Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge

Do you have what it takes to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge?  

That's right, we're talking about a seriously fun game of dodgeball!  

Join Allegiant, Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) and other local dodgeball enthusiasts for a fundraising effort on August 3 at Skyline Sports Complex to raise money for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region.  

Plus while you're there you'll have a chance to win free airfare!  What's not to like about that?

Visit Dodge High Fares online for more information and to register a team for the event. 

So, gather up 6-10 of your friends, family, colleagues or coworkers and join us for the fun!  We'll see you there!

The History of Middletown, PA

Early 1700 maps of Pennsylvania show that the area of land, now called Middletown, was once the village to the Conoy Indian Tribe of the Susquehannock Nation. When the town was planned out in 1755, some of their lodges were located in the area of where the town square is now located.

  

Middletown was founded in this rich agricultural area, thirty years before Harrisburg.  Due to its location for trade, the town grew rapidly in the next century and a half both by land and water.  The Scotch-Irish were the first white settlers in this area.  It is estimated that nearly 200 Scotch-Irish families resided in the vicinity.  With the sudden growth of settlers, several well-constructed roads had to be built. Middletown was named for its location midway between Lancaster and Carlisle along the Old Stage Coach Road on the Wagon Trail. 

 

Many different architecture styles can be found in Middletown today since the town is so old.  Log cabins, Victorian mansions, churches and several houses are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Middletown is noted in colonial records as being a supply depot for the Revolutionary Armies.  Small boats for General Sullivan’s army were built here and his troops were supplied with provisions from local farms.  The Swatara Ferry House is said to have housed Hessian prisoners during the Revolution.

Residents of Middletown published their “Resolves of Independence” from Great Britain at a meeting in 1774 chaired by Colonel James Burd.  These ideas would later become incorporated in the colonies’ “Declaration of Independence”.

After the Revolutionary War, trade grew with the completion of the Pennsylvania and the Union Canals.  Joined together at the confluence of the Susquehanna River and the Swatara Creek, the town was an important trading center for lumber, flour and iron.  The Harrisburg-Lancaster Railroads were also in this area, as well as a ferry which ran back and forth across the River to York County.

Volunteers from Middletown enlisted in all wars leading up to the Spanish-American War of 1898.  Camp Meade was set up as a troop garrison during the Spanish-American War.  Named for the Civil War General George Meade, the camp was visited by President William McKinley.

The proud history of the Olmsted Air Force Base is said to have begun here when the United States Army Signal Corps established a military presence in Middletown with this temporary staging area during the Spanish-American War. 

When the Middletown General Supply Depot broke ground on the site of what had been a pickle farm for the H.J. Heinz Company in 1917, the aviation section of the Army Signal Corps and the 113^th Aero Squadron of the Pennsylvania National Guard were assigned to the new facility and the first aircraft landed in 1918.

By 1941, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Depot became an important part of the war effort. As the largest airplane overhaul center in the world, it employed 17,000 civilian employees.

The Middletown General Supply Depot became Olmsted Air Force Base in 1948 and the Olmsted Field runway was expanded and modernized in 1958.  During the Korean Conflict, the base continued to overhaul jets until its closing in 1964.  Olmsted Field then became Harrisburg-York State Airport which would later become Harrisburg International Airport.

The lives of many residents of Middletown were impacted for nearly a half century by Olmsted Air Force Base; as well as playing a very important role during war times.

Have you visited Middletown to enjoy in its rich history?  What aspects of this community appeal most to the traveler in you?

Tips for Speedier Check-In

Did you know there are steps you can take to speed up your flight check-in process on the day of your departure?  By following these few simple steps you can lessen your air travel hassles at any airport!

• Check-in online for your flight before you arrive at the airport.  Airlines allow you to do this up to 24-hours in advance as long as you have your confirmation number and of course your name!
• If you need to check a bag, pay the baggage fee online before you get to the airport.  Many airlines offer the ability to pay your fee by credit card via there website.  This cuts down on the amount of time you spend at the ticket counter dropping off your checked bag with airline personnel.
• Give yourself sufficient amount of time to arrive at the airport pre-flight.  If you wait until the very last minute to depart for the airport, chances are Murphy will rear his ugly head and slow down your journey!  For MDT, we recommend you show up at least 75 minutes prior to your flight departure time.
• Know your flight number and the airline you're flying with before you depart for the airport.  In the event that your flight is delayed, or your flight experiences a gate-change, you'll have the pertinent information to assist in tracking these changes.
• Check your flight status before you depart for the airport!  The best means to do this is directly with your airline via their website, phone or by signing up for flight tracking alerts which can be emailed or text messaged to you directly.
• Pack your carry-on luggage appropriately.  Be sure that you've followed the Transportation Security Administration's guidelines for packing carry-on luggage BEFORE you get to the airport.  Review their website, www.tsa.dhs.gov for the full details.
• Be prepared for the worst, but expect the best.  Air travel is subject to weather, mechanical and other types of delays and cancellations - so be prepared.  And, keep your airlines 800# and ticket counter location close-at-hand in case you get to the airport and find out that you need to re-book your flight.

