Behind the scenes of an air drop

Published Feb. 12, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Jonathan Hehnly
911th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIR RESERVE STATION, Pa. -- "Crew, one minute advisory."

"Crew, five seconds."

"Green light."

As soon as the order is uttered by the navigator the cargo is released over the drop zone.

The two words seem simple in nature; however the process leading up to the air drop is not.

"No matter how long you do this you can never relax during an air drop," said Lt. Col. Aldo Filoni, standardization and evaluation navigator with the 911th Operations Group. "It's intense, nerve-racking and busy for the whole duration, from the time you show up until the engines are off."

Proper execution of an air drop takes lots of planning, communication and the ability to 'spin a CARP on the fly.'

A CARP is a computed air release point, calculated by the navigator, that tells the air crew precisely when to release the cargo package from the aircraft in order for it to hit its designated target. The CARP is computed pre-flight based on the planned drop altitude, type of parachute being used and the expected wind speed and direction.
The wind is a variable that the crew must work around in-flight and must adjust its' CARP in accordance with.

As the navigator figures out the release point, it is the pilot's responsibility to ensure the aircraft is over the target at the expected time.

The pilot uses reference points on the ground or the self-contained navigation system to fly the aircraft to the intended drop zone.

Upon approach to the drop zone, all members of the crew secure a clock position and scan for possible threats.

When the C-130 Hercules aircraft slows down and the back ramp opens, that's when it is most vulnerable. The pilots and navigators must rely on the loadmasters to be their eyes and ears in the back of the plane and become the final hours to the clock.

"Safety starts with communication," said Lt. Col. James J. Torok, director of operations with the911th OG. "It is paramount. Our communication starts before our feet leave the ground and ends when the C-130 touches down."

The air crew, made up of pilots, navigators, flight engineers, and loadmasters communicate constantly in order to ensure that the air drop goes off without a hitch and the package hits its target.

Winds change, crews change, but the air drop mission remains the same. Having Airmen prepared to perform at their best, to safely and efficiently drop cargo, personnel, and equipment is 'the mission.'