Jorge OLeary Airport Director - Catalina Island Conservancy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bob Rhein (714) 785-6636CIC #11-13brhein@catalinaconservancy.orgPhoto:Jorge O’Leary, Director of Catalina’s Airport in the SkyA New Director for Catalina’sAirport in the SkyJorge O’Leary takes a break from speaking to a visitor and picks up his handset to acknowledgean incoming private aircraft, banking to the right, preparing to land on the 3,000-foot-longrunway at Catalina Island’s Airport in the Sky.O’Leary has been on the job for about a week as Director of Airport Operations with the CatalinaIsland Conservancy, owners of the airport that occupies a 1,602-foot-tall mountaintop at thecenter of the Island, 10 miles from the city of Avalon. Just a few weeks earlier, O’Leary wasmanaging the Show Low Regional Airport in Show Low, Arizona, a Part 139 CertificatedCommercial Service Airport.Catalina’s venerable Airport Director, Paul Moritz was retiring after almost 33 years at the post,when O’Leary heard about the impending opening.“I couldn’t believe it,” O’Leary said. “It must have been fate.” Both he and his wife of 28 years,Melissa, have aging parents in Culver City. “We were both longing to get back to SouthernCalifornia.”CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY330 Golden Shore #170 Long Beach, California 90802 562/437/8555 ext. 229

In addition to his stint at the Show Low Regional Airport, O’Leary was the president and ownerof Sandpoint Aviation Services in Sandpoint, Idaho, where he managed the fixed basedoperation, providing aviation services at the Sandpoint Airport.He had also served as general manager of a resort in Mexico that had its own airstrip. “It was alot like I am doing now,” he said.“Out of all of the applications we received for this position, we found Jorge to be very qualified,”said Mel Dinkel, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer of the Catalina Island Conservancy.“With his detailed knowledge of airport management, combined with his food service and resortbackground will allow us to explore new opportunities at Airport in the Sky to even better serveour visitor community.”O’Leary is a licensed pilot and is part owner in a Cessna 150 back in Arizona. He says thatalthough he has never piloted a plane for a landing at the Airport in the Sky, he did land in MikeSheehan’s Cessna 180 Skywagon with Sheehan at the controls. Sheehan is a longtimeConservancy volunteer pilot who has just been named Airport Supervisor.“Touching down on Catalina is a fabled story pilots tell whenever they can,” O’Leary said. “Ihave heard all about the hump in the runway (which momentarily blocks the view of the end ofthe runway) to all about how it’s like landing on an aircraft carrier.”He said he is looking forward to meeting members of the Catalina Aero Club. This new supportgroup for the Conservancy was formed as a way of uniting the thousands of pilots who fly intothe Airport every year, making nearly 7,000 landings. In existence for a little more than a year,the club now boasts more than 300 members.Pilots who join the Catalina Aero Club take advantage of free unlimited landing privileges forone year. To give member pilots and their passengers a break for a trip down into Avalon,Catalina Aero Club members also get a 20% discount on the Conservancy’s Wildlands Express

shuttle service. Other benefits include an annual Freewheeler bike pass, 50% off Conservancycampground fees, in addition to a free “Killer Cookie” with every $10 food purchase at theAirport’s DC-3 Gifts and Grille.The Catalina Aero Club has also organized Display Day Fly-In’s on the first Saturday of everymonth. “We average about 60 planes every weekend,” Mike Sullivan, Aero Club President,“many of them vintage aircraft. It’s a great experience to have kids come up here and get a closelook at the planes and meet the pilots.”New Catalina Aero Club members can join for an annual membership into the Conservancy for$150. Current Conservancy members who would like to upgrade to the Aero Club, can do so andextend their membership for $115.# # #