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[edit] Also Known As
Latest iteration of the VT-10 squadron patch
- VT-10
- Training Squadron Ten
- TRARON 10
- Nicknames: Wildcats, Cosmic Cats
[edit] General Information
- Basic and intermediate flight school for Naval Flight Officers "NFO's. VT-10 is tasked with training to go to advanced flight school in the United States Navy. NFO's come to VT-10 after graduating from Aviation Preflight Indoctrination "API". Following API, the student NFO's check into the squadron, and then start an 11 week ground school program. thi sschool teaches them the basics of navigatiobn, flight publications, weather, and communications.
- In recent years the syllabus has been expanded to included all aspects of pilot training, up to but not including solo flight. The NFO training consists of navigation, communications, formation flying, low-level flight operations, amongst other smaller curricula.
- VT-10 is a subordinate command to Training Air Wing 6 "TRAWING SIX".
[edit] Aircraft Flown
- UC-45J Navigator
- T-2A Buckeye
- T-1A Sea Star
- T-39D SabreLiner
- TF-9J Cougar
- T-2B Buckeye
- T-34C Turbo Mentor
- T-47A Citation
- T-1A JayHawk
[edit] Awards
- VT-10 has been awarded five Meritorious Unit Commendations and seven Chief of Naval Education and Training "Shore/Technical Training Excellence Awards", the most recent in 1997.
- VT-10 safety initiatives have earned the squadron thirteen Chief of Naval Operations Safety Awards.
- The squadron was awarded the Towers Award for safety in 1978.
- VT-10’s extensive energy conservation efforts and improved efficiency enabled the squadron to receive the 1995 and 1996 Secretary of the Navy Energy Conservation Awards.
[edit] History
- Esatblished in 1960 as a division of the Training Department of NAS Pensacola and was known as the Basic Naval Aviation Officers (BNAO) School.
- It was strictly a ground training operation until the school was assigned nine UC-45J "Navigators" and six T-2A "Buckeyes" in February 1962,then replaced with nine T-1A "Sea Star" aircraft.
- In 1971 issued the T-39D "Sabreliner" jet trainer and the TF-9J "Cougar" which was replaced two years later by the newer T-2C "Buckeye".
- In thedecade of the 1970's several ground simulators were introduced to the syllabus, including the ID-23 NAV/COMM trainer, the 2F-90 instrument trainer, and the 2F-101 flight simulator.
- In 1981, a reassignment of aircraft within NATRACOM replaced VT-10's T-2C aircraft with T-2Bs.
- The squadron revised its training in 1984 and acquired twenty T-34C "TurboMentors"; and the Cessna T-47As replaced the T-39Ds in 1985.
- To improve NFO air sense and situational awareness, forty additional flight hours were placed in the curriculum in 1991, allowing instruction in basic piloting skills including aerobatics, takeoffs, and landings.
- The same year, the squadron replaced the T-47A with the T-39N "Sabreliner" which had upgraded avionics and radar.
- The T-2Bs and the air combat maneuvering syllabus were transferred to Training Squadron EIGHTY-SIX (VT-86). At the same time VT-10 acquired twenty additional T-34Cs and two new 2B37 instrument trainers for primary and intermediate training.
- In 1994, the first US Air Force instructors and student navigators (NAV's) reported to Training Squadron TEN under a joint memorandum of agreement between the services. The agreement included the 1996 transition from the T-39N to the Air Force T-1A "Jayhawk" as the training platform for the intermediate syllabus events.
- In April 1996, VT-10 split instructor and student assets to assist in the establishment of Training Squadron FOUR (VT-4) as a second NFO/NAV Primary/Intermediate Training Squadron.
- VT-10 has an 80 member Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps instructor staff which currently trains over 400 NFO's/NAV's and 50 foreign student navigators annually.
- In 1997, command of VT-10 began alternating between the Navy and Air Force.
- Upon graduation from the Primary or Intermediate phases at Training Squadron TEN, Navy students proceed to follow-on training at VT-86 (S-3B, EA-6B, F-14), Randolph AFB, TX (P-3C, EP-3, E-6A) or to VAW-120 in Norfolk, VA (E-2C). Marine Corps students receive additional training at VT-86 (F/A-18D, EA-6B).
- Air Force students selected for strike training (F-15E, B-1B, B-52) proceed to VT-86, Electronic Warfare Officers (MC-130, AC-130, RD-135, B-52) proceed to Corry Station, and Panel Navigators (C-130, KC-135) receive further training at Randolph AFB, TX.