Training took place from August 3 to 18 from the Boa Vista Air Base (BABV)
Air Force Agency – 1st ETA, by Lieutenant Eduardo Cabral
The First Air Transport Squadron (1º ETA) – Tracajá Squadron and the Seventh Air Transport Squadron (7º ETA) – Cobra Squadron, based respectively in Belém (PA) and Manaus (AM), carried out the Technical Exercise (EXTEC) Critical Runway Phase I, from Boa Vista Air Base (BABV), in Roraima.
Under the coordination of the Belém Air Base (BABE), EXTEC took place from August 3 to 18 and aimed to train crews in the planning and execution of Air Logistics Transport actions, operations on semi-prepared runways, basic training missions and operational maintenance, using C-98A Grand Caravan aircraft.
During the activity, raids were carried out to the Surucucu (RR), Normandia (RR) and Bonfim (RR) airstrips, places where ground transportation for the Brazilian Army’s Border Platoons (PEFs) is restricted or unfeasible except by air, as in the case of Surucucu.
Training on unpaved or semi-paved runways is essential for the squadrons operating in the Amazon region, in order to provide effective and safe support to the Border Platoons and hard-to-reach communities.
The commander of the 1st ETA, Lieutenant Colonel Moises Franklin da Costa, emphasizes the importance of training for military personnel who work in the jungle region. “Keeping our teams prepared in the best possible way is a key factor, so that the mission can be carried out safely. The example of how well prepared our crews are was demonstrated during Operations Yanomami and Ágata,” he concluded.
Support for Operations Ágata and Yanomami
Also in 2023, starting in February, aircraft from the Tracajá Squadron were deployed to Boa Vista to carry out missions within the scope of the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE), in support of Operations Yanomami and Ágata Fronteira Norte.
Over the course of six months, the Squadron transported more than 400 food baskets for indigenous communities and 30,000 liters of fuel for the helicopters operating around Surucucu. In addition, numerous military personnel and authorities providing support in the region were transported.
Photos: Lieutenant Eduardo Cabral / 1st ETA