February 2026 Plane Talk

Ben Pritchard is a Continuous Improvement Specialist.

"I have worked with King County International Airport on and off for the past nine years, beginning with coaching (former deputy director) Mike Colmant in continuous improvement leadership," said Pritchard. "In this role, I will build on that past work while also focusing on improving how work is done moving forward, with an emphasis on asset management and data cleanup, developing new maintenance shop and office layouts, and identifying ways to measure and improve airport performance."

Welcome to Wojciech Maciejewski, the new Airport Crew Chief in the maintenance section. He will help lead the Airport Utility 2 employees in their day-to-day maintenance activities. He joins the airport from the county's Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP), where he served as a carpenter lead for 12 years.

"I was excited for the airport opportunity because of its emphasis on safety, efficiency, teamwork, and support to the public and facilities improvements," Maciejewski said. "Through my work with Parks and as a self-employed professional, I've supported large public spaces, coordinated complex projects, and helped improve facilities that serve diverse communities."

While at DNRP, he helped spearhead several large-scale community initiatives, including the Chomp! Food and Music Festival at Marymoor Park and the Spooky Town Halloween event serving the White Center community. These efforts required close coordination with multiple stakeholders, strong logistical planning, and a focus on inclusive community engagement.

While not at work, he enjoys playing and teaching tennis.

Welcome to Eric Muller, the new captain of the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit at King County International Airport.

"After 26-plus years of law enforcement, leading a highly functioning team in a different environment than I am used to sounds like a new challenge and a lot of fun," Muller said.

Muller comes to the airport from the City of Burien Police Department, which contracts with the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) for police services. Most recently, Muller was Burien Police Captain.

Muller joined KCSO in 2003 and has served as a deputy, detective and sergeant, while overseeing a variety of work and units prior to being promoted to captain.

"Captain Muller has been an integral part of the Sheriff's Office for the better part of two decades," said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. "His time and experience in this agency as well as his years as a firefighter make him the perfect person to lead this team."

In addition to his law enforcement background, Muller was a firefighter and rescue swimmer in the United States Navy.

Muller is a local Pacific Northwesterner. He started his full-time law enforcement career with the Medina Police in 1999 after interning there while studying criminal justice at Bellevue College. He attended Interlake High School in Bellevue.

Muller takes over for Jon Youngblood, who started a new job as captain of the Community Programs and Services Division, effective February 2.

What CAP delivered

The mission’s focus was straightforward: collect photographs of flood-impacted areas to support FEMA’s decision-making.

Early in the operation, imagery supported initial disaster assessment, helping determine whether damage met the threshold for a federal disaster declaration. Once that decision point passed, CAP’s photos shifted toward more detailed damage documentation, capturing the extent of flooding and damage.

Gibbs estimated CAP collected more than 6,000 photos, with images automatically geocoded, providing geographical coordinates corresponding to a location. This allowed FEMA to map damage patterns and compare changes over time. CAP used a mix of platforms:

• Aircraft-based photography for broad-area overviews and targeted corridors
• Drone teams for more precise imagery when conditions allowed
• Ground teams for street-level documentation where access was safe

The Washington Wing has 13 aircraft positioned across the state, with two based at King County International Airport. The mission relied on multiple launch points, including operations based out of the Vancouver, Washington area and Bellingham, with additional support from an Oregon Wing crew that joined to fly a mission using Washington assets. Cadet members, for youth ages 12 and up, participated as well.

Challenges, safety, and privacy

Weather and complex airspace were major constraints, including temporary flight restrictions and coordination needs near Seattle’s controlled airspace. CAP leaders said safety planning and risk assessments were reviewed daily, and the mission ended with no injuries or safety incidents. While residential areas were sometimes photographed for FEMA documentation, CAP said public-facing posts focused on infrastructure rather than identifiable private homes.

How to join

CAP leaders encouraged community members who are curious about aviation, emergency services, youth leadership programs or volunteering to explore the organization locally. Use CAP’s national site’s unit locator or find local squadrons through the Washington Wing Civil Air Patrol.

“There’s room for everybody,” Kolstad said.

Kolstad emphasized that CAP does not require specialized experience. Members can train into mission support, aircrew, ground team, public affairs and other roles, and they need not be pilots.

Congratulations to Brian Mazzuca, Airport Operations and Business Relations Intern, who was awarded a $2,500 scholarship in December from the northwest chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives for professional development. He put part of that scholarship toward AAAE’s Certified Member (CM) Program training and exam, which he recently passed after doing the self-study option for only one month.

“Most people self-study for the CM for several months. Even then, it’s only a 40 to 50 percent success rate,” said Sean Moran, Airport Operations Manager. “I’ve never seen anyone do this in my time in the industry.”

“We are so proud to have Brian on the team,” Moran added.

The designation shows that Mazzuca has “a diverse knowledge of the primary functions of how an operate operates,” according to AAAE’s website. He also upgraded his AAAE membership to a graduate student level to be eligible to take the exam.

“I wanted to get that done fast to be a competitive candidate,” Mazzuca said.

He is a senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University World Wide and is anticipating he will graduate in October. While he is currently juggling an 18-credit class load and about 20 hours per week at King County International Airport, his sights are on his future.

“I cannot wait,” to graduate, he said.

He is hoping for another internship or an entry-level position at KCIA upon graduation.

“Sean described that this internship intends to set you up for an entry level position when you’re done,” Mazzuca said. “I agree, it gets you there.”

“All of the duty managers and Sean and Matt (Sykora), they guide me through everything,” he added. “They’ve shown me everything there is about running an airport.”

“Almost anything at the airport I’ve been able to dip my hand into,” he explained. “You can wear a lot of hats.”

Mazzuca hopes that his immersion at KCIA will help him reach his eventual goal to serve as an airport director.

“That’s very long down the road,” he acknowledged. “But I’m ambitious so I like to see what I can accomplish.”

A public hearing was held on January 22 to provide airport tenants, community members, and interested parties an opportunity to learn more about the draft NCP. The study team presented an overview of the Part 150 Study process, the draft NCP, and proposed noise compatibility measures. Members of the public were invited to provide testimony.

Learn more at KCIAplanning.com.  

King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) sponsored the EPIC STEM Challenge Fly-Off on January 22 as part of its ongoing commitment to STEM education and workforce development.

The Fly-Off is an annual hands-on aerospace design competition coordinated by the Museum of Flight and Raisbeck Aviation High School for youth exploring aerospace and engineering careers. At the event, middle and high school students design, build, and fly electric model airplanes as part of the Electric Propulsion Innovation Challenge (EPIC). Student teams participate in multiple judged components including airplane inspection, display board presentations, flight performance tasks, and “Level-Up” challenges, all culminating in an awards ceremony celebrating design excellence, innovation, and team spirit.

Photo: Airport staff helped with event logistics and judging at the EPIC STEM Challenge Fly-Off.