|
|
|
Employee Spotlight
|
|
|
|
|
Kim Colby
The reason you may question his sanity is the same reason you'll
never question the work ethic of the Salina Airport Authority's Kim
Colby.
A former Marine, Kim has been working at the airport
for a quarter century now. For more than half of those years he
has taken two weeks of vacation each year not to relax, but to go to
work. And for the past few years after he punches out at the
airport, he punches in at a second job.
Every year, the former farm kid takes part of his
vacation time to help an area farmer bring in the harvest.
"If it were affordable I'd be a farmer," Kim
explained. "I love operating equipment, love tractors, I'm
a farm kid."
The large tractor in the summer is replaced by
"Brutus," the biggest, baddest snowplow in the business in
the winter.
During those months in between, Kim gets plenty of
time on a forklift, whether it be on the airfield or at his evening
job at Lowes.
"I work in the lawn and garden department,"
he said. "It's outside and I run the forklift a lot, so I
still get to work with equipment."
Prior to working at the airport, Kim was an emergency
medical technician and a volunteer firefighter, when he heard the
airport was taking over aircraft rescue and firefighting
responsibilities from city, he jumped at the opportunity.
Over the years, Kim has moved from ARFF to a
"jack-of-all-trades" on the maintenance team and the work
ethic he brings with him keeps the airport moving smoothly.
Whether he's moving snow on the airfield, moving wheat
in the fields or moving pallets at Lowes, one thing is for sure- he's
always moving.
|
|
Tower Updates
|
|
Jon Botkin was certified in the tower on March
24.
Steve Morgan who was our new employee has resigned to
take an instructor position at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma
City. We are sorry to see him leave us but he will be closer to
home.
The new tower controller is Vicki Jo Morrison who
started employment on April 28. She is a former Marine
controller who worked tower and approach control at Cherry Point,
N.C. Marine Corps Air Station. She is working on her weather
observer certification now so you will hear her on the frequency
soon.
We are entering the severe weather season. We
would appreciate any pilot reports on flying conditions. We
pass pilot reports to Kansas City Center and Wichita Flight Service
Station for dissemination to other pilots. Your reports are
important to us and to other pilots who are making go/no-go
decisions.
The new helipads look nice with the new paint and
markings.
With the improved weather we have seen several busy
traffic days. We are looking forward to improving flying
conditions but expect to see numerous convective SIGMET's for
thunderstorm activity this time of year.
Bruce M. Boyle
Manager, KSLN FCT
|
|
Contact Info
|
|
|
Melissa McCoy
Public Affairs & Communications
|
|
|
From the
XD's desk
|
|
Since 1965 forty men and women have served with
distinction as members of the Salina Airport Authority board of
directors. Within recent weeks, two members of this select group
have passed away.
Joe Ritter served on the board from March 1993 to
February 1996. Joe instilled his love and commitment to the Salina
community and the creation of quality jobs. His leadership was
essential in the early development of airport industrial center
lots that now support industries employing hundreds of workers.
Don Morris was a board member from March 2000 to
February 2006. He served as chairman from March 2003 to March 2004.
Don offered his expertise in property valuation helped to increase
operating revenues by providing guidance on pricing of all Airport
Authority buildings and land. He also stressed the important of
staff recruitment and development.
Both men's contributions and dedication to our
community will continue to benefit Salina residents for years to
come. We mourn their passing and honor them by continuing to do our
best to be of service to the citizens of Salina and Saline County.
Tim Rogers, A.A.E.
|
|
|
|
|
XD receives first ever Patriot Medal
|
|
Salina Airport Authority Executive Director Tim
Rogers, A.A.E., was awarded the first-ever Kansas National Guard
Patriot Medal at K-State at Salina during the monthly Military
Affairs Council meeting, April 20.
Kansas Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Tod M. Bunting
presented Rogers with the medal almost a month earlier "for
providing immeasurable support to the Great Plains Joint Training
Center and Kansas National Guard" at the M.J. Kennedy Air
Terminal Building during a briefing with the chief of the National
Guard Bureau, Gen. Craig R. McKinley.
|
|
|
|
|
Wings Over Salina takes off with first donation
|
|
The
Wings Over Salina Air Museum received its first monetary donation earlier
this month. The donation was sent anonymously and was added
to the provisional museum fund, which will go toward building the
structure. Artifact donations have also been coming in more
frequently as more people hear about the upcoming museum.
