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“Nearly every former and current Army C-26 pilot has flown this air- craft at one point or another here at FWAATS,” Brink said.
While operating the C-26 was more of an opportunity that popped up than a proactive choice by the Army National Guard, the aircraft has earned its way into the heart of the pilots.
“The C-26 is versatile, it’s rugged and it has proven itself over time in a variety of missions,” Latimer said. “It can go from medical transportation to be set up for surveillance or for hauling passengers and cargo, or for a combination of all that. Versatility is the name of the game for the Army – and the military in general. A plat- form that allows us to dynamically adapt with whatever the demand is or the changing environment is ideal for the military. The C-26 is great for that, plus, it has some of the best avionics that the Army flies, so that enables our pilots to get into remote locations and inclement weather. It’s just a really good all-around plane.”
Training in the aircraft is appre- ciated, too.
“Anybody who has f lown that aircraft knows and appreciates that the C-26 is unique in its handling capabilities,” said Brink, who flew a combination of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft on active duty for 16 years and joined the West Virginia National Guard as a full-time fixed wing instructor in 2019. “You have to fly the aircraft in order for it to do what you want it to do. Even if the autopilot is doing what it’s doing, there’s a lot of hands-on flying. I love flying the C-26 because it forces you to have those stick and rudder skills that might be degraded flying some- thing else.”
MeLinda Schnyder is a writer and editor based in Wichita, Kansas. She writes most often about aviation, business and travel. She worked 12 years in the corporate communica-tions departments for Beechcraft and Cessna Aircraft Company. MeLinda can be reached at mvschnyder@ gmail.com.
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August 2021 / TWIN & TURBINE • 19