Wyoming and Montana fly together

U.S. Air Force loadmasters assigned to the 120th Airlift Wing, Montana Air National Guard work with airmen assigned to the 153rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard to load a container delivery system bundle in a C-130H, Sept. 23, 2015, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Wyoming Air Guard has been interflying with the Montana Air Guard during their conversion from fighter to cargo aircraft. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Charles Delano/Released)

Wyoming and Montana fly together

U.S. Air Force Maj. Pat Murphy, 186th Airlift Squadron, Montana Air National Guard, performs flight planning with Maj. Neil Harlow, 187th Airlift Squadron, Wyoming Air National Guard Sept. 23, 2015, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The two units are collaborating to provide training to the Montana Air National Guard during their conversion from fighter to cargo aircraft. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Charles Delano/Released)

Wyoming and Montana fly together

Mixed aircrews flying over Cheyenne this week

Published Sept. 29, 2015
By Deidre Forster
Wyoming Military Department

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The Wyoming Air National Guard C-130s soaring over the southwestern part of Wyoming this week were flown by a mix of Wyoming and Montana Air National Guard crews.

Maj. Leanna Thomas, tactics chief for the Wyoming Air National Guard, said she and her Montana counterpart planned this training and hope to plan more. Known as an "interfly" - when crews from different squadrons fly together either on separate aircraft in one formation, or as part of a mixed crew.

For this interfly, 11 members of the Montana Air National Guard's 186th Airlift Squadron joined members of the Wyoming Air National Guard's 187th Airlift Squadron for training on formation flying while using night vision goggles.

This isn't the first time the units have flown together; in February 2014 the Wyoming aircrews traveled to Montana to assist with training as that wing switched from F-16s to C-130s.

"Since then we have traveled up there several times with our aircraft to give them C-130 familiarization training prior to their (C-130s) arriving on station," said Lt. Col. Ryan Scofield, 187th Airlift Squadron director of operations. "It has been a great working relationship and we help each other out as much as possible."

Maj. Ian McBeth, with the 186th, transferred from the Wyoming unit for a three-year tour in Montana to grow that state's C-130 program. He is back in Cheyenne to fly in this training event.

"The size of the towns (Cheyenne and Great Falls), the active duty Air Force presence at another location in the same town, the airport and airspace setup, the similarities go on and on," he said. "These similarities between the locations create a situation where much can be learned quickly."