By LIZ BEAVERS
News-Tribune
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WILEY FORD – A Fort Hill High graduate who first got interested in flying by spending time with his grandfather at the Mexico Farms airfield and who now works as a commercial pilot and flight instructor out of the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport has been named the new manager at the airport.
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WILEY FORD – A Fort Hill High graduate who first got interested in flying by spending time with his grandfather at the Mexico Farms airfield and who now works as a commercial pilot and flight instructor out of the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport has been named the new manager at the airport.
The Potomac Highlands Airport Authority, the bi-state entity which oversees the airport in Wiley Ford, announced Monday evening that Ryan P. Shaffer of Keyser was chosen from a field of over 20 applicants for the part-time position.
Contacted at home by telephone, Shaffer said he is excited about the opportunity to help move the airport forward.
“Being a flight instructor there, I see the opportunities that are there for the airport,” he said. “With a facility like we have there, and the runway project that's coming, there's a lot of opportunity for growth.”
Shaffer said he believes the airport can begin movement now toward bringing in more corporate business, as more and more businesses and industries in the area are made aware of what the facility has to offer.
“I honestly don't think a lot of people even realize it's there,” he said.
He also would like to see a commercial service eventually brought back to the airport – something which has not been available there since 2003.
In the meantime, Shaffer has his work cut out for him, as the hangars that were destroyed by fire earlier this year have been razed and construction on new ones will begin soon. A new restaurant is also coming to the airfield, and work is expected to begin soon on the long-awaited runway expansion project.
“It's definitely going to be busy, but I look forward to the task,” he said. “It's really exciting. It will be nice to bring some new opportunities to the area.”
Shaffer explained that he discovered his love of flight by spending time with his grandfather when he was a young boy.
“My grandfather was a World War II bombardier. He had two planes; one of them he built himself,” he recalls.
“I've just thought about it all my life and when I got a chance to get into it, I took it,” he said.
Shaffer has been the owner, commercial pilot, and flight instructor with Shaffer Aviation since 2009. In that capacity, has has trained students for primary certification through commercial certification.
Prior to that, he worked as an aircraft dispatcher and flight instructor, being responsible for dispatching all cross country flights of instrument-rated students, scheduling flights, and overseeing the safe operation of all company aircraft.
Prior to launching his aviation career, he worked as a journeyman electrician with S&S Electric and Queen City Electric.
“We are very happy to have a new manager and to be able to move the airport forward,” authority chairperson Cindy Pyles said.
Contacted at home by telephone, Shaffer said he is excited about the opportunity to help move the airport forward.
“Being a flight instructor there, I see the opportunities that are there for the airport,” he said. “With a facility like we have there, and the runway project that's coming, there's a lot of opportunity for growth.”
Shaffer said he believes the airport can begin movement now toward bringing in more corporate business, as more and more businesses and industries in the area are made aware of what the facility has to offer.
“I honestly don't think a lot of people even realize it's there,” he said.
He also would like to see a commercial service eventually brought back to the airport – something which has not been available there since 2003.
In the meantime, Shaffer has his work cut out for him, as the hangars that were destroyed by fire earlier this year have been razed and construction on new ones will begin soon. A new restaurant is also coming to the airfield, and work is expected to begin soon on the long-awaited runway expansion project.
“It's definitely going to be busy, but I look forward to the task,” he said. “It's really exciting. It will be nice to bring some new opportunities to the area.”
Shaffer explained that he discovered his love of flight by spending time with his grandfather when he was a young boy.
“My grandfather was a World War II bombardier. He had two planes; one of them he built himself,” he recalls.
“I've just thought about it all my life and when I got a chance to get into it, I took it,” he said.
Shaffer has been the owner, commercial pilot, and flight instructor with Shaffer Aviation since 2009. In that capacity, has has trained students for primary certification through commercial certification.
Prior to that, he worked as an aircraft dispatcher and flight instructor, being responsible for dispatching all cross country flights of instrument-rated students, scheduling flights, and overseeing the safe operation of all company aircraft.
Prior to launching his aviation career, he worked as a journeyman electrician with S&S Electric and Queen City Electric.
“We are very happy to have a new manager and to be able to move the airport forward,” authority chairperson Cindy Pyles said.
Shaffer starts his new position on May 13.
Source: http://www.newstribune.info
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