Rotor Review Fall 2007 #99

The cover features the aircrewmen from 2515th Navy Air Ambulance Detachment (NAAD) standing in a chevron position in front of a modified MH-60S. The photo for the cover was taken by AW2 Noah Vogt of HSC-25.

Naval Helicopter Association Number 99 /Fall ‘07 ©2007 Naval Helicopter Association, Inc., all rights reserved ISSN: 1085-9683

Focus

A View From The Back...The Aircrewman’s Perspective 8 So Others May Live LT Pamela Stefanski, USN

Aircrew Help Foster ASW Training During Helo Transition

Editor

LT Nick Kesler, USN

LT Kristin Ohleger, USN

HS-11 Fully Integrates SAR Corpsman With Resounding Success

Design Editor George Hopson

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LTJG Mike Conrad, USN

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HSM-41 Transition From SH-60B-SH-60R Helos

Aircrewman Editor

AW1 Jason Hatfield, USN

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MC2(SW) Mark Logico, USN

The Brand New SAR Schoolhouse

HSC / HM Editor LTJG Ryan Gero, USN

AWCS (AW/SW/NAC) Brett Keltz, USN

HS / Special Mission Editor

AW2 David Bernhardt, USN, AW2 Douglas Crisps, USN, AW3 Jordan Schuster, USN

MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC!

LT Kevin Colon, USN

HSL/HSM Editor

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Seventh Annual Aircrew Challenge Raise The Bar

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LT Ken Colman, USN

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LTJG Victor Duenow, USN and AW2 Nick Kontodiakos, USN

USMC Editor

Capt. Vanessa Clark, USMC

An Old Guys Perspective On Aircrewman

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AFCM (AW/NAC) Bill “Red Dogg” Moss, USN (Ret)

Technical Advisor

CDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret)

NHA Photographer

CDR Lloyd Parthemer, USN (Ret) LTJG Todd Vorenkamp, USCG

Page 21

Features Battling FIRESTORM 2007 Navy Helicopters And The Firefighting Business

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CDR Lawrence Vincent, USN Printing by Diego & Son Printing, Inc San Diego, California

A Different Kind Of Firefight LCpl Jessica N. Aranda, USMC

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Broken Hips, Thunderstorms, and High Hovers

Rotor Review is published quarterly by the Naval Helicopter Association, Inc (NHA), a California nonprofit corporation. NHA is located in Building 654, Rogers Road, NASNI, San Diego, CA 92135. Views expressed in Rotor Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of NHA or United States Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. Rotor Review is printed in the USA. Periodical rate (pending) postage is paid at San Diego, California. Subscription to Rotor Review is included in the membership fee in the Naval Helicopter Association or the corporate membership fee. A current corporation annual report, prepared in accordance with Section 8321 of the California Corporations Code, is available to members on request.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to Naval Helicopter Association, P.O. Box 180578 , Coronado, CA 92178-0578

LT Bradley Henderson, USN

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Naval Aviation Revelant and Ready: A Dedicated MEDEVAC Asset LCDR Gary Keith, USN

Blackhawks Give Training Wing Two A Lift

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LT Steven Mason, USN

Gulf Coast FFI: Mission Complete

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CDR Kevin F. Kropp, USN

The First To Haul The First

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LT Bill Delmar, USN

Blue to Blue, Part II LTJG Todd Vorenkamp, USCG

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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Naval Helicopter Association, Inc.

Corporate Associates

The following corporations exhibit strong support of rotary wing aviation through their sponsorship of the Naval Helicopter Association, Inc

AgustaWestland Inc. Air Center Helicopters, Inc. BAE Systems / Electronics & Integrated Solutions BAE Systems / Mobility and Protection Systems Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc Boeing Aircraft and Missiles Booz | Allen | Hamilton Breeze-Eastern CAE Inc. Delex System, Inc G.E. Aircraft Engines Goodrich Corporation, Fuel & Utility Systems Harris Corporation Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego L3 Communications / D.P. Associates Inc. L3 Communications / Ocean Systems L3 Communications / Vertex Aerospace Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Raytheon Naval & Maritime Systems Robertson Aviation LLC Rockwell Collins Corporation Rolls-Royce Corporation Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Standard Aero Telephonics Corporation Thomas Group Whitney, Bradley and Brown Inc.

Correspondence and membership P.O. Box 180578 Coronado, CA 92178-0578 (619) 435-7139 / (619) 435-7354 (fax)

National Officers

President................................................CDR J. Curtis Shaub, USN V/P Corp Mem......................... CAPT Mike Middleton, USN (Ret) V/P Awards .............................................CDR Mario Misfud, USN V/P Membership ...................................... LCDR Ron Finch, USN V/P Symposium 2008..............................CDR William Riley, USN Secretary..................................................LT Cliff Uddenberg, USN Treasurer ......................................................LT David Ayotte, USN “Stuff”...................................................LTJG Nicole Cornell, USN Executive Director.................Col. Howard Whitfield, USMC (Ret) Admin/Rotor Review Design Editor........................George Hopson Membership/Symposium ............................................. Lucy Haase

Directors at Large

Chairman........................RADM Steven J. Tomaszeski, USN (Ret) CAPT Mike Baxter, USNR (Ret) CAPT Chuck Deitchman, USN (Ret) CAPT John McGill, USN (Ret) CAPT Dave Moulton, USNR (Ret) CAPT Mike Reber, USN (Ret)

Regional Officers Region 1 - San Diego Directors.……………….....................CAPT Jamie Hopkins, USN CAPT Buddy Iannone, USNR CAPT Matt Pringle, USN President..….............................................CDR Pete Brennan, USN Enlisted Membership............................... AWCM Carl Bailey,USN

Region 2 - Washington D.C. In appreciation of our advertisers Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego Navy Mutual Aid Association Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Standard Aero Thomas Group

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Directors ..…………...………….................CAPT Glen Ives, USN CAPT Bill Lescher, USN President ....................................................CDR Mike Sawin, USN

Region 3 - Jacksonville Director .................................................. CAPT Glenn Doyle, USN President.....................................................CDR Doug Malin, USN

Region 4 - Norfolk Director ........................................................CAPT Paul Lluy, USN President .................................................CDR Richard Davis, USN

NHA Scholarship Fund President..............................CAPT Jamie Hopkins, USN V/P Operations............CAPT Dennis DuBard, USN (Ret) V/P Fundraising ..............CDR Matthew Coughlin, USN V/P Scholarships .................CDR Bob Weissenfels, USN Treasurer....................................LT Richard Abitria, USN Corresponding Secretary..................LT John Dolby, USN Finance Committee.....................................Kron Littleton

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Region 5 - Pensacola Directors.........................................CAPT Dave Maloney, USN CAPT Dave Callahan, USCG

President ............................................CDR Kevin Kropp, USN

Far East Chapter President ............................................CDR David Bouvé, USN

Number 99 / Fall ‘07

Departments

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Page 55

Editor’s Log LT Kristin Ohleger, USN

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Chairman’s Brief RADM Steve Tomaszeski, USN (Ret)

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President’s Message CDR J. Curtis Shaub, USN

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State of the Association Col Howard Whitfield, USMC (Ret)

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View from the Labs, Supporting the Fleet CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret)

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There I Was...

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“Dragon 11 Generator Fire”

Capt Vanessa Clark, USMC Industry News

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A Salute To Our Fallen Heroes Of The Naval Helicopter Community

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Technology

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Historical

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Book Review

49

Change of Command

50

Squadron Updates

52

Stuff

72

Page 56

Page 59

Articles and news items are welcomed. from NHA’s general membership and corporate associates. Articles should be of general interest to the readership and geared toward current Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard affairs, technical advances in the helicopter industry or historical anecdotes. Submissions should be made to Rotor Review with documents formatted in Microsoft Word ® and photos formatted as high-resolution JPEG and/or PDF by e-mail to: editors@navalhelicopterassn.org or by FEDEX / UPS on a MAC or PC formatted CD to Rotor Review / NHA, BLDG 654, Rogers Road, NASNI, San Diego, CA, 92135. Also, comments, suggestions, critiques and opinions are welcomed, your anonymity is respected. Send to: by email: rotorrev@simplyweb.net, by mail: Naval Helicopter Association, Inc., P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA., 92178-0578, call (619) 435-7139 or FAX :(619) 435-7354 .

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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Editors Emeritus

Wayne Jensen John Ball John Driver Sean Laughlin Andy Quiett Mike Curtis Susan Fink Bill Chase Tracey Keefe Maureen Palmerino Bryan Buljat Gabe Soltero Todd Vorenkamp Steve Bury Clay Shane

Editor’s Log

We Wouldn’t Accomplish The Mission Without Them!

By LT Kristin Ohleger, USN, CSFTP

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elcome to Rotor Review 99! I know I mention this in every issue, but again we are doing our best to bring you new and exciting things to focus on each issue. For this issue we decided to dedicate it to our aircrewmen. The editors got together and determined that we have never focused an issue of Rotor Review on the most important members of our crew and it was about time that we did.

I say this with utmost honesty. To me, they really are the most important members of my

Chairman Brief

By RADM Steve Tomaszeski, USN (Ret)

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ircrewman’s wings, and the sailor’s who have earned this warfare specialty designation, is what this innovative issue is about. Every helicopter pilot has sea stories about missions where a rotary wing aircrew saved the day on a MOB/SAR/in flight emergency or tactical scenario. Today’s aircrewman plays a critical role in what is termed airborne “cognitive workload management”, much more than just the employment of our fleet helicopter sensors. They are, indeed, a select community of professionals as RR#99 documents.

Last quarter CY07 found me out and about the fleet. October’s NHA Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In has truly become a signature NHA event. Thanks to Region 5’s director, Commodore Dave Maloney and President CDR Kevin Kropp (CO, HT-18), the Fleet Fly-In featured over 20 air vehicles from every naval helicopter community. The FlyIn had total support of NAS Whiting Field CO, Capt. Eric Sadsad, and the enthusiastic

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

crew. As an instructor at HS-10, I always taught new aviators the importance of aircrewmen in the accomplishment of a mission. They are our eyes and ears at the most important times. They have saved me on more than one occasion whether it is as simple as dropping a torpedo, or as difficult as landing on the back of a DDG at night. They have been my eyes flying in combat when I was engaged in the mission. They have been there to look up things in NATOPS when we were experiencing difficulties.

Most importantly, they were there with me when I rode a failing aircraft into the ground. I sincerely believe that I would not be here today if it were not for the

enlisted aircrewmen I have flown with and I wanted to take this opportunity to dedicate an issue to them in thanks.

In this issue you will read of the heroic efforts put forth by our enlisted aircrewmen.

Several squadrons sent articles on their behalf.

It is amazing to me how, in the most trying of times, our aircrewmen have not thought twice about something and have reverted to their training. On behalf of all pilots out there I would like to say thank you!

I hope all of you enjoy this issue as much as I have and I look forward to reading about your squadrons in the future!

Kristin

participation of our unrestricted SNAs. This was my fourth FF-In in a row and one thing I never miss is the community briefs. They are slick, entertaining, and well presented by the squadrons. We hope to get them available to you via our web-site soon. And I can report our fleet LTs enjoy the FlyIn as much if not more than our SNA’s… the same could be said for RADMs Jones and Waickwicz! “BZ” to all.

November found me in San Diego where I visited HSM-41 (Skipper Shaub), HSM-71 (Skipper Nortier), and HSM/HSCWINGPAC (COMO Pringle, CAPT Williamson, COMO Hopkins, CAPT Harrison).

All spun me up on current fleet activity, and I even logged some flight time in the 60R simulator. Take-Aways: • The glass cockpit is breathtaking • We will have more helo spots on the CVN than the legacy 5.

• The Carrier Strike Group will have 19 total MH-60’s (11 R / 8 S).

• Link 16 / the Multi-Mode radar and ALFs will dazzle the CSG. • HSM-71 has one cool command coin.

• The FIT is doing amazing work. CAPT. Criger manages more moving parts than a Pachinko machine.

• COMO Pringle and his team have the helicopter story of the year regarding naval helicopters role in fighting the San Diego fires.

• COMO Hopkins shared his vision of helicopters controlling UAV’s and enhancing (torpedo’s) the MH-60S mission.

• It is always good to be the skipper.

I also had the pleasure of addressing a “PAR” (previously active and reserve) NHA helicopter dinner at MCAS MIRAMAR. CO, MCAS, Col. Chris O’Conner, was in attendance as well as CAPT Brent Canady, PCO USS ESSEX (LHD-2), RADM’s Terry and Mac Laughlin.

It was a lively crowd with lots of questions about “How our community is doing and how can they help.” More on this later.

I’ll be in Norfolk after Groundhog RADM Tomaszeski at the Fleet Fly-In Day and hope to see many of you in the pictured with ENS Andrew Gillaspie and Tidewater area. Till our next Brief, fly well ENS Lori Boyer. Official U.S Navy Photo and…Keep Your Turns Up! courtesy of HT-8

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President’s Message

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appy New Year to all! It has been a fabulous year for NHA and 2008 has all the early signs of an even bigger success story.

Exciting new members, a tremendous professional magazine, plus, keep an eye out for our new “stuff,” including NHA shirts, jerseys, and memorabilia. I’d like to thank the board of directors, the Regional presidents for your sustained efforts. A special thank you must also go out to the National team here in San Diego who meet every challenge with a can-do spirit and exceed every expectation. Lucy, George, Colonel, thank you for all you contribute to this organization, and our Navy. You are true professionals offering a personal touch to all facets of a complex business. You make it all appear so simple, but we know different! Thank you.

To all, have a safe and prosperous New Year!!

By CDR J. Curtis Shaub, USN

YES

to Aviators

YES

to War Zone Coverage

YES

to Hazardous Duties FROM TAKEOFF TO TOUCHDOWN Navy Mutual is With You

SEE HOW AFFORDABLE QUALITY LIFE INSURANCE CAN BE. NMAA_RR_Ad_half_horiz_b2.indd 1

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

8/2/07 9:11:09 AM

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State of the Association

Enlisted Membership in NHA & Symposium 2008

By Col. Howard M. Whitfield, USMC (Ret)

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his issue of Rotor Review focuses on the other members of every Navy helicopter’s crew- the enlisted aircrew. The helicopter could not perform its mission without crew chiefs, sonar systems operators, SAR swimmers, and gunner(s), etc., depending on the type helicopter. But really, in a broader sense, it takes a whole team to support getting the helicopter in the air, maintaining it, preparing it for flight and taking care of the administrative side of that support. Every year NHA conducts a membership drive focusing on the pilots, but if we were able to also interest the enlisted aircrew and other enlisted in the squadron in joining, we could easily double our membership numbers. We need more articles written

by and from the perspective of the enlisted. The annual Symposium is open to enlisted and all the events should be of interest, including the Aircrew Competition and the Enlisted Panel Workshop.

The 2008 Symposium is only about three months away- April 14-17, at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. Believe it or not, it has been 16 years since we last held our Symposium in the area at what was the Virginia Beach Pavilion-time flies when you are having fun... Start making firm plans to attend the Symposium in 2008 by making reservations at the hotel and sending in your NHA registration form in this magazine or download it from the website, <www.navalhelicopterassn.org>.

Consolidated Membership Report Year Dec 2006 1 year 900 2 year “nugget” 546 3 year 675 5 year 431 Other* 104 Total 2,656

Dec 2007 913 554 711 456 116 2,750

* Commands and corporate

Military Membership Active Duty & Reserve Retired

Dec 2006 2,038 346

Dec 2007 1,912 414

NAVAL HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION, INC The Navy Helicopter Association, Inc was founded on 2 November 1971 by the twelve rotary wing pioneers listed below.

The bylaws were later formally written and the organization was established as a nonprofit association in the State of California 11 May 1978. In 1987 the bylaws were rewritten, changing the name from Navy to Naval to reflect the close relationship of the rotary wing community in the Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy, from initial training to operating many similar aircraft. NHA is a 501 ( C ) (7) nonprofit association.

NHA Founding Members CAPT A.E. Monahan CAPT M.R. Starr CAPT A.F. Emig Mr. H. Nachlin

CDR H.F. McLinden CDR W. Straight Mr. R. Walloch CDR P.W. Nicholas

CDR D.J. Hayes CAPT C.B. Smiley CAPT J.M. Purtell CDR H.V. Pepper

Objectives of NHA Provide recognition and enhance the prestige of the United States Naval vertical flight community.

Promote the use of vertical lift aircraft in the U. S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

Keep members informed of new developments and accomplishments in rotary wing aviation.

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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A View From The Labs... Supporting The Fleet

By CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret)

Air Crew Issue What A Great One and rescue someone.

But they continue to sign up, join our squadrons and excel. While I’m sure that within the naval personnel world and within squadrons, there is a lot of good leadership and management dedicated to the career development of naval aviation crewmen, I wonder if we are doing enough: The world of HSI (Human Systems Integration) has grown by leaps and bounds. Given our technologicallycomplex aircraft today – and likely

senior aircrewmen are just the ones we need in the aircraft. It might be time to n a naval aviation take a fresh look at career management community built around of these professionals. a single-seat aircraft this There is a path – as there is for issue of Rotor Review will likely receive all sailors – for naval aircrewmen to earn scant attention outside the rotary wing their commission and serve as officers. community, but we know better because And there are some encouraging from a pilot’s perspective we recognize programs today to accelerate this that the crew concept is the lifeblood of process. But maybe we should look at rotary wing aviation. every naval aircrewman as a potential Starting out my career as a rotary wing aviator and see if we can do SAR pilot this was something I probably more to see greater numbers of them add took for granted – maybe many of you gold wings to the silver wings they wear. reading his who no Finally, the longer wear a flight aircrewmen I’ve been suit did too. But, you privileged to serve with over never went anywhere a 30-year career in naval or did anything without aviation shared one common your crewmen.

In trait – they were in it for the SAR world it was the adventure! As the Navy plural because when continues to move towards a rescue came up you “business practices” and needed one crewman in naval officers have to deal the water and the other with those kinds of issues operating the hoist. (whether they want to or not) Fast forward to it’s easy for pilots to lose their our multi-mission sense of adventure. But as Navy, Marine Corps, you strap into your aircraft, and Coast Guard Aircrewman from 2515th NAAD showing off think about that young man squadrons.

I would or woman in the back, that his true “colors.” challenge any military treasured aircrewman, and be aviation community more complex aircraft tomorrow – we sure that the sense of adventure that is anywhere – with the possible exception probably need to take advantage of that naval aviation is part of every fl ight. of Special Operations – to field aviation aircrewmen who are so multi-talented discipline to ensure that the aircrewman There are probably more innovative is an integrated member of the team ideas then the ones I’ve listed above that and multi-tasked.

We ask our aircrewmen to do amazing from a technology standpoint. Right we can take to ensure that we always things, to be jack of all trades and now we could probably learn some have the best naval aircrewmen flying as master of them all too. We want them to important lessons in this area from the part of our integrated crews and I know that Rotor Review invites commentary operate complex mission equipment, to naval laboratory community.

In most maintenance disciplines on articles in these pages – so fire away adapt to whatever pilot combo we toss at in naval aviation, as sailors become with your good ideas…. them, to know enough about helicopter more senior they stop turning wrenches maintenance to do daily and turnaround inspections and then to have the talent, and focus more on leadership and the moxie and the sheer guts to jump out management. But for aircrew this is a dilemma. Senior naval aircrewmen lead of a helo at night, plunge into the water, and mentor junior aircrewmen, but these

I t

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Focus

“So Others May Live” - 24/7 Article and Photos By LT Pamela Stefanski Most rescue swimmers dream of the day they will be called upon to save someone’s life. For AW2 Richard Hoffmann, that day came in September on the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW5) had just pulled in to their final port visit of deployment. AW2 Hoffmann along with three others on routine shore patrol, came upon a fellow shipmate bleeding profusely from wounds to his forearm. AW2 Hoffmann, immediately switching to rescue swimmer mode, quickly made his way through a large crowd surrounding the injured sailor.

After questioning the two sailors accompanying the victim, AW2 realized he had the most medical training and immediately took control of the situation, informing the sailors of his emergency first aid qualifications and directing them to keep the victim calm and get some water. The victim “had lost so much blood he looked like he would pass out any minute,” recalled AW2 Hoffmann.

The wounded sailor had several lacerations to his middle forearm. “There was a very substantial amount of blood on his clothes, as well as the sidewalk. His blood was ‘spurting’ out of his wound, due to the arterial bleeding and the deepness of the wound,” recounted Hoffmann. “My only thought was stopping the bleeding. He was near passing out…I knew if we didn’t stop it, he could possibly lose his life.”

“I tore off the rest of [the victim’s] shredded shirt to use as a bandage and kept one hand with direct pressure on the wound, while using the other to try and wrap the wound.”

Meanwhile the victim continued to struggle and fight those attending to him. “I did my best to keep him calm, not only for cooperation, but because the more upset he became, the more his blood flow increased, causing him to lose it faster,” recalled AW2.

When the ambulance arrived, AW2 Hoffmann, along with the other shore patrol members, wrestled the victim into the ambulance. AW2 accompanied him to the hospital. “I attempted to calm the victim while keeping direct pressure on his wound as well as clamping down on his brachial pressure point (upper arm) to slow the bleeding. En route to the hospital, the Malaysian EMT attended further to the victim’s arm, while I did my best to rehydrate the injured sailor.”

Upon arriving at the local hospital, the staff determined the sailor would need immediate surgery and whisked him away. It was then that AW2 Hoffmann began fearing for his own personal health. Due to the urgency of the emergency, he did not have time to look for proper protective equipment on the scene. “I realized my hands and arms were covered in his blood, and my shirt was soaked…I went straight to the

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sink and cleaned off as thoroughly as possible.” Fortunately for AW2 Hoffmann, he was later informed that the victim did not have any blood-borne irregularities.

Reflecting on the situation, AW2 Hoffmann expressed that the most important training he used was to stay calm and focus on the victim. He emphasized, “If it wasn’t for the training we [rescue swimmers] go through, and the dedication of our instructors, I wouldn’t have been able to stop the bleeding and stop a potentially fatal situation.

It’s obvious how valuable the training is. Whether in the back of the helicopter or in the streets in a foreign country, we can always step in ‘So Others May Live.’ It’s not just our motto… those four words define what it means to be a rescue swimmer.”

AW2 Richard Hoffmann, preparing for a flight on board the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63)

Focus

“Aircrew Help Foster ASW Training And Tactics During Helo Transition” Article by LT Nick Kesler, HS-5

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hroughout the Fleet, the helicopter transition and merger is in full swing. The Navy’s Helicopter Master Plan will upgrade our capabilities and weapons systems, as well as incorporate new aircrew concepts, training, and tactics throughout the Navy’s helicopter communities. As part of the integration, several Helicopter Anti-Submarine (HS) and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL) squadrons have allowed Aviation Warfare System Operators to transition between the communities in an effort to transfer tactical skillsets into the new Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) and Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) squadrons.

Two of those AWs, AWC Travis Seek and AWC Kenneth Smith, recently integrated themselves into HS-5 from the HSL world. They both believe this is an incredible opportunity to merge tactics and concepts within the helicopter communities. As prior HSL AWs, they are highly proficient at tactics involving sonobuoys, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), and radar during Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) scenarios. However, they have not yet had the opportunity, until now, to work with an active sonar dome system such as the AQS-13F on the SH-60F. The new Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar System (ALFS) on the MH-60R will serve as a more capable system than the AQS-13F; unfortunately, nearly all of the AWs in the new HSM squadrons have never operated a dipping sonar system.

AWC Seek, AWC Smith, and more AWs to follow will help transfer the 50 years of “dipping” experience from HS into HSM. Having the ALFS system in the MH-60R will consolidate all ASW system assets (sonar dome, sonobouys, ESM, and radar) into one platform. “It’s important that we help this helo merger as much as possible,” AWC Seek mentions candidly.

“I constantly get emails and correspondence from friends

and fellow AWs curious throughout the HSL and HSM world about sonar tactics and training associated with active sonar dome systems. Right now the HSM community is planning a standardization conference in San Antonio this coming year.

An important part of this upcoming conference is to translate the HS experience into the future operations and tactics within the HSM community. I’m hopeful that the experiences of AWs like AWC Smith and myself who have made the transition will help make this a smoother process.”

As future undersea threats emerge, HSM will become our sole ASW inner and outer-zone Strike Group asset. The ability of HSM squadrons to successfully utilize all of its enhanced system assets, including the ALFS system, will, without a doubt prove to enhance our ASW protection capabilities. It will take a concerted effort from all aspects of HS and HSL/HSM, such as further allowing inter-community transfers of AWs, to help progress our ASW training and tactics so this becomes a reality.

As HSM also becomes more integrated into the Carrier Air Wing concept it will become invaluable to have AWs like AWC Seek and AWC Smith speak a “merged” language between HSL/HSM and HS. They will continue to help foster an important communication channel between all the helicopter communities as the Helicopter Master Plan drives forward. Through their hard work and dedication, and other AWs like them, the future of the Navy helicopter community remains bright.

HS-11 Fully Integrates SAR Corpsman With Resounding Success Article and Photo by LTJG Mike Conrad, USN

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ith the introduction of SAR corpsmen into the helicopter community, squadrons have had the opportunity to capitalize on this new and unique capability. The result has been an exponentially improved ability to execute many mission areas.

HM1 Tracy Bowen has made a major positive impact on HS-11 as a qualified EMT and an H-60 Strike Level III crewman. He has seamlessly integrated himself into both

the AW shop and Medical Department and has become an invaluable asset to the squadron. HS-11 is the primary organic Search-and-Rescue unit for downed aircrew and emergency medical evacuations (MEDEVACS). HM1 Bowen’s unique qualifications as a crewman and corpsman allow him to focus on the patient while simultaneously fulfilling the role of a fully qualified crewman. His familiarity with the aircraft and the many missions associated with the HS community give him a

Continued on page 10 Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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Focus Continued on page 9 unique perspective and mission dexterity that may potentially save a patient’s life.

HM1 has enabled the Dragonslayers to accomplish many missions that in the past would have required external support. While the MEDEVAC mission is nothing new to the Dragonslayers, having the ability to provide medical care in the first hour after coming into contact with a patient, a.k.a. “the golden-hour care,” has made the Dragonslayers a far more capable squadron.

HM1’s medical skills were put to the test in September of 2007 when a sailor onboard the USS Enterprise required a MEDEVAC from the ship to an Army base in Kuwait due to a severe heart attack. During the flight HM1 monitored the patient’s vital signs and stood by to administer any medications the patient might have needed while he also served as the primary crewman. Upon arrival at the airfield HM1 Bowen’s skills were utilized once again when the ambulance that was supposed to meet the helicopter was almost an hour late. When the ambulance finally arrived it did not have personnel onboard qualified to transport a heart patient. Fortunately HS-11 was able to support the ambulance crew due to the robust capabilities of our SAR Corpsman. HM1 rode in the ambulance and ensured that the sailor received the best care possible until the ambulance reached the hospital. Without him, the patient’s arrival at the hospital would have been delayed even longer with potentially catastrophic results.

