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Airmen conduct SPRO training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashlin Federick
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The 3rd Airlift Squadron from Dover Air Force Base conducted semi-prepared runway operations with a C-17 Globemaster III June 17-21 at Fort A.P. Hill, Va.

SPRO is conducted on any runway which is not paved, such as dirt or crushed stone. SPRO training validates the 621st Contingency Responses Wing's capability to open, secure and operate airfields in austere environments. The more prepared the CR forces and aircrews are to execute the mission, the quicker the user benefits.

"Most of the time a lot of the forward operating bases don't have the capability to pave everything," Staff Sgt. Ryan Thompson, 3rd AS evaluator loadmaster said. "This training makes it so we can get our bigger aircraft and take equipment or personnel closer to the fight."

There are a lot of limitations with SPRO training, such as the dust and distance. In the aircraft all of the limitations change because it has to carry less. They also have to load the cargo in a particular manner based on the design limitations.

Taking off is also an issue because normally the SPROs are conducted on really narrow and short runways. The minimum requirement for landing and taking off for a C-17 is 3500 feet.

"It was a great opportunity to improve our skill sets," said Capt. Dan Morgan, 436th Airlift Wing Safety Office chief of flight safety. "We get to do air refueling and normal tactical arrivals a lot. To actually go into the environment and land on a runway that is that short can add some stress to the job."

SPRO consisted of day and night training.

The primary difference between day and night training is visibility. During night operations, night vision goggles are used. Clear, concise communication is important at night due to the limitation of vision.

"The night time training is probably more realistic," said Capt. Zach Walrond, 3rd AS chief of tactics. "You are going into a field that is totally blacked out but they are using covert lighting so they can only see the panels with their goggles on."

The 3rd AS had to coordinate with the 818th Contingency Response Group at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and other squadrons to make this training happen.

In the past, both the CRG and the 3rd AS had to go to California to do the SPRO training. Doing the training at A.P. Hill saves the CRG about $80,000 in costs for traveling fees; it also saves Dover AFB about $500,000 in fuel costs.