Cougar Threatens the Brownsville Airport While Commercial Cargo Tonnage Down 76%

Larry Brown may be the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi of the Airport Advisory Board, but the board itself has a United Nations Security Council makeup.  Accents from Sri Lanka and/or India, Ghana and the U.S. midwest dominated the chatter.  One hispanic guy was in charge of maintenance, including weadeating, mowing and sprinkler systems or irrigation.  New irrigation is proposed along Billy Mitchell.  When a board member commented that the sprinkler sytem in front of the Pan Am building hadn't worked in a year and a half, Larry Brown said the good thing about adding more sprinklers is that maintenance on the existing sprinklers has to be completed for the new ones to work.

Actually, the lack of landscaping may be one of the more obvious letdowns for travelers landing at a "subtropical" airport.  The Brownsville/South Padre Island "International" Airport is not a tropical jewel, but more like a small town landing strip in the middle of a dusty, arid pasture.  Large clay pots near the parking area are filled with plants on death row.  North Iowa Rd., the primary artery, along with Billy Mitchell, into the airport challenges all drivers to dodge numerous pot holes capable of sending any vehicle into the shop for front end work.

The meeting was businesslike, although, like most other Brownsville boards, it was very difficult for observers to hear.  I did get an agenda after asking for one, but sat next to a guy from India who munched on a salad with a vinegar dressing during the entire meeting.  Nancy Rogers of American Eagle ate a different lunch two positions to my right.

Operation's Chief Sesha Voorey, Celebrity Pauly D
of Jersey Shore, Aviation Director Larry Brown

Larry Brown gave a dry, state of the airport style report.  Most of the figures were up or down 1 or 2%, but cargo weight was down 76%.  Damn!  What's up with that?  Larry explained that the commercial carriers were moving lighter cargo, but damn!  A board member suggested a new way of measuring cargo instead of by weight, possibly using the number of planes flying out.  Larry Brown said he had a schematic of all of the loads going out, but the member said that was more information than needed.

American Surveillance, one of the myriad of companies owned by Jaime and Enrique Escobedo, has a contract that includes night watchman duties at the airport.    Larry Brown, to his credit, said he has been trying to lessen his financial obligation to the Escobedo company by employing city workers to watch the grounds.(The unscrupulous Escobedo brothers have a foothold in contracts in almost every entity of Cameron County, BISD, Cameron County, the Port of Brownsville, etc.  It's no surprise that Enrique Escobedo is a director of United Brownsville, the sham, unelected governance gaining increasing control of the City of Brownsville.)

One board member mentioned that a cougar had been sighted, roaming east of the airport and wondered if the airport had a wildlife advisor.  Larry Brown stated that a year long wildlife study had just been completed and that an owl had been removed from one of the hangars.

Michael Jones, Airport Business Manager, was upbeat.  He said that historically the Brownsville airport was noted for firsts.  They added another first with a new online app. allowing passengers to keep up with the status of their flight.  He mentioned a "botique" airlines from San Fransico, that had shown interest in Brownsville.  They would not be a low price outfit, but are considering service to Mexico, Austin, Laredo, Corpus Christi and San Antonio.  A discussion ensued with another board member about 8 or 10 passengers on a recent incoming flight from Houston who spoke French and the need to reach out to European travelers.  Jones said one airline suggested that South Padre Island be marketed as "America's Most Affordable Beach" and said the $1.00 shuttle from the airport to SPI should be more widely advertised.

Going into the July 4th holiday, all were reminded that no fireworks are allowed on planes.