174FW Pilots to Fly Last Mission from Syracuse

Courtesy of JohnFB and from the WSYR-TV website:

The 174th Fighter Wing will conclude its F-16 operations on March 6, when the final two planes depart Hancock Field. (WSYR-TV) Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Pilots from the 174th Fighter Wing fly the last two F-16s in Syracuse away during a ceremony this Saturday. This is the final step in the 174th’s transition to flying unmanned airplanes.

The 174th Fighter Wing will conclude its F-16 operations on March 6, when the final two planes depart Hancock Field. A formal ceremony will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday to commemorate that event.

The 174th Fighter Wing is switching to flying unmanned drones via remote controls. Near the end of last year the 174th began to fly the MQ-9 Reapers in Afghanistan through a satellite connection. Although the planes are deployed overseas, the pilots are here at Hancock Field.

174th Fighter Wing Conducts Final F-16 Fly-by

HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SYRACUSE (02/19/20100--Aircrews and F-16-C Fighting Falcon aircraft from the New York Air National Guard's 174th Fighter Wing will mark their final scheduled fly-by in support of the AHL's first outdoor hockey game between the Syracuse Crunch and the Binghamton Senators at the New York State Fairgrounds on February 20, 2010 at 1 p.m.

After 22 years of flying the F-16 from Hancock Field, the 174th Fighter Wing is in the process of converting to the remotely piloted aircraft MQ-9 Reaper.

"Thank You" to all the people who've supported us all these years. It's been a privilege to fly the F-16 here in Syracuse", said Lt. Col. Sean McQuaid one of the pilots who will perform the unit's last scheduled F-16 fly-by.

For many decades, the New York Air National Guard's 174th Fighter Wing has supported military fly-bys from the New York State Fair to this year's opening of the new Yankee Stadium. The 174th Fighter Wing will stop flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon the first week of March.

The 174th Fighter Wing was formed on October 28, 1947 as the first post World War II Air National Guard flying unit in New York State.

Through the unit's 60+ year history, it has flown the P-47D Thunderbolt, F-84B Thunderjet, F-86H Sabre Jet, A-10 Warthog and F-16 Fighting Falcon. As of December 1st 2009, the unit was the first Air National Guard unit to fly continuous combat operations with the MQ-9 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.