But
more funds and artifacts are needed to preserve the aviation
history that has been made in the Salina Area.
People
wishing to donate funds to the museum online can do so, on the
Greater Salina Community Foundation website by selecting
"Donate Online Now" then selecting the "Donate Now
through Network for Good" button. In the
"Designation" section type in Wings Over Salina Air
Museum and if you'd like to donate to the provisional or endowment
fund. Others wishing to send a check can send it to PO Box
2876, Salina, KS 67402-2876. For stock gifts call the
Foundation at 785.823.1800 for assistance.
|
|
|
Area firefighters keep skills hot
|
More
than 80 area firefighters participated in the Salina Airport
Authority's annual live-fire training, April 20 to 22.
The
Mobile Aircraft Firefighting Trainer offers airport, city and local
fire department personnel who have aircraft rescue and firefighting
responsibilities the opportunity for realistic training
scenarios. Forcible entry, fuel spills, engine fires, cargo
fires, wheel fires, cabin smoke, and high and low wing fires were
all part of the training to keep current with FAA regulations and
let aircraft rescue personnel practice their skills.
|
|
|
Spring Lift: The B-47
|
Through
the frosty winter night,
across the black sky's starry height,
from out of the clouds- the threshold of Heaven
appeared the powerful B-47.
Over the mighty northern woods,
under God's door,
its six great engines sent out their roar.
It's great power-a dream of man's mind,
thus flew the giant,
the best of its kind.
Boldly the navigator set the line,
while the commander checked the time.
Rapidly the operator tuned the band
that guided the pilot's sensitive hand.
Over the forests and towns below,
the doomed 47 continued to go.
|
|
|
CAV Aerospace begins retrofit TKS installations
|
CAV
Aerospace, Inc. has announced the company will begin retrofits of
Cessna 208B Caravan in early April. New production Cessna Caravans
began receiving TKS upgrades in 2008, when Cessna Aircraft Company
made the switch from pneumatic boots to CAV Aerospace's proprietary
TKS system. The retrofits in Salina will bring the existing fleet
up to current ice protection standards.
"Caravan operators need safety and dispatch reliability. TKS
provides both," explains CAV
Aerospace President, Kevin Hawley. He went on to say "The TKS
system on the Cessna Caravan has set a new, much higher standard
for ice protection. It's easy for an already burdened flight crew
to use and is the only ice protection system that provides runback
ice protection aft of the leading edges."
|
|
|
SeaPort Airlines announces growth into the Mid-West
|
|
The Department of Transportation announced the
selection of SeaPort Airlines as Salina's new essential air service
provider, March 12.
Service to Salina from Kansas City could start as
early as April 19th with three daily roundtrip flights Sunday
through Friday. Salina and surrounding communities will be
serviced by the impeccable safety and reliability of SeaPort
Airlines' 9-seat Pilatus PC-12
aircraft.
A letter from Mayor Luci Larson to DOT's Office of Aviation
Analysis outlined the recommendation of SeaPort Airlines by local
civic and political leaders.
"I understand the importance of
having dependable, reliable air service with an affordable
cost," said Luci Larson, the city's mayor and co-owner of
Action Travel. "Not only will SeaPort Airlines meet
these needs, but excel by providing great customer
service, a high level of community involvement and an eagerness to
become a Salina partner."
|
Read on...
|
|
RIV gives firefighters quick attack ability
|
|
|
The
Salina Airport Authority's aircraft rescue and firefighting shop
added a rapid intervention vehicle to its operations this month. The
RIV gives firefighters the enhanced ability to handle medical emergencies
and to quickly attack fire other emergency situations.
|
|
Industry recruiter on the road for SLN
|
As
the Salina Airport Authority continues to look to the future
development of the SLN Aviation Service Center, a proactive and
ambitious marketing plan is being implemented alongside the already
booming capital improvement and development plan.
As
part of the Authority's national marketing effort, aerospace
recruiter James Gregory attended the 2010 Oklahoma UAS Summit last
week to visit with attendees about UAS opportunities and operations
at Salina. Throughout the week, he called on businesses at
major Oklahoma airports to spotlight the SLN Aviation Service
Center's ideal location to grow aviation related business.
"This
is one way for the Airport Authority to extend its reach to
Oklahoma aerospace clusters in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City
areas," explained Gregory.
This
opportunity is just one of numerous efforts to market the Aviation
Service Center on a national level. Next on the list is a
trip to Texas aerospace and aviation
clusters.
|
|
|
