What to Expect During Aircrew Training at Altus (C-17, KC-46, KC-135)

Off-Base Crashpads

11 hours ago

5 min read

Updated: 4 hours ago

Altus has a reputation. Some of it is the wind, some of it is the summer heat, and a lot of it is the pace. If you're heading out for initial qualification or an upgrade, you're about to spend a concentrated stretch of time doing nothing but learning a jet. Good news: it's very doable, and thousands of crew members get through it every year. This is a TDY guide for C-17, KC-46 and KC-135 students headed to Altus AFB.

The founder of OffBase Crashpads is a C-17 instructor who did plenty of Altus TDYs before he ever started building houses for students. Here's a general look at what you're walking into, based on official sources and a lot of time spent around the schoolhouse. Your syllabus and your instructors are the authority. This is just the lay of the land.

Mobility's Hometown

Altus AFB in southwest Oklahoma is home to the 97th Air Mobility Wing. According to altus.af.mil, the 97th Operations Group runs the Air Force's only formal training units for the C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus. The wing calls itself "Mobility's Hometown" and trains over 2,000 air mobility students a year, including students from 16 foreign nations.

The base highlights an average of more than 300 days of flyable weather each year and a generally flat landscape with few obstructions. You'll be grateful for the first part and get very familiar with the second.

The Three Schoolhouses

Per the base's own description:

58th Airlift Squadron: instructor pilots and loadmasters who train Airmen on the C-17.
54th Air Refueling Squadron: trains pilots and boom operators on the KC-135.
56th Air Refueling Squadron: home to the formal training unit for pilots and boom operators on the KC-46, the Air Force's newest tanker.

The 97th Training Squadron runs student administration and quality assurance for the wing's contracted aircrew training program. They're your first stop for inprocessing questions, lodging policy and leave or pass requests. The wing's aircraft maintenance is handled by an all-civilian maintenance group, which is one of the things that makes Altus unique.

The 97th Operations Group says its instructors train specialized areas including aerial refueling, airdrop, night vision goggle operations, low-level environments, assault zone landings and tactical procedures. Which of those you'll see depends entirely on your course.

How Training Generally Flows

Formal training is commonly described in three phases: academics, simulator and flying. In broad strokes:

Academics

Classroom and computer-based instruction on systems, procedures and limitations. It's a lot of information in a short time. Study habits matter here more than anywhere. Find a quiet spot, review every night, and don't let things stack up.

Simulator

This is where procedures become muscle memory. Sim periods can be scheduled at any time of day, so plan to adjust your sleep around them. Chair-flying at home before each sim pays off.

Flying

Then you get the jet. Expect early shows, some night sorties, and a schedule that can change with weather and aircraft availability. The 97 TRS New Students page notes that students can order flight meals from the Hangar 97 Dining Facility for sorties. Morning-flight meals have to be ordered the day before. For night flights you can order up to two hours before show time. Call the DFAC at (580) 481-7781.

Course length and exact structure vary by aircraft and by course. Check your course-specific materials for the details.

Before You Show Up

The 97 TRS New Students page lists several things that trip people up. Read the page for the full list, but a few stand out:

Complete the 97 TRS Student Inprocessing Form and read all of the Student Reporting Instructions.
Upload your course prerequisites following the reporting instructions.
Set up Platform One/Mattermost. The squadron uses it for secure messaging with student channels.
Flight physicals and medical flying waivers must be current at least 30 days past your Altus graduation date and done before you arrive. The page notes Altus flight medicine isn't staffed to complete them for students.
Prerequisite waivers need at least three weeks of lead time.
Arrive with a current fitness test. Check the page for the current fitness policy.
Don't plan on leave. The squadron says training is the top priority, students shouldn't arrive with pre-coordinated leave, and leave can't be guaranteed. Coordinate with TRS Student Admin in person first.

If you'll have a spouse or family with you, the page also points to the 97 TRS Key Support program. Contact TRA at (580) 481-7446.

Tips From the Other Side of the Sim Console

These are general, not official:

Protect your sleep. Early shows and late sims will wear you down if you don't guard your rest. A dark, quiet bedroom is worth more than you'd think.
Study with your classmates. Talking through procedures out loud with people in the same course is one of the best ways to lock them in.
Have an off switch. You can't run at 100% for the whole TDY. Schedule real downtime and take it.
Ask questions early. Instructors would much rather clear up confusion on day three than find it on a checkride.
Keep your life simple. Every hour spent on chores or logistics is an hour you're not studying or resting.

How Your Altus TDY Housing Helps (or Hurts)

Where you live during a formal course matters more than people expect. A short commute buys back time on every early show. A big bedroom gives you a real place to study and sleep. And having somewhere to blow off steam keeps the grind from piling up.

That's the whole reason OffBase exists. Our four furnished houses are all under three minutes from the Altus AFB front gate. OffBase 1 at 1421 Dustbowl Lane is under two. Each one has large bedrooms with storage and a 4K TV, weekly maid service, and plenty of ways to unwind: a game room with a pool table, poker and arcade, an 80" 4K TV with Dolby Atmos and a massage chair in the living room, and fire-pit dining out back. If you'd like a quieter house with fewer roommates, OffBase 3 at 1413 Dustbowl Lane has a smaller 4 bed/2 bath layout. The others are OffBase 2 at 2120 Longhorn Trail and OffBase 4 at 2124 Longhorn Trail.

Lodging for students is governed by the 97 TRS and 97 AMW lodging policy, which currently directs students to the Red River Inn on base, with off-base stays coming through a Red River Inn non-availability or an approved exception. Check the current policy and your orders first. When an OffBase stay is authorized, there's no out-of-pocket cost: your TDY orders cover it, we bill the same price as on-base lodging, and you get itemized, zero-balance receipts for DTS.

Request a Stay

Got a class date at Altus? If an off-base stay works for your situation, we'd be glad to put you up somewhere built for exactly what you're about to do. Fill out the Request a stay form on our site, email Stay@OffBaseCrashpads.com, or call/text (765) 633-2273.

Built By Aircrew, For Aircrew.