Moore and her sister at the Hillsdale Municipal Airport. Courtesy | Ginger Moore

Ginger Moore worked at the Hillsdale Municipal Airport for the past 20 years

When Ginger Moore attended the grand opening of the Hillsdale Municipal Airport in 1963, she did not imagine becoming its manager, a flight instructor, or even a pilot. Her father, a private pilot, used the airport frequently throughout her childhood while she read comic books inside the building that would one day be her office.

After 20 years of working at the airport, from flight instructing to managing, Moore is retiring from her position as airport manager.

“Ginger was a true professional who did a wonderful job as airport manager. She served in the role for eight years, developing strong relationships within the aviation industry that helped bring in millions to improve the airport,” City Manager David Mackie said. “In working directly with her, I never met an official or agency contact she couldn’t win over with her enthusiasm for Hillsdale and deep aviation knowledge. She will be missed by many.”

Moore said her retirement is partly due to the negativity that characterizes much of the discourse surrounding the airport. 

“It gets old,” Moore said. “Everywhere I go, people ask me questions. I’ve got grandchildren. I want to just enjoy life. It would be nice if there were more positive mentions out there, but instead, they love the drama of the negative.” 

Though she was born and raised in Hillsdale, Moore said she did not see herself retiring here when she went off to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. The summer before her senior year, she decided to take a flying lesson. After the second lesson, she said she fell in love. 

She got her license in Orlando and all her ratings — or special certifications that allow a pilot to teach others how to fly — from American Flyers flight school in Fort Lauderdale.

“Back then, women weren’t really accepted in aviation, so I had a college degree, all my ratings, perfect eyesight and health, but I couldn’t even get an interview with the airlines,” Moore said. 

She decided to start her own flight school and leased an airplane from someone she knew. Within a year, Moore’s school grew from using that one airplane and working out of the back seat of her car to having 10 airplanes, a building, and a flight shop. 

She moved back to Hillsdale in 2005, where she taught flight lessons until she was asked to become the airport’s assistant manager, a role she held from 2015-2017.  

She said she is most proud of the grants and improvements she secured over the years, including the addition of a partial taxiway, a new fuel station, and the new terminal. Many of the projects were paid for, at least in part, by grants.  

“I guess the feather in my cap is the terminal, because the competition was huge to get any money for something, and they don’t always give money for terminals,” Moore said. “The airport gets an A-plus inspection from MDOT, which is why we qualify for some of these grants, because they see we’re taking care of it and we take it seriously.”

Moore said she will still attend the terminal grand opening in September and be around to serve in an unofficial capacity. 

“Ginger is a daughter of Hillsdale, and she learned to fly here at the airport, and her family’s been a part of the community for generations,” Ward 4 Councilman Robert Socha said. “She worked tirelessly to make the airport a better place, and I thank her for her contribution. It’s sad to see her go.”

Retiring will give Moore the time to pursue her other hobbies, she said. 

“I’m an artist. I’ve done pet portraits for a long time, and I’m going to focus on that,” Moore said. “I sing in a group, The Unforgettables. I want to clean my house, minimalize a little bit. I’ve done a lot out here, and I just feel it’s time to pass the baton to somebody else.”

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