The German Air Force declared Air Transport Wing 63 (ATW 63) a training institution. So far, training had been done at the ATW 62 in Wunstorf near Hanover, but as of this month the course- related theoretical and practical Transall-training is exclusively taken place at Hohn/Northern Germany.
While ATW 62 - as designated air base for the A400M to come - prepares itself for the introduction of the Transall successor, the staff of ATW 63 focuses now on the last life cycle of the aircraft: when the aircraft type C-160D will be finally decommissioned in about 2018, some of them may have been in service for more than 51 years – though still service the German Air Force as mean to train enough transport pilots for the time after.
Some student pilots may find themselves later in another cockpit, when the Transalls are finally gone. Some C160 ESS with special protection equipment will remain few years longer in service, before they will be decommissioned step by step. Nevertheless there is a strong consequence that many of today’s student pilots will be retrained on the A400M - a course to last for three months.
Versatile and capable wing
The ATW 63 also trains special operation missions with its C-160 ESS, comprises about 15 C-160 aircraft currently, increasing step by step with C-160 aircraft out of ATW 62 and ATW 61 in order to keep up either its transport missions for the EATC but also to now conduct the last training syllabi on the Transall.
Words: Norbert Thomas
Picture: Luftwaffe
ATW 63 is now Training Wing
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