1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:07,379 McDowell's World number four thirty seven for 12/08/2025. 2 00:00:07,519 --> 00:00:09,199 Well, thank you very much, and we're thrilled 3 00:00:09,199 --> 00:00:10,339 to be joined by 4 00:00:10,719 --> 00:00:11,939 one of the most successful 5 00:00:13,094 --> 00:00:16,154 business leaders and people anywhere in the country, 6 00:00:16,855 --> 00:00:17,994 whether it's technology, 7 00:00:18,774 --> 00:00:20,695 no matter what business you're talking about, there's 8 00:00:20,695 --> 00:00:23,894 really nobody quite like him. Michael Dell, very 9 00:00:23,894 --> 00:00:25,814 much of a legend who's here with his 10 00:00:25,814 --> 00:00:27,570 really exciting announcement. It's 11 00:00:28,449 --> 00:00:29,029 so amazing. 12 00:00:30,050 --> 00:00:31,510 And I am the aforementioned 13 00:00:32,130 --> 00:00:33,189 Michael Dell, 14 00:00:33,729 --> 00:00:34,229 but, 15 00:00:35,090 --> 00:00:36,469 really, it's just Mike. 16 00:00:37,009 --> 00:00:38,549 Yeah. Works either way. 17 00:00:39,170 --> 00:00:42,229 Hey. I hope, everybody's had a good 18 00:00:42,625 --> 00:00:45,744 month of December so far. And, yeah, back 19 00:00:45,744 --> 00:00:47,765 so soon after NAPOD promo. 20 00:00:48,545 --> 00:00:50,304 And what I what I got today is 21 00:00:50,304 --> 00:00:53,045 an interview I did with Dan Jonkoff 22 00:00:53,505 --> 00:00:54,405 of the 23 00:00:55,179 --> 00:00:56,479 Legacy Aviation 24 00:00:57,179 --> 00:00:58,159 Learning Center, 25 00:00:58,939 --> 00:01:00,699 and I did put this out over on 26 00:01:00,699 --> 00:01:03,019 Cup and Traverse City. So if you've, heard 27 00:01:03,019 --> 00:01:04,939 the interview over there, well, this is the 28 00:01:04,939 --> 00:01:05,680 same interview. 29 00:01:06,219 --> 00:01:09,099 I figured, put it far and wide. So, 30 00:01:09,814 --> 00:01:11,674 that's what I'm gonna get into. 31 00:01:12,935 --> 00:01:14,935 Of course, if you guys are listening to 32 00:01:14,935 --> 00:01:16,454 Cup of Traverse City, you already know what 33 00:01:16,454 --> 00:01:19,015 the weather is and, all that. But, yeah, 34 00:01:19,015 --> 00:01:20,614 I've been having a lot of fun with 35 00:01:20,614 --> 00:01:24,795 that. You can find that over cupoftraversecity.com 36 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:26,939 and or on any 37 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:27,740 platform 38 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:28,859 that you 39 00:01:29,799 --> 00:01:33,719 listen to podcasts on. So, anyway, without further 40 00:01:33,719 --> 00:01:36,060 ado, I'm gonna send this, over to 41 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,819 myself and Dan from, this Saturday. 42 00:01:40,894 --> 00:01:44,275 So today, I'm at Legacy Aviation in Traverse 43 00:01:44,334 --> 00:01:47,135 City. It's a, A and P school, but 44 00:01:47,135 --> 00:01:48,354 I'll let, the 45 00:01:48,655 --> 00:01:49,694 founder and, 46 00:01:50,254 --> 00:01:51,394 chairman of the board, 47 00:01:52,015 --> 00:01:52,994 Dan Junkoff, 48 00:01:54,015 --> 00:01:54,754 that will 49 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,159 will tell you all about it. How are 50 00:01:57,159 --> 00:01:59,420 you doing, Dan? Great, Mike. How are you? 51 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,120 So far, so good. It just all coffeed 52 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:03,960 up and, you know, we already had one 53 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:05,260 incident today. So 54 00:02:06,439 --> 00:02:08,599 Well, you called me chief cooking bottle washer, 55 00:02:08,599 --> 00:02:10,360 and I cleaned it up. So Yeah. There 56 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,564 you go. You're absolutely right. Yeah. I had 57 00:02:12,564 --> 00:02:14,965 a little coffee incident here in the office, 58 00:02:14,965 --> 00:02:16,264 but, that's alright. 59 00:02:17,205 --> 00:02:19,205 So, tell us a little bit about, you 60 00:02:19,205 --> 00:02:21,284 know, how this all got started and what's 61 00:02:21,284 --> 00:02:23,364 the goals. You know, just hey. Give me 62 00:02:23,364 --> 00:02:26,060 your give me your spiel. Well, sure. Glad 63 00:02:26,060 --> 00:02:27,740 to do it. It's been a fun journey 64 00:02:27,740 --> 00:02:30,860 so far. And it all started when, I 65 00:02:30,860 --> 00:02:33,120 retired from my, first career, 66 00:02:34,139 --> 00:02:35,979 and only career other than, 67 00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:38,939 what I'm doing here at Legacy Aviation Learning 68 00:02:38,939 --> 00:02:40,080 Center is I, 69 00:02:41,764 --> 00:02:43,864 was a funeral director and owned, 70 00:02:44,884 --> 00:02:47,465 funeral homes, and I was a fifth generation. 71 00:02:48,164 --> 00:02:51,205 And finally, my daughters took over. They're both 72 00:02:51,205 --> 00:02:52,485 funeral directors. And, 73 00:02:53,205 --> 00:02:54,644 so it was important that I, 74 00:02:55,719 --> 00:02:57,900 let them be on their own. Be 75 00:02:58,359 --> 00:03:00,039 take a few in a home where, you 76 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:02,120 know, every young person should do, and that's 77 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,120 make it even better than I left it. 78 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:04,919 Yeah. And, 79 00:03:05,479 --> 00:03:06,199 so I was, 80 00:03:07,319 --> 00:03:09,325 talking with my wife and telling her how, 81 00:03:09,645 --> 00:03:11,805 retirement was really boring. You know? I was 82 00:03:11,805 --> 00:03:13,805 used to working seven days a week, twenty 83 00:03:13,805 --> 00:03:15,344 four hours a day, like 84 00:03:15,645 --> 00:03:17,905 often funeral directors do. And, 85 00:03:18,685 --> 00:03:20,305 because nobody makes an appointment 86 00:03:21,169 --> 00:03:23,750 when they're gonna die. Right? Correct. Yep. 87 00:03:24,129 --> 00:03:24,629 Anyway, 88 00:03:25,009 --> 00:03:25,509 so, 89 00:03:27,810 --> 00:03:30,849 she said, well, gosh. You've been flying for, 90 00:03:30,849 --> 00:03:31,349 like, 91 00:03:31,889 --> 00:03:33,110 forty five years. 92 00:03:33,489 --> 00:03:34,050 You should, 93 00:03:34,530 --> 00:03:36,469 you know, do something at the airport. 94 00:03:37,004 --> 00:03:38,365 And I looked at her and said, boy, 95 00:03:38,365 --> 00:03:39,985 I've always wanted to be on the airport 96 00:03:40,044 --> 00:03:40,544 authority. 97 00:03:41,004 --> 00:03:43,264 And she said, well, you should apply. So 98 00:03:43,564 --> 00:03:43,805 I, 99 00:03:44,365 --> 00:03:46,525 called the airport authority, and they said, well, 100 00:03:46,525 --> 00:03:48,444 believe it or not, the deadline to apply 101 00:03:48,444 --> 00:03:49,185 is tomorrow 102 00:03:49,485 --> 00:03:50,544 at 05:00. 103 00:03:51,069 --> 00:03:54,110 And so I quick called the, person that's 104 00:03:54,110 --> 00:03:54,990 supposed to get the, 105 00:03:56,270 --> 00:03:58,110 application, and she said, I'll send it to 106 00:03:58,110 --> 00:03:59,389 you. You gotta have it to me by 107 00:03:59,389 --> 00:04:00,449 05:00 tomorrow. 108 00:04:01,069 --> 00:04:03,870 And I, did everything she said. And, 109 00:04:04,715 --> 00:04:06,715 next thing you know, I was, called to 110 00:04:06,715 --> 00:04:09,034 do an interview, and there were five or 111 00:04:09,034 --> 00:04:11,694 six people interviewing. And I did the interview 112 00:04:11,754 --> 00:04:12,414 with a, 113 00:04:13,275 --> 00:04:14,794 a whole bunch of people in the room, 114 00:04:14,794 --> 00:04:16,414 county commissioners and 115 00:04:17,220 --> 00:04:17,720 and 116 00:04:18,180 --> 00:04:18,680 administrative 117 00:04:19,060 --> 00:04:20,100 type people. And, 118 00:04:20,660 --> 00:04:22,980 next thing you know, I got appointed to 119 00:04:22,980 --> 00:04:25,879 the airport commission Yeah. Which was kinda exciting. 120 00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:27,699 Yeah. Sure is. I've been to a couple 121 00:04:27,699 --> 00:04:29,319 of those meetings since Yeah. 122 00:04:29,845 --> 00:04:32,665 Well, our airport has turned into an authority 123 00:04:32,725 --> 00:04:33,785 from a commission, 124 00:04:34,725 --> 00:04:37,365 because we finally you know, we're gonna have 125 00:04:37,365 --> 00:04:38,584 a million people, 126 00:04:39,204 --> 00:04:41,125 come in and out of our airport on 127 00:04:41,125 --> 00:04:41,865 the airlines, 128 00:04:42,629 --> 00:04:45,209 this year. Over a million, actually. And so, 129 00:04:45,509 --> 00:04:47,509 now we have our own police force, our 130 00:04:47,509 --> 00:04:49,370 own fire department, our own, 131 00:04:50,229 --> 00:04:52,889 in house attorney, our own in house engineer. 