Friday, August 08, 2014

See Syracuse from 3,000 feet up, thanks to the Syracuse Flying Club: Hancock International Airport (KSYR), New York



By Chris Baker 
Syracuse.com 
on August 08, 2014 at 6:30 AM 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- For many, flying is an arduous task. A necessary evil for getting from place A to place B. Long lines, heavy security and strict, overbearing rules have made the whole experience a chore. But there's more than one way to take to the air.

In Syracuse, those looking to avoid the dreariness of commercial airlines might check out a more recreational approach: the Syracuse Flying Club.

The club, based out of Hancock International Airport, is a non-profit organization serving local aviation enthusiasts. Collectively, it owns two small, single-engine planes that are available to its members.

Members pay a fee to have access to the planes. When they want to use one, they reserve it and pay an hourly rate to fly (which includes fuel and oil). The club offers lessons to aspiring pilots, continuing education courses and meetings once a month.

"We're a social club that happens to own a couple of airplanes," said Brian Renfrow, membership chairman for the Syracuse Flying Club

The club has been around for 50 years and currently boasts somewhere around 35 members, Renfrow said. Its members range from inexperienced novices to pilots with thousands of hours in the air. In the past, airline pilots have been members.

"The common misconception is you have to be rich to fly," Renfrow said. "But it's comparable to a lot of other recreational activities. People spend more on golfing than I do on flying."

The club houses its planes at Landmark Aviation on the periphery of Hancock International Airport.

There are plenty of myths and fears about personal aviation and small planes. Stories of crashes that killed Buddy Holly and John F. Kennedy Jr. are part of our culture.

Mike Roberts, one of the club's members, is quick to dispel these myths and quell any fears. Flying isn't akin to skydiving or bungee jumping, Roberts said. It's a mode of transportation and recreation. Roberts repeatedly champions the recreational aspects of the activity.

Renfrow likens personal aviation to riding a motorcycle.

"It's maybe more dangerous than a car on I-81," he says. "But it's certainly safe."

On a clear Wednesday night this week, Roberts decided to take the club's 1977 Piper Arhcer II for a loop around Central New York. Prior to takeoff, he checks for tears in the sheet metal and tests all the flaps. He runs through safety protocols and explains how to unlatch the door in case of an emergency.

Takeoff is smooth and simple, climbing at a speed of about 100 knots (roughly 115 m.p.h.) until the plane reaches an altitude of 3,000 feet.

Recreational flying is nothing like booking a seat on a jet to LaGuardia. Flying commercial is like taking a train: The plane takes everyone on board to a predetermined location. There are plenty of rules, regulations and a whole lot of federal oversight.

Personal aviation, however, is more like owning a car. You can get in whenever you'd like and go for a drive. "Security" is a nice young woman who wishes you a good flight in the lobby at Landmark Aviation. Destination is sometimes unknown.

There are more than 5,000 paved airports in the country. Just more than 300 host commercial flights. Above Skaneateles, Roberts points out a small, single-runway airport off the west bank of the lake.

Once out of Syracuse airspace, pilots call out their locations on the radio to let anyone else around know what they're doing. There's someone doing some recreational flying over Skaneateles Lake. The Finger Lakes Skydivers are nearby getting ready to drop a few daredevils.

Upon landing, a Jet Blue flight taxis on the runway. It has to wait for Roberts to land his plane before it can take off.

"Hancock isn't Delta's airport or Jet Blue's airport," Roberts tells me. "It's yours and mine as much as anyone's."

Renfrow says anyone interested in joining the Syracuse Flying Club or learning more about recreational aviation should contact him. His information can be found on the club's website.


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