When Aviation's Most Critical Moments Demand Expertise, Airports Call Mac McCall

The emergency call came at dawn after responding for an aircraft Crash Alert. American Airlines Flight 191 had just become the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history, and Chicago needed its best operations mind at O'Hare immediately. It was May 1979, and a young Mac McCall found himself thrust into an investigation that would reshape his understanding of what airports truly need, not just in crisis, but every single day.

That moment crystallized a truth McCall would carry through four decades in aviation: when seconds count and lives hang in the balance, experience isn't just valuable, it's irreplaceable. From that tragic morning through his rise to managing one of America's busiest airports to founding his consultancy that now guides airports nationwide, McCall has become the industry's go-to expert when complexity meets consequence.

"Mac McCall's knowledge and expertise in the execution of his duties during the most desperate emergency situations and severe weather conditions has been instrumental in the operation of O'Hare," Mayor Richard M. Daley would later write, capturing what set McCall apart even in those early years. But it wasn't just emergencies that defined his path, it was the systematic transformation of how airports think about safety, operations, and their relationship with communities.

The journey from entry-level operations at O'Hare to Chief Operations Supervisor by 1983 reads like a masterclass in aviation management. While others focused on single aspects of airport operations, McCall immersed himself in every facet, from snow removal protocols that kept O'Hare running when other airports shut down, to developing the Air Traffic Control Tower coordination procedures that the FAA would cite as exemplary. He literally wrote the book on airport safety, compiling O'Hare's first Airport Certification Manual under the revised FAR Part 139 regulations in 1988.

By 1999, when Sedona, Arizona, recruited him to transform their resort-area airport, McCall had already consulted on three major aircraft accident investigations for the National Transportation Safety Board. He'd earned board certification as an Accredited Airport Executive and completed executive education at Northwestern's prestigious Kellogg School of Management. Yet it was in Sedona, managing everything from daily operations to community noise concerns in one of America's most stunning and sensitive environments, where his philosophy truly crystallized: airports aren't just infrastructure; they're living ecosystems requiring constant calibration between safety, efficiency, and community harmony.

The transition from managing airports to advising them came naturally. When American Airlines needed expertise for complex litigation, they called McCall. When AIG Insurance required analysis of aviation incidents, they turned to his deep operational knowledge. When airports from coast to coast faced FAR Part 139 compliance challenges or needed to navigate the delicate balance between general aviation needs and commercial pressures, Mac McCall Airport & Aviation Consulting became their trusted advisor.

What distinguishes McCall's approach isn't just the breadth of his experience, though few can match his resume spanning O'Hare's massive operations to Sedona's boutique complexity. It's his ability to see airports through multiple lenses simultaneously: the operator who knows every runway marking matters, the executive who understands fiscal constraints, the community liaison who recognizes that airports exist within, not apart from, their neighborhoods, and the safety expert who has investigated what happens when things go catastrophically wrong.

The Arizona Airports Association recognized this rare combination when they named him Airport Executive of the Year in 2004. The Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives certified him as a Certified Airport Executive in 2007. Even the United States Secret Service acknowledged his contributions to their law enforcement responsibilities, a testament to aviation security expertise that preceded our modern TSA era.

Today, from his base in Glendale, Arizona, where he served as an airport commissioner while serving as a guest lecturer at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, McCall continues to shape aviation's future while solving its present challenges. His client list reads like a who's who of American aviation: major airlines, leading airports, insurance giants, and law firms handling aviation's most complex cases. Each engagement draws on those decades of experience, from that first emergency call in 1979 to yesterday's consultation on drone integration or community relations.

The aviation industry faces unprecedented challenges, from evolving security threats to environmental pressures, from aging infrastructure to emerging technologies. Small general aviation airports struggle with limited resources while needing to meet the same stringent safety standards as major hubs. Large airports navigate political pressures while maintaining operational excellence. In this complex landscape, the value of deep, proven expertise has never been clearer.

For airports and aviation organizations confronting these challenges, Mac McCall offers something increasingly rare: the wisdom earned from decades at aviation's sharp edge, combined with the practical insight of someone who has actually held the responsibility when decisions affect millions of passengers and critical national infrastructure. Whether testifying as an expert witness, developing safety management systems, resolving community conflicts, or guiding airports through regulatory compliance, McCall brings the kind of expertise that only comes from having been there when it mattered most.

When your airport faces its defining moment, whether crisis or opportunity, you need more than a consultant. You need someone who has stood in your shoes, made the hard calls, and delivered results when failure wasn't an option. Discover how Mac McCall's unparalleled aviation expertise can guide your organization through its most critical challenges. Learn more at AirBossMac.com or call 928-203-0192 to discuss how four decades of aviation excellence can serve your needs today.