132 00:04:53,269 --> 00:04:55,509 It's quite the little airport. We're now the 133 00:04:55,509 --> 00:04:57,475 third biggest airport in the state of Michigan. 134 00:04:57,475 --> 00:04:59,475 Yeah. And I think you I think, last 135 00:04:59,475 --> 00:05:01,175 I looked, you're the second busiest. 136 00:05:01,794 --> 00:05:03,794 Oh, really? Yeah. I think that was what 137 00:05:03,794 --> 00:05:05,875 I had read somewhere. I don't know how 138 00:05:05,875 --> 00:05:07,555 that could be true. I gotta believe Grand 139 00:05:07,555 --> 00:05:10,134 Rapids and Detroit beat us out. But Yeah. 140 00:05:10,439 --> 00:05:11,800 Maybe maybe it was the third. I don't 141 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,720 remember. Third is probably the right answer. I 142 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,279 hate to say it. But, anyway, so I 143 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,699 got on the, the authority, and 144 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:19,740 the 145 00:05:22,704 --> 00:05:23,204 orientation 146 00:05:23,584 --> 00:05:24,084 consists 147 00:05:24,785 --> 00:05:26,644 of showing everybody 148 00:05:27,104 --> 00:05:29,664 who is new to the authority every square 149 00:05:29,664 --> 00:05:32,144 inch of the airport. Mhmm. Did I say 150 00:05:32,144 --> 00:05:34,725 every square inch? Oh, yeah. Truly the truth. 151 00:05:35,024 --> 00:05:37,904 And, so went through the building, went through 152 00:05:37,904 --> 00:05:40,199 the parking lots, went through everything, and we 153 00:05:40,199 --> 00:05:42,540 even decide then get in a car, 154 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:44,779 and we drive up and down 155 00:05:45,399 --> 00:05:47,560 and all around the airport. And, 156 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,519 we go by all the buildings, explain what's 157 00:05:50,519 --> 00:05:52,540 in them, who's in them, what they do. 158 00:05:52,774 --> 00:05:54,935 And we, stopped in front of the building 159 00:05:54,935 --> 00:05:56,955 we're in right now doing this interview. 160 00:05:57,495 --> 00:05:57,995 And, 161 00:05:58,615 --> 00:06:01,654 Kevin Klein, our, the director of our airport, 162 00:06:01,654 --> 00:06:03,274 executive c CEO, 163 00:06:03,735 --> 00:06:04,395 he says, 164 00:06:04,935 --> 00:06:06,555 you know, isn't it a shame, 165 00:06:07,540 --> 00:06:09,779 That airport that building right there is gonna 166 00:06:09,779 --> 00:06:11,800 be sold tomorrow or the next day, 167 00:06:12,580 --> 00:06:14,580 and it's gonna be sold for a non 168 00:06:14,580 --> 00:06:15,800 aviation use. 169 00:06:16,420 --> 00:06:18,660 And he says I heard rumors about that. 170 00:06:18,660 --> 00:06:21,220 Yeah. Everybody heard rumors. Well, the rumors were 171 00:06:21,220 --> 00:06:22,605 that it was gonna be sold to people 172 00:06:22,685 --> 00:06:24,865 who are gonna grow marijuana in it. 173 00:06:25,404 --> 00:06:27,324 Well, as soon as it becomes a non 174 00:06:27,324 --> 00:06:28,464 aviation use, 175 00:06:28,845 --> 00:06:31,884 this particular building is on city property, not 176 00:06:31,884 --> 00:06:34,045 airport property, and it has what they call 177 00:06:34,045 --> 00:06:35,949 a hole in the fence. Yeah. But as 178 00:06:35,949 --> 00:06:38,829 soon as, it's non aviation use, the hole 179 00:06:38,829 --> 00:06:41,009 in the fence gets closed Yeah. Forever. 180 00:06:41,310 --> 00:06:43,709 Never to open again. So I went home, 181 00:06:43,709 --> 00:06:45,629 told my wife that, look, we can't let 182 00:06:45,629 --> 00:06:46,689 this cool building, 183 00:06:47,149 --> 00:06:47,889 you know, 184 00:06:48,914 --> 00:06:51,014 become a non aviation use, 185 00:06:51,394 --> 00:06:52,834 and have the hole in the fence go 186 00:06:52,834 --> 00:06:55,074 away. And she said, well, how much is 187 00:06:55,074 --> 00:06:56,435 it? And I told her, she said, well, 188 00:06:56,435 --> 00:06:57,414 you need a partner. 189 00:06:58,754 --> 00:07:01,074 For sure. So I got I called a 190 00:07:01,074 --> 00:07:03,555 couple of friends and, one of them said, 191 00:07:03,555 --> 00:07:06,089 absolutely. I'm in. I'll be your half partner 192 00:07:06,089 --> 00:07:08,329 in this building. So we called up the 193 00:07:08,329 --> 00:07:10,490 owner and said, look. We've got, 194 00:07:10,810 --> 00:07:12,729 we're gonna do something with that building. We 195 00:07:12,729 --> 00:07:15,289 don't know what it's gonna be, but, we're 196 00:07:15,289 --> 00:07:17,295 gonna help kids and we don't know how. 197 00:07:17,455 --> 00:07:19,295 Yeah. But we're gonna do something a lot 198 00:07:19,295 --> 00:07:20,194 better than 199 00:07:20,495 --> 00:07:22,975 possible other uses that are being looked at. 200 00:07:22,975 --> 00:07:24,115 Right. Right. And, 201 00:07:24,735 --> 00:07:27,215 and he said, well, I'll have to think 202 00:07:27,215 --> 00:07:30,175 about that. And he stopped the other sale 203 00:07:30,175 --> 00:07:31,475 to think about it. 204 00:07:32,519 --> 00:07:34,459 I presume. I'm not actually 205 00:07:34,759 --> 00:07:36,360 sure about that, but I know it was 206 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,000 supposed to happen quick. And, he came back 207 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:40,139 to us and said, 208 00:07:40,519 --> 00:07:41,259 it's yours. 209 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,625 Nice. It's a nice building. It's been used 210 00:07:44,704 --> 00:07:46,305 for a couple other things, you know, in 211 00:07:46,305 --> 00:07:48,144 the front half of the building. It was 212 00:07:48,144 --> 00:07:50,084 a TV station at one point. 213 00:07:51,024 --> 00:07:53,204 I forget what else was in here, but, 214 00:07:53,824 --> 00:07:54,725 you know, and then, 215 00:07:55,264 --> 00:07:58,225 somebody had rented the the hangar part and, 216 00:07:58,225 --> 00:08:00,464 you know, but it's it is unique that 217 00:08:00,464 --> 00:08:02,060 you you have that hole in the fence 218 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,500 where the building's not owned or not on 219 00:08:05,959 --> 00:08:07,500 on, land that's, 220 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,220 so you own the land with the building 221 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,520 where if you build something on the airport, 222 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,095 you get a lease. Right? Is that how 223 00:08:14,095 --> 00:08:16,014 that works? That's exactly how it works. And 224 00:08:16,014 --> 00:08:17,954 all of a sudden, you know, your world 225 00:08:18,254 --> 00:08:20,754 is governed by the FAA, 226 00:08:21,214 --> 00:08:21,714 TSA, 227 00:08:22,095 --> 00:08:24,975 and and everybody else that has to live 228 00:08:24,975 --> 00:08:26,814 on the airport, and we're not governed by 229 00:08:26,814 --> 00:08:29,289 any of those people. We just pay taxes 230 00:08:29,289 --> 00:08:32,409 to the city, and that's pretty priceless. Yeah. 231 00:08:32,409 --> 00:08:34,169 For sure. You know, we have a lease 232 00:08:34,169 --> 00:08:36,089 that's not a fifty year lease or a 233 00:08:36,089 --> 00:08:38,169 hundred year lease. It's a forever lease till 234 00:08:38,169 --> 00:08:39,769 I sell it. Yeah. And I don't have 235 00:08:39,769 --> 00:08:41,610 to get anybody's permission on who I sell 236 00:08:41,610 --> 00:08:42,164 it to. 237 00:08:43,044 --> 00:08:45,044 Yeah. Yeah. It's a it's a beautiful building, 238 00:08:45,044 --> 00:08:46,884 and you guys really have it fitted out 239 00:08:46,884 --> 00:08:50,024 pretty well for its intended use now. Yeah. 240 00:08:50,164 --> 00:08:52,324 Yeah. A friend of mine actually built it 241 00:08:52,324 --> 00:08:54,084 a long time ago when I was probably 242 00:08:54,084 --> 00:08:54,824 in my 243 00:08:55,204 --> 00:08:55,704 late 244 00:08:56,429 --> 00:08:58,669 late twenties, believe it or not. And, 245 00:08:59,230 --> 00:09:00,669 he used to have a King Air, and 246 00:09:00,669 --> 00:09:02,850 he would drive it into the hangar. 247 00:09:03,549 --> 00:09:04,909 And then he went It's a big hangar. 248 00:09:04,990 --> 00:09:06,370 Back it out of the hangar. 249 00:09:07,470 --> 00:09:09,629 And he had a garage door opener that 250 00:09:09,629 --> 00:09:11,730 opened the door when he arrived, and 251 00:09:12,245 --> 00:09:14,565 it was pretty slick. Yeah. The guy I 252 00:09:14,565 --> 00:09:16,404 knew that, rented it for a while had 253 00:09:16,404 --> 00:09:19,204 a King Air 90 Yeah. In here. That's 254 00:09:19,204 --> 00:09:21,865 right. It's probably the same guy. Bob Andrews? 