In the past year, the transition team has transformed the Iraqi air force from a fledgling corps to an active force that regularly carries out critical transportation, supply and surveillance missions. On the ground, in the meantime, Iraqi air force officials established an operations command center and a pilot school, plus a technical training school and an academy that has graduated its first class of basic trainees.
Starting from nothing, Coalition Air Force Transition Team (CAFTT )members found an abandoned dilapidated medical supply warehouse and turned it into a learning institution known as the "Alamo." Six months later, the school is moving into a former Ba'ath Party Headquarters, which had housed the Republic Guard.
A U.S. contractor with the Coalition Air Force Training Team and oversees the maintenance of the Iraqi air force's Beech 350, Cessna 208 Caravan and Cessna 172 aircraft.
"All the Iraqi pilots have graduated college and speak pretty good English by the time they get here," Colonel Lawson said. "In comparison to my previous experiences, this seems to really help with the training."
During the past year alone, the Iraqi air force has greatly increased the amount of weekly sorties flown and has doubled its number of aircraft. The Iraqi air force currently carries out transportation, supply and surveillance missions. Coalition leaders aim for Iraq to be able to defend their air sovereignty by 2009, said Maj. Gen. Robert R. Allardice, the CAFTT commander.
The Iraqi Flying Training Wing here is expected to reach full operational capacity by July with an end goal of 130 Iraqis earning their wings each year. Upon graduation, Iraqi pilots are assigned to a unit that conducts either an airlift mission with C-130 aircraft or a surveillance mission with King Air 350, Cessna 208 and CH-2000 aircraft.
Westar is actively looking for instructors, Here is there ad
Job Responsibilities & Requirements
Summary: This position serves in a capacity responsible for supporting the total task order performance for the standup and creation of an Iraqi Flight School (IFS) project, including but not limited to Statement of Work execution, cost and schedule performance, completion of CDRLs as prescribed and overall customer satisfaction. Any offers of employment will be contingent on Westar winning the bid competition.
Summary: This position serves in a capacity responsible for supporting the total task order performance for the standup and creation of an Iraqi Flight School (IFS) project, including but not limited to Statement of Work execution, cost and schedule performance, completion of CDRLs as prescribed and overall customer satisfaction. Any offers of employment will be contingent on Westar winning the bid competition.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Primary duty is to provide academic instruction common to both Initial Entry Fixed Wing (IEFW) and Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) of the Iraq Air Force Flight Training School.
2. Support the IFS project, both rotary wing and fixed wing flight training, safety related academic instruction, and safety management of all assigned personnel.
3. Academic instructor personnel will conduct classroom academic lectures in accordance with approved syllabi, Lesson Plans, and Performance Objectives; and provide academic testing and evaluation.
4. Responsible for standing-up the common academic tasks revised from Government furnished materials, supporting both the IEFW and IERW instructional paths.
5. Additionally a lead Instructor will be responsible for planning, coordination, schedule development, direction and control related to all technical support activities necessary to support task execution.
6. Assist in strategic program guidance and direction in support of the customer’s over-arching goals, objectives and mission and as such, will ensure compliance with all management plans, policies and procedures and is responsible for assisting in the resolution of technical problems.
Qualifications:
1. To perform this job successfully, the candidate should be a graduate of a DoD Academic Instructor MOS/ASI producing course.
2. Must be able pass a random drug screenings.
Education and Experience:
1. Ground school instructors should have experience in aviation training.
2. Previous experience instructing US military flight students is highly desired.
3. Candidates should have graduated from an instructor training course.
4. The Government will accept instructors with extensive backgrounds in classroom instruction. 5. All trainers will be evaluated by US Army/US Air Force personnel prior to training in the school.
6. Previous IP/SP/ME evaluators may fill this requirement.
7. Additional course work or participation in applicable seminars/symposia also preferred, Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in an aviation related curriculum would also be a plus.
Computing Skills: 1. Spreadsheets (MS Excel) – excellent skills2. Word processing (MS Word) – excellent skills 3. Database software applications (MS Access or better) – excellent skills4. Microsoft Project; Primavera
Security:1. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. 2. Personnel will be subject to all Security regulations, rules, and policies of the Government facility.
Security:1. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. 2. Personnel will be subject to all Security regulations, rules, and policies of the Government facility.
Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee requires normal manual dexterity, speech and hearing. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job require frequent use of a computer monitor. Must be able to pass a FAA Class II flight physical as well as random drug screenings.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Living conditions in OCONUS will be as provided by the supporting US military forward operating base (FOB) forces. Temperatures lows will be below 32 degrees F in the winter months to highs in the 120 degrees F in the summer months.
Initial assignment will be CONUS based; thereafter, position will be OCONUS in theatre in Iraq.
Westar Aerospace & Defense Group, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Salaries are great $300,000 for a year assignment
Stateside salary $70K , in Iraq $130K, 8K/ month bonus and $50K at the end of the year. Potential to go back of 6month at $150K. You get 2 wk vacation in 6 months.
From a story inAir Force Links "Retired Army Lt. Col. Lott Lawson has helped foreign pilots earn their wings throughout his military and civilian career through training programs in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. The retired helicopter instructor pilot now works as a U.S. contractor with the Coalition Air Force Training Team and oversees the maintenance of the Iraqi air force's Beech 350, Cessna 208 Caravan and Cessna 172 aircraft. At the age of 65, Colonel Lawson is no stranger to the combat zone. He said he still feels obligated to lend his experience and a helping hand to this fledging new air force. "
He is 65 so there my be hope for me:)
After discussing the position with a Westar PM he discussed an engineering position to setup a training class for electrical maintenance for the MI-17 helicopter. It is most popular helicopter next to the Bell helicopters. It is cheaper like $20 Million verse $80 Million for the Bell. Over haul time are low. 1000hrs for the engine and 1500 hrs for the airframe. The cool thing is that you would have to go to Russia for a 2 month training class. The pay is the same which seems bad. The potential for future job potential would be great. However you mostly would have to be outside more in 120F heat. The fixed wing instructor positions would be inside with simulators.
Here are some pictures of the MI-17:
