US Air Force Col. Robert McCutchen, Jr., the special assistant to the 56th Fighter Wing commander at Luke AFB, Arizona, became the third pilot worldwide to record 5,000 flight hours in the F-16 on 1 April 2011. Inspired by his father who was a fighter pilot in the Korean and Vietnam wars, McCutchen began his training in the first Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training class at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 1982. After completing F-16 conversion training at MacDill AFB, Florida, he had nine consecutive assignments in the Fighting Falcon. For the last fourteen years, McCutcheon has served as an associate instructor with the 56th FW, as well as the 944th FW, the Air Force Reserve Command Associate unit at Luke.
