🙏 Inside Tucson Airport's Hidden Operations & Easter's Radical Message: Buckmaster Show Reveals Common Ground in Divided Times
From Death to Resurrection: Father Scott Gunn's 59-Minute Miracle at Singapore Airport - Episcopal leader shares his brush with mortality and how it transformed his ministry during Holy Week.
Based on the Buckmaster Show for 4/17/25, a daily radio show in Tucson, AZ, interviewing local newsmakers. Analysis and opinions are my own.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🎙️ Bill Buckmaster's radio show had two main parts. First, Adam Kretschmer explained how Tucson's airport works behind the scenes. He takes care of everything from fixing special fire trucks 🚒 to making sure no birds 🐦 or coyotes 🐺 get near airplanes ✈️. The airport is getting new carpet and chairs soon 🪑.
Then, two church leaders ⛪️ talked about Easter 🐣 and how important it is to be kind to people even when we disagree with them. One of them, Father Scott, actually died for almost an hour in an airport but doctors brought him back to life! ⛑️ Both conversations showed how important it is to have places where different people can come together safely 🤝.
🗝️ Takeaways
🛩️ Tucson International Airport spans 8,000 acres with a maintenance team overseeing everything from million-dollar fire trucks to runway lights, all to ensure traveler safety
💺 A major terminal makeover is coming this summer, replacing brown carpet and iconic orange seats with brighter lighting and navy blue chairs
🚒 Airport fire trucks utilize specialized $4,000 tires that cannot be repaired; they must be entirely replaced when damaged.
🌊 The airport can't have standing water for more than 48 hours - not because of mosquitoes, but because water attracts birds that endanger aircraft
💓 Father Scott Gunn shared his "miracle" survival story of being clinically dead for 59 minutes at Singapore Airport three years ago
🤝 Both airport operations and Holy Week reflections highlight our need for common spaces where different perspectives can safely coexist
Behind the Scenes at Tucson International and Holy Week Reflections: The Buckmaster Show Dives Deep
In the swirling dust of another windy Tucson Thursday—a meteorological condition that host Bill Buckmaster admitted he "does not like" with characteristic understatement—the veteran broadcaster once again assembled an eclectic and enlightening ensemble of guests for his April 17th broadcast.
Buckmaster's show broadcasts from the Green Things Zocalo Village Studio, part of the expanding Bustos Media empire in central Tucson. The show takes listeners from the tarmac to the transcendent, with conversations spanning airport operations and Easter reflections.
The Invisible Infrastructure of Flight: Adam Kretschmer Pulls Back the Curtain
First up was Adam Kretschmer, Director of Operations and Maintenance at Tucson International Airport, who revealed the massive undertaking behind what most travelers experience as just another boring terminal wait. As Buckmaster astutely noted, Kretschmer oversees "8,000 acres, huge footprint"—a reminder that our public infrastructure occupies vast spaces we rarely contemplate while scrolling through our phones at the gate.
Kretschmer oversees an impressive empire that stretches from "roadway to runway," managing everything from the terminal carpet (finally bidding farewell to that 1970s brown aesthetic that's haunted travelers for decades) to specialized fire trucks costing nearly a million dollars each. It turns out that massive airport fire engines roll on tires priced at $4,000 apiece—a price tag that makes your average Costco tire purchase seem like pocket change.
"They're about $4,000 right now," Kretschmer explained when Buckmaster asked about replacement costs. "It's not the standard fire truck tire that you see rolling around. It's a very specialized military grade tire."
The airport maintenance team maintains a fleet of up to 200 vehicles, handles landscaping across thousands of acres, and ensures that the two-mile-long runway remains immaculately free of even the tiniest debris. As Kretschmer explained, even small rocks can be catastrophic for aircraft engines, particularly for those low-to-the-ground F-16 air intakes that operate on the shared military-civilian airfield.
"We have the F-16s that operate on our airfields," Kretschmer noted. "Their air intakes on engines are very low to the ground. So they're very sensitive to even small rocks and that sort of thing. So we have street sweepers that go along our airfield daily and clean up any debris, rocks, or sticks that might blow out there."
