Photo By Cpl. Manuel Estrada | Second Reconnaissance Battalion, Force Reconnaissance Company, 3rd Platoon Marines...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167 Marines trained with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, Force Reconnaissance Company, 3rd Platoon Marines to complete a fast-roping exercise and a special purpose insertion and extraction rigging drill, Feb. 14.
HMLA-167 geared up a UH-1Y Huey helicopter and flew out to Training Landing Zone Vulture aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune to meet with the reconnaissance Marines.
The Marines kicked off the evolution by fast roping out of the helicopter.
Fast roping is a technique used to quickly exit a helicopter with a large diameter rope, and Marines slide down the rope like a fireman’s pole, added Lance Cpl. Aaron Oldham HMLA-167 crew chief.
“[The training] felt more intense knowing that there are Marines on the rope,” said Oldham. “This time, knowing their lives were in my care, I knew I had to do all that I was trained to do.”
Practice makes perfect, and for the reconnaissance Marines, they fast roped with no gear the first time to get a feel for what they would be doing fully loaded. As the training progressed, Marines steadily added more gear until they were wearing a load-bearing vest and a 50-pound pack while going down the rope.
After the reconnaissance Marines honed their skills for fast roping, they prepared to SPIE rig from the helicopter. They attached straps and ropes to the bottom of the helicopter and laid the rope flat in front of the helicopter.
Once the Marines were strapped securely to the ropes, they gave a thumbs up to the helicopter’s rope suspension training master and prepared for takeoff.
During the training, the helicopter pilots circle the area with the Marines attached, so they familiarized what would be done in a real-life scenario, said Maj. Chris Rehwaldt, HMLA-167 UH-1Y Huey pilot.
When ground Marines are not in training, crew chiefs simulate Marines attached to the aircraft for SPIE rigging. By having both units working together, this allows the crew to work with Marines on the rope actually touching the ground when the helicopter lands, Rehwaldt said.
The training went well for all units involved with the exercise, he added. The pilots practiced keeping a stable hover so the Marines going down the rope would not hurt themselves during descent.
The exercise allowed the crew to practiced communicating with the reconnaissance Marines. It also allowed the crew chiefs to become proficient at using a new standardized communication that has been set for communications between the crew chiefs and the pilots, Rehwaldt said.
“The squadron was born in a combat zone,” said Oldham. “The squadron trains the same way as it did on its first day. We are always preparing for the next exercise or training mission, to be ready for wherever we need to be.”
| Date Taken: | 02.14.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 03.01.2012 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 84559 |
| Location: | NC, US |
| Web Views: | 98 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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