Preppies Visit The Airfield
This morning the Preppies had the opportunity to visit the Airfield, specifically Jump and Soaring!
In case you haven't seen our blogs about Jump on the blog, here's some background on the Jump Program as well as highlights from their visit today!
Airmanship 490 or AM-490 is a Basic Freefall Parachuting Program that the Academy offers and it is the core mission of the Wings of Blue and the 98th Training Squadron, all of the Cadets on the Wings of Blue team are certified AM-490 Instructors and Jumpmasters. Throughout each year over 700 Cadets complete this course where they achieve 5 parachute jumps and earn their jump wings.
While at Jump the Preppies were brought into the Classroom where they watched a video on the Wings of Blue, then they went into one of the pack rooms to see what the parachutes are like and what it takes to pack one.
AM-490 is the only program in the entire world where the first jump is an unassisted freefall, how amazing is that? The Preppies visited the Ground Training Facility last, cadet or staff who go through this program will have roughly 40 hours of ground training before their first jump.
The Basic Soaring program (Airmanship 251) provides a motivational experience for all 3rd class cadets. This program is the largest Glider operation in the world and its mission is to build character, and help motivate cadets as well as form the foundation of cadet exposure to military aviation, which is what many of them will do in their Air Force careers following their 4 years at the Academy. The cadets first experience soaring in the TG-10B or TG-16A which familiarizes them with aircraft controls, the ever-present crew checklists, area/pattern work, and the perspective to earth.
The Cadets had some down time this morning due to weather so there was no activity happening which made it easier to show the Preppies some of the tied down Gliders on the runway. After being out on the runway, they were taken into the building where they watched a video on the USAF Aerobatic Demonstration Team.
Finally, they were brought into the Hanger where all of the Gliders are kept. Not only did they get to see the gliders up close but they also got to see what it felt like sitting in one!
During this Academic year, a handful of Preppies will get to possibly experience tandem jumps and rides in a T-53 over at Powered Flight!
To view the rest of our glimpse into their visit to the Airfield go to; Classes - Prep School - Prep Life. Or click the link below.