Board Members

Kevin obtained his private pilot certificate in 2001. After going through numerous instructors, scheduling hassles with rental planes and putting flying on hold for a year with a growing family, he joined BFC in 2007. He was introduced to the club by a member and wished he had known about it when he was a student pilot. Modern airplanes, the ease of scheduling time in the airplanes, knowing exactly what maintenance is being done to the airplanes and everyone having a personal stake were the main reasons for joining BFC. The club being located on a quiet, private airport was also a plus.

Kevin became the club secretary in 2016, vice president in 2019 and is now the president. He is planning on using his professional skills as an Information Technology Architect to update the club's website and social media presence. He enjoys using the planes for personal sight-seeing trips, family trips to places like Wisconsin Dells, and looking for interesting things to take pictures of. He also enjoys sharing the joy of flight with friends and coworkers.

Kris joined BFC in 2016 after receiving his private pilot certificate a year earlier. He decided to join BFC because of better rates and equipment. Getting to have a say in how the airplanes are maintained and equipped was also a draw versus renting from an FBO. BFC owning a 182 as well as 172's made the club attractive to him. He learned in 172's and can step up to the 182. Kris was plane captain for a number of years and now serves as vice president.

Here is what Kris has to say about his use of the airplanes; "Most of my flights are fairly local: out to Rochelle to eat, flying down the Chicago shoreline with friends, etc. But I really enjoy when I get to visit some place that would be less accessible by car. Trips that would take three or four days by car are doable in a weekend if you fly." Kris is a Unix Systems Engineer in the financial industry.

Alex has been a member of BFC since 2017 and was elected secretary in 2019. He holds a Private SEL certificate with Instrument rating. Endorsements for High Performance and Complex aircraft have also been added to his certificate. Alex chose BFC flying club because "After moving to Chicago from Texas, I found that BFC had the best value and best airplanes. Run down rentals have a charm, but not the kind of charm I'm looking for. I like the newer equipment and the faster 182 as I tend to do longer trips when I fly."

As his full time profession he wrangles cloud infrastructure and the teams that build and maintain them. He is currently the DevOps Manager at SpotOn helping small and medium businesses with point of sale systems, online ordering, loyalty programs, marketing, and other tools to compete with larger businesses.

He uses the club aircraft for longer trips to visit friends and he does volunteer flying for Pilots N Paws. He would also like to obtain his CFI and teach others how amazing flying these aircraft can be.

Chuck joined the BFC flying club in 2019 because he found it to be a well run club with nice aircraft and great people. He was elected to the position of treasurer in 2021. Chuck uses the club aircraft to pursue his instrument rating, visit his kids at school, take friends up for a flight and the occasional $100 hamburger. His full time occupation is as a CFO for a printing and marketing services firm.

Ray has been a member of BFC since 1992. At the time, the club owned a Cessna 150 which he learned to fly in. He became president of the club in 2004 and remained in that position for 10 years. Ray has also held the positions of Treasurer and Safety Officer. In 2020 he took on the role of Operations Officer. He is also a CFII and enjoys showing prospective members the aircraft. Ray will wholeheartedly tell you we have the best maintained modern airplanes at the most economical cost in the Chicago area.

Now retired from an Information Technology career Ray enjoys spending time with grandkids and going on bicycle tours of foreign lands.

Nick has been with the BFC flying club since 1977 and received his private pilot certificate that same year. He chose BFC because it was the best deal he could find, the social aspects of the club and his first rate instructor, Bert Toppel. Nick went on to make flying a career and is a retired airline pilot. He is still an active CFII and works part time as a Pilot Representative Station Operations Control for United Airlines. In addition to earning his ATP certificate he has a Commercial Glider and Dispatcher certificate.

In his time with the club Nick has been Maintenance Officer, Secretary, Vice President and is now filling the Safety Officer role. Nick uses the club aircraft for pleasure and the occasional trip such as to see the solar eclipse in 2018. He is also one of the club instructors providing primary and instrument training as well as aircraft check-out. Nick says "This club has been the center of my accidental airline pilot career and my primary hobby. I continue to enjoy the friends I have made and kept."

Jack joined BFC in 1995 as a student pilot. Using the club planes and instructors he obtained his private pilot certificate in 1997. He chose BFC for its economical flight training from competent instructors in well maintained aircraft. Jack is a retired accountant and put those skills to use for the club as the treasurer for 17 years. In 2022 he became plane captain to continue helping out the club maintain its aircraft. He currently uses the planes for local pleasure flights and to sharped his flying skill. He enjoys the club membership for economical flying and the comrade of members.

Don obtained his private pilot certificate and joined BFC in 1988. He liked BFC for the lower cost and better maintained equipment than he could find renting. Don was previously the secretary of the club from 1994 to 1997. Then he became plane captain for our previous plane, N388ES and now N884BC in 2011. Don is instrument rated and enjoys using the club airplanes for personal local flights with the occasional trip. He is a retired electrical engineer which gives him more time to fly.

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