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Laughlin lieutenants learn flight line lessons

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Last month, approximately 55 prospective student pilots found themselves working up close and personal with trainer aircraft on Laughlin's flight line, but not inside the cockpits.

The young officers, each awaiting the start of their respective Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training class, are assisting maintainers with aircraft systems and ground procedures, including pre-flight walkaround inspections.

According to Capt. Ricardo Hiraldo, 47th Operations Support Squadron transition flight commander, having the future student pilots working with maintainers is a win-win situation.

The maintenance directorate needed help, he said, and the recent influx of students created a surplus of officers needing gainful employment while they await training.

"Plus, they are learning about the airplane they will fly in a couple of months," the captain added.

Danny Gallaher, 47th Maintenance Directorate Chief of Staff, said the effort was coordinated to allow the student lieutenants to work within the Maintenance Directorate to offset the manning shortfall that is being experienced within the Maintenance Directorate.

"The lieutenants were placed into areas where their educational skills could be utilized and areas where we were critically undermanned," he added.

Gallaher said he isn't sure if the current situation will become the standard for Laughlin because their training schedule often doesn't allow them to spend much time on the flight line.

"Many have early start dates for pilot training, which entails one to two prerequisite training schools that don't allow for a very lengthy time to integrate them fully into our organization," he explained.

"It has been a great experience for maintainers to work with them and offer them an insight into how our operation provides the support to meet the flying mission here at Laughlin," Gallaher continued.

"Additionally, it has been a unique opportunity for the lieutenants to see the maintenance operations, the complexity and the large support structure behind safely and efficiently making aircraft flyable and ready for the mission," he said.

While the future of student pilots on the Laughlin flight line is uncertain, the present is looking bright for 2nd Lt. Mitchell Wills, a recent United States Air Force Academy graduate currently awaiting pilot training.

The lieutenant is acting as a T-38 Talon crew chief until his scheduled class start date in December. He said his time on the line has been rewarding thus far.

"I am really enjoying the work," Lieutenant Wills said. "The days can be long and hot but I would not trade this experience for anything."

The future pilot said the people he works with keep the day interesting, and his experiences with them have taught him a lot about the operational Air Force.

"They are all very professional and take their jobs seriously," he explained. "Their knowledge of the jets is second to none. They've taken me in and taught me a lot about what all has to be accomplished in order to get a sortie off the ground."

With his sights set on tracking to T-38s, Lieutenant Wills said working around the aircraft keeps him on his toes and has taught him to pay attention to the smallest details.

It has also shown him a side of flying he admits he may not have seen otherwise.

"All pilots will tell you to have a healthy respect for maintainers because they are the people that keep [pilots] flying, but I have had the opportunity to see exactly what all work does go into keeping the planes in the air," the lieutenant said. "I can now truly empathize with the maintainers when something as minuscule as misplacing a light bulb leaves them spending hours digging around the cockpit looking for it."

At the end of the day, once all the planes are on the ground and the skies over Laughlin are quiet, Lieutenant Wills begins looking forward to the following day.

"Every day that I walk out onto the flight line and help get the planes into the air I remember why I chose to fly and why I love being in the Air Force."