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DepartmentsEditor’s LogLT Kristin Ohleger, USN

Chairman’s Corner RADM Mac McLaughlin, USNR (Ret)

President’s Message CDR John Miley, USN

State of the Association Col Howard Whitfi eld, USMC (Ret)

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

There I Was...Four Aircraft Night VERTREPCAPT P.M. “Mike” Reber, USN (Ret)

Museum Watch

Industry News

HistoricalI Taught An Angel To FlyCDR Thomas E. Zinn, USNR (Ret)

A “Hairy” RescueLCDR Earl “Bergy Bergsma, USN (Ret)

Symposium Registration

Change of Command

Squadron Updates

StuffFeatures

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NASWI SAR Rescues San Juan Islander Off Coleman GlacierLCDR Todd Vorenkamp, USN

Airborne Use of Force Adds Some Bite to the LAMPS BarkLTJG Phil Hoblet, USN, LTJG Dave Calhoun, USN, and LTJG Andrew Watts, USN

17th Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-InLT Ricke Harris, USN

Unorthodox Rescue By Huey Crew Saves Soldier’s LifeCpl Brandon L. Roach, USMC

HSL-60 Executes Navy’s First Authorized Use of Force MissionLCDR Matt Dunley, USN

M.A.S.H. - The Navy WayCDR Skip Trahan, USN andLT Jen McCollough, USN

Island Knights Save Water Tower and HomesLT Mike Fisher, USN

What’s Up, Dog?LTJG Tom Van Hoozer, USN

LAMPS Operations In The Littorial BattlespaceLCDR J.P. Dunn, USN

HSL-44 Detachment Redefi nes MultipurposeLCDR Bill Sherrod, USN

Taking On DANCONLT Ron Martin, USN

Individually Augmented HC-4LTJG Sean “Spicoli” Tingley, USN

Naval Helicopters and the Space Program “The Last Splashdown”CAPT Gene Pellerin, USN (Ret)

IndexFocus

Mission Versatility

Number 95 / Fall ‘06

The cover page is an image of two MH-60Ss

part of the 2515th Air Ambulance Company

taking in off in the desert

Photo taken by HM1 Benjamin Moreno

Rotor Review # 95 Fall ‘06 2

Submissions The Editorial Board welcomes submissions 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 e-mailed as attachments or provided on Mac or PC formatted disks using any current word-processing software. Photos and graphics are encouraged and may be mailed or sent electronically as a high resolution JPEG or PDF.

Feedback Comments, suggestions, critiques

and opinions are welcomed, your anonymity is respected. Send to:

EditorLT Kristin Ohleger

Design EditorGeorge Hopson

Community News Editors

Aircrewman EditorAW2 Thomas J. Trotto

HSC / HMLT Jen McCollough

HSLT Kevin Colon

HSL/HSMLT Ken Colman

Special MissionLT Kelly Natler

Technical AdvisorChip Lancaster

NHA Photographer and HistoricalCDR Lloyd Parthemer, USN (Ret)

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

Deadline for Submissions 2007

The Rotor Review is published quarterly by the Naval Helicopter Association and intended to support the goals of the Association, provide a forum for the discussion and exchange of information on topics of interest to the rotary wing community and keep membership informed of NHA activities. As necessary, the President of NHA will provide guidance to the Rotor Review Editorial Board to ensure that Rotor Review content continues to support this statement of policy as the Naval Helicopter Association adjusts to the expanding rotary wing community.

Next Issue FocusFrom My Past to Future:A Senior Helicopter Pilot

Perspective

NAVAL HELICOPTER ASSOCIATIONThe Navy Helicopter Association 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 nonprofi t association in the State of California 11 May 1978. In 1987 the bylaws were rewritten, changing the name from Navy to Naval to refl ect 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) nonprofi t association.

Objectives of NHA Provide recognition and enhance the prestige of the United States Naval vertical fl ight 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.

PublisherNaval Helicopter Association

ISSN Number: 1085-9683

Views expressed in Rotor Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of the Naval Helicopter Association or offi cial Navy Policy. NHA, Rotor Review and Helix logos copyright 1998 by

The Naval Helicopter Association.

CDR D.J. HayesCAPT C.B. SmileyCAPT J.M. PurtellCDR H.V. Pepper

CDR H.F. McLindenCDR W. StraightMr. R. WallochCDR P.W. Nicholas

CAPT A.E. MonahanCAPT M.R. StarrCAPT A.F. EmigMr. H. Nachlin

NHA Founding Members

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Winter February 9, 2007Spring April 27, 2007Summer August 9, 2007Fall November 16, 2007

[email protected] Box 180578

Coronado, CA 92178-0578Tel: (619) 435-7139 Fax:(619) 435-7354

Policy


Views expressed in Rotor Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of the Naval Helicopter Association or official Navy Policy. NHA, Rotor Review and Helix logos copyright 1998 by

The Naval Helicopter Association.

National Officers

President.......................................CDR John Miley, USNV/P Corp Mem......... CAPT Mike Middleton, USN (Ret)V/P Awards ..............................CDR Monte Ulmer, USNV/P Membership ................ LCDR Brian Randall, USNV/P Symposium 2007 ..........CDR Spence Crispell, USNSecretary..........................................LT Ryan Hayes USNTreasurer ......................................... LT Tom Healy, USN“Stuff”.......................................LT Jen McCollough,USN

Executive Director..Col. Howard Whitfield, USMC (Ret) Admin/Rotor Review Design Editor........George HopsonMembership/Symposium .............................. Lucy Haase

NHA Scholarship Fund

President...............................CAPT John Hardison, USNV/P Operations..........................................................TBD V/P Fundraising ............................CDR Art Garcia, USNAsst. V/P Fundraising .................LT Mike Hoskins, USNV/P Scholarships .................CDR Bob Weissenfels, USNTreasurer...................................LT Suzanne Harker, USNCorresponding Secretary..................LT John Dolby, USNFinance Committee.....................................Kron Littleton

Directors at Large

Chairman RADM Mac McLaughlin, USNR (Ret) CAPT John McGill, USN (Ret) CAPT Mike Baxter, USNR (Ret) CAPT Mike Reber, USN (Ret) CAPT Dave Moulton, USN (Ret) CAPT Chuck Deitchman, USN (Ret)

Regional Officers

Region 1 - San Diego

Directors.………………............CAPT John Hardison, USN CAPT Buddy Iannone, USNR CAPT Matt Pringle, USN President..…................................CDR J. Curtis Shaub, USNEnlisted Membership..............AVCM Sean McColgan, USN

Region 2 - Washington D.C.

Director ..…………...…………........CAPT Glen Ives, USN CAPT Bill Lescher, USNPresident ......................................LCDR Todd Bahlau, USN

Region 3 - Jacksonville

Director ...................................... CAPT Mike Martin, USNPresident..........................................CDR Doug Malin, USN

Region 4 - Norfolk

Director ..........................................CAPT John Smith, USN President .......................................CDR Kris Croeber, USN

Region 5 - Pensacola

Directors......................................CAPT Dave Malony, USN CAPT Dave Callahan, USCG CAPT Peter Spaulding, USN President ...................................CDR Michael Steiner, USN

Far East Chapter

President ..................................... CDR Chris Fletcher, USN

Mediterranean Chapter

President ....................................CAPT David Schnell, USN

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Corporate AssociatesAgustaWestland Inc.

AirCenter Helicopters, Inc.American Eurocopter

Armor Holdings Aerospace & Defense GroupBAE Systems

Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc Boeing Aircraft and Missiles

Breeze-EasternCAE 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 AerospaceNorthrop Grumman Integrated SystemsRaytheon Naval & Maritime Systems

Robertson Aviation LLCRockwell Collins Corporation

Rolls-Royce CorporationSikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Telephonics CorporationThales Underwater Systems

Thomas GroupWhitney, Bradley and Brown Inc.


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Excitement Alive: The Ever-Changing Missions of Naval

Helicopters

I am extremely excited for this 95th issue of Rotor Review. Over the last few years I have seen and heard of squadrons performing missions that they do not regularly train for.

These missions include Special Operations support, disaster relief, and air ambulance. The thing I fi nd interesting about this is that many people in the Naval Helicopter community are unaware of this as most of us know and love our standard missions of SAR, ASW, ASUW, NSW and VERTREP. This came to light for me earlier this year, while having a conversation with HSL editor Ken Colman. As we were doing the typical “JO banter”, we were discussing the mission of the HS community and to my surprise he did not know about an NSW mission that has been ongoing in Iraq since 2004. For some reason, I thought that everyone had at least heard about it by now, but I was mistaken. He then mentioned a few missions that the HSL community was performing, to which I had no knowledge of as well.

While discussing the topic for this issue of Rotor Review, I though what a perfect opportunity we had to share our experiences. The mission of Rotor Review is to share with the rest of the Naval Helicopter community what is going on in each of our communities and squadrons. We all agreed that “Mission Versatility” would be a great focus for the magazine.

After receiving several great articles, I began to realize just how great and versatile our communities are. I learned of missions that I had no idea we were taking part in and it made me proud to be in this community. Each of our squadrons are performing missions that we have never trained for as well as missions that we have to be able to adapt and overcome to the situation. All of these experiences are great lessons to be learned for future training and operations.

I encourage you to keep submitting articles for this magazine. This is a great opportunity for all of us to share our experiences with the rest of the Naval Helicopter community.I hope you enjoy the articles in this issue as much as I have. I look forward to reading and learning about your squadrons in the next issue of Rotor Review.

LT Kristin Ohleger

By LT Kristen Ohleger, USN, HS-10


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The Grooming of Our New Naval Helicopter Generation

Season’s greetings from San Diego, the hometown of NHA and the site of the upcoming 2007 NHA Symposium. Our annual trip to NAS Whiting to visit with our future Naval helicopter pilots was very inspiring and invigorating for me, and it’s always nice to return to the place where it all began. To tell you

the truth, Milton, Florida and NAS Whiting are frozen in time and not a lot has changed. Still a great little town, a couple of new stores -- I can’t believe they decommissioned Piggly Wiggly, and the Base is still turning out the fi nest helicopter aviators in the world. We had a chance to enjoy a barbeque with the aviators about to receive their wings of gold that week, and as I looked around I couldn’t help but be impressed with the attitude and intelligence of the

next generation of pilots and aircrewmen I met. I found myself asking the question, “did I ever look that young?” and “was my group as sharp as these young fl yers.” In answer to those questions, I suppose there was a time when my appearance was a youthful as theirs, but to the second question, we were never as focused or as sharp as this new generation is. Our community is grooming pilots and leaders at Whiting, and they’re better than my generation ever was. I’m personally glad to be on the sidelines and out of their way, enjoying the freedoms that they are stepping forward to protect. The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard’s helicopter community have never been in better shape and that was clearly evident during our Whiting Fly-In event.

This edition of Rotor Review focuses on the versatility of the helicopter in supporting our Naval Forces now, and into the future. As one who comes from the old school of mission alignment, my generation felt very strongly that you were either HC, HS or HSL. If you did vertrep, you didn’t hunt for subs and if you landed on carriers, you avoided the small boys. The total integration of Navy’s helicopter capabilities into the Strike Group, coupled with the multi-mission ROC/POE (is it still called that) of our squadrons has completely transformed our community and thrust it into the inventory of capabilities for future Strike Group commanders. The alignment and mission capability of ALL communities will ensure viability for the future and the versatility that you bring to the battle will give warfare commanders a whole new menu of fl exible options. Maybe that’s why the young aviators I visited with at Whiting are so sharp. They have to be in order to accommodate what they are asked to do. Multi-mission operations, joint tasking from sea and land commanders, and the requirement to process so much information simultaneously only scratches the surface of what we demand of today’s aviators. I never thought I’d see HS squadrons preparing to hunt mines, but then again, that was then…this is now!

I have one fi nal announcement I’m proud of that I’d like to pass along to the next generation. My daughter called home the other day to tell us that she was engaged to LT Doug “Spooner” Hale, a helicopter pilot with the world famous HS-15 Red Lions in Jacksonville. I’m proud that my daughter acquired the good taste to marry a helicopter pilot and we’ll look forward to seeing all of you out here in San Diego next April for the symposium. Rotors Rule!

By RADM Mac McLaughlin, USNR (Ret)


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Fellow NHA Members,

Happy New Year! I trust that you and your families and loved ones all had a happy and safe Holiday season.

The recent Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-in was a great success. On behalf of NHA, I would like to publicly acknowledge the fantastic job that LT Ben Sigurdson and his team did. They set a new standard. I’d also like

to thank all of the squadrons that sent Fleet aircraft for the SNA’s to fl y; as well as our industry sponsors who support this very worthwhile event.

Mission Versatility is the theme of this issue. Versatility could very well be the middle name of every Helicopter pilot, especially every Naval Helicopter. As we continue implementing Helo Conops, introducing new aircraft and systems to the Fleet, the versatility that has been our hallmark will only continue to grow.

Communities will see signifi cant increases in the Primary Mission Areas they are responsible for, well beyond that which is currently envisioned today.

The 2007 Symposium in San Diego is fast approaching and planning are already well underway. Further on in the pages, you’ll fi nd a registration form and more details about the Symposium. Mark you calendars (10 – 13 April) and start making plans to attend.

As I’ve said before, NHA is your organization and Rotor Review is your magazine. We’d love to hear your suggestions on how to make both better. Get involved. Contribute. Make a difference.

I expect that 2007 will be a great year for NHA.

Warm regards,

CDR John Miley, USN

Make A DifferenceBy CDR John Miley, USN, HSC-3

How Can We Make Your NHA Membership The “Best” Ever?

We would like to here from you. Just log on to www.navalhelicopter.org and fi ll out our membership questionaire. Just simply click on Membership Questionaire; answer the questions, and submit. It’s

that easy. Let us know how we can serve you better.


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SYMPOSIUM 2007By Col. Howard M. Whitfield, USMC (Ret)

RADM Mac and CDR Miley have said it all in their columns regarding the Fly-In at NAS Whiting- it being one of our best. My personal thanks to TRAWING FIVE Commodore

Dave Maloney, HT-8 Squadron Commander CDR Mike Steiner and the workbees, LTs Ben Sigurdson, Dan Decicco. Bob Radak, Ben Neal, and Bryan Schultz.

The recently activated NHA Historical/Retired Committee is making real progress towards consolidating lists of previously active and retired (PAR) Naval helicopter pilots who are not currently members of NHA. This effort is in preparation for an active campaign to reacquaint these people with the benefits of (re) joining NHA. The team is led by John Leach and includes, Mike Brattland, Dick Lynas and Phil Poisson. Also activated is the NHA Finance Committee made up of the President, CDR John Miley, Treasurer, LT Tom Healy, CAPT (ret) Bill Lloyd, and myself.

Planning is well underway for the 2007 Symposium, April 10-13 at Town and Country Hotel & Convention Center. Included in this issue is the schedule of events and a registration form (pages 36-39). The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Mullen, has accepted our invitation to be the Keynote Speaker on Wednesday, 11 April. CDR Spence Crispell, XO, HSC-3, volunteered to be the Symposium Vice President. The theme is, “Armed and Ready”, reflecting the new missions and weapons for the MH-60S and MH-60R. The Symposium Committee has had a few meetings and is being fleshed out with volunteers. The key events include the Member’s Reunion

Tuesday, 10 April, beginning at 1700 at the Admiral Kidd Club. On Wednesday, 11 April, awards will be presented again this year at the Awards Luncheon, which provides an affordable opportunity for maximum attendance. At 1600 that day is the popular Team Seahawk “happy hour” reception in the exhibit area. On Thursday, 12 April at 0700 is the Aircrew Competition to be held at Breakers Beach. The 10K run, also on Wednesday, at 0900, will be at Coronado. Later that day is the Golf Tournament starting at 1300 followed by the Sports Barbecue, all at Eastlake Country Club. Friday, 13 April is the Captains of Industry Panel at 1000. There will be a light buffet lunch in the exhibit hall at 1200 followed by the Flag Panel at 1330. In between the events highlighted here are important professional workshops on Safety, PMA-299, Detailers/Promotion, Current Fleet Helo Ops, Enlisted Panel, and Individual Assignments. The Symposium will wrap-up with the Salute to Industry Reception in the exhibit hall following the Flag Panel. We encourage squadron or community reunions during the Symposium. Let me know if you are interested and we will assist with a rendezvous room and other coordination. We will facilitate tours of the Midway Museum and other points of interest in San Diego. Start making your travel plans to attend the Symposium in San Diego in 2007!

Mark Your Calendars2007

NHA SymposiumApril 10-13, 2007

Town & Country Resort and Convention Center, San Diego, CA


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t “Mission Versatility – To Do What?”

By CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret)

The theme of this issue of Rotor Review is Mission Versatility and it’s a good topic. Articles you read throughout this quarter’s magazine will, no

doubt, cover a wide variety of missions and if Mission Versatility weren’t the explicit topic of this issue it would logically the implicit one and quite likely be the implied topic of any issue of this magazine.

Well, there’s nothing really new there, is there? We all know – and celebrate – the fact that naval helicopters are arguably the most versatile platforms in any military organization today – bar none. We’ve seen that played out in spades during the Cold War, during the post-Cold War “savage wars of peace,” in the ongoing global war on terror and in the relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters at home and overseas.

O.K…still nothing new you say – and you’re right. The current helicopter community CONOPS addresses the near and mid term requirements of our community and we probably shouldn’t monkey with those plans, whether they be the Navy’s transition to the MH-60R/S, the Marines transition to the V-22 and the Coast Guard’s transition to the airborne portion of their Deepwater program.

But what about the next generation of naval rotary wing aircraft, aircraft that, given the long lead time for acquisition of complex airborne platforms, must soon be on the drawing boards. To figure out what those should be the question that must be asked is “Mission Versatility – To Do What?”

And to do that, we must, collectively, pay close attention to the dramatic changes in the

international security paradigm faced by the United States in this new millennium. Some of those changes were wrought by the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but others were happening anyway. How well the naval helicopter community builds to this new paradigm will be the primary determining factor regarding how effective our community is for the rest of this century. Consider these dramatic changes:

- At the DoD level, all emphasis (meaning dollars) is moving away from traditional threats and towards dealing with disruptive threats – read – dealing with WMD. Additionally, this year, Deputy Secretary of Defense and former Secretary of the Navy Gordon England issued a little-noticed memorandum stating that henceforth, DoD would treat stability operations, the kind of ops we’re currently conducting in Afghanistan and Iraq, as a major mission area and of equal importance to combat ops.

- At the DoN level, for the collective memory of everyone reading this magazine, the Navy procured equipment to deal with major combat operations (MCO) and all other missions were “lesser included subsets” of that mission. No longer. The Navy’s new paradigm, refl ected in the notion of the “3/1 strategy” notes that in addition to major MCO, there are other missions that are not lesser included subsets of MCO and the Navy intends to build to that need. Additionally, the CNO has put forward the Global

Maritime Partnership Initiative (formally the 1000-ship navy) which puts a huge emphasis on coalition operations and the need for us to conduct operations with other navies. And, the Navy will unveil its new Maritime Strategy (the fi rst new strategy in a generation) in June 2007 and this strategy will bear no resemblance to anything ever before. This is all huge for naval rotary wing aviation.

Also within DoN, for the Marine Corps, they too must deal with the issue that many of the ops that they conduct will not be “lesser included subsets” of MCO and that they too will need to work more closely with coalition partners. And the Marine Corps has dramatically changed how they “get to the fi ght” (can anyone remember the last time we did a real amphibious assault via landing craft?) and is the service leaning most heavily into the notion of “Seabasing.” These factors all have huge implications for what the next generation of Marine Corps rotary wing aircraft will need to be able to do.

For the Coast Guard, as the naval service most heavily involved in homeland security and homeland defense, the ability to work with a different set of coalition partners, meaning national partners such as Customs and Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency, and

Continued on page 20


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Unorthodox Rescue By Huey Crew Saves Soldier’s Life

Story and Photo By Cpl. Brandon L. Roach, USMC3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

While deployed to Iraq, the mission of a UH-1N Huey helicopter pilot and his crew is to provide support to ground units with heavy firepower and

an extra set of eyes, but for one pilot and his crew, a mission of escorting convoys Sept. 25, turned into one of the most unforgettable days of their lives. The UH-1N Huey pilots, Capt. Clint R. Marshall and 1st Lt. Ryan N. Harshman, and their two crew members, Staff Sgt. Mark DiPasquale and Sgt. Samair Alyassini, were conducting a convoy support mission in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq when they were redirected to provide cover for a disabled aircraft Sept. 25. “We knew there was an injury when we arrived to the site,” said Marshall, assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167, Marine Aircraft Group 16 (Reinforced), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). “All we could do at that point was listen to the updates over the radio to find out what was happening and make sure that the crew on the ground was safe.” After an update on the injured soldier, the Marines knew what they had to do. They needed to evacuate the injured soldier to a medical facility. With limited landing space available at the location, the Marines would have to hover over the disabled aircraft and hoist the soldier into their helicopter. “As Marines we take chances sometimes,” said DiPasquale, UH-1N Huey crew chief, HMLA-167. “This was a maneuver that we don’t usually do, but we had to in order to help that soldier.”

With his co-pilot, Harshman, watching the gauges and manning communication, and Alyassini directing him where to go, Marshall brought the Huey in close enough for DiPasquale to physically reach the injured man. “This was a very dangerous situation because we were trying to hover over people within close

proximity to them,” said Alyassini, helicopter airframes mechanic UH-1/AH-1, HMLA-167. “I guided the pilots in above the disabled helicopter so that we could grab hold of the wounded soldier.” Once the Huey was in position and the hover was held, the Marines tried to get a gunner’s

belt around the soldier so they could hoist him inside of their helicopter. “The soldiers were on the rotor head of the disabled aircraft when we began our hover above them. The rotor

wash from our Huey started to spin the rotor the soldiers were on,” said DiPasquale, native of Rochester, N.Y. “When this happened, it made it hard to secure the belt around him, so we had to try it a different way.” When the belt idea didn’t work, the Marines repositioned their Huey and got in close so DiPasquale and Alyassini could grab a hold of the wounded man and pull him aboard their aircraft. “The soldier was a very big guy,” said Alyassini, a Cupertino, CA., native. “But we had no problem pulling him up into our bird.”

(L-R), Sgt. Samair Alyassini, Capt. Clint R. Marshall, 1st Lt. Ryan N. Harshman and Staff Sgt. Mark DiPasquale stand in front of their UH-1N Huey helicopter at Al Asad, Iraq, Oct. 19. The crew used this helicopter to extract a wounded soldier from a disabled aircraft Sept. 25. Official Marine Corps Photo was taken by Cpl. Brandon L. Roach



The Marines then headed back to Al Asad with their wounded soldier so that he could get the proper medical treatment.

