Cheryl Williams
Austin, Texas
(This is the first of what I hope to be a series that covers an overlooked important contribution to general aviation-AIRPORT DOGS!!! Almost every airport at one time or another has had at least one airport dog, and it’s time they got the credit they deserve!)
Although his adopted parents, Bob and Karen Snowden, now operate Snowden Aviation at Gillespie County Airport, Spinner Snowden began his airport career with them 13 years ago at Grand Prairie Airport under the tutelage of then airport manager Loretta Scott. According to Bob, “Spinner wandered into a hangar looking for employment Labor Day weekend 1993.” Apparently, it was kind of a “will work for food” thing. Karen added, “The poor little guy was very underweight-was literally starving-and was only about half of his current weight. I was looking for a dog, so I was happy to have him.” Since he was no bigger than the white prop spinner on their Cessna 170, Spinner was a perfect name. She said it took a while, but he started gaining weight and after going to the vet and getting all “fixed” up, he settled into his loving home and new job.
Spinner loves to fly in his parent’s Cessna 180. He has flown to Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and over the Grand Canyon. Dang! I haven’t even flown over the Grand Canyon! Studies show dogs share four of the five main personality traits that psychologists use to understand human behavior: energy, affection, emotional reactivity and intelligence. That part about emotional reactivity explains a lot about what Karen told me, “Spinner isn’t shy about letting a pilot know when they are not doing a particularly good job of flying. If the flight gets a little rough or the landing ends up being less than perfect, he will make his way up front, cock his head and just stare at the pilot!”
Bob said, “There have been other dogs at the airport over the years, but Spinner is the only one right now.” While Gillespie County Airport does not discriminate in their hiring of airport dogs, Bob Hansen, airport manager, observed and Roger agreed, ” Short dogs seem to do better around turning propellers.” Humm?
At 15, Spinner is semi-retired. His duties used to include keeping birds out of the hangar, but he is slowing down. While he used to work much harder, Roger advised me, “Spinner’s main job now is to keep runways, taxiways and ramps clear of itinerant dogs and other animals, and to alert management of any unwelcome ‘gifts’ they leave behind.” Whew! Nasty job, but somebody’s gotta do it! Between inspections Spinner takes breaks to watch TV from the couch in the hangar. At home he monitors activities from his comfy, padded window perch. I forgot to ask where this hard working little Chihuahua sleeps, but I think I know the answer to that!
