Reno’s Channel 2 News broadcasts a live news update from Minden-Tahoe Airport.
By Brian K. Roat
On Highway 395, south of Reno and Carson City, stands a small, obscure sign for Minden-Tahoe Airport (MEV). A left turn down the long, narrow two lanes of rural Airport Road leads to more hangers than you might expect for this small airfield.
On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 8, a sense of urgency prevailed. Five days earlier, world-record-holding aviator Steve Fossett was reported missing, after a planned solo flight in a Bellanca Super Decathlon.
In the parking area, Reno’s CBS affiliate, Channel 2 News, broadcast a live update while large remote satellite trucks from CNN and NBC waited nearby. Emergency response command vehicles from the state of Nevada and Douglas County stood at the ready. Additionally, a military presence included an operations tent, support equipment and command vehicle.
As sunset approached, a Blackhawk helicopter temporarily landed on the flight line to swap out crewmembers from a search and rescue shift, then quickly lifted off to return to base. The setting sun lit up the low summer clouds hugging the distant hills, in a beautiful, yet eerie way.
While at the airport, this aviator found himself thinking, “He’s out there somewhere,” then, with a breath of desperation, “I hope he makes it.”
Our hearts go out to those who knew and loved this record-breaking aviator. Our love of aviation was forged in the fire burning deep in the belly of cloud-splitting adventurers such as Steve Fossett. May we always revere that adventurous spirit and pioneering attitude.
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- CNN’s remote satellite broadcast rig waits on-site.
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- NBC also dispatched a remote satellite broadcast rig.
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- The State of Nevada Department of Public Safety had their emergency response command vehicle on-site.
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- Douglas County’s emergency Command Center was on-site.
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- A military tent was set up for search and rescue operations.
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- The military’s impressive mobile operations command center coordinated search and rescue efforts from Minden.
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- An Army Blackhawk helicopter takes off after exchanging crewmembers, returning to base after a long day of searching the vast Nevada wilderness.
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- Looking to the east at sunset, the colorful clouds hugging the distant hills are eerily beautiful. At the airport, everyone is thinking, “He’s out there somewhere,” and hoping he’ll soon be found, alive and well.