Flight School Next
The Army's next generation flight school trainer is already here.
In October, 2024, the Army issued a request for information asking how industry could fundamentally transform its flight school model, and we are glad that they did. At Airbus we envision a modern, proficiency-based flight school in which fundamentals of the experience-based learning model replace the rote memorization, student handouts, and podium instruction. We envision a flight school where modern technology, coupled with the most advanced helicopter ever used as a flight school trainer, give our nation's rotary wing student aviators the necessary fundamentals to counter and defeat our adversaries. When the Army re-purposed the UH-72A Lakota to support and sustain the Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) training mission at the Army Aviation Center of Excellence in 2015, they made one of their best decisions ever. Initial training in a modern, dual-engine, Single Pilot IFR-capable aircraft has transformed the nature of military flight training. Today, all future aviators receive their initial rotary wing training, instrument procedures, warfighter skills and emergency procedures in the UH-72A Lakota prior to transitioning to their “go-to-war” advanced aircraft. What sets the UH-72 Lakota apart as the primary training aircraft?
Since becoming the primary trainer in 2020, the Lakota has trained over 8,000 students and flown over 675,000 flight hours. It is safest training aircraft in Fort Novosel's history, with zero fatal mishaps. The Lakota has the lowest NMCS rate across the Army fleet. The aircraft’s proven performance allows the Army to fly 40% more hours, and train 40% more pilots with 40% fewer aircraft than its predecessor.
Affordability, Flexibility and Reliability
No other training aircraft in the Army fleet provides the same level of affordability, flexibility and reliability and a seamless transition to advanced aircraft. In addition, the U.S. Army's Combat Training Centers (CTCs) employ the UH-72A as observer and controller and opposing force aircraft in support of their realistic combat and threat training scenarios for Joint and Combined Arms Forces. The Army rotates more than 140,000 soldiers annually through its Combat Training Centers. The CTCs are located at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA; the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, LA and the Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels, Germany.
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Need More Information?Contact Us.