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During the La Porte Municipal Airport's monthly board meeting on Wednesday, Bart Giesler, Executive Director of Aviation Indiana, delivered a special donation to the La Porte Aero Club.
The La Porte Airport (PPO) was honored to receive Aviation Indiana's 2025 "Airport of the Year" award, which honors one Indiana Airport each year that excels in community outreach, aviation education, economic development, safety and security, environmental improvements, aesthetics, aviation advocacy, airport administration, and their effectiveness at meeting INDOT's goals.
Winning Airport of the Year wouldn't be possible without the leadership of the Airport Authority Board: Ed Volk, Dale Fischer, Fran Milo, and Rich Schmitt; Airport Director Eric Bobcek; and the support of the City, including Mayor Dermody and the City Council.
As the winner of the Airport of the Year award, the La Porte Airport was able to choose a non-profit organization of its choice to receive a donation of $1,000. This was an easy choice for airport leadership, as there is no local aviation organization that does a better job promoting and supporting aviation than the La Porte Aero Club.
The Aero Club is a local non-profit organization founded in 1976, which meets regularly to discuss ways to improve and support local aviation. The Aero Club promotes and supports aviation, organizing social events for pilots and aviation enthusiasts, organizing fly-outs to other airport events and giving scholarships to Indiana residents who are working towards pilot ratings, mechanic training or pursuing a degree in an aviation-related field. The Aero Club also supports aviation by helping with events at the La Porte Airport. Many of the pilots who help with Aviation Camp flights and classes are Aero Club members. Aero Club members also help marshal aircraft during Air Fair, and bring out their airplanes to hand out candy during Trick or Treat at the Scairport.
To learn more about the Aero Club you can visit laporteaeroclub.org
To learn more about events at the La Porte Municipal Airport, or to schedule a field trip or tour, e-mail
[email protected]