The P-8A Poseidon assigned to VP-30 cut short its training mission on June 8 when the flight management control system malfunctioned and the crew was ordered to return to base.
“Most everything is running smoothly as the transition from P-3C Orion to P-8A Poseidon gathers momentum,” said VP-30 Commanding Officer Capt. Mark Stevens in a June 8 interview.
“In our sole P-8, we’re averaging 150 flight hours per month, which is high – but necessary – to stay on track with our ‘train-the-trainer’ plan. The goal is to have our core cadre of qualified P-8 instructors ready to welcome VP-16 in mid-July.
He explained, “After the ‘War Eagles’ turn in their P-3s, the pilots, NFOs and aircrew will check in at the P-8A Integrated Training Center (ITC) and start their CAT II transition syllabus, which takes about five months.”
“The squadron’s maintainers will check in at CNATTU Jax (Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit) for organizational-level maintenance classes taught by Boeing instructors, after which they’ll check in at VP-30 and embed themselves in our maintenance department. Eventually they get their PQS (Personnel Qualification Standards) booklets signed off for the P-8A.”
(PQS is a compilation of the minimum knowledge and skills that an individual must demonstrate in order to qualify to stand watches or perform other specific routine duties necessary for the safety, security or proper operation of a ship, aircraft or support system.)
Stevens added, “By January, they’ll return to Hangar 511 and stand up their maintenance department and complete a series of drills in preparation for their ‘safe for flight’ inspection.”
He concluded, “By the end of January, the War Eagles will stand alone and begin their 12-month IDRC (Inter-Deployment Readiness Cycle) in preparation for the first deployment of a P-8 squadron.”
As the fleet replacement squadron for the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force (MPRF), VP-30 is concurrently training aircrew and maintainers for both P-3C Orion and P-8A Poseidon.
“It’s very challenging for our roster of instructors –but training people to safely operate the retiring P-3 is no less important than the transition to P-8.”
“Our plan is to transition two squadrons each year.”
The squadron’s second P-8A from the Boeing production line in Seattle, Wash., will be accepted by VP-30 in July. An additional P-8A will arrive at NAS Jacksonville each succeding month, so the squadron will be operating six Poseidon aircraft by the end of 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment