July 2009 Feature Story:
Flying with the 139th Airlift Wing

Story by Jan Hoynacki

It’s been just a little more than 48 hours since I was one of 18 civilian guests flying above St. Joseph, Mo., at 2,000' MSL with the back of the C-130H wide open to the cloudless, hot summer air over northwest Missouri. The fact that I was actually in an Air National Guard plane on an actual military exercise still seems hard to believe. But the greatest impression of all from the day’s adventure is marked indelibly in my mind—the total professionalism and superb quality of our National Guardsmen (and women!).

Thanks to fellow USPA member and Past President of the Missouri Pilots Association Billy Ray, owner of Buck Stoves and Spas in St. Joseph, Mo., I was the only non-St. Joe guest among the 18 local business owners, the St. Joe mayor, a local TV reporter, cameraman, and a local newspaper reporter.

The purpose of the civilian hands-on aerial and ground tour was simple and made quite clear: The St. Joseph Air National Guard is a major player in the local economy, and they want and need the help of local businesses, primarily on a political level. When recent military budget cuts were made, the facility narrowly missed being erased from the landscape. It’s at times like this that local taxpaying voters can and do make a difference. Col. Stephen D. Cotter (becoming General Cotter in about two weeks), Base Commander, knows all too well the importance of communication and mutual support between the air base and the local business community. As he departs St. Joe to take over the entire Missouri National Guard system, he leaves a top-notch facility, and having initiated the formation of a St. Joseph business leaders support group.

The St. Joe 139th Airlift Wing employs 1,371, with a total payroll of $51,502,959, creating 1,200 secondary jobs, and a total economic impact of $74,874,954. For St. Joe, with a population of only 74,000, we’re talking serious economic impact! Plus, the base’s Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center brings in around 100 C-130 crewmembers every two weeks from all over the world for hostile environment training. These trainees stay in local hotels and motels (they’re the number one user of hotel rooms in St. Joe), eat in local restaurants, and in general energize the local economy. Furthermore, Col. Cotter ensures that all base purchases possible are made locally.

Well, back to the flight! Thanks to Billy Ray and his friend Col. Michael McEnulty, I was invited to sit in the cockpit right behind the crew of four. I had a headset to hear all transmissions, and took plenty of pictures and video of all the knobs, bells, and whistles in front, on all sides, and overhead. With four Allison T56-A-15 turboprops with 4,591 prop shaft horsepower, engine instruments and controls alone are extensive, times four. Normally lifting loads of around 35,220 to 43,550 pounds, with our light load of only 18 passengers, the plane quickly and smoothly became airborne, and I had the sensation of sitting on a huge platform suspended in the air. Walking around to the ample cockpit windows, it certainly felt surreal—not like being seated and strapped into my Mooney—but more like being in a huge spaceship! The stable plane barely noticed the summer heat updrafts and bumps that I was very aware of earlier when I landed in my plane.

You’ve seen the movies where some guys are clinging to the interior of a plane with the back end open wide, usually fighting with one another, with the wind about to tear them loose to fall to the ground. Well, with the entire aft cargo doors open fully, there’s no wind in the plane! While we guests were seated and seat-belted against the sides of the plane’s huge belly, they twice opened the huge rear doors as we continued to fly around, banking as necessary to remain in the local area. The aft guardsman was tethered and wore a parachute, but he walked easily and casually right in front of the open end. Another guardsman, posted at the forward end of the fuselage, also wore a parachute and helmet, but no tether. It was easy to see how supplies could be rolled right out at low altitude, reaching areas inaccessible by land.

Back in the cockpit, I couldn’t help but notice how well the crew worked together. Our captain was also a United Airlines captain, and he flies a Super Decathlon in air shows in his spare time. Our co-pilot was recently back from duty in Iraq, and would be going back again soon, as were many that we met that day. Watching this team of fine looking, trim and fit young men, I felt so proud that they represented and protected me and mine. Some of my tax money is being well spent!

After an hour’s flight, we made a greaser landing back on runway 17 at STJ and taxied up to the end of a long row of C-130s, including one J model (there currently are ten planes assigned to the base). Another crew, including two female guardsmen, was preparing to board another plane. If I was only young and could start all over again!!!! How I admire them. We disembarked, boarded our shuttle bus, and were ferried to a clean, attractive mess hall where we enjoyed delicious barbecue sandwiches and all the trimmings.

After a brief announcement by one of the businessmen about how the support group would be contacting everyone, Billy and I joined Col. McEnulty for a tour of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, affectionately called his schoolhouse. Mike is the commander of the AATTC, and Billy and I were treated to a complete tour, except for the Top Secret section. The AATTC mission is to increase war fighting effectiveness and survivability of mobility forces, and is in its third decade of providing advanced tactical training to airlift aircrews from the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Marine Corps, and 15 allied nations.

I have my group photo, my Honorary Crew Member certificate, and some other great pictures and video I took on the flight and at the base. But most of all, I have a tremendously increased understanding of and respect for our Missouri Air National Guard, the service they provide our state and our nation, and the extremely high quality individuals that comprise it. With both a national and a state mission, the Air National Guard provides almost half of the Air Force’s tactical airlift support, combat communications functions, aeromedical evacuations, and aerial refueling. In addition, the Air National Guard has total responsibility for air defense of the entire United States.

I wish every American had the opportunity I did to see up close and personal what our Air National Guard is doing to keep us safe. Thank God we have such fine young men and women who consider it a privilege to serve for us. I’m sure the new Air National Guard Business Leaders Support Group will be up to the task of reminding our elected officials how necessary and valuable the 139th Airlift Wing is to the city of St. Joseph, Missouri, and our country.

Good luck and safe flying, guardsmen! Keep ‘em in the air. I sleep better at night knowing you’re on the job.

Jan flies a Mooney Ovation2, is a commercial pilot, instrument-rated, multi-engine, land and sea, glider, former instructor, airport manager, 135 charter pilot and executive director of the United States Pilots Association.