The Scottsdale Air Fair returned Nov. 5th and 6th after an almost 11 year hiatus, due to the events of September 11 2001. I remember this Air Fair as one of the best in the valley, fast jets and good people.

The 2011 Scottsdale Air Fair lived up to this. On hand were many local aircraft including the Deer Valley Warbirds, flying the Nanchang CJ-6 aircraft. They performed a flawless close formation flight with smoke and tight turns.

The Deer Valley Warbirds  are all pilots with a lot of military flying experience,with a few of the members serving as current airline captains with major US carriers. The CJ-6 aircraft are painted in eastern bloc colors with Bort  numbers  on the nose,they looked spectacular performing in the clear Arizona Skies.

The city of Scottsdale went all out to bring in an armada of aircraft both military and civilian, all this done while the airport remained open for normal flights. One of the most unique aircraft on display was the Red Tail P-51,  painted to honor the Tuskegee Airmen who fought color barriers in World War II to fly as fighter pilots in combat. This aircraft is making its way across the country with the CAF Red Tail Squadron Rise Above  Traveling Exhibit.Visitors to the display could enjoy the moving Rise Above Experience and then take a ride in the flight simulator. The tour is a must see,check them out at http://www.redtail.org

This year’s show featured 3 F-18 Super Hornets from VX-9 China Lake,CA .  The Marines sent several helicopters from HMLA 367, one AH1W Super Cobra, AH1Z Viper and a UH1Y Venom, along with a classic CH46E (FROG) from HMMT 164.

Two of the  Super Hornets performed a demo flight, albeit on the low side of its performance level.  Considering the noise abatement procedures in the area it was still good to see 2 super bugs over Scottsdale.

One surprise of the day was a VFA -122 Super Hornet that landed and parked near the other military static display aircraft.  The events continued into the evening including  a dusk hot air balloon lighting and a concert by the the Bellwethers. http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bellwethers/74633715834

The show was a great success and one can only hope that this event will take place for many years to come. I would like to personally thank Alexandria Pierce and the entire staff of the Scottsdale Air Fair 2011.

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On October 8, 2011, Photorecon had the opportunity to attend the 2011 Holloman AFB open house, the Legacy of Liberty air show.  Any air show at Holloman AFB holds a special place in my heart.  As a young man growing up in central New Mexico, Holloman AFB was the first air show I attended; the early trips out to the Base fostered a lifelong interest in aviation that developed into a passion for aviation photography.  This was the base at which my mother and father gave me my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic 110.  My father was a construction supervisor in New Mexico working close to the base; sometimes I would tag along. On many occasions we would stop for lunch to  watch daily flight operations. This was around the time the 49^th Fighter Wing was transitioning from the mighty F4 Phantom to the very modern (at the time) F-15 Eagle.

I attended the first air show to feature the new F-15 and one pilot,  let me sit in the cockpit of a fresh-off-the-production-line Eagle. I cherish those memories; heading out to the show on Saturday, with my 80-years-young mother in tow, (yes that’s Mom in the pics) brought back many fond memories of those wonderful times.

The 2011 Legacy of Liberty air show was a wonderful way to showcase the dedication and professionalism of the men and woman serving at Holloman. Flight performances that day included the following:  Tim Weber -Geico Extra 300s; Robert Pezhold -L-39-C; John Klatt -ANG Extra 300L, F22 & B2 Flyby, Tornado Demo with air-to-air refueling display; Herb Baker -T-28 “DITTO”; Dan Buchanan’s Flying Colors Airshows; Greg Coyler -Lockheed T-33, Pacific Prowler   B-25 Mitchell Bomber,  F-16 Viper EAST Demo Team, A surprise B-2 Fly over , Matt Younkin-Twin Beech 18, F-4 Phantom II Demo and Heritage flight;  eventually followed by a wonderful display of the USAF Thunderbirds.  The flying portion of the show was complimented by a fully-stocked ramp of static display aircraft ranging from a Grumman Albatross to the F-22 Raptor. BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer Road Show made an appearance, displaying a fully-loaded 18-wheeler for the public to tour and 2 RAF Hawk AJTS trainer aircraft. Although the HAWK Aircraft did not fly a demo, I did get to fly the HAWK AJTS simulator. I would also like to thank the BAE staff, for providing us a full briefing on this unique aircraft that very well could be the future of USAF pilot training.  The 301st fighter Squadron known as the “KATS” had a few Raptors on display. I only wish it could have been a red tail raptor, as the 301st  is well know as an original RED TAIL sq. dating back to WWII.

Making all this access possible and providing a secure, elevated photo platform to shoot from was the wonderful Holloman PAO staff. Every year they go out of their way to accommodate us and our media requests.

A special “thank you” goes to Mr. Arlan Ponder and the Holloman PAO  staff; you guys are the best.

Here is a  bit of  Holloman AFB history.,

Holloman AFB is located in New Mexico’s Tularosa Basin between the Sacramento and San Andreas mountain ranges.

One visit to the area and you will understand why New Mexico was named “The Land of Enchantment” and why Holloman is still a major front line ACC base and training location for pilots from around the world.

Holloman history dates back to 1942 with the establishment of Alamogordo Army Air Field, originally slated as a base for the RAF British Overseas Training program. This all changed with the events of December 7, 1941. US military leadership viewed the base as a prime training location to train its own pilots. From 1942-1945 Alamogordo AAF served as the training grounds for over 20 different types of aircraft from the B-17, B-24 and the mighty B-29. The famous 450^th Bombardment group called the base home; this group went on to serve in nearly every major combat operation in WWII. The 450th earned two distinguished unit citations, along with 11 campaign credits.

After WWII the base’s future seemed uncertain. In fact, rumors abounded concerning the closure of the site.  In 1947 Air Materials Command announced the field would become a major test site for pilotless aircraft, guided missiles, and other research aircraft. On January 13, 1948 the base was renamed Holloman Air Force Base, in posthumous honor of Colonel George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research.

For the next 25 years, the site became known as the Holloman Air Development center and later, the Air Force Missile Development Center. Holloman launched many missiles including the Tiny Tim (the first Army rocket) ,the Rascal, Aerobee, Falcon, Mace and Shrike.

The Holloman research legacy continued through the1950’s and ‘60s, as many history making events took place at the base.  In 1954, Lt. Col.(Dr) John P. Stapp received the nickname “Fastest Man on Earth” when he rode the Sonic Wind No.1 to a speed of 632 mph. Additionally, Captain Joseph W. Kittinger  stepped out of an open balloon gondola at 102,800 feet on August 16, 1960, to test high-altitude bailout techniques. Capt Kittinger’s jump lasted 13 minutes and reached a speed of 614 miles per hour. That Jump broke 4 world records: Highest open gondola manned balloon flight, highest balloon flight of any kind, highest bailout and longest free fall.  Col. (Joe) Kittinger has since become a personal friend of my brother Steve “Dr Sky” Kates. We have had the honor to meet and talk with Joe Kittinger at his home in Florida. Hearing firsthand the details of  his  high altitude bailout was living history at its best.  Another noteworthy event took place at Holloman, on November 29, 1961:  Enos, a chimpanzee, trained at Holloman’s Aero-Medical Laboratory. Enos went on to be the first U.S. chimpanzee specimen launched into space.

A new era began at Holloman in July 1968, with the arrival of the 49^th Tactical Fighter wing, flying the F-4D Phantom II.  In 1977, the 49^th transitioned to the F-15 Eagle, and the eagle ruled the roost at Holloman until April 1992 when the 49^th transitioned to the F-117 Night Hawk Stealth Fighter.  Night Hawk operations continued until June 2008 when the 49^th once again transitioned to a new Air Superiority Fighter, the F-22 Raptor.  In addition, Holloman is home to the German Tactical Training Center (GAF TTC), activated as a tenant unit in 1996. Today the Germans fly and train in the Panavia Tornado aircraft.

The 49^th Fighter wing and associated units based at Holloman make up the cutting edge of today’s United States Air Force.  The wing provides combat-ready Airmen, F-22 Raptors, and trains MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators. Additionally, the wing delivers Air Transportable Clinics and Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources while providing support to more than 17,000 military and civilian personnel to include German Air Force Flying Training center operations. Holloman personnel also assist White Sands Missile Range personnel in supporting the White Sands Space Harbor as an alternate runway for past NASA space shuttle missions. The space shuttle Columbia landed at WSSH March 30, 1982 and 1,400 Holloman personnel supported that landing.

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Weather Grounds Much of NAS Oceana’s 2011 Air Show

The 2011 NAS Oceana air show was a roller coaster full of ups and downs… though no fault of the organizers and participants.  Tropical moisture invaded the Virginia Beach area, and remained a major impediment to flying for the entire weekend.  During Friday afternoon’s practice show, dark and foreboding thunderstorms raced just north of Apollo Soucek Field.  The storms crept closer, finally affecting the airport as the Blue Angels were in the middle of their practice show, and ultimately deluged the grounds only a few hours before the evening’s twilight show was to commence.  Amazingly, there was a break in the rain, and a limited evening air show occurred.  A vivid rainbow appeared for a moment across the city of Virginia Beach, too.  The skies remained waterlogged, and a rare “vapor show” by the Blue Angels’ C-130 (Fat Albert) at sunset gave room to be optimistic, although the weekend’s weather forecasts  weren’t calling for  ”prime” conditions.

Saturday morning, an elderly C-9B Skytrain II and a modern Boeing C-40A Clipper were to open the show with a series of fly-bys.   Although the morning dawned with a high ceiling and decent visibility, conditions deteriorated soon after sun rise, and ugly, low-based clouds rolled in before the flying was to commence.  The decision was made to have each jet make an IFR approach to allow it to pass in front of the crowd.  Both crews performed a PAR approach to get below the cloud base, perform a touch and go landing, and then depart the area.  The air show operations personnel and announcer Rob Reider somehow patched ATC’s PAR frequency into the show’s public address system, and the spectators had front row seats to listen to both jets being “talked down” through the PAR approaches, complete with some “edge of your seat” audio from ATC (“well right of course, correcting…”, “on course, on glide slope”, and so on…).  Both jets’ landing lights came into view just short of the runway, exactly on course for their touch and go.  The synergy of sight and sound proved to be quite entertaining, and offered a bit of intrigue as one wondered where you’d first see a jet break out of the clouds.

