Advanced Airframe - UH60A/L Part 2 - Flying

Me and My Stick Buddy in the A/L Course

We went through prep phase and learned how to start the helicopter, emergency procedures, limitations, how the systems work, and performance planning.  Now it was time to start flying.  Before I get into that I'll mention a couple of the differences between Primary/Instruments and the UH60 course.

First off, you do not have academics and flightline on the same day.  That means your days are a little bit shorter.  However, there is so much more to learn that I actually spent more time in the library in the first few weeks of the 60 course than I did at any point up until then.  Also, you will get put on either a morning or afternoon flightline schedule and it will stay that way the entire course.  You don't have to flip flop every other week like in primary.  Another big change is that you can drive yourself and you don't have to wait for that stupid white bus anymore!  Oh, and remember all those daily questions you had to do in primary and instruments and answer from memory in front of the whole class?  Yeah, you still have to do those.  Every. day.  They are actually pretty in depth and really make you get into the books and study.

The first part of the 60 course is called Contact.  It's like Primary for the 60.  It's 5 weeks long and
you'll spend a lot of time at stagefields.  You'll learn how to do all the maneuvers that you already learned in the TH-67 or LUH-72 in the UH-60.  You'll also learn new maneuvers and of course EPs (Emergency Procedures).  You'll continue to do table talk with your IP every day.  The first day on the flight line also includes a 5&9 test.  Unlike the 5&9 test you had in prep phase, this one requires a higher score to pass and you are actually making your first impression on your IP.  The standard for passing a 5&9 test is 90%.  We also had a surprise 5&9 test on a weather day where we couldn't fly.  

After about week 3, you start leave the stagefield a little bit and work in RTs and do multi-ship flights.  At the end of contact, your class will plan a multi-ship air assault.  Every other class gets an actual mission while the other class just has a notional mission.  If you get the actual mission, you will be moving Ranger Students for the swamp phase of Ranger training in Eglin, Florida.  I didn't get that mission, unfortunately, so we just planned as if we were going to be picking up passengers, and then did the air assault picking up notional passengers.  At the end of contact, there is a checkride which consists of maneuvers at a stagefield.

After contact, you move on to instruments.  Instruments is only 2 weeks long and it's mostly about learning to use the GPS and the Command Instrument System (CIS) to fly instruments efficiently in the Blackhawk.  At the end of those 2 weeks there's another checkride and then it's on to the M model.

UPDATE: As of 2016, there is no longer a combined A/L and M combined course like there was when I went through.  Selection includes either the A/L model or the M model, and you do all of the advanced airframe course in that model of aircraft. 

Advanced Airframe - UH60A/L Part 1 - Prep Phase

Selection was finally over and I knew what I was going to fly for the rest of my Army career.  I felt a sense of relief since I no longer had to stress about possibly flying an aircraft that I didn't prefer (although flying anything at all is amazing!)  As I said in a previous post, I took some time off to relax for about a week.  After that, I got right back in to studying before my class actually started.

There's a lot to learn when you get to your advanced airframe.  If you have a lot of time between selection and starting class, use it wisely!  I spent my time learning 5's and 9's (limitations and emergency procedures), and learning the startup procedure for the helicopter (since it's about 10x longer than the TH-67!)  Learning 5's and 9's and startup before you even go to class is slightly difficult, because just like when you did it in Primary, you don't know what a lot of the acronyms mean or even where most of the switches are in the helicopter.  I spent a lot of time at the technical library and got help from a few of my friends that started the class a couple weeks ahead of me.

The first couple of weeks of the UH-60 course are spent in academics.  You learn mostly about systems of the helicopter and malfunction analysis (this is where emergency procedures come in to play).  This part of the the course is called prep phase.  On the first day, after an introduction brief, you will receive your first 5 and 9 test.  It will have most of the limitations (at least all of the quantifiable ones), and ALL of the underlined emergency procedures on it.  You have to get at least 50% to pass the first one.  As I said before, study and learn your 5's and 9's before you even start class, it will make your life a whole lot easier.  We had 2 guys that were held back a class because they didn't bother to look at 5's and 9's before we started.  They tried to play catch-up but trying to study for academics and the start up at the same time was too much and they got set back.

There are a few tests during academics as well.  After the first couple of weeks of academics, you'll spend a week at the CPT (Cockpit Procedural Trainer) learning the start up procedure and the learning about performance planning.  In hindsight, I'm glad that I took the time to try and learn the startup procedure before starting class, because it made that part of class a little bit easier.  There were a few guys that never looked at it, and they were definitely feeling the pressure of trying to catch up.

In addition to just learning the start up procedure, you also must memorize every single Warning, Caution, and Note associated with the startup procedure.....there are 43 of them.  You can write W,C, or N in your checklist to help you remember where they go, and how many are associated with a step, but you cannot write any other notes in your checklist to help you remember.

So....only a couple of weeks in to the 60 course and we had already jammed our brains full of new information.  Even though we had learned all this new information, the hard part is continuing to remember it as you receive even more new information, and especially remembering all the stuff that you learned at the beginning of flight school, like Aeromedical, Airspace, Aerodynamics, etc.  A lot of times they'll refer to your brain as an iceberg and the information as penguins.  The iceberg can only contain so many penguins.  Once you start putting more penguins on the iceberg, others will start to fall off!

Even though we had so much to learn and continue to learn in a short period of time, I was much more committed to learning it for the 60 course than I was during primary (at least in regards to the aircraft specific things).  In primary, we were required to learn the 5s and 9s for the TH-67, and although I learned them, I didn't spend a ton of time really committing them to long term memory, because I knew I'd only need to know it for a few short weeks.  When I started learning Blackhawk stuff I wanted to make sure I committed it to memory since I needed to know it for the rest of my career.

That was prep phase for the 60 course.    A ton of information in a short period of time, all to prepare us to fly the best helicopters that the US Army has to offer. 

Aircraft Selection

After BWS, there is only one thing standing in your way of determining the aircraft that you will fly for the rest of your military career....a PT test!  When I went through, the PT test was worth 100 points (1/6th) of your overall OML (I'll talk more about that in a second).  As of July 2015 it is now only worth 16 points, so it has a much smaller impact on your overall OML.  Also, keep in mind that if you fail the PT test for any reason, you will automatically be placed at the bottom of the OML, and you probably won't even be at the same selection as your regular class.  You will probably retake the PT test with the next class and be in their selection at the bottom of their OML. 

If you've read my previous posts, you've probably realized that flight school is very, very time consuming.  

Finding time or energy to go work out is very hard.  For me, the little free time that I had was spent with my family or just relaxing.  Needless to say, I didn't do too well on my PT test.  It ended up dropping me from #2 on the OML to #5 or #6.  In the end though, it didn't really matter because I still selected what I wanted.  However, I was worried from the time I took the PT test until we actually selected, because you don't know what aircraft (or how many) will be available at your selection until you actually get there.  And you don't actually know your standing in the OML until selection day either.

