Originally published in 1995
We were hoping it would be the best ever, and it was. A record 400 people attended this year’s Thirteenth Annual Texas Airport Operators Conference, including airport managers, sponsors, consultants, speakers, staff, and a record number of 36 exhibitors.
Rick Severson, President of Texas Association of Airport Executives is pictured below at the exhibitor’s get-acquainted reception. TAAE co-sponsors this annual conference with TxDOT.
Pictured above is Astronaut Fred Gregory who was the keynote speaker at the Airport Operators Conference. Mr. Gregory held the audience’s undivided attention as he narrated a spectacular video of his various trips into space. He has flown in three missions as a NASA Astronaut-as pilot of the Orbiter Challenger-as spacecraft commander aboard Discovery- and as commander of a crew of six aboard the Atlantis. He is currently NASA’s Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.
The Hangar Party at Austin Aero to celebrate our 50th anniversary of being a state agency for aviation in Texas was a great success. Dave Fulton, Director of TxDOT’s Aviation Division, was recently asked why it is important to remember the state’s aviation history. “Looking back over the 50-year history of being a state agency for aviation, you see all the adjustments that have been necessary to continue to provide for the aviation needs of a changing environment and the growing population in Texas. Besides, anything that is 50 years old and still works great should be celebrated.