New manager takes the helm at KBIE

By TOM WINTER

After 50 years at Beatrice Municipal Airport (KBIE) in Nebraska, Airport Manager Diana Smith has retired.

Taking her place is Dennis Schmitt, an Air Force veteran who has worked in aviation his entire career.

Schmitt grew up in Ord, Nebraska, and regularly biked to Evelyn Sharp Field (KODX) to see the airplanes. As a child, he built stick and tissue models and radio control models. When he was old enough, he joined the Air Force, and did so early enough that the choice of specialties included being a tail gunner on a B-52.

But instead Schmitt got into fueling airplanes, spending his military career as a POL airman. POL stands for Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants. Their motto: “Without fuel, pilot are just pedestrians.”

“Besides handling jet fuel, these professionals are also responsible for operating the vehicles, maintaining the equipment and storage facilities that are essential to the refueling operation and ensuring compliance of all safety regulations while handling these volatile liquids,” Schmitt explained, adding the airmen also had other meanings for the POL acronym.

After the Air Force, Schmitt handled line operations and customer service for KCAC Aviation at Johnson County Executive Airport (KOJC) in Olathe, Kansas. He then moved into marketing for Pilatus Aircraft, a job with a huge perk: Staffing the company’s booths every year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

Schmitt noted he is committed to following Diana Smith’s tradition of making KBIE a welcoming airport.

In addition to KBIE being a good fit for the veteran aviation professional, the new job was attractive to his family as Beatrice is the hometown of his wife, Shannon.