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Full circle: Afghan teaches American to fly Mi-17

  • Published
  • By U.S. Nay Petty Officer 1st Class Elizabeth Burke
  • 438th Air Expeditionary Wing
KABUL --  The 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Combined Air Power Transition Force mentors the Afghan National Army Air Corps in all aspects of aviation, logistics and maintenance. Recently there was a little twist and the Afghans were teaching the Americans.

Lt. Col. Rogelio Figueroa has passed his check ride and he is now an Mi-17 simulator instructor pilot for the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. The 438th AEAS mentors the Afghan National Army Air Corps 377th Rotary Wing Squadron.

Ironically his instructor pilot was an ANAAC presidential airlift squadron pilot.

Captain Rahmatullah is a 21-year veteran of the Air Corps and is the planning officer for the presidential airlift squadron.

"It is very interesting to me because I have learned all those tactics and modern technologies from Americans. I have been teaching what I have learned from Americans to an American mentor," said Rahmatullah.

He has over 4,500 hours flying the Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters and he has been an instructor pilot for 12 years. Rahmatullah has trained in the U.S. and is one of a dozen PAS pilots trained to fly instrument flight rules. "I have been learning from their experiences and they are learning from my experiences," said Rahmatullah. "So it is a great partnership that we have been exchanging all our experiences and information together."

The 438th AEAS of the Combined Air Power Transition Force asked for a little help from qualified pilots on the headquarters staff accessing the skills of the rotary squadron pilots. This helps free up the pilots of the 438th AEAS to spend more time in the cockpit on training and operational missions.

The Air Corps is looking to open detachments in Herat and Shindand and while the limiting factor is aircraft they need pilot manning levels to support it. There are currently 70 pilots in the rotary squadron and plans to tap into the reserves which equal approximately 100 more pilots.

Colonel Figueroa's actual position is Director of Joint Training for the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing which identifies all training needs for the Air Corps and mentors the Air Corps Deputy Commander of Operations. Figueroa, a reservist, has 26 years flying experience commercially and with the U.S. Air Force. His first aircraft was the B-52 and then moved over to Combat Search and Rescue HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters.
The first sortie they flew together was a little awkward, but they developed a rhythm in no time.

"They are really quite capable individuals," Colonel Figueroa said. "I think it was mutually beneficial because I was able to pass on some Blackhawk experience that they could use."

The curriculum was five flights with a check ride. There is a second simulator instructor pilot in training and plans for a third in the next year.

Colonel Figueroa has wasted no time in his new role. He already has two students he is accessing.