Pilot training - F-16 C/D

[Naio90]

PILOT TRAINING - F-16 C/D _________________________________________________________________________​

Status: Private

With the objective of keeping a highly skilled and trained corps of fighter pilots, the Ethiopian Air Force would create a training program to give its airmen the proficiency required to operate the recently acquired main fighter (F-16 C/D) in the most effective and efficient way possible. The pilots will undergo different stages, including simulator, thoretical training and different real life scenarios, increasing their flight hours considerably. The program would be done at the Bahir Dar Air Base and operate always on ethiopian airspace, and employ 20 of the available airframes, which would always be fully serviced and mantained for proper usage. 244 pilots would be selected for this program.

 

[Naio90]

The programe would start with the study and review of different manuals and operating guides on the systems of the F-16 C/D. Pilots would be required to thoroughly incorporate all the knowledge and to be familiarized with the technical aspects of the different on board systems of the aircraft.

This would be done at the Bahir Dar Air Base and they would have specialists at their disposal to facilitate the learning and to assist with specific doubts.

The pilots would already ahve basic pilot training, done on the Ethiopian Air Force different training aircrafts, meaning that this would speed up the time require to incorporate the aformentioned knowledge.

 

[Naio90]

With the pilots succesfully completing the theoretical induction, the programme would continue with simulator training.

Pilots would be assigned several shifts on the available simulators, with each being overseen by an instructor. These would take notes on the performance of each individual pilot to be addded to personalized reports on for the Ethiopian Air Force pilots to work on.

Each pilot would complete at least 24 hours of simulator training, split through different days and emulating different flight conditions and scenarios.

All 244 pilots would receive their simulator training certification, allowing them to continue to the next stage of the F16 C/D familiarization program.

Private.

 

[Naio90]

The 244 Ethiopian Air Force pilots would complete the required simulator hours and would now be cleared to continue their basic instruction.

This stage would involve real flight hours on board the designated F-16.

All pilots would be given a detailed schedule and composition of the different stages of this part of the training program. They would all start with a first set of basic flight hours, in which they would be assigned different routes and "targets". The first few hours would be done during favorable daylight conditions, only to be followed by night flight hours.

Additionally, they would also get used to operations over ethiopion territory, including its different regions (mountains, desert, etc).

They would also routinely include touch and go runs.

Secret.

 

[Naio90]

The program would continue. The pilots would get more and more flight hours on the F-16 C/D airframes. They would fly under very different scenarios, testing and getting used to all of the aircrafts on board systems and sub systems, including but not limited to radars, sensors, the different weapon configurations, communications and alert/alert systems.

They would also practice emergency maneuvers, in case ever needed.

All this would be supervised from the ground and after-flight sessiosn would be condcuted to debrief the pilots and look into potential areas of improvement or to address mistaskes, if detected.

Overall this stage would go smoothly, with all pilots mastering their tasks easily.

 

[Naio90]

As scheduled, the training course and adaptation program would continue testing the pilots newly acquired knowledge. This would be done through continuous flight missions spanning the entirety of the ethiopian territory and airspace, in order to give the pilots a sense of familiarity when operating within the national borders in the future.

Special sorties over the Red Sea would also be conducted, including international airspace above international waters.

Different flight patters and altitudes would be exercised and all systems would be put to use either in real or simulated environments.

All pilots participaing in the program would go through this and their performances owquld be reviews in joint de-briefing sessions by experts.

 

[Naio90]

Having completed the course, all involved pilots and personnel would return to their assigned units and tasks. Aircraft employed during the exercise would also be returned to their squadrons after a routine maintenance check.

Ethiopian air force pilots that completed the course would now have a good knowledge of the capacities fo their F16s, including a sense of familiarity in operations in ethiopian airspace, most certainly giving them an advantage at the moment of flying there in contrast with foreign pilots.

The administrative processes to include the training in the files of the pilots would be completed and the training and readiness department of the Ministry of Defence would start working on the next programs.

Secret. Training complete.