From: phil@eecs.nwu.edu (William LeFebvre)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: Maybe there's hope for Pal-waukee after all
Date: 28 Aug 92 16:09:24 GMT
Organization: EECS Department, Northwestern University

Many of you are probably not too familiar with the problems that my
favorite airport, Palwaukee, faces.  Palwaukee used to be owned by
the same guy that owns what is the only FBO on the field, Priester
Aviation.  The FBO tends to favor bizjets, only has two planes for
rent, overcharges for its fuel (at $2.17 a gallon for 100LL, it is
the highest in the area except perhaps O'Hare).  It only sells 
sectionals; charges, last I heard, a $10 ramp fee.  I don't know who
manages the tie-down and hangar space, but I do know that it is also
very expensive.  This is partly a result of the location:  a northwest
suburb of Chicago.  But as a result, general aviation in the north shore
and northwest suburbs suffers greatly.  The only economical places to
fly are far away.  Also, the closest place for any aviation supplies
beyond simple VFR charts is Waukegan airport or Du Page airport.

Attempts to get a second FBO on the field (one that would hopefully be
more friendly to GA) have had quite a struggle, due in part to the
fact that the airport commission doesn't really know much about running
airports.

But something really wild happened to me over the past few days that
makes me think there's still hope for this airport which is only
3 miles from my house.  Wednesday I decided to shop around some for
a place to do instrument training.  I found two places in the same
building:  one I knew about and one I stumbled across.  One was
fairly reasonably priced, the other was a bit steep.  Both offered
use of their planes even after training was done.  One had what is
to me a unique idea:  you cannot rent their planes unless you have
done some instruction with them as well, such as getting a certificate
or a rating.  But since the organization is still geared towards
training, I'm not sure that I would want to rely on them as a good
source of rentals for trips and such.  The other is just.....well....
too steep.

When I got home, what to my wondering eyes should appear but an envelope
containing an application for a NEW CLUB to be based at Palwaukee!
Now I don't make a habit of visiting plane rental/instruction firms,
and it just seemed really wildly co-incidental that the very day I
investigated two separate firms this would show up in the mail!  I
had expressed interest in this not-yet existing club about 2 to 3
months ago, heard nothing, and assumed the idea died aborning.

Well, I am now an official member of "Windy City Flyers", a club
based at PWK which starting next month will have available a 172,
a Grumman AA5, a Mooney 201, and an Aztec!  They also have plans in 
the works to get a second and possibly a third 172, a Mooney 20J,
and another twin.  I am excited, really excited!  I talked at great
length yesterday with the club founder.  He is committed...absolutely
committed...to keeping these planes (which are all on lease back) in
tip-top shape.  He let me look at the Mooney, and it is in very good
shape.

The rules are reasonable (and strict on keeping the planes clean and
tidy), the rates are on the high side (at least for a club), but he
said most of the money would go back in the planes....they're not in
it for the money, and he said the group is non-profit.  And he seemed
flexible on quite a few things.  For example, I mentioned that the
wet rates are higher because of the high price of fuel on the field.
But on a long trip I'm saving the club money by filling up elsewhere,
and can I get some of that savings back?  He said they had actually
already discussed that and it was "a distinct possibility".  Also, the
club membership will be limited (between 10 to 15 members per plane).

Now for the real shocker.  This makes me think things are really
looking "up" for GA around these parts.  A new pilot shop will be
opening up in one of the office buildings next to Palwaukee!  They
were supposed to open up Sept 1, but it probably won't happen until
the middle of the month.  Life just got much easier.

		William LeFebvre
		Computing Facilities Manager and Analyst
		Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
		Northwestern University
		<phil@eecs.nwu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.aviation