The White Falcon - 10.08.1990, Side 7

VP-49 departs as VP-56 arrives
J02 Jay Gaona
“Dragons” replaced “Woodpeckers” as the
sentinels of the ocean when Patrol Squadron
56 (VP-56) assumed the duties of anti-subma-
rine warfare (ASW) and surface surveillance
from Patrol Squadron 49.
The 266 enlisted and 64 officers who com-
prise VP-56 arrived earlier this week and they
are looking forward to being part of Iceland’s
ASW team, said Cmdr. Carl “Max” Lindner
HI, commanding officer of the squadron.
“Keflavik is a great place to be for anti-
submarine warfare,” he said, adding that the
eight updated P-3 “Orions” in the squadron
“are without a question the best ASW plat-
form there is.”
Prior to deploying from their homeport of
Jacksonville, Fla., Cmdr. Lindner said the
“Dragons” trained intensively for their six-
month tour here. Die squadron received a
number of inspections, and took part in round-
the-clock operations to ensure their readiness
for the deployment.
Much of the training was geared toward the
weather conditions prevalent in Iceland.
Being in Jacksonville, we are not sub-
ected to the same weather conditions as in
and,” Cmdr. Lindner said. “The pilots
ed in a flight simulator that imitated
'ather and runway conditions in Keflavik.
When we landed here it was not actually the
first time.”
While the flight simulator allowed pilots to
“fly” in Iceland’s severe winter weather, Cmdr.
Lindner admitted that there is no substitute for
experience when it comes to personnel work-
ing on the flight line.
“We are very fortunate to be getting here
when we are,” he explained. “We will be able
to see the transition (to adverse weather) rather
than coming in cold turkey.
“We’ll learn and we’ll take it slow so that
we don’t compromise safety,” he said.
VP-49’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Robert
P. Coonan, summed up his squadron’s tour,
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Patrol Squadron 49's AN Jim Joyner (left) and AD AN David A. Jaillite load the squadron's
"luggage" on a pallet where it will be lowered by crane to the hangar floor. (Photo by J02 Jay
Gaona)
saying, “Everything went very well. The base
was very supportive and we didn’t have any
problems with the weather.”
He also offered advice to the new patrol
squadron. “Get involved in community activi-
ties and take advantage of the many opportu-
nities in Iceland. Have a good time and see the
island.”
During VP-56’s deployment they will fly a
line from the southern tip of Greenland toward
Great Britain through the Greenland and
Norwegian Seas — an important area consid-
ering the Soviet Union’s northern operating
fleet must pass through the area to return to
their homeport.
Additionally, the squadron will play a part
in the NATO mission, flying with maritime
patrol aircraft from Canada, Denmark, Ger-
many, Norway, TheNethcrlands and the Uni ted
Kingdom.
VP-49 personnel unload cargo from the crane. (Photo by J02 Jay Gaona)
Cmdr. Carl “Max” Lindner III
August 10,1990
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