Desert Aire Airport in the hands of experienced pilot

DESERT AIRE - Karl Gruber is the new manager of Desert Aire Airport, snapped up by the board of directors shortly after his arrival at the river resort community this summer.

"He's a very experienced pilot and he seemed like he would make a good manager," board member Cliff Naser said.

Gruber said the actual job of managing takes about three or four hours a week. However, he must be available at all times to take calls from people wanting to use the airport.

"They want to know if there are restrooms. They want to know how the weather is," he said.

Gruber noted that his wife Suzi also answers the phone, calling her the administrative assistant.

Regarding landings and takeoffs, Gruber is not required to be at the airport. No one is, by Federal Aviation Administration standards.

"It's see and be seen," Gruber said. "Most planes have radios, and they keep in contact."

Gruber is a 1972 graduate of the University of Washington. He has two engineering degrees, civil and industrial.

Some of Gruber's earliest aviation experience was with the Oregon Air National Guard. He was a weapons control engineer and did electrical mechanical work on F-101 and F-102 interceptors.

"They were designed to intercept fleets of Russian bombers," he said.

The majority of Gruber's flying experience was for corporate entities. He was a bush pilot in Washington, British Columbia and Alaska, flying floatplanes (Cessna 185, 206, De Havilland Beaver). He flew for millionaires and billionaires whose names he cannot disclose.

"When you sign the contract, you agree not to say who you're flying for," Gruber said. "You're not even allowed to look at them or their families. It's shut up and fly."

Gruber can disclose that he was an 18-year chief pilot for Bon Marche, flying the Beechcraft King air 200. He was also a pilot for worldwide jet operations for a Microsoft billionaire, flying Lear Jet and Falcon 50EX.

Gruber and his wife retired to Desert Aire in May.