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The Father John Flying Club is a separate non-profit organization that is co-located with Chapter 77. To join you must first become a member of EAA Chapter 77 and of the National EAA. A nominal deposit and low annual dues are also required.
If you have questions or would like more information about our club send email to flyingclub@eaa77.org and we will respond with answers/info.
The club has a fleet of three aircraft and is limited - by insurance - to 20 members per plane so our current membership is capped at 60 members. Rental rates are per tach hour dry; fuel is purchased by the member flying the plane.
To see FAA Registration information on each of our aircraft click on the N-Number.
March 22, 2008: Go to this iCOM link for an Instruction Manual, Brochure and Hi-Res Picture of the new IC-A200 radios.
In addition to performing our own preventative maintenance we also use the services of Edwin Lorayes from Howell Avionics, LLC. He is based at 116 E. Rollston Road, Linden, MI 48451 and can be reached at 248-535-6141. Edwin is an A&P/IA and brings his equipment to our location; a real convenience and time-saver.
2007 Father John Flying Club Board of Directors
* Effective 11/4/2007
A little history on the Priest after whom our flying club was named
Father
John MacGillivray was priest from the fishing village of Arisaig in Nova
Scotia. He became friends with members of Chapter 77 from his
involvement with the annual efficiency race sponsored by AC Spark Plug in
the 1950’s. This race
originated in Flint and ended in Oshkosh.
He would visit Michigan twice per year: once for the AC event and
once for the annual EAA Chapter 77 Banquet where he would often stay with
Ed and Dorris Pruett. On occasion he would celebrate Mass at Holy Redeemer Catholic
Church. He was the Chaplain
for the National EAA and became a member of Chapter 77.
He
donated a total of five aircraft in his lifetime: Two are in the National
Air Museum in Canada, two went to the national EAA and one – a 1941
Taylorcraft BC-12D - to the Chapter 77 flying club.
He purchased the T-Craft as a project, which our chapter rebuilt
and recovered. However, when he attempted to return it to Canada they
refused to grant him a Canadian certification.
So, he brought the plane back to Dalton, leaving there for a about
a year at which point he just donated it to the Chapter – the year was
1962.
In
1986 the secretary of EAA77 (Al Lancaster) formed a separate, non-profit
flying club and named it Father John in honor of the "flying
priest" who had been so generous to the chapter.
After about three years the members decided to expand the club so
seven members contributed $500 each to purchase a Tri-Pacer.
The club later expanded to three airplanes with the purchase of a
Cherokee.
Father
John passed away from emphysema in 1995.
More history on Fr. John and his donation of a Tigermoth to the EAA is at the Airventure Museum Collection.
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