Hill F-16 pilots working the night shift

Hill F-16 pilots working the night shift
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Nov 25, 2007 15:55:14 EST

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Hill Air Force Base’s F-16 fighter pilots have been working some late nights.

The 388th and 419th Fighter Wing pilots have been conducting night-flying training runs, rushing over Utah’s west desert in the dark to prepare for night combat conditions.

“We have requirements to train at night because we fully expect to deploy at night in combat,” said Lt. Col. Paul Schmidt, a pilot with Hill’s 388th Fighter Wing.

The jets have been roaring through the sky to the Utah Test and Training Range across the Great Salt Lake from early evening until shortly after midnight Mondays through Thursdays.

The pilots have monthly and annual night-training requirements. The winter months are better for training because of the long nights and short days.

“It is different flying at night,” Schmidt said. “For probably the first five to seven flights, it’s a pretty big adjustment. Then after a while, you develop the skills you need that will be used at night and you begin to feel comfortable.”


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_hillf16s_071125/