The OML is really important when it comes to aircraft selection.  For selection, the OML is split up between Warrants and Lieutenants.  So, even though you are flying with the LTs and in class with them, you are actually only "competing" with the warrants.  And on top of that, it's only the active duty warrants, since the National Guard guys already know what they are flying.  Keep in mind, however, that the OML does continue into advanced airframe to determine the Distinguished Honor Graduate and other Honor Graduates, and that OML includes everybody.

Everybody's selection is different.  You can't even look at the last couple of selections before yours to get an idea of what yours will be like.  The aircraft that are needed change all the time.  When I selected, every class ahead of me for a month and a half was pretty much the same.  Almost all LTs got Blackhawks, and almost all Warrants got Apaches.  That kind of scared me a little bit since I really wanted to fly Blackhawks.

This is how my selection went.  We all went into the classroom and they gave us brief on what was going to happen, and told us that we would have a break between aircraft selection and filling out our "dream sheet" for duty stations so that we could call our spouses and talk it over with them.  At this point, nobody knew where they stood on the OML, or what aircraft were available.  So, the OIC (Officer In Charge) went up to the whiteboard and wrote out all the different aircraft that were available under two columns (LT and Warrant).  For Warrants, there were 4 Chinooks, 8 Blackhawks, and 8 Apaches.  That was a huge surprise to everybody because of how past selections went.

After that, they called off the top Warrant and top LT to select their aircraft and erase aircraft off the board when they were selected.  For Warrants, the Chinook went first.  After that, they read off the next person's name in OML order for the remaining selection.  So, that's how you find out where you stand....as they call off your name to select!  Anyway, all of the Chinooks went first, then an Apache, and then it was my turn.  Of course I selected Blackhawk.  The rest of the slots pretty much went back and forth between Apache and Blackhawk.

Fortunately for my class, almost everybody got what they wanted except the bottom person who was "forced" into Apaches.  Depending on what's available and what happens, selection can be pretty tense.  Many times there are people that are upset with what they get stuck with.  Generally though, people tend to like whatever they end up flying regardless of whether they chose it or it was chosen for them.

After aircraft selection, they put up a slide that shows what duty stations are supposed to be available at graduation.  Everybody turns in a "dream sheet" with their top 3 selections on it, and apparently they use it to try and match it up for your first duty station.  However, it seems that this is rarely the case.  I don't think they even use it at all.  I think it's just there to make you feel good if you get a duty station assignment and it happens to be on your list.  Most of the duty stations that they gave us to select from weren't even where most of us ended up going anyway.

So after we all selected, there was a 15 minute break and I called my wife to let her know that I was able to select Blackhawks.  She was excited that I got my first choice.  Then we went over duty station assignments, and decided on Fort Lewis (Washington State), Fort Carson (Colorado), and Hawaii.  I went inside and filled out my dream sheet, and that was it.  Selection was over.  I was relieved to have been able to select my top choice for aircraft, and excited to get started....until I was issued my 1000 page, 2 inch thick -10 (Operator's Manual)!

If you have a chance to take a break before starting advanced airframe, I would suggest doing it.  You won't have another chance until you PCS.  I took a week of leave.  I didn't do anything special except not have to go to work for a week!  It was a much needed break.  However, make sure you give yourself time to study before going to your advanced airframe.  You will have a 5 and 9 test on day one, and you do NOT want to fail!  I'll talk more about that in the next post.

Logging Your Time

 

I've talked with multiple IPs, CFIs, and other student pilots about keeping a logbook.  Most student pilots do not understand the importance of keeping a logbook, but if you've ever flown in the civilian world, you will know that it is important.  The Army will keep track of all of your flight time on a digital form 759.  However, you will find out at some point that the Army does not log flight time the same as the civilian world.  Logging your time in your own personal logbook will help you keep a record of your time when you transition to the civilian market after you get out of the Army, and it also provides a backup in case there is a discrepancy on your 759.

Differences in Logging Army Flight Time and FAA Flight Time
As I said a second ago, the Army does not log time the same as the FAA designates.  There are a few key differences that I'd like to point out.  First the Army logs "FLIGHT TIME" from the time the helicopter lifts off the ground, to the time the engines are stopped, or crew changes.  The FAA designates it as "time that commences when an aircraft moves under its own power for the purpose of flight and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing."  That may not seem too different, but if you always taxi before takeoff, the Army does not log that, and the FAA would say that you can.  To me, it doesn't equate to much of a difference, so I just log Army "FLIGHT TIME" in my FAA logbook.

Night Time - The Army logs night time between the hours of official sunset to official sunrise.  The only caveat being that in the Army you cannot log 2 "conditions" of flight at the same time.  So if you fly at night using NVGs, you would only log "NG" time for the Army.  In your logbook, you would log it as "NIGHT" and "NG" time.  Same goes for "Weather" and "Hood" time.  If you do those at night, you'd only log one in the Army, both in your logbook.  Now, the FAA has 3 different definitions of "night".  Generally it's the "time between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight".  If you really wanted to get technical, you could figure out and log the difference if you fly at night, however to keep things simple, I just log "night" in my personal logbook the same as the Army.

Where To Log Your Flight Time
There are a couple of ways to log your flight time.  You can use a digital logbook, a paper logbook, or both.  I personally use both.  There are multiple options for digital logbooks so do your research before using one.  I use MyFlightBook because it's free, stores everything online, I was able to import all of my prior time that was already in an excel file, it has an Android app, and there are columns for just about anything you can imagine.  The biggest benefit to digital (in my opinion) is that it will sort your flight time for you.  When you go to apply for a job after leaving the Army, potential employers will want to know how many hours you have in specific areas.  The digital logbook easily adds it up for you and you can modify how you want it sorted.

I tried to use ZuluLog prior to MyFlightBook, as there is a free and a paid version, but I could not import my prior time with the free version so I opted not to use it.  Other than that, it seemed like an awesome option to me and I would be using it today if I could import my current data.  There are also a lot of good paid options.  One that I hear a lot about is Logbook Pro.  I've never used any of the paid versions, so you'll have to research those on your own.


DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert on logging flight time or Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs).  The information I provide is just based on my own knowledge, and that of others in the industry that I have spoken with.  You MUST do your own research and read the Federal Aviation Regulations before deciding how to log your flight time.

How to Log Your Time in Flight School
Primary

If you don't have any helicopter ratings when you get to flight school, it's pretty simple.  There are a lot of tutorials online on how to fill out your logbook, so I'm not going to go over that, just the things that apply specifically to Army flight school students.  However, I would recommend getting into the FARs on your own to at least understand what the FAA thinks is acceptable for logging time.  This can be found in 14CFR §61.51.  In Primary, you should log all time as DUAL RECEIVED, TOTAL TIME, ROTORCRAFT TIME, and DAY.  In addition you can log your landings and any remarks for the flight.  Be sure to log the 'N' number of the aircraft and I would also note the IP's name.  Under aircraft Make and Model, you can either put TH67 or B06B3.

