a big LSU fan. At one time we had the best football coach in the industry, Nick Saban, until he went on to greener grass at Roll Tide Alabama,” Stanberry (somewhat) laughs. “Saban is a great leader. He might not have the best team at the beginning of the season, but as he goes down the road he gets everybody pulling as one. That’s why he wins all the time. That’s our job—to lead.”
BUSINESS & PLEASURE
Stanberry has slightly throttled back his work hours in recent years. He still puts in and sometimes works on Saturdays, so rest is relative. However, he makes time for reading (a recommendation: The Devil in the White City—Murder, Magic, and Madness at
the Fair that Changed America), motorcycle riding with his wife, Debbie (They just returned from riding in Alaska and Canada.), snow skiing (They have a place in Colorado.), and lots of international travel. “I just love traveling. My wife and I mix business and pleasure,” he says. Next summer they’re heading to New Zealand and Australia for more business and memories.
ACCUMULATED WISDOM
An interview with Stanberry would be remiss without seeking his wisdom. He has been in the rotorcraft industry most of his adult life and those years of experience have given him valuable insights. Fortunately, he willingly shares on several subjects …
Safety: Stanberry received the Jim Charlson Award for safety, and is a founding members and past chairman of the Air Medical Operators Association (AMOA). “It’s one of the things I’m most proud of,” he says. “With safety there’s no silver bullet, but there are a lot of bullets and when you put them all together you have a safer operation.”
The FAA: “They just don’t get it. One of the pillars of the FAA was to promote aviation. Now, if you’re drowning they throw you an anchor. They need to loosen up and listen to us before they make rules.” Stanberry uses the recent helicopter terrain avoidance systems (HTAWS) mandate as an example. “Our industry started putting TAWS in before there was HTAWS, and now the FAA is saying that TAWS is not acceptable
because they’re not called Helicopter TAWS. It’s just crazy.”
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Regulations: “We’re moving more towards a European culture of more regulation. Regulations are killing this country as well as this industry.” Stanberry relays an example how Metro installed, and delivered an EMS interior laments, “That cannot be done now. It’s a shame, but it can’t be. And what we’re doing doesn’t affect safety. It’s not like we’re hanging something outside
the aircraft that creates an aeronautical problem. How many interiors have killed people in an accident?”
Then he stops himself by saying, “I could go on and on and on.” Based on his decades of serving the rotorcraft industry as one of its most respected business owners and leaders, Mike Stanberry will likely do just that.
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