What tips and tricks for speedier check-in do you use that we've missed?  We'd love to hear what works best for you! 

Holiday Shopping and its Impact on MDT

'Tis the season of gift giving as Christmas is just around the corner!  With gift giving comes an increase in packages being shipped to and fro across the country via train, truck and of course, aircraft.  Many of you may be aware that UPS, FedEx and DHL conduct air cargo operations at your hometown airport, Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), on a daily basis.  

UPS-contracted 747 at MDT

But, did you know that at this time of year, due to the increase volume of package shipment from online holiday shoppers, UPS contracts a 747 for their fleet at MDT to help offset the increased flights needed?  That's right, plane spotters!  There's a 747 based at MDT for the next week and its departing daily around mid-morning flying the country delivering your gifts where they need to go.

Today's flight departed around 9 am EST and was bound for Denver, Colorado.  If you 'plane spot' the 747, be sure to tweet us about it with the hashtag '#MDTplanespot' or post the photo to our fan page!

MDTrip Report: Colorado at a Glance

If you follow Harrisburg International Airport on Twitter (@HIAairport) and were following the #MDT_DEN hashtag, you know that members of our team were recently in the Denver, Colorado region.  We traveled there for meeting with various travel professionals in the region and to gather info on what makes that region of the country so spectacular.  Over the next couple of weeks we would will share with you about the various cities in Colorado that we visited and the unique opportunities they afford travelers.  

Today, we'll share a quick glance at each of these towns and cities - short and sweet.


Denver is an exciting nexus of arts, culture, history, music, food and outdoor adventures for the entire family. 


Estes Park is home to the majestic Rocky Mountain National Park and the famed Stanley Hotel.  


Lyons is an adorable town nested in foot of a red rock cliff and is a bedroom community featuring its own unique charm. 


Boulder is noted as one of the "Foodiest" locations in the United States and is situated in the midst of the Rockies.


Golden is full of small town charm and home to the Coors Brewery, this adorable city is nicknamed, the "Two Hour Vacation" spot. 


Colorado Springs boasts a plethora of attractions for varied interests including the Broadmoor resort, Garden of the Gods, the Olympic Training Center and much more.


So, stay tuned as we blog about the highlights of our trip to the Rockies.  You're in for quite the adventure as you read along.  Getting the itch to 'Go West'?  We can't say we blame you!  You can fly nonstop from MDT to Denver on Frontier Airlines every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday through September 2, 2012.

Guest Blog: Air Traveling with Justin

Today we continue our guest blog series regarding air traveling with a disability.  Our guest blogger today, Justin a self-described die-hard Orioles, Ravens and Penn State football fan is an IT professional who lives locally.  


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

For last many years, I have heard many good, bad and funny stories from my Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing friends regarding their flying experience especially the service they received from staff of the airline itself.  One of the common stories I have heard is that the Deaf traveler had to ride in the wheelchair pushed by the airport worker to the destination gate or from one gate to another one at the airport when he or she can walk.  Another story is that the Deaf traveler was asked if he needs help being carried from the check-in desk all the way to the gate.  Another Deaf traveler was asked if he needs help getting off the plane when it landed at the destination.  These and other stories happened because the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing travelers did not first inform the airline or travel agent that they accessible communication services. That is how the airline or travel agent starts with assuming of what kind of services they would need for their safe journey when they could mistakenly provide the wrong services without asking them.

If you are a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing air traveler that needs to require for accessible communication services during your flying journey with an airline, you can kindly notify them at the time of booking, and ticket counter or check-in desk at your destination gate upon your arrival at the airport.  They can arrange for one of their people helping you through check-in, baggage check, security-check and your awareness at the time of the boarding announcement.  At most airports, there are electronic monitors that display flight information and gate areas with their electronic displays that show the specific flight information of the destination you are traveling to.  Upon your arrival at your destination gate, it is important that you inform the check-in agent you are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing so he or she can provide accessible communication services in case your flight is delayed or the departure gate has been changed.

When you get boarded on the plane, it may be a good idea to explain your accessible communication needs to the cabin crew, especially flight attendants, so they can keep you informed of any import announcements like delays or emergency landings.  Most of the planes have TVs with their pre-recorded video aircraft safety briefings which are captioned.  If no TV, the flight attendant can provide you a visual brochure with the safety information for you to prepare in case an emergency arises.  The airline would provide onboard headphones that would be helpful for you as you switch your hearing aids to the ‘T’ position.

