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98th Flying Training Squadron[1]
98th Flying Training Squadron Patch
Active16 December 1941 – 20 October 1948
1 December 1948 – 1 February 1963
1 June 1988 – 26 June 1992
31 October 1994 – present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
TypeParachuting
Part ofAir Education and Training Command
19th Air Force
306th Flying Training Group
Garrison/HQUnited States Air Force Academy
Decorations DUC
Navy PUC
AFOUA

The 98th Flying Training Squadron (98 FTS) is home to the United States Air Force (USAF) Wings of Blue Parachute Team. It is assigned to the 306th Flying Training Group (306 FTG) of Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and stationed at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado. The unit consists of approximately 120 Air Force Academy cadets, Air Force officers, enlisted personnel, and government civilian support staff.

The primary mission of the Wings of Blue Parachute Team is to run the Air Force’s Basic Freefall Parachuting course, known as Airmanship 490 (AM 490), in which team members train more than 700 cadets every year to make unassisted freefall skydives. The Wings of Blue also has a demonstration team and competition team. The demonstration travels across the United States and to other countries to represent the Air Force through skydive and precision parachute performances. Similarly, the competition team represents the Air Force by competing against collegiate and professional skydive teams from around the country in 6-way speed formations, 4-way relative work, 2-way freefly, and sport accuracy.

Team History[edit]

Founded in 1964, the Wings of Blue began as an informal group of cadets who started skydiving in their free time outside of their official cadet duties. The original group of jumpers included Joel Aronoff, John Davis, Jay Kelley, and Stu McCurdy of the Class of 1964, and Jim McGorry, Chuck Ryerson, and Lance Sijan of the Class of 1965. Despite the Air Force Academy rule prohibiting cadets from engaging in hazardous activities such as skydiving, this group of cadets clandestinely parachuted at their own risk and expense.

This group eventually began to participate in demonstrations and competitions in the local area and around the country. Their parachuting activities picked up local press coverage and favorable attention from military leadership at bases that hosted their demonstrations. After one such demonstration at Fort Carson, Colorado, the commander of the base sent a letter of gratitude to the Air Force Academy Superintendent, Maj Gen Robert Warren, thanking him for allowing his cadets to participate in his installation’s event.

Unaware of the group’s existence, USAFA senior leadership opened an investigation into the cadets’ parachuting activities and found them in violation of Academy policies. The cadets were ordered to cease all skydiving or else they would not be allowed to graduate, risking their diplomas and post-graduation assignments. However, members of the group wrote a letter to the cadet president of the West Point Parachuting Club, requesting an invitation to the upcoming West Point Invitational Parachuting Meet at Wallkill, New York. When the invitation arrived at the Air Force Academy, the Academy’s leadership reconsidered its ruling over the skydiving cadets due to the positive press the group had garnered for the Academy. The leadership decided to reverse their position by granting temporary club status to the group so that they could participate in the competition. In the fall of 1964, the group formalized as an official cadet club and was named the USAFA Parachute Club.

Over the next few decades, the club underwent several name changes and organizational reassignments.

  • In 1976, the USAFA Parachute Club was officially renamed the USAFA Parachute Team - Wings of Blue (PTWOB)
  • In 1983, the Wings of Blue Parachute Team was assigned to operate as the 94th Airmanship Training Squadron
  • In 1984, the 94th Airmanship Training Squadron was redesignated as the 94th Flying Training Squadron
  • In 1994, the Wings of Blue Parachute Team was reassigned to operate as the 98th Flying Training Squadron
  • In 2004, the Wings of Blue Parachute Team transitioned from reporting to USAFA to reporting to Air Education & Training Command

Unit Organization[edit]

Today, the team is made up of approximately 75 Air Force Academy cadets, 25 Air Force officers and enlisted personnel, and 20 government civilian support staff. Of the 75 cadets, 25 are third-class (sophomore) cadets part of the Wings of Green group, a one-year training program where, if successfully completed, Wings of Green cadets graduate to become official Wings of Blue team members. The remaining 50 are second-class (junior) and first-class (senior) cadets who make up the official Wings of Blue team. Their primary duty is to serve as instructors and jumpmasters for Airmanship 490, the Air Force’s flagship Basic Freefall Parachuting course run by the 98 FTS. They also serve as mentors and coaches to the Wings of Green cadets, support drop zone operations, and participate in parachuting demonstrations and skydive competitions.

