Heavy Training - military training at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma

Airman, March, 2001 by Jim Greeley

Altus provides vital link in America's global reach.

Standing in the shadow of one of the free world's largest airplanes, Kyle Melaas is in shock. Eyes wide, mouth agape, this 20-year-old airman basic ogles the plane like it's a Lamborghini. This is his first up-close look at the jet he'll call home for at least the next four years -- the C-5 Galaxy.

"I could fit my whole hometown on it," Melaas says, only half joking. "I didn't realize it had an upstairs."

The young man stops talking and turns to watch another C-5 lumber down Altus Air Force Base's runway. A sly smile creeps across the airman's face as he watches the "big bubba" claw its way into the southwestern Oklahoma sky. The ground trembles under his feet. Melaas likes what he sees.

"I can't wait to be a part of it," he said.

But first he'll have to make his way through Atlus' two-month C-5 loadmaster course. This kid, just a month removed from basic training, who couldn't pack his suitcase before he left home, will leave Altus ready to pack up that C-5 and travel around the world.

Turning youngsters like Melaas into combat ready crew members is Altus' mission. It's heavy training.

The base, tucked in the bottom left corner of Oklahoma, churns out more than 2,900 aircrew members a year. Students include pilots, navigators, flight engineers, loadmasters and boom operators. Stroll down the flight line and it's a "who's who" of heavies -- C-5s, C-17s, KC-135s and even a few, soon to be extinct, C-141 Star-lifters (See "No More Stars," Page 22).

"We run 57 aircrew training courses ranging from initial qualification to senior officer training," said Brig. Gen. Quentin L. Peterson, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander. "We're the hub that trains combat ready aircrews for America's strategic air mobility."

The wing, which belongs to Air Education and Training Command, is big business on the Oklahoma plains. Its five flying squadrons have some of the most experienced instructors in the Air Force, and Team Altus knows its mission and takes pride in its product.

Critical link

"Without us, the line shuts down," said Staff Sgt. Al Davis, a C-141 flight engineer instructor with the 57th Airlift Squadron. The "line" Davis refers to is Air Mobility Command's constant, massive effort to move cargo and people around the world. In Air Force speak, it's known as global reach or rapid global mobility.

Davis knows the demands and rigors of the line. He spent seven years flying the line at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., before volunteering for instructor duty at Altus.

"We take pride in what we do," Davis said. "The questions I always ask myself before a student graduates are, 'Do I want this guy to go fly with my friends? Is he going to get them killed?'"

Davis' questions cut to the core of the wing's diverse training mission.

How do you train the crews needed to fill Air Force vacancies and still fly safe? Simple. Hire the best instructors the Air Force has to offer.

"We put a lot of responsibility on our instructors' shoulders," said Col. Michelle Johnson, 97th Operations Group commander. "They take these big planes out there and fly them at 270 mph, practicing with student operators, boomers and loads, and they respond to the challenge. They're amazing."

More amazing is the wing's safety record. The wing flies 29,000 hours a year -- about 6,000 sorties. Yet, it maintains one of the best safety records in its command. This is possible for several reasons, but the biggest is the wing's reliance on its time-tested, three-phase training process: books first, simulators next, and flying last.

By the numbers

Before wanna-be crew members ever set foot in an aircraft they must master the textbooks and "sims." Contractors provide the first two phases of training. Boeing trains C-17 crews and FlightSafety Services Corp. trains the wing's other aircrews.

Students spend an average of 30 days in the books. Boom operators have the longest course -- 105 days, 36 of which are spent in the books. And the senior officer training course is the shortest -- just four days.

After peeling their noses out of the books, students move on to state-of-the-art simulators. The wing has 12 contractor-operated static and full-motion simulators. Step into one of these trainers and you'd swear you're on a flight deck. These puppies are cool -- complete with computer generated visual systems they feel like the real deal.

Simulators play a big role in training. They're cheap to run and cost much less than flying real missions. Why? No fuel and low maintenance costs. They're also a great way for students to get familiar with the airplane and learn emergency procedures.

"The sims can't replace flying, but they're close," Johnson said. "Students can learn lessons in the simulator and not get killed."

Not dying is a good thing, and is a prerequisite for students to move on to the final phase -- check rides. Flying training belongs to the active duty instructors. Students fly a number of training flights and then must pass an evaluation flight to qualify in the aircraft.