Earlier this month, Flight Club 502 Executive Director Iman Ghali and CFI Mohamud Aden traveled to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA, to pick up the club’s newest aircraft, a Cessna 172. The trip began with flights from SDF to Chicago and then from Chicago to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Upon arrival, Chuck Hoyt, the previous owner, met Iman and Mohamud at the airport and took them to his hangar, which he proudly called “the best hangar on the field.” There, they saw the plane for the first time—a red, white, and blue Cessna 172 adorned with USA flag decals from Chuck’s trip to Oshkosh. Iman and Mohamud called volunteer and founding member Laura Benson Jones, who had been instrumental in finding the plane and handling discussions with Chuck. During the video call, Laura saw the plane and immediately named it “Uncle Sam,” a name that stuck.

Chuck’s hospitality continued with a dinner and a trip back to the hotel for the night. The next morning, after breakfast, they spent time meeting some of the locals at the airport, who were enthusiastic about Flight Club 502’s mission. Before departing, Iman and Mohamud interviewed Chuck to capture his insights about the plane. [Click Here to watch the interview]

The return flight included a short field takeoff to avoid ice buildup on one end of the runway. They cruised at 6,500 feet to stay above a developing cloud layer near Pittsburgh and made one fuel stop before continuing the final two hours to Louisville. They landed safely at Flight Club 502 about 20 minutes before sunset, greeted by members eager to see the new plane.

This trip was a team effort. Special thanks to Chuck for his generosity, Laura for her hard work, and everyone who helped make this possible. Welcome to Flight Club 502, Uncle Sam!