255 00:09:22,164 --> 00:09:24,644 No. I'm thinking Bob Goff. Bob Goff, actually. 256 00:09:24,644 --> 00:09:26,889 I think he did After that. Yeah. So 257 00:09:27,129 --> 00:09:29,529 Isn't that something? I'd forgot Bob was here. 258 00:09:29,529 --> 00:09:32,089 You're right. Yeah. I flew with him several 259 00:09:32,089 --> 00:09:33,230 times. Yeah. 260 00:09:33,610 --> 00:09:35,049 Well, anyway, after we, 261 00:09:35,610 --> 00:09:38,169 we got the building, we, didn't quite know 262 00:09:38,169 --> 00:09:39,769 what to do with it that was gonna 263 00:09:39,769 --> 00:09:41,934 help kids, but, you know, we threw a 264 00:09:41,934 --> 00:09:43,634 lot of stuff at the wall. Right? 265 00:09:44,894 --> 00:09:47,134 Ideas, we had people come and giving us 266 00:09:47,134 --> 00:09:48,355 ideas. We had 267 00:09:48,654 --> 00:09:51,934 all kinds of ideas, but nothing stuck great. 268 00:09:51,934 --> 00:09:52,434 But, 269 00:09:53,054 --> 00:09:55,669 then one day, the idea of well, gosh. 270 00:09:55,669 --> 00:09:57,909 It would make a great, you know, mechanic 271 00:09:57,909 --> 00:10:00,149 school, a and p school. Yeah. And, 272 00:10:01,110 --> 00:10:01,589 so, 273 00:10:02,230 --> 00:10:04,730 it kinda slid down the wall pretty slow. 274 00:10:04,870 --> 00:10:07,309 It didn't flat drop off the wall after 275 00:10:07,309 --> 00:10:09,509 we we threw the idea there, so we 276 00:10:09,509 --> 00:10:12,304 checked into it. And just as we were 277 00:10:12,304 --> 00:10:14,004 getting ready this was happening, 278 00:10:15,264 --> 00:10:17,285 the FAA changed the rules 279 00:10:17,904 --> 00:10:21,665 on how A and P schools work. Mhmm. 280 00:10:21,665 --> 00:10:24,565 They changed the rules because That never happens. 281 00:10:24,789 --> 00:10:27,509 Yeah. Hardly ever happens. Right? Well, they changed 282 00:10:27,509 --> 00:10:29,669 the rules because there's a huge shortage of 283 00:10:29,669 --> 00:10:33,049 A and Ps coming up. Over 600,000, 284 00:10:34,470 --> 00:10:36,629 A and Ps shortage in the next ten 285 00:10:36,629 --> 00:10:37,610 years or so, 286 00:10:38,225 --> 00:10:40,485 worldwide. And, they realized 287 00:10:40,865 --> 00:10:42,784 that somebody's gotta speed the process up a 288 00:10:42,784 --> 00:10:45,264 little bit. So they changed it from a 289 00:10:45,264 --> 00:10:46,804 time based school, 290 00:10:47,184 --> 00:10:49,664 in other words, taken at least two years 291 00:10:49,664 --> 00:10:52,144 of AMP school to become an AMP, to 292 00:10:52,144 --> 00:10:54,660 a knowledge based. And and for those not 293 00:10:54,660 --> 00:10:55,160 aviation 294 00:10:55,540 --> 00:10:58,920 savvy, AMP is airframe and power print plant. 295 00:10:59,300 --> 00:11:02,019 Airframe and power plant. See, English is optional 296 00:11:02,019 --> 00:11:04,740 today. Yeah. Well, and that means that they 297 00:11:04,740 --> 00:11:07,540 can work on anything that's flies, and they're 298 00:11:07,540 --> 00:11:08,519 licensed by 299 00:11:09,144 --> 00:11:11,245 the FAA, the United States government's 300 00:11:11,865 --> 00:11:15,245 agency that takes care and governs all 301 00:11:15,865 --> 00:11:18,664 all things that fly. Right? Thick book that 302 00:11:18,664 --> 00:11:21,705 everybody has to have. Right. Yep. All the 303 00:11:21,705 --> 00:11:22,205 FARS. 304 00:11:22,970 --> 00:11:23,710 Well, anyway, so, 305 00:11:24,276 --> 00:11:26,490 we found out that it was now knowledge 306 00:11:26,490 --> 00:11:26,990 based. 307 00:11:27,450 --> 00:11:28,190 And so 308 00:11:28,809 --> 00:11:31,850 I looked at, my partner and he and 309 00:11:31,850 --> 00:11:34,649 said, you know, I'll bet you that there's 310 00:11:34,649 --> 00:11:36,330 a lot of fluff in those two year 311 00:11:36,330 --> 00:11:36,830 schools. 312 00:11:37,504 --> 00:11:39,184 And I'll bet we can do it in 313 00:11:39,184 --> 00:11:40,004 one year. 314 00:11:40,945 --> 00:11:41,664 And so, 315 00:11:42,304 --> 00:11:44,865 it just so happened that I was at 316 00:11:44,865 --> 00:11:46,004 a conference, 317 00:11:46,384 --> 00:11:48,945 and I sat next to a gentleman who 318 00:11:48,945 --> 00:11:51,365 was clearly the smartest man in the room. 319 00:11:51,870 --> 00:11:53,790 And it turns out that he was the 320 00:11:53,790 --> 00:11:55,170 one who helped the FAA 321 00:11:55,629 --> 00:11:57,950 see that there was a different way that 322 00:11:57,950 --> 00:11:59,629 it could be done that could speed up 323 00:11:59,629 --> 00:12:02,429 how many mechanics get into the workforce so 324 00:12:02,429 --> 00:12:04,990 they can start training and learning and fill 325 00:12:04,990 --> 00:12:07,009 the gap that's gonna happen. 326 00:12:07,524 --> 00:12:08,024 And, 327 00:12:09,284 --> 00:12:11,524 I talked to him and he said, yeah. 328 00:12:11,524 --> 00:12:13,365 Absolutely. You could do it in a year, 329 00:12:13,365 --> 00:12:14,825 and and I'll help you. 330 00:12:15,524 --> 00:12:15,845 And, 331 00:12:16,565 --> 00:12:17,865 he had his PhD, 332 00:12:19,125 --> 00:12:20,504 doctor Sean Galligan, 333 00:12:20,884 --> 00:12:21,125 and, 334 00:12:22,009 --> 00:12:22,970 he said that, 335 00:12:24,250 --> 00:12:25,470 you can make it happen. 336 00:12:25,929 --> 00:12:27,690 And so we called the FAA and said, 337 00:12:27,690 --> 00:12:29,470 hey, we wanna start a school here 338 00:12:29,769 --> 00:12:31,690 and we wanna make it so it's a 339 00:12:31,690 --> 00:12:32,830 12 program. 340 00:12:33,289 --> 00:12:35,049 And they said, yeah, well, that'll take a 341 00:12:35,049 --> 00:12:37,245 lot of paperwork. Let's see how that goes. 342 00:12:37,404 --> 00:12:38,205 Yeah. And, 343 00:12:38,764 --> 00:12:40,225 Weren't you guys the first 344 00:12:40,524 --> 00:12:42,365 school? We were one of the first. Yeah. 345 00:12:42,365 --> 00:12:45,085 That's right. And doctor Galligan helped us to 346 00:12:45,085 --> 00:12:46,125 do it. And the, 347 00:12:46,845 --> 00:12:49,485 he had everything, all the syllabuses, all the 348 00:12:50,789 --> 00:12:52,629 he just had it all set up. He 349 00:12:52,629 --> 00:12:54,549 just knew what it would take and how 350 00:12:54,549 --> 00:12:57,190 long each class should take and, you know, 351 00:12:57,190 --> 00:12:59,450 it was amazing how smart he was 352 00:12:59,830 --> 00:13:00,950 is. And, 353 00:13:01,350 --> 00:13:03,269 but about doing it. Next thing you know, 354 00:13:03,269 --> 00:13:05,575 the FAA said, we can't find any flaw 355 00:13:05,575 --> 00:13:07,195 in this. No kidding. You're 356 00:13:07,495 --> 00:13:08,715 you're being tutored, 357 00:13:09,335 --> 00:13:12,055 by doctor Galligan. He's super smart, and he 358 00:13:12,055 --> 00:13:13,434 helped the law to get passed. 359 00:13:13,894 --> 00:13:14,375 And, 360 00:13:15,495 --> 00:13:17,700 next thing you know, we had our license, 361 00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:19,700 and we started. And we started with only 362 00:13:19,700 --> 00:13:22,659 three kids because the FAA didn't approve us 363 00:13:22,659 --> 00:13:25,620 till November. But three months later in January 364 00:13:25,620 --> 00:13:26,600 or three months 365 00:13:27,379 --> 00:13:30,434 six weeks later, we started with three kids. 366 00:13:30,434 --> 00:13:32,774 That's as many as we could recruit. And, 367 00:13:33,475 --> 00:13:35,554 we learned from them, and they learned from 368 00:13:35,554 --> 00:13:37,794 us. And they graduated in a year, and 369 00:13:37,794 --> 00:13:39,955 it was pretty darn exciting. We've gone from 370 00:13:39,955 --> 00:13:43,335 there. And so far, we've had, 25 371 00:13:43,875 --> 00:13:44,375 about 372 00:13:44,889 --> 00:13:45,690 26 373 00:13:45,690 --> 00:13:46,509 kids graduate, 374 00:13:47,929 --> 00:13:50,409 in two years, and we got 27 kids 375 00:13:50,409 --> 00:13:52,169 in the class right now. And our next 376 00:13:52,169 --> 00:13:53,309 class, which starts 377 00:13:53,690 --> 00:13:54,190 August, 378 00:13:55,769 --> 00:13:57,129 of 26, 379 00:13:57,129 --> 00:13:59,605 will have about 45 to 50 kids in 380 00:13:59,605 --> 00:14:01,365 it, and that's where we're gonna stop at 381 00:14:01,365 --> 00:14:02,965 50 kids. And you're gonna be doing two 382 00:14:02,965 --> 00:14:04,504 shifts on that one, probably. 