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A T-1A Jayhawk on a training mission near Randolph Air Force Base, Texas (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Russell Hopkinson)
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Laughlin takes T-1 low level competition
Posted 3/22/2012 Updated 3/22/2012
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by Senior Airman Scott Saldukas
47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
3/22/2012 - LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- A crew of T- 1A Jayhawk pilots traveled to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, to compete and took the top spot in a low level competition March 15 and 16.
Pilots from five different bases in the Air Education and Training Command who fly the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon and T-1 aircraft came together for the two day competition.
"Essentially, each aircraft was given a specific takeoff time to enter an assigned airspace and a time to exit the airspace," said Capt. Skylar Rollins, 86th Flying Training Squadron programming officer.
He explained that upon entry of the assigned airspace, each aircraft was required to contact a ground controller and receive coordinates for a target they had to fly over at a specific time.
"We then had to exit the airspace and fly back to Randolph," Rollins said. "The ground controller was sitting at the point and was able to determine when each aircraft flew over the assigned point. All of this had to be done within 10 minutes of our airspace entry time. The tricky part was the thunderstorms building up in the airspace so maneuvering around them to find clear air was challenging."
While taking the top spot in the T-1 division was what the Laughlin pilots set out to do, they said it was also a good learning experience.
"It was a great experience to be able to talk to the other bases' instructor pilots and get their perspective on things as well as fly against them," Rollins said. "It was one of the most fun flying things I've done in a long time. We had a great opportunity to do something outside of the daily grind and actually apply our skills and training."
Lt. Col. Brian LaMirande, 86th FTS commander, explained how their skill set during the competition not only represented the squadron well but a wing as a whole.
"I'm very proud of them," he said. "It is great anytime we have a chance to showcase the talents of our Airmen, especially when we get to compete against the other undergraduate pilot training bases."
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