Cherry Capital No. 3 in Michigan

Sep. 30—TRAVERSE CITY — More people than ever are flying out of Cherry Capital Airport and, as of Oct. 1, those high numbers place it in category 2, up from category 3, putting it on par with Bishop International in Flint.

The Traverse City airport had a three-year average of 261,544 enplanements — those who boarded a plane at Cherry Capital — for fiscal year 2018, '19 and '21, said Kevin Klein, airport director. The year 2020 was omitted from the equation because flights were down during the pandemic.

An average of 250,000 to 1.25 million enplanements puts an airport in category 2, according to the Transportation Security Administration. The designation will qualify the airport for more TSA employees and it will be eligible for more capital investment dollars.

Cherry Capital is the third largest airport in Michigan, with Detroit Metro and Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids taking the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.

The airport could soar even higher if not for a nationwide shortage of pilots. It's not that there aren't people clamoring to get into aviation programs, it's that the the programs aren't large enough, said Alex Bloye, director of aviation for Northwestern Michigan College.

"The demand certainly outweighs the capacity, and that's the No. 1 problem," Bloye said. "We would like to be able to serve more students, fill a need and contribute to workforce development."

NMC has 130 students in the aviation program, with a waiting list of more than 100.

It's a problem the college is hoping to solve by adding about 12,000 square feet to its hangar and adding at least four planes to its training fleet. There are now 14 planes in that fleet.

The hangar would be large enough to hold eight aircraft, with each giving the program the ability to add 10 students, which would cut the waiting list by 40 percent, Bloye said.

A study by industry consultant Oliver Wyman shows a nationwide shortage of 8,000 pilots that could grow to more than 30,000 by 2032.

The shortage is being caused by a number of things, including raising flight hours required by new pilots to 1,500 and requiring them to retire at 65, Bloye said.

"The career has been bookended between the entry point and the retirement age," he said.

There is also a global economy that's increasing the demand for pilots, and the fact that not as many military pilots are entering the workforce because of stricter regulations, Bloye said.

Klein said that during the pandemic lots of career pilots were released or furloughed and some did not return.

"All of those pieces have resulted in a pilot shortage that is expected to extend out a decade," Bloye said.

The shortage affects each city differently, Klein said. Legacy carriers — American, Delta and United airlines have exited 67 cities across the U.S., while airports in the Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan have seen reductions in air service, Klein said.

Cherry Capital pulled back on some of the new flights added prior to the pandemic and so did not have as many seats in the market.

Klein said 2022 will be down 15 percent from last year, but the airport still had its second or third best year ever. Other markets are down 40 percent to 50 percent, he said.

"We're still in a very, very strong year as we compare ourselves to other airports," he said.

The airport has 26 total staff positions, two of which are unfilled. Car rental companies located within the airport struggle to keep employees, he said.

NMC's larger hangar was listed as a top three ask in NMC's five-year capital outlay plan, said Troy Kierczynski, vice president of finance and administration.

Construction is estimated at $7.5 million, with another $2 million for four new planes. Funding toward the project was added to the draft state appropriations bill from the Michigan Department of Energy. Kierczynski said NMC will likely find out if it is included in the final bill after the midterms.

Northwestern Michigan College offers an associate's degree professional pilot program where students can earn certification to receive a Federal Aviation Administration license.

Through articulation agreements with Davenport University, students can seamlessly transfer to a bachelor's degree in business management with a focus on aviation, Bloye said.

Average starting pay for pilots in a regional airport is about $70,000, plus sign on bonuses of $50,000 or more, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Pilots can expect to move up to a captain position in about three years, where they'll earn six figures. Three to five years later they'll be competitive for a position at a legacy airline, where average pay across the U.S. is $250,000.

"Pilots have the ability to live wherever they like," Bloye said. "A lot of our grads are staying in Traverse City and building their lives here."

According to the 2017 Michigan Aviation System Plan, general aviation airports contribute $5.2 billion to the state's economy per year.