HM1 Bowen does not only serve as a medical technician. As previously mentioned, HM1 is also a Strike Warfare-mission-qualified crewman. This allows the squadron to conduct Combat-Search-and-Rescue (CSAR) at a level that was previously only possible using outside assets. Prior to HM1 Bowen being with the squadron, a CSAR crew required an external command to provide in-flight medical support for the survivor. HM1 can serve as both crewman and medical

HM1 Tracy Bowen joins HS-11 SAR unit technician, decreasing the number of people required to conduct a mission while retaining the maximum level of patient care.

As Navy HS and HSC squadrons have assisted the Army in conducting MEDEVAC operations in Iraq, SAR Corpsmen allow Navy helicopter squadrons to comply with strict Army requirements for MEDEVAC crews. The robust capabilities provided by the SAR Corpsman will ensure the Navy helicopter squadrons that they are a critical member to the mission and community well into the future.

HSM-41 Transitions from SH-60B to MH-60R Helos Article By MC2 (SW) Mark Logico, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific. Photos courtesy of HSM-41 Public Affairs

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The graduates stand in “parade rest” as HSM-41 commanding officer, CDR Curtis Shaub carries out the ceremony.

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n September 28,2007, the “Seahawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 41 graduated not only the last class of SH-60B helicopter naval air crew, but also the first class of MH-60R helicopter naval air crew at Naval Air Station North Island. SH-60B “Bravo” Aircrewman AW3 Paul Cehr, AW3 Jeremy Ragon-HSL-37, and AW3 Benjamin Wilkins are all going to HSL-51. MH-60R “Romeo” Aircrewman - AW2 Christopher Sheehan, AW3 Scott Hausler, AW3 Donald Miller and AW3 Daniel Tarich are all going to HSM-71.

Continued on page 11

Focus

Bravo Aircrewman - AW3 Paul Cehr, AW3 Jeremy Ragon-HSL-37, and AW3 Benjamin Wilkins-HSL-51.

Continued from page 12 Since 1983, the squadron has trained more than 3,000 fleet replacement pilots and aircrew for the SH-60B helicopter and fleet squadrons. When HSM-41 received the Romeo aircraft (MH-60R) in December 2005, they started training the first set of pilots and aircrew for the new aircraft.

“It’s a proud moment for naval aviation and a historic moment for helicopter aviation, this command and our Navy,” said the Seahawks’ Commanding Officer, CDR Curtis Shaub.

“It’s a bittersweet moment, as it is the end of an era when we stop training on the SH-60B and move into this new airframe.

We couldn’t be more excited for what the country expects of us and the training we’re providing here today.”

Unlike the SH-60B and SH-60F, the MH-60R features electronic support measures, airborne low frequency sonar, a multi-mission radar upgrade--including ISAR, forward looking infrared, and a weapons suite including torpedoes and Hellfire missiles.

“They’ve pretty much taken the Bravo and the Foxtrot and combined them and increased them with technological advancement to where we have an up to date war-fighting

machine,” said Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Justin Tate, the training student control leading chief petty officer.

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 3rd Class (NAC) Scott Haeusler, who graduated from the air crew training, said he looks forward to applying his knowledge when he transfers to his new command in HSM-71.

“It’s been a long time training to be air crew qualified,” said Haeusler. “It’s an honor to be with the aircraft from the very beginning. I can now say that I was there, and I was a part of it.”

The MH-60R will be one of two helicopter airframes used on Navy aircraft carriers once the Navy completes a reduction from the current seven types of helicopter airframes.

It is designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers alike.

“The MH-60Rs are equipped with the newest 21st century computers and we are able to upgrade them as technology increases,” said Shaub. “Its mission has expanded.

It has become a force multiplier for the fleet and for the strike group.”

Romeo Aircrewman - AW2 Christopher Sheehan, AW3 Scott Haeusler, AW3 Donald Miller and AW3 Daniel Tarich all going to HSM-71.

The Brand New SAR Schoolhouse Article and Photos by AWCS (AW/SW/NAC) Brett Keltz

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The brand new SAR School on NAS Pensacola, FL Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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he one thing that the helicopter community has always prided itself in is the tight knit teamwork that is developed among its aircrews.

Teamwork and good Crew Resource Management (CRM) are always a must, and we know it, for if something goes seriously wrong in a helicopter, time is against us and good headwork by all are a must for a successful outcome. As aircrewman, we play a pivotal role in the aircraft, in almost all aspects of every mission. True, doing instrument patterns, or flying starboard “D” are not always the most exciting events, but we have all read many articles in Approach magazine, or sitreps in which

Continued to page 12

Focus: Brand New SAR Schoolhouse Continued from page 11 many potentially disastrous situations have been averted by an alert aircrewman in the back. Here at Aviation Rescue Swimmer School, we like to think that we play a key role in instilling that attention to detail quality that all helicopter aircrewman possess. Everyone that has been through the school can attest to the amount of emphasis that is placed on getting things right the first time, and knowing procedures. Those characteristics, we think, are what make us the finest aircrew in the Navy.

In 2003 Hurricane Ivan rolled through Pensacola and brought a great amount of damage to the beloved old SAR schoolhouse.

The building was subsequently bulldozed to the ground, a page in history. The only indicator of the old schoolhouse is the empty parking lot on the seawall. After the hurricane, the future of ARSS was uncertain. There was no pool to train in, no classrooms to teach in, and no shark pit to mentor young sailors in. The interim fix was to occupy a small space in the back of Naval Aircrew Candidate School. We were given one classroom, a small amount of office space and all of our pool training now takes place in the third training tank in Bldg. 3828, we share the pool with NACCS, API and Water Survival. As one can imagine the logistics with trying to coordinate training for 2 teams and our hold folks has been a challenge. We put forth our best efforts to ensure that the quality of training has not been diminished, however, we realize that that is not the case.

We know that due to the lack of a dedicated training facility, there have been small sacrifices in the quality of the training of Aviation Rescue Swimmer Candidates. However, soon there will be a different breed of Rescue Swimmer entering the fleet.

It is our hope that the next generation of Rescue Swimmers will be better trained, more intelligent and capable of physically and mentally dealing with any high stress rescue situation.

How do we accomplish this? After the destruction of the old SAR school, two Chiefs that were here in Pensacola took a proactive approach and pressed for a new schoolhouse. AWCS Mike Lazko and AWCS Jay McDonald combined efforts, lobbied for congressional funding and obtained approval for the building of a new SAR school. The $14 million project was announced and the ground-breaking ceremony was held in the fall of 2005. During the excavation of the building, the contractors stumbled upon an ancient Spanish sailing ship that was buried directly beneath the future site of the new school.

Construction was halted, and the powers that be decided to offset the site of the building. The sailing ship was covered up to await funding for excavation, and excavation began again for the school. Since then the project has been steadily progressing. Thanks to the vision, meticulous planning and proactive approach by AWCS McDonald, this school will be one of the better training facilities the Navy has too offer. The 25 by 50 meter pool will make pool training as realistic and you can get. It will have a wave generating system, capable of making 2 feet plus waves. It will also have two 9H1 helicopter platform trainers complete with hoists, hover lights and salt

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Updated pool facilities to suit different types of rescue swimming scenarios water sprayers to simulate helicopter salt spray. In addition a high fidelity sound system will be installed around the pool, in which the whine of helicopter blades, engines and winds will be piped into scenarios to add to the realism. The pool area also has the ability to be completely blacked out during the day to facilitate night pool training without requiring students and staff to come in during the evening. The pool is split in half by a bridge that can be hydraulically raised or lowered to facilitate utilizing the entire pool for scenarios, or for distance swims that can not be done in the bay due to inclement weather.

All the other details about the building are just a bonus.

Two state of the art classrooms with interactive overhead projection systems will take the place of the single classroom we now borrow from the NACCS. A climate controlled indoor fitness room, large enough for two teams to PT in when outdoor training is not possible due to black flag conditions.

Weight equipment will also be included in the fitness room to facilitate strength training. There will also be a PT field right there on the school grounds. Separate offices for instructors, medical personnel and paraloft will make staff duties much more efficient. The benefits we hope to see from operating out of this school are two fold. First, we want to give todays Rescue Swimmer candidate better quality training so that the fleet gets a more qualified, capable individual. And second, we always want to try and increase the throughput of Rescue Swimmers because we know the fleet is hurting for bodies.

This new facility should allow us to increase our productivity in that regard.

We hope to open the new school very early in 2008, but that is in the hands of the contractors. But as soon as a date is identified, we will get the word out for the grand opening, all Rescue Swimmers are invited. And if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a chance to come to the opening, feel free to stop in and check out the new facility any time you are in Pensacola. It will be impressive.

Focus

“MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC!” or

A Day In The Life of an Air Ambulance Crew Chief Article By AW2 David Bernhardt, USN, AW2 Douglas Crisp, USN, & AW3 Jordan Schuster, USN

While the following work is a semi-fictionalized account, it accurately portrays the day-to-day routine of the 2515th Navy Air Ambulance Detachment, stationed at Udairi Army Airfield, Kuwait. The 2515th NAAD provides 24-hour MEDEVAC coverage to US and Coalition troops in all of Kuwait and the southern third of Iraq. Detachment pilots, aircrewmen, and maintenance personnel are currently sourced from HSC-25’s Island Knights, while the SAR Corpsmen are individual augmentees from SAR stations and Marine squadrons throughout the US.

0600 You roll out of your creaking steel bunk-bed located in a double-wide trailer that serves as your barracks. As you flail and reach to shut off your screeching alarm clock, you rub your jaw with your hand and think to yourself, “Gotta shave.” You gather up your toiletries, scoot into your Crocs, and slowly work your way towards the communal head, a corrugated steel structure about a hundred feet away from your trailer. As you exit the trailer, you’re greeted by a blinding flash of sunlight: it’s as bright at six o’clock in the morning here as it is at noon in other places of the world. What you wouldn’t give to be in any one of those “other places” right now.

0608 After your morning ritual of shaving, brushing your teeth, and taking a combat shower, you’re back in your room, which, you notice, has an all-pervading odor of trench foot, poorly masked by aerosol air freshener. You slug your gently-snoring rack mate and politely tell him it’s high time he does another load of laundry.

You throw on your desert flight suit and tan suede boots and begin packing your overnight bag, which you’ll need when you spend the night at the detachment spaces tonight. You toss in your pillow, a sleeping bag, a change of socks and undershirt, your bathroom kit, and the copy of Super Troopers the folks back home mailed you the other day. One can’t have a slumber party without movies.

0645 When you arrive at the det spaces, you head straight to the alert crew’s quarters, nicknamed “The Hooch”, and drop off your overnight bag. You take note that the small building doesn’t smell like death anymore: the ionic air filters Chief had put in are doing their job.

Next up is the paraloft: you grab all your standard flight gear, plus a set of night vision goggles and your kick-out bag, which is full of survival essentials such as water and evasion charts. It also serves as a place to store the ammunition for your M16 rifle and 9mm pistol. You’ll go next door to the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) and grab those here in a second.

The TOC is what amounts to the “control room” for all flight operations. It’s here that alert crews brief for missions, store their flight gear in purpose-built racks, and receive 9-line MEDEVAC requests from outside agencies. The Operations Duty Officer calls this room home for the duration of his or her twelve hour watch, as does the Assistant ODO. Their job is to receive and Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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disseminate 9-lines to the alert crews, coordinate missions with other Air Ambulance units in Iraq, and keep area medical units in the loop concerning ongoing or upcoming missions.

The AODO has all your weapons, ammunition and COMSEC gear ready and waiting for you. You holster your 9mm, pocket your serialized blood chit (with translations in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Kurdish, and English), and check the battery level on your combat survival radio. Everything is as it should be, and you stage your gear in your storage bin.

0700 Time to brief. The rest of your flight crew has arrived, as has the second crew. You’re assuming 1st-Up, the primary 15-minute alert duty MEDEVAC crew. The other crew is 2nd-Up, also on 15-minute alert; they’ll cover the alert while you’re launched on an in-country MEDEVAC mission, and will serve as your wingman during cross-border missions into Iraq. After both crews finish their cross-border, NATOPS, and intelligence briefs, you walk to your respective aircraft to preflight and set the aircraft to the alert launch checklist.

Now that all this is complete, you’re on 15-minute alert until 0700 the following morning: you have “The Chicken”. You’re not entirely sure why it’s called that (the only clue is the 3” rubber chicken that’s stuck to the TOC flight schedule board to denote which crew is the primary alert crew). You only know that its meaning is deeply rooted in Navy Air Ambulance tradition, and that to insult the chicken would border on blasphemy.

0755 You’re taking a moment to write an e-mail home to your family. The e-mail describes just how boring it can get here when there’s nothing to…

0756 “MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC!” crackles loudly from your Motorola walkie-talkie. You abandon the e-mail as you dash to the TOC to gather your flight gear, the 9-line, and your Corpsman’s medical gear. As you quickly don your gear you overhear the ODO telling your HAC that there’s been an accidental shooting out at one of the many small arms ranges that surround the camp.

You ask HM2 Brad Reinalda, the SAR Corpsman on 1st-Up today, if he needs a hand with his Level-C med bag. “Nah, New Guy will grab it for me” he says with a grin and a nod of his head towards the Second Crewman, AW3 Jordan Schuster, who incidentally is about to launch on his first MEDEVAC. “Roger” is Continued on page 14

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your reply, as you dash out the door to the helicopter.

0758 You meet the Helicopter Second Pilot out at the bird just as he’s starting the helo’s auxiliary power unit. “Ready for ape?” asks LT Hector Ubinas. “Set!” you shout. Within a few moments the aircraft begins to come to life. Your Helicopter Aircraft Commander, now out at the bird with you, yells above the din, “Range Eight, gunshot wound to the thigh. It’s an urgent.” LCDR Gary Keith, the detachment OIC and your HAC today, zips up his flight vest and clambers aboard the helicopter. As you shut his door, you see HM2 Reinalda and AW3 Schuster sprinting towards the helo, loaded down with medical gear. As soon as they’re inside the cabin you give the pilots the okay to start engines and spin rotors. Meanwhile, the back of the aircraft is a flurry of excitement. You’re hanging up the MASCAL curtain, full of spare bandages, IV fluids, and airway kits.

Schuster is hooking up the electrocardiogram, plugging in monitor leads and the blood pressure cuff. Reinalda is digging through his drug bag, full of strange and potent medications and sinister-looking syringes.

With rotors at 100% Nr, LT Ubinas looks aft and squawks over ICS “Y’all set?” With a nod of your head he pulls steadily on the collective, bringing the aircraft to a hover. A nudge on the pedals sends the tail swinging around, pointing you towards the small arms ranges only a few miles away. A stronger pull on the collective and a gentle push forward on the cyclic noses the helicopter towards the ground and increases speed. LCDR Keith makes a radio call back to the TOC, letting base know that we’ve pulled chocks.

Nine minutes from alert to launch. Not too shabby.

0808 “I’ve got smoke in sight, twelve o’clock, about 2 miles” says LCDR Keith. You crane your neck to get a look over the cockpit’s glare shield, and sure enough there it is: a small puff of marker smoke in the distance, right out in the open. With landing checks complete, everyone’s focus is now on sticking this landing, where you’ll likely get engulfed in a cloud of sand and super-fine dust on short final: it’s called “brown-out”, and the resulting loss of visual cues on the ground can disorient even the most experienced of crews.

“On final, right seat” calls the pilot at controls. The response comes from you and your 2nd Crewman: “Right’s up,” “Left’s up.”

Good, your ICS is working. You call the pilot in closer and closer to the landing zone: “Forward 100… 50… 20…”

“Nose in the zone!” belts LT Ubinas, as the nose of the helicopter fully obstructs his view of the LZ. “Clear right. Clear left. Tail’s clear, clear to land” you and your 2nd Crewman shout back, letting the PAC know that there are no obstacles between you and the LZ. Immediately after you get these last words out, the entire helicopter is swallowed whole by a gargantuan plume of sand and dust. You lose sight of everything - ground, sky, and horizon - until you touch down on the desert floor.

0809 “Doc” Reinalda and AW3 Schuster ditch their gunner’s belts, exit the bird, and head over to the group of soldiers standing around the patient. Schuster takes a NATO litter with him to give to the Army medic once he takes the patient on their litter. Doc is busy getting a passdown from the medic and the soldier’s platoon leader. It turns out that a bit of horseplay (coupled with a large helping of carelessness) ended in an accidental discharge of a soldier’s M16.

The 5.56mm round found its way into the front of Private Pyle’s left thigh and out the other side, miraculously missing both the femur and the femoral artery.

Reinalda and the Army medic finish packaging the soldier onto the litter and form a litter-bearing team. You give the party the go-ahead to enter the rotor arc as you position yourself inside the cabin to load the litter. Loading a patient into the MH-60S’s Litter Management System isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world, but with a little swearing and plenty of sweat you manage to secure the litter to the LMS. With Doc and Schuster back on board and the soldiers clear of the rotor arc, you make the ICS call “Clear to lift.” With a small pull on the collective you’re airborne again, leaving the shooting range - and a very dusty platoon of soldiers - behind you.

0811 “Sir, this guy’s in a lot of pain. I’ve given him some morphine, but he’s definitely not happy.” HM2 Reinalda is putting it lightly: the patient, a 20 year-old Army specialist, is groaning through clenched teeth in between deep gasps for breath.

His digital camouflage trousers are caked with blood, both dried and fresh.

“Roger, we’ll pull into the yellow” is the HAC’s response.

He knows that this kid’s best bet is to get to the Navy Expeditionary Medical Facility at Camp Arifjan, still about thirty minutes away.

Doc has got the bleeding under control, and Schuster has an oxygen bottle and mask going for the injured specialist.

0843 LCDR Keith is busy trying to raise the EMF on the radio to let them know that he’s inbound with a patient, and that he’ll need to be resupplied with what Doc’s used on the patient.

“Landing checks complete: we’re set aft”, you say over the ICS, as you make the turn on final to the helipad at Camp Arifjan.

Still unable to raise the EMF on the radio, LT Ubinas says “I guess they’ll figure out they’ve got a patient when we land on their doorstep.”

Once on deck, you see that the doctors and corpsmen from the EMF are in fact waiting for you. You give the litter team the okay to enter the rotor arc, and you load the patient onto their litter gurney.

Doc Reinalda follows them into the hospital to give his passdown, and Schuster handles gathering the resupply. You, meanwhile, start breaking down the gear left in the helicopter. When Doc & Schuster return, you’ll be ready to head back to Udairi Army Airfield.

1153 You’re back in the TOC, winding down from your mission to the range over a slice of pizza. During the short window in which your crew is allowed leave to grab lunch, you all piled into one of the detachment’s SUV’s and headed to the on-base pizza vendor.

It’s NAAD tradition that after a pilot, aircrewman, or corpsman returns from his or her first MEDEVAC mission that he or she buy the entire crew pizza. And in keeping with the “chicken” theme, he or she must purchase and deliver the pizzas while wearing an adult-sized chicken costume, complete with bright yellow feathers, orange leggings, and a beaked full-face mask. You can’t help but grin stupidly when you see AW3 Schuster sitting there looking like 6-foot-tall poultry.

Another thing about the chicken suit: no one is quite sure how to launder it, and it’s not like there is a dry-cleaner on base, either. One can imagine how it must smell after God-knows how many first-timers have had to wear that thing out in 140°F heat.

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1300

“1st and 2nd Up: your birds are ready for preflight” shrieks over your radio. The line shack (popularly known as the “Pit Crew”, thanks to their NASCAR-like speed) has finished the turnaround inspections on both alert aircraft, which are now ready for preflight. You had better remember to take a set of gloves with you: your bird has been roasting under the hot midday sun for hours now, and will be painfully hot to the touch.

1545 Back inside, you remember to place your dinnertime chow order. A couple of your buddies will grab you a togo plate from the DFAC (Army speak for the galley). Your choices are ketchup with army noodles (cleverly disguised as spaghetti) or fried chicken. Couple the fried chicken with a plate of brown, wilted, iceberg lettuce and you have got yourself a decent meal.

1745

Chow time. Your buddies come back with a couple cardboard boxes filled with Styrofoam containers of grub.

You dig out a box of salad while you look for the fried chicken. NoJoy on the fried chicken, but they did get you some naked hot wings.

Always one to improvise, you mix some Caesar salad dressing with Tabasco sauce, and voila: wing sauce!

When life gives you lemons…

1810 Time for some “fighter management”, an Army term for crew’s rest. Before you bed down for a short nap, you and the other crewmen on alert all gather in the hooch while you break out the Super Troopers DVD your parents sent you.

1847 You’re about a half-hour into the movie, watching “Rabbit” do his best to detain a couple of Teutonic speed demons when you hear it: “MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC! 1st- and 2nd-up to the TOC: you’re going north.”

You and the five other crewmen jump to life. Once inside the TOC, you grab your body armor strap it on. Your NVD’s already calibrated and mounted to your helmet, you begin to think about what else you’ll need on this mission. Don’t forget to check out a cross-border mission binder: you’ll need that to get approach and departure information for different airfields around Iraq. Double check the rest of your loadout while you’re at it: M16 and ammo?

Check. M11 and ammo? Check. Blood chit? Check. Radio?

Check.

The ODO, LTJG Sarah Hester, begins relaying the 9-line to the HACs. “You’re going from the prison at Camp Bucca to Al Kut. A mortar round landed in the compound and two EPWs got peppered by shrapnel pretty badly.”

As the Corpsmen finish taking down the 9-line, everyone else runs out to their helicopters. The 2P’s get the APU’s going, 2nd Crewmen start rigging the cabin, and you and the other crewchief get a quick walkaround of each of your aircraft. Make sure that the engine inlet barrier filters are properly secured; you wouldn’t want one of those to pop open in flight. Everyone’s finished getting their gear on and stowing their kick-out bags in the cabin. You’re ready to spin.

Engines hum and rotors begin to spin overhead as you see the two Docs coming out of the TOC. Once you’re fully spinning they hop in their birds and strap in. “We’ll take one patient, and dash-two will take the other” says Reinalda as he gets situated.

“Rog’, then we’re set to lift?” asks LT Ubinas.

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out the window to clear the aircraft for takeoff. A pull on the collective, a backwards air taxi, and you’re off. As you cross the hold short line, you and Schuster reach outside the aircraft and arm the Countermeasures Dispensing Sets. With the extra preparations needed for a cross border mission, it’s taken you just over 14 minutes to get off deck: still within the 15-minute mark, but just barely.

1907 As your two-bird flight nears the Iraqi border, you run through your combat checks. With communications, lights, sideseat armor, landing and maximum power check complete, you insert a magazine into each of your weapons. Combat checks complete, the pilots dip the noses of their aircraft, coming down to fly nap of the earth. The aircraft perform check turns, tac turns, and shackles, to keep anyone on the ground who may be observing us guessing.

1909 “On final, right seat” barks LT Ubinas as he squares Camp Bucca in the windscreen. You and your fellow crewman run through the landing procedures, clearing the aircraft to land on the helipad. Dash-two lands beside you shortly after you get on deck.

You stay spinning and ready to lift at any moment, because you don’t want to get caught with your pants down in the middle of a mortar barrage, which happen more frequently than you’d think.

Doc and Schuster break out from the helo and grab the patients, while you help get them strapped down. Once all is secure, you’re off once again. Al Kut is still about two hours away.

1943 “Popping flares!” cries Schuster, as LCDR Keith responds by performing break-lock maneuvers. The missile approach warning tones in the pilot’s helmets cue them to the possible threat.

Several seconds pass without incident, and everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief.

“Anyone see anything?” questions LCDR Keith.

“Nothing on the right”, and “Nothing left” are the replies from the back. You and the rest of your crew keep an extra-sharp lookout.

2113 You turn to look in the cockpit, peeking under your goggles, and look at the fuel gauge: almost at NATOPS minimums.

“How far out are we, sir?” you ask the HAC. “We’re about three minutes out: I think I see the field, now…

Yeah, that’s it.” As you peer out the window, you clearly see the city of Al Kut, with the airfield between you and the city.

Your Detachment and Squadron leadership tell you that the 2515th Navy Air Ambulance Detachment is the envy of all other Navy rotary-wing squadrons, and maybe of Naval Aviation as a whole.

You’re flying the missions that everyone else wants to. You’re making a difference. And if you can pardon the tired, old, expression, you’re the tip of the spear. You may not have felt that way when you woke up this morning, but now, as you look out at the cool, star-studded night sky over Iraq, and then back inside the cabin to the Corpsman, fighting to keep a fellow human being alive, you feel you better understand your leadership’s words.

To date, the Fourth Wave of the Naval Air Ambulance Detachment has flown over 1200 operational hours, 500 hours of which have been MEDEVAC support in Iraq. They have diligently moved more than 200 patients to higher echelons of care, preserving the fighting strength of Coalition Forces engaged in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Focus

Seventh Annual Aircrew Challenge Raises the Bar

Article By LTJG Victor Duenow and Photos taken by AW2 Nick Kontodiakos, HSC-22 complete twenty-five pull-ups. Upon finishing that event, the teams next moved on to an eighty yard litter carry. After concluding the litter carry, the teams entered a sealed obstacle course. A wide array of grueling impediments presented themselves along the way through the Navy SEAL obstacle course including climbing walls, low crawls, hurdles, rope swings, and climbs. When teams at last made it out of the sealed obstacle course, each team still had to complete more hurdles, a fireman carry, and finish with a beach run to the end of the course. Time stopped when the last member of the team Teams commence with the beach run portion of the competition. crossed the line. With the conclusion of the competition, all participants and observers n a sweltering Wednesday morning at Naval got together for a barbeque and were able Amphibious Base Little Creek, a heated contest to spend time conversing with each other. transpired that challenged its participants’ After an arduous struggle, a team from HSC-2 came through physical prowess. The 2007 Aircrew Challenge took place on first. Finishing with a time of 48:18 were LT Justin Issler, LT Brian September 26, 2007, and not only demanded substantial athletic Evick, AW1 Joseph McCollum, and AW2 Joseph Cummings. Second ability, but also required team work as a necessary ingredient place went to a team from HSC-2 also, while third place went to a team for success. Twelve teams of four participants each accepted the from HSC-28. All the participants put forth an exemplary performance, task, with teams hailing from HSC-2, HSC-22, HSC-26, HSC-28, making the 2007 Aircrew Challenge a great success. For winning the HM-14, and Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School Atlantic. competition HSC-2 will receive the Aircrew Challenge plaque until The Aircrew Challenge was established in 2001 as a next year’s competition, and their team name will be permanently way to build camaraderie, both within squadrons and between the inscribed on it. competing commands. Initially, the event was created to be an HC The Aircrew Challenge has become an annual tradition squadron only occasion, but as the Navy’s Helo Master Plan has at NAB Little Creek. The events for next year have not yet been evolved, so has the Aircrew Challenge. Teams were entered this determined, but they are expected to become increasingly demanding. year from squadrons other than the traditional HSC base, which The Aircrew Challenge has helped to build the morale of the units that only added to the great energy that this event generates. have participated in it, as well as construct ties between the different This year’s competition was hosted by HSC-22, with helicopter squadrons. This event has helped to promote teamwork, all the planning and preparation being run by AWC Charles Ott. physical readiness, and build morale, and for these reasons has become Through his direction, the event was planned so that teamwork a steadfast was an essential factor to completing the course. To ensure the tradition for course would be found challenging for even the most hearty, the the helicopter total course length was set at 5 km. squadrons For the first leg of the race, all four members of each team throughout had to complete the Navy. a 500-meter open ocean swim. Once the teams were ashore, they each received a map to help guide them through the course.

