Air For orce Cadets train at t Lfd. Airpor port

The Air Force Academy Soaring Team has once again visited Littlefield to hone their instructive and competitive soaring skills.

They were hosted by members of the Caprock Soaring Club, at Littlefield’s Taylor Brown Municipal Airport.

The cadets have been training in Littlefield since 1988. Of those years, the team most recently only missed two years due to budget cuts and this past year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The warm, arid climate and high elevation of the High Plains of Texas, as well as the relatively low air traffic, provide conditions conducive to soaring.

The partnership between the Caprock Soaring Club and the Air Force Academy Group began in 1987. Red Rivers, a charter member of the Caprock Soaring Club, explained how it all started in a video interview for The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal which was posted on YouTube in 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqTrDi0fwxQ&t=2s.

Rivers stated: “A pilot named Dave Kitchen had brought a motorized glider from the Academy to the Reese Air Force Base airshow as a static display. He stopped at the Littlefield Municipal Airport for gasoline on his way back”. He had a conversation about the Soaring Program with Tom Brown the airport’s manager. Tom contacted Red Rivers, an officer of the Caprock Soaring Club at the time, concerning the feasibility of hosting the group as a training location and the rest is history. In 1988, the group arrived in Littlefield to train for the first time.

This year the group welcomed a special guest. Captain John Carroll, who is currently a pilot for a major airline, graduated from the USAFA in the class of 1989-1990. He flew in to visit his son, Cadet Walker Carroll, who will graduate with the class of 2021-2022.

During a very brief interview, Captain Carroll stated that his grandfathers and his father all served in the military, so his career choice was a natural succession. Captain Carroll served active duty in the US Air Force 10 years, then served in the Air National Guard for another 25 years. Following the required certification procedures, Captain Carroll was allowed the privilege of towing his son’s glider.

Another reunion occurred this year for Captain Carroll. During a photo op, Red Rivers, a charter member of the Caprock Soaring Club, turned to Captain Carroll and stated, “I believe I towed you a few times.” Captain Carroll agreed.” A central part of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s educational experience involves fly ing. Students receive instruction in concepts of flight, navigation and operations and can experi ence real application of these principles through the soaring program. Rising air currents provide the lift required to keep a glider airborne. The practical knowledge of weather conditions and air currents develop the ability to harness and utilize the kinetic energies to sustain unpowered flight. The experience gained improves the progression to piloting powered aircraft. It also provides practical experience which can benefit the cadets in their chosen related fields of study. For example, Cadet Niki Webb is working toward a career in meteorology.

The cadets build valuable experience in airmanship, leadership, and teamwork. The 12 cadets that come to Littlefield work assigned rotations. Six are assigned to Records and six to Air Traffic. Every morning the cadets arrive to begin their assigned tasks. They attend the morning briefings to get up to speed on the factors affecting their tasks for the day, including records documentation and renewal certifications for training, preparing the planes and equipment, and weather conditions for the day. The cadets and instructors/managers are in perpetual motion throughout the day. If they have a rare moment to be still, they study for an exam or update records documentation, maintain equipment, or politely do their best to accommodate a newspaper reporter. They are exemplary ambassadors for the Air Force Academy and the Advanced Soaring Program.

Most freshman (fourth class) cadets are first exposed to airmanship during their Introduction to Soaring course, which includes four glider flights culminating in the opportunity for basic aerobatics.

Sophomore (third class) cadets can enroll in Basic Soaring for the opportunity to solo pilot a glider. Graduates of this course are then eligible to apply to become Cadet Soaring Instructor Pilots. Those selected complete a year-long upgrade program during third-class year where they earn G-Wings and eventually conduct 95 percent of all glider flight instruction.

All the cadets who train in Littlefield are Cadet Soaring Instructor Pilots. They are an extracurricular team which competes in intercollegiate competitions in aerobatics, racing, and cross country. They compete all over the country. A few places mentioned were New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Utah. The team also performs demonstrations of aerobatics at airshows. The training in Littlefield is related to their crosscountry training.

The US Air Force Academy participates in an International Student Exchange program.

Cadet third class Kazvan Moldovanu of Romania was training with the group this year.

Captain Matt Bell is an activeduty officer assigned to the US Airforce Academy 94 th Advanced Soaring Training Group as the Instructor and Manager of the aero and cross-country program who oversees all ground operations. He is assisted by the Advanced Soaring Program Coaches, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Matticola retired, Major Hahnzie Buss retired, and Mark Ray (rank unknown).

Jay Smith of Littlefield with the Caprock Soaring Club served as host and assistant to the group. Victoria Holt, treasurer of Lubbock serves as treasurer of the Caprock Soaring Club and was there as a volunteer tow pilot. Tim Miller with AKIMA Logistics served as a tow pilot and has done so for six years.

On Friday, May 21, members of the Littlefield Chamber of Commerce provided doughnuts and kolaches for the team as they prepared to return to Colorado Springs.