From takeoff, Grant Sussey’s life has been in the clouds.
The manager of the Watertown International Airport first got his pilot’s license at the age of 17 and has been living a dream from the skies ever since.
“It’s amazing that anybody can learn to fly and people can get travel on aircraft and get anywhere they need to in a straight line and avoid traffic and get where they need to faster. It’s a pretty special place,” Sussey said.
What You Need To Know
- Like many others, the small Watertown International Airport was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Airport Manager Grant Sussey, a licensed pilot since age 17, has been working to ensure the pandemic didn’t have a permanent impact on the airport
- The airport received $1 million in federal funding to help it move forward
On a recent early April day, Sussey is working from the ground, but he’s taking in something else. He’s watching people get to do something that many really haven’t in over a year. They are traveling. Some flew to Watertown for work, but some to take a break to enjoy the Thousand Islands and maybe some long-needed time with family.
“This asset is so important to the community and the movement of people. It’s good to see folks start getting vaccinated and traveling more,” Sussey said.
It’s a feeling that maybe somewhere in the back of his mind — and many others in his position — were wondering if normal would ever come back. It was scary.
“It’s difficult for any industry with the unknown, and everybody has to interpret what facts they have at the time and make decisions and know that you will get through it,” Sussey said.
However, the airport and its two flights a day to Philadelphia did get through it. Now, it’s getting help to move forward. The airport was just awarded $1 million in funding to help recoup COVID-19 losses and ensure a bright future.
“The airport is an economic engine. It creates jobs. There’s intangible benefits of people coming into our community and the people who are flying out,” Sussey said.
Another of Sussey’s desires is to see a second destination added to this airport. And while it hasn’t been easy at all in recent efforts, there’s now hope that those conversations can resume and maybe sometime soon become a reality.
Sussey says one aspect of smaller airports that did help during the COVID-19 struggles was general aviation. More people took chartered and private flights, and he would love to see that continue.