Charles City Aeronautics, Inc. President William R. Kyle (Bill) will be celebrating his 50th Anniversary in aviation on June 4, 2016, with an Open House / Fly-In / Hangar Dance at the Northeast Iowa Regional Airport in Charles City. The festivities begin at 4:00 pm, and are open to the public.
Bill Kyle began his aviation career on June 1, 1966 as a line boy at the Charles City Airport, working for his father, Lyle Kyle and his partner, Norbert Baltes. He earned his private pilot license in 1968 while still attending high school. While working for the airport on weekends, Bill received an Associates’ Degree in Marketing from NIACC in Mason City, IA in 1970, and an Associates’ Degree in Aviation Maintenance from Hawkeye Institute of Technology in Waterloo, IA in 1972. He returned to Charles City Aeronautics full-time in May 1972 as an Airframe and Power Plant (A&P) mechanic.
From 1973 to 1998, Bill worked his way up through the company, earning many certifications and awards throughout his career, including his commercial pilot’s license in 1973 and FAA Inspection Authorization in 1975. In 1982, Bill took over as Airport Manager of the Charles City Airport, moving his young family out to the airport to be involved in the day-to-day operations.
“I am proud that I have been able to carry on the legacy my father started in aviation in 1928,” said Bill. “I have been able to have the best of both worlds – I have had a very successful and rewarding career thus far, while still being with my family every day. This would not have been possible without my amazing family, employees, friends, and the North Iowa community.”
One of Bill’s fondest aviation memories came in 1984. Donald “Rode” Rodewald, a paraplegic WWII veteran of the Flying Tigers AVG group, became the first paraplegic to fly solo around the world. His Piper Comanche was retrofitted with a hand control and maintained by Charles City Aeronautics, who not only prepped the plane for the flight, but continued to maintain the airplane for the next 20 years for their friend Rode.
Upon the death of Charles City Aeronautics co-founder Lyle Kyle in 1998, Bill took over as president of the company. On January 15, 2001, Bill and his son Todd began operating the Mason City Municipal Airport as North Iowa Air Service, expanding their operations across North Iowa.
Today, Bill is not only the president of Charles City Aeronautics d/b/a North Iowa Air Service, but he is also a FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR), certifying airplanes all across the country; a Director of the Iowa Public Airports Association; and a past president of the Iowa Aviation Business Association. Closer to home, he is a past president of Charles City Area Development Corporation, Charles City Sunrisers Kiwanis, and current secretary of the Floyd County Izaak Walton League and Immaculate Conception Pastoral Council.
“While I am grateful for what my career has given me, I am most excited about the future,” said Kyle. “With my son Todd, our amazing and talented employees, clients and friends, we are growing every day. I can’t wait to see what the next generation brings to aviation and North Iowa.”