Sat, Nov 20, 2004
Robert Gustafson's Personal Sabreliner Goes To Western Michigan
University
Aviation enthusiast and Detroit-area executive Robert Gustafson
has donated his personal Sabreliner jet aircraft to Western
Michigan University's College of Aviation.
WMU alumnus Gustafson, a Pontiac (MI) resident, traveled to the
college's facilities at W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek today
for a formal presentation of the aircraft to college officials. The
ceremony was preceded by a flyover, as Gustafson and WMU's Capt.
Steve Jones completed a fly-by and landed the aircraft at the
college. Capt. Rick Maloney, dean of the College of Aviation, and
Gustafson made brief remarks during the short ceremony.
The Sabre 60 Gustafson donated was previously owned by golfing
legend Jack Nicklaus. It will be used by the college as a
maintenance technology training device, allowing students a
hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the maintenance needs
of the type of jet widely used for executive travel in the United
States. The aircraft is part of the Sabreliner family of aircraft,
which has been known for dependable, fast and comfortable executive
transportation since 1963, when the company offered the first
twin-engine business jet.
"This will be a wonderful opportunity for our students and will
enhance our training capacity immensely in this high-demand arena,"
Maloney says. "It means so much when someone with Mr. Gustafson's
track record in and love for aviation makes the kind of gift that
will pay dividends to aviation students for years to come. He's
shown us his heart is really with young people who are headed for
aviation careers."
Gustafson is CEO and chairman of Hubert Distributors Inc., the
Anheuser-Busch Beer distributor for Oakland County. He also is on
the Michigan Business Aviation Association's Board of Directors. An
experienced aviator, he has amassed more than 20,000 hours in all
types of single- and multi-engine aircraft, including the Sabre
60.
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