Carpathian Spring 2011 kicks off in Romania

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
OTOPENI, Romania --  More than 70 U.S. Airmen and Soldiers headed to Romania March 14, officially marking the kick-off of Carpathian Spring 2011.

The weeklong annual exercise was designed to strengthen the partnership between the U.S. and Romanian air forces, while also enhancing their individual capabilities through training scenarios that are difficult to achieve at home station.

Members of the 37th Airlift Squadron, 435th Contingency Response Group, 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and 5th Quarter Masters Battalion are among the key members involved in this year's event held at Airlift Base Otopeni and Campia Turzii.

The first day of flying missions from Otopeni couldn't have gone better. The weather was cooperative, the crews were ready to go, and a special guest on one of the U.S. Air Force C-130Js was excited to be flying with the Americans for the first time -- Romanian air force Pilot Lt. Daniel Motoroui.

"I am really looking forward to this, the weather is perfect," the lieutenant said. "I think we are going to fly over the village where I am from today."

Lieutenant Motoroui, originally from the town of Breaza, is a MiG 21 pilot who recently changed airframe specialties to the C-130.

"I have not flown one [C-130] yet, I am still in training," he said, however he has been flying with the Romanian air force for 12 years, since he joined the service at age 18.

When asked, 'How long have you been in the air force', he said, "I was born in the air force," because he comes from a long line of air force tradition. "My grandfather was in the air force, my father is in the air force, and so was my uncle."

Lieutenant Motoroui joined 37th AS members Capt. Justin Gripp and 1st Lt. Cory Killian on their mission from Airlift Base Otopeni to accomplish low-level flying through the Carpathian Mountains to Campia Turzii. Once there, they picked up Romanian paratroopers and U.S. jumpmasters to perform a personnel drop over a landing zone nearby.

"It is always good to be able to interfly with other countries even though there are some unique challenges," said Captain Gripp of the minor differences due to procedures and language barriers.

Due to the combination of the weather, the skills of those involved and the overall cooperation, the mission was a success.

"The mission today was very good," said U.S. Air Force Col. Edward Watson, 37th AS pilot and deployed commander for the exercise. "We met all of the Romanian objectives today and got all of the jumpers out safely."

The first day of Carpathian Spring 2011 has set the right tone for the rest of the week's operations. For more information and photos from the exercise, stay tuned to www.ramstein.af.mil.