Canada On Track for C-17, Training is Key to Readiness

Canadian Department of National Defence, OTTAWA: As Canada’s Air Force prepares to receive its first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III this August, personnel are working enthusiastically to get the training they need to operate the aircraft. 
 
“Great progress has been made to ensure that when the first aircraft is delivered this August, our Air Force crews will be trained and ready to take flight – I’m very happy with the steps that have been taken to date,” says the Honourable Gordon O’Connor, Minister of National Defence. “We have taken literally years off the procurement process for the strategic lift capability – saving taxpayers millions of dollars and providing the Canadian Forces with the right equipment at the right time.” 
 
Canada announced it would buy four C-17s in February under a contract with Boeing. The estimated total cost for the project is $1.8 billion, plus an estimated value of $1.6 billion for 20 years of in-service support. 
 
“I’m very pleased with the way that training is progressing and the fact that our crews will be ready when the aircraft arrive,” says Chief of the Air Staff, Lt.-Gen. Steve Lucas. “The C-17 and its well-trained crews will provide us with an unprecedented capability to support Canadian Forces operations, anytime, anywhere.” 
 
The excitement level is high among all air and ground crews who will be loading, maintaining and flying the massive aircraft here at home and around the world. The first group of pilots, loadmasters and maintainers will be fully trained and ready to operate the new aircraft as soon as it lands in 8 Wing Trenton, Ont. The C-17 Project Management Office, responsible for managing and coordinating aircrew training, is staggering the rest of the training to allow for each new crew to be trained as each new aircraft arrives. 
 
Four crews per aircraft are being trained – 32 pilots, 24 loadmasters, 10 maintenance management staff and 96 technicians have been selected for the C-17 initially. Air movements and aero-medevac personnel began their training in late February. 
 
The training is being conducted in two phases – the first is a basic familiarization with the aircraft, the second is an embedding or “seasoning” training with a United States Air Force unit. 
 
Master Cpl. Dean Desaulniers, an Aviation Technician from 426 Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton is more than half way through his C-17 training at the 373rd Training Squadron at Charleston (United States) Air Force Base in South Carolina. 
 
“It’s a phenomenal plane. They have simulators for every part of the aircraft, which makes our training so much easier. The first time that big plane lands in Afghanistan to bring our ground troops their supplies, is going to be a really great day,” says Master Cpl. Desaulniers, who moves on to his seasoning training at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington in May and June. 
 
“There is so much pride in what we’re doing. The future is looking so bright for us.”