Travis wings cooperate to certify upgraded C-5s, saves Air Force money

  • Published
  • By Capt. Justin Giovannettone
  • 570th Global Mobility Readiness Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  In a show of true Team Travis cooperation, earlier this month members of the 615th Contingency Response Wing provided key support to the 60th and 349th Air Mobility Wings to help certify an upgraded C-5 and in the process saved the Air Force money. 

The certification was part of the Air Force's C-5 Avionics Modification Program, which is intended to bring an aircraft's electronics package up-to-date for the 21st Century. The Travis C-5s are upgraded here by the Lockheed Martin Corporation and then certified by Travis C-5 aircrews before the Air Force accepts them for reintegration into operations. 

One of the key checklist items for the certification includes flying the aircraft on an instrument-only approach using the Mobile Microwave Landing System, a ground-based system that provides precision approach guidance in all-weather conditions. The 60 AMW does not operate an MMLS and the closest usable one is at Moses Lake, Wash., a one-and-a-half hour flight from Travis. 

Conveniently, one of the primary missions of the 615th CRW air traffic controllers is to set up and operate the MMLS at bare airfields. In an effort to save flight time and fuel costs, the managers of the certification program at Travis reached out to the CRW in an attempt to arrange setup of the MMLS closer to Travis. 

As a result, members of the 570th Global Mobility Readiness Squadron's Air Traffic Control Flight, part of the CRW, traveled to Mather Field in Sacramento on April 9 to set up the MMLS. 

Two days later, Maj. Thomas Corcoran, a reserve C-5 pilot from the 312th Airlift Squadron, flew two instrument approaches using the MMLS and successfully certified an upgraded C-5. 

This was the third C-5 certified by a Travis-based aircrew, but the first certified at Mather instead of Moses Lake. 

Capt. Dan Mangan, a C-5 pilot from the 22nd Airlift Squadron, who runs the transition program for the 60th Operations Group, estimated that using the closer airfield saved the Air Force as much as $75,000 in fuel costs alone. But he also emphasized that the new arrangement saved more than just fuel costs. 

"It isn't just a money savings. Doing this locally multiplies the windows for when we can fly," because, he said, the certification flight must be done entirely in good weather and in daylight. "The net result is that it allows us to deliver certified aircraft more quickly."
The air traffic controllers benefit as well. Since one of their primary missions is to setup the MMLS in less then 72 hours under potentially hostile conditions, the chance to set up the system and work with the upgraded C-5's is great practice. 

Those involved in the Mather test are now looking to save even more money by moving the entire operation to Travis. Scheduling conflicts previously prohibited the use of the MMLS on a Travis runway, but Captain Mangan and Capt. Mark Davis, the 570th GMRS Air Traffic Control Flight commander, are now working to install MMLS at Travis.
The next upgraded C-5 should be ready for certification in May and with eight more AMP C-5's to certify, Captain Mangan estimated that the support the CRW air traffic controllers are providing could save the Air Force as much as $875,000 through July 2008 when the program is scheduled to be completed. 

Col. Michael Cassidy, 60th Operations Group Commander, lauded the cooperation among all those involved. 

"Our work with the CRW on setting up the approach to certify the AMP airplanes is just one example of across-the-board cooperation not only with the CRW but between the Operations Group and the Maintenance Group and between our active-duty and Reserve partners at the 349th," Colonel Cassidy said. "This effort will ensure a nearly flawless transition from the old legacy C-5 to the glass cockpit C-5 of the 21st Century."