OSS keeps watch over flying hours

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. R.J. Biermann
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Many are unaware of the countless hours that go into scheduling Luke Air Force Base's 138 F-16s for flight.

Every day approximately 100 sorties are flown at Luke to keep its 370 pilots proficiently trained.

"We manage the wing's flying hour program," said Master Sgt. Alex Eggins, 56th Operations Support Squadron Current Operations superintendent. "After receiving a monthly allocation of flying hours from Air Education and Training Command, our four flying squadrons tell us what time they need. We then divvy out the hours (air time) to the squadrons, and they make a contract with AETC."

Current operations ensure the squadrons stay within their contracted hours.

"We're like mom and dad trying to keep their half dozen teens on the allocated bathroom schedule," Sergeant Eggins said. "If one person takes too long or picks a new place on the schedule, without letting someone know, the whole system goes haywire."

At the squadron level the program hours can be adjusted at any time when needed for trainee and veteran pilots.

"We're responsible for ensuring the student pilots receive the necessary training per their course syllabus," said Alex Szumierz, 61st Fighter Squadron director of scheduling. "The student syllabus is like building blocks of training, and every block must be done in the proper order before the next. Once the students are assigned to a squadron we determine what flights, academics and simulators are needed and in what order."

Unfortunately, the flying hour program is a moving target, due to deployments, student drop outs, and aircraft and runway repairs. Squadron schedulers place student pilots on a timeline. During the B-course if that timeline is not followed, schedulers must adjust to meet the target to graduate their pilots. Veteran pilots must fly at least four times monthly to remain proficient.

"As squadron schedulers, we have to ensure all needed assets are available to complete the required training," Mr. Szumierz said. "This could include airspace being reserved, getting a one- or two-seat aircraft, scheduling tanker assets for in-flight refueling training, etc. We also ensure the aircraft are properly configured for the training needed, e.g., bombs, bullets, fuel tanks and targeting pods. We are responsible for ensuring our students receive all the training required to graduate on time."

No matter the day, Luke's schedulers continue to support a 69-year-old mission of training the world's greatest fighter pilots.