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Mike’s business portfolio – a mix that currently consists of Frugé Seafood Company, Frugé Aquafarms, www.cajuncrawfish.com, and J.T. Meleck Distilleries.
The familial entrepreneurial legacy began in 1896 when Mike’s great uncle (J.T. Meleck) began a rice growing operation in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, on 20 acres. Using the same parcel of land, the four companies all grew under Mike and his brother Mark's crawfish farming efforts during college. The siblings saw an opportunity to utilize the rice fields (typically sitting dormant during the offseason) as a vestibule for crawfish breeding. While there were other examples of this across the region, “aquafarming” of this sort was in its infancy at the time.
As the market’s demand for these commercially produced freshwater crustaceans grew, the opportunity to improve distribution became apparent. As any seafood aficionado will unapologetically say, freshness is of the utmost importance. Moving the highly perishable products is both an art and a science. Once Frugé Seafood Company mastered transporting crawfish efficiently around the country (the company ships them live overnight to customers’ doorsteps), they added many different products to their offerings. Today, they market and transport a litany of seafood from alligator to wolffish.
After owning the Archer for about a year and a half, Mike decided to move into a Bonanza A36. The new- to-him aircraft was his workhorse for nearly 15 years. During this period, he averaged roughly 250 to 300 hours of flying a year, the majority of flight time between Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT) and Grand Prairie Municipal Airport (GPM). By flying for business in all types of weather and situations, Mike noted this allowed him to become confident in the Beechcraft and as a pilot in general. But, eventually, “everyone wants to go higher and faster.”
His search for his next aircraft began in 2011. First, he considered
installing a turbine engine on his A36 but was told by a friend that this idea wouldn’t be practical and should instead consider a Piper JetPROP. Having little knowledge of the aircraft but interested in the possibility, Mike began diligently immersing himself in researching JetPROPs. He spent nearly two years becoming familiar with the nuances of the various airframes and powerplant options. One of the most important considerations for the aircraft is, unsurprisingly, the engine. Each JetPROP has a PT6 installed the front, with the earliest conversions boasting a -21 and the latest having -35’s (a -34 is also an available option).
Once satisfactorily educated on the possibilities, he awaited a good buy to come to market – a wait that stretched. “With a little over 350 Piper aircraft or so converted, and only around 10 or so available for sale at any given time – most of which weren’t ones I was interested in – it can be difficult to find the perfect JetPROP to call your own,” Mike explained.
Skyway
July 2021 / TWIN & TURBINE • 27