In Conversation with Teterboro Director and GM Cameron Spanfelner

In August 2024, Cameron Spanfelner joined Jet Aviation as Director and General Manager of our Teterboro FBO facility. Situated at one of the busiest business aviation terminals in the world, Cameron and his team oversee hundreds of flights departing and arriving every single day. We recently caught up with Cameron to learn more about his journey and how the role has been so far.

What drove you into the aviation industry?

My journey into aviation started with my mother. She drove me into this industry. She worked for a commercial airline, and she was actually pregnant with me while working there. Growing up, I was around that environment all the time, as I frequently went to work with her. I was able to go inside of an aircraft and explore it. At some point, I got to step into the cockpit as a little boy — that is what hooked me into aviation.

Tell us about your background and what led you to this role.

In high school, I worked at an FBO as a line technician for several years, handling day-to-day operations. After graduating high school, I packed my car the next day and drove to South Florida where I worked at FBOs on the line while pursuing my pilots rating. During this time, I crashed at a friend’s house and slept on his couch for three months while earning my certifications.  

I continued working at the FBO on the line for years. Eventually, I gained my pilots license, and an opportunity came up to move into operations within the air medical industry. There, I worked for eight years in different management roles.

I then took on a General Manager position in Rhode Island, which gave me the experience and exposure I needed. When I came across the job posting for Teterboro, I applied, which led me here.
 

How has the experience been so far?

It has been a great experience so far. Things are definitely busy — which is something that was very well known coming into this. Every day the job is fascinating because you come into work, and you have a list of things that you plan on completing and along the way there are many curve balls. Many different things can be thrown at you from multiple departments, whether it’s a customer, a tenant, or operations; so, you’re constantly finding yourself having to be resilient and agile, while remaining task oriented and staying on track with administrative responsibilities. 

What has been your favorite part about this role so far?

No two days have been the same, and that is something I truly love about this role. I could have continued going down the pilot’s route, but I realized I preferred operations because of the variety. Your day changes dramatically at any moment, and I enjoy the idea of every day being different. Operations throws a mix of challenges at you daily, which keeps things exciting.

What does operational excellence look like for the team at our Teterboro FBO?

Operational excellence takes the whole team. We have a strong management team under me that keeps the day-to-day operations running. We measure excellence through different metrics and KPIs that track business performance. My team and I meet on a regular basis, once a week, to ensure we keep momentum and control here. We try to excel in everything we do. Excellence comes down to the proper training of our teams at all levels. We strive to keep the channels of communication wide open. I’d say that is one of the largest things with our team is that, with the size of the operation and everything that goes on, the lines of communication have to be open to the whole group.

How do we leave a lasting impression for our customers who sometimes spend minimal time at the FBO?

We do a couple of things. It’s all about the first impression — from the moment the door drops, it’s the person at the end of the stairs greeting them. We rely on our ambassadors for that initial interaction. Depending on the individual coming in, we may also have leadership involved. Even if a customer is in the lobby for five minutes, the lobby is bright and clean. We provide a seamless experience, helping our customers transition through the lobby to get to their vehicles. It is a very hands-on, personalized approach for every visitor.

What are the biggest challenges in maintaining efficiency and service quality?

Volume. Teterboro is the busiest FBO. In Europe, the systems are different. You must have prior permission to arrive, where slot systems regulate traffic. The US has not adapted to that model. Some FBOs in the region are implementing it independently to anticipate traffic, but otherwise, managing the service level here is a challenge. In September, we saw nearly 160 arrivals a day.

To handle this, we do everything from bringing additional staff across the network to help us with those peak times, to implementing reservation fees to help encourage customers and clients to make reservations so that they’re not just popping in. The team is trained ahead of time, and we communicate with them so that they are well aware of when those peak times are, and we can ensure that our team is on their A-game for those peak periods. But it’s all volume and that’s our biggest challenge here in Teterboro — volume and keeping those excellence service standards when we’re facing 160 arrivals in one day. It’s tough, and we see that every September.

Looking ahead, do you have any goals set for this year, either personally or professionally?

Absolutely. I came into this organization halfway through the year in August, so I had five months to close out the year. Now that I have my bearings and my arms wrapped around our operations, my goal is to drive our Teterboro facility to be not just the busiest FBO in the world, but the best. With the high volume we handle, and with it being the busiest business aviation airport in the world, there comes multiple challenges, and we really want to make sure that we’re providing the best customer experience and delivering on our promise. Now that I’ve learned what levers pull and the backstory here, this year, we’re looking to execute, making sure that we have the right people in the right roles who will deliver on our promise of excellence, with passion.

After a busy day in Teterboro, what does life look like outside for you?

My family. I truly enjoy spending time with my little ones. They keep me grounded and they know how to wipe the day away and reset me after a long week, especially my five-year-old. My reset for the week is seeing my kids, who help me unwind and refocus.