East hill Flying Club is participating in this rennaissance, and they will be offering training in different types of light sport aircraft."  He told us that Carmen isn't so interested in flying in conventional fixed wing aircraft, but she loves the Tanarg.  The plane seats two, and there is no cockpit.  Pilot and passenger wear motorcycle helmets and the plane is controlled by moving a bar that controls the position of the long, fabric wing.

His business, First Light Aviation, is also based on the airport grounds.  They sell trikes, light sport aircraft that have a special FAA licensing requirement, as well as offering training in them.  This class of aircraft is heavier and more robust and safer than ultralights, which do not require a license to fly.  "Light sport aircraft is all about fun," he said.  "It's about recreation."

Not all flying machines are engine-powered

The June breakfast attracted over 1000 people, necessitating three food runs.  "We don't mind going out for extra food," said Mr. Kaupe.  Sunday's event raised about $2,000 for the club as well as donations for hurricaine Katrina victims.  Between the two breakfasts the club has raised about $1000 for Loaves and Fishes this year.  In doing so they have provided a fun time for members and attendees, as well as fulfilling their primary mission of teaching people about aviation and bring them into the flying fold. 

Lansing schools from above

He manages the other seven employees, a mechanic and flight instructors.  The club owns eight planes ranging from two-seat trainers to four-seaters and a twin engine trainer.  The club is all about aviation education and avocational flying for anybody who wants to learn to fly.  It has more than 200 members who fly or are interested in aviation.

He spent most of Sunday talking to people about flying.  Many people who have dreamed about flying don't realize that a pilot license is attainable.  But his enthusiasm about flying isn't limited to his job.

Mr. St. Georges owns an Aeronca Champ  in partnership with the previous East hill Chief Pilot, John Stickel.  It's a two seat aircraft that was built in Ohio in 1946.  "It's, for the time, state of the art, but it has no electronics in it.  It's just got magnetos and an engine.  You prop it -- you pull the propeller to start it, and it's just stick and rudder."

Tuesday morning was a beautiful, clear day for flying, so he took me for a ride.  He brought a portable radio/intercom and two headsets so he could talk to the control tower and we could hear each other.  After takeoff, we did a "touch and go" (practice landing) on the grass runway, and then we flew over Lansing. 

The Champ has an empty weight is about 650 pounds, maximum gross weight is 1100 pounds.  "It's 75 horse power of flaming glory," Mr. St. George laughs.  He says it can go for about three hours on a gallon of gas.  It qualifies as a Sport Pilot Aircraft, which has less stringent licensing requirements than conventional fixed wing aircraft.  "It's a lot of fun.  We also fly it on skis in the winter," he said.

The flight was very smooth and you could see for miles.  We flew over the Gossett Center, and up Route 34 over Moore's Christmas Tree Farm, and farther North.  You could see well beyond the lake, and many Lansing landmarks including the schools and Myers Park.  Always the flight instructor, Mr. St. George explained what he was doing at every juncture.

As we came in for a landing he pointed out a hawk on one of the airport structures, completely unfazed by engine-powered birds.  Mr. St. George imagined that the hawk is judging the competence of each pilot and how well they land.  It couldn't love flying more than he does.

Click here for an album of aerial pictures of Lansing.