383 00:14:04,884 --> 00:14:06,565 No. But we're gonna be able to do 384 00:14:06,565 --> 00:14:08,644 two sides of the building. Mhmm. And we're 385 00:14:08,644 --> 00:14:10,965 gonna hire two more instructors, so we'll have 386 00:14:10,965 --> 00:14:14,269 four instructors for 50 kids. Nice. And that's 387 00:14:14,269 --> 00:14:17,230 a great ratio of teaching. That's a unique 388 00:14:17,230 --> 00:14:19,230 ratio because we're teaching a lot. This is 389 00:14:19,389 --> 00:14:20,990 Yeah. Yeah. You know, you come to our 390 00:14:20,990 --> 00:14:22,669 school, and if you miss a day, you 391 00:14:22,669 --> 00:14:24,829 gotta make it up at night. Or you 392 00:14:24,829 --> 00:14:25,995 gotta you know, we have 393 00:14:30,315 --> 00:14:33,115 adjunct instructors here on Saturdays, and the kids 394 00:14:33,115 --> 00:14:34,815 have to make up time. Yeah. 395 00:14:35,195 --> 00:14:36,014 And it's intense. 396 00:14:36,394 --> 00:14:38,794 Yeah. Imagine. You know, I went through Air 397 00:14:38,794 --> 00:14:39,294 Force 398 00:14:39,809 --> 00:14:42,529 maintenance school and, you know, that was pretty 399 00:14:42,529 --> 00:14:44,289 intense, but we only did, like, four hours 400 00:14:44,289 --> 00:14:46,049 a day or six hours a day or 401 00:14:46,049 --> 00:14:48,309 something. And, this sounds a little more intense. 402 00:14:48,529 --> 00:14:50,529 Our kids get here at 07:00 in the 403 00:14:50,529 --> 00:14:51,029 morning, 404 00:14:51,730 --> 00:14:53,410 because we wanna teach them what it's like 405 00:14:53,410 --> 00:14:55,784 to work a real shift. Mhmm. Shifts start 406 00:14:55,784 --> 00:14:57,865 at 07:00 in the morning at the major 407 00:14:57,865 --> 00:15:00,345 airlines and in and in a lot of 408 00:15:00,345 --> 00:15:03,704 maintenance shops, even, general aviation, and we wanna 409 00:15:03,704 --> 00:15:05,184 teach them how to get up that early. 410 00:15:05,184 --> 00:15:06,664 A lot of them didn't do that when 411 00:15:06,664 --> 00:15:08,125 they went to high school. Right? 412 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:08,940 And, 413 00:15:09,580 --> 00:15:11,420 so they start and they go from a 414 00:15:11,420 --> 00:15:12,399 seven to three, 415 00:15:12,779 --> 00:15:14,720 five days a week. And, 416 00:15:15,580 --> 00:15:18,399 and it's all learning. You know? There's incredible 417 00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:20,220 amount of book work. They gotta take their 418 00:15:20,220 --> 00:15:22,300 FRA exams. We allow them to take it 419 00:15:22,300 --> 00:15:23,514 as they go. Mhmm. 420 00:15:24,154 --> 00:15:24,955 They gotta take, 421 00:15:25,674 --> 00:15:28,254 three written exams that they have to pass, 422 00:15:28,955 --> 00:15:31,534 and they gotta take two oral and practical 423 00:15:31,754 --> 00:15:33,214 with FAA examiners. 424 00:15:33,674 --> 00:15:34,315 Yeah. And, 425 00:15:34,875 --> 00:15:36,634 they all they can do that all in 426 00:15:36,634 --> 00:15:39,029 a year. Yeah. It's it's amazing. And, you 427 00:15:39,029 --> 00:15:41,190 know, this hangar out here, you you know, 428 00:15:41,190 --> 00:15:42,569 they get a little, on, 429 00:15:42,870 --> 00:15:45,990 you know, they get practical experience working on 430 00:15:45,990 --> 00:15:46,490 stuff. 431 00:15:47,110 --> 00:15:48,009 We can do 432 00:15:48,470 --> 00:15:49,669 so many different, 433 00:15:51,855 --> 00:15:54,595 projects out there. They learn riveting. They learn, 434 00:15:55,615 --> 00:15:57,714 safety wiring. They learn fiberglass. 435 00:15:58,095 --> 00:15:59,394 They learn electronics. 436 00:15:59,934 --> 00:16:02,195 Safety wiring was always fun to me. 437 00:16:02,575 --> 00:16:05,134 Yeah. Well, believe it or not, funny you 438 00:16:05,134 --> 00:16:06,754 bring that up. We've had 439 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:08,240 many, many, many, 440 00:16:08,940 --> 00:16:11,600 companies come in from, you know, 441 00:16:12,779 --> 00:16:13,840 Envoy to 442 00:16:14,300 --> 00:16:14,800 SkyWest 443 00:16:15,259 --> 00:16:15,759 to 444 00:16:16,139 --> 00:16:16,639 Coletta. 445 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:19,274 And the one thing they say is, make 446 00:16:19,274 --> 00:16:21,834 sure the kid can safety wire. Because Now 447 00:16:21,834 --> 00:16:23,274 do you make them do it manually, or 448 00:16:23,274 --> 00:16:25,355 do you get the safety wire pliers? They 449 00:16:25,355 --> 00:16:27,914 get both. They get to learn both. But, 450 00:16:27,914 --> 00:16:30,414 you know, but every kid that leaves here, 451 00:16:30,475 --> 00:16:32,315 because what we were told by the, 452 00:16:33,290 --> 00:16:34,970 by the companies that are gonna hire them, 453 00:16:34,970 --> 00:16:37,050 they know how to safety wire. Yeah. And 454 00:16:37,050 --> 00:16:38,970 that's one of their classes that they get 455 00:16:38,970 --> 00:16:41,929 graded on, and, it's important. That and soldering 456 00:16:41,929 --> 00:16:43,389 were my two, bugaboos. 457 00:16:43,769 --> 00:16:44,269 Yeah. 458 00:16:44,649 --> 00:16:45,389 I'm not 459 00:16:46,665 --> 00:16:48,904 I'm not sure how much work they get 460 00:16:48,904 --> 00:16:50,504 on all that, but they get they learn 461 00:16:50,504 --> 00:16:52,904 a little bit about everything. Sure. Because all 462 00:16:52,904 --> 00:16:55,545 we're doing in reality, Mike, is we're giving 463 00:16:55,545 --> 00:16:57,465 them a license to learn. Yep. And that's 464 00:16:57,465 --> 00:16:59,225 the way it is in all aviation. You 465 00:16:59,225 --> 00:17:01,129 know, you get your pilot's license. That's a 466 00:17:01,129 --> 00:17:03,549 license to learn because you don't know everything. 467 00:17:04,490 --> 00:17:06,490 And I'm sure with the mechanics, it's the 468 00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:08,329 same thing. And, you know, and with the 469 00:17:08,329 --> 00:17:08,829 mechanic, 470 00:17:09,609 --> 00:17:10,669 you know, you got 471 00:17:11,450 --> 00:17:14,269 hundreds of airframes out there that are different. 472 00:17:15,484 --> 00:17:17,805 And engine, you know, even a Cessna one 473 00:17:17,805 --> 00:17:20,365 seventy two could have, you know, any number 474 00:17:20,365 --> 00:17:22,605 of engines in the thing. So that's a 475 00:17:22,605 --> 00:17:24,625 different skill. And avionics, 476 00:17:24,924 --> 00:17:27,005 all the avionics, and you probably don't teach 477 00:17:27,005 --> 00:17:27,904 a lot of avionics. 478 00:17:28,609 --> 00:17:30,450 We don't. No? Yeah. Because that's kind of 479 00:17:30,450 --> 00:17:31,049 a subspecialty. 480 00:17:31,490 --> 00:17:33,490 Working on it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I can 481 00:17:33,490 --> 00:17:35,090 tell you one of the best stories that 482 00:17:35,090 --> 00:17:37,009 I have about starting a school is, 483 00:17:38,450 --> 00:17:39,349 when we were 484 00:17:41,474 --> 00:17:42,295 getting our, 485 00:17:42,835 --> 00:17:43,575 all the, 486 00:17:44,194 --> 00:17:46,134 materials and all the 487 00:17:46,515 --> 00:17:49,795 parts so the kids could have laboratories and 488 00:17:49,795 --> 00:17:51,795 work on things, one of the things the 489 00:17:51,795 --> 00:17:54,194 FAA said was, you know, you need a 490 00:17:54,194 --> 00:17:57,250 jet engine. Mhmm. Well, you just don't go 491 00:17:57,250 --> 00:17:58,950 out and get a jet engine 492 00:17:59,250 --> 00:18:01,809 with a budget. Right? They even the ones 493 00:18:01,809 --> 00:18:03,269 that are run out cost 494 00:18:04,849 --> 00:18:05,349 maybe 495 00:18:05,650 --> 00:18:08,369 thousands and thousands and tens of twenties and 496 00:18:08,369 --> 00:18:10,849 thirties and forties and maybe a $100,000 497 00:18:10,849 --> 00:18:12,335 just to get one of those. Right? 498 00:18:12,714 --> 00:18:14,634 So I I call over to, 499 00:18:15,035 --> 00:18:16,095 Coletta Airlines, 500 00:18:17,275 --> 00:18:19,694 over in Oscoda, Michigan, and I said, 501 00:18:20,234 --> 00:18:20,894 you know, 502 00:18:21,275 --> 00:18:23,115 I need a favor. I mean, we're we're 503 00:18:23,115 --> 00:18:24,714 gonna be in A and P school. They're 504 00:18:24,875 --> 00:18:27,039 I'm sure our kids will wanna stay in 505 00:18:27,039 --> 00:18:29,759 Michigan, and you're in Michigan. But the FAA 506 00:18:29,759 --> 00:18:32,180 said, you know, you've gotta have, 507 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:33,619 a jet engine. 508 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,840 And they said, well, let us think about 509 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:36,820 that a little bit. 510 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:38,640 And I think it was the next day 511 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:39,600 they called up and said, 512 00:18:40,414 --> 00:18:42,654 we got a seven twenty seven here Mhmm. 513 00:18:42,734 --> 00:18:44,734 That we're gonna donate to you. It has 514 00:18:44,734 --> 00:18:47,534 four jet engines. Mhmm. Three on the airplane 515 00:18:47,534 --> 00:18:48,595 and the APU. 516 00:18:49,054 --> 00:18:51,534 Yeah. And, So you got the whole airplane? 