Current Issue Articles
Looking Forward, Looking Back
How the Army Addressed the 4th Quarter Class A Aviation Accident Spike / By COL Ronald Ells and LTC Randy James: Last year, we reported that FY19 had the fewest fatalities on record, and while we cannot boast the same for FY20, the Aviation Branch remained tenacious in its approach to Aviation safety. FY20 was the safest year in Army Aviation history in both the total number of Class A mishaps (6) and the Class A mishap rate per 100K flying hours (0.63), a 50% reduction in one year alone. FY16-20 is the safest five-year period in Army Aviation history...
Learn MoreAeromedical Considerations for Common Shoulder Injuries
Ask the Flight Surgeon / By MAJ (Dr.) Christopher Grace: Q: I am a CH-47 pilot that has been dealing with worsening right shoulder pain and I think it’s time to get it looked at. What do I need to know about seeking treatment for my shoulder pain? FS: The shoulder joint is comprised of two bones: the upper arm bone (humerus) that forms a round bony prominence that fits into the socket of the shoulder blade (scapula). Surrounding the joint are muscles, their tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the labrum that can all be sources of pain. DVIDS / Sgt....
Learn MoreHover Performance: The “No-Kidding” Requirement
CCDC Avn Tech Talk / Dr. Thomas L. Thompson: The Army’s next generation of rotorcraft will fly significantly faster and farther than our current fleet, but they will continue to perform missions that require them to takeoff/land vertically and hover out-of-ground effect (HOGE) at high altitudes for extended periods of time. CH-47F hovering at high-altitude./ U.S. ARMY PHOTO While the need for increased speed and range will change the look of Future Vertical Lift (FVL) aircraft, the unchanging requirement for HOGE capability will dictate (from an efficiency standpoint) that they remain rotorcraft – aircraft that generate vertical thrust more efficiently...
Learn MoreCluster Operations in the 128th
128th Aviation Brigade / By CPT Trenton Conyers: As 2020 ended, the 128th Aviation Brigade postured itself to conduct Holiday Block Leave for all the trainees and cadre as it does every year. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this mission posed new challenges to leaders within the Brigade. The commander’s goal from the beginning was to maximize Soldier participation in this leave period and to do so as safely as possible, utilizing a series of COVID-19 mitigation strategies at every juncture. The most critical strategy in this was the creation of student “clusters” upon return from Holiday Block Leave which would help...
Learn MoreAlways Ready, Always There To Answer The Call To Action
Army National Guard / By LTG Jon A. Jensen: The Army National Guard’s vast array of missions throughout this past year – and the number of Soldiers that each one of those missions draw from is extraordinary. To say our operational tempo has been high is an understatement. A CH-47 Chinook helicopter, assigned to the New York Army National Guard’s Company B, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation, approaches a helipad in New York City, April 16, 2020. New York National Guard members are supporting the multi-agency response to COVID-19. Our ability to accomplish our overseas mission during a time of Guard-wide...
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