Free Republic

3/25/2010 - KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- A joint aircrew of U.S. Airmen from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and Afghan soldiers in the Afghanistan National Army Air Corps completed an operational C-27 Spartan mission here March 24. Taking off from Kabul International Airport, the four-man aircrew flew Southwest to Kandahar Airfield. The crew was tasked with an International Security Assistance Force cargo delivery mission with 3,400 pounds of emergency medical equipment and 19 passengers. "The key for moving Afghan people and equipment will be airlift," said Lt. Col. James Piel, 538th AEAS commander and pilot deployed from the 6th...

2/25/2010 - KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- An Afghan National Army Air Corps pilot became the first Afghan pilot qualified to fly the C-27 here Feb. 23. American Airmen helped train Afghan Lt. Faiz Ramaki as the Afghan National Army Air Corps' newest pilot on the Air Corps' newest aircraft. "He's very sharp," said Lt. Col. Paul Bedesem, a 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron Combined Air Power Transition Force instructor pilot. "He's very intelligent, a quick learner and he has good hands. Being able to coordinate the power controls and flight controls together on single engine patterns is very challenging and...