Aircrew finish the swim and get ready for The second obstacle Challengers get ready to start the 500-meter swim. phase two. was a station where each team had to collectively

O

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Museum Watch

National Museum of Naval Aviation

Story and Photos by LTJG Todd “Stalker” Vorenkamp, USCG

I

n my previous “Museum Wa t c h ” columns I wrote about aviation museums that were off the beaten path for a majority of Naval Aviators. I covered the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, The National Museum of Naval Aviation OR and the American Helicopter Museum in on NAS Pensacola, FL West Chester, PA – both great museums located far from where most active duty Navy pilots call home.

The subject of this edition of “Museum Watch” is a bit different.

My attendance at the U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center H-65C Transition Course has permitted me to return to Pensacola, FL and to the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

I will assume that most Rotor Review readers have been to the museum that is located at NAS Pensacola, FL. Many of us went to the museum during the first days and weeks of our naval aviation adventure during Aviation Pre-Flight Indoctrination (API) and then through other Florida Panhandle-based flight training courses.

Thank you for your

I was actually stashed at the museum as a flight line bus tour guide. It was an honor and privilege to join the museum staff for a few weeks and show guests around the flight line.

It had been eight years since I had been to the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Back then it was a world-class aviation museum. Today it is even better!

The interior of the museum is chock full of aircraft on the deck and suspended from the ceiling. “Chock full” is a bit of an understatement. You cannot swing a dead cat around the museum without hitting a beautifully restored naval aircraft. Planes are everywhere! The congestion is a bit overwhelming due to the sheer number of aircraft and their proximity to one another. The original designers of the museum undoubtedly wish they had made the original structure much larger to accommodate more of the collection.

Aircraft not inside the museum and not out on loan to other museums around the country are sitting out in the elements behind the museum – viewed from a bus on the before - mentioned flight line tour.

Do not pass up this part of the museum experience!

I found my return to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, after almost a decade of naval aviation experience, to be a moving and emotional experience. I felt a connection with the aircraft, displays, and exhibits that did not exist when I was there years ago. This is YOUR museum, and I encourage everyone to find time to return as this world-class museum is getting better and better.

Visit www.navalaviationmuseum.org for more information.

LTJG Vorenkamp is a former USN pilot who has transitioned to the U.S. Coast Guard and is flying H-65 helicopters out of USCGAS Humboldt Bay. He maintains a photography website at www.trvphoto. com.

extraordinary service to our country and for the

sacrifices

that you and your families make on our behalf.

Supporting improvement in Naval Aviation since 1998 www.thomasgroup.com | info@thomasgroup.com

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Article and Photo by Captain Vanessa Clark, USMC

Dragon 11 landed and shut down after experiencing a generator fire at 5,500’.

200’ high tension power lines located 100 yards to the south west.

O

n 14 August 2007, Dragon 11 and 12 launched from MCAS Camp Pendleton and proceeded east to R2507N near MCAS Yuma, Arizona, in order to conduct a Night Low Light Level (LLL) Aerial and Tail Gunnery Instructor training flight. In June, the squadron had conducted a squadron detachment to MCAS Yuma followed by Operation DESERT TALON. The squadron used the range extensively during both training evolutions. All of the pilots and crewmembers of both aircraft flying that night had attended the three-week event.

The five Marine crew on Dragon 11, the section lead aircraft, had over 4,640 total, over 2,070 Night Vision Device (NVD), and 1,240 Low Light Level (LLL) hours between them. All crewmembers had completed at least one combat deployment.

The section conducted a lead change south of the Salton Sea in order to facilitate the Tail Gun Qualification on Dragon 11. Dragon 11 climbed to 5,500 feet in order to establish radio contact with Yuma Range. After the lead change, Dragon 12, now the dash one aircraft, descended and proceeded to the pre-briefed checkpoint to hold while Dragon 11 stayed at altitude attempting to get clearance from Yuma Range to enter onto R2507N. While at altitude four miles south of the R2507N border, the pilots of Dragon 11, Captain Vanessa Clark and Captain Christopher Casey, began to smell burning electrical equipment, and moments later, they were finally able to contact Yuma Range and get clearance into the working area.

Sergeant Jesse Ralston and Corporal Kenneth Reynolds were on the ramp preparing for the tail gunnery evolution and gun drills.

They both noticed sparks coming from the Number 1 Generator, located directly above Corporal Reynolds. Sergeant Ralston immediately notified the pilots of the situation, reached for the aft fire extinguisher and attempted to contain the sparking generator.

Captain Clark, who was on the controls at the time, immediately put the aircraft in a 1,500 feet per minute descent. She turned the aircraft

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“There I Was...”

Dragon 11 Generator Fire

slightly to the right and prepared to land the aircraft in a clear area in order to avoid two sets of power lines and a canal bordering the R2507N range. Corporal Reynolds, without hesitation or instruction, began to move the M240G machine gun and the 2,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition as far away from the sparking generator as possible. Captain Casey then notified Dragon 12 of the emergency.

Ten seconds later, the Number 1 generator seized, and the Number 1 Generator Light on the Master Caution Panel illuminated. Captain Casey lost all the cockpit flight instruments including the co-pilot’s Communications Navigation Control System (CNCS) and radio as well as all of the cockpit lighting on his side. Captain Casey then executed the Generator Failure Emergency Procedure. A fire from the Number 1 generator started, and the flames began to spread throughout the aft portion of the aircraft. The smoke had already reached the cockpit when Sergeant Ralston notified the pilots that the generator was on fire. Captain Clark increased the aircraft’s rate of descent to 4,000 feet per minute in order to get the aircraft on the deck before the fire spread any further. Sergeant Ralston, having depleted the first fire extinguisher, called for the second and last fire extinguisher from Sergeant Loren Gibb, the Aerial Observer still located in the front of the aircraft.

As the aircraft passed through 3,000 feet, the smoke inside the cockpit thickened. Sergeant Gibb continued to call out the locations of Dragon 12 as well as the location of the two power lines and the canal. Sergeant Ralston used the last fire extinguisher on the spreading flames, and Corporal Reynolds continued to close the ramp and hatch in order to minimize the amount of airflow through the aft section of the aircraft. Captain Casey reached over to ensure his cockpit window was open since the smoke in the cockpit was making it difficult for the pilots to see the desert floor as well as Dragon 12.

Captain Clark looked over and noticed her window was opened only

Continued on page 19

There I Was...

Coachella Canal located 20 yards in front of the aircraft.

Continued from page 18 a few inches. The smoke was only getting worse in the cockpit. She reached over and tried to open her window, but it had become jammed.

She called for a transfer of controls to Captain Casey, so she could fully open her window and attempt to transmit on her radio over Guard since she still had power on her side of the instrument panel. She was able to change the number one radio’s frequency to 243.0; however, no radio transmissions went out. The aircraft was quickly descending through 1,000 feet. Sergeant Ralston called for the pilots “…to get the aircraft on the deck.”

It was not until 500 feet that both pilots could see the ground and obstacles well enough to identify a landing zone. Captain Clark called for Captain Casey to come slightly to the right to an area clear of terrain and other obstacles. As briefed at 200 feet, all troubleshooting ceased, and Captain Clark reached up to guard the controls. Although it was briefed that both pilots were to land the aircraft together, Captain Casey executed a perfect zero feet and zero airspeed landing. Captain Clark made two final attempts to contact Dragon 12. Immediately, both pilots executed the shutdown of both engines. Once the rotors stopped, the fire ceased.

Meanwhile, the Aircraft Commander of Dragon 12, Major Valdez, the squadron’s Operations Officer, had located and had begun executing the On-Scene Commander Checklist. Dragon 12 contacted El Centro Tower and requested for them to contact the squadron’s Operations Duty Officer (ODO), who at the time was Captain Lisa Steinmetz. After shutting down, the crewmembers gathered under the generator section to assess the damage and determine what parts were required to repair the damage. Meanwhile, Dragon 12 had established itself in a right-hand holding pattern over Dragon 11’s position. Since both Captain Casey and Captain Clark were unable to transmit over the squadron’s common frequency or over Guard, Corporal Reynolds began to transmit over his survival radio. Unable to contact Dragon 12 using the survival radios, Captain Clark located her personal cell phone. She called back to the squadron only to find that El Centro Tower had already contacted the ODO. Captain Steinmetz was on another phone line with the squadron’s Commanding Officer notifying him of the information she had been given.

Soon after, Dragon 12 landed next to Dragon 11 to check on the status of the crew and the aircraft. Since Dragon 11 was safe on

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deck with no injuries to aircrew, Major Valdez returned to El Centro to fill up on fuel and to gather any supplies the crew of Dragon 11 might need for the rest of the evening.

The entire crew of Dragon 11 worked flawlessly and without any hesitation during the emergency. Not once did any of the crew talk over one another. The entire emergency was methodical and executed professionally. Everyone remained cool, calm and collected throughout the entire emergency. Major Valdez’s crew executed the On Scene Commander’s Checklist exactly the way it was designed to be utilized. The ODO knew exactly what to do during this PEL. Again, clear communication alleviated many of the foreseeable problems with the reporting of an airborne emergency since all players, from the On Scene Commander to the HAC of Dragon 11 to El Centro Tower, worked to push information to the ODO. The PEL occurred at 2122. At 2133, the ODO received initial word of a “precautionary landing due to fire” from El Centro Tower; the ODO was relaying the initial report to the CO when she received a call from the HAC of the PEL aircraft, who explained the circumstances of the PEL, gave the damage assessment and what was required for repair, and to call “Safe on Deck with no injuries.”

Soon after, the OSC made a cell phone call to the ODO from the deck to relay the PEL aircraft’s grid coordinates and his plan for re-supply and removal of the weapons from the PEL aircraft since the crew was most likely to remain overnight. With several sources pushing solid information early, it was possible for recovery decisions to be made even faster. All of this was gathered, filtered for inconsistencies, clarified, and then passed to the Commanding Officer so that he could begin considering a recovery course of action. The ODO then conferred with the Maintenance Officer over the phone and directly with the AAMO, Captain Ray Szpara, who was also on duty at the time. Thus, a recovery course of action was proposed to the CO by 2150, which accounted for ORM factors like crew day and crew rest and for maintenance requirements in terms of aircraft availability for the following day’s scheduling demands. Clear and concise communication was essential and led to efficient actions by all parties. The ODO then plotted the grid coordinates and a route for the recovery aircraft to take the following morning. By 2300, a plan was in place and approved, the PEL aircraft had been resupplied with water and food for the night, and the OSC aircraft had the weapons from Dragon 11 and two of the five-aircrew members aboard in order to return to Camp Pendleton for the night.

A thorough NATOPS brief with both pilots and crew chiefs is essential for all flights. Having clear and concise communications between the pilots and the crew chiefs was the primary factor in how the crew was able to take the aircraft from 5,500 feet, land safely and fly that aircraft home the next day.

Features

O

n Sunday, October 21st, fierce Santa Ana winds forced seven Southern California counties including San Diego County into a burning inferno. Over a dozen of wildfires struck the counties in a matter of moments,which laid a hellish, spidery pattern of luminous orange across more than 250,000 arces of drought-stricken regions, forced from hundreds to thousands of people to flee, and reduced thousands of homes within these location to ashes. The naval helicopter communities of Navy Southwest Region and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing reacted in the efforts of helping the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (CDF) battle the treacherous firestorm with constant 420-gallon water drops north, east, west, and south of San Diego County regions. The following two articles are the stories of these brave Sailors and Marinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accomplishments that week: Continued on page 21

BATTLING

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Features: Firestorm 2007

Official U.S. Navy Photo taken by MC2 Chris Fahay.

Released by www.navy.mil

Navy Helicopters and the Firefighting Business Article By CDR Lawrence “Bingo” Vincent, USN

S

unday, 21 October began as a classically beautiful fall day in San Diego, or what qualifies as “fall” in this southern California city. By noon, most residents of San Diego could see the smoke of the Harris Fire, a deadly fire that would continue throughout the week, destroy thousands of acres, and claim the only lives in what is now being referred to as “Firestorm 2007.” CDR Cluxton, Commanding Officer of HSC-85’s High Rollers, had already prepped several crews as a possible augmenting force to California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, CAL Fire. The squadron had been on a heightened alert, due to the “Red Flag” warning issued the previous Friday based on a dangerous blend of high temps, high winds, and low humidity.

By Monday morning, 22 October, the Harris Fire had burned more than 15,000 acres and doubled in size. Early that morning, CDR Cluxton received word that CAL Fire was requesting Navy helicopter support, and launched two MH-60S helicopters. Concurrently, CNAF requested Commodore Pringle, CHSMWINGPAC, stand up an organization which would coordinate Navy and Marine Corps helicopter support in the San Diego area. By COB Monday, HSC-85 had dropped 32,000 gallons of water, and Commodore Pringle had a fully functioning Helicopter Coordination Center (HCC), a watch team actively coordinating with CAL Fire, and the San Diego Emergency Operations Center. These efforts would expand throughout the week to include Marine Corps units out of Camp Pendleton and Miramar, a SAR helo from NAS Fallon, NV, and various assets from a Northern Command Joint Task Force.

The first half of the Navy’s efforts, the HSC-85 support, was tremendous. Despite news reports, the coordination of military air assets and CAL Fire was actually quite good, and had been building for many years. Firefighting is not a new job to HSC-85, or HSC-25 out of Guam. But in October 2003, when the High Rollers attempted to provide support during the devastating Cedar Fires, it became quickly apparent that there was much more involved than dropping buckets of water. The Fire Traffic Area (FTA) is a densely packed and dynamic air environment, with diverse aircraft, both fixed and rotary, from all over the country. There is usually both an overall air tactical coordinator and a specific helicopter tactical coordinator. To make it more complicated, fire fighting agencies operate using a narrow band VHF, incompatible with almost all military aircraft. Anyone who has flown in this type of environment knows that even the best intentioned pilots create havoc without the appropriate training and

MH-60S assigned to HSC-85 lifts 420 gallons of water from a local San Diego County reservior to drop on the Harris Fire comm suite. Despite these complications, CAL Fire recognized that the Navy possessed an untapped resource, and in August 2004, HSC-85 signed an LOA to begin training, and contributing to “emergency” firefighting efforts in the San Diego area. A critical part of this training included flying with airborne helo managers who coordinate communications, and understand the “tactical” picture. They know which fires to douse with water, and which fires have been intentionally lit to deprive fuel for the oncoming fire line. They can coach pilots on the right altitude and airspeed to deliver the water. Too high is ineffective. Too low and slow and the flames may be inadvertently fanned. Coordination with these helo managers was crucial to the success of the High Rollers, but unfortunately also a limiting factor to other military helicopters looking to contribute.

This is one of the areas where the Helicopter Coordination Center (HCC) stepped in to fill the gap. While the pilots, aircrew and maintainers of HSC-85 were involved in the heavy lifting of the firefighting efforts, the leadership and watch teams of the HCC were able to focus on the big picture, specifically how to integrate the full spectrum of helicopter assets into the effort. One of the first tasks was how to overcome the limiting factor of helicopter managers and communications. Any major fire sees a bell curve of support, as most assets are not local. As the fire progresses, people, aircraft and equipment flow in from across the country and this includes helo managers. To mitigate these limiting factors, HSC-85 and the HCC worked towards a requirement of one helo manager per section, and eventually one for every three aircraft.

This was not a decision made lightly, and one that was possible only because of the trust developed between the High Rollers and Helo Managers through years of training. Integrating the Marine Corps assets was more complicated, as they had never worked

Continued on page 22 Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07 21 CH-53E Sea Stallion awaits for further preparations on the flight line in Camp Pendleton as the raging fire burns in the distance.

Official USMC Photo was taken by Sgt Michael Neder

Continued from page 20 NAVY SOUTHWEST

Official U.S. Navy Photo taken by MC2 Chris Fahay. Released by www.navy.mil

Features: Firestorm 2007 Continued from page 21

AW3 William Quadrino and AEC Rexford Sackett of HSC-85 prepare to assemble 420-gallon capacity bucket. drills. But in the end, it will come down to money. What is the Commander’s expectation when it comes to supporting our region’s infrastructure? How much is the military willing to pay to train aircrew so they are able to fold into a FTA? Is the military willing to spend the money to buy the comm suite required to operate in that area? Without the basics for training in place, the most motivated aircrew will be nothing but a hindrance. However, once those questions are answered, the helicopter community can move forward, and in advance, educate San Diego and CAL Fire on what to expect from Navy helicopters.

3RD MAW

A Different Kind Of Firefight: 3rd MAW Marines Assist In Battling Wildfires Article By Lance Cpl. Jessica N. Aranda, USMC

M

arine Corps Air Station Miramar assisted Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton with emergency relief of the wildfires burning on the base. Flying approximately 125 feet above the flames of CH-53E attached to HMM 462 MCAS Miramar San Diego’s wildfires, Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallions prepare to battle on Camp Pendleton

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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Official USMC Photo was taken by Sgt Michael Neder

with CAL Fires. As the fires broke out on Camp Pendleton, the Marines were able to work a self-contained problem, but as the fire spread off the reservation, coordination with CAL Fire was imperative. An eventual workaround was to pair a single Air Guard helo, with the proper training, comm suite and helo manager, with a section of Marine Corps helos.

While the Marine Corps aircrews did not have experience operating in the FTA, the skills they were able to bring from their combat training, both stick and rudder and command and control, allowed them to operate very effectively within the mixed section.

Aside from the coordination required to maximize the actual fire fighting assets, the HCC worked hard to educate CAL Fire on the many other capabilities available with Navy helicopters, and then integrate those capabilities into the fight.

As one example, CAL Fire does not fly at night, despite the fact that firefighters are working around the clock. HS, HSL and Block III Sierras all possess outstanding “fire mapping” capabilities with the FLIR/GPS Navigation combination. All three communities routinely flew at night, conducting that exact mission, communicating real time with personnel on the ground.

The Black Knights of HS-4 were able to identify a power grid in danger of being engulfed by flames and divert firefighting assets real time to the scene. Additionally, Navy helos were able to deliver VCR tapes or CD’s burned from a DVR to the CAL Fire rep at the San Diego EOC by 0400, equipping CAL Fire with the latest intel on where the fires were and what they were doing.

In the end, the High Rollers of HSC-85 flew almost 100 hours, and dropped almost half a million gallons of water fighting the fires in San Diego. Multiple mapping missions were flown at night. Despite these efforts, the overall tone of media coverage was decidedly negative. Much of the hoopla on the news regarding military helicopter integration into the firefighting effort was typical sensationalist rhetoric. The limiting factors placed on military helicopters by CAL Fire were based on real safety concerns, which we in the military readily understand. With that said, there are issues that can and should be addressed regarding how the military operates within the CAL Fire structure. Much of the coordination can be hammered out with annual drills, similar to MISHAP

Features: Firestorm 2007

Preparing to dip the 420-gallon capacity water bucket into a near by lake.

Official USMC Photo was taken by Sgt Michael Neder

carried thousands of gallons of water in efforts to extinguish the blazes. The main mission included supporting Camp Pendleton and other San Diego wild fires, explained Capt. John Gilmore, a pilot with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Pilots maneuvered the aircraft through the obscurity of poor visibility and smoke, flying low enough for the drops to be effective, but high enough that the rotor wash and heavy winds did not induce the fire’s strength. The water buckets, a vital asset to aerial firefighting are suspended from the helicopters and scoop water up quickly from nearby bodies of water. This year’s lack of rain and dry conditions resulted in the state’s firefighting association officials to announce the commencement of fire season weeks earlier than normal. But even with an increased awareness, those officials were unable to predict the hellish flames that would ravage seven Southern California counties, including San Diego, beginning Oct. 21.

“It’s a unique experience to provide support during an emergency and prevent damage to facilities,” said Maj. Thomas D. Keating, the operations officer with HMH-465.

The Marines refilled the water buckets from local lakes, including Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton’s Lake Pulgas. When the water comes in contact with the heat from the flames, it converts to steam, which has more suppression capabilities than water droplets alone, explained Ronald Griffin, a fire investigator with the National Fire Protection Association.

At 212 degrees Fahrenheit, water expands approximately 1,700 times its original volume, smothering the flames. The Super Stallions distributed up to 1,200 gallons with each drop, a

weight totaling more than 8,000 pounds, continuing the fight for hours, cycling down to refuel periodically.

All of the flying squadrons aboard the air station, with the ability to deploy external lifts, receive classes annually to prepare them for fire season. During the classes, firefighters teach Marines about air space, the water buckets and delivery strategies. Sweeping 70 mph Santa Ana winds caused the flames to spread erratically, destroying more than 200,000 acres in San Diego County alone.

In a period of 96 hours, more than 950,000 residents were forced to flee their homes. Qualcomm Stadium, home to the San Diego Chargers, provided shelter to more than 4,000 evacuees. Another 2,000 found a place to rest at the Del Mar Fair Grounds.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered assistance from approximately 1,500 National Guard troops and neighboring states Arizona and Nevada sent crews and equipment to assist with the state’s efforts.

President George W. Bush declared a federal emergency on the seven counties involved, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide disaster relief.

The air station’s fire department has provided mutual aid to the city and surrounding communities since the fire’s ignition. Aircraft Rescue Firefighting personnel manned a P-19 truck standing by for support at the Ramona Airport.

The station opened its gates to evacuated service members Wednesday afternoon.

“I want to thank MCAS Miramar’s Marines, sailors, and civilians for their outstanding efforts, during the last week,” said Col. Christopher E. O’Connor, the station Commanding Officer. “Your hard work ensured all precautionary measures were taken to ready the base against the approaching fires.

Despite many of you experiencing personal hardships, you continued to perform marvelously under difficult conditions.

Thank you very much.”

Mark Your Calendars 2008

NHA Symposium Norfolk Waterside Marriot Norfolk, VA The tentative schedule is on page 37, and the registration form is on page 39. For more information, contact Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. at by mail P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-1578; by phone: (619) 435-7139; by website: www. navalhelicopterassn.org; or by email: rotorrev@simplyweb.net

Register Early Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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Features

“Broken Hips, Thunderstorms, and High Hovers” Article By LT Bradley Henderson, USN

I

will admit that I was happy to be back aboard the ship after a 3.5-hour anti-submarine warfare event in support of a Carrier Strike Group COMPTUEX. It was 2300 at land time, the weather was getting worse, and after water washing I was set to straighten the helicopter and relax before hitting the rack. That is when my plans were changed. There was a medical emergency on board another ship in the strike group and we were the only helicopters ready to perform a medical evacuation.

SADCLAM raced through my head. Which critical skill was this? Adaptability/Flexibility immediately popped in to my thought process as our crew gathered, plus an extra aircrewman for medical assistance. A good look over the aircraft by all four crewmembers followed our ORM/Mission brief in the hangar. Our last mission ended with rain and low ceilings. The weather did not appear to be getting any better.

Adaptability/Flexibility would be crucial for this evening’s impromptu MEDEVAC. After a hasty recall to flight quarters, we were airborne.

No sooner than climbing through 500 feet we called POPEYE. It was a short but turbulent flight of 14 NM to our destination ship. This ship was the same class of ships as our home plate so the landing and approach were both familiar. The OIC of our detachment was sitting in the pilot seat performing the approach and clear deck landing.

Our two aircrewmen jumped out as soon as chocks and chains were installed to retrieve our injured patient. We still did not know what the injury was. Despite that fact, our aircrewmen had already assembled the special medical litter designed to fit in the tight cabin of the SH-60B. This saved us valuable time on deck and expedited our takeoff with the patient. In fact, our patient was transferred from the Stokes litter to his new litter and strapped in to the helicopter in under 10 minutes. It was then that we found out the Sailor had taken a fall down a ladder well in the heavy seas that had been pounding the entire CSG and had probably broken his hip.

I took the controls and picked up into a hover as gently as possible. It was extremely dark with the solid overcast layer.

Visibility was limited with the heavy rain as well. We were equipped with NVGs, but opted against their use due to the instrument meteorological conditions. It was now 120 NM to our destination at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego.

On RADAR we could see that the weather extended for over 50 miles in front of us. Our immediate concern now that we were airborne with our patient was getting back to the ship after we had completed delivery to the hospital.

We had good comms with our home plate through the use of HAWKLINK and we tried to make certain that we knew where the ship would be when we were on the return trip. We thought we might have a difficult decision to make. We were

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prepared to make the decision on our own, after going through some moderate turbulence and heavy rain, to stay in San Diego overnight and wait out the weather. It was at that time the decision was made for us. The DESRON Commodore decided that we were not to try to find the ships at night in heavy weather and that we should spend the night at NAS North Island. This was a welcome relief.

As we approached San Diego we broke free of the heavy rain and turbulent clouds. We again considered putting on NVGs, but there was ample cultural lighting and we were familiar with the area. We contacted all of the appropriate Air Traffic Control (ATC) agencies as we proceeded through the bay towards the pad at Balboa hospital. Another crew from our detachment had performed a MEDEVAC a few days before so we took their lessons and added them to our own knowledge of local course rules. This led us to anticipate the communications difficulties that are noticed around Balboa due to the hills impeding the line of sight to Lindbergh Field Tower. We overcame the communications difficulty by using a high hover to talk to tower before landing. After take off, we contacted tower with another high hover before proceeding to North Island for the night.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. It had been a relatively benign event despite the heavy weather, severe injury, and potential communications difficulties. I believe our use of the critical skills of CRM, with special emphasis on Adaptability/Flexibility contributed to the success and ease with which this mission was accomplished. It was great experience and real world practical application of our CRM model.

Features:

Naval Aviation Relevant and Ready: A Dedicated MEDEVAC Asset Article and Photos By LCDR Gary Keith, USN

INTRODUCTION Naval Aviation continues to make significant contributions to the global war on terrorism, achieving important milestones in our modernization efforts and unit preparation for deployment. Implementation of changes and recommendations has yielded equally promising results: Naval Aviation is now a proven-capable arm of the joint-focused fight.

Throughout our nation’s history, Marines have responded to national and international brushfires, crises and, when necessary, war. Naval units first supported the Marines centuries ago on the Barbary Coast and Tripoli and continue to do so with the global war on terrorism.

