Acting Under Secretary of the Navy Gregory J. Slavonic experienced the Navy’s new approach to primary flight training during a visit to Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Oct. 8.
CNATRA Rear Adm. Robert Westendorff showed Slavonic how CNATRA is leveraging virtual and mixed reality technology while providing flight students continuous access to interactive media in the new syllabus named Project Avenger.
Project Avenger is a prototype syllabus designed to train naval aviators to a greater level of proficiency in a shorter period of time to increase fleet aviator availability.
Westendorff and Slavonic discussed current and future aviator production during the visit. Slavonic toured various Training Air Wing 4 facilities and experienced the thrill of flight both on a virtual reality trainer device and in a T-6B Texan II turboprop aircraft, the Navy’s primary flight trainer.
“We are very fortunate to have young men and women who want a career in Naval Aviation,” Slavonic said. “We need young people to seek out opportunities like this and lean forward. It’s not only a job it’s a great journey.”
Slavonic took the opportunity to speak with instructor pilots and staff who have returned to CNATRA with fleet experience.
“It’s important that those who have been part of an air wing return to mentor and train the next generation,” he said to fleet aviators. “If the opportunity presents itself we need you to come here, become part of this training pipeline, and ultimately use your valuable experiences to help train the next-generation of naval aviators.”
Slavonic visited multiple commands in Texas to engage with Sailors and Marines and view readiness and training efforts.
CNATRA is responsible for training all Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviators, naval flight officers, and naval aircrewmen. Training is spread across five air wings located in Texas, Florida, and Mississippi. Headquartered in Corpus Christi, CNATRA trains the world's finest combat quality aviation professionals, delivering them at the right time, in the right numbers, and at the right cost to a naval force that is where it matters, when it matters.