I arrived in Israel this morning and am writing from my hotel room overlooking Old Jerusalem. But my thoughts are thousands of miles away.
Bill DeCota, a real giant in the aviation world, and Aviation Director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey passed away this weekend.
Bill was one of the most passionate people I ever met. He was passionate about his airports, about aviation and about the team he had assembled at the Port Authority. He was passionate about the community in which he lived and worked, and he was passionate about his friends.
Bill was among the smartest, most creative people I ever met. And he was surely the most energetic. He almost single handedly put together a nationwide coalition(every state is represented) to broaden the political push for NextGen. If we do end up truly modernizing air traffic control we will owe a debt to Bill.
I always loved talking to Bill. It would be entertaining, it would be useful and it would be memorable. You had to be prepared when you dealt with Bill, he raised your game. I even enjoyed it on those occasions when he told me I needed to do something better than I had been doing it.
I began by mentioning that I am in Jerusalem, part of the Holy Land. I will say a prayer for Bill here. Of thanks for having known him, of gratitude for having been influenced by him, and for the soul of a man I will never forget.
Please share your remembrances of Bill in the comment box.
Bill DeCota. RIP.
Posted by Greg 
