 |
| By Carmelo Turdo |
Mount Vernon Outland Airport hosted a deployment of Illinois National Guard troops to their annual two-week drill at an undisclosed location Saturday. Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports from the 169th Airlift Squadron, 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria, landed and loaded a total of 419 local National Guard troops in 7 flights throughout the morning and early afternoon in a highly successful exercise. Airport Manager, Chris Collins, and the units involved in the deployment have been planning the use of Mount Vernon Outland Airport for months, and immediate feedback has been very positive. "This is the first time the Guard has used this airport for its air transport needs, and we are pleased at how smoothly it went," he said. "I would also like to thank the volunteers who came out to make this possible." Under Collins' leadership, Mount Vernon Outland Airport has become an increasingly important hub of aviation activity for the community, and the airport hosts such high-profile events as the Midwest Light Sport Aircraft Expo and Little Egypt Fly-In annually. Here are some scenes from the day's activities:
No comments:
Post a Comment