Guest Blog: Air Traveling with Nikki and Laura

Today we continue our guest blog series regarding air traveling with a disability.  Our guest blogger today, Laura has had a mobility impairment from birth.    She’s a private dog trainer living in Eastern Lancaster County, helping others with disabilities train service dogs. And, in the process she helps others learn to advocate for themselves, and considers this the best part of her job.  She has a passion for writing and music.  She creatively authored today's guest post from the perspective of her service dog, Nikki.

Nikki and Laura write for fly HIA blog about their shared experiences traveling as a woman with a mobility disability and service dog and the gals share some fantastic tips that have made flying less stressful for them.

Guest Bloggers, Laura and Nikki

Hi, everybody! 

Normally my person, Laura McLean, is the writer.  She’s a service dog trainer.  She helps people like herself who want a service dog find and train them.  She can teach dogs like me to do all kinds of cool things to make people with disabilities lives easier.  She has a her own blog where she talks about life with me and what it’s like to have cerebral palsy.  In her case it mostly affects her ability to walk   Like I said normally she does all the writing but since this is about me and some of my friends she said it would be ok for me to talk with you just this once.   I am so excited.   I am Nikki the wonder dog and I am nine years old.  I have been Laura’s service partner for seven years but I have been her buddy my whole life.  I have a lot to say because she rarely lets me speak my mind.  I have to be honest with you all though right up front.  I have never been on an airplane myself.  Laura has flown out of HIA several times.  She wants me to tell you that she’s kind of a nervous flyer and when she is nervous that makes me unsettled and that’s why I’ve never been on a plane.  But I have lots of service dog buddies who love flying with their partners.  So we decided to ask them for some stories and tips for a safe and enjoyable trip.  We worked together and came up with a list of things we think are the most important things you should know if you are flying with your service animal or are on a flight with someone who is.

It’s very important for you to let the airline know when your book your flight that you will be traveling with a service dog.  The airline staff will often ask for your dog’s weight.  It helps the staff to help you pick the best seat for everyone to be comfortable.    You can of course pick any seat you like but it is the law that we cannot block the aisles.  Keep that in mind when picking your seat.   I weigh all of 36lbs.  I am smaller mobility dog and even I take up a lot of room when I am in the mood to stretch out and relax.   My friend Nugget is a Great Dane.  When she and her partner fly he actually buys her a seat so she has extra floor space to be relaxed.  What a great Dad!!

 

Leave yourself and your service animal plenty of time to get where you need to be rushing isn’t advisable when traveling for anyone.  But having a service animal is in some ways like having a child.  You should always plan for the unexpected.  Airports are busy noisy places and even the most well trained service dog needs a little time to adjust.  Our friends who travel often told us the earlier you can get to the airport the better is for both you and your dog!  It’s best not to feed us before the flight to prevent upset stomachs and accidents.  No one wants that!  It is also not a good idea to medicate your dog before a flight without the advice of her vet.  Some medicines react differently at higher altitudes.

Airport security is very important these days.  We all have to go through it.  Service dogs too!!   According to my friend Ranger and his partner it helps to tell the staff that he is a service dog and NOT a pet.  Use that exact phrase. It is very important to have your service dog under control in the area.  For my Furry friends this means we have to be on out best behavior.  TSA staff may want to touch you or have you walk through a machine or wave a wand the beeps over you.  They may want to inspect your leash vest or collar.  Don’t worry they won’t take them off, and you won’t have to leave your person. They want to make sure everyone is safe.  For our partners please help the TSA by telling them how this can be accomplished in the easiest and safest way possible.  Ranger and his Dad also told us that it is important for your dog to take his bathroom breaks before going through security because if you take your dog out after the security check you and your dog will need to do it again.  Thanks for the tips guys.

Once it's time to board your flight you and your partner will often be afforded the opportunity to board first.  This will give you both a few extra minutes to find your seats and get settled in before the other travelers’ board.  Then you’ll both be all set for take off.

