Army Aviation Digest - May 1974

..
something which I hope those in Army

aviation will hold close and dear to their
hearts forever-you ~ r the brothers, the
friends, the fellows who live and work with
the men on the ground. And everywhere we
always have had something that was more
than cooperation, something more than
teamwork . ... In a way it is an affair of the
heart-in the planning, in the working, in the
fighting. That's why we must have, and we
have to have always, Army aviation ...
GENERAL CREIGHTON W. ABRAMS
Chief of Staff, U. S. Army
u ITED 5
DIRECTOR OF ARMY AVIATION, ACSFOR
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
BG James H. ,.,erryman
COMMANDING GENERAL
U.S. ARMY AVIATION CENTER
MG William J. Maddox Jr.
ASST COMDT, U. S. ARMY AVIATION
SCHOOL
BG James M. Leslie
EDITOR, U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST
Richard K. Tierney
ABOUT THE COVER
This month the DIGEST takes
special note of Memorial Day by
paying tribute to all who have
given their lives while serving
with Army aviation. aur thanks
to SP6 S. J. Stout who prepared
the cover artwork
2
ARMY AVIATION
'1GES"'J ------
MAY 1974 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 5
General Williams' Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1
Thoughts In Retrospect And Tribute, BG James H. Merryman ....... " 2
Dustoff-When I Have Your Wounded, MG Spurgeon Neel ......... 6
Take A Minute For Aviation Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10
Views From Readers .................................... 11
Colonel Oswalt's Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
Army Aviation Memorialization, LTC William H. Howell (Ret.) ........ 14
Shelter, Portable Aircraft Maintenance, CPT Cecil A. Green . ..... . - 16
You Are Invited ................................... . 19
New Fuel Contamination Test Kit, Myron Wolfe, DAC ........... 22
A Tribute Of Gratitude And Hope, COL Walter F. Wichmanowski ...... 24
An ATC Clearance Takes The Worry Out Of Being Close. . . . . . . . . . .. 26
Hubert C. Pate, DAC
Games People Play ............ .. ............... . ' . . . . . . .. 30
Updating Aircraft Inspection, LTC Carlton L. Schelhorn . ........... 34
The Trouble With Aviation Safety-Is People ................... 39
Hey, Mr. Ugly, Who Invited You? T ~ Donald F. Bissell ............ 42
Pearl .............................................. 46
U SAASO Sez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
The .... inion of the U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST is to provide information of an opera-
tional ot" functional nature concerning safety and aircraft accident prevention, training,
maintenance, operations, research and development, aviotion medicine and other re-
lated data. .
The DIGEST is an official Department of the Army periodical published monthly under
the supervision of the Commandant, U. S. Army Aviation School. Views expressed herein
are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army or the U.S. Army Aviation
School. Photos are U. S. Army unless otherwise specified. Material may be reprinted pro-
vided credit is given to the DIGEST and to the author, unless otherwise indicated.
Articles, photos, and Items of interest on Army aviation are invited. Direct communica-
tion is authorized to; Editor, U. S. Army Aviation Digest, Fort Rucker, AL 36360.
Use of funds for printing of this publication has been approved by The Adiutant Gen-
eral, Headquat'ters Department of the Army, 8 April 1974, in accordance with AR 3:t O .. 1.
Active Army toInits receive distribution under the pinpoint distribution system as ou'
lined in AR 310-1. Complete DA Form 12-5 and send directly to CO, AG Publications Cen-
ter, 2800 Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21220. For any change in distribution re
ments, initiate a revised DA Form 12-5.
National Guard and Army Reserve units under pinpoint distr ibution also should
DA Form 12-5. Other National Guard units should submit requests through their
adiutant general.
Those not eligible for official distribution or who desire personal copies of the DIGEST
can order the magazine from the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D. C. 20402. Annual subscription rates are $13.40 domestic and $16.75
overseas. Single copies are $1.20.
MAY 1974
T
HOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS have given their lives while serving with Army
aviation since its birth on 6 June 1942. Some have died in combat ...
others during peacetime operations. It is an honor to pay tribute to aU of
these men in this special Memorial issue of the AVIATION DIGEST.
When we speak of paying tribute to-these men, what should it really
mean? Let me answer that by sharing some memories with you. I have
been closely associated with Army aviation since 1941 when, as a member
of the Class Before One, we tested and validated the concept of Army
aviation. Those are fond and treasured memories to me.
There are sad memories too-such as Army aviation's first fatality.
Lieutenant R. P. Stallings was a tall, blonde-haired, nice-looking chap who
was killed at Ft. Sill, OK, in an L-2. He was a flight instructor, riding in the
back seat, and gave his student a simulated landing. The airplane got
away from the student and the instructor and spun in. L T Stallings' head
hit the back of the front seat and broke his skull. The student walked away
from it.
A happier memory was Private First Class Gene Thaxton, who was crit-
ically wounded in the Korean War. PFC Thaxton lived, thanks to helicopter
medical evacuation and a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH). Both the
helicopter and MASH were newly developed during the Korean War and
have saved thousands of lives in Korea and in the Republic of Vietnam.
I singled out LT Stallings and PFC Thaxton for a reason. If L T Stallings
had been using either shoulder harnesses or a crash helmet (both are now
required), he probably would have walked away from the L-2 accident.
Regrettab'ly, LT Stallings-and many of his contemporaries who were killed
-were a part of Army aviation in its infancy, while it was learning about
and developing protective flight gear, hardware, tactics, etc. PFC Thaxton
came along after Army aviation had time to become much more profes-
sional. This was due to hours upon hours of hard work by a lot of dedicated
people. Certainly, we have come much further since Korea, thanks to a
continuing dedication. Think of the advances we have made in developing
protective clothing, tactics, hardware, armament, aviation safety, medical
evacuation and other fields relating to Army aviation. These all have been
the result of dedication.
