An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft was damaged in a landing accident at Holloman AFB, N.M., Aug. 24. Holloman officials reported no injuries or collateral damage to private property in the area. The 29th Attack Squadron, which operates the MQ-9 at Holloman, is one of Air Combat Command’s two advanced training units for RPA pilots and sensor operators. An MQ-9 assigned to the 29th AS crashed in a similar landing incident last November, making this incident the fourth such crash at Holloman since stand-up of the RPA schoolhouse in September 2009. The incident occurred upon return from a local training sortie. The Air Force has launched an investigation into the mishap’s cause. (Holloman release)
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,…