Customer service watchword for Eagles of America

ALBANY — It’s a relatively calm day at the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport.

Line Service Technician Lisa Hornsby directs a private jet to the runway as it prepares for takeoff, and fellow technician Ray Appleman tows a second aircraft into place as the first departs. Appleman had just finished refueling a Department of Natural Resources helicopter and the aforementioned second aircraft before towing the plane to the takeoff area.

“Yeah, things are steady, but its pretty calm this time of year,” noted Audie Dwain, the line service manager for Eagles of America, which manages fixed-base operations at the airport. “But you let October hit, and from then until April you’d think you’re at Hartsfield Jr.”

Dwain manages the 17 other Eagles of America employees as they service aircraft and take care of the wants and needs of passengers and pilots at the Albany-based airport, which is a hotbed of activity during hunting season. As fixed-base operations manager, Eagles of America extends first-rate customer service to the thousands of patrons who fly private aircraft into the region to take advantage of its renowned hunting land.

“We set up catering if the customers want it; we have rental cars ready for them when they land; we get them ammo,” Dwain, an Army veteran who has worked at the airport for the past 13 years, said. “I’ve gone into town and bought shotguns for hunters who left their guns on the tarmac back at home, and I’ve seen jets fly in here with nothing on board but hunting dogs.

“You never see the same thing twice out here. But you do see a lot of the world’s movers and shakers. Anyone who hunts or fishes, they generally come through here.”

Alan Mathis’ Eagles of America won the bid to provide fixed-base operation (FBO) services at the Albany airport in 2010. And the former Navy pilot’s emphasis on customer service has allowed an operation that once was losing as much as $20,000 a month to complete a compelling turnaround.

“I bought everything here lock, stock and barrel,” Mathis, who also manages FBO at the Moultrie Municipal Airport, said. “I streamlined the operation, gave all of our employees raises, and lowered the cost of fuel. And we’ve hired a staff that understands the concept of customer service. My wife (Dena) and I cataloged the stuff that we noticed in our travels over the year, and most of the things we noticed tended to focus on customer service.”

Eagles of America staff serve hunters flying into Southwest Georgia during the season, and they fuel private aircraft heading to Florida from the Midwest and the Northeast on a regular basis. FBO services also include maintenance and hangar space, as well as a lounge for pilots between flights.

“Our staff here are trained to service different aircraft,” Dwain said. “We’re certified to deal with single-engine, turbine, turboprops and jets. Our folks are pros at what they do. There are no curb stores once you get up in the sky, so we try to take care of all our customers’ needs while they’re with us.

“Our focus is on customer service for anyone who comes through here, but our primary concern is safety. When you know one mistake can cost people their lives, you know you have to be on task every second you’re on the job.”

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher