Bob DeGennaro, pilot and air traffic controller led a discussion on the topic of aviation. He began with an explanation of what air traffic controllers do. He showed us an example of the “ticket” they use to interpret all pertinent details about a particular flight. He also showed us an image of the radar screen used by air traffic controllers to see where plains are on the ground and in the sky. He explained the unbelievable complexity of our local airports and how on a single runway up to 50 flights can take off, land, and taxi across within one hour. One of the highlights of the presentation was an audio recording of a gripping conversation between an air traffic controller and a pilot suffering from hypoxia or lack of oxygen to the brain due to incorrect cabin pressure. Bob gave us the inside story on US Airways Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River earlier this month. He also described his experience in the control tower on Sept 11, 2001. Bob was barraged with questions and did a great job of answering them. He really demystified the topic for us and left us all with a great deal of respect for this very challenging profession.
The Barn Blog 
Bob DeGennaro, aka Coach Bob, shared lot’s of information about his work life as a veteran Air Traffic Controller.
It was all so interesting, and one of the best presentations to date.