The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Officials' use of aviation department's planes subsidizes costs

The first time SIUC senior Pat Skonie met acting President Duane Stucky was while boarding an airplane. Stucky was going to a meeting in Chicago, and Skonie was his pilot.

Skonie, a senior studying aviation flight and management from Naperville, is one of five aviation students in a course charged with transporting the members of the Board of Trustees and the University's top administrators and professors.

The students pay a course fee of more than $6,000, which helps pay for their instructors and the plane's upkeep and gasoline.

The University pays $156.26 per person per flight, which helps subsidize the program, said John Haller, vice president for Academic Affairs. If University officials didn't fly, students in the course would have to pay double what they did now. Haller said the current situation makes the relationship a win-win situation for the University and aviation students.

Stucky, who flew to Midway Airport in Chicago Monday, said the program allows University officials to travel across the state quickly, while offering students an educational opportunity.

"Obviously a one-hour plane ride to Chicago is much more effective than driving six hours each way for a one-hour meeting," Stucky said. "If you look at the alternatives, it is very cost effective, and it provides an opportunity for students."

Skonie was at the Southern Illinois Airport at 4 a.m. and was in the pilot's seat taking off an hour later. By noon, both Skonie and Stucky were back in Carbondale.

Stucky said if those who fly regularly took other forms of transportation, the University would have to pick up the tab for extra meals, hotel bills and the time lost at work.

While many University officials and members of the Board of Trustees may schedule flights for official business, such as visits to the Edwardsville campus or to the School of Medicine in Springfield, some prefer other forms of transportation. Board of Trustee's Chairman Glenn Poshard said when he goes back and forth to Chicago, he takes the train.

"I get a lot of work done, and it costs one third the price it costs to fly," Poshard said. "But I've got the time. Some other board members may not."

A typical advance fare on Amtrak costs about $29 each way, and business class is an extra $14. The cost of flying on a commercial airline or charter flights varies, but Stucky said using the aviation department's planes and student pilots makes more sense.

Keith Mortag, senior air transportation pilot, is often on the right side of the students when they are flying University officials in the school's twin engine Cessna 340, which can carry as many as four passengers.

Mortag said before flying University officials, aviation students must have their private pilot's license, commercial license, instrument rating and multi-engine rating. They must also complete the department's associate degree program before qualifying to take the course.

"Normally the students are not nervous, like the word scared would mean," Mortag said. "But there is a lot of anticipation.

"For a student to come out at four and prepare for a trip, there is a lot of desire on the part of the student."

Skonie said at the beginning of the semester, he was nervous at the controls of a plane with the school's highest-ranking personnel on it, but with each trip, Skonie said he got more confident.

"It's Chancellor Wendler or President Stucky you are flying, so you don't want to have a rough landing, and you want to make the ride as smooth as possible," Skonie said. "But you get used to it, and that is the kind of experience you need, because we are all going to be flying passengers."

Monday was windy, and thus Stucky's morning flight was a bit bumpy, Skonie said. Nonetheless, Skonie said Stucky managed to rest on the way to Chicago and work on the way home. And by the time the trip was over, Skonie said he appreciated Stucky's graciousness and confidence in him.

"Whoever we are flying around, they are always behind us," Skonie said. "That gives us ease of mind that they aren't going to say anything bad about us even if the landing was kind of hard."

 

 

[Macro error: Can't include because the file is larger than 32767 characters.]

Today's News | Sports | Voices - Editorial | Letters
Newsbriefs | pulse - Arts & Entertainment | Calendar | Photo Staff
Apts & Rentals | Photo Personals | Live DE NewsCam | Classified Ads