Improving Mission Readiness Through Common Test Equipment
SPECIAL FOCUS – Industry Support and Challenges By Mr. Kevin Steidel and Dr. Charles Ryan The Department of Defense has aircraft numbering in the thousands with the U.S. Army maintaining the largest quantity of rotary wing aircraft. With over a dozen unique aviation platforms that have several variants each, growing maintenance logistics are consuming more and more of a shrinking budget. Taming these opposing forces requires common solutions. Common Needs, Uncommon Support Reduction of aviation maintenance cost is a long standing goal for all branches of the DoD and common support equipment has become a proven method toward achieving that...
Learn MoreExelis and U.S. Army Aviation: A Legacy of Innovation
SPECIAL FOCUS – Industry Support and Challenges By Mr. Rick L. Rife Exelis, previously the defense business segment of ITT Corporation, was launched in October 2011 as an independent company. Today, we remain a trusted partner with government, commercial and international customers, focusing on mission-critical C4ISR solutions that are affordable, platform-agnostic and designed to defeat threats now and into the future. Much of our work with U.S. Army Aviation centers on electronic warfare (EW) and the Army’s need to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum and ensure aircraft survivability against a range of evolving threats. EW is an Exelis core capability –...
Learn MoreFlightSafety International – Training Military Aviation
SPECIAL FOCUS Industry Support and Challenges By Mr. Steve Phillips FlightSafety International serves governments and military agencies around the world including all those in the United States. We offer mission-training programs and proven advanced-technology simulators, visual systems and displays. This includes training for virtually all types of military aircraft as well as commercial aircraft operated by government and military agencies. FlightSafety provides a full range of advanced technology training equipment. This includes the design and manufacture of weapons system trainers for tankers, transport, tilt-rotor, rotor-wing, cargo load and refueling aircraft. We also build classroom training equipment and specialized devices such...
Learn MoreCockpit: Recognition
President’s Cockpit BG Howard W. Yellen, Ret. This month I had several topics I considered writing about, but despite this plethora of ideas, I looked at the calendar and threw that all out. I decided I would share some of my recent travels and then mention one of our 4 pillars that I believe is important to consider, whether you’re a unit leader, or a private association: Recognition. Members of 4th Bn., 101st Avn. Regt., 159th Cbt. Avn. Bde., from Ft. Campbell, KY surround one of their own, SGT Dustin Mahan (second row, 3rd from right), following his being awarded...
Learn MoreFlight in Non-Army Aircraft
AMRDEC Tech Talk By Mr. David B. Cripps This situation was at best awkward in Aviation Foreign Internal Defense missions conducted jointly and particularly troublesome when involving Russian-built helicopters. In a series of three ALARACT (All Army Activities) messages, Army senior leadership provided policy guidance requiring risk acceptance at the general officer (GO) level for passenger operations on Mi-8/17 series helicopters. Mi-8 Hip Roving Sands 99 / WikipediaThis situation was at best awkward in Aviation Foreign Internal Defense missions conducted jointly and particularly troublesome when involving Russian-built helicopters. In a series of three ALARACT (All Army Activities) messages, Army senior...
Learn MoreTraining Recovery Supplements
Ask the Flight Surgeon By Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar Q: I will be training for an elite military unit doing lots of long-distance runs and other strenuous exercises on a daily basis. I would like to take a supplement to help my after workout recovery. I am 41 years old and take 20 mg simvastatin and 20 mg lisinopril. The product contains the following: L-Glutamine (1000mg); Triple strength Fish Oil (647 mg EPA/263 mg DHA); Joint Comfort Formula (250 mg Acacia catechu wood & bark extract, Chinese Skullcap root extract/100 mg Sicilian blood Orange Fruit & Peel extract (citrus sinesis);...
Learn MoreARNG Aviation Safety Update
Reserve Component Aviation Update By COL Mark W. Weiss Welcome back to the Army National Guard (ARNG). In this issue I’d like to share a few of the initiatives we’re taking on the Safety Front, in order to preserve our most precious asset – the Soldier – and the steeds with which those Soldiers ride to the sound of the guns, at home and overseas. But first I’d like to highlight the continuing impact of hazardous weather on our aircraft…while still on the ground. You old-timers may remember the Mother’s Day “Event” at Fort Hood in 1989, where a microburst...
Learn MoreWhat’s New in Army Aviation?
By CSM Eric C. Thom I have been looking forward to this edition of AAAA magazine for a while. It is filled with the latest ideas in science and technology (S&T) and research and development (R&D). Some of these concepts or systems will come to fruition and make it through the acquisition process, while others potentially will lose relevancy or merge with other concepts along the way. Today, I want to start off with some proposed systems, philosophies, training and credentialing efforts that affect the enlisted Aviation Soldiers. Systems When it comes to systems, I want to focus on the...
Learn MoreFirst Year Steep Learning Curve
Chief Warrant Officer of the Branch By CW5 Allen R. Godfrey As I reflect on the lessons learned from my first year, it has been a steep learning curve. I admit during the first few months, I was trying to catch the aircraft that is Army Aviation. After about six months, I made it to the back of the aircraft. Now after the first year in the position, I am at the crew chief’s station. Next stop in the progression will be the jump seat. Our most important weapon system – adaptive and agile Aviation Leaders and Soldiers with training...
Learn MorePartnering with Industry
From the Aviation Branch Chief By MG Michael D. Lundy To win in a complex world requires material and non-material solutions that enable Army Aviation to maintain technological, leadership and training overmatch against our adversaries. Army Aviation currently provides our Nation witha unique asymmetric advantage. To maintain that advantage, we must continue to work closely with our industry partners to develop the best solutions for the future. However, development of random niche technologies cannot drive the way ahead; instead, we must focus our limited time and resources on developing capabilities focused on closing our highest priority gaps and requirements. To...
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