Altria Corporate Services Jet Pays Visit to Aviation Students

Monday, January 23, 2006

Altria's John Davis (second from left) talks with Brett A. Reasner, associate professor of aviation, as former intern Rich Geyer (left) and student Greg Gilliland look on. An industry partner in Penn College's aviation program made a side trip to the Lumley Aviation Center late last week, offering faculty, staff and students a close-up look at a well-appointed corporate jet.

On Friday morning, faculty at the Lumley Aviation Center received a call from John Davis, manager of base aviation maintenance at Altria Corporate Services, who said two of the company's pilots (Mark Gale and Kevin Molloy) were making a training flight in one of Altria's Gulfstream G IVs that day.

Davis, who was riding along, said they had extra time and would like to bring the jet into the Aviation Center for a visit.

At 2:15 p.m. , Davis called again from the airplane to report that they just departed Albany, N.Y., and, at 3 p.m. , the jet landed and taxied onto the Penn College ramp. The crew gave all of the students and staff tours of the aircraft, and demonstrated the avionics. The students were impressed with the luxurious interior, and the high technology used both in the cockpit and the cabin.

This photo of the plane's Head-Up Display shows that Lumley Aviation Center still is visible via synthetic vision, even when the pilot holds his notebook in front of the windscreen. When fully loaded, this $30 million jet can weigh as much as 75,000 pounds. The two Rolls Royce turbofan engines can fly the aircraft to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet. In cruise, these engines consume nearly 500 gallons of jet fuel per hour; the fuel cost alone made the Penn College trip a significant investment.

Altria Corporate Services supports the aviation program at Penn College in other ways, including participation in the aviation internship program and advisory committee and through the Altria Scholarship.

The internship program runs each summer, giving Penn College aviation students the opportunity to work with this aircraft and others like it. Davis visits the Aviation Center at other times during the year to attend advisory committee meetings and to interview potential interns.

Altria aviation maintenance professionals visit Lumley Center as guest speakers in classes, and the corporation donates $3,000 per year for aviation scholarships at Penn College.

Information and photos by Thomas D. Inman, associate professor of avionics

Aviation faculty%2Fstaff and students get a close look at a corporate aircraft during Friday's visit to the Lumley Aviation Center. Former intern Rich Geyer shows Tim Alexander the work he accomplished while at Altria. Altria Gulfstream taxis into the Lumley Aviation Center at the Williamsport Regional Airport in Montoursville.