Trio of Aviation Alumni Returns to Campus 47 Years Later
Published 09.24.2004
Threealumni of Williamsport Technical Institute touredPenn College'sLumley Aviation Center in Montoursville on Friday, remarking on the profound changes since their graduation from the Aviation Mechanics Program more than four decades ago.
Visiting with their spouses were George W. Gemberling of Copperopolis, Calif; Donald H. Keener of Watsontown; and Charles M. Starr of Montoursville; who along with a number of other 1957 grads started out at Capital Airlines in Washington, D.C. When Capital merged with United Airlines, they moved west to the Bay Area to work for United's San Francisco Airport facility. The Starrs returned in 1996; the Keeners in 2000.
The group toured the Aviation Center's well-furnished laboratory areas and spacious hangar, a far cry from thetimeworn, leaky structure of their college years. Thomas D. Inman, assistant professor of avionics, provided an overview of the program's history, and the group also traveled to Williamsport for lunch at Le Jeune Chef Restaurant and a Main Campus tour.