Area man receives pilot's wings

Air Force 2nd Lt. Thomas J. Horan has received silver pilot's wings after graduating from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, Texas.The SUPT is a 52-week training program consisting of a three-week preflight phase I, which includes academics and physiology training for flight preparation. The second phase, primary training, is conducted in the twin-engine, subsonic T-37 Tweet aircraft to learn flight characteristics, emergency procedures, takeoff and landing procedures, aerobatics, and formation flying.After the T-37 training, students select advanced training in the fighter-bomber track, tanker-transport track, turboprop aircraft track or helicopter track. Each track is designed to best train pilots for successful transition to their follow-on aircraft and mission.The fighter-bomber track trains in the T-38 Talon supersonic trainer, the tanker-transport track trains in the T-1A Jayhawk, the military small version of a passenger business jet. The turboprop aircraft track trains in the C-130 Hercules aircraft, and the helicopter track trains in utility helicopters.Horan is a KC 135 pilot assigned to the 47th Flying Training Wing and has served in the military for two years.He is the son of Kevin and Diane Horan of Summit Ave., Fort Washington, Pa.Horan graduated in 2004 from Upper Dublin High School, Fort Washington, and received a bachelor of science degree in 2008 from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.