Test center shelters community aircraft from storm

Photo By Jonathan Stinson | Photo courtesy of RTC Eleven general aviation aircraft of all sizes and colors were safely stowed in the Redstone Test Center’s AFTD hangar during recent severe weather threats in North Alabama.  

UNITED STATES

03.29.2021

Story by Jonathan Stinson 

U.S. Army Garrison - Redstone Arsenal

By JONATHAN STINSON
Assistant editor
[e-mail]
Storms cause damage and aircraft are not cheap.
That’s why when Redstone found itself in the path of potential severe weather over the past couple of weeks, it took a collaborative effort to protect 11 aircraft operated by Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
MWR only has a maintenance hangar that can house two aircraft at time.
In advance of anticipated storms March 17, the Redstone Test Center opened up the Aviation Flight Test Directorate’s large hangar off Hale Road to house aircraft from Redstone Arsenal’s Flying Activity.
“Many of our experimental test pilots are members of the flying activity here on Redstone and some are airplane owners themselves. All of us appreciate the value of general aviation,” Lt. Col. Joe Minor, commander of RTC’s Aviation Flight Test Directorate, said. “We are absolutely a part of Team Redstone, so if we have available space in our hangar, we are more than happy to accommodate our neighbors and protect the flying activity aircraft.”
MWR uses the aircraft for a number of reasons like pilot training and recreational flying for people who already have a pilot license, according to Tim Thompson, flying activity manager for MWR.
Thompson said the MWR flying activity works to maintain a good relationship with RTC and added military missions always come first.
That means a lot of planning takes place to make sure the two aircraft programs can share the skies above Redstone.
Thompson was grateful to the Garrison’s leadership for reaching out to RTC to see if there was a solution to housing the aircraft.
“It was nice that they were thinking of us verse the other way around,” Thompson said. “Normally, we’re trying to protect our leadership.”

• Date Taken: 03.29.2021
• Date Posted: 03.29.2021 18:08
• Story ID: 392489
• Location: US