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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marines of the only AV-8B Harrier training squadron, Marine Attack Training Squadron 203, celebrated the graduation of 31 AV-8B Harrier pilots Friday with a boots and utilities run, breakfast and a speech from their commanding officer, Lt. Col. John A. Rahe, Sept. 17.
“It’s been a few years since we reached our goal producing pilots,” said Rahe. “The AV-8B Harrier has been around for 39 years and is still absolutely relevant to the wars of today.”
The Marines selected to be Harrier pilots arrive to VMAT-203 upon completing their initial flight school. They then begin nine months of rigorous training.
“In the beginning we receive young pilots with about 250-275 hours of flight time,” said Rahe. “The hardest part for them is the aircraft itself. The Harrier is a unique plane that is challenging to fly. When we get the pilots straight from school they have certain habits and we make them unlearn them.”
The most important test for the pilots comes when the squadron deploys to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., for 4-6 weeks of air-to-surface training. This is where the student pilots put it all together. They are required to perform vertical and short take-offs and landings with ordnance, basic and advanced formations, navigation, basic and tactical weapons delivery, and participate in potential real-life scenarios.
“They are considered world class pilots once they complete the training in Yuma,” Rahe said. “It forces the pilots to endure more stress than they are used to and prepares them for what they could see in combat. It is the best possible training that could be offered.”
“I put in a lot of hard work while in Yuma,” said 1st Lt. David C. Elert, Harrier student pilot. “It was great training and dropping live ordnance was really fun.”
Once the pilots endure the nine months and prove they have what it takes to be an elite pilot for the Marine Corps they are considered proven pilots.
As the Marines train for their title as a Harrier pilot, the maintenance Marines are doing just as much work to ensure the aircraft is always operational.
“Training world class attack pilots has a trickle-down effect of training world class maintainers,” said Rahe. “It’s important to train them just like the pilots. Everyone is getting trained here so when they get to their next unit and perhaps deploy, they are fully prepared and ready to hit the ground running.”
The squadron pushed through the nine months and met the quota by graduating 31 Marine pilots and even two United Kingdom pilots.
“We’ve gone through so much flight training leading up to this point and I’m really looking forward to being in the fleet and doing my part,” Elert said.
“We know our role as a squadron is to turn pilots into Harrier pilots and our role as Harrier pilots is to support the MAGTF commander,” Rahe said. “It is our responsibility to support the Marines on the ground.”
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2010 15:34 |
| Story ID: | 56864 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 584 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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