Internship Spotlight: Long Island MacArthur Airport

Junior, Chas Forte completed an internship with Long Island MacArthur Airport based out of Ronkonkoma, New York. Read on to learn about his experience!

If you’re interested in doing your own internship but don’t know where to start, make an appointment with your Career Advisor by going to Handshake.

What was your internship? My internship was an Airport Management internship at Long Island MacArthur Airport (LIMA). LIMA is an international airport with 4 airlines serving 13 destinations nationwide with connections to worldwide destinations, as well as corporate jet operators.

Why were you initially interested in this internship? I was interested in this internship because as a general aviation pilot I am constantly flying in and out of LIMA, and I figured it would be eye opening to view the back end of the airports operation, that people from the general public cannot experience.

How did you find your internship? I am close friends with an airport supervisor at LIMA, who actually completed the same internship as me in 2018. He recommended I apply for the internship and I was accepted.

What did you do as part of your internship? This internship was a multi faceted internship with a mix of hands on and administrative work. I spent 5 weeks at the airport rotating throughout the 4 departments on the airport which are airport maintenance, airport fire rescue, airport police, and the actual administrative offices of the airport. Each department was unique in their own ways and had so much knowledge and information to offer to me.

Has this internship helped you work towards your future career goals? If so, how? Most definitely, like I mentioned earlier, this internship gave me a different perspective on airport management. I believe that it will be useful as I continue my flight training to become an airline pilot

What was your biggest lesson/takeaway from the internship? My biggest takeaway from the internship was the communication/people skills I took out of it. Traveling is a stressful time for a large majority of the population. This internship allowed me to speak to people, hear their concerns, and attempt to diffuse the problem. On the other hand, I also learned how communication within different departments on the airfield is very important to keep the airport running safely and efficiently.

What advice would you give to someone interested in a similar internship opportunity? I would recommend to reach out to any commercial airport and inquire about an internship. Almost all commercial airports have an internship program that is often overlooked by many applicants, and if they don’t have a program, one could possibly be created. The aviation industry is a very welcoming industry and everyone is willing to help each other to succeed.

By Kevin Deeb
Kevin Deeb Career Advisor