Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 New York Air Guard wing makes first remotely piloted aircraft flight from airfield shared by military and civilian aviation By Eric Durr
                New York National Guard
 SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A remotely piloted aircraft launched into airspace used by both military and civilian aircraft for the first time on Wednesday, as an MQ-9 belonging to the New York Air National Guard's 174th Attack Wing took to the sky from the runway shared with Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Until now, the Air Force has operated remotely piloted MQ-1 and MQ-9 aircraft only from military airfields. The 174th has been flying MQ-9s used to train pilots and sensor operators from Wheeler Sack Army Airfield at Fort Drum, New York. "This is an awesome day for the 174th. It is an awesome day for the remotely piloted aircraft community and the Air Force," said Col. Greg Semmel, the commander of the 174th Attack Wing. This change "re-emphasizes and re-establishes flight operations here in Syracuse," Semmel said. Currently seven Air National Guard units fly either the MQ-9 or MQ-1 remotely piloted aircraft and four of those units, including the 174th Attack Wing, share runways with civilian airports. These other units are the 118th Airlift Wing in Nashville, Tennessee; the 119th Wing at Fargo, North Dakota; and the 147th Reconnaissance Wing in Houston, Texas. A fifth unit, the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, which shares a runway with Niagara Falls International Airport, is currently converting to an MQ-9 unit.
Wednesday's flight at Syracuse sets a precedent for other Air National Guard, and Air Force, remotely piloted aircraft operations, Semmel said. Wednesday's first flight was short. An MQ-9 was launched from the runway and circled the air twice, remaining below the clouds, while about 100 invited guests of the wing, local media and members of the 174th watched. The aircraft was controlled by a crew in another building on base, who conducted a practice landing before bringing the aircraft back down to the runway after 20 minutes. When aircraft are launched on complete training missions, a Civil Air Patrol Cessna will follow the MQ-9s from Hancock Field until they enter restricted military airspace over Fort Drum, the Adirondacks Mountains and Lake Ontario. This trail plane - which will fly a mile behind the MQ-9 - will enable the wing to comply with Federal Aviation Administration requirements that remotely piloted aircraft in general aviation airspace be able to "sense and avoid" other planes, Semmel explained. The ability to fly the MQ-9's directly from Hancock Field, instead of just from Fort Drum, will enable his wing to train more MQ-9 "Reaper" pilots and sensor operators, Semmel said. Student pilots and sensor operators – the Airmen who are responsible for manipulating the multi-million camera and other instruments carried on board the unmanned aircraft—currently have to drive 90 minutes from Hancock Field to Fort Drum to conduct flying operations, Semmel explained. The ability to launch an aircraft directly from Hancock Field, and save three hours driving time daily for ground crews and students alike, will mean more training time, the colonel said. It also reduces the risk of personnel driving over northern New York roads, which can be hazardous in the winter, he added. The change should also save taxpayers about $1 million in vehicle expenses and man hours spent on the road driving instead of training, Semmel said. The 174th has been tasked to train 106 MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators in 2016, a 50 percent increase in the number of MQ-9 aircrew trained in 2015, Semmel said. The wing also trains 250 to 300 MQ-9 maintainers each year. The wing will continue to land and launch aircraft at the Fort Drum airfield, Semmel said. Trainee pilots and sensor operators are required to drop both dummy and live 500 pound bombs from the MQ-9 has part of their training program, but the wing will not fly armed aircraft from Hancock Field. The Fort Drum Launch and Recovery facility will be used when aircraft must be flown with bombs under the wings, Semmel said. The 174th has spent more than two years working with the FAA and other agencies to prepare for the Dec. 16 flight. On Dec. 6, 2014, the wing taxied an MQ-9 on the civilian side of the runway for the first time.
He would have liked to see the process move more quickly, Semmel told reporters, but it was more important that the process be done right. "We took the time to do it right, to do it deliberately, to go through the process and ensure that every stakeholder with this new technology, flying around a civilian air field, was comfortable with it," Semmel said. "A lot of work has been done." The FAA modified airspace around Hancock Field in 2013 to expand available training areas and provide transition from high altitude down to Hancock Field. The 174th Attack Wing is the first Air Force organization - which includes the Active Air Force and Air Force Reserve - in the United States to fly the remotely piloted aircraft in class 'C' airspace, the common airspace around commercial airports. Class C Airspace is generally that airspace from the surface to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation surrounding airports that have an operational control tower, are serviced by a radar approach control and have instrument flight operations or passenger terminals. Over the past week, the FAA granted approval for the wing to begin launch and recovery operations with the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft from Hancock Field Air National Guard Base and the Syracuse International Airport. The Air Force's remotely piloted aircraft, the MQ-9 and MQ-1, are launched by a pilot/sensor operator team based at that aircraft's location. When the aircraft reaches altitude, control is handed off to another pilot/sensor operator flight crew who can control the aircraft from anywhere in the world using a satellite uplink system. The 60 MQ-9 pilots assigned to the 174th Attack Wing control aircraft flying in the Central Command Area of Operations - which includes Iraq and Afghanistan - from a facility at Hancock Field, Semmel said. While operating aircraft directly from Hancock Field has tangible benefits like more training time and saving tax dollars, the intangible benefits of the change are just as important, Semmel emphasized. "We are a community-based Air Force. We are in the community of Syracuse and it is so important to bring flying operations back here to the airfield and show our community what we are all about, and show them we are still a vibrant tradition and what we do every day to support our nation and state," Semmel said.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership
 By Lt. Col. Ellis Parks,
  Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School
 By Sgt. Denis Nunez,
  Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise
 By Senior Master Sgt. Joshua Allmaras,
  More
 Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise5/3/2024Massachusetts Guard Helps Host Crisis Leadership Seminar5/2/2024Massachusetts Air Guard Airmen Test New Air Combat Tactics5/2/2024 View more Guard News »
 Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School5/3/2024
New York Army Guard Soldiers Heading to North Africa4/30/2024
Pennsylvania National Guard Members Deploy to Africa4/19/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership5/3/2024

Guard Leaders Stress NCOs Role in State Partnership Program5/3/2024

Enduring Partners 2024 Begins with Thai-US Airmen Exchange5/2/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil