Eastern Michigan University’s chapter of Alpha Eta Rho, Sigma Chi, held its Annual Pancake Breakfast Fly-In at Eagle Flight Center, located at Willow Run Airport, on Saturday, May 18 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
EMU President Susan Martin was in attendance for a guest flight.
“It was fun to fly over the house and over the campus to really see how pretty the campus is and to see the Huron River,” Martin said.
Ryan Todd, president of Alpha Eta Rho, Sigma Chi, piloted the Cessna 172S that flew President Martin over EMU’s campus and Rynearson Stadium.
“The flight took just over half an hour,” Todd said.
“I’ve always been interested in the aviation program and regretted that I didn’t learn how to fly as a little girl when my dad offered me the chance,” she said. “It’s just exciting to see the students and how much fun they have – and how good they are at flying.”
Todd said the coed fraternity invited Martin out to give her a chance to meet some of the students from the aviation program and to see what the organization is all about.
This year is Todd’s second in the fraternity. In 2012 he was treasurer. He had his first flight lesson in 2008 and had his pilot’s license before coming to EMU. He is now working on acquiring his flight instructor certificate.
EMU’s Aviation Flight Technology program began in 2002 and is designed to prepare individuals for positions as entry-level professional pilots.
Flight training is conducted at the Eagle Flight Center, allowing students to learn in a controlled airspace using new Cessna 172S aircrafts equipped with Garmin 1000 glass technology.
The majority of flight instructors at the flight center are graduates of EMU’s Flight Technology program.
For more information about Alpha Eta Rho, Sigma Chi visit ahpsigmachi.wordpress.com.