The only time you will log anything different is during your solo.  It is not technically a solo or PIC time per the FARs, so I didn't log it as solo time.  Even though you will log PC time per the Army, the FARs do not warrant logging it as PIC time.  (I did add an extra column on my logbook to log Army PC time though, and I put it there.)  Log it the same as normal only don't log dual received for the "solo" portion of your flight.  Now, the FARs state that you need a CFI's endorsement for logging training flights, but there are 2 reasons that I don't think that you do.

1) I've posed this question to some IPs and on the Vertical Reference Forums, and the most legitimate response is that it is not required.  One guy on the forums (whom I've met at Rucker) and is a CFII with ATP certificate posted this.

2) In that part of the regs, it is referring to logging time to count toward a certificate.  Well, technically your time is not counting toward a certificate, you can get a commercial helicopter certificate after you graduate flight school just by taking a military competency exam.

But, you can interpret however you want and log it as you see fit.  Remember it is your logbook, but if your hours ever come into question you have to be able to back it up.

If you already have a private or commercial helicopter rating prior to Army Flight School:
You should be able to log all time as PIC, just like you did after you got your private license.

Instruments
In instruments, you will go have both simulator and flying time.  If you would like, you can log your simulator time.  I did.  In this case, write the serial number of the simulator you're using (from the logbook) and for aircraft type, I put "TH67IFT" since that's what it says in the logbook.  Make sure to specify that the route of flight is simulated.  I just wrote "simulated" in the block above where I wrote my route of flight.  You can also log the number of APPROACHES, SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME, GROUND TRAINER, and DUAL RECEIVED.  Do NOT log it as Total Time or anything else (day, rotorcraft, etc).  Keep track of the approaches that you do and whether or not you do missed approaches or holding.  I wrote all of this in the remarks section of my logbook.  If you are using a digital logbook, there may be a separate section to specify the types and names of approaches that you are doing.


When you get to the flightline, you can log it as you did in primary (DUAL, TOTAL, ROTORCRAFT, DAY) and you can continue to log it as SIMULATED INSTRUMENT.  If you go further than 25NM straight line distance, you can also log CROSS-COUNTRY TIME.  And, if you were previously rated, you can continue to log it as PIC.

BWS

Log all time as you did in Primary.  The only difference that I had was that instead of putting in an 'N' number for Aircraft ID, I put it as 'R' and then the last 5 of the serial number (i.e. R16921). Army aircraft do not actually have civilian registrations, so there is no 'N' number.  Also, make note every day of whether you flew an A+ or a C model.  I don't know if it's necessary, but I made sure to put the exact model (i.e. OH58A+) in my logbook.  Don't forget that you can log any flight greater than 25NM straight line distance as CROSS COUNTRY.  I'm pretty sure that every flight in BWS is longer than that.

If you were previously rated:
It is up to you how you log it.  Since you are logging PIC as time where you are "sole manipulator of the controls", you probably can't log PIC for the entire flight during BWS.  You can choose to not log it as PIC, or try to figure out how long you were on the controls every day.  I have no advice on this, just log it as you see fit.


Advanced Aircraft
Once you get to your advanced aircraft, everybody should be logging time the same.  If you had previous ratings, you can no longer log PIC for a couple of reasons.  You are only rated for aircraft below 12,500 lbs Gross Weight, and I think that all Army aircraft weigh more than that.  Also, all advanced aircraft require 2 pilots and (at least for the UH60) it requires a type rating in the civilian world.  So, you can't log any PIC until you are rated in the advanced airframe.  Other than that, continue to log it as you have been logging during flight school.  Again, remember to make note of the designation of aircraft you are flying (i.e. UH60A, UH60L, EH60A).


After Flight School
After flight school, everybody should be on the same page.  If you've logged all of your flight time during flight school, you are golden.  If not, now's a good time to start.  The UH60 has a civilian variant, the S70 and you can get (and should get) a type rating for it.  I'm not sure about the CH47 or AH64, so I can't comment on those.

In the UH60 I log both PIC and SIC time depending on the flight.  As a PI (not yet "rated" as a PC in the Army), I log time PIC when I am the sole manipulator of the controls, and SIC when I am not.  I don't start a clock every time I'm on the controls, but generally I know how much of the flight I was on the controls, so I calculate based on that.  The reason I see it fit to log SIC is 14 CFR 61.51(f)(2).  Note the "or" in that paragraph and the "or" at the end of 61.51(f)(1).  Once you make PC, you can log PIC time as any time you are designated as PC of the aircraft AND any time you are sole manipulator of the controls when not designated as the PC.

One additional thing that I do is log CROSS COUNTRY for any flight with a landing over 25NM away from departure..  This is to meet the aeronautical experience required for a rotorcraft category rating.  The only rating still being sought is the ATP rating, so continue to log this way until you get your ATP.  I also have a separate column where I log CROSS COUNTRY < 25NM.  Why?  Because Part 135 (Air Carrier Operations) dictates CROSS COUNTRY as per Part 61.1, which is any time that includes landing at a point other than the point of departure and involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems to navigate to the landing point.  I don't know if this will come up in the future, but I log both ways just in case a future employer may want to see it based on a certain definition.

I added an additional column in my logbook for DUAL ENGINE TURBINE time, NVG time, and FORMATION FLYING TIME.  The formation flying time is just for me, it will probably never come up for anything in the future. Once you start doing additional mission tasks you can add columns (at least in your digital logbook) for things like EXTERNAL LOADS, FRIES, SPIES, PARADROPS, etc., so that you can keep track for yourself that you are meeting your annual and semi-annual requirements. 

BWS - Basic Warfighting Skills

So, you've just spent the last 8 weeks flying 6,000' feet above the earth while staring inside at instruments.  Now, you get to do the exact opposite in BWS (Basic Warfighting Skills)!  BWS is all about route planning, recon, tactical flight, and flying anywhere from 20' to 200' AHO (Above the Highest Obstacle).  For me, it was the most fun flying I'd ever done and definitely the best part of flight school.  But, before you get to have all of that fun you have to do one more thing....MAPS!

Maps
The dreaded maps of BWS.  In reality, this paper map book that you have to make is not really needed.  You could literally print off maps that already have everything on them.  But, this is flight school and since that's how they did it before you, that's how you'll do it too.  You'll get around 30 maps that don't have any of the important info for BWS on them, and you'll have to add it.  And then you'll have to fold and glue the maps into a convenient little map book that you can reference while you fly.

Don't underestimate the time required to finish your map book.  I think I worked about 35-40 hours total on mine.  But then again, I'm somewhat of a perfectionist.  It takes around 1 hour per map to trace all of the required items on them, and then about about 4 hours to glue them and make a map book cover.

The first thing you need to do is cut and press all of your maps.  You have to cut off all of the borders of the maps, and press them so that they will fold correctly.  There are places that will do this for you in the surrounding area.  Two I know of are The Hangar and Velocity Squared.  I took mine to The Hangar and they did a really good job and turned it around in a day.

