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| Combat Rescue Pilots to Train in New Facility |
January 18, 2006 |
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Rep. Wilson Secured $6.6 Million for KAFB Training Bldg.
Kirtland Air Force Base, NM - When an airman is down in enemy territory, odds are good the pilots that fly the rescue mission were trained in Albuquerque on Kirtland Air Force Base. Today, U.S. Congresswoman Heather Wilson announced that she has secured $6.6 million for a new building to house a $30 million flight simulator to train pilots how to fly HC-130 P’s to support those rescue missions.
Plans call for the simulator to be in operation in 2007. The simulator trains Air Force crews on the HC-130 P, the extended range combat search and rescue version of a C-130 Hercules transport. The new simulator facility at KAFB, a $6.6 million military construction project, will include a two-story section to house the simulator, while the rest of the one-story building will extend out to house training rooms, technical support, computers, and control systems.
“From rescue pilots to the elite ‘PJ’s’, many of our military’s best are trained at Kirtland,” says Wilson. “Simulators add to the realistic atmosphere we need to train modern flight crews in the Air Force without the cost or risk of flying training missions in real aircraft. I’m glad we were able to secure this funding for Kirtland. It will help the base continue to fulfill their mission.”
The new $6.6 million facility to be built on Kirtland Air Force Base will ensure realistic rescue flight simulator training for HC-130 crews. Today, student pilots train on simulators configured for MC-130P aircraft. The current training module, while similar to the HC-130, is not an accurate depiction of what flight crews face on a real HC-130 aircraft. HC-130 aircraft are primarily used for combat search and rescue. The MC-130P is a multi-use special operations aircraft that can refuel helicopters.
Wilson pointed out that flight simulators can place a student pilot, and veteran pilots looking for a refresher, in a variety of real-world scenarios. You can go from a sunny day to nighttime snow conditions facing enemy hostile fire with a few keyboard clicks at a computer station.
Simulators also have the advantage of providing safer and less expensive training for fledgling pilots. Mistakes are easier to rectify and learn from in a simulator than in an aircraft. Wilson also says simulator training adds huge savings to the Air Force because there is no unnecessary wear-and-tear on aircraft, no additional maintenance, and no cost in fuel.
“Congresswoman Wilson is a great partner for keeping Kirtland Air Force Base strong,” said Sherman McCorkle, chairman of the Kirtland Partnership Committee’s board. “This HC-130 simulator needs a roof over its head, and I can’t think of a better place for it than Kirtland. Rep. Wilson deserves a lot of credit for getting this done. We survived this round of BRAC, but our work to keep Kirtland strong is continual. So is Heather Wilson’s partnership in this effort.”
Ultimately, the Kirtland simulator will provide more qualified HC-130 crew members in a shorter amount of time to help keep our nation secure.
Wilson secured the funding for Kirtland in this year’s Military Construction and Veterans Quality of Life Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2528), which passed the House last November and was signed into law by the President on November 30, 2005.
The bill again improves healthcare for veterans, funding for veterans medical services at $22.5 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion over this year and marking a two-year increase of 18 percent. Funding for Mental Health Services for veterans is doubled to $2.2 billion, and total veterans benefits are boosted $1.9 billion.
Other highlights of the bill for New Mexico include $15 million to Holloman Air Force Base for a fire station, and $13.2 million to Cannon Air Force Base to replace a Fuel and Loading Storage Facility.
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