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Train the world’s greatest F-35 and F-16 fighter pilots Feb. 5, 2016
Vol. 16, No. 5
INSIDE Luke pilot flies 500th hour in F-35
STORIES Story and photo by
Widow receives DFC, 3 Airman 1st Class
Scarfs tell story, 4 RIDGE SHAN
CCAF mentor, 5
Focus 56 recognizes Lt. Col. Matthew Hayden, 56th Fighter Wing chief of safety and pilot attached to 56TH Fighter Wing Public Affairs
the 61st Fighter Squadron, lands Tuesday at Luke Air Force Base after complet-
Airman, 6 LQJKLVWKVRUWLHLQZKLFKKHEHFDPHWKH¿UVW$LU)RUFHSLORWWRUHDFKÀLJKW Lt. Col. Matthew Hayden, 56th Fighter
ECARS, 7 hours in the F-35 Lightning II . Wing chief of safety and pilot attached to the
61st Fighter Squadron, made history Tuesday
FEATURE at Luke Air Force Base as the first Air Force
pilot to achieve 500 flight hours in an F-35
Senior Airman James Hensley Lightning II.
HVAC KEEPS IT COOL Hayden achieved this milestone flying his
270th sortie, a routine training mission, which
See Page 12 took off from Luke at approximately 9 a.m.
INDEX “This is a testament to Luke and all the work
we’ve done here to build up our experience and
Action line ............................. 2 operations,” Hayden said. “This is a reflection
Briefs..................................... 3 of our efforts to set up a high-quality training
Spotlight ................................ 4 program for new pilots.”
Diversions ........................... 20
Sports.................................. 23 Hayden is one of the most experienced
F-35 pilots in the world, and has flown and
QUOTE OF THE WEEK instructed new pilots at Luke since the incep-
tion of its program.
“Like the “Little Blue Book” tells
us, an adherence to our core values “The [61st FS] Top Dogs are incredibly lucky
is the price of admission into the to have an F-35 instructor pilot who has been
Air Force. Airmen must understand with the program since the beginning flying
their actions are to be rooted in with us on a daily basis,” said Lt. Col. Aaron
integrity, service and excellence.” Jelinek, 61st FS director of operations. “Lieu-
tenant colonel Hayden’s depth of knowledge
Senior Master Sgt. Mark James
56th Maintenance Group See F-35, Page 6
WEATHER Load crews face off in test of best
Today by Airman 1st Class Senior Airman Johnathan Mahlan,Weapons skills needed to gain the advantage on
RIDGE SHAN Standardization lead crew member. competitors.
66°/35°
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Teams compete by loading a number of “A lot of people assume that speed is the
Sunny weapons onto their respective jet in the biggest requirement to work effectively as a
This year’s annual Luke Air Force Base fastest time and with the fewest errors. team,” Mahlan said. “But flawless commu-
weapons load competition took place on Each team participated in and won smaller nication is the most important factor. Some-
Jan. 28, 2016. quarterly competitions for the right to times it’s hard to hear or there’s too much
compete in this event. The champion will going on at once and verbal communication
The competition featured three teams be announced at the Maintenance Profes- is difficult, so teams have to have a gel or a
of F-16 Fighting Falcon load crew Airmen sional of the Year banquet on Feb. 5th, 2015. sync amongst their crew.This is what we call
from the 309th, 310th, and 425th Aircraft ‘crew integrity’ in our career field.”
Maintenance Units, and two teams from Winning the event is a point of tremen-
the 311th and 314th AMUs out of Holloman dous pride and grants an attractive addi- The addition of the F-35 as a regular
Air Force Base. Additionally, a team of F-35 tion to one’s career highlights. The competi- component of the load competition echoes
Lightning II load crew Airmen from the 61st tion, especially at this level, is fierce. the transition of Luke’s mission from train-
AMU also competed. The event is designed ing F-16 pilots, maintainers, and support
to encourage friendly interaction among load “You have to know everything perfectly,” specialists to training equivalent Airmen
crew members and enable them to display said Senior Airman Caleb Staton, 310th in the operation of the F-35.
the high skill level at which they operate. AMU load crew member. “Once everything
starts and you get into the chaos of it all, it “To be able to be a part of the transition
“For these guys to be able to come out here can be pretty overwhelming, and you have in its early stages is really good experience
and load the way they do and demonstrate to know your job, your nomenclature, and for weapons crew members or any other
their skills in front of other people not only be in the right mindset to do well.” maintainers,” Mahlan said. “As far as a
boosts morale, but serves as a reminder that career is concerned, having that experience
we are the greatest Air Force in the world Teams that make it to this final phase in on a next-generation aircraft is awesome.”
and we have the Airmen to prove that,” said the competition are well acquainted with
grit, determination, and coordination: all See PHOTOS, Page 16
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