Together, the Navy and Marine Corps provide the nation with its primary capability to project and sustain power ashore in the face of armed opposition. Amphibious forces allow the United States global access to protect our interests and reassure allies that we have the ability to come to their aid. As we plan for and find ourselves engaged in an asymmetrical long war, the warfighter needs all the support that can be mustered.

The Marines continue to fight without an organic medical evacuation asset, one that can be supported from sea-going naval ships of the line or permanently stationed in close proximity to the forward line of troops (FLOT). However, Naval Aviation is now poised to provide an organic patient movement capability for evacuation from point-of-injury to initial treatment at a health care facility.

The Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) centers on the flexibility and readiness of a combined expeditionary unit and an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). It provides operational freedom and expanded warfare capabilities, organized to support a myriad of contingency operations. The Navy currently supports this enormous potential in many ways, to include a means of transportation for Marines to the area of the conflict, as well as 24-hour Amphibious SAR (Search and Rescue) platform with a two helicopter detachment. At sea, Navy MH60S helicopters, equipped with the ability to fish out an in-need aviator or an unlucky shipmate from the water, are always on watch. However, once the Marines reach their departure point heading inland, they are required to supply transportation for their own wounded in the form of casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), which is standard in the U.S. Central Command areas of Iraq and Afghanistan. CASEVAC involves the unregulated movement of casualties aboard ships, land vehicles, or, in this case, aircraft. All the while, the more capable and underutilized Navy SAR assets remain attached to the ship, training and waiting for the Marines to return to the ship for the trip home. Is this the best, most efficient way of supporting our warfighting brothers-in-arms? Today’s lethal battlefield, with a reduced medical footprint forward, places a high demand on en route care capabilities. Consequently, patient movement capabilities

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are even more critical than in the past. Medical elements must integrate with lift operations of convenience.

Likewise, during contingency operations where Marines find themselves operating without traditional support from the conventional naval units, wounded Marines rely on stripped down Marine helicopters from the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons for transport of the injured to the nearest available medical facility, a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Squad (FRSS). These CASEVAC missions have had a fairly high survival success rate in the treatment of U.S. service members, enemy prisoners of war (EPWs) and Iraqi nationals. However, this mission draws on Marine Corps personnel and equipment, potentially reducing combat power. The modern Marine Corps has a plethora of issues from equipment resupply and the continuous support of operations other than war. It makes sense for the doctrinally similar Navy to support this mission. This reorganization would best avail the Marines to execute their expeditionary roles.

EN ROUTE CAPABILILITY The most critical period of time for anyone seriously injured is the “golden hour,” or the first 60 minutes following trauma or the onset of acute illness. Medical doctrine dictates the capacity to evacuate urgent casualties to the next level of care within one hour to increase the chances of survival. To support this narrow clinical window, the MEDEVAC standard is a 15 minute launch time from the time of request. One of the

Continued on page 26

CASEVAC being transported to a turning Navy MH-60S.

Features: Continued from page 25 best methods of placing the patient into the hands of a highly trained corpsman is aboard Navy MEDEVAC helicopters. The faster a patient with a gunshot wound or shrapnel injury can get advanced trauma life support en route to an established medical facility, the better the victim’s medical outcome.

The purpose of an en route capability is the continuation of care within the health service support continuum without clinically compromising the patient’s condition during evacuation. For MEDEVAC, patient movement involves transitory medical care from the point of injury to a medical treatment facility that can meet the needs of the patient.

Historically, the Army has been the only U.S. military organization with dedicated assets to perform the mission of medical evacuation of casualties from the battlefield.

With the Navy in the middle of a prolific airframe modernization effort energized by a wartime focus, transformation and modernization of the MH-60S have been dynamically accelerated specifically within the HSC community.

The MH-60S Knighthawk block II should be a natural selection for the mission. It is similar to the airframe currently being used by the Army medical evacuation units, including much of the aircraft survivability equipment.

Utilizing a similar aircraft as those already in theater minimizes the need and time required for logistics “reach back.” In Iraq, in the province of Al-Anbar, fixedwing aviation supporting Marine logistics could provide this necessity in the form of spare aviation parts, support A MH-60S MEDVAC enroute over equipment, Iraq. mobile facilities and personnel. However, there are differences and upgrades that make the MH-60S the airframe of choice for Marine medical evacuation support.

The Knighthawk, with an internal tank installed, has an

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endurance of approximately 3 hours. This configuration can fly farther to provide support and transfer blood, biologicals and other medical supplies. This advantage is a significant point given the flight planning times in Afghanistan, where U.S. forces are at least an hour and a half from point-of-injury to surgical capability in the vast majority of cases, given ideal conditions. The point is relevant in the OIF theater, as well, where a Blackhawk’s mission can take 30 percent longer due to the need to make an extra stop for fuel.

This configuration is also equipped with the Litter Management System (LMS), which provides corpsmen the ability to treat and monitor up to 3 litter-borne patients. Like the internal tank, the LMS system can be quickly removed to transition the aircraft back to a SAR platform or PMC aircraft in as little as 60 minutes and permits the crew to execute operational level objectives such as security operations. This could be mitigated by fully utilizing other aircraft attached to the ESG to supplement their force protection. Commanders would have the versatility to support MEDEVAC without jeopardizing security.

The Knighthawk also has the ability to utilize satellite communications and incorporate a common missile warning system (CMWS), both of which are currently utilized by Navy MEDEVAC crews operating out of Udari Army Airfield in Kuwait.

An integral piece of the Navy medical evacuation mission is the Hospital Corpsmen, who can perform actions ranging from setting broken bones to defibrillation. They are the bridge between the care patients receive at the pickup zone and the delivery point. Patients are in need of constant medical attention, which is limited by the difficult environment aboard rotary-wing aircraft The Navy has already realized the full potential of the trained corpsmen, mandating that they be detailed to all expeditionary deploying squadrons. They are qualified as Emergency Medical Technician’s. They are also Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certified, which means they possess the skills to sustain life for 72 hours without direct physician oversight. Active-duty Army counterparts are generally qualified only as basic field medics.

By following the Marines across the beach and into areas near the FLOT, corpsmen can supply a much needed asset that is in line with transformation and makes the most efficient and effective use of forces available.

OIF / OEF This capability could never be more relevant than it is currently, with almost half of the casualties in theater coming from areas where Marines operate. Marines and host nation troops continue to conduct combat, stability and support operations throughout Iraq and Afghanistan in areas that place them at risk of enemy activity and environmental hazards. Host nation troops and U.S. personnel receive the same standard of

Continued on page 27

Features Continued on page 27 medical care, adding to the already stressed workload of U.S. treatment facilities and evacuation systems.

The reality on the ground in places like Al Asad, Iraq and Kabul, Afghanistan, is a weary MEDEVAC capability. The shortfall forces the Marines to utilize a combination of Marine helicopters for CASEVAC, Army air ambulance companies and, in some cases, Air Force helicopters. The Army standard of 75% correlates to nine of 12 aircraft full mission-capable in the company. In other words an air ambulance company should be able to support three forward operating bases (FOB) with three aircraft per FOB. The bottom line: The Army does not have enough aircraft in theater for every site to be supported 24/7 with 3 aircraft each. The ability to employ Navy units where Marines are in garrison would alleviate the need for commanders to evaluate needed resources and accept risk where there is no requirement. Looking downrange, maximum utilization of armed escort aircraft instead of employing dual MEDEVAC aircraft escorting themselves would mitigate another inherent problem.

With the opening of a combat support hospital earlier this year in Al-Asad, the amount of time before Marines, Coalition and Iraqi Armed Forces receive level III medical care in the region will be reduced. With the addition of Navy MEDEVAC, modeled after a Forward Support Medical Evacuation Team (FSMT), with its three aircraft and highly trained crews providing continuous coverage, the minutes between hostile fire and hospital could be further reduced. This is significant in a part of the world where hazards to remote populations include offensive operations, indirect attacks and IED strikes that injur multiple personnel at once.

However, in Afghanistan, current medical support continues to be severely challenged by extreme terrain, altitude, evacuation legs and the remote troop dispersion. In both Iraq

and Afghanistan, in the areas where Army population is high, a minimum of 12 to 15 MEDEVAC platforms are required to increase casualty rates to mitigate risk of death associated with extended flight durations. Navy MEDEVAC units, serving only one purpose, could be task organized as appropriate to meet mission requirements with minimal footprint.

CONCLUSION This perspective began because of the belief that we must continue to lean forward as a service and as joint warfighters, providing innovative ideas that optimize the use of fewer assets. MEDEVAC flights were created as a means to carry wounded or ill personnel from an established battalion aid station, a basic medical facility, or point-of-injury to a higher echelon medical clinic. The medical evacuation system cannot be moved into the periphery; it underwrites the allvolunteer force. Young Sailors and Marines know that if they get injured, the Navy-Marine Corps team will return them as quickly as possible to the best medical care. This promise is how we have continued to sustain an all-volunteer force. This was the premise on that August evening in 1862 when General McClellan approved MEDEVAC doctrine and it continues to be in the modern military.

The Navy continues to be a relevant combat multiplier, and it is clear that our presence in contingency operations and wars will and should remain high. We are more inclusive than ever while embracing a lessons-learned effort from all operational aspects. This is a more integrated approach with the Navy MEDEVAC units embedded with the Marines that will bring greater outcomes to the battle space and is a role the Navy can assume in the global war on terrorism. The Navy can provide the operational capability for focused medical evacuation, providing the best en route medical treatment and hope for the injured warfighter. This mission and its personnel can provide the flexibility to respond to civil/ military search and rescue operations and medical evacuations. In the future, sending the SAR detachment across the beach line or having a detachment working from a forward operating base should be tabled as an option. Whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, a more complete awareness will be realized across the spectrum through application of Marine Corps and Navy cooperation and support.

LCDR Keith is Officer-In-Charge of the 2515th Naval Air Ambulance Detachment operating out of Camp Buehring, Uduari Army Airfield, Kuwait, flying MEDEVAC missions in Kuwait and southern Iraq.

SAR corpsman monitoring life support equipment during MH-60S MEDEVAC ďŹ&#x201A;ight.

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Features

Blackhawks Give Training Wing TWO a Lift Article and Photos by LT Steven W. Mason, USN

MH53E Sea Dragon lifting the T45A Goshawk, piloted by CDR Christopher Barcomb and LT Dave Landeros.

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he Blackhawks of HM-15 gave Training Wing TWO a hand on 4 October when they performed an external lift of a T-45A Goshawk. The T-45A from one of NAS Kingsville’s two jet training squadrons had crashed two miles north of Kingsville Naval Air Station. The wreckage left a long narrow stretch of debris cutting roughly a quarter mile through the King Ranch. Fortunately both pilots had ejected safely and are expected to return to duty soon.

Being an important source of evidence for determining the cause of the crash, the wreckage had to be moved so the safety investigators could perform further investigative analysis. Unfortunately, the hilly and irregular terrain that surrounded the crash site made moving the T-45A by truck an impractical option. While these conditions prevented a

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conventional extraction, they presented no significant problems for the heavy lift capability of the MH-53E. The MH-53E’s capabilities and the proximity of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron FIFTEEN at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi made the Blackhawks the clear choice for the job.

Once the mission was approved the Blackhawks wasted no time making necessary preparations. CDR Christopher Barcomb, one of HM-15’s most senior aviators, was chosen as Aircraft Commander for the mission with LT David Landeros as his co-pilot.

On the ground, HM-15’s Executive Officer, CDR David Padula, worked with CDR Timothy Carr and Major Patrick Cantwell of Training Wing TWO to ensure the operation was conducted smoothly and safely. AWCS(AW) Jimmy Hall, AW1(AW) Mickey McCullough, AW1(AW) Christopher Clark and AW1(AW) Bruce Stewart worked for several hours to rig the body of the T-45A for lift. Without their rigging experience and flawless execution the mission would never have been completed.

Members of the Naval Safety Center and VT-21 were also on hand to provide assistance.

Weighing only 10,000 lbs, the T-45A was well under the 25,000 lb maximum external load capability of the MH-53E. However, the mission still required multiple trips as a large amount of smaller debris had also been collected. The fuselage of the T-45A was lifted first without complication and two additional trips were made to move several large pallets of debris.

By all accounts the mission was a complete success, demonstrating HM-15’s flexibility and readiness to take on a variety of missions on short notice. Perhaps CDR Christopher Barcomb stated it best when he said, “There’s no way this mission would have happened if it weren’t for the prepared and capable professionals at HM-15. If you have a unique mission, such as this T-45 lift, call the Blackhawks - we are specialists in hard work done safely and efficiently.”

CDR David Padula, AWCS(AW) Jimmy Hall, AW1(AW) Mickey McCullough, AW1(AW) Christopher Clark and AW1(AW) Bruce Stewart work to rig the body of the T-45A for lift.

Features

Eighteenth Annual Gulf Coast

FLEET FLY-IN sponsored by

mission complete Article by CDR Kevin F. Kropp, USN

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uesday, October 23, kicked off the 18th annual Naval Helicopter Association (NHA) Fleet Fly-In. One of two national events held by the NHA each year, the Fleet FlyIn has grown from just a few aircraft to a multi-day event including multiple Naval Rotary Wing communities and several helicopters of almost every type of airframe in the inventory. The other event is the Symposium. This year’s Fly-In included 21 helicopters from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard which is a testament of the Fleet support for the Fly-In given the continuing demands of the Global War on Terrorism, assisting in combating the California wildfires and scarce travel funds.

Aircraft, aircrews, NHA members and Industry representatives from around the country made their way to NAS Whiting Field to take part in various relevant helicopter community discussions. Most notably, though, this event served to give the Student Military Aviators (SMAs) their first taste of what aircraft they could fly after earning their Wings of Gold.

NAS Whiting Field began to see gray and green helicopters replace TRAWING FIVE’s venerable orange and white Sea Rangers on the South Field lines on Tuesday afternoon, October 23rd, when nearly every type helicopter flown by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard arrived.

Navy variants of the H-60 came from as far away as San Diego, CA. Norfolk, VA., as well as, Mayport FL. Marine Corps representation came by way of three significant Type/Model/Series. 1stLt’s Matthew Kloby and Bradley Geautreaux, 2 of HT-8’s student’s scheduled to receive their wings that week, welcomed the V-22 as it arrived on Thursday morning. Kloby noted, “It’s an amazing machine and to get the opportunity to actually put hands on the aircraft really brings the whole flight school experience full circle.”

Major’s Michael Marko and John Berrigan, III, both former HT instructors and currently flying with HMX-1 provided some stick time to SMAs in the shiny green and white Phrog. Their CH-46E brought with it the prestige that only the President’s own aircraft can for our humble South Field flight line. An CH-53 Sea Stallion rounded out the Marine Corps visitors.

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Representing Coast Guard helicopter aviation, the HH-60J, HH-65C, and the MH-68A flew in from various Coast Guard Air Stations throughout the country provided SMA flight opportunities and an aircraft static display. Coast Guard aircrews did a phenomenal job getting every Coast Guard SMA that wanted to fly in an orange and white helicopter that ISN’T normally flown at NAS Whiting Field. As an example of teamwork at its finest, they were even able to fly some Navy and Marine SMAs. Two indoctrination flight windows were conducted, the first on Wednesday morning and the second on Thursday afternoon. ENS Bill Teal, who had only completed 5 flights in the TH-57B, commented on what he experienced when flying a Fleet aircraft. “It’s a lot different, but seemingly easier to control,” he noted. More than just hands-on experience, these events afforded exposure to the different helicopter communities. The SMAs hope to learn as much as possible about the different missions, lifestyles, and opportunities afforded by each community. For many, the Fleet Fly-In can be a deciding factor in what they put down on their “dream sheet” when it comes time to decide what the future holds after completing their training and getting winged.

Various events were scheduled to provide both formal and informal opportunities to address important events and considerations effecting helicopter aviation. Industry sponsors

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Feature

The Fleet Fly-In Panel (l-r): CDR Mifsud, XO HSC-21, CAPT Schreiber, Depty CHSCWL, COMO Lluy, CHSCWL, Col Jeffrey, USMC Aviation Training Branch, COMO Doyle, CHSMWL, Col L’Heureux, CO HMX-1, and CAPT Callahan, Aviation Training Center.

Continued from page 30 were well represented this year to display and discuss the many support areas provided by industry to Naval Aviation. The premier event of the week, the Senior Officer Panel, comprised of mix of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard leadership who are responsible for spearheading the current transformation of Naval Rotary Wing Aviation. Students, instructors and civilians alike had the unique opportunity to question our current leadership regarding the direction of their respective helicopter communities.

What NHA meeting would be complete without a little competition? Wednesday started early with a 5K run at 0630 and was followed by the NHA golf tournament at 1200. The completion of the golf tournament lead into a great opportunity for all the players to socialize and share flying stories during

A MV-22 Osprey from VMM-266 was on display at the Fleet FlyIn. Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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A MH-65C Dolphin from USCGAS New Orleans sat in a row with other naval helicopters at the Fleet Fly-In. the all hands happy hour at the Whiting Field Golf Club, and “Aces” Bar in the CBQ. Friday morning brought the departure of all remaining fleet aircraft and their superb aircrew. The culmination of this year’s Fly-in occurred at 1300 in the NAS Whiting Field Hall of Heroes. Col Raymond F. L’Heureux, Commanding Officer of HMX-1, was the Guest Designator as 16 our nation’s newest Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Unrestricted Naval Aviators and three of the Italian Navy’s newest Unrestricted Naval Aviators received their Wings of Gold.

When asked about the outcome of this year’s event, LT Dan Decicco, overall 2007 coordinator said, “The Fleet Fly-In was a opportunity for the students to meet the folks that are operating the aircraft, talk to them about the mission, the lifestyle, etc., to get that ‘hands-on’ experience, where they see and fly the aircraft; and to talk to the leadership in an open forum about where they see their communities going.

We hope it will keep them focused on what they’re training to do. We’re not training anybody to be a TH-57 pilot – we’re training people to go on to fly the fleet aircraft. We hope the exposure helped to motivate the students, and help focus their efforts in flight school.”

This years Fleet Fly-in would have not been possible without the outstanding support of NAS Whiting Field, Training Air Wing FIVE, financial support and participation from our Industry representatives and the invaluable support and participation of our Fleet brethren. We look forward to next year’s Fly-In brethen! Mark your calendar’s now and we will see you next at the NHA Symposium at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel, April 14-17, 2008!

Features

The First to Haul the First

Article By LT Bill Delmar, USN and Photos By MC2 Zachary L. Borden, USN

The USS Wasp is on a surge deployment to the Ospreys to their first combat deployment to the Middle East.

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hunder Chickens, welcome to the front lines of the Global War on Terrorism. October 4th, 2007 marked the first flight ever recorded by the Multi-mission Tiltrotor (MV) -22 Osprey in a combat zone as ten Ospreys from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM- 263) took off from USS Wasp (LHD 1) in the Gulf of Aquaba en route to western Iraq.

Wasp is the first ship in the Fleet to deploy with MV-22 aircraft aboard. The embarkation and transit, lasting approximately three weeks, signify a new page in naval aviation, amphibious warfare and Marine Corps aviation tactics.

The first Osprey arrived to the Marine Corps on December 8, 2005 and was pressed into service with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 (HMM-263). HMM-263, an operational Marine Corps H-46 squadron, was re-designated VMM-263 on March 3, 2006. Residing at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, VMM-263 is joined by VMM-162 and VMM-266 as the only operational MV-22 squadrons in the Marine Corps.

Aspiring Osprey pilots are trained at the Marine Fleet Readiness Squadron VMMT-204.

The Osprey has a comparable troop capacity, but outshines the CH-46 in other mission essential facets such as airspeed, operating ceiling and maximum range while in the

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airplane configuration. At a top speed of 275 knots, the Osprey can cruise at an altitude of 26,000 feet with a combat radius of 370 nm.

It can carry up to 32 passengers with a maximum loaded weight of 47,500 lbs. Compared to a CH-46E, the MV-22 can carry 28% more troops 210 nm further to the combat zone at twice the speed.

The Osprey can simply carry more Marines, more gear and deliver them further into the combat zone with speed unmatched on the battlefield.

In the summer of 2007, the Wasp embarked 10 aircraft from VMM-263 for an opportunity lift from the Red Sea to operating bases in Iraq. Although this was the first overseas deployment of a V-22 squadron, operations aboard Wasp were not untested or unfamiliar. Amphibious class ships have served as platforms for both operational and test squadrons starting in the early 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

Wasp, in fact, was critical in helping to establish preliminary wind envelopes and deck spotting limitations. Wasp, and subsequently the amphibious force, is not a stranger to operating with the newest asset to Naval Aviation.

The Osprey surge deployment aboard Wasp also

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Features

MV-22 Ospreys are in a row and ready for take off.

Continued from page 31 presented many new opportunities and challenges. Wasp Air Department, through detailed coordination with VMM-263 and NAVAIR, is formulating a plan for success for future Osprey deployments and their incorporation into the Air Combat Element (ACE). Due to the unique nature of tiltrotor aircraft, deck spotting matrices and aircraft handling procedures are being reexamined. Wasp has proposed new wind envelope considerations and flight deck procedures to safely and effectively operate with the Osprey. Future deployments with the Osprey as an integral part of the ACE will help build on the lessons learned aboard Wasp and better

equip the Navy and Marine Corps to fight the Global War on Terrorism.

Naval Aviation and the Marine Corps have committed to the Osprey and its promised benefits as the next generation workhorse of medium lift and troop transport missions. The deployment of the first V-22 squadron aboard Wasp in 2007 marks the beginning of a promising future for Naval Aviation. The overwhelming advantages that the Osprey brings to amphibious warfare ensure that there will be more V-22 deployments to follow. It is incumbent upon future aviation professionals—ship’s Air Department, Osprey pilots and engineers alike—to fully assimilate the Osprey into the shipboard environment. Wasp has taken an enormous first step forward in this process and it is part of our credo as naval aviators to ensure that her crews are afforded the best chance for success.

LT Delmar is a SH-60B pilot and a member of the World Famous Air Department aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) completing his disassociated sea tour.

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Article by James Merriweather, The News Journal Press Released by Rotorhub.com

The X-49A Speedhawk was featured on page 34 in Rotor Review Issue 98. The following article is an update on operational test on the aircraft conducted by Piasecki Aircraft Corporation.

More test are being done on the X-49A Speedhawk near New Castle Airport.

Photo courtesy of Piasecki Aircraft Corporation

I

f you live in New Castle County, you may have seen it buzzing about overhead today — or every once in a while since the summer. It’s an experimental helicopter called the X-49A Speedhawk, and it looks a little funny — what, with both rotor blades and fixed wings and a “ring-tail” propeller mounted on its tail assembly. It started out as a modified Sikorsky UH-60F Sea Hawk, a helicopter which since the mid-90s has mostly traveled with aircraft carriers to protect them from submarine attacks. But an Essington, Pa., company called Piasecki Aircraft Corp. has equipped a single Sea Hawk with its Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller system in hopes of demonstrating to the U.S. military that the

Industry

Experimental Helicopter Tested Over Delaware

technology is the wave of the future. It arrived at Boeing’s flight test facility at the New Castle Airport in April and went up for — and, luckily, came down from — its first flight on June 29. A company news release says Piasecki hopes that successful flight demonstrations will provide the military with data that could result in the technology being used to upgrade existing helicopters. More specifically, the company hopes its technology can improve the speed, range, ceiling, survivability and longevity of existing helicopters such as the UH-60 Black Hawk and the AH-64 Apache. Piasecki’s technology features a “ring-tail” ducted fan propeller that replaces the tail rotor, making for, the company says, less torque, more control and a healthy measure of forward thrust to augment two 1,900-horsepower engines on the Sea Hawk. According to military Web sites, the Navy bought into the demonstration project in 2000 with a four-year, $26.1 million contract with Piasecki. Four years later, the project was shifted to the management of the Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate in Eustis, Va. Military officials have declined to comment on the project.

Take It From This Marine Aviator: The Osprey Is Worth Every Penny Article by Col. Glen Walters, USMC Unlike most of the V-22 critics, I have actually flown the MV-22 Osprey.

I flew hundreds of hours in this remarkable aircraft when I commanded the Marine Corps’ test and evaluation squadron from 2003 to 2006, and I am obliged to tell the truth.

The truth is the Osprey is the most thoroughly tested aircraft in the history of aviation for one fundamental reason: the safety of its passengers. Our nation expects the military to use the best engineered, maintained and operated equipment available.

Our troops deserve it.

The Osprey we are flying today is just that. Critics say we haven’t flown the Osprey in the desert. Not true.

My squadron flew in desert environments on multiple

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occasions, totaling months of tests. The squadron now in Iraq completed several desert training periods prior to deploying.

In fact, we just had another squadron of MV-22s in California and Arizona doing more of the same.

Not only can the Ospreys fly in the desert, the aircraft’s advanced technology makes it easier than in any other rotorcraft to land in brownout conditions. Other critics point out that the MV-22 does not have a forward-firing weapon, but none puts this in context: No medium or heavy-lift aircraft in the U.S. inventory has a forward-firing weapon. MV-22s flying in Iraq have ramp-mounted machine guns, which have become the standard on our aircraft in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq,

Continued on page 34

Industry Continued from page 33 based on the threat.

That, and the inherent capabilities of the aircraft (range, speed and altitude), give the MV-22 the ability to reduce susceptibility and vulnerability to many threats. The MV-22 has limited visibility through the cabin windows, much like the CH-46 and the CH-53E, but what most critics do not know is that the troop commander, who rides in the back of the Osprey, has unparalleled situational awareness from the onboard precision navigation system, with moving maps and a significant communications capability.

These capabilities are not an option in existing Marine Corps aircraft. The MV-22 is the most maneuverable medium-lift assault support platform in the world.

Conventional helicopters are limited to standard rotary wing tactics and airspeeds, while the MV-22 has the ability to fly like a turboprop airplane as well as a conventional helicopter. As an airplane, it can climb or descend at a significantly faster rate than any helicopter and transit at much higher speeds. Vortex Ring State is a phenomenon experienced by all rotorcraft - not just the Osprey.

While the MV-22 is the only aircraft with a warning system that alerts pilots to VRS conditions, it is the least susceptible to this phenomenon. To argue whether the aircraft is worth the money spent is an unending debate.

To the injured Marine or soldier whose life is saved due to the unparalleled capabilities of the MV-22, I would posit that the aircraft is worth every penny.

Col. Glenn Walters heads the Marine Corps’ aviation plans section in the Pentagon and previously commanded Marine Tiltrotor Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 (VMX-22). He wrote this essay for the North County Times of Escondido, CA

Colonel Glenn Walters

Sikorsky Selects Eaton To Supply Integrated Fuel System For New CH-53K Helicopter Press Released by Rotorhub.com

S

Photo courtesy of Sikorsky Corporation

ikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) has selected diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation (NYSE:ETN) to design, develop and supply the integrated fuel system for Sikorsky’s new military heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-53K. This is in addition to the contract for the helicopterís hydraulic power generation system and fluid conveyance package awarded to Eaton in July.

