Mike is nearing retirement from his job flying a Gulfstream 650 all over the world, and he and Julie have bought some property in Hamilton, Montana, and built a new hangar there. Hamilton is in the western part of the state about 130 miles due south of Kalispell where a couple of other Bucker pilots live (Jay Billmayer and Hank Galpin).
Mike Meloche (right) with Pat Quinn preparing to ship a Jungmann cowling to Europe
Mike’s boss is Steven Udvar-Hazy, and we are going to give you a quick overview of his quintessential American Dream. Steven Hazy emigrated from Hungary in 1958 at the age of twelve, two years after the Russians invaded and brutalized the small country. (The situation in Ukraine today must bring back horrendous memories of Hungary in 1956.)
Steven Hazy started International Lease Finance and over the years built a portfolio of hundreds of airliners on lease to airlines all over the world. The business was eventually sold to insurer AIG, but AIG dropped it in the sand. Steven Hazy then started Air Lease Corp and again became a major player in the airliner leasing business.
In 1999 Steven Hazy gave $65 million to the Smithsonian Institution that allowed the U.S. National Air and Space Museum to build the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center annex at Washington Dulles International Airport. If there was an A-list of aviation museums worldwide, the Hazy Center would be at the top of that list.
Few of us get to a position in life where our philanthropic efforts can positively affect the lives of others. Possibly echoing the example set by his boss, Mike and Julie Meloche have stepped up to benefit the greater aviation community.
We salute you!