FORT NOVOSEL, Ala.—The Fort Novosel community welcomed Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill as U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commander, and bid farewell to outgoing commander, Maj. Gen. Michael C. McCurry, during a Change of Command ceremony at Howze Field July 26, 2024.

In this role, Gill serves as installation’s senior commander, flight school commandant, and as the branch chief for Army Aviation.

Ceremony host Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth commander, welcomed attendees, thanked family members for their support, and said the day was all about “leaders, legacy and likelihood.”

“We recognize and pay honor to two great leaders today, Mac McCurry, Clair Gill and their families,” Beagle said. “They have a ton of similarities–their commonality of calloused hands, bad backs, bad knees from spending over 50 years in a cockpit of an airframe in service to our nation. Thank you both for that.”

He said McCurry and Gill both have roots that run deep in Army aviation: McCurry’s father and father-in-law are both retired Army aviators, and Gill’s grandfather served as a B-17 pilot during World War II. Both leaders also met their spouses at then-Fort Rucker.

“Clair, your goal is not to create a new legacy but rather determine how you weave a different but complimentary legacy into an existing strong legacy fabric that already exists here at Fort Novosel,” Beagle said.

“The likelihood that you will succeed because of the great team that you have here, this tremendous community, the power of the aviation community, is the highest likelihood of them all,” Beagle. “Clair and Fran, enjoy the next chapter of this journey. It’s going to be awesome.”

Gill arrives at USAACE from his most recent duty position as J-3 deputy director for Regional Operations and Force Management for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.

Among his previous assignments, he served as director of Army Aviation on the HQDA staff, as executive officer to the Under Secretary of the Army, and as Deputy Commanding General (Support), 101st Airborne Division.

Gill commanded the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, simultaneously deploying the unit to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Korea, and Europe.

He commanded 4th Battalion (Assault), 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and deployed the battalion to FOB Shank (Logar, Afghanistan), supporting combat operations throughout Regional Command – East.

He previously served on the Joint Reconnaissance Task Force, Joint Special Operations Command, and also commanded an Assault Helicopter Company (Black Widows) in 9th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.

Gill also completed a Senior Service College fellowship at the Central Intelligence Agency, and is a master Army aviator with more than four years in combat.

Gill welcomed and thanked attendees, family, Soldiers, and those who participated in the change of command ceremony and made it possible.

“It is so good to be back in the Wiregrass and to be home at Fort Novosel with so many teammates new and old, many with whom we have served and deployed over the course of our career,” Gill said.

I truly am looking forward to working with all of you to continue to deliver aviation to our Army,” he said.

In the 1990s, Gill’s wife Fran, an Army aviation veteran, was a company commander at Cairns, and he was aide-de-camp to the commanding general, Gill explained.

“I cut my teeth here in the Aviation Center, much like many of you here today. I learned a lot of technical skills that would serve me well, but nothing burned into my being more than the fact that we train army warfighters here who happen to fly complex machines that enhance and provide the decisive edge to the combined arms fight,” he said.

Gill said though critics may argue the relevance and survivability of Army aviation in the future, he feels confident about the branch.

“To that, I’d reference you to Teddy Roosevelt’s 1910 speech about the citizenship in a republic. This team is in the arena to win. We haven’t seen an adversary moderately comparable to the U.S. Army’s aviation. The world’s tyrants only wish they could fight at night and in the terrain like we do; our enemies wish they had the professional mechanics and crew members that we grow and train. They tremble at the integration of our technology with our selfless commitment to our mission,” Gill said.

“With a modernized U.S. Army aviation, I sleep well thinking about what our Army brings to the joint fight even in an era of global unrest,” he said. “We will be engaged, we will be ready when called. And we’ll answer with that ominous sound of rotors coming over the horizon.”

Beagle lauded the McCurrys’ service to the Army and Army Aviation as they prepare to transition.

“We could spend half a day discussing the impact Mac McCurry has had on Fort Novosel, on the aviation community, and our Army. Mac truly walks away having left a legacy,” Beagle said.

