493rd EFS pilot reaches F-15 1,000-hour flying milestone in Southwest Asia

Published May 18, 2011
By Master Sgt. Julie Briden-Garcia
380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The F-15 airframe has existed for more than 30 years. Over time, this fighter jet has been called the world's greatest air superiority fighter... or that's what Capt. John Delion calls it after completing his 1,000th hour in the F-15C Eagle, April 27, in Southwest Asia. Captain Delion, call sign Ringo, acquired this milestone flying the same airframe over a seven-year period.

Beginning at the Air Force's active duty school house, or B Course, in March 2004, the Purdue University graduate quickly gained combat training experience. Captain Delion calculated he accumulated more hours attending six months of Weapons School than most pilots do on traditional training sorties.

"A thousand hours used to be easily obtained within your second assignment," said Captain Delion. "Now with only three active duty combat-coded F-15 squadrons, it takes much longer."

Fifteen years ago, a 1,000-hour milestone was relatively common, whereas the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has less than half a dozen pilots with this bragging right because there are less fighter squadrons in today's Air Force said 493rd EFS operations supervisor, Maj. Tim Hunt.

"With only a few squadrons and fewer aircraft, there are far less flying hours available," said Major Hunt. "You don't see the Cold War numbers that there used to be when pilots would stay in an F-15 cockpit their entire careers."

The Air National Guard operates and trains all F-15 squadrons in the States. That leaves only three active duty F-15 squadrons still in existence, and only a few assignments open for combat coded F-15 squadrons; this gives little flying opportunities for active duty Eagle pilots.

"It's not so much the hours, but the experience that has given me insight," said Captain Delion. "With this knowledge, I typically see things a little bit earlier than most guys when flying training missions or in an exercise environment. It's the amount of experience that I've gotten over the years which makes this accomplishment an asset down the road."

The F-15C Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight any current enemy aircraft.