Michael Gibson To Retire After More Than 25 Years With The Airline

SkyWest Airlines announced today that Bill Dykes will become SkyWest's Vice President of Maintenance, effective Jan. 7, 2014. Bill Dykes succeeds H. Michael Gibson, who is retiring after 26 years with SkyWest Airlines. Bill will oversee all of SkyWest's maintenance operations, including its major repair, overhaul and maintenance bases at Chicago O'Hare, Colorado Springs, Fresno, Milwaukee, Nashville, Palm Springs, Salt Lake City and Tucson. This includes the more than 1,300 SkyWest Airlines maintenance professionals who support a fleet of more than 330 aircraft.

During the past 20 years at SkyWest, Bill has helped lead and implement SkyWest's growth and evolution from its first jet aircraft to the addition of the CRJ900 and upcoming delivery of the Embraer E175, as well as the expansion from two maintenance bases in the West to a total of eight nationwide. He began his SkyWest career as a night shift mechanic at Salt Lake City in 1989, advancing to various leadership positions along the way, including base manager, before being named Director of Maintenance in 2007.

Prior to his time at SkyWest, Bill worked at Wings West and American Eagle as an aircraft mechanic. He studied aeronautics at Cheyenne Aero Tech and holds an FAA certificate as an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic.

Mike joined SkyWest Airlines in 1988 as Director of Quality and was named Vice President of Maintenance soon after. In his time at the helm of SkyWest's Maintenance Department, Mike established the airline's reliability program, as well as its inspection and records procedures. He has overseen immense growth of the airline's fleet from 43 aircraft to more than 330 today, and from an all turboprop fleet to accepting some of the first regional jets in the industry. His storied career working with aircraft and airlines spans four decades, including years as a mechanic for the United States Navy, Overseas National Airways and Zantop Airlines. His last 36 years have been spent in aircraft maintenance management.

"Mike is one of the most respected maintenance professionals in our industry," said SkyWest President and COO Russell "Chip" Childs. "He has been a significant part of SkyWest's ability to deliver an extremely reliable operation over nearly three decades. I know I speak for the entire SkyWest team in thanking Mike for the exceptional maintenance program he has helped build, and in wishing him well as he begins his retirement."

"While Mike's shoes will be hard to fill, we are pleased to have an executive of Bill Dykes' caliber leading our maintenance team," Childs added. "His expertise, leadership and pragmatism will without a doubt ensure SkyWest Airlines' maintenance program continues to move forward."

FMI: www.skywest.com