Beagle said McCurry has been a “good ancestor,” and his impact will be felt for years to come. His accomplishments include an impact on aviation simulations for the foreseeable future, refocused warrant officer professional military education prior to the point of need, set a vision for the branch that would make his predecessors proud, and provided valuable counsel to senior Army leaders.

“Your work is greatly appreciated and valued, and (Gen. Gary Brito) wanted me to relay the same thing this morning, especially by people like me who have had the opportunity to serve closely with you during my 20 plus months of command,” Beagle said.

McCurry gave a special shoutout to members of the Orange Hat class in the audience that reported to then Fort Rucker with him in 1989, whose bond remains strong, as he thanked attendees.

He reflected on his family’s history at Fort Novosel, including seeing his father’s flight school class flying in formation over Howze Field in the 1970s.

“Today we pile two more years of memories from here into our ruck sack and our family scrap book and we’ve given another generation of McCurrys roots in the Wiregrass,” McCurry said.

He thanked the Wiregrass community for their support, commended the team he has worked with while at USAACE, and said he is proud to hold the title of Army aviator.

“The world is a dangerous place, and Army aviation as a part of the combined arms team is committed to fight and win anytime, anywhere on behalf of our nation,” McCurry said.

McCurry said Army aviation exists for one reason—the Soldier on the ground.

“If that ground Soldier needs to know what’s over the next hill, we find out. If they need to be put in a position of relative advantage, we put them there. If they need beans, bullets or water, we deliver. And God forbid if that soldier is laying wounded on the field of battle, we are coming to get them. Remember that, and we will always uphold the sacred trust,” McCurry said.

McCurry will now move on to serve at Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Soldiers assigned to Charlie Company, 1-52 General Support Aviation Battalion, recently performed an aeromedical evacuation of an injured Airman from the Yukon Training Area.

The Airman had fallen in a trench and was believed to have a back injury. Due to the severity of the injury, roughness of the unpaved road, and distance to the hospital, personnel on scene requested evacuation by air. The aeromedical evacuation unit, known as Arctic Dustoff, lifted off from Ladd Field at Fort Wainwright 15 minutes after receiving the notification for the mission.

Upon arrival in the training area, pilot Capt. Caleb Kifer made the decision to drop off paramedic Staff Sgt. Christopher Edwards to evaluate the Airman and then immediately lift off again while Edwards worked.

“Because the landing zone at the point of injury was small, we were not able to displace on the ground far enough to allow him to work clear of the rotor wash,” Kifer said. The terrain also inhibited communication for the air crew, so orbiting the area while Edwards worked enabled them to radio back to higher headquarters and air traffic control to provide updates.

Sixteen minutes after delivering Edwards to begin treatment, the helicopter lifted off again for the flight to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

“The expertise and proficiency of the duty crew, namely our flight paramedic Staff Sgt. Edwards, as well as the Air Force medics on the ground, enabled a seamless and timely response to our sister service member in their time of need,” said Kifer.

The crew landed at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital at 4:36 p.m. and transferred the patient to the care of hospital staff before heading back to the hangar.

Based out of Fort Wainwright in central Alaska, the unit operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide aeromedical evacuation support for thousands of service members training at the installation each year. Additionally, the unit works with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and local emergency services to provide rescue coverage in northern Alaska’s remote wilderness areas for civilians as well.

This life-saving mission is a collaborative effort, and every member of the team is vital to its success. Along with Edwards and Kifer, the crew for this mission included Warrant Officer Walter Hastings and Spc. Blade Lee.

The District of Columbia Army Aviation Command provides spouse orientation flights during family day at Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., on August 11, 2024. In addition to a capabilities brief presented by the State Aviation Officer and senior leaders, spouses and family members learned more about DCARNG assets to include rotary-wing and fixed-wing operational support airlifts, medical evacuation capabilities, and interagency partnerships. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Ayan Sheikh)

U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Navy flight crews visit with Vietnam veterans following a flyover of a memorial service honoring Capt. Allen Weseleskey Aug. 16, 2024, at Chambers Field in Norfolk, Virginia. Weseleskey, and many of the veterans who visited the air crews, were assigned to the Helicopter Light Attack Squadron 3, or HAL-3, nicknamed the Seawolves, a quick reaction, armed helicopter squadron during the Vietnam War. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)

In May or June after the Summit each year, the National Executive Group gathers at the Connecticut AAAA National Office to review and assess our organization’s posture and status, and to discuss and chart the next couple of years activities and initiatives.

