"My wife and I have a lake cottage up north near the Canadian border, and we love to spend weekends there fishing for walleye. It's the reason I joined the Airlake Aero Flying Club," said Gene Erikson, a mechanical engineer and private pilot whose airplane of choice is the club's Piper Archer.
"Early on a Saturday morning, we drive right up to the airplane, transfer our fishing gear, take off within 20 minutes, and have our lines wet by 9 a.m. We don't leave for home till late Sunday evening. If we drove, we would spend half the weekend on the road."
Gordon Krell, president of the Airlake Aero Club in Lakeville, chimed in: "My work requires making sales calls in the upper Midwest. Piloting the club's Cessna 182RG, I can call on three clients in a single day and be home in time for dinner. Driving or flying commercially, my competitors have to hustle to call on a single customer in one day."
Other members' reasons for flying with Airlake Aero include:
"It's great fun!"
"It keeps me young and excited about life."
"The rates make flying very affordable."
"I'm always learning something new."