“Good teamwork made this mission a success,” said Harshman, a native of Jacksonville, N.C., and UH-1N Huey pilot, HMLA-167. “We analyzed the situation and made it work right. The directions from the crew put Marshall right on target.”

Although their heroics were just another part of a day in the life of pilots and crewmembers with HMLA-167, they walked a little taller knowing that their actions had saved a man’s life.

“This was my fi rst time fl ying with Marshall,” said Harshman. “It is a mission that I will never forget.”

A few days after the daring rescue, the soldiers with 82nd Medical Company, MAG-16, surprised the Marines early in the morning with a token of their appreciation.

“I was really surprised by the soldiers awarding us the (Army Commendation Medal),” said Marshall. “I honestly felt better knowing we saved that soldier than I did getting a medal.”

Although as prestigious as it is for the Marines to be awarded a medal by a different branch of the military service, Marshall and his crew knew that there was no medal that could instill the sense of pride they got after saving the soldier’s life.

“I got a more honorable feeling from knowing he was okay, than any award could ever give me,” said Alyassini. “It was great for the Army to do that, but we would do it for anyone, anywhere.”

“We have gained a greater respect for the jobs that the soldiers of the medical evacuation units do,” said Marshall. “The feelings you get knowing that your actions saved someone’s life, is by far the best feeling anyone could ever have.”

Mission Versatility: Huey Rescue / The First Use of Force

Continued from page 9


HSL-60 Executes Navy’s First Authorized Use of Force Mission

Jaguar 605 makes its approach onboard USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) U.S. Navy Photo taken by LCDR Matt Dunlay

Story and Photos By LCDR Matt Dunlay, USN, HSL-60

On October 4th, 2006,

Detachment ONE from the “World Famous” Jaguars of HSL-60 returned home to NAS Mayport, FL after a fi ve month Counter Narco-Terrorism (CNT) deployment to the U.S. Southern Command area

of responsibility (AOR). The detachment departed April 28th onboard the USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) as the Navy’s fi rst helicopter detachment authorized and trained to use Airborne Authorized Use of Force (AUF) tactics. Aircrews from the Navy Reserve helicopter

squadron under-went extensive training provided by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) in Jacksonville, FL and COMHSMWINGLANT Weapons School prior to deployment. In the past, the USCG was the only authorized service to employ AUF tactics, which encompasses the use of aerial gunnery to force non-compliant vessels suspected of transporting narcotics on the high seas. This extended capability that has carried over to the U.S. Navy has allowed for a true “stopping power” and has become a crucial turning point to deter Maritime Narcotics Traffi cking.

First, employed by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2000, the concept of Airborne AUF has been tremendously successful combatant against drug traffi cking. AUF has contributed directly in well-over 100 drug interdictions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacifi c AOR. Prior to the Jaguars AUF “proof of concept”


assignment, the HSL community utilized the SH-60B strictly as a search and pursue platform in the War on Drugs. Given the previous success of AUF by the USCG, senior leadership from both services determined a training syllabus be developed to instruct U.S. Navy fl ight crews in this highly effective program, in addition to expanding the capabilities in the dynamic mission of Narco-Terrorism. Training consisted of numerous fl ight events with COMHSMWINGLANT Weapon School Instructors. The events included training against high speed boat targets and live fi re aerial shooting events to familiarize Navy aircrews with USCG Aerial Gunnery and their procedures. Training for the mission continued

during the work-up phase of the deployment as HSL-60 DET One was formally evaluated on their AUF tactics by representatives from both the USCG and Navy. Throughout the cruise HSL-60 DET One and USS John L Hall encountered numerous missed

opportunities to implement AUF, but in early September 2006 the opportunity presented itself and marked the fi rst use of AUF, forever changing conventional tactics against Narco-Terrorists for future Navy deployments.

The interdiction began after a high speed vessel, or “GO-FAST”, suspected of carrying narcotics was detected by the aircrew of Jaguar 605 commanded by LCDR Mike Hanson along with LTJG

Chris Stuart and AW2 Chris Borer. After collecting intelligence data and verbally ordering the GO-FAST to stop, with no response, Jaguar 605 fi red 3

bursts of warning shots across the bow of the vessel using

Mission Versatility: The First Use of ForceContinued from page 10

opportunities to implement AUF, but in early September 2006 the opportunity presented itself and marked the fi rst use of AUF, forever changing conventional tactics against Narco-Terrorists for future Navy deployments.

The interdiction began after a high speed vessel, or “GO-FAST”, suspected of carrying narcotics was detected by the aircrew of LCDR Mike Hanson along with LTJG

Coast Guard LE DET utilizing the M-240 against a GO-FAST on Jaguar 605. U.S.

Navy Photo taken by LCDR Matt Dunlay



Mission Versatility: Navy First Authorized Use of Force

HSL-60 Det One U.S. Navy Photo taken by LCDR Matt Dunlay

Continued from page 11the M-240 machine gun mounted onboard. Immediately following the shots, the Narco-Terrorists stopped their vessel surrendering themselves and their contraband onboard. Within a short period of time, The USS John L Hall closed the vessel’s position and deployed USCG Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 408 for boarding. In all, four Narco-Terroists and fi fty bales of heroin/cocaine were seized in the interdiction. The operation marked the fi rst time a U.S. Navy Helicopter used Airborne AUF tactics to facilitate an interdiction, truly a historic event not only for the HSL and Surface Navy Communities, but for the entire U.S. Navy.

DET One assisted the USS Hall in various other drug interdictions and boardings during the Spring / Summer 2006 deployment. USCG personnel played a vital role in the fi rst Naval AUF interdiction. Tactical Law Enforcement

Command South (TACLET), based in Miami, FL provided essential ship and air-controllers to coordinate tactical movements while HITRON Jacksonville provided the critical element of a USCG Aerial Gunner onboard Jaguar 605 during all patrol and interdiction fl ights. These USCG personnel, along with the leadership of their Offi cer-in-Charge, provided an outstanding joint-service capability. This was HSL-60’s third deployment to the SOUTHCOM AOR conducting CNT Operations. DET One was comprised of 4 Pilots, 2 Aircrewman, and 14 Maintenance Technicians. Being a Navy Reserve Helicopter Squadron, the Detachment is diversifi ed with Selective Reserve (SELRES) pilots, aircrewmen and maintenance personnel that spend any where from two to six weeks deployed throughout the year. Under this operation concept, the Detachment is able to maximize experience and manning into the vigorous cycle of the CNT mission while effectively executing complex AUF operations. “The Reserve concept is dynamic and the AUF mission is very exciting, the more aircrews we can expose to this new Navy mission, the more effective their training will be when AUF becomes a community wide program” says LCDR Matt Dunlay, Offi cer-In-Charge of HSL-60 DET ONE, “We’ve accomplished what we were sent out here to do, prove a necessary concept that the Ship-Navy Helicopter-Coast Guard team can execute a joint AUF mission to further increase our force capability against global drug traffi cking.”

M*A*S*H – The Navy Way

For the last year and half, Navy helicopter aircrews from various squadrons throughout the HS and

HSC communities have been providing air ambulance services for the ground troops in and around Kuwait and Southern Iraq. The training pipeline (with combined efforts from HSC Weapons School, and the Army School of Aviation Medicine) was started two years ago in support of Army MEDVAC units that were being over-tasked. Since then, Navy detachments have provided two- ship Alert 15 aircraft around the clock 24-7.

The fi rst Navy squadrons to accept the challenge was HSC-25 from Guam and HS-15 from NAS Jacksonville, Florida, which sent 126 personnel, three MH-60S and three HH-60H aircrafts to the region.

Currently, the third wave of Navy Air Ambulance Detachment (NAAD) has formed in order to provide the same assistance for our ground troops fi ghting in the Middle East. The 2515th Air Ambulance Company is manned by personnel from HSC-21 and the newly HSC-23. The cycle continues on as another detachment of brave

souls from HSC-25 begin training in preparations of a fourth wave.

“M*A*S*H - The Navy Way” continues on page 13 with the

article “Patient 296”

Air Ambulance- A New WaveStory by LT Jen McCollough, USN, HSC-23


Air Ambulance conducting “dust-off” proceduresU.S. Navy photo taken by LT David Matsumoto

Patient 296Story by CDR Skip Trahan, USN, HS-15Photos taken by LT David Matsumoto, USN, HM1 Benjamin Moreno, USN, HSC-23, and 2515th Air Ambulance Company

The jokes began as soon as the fl ight schedule was published the day prior and continued through the brief the following day. There was only one member

of the fi ve person crew who was under 30. And the only reason the 23 year old 2nd crewman had been scheduled with the “Geritol Gang” was to be on hand in case one of the senior members broke a hip getting into the aircraft! So goes the normal friendly banter of forward deployed aviation operations.

This aviation unit is the 2515th NAAD. A provisional, composite squadron tasked by the Secretary of Defense to provide land-based MEDEVAC under the command of Combined Forces Land Forces Component Command (CFLCC) through Aviation Task Force Kuwait (ATF-Ku). The squadron of three MH-60S and three HH-60H aircraft is presently comprised of 126 personnel and aircraft from HSC-21 in San Diego, CA and HS-15 in Jacksonville, Florida as well as helicopter SAR Corpsmen from units around the world. The task that has been successfully met for the past 11 months is to provide two-ship, Alert 15 aircraft, 24-7 for response throughout all of Kuwait, the North Arabian Gulf and Southern Iraq. To date, there have been 296 personnel who have been MEDEVAC’d by the NAAD since assuming the watch in November of 2005.

The 9-line call for launch came in at 1825, a little over one hour past sunset on a starlight only night. The mission was to pickup a wounded soldier at Navistar (Iraq/Kuwait border crossing station) and transport him to the Level III (surgical care unit) at Arif Jan. The patient was characterized as “Urgent Surgical”. Since the route was preplanned, as the crew assembled in the aircraft, weather was the principle concern. Strong seasonal winds from the south had pushed moisture off the gulf and combined it with dust to bring the forecast weather to 800 ft ceiling and 2 miles of visibility in the area of pickup with “rapidly degrading conditions of less than 400 meters visibility to the south”. There are neither instrument approaches at Navistar or Arif Jan nor instrument routes between the facilities. With the weather providing a formidable obstacle, the “Geritol Gang” had two positive factors in its corner. The fi rst was a FLIR-equipped aircraft and the second was the experience provided by 9,980 combined fl ight hours across a crew with three WTIs. Launching to the north from the NAAD base of operations at Udairi Army Air Field, the crew immediately encountered

Mission Versalitiy: “M*A*S*H - The Navy Way”: Patient 296

the 800 ft ceiling and 400 meter visibility predicted for the southern portion of the fl ight. From an altitude of 500 ft (required altitude to avoid most hazards in Kuwait), the ANVIS 9 NVGs allowed the crew to see only the ground below the aircraft, but barely. The IR searchlight was tried, but provided a negative effect so continued use was abandoned. Only FLIR provided the crew with a horizontal view of about 1.5 miles. Due to moisture in the air the image was “mushy” at best, but provided suffi cient visual cues for operations, although no horizon. The aircraft was fl own at 90 KIAS to improve pilot reaction time to hazards. With one pilot fl ying and the other “watching ahead” with the FLIR and providing navigation calls, the high tension wires, poles and antennas that crisscross the route to the landing site were all successfully avoided.

The landing at Navistar revealed a young IED attack victim from Southern Iraq who had been transported from point of injury by ambulance for airlift. He had not been stabilized by any higher care provider than a fi eld medic.

Launching back into the weather the crew began to discuss alternatives if either weather or patient conditions degraded. The fl ight from Navistar to Arif Jan was estimated at approximately one hour based on navigationally safe airspeed. Ten minutes into the fl ight, the patient’s blood pressure dropped to 83 over 30 due to excessive bleeding from a lower extremity wound. The patient was failing. The corpsman recommended an intermediate stop at Udairi’s Level II medical clinic to further stabilize the patient. The Medical Regulating Offi cer (MRO) had recommended a direct fl ight since Udairi’s clinic did not have a blood supply.



Weighing the options, the crew agreed with the corpsman as it would give more of a lease on life to the patient and it would give the aircrew a chance to update weather and get additional fuel. The aviation concern was that the northern portion of the fl ight was supposed to be the “good weather” and we were looking at 45 minutes of fl ying south into predicted worse conditions.

While getting additional fuel, the weather update from local observations stated the weather to the south was improving to at least 3,000 meters. With plenty of fuel and a now stabilized patient, the crew launched back into the weather headed for the surgical unit. Eight miles to the south of Udairi, the co-pilot got a momentary case of the leans from an illusion created by a ground vehicle’s headlights on an adjacent highway that angled away from the aircraft which was in a turn. This was quickly rectifi ed by leveling the wings with both pilots getting on the gauges. 15 miles to the south, the weather was in fact much better and the crew was able to increase speed and get the patient into surgery sooner than expected. The rest of the fl ight was uneventful. Upon return to Udairi, the rest of the night was spent removing the litter management system, fl oor armor and fl oor boarding to clean up the bio-hazards created by the soldier’s injuries. On the 17th the NAAD learned that post-op, the young soldier was “not out of the woods yet” but in stable and improving condition. On October 20th, the patient’s condition had improved greatly and was well enough for transportation out of theater.

So what are the “take-aways” from Patient 296?

First, MEDEVAC is a composite mission based on patient care and aviation considerations. The conditions of either will impact decision making for the crew. A decision to “press” south without the intermediate stop to stabilize could have proved disastrous for the patient if his condition worsened and/or the aircraft was forced to abort due to

Mission Versalitiy: “M*A*S*H - The Navy Way”: Patient 296weather and return to other than adequate care. This is a challenge for mission commanders due to the rotary aviation community’s lack of medical knowledge. The functional leadership role of the corpsman was critical in making the “right choice”. This is crew resource management (CRM) in action.

Second, the mix of technology and experience tipped the scales in favor of mission success. A lesser experienced crew with the same advantages provided by FLIR or a seasoned crew without a FLIR may not have yielded the same results. It becomes a challenge for leadership to a make decision on mission approval with so many variables. It becomes a further challenge when leadership takes on a mission and succeeds, but may not approve such a mission for a lesser equipped/experience crew. No question this soldier would have died without air ambulance, and every crew strapping on an aircraft, regardless of their experience, realizes they may be the ones to tip the balance of the scale in one direction or the other. Every crew says, “Send me.” Third, FLIR is critical for night overland missions and integration for navigation capability is a must. Use of FLIR for navigation technology (fl ight path vector mode) has been in existence for nearly two decades in the Army and Air Force, yet Navy helicopters have repeatedly “missed the boat” by not capitalizing on the full potential of this capability. The synergy of hardware and integration is the path the Navy must take. The overland missions will continue and the Navy will be tasked to participate – this tool is a “gotta have”.

Fourth, ORM (Operational Risk Management) does not rule out performing high risk missions. It is not a safety program! It challenges us as aviators to meet the risk with adequate planning, personnel, experience, equipment and sound decision making to accomplish the mission successfully.

The crew making fi nal prepartations for another air ambulance fl ight. U.S. Navy photo taken by HM1

Benjamin Moreno

The crew of 2515th Air Ambulance. (l-r) HM1 George Marinez, CDR Skip Trahan, LCDR Tim Simonson, AWC Charley Stoneking and AW2 Bobby Bichlmeir. U.S. Navy photo taken by 2515th Air Ambulance Company




Mission Versalitiy: “Island Knights” Save Water Tower

Island Knights Save Water Tower and HomesStory and Photo By LT Mike Fisher, USN, HSC-25

Each weekend the Island Knights of HSC-25 keep two crews available for SAR launch. The primary SAR crew launches in under an hour while the secondary

crew takes over the watch if the primary crew can no longer fl y due to crew day or rest issues. It is rare that both are ever launched at the same time. So we were not expecting to assume the primary responsibility when my pager went off on my secondary SAR weekend. Before I could call the duty offi ce my copilot, LT Eric Peterson, called me in his typical, excited way.

“Fish, the whole NAVMAG is on fi re, they want to launch two birds, let’s go, let’s go.”

I couldn’t fi nd Eric when I arrived at the squadron and there was a group desperately trying to fi nd fi rebucket qualifi ed crewmen to make a second crew so I headed out to the line to prefl ight the aircraft. By this time the primary SAR crew was in their aircraft and getting it ready to go. Their crew consisted of LTJG Harken, LT Leyva, AW2 Rocha, and AW3 Bageant. They were having trouble with their

bucket so they took ours. I wasn’t too concerned since there were three buckets at the squadron and I doubted we would launch, especially if we couldn’t fi nd the required crewmen. However I pre-fl ighted expeditiously and prepared for the fl ight. We looked at our bucket to see if we could make it work. Turns out that third bucket was really broken.

The bucket hangs off the cargo hook and we simply hover low enough over a water source to allow the bucket to fi ll with water and sink. Then we pull up to fi ll the expandable material with as much water as possible and then fl y over the fi re. There is an electrically controlled trap door on the bottom of the bucket which a crewman controls with a hand switch. That hand switch was stuck in and couldn’t be pulled out, even electronically or manually. So the aircrewmen took the switch apart and put the wires together. Sure enough, that was enough to make the trap door open.

The “Island Knight of HSC-25 provide precision water drops in support of fi refi ghters in Guam. U.S. Navy photo taken by LT Mike Fisher


We briefed based on our expectations for the flight and hopped in for spin up. We planned for AW2 Onion to handle the two wires while AW2 Sam Baker and AW3 Castro would aid him as lookouts. We flew towards the southern end of the island as fast as possible to see what I figured would be one little fire at the edge of a small burnt patch. Oh, no. The whole side of the mountain was on fire. The fire line had made it over halfway up the side and in some places had run up dry crevices toward several houses. The other aircraft told us there were no comms with the ground units which meant it was up to us to decide where to drop the water. Even though it was our primary concern to protect government property (that’s the only reason we can launch) we quickly assessed the situation and decided which houses were in the most danger concluding they could be spared while the fire progressed toward the water tower (the only government property that seemed in any danger at this time).

So we started the dance of hovering over Fena Reservoir (the only fresh water lake on Guam), racing toward the fire line, deciding where exactly to drop (since the scene changed greatly during the five minutes that we were getting water), and then dropping the water, and evaluating the drop as we raced back to get more water. Sometimes we had to fly through the thick smoke which rained black snow off our windscreens. After two attempts to fly through this we took the extra time to fly around it due to the amount of smoke the crewmen were subjected to.

Each drop was a challenge without being able to talk to the ground because we couldn’t tell if there were people near the fire line until we were right over it. We had two to three pairs of eyes frantically searching for possible life before giving the ‘drop zone clear’ call. I imagine that 450 gallons of water falling 150 feet dropped from a helicopter doing 50 knots might have some sting to it. Plus, if we

hit the fire directly a cloud of steam and soot would fly into the air.

We had to try several techniques for dropping the water and each had its own application. When we were fighting a fire line that was still away from houses we dropped at 50 knots in front of the fire as we were trained. When that didn’t work because the fire quickly spread up the hill, we started dropping directly on the fire line. That met with more success. We also decided to drop directly on the fire when it was close to the houses choosing to drop these from a hover avoiding houses and people standing there with their garden hoses.

Eventually the fire department started phoning our squadron who then radioed to us to give us basic directions. Our Squadron Duty Officer had to filter the information in order to give us something we could use. The SDO would get

Mission Versatility: “Island Knights” Save Water Tower




Mission Versalitiy: “Island Knights” Save Water Tower

The primary SAR crew launches in under an hour while the secondary crew takes over the watch if the primary crew can no longer fly due to crew day or

rest issues.

“tell the helo to drop more to the left” so the SDO got them to name a distinct landmark and get a cardinal heading from it. Soon enough the water tower, which was supplying the ground units their water, came under siege and we focused on protecting it. The two helicopter’s coordinated efforts prevented damage to the tank and its surrounding equipment.

It was close to 1900 with sunset quickly approaching. The other helicopter decided it would be too unsafe to continue. Which, if they weren’t comfortable doing it, was absolutely the right call. It was a lot more difficult saying ‘we quit for safety’ than pressing on. But we had the SDO ask our CO, CDR Chatfield, if we could do this at night, or at least we would try it and if we could do it safely, then we would continue. We could tell the firefighters needed us to stay on scene. The CO agreed knowing the crew was capable but not stupid enough to endanger themselves. We stopped to get more fuel and grabbed night vision goggles. Even though the moon was scheduled to put out a lot of lux we did not want to be in an unaided ten foot hover over the water. I lost visual references several times during the day just due to the amount of rotor wash and at night that would have been very uncomfortable. The NVDs were the way to go, if anything. The sun had set by the time we took off again.

And then darkness fell and melted the fire ravaged areas into a vista of a decaying battle field. The moon light could not reflect off the new laid ash which gave the burnt ground a sharp contrast to the living world around it. There were embers that were visible on the night vision goggles. They floated with the wind in a surreal slow motion from the glowing trees which still suffered from their burning affliction.

We flew to the other side of the mountain where the flames had progressed. They produced so much light the hills were bright as day on the goggles. We couldn’t look too close to the ravenous fires without blooming out the NVDs. We had to look at the flames with our naked eyes while scanning

around the rest of the area through the green tubes. It was at this point that we were very glad to have brought a third crewman on the flight. One pilot and this extra crewman could keep a strong lookout for obstacles while the other three people looked for personnel on the ground before dropping the water.

On this side of the hill the fires had moved very close to more houses; we kept fighting them until we were just too tired (Not only had most of us been up all day but the alertness required and the six hour adrenaline rush were wearing

on us). Eventually our portion of the fires were out and we headed home. The rest of the fires looked well under control with the few remaining fire trucks close by.

In all we remained on station for nearly six hours and dropped about 15,750 gallons of water. The other crew dropped 7,200 gallons. The water tower was safe and no homes were lost though a few had suffered some smoke damage. We were just glad we were able to do a small part in the major effort to contain this fire, and help out our neighbors.



Mission Versatility: What’s Up Dog

What’s Up, Dog?

Story and Photo By

LTJG Tom Van Hoozer, USN, HS-14

Austrailian SAS attack dog gets a familiarization fl ight with the “Chargers” of HS-14. U.S. Navy photo taken by LTJG Tom Van Hoozer

It’s an image straight from a country western song: you’re driving down a country road on a sunny day with your

dog sitting next to you, his head hanging out the window, and his ears fl apping in the wind. Now replace the pickup truck with a HH-60H Seahawk helicopter, the country road with the Western Australian Outback, and that friendly pooch with a trained attack dog, and you have the scene on 14 August 2006 when Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Fourteen went on one of its most unique fl ights.

