Training Squadron 10

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Training Squadron 10
VT-10 Insignia
Active	1960 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Training
Garrison/HQ	Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Nickname	Wildcats

Training Squadron 10 is a training squadron of the United States Navy.

1 General Information
2 Aircraft Flown
3 Awards
4 History
5 References

[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. This school teaches them the basics of navigation, 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".

The "Cosmic Cats" was the nickname for the squadron for many years, until it was deemed not be to very aggressive in the early 1990's. The Wildcat patch and name came to the front, and have been used almost exclusively.

The squadron is homebased at NAS Pensacola, Florida, originally known as Forrest Sherman Field, named after former CNO Admiral Forrest Sherman.

[edit] Aircraft Flown

[edit] Awards

Training Squadron TEN has been awarded five Meritorious Unit Commendations and four Chief of Naval Education and Training “Shore/Technical Training Excellence Awards", the most recent in 2005. “Wildcat" safety initiatives have earned the squadron twenty one Chief of Naval Operations Safety Awards including one in 2005. The squadron was awarded the Towers Award for safety in 1978 and the Grandpaw Pettibone Safety Award in 2004 and 2005. 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. In 2005, VT-10 was presented with the VADM Robert Goldthwaite Award for Training Excellence, the squadrons fourth such award. VT-10's resourceful use of “Self Help” to significantly improve facilities resulted in the squadron being awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Bronze Hammer Award for 2000.

[edit] History

In 1960, Training Squadron TEN (VT-10) was established 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. The T-2As were soon replaced with nine T-1A “Sea Star" aircraft. In 1965, Naval Aviation Observers were re-designated as Naval Flight Officers (NFOs); and in 1968, BNAO School was officially commissioned as VT-10.

By November 1970, Training Squadron TEN had trained over 6,000 student NFOs. In 1971, Training Squadron TEN transitioned to the T-39D “Sabreliner" jet trainer and the TF-9J “Cougar" which was replaced two years later by the newer T-2C “Buckeye."

The squadron doubled in size between 1972 and 1974 to accommodate an increased training requirement, maintaining 40 aircraft: ten T-39Ds and thirty T-2Cs. During the 1970s several flight ground trainers were introduced to the syllabus, including the 1D23 NAV/comm trainer, the 2F90 instrument trainer, and the 2F101 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 "Turbo Mentors"; and the Cessna T-47As replaced the T-39Ds in 1985.

During 1991, revolutionary changes were made to the NFO syllabus. To improve NFO air sense and situational awareness, forty additional flight hours were placed in the curriculum allowing instruction in basic piloting skills including aerobatics, takeoffs, and landings. The same year, the squadron replaced the T-47A with the T-39N 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 U.S. Air Force instructors and student navigators (NAVs) 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. In 1999 the T-39G/N was re-integrated into the NFO intermediate training syllabus as the training platform for Navy and International Students with the T-1 remaining as the training platform for Air Force and Marine Corps Students. In April 2004 VT-10 flew its last T-39G/N sortie with the T-1 taking over as the primary training platform for all VT-10 student NFO intermediate training syllabus flights.

VT-10 has a 60 member Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps instructor staff that currently trains over 300 NFOs and Air Force WSOs annually. In 1997, command of VT-10 began alternating between Navy and Air Force Officers.

Upon graduation from the Primary or Intermediate phases of flight training, Navy students proceed to follow-on training at VT-86 (EA-6B, F/A-18F), Randolph AFB, TX (P-3C, EP-3, E-6B) or to VAW-120 in Norfolk, VA (E-2C). Marine Corps students receive additional training at VT-86 (F/A-18D/F, EA-6B). Air Force students(F-15E, B-1B) proceed to VT-86.

In January 2003 VT-10 initiated instructor orientation flights in the T-6A “Texan II”, the joint Air Force/Navy platform slated to replace the T-34C “Turbomentor” as the primary phase syllabus trainer. The T-6A “Texan II”, is a single engine, two-seat trainer, which is fully aerobatic. It features a pressurized cockpit, a G-tolerance enhancement system and dual zero-zero ejection seats. The T-6A “Texan II”, utilizes a state-of-the-art digital cockpit, to help familiarize students with what they will encounter in their fleet tours.

In August 2003, VT-10 marked its first training flight in the T-6A “Texan II”. The first student class consisted of 4 Navy, 1 Marine and 1 Air Force students who received over 180 hours of academic training, 27 hours of simulator training, and 60 hours of actual flight time.

In April 2005, VT-10 completed the transition to the T-6A “Texan II” and flew its last T-34C “Turbomentor” student sortie. VT-10 conducted two detachments to Key West NAS, one detachment to Randolph AFB, TX, as well as two separate hurricane evacuations when hurricanes Dennis and Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast. The squadron implemented the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) format for training and rewrote T-6A course-ware to reflect the first major change in Naval Aviation grading philosophy in a generation; the Multi-Service Navigator Training System (MNTS).