Page 9 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, February 2020

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February 2021
New RTT iNiTiaTive
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creates combat-ready F-16 crew chiefs, saves time, money

by Airman 1st Class right back to their units, Hubbard class has evolved to fit the needs of the Det. 12 is the largest training detachment
Brooke Moeder said. students. Hubbard said the first class he in the Air Force and had a large part in
The 372nd TRS, Det. 12, plays taught spent two weeks in a classroom and the validation process for the course, said
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
a critical role in producing combat the last four on the flightline. The class he Hubbard.
In July 2020, the Air Force ready crew chiefs at Luke AFB. is currently teaching completes one week When the Airmen finish the new RTT
introduced a newly redesigned The six-week course features in the classroom and the last five weeks on course, they will be proficient in their job
course for F-16 Fighting Falcon intensive instructor-led, hands-on the flightline. and able to hit the ground running at their
crew chiefs going through techni- training to familiarize the Airmen “Now we’re just getting to the meat of first duty station.
cal training. with location-specific maintenance what they need to do regarding daily sortie “We want to ensure we send out quality
After completing technical train- operations. With a small class size generations,” Hubbard said. “That includes crew chiefs,” said Hubbard. “We want to
ing at Sheppard Air Force Base, of up to five students, instructors lots of launching out and refueling aircraft, make sure that they’re ready to operate on
Texas, F-16 crew chiefs now pro- can offer students a more personal taking oil samples, doing their inspections the flightline and generate sorties day in
ceed directly to their first duty experience, Hubbard said. and proper forms of documentation.” and day out.”
station to attend Right Time “For training we go to the flight-
Training with the 372nd Training line to launch, recover and refuel
Squadron, Detachment 12, which the jet,” said Airman 1st Class
saves the Air Force money by cut- Diego Garcia, 372nd TRS F-16
ting additional travel to additional crew chief. “He just expects us to
duty stations. do our best, and if we’re struggling
“RTT is their on-the-job training he just wants to see that we’re
and reduces lost time for inpro- learning and capable of absorbing
cessing,” said Staff Sgt. Darion information.”
Hubbard, 372nd TRS F-16 crew Smaller class sizes lead to better,
chief instructor. “That way when faster and tailored training to the
the Airman gets to their unit, after aircraft they are working.
going through RTT, they’re ready “I take them to the flightline to
to do the job on their own. This get them familiar and comfortable
means less time spent away from with being around the aircraft and
doing the job, which keeps them their new work environment,” said
ready and consistent.” Hubbard. “We get hands-on with
Before RTT, new Airmen went to the jets. By the time my last class
Holloman AFB for their hands-on graduated, their grease covered
training first, then to their perma- uniforms reflected all the hard
nent duty station where they lost work and training.”
time for inprocessing and specific Luke AFB’s first RTT class Photos by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder
airframe training. This led to a gap graduated Oct. 6, while these stu- Hubbard (left), poses for a photo with his F-16 Right Time Training
in time doing their new jobs, now dents were in the third session. class, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base. Luke AFB’s first RTT
within 45 days of inproccessing They graduated Dec. 9. Staff Sgt. Darion Hubbard (left), 372nd Training Squadron F-16 Fight- class graduated Oct. 6, 2020.
into their unit they go to RTT then In its first two iterations, the ing Falcon crew chief instructor, supervises Airman 1st Class Erick
Moreno, 372nd TRS F-16 crew chief while he inspects an F-16 before
flight, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base. Hubbard instructs the
F-16 Right Time Training course and graduated a class of five stu-
dents Dec. 9, 2020.

Hubbard (top), teaches his F-16 Right Time Training class basic
aircraft maintenance procedures, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Airman 1st Class Erick Moreno, 372nd Training Squadron F-16 Fight-
Base. While on the flightline, F-16 crew chiefs attending RTT class ing Falcon crew chief and F-16 Right Time Training student, grabs a
Airman 1st Class Jaydon Aguon, 372nd Training Squadron F-16 Fight- Hubbard instructs an F-16 Right Time Training course, Nov. 17, 2020, learn how to refuel aircraft, take oil samples, perform inspections headset while preparing an F-16 for flight, Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Moreno (right), prepares a 309th Fighter Squadron pilot for flight,
ing Falcon crew chief, prepares an F-16 for flight, Nov. 17, 2020, at at Luke Air Force Base. The class completes one week in the class- and more. The RTT class is a new initiative to provide small group, Force Base. During the six week long RTT course the students learn Nov. 17, 2020, at Luke Air Force Base. Moreno is enrolled in the six-
Luke Air Force Base. Aguon is enrolled in the six-week F-16 Right room and the last five weeks on the flightline learning basic F-16 instructor-led hands-on training for F-16 crew chiefs after they com- how to perform basic crew chief functions such as launching, refuel- week long F-16 Right Time Training course and is learning how to
Time Training course to learn basic flightline maintenance operations. operations. pete technical training. ing and maintaining aircraft. launch, recover and refuel F-16s.