The Chargers of HS-14 worked with Australian SAS teams while fl ying special warfare training fl ights during Exercise Orange Crush in mid-August. Over the course of a week, HS-14 fl ew airborne-sniper, urban raid, and fast-roping missions. They also conducted small arms training with the Australian SAS. During one of the fl ights from Bin Doon SAS Training Range to Pearce Air Base, one of the SAS sergeants asked if he could take the attack

dogs onboard to help familiarize them with fl ying in helicopters. This was the fi rst time the dogs, a German Shepard and an Australian Shepard mix, had the opportunity to go fl ying. Of course, HS-14 “rogered up” to this unique mission.

The Australian SAS have just started including attack dogs as part of their teams. LCDR Steve “Comet” Nassau, one of the pilots on the fl ight, explained, “Apparently the SAS observed the use of attack dogs in other special forces units during their involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom. They wanted to take advantage of the added combat capability and psychological advantage that the canines bring to the fi ght.” The Australians’ goal is to someday use specially made harnesses so the dogs can be fast roped out of the helicopter along with their two-legged team members.

The aircrew on that fl ight loved having the dogs aboard. The crew chief, AWC

Ennis, stated, “this is the fi rst time I have ever heard of this happening. It’s another example of how fl exible and adaptable helicopter crews have to be.” AW2 Abbott, a member of the crew, remembered, “that was a great experience. I was impressed to see how innovative the Australian SAS could be with their tactics. And the dogs behaved great. One of them really did hang his head out of the cabin door like he was in a pickup truck.” Training opportunities with international forces are nothing new for HS-14, but this one will surely be remembered as the one of the most interesting.

HS-14 is a member of Carrier Air Wing FIVE and Battle Force Seventh Fleet. They deploy regularly aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, the worlds’ only permanently forward deployed

aircraft carrier.


Mission Versalitiy: LAMPS Operations

LAMPS Operations in the Littoral BattlespaceBy LCDR J.P. Dunn, USN, HSL 42

With the Navy’s increasing focus on the littoral battlespace, Rotary-Wing Aviation, and in particular the LAMPS Community, is poised at the brink of a

new and exciting period of tactical development and battlegroup integration. LAMPS detachments assigned to Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG) or those conducting Maritime Support Operations (MSO) in the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG) are making the fi rst forays into the littoral and bringing to the attention of Warfare Commanders the unique capabilities of the SH-60B.

So what makes the SH-60B a viable asset in the littoral? In a word: versatility. The “Core B” SH-60B can fl y for over three hours per combat sortie loaded with Hellfi re missiles and a .50 caliber machine gun providing an organic strike capability to a non-CVN battle group. It can employ its onboard radar, ESM and FLIR systems, down-linked via secure Hawklinkto its Mother, to generate an unparalleled Recognized Maritime Picture (RMP) of the littoral environment. It’s capable of conducting Communications Relay (COMREL) across most military frequencies and is an outstanding SAR platform. Aircrews assigned to SH-60Bs are trained in Joint Strike Operations including the use of MAS 9-lines and Sledgehammer tactics.

I was Officer-in-Charge of HSL-42 Detachment Eight, comprised of two “Core B” helicopters embarked in USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), and assigned to Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (IWOESG) with the TWO FOUR MEU embarked. The experiences of my Detachment during our workups and subsequent 5th Fleet deployment serve to highlight the potential of the SH-60B in the littorals.

Our fi rst opportunity to operate in the littoral environment

occurred during ESG workups. We were underway conducting the Strike Group Certifi cation Exercise (CERTEX) and planning were ongoing for an amphibious raid to be conducted on Myrtle Beach International Airport. The scenario had driven the ESG to disperse over a relatively large geographic area and the MEU Planning Cell was concerned over a lack of close air support (CAS) for the initial Force Recon Team that would go in-country to provide the on-ground surveillance of the intended target. Phil Sea was tasked with transporting the Force Recon Team to the vicinity of Myrtle Beach and then to use its RHIBs (rigid hulled infl atable boats) to bring the Team in close enough for a swim insertion. Our Detachment was tasked to provide FLIR coverage of the operation and to conduct armed surveillance of the fi nal raid. We fl ew through the night providing real-time FLIR imagery, COMREL between the Force Recon Team and the Marine Command and Control elements on PHIL SEA, and close air support for the Recon Team on the ground. Later the following day, we provided secondary CAS and primary SAR support for the raid conducted by the full MEU with its supporting ACE.

After deploying with the ESG and arriving in the 5th Fleet AOR, Phil Sea was detached from the ESG and chopped to CTF 158 to conduct MSO and Oil Platform (OPLAT) Defense Operations in the NAG. CTF 158 is a rotational Command between the Americans, British and the Australians, whose primary responsibility is the security of the Iraqi oil infrastructure, including the Kwahr Al Amayah and Al Basrah Oil Terminals (KAAOT/ABOT). Secondary responsibilities include enforcing the sovereignty of Iraqi territorial waters and training the Iraqi Navy and Coast Guard in the same functions. Phil Sea was a major part of the Coalition effort and served as the Flag Ship for CTF 158 while spending over 100 days within 12 miles of the coasts of Iraq, Iran and Kuwait.

The CTF 158 AOR encompasses the Northern Arabian Gulf including all approaches to the ports of Iraq, and abuts Kuwaiti and Iranian territorial waters that aren’t offi cially recognized by all of the neighboring countries. Interaction between Coalition forces and Iranian Republican Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) units occurred regularly. Daily helicopter tasking included armed surveillance fl ights in and around the OPLATS, up the river to the Iraqi port facility of Umm Qasr, and then south to


The Navy has already recognized the shift to littoral operations and has taken steps to secure its dominance in the littoral battlespace. A renewed focus on riverine forces is currently underway and Rotary-Wing Aviation is an integral part of that equation.



Mission Versatility: LAMPS Operations

build the RMP in the NAG. Special attention was paid to the “Thunder Valley Patrol” which covered the pumping stations and oil pipelines extending out to the OPLATS.

While in theater, my Detachment participated in a mission specifi c to the CTF 158 AOR. The BLUE THUNDER Patrol (BTP) was conceived to provide Multi-National Division Southeast (MND-SE) with a snapshot of the current state of oil production and the critical oil infrastructure in Southern Iraq. Taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the SH-60B, MND-SE developed a series of waypoints, including the ports of Umm Qasr and Khor Al Zubayah, as well as other various oil production facilities, for surveillance and monitoring. As part of the BTP, we were tasked with fl ying the prescribed route at night at a designated altitude while using our FLIR to provide real-time imagery via Hawklink for review and analysis by intelligence personnel onboard the ship. Phil Sea was able to conduct video capture of the entire fl ight and burn that same video onto a DVD for further dissemination up the chain of command. Additionally, Phil Sea was able to set up a Video Tele-Conference with MND-SE so they could review the FLIR imagery in real time.

It is important to note that the standard LAMPS two-plane detachment, with three fl ight crews and requisite maintenance personnel assigned, provided the operational commander with an around the clock, fl exible asset able to react to emergent situations in the littoral battlespace. When combined with the multi-level sensor architecture that included multiple UAVs operating in the AOR, the SH-60B was the go-to platform.

While UAVs, including SCAN EAGLE and the WASP micro-UAV were extensively utilized, the operational commander depended on the helicopter aircrews for their on-the-scene judgment and adaptability.

The Navy has already recognized the shift to littoral operations and has taken steps to secure its dominance in the littoral battlespace. A renewed focus on riverine forces is currently underway and Rotary-Wing Aviation is an integral part of that equation. Embarked LAMPS detachments add a fl exible, dynamic component to the Warfare Commander’s toolkit when operating in the littoral. Naval Expeditionary Combat Command has been stood up to chart the course of our Navy’s littoral warfare capabilities and to prepare us for the future. The SH-60B and the follow-on MH-60R operating from legacy platforms and ships like the newly commissioned USS Freedom(LCS 1) will be key to the Navy’s continued dominance in the littoral battlespace.

So what makes the SH-60B a viable asset in the littoral? In a word: versatility. The “Core B” SH-60B can fl y for over three hours per combat sortie loaded with “Hellfi re” missiles and a .50 caliber machine gun providing an organic strike capability to a non-CVN battle group


A View From The Labs... Supporting the Fleet

many, many others must drive the capabilities of the next generation of those aircraft. This must be done – while not forgetting the Coast Guard’s wartime missions as the “Fifth U.S. Military Service.” Important issues for that service.

So, we’re about done. But whether you agree with everything here or not, what is true is that dramatic changes have happened to our national security paradigm and these changes need to be addressed within the naval rotary wing community. But it’s not enough to agree with that, it’s time now to start doing something about it. The NHA provides an ideal forum to have that dialogue. As we come up with themes for upcoming symposia and other venues we need to have our entire community – and especially our senior leadership – engage in a national dialogue with the senior members of the Executive Branch so we can move from just “Mission Versatility” to “Mission Versatility – To Do What?” Having that dialogue – and getting those answers – will enable us to effectively design “The Naval Rotary Wing Community after Next.”



Mission Versalitiy: HSL - 44 DET Redefines Multipurpose

HSL-44 DETACHMENT REDEFINES MULTIPURPOSE

Story and Photo by LCDR Bill Sherrod, USN, HSL-44

When LAMPS fi rst began the innovators probably didn’t envision just how diverse a mission set the airframe could support. HSL-44 Detachment

Nine recently returned from a six month Global War on Terrorism surge deployment that continues to redefi ne the ever-increasing capabilities of the SH-60B.

The Shakas of Detachment Nine embarked Mayport-based USS Hue City (CG 66) in April of 2006 for what would become the longest surge deployment since the beginning of the fl eet response plan. With only three months to prepare for their deployment, the traditional Helicopter Advanced Readiness Period could not anticipate the unique mission that lay ahead.

The departure from the norm began when the Shakas were tasked to support a Joint Special Operations Task Force in an effort to deter piracy in the vicinity of the Horn of Africa. Unlike other anti-piracy missions previously fl own, the detachment found itself working for Commander, Naval Special Warfare Unit Three embarked on Hue City. The Shakas, in cooperation with three other entities: HSL-43 Detachment Three onboard USS Reuben James (FFG 39), elements from HSC-26 Detachment One embarked on HSV SWIFT, and SCAN EAGLE Unmanned Aerial Vehicle detachments all which were attached to USS Trenton (LPD 14) conducted coordinated operations with Special Forces. Though much of the operation is still classifi ed, the detachment took the lead in developing airborne sniper tactics, techniques, and procedures to conduct both Naval

Special Warfare (NSW) over-watch as well as interdiction of evasive, high speed pirate skiffs. The DesertHawks of HSC-26 DET One provided the initial site survey for casualty evacuation from other than air capable ships and all detachments conducted multiple high hoist evolutions to the bow of a merchant ship. Extensive rehearsals of the full mission profi le were a proof-of-concept for coordinated airborne support from multiple SH-60Bs and a MH-60S for the operation.

During the execution phase of the operation, the group was required to maintain Alert 30 readiness for periods lasting from 96 hours to seven days. In order to sustain the alert posture and maximize aircraft availability during several blocks of action each detachment forward deployed to USS Trenton during various phases of the operation. Forward deployment of a ‘mini-det’ from a detachment is certainly not the norm however innovation and cooperation made each evolution successful as the operation continued seamlessly.

The operation can be considered a success on many levels. There were no further piracy incidents in the region and the Helicopter Maritime Strike community supported Naval Special Warfare in a manner that had never before been asked.

The “Shakas” of HSL 44 Det Nine onboard the USS Hue City (CG-66) U.S. Navy

photo taken by LCDR Bill Sherrod


Mission Versatility: HSL - 44 DET Redefines Multipurpose

Upon completion of the joint special operation, Detachment Nine spent nearly two months in the Central Arabian Gulf supporting a Coalition Task Force conducting Maritime Security Operations. During a gap in carrier presence, the two-plane detachment maintained an overt presence and conducted crucial surveillance operations during a period of increased Iranian naval activity.

During the initial transit home, Detachment Nine was diverted to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Joint Task Force LEBANON and humanitarian assistance operations in the war-torn Levant region. Coordinating with Task Force ALPHA and Task Force BRAVO, Detachment Nine was the only LAMPS asset in the region to conduct maritime surveil-lance operations and logistics support. Again, the SHAKAS maintained an around-the-clock alert status to support search and rescue in the event the force was required and supported the evacuation of the American embassy in Lebanon.

Six months after the GWOT surge departed Mayport, the Shakas returned home. HSL-44 Detachment Nine’s Deployment demonstrated

the qualities unique to Naval Aviation of fl exibility and adaptability to increase combat capability to best support the mission and the combatant commander. Conducting three dynamic missions in different geographic regions spanning two separate areas of operation, the Shakas’ deployment captured the way ahead for future Helicopter Maritime Strike operations. The detachment approached every mission with the fl exibility and innovation to complete the assigned undertaking no matter how much it diverged from the typical LAMPS role.

An SH-60B from HSL-44 Det Nine on Alert. U.S. Navy photo taken by LCDR Bill Sherrod

(Left) A pilot views from left seat during a high hoist evolution to the bow of merchant ship. (Above) SH-60B approaches bow for a high hoist evolution. U.S. Navy photos taken by LCDR Bill Sherrod

(Left) A pilot views from left seat during a high hoist evolution



Mission Versalitiy: Taking on the DANCON

Taking on the DANCONStory by LT Ron Martin, USN, HSM 41

Helicopter Pilots show they can make it on the ground by competing in the DANCON March, sponsored by the Danish Military serving in Afghanistan. The

march is open for all military personnel serving in Afghanistan with International Security Afghanistan Forces (ISAF) or related U.S. missions. The march has been a tradition since 1972. It started as the Danish contribution to the mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP). In every peacekeeping mission since then, every Danish contingent has had its DANCON March.

LCDR Joe Wilkinson, LT Ron Martin, LCDR Heath Thomas all currently serving as Individual Augmentee (IA) for Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. U.S. Navy photo courtesy of HSM-41 Public Affairs Offi ce

LCDR Joe Wilkinson (formerly of HSL 49) marched as an individual posting a time under three hours, while LT Ron Martin of HSM 41, marched as part of the Combine Forces Command Afghanistan (CJ5) team. The team made up of SGM August Hohl, USA, 1st LT Meagan Cumpston, USA and French Army LtCol Pascal Le Brun posted an average time of three hours and fi fty-fi ve minutes. “It was bit of a struggle to maintain the pace throughout the march, but it was worth every step,” said LT Martin. As part of the CFC-A CJ5 team, LCDR Heath Thomas of HSL 43, along with Air Force Major Winston Gould and Army Major Matt Dale provided valued support.

The rules are simple you must carry at least 10 kg (22 lbs) in the participants backpack; water and weapon are not included in these fi gures. The distance covered is 25 km which equated to eight laps within the confi nes of the camp and the participants had a time limit of six hours to complete the march. Normally, the DANCON March is conducted two times per mandate (six month); during spring/summer and also during autumn/winter. We expect the next two DANCON Marches in autumn this year.LCDR Joe Wilkinson, LT Ron Martin, LCDR Heath Thomas all currently serving as Individual Augmentee (IA) for Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. LT Ron Martin, 1st LT Cumpston and Lt Col Le Brun maintain their motivation throughout the march.

The IAs take the time out for a charitable cause. U.S. Navy photo courtesy of HSM-41 Public Affairs Offi ce


Individually Augmented HC-4Story and Photo by LTJG Sean “Spicoli” Tingley, USN, HC-4

Mission Versatility: Individually Augmented HC-4

It wasn’t until 2 weeks prior to Winging when I found out that HC-4 was looking for pilots for a new mission in Kuwait. My well thought out “dream sheet” went into

the circular fi le as HC-4 became my number one selection. I was not passing up this opportunity. Talking with the HT instructors I knew this was not the typical Navy mission and as a boot camp pilot I knew this would be a Navy fi rst deployment like no other. A year and ½ later I fi nd myself in the desert with the Army of One.

So, instead of being trapped on a claustrophobic Navy ship, I had the freedom to move about a fairly large base and utilize the amenities such as multiple coffee shops, MWR buildings, exchange stores, and a relatively good dining facility. The resources on base at Udairi Army Air Field could be consid-ered “the little things” that make everyday a little bit more enjoyable, but the real reason why this deployment was so awesome was the fl ying.

To put it quite simply, our missions were fun. Stressful, yet fun. To reduce the risk from “enemy” engagements we were required to fl y low, unpredictable routes into Iraq. Any helo bubba would love fl ying the “Big Iron” in this regime: bank-ing left and right in combat cruise with your wingman, and low enough to see people waving, or sometimes throwing rocks at us depending on where we were. It wasn’t just the transit portion of the missions that were exciting, but the LZs were also interesting, especially with two 53’s. I remember telling myself after some missions, “that was the reason why I chose HC-4 in fl ight school.”

The “work ups” were also a blast for this deployment. They consisted of desert training in El Centro, CA which enabled

Det II to be part of the fi rst Navy MH-53E NVD/NSW deployment. With the El Centro training emphasizing NVD formation brownouts, we were anticipating all of our Iraq missions to be carried out at night. Once arriving in Kuwait in July 2006 to relieve Det I, we soon discovered that quite the opposite was taking place. Most fl ights involved day missions taking troops, VIP’s, and cargo to various locations in southern Iraq.

Based on the heavy lift capabilities of the MH-53E, and due to the fact that we were so frequently utilized it’s a surprise that our squadron was only tasked with this mission for a year. In that, we would frequently move over 100 troops in a couple hours where it would take an Army UH-60 fl ight of two all day to complete. It was also peculiar that we were replacing the Army C-23 “Lunchbox” mission because the majority of the Iraq drops off locations were strictly helicop-ter landing zones.

We will all miss this type of fl ying, and the Army will surely notice the lack of heavy lift capability in Udairi once we are gone. This deployment was unlike any other Navy cruise, but in my mind it was as good as it gets aside from missing out on the traditional port visits. So I didn’t get “salty” on my fi rst deployment but being a boot camp JO I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunity for a boat cruise later. From fl ying low like a helicopter should, to kicking back at the coffee shop later that same day, all of us as pilots and aircrew have noth-ing to complain about with regards to this deployment. As the sun sets on HC-4, this was the way to go out!

The Big Iron turns as it loads combat ready troops heading to Iraq. U.S. Navy photo was taken by LTJG Sean Tingley


“Th

er

e I W

as

...”Four Aircraft Night

VERTREPBy CAPT P.M. “Mike” Reber, USN (Ret)

Photos are courtesy of Naval Helicopter Association Archives

Dear Editor;

My compliments on the summer 06 issue of Rotor Review. I was especially impressed by the HSC-21 Night VERTREP article by LT Valasco. His

description of a relatively rare, two aircraft night VERTREP was interesting and informative. However, a four aircraft night VERTREP is an even more rare event and I wanted to tell you about the only one that I am aware of. It took place on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf on 20 July 1971. The customer ship was USS Enterprise CVA (N)-65. The four aircraft involved were H-46s from HC-3 Dets 102 and 104. I was a LCDR at the time and the O-in-C of Det 102. LCDR John Jones was the O-in-C of Det 104. The other pilots from Det 102 who fl ew the mission were LT Ed Vitt, LT Dick Blair and my co-pilot, LT Ed Hintz. Much to my regret, I do not remember the names of our magnifi cent aircrew or who fl ew the mission from Det 104 and those records are lost.

Enterprise departed Alameda for her fi fth WestPac deploy-ment on 11 June 1971 and arrived on Yankee Station for her fi rst line period on 15 July.

The Enterprise air wing (CVW-14) fl ew strikes against infi ltration and logistic targets in Laos and South Vietnam for fi ve days and nights and prepared to conduct her fi rst underway replenishment with USS Sacramento (AOE-1) and USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) in the late afternoon of 20 July. HC-3 Det 102 was embarked aboard Sacramento and HC-3 Det 104 was embarked on Niagara Falls. The original plan was for Enterprise to receive approximately 250 tons of dry stores and frozen foods from Niagara Falls via VERTREP before sunset and then come along side Sacramento for a connected replenishment (CONREP) of aviation fuel and a full ordnance rearmament of approximately 450 tons via both CONREP and VERTREP. The Sacramento operations were expected to last into the night. However, unanticipated prob-lems forced a major delay in the start time and replenishment could not commence until 2300. Enterprise’s operational commitments for 21 July precluded any further delay or rescheduling of replenishment, so plans for a simultaneous CONREP and a 4 aircraft VERTREP were made via mes-sage and tower-to-tower radio communications among the participating parties.

Night replenishment ops in the Pacifi c Fleet were not unusual in that period. Sacramento and Ni-agara Falls had both been deployed for over four months and their crews and Helo Dets were expe-rienced in night operations. However, no one had ever done a two Det/4 aircraft operation at night and Enterprise had just entered the fi rst line period in her deployment and this was to be her very fi rst underway replenishment. We need not have wor-ried. Enterprise was nothing short of magnifi cent in her crew’s ability to manage what still may be the most intense replenishment operation ever conducted to a single ship. Her crew operated to perfection, the drop zones were clearly designated and well lighted and the Air Boss was the most professional and able controller I ever experi-enced. There were a few scary moments such as catching a load of retrograde in the Enterprise safety nets. But, the only signifi cant delays were caused by a shortage of retrograde which precluded maximizing the pre-staging of loads and re-quired Sacramento and Niagara Falls to wait for retrograde return before making up additional loads for transfer. (Five days later Sacramento and Det 102 completed a second 300 tons before-dawn-into-daylight ordnance VERTREP and set a then unprecedented transfer rate of 90 tons/hour. That’s a 1&1/2 to 2 ton load of ordnance almost every 60 seconds for the better part of 3 hours, with breaks for refueling helos and crew changes. Sacramento, Det 102 and Enterprise knew their business.)

The general plan was that Niagara Falls and Det 104 would take station on Enterprise 500 yds to port and conduct all operations to a designated drop/pickup area forward of the Carrier’s island. Sacramento would conduct refueling by CONREP along the starboard side and simultaneously transfer ordnance via both CONREP and VERTREP with the overwhelming majority of lifts via VERTREP to a desig-nated drop/pickup area aft of the island near the stern of the Enterprise. The time available and the amount of stores and ordnance to be transferred required the use of all available assets. VERTREP commenced at 2300, 20 July and was completed at 0330, 21 July. Over the 4.5-hour period, Det 102 moved over 300 tons of ordnance using 2 aircraft for the fi rst 3 hours of the operation and dropping to one aircraft for


Rotor Review # 95 Fall ‘06 26Rotor Review # 95 Fall ‘06 26

the last two. Det 104 used 2 aircraft for almost their entire operation and as I recall they completed their mission in slightly less than 4 hours.

