19th SOS receives sophisticated C-130 fuselage for training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The 19th Special Operations Squadron added a fuselage and wing section of a C-130 to its training department at Hurlburt Field Jan. 19.

The aircraft will be used as a simulator for ground, loading and maintenance training beginning in March.

"This has been a total team effort between Air Force Special Operations Command, the 19th SOS, Lockheed Martin and other program offices," said Barry Ratcliffe, a contracted instructor at the 19th SOS.

Originally aircrew, special tactics, medical and maintenance Airmen used aircraft from the flightline or from other bases for training. Mr. Ratcliffe said some sessions could only take place within specific hours because flying operations took precedence over any other training.

"We're taking away the requirement for the aircrew to get their training on the flightline using assets that are often over-tasked," he said. "We'll be able to better manage the training, be more efficient and save the government money as well."

In addition to sparing needed assets and saving time and money, the fuselage has other advantages for training.

"We will be able to simulate the tactical airdrops, emergency training and things we have not been able to train on in airplanes because we will be on the ground and in a controlled environment," Mr. Ratcliffe said.

Many bases including Hurlburt Field use aircraft parts for training purposes, but few have complete fuselages at their disposal. Before this aircraft was delivered, the only fuselage on base was the armament systems maintenance trainer added more than 10 years ago, said Keith Garland, an equipment specialist with the 19th SOS.

"With the sophistication that is in this simulator, it is the first of its kind on this base," he said.

Mr. Garland said AFSOC had been trying to acquire the C-130 simulator for more than seven years. The fuselage came from the Arkansas Air Guard in Little Rock, Ark., where it was no longer being used.

Rather than destroying the aircraft, the Air Force Item Management office procured the piece and sent it to AFSOC, where it was delivered by two flatbed tractor trailers Jan. 13.

"We had excellent support from the Airfield management, security forces and the corps of engineers as far as getting it on base," said Kenneth Copeland, an equipment specialist with the 19th SOS. "The process went by much easier with their support."

While the fuselage will be housed at the 19th SOS, Mr. Garland said other squadrons could benefit from the use of the simulator.

"Those units should identify the tasks that they plan to use the fuselage for in training and contact the 19th SOS," he said.

With the addition of the fuselage to Hurlburt Field, Mr. Ratcliffe said almost every aircrew member on base will be able to be trained in some aspect.

"It's all here for the student and warfighter to be able to go out and do their job," he said. "The more we can train them in this environment, the better they will do when flying the mission."