Current Issue Articles
Mission Changes
Combat Aviation Brigade / By COL Michael J. Musiol, MAJ John A. Morris, and MAJ Matthew D. Cox: Complexity is the buzz word that best describes the Afghanistan theater. As we draw down the force structure, while continuing to support our Afghan partners, the historical complexity that is Afghanistan is increasing. Changing enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), geo-political decisions and unique, unpredictable weather, all combine to present each rotation a different set of obstacles. Three Black Hawks ready to be shipped back to the U.S. sit on the tarmac at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. / U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY ANDREW...
Learn MoreReformatting the Hard Drive
Simulation & Training within the Attack Aviation Community / By CW4 Scott H. Durrer: Since it was first published in the March 2014 Flightfax Newsletter, “Defragging the Hard Drive” has certainly inspired a tremendous amount of discussion regarding Army Aviation training. These discussions have resulted in the Branch taking a hard, focused look into what subjects we teach and how much emphasis we should place on these subjects. The preponderance of the discussions have focused on which areas should be given less emphasis. Only recently have we started asking ourselves into which subjects can we invest the time gained by...
Learn MoreAVCATT – Past, Present, and Future
Simulation & Training / By Ms. Christina Bell, CW5 Michael S. Kelley, and CW4 (Ret.) John Snow: CW5 Kelley’s Observations Some say that since its initial fielding in 2001, the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) has garnered a negative reputation. I remember my first AVCATT experience and those memories are not positive. The helmets were heavy, limited in size, and had to be forced on my head. The visuals were not well aligned and to many people, it caused nausea from the word go. This created a rather uncomfortable first impression that stuck with me the majority of my career....
Learn MoreTravel Medicine
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By Dr. (LTC) Joseph Puskar: Q: I’m getting ready for an adventure trip vacation to Vietnam and Thailand. What health precautions should I take there? FS: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a website with valuable information for international travelers including immunization requirements for prevalent infectious diseases, and other health risks. Most travel agencies and medical clinics under-emphasize the issue of personal security. The CDC website has a link to some good articles that cover many useful personal security and health tips for adventure travelers in general and for particular countries. Mosquito-borne diseases of...
Learn MoreCSI at a Glance
AMRDEC Tech Talk / By Mrs. Quintessa Thomas: When flying, the last thing you want to hear is “Oh crap!” That means trouble and the pucker factor has been introduced. Did someone improperly install the Jesus Nut? Is a misplaced socket tearing up the engine? Or, is a leak starving the transmission because someone erroneously accepted a “nick, dent, or scratch?” These are the last things on pilots’ minds when trying to figure out how to safely land a crippled aircraft (everyone has done their job right… right?). But, these are a few things that can put them in a...
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