200th Airlift Squadron experience put to use in CENTCOM AOR

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Joseph VonNida | A U.S. Air Force C-21 and two F-15 Strike Eagles perform a mission near Elmendorf Air...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Joseph VonNida | A U.S. Air Force C-21 and two F-15 Strike Eagles perform a mission near Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, Aug.15, during Northern Edge 2005. Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 2005 is the largest homeland defense/homeland security exercise ever conducted in Alaska--the first opportunity within the state to exercise an integrated local, state and federal government response to a series of simulated emergencies including natural disasters, terrorist attacks and mass casualty scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Heiser) Released  see less | View Image Page

01.22.2010

Courtesy Story

Colorado National Guard

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By Air Force Capt. Kristin Haley
140th Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — For the first time ever, the 200th Airlift Squadron is preparing to deploy 35 percent of its pilots to Al Udied, Qatar.

The LearJet C-21 pilots preparing to leave each volunteered to go to alleviate some of the deployment strain on its active duty sister unit, the 311th Airlift Squadron.

"Over the past couple of years, we've really become more integrated with the active duty Air Force," said Lt. Col. Paul Follett, 200th Airlift Squadron commander. In 2006, the unit established an Inter-fly Agreement with the 311th AS, a C-21 active-duty squadron, which is also a tenant unit located at Peterson Air Force Base. "We really want to support the active-duty mission and be a part of the C-21 community. Part of that full support includes deploying," he added.

Although the 200th AS is the smallest C-21 unit in both the active duty and Guard, it has some of the most experienced pilots. The average C-21 experience level is more than nine years and almost 3,000 hours per pilot. Active duty pilots generally leave three-year C-21 assignments with an average of 1,100 flying hours per pilot. In addition, the 200th as a whole has more hours than any other airlift squadron in the Guard or active duty. In 30 years, they've accumulated more than 67,462 hours — over seven and a half years of non-stop flight.

In addition to the overall hours the 200th AS has to be proud of, it is also home of the pilot with the most hours overall. Lt. Col. Dave Smallidge has more than 8,000 hours to his name. He joined the Colorado Air National Guard in 1999 after spending time in both the active duty and the Reserve. "My career started out good, got better and now it's the best," he said.

Daily, the squadron flies distinguished visitor airlift and time critical cargo missions for Transportation Command's Joint Operational Support Airlift Center, as well as air defense operational training sorties and other than continental U.S. airlift missions for the National Guard Bureau. "Although many of our flights are to the same places such as Andrews Air Force Base, what makes our job so great is that we still get to go to places we've never been; places like Manhattan, Kansas, and small airports all over the U.S.," said Follett.

With so much experience in one squadron, the unit is known as the "go-to" place for corporate knowledge. "We like to think of ourselves as the safe hold of knowledge in the C-21 community," said Maj. Joel Miller, 200th AS pilot. Pilots have supplemented a number of Inspector General teams; and administered standardization and evaluation check rides to units in Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and multiple continental U.S. locations such as Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., over the years. In addition, they've helped with flight reviews at the Air Force level as well as checked out initial cadre when new C-21 units stood up in Fargo, N.D. and Bradley, Conn. The squadron also advises in C-21 contract training conducted in Dallas, Texas.

The Inter-Fly Agreement has allowed the pilots the 200th AS to spend a lot of time flying with many of the young lieutenants assigned to the 311th AS. "It's mutually beneficial for us, too. However when we deploy, although we've done a lot of training recently to address the threats in theater, we're definitely going to be learning from them. We're excited about this opportunity and know it's going to be a great experience for us," said Follett.

The 200th Airlift Squadron falls under the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard.