Secretive Air Force Unit Takes Risks for Safety's Sake
Combating the Air Unseen
They may not be the fearless jet jockeys we see in movies, but the 375th Operations Group Detachment 1 is a mysterious crew that keeps air traffic controllers on their toes with their hair-raising maneuvers. These aren't civilian or transport pilots, but they sure know how to fly like 'em!
Known as combat flight inspection (CFIN), Det. 1 comprises a band of 27 pilots, mission specialists, flying crew chiefs, and support staff. Their covert mission, a crucial lifeline for military aviation, often goes unnoticed.
When visibility and weather don't play ball, pilots rely on navigational aids (NAVAIDs) to guide their takeoffs and landings, such as GPS or the instrument landing system (ILS). While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) takes care of inspecting NAVAIDs for peaceful airfields, Det. 1 and their reservist buddies in the 1st Aviation Standards Flight, backed by a small Army contingent, handle the dicey inspections for combat zones.
Lt. Col. James Arnold, Det. 1's former commander, once explained, "The FAA is responsible for ensuring the National Airspace System remains safe, and part of that is inspecting navigational aids and procedures and those things aircraft use to travel from one place to another. We do that mission alongside them, and our sole purpose is to go into those areas of the world where it's too dangerous for them to go."
You'll find these daring inspectors in combat zones making up the bulk of their time, but they're just tagging along with their FAA counterparts during their civilian gigs. "It's really the all-mil that's reserved for combat zones," Arnold said. "When we're flying with the FAA, that's kind of our on-the-job training to accomplish the all-mil mission."
The team, based out of the FAA's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, is a globetrotting bunch, with their missions taking them from Alaska to Antarctica and everywhere in between, including the Middle East and Guam. Arnold estimates Det. 1 members combine to log about 5,000 hours annually, a fraction of the larger FAA flight inspection team.
"We support U.S. aviation interests anywhere they happen," Arnold explains.
When Visibility Vanishes
The history of navigational aid inspections dates back to 1929, when then-Lt. Jimmy Doolittle performed the pioneering "blind" takeoff, landing, and flight, becoming a beacon for aviators demonstrating that they could still fly effectively in bad weather or poor visibility. Modern navigational aids now include systems like ILS, VOR, TACAN, and GPS. With their help, flying across continents in darkness or nasty weather conditions has become normalized.
But like any infrastructure, these systems are subject to degradation due to factors such as age, maintenance, construction, or environmental conditions. In poor visibility conditions, air traffic control may be forced to increase space between aircraft to avoid collisions, often leading to cancellations. Thus, regular inspections are essential to maintain the accuracy and functionality of these navigational aids. Runways in combat zones are no exception; during the Cold War, the Air Force ran flight inspection squadrons in the US, the Pacific, and Europe.
The military inspection program has dwindled over the years, and in 1991, the FAA took over the entire Air Force flight inspection mission. The FAA's fleet of flight inspection aircraft now includes six C-143s—modified Bombardier Challenger 605 business jets equipped with defensive systems, secure radios, and other gear necessary for Air Force crews to fly in combat zones.
Flight inspection is undoubtedly no walk in the park. Inspectors fly the "worst-case scenario" speed and altitude minimums surrounding the airfield, sometimes causing concern among air traffic control personnel due to their low-flying maneuvers. As Arnold elaborates, "You're intentionally coming in below glide slope. So, you cruise in the whole way just above the treetops, and sometimes ATC will even ask if we're doing OK, because we're coming in low. It definitely throws people for a loop sometimes."
Global Impact, Local Influence
A typical flight inspection crew is composed of two pilots, a mission specialist taking readings on a computer, and sometimes a flying crew chief to provide maintenance support. Due to the specialized and dangerous nature of flight inspection, Airmen tend to commit to the program for at least four years, with most of that time spent training for the FAA ratings required for the job.
For Air Force flight inspection pilots, the program offers a unique experience since it focuses on instrument flying and allows Airmen to visit airfields they'd otherwise never see. As Arnold puts it, "It's a unique assignment where you become an expert in instrument flying. You go to all these airfields that you typically would not go to in a manner that you typically won't ever fly. It's a lot of work, but you learn a lot while you do it."
In a conflict, CFIN may not swoop in right away to validate navigational aids during the early stages. But if a new airfield in a hostile environment has a mobile TACAN, for example, CFIN can perform a contingency inspection, then a full-on commissioning inspection once more infrastructure is in place. In essence, they don't kick down the door, but they do show others how to get through it. This enables C-17s and other aircraft to drop their payloads in all weather conditions.
Det. 1 and its reservist counterpart, the 1st Aviation Standards Flight, along with the small Army contingent, are the only organizations in the U.S. military that conduct flight inspections. Their unique expertise plays a vital role in the Air Force's agile combat employment strategy, which focuses on zipping between small operating locations during a conflict with China or Russia. Flight inspectors already check out navigational aids across the Pacific, and Pacific Air Forces could request CFIN in a conflict situation as needed.
"We frequently visit Guam a few times a year, both the international airport and Andersen Air Force Base, and we go to all the surrounding fields: Wake, Kwajalein, you name it," Arnold said. "If it's got U.S. navigational aids, we go there."
Operating out of a civilian base with a largely civilian crew for almost four years is an unusual situation for Active-Duty Airmen, but CFIN crews never have to worry about making a difference.
"We just returned from Europe, we're getting ready for a stint in the Pacific, and we have Antarctica lined up later," Arnold said. "You realize you have a global impact; you just see it every day."
- The FAA and the 375th Operations Group Detachment 1, along with their respective reservist units, collaborate to ensure the safety of military aviation by conducting inspections in combat zones.
- Combat flight inspection (CFIN) teams, such as Det. 1, consist of pilots, mission specialists, flying crew chiefs, and support staff who work together to maintain the accuracy and functionality of navigational aids in dangerous environments.
- With the help of navigational aids like ILS, VOR, TACAN, and GPS, military aircraft can travel safely across continents during poor visibility conditions or at night.
- The military inspection program has evolved over the years, and the FAA now operates a fleet of flight inspection aircraft, including six C-143s, equipped with defensive systems and secure radios for operation in hostile environments.
- Flight inspection crews portray a unique opportunity for airmen, as they focus on instrument flying, become experts in navigational aids, and get to visit airfields they wouldn't otherwise see.
- The work of CFIN crews is crucial for the Air Force's agile combat employment strategy, allowing aircraft to drop their payloads in various weather conditions and supportive of military operations across the globe, from Guam to Antarctica.
