Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“
Area men and women fly with the 109th – George Alston
This is the second of a two-part series on members of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia. After focusing on the home lives of
George Alston
of Delmar and Bradt Primary teacher
Karolyn De Vito
last week, this week we focus on how they perform their military duties in Greenland during a recent deployment.
See the photo gallery from Greenland here
See Part 2 of
Karolyn De Vito’s story here
Kangerlussuag, Greenland -`Twenty feet, 15 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet,` the navigator calls over the headset of the LC-130 just before the skis touch the ice runway at a remote camp on the Greenland ice sheet.
The multi-million dollar aircraft carries fuel, scientific equipment and most importantly, the scientists and crews themselves, as it taxis to a stop on the snow under a bright blue sky.
The 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard is the only transportation available for many of these camps, but for air crews onboard this mission, it was also on-the-job training.
As Lt. Col. George Alston, 43, unbuckles his shoulder harness from the co-pilot seat, he gives the aircraft commander in the other seat an affirmative nod. It was a smooth landing.
The Delmar resident is a LC-130 instructor pilot and chief of aircrew training for the unit. His job is to train crew members to fly in the polar regions.
`One way to describe what we do in regards to training is that we have a schoolhouse at the 109th for our LC-130 mission,` Alston said. `My job is to help run the schoolhouse.`
`Instructors like George take brand new personnel and bring them up to Air Force standards,` said Major Carlyle Norman, deployment commander for the 109th for the two-week tour in July. `The new crews have multiple hours of training. They train on the ground, then the instructors take them out and do the training in the field.`
Each crew member must have constant training.
`We have to be prepared for any mission` Alston said. `The way we do that is we train the way we fight.`
On this week, Capt. Dave Zielinski, 30, of Rexford was testing to upgrade from a basic aircraft commander for a LC-130 to a ski aircraft commander (AC). He was in Greenland for 11 days flying operational missions and training for his new position.
The pilots learn how to manage fuel, weather scenarios, cargo and ` most importantly ` how to run a crew.
`George challenges me,` he said. `His job is to do that during training, so that if I face similar challenges during an actual mission, I will be able to handle them easier.`
The new members are not the only ones who need training. Each air crew member for the 109th has to have a `check ride` every 17 months to stay certified to fly. The training facilities provided in Greenland become critical because it is impossible to train for ski operations outside the polar regions.
`Greenland is focused more on training for our air crews,` Norman said. `Ninety-nine percent of the missions in Antarctica [October through February] are operational, which leaves very little time for training. Greenland is about half and half.`
In Greenland, the 109th has one major training asset that cannot be duplicated any other place on earth, Camp Raven.
`We have the luxury of Raven less than 100 miles away [from its base in Greenland],` Norman said. `It is a less expensive way to get our required training done. I can send a plane out to Raven in the morning and still have time for an operational mission in the afternoon.`
Alston said that Raven is unique and critical for safety.
`You have the open snow area and the camp nearby. If you get stuck, you taxi over to the skiway and get airborne,` he said. `We have a skiway and open snow that is consistent to train on. In Antarctica, we have both, but they are not in the same area.`
Greenland is also relatively close to Schenectady in polar terms. A six-hour flight in a Herc will get the planes to the 109th’s base of operations in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The settlement is a former U.S. Air Force Base that was turned over to Denmark and now is a hub of commercial transportation, by Greenland standards. During the summer, the 109th and a Greenlandic government-run logistics agency, Kangerlussauq International Science Support (KISS), set up operations to support ice sheet research across the country.
`It is exciting to be part of the science here,` Alston said.` It is an incredibly important mission. This science could change the world.`
Greenland is a crucial key for scientists to unlock the mysteries of global climate change, and the 109th has the only heavy-lift aircraft with skis that can reach the science camps. There are no roads linking settlements in Greenland. The only way to move material is by boat, plane or dog sled.
The Arctic and Antarctic operational missions are paid for by the science community. The National Science Foundation is a key partner in planning missions that the 109th flies. Logistics must work like clockwork, because Mother Nature and aging airplanes do not always cooperate.
`Weather and airplane readiness play huge roles,` Norman said. `Healthiness of an airplane or bad weather can really screw up an entire week.`
The maintenance crews were busy during the week according to Norman, fixing multiple problems, including changing an engine on one plane.
`They really did a great job,` he said. `I had a plan when we came up here last week. I have to say that plan changed this week, but I still feel we accomplished our goals.`
For more pictures of Alston in Greenland click below.
“