I must admit that in spite of the relatively routine nature of night replenishment ops (my log book for July, August, and September of 1971 shows 15.6 hours of night VERTREP; and I did not fl y every night mission the det com-pleted) we had some signifi cant concerns, many of which were shared by LT Valasco in his article. He lists the current UNREP and NATOPS manual requirements as including; 1. A natural horizon, 2. Ships alongside in CONREP position and 3. Drop/pickup zones of both ships visible from the cockpit at the same time. In our case, only the Sacramento was in CONREP position and the weather that night was overcast throughout the operation with no visible horizon what-so-ever. We were able to meet the drop/pickup zone visible from the cockpit requirement and we reduced the number of aircraft involved to 3 as the transfer requirements were met. We may have been down to 2 aircraft (one from each det) toward the end of the fi rst 4 hours and we fi nished with 1.

We were acutely aware of the great risks involved in what we had committed ourselves to accomplish. And like LT Valesco and his HSC-21 Det on Ranier, we tried our best to carefully anticipate each of them. However, we also felt some pres-sures to maximize our effort, which were beyond the obvious

operational ones. In spite of the fact that VERTREP had been introduced in Pacifi c Fleet operations as early as 1965, there was still some lack of acceptance of the use of helos as the primary transfer vehicle for stores and ordnance in under-way replenishment. The COs of Sacramento and Niagara Falls and the helo det O-in-Cs all saw this operation as a

great opportunity to provide an outstand-ing example of the ef-fi ciency and effective-ness of VERTREP for the entire Pacifi c Fleet and thus encourage its increased use. We were confi dent of our

ability and felt it was worth the risk. Nevertheless, we were glad when it was SAFELY over.

As a matter of additional interest to current VERTREP personnel, before and during the Vietnam war period, VER-TREP dets consisted of 2 H-46’s, 20 enlisted maintenance and aircrew and fi ve pilots (3 HACs and 2 2Ps). Some dets also had a CWO maintenance offi cer. From early 1971 and throughout the rest of the Vietnam war, HC-3 Dets remained permanently on station in the Western Pacifi c and transferred from ship to relieving ship approximately every 6 months. Det personnel were assigned on a four- month rotation with some members of the Det turning over each month of the deployment. When necessary, replacement aircraft were sent with deploying ships and returning ships carried the replaced aircraft back to CONUS.

The general plan was that Niagara Falls and Det 104 would take station on Enterprise 500 yds to port and conduct all operations to a designated drop/pickup area forward of the

Carrier’s island.

Mission Versatility: “There I Was...”


In The Spotlight A sailor from the USNS Shasta attaches a cargo pendant to the MH-60S assigned to HSC-3 during a VERTREP with ammunition evolution U.S. Navy Photo taken by MCSN Matthew Haws


Fe

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s

NASWI SAR Rescues San Juan Islander Off Coleman Glacier

By LCDR. Todd Vorenkamp, USNNaval Air Station Whidbey Island Search and Rescue

Public Affairs

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter air crew helped to save a fallen climber on Mount Baker Oct. 21.

The victim, a San Juan Island, WA., resident, was climbing on Coleman Glacier Oct. 20 when he slipped and fell into a 65-70 foot crevasse at approximately 4 p.m.

His climbing partner lowered himself into the crevasse, administered basic first aid and placed the victim on a pad and inside a sleeping bag before climbing out of the crevasse and seeking help.

Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council (BMRC), a volunteer group of mountain SAR specialists, ascended Mount Baker and reached the victim on the glacier.

The victim was suffering from multiple fractures and lacerations. BMRC spent the night keeping the victim warm and making preparations to hoist the victim out of the crevasse to the surface of the glacier.

NASWI’s Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter launched at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 21 to assist the BMRC team with the rescue. The crew, aircraft commander, CDR Mark Nowicki, co-pilot, LCDR Todd Vorenkamp, crew chief, AW1 James Barrailler, rescue swimmer, AWCS Phillip Meyers and HM1 Class Greg Highfill, staged the helicopter in a landing zone at Mount Baker Vista after establishing communications with BMRC on the radio.

NASWI SAR Team rescues a San Juan Island resident from the Coleman Glacier area. Photo was taken by Roy Grossinger


Rotor Review # 95 Fall ‘06 28Rotor Review # 95 Fall ‘06 28

BMRC determined that bringing the helicopter over the scene with personnel down in the crevasse could be hazardous to the victim and rescuers due to overhanging ice and an unstable ice shelf. The SAR crew remained nearby until BMRC had extricated the injured climber and rescue team members from the crevasse.

At 11:35 a.m., the helicopter crew received the call from BMRC to proceed to the landing zone for pick up. The aircraft launched from the vista and proceeded the two miles to the glacier. After establishing the helicopter in a hover over the scene, Highfi ll donned his crampons and was

lowered to the team via the helicopter rescue hoist.

"After I got to the surface of the glacier, I found the terrain to be extremely steep and treacherous and the patient in bad shape," said Highfi ll.

Within 10 minutes, the climber was secured in the litter and ready for pickup. Highfi ll and the climber were then hoisted into the safety of the cabin and began the transit to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for further treatment.

Boeing’s Future of Flight Museum By LCDR Todd Vorenkamp, USN

Features: NASWI SAR Rescue


The simple fact that the Boeing Company funds and operates two large aviation museums in the Puget Sound area of Washington State shows that there is money to

be made in the aircraft manufacturing business.

I discussed Boeing’s world-class Museum of Flight in a previous issue of Rotor Review – that museum, centered around the historic “Red Barn” is a must-see destination for fans of aviation and aviation museums.

The Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour, in Everett, WA is Boeing’s newest tourist attraction. It appears that the Aviation Center was designed primarily as a staging facility for the Boeing factory tour of the Everett factory.

Aviation Center:

The facility is impressive and its design is modern and clean. You certainly get the impression that you are in a new museum. The downside of this newness is the fact that the Aviation Center is not as full of aircraft and displays as the average aviation museum enthusiast is accustomed to seeing. There are several aircraft suspended from the ceiling, notably a sexy Beech Starship, but on the main fl oor the attractions are aircraft

parts instead of whole planes. A Pratt & Whitney 777 engine stands ready to suck customers into its gaping intake. An entire 747 vertical tail rests on the fl oor. You can compare the construction of the Pan Am 707 fuselage to a cross section of the new 787 Dreamliner where you can see the simplicity and weight savings of carbon fi ber versus aluminum. An Eastern Airlines 727 nose rests at one end of the building. Strangely, the Boeing restoration people failed to accurately reproduce the font of the “EASTERN” logo and Eastern’s modern falcon trademark is printed backwards on the Whisperjet.

Personal computers are everywhere on the Center’s fl oor facilitating what Boeing deems a highlight of its center – the Airplane Design. The individual consoles allow participants to design their own Boeing airliner and later print their designs on paper, poster, or t-shirts in the museum store. Pretty cool, but your design options and livery choices are fairly limited.

This center also serves as a banquet facility for Boeing events – smart. If you purchase a premium automobile from a local dealership, you might expect special treatment when taking delivery. When you buy an airplane from the Boeing Company it is an understatement that you have made a significant fi nancial investment. Boeing thanks its customers by making every aircraft delivery an event. The Aviation Center is a great setting to facilitate the celebrations surrounding the delivery of a multi-million dollar airplane.

Boeing Tour:

This is the only opportunity for the general public to tour the Continued on page 29

Boeing’s Future of Flight MuseumMusuem Watch


Features: Airborne Use of Force Adds Some Bite

Airborne Use of Force Adds Some Bite to the LAMPS Bark

Story by LTJG Phil Hoblet, USN, LTJG Dave Calhoun, USN, and LTJG Andrew Watts, USNHSL-46 Detachment 3 “Disposable Heroes”

For years, one of the ”other” missions that HSL Detachments have been tasked with is drug interdiction. Called Counter Drug Operations or more recently, Counter Narco-Terrorism Operations, this mission involves a LAMPS Detachment with

an independent deployer off the Caribbean and the Pacific coasts of South and Central America. Along with the Coast Guard and allied nations, the Navy has been effective in stopping illegal narcotics from reaching their final destinations in the United States and Europe. However, the future promises increased effectiveness for this mission by adding a new tactic to the Navy’s arsenal, Airborne Use of Force (AUF).

Developed and employed successfully by the USCG Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON), AUF targets high-speed vessels suspected of carrying drugs. These vessels or Go Fasts are capable of speeds making them difficult, if not impossible, to stop using conventional means. With AUF, a helicopter-borne, Coast Guard sharpshooter, or Aerial Gunner (AG), uses a .50 caliber sniper rifle to disable the engines and stop the Go Fast.

Although still in the proof of concept stages, training for AUF is being conducted for LAMPS detachments slated for Counter Narco-Terrorism deployments. To date, HSL-60 Det 1, HSL-43 Det 4, and HSL-46 Det 3 have deployed with the capability to perform AUF. The purpose of this article is to expand on the training and employment tactics associated with this new mission.

AUF training consists of both classroom and flight instruction. Beginning with several days in the classroom, instruction focuses on the legal requirements, maneuvers, and tactics specific to the mission. Following classroom instruction, one flight at a firing range and three flights against a simulated Go Fast are required to complete the training. The range flight consists of the AG

firing at moving targets and exposes the aircrew to the rifle’s effects in the cockpit and cabin area. The other three events are flown against a simulated Go Fast with an emphasis on correct procedural knowledge as well as effective tactical maneuvering. Currently, on the East Coast, these flights take place over the St. John’s River against the HITRON’s Tactics Training Boat (TTB). The TTB is a cigarette-type boat very similar to a typical Go Fast vessel. Manned with a USCG crew experienced in maneuvering against helicopter

aircrews, it presents a formidable opponent in the simulated engagement

During a pilot’s first flight, the instructor

demonstrates the maneuvers and comms from the right seat with the student in the left. The second flight immerses the student into the task intensive mission by placing him in the right seat and requiring him to perform the maneuvers and comms. At the outset of the event, the Go Fast travels in a relatively straight line allowing the student to maintain a good firing position with minimal control inputs, but as the event progresses, the level of difficulty increases. A third, crew evaluation event pairs detachment personnel together


Despite the recent implementation of this tactic by the Navy, AUF has already been employed successfully by both HSL-60 Det 1 onboard USS John L Hall and HSL-43 Det 4 onboard USS Thach. This mission will undoubtedly produce victories for LAMPS and the Navy in America’s continuing war against illicit

drug trafficking and Counter-Narco Terrorism


for fi nal mission qualifi cation.

The entire engagement profi le is performed at altitudes of 50-75 ft and speeds from a hover to 50 kts, combinations consistently in the Avoid region of the SH-60B’s height-velocity diagram. With the pilot concentrating on maintaining position, the co-pilot ensuring that a safe altitude is maintained and torque limits are not exceeded, and the gunner constantly directing the pilot into position for a successful shot, it is as much a crew coordination drill as a drill in piloting skills. Additionally, the aircrews must be aware of the activity on the boat, ready for a “Suppress! Suppress! Suppress!” call if a ‘drugdrig smuggler’ trains a weapon toward the helo. This call causes suppressing fi re from the 7.62 mm maching gun and the .50 cal sniper rifl e and immediate departure by the pilots.

All of the training culminates in 4 stages of mission execution. The fi rst stage is the reconnaissance phase, the classic covert SSC/RMP/FLIR data collection drill

performed by countless past aircrews during CNT operations. However, with the implementation of AUF, the LAMPS role does not stop here. Once suffi cient data is gathered, a Statement of No Objection (SNO) is requested for warning shots and disabling fi re from the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S).), If granted, TACON shifts to the USCG for the engagement, andthe days of training pay off as the aircraft hails the vessel and moves into position for warning shots from the M240 or M-60. If the vessel chooseschoosed not to stop, the warning shots are fi red, followed closely by .50 caliber precision fi re into the Go Fast’sFasts engines until they are disabled.. All that is left at this point is to monitor and deter while USCG boarding teams execute the bust.

Despite the recent implementation of this tactic by the Navy, AUF has already been employed successfully by both HSL-60 Det 1 onboard USS John L Hall and HSL-43 Det 4 onboard USS Thach. This mission will undoubtedly produce victories for LAMPS and the Navy in America’s continuing war against illicit drug traffi cking and Counter-Narco Terrorism.


Features: Airborne Use of Force Adds Some Bite

Boeing aircraft factory.

The tour starts with a 15 minute video showing the current Boeing product line. [The fact that the Boeing video shows McDonnell Douglas, er…Boeing F-15 Eagles might be the subject of a soap box column in the future.] The coolest part of the video was the time-lapse footage of the complete assembly of a Boeing 777. Unfortunately, after the tour I was remembering the video as the highlight.

A bus ride across Paine Field takes you to the world’s largest building (square footage) adorned with the world’s largest mural – Guinness lists it at 100,000 square feet. This mural cost Boeing more than you think one could (or would) spend on a mural. Inside the factory are the 747, 767, 777, and 787 production lines. The tour takes you to a balcony overlooking the 777 and 787 lines. The 787 line is under assembly, but the 777s get built right before your eyes. We were told that no cameras are allowed in the factory. The guide told us that a tourist had dropped his camera from the balcony onto the wing of a 777 and did $250,000 worth of damage…to the plane. The camera was ok.

Boeing is currently tearing up the fl oor in the 777 and 787 production lines with plans to install a tug in the factory fl oor. This tractor will pull the new planes through the factory at a speed of 1.6 inches per minute. I was a bit perplexed as to how this is more cost effective than hooking a diesel tow tractor up to the aircraft every night and pulling it forward a few feet. I hope someone fi gured that out. Yet another loss for the tow tractor driver’s union.

I recommend giving the Boeing Future of Flight Museum a few more years to mature into what will probably be a more complete aviation experience. Right now, there are far too few planes on exhibit to make the trip worth the time and money. If you are in the area, be sure to combine this stop with the Boeing Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. The mockup of the 787 interior, the 747 tail, 777 engine, and other fl oor exhibits are interesting, but the museum needs to fi ll the open spaces a bit more with some planes! The factory tour is a bit sterile and short for my tastes. I would have preferred to walk around the fl oor and see more than a balcony between two production lines allows you to see. An unscientifi c observation of the crowd showed that my disappointment in the experience was not echoed amongst the tourists who seemed enthralled by their tour.

http://www.futureoffl ight.org/index.html


Musuem Watch


Ind

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First Romeo helicopter flight trainer deliveredStory By Rob Koon, NAVAIR Public Affairs

The MH-60R operational flight trainer undergoes a series of operational test. Photo courtesy of NAVAIR Public Affairs

The first MH-60R Seahawk helicopter Tactical Operational Flight Trainer was recently delivered to the “Seahawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike

Squadron Four One (HSM-41), the West Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) at Naval Air Station North Island, CA., after an aggressive 41-month design, build, and test schedule. “The trainer will benefit the Fleet by providing a very realistic training environment in which aircrews will be able to train for almost all facets of flight experience,” said LT Brandon Youngstrom, HSM-41 Romeo Training Officer. “It allows instructors to go over everything from basic flight maneuvers and emergency procedures to advanced radio communications and mission scenarios.” “The trainer will improve the efficiency of the war fighter by allowing them to practice and perfect skills required in difficult or overwhelming tactical situations. The working relationship with Manned Flight Simulator (MFS) has been great. Since they (MFS) are a government agency with experienced personnel, it’s very easy to explain what’s needed and what has to be done to improve the fidelity of the trainer. Manned Flight then takes care of the rest,” added Youngstrom. Manned Flight Simulator (MFS) recently completed this three year project developing this prototype trainer. It is the

first of three being developed by MFS to support HSM-41, who received the first deployed MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter (MMH), also known as the Romeo. The Navy is presently consolidating six of their H-60 series helicopters into two platforms, the MH-60R and the MH-60S. “The Romeo is the next generation submarine hunter and surface attack maritime dominance helicopter. It will provide the warfighter with state-of-the-art avionics and a combination of capabilities greatly surpassing previous Navy helicopters,” said CDR Ed Balaton, the H-60 Romeo training systems program manager. “The Romeo flight trainer actually consists of two separate trainers that can be combined together. The first trainer is the Operational Flight Trainer (OFT), which contains the high-fidelity cockpit for training the pilot and the Airborne Tactics Officer (ATO). The second trainer is the Weapons Tactics Trainer (WTT), which contains a high fidelity Sensor Operator (SO) station and a partial ATO station. The OFT and WTT can be used individually for simultaneous training or combined for multi-crew training,” added Balaton. “These flight trainers allow HSM-41 to train in the virtual world on aircraft systems and sub-systems, currently



fl ight simulation devices and Fleet training devices to signifi cantly reduce cost and schedule to the program offi ce for the RDT&E and Fleet simulation devices. One of the highlights of the MH-60R TOFT project was the collaboration between the TOFT and the MFS MMH simulator, a Test & Evaluation simulator at Manned Flight,” said Chris Sweeney, the Romeo fl ight trainer program manager at MFS.

“The TOFT was able to provide information to and utilize software from the MMH MH-60R/S T&E lab trainer. This synergy allowed TOFT software developers to test initial models on the MMH to ease the development crunch on the TOFT itself. The TOFT team used lessons learned the MMH team garnered from integrating new deliveries of the aircraft’s operational program running on the mission computer, fl ight management computer, and airborne fl ight control computer,” said Sweeney.

“The H-60 program offi ce was able to purchase or use systems from the MH-60R TOFT, such as the Multi-Mode Radar system, the acoustic stimulator, the FLIR system, Integrated Self-Defense, Electronic Surveillance Measures, and weapons systems and navigation systems at greatly reduced costs and integration time. Utilizing these resources and collaborating with similar programs helped to save the Navy, both the training community and the T&E community, millions of dollars of cost and schedule,” said Sweeney.

NAVAIR’s Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department’s (IBST) Aircraft Simulation Division in conjunction with the Flight Vehicle Modeling and Simulation Branch form the Manned Flight Simulator Facility (MFS). MFS develops, operates and maintains a real-time, hardware-in-the-loop, pilot-in-the-loop fl ight simulation laboratory; employing both high and low fi delity simulated aircraft crew-stations, which provides a synthetic environment capable of supporting fl ying qua l i t i es and performance evaluations,

aircraft fl ight test, installed systems test, avionics integration and test. MFS also develops prototype training simulation devices for the Fleet.

aircraft fl ight test, installed

unfamiliar to anyone in the Fleet. Training on these simulators will benefi t the Fleet in several ways. For example, losing an engine at altitude can result in a power off autorotation to the ground, which is workload intensive for the pilot and requires a set of specifi c skills to successfully land,” said Balaton.

“The autorotations can be practiced many times in simulation allowing the pilot to polish skills that can potentially save the crew’s lives if it happened in the real aircraft. Simulators add hours to the life of an aircraft by allowing the aircraft to be used for its primary maritime-dominance warfi ghting task, rather than training crewmembers. Simulators allow pilots and aircrew to more effi ciently use fl ight time by fully immersing them in the trainer aircraft systems prior to actual fl ight,” continued Balaton.

“Delivering a trainer to a program of this magnitude and program phase contained challenges and “opportunities to excel” for MFS. MFS formed a highly effective team with the Aviation Training Systems program offi ce (PMA205), NAVAIR Orlando Training System Division, and Navy Fleet personnel,” said Capt. Randy Black, the aviation training systems program manager. “PMA205 provided program direction, coordination, and management support, and a conduit to PMA299, the MH-60R aircraft program offi ce. NAVAIR Orlando supplied systems engineering support and logistics expertise to ensure that the trainer was maintainable and supportable.”

“Navy Fleet personnel included pilots and aircrew from VX-1, HX-21, and HSM-41 in order to provide immediate feedback during simulator development and test phases. Due to the complexity and development of the Romeo aircraft during various stages of the project, the MH-60R TOFT project required engineers and programmers to be fl exible and accommodating to performance the software changes in the aircraft, one of the hallmarks of MFS over its 20 year history,” added Black.

“MFS leverages simulation solutions to/from the Research and Development Test and Evaluation (RDT&E)

Industry: First MH-60R Flight Trainer



Enhanced Fire Scout Makes Flight DebutPress Released by NAVAIR

Fire Scout MQ-8B UAV makes fi rst fl ight on 18 December 2006 in St. Inigoes, Maryland.Photo Courtesy by NAVAIR

The U.S. Navy’s MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle made its fi rst fl ight this week, at the Webster Field annex of Patuxent River Naval Air Station, in

St. Inigoes, Maryland.

The Navy’s vertical takeoff and landing tactical UAV (VTUAV) system was originally dubbed the RQ-8A, but during the summer of 2005, was re-designated to the MQ-8B to refl ect the Fire Scout’s evolution toward an increased, multi-functional role. The test events described here mark the fi rst fl ight of the enhanced variant.

During fl ight test, three events were conducted and executed as planned. Flight test one was a test of the command for launch abort functionality, calling for the operator to command a launch and immediately command an abort. This test ensured that the control logic would hold the aircraft on deck if it had not yet taken off.

Flight test two was a test of the same system after takeoff had commenced. It called for the operator to issue the launch command then issue an abort command immediately after takeoff.

The third fl ight test focused primarily on safety. Fire Scout developers have determined that when the aircraft is below ten feet, it is safest to return immediately to the deck. If the aircraft is higher than ten feet, it should continue up to a “perch” altitude of thirty feet, and await further commands. Flight test three confi rmed this functionality, as the air vehicle properly ignored an abort command above ten feet

and continued to the perch position. The aircraft was then allowed to hover for 12 minutes as telemetry data was recorded. Upon issuance of the land command, the aircraft executed an uneventful landing back to the launch spot.

“We are very proud of our efforts leading up to this important milestone for the program,” said CDR Rob Murphy, the VTUAV team lead. “We had an aggressive schedule, and the integrated team really pulled together to make it happen on time.”

Some of the most notable improvements seen with the MQ variant of the Fire Scout include increased power, fuel, and payload capacity. Additionally, the MQ-8B offers more than double the mission radius and time on station than the previous version of VTUAV.

The Fire Scout UAV program strives to provide safe, reliable, repeatable, autonomous fl ight operations in a maritime environment from all air capable ships. When operational, Fire Scout will provide critical situational awareness, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting data to the forward-deployed warfi ghter. The program is on schedule for fl eet introduction in FY 08, with full rate production in FY 09 following successful operational evaluation.