During the development phase of the program, which runs through 2014, Eaton will provide the integrated fuel system support hardware for five-helicopter ship sets in addition to a

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

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Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. Symposium 2008 Norfolk Waterside Marriot, Norfolk, VA

All events are at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel unless otherwise noted.

Monday, 14 April 0730 0800 1130 1130 1300 1700

NHA Office- Franklin,Shangri-La & Yorktown Registration Opens- Norfolk Ballroom Lobby Exhibit Set-up- Norfolk Ballroom Director/Trustee Luncheon/Meeting- Hampton 7 Directors’ Meeting- Hampton 7 Members’ Reunion - NS Norfolk Vista Point

Tuesday, 15 April 0700 0730 0800 0830 1000-1100 1130 1400-1530 1530-1600 1600

Registration Open-Norfolk Ballroom Lobby VIP Hospitality Room- Franklin General Members Meeting- Hampton I-IV Opening Ceremonies / Keynote Address- same Safety Symposium- same Awards’ Luncheon- Hampton V-VIII PMA-299 Workshop- Hampton I-IV PMA-261 Workshop- same Team Seahawk Reception- Norfolk Ballroom

Exhibit Hall Hours Tuesday, 15 April 0730-1800

Wednesday, 16 April 0730-1300 Thursday, 17 April 0730-1800

Aircrew Competition- NS Little Creek VIP Hospitality Room- Franklin Registration Opens- Norfolk Ballroom Lobby NHTT ESC Meeting- Hampton VI OAG- Same 10K Run- TBD Current Fleet Helo Ops Workshop- Hampton I-IV Spouses Luncheon-TBD Golf Tournament- NAS Oceana Sports Barbecue- NAS Oceana

Thursday, 17 April

Rotor Review # 99 Fall ‘07

0730 0730 0730-0900 0730-0900 0900-0945

VIP Hospitality Room Registration Opens- Norfolk Ballroom Lobby Detailers Brief & IA Brief-Hampton I-IV Enlisted Panel Workshop- Hampton VI SWTP Presentation (HSC & HS COs) - Hampton VI

0900-0945

CONOPS Workshop-HAMPTON I-IV

1000 1200 1200

Captains of Industry Panel- same VIP Lunch- Hampton VIII Salute to Naval Helicopter Aviation Lunch - Norfolk Ballroom

1330

Flag Panel- California Room- Hampton I-IV

1500

Sikorsky Salute to NHA Reception- Grand Exhibit Hall

1800

Exhibit Hall Tear down

For further information on the 2008 NHA Symposium, contact Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. by mail P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-1578; by phone: (619) 435-7139; by 37 website: www.navalhelicopterassn.org; or by email: rotorrev@ simplyweb.net

© Naval Helicopter Association, Inc The mermaid image is a copyright of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, 16 April 0700 0730 0730 0800 1000 0900 1000-1100 1100 1200 1700

For other scholarship information, please go to www.navalhelicopterassn.org and click under “Links.”

Continued from page 34

Image courtesy of Sikorsky Corporation

number of system development test sets. Based on expected production of more than 156 helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps, the contract value is approximately $96 million and, when combined with anticipated foreign military sales, is expected to exceed $160 million over the approximate 12-year life of the program.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacturing and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

Eaton will be providing the integrated fuel system support hardware for five-helicopter ship sets in addition to a number of system development test sets.

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In the aerospace industry, Eaton is a leading supplier of hydraulic and electro-hydraulic pump and generator products and integrated systems; fuel systems; electric motors; aircraft flap and slat systems; fluid conveyance products and systems; nose wheel steering systems; integrated control systems; cockpit controls; power and load management systems; and pressure sensors and fluid debris monitoring products and systems. Eaton serves commercial and military aviation, aerospace, military weapons, and marine and off-road markets worldwide.

Continued on page 41

Date: ________

2008 NHA Symposium Registration

Pre-registration Deadlines: Mail-in (25 March 2008) Electronic: (31 March 2008)

Name/Rank ________________________________________Command______________________ Address: __________________________________________Ph #___________________________ City: _______________________________State: ________Zip____________ Email: ___________________________________________________ NHA Membership Nugget Membership

1 yr $25.00 2 yr $25.00

Enlisted Membership (E-9 and below)

1 yr $10.00

International (1 yr only)

$50.00

Event

3 yr $70.00 5 yr $110.00 (open to O-1/O-2 on first tour) Canada (1yr only)

# of Tickets

Registration Fee (Non NHA-members only) Director & Trustee Luncheon Meeting (Private) Members Reunion Awards Luncheon Aircrew Competition 5K Fun Run Golf Tournament (incl Golf, lunch & Sports BBQ)

_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

(After March 31 Golf $75) Sports Barbecue (children under 12 free)

(Receipt confirmation)

$35.00

Cost

TOTAL

$50.00 $25.00 $10.00 $35.00 $15.00 $10.00 $70.00 $75.00 $20.00

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

TOTAL ENCLOSED ______________ (Dues & Events)

MC/VISA # __________-____________-____________-___________CVV____________Exp _______________ Billing Address/Zip ___________________________________________________________________________ (If different from above) Billing Address/ Zip___________________________________________________________________ (If different from above) Check enclosed # __________________________________________________ Check enclosed #

SPORTING EVENTS ** (ALL participants must pay when registering & be current NHA members)*** SPORTING EVENTS ** (ALL participants must pay when registering & be current NHA members)***

Golf:***Please indicate ability for each golfer or be entered as a scratch handicapper *** 70-80____ 81-90_____91-100 ____Over 100 _____ Individual Names: (ALL participants must register individually)

1.____________________________________________HC________ 2.____________________________________________HC________ 3.____________________________________________HC________ 4.____________________________________________HC________ 5k Fun Run-Name ____________________________ M/F______________ Age_______________ Aircrew Competition Team Name __________________________________ Individual Names: (ALL participants must register individually) 1.____________________________________ 2._________________________________ 3.____________________________________ 4._____________________________________ Mail to: NHA, P O Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578 Tel: (619) 435-7139, Fax: (619) 435-7354 E-mail: rotorrev@simplyweb.net

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Marriott-Norfolk Waterside Reservations (757) 627-4200 or (800) 228-9290 Please reference NHA Symposium for special rate

LT Hescock: An Officer That Inspired Us All

By LT Patrick Trainor HSC-25 Public Affairs Officer

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ost people involved in Naval Aviation are aware that HSC-25 had a Class-A MISHAP. While conducting a routine training flight, Knightrider 55 crashed in Fena Reservoir in Guam. Three of the crewmembers made it out of the aircraft, but, on September 24, 2007, HSC-25 lost one of their own.

Lieutenant Christian J. Hescock enlisted in the Navy on September 6, 1994 and worked as an Aviation Electronics and Naval Aircrewman. While serving on active duty, LT Hescock earned a degree in Computer Science from the University of San Diego and subsequently received a commission in the United States Navy after graduating from Officer Candidate School on December 13, 2002. Following OCS, LT Hescock was stationed at VT-28 and then HT-18, earning his “Wings of Gold” on January 13, 2005.

Christian’s first assignment as a Naval Aviator was to HSC-25 where he was serving as the Communications Officer.

He most recently deployed onboard the USNS Shasta, the USNS Mercy and the USNS Flint. During the USNS Mercy 2006 deployment he was instrumental in the ships ability to perform more than 1,000 surgeries, conduct more than 300 preventative medicine surveys and train more than 6,000 people in a variety of medical Christian preparing to deploy Rotortopics.

Review # 99 was Fallcurrently ‘07 40 to

the 2515th Navy Air Ambulance Detachment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In memory of his brother, Shaun Hescock wrote, “When I think of my brother I can’t help but think of the US Navy, and all the opportunities the Navy has given him. They took a gawky kid, who had some rough talent and forged him into a man drawing those various rough talents to the surface and molding him into the sailor and officer we all knew. To me, the US Navy and my brother represent four qualities: Excellence, duty, honor, sacrifice.”

He is survived by his wife Mrs. Ruth Hescock; his parents Mr. Terry Hescock and Ms. Terryl Hescock; his brother Mr. Shaun Hescock; many other family members, friends and the entire U.S. Navy family.

Christian , you will be missed and know that you have inspired us all to be better than we are…

Industry: Sikorsky Selects Eaton

Continued from page 38 Eaton Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with 2006 sales of $12.4 billion. Eaton is a global leader in electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution and control; fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft equipment; intelligent truck drive train systems for safety and fuel economy; and automotive engine air management systems, power train solutions and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety.

Eaton has 63,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 140 countries.

This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the revenues expected from the Sikorsky CH-53K program. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, some of which are outside the companyís control.

The following factors could cause actual results to differ

materially from those forward-looking statements: reductions in customer orders, changes in governmental priorities, unanticipated technological problems or substantial changes in the economic or financial conditions in the United States. We do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Technology

What the AN/ARC-210 Radio Brings to the Fleet Article and Photo By LT Chad “Beavis” Berman

W

hile the MH60-S was introduced to the fleet with the ARC-210 radio, the HH60-H ARC-210 modification was an afterthought, and has had its share of both successes and challenges in the legacy HS community. Over the past year, HS-11 has been at the forefront of many of the successes of the ARC-210 and a victim of many of the challenges caused by the short notice installation. In HS-11, the ARC-210 installation occurred during a compressed seven-month turn around training cycle after the 2006 seven-month deployment.

There was significant pressure to get the system fully functional prior to the squadrons 2007 deployment. Although faced with a steep learning curve and an overall lack of community knowledge about the new system, HS-11’s 2007 cruise was a perfect opportunity to discover the capabilities of the ARC-210 and use them in a combat environment.

The ARC-210 radio brings a number of capabilities to naval helicopters to include: Anti-jam, satellite communications, automatic red relay, maritime preset frequencies, a scan function and, in the HH-60H, a third fully functional radio that was traded for a seldom used HF radio. Anti-Jam uses two different forms of frequency hopping called HAVEQUICK and SINCARS for Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM). While air assets primarily used HAVEQUICK, the advantage of SINCARS is that it allows complete integration with ground-based assets in a way that naval helicopters have been excluded from in the past. As landbased detachments become the norm, such as HSC-25 in Kuwait and HCS-84 in Iraq, the demand for this capability has more than justified the system upgrade.

From a carrier-based perspective, HS-11 has put a number of these capabilities to the test. Automatic red relay uses one radio to receive a signal and then transmits that same signal on another radio, which significantly increases the line of sight communications range

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by allowing the helicopter to act as a relay station. The Scan function and maritime presets have proven themselves a useful tool on a number of occasions during straits transits, which have become an even greater priority as tensions rise in the global war on terror. HS-11 has utilized the SATCOM for over the horizon communications.

This feature has allowed HS-11 to conduct missions over a hundred miles from the carrier with continuous real-time updates back to the squadron, the Air Wing and the Strike Group. Not only does this increase the situational awareness of decision makers at the highest levels, it has also allowed the squadron to increase SOP operating ranges. Thanks to the improved connectivity, flight crews can relay any in-flight emergency situations back to the carrier from greater distances, which will alert the carrier to launch a rescue asset.

While HS-11 has had great success in utilizing every mode of the ARC-210 radio, with the exception of Over the Air Re-Key (OTAR), which is not supported by Strike Group. This success has come as the result of great perseverance. At the time of the ARC-210 installation in January of 2007, the enormous task of a complete AT2 Doss loading the set of compressed workups, ARC-210. along with the normal required training and aircraft transfers, put full utilization of the ARC-210 modification at the end of a long

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ITechnology: AN/ARC-210 Radio..

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Historical

list of things to do.

In January of 2007, the modification team gave training, and in March a representative from Raytheon met the squadron in Fallon to educate us on the radio, but that did not adequately prepare us to effectively use these features on a daily basis in theatre. There were challenges with the fill program, the CZY-10 Data Transfer Device, loading CRYPTO, using the backup control unit (RCU), and basic understanding and setup. A number of radio failures, display locks and ICS failures continued to plague the HH-60Hs. Trouble shooting procedures were discussed and put in place that have helped, but a complete solution to the problem will likely require more system upgrades which are currently in progress. It also became increasingly necessary for the squadron to create our own checklists for HAVEQUICK, SATCOM and the RCU so that pilots are able to successfully employ these new systems. Amazingly, these systems and capabilities did not come with checklists. Extensive in-house pilot training was given to

ensure a more complete operational understanding of the ARC-210 functions and setup.

The AN/ARC-210 radio provides the naval helicopter community with communications capabilities that are infinitely superior to anything that we have used before. While fixed- wing and helicopters in other military branches have already endured the growing pains associated with this system, it is still in a stage of infancy for us. The key to successful utilization of the ARC-210 will be to effectively pass along all lessons learned and to begin the training process as early as possible prior to deployment. The HH60H will remain in the Fleet through 2013 so training must begin at the Fleet Replacement Squadron level. Also, NATOPS needs to include more detailed information regarding system setup and function beyond the basic information that already exists. The Navy has made an excellent choice in providing such a capable system to the helicopter community, further increasing our value as a Fleet asset. However, the operators will still be the Navy’s biggest asset is still its operators, and effectively educating and training them to utilize these tools should be the focus for the future.

My Final Rescue

Excerpt from “Rescue Pilot” By Dan McKinnon Introduction by CAPT Vincent C. Secades, USN Ret. It is a fact in the profession of arms that a serviceman, in the performance of his duties, may be called upon to make instant life and death decisions; decisions that will determine who will live and who will die.

This is an extraordinarily heavy burden, the heaviest that anyone could shoulder. When the turn of events places a serviceman in such a crucial situation, all he can do is to use his best judgment, forged by his training, experience, and devotion to his brethren, his unit, and his country. He then has to accept and learn to live with the consequences of his decision. The story of survival, rescue, and tragedy at sea that is told here is a poignant illustration of this aspect of military service.

Captain Vincent C. Secades, USN (Ret)

My Final Rescue

O

n September 20, 1959, I deployed as O-in-C of Unit 55, a two-helo detachment, aboard USS Ranger (CVA-61). It was my last cruise before leaving active duty in December. This was scheduled as another routine two-week training cruise, flying the HUP-2 helicopters, to train our pilots and enlisted crew.

It was also going to end up as a disaster.

The ship was to operate out of San Francisco, where it was home ported. We got underway on September 21.

Flight ops commenced shortly after we steamed under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge. For two weeks the air wing jets continued its training, with the usual number of emergencies and mechanical problems, theirs and ours. On our final day, Thursday, October 1, we’d completed a good 2-week training.

The ship had one last afternoon launch and bounce session schedule, and then the air group would fly off. It was my turn to fly the last hop of the cruise. The ship had a good session of bounces, and the planes headed off to NAS Alameda and NAS Miramar. After the last jet launched, Ranger started its turn downwind to recover me.

“Angel, Gray Eagle, we’re turning downwind to

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recover you.”

“Roger, Gray Eagle.”

I moved the helo around low, zigzagging over the water killing time, but positioning myself to come aboard once the ship straightened out on course.

The Pri-fly, with an urgency and fear in the voice of the air boss radioed, “Angel, we have an emergency. Two men overboard, starboard side. See if you can get them.”

I was astern of the ship, off to the port several thousand yards. I nosed the helo over, picked up speed to get in position, and followed the wake of the ship on the starboard side.

The bridge had tried a Williamson turn, a maneuver to miss or keep from running over the men in the water. The ship was decelerating.

“The two men overboard are from your unit, Angel.”

“Roger.”

“How could two of my men fall overboard?” I asked myself. Then I spotted one head bobbing in the cold water in front of me, and about 50 yards further up was the second. I approached the first. My crewman, AD2 R.M. Dobbins, had the

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Historical Continued from page 42 rescue hatch open. He was starting to lower the sling. The first man in the water looked like he was just treading water with no problem. Both men could clearly see me. Then the man up ahead started waving frantically and going up and down and in and out of the water. He appeared desperate and about to drown.

The man I was hovering above appeared to be okay. Neither had a lifejacket on. They were lined up right into the wind. It was logical to pick up the first man and then move forward to pick up the second man without any extra maneuvering. The squadron doctrine for downed men was to relax and be still if you had no problem in the water, but to wave frantically if you were in trouble.

I had a split second to make a decision. Whom to rescue first?

It appeared that the upwind man was in deep trouble.

I didn’t want to be rescuing one and watching the man in front of me drown at the same time. I overflew the first man and dragged the sling to the one waving his arms. I hovered low, real low, just a couple of feet above the water. The lower I was, the less cable had to be paid out and the quicker the pickup so I could swing around and get to the second man in the water.

The first rescuee had a hard time getting into the sling, but when he was finally in, we hoisted him fast. The downwash was spraying the helo and canopy. I just held the helo in a steady hover until his head came in the hatch. Time was urgent, and I knew it. I pushed the left rudder to turn in the hover and did a tight 180 to come around and pick up the second man. Meanwhile our rescuee crawled shivering to the rear of the helo and sat there.

“Gray Eagle, Angel. I have one man. Looking for the other.”

“Roger, Angel.”

But I couldn’t see the other guy in the water. “Where was he?” I thought. My heart sank. I slid the helo sideways to find him and frantically moved around the area at low altitude.

My crewman Dobbins crawled over the rescue trapdoor and scanned out of the canopy. This was Dobbins’ second rescue.

Back in April he had helped pull an AD driver from the ocean after the pilot ditched his aircraft 3 miles from the Bonnie Dick.

The sea was whipping up plenty of whitecaps, and the downwash of the rotors created a lot of spray. I could see nothing but dark blue ocean. I could see no head above the water anywhere. The ocean is so massive and a human head so small. I was frantic. When it’s one of your own men, even though you don’t know him, you press all the harder to be successful.

As I hovered and flew in small circles, the wind pushed on the helo. Soon I lost track of the exact spot where I had made the previous pickup. There was no head bobbing anywhere.

“Gray Eagle, Angel. Can you launch the other helo to assist me?”

“Negative, it’s been damaged.”

“Damaged? What could have happened?” I thought to

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myself. No time now to think about that. I had Dobbins throw out a smoke flare at about 100 feet to mark where we were. I did not want to lose sight of that spot in the ocean. The flare failed to ignite. There were supposed to be dropped from 200 feet to hit the water with enough impact to ignite. I climbed up to 200 feet. The crewman dropped out another. It failed to light. The damn flares work only about half the time under normal conditions. Now to have a series of duds when I really needed help was exasperating. I was really frustrated, and 200 feet is too high to see much in these sea conditions. The third one finally lit, but the ocean is vast. I still wasn’t sure of the exact location I had made the rescue. Precious time had been lost marking the spot. The smoke flare was approximate at very best. I started working search patterns around the smoke flare. Two hundred feet was too high. It was impossible to see anything the size of a head in the water. I had to go down to 50 feet, which made it easier to see, but also cut down on the area of the ocean I could search. I continued to hunt. After 25 minutes we dropped another flare. It worked this time. The guy in the water had disappeared. I didn’t see it happen, it happened too fast. After 45 minutes the red fuel warning light came on. I spent another 10 minutes searching. The carrier was drifting nearby at a virtual standstill. The edges of the flight deck and catwalks were lined with hundred of men searching for the man overboard. They had launched a small boat that was crisscrossing in the rough seas searching for the man as well.

It was a futile effort. My past search experience had taught me you had to make a rescue quickly. All my long searches in WESTPAC had been in vain. You never want to give up hope, but you’ve got to be realistic, too. Whoever he was, he had drowned.

“Gray Eagle, Angel. I’m low on fuel. I can’t find the other man. Request permission to land.”

“Clear to land, Angel.”

We landed and shut down. The air boss felt it was useless to continue any search. I agreed, but hated it.

“What happened?” I asked. “We had spotted the other helo on the number one deck edge elevator at hanger deck level prior to being raised to the flight deck for launch. Just after the blueshirts cleared the elevator, as we were turning downwind a gigantic wave of rough seas cascaded over the lowered elevator like a sledgehammer. It washed your two crewmen overboard and snapped the tied downs and overturned the helo. It was a freak wave and it destroyed the helo. The helicopter is lying on its side all smashed up with the blades broken and is still dangling on the edge of the elevator. Two other members of your unit were injured and in a lot of pain, but managed to hang on to the helicopter and kept from being washed overboard.

They are Ensign Joe Vaden and AD1 Richard Slack. Both are in sick bay.” I’d never heard of such a thing.

The rescued crewman was AT2 Dale Hudson. The

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Historical Continued from page 43 fellow that drowned was Airman Apprentice Daniel Johns. I went to my stateroom to check the personnel records of each crewman. Johns was 20 years old, and as fate would have it, lived in Hayward, California, right outside San Francisco. I talked with the captain, the air boss, and the chaplain. We made the decision I’d fly the remaining helo into the airfield at Oakland along with another pilot and the chaplain and I would drive to John’s parents’ home and share the bad news. It was a decision I felt was right, but later regretted.

After landing at Oakland the chaplain and I climbed into a car and followed a roadmap to Hayward and Johns’ home.

There we met his parents and his two young sisters. “My name is Chaplain McCormick, and this is Lieutenant McKinnon,” the chaplain stumbled along. “Today your son Daniel died in an accident while operating aboard the aircraft carrier Ranger near San Francisco.”

For the next thirty minutes or so the chaplain and I tried to console this tragedy-stricken family and answer their questions. This was the hardest time I ever had in my life.

Tears were in my eyes. I thought to myself, I don’t know if I can handle this! After a while, we ran out of words and left the family with their grief. We explained they’d be hearing further from the Navy, but we wanted to share firsthand what happened. The father got a grip on himself and thanked us for coming as we were walking out the door. It was an emotional strain for us all. I decided I didn’t ever want to go through that experience again. That day I gained a new respect and appreciation for chaplains and what must be the most difficult

part of their job.

On the rescue report, I offered several suggestions, which I’m sure others had suggested as well, because they eventually became common practice.

1. All flight deck personnel be supplied and required to wear a life jacket of some kind.

2. In training, remind flight crews that dye marker from vests can be yanked out and thrown in the water to quickly mark a spot.

3. Get better igniting smoke flares.

4. Teach crewmen how to use their clothing as a flotation devise.

5. Require all crewmen to be able to swim well before deploying.

6. Require that some type of extra flotation device be carried in the helo that could be instantly dropped to someone during an emergency.

Adapted from Dan McKinnon’s book, “Rescue Pilot,” (McGraw-Hill). McKinnon served as a helicopter pilot in the United States Navy between 1956 and 1959. During that relatively short period of time he was credited with 62 rescues, and amazing accomplishment that still is a Navy peacetime individual helicopter rescue record. He is currently the owner and president of North American Airlines, a worldwide large jet charter and scheduled airline base at JFK International Airport.

Flying H-3’s at PMRF Barking Sands Article by AFCM (AW/NAC) Bill “Red Dogg” Moss, USN (Ret) Several weeks ago the last of the UH-3H helicopters assigned to the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Barking Sands, Hawaii, was retired from service and ferried away. After four decades of service, the Sea King is being replaced by the CH-60. This historical event received rather modest notice and recognition. The PMRF Within Range newsletter published a short article and the Commander’s farewell comments. With only six H-3’s left in the Navy inventory - three in Pensacola and three in Patuxent River - it seems to me that this event deserved greater ceremonial attention and fanfare. However, to those who spent a large part of their careers flying and maintaining these fine old birds, the news had to bring a heavy heart and a tear to the eye. To me it also brought many nostalgic memories of my years at Barking Sands and my adventures flying the old UH-3A’s there. Thus, if I may, I would like to reflect on that part of my career and the excellent job that those old dependable

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helicopters performed for our Navy.

I reported to Barking Sands as an ADJ1 in July 1976. I was carrying an 8215 job designator code, with experience in H-34’s and UH-1’s. To save money, BUPERS sent me directly to PMRF, bypassing the H-3 RAG in North Island. I completed my first tour at Barking Sands in 1980 as an ADCS. I served a second tour there from 1986 to 1990.

I still remember vividly my first ride in an UH3A on 12 July 1976. The aircraft was BuNo 148038, call sign Outrider 8. The mission was the recovery of a MK-46 torpedo. I became amazed at what PMRF was doing with these helicopters. My initial thought was, “These guys are nuts!” Being a SAR crewman, I was somewhat surprised that our primary mission at Barking Sands was not SAR, but

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Historical Continued from page 44 instead targets launch and weapon/target recovery to support range operations. Later on, I would have to explain to new SAR crewmen that the voice procedures were essentially the same; we just didn’t have to deploy a swimmer!

At that time PMRF Barking Sands had a complement of six UH-3A’s, and each one of these helicopters had a long service history. When I started my tour there, two of the helos still had the remnants of minesweeping gear from the Haiphong Harbor clearing days. Another helo had a big dent on the starboard side where it had taken a cable wallop at Point Mugu during an attempted MARS recovery. Then, there was BuNo 147140, Outrider 5, which had a logbook entry identifying it as the aircraft that had set a world speed record on 5 February 1962. This Sea King, one of the first production models, was the first helicopter to exceed 200 miles an hour when it set the world record of 210.6 mph (183 knots) on a measured track along the Connecticut shoreline. I believe that record perdured for over fifteen years, until the Russians took it away. Upon her retirement, Outrider 5 was preserved and is still on static display at the Barking Sands main gate.

Operations at the PMRF multi-environment range, capable of supporting surface, subsurface, and air operations, by their very nature demanded tremendous fluidity. The missions could change from minute to minute depending on the support requirements of submarines, surface units, or aircraft. These three types of operations required different and sometimes rather ingenious scenarios.

Of the many difficult evolutions confronted by the helicopter aircrews, one of the most stressful was the launch of the MK-30 ASW Target. This evolution was particularly hard on the aircraft and its crew. From the maintenance standpoint, I hated to see a MK-30 flight on the flight schedule. It meant that the helo had to endure this torpedo-like contraption weighing more than 3,000 pounds mounted on its right side hard point. To keep the helo from listing to starboard, the right strut had to be over-serviced. Otherwise, rotor engagement and taxiing would have been more difficult. I once asked one of the original engineers from Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC) why we had to do it this way. He explained to me in no uncertain terms that “He was an ordinance engineer, and ordinance engineers hard-mount everything.”

After take off we established communications with Range Control, proceeded to the assigned location for the drop, and completed the MK-30 preflight checks. Upon receiving the clearance to launch the target, the pilot established a tenfoot hover; then he pushed the cyclic forward to momentarily assume a nose-down attitude - the attitude desired for proper water entry of the MK-30. Simultaneously two indicator lights lit in the crewman’s panel and I flipped on the target release switch. At that instant the MK-30 was supposed to drop in the water and begin its run. Well, that didn’t always happen. Thus, we would have to go around and set the launch up all over again. I remember one occasion when, after four attempts and four failures, our HAC, by then extremely exasperated, told Range Control that the “blankety-blank” thing would not

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A silhouette of H-3 carrying a SAR swimmer.

Photo courtesy of NHA Archives launch. This was the first time I heard the “F” word over an open circuit.

