Flight Control
PENN TWP - The Butler County Airport Authority may advertise for a new manager, but Ivan Longdon likes his chances of getting that position.
"I expect I have a pretty good chance of staying here," said the acting airport manager.
Following the Sept. 30 retirement of former manager Don Bailey, Longdon was appointed by the airport authority, on Bailey's recommendation, beginning Oct. 1.
Bailey had two separate stints as airport manager, totaling 14 years. But he stepped down because of declining health, according to employees at the airport.
But the position opening may still be advertised.
"Though it isn't required, we are thinking of advertising for due diligence more than anything else. We are very satisfied with (Longdon's) performance," said Ike Kelly, chairman of the Butler County Airport Authority.
Longdon, 65, worked for his father on the family farm in Renfrew he grew up on and still owns.
For 20 years, he sold farm machinery, eventually becoming the territory manager for Taylor Pittsburgh, an Athens, Tenn.-based farm equipment company, in and around Western Pennsylvania.
Longdon was hired by the airport as the maintenance manager in 1995. He served in that capacity until his appointment to manager in October.
According to Kelly, the airport manager oversees all day-to-day operations at the airport and ensures upkeep of grounds, lighting and building maintenance.
It is the manager's responsibility to keep the airport compliant with all state and federal aviation regulations.
The Butler County Airport, built in 1929, employs three workers directly and there are 89 people who work at businesses there, including AirQuest Aviaton, Ciafre's Runway Restaurant, Lifeflight, Keystone Aviation, which services Lifeflight's aircraft, and Nations Air, which sells flight-related insurance.
About 130 aircraft are on the property.