The 25 Air Force officers and enlisted personnel make up the leadership staff of the 98 FTS, many of them former team members when they were USAFA cadets. The 98 FTS commander is typically a Lieutenant Colonel, who charts the long-term strategic vision of the team. Underneath the commander is the Director of Operations, who leads the daily operations of the 98 FTS and all of its various programs. The remaining staff members manage specific training programs, help train the Wings of Green cadets, support drop zone operations, and pilot the 98 FTS’ fleet of aircrafts--three de Havilland UV-18B Twin Otters. The officer and enlisted staff also provide tandem skydives to visiting senior military leaders, local and national celebrities, and other distinguished USAFA guests.

The 20 government civilian support staff serve as certified riggers in charge of maintenance and upkeep of the 98 FTS’ parachuting equipment and supplies, help train the Wings of Green cadets, support drop zone operations, and take on various administrative tasks.

Training Programs[edit]

The team’s primary training programs consist of Airmanship 490 (Basic Freefall Parachuting), Airmanship 491/492 (Wings of Green), and Airmanship 496 (Wings of Blue).

Airmanship 490[edit]

Airmanship 490 (AM 490) is the basic freefall parachuting course of the USAF, operated out of the 98 FTS. The course is managed and executed entirely by the Wings of Blue cadet team members, with officers and enlisted personnel providing general top-level supervision. AM 490 is the only jump program in the world where students can make their first freefall jumps without assistance or prior jump experience.

Every year more than 700 USAFA cadets enroll in the course, in addition to a limited number of Air Force ROTC cadets, Air Force officers, and enlisted personnel. For USAFA cadets, there are two opportunities during their cadet careers when they can take AM 490: 1) the summer between their fourth-class (freshman) and third-class (sophomore) years, or 2) during their first-class (senior) academic year. Acceptance to AM 490 is competitive, and selection is based on the cadet’s academic, athletic, and military performance record.

Once enrolled, course students undergo more than 30 hours of rigorous ground training. During the summer AM 490 course, ground training takes place over as little as three days. Ground training introduces procedures and techniques for high altitude freefall and for operating a steerable parachute canopy system. The curriculum develops these skills incrementally by leveraging muscle memory, repetition of exercises, and examination under duress. Training consists of a combination of daily physical training exercises, classroom lectures, equipment orientations, and simulated exercises for both freefall and canopy flight stages of a skydive. Lectures are delivered classwide, then students break up into small groups, called flights, to practice their exercises under the supervision of a Wings of Blue team member assigned to each flight. During the course of ground training, cadets learn freefall body positions, how to operate a steerable canopy, procedures for emergency situations in the aircraft, during freefall, and under canopy, and proper execution of the Parachute Landing Fall (PFL). Wind tunnel training has also been added to the ground training curriculum in recent years. Overall, the course focuses on safety and emergency procedures to aid the students’ ability to overcome their fears and to perform under extremely stressful, unfamiliar, and potentially life-threatening situations.

After students pass ground training, 20 to 25 students are assigned per aircraft load with one Wings of Blue cadet team member acting as the aircraft’s jumpmaster. The jumpmaster is accountable for the safety and lives of all student jumpers in the aircraft. Jumpmaster responsibilities include inspecting student parachuting equipment, briefing students on procedures, communicating with the aircraft pilots and ground crew to confirm safety of airspace, and ultimately deciding whether each student is physically and mentally ready to jump. Once airborne, the jumpmaster determines the exit point, conducts final gear inspections, opens the jump door, visually checks the airspace, and lets out up to two jumpers per pass over the drop zone. The jump aircraft will circle the drop zone for as many passes necessary to let out all students. Student jumpers exit the aircraft at 4,500 above ground level (AGL) and the jumpmaster exits the aircraft last at 6,500 AGL on his or her own pass.

Student jumpers experience approximately 10 seconds of freefall before they pull their ripcords, deploying their primary canopies. Once under canopy, they conduct a visual inspection of their parachute and surrounding airspace and are then guided by Wings of Blue cadet ground crew via one-way radio communication to steer themselves to the landing area.

Once everybody lands, the jumpmaster grades each student by reviewing video footage of their jumps. Video footage is shot by Wings of Blue cadet video crew from the ground using extreme-zoom, high-resolution video cameras. Each student is given a grade of Q1 (best), Q2, or Q3 (worst). Q3 and some Q2 jumps require remedial ground training for the student to be cleared to jump again. If a student repeatedly scores unsatisfactorily, he or she is put on the Commander’s Awareness Program (CAP), where the 98 FTS commander makes a determination as to whether the student may continue jumping or be removed from the course.

