Low-Level Training

The last week has been spent in Georgia at Warner Robins Air Force Base, where we have been participating in a low-level training course. The training is being conducted by the 171st Aviation Regiment, which is a Georgia National Guard C-23 unit based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA. The 171st cycled through Iraq about a year ago--so they are passing along "real world" lessons.

The class is divided into two groups; flight training and academics. The military training route VR-95, is located south of Atlanta and allows us to descend to 100 feet above the ground while cruising at 200 knots TAS (true airspeed). The purpose of the low-level flight profile is to limit vulnerability to surface-to-air missles (SAM's). Airplanes typically do not fly low-level, so time is also spent practicing tactical takeoffs and landings--everything happens much faster.

The academic portion of the training has focused on the FalconView mapping program, aircraft survivability equipment and flight procedures encountered in Iraq. The 126th TAC is the first C-23 unit to receive this training, therefore, we should be able to "hit the ground running" upon our arrival in Iraq. The efforts of the 171st AVN are greatly appreciated!