The Fire Scout UAV is manufactured by Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems, and the program is managed by the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Air Systems program offi ce, PMA 263.

Industry: Fire Scout Makes A Flight Debut


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E-mail: [email protected]: John Piacentino (631) 549-6067 • www.telephonics.com

TruLinkTM provides a wireless connection to any aircraft intercom system, allowing full-duplex, hands-free team conversation. This team communication provides better situational awareness, which is why the Army, Navy and Marine Corps chose TruLink for CH-46, C-2, Army MEDEVAC and Navy Air Ambulance.

Our Naval aviation teams deserve an edge – TruLink delivers it.

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TruLinkTMkk provides a wireless connection to any aircraft intercom system, allowingfull-duplex, hands-free team conversation. This team communication providesbetter situational awareness, which is why the Army, Navy and Marine Corpschose TruLink for CH-46, C-2, Army MEDEVAC and Navy Air Ambulance.


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00U.S. Navy Photo

When you need to move C-2s on deck.Direct CH-46 resupply, position

Air Ambulance...

33950 full pg. Rotor Review bleed included for pdf.ai 2/28/2006 8:58:27 AM

His

tor

ica

lI Taught An Angel To Fly

By Thomas E. Zinn, CDR, USNR (Ret.)

In February of 1962 I was a junior Navy Lieutenant. Helicopter Utility Squadron 2 (HU-2) assigned me as Officer-In-Charge (O-

in-C) of a small detachment of one H-25 helicopter, one junior officer and 12 enlisted men to support the helicopter. This helicopter was also known as a HUP and universally nicknamed the “helo.” Although I had served aboard many carriers as a detachment assistant O-in-C, HU-2 was “trying me out” as a detachment O-in-C on an aircraft carrier which specialized in chasing submarines – in this

case, the USS Wasp. My junior officer was Lieutenant Junior Grade Mike Lovas and my senior first class petty officer was AD1 Powell. The ship was supposed to chase Russian submarines coming down the slots between Scotland and Iceland, and Iceland and Greenland. The Air Boss advised us that the seas and winds were predicted to be very high; therefore, the H-25 would be stored on the hanger deck while at sea, and used extensively when the ship was in port. My crew was going crazy with boredom during the first week at sea, and getting into minor trouble. Loves, Powell and I agreed that HU-2 had issued our detachment the dirtiest, most beat-up helicopter in the fleet. To occupy our crew, we would fix it up and make it the best looking helicopter in the fleet. So during all the sea periods our crew brought that helicopter back into factory condition, even steam cleaned the engine and waxed under the floorboards. As a final touch we gave the helicopter a new paint job which covered the ugly grey with a beautiful royal blue color. The crew became very proud of that H-25; some even slept in it during the night. The admiral aboard (Admiral Buie) was so impressed that he often commandeered the helicopter for his own use. When not being used by the admiral, the ship’s XO (CDR. “Zeke” Cormier) wanted the use of it. That’s when the fun began.

The first day in port in England CDR Cormier came walking toward the helo. He was dressed in a dark green flight suite, carrying a helmet with an oxygen mask attached, and wearing a parachute harness. We politely advised him that - since we flew at 500 feet most of the time - we had no use for oxygen, and also carried no parachutes. He asked how we bailed out, and we said, “We don’t.”

After Powell strapped him in the co-pilot’s seat, I started and engaged the helo. I lifted gently off the deck and flew along the south coast of England. I said, “Do you just want me to fly you around?” He replied, “Oh, no. I want to learn to fly it. I want to get a helicopter rating on my commercial pilot license.” I said, “Well, this helicopter is dynamically

unstable, with no auto-pilot, so you have to fly it every second. You can’t take your hands or feet off the controls, and the faster you fly the more rudder pressure you need. And when the cyclic control stick has no pressure on it, that means it is going to go where it wants to go.” He chuckled and said, “All right, I think I got it.” I held the cyclic stick loosely, and then told him to take hold of it and put his feet on the rudders. He scooted forward on the seat, put his feet on the rudders and gripped the stick about a foot from the top, using only his thumb and two fingers, his wrist braced against his right thigh. I was expecting him to over-control as most people did, but he immediately began to fly a constant heading at 500 feet at 60 knots. I was astounded! I said, “Are you sure you have never flown a helicopter?” He said, “That’s right. Why do you ask?” “Well, for a first-time helicopter pilot, you are the best I have ever seen.” He gave me a semi-serious look. “Do you know who I am?” “Yes, you are the XO of the Wasp.” “Is that all you know about me?” “Yes, sir.” “Tom, I am an A4D pilot and have had two tours in the Blue Angels. If I can’t fly this pea-shooter, I’m going to turn in my wings.” I laughed and said, “Well, you don’t need me then.” I pushed my seat back and took my hand away from the cyclic, but hung onto the collective. He called, “Get back up here. I’m not that good; so if I get in trouble, take over!” Every time we were in port, the XO flew with me for hour after hour. Each time he got better. I had him starting the engine and engaging the rotors on the second hour. Within another hour I gave him control of the collective, but still had my hand loosely around it. Within several more hours I was just sitting and monitoring his flight as he went where he wanted to go around Plymouth, South Hampton, Portsmouth, Prestwick AFB, Greenock, Rotterdam, Kiel and Oslo. We were always close enough to the ship for radio

communications, and only once above 500 feet. We had no navigation aids and I wanted to get him used to navigating by local maps. One day we took off from Plymouth and flew west and around Lands End to St. Mawgan AFB. He needed to contact the Wasp, so we had to climb to 10,000 feet to get a “line of sight” which allowed

My crew was going crazy with boredom during the first week at sea, and getting into minor

trouble. Loves, Powell and I agreed that HU-2 had issued our detachment the dirtiest, most

beat-up helicopter in the fleet.



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01 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

E-mail: [email protected]: John Piacentino (631) 549-6067 • www.telephonics.com

TruLinkTM provides a wireless connection to any aircraft intercom system, allowing full-duplex, hands-free team conversation. This team communication provides better situational awareness, which is why the Army, Navy and Marine Corps chose TruLink for CH-46, C-2, Army MEDEVAC and Navy Air Ambulance.


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TruLinkTMkk provides a wireless connection to any aircraft intercom system, allowingfull-duplex, hands-free team conversation. This team communication providesbetter situational awareness, which is why the Army, Navy and Marine Corpschose TruLink for CH-46, C-2, Army MEDEVAC and Navy Air Ambulance.


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When you need to move C-2s on deck.Direct CH-46 resupply, position

Air Ambulance...

33950 full pg. Rotor Review bleed included for pdf.ai 2/28/2006 8:58:27 AM

Rotor Review # 95 Fall ‘06 36For further information on the 2007 NHA Symposium, the Naval Helicopter Association’s national headquarters is located in Bldg 654, Rogers Rd, North Island, San Diego, CA. To contact NHA, please call 619.435, or by fax 619.435. 7354, by website: www.navalhelicopterassn.org or by email at [email protected]


* Registration form and 2007 Symposium schedule is on pages 38-39

© N

aval Helicopter A

ssociation


Date: _________________

2007 Naval Helicopter Association Symposium RegistrationPre-registration Deadlines: Mail-in (26 March 2007) Electronic: (30 March 2007)

Name/Rank ______________________________________Command______________________

Address: ________________________________________Ph #___________________________

City: ________________________________ State: ________ Zip____________

Email: ___________________________________________________ (Receipt confi rmation)

NHA Membership (Annual Dues) 1yr $25.00 3yr $70.00 5yr $110.00Nugget Membership 2yr $25.00 (open to O-1/O-2 on fi rst tour)

Associate Membership E-9 and below 1 yr $10.00International (1 yr only) $50.00 Canada (1yr only) $35.00Total Enclosed: $ _____________

EVENT # of Tickets COST TOTALRegistration Fee (Non NHA-members only) _______ $50.00 __________Trustee’s Luncheon Meeting (Private) _______ $25.00 __________Members Reunion _______ $10.00 __________Awards Luncheon _______ $30.00 __________Aircrew Competition _______ $15.00 __________10K Fun Run _______ $10.00 __________Spouses Luncheon _______ $30.00 __________Golf Tournament (includes BBQ) _______ $70.00 __________Sports BBQ (children under 12 free) _______ $20.00 __________NHA Scholarship Donation $_________

Check enclosed # _________________

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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____________

10K Run_____________________________________________ M/F__________

Aircrew Competition Team Name _________________________________Individual Names: (ALL participants must register individually)1.______________ __________________ 3___ ________________________ ALT.___________________________2.____________ ____________________ 4.__________________________

TOWN & COUNTRY HOTEL Reservations (800) 772-8527Please reference NHA Symposium for special rate

Mail to:NHA, P. O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578Tel: (619) 435-7139, Fax: (619) 435-7354 E-mail: [email protected]


Date: _________________

2007 Naval Helicopter Association Symposium RegistrationPre-registration Deadlines: Mail-in (26 March 2007) Electronic: (30 March 2007)

Name/Rank ______________________________________Command______________________

Address: ________________________________________Ph #___________________________

City: ________________________________ State: ________ Zip____________

Email: ___________________________________________________ (Receipt confi rmation)

NHA Membership (Annual Dues) 1yr $25.00 3yr $70.00 5yr $110.00Nugget Membership 2yr $25.00 (open to O-1/O-2 on fi rst tour)

Associate Membership E-9 and below 1 yr $10.00International (1 yr only) $50.00 Canada (1yr only) $35.00Total Enclosed: $ _____________

EVENT # of Tickets COST TOTALRegistration Fee (Non NHA-members only) _______ $50.00 __________Trustee’s Luncheon Meeting (Private) _______ $25.00 __________Members Reunion _______ $10.00 __________Awards Luncheon _______ $30.00 __________Aircrew Competition _______ $15.00 __________10K Fun Run _______ $10.00 __________Spouses Luncheon _______ $30.00 __________Golf Tournament (includes BBQ) _______ $70.00 __________Sports BBQ (children under 12 free) _______ $20.00 __________NHA Scholarship Donation $_________

Check enclosed # _________________

Charge Card (MC/Visa) # ______________________________________________Exp Date:___________Billing Address/ Zip _____________________________________________________ (If different from above)

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____________

10K Run_____________________________________________ M/F__________

Aircrew Competition Team Name _________________________________Individual Names: (ALL participants must register individually)1.______________ __________________ 3___ ________________________ ALT.___________________________2.____________ ____________________ 4.__________________________

TOWN & COUNTRY HOTEL Reservations (800) 772-8527Please reference NHA Symposium for special rate

Naval Helicopter AssociationSymposium 2007San Diego, CA

All events are at the Town & Country Hotel unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, 10 April0730 NHA Offi ce - Expo Offi ce0800 Registration Opens- Grand Exhibit Hall Lobby1130 Exhibit Set-up- Grand Exhibit Hall1130 Trustee Luncheon/Meeting- Sunrise Room1400 Directors’ Meeting- Sunrise Room1700 Members’ Reunion, Admiral Kidd

Wednesday, 11 April 0700 Registration Open-Grand Exhibit Hall Lobby0730 VIP Hospitality Room- Terrace Salon One0800 General Members Meeting- California Room0830 Opening Ceremonies / Keynote Address- California Room1000-1100 Safety Symposium- California Room1130 Awards’ Luncheon- Golden West Room 1530-1530 PMA-299 Workshop- California Room1530-1600 CONOPS Workshop- California Room1600 Team Seahawk Reception- Grand Exhibit Hall

Thursday, 12 April 0730 VIP Hospitality Room- Terrace Salon One0730 Registration Opens- Grand Exhibit Hall Lobby0700 Aircrew Competition, Breaker’s Beach0900 10K Run- Coronado Centennial Park1100-1100 Current Fleet Helo Ops Workshop- California Room1100 Spouses Luncheon- Coronado Cays Y.C.1300 Golf Tournament, Eastlake CC1700 Sports Barbecue- Eastlake CC

Friday, 13 April0730 VIP Hospitality Room- Terrace Salon One0730 Registration- Grand Exhibit Hall Lobby0730-0900 Enlisted Panel Workshop- San Diego Room0730-1000 Detailer’s Brief & IA Brief- California Room1000 Captains of Industry Panel- California Room1200 VIP Lunch- Sunrise Room 1200 Naval Hawk Light Lunch- Grand Exhibit Hall1330 Flag Panel- California Room1500 Salute to Industry Reception- Grand Exhibit Hall1800 Exhibit Hall Tear down

Exhibit HoursWed 0700-0800 1000-1800 Thurs 0730-1800 Fri 0730-1000 1130-1330 1500-1800


Order Now by mail: P.O. Box 180578Coronado, CA 92178 - 1578

(619) [email protected]


us to contact the ship with our UHF radio. Those wooden blades were fl opping and popping so much that the HUP was shaking like it was going to come apart. When his contact with the ship was over, we got down in a hurry. He said, “I’ve never been so afraid in my life! We’ll not go above 500 feet again.” We refueled at the AFB, then proceeded up the west coast of Wales, then east to the Taw River. We fl ew south down the river, with about 30 knots of headwind. Since we always fl ew at 60 knots indicated air speed, we were making all of 30 knots over the ground. The wind was also causing us to soar like a bird riding the currents up and down. We came back to the coast at Exeter, then over to the Wasp docked at Plymouth. It was a beautiful fl ight on a beautiful day.

He was getting so good at fl ying under normal conditions that we got into practicing auto-rotations to a spot, and fl ight without the boost – usually out in isolated fi elds in southern England.

Soon we left England and docked at Rotterdam. I had just come back from taking Admiral Buie on a sight-seeing trip around the dike system of Holland. We had no heater in the H-25, and it was so cold that our hands and nose were almost frozen. While down in the admiral’s quarters having some warming coffee, CDR Cormier entered. He joined us, and asked the admiral if he were done with me for the day. CDR Cormier wanted to fl y around Rotterdam also. We went back to the fl ight deck. The crew had refueled the helo and had it ready to go. We bundled up as best we could and took off for a leisurely tour of the city.

By this time he had become an excellent helicopter pilot, so there was only one thing left for him to try. I had been stressing routes of fl ight so that he could land safely in the event of an emergency. The Wasp was docked at Rotterdam and the dock was very crowded with all kinds of equipment

and supplies. There was work being done on the hanger deck and all of the aircraft were on the fl ight deck. The only spot available for the helo to operate was on the starboard side, just forward of the superstructure. When we were getting near the ship for landing I told CDR Cormier that if he could fi gure out how to land the helo under these conditions I would sign him off as safe for solo. He circled slowly near the starboard side of the ship, and looked over the area closely. He said, “The wind is from the starboard side, but I can’t come up the dock because if I lose the engine, I’ll crash in all that equipment. I can’t come perpendicular to the dock and over the fl ight deck because I’ll have to come over those warehouses with the pointed roofs, then over the aircraft. I can’t come up the fl ight deck because of all the planes on the deck.” He thought for several minutes then said, “I don’t have the experience to know how to get into our landing spot, pointed into this strong wind.” I chuckled, “Well, why don’t you back it in?”

“Back it in? Back it in? I’d never have thought of that! Tell me how to do it.”

After I explained how, he said, “Oh, man! This is going to be fun!” Grinning all the way he slowly backed up, and soon he was safely chained down on the deck. LCDR Jensen who was in charge of the fl ight deck came running over to my side of the helo and yelled, “Who made that terrible approach?” I pointed my fi nger toward the XO and said, “He did!” Jensen looked over to see CDR Cormier at the controls and exclaimed, “Nice approach, sir!” Cormier replied, “You’d better say, ‘Nice approach!’”

He made the approach so well that I signed him off. I heard later that he got the helicopter rating put on his commercial license. That’s how I taught an angel to fl y. TEZ

Historical: I Taught An Angel To Fly


A “Hairy” RescueStory and Photos by LCDR Earl “ Bergy” Bergsma, USN (Ret) Helicopter Pilot #240

March 31, 1951, I was aboard USS St. Paul (CA-73) at anchor in Wonsan Harbor, North Korea. It snowed during the night and a gusting 40 knots

wind was blowing from the southwest. At 0500, I was awakened and told to be at a conference in the Admiral’s cabin at 0730 for a briefing regarding a helicopter rescue mission that had been going through planning stages throughout the night. Present at the briefing were LT Whitaker and LTJG Thornton from Helicopter Squadron Two (HU-2) Lakehurst, N.J., aboard LST 799, LT Felten HU-2, aboard LST Q-012, and Chief Jenks “Aviation Pilot” and myself from HU-1 San Diego, CA with the USS St. Paul. The mission involved an attempt to rescue four U.S. Army Rangers and twenty South Korean R.O.K.’s, who were surrounded at a location 38 miles south and 20 miles west (inland) from Wonsan Harbor. Felten, Thornton, and I were scheduled to fly the mission in our HO3S Sikorsky Helicopters.

We were expected to rendezvous with an Air Force C-47 at a point 38 miles from the St. Paul and then follow the C-47 to the spot where the rescue was to be attempted. While still on the St. Paul deck I discovered that our helicopter was the only one with a radio that could communicate with the C-47. So I was told to monitor the C-47 radio frequency until we intercepted them. Once I had established radio contact with the C-47, I was expected to switch channels and relay the C-47 messages to the other two helicopters. All three helicopters were expected to monitor guard but not communicate on this common frequency unless an emergency ensued. The enemy was known to monitor the guard channel around the clock and we didn’t want them to know anything about our rescue mission.

I briefed the other two pilots by radio as best I could, while we were still on our separate flight decks. Through our radio conversations, I discovered that I was the only one with a map of the area where the pickup was to be attempted. “The blind were truly leading the blind that day!”

We were finally notified that we could expect a 0900 takeoff. Before we left, I suggested to the ship that it should get underway, and head south so that they would be closer to us for our return trip. The closer they got to us the longer we could remain on target. The ship accepted my idea, and we got underway on a southerly course.

Since we were so heavy with fuel and since we had to pick up so many at the rescue site it was decided that each pilot would fly alone, without the help of a hoist operator. The pilot had hoist switches on his flight controls and could operate the hoist from the cockpit. The H03S was tail heavy when only one person was in the cockpit. Most pilots flew with a fifty-pound sandbag in the nose. Due to my large size, I did not, but as a precaution I carried a five-gallon can of water up in the nose section of the chopper.

We got airborne promptly at 0900, and shortly thereafter, we joined up with the C-47, which was accompanied by two F4U Corsair fighters. As we turned 90 degrees to the right to proceed inland, I was happy to notice the St. Paul heading south at flank speed was only about 15 miles behind us. The 40 mph headwind prevented our getting much forward ground speed since our cruising speed was only 65 mph. Looking back later in the day, I realized we probably should have stayed aboard the St. Paul until it reached the

CDR Amos Hathway, St. Paul’s Executive Officer interviews the rescued Rangers. Notice the blood streaked bullet crease on the Ranger’s cheek.

Historical: A “Hairy” Rescue


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rendezvous point, because we didn’t make much headway flying against the wind. The ship was almost able to keep up with us as we flew toward the C-47.

I was told over the radio that the C-47 had radio contact with the Army Rangers, who were communicating with them through their walkie-talkie radio. I was informed that the Rangers had laid out an orange colored panel at their site. In turn, I relayed this information to the other choppers.

Thornton spotted the Ranger first and immediately started an approach to their location. The Rangers were located in a Korean graveyard, which was on top of a 2,500 feet mountain. Thornton tried to land his helo in a gravesite clearing but upon setting his helicopter down, his left wheel rested on a loose pile of rocks that covered a grave. The rocks gave way suddenly causing his helicopter to tip over. When the rotor blades contacted the ground, the helo cartwheeled and rolled down the mountainside. The stricken helicopter finally came to rest in some trees about 45 feet below the gravesite. The aircraft burned for a while, but then went out. Fortunately, Thornton was uninjured, so it became my turn to work at rescuing those on the ground. I tried to hover on the outer edge of the gravesite, but as I did I caught a glimpse of tracer machine gun fire coming from the base of the mountain. I moved away from this dangerous area and searched for a safer place to effect the rescue. The next spot I chose proved to be unsatisfactory, because the wind currents coming over the top of the mountain were so strong that holding the helicopter in a steady hover became impossible. Then Felten made an approach to another site, and was able to hook his hoist cable to one of the Rangers. I noticed that his passenger was not being hoisted aboard, but was just hanging from the end of the cable. Felten told me by radio that “my hoist cable has gone out all the way, and it won’t rewind. The cable is spliced looped around the spindle, and the spindle just twirled inside of the loop. “What should I do?”

I told him to keep the Ranger in the horse collar, fly to a deserted area, ease the suspended man to the ground, land and have him throw the loose cable in the back seat – and get the hell out of there!

Then I picked a different area for an approach and brought the helicopter to a hover. Thornton, meanwhile, had taken the horse collar out of his wrecked helicopter, and had placed it around one of the soldiers waiting to be picked up. When I lowered my sling to the ground, Thornton took my sling off its pelican hook, and got the soldier hooked up with the sling from his crashed aircraft. I then hoisted the soldier aboard my aircraft.

I lowered my sling for the second time and motioned for Thornton to get aboard; however, he already had another soldier rigged in a sling and sent him up the hoist instead. This second soldier caught a bullet graze on his cheek as he came up the hoist.

Next, I moved away from my hoist location. I then handed the five-gallon can of water to one of the soldiers and told him to throw it overboard. “No,” he yelled. “Napalm...we’ll throw it on the enemy.” “It’s water, dump it,” I yelled back.

I thought that after getting rid of that 40 pounds of water, perhaps I might be able to make a third pick up. Again, I went into a hover over Thornton. I had applied maximum revolutions per minute to the rotors and my collective pitch (which controls the angle of the rotor blades) was as high as it would go. Thornton shook his head with a “No,” and waived me off, so I headed back to the ship.

On the way back to the St. Paul, one of the soldiers told me that the remaining soldiers had only 45 caliber pistols and they were low on ammunition. I radioed this information to the ship and suggested that they break out some carbines to be flown on the second flight to the men waiting for a rescue.

Aboard ship the hoist was repaired on Felten’s aircraft and, when both helicopters had been refueled, they took off again for the rescue site. Whitaker switched places with Felten,




Earl “Bergy” Bergsma, LCDR, USN (Ret), ex HU-1 (and HU-2, later) my HO3S Helo, on an Arctic Icebreaker Cruise, June 1950 at Will Roger/Wiley

Post monument, Pt. Barrow, Alaska.

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and Jenks took my seat. Jenks carried a load of carbines and ammunition with him to be dropped at the rescue site. Since the C-47 had remained on station while we had flown back to the ship, it was able to direct the two returning helicopters to the site.