Now, in the wake of Vietnam, it is time to rededicate our efforts. This,
then, will be the finest tribute we can pay to those who have made the
supreme sacrifice.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROBERT R. WILLIAMS
General Williams helped organize and was a member of the Class Before One that
established the current concept of Army aviation. He has been deeply involved
with Army aviation every since. He helped to develop the first flight training
programs; served as Director of Army Aviation; was Commanding General/
Commandant of th-. Aviation Center/School; Commanding General of the Test
and Evaluation Group which evaluated the testing of the 11 th Air Assault Division
(T); commanded t ~ 1st Aviation Brigade in the Republic of Vietnam; served as
Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development; and most recently is the Deputy
Commander in Chief, U. S. Army, Pacific
1
H
UE, PLEIKU, BONG SAN,
Tay Ninh, Cu Chi and Soc
Trang are strange names of yester-
day, each with its own ring, each
recalling to us history, a part of our
lives, a place, a time, numerous
memories set aside to which we
can now tum and recall a period
becoming increasingly less vivid
and more distant to us. Yet, there
are also me-mories time will never
erase; memories of people, of units,
of missions, the jobs we had to do,
the gains we had to make and the
battles we had to fight. Every facet
of every tour had its moments of
frustration, of desperation, of life,
of death, of bitterness and joy, of
2
l
Thoughts In Retrospect
A Tribute
Brigadier General James H. Merryman
Director of Army Aviation
laughter and tears, and now, of
solemn tribute.
Army aviation- it meant many
different things to many different
people. To the Vietnamese it meant
the ever-increasing flock of rotors
beating their way across their
country. To the enemy it was the
force they could not beat-the
potent, flexible air arm of the U. S.
Army, reaching even into the
spider hole to extract the enemy.
To ground commanders it was mo-
bility- the ability to move quickly
from one landing zone to another,
from a base camp to the enemy,
from a hard fought battle to the
temporary refuge of a more secure
area. To the soldier it meant the
"chopper" that put him on the
ground, pulled him out when he
was hurt, brought him his beer and
mail, gave him that final ride to
Tan Son Nhut, Cam Rahn or Da
Nang for the trip back to his
" world " -con tinen tal U ni ted
States. But to the aviator it meant
a way of life, a frame of mind. It
was comradeship, dedication and
esprit, together forming the spirit
of Army aviation, the force which
sustained the ground war effort in
Southeast Asia for so many long
hard years, the force behind the -
U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST
General Merryman recaptures the diverse Army aviation roles in
Vietnam and the meaning of airmobility to the ground commander,
the individual soldier and to the Vietnamese. He credits the dedi-
cated mechanics, supply and other supporting personnel who put
the aircraft in commission. The professionalism, esprit and com-
radeship shown by the flight crews enabled Army aviation to meet
and surpass every mission given it in support of the ground soldier
American ground soldier in the
Republic of Vietnam.
The merits of the conflict may
be contested in history books for
-years to come. Victory as we knew
it in Europe and Japan has never
been tasted by our nation on main-
land Asia. On the other hand, war
remains an extension of foreign
policy and must be remembered as
such. The implementation of that
war, however, was our victory.
Army aviation succeeded in meet-
ing and surpassing every mission
given it in support of the ground
soldier. We proved unquestionably
the value and utility of the heli-
copter in combat. We definitively
_ tablished the need for airmobility
battlefield. Our history tests,
glittering in the heroism of our of-
ficers and men, in the manner in
which we employed our machines
and in the understanding we had of
duty and professionalism.
To laud superficially the aCcom-
plishments of Army aviation does
it a disservice. Statistics, too,
though they project indisputably
the scope of our efforts, alone lack
the luster that a narrative may
offer. Examining, for example, our
assets operating in-country for a
given timeframe, one finds that our
highest monthly average for a 1
year period in the war theater was
3,795 aircraft. The figure is im-
pressive, but it's only the tip of the
iceberg.
We're not speaking merely of
numbers of aircraft; we're talking
about an entire logistical force of
enormous scope, spreading its ten-
tacles from deep within the con-
tinental United States to the far-
thest reaches of the forward edge
of battle. We are referring to gen-
eral and direct support personnel,
each technically superlative, each
a logistician in his own right, trans-
Below, the flexible UH-1 Hueys arrive at LZ Stud
to move 1 st Cay Division troops nearer to Khe
Sahn, 1968 .. At right, a CH-4.7 Chinook crewchief
prepares Vietnamese civilians for evacuation
from the enemy doininateci area in the Iron
Triangle in 1967

forining supply documents and
work orders into tactical aircraft in
the field, fighting the war. We're
talking about the mechanic, the
young man in a rain drenched
vetment, flashlight in hand,
specting a "hell hole" or tail rotor
in the early, pre-dawn hours. These
are the men the aircraft totals
represent, the Army aviation logis-
tical team, stretching from Corpus
Christi to Vung Tau, pulling to-
gether, keeping a fire team on sta-
tion west of Phu Bai, capping an
outpost under fire, prepping a land-
ing zone in the Iron Triangle.
And what of cumulative flying
time? From July 1965 to Decem-
ber 1972 Army aviation compiled
an astronomical 14.7 million com-
bat flying hours. The figures stand
alone, stand on their own merit,
stand in vivid testimony of the
colossal combat support task con-
fronting Army aviation in the field.
More than the task, however, more
than the amassed hours of men arid
machines in the air, the figures
point to a different time--cockpit
time, crew time, time when a tac-
tical emergency called an aviator
out of a revetment when he thought
his eleventh hour in the left seat
was his last of the day; time which
changed as he sat, logbook back
on the pedestal, cranking his bird
for what often turned into an end-
less night.
The hours, too, meant a dedica-
tion to cause. They point to devo-
tion to a philosophy of unprec-
edented support of the ground
soldier. Army aviation in 14.7
million flying hours wrote its own
history which distinguished not
only these units but also made each
Left: A CH-47 Chinook airlifts supplies to artillery
unit on a hilltop in Vietnam in 1968. Above: A CH-54
Flying Crane after emplacing howitzers delivers a
load of ammunition to firebase in Kontum Province
an integral component of the
ground commander's combat as-
sets. The many million hours repre-
sent missions without which the
ground commander could not have
been successful; missions of com-
mand and control, insertions, ex-
tractions and of resupply efforts.
