Rick Sessions spoke with SVI Media’s Dan Dockstader following his retirement operating the Afton-Lincoln County Airport for two decades.

(0:00) We’re with Rick Sessions. He’s retiring after almost two decades of service with the Afton (0:05) Airport. The manager of that airport overseeing a lot of different tasks.

Rick, thank you. Rick, (0:13) thank you for joining us. Tell us about what it takes to run the Afton Airport.

(0:18) The Afton Airport is many hats. It’s from the day-to-day operations to the maintenance to (0:28) dealing with white out aeronautics, dealing with the FAA on projects. (0:34) You have to have reports then.

Yes, yes. (0:36) And they’re strict, right? (0:39) It’s, yeah, if you’re taking the federal money, then you have to abide by the grant assurances. (0:44) And that’s how we keep those airports open with those funding.

(0:47) Yes, yes, correct. (0:48) Over the years, any unique experiences running the Afton Airport? I mean, (0:52) you watched it grow during that time. I can remember some expansion projects (0:55) if you’re saying 18 years, some expansion projects.

Let’s talk about those first, (1:00) and then any unique experiences. (1:02) During my time, we built, we did a parallel taxiway. That was a major project, (1:09) and redid the runway lighting.

We have built a couple, four hanger area. We’ve built (1:15) two different, three different taxi lanes during my time at the airport. (1:19) We’ve gone from, when I started, there was probably around 20, 28, 30 hangers, maybe.

(1:29) And I think we’re up to somewhere around 63. (1:33) Popular place, isn’t it? (1:34) Yes, yes. (1:35) It’s a beautiful airport to play in and out of.

People enjoy it. (1:38) And it’s got support businesses in the community when they’re here. (1:41) Yes.

And yeah, it’s, people don’t realize, you know, an airport, (1:46) what is a community without an airport? You’ve got, if you have a loved one that needs critical (1:51) care, Life Flight, you know, comes in, helicopter, fixed wing, excuse me. But it also, (2:03) the economic value of an airport, we have Aviat, which people know what that is. Most people, (2:09) they build the Husky.

That’s many jobs there. Without the airport, you wouldn’t have (2:15) those jobs. (2:17) It’s a good fit, the two of them together.

(2:19) Any unique experiences with the Afton Airport over the years? (2:23) You see a lot of traffic coming and going. I can recall some accidents along the way. (2:29) Anything that’s unique to your responsibilities as manager? (2:33) Well, yeah, you mentioned accidents.

I’m in the fire department as well. So we’ve, (2:39) I’ve been lucky enough to be first on scene and unlucky enough to be first on scene on some of the (2:43) accidents. But during my time, I’ve been fortunate, we’ve been fortunate that they’re just that, (2:50) they’re accidents, no, no major injuries, no deaths.

So, but yeah, since I’ve been there, (2:57) we’ve averaged probably one accident every two years, three years. (3:04) Yeah. And you help both as airport manager and as the Afton Fire Department? (3:09) Yes, yes.

(3:10) Any thoughts on the airport in general as we wrap it up here? Quite a career, two decades. (3:16) Just your thoughts on running the Afton Airport. (3:19) It’s been, it’s been a privilege and honor to be a part of that.

I’ve met, (3:24) you know, a lot of great people. The aviation community in the state of Wyoming (3:29) is, is great. There’s, you know, great people, but that’s, in general, Wyoming, you know.

(3:36) But yes, I’ve, I’ve, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s, it’s been a great job and met (3:42) lots of people and from stuff, you know, the people we got coming in here, famous people, (3:48) just your every day-to-day people in their small general aviation aircraft. (3:53) And you get to meet them along the way.

(3:56) Yeah. Yeah. It’s, it’s been a major journey.

I’ve enjoyed it. (3:59) Rick Sessions, manager of the Afton Airport, retiring. Dan Doxton, RSVI Media.