After that, you have to trace all of the required info onto them.  You'll use the AO Vanguard QITA (which is the quarterly update of hazards for the training area) to get the info that you need.  There are really 2 ways to accomplish tracing.  You can go to the Aviation Learning Center on post and do it there.  They have lighted map tables and 2 sets of all 30 maps with the hazards already drawn on.  They also have markers and other supplies if you need them.  The other option is to rent, buy or make a light table and buy traceable maps from Velocity Squared.  I tried both ways and I found the Aviation Learning Center to be much quicker, easier and cheaper.

Lastly, you have to fold them and glue them together and create a cover for your map book.  This part took longer than I thought it would.  But I had a friend come over and we did it together while drinking beer and listening to Taylor Swift manly music.

Make sure that you take the time to do them pretty well.  Your IP will know if you've missed information and it's the first impression that you'll make on your IP.  However, you will not use them again after BWS, so it's up to you.  If you fly UH60s, you'll need them, but I think I only used them 1 more time after BWS.


The Fun Part
Once you get all of your maps done and show up to the flight line, you'll meet your new IP.  Most of the BWS IPs are much more laid back than in primary or instruments.  On the first day, you'll go out to the stage field to get back into looking outside and learning the differences between the TH67 and OH58.  Everyday after that you'll fly a route to some RTs (Remote Training sites) and then to a local airport to refuel and swap seats with your stick buddy.  RTs are just fields that the Army leases from local farmers and residents.

Initially you will fly Low Level which is between 80' and 200' AHO.  During this part of training, you will plan routes to a couple of RTs and plot them on your map.  Your IP will fly and you will be the navigator.  You're job is to navigate based on ACPs (Air Control Point) and Checkpoints that you determined would be easy to find while you are flying.  In addition, you need to determine what airspeed your IP should fly so that you arrive within 1 minute of the time you calculated it would take during your planning.  Once you arrive at the RT, you will learn some different terrain flight maneuvers such as terrain flight decels, masking and unmasking, slope operations, and different types of takeoffs and landings. 

After a week or so, you will start flying at contour altitudes (25' to 80' AHO).  At this point, you will plan your routes based on the terrain in the area (which doesn't vary that much) so that you can remain more concealed.  Learning to read the terrain in lower Alabama takes a little while to get used to, but with a little practice it's not too hard.  This was my favorite part.  It's the reason I wanted to fly helicopters over airplanes.  You can't beat following rivers and low terrain, only 25' off the treetops, and then landing in somebody's field!

At the end of BWS you get to fly another solo flight after your check ride.  There's a solo exam and a 5 and 9 exam that you have to pass prior to the solo flight, but they're pretty easy.  The solo in BWS was probably one of my favorite flights in flight school.  It's just you and your stick buddy flying around Alabama, landing in farmer's fields and having a good time.

You'll still have daily questions that your IP will review, but depending on which flight you are in it will vary as to whether or not they are part of the daily brief.  In my flight, we just went over daily questions with our IP and our flight commander gave us different topics everyday that he would be going over on for the next day's daily brief.

To study for the oral portion of the checkride, all you really need to know is all of the acronyms from an acronym sheet that they will give you and how to apply them.  It's a couple of pages long, but on my checkride we went over almost every single one of them.  Of course, you still need to know regulations and publications as you will on every checkride (AR 95-1, FM 3-04.203, etc).  Another big thing that they will go over is your map preparation.  Make sure it is to the standard set out in the Terrain Flight Mission Planning Guide that they will give you, and that you have everything marked correctly.


Academics
One of the nice things about BWS is that you won't have academics every day.  You will have a few classes on how to operate the AMPS (Aviation Mission Planning System), and how to use the EDM (Electronic Data Manager) which is a big clunky moving map that you strap to your knee.  You will also have a Crew Coordination Class, Aviation Survivability Equipment, and a "Fires" class.  They are all very easy and don't count for much of your OML.


BWS involves a lot of planning.  I spent more time planning flights in BWS than I ever did before.  In the beginning I would spend 3-5 hours a night on route planning, plus doing daily questions and studying.  Every single day you need to figure out the route you are going to take, plan it on AMPS, and then transfer it to your map.  And putting the map together is a lot of work.  You have to draw your routes with ACPs every 5-20k, time tick marks on one side, and distance on the other.  You have to label all of you ACPs and then put "doghouses" on each leg which show the name of the next ACP, distance, direction, time, airspeed and altitude.  And you have to take time to do a photo recon of your RTs to make sure you know what you're looking for.  

Overall though, BWS is a lot of fun!  It'll probably be the most fun flying you've ever done and the solo is a blast.  The biggest thing that I wish I would have focused more on is PT!  After BWS you have a selection PT test and it is worth 100 points of your OML (about 1/6th).  [EDIT: Flight school is always changing, and as of July 2015, the PT test is worth much less on your OML].  I'll talk about that in the next post.  Until then, here's the best way I found to use the EDM:

Flying In the Clouds - Instruments

UH60M Above the Clouds

In Primary, you learn how to fly while referencing the horizon and other cues outside the aircraft.  Right when you think you're starting to get a feel for how to fly the aircraft, they throw you into instruments!  Instruments is where you learn to fly the aircraft solely by reference to the instruments, without any outside reference.  They accomplish this in 2 ways.  First, they make you sit in the simulators with a gray screen on (simulating clouds) and fly like that.  Second, when you get to the aircraft, they put a vision restrictor on your clear visor of your helmet and curtains on the windows of the aircraft to simulate instrument conditions.

For Instruments, you spend the first 5 weeks in a simulator, and the final 2 weeks and a few days at the flight line.  The schedule is pretty much the same as it was during Primary, except that for the final week or two of simulators you can drive yourself instead of taking the bus.

"Flight Line"
Most of your time in instruments is going to be in the simulator.  Some people really hate it and some people just put up with it.  I don't know anybody who actually likes it.  One thing to remember is that it is primarily to help you learn instrument maneuvers, it is not to teach you how to fly the aircraft.  It reacts differently than the actual aircraft does, and you don't have your full field of vision that you normally rely on in the aircraft.  However, it is a great simulator.  The simulator I used on the civilian side was a toy compared to these ones.

ILS 6 at Cairns AAF

The first 1.5 weeks are called BI (which I think stands for Basic Instruments).  You won't do any instrument procedures, you will only learn how to fly by reference to the instruments.  They'll grade you on being able to hold airspeed, altitude and heading (or track).  It's pretty weird at first.  At the end of BI you'll have a check ride and then go to AI (Advanced Instruments).  The biggest advice I have is to use the instruments as they tell you to.  I used the VSI as my primary altitude instrument, but once we actually started flying, the VSI was unreliable.  You may not know what this means yet, but remember this...use your attitude indicator as your primary instrument!

Once you get to AI, you get into real instrument flying.  You'll learn all about regulations and publications for instruments, how to read charts and approach plates, how to talk to ATC, and how to get from flying 5000' to 200' above the ground at the approach end of a runway all while in the clouds.  There's a lot that goes into this portion.  I'm not going to go into all of it, but just know that you'll probably learn something new every single day.  It's a very challenging mode of flight to learn, but once you learn it, it's actually very easy.