Some other important tips we learned in talking to our friends about their best and worst trips

Always have id on your dog and travel with a copy of his or her medical information just in case.

Have extra supplies for your dog in your carry on the same way you pack for yourself.  Cause even the dogs bags get lost sometimes.

Fly nonstop whenever you can.  No one wants to be rushing through a crowded busy airport with a service dog in tow.  It’s a disaster waiting to happen.  I am not a dog who likes to be rushed so running to make a connection doesn’t sound like fun to me.

In closing, Laura and I would like to remind you that you are the best advocate for yourself and your dog.  It is important to remember that the staff is there to assist you in making your travel experience a pleasant one.  In the event that you need something or a problem arises ASK for HELP.  Approach problems or issues with a cool head.  It makes it easier to get what issues resolved and makes life easier for everybody.

Happy travels,

Nikki, the wonder dog and friends 


Thank you, Nikki and Laura, for sharing your experiences with us and our readers!  Are you a traveler with a service animal and/or mobility disability - what tips might you have to share that compliment those offered by our guest blogger today?

The Beginnings of MDT (1917-1969)

David Vanderhoof, Aviation Historian

We'd like to introduce, David Vanderhoof, an avid aviation historian from here in Pennsylvania that graciously agreed to guest blog a 2-part series on the history of Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), also known as HIA.  David maintains an interesting historical blog and a podcast due to his love of aviation.


Many of you may be familiar with David as one of the hosts and commentators on the popular aviation podcast, Airplane Geeks!  On the weekly podcast David shares his bits of aviation history with the audience.  Today you're his audience as we begin part one, enjoy! 

Harrisburg International Airport is located on the Susquehanna River.  It has had a long history with aviation as well as a long runway! 

But why does the tag on my bag say MDT when I am at HIA? 

The story of HIA starts in 1917 with the United States Army Signal Corps adding an airfield to the Middletown Facility.   The Signal Corp actually had been on the site since 1898.  Next to supply depot, a grass field was put in place.  By 1918, the first aircraft were landing and taking off at Middletown Airfield. Curtis JN1s or Jennys filled the field.  The Middletown facility became a strategic supply depot supporting the U.S. efforts in World War I. Machine shops for engines and woodshops for fuselages.  Fabric for wings.  A nest for the fledgling air service.  The base continued its work post war.

In 1922, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was formed and one of its most important bases was the Middletown Air Depot.   During the thirties, it continued to grow and add more warehouses and storage facilities.  Eventually the Middletown Airfield became the Olmstead Army Airfield. 

Olmstead AAF was named after 1^st Lieutenant Robert Stanford Olmstead who was killed in the line of duty.  Olmstead was an accomplished aeronaut, and the U.S. Army entered the Army Balloon S6 into the prestigious 1923 Gordon Bennett Cup.  The Bennett Cup was, at the time, equivalent to F1 or NASCAR Racing.   The ’23 race was a nightmare due to the weather.   Olmstead and his partner, 1^st Lieutenant John Shoptaw, launched and were immediately thrown by wind into another unlaunched Belgian Balloon the Ville de Bruxelles.  The Belgian’s netting was cut by the S6’s gondola and couldn’t take off.  The S6 seemed to be ok, and Shoptaw  and Olmstead climbed into darkened thunderclouds on September 23, 1923.  After surviving the harrowing takeoff, the S6 and its crew were struck by lightning three hours later.  The Balloon and gondola caught fire and crashed near the town of Loosbroek in the Netherlands.   Neither Olmstead nor Shoptaw survived the crash. 

Olmstead Army Air Field was, again, another strategic base during the conflict in World War II.  Numerous Transport and Reconnaissance squadrons arrived at Olmstead AAF to pick up their aircraft before heading to the European Theatre of Operations.  If you looked at the flight line in 1943, you would see C-47s, C-54s, and all sorts of P-38s and P-51s. 

After the war, the base continued to be a facility with strong ties to logistics.  In 1947, with the creation of the United States Air Force, the facility again changed its name to become Olmstead Air Force Base. 