The NEG consists of four elected officers: me as president, MG (Ret.) Wally Golden as senior vice president, BG (Ret.) Tim Edens as treasurer and MG (Ret.) Todd Royar as secretary. It also includes our two appointed vice presidents – CW4 (Ret.) Becki Chambers, VP for membership, and LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk, VP for chapters.

This year after Becki and Jan briefed membership and chapter programs and initiatives, the four elected officers focused on the review and assessment of the AAAA national business model. Specifically, we reviewed the membership dues structure (which has not changed since 1998, in either corporate or individual member dues), AAAA national event topics, and our event/forum registration policies and fees for both exhibitors and individuals.

The good news is that the AAAA is in the strongest position it has ever been in terms of membership (which is at an all-time high of over 21,000) and fiscal position (currently have net assets financially at a record level). That said, questioning what our future organizational vulnerabilities could be, and discussing what efforts and programs were required to ensure we ‘survive and thrive’ organizationally, help bound our focus and energy during the review.

First, although our Annual Summit has grown substantially over the years, the inflation in vendor costs, especially since COVID, has outpaced our increased exhibit sales. Our smaller events (Aviation Survivability, Luther Jones, and Cribbins) are losing money; the positive Annual Summit net revenue each year is what solely underwrites all the other shortfalls in membership dues and smaller-event net revenues.

The vulnerability here is that if we must cancel another Summit (or two… as occurred during COVID), we have to ensure our Emergency Fund is robust enough to sustain the organization for two straight years, without any Summit income/revenue. We are currently at $4.6M on the way to the ceiling of $7.01M in the Emergency Fund that will be required to meet the two-year self-sustaining goal. And yes, we do in fact still have event cancellation Insurance (those policies yielded over $6M in total to AAAA for the cancelled 2020 and 2021 Summits), but now those policies going forward specifically exclude any ‘pandemic’ coverage, which is no longer available to any organization.

In a comparative analysis, we assessed like/similar military organizations and associations to determine how AAAA fit and compared; it did not take much to figure out that even just considering inflation since 1998, we had some further work and analysis to do. We certainly don’t have all the answers yet but are working them… and we will propose a plan to the full National Executive Board at the November meeting in Huntsville. Likewise, we assessed where we stood regarding exhibitor fees and policies, and we will be recommending some changes there as well.

Although we are enjoying record-setting metrics now, our assessment is that we have to pivot from our financial dependance on one positive revenue event, the AAAA Annual Summit. We must ensure that our great organization is protected long into the future, and to continue to provide world class support to you all, our Army Aviation Soldiers and Families, no matter what.

MG Walt Davis, U.S. Army Retired
36th President, AAAA

CAMP RIPLEY, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES
07.27.2024
Story by Spc. Armani Wilson
135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. – Six AH-64 Apache helicopter crews from the 1st Attack Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment, 59th Troop Command, South Carolina Army National Guard, traveled cross-country to Camp Ripley, Minnesota, to participate in the Iowa Army National Guard’s eXportable Combat Training Capabilities (XCTC) rotation from the beginning of July to August 2024.

The journey from South Carolina to Minnesota took two days, marking the first time Apaches have trained at Camp Ripley. The pilots and aircrew operated around the clock, supporting the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division ground forces.

“Working with the Apaches is a new experience for a lot of the [junior] enlisted Soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Kyle Obrecht, battalion commander of the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 2/34th IBCT. “It’s just an amazing experience for them to understand how complicated it is, but also how rewarding it is to have all those assets working together.”

This joint training effort enabled aircrews to communicate and coordinate with real-world ground troops, offering Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers dynamic, practical aerial support training.