Each in its own way clearly de-
fines the requirements of Army
aviation on the battlefield of yester-
day and tomorroW.
What was accomplished in the
nearly 15 million hours of flying
time? From July 1965 to Decem-
ber 1972, 5.2 million tons of cargo
were carried and 42.5 million pas-
sengers transported. Once again,
however, the true story goes back
to the crews, the aviators, gunners
and crewchiefs distributing loads,
shuttling troops and packing that
"slick" until at max gross it
bounced and lumbered down a dirt
strip resupply point, becoming air-
borne only seconds prior to its skids
skimming over boundary concer-
tina. The true story tells of tactical
troop movement, the transport of
Buddhist monks, Vietnamese h ~
dren, chickens, pigs, of all t h o ~
people and elements which com-
prise the citizenry and economy of
small Asian hamlets. The tales go
on and on, each marking an in-
crement in the war, a period of
time when statistics were being
compiled and data accumulated
while ammunition was being
hauled, combatants extracted and
the wounded retrieved.
The true story also has its very
UH-1 Bs of the 119th Airmo-
bile Company land near
Pleiku with ARVN troops
who penetrate the jungle in
pursuit of Viet Cong in 1963
solemn moments. From 1965 to
1972 the Army lost 4,632 aircraft.
Ail losses were not combat losses,
of course. Clearly, we had acci-
dents, but we experienced tragedy
on many occasions. Landing zones
were hot; aircraft were hit. The
sequence was simple, repetitive and
costly. Ten ships in, three out; the
fire teams on station, security, re-
covery, more aircraft downed and
then the final tally, the nightly re-
ports, filling the pages of chapters
in our lengthy logs.
With aircraft lost came our
tragedies. KIAs, MIAs and WIAs
for the 1965-1972 period num-
bered 6,130. Heart rending evalua-
tions and analyses of what went
wrong and why filled many a brief-
ing tent, many a makeshift club,
many a "hootch" and many a
mind. The missions eventually lost
clarity but the losses did not.
Empty boots and memorial serv-
ices spoke constantly of the gravity
jIW our tasks, the hazards of our
, rofession, the finality of a tactical
error or a superior hostile force.
Yet, our losses somehow su-'
stained us. In life as well as death
we held our pride; pride iri mission,
pride in our goals, oui profession-
alIsm and ourselves. Other iosses
were also ours-losses which, with
the help of God, proved only tern.:.
porary. Ten aviation warrant offi-
cers and four commissioned officers
returned to us as former
prisoners of war.
More must be mentioned about
our warrant officer aviators. We
owe a special tribute to this seg-
ment of our aviation community.
At the start of the conflict in Viet-
nam we had from 1,500 to 2,000
warrant officers assigned as pilots
in the war effort. At the war's peak
in 1969 that number had climbed
to 11,500. Many of our finest com-
missioned officers saw extensive
cockpit duty, especially in the early
years of the war. However, the
brunt of the flying, the biggest
block of that 14.7 million flying
MAY 1974
A soldier directs a supply laden
CH-54 assigned to the 355th
Crane Company, to Firebase 6
near Ben Het in 1969
hoUrs, was accumulated by the
Army's aviation warrant officer. In
the compilation of such enormous
statistics our warrant officer wrote
his name indelibly on every page
of aviation history.
The whine of a turbine, the beat
of a rotor as it cuts through torrid,
tropic air has not been stilled in
Vietnam. War still threatens the
South Vietilamese though we all
hope for a maintained, lasting
peace. The fact remains though
that what peace exists today is
maintained in no small degree by
the deterrence manifested in the
airmobile capability of our allies.
The South Vietnamese people's
success at peacekeeping remains a
lasting tribute to what Army avia-
tion can do and will continue to do
toward success in combat.
In my long association with
Army aviators and support person-
nel, I have fOllnd them a unique
breed, dedicated to the concept of
professionalism in all they do,
united in their purpose to support
the ground soldier in combat and
nurtured on those philosophies of
spirit and purpose which backed
the success 6f Army combat opera-
tions in Vietnam.
To all who took part in that
struggle as a part of Army aviation,
our nation is deeply grateful.
Brigadier General James H. Director of
Army Aviation, commanded the 269th Combat
Aviation Battalion in Vietnam. During a second
tour he commanded the 17th Aviation Group. Prior
to his present assignment General Merryman was
the Executive and Assistant for Air Mobility to the
Assistant Secretary of the Army (R&D)
5
aa Wilu@m 1]
UDDLP WDDm@1@@
Major General Spurgeon Neel, M.D.
Commander, U. S. Army Health Services Command
Fort Sam Houston, TX
"DUSTOFF-When I Have Your Wounded" is a brief but succinct overview of the contri-
butions of DUSTOFF to lives saved, patient care, medical efficiency and troop morale. The
story is anchored on two of the many medical aviator heroes to provide perspective to the
statistics cited. It was the dedication of the crews that made the magnificent system go
_ r.' __ ---,- .-.,..-._
._
M
AJOR CHARLES L. Kelly,
Medical Service Corps, was
DUSTOFF and DUSTOFF was
"Combat Kelly." The two became
synonymous in the Republic of
Vietnam in 1964 when the most
effective of all emergency medical
evacuation systems emerged to full
maturity in the mountains and pad-
dies halfway around the world.
As commander of the 57th Medi-
cal Detachment (Helicopter Ambu-
lance), Kelly assumed the radio
caUsign "DUSTOFF." His skill,
aplomb, dedication and daring
soon made both famous through-
out the Delta. The lonely silence of
many a distant outpost was broken
by his radio drawl, "... this is
DUSTOFF. Just checking in to see
if everything is okay." And when
there were wounded, here came
Kelly "hellbent for leather!"
On such a mission on 1 July
1964, Kelly was making an ap-
proach into a hot area to pick up
wounded only to find the enemy
waiting too with a withering bar-
Major Charles L. Kelly
rage of fire. He was advised repeat-
edly to retire but refused. When a
U. S. advisor on the ground gave
him a direct order to withdraw
Kelly calmly replied, "When I have
your wounded." Moments later
Kelly died with a single bullet
wound through his heart.
Kel1y was dead but the legacy
was only beginning. DUSTOFF be-
came the call sign of all Army aero-
medical evacuation missions in
Vietnam and "when I have your
wounded" became the personal and
collective credo of the many gallant
medevac pilots who followed him.
Major Charles L. Kelly was
highly decorated for his valor and
is memorialized by a heliport
named in his honor at Ft. Sam
Houston, TX. A far more appro-
8
priate and living memorial to him
is the thousands of young Amer-
icans and other nationalities alive
today as the result of DUSTOFF,
the system that Kelly died for.
Regardess of the criteria utilized,
the American soldier wounded in
Vietnam had the best chance of
survival of any war to date. The
mortality rate among wounded
reaching medical treatment facili-
ties was only 2.6 percent, com-
pared to 4.5 percent in World War
II and 2.5 percent in Korea. But
this is not the complete picture.
Many more seriously wounded
reached medical facilities alive to
receive the benefits of modern
medical care. Our surgeons have
never been more challenged and
never have they performed more
magnificently. In previous wars
most of these mortally wounded
would have died en route and
would have been recorded as KIA
(killed in action). Assuming that
those who died within the first 24
hours of hospitalization were in
this category, the real comparable
mortality rate was closer to only
1 percent.
A more realistic index of com-
parison of the effectiveness of the
combat evacuation/treatment sys-
tems between wars is the "deaths
as percent of hits" or ratio of
deaths to deaths plus surviving
wounded, which adjusts for the ef-
fect of the rapidity of evacuation
upon the echelon at which death
occurs. In World War II 29.3 per-
cent of the wounded died, in Korea
it was 26.3 percent, while in Viet-
nam it was only 19 percent.
Further, the ratio of KIA to WIA
(wounded in action) was 1 to 3.1
in World War II, 1 to 4.1 in Korea
and 1 to 5.6 in Vietnam.
The major factors contributing
to this outstanding accomplishment
in the management of battle
wounds were:
Swift reliable helicopter evac-
uation.
Ready availability of ample
amounts of whole blood.
Highly skilled, well organized
surgical teams.
Well equipped, semiperma-
nent forward hospitals.
Effective management of
available medical resources.
Of these important factors, heli-
copter evacuation is considered
the common denominator of the
success achieved. Without DUST-
OFF it would have been impos-
sible to exploit the other factors
cited and the management of
medical resources would have been
much less effective.
Helicopter evacuation in Viet-
m was neither a sometime thing
r a fair weather, daytime
phenomenon. DUSTOFF was the
method of emergency medical
evacuation with ground means in a
secondary supporting role. A high
percentage of sorties were flown at
night and weather was not a signi-
ficant deterrent.
The number of patients evac-
uated by DUSTOFF rose from
13,004 in 1965, to 67,910 in 1966,
to 85,804 in 1967 and peaked at
206,229 in 1969. In 1969 DUST-
OFF completed more than 104,-
112 missions while flying approxi-
mately 78,652 combat hours. These
statistics include evacuation of
Vietnamese soldiers and civilians,
Free World Forces and even Viet
Cong as well as U. S. casualties.
One has only to relate these statis-
tics to the survival data previously
cited to extrapolate the tremendous
number of lives saved by DUST-
OFF.
In addition to significant contri-
bution to saving lives, amelioration
)f suffering and improving medical
MAY 1974
Major Patrick H. Brady
efficiencies, DUSTOFF contrib-
uted immeasurably to the morale
and combat effectiveness of our
soldiers. The soldier committed to
battle in an isolated situation knew
that he was within 35 minutes of
definitive surgical care should he
become wounded, and he knew
that DUSTOFF would be there
when needed. For each of the
thousands of wounded actually
evacuated, tens of thousands of his
comrades were reassured by the
red crosses and later the white
ships of DUSTOFF.
On 9 October 1969 at the White
House, the President of the United
States recognized the contributions
of DUSTOFF when he awarded
the Medal of Honor to Major
Patrick H. Brady, Medical Service
Corps, for conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity in action at the
risk of his life and beyond the call
of duty (see page 1 and "Out Of
The Valley Of Death," May 1970
DIGEST) . Brady learned to fly
DUSTOFF with Kelly and con-
tinued the tradition. On 6 January
1968 he utilized three helicopters
in succession on multiple missions
under heavy fire to evacuate 51
seriously wounded men, many of
whom would have died without
prompt medical attention.
Nor is this the end of DUST-
OFF's proud story. The system
which reached perfection in Viet-
nam is now being applied to the
significant emergency medical care
problems within the United States.
Lives are being saved daily on our
highways, in our factories and in
our homes by the use of helicopter
evacuation and the lessons learned
in Vietnam. Project MAST (Mili-
tary Assistance to Safety and Traf-
fic) has demonstrated clearly the
feasibility and necessity for expan-
sion of this service to our citizens
(see "MAST Is," November 1973
DIGEST). The right to live is a basic
American right, whether on the
field of battle or in our metro-
politan and rural areas at home.
Helicopter evacuation adds mean-
ing to such innovative health care
delivery systems as the Regional
Medical Programs. A health care
system incorporating helicopter
evacuation is economically com-
petitive with present systems with-
out this capability.
I am convinced that DUSTOFF
is the brightest light in the dark
shadows of Vietnam. DUSTOFF
with its Kellys and Bradys exem-
plifies the highest dedication of the
Army Medical Department-
"when I have 'your wounded." I
knew them well and am proud.