Olmstead became a hub for supplies and made a serious contribution to OPERATION VITTLES, the airlift during the Berlin Blockade.  While not actually providing the food shipments, Olmstead provided the support for the transports making the runs.  Engines, overhaul equipment fuel supplies all the necessary logistics to support a major airlift.  They also served as the depot for all the medical supplies sent to support the mission.  During that time, much of that was airlifted, was by the 64^th Troop Carrier Squadron flying Curtis C-46 Commandos.

For the remainder of the 50’s through to the late 60’s the base remained part of the Air Force Logistics Command  (AFLC) and was the prime support base for the Northrop T-38 Talon and the L-27/U-3 “Blue Canoe”.  These were two very important aircraft that trained and supported the modernizing USAF.

In order to reduce costs due to the on going Vietnam War, a decision was made by the Pentagon to inactivate the facility. This became effective June 30^th 1969.   The base was transferred over to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.  Thus changing from Olmstead Air Force base to Olmstead Air National Guard Base.   

In Part II, we will focus on the 70’s through to the current times.

Thanks for reading along on our historical MDT journey.  What questions might you have regarding the facts that David shared in his post?

Works Cited

Francillon, René J. The Air Guard. Austin: Aerofax, 1983. Print.

"Harrisburg Air National Guard Base." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

Jackson, Donald Dale. The Aeronauts. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life, 1980. Print.

p144-145

Vaeth, J. Gordon. They Sailed the Skies: U.S. Navy Balloons and the Airship Program. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute, 2005. Print.

Williams, Nicolas M. Aircraft of the United States' Military Air Transport Service. Leicester: Midland Limited, 1999. Print.

"The WILMER LOWER STULTZ Page of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register Website." Welcome to the Website of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

Guest Blog: Air Traveling with John

Today's Guest Blogger, John.

Today we continue our guest blog series regarding air traveling with a disability.  Our guest blogger today, John has traveled around the United States and internationally, he enjoys writing, traveling, and in his "own small way" advancing the lives of those with disabilities all over the world.

Today John writes for fly HIA blog about his experiences traveling as a blind man and shares some fantastic tips that have made flying less stressful for him.

Air travel has been, for the most part, easy for me. I’ve not gotten to do nearly as much of it as I might like, but I suppose I do have more experience than many.

My first flight aboard a commercial airliner occurred on May 11, 1990. I was headed from Charlotte North Carolina, my hometown, to Los Angeles California to compete in the Braille Institute Olympics. There were approximately five other students with blindness or low vision and a nearly equal number of chaperones. I remember the aircraft tour we’d been given the prior Tuesday, and all of the newspaper and TV reporters tagging along to view our reaction. I also got some wings pinned onto my chest and a delicious bag of peanuts.

As we prepared to board for actual departure, the person who assisted me was rather jovial. "So, you're going to Mexico?" he asked, sounding quite serious. "No, I'm supposed to go to Los Angeles" I replied. "Oh yeah? Well I've been told to put you on a plane to Mexico." Nearly starting to cry, I tried to get away from this madman, but he just laughed and guided me forward.

While that guy was doubtless joking, I have unfortunately encountered some individuals who were clueless and refused to listen to my instructions, supposedly perceiving me less knowledgeable even of my own travel situation. While in Dallas Fort Worth and Chicago O’Hare, I attempted to display my boarding pass as we sped along toward an unknown gate. Each time the agent with whom I was paired failed to look, and thus each time I ended up in some far-flung section. So if asked what my single most important piece of advice to airport workers when encountering travelers with disabilities would be, I’d say don’t assume the person has no capability of speaking for himself or understanding what is going on. Always ask questions and be willing to listen to and act on the answers.

