thedrifter
02-28-08, 01:29 PM
Special delivery from 1500 feet
By Lance Cpl. Fredrick J. Coleman, MCAS Miramar
MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marine Aerial Refueling Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11 (reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, participated in delivery exercises at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Feb. 13, in preparation for their next deployment.
The squadron turned up the engines on one of their KC-130Js, departed from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., early in the afternoon and landed in the brisk wind and rolling deserts of Twentynine Palms.
The squadron, known as the "Raiders," briefed with jumpmasters from 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division before they delivered cargo and personnel while cruising at 1,500 feet above sea level at approximately 150 mph.
"During training like this, it's important that all issues are discussed to ensure the aircrew and jumpmasters are on the same page with each other," said Master Sgt. Monroe Stueber, a jump master with the battalion. "Communication and precision are paramount in missions like this because now we're dealing with humans jumping from the aircraft."
Before the reconnaissance Marines were scheduled to begin their training evolution, Sgt. Tim Cook and Lance Cpl. Chris Weins, the loadmasters during the mission, prepared the two supply crates for delivery into the drop zone.
As the aircraft circled around the drop zone, Cook and Weins prepared the static line retrieval cable.
The SLR cable, once tightened, pulls a knife into position, cutting a strap that holds the cargo in place,sending it airborn.
After the cargo rolled out of the back, the pilots continued to circle around the drop zone in preparation for the next part of the exercise, personnel delivery.
However, the reconnaissance Marines didn't perform their training due to unfavorable wind conditions, according to Stueber.
During training, the wind has to be less than 15 mph in order to jump, said Stueber.
If the winds are faster than 15 mph, the Marines risk losing control of their parachutes.
"I learned a little bit more about what the squadron's duties are in a deployed environment, despite us not being able to release the recon Marines," said Weins on his first aerial deliveries exercise with the squadron. "I continually take in the knowledge the more experienced Marines pass on to me, in hopes to one day be a mentor myself."
With the squadron's primary mission of aerial refueling and rapid refueling on the ground, the aircrew must take these types of exercises seriously, according to Capt. Christopher Kocab, a pilot with VMGR-352.
"As a squadron, we don't perform as many aerial delivery missions as we do aerial refueling while we are deployed," said Kocab. "It's important that we perform in these exercises as if we were in theater."
Exercises like these are often used as training to help familiarize newer aircrew with other mission capabilities of the squadron, according to Sgt. Sergio Molina, a crew chief for the Raiders. The more flight hours the newer members obtain, the more they learn about the mission of the squadron, added Molina.
View Pix's
http://www.blackanthem.com/News/Military_News_1/Special-delivery-from-1500-feet14757.shtml
Ellie
By Lance Cpl. Fredrick J. Coleman, MCAS Miramar
MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marine Aerial Refueling Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11 (reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, participated in delivery exercises at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Feb. 13, in preparation for their next deployment.
The squadron turned up the engines on one of their KC-130Js, departed from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., early in the afternoon and landed in the brisk wind and rolling deserts of Twentynine Palms.
The squadron, known as the "Raiders," briefed with jumpmasters from 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division before they delivered cargo and personnel while cruising at 1,500 feet above sea level at approximately 150 mph.
"During training like this, it's important that all issues are discussed to ensure the aircrew and jumpmasters are on the same page with each other," said Master Sgt. Monroe Stueber, a jump master with the battalion. "Communication and precision are paramount in missions like this because now we're dealing with humans jumping from the aircraft."
Before the reconnaissance Marines were scheduled to begin their training evolution, Sgt. Tim Cook and Lance Cpl. Chris Weins, the loadmasters during the mission, prepared the two supply crates for delivery into the drop zone.
As the aircraft circled around the drop zone, Cook and Weins prepared the static line retrieval cable.
The SLR cable, once tightened, pulls a knife into position, cutting a strap that holds the cargo in place,sending it airborn.
After the cargo rolled out of the back, the pilots continued to circle around the drop zone in preparation for the next part of the exercise, personnel delivery.
However, the reconnaissance Marines didn't perform their training due to unfavorable wind conditions, according to Stueber.
During training, the wind has to be less than 15 mph in order to jump, said Stueber.
If the winds are faster than 15 mph, the Marines risk losing control of their parachutes.
"I learned a little bit more about what the squadron's duties are in a deployed environment, despite us not being able to release the recon Marines," said Weins on his first aerial deliveries exercise with the squadron. "I continually take in the knowledge the more experienced Marines pass on to me, in hopes to one day be a mentor myself."
With the squadron's primary mission of aerial refueling and rapid refueling on the ground, the aircrew must take these types of exercises seriously, according to Capt. Christopher Kocab, a pilot with VMGR-352.
"As a squadron, we don't perform as many aerial delivery missions as we do aerial refueling while we are deployed," said Kocab. "It's important that we perform in these exercises as if we were in theater."
Exercises like these are often used as training to help familiarize newer aircrew with other mission capabilities of the squadron, according to Sgt. Sergio Molina, a crew chief for the Raiders. The more flight hours the newer members obtain, the more they learn about the mission of the squadron, added Molina.
View Pix's
http://www.blackanthem.com/News/Military_News_1/Special-delivery-from-1500-feet14757.shtml
Ellie