General Info:
In the early 1940's, based in Florida, Louis Mancuso was teaching British Royal Air Force cadets in Stearmans and AT-6s. Louis accumulated thousands of hours as a CFI during the war years. After the war Louis returned to Long Island and in 1946 established Deer Park Airport and Mid Island Air Service.With Lou as the primary flight examiner, Mid Island graduated hundreds of vets under the GI bill. In 1964 a satellite operation was started at the Brookhaven Airport. By 1967, the flight school grew to over twenty planes and logged over twenty thousand hours. By the early 70's, growing real estate taxes would cause Lou to sell the Deer Park property and relocate Mid Island to MacArthur Airport.At the same time, Louis Jr. had earned his CFI and a BS in education from the University of Dayton in Ohio. After two years of teaching business and math, Lou was ready to enter the family flying business. Lou Sr. quickly recognized Lou Jr.'s business acumen and drive, and in 1974 Lou Jr. became president and sole stockholder of Mid Island Air Service.Encouraged by his father, Lou became a talented, knowledgeable aircraft salesman and business leader. With hard work and dedication, he built his newly-acquired Piper dealership to number one in the Northeast, receiving sales achievement awards in 1973 and 1974. In 1974, Mid Island sold 82 aircraft, including 22 new Pipers. Lou's strong belief in the reinvestment of the company's profits has enabled Mid Island to build over 150,000 square feet of rental hangar space, accommodating aircraft as large as a Gulfstream V.Today, Mid Island retains the same family spirit of its early years. (Lou is CEO, concentrating on maintaining the company's excellent reputation with its landlords, customers and suppliers.) Lou's sister, Gail returned to Mid Island full time in 1987 and is now a quarter partner as well as vice president and ISP general manager. She graduated from Kutztown College in 1976 with a BS in Art Education. Before returning to the company, she not only taught art but managed the flight control department for New York Air, a regional airline based at LaGuardia Airport. (She is an FAA certified aircraft dispatcher and private pilot.)