If you would like to take the advantages of these accessible communication services as explained above you can inform the airline of your needs at the time of booking, at ticket counter or check-in desk.  Please inform them for your own sake to save yourself and the airline from being embarrassed if you end up in the wheelchair being pushed to your destination gate.  That would be unnecessary even though you can walk.

#MDT324 from @User47

MDT hosted our second annual fly in tweet-up, #MDT324 and over the course of the next week or two will be sharing the blog posts from the attendees.   Attendee JLJ was a first time attendee.  JLJ astutely self-describes as a Biz Analyst. INTJ. Pescatarian. Info sponge, #avgeek. I love: @JLJ_2, NPR, documentaries, #planespotting, travel, wildlife, sci, tech, #photog and root beer.

JLJ shares, today, about his experience at #MDT324:

My friends tell me I’m a nut. You see, at least twice a year I take a three to four-day weekend for the sole purpose of planespotting, trying out a new airline, adding lines to my flightmemory, flying just to fly, or in most cases, some amazing combination of these. It turns out there are lots of folks out there like me, avgeeks, propheads, milerunners, aerophiles, really, it’s all the same. We are folks who love everything about aviation. Planes, airports, runways, airlines—We love ‘em all.

My most recent aviation-themed weekend involved a multi-legged trip to and from Harrisburg International Airport for a small tweet-up, that is, a meet up of tweeters/twitter-ers hosted by the airport. The second annual MDT tweet-up, affectionately dubbed #MDT324 as a throw-back to the first event’s date, involved a tour of the airport’s secured and non-secured facilities to include the administrative offices, baggage handling operations, common areas, and my personal favorite, the tarmac apron where commercial, private and military traffic could be seen just yards away.

The tour ended with awards of swag-bags, containing an assortment of goodies and an incredibly complex (designed for ages 6-12) LEGO aviation set. We spent a good 45 minutes or so racing to build our airplanes, but we all basically ended up with duds. I’m sad to report that my blatant disregard for the instructions coupled with my terrible design skills “won” me the least defined, least likely to fly hodge-podge of plane parts. All I really needed to complete my hybrid plane to nowhere was some speed tape, the aviation industry’s answer to duct tape.

My visit to MDT was delightful and exceeded expectations. It's clear that the airport leadership wants to build a facility with passenger experience and comfort in mind. As a matter of fact, I can honestly say that all but one of the people I met who were employed directly or indirectly by the airport, its vendors or airlines were genuinely happy, an odd and terribly uncommon phenomenon. The exception? A single TSA agent, there's always one, isn't there? I don't see this as a negative, though. Because of all the TSA staff I encountered, all but this one were, like the others, genuinely happy.

As a Business Analyst by trade, I'm always considering how organizations can build upon what works and address what doesn't. Comparing the strategy and operations of one company to its industry-peers, and finding pros and cons is what I do for a living. And, while I'm not in any way involved in the aviation business, I cannot seem take off my continuous improvement hat while traveling or on holiday.  Strolling through the airport terminal prior to our meet-up I was able to check everything off of my list of need-to-haves and nice-to-haves for the perfect airport, this was a fist for me. I won't share my list, because the contents aren't important. What I will share is that I generally add one or two things to my list when I visit a new airport, with this visit not only did I check everything off, I added three.

We concluded the evening with dinner at a restaurant just off of the Lancaster Airport’s tarmac. I could write an entire blog just on that experience, but suffice it to say, it was an excellent way to end a busy and exciting day. Planespotting at sunset over great food and excellent conversation, it doesn’t get much better than that.

#MDT324 is an event designed to cater to the most extreme and dedicated aviation enthusiasts, or "avgeeks."   We look forward to meeting some newbies and seeing the old crew at next year's event!

The Power of Curiosity

MDT hosted our second annual fly in tweet-up, #MDT324 and over the course of the next week or two will be sharing the blog posts from the attendees.   Attendee Mike Morgan visited us for the event for a 2nd year in a row.  A little about Mike: He loves to fly.  He became a passionate #avgeek when he lived in Orlando and watched planes for hours at ORL.  He self-describes as being obsessed with Boeing, Marriott, United, and Taco Bueno. He is working towards a private pilot certificate and mostly flies in a C172.  He hopes one day to own his own airline, and proudly fly an all Boeing fleet.

Mike shares, today, about his experience at #MDT324:

Friday, April 20th started just like any other normal Friday for me.  Wake up early. Take a shower.  Fumble out of my Marriott hotel room.  Find my rental car.  Drive to some airport.  TSA.  Board.  Fly.  

But, my destination would not be home on this Friday.  After a two hour layover at EWR (Newark, NJ), I hopped on a Bombardier Q200 and flew at 8,000 feet to MDT.  It was time for the second annual #MDT324 tweetup! 