Major General Spurgeon Neel, M.D., MC, is the
commander of the U. S. Army Healtl:- Services
Command at Ft. Sam Houston, TX. He was the
first Army officer to be certified in the specialty
of aviation medicine by the American Board of
Preventive Medicine. Prior to his present as-
signment he was the assistant surgeon general
for the United States Army
9
I
N DECEMBER 1973, President Richard M. Nixon
announced a new safety educational and promo-
tional campaign called "Safety '76." This program
began in January 1974 and will continue through
1976. It is a follow-on program of the "Zero-In on
Federal Safety" campaign which ended in 1973 and
which proved successful in reducing injuries among
federal employees.
In support of this program, General Craighton W.
Abrams, Army Chief of Staff, has designated June
1974 as "Take a Minute for Aviation Safety" month.
This theme is to encourage aviation-related person-
nel to consider safety in all their aviation activities
and to develop supporting programs to increase
Army aviation safety awareness.
The combined Army aircraft accident rate of
Active Army, Army National Guard and Army Re-
serve for the first half of FY 74 was 6.39 per 100,000
flying hours. This is the lowest combined rate since
the Army began its accident prevention program in
1958. Credit for this belongs to all individuals who
have enthusiastically accepted and supported the
accident prevention program.
Naturally, we want to continue this trend and
there is no doubt in my mind that even greater gains
are possible. Even though the task becomes more
difficult as we get closer to a near-zero rate, this indi-
10
cation that your individual unit programs are paying
off should encourage everyone to try even harder. As
accidents decrease, the time we previously spent in
reaction to accidents can now be spent initiating ac-
tion to prevent accidents.
The achievement of greater gains in aviation safety
will require closer command supervision and firmer
enforcement of discipline. Safety is an ongoing pro-
gram and must be integrated into all phases of
operations. The commander should effectively use the
skills and talents of his aviation safety officer (ASO)
in identifying hazards and administering the unit's
accident prevention program. To aid ASOs in pro-
moting GEN Abrams' June safety campaign, USA-
AA VS has prepared a special packet of educational
material. This packet contains posters, decals,
bumper stickers, mobile hanging signs and a news
release for local press and radio coverage.
With safety improvement as our everyday mission,
I am confident we can look forward to a continued
reduction in the Army aviation accident rate. Our
goal is to close out FY 74 with the lowest rate since
the beginning of the aviation accident prevention
program, and I urge all individuals to "Take a
Minute for Aviation Safety."
t ~ ~ Colonel F. M. McCullar
Army Aviation Safety Officer
USAAAVS
V
F
R
JEWS
ROM
EADERS
Sir:
As I sat listening to the names being
called out, I thumbed idly through the
graduation program. I had just com-
pleted 6 months of study in the Aviation
Warrant Officers Intermediate Course.
I looked at the background of the guest
speaker and the names of the men I had
known well for the last months. I
started to look up when my attention
was drawn to the back cover of the
ogram.
There on the back, in large black
letters, were the words: I AM ARMY
AVIATION. They were the words of
Major Larry Joyce [see June 1970
DIGEST, page 33]. He speaks of famous
men like Dempsey and Holloway. He
speaks of tours and places such as Nam
Can, Blackhorse and Lane. He speaks
of rockets, tracers, "Charlie" and death.
He speaks in terms that are the mission
of the Army: to close with and destroy
the enemy. He speaks in words that re-
flect what Army Aviation is to him. He
does not teil all that A-rmy Aviation is,
but merely touches on one part that
is the glorious. Army Aviation must be
more.
Army Aviation is the names of com-
rades that few remember. Names of
men who were doing a routiI1e job to
them; men who paid _ freedom's price
trying to get some food to some hungry
soldiers. Names of men that did their
daily jobs with dedication, even when
the reasons seemed so vague. Army
Aviation is the pilots that flew all night
to listen to five men in the jungle, mak-
ing sure they were all right, and then
doing it again the next night.
Army Aviation is the pilots that to-
day fly lonely vigil on foreign borders;
the pilots that take young men and turn
into well-trained, highly motivated
Army Aviation is the man who
MAY 1974
stands on the teaching platform and
teaches, in an exemplary manner, the
skill and knowledge that is needed in
the foreseen conflicts of the future; but
wishes he were out flying. Army A via-
tion is made up of the pilots that pro-
vide the commanders of today's fast-
moving Army that same fast-moving
transpc:>rtation. Those are the pilots that
sit in small or airfield opera-
tions for long, boring hours between
flights and still find satisfaction in their
accomplishment. These are the men of
Army Aviation and I remember their
names well.
Army Aviation is the places like New
Braunfels, Texas, the Mississippi Valley,
Nicaragua, and Gulfport, Mississippi.
Whenever and wherever natural dis-
asters strike and emergency relief is
needed, the Army Aviator and his
faithful machine is there. Project MAST
[Military Assistance to Safety and
Traffic] is Army Aviation. Ask the
mothers that have children saved by
their speedy action. Ask the victims of
the countless -car accidents, home acci-
dents and heart attacks that have been
rushed to proper facilities and been
given another lease on their precious
lives. These acts speak of life, not death.
These acts speak of giving, not taking.
These acts speak of love, not hate for
our fellow man. This is Army Aviation
and I remember this.
Today, there js a tendency to look at
the Army like a garbage man. As long
as everything runs smoothly, he is
looked down on as having a despicable
job, fit for the I.lOfit. Just as soon as the
garbage starts to collect and the smell
gets bad, he becomes an important per-
son and people become concerned about
his welfare. Army Aviation, being a
part of this Army perception, has this
stigma. It - is not true and certainly
During hostilities in the Republic of
Vietnam the of the Wiregrass
area of Alabama-where Fort
is located-were acutely aware of the
many of Anny aviation per-
sonnel. In gratitude people in the Wire-
grass area established a small wayside
park in Enterprise. In the center they
placed a dedicated to the men of
Army aviation. Made of the finest
marble, tbe monument depicts a Soldier
representative of all of those associated
with Army aviation
should not be perpetuated by our own.