As I became more experienced with its launch system, I would fly into the launch sequence with one foot out the door and resting on the back of the MK-30. As I threw the release switch, I would give the Mk-30 a hefty kick, and it would come off the mount. I never told anybody that I was doing this for fear of being in violation of some ordinance-handling rule. But, by God, the thing always came off when I utilized the Red Dogg MK-30 Launch Activator.

After a great deal of complaints by pilots and air crewmen alike, we finally convinced the engineers at NUSC to build us an A-frame-type launch device that allowed the MK-30 to enter the water at the right attitude and within all launch parameters. The device worked perfectly. From then on the MK-30 launch sequence was no more difficult than to carry and drop an external load.

I guess the second hardest mission we had to perform at Barking Sands was the recovery of MK-48 torpedoes. At one time I held the record of seventeen recoveries in one day, flying in Outrider 6, BuNo 148040. The MK-48 recovery mission was very crew-intensive. It used a recovery cage in the form of a funnel constructed of aluminum frame and a mesh. The funnel measured about fifteen feet in diameter at the front and seven feet at the throat, with about fifteen feet in length. The cage was carried externally with a forty-foot long pendant.

The fun started right from the beginning, just trying to get the contraption off the ground. With the helo turning on the tarmac, the pendant was connected to the external cargo

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Historical hook. Then the crewman would reel out enough hoist cable to allow its hook to be connected to the narrow end of the cage. The helo would lift in a hover and the crewman would talk the pilot directly over the cage and then straight up. As the weight of the cage came on, the crewman would adjust the length of the hoist cable to maintain the cage in a slightly narrow-end-up attitude. This precluded the cage from spinning and entangling the hoist cable before proper forward speed had been obtained. After reaching twenty-five knots of airspeed, the crewman would reel out enough hoist cable to allow the pendant to take the entire load and allow the cage to fly in a trail position with its narrow end down. A weak link was provided at the point where the hoist cable connected to the cage frame to allow for emergency separation in case the external load had to be pickled. It was hoped that, if this had to be done, the hoist cable would not snap back high enough to entangle the rotors. I don’t think anyone ever got to test that theory!

Once we arrived at the recovery area, things became even more difficult. The MK-48 torpedo was designed so that at the end of its run it would come to the surface and release a green dye. It would also take in enough water to ballast it tail-heavy. It floated vertically with its nose sticking out about eighteen inches above the surface. The crewman would initiate the recovery maneuver by reeling the hoist cable in to bring the recovery cage to a vertical position, the wide end facing down. Following the crewman’s directions, the pilot would position the cage directly over the torpedo and descend to a five to ten foot hover, then waited there until the unit seated in the cage and was ready to be lifted. Waiting in the low hover was rather unnerving, but unavoidable. I personally preferred sea states three to five for these recoveries. If I timed it right, I could drop the basket in the trough of the wave and allow the wave to push the torpedo up into its throat. Some of the pilots were a little edgy about using this method because they only saw the green water coming at the shin bubble. But they always managed to hang with me long enough to get the torpedo seated in the cage and out of the water. In more than one occasion there was water in the landing gear during the recovery hover. When the unit was finally lifted out of the water and its full weight came on the helo, we surely were glad we where flying an H-3. The MK-48 weighed a little over 3,400 pounds, and if the sea state was high, we needed to get up and out quickly. These sturdy and reliable birds never let us down.

The MK-30 recovery was very similar to that of the MK-48. The equipment and procedures were the same as those used for the torpedo, except that the MK-30 in its run deployed a towed array out of its back. Therefore, when the time came to lift it out of the water, a second crewman dropped a grappling hook at the end of a long line. The helo would drift forward just enough to drag the towed array behind the basket. The second crewman would snatch the array with the grappling hook and would bring it hand over hand into the cabin. You could work up a sweat doing that. MK-30 recoveries were not high in our “to do” list.

Then, there were the MK-46 torpedo recoveries. These were some of the more enjoyable recoveries

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to perform. We always felt like John Wayne in the movie Hatari when we held the long pole out of the cabin door with the loop at the end and lassoed the torpedo.

The recovery pole was twenty feet long with a fourfoot Tee at the end of it. A cable ran through the entire pole. At one end the cable was shackled to the external cargo hook. At the other end it had a loop of about four feet in diameter attached to the Tee with rubber bands. While the helo hovered alongside the torpedo, the crewman would use the pole to run the loop over the torpedo’s nose and as close to the fins on the rear as possible; then pulled up on the pole to break the rubber bands. If we didn’t get the loop far enough, it usually didn’t matter. Any hook was a good hook! Once the torpedo was lassoed, the helo would break hover and return to base with the torpedo in trail. Upon arrival at the Red Label area, the crewman would talk the pilot to a hover over a fuel bladder filled with water, lower the torpedo unto the bladder and release it.

These recovery methods were designed to expedite the turnaround time for all these weapons, thus, saving the Navy millions of dollars.

The UH-3’s at Barking Sands not only performed the target launch and target/weapon recovery missions, but were also used for SAR, surveillance, personnel transfer, logistics support, fleet exercises support, and any number of assigned missions considered necessary for the maintenance and support of range operations. These magnificent aircraft performed flawlessly for over thirty-five years.

The sailors’ maintenance work was always topnotch. Being at the end of the supply chain, the maintainers had to be creative in a lot of ways. From the maintenance standpoint, two of the more significant events that ever happened at Barking Sans were the assignment of a Sikorsky Tech Rep, and the completion of a new maintenance hangar. I am proud to say that I was instrumental in both events. My request for a Sikorsky Tech Rep was honored in 1978. Tom Hughes was the very first Tech Rep ever assigned to Barking Sans. In 1988 we moved to the new hangar. There is a whole other story about that hangar. Sailors can do anything with the proper guidance; during the years 1976-1980 and 1986-1990 they did so with a professional attitude and safely. I am very proud to have been affiliated with the Aircraft Maintenance Department at PMRF. During my two tours and 1700 hours in their UH-3’s, they never let me down. Safety and professionalism was our motto, and we proved we could excel in our mission by keeping those two guidelines in the forefront. Those two concepts, coupled with superb leadership from above led to an excellent safety record and aircraft up time.

The list of UH-3A’s below was compiled by my fellow Plank Owner at NHHS, CWO4 (Ret) Gerald Balderson, who was responsible for the saving of Outrider 5 and preserving it as a static display at the main gate of PMRF. He was also my MMCO during my second tour as the Maintenance Chief there.

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Historical

Rescue swimmers await for the arrival of the H-3.

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BuNo 147139 Crashed at NAS Point Mugu in1966.

147140 Outrider 5. Presently on static display at Barking Sands.

147141 Original Outrider 3.

147142 Outrider 3. Last UH-3A flown at Barking Sands.

147144 Tail Rotor struck the water. Sank off Barking Sands in1972.

147146 Outrider 4.

148038 Outrider 8.

148040 Outrider 6.

148041 Outrider 7.

Now, I am sure that some of you after reading this article will go in search of your old Flight Log Books trying to determine if you had flight time in any of these old helicopters. My guess is that some of the old HC-7 guys will have, as well as some of the HC-1 Bubbas. I have flight time in all of them except for BuNo’s 147139 and 147144.

This little story presents some historical data that I think needs to be preserved to show the aircrews of the future what the workload was like “in the old days,” and the versatility of some of our disappearing breeds of helicopters. I am proud to say I flew H-3’s and flew them at Barking Sands. Thanks for your attention.

Editor’s Note: Master Chief Moss has been a member of NHA since 1978.

He was a Plank Owner in the Naval Helicopter Historical Society and a member of its Senior Enlisted Advisory board as a SAR Historian.

He is the first Enlisted Recipient of the NHHS Mark Starr Award.

Flight Of The Sea Knight Article By LCDR Joseph W. Gardner, USN (Ret) Forward I always considered the Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding shoreline to be one of the most beautiful and stunning locations in the World. The deep blue of the sea, the incredible shore line bedecked with jewel-like villas, and harbors and cities that reek of historical lore. And there I was, observing all in my wondrous flying machine – the H-46 Sea Knight helicopter.

In early June, 1965, I left the USS Sylvania flying one of our pristine new H-46 Sea Knights, bound for Paris, France to participate in the 1965 Paris Air Show. With me were two young officers, LT. Steve Wass and LTJG Mike Reber and two of Navy’s finest helicopter technician’s After a dazzling 10 days and super support from Boeing Helicopters, and rave reviews for the H-46, we flew down to Barcelona and the USS Sylvania.

The following story is a recount of the very first Vertical Replenishment of a Capitol Ship by the H-46 Sea Knight Helicopter.

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Historical In The Beginning: H-46

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icture this — a beautiful summer day in the Med, a brisk wind whipping up white-caps on the dark blue sea, the entire Service Force of the 6th Fleet, in a line abreast formation at varying intervals steaming due West. Anchoring the Northern end of the line is the new USS Sylvania, AFS-2, which is scheduled to make the very first replenishment of a capitol ship, the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, utilizing the new Boeing H-46 Sea Knight helicopter. The H-46 is a relatively new twinjet, twin rotor helicopter that measures 82 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip.

It has a substantial carrying capacity inside and outside. At one time we carried a 26-man Marine Corps band with their instruments to a Marine Corps review. It has a top speed of 145 knots, unless pushed. It is also very maneuverable. I was the Officer-in-Charge of the Helicopter operation and had been since its inception. This was landmark day and to witness the “event” were about 200 VIP personnel on board the Saratoga. To make the event more memorable, I selected a very large load of cargo (size-wise), which was attached to a 20-foot pendant, which in turn was attached to the cargo hook of the H-46 helicopter. The Saratoga would be approaching from the Northeast making a sweeping turn to approach the Sylvania. Unfortunately, the Sara misjudged the wind speed and wound up about 1 mile behind the Sylvania. To expedite the join-up the Sara put on a burst of speed and was moving up very fast. I was ordered to begin the operation so I took off and headed straight to the carrier.

Normally, helicopters delivering cargo to a ship would approach from port side of the ship, make a U-turn near the stern, and fly alongside the carrier at “formation speed”— and then slowly move over the ship and “land” the cargo — generally on a central elevator marked by a red dot adjacent to the bridge. Since this operation featured a new helicopter, I decided to vary the operation to make it more memorable.

As I approached the ship I suddenly realized the closure rate was extremely fast due to the wind, the speed of the carrier, and the helicopter speed, which was about 100 knots. I had planned to perform a button-hook approach (which I had originated) but realized that the speed of closure prevented that. So on the plan “B”. As I approached the edge of the deck I started a roll to the left, keeping the nose straight- at the 90 degree point of the roll I started adding left rudder, which pulled the nose down. Suddenly I was 30 feet off the deck — nose down vertically — and the cargo load was straight out, leading the way. As I looked up (down) the red dot came into view; and I increased power to stop exactly in place, let the load swing down, lowered the tail, lowered the load on the spot, released the attaching pendant, moved 30 feet forward and made a no-hover, full stop landing, lowered the aft cargo door, and my two crewmen started unloading 12 foot steel re-enforcing bars, which had been laying loose inside the cargo area. The whole delivery was stunning,

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very fast, totally accurate - and it was sure to memorable.

Then the roof fell in. Pri-fly, the officer who had given me a disinterested “Roj” when I requested landing clearance, realized he had gotten a lot more than he intended. He began a stream of invective and swear words (not repeatable) that went on and on. Finally, he was so worked up, he ordered me to move my helicopter to the starboard, park it, and report to the bridge. As I walked to the bridge after parking, I thought maybe I had gone too far. On reaching the third level of the bridge and started to walk forward, I noticed a large group of officers waiting for me. Just before I reached them, the Commanding Officer stepped out of his “office”. He asked if I was the pilot of the helicopter and I said “Yes”. Then He said, “I have never seen such incredible flying in my entire life. I am a helicopter pilot myself. I know I have seen such speed, accuracy, precision, and skills by anyone.” He raved on and offered me the keys to the ships but I declined — I said I would appreciate champagne and waffles, and he said, “Coming right up.” Nice man.

Then I stepped over to the Admiral, who was standing within earshot and had obviously overheard our entire conversation. I saluted and introduced myself. At that point in time, the conversation was already decided and after a few pleasantries was terminated. God Bless the Captain. I returned to the helicopter, and our crew gave the Saratoga a four-star replenishment… So began 40 years of incredible service and efficiency. Incidentally, that single rollover reverse was the only time it was ever used. EVER. One other item — two years later while I was a test pilot at NAS Jacksonville, a captain approached me, and asked if I was Joe Gardner. I admitted I was and he said he was one of the spectators on the Saratoga that day. He said that as the huge load of cargo came hurtling through the air, leading the helicopter, the entire crowd of 200 spectators was on their knees behind the barricades on the bridge of the Saratoga. He thought it was a hoot. Brave man.

Editor Note: “Flight Of The Sea Knight” appeared in Rotor Review Issue No. 98 on page 42. The reason for its reprint is due to some of the wording was mistakenly left out. We decided to republished this article in its entirity, and extend our apologies to LCDR(Ret) Gardner and our Rotor Review readers for any inconvenience on our part.

George Hopson, NHA Art Editor

Book Review

The Sikorsky Legacy

by Sergei I. Sikorsky

I

n one slim volume Sergei Sikorsky, son of Igor Sikorsky, has presented a wealth of information. In four simple chapters and over 200 pictures he has given us a unique perspective on an aviation pioneer.

From his son’s words, you are painted a picture of a man who was more than simply an aviation pioneer; he was in every sense of the word an aviation genius. What appears a slender book, perhaps short on content, becomes long on soul and character of a man whose very name is a household word to every Naval Aviator who ever took the controls of a helicopter.

If you’ve ever wanted to know why multiengine airplanes were developed , how many helos were built for the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II, the why and when of airliners and the first helicopter airline; then this is the book for you. From the first sentence to the last picture caption you are immersed in Sikorsky history. A history the takes you from the beginning of the 20th century through over 100 years of aviation fixed and rotary wing development.

Sergei Sikorsky has penned reminiscences of an aviation giant. A giant whom he knew personally and closely, so close indeed that you can hear Igor’s voice come off the page. This slender book makes a wonderful addition to any helicopter aficionado’s library whether you are interested in facts and reference material, a unique perspective on a helicopter pioneer or you just want to keep your S’s and H’s straight.

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Sergei Sikorsky Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC 2007 Soft cover, 127 pages $19.99

Change of Command

VX-1

HS-7

HSC-22

Pioneers

Dusty Dogs

Sea Knights

CAPT John Slaughter, USN relieved CAPT Tim Booth, USN on September 11, 2007

CDR Kevin Lenox, USN relieved CDR Mike Huber, USN on September 13, 2007

CDR Dan Olson, USN relieved CDR Mike McMillan, USN on September 27, 2007

HSM-71

HSMWSP

HS-3

Raptors

Tridents

CDR Kieran S. Twomey,USN relieved CDR Andrew W. Miles,USN on CDR Michael K. Nortier became November 1, 2007 the first commanding officer of HSM-71 on October 4, 2007

CDR Andy Truluck,USN relieved CDR Mike Moore,USN on September 27, 2007

HSCWSP

TACON 12

CDR John A. Petovic,USN relieved CDR Paul M. Williams, USN on December 7, 2007

CDR Gerald Most, USN relieved CDR Craig Wilson, USN on December 13, 2007

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HSC-21

BlackJacks

CDR Mario Mifsud, USN relieved CDR Monte Ulmer, USN on December 14, 2007

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Squadron Updates

“Ghostriders Participate “Ghostriders” In First Annual Black Sea Partnership Cruise 2007 Article and Photo by LTJG Tim Barnhart, USN

HSC-28 DET 1 onboard the USS Mount Whitney.

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elicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWOEIGHT, Detachment ONE, the worldfamous Ghostriders, recently entered the Black Sea onboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC-20) in support of COMSIXTHFLT. Their unique mission was to conduct a multi-national classroom at sea, which included marine, coast guard and naval officers from Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Bulgaria September 24-28, 2007. As USS Mount Whitney got underway from a port visit in Constanta, Romania, the week long training event began with helicopter operations involving simulated anti-submarine joint training exercises with the USS Mount Whitney, Romania Frigate Regina Maria (F222) and HSC-28 DET ONE. The exercises were a unique opportunity for the pilots and aircrew of HSC-28 DET 1 to work closely with the Romanian frigate and their air traffic controllers, while demonstrating the proficiency of U.S. Naval Aviators. During the remainder of the inaugural event, the “Ghostriders” conducted over eighteen hours of classroom lectures and four hours of practical instruction for helicopter pilots and sailors from five different Black Sea countries on the concepts of Naval Aviation in order to assist them with the development of their nations’ naval aviation programs.

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Under the leadership of Rear Admiral Robert M. Clark, Director of Maritime Partnership Program, the Black Sea Partnership Cruise was designed to build regional cooperation between the six participating countries in order to promote maritime security and safety for all. As RADM Clark stated: “This is a partnership cruise. We want to learn from each other.”

In that spirit, the mutual learning experience extended well beyond the structured classroom, as the unique bond inherent between helicopter pilots became evident. One of the lasting impacts will be the relationship developed during the weeklong experience.

In addition to the port visit in Constanta, Romania, HSC-28 DET ONE and the USS Mount Whitney had the opportunity to make brief port visits in Varna, Bulgaria and Istanbul, Turkey, to further relationships in those areas. Led by LCDR Tony Pate, Officer-in-Charge, the Ghostriders, of DET ONE, are a permanent detachment of HSC-28 based at NSA Capodicbino in support of COMSIXTHFLT and the USS Mount Whitney. HELSEACOMBATRON 28, home-based in Norfolk, Virginia, flies the MH-60S and is commanded by CDR David A. Stracener.

SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-28

A HARSH REALITY: Tough Lessons Learned During Search and Rescue Efforts After Hurricane Felix

Article By LTJG Dean Farmer, USN HSC-28 Detachment Four

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n the morning of September 4, 2007, Hurricane Felix, a Category V hurricane, hit the eastern coast of Nicaragua. The hurricane touched down in the vicinity of Puerto Cabezas, buffeting the coast with 165 mph sustained winds and a 20 foot sea surge. In response to Felix’s aftermath, USS Wasp (LHD 1) was diverted from PANAMAX on September 5th and left Colon, Panama for Nicaragua. Without any detailed information concerning damage to Nicaragua, Wasp proceeded to provide any humanitarian assistance it could using air assets from HSC-28 and HM-15. HSC-28 had two MH-60S helicopters and HM-15 had four MH-53E helicopters. Wasp made best speed in hopes to be stationed off Nicaragua’s coast, near Puerto Cabezas, by mid-day on September 6th.

The morning of the 6th, Wasp was still approximately 60 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Cabezas when it received a call from the Nicaraguan government requesting over water search and rescue support. Three fishing boats were missing off the coast with anywhere from 35 to 150 people missing. At 1000L, the two MH-60S (Bay Raider 50 and Bay Raider 54) and one MH-53E (Hurricane 05) launched to head to the initial datum, 90 nautical miles to the north, to search for survivors. Bay Raider 50 and 54 were tasked to be the search and rescue units, both carrying rescue swimmers, while Hurricane 05 was tasked to act as the on scene commander.

After launching from Wasp, all the aircraft bustered to arrive at the datum as fast as possible to begin searching for survivors. During the 90 nautical mile transit north, the aircraft were informed that the datum was more than 24 hours old and Wasp was looking to get a more accurate datum from Nicaragua. The first aircraft to arrive at the datum was Bay Raider 50 who immediately determined that the datum was in

the wrong location, as it was over land about ten miles inland from the coast. Bay Raider 50 informed the other aircraft via radio and then headed east to begin a ladder search to the east, off the coast.

Meanwhile, Bay Raider 54 began another ladder search about 15 miles to the south of Bay Raider 50’s position. Hurricane 05 was still fulfilling its role as on scene commander and additionally relaying information to Wasp about the damage to nearby coastal villages.

With such a long transit north, both Bay Raider aircraft only had about 15 to 20 minutes to execute their ladder searches before reaching their bingo. Bay Raider 50 reached its bingo first and began heading back south to return to Wasp for fuel with Bay Raider 54 following soon after. Hurricane 05 remained on scene to continue searching for survivors. As both aircraft were making their way south, Bay Raider 50 and 54 marked on top positions of any debris in the water for later searches. After marking several points, Bay Raider 50 came across a small boat approaching something in the water. Bay Raider 50 came down to 60 feet above the water and did one circling pass around the small boat. The item the boat was approaching in the water turned out to be a dead body, the first of many for this day.

Bay Raider 50 again marked the point and informed Bay Raider 54 and Hurricane 05 of the location.

While refueling at Wasp, Bay Raider 50 and 54 provided all the information they could to Wasp. After all the information was gathered, the decision was made to shift the datum to the point where Bay Raider 50 had come across the dead body, approximately 50 miles south of the original datum. Wasp had not received another datum from Nicaragua so the best option seemed to create a new datum. While Bay Raider 50 and 54 finished refueling, Hurricane 05 proceeded to the new datum and immediately began circling overhead.

As soon as Bay Raider 50 and 54 refueled, both aircraft proceeded 40 miles north to the new datum.

When Bay Raider 50 arrived at the new datum, it began

Continued on page 62

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& LAMPS Get-Together

ark your calendars!! The 25th Anniversary for HSL-41 / HSM-41 will be celebrated 05-08 FEB 2008 in San Diego, CA. The official date for 25 years spans 21 JAN 1983 - 21 JAN 2008.

Such activities as an open house, ROMEO & BRAVO SIMs, cake cutting, dinner banquet, a Fleet Replacement Pilot (FRP) patching/fleet-up ceremony at I-Bar, NHA Region ONE Golf Tournament and NHA Region ONE Flight Suit Formal are all part of our initial planning. We hope/intend to have all previous 18 “Seahawk ONEs” in attendance plus each of the Master Chiefs (Command; Maintenance; Aircrew) for the celebration. Bigger than Ben Hur, early news of this extravaganza has generated huge interest from many past helicopter aviators/maintainers/civilians and may likely expand into the single largest LAMPS reunion ever. Much, much, more to follow on this event.

Rotor Review # 99 FallPlease ‘07 spread the word, contact 53 my PAO LT Steve Dobesh at steven.dobesh@navy.mil, or watch our website www.hsm41.navy.mil for additional details. Seahawk ONE sendz

SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-28

an expanding square search pattern starting from the body in the water. As it flew the pattern, the aircrew in Bay Raider 50 noticed that the people in the small boat kept pointing to the east. After flying the pattern for a while, it became readily apparent that all aircraft were searching in the wrong location.

Other than the one dead body in the water, there were no other bodies or any visible debris. At this point, Bay Raider 50 and 54 both proceeded to the east to see if they could find anything there. About 15 miles east, both aircraft came across several small reefs and mangrove islands.

Upon reaching these reefs it was clear why the people in the small boat had been pointing to the east, as there were 10 to 15 small fishing boats out looking for survivors. The small boats were from villages along the Nicaraguan coast.

Additionally, several boats with people on them had washed ashore on some of the mangrove islands. These small boats were pulling a few dead bodies out of the water and helping those people on the boats that had run aground get to land.

This area would ultimately become the focal point of the search for the next several hours. Bay Raider 50, 54, and Hurricane 05 all continued to fly mangrove to mangrove, reef to reef reporting latitude and longitude back to Wasp. Latitudes and longitudes were provided anytime any of the aircraft came across a dead body, stranded craft, or anyone stranded on the mangrove islands. At one point, Bay Raider 50 lowered two swimmers on a mangrove island to talk to some of the people whose boat had run aground there. The people on the ground reported to the swimmers that the small boats were bringing in more dead bodies from an area a little further northwest than where the aircraft were currently searching.

Bay Raider 50 and 54 proceeded out there to check out the report. Along the way both aircraft came across multiple dead bodies in the water and more visible debris. Eventually, Bay Raider 54 would find what looked to be a 20 or 30 mile long debris field with structural wreckage from boats and more dead bodies. All aircraft continued searching up until sunset before stopping search and rescue efforts. Ultimately, the aircraft were only able to find dead bodies in the water or people whose boats had run aground on the mangrove islands. Despite this, there were a few important lessons learned by everyone involved in coordinating and flying the search and rescue effort.

The first lesson learned was the importance of a reliable initial datum. Determining an accurate datum is a very time critical evolution. The fact that Felix had hit a little more than 48 hours prior to Wasp arriving on station was a major contributing factor in the initial datum being so inaccurate.

What further complicated the search was that no other datum information was given to Wasp by authorities once it was known that the datum was old. Obviously, it was impossible to execute an over water search and rescue if the initial datum given was over land.

Secondly, always be willing to adapt to changing variables and be ready to improvise. Most search and rescue scenarios are taught with many of the variables provided.

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Traditionally, crews have a place to begin a search and know what kind of pattern to fly based upon the information provided and are often directed by a SAR Mission Coordinator. However, due to the overall lack of information provided to Wasp, this quickly became a non-standardized search and rescue. Without a datum, the search had no place to begin. Through coordination between Wasp, aircraft involved, and the signals of the boaters, the search and rescue units were able to find a place from which to begin a search.

Third, be ready to revert quickly into a standardized, coordinated search and rescue after improvising, even if it has to be coordinated from the air. This was the biggest failure of the units involved. After adapting and eventually finding a datum, Bay Raider 50 and 54 did not then re-coordinate their search with Hurricane 05. It was more of a free for all with aircraft just flying back and forth, as opposed to assigning sectors and having units work their specific sector. By assigning sectors for aircraft to work, it would have been possible to prevent the occasions when different aircraft reported the same dead body or same grounded boat to Wasp.

Lastly, only have the on scene commander communicate back to whoever is coordinating the search and rescue effort. Throughout the search and rescue effort, Bay Raider 50, 54, and Hurricane 05 would all radio back to Wasp as a result of variables changing so quickly. By failing to route all information through a central point, i.e. Hurricane 05, it prevented the search and rescue units involved from organizing a more coordinated search once an accurate datum was found.

Overall, it was a sad and solemn day for all units involved in the search and rescue effort. No one was rescued and it seemed that we were “a day late and a dollar short.” To see the destruction of such a powerful force of nature and the wreckage it left behind was heart wrenching. Wasp and the air assets from HSC-28 and HM-15 would work hard over the next four days to provide as much humanitarian assistance as possible to alleviate those feelings. This would include moving substantial quantities of food, water, and supplies to remote villages, transferring first responders and foreign relief workers for humanitarian assistance, and executing emergency medical evacuations from remote villages to nearby hospitals. The two MH-60S helicopters from HSC-28 were able to provide a total relief of 49,050 pounds of supplies, transportation for 137 relief workers, and the successful completion of twelve emergency medical evacuations.

Correction

In Rotor Review Issue 98, the feature article “Off Of The Horn Of Africa” on page 22 was written by LT Gale Yancey instead of LCDR Alan Aber

SQUADRON UPDATES

HSL-43 DET TWO Returns From Six-Month Deployment Article and Photo by LTJG Brendan O’Dea Negle, USN Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL) 43 & Naval Air Forces Public Affairs

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os Gatos Locos of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light (HSL) 43, Detachment TWO, returned to San Diego, Oct. 6, following a successful six-month Western-Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment.