Whitaker spotted the crashed helicopter and made an approach to a hover. He said that he saw many soldiers crawling over the wrecked chopper, and he assumed that they were friendlies. They were not! As soon as the enemy soldiers became aware of the approaching chopper, they started shooting “from the hip” at it. Whitaker said later that if they had really aimed their weapons, he would have been a “dead duck.” He immediately pulled up and away from that site. He radioed to Jenks not to make an approach, because it appeared that there was no “friendlies” left to rescue, so they both returned to their ships.

A critique with all concerned parties made after the rescue, plus a statement from Thornton years later, (after spending three years in prisoner of war camps) shed light on the entire story. Four U.S. Army enlisted Rangers, plus twenty South Koreans (clothed in North Korean uniforms) parachuted at night into North Korea. Their mission was to blow up bridges and tunnels, and then walk back south into South Korea through enemy lines. Their equipment consisted of backpacks of explosives, a 45-caliber pistol for each man and one portable radio for the group. They were to be assisted by South Korean (underground) agents in their efforts. The

parachute drop zone was miscalculated and the group landed right in the middle of a North Korean/Chinese marshalling area. Many railroads and highways were junctioned near their landing site and the underground reported that there were some ten thousand troops commanded by a Chinese General Officer in the immediate area. The planned sabotage mission had to be scrapped. Now their main concern was escape.

A C-47 flew over them periodically, and contacted them as to their whereabouts. During the nights, underground agents provided food and guided them out of this hostile area. While the soldiers “holed up” during the days. For three nights, they made the arduous trek across the mountains. When it snowed on the night of March 30th, the underground agent traveling with the troops reasoned that the enemy troops might follow his snow tracks the next morning. He assumed correctly for they were soon within firing range of the entrenched soldiers. The Rangers then radioed for immediate help.

First, the Army contacted the carrier task force, which was operating off the east coast of Korea. The carrier said, “No, it is a suicide mission.” Then the St. Paul was contacted. Our Cruiser Admiral was not as protective of his aviators as a Carrier Admiral might be, so we were told to do it.

We were informed that in addition to the two F-4U Corsairs, which escorted us to the site, there were six F9F Panther jets, six South African P-51 Mustangs that were bombing, rocketing, napalming, and strafing the surrounding areas; in the middle of which we were to do our pick-ups. We were aware that there was one hell of battle going on, but we were oblivious as to the enormity of it all.

When Felten’s hoist would not rewind, he flew twenty miles to the beach before he was able to land. We had to fly to and from the site at 6,000 feet, because of high mountains, along our flight path. Visualize if you will, that poor soldier dangling like a pendulum 75 feet beneath the chopper. Temperatures that day were in the freezing range; and with a horse collar strap around his back and under his armpits, he managed to hang on for twenty miserable miles!



Rogers and Post were attempting (in 1935) to be the first around the world flight in a single engine double float plane. Overloaded, they couldn’t get airborne off a small lake at Pt.

Barrow. They plowed into the beach and were killed.

90-year old Robert Felten, LCDR, USN (Ret), ex HU-2, CDR H.K. Croeber (current C.O. of HC-2), and the memorial on the hanger door of HC-2 (formerly HU-2), NAS Norfolk, VA.


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That should have been bad enough, but during the 20-mile flight, Felten said that he thought that the chopper was going to roll over every time the pendulum reached the outer limits of its swing. If you consider the 40 knots of gusting wind that was bouncing the helicopter around you can appreciate the old adage, which says, “Chopper pilots sometimes need an extra arm and leg in order to fly those birds.”

It appears that the second flight of helicopters failed to locate the Ranger, Thornton, and South Korean soldiers, because they had moved to another mountain about a half mile away. Their radio had been smashed during their evacuation, and they did not dare to display their panel because they were at a lower altitude and could be seen from the crash site. Eventually, they were captured. Thornton and the Ranger survived three years in prisoner of war camps, but the South Korean soldiers were shot on the spot as spies.

This year, 2006, Bob Felten and I are the only pilots from that rescue who are still alive.



In Memory

Earl “Bergy” BergsmaLCDR, U.S. Navy (Retired)

May 5, 1924 - Dec. 18, 2006

In Memory

Earl “Bergy” Bergsma passed away on December 18, 2006 due to a fatal accident. He was 92 years old. He is survived by his wife Christina (Simpson) Bergsma, his children Judith Bergsma-Simper and Clifford Bergsma, stepchildren Peggy Douglas and Peter Spielmann, and his grandchildren Steven Bergsma, Laura Thornton, and Ashley Douglas.

Bergy was raised in Rock Valley, Iowa, after his parents, William and Marie Bergsma, lost their farm in the Depression. His mischievous side confessing to being in on the “dropping of watermelons down the train’s smoke stack from a viaduct” geared him in practicing for future bombing raids. Sworn that he would never become a “Plow Jockey,” he headed to Chicago worked the factory at age 17. Later, he joined the Navy, and had the opportunity to have flight training and earn his wings as a Navy Pilot. Bergy was commissioned as an Ensign in 1944.

He was one of the pioneer helicopter pilots and helped establish the helicopter as a rescue craft recovering those pilots who had survived crash landings at sea and in enemy territory. He is credited for the rescue and recovery of two pilots and two rangers (which was explained in this article A Hairy Rescue); and with 63 combat mission and nearly 200 flight time during the Korean War.

Bergy was a true American Hero, a tough guy from the “John Wayne” mold, whose booming voice and stature made him a natural leader and people-person. He retired from Navy in 1963 as a LCDR and reinvented himself as real estate salesman with Boise Cascade, selling land in California. He wrote hs autobiography, Chopper Pilots is the Craziest People and many other article by his life in Iowa and as a helicopter pilot. He was the happiest when standing before an audience telling his stories. He will be missed by all that knew him and his legacy.



17th Annual NHA Fleet Fly-In ConcludesStory By LT Ricke Harris, USN, HT-18 Photos Taken By LTJG David Stark, USN, and ENS. Joseph Pruce, USN

Although Friday morning, Oct. 27, 2007 began with dark clouds and torrents of rain, the weather in no way put a damper on the high spirits and excitement of the fl ight

students of NAS Whiting Field as they prepared to get back to doing what they do best - training to fl y.

For the past week, a different type of training was going on. Fleet aircraft from all of the sea services fl ew in from around the country to take part in the Naval Helicopter Association’s (NHA) 17th Annual Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In. It was during this time that the fl ight students of the helicopter training squadrons got their fi rst taste of fl eet aviation.

Many of them will be strapping into aircraft just like these in the near future so to see the aircraft up close and hear the stories of their pilots serve not only to boost their morale and excitement for the future, but to better direct their efforts on their path to earning designations as aviators.

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, the fl eet aircraft began arriving. Every service was represented. In spite of the high operational tempo of many of the fl eet squadrons, every type of helicopter made it to NAS Whiting Field.Many of these aircraft took to the skies Wednesday morning, Oct. 25, to conduct Orientation Flights for the fl ight students. Guided by a fl eet aviator, the students who had signed up for a ride received the opportunity to take the controls of a multi-engine fl eet helicopter

UH-1N Huey on Display Offi cial U.S. Navy photo taken by LTJG David Shark



many times more powerful and capable than the TH-57 trainer aircraft that they have been fl ying with the training squadrons.

The students and instructors alike had the opportunity on Thursday, Oct. 26, to ask questions of a Senior Offi cer Panel regarding the future of Naval helicopter operations. Throughout the day, many personnel also visited the multiple industry displays showcasing the technologies soon to arrive in the fl eet for employment in their aircraft.Thursday included another Orientation Flight window. Directly after, the students who had completed the course of training were honored with a Soft Patch Ceremony, where they received their leather fl ight suit name patch embossed with the Naval Aviator’s Wings of Gold.

Though Friday morning’s rainy weather delayed the return launches of many of the fl eet aircraft, one important event continued as scheduled. At 1 p.m., 22 students received their wings as Naval Aviators and stepped into an organization with a very bright future.

Feature : 17th Annual Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In


Than

k yo

u to

our

Fly

-In s

pons

ors

Than

k yo

u to

our

Fly

-In s

pons

ors

Thanks for making the 17th Annual Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-in a

success!

SikorskyBreeze Eastern

L-3 DPAL-3 Vertex

MOAALockheed Martin

Augusta Westland

SikorskyBreeze Eastern

L-3 DPAL-3 Vertex

MOAALockheed MartinAgustaWestland

Some of the spectators check out the simulator during the exhibit. U.S. Navy photos taken by LTJG David Shark

2005 CNO AwardsAdmiral John S. “Jimmy” Thach

AwardHS-3

Captain Arnold Jay Isbell AwardCOMNAVAIRLANT

HS-7 and HSL-48

COMNAVAIRPACHS-14 and HSL-43

Whether running a 5K or catching a tee time, outdoor fun was had by all at the Fleet Fly-In. U.S. Navy photos taken by LTJG David Shark and ENS Joseph Pruce


CDR Todd Flannery, USN relieved CDR Skip Trahan, USN on December 15, 2006

HS-15RED LIONS

HS-75EMERALD KNIGHTS

CDR Bill Pevey, USN relieved CDR Paul D. Reinhart, USN on September 23, 2006

HMM-268RED DRAGONS

Lt. Col John J. Gamelin, USMC relieved Lt. Col Patrick A. Gramuglia, USMC on December 1, 2006

HSL-48Vipers

CDR John Gumbleton, USN relieved CDR Jeff Hughes, USN on December 15, 2006

HSL-42Proud Warriors

CDR Richard Skiff, USN relieved CDR Doug Tenhoopen, USN on December 14, 2006

HS-7Dusty Dogs

CDR Michael D. Sheahan, USN relieved CDR Mark M. Huber, USN on December 1, 2006

HSL-40Airwolves

CDR Douglas A. Malin , USN relieved CAPT (SEL) Joseph A. Bauknecht, USN on November 2, 2006

CHSMWP

CAPT Matthew Pringle, USN relieved CAPT Curt Chestnutt, USN on November 16, 2006

Ch

an

ge

of

Co

mm

an

d


Naval Helicopter AssociationMembership Application

Date: _____________________Member Information:

Name: ____________________________________________________________________

Rank/Rate: ________________________________ Service: _______________________________

Company Name (civilian): ____________________________________________________________________

Ship/Station: ___________________________ Military Unit/Squadron: ________________________

Work Specialty: Pilot: Aircrew: Non-Pilot:

Warfare Specialty: (HSC, HSM, HS, HSL, etc.): _________ Aircraft Flown:___________________________

Duty Status: Active: Retired: Reserve: Civilian:

Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ Street Apt

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City State Zip

Email Address: _____________________________________________________________________________Do you wish to be listed in the On-Line Directory? Yes No If Yes, name, aircraft & exp. date are listed(Please Note: The On-Line Directory is an unsecured website.. All information posted there is considered public domain.)

Phone: (___________)___________________________________________ New Member: Renewal:

Levels of Membership:

Nugget Membership – 2 Years: $25.00 (Open to O-1, O2, & Aircrew on first tour)

Associate Membership – 1 Year: $10.00 (Open to E-9 & below)

1 Year: $25.00 3 Years: $70.00 5 Years: $110.00

Canadian Addresses – 1 Year: $35.00 International Addresses – 1 Year: $50.00

Do you wish to donate to the NHA Scholarship Fund? Yes No Amount: $____________

Payment Options:

Total Payment Due: $____________________

Cash: Check: (payable to NHA) MC/VISA:

MC/Visa #: ________________________________________________ Expiration Date: __________________

Send your completed application to: NHAP.O. Box 180578 Coronado, CA 92178-0578PH#: (619) 435-7139 FAX#: (619) 435-7354Email: [email protected]**Please include NHA on your change of address list.**Rotor Review is mailed bulk rate and the Post Office will not forward.You may submit change of address or renewals online: www.navalhelicopterassn.org

NHA OFFICE USE ONLY

MEMBERSHIP EXPIRES: ________________________________________________

Mem Pymnt Mem Processed Conf Email Online Copy


Sq

ua

dr

on

Up

da

te

sHSC Weapons

Schools Expanding

the Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program

The Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP) has been around for a long time, and has proven to be a useful measure of the capabilities and effective-

ness of HS squadrons to complete the Primary Mission Areas (PMAs) set forth by the US Navy. Until recently, HARPs were routinely scheduled events prior to work ups and Air Wing Fallon at NAS Fallon, NV, where the helicopter squadrons are then incorporated into strike packages with the rest of the Carrier Air Wing with which they will be deploy-ing. Today, however, with the merger of the HS and HSC communities, not all squadrons will deploy as HS squadrons of the past. With the merging communities and regulating instructions, like the Sierra Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Program (SWTP), the HARP has taken on new requirements to meet new obstacles, much like the helicopter squadrons it hopes to evaluate. One of the most challenging issues that the HARP evalu-ators at the HSC Weapons Schools must overcome, is the det-concept of the HSC squadrons. Instead of deploying as one squadron on board a carrier, the HSC squadrons deploy in detachments. Questions arise on how to best support the fl eet and fairly evaluate the many detachments going to sea while still addressing the increasing number of PMAs required for each detachment. One example of this diffi culty relates to the Air Ambulance detachments currently sup-ported by HSC-21, -23, and -25. In maintaining consistency in training, those detachments are being individually tested and evaluated on their required PMAs over a several-week process prior to deploying to Kuwait. The additional strain comes when the HSC Weapons Schools begin to try to handle HARP evaluations for as many as 18 different detach-ments per Wing. This, on top of the HARPs required for the current HS squadrons, complicates scheduling.

Meeting this challenge, the HSC Weapon School Pacifi c is incorporating the individual detachments into their evalua-

tion schedule. The third wave Air Ambulance has completed its HARP and is currently deployed in Kuwait. The HSC Weapons School is currently preparing for wave four which will be completed in Guam for HSC-25 with supporting joint units on island. Plans are also already being created for the fi rst non-Air Ambulance HSC detachment HARP for HSC-23 on December 5th. This HARP will be followed by a HARP for HSC-21 detach-ments in March 2007. These HARPs, modeled after the current HS HARPs, will include ground schools, live fi re exercises, and live rope and infi l/exfi l exercises with local NSW and EOD units in order to meet all required PMAs of the detaching units.

The merging HSC community continues to have interest-ing hurdles for all the squadrons to overcome, to include the training and evaluation of the squadrons as they prepare to deploy. The HSC Weapons Schools are supporting the fl eet through the Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP), and to make improvements to the current evalua-tion system in order to meet the needs and operational tempo of the fl eet squadrons.

Story and Photo Courtesy of HSCWSP Public Affairs Offi ce

Another HARP evolution completed. U.S. Navy photoscourtesy of HSCWP Public Affairs Offi ce

Naval Helicopter AssociationMembership Application

Date: _____________________Member Information:

Name: ____________________________________________________________________

Rank/Rate: ________________________________ Service: _______________________________

Company Name (civilian): ____________________________________________________________________

Ship/Station: ___________________________ Military Unit/Squadron: ________________________

Work Specialty: Pilot: Aircrew: Non-Pilot:

Warfare Specialty: (HSC, HSM, HS, HSL, etc.): _________ Aircraft Flown:___________________________

Duty Status: Active: Retired: Reserve: Civilian:

Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ Street Apt

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City State Zip

Email Address: _____________________________________________________________________________Do you wish to be listed in the On-Line Directory? Yes No If Yes, name, aircraft & exp. date are listed(Please Note: The On-Line Directory is an unsecured website.. All information posted there is considered public domain.)

Phone: (___________)___________________________________________ New Member: Renewal:

Levels of Membership:

Nugget Membership – 2 Years: $25.00 (Open to O-1, O2, & Aircrew on fi rst tour)

Associate Membership – 1 Year: $10.00 (Open to E-9 & below)

1 Year: $25.00 3 Years: $70.00 5 Years: $110.00

Canadian Addresses – 1 Year: $35.00 International Addresses – 1 Year: $50.00

Do you wish to donate to the NHA Scholarship Fund? Yes No Amount: $____________

Payment Options:

Total Payment Due: $____________________

Cash: Check: (payable to NHA) MC/VISA:

MC/Visa #: ________________________________________________ Expiration Date: __________________

Send your completed application to: NHAP.O. Box 180578 Coronado, CA 92178-0578PH#: (619) 435-7139 FAX#: (619) 435-7354Email: [email protected]**Please include NHA on your change of address list.**Rotor Review is mailed bulk rate and the Post Offi ce will not forward.You may submit change of address or renewals online: www.navalhelicopterassn.org

NHA OFFICE USE ONLY

MEMBERSHIP EXPIRES: ________________________________________________

Mem Pymnt Mem Processed Conf Email Online Copy


Squadron Updates: NIGHTDIPPERS DEPLOY

Nightdippers Deploy

The pilots and aircrew from Helicopter

Antisubmarine Squadron Five (HS-5), “The

World Famous Nightdippers”, recently completed

their first two months of deployment in support of Maritime

Security Operations (MSO). HS-5, an integral element of

Carrier Air Wing Seven, is currently deployed supporting

Operation Enduring Freedom aboard the USS Dwight D.

Eisenhower (CVN

69) as part of Carrier

Strike Group Eight

(IKE CSG).

The Nightdippers

flew more than

200 hours and the

missions ranged

from naval special

operations fast-roping

exercises to anti-

submarine warfare

operations during

their first month on

cruise. They also

flew two immediate

medical evacuations

in support of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69),

completing one to the Azores, and the second to Naples,

Italy.

Just prior to departing on cruise in October, the Nightdippers

welcomed several new pilots to the squadron. These

illustrious individuals include LT.JG Dan “Lurch” Person

and LT.JG Matt “Wildman” Roy. According to Lt.j.g.

Person, “Although I am new to the fleet, I have already

been impressed by the level of professionalism shown in

our operational actions to date. It is gratifying to finally

conduct real world missions which make a true difference.”

LCDR Glenn “Dr. Doom” Jimenez and LCDR Mark

“Skinny” Strothiede also proudly added to the Nightdipper

ranks during the first two months of deployment. Over the

coming months HS-5 will strive to continue their established

precedence of excellence, providing the vital services

necessary to ensure the success of Carrier Strike Group Eight

and its missions.

The “Nightdippers,” performs channel guard duty as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits the Strait of Gibraltar. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Miguel Angel Contreras

The Nightdippers conducts VERTREP at sea with the USS Anzio (CG 68). U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Miguel Angel Contreras (RELEASED)

HS-5

Story and Photo by HS-5 Public Affairs Office


SQUADRON UPDATES: HS- 7 SUPPORTS SEAL TEAM TEN

HS-7Dusty Dogs Support SEAL Team TEN Air Certifi cationStory and Photos ByLTJG Bruce Lindsay, USN, HS-7

The Dusty Dogs of HS-7 recently returned from a two week detachment to Naval Station Norfolk in support of the air certifi cation for SEAL Team TEN. HS-

7 partnered with VX-1 and HSC-84 to provide helicopter lift for the newly minted special warfare unit.

The two week training evolution focused on familiarizing special warfare personnel with helicopter operations and was tailored for optimum fi delity and realism. The training events included beachhead assaults with helicopters and combat rubber raiding craft (CRRC). Team TEN honed their skills on multiple

K-duck evolutions from Dusty Dog helicopters in simulated assaults. The detachment supported numerous fast rope evolutions, allowing the SEALs to culminate their training in a week long coordinated Helicopter Visit Board, Search and Seizure exercise with the USS San Antonio.The newest addition to the US Atlantic Fleet, the USS San Antonio simulated a non-compliant vessel for approximately

thirty SEALs to board during both day and night insertions. The exercise demonstrated the SEALs’ ability to effectively utilize fast rope and rappelling techniques in order to board a ship at sea, secure its bridge and engineering spaces, and inspect its cargo. The multi-squadron exercise demonstrated

Seal Team Ten honing in their skills during a multiple K-Duck evolution. Photo taken by LTJG Bruce Lindsay

the professionalism of the Dusty Dogs as they led the fl ights, and ensured that the exercise objectives were achieved. The detachment served as a springboard as the Dusty Dogs prepare for their work-up cycle in expectation of their fall 2007 deployment. The experiences gained during the detachment deepened the experience base of the squadron’s pilots and aircrew, and exposed its junior personnel to the dynamic environment associated with special warfare operations.

The two week training evolution focused on familiarizing special warfare personnel with helicopter operations and was tailored

for optimum fi delity and realism. “Dusty Dogs” in fl ight Photo taken by LTJG Bruce Lindsay


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-3 MEETS GOALS

HSC-3 Meets CNO Production Goals;

Wins NHA Region 1 FRS Softball Tournament

Story and Photos by LT Ryan Hayes, USN, HSC-3

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron THREE, the West Coast MH-60S Fleet Replacement Squadron, wrapped up another great year of training fleet aircrews.

The squadron met 2006 Chief of Naval Operations directed production goals, completing a total of 106 pilots (38 CAT I) and 32 aircrewmen (14 CAT I), fl ying over 2,100 sorties and 5,182 mishap-free fl ight hours. The squadron has now surpassed 32 years and 205,000 Class A Mishap free hours.

In January, HSC-3 will take receipt of the Fleet’s fi rst two Armed MH-60S helicopters and will be the initial single site for Level 100 Strike and Sea Combat training. The new Armed Helicopters will be outfi tted with dual weapons pylons capable of launching 8 AGM-114 Hellfi re missiles; the newest generation MTS FLIR; and enhanced Integrated Self Defense (ISD). After initial cadre training with Merlin and Weapons School Instructors, HSC-3 will provide Armed Helo syllabus training for pilots and aircrew from HSC-25 as they prepare for their upcoming deployments in support of EMIO and LCS missions. HSC-3 is also preparing for the fi rst HS squadron, HS-8, to transition to the MH-60S next fall.

It’s not all work here at HSC-3. We also take some time to have some fun, and in spirit of continued H-60 community building, HSC-3 hosted the fi rst NHA Region 1 FRS Softball Tournament. Although HSM-41 was unable to attend, HS-10 and HSC-3 instructors and replacement pilots each fi elded teams. The event was a great opportunity for the HSC FRS pilots to get together socially to promote the merger of the HSC CVW and Expeditionary squadrons and the mission of NHA.

It is an exciting time to be a junior offi cer in the HSC Wing. With the transition of the CVW based HS squadrons, the entire HSC community will see a growth in aircraft and mission capabilities, and HSC-3 is poised to lead the charge.

The Armed MH-60S completed its fi rst Hellfi re shot in Nov ’06.

HSC-3 XO, CDR Spencer Crispel l , crosses home plate after hitting a Grand Slam against HS-10’s team in the fi rst NHA Region 1 FRS Softball

tournament. HSC-3 beat HS-10’s team 28-14.

