Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X X V O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 6 24 T R A N S P O R TAT I O N / I N F R A S T R U C T U R E F O C U S Training the next generation of aviators Maine Instrument Flight has six charter airplanes that fl y passengers to and from airports across the coun- try and the Caribbean. Its turboprop Beechcraft King Air C90A has enough range to fl y from Augusta to Orlando, but it's also capable of fl ying to smaller airports with shorter runways, such as Islesboro, which Perry says is a fre- quent charter destination in the sum- mer months for seasonal residents that rely on his planes to get them there. "We do backup work for a charter organization out of Connecticut, picking up passengers in Bar Harbor or Bangor for them," he adds. "We don't just fl y people out of Augusta. We serve a lot of airports in Maine. It's on-demand travel." As the fi xed-based operator for Augusta State Airport, Perry says Maine Instrument Flight plays an integral role in providing essential services that include fuel sales, fl ight instruction, air- craft rental and sales, storage for private and corporate aircraft, major airframe maintenance and repair, a pilot rest area, catering and even a conference room for corporate meetings. Aviation infrastructure, in his view, includes having enough trained people with the skills to fl y and main- tain the planes supported by Maine's airports. To meet a growing need for trained pilots, Maine Instrument Flight partnered four years ago with the University of Maine in Augusta to off er a bachelor-of-science in aviation degree program. " e fi rst class is about to gradu- ate next spring," Perry says. "We know the need for pilots around the country is extreme. We know of commuter airlines that have reduced operations because they don't have enough pilots. So these graduates someday will help meet some of that demand." "We're one of the oldest fl ight schools in the country," adds Paul McKeown, chief fl ight instructor at Maine Instrument Flight. " is is the same company, the same family, that's been teaching people to fl y for 70 years. at's pretty impressive." McKeown says UMA's aviation degree program off ers an in-state alter- native to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's four-year program off ered at campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz. e UMA gradu- ates will not only have fl own 300 hours to earn their FAA commercial pilot's license along with a bachelor's degree, he says, upon graduation they'll have an opportunity to become fl ight instructors at Maine Instrument Flight and thereby accrue the additional hours of fl ying time they'll need to work for an airline. "It can take two years or more to get the 700 hours or more they'll need," he says. "It's a good plan for someone who's looking at a career as an airline pilot." Presque Isle's link to the world Northern Maine Regional Airport in Presque Isle advertises itself as "Gateway to Northern Maine," a slogan supported in a big way by Alaska-based commuter airline PenAir's 19 nonstop fl ights per week between Presque Isle and Boston's Logan Airport. Flight time to and from Boston, covering 332 miles, is 1 hour and 40 minutes. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 2 1 smile by lance No one has a smile like you. And no one can keep it healthy like us. Like Lance, your smile is unique. It deserves Delta Dental, the nation's leading dental benefits provider. With the largest network of dentists nationwide, quick answers and personalized service, we make it easy to keep your smile healthy. www.NortheastDeltaDental.com P H O T O / JA M E S M C C A R T H Y Paul McKeown, chief fl ight instructor for Maine Instrument Flight.

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