By Vicky Falcón
NAVAIR Public Affairs

Allen Claflin, AT1(AW/NAC), is a boy at heart.

He loves to ride bikes and practice Tae Kwon Do with his two daughters, and admits to spending a lot of his free time on Play Station II.

But Claflin also loves working for the Naval Air System Command.

"I was told this was where all the new "toys" get played with first," he said. "And I wanted to play!"

Acting as a liaison between the contractor and government, Claflin and his teammates at NAVAIR's Naval Force Aircraft Test Squadron in Patuxent River, Md., conduct developmental testing of brand new products for the P-3 Orion platform.

"We act as customer representatives," he said, "improving communications, enhancing radar and ensuring a better product for the fleet."

A native of Whitewright, Texas, Claflin says even as a small child he knew he would someday be in the military. "There was never any question," he said, "and I knew I wanted to work on aircraft."

Claflin has a diverse Navy background that started with Aviation Electronics A-school in Tenn., and then Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department experience at Naval Air Station North Island, Ca., where he worked in helicopter squadron maintenance. It also includes fleet experience on the USS Shiloh in the Persian Gulf with the Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL-49).

Claflin says he is always looking to learn something new, which is why he chose to attend Aircrew School in Pensacola, Fl., after re-enlistment. "I always wanted to fly," he said . . . and now he does.

"My broad base of knowledge is what brought me to NAVAIR," Claflin said. "I was recruited into this office after they looked at my record."

Now Claflin is part of an expert team testing and evaluating aircraft and related systems in support of their delivery to the fleet. His squadron is responsible for evaluating aircraft, systems, avionics, and software for the fixed-wing antisubmarine, airborne early warning, intelligence collection, command and control, tanker, COD, trainer, utility and support aircraft.

"Everyone I work with is 110% committed to the success of the fleet," he said. "For the fleet to succeed, they need the best possible product. I pinpoint fleet problems (with P-3 equipment) and better identify ways to solve those problems."

Claflin heads back to the fleet next January, and is anxious to share his acquired experiences and knowledge with his shipmates.

Describing himself as the "tip of the spear," Claflin says he is a direct representative of NAVAIR.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about how business is done here," he said. "NAVAIR is a very complex machine, but ultimately it does what it's supposed to do and I now understand a lot more about it."

And about the toys?

"I have one of the coolest jobs," he said. "I have been able to see and do things that I know make a difference - and I have a lot of fun doing it."

Photos by Vicky Falcón, NAVAIR Public Affairs

Caption Photo 1: Allen Claflin, AT1(AW/NAC), inspects the nose wheel-well as part of pre-flight testing on a P-3 Orion.

Caption Photo 2: Allen Claflin, AT1(AW/NAC), evaluates radar operations for pre-flight onboard a P-3 Orion.