517 00:18:51,534 --> 00:18:53,294 We got the whole airplane, and we'll let 518 00:18:53,294 --> 00:18:55,200 you even keep it here for free. Oh, 519 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:56,799 nice. And you can bring the students over 520 00:18:56,799 --> 00:18:58,740 here and do whatever you want to it, 521 00:18:59,039 --> 00:19:01,759 whenever you want. Nice. And, the next thing 522 00:19:01,759 --> 00:19:02,399 you know, they, 523 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,039 we said, well, they said we gotta have 524 00:19:05,039 --> 00:19:07,039 a a jet engine in our building here. 525 00:19:07,039 --> 00:19:09,039 They said, well, we'll take the number one 526 00:19:09,039 --> 00:19:11,575 engine off, and you get a trailer and 527 00:19:11,575 --> 00:19:13,015 come over here. We'll put it on the 528 00:19:13,015 --> 00:19:14,615 trailer for you, and you can bring it 529 00:19:14,615 --> 00:19:15,115 home. 530 00:19:15,734 --> 00:19:17,414 Yeah. Yeah. I've seen it sitting out there. 531 00:19:17,575 --> 00:19:19,494 Sitting out there. And now it's got all 532 00:19:19,494 --> 00:19:21,575 the numbers on it. Every single part that 533 00:19:21,575 --> 00:19:23,654 we teach the kids what every single part 534 00:19:23,654 --> 00:19:26,750 of that seven twenty seven's engines are. And, 535 00:19:27,069 --> 00:19:28,750 it's a great experience. Then we take them 536 00:19:28,750 --> 00:19:30,509 to Oscoda once or twice a year, and 537 00:19:30,509 --> 00:19:32,589 we go through the airplane. It's great fun. 538 00:19:32,589 --> 00:19:35,149 And Oscoda, that's an old Air Force Base. 539 00:19:35,149 --> 00:19:37,710 Wertz Smith Air Force Base was what it 540 00:19:37,710 --> 00:19:40,190 was. It was a B 52 base. That's 541 00:19:40,190 --> 00:19:42,129 right. At least when they shut it down. 542 00:19:42,695 --> 00:19:45,515 And now over there, there's lots of maintenance 543 00:19:45,575 --> 00:19:46,875 activity going on. 544 00:19:47,734 --> 00:19:50,934 Coletta is there. What's the other? Evergreen is 545 00:19:50,934 --> 00:19:53,015 at the other one. Yeah. That's there. Plus, 546 00:19:53,015 --> 00:19:55,494 there's a seven forty seven engine shop over 547 00:19:55,494 --> 00:19:57,195 there. Right. It's a boneyard. 548 00:19:57,619 --> 00:19:59,380 Yeah. And it's a boneyard. Lots of seven 549 00:19:59,380 --> 00:20:01,940 forty sevens out there. Seven forty sevens. We 550 00:20:01,940 --> 00:20:03,220 actually had a kid, 551 00:20:03,619 --> 00:20:04,279 a student. 552 00:20:04,980 --> 00:20:06,660 I call them kids because they're all way 553 00:20:06,660 --> 00:20:07,720 younger than me. 554 00:20:08,420 --> 00:20:08,740 But, 555 00:20:09,634 --> 00:20:11,875 one of our students wanted to be a 556 00:20:11,875 --> 00:20:12,615 de assembler. 557 00:20:13,075 --> 00:20:13,575 Mhmm. 558 00:20:14,355 --> 00:20:16,275 And I That's a good place to do. 559 00:20:16,434 --> 00:20:20,295 And work and take airplanes apart. Yep. And, 560 00:20:20,835 --> 00:20:22,994 we all thought that was pretty pretty funny 561 00:20:22,994 --> 00:20:25,340 and pretty unique. Well, in the beginning, he 562 00:20:25,340 --> 00:20:27,180 thought, well, he really didn't have to learn 563 00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:27,920 how to fix 564 00:20:28,220 --> 00:20:30,299 them. Mhmm. And he doesn't know what was 565 00:20:30,380 --> 00:20:33,100 studying too hard. And so we call I 566 00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:36,140 yeah. One of our instructors called Colette and 567 00:20:36,140 --> 00:20:38,235 said, you know, what's it gonna take? They 568 00:20:38,235 --> 00:20:39,674 said, well, first, he's gotta get his A 569 00:20:39,674 --> 00:20:41,755 and P license. He's also gotta learn how 570 00:20:41,755 --> 00:20:42,955 to fix them because you gotta know how 571 00:20:42,955 --> 00:20:44,235 to fix them in order to know how 572 00:20:44,235 --> 00:20:46,154 to take them apart. Right. Because, yeah, if 573 00:20:46,154 --> 00:20:47,835 you take a part off of an airplane 574 00:20:47,835 --> 00:20:49,914 that's gonna be reused, you gotta know how 575 00:20:49,914 --> 00:20:50,975 it works because 576 00:20:51,589 --> 00:20:52,789 if you take it off in the wrong 577 00:20:52,789 --> 00:20:54,890 way, it might not be any good. Exactly. 578 00:20:55,029 --> 00:20:56,630 You know? So the next thing you know, 579 00:20:56,630 --> 00:21:00,170 the kid really really engaged in class and 580 00:21:00,230 --> 00:21:01,210 really became, 581 00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:04,170 a learning, 582 00:21:05,474 --> 00:21:07,714 smart, young person. Yeah. And, 583 00:21:08,434 --> 00:21:09,255 he graduated, 584 00:21:09,795 --> 00:21:10,295 and, 585 00:21:12,194 --> 00:21:14,194 yeah, I haven't heard yet if he got 586 00:21:14,194 --> 00:21:15,474 the job. Right. But, 587 00:21:16,275 --> 00:21:17,795 he could have changed. You know? A year 588 00:21:17,795 --> 00:21:19,789 can Yeah. You just never know. You know? 589 00:21:19,789 --> 00:21:21,470 Forever and I know. Wanna go work on 590 00:21:21,470 --> 00:21:24,049 Cessnas or something. You know? Exactly. Yep. 591 00:21:24,910 --> 00:21:26,049 Yeah. Because, yeah, 592 00:21:26,509 --> 00:21:28,349 as an air force, you know, we'd have 593 00:21:28,349 --> 00:21:31,335 to go pull parts off of either racks 594 00:21:31,335 --> 00:21:33,355 or, you know, even go to the boneyard 595 00:21:33,494 --> 00:21:34,075 in Tucson 596 00:21:35,015 --> 00:21:36,934 and pull something, you know. And and, yeah, 597 00:21:36,934 --> 00:21:38,295 I don't know what you were doing. 598 00:21:39,174 --> 00:21:43,269 Just, plain and simple. Yeah. And, so so 599 00:21:43,269 --> 00:21:45,450 you've had, you said 27, 600 00:21:46,309 --> 00:21:47,769 now that have graduated. 601 00:21:48,390 --> 00:21:51,349 Yeah. And pretty good, job placement, I'm sure. 602 00:21:51,349 --> 00:21:53,849 Yeah. They all get jobs. Yeah. Yeah. It's 603 00:21:53,910 --> 00:21:55,769 it's a 100% job placement. 604 00:21:56,944 --> 00:21:59,825 They're gonna get two, three, four offers. We've 605 00:21:59,825 --> 00:22:00,884 got kids in, 606 00:22:01,505 --> 00:22:05,204 Marquette, Michigan working for Envoy. We've got kids, 607 00:22:06,304 --> 00:22:07,204 down at, 608 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,740 boy, we're in Chicago at SkyWest. 609 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:14,179 We've got kids, 610 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:17,039 working down in Battle Creek at one of 611 00:22:17,039 --> 00:22:17,779 the MROs. 612 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:21,380 We've got kids in Salt Lake City. 613 00:22:21,694 --> 00:22:24,255 They're all over. We've got one student that, 614 00:22:24,255 --> 00:22:26,815 you know, was, bound determined to work for, 615 00:22:27,134 --> 00:22:30,914 Delta, which has an extremely difficult, you know, 616 00:22:30,974 --> 00:22:34,414 application process. They're top notch. They're very good. 617 00:22:34,414 --> 00:22:35,795 And, and she 618 00:22:36,190 --> 00:22:37,490 wants to work in Tokyo. 619 00:22:38,029 --> 00:22:40,769 And so, you know, we've got, job 620 00:22:41,789 --> 00:22:44,109 jobs available for kids where they can work 621 00:22:44,109 --> 00:22:45,330 six months in Alaska 622 00:22:45,710 --> 00:22:47,250 and six months in Honolulu. 623 00:22:47,630 --> 00:22:48,930 Yeah. You know? I mean, 624 00:22:50,025 --> 00:22:52,265 we got jobs where they can fly on 625 00:22:52,265 --> 00:22:54,265 airplanes. It's hard to find a mechanic. You 626 00:22:54,265 --> 00:22:56,585 know, if you own an airplane yourself and 627 00:22:56,585 --> 00:22:59,305 you, you know, need something done, there's not 628 00:22:59,305 --> 00:23:01,305 a ton of places you can take your 629 00:23:01,305 --> 00:23:03,849 airplane. You know? Exactly. You know, there's a 630 00:23:03,849 --> 00:23:05,769 few around, but, and, you know, and a 631 00:23:05,769 --> 00:23:07,309 lot of those guys are getting older, 632 00:23:07,929 --> 00:23:08,429 so 633 00:23:08,890 --> 00:23:11,210 they're gonna need new blood. Yeah. All the, 634 00:23:11,769 --> 00:23:12,269 AMPs 635 00:23:12,650 --> 00:23:15,384 from, World War two are, you know, they're 636 00:23:15,384 --> 00:23:18,184 not working anymore. And so now you got 637 00:23:18,184 --> 00:23:21,325 the next generation AMPs from the military. And 638 00:23:21,384 --> 00:23:21,884 and, 639 00:23:22,664 --> 00:23:24,265 you know, now we're having to produce our 640 00:23:24,265 --> 00:23:26,605 own. And there's about, I don't know, a 641 00:23:26,664 --> 00:23:27,785 150 642 00:23:27,785 --> 00:23:29,085 schools around the country 643 00:23:29,464 --> 00:23:30,204 is all, 644 00:23:30,789 --> 00:23:31,529 that are 645 00:23:32,230 --> 00:23:34,789 doing this and, training kids. Some of the 646 00:23:34,789 --> 00:23:35,289 programs 647 00:23:35,670 --> 00:23:37,589 most of the programs are still two year 648 00:23:37,589 --> 00:23:38,089 programs. 