Iraqi Air Force launches first advanced pilot training program

Published March 17, 2010
United States Forces - Iraq Public Affairs Office

TIKRIT -- The first students have begun classes at the Iraqi Air Force College, which opened its doors at the Tikrit Air Base here March 11. Ten Iraqi Air Force pilots are going through the advanced pilot training program on the T-6A to become instructors for other student pilots who will follow.

This program marks the first time Iraqi Air Force pilots have trained on the T-6A, which is a single-engine, two-seat training aircraft designed for providing instruction in advanced flying skills. Like U.S. military pilots, the Iraqis must master the T-6A before going on to fly more sophisticated multi-role fighter aircraft.

"The pilots who have been selected to come here today and start training will be the initial cadre of instructor pilots for the Iraqi Air Force T-6 program," said Brig. Gen. Scott Hanson, director of the Iraqi Training and Advisory Mission. "It's really exciting to be a part of this."

The pilots in training were handpicked by Iraqi Air Force Commander Staff Lt. Gen. Anwer Hamad Amen Ahmed, who described them as his sons. "I look forward to the future of these pilots because they are the future of the Iraqi Air Force," Anwer said. "I hope that one day, one of these pilots will return here to speak to a new class as the Iraqi Air Force commander."

The stringent selection process brings forward only the experienced candidates who are proficient in English as well as flying.

"Their English language skills are a critical part of the selection process because English is the international language of aviation," said Hanson. "These candidates have all demonstrated that and they will be put to the test."

When the students graduate from the course, they will become trainers of the same program they just completed. They are all experienced pilots on a variety of different aircraft, though none of them have flown the T-6 before this course.

"I've always been excited about flying the fast jet," said Iraqi Air Force 1st Lt. Muslam Akeel Abdulrasaq, one of the new students. "Of course, it is going to be challenging because there is a quite a lot of learning to do and you have to be physically and mentally fit to do this job. I am really looking forward to it."

The ITAM-AF instructors displayed similar enthusiasm for the course. "I have never experienced more job satisfaction than I do with just teaching students," said USAF Capt. Daniel Fiedler, an ITAM-AF instructor pilot at the Iraqi Air Force College. "To do that with these Iraqi pilots is cutting edge."

I get to be a part of the initial set of people teaching Iraqis how to do this and realize their dreams, Fiedler said. "For them it's not just the dream of getting to fly an airplane, it's the dream of building their country."