Officials at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to mark the opening of the base’s new C-17 training system facility. Air Force Reserve Command’s 445th Airlift Wing will use the facility, which opened on July 16, for the annual refresher and currency training of its C-17 pilots and loadmasters, according to the release from facility-supplier L-3 Link Simulation & Training. The wing operates nine C-17s. “We are excited to have the opportunity to train our aircrews locally,” said Col. Stephen Goeman, 445th AW commander. “Having a simulator at Wright-Patterson will result in a significant savings in travel cost, as well as provide more training for our aircrews,” he said. The facility features “a new and fully networked C-17 weapons system trainer, a training management system, computer-based training devices, a core integrated processor task trainer, and portable flight-planning devices,” states a base release. C-17 prime contractor Boeing delivered the training facility to Wright-Patt in May. L-3 Link is scheduled to stand up the next C-17 training system facility before year’s end at Stewart ANG Base in Newburgh, N.Y.
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…