Wildfire Tryouts

Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 crews flew qualifying missions this week with the Modular Airborne Firefighting II system over Camp Guernsey in the state. The annual training was to prepare members of the 153rd Airlift Wing ahead of this year’s wildfire season. “MAFFS is the most challenging training that we do,” said Capt. Tim Ray, a pilot with the unit. “You really have to keep your skills sharp and your training current to make sure that you’re staying safe while fighting the fires,” he stressed. In past years, the three Air Guard and one Air Force Reserve Command MAFFS units converged at a single location for fire certification and currency checks. This year, the US Forest Service came to Cheyenne Airport for individual training with the Wyoming Air Guard crews. Guided by a Forest Service King Air-90 control aircraft, the 153rd AW crews began the practice water-drops on April16. (Cheyenne report by SSgt. Natalie Stanley)