My initial solo trip occurred in 2004, destination New York’s La Guardia Airport. In preparation, I’d looked up relevant information about ground transportation, and was thus able to effectively communicate where I needed the agents to take me once I had disembarked from the aircraft. This time, my flight originated from Greensboro, NC’s Piedmont Triad International Airport and was aboard a smaller, much louder, regional jet. In Greensboro, no one offered assistance when the flight was called so I had to just get up and follow the crowd from where I was seated in the terminal out onto the jet bridge, and down to the stairs and the waiting flight attendant. Therein lies a tip for persons with disabilities who are traveling: if no agent comes to assist you when the boarding calls are initiated, be assertive enough to make sure that you get onto that plane. Given how much they have going on as departure approaches, it is very easy for you to be forgotten by an agent, even if he or she has promised to come get you at the proper time.

I have continued to travel to airports near and far, including trips to Flint Michigan, Denver, Reno Nevada, Boston four times (my favorite city!), and to my only international destination, Madrid Spain. Entering a country in which people generally do not speak one’s native language can be overwhelming for anyone, but when that individual may need assistance after leaving the aircraft and in searching for those who are there to collect him, it causes a great deal more stress. My first time over there went relatively smoothly, as the agent with whom I was paired knew English well enough to understand me. However the second time was a little dicier. As the flight attendant communicated my situation to her in rapid Spanish, I heard her reply “No habla ingles, no habla ingles”. And yet I still ended up walking off with her. I simply took out my passport and displayed that, knowing she’d know what to do next. I also managed to cobble together enough of my rusty Spanish to inquire about the rest of my luggage, both surprising and unnerving her as she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to answer me. My party saw us strutting through the terminal though, and all was well. So I guess my final tip to others with disabilities who might wish to travel is to pack a smile and lots of patience along with those clothes. Oh, and learn how to at least ask for your bags.

So as you can see, my travel experiences aren’t fundamentally different from those of the rest of the population. While my primary disability is blindness, I also have some hearing loss that causes me to need to wear hearing aids. This has in no way hindered my ability and enjoyment of travel, and in fact it has probably enhanced it. I feel safer knowing that I can more effectively communicate with flight crew in the event of an emergency, something I would have found to be more difficult prior to receiving the aids in 2006.

So I guess the takeaway points are these: airport workers be respectful and open-minded, persons with disabilities don’t be afraid to speak up for you or to take other actions when needed, and everyone just be patient with each other. Happy travels. 

Thank you, John, for sharing your experiences with us and our readers!  Are you a blind traveler - what tips might you have to share that compliment those offered by our guest blogger today? 

65-feet of Safety

2011 Altec AM60 aerial bucket truck

We recently added a new vehicle to our fleet and it's not a plane! Our fleet maintenance manager, Bob G., wrote a short post describing our newest addition! 

On February 17, 2012, Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) welcomed a new member to our equipment family at SARAA. The brand new vehicle is a 2011 Altec AM60 aerial bucket truck. This pristine white utility-version aerial device boasts a maximum working height of 65-feet with an electrically insulated boom. The boom is capable of rotating 360-degrees continuously and has a 2-person bucket capacity. The vehicle also includes a material handling lifting jib and winch that can hoist up to 2,000 pounds of cargo independent of the personnel in the bucket. 

With the massive amount of compartment space in the frame mounted service body and tool and supply storage, this vehicle can not only lift the freight, it can haul it too. With power supplied by a 250 horsepower Cummins Diesel engine with an Allison automatic transmission, this F750 Ford chassis can be driven with ease. This is also the first vehicle in our fleet that’s equipped with the new Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system to lower exhaust emissions. 

This vehicle will enable safe access to high mast lighting, roof tops, tree trimming, and many other uses and is a great asset for MDT to have. 

Do you work in a position that involves using the same or similar types of equipment?  Tell us about your fleet! 

Guest Blog: Air Traveling with Joyce

Today we start a brand new guest blog series regarding air traveling with a disability.  Our guest blogger today, Joyce has traveled the U.S., lived in Europe and currently resides in Lancaster County, PA with her husband and seven year old son. She became deaf late in life, and now has the delightful privilege of teaching Sign Language to young hearing children at a private school in the Harrisburg area as a Signing Time Instructor with Signing Time Academy.