Your last 2 weeks or so is putting it all together in the actual aircraft.  There's a little bit of a learning curve going to the helicopter but it's all the same as in the simulator.  The biggest thing that will cause a problem is probably the weather and wind.  In the simulator the wind is constant, but in reality it's actually always changing; especially when you are descending on an approach.  And then there are updrafts and downdrafts that make it pretty difficult to hold altitude.  Once you figure that out, you'll take your final check ride and be on to BWS.

During flight line you will still have daily questions everyday, but it is different than primary.  You'll get a packet at the beginning of instruments that has the questions for the entire course.  They are much more in depth than primary (which was mostly 5s and 9s), and they really help in studying for the oral portion of the check ride.  They will be asked during the daily brief, and you'll have to stand up and answer them from memory.  Also, don't forget 5s and 9s.  They will be tested on the check ride.


Academics
You'll have academics every day in instruments just like in primary.  The only difference is that in instruments the tests are cumulative.  Meaning that information from day 1 of instrument academics will be on the last test of instrument academics.  If you do all of the practical exercises (PEs), you will be able to get 100% on the test.  The tests are open book, but keep in mind there are about 10 books that you can get your information out of!


The biggest thing I underestimated going into instruments was the amount of new knowledge that there was to learn, and the amount of planning that goes into preparing for an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight.  I spent more time studying than I did in primary, and I also spent a lot more time planning (since there is nothing to plan in primary!)  The more in depth planning you do, the easier your flight will be.  Other than trying to hold airspeed and altitude, knowing what to do next is the hardest part of instruments.  If you get behind it becomes very difficult to catch up and that's usually what causes problems on checkrides and on IFR flights in general.

I like to chair fly every flight before I actually do it.  What I mean by that is to go through the entire flight and what I'm going to do at each portion before actually getting in the aircraft.  I get all of my frequencies written down in the order that I'm going to use them (both COM and NAV freqs), and I make a plan of how I'm going to set up the GPS if it's going to be used.  Then, I run through what I'm going to to do and the radio calls I'm going to make at each stage of the flight.  If you've run through it once or twice before you actually get in the aircraft with your IP (or check pilot), it makes it much, much easier and relaxed.

Of course though, this is flight school and you won't always have the luxury of planning every flight in advance.  Often times my IP would give us our route in the morning when we arrived, making it that much more difficult.  Still, I would ensure that I knew generally what I was going to do on each leg of the flight, and I would still plan out my frequencies before going to the aircraft.

Well, that's about it for instruments.  8 more weeks of flight school down and only 1 more course before you get to select your aircraft.  By this point, most of your OML points have been accounted for.  All that's left is BWS and your PT test.  Also, this is the last time you'll fly the TH67 (until the Army transitions to the LUH-72).  You should have a few days to a week off before you start BWS....and you're going to need it.  I'll tell you why in the next post!

Learning to Fly...Again - Primary

The Mighty TH-67

Primary is where you learn the basics of flying a helicopter.  You'll learn how to hover, how to do different types of takeoff and landings, how to use the radios and what to say, how to fly a traffic pattern, and many, many other things.  Every task you will need to learn is laid out in the FTG (Flight Training Guide) Task Supplement.  This is supposed to lay out the standard for all maneuvers and is the basis for grading you on your checkrides.  However, as you will find out, checkrides are VERY, VERY subjective depending on who is grading you.

The Dreaded Bus

For this portion of flight school, you will have academics and flight line every day.  The class is split into two sections, and one section goes to the flight line in the morning, and the other section goes to academics in the morning.  Then you will flip flop in the afternoon.  The only way to get out to the flight line (at Cairns Army Airfield) is to take the white bus.  There are 2 buses that come in to take you to the flight line.  One will get you out there about 15 minutes early, and one will get you out there just a couple minutes before the briefing begins.  Most IPs (Instructor Pilots) will want you to take the early bus (although there's nothing they can really do to make you....but you do probably want to keep your IP happy.  He is the one giving you your grades after all.)  So, since everybody tries to take the early bus, you must arrive early.  For morning flight line, that usually means around 0430 or so.  The kicker...you switch every week.  If you are morning flightline one week, you are afternoon the next.  That makes sleep schedules SUCK.  A typical day might look something like this (on morning flight line):

0400 - Drag yourself out of bed.  Take a shower.
0410 - Shave, get dressed
0420 - Get books, breakfast (granola bar or something), and water and drive to bus stop
0430 - Arrive at bus stop and put your bag in line to hold your place for the early bus.
0500 - Get on the bus if you're lucky.  Or watch as the senior class arrives at 0459 and goes right to the front of the line because their friend's bag at the front of the line was holding their spot too.
0515 - Arrive at flight line.
0530 - Flight Line brief begins.
0540 - Get grilled by the flight commander on 5's and 9's (more on this in a minute)
0550 - "Table Talk" with your IP...more grilling, and get ready to fly
0700 - Go Fly!
0747 - Try to do maneuvers while your IP yells at you for doing it incorrectly for the 3rd time in a row.
1030 - Land back at Cairns.
1040 - Debrief with your IP.  Learn what you suck at
1120 - Bus back to Rucker, go get lunch
1300-1600 - Academics (could be done anytime between 1500 and 1700)
1630 - Get home, relax and enjoy your hour of free time
1730ish - Have dinner
1800 - Start studying for academics, do IP assigned homework, daily questions, and 5 and 9 memorization.
2100 - Go to bed.
2200 - Look at the clock.  Wonder why your not asleep and figure out how much sleep you will get if you fall asleep right now
2300 - Fall asleep.

Now, a lot of this depends on your IP and whether or not you pickup up the academic material quickly or not.  My schedule wasn't really that bad because my IP didn't care if we took the 2nd bus, so I just arrived at the bus stop at about 0505.  Also, since the academic material is a lot of the same material that I had during my private and commercial training, I didn't have to study as much as others did.  I'm going to try and write about what to expect on the flight line and in academics as well as tips that will hopefully make things a little easier.



Flight Line
When you get out to the flight line you will get assigned to a "flight".  There are 6 flights, I believe, and they all run a little bit differently based on who's running the show.  The person that runs the show is the flight commander.  There is also an assistant flight commander and of course, the IPs.

This is about how you feel most days

Instructor Pilots (IPs)
IPs are all civilian contractors and work for a company called URS.  Your IP can make or break your experience in primary.  I like to think that there are 2 different types of IPs (and I guess there's a hybrid of the 2 as well):

1) An IP that was a civilian helicopter pilot and was never in the military.  I flew with 3 IPs like this, including my assigned IP.  This type of IP is a little more laid back.  They are usually pretty good at teaching and getting you to understand what's going on.  Usually if you're not getting something they will try to teach it another way (this is the way that the civilian world does it).  The only real problem with this type of IP is that you will more than likely fly with a prior military check pilot for your checkride and they might not like your "technique".