Vietnam is behind us and Army Avia-
tion, as we knew it there, should not be
forgotten. It learned and taught many
sweet and bitter lessons, both to our-
selves and our would-be enemies. We
live today and that is the Ar111Y Aviation
that we should make sure Americans
and we understand and respect. At
times Army Aviation is the sword pf
death and destruction. At all times it is
the Angel of Mercy and the giver of
comfort and aid, in war or peace. Re-
member, mercy was Army Aviation's
original mission in the rotary wing
world.
Major Joyce tells better -than I can,
all that Army Aviatiop. is in his last line.
We must never forget the past, but we
should not want to return either. We
should tell Of today and plan for to-
morrow.
"Whether at home or on foreign
shores, I will be there ...
keeping my faith in God and
country.
I AM ARMY AVIATION."
CW2 -David R. Katz
21 Olsen Lane
Ft. Rucker, AL 36360
Continued on page 21
11
27 May 1974
Dear Dick:
As you may recall, the landing in North Africa began on
8 November 1942. Four officers flew ashore in three L-4Bs
from the USS Ranger; six more of us went ashore by boat.
I was one of the latter. Those officers who flew ashore were
the first Army aviators in combat. Captain ford E. (Ace)
Allcorn commanded the group which included Captain
Brenton A. Devol, Jr., and Lieutenants John R. Shell and
William H. Butler. Now, only Lieutenant Butler remains.
alive.
You asked who were the first Army aviators to lose their
lives in North Africa. We were known as L-pilots, or Liaison
pilots, in those days. As nearly as I can remember, the first
one killed in Tunisia was Lieutenant Bill Stephens. I don't
know to which unit he was assigned, but the
were as follows. He landed on a qirt road and ran over
German Bouncing Betty landmine. Two of the steel balls
went through his chest, killing him.
A second person killed a bit later was Lieutenant Bob
Johnson. He went overseas with me and was one of the six
that went ashore by boat. He was killed in Tunisia when his
aircraft fell in and burned.
Incidentally,just after the landing we built our first land-
ing strip in North Africa just north of Casa Blanca at Aine
Saba. It had a set of high-tension wires across the middle of
it. general Donald V. Bennett, commander, U. S. Army,
Pacific, was a captain and S-3 of the battalion that Johnson
and I were assigned to-the 58th Armored Field Artillery
Battalion. He well remembers this strip under the high-
tension wires.
Lieutenant John Shell (P-2, my class) was killed near
Mateur in Tunisia by a piece of shell fragment from an 88
mm round. He had just landed on a road near the 1st Ar-:-
mored Division Artillery command headquarters and was
walking up to the headquarters when incoming shells ex-
ploded, throwing a piece of shrapnel into the back of his
head. I was in II Corps at that time and was assigned to take
his place as division aviation pfficer. The II Corps aviation
officer was Lieutenant (or Cqptain) Delbert Bristol. Lieu-
tenant Horace Groom was later hit in Italy by a single
round of .30 caliber which struck his back and paralyzed
him from the waist down. He later married the nurse that
took care of him in the hospital.
You did not ask for this information, but I will pass it on
for what it is worth. Lieutenant Julian (Wild Bill) Cummings
(P-2, my class) and a Lieutenant Fineberg (whom we had
trained in North Africa) were two of those 'who flew ashore
from the made-over LSTs in the landings on SiCily. Lieu-
tenant Fineberg was later killed south of Casino, about
November or December 1943.
Another of the first Army aviation combat deaths was
Staff Sergeant Allen, who was killed by one of our own
outgoing shells on the beachhead at Anzio. He was one of
my pilots in the 1st Armored Division. He was climbing
out toward the front when an outgoing round from a tank
battalion hit him. This was one of the units we used for firing
artillery type interdiction and harassing missions.
As best as I can recall, these were the men who were the
first Army aviators to give their lives in combat. Thank you
for the opportunity to participate in the Memorial issue and
to pay my respects to all who have given so much for
Army aviation.
Sincerely,
14
ARmy
AVIATion
mOil llZATlon
Lieutenant Colonel William H. Howell (Retired)
A
RMY REGULATION 1-31
established an Army-wide
program to memorialize Army per-
sonnel killed in connection with
cold war activities subsequent to 1
Curator, U. S. Army Aviation Museum
Fort Rucker, AL
July 1958. The U. S. Aimy Avia-e
tion Center at Ft. Rucker, AL, was
designated to memorialize those
who were killed while serving With
aviation. Major General John J.
Tolson, then commanding general
of the Aviation Center, dedicated
the memorial on 18 October 1966
and designated the U. S. Army
Aviation Museum at Ft. Rucker the
responsibility for its maintenance
and display to the public.
The memorial stands in the
Aviation Museum displaying in-
dividual brass nameplates which
have been received periodically
from The Adjutant General at
Headquarters, Department of the
Army. The nameplates are
mounted on the mahogany back-
ground of the memorial.
The earliest date of deaths show
Chief Warrant Officer Joseph A.
Goldberg, Specialist 5 Harold L.
Guthrie and Specialist 5 James E.
Lane, all killed on 15 July 1962.
The most recent name to be
dded is Sergeant Thomas D.
{oung, who was killed on 15 De-
cember 1971. During this 8
t
h
year period there were 1,400 name-
plates affixed to the memorial and
more than three-quarters of a mil-
lion Museum visitors have had the
opportunity to view it and gain
more appreciation for Army avia-
tion and the men who have lost
their lives performing their mis-
sions in combat.
In 1942 organic light aviation
was first authorized in the Army
Ground Forces. The Field Artillery
Battalion's TOE (table of organi-
zation and equipment) authorized
two liaison pilots with strong em-
phasis that these two pilots be Field
Artillery officers who had been
trained to fly aircraft. This quali-
fication was intended to enhance
their value as Artillerymen only
and not to mark them as "special"
in any way. Even as light aviation
was authorized in other branches
of the Army, great care was taken
to emphasize that aviators in the
Army were officers with a "spe-
MAY 1974
ciaIty" and the primary prerequisite
for flight training was to be an
officer of a branch authorized avia-
tion.
