By Seth Romsa
Staff Writer
Worland Flying club purchases new plane
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Seth Romsa
Members of the Worland Flying Club posing with their new plane (left): Asa Mercer, Royce Mercer, Bill Pennington, Preston Bostrom, Connie Joe Clark, Ryan Clark, Jaxton Clark, Clinton Brookwell, Eli Truman, Levi Casdorph, and Carter Rasmussen. Not pictured: Allen Gotfredson, Quint Noyes, Byron Powell, Micheal McKinnon, Chandler Miller, Garrett Knight, Dale Warkington, Gage McKim, Walker Cooper, Jack Lindsey, Conner Petty and Brian Gregg.
WORLAND – The Worland Flying Club has enjoyed steady growth since its original inception in 2015, and recently added a new plane for the group to use.
According to group founder and professional pilot Bill Pennington, the group actually began with no plane when the club started in 2015. In 2016, they purchased their first plane, a 1961 Piper Tri Pacer.
Then in June 2019, the group sold the Pacer and purchased N6592J, which is a Piper Cherokee 180. Then in August of this year, the club added their third plane which was N52RW, which is also a Piper Cherokee 180 but a slightly different model called the Challenger.
"It's the red plane so we have got Christmas colors nailed down," Pennington said. "Both our Pipers are excellent airplanes, well maintained and well taken care of."
Pennington said that one of the main reasons that the club has increased so much recently has been the fact that they added Carter Rasmussen in October 2020 as a new flight instructor.
"Bringing Carter on has more than doubled the membership of the club in a very short period of time, necessitating the purchase of an additional airplane," Pennington said.
With the addition of Rasmussen the club membership is currently at 24 members and continuing to grow. Pennington said that they are always looking for people who are interested in pursuing their aviation goals, whether it is obtaining a pilot's license or if you already have a license then an affordable plane to fly in.
Pennington said to join the club there is a small payment required toward the planes, which are priced very low, along with monthly dues.
He said that next year they are planning to host a fly-in in June, which is meant to be about plane fun. The club will be cooking breakfast for everyone and will attempt to bring in pilots from all over the Big Horn Basin, Wyoming and Montana.
"As we get closer, you will see more information about it so stay tuned," Pennington said.
