Job Posting - Airport Director

Graueradler

Graueradler

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Apr 11, 2005
Messages
2,021
Location
Russellville, AR
Display Name
Graueradler
Home Airfield
KRUE, Russellville, AR
I am retiring. It has been like a hobby that I get paid something for doing instead of it costing me. Russellville is a nice place to live and city government support for the airport has been outstanding.

Posting -

"The City of Russellville is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Airport Director.

Airport Director’s responsibilities include management of Russellville Regional Airport; annual budgeting and budget compliance; supervision of airport staff; maintenance and development of airport facilities, equipment and grounds; direct support of airport patrons; fuel supply activities when necessary; and working closely with Airport Commission. Bachelor’s Degree (BA or BS) from four year college or university and five (5) years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and management experience required. $38,000 – 45,000 / year based on experience. Closing date: 02/02/2015. EOE.

Applications may be picked up at and returned to City Hall, Attn: HR, 203 South Commerce, Russellville, AR 72801; emailed to [email protected]; or completed on-line at www.russellvillearkansas.org and emailed. All resumes must be accompanied by a completed application."







Tracey L. Cline-Pew, SPHR

Human Resources

City of Russellville

203 South Commerce

Russellville, AR 72801
 
Is this going to be an inside appointment,or are they actually considering outside applications?
 
I have law enforcement experience... I wonder if I have a shot
 
Have the degree and the desire, but not the 5 years experience which seems to be impossible to get because you can't get hired without the experience. Catch 22. Frustrating.

David
 
flhrci said:
Have the degree and the desire, but not the 5 years experience which seems to be impossible to get because you can't get hired without the experience. Catch 22. Frustrating.

David
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Apply anyway, that's what everyone else does. 'Related experience' can be a lot of things from managing a boyscout troop to getting your private license. Doesn't mean you need 5 years experience as airport director, working line-service, managing a flying club, internship in city government etc.
 
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weilke said:
Apply anyway, that's what everyone else does. 'Related experience' can be a lot of things from managing a boyscout troop to getting your private license. Doesn't mean you need 5 years experience as airport director, working line-service, managing a flying club, internship in city government etc.
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For the airports here , related experience means actual experience cause they usually cite the FAR's.

David
 
evapilotaz said:
I can make more money delivering pizza.
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Welcome to Arkansas.....


A single man can live on $40k no problem here. Assuming married making $80k household, you can have a rather nice house, say 2500 sqft on say 10 acres, live comfortable and own as many guns, silencers, SBR and shotguns as you can afford.

Sounds like a great retirement job to me as well..... I'll bet you could get a hanger reeaaaal cheap and discounted gas too!!
 
evapilotaz said:
I can make more money delivering pizza.
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Having the airport that I managed named Arkansas Airport of the Year by both the FAA and by the Arkansas Airport Operators Ass'n is a little more rewarding than delivering pizza. - but, I admit that you can probably do as well delivering pizza. It is an opportunity to gain experience or maybe something for someone who already has a retirement income and would like to do something that they really enjoy.
 
flhrci said:
For the airports here , related experience means actual experience cause they usually cite the FAR's.
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There may be FAR requirements to manage an air-carrier airport, to run a strip of concrete in the prairie, I am not aware of a statutory requirement. There are requirements in the 135 world, but even those are up to interpretation by whoever reviews the application. An acquaintance successfully substituted management experience in running a commercial glazing company for required aviation management experience for a DO position.

Understanding the FAA compliance order as well as the AIP and state grant process are the key skills required to run a small airport. Oh, and not being a dick to people (and the ability to sweet-talk the city maintenance director out of his equipment when you need it).
 
flhrci said:
For the airports here , related experience means actual experience cause they usually cite the FAR's.

David
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My experience was years of management experience in an unrelated highly technical industry, plane ownership, PPL/IFR, and some time on the airport commission.
 
Graueradler said:
If you approach it as if you don't have a chance, you don't have a chance.
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Just my general purpose jab at small-town patronage politics.

It looks like they valued competence when they hired you, no reason to believe that they would turn it into a family no-show job for your successor.

Graueradler said:
My experience was years of management experience in an unrelated highly technical industry, plane ownership, PPL/IFR, and some time on the airport commission.
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Except for maybe working at a FBO that also manages an airport, probably the best apprenticeship for the job.
 
Unit74 said:
.... I'll bet you could get a hanger reeaaaal cheap and discounted gas too!!
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Maybe under the new regime, not under mine. I pay the same prices that everyone else does and there was no short cut to a hangar.
 
Congratulations on your retirement, and good luck to the new director!
 