LTs Ron Garner, Kelly Rogers, and Lisa Manning cheering for the HSC-3 IP Softball team.

The Armed MH-60S completed its fi rst Hellfi re shot in

HSC-3 XO, CDR Spencer Crispel l , crosses home plate after hitting a Grand Slam against HS-10’s team in the fi rst NHA Region 1 FRS Softball

tournament. HSC-3 beat HS-10’s team 28-14.


Up and RunningBy LTJG Andrew Mascotti, USN, HSC-22

SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-22 Up, Running, & Flying

Since our recent commissioning, we at HSC-22 have added

a lot of new faces and hard workers to our squadron. Everyone has been working

their best at making HSC-22 the newest and best squadron. There have been a few kinks along the way, but everything seems to be falling into place as needed. Soon after we stood up in late September, our fi rst aircraft, Crusader 00 came online and we started our well awaited fl ight time. The month of October was spent fl ying over 70 hours maintaining our qualifi cations and giving our new HAC’s and PQM’s

East Coast familiarization fl ights. November has held a constant fl ight schedule as well.

Our fi rst detachment is set to deploy on the USS Kearsarge sometime in July 2007. We are striving hard to have everything in order for the squadron’s fi rst ever detachment. DET 1 will be going on mini-dets with the Kearsarge in the end of November and early December to start setting things up for deployment. We are looking to have 3 HACS and 5 H2Ps for the detachment. Everyone at the squadron is excited and ready to start making a name for HSC-22.

Up and Flying

By LTJG Andrew Mascotti, USN, HSC-22

Vigilant Crusader 00 was on display in our newly re-furbished hangar for our Establishment Ceremony on 29 September. Before the ceremony she was cleaned,

sanded, painted, and maintained. Following the Establish-ment Ceremony, Crusader 00 was broken down to “parade rest” and inspected to the smallest detail with each step tracked, CDI’d and QA’d, validating our process and proce-dures. The Sea Knight maintenance personnel then lovingly put her back together. Following a thorough Functional Check Flight, Crusader 00 has been on display fl ying around the Hampton Roads area and out to ships in the VACAPES.

Crusader 00 has performed several missions in the month of October. She carried RADM Ruehe, Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, and several congressmen showcas-ing the symbiotic relationship between the Navy and the inland waterway environment that our Navy ships ply. The ships, scheduled by SURFLANT and our HSCWINGLANT, provide us a certifi ed deck for training, good fuel, delectable food, a watchful Crash and Salvage crew and a practice VERTREP load. We provide them with numerous safe fl ight deck evolutions and hands-on training opportunities that con-currently count towards the requirements for them to receive their fl ight deck pay for the month. Everybody benefi ts.

She’s a good bird fl ying sixty-nine full-mission capable hours, but her most important duty so far has been Search and Rescue (SAR) duty. For twenty four hours each day, seven days a week for two weeks, Crusader 00 and her eager duty crews were in a 100% mission-ready status providing a Search and Rescue asset for all military units in the area. In preparation for this task, HSC-22 was evaluated early, on request, by the Commander Naval Air Forces Atlantic Fleet SAR Evaluation Team from HSL-40 in Mayport, FL. Our SAR Offi cer, LT Spurlin, and SAR Petty Offi cer, AW2 Law-rence, prepared all of the pilots and aircrew with seemingly endless hours of lectures, practice tests, and PT. Thanks for helping us beat the fl eet average!

Crusader 00 is no longer alone since the Sea Knights ac-cepted our second MH-60S, Crusader 02, three weeks ago.

Crusader 00 … Just Doing It!

HSC-22



SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-22/HSC-23

She was also dismantled into her component pieces, cleaned, inspected, re-assembled, inspected, painted, and is now being FCF’d. Having two mission-capable helicopters is vital for us to continue to train the pilots, aircrew, and maintainers in our growing squadron and continue to accept operational tasking. Det 1 will deploy next year on the USS Kearsarge (LHD 4) and the Sea Knights of HSC-22 will support them for their work-ups and unilateral training. Kearsarge is cur-rently undergoing modifications to be the first ship ready to deploy with a full complement of Marine MV-22 Ospreys replacing the mighty CH-46E Battle Phrog … And HSC-22 Det 1 will be there flying Crusader helos when it does.

Det 1 VERTREPs during deployment Photo taken by LTJG Andrew Mascotti

HSC-23 Wildcards Deploy First DetachmentBy LTJG Joshua Ball, USN, HSC-23

The West Coast’s newest helicopter squadron, Helicopter Sea Combat

Squadron 23 (HSC-23), will send out its first detachment less than one month after establishment. The Wildcards of DET 1 (led by LCDR Heath Sarvis) will be deploying along with their sister squadron, HSC-21’s DET 5 to make up the 2123rd Naval Air Ambulance Detachment. Preparation for the Wildcard’s first detachment has been challenging. CDR Robert Weissenfels, HSC-23 Commanding Officer stated “we would not be where we are today without the outstanding support and effort from the men and women of HSC-21.”

Sailors attached to both squadrons are preparing to deploy on a fairly new and unique naval mission; they will be supporting Soldiers and Marines on the ground as an air ambulance platform. When asked about being a member of this detachment, LT Luke Riddle stated, “I’m excited about performing a mission that is not normally carried out by the Navy.”

This will be the third air ambulance detachment deployment since the Navy took on this mission less than a year ago, however it will be the first wave to be exclusively supported by the MH-60S Knighthawk. The 2123rd will be flying a specially modified version of the airframe for the MEDEVAC mission.

The pilots, medics, maintainers, and crewmen of Det-1 have trained for this mission for over 6 months. After successful training workups in the desert and joint operations with the Army at Fort Irwin, the Wildcards are confident and ready for the challenge to support the Global War on Terrorism.



SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC - 28 DET RETURNS FROM HOME

HSC 28 Detachment Returns from Deployment

Prepares for NextBy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Elizabeth Merriam, USN

Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 Detachment 3 returned from a six-month deployment to the Middle East with USS Enterprise

(CVN 65) Carrier Strike Group (CSG), Nov. 3, 2006. Already, some of the Sailors who just returned are preparing to deploy again in early 2007 to the squadron’s detachment in Naples, Italy.

“I’m pretty happy about going to Naples. I got home had my 96 hour liberty and now I’m ready leave the house again to go back underway,” Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 3rd Class (AW) Kyle Kurzendoerfer said. “It’s going to be a good detachment. I’ve deployed with a lot of these people already. The quick turn around doesn’t bother me, but it’s pretty hard on my girlfriend and family.”

Before they leave on their next deployment the members of HSC 28 Det. 3 have time to relax and look back on their experience with the CSG.

“We had a successful deployment,” said LCDR. Matt Niedzwiecki, offi cer in charge of Detachment Three. “Our most important task was keeping the ships actively involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom supplied with the necessary equipment they needed whether it be the parts, ammunition or supplies.”

“Logistically that’s our job to get the stuff to them so they can go and do their mission. So, day in and day out we have to have the birds up fl ying to deliver the goods when needed. The guys really went above and beyond.”

During the deployment the detachment fl ew 480 hours transported 4,265 tons of cargo and carried 440 passengers between the ships and shore. Members of the detachment are also proud that they kept their helicopters up and running for 95 percent of the deployment. Explaining that the only time the equipment wasn’t working was when they needed to order supplies from shore.

“There were some hiccups on this deployment that I learned to deal with and I’m bringing the experience to the next deployment,” Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class (AW) Nathan Kelly, Avionics Supervisor said. “We also had a chance do vertical replenishments with a variety of ships that I’ve never worked with before.”

Now that the detachment is back in Norfolk, they will stay in a ready to deploy “surge” status for a short time before the squadron mans up the next group to deploy.

“It’s part of the job to be sent out and a lot of people want to go,” Kelly, said. “We had a great deployment. It was a lot of fun with a good group of people and now I have a few months to relax and get ready for the next one. I’m really looking forward to going to Naples.”


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSC-85’S DARING RESCUE

DARING RESCUE AT SEA

HSC-85

The High Rollers of HSC 85 (formerly known as the Golden Gaters of HC 85) performed a daring “at sea” rescue on May 24, 2006. While on detachment

at NALF San Clemente Island, HSC 85 was called upon to investigate a distress signal 148 miles south of San Clemente Island. Just before sunset, the fi shing vessel Legend encoun-tered heavy seas and suffered a severe crack in the forward hull. Unable to make any headway, the vessel started to take on 30 to 40 gallons of water per minute.

CDR Jesse Davis, CDR John Tate, AW1 Erik Duesler, AW2 Danny Vickers and AW3 Alicia Durbin manned their UH-3H, briefed, refueled, and were off the deck in thirty minutes. In near IFR conditions, the crew located the Legend foundering in 10 -12 ft. waves with 28 knots of wind. A Coast Guard helicopter was on station as the On Scene Commander but was unable to render any assistance due to a hoist malfunc-tion. A second Coast Guard helicopter was already en route to Ensenada, Mexico with two of Legend’s 38 passengers.

The most challenging part of the rescue began when AW2 Duesler lowered AW2 Vickers and AW3 Durbin to the pitch-ing and rolling deck of the Legend in order to coordinate the hoist recovery. Straining against gusting winds and sea

spray while being lowered, AW2 Vickers was blown against the cabin of the boat, injuring his foot. AW3 Durbin was hit by a wave and twice washed overboard before she was able to steady herself on deck. While battling deplorable condi-tions, the two rescue swimmers coordinated and arranged for the hoist transfer of the ship’s personnel. With deteriorat-ing weather, the crew recovered three personnel before it was determined that heavy seas and high winds created too much of a risk to continue. Learning that the USS Preble (DDG-88) was 25 miles away and closing, the Aircraft Com-mander elected to cease hoisting operations and ordered the two rescue swimmers be brought back onboard. IZOD 00 then briefed the USS Preble on the situation and requested they recover the remaining personnel. The three passengers already onboard IZOD 00 were fl own to NAS North Island for medical evaluation.

The crew was lauded for their textbook use of ORM and CRM during this challenging search and rescue mission. Sadly, with over thirty fi ve years of service to the fl eet and countless rescues, this could prove to be the last recorded “at sea rescue” for HSC 85 in the UH-3H. The squadron is scheduled to complete a transition into the MH-60S by February, 2007.

11: 00 am - 2:00 pm, Thursday, April 12, 2007at the

Coronado Cays Yacht Clubwith

Guest Speaker: Jacey Eckhart

North Island Helicopter Offi cers’ Spouses Clubwill be hosting the

2007 NHA Spouses’ Spring Luncheon

Cost: $30.00 per person

Coronado Cays Yacht Club

Guest Speaker: Jacey Eckhart

Story by HSC-85 Public Affairs Offi ce


SQUADRON UPDATES: AIRWOLVES AIRBORNE CoC

Airwolves of HSL-40 Conduct Airborne Change of Command.

In a unique change of command ceremony, CDR Douglas A. Malin relieved CAPT (SEL) Joseph A. Bauknecht as commanding offi cer of Helicopter Anti-Submarine

Squadron Light 40, while airborne on Thursday, November 2, 2006 at Naval Station Mayport, FL. During the fl y-by change of command ceremony, CDR Malin conducted a formation fl ight lead change accompanied with the reading of his orders, to signify his assumption of the “lead” at HSL-40.

A native of Glens Falls, New York, CDR Malin was commissioned through the Merchant Marine Reserve Direct Procurement Program in July 1986. He graduated from the State University of New York at Fort Schuyler (Maritime College) in May of 1986, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and a United States Coast Guard License as a Third Mate.

CDR Malin was designated a Naval Aviator in July 1988 and reported for duty with HSL-30 to undergo Fleet Replacement Pilot training in the SH-2F Seasprite. In January of 1989, he reported to HSL-36 in Mayport, FL, where he held positions as Detachment Operations Offi cer, Assistant Squadron Operations Offi cer, Detachment Maintenance Offi cer, Squadron Quality Assurance Offi cer and Detachment Offi cer in Charge.

In June 1992, CDR Malin entered the Naval Postgraduate School under the National Security Affairs (NSA) program. He received his Master of Arts in December 1993 in NSA with a subspecialty in the Asia/Pacifi c region.After completion of his tour in Monterey, CDR Malin

Story by LT June H. Velez, USN, HSL-40

returned to Mayport, FL, where he was assigned to HSL-40 for Fleet Replacement Pilot training in the SH-60B Seahawk with follow-on orders to HSL-42 for sea duty where he served as Detachment Offi cer in Charge (OIC) and Squadron Operations Offi cer.

Following an assignment at Bureau of Naval Personnel CDR Malin returned to Mayport in April 2003 when he assumed duties as Executive Offi cer and assumed Command of the world famous Proud Warriors of HSL-42 in May 2004.He has fl own over 2900 hours in Light Airborne Multi-Purpose (LAMPS) Helicopters. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4 awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

CDR Malin is married to the former Dawn Elizabeth Trudeau. They have two wonderful children, Alexis, 12, and Douglas, Jr., 11.

CAPT (SEL) Bauknecht will report to Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, US Atlantic Fleet, awaiting follow on assignment.


SQUADRON UPDATES: BATTLECATS RETURN HOME

HSL-43 BATTLECATS RETURN FROM THE

ROCKStory and Photos By

LTJG Brendan Negle, USN and LT Greg Lembo, USN, HSL-43

Several crews belonging to HSL-43 recently returned from a 12-day training evolution on San Clemente Island, the southernmost of the California Channel

Islands located approximately 70 nautical miles west of San Diego. The island served as a staging point for the squadron’s training, which was aimed at both introducing and refining tactical skill sets to new and experienced fleet pilots alike.

In the 70-plus years that the navy has conducted operations on the island, dramatic shifts in the way the U.S. military fights its wars have reflected themselves in the training that aviators and aircrew receive on the so-called “rock.” Instructors from Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School, Pacific (HSMWSP) have designed a program that encompasses the needs placed on naval aviation’s rotary wing assets. The Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program, or HARP as it is more commonly known, consists of 1 week of ground school and 1 week of simulator events held at NAS North Island, all of which culminates in roughly 2 weeks’ worth of sorties originating out of San Clemente Island.

The scenarios presented throughout the program depict the unconventional battlefield in which our SH-60B units currently operate. Ground school kicks off the program and examines at great length a vast spectrum of missions ranging from naval gunfire support to section attack to SAM capabilities and break-lock maneuvers. Next, a series of simulator events not only requires each individual to apply what he learned the previous week but also to

work in concert with the other crewmembers, particularly when coordinating with other ASW platforms in the form of MH-60R’s, SH-60F’s, and P-3’s. Crews are quickly reminded that the stresses often associated with successfully prosecuting a target can be alleviated by clear, positive communication and resource management.

On the island, crews finally put into practice in the aircraft what they learned shore-side. Continuing with the theme of mission diversification, HARP flights include LSF, an event during which crews train to counter and intercept asymmetric threats in the form of “low slow flying” aircraft, and section attack where the importance of coordinating with other SH-60B crews and utilizing the FLIR/Hellfire system is stressed. Emphasis is constantly placed on the SH-60B’s ability to integrate with other platforms in the joint

maritime environment for a variety of strike and surveillance missions. This training gives operational commanders increased flexibility to execute operations required in the Global War on Terror.

In addition to HSL’s expanded mission areas outlined above, the HARP syllabus calls on HSL crews to hone their skills in the community’s core disciplines of SUW and ASW. The weapons ranges surrounding the island provided HSL-43

Return home from a 12-day training evolution in San Clemente Island. Photo taken by LTJG Brendan Neegle and LT Greg Lemo

Continued to page 58




crews the opportunity to conduct Hellfi re missile attacks against towed sea-based targets. Additionally, aircrewmen aided by night vision goggles expended thousands of rounds from an arsenal of cabin-mounted weapons during night gun exercises. In the ASW spectrum, HSL-43 crews scored three excellent Mk-46 torpedo attacks against simulated submarine threats utilizing the newest doctrines in anti-submarine tactics. Overall, the ASW training focused on the proliferation of reliable yet relatively inexpensive submarine threats found in the world’s littoral waters, another reminder of the need for HSL to constantly mold its capabilities to meet the needs of the fl eet.

Time on the rock also gave crews the opportunity to refresh invaluable survival skills, namely their small arms qualifi -cations. Every crew from each of the HSL squadrons was allotted time to earn their 9mm qualifi cation on a range oth-erwise operated by the BUD/S command. HARP instructors worked alongside to ensure safety and provide instruction, further driving home the point that recent world events have

presented naval aviation with many new demands in the air and on the ground.Meanwhile, throughout the entire program, an outstanding maintenance team worked behind the scenes to make possible all the high tempo training. A successful HARP demands the hard work and expertise of many aviation technicians. The maintenance team chosen for this latest class represented a composite group of HSL’s best across the seawall. HSL-43 personnel operated alongside their HSL-45 and HSL-49 shipmates to keep the aircraft and their weapons systems fully mission capable. Supporting daily 18-hour fl ight schedules away from the home squadrons and associated supply support served as a testament to their motivation and professionalism.

All aspects of the training received at HARP’s facilities on North Island and San Clemente Island emphasize readiness, both for the aircrew and maintenance teams. HARP was developed to satisfy the need for a capable and aggressive rotary force and the training HSL squadrons received illustrated just that. The lessons learned served as a solid precursor to the real world situations our aircrews and technicians will face daily in fl eet operations.


Final preparations are made before “take-off.”Photo taken by LTJG Brendan Neegle and LT Greg Lemo

Aim! Ready! Fire! Photo taken by LTJG Brendan Neegle and LT Greg Lemo

The crew from Battlecats and other HSL communities were given alloted time to earn their 9mm quals. Photo taken by LTJG Brendan Neegle and LT Greg Lemo


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSL-47 SETS NEW STANDARDS SQUADRON UPDATES: BATTLECATS RECEIVE THE ISBELL TROPHY

HSL-43 Battle Cats Receive the Captain Arnold J. Isbell TrophyStory By: LT Ryan Atwood, USN, HSL-43

The BattleCats of Helicopter Anti-Submarine

Squadron Light Four Three (HSL-43)

concluded an outstanding year of tactical

development and fl ight operations in support of the Global

War on Terror, by receiving the Captain Arnold J. Isbell

Trophy. The Captain Arnold J. Isbell Trophy is annually

given to the aviation squadron that best represents its

particular community in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)

and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASU) excellence.

In 2005, the Battle Cats of HSL-43 not only maintained,

but dramatically advanced their tactical competence, and

demonstrated their mastery of Maritime Strike operations.

LT Alex Lam, squadron weapons and tactics instructor,

said, “Maneuver and fi repower are the two essential

elements of warfare. It is not only a measure of how

well the pilots fl y the aircraft, but also how skillfully

they employ the weapons systems that detail mission

accomplishment.” In 2005, the BattleCats executed

over 3800 hours of both ASW and ASU training and

operational fl ights. This year included 44.4 hours of

actual “On Top,” submarine tracking. The BattleCats also

completed seven torpedo drops and 11 Hellfi re missile

shots while training deploying aircrews. AW2 Albert

Aguilar said, “It is an honor to receive this award. We all

appreciate the recognition for our tactical profi ciency, and

this award is a refl ection on the efforts of the entire Battle

Cat team. “

BattleCat efforts in 2005 kept them on the leading edge

of tactical development while bringing this expertise to

operations in Southern Iraq, the Persian Gulf, Southeast

Asia, the Horn of Africa, and other hot spots around the

world

So far, 2006 has also proved to be another banner year in

the tactical arena with the BattleCats becoming the fi rst

West Coast LAMPS squadron to deploy a fully qualifi ed

Airborne Use of Force (AUF) detachment to the Counter

Narcotics mission. In concert with the U.S. Coast Guard,

HSL-43 Detachment FOUR is currently taking the fi ght

to the narco-traffi ckers both in the Eastern Pacifi c and the

Caribbean Sea. These efforts have resulted in numerous

interdictions and apprehensions.

HSL-43 BattleCats are again eyeing two consecutive years

of being at the forefront of ASW and ASU expertise and

will no doubt succeed in their support of the Global War

on Terror. All hands appreciate the prestige of the Captain

Arnold J. Isbell Award and are striving to maintain the

high degree of excellence that represents such an honor.


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSL-47 SETS NEW STANDARDS

HSL-47 Sets New Standard for Maintenance, Operations Excellence

Since January 2005, a new standard has been set in HSL (Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light) and LAMPS (Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System) operations.

The World Famous Saberhawks of HSL-47, already lauded for success at moving well beyond the detachment concept of traditional to HSL squadrons to become the fi rst and only fully integrated Carrier Air Wing HSL squadron in the Navy, was also recently recognized for setting the standard for maintenance in the Navy and beyond. As recipients of the 2006 Secretary of Defense Maintenance and the 2005 Lockheed-Martin Superior Maintenance awards, HSL-47 has proven that it is possible to excel at the traditional requirements of Naval Aviation while also meeting and overcoming challenges unlike any previously seen.

Particularly noteworthy is the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in military equipment and weapons system maintenance. Presented to only six units in the entire Department of Defense, the award additionally nominates HSL-47 as a fi nalist for the Phoenix Award, recognizing the best maintenance operation in the Department of Defense. HSL-47 was the Navy’s only recipient of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award, and the Navy’s only nominee for the Phoenix Trophy.

Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 Arnel Sto. Domingo, HSL-47 Maintenance Materiel Control Offi cer said, “The entire maintenance team is extremely pleased to receive these two notable awards, and particularly honored to represent the Navy by receiving the prestigious Secretary of Defense award.”

HSL-47’s maintenance accomplishments come at a time when the squadron faced a number of unforeseen challenges, including rapid responses to tsunami-devastated Indonesia and Hurricane Katrina affected areas of the Gulf Coast. The Saberhawk Maintenance department’s tireless effort, effi ciency and expertise were critical components in meeting the intense sortie and fl ight hour requirements to complete these humanitarian missions.

HSL-47 answered the call to provide humanitarian assistance to the tsunami devastated population of Sumatra, Indonesia in Operation UNIFIED ASSISTANCE (OUA). The Saberhawks executed 481 sorties, fl ew over 1,200 mishap-free fl ight hours, completed 96 medical evacuations and delivered nearly 600,000 pounds of food, water and medical supplies. This incredible feat was buoyed by Saberhawk maintenance, which was simultaneously setting records of its own. In the course of the 34 day operation, the maintenance department conducted the equivalent of three months of maintenance corrected over 2,500 aircraft discrepancies and expended 13,262 man-hours of maintenance. Maintenance personnel worked around the clock to meet operational requirements, and the squadron’s outstanding 94 percent sortie completion rate was mirrored by the 14 hour work days executed by maintenance personnel.

