Four graduate from Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Class 11-GBV

  • Published
  • By Maj. Jon Elza
  • 3rd Fighter Training Squadron
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 3rd Fighter Training Squadron graduated 1st Lt. Catherine Essner, 1st Lt. Zach Shuler, 1st Lt. Chris Spach and 2nd Lt. Dan Hendren from Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals Class 11-GBV, May 10.

The pilots completed this phase of their training on their way to becoming fighter pilots in the A-10 Thunderbolt II and F-15E Strike Eagle for the Combat Air Forces.

Lieutenant Essner will receive A-10 flight training at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

Lieutenant Hendren earned the Distinguished Graduate, Air-to-Air Top Gun, and Air-to-Ground Top Gun awards. He will receive F-15E flight training at Seymour-Johnson AFB, SC.

Lieutenant Shuler will receive F-15E flight training at Seymour-Johnson AFB.

Lieutenant Spach earned the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association award and will join his classmates in F-15E flight training at Seymour-Johnson AFB.

The 10-week IFF course begins with tactical formation flights and then introduces pilots to basic fighter maneuvers and air-to-air employment in offensive, defensive, and high aspect fight scenarios.

Students bound for aircraft with an air-to-ground attack capability then move on to surface attack and surface attack tactics phases learning to employ ordnance against ground targets. The skills learned during IFF directly translate to the fighter aircraft these students will soon fly in their follow-on training and employ in combat.

The 3rd FTS is responsible for active duty, Guard, reserve, and international flying training in the AT-38C aircraft. The 3rd FTS provides training to fighter pilots entering Air Force and international fighter weapons systems, which include the F-16, F-15C, F-15E, F-22 and A-10.