Alex Beeson, Parker Hendricks and Isaac Cantrell check out the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office airplane.

LIBERTY — On Sept. 8 the Cub Scouts Pack 51 had an opportunity to visit the Pickens County Airport in Liberty.

About 16 scouts, along with with their siblings and parents, attended the event, which was sponsored by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

Through the instruction of Pickens County Airport manager Skeets Cooper, the scouts learned about airplanes and airports, what it takes to become a pilot, how a municipal airport operates and the importance of having an airport in our community.

PCSO officials let the scouts tour the airplane that they primarily use for extradition and let the boys sit in the search-and-rescue helicopter.

Cooper also took his plane out and down the runway while the scouts listened over the loudspeaker as he radioed back his altitude and speed after taking off. He did several fly-bys for the boys as they watched in amazement before he landed again and let everyone look at his plane up close.

It was a great time, and the scouts especially would like to thank Cooper, PCSO Sgt. Hendricks, deputy Dean Jones, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the Pickens County Airport.

Those interested in joining the scouts are invited to attend a meetiing, as they are held every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church. For more information, call (864) 735-6779.

In another event over the summer, Pack 51 spent two nights aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point near Charleston over the July 4 holiday.

The Pack became “shipmates” with other packs from across the country as they toured the Yorktown, a WWII aircraft carrier, the WWII submarine Clamagore and the Laffey, a WWII destroyer.

Morning and evening meals were prepared and served to the boys and their families in the chief’s mess aboard the Yorktown for the full effect of having lived aboard a famous man-of-war. The pack also had the opportunity to relive Civil War history as they ventured across the Charleston Harbor to Fort Sumter.

The pack was later treated to a special fireworks show on Independence day from the dock at Patriots Point.