“I’m proud of our ability to surge and provide rapid humanitarian aid to the people affected by the tsunami. This effort was largely a result of the willingness of maintenance personnel to stay focused, utilize their expertise, and work long hours in support of the mission,” said LCDR Kenneth A. Strong, HSL-47 Maintenance Offi cer.

HSL-47 maintenance was also a critical component in the squadron’s response to Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005. With only twelve hours notice, the Saberhawks detached several of its aircraft to lead an integrated SH-60B “Super Squadron” to aid in relief efforts. This “Super Squadron” completed 94 sorties, fl ew more than 750 fl ight hours, rescued nearly 1,200 survivors and delivered over 76,000 pounds of supplies in nine days of the aid operation.

CDR Daniel Boyles, HSL-47 Commanding Offi cer said, “These two awards are tangible representations of what our operational accomplishments already show: the maintenance department has once again proven that when called upon, the Saberhawks are ready to execute any mission, in support of America’s national interests at home and abroad.”

Story by LTJG Michael Grega and LTJG Garick Wood, USN, HSL-47


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSL-47 RECEIVE SAR EXCELLENCE

HSL-47 Saberhawks Receive Unit SAR Excellence Award

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light FOUR SEVEN (HSL-47), based at NAS North Island, CA, is the recipient of the 2005 Aviation Unit

Search and Rescue (SAR) Excellence Award. Recognizing units that embody the SAR motto, “So others may live,” the SAR unit excellence award is presented annually by the Chief of Naval Operations SAR Model Manager.

Saberhawk SAR Officer, LT Michael Curcio said, “As a team we had the opportunity to participate in some amazingly challenging and rewarding humanitarian operations over the past several months. It’s an honor to receive this award, but it was an even greater honor to have used our squadron’s unique abilities to provide so much aid.”

Saberhawk SAR accomplishments are highlighted by the squadron’s leadership and operational excellence in response to the most major humanitarian efforts of recent times.

The collective response to tsunami-ravaged Indonesia in Operation UNIFIED ASSISTANCE was the largest humanitarian operation ever undertaken, and the

Saberhawks were truly at the forefront of this effort. Following a surge deployment to arrive as one of the first units on station, Saberhawk crews executed nearly 100 medical evacuations and delivered over 600,000 pounds of food, water and medical supplies. HSL-47 flew more than 1200 mishap-free hours over the course of this 34 day operation.

HSL-47 was also at the forefront of the domestic response to Hurricane Katrina. In the days following the devastating storm, the Saberhawks detached several aircraft to the Gulf Coast region to form the core of a 16 SH-60B “Super Squadron.” In nine days, this group flew more than 750 flight hours, rescued nearly 1,200 survivors and delivered more than 75,000 pounds of supplies.

Aviation Warfare Specialist 3rd Class Vito Grieco said, “It was incredible seeing how the SAR skills we practice helped us execute missions that we had never before considered possible, and extremely rewarding to put those skills to use.”

Story by LTJG Michael Grega, USN, HSL-47


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSL-49 DET 2 SUBMISSION

HSL-49 DET 2 Rotor Review SubmissionStory and Photo By LT Josh Peters, USN, HSL-49

The 24 men and women of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 49 Detachment 2 (HSL-49 Det 2) returned home to San Diego on October 27 from

a six month Counter-Narcotics deployment aboard USS Curts (FFG-38). Flying the SH-60B Seahawk helicopter, the detachment conducted operations in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

“Our primary mission was detection and monitoring of suspected drug smuggling vessels,” said LCDR. Pete Collins, Det 2’s Officer-in-Charge. “We integrated with the Curts and the Coast Guard to locate, identify and query these boats for boarding and search by our Coast Guard Law Enforcement team.”

“The purpose of this deployment was to support the national policy for winning the war on drugs,” said LTJG Greg

Rogers of the U.S. Coast Guard. “Our goal is to interdict the flow of drugs on the high seas as far from U.S. borders as possible.” According to Rogers, cocaine from narcotics trafficking organizations in South America is typically smuggled along maritime routes to Mexico, where it is later taken overland across the border to the United States.

The Curts made one drug interdiction during the deployment, seizing 3 tons of cocaine and destroying an additional 4 tons, according to Rogers. The ship also assisted several other Navy and Coast Guard vessels operating in the area to prosecute about a dozen cases, said Rogers.

“We came together as a group when we needed to, and overcame significant adversity to ensure that we accomplished our primary goal, which was to bring everyone


HSL 49 Det 2 supporting Counter drug ops near South AmericaPhoto taken by LT Josh Peters


SQUADRON UPDATES: HSL-47 DET 2 SUBMISSION

home safe,” said Collins. “We also set goals, both as a group and personally, at the beginning of the deployment, and I think we made significant strides in achieving those goals. Most of the guys that wanted to lose weight were able to spend some time the gym and shed some pounds, and we had a lot of guys complete college courses out here.” The Det’s maintenance chief, Senior Chief Joe Marquez, agreed: “We did everything that the ship asked of us, and we did it with limited resources. I got lucky to have such a savvy group of sailors. They were just an outstanding group.”In addition to daily counter-narcotics surface surveillance missions, Det 2 was called upon to assist the Curts in other ways. They flew two seriously injured detainees to Panama City, Panama for medical treatment, conducted a search for 10 Ecuadorian fishermen whose boat had capsized, and performed a humanitarian evacuation to the international airport in David, Panama for a sailor who needed to get home to be with his critically ill father.“One of my favorite moments from deployment was picking up McDonald’s for the entire det,” said AW2 James Neubarth, one of Det 2’s aircrewmen. “We had to fly a detainee to the airport at Panama City, and the fueling truck was broken, so we had like 4 hours to kill. So, the pilots and I pooled our money and sent a person from the airport to a nearby McDonalds to pick up as many burgers as possible.

When we came back to the ship with 40 Big Macs, the maintenance guys were just thrilled.”

“It was definitely a good learning experience,” said LT Mike Metzroth, one of Det 2’s six pilots, of the humanitarian evacuation flight to David. “We had to dodge thunderstorms and rain squalls all the way to the airport, which was no

more than a runway with a little hut next to it. I guess that must have been the terminal. And the weather only got worse on the way back to the ship.” Det 2 deployed with a

single SH-60B and consisted of 6 pilots, 2 aircrewmen and 18 maintenance personnel. While at sea, four Det 2 sailors earned their “wings” by qualifying as Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialists (EAWS), and two sailors qualified as Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialists. “Everyone on the Det helped each other out when they needed it,” said Petty Officer Jeremy Bonas. “Whether it was studying for advancement exams, EAWS or working on college courses, everyone worked hard and I am proud to have been a member of this group.” Detachment 2, based out of NAS North Island, departed San Diego on April 27, and made port calls in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico; Freeport, Bahamas; Mayport, Florida; Lima, Peru; and, four stops in Panama City, Panama.


The 24 men and women of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 49 Detachment 2 (HSL-49 Det 2)

returned home to San Diego on October 27 from a six month Counter-Narcotics deployment aboard USS Curts

(FFG-38).


SQUADRON UPDATES: “MARITIME DOMINANCE “

“Maritime Dominance – Warlord Style!”

HSL-51 Warlords train ROK (Republic of Korea) Navy’s Air Group 62 in the Intricacies of Maritime Air Support.

As a direct result of their involvement in the Counter Special Operations Forces (CSOF) mission, HSL-51 based out of NAF Atsugi, Japan works closely

with the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Air Group 62 to introduce and train its Westland Lynx-equipped 627 and 629 Squadrons in the execution of Maritime Air Support and Maritime Air Controller duties. Utilizing ten years of accumulated CSOF experience gained through extensive operational interaction with the U. S. Army’s various peninsula-based AH-64 Apache units, the Warlords are training their ROKN counterparts to enhance their war-fighting capability and improve USN/ROKN interoperability.

Story and Photo by HSL-51 Public Affairs Office

HSL-51’s Commanding Officer, CDR Chris Fletcher, and Air Group 62’s Commanding Officer, CAPT Park Chang-Jin recently met to discuss future training. Prior to each CSOF exercise, an HSL-51 detachment hosts a training symposium with their ROKN Lynx counterparts to brief event execution, communication procedures, and weapons employment to ensure maximum operational effectiveness. Detachments FIVE, SIX, and ONE have most recently hosted these symposiums. They have greatly reduced the operational inefficiencies caused by language barriers, lack of familiarity with each Navy’s procedures and

aircraft capabilities. Prior to the commencement of these symposiums, ROKN Lynx exercise participation had been limited to Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) missions. The symposiums have proven to be a force multiplier as they have enabled the expansion of the Lynx pilots’ mission set and have helped hone their skills in this critical mission area.

The Warlords look forward to future opportunities to operate and train together with our ROKN rotary-wing allies. Most importantly, HSL-51 welcomes the opportunity to strengthen the already tight relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea Navies.

A ROKN pilot shows off the aircraft assigned to ROKN Air Group 62. Photo courtesy of HSL-51 Public Affairs Office.


HT-18 Command Leading Petty Offi cer AT1(AW/

NAC) J. Adam Rittierodt was commissioned as a Chief Warrant Offi cer (CWO) through the Flying Chief Warrant Offi cer Program Thursday, Dec.1. Joining him in recognition of his accomplishments were his wife, his two

children, Shantae, 14, and Amaya, 6.

The commissioning ceremony took place in the Joint Primary Aviation Training Simulator building aboard NAS

Whiting Field. In attendance were Commander, Training Air Wing Five CAPT David Maloney, HT-18 and other Training Air Wing Five squadron members, and family and friends of newly commissioned CWO2 Ritterodt, one of just 14 Navy enlisted members in paygrades E-5 through E-7 accepted into the program.

The Flying Chief Warrant Offi cer Program is designed to create fl ying specialists who are unencumbered by the traditional career paths of the unrestricted line community. Initially only selecting a small number of enlisted personnel for commissioning as warrant offi cers and training in aviation, the program will be gradually introduced. The selection process is highly competitive.

“I think it is a large step that instills a lot of pride in me,” Ritterodt said following the ceremony. “I think the Navy is going in the right direction with putting Warrant Offi cers in the cockpits and in aircraft. I’m going to do my best to uphold the traditions and responsibilities that come with being a Chief Warrant Offi cer.”

SQUADRON UPDATES: HT-18 Petty Officer Selected as CWO

Rittierodt selected for Flying Chief Warrant Offi cer ProgramStory by Lt. Ricke Harris, USN, HT-18 Photo by Marc Bizzell

HNAC) J. Adam Rittierodt was commissioned as a Chief Warrant Offi cer (CWO) through the Flying Chief Warrant Offi cer Program Thursday, Dec.1. Joining him in recognition of his accomplishments were his wife, his two

children, Shantae, 14, and

“The Navy got it right with Chief Warrant Offi cer Rittierodt,” said HT-18 Commanding Offi cer Lt. Col. Joseph P. Richards, who presided over the ceremony and presented Ritttierodt with his Commissioning Certifi cate, after glowing words of praise and recognition of his many accomplishments during his 12-year Navy career.

“He is a phenomenal, world-class individual, who has given the Navy everything he has for the last 12 years,” Richards continued. “He has done great things, and has been selected to go into a program where he will do even greater things for the United States Navy and for our country.”

In December of 1994, Rittierodt knew little of the adventure that was in store for him as he stepped onto the ground at Recruit Training Center Great Lakes, Ill.

Rated as an Aviation Electronics Technician after graduating from “A” School, Rittierodt accepted orders to Brunswick, Maine to join Patrol Squadron Special Projects Unit One (VPU-1). Though not originally qualifi ed as an Aircrewman, a fl ight aboard one of the squadron’s P-3 aircraft started him off in a direction that eventually found him graduating Naval Aircrew Candidate School in June 2000.

After returning to VPU-1, he deployed with the squadron in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. With the end of a successful tour during which he was awarded the Air Medal for operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism, Rittierodt accepted orders to HT-18 and an opportunity to contribute to the training future Navy and Marine Corps helicopter pilots.

When the Navy introduced a new program to train Chief Warrant Offi cers as pilots and Naval Flight Offi cers, Rittierodt again jumped at an opportunity.

After completing the Navy’s CWO training course at Offi cer Training Command Rhode Island, he will begin fl ight training as a Naval Flight Offi cer for service with the P-3 community.

Newly commissioned Chief Warrant Offi cer 2 Adam Rittierodt smiles as his wife, Shana and daughter, Amaya, fi t him with his shoulder boards.


Mis

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as

tNaval Helicopters and

the Space Program“The Last Splashdown”

Story and Photos By CAPT Gene Pellerin USN (Ret)

While visiting the National Museum of Naval Aviation I stopped

at the space capsule exhibit. It reminded me of the helicopter’s contributions to this countries space program. From the beginning Navy and Marine Corps helicopters

provided services for the high altitude record setting balloon assents, the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. The last “splash down” of a command module was the Apollo-Soyuz Test Mission. The Apollo-Soyuz test was the precursor to international cooperation in space that leads to the International Space Station. Vance Brand (one of the three crewmen of the Apollo-Soyuz mission) in an article by Jay Levine (NASA X-Press August 25, 2000) pointed out that the test mission evaluated spacecraft airlock confi guration that is still used today. Additionally, this mission brought two countries together that had been in head to head space competition during the Cold War.

The USS New Orleans with HS-6 were fl ying a SH-3A on-board made up the at sea recovery team for the Apollo Command Module of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Mission. Leading this team was NASA’s Doc Fulson and Milt Hefl in. The NASA team put the ship and HS-6 through a series of training events that ensured a quick and effi cient command module and crew recovery. The NASA recovery team taught us to call the Apollo space capsule “The Command Module” and informed us that this would be the last command module to be recovered at sea. This would also be the last time naval helicopters operated as an integral part of the space vehicle recovery program.

The recovery was without some excitement. The USS New Orleans and HS-6 were on station and ready. Launch of the recovery helicopters went as scheduled. The command module was spotted by the helicopter crews as it descended suspended from its parachutes.

Immediately communications with the command module crew did not go as planned. “Recovery One” helicopter attempted communications with the crew of the command module but was unable to establish two way communications. Intermittent conversations from the

Apollo crew could be heard but they were not responding to calls from the ship or Recovery One. After landing on the water in Stable Two position (inverted) the balloons on the module infl ated and righted (Stable One) the module. With the module in Stable One position and Recovery One in close range there still was no two-way communication. The Seal Team members (referred to as swimmers by NASA) were deployed as planned so they could place the fl otation collar around the fl oating command module.

The USS New Orleans with HS-6 on-board made up the at sea recovery team for the Apollo Command Module of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Mission. Leading this team was NASA’s Doc Fulson and Milt Hefl in. The NASA team put the ship and HS-6 through a series of training events that ensured a quick and effi cient command module

Apollo Command Module descending on the parachutes.Apollo Command Module descending



Mission Versalitiy From The Past

and crew recovery. The NASA recovery team taught us to call the Apollo space capsule “The Command Module” and informed us that this would be the last command module to be recovered at sea. This would also be the last time naval helicopter operated as an integral part of the space vehicle recovery program.

The recovery was not some excitement. The USS New Orleans and HS-6 were on station and ready. Launch of the recovery helicopters went as scheduled. The command module was spotted by the helicopter crews as it descended suspended from its parachutes.

Immediately communications with the command module crew did not go as planned. “Recovery One” helicopter attempted communications with the crew of the command module but was unable to establish two way communications. Intermittent conversations from the Apollo crew could be heard but they were not responding to calls from the ship or Recovery One. After landing on the water in Stable Two position (inverted) the balloons on the module inflated and righted (Stable One) the module. With the module in Stable One position and Recovery One in close range there still was no two-way communication. The Seal Team members (referred to as swimmers by NASA) were deployed as planned so they could place the flotation collar around the floating command module.

The swimmers accomplished the task quickly.

The next event startled the recovery crews. The hatch of the command module was opened and the astronauts began exiting the module to stand on the flotation collar. The problem with this situation was that if the open hatch allowed water into the module, it might sink. Additionally, there was concern for the safety of the astronauts as they stood on the floatation collar. If an astronaut should fall into the water his space suit could fill with water and he would sink. The swimmers under the leadership of LT Tom Kleehammer had done a superb job securing the collar to the module, inflating it and making sure the astronauts were

safe standing on the collar. Meantime, the New Orleans was approaching the module and ready to lift it aboard. It was decided by the NASA recovery team to not recover the astronauts via the helicopter and instead bring them aboard with the module.

The command module and astronauts were safely recovered aboard ship. The problem with communications was initiated by rocket fuel fumes that leaked into the command module during decent when the outside air vents of the module opened. The toxic fumes caused the astronauts to black out so that they were not able to complete the check list and switch the communications from internal to external two way communications. You can understand why the astronauts wanted to get out of the module and away from the toxic fumes.

Following recovery operations, the ship went to

Pearl Harbor to off load the NASA crew, their equipment, the astronauts and HS-6. From Pearl Harbor, the USS New Orleans headed to WestPac. The astronauts (Thomas Stafford, Vance Brand and Donald Slayton) were taken to Tripler Army Medical Center to make sure that there were no long-term health issues. HS-6 reported to NAS Barbers Point and waited two weeks for transportation back to San Diego. The transportation was the USS Coral Sea returning from WestPac. Not a happy ship to see so many helicopters associated equipment and personnel waiting on the pier in Pearl Harbor. The ship had failed to read the squadrons movement report very well, if at all. The success of all helicopter squadrons involved in the space program recovery operations was the result of good training, flexibility and outstanding maintenance personnel. HS-6 was no different; our maintenance crew under the leadership of LCDR Bill Terry and operations department lead by LCDR Andy Granuzzo did an outstanding job. That included CWO Ski Kanaski working the gang on the flight deck. These individuals and the entire HS-6 team ensured that all launches and missions were completed successfully and as

Astronaut in the white space suit having just exited the command module.



passengers plus cargo. It looks like the Apollo Command Module on steroids. Orion will follow the space shuttle

as NASA’s primary vehicle for human space exploration, starting operations about 2014. Now here is the kicker, Orion will be equipped with a system of parachutes and active or passive shock absorbers designed to prevent potential risks during reentry and landing, and to enable astronauts to touch down on land. Note that Russian helicopters are used to reach the landing site of their space vehicles. Will NASA require helicopters for the Orion recovery missions? What plans are being made for the possibility of at sea recoveries referred to as splashdowns? We needed to wait and see whether that the Apollo-Soyuz mission was really the fi nal US manned spacecraft recovery at sea.

Mission Versalitiy From The Past

scheduled.

CAPT Jack Thompson USNR (Ret.) had a plaque made to commemorate the recovery. On the plaque, Jack wrote the following: “The Apollo-Soyuz Command Module was recovered aboard the USS New Orleans, in mid Pacifi c on 24 July 1975. The prime helicopter was fl own by CDR. A. E. Pellerin, Commanding Offi cer HELANTISUBRON SIX, and LTJG J.T. Thompson. Splashdown occurred at 11:18 AM Lat. 22 degrees 00.6 North, Long. 163 degrees 00.9 West, marking the fi nal US manned spacecraft recovery at sea”.

Was it the last at sea recovery of a manned spacecraft? NASA has embarked on the development of a space vehicle as the follow-on to the space shuttle. The new space vehicle is called the “Orion”. It is designed to carry up to six

Continued from page 70 Ski Kanaski on front right with his fl ight deck crew

Swimmers preparing to open the hatch

The Next Issue of the

will focus on “From My Past to Future:A Senior Helicopter Pilot Perspective”

All photo and article submissions need to be no later than February 9, 2007 to your Rotor Review community editor or NHA Design Editor. Any further questions, please contact the NHA National Offi ce at 619.435.7139 or [email protected]


STUFF ORDER FORM DATE : ________________________

Please circle items, note the style, desired size, and indicate an alternative if possible. Item Style Color Price Ball Caps Pilot/Aircrew Wings Khaki, Navy, Red, Charcoal, Sand, $15.00 Black, White, NHA Logo Navy, Black, Light Blue, Slate Blue $15.00 CSAR Red, Orange $15.00 MH-60R/S Khaki, Sand, Navy, Orange, Red, $15.00 Black, Charcoal, White, Woven SH-60B/F Khaki, Sand, Navy, Orange, Red $15.00 H-46 Khaki $15.00 Visors Pilot Wings Navy $10.00 Polo Shirts Nautica : Navy, White, Gray, Slate Blue $35.00

Pilot Wings, NHA Logo, MH-60R/S PING: NHA Wings, Pilot Wings Navy, Slate Blue $45.00 Outer Banks: NHA Logo Blue/Royal Blue striped $45.00 Other Brands: NHA Logo, H-46 Tan, Navy, Black, White, Gray, $25.00 SH-60B/F, Pilot Wings Blue, Red, Dark Green Club Shirt NHA Logo w/wings Royal Blue $35.00 T-Shirts (Printed): Distressed, Hawaiian, Blue, Yellow, Gray, White, Navy $15.00 Rotors Rule, Pilot/Aircrew Wings/NHA

(embroidered): SH-60B/F $20.00Sweat Shirts NHA “Rotors Rule” Ash $20.00Windbreakers PING: NHA logo Black, Navy $50.00 Other Brands: NHA logo Navy $30.00

Kid Stuff Style Color Price

Infant Bibs Born to Hover Blue, Pink, Yellow $8.00 Blanket (waffle) Born to Hover White, Pink, Blue, Aqua $15.00Towel Born to Hover White $15.00T-Shirts (Child’s) NHA, Future Aviator, SH-60F Blue, Green, Yellow, Navy $15.00Bucket Hats Happy Helo, SH-60B Caricature Helo Navy, Sand $10.00Ball Caps Future Aviator Sand $10.00 SH-60B Caricature Helo Navy, Yellow $10.00 Overalls Born to Hover Denim, Khaki $20.00Shortalls Born to Hover Denim, Khaki $20.00

Misc Stuff Description Price Glass tumbler set NHA w/logo etched (2 per set) $10.00Calculator/calendar combo $10.00NHA License Plate Frame Chrome $8.00 (Includes shipping)

NAME: ______________________________________________________________________BILLING ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________CITY, STATE, ZIP: ____________________________________________________________ CREDIT CARD # _______________________________________________EXP___________CASH or CHECK_____________________________

ORDER TOTAL___________________________________(PLEASE ADD 15% FOR PRIORITY SHIPPING)

Gift Message / Shipping Address / Same as above:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NHA is located in Bldg 654 on Rogers Rd. aboard NAS North Island.TEL: (619) 435-7139 FAX: (619) 435-7354 MAIL: [email protected](ver1505)

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