Loy has been steady presence for Cape airport

A longtime fixture at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport will retire at the end of this year.

Bruce Loy has been the manager of the airport for 22 years, navigating the operation and its partners through many changes. In his tenure, the airport has added more hangers for local pilots and worked with airlines to provide commercial service to and from Cape Girardeau. Most recently, Loy was part of bringing SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, to Cape Girardeau for several daily roundtrips to Chicago. The jets seat 50 passengers, and according to reporting by the Southeast Missourian’s Mark Bliss, it is on target to surpass 10,000 boardings this year. That figure is important because the service is subsidized by the federal Essential Air Service program and meeting the 10,000 boarding threshold would net the airport an additional $850,000. The airport has not met 10,000 boardings in more than 20 years.

Loy has also been instrumental in bringing air shows to Cape Girardeau and said he plans to volunteer with future shows.

Replacing Loy as manager will be current deputy airport manager Katrina Amos who has been involved with the airport since April 2008. Amos has developed a capable record in all that she has done.

Having a local airport offers numerous advantages, and Loy’s leadership has been important. We wish him well on his upcoming retirement and congratulate Amos on her January promotion.