WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- A new flight simulator is helping aircrews train on the C-5M Super Galaxy.
The simulator houses initial and recurring C-5M training that all Westover aircrew are required to complete. The return investment on the $1.5 million cost for moving the simulator here from Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, is that it will save the wing money by allowing Airmen to train in-house.
"The C-5M model simulator replaced the C-5A/B simulator to match the new aircraft we are receiving," said Maj. Matthew Podkowka, 337th Airlift Squadron aircrew training coordinator. "This allows us to complete qualification and recurring training at Westover rather than needing to travel to another location."
Podkowka said that the new sim is programmed specifically to the new C-5M, and has an enhanced visual display that makes the flight simulations even more realistic. Aircrews began training to fly the M-model in January as part of being initial cadre training instructors at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. With this training, they learned both how to fly the C-5M and how to train their counterparts on the simulator. With this training plan, all Westover aircrew are slated to be fully qualified on the C-5M model by the end of this year.
"The individuals who trained at Dover were initial cadre instructors and evaluators who were given additional seasoning time to become the experts who are tasked with training the remainder of the aircrew," said Podkowka.
So far, the training has been going smoothly for the aircrews.
"Our biggest challenge with the simulator so far is that they are still working on resolving some technological issues across the C-5M simulator fleet," said Podkowka. "Until these issues are resolved, many of our flying training and evaluation requirements must be accomplished in the aircraft. Once the simulator becomes fully certified, many events will be able to be completed in it."
He said the simulator will pay for itself with the knowledge and training it will provide Westover aircrews for years to come.
"The sim is extremely realistic in training aircrew in not just the basics of flying the C-5M," said Podkowka. "One of the primary purposes of the simulator is emergency procedures training."
All eight of Westover's M-models are expected to be in place by the end of the summer of 2018.