The Greatest Asset – Soldier Mechanic Productive Available Time
Aviation Logistics Officer / By CW5 Donald L. Washabaugh Jr.: Demand for aviation assets continue to increase as the ground force commander relies upon our ability to project combat power worldwide. The fleet must train new replacements, maintain a reliable ready reaction force, and prosecute the battlefield wherever required. SPC Patrick Travis, aircraft structural repairer, with Bravo Co., 122nd Avn. Spt. Bn., 82nd Cbt. Avn. Bde., repaints a section of the tail-boom from an AH-64 Apache, during a 500 flight hour phase maintenance on Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., Nov. 9, 2015. Aviators must meet a defined regulatory performance...
Learn MoreRamping Up for Spring
President’s Cockpit / BG E.J. Sinclair, Ret.: We just finished the Aviation Senior Leader Forum at Fort Rucker, Alabama the first week of February. MG Lundy and his team did a fabulous job bringing together all the current aviation commanders, command chief warrant officers, and command sergeants major as well as current and retired general officers. Attendees at the Aviation Senior Leader Dinner in the Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, AL on Feb 3./AAPI PHOTO BY BILL HARRIS They did a great job of laying out the path ahead for Army Aviation as well as the challenges being faced....
Learn MoreLeveraging the Strength of the Aviation Materiel Enterprise
Program Executive Officer / By BG Robert L. Marion: The Program Executive Office-Aviation (PEO AVN) and the Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) partner daily at the tactical and strategic level. Attendees at the Aviation Senior Leader Dinner in the Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, AL on Feb 3. / AAPI PHOTO BY BILL HARRIS AMCOM personnel are embedded (matrixed) within PEO Aviation’s program management organizations, performing key sustainment functions, and providing logistics and engineering expertise. In addition to providing a full complement of sustainment functions for our aircraft, AMCOM holds the authority for independent oversight of airworthiness, and assesses...
Learn MoreNoise-Induced Hearing Loss
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By CPT Scott A. Cygan, MD: Q: I failed my annual audiometric screening and was told that I show early signs of noise-induced hearing loss. What can I do to protect my hearing from getting worse? NIHL and TinnitusNoise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a permanent loss of hearing that results from exposure to hazardous noise without the use of proper hearing protection devices. NIHL can occur gradually over time or result from a single, unprotected exposure to high-intensity noise. NIHL usually occurs at higher frequencies and unfortunately, speech sounds that give meanings to words (consonants...
Learn MoreArmament Integration
AMRDEC Tech Talk / By Mr. Tuan Pham: The Sensors Weapons Aircrew Integration (SWAI) Branch of the Army Aviation Engineering Directorate (AED) is responsible for the airworthiness aspects of armament integration into Army aircraft, including certification of external stores. External stores are mission related external devices such as guns, rockets, external fuel tanks, and test equipment. During the airworthiness qualification process, the SWAI Branch considers armament integration safety (including safe firing envelopes, armament clearance, and engine gas ingestion), armament performance (including accuracy, effective firing envelopes, and bore sighting), and human factors (including operability, night vision compatibility, and cockpit gas ingestion)....
Learn MoreBird Dog Monument Dedicated at Fort Rucker
News Spotlight: Members of the Bird Dog Association of America were hosted and recognized for their service in the Republic of Vietnam during a Welcome Home Ceremony and Monument Dedication on Friday, October 9 at Fort Rucker’s Veterans Park. Bird Dog unit veterans salute toward the newly dedicated memorial during the playing of “Taps” in honor of their fallen comrades at Fort Rucker’s Veterans Park, Oct. 9. / PHOTO BY JENNIFER CALHOUN, THE ENTERPRISE LEDGER LTG Kevin W. Mangum, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command deputy commanding general and chief of staff, offered his thanks to each and every Bird...
Learn MoreU.S. Army Reserve Aviation Maintenance Enabling the Force
Reserve Components / By BG Scott R. Morcomb: The year 2015 has provided many outstanding moments to be proud of within U.S. Army Reserve Aviation. These moments and all of our success is the direct result of our Soldiers, civilians and contractors who labor each day to ensure our units are trained and mission ready. 90th Aviation Support Battalion personnel prepare aircraft for military air (MILAIR) redeployment operations in Kuwait. / U.S. ARMY RESERVE PHOTO BY 11TH TAC PAO Collectively they form the heart and soul of our force. It is through their unparalleled commitment to excellence that U.S. Army...
Learn MoreTraining – Leveraging the Team
AMCOM Command Sergeant Major / By CSM Glen Vela: As the Army continues to reshape both structure and manning levels, leaders at all echelons are faced with the challenge to accomplish their missions with fewer soldiers. Within the aviation community, this challenge is compounded by an aging fleet that in some cases requires more man-hours to maintain. A Soldier trains on advanced welding techniques at Corpus Christi Army Depot. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CCAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS It is essential to have highly qualified and skilled mechanics and crew chiefs if equipment readiness targets are to be achieved under these...
Learn MoreReadiness: Essential roles of the Warrant Aviation Maintenance Officers
Aviation Branch Maintenance Officer / By CW5 Leonte I. Cardona: Within the Army team, Soldiers have unique positions within critical mission sets. In Army Aviation, we continuously operate, employ, maintain and manage attack, assault, or cargo assets in support of the ground combatant commander. A 101st Combat Avn. Bde. UH-60 at Forward Operating Base Bastion, Afghanistan. AMOs are critical to generating the sorties the joint team expects from Army aviation. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY CW5 LEONTE I. CARDONA As a branch, we conduct individual, crew and collective training to focus and prepare our personnel, resulting in the best aircrews...
Learn MoreHow We as a Nation Will Remain Resilient
Family Forum / By Judy Konitzer: Our entire family spent an amazing Thanksgiving holiday in New York City. And although I hate to admit it, I was a bit intimidated when thinking about all the possibilities for terrorist activity especially after the Paris incident. We had family arriving on 5 separate flights from different parts of the country and made plans to take in the many attractions that New York had to offer, especially for the holidays. Bonnie Carroll was one of 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 24, 2015 at the White House. She is...
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