LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The 47th Flying Training Wing celebrated record setting training flight numbers and accomplishments with “XL Day” on Friday, March 28.
The day kicked off at 8:00 a.m. with a Standards and Readiness Review service dress inspection including 1,600 total force Airmen on the flightline, followed by a wing-wide photo, and then a day of competitive sports activities.
Team XL accomplished a daily Student Advancing Sortie (SAS) record of 125 on March 5, the same day Team XL hosted Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard before touring the southern border in Eagle Pass.
“From hosting the VPOTUS, SECDEF, and DNI to crushing 3 months of pilot production, the 47 FTW stepped up in a huge way and it’s time to celebrate our Team’s accomplishments,” said Col Tyler Ellison, 47th FTW commander.
The day featured multiple tournaments and activities to include a T-38 Pull, Pickleball, Volleyball, Softball, Bowling, Golf and Yard Games. The culmination of XL Day offered free food at the base club coinciding with T-6 drop night.
“Our instructors and first assignment instructor pilots work incredibly hard to train our student pilots,” said Col Joseph McCane, 47th Operations Group commander. “They answered the call and earned this day to recognize their outstanding flying efforts.”
During the week of March 17-21, Laughlin broke their weekly SAS goal, flying enough sorties to graduate nine students in one week.
“Our T-6’s broke the all-time weekly SAS during this quarter while also overcoming numerous adverse weather events,” said Lt. Col. Imran Khan, 85th Flying Training Squadron commander. "We accomplished 585 flights in one week."
In March, Laughlin also hosted a visit from the 19th Air Force commander and command chief, Maj. Gen. Gregory Kreuder and Chief Master Sgt. Keith Scott. In addition to touring Kreuder’s old “Nacho” flight room, Kreuder and Scott were briefed on recent mission successes at Laughlin.
“This is what victory looks like, a dedication to excellence that inspires a culture of winning,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory Kreuder. “From the vital training provided to our future pilots, to the recent visit by our national leaders, Laughlin AFB continues to demonstrate its critical role in our nation's defense, you have to take pride in that.”