53AS

[bobdaley]

53AS will close as an AETC Sq in Jan and open as an AMC Sq sometime in the Spring.

Already people and aircraft are moving to 62AS.

Article attached [file name=NAMAR_Historic_squadron_deactivated.txt size=7130]http://herkybirds.com/images/fbfiles/files/NAMAR_Historic_squadron_deactivated.txt[/file]

[1685FCC]

I remember backk in \'99 they said that they were going to do this. I guess 8 years later they finally got around to doing it. So what kind of aircraft are they going to be using operational wise? Is it E models or H\'s?

Thanks for the update Bob, I was in that squadron from \'99-\'02.

DaveB)

[Jim Farrar]

The history of the 53rd TCS was a little wrong. I got to Donaldson AFB in late 60, the 53rd was a squadron in name only and was the TDY squadron at Rhine Main. The crews rotated out of all of the 63rd TCW squadrons, one crew a week. The 52nd lost a plane taking off at McChord, and we of the 52nd TCS became the 53rd. The 52nd then became the TDY squadron. The 53rd had a lot of historic events during that time. The 63rd wing was at Donaldson until 63 when the base closed and moved to Hunter AFB, Ga. When Hunter closed in 66, the wing then moved to Norton without planes to transition in to the C-141. I was in the 63rd Wing for 5 years and logged 4200 hours. Of those more than 3200 was in the 53rd TCS.

Jim Farrar

[Lkuest]

So what kind of aircraft are they going to be using operational wise? Is it E models or H\'s?

If all the rumors are true they\'ll be flying E\'s. I don\'t know where the aircraft are coming from as all the 53rd\'s E\'s are to be absorbed by the 62nd.

[HerkFCC]

I remember when the Air Force rearranged all the flying squadron numbers, and we flew out to California to pickup the 53AS assets which were in storage, I was the First Little Rock maintainer to wear the 53rd patch as we flew home, proud of it too. However maybe now that the AMC units will outnumber the AETC units at Little Rock, they\'ll move the base back to AMC where it belongs. With Pope\'s BRAC and the Dorf\'s conversion to flying Barneys, I don\'t see the Little Rock staying in AETC. I got to da Rock Jan 85, 314 TAW, and departed in Jun 04, from the 463 AG, I work the flight line the entire time, and LOVE it, I sure would Love to see Little Rock back in AMC.

[Lkuest]

There is a rumor at Little Rock that it will indeed become an AMC base, but there are other things going on. The Guard unit is rumored to be picking up the trianing missions for the AMP aircraft, and also the the powers are talking about setting up a training mission for C-27J\'s, since it won the JCA contract.

Despite having two training units instead of three, the number of training missions in the AETC side haven\'t gone down much, (but may in the future.) Couple that with all the C-130 specific training facilities at Little Rock that make it the \"C-130 Center of Excellence\", and it\'s hard to make a case to turn the base over to AMC just because it has a couple more flying squadrons.

I\'m not against the conversion to AMC by any means. It\'s almost always easier for an operational command to secure funding for base projects than it is for AETC, so I believe it would be a big win for LRAFB if it went AMC. I really hope it happens.

[Dan Wilson]

AETC assets should go to zero!!!

AETC is the biggest friggin joke you ever seen unless you fly a white jet.

Dan

[Fleagle]

Bummer it sure was to PCS from KDYS to KLRF (self imposed move, was having too much fun mission hacking but saw the retirement line so Vol\'d for the Rock because the degree was required - the proverbial gun to the head, got the Five Three). Great troops there during my short tenure but as the Hacker (and LM supt) on the block it didn\'t quite fit into my \"template\" as I in-pro\'d the base Sept 11th, 01. That got me into a bit of tangle wanting to push the mission when the orientation of the group slewed a more political path. I still have the feedback sheet with the remark calling me \"champion of the common man\" - - - Oh well, I walked with my integrity intact.

Fleagle