Andy Greenwood has been hire as Picayune’s a new airport manager.

Greenwood is a man with plenty of aviation experience and some law enforcement experience to boot.

Before coming to Picayune he was a desk sergeant with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department before Hurricane Katrina. Now Greenwood heads up Picayune’s Airport.

Greenwood began his law enforcement career with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department as their helicopter pilot and helicopter mechanic.

With the extensive background in law enforcement and with working on and piloting aircraft he will be a valuable asset to Picayune’s Airport.

“Due to my extensive background dealing with people, I think I have good people skills,” Greenwood said.

While working with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department, the Sheriff at the time purchased a surplus military helicopter and asked Greenwood to rebuild and fly the bird. During his time with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department Greenwood also worked as a pilot for Chevron, he said.

Not only does Greenwood have hands on flight time, he also has plenty of classroom time invested in aviation. He said he holds a bachelors and masters degree in Aeronautical Science.

Greenwood’s airtime experience includes about 15,000 helicopter flight hours and about 1,200 fixed wing aircraft flight hours.

He also is a single engine instrument rated commercial pilot and has an inspection authorization endorsement as an aircraft mechanic. Even though he is trained and certified to inspect and work on aircraft, he leaves that work to Philips Aviation located on site. Greenwood believes his position as Airport Manager would cause a conflict of interest if he were to perform mechanic and inspection work at the airport.

“Besides that I got too many scars from being a mechanic. I’d rather let other people give their up blood for the airplanes,” Greenwood said.

Greenwood and his wife, whom he said rode into his life on a black Harley, lived in Diamondhead before the Hurricane Katrina washed their home away. The couple now lives in Kiln.