Naval Air Training Command
The Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) is a one star command that administers the training of student Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers, Naval Aircrew, aircraft maintainers and controllers. Its headquarters is located at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, and it oversees operations in five states. The Mission of Naval Air Training Command is to train the world’s finest combat quality aviation professionals, delivering them at the right time, in the right numbers, and at the right cost.[1]
Commanded by Rear Admiral Dell D. Bull, the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA),[2] CNATRA and NATRACOM are headquartered on board NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. In 2009, NATRACOM's 739 aircraft logged 358,449 flight hours, nearly a third of the Department of the Navy total. To put those numbers in perspective, CNATRA flew 28% of the combined Navy and Marine Corps flight hours with 19% of the aircraft. In that same time more than 2,400 Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers (NFO) and Naval Aircrewmen earned their “Wings of Gold”.
Contents
Subordinate commands
CNATRA leads the Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) composed of five Training Air Wings:
- Training Air Wing 1 at NAS Meridian, Mississippi
- Training Air Wing 2 at NAS Kingsville, Texas
- Training Air Wing 4 at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas
- Training Air Wing 6 at NAS Pensacola, Florida
- Training Air Wing 5 at NAS Whiting Field, Florida
Training Air Wing 3 at the former NAS Chase Field, Texas was decommissioned in 1992 and Training Air Wing 8 at the former NAS Glynco, Georgia was decommissioned in 1975. The five active wings are home to seventeen Training Squadrons, also known as VT and HT squadrons.
In addition, joint training is also conducted with the U.S. Air Force at Naval Aviation Training Unit Vance at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. CNATRA also oversees the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.
CNATRA is part of the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE), reporting to Commander, Naval Air Forces.
See also
- Naval aviation
- Modern US Navy carrier air operations
- List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) / List of US Naval aircraft
- United States Naval Aviator
- Naval Flight Officer
- Military aviation
External links
- Official site: https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/index.htm
