AVIATION MILESTONE Capt. Mark Needler, commanding officer of Training Air Wing 1 at Naval Air Station Meridian, right, congratulates Cmdr. Mark Kinnane, commanding officer Training Squadron 7, left, and Ensign Adam Poth, assigned to Training Squadron 7, after their history-making flight in the T-45C "Goshawk" on Wednesday.

By Staff
The flight marked the 100,000th flight hour of the Navy's newest jet trainer. The T-45Cs began their flight history in Meridian on Dec. 15, 1997. NAS Meridian has averaged receiving at least one new $24 million T-45 a month since then, bringing the current number of T-45s to 73 at the base today.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
March 6, 2003