2005-05-29 Meeting

March 11, 2008 Sean Stroh, Manager of the Neil Armstrong / Auglaize County Airport addressed the New Bremen / New Knoxville Rotary Club. Sean was appointed manager of the airport in July of 2007. Sean took over the position after manager Gary Katterheinch retired with thirty years of service. He is a graduate of New Knoxville High School, the University of Cincinnati and worked two years for GE prior to being named manager of the airport.

Sean shared with the group that it was a unique opportunity for him to become manager of the airport. He was born and raised on the family dairy farm that is just north of the highway across from the airport's runway. During his high school years he worked part time mowing lawns and doing other maintenance activities of the airport.

Sean updated the group on the current status of the airport. The airport currently has a 5400 foot runway that is sufficient for a Boeing 737 to land and take off. Due to the size of the runway the airport has been a focal point for many area companies to use as a hub for air operations. These companies include Crown Equipment Corporation, Setex, AAP, Minster Machine and Machine Concepts. Many of these same companies have jets located at the airport for day to day activities. Over that past decade the airport has seen a tremendous amount of freight that has been delivered. With companies operating under JIT manufacturing format, the Auglaize County Airport has become a central location for equipment to be flown into to meet the demands of customers operation under the JIT system. Sean estimated that the benefit to the area amounts to more that seven million dollars of additional revenue to the area.

Sean noted that the airport, due to the length of runway, has become the prime location for many people to fly into for activities in the area. Last year several of the NASCAR drivers flew into New Knoxville for the major benefit race that has held at Eldora Speedway. Tony Stewart and several others arrived by the way of the Auglaize County Airport. Sean noted that during this time period the largest number of people on one plane landed with 48 passengers.

Another area of operations that not many people are aware of is the taxi jet service that can be provided out of the airport. People that are in need to be at a distant location due to meetings or emergences can contact any number of jet services that will fly direct into New Knoxville and take that person or group to their needed destination. This saves on booking flights with commercial airlines or driving. This service has been used several times. The airport has also been used by several major hospital that need a central point for transplant patients to come to when a donor has been located.

The airport just installed a new radar weather system. This system now gives up to the minute conditions at the airport and will proved to be a tremendous asset to all pilots that fly to New Knoxville. As for future improvements, Sean, noted that the current terminal building is nearly thirty years old and was originally built to be used for five years then replaced. With some upgrades over the years the terminal has last longer that originally thought. A new terminal building would allow for continued growth.