Bridgette Washington, owner of With Style Catering, the only African American aviation catering company in the U.S., became friends with the late Mike Colmant over a ham. Someone forgot to bring a ham for an airport employee event, and Signature Flight Support suggested the airport deputy director contact Washington. She was able to provide the needed ham. And a friendship began.
“After he and I became friends, he understood my need to be participating in activism. He was like, ‘Why don’t you come to the Roundtable?’” Washington said.
Washington has served on the Airport Roundtable for about two and a half years, the last year and a half as chair. The Roundtable is an advisory board that makes recommendations to the airport’s administrators, the King County Executive, and the King County Council. Its membership includes representatives of aviation-related businesses and communities interested in airport issues.
“I’m an aviation fanatic,” Bridgette said. “I don’t see us [Blacks] represented at the airport, in the airport, around the airport because for decades we were never shown that was an option for us. Here we are in 2021, I’m always trying to figure out how I can get more Black people, especially children, involved in aviation.”
She has an idea to establish a sort of breakfast club, to bring together Black people with access to airplanes and Black children who might have never even been on an airplane.
“(I’m talking about) getting kids there to see the plane, touch the plane, so that they have an opportunity to have some type of career in aviation, whether as pilots or mechanics or in other ways,” Washington said.
Washington’s work takes her all around the world.
“I was in Dubai the month before last. I go to Jamaica quite a bit. I’ve been to Malaysia. The airport is a ticket to any place in the world. I want to expose kids who look like me to the airport.”
As chair of the Roundtable, Washington’s goals include expanding outreach to nearby communities, especially to people of color, to let them know the airport is there to serve them.
“It’s more important than ever in this particular climate to let minorities know that there is not one aspect of this country that is not available to us,” Washington said. “A lot of it has been developed by us, whether we get credit for it or not. There’s no reason for anyone to be disenfranchised. You have to get involved. Sometimes being involved means just show up.”
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One day in mid-July, a Cessna 182 veered off the runway after landing at KCIA, apparently out of control. The pilot managed to get the plane into the grass safety area, deftly avoiding runway edge lighting. ARFF personnel responded, and thankfully the pilot had no injuries. Responders discovered that the right main landing gear tire had ruptured. Crews sprayed the grass as a precaution to prevent fire. |
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Meanwhile, the airport duty manager, Justin Julian, closed the main runway since the disabled aircraft was close to it. A 767 was in a holding pattern waiting to land. No shops were open to come change an aircraft tire quickly and no one could find an aircraft wheel dolly.
Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) personnel, along with Operations staff, scrambled to figure out a way to deal with the situation.
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What happened next was a first. They made a makeshift wheel dolly.
Sgt. Andy Weekley was on his way into work at the airport. Colleagues called him and he picked up a furniture dolly rated at 1,000 pounds and some 2’ x 6’ lumber from a home improvement store.
“We put a piece of plywood on it, jacked it up with a car jack, and pulled it with Leading Edge Jet Center’s aircraft tug,” said Sgt. Clint Herman of ARFF. “The runway was only closed for about 40 minutes.”
The airplane was safely towed off the grass near the runway. No fuel or other hazardous materials were released from the aircraft.
Herman said that along with Weekley, firefighter Keith Bennett, and George Pierce in Airport Operations helped save the day. Operations provided needed tools and hardware quickly.
KCIA has since ordered its own aircraft dolly, which is on its way.
Above photo: Sgt. Andy Weekley photobombs while employees prepare a disabled Cessna to be towed.
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Each summer, KCIA welcomes interns from a variety of educational backgrounds, from high school to the graduate level. This year the airport hosts three interns, Brian Bartley, Robbie Wooldridge and Iris Zhou. Below they share a bit about their background, hopes and dreams. Answers edited for brevity and grammar.
School and grade:
Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at The University of Washington, second year of master’s program
Why were you interested in an internship at the airport?
I applied for this internship because it ties together several of my interests. First, I’m interested in government investments in infrastructure, and how those investments can better society. Second, I’m interested in the mechanisms by which governments leverage business type activities to better society. Lastly, I’m interested in how community engagement during program design and delivery can generate strong coalitions of support and lead to sustainable program outcomes. Working with the engineering project managers here at KCIA is a great way to learn about these topics in practice.
What are you learning or do you hope to learn?
I hope to continue developing my project management skill set by learning from the thoughtful and diligent team here at KCIA.
What are your plans/hopes for the future?
I plan to work in public administration (finance, planning or project management).
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I keep bees. I love to watch the girls (the bees) take their morning orientation flights and plan out their days before they execute a surprisingly well-organized plan to gather resources for the hive.
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Seattle University, senior
Why were you interested in an internship at the airport?
I was interested in this internship due to my past experience in aviation and King County’s care for the environment and sustainability.
What are you learning or do you hope to learn?
I hope to learn a real engineering experience. As a STEM student school feels very theoretical but in this internship I hope to apply my skills to real projects.
What are your plans/hopes for the future?
I hope to pursue a masters in Environmental Engineering after my undergraduate degree and then pursue a career in sustainable energy.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy the outdoors, such as hiking, swimming, kayaking, and playing tennis.
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North Creek High School in Bothell, WA, senior.
Why were you interested in an internship at the airport?
I was interested in this internship because it aligns many of my interests and passions. This internship will allow me to learn and work in the finance field. I am interested in exploring more about the aviation industry. I am someone that is really passionate about traveling so airports are favorite places of mine. I am someone that focuses lot on people and community engagement so I want to work in a place where all are welcome.
What are you learning or do you hope to learn?
I am learning something new every day in my internship from big or small like how to utilize certain setting in excel to working on projects with important finances. I hope to continue developing my management skill and gain more knowledge about the aviation industry by learning from the wonderful team at KCIA.
What are your plans/hopes for the future?
I plan to pursue an education in college probably with a focus in business and engineering. I hope to work in entrepreneurship.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time I love to let my creativity run wild, from baking to painting. I love making artwork. I am someone really close to people so I would like some sort of social interaction with people around me.
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As part of a Pay-It-Forward Campaign, KCIA participated in the "50 Favorite Things: A Celebration of the Northwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives' 50th Anniversary."
The campaign is a fun way for airport employees to spread goodwill to other airport employees around the region, which stretches as far east as Colorado and north to Alaska.
KCIA sent 50 green footballs to Fort McMurray Airport Authority in Alberta Canada. KCIA received 50 frisbees from Fairbanks International Airport.
More than 60 airports are on a list of members. Once an airport receives a gift, they are asked to pick another airport to "pay it forward" to, and send 50 items such as branded merchandise.
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