Marquette Flying Club President Greg Durand, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran of 27 years, held the orientation, which gave attendees a chance to learn about the newly formed local squadron, which will be based at K.I. Sawyer.

“We had an awesome turnout with 25 people and about everyone signed up,” Durand said. “We had the Houghton Squadron Commander Jeff Burl come to show a plane to the kids and let them hop in and such.”

Young Eagle Flights were scheduled to be held over the weekend at the K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum.

so area youth could have a chance to experience an airplane ride.

During a Civil Air Patrol Squadron orientation, potential squadron members examine the plane that was flown into Sawyer International Airport by Houghton Civil Air Patrol Squadron Commander Jeff Burl. (Photos courtesy of Greg Durand)

“The freedom of flying is like nothing else. You can be having the worst day and get up there on a nice evening and be nothing but smiles afterward,” Durand said.

The Civil Air Patrol has a 75-year legacy of holding aerospace education, cadet and emergency services programs across 1,400 communities in the U.S., according to its website.

Nationally, the group has 60,000 members and is governed by 11 board members.

For more information on Civil Air Patrol, visit www.goairpatrol.com.

For more information on the local CAP, call Greg Durand at 906-458-2261.

Attendees at the orientation watch an informational presentation about the Civil Air Patrol at the K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum (Photo courtesy of Greg Durand)

Katie Segula can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is ksegula@miningjournal.net.