b'20 UES WINTER OPERATIONSas soon as the skies clearparticularly from the four on-field flight schools. With strong response from recruitment videos, rapid hiring and onboarding were critical to prepare for the 2025/2026 snow season. In addition, UES operates under the philosophy that every staff member is an airport operator and all employeesregardless of rolereceive training in airfield inspections, basic operations and wildlife management.For instance, Administrative Specialist Sarah McCalvy has helped with plowing and A front-end loader previously operated by the Highwayairfield inspections Dept. is proving valuable at the airport.during staffing shortages. We areSARAH McCALVYall cross-trained, she Airplane!, the 1980 film that parodiedmiss. And naturally, the recruits feel thesays, adding that this approach allows the Zero Hour! and the Airport disasterneed, the need to plow.airport to pivot quickly during snow events movies from the 1970s. In the video UESStanich plied employees with pizza andand respond effectively to tenant needs.created (essentially a parody of a parody),promises of fame to secure on-air talent. a passenger is asked if he can drive aWhile operating big equipment attracts No real actors or actresses were harmeda variety of applicants, Stanich often snowplow to clear the runway. Surely, youin the filming of this video, he quips. cant be serious, the passenger answers,prefers candidates with a willingness Mintz again handled filming, editing andto learn over those with prior plowing prompting the reply: I am serious, andpromotion. You dont need a big budget, dont call me Shirley. (See Facts & Figuresexperience. Flexibility to operate different she emphasizes. We put these videos outtypes of equipment and adaptability to box on Page 19 for the video link.)for free and we shot this one on a phone.on-call scheduling are other sought-after The video enjoyed success on theThe results were over 5,000 views onattributes. Hiring several pilots from the countys social media channels and wasFacebook, TikTok and YouTube; moreairfield has added new perspective to the even featured on local news broadcasts,coverage on the local news; and, mostteam and provided a conduit for feedback prompting the airport to create a sequel.importantly, a significant spike in applicationsabout performance. Kurt [Stanich] is one of my morefor seasonal snow plowing positions. motivated colleagues, notes Mintz.Stanich highlights commitment, Our recruitment atteamwork and innovation as defining This time, Stanich channeled his militaryleast tripled, reportsstrengths of the airports winter operations service and experience as a Certified FlightSupervisor Lowellteam. Weve built a crew that cares, and Instructor to parody Top Gun: Maverick,Holcomb, who starredit shows, he adds.the 2022 box office hit about an agingas Maverick. The wide hot-shot Navy fighter pilot (played by Tompool of applicantsSafety and TrainingCruise) now teaching young recruits to fly.ranged from those inComprehensive instruction about the The UES version was aptly titled Top Plow:their 20s to retirees. LOWELL HOLCOMB equipment and basic airfield operations is Waukesha, complete with red and bluecrucial for all crew members, but especially wings around the logo. (See Page 19 forEncouraged by the success of this video link.) years video and the fun they had making it,seasonal employees because many are Stanich and his crew are already planninginexperienced or come from unrelated Basically, the scene we recreatedtheir next video project. In true Hollywoodprofessions. For instance, one of the first was the new snowplow drivers meetingform, they are keeping details aboutseason hires is also a Maverick in an airport hangar, and Ipossible storylines strictly under wraps. real estate agent. exchanged the word airplane withJosh Matekovic, snowplow in the script explains Stanich.Everyone Is an Operator airport operations A floor-to-ceiling American flag hangingThe airports snow removal crews work in twosupervisor, shares in the background and a soundtrack filled12-hour shifts: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 7 p.m.that training combines with familiar electric guitar riffs make theto 7 a.m. Day shifts are especially challengingclassroom instruction similarities to Top Gun nearly impossible toafter storms because airfield activity surgesand hands-onNICK MARSZALKOWSKIMarch | April 2026AirportImprovement.com'