KC-10 cargo load training facility opens doors

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrick Harrower
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --  The new KC-10 cargo load training facility was officially opened at a ribbon cutting ceremony Dec. 16.

The structure is the first of its kind in the Air Force, as a facility for cargo load training on the KC-10 Extender did not exist before today. The building will allow Airmen to train on cargo loading without an aircraft.

Before the facility was built, personnel only had two methods of training; they would go on actual cargo missions or use scheduled static load training operations.

Static load training operations occur several times each month and require aircraft to be powered by an external power cart for several hours. The operation also takes an aircraft off of the maintenance schedule. The result was an increase in fuel costs to run the power cart and longer turn times for aircraft availability.

The new facility will not only alleviate the rising fuels costs, but will make more Travis aircraft available for real-world missions, officials said. The aircraft will no longer be dedicated to training several times per month or local flights scheduled for load training.

"A major benefit of having a dedicated facility like this one is that not only can boom operators train on how to load cargo, but security forces, the fire department and aerial port can perform egress and cargo load training here, too," said Tech. Sgt. James Cain, the 60th Operations Support Squadron's NCO in charge of the KC-10 wing boom operator training.

In addition to egress training, several aspects of academic training can take place completely in house. There are two classrooms for instructional training, a bay area for hands-on training and an outdoor cargo dock for pallet loading training.

The ability to perform so many functions of their training in one facility will also free up boom operators to acquire and maintain proficiency in training that does not require aircraft, officials said. With their days not being taken up with static training and flying local training missions, boom operators can maximize available time to complete small arms, chemical defense and similar mobility readiness training, Cain said.

In addition to training benefits, many positive byproducts are expected to come along with the new facility, officials said. These other benefits include a lightened load for aircraft scheduling; fewer training flights, meaning aircraft personnel can be focused on real-world missions; boom operators more easily meeting certification deadlines; always having a training facility available, which will increase mission effectiveness; and a reduction in general wear and tear on aircraft.