Afghan air force sets new flying-hour record for C-27

Published April 5, 2011
By Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Vladimir Potapenko
438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Afghan air force concluded the month of March with more than 300 hours of flight-time in C-27 aircraft, setting a new mark for hours flown in what is seen as the centerpiece of the AAF's cargo and transport mission.

With a total of 304.6 hours in the air, the new record shatters the previous high of 190.5 hours set last December.

As the Antanov-32 transport aircraft comes closer to its retirement date set this summer, the need for Afghan pilots with a large amount of hands-on experience of flying the C-27 is increasing due to the burden they will soon carry flying both C-27 missions and missions historically accomplished by the AN-32, said AAF Maj. Mohammed Shah, a C-27 pilot.

"The time spent flying is really helping; it is a very positive building experience that will push the AAF forward," said AAF Lt. Col. Abdul Karim Wardack, a C-27 pilot.

The increase in time in the air is also an example of the hard work and effort put in by NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan advisors who work with the Afghan pilots to develop the an independent Afghan Air force, said Colonel Wardack.

"Advisors will eventually leave and we will be responsible for self-sufficiency," said Major Shah.

Not only a good training platform for the future capabilities of Afghan pilots, the increased time spent flying is a boon for the requirements presently asked from the AAF, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher Smith, a NATC-A C-27 advisor and commander of the 538 Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron.

"Having a higher mission-capable rate tied with a higher utilization rate allows us to increase our ability to match Afghan requirements with its force," he said.

Colonel Smith sees the increase in flight-time as a combination of aircraft availability and confidence in the system used to develop pilots and maintainers.

Currently, the AAF is half way to its goal of 20 C-27 aircraft.

The Afghan C-27 is a rugged, twin-engine turboprop aircraft with short take-off and landing capability. The Spartan is well suited for Afghanistan's mountainous terrain and limited road network. These obstacles make air power critical to the mobility of the Afghan National Security Forces. A C-27 can carry up to 20,000 pounds of cargo and fuel and operate on unimproved airfields as short as 3,000 feet, which allows access to airstrips unreachable by most fixed-wing aircraft.