Soon, rain began to fall, and for the rest of the weekend, intermittent stretches of flyable weather gave way to rainy and misty conditions, with lots of low scud in the area.  As safety was paramount, there was much coordination between the air boss, base weather officials, and performers as to what the next 30 minutes worth of weather would bring… such as if there was any lightning nearby or heavy precipitation on the doorstep. Some acts did fly, although the airfield attack sequence and fleet flyby were cancelled on Saturday.  All was not lost though, for a few of the pilots in their solo jets were able to fly (Air Force F-16, Marine Harrier, and Navy F-18 Hornets), and some serious vapor was squeezed from the air.  If you dared to expose your camera to the elements, some great opportunities for action photos were present.

The static display ramp was rather full, containing aircraft ranging from a triple-kill New Orleans-based ANG F-15C and various Centennial of Naval Aviation “throwback” schemed planes to local flying schools’ civilian aircraft.  Representatives from most of the numerous Navy and Marine flying units based in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach areas were congregated within a long row of tents, creating a shopping mall for squadron memorabilia.  You could purchase anything from “challenge coins” to shirts, DVDs, models and a multitude of other mementos.  You could talk to a wide range of Navy and Marine service members at the same time, and even with some of the service members’ spouses who staffed the booths while their opposites were deployed around the world.

Most of Friday’s practice show and part of the evening show was completed, but the much of the remaining weekend’s flying display was curtailed.  Those pilots and aircraft that could fly gave spirited performances though, complete with loads of vapor.  Both a pro and con, for some spectators it meant getting “up close and personal” with a plane, even though it meant standing under its’ wing while waiting for the rain to stop.  For others, instead of turning their gaze skyward to watch aircraft in flight, it offered a chance to talk with the people who live and work aboard the base.  There was still a lot to do at the NAS Oceana air show, even if the flying was condensed by some up and down weather.

Ken Kula

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Thank you Ken for a Great report hope your gear is dry once again. Joe ………………………………………………………………

Hawthorne, Nevada is home to the Hawthorne Army Depot, an ammunition staging area during World War II and the largest ammunition storage site in the world.

On September 15, 1930, the Secretary of the Navy commissioned the U.S. Navy Ammunition Depot at Hawthorne, Nevada. This did not happen by accident, but an accident caused it to happen. Four years earlier, July 1926, during the same week that a fire destroyed the Hawthorne business district, the Navy’s principal ammunition depot in Lake Denmark, NJ blew up, destroying the town and killing over 50 people and injuring hundreds more. The Hawthorne Ordnance Museum commemorates the history of the Ammunition Depot and it’s mission in defending the freedom of our country.

The Small, locally-run museum celebrating all things military, focusing on ammunition from the past and the area’s munitions history. The folks who staff the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum are friendly and enthusiastic about their collection. My favorite parts were the old newspaper front pages on important historical dates, and the drone helicopter on loan from its manufacturer.

Hawthorne Ordnance Museum commemorates the thousands of Military, Civil Service and Civilian Corporate Personnel that have made significant, and even the ultimate contribution in defending the Freedom of this Great Nation.

The coolest thing I found there was a U.S. Navy’s QH-50 DASH Weapon System (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) built and managed by the Gyrodyne Company of New York. It was the Military’s first UAV from what the volunteer at the museum told me.  They also have a helicopter under restoration outside. It sure looked like a Piasecki H-25 “HUP”.

I was traveling from Las Vegas to Reno, Nevada and thought I’d drive this region of the country for the first time. I was surprised when I stopped in Hawthorne for gas and stumbled on this little museum on Main Street U.S.A!! If your ever in the area..stop by for an hour or two. They sure will appreciate it.

Before HMLAT-303 was established in April 1982, Marine Corps helicopter pilots received advanced aircraft training at their fleet squadron after completing basic flight training. Overtime, the Marine Corps realized that this method of training was a drain on squadron operational effectiveness. It recognized the need for a dedicated training squadron that would operate from a high tempo training syllabus to train their young helicopter pilots and enlisted aircrews. The 27^th Commandant of the Marine Corps Robert Hilliard Barrow established HMLAT-303 to “provide leadership and professional performance to set new standards in aircrew training.”

Approaching their 30^th year anniversary, HMLAT-303 “Atlas” has grown from seven Marines to almost 500 Marines and 45 aircraft. Located at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and part of Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3^rd Marine Aircraft Wing, HMLAT-303 trains Marine Corps pilots assigned to fly either the Cobra or the Huey. Atlas trains approximately 100 replacement aircrews or “RAC” per year and an equal amount of enlisted aircrews. RACs include conversion pilots (pilots coming from another aircraft type), refresher pilots (Huey pilots not current in the UH-1Y), and new pilots fresh from naval flight school (referred to as “RACs”).

Currently, Atlas operates three different rotary aircraft. The UH-1Y Huey, the AH-1W Super Cobra, and the AH-1Z Cobra however, Atlas will soon be operating only the UH-1Y (Yankee) and AH-1Z (Zulu) due to the scheduled retirement of the Super Cobra.

The Bell UH-1Y (also known as the “Yankee” or “Venom”).

The Bell AH-IW (also known as the “Super Cobra” or “Whiskey”).

The Bell AH-IZ (also known as the “Zulu” or “Viper”).

HMLAT-303 is a unique squadron. It’s the largest squadron in the Marine Corps, yet never deploys to combat. Despite its uniqueness, HMLAT-303 shoulders the incredible responsibility for training the Marines who will populate the future community of Light Attack. I wanted to see this squadron in action, meet the men and women who make up its ranks (both enlisted and commissioned), and experience the training of Marine Corps Light Attack aircrews. I made a request and was granted permission to spend three days with Atlas while they were “deployed for training” or DFT at Naval Air Facility El Centro (NAFEC).

In May 2011, HMLAT-303 took 200 Marines and 12 aircraft (a combination of AH-1Ws and UH-1Ys) to NAFEC. While DFT, Atlas would conduct day and night flights that included area familiarization flights, live fire day and night shoots, and low level navigation.

I arrived at hanger three at NAFEC at 4:00pm and met Major Paul “Goose” Gosden the squadron’s Public Affairs Officer as well as the squadron’s senior UH-1Y instructor pilot. Major Gosden gave me a tour around the hanger and ramp and then it was time for him to prepare for his night training flight. At 6:00pm, Major Gosden had a section briefing (pilots of a given flight briefing together) for a two ship (two UH-1Ys) live fire night shoot.

In the briefing room were Major Gosden’s “conversion pilot” – Major Jason Heuer and their flight leader for the night flight – Major Trey “Grinch” Smith and his “conversion pilot” Captain Seth Jerue. Major Heuer and Captain Jerue are experienced UH-1N pilots who are transitioning to the Yankee model Huey and will also be UH-1Y instructor pilots in Atlas. Major Smith started off the briefing by saying he and Major Gosden would get the students thoughts and perspectives based upon their briefing and then provide feedback based on the information contained in their briefing.

Captain Jerue started off the briefing with information on weather, ingress/egress routes, the range, communications, ordinance to be used (2.75 inch rockets, mini gun, and .50 caliber), location of friendly forces on the ground, and shoot/don’t shoot rules of engagement. This was Captain Jerue’s first night live fire rocket shoot in the Yankee and his briefing covered the minute detail of the training flight.

After Captain Jerue’s very detailed briefing, Major Smith asked follow up questions and provided some additional learning points on the briefing. One of the learning points was “make an early decision.” I later asked Captain Jerue what this meant to him. “Basically, it is having everything in the cockpit squared away before you ingress on a target so you can focus on the attack” said Captain Jerue.

After the section brief, I remained with Majors Gosden and Heuer while they conducted their own briefing also called a “cockpit briefing.” Major Gosden started the briefing with his initial expectations, procedures, and an emphasis on emergency procedures, and shoot/don’t shoot rules of engagement. Major Gosden had a saying “if it doesn’t look right, smell right, and/or feel right” it probably isn’t. He emphasized that regarding in-flight emergencies it is better to stay ahead of the aircraft and “fight it on the ground.” He talked about “no fast hands” in the cockpit meaning he wanted his student to talk about what they were doing before they did it.

Tonight’s flight would be called “Grinch Flight.” Major Smith would be flying with the call sign “Atlas 05” and Major Gosden’s as “Atlas 23.” A flights name is derived from the lead pilot’s call sign. An aircraft’s call sign is a combination of the squadron’s name (Atlas) and the Helicopter Aircraft Commander’s (HAC) “rocket” number. A rocket number is a two digit number assigned to each pilot while they are in the squadron.

Both briefings took almost 90 minutes and three times that long for the student pilots to actually prepare for. In fact, for a one hour “Time on Station” live fire night flight it takes many more times that amount of time to prepare for (from pre-flight briefings to debriefing).

Major Jason Heuer and Captain Paul Barron discuss the pre-flight inspection of their UH-1Y.

Captain Paul Barron inspects the tail rotor of his “Yankee.”

Sergeant Lee preps the GAU 16.

Student Crew Chiefs Lance Corporal Trevor Brown (left) and Lance Corporal Nick Edwin assist in the pre-flight of Atlas 23.

Major Paul Gosden (left seat) and Major Jason Heuer prepare for takeoff.

Lance Corporal Trevor Brown moves the fire suppression equipment before “Atlas 23” departs.

After the briefings aircrews started towards their aircrafts. My escort while on the ramp tonight was Lance Corporal Justin Blakeley. Lance Corporal Blakeley is 20 years old and a Plane Captain on the AH-1W and the Yankee model Huey. As a Plane Captain, Lance Corporal Blakely is responsible for ensuring the aircraft is ready to launch. Ground crews, like Lance Corporal Blakely routinely work ten to twelve hour days and by all accounts are instrumental in keeping these combat aircraft flying. They examine mechanical discrepancies and other issues and have the ultimate responsibility on whether or not an aircraft will fly or be grounded. The decisions a 20 year old Plane Captain makes can be directly related to whether or not an aircrew returns from a mission. These young Marines are entrusted with an incredible amount of responsibility. These responsibilities include telling a commissioned officer that he (Plane Captain) is grounding their aircraft and holding to that decision.