649 00:23:38,549 --> 00:23:40,869 So that's what makes our program unique. We're 650 00:23:40,869 --> 00:23:42,630 a one year program and, 651 00:23:43,269 --> 00:23:45,029 you know all done at one, you know, 652 00:23:45,029 --> 00:23:47,644 in one fell swoop. One fell swoop. You 653 00:23:47,644 --> 00:23:49,244 know, Traverse City is a nice place to 654 00:23:49,244 --> 00:23:50,625 be most of the year. 655 00:23:51,325 --> 00:23:52,684 I think it's a good place to be 656 00:23:52,684 --> 00:23:54,285 even in the winter. Oh, yeah. For sure. 657 00:23:54,285 --> 00:23:56,865 We, the kids that come here that don't 658 00:23:56,924 --> 00:23:57,424 already 659 00:23:58,045 --> 00:24:01,400 live here, we have an apartment complex that, 660 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:03,019 that we put, 661 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,880 we turn into a dorm room. And, you 662 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,420 know, they've got a pool. 663 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,759 They've got an exercise room. I mean, it's 664 00:24:10,759 --> 00:24:13,255 pretty challenging around here to find housing. Right. 665 00:24:13,255 --> 00:24:14,695 Well, there's a lot of them going up 666 00:24:14,695 --> 00:24:16,295 right now, so it's a little easier than 667 00:24:16,295 --> 00:24:18,154 it used to be a couple years ago. 668 00:24:18,215 --> 00:24:19,275 For sure. Yeah. 669 00:24:19,815 --> 00:24:20,875 Apartments everywhere. 670 00:24:21,174 --> 00:24:23,779 Yeah. Going up. We're very blessed. But, But 671 00:24:23,779 --> 00:24:25,940 we'll put four kids in a, you know, 672 00:24:25,940 --> 00:24:28,900 two bedroom apartment, do a bunk bed, and 673 00:24:28,900 --> 00:24:32,200 it's unbelievably reasonable for the students. And, 674 00:24:32,980 --> 00:24:35,220 and they're loving it. Yeah. Yeah. We even 675 00:24:35,220 --> 00:24:37,894 provide maid service. We know that putting four 676 00:24:37,894 --> 00:24:39,034 boys in a room 677 00:24:39,414 --> 00:24:41,894 without a little maid service on occasion is 678 00:24:41,894 --> 00:24:44,134 probably not gonna be a good experience after 679 00:24:44,134 --> 00:24:45,674 Christmas. The girls aren't much better. 680 00:24:47,174 --> 00:24:48,234 Probably right. 681 00:24:48,694 --> 00:24:50,954 Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, so 682 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:53,679 so, yeah, you guys are you start classes, 683 00:24:53,679 --> 00:24:56,019 what, twice a year? We used to, 684 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,240 but now we're down to once a year. 685 00:24:58,240 --> 00:24:59,859 We're looking at other options. 686 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:01,220 But 687 00:25:01,759 --> 00:25:04,339 most kids think that school starts, 688 00:25:04,684 --> 00:25:07,265 you know, in August or September. Right. Makes 689 00:25:07,565 --> 00:25:09,825 sense. Spend their whole year. And to start 690 00:25:10,444 --> 00:25:12,384 a a new class in January 691 00:25:13,085 --> 00:25:14,704 Mhmm. Takes a lot 692 00:25:15,085 --> 00:25:16,544 of mental strength 693 00:25:16,924 --> 00:25:19,345 to to get your brain around that. Sure. 694 00:25:19,484 --> 00:25:21,660 Yeah. So the Air Force was funny. They 695 00:25:21,660 --> 00:25:23,660 just started it whenever they needed to. Well, 696 00:25:23,660 --> 00:25:25,500 yeah, well, that's because they can control you 697 00:25:25,500 --> 00:25:28,079 a lot better. Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah. 698 00:25:28,460 --> 00:25:30,799 Yeah. Nothing nothing like being in a cornfield 699 00:25:30,859 --> 00:25:32,240 in Illinois marching 700 00:25:32,539 --> 00:25:33,200 to class. 701 00:25:33,500 --> 00:25:36,224 Exactly. Yeah. We don't do that. Right? 702 00:25:37,565 --> 00:25:39,164 So a lot of other things you got 703 00:25:39,164 --> 00:25:40,605 going on here in this building. 704 00:25:41,244 --> 00:25:42,704 I know, you allow, 705 00:25:43,244 --> 00:25:43,984 the EAA, 706 00:25:45,325 --> 00:25:48,365 local group to use the building somewhat and, 707 00:25:48,605 --> 00:25:49,105 also 708 00:25:49,484 --> 00:25:50,625 civil air patrol. 709 00:25:51,139 --> 00:25:53,559 Right. When I bought the building, I wanted 710 00:25:53,859 --> 00:25:56,259 this to be the center of aviation for 711 00:25:56,259 --> 00:25:59,639 our airport. Because once, you know, nine eleven 712 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:01,940 happened, you know, you just can't go out 713 00:26:01,940 --> 00:26:02,440 and 714 00:26:02,819 --> 00:26:05,220 walk up to an airplane and say hi 715 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:06,519 to the pilot and 716 00:26:07,445 --> 00:26:08,345 and sit in 717 00:26:09,045 --> 00:26:11,305 the side of the runway and watch airplanes 718 00:26:11,445 --> 00:26:13,785 take off. You know, they put up fences. 719 00:26:13,924 --> 00:26:15,625 They gave you badges. 720 00:26:16,325 --> 00:26:18,404 You know, it made it very difficult for 721 00:26:18,404 --> 00:26:21,000 people to congregate. Can't hang out at the 722 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,240 airport here. No. Now, you know, some other 723 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:25,319 airports you can, but Yep. You know, like 724 00:26:25,319 --> 00:26:27,240 Antrim, I I, you know, I've been up 725 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:28,759 there a few times. You can go hang 726 00:26:28,759 --> 00:26:30,279 out in the in the building there, and 727 00:26:30,279 --> 00:26:32,200 there's always people around, and it's kind of 728 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,455 fun. But, yeah, this is kind of what 729 00:26:34,455 --> 00:26:35,355 this is becoming 730 00:26:35,974 --> 00:26:38,455 here. You know, I've I've joked with people 731 00:26:38,455 --> 00:26:40,615 that I I've gotta go to coffee klatch, 732 00:26:40,615 --> 00:26:42,795 you know? Yes. And we come over here 733 00:26:42,934 --> 00:26:45,815 Saturday mornings and drink coffee, eat donuts, and, 734 00:26:46,055 --> 00:26:47,980 you know, just shoot the bull. Just like 735 00:26:47,980 --> 00:26:50,140 you used to thirty years ago when you 736 00:26:50,140 --> 00:26:51,200 had the old building, 737 00:26:51,740 --> 00:26:54,799 for general aviation. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So 738 00:26:55,900 --> 00:26:58,640 that's one of the things that, my partner 739 00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:00,779 understood in the air when we bought this 740 00:27:00,779 --> 00:27:02,464 building is that we were 741 00:27:02,845 --> 00:27:03,484 gonna give, 742 00:27:03,884 --> 00:27:05,744 the EAA and the CAP, 743 00:27:06,365 --> 00:27:07,265 free office, 744 00:27:07,884 --> 00:27:08,384 and, 745 00:27:09,644 --> 00:27:11,005 and rooms to, 746 00:27:11,484 --> 00:27:12,444 the same rooms. 747 00:27:12,845 --> 00:27:16,900 On Mondays and Thursday nights and other days 748 00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:19,059 of the week, Saturdays when we're not in 749 00:27:19,059 --> 00:27:21,700 school. Yeah. And, it works great. And we 750 00:27:21,700 --> 00:27:23,940 got quite the sim room here now too. 751 00:27:24,259 --> 00:27:26,099 What is there? Four or five, six of 752 00:27:26,099 --> 00:27:28,019 them in that room? Six sims and even 753 00:27:28,019 --> 00:27:30,099 one moving sim. Yeah. And that's one of 754 00:27:30,099 --> 00:27:31,345 the things we do at our school too 755 00:27:31,345 --> 00:27:33,765 is we teach all the prospective 756 00:27:34,225 --> 00:27:34,725 AMP 757 00:27:35,505 --> 00:27:37,585 students, you know, how to fly an airplane 758 00:27:37,585 --> 00:27:39,345 on a Sim. Yeah. So they have a 759 00:27:39,345 --> 00:27:41,904 general idea. Yeah. It's always a good thing, 760 00:27:41,904 --> 00:27:44,065 you know. A lot of the AMPs I 761 00:27:44,065 --> 00:27:44,565 know, 762 00:27:44,865 --> 00:27:47,220 also are pilots. So that's that's a good 763 00:27:47,220 --> 00:27:49,059 thing, but not all of them. Oh. You 764 00:27:49,059 --> 00:27:50,500 know? And some of them, you know, I 765 00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:52,359 don't like flying, but I like airplanes. 