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Navigator surpasses 9,000 C-130 flying hours

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Richard Mekkri
  • 914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office
Tuesday, June 21, 2016 --  Nine thousand is a big number in the flying world, especially when considering hours aboard a C-130 Hercules aircraft. That is the number navigator Lt. Col. Barry Cupples, Jr. of the 328th Airlift Squadron surpassed, June 10.

“It makes me feel old, honestly,” Cupples joked as he spoke of his accomplishment. “9,000 hours equates to 375 days in the air. It took a long time to get here.”

Cupples, who is currently deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, began his career as a loadmaster and has been flying aboard the C-130 aircraft for nearly 35 years.

“I didn’t think I would get here, honestly,” said Cupples, of his achievement. “I thought 7,500 hours was a reasonable goal, and then I passed 75 and I passed 8 and I passed 85. I knew that I was within about 200 hours when I came on this deployment, that’s when I knew it was definitely going to happen.”

Flying aboard the C-130 is a family legacy for Cupples. His father, also Barry, was a navigator and then a pilot aboard the C-130 for the base. His sister, Sharon, was an aeromedical evacuation specialist on the same aircraft.

“It’s a lot of flying,” said Cupples sister, Ret. Senior Master Sgt. Sharon Annunziato. “It’s a huge accomplishment. He’s very dedicated to his job. He’s like my dad was.”

Annunziato said she and her brother flew together on multiple flights before the military banned family members from flying together. Cupples and his father also flew missions together, and deployed together in support of Operation Desert Shield.

“I’m not really one for words,” added Annunziato. “I’m happy to have followed in my father’s footsteps and I’m glad my brother did, too. If my dad were still alive he would be so proud of him right now.” Annunziato and Cupples’ father passed away in 1995.

“He was a navigator before becoming a pilot so, to become a navigator like he was, it’s been a goal of mine,” said Cupples of his father. “I strive to be the best that I can in this business, and to make him proud.”

As for what comes next, Cupples hopes to hit the milestone of 10,000 flying hours before retirement.

“I have five years left,” “I’ve been averaging 200-250 hours a year, so it definitely is an attainable goat,” said Cupples.
Cupples is scheduled to return from deployment this fall.