2) The other type is an IP that was a military trained pilot.  I flew with a couple of these IPs as well, and I definitely didn't enjoy my flights very much.  Most IPs are this type of IP.  They want you to do things a very specific way, and say very specific things at very specific times.  If you don't, they either get mad, yell, or just give you a bad grade.  There is usually no room for "technique".  To them, there is only one way to do each maneuver and if you don't do it that way, the Army way, you are wrong.  They are much more strict, but typically you will be very prepared for your checkrides.

If you really hate your IP after a few days, you can request an IP change and it will most likely be granted.  Keep in mind, however, that for you to get another IP, someone else will have to get your IP.  This means that you will be breaking up a stick buddy team that might be working really well together and might really like their IP.


5's and 9's and Daily Questions

Table Talk

5's and 9's refer to chapters 5 and 9 out of the Operator's Supplement for the helicopter.  The Operator's Supplement (referred to as the -10 Training Manual for every other military helicopter) is the operating manual for the helicopter.  Chapters 5 is Operating Limits and Restrictions, and Chapter 9 is Emergency Procedures.  For flight school, the 5's and 9's must be memorized.  In primary it's a little bit worse than any other class after because although they will tell you that you don't need to memorize anything verbatim unless it's underlined, they will get on your case if it's not verbatim.  They are VERY picky.  For example if it says "...until TOT is less than 200C", they will not accept you saying "...until TOT is below 200C".

Daily questions are really twofold.  There is a packet of questions that need to be answered everyday and will be reviewed by your IP.  And then there are questions that the flight commander will ask you every day as part of the briefing.  In primary, it consists mainly of 5 and 9 questions, but will also include other topics that will be on your checkride.  You will know what the questions are going to be for the next day so you can study, but sometimes they are a little bit long.  Every day, the flight commander will ask a question and the student responding will stand up and recite the answer from memory in front of the class.  It's a little embarrassing if you don't know the answer, and after the first week or so the flight commander might give you a "U" (Unsatisfactory grade) for the day.  Too many "U's" and you will have to get a prog ride (progress evaluation checkride).

The best way to combat this is to study 5's and 9's before you ever get to the flight line, and continue to study them throughout primary.  I learned most of the 5's before I got the flight line, and that made the first few weeks a little easier.  If you need to memorize new one's every single night it will be a little bit hard because you will also be studying for academics at night, and as you can see, there's very little free time.  So, the more you know before starting the better.  It might seem intimidating because you don't know what N1, N2, TGT or many other terms are, but if you just memorize it, it will all make sense later.

There are a few places on and off post that sell study guides and flash cards to help study the 5's and 9's as well as other flight school material.  Everybody out at the flight line will tell you not to get them and only use the Operator's Supplement to study, but everybody get's them.  They really do help you study.  Just be sure to double check them with the Operator's Supplement because most of them have at least a few errors.


Flying

There is a lot of bullsh*t that you have to deal with in flight school, but it's all worth it (most of the time) when you get your hands on those controls and get to experience the wonder of flight.  Flying is one of the most exhilarating and challenging things you will ever do.  Flight school makes it a little stressful though.  In the civilian world, if you are not getting something you can just fly more hours before your checkride or take a day or week off from flying.  In Army flight school, you will fly every day (unless there's bad weather), and you have to take your checkride when you reach a certain number of hours.  Even though the Army knows how to take the fun out of anything, flying is still flying and I love it.

Even though flying is extremely fun, it can be very frustrating as well.  There will be days where you are in a bad mood the rest of the day after flying and there will be days where you can't stop smiling.  It happens to everyone.  At first, learning to hover is the hardest part for everybody.  It will make you mad.  Just remember that everybody learns at different rates.  Just because your stick buddy is hovering at 5 hours and you're not doesn't make you a bad pilot.  Some people take 15 hours.  Try not to let bad days influence you too much.  You have to shake it off if you have a bad day, so that you can fly well the next day.  There are no breaks in flight school.  Remember you are learning, and becoming proficient takes practice. 


Checkrides
Checkrides are just flight tests.  They consist of an oral portion and a flying portion.  The Flight Training Guide (FTG) that you are issued will tell you exactly what is going to be graded on your checkride.  In primary there are 2 checkrides, P1 and P2.  P1 happens at 19.2 hours of flight time and is very basic.  There are a limited number of questions they can ask you on the oral, and they are from the 5's and 9's.   You will almost certainly have another IP from your flight as your check pilot and they tend to grade pretty easy compared to the IPs from other flights or an actual evaluator.  They are basically ensuring that you are safe to fly without an IP for your solo flight the next day.

The P2 checkride is at the end of primary and is a little more intense.  The oral can cover anything that you've learned in academics or on the flight line, and the flight includes only the more advanced maneuvers that you've learned.  At this point you will have approximately 50 hours of flight time.  You might check with another IP from your flight, another flight, or with a military or DAC (Department of the Army Civilian) evaluator.

You will be graded on your checkrides, and it is a pretty big portion of the OML.  The way that grades work is that you will get a grade from your check pilot based on your performance, and your IP will also have "put you up" with a grade prior to the check ride, and the 2 are averaged for you actual grade.  The IP bases your grade that he puts you up with on the past couple of weeks of flying.  The best part of this is that if you have been flying great, but just have a bad day on the checkride or get nervous, you will still get a decent grade.  Or it could work the other way.  You've been flying horrible and you have a great day on your checkride.  

A lot of people get nervous for checkrides, and it's hard not to.  But if you can just try to remember that it's just another flight but with somebody different and forget that you are being evaluated, it will probably go a lot smoother.  You can control the oral by studying, so make sure you ace that part.  The flight will go however it goes.  You might have a good day, and you might have a bad day.  You can't practice flying at home and you only get a specific number of hours.  So control what you can, and just relax.  The quicker you learn to relax on checkrides the better.  You will be getting at least 2 a year for the rest of your career.


Grades and Prog Rides
During flight school you will be graded every single day at the flight line.  There are a number of maneuvers and oral topics that your IP can grade you on and they will grade you on anything that you performed that day.  Don't worry too much about the grades until the end.  This is the hard for a lot of people.  Most people that get accepted to flight school are very motivated and hold themselves to a high standard.  We don't like getting bad grades and we all want to be the best (whether its to be at the top of the OML, or just for personal satisfaction).  Your IPs will grade you based on the standards expected of a proficient pilot starting on day one, so expect to get a lot of low grades in the beginning (these will either be C's or N's on the gradesheet), even if you have previous experience flying helicopters.  The gradesheet has to show "progress" so they can't start you out with A's across the board. 

Each topic has a specific training day when you are supposed to be proficient and this is referred to as P3.  If a topic is P3, you must be able to pass that topic (whether it's correctly performing a flight maneuver or answering questions correctly) with at least a C grade.  If you do not meet the standards, you will receive a "U" (Unsatisfactory) grade for the day.  As I mentioned earlier, if you get 3 U's within a certain period (I think 5 days), you will be put up for a prog ride. 

