[MilCom] Fwd: [MilRadioComms] AETC Declares Eglin Ready for F-35 Training

[AllanStern at aol.com]

AETC Declares Eglin Ready for F-35  Training
by Maj. Karen Roganov
Team Eglin Public  Affairs

12/17/2012 - EGLIN  AFB, FL -- 12/17/2012 - EGLIN AFB, FL -- Following an 
independent  evaluation of Eglin's capability to conduct F-35A Lightning II 
pilot training,  Air Education and Training Command announced today the 33rd 
Fighter Wing can do  so, starting in January. 

"The preliminary results provided by the Joint  Operational Test Team show 
the F-35A aircraft and its pilot training and  sustainment systems, are 
robust enough to conduct the planned pilot transition  and instructor upgrade 
courses," said AETC commander, Gen Edward A Rice Jr.  

AETC will initiate syllabus training in order to meet Air Force-defined  
requirements. A deliberate process will be used that continues to validate the 
 training system's effectiveness through advancing training blocks as they 
are  made available by the military's F-35 Program Office and Lockheed  
Martin.

The Operational Utility Evaluation, which started Sept. 10 and  was slated 
to last 65 days, encompassed intensive classroom and simulator  training 
along with six flights, for four primary and two backup upgrading  student 
pilots. 

With favorable conditions to include "good weather, an  accomplished 
maintenance team and talented instructors to train the pilots, the  OUE process 
lasted only 46 training days," said Col Andrew Toth, 33FW commander,  an F-35A 
instructor pilot who spearheads the joint and international F-35  efforts 
at Eglin. 

"You are here making a lasting impression on how the  team will execute 
F-35 both flying and maintenance training over the next 50  years," he said 
during conversations to wing members following the successful  OUE. 

During the OUE, experienced pilots transitioned from the F-16 and  A-10 
aircraft, to the world's first multi-role stealth fighter. Two pilots, Maj  
John Wilson and Maj Matthew Johnston were from Eglin's 58FS and two, Lt Col  
Brian O'Neill and Maj Joseph Scholtz and were from operational test units at  
Edwards AFB, CA, and Nellis AFB, NV.

"Their performances were superb...  that smile each student had after 
landing his first flight showed they were well  prepared and the jet was easy to 
fly just as I had experienced with my first  flight," said Lt. Col. Lee 
Kloos, 58th Fighter Squadron commander, who is  charged with overseeing the 
squadron's daily flying operations. He is also the  first non-developmental test 
pilot to fly the F-35.

The OUE was initiated  by the Joint Strike Fighter Program Executive 
Officer based in Wash DC and was  intended to best arm the AETC commander with 
comprehensive data from an  independent source so Rice could decide how to 
proceed with future F-35A pilot  training at Eglin. 

"The OUE showed the men and women at Eglin are  ready," said Rice. "I'm 
very proud of both those in uniform and the contracted  support who put in 
years of hard work. The culmination of those labors was  successfully 
demonstrating the Integrated Training Center can conduct safe and  effective flying 
operations in addition to academic training."

Training  is slated to begin Jan 7 with four 58FS pilots and two 
operational test pilots.  

The focus of the OUE evaluation team was on the ability to conduct pilot  
training but leadership agree they couldn't do it without their  maintainers.

"The maintainers are the backbone of the flight operations.  Had they not 
performed the way they did, we could not have finished the OUE  about two 
weeks ahead of schedule," said Toth pointing to his skilled team in  the 58th 
Aircraft Maintenance Unit and Lockheed Martin contracted logistics  support. 

With RFT declared, the wing's integrated training center gets  closer to 
running at full capacity of 100 military pilot students a year along  with the 
2,100 maintenance students.

"We look forward to 2013 as we  integrate the Navy's 'Grim Reapers' and 
F-35C into our flying operations along  with our international partners, the 
Dutch and UK. The pace of operations will  not slow as we continue to grow and 
we are ready for the new challenges next  year will bring to wing personnel 
and it's F-35 Integrated Training  Center."

Approximately 36 Air Force pilots are expected to go through the  training 
program next year.

"The team at Eglin went through a rigorous  process to lead the way for 
F-35A training. We look forward to starting off the  new year with more history 
in the making as they put the JSF Integrated Training  Center to task to 
provide a world class training program," said Rice.
 
AL STERN  Satellite Beach  FL
AllanStern at aol.com
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