Readiness is a Team Sport
Aviation Maintenance / By MG James M. Richardson: We make better decisions when we have less money. –Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder,Apple Computer: It is fifteen years since I deployed with my Apache battalion to Afghanistan during the earliest stages of Operation Enduring Freedom. At that moment in time, Army Aviation had spent the previous ten years training for combat at a reduced operational tempo (OPTEMPO), and essentially living off the parts purchased to support Operation Desert Storm. While we were trained and proficient in our battle tasks, Army Aviation as a whole was not prepared to sustain deployed forces in combat...
Learn MoreUAS Operations at Home Station – A Template For Safety
Combat Readiness Center / By CW5 (Ret.) Michael J. Carroll: Since 9/11, the world of unmanned aircraft systems has rapidly evolved to meet the needs of combatant commanders and our Army as a whole. Once a unique specialty of Military Intelligence, UAS are now fielded to combat aviation brigades (CABs) and brigade combat teams (BCTs) and utilized from squad/platoon levels up to division and corps. An RQ-7 Shadow (left) and MQ-1C Gray Eagle at Fort Huachuca, AZ. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY 2-13 AVN PUBLIC AFFAIRS Operating in potentially high-threat environments without risk to human crews, UAS are proving indispensable...
Learn MoreOn Course
President’s Cockpit / By BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret.: We are now only a few months away from the 2016 AAAA Annual Mission Solutions Summit and I will give you a brief situation report in a minute but first I want to review what we accomplished last month. CW5 (Ret.) Dave Cooper, our VP Membership; LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk, VP Chapters; and COL (Ret.) Mark Weiss, VP Reserve Component Affairs were able to visit the AAAA National HQ in Connecticut, December 16-17, 2015, meet the staff, and solidify plans for 2016. A full day of intense meetings covered everything from chapter...
Learn MoreFuture Vertical Lift – Getting Affordability into the Design
AMCOM Commander / By MG James M. Richardson: The Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort is gaining momentum across the Army and across the Department of Defense (DoD). It may be unprecedented in DoD procurement to have such a wide range of aviation users come together to participate in the development and acquisition of a family of systems. The H-60 rebuild line at Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). Army Aviation must leverage its knowledge of current system performance to build affordability into future aircraft designs. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CCAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS All DoD Services are contributing to the capabilities...
Learn MoreProject Warrior – Set Yourself Apart From Your Peers
Branch Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Eric C. Thom: Whenever I travel to our outstanding combat aviation brigades (CABs) I look forward to conducting a sensing session with our NCOs. Inevitably someone (sometimes it’s me) asks the question, “What can you do to get promoted?” SGT Swiegart, Co. B, 3rd Bn., 10th Avn. Regt., 10th Cbt. Avn. Bde. instructs Soldiers from 2nd Bn., 15 Field Artillery Regt., 2nd Bde. Cbt. Tm. on proper sling load procedures prior to their gun run. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO And I tell them they have to find a way to set themselves apart...
Learn MoreWarrant Officer Flight Training A Historical Perspective
Chief Warrant Officer / By CW5 Allen R. Godfrey: As of this December, the first LUH-72 Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) class is undergoing training. The model for IERW continually updates to take advantage of the resources, technology, and modernization of Army Aviation. Many years ago, flight school utilized a model know as Multi-track. WOC Thomas French and WOC Godfrey enjoying time away from TAC Officers. / PHOTO PROVIDED BY CW5 RANDY GODFREY This is an excerpt from a paper written on 18 Oct. 1989 based on the experiences gained during my stay at Fort Rucker. I graduated on 13...
Learn MoreInnovation in Technology and Process
Program Executive Officer, Aviation / By BG Robert L. Marion: The challenges for Army Aviation are extremely complex and approaching us quickly. They also present extraordinary opportunities for our Army and our industry partners. Aviation survivability continues to evolve to keep pace with current and emerging threats. / U.S. ARMY PEO AVIATION PHOTO Because we live in a time where everything moves at a lightning pace, our ability to innovate and react quickly is important now more than ever. If we take a serial approach to meet our critical needs, maturing technology within the Science and Technology (S&T) community, progressing...
Learn MoreRunning Full Throttle Into 2016
President’s Cockpit / By BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret.: Just before Thanksgiving, we experienced one of the busiest weeks in recent AAAA history. We hosted three separate symposia in one location over four days in Huntsville, Alabama. Military and industry networking during the 2015 AAAA Survivability and Support Week at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama, November 16-19, 2015. / AAPI PHOTO BY ALICE BYRNE More than 740 Soldiers, industry, acquisition, training personnel and Special Operators gathered at the Von Braun Center to network for solutions to materiel and training challenges in the Aviation Life Support Equipment (ALSE) Symposium, Aircraft...
Learn MoreRecognizing and Empowering Military Families
Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: The Armed Services YMCA established November as Military Family Month to recognize and honor families of service members for their unique contributions and sacrifices while supporting the Army mission. Many government, military, community, and business leaders teamed up with events and activities in support of this initiative. Then-Army Secretary John M. McHugh, Army Chief of Staff GEN Mark A. Milley, and Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel A. Dailey talk to a packed crowd of military spouses, Soldiers, DoD civilians and others during a Senior Leaders Town Hall held during AUSA’s Annual Meeting and...
Learn MoreA Paradigm Shift for Post ARI Master Gunner Training
From the Field / By CW5 Blaine A. Tirendi: The Aviation Master Gunner Course was created as a program of instruction for the attack and aeroscout community to “train senior instructor pilots (IP) to perform duties as the principle advisor to the commander and staff for tactical targeteering and weaponeering.” It also trains them to plan, schedule, coordinate and execute the unit gunnery training program. This course has been successful in equipping the instructor pilot in AH-64 and OH-58 aircraft with the knowledge set necessary to manage the gunnery program. However, the paradigm has not evolved in terms of current...
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