Tommy Szymanski Sizes Up the World of Aviation Management and Operations
When Tommy Szymanski was walking down the halls of Bishop Dwenger High School in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Ind., in his wildest dream he never imagined that within a few years he would be part of a team inspecting a main runway at a major airport in the middle of the night.
But that's what happened to Szymanski, now in his final year as a major in aviation management and operations at the WMU College of Aviation.
The summer of 2024 found him interning at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in its airfield-operations department. "I was given the opportunity to conduct friction testing on all the main departure and arrival runways," he says. "The tests are done by driving the length of the runway at 40 mph and 60 mph, while spraying water on a wheel being dragged behind the truck in order to collect data on the amount of friction a runway has.
"The tests are done throughout the night," he recalls. "Seeing a large-scale airport operate at 3 a.m. was very different and eye-opening."
In addition to those nighttime inspections etched in his memory of experiences were the aircraft alerts he witnessed, board meetings he sat in on, collaborating with fellow interns in other departments, and "creating a dashboard with different airfield analytical data to help the performance and efficiency of airfield employees and the department as a whole."
One week of his Texas internship was spent on the night shift, which was on the scene from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. "It was difficult," he says, "but also intriguing to see how an airport of that size works overnight. I was given the opportunity to present the final report on the performance-data project to the executive vice presidents and other ranking members of the organization. This all validated my dream of working in an airport environment."
There were no aviation-specific courses for Szymanski to take during his years at Bishop Dwenger High, but he polished his scholastic skills by taking several dual-credit college classes to prep him for higher education.
"I am the first in my family to be involved in the aviation industry," Szymanski says, "but, for some reason, I have always been passionate about aviation. While involved in outdoor sports, I would sometimes get distracted mid-game to look skyward to see what kind of aircraft was flying by."
Another catalyst was his grandfather who took the young Tommy to museums and air shows. Syzmanski found himself in Oshkosh, Wis., more than a few times to witness the globally known EAA AirVenture.
In pondering where to pursue his aviation career, Szymanski cast a wide net that took in what the aviation programs at Purdue, Middle Tennessee State, Oklahoma and Ohio State had to offer, and he visited those campuses. But Western Michigan won the competition for Szymanski's future, which initially was channeled into being a major in aviation flight science.
"Among the factors that stood out to me," he says, "was the Aviation Education Center at Kellogg Field in Battle Creek that was under construction (at the time of his graduation from high school in 2020), the fleet of aircraft, the overall campus feel, and the backup routes that were available if flying fell through. On top of that was the very professional way the tours of Western's main campus and the College of Aviation facilities were conducted. It all made me feel comfortable choosing WMU."
Szymanski explained his switch in majors this way. "Starting in flight science helped me gain an understanding of the flight side of airport operations, which transferred well to my studies in aviation management and operations. The major's class in organizational behavior helped my interview tactics and resume-building. Taking part in special events, such as the College of Aviation Acadmic Kickoff and Aviation Outlook Day, gave me confidence to put myself out there and expand my network."
Aiding and abetting the latter was his decision to join the WMU chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) where the importance of industry connections is almost a daily lesson. When Syzmanski is not immersed in coursework or chapter activities, he's following his passion for sports, particularly intramural volleyball and hockey. He's been known to be one of the Lawson Lunatics when the Broncos skate onto the ice.
"I have always been involved in sports, and I wanted to continue that in college," he says. "Since fitness is also important to me, I work at the student recreation center where I have formed a lot of new friendships."
One of the prime missions of higher education is the expansion of a person's horizons and perspectives. Syzmanski has experienced that with a course in the Holocaust. "I love history," he says, "and, while it is a sobering subject, I remember a lot from that class and think about it frequently."
Closer to his chosen profession is assistant professor Selim Ozyurek's class in airline administration, particularly the airline-simulation part. "All semester we work on a project where we run an airline and try to make a profit," he says. "This is fun because it really shows you the business side of the airline industry.
With his graduation not too far away, Syzmanski sees himself earning AAAE and other professional certifications, continuing to grow his networking connections, all pointing toward the dream job of being the director of airfield operations at an airport.
Flashing back to his internship in Texas, Syzmanski says: "I cannot wait to graduate and get back to working at an airport."