I asked Lance Corporal Blakeley what has been his key to success in the United States Marine Corps? He told me the Marine Corps is a complex organization with “a lot of moving parts” and being respectful and using common sense can go a long way.

Plane Captain Lance Corporal Justin Blakeley opens the engine compartment on a AH-1W that just landed.

Plane Captain Lance Corporal Justin Blakeley ties down the main rotors of a Super Cobra.

Grinch Flight departed the ramp at 7:40pm, taxied over to the combat arming and loading area (CALA), and departed NAFEC at 8:40pm. They would arrive on station at the range at 9:00pm, conduct a 60 minute live fire night shoot, and return to NAFEC. Once back at NAFEC, they would de-arm at the CALA by 10:30pm, arrive back on the ramp by 11:00pm, and then conduct a debrief.

While Grinch Flight was on its training mission, I had time to talk to the Marines that were assigned to Flight Equipment. Flight Equipment is responsible for issuing aircrews their required flight gear, such as the latest generation flight helmet used on the Yankee and Zulu (Topowl Helmet Mounted Sight and Display), survival vests, and other miscellaneous flight equipment. In charge of Flight Equipment tonight was Sergeant Stephen Nixon of Hemet, California. Sergeant Nixon has been in the Marine Corps for six years. I asked Sergeant Nixon what he loved most about the Marine Corps and he told me “I love being enlisted. It’s earned respect.” Also working in Flight Equipment tonight was Corporal Patrick Case of Dallas, Texas, a Marine for the last four years and Lance Corporal Anthony Woodward, Sonora, California, a Marine for two years. I asked Corporal Case and Lance Corporal about their Marine Corp experiences. “It’s a great job, good experiences, great camaraderie. The officers in the squadron are always trying to help the enlisted Marines, especially with educational opportunities. The Marine Corps makes you a better man,” said both Corporal Case and Lance Corporal Woodward.

Captain Paul Barron (far right) being helped by Flight Equipment Marines Corporal Patrick Case (far left) and Sergeant Nixon (center).

Lance Corporal Anthony Woodward helps Staff Sergeant Davis with returning his flight gear.

Once Atlas 23 had landed Majors Gosden and Heuer returned their flight gear to Flight Equipment and then found a briefing room to discuss their flight. Major Heuer is currently assigned to HMLAT-303 learning to be an instructor pilot on the Yankee. As Major Gosden said during the debrief, “the left seat is a different beast.” I later spoke to Major Gosden and asked him about his comment on the “left seat.” “The left seat is a different beast for two basic reasons. First, as an instructor, you’re focused on the pilot in the right seat and to a degree not actually flying the aircraft. Second, the left seat in the Yankee is actually lower than the right seat (due to the position of the transmission and aircraft design) giving you a different perspective or ‘sight picture’ when looking outside the aircraft” explained Major Gosden.

During their annual training cycle HMLAT-303 uses approximately 2,300 2.75 inch rockets, 75,000 rounds of 20mm, 9,000 rounds of .50 caliber, and 45,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. While deployed for training at El Centro, Atlas conducted 120 day and 120 night training sorties, of which there were live fire training missions during the day and night. None of these live fire shoots would occur without the Marines of Aviation Ordnance. The Aviation Ordnance department plays a vital role in the training tempo of Atlas and is responsible for weapons, ammunition inventory, loading and unloading of the aircraft weapons, and weapons maintenance.

In charge of the Aviation Ordnance shop when I arrived was Master Sergeant Keith Brown from South Carolina. Master Sergeant Brown, who arrived at HMLAT-303 in March 2011, is a career Marine with 18 years of Marine Corps service and has spent most of his career in the fixed wing community. I asked Master Sergeant Brown what makes HMLAT-303 different when compared to other squadrons. He said, “Our role is important because we are getting aircrews ready for their Victor squadrons” (A “Victor” squadron is another name for a fleet squadron). I asked Master Sergeant Brown about life as a Marine and the young Marines he supervises. He told me you have to have a “passion and love for our country” to be a Marine. These kids coming into the Corps today are much smarter than past generations and are here because they want to be here. According to Brown, “the days of JJ Jarhead are gone. These young Marines are very responsible, dedicated kids.”

I also spoke to Sergeant Heather Ambute, a Marine for 12 years with several combat tours under her belt. Sergeant Ambute is an Aviation Ordnance Marine and has done so since she enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1999. Sergeant Ambute came to HMLAT-303 six months ago after serving with various CH-53 squadrons. As I have asked several other Marines, I asked Sergeant Ambute how HMLAT-303 compares to other fleet squadrons. “The HMLAT-303 Marines have a get it done attitude” said Ambute. Sergeant Ambute told me she is still adjusting to “not seeing an end state or end results” as she did with her other fleet squadrons, but finds it rewarding to be training young Marines in Aviation Ordnance. She added, “I enjoy always being the little sister and knowing I will always have my big brothers.”

In addition to Aviation Ordnance Marines working in the hanger based shop, they also are responsible for loading, arming, unloading, de-arming, and maintaining munitions inventory in an area known as the Combat Arming and Loading Area or CALA. Aircraft don’t leave the ramp armed, although they do leave with their weapons mounted and ready to be loaded. Once at the CALA, Aviation Ordnance Marines will load the aircraft according to the mission profile.

By 11:00am I was standing on the NAFEC CALA with Atlas Aviation Ordnance Marines Staff Sergeant Ethan Adams from Bakersfield, California (a Marine for 13 years), Sergeant Tim Nelson from Fort Smith, Arkansas (a Marine for six years), Corporal Dan Quinn from San Diego, California (a Marine for four years), Corporal Matt Luc from Rochester, New York (a Marine for five years), and Lance Corporal Leslie Harris from Shawnee, Oklahoma (a Marine for two years).

The first flight of two Atlas Cobras arrived at the CALA at 11:30am. Once at the CALA, AH-1W aircrews shut down and secure their aircraft before Aviation Ordnance Marines would start loading ammunition. Today’s Cobra mission load outs were 2.75 inch rockets and 20mm cannon ammunition. First to be loaded was the 20mm cannon. The AH-1W has an M-197 three barrel Gatling cannon that fires 650 rounds a minute by way of linked ammunition via a magazine. The 200+ pound magazine took three Marines to muscle it into the magazine storage compartment, located underneath the pilot and co-pilot seat of the aircraft. Once the 20mm magazine was in place, one Marine is responsible for getting ammunition into the feed chute and preparing it to be armed.

The first Atlas Cobra being flown by Captain Todd “Cash” Shuck (backseat) and First Lieutenant Matt Tiemann arrives at the Combat Arming and Loading Area (CALA).

Captain Shuck and First Lieutenant Matt Tiemann tie down the tail rotor before Ordnance Marine load their AH-1W.

Aviation Marines (clockwise) Corporal Dan Quinn (nearest helicopter with Camelback on), Lance Corporal Leslie Harris, and Corporal Matt Luc muscle the 200 plus pound 20mm ammunition drum into a HMLAT-303 Cobra.

After loading the 20mm Gatling cannon, Aviation Ordnance Marines loaded the rocket pods. Each AH-1W today was carrying two 2.75 inch rocket pods (each holding 19 rockets). Each rocket weights approximately 70 pounds and is manually loaded onto the Cobra’s rocket pods.

Corporal Quinn carries a 2.75 inch training rocket to one the Cobras two 19 round rocket pods.

Sergeant Tim Nelson loads a 70 pound 2.75 inch rocket into Captain Shuck’s Cobra.

Corporal Matt Luc carrying a 2.75 inch rocket from the storage rack to an Atlas Cobra.

The final stage before the aircraft departs for the live fire range is for it to be armed. Even after being loaded, the weapons systems are not able to fire. After being loaded, aircrews return to their aircraft and hover taxi over to the arm/de-arm area, several 100 yards from the loading/unloading area. Once at the arming area, the pilot and co-pilot will hold their arms over their heads. This indicates to the Aviation Ordnance Marines that the pilot’s hands are off any weapon system triggers thus eliminating the possibility for having an accidental discharge in the arming area. With rotor blades spinning, Aviation Ordnance Marines climb underneath and around the aircraft arming the various weapons systems. Once armed, pilots will get a “thumbs up” from the Aviation Ordnance Marines and then depart.

An Aviation Ordnance Marine arms the 20mm Gatling cannon.

Corporal Harris gives a “thumbs up” to Corporal Quinn who gives hand signals to Captain Shuck and First Lieutenant Matt Tiemann indicating their Cobra is armed and ready.

Lance Corporal Harris hustles away from an AH-1W after arming the 2.75 inch rocket pod.

When this flight of two Cobras returned, the process is basically reversed. Aircraft returning from live fire ranges, first land at the arm/de-arming area so their weapons can be made safe. In the event aircraft returns out of ammunition or “Winchester,” the Aviation Ordnance Marines simply “safe” the weapon systems and the aircrew is able to taxi back to the ramp and skip the unload process. No one appreciates a “Winchester” aircraft more than Aviation Ordnance Marines. A Winchester aircraft means that there is no unloading of a 200+pound 20mm magazine, counting each 20mm round for re-inventory and/or removing 70 pound 2.75 inch rockets from the rocket pods. As tradition holds, Aviation Ordnance Marines celebrate this condition by giving the aircrew a “Winchester dance.” The Winchester dance is simply Aviation Ordnance Marines “busting a move” in celebration not having to unload ordnance off the aircraft and that the aircrew had a successful mission.

An Atlas Cobra returns with no ammunition left on board or “Winchester” prompting a “Winchester Dance” by Corporal Luc (far left), Corporal Quinn (center), and Sergeant Nelson.

Playing cards at the CALA shed is just one of the ways Aviation Ordnance Marines kill time waiting for aircraft to load and/or unload.