A prog ride is an evaluation of your progress.  It's purpose is twofold; it is an evaluation of your IP to ensure that they are training you correctly and it is also an evaluation of your skills.  A military evaluator will perform the prog ride and really it's just a flight with another person.  The atmosphere is the same as a regular flying day.  Based on what I've seen, as long as you are keeping up on oral topics, you will be fine even if your flying isn't there.  The evaluator's job is to determine whether to give you more hours (5 additional) or recommend a different course of action (set back, elimination, etc.)  Typically you will just be "awarded" more hours.  They understand that not every single student can learn to fly in the exact same amount of time.  However, if you suck at oral there might be greater consequences.  Usually after a prog ride, you will be assigned to a different IP.

Additional hours are also awarded if you fail a checkride.  I'm not exactly sure how that works, but I think you automatically get 5 more hours and then you take the checkride again.  Regardless of what you score on it, you will receive a 70% on the OML for a failed checkride.


Fun Days

My daughter on Family Day

You'll get to have a couple of pretty cool days while you are in primary.  After your P1 checkride, you will have a solo day.  The solo is pretty cool, especially if Army flight school is your first experience flying.  You'll get to go up without an IP and your stick buddy will be sitting in the seat next to you.  You'll do 3 traffic patterns at one of the stagefields (which is basically an airfield specifically used for Army flight training).  It's a really nice confidence builder knowing that you can fly that crazy thing by yourself.   

The other fun day that you'll have is family day.  On family day, you'll get to invite your family or
friends out to the stagefield to watch you fly!  They'll get to sit in and play with a helicopter and go up in the control tower.  It's really the only time that your loved ones will get to come see what you've been working so hard for and what you actually do for your job.  So if you have family with you at Rucker, or close by, be sure to invite them once you find out when your family day is!



Academics

Academics

As I mentioned, you will have academics for half of the day every day during primary.  Academic periods are typically 3 hours long with a test every week or two depending on the subjects covered.  For primary, none of the tests are cumulative.  You will only be tested on what you learned since the last test.  However, a lot of what you learn in academics will be tested orally on your checkride, and also in subsequent phases of training throughout your time at Rucker and even your career.  It is a lot of information, but the instructors do the best they can to make it relative and interesting.  

There's not a lot I can say about academics.  I mean, you go everyday, learn something, and then get tested on it.  The best advice I have is to study the practical exercises (PEs) that you are given.  The PEs are basically quizzes on the material covered and if you can answer all the questions on the PE, you should be able to get somewhere in the 90s on the tests.


My Take on Primary with Prior Experience
For me, primary was much different than almost everyone else.  There was one other guy in my class that had previous flight time, and he had quite a few hours less than me.  Needless to say, neither of us had any trouble in primary.  If you come in with prior time or civilian ratings, you will have an easy time in primary.  All you have to learn is the "Army" way to do things, 5's and 9's, and possibly a few maneuvers that you've never done before (i.e., starting a turbine helicopter, hydraulics operations, full down autos, etc).  A lot of the information in academics is the same information that is needed to get your private license.

I felt like primary was an easy "A", and I didn't study very much except on the day prior to tests.  Most of the studying I did was on the 5's and 9's and lists of things they wanted us to remember.  I still worked hard every day flying because I wanted to hone my skills.  I didn't just want to stay within the standard of +/- 100 feet of altitude and +/-10 knots of airspeed.  I worked every day to try to "perfect" every maneuver.  Also, my IP was able to show me things that he couldn't show other students because I already had the basics down.  Instead of just doing autos, he showed me different ways to control them with trim, airpseed, and rpm rather than just shooting for a specific number.  I learned multiple ways to do every maneuver instead of just one way.  And, I had a lot of time to help others understand things that they weren't getting.

Before I got to flight school, I had people tell me to hide the fact that I had prior experience so that I would just look like a really good student and I could just skate by.  But, that's never been my style.  I always want to be challenged.  And besides, if you show up with time.....your IP WILL know.  Every new IP I flew with told me that it was apparent that I had prior time.  So, my advice is that if you have prior time, just let your IP know.  They will find out anyway, and they will probably be able to show you things they wouldn't be able to show a new student.

My Son and Daughter with me on Family Day

So, that's about it for primary.  Try to enjoy it the best you can with all of the stress that comes along with it.  It is actually really fun for the most part.  If you have never flown before it will be exhilarating and stressful.  And remember, you are getting paid to go through a course that would cost you around $55,000 in the civilian world.  Study 5's and 9's before you go and study for your checkrides and tests.  But remember to have fun when you can.  Try to take at least 1 day a week for yourself, your friends, or your family.  I tried not to look at any flight school material from Friday night until Sunday afternoon.  I started studying again on Sunday afternoon. 

I'll leave you with this, my primary flight class video......

The Preflight

After recovering from SERE, I was ready to start flying again.  I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I didn't know what Army flight training would be like.  I wasn't sure if I'd pick up flying again quickly or if it would take awhile.  I mean, I hadn't flown in 4 years.  I had heard a lot about these "5's and 9's" and "daily questions" at the flight line, but I didn't know what that really meant.  They say (whoever they are) that Army flight school is like trying to take a drink from a fire hose.  You'll get a lot of information thrown at you, and it will be extremely hard to take it all in.

First, the big picture.  Flight school is broken down into multiple sections - IERW (Initial Entry Rotor Wing) and Advanced Track.   IERW is where you learn the basics of flying a helicopter, and it consists of multiple sections as well - Primary, Instruments, and BWS (Basic Warfighting Skills).  Advanced Track is where you learn to fly and perform tactics in your advanced airframe (UH-60 Blackhawk, CH-47 Chinook, or AH-64 Apache).  Primary and Instruments are 8 weeks each, and BWS is currently 4 weeks.  For Advanced Track it depends on the airframe and model that you fly (see below).

Click for a larger version

Before you actually get to touch the controls, there are 3 weeks of classes that have to be completed.  First is Aeromed.  This is where you learn about aviation physiology.  You'll learn about what effect a lack of oxygen can have on you as an aviator, types of illusions that you can experience while you are flying, and the rules regarding when you can and cannot fly if you are using medicine.  At the end there is a test which is part of your OML, of course.

After Aeromed, you start systems.  In systems you learn about the mighty TH-67 Creek (which is the trainer for the Army.)  The TH-67 is basically a Bell B06B3 "Jet Ranger".  You'll learn about the basic parts of the helicopter and how they interact.  What you learn in this class will help you when you get out to the flight line and preflight the helicopter before you go fly.  It will take some studying, but there are practice tests that you can take that are about a 95% copy of the actual test.

TH67 Cockpit Procedural Trainer

The final class that you need to take before jumping in the cockpit, is actually jumping in a fake cockpit - a CPT (Cockpit Procedural Trainer).  Since there are multiple ways to kill a helicopter before you actually get in the air, you will practice the startup multiple times before you do it for real.  The CPT is a very realistic cockpit hooked up to computers.  The benefits are twofold.  You will spend less time on the ground when you get to the flight line, and you will know how to prevent a hot start.  A hot start is when the engine gets too hot during startup and basically burns up.

