Observation tower volunteer/s

[WHY]

Will be looking for some volunteer/s to man the observation tower this year and in the future. My intentions are to attend Mentone this year, but that is not a for sure yet. If I am there I will help train the person/s that volunteer.

This job is a little more demanding than one might think but is equally rewarding and the view can't be beat. I will attempt to list the items that this position involves.

First off, the person should be 21 yrs or older, have good vision and hearing and be physically fit because they will likely be making many trips up and down the stairs in the tower in any given day.

Second it would be desirable for the person to have good working knowledge of aircraft, flight patterns , radio procedure, in other words like a pilot would know.

Now at the risk of sounding like a MALE CHAUVANIST PIG the person will most likely need to be a male for the following reason, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY, our P A system is a very basic system, it has volume controls for multiple inputs and ONLY treble and bass for audio quality. THEIR IS NO EQUALIZER PANEL ON THE SYSTEM !!!!! The basic female voice can not be well balanced on this system and therefore has a tendency to come out very high pitched and sometimes distorted. Now of course it you have one of those low sexy voices like Julie London had, Please do volunteer.

Here are some of the important points that need to be considered, 1, you need to be able to arrive at least 2 days early to help set up direction signs down town, and the blinker lights at the PRA headquarters sign down at the hwy 19, also set up the PA system and have it ready for arrivals.

You will also set up the radio equipment in the tower, this involves the convention radio and a aircraft radio, and all of the protable radio chargers and put the portables on charge. The aircraft radio is used when assistance is requested by the flight line, since they are using a portble only and sometimes it is necessary to reach out futher and the tower runs a full base antenna and radio, also sometimes a aircraft will call in from a long ways out and the flight line cannot reply.

Tower duties include paging for phone calls and meetings, announcing forums, making requested announcments from the office, observing traffic, and keeping a eye out for safety conditions. Sometimes it is very quite and sometimes very busy, you also have the best cell phone location on the field ( as you will find many others know) you will have a lot of visitors, and always the PRESS and any TV people, who always are looking for the best camera shots.

The job does sort of ties you to the tower but there are times you can get loose to look around, and contrary to belief it is really not hot up there as there is always a small huricanne blowing up through the trap door in the floor.

If you think you got what it takes and would like to try it, contact Jennifer at PRA office (574-353-7227) or reply to me here on the forum.

Tony

[All_In]

HI Tony this is just a Bump for the cause!

[All_In]

We still looking for eagle eyed warriors?

[WHY]

Hi John

There have been a couple of "maybe's" check in with Jennifer at PRA HQ, but they more the merrier and the better to share the job, YOU REALLY GET TO SEE THE PRA FROM THE INSIDE ON THIS JOB AND SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THINGS RUN !!!!!!

Tony

[All_In]

Hi Tony, good to know.
I'll keep checking in.
Thanks for all you do!