NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas (February 17, 2023)—Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth hosted a detachment training for Training Squadron 10 (VT-10), from Feb. 6-Feb. 16. The training included 30 trainees, 15 instructors, and 12 T-6 Texan II aircraft.

LCDR Dan Pope, assigned to VT-10, led the training and coordinated the detachment with NAS JRB Fort Worth. The motivation for the detachment was adverse weather conditions in Pensacola that often immobilize training opportunities.

“Training Squadron 10’s primary mission is to instruct future Naval Flight Officers (NFO), back seaters, think Goose in top gun,” explained Pope. “Our Squadron produces about 300 NFOs a year, and one of the biggest challenges we face in Pensacola is bad weather conditions. Often fog and clouds can preclude a lot of the training that needs to be accomplished.”

In an effort to combat training hindrances due to unfavorable weather conditions, VT-10 is exploring different geographical locations to conduct detachment training.

“We are exploring different areas, Fort Worth being the first of this magnitude,” said Pope. “Our goal here is to execute several phases of student training, from basic familiarization all the way through formation [flying]. Every phase of training that we do at VT-10 is represented on this detachment, in students and instructors.”

Coordinating the detachment from NAS JRB Fort Worth was LCDR William Husky, Operations Officer. Through this training Air Traffic Controllers on the installation were able to obtain crucial qualification hours.

“The VT-10 personnel coming out is helping to get hour qualifications for our tower personnel. We don’t see a lot of radar approaches with the type of aircraft that typically fly into NAS JRB Fort Worth, so having student events really helps to get our personnel qualified quicker and more efficiently,” explained Husky.

The VT-10 detachment training was mutually rewarding for both the Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers. Training goals were accomplished and qualification hours were attained.

“The folks here at Fort Worth have given us everything we needed and helped to expedite the process. What normally would have been several phone calls and dozens of emails was accomplished in half the time. It’s been an incredible experience,” said Pope.