Graueradler said:
Thanks!!

This will be my third retirement. I don't seem to be very good at retiring. At 74, maybe I can get it right this time.
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Good luck trying! lol

Do you get to train your replacement any or hand over the keys the day he/she arrives?

David
 
flhrci said:
Good luck trying! lol

Do you get to train your replacement any or hand over the keys the day he/she arrives?

David
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My retirement date is 31 March. I will give the new manager as much help as he/she wants or doesn't want even after that.
 
Graueradler said:
My retirement date is 31 March. I will give the new manager as much help as he/she wants or doesn't want even after that.
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Sounds like a good deal of time to learn the ropes. Nice of you to be available afterwards.

DAvid
 
Graueradler said:
My retirement date is 31 March. I will give the new manager as much help as he/she wants or doesn't want even after that.
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My last airport's director wanted to retire for years but they couldn't find a replacement for him. Then a guy came along and bought the fuel pumps and tried to take over the director position, then he wouldn't quit. :D
 
Graueradler said:
Thanks!!

This will be my third retirement. I don't seem to be very good at retiring. At 74, maybe I can get it right this time.
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My father did that, too. He finally retired for real at 79. he and my mother lived a very quiet life, and died a year apart of smoking related illnesses, but lived right up until the end.

That was SEVERAL years ago, but the concept is still sound,a s you are proving.

CONGRATS on your (current) retirement. :yes:
 
Graueradler said:
Thanks!!

This will be my third retirement. I don't seem to be very good at retiring. At 74, maybe I can get it right this time.
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The smartest man I know is very smart, one of the smartest in the world. Aside from running a lab at Harvard, he's earned numerous awards for his accomplishments, including having the most benefit to society from his work.

His philosophy on life, as dictated to me:

"You have certain milestones in life. You're born, you walk, you learn to use a toilet. At one point you start working, and the next milestone after that is you die." He's a bit older than you.

So if you've tried to retire 3 times and failed, well done! :)
 
Yes, I am Mason!

I have no plans to become an airport manager or director at this time though.


I do have an update about my job search, but I will make a thread for it when I feel ready enough to tell you guys.
 
N918KT said:
Yes, I am Mason!

I have no plans to become an airport manager or director at this time though.


I do have an update about my job search, but I will make a thread for it when I feel ready enough to tell you guys.
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So you can't find a job because you don't apply for the ones you hear about. Got it! ;)
 
Ted DuPuis said:
So you can't find a job because you don't apply for the ones you hear about. Got it! ;)
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Well, c'mon. I graduated from college last year. I have the degree but not enough years of related aviation experience to be airport director. And not all people who work in airport management are cut out to be an airport manager or director, even if they had many years of experience working at an airport. In my opinion, it takes the right person with the right personality to do it.
 
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N918KT said:
Well, c'mon. I graduated from college last year. I have the degree but not enough years of related aviation experience to be airport director. And not all people who work in airport management are cut out to be an airport manager or director, even if they had many years of experience working at an airport. It takes the right person with the right personality to do it.
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You can only become what you believe you can become.
 
flhrci said:
For the airports here , related experience means actual experience cause they usually cite the FAR's.

David
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My cousin got a job co/managing the airport in Morristown, NJ right out of college. His only experience was working part time at a small airport for a couple summers while he went to school. After something like 1.5 years at Morristown, he's now managing Shawnee Municipal here in OK.

It can be done. He didn't have the experience "required" for either of those jobs.
 
jesse said:
You can only become what you believe you can become.
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^This.

It sounds catch-phrasey but it's true. Sure, you'd need some baseline intelligence that I'm confident most of us have. Study, some training, hard-ass work, and dedication get you the rest of the way.
 
N918KT said:
Well, c'mon. I graduated from college last year. I have the degree but not enough years of related aviation experience to be airport director. And not all people who work in airport management are cut out to be an airport manager or director, even if they had many years of experience working at an airport. In my opinion, it takes the right person with the right personality to do it.
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Got to cut your teeth somewhere. At least apply. That only takes a few minutes.
 
N918KT said:
Well, c'mon. I graduated from college last year. I have the degree but not enough years of related aviation experience to be airport director. And not all people who work in airport management are cut out to be an airport manager or director, even if they had many years of experience working at an airport. In my opinion, it takes the right person with the right personality to do it.
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Gotcha. So, you talked yourself out of the job before considering applying.

It's easy to come up with why you can't do something. Jesse and I both have managed to do things based not on experience, but based on stubbornness and refusing to listen to people who told us no. Many others on this forum who've done the same.
 
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