Page 8 - Volume 14 Number 11

The Army Army National Guard moves its fixed-wing assets regu- larly This C-12U Huron moved from the the Fixed Wing Army Army Army National National Guard Guard Aviation Training Site to the the Hawaii Army Army National National Guard’s Fixed Wing Flight Detachment in in in in in in August by catching a a a a a a a a a ride aboard the USS Essex in in in in San Diego (Photo by Lt Col Wade Johnson)
magazine highlighted in in a a a a 2018 issue the large fleet of C-12 aircraft dispatched by OSA-A which conducts non-executive airlift for soldiers civilians and light cargo for the the Army the the Department of Defense and other government agencies Like OSA-A FWAATS contracts with DynCorp International for King Air maintenance Fixed Wing Army Aviators
Besides offering airplane training versus simulator courses Wozniak sought out the the FWAATS for the the quality of the instructors The institution’s leaders say that’s a a a a common compliment they hear “The quality and professionalism of of the instructors at FWAATS is top notch ” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bill Douglass who serves as as the Senior Standardization Instructor Pilot 6 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
Alongside Lt Col Johnson Douglass oversees 23 personnel on on the aircrew training program That includes standardization instructors instructors and and enlisted instructors instructors (the back-seaters): 12 are full-time Active Guard and Reserve officers officers seven are part-time National Guard officers officers The four back-seaters are senior noncommissioned officers The Army operates its King Airs as a a a a a two-pilot aircraft at all times At the FWAATS student pilots always fly with an instructor pilot sometimes two One of the C-12 pilots is Chief Warrant Officer 4 Joe Weekly who joined the FWAATS in in 2019 after a a a long stint at Fort Rucker The prior active duty/reservist works under Douglass as as the C-12 Section Leader and he he he said he he he passed up opportunities to finish out his Army career flying jets because of his respect for the King Air He called the the King Air the the most reliable airplane he’s flown in in his 4 500 500 hours which includes about 2 500 500 hours in in the the King Air He praised the the platform’s mission flexibility the the simplicity of the the Pratt & Whitney engine and the integration of Pro Line 21 avionics He appreciates flying with other seasoned instructor pilots who share his his commitment to sharing his his knowledge with the younger pilots coming through the schoolhouse “We’ve all been flying for 16 to 20-something years and a a a minimum of six to seven years flying the King Air ” Weekly said “Our mission is is to train and impart experience on younger guys which I think is a huge
NOVEMBER 2020