766 00:27:52,660 --> 00:27:55,000 Yeah. Yeah. Being on, 767 00:27:55,460 --> 00:27:58,179 you know, around airplanes is pretty sexy. Right? 768 00:27:58,179 --> 00:28:00,420 Yeah. It can be. I mean, airplanes are 769 00:28:00,420 --> 00:28:02,894 really cool. Yeah. And, to know how to 770 00:28:02,894 --> 00:28:04,515 fix them or fly them is, 771 00:28:05,054 --> 00:28:08,414 you know, not not for everybody. And, it's 772 00:28:08,414 --> 00:28:10,015 pretty cool if you're one of those people 773 00:28:10,015 --> 00:28:11,534 that are. Yeah. It's, 774 00:28:12,255 --> 00:28:12,994 it's definitely, 775 00:28:13,694 --> 00:28:16,174 it's a muscle memory thing because, you know, 776 00:28:16,174 --> 00:28:16,619 it's 777 00:28:17,180 --> 00:28:19,180 that was my trouble in training is, you 778 00:28:19,180 --> 00:28:21,740 know, just gaining the muscle memory. Once once 779 00:28:21,740 --> 00:28:24,059 you do that, though, you can jump into 780 00:28:24,059 --> 00:28:26,000 a different airplane, and it's 781 00:28:26,299 --> 00:28:27,359 everything's similar. 782 00:28:27,740 --> 00:28:30,779 Yeah. You know? I'm a pilot also. I'm 783 00:28:31,019 --> 00:28:32,240 I have no tools. 784 00:28:33,025 --> 00:28:33,825 Why I picked, 785 00:28:34,384 --> 00:28:36,945 the mechanic school, the AMP school, I have 786 00:28:36,945 --> 00:28:39,525 no clue. All I know is they made 787 00:28:40,144 --> 00:28:42,005 it my life so much better 788 00:28:42,384 --> 00:28:43,525 keeping my airplanes 789 00:28:44,305 --> 00:28:46,884 flyable and safe with my family 790 00:28:47,259 --> 00:28:50,299 that I always appreciated and admired them. Right. 791 00:28:50,299 --> 00:28:50,779 And, 792 00:28:51,179 --> 00:28:53,099 that's why I thought, wow. This would be 793 00:28:53,099 --> 00:28:54,700 great because I don't know a thing about 794 00:28:54,700 --> 00:28:56,220 it, but wouldn't it be cool to have 795 00:28:56,220 --> 00:28:59,019 more around? Yeah. For sure. And I've seen 796 00:28:59,019 --> 00:29:01,579 your airplane in the hangar here getting this 797 00:29:01,579 --> 00:29:03,554 done on it, and that's kind of a 798 00:29:03,554 --> 00:29:07,335 handy bonus. Yeah. So yeah. So the students 799 00:29:07,954 --> 00:29:10,454 can't work on an airplane that's flyable 800 00:29:10,755 --> 00:29:13,654 Mhmm. But they can observe work. Sure. So 801 00:29:14,115 --> 00:29:15,875 I'll make it so that the A and 802 00:29:15,875 --> 00:29:18,774 P who has a inspector's license, IA, 803 00:29:19,850 --> 00:29:21,150 he can do my annual 804 00:29:21,690 --> 00:29:23,289 in the hangar, and the students can watch 805 00:29:23,289 --> 00:29:24,809 it. Yep. And, 806 00:29:25,450 --> 00:29:28,809 invaluable. Right? And, you know, they can watch 807 00:29:28,809 --> 00:29:31,384 all the plates get taken off and do 808 00:29:31,384 --> 00:29:32,605 a lot of things and, 809 00:29:33,144 --> 00:29:35,144 stick their head in. They do have a 810 00:29:35,144 --> 00:29:37,784 apprentice program of some sort, don't they? They 811 00:29:37,784 --> 00:29:40,065 do. It's like a three year program Yeah. 812 00:29:40,264 --> 00:29:42,044 Where you can work at a 813 00:29:42,664 --> 00:29:43,384 at an eight at 814 00:29:44,149 --> 00:29:46,549 In a shop. In a shop somewhere. And, 815 00:29:46,869 --> 00:29:50,869 but holy mackerel. It's not great wages. And, 816 00:29:51,190 --> 00:29:52,710 three years is a long time in our 817 00:29:52,710 --> 00:29:54,309 life when you can come to a school 818 00:29:54,309 --> 00:29:55,589 and in one year You're gonna get it 819 00:29:55,589 --> 00:29:57,429 knocked out. Get it knocked out and be 820 00:29:57,429 --> 00:30:00,484 making really good wages. Our kids are making, 821 00:30:00,625 --> 00:30:02,244 you know, upper twenties 822 00:30:02,944 --> 00:30:04,484 and into the thirties 823 00:30:04,865 --> 00:30:05,924 really rapidly. 824 00:30:06,545 --> 00:30:06,944 And, 825 00:30:07,744 --> 00:30:09,744 most of them will be making in five 826 00:30:09,744 --> 00:30:13,045 years into the forties. Mhmm. $40 an hour. 827 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,160 It's it's a, you know, life changing event 828 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,799 and making enough money to to have a 829 00:30:19,799 --> 00:30:22,119 good middle class living. The only reason I 830 00:30:22,119 --> 00:30:24,200 never went for the AMP was the the 831 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:26,039 length of the time you had to go 832 00:30:26,039 --> 00:30:28,394 to to school, you know, and what we 833 00:30:28,394 --> 00:30:31,215 did in the Air Force didn't count. Right. 834 00:30:31,355 --> 00:30:33,434 You know, so that was, you know, if 835 00:30:33,434 --> 00:30:35,195 if I could have just got out and 836 00:30:35,195 --> 00:30:37,595 I'd probably be doing that right now. Sure. 837 00:30:37,595 --> 00:30:39,674 But one of the things we're starting here 838 00:30:39,674 --> 00:30:40,174 soon, 839 00:30:40,475 --> 00:30:42,174 not exactly sure when, 840 00:30:42,759 --> 00:30:45,079 is we're gonna do a special program for 841 00:30:45,079 --> 00:30:47,400 the veterans Mhmm. That get out of the 842 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:48,619 service. And 843 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,099 for some reason, the FAA doesn't 844 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,920 acknowledge that they probably are AMPs in the 845 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:55,420 service. 846 00:30:56,279 --> 00:30:59,005 But there's a two week program that we 847 00:30:59,005 --> 00:31:00,765 could do for them Mhmm. That would teach 848 00:31:00,765 --> 00:31:02,785 them how to pass the FAA test. 849 00:31:03,164 --> 00:31:03,644 And, 850 00:31:04,445 --> 00:31:05,904 and we're gonna do that, 851 00:31:06,445 --> 00:31:08,525 as soon as we can. That's changed since 852 00:31:08,525 --> 00:31:10,180 I got I got out thirty years ago. 853 00:31:10,180 --> 00:31:12,500 So Yeah. I have no idea how that 854 00:31:12,500 --> 00:31:14,500 works now. I have no idea how it 855 00:31:14,500 --> 00:31:16,680 works either, but all I know is that, 856 00:31:18,420 --> 00:31:20,980 two of our three instructors right now are 857 00:31:20,980 --> 00:31:24,019 retired military, and they wanna help their, you 858 00:31:24,019 --> 00:31:25,595 know, their fellow 859 00:31:26,295 --> 00:31:28,474 military friends get their license. 860 00:31:28,934 --> 00:31:30,855 And, so we're gonna start one of those 861 00:31:30,855 --> 00:31:33,255 programs soon. That that'd be great. Yeah. You 862 00:31:33,255 --> 00:31:35,174 know, especially, you know, we've got the coast 863 00:31:35,174 --> 00:31:37,015 guard base here, and there's a lot of 864 00:31:37,015 --> 00:31:38,694 guys over there that wanna come back here 865 00:31:38,694 --> 00:31:41,369 when they retire. Yep. Maybe that'd be perfect 866 00:31:41,369 --> 00:31:43,609 for them. Yeah. We have one coast guard 867 00:31:43,609 --> 00:31:46,330 retiree. We have one air force retiree. We 868 00:31:46,330 --> 00:31:46,830 have, 869 00:31:47,369 --> 00:31:48,830 one instructor that, 870 00:31:49,609 --> 00:31:50,670 she worked for 871 00:31:50,970 --> 00:31:53,210 two major airlines in her life and then 872 00:31:53,210 --> 00:31:54,269 a major airline 873 00:31:54,974 --> 00:31:55,474 manufacturer. 874 00:31:55,855 --> 00:31:56,174 And, 875 00:31:56,734 --> 00:31:58,894 so we've got lots of different experiences here. 876 00:31:58,894 --> 00:32:00,974 Yeah. And, yeah, all here in Little Traverse 877 00:32:00,974 --> 00:32:03,934 City. Yeah. Little Traverse City. Yeah. And that's 878 00:32:03,934 --> 00:32:05,855 what makes our school special too, is that 879 00:32:05,855 --> 00:32:08,015 we're a smaller school. There are lots of 880 00:32:08,015 --> 00:32:11,019 really big schools out there, but, you know, 881 00:32:11,019 --> 00:32:12,480 our main goal is 882 00:32:12,859 --> 00:32:16,059 everyone becomes an A and P. It's not 883 00:32:16,059 --> 00:32:19,099 just getting through the school. You're gonna get 884 00:32:19,099 --> 00:32:20,080 out and, 885 00:32:20,539 --> 00:32:23,099 you know, get your licenses. That's really important 886 00:32:23,099 --> 00:32:24,539 to us. We don't give up on you 887 00:32:24,539 --> 00:32:26,515 if you don't get it done exactly by 888 00:32:26,515 --> 00:32:28,275 the last day of school. Sure. You can 889 00:32:28,275 --> 00:32:30,275 come back as often as you need to 890 00:32:30,275 --> 00:32:31,575 practice, to study, 891 00:32:31,955 --> 00:32:35,154 to go over what maybe isn't perfectly clear 892 00:32:35,154 --> 00:32:38,115 to you. We've always got instructors available for 893 00:32:38,115 --> 00:32:38,819 you on, 894 00:32:39,220 --> 00:32:41,639 certain nights of the week and on weekends. 