The End of an Era

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J. Justin Pearce
  • 403rd Wing
Even before the last WC-130H left the runway, a row of empty lockers was already forming at the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. 

These lockers held crew equipment for the Hurricane Hunters’ flight engineers, who are all moving on as this legacy era closes out for the 403rd Wing. 

During the 2005 hurricane season the wing finalized transition to the WC-130J with integrated computer technology. The new aircraft, which reduced the number of crew positions necessary to perform missions replaced the venerable H-models which had served the unit for decades and also brought an end to the respected career field of flight engineers at Keesler. 

According to Air Force historical documents, the earliest flight engineers date back to the employment of long-range aircraft like the B-29 Super-Fortress and C-69 Constellation. 

Originally a specialty assigned to officers it was soon converted to an enlisted career field which proved invaluable in WWII. 

Even in the age of technology, the flight engineer will be needed for many years to come on the force’s legacy aircraft. They are an essential part of the team that “gets ‘em there and brings ‘em back.” 

Duties of flight engineers primarily deal with mathematics, used for aircraft inspections, routine systems checks before, during and after missions, troubleshooting, and a swarm of other mathematical duties used to supply pilots with information they need to fly safely. 

They wouldn’t be caught without their handy book of equations carried along on every flight. 

“We were the ones who were always there, and as long as you didn’t notice us, everything was good,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Barganier, a flight engineer with less than two years on the job. He is one of 13 troops left in the ever-shrinking group of engineers at the 53rd WRS. 

Most of the engineers are transferring to other units still flying the H-model – the rest have either retired, are waiting to retire or have separated from the Reserve in other ways. 

“All things considered, I can’t complain about anything . . . we knew it was going to happen, we just weren’t sure when,” said Sergeant Barganier. “I don’t hate the ‘J.’ The Air Force has evolved a long way in flying and this is part of our technological progression.” 

Master Sgt. Kim Wolfersperger, a veteran engineer, said he is staying. 

“I think they’re going to make me a dropsonde operator here, but it’s not going to be the same,” he said. “I’m used to being right in the middle of things and you’re counted on to keep the crew safe and for so much – it just won’t be the same.” 

Sergeant Wolfersperger, however, said he is keeping a positive attitude about the change. Conversion from H-models to J-models began when the first J-model arrived here in 1999. 

The flight engineers at the 53rd WRS remain understanding about their unit’s conversion to the J-model and its value to the Hurricane Hunters’ mission. Even so, they said they’ll still miss the people and flying wih the unit. 

“It was worth getting to ride into the eye of a hurricane – it’s the most amazing thing to see,” said Sergeant Barganier. “I thought it would be cool to fly for a change instead of always watching them come and go, so I got the chance and took it.” 

“I volunteered for the job because it is something I really enjoyed doing,” said Chief Master Sgt. Steve Riley, who began his military career in 1970, the same year his friend and fellow engineer, Master Sgt. Bob Sharp, joined. 

“This unit was flying older H-models, some of which were built in the 1960’s,” said Sergeant Sharp. “But the manufacturer was still building them and the Air Force was still buying them through the 90s. With that many aircraft still in the force, C-130 flight engineers could still be around for another 20 to 30 years.”