At 3:24pm we all met up to spend some serious time in #avgeekery.  @airport_girl, Stephanie Gehman, Harrisburg's Marketing Manager, treated us to a behind the scenes look at the airport.  Stephanie had lego airplanes for us to build (needless to say, Boeing won't be hiring us as engineers any time soon).  We also took an airport quiz (Did you know that there are 4,200 window panes in the airport?  Also, the apron takes up 45.1 acres.). Then we headed to dinner.  Among us were @airport_girl, @BruceBere, @user47, @GehmanAndCo, and myself.  I have met each of these great people at other airports around the country.  

Here's what made this year's #MDT324 so amazing.  We had a real conversation about the good that plane spotting offers.  @user47 is an avid plane spotter, and he works hard educate others that plane spotting isn't doing any harm.  We ate dinner at a restaurant that sat next to the ramp at another airport.  While we were talking a little girl ran up to the fence to take a picture of a plane passing by.  @user47 said, "That's why plane spotting is good."  And he was right.  Plane spotting encourages people to learn about engineering, physics, and it's even pushed me to learn more about business!  

How many of you first watched a plane fly over head and thought, "I wonder how that giant hunk of metal stays in the air?"  Maybe you watch planes at a hub and ponder what it takes to manage all of that.  Plane spotting encourages curiosity.  It causes people to learn and grow.  The airline industry is treated like a bus service for potential terrorists, but should be regarded as an industry that makes the impossible possible.   

Plane spotting builds community.  Look at the folks who spot together with NYC Aviation, and other like groups.  MDT offers an observation deck at the airport, and with visitors like Air Force Two it's well worth the trip (so book a round trip to MDT, you need the miles anyway!).  My hope is that other airports will catch on and start to encourage the love of aviation, and stop trying to ban those of us who are passionate about it.  

This was my second year to #MDT324, and once again I am very thankful for the opportunity to join my #avgeek friends.  I am already planning next year's trip!  I would really like to thank Stephanie and the Harrisburg International Airport for their hospitable spirit towards #avgeeks. 
But, hey, I'm just some guy who likes to look at airplanes, so what do I know?

We look forward to having another crew of #avgeeks fly in for next year's #MDT324!  Hope to see you there, Mike.


The thoughts shared in this post are those of the author and don't represent the viewpoints of Harrisburg International Airport.

#MDT324 - @BruceBere

Bruce Bere

MDT hosted our second annual fly in tweet-up, #MDT324 and over the course of the next week or two will be sharing the blog posts from the attendees.  Today's post is from Bruce Bere, a self-described 'airline, aviation and travel enthusiast' from the Midwest.  This was Bruce's first time joining us for fly-in tweet-up.

I love aviation—quite a bit. When I got an email and an invitation to the tweet-up, #MDT324, I jumped at the chance to go. Flying in from all different areas of the country, a group of people met at HarrisburgInternational Airport (MDT) and started what was the second consecutive tweet-up for this group.

Our lovely host, Stephanie Gehman (@airport_girl), who showed us around the airport including a behind the scenes look at the baggage operation and the tarmac, met us. Working for United Airlines at ORD, it was quite an experience to see a completely different airport. I am used to a baggage room with over 100 belts for different flights--MDT has only three. Overall, it was a great experience getting to compare a larger and smaller airport. The neat thing about MDT was the fact that so much goes on there that I certainly would never have guessed before touring the facility. Between the commercial aviation, military presence, and the FBO on site, it is always a full day.

Going into the tweet-up, I was a bit uneasy. I am shy by nature but by the end of the night, I felt great connecting with such a great group of people. Here’s to #MDT324 2013! 

We look forward to having another crew of #avgeeks fly in for next year's #MDT324!  Hope to see you there, Bruce.

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. .

Aircraft of Our Lives: AS-202 Bravo

We will be running occasional posts in a guest series entitled "Aircraft of our Lives," featuring the favorite aircraft of pilots from around the globe.  Today, Etienne M. shares his about his favorite aircraft.  Etienne is an Air Traffic Controller ARR/DEP in Geneva (LSGG), Private Pilot, and fan of the New England Patriots.  Enjoy today's flight on the AS-202 Bravo.


The sun was shining on this cold December morning as I was filing my VFR flight plan from Sion (LSGS) to Lugano (LSZA). It was 2009, and I was enjoying a full month of flying in Sion as part of my training to become an Air Traffic Controller in Geneva. Skyguide, my employer, believes it is a good thing for its trainees to learn the basics of flying, and I couldn't agree more!

