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Initial Flight Screening

Second Lieutenant John Herd, an Initial Flight Screening student, lands a Diamond DA-20 trainer aircraft on the flightline of Pueblo Memorial Airport in Pueblo, Colo., Thursday, Dec. 14. Lieutenant Herd completed his final solo sortie of the program with the landing, and has two check flights remaining before completing the program this week. He will attend SUPT at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., in July 2007. (Air Force photo by Tech Sgt Mike Hammond)

Initial Flight Screening

Workers put the finishing touches on the Initial Flight Screening program's new facility, which formally opened Friday (Dec. 15, 2006) in Pueblo, Colo. The 200,000 square foot building was renovated by Doss Aviation under a contract with the Air Force. The 10-year, $178 million contract calls for up to 1,700 pilot candidates to be screened per year at the site when fully operational. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt Mike Hammond)

Initial Flight Screening

Second Lieutenant John Herd completes a post-flight inspection of the Diamond DA-20 trainer aircraft after finishing his final solo flight in the Initial Flight Screening program at Pueblo, Colo. Lieutenant Herd is one of 16 members in the second IFS class to graduate the new program. Eventually, plans call for up to 1,700 students per year to attend IFS at the new facility, which opened officially Friday (Dec. 15, 2006). (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt Mike Hammond)

Initial Flight Screening

Second Lieutenant John Herd goes over his post-flight checklist with Doss Aviation instructor pilot Morgan Jones Thursday (Dec. 14, 2006) at the Pueblo Memorial Airport in Pueblo, Colo. Mr. Jones is one of many staff members provided by Doss Aviation as part of a 10-year contract with the Air Force to provide the screening for potential Air Force flyers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt Mike Hammond)

Initial Flight Screening

Maj. Gen. Irv Halter, 19th Air Force commander, speaks about the importance of the new Initial Flight Screening program to reporter Josh Earl, KKTV Channel 11, Colorado Springs, Colo. during an interview Friday (Dec. 15, 2006). The general was in Pueblo, Colo. to officially open and dedicate the new, 200,000 square foot IFS facility provided under contract with Doss Aviation, Inc. General Halter referred to the IFS program as "the gateway to flying training," and noted that "all big journeys start with a single step." (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond)

New IFS facility opens doors to increased training

Published Dec. 19, 2006
By Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

PUEBLO, Colo. (AETCNS) -- On a clear, crisp southern Colorado afternoon, throngs of visitors filed through the front doors of the enormous, immaculate building to see the results of more than six months of renovation work come to completion.

But above the buffed tiles and new carpeting on the floor and beyond the brand new gym, dining facility, and 195 new student lodging rooms, the visitors were actually seeing something more important: the gateway to flying training, now and into the future.

Friday afternoon, Maj. Gen. Irv Halter, 19th Air Force commander, joined executives from contractor Doss Aviation, Inc. and leaders from the Pueblo community in dedicating and officially opening the newly renovated 200,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility adjacent to the Pueblo Memorial Airport.

The facility, which has been likened to a "mini-Air Force Base" because of its setup and amenities, will be the site from which the Air Force will conduct flight screening operations to better prepare potential flyers for the rigor of military aviation. It will also identify those not suited for flight duty, which better ensures seats in Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training are available to those with aptitude to complete the training.

Air Force officials at Randolph AFB, Texas announced in May that Doss Aviation, Inc. had been awarded the 10-year, $178 million contract to provide a turn-key operation providing all services, facilities, and equipment to deliver flight screening to future Air Force aviators. In addition to the new facility, Doss Aviation provides all aircraft, maintenance, flight instructors, fire/crash/rescue support, student transportation, office and lodging space, and installation security.

The Air Force provides a contingent of members to oversee the students and provide military training, supervision, and rigor to the course. Detachment 1 of the 306th Flying Training Group, based at the Air Force Academy, is the unit responsible for this role.

"The IFS program was designed to screen for aviation aptitude but also provide the military rigor and camaraderie missing in some general aviation programs," said Lt. Col. John Tomjack, Det. 1 commander. "IFS graduates will arrive at their Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training assignments better prepared to successfully complete the program."

According to current students in the program's second class, the course is meeting that goal. "I feel like I'll go to SUPT with an advantage compared to peers who did not attend IFS," said 2nd Lt. John Herd. The 2006 Air Force Academy graduate worked in the 436th Operation Support Squadron scheduling office briefly before attending IFS this fall. "For instance, we learned to do stand ups and formal briefs, plus how to go through emergency procedures," Lieutenant Herd said. "The mission prep is intense, and the speed at which we have to prepare for academic and flying tests probably makes us more ready to function in an SUPT environment."

When IFS ramps up to full scale operations during the next 15-18 months, it will be the sole source of flight screening for all Reserve Officer Training Corps and Officer Training School aviation candidates -- including pilots, navigators and combat systems officers.

When the next class arrives at the new facility to begin class, the students, like the visitors Friday, will likely first be amazed at the quality and expanse of the facility provided. But by the time they leave, several short weeks later, they may be more impressed by understanding the meaning of General Halter's opening remark that "all big journeys start with a single step."