Beckley Composite Squadron cadets visit the Yeager Airport air traffic control tower.
1st Lt George Stepp
Public Affairs Officer
Beckley Composite Squadron
WEST VIRGINIA – Members of the Beckley Composite Squadron got a wide-ranging look at different aspects of aviation recently when they visited the National Weather Service center and Yeager Airport air traffic control tower in Charleston.
The visit started with the weather service, where members received briefings from several meteorologists about their area of operations. The NWS in Charleston was behind the creation of such aviation products as graphical forecast images for ceiling and visibility.
In addition, one of the forecasters developed a program – known as POP and used nationwide -- to store phone messages and to plot and display public and storm spotter reports on a computer monitor for easy reference during severe weather.
Leading the tour was Nicole Grams, NWS student trainee.
The Beckley contingent then visited Yeager Airport, where they toured the air traffic control tower, watching as controllers communicated with aircraft in the area for takeoff and landing. Then came a tour of the radar room, where the squadron members were able to observe controllers as they performed their duties in a live environment.
Daniel Wright, a retired air traffic controller, coordinated the tour
The squadron members involved:
- Maj. David Chaney, commander.
- Capts. Kenneth Dilley, aerospace educaton and drug demand reduction officer, and Tom Plass, emergency services and transportation officer.
- 1st Lt George Stepp, public affairs officer.
- Cadet 1st Lt Brianna Sturgill.
- Cadet 2nd Lts. Christopher Withrow and Ryan Stepp.
- Cadet Master Sgt. Michael Chaney.
- Cadet Airmen Amber Atkins, Hannah Barker, Samantha Maiolo and Michael Pack.
- Cadet Airmen Basic B. Davis and Jacob Ross.