AS-202 Bravo

We had two AS-202 Bravos at our disposal, HB-HFH and HB-HFK. The Bravo - no connection to the Mooney M20 whatsoever -  was designed and manufactured by Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein (FFA) in eastern Switzerland as a trainer/aerobatics aircraft from 1969 until the early 90s. About 220 have been built, and most are still in use in flight schools. The Bravo offers two seats side by side in front, and an optional third seat in the back. Its fixed landing gear allows her to withstand some quite hard landings by the student pilots, but she is quite easy to handle, making such happenings a rarity. The Bravo behaves differently from the Cessna 172 I had flown in some previous flying experiences, so some adaptation time was required. She is equipped with a stick, and there is a throttle conveniently located on the left side of the cabin. This design proves to be very useful in the aerodrome circuit, as the pilot can fly "Hands on Throttle and Stick" very comfortably. The low-wing offers very good maneuverability while maintaining a good level of stability. The huge bubble canopy provides a great view of the surroundings, even to the rear. It really is a fun airplane to fly for training and sightseeing.

Sion airport is a wonderful place. It handles lots of GA, a growing number of business jets and a few airline flights during the winter. On top of that, it is a military base used by Swiss Air Force Tigers, Hornets and Cougars. The beautiful landscape - surrounding mountains over 10000ft high - makes it an aviation enthusiast's dream!

Bravo in-flight

This will be the first time I cross the Alps to go to the south, and I'm excited. Sion Ground clears us to hold short of Runway 25, intersection Bravo. After the run-up, we contact Sion Tower, and we are cleared for take-off. Power set, I release the brakes and the propeller drives us through the cold air: we are airborne! We climb on downwind before exiting the CTR to the east of the valley. The winter has painted the whole landscape in white, and no clouds are in sight. We keep climbing to 12500ft in order to tour the Matterhorn at a reasonable altitude. Since we are pretty heavy, the rate of climb is quite modest, and the Bravo is letting us know that we're not going to get much higher than that! The mountain appears to us in all its majesty. Its shape and surroundings are breathtaking, and it deserves to be known among the most beautiful things on this planet. It is with much respect that we wander around it for a while, before setting course to the Simplon Pass.

The Simplon Pass appears under our wings as turbulences start to make themselves felt. The Bravo is shaken quite a bit, but she keeps us bravely high above the ground. You're never too cautious when overflying a pass, as downdroughts can be pretty strong. There is a building down there, managed by Canons. You can find shelter there if you're into alpine skiing or just to find some peace away from the city. On the other side, there is Italy. I initiate the descent into the valley, and the Bravo takes advantage of gravity to accelerate a little. She definitely is not a Mooney by any means, but she's my beloved airplane, and right now, it is the most beautiful in the world. The huge canopy gives me a wonderful sight of the surroundings, and down the valley I can already see Verbania, a jewel of a city right next to the Lago Maggiore, or Great Lake, in Southern Switzerland. In this part, the spoken language is Italian, as opposed to French in the West, and German in the North. This may seem weird to many, but the Swiss take great pride in being able to make such diverse cultures and languages work together.

Matterhorn, The Alps, Switzerland

A few minutes later, we prepare to enter Lugano CTR via point W. Lugano is a small regional airport not far from the Italian border, where you can see mostly Saab 2000s and other turboprop aircraft. The approach for Runway 19, which is in use today, is quite tricky due to the height of the circuit. The Aerodrome Reference Point is at 915ft, and the circuit for aircraft up to 3000kg MTOW is at 2600ft. There is a high hill just below on the right on downwind, so we must maintain this altitude strictly. During the base turn and final, over 1600ft must be lost before touchdown. It is very important to be well configured and at the right speed, or else a go-around is a certainty. Luckily for me, my instructor has briefed me well, and keeps insisting on these points during the approach, so I'm able to land the Bravo softly, still a bit further than the desired touchdown point...

Sadly, we don't have much time to enjoy the Lugano sun, we've got to fly back to LSGS. We head swiftly to the "Bureau C" to pay the landing fees (yes, they are expensive in Switzerland) and back to the plane we go! No need for refueling, as we took enough Avgas in Sion for the return trip. This leg will take us north to overfly Lodrino, Ambri and the Nufenen Pass, then the Aletsch Glacier before landing in Sion. This time, the wind will be blowing against us, so the Bravo will need to work even harder.

I apply full throttle when cleared for takeoff, and as we leave Runway 19 the Lago di Lugano appears under our wings. In case of engine failure, we don't have many options other than attempting a "Sullenberger". Luckily for us, we won't be practicing this impressive feat today. The engine roars to perfection, and as soon as we can we turn left to the North to exit the CTR in the direction of Mt Ceneri. Just like during the first leg, we won't be entering any controlled airspace. The terrain is high, and airspace Charlie only starts at FL150 in this area. No need to contact the flight information service either, because the radio waves would have difficulties to meet us anyway. So it is in airspaces Golf and Echo that we wander around, climbing with difficulty up to 13500ft at some point. The navigation is made quite easy, as we are following a valley north-eastbound. The only tricky part is to identify the right pass at the end of the valley, because a mistake would be costly then. If we take a wrong path, the Alps are wide, and there aren't many adequate terrains to make a precautionary landing, or worse, an emergency one.

