Comments on: Response to NATA’s Blog on “How To Fire Your Airport Manager”

By: Ken Wiegand

Ken Wiegand — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:53:06 +0000

Good response, Greg. You were much kinder than I would have been. I can easily write and article on how to get rid of your dead beat FBO. I respect Jim and although I was not shocked when I read his article; my disappointment turned to anger.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:11:36 +0000

Not sure what you mean by “no training program for airport sponsors.” Do you mean executives? If so, there are plenty of programs offered by ACI-NA, ACI World, AAAE and others; in addition to some terrific undergraduate and graduate level programs at colleges and universities. If you mean the airport boards, ACI-NA has an active program designed to educate airport board members

If you mean the communities themselves, then it seems somewhat arrogant to suggest that communities need “training.”

I do understand that airport managers and FBO executives have to make a greater effort to understand each others views. It seems you might beieve this effort needs be only a one way street. By the time this is posted I will have met with a key FBO CEO and I look forward to the session at our conference and hope there will be other opportunities. The only thing I don’t want to see are business arrangements legislated by Congress

Thanks much for commenting

By: Rob Mark

Rob Mark — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:59:01 +0000

Ah let’s see Greg. Jim used the petty dictator phrase. But you just ramped this up yourself by substituting .. “comparing airport managers to the likes of Papa Doc Duvalier …” Just poking at your here really.

Seriously, I commented on Jim’s blog that I have seen more than my share of those airport dictators out there. Like you, I asked what that says about the airport’s sponsor if they choose to keep such a person.

Three potential answers came to mind. One, they don’t realize how the airport’s customers see their subordinate, two, they don’t care, or three, they are paralyzed at being able to fix the problem. None are good.

So while I think Jim may have been looking for a little press, I think we should realize that there is no airport sponsor training program out there … at least I don’t believe there is. And there should be.

By: Paul Bowers

Paul Bowers — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:39:44 +0000

Greg:
Thanks for alerting me to Jim’s blog. I wouldn’t have read it otherwise. After doing so I’m puzzled as to what led to it in the first place? There weren’t any specific examples of “bad” airport managers or events that would have led to the creation of the column.

I came away with two observations after reading it:

* He needed a topic and finding an “us versus them” blog is good for rallying the troops and finding purpose for being an NATA member.

* There should be a word count limit on blogs.

Paul