COMMENTARY>>Ready ready roll

By Staff Sgt. Jacob Barreiro
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

On a frosty morning, when most people are still snuggling a blanket in bed to stay warm, instructors with the 62nd Airlift Squadron were laboring over table-tops of details preparing themselves and their students for flight.

Maj. Doug Buchholz, a 62nd AS evaluator pilot, and Capt. James Sinclair, a 62nd AS instructor navigator, are flying with Capt. Matt Thomas, a 109th Airlift Squadron student co-pilot, and 1st Lt. Cameron Koehler, 47th Operations Support Squadron student pilot, on their “check” flight, the flight which will determine whether they become qualified C-130H pilots.

“If they finish this flight successfully they’ll be officially certified C-130H pilots,” said Buchholz. “The process to be (C-130H) certified is an 18-24 month process so passing the check flight is a big deal.”

The check flight will grade the prospective pilots on their ability to meet the mission’s criteria. Prior to the formation briefing the four-man crew sits together at their mission-table and discusses the day’s mission.

“You’ll be graded, but don’t hesitate to ask for help,” Sinclair tells the student pilots. “This is still an instructional sortie, if you make a mistake, roll with it.”

Buchholz expects the students, who they’ve been working with for nearly six month, to do just fine, but wants to make sure they’re not fazed by adversity during flights.

“They’ve made a lot of strides since they’ve gotten here,” he said. “Before (training) they only used (C-130)simulators, they’re a lot more involved now in the process then when they got here.”

After discussing preliminary flight concerns, the crew is summoned to the conference room for the formation briefing, delivered by the mission commander.

During the briefing the crew is instructed on the mission overview, objective, priorities, situational concerns and prospective threats.

After the formation briefing the crew reconvenes at their table and dives into the table-top briefing, the final major step before the crew steps out to begin their flights.

“This is the last chance for us to make any changes,” Buchholz said.

During the table-top briefing, Thomas thoroughly instructs the students on a number of topics concerning the flight, including the route points, navigational issues, flight plan and the most important part, the drop off.

Although they will be examined on a number of criteria, the most important thing the instructors are looking for is the ability of their students to communicate to the crew during their flights.

“If you have any questions at all for anyone don’t hesitate to ask,” Sinclair said. “You’ll need to be able to talk to everybody out there, including the loadmasters.”

As Sinclair concludes the table-top brief, and asks the students if they have any more questions about the day’s sortie, Buchholz agrees that the success of the mission primarily rests on the student’s ability to communicate with their crew.

Before leaving for the plane, Koehler and Thomas both express eagerness to complete the day’s mission and get certified as pilots.

“I’ve been here almost six months,” Thomas said. “It’ll be good to get back home.”

When he returns home, he hopes it’ll be as a certified C-130H pilot, and under the guidance and instruction of the 62nd’s instructors that may just happen.