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Civil Air Patrol
Willow Grove JRB
Squadron 902 |
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| C-17 Globemaster Flight |
SQUADRON 902
FLIES ON USAF C-17 GLOBEMASTER AIRCRAFT
Article & Photos by 2Lt Donald Pond, Squadron. 902
On 6 May 2007, Willow Grove JRB, Squadron 902 flew in a USAF C-17 Globemaster aircraft. The flight
was with the 732nd Airlift Squadron “Rams”, part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing stationed out of
McGuire AFB, NJ. The pilot was Lieutenant Colonel Berkowitz, Co-pilot Lieutenant Colonel Knox and
the Load Masters were Master Sergeant’s Kean and Oxley. A USAF Medical Evacuation Group and a total
of 35 CAP members were on the flight. The CAP members were comprised of 33 Senior Officers, Cadets
from Squadron 902, 1 Senior Officer from 907 and PAWG’s Captain Pompei.
The C-17 departed McGuire AFB around 0900 hours for a five hour flight heading North up the Atlantic
Coast to establish in-flight training that involved low level approaches at Westover AFB, Massachusetts,
and, regular touch and goes, a single engine-out landing, an assault landing, combat offloading, and
a combat climb-out were performed at McGuire AFB, New Jersey. An aerial refueling was performed with
a KC-10 aircraft at 25,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. The most exciting point was the “mock cabin
decompression emergency” that was followed by a 10,000-foot rapid decent. The USAF Medical Evacuation
group that was on the flight was trained for high altitude medical emergencies and used this opportunity
to further their training. During one of their training evolutions, they conducted a mock cardiac arrest
in the payload section of the aircraft while in flight. Once on the ground, there was some after flight
chatter and a cadet was heard saying “the rapid decent drill was more fun than any roller coaster ride;
we experienced negative G’s when the pilot leveled off the aircraft!”.
When Squadron 902 Commander Major Postupack was asked what her most impressive parts of the flight was,
her response was “the professionalism and courtesy extended to all of the CAP members by the Air Force
pilots and flight crew and the opportunity to visit the cockpit to witness mid–air refueling. All are
especially grateful for the flying opportunity that 732nd Airlift Squadron provided.”
A special thanks goes to Captain Pompei and USAF Senior Airmen Walker (1Lt at Squadron. 902), who both
played a role in coordinating this event.
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