Glen “Huck” Huckeba, who has been the Air Traffic Manager at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport tower since 2007, retired at the end of April 2022.
Huckeba has worked at the tower as an air traffic controller since 2001 and came to Kissimmee after completing a twenty-plus year career as an Air Force controller.
“I have mostly enjoyed every minute of it, but forty years as an air traffic controller is enough for anybody,” Huckeba said.
During his time in the Air Force, he was assigned to bases in Panama City, Fla., Galena, Alaska, and Las Vegas. He was also an instructor at the Air Force’s air traffic controller course at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. Originally from the Ocala area, Huckeba’s wife Beth had family in the St. Cloud area, and they made the move here when he finished his Air Force career.
The air traffic controllers at Kissimmee Tower work for Robinson Aviation, which provides certified air traffic controllers and services to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) throughout the southeastern United States. While not FAA employees, all of Kissimmee’s controllers must meet the same training, qualifications, and all other standards as FAA controllers. The FAA provides air traffic controllers to smaller airport towers, such as Kissimmee Gateway, through its Contract Tower program. Under the program, the airport provides a tower facility, radios, and other equipment and all other provisions, with the controllers provided by companies such as Robinson Aviation. Many of the company’s controllers are former military air traffic controllers.
During his time as the “tower chief,” the air traffic operation was recognized for numerous safety milestones and FAA level individual awards, despite an ever-increasing volume and complexity of air traffic. Since the start of operations in 1997, the air traffic staff has flawlessly completed over three million operations “errorfree”. In 2020, Huckeba received the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Outstanding Civilian Manager of the Year Award.
Huckeba will continue to work with Robinson Aviation as a part-time employee, in a consulting capacity, and not associated with the Kissimmee operation. He said his ultimate goal was to “go see the rest of the country we have not yet seen” with his wife and dogs in a fifth wheel RV.
Christopher Mathis, who has worked at Kissimmee Tower since 2007, took over as the Air Traffic Manager on May 1. Mathis is a former Marine controller, who acknowledged he had big boots to fill.
“I know without a doubt that Huck will always be remembered by the Airport Users that are here, have been here, and will be here, due to the legacy he created for the control tower while serving as the Air Traffic Manager,” said Mathis.
For more information on Kissimmee Gateway Airport and the control tower operation, go to www.flykissimmee.org.