From 1942 until the end of
World War II approximately 3,000
Artillery officers and enlisted men
were trained as liaison pilots. Even
though beginning in 1946 other
combat arms were authorized light
aviation, only 2,000 pilots were
trained up to 1950. In those days
aviation training was considered
detrimental to the career of young
officers so they chose more promis-
ing specialties such as Rangers,
Airborne, etc. The lack of interest
in aviation in the Army as a whole
found the Army with only some
1,400 pilots within reach for im-
mediate service at the beginning of
the Korean War. Fewer than 100
aviators were available for combat
missions during the first weeks of
the war.
It was during the Korean War
that Army aviation began to come
of age, at least so far as being
recognized as a valuable asset to
increase mobility in a country with
poor road nets.
As a result of the Korean War
experience, the Army became more
interested in Army aviation to the
extent that the Air Training De-
partment located at the U. S. Army
Artillery School at Ft. Sill, OK,
became the Army Aviation School
and in less than 2 years was moved
to then Camp Rucker. There
quickly followed the creation of the
Army Aviation Center and the post
was given its permanent designa-
tion, Fort Rucker.
With its own Center and School,
Army aviation began to stand out
in the Army as an entity and also
began to attract officers of all
grades from lieutenants to generals
as a career enhancement rather
than a detriment.
Although early Army Air Corps
pilots have been memorialized on
various Army posts, some of which
later became U. S. Air Force bases,
Army aviators were not memorial-
ized until the Army Aviation
Center was created in 1954. Then
some of the auxiliary airfields be-
gan to be named in memory of
Army aviators, enlisted men and a
few career civilian flight instructors.
Several years ago the U. S. Army
Aviation Center implemented AR
1-33 by establishing the Ft. Rucker
Naming Committee consisting of
the staff directors and other heads
of activities. This committee func-
tions under the direct supervision
of the deputy commander at Ft.
Rucker. This committee has named
most of the permanent buildings
and auxiliary airfields after de-
ceased officers, warrant officers
and enlisted men who have made
significant contributions to Army
aviation both in combat and in
peace. This permanent committee
will continue to memorialize de-
ceased Army aviation personnel by
naming bachelor officer quarters,
bachelor enlisted quarters, class-
rooms, etc., in their honor so that
their memories are perpetuated for
the inspiration and respect of
future generations of Army avia-
tion people.
These new permanent buildings
have brass plaques located in vari-
ous places on the building bearing
the name of an Army aviator or
crewman of whom the Army is
proud and a family who is proud
and grateful for this recognition.
It would seem that the buildings
would be identified by their names
-but not yet. They still are identi-
fied in the telephone and office
directories, student schedules and
many other references by obscure
building numbers. However, these
buildings eventually will be re-
ferred to by these names represent-
ing heroism, bravery, devotion to
duty and contributions to Army
aviation. Then the Army aviation
memorialization program will have
real meaning in its own home .........
15
SHELTER,
PoRTABLE
Story by Captain Cecil A. Green
Photographs by Lieutenant Brian N. Kanof
AIRCRAFT
MAINTENANCE
16 U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST
1M OBILITY is the keystone to
Army planning, and nothing
has done more to make the Army
mobile in the past 70 years than
has the emergence and successful
employment of Army aviation's
fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
But, as airplanes and helicopters
become more sophisticated and
tote more technical weaponry,
mobility is directly related to the
quality and speed of maintenance
that those aircraft receive. Thus,
the logical action in future con-
flicts is to put quality maintenance
in a mobile configuration and move
it to where the need is greatest.
And that's where the SPAM comes
in-for the SP AM may become a
nearby place where an Army avia-
tor can get maintenance pulled on
an ailing helicopter or airplane.
To many World War II-era GIs,
spam was a mealtime meat item
dished up by the mess sergeant, but
today SP AM is the Army's acro-
nym for "Shelter, Portable Aircraft
\.1aintenance." The SPAM is
_ actually a series of eleven flattop
buildings that can be folded up
somewhat like a roadmap for easy
carrying or delivery to isolated
locations. The buildings are com-
posed of a resin-impregnated paper
honeycomb bonded between sheets
of aluminum.
Currently, the concept of the
buildings is being fidd tested by
MASSTER (Modern Army Se-
lected System Test, Evaluation and
Review) at Ft. Hood, TX. The
buildings which compose the
SPAM have been in the Air Force
inventory for several years, but the
CPT Green has been information
officer for the MASSTER program
since September 1973. He received
his B.A. degree in 1967 and his M.A.
in mass communications in 1972.
He has attended the AG basic and
advanced schools, the Defense
Information School and the Ad-
vanced Public Relations School
MAY 1974
MASSTER test is the first in an
Army field situation ..
The importance of the SP AM
concept, according to the test proj-
ect officer Major Kenneth W. Allen
of MASSTER, is that an entire
aircraft maintenance complex can
be set up almost anywhere and
provide direct support for Army
aviation units.
The SP AM is capable of such
flexibility because nine of the eleven
buildings fold up into easily handled
boxes that can be loaded on cargo
airplanes, airlifted by helicopters,
loaded on a ship or placed on a set
of road wheels and pulled by a
truck.
The other two buildings in the
SP AM complex are small enough
to transport the same as the larger
SPAM units but they are not ex-
pandable.
Each folded-up building is 8
feet high, 8 feet long and slightly
over 13 feet wide. When the sides,
floors and ceilings are unfolded
and expanded, the 8-foot length
becomes 22 feet, providing about
286 square feet of floor space in-
side. Also, when the buildings are
closed up all the workbenches,
tools, machinery, lighting and air
conditioning are still inside. This
means that the SP AM can be
functional soon after it is delivered
to a new location.
