Advanced Helicopter Training

The flight line of Millington Regional Airport in 2004, the parked TH-57 Sea Rangers were evacuated from NAS Whiting Field to avoid Hurricane Ivan.

Advanced Helicopter Training is a type of training and education course undertaken by qualified helicopter pilots to further enhance their knowledge and safety skills. Advanced helicopter training is offered by a number of commercial providers but also is an integral part of military training, including the US Armed Forces. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

United States

The last phase of flight school for United States Navy and Marine Corps helicopter pilots is entitled Advanced Helicopter Training. Training is accomplished at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Florida. ^[5] All training was historically done with Bell TH-57 Sea Rangers helicopters, however these have been gradually replaced by the TH-73 Thrasher, a military variant of the AgustaWestland AW119 Koala. ^[6]

Advanced training is approximately six months long, and is divided into ten phases:

• Ground school: aircraft systems, local course rules, emergency procedures
• Familiarization: hovering, basic helicopter maneuvers
• Tactics: confined-area landings, external load operations, high-speed landings
• Trans-fams: familiarization in the instrument capable - TH-57C model
• Basic instruments (BIs): common instrument scans
• Radio instruments (RIs): instrument approaches, basic instrument navigation
• Visual/instrument navigation: cross-country navigation
• Low-level navigation: visual navigation below 500 feet AGL
• Formation: section formation maneuvers
• Night familiarization/Night vision goggles (NVGs)

Three squadrons perform advanced helicopter training: HT-8 Eightballers, HT-18 Vigilant Eagles and HT-28 Hellions. Training is also done for the United States Coast Guard and for the navies and marines of several allied countries, including Italy, Spain, and Germany.

The US Army also undertakes advanced helicopter training. ^[7]

Recent developments

In recent years, advanced helicopter training programs have expanded to include training in Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) procedures and advanced avionics management. These courses emphasize the use of satellite-based navigation and digital cockpit systems, reflecting the growing reliance on GPS and WAAS-enabled approaches in both civil and military aviation. Enhanced simulation environments and scenario-based training are now used to teach pilots how to safely operate in complex terrain and low-visibility conditions, incorporating real-time weather data and instrument procedure design principles. The Federal Aviation Administration and industry partners such as Hughes Aerospace have promoted these training standards to improve safety and precision in rotorcraft operations worldwide. ^{[8] [9]}

References

1. "Advanced Training Programs". FlightSafety International. 2021-10-05. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
2. "Advanced Helicopter Training". Woman-Owned Technical Services Company. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
3. "ADVANCED & OTHER TRAINING". Havens Aviation Helicopter Training, Tours and Charter. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
4. "Advanced Helicopter Pilot Training In California At HeliStream". Helistream. 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
5. "Advanced Helicopter Training System EA". NEPA Home. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
6. Wilson, Gwen (2024-02-07). "US Navy outlines how helicopter training has changed". HeliHub.com. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
7. Manuel, Rojoef (2025-04-24). "CAE Secures US Army Advanced Helicopter Training Support Deal". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2025-05-08.
8. Bellamy III, Woodrow (February 1, 2019). "Airliner-Style PBN for Helicopters". Avionics Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
9. Langfield, Mandy (March 4, 2025). "Interview: Supporting safety from every angle (Chris Baur, CEO of Hughes Aerospace)". AirMed & Rescue. Retrieved October 6, 2025.