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Reserve captain pilots C-5M; recalls being part of historic Arctic airlift mission

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Capt. Brian Marasco, C-5 Galaxy pilot with the Air Force Reserve's 709th Airlift Squadron here, was one of 14 crew members who flew on a mission that was the Air Force's first direct delivery airlift mission through the Arctic Circle from the United States to Afghanistan.

The flight, which took place on June 5 and 6, 2011, was aboard a C-5M Super Galaxy from Dover Air Force Base to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The flight was the first time a U.S. Air Force plane flew this northern route from the U.S., over Canada and into the Arctic Circle, then back down through Russian and Kazakhstan airspace to Afghanistan.

U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command officials at Scott AFB, Ill., said the mission was a "proof of concept" flight that will help establish future sustainment operations in Afghanistan. AMC's 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center planners at Scott AFB tasked and built the mission plans for the effort. It is part of TACC's continuing effort to support and control airlift and air refueling missions around the globe.

To make the entire 15-plus hour flight to Afghanistan, the C-5M was refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the New Hampshire Air National Guard's 157th Air Refueling Wing and Pease Air National Guard Base. The refueling took place over Northern Canada.

Captain Marasco, a resident of Anchorage, Alaska, who works his Reserve duty with the 709th AS at Dover, said the Arctic mission was special for him.

"This was a great mission and experience for me," Captain Marasco said. "This was my first Arctic mission as well as my first C-5M mission. I feel privileged to have been asked to be a part of the aircrew."

According to his official Air Force job description for an Air Force airlifter pilot, Captain Marasco did exactly what he was trained to do during the Arctic mission. The job description shows an airlift pilot like Captain Marasco is required to "pilot airlift aircraft and command crews to accomplish airlift, training and other missions."

To fulfill his work as an airlift pilot, Captain Marasco reviews mission tasking, intelligence and weather information, the job description states. He supervises mission planning, preparation, filing a flight plan and crew briefings and he ensures the aircraft is pre-flighted, inspected, loaded, equipped and manned for each mission.

Airmen like Captain Marasco also pilot aircraft and command crews. They are trained to operate aircraft controls and equipment and perform, supervise, or direct navigation, in-flight refueling, and cargo and passenger delivery. They also ensure the operational readiness of the crew by conducting or supervising mission specific training and they develop plans and policies, monitor operations and assist commanders with functions related to airlift operations, the job descript shows.

Pilots like Captain Marasco also have to maintain mandatory job knowledge in the theory of flight, air navigation, meteorology, flying directives, aircraft operating procedures and mission tactics.

Captain Marasco added that flying a C-5 can also have its challenges such as flying the Air Force's largest airlifter into different airfields and understanding the taxiways as compared to the size of the plane.

"You can get yourself into a lot of trouble quickly with a wing span of 222 feet if you don't do your homework before-hand," he said.

The seven-year military veteran also said that being a member of the Total Force team on the Arctic mission was important.

"The Total Force concept is imperative to the future of the Air Force," Captain Marasco said. "As the active duty force downsizes, the Reserve and Air National Guard communities can complement the operations and needs of the Air Force."

As for the Arctic mission, AMC officials said the historic flight was made possible by close diplomatic cooperation and culminates months of operational planning. It further illustrates the military's commitment to finding innovative new ways to operate with increasingly constrained resources. USTRANSCOM planners said this flight is just the beginning of understanding new ways to strengthen the northern corridor for direct delivery missions to the deployed theater.