Everyone in aviation has a unique story. Bear Flag Flyers founding member, Matthew Curcio, started out at a little airport in Ohio learning how to fly a hand propped wood framed taildragger with no electrical system. The cost was $15/hr dry and $20/hr for the instructor. Not in the mid 1900's but in the 2010s. That operation was the work of a passionate aviator who wanted to share aviation with youth.
It worked. Because of that mentorship and hands on experience in aviation, Matthew found a passion that led to a move to California to start a career in aerospace. This turned into leading engineering on some of the most exciting projects of this century. Along the way he checked every box of exciting aviation adventures including building experimentals, logging thousands of hours, flying a taildragger to every state in a about a week, and proposing to his wife from an airplane hiking trip on Catalina. They met while he was commuting in his plane back and forth from KSNA to the Antelope Valley for work. He obtained a commercial pilots license and Flight instructor rating but was disspointed to find little availability for training aicraft be able to share his experience.
Events in early 2020 really drove the cost of aviation up and especially at KSNA as the airport transitioned it's management structure. This unfortunately drove a lot of aviators away. The solution was obvious but not easy to incept - KSNA needs a model that supports shared operational cost. This structure has long thrived in San Diego County airports but had never taken hold in Orange County.
It started with a Piper Archer in 2023 and has grown with additional aicraft, instructors and members. All of that experience designing, building, adventuring, and commuting in planes turned out to be really valuable for maintaining flight club aircraft operations. There have been hurdles along the way and we push past those for two reasons:
Being able to share aircraft with our neighbors and help them achieve these same dreams is more rewarding thatn doing it alone.
The future of American Aviation supremancy in the civilian and defense sectors relies on as many folks as possible being able to experience andf learn from hands on aviation, not just those who want to pay for a red carpet experience.
Please reach us at planepeoplecorporation@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
We offer liability and hull insurance for all of our rentals. Contact us for more information.
We accept all major credit cards, bank transfers, and cash payments.
The maximum number of passengers allowed on our aircraft varies depending on the model. Please contact us for more information.
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