F-35 TRAINING SQUADRON GEARING UP AT EGLIN AFB

As mentioned before, if you thought the 7th Special Forces Group was going to make an impact in the area, you haven’t seen anything. Having attended a number of briefings, both public and private on the F-35 Training Squadron, I am quite confident this program is going to provide a number of opportunities throughout the area for many years to come. As you read below, Eglin is gearing up for this growth, which will include temporary and permanent lodging for a number of folks.

Eglin gearing up for F-35 training
By MONA MOORE
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4443 mmoore@nwfdailynews.com   EGLIN AFB — The 33rd Fighter Wing might have received its first two F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighters, but it is in no hurry to take them for a spin. Eglin’s F-35 Academic Training Center is the first Department of Defense-integrated program for the F-35. Base officials said the ATC will spend the next few months “building a template for how training will be conducted worldwide.” The wing’s mission is to train Air Force, Marine, Navy and international ally pilots and maintainers of the F-35 Lightning II. Each service is reviewing and approving the course syllabi. The wing has started putting the tentative syllabi to use, testing the program that has been under development since last year. According to Eglin officials, the school is slated to start pilot training later this year. “A student pilot at Eglin will receive about 200 hours of academics, 14 simulators, a ground procedures familiarization and six flights in the airplane before deemed qualified,” said Col. Andrew Toth, commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing. Once in full swing, the school will train 100 pilots and 2,200 maintainers annually. Maintenance training will begin in August. Students will use simulators at the beginning. “Technological advances in computer-based training is just one of the many improvements students will experience with the military’s latest weapons system,” Toth said. In addition to the Full Mission Simulator system and maintenance trainers, Lockheed Martin will deliver the weapons loader trainer in August. Once the training is complete, the maintainers and pilots are certified ready to fly and maintain the aircraft. The first class of certified operators and maintainers will be the school’s instructors. “The operational utility evaluation for training will begin in October and last approximately 12 weeks. Four pilots, two from operational test and two from the 58th Fighter Squadron, will participate. When completed, they will be fully qualified for early flight training,” Toth said. The training and certification of instructors is expected to continue into next year. So far, two of the wing’s pilots are certified to fly the Joint Strike Fighters. They trained for a month at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., before flying in the first two F-35s this month. Lt. Col. Eric Smith delivered Eglin’s first aircraft, AF-9, on July 14. “Taking off in the F-35 for the first time, I experienced an adrenaline rush like I hadn’t felt since I flew an A-10 for the first time,” Smith said. “The difference this time is the fact that the F-35 is such a new airplane. If something goes wrong you may be the first pilot to deal with the problem, with only your previous fighter experience to rely on. Fortunately, my first flight went off without a hitch.” Smith moved to the 33rd Fighter Wing in 2009 after spending two years as a developmental test pilot with the 46th Test Wing. As the director of operations for the 58th Fighter Squadron, Smith will oversee flight operations of the initial group of F-35 pilots. Maj. Joseph Bachmann of the 33rd Operations Group is the first Marine to be certified to fly the Joint Strike Fighter. He flew in the second plane, AF-8, on July 20.