Salient_Characteristics-HAAT.pdf

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

High Altitude Aviation Training

36th Rescue Squadron, Fairchild AFB

1. GENERAL: The 36th Rescue Squadron (RQS) operates seven days a week in mountainous terrain and responds to Search and Rescue requests from AF Rescue Coordination Center throughout Washington and the surrounding states; in an operating environment which includes vast mountain ranges with peaks over 10,000 feet above sea level. Targeted training increasing the mountain flying expertise of the 36 RQS UH-IN pilots and flight engineers is the best way to reduce the risk of a mishap during operations in extreme mountain environments.

2. HIGH ALTITUDE FLIGHT TRAINING DESCRIPTION:

a. Training must include at least a 2-day ground school, and incorporate all aspects of mountain flying.

b. Training course will provide at least 6 flight hours of instruction in mountainous terrain per pilot.

c. Training course will provide at least 3 flight hours of instruction in mountainous terrain per flight engineer.

d. The training area should include landing zones above 8,000 feet that will be utilized in the course.

e. The helicopter used for training must be turbine powered, and should be similar in flight characteristics to the UH0-1N (i.e., Bell 206, Bell 212 or similar).

f. Instructor pilots teaching the maneuvers and classes must have over 3,500 hours of mountain flying experience and a minimum of 400 hours instructing in mountains to ensure the most experienced instructors are provided.

g. Training must be able to teach students to understand mountain geography, weather, winds, illusions, and analysis of mountainous areas.

h. Training must also give the students the skills necessary to perform helicopter operations from shoulders, ledges, ridges, crowns, saddles, glaciers, snowfields, pinnacles, cirques, canyons, alpine meadows, riverbeds, and other high altitude confined areas.

i. Training must be completed by 30 September in order to preclude delays due to changing winter weather conditions in high altitude training areas.

3. QUANTITY:

a. A minimum of 2 pilots and 1 flight engineer, with the option for the 36th RQS to send up to 4 pilots and 2 flight engineers at the agreed upon rate.