BIO:
Ryan Sheehan is an aviation professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the aviation industry. He is the Director of Operations and Maintenance for Spokane Airports, which operates the Spokane International Airport and Felts Field. In this role Ryan manages the Airport Operations, Maintenance, and Fuel Facility departments. Together, this group oversees most of the daily operations of both airports including all maintenance functions, regulatory compliance duties and airfield safety.
Prior to being employed by Spokane Airports Ryan worked as an Airport Operations Technician with the Port of Bellingham (Bellingham, WA) for six years. This position included providing aircraft rescue and fire fighting services, airport security, airport operations, maintenance and janitorial work. He began his career in aviation working for Horizon Air, a regional air carrier, in Bellingham, WA as a customer service representative.
Ryan has a Bachelor’s degree in Management of Technical Operations, with a minor in Aviation Safety, from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide Campus and an Associate’s degree from Whatcom Community College. He is a member of the American Association of Airport Executives, the Northwest Chapter of the AAAE, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Washington Airport Management Association.
Ryan lives in Spokane with Kelly, his wife of 16 years, and their seven children.
Ryan Sheehan
Director of Operations & Maintenance
Spokane International Airport & Felts Field
Why did you select aviation as a career?
I have loved aviation since I was very young. One of my earliest memories of aviation is riding my bicycle to the departure path of the local airport and waiting for the smiling PSA DC-9 to take off. After taking my first post-college job, with a regional airline, I was hooked.
While I enjoyed my work with the airline, it was not what I was looking for in terms of a career. When there was an opening with the Airport Operations I jumped at the chance to do something new. That position really opened my eyes to the many rewarding and challenging opportunities in the airport industry.
The variety of daily activities and the tempo of the airport environment is a constant challenge that keeps me focused, learning new things, and improving myself.
What advice from a mentor helped you the most in your career?
To always keep one eye on the details and the other on the big picture. Both are equally important, and ignoring one can adversely affect the other.
What is the biggest challenge you see facing aviation today?
There certainly are many to choose from, but in my opinion the biggest challenge facing aviation today is the rapidly changing regulatory environment. As a heavily regulated industry, aviation is often significantly impacted by the actions of federal agencies that may or may not fully understand the impact of those actions.
What advice would you give to others in the industry?
Stay engaged with your peers. There is almost always someone, somewhere who has faced similar challenges that can help you find the solution.
What are three things we don’t know about you?
I have an amazing family, with my wife of 16 years and my seven children, three of whom are from Ghana and one from Haiti.
I am a native of the Pacific Northwest, born and raised in Washington State, where I continue to live and work.
I was in the Civil Air Patrol as a cadet for nine years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The CAP is where I had my first hands-on experiences with airplanes and learned many facets of aviation from the physics that make airplanes fly, to the rich history of aviation.