“We’ve been doing a lot of attack, reconnaissance and armed security. We can go into those areas and use the advanced optics that we have to confirm or deny the presence of the enemy,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dale Addy, an AH-64E Apache pilot assigned to Company B, 1st Attack Battalion. “We don’t differentiate between training and real life. We train to do exactly what we would do in a real-life situation. Much preparation goes into having these aircraft ready to launch as soon as possible.”

Training missions at Camp Ripley included three to five flights a day, both during the day and at night. The exercises prepared aircrews for the unpredictability of actual combat and underscored the rewarding nature of their vital support roles.

“Showing these ground guys what they have available to them and seeing their excitement during live-fire exercises is very rewarding,” said Addy. “As an infantry guy on the ground, if you call for Apaches, you can expect a team to get there quickly with a lot of ordnance and highly motivated individuals.”

The South Carolina Army National Guard’s participation in the Iowa Army National Guard’s XCTC rotation at Camp Ripley showcases the importance of training partnerships and dedication to readiness vital to the National Guard’s mission.

HAWAII, UNITED STATES
Courtesy Story
U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY, KAUAI, HAWAII – 3d Multi-Domain Task Force (3d MDTF), partnered with 1st MDTF, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (25th CAB), and the 5th Surface to Ship Field Artillery Regiment of the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces (JGSDF) Western Army participated in a sinking exercise (SINKEX) from July 11-12, 2024, as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 exercise.

3d MDTF and the JGSDF provided tactical command and control of land-based fires during the SINKEX from a bilateral fire support coordination center (BFSCC) while 1st MDTF provided High Mobility Army Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers. The JGSDF participated with Type 12 Surface to Ship missiles (SSM).

The combined joint live fire also integrated AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from 25th CAB. In addition to U.S. Army and JGSDF ground based fires assets, joint and partner Air Force and Navy platforms, to include ships and aircraft, also delivered synchronized effects during the SINKEX. The SINKEX showcased the continuing development of combined and joint interoperability.

“Our network of partners and allies is an asymmetric advantage over rivals. Working side by side with our JGSDF counterparts during RIMPAC strengthens our interoperability, allows us to share best practices, and improves how we operate,” said COL Michael Rose, 3d MDTF Commander. “We both possess complementary capabilities and this exercise allowed us to integrate our assets together in support of the combined joint force during the SINKEX. Interoperability with our Japanese allies is a force multiplier.”

3d MDTF and the JGSDF conducted combined planning and rehearsals from the BFSCC the week prior to the SINKEX which provided the opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two units and to conduct detailed integrated planning. During execution, personnel within the BFSCC worked side by side to conduct targeting and fires delivery.

In addition to increasing combined and joint interoperability, RIMPAC also provided avenue to advance the interchangeability between MDTF’s. While 3d MDTF led the planning and executed the tactical command and control for the SINKEX, 1st MDTF provided the HIMARS launchers and crews. The scalable and tailorable design of MDTFs lends itself to the exchange of capabilities between units based on mission requirements.

Rose highlighted this ability stating, “1st and 3d MDTFs work closely together in training and throughout the Indo-Pacific during Operation Pathways events. RIMPAC gave us the opportunity to integrate assets to support the Combined, Joint Force in a realistic training environment.”

Exercises such as RIMPAC provide MDTFs the ability to contribute to the combined joint force in the INDOPACIFIC.

The theme of RIMPAC 2024 is “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.” To promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, RIMPAC is the world’s largest joint and combined maritime exercise, utilizing and preserving a world class training environment. With inclusivity at its core, RIMPAC fosters joint and multi-national cooperation and trust, leverages interoperability, and achieves respective national objectives to strengthen integrated and prepared coalition partners. “RIMPAC is a premier venue to showcase the Army’s landpower contribution to the Joint Force,” said Rose.

UNITED KINGDOM
Story by 1st Sgt. Justin A. Naylor
22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

When his parents named him Tydal Wave Sugar, they had to know he was destined to make a splash. Now, a UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief serving with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Spc. Tydal Sugar is part of a select group of 12th Combat Aviation Brigade Soldiers taking part in the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, United Kingdom, July 22-26, 2024.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to go to the U.K.,” said Sugar, a Clearwater, Florida, native. “I was so excited. You can ask my pilots; for the past two weeks, I’ve been preparing the aircraft to come out here and look good and represent the 12th CAB.”

