Andrew Newberg – Commercial Pilot

Andrew Newberg divides his time between the best of two worlds: aviation and agriculture.

Newberg planned to join his family’s farm operation after college, but a commercial pilot’s license wasn’t on his radar until a conversation in his dorm with a fellow student at the University of Illinois.

“It was my freshman year and I was talking to a kid who said he was taking flying lessons,” said Newberg. After a flight to visit his sister, he told his parents, “I think I’d like to check out this flying thing at the U of I.”

Newberg continued work on a degree in business and finance while studying with the school’s aeronautics program. The chaos of 9/11 grounded planes across the country and shuttered airports, including Willard Airport in Champaign where students were learning to fly.

The economic downturn that followed the attacks shrunk the market for pilots, along with other job opportunities for graduates.

After graduation, Newberg taught others to fly and worked on the farm east of Clinton. Experience as an instructor at the Bloomington Regional Airport added to the hours Newberg needed for a commercial pilot’s license.

“Luckily, I was able to bridge the farming with aviation,” said Newberg.

The young aviator’s first corporate flying job was in Champaign followed by a stint with ADM in Decatur. In 2013 he started as a pilot with Growmark in Bloomington where he spends about 12 days a month transporting staff with the agricultural firm to locations in the U.S. and southern Canada.

The Cessna Citation Latitude accommodates nine passengers and a two-person crew.

In 2012, the Newbergs added an airplane to the family with the acquisition of a 1976 Piper Lance from Clinton businessman and friend Virgil Harbach. Behind the sprawling red hangar that also serves as an office for the family farm operation is the Sugar Hollow landing strip, installed by Newberg’s parents Joni and David Newberg.

In warm weather, Newberg and his wife Jill enjoy taking their two sons on trips aboard the Piper.

“We used to put their car seats in the plane, and they’d eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the trip,” said Newberg.

The joy of aviation never seems to wear off.

“I’ve been pretty blessed to be able to fly,” said the Clinton pilot.