Students must complete five satisfactory jumps to successfully graduate from AM 490. Upon completion of the course, students earn the Air Force Parachutist Badge, which they may wear on their uniforms for the rest of their Air Force careers. However, badges earned through AM 490 are considered non-operational for military airborne units. Air Force members wishing to pursue a job requiring jump status must attend the United States Army Airborne School in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Airmanship 491/492[edit]

USAFA cadets who successfully graduate from AM 490 have the opportunity to try out for Airmanship 491 and 492 (AM 491/492), informally known as the “Wings of Green” program. Only cadets who graduate from AM 490 between their fourth and third-class years can try out for AM 491/492. Tryouts take place on a single day at the end of the summer and consist of physical training and individual interviews by Wings of Blue members. Approximately 200 cadets try out every year, from which 25 are invited to join the Wings of Green.

AM 491 takes place during the fall academic semester, during which Wings of Green cadets take a United States Parachute Association (USPA)-approved Accelerated Freefall (AFF) course, taught by 98 FTS officer and enlisted personnel. In this course, Wings of Green cadets complete the various stages of skydive training, eventually earning their first USPA license certifying them to jump solo. Wings of Green cadets also complete wind tunnel training at either Perris Valley, California, or near Denver, Colorado.

AM 492 takes place during the spring academic semester and constitutes the jumpmaster training portion of the Wings of Green training program. Wings of Green cadets undergo rigorous training to become jumpmasters. The AM 492 curriculum includes memorizing the jumpmaster training manual, instructing AM 490 classes under the supervision of Wings of Blue cadet team members, and leading a number of simulated and live sorties as jumpmasters with Wings of Blue cadets, 98 FTS officers, and enlisted personnel acting as AM 490 student jumpers. With each successive sortie, the simulated student jumpers introduce increasingly numerous and difficult emergency situations to test the Wings of Green jumpmasters-in-training. The course culminates with final checkride sorties, which the Wings of Green cadets must pass without a single negative mark.

If the Wings of Green cadets successfully complete all training requirements of AM 491 and 492, they officially graduate onto the Wings of Blue team at the end of their third-degree year, becoming AM 490 instructors and qualified aircrew members for 98 FTS operations.

Airmanship 496[edit]

Airmanship 496 (AM 496) is the official program for the Wings of Blue team and is comprised of 25 second-class and 25 first-class cadets. While all 50 cadets primarily serve as AM 490 instructors and jumpmasters, they are also divided into competition and demonstration teams. Generally, team members act as ambassadors for the USAF in competitions and demonstrations and serve to promote a positive image of the USAF and United States Armed Forces.

Competition Team[edit]

The competition team competes against collegiate and professional skydive teams from around the country in 6-way speed formations, 4-way relative work, 2-way freefly, and sport accuracy. Each of the junior and senior competition teams consist of approximately 10 Wings of Blue cadet team members: two 4-way teams and one 2-way freefly team. All 20 members also compete in canopy accuracy. In the aerial events, teams are given 35 to 40 seconds to complete preplanned formation maneuvers after exiting the aircraft. Jumpers exit with a videographer who records the jump for judging. The competition team represents the Wings of Blue at numerous competitions across the country, to include the National Skydiving Championships, National Collegiate Parachuting Championships, Black and Gold Competition (an all-military competition), and numerous other skydiving and accuracy meets throughout the year. The Wings of Blue competition team has been recognized as the leading collegiate skydive team in the nation for 29 of the last 39 years.

Demonstration Team[edit]

The demonstration team represents the USAF around the country and occasionally in foreign countries at military air shows, professional and collegiate sports games, and other public events. The Wings of Blue demonstration team performs for more than one million total live and television spectators every year. It is comprised of 15 Wings of Blue cadet team members from each junior and senior class.

For sporting games, approximately 6 to 8 cadet team members and 98 FTS officers and enlisted personnel jump from the 98 FTS’ Twin Otter aircraft and parachute sequentially into an open stadium prior to the start of the game, flying various streamers and flags as well as jumping with and delivering the game ball to the game’s officials. For home USAFA football games, one team member dons The Bird costume and parachutes into Falcon Stadium as the Academy’s mascot.

For military air shows, the demonstration team puts on a more comprehensive performance, often acting as one of the main show events alongside the USAF Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron. Team members generally jump from USAF aircraft other than the 98 FTS’ Twin Otters, such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules or Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. They perform a variety of skydive and canopy maneuvers like the bomb burst, high low demonstration, and canopy relative work (CRW), often using foot-mounted smoke signals to increase visibility for spectators.

Accomplishments[edit]

Competition Achievements[edit]

  • Item 1

Demonstrations Performed[edit]

  • Item 1

Records[edit]

In (insert year), the Wings of Blue broke the world record for largest big-way formation over Gila Bend, Arizona. The formation brought together (insert number) team members for a total of (insert duration) seconds.

