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Mishawaka Pilots Club (Elkhart, Indiana)

USA / Indiana / Osceola / Elkhart, Indiana
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www.mpcairport.com/

This is a privately owned, public use facility that was started by 25 members pooling their resources ($200 each), buying a 65 acre farm, building the runways, a club house, drilling a well for water, installing gas pumps and building hangars.

The original members incorporated as the Airport Realty Corporation and issued 25 shares of stock to each member. A stipulation stated that the most shares of stock one member could own would be 45. As the airport needed more cash, additional shares were sold to finance needed improvements. Eventually, 750 shares were sold to pilots interested in building and keeping this property an airport. At the present time there are 65 shareholders. The shareholders have never received a dividend from their stock and many shareholders who have moved out of the area or are no longer flying, but still keep their stock. They are just interested in seeing that the property remains an airport.

Several acquisitions of property adjacent to the airport were made over the years. In 1967 we acquired 7.1 acres; 1970 - 12.3 acres; 1972-3.5 acres; 1991- 7.8 acres; 1997-25 acres. This year we have negotiated the purchase of another 13 acres bringing our total holdings to well over 100 acres.

In 1967 we re-mortgaged the property and installed a hard surfaced runway; had the electric and telephone lines buried at the north end of the field; and installed runway lights. Our paved runway (21-03) is 2600 feet with a parallel grass runway for tail-dragger aircraft. There is also 3000 foot grass runway (30-12) at right angles to the paved runway.

In 1969 a flying club was established on the field as a means of getting more members for the Mishawaka Pilots Club. This club "within the club" is called the Mishawaka Air Activities. It was started with one aircraft. The club now has six airplanes and over eighty members. Another club was also started on the field, called the VFR flyers. They have one aircraft and twenty members.

The Airport Realty Corporation, owners of the airport property, leases the land to the Mishawaka Pilots Club for a monthly fee. The Club meets monthly in the clubhouse to conduct the business pertaining to the operations of the airport. The Mishawaka Pilots Club sponsors a yearly Christmas party. Invitations are extended to other aviation organizations. The club also has a yearly fly-in breakfast on Fathers Day. This function is mostly for generating good-will in the neighborhood of the airport.

At the present time the Mishawaka Pilots Club has 230 members. There are 58 aircraft based on the field.

www.airnav.com/airport/3C1
FAA Identifier: 3C1
Lat/Long: 41-39-25.1750N / 086-02-05.0060W
41-39.419583N / 086-02.083433W
41.6569931 / -86.0347239
(estimated)
Elevation: 755 ft. / 230 m (estimated)
Variation: 03W (1985)
From city: 3 miles SW of ELKHART, IN
Time zone: UTC -4 (UTC -5 during Standard Time)
Zip code: 46517
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   41°39'23"N   86°2'2"W
This article was last modified 16 years ago