Special Missions Aviator - What Do They Do? - 1A9X1 - US Air Force

The job of a special mission aviator can seem a bit complex. Part flight engineer, part gunner, and sometimes part load master. And while it might sound like a lot to handle, airmen in this career field are feeling pretty good about the merger. I think it's a step towards a good direction because it'll build a better CRM amongst the aircraft having two qualified right-seaters in the back if there are any kind of emergency situations. You can have two sets of eyes and ears being able to troubleshoot and work any kind of problems. The main idea behind merging the career fields was to balance the force, but also to boost efficiency and safety inside the aircraft. This gives leadership a broader pool of qualified airmen to choose from when it's time to select a crew for a mission, and it provides more assurance that the mission will get accomplished in the event of an emergency. All in all, a good plan, but how does it happen? Right now, we have several individuals that are going through the basic flight engineer program and then doing in-house training to become certified on the right seat duties, being what used to be specific to flight engineers. This career field merger gives these aircrew members vital skills to use in special missions and rescue operations, and it's just one more way the Air Force is working and changing to help bring service members home safely. From Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, I'm Airman First Class Brandon Saban.