From The Runway Up: An Airport and Aviation Podcast

For this month’s episode, we took our podcast on the road and visited the Tennessee Air National Guard Base, which is located across the runway from TYS. We spoke with the Wing Commander and the Vice Wing Commander of the 134th Air Refueling Wing and learned more about their global, state, and local missions. From talking about the 134th Air Refueling Wing’s 60-year history and its $172 million annual economic impact, to hearing about how they operate their ‘orbiting gas station’, this episode introduces you to military aviation and the people and aircraft that make each mission successful.

In this episode, we discuss the diverse services and operations of Downtown Island Airport-- aircraft maintenance, flight training schools, and helivac transport, just to name a few. Both guests featured in this episode are prior military aviators, general aviation pilots, and now work in airport operations management. Our guests share their background, opinions, and insight on general aviation and the important role it plays within local communities.

The Airport Authority hosts an annual Aviation Academy for community members to gain a behind-the-scenes look into general, military, and commercial airport operations. In this episode, we interview two recent Aviation Academy graduates as they share their favorite aspects of the class.

In honor of Earth Day, this month’s podcast episode discusses the general impact airports have on the environment and how we at TYS try to decrease our energy consumption. Special thanks to our industry experts: Mark Heckroth, Project Manager in the Aviation Market at CHA Consulting and Ken Eckert, Facilities Manager at McGhee Tyson Airport.

Airport technology is an essential aspect of the traveler experience and it is constantly evolving. In this episode, the Airport Authority’s technology staff give a brief overview of their responsibilities, talks about the obstacles of managing technology in an airport environment, and mentions upcoming trends to be looking for in the travel industry.

We’re kicking off this new year talking about art and how it pertains to the airport. Along with our guest speaker, Eddie Mannis— Chairman of the Airport Authority’s Board of Commissioners, we discuss the current (and future!) art featured at TYS, unique art at airports around the world, and how art can impact your airport experience.

With another year behind us, Bill Marrison, President of the Airport Authority, joins us to discuss all that happened at the airport in 2017, including new flights, once-in-a-lifetime events, and record-breaking passenger numbers.

The holidays are upon us, which means it’s one of the busiest times of the year at the airport. This episode features a special guest from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and discusses need-to-know travel tips to make your experience through McGhee Tyson Airport and the TSA Security Checkpoint easy and efficient.

From assisting travelers in medical emergencies to assisting in Presidential visits, the Public Safety Department at McGhee Tyson Airport is critical to passenger safety and the continuous operations of the airport. Listen as a Captain in the Public Safety Department tells about the training and experience it takes to be a police, fire, and medically-trained airport officer.

In this episode, we discuss vegetation management, also known as mowing and lawn care maintenance. We bring in three special guests from the airport staff, Richard Good, Rob Wilson, and Trevis Gardner, to discuss what all goes in to mowing thousands of acres around active runways and secured areas. Please note that due the the amount of guests in this podcast, the sound quality varies among speakers.