Page 40 - Volume 15 Number 3

38 • ­TWIN & TURBINE MARCH 2011From the Flight Deck by Kevin R. DingmanAir ZoologyIn the early 1970s an entre- preneurial couple – Robert and Jeannie Gustafson – from Battle Creek, Mich., home of Snap, Crackle and Pop, arrived at the Kalamazoo airport with their family in tow. The established FBO in town was KalAero, supported by some of the affluent names in town and operated by John Ellis. The KalAero crowd had their own collection of war birds: a P-51, T-6, T-28’s, Bearcat, Hellcat, and a P-40, a pink one no less. KalAero was a Cessna dealership and training center. The Cessna FanJet 500 (Citation 500) had just been born. The majority of biz jets were still Lears, Saberliners, and Falcons.A Great Time to Be in General AviationThe couple’s idea was to open a Piper dealership and training center on the field to compete with KalAero. Never mind the Piper FBO would be run on a shoestring budget and the Cessna FBO had the support of some big names. Remember though, this was near the peak of GA production and pilot- training starts. The Cherokee Six had been transformed into a new twin called the Seneca, and after the introduction of the Warrior, the wings on most of the fleet were about to be tapered. Piper had become a serious competitor.Some large airports had a dealer from each: Cessna, Piper, Beech, Mooney, and even Bellanca. Yes, it was a great time to be in general aviation.The husband-and-wife team from Battle Creek founded a Piper dealership and called it Kalamazoo Aviation, Inc. Mr. Gustafson was myfirst boss. Indeed, I was once a line-boy raised in general aviation – in Kalamazoo, Mich.David and GoliathThe story behind the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum (Air Zoo) is an interesting tale in itself. A story of aviation passion and a real David and Goliath tale. Larger-than-life names from Kalamazoo figured prominently: UpJohn (as in pharmaceuticals), Donald Gilmore (Upjohn president), Richard Gilmore (Gilmore-Foyt Indy racing team), and Irving Woodams, founder of the Austin Lake Airport- Seaplane base, and his son Frank.Also, John and Bob Ellis of KalAero, and husband and wife Pete Parish and Sue DeLano Parish (Upjohn granddaughter). And finally, of course, Bob and Jeannie Gustafson. Some of the following can be found at the Zoo’s Web site, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.My Dad played trumpet in a band and Bob Gustafson was a musician as well. The vice president of Bob’s new company, Kalamazoo Aviation, was a drummer in the band. Through the band, Dad asked Mr. Gustafson to give me a job at age 15, hiring me to mow grass, wash and wax airplanes and office floors, and do some apprentice aircraft maintenance.In addition to an hourly pay, he’d teach me to fly. Bob gathered financial supporters from the local businessmen and construction began on a state-of-the-art office, hangar, ground school, and parts warehouse. It was built by Mr. Paul Barton and company, partially in trade for his private and instrument tickets. To this day I’m not surehow he managed to get the permits past the big names involved with KalAero to begin construction on Kalamazoo Aviation. It’s possible one of the Gilmores (Richard) helped by supporting Kalamazoo Aviation after he converted to The Dark Side (Piper).The Secretaries Wore MiniskirtsRainy days and Mondays in Kalamazoo could be spent at either of the FBOs where you’d find a crowd: the old crusty CFI’s well into their 20s and aspiring pilots of all ages. Hangar flying – it used to really exist. The tang of burnt coffee filled the air. Vernors Ginger Ale, Baby Ruth candy bars, and Cup-A-Soup were mainstays. The health food craze was still 20-plus years away in this neck of the woods.Ah, those were the days; the secretaries wore miniskirts. The Bee Gees, Doobie Brothers, Supertramp, BTO, and Boston were on the radio. Piper’s theme song was “Top of the World” by the Carpenters and learning to fly caused “More Than a Feeling” and kept us “Stayin’ Alive.”I paid $14 per hour for a Mooney Cadet and $6 per hour for a flight instructor. I was only earning $1.50 per hour. Like I said, the man was an entrepreneur. Our FBO was the underdog and my boss was the quintessential cheapskate slave