Perhaps most fascinating was learning about the airport's wildlife management requirements. The airport cannot have standing water for more than 48 hours—not because of mosquito concerns, as one might assume, but because water attracts birds, which pose serious hazards to aircraft.
"What we don't want is standing water on the airport because it's going to attract wildlife," Kretschmer explained. "And wildlife is a big hazard to aircraft, especially birds. And if you have standing water, you're going to attract birds."
Similarly, coyotes roaming the property must be kept far from the runways through constant vigilance and "harassment" techniques—a reminder that our built environments are always in tension with the natural world, especially in the desert Southwest, where water is increasingly precious.
One wonders if the airport's water management policies might offer lessons for our drought-stricken region's broader approach to water conservation. When it affects flight schedules and bottom lines, suddenly water management becomes non-negotiable. Imagine if we applied the same urgency to the rest of our parched landscape.
For travelers weary of the terminal's dated aesthetics, relief is coming this summer with a complete makeover. "We're changing that completely to a lighter color," Kretschmer said about the carpet. "And the lighting too," he added, explaining that they're "upgrading to a higher Kelvin lighting, which is more of a daylight temperature lighting."
And those iconic orange chairs that have supported weary travelers' posteriors for generations? "They are going as well," Kretschmer assured, with dark navy blue replacements on the way. The roadways will also be repaved, ensuring a smoother journey for all—at least until you have to squeeze into economy class.
The airport maintenance operation runs nearly round-the-clock, with staff on call 24/7 for emergencies. "We don't like to send anything away because that just adds time and takes away from the customer experience, ultimately," Kretschmer explained about their in-house repair approach. It's a refreshing customer-first philosophy in an era when most airlines seem to view passengers as inconvenient cargo that inexplicably demands legroom.
From Death to Resurrection: Fathers Hendrickson and Gunn on Finding Common Ground
The second segment took a spiritual turn with Father Robert Hendrickson from St. Phillips in the Hills Episcopal Church and his guest, Father Scott Gunn, executive director of Forward Movement. Their conversation, appropriately timed during Holy Week and Passover, moved from the miraculous to the mundane and back again.
Father Scott shared his remarkable "Act II" story of literally dying in Singapore Airport three years ago—his heart stopping for an astonishing 59 minutes before being revived. "I collapsed, whacked my head on the ground, and it took people doing CPR 59 minutes to get me going again," he recounted matter-of-factly.
His full recovery has baffled doctors, with many acknowledging it could only be described as a "miracle." "I cannot tell you how many doctors have looked at my medical chart and said the only possible way I could be fully recovered is a literal miracle," Gunn shared. "It has to be divine intervention."
Even for the skeptics among us, there's something profoundly moving about the human body's resilience and the dedication of strangers who refused to give up on another human being. In our individualistic society, perhaps the true miracle is that we still sometimes care enough to save each other.
This brush with mortality has given him a profound sense of gratitude and urgency that infuses his ministry. "I'll just be walking around and suddenly look at the world, whether it's a beautiful nature scene or a strip mall and say, wow, I am so blessed and grateful to be alive right now," Father Gunn reflected. "What a joy."
The dialogue explored the significance of Maundy Thursday (derived from the Latin "mandatum" or command, referring to Jesus's commandment to "love one another") and the challenge of living this command in today's polarized society. As Father Robert eloquently noted, this pursuit of love isn't unique to our divisive era—humans have always struggled with this divine directive.
"It's very tempting in a kind of self-involved kind of way to think, oh, these times are so uniquely terrible," Father Robert observed. "But we're always drawing historical antecedents or precedents to compare them to. So you go back through history. There aren't very many eras in history where, like, well, that was a good time. You know, there's plagues, wars, famines, schism, heresy, whatever it is, crusades, whatever."
There's something both comforting and disturbing in recognizing that human divisiveness isn't new—comforting because it means we're not uniquely broken, disturbing because after thousands of years, we still haven't figured out how to truly love one another across our differences. Perhaps our most sustainable renewable resource is our capacity for dehumanizing those we disagree with.
Father Scott emphasized Easter's 50-day season (compared to Christmas's mere 12 days) and the radical message at its core: that God's love is sovereign and "grace and mercy always have the last word, not evil and death."
