'Thunderstorm of the Worst Case'

An Air Force C-17 Pilot Recalls Leading the Last Formation of the Afghanistan evacuation.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, January 24, 2022 at 10:13 AM ET

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U.S. Air Force C-17 pilot Major Kirby Wedan [Courtesy: US Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

Major Kirby Wedan describes the profound exhaustion and wide range of emotions experienced by crews during the chaotic Afghanistan evacuation, noting the personal and professional impact of leading the final military flights out of Kabul.
The Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) presented unprecedented logistical and operational challenges, requiring crews to make critical, on-the-spot decisions, such as floor-loading evacuees and employing tactical VFR departure procedures due to Kabul's high-altitude and mountainous terrain.
Wedan emphasizes the extraordinary dedication, training, and adaptability of the entire, often-overlooked, air mobility community (pilots, ground crews, support personnel) who worked tirelessly under extreme pressure to successfully evacuate thousands.

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Editor’s Note: On August 30, 2021, the last round of U.S. military airplanes filled with troops and civilians departed Kabul, marking the end of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. During the Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO), military flights evacuated an estimated 124,000 people from Afghanistan. U.S. Air Force C-17 pilot Major Kirby Wedan led the last formation of aircraft out of Afghanistan. Here is her story of that day, lightly edited and as told to FLYING.

I guess, like any exercise I’ve trained for, it all started kind of the day prior. We had a brief for all the crews, we had a bigger picture operation brief, and then the C-17-specific brief for the crews executing, and then everyone was sent to crew rest, just like every other exercise that we’ve trained for.