Navs get you from here to there

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chris Stagner
  • 407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  With today’s technology, navigators have become an endangered breed. One of a decreasing list of aircraft to use navigators is the C-130 Hercules, an aircraft that is playing an important role in moving people and supplies during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The role played by the navigator has transformed from a route planner to much, much more.

Maj. Keith Williams, a 328th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron navigator, plans the times, drops, altitudes, routes and manages the defensive systems for his C-130 aircrew.

“Pilots and navs work together in pre-mission planning,” said Major Williams, who is with the Texas Air National Guard. “However, if it’s a low-level flight we have a lot more to do. It’s a lot more labor intensive [for the navigator]. We have to plan our ingress and egress routings, drop points and we keep the flight on time and target to deliver the supplies.

“For me personally, the thing that’s different from flying at home is that I fly with (the same) crew over here,” he said. “That lets us learn to operate as a very close unit. You get to the point where you know what one another is thinking.”

One might think flying supplies and passengers from Point A to Point B is a relatively safe and routine job, but today’s C-130s are transporting the U.S. military’s supplies from Point A to Point B in a time of war.

To ensure the safety of the crew, the navigator plays a significant additional role.

“We run the air-defensive systems,” Major Williams said. “It’s the way we combat the surface-to-air threat.”

In the event a C-130 comes under attack, navigators are responsible for deploying the chaff and flares aircrews use to protect themselves.

“I am very glad to have the capability to protect us, and I’m ready to use it if necessary,” Major Williams said. “We didn’t always have this protection; it gives an added sense of comfort and confidence to know it’s there for us.”

The flares especially play an important part against the heat-seeking, said Lt. Col. Scott Purtle, a 328th EAS pilot with the TANG.

As important as the chaff and flares are, training plays a more important role for the success of the aircrews flying missions in today’s conflicts.

“We train pretty hard at home for all possibilities,” Major Williams said. “Aside from wearing all the survival gear, we’re well prepared for whatever challenges might present themselves.”

Every member of the aircrew plays in the success of the mission; however, the navigator wears a few different hats.

“I’d venture to say (navigators) have the highest workload here,” said Maj. Darren Davis, 328th EAS pilot with the TANG. “The truth is, especially in this theater, most pilots would say there’s no way they’d want to do this without a nav.”