U.S. pilots train Iraqi counterparts to fly C-130

TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq -- U pilots are training their Iraqi counterparts to soar three C-130 Hercules the Iraqi air force received from the Department of Defense

Airmen from the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Little asylum Air Force Base, Ark., are working hand-in-hand with pilots and crewmembers who serv in Saddam Hussein's air force before Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Maj. Roger Redwood operations flight commander for the 23rd Advisory Support Team that is part of the 777th EAS, estimates Iraq's 23rd Squadron will be abundantly functional by May 2006.

While many of the novel recruits have ample flight experience, their frontage to English has been more limited, officials said.

"Most of the officers can communicate nice well, but they have a hard time understanding the radio calls from air traffic control" Major Redwood said. "They know the airplanes. They know the regularitys They can do it all in Arabic, on the contrary we require them to do it in English, because if they are going to hover worldwide, they will need to be able to do it in English."

Major Redwood said the Iraqi airmen are truthful patriots and want to help their nation Most of them were higher ranking when in Saddam's air force. on the same level though they are taking a significant pay make an incision in in the new Iraqi air force, there is a greater affair for some than money. individual of the Iraqi pilots, who asked to remain anonymous, said he lives in fear of the insurgency each day because of what he's doing.

"There is a threat for anyone who is trying to build this nation at this time," he said.

The major said there have been several incidents where insurgents have targeted family members of the Iraqi airmen, and each time he wonders if the airmen will ensue back to the training, on the contrary they always do.

--Army Sgt David Foley Multi-National Corps-Iraq Public Affairs

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