Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
A government
of laws, and
not of men.
—John Adams


FIGHT
FOR
DEMOCRACY



This is the
flower of
the partisan
Who died
for freedom

We Will
Drive MAGA
Back Under
Their Rocks


"I feel more
like I do
now."
- Professor
Irwin
Corey
The mind
once
enlightened
cannot again
become
dark
Check out
all the stickies
on Grovelbot's
Big Board!

mahatmakanejeeves

(66,318 posts)
Wed Jul 1, 2020, 12:25 PM Jul 2020

Yeager Airport earning reputation as home base for military training operations

Yeager Airport earning reputation as home base for military training operations

By Rick Steelhammer Staff writer Jun 25, 2020

Less than two years ago, military use of Charleston’s Yeager Airport was generally limited to C-130 flights operated by the home-based 130th Airlift Wing and sporadic refueling stops by military aircraft passing through the area.

“Back then, we’d get maybe two or three transient military aircraft a week stopping in to refuel,” said Nick Keller, Yeager’s director. “So far this month, we’ve handled more than 100.”

In the past 20 months, aircraft from at least 126 military aviation units and thousands of Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard aircrew members, support teams and trainees have spent time at Yeager Airport.

The increased military presence at the Charleston airport is no lucky accident.

In his prior role as the airport’s assistant director, Keller and current Assistant Director James “Buzz” Mason, a former Navy helicopter pilot, spearheaded a marketing effort to bring in more military traffic. But before pitching the airport as a training base, they needed to develop some unique selling points and hone some existing ones, which they accomplished with help from Yeager’s governing board, National Guard officials and area coal companies.

In February, 2019, the airport signed lease agreements for five inactive surface mines in Boone and Logan counties identified as being suitable to serve as remote military training sites.

{snip}
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»National Security & Defense»Yeager Airport earning re...