The FIA is one of the largest trade shows in Europe and focuses on space, defense, sustainability, innovation, future flight, and workforce development. This year, the FIA comprises more than 1,200 exhibitors from more than 40 countries worldwide. Attendance is expected to exceed 70,000 from more than 100 countries, including an expected 250 civil, military, and space delegations, along with more than 1,000 accredited media outlets.

For Sugar, this event is a chance to talk about what he loves: his Black Hawk.

“It’s a really neat experience,” he said. “I love talking about the Black Hawk. I can talk about it for hours.”

Already, Sugar has had the opportunity to talk to delegations from around the world and even showed off his Black Hawk to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.

“The reception from everyone has been that they really love it,” said Sugar. “We let them take pictures in the cockpit and cabin. It’s been nothing but smiles.”

Watching this junior Soldier interact with senior civilian and military leaders has been inspiring for the pilots working alongside Sugar during the FIA.

“He has represented the crew and 12th CAB very well,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Yllander, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot. “He is our senior crew chief, so he is a wealth of knowledge. He’s been able to answer any questions the delegates have had.”

Yllander said that before the event, Sugar took charge of preparing the aircraft and equipment for the crew’s trip from Germany, where they are stationed, to the U.K.

“He is in charge of what happens in the back of the aircraft through and through,” said Yllander. “Getting troops on and off the aircraft is our bread and butter, and he does it without any issues. He knows the most about what happens in the back of the aircraft, where we make our money.”

For Sugar, the FIA is just one of many opportunities that 12th the CAB has provided to travel the world and share his love of Army aviation.

“Since I’ve been in the 12th CAB, they have allowed me to go to so many places,” said Sugar. “I’ve been to Scotland, Ghana, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, and just really all around Europe. I’m forever grateful for it.”

As Sugar travels the world, he is reminded that he follows in the footsteps of great service members before him, including his grandparents, his father, and an uncle currently serving in the U.S. Space Force. Through his service, Sugar now has the chance to carve his path and follow his dreams.

“I really wanted to join the military to broaden my horizons and travel the world to see what there is to see,” he said. “I always loved helicopters and the feeling of flight. Being up in the air is just insane to me. I love aviation as a whole, but the stuff you can do in helicopters is just amazing.”

For those thinking of a career in Army aviation, Sugar has some thoughts.

“If someone I knew was considering joining the Army, I would definitely say to do it,” Sugar said. “It’s a huge turning point in your life and will definitely make you better. I appreciate the 12th CAB and everything I’ve been able to do in my Army career so far. Not many people even leave their hometown, and I’ve already gotten to travel the world.”

Throughout the remainder of the FIA, Sugar will serve as a subject matter expert on his aircraft alongside his fellow crew members and military members from the Air Force and Navy. Other equipment from the U.S. at this event includes an F-35 Lighting II, two F-16 Fighting Falcons, a P-8 Poseidon, an MQ-9A Reaper, and a C-130J Super Hercules. For the 12th CAB representatives here, the FIA is a chance to show what makes Army aviation unique to a global audience and to share their love of Army aviation with the world.

In May or June after the Summit each year, the National Executive Group gathers at the Connecticut AAAA National
Office to review and assess our organization’s posture and status, and to discuss and chart the next couple of years
activities and initiatives.

The NEG consists of four elected officers: me as president, MG (Ret.) Wally Golden as senior vice president, BG (Ret.)
Tim Edens as treasurer and MG (Ret.) Todd Royar as secretary. It also includes our two appointed vice presidents – CW4
(Ret.) Becki Chambers, VP for membership, and LTC (Ret.) Jan Drabczuk, VP for chapters.

This year after Becki and Jan briefed membership and chapter programs and initiatives, the four elected officers
focused on the review and assessment of the AAAA national business model. Specifically, we reviewed the membership
dues structure (which has not changed since 1998, in either corporate or individual member dues), AAAA national event
topics, and our event/forum registration policies and fees for both exhibitors and individuals.