Aviation Ordnance Marines are also weapons system mechanics who are qualified to get weapons back in operational condition thus allowing the flight to continue and not be “scrubbed.” I saw this first hand when a failure in the 20mm weapon system was found in a Cobra. While loading the 20mm ammunition “feeder,” Lance Corporal Harris discovered the “feeder” was broken. The feeder was quickly removed and Corporal Quinn began to repair it. In very short order, it was determined that the feeder wasn’t repairable at the CALA. After the Aviation Ordnance Marines conferred with the aircrew, the decision was made to replace the feeder back in the aircraft and because the mission was a rocket shoot the mission could continue.

Lance Corporal Harris discovers a problem with the 20mm feeder during the loading process.

With the 20mm feeder removed, Corporal Quinn attempts to repair it onsite.

Sergeant Nelson also tries to get the 20mm weapon system working on aircraft 451.

While at the CALA, I had the opportunity to talk with an Atlas Cobra aircrew, Instructor Pilot Captain Todd “Cash” Shuck and his student pilot First Lieutenant Matt Tiemann. Captain Shuck and First Lieutenant Tiemann were waiting for their aircraft to be loaded and wingman, that was still on the ramp at hanger three, to arrive.

I asked Captain Shuck, a Marine Corps helicopter for the last nine years, what made Atlas different from other squadrons he has been apart of. Captain Shuck told me that HMLAT-303 gets RACs used to flying the Huey or Cobra. We get them out of the flight school mindset of basic civilian flight principles and start preparing them to “fight the aircraft.” HMLAT-303 gives RACs about 10-15 percent of they will get when they are assigned to a fleet squadron.

Captain Shuck (center) debriefs his flights live fire training sortie with Atlas RACs while at the CALA.

Aviation Ordnance Marines repeated this load/unload/arm/de-arm process many times throughout the 90 degree day. By 6pm the last aircraft departed the CALA and these Aviation Ordnance Marines headed back to the hanger to debrief and secure their equipment.

Corporal Quinn counts 20mm ammunition not used in a training flight.

I left the CALA beyond impressed with the caliber of Marines that work Aviation Ordnance. These Marines hustled all day long in extreme temperatures making sure all aircraft were loaded or unloaded and/or armed or de-armed as quickly and more importantly as a safely as possible.

After returning from the CALA, I had the opportunity to speak with the squadron’s Operation Officer or “Ops O” Major Chris “Hedgehog” Donnelly. Major Donnelly has been a Marine for 13½ years, a Cobra pilot since 2004, and has three combat tours. As the squadron’s Operation Officer and third in command (after the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer), Major Donnelly is responsible for the daily operation of the squadron, both from an aircraft and personnel perspective. These responsibilities include flight scheduling, training events, and scheduling of ground training (firearms, tear gas, etc). The “Ops O” must forecast these responsibilities six to twelve months in advance.

I asked Major Donnelly about being a Cobra pilot instructor and the training syllabus at HMLAT-303. “Each student is assigned to Atlas for 26 weeks and during that time, has 48 training evolutions consisting of three simulator flights and 45 actual training flights in a Cobra or Huey with an instructor pilot. The flight schedules are intensive and students typically work ten hour days. When students leave HMLAT-303 they have approximately 70 hours in their respective aircraft” explained Major Donnelly.

After a long and intensive training flight, an equally critical debrief follows.  According to Major Donnelly, “on any given training flight, a student may do 19 things correct. However, it’s the one thing a student did wrong, the one thing that could get him/her, their aircrew, and/or Marines on the ground killed and that’s the focus of the debrief.”

“Re-greening the students, getting them back to a Marine Corps mindset” is also a responsibility of Atlas says Major Donnelly. RACs assigned to HMLAT-303 are fresh from naval flight school where they have learned the basics of flying military aircraft but not necessarily learning how to fly and fight a combat aircraft. Atlas begins the “fighting the aircraft” syllabus and a RACs respective fleet squadron will complete it.

Atlas RACs prepare for an upcoming training flight.

The second in command of the squadron is the Executive Officer or the “XO.” Holding the rank of Major, the Executive officer basically runs the staff or commissioned officers within the squadron, manages the day to day activities, and acts on behalf of the CO in their absence.

HMLAT-303s Executive Officer is Major Tres “Grinch” Smith. Major Smith is a 16 year Marine who graduated from flight school in 1997 and arrived at HMLAT-303 as a young Second Lieutenant in 1998. I asked Major Smith why he chose rotary wing. He told me that after flight school, he had no desire to fly a Marine Corps jet at 15,000 feet when you can’t see what’s happening on the ground. “To fly at 150 knots at 50 feet off the deck is an incredible rush” said Smith. Major Smith’s first choice in rotary wing aircraft was the AH-1 Cobra, however he wasn’t selected and next chose UH-1 Hueys. Fast forward 13 years, with 2,900 flight hours in the Huey (500 of those hours in combat), two combat tours in Iraq, one combat tour in Afghanistan, and the recent recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Major Smith is very happy with aircraft the Marine Corps chose for him.

I asked Major Smith what makes Atlas unique. “We are formulating experience for the student pilot that they will use in their fleet squadron. Atlas could be called a super flight school in that we are going to show you Light Attack and the beginning stages of how to fly and fight the aircraft. Our job is to find the “service ceiling” of our Marines and go from there. “We have some extraordinary individuals in this squadron and there are generations of stories of Atlas Marines who have done phenomenal things in combat. I don’t know if it’s Marine Corps recruitment and/or the training here at HMLAT-303 that makes successful aircrews, all I know is that it works” explains Major Smith. It was during this interview that I discovered Major Smith had received orders for an east coast assignment and would soon be leaving Atlas.

Major Tres “Grinch” Smith explains a “squawk” to the “Atlas 05” Plane Captain.

Major Smith in full flight gear, including the Topowl flight helmet.

Replacing Major Smith as the squadron’s Executive Officer would be Major Jason “Woogie” Heuer. Major Heuer has been assigned to Atlas since June 2010 and is conversion pilot obtaining his qualification in the Yankee and working towards his designation as a UH-1Y instructor pilot. I spoke with Major Heuer about the role of HMLAT-303. “Everything we do is designed to put ordnance downrange and fully supporting the Marine on the ground” said Major Heuer.

The purpose of HMLAT-303 since it’s inception in 1982 is to train Light Attack (Hueys and Cobras) aircrews that includes pilots, instructor pilots, and Crew Chiefs.

First Lieutenant Matt Tiemann is one of HMLAT-303s AH-1W RACs. I asked First Lieutenant Tiemann what it was like being a “RAC” in Atlas. He told me “it’s like TBS meets flight school.” TBS or “The Basic School” is a 26 week course that indoctrinates newly commissioned officers on what is expected of them as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. All commissioned officers, regardless of their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) complete TBS before advancing to their MOS. First Lieutenant Tiemann told me “preparedness for the operation” is one of the keys to success at HMLAT-303. First Lieutenant Tiemann added “There are a lot of people that get the helicopter flying, not just the pilot.” Soon after this interview, First Lieutenant Tiemann successfully completed his Cobra syllabus and is now assigned to his first fleet squadron – HMLA-167 the Warriors based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.

First Lieutenant Matt Kangas, like First Lieutenant Tiemann, was fresh from flight school when he arrived at Atlas in fall 2010 and is going through the AH-1W syllabus. I spoke to First Lieutenant Kangas after he finished his final flight as a “RAC” at HMLAT-303 and asked him about the flight. “It was a two hour flight involving emergency policies and procedures, tactics, and instrument flying” said First Lieutenant Kangas. I asked First Lieutenant Kangas how he felt after getting his final X and he told me “It was a great feeling setting down on the ramp knowing I had got my last X.” After a 30 day leave, the intense learning for First Lieutenant Matt Kangas will continue. Kangas was assigned to HMLA-269 Gunrunners based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.

Lance Corporal Bryce Brown directs “Atlas 69” back to the ramp.

An excited First Lieutenant Kangas walks from his AH-1W with his final “X” for the Cobra training syllabus completed.

In addition to training pilots in the AH-1W and UH-1Y, HMLAT-303 is responsible for training Enlisted Aircrews. These Enlisted Aircrews consist of Crew Chiefs and Aerial Observers. The responsibility of a Marine Corps helicopter Crew Chief is to assist the pilots with safely operating the aircraft during take off and landings due to the Crew Chiefs 180 degree view of the aircrafts surroundings verses the pilots more restricted view. Crew Chiefs also operate any of the crew served mounted weapons including the GAU-16/GAU-21 (.50 caliber machine gun), the GAU-17 (7.62mm minigun) and the M-240 (7.62 machine gun). Crew Chiefs also have a basic understanding of the aircraft’s systems and how to repair critical operating systems. An Aerial Observer is basically considered a Crew Chief, goes through the same training, however is minus several qualifications that are required by the Crew Chief MOS.

Just like pilots that prepare hours before a flight, Crew Chiefs follow a similar pre-flight routine. A flight for a Crew Chief at Atlas starts with an assignments from a Staff Sergeant who assigns flight schedules. Because Atlas is a training squadron, these flight assignments are frequently based on the training needs of the students. Once the assignments are made and several hours before the flight, the student(s) will start their pre-flight briefings. The first briefing includes the broad spectrum of the flight and then on the student(s) specific responsibilities for the flight. Closer to flight time, there will be a 30 minute pre-flight briefing with the pilots.

About an hour before the flight, the Crew Chiefs will walk to the aircraft and pre-flight the weapons systems and back of the aircraft. Crew Chiefs are completely responsible for ensuring that the weapons systems are operational as well as everything in the back of the aircraft is secured and ready for flight. 30 minutes before the flight, the pilots will arrive at the aircraft and pre-flight the aircraft with the help of the Crew Chiefs.

After the flight, there is a debrief with the pilots. Because the Huey is a crew concept aircraft, there is a two way guided discussion involving what the pilots wants the Crew Chiefs to improve on and what the Crew Chiefs need the pilots to improve on. After the aircrew debrief, there is a student Crew Chief debrief where the Crew Chief instructor(s) will critique the students performance. All these debriefs have the purpose of making a more efficient, effective, and safer Huey aircrew.

HMLAT-303 Crew Chiefs (left to right) Corporal Shaun Hrubesky, Sergeant Dave Herwig, and Staff Sergeant Matt Horschel.