Aletsch Glacier

With the Nufenen Pass in sight, I set course to the Aletsch Glacier. A few nautical miles later, it appears to my enchanted eyes. It is so magnificent, so peaceful and yet mighty and dangerous... Parts of it look very flat, others more bumpy. It is so huge! This is something a pilot must see once, although with proper altitude clearance.

After a few minutes of enchantment, it is time to head back to Sion. The descent is pretty steep, and entry point Echo 1 gets there sooner than I expected. The speed went way up during descent, and things are starting to pile up in my student pilot's little head. Flying, checking, briefing, communicating... Echo 2 is there, and the nice ATCO clears us for a straight-in approach. The long runway appears reassuring, and I calm down. On the right, the beautiful castles of Valère and Tourbillon, up on the hill, watch me bring the Bravo softly back to earth on Runway 25, exhausted but so happy. This was an incredible morning, and the things I saw I will remember for a long time. I can't wait to go back up there!

Have you ever piloted or flown in an AS-202 Bravo?  Or, have you flown over the Swiss Alps?  Share your stories and photos with us about this beautiful country and landscape! 

Your Turn - Parking Feedback

We're continuously pursuing what's important to our customers in their airport experience at Harrisburg International Airport.  This translates into making sure we have the amenities that are important to you!

Parking Garage at MDT

Would you mind taking a few minutes to share your thoughts on our onsite parking facilities by completing a short survey?  Your feedback would be invaluable to us!

MDT's Parking Questionnaire

Again, we thank you for your time and feedback and we look forward to seeing you in the coming days, weeks and months at MDT!  Speaking of customer amenities, are you a member of our airport loyalty program?  Check out Flyer Rewards before the next time you fly to/from MDT!

Many wishes for a safe and happy holiday season as we all travel to see our friends, family and loved ones this time of year.

Wondrous Wanders: Anchorage, Alaska

Today we feature the 7th post in our guest blog travel series.  This series highlights the favorite travel destinations that inspired wonder in each guest blogger as they wandered there.  Today's post is from Clayton Stambaugh and he's sharing about is his wondrous wanderings in Anchorage, Alaska.  Clayton is a graduate assistant at Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he's researching social media and airports.


I must admit, when I was made aware of my fiancee's invitation to be a bridesmaid in one of our high school friend’s wedding last December, I was greatly concerned.  Why the animosity on something so special?  Well, when I thought of the fact that this friend, an E-5 Staff Sergeant (SSgt) in the United States Air force station at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, I immediately started to calculate the potential cost in my head.  “We’re broke college students from Illinois”, I stressed to my future wife, “And, not to mention who would ever want to go to Alaska in the middle of the winter! Isn’t it dark the entire day?”

You would have thought I was being shipped to work on a crab boat.  In retrospect my assumption of Alaska is quite embarrassing. In my defense though, I had no conceptual framework of the State.  I was only slightly aware of the beauty and adventure Alaska held, and rather more familiar, unfortunately, with the horror that reality TV portrays it to be; and I’m not talking about Sarah Palin.

In the end I reluctantly let go of my lower 48 state predispositions. I swallowed my pride, paid my fare, and decided to make the best the situation as I boarded my flight to the unknown.

I recall arriving at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) around 12:00 p.m. Alaska time and snow was falling, much to be expected, as we pulled away from the terminal headed toward Wasilla where my friend lived.  It was extremely dark and hazy.  From what I could make out from the snow obscured streetlights was a beautiful white blanket that covered every imaginable surface.  I had been to northern snowcapped states in winter, but something was different as I stared into the deep black darkness faintly making out what appeared to be shadowing giants.  Those giants creeping in the darkness, were in fact mountains, which were made ever more apparent passing the famous star on the mountain pass.  As we pulled into my friend’s home, my attitude about the trip had completely changed, and I couldn’t wait to awake to daylight.

That morning, when daylight finally arrived, it was like a child awakening on Christmas morning as I hastily walked out the door of the house to see just where I had arrived.  Opening the door that day is nearly indescribable.  The smell, the sight, and the feeling are unlike anything I would have ever imagined.  I immediately realized this was a trip I would never forget.

It was the day before the wedding, and although everyone was caught up in the rush, I couldn’t help myself but absolutely live in the moment. The day was indeed madness, and everyone found themselves during the day setting up for the upcoming wedding and reception, held downtown Anchorage in the beautiful Marriot, yet shortly after it was time to celebrate the upcoming festivities.  Unfortunately I remember little of that night, it must have been the northern climate, but I do remember the world famous Chilkoot Charlie's a venue of nightlife that you cannot miss.

