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Local pilot Gary Black interviews for Duluth Airport Authority seat, cites decades of aviation experience
Summary
Gary Black, a 28‑year Duluth resident and former Cirrus test pilot, interviewed before the personnel committee for a seat on the Duluth Airport Authority. Black described 50 years in aviation, military service, private‑sector experience, volunteer work and said he would recuse himself from any DITA deliberation that directly presented a conflict.
Gary Black interviewed before the Duluth personnel committee as a candidate for appointment to the Duluth Airport Authority, describing five decades of aviation experience, local ties and ideas for airport amenities and growth.
Black, who introduced himself as a Duluth resident for about 28 years, said he and his wife moved from Vero Beach, Florida, in 1997 when he joined Cirrus Design Corporation as a test pilot. He summarized his background for the panel: “I served 20 years in the Navy flying F‑14s and working off aircraft carriers,” and he said he holds a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and completed MBA work at the University of Washington. He told the committee he worked for Cirrus for 23 years and retired from Cirrus Aircraft in 2020.
On why he wants the DITA seat, Black said, “My life revolves around the airport… it’s one way to bring in my 50 years of aviation experience to help the community.” He said he currently brokers pre‑owned airplanes for Arista Aircraft Sales and that most of his work is nationally brokered rather than Duluth‑specific; when a potential conflict might arise he said he would excuse himself from deliberations. “If something arose… I certainly would… excuse myself from any deliberations on this,” Black told Councilors.
Black described local involvement and volunteer work: he is chairman of the Scott Anderson Leadership Forum — a program that brings high‑school students together each summer — and has been on that board about 20 years and chair for roughly five years. Asked about diversity, equity and inclusion, he described outreach he performed as a Cirrus demonstration pilot, taking high‑school students on introductory flights and participating in “Women in Aviation” events.
Councilors asked about his vision for the airport. Black said he sees opportunities to expand hangar capacity, attract additional commercial operations, and create on‑airport amenities that build public engagement — for example, an on‑airport restaurant where customers can view aircraft operations. He noted the airport’s strategic location for transcontinental flights and named local aviation tenants, including a flight‑training program at Lake Superior College and general‑aviation operators such as Monaco Aviation (now Vantage Aviation) and corporate operators that service the commercial flights.
Black told the committee he expects to attend the Duluth Airport Authority meetings and does not anticipate scheduling conflicts beyond the annual EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh in July. He closed by saying he appreciated the opportunity to interview and hopes to be selected for the board.
No appointment vote was recorded during the interview session; the committee concluded the interview and moved on to other business.
