LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- For Frederick Berg, flying and teaching others to fly is a way of life. After 40 years of service to the U.S. government, 12 of those years in the active-duty Air Force, the call to teach flying still rings true.
Berg, a civilian T-38C Talon simulator instructor in the 47th Student Squadron at Laughlin Air Force Base, dedicated his career to aviation and training the next generation of military pilots.
Berg's journey began with active-duty service in the U.S. Air Force in 1984. After graduating pilot training at Laughlin, he flew the C-130 Hercules, the T-38 and U-2 Dragon Lady as a mission pilot and was a T-37 Tweet and C-21 instructor pilot, accumulating a wealth of experience, expertise and 4,000 flight hours.
“I got out of the Air Force in 1996 because I thought airlines were the way to go,” said Berg. “After about four months I found that the airlines were not for me, and I wanted to teach. I wanted to keep teaching the next generations of pilots, it's why I keep teaching, even now.”
His return to Laughlin marked the beginning of his career as a civilian simulator instructor. His skills honed by flying thousands of hours in the T-37, T-38 and C-130 now used to train budding pilots at Laughlin, sharing his decades of knowledge.
“I’ve had the privileged to work with Fred for almost 20 years,” said David Loftus, 47th Student Squadron, lead civilian simulator instructor. “His passion for student training is infectious and inspires the best in his students and serves as a role model for the entire force.”
Throughout Berg’s time at Laughlin, he has conducted more than 6,000 student simulator training missions, totaling more than 15,000 hours in simulator flight. Teaching over 1,000 academic lessons, his work helps train more than 100 graduate pilot students annually.
"I love teaching student pilots," Berg said. “I get to instill in them skills and knowledge it takes to be a rated officer. I have chosen to give back to my country in the best way I know how and that is through pilot training.”
Berg's commitment to his country and to the future flyers of the Air Force is unwavering. His four decades of service represent a legacy of dedication, expertise, and a passion for flight that continues to inspire. He shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to shape the future of aviation, one simulator flight at a time.