Day in the Life of a Vance Flight Commander Published Aug. 23, 2006 By Capt. Tony Wickman 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AETCNS) -- "I don't know if there is one." That was the reply from Capt. Eric Westby, L-Flight commander in the 32nd Flying Training Squadron, when asked what a typical day is like for a flight commander at Vance Air Force Base. "Some days it's mass chaos with fires cropping up all over the place, and I'm running around with my fireman's hat on putting out all of these emergencies," said the Stewartville, Minn., native. "Other days, it's much more relaxed. I just have to go with the flow." There are various sorts and sizes of "fires" that arise in any given day. "It can be students or spouses becoming ill or getting hospitalized, to filling holes in the schedule when instructor pilots get DNIF'd (duties not including flying), to getting a suspense from the squadron commander to get him some information," Captain Westby said. "It can be like a chicken running around with its head cut off." Not every day is a crisis for the flight commander and T-1 instructor pilot. "I have certain things I need to get done during the week, and I know when I need to get them done. I prioritize and get them done," Captain Westby said. Captain Westby's path to Vance is not unlike many of the instructor pilots and flight commanders currently working here. After commissioning through Reserve Officer Training Corps at North Dakota State University in May 1998, Captain Westby spent several months on casual status at Minot AFB, N.D. Eventually, he was given a class and a report date to Laughlin AFB, Texas, to conduct his undergraduate pilot training. After completing his student pilot training in January 2000, he reported to Little Rock AFB, Ark., for almost six months of C-130 training. Upon graduation, Captain Westby went to Pope AFB, N.C., where he served until October 2003. A career highlight was flying combat sorties for Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said. Following a few years and a few deployments apart from his family, the captain applied for and was granted IP duty at Vance. Before arriving, he reported to Randolph AFB, Texas, for three and a half months of IP training, but his stay was made a little longer by a burst appendix. "I did the extended tour at Randolph," Captain Westby joked with a wide smile. "I was in the middle of the training program when one night I felt stomach pains that I thought were nerves." Captain Westby went to the doctor the next morning and had the appendix removed. After getting healthy and back into the training program, he completed his IP training and reported to Vance in May 2004. His first duties were as a line IP, where he also picked up additional duties including, grade book officer, assistant and then unit standardization and evaluation monitor and assistant flight commander. Captain Westby eventually progressed to being selected L-Flight commander in November 2005. Flight commanders are assigned two classes, the captain said. According to Captain Westby, his responsibility as a flight commander is to provide the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps with top-notch pilots. "First of all, I have to be a good instructor pilot because I still fly the line. But I also have to make sure the training environment and instruction students receive are good," he said. "I do this by being both an instructor and a manager." Some of his responsibility as the flight commander is ensuring IP's assigned to his flight stay current on their qualifications and additional duties and are training to the syllabus. "This ensures the students get the best instruction possible and sets them up for success no matter where they go from here," Captain Westby said. According to the captain, working manning issues is the biggest challenge he faces day to day, but the most rewarding thing is leading people to success. "Whether it is team sports or when the flight is Flight of the Month or when students get assignments they want, that is the most gratifying," the captain said. Where he sees a difference between an IP and flight commander is in the level of responsibility. "When I was an IP, as long as I took care of myself I was good to go," Captain Westby said. "Now, other people's mistakes are my responsibility because they work for me. I am accountable for it, and that is different than the average line IP. The good things and bad things are my responsibility." However, the captain's day does not start or end at the flightline. Captain Westby is also a husband to Calley, whom he met in college and married in November 1997, and a father to Braden, 6; Bryn, 4; and Mason, 2. "My wife and kids keep me grounded," he said. "It is nice having someone who doesn't care about the 'administrivia' of the job and just cares about me. And my kids don't care about me being a pilot; they just know me as 'Dad.'" For Calley, her husband does a good job of balancing his duties with his family. "The most difficult challenge is managing the timeline," she said. "The whole IP and flight commander duty is time consuming, and Eric has to deal with things that pop up at the last minute. But, he is a great dad and husband who does the best he can." Calley said she knows Captain Westby likes teaching and sharing what he knows and that is why he is a good IP and flight commander. "I know he likes being with students, especially when the light bulb goes on. He enjoys seeing the students' progress," she said. "I know flying is what he truly loves, and I kind of help out as much as possible." Someone who appreciates the captain's leadership and has experienced one of those "light bulb" moments is 2nd Lt. Robert Diaz, a student pilot in one of Captain Westby's classes. "He is a really great guy who cares about the students," said the lieutenant. "Both times I have flown with him, I have learned quite a bit. I like his teaching techniques, and he has methods of training that are effective." High praise is also reflected in the chain-of-command above Captain Westby. According to Maj. Dave Morrissey, 32nd FTS director of operations, the captain is someone you can count on at all times. "He is on top of it. He knows his students, he knows his IP's, and he knows the intimate details of his flight," the major said. "So when I think about folks who are on my board to fly, I know L-Flight has their stuff squared away, and that is what you rely on the flight commander to accomplish." "He sets the standards and never asks his IP's or students to do something he is not willing to do himself," Major Morrissey said. (Editor's note: This is the third of a four-part series detailing the rigors of student pilot training and those involved in it. The fourth part is about a day in the life of a flying training squadron commander.) A Day in the Life of a JSUPT Flight Commander Captain Westby's Schedule for May 15: 5:10 - 5:55 a.m. Alarm goes off. Shower, shave, etc. Pack my lunch and eat breakfast 5:55 - 6:00 a.m. Drive to work (lives on base) 6 - 6:15 a.m. Finish paperwork and computer work for two elimination check rides happening later today 6:15 - 6:20 a.m. Review and initial nine Training Integration Management System Form 4293 on computer 6:20 - 6:30 a.m. Review recent grade sheets for today's students 6:30 - 8:20 a.m. Prebrief with students for today's sortie 8:20 - 8:30 a.m. Put out paperwork "fire" for different student formation; answered IP questions about documentation before flight 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Preflight T-1 aircraft for sortie 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Fly student sortie 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Have lunch and brief with students at Oklahoma City 1:20 - 3:20 p.m. Fly student sortie 3:20 - 3:30 p.m. Conduct maintenance debrief 3:30 - 3:35 p.m. Sign student orders and paperwork 3:35 - 4:30 p.m. Debrief student sortie 4:30 - 4:45 p.m. Meet with new class (07-02) 4:45 - 5 p.m. Put grades in TIMS 5 - 5:10 p.m. Sort through 23 e-mails 5:10 - 5:35 p.m. Conduct handoff meeting with T-37 commanders 5:35 - 5:50 p.m. Receive debriefs from Check Flight on my two check rides, and from Assistant Director of Operations on my two elimination check rides (they all passed!) 5:50 - 6 p.m. Double check schedule for tomorrow 6 - 6:05 p.m. Drive home 6:05 - 6:30 p.m. Have dinner with family 6:30 - 6:45 p.m. Give kids a bath 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. Read books with kids 7:15 - 7:20 p.m. Brush kids' teeth and put them to bed 7:20 - 8:50 p.m. Train for base duathalon 8:50 - 9 p.m. Cool down session 9 - 9:20 p.m. Take a shower 9:20 - 10:10 p.m. Watch 24 10:10 - 10:15 p.m. Brush teeth 10:15 - 10:45 p.m. Watch news and Leno with Calley 10:45 p.m. Go to sleep