See Mackinac Island from the Sky with Delta Fox

This story first appeared in the August 4, 2023, Mackinac Island Town Crier print edition

Denny and Stacy Fitch’s air tour sightseeing business, Delta Fox, which opened on the Island Memorial Day weekend at the Mackinac Island Airport, shows visitors and guests Mackinac Island and the Straits area from the sky aboard their Cessna Cardinal. According to Mr. Fitch, every airplane has a name – at least his airplanes do. In the back of his plane, behind two rows of seats is a baby kangaroo, called a joey, which is the namesake of the plane for its tendency to occasionally bounce upon landing.

Mr. Fitch, a pilot with more than 35 years of experience, has flown more than 10,000 hours. He used to charter and fly freight, but now he’s flying on his own terms. Mr. Fitch and his wife Stacy Fitch opened their aerial tour business, Delta Fox, in Chicago in 2020, which caught traction during the cabin fever brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. After a honeymoon to the Island in 2021, they decided this was a place they not only wanted to be, but to really invest in. They began laying the groundwork to bring their tour business to the Island in 2022, which took time owing to the complexities and proper sign-offs that come with the uniqueness of conducting a business out of an airport owned and operated by the Mackinac Island State Parks Commission. They opened their second Delta Fox location on Mackinac Island this summer, spending half their week in the Chicago area and half on the Island. When they’re not in Chicago, they have two young pilots taking care of things for them on the Island with Mr. Fitch helping when he’s here. They are one of the only businesses in the area dedicated to showing guests the Island from a different perspective – a birds-eye view of the turquoise water, lush trees, and iconic landmarks.

With beautiful Island views from the sky, Delta Fox is one of the few services in the area that offers guests the experience of seeing Mackinac Island and the Straits area from above.

“I wouldn’t trade my office for anything,” Mr. Fitch said.

The Fitches started their tour season Memorial Day weekend and will run it through the end of October. The company offers two different tours of the Island – an “Un-A-Bridged” tour and an Island tour. The “Un-A-Bridged” tour takes visitors on two full circuits around the Island, across the Straits of Mackinac, and to the Mackinac Bridge over St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. It lasts 30 to 35 minutes. Their Island-only tour lasts 10 to 12 minutes, circles the Island roughly one-and-a-half times so guests on each side of the plane can see the Island views, and is less expensive. But the tours can be flexible if there’s something someone really wants to see. Each tour can accommodate two to three people.

“It doesn’t get old,” Mrs. Fitch said. “Every single time, I see something new.”

Mr. Fitch grew up in aviation, in the footsteps of his father, who belonged to a local flying club. Family was always first, he said, and flying was second. Mr. Fitch has been a roofer, a manager of a garbage company, and the director of operations for an owner-operated McDonald’s. In some of those jobs, he had access to flying and airplanes through the people with whom he worked. When it comes to flying though, safety is his first priority, and it’s the friendships and people they meet that make the business worth it.

“We are a people business that just so happens to fly airplanes,” Mr. Fitch said.

When they’re not in the air, Mr. and Mrs. Fitch enjoy the pace of life on the Island. It’s different from their business in Chicago for a couple of reasons. They don’t have to deal with temporary flight restrictions here (or at least they haven’t yet) and they have a lot more freedom to go where they want to in the sky. In Chicago, there is usually a specific destination when flying over the city, Mrs. Fitch said. But here, the moment the plane leaves the runway, the view of the shoreline opens up with possibilities. On the Island, there is scenic, natural beauty, and it is more sightseeing than a guided tour like in Chicago, though there is still a lot of history about the Island to share. And in Mackinac, the clientele is mostly tourists, whereas in Chicago, they cater more to residents.

The Fitches can often be found on the lake shore, maybe on Mission Point Resort’s lawn or at Windermere Point, enjoying the sun and the crashing waves. They really want to belong on the Island and become a part of the community. The people they’ve worked with, such as at the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau and the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, have all helped make a place for them here. They appreciate the small-town feel and enjoy fostering relationships with people from all over the area. It’s starting to feel like home, Mr. and Mrs. Fitch agreed.

“The people are second to none on this Island,” Mr. Fitch said. “We couldn’t ask for a better reception.”

Now they are working on encouraging visitors to leave the hustle and bustle of Main Street and make their way up to the airport, by foot, bike, carriage, or horse for a truly unique Island experience from the sky.

“Get up the hill,” Mr. Fitch said. “It’s worth it.”