Flight, you could say, is in Christine Johnson’s blood. She didn’t develop a passion for aviation but was born into it.
“I was born into the industry technically. I am a third-generation aviation enthusiast,” Johnson said. “I have always had a fascination with science and flight. During my senior year of high school, I started helping my parents at the family business, New Horizons Aircraft Ignition Repair. There I gained a lot of interest in both the maintenance and manufacturing aspects of the industry. After graduating high school, I decided to work full time at New Horizons and began my on-the-job to obtain my repairman license.”
Johnson has been working at New Horizons for 16 years, holding the title and responsibilities of production and sales manager for both the ignition lead repair division and New Horizon’s PMA part division.
“I also do inspection and testing of the ignition leads overhauled by our company prior to them being signed off for airworthy. I am also the company’s DMIR, so I do inspections and conformity checks on our PMA products as well as issue 8130-3 tags. Being a family owned and operated small business, I wear many different hats. But this is what has given me, and continues to give me, invaluable source of knowledge in regard to how a business is ran from all angles,” Johnson explains.
Being a family business, Johnson credits her grandmother, grandfather, mom and dad as being her greatest aviation mentors.
“My grandfather, Frank Kyzar, was the Director of Scheduling and Charters for Continental Airlines from 1957 until his passing in 2002. He was an amazing role model and I had the opportunity to shadow him at work a few times and it was a great experience to see how the flight scheduling of an airlines is ran but more importantly how a director can encourage their team to all be team players. My grandmother, Maggie Ridens, was a lead foreman for Skytronics, Inc. in my hometown and helped to develop maintenance techniques for their general aviation ignition harness line, AeroLite. She broke many boundaries in her career and we still consult her to this day for advice on ignition related questions
“My mother Nancy is one of the strongest women I know. She came into the industry when my father, who founded New Horizons, lost his business partner the same year New Horizons was founded, 1987. She became the general manager and has been with New Horizons for over 30 years. She also attends all the conferences with me as well as meetings with airlines/corporations. We truly are a dynamic duo!
“My father, Howard, is my ultimate mentor. He has taught me mostly everything I know about aircraft ignition. He was an AMS/AMH for the US Navy and served from 1973-1977. After his honorable discharge, he began working at Skytronics and became the production manager. What I admire about my father is his ability to always problem solve and take on challenges, big or small,” expounds Johnson.
With flight in her veins, it only makes sense that Johnson would take her job responsibilities to soaring heights.
“I perform my duties at the highest expectations. I contribute new concepts and ideas to the industry. I strive to make our products user friendly, cost effective and engage in supply and demand. I provide personal customer service to each and every one of my customers. An airline customer once told me that it was a breath of fresh air to actually engage in a conversation with a supplier and to have an immediate response to their question. I always strive to help my customers in any way I can. Some have even consulted me for sales advise, which I gladly give,” Johnson explains.
“Alone she solidified contracts for my company with American Airlines, Jet Blue, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, as well as others. She always goes well beyond her sales quotas for the quarter and I constantly receive feedback from my customers in regard to how pleasurable it is to work with Christine,” described Howard Johnson, owner and president of New Horizons. “She is a team leader, so much so that she prepared for a convention my company exhibited at in just two weeks due to my last minute decision. She is one of the hardest workers I know and when she leaves work, she goes home and starts working again! Many of our customers are now worldwide and Christine handles the accounts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
And Johnson’s career goals extend well into the future – her goal, to inherit the family business and take it to new heights.
“Ultimately one day I would love to inherit the family business and expand the business to even further horizons. I would love to see New Horizons being the number one aftermarket source for ignition lead parts and repair kits for the commercial engines and the top supplier for general aviation ignition harnesses,” Johnson said. “One of my idols, Amelia Earhart once said: ‘Decide whether or not the goal is worth the risk involved. If it is, stop worrying.’ In life, if you want to achieve your goals and fulfil your dreams, you have to be ok with taking some risk. Once you get a taste for the industry, it is something that never leaves you. You only become more and more curious. The aviation industry is one of the most unique and challenging industries, but I learn something new every day.”
