Flight training has commenced as part of the C-21A instructor pilot course at Scott AFB, Ill., for the first time since the base’s 458th Airlift Squadron regained the C-21 training mission. The 458th AS earlier this year assumed responsibility for the training from the 45th AS at Kessler AFB, Miss. The Scott unit also conducts normal operational airlift missions with its C-21s, which are militarized Lear business transports. The first course flight took place on July 6. (Scott photo caption by SSgt. Brian J. Valencia)
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.