Originally from India, Tanmoy Ganguly acted on his dream to become a pilot at multiple flight schools there. But he discovered India’s lack of GA opportunity meant that only career pilots could receive training. He then had an opportunity to move to the US for his IT career, settled in Michigan, and pursued his flight training.
After completing his PPL, Tanmoy quickly started planning his flying adventures. His first fly-in was the Cheat River Fly-in in West Virginia. He practiced and prepared for this challenging trip for over three months. But he wasn’t prepared for how the event would completely change his flying goals. “Surrounded by a herd of backcountry pilots with awesome STOL planes, I realized I lacked that special knowledge, and was among the best people to learn from. It was my introduction to the deeper meaning of backcountry, bush flying and the people who make the campfires special,” Tanmoy says.
“While sipping a cold beer around the campfire with my new cool friends, I sparked the conversation with ‘How do I top this trip now? How do I find more places like this? How do I find more people like you?’ That’s when I got to know about the RAF.” Since then, Tanmoy has attended all RAF events in Michigan. He earned his reputation as “the kabob guy” for providing his fresh, flavorful kabobs for fly-in guests.
Now in his third year as a pilot, he has his own Vans RV6, which he flew to Montana and Idaho in the summer of 2025. “I feel incredibly patriotic about the US especially since US aviation is an excellent example of freedom and opportunity,” he says.
“Although I get why Montana and Idaho are such favorites, I’m very partial about Michigan’s crown jewel, North Fox Island,” he says. He has been discussing projects and improvement ideas for other recreational fields with his friend, RAF Michigan Liaison General Grant. He thinks that Michigan backcountry airfields offer diverse experiences. He recommends Chesaning (50G) for their Tuesday ice-cream socials; Hanley Field (5Y7) for “one of US’s best kayak trips” on Lake Superior at the Pictured Rocks; and North Fox Island (6Y3), in Lake Michigan, disconnected from the whole world. “Just you, your plane and a sky full of stars,” he says.
When General needed help managing these projects and spreading the word, Tanmoy was eager and excited to take up an active role as the second Michigan State Liaison. He still retains his original identity as the “RAF kabob guy” though.
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