Joyce, today's Guest Blogger

Today Joyce writes for fly HIA blog about her experiences traveling as a deaf woman and shares some fantastic tips that have made flying less stressful for her.

Traveling by air used to be simple when I was a child. I was only about eight years old when I first flew from Eugene, Oregon to Sacramento, California to visit my grandmother. I didn't have to worry about listening for announcements or hearing when it was time to board my flight. An airline employee came and  and escorted me onto the plane.  As an adult, I have become deaf, and traveling can be a bit daunting when flying alone, but there are are things I've learned to do to help make it less stressful and more enjoyable. 

I make it a point to tell the security people that I'm wearing hearing aids before the alert goes off when I walk through security. When I get to the boarding gate and waiting area, I make sure the gate agent knows that I can't hear, and I need to see them when they make announcements. This ensures that if I am reading or looking in another direction, they either come let me know, or they wait and catch my eye so I get the important information. I also pay attention to the flight boards so I can be aware how much time I have to get something to eat, drink, or just walk and stretch a bit.

Once on board the aircraft, I make it a point to tell the flight attendants I am deaf and they make sure I see the demonstrations what to do in case of an emergency. Some flights now also offer Closed Captioning for the in-flight films and live TV. Do be sure to let the flight attendants know you would like this feature turned on, if it is available on your flight.  Read more about it this in-flight option.

If the film showing on the flight isn't available with Captions, there is an app for that called "Subtitles", which is also great for foreign films as well. Check it out and download it before you watch the next movie.

When I started to lose greater degrees of my hearing, traveling became a stressful process for me. When I had my first overseas flight as a hearing impaired adult, I struggled trying to find my way through airports and announcements not understanding what was going on. I still remember the flight from Seattle to Copenhagen and the kind lady that was sitting next to me. She figured out early on that I was having difficulty understanding her, but she thought it was because she had a Swedish accent. She didn't know that it was because I couldn't hear her well. She was very patient. When our plane bounced onto the landing strip in Copenhagen with such a loud boom that reverberated and shook the plane, she gently patted my hand and told me it was only the ice on the runway, the plane hadn't broke in half or crashed into anything. That was about twenty one years ago, but I still remember her and her willingness to communicate despite the "language" barrier between us. Today, I let my seat mates know right away that I'm deaf.

Don't be afraid to speak up and say, "I'm deaf" or "I'm hearing impaired" and ask them to clue you in if there are announcements you need to be aware of. If someone doesn't appear to understand what the terms "hearing impaired" or" hard of hearing" mean,  simply rephrase and say, "I don't hear well and miss a lot if I don't see what is being said." This also eliminates the possibility they may think you're being rude if you don't respond when they are talking to you. People tend to think you are ignoring them if they don't know you simply can't hear them. It also helps if you let them know that you need to see their lips if you are a speech reader, or if you prefer to use pen and paper, have that handy for them. Write that you are deaf, your name, and ask them what their name is as well. If you have a smart phone, there is an app called DragonDiction that turns speech into text. Simply have the person you're trying to communicate with speak into the phone and up comes the conversation in text.

If you let people along the way know you are either deaf or you don't hear well, it can ease a lot of the stress of air travel. Speak up and let them know.  Don't be afraid to ask for information or help with knowing what is being announced. You can meet some interesting people while flying, perhaps even make a new friend. 

If you have recently lost your hearing and would like more tips about living with hearing loss, pick up a copy of "A Survival Guide for new Deafies" by Amy Sargent. You can find out more about this wonderful book at by visit her website.

Thank you, Harrisburg International Airport, for inviting me to come on board as a guest writer for fly HIA blog. Sharing what helps us when traveling with various physical issues helps others especially first time fliers. I'm looking forward to reading the posts from your other upcoming disabled guest writers in the series.

Thank you, Joyce, for sharing your experiences with us and our readers!  Are you a deaf traveler - what tips might you have to share that compliment those offered by our guest blogger today?