VIEUX FORT, Saint Lucia -- A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew members to maintain their proficiency.
The mission started April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., with a mixed Air Force Reserve Command and active-duty aircrew.
“We go everywhere to support the Air Force mission,” said Maj. Mike Phillips, a Reserve pilot with the 300th Airlift Squadron. “We like to support as many active-duty and Reserve units as possible.”
The squadron aircrew and a flying crew chief from the base’s 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first flew to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, to pick up engineers and their equipment from the Reserve’s 445th Civil Engineer Squadron. It then flew to Lackland AFB, Texas, to pick up the engineers and their equipment from the Reserve’s 433rd CES.
The five-day mission fulfilled two purposes: airlift support for the CE teams and aircrew training.
While the training mission required landing the C-17 Globemaster III at a civilian international airport on the island, the mission also helped the Saint Lucia government in its battle against the war on drugs.
The engineer teams, rotating in for their two-week annual tour, are building an operations center and barracks for the island’s police force counter-drug units. The most recent team airlifted by the aircrew will finish the brick and mortar for the walls and start construction of roof trusses before the next team arrives.
“Seeing the impact is the best part of the mission for me,” said Tech. Sgt. Michael Smith, a loadmaster with the 300th AS.
For the aircrew, just going on this kind of mission provided solid training opportunities, he said. Working with Saint Lucians in the local conditions to offload and load cargo presented unique challenges which became evident when preparing for the return flight.
The crew had to use several layers of plywood to prevent a trailer from damaging the cargo ramp, which was too steep for the length of the trailer. Normally the ramp is level with the ground while cargo is elevated by loaders and pushed onto the ramp. Saint Lucia was a location without loader capability.
While the mission provided some new challenges, it also had a specific training goal in mind for Major Phillips, the mission’s acting aircrew commander.
“On this mission I’m going through a check ride to certify that I can take care of the crew on my own,” he said. “I handle the planning and anything that might pop up -- all it takes to complete the mission.”
Major Phillips has been flying the C-17 for three years and has a decade of experience flying the T-38 and the C-130 Hercules. When not flying Reserve missions, he stays proficient as a commercial pilot flying Boeing 737s.
“Civilian pilots go through a similar check-ride to be certified on an airframe,” said Lt. Col. Bert Bailey, chief of standards and evaluations for the 300th AS. On this mission he evaluated Major Phillips’ overall performance, including his flying and technical skills and his interaction with the crew.
C-17 aircrews are required to go through an evaluation process at least once every 17 months. These check rides ensure all crewmembers keep their skill and proficiency levels high.
“This is the last part of his certification,” said pilot Maj. Lance Livesey, also with the 300th AS.
Major Phillips flew a check-ride at home station. But the final part involved handling the conditions only found on an overseas mission, Major Livesey said. After this, Major Phillips can be the aircrew commander for any following mission anywhere Air Mobility Command’s Global Reach airlift capability is needed.
Everything was a smooth glide for a check ride mission, at least until the return flight. An engine part broke after a planned stop at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.
A fault light turned on after landing. After an inspection, the crew found that a new part would need to be flown down, said Staff Sgt. William Henke, the flying crew chief with the maintenance squadron.
“There is one active-duty crew chief on this mission and that lets you see both sides -- both worlds,” Sergeant Smith said. “Most of the time you can’t tell the difference.”
Since a maintenance crew and a new part couldn’t arrive until the next day, Sergeant Henke determined the C-17 wouldn’t be fixed until late the next day. With a working plan to fix the C-17, Sergeant Henke informed his Reserve aircrew counterparts, who could then focus solely on resolving the passenger situation.
The engineers were waiting to get home after their two-week tour. The call was made to request another aircraft to pick them up. The next day, a C-130J Hercules arrived and took them home. The maintenance team replaced the faulty part and the C-17 was able to return home April 12 -- mission complete.
The fluid actions of the crew are typical of this team, Major Phillips said.
“I couldn’t ask for a better crew,” he said.
The 300th AS is part of the 315th Airlift Wing, the Reserve associate wing with the 437th Airlift Wing. Working side by side, the two Charleston wings share ownership and maintenance of the base’s fleet of 53 C-17s. Aircrews are not assigned an aircraft or as a crew that always fly together. Aircrews are assembled as missions are generated and then assigned the next available aircraft.
The system works well, Major Phillips said.
“Being a Reserve pilot is no different than flying active duty. It is seamless to the passengers,” he said. (AFRC News Service)