Wingin' It - Arlington Municipal Airport Newsletter Wingin' It - Issue 4 - March 2015 | Page 4

Wingin’ It
Arlington Municipal Airport Newsletter
Inclement Weather Hits GKY
Issue 4—March 2015
(cont’d from Page 1)
Since the pavement couldn’t be pretreated, more liquid had to be
applied to give us time to plow the runway and taxiways.
Our main goal during storms is to provide a minimum 50’ wide area
of runway, at the centerline, for aircraft to safely operate. Opera-
tions then works to clear Taxiway Alpha, and also some portions of
the ramp. To date, Airport Operations has been up to the task and
provided that minimum throughout the storms.
Airport Operations works two shifts of 12 hours during a snow/ice
event in order to keep the Airport open, so when you see them
after the storm is over, don’t be surprised they look a little tired.
Folks on the Field—Phil Mitchell
(cont’d from Page 3)
On his long solo cross country flight, the engine failed and he was forced to set down at Flying Tigers Airport near
Paris. This was the first of his three career engine-outs.
In 1977, Phil bought a Piper Tri-Pacer which he kept on a tie-down. Once, work and family responsibilities whittled
away his free time and the aircraft sat on the ramp for a few months before he finally found a chance to fly. Phil said
“Sitting in the airplane, I heard some faint cheeping, and discovered a nest with baby birds. I considered the plane
grounded until the birds had flown the nest.” He purchased a Cessna 172 in 1978, but again found less time to fly and
finally gave up….temporarily.
While still working at GM, Phil decided to change careers and began attending Wesleyan Law School, but also made
time to fly once again. He bought a Cessna 150 in 1996, opened his law practice in 1997, and retired from General
Motors.
Phil believes one of the perks of flying is the friendly people you
encounter around airports.
Today, Phil holds Instrument, Commercial, and CFI ratings, and
is certificated as an A&P. He still owns the Cessna, and added a
Mooney several years ago. Phil’s wife, Anita, loves to fly and
plans to get her license next year.
He’ll be letting go of the Cessna and Mooney shortly, but he’s
far from finished flying. “I shook hands on a deal just last night.
My new project needs some love, but I should have her in the
air very soon.”
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