The wedding and reception the following evening was beautiful as expected and the short time in Alaska preceding proved to be just as memorable.  As a fan of Alaskan king crab I made it a personal ambition to go Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse featured on Man V. Food: Anchorage.  This was not a mistake.  The food was absolutely excellent, not to mention the vastness, much like that of the wilderness of Alaska, in beverages available.  Also, not to be expected being a proud supporter of possibly the greatest pizza in the world found in Chicago, I must admit the pies found at Mooses Tooth are something to contend with.  They’re not deep dish, or thin crust, yet the home brew provided will help anyone rethink the concept of pizza.  Trust me.  Do not miss this place.  I personally recommend the Blackened Rockfish: topped with a cajun-seasoned fish, diced red onions, diced roma tomatoes, zesty sour cream sauce, parsley, mozzarella, provolone, and garlic oil.

Although, due to money constraints and time issues my future wife and I never had the chance to visit the wilderness outside the Anchorage area in Alaska, but I can assure you this is the greatest destination I have ever ventured to.  The cost was minimal compared to the experience, and even though arriving late December when there was only three to four hours of sunlight provided, one of my initial concerns, the breathtaking hours of dusk reveals the “twilight” you can’t find in books.  In fact, I contend that the Anchorage area itself is enough to visit Alaska, and despite my initial unfortunate reservations, I long to return to the final American wild frontier of Alaska.

My unconditional advice is to use Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), or any other airport, as your gateway to adventure… Don’t let your presumptions get the best of you – the airport is your gateway to anywhere. 


Have you been to Alaska?  What about this beautiful, northern state has captured your heart?

Wondrous Wanders: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Today we feature the 5th post in our guest blog travel series.  This series highlights the favorite travel destinations that inspired wonder in each guest blogger as they wandered there.  Today's post is from Sandy Ward on her wondrous wanderings on Vancouver Island.  Sandy is the Marketing Director at Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour in Mukilteo, Washington, just north of Seattle.  She has been a travel, tourism and hospitality professional for over 30 years.

I’ve been traveling for years for work and play, but I’ve never been a high adventure, “end of the road” kinda gal. Not till I discovered two British Columbia, Canada, destinations that redefine the word getaway. You cannot drive to either one, cell service is iffy, wildlife far outnumbers humans and the night sky is so littered with stars it looks like someone threw glitter onto black velvet. Let the adventure begin!

Eagle Nook Wilderness Resort is in Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island’s west coast. And because I’m not a roughing-it kinda gal, I was delighted to stay at this four-star resort with 23 beautifully appointed rooms and two cabins, all with water views. No phones or TVs in the rooms. Gourmet food. A fully-stocked bar. A spa.  Getting there is half the fun.  Float plane, water taxi or private boat are the only options.

On our first day within the first five minutes of Eagle Nook’s nature boat cruise, we spotted two black bears picking through the rocks at the edge of the bay. We were about a hundred yards away, far enough not to bother the bears plucking clams but close enough that my low-powered telephoto got a full-frame shot.

This was only the beginning of a day of wildlife sightings and full-frame photos. Decked out in bright orange survival suits (for warmth, I was assured, on the deck of our open air boat), we saw California sea lions lounging on rocky islands, harbor seals popping up and down in the water like jack-in-the-box. Whales, too -- humpbacks, then grays and a pod of orcas intent on showing us how high they could spy hop. I lost count of bald eagle sightings within the first half hour, and I will never forget Regal Eagle Princess. Our guide Charlie had trained her to sweep within 20 feet of the boat to snatch the bass he tossed in the air. Another full frame picture without the aid of a telephoto.

On a kayaking expedition our guide led us to a shallow channel where he pointed out oysters the size of a shoe, sea slugs that looked incapable of moving, cartoon-character bat starfish and orange sea stars that looked like they fell into a vat of Halloween dye.

I was so awed I wanted more and the resort laid out options that included fishing expeditions, heli-sightseeing, guided kayaking in the pristine Broken Group Islands and solo hiking on trails the Eagle Nook owners have cut through their 70-acres.

My other favorite BC escape took me a little further out of my comfort zone (must be a bucket list sorta thing) to an uninhabited island a half hour by boat from the northeast edge of Vancouver Island. God’sPocket Resort, they had me at the name.

Six days of kayaking -- would I be able to keep up? In the whale migration zone – what if the leviathans mistook my kayak for something edible? And, like, what else was there to do?

On day one our guide cautioned: "Mother Nature has veto power, so we can't promise whale sightings."  But on day three Mother Nature smiled on us, presenting a pod of orcas that passed within 100 yards of our kayaks. They were close enough to hear and smell (!) but far enough that I didn’t feel threatened.

Kayaking the next day, we came nose-to-nose with a seal sleeping on the rocks. From there we made our way to a gorgeous cove and our guides laid out a lunch that rivaled any hotel buffet I’ve ever seen. And as far as keeping up, we paddled in double kayaks, so when our boat lagged behind, I just blamed my partner.

And we didn’t paddle all day, every day. We hiked through old growth forests where our guides entertained with native lore and nature facts. During cocktail hour, seals popped up and down in the cove as if they wanted a glass of Chardonnay, too. One day I played hooky, totally permissible at God’s Pocket, and wandered solo along a rocky beach.

