Roy Remington was first interested in aviation hearing stories from a friend’s grandfather who was a tail gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress in World War II. He started on a path to become a pilot and switched to aviation engineering. While working with clients, he became intrigued by the kinship airport directors have and the range of duties they undertake in a daily basis. That drove him to a pursue a career in airport management.
“The only thing constant in aviation is change,” he said. "For as much as we try to build predictability into the industry, we’ll never control the wind or the pace of technological progress. Each day presents something new and we have the opportunity to embrace the uncertainty of it.”
Remington has served as the executive director of the Millington-Memphis Airport (NQA) for nine years. He inherited an airport in dire need of recapitalization. The former air station turned municipal airport faced major infrastructure challenges, which Remington was able to address via $40 million in investments.
He was named Airport Manager of the Year by TDOT Aeronautics for his work developing the University of Memphis flight school degree program at the Airport; and AAAE awarded him Airport Project of the Year Architectural Category for his work restoring the 1942 B-17 Flying Fortress Memphis Belle Hangar at the airport.
Remington received the 2022 Airport Project of the Year Airfield Category from AAAE for keeping NQA open by converting a taxiway to a landing strip while the airport’s only runway was being reconstructed. He was awarded the Rebuild Tennessee Award by the Tennessee Development Association for his work overseeing construction of a new $2.9M entrance road to the airport.
Remington was elected by his peers in 2019 to serve as president of the Tennessee Aviation Association. He has overseen legislative efforts to preserve state airport funding and has held statewide outreach events for fellow airport managers.
In 2019, Remington founded the Midsouth Airshow with the vision of bringing the Blue Angels to Memphis to inspire the next generation of aerospace and STEM leaders. Remington made admission to the show free for children and oversaw the most successful air show on record while serving as show director in 2022.
Making good on his promise, Remington organized youth outreach events during the show including special Blue Angels meetings with critically ill Make-A-Wish children, Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) youth, Boy Scout Troops, Sea Cadets, and Civil Air Patrol squadrons.
In his free time, Remington travels the country as a volunteer with Dream Flights, a non-profit dedicated to helping military veterans relive the magic of flight by gifting them with WWII era biplane rides.
