Name: Adam Houpt
Job Title: Vice President
Company: Ground Support Specialist (GSS)
Location: Horn Lake, MS
Years with current company: 14
Industry committees / associations / working groups served on:
SAE-G12 Aircraft Ground Deicing Steering Group: Liaison 2015-2021
SAE-G12 Aircraft Ground Deicing Steering Group: Voting Member 2021-Present
SAE-AGE-3 Aircraft Ground Support Equipment Committee: Liaison 2021-Present
SAE-G15 Airport Snow and Ice Control Equipment Committee: Liaison 2021-Present
Ground Support Worldwide: How did you get your start in the GSE industry?
Adam Houpt: In the winter of 2008 and 2009 I worked an internship at Memphis Airport as a deicer operator. Given our frigid climate in the south we became proficient at spraying frost!
I started with GSS the summer of 2010, just out of college, searching to find my “why.” I started on the line, tinkering with tug rebuilds, deicer PM’s, MDL conversions, etc. I made my way into sales, bounced to operations and back to sales. I’ve been fortunate to walk full circle within the company and grasp a genuine understanding of each role and their pivotal nature of the business.
GSW: What attracted you to a career in the ground support industry?
AH: Fate, as some would say. Just graduating college, I was headed to PT school the following year. The phone rang one day, “What do you think about coming to work for GSS?” I jumped at the opportunity to work alongside my family and here we are, 14 years later. For me it was an easy decision as I was always fascinated by aviation. I appreciated the industry from an outsider’s perspective with an inside track to the inner workings of what it takes underwing for travelers to make it from point A to point B, something most take for granted.
GSW: What has kept you engaged in the industry?
AH: The people mostly. Be it customers, colleagues or competitors, alike. We are a close-knit community that all have the same objective, to ensure the safe and efficient operation for the flying public.
GSW: What’s the best advice you’ve been given while working in this field?
AH: Get comfortable, as the old adage goes. Once someone starts in GSE, they never leave GSE. Be genuine in your approach - integrity is a standard, and enjoy the ride as there will be plenty of ups and downs.
GSW: How have you seen the ground support industry change the most during your career?
AH: Ground support equipment over the years has required a lot of technological advancements because of the ever-changing aircraft, the composites being used, the emissions requirements, etc. The main changes have been the speed of operations and the aircraft turnaround times have reduced significantly. People want to fly with lower cost tickets and that means we have to be more efficient on the ground. To be more efficient on the ground means we must invest in technology in our ground support equipment to ultimately meet this evolving demand.
GSW: Has this change been to the benefit or detriment of the industry?
AH: Definitely beneficial. For years the aviation industry has evolved, yet the GSE world was always playing catch up. With the evolution of alternative power and advanced measuring systems, under wing operations are making a lasting impact on the global footprint.
GSW: Given your experience in the deicing market and your contributions to the SAE’s G12 committee, what updates are coming to that segment of ground support?
AH: Telemetrics, in my opinion, is one of the biggest updates. Being on the backside of COVID, our industry lost a lot of what we define as mechanics. The experience and expertise that departed alongside has hurt our industry significantly, requiring manufacturers to invest in software and telemetry systems to be able to monitor operations and diagnose issues on machines remotely.
GSW: What’s the next big thing coming to the ground support industry? What type of an impact will it make?
AH: Artificial intelligence (AI) has impacted our whole world. With the limited availability of a trained workforce and the need to constantly improve, AI will find many ways to change GSE. Autonomous vehicles will become more utilized working alongside the GSE teams to improve overall operations.
GSW: What would you say to encourage someone to join the ground support industry?
AH: Air travel, next day delivery, fuel for our vehicles, the safety, and freedoms we have all become accustomed to, these things don’t just happen. Specialized equipment and thousands of skilled people working behind the scenes make it all possible. Most people don’t understand what it takes to make this happen or to get the aircraft off the ground, being a part of something bigger than yourself, for me, makes it all worthwhile.
