Summer Fallen Notes Pandemic’s Effects on Drake Field Quite the Departure

Summer Fallen, airport services manager at Drake Field in Fayetteville.

Summer Fallen, 32, is making the most of what she calls her second chance. After graduating from high school in Oklahoma, she didn’t pursue a college degree but got a job at Arvest Bank in Fayetteville. She took a job with the city of Fayetteville and slowly worked her way into the position of financial coordinator for the city’s airport, Drake Field. In 2018, she was named Drake’s airport services manager. 

Fallen earned a bachelor of professional studies degree in public relations from Arkansas Tech while pregnant with her second son.

How had the private aviation industry been doing before the last few months and the coronavirus pandemic?

Private aviation has been booming. Individuals who have always had an interest in aviation have recently leaped into aircraft ownership, and there is also more interest in learning how to fly. There are waitlists for hangar space, as well as training at all flight schools and airfields in northwest Arkansas. Business travel continued to grow, much like Fayetteville and surrounding areas.

Drake has experienced an influx of interest in private chartered flights as well. This type of travel is best suited for executives who are able to substantially increase productivity by bypassing the restrictive commercial flight schedules and location limitations.

How has the pandemic affected operations at Drake Field?

Operations for March were comparable to those of March 2019, but April will certainly show more of an impact with aviation events as well all public gatherings being canceled. Locally, the piston general aviation traffic continues to be somewhat active, but the larger business traffic has dramatically dropped. Our military contract also allows training to continue on the field, also benefiting monthly operations.

What will the long-term effects be?

We hope that aviation will bounce back once the pandemic restrictions are raised, but there is no way to know. I do believe that the aviation industry will return to some sort of resemblance of the past routine, but will be more cautious.

What safety precautions are in place for airport employees?

We, as a city and an airport, have been following CDC guidelines, placed restrictions on public access, and continue to sanitize frequently. Drake Field has 10 employees. Two are working from home on an intermittent schedule, and secondary duties have been assigned to staff who remain onsite. There have been no furloughs, nor do we expect to have to take that route.

You have two young children (ages 9 and 4) and you’re working from home. How is it going?

It is going surprisingly well. Luckily, my children are both understanding about my responsibilities to the airport. My husband, Scott, and I have been able to come up with creative ways to keep them busy. Maverick, my oldest son, is also taking part in digital learning, so he understands how important being able to work in a quiet environment is. My team at Drake has been fantastic. Their ability to adapt really makes the day-to-day seamless.

What was your biggest mistake and what did you learn from it?

The biggest mistake was not finishing college after I graduated high school. Luckily, I was blessed with an exceptional supervisor who encouraged me to give school another shot. I received my bachelor’s degree three weeks before my second son was born, while working full time and having a 5-year-old at home. From this, I learned that we must be thankful for second chances to succeed.