Airport Overview

Airport Manager, Rod DeWinkler
Rod DeWinkler studied business administration while attending Wichita State University where he was part of the University’s rowing crew team. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in marketing, Rod pursued his passion of flying and eventually earned his single and multi-engine commercial pilot’s certificate with instrument and CL65 type ratings. Rod has worked for three different airlines in roles ranging from ramp, ticket counter, operations and as an airport station manager. Rod began his career with the City of Kansas City, Missouri in August 2009 where he has spent all his time at the Downtown Airport. He began as an airport operations agent until he was promoted in October 2010 to aviation manager. In November 2022, he was promoted to senior aviation manager where he has been fulfilling the role of assistant airport manager.

As the airport manager, Rod directs and leads a staff of highly experienced operations and maintenance personnel at the Downtown Airport. Rod establishes specific areas of responsibilities for producing operations and security training materials for airport employees, tenants, and construction personnel. On a daily basis, the airport management team collaborates with other City of Kansas City divisions to meet with tenants, engineers, contractors, and other government agencies to discuss, plan, organize or resolve issues of mutual interest.

Assistant Airport Manager, Dan Dietz
With over 15 years of dedicated aviation experience, Dan Dietz brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Kansas City Downtown airport.  Dan's educational background is distinguished by a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, an Associate Arts degree in Aviation Flight also from SIUC, and a Master of Business Administration in Airport Management from the University of Central Missouri, where he was the first graduate of the program.  Dan holds a Commercial Pilot certificate with Multi-engine and Instrument ratings, along with an Airframe and Power Plant certificate. His career is marked by a diverse range of roles within the aviation industry. He served as Airport Manager at Skyhaven Airport in Warrensburg for seven years, where he also contributed as an Adjunct Professor for the University of Central Missouri. Additionally, Dan has worked as a Safety Administrator with TWA/American Airlines and held various line service positions. 

As the Assistant Airport Manager, Dan assists in overseeing airport operations, ensuring the safety and efficiency of runways, taxiways, and airfield conditions. He is responsible for coordinating activities with crash-rescue services, developing emergency procedures, and ensuring compliance with FAA Part 139 regulations. Dan also leads and mentors the operations department while maintaining the Airport Certification Manual and Airport Emergency Plan.

Kansas City Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is currently undergoing a Master Plan update. Master Plan Studies must be conducted periodically at most U.S. airports in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations. A Master Plan is a proactive document that identifies and then plans for future facility needs to ensure that airport management can coordinate project approvals, design, financing, and construction to avoid experiencing detrimental effects due to inadequate facilities. The ultimate goal of the study is to provide systematic guidelines for the airport’s overall maintenance, development, and operation. The MKC Master Plan is expected to be complete in Fall 2024. More information is available at the project website, MKC.AirportStudy.net.

As part of the Master Plan efforts, an economic impact study began in 2023 and finished in March 2024. This study showed that MKC supports nearly 2,800 jobs, resulting in $251 million in payroll, with the total regional economic impact surpassing $625 million. Read the economic impact news release.