WTI 2-11

[Lynn Evans]

A few photos from Yuma. WTI goes for seven weeks with an exercise in town at Kiwanis Park this year. The Marines do a great job with planning and safety. I am sure glad to have them in Yuma. The M-ATV is new, the first units landed is Afghanistan Oct 22,2010.


CH-53's


_E8F6617


AV 8B Harrier


F-18


F-18C Hornet


CH-53


M-ATV


CH-53E Super Stallion

[Matt Ottosen]

A few photos from Yuma. WTI goes for seven weeks with an exercise in town at Kiwanis Park this year. The Marines do a great job with planning and safety. I am sure glad to have them in Yuma. The M-ATV is new, the first units landed is Afghanistan Oct 22,2010.


CH-53E Super Stallion

AWESOME shot!

WTI is always a lot of fun, I wish I could have made it down for this one.

[Bubak]

wowwwwwww!!! Super!!

[Bubak]

Lynn: every day for seven weeks?

[cpasley]

Im curious too, I suddenly feel a roadtrip anyone wanna join me?

[Lynn Evans]

Thanks guys. They only have one exercise in town. The rest of the time they have classroom at MCAS, and train on the Goldwater and Chocolate Mountain Ranges.

[Bubak]

...nothing in "Heads-up"....

[Jason Hyatt]

FINEX isn't until this coming Fri-Sun if anybody's interested in catching it and can get down there on short notice.

[Joe Copalman]

Lynn, that -53 shot is amazing.

[bilwor]

Great shots Lynn, especially the Super Stallion. Wish I could come to Yuma for this.
bill word

[Jeff D. Welker]

FINEX isn't until this coming Fri-Sun if anybody's interested in catching it and can get down there on short notice.

...nothing in "Heads-up"....

I hate to always be the dullest knife in the drawer; however, I clearly need some education on WTI and FINEX. What do these initials stand for and what photo opportunities are involved? I've tried some research and don't find much besides some wonderful photos. Due to my lack of understanding, I have the same question as Kaspar - is this something that would/should be on the "Calendar" or in "Heads Up"? If I'm missing the obvious, I apologize for the level of my ignorance.

Thanks.

PS Lynn - Your photos are wonderful. My grandson loves images of the 53. He thinks they are all some sort of transformer 

[Lynn Evans]

...nothing in "Heads-up"....

I was sure I had posted on the exercise, but a search shows no such post. I apologize for not giving a heads up. I have NO excuse.

[Lynn Evans]

WTI stands for Weapons and Tactics Instructors Course. It is held in Yuma twice a year. Instructors are trained here and then they return to their respective units and train them. There are many aircraft flying from MCAS Yuma during the training period. Patience will get you many opportunities from the Fairgrounds parking lot. If you have press credentials, you may have a opportunity to visit on the base thru the Public Affairs office with advance planning.

[Joe Copalman]

Jeff, think of it as TOPGUN for every aircraft in the Marine Corps inventory or the equivalent of the various Weapons School tracks run out of Nellis.  Just a train-the-trainers course.  FINEX is the final exercise, during which the curricula for all the various platforms merges into mass mission planning and execution.  Often the FINEX will draw in the same support units that Red Flags do - tankers, AWACS, JSTARS, Compass Calls, etc.    

[Brian Lockett]

Beautiful shots Lynn!  Hornet 400 is a pretty bird.  The ambient light must have been fading for the beacon of that Su0per Stallion to be so bright.  Very nice capture!