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Soldiers from Forward Support Company I, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, conducted sling-load training with support from the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade on Fort Riley, Kansas, Feb. 21.
In an effort to improve 1st ABCT’s combat readiness, Soldiers of FSC I began preparations for sling-load training in early January to develop and improve their aerial resupply capability for upcoming training events.
“The goal of today’s exercise is to continue to teach and train FSC I Soldiers on a capability that provides the unit the ability to rapidly and reliably sustain 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt.,” said Capt. Erickson T. Lee, the company commander of FSC I, and a Rock Hill, South Carolina, native.
Soldiers from FSC I utilized a water trailer as they loaded and successfully rigged and secured the load to a hovering Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk before safely maneuvering themselves away from the area. During the operation, the flight crewmembers guided the Black Hawk pilots safely to ensure the hookup crew had enough time to properly secure the load to the aircraft.
“The entire flight crew is actively engaging and communicating with each other to ensure the aircraft hovers safely over the ground crew for a proper hook-up procedure,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan Bourland, Company A, 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st CAB, originally from Nicholasville, Kentucky.
For safety considerations, leaders planned ahead to determine who would conduct the hookup and who would act as support to the hovering aircraft for the Soldiers conducting the hook up.
Rigging teams paid close attention to detail to ensure the sling load went well. In accordance with Army Regulation (TM 4-48.09 , Appendix I), before a load is approved for hook up, it must inspected and certified by either a Sling-Load Inspector Certified (SLICC) Soldier, an Air Assault-qualified Soldier or a Soldier who is Pathfinder qualified.
“Inspections are the friction point of any sling load mission and must be done carefully and meticulously to avoid any accidents to the flight or ground crew,” said Sgt. Matthew Delamater, FSC I noncommissioned officer in charge of the event, and a Portland, Tennessee, native.
Delamater, who is Air Assault qualified, conducted the sling-load inspection of the water trailer prior to its flight.
| Date Taken: | 02.21.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2018 17:27 |
| Story ID: | 269585 |
| Location: | FORT RILEY, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 106 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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