"Captain Conway" - A Legacy in the Skies and in the Forecasts: Honoring Joe Rabassi, Beaver County's Aviation and Weather Pioneer

Some people make history quietly, one flight, one forecast at a time. Joe Rabassi, affectionately known as "Grandpa Joe" to his family, was one of those individuals. He didn't seek fame or accolades, but his influence soared higher than most could ever hope to fly.

Joe was not just a man who loved aviation. He was a pioneer, a teacher, a forecaster, and a steward of the skies over Beaver County for nearly half a century.

Joe Rabassi, pictured with a weather balloon and observation station at the Beaver County Airport

Long before modern radar or automated weather apps, Joe was doing the hard work of watching the sies, both from cockpit and from the ground. He began his aviation journey in 1936, training pilots for the Civil Air Patrol and the U.S. Army Air Corps. As World War II reshaped the world, Joe played a role in shaping the men and women who took to the skies in defense of it.

After the war, he founded Rabassi Aviation at the old Conway Airport. But as aviation needs grew, so did his vision. When Conway closed, Joe moved his operations to the Beaver County Airport, where he would eventually become airport manager from 1970 to 1984. Under his leadership, the airport didn't just grow, it transformed. He worked relentlessly to extend runways, accommodate larger aircraft, and bring Beaver County into the future of aviation. To this day, many aviators in the region credit their first solo flights or aviation dreams to Joe's mentorship.

What truly made Joe special was the way he wore many hats, all of them with the same quiet pride. Not only was he a manager, pilot, and teacher, he was also one of the first, and for years, the only aviation surface weather observers in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He reported daily observations through the National Weather Service, tracking storms, fog, visibility, and dangerous winds with remarkable precision. He measured cloud heights using weather balloons and special lightning systems, determined dewpoints manually, and recorded forecasts based not on radar, but experience.

In fact, it was Joe who first warned the community about incoming tornadoes or dangerous temperature drops. He remembered the worst of storms in vivid detail, like the 1966 tornado that ripped off a hanger roof at the airport, or the 1954 windstorm that destroyed 16 planes near the Aliquippa airfield. He would often reflect, "If we had the equipment then that we do now, we could have warned them sooner." His goal wasn't recognition, it was safety.

At the annual Beaver County Air Show, Joe was recognized by local leaders and aviation enthusiasts alike, not just for his flight experience, but for how many lives he touched. Former students would return just to shake his hand. Some had gone on to fly commercially, and others in the military, and many simply flew for the love of it, just like Joe did.

Even after retirement, Joe never truly stopped flying. He was known to say "I fly just for pleasure." He spent his later years surrounded by family, horse, and the same open skies that had always called his name.

To those of us who chase storms, track skies, or simply admire the dedication it takes to do things the right way, Joe Rabassi is a reminder of the legacy one person can leave behind with passion, purpose, and humility.

He helped others take flight, whether by teaching them to fly or helping them prepare for the weather ahead. The skies over Beaver County and surrounding areas are forever better because you were in them.