EASTOVER, S.C. - When multiple aircraft take to the skies, one person in charge makes the decisions that can determine the outcome of the mission. For this reason, it is critical for that pilot to be trained to take command of multiple crews and aircraft.
Pilots with the South Carolina Army National Guard, 59th Aviation Troop Command, 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) completed Air Mission Commander (AMC) training Jan. 9-12, 2017, at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, South Carolina, in order to become more familiar and comfortable with making decisions for other aircraft, as well as their own.
"When there's multiple aircraft in the air, someone has to be in charge,"said U.S. Army Lt. Col. John McElveen, 1-151st ARB commander."We put them in situations where they have to communicate and make decisions not only for their aircraft, but others too.
The training included blocks of classroom instruction covering subjects such as route security, air assaults, personnel recovery, call for fire, risk assessments, rules of engagement and many more. After the morning instruction, the pilot identified as the commander for the day received an operations and intelligence briefing based on the simulated mission. They then developed a plan to complete their mission and briefed the other crewmembers. Next, the flight crews would move to the aircraft simulators to execute the mission.
U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Summey, South Carolina National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility 1 operations officer, explained, the simulators allow the instructors to be able to put the crews through different scenarios to see how the pilots react. The scenarios can be changed on the spot based on decisions made by the AMC. The instructors are watching to see if the AMC understands the necessary procedures and can command the group.
"They are the ultimate decision maker,"said Summey."They are responsible for the overall flight and mission accomplishment.
The overall purpose of the training is to develop the skill set of the pilot to be able to serve as an AMC, added Summey. Completion of the training does not fully qualify the pilot to serve as an AMC, but is used to familiarize them with what it is like to be in charge in those situations. It also gives the pilots the opportunity to make mistakes in a controlled environment. Additionally, the simulator gives the pilots an opportunity to learn new aircraft systems they have not previously flown with before using them in the air.
"The simulator is great because it allows you to make decisions and mistakes to learn from and have more experienced pilots give advice,"said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jenna Pitcher, 1-151st ARB, Delta Company commander and attendee of the AMC training."It's a great learning tool.
The training is important because as the AMC other people's lives are in your hands, explained McElveen.
"This is a serious business we're in...any day we go out and fly, we may not come back. We have to take everything we do seriously,"McElveen said.