God’s Pocket’s rustic cabins won’t pass for five-star, but here, it feels right. The food, however, was many-starred. We dined family style on meals built around local fresh seafood and veggies and spent the evenings making new friends, playing board games and watching bioluminescence fill the bay as if God himself had emptied a pocket full of sequins.

Does Sandy's post inspire you to travel to British Columbia, or remind you of a trip you've taken there?  What about this destinations fascinates you?

UH-72: Lakota Helicopters at CXY

UH-72 Lakota mid-flight

If you reside or work within proximity of Capital City Airport (CXY) in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, you are sure to have seen increased helicopter activity in the local airspace.  The helicopters you're seeing are the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's UH-72 Lakotas.  The Lakotas are designed to fly light general support operations for the Nation Guard.  So, why are they flying over New Cumberland, you ask?

The helicopters are in the area as CXY was chosen as the location for the helicopter pilots training facility.  CXY was chosen for its proximity to Fort Indiantown Gap, hangar space available for the UH-72s and current use of airspace.  CXY was also chosen because Fort Indiantown Gap coult not adequately support the Lakota training mission due to limited hangar and training space and an unallocated federal appropriation, so an alternate location (CXY) was needed.  The training mission (facility) at CXY will be in place for five years, after which the plan is to move the training mission to Fort Indiantown Gap in 2016.

The pilots receiving training on the Lakotas are Army National Guard units from 53 states and territories and active Army units primarily from the National Training Center, Joint Readiness Training Center, West Point, Belvoir, and CMTC (Germany) units.  The pilots are currently training on eight aircraft and there will eventually be eighteen aircraft in the training fleet.  Training is conducted between 7 a.m. to midnight, and during the summer months it will end at 1 a.m. as the days are longer and the pilots need to train in hours of limited visibility. 

If you have comments, questions or feedback on the UH-72 Lakota training mission at Capital City Airport, please call the Pennsylvania National Guard public affairs office at (717) 861-8468.

AvFlight Harrisburg: More Than Just Fuel

When asked by the manager, Carl Adkins, of the fixed based operator (FBO) at MDT what locals first thought was when they heard "AvFlight" the overwhelming response was "airport gas station."  Little do many folks know that AvFlight is a full service operation.  Sure an airline, private or corporate pilot and the like can fuel up their aircraft, but they can also rent hangar space, have an aircraft washed and its interior cleaned (including dishes/linens cleaned and lav services), request de-icing and overnight parking, use the mechanical and maintenance services,  and make charter flight arrangements.  And, to sweeten the deal Avflight provides concierge services.  That's right you can request a catered meal, a hotel night and a car rental and the AvFlight staff will see to it that the requests are fulfilled by the time you arrive!

A staff of 26 trained and competent personnel keep the ramp and operations running at the FBO 24 hours a day.  It is not uncommon to have someone running a fuel truck to an airliner arriving at MDT while another staffer is directing a private aircraft to park on the FBO's ramp.  Carl is proud of the team he's assembled to run the operations at AvFlight.  He is dedicated to their training, development and expertise as a team.  The staff is continuously trained in the latest in aircraft and computer tecnologies to assure that AvFlight keeps current on pilot and airline needs.

The FBO needs to run a tightly monitored operation to insure the safety of pilots, travelers and personnel.  AvFlight is subject to as many as 20 safety audits each year.  Carl and the team pride themselves in performing well on each of these audits and being part of an excellent network of FBOs.  AvFlight Harrisburg is one of six locations in the country.  There are four AvFlight locations in Michigan and one in Durango, Colorado.  All of these FBO locations specialize in the fueling and ground handling of both private and commercial aircraft.  However, the operations of AvFlight Harrisburg also includes cargo and military aircraft as well. 

Between the fuel trucks and fuel storage tanks employed by AvFlight Harrisburg at MDT, the FBO has approximately 140,000 gallons of fuel available.  That's a lot of aircraft that can be fueled!  If a fuel load needs to be ordered its quickly available from fuel storage in the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas.  AvFlight Harrisburg is investigating the option of adding another 40,000 gallons of fuel storage.  Carl explained that, "AvFlight is always preparing for "what if" situations and adding more fuel storage would help the FBO to be better prepared if there were ever a crisis situation at MDT."

 

Non-commercial pilots visiting AvFlight will hopefully not leave feeling unprepared.  The FBO offers a full complement of pilot services:  refreshments and snacks, rest lounge with tv, flight planning services, weather briefing programs, phones and wifi, a loaner vehicle (if needed), and help filliny any other need the pilot may have.  Carl and his reliable team are up for any challenge at AvFlight Harrisburg, no need is too great or too small.  

Have you visited the FBO at MDT during a private flight?  Did you know what an FBO was prior to reading this post?