"On Good Friday, it looked like the Roman Empire had prevailed; they executed Jesus like a common criminal," Father Scott explained. "On Easter Sunday, when Jesus walked out of the tomb, it showed that God's love has the last word, that grace and mercy always have the last word, not evil and death."
Perhaps most poignantly, both clergymen reflected on how churches might serve as one of the last gathering places where people across political divides can find common ground. Father Robert noted that faith communities offer a rebounding in shared reality in a world of individually curated news feeds and fractured realities.
"We have a kind of fracturing of a shared sense of reality," Father Robert observed. "So we're all watching different news, and it's gotten to the point where there's just about an individual news station for every individual. And it's almost not an exaggeration when you think of the way our news is curated for us."
He continued with an insight that transcends religious boundaries: "So it's almost impossible to have a common, starting place, a basis of fact from which you can have an honest discussion. And so what the church offers is not just a sort of place for dialogue or a kind of alternative to that, but it offers a rebounding in the reality."
In an era when tech billionaires profit from our division through algorithms designed to maximize engagement through outrage, there's something revolutionary about physical spaces where diverse humans still gather face-to-face. Whether it's houses of worship, public libraries, or—yes—airports, these commons deserve our protection and investment.
The Cosmic and the Commercial: Infrastructure Visible and Invisible
The juxtaposition of these segments—airport operations and spiritual reflection—might seem random, but they share a common thread: both reveal the invisible infrastructure that supports our visible lives. Whether it's the maintenance crew ensuring no standing water attracts birds to runways or the spiritual traditions that remind us to look beyond our differences, both aim to keep us safely connected to one another.
Kretschmer's team operates as an invisible army, ensuring that everything from that boarding gate light bulb to the two-mile runway remains in perfect working order. "If you've been there, you know that it's kind of a darker brown color," he said about the terminal carpet scheduled for replacement. It's a minor detail that thousands walk across daily without contemplation, yet someone must make decisions about every such detail.
The specialized nature of airport maintenance was particularly striking—you can't simply pop down to Ace Hardware for a runway light bulb or patch a fire truck tire with a plug. "You can't go to Ace Hardware and say, I need a runway. Would you have a runway light bulb?" Buckmaster joked. These critical systems require dedicated teams of specialists available 24/7, from electricians monitoring thousands of runway lights to mechanics capable of servicing million-dollar emergency vehicles.
Tucson's airport also hosts unexpected tenants, including Rolls-Royce, which uses a 747 to test engines and biofuels, and several maintenance facilities servicing everything from regional jets to business aircraft. "They test biofuels and sensors and all sorts of different aircraft-related products," Kretschmer noted about the Rolls-Royce operation.
The irony doesn't escape us that luxury brands like Rolls-Royce are now developing biofuels after decades of contributing to the climate crisis. When profit opportunities align with planetary survival, suddenly corporations discover their environmental conscience.
Cosmic Banquets and Terminal Makeovers: Finding Hope in Renewal
As we approach Easter Sunday and Passover, Father Robert's metaphor of faith as an invitation to a "cosmic banquet" resonates deeply. "Sometimes you're deeply thankful for who's there and what you're eating. Sometimes you're not so thankful, but nonetheless, you're still called to love one another at that table," he reflected, capturing both the challenge and promise of community in polarized times.
"We're being called to sort of one table together," he continued. "We're being called by God, who has called each and every one of us to that table. And so remembering that in our partisan pushes to view one another through a lens of skepticism, distrust, or hatred, that we're always being called back to look at people through the lens of God's love and not through the lens of our fear."
Meanwhile, the airport's upcoming aesthetic transformation—shedding brown carpet and orange chairs for brighter, more modern designs—serves as a fitting parallel to the season's themes of renewal and resurrection. Both invite us to imagine transformed spaces, whether physical terminals or our internal landscapes of fear and division.
Father Scott emphasized that every person "reflects the glory of God" and deserves dignity regardless of political affiliation. "If I say, well, so-and-so is my enemy, I don't like their politics, they're my enemy. Well, guess what? Jesus says, love your enemy," he reminded listeners. It's a challenge that transcends religious boundaries—how do we maintain our commitments to justice while still recognizing the humanity in those we oppose?
