Trainer to command NAVAIR Depot North Island

By Bill Bartkus
NAVAIR Depot North Island

CORONADO, Calif. – Capt. William “Tim” Trainer will relieve Capt. James Woolway as commanding officer of NAVAIR Depot North Island Tuesday, Nov. 2. For the past 18 months, Trainer has served as the depot’s executive officer.

Woolway, who has commanded the depot since April 2003, has orders to Commander Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) headquarters, Patuxent River, Md. NAVAIR provides cost-wise readiness and dominant maritime combat power to make a great Navy and Marine Corps team better.

Born and raised in Durham, Conn., Trainer received his commission in 1979 through the NROTC program at Marquette University, Milwaukee, where he received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He then reported to the Naval Air Training Command, Pensacola, Fla., for flight training, and he was designated a naval aviator in October 1980.

His sea assignments have included Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 3 for Fleet Replacement Squadron training in the H-46 Sea Knight helicopter, and later as an FRS instructor; HC-11, where he completed two Western Pacific deployments aboard USS Flint and USS Wichita; and USS Inchon as safety officer and assistant air officer. While aboard Inchon, he was instrumental in integrating AV-8B and helicopter night vision goggles flight deck operations and led the ship’s award winning electrical safety program.

Following jet transition training in Beeville, Texas, Trainer attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River and graduated with “Class 88” in December 1985. He was assigned to Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Directorate as an engineering test pilot and H-46 program coordinator where he participated in more than 15 flight test projects involving H-46, H-53, and dynamic interface testing. He returned to Test Pilot School in 1986 and served as a test pilot instructor and H-46 staff monitor. During his tour of duty at TPS, he was selected for redesignation as an aerospace engineering duty officer.

Trainer attended Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif., and received his master’s degree (with distinction) in aeronautical engineering.

In 1992, he reported to the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, where he served as the aircraft carrier-helicopter avionics system program officer. In this capacity, he was responsible for all SH-60F and HH-60H avionics including the development and initial testing of the Airborne Low Frequency Sonar system. In late 1995, he transferred to the staff of Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, for duty as helicopter class desk officer and was responsible for the technical, program and logistics requirements of all Navy and Marine Corps helicopters in the Pacific Fleet.

He returned to Patuxent River in 1998 as deputy program manager for MH-60S development and procurement, including the Combat Search and Rescue and Airborne Mine Countermeasures variants. After being promoted to captain in August 1999, Trainer reported as the director of NAVAIR’s Air Vehicle Engineering Department where he served until April 2001 when he was selected as executive assistant to the commander of Naval Air Systems Command.

He has accumulated more than 2,700 flight hours in 46 different aircraft. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service medals, and the Navy Commendation Medal.