VT-1 Eaglets
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(SDO), is the unit's contact point. They maintain unit rosters, help
old friends link up, coordinate with unit reunions, and gather unit
information. The
SDO List.
The Association is particularly interested in your Skyhawk related
information and photos, but will gladly accept information about all
eras of the unit. e-Mail the Association Webmaster.
AND we welcome "anyone with an interest" in the Skyhawk to JOIN The Skyhawk Association.
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VT-1 Eaglets - 1959
Patch from Phil "Quick Draw" Slaton
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Patch
Handle
Heritage
- Training Squadron ONE was never assigned the Skyhawk. The squadron, or
its predecessors, were the first training squadron for all Marine and
Navy Skyhawk pilots.
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Home Ports
Air Wings
Deployments
Aircraft
Commanding Officers
Events
- 1910
Mr. Orville Wright, Mr. Wilbur Wright and Mr.Glenn Curtiss provided contract services to the United States Navy to
flight train Naval Officers at their facilities.
- 1913
The United States Navy designated the
abandonded Navy Yard Pensacola, Florida to train Naval Aviators.
- 1919
During World War I, 999 Naval Aviators were
trained at Naval Station Pensacola.
- 1945
During World War II, 28,000 Naval Aviators were
flight trained at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Initial Navy flight
training was also accomplished at such remote sites as Sand Point,
Idaho; Olathe, Kansas; Memphis, Tennessee and Glennview, Illinois.
- By 1950
Six small Basic Training Unit (BTU)
squadrons had been established to provided initial flight training for
future Naval Aviators.
- 1956
Training Squadron ONE (VT-1) established at
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida by consolidating and redesignating
seven smaller Basic Training Unit (BTU) squadrons.
- 1956
Training Squadron ONE (VT-1) was formed by consolidating seven smaller
Basic Training Unit (BTU) squadrons. Six of the BTU squadrons were
assigned the
Beechcraft T-34B Mentor and one BTU squadron was assigned the
Temco TT-1
Pinto jet.* Before the T-34B Mentor was introduced the
small Basic Training Unit squadrons flew the North American SNJ Texan -
Harvard - T6..
TT-1 photograph from the Harry S. Gann collection.
- 1957
Training Squadron ONE is based on Naval Auxiliary Air Station Saufley
Field, which is located about ten miles west of Pensacola, Florida.
VT-1 employs the prop driven Beechcraft T-34B Mentor to fulfill its
primary flight instruction mission. The T-34B was introduced to VT-1 in
the fall of 1956
- 1963:
The first solo flight, for student Naval Aviators, is the first of the
many great thrills he will experience in his communion with plane and
sky. It happens every day at Saufley Field in Pensacola, Florida. VT-1
at Saufley Field employed the prop driven Beechcraft T-34B Mentor to
fulfill its primary flight instruction mission. The T-34B "Mentor"
introduced to VT-1 in the fall of 1956 had completed over 11,500 first
training phase students by 1963.
After graduating from an intensive sixteen weeks of preflight training
at Naval Air Station "Mainside" Pensacola the student naval aviator is
transferred to Saufley for his first flight instruction. As the student
approaches the base along the Saufley Field Access Road, he catches a
glimpse of the long red and white line of planes that he will learn to
know so well. There are over one hundred and forty planes on the "East
Line" which is visible from this road.
The first few days at Saufley are spent on the routine check-in
procedures and the student repeats the process that will become so
familiar throughout his flight training . . . he is loaded down with
books. There are many, many hours of preparation on the ground for each
hour spent in the air.
The initial indoctrination, includes an introduction to the student's
first "squadron" Training Squadron One. Hanger 809 is the home of
Training Squadron One, and is divided into sections for the four
individual Flights: Flight 12, 13, 14 and Flight 18, the Marine Corps
Flight. The primary student is given a brief greeting by his individual
flight leader or his assistant and then checks in to ground training.
Here he will spend his first week before returning to the hangar.
Pre-Flight ground school material is directly related to flying that
will be done in the weeks ahead. Cockpit procedures, engineering and
flight characteristics of the particular aircraft are covered.
After the two weeks of ground school, the big moment arrives; the
student meets his instructor, and weather permitting, they check out on
the flight schedules board for the flight line and the PS (Pre-solo) -1
hop. For the next six weeks the student's time will be spent equally
between ground school and the flight line. Every effort is made to
unify the information presented on the ground and in the air in order
to make the student's learning experience complete.
Although often not as exciting as the flight phase of training, ground
school is on extremely important and vital port of the training. An
attempt is made to make aviators who will understand every phase of the
missions to which they will be assigned, and to make Naval Officers as
well as aviators. The positions of leadership and responsibility to
which the student can expect to fall heir are unequaled.
In the hangar the student will find a keen rivalry and a high "esprit
de corps." Regular competitions are conducted for student of the week,
flight of the month, numerous safety awards, and there are many
athletic events. Squadron parties and Friday afternoon "Happy Hours"
add greatly to the feeling of belonging that will prevail throughout
the student's Naval Aviation career.
Flight training at VT-1 is divided into two stages of instruction,
pre-solo and precision flight.
In the pre-solo stage the student receives thirteen flights; eleven
dual instructional flights; the pre-solo -12 safe-for-solo check and
the pre-solo -13 solo. The dual instructional flights prepare the
student for the solo flights he will receive in precision flight stage
by giving him a thorough introduction to landing procedure and
technique. He is also taught to cope with various emergencies that may
arise and he is taught the local traffic patterns. Good airmanship and
safety are stressed at all times.
The pre-solo -12 check flight is flown with an instructor other than
the student's regular instructor. Based on long experience of training
and checking students the check pilot determines whether or not the
student is safe to go it alone. To indicate success on this flight the
traditional "thumbs up" sign is given by the instructor.
The student's last flight in this stage is his long anticipated first
solo flight. Every conceivable emotion has been co-pilot with students
on this first solo, but, invariably, a feeling of tremendous pride has
accompanied every student as he walked from his plane back to the
hangar upon completion of this flight.
Soloing, in spite of its importance to the new pilot, is only the first
in a long succession of hurdles to be taken before he is a qualified
aviator. After the first solo, training intensifies and the student
pilot must learn precision and proficiency flying.
In the precision stage the student refines maneuvers that were
introduced in the pre-solo stage and he learns many new ones. A student
will generally fly one solo hop and one dual instructional hop while in
this stage. The loop, the full cuban eight, the wingover, the barrel
roll and the spin become familiar "lingo" in the hangar after the solo
acrobatics flights.
The student finishes this phase of his training at VT-1 when he
successfully completes his precision stage check. This hop is not only
flown with a different instructor, but the instructor comes from
another flight.
With the completion of Primary, the student has taken a big step in
accomplishing his goal to be a Naval Aviator. His confidence in himself
and his ability to handle a plane are now real. Although still a long
way from his "Wings of Gold" the fledgling pilot has had many
experiences and is on his way to establishing habits that will remain
with him throughout his life.
The top five percent of Training Squadron ONE graduates are assigned to
VT-7 or VT-9 at Navy Auxiliary Air Station Meridian, Mississippi for
basic jet flight instruction in the T-2A Buckeye.
Most other Training Squadron ONE graduates are sent to VT-2 at North
Field on Navy Auxiliary Air Station Whiting Field, Milton Florida for
basic propeller flight instruction in the T-28 Trojan.
- 19??: Training Squadron ONE (VT-1) disestablished.
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