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August 8, 2006

Aviation a powerful industry in Oklahoma

The Woodward Chamber of Commerce met Monday in the Pioneer Room.

A large crowd gathered to hear guest speakers Woodward County/City Emergency Director Matt Lehenbauer and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission Director Victor Bird.

Lehenbauer addressed attendees concerning the role and current state of the Woodward County/City Emergency Management Department.

“My job as Director of Emergency Management is to prepare our city and county for a man-made or natural disaster as well as to correspond and work with state and federal agencies,” said Lehenbauer. “My role also is to keep our county and local government running if the courthouse or city hall were destroyed by a disaster.”

Lehenbauer also informed attendees about the emergency management web site. The site is www.woodwardem.org

Bird then addressed the chamber, talking about aviation.

“Most people don’t realize how big the aeronautics industry is in Oklahoma,” said Bird. “It is one of the three largest industries if not the largest in our state, and it is growing. The average salary for the state of someone working in aeronautics is $54,719.”

Bird said the industry in the state is also growing at a considerable rate.

“What excites me about aviation in Oklahoma is that it is growing,” said Bird. “Oklahoma is one of six states for the industry of sustainment of aircraft. Oklahoma is a major contributor for the sustainment of aircraft in the nation.”

Oklahoma is continuing to lose young people to other states, and the aviation industry could help change that.

“The aviation industry is keeping our young people in Oklahoma,” said Bird. “The good wages and good people working in aviation in our state are keeping our best and brightest who would in years past been lost to states such as Texas staying in Oklahoma.”

The future of Oklahoma and Woodward, says Bird, is in aviation.

“The Woodward airport is and will be a major factor for more industry coming to this area,” said Bird. “There are only 540 airports in the nation that can have a commercial airliner land at them. There are 4,000 airports that can have jets land at them and the Woodward Airport is one of them.

“This is a very good thing for Woodward and will be a major factor when businesses look to Woodward. Airports are a significant reason companies move to towns and Woodward, with your airport, is moving in the right direction.”

Bird concluded by saying:

“You give me a mile of good paved road, and you have gave me a mile of road. You give me a mile of runway and you have gave me the world.”

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