Progressive movements sometimes struggle with this balance—fighting systems of oppression while avoiding dehumanizing opponents. The airport analogy might help us here: we can remove debris from runways without destroying the entire airfield; we can replace what's worn out while maintaining the essential infrastructure of democracy and dialogue.
Join the Conversation: Supporting Independent Progressive Media
As we navigate runway and resurrection this weekend, may we all find moments of gratitude for the visible and invisible work that keeps our journeys safe. The Buckmaster Show continues to provide thoughtful conversations that connect the practical with the profound—a rare combination in today's fragmented media landscape.
At Three Sonorans, we're committed to continuing this tradition of deeply reported, thoughtfully analyzed local journalism that connects our community's immediate concerns with broader questions of justice, sustainability, and shared humanity. Like airport maintenance, our work requires consistent resources and community support to continue serving the public interest.
Consider supporting Three Sonorans with a monthly contribution that helps us maintain independent, progressive media in Southern Arizona. Whether it's $5, $10, or more per month, your support ensures we can continue bringing you the perspectives and investigations that corporate media overlooks.
What infrastructure—physical or social—do you think needs urgent renewal in our community? And how might we better bridge the divides that Father Robert identified as "a fracturing of a shared sense of reality"?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let's continue the conversation about both the visible and invisible structures that shape our shared journey through this beautiful, challenging desert community.
Quotes
Adam Kretschmer on wildlife management: "What we don't want is standing water on the airport because it's going to attract wildlife. And wildlife are a big hazard to aircraft, especially birds." (Revealing how environmental management at airports prioritizes flight safety over other concerns)
Adam Kretschmer on emergency response: "Our fire department has to respond to the incident, dispensing firefighting agent within three minutes." (Showcasing the high standards required for airport safety)
Father Scott Gunn on his near-death experience: "I cannot tell you how many doctors have looked at my medical chart and said the only possible way I could be fully recovered is a literal miracle. It has to be divine intervention." (Controversial claim about divine intervention in medical outcomes)
Father Robert Hendrickson on polarization: "We have a kind of fracturing of a shared sense of reality. So we're all watching different news, and it's gotten to the point where there's just about an individual news station for every individual." (Commentary on media fragmentation and its social impacts)
Father Scott Gunn on Easter's message: "On Good Friday, it looked like the Roman Empire had prevailed; they executed Jesus like a common criminal. On Easter Sunday, when Jesus walked out of the tomb, it showed that God's love has the last word, that grace and mercy always have the last word, not evil and death." (Progressive theological framing of Easter as triumph over imperial power)
Father Robert Hendrickson on historical perspective: "It's very tempting in a kind of self-involved kind of way to think, oh, these times are so uniquely terrible. But we're always drawing historical antecedents or precedents to compare them to." (Challenging the notion that current divisiveness is unprecedented)
People Mentioned and Memorable Quotes
Bill Buckmaster - Host of the Buckmaster Show, in his 15th year of radio broadcasting: "It's no secret I do not like windy, dusty days, but who does?"
Adam Kretschmer, Director of Operations and Maintenance at Tucson International Airport, says, "My motto is roadway to runway. That's what we're responsible for."
Father Robert Hendrickson - Rector at St. Phillips in the Hills Episcopal Church: "We're being called to sort of one table together... remembering that in our partisan pushes to view one another through a lens of skepticism, distrust or hatred, that we're always being called back to look at people through the lens of God's love and not through the lens of our fear."
Father Scott Gunn - Executive Director of Forward Movement: "I'll just be walking around and suddenly look at the world, whether it's a beautiful nature scene or a strip mall, and say, wow, I am so blessed and grateful to be alive right now. What a joy."
Father Joe Ferguson - Mentioned as an upcoming guest for the next show.
John Kmiec- Mentioned as the director of Tucson Water and an upcoming interviewee.
Rolls-Royce - Mentioned as a tenant at the airport that tests airplane engines and biofuels on a 747.
Have a scoop or a story you want us to follow up on? Send us a message!
