By Kim Stevens
When Marcy Meyer arrived in Kearney, NE three decades ago, she knew nothing about aviation, let alone navaids. “I was looking for a job in a new community with good benefits and pay,” recalls Marcy.
Last week, after a successful and productive thirty-five-year career in aviation, Marcy retired from the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, as Manager of the Navigational Aids Division.
Looking back, Marcy said she never expected to experience the career she had. “Absolutely not,” exclaimed Marcy. “Initially I anticipated it would be just a job and the need to learn the ‘government’ system. I didn’t know any airport identifiers in Nebraska other than LNK/OMA.”
Highlights of her career included the installation of the first eight AWOS sites in the Cornhusker State and the additional AWOS sites that have followed. Also noteworthy, was dealing with a tornado that struck the Wayne, NE airport and destroyed both the AWOS and NDB in 2013.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for Marcy has been the rapidly advancing technology: i.e. drone deliveries, Advanced Air Mobility & continual computerization changes. “The limited applicant pool in the labor force for our specialized needs has also been a challenge.”
Marcy shared that working with her counterparts in other states has been extremely beneficial. “They have been an amazing resource – everything from sharing information, helping to locate a hard-to-find part, sharing ‘frustrations’ and sharing how we meet our challenges.”
When asked if Nebraska has a good future in regard to aviation, Marcy responded, “Nebraska definitely does. The Division will continue to support improvements at our public use airports, even the very small ones, and not just their infrastructure but in the areas of approaches, navaids, the need for community outreach.”
Perhaps most of all, Marcy said she will miss the fine folks in aviation across the state. “We are our own family in many ways; those relationships have made this job very fulfilling. I can honestly say, I have developed a positive relationship with every airport in Nebraska, well, except for one… and that is only one person at that airport, the others are fine folks.”
