RAF Brize Norton News

XXIV Squadron Deliver the First A400m Atlas Air Drop Role Course

Early March 2020, Maintenance Training School of XXIV Squadron, delivered the very first of their A400M Atlas Air Drop Role Course.

Members of the Maintenance Training School pictured in front of the CHTE at XXIV Squadron
Members of the Maintenance Training School pictured in front of the CHTE at XXIV Squadron

The A400M Air Drop Role course is a four-day course, which will provide training to a select group of A400M engineers to prepare, role and certify the aircraft ready to carry out Air Drop activities, providing vital resupplies and equipment during operations and/ or humanitarian relief effort.

Flight Lieutenant Kelly Dunkley, Officer Commanding Maintenance Training School (MTS) said:

“In summer 2020, MTS was tasked with the design and development of the first A400M Air Drop Role course for engineers. What first appeared to be a daunting task, has culminated in a first-rate training product due to the outstanding efforts of my team and the support and assistance of various agencies across the Station who quickly understood the operational necessity to support us.”

Flight Lieutenant Kelly Dunkley
Officer Commanding Maintenance Training School

Fitting the Ramp Centre Vertical Guide Rail (CVGR) inside the CHTE
Fitting the Ramp Centre Vertical Guide Rail (CVGR) inside the CHTE

Faced with the challenges of a global pandemic, MTS did not let this stop them in their tracks, the team set to work liaising with experts from 206 Squadron to build their own skillset by assisting with aircraft role fits during trials.

Utilising existing synthetic facilities on XXIV Squadron, such as the Cargo Hold Trainer (Enhanced) (CHTE), which is normally used for Air Loadmaster training, they liaised closely with the Air Loadmaster cadre who were able to share their expertise to deliver essential training to the engineering instructors which allowed them to operate the CHTE.

The Team working together to complete the fork loading of the Buffer Stop Assembly (BSA)
The Team working together to complete the fork loading of the Buffer Stop Assembly (BSA)

Sergeant Chris Parker, XXIV Squadron Instructor said:

“The writing of the role course on the whole has been a really enjoyable process. It has been very satisfying to take a requirement for a course in a subject matter which none of us had any experience, research it and develop it from a brain storming session on a white board, to the point where we have a number of classroom and practical lessons ready to deliver.”

Sergeant Chris Parker
XXIV Squadron Instructor

After weeks of trials, lesson writing, course development and working with multi-agencies, the MTS successfully delivered the first Container Delivery System (CDS) 1 fit on the CHTE. This confirmed it was a useable synthetic training asset for engineers and in turn establishing a course that can be delivered away from a live aircraft. The project has been a huge success and will play a key part in advancing developments of capability of the A400M.

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