Enlisted student aircrews arrive at HMLAT-303 after completing a month long Naval Aircrew Candidates School (NACS). Enlisted student aircrews spend six months at Atlas learning all aspects of the duties and responsibilities of being a crew chief/aerial observer. These student aircrews have the good fortune of being trained by some of the best Crew Chiefs in the Marine Corps. One such Crew Chief instructor is Staff Sergeant Bart Davis.

Staff Sergeant Davis, Saint Louis, Missouri, has been in the Marine Corps for eight years. In those eight years, Staff Sergeant Davis has four combat tours (three in Iraq and one in Afghanistan), awarded the Marine Corps Aviation Association’s “Enlisted Aircrew Marine of the Year,” and the recent recipient of a Distinguished Flying Cross. I asked Staff Sergeant Davis why he selected “Crew Chief” when he entered the Marine Corps as opposed to another MOS. His answer was easy and straightforward, “It is what the Marine Corps selected for me.”

After four combat tours and having volunteered for a fifth, the Marine Corps thought Staff Sergeant Davis’ experience and skill set was better served at HMLAT-303 rather than a fifth deployment to combat. Staff Sergeant Davis has been assigned to Atlas for the last 7 months teaching student aircrews. As a Crew Chief instructor, Staff Sergeant Davis has trained 19 Crew Chiefs and 8 Aerial Observers. In addition, he frequently is tasked with training current Crew Chiefs at various squadrons at Camp Pendleton because of his qualifications as an Aerial Gunner instructor, a Weapons and Tactics instructor, and an instructor on the new GAU-21(.50 caliber machine gun set to replace the GAU-16).

I asked Staff Sergeant Davis what was his biggest challenge when he was teaching young Marines how to be Crew Chiefs. “Getting young Lance Corporals not to be intimidated by rank and talk to the pilots. One of the roles of the Crew Chiefs is letting the pilots know the position of the aircraft when landing, etc” said Davis. Crew communication is crucial and can have life or death consequences. Sometimes the pilots will help the crew chief instructor by coming into a landing “hot” thus requiring the student Crew Chief to take action. This is just another example of how the aircrew of the Yankee works as one.

Staff Sergeant Bart Davis – HMLAT-303 Crew Chief Instructor.

I had the opportunity to speak with four of Staff Sergeant Davis’ student Crew Chiefs. One student Lance Corporal Brian Davidson from Baltimore, Maryland, has been a Marine for five years, and was originally assigned to Aviation Ordnance. I spoke with Lance Corporal Davidson about his experiences as a student Crew Chief. “Being a crew chief is the best job in the Marine Corps. You get to fly around, shoot guns, and save the world! The hard part is the amount of knowledge needed to be successful. I spend many hours a night studying so I am prepared for the next day’s evolution” said Davidson. I asked Lance Corporal Davidson if he had a hard time telling pilots, commissioned officers, many with combat tours under their belts, what to do in terms of flying the aircraft. Said Lance Corporal Davidson, “I love telling people what to do.”

Next, I spoke to student Crew Chiefs Lance Corporal Elizabeth Briseno, from Boise, Idaho and a Marine for the last 14 months and Private First Class Lillia Montes, from El Paso, Texas and a Marine for 12 months. I asked both Marines what made them interested in being a Crew Chief. They told me that the Crew Chief MOS is one of the few that allow a female into combat and combat is where they both wanted to go. Although they said the road to becoming a Crew Chief is strenuous, requires a lot of memorization, and many hours of off duty studying. Lance Corporal Briseno and Private First Class Montes are approximately one third of the way through the Crew Chief syllabus at HMLAT-303. I asked Lance Corporal Briseno and Private First Class Lillia Montes what was the hardest portion of the course. Lance Corporal Briseno told me “it was memorizing information and then applying that during practical application scenarios.” Private First Class Montes said, it was” knowing the aircraft systems.”

Lastly, I spoke with Corporal Britney Walters a Marine for the last three years. Corporal Walters is an aircraft mechanic and a rifle and pistol coach. She signed up for the Aerial Observer program because she liked the idea of flying as part of an aircrew. On May 13, 2011, Corporal Walters passed her final Aerial Observer check ride and has subsequently graduated from the Aerial Observer program.

Corporal Britney Walters walks away from “Atlas 23” with pride. She received her final “X” and was subsequently designated as one of the Marine Corps newest Aerial Observers.

As with any other Marine Corps squadron, there is a Sergeant Major of the squadron. The Sergeant Major is the senior enlisted advisor to the squadron Commanding Officer and handles issues among the enlisted ranks. For HMLAT-303, Sergeant Major William Slade holds that position. Sergeant Major Slade was not at El Centro when I was there, so I later spoke with him at his office above the HMLAT-303 hangers at Camp Pendleton. I asked Sergeant Major Slade what was his role in Atlas? “I am the senior enlisted advisor to the CO and I am responsible for discipline and morale of the squadron’s enlisted ranks” said Sergeant Major Slade. Next, I asked Sergeant Major Slade what makes HMLAT-303 different from the other squadrons. Slade explained, “It’s all about the Commanding Officer. Our CO (referring to Lieutenant Colonel Brian Kennedy CO of HMLAT-303 at the time of the interview.) has vision and enables and empowers his enlisted leaders to take action.” Lastly, I asked Sergeant Major Slade about Atlas’ motto of training the future of light attack. Sergeant Major Slade told me “HMLAT-303 isn’t an assembly line simply getting Marine aircrews to go through the motions. We are getting them ready for combat and we take that very serious.”

My last interview at HMLAT-303 was with the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Brian “Howdy” Kennedy. Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy joined the Marine Corps during the Cold War era, has 3,500 hours in the AH-1 Cobra with two combat tours, and first pulled the “trigger” in combat at the age of 38.

I told Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy that in my three days with HMLAT-303 in El Centro I sensed a unique level of pride, success, and morale from all the Marines that comprised Atlas. With that observation, I asked Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy what his key to successfully commanding this squadron.

“I see the United States Marine Corps today in the best shape it’s ever been in throughout our history and recognize that Marines with less than 10 years of service all joined after 911 2001. They knew what they were getting into and hence are true patriots in my eyes. Nobody ever joined the Marine Corps to ‘get by’ or to be mediocre – they all want to excel and to shoulder great responsibility. When they are treated like the top 2% of American society, which they are, they have tendency to reenlist, have great morale, and be more productive. The key to success is morale and esprit de corps. When Marines, at all levels, are thrilled about their jobs and taking care of one another before themselves, you can’t fail,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy.

Lieutenant Colonel Brian “Howdy” Kennedy talks with his Atlas Marines on the ramp of NAFEC.

HMLAT-303 motto is “Training the Future of Light Attack.” As a training squadron of 500 Marines, many that rotate in and out during the year, 100 Replacement Aircrews and Enlisted Aircrews that are annually assigned to the squadron, Atlas is truly touching the Marines that will populate the Light Attack community for generations to come.

It was my honor to spend three days with the men and women of United States Marine Corps squadron HMLAT-303 Atlas and have the opportunity to tell the stories about their roles in the world of rotary wing Light Attack. This article would not have been possible with the complete support of the men and women of Atlas. I want to express my sincere thanks to all the Marines who made time to talk with me, explain their jobs, and give me insight on their assignments, and their roles as Marines during their exceptionally busy schedules.

A very special thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy for allowing me access to his outstanding squadron during his command, Major Smith for sharing is incredible insight on the inner workings and role of Atlas, Captain Dono for providing me with the historical aspects of HMLAT-303, and last but not least, Major Gosden. Goose made the access to HMLAT-303 happen through his chain of command. In addition, he has been a wealth of information as I developed this article and allowed me additional squadron access for follow up interviews with Atlas Marines.

In these three days, I took almost 3,000 photos of which only about 40 were used in this article. To see the entire HMLAT-303 photo gallery, please go to http://philmyersphotography.smugmug.com/ and click on the “HMLAT-303 at NAFEC” Gallery.

Vacations are to unwind and relax; nothing can relax me more than being in the company of great people and historic aircraft. This is why I always perform an online search for any museums and airfields in the area I will be visiting. With a family vacation to Florida planned for the last week of June 2011. I started my search and soon found the Valiant Air Command in Titusville, FL. The Valiant Air Command Warbird museum has exhibits, displays, artifacts and vintage warbirds from WWI through the present. A visit to the VAC would work out great as Titusville is located near the Kennedy Space Center, and I would be heading to the space center as part of my travels. I contacted the museum and spoke to Colonel Terry Yon, USA (Ret) and current VAC Public Relations Officer. I explained the website and the topics we cover, Colonel Yon said he and his staff would be happy to show me around, along with a behind the scenes tour of the restoration shop. The museum is located on the Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX) in Titusville, FL. The airport is between I-95 and U.S. 1 off the 405 (Columbia Boulevard/NASA Causeway) just look for the BIG sign announcing Warbird Air Museum and follow Tico road to the Museum, located on the right as you drive in.

Once inside, I met my tour guides, Joe Hall and Sean Wilkin, the separation in age of the tour guides was interesting. Joe is a retired Air Force Veteran who maintained Century series aircraft including the F-106, and from what I understand he’s quite a good photographer to boot. He made reference to his massive slide collection, one can only dream of the rare photos he must have. Sean on the other hand is a young man in his early 20’s with plans for a career in the Air Force; he is currently performing a summer internship at the museum. We toured the over 30,000 sf  main hanger, with its collection of classic and rare  aircraft, Including an F-5E fighter jet with a modified fuselage. The Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstrator (SSBD), an aircraft designed to demonstrate the relationship between the shape of a supersonic aircraft and the strength of the sonic boom it creates. Another aircraft that caught my eye was an F-86 in the colors of the USAFE Sky Blazers acrobatic team. The team was organized in Europe In the spring of 1949. The first flights of the Skyblazers Air Demonstration team took place in the skies over Europe at the airbase in Furstenfeldbruk, Germany. By 1952 the team had flown some 260 demonstrations in 12 countries before an estimated 10 million spectators. The F-86F was used during the 1955-56 seasons. This F-86 takes in the annual VAC “TICO” warbird air show and is expertly flown by the legendary Dale “Snort” Snodgrass. Dale is the highest hour F-14 pilot in the world and also a member of the Heavy Metal Jet Demo team. With all the great aircraft located in the main hangar, it was hard to believe we had 2 more hangars to visit.

After the tour of the main hangar we moved on to the 2nd hangar, the door was partially open and the very familiar nose of a C-47; named the “Tico Belle” was glistening in the Florida sun. This aircraft # 42-100591 is a World War II veteran that participated in some of the most important battles of the war. From the Normandy invasion to Cherbourg,  Arnhem,  Bastogne, to the Berlin Airlift, it was there. In August 1945  591  returned to Baer Field, Indiana and was placed in storage, as many other perfectly good aircraft were being sold off for scrap. With one of the first major international crises of the Cold War brewing  591  was called out of storage to carry supplies to the people in West Berlin, during the famous Berlin Airlift. With the help of this very aircraft  591  the largest humanitarian relief mission in USAF history was a success. The result was over 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and supplies being delivered to beleaguered West Berlin Residents. After serving in this historic event, 591 was once again, no longer needed in USAF service. In 1950, 591 was acquired by the Norwegian Air Force under a lend-lease program and served with honor. In 1956 the aircraft began service with the Royal Danish Air Force, with the prestigious role of transporting the Royal Family of Denmark. With a total of 13,500 hrs on the aircraft the Royal Danish Air Force retired 591 in 1982. In the mid 80’s the Valiant Air Command had the unique opportunity to acquire  591 . With the help of VAC members and a few Royal Danish Air Force Pilots, she was ferried to the United States. During the remaining years of the 80’s and all through the 90’s,  591  became an air show star, touring the nation as a flying museum. She soon acquired her WWII nose art and became known as the “Tico Belle”, named after her home base Titusville/ Cocoa Airport.

In 2001 while returning from an air show  591 was landing in very high wind conditions. The landing gear collapsed resulting in extensive damage to the engines and airframe. The volunteers at VAC contemplated the long and expensive repair process, debating whether it was worth undertaking such a task. That debate did not take long, considering the history of this aircraft the decision was made to proceed with repairs. After many years of dedicated volunteer work she thundered to life in July of 2008 and once again  591 took flight, and soon began to appear on the air show circuit once again.

The aircraft is now available for that once in a life time flight experience, YOU can experience all this history as a special and unique present for yourself, or someone you love. Call 321-268-1941 or email (vacwarbirds@bellsouth.net) for additional information, or to get on the reserve list and they will notify you of the flight schedule. Getting some time to see this great warbird first hand was the highlight of my visit to the VAC. located in the same hangar is the VAC’s very nicely equipped restoration shop. At the time of my visit the aircraft ranged from a Sopwith Camel nearing completion, to an F-4J Phantom II being readied for paint. All restorations are done in-house and are the result of many dedicated hours of work by the VAC volunteers.

After touring the first two hangars we were off to the New Vietnam Memorial hangar, the  28,000sf  hangar officially opened on June 16th 2011. The collection in this hangar honors Vietnam era aircraft from all branches of the United States Military along with a lone Mig-21. Aircraft from the F-8 Crusader, A-6 intruder to the OV-10 Bronco are displayed along with many others from that era. The Vietnam hangar has it’s own memorabilia room with artifacts, uniforms, prints, medals and a variety of other exhibits and displays. This is truly an awesome display honoring the brave individuals who served proudly along with honoring the more than 58,000 who gave all.

What would a visit to such a great museum be without a stop in the gift shop. Here you will find some very unique collectibles and t-shirts to commemorate your visit. While browsing the gift shop I had the great honor to meet Mr. Bob Frazier the VAC Procurement officer. Bob is responsible for arranging the procurement of most of the aircraft on display at VAC. Bob explained some of the more interesting stories of the effort that goes into becoming a caretaker of such national treasures. So if you ever find yourself on the Space Coast area of Florida and you love classic aircraft, a stop at the Valiant Air Command is a must. Please check the VAC website www.vacwarbirds.org for information about the Valiant Air Command annual TICO Warbird Airshow that takes place every March.

I would like to thank, Colonel Terry Yon USA (Ret) VAC Public Relations, Mr.Bob Frazier VAC Procurement Officer, and all the volunteer staff at the museum. To my tour guides, thank you for the personal stories and history behind all the aircraft. Joe Hall Thanks for your service to this great country. Sean Wilkin, best wishes as you start your career with the USAF.

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Genesseo bills it’s self as the “Greatest Show on Turf” and is located in upstate New  York just south of Rochester.  I’ve made enough trips to the show to say it’s a good one.  When you talk to the locals, they simply don’t understand that their airshow is one of the biggest and oldest warbird shows in the country.  This show is the annual fundraiser for the 1941 Historical Air Group (yup, commonly known as HAG) and their museum is located on a farm just outside of this small college town.  The runway is turf and the background are trees (this year there was a lot of corn planted in the background), parking is excellent and there isn’t much of a walk to the flightline.

This year, there was a lot of rain in the weeks before the show and there was a good bit of standing water on the field.   There were rumors that the show may well cancel because of water.  We got there on Thursday and the weather was pretty good.  It went to almost perfect on Saturday and Sunday, resulting in some of the best weather for this event in recent years.

While the show started out as a warbird event many years back, it’s diversified to a very well-rounded, low-keyed show.  Really there were so many performers and types of aircraft, it’s hard to list them all, it’s better to simply show the pictures.

Warbirds ranged from liaison aircraft (mostly L-16 “Champs”) to the F-16.  Acro demos went from a rare 1941 Interstate Cadet to a P-51C.  Air drops are relatively rare at shows and here was the  NY ANG’s ski equipped C-130 dropping a pallet on the runway and the HAG’s own C-47 “Whiskey 7” doing a static line jump of several WWII dressed paratroopers.  There were modern high performance acro routines flown and Kent Peitsch in the Kelly Belly Interstate Cadet.  There was a mock WWI dogfight with replica fighters (including an accidental loss of a Fokker Triplane),  and a slightly more modern Jungmeister put on a show.  An F-16 Viper put on a demo as did a P-51 and a L-39.  A total of 4 P-51s arrived for the show to escort “The Memphis Belle” into the skies.  The Commemorative Air Force brought  the “red” P-51s, the original “Red Nose” and the P-51C “Red Tail” as well as the Helldiver and the Dauntless.  There was not a lack of flying aircraft at the show.

Photography opportunities were unlimited.  The combination of perfect weather, a grass runway, and idea background about insured that all photos taken looked good.  Rides were available in a variety of aircraft.  My son Greg managed to get a ride in the CAF’s P-51C Red Tail with Doug Rozendaal, for his first Mustang ride.  He thought it was well worth the price (and of course it ended up on my credit card), of course it ended up as a video on YouTube too.  I tried to get Christian Koch to give me a shot at flying a US Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter (I’m a very good helicopter pilot), but he mentioned something about prison time, so that idea got shelved.  With any luck he can demonstrate the capabilities of the Blackhawk and his superior flying skills next year.  That would be a really interesting addition to the show since helicopter demonstrations are pretty rare too.

The show was well choreographed and flying was continuous without any significant breaks.  The show was a success, the weather was nice, and a good time was had by all.

You can contact the author, Mark Hrutkay, at TNMark@Me.Com .

Photos by Mark Hrutkay and Greg Hrutkay.

For Greg’s P-51 ride video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRbD8TOLHXg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Gallery

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At precisely 0830 hours I was ushered into the office of the Commanding General of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), Tom “Stash” Conant. Major General Conant, dressed in a tan flight suit, took a minute to finish up some last minute business with his aide (Captain Aaron Bohl). I took this time to stand in awe of his office that was a wealth of USMC aviation memorabilia and definitely fitting for a Commanding General. After a moment or two, Major General Conant walked over to me and welcomed me to Third MAW. The Commanding General offered me a seat at his conference table and for the next 45 minutes we spoke about a wide variety of topics including family, hobbies, leadership, and the Marine Corps.

Major General Conant was born and raised in Jackson, Michigan. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University. Conant is married to his wife (Beverly) of 40+ years, and they have two sons, Kevin and Andy.  Kevin is a Major in the Marine Corps Reserve and Andy is in the Alabama National Guard. When not being the Commanding General of 3rd MAW, Conant likes to play golf and watch college football (University of Michigan) and Major League Baseball (Detroit Tigers).

Major General Conant’s start as a military officer started differently than one might suspect based upon his position in the Marine Corps.  As Conant told me, “I was a poor student and not doing well in college.” College deferments were cancelled and the draft lottery was in full swing. Not wanting to get drafted, he walked over to a United States Air Force recruitment booth. In June 1971, Tom Conant enlisted in the USAF as a Command and Control Technician. As an Airman, Conant was surrounded by pilots, most of whom were two and three combat tour veterans from Vietnam. Fascinated with aircraft, Tom tried to get a commission and fly for the Air Force.  However, due to the lack of Command and Control Technicians, he couldn’t get a release. The Air Force’s loss was the Marine Corps gain. Conant was able to secure an “Air Contract” with the USMC. General Conant attended Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) in 1975 and ironically, two of Conant’s PLC classmates also became generals (Robert B. Neller and Dennis J. Hejlik).

After PLC, Major General Conant attended basic flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Tom did well in flight school he told me, “Bev and I just had a new baby and a fixed wing jet slot would have required two moves. A rotary slot would only require one!” This, coupled with Conant’s fascination with helicopters, helped make his decision.

In basic flight school, Conant flew fixed wing trainers and “did very well.” Conant admitted that when he transitioned to rotary wing and started flying the TH-57 Sea Ranger (the Navy version of the Bell Jet Ranger) “it wasn’t clicking!” It wasn’t until he began flying the Huey that piloting a helicopter began to “click” for him. When he graduated from flight school, Conant selected the AH-1 Cobra and the rest, as they say, is history.

While we were on the topic of helicopters, I took a moment to ask the general to compare and contrast the Cobras he flew verses the Marine Corps newest Cobra – the AH-1Z. During his career, Major General Conant has flown literally every Marine Corps version of the Cobra, starting with the AH-1J Sea Cobra up through AH-1Z Viper. Conant said the Viper is an incredibly advanced helicopter and will be exceptional in the Cobra’s mission of Close Air Support. He added that of all the Cobra models he has flown during his 35 year career, the Sea Cobra is his favorite. “The “J” model was very light and because it only weighed 10,000 pounds (compared to the AH-1Z at 17,500) it was very fast!”

