Active and reserve air mobility support continues to aid the massive disaster response efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. (See DR, 9/01/05). Air Mobility Command’s Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill., has been coordinating mobility aircraft—cargo to aeromedical evacuation—to support FEMA operations. Among the taskings: four C-5s and one C-17—flown by mixed active, ANG, and AFRC crews—to ferry supplies and equipment into Lafayette Airport in Lafayette, La. An AFRC C-130J from the 403rd Airlift Wing returned home to Keesler AFB, Miss., which sustained major damage, to ferry in much needed medical and electrical supplies. On standby, as of late Wednesday, were AFRC C-130s from the 908th AW, Maxwell AFB, Ala., and 910th AW, Youngstown ARS, Ohio, and C-5s from the 433rd AW, Lackland AFB, Tex., and 439th AW, Westover ARB, Mass.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.