After those 3 weeks, I was ready to finally get back in the air again.

The Camping Trip - SERE

After BOLC/WOBC, the last thing on my list to finish before actually being able to fly again was a simple little camping trip, AKA SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training.  SERE is somewhat of a mystery until you actually attend it.  Of course, that's to be expected since it's classified on the SECRET level.  There are a few things I can talk about, but most of it will continue to be shrouded in secrecy.

I will let you all in on a little secret.  I'm going to tell you what ONE OF THE WORST PARTS OF SERE is.  Regardless of what you will experience during the training, one of the worst things about SERE is.........waiting for SERE to start!  Seriously.  You'll here rumors about what will happen in SERE.  They'll do this, they'll do that, they're not allowed to do this, someone died when they did that, etc.  Most people psych themselves out prior to going to the course.  I know I did.

The best thing you can do (and this is easier said than done) is to just relax.  Don't worry about it.  Take the training as it comes and don't go in with any preconceived notions about what may or may not happen. The training changes often, and no 2 classes are the same.  I was told things would happen that didn't, and there were things that happened that surprised the hell out of me.

Before you go to SERE, make sure that you have a signed upslip, completion of Dunker, and the certificate from the online class that is required prior to SERE.  Without any of this, you will not be admitted into the course.  As far as the packing list goes, stick to it!  I brought everything including what was on the "optional" section.  I have heard of people getting kicked out for bringing things that are not on the packing list (i.e. food, or even food wrappers), so check every pocket of your ACUs and backpack before going to make sure there is no food or food trash in it.  However, you can bring extra clothing items with you (bring an extra pair of boots), you just can't bring them to the field.

I obviously cannot talk about what happens in the course, but it does include survival, evasion, resistance and escape techniques.  I know, big shocker.  If you want to get the most out of the course though, take it seriously.  You'll learn everything you need to know to get through the course successfully, and you might actually need to use it one day.  And remember, this is the last non-flying course that you have to get through for flight school!

Ditching, Ditching, Ditching!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Dunker AKA HOST (Helicopter Over water Survival Training), can be completed during BOLC/WOBC or after.  I attended Dunker during BOLC.  Dunker is a 1 day long course that teaches you how to egress a helicopter in the event that you ever end up in the water.  The training is pretty good, and the devices they use are pretty good as well.  I was really worried that I would drown (seriously!), and so I asked if anyone had ever died during training.  They told me that 1 person had died, but it was because they had a heart attack or something.  They didn't drown.  That was reassuring to me I guess.  I consider myself to be an average swimmer, but I can't hold my breath very long, and I DO NOT like being upside down under water.  But, I passed it and it wasn't really that bad.

I arrived to Dunker at 0530 or so with a copy of my upslip (approved flight physical) and an extra set of ACU's including boots.  Since you will be in full uniform if you ever end up underwater in a helicopter, obviously the training is the same.  I got a ALSE vest and flight helmet and was told to shower and suit up for training.

The very first thing that we had to do was a swim and float test.  There are 2 approved strokes that you can use, the breast stroke and the side stroke, to complete one lap around the pool.  I used the side stroke and it wasn't too bad.  It was weird swimming with boots and a full uniform on, but the helmet has foam in it so it's actually buoyant.  After that we had to go to the deep end and tread water for 2 minutes, and then float for 2 minutes.  I found that the less movements you make, the better.  During the float portion of the test, you have to float without moving either on your back or your stomach.  A lot of people had trouble with this portion.  The nice thing about Dunker is that you can do the course as many times as it takes to pass.

After everybody passed the swim test, and they sent home those who didn't (so they could come back the next day), we started training.  First up was an open metal frame with a chair and seatbelts inside of it.  First we had to escape, just the chair after being flipped upside down by an instructor.  Then they added a door and we had to jettison the door and then escape.  The worst part is getting water in your nasal cavity.  The first time or two upside down was the worst.  After that it didn't really bother me as much.

Once they signed us off on that, we were progressed to the actual training device (I don't know what it's called.)  The device has sections for a UH-60 cockpit, OH-58 cockpit and CH-47 cockpit.  If I remember correctly, we had to do 3 or 4 iterations, so we experience each cockpit.  They are all a little different in terms of seatbelt design and jettison procedures for the door.  The first one I did was the OH-58.  The first time, I just had to unbuckle my seatbelt and jettison and exit the door.  It took me 3 tries to do it correctly.  I freaked out the first few times.

What happens is they get you all strapped in, and then they raise the thing up in the air to get it ready.  They yell, "ditching, ditching, ditching" and lower the device into the water.  Once it hits the water, it rolls 180 degrees so you are upside down.  Whether it rolls right or left is different every time, so you can't really prepare for that part.  Our instructions were to wait until all movement stops before we start our egress.  Then we located the emergency release handle, jettisoned the door, and unstrapped our seatbelt before exiting the device.

After you pass the first time, you have to do it blindfolded.  I did it with my eyes closed anyway, so it wasn't too different.  The hardest part was when they make you do cross-cockpit egress blindfolded.  For this, you have to unstrap, work your way over to the other side of the cockpit, jettison the door and exit.  It took me 3 times to get this one right as well.  The worst part is that there is probably going to be somebody in the other seat when you cross.  The first time I went, there was somebody there.  Our instructions were to either wait for them to exit, or just continue on and not worry about them.  I decided to wait the first time.  After about 5 seconds I reached up and he was still there messing with his seatbelt and I panicked and got pulled out.  The second time I tried to move too quick and got disoriented and didn't even make to the other side.  But I passed it on the third attempt.

After that we had to do 1 or 2 iterations with a HEED EBD (Helicopter Emergency Egress Device, Emergency Breathing Device).  First we learned how to use the oxygen by flipping upside down against the side of the pool while somebody held our legs.  We had to take 2 breaths with the device before coming up.  I've never used oxygen like this before, so It was really weird to me.  I never really got used to it.  After that, we were put in the chairs again before moving back to the device.  I don't remember how many iterations we had to do with the regulator and oxygen but it was much easier in my opinion.

We took a short break after everybody passed that and waited for the AH-64 device to be loaded into the pool.  At this point, all the water in my nasal cavity started giving me a headache.  I didn't really notice it up to this point, but after getting out of the water it started to bother me.  Everybody did one iteration in the AH-64 trainer before moving on to the final portion of training.


The last part of training is how to survive once you are out of the helicopter.  It consisted of how to keep from freezing, the best ways to survive and move as a group, and how to use a rescue raft.  After that they showed us how to get strapped in and hoisted up to a helicopter for a water rescue, and that was that.  We were done with Dunker.

All in all, I think it was great training.  I conquered somewhat of a fear of mine (being upside down in water), and learned a lot.  I had a weird feeling in my head for a few days while they water drained from my nasal cavity, but other than that I was good to go.  The next "activity"....SERE!