Captain Tom “Stash” Conant WestPac Deployment HML-267 Stingers (October 1984-May 1985).

HML-267 Squadron picture (October 1984-May 1985).

Captain Conant (in background) walking off the ramp (October 1984-May 1985).

I asked Major General Conant, as a young Second Lieutenant flying Cobras in the late 1970s to your current position of Major General – Commanding General of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing (who is about to get promoted to Lieutenant General) how did you get here?

His answer was short and to the point – “The Marine Corps got me here!”  Major General Conant further explained that he was fortunate to work an array of assignments and commands during his career, some flying and some not. He added that he might not have chosen these assignments and commands had the decision been up to him, but it were these duties that helped get him to this point in his career. These wide varieties of assignments and commands included being stationed on the east and west coasts, ship deployments, various staff duties, USMC Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps War College, USMC Command and Staff College, and Aide to the Commander of the Atlantic Marine Forces.

Another experience that the Commanding General credits to his success is when he left the Marine Corps to explore the business world in 1980-1981. His wife Bev knew within months that Tom was a Marine and would be returning to the USMC sooner than later. Conant returned to the Marine Corps within 12 months.

Major General Conant continued by saying there was nothing magical about how he got here. I asked if he thought his leadership potential was recognized early in his career and was that why he received such a diversity of duties. Conant simply said, “no” and added that there is not “one story” about how we got here in terms of a career path.

What did help mold Major General Conant’s leadership principles, was being inspired by such legendary Marine Corps leaders as General Alfred Gray (29th Commandant of the Marine Corps) and Lieutenant General William M. Keys (retired as the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces – Atlantic). What made these leaders inspirational to Conant were their attitudes towards the Marine Corps. For Gray and Keys it was “about the institution” and “doing right about the United States Marine Corps.” It is this type of attitude and leadership that make the Marine Corps unique. Unique in that whether you are a Commanding General, a Private First Class, or anyone in between, you are a Marine first! “This is why a Marine Corps uniform has the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor above the rank” explained Conant.

In 1977, Mike Kurth (who later received a Navy Cross during Desert Storm), adjutant of Marine Aircraft Group 29, described a young Tom Conant as “quiet competence.” Conant, a humble man, that knows how to get the most from the Marines under his command.  “Know your mission, know your job”, and using the New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick’s attitude “do your job” has been Conant’s motto. Major General Conant went on to say that he doesn’t want Marines worrying about the “other Marines” job. If everyone does their job, worrying about another Marine doing his job is a moot point. Conant also shared another one of his leadership principles and that was “Commander’s Intent.” Under Commander’s Intent, he simply stated his goal, “know your mission, understand the tasks required to accomplish your mission and do your job” then let his Group Commanders be Group Commanders and Squadron Commanders be Squadron Commanders. He hoped this leadership principle would trickle down to lower levels of leadership and allow commanders to grow and develop as they moved up in rank. Micromanaging his staff was something the Commanding General doesn’t subscribe to.

Major General Conant put his leadership into practice with his first command. In July 1992, Lieutenant Colonel Conant became the Commanding Officer of HMLA-167 Warriors based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina. He wanted the Marines under his command to be tough and fly at a competent level. During his command of HMLA-167 (July 1992 – December 1993), the squadron was awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. Conant added that of all the commands he has held, The Warriors were his favorite. “The Warriors hold a special place in my heart. As a Major, it was my first as Detachment OIC and I later returned to the squadron as the Commanding Officer. I also went to Haiti and Somalia with the squadron. I was involved with a great group of young lieutenants, most of whom are now colonels and great Commanders and leaders in their own right,” Conant remembers.

A “Bunker Bunny” is a title given to those that have staff assignments when there is a war going on. Major General Conant, a self described “Bunker Bunny” said he never saw tours of duty in Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom or operations in Afghanistan, due to the timing of his assignments. Major General Conant would like to have participated in these past and present conflicts, but the Marine Corps had different plans for him. He was present for a day that changed history for America. Conant was assigned to the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001. It is a “gap” in his career picture that has always frustrated him but he never complained about it.

With HMLA-167 being Major General Conant’s favorite command, I asked him if he has had a command that was more challenging than others. “My current command!” said the Commanding General. He went on to say, “With 17,000 Marines, 400 aircraft, and staff and resources spread out all over the world, it’s a challenge each and every day.” Despite all the challenges of commanding 3rd MAW, Major General Conant is able to fly once or twice a week. One of the many benefits of commanding 3rd MAW is being able to fly any aircraft in the wing.

With 17,000 Marines in 3rd MAW, I asked Major General Conant how he keeps in contact with the young Marines in his command. He told me he makes it a point to speak with his young Marines whenever possible. I saw this first hand several hours after our interview and again a few weeks later. Major General Conant was scheduled to fly with the Commanding Officer of HMH-361 Flying Tigers Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Glasgow. This was scheduled to be his last flight with Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow due to Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow changing assignments. When I walked into HMH-361’s Flight Equipment room, Major General Conant and Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Glasgow were putting on their flight gear. After donning his flight gear, Major General Conant then walked the room, talking, shaking hands, and passing out his personal 3rd MAW challenge coins to the young enlisted Marines assigned to Flight Equipment. I could see the smiles on the faces of these young Marines and sensed that the Commanding General’s presence and interaction with them meant something.

Major General Conant passing out his 3rd MAW challenge coins to PFC Martinez and Corporal Dodson assigned to HMH-361 Flight Equipment.

Commanding General Conant sharing a lighter moment with a few of the 17,000 Marines in his command.

I later spoke with Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Glasgow regarding Major General Conant’s leadership. Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Glasgow first met Major General Conant while stationed in Okinawa in 1999. Commanding General Conant, a Colonel at the time, was the Commanding Officer MAG 36. As a young Captain, Glasgow remembers Major General Conant letting commanding officers run their squadrons. Glasgow remembers Conant as a commander that “cared about his Marines.” “Marines are comfortable around him. He has a way about him that makes people very comfortable” said Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow.

Stash and Bullwinkle are all business as they walk to their aircraft, a CH-53E call sign “Tiger 21.”

A crew member of Tiger 21 snaps to attention and salutes the Commanding General and Squadron CO.

I mentioned to Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow that Major General Conant said he had been described as “quiet competence.” “Absolutely! I never saw nor heard of Major General Conant getting angry and/or yelling,” said Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow. “By his demeanor and leadership style, he simply has to say something in conversation and it happens. It happens not because of fear or intimidation, but because what he suggests, talks about, etc, resonates with Marines and just makes sense. Major General Conant has an innate ability to cut through the BS and provide clarity,” said Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow.

Lastly, I asked Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow how Commanding General Conant, a self described “Bunker Bunny” could become, by all accounts, such an incredible Marine Corps leader. Glasgow summed it up perfectly, “It isn’t the conflict that makes the officer!”

Major General Conant in the left seat and Crew Chief Corporal Colton Lynn (left crew window) of Tiger 21 as they depart Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

Several weeks after his final flight with Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow, I had the opportunity to join the Commanding General on his final flight with the Commanding Officer of HMLA-169 Vipers Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Reilly at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Before their 1200pm briefing, I had the opportunity to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Reilly about the leadership characteristics of 3rd MAW’s Commanding General. I asked Lieutenant Colonel Reilly to describe Major General Conant’s self described “quiet competence.” “General Conant shows trust and confidence in subordinate leaders. His goals are clear and not ambiguous,” said Lieutenant Colonel Reilly. I asked Lieutenant Colonel Reilly how Major General Conant has become the exceptional leader he is without combat experience. He said the answer is simple, “Behavior, grooming, how you fly, conduct, flight safety, etc, doesn’t change in peacetime or wartime.”

Lieutenant Colonel Brendan “Gerber” Reilly (C/O HMLA-169) and Major General Conant brief in the Viper’s ready room.

The Commanding General meeting a few of HMLA-169’s pilots.

After their flight briefing, Lieutenant Colonel Reilly and Major General Conant walked into the Viper’s Flight Equipment room. Lieutenant Colonel Reilly quickly called “attention on deck” which was followed by an equally quick “at ease” from the Commanding General. The general then began speaking with the Marines in the room, expressing his appreciation for their work and shaking their hands. You could sense from the smiles, laughter, and conversation, that the Marines were comfortable with the big boss being “on deck” and having a few minutes with him. After speaking with his Marines, Major General Conant grabbed his flight helmet and with Lieutenant Colonel Reilly headed out to the flightline.

Marines of the Viper’s Flight Equipment get a few minutes with 3rd MAW’s big boss!

Lieutenant Colonel Reilly and Major General Conant made their way to aircraft #37. At the aircraft, they were greeted by Plane Captain Lance Corporal Stephen Baily. As the Commanding General strapped into the front seat of the AH-1W, he waved me over. “Hey Phil, see this dirt and dust, this aircraft just returned from Afghanistan,” Major General Conant told me. I could sense the pride in the Commanding General’s voice when he told me about this aircraft’s condition upon returning from combat. Pride stemmed from HMLA-169’s return home in May 2011 after a successful combat deployment in Afghanistan.

Conant and Reilly walk to their aircraft, an AH-1W call sign “Viper 06.”

Viper 06, call sign for Lieutenant Colonel Reilly and Major General Conant departed for their 60 minute flight. While on their flight, I returned to Flight Equipment to speak with the Marines who had just met the Commanding General. There I spoke to Lance Corporal Darcy Daniels. I asked Lance Corporal Daniels what he thought of Major General Conant’s visit at HMLA-169. “General Conant is a good guy. He cares about his Marines. When he shows up to Flight Equipment he is ready to fly. His attitude is “give me my gear and let’s go flying,” said Lance Corporal Daniels.

The Commanding General talking with Plane Captain of Viper 06 - Lance Corporal Stephen Baily.

Major General Conant pre-flighting Viper 06.

Stash strapping into his Cobra, his primary aircraft platform for the last 35 years.

