41st Flying Buzzsaws tear through training

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kaleb Snay
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Here at Columbus Air Force Base, pilots are trained to be the best, by the best. Tracing their history back to World War II, the 41st Flying Training Squadron was formerly known as the 41st Fighter Squadron Flying Buzzsaws.

The 41st FS flew anti-submarine patrols off the coast of Washington state from 1941-1942. The squadron then went on to fly combat sorties including patrol, escort and close air support in Pacific areas from 1942-1945. They also flew air defense of Japan during the Korean War.

The 41st FTS now conducts flying training for student pilots, and has since 1998. Their mission is to develop new Air Force pilots with a solid foundation of basic knowledge for flying using the T-6 Texan II.

"Every squadron has their own responsibility; the 41st develops pilots who can fly and defend this great country," said Lt. Col. Lee Gentile, 41st Flying Training Squadron Commander. "In the five months that we have them, we turn them into military aviators. We teach them the foundation of what they need to know for the rest of their aviation career. When I see the pilots down the road, I see that the house is finished and is standing strong because of the foundation we gave them."

Pilots are taken through four basic categories of aviation while in the 41st FTS before they can proceed in their training. They cover contact, full contact, instruments and formation.

"Something that many people may not realize is, what we do here will impact the Air Force for the next 20 years," said Gentile. "Every student that we don't produce today may take 5 to 10 years to make up for. It's a weighted responsibility to think that if we don't do our part, then we could be negatively affecting our nation's future."

Before arriving at the 41st FTS, pilots must train through Initial Flight Screening program where they learn the basic academics of avionics, although they still have very little actual flight experience by the time they arrive.

"It can be challenging at times but also very gratifying," said Capt. Todd Sangster 41 FTS Dolittle Flight Instructor. "We often get students with only 20 hours of flight experience, and here they are going 200 knots in the air with a complex machine. It's very satisfying to take them from day one where they struggle to even keep an aircraft level while flying to the point down the road when they're doing a solo flight."

Every flight room in the 41st FTS is named after a general from Air Force history. With six flights total, the squadron pairs two flights together, teaching three classes of pilots at a time. With advanced avionics and inexperienced pilots comes long work days for instructors with the responsibility to teach the basics.

"I think we have a great squadron here," said Sangster. "Although we tend to have long hours, I get to work with a great group of guys. There is definitely a brotherhood with us instructors in the squadron and I feel very fortunate to be part of the 41st FTS."

With more than 80 instructor pilots, the 41 FTS has made it past many stressors to mission success over the years.

"This squadron has overcome some very difficult challenges," said Gentile. "Whether its aircraft issues, manning issues or even bad weather. What has impressed me about the individuals in the 41st FTS is their resiliency to get through it all and find a way to make things better with what they have. They've developed ways of doing things faster, better and easier to accomplish the primary mission of training the next generation of Air Force pilots."

It's not hard to tell that the 41 FTS has a solid foundation through heritage and success that they continue to pass on to students every day. When asked what he thought of the squadron, Gentile simply replyed with, "It's my family."