Attached to the Pearl Harbor-based USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93), an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer, with the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group FIVE (ESG-5), HSL-43 conducted maritime operations in the 5th Fleet (Arabian Gulf) area of responsibility.

“The logistic hurdles of a San Diego-based detachment and a Pearl Harbor-based ship presented unique challenges,” said HSL-43 Det. TWO Maintenance Officer LT Greg Lembo.

“Through an exceptionally long workup cycle, a pre-cruise maintenance inspection away from our home unit and the cross deck of aircraft on the USS Bonhomme Richard, DET 2’s maintainers and aircrew performed exceptionally.”

DET TWO departed San Diego for deployment April 10th. Once off the coast of Hawaii, the strike group conducted anti-submarine exercises before Chung-Hoon and HSL-43 detached from ESG-5.

Following the exercise, Chung-Hoon and Los Gatos Locos chopped into the Arabian Gulf to lock arms with Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 – a multi-national naval coalition established near the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom, comprised of naval ships from Canada, France, Germany, Pakistan, United Kingdom and the U.S. Together they conducted maritime security operations (MSO) in the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

“Operations with theater CTF’s allow better alignment for the geographical area in accordance with the local commander’s intent,” said Lembo. “In addition, cooperation with other coalition nations is enhanced while communications are streamlined.”

HSL-43 aided CTF-150 with anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia by gathering intelligence, flying armed

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surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and providing humanitarian relief.

During this time, Los Gatos Locos were asked by Somalia’s Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi to provide assistance to a commercial cargo vessel in distress. Despite a high sea state, the vessel’s inability to maneuver, and several large hazards scattered along the length of the ship, the aircrew successfully lowered several weeks’ worth of food, water and supplies, giving the stranded crew the time it needed to eventually return to port under its own power. “[Aiding the Somalian vessel was] a great opportunity to help others in need as well as put my training and skills to good use,” said HSL-43 Aircrew Member, Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class (NAC) Tyler Brock.

The squadron soon detached from CTF 150 to join CTF-158 – the task force responsible for training Iraq’s Navy and Marines to safeguard their territorial waters and protect two off-shore oil platforms, the Al Basra (ABOT) and Khawr al Amaya (KAAOT) oil terminals – in the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG).

The aircrews monitored maritime traffic, assessed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) activity, and supported 31 boardings performed by Chung-Hoon’s Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) teams, logging a total of 350 flight hours.

“We were only a few hundred yards from those oil platforms,” said Herr. “Every member of the detachment could see what we were defending and put forth an incredible effort to accomplish the mission.”

According to limbo, the work accomplished on the deployment described in only two words.

“Truly inspiring,” Lembo said. “The sailors of HSL-43 DET TWO endured a demanding deployment schedule, a multitude of aircraft and equipment challenges, and prolonged operations in the extreme conditions of the Northern Arabian Gulf. Their combined efforts and teamwork allowed for the execution of 930 mishap free flight hours in support of OPERATIONS ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM.”

SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-3 / HM-15

Armed-Helo First Fleet Missile Shots Article By LT Will Kirby, USN

contributed to the successful launch of all 10 AGM-114Bs boasting a flawless 100 percent strike success rate.

As is the case in all aviation “firsts,” it could not have been done without the dedication and tireless work of steadfast maintenance and ordnance crews. The maintainers kept the aircraft flying in a challenging environment and ordnance crews received invaluable hands-on training that will build the foundation for the fleet squadrons.

This milestone will only be the first of many for the MH-60S Block III Photo courtesy of HSC-3 Public Affairs.

Armed Helo as its mission set, capability, and visibility in the battle group is realized significant milestone has been reached by the and utilized. HSC-3 is also adapting to meet the new mission Merlins of HSC-3. No, it is not the 1,000,000th lap and training requirements. The curriculum for new pilots has in the IB 500, nor is it another successful mishapbeen completely rewritten to include an Armed Helo syllabus. free benchmark in the Merlin’s storied history. Recently, a small In addition to practice autorotations, VERTREP and SAR detachment of Merlin instructors and maintainers completed five days scenarios, students will also be exposed to CATM flights, lowin Fallon, NV, successfully executing the first MH-60S Fleet Hellfire level navigation, and TERF landings. shots.

The detachment worked with HSL-37, HS-3, and a myriad Due to the outstanding efforts of many in the of NSAWC instructors to successfully execute multiple Close Air helicopter community, the Merlins of HSC-3 are poised to lead Support (CAS) and Special Operation Force (SOF) call for fire the HSC community into the future of Armed Helo training. missions under Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC) control.

The week started off with a full day of classes covering HSC-3’s 40th Anniverrsay Celebration is everything from local course rules to detailed call for fire missions. on page 61.

Over the next two days all four crews flew multiple Captive Air Training Missile (CATM) flights to rehearse JTAC coordination procedures, practice target recognition, and perfect timing. The full two day’s practice paid great dividends for the crews and directly

HSC-3’s fully loaded MH-60S Armed Helicopter.

A

“Multi-National Exercise Or Disaster Relief . . . Blackhawks Get The Job Done” HM-15 Blackhawks Prove Their Flexibility When A Hurricane Hits During PANAMAX 2007 Article and Photos by LT Steven Mason, USN

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n mid-August 2007 a detachment of 146 sailors from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron FIFTEEN (aka HM-15 Blackhawks) departed their home base in Corpus Christi, Texas for a month of flight operations and training exercises in the Carribean Sea. Taking four MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters, all with heavy payloads of personnel and equipment, the mighty Blackhawks flew from Corpus Christi, TX to Norfolk, VA to embark USS Wasp (LHD-1).

Continued on page 57

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MH-53E Sea Dragons assigned to HM-15 are set to take off in support of PANAMAX 2007

SQUADRON UPDATES: HM-15 Continued from page 56 Once aboard, the sailors of HM-15 wasted no time in preparing aircraft and mine countermeasures weapons systems in anticipation of the upcoming PANAMAX. PANAMAX is a multi-national training exercise run by the US Southern Command. The annual exercise helps train U.S. and other allied forces to respond to potential emergencies in defense of the Panama Canal; a shipping lane critical to the world’s economy.

This was the fourth year that the PANAMAX exercise was conducted. The first PANAMAX in 2003 involved only three ships and three nations. Participation among Central and South American nations has grown significantly every year.

This year’s exercise included 19 nations, 30 vessels, and over a dozen aircraft.

Scenarios conducted during PANAMAX regularly involve maritime interdiction, Mine Countermeasures (MCM), and visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operations. HM-15 is a crucial participant as it specializes in Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM), a rapid form of MCM that allows MH-53E helicopters to hunt, sweep, identify, and neutralize mine threats in a fraction of the time it would take surface assets or divers operating alone.

Demonstrating their usual professionalism and motivation, the Blackhawks quickly incorporated a rapid pace of operations into their daily lives and overcame any and all challenges presented. The stellar efforts of HM15’s maintenance team would prove a crucial asset during PANAMAX 07. ENS Juan Lucero spoke highly of the world’s finest maintenance technicians when he said, “We’ve adapted and now we’re operating at peak efficiency.”

As USS Wasp steamed south, HM-15 indoctrinated its newest pilots in the techniques of Day and Night Un-Aided Deck Landings. With an eye to safety, Blackhawk pilots executed an aggressive underway period that encompassed extensive briefings and operations. Senior pilots demonstrated an array of techniques as the junior pilots honed their abilities.

While most understand the arduous nature of unaided deck landings, the Blackhawks stepped up to the plate and carried off each evolution with style and professionalism. Safety was the hallmark as each of the 19 pilots re-qualified over a three-day period. Their preparation soon had the Blackhawks operating like a well-oiled machine as they streamed forward toward the successful completion of PANAMAX 07.

HM-15 took PANAMAX 07 as an opportunity to demonstrate the speed and flexibility of AMCM operations.

The Blackhawks used the newly acquired AN/AQS-24A mine hunting system to detect several training shapes “threatening” the canal while a US Navy dive team went to work “clearing” the objects. The AN/AQS-24A system not only locates mine threats using side scan sonar but can also identify mines using an onboard optical laser system. HM-15’s AMCM maintenance crews had the complex AN/AQS-24A fully operational in record time. In just three days the Blackhawks had completed 90% of

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Flight member is making preps to load the AMCM onto one for the HM-15’s Blackhawks.

their assigned missions. The fourth day however, held some unexpected surprises.

While the US Navy and its allies were busy countering simulated threats in the vicinity of the Panama Canal, Mother Nature was about to unleash a very real humanitarian disaster on the nation of Nicaragua in the form of Hurricane Felix.

USS Wasp, with HM-15 embarked, ended its participation in PANAMAX 07 a day early and rushed to the eastern coast of Nicaragua to assist in Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operations on the remote Moskito Coast. A base of operations was quickly established and HM-15 pilots and aircrew found themselves flying a variety of missions including reconnaissance, logistics transport, and medical evacuation.

The majority of the Blackhawks quickly found themselves working 12-hours shifts to provide desperately needed assistance as rapidly as possible. Perhaps most impressive were the efforts of the HM-15 Maintenance Department that kept four aircraft in a fully mission capable status the majority of the time. As the primary heavy lift asset, HM-15’s assistance to the Nicaraguan people was commendable. The MH-53E’s 500 nm range and heavy lift capability provided an operational flexibility that other on-scene helicopters just couldn’t provide.

In just three days, the Blackhawks distributed thousands of boxes of plastic sheeting, hygiene kits and blankets in direct support of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, and 50,000 pounds of food for the World Food Programme.

HM-15’s accomplishments during the entire deployment were no less impressive having flown over 83 sorties and 145.2 flight hours. Leadership, cooperation, and teamwork proved to be the hallmarks of HM-15’s success during their deployment. Whether towing during an exercise or performing real-world humanitarian relief operations, once again the Blackhawks proved they were up to accomplishing the mission.

Bravo Zulu, Team Blackhawk!

SQUADRON UPDATES:

“HSL-49 Det 5 returns from WESTPAC.” Article by LT Daniel Sweatman

HSL-49 Det 5 Aircrew aboard on the USS Pinckney. Photo taken by ENS Latham Veenstra

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he Scorpions of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light FOUR NINE recently welcomed home Detachment FIVE from a six-month Western Pacific deployment aboard USS Pinckney (DDG 91). Led by LCDR Jon Anderson, the 15 maintainers, two aircrewmen, and six pilots of Det FIVE flew missions in support of Operation Enduring FreedomPhilippines (OEF-P) and participated in several international and joint maritime exercises including International Maritime Defense Exercise, CARAT-Singapore, and VALIANT SHIELD. While operating in support of OEF-P, Det FIVE’s primary mission was the support of Armed Forces of the Philippines in combating terrorism. Once detached from (OEF-P), Pinckney headed west to escort the Nimitz on her port visit into Chennai, India. The port visit served as a diplomatic engagement opportunity to strengthen multinational maritime operations. The sailors aboard Nimitz and Pinckney represented the U.S. Navy with class. Other port visits for Pinckney included Hong Kong, Singapore and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

After the Chennai visit, Pinckney along with the ships in DESRON ONE, participated in a two weeklong CARAT exercise with the Singapore Navy. One of the main focuses of this exercise was assisting the Singapore Navy in their preparations for embarking helicopter detachments from the Republic of Singapore Air Force aboard their surface combatants. Several round table discussions were held during the pre sail conference in which Det FIVE personnel shared the maintenance and operational nuances of being embarked on a small combatant.

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During the underway portion of CARAT six Singapore Navy and Air Force personnel were embarked on Pinckney to gain a first hand look at helicopter small-deck ship operations. The exercise consisted of several free plays Antisubmarine (ASW) and Antisurface (SUW) scenarios in which the Singaporean controllers displayed a high level of tactical competence. Lt Col Jonathan Tan, Commanding Officer of RSAF Squadron 125 and his pilots, will be at North Island this fall as they train in preparation to take receipt of their Sikorsky S-70s.

Following CARAT, Pinckney was reunited with the Nimitz Strike Group in transit to participate in VALIANT SHIELD ’07. During this three strike group exercise Nimitz Strike Group aircrews from HS-6, HSL-37, and HSL-49 demonstrated the tactical advantages of multi-helicopter ASW operations. The strong relationship maintained between the squadrons, solidified by a pre cruise memorandum of understanding, enabled multiple successful simulated engagements of opposing force submarines. It also facilitated two Det FIVE pilots spending three days on Nimitz with the Screaming Indians of HS-6.

LT Cyn Delgado said, “It was eye opening to see the versatility that a dipping sonar platform provides in an ASW environment.”

Det FIVE had a wide ranging experience on their WESTPAC with unforgettable operational challenges, interactions with foreign navies, and port calls. The scope and variety of missions that Det FIVE was tasked with during their deployment is a testament to the versatility required by LAMPS detachments.

SQUADRON UPDATES: HS-6

HS-6 Returns from Deployment Article By LTJG Michael R. Pangrac, HS-6

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his year continues to be an extremely productive one for the Screamin’ Indians of HS-6 as the squadron transitions from operational commitments with CVW-11 and USS Nimitz team to life ashore, where we are hard at work preparing for another underway period in January. In all, the Screamin’ Indians logged more than 2,100 hours, transferred over 680,000 pounds of supplies, performed six MEDEVACS, and flew countless Plane Guard, SSC, ASUW, and ASW flights in support of Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM, and Exercises Valiant Shield, and Malabar during our six months at sea from April to September 2007.

The last month of deployment provided a number of unique opportunities for the Indians with port calls to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Honolulu. While ports are always exciting, the flying presented myriad of learning experiences for both the deployment veterans as well as the nuggets. During Malabar, a joint exercise which brought the navies of India, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and the United States together to enhance coordination and mutual understanding, HS-6 had a chance to break new ground. Of particular note, LCDR Juliana “Deuce” Antonacci, LT Jeremy “Shed” Clark, LT Vic “Satchel” Lange, LTJG Brian “Mean Jim” Storjohann, and LTJG Aaron “Hansel” Lee performed logistics flights to the Indian Carrier Viraat both during the day and at night. Similarly, a number of HS-6 pilots, aircrew and maintenance personnel were able to interact with their Indian Navy counterparts as participants

in a Malabar exchange program. LTJG Aaron Lee described his conversation with fellow helicopter pilots as “an eyeopening experience. I learned a great deal about some of the similarities and differences between helo pilots in different Navies and how to overcome these differences to attain more efficient inter-operability in the future.” Though lasting only a few days, Malabar provided all the members of HS-6 with new perspectives on how foreign Navies operate while underway.

Since returning home and after a period of much deserved leave, the Indians have reacquainted themselves with NASNI and East County Course Rules as they maintain TERF and SAR currency while at the same time enjoying time away from the boat. There has been no slow down to the pace of operations with NATOPS and SAR evaluations keeping the squadron busy both flying and administratively. LT Vic Lange asserted that “although we just returned from deployment, the SAR and NATOPS evals have provided us with the opportunity to continue to maintain a high state of readiness rather than get complacent with our skills and knowledge during this short at home period.” In addition to these necessary evaluations, the Indians have taken full advantage of their opportunities to TERF in East County. As LT John “J-Biz” Hampton explains “while the boat provides unique challenges it’s nice to get back out overland and into the dirt.” Since returning home a little

Continued on page 60

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SQUADRON UPDATES: HS-6 / HM-14 Victorious HS-6 Camp Pendleton Mud Run Team

Continued from page 59 over a month ago, the squadron has been able to qualify two Strike Level III pilots, 3 Strike Level II pilots, and performed 5 NATOPS checks on top of many familiarization and SAR training flights. The Screamin’ Indians are not only performing admirably in the air but on the ground as well with a 1st place finish in the recent Mud Run at Camp Pendleton. The team consisted of HS-6 Commanding Officer, CDR Mike Baratta, LT Lora Gorsky, ENS Kevin Duncan, AMCS Dean Carlson, and SK3 Justin White.

Interspersed in this eventful inter-deployment period has been a great deal of change as HS-6 says goodbye to LCDR Juliana “Deuce” Antonacci, who leaves for NAS Mayport, and LT Ben “Jammin” Foster, who will be staying in San Diego to pass all of our Level II and Level III Strike candidates as a member of the HSC Weapons School. While Deuce and Jammin’ leave us we have a few new Indians to welcome to the tribe. Our newest Indians are LCDR Maggie

Vasak from Naval Forces Europe/6th Fleet Staff, as well as LT Mica Foster, LTJG Ryan Cunningham, and LTJG Jon Megahy who all joined the squadron on the pier as we pulled back into San Diego. A deserved congratulations goes out to LT Jon “J-Biz” Hampton as the squadron’s newest Level III Strike qualified HAC and LT Justin “Robe” Ott, LT Lora “Nitro” Gorsky, and LT Allison “Cholula” Oubre earning their Level II Strike qualification. Additionally, LT Bruno “180” Mannello earned his qualification as H2P. As a final note, LTJG Aaron Lee was named HS-6’s Top Rotor for the third and final line period for his outstanding work as the Ground Safety Officer and his motivated completion of the H2P syllabus. Nice work to all.

The rest of “port call San Diego” holds a great deal of promise for the Screamin’ Indians of HS-6 with more local flying opportunities as we prepare for our next deployment adventure in the upcoming months. With the busy time ahead there are also numerous opportunities for much needed at home and relaxation time as we enjoy the company of our family and friends. Good luck to all and fly safe.

Diversity: Key to Success for HM-14 and 3P Team

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eparting from Naval Station Norfolk, VA, May 16, 2007, the Sailors of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fourteen (HM-14) Detachment Two (Det. 2) embarked on a journey thirteen time zones away, literally half-way around the globe. They anticipated a large role in a humanitarian mission aboard USS Peleliu (LHA 5) departing San Diego, May 21.

Continued on page 61 A Medical Civil Assistance Program (MEDCAP) team helps offload one of HM-14 DET TWO’s MH53Es on one of the Marshall Island’s remote atolls.

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Official U.S. Navy Photo courtesy of HM-14 Public Affairs Office

Article By LT Kimberly Young

SQUADRON UPDATES: HM-14 Continued from page 60 USS Peleliu with its Peleliu Pacific Partnership (3P) team became the first United States warship to undertake a fully dedicated Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) mission focused on humanitarian assistance.

The world famous HM-14 Vanguards, flying the MH-53E Sea Dragon, supported the 3P during four months of humanitarian operations throughout Southeast Asia and Oceania. The 3P team was truly joint and diverse consisting of: USS Peleliu, HM-14, Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seven (NMCB-7) and Amphibious Construction Battalion One (ACB-1), the Army, Air Force and civilian medical/dental personnel, engineers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) like Operation Smile (based out of Norfolk, Va.), and numerous partner nation military service members to include Canada, Australia, India, Singapore, Viet Nam, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea.

This four month deployment continued the long tradition of U.S. Navy support of humanitarian assistance operations throughout the world and reflected American compassion for the people of the Southeast Asia and Pacific region with whom Americans share common bonds. During the 3P mission, Peleliu served as the sea base from which all embarked units coordinated and carried out Medical Civil Assistance Programs (MEDCAP) and Engineering Civil Assistance Programs (ENGCAP). USS Peleliu visited areas based on host-nation agreements, medical and engineering priorities and whether port or anchorage facilities were adequate to support the large deck.

Many of the sailors serving with HM-14 say they joined the Navy to see the world. This desire was met for many during this deployment. It began by visiting the island of Peleliu for a ceremony to honor the 1944 battle that is the ship’s namesake. Their travels then took them to the Republic of the Philippines (RP) for one month as they commenced flight operations in Cotabato. One hundred and twentyeight Sailors, operating and maintaining four MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters, enabled the 3P team to deliver medical and engineering support to otherwise inaccessible areas.

HM-14 flew teams into the Philippines to set up week-long camps to attend the needs of local citizens. They also brought patients back to receive more extensive medical treatment in the ship’s hospital facilities.

Peleliu next traveled to Da Nang, Viet Nam. Although HM-14 did not fly during the ten-day stint, fifty of its Sailors participated in daily community relations projects in the nearby cities. They also had the opportunity to take tours of Viet Nam. Family members of HM-14 Det. 2 personnel served here during the Viet Nam Conflict, and some Sailors said it was a humbling experience to walk the ground on which they fought.

The 3P team also visited Singapore, and while there were two HM-14 DET. 2 helicopters and 60 Sailors departed to establish a temporary detachment in Japan. Despite losing

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A crew from HM-14 DET TWO transports personnel from USS Peleliu (LHA-5) to Peleliu Island for a wreath laying ceremony in honor of those U.S. personnel who fought and died there during WWII. The Governor of Palau was in attendance.

Official U.S. Navy Photos are courtesy of HM-14 Public Affairs Office almost half of its assets, HM-14 DET 2 continued unyielding support of the 3P mission. Sailing towards Papua New Guinea, HM-14 DET 2 transported hundreds of passengers daily, including 3P teams providing aid to the local populace and patients receiving medical treatment on board.

A recent tsunami in the Solomon Islands severely damaged much of the islands’ critical infrastructure. Upon arrival, HM-14 conducted six days of flight operations delivering engineering assets and medical supplies to repair local hospitals and schools. Anchored near Majuro, Marshall Islands, HM-14 also flew to remote atolls delivering medical attention, construction capabilities, and solar panel kits.

In late July, HM-14 flew U. S. Ambassador to the Philippines, the Honorable Kristie A. Kenney and Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, ADM Timothy Keating to and from USS Peleliu for a tour of the ship and a reception for the Republic of the Philippines. HM-14 supported the Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Dr. Donald Winter, during his visit to USS Peleliu on August 23, while in the Solomon Islands.

Finally, the Vanguard flew Adm. Robert Willard, Commander, US Pacific Fleet, from USS Peleliu on August 29.

“The Vanguardsmen of DET 2 were truly a band of brothers. They instantly integrated into USS Peleliu’s crew and were responsible for over 500 mishap-free flight hours and 189 sorties. The diversity of talent HM-14 brought to the 3P mission was remarkable,” said LCDR Nick Garcia, HM-14 DET 2 officer in charge (OIC), about his detachment’s experience. “HM-14 Seabees were TAD while in Legaspi, RP, working on the Mayon Volcano flood control project while our flight surgeon and corpsman were ashore participating on MEDCAPS.” “Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator 1st Class Dennison, a skilled motorcycle mechanic, was credited for fixing a critically important Seabee ATV (all-terrain vehicle) while in Josephstall, Papua New Guinea and Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator 1st Class Lee’s tractor operator experience served us well when tasked to move a 5000-pound one to a remote location,” added Garcia. “Operating in an area we were not usually accustomed, DET 2 officers, maintainers, and aircrewmen alike far exceeded expectations of the mission

Continued on page 62

Official U.S. Navy Photos are courtesy of HM-14 Public Affairs Office

SQUADRON UPDATES: HM-14/HSC-3

Personnel from HM-14 DET TWO cool down on the flight deck of USS Peleliu (LHA-5) after a much-needed rain storm moved across the Luzon region of the Philippines. From left to right: AE2 Mark Mintzer, AD2 James Beard, ADAN Leah Wells, AD3 David Moors, AN Kyle Waymire, AD1 Michael Kelly, AN Sean Burke.

Continued from page 61 commander.”

In four months, HM-14 transported over 5,775 passengers and moved over 191 tons of cargo. HM-14 DET 2 completed this historic and unique detachment with a 94% mission completion rate. These achievements fully demonstrate the immense value of the MH-53E. Its unmatched combination of heavy-lift capacity with the ability to reach isolated jungle villages and remote, distant islands makes it the U.S. Navy’s premier asset for the U.S. State and Defense Department’s continued TSC missions.

In 2002, the Navy unveiled a new slogan: “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of All Who Threaten It”. The diverse HM-14 and 3P team brought life and then some to many people in the under-developed countries of Southeast Asia and Oceania.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for these Sailors to spread hope, health, and good will on behalf of the U.S.

HSC-3 Celebrates 40 years

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Article By LT Dave Ayotte, HSC-3

n 28 September 2007, HSC-3 commemorated the 40th anniversary of HC-3 with a ceremony on the North Island flight line. HC-3 was commissioned on 1 September 1967 as one of the four splitting squadrons from HC-1. Originally based out of NAS Imperial Beach, HC-3 started with 28 Officers, 168 Enlisted, and 10 UH-46 Sea Knights. HC-3 deployed its first detachment (DET 102) aboard USS Sacramento (AOE-1) for a training cruise on 14 November 1967. In July 1973, HC-3 moved to its present location aboard NAS North Island. In 1982, HC-3 became the single-site FRS training pilots and aircrew in shipboard landings, VERTREP, SAR, Night Vision Devices (NVDs), tactics and emergency procedures. HSC-3 was established on the 1st of April 2005, and is the replacement / redesignation for HC-3.

CAPT Hank Cassani, HC-3’s first CO, and ten other HC-3 plank owners were in attendance to share in the day’s festivities and the telling of many sea stories. The ceremony included speeches from CAPT Cassani, CDR Pete Brennan, current CO, and Len Wengler, VP of Maritime Programs at Sikorsky Aircraft. HSC-3 proudly displayed a new Block 3 Armed Helo during the ceremony which paves the way for new mission opportunities in the HSC community.

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SQUADRON UPDATES

HSC-22 DET READY

Article By LTJG Andrew Mascotti, HSC-22 Public Affairs

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Members from HSC-22 won two trophies for the highest bowling team score and best dressed as they don on their 1970’s Italian Stallion outfits.

reetings! We here at HSC-22 have been very busy these past few months. Det 1 and Det 2 have been diligently preparing for their upcoming deployments. The squadron itself is operating like a well-oiled machine on the assembly line helping to prepare the Detachments for sea. The squadron’s newest additions are two brand new MH-60S block IIA’s straight from the Sikorsky factory. They still had the “new car” smell. We took on these new aircraft in late February and they were quickly put into action.

Det 1 used both of these new aircraft for their most recent workup on the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in late March and early April.

Crusader 11 and Crusader 13 flew superbly. DET 1 completed a small two week workup off the coast of North Carolina flying SAR for the Marines. While onboard they were also tasked with one major MEDEVAC and three cases of emergency leave. They proved to be a great asset to the Kearsarge in providing almost twelve flight hours each day of SAR, SSC, and logistics support.

Det 2 is up and fully manned and were tasked, if you want to call it that, to supply two birds for AUTEC in the Bahamas.

They flew cross country to support the Sierra Weapons a n d Tr a i n i n g P r o g r a m personnel. DET 2 allowed the It was all in fun for HSC-22 as they help raise $3,900 to different funds that are in honor of HSC-23 ‘s crew of Bullet 10.

