TxDOT Aviation Division Airport Project Manager Ed Mayle prepares to participate in the Alton Young Memorial Ride, an event he has participated in every year since its inception.
Originally published in 2021
When Airport Project Manager Ed Mayle left the Air Force in 1973, he knew one thing was certain: he didn’t want to return home to Cleveland in the frigid north. Since his last station was at Bergstrom Air Force Base (now Austin-Bergstrom International Airport), he decided to make Austin his new post-military home.
“Austin was a great place in 1973,” said Mayle. “It was kind of a small college town of around 200,000 people.”
Mayle began his career in 1973 working as a surveyor with the Texas Highway Department and then began construction inspection on bridges and roadways within the Austin district.
In 1981, he was offered a position with a highway construction firm as an estimator and worked in the private sector for 10 years.
In 1991, he went to work for the Texas Department of Aviation, which later became the TxDOT Aviation Division.
“We were a small group back then,” said Mayle. “There were only about 15 or so of us. I worked under (ret.) Bill Fuller and our offices were located on 5th street. Now they’ve turned that building into condos.”
Working with aviation was a perfect fit for Mayle as he flew in the Air Force and always had a passion for aviation.
“I learned to fly (through the Base Aero-Club) when I was in the Air Force and had always been enthralled with aviation,” said Mayle. “There’s nothing like being at an airport at sunrise and sunset. I’ve always had that love for aviation and the people involved are just super. When you reflect on 35 years it seems like it went by in 15 minutes.”
Apart from a brief stint in the consulting world from 2006 to 2010, Mayle has worked in the engineering section since he began in 1991.
“As an airport project manager—there’s a lot of variety—we are not doing the same thing day after day,” said Mayle. We work from the inception of the project to the end. Most of us carry between 18-28 projects each so it can get pretty hectic when that number is closer to 30.”
In his spare time, Mayle enjoys riding his motorcycle cross country and flying when he has the opportunity.