Brent Cagles task at Charlotte Douglas airport: Stepping out of Jerry Orrs shadow

A year into his job running Charlottes airport, Brent Cagle is overseeing $1 billion worth of construction and coordinating with the worlds largest airline. But his biggest challenge may be more personal: stepping out of his predecessors shadow.

Longtime Aviation Director Jerry Orr was fired or resigned on July 18, 2013, depending on whose version of events you believe. Since then, Cagle has had to oversee construction of new parking decks and roads, deal with a merged American Airlines and worry about state legislation that could transfer control of the airport from the Charlotte City Council to an independent commission.

From 1989 until a year ago, Charlotte Douglas was Jerrys airport.

Airport employees and government officials still refer to Orr by his first name. When he left last year, state Sen. Bob Rucho, one of the legislators pushing to remove the airport from City Council control, called Orr the only person who knows how to run the airport.

And Orr, now retired, says he would come back to run the airport if given the chance.

Cagle, though, said he thinks Charlotte Douglas is starting to move past Orrs blueprint.

More and more, yes, were transitioning from What would Jerry have done? to How can we move forward? he said. I do believe that more of the decisions that are being made by myself and from the leadership team are unencumbered by the what-ifs Well, what if Jerry wouldnt have done it that way? Its hard to manage looking over your shoulder.

Still, the future is murky. After a year on the job, Cagle remains saddled with the interim title. And the controversy over who will run the airport remains in court, with no resolution in sight.

Cagle is both the citys interim aviation director and the commissions interim executive director, even though the commission has no power, for now.

$1B worth of projects

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Brent Cagles task at Charlotte Douglas airport: Stepping out of Jerry Orrs shadow