Florida Airports Council Names Soliday Honorary Lifetime Member

The Florida Airports Council honored Theodore D. Soliday, executive director of the City of Naples Airport Authority since 1994, with an Honorary Lifetime Membership, in recognition of his service to the Naples Airport Authority and for his support and dedication to the council and its education foundation.

Soliday, who also holds the same status with the Washington Airport Management Association, served as the 42nd president of the Florida Airports Council and president of the foundation the following year.

Soliday has announced plans to retire in April, ending an aviation career that spans nearly 50 years with experience as a Marine pilot, air traffic controller, educator, planner and manager. During his more than two decades with the Airport Authority, the airport earned the 1998 Federal Aviation Administration Southern Region Air Carrier Safety Award; 2000 Florida Department of Transportation Project of the Year Award; 2003 Environmental Achievement Award from Airports Council International; 2012 General Aviation Airport of the Year honors from the Florida Department of Transportation; and the 2013 Community Affairs Award and  2015 J. Bryan Cooper Environmental Award, General Aviation Airport, both from Florida Airports Council.

Soliday earned recognition as The Southeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives 2015 Aviation Professional of the Year; the Florida Department of Transportation Aviation Office Florida Aviation Professional of the Year in 2002 and 2014; and the Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol Frank G. Brewer Sr. Civil Air Patrol Memorial Aerospace Award in 2014 in recognition of his lifelong interest in aviation, youth and education.

During Soliday’s tenure, the Airport Authority has pursued significant measures to lessen aircraft noise and was the first airport operator in the nation to ban Stage 1 and 2 jets under 75,000 pounds. Other noise-attenuation measures have been implemented, including a voluntary nighttime flight curfew and aggressive pilot efforts to persuade pilots to “Fly Safe Fly Quiet.”

During the 2014-15 fiscal year, the airport accommodated 99,569 takeoffs and landings. Professional Pilot’s 2015 survey ranked the airport No. 26 on the list of Best FBOs and No. 14 for Best Independent FBO.

Naples Municipal Airport, a certificated air-carrier airport, is home to flight schools, air charter operators, car rental agencies and corporate aviation and nonaviation businesses as well as fire/rescue services, mosquito control, the Collier County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit and other community services.

All funds used for the airport’s operation, maintenance and improvements are generated from activities at the airport or from federal and state grants; the airport receives no property tax dollars. The Florida Department of Transportation values the airport’s economic impact to the community at $283.5 million annually.

For more information or to subscribe for email updates about the airport, visit www.FlyNaples.com.