Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

(e.g. yourname@email.com)

Forgot Password?

    Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Logo

    'BAT' SIMULATOR TESTS IOWA CHOPPER PILOTS

    JOHNSTON, IA, UNITED STATES

    04.19.2017

    Story by Staff Sgt. David Brucher 

    135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

    PACKAGE: FLIGHT SIMULATOR TESTS IOWA CHOPPER PILOTS

    Staff Sgt David Brucher
    135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
    Iowa Army National Guard
    . . . . . . . . . . . / . . . . . . . . . . . / . . . . . . . . . . . / . . . . . . . . . . . / . . . . . . . . . . . / . . . . . . . . . ./
    (FLIGHT SIMULATOR TEST IOWA CHOPPER PILOTS) 11 April 2017
    (2:36) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    INTRO:
    UTILIZING SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY, THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD TRAINS ITS PILOTS AT A FRACTION OF THE COST OF LIVE FLIGHT TRAINING AND WITH NO RISK, ALL WITHOUT LEAVING IOWA. STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BRUCHER HAS THE STORY.

    SCRIPT:
    THE IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PILOTS WHO FLY U-H 60 MIKE MODEL BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS NOW HAVE A STATE OF THE ART TOOL TO MAKE THEM BETTER AVIATORS. THE BLACKHAWK AIRCREW TRAINER, KNOWN AS BAT, IS THE SECOND OF ITS KIND IN OPERATION AND THE ONLY ONE CURRENTLY IN THE NATIONAL GUARD INVENTORY. AVIATORS HAVE DEMANDING JOBS, REQUIRING AN EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH DEGREE OF SKILL. PROFICIENCY IN FLIGHT OPERATIONS REQUIRES FREQUENT TRAINING TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH HUNDREDS OF TASKS NEEDED TO SAFELY OPERATE THESE AIRCRAFT. ONE WAY TO BECOME A BETTER PILOT IN THE SKY IS TO PRACTICE SIMULATED FLYING ON THE GROUND. THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD BAT SIMULATOR CAN ACCURATELY MIMIC THE REAL THING.

    SOUNDBITE 1: TRAVIS VANLENGEN
    INCUE: “WELL, THE BIG…”
    RT: :18
    OUTCUE: “…TO TRAIN BEFORE.”

    THIS 9 MILLION DOLLAR TRAINER OFFERS THE FULL FUNCTIONALITY OF THE NEW BLACK HAWK, BUT COSTS ABOUT HALF AS MUCH AS THE ACTUAL AIRCRAFT.
    BAT SIMULATIONS HELP PILOTS LEARN THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE BLACK HAWK. AVIATORS MUST QUICKLY RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES THAT CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME DURING A FLIGHT.

    SOUNDBITE 2: CWO2 JAMES HAUSWIRTH
    INCUE: “I’VE FOUND THAT…”
    RT: :10
    OUTCUE: “…THAT THEY ARE.”

    IN ADDITION TO POOR WEATHER, BAD VISIBILITY, OR JUST MECHANICAL FAILURES, PILOTS MAY FACE ENEMIES ON THE BATTLEFIELD INTENT ON DOWNING THEIR HELICOPTER. BAT INSTRUCTORS CAN SIMULATE DOZENS OF SCENARIOS TO ENHANCE THE PILOTS’ SKILL AND TACTICS TO EVADE DISASTER AND COME HOME SAFELY.

    REPORTING FROM CAMP DODGE, IOWA, I’M STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BRUCHER, 135TH MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT.

    OUTRO:
    IOWA NATIONAL GUARD PILOTS UNDERGO MORE THAN 90 HOURS OF TRAINING EACH YEAR TO MAINTAIN PROFICIENCY ON THE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER.


    SOUNDBITE 3: TRAVIS VANLENGEN
    INCUE: “I LOVE BEING…”
    RT: :22
    OUTCUE: “…TO DO BEFORE.”
    THESE PILOTS CAN NOW EXPERIENCE SIMULATED LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS AND LEARN HOW TO REACT WHEN A REAL EMERGENCY OCCURS. THE BAT INSTRUCTORS HELP THE PILOTS MASTER DIFFICULT TASKS IN THE SIMULATOR SO THEY’LL BE SAFE ONCE THEY’RE UP IN THE AIR.
    SOUNDBITE 1: CWO2, JAMES HAUSWIRTH, U-H 60M BLACKHAWK PILOT,
    CO. C, 2-147TH AVIATION, BOONE, IOWA
    HOMETOWN: ANKENY
    “I’ve found that just by being in the simulator and spending the amount of time that we get allowed to spend in it that it allows me to see what my limits truly are as opposed to what I think that they are.”

    SOUNDBITE 2: TRAVIS VANLENGEN,
    INSTRUCTOR/OPERATOR AT THE BLACKHAWK AIRCREW TRAINER,
    SYSTEM STUDIES & SIMULATION (S3) TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY,
    HOMETOWN: ANKENY
    “Well, the big thing with the Blackhawk Aircrew Trainer, compared to the older simulators we had, is the innovation of all the Aircraft Survivability Equipment, the A-S-E equipment. So, with that full suite that we have integrated in the BAT, that allows us to train on…train our tactics in ways that we’ve never been able to train before.“


    SOUNDBITE 3: TRAVIS VANLENGEN,
    INSTRUCTOR/OPERATOR AT THE BLACKHAWK AIRCREW TRAINER,
    SYSTEM STUDIES & SIMULATION (S3) TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY,
    HOMETOWN: ANKENY
    “I love being able to get aviators to think somewhat outside the box and to realize that in certain scenarios that there’s no real right answer. It’s always being able to make sure the occupants survive the engagement, make sure the aircraft survives the engagement and getting aviators to think on their feet. And, that’s something the simulator allows us to do that we’ve never been able to do before.”

    LEAVE A COMMENT

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.19.2017
    Date Posted: 04.19.2017 18:51
    Story ID: 230899
    Location: JOHNSTON, IA, US
    Hometown: BOONE, IA, US

    Web Views: 68
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN