Col. James Jacobson, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, experiments with flight controls in a helicopter during his first visit to Frunze 1 Air Base in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Feb. 16, 2012. Military leadership from Frunze 1 Air Base, invited several people from the Transit Center to visit their facilities. During the visit, Airmen had the opportunity to explore the flight line and helicopter maintenance shop. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols) Airmen from the Transit Center at Manas examine a helicopter on the flight line at Frunze 1 Air Base in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Feb. 16, 2012. Military members from Frunze 1 Air Base invited leadership from the Transit Center to visit their facilities. During the visit, Airmen had the opportunity to explore the flight line and helicopter maintenance shop. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols) A helicopter flies over Frunze 1 Air Base in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Feb. 16, 2012. Military members from Frunze 1 Air Base invited leadership from the Transit Center at Manas to visit their facilities. During the visit, Airmen had the opportunity to explore the flight line and helicopter maintenance shop. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols) During his first visit to Frunze 1 Air Base, Col. James Jacobson, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing commander talks with Colonel Kalychbek Aidaraliev, Frunze 1 Air Base commander Feb. 16, 2012. Military members from the Frunze 1 Air Base invited leadership from the Transit Center to visit their facilities. During the visit, Airmen had the opportunity to explore the flight line and helicopter maintenance shop. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols) Kyrgyz air base hosts U.S. visitors by Senior Airman Lynsie Nichols 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 2/18/2012 - TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan  -- Military members from the Frunze 1 Air Base in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, invited leadership here to visit their facilities Feb. 16. During the visit, Airmen had the opportunity to explore the flight line and helicopter maintenance shop. "We got a great familiarization tour about their maintenance practices," said Capt. Jason Reyes, Theater Security Cooperation chief of military cooperation division. "We had a great time and the commander and his troops were great hosts." Members from both bases have been planning the trip since October. "It was a privilege to see relationship-building in action and to get to know some of our Kyrgyz partners who are fellow airmen," said Maj. Frank Bartek, TSC, regional affairs specialist intern. "The fact that we've been trying to set this meeting up for awhile made the realization of it that much more gratifying." "We learned about the Soviet history of the base and that Frunze 1 Air Base is still a vital pilot training and support center for the Kyrgyz Republic," Reyes said. "I think this interaction helps further the mutually beneficial relationship between the Transit Center and Frunze 1 Air Base." "Getting to see their base firsthand was great. They seemed as excited to have us there as we were to be there. It was a very positive experience," Bartek said.