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New manager seeks to bring out the full potential of Denton Municipal Airport
February 4, 2007
By Dawn Cobb / Business Editor, Denton Record Chronicle

With more than 88,000 takeoffs and landings and at least four new commercial hangars in the past year, business at Denton Municipal Airport is in the fast lane (or airborne).

"We're busy and growing," says Tim Whitman, who has been at the helm as airport manager for the past year. "The airport continues to be an economic engine for the community."

Whitman took the reins last February, relocating from Winder, Ga., where he served as director of North East Georgia Regional Airport -- an airport similar in size to Denton's.

When the opportunity first arose, Whitman said he recalled the local airport of some 20 years ago and, at first, was apprehensive.

But a trip to North Texas soon changed his prior perceptions. What he discovered, Whitman said, was an airport on the path to major opportunities.

"My past experience told me that this airport had a lot of potential," he said.

"Our goal is to be North Texas' premiere corporate and general aviation airport," Whitman added. "That's our goal and that's what we're going to do."

The former football player brings the same resolve he brought to one of America's favorite sports to the field of aviation.

Involved in the aviation field since 1987, Whitman has a bachelor's degree in aviation management and a master's degree in aviation administration, both from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. Whitman also has had training in airport safety and operations and air rescue firefighting – both issues close to his heart, he says.

Coining a new phrase to capture the airport's potential – Safety, Service, Security – Whitman says he plans to "strive to make these things happen. Everything we do can be attributed to each of these."

Among his goals are extending control tower hours to provide more coverage from incoming and outgoing aircraft, and install a radar system. The relatively new tower is now manned from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Whitman said he would like to extend the hours to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Charlie Calogero has been working the past year as a control tower operator in Denton. It is his retirement job after spending a number of years in Dallas at Love Field and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

In the time he has monitored air traffic, Calogero said he has seen growth. The airport, in one recent hour, had 115 takeoffs and landings.

"It's a good little airport," he said. "It's great and it's growing."

Other plans include overseeing the construction of a new airport terminal, extension of the existing runway to 7,000 feet, development of additional taxiway lanes, installation of additional utilities to other parts of the airport to allow for additional development, and the construction of a second runway.

Construction crews can now be found at both ends of the airport in west Denton, near a group of major manufacturing companies including Peterbilt, Anderson Merchandisers, and Mayday Manufacturing. On the north end, crews work to straighten the main taxiway – a $3.8 million project to create what could be used as an alternate landing strip should an emergency close the main runway. At the south end, crews aboard machines smooth newly poured concrete to form the floors for yet another hangar.

Jet Works opened a 40,000-square-foot hangar last June and has plans for more hangar space, including another site for the completion of P-180 model planes manufactured by Italy-based Piaggio Aero Industries. Business Air also developed additional hangar space, building a 12,000-square-foot facility off Airport Road. Vann Aircraft Hangars built a 32,235-square-foot hangar, valued at $885,463, on the airport at 4736 Lockheed Lane.

And more is on the way, Whitman said.

He currently is talking to a helicopter maintenance operation and several companies looking to bring in other aviation related business.

Business Air, which took over an existing fixed base operator business at the airport, has seen extensive growth, said owner Damon Ward.

"We took over the facility five years ago in October and we've invested millions of dollars in making this a first-class facility," Ward said. "In terms of growth, last year we had the best year we've ever had since we've been in Denton."

The business offers aviation fueling, aircraft parking, hangars and other services, as well as aircraft charter services and aircraft sales.

"Denton is finally coming of age to a degree as we see development starting to grow north," he said. "We're really bullish about '07."

Business Air is currently developing additional hangar space and offering more services, such as self-serve options.

"We're fully invested here at the Denton airport," Ward said. "We believe in the economy of Denton and we're supporting it and it's supporting us."

The Denton airport currently has about 218 aircraft based onsite, including 19 turbo props, 157 single engine, 29 twin engine and five helicopters.

A number of major businesses in Denton also use the airport frequently, including Sally Beauty, Peterbilt, Tetra Pak, Victor Equipment, Wal-Mart, Jostens, NASCAR race teams, Drug Enforcement Agency, Hulcher Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, United Copper and the University of North Texas – to name a few.

The airport often is the first stop for business officials considering Denton for future development.

"We can see that the actual city of Denton is growing up because of the names and faces that come in here," Ward said.

"People come to Denton because they want to be here," he added. "We're the doormat for Denton here."

Whitman agreed.

"It's the first impression people may have," he said. "Sometimes it's the only impression people have of Denton."

DAWN COBB can be reached at 940-566-6879. Her e-mail address is dcobb@dentonrc.com.