I got a new job!

M

Mikey_G

New Member
My retraining application went through and the Air Force will give be giving me a new job: Aircraft Loadmaster. They gave us 5 choices, I ended up getting my second, first was Diagnostic Imaging). Not sure when my training will start, I'm assuming sometime next year, also don't know what base I will be going to next.

I don't regret becoming a helicopter crew chief, had my fun, met some great people, seen some great places, I just can't see myself doing this as a career.
 
Congrats! Man if I could go back to being a Loadmaster, I would in a heartbeat!

If you have any questions, let me know! I'll give some info to get you started.

Your initial load school will be in Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, TX. It is kind of a joke. Really, you are just learning Form F basics(Weight and Balance Form). Expect to meet up with lots of freshly minted basic trainees at this point.

From there, you go to a training base for your specific airframe. The course is called LoadMaster Initial Qualification (Or LIQ). C-5 is at Altus (absolute middle of nowhere) Oklahoma. I am not sure of the C-17 but would guess it is also at Altus. The training used to be contracted out to FlightSafety. It is about 2-3 months long.

The C-130 training is in Little Rock, Arkansas. I do not know much about that school.

I am guessing you probably do not have to go through Aircrew Survival in Spokane, but if you do, PM me. I have some VERY helpful advice that I won't share in public.

Your dreamsheet for bases will help determine what plane you get. I picked my bases by what plane I wanted(IE, I picked McGuire and Dover because I wanted a C-141 or C-5).

Think about it this way:
C-130- Not much international travel usually,unless you are based overseas, and when it comes, it is long deployments. Stationed all over the map. Expect to spend lots of time at Army bases tossing troops and hardware out the back(Sounds cool but it gets old really fast IMO). The Spec Ops 130's, and other special use 130's, are cool but don't expect to get into that stuff until you have been on the "line" 130 for a while.

C-5- Lots' of time broken down at big bases. There are so many LoadMasters' on a C-5 that you will spend the first few years learning systems and being the "Passenger Load", that is, the flight attendant. Dover or Travis are the active duty bases.

C-17-Goes everywhere the 141 used to. Small crew(1-2 loads, 2 pilots). If you want to get to the most overseas places, this is the top choice. This is why I wanted the 141; it got me to all sorts of awesome places. Not sure of all the bases the C-17 is at. Here are some I am sure of: Charleston, McChord, Travis(I think).
 
Wow, thanks for all the good info. I talked to a few other loadmasters, they said they go through the SERE training so I'll send you a PM like you requested :)
 
Hey glad I could help ya man!

Why would other Loadmasters tell you to go to Survival School? I would assume that you have already been to something even more in depth in the Army already that would be more than enough. Go if you want, but it sucked, especially POW training.

I thought of some more things for tips on what plane to try and get.

Single/Married – 130 will keep you near home more.

Per Diem – The 17 will get you to more out-of-the-way destinations, thus more per diem, and some awesome hotels! I made more in per diem most months than I did in my regular pay. I am trying to remember the highest paying one….Maybe Finland @ $170/day. Frankfurt was $112. Nice extra dough.

Also, keep in mind I got out of the AF in 1998. My airframe is extinct and so is my old squadron, so some of my information may be outdated. Gotta add that disclaimer.
 
I've actually never been to SERE before, us helo crew chiefs in the air force don't fly, we just fix only. A pararescue buddy of mine told me all about SERE, and how much it sucked, especially the POW training :). I was kind of hoping for C-130, gives me a better chance of getting to Japan again, I should find out within a couple of weeks what my first duty station will be.
 
Well at least you know SERE will suck. Couple of pointers still…PM me when you get close to going.

Yeah 130’s at Yokota would get you there. If you were on a C-5 at Travis or a C-17 at McChord you would get there monthly as well. I was on the east coast and we made it to Germany almost every month, but I still saw Japan quite a few times too.
 
OK you asked! But the About.com is right on too…..

A myriad of things. Mainly, the LoadMaster is responsible for the weight and balance calculations and the supervision of loading and unloading the aircraft. Other primary duties include passenger supervision (Glorified flight attendant duties).

Calculating weight and balance is much more intricate for a cargo plane. Its’ not just how much weight where, but there are floor limitations to consider, making axle limitations and PSI a big factor as well. In the old days(before compooters), it was done on a Form F that took a good 30 minutes of calculations to figure out for a full mixed load. Nowadays, the C-17 has a Form F program to calculate and everything is electronic, down to the pallet locks, so only one Loadmaster is needed. I am sure the C-5 is using laptops too. The 130 is small enough not to mater as much. We had two on the 141 for most missions. Also, the Loadmaster is the expert in loading the cargo. In the case of large aircraft, like a C-5, loading tanks, submarines, helicopters, etc, requires a certain expertise to be able to supervise.

Here would be a typical day for me back in 1998:
-Arrive at plane and begin preflight check (About an hour).
-Open Cargo doors and put down loading struts. (in a C-5 much more arduous…including “kneeling the plane etc…”.
-Loading crew arrives. Loading crew supervisor brings manifest and load plan. Let’s say today we have 4 Hummvs’, an AT Forklift, a satellite trailer and a few pallets. Loadmaster checks load plan, tells where to put everything and how many chains and what type to restrain vehicles.
-Loadmaster calculates Weight and Balance. The other Loadmaster directs traffic and supervises loading. IE-Marshalls vehicles into plane and guides K-loader or forklift to load pallets. Configures aircraft winch to winch on Trailer.
-Passenger service arrives with PAX manifest. Loadmaster calculates that into weight and balance and says will call for PAX shortly before startup.
-Crew Meals arrive.
-Other Loadmaster helps Engineer with fueling operation.
-Weight and Balance Loadmaster finishes calculations and reviews with Aircraft Commander. Enters into FSAS and gets rear stabilizer setting.
-Loading finishes. Loadmaster measures chains on vehicles to ensure enough restraint for regulated G load Forward, Aft, Lateral, and Vertical. Signs off on load. Loading crew leaves.
-“Button up” aircraft and check secure.
-Call for PAX. Brief PAX.
-Taxi and before takeoff walk-around and checks.
-After takeoff walk-around and checks.
-Get customs forms in order for load and PAX.
-One Load awake with PAX. Take turns sleeping to ensure optimal rest for minimum crew rest partying.
-Land. Oflload. Button up. Party.
 
Oh yeah and the flight attendant part---Unless we were full with civilian dpendants coming home for the holidays, it was "Coffee is there. Here is your lunch box. There's the crapper. Don't go past this line."
 
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