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SWTP pilots and aircrew to fly during the day and then DET 2 used the aircraft at night for their own NSW flights. Everyone worked hard, played hard and they had a 100% completion rate supporting the NSAWC SWTP pilots and aircrew from Fallon, NV. HS and HSL squadrons from both coasts also supplied helos for the week long event. All the squadrons worked together and helped each other out to get the missions completed. Det 2 will be ramping up for workups shortly here in the next few months. They will be cruising on the USNS Artic.

On a more serious note, on March 9, 2007, we coordinated a Bowlapallooza fundraiser and wake for our fallen comrades of HSC-23’s Bullet 10. This was a day where HSC-23’s sister squadrons on the east coast stopped what they were doing and took some time to remember their shipmates and celebrate their lives as well as raise some money for the memorial funds. In addition to our own squadron, other participants included CHSCWL, HSC-2, HSC-26, HSC-28, Sierra Weapons Training School, and HC-4. Needless to say, we won the highest team score award and yours truly won the Best Dressed wearing a 1970’s Italian Stallion outfit. Every lane was filled, and in fact, many teams had to rotate players to handle the overwhelming support. Everyone came to show their solidarity and to try and win the best of three game tournament.

Squadrons were encouraged to dress up in hopes of taking home the Best Dressed Award. Many teams came well dressed and really showed their true colors. Everyone had a great time and as a group raised over $3,900 in honor of Bullet 10. Trophies were presented for the best dressed, best team score, worst team score, and second lowest score. This event really brought the helicopter community together and showed great camaraderie.

We wish nothing but the best for the families and relatives of the crew of Bullet 10!

SQUADRON UPDATES

The Blackjacks of HSC-21 Draw a New Hand

By LTJG Ryan M. Gero, USN

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DR Monte Ulmer will be relieved by CDR Mario Mifsud on December 14, 2007 during a Change of Command ceremony being held inside the hangar spaces of HELSEACOMBATRON TWO ONE aboard Naval Air Station North Island. This event marks the conclusion of a very successful tour as Commanding Officer of the Blackjacks for CDR Ulmer. The sailors and officers of HSC-21 have excelled under the tutelage of their very well-regarded departing CO, as evidenced by the squadron’s impressive accomplishments during his watch. Surpassing 127,000 Class A mishap-free flight hours and receiving the CNAF Arleigh Burke Trophy and the Department of the Navy 2006 Safety Excellence and Battle Efficiency Awards are but a few of the more noteworthy accolades.

The missions of HSC-21 include Logistics, Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP), Search and Rescue (SAR), and VIP support for SOCAL units and the deployment of helicopter detachments aboard Pacific Fleet replenishment (T-AOE class) and amphibious assault ships (LHA and LHD class). Adapting to new mission requirements, HSC-21 has recently deployed

detachments to provide MEDEVAC capabilities in support of ARCENT and OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF).

During CDR Ulmer’s time as Commanding Officer of the Blackjacks, he oversaw the deployment of one air ambulance detachment, two amphibious assault ship detachments, and one fleet replenishment ship detachment. The command was made up of more than 275 enlisted personnel, over 55 officers, and as many as 12 MH-60S helicopters while CDR Ulmer had the helm.

The sailors and officers of HSC-21 look forward to continuing their tradition of excellence under the guidance of CDR Mario Mifsud. As the former Executive Officer for the Blackjacks, CDR Mifsud is a veteran leader of the HSC-21 team. The squadron stands ready to march to his beat.

HELSEACOMBATRON TWO ONE also welcomes CDR Eric Pfister to their ranks as the new Executive Officer.

Happy holidays and here’s to a new year for the Blackjacks and those whom they proudly serve.

HSL-47 And CVW-2 At Air Wing Fallon: Summer Fun In The High Desert Article by LCDR Jeffrey A. Melody, USN

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eptember looked to be a promising month for a young aviator from HSL-47 in San Diego.

Sunny days at the beach and some great Homeguard unit level flying were the plan. My Operations Officer changed those plans, however, with the announcement that I would be packing my bags to train at NAS Fallon for the month. Our Carrier Air Wing (CVW-2) was scheduled for Air Wing Fallon, so sunsets at Pacific Beach would have to wait.

The news improved when I learned that I would be flying all events with our XO. I’m always happy to get some face time with the boss, but the man was known to whet his appetite on LTJGs before moving on to meatier fare with the Department Heads. It’s an understatement to say that I was nervous about the prospect of a month of what I was told would be the most challenging training I would ever encounter.

Our Detachment of nine combat crews, forty-five maintainers and three helicopters arrived at NAS Fallon a week earlier than the rest of the Air Wing for rotary

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wing familiarization training. The time was well spent as we settled into our operations and maintenance spaces, received valuable classroom training, and had an opportunity to explore the massive Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) range complex before the invasion of our fixed wing brothers.

Day fams presented an opportunity to conduct recce on bombedout hulks of old tanks and Assault Personnel Carriers (APCs), as well as to figure out which power lines and high mountains might reach out and touch you if you lost situational awareness for a moment. Night fams were a dark, dark chance to markedly increase the pucker factor and be thankful that you had already flown the ranges in daylight, chummed your charts and marked hazards. Picking our way through mountain passes on a low illumination night was pulse-raising enough to make me forget

Continued on page 65

SQUADRON DATES: HSL-47

Continued from page 64 worrying about flying with the XO. Flying aside, I could tell that the expectation of all flight crews was high. We shared familiarization week with our fellow CVW-2 helo bubbas from HS-2, and both squadrons spent a few days in the classroom learning the latest and greatest of advanced helicopter tactics from the resident NSAWC Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructors (SWTI). Our squadron participated in the Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP) at the west coast HSM Wing Weapons School a few months earlier, and we were eager to build upon that foundation with the NSAWC SWTIs. With arrival of the entire Air Wing the following week, we were off and running with integrated Air Wing training. The next few weeks were a blur of mission planning, event briefs, intense flights and comprehensive debriefs. Several of our squadron’s pilots completed Mountain Flying and Terrain/Low-Level training courses with NSAWC instructors, but the majority of us were busy with events that crews would routinely return from to laud as “the coolest flight I have ever done!” Although our missions included strafe, “Hellfire CATMEXs,” Surface to Air Counter Tactics (SACT) on the advanced electronic range, “Helicopter Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (HVBSS),” Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) and Maritime Strike, the highlights of Air Wing Fallon for me were the Close Air Support (CAS) and Maritime Air Support (MAS) events. Partial task training gained by participating in CAS events where we received Call For Fire (CFF) briefs from Special Operations Forces (SOF) developed our Maritime Air Controller (MAC) skills and better prepared us to destroy maritime targets with fixed and rotary wing strike assets.

Although the mission planning requirements at Air Wing Fallon were rigorous (we averaged three hours of planning for every simulated or real Hellfire attack--and there were 84 total shots), the pattern of planning was normally standard, at least for a junior pilot like me: learn the general event flow and objectives from the Strike Lead, figure out your individual role in the big picture, and get to work assembling kneeboard packs. CAS planning, however, was truly a hands-on experience. Hours before launching, we would meet the Special Ops Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTAC) to “sand table” the event. Distinguished by their longer hair, the SEALs and JTAC instructors, veterans’s fresh from the field, were very effective at briefing overall event expectations and mission essentials, but managed not to bog down any scenario by choreographing the events. Not knowing exactly what to expect on the range made every CAS event dynamic and ultimately more realistic.

Flying in support of troops on the ground with live ordnance on board was certainly a unique and rewarding experience for an HSL crew. In our culminating CAS event, JTACs ground lased for our section of SH-60Bs. After our two Hellfire shots destroyed two targets, we “reattacked” on with a .50 caliber strafe run on a convoy of trucks to support “troops in contact” on the ground. I think after all the shooting subsided, even the XO smiled.

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While CAS presented an opportunity to practice maritime strike tactics and techniques, our subsequent MAS events provided an opportunity to integrate the SH-60B’s onboard sensors with strike assets overhead to destroy maritime targets. We went from shooter to spotter, which provided an opportunity to see both sides of the strike equation. The most complex of the MAS events occurred at the end of the Integrated Training Phase. The XO and I launched as lead in a section of SH-60Bs. After arriving on station and establishing a surface picture in a simulated bay at the North end of the Fallon range complex, we started to prioritize our available assets and match them to targets as they “appeared.” We directed a section of HS-2’s HH-60Hs to launch multiple Hellfire CATM attacks on smaller, faster moving boats in the notional sea, while we stacked strikers for further tasking. After classifying appropriate targets, lead passed a MAS 9-Line to a section of strikers and talked them onto the target where wing provided a laser target mark for the subsequent laser guided bomb drops.

All seemed to flow like clockwork, and after the strikers called ‘pickle’ and ‘splash,’ and perfectly met their times on targets (TOT) within the prescribed 10 second window, we felt pretty good about calling the event a success.

The month at Air Wing Fallon was fortunately not continuous work, nor continuous talk about work. The “O” Club at Fallon is easy walking distance from any of the Quarters on base, and was a good opportunity for us to meet up with our Air Wing peers from other Squadrons. We did manage to take the team building further afield, also. A Squadron weekend in Tahoe was punctuated by an afternoon mountain biking trip in the middle of the first snowfall of the season. Additionally, being in northern Nevada in early September made attendance at the 2007 Tailhook Conference a must (where I was stopped more than once by conventioneers wondering what an SH-60B pilot was doing at Tailhook!). The CVW-2 Admin Room was excellent, as was the HSM Wing Pacific Admin Room, which, by my math, means that west coast HSL/M community had excellent representation - clearly a good showing for rotary wing aviation. Tailhook 2007 was a tremendous amount of fun, and was further evidence of the fact that all Naval Aviators are cut from similar cloth; no matter what platform they fly.

Air Wing Fallon lived up to the expectations. The training was extremely challenging, the flying was incredible, and the tactical experience gained was unmatched. Integrated training initially complicated the battle problem, but it provided an elegant solution when we were able to get all available assets working on the same page towards the same goal. Even for all the missed sunsets in San Diego, Air Wing Fallon turned out to be a pretty good way to spend September.

SQUADRON UPDATES

HSL-45 Det 2 Conducts Casualty Evacuation Training Article By LTJG Bill Robesch

D

uring the last week of October, aircrew from the “World Famous Wolfpack” of HSL 45, Detachment TWO, teamed with over thirty personnel from Special Boat Team TWO (SBT 2) to become the first West Coast SH-60B detachment to participate in overwater Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) training. The training, conducted in the Southern California operating area, will prepare both the detachment and the boat teams for a crucial mission in support of the Global War on Terror.

CASEVAC involves the quick and efficient rescue of wounded personnel from small patrol crafts. This potentially life-saving mission would be called upon to rescue injured Special Forces members from either a MK V Special Operations Craft or an 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB). “The boat crews from SBT-12 were extremely professional and went out of their way to prepare us for the challenges of this training opportunity”, commented LCDR Jim Fabiszak, Detachment TWO OIC. “In the end, I think the time we put into this will pay huge dividends in the event we are called upon to evacuate an injured soldier or sailor.”

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Focusing on the need to evacuate the injured person with minimum delay, the helicopter does not deploy a rescue swimmer. Instead, the aircrew will either deploy a 6½ foot long rescue litter to the RHIB from low altitude or directly to the larger deck of the MK V. While the boat team members secure the injured combatant to the rescue litter, the aircrewmen prepare the helicopter’s cabin for final pickup and transport of the wounded. Within five minutes, the boat team members signal the helicopter for pickup, giving the go ahead for the pilots to make a low approach to recover the casualty. Once in position, the helicopter will stabilize at low altitude and match the patrol craft’s speed. Generally the entire evolution is completed within ten minutes, allowing the wounded to be evacuated to a medical facility in a minimum amount of time.

“This was probably one of the coolest flights I have been a part of”, commented AW2 Robert Mendez, the lead crewman on the flight.

Detachment TWO will deploy with USS Vandegrift in support of 7th Fleet Operations in 2008.

HSL 45 Aircrew hoist a rescue litter from SBT 2 to effect a simulated CASEVAC U.S. Navy official photo wa.s taken by AW2(AW) Robert Mendez

Feature

Blue to Blue Part II Article By LTJG Todd “Stalker” Vorenkamp, USCG

I

n the last issue of Rotor Review I gave you the background to my application process to the United States Coast Guard Direct Commission Aviator (DCA) program.

This column, the sequel to last issue’s literary masterpiece, was supposed to summarize the rest of my Coast Guard transition adventures. Well, as I sit here at USCG Aviation Training Center Mobile, several days post deadline, I will tell you that my transition is not yet complete and there will be a Blue to Blue Part III in your bathroom-reading future.

I will, however, take this opportunity to update you on my transition to the Coast Guard thus far…

Part I left you just before my departure to Direct Commission Officer (DCO) School at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. The course is mandatory for all DCAs, all maritime academy graduates getting commissioned in the USCG, for all U.S. Public Health Service Officers doing a duty rotation with the USCG, and for all direct commission lawyers, engineers and intelligence officers. The course spans four weeks and is conducted three times a year with class sizes ranging from 20 to 30 students.

The intent of the Coast Guard’s DCO School is to introduce students to the Coast Guard. Some people refer to it as a “knifeand-fork” school. Topics covered include basic leadership, Coast Guard history, award writing, officer/enlisted evaluations, and others.

There are homework assignments that consist of writing a point paper, drafting a fake award, reading a couple of books, and creating and presenting a PowerPoint based on the your previously mentioned point paper.

For a prior service aviator, the course is probably not the most productive use of ones time. The Army aviators got a little more from the course as they are introduced to the slang and traditions of the Sea Services. Your Sailors are not called Soldiers! Many USCG and USN instructions and administrative processes (i.e.

XOI, Captains Mast, etc) run parallel, so, as a Navy transplant, grasping the subtle changes

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were not too difficult. Anyway, before I delve deeper into the pain that was DCO School, I will tell you that, if you are thinking about transitioning, to bring a Frisbee with you and hope your classmates made the course go by as painlessly as mind did for me. Good times after class and on the weekends were the only saving grace of the course.

Additionally, get ready to be treated like a LTJG. If you had any illusions that you were not a “real” LTJG, the DCO course will make you sure that really are no longer a Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander or Captain or Major. You are issued a room with a roommate, Lieutenant instructors tell you that you cannot use their first names, and you will be asked, by someone who was in junior high school at the same time you were commissioned in your previous service, “Are you all ready to be officers?” No, I am not joking.

After DCO school I reported to my unit – USCGAS Humboldt Bay – in Northern California.

I was given three weeks to move into base housing and complete my “Co-Pilot-in-Waiting Syllabus.” The folks that run the transition course want you to complete three flights in the HH-65C, the associated on-line courseware, and your annual swim quals.

The courseware is very well done, and superior to any on-line learning I had in the H-46, H-3, or H-60 FRS squadrons.

Coast Guard pilots go through annual swim training. They complete a 75 yard swim followed by 2 minutes of treading water. This is done with a flight suit, helmet, boots, and weighted vest on. Then you get to ride the Coast Guard’s portable version of the SWEAT egress trainer. It is a blast!

Another warning regarding flying the HH-65C before you are qualified in model. The Coast Guard 3710 (I told you their instructions run parallel) forbids unqualified personnel from manipulating the flight controls of a Coast

Continued on page 68

SQUADRON UPDATES Continued from page 67 Guard helicopter below 500’ AGL. This rule was undoubtedly put in for Coast Guard Academy cadets and other non-aviators who might find themselves in the left seat of a single-piloted Dolphin. This rule also applies to you, the nugget DCA pilot.

No, not kidding here either. I was not allowed to touch the flight controls under 500’ AGL on my two flights.

After my second flight, one of the junior pilots at Humboldt asked me, “How does the Dolphin fly compared to the H-60?”

My reply, “It feels just like any other helicopter in forward flight over 500’ AGL. Ask me that question again when I get back from my transition course.” I attempted to contain my sarcasm.

After my brief introduction to the airframe and my new home and new air station, I was sent off to Mobile, Alabama for the H-65C transition course to learn how to fly the Dolphin and be an effective copilot. Unlike USN fleet replacement courses, the Coast Guard’s “T-Courses” only take five to six weeks from start to finish.

One last mention before as I save my final thoughts for the last issue of the trilogy: The transition course teaches you to be a co-pilot – nothing more, nothing less. When you return to your unit you will find yourself standing duty right away as a qualified co-pilot. It takes DCA pilots approximately 6-8 months to qualify as a right-seat flying First Pilot. The First Pilot rating allows you to take a Dolphin out solo, but not for SAR missions. As a DCA, it will be around a year-and-a-half before you sign for an aircraft on SAR duty. Again, it will be 18 months (approximately) before you are a full-blown aircraft commander after you begin flying in the U.S. Coast Guard.

In the next issue I will give you my impressions of the transition course and my first few months at my air station. Thanks for watching! See you next time!

LTJG Vorenkamp is a former USN pilot who has transitioned to the U.S. Coast Guard and is flying H-65 helicopters out of USCGAS Humboldt Bay. He maintains a photography website at www.trvphoto.com.

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Perspective From An Aircrewman Of The Past

An Old Guys Perspective On Aircrewman

Article by AFCM (AW/NAC) Bill “Red Dogg” Moss, USN (Ret)

I

was recently at a retirement for a Master Chief that I believe was instrumental in the smooth conversion of all the non-tac rates to the AW rate. Master Chief Bud Nelson had the vision, along with several others, to see that the conversion was going to happen and that it needed to be done as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. He was staunch in his position and even made a believer out of this old, “I’d quit flying and retire if they ever made me become an AW”, retired Master Chief.

The point of this is that at the reception following the retirement I had the opportunity to speak to Chiefs, Senior Chiefs and Master Chiefs about the condition of the SAR Aircrew community as a whole and found it to be in excellent hands with its senior enlisted leadership.

At this point I would like to reflect on what it took to be a Swimmer in the “Old Days”….

Remember that I got my Aircrew Certification Card in 1968.

We did not have a real Aircrew Candidate School nor was there a Rescue Swimmer Curriculum.

Though HU1 had one in design in 1966 it did not get CNO approval until 1971.

They were using a LUBA (twin tank scuba rig) device and putting swimmers in the water to effect pilot rescue but after about 3-4 classes they dropped the LUBA and continued to train the swimmers in deployment.

Pay attention to the time frames here, as I will be skipping around a little. So that was in 1966.

On December 6, 1950, note the date, one of the first documented water entry rescues was done in Korea off the USS Philippine Sea, CV 47 by HU1 by Duane Thorin NAP and his crewman Chester Todd. The man overboard was lost but the fact still remains that Todd entered the water via hoist from a hovering helo to affect the rescue.

Fast-forward to 1968 and the HT8 training syllabus. The H34 NATOPS basically said to fly over the survivor and after establishing a hover put the hoist chair in the water and recover the survivor.

If you needed to deploy the swimmer he connected the “swimmers harness” via a reverse type clamp on the hoist cable and was lowered into the water to assist the survivor.

Most of us wore shorts and the old UDT vest. The vest being the most standardized piece of equipment we had. Now if you think about this that’s 40 or so feet of cable already out

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and another going out with the swimmer. The swimmer was then to seat the survivor in the seat and belt him in then be lifted out of the water first via the swimmers harness in order to facilitate the recovery of the survivor at the helo…all this to be done without getting tangled in the cable by either the swimmer or the survivor.

And the HC1 guys were already deploying swimmers…. east vs. west coast.

HT8 was basically still doing things like they did in the 50’s and HC1 was thinking forward. Something that I found the West Coast troops did the entire time through out my 28-year career.

There was a time in the mid to late 70’s that we lost a Squadron CO in the IO because the crew chief would not deploy the swimmer or the hoist because the H3 NATOPS, specifically, stated not to do that with the pilot connected to the chute. Not wanting to be in violation of NATOPS the crew chief complied with NATOPS. When the SAR report hit the desk of the SAR Model Manager I just happened to be on the phone with him and he was livid. I told him to go to his archives that we had done “parachute rescues” with the EOD guys in the bay off Ellyson Field in the late 60’s and there were pictures. This combined with the enforcement of “NATOPS is considered a guide and not to override common sense” or however it is stated in the front of the NATOPS Manual made a change to parachute recovery procedures.

Standardization and Procedures were different and varied between the East and West Coast SAR Communities.

When finally in the mid 70’s the CNO determined that there were too many SAR Crewman getting hurt and injured it was determined that better training and control was needed to prevent this so he designated HC16 the CNO SAR MODEL MANAGER and provided the funds for SAR Swimmer School.

The SARMM alone would be responsible for all things SAR. With Equipment Development, Tactics Manuals, Crew Safety Verbage and Continuity between the two coasts, it was a tremendous tasking and the three individuals that were assigned that task are to be lauded for their efforts. Thru their efforts the first year of the SARMM existence was filled with new and bright ideas for equipment and tactics and led to the first fleet-wide SAR conference in 1978. This Conference in itself was a positive step in getting the two coasts talking to each other and sharing ideas. A brilliant concept that was embraced, though grudgingly, by the entire SAR crewman as it was a step toward continuity within the community.

Continued to page 70

Perspective From An Aircrewman From The Past Continued from page 69 What made it historical was for the first time both coasts had the same wetsuits, the same masks, snorkels and fins, the same standardized calls and hand signals and most importantly the same training at SAR swimmer school. All of it was done under the auspices of the CNO and his SAR Model Manager.

It was also during one of these CNO sponsored SAR Conferences that I was allowed to play guinea pig for the Helo Dunker or “Panic in a Drum”, as it was called, but that is another story entirely.

Yeah I got the T-shirt!!!

SAR Swimmer School was tough but not so tough as to be designed to wash an enrollee out if he simply applied himself. He immediately became an asset to the fleet upon his completion and, to be honest, learned more in 9 weeks (Aircrew School and SAR Swimmer school combined length), and then it took me 4 years to learn under the old system.

The fleet began to get a better and more knowledgeable SAR Swimmer almost immediately and it made my job as a senior SAR guy easier. You still had the aggressive type A personalities to deal with but you knew what they knew and could feel comfortable around them in the helicopter. Most took a minimum amount of time to train in type because they already knew the words!!

WEAPONS RECOVERY. Assigned Barking Sands Kauai I was to become a “Weapons Recovery Expert”. We were doing things with the H3 that had only been done in a very few other places so this was a special assignment. There were external loads and hard mounted launches just to name a few. We were constantly R&D for the Underwater System Command and it was here that I got my first SAR Air Medal.

In 1979 I was requested to train the HC1 crews in Weapons Recovery upon completion of that the CNAP H3 Evaluator had me sit with him to rewrite the Weapons Recovery portion of the H3 NATOPS…Sad to say the H3 is no longer with in the Fleet. I loved that Helicopter.

The year is 1980 and the assignment is INLAND SAR. I went to the UH1N community at Fallon, NV by request of my SAR detailer. The Inland SAR community was something no one in the Navy SAR Community wanted to know about. All the powers that be were “Dippers” or VERTREP and believed no hoisting should be done above 10 feet on a hard surface.

Fallon’s record in August of 1980 was especially ragged, as they had crashed two Helicopters and injured a couple crewmen in either the crashes or doing unauthorized rappels. The COMNAVAIRPAC H1 Evaluator (ADC Jerry Balderson) and I determined that all the problems that Fallon had were due to lack of standardization in both the local syllabus and there was no guidence from the top. Namely the SAR Model Manager. Up until this time, their concerns had been that the swimmers and Inland SAR guys were treated like “red headed stepchildren.” We set about to change that.

When a CNAP SAR conference was held we went with the idea that we had to get the Inland SAR community recognized. That we did and were told point blank, “You Inland guys do what you want but don’t hurt anybody”! It was a license to steal as far as we were concerned.

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So at the SARMM SAR conference in 1981 Balderson and I set about to rewrite Chapter 5 of the NWP3710. Inland SAR. With the 4 or 5 Inland SAR units throughout the Navy and Marine Corps we set about to gather the syllabus documents from them all, which we gleaned what ever parts and pieces and relative equipment to each unit for inclusion into the NWP 3710. In essence we standardized the entire Inland SAR community with the same equipment, tactics and procedures. It took us a year to get those procedures approved. Those same procedures are in use today.

The SARMM wanted to take the Rappel training over and we were instrumental in starting and training the instructors at the rappel school. Inland SAR had reached a level compared to, on a somewhat lesser plane, to the SAR swimmer. In 1983 we had completed our goal.

VERTREP YOU BET…. HC5 NAS AGANA GUAM… Standing up a squadron is always fun. I had never been in a 46 Squadron, and because all my SAR shipmates had been, I was determined to be a part of a 46 community. 46’s and Guam, forward deployed. Don’t get any better does it? Lets see I spent about a year in the SAFETY/ NATOPS/SAR/Aircrew Assignment office and got us thru the first NATOP/SAR evaluation with only a minimum of writer’s cramp. We did so well the Skipper rewarded me with DET 4. On the USS San Jose, I was a Shellback. 40 seconds deck to deck. “Forward right and down….now there’s a call you would never hear in the H3 community!!” Having been in weapons recovery with the H3 I understood the system and we qualified several aircrewmen in HC5 as “Hookers” should they be needed to do open sea frontier recovery? Upon return from the 85 cruise I was asked to volunteer for HC5 DET 6. SEAL team delivery where we developed all the FASTROPE tactics and utilized the NVG’s for the first time in a Navy 46 and just had a fun time doing SPECOP stuff. Again I believe HC5 DET 6 developed most of the tactics used today. We did it all and everybody loved it.

And yes we were in violation of NATOPS but common sense always prevailed.

So lets review. H34’s, H1’s, H3’s, H46’s all are like me “Retired”. With the exception of the H1 but even that is no longer the Helicopter that I flew. We had some great times in the 28 years I was a Sailor but that was 17 years ago…it was a great ride.

So, to put it in perspective, you young guns have the helm now and I am satisfied that it is in excellent hands. What you have to remember is most of the equipment, tactics, verbal calls and guys like me who have stuck our nose in it and came out on the other side with only a few seconds of terror involved hard fought for even those screwy hand signals. SO OTHERS MAY LIVE…Red Dogg sends.

A

Moment Keeping Traditions

O

n November 28, 2007, at NAS Norfolk Virginia, CDR Don Hayes administered the oath promoting Chris Hayes, his grandson, to the rank of Commander. CDR Tom Hayes, Chrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father, was witness. A brief ceremony was held in the spaces of HSC-22 at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, where Chris is to be the Executive Officer. The three Commanders also have in common that they each had flown the H-3.

All three Navy commanders were helicopter pilots of the H-3. Photo taken by Gary Wetzel An article on H-3 Farewell will be in the next issue of the Rotor Review.

The three Navy commanders: (l-r) CDR Don Hayes, USN(Ret), CDR Chris Hayes, USN, CDR Tom Hayes, USN(Ret). Photo is courtesy of CDR Don Hayes, USN(Ret)

The Next Issue of the

will be celebrating The Hundredth Issue All photo and article submissions need to be no later than February 16, 2007 to your Rotor Review community editor or NHA Design Editor. Any further questions, please contact the NHA National Office at 619.435.7139 or editors@navalhelicopterassn.org Rotor Review # 99 Fall â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;07

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