After returning from his flight, I had a few minutes with the Commanding General. I had basically one remaining question for him and that was what does his upcoming third star and promotion to Lieutenant General bring? Major General Conant first told me about the phone call he received regarding his getting a third star. “I was at home when I was called and told to be prepared for an important phone call. Shortly, Admiral Bob Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command, called and told me I had been selected for a third star. My response to the Admiral was I’d be honored.” Conant told me he hung up the phone “speechless.”

Plane Captain Baily directs Viper 06 to its assigned spot on the ramp.

The Commanding General passes out challenge coins to the ground crew of Viper 06.

Lance Corporal Baily receives a personal thank you from the 3rd MAW Commanding General.

When Major General Conant pins on his third star, he will become the Deputy Commander of the Pacific Command (PACCOM) and the first Marine to hold this position.  I asked Major General Conant if he sees himself becoming the Commandant of the Marine Corps. He gave me a quick, “No! I’m 60 years old and my time has passed. This is a young Marines game. Plus I want to have more time with Bev!”

Major General Tom Conant isn’t about flash, bravado, or ego. What he does stand for is being the best Marine you can be. Taking the opportunities and experiences the Marine Corps offers you, even when they don’t seem to make sense, and making the absolute most of them. Knowing your job, approaching that knowledge in a humble manner, and sharing that knowledge with those around you is what’s important. Major General Tom Conant is destined for the history books with his upcoming appointment to PACCOM. However, the self described Bunker Bunny who led his Marines with a quiet competence in his leadership style for decades, redefined Marine Corps leadership long before that.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Captain Aaron Bohl, Aide to Commanding General Conant, for making the time in the general’s very busy schedule for me and helping me behind the scenes to make this article and photographs possible.

An additional special thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Glasgow and Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Reilly for allowing me to be present during their respective final flights with the Commanding General and for taking the time to talk with me, despite being in the process of preparing for the Commanding General’s visit.

Lieutenant Colonel Doug “Bullwinkle” Glasgow (C/O of HMH-361) and Major General Conant.

Lieutenant Colonel Reilly poses for the last time as the C/O of HMLA-169 with Major General Conant.

Biofuel Makes the Grade

A pair of performers (well, actually three) used biofuel during the JSOH show. Greg Poe has flown his ethanol-powered aerobatics routing for years now, but the Air Force Thunderbirds used a 50/50 mix of biomass fuel and JP-8 fuel in their two solo jets during Friday’s show, a first for the team. The Undersecretary of the Air Force, Erin Conaton, revealed at a planeside gathering why the Air Force is keen to develop this technology. The USAF uses close to two billion gallons of aviation fuel yearly, and hopes to reduce the amount of petroleum products it uses. The biomass fuel right now costs ten times the amount of regular JP-8 jet fuel, but once manufacturers bring the cost down, the Air Force stands ready to buy the alternative fuel. The Thunderbird F-16 use wasn’t a publicity stunt, but part of a certification process that has already approved the A-10, F-15, C-17 and F-22 to use the blended fuel. The Air Force hopes to certify all of their aircraft to use the biomass fuel blend by the end of 2012, Major Aaron Jelinek, the lead solo pilot in Thunderbird #5, noted no difference in handling during the flight, and others members of the Air Force and Department of Energy stated that the fuel mixture produces less soot and freezes at lower temperatures than the current 100% petroleum-JP-8 fuel.

Miss Mable Appears for the First Time

“Miss Mable” is the name of a one-of-a-kind Raytheon C-12J turboprop transport operated by the 46th Test Group’s 586th Test Squadron from Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The aircraft is an adaptation of the civilian Beech 1900C Airliner, with some interesting modifications aboard. There’s room for four specialized consoles and their operators within the lengthy cabin. One modification that makes this aircraft stand out is the inclusion of a pair of orange racks underneath the fuselage, capable of carrying stores, sensor pods, and other captive items. An advantage that Miss Mable has over fast jets in many test projects is cost… an F-16 costs 10 times per flight hour more to operate than the C-12J, equating to thousands of dollars!

CONA Tier One Show Aircraft

The Naval Centennial of Flight brought out five aircraft finished in throwback paint schemes. An MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter was finished in an early 1950′s gloss blue color, reminiscent of the styles seen during the Korean war. A T-45C Goshawk was finished in late 1930′s markings from those aircraft on the USS Wasp. A T-34C wore the markings of a pre-World War II Marine squadron, and a Raytheon T-6B was painted all yellow, in those colors used by primary training aircraft of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Finally, a Pensacola-based T-39 Sabreliner wore 1938-vintage USS Enterprise colors.

A Russian Jumbo at Andrews?

One of the largest aircraft present at the show was a Volga-Dneper Antonov 124. What’s a Russian operated aircraft doing at a military air show near our nation’s capital? Surprisingly (or not – in this free world economy) Volga Dneper has a Department of Defense contract to haul mine- and ambush-resistant armoured vehicles from the U.S. to places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Unlike the Air Force’s C-5 Galaxy, the AN-124 has an overhead crane capability used to hoist vehicles up to the rear cargo deck. One MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle was displayed all hooked up and ready to be lifted into the huge aircraft, which is slightly larger than our C-5.

Wow, a Quiet and More Efficient C-5 Galaxy

The first production C-5M Super Galaxy was on display, flown in from nearby Dover (Delaware) AFB. There were three development aircraft modified for the C-5M test program, but the fourth (and first production variant) one was actually painted both inside and out, and fully instrumented with a glass cockpit and new General Electric CF-6 engines that’ll give increased performance and reduced noise.

Air Force Helicopters Await Replacement

The Air Force’s Common Vertical Lift Support Platform competition will pit a few of the world’s finest helicopter manufacturers against each other in an effort to win a bid to supply rotorcraft to replace Bell UH-1N helicopters. The twin Huey is used by Air Force security forces that guard nuclear missile launch sites and by the First Helicopter Squadron (based at Joint Base Andrews) to shuttle VIPs (other than the President) around the Washington DC area. Augusta Westland displayed a pair of helicopters, one a civilian AW-139 demonstrator, and the other the sole AW-139M military transport. For the company to be able to showcase their product in person to members of the 1st Helicopter Squadron on their home turf must have given their effort a new boost of energy, given the positive responses they received.
Overall, the JSOH at Andrews was full of interesting aircraft, people, and other attractions. A few aircraft stood out though, and these gems added to the sparkle of the yearly show.

Ken Kula

May 25, 2011

Photos by Ken Kula

Yuma Arizona’s main airport is a joint-use facility that’s home to a busy Marine Corps base and an interesting mix of civilian operators.  In fact, the Marines say that MCAS Yuma (on the south side of the main runways) is their busiest flying base, in part due to excellent training airspace and air-to-ground ranges nearby.  Yuma International Airport encompasses the north side of the airport, containing general aviation hangars, an air carrier terminal served by multiple daily airline flights, and a new FBO.  During my two-day trip to Yuma in April 2011, I hoped to gather information for an upcoming article about a Marine aviator, and to photograph the aircraft of the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course.   I got a few  unexpected bonuses while taking pictures, and as I found out, you never know what’ll be flying around Yuma…

Twice a year, the locally-based Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) operates a WTI course, which collects several dozen additional aircraft from around the country to add to those based at the air station.   Multiple AV-8 Harrier, F/A-18 Hornet, F-5N Tiger II and KC-130 Hercules missions occur daily as the training reaches a crescendo during the last month of the course.  Helicopter operations increase too, as UH-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, CH-46 Sea Knight and CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters fly both day and night.  Recently fielded  V-22 Osprey tiltrotors have also been added into the WTI curriculum.

Yuma receives a smattering of transient military aircraft throughout the week, as it’s situated between southern California and Texas, a pair of states with many bases and aircraft.  Civilian aircraft range from regional jets and turboprops operated by scheduled airlines, to corporate jets and flight training aircraft.  (Southwest 812′s recent diversion to Yuma after a roof panel failed provided a surprise visitor to the airport too).

Throughout the mornings of my trip, Harriers, Tigers, and an occasional Hornet  and Herc departed and returned an hour or two later.  Being able to photograph any special color-schemed jet is an eagerly-sought bonus on a trip like this.  One of the more colorful Hornets airborne during this WTI was the CAG bird from VFA-94, the Mighty Shrikes, resplendent in orange and black.  The Harriers had a few non-standard paint schemes among them too, including a colorfully-finished jet from VMA-513, the Nightmares.  Another bonus was the inclusion of the “Frankenprowler” in the exercise – a legendary EA-6B that was built with parts from three different airframes (one was damaged in a flying accident, the two others were development aircraft that were stored after their programs ended).

Sometimes the unplanned and unexpected  events during a trip make the hassles of coast-to-coast air travel all worth the while.  Unknown to me, participating within the WTI were a pair of Hawker Hunter Mk.58A jets operated by the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company  (ATAC).  The classic 1950′s British-designed jets are still useful as adversaries in exercises like the WTI, and the two jets were sporting eye-catching two-tone gloss  gray camouflage paint.  What a bonus!  Another huge surprise was the appearance of a pair of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and a solo Boeing 747-8F freighter at Yuma.  The three brand new transports flew almost continuously for the two days I was there, departing the airport for a few hours and returning to park on the civilian side of the airport on a newly-completed taxiway.  A triple bonus!

Finally, during the Friday evening non-combatant evacuation exercise, helicopters flew in and out of the local Kiwanis park from just before sunset through darkness.  It was a great opportunity to witness Marine Corps aviation up close, and there was yet another surprise in the air too.  During the daylight portion of the flying, a highly modified Cessna O-2A Skymaster, in Navy markings, orbited over the park.   It was flying proof that a Skymaster can fly on only it’s rear engine, as the front power plant was removed and replaced with a fairing that housed a FLIR (at least).  Most likely it was being operated as a surrogate unmanned air vehicle during the proceedings.  Another bonus aircraft to photograph!

Looking back, during the two days while I was in Yuma I accomplished my goals of interviewing the Marine aviator and taking photos of some of the aircraft that took part in the WTI course.  Beyond that, I got more than I bargained for, as I photographed colorful fighter jets, a pair of rare Hawker Hunters, three new Boeing jumbo jets, and an odd single-engined Cessna Skymaster.  For me the photographer, there were lots of surprises flying around Yuma!

Ken Kula

May, 2011