The good news is that the AAAA is in the strongest position it has ever been in terms of membership (which is at an all-
time high of over 21,000) and fiscal position (currently have net assets financially at a record level). That said,
questioning what our future organizational vulnerabilities could be, and discussing what efforts and programs were
required to ensure we ‘survive and thrive’ organizationally, help bound our focus and energy during the review.

First, although our Annual Summit has grown substantially over the years, the inflation in vendor costs, especially since
COVID, has outpaced our increased exhibit sales. Our smaller events (Aviation Survivability, Luther Jones, and Cribbins)
are losing money; the positive Annual Summit net revenue each year is what solely underwrites all the other shortfalls in
membership dues and smaller-event net revenues.

The vulnerability here is that if we must cancel another Summit (or two… as occurred during COVID), we have to
ensure our Emergency Fund is robust enough to sustain the organization for two straight years, without any Summit
income/revenue. We are currently at $4.6M on the way to the ceiling of $7.01M in the Emergency Fund that will be
required to meet the two-year self-sustaining goal. And yes, we do in fact still have event cancellation Insurance (those
policies yielded over $6M in total to AAAA for the cancelled 2020 and 2021 Summits), but now those policies going
forward specifically exclude any ‘pandemic’ coverage, which is no longer available to any organization.

In a comparative analysis, we assessed like/similar military organizations and associations to determine how AAAA fit
and compared; it did not take much to figure out that even just considering inflation since 1998, we had some further work
and analysis to do. We certainly don’t have all the answers yet but are working them… and we will propose a plan to the
full National Executive Board at the November meeting in Huntsville. Likewise, we assessed where we stood regarding
exhibitor fees and policies, and we will be recommending some changes there as well.

Although we are enjoying record-setting metrics now, our assessment is that we have to pivot from our financial
dependance on one positive revenue event, the AAAA Annual Summit. We must ensure that our great organization is
protected long into the future, and to continue to provide world class support to you all, our Army Aviation Soldiers and
Families, no matter what.

MG Walt Davis, U.S. Army Retired
36th President, AAAA
walt.davis@quad-a.org

The Idaho Army National Guard’s State Aviation Group assisted Custer County Search and Rescue with the rescue of an injured hiker July 6 on Thompson Peak of the Sawtooth Range, outside of Stanley, Idaho.

The hiker, a 19-year-old male, suffered an ankle injury following a fall while rock-climbing near the mountain range’s highest peak, located approximately 75 miles outside of Boise.

“Our crew did an incredible job under some very challenging environmental conditions,” said Capt. Katherine Smith, commander of Det. 1, Company G 1st of the 168th Aviation Regiment. “The rescue required a great deal of crew coordination, as well as teamwork with the highly proficient extraction team from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.”

The flight crew consisted of pilots Chief Warrant Officer 3 Theron Cameron and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brennan Hoover; two crew chiefs, Sgt. Adam Brundy and hoist operator Sgt. Jessica Adamson; and one medic, Sgt. 1st Class Jared Gilstad.

The patient was initially located on a shear rock wall under a ledge. After locating him, crew members determined that there was no way to safely insert a hoist rider and extract him. The flight crew then flew to the Stanley Airport and picked up a five-person technical rope rescue team from Custer County’s search and rescue team.

“We were able to inert the team about 300 meters away from the patient using a two-wheel landing,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Theron Cameron, an Idaho Army National Guard UH-60 pilot.

The rescue team roped to the patient and relocated him to more favorable recovery site, where Adamson was able to lower Gilstad safely onto the ground near him. Gilstad quickly secured the patient and Adamson hoisted the pair back into the aircraft while the pilots kept the aircraft stable in challenging conditions.

“Due to the reduced power margins caused by altitude of more than 10,300 feet, the uneven terrain and the location of the extraction site, the aircrew was forced to pay extremely close attention to the aircraft limitations,” said Smith. “Lack of situational awareness in these types of situations could lead to a loss of lift or even rotor drop, requiring the aircrew to have to execute an emergency procedure to maintain stable flight.”

The flight crew transported the patient to the Stanley Airport, where he was transferred to civilian medical care.