“When you drive one mile down the road that’s all the farther you’ve gone, [but] with one mile of runway you can go anywhere in the world,” shares retired American Airlines Captain Max Loughman. Max is a native Greene County resident and credits his early access to one of Greene County’s greatest resources for his career in aviation. That resource is the Greene County Airport (KWAY) located in Waynesburg, PA.
Support Our Aviation Resources, or SOAR, is an organization created by its members to keep aviation alive and thriving in our community for generations to come. The acronym suggests soaring the sky like a bird or the flight of a plane. It’s a perfect acronym for a group dedicated to bringing flight to others.
Most of the members wish more young people were interested in a career in aviation. Since most of the career and technology centers in our area do not offer training or courses with the aviation industry in mind, many young individuals don’t realize a good career is possible in aviation, with a variety of jobs.
“This industry needs trained individuals in all the departments that support taking transportation to the sky,” says John Strope, Maintenance Operations Director at KWAY. John got his start in the coal mines and when the mine shut down, he found an opportunity to become an A & P (airframe & powerplant) mechanic at Waynesburg. The love of working on hydraulics, engines and related electronics appealed to John; he didn’t care much about being a pilot. He enrolled in the two-year program at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics to receive his certification as an aviation mechanic.
Cassie Menhart and David Franks, both SOAR members, applied for and received funding from a grant allowing them to purchase two flight simulators for the students in the Carmichaels School district. During June, Carmichaels lead an aviation day camp for the students in the middle and high school, which ended with a day at the airport and free airport rides for students.
The many members of SOAR have lots of great stories and plenty of experience to share. Jeff Halliday, a former Vietnam Army Helicopter pilot, is now a pilot instructor at KWAY. Larry Grimm, a stunt pilot, got his start in aviation through his uncle. He takes to the skies with his partner Kathy Shaner, a photographer. They remove the cockpit door off the airplane so when they are in the air, Kathy can get clear photographs from the sky. Michael Kraus is a Greene County Flying Club instructor and an air ambulance pilot from Washington County.
A desire to see more local involvement with the airport has led to activities like the aviation camp for students, and the Aviation Days event held annually each summer. This year’s event will be August 21-22, 2021. During Aviation Days, pilots like Tim Chopp donate their time and aircraft for people to tour and take rides. This year, the event will be filled with ultra lights, gliders, biplanes, and an Avenger Torpedo Bomber. Sunday, a Candy Drop will be held. Come join the members SOAR and experience the “golden Opportunity that our little airport has to offer, in our backyard,” Max adds.