895 00:32:42,259 --> 00:32:42,740 And, 896 00:32:43,299 --> 00:32:45,399 that's really important to us. Alright. 897 00:32:45,700 --> 00:32:47,539 Our goal is to have one hundred percent 898 00:32:47,539 --> 00:32:48,279 of the kids 899 00:32:48,899 --> 00:32:52,244 graduate from our school and become AMPs. Yeah. 900 00:32:52,404 --> 00:32:53,924 Yeah. Because a lot of, you know, like 901 00:32:53,924 --> 00:32:56,244 nursing school, for instance, they don't care whether 902 00:32:56,244 --> 00:32:58,884 you ever, get the license. They just want 903 00:32:58,884 --> 00:33:01,125 you to get through the school. Yeah. Yeah. 904 00:33:01,125 --> 00:33:03,305 That's not us. Yeah. We are 905 00:33:03,765 --> 00:33:07,029 doing everything humanly possible to we even make 906 00:33:07,029 --> 00:33:09,509 it so that we pay included in your 907 00:33:09,509 --> 00:33:10,009 tuition 908 00:33:10,390 --> 00:33:10,890 is 909 00:33:11,190 --> 00:33:14,230 the, fee to take the test. Oh, nice. 910 00:33:14,230 --> 00:33:16,630 And that's thousands of dollars that a lot 911 00:33:16,630 --> 00:33:18,970 of these kids don't have. But that's included. 912 00:33:19,204 --> 00:33:21,605 We even pay for tools. That's similar to 913 00:33:21,605 --> 00:33:23,525 a check ride with a DPE. You know, 914 00:33:23,525 --> 00:33:25,365 you have to pay them to Yeah. What's 915 00:33:25,365 --> 00:33:28,025 a check ride with a DPE cost nowadays? 916 00:33:28,805 --> 00:33:29,944 I paid 800. 917 00:33:30,164 --> 00:33:31,625 Thank you. Yeah. 918 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:32,740 So 919 00:33:33,279 --> 00:33:36,080 a lot of these students don't have $800. 920 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,100 So we include it in their tuition 921 00:33:38,799 --> 00:33:39,200 and, 922 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,240 so that when they're ready to do it, 923 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:43,680 they come to us, tell them they're ready. 924 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:44,180 We 925 00:33:44,484 --> 00:33:45,304 write them a 926 00:33:45,605 --> 00:33:47,845 check. It's simple as that. Nice. And, they 927 00:33:47,845 --> 00:33:49,764 can go take the test. Yeah. And then 928 00:33:49,764 --> 00:33:51,524 you get that all done. They got the 929 00:33:51,524 --> 00:33:53,764 the nice piece of plastic or paper. I 930 00:33:53,764 --> 00:33:55,605 think it's the same as a pilot's license, 931 00:33:55,605 --> 00:33:57,384 isn't it? Yeah. It's a plastic. 932 00:33:58,005 --> 00:34:01,640 Yeah. It's it's pretty darn special. Yeah. And, 933 00:34:01,940 --> 00:34:03,960 and, yeah, it's really important 934 00:34:04,259 --> 00:34:04,579 that, 935 00:34:05,059 --> 00:34:07,059 we're a little unique that way and that 936 00:34:07,059 --> 00:34:08,440 we really, really, 937 00:34:08,980 --> 00:34:11,559 really, really push hard to make sure everyone, 938 00:34:13,445 --> 00:34:14,605 you know, if you're gonna just their goal. 939 00:34:14,724 --> 00:34:16,724 Spend all that time doing it. And even 940 00:34:16,724 --> 00:34:18,025 though it's only a year, 941 00:34:18,724 --> 00:34:19,945 you wanna make sure 942 00:34:20,565 --> 00:34:21,144 it finishes, 943 00:34:21,525 --> 00:34:23,125 you know, and that's the thing, you know. 944 00:34:23,125 --> 00:34:24,565 And it I mean, you you probably don't 945 00:34:24,565 --> 00:34:26,085 have a lot of people dropping out of 946 00:34:26,085 --> 00:34:28,692 it, do you? We don't. Yeah. I was 947 00:34:28,692 --> 00:34:29,619 gonna say 948 00:34:30,084 --> 00:34:32,868 Dropout rate is virtually zero. Yeah. 949 00:34:33,332 --> 00:34:37,044 We had one young man who dropped out. 950 00:34:37,044 --> 00:34:40,757 We found out that, you know, he had 951 00:34:40,757 --> 00:34:41,684 some prior 952 00:34:42,164 --> 00:34:44,344 challenges with the law. And 953 00:34:44,644 --> 00:34:47,625 we knew that because of that, most employers 954 00:34:47,765 --> 00:34:50,324 wouldn't hire him. Right. And so we helped 955 00:34:50,324 --> 00:34:52,485 him to realize that maybe it wasn't in 956 00:34:52,485 --> 00:34:55,224 his best interest. Yeah. And so, you know, 957 00:34:55,579 --> 00:34:57,659 we're not doing this just to, you know, 958 00:34:57,659 --> 00:35:00,480 get their money to, you know, for tuition. 959 00:35:00,780 --> 00:35:02,960 If we don't think they're gonna become AMPs, 960 00:35:03,579 --> 00:35:05,420 we're gonna help them to find something else 961 00:35:05,420 --> 00:35:07,900 that they'll be better at. Mhmm. Right? Sure. 962 00:35:07,900 --> 00:35:09,820 And, you know, that's that's the thing. It's 963 00:35:09,820 --> 00:35:10,639 more of a, 964 00:35:11,074 --> 00:35:14,054 you you know, obviously, it's a for profit 965 00:35:14,194 --> 00:35:16,054 thing. Oh, we're actually a nonprofit. 966 00:35:16,355 --> 00:35:18,755 Oh, you are a nonprofit. Okay. Then that's 967 00:35:18,755 --> 00:35:20,674 even better. Yeah. That's why we were able 968 00:35:20,674 --> 00:35:22,194 to get that $7.27 969 00:35:22,194 --> 00:35:24,269 donated to us. Oh, very good. Took a 970 00:35:24,269 --> 00:35:25,789 tax write off. Oh, I'm sure they did. 971 00:35:25,789 --> 00:35:27,150 What what is the 7 they did? I 972 00:35:27,150 --> 00:35:28,590 wonder what a $7.27 973 00:35:28,590 --> 00:35:29,969 would go for these days. 974 00:35:30,670 --> 00:35:31,949 I don't think any of them are flying 975 00:35:31,949 --> 00:35:34,289 anymore, are they? I don't think so. Yeah. 976 00:35:34,510 --> 00:35:36,724 Anyway, so, yeah, it's a great thing you 977 00:35:36,724 --> 00:35:38,965 guys are doing here. And, like I said 978 00:35:39,125 --> 00:35:41,864 and myself, I appreciate the, EAA, 979 00:35:42,644 --> 00:35:43,144 connection 980 00:35:43,765 --> 00:35:45,525 and just the chance to hang out with 981 00:35:45,525 --> 00:35:48,885 people. You know, I've retired military, retired air 982 00:35:48,885 --> 00:35:51,480 for or airline pilots that come in here 983 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,760 for coffee and We got students and 984 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:57,320 astronauts that come here. Yeah. Exactly. We've got 985 00:35:57,320 --> 00:35:59,900 every single type of aviation you can imagine. 986 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:01,019 Today, there are, 987 00:36:02,039 --> 00:36:03,159 five or six kids, 988 00:36:03,844 --> 00:36:04,585 from the, 989 00:36:04,964 --> 00:36:06,025 Legacy Aviation 990 00:36:06,324 --> 00:36:09,444 AMP school that are doing virtual reality things 991 00:36:09,444 --> 00:36:11,684 around here. And, you know, I mean, there's 992 00:36:11,684 --> 00:36:14,005 just so fun. Something going on all the 993 00:36:14,005 --> 00:36:16,484 time. All all day Saturday. And if you 994 00:36:16,484 --> 00:36:19,065 come on at most nights, there's something happening. 995 00:36:19,250 --> 00:36:21,569 Nice. You know, between the civil air patrol, 996 00:36:21,569 --> 00:36:22,389 the EAA, 997 00:36:22,849 --> 00:36:23,349 the 998 00:36:23,650 --> 00:36:25,589 students getting extra help. 999 00:36:26,369 --> 00:36:27,989 It's crazy busy building. 1000 00:36:28,369 --> 00:36:31,409 Yeah. Very good. I guess we'll call this 1001 00:36:31,409 --> 00:36:33,969 an interview, and, thanks for being on. We've 1002 00:36:33,969 --> 00:36:35,965 been talking about this, what, for a year? 1003 00:36:36,505 --> 00:36:37,005 Yeah. 1004 00:36:37,465 --> 00:36:39,304 Finally just set a date, said we're gonna 1005 00:36:39,304 --> 00:36:41,465 do this. Damn it. Yep. And we got 1006 00:36:41,465 --> 00:36:43,625 her done. Thank you. Thank you for letting 1007 00:36:43,625 --> 00:36:46,265 me share what a cool program we have. 1008 00:36:46,265 --> 00:36:47,704 If you're, looking to, 1009 00:36:48,265 --> 00:36:50,425 find us on the Internet, we are under 1010 00:36:50,425 --> 00:36:53,239 legacyaviation.org. 1011 00:36:53,619 --> 00:36:56,180 Okay. And I will also have links and 1012 00:36:56,180 --> 00:36:58,739 whatnot in the show notes. So, just go 1013 00:36:58,739 --> 00:36:59,239 to 1014 00:36:59,693 --> 00:37:01,853 whichever podcast you're listening to because I'm gonna 1015 00:37:01,853 --> 00:37:03,073 put this out on two, 1016 00:37:03,773 --> 00:37:06,093 and, there'll be links to everything in the 1017 00:37:06,093 --> 00:37:06,833 show notes.