36112,
12
June
2023
|
19:34 PM
America/Chicago

North Carolina Pilots Train for Mountain Flying

Mountain Fury participants
Mountain Fury participants

NCwingEleven North Carolina Wing pilots trained to fly over mountainous terrain as the Asheville Composite Squadron again hosted the wing’s 17th Mountain Fury weekend June 2-4 at Asheville Regional Airport.

Each pilot received four hours of classroom training on the intricacies of mountain flying, then conducted a rigorous, hands-on practical application flight with a seasoned Civil Air Patrol evaluator to put their new skills to the test in a predetermined flight path.

“NCmtn1The members at the Asheville squadron did an excellent job of preparing the mission pilots across the North Carolina Wing to conduct safe and efficient mountain flying search and rescue missions,” said Col. Larry Ragland, a member of the CAP Board of Governors and former national chief of staff.

More than 50 cadet and adult members of the Asheville squadron helped plan and carry out the   training session.

NCashe“This is extremely valuable training for the many pilots who don’t do a lot of mountain flying as a normal course of operations,” said Ragland, one of the 11 who received training.

Along with Ragland, the participating pilots were:

  • Group 5 – Lt. Col. Rob Mason
     
  • Charlotte Senior Squadron –1st Lt. Dave Grindstaff
     
  • Sandhills Senior Squadron – Capt. Cliff Herring
     
  • Burlington Composite Squadron – Capt. Jamie Pfefferkorn
     
  • Franklin County Composite – Maj. Michael Bennett
     
  •  Johnston County Composite Squadron – Lt. Col. Warren King
     
  •  Moore County Composite Squadron – Maj. Parker Priest
     
  •  Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron – Lt. Col.  Kevin Reinstein, Capt. Joe Keller, and 1st Lt. Jon Toppins

Serving as flight evaluators were:

  • Group 1 – Lt. Col.  Carlisle Lincoln
     
  • Charlotte Senior Squadron – Capt. Jeffrey Smith
     
  • Asheville Composite Squadron – Lt. Col. Arnold Andresen, Richard Augur, Wallace Courtney, and Ray Davis, and Maj David Hartman

Keller, one of the three Raleigh-Wake flyers, described the activity as “a great experience all around. The training embodied what I think being a CAP pilot is all about, with a continual focus on mission preparedness and readiness, especially when it comes to the unique area of operations in the North Carolina Wing.”
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1st Lt. D.L. Broadhead
Asheville Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing