Aircraft donated to Big Bend Community College

MOSES LAKE — A single-engine Beechcraft will get a second career as a pilot training aircraft at Big Bend Community College, the result of the plane’s donation to the college by its owners.

Kevin and Ann Peterson, Seattle, delivered the Sport B-19 to the college hangar Monday. The Petersons are not graduates of BBCC, but they had a connection to the aviation program all the same.

Kevin Peterson wrote that he bought the aircraft in 1999, and started looking for someone to perform regular maintenance. People kept telling him about this guy in Moses Lake, Dave Link.

Link was the aviation maintenance technician (AMT) at Big Bend, keeping the college’s fleet in the air. “I flew over to talk to Dave and his mild manner and excellent grasp of the airplane informed me that Dave would be able to teach me how best to maintain the aircraft,” Peterson wrote.

Peterson flew over every year for inspection. “Dave would make me prep the airplane, take off inspection plates, remove panels, et cetera, so he could quickly do his magic. This was often done with Dave sitting in a lawn chair,” he wrote.

“Dave’s patience allowed me to understand the airplane and anticipate its needs. Best of all I enjoyed his sense of humor and the pride he took maintaining the fleet at the college. I consider Dave one of those rare people who does what he does without the need for egotistic gratification. He is a great person.”

Peterson used the plane to commute from a home on San Juan Island to places around the region, he said, and the couple’s daughter Mari used it as her trainer. But Peterson and his wife have retired, and the Beechcraft is no longer needed as much.

Peterson said he considered selling the plane, tail number 1987L, but in the end decided to donate it to a flight program. “We felt 1987L needed a home where she would be well cared for and returned to her role of training pilots,” Peterson wrote.

“Dave shared the passion Big Bend had for the airplane and how challenging it was to keep the fleet viable now that the airplane is no longer produced. So – how could we not donate the airplane to Big Bend Community College?”

The Petersons asked for what Kevin Peterson described as a small payment, “as we feel a free gift is never respected.” The college agreed, and the plane arrived Monday.

“This aircraft will be put to use as soon our mechanics can complete a thorough inspection and make sure it meets the standards of our current fleet. Hopefully it will see flights with the students in a few weeks,” said chief flight instructor John Marc Swedberg.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.