Terrence G. Slaybaugh, a former aviation director at the Rochester, N.Y. airport, has been hired as Dayton’s new director of aviation and will start the job on March 21, Dayton city officials said Monday.

Slaybaugh’s starting salary will be $124,000, up slightly from the $123,968 salary paid to his predecessor, Iftikhar Ahmad, who left in May 2010 to become New Orleans’ director of aviation.

Slaybaugh, 55, will manage the city-owned Dayton International Airport and Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport. Dayton International Airport has nearly completed a five-year, $110 million capital improvement program and served 1.3 million passengers in 2010.

Slaybaugh is currently senior vice president of the Anthony Costello and Son Development Co., of Rochester, N.Y. He served from 1996 to 2006 as director of aviation at Greater Rochester International Airport, which is physically smaller than Dayton International in land area but has a similar level of flight service.

His background in economic development, airport management and pursuing improvements in flight service were keys for Dayton, said Stanley Earley, deputy city manager.

“Air service development and economic development are the twin priorities,” Earley said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.