Aviation View | Volume 2, Issue 3

38 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3 it as a hobby and a career. We really need to be doing that more, as we are looking at a huge shortage across the industry. We also do some community events. One is the annual Pancake Fly-in that supports a local charity and takes place in conjunction with the local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter, who take young people up for a flight. That is exactly what got me interested in aviation to begin with. “ Eastland Municipal Airport has a master plan and along with their Engineering Firm of Record, Parkhill Engineering, they are cycling through the projects to modernize and upgrade the property. On the wish list for the next 10 years is expanded ramp space, a parallel taxiway, and more. The next project, however, is a ramp extension. Planning is in the final stages and construction should start by the fall of 2022 and the project should take six months. This will make it much easier for aircraft to maneuver on the ground, while also creating two stub taxiways that would allow a complete parallel Zietz is well experienced in all things aviation, being a former U.S. Marine and aviation crew chief. He shares, “That might account for the fact that we also get a lot of military helicopters who come through our airport. They know if they land here, they can get the same service they would get at a military base.” The Eastland Municipal team works closely with local organizations including the City of Eastland, Economic Development Corp and the Lions Club in terms of planning and setting the direction for growth of the airport. According to Zietz, “Our terminal never would have happened without them.” When it comes to sharing his passion for aviation, Zietz has been mentoring a young man out of the State Technical College in Abilene. “He is taking aircraft mechanics and has been working with me for several years,” Zietz explains. “We are always trying to do things to help anyone interested in aviation and to promote