Propellors, Powerplants, and Passion: Mason Mihelich’s Pursues a Career in Aviation Maintenance
Taking a trip up into the clouds as a senior in high school was more than just a joy ride for Mason Mihelich.
It pointed the sophomore from Elgin, Ill., toward Western Michigan University and charted a career path.
A major in aviation technical operations with a plan to add a business minor, Mihelich undertook no special "ops" to advance toward a career while at Westminster Christian High School -- other than "pass my classes" as a member of the senior class of 2022 and take a course in aviation at Elgin Community College, part of a city of 114,000 35 miles northwest of Chicago. He passed a few other things as well -- being among the about 6 percent of those who choose the Boy Scout approach to attain the rank of Eagle.
The "joy ride" was not his first experience overcoming gravity. That came on a flight to Phoenix, Ariz., as a middle schooler anticipating a visit to the Grand Canyon. It wasn’t until years later when, as a Westminster Christian senior, a "few-hours" flight lesson aboard a Cessna 172 crystalized this thought -- an experience "way up here" can lead to a career "way down there."
Why Western's College of Aviation? "It blows all the other aviation programs out of the water," he says, while offering "lots of industry connections." Mihelich says he liked "the campus and Western's student life. There are lots of student-body organizations to be part of outside of classes." Another selling point -- only about a 45-minute drive west to the Lake Michigan shoreline at South Haven. All of this "right fit" registered on him after a tour of the Kalamazoo campus allowed him to favorably compare it with other aviation programs that he checked out.
The second-year enrollee is a member of the Western chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), which was established as a national organization in 1928 and has members working at 875 airports on the planet. To Mihelich, it was a "no-brainer" to get involved because of the opportunity to "network with people who are engaged in the business and corporate sides of the aviation industry."
He's already more than just "networking." He's hands-on involved, thanks to an internship at Kalitta Air's air-cargo operations at O'Hare in Chicago where he has been a "mechanic's helper" working on Boeing 747s and 777s. One of the quick perks was a close look at the private jet belonging to the late entertainer Jimmy Buffet. Kalitta, headquartered at Willow Run Airport near Detroit, has been operating out of hubs like the one at O'Hare since the new millennium dawned.
When Mihelich is not figuring out why that Boeing engine is not functioning at 100 percent, he enjoys his WMU history courses and "how America came to be," playing pool, watching golf and NASCAR races, and experiencing Microsoft's flight simulator.
Prepping him for his Kalitta internship was faculty specialist Geoffrey Lindenburg's course in "Reciprocating Engines." Working with a team of fellow students, Mihelich "took apart and put back together a six-cylinder engine, while learning its different components and hardware, and how they all work together."
Mihelich appreciates the high caliber of Western's aviation program, but what makes the college even more satisfying and attractive is the fact that it is part of a comprehensive university. "The student body and student life at WMU are so active and fun to engage with on a weekly basis," he says. "I love meeting new people every day at the Student Center or across campus. The college's staff is very engaged with students. It is nice to know that I have instructors and professionals who care about what I'm doing with my studies here at WMU.”
With at least two more years of those studies ahead of him, Mihelich is confident all of that will lead to his ultimate goal -- maintaining commercial or cargo aircraft with a major company or airline, eventually advancing to a management position.
Right now on his long-distance radar is a fleet-maintenance job with United Parcel Service (UPS) Worldwide. But if competitors such as the U. S. Postal Service or FedEx come calling, or even American or Delta airlines, he'd probably be willing to talk to them.