COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The total force concept has been a big part of the Air Force’s mission to fly, fight and win. The 43rd Flying Training Squadron, an Air Force Reserve squadron, has been helping produce pilots here for 28 years.
The 43rd’s mission is to build the world’s best warriors, leaders and professional military pilots. They administer and execute the Air Education and Training Command/Air Force Reserve Center’s Associate Instructor Pilot Program and provides Active Guard Reserve and Traditional Reserve to augment the cadre of active-duty pilots conducting pilot training.
“Our mission is to augment the active-duty mission of training these pilots, and give them more manpower to help pilot production,” said Lt. Col Tom McElhinney III, 43rd Flying Training Squadron commander.
The 43rd has embedded flights of Reserve IPs into each flying training squadron here. Each flight size varies from squadron to squadron, but are usually responsible for 12-20 percent of all pilots produced.
Like most traditional reservists, most Airmen who work in the 43rd FTS work in the civilian sector as well. For example, most IPs are commercial aircraft pilots, but when they step back onto this base they return to being professional military aviators.
Some reservists are full time, which is very similar to active-duty. On top of flying and teaching the same as their active-duty counterparts, their main job is to prepare all the paperwork and requirements for the part-time reservists.
“Part-time reservists work a minimum of six days a month and their number one goal is to fly as many student sorties as they can,” McElhinney said. “They arrive, gear up and train students.”
The squadron may be focused on pilot training, but they wouldn’t be able to fly if it wasn’t for Airmen like Maj. Kelly Hook, 43rd FTS executive officer. She is tasked with ensuring all IPs are up-to-date on training, decorations, mission readiness and so forth. One challenge she overcomes is filling a personnelist role even though it is not her main job.
“The work place has a relaxed feel to it,” Hook said. “The people have a different perspective here. Some are going to leave here on Friday and go fly for FedEx in Tennessee or Delta in Texas. That allows them to think differently and bring different ideas to the table.”
The total force approach to today’s pilot training allows the Air Force to continue their air superiority.