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Det. 3 AMCAOS vital to training C-130 aircrews

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Jon Quinlan
  • 314th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. (AETCNS) --  Little known to many on Little Rock Air Force Base is a team of 30 operators, engineers and contractors from Headquarters Air Mobility Command that are vital to the training of C-130 aircrews around the world. They are charged with oversight of over 1,700 training courses, more than $500 million in contracts and training simulators in 10 locations worldwide.

This small team of professionals are all members of Detachment 3 Air Mobility Command Air Operations Squadron, a very complex Air Force organization that makes C-130 aircrew training happen.

The mission of this tenant unit is to oversee the quality and effectiveness of the C-130 Aircrew Training Systems and the C-130J maintenance and training systems. The unit is responsible for assuring technical accuracy of 28 aircrew flight simulators and devices. They also provide contract oversight of numerous C-130 training contracts and personnel.

"We are smack-dab in the middle of C-130 training," said Lt. Col. Gary Ardes, Det. 3 AMCAOS commander. "A student that goes into the (C-130 simulator) is only seeing the tip of the iceberg. There is a huge machine behind the training of a C-130 student."

AMC tells the Air Force what kind of training they need for the C-130 warfighter, Air Education and Training Command figures out how to do that training and then it's implemented, Colonel Ardes said. "We make sure that training goes off with out a hitch."

The unit also works with the Air Force Materiel Command to make sure that Air Force assets are being used effectively and to make changes to procedures and training devices.

Det. 3 is not only charged with managing big-dollar training contracts with Lockheed Martin and Boeing, they are also responsible for ensuring all C-130 training simulators are as realistic and effective as possible.

One member of the team who ensures the simulators are running smoothly is Capt. Jason Jackson, chief navigator for simulator certification. Captain Jackson, a doctoral candidate, an engineer and a C-130 navigator is often part of a five-man team that travels to bases around the world to make sure the simulators are flying just like a real C-130.

"This is definitely an interesting place to work, and every day is different," Captain Jackson said. "We are fortunate enough to have the best people working for us. We work a lot behind the scenes."

The unit's work may be "behind the scenes," but their efforts for preparing aircrews for the Global War on Terrorism are not.

Simulators allow C-130 student pilots to practice real-world scenarios before actually deploying to an area of responsibilities, such as flying into Baghdad International Airport while taking fire.

The simulators at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, do just that, and Det. 3 was instrumental in getting the new scenario database implemented. They are currently considering moving that capability to other training bases including Little Rock.

"The ultimate litmus test is if a student leaves the simulator and steps to the plane and can fly that plane successfully then we have done our job," Colonel Ardes said.

"We are all about getting the right training, in the right device, to train the right aircrews at the right time," Captain Jackson said. "We do feel proud that we are doing our part for training the world's best C-130 aircrew students."