Notable Team Members[edit]

  • Lance P. Sijan, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty during the Vietnam War
  • Kjell N. Lindgren, a current NASA astronaut

Team Assets[edit]

Aircraft[edit]

The 98 FTS possesses three de Havilland UV-18B Twin Otter aircrafts that are fully dedicated to Wings of Blue activities. They are housed and maintained near USAFA at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, and fly to the Air Force Academy Airfield to conduct jump operations.

Equipment[edit]

The Wings of Blue team fly modern parachuting rigs and ram-air square canopies. Depending on the training program and skill level of jumpers, the canopies vary in size. The demonstration team will also fly with foot-mounted smoke signals, streamers, flags, and college mascot costumes for various performances.

Certifications[edit]

The 98 FTS operates in accordance with USPA guidelines and licensing standards. The AFF course administered to Wings of Green cadets as well as all parachuting operations is recognized by the USPA, allowing Wings of Blue cadets, officers, and enlisted personnel to earn USPA licenses that are recognized at civilian drop zones. Demonstration team members who accomplish more than 500 cumulative jumps earn the USPA Pro Rating, qualifying them to jump into stadiums and other performance venues.

Facilities[edit]

The 98 FTS facilities reside on the Air Force Academy Airfield, consisting of a state-of-the-art Ground Training Facility (GTF) building, air operations command tower, drop zone landing area with a simulated football 50-yard line turf field for demonstration team stadium accuracy practice, rigger’s den, and administrative offices. The GTF is equipped with motorized suspended harnesses and two mock aircraft fuselages for AM 490 training.

Starting in 2009, the 98 FTS advocated for DoD funding to build an on-site vertical wind tunnel. In the near-term, the wind tunnel would primarily be used for AM 490 training and competition team practice. The long-term vision for the construction of an on-site vertical wind tunnel would be to grow the 98 FTS mission to become the premier USAF and wider Armed Forces training site for all military parachuting operations. Due to military budget cuts in recent years, the 98 FTS has yet to receive approval to build one on-site.

Squadron History[edit]

The 98th FTS has its origins in 1941, being initially organized with B-18 Bolos in Hawaii with a mission to perform defensive reconnaissance over the Pacific approaches to the islands. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, performed search and rescue and antisubmarine patrols. Re-equipped with B-17E Flying Fortresses and sent to South Pacific, engaging in long-range bombardment missions against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands campaign. Re-equipped with long-range B-24 Liberators when the Flying Fortresses were reassigned to support British forces in Egypt. Engaged in combat operations in Central and South Pacific areas, also supported the liberation of the Philippines and seizure of Okinawa. Carried out attacks from Okinawa over China and Formosa until the end the war in the Pacific.

Awarded Distinguished Unit Unit Citation: South Pacific, 31 July-30 November 1942. Presidential Unit Citation: [1942] for actions in the Paupa New Guinea and Guadalcanal campaigns.

Re-equipped with B-29 Superfortresses in 1946; became part of Far East Air Forces; non-operational, 1947–1948. Reassigned to Carswell AFB, Texas in 1949 and became a B-36 Peacekeeper strategic bombardment squadron.

In 1959 was reassigned to SAC provisional 4123d Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52E Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers. Was reassigned to Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force. Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent. Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings, redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings. Squadron was inactivated with aircraft/personnel/equipment being redesignated 6th Bombardment Squadron in an in-place, name-only transfer.

The squadron was reactivated in 1988 as an undergraduate pilot training (UPT) squadron at Williams AFB, Arizona, and equipped with the Cessna T-37 Tweet. It was inactivated in 1992 with the closure of Williams AFB.

Lineage[edit]

  • Constituted 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 2 December 1941.
Activated on 16 December 1941
Redesignated 98th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 30 April 1946
Inactivated on 20 October 1948
  • Redesignated 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated, on 1 December 1948
Discontinued, and inactivated on 1 February 1963; personnel/aircraft/equipment redesignated as 6th Bombardment Squadron
  • Redesignated 98th Flying Training Squadron on 29 April 1988
Activated on 1 June 1988
Inactivated on 26 June 1992
  • Reactivated on 31 October 1994

Assignments[edit]

Stations[edit]

Aircraft[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  • Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Force Historical Studies Office, 1969. ISBN 0-89201-097-5.
  • 98th FTS at AFRHA
  • 98th FTS History Factsheet
  1. ^ AFHRA 98 FTS Fact Sheet

External links[edit]

Category:United States Air Force Academy Category:Parachuting in the United States Category:Military units and formations in Colorado 0098

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