When set up the SP AM offers
all the maintenance services found
in most major repair shops. The
nine foldable buildings house a
prop and rotor repair shop, an
airframe repair shop, a turbine
engine repair shop, an electrical
shop that can repair mstruments,
an armament shop, a tool crib that
houses special tools, a powertrain
shop, a complete machine shop
and a weapons fire control shop,
where other intricate instruments
are repaired.
The two smaller buildings are
used for hydraulic repair and weld-
ing.
The concept of the SP AM may
mean much for the mobility of
such direct support maintenance
units in the future because the
present mobility is usually limited
to vans on the back of large trucks.
Thus, the mobile maintenance
shops now can only go where their
trucks can go. But, the SP AM
can go anywhere a helicopter,
plane, ship or truck can go.
Additionally, the SPAM build-
With floor and ceiling unfolded, members of E Troop, 7th
Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 1 st Cavalry Division, swing up the end
panel of one of the SPAM buildings. When completed the
building will house a maintenance unit. With end walls,ceiling
and floors folded, the building may be moved by aircraft.
17
ings can be dollied around on the
ground when the road wheels are
attached or a rough terrain forklift
can handle them easily, which
means that they can be placed in
more secure areas than can the
larger trailer vans. This additional
on-site mobility also means that the
SPAM units can take better advan-
tage of natural camouflage ... not
to mention that their size is easier
to camouflage than is the large vans.
And emplacing the SP AM build-
ings on uneven terrain is no major
problem either. Each unit is
equipped with eight leveling jacks
that can be individually adjusted to
compensate for such things as the
slope of the land or small depres-
sions and rises. Each building also
has a device somewhat like a
carpenter's level to indicate when
the floors are level and ready for
business.
The working area in the SP AM
is greater than that of conventional
vans and the SP AM units are all
on ground level while the vans are
usually 3 or 4 feet off the ground.
This means that repairmen using
the vans have to climb several
steps, often with heavy equipment;
with the SP AM the men are able
to come directly in the door.
Modifications to the SP AM dur-
ing the MASSTER test also have
helped improve some of the work-
ing conditions. For example, the
engine repair shop and powertrain
shop have a large I -beam in the
ceiling to support a chain hoist.
However, workmen soon discov-
ered that there was a problem get-
ting heavy loads inside the shop
so the hoist could be used.
"Therefore, we installed a crane
at the edge of the door in each
shop," MAl Allen explained, "and
this crane can swing out about 5
feet , which is far enough to reach
outside and pick up heavy loads
with its 2000-pound hoist. This
little addition has already saved us
a lot of time and energy."
The air conditioning system in
the SP AM has been simplified for
field usage. Originally, each SPAM
building had its own large, exterior
A machine shop housed in one of the
SPAM buildings is useful when mak-
ing repairs under field situations.
Here, SP4 Javier Soto uses a lathe
to repair some helicopter parts. The
machine shop is just one of 11 ac-
tivities housed in SPAM buildings
air conditioning unit with big, cir-
cular ducts snaking around the
complex. Now, holes have been
cut in the end panels of each build-
ing and two window-model cooling
/heating units have been installed.
When each building is readied for
movement, the air conditioning
units are simply taken out of the
end panels and placed in the
folded-up building.
Another phase of the MASSTER
test involves the tools that are used
in the SP AM shops. So far there
are about 40 different shop sets
in the Army inventory that can be
issued to an aviation unit for direct
support maintenance. Thus, there
is a need for standardization to
eliminate duplication and get tools
for use in each kind of shop. Also,
it must be ensured that the types
and numbers of tools needed are
there. But, care must be taken that
too many tools, which add extra
weight and spoil the airmobile con-
cept of the SP AM, are not added.
This phase of the test could
possibly be done on paper with ,
some degree of accuracy, but it
also is important for the user in
the field to work with the different
tools and report what he needs and
uses on a day-to-day basis.
Therefore, the tool study will run
for several months so mechanics
and other repairmen can do their
regular work and hopefully en-
counter all the different jobs au-
thorized at a direct support main-
tenance level.
The troops testing the SP AM's
capabilities at Ft. Hood are from
E Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th
Cavalry of the 1 st Cavalry Division.
It's important that tests be run
with regular troop units. We're less
"engineer-oriented" than some oth-
er test organizations-we're not
that interested in the foot-pounds
of pressure that a particular section
of the floor can support. We just
want to know if the SP AM can do
its job when used by troops in the
field. ..,
YOU ARE INVITED
to join the
UNITED STATES ARMY AVIATION DIGEST
in its projected couerage of the followin9 subjects:
~ ~ } TACTICS
Aug
Sep
Oct TRAINING
Nov ACCIDENT PREVENTION
Dec AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
Jan RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Feb MAS T
Mar MAINTENANCE
Apr LOGISTICS
May ARMAMENT /WEAPONS
Jun HISTORY
Jul WEATHER
Aug INSTRUMENT FLIGHT
If you can contribute articles, photographs, art, anecdotes or
information relating to the listed themes, please fill in the
following. Tear it out, fold as indicated on the next page and
mail it. Official units, agencies, etc., are welcome to contribute.
So are individuals (civilian and military) and private industry
Name _________________________ _
Address ___________________ _
Telephone; Commercial ; _______ Autouon ; _____ _
I plan to submit the followin9: ____________ _
Please contact me __________________ _
, will contact you _________________ _
Cut along line at right, fold and mai I postage free
FOLD
.
......................................................................................................................... :
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Commandant
U. S. Army Aviation School
ATTN: ATST-CTO-P
Fort Rucker, AL 36360
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
POSTAGE ANO FEES PAlO
OF THE ARMY
U. S. Army Aviation School
P. O. Drawer P
e' .............................................................................................. ' '
FOLD
Staple
Staple
.
.1
JEWS
ROM
ADERS
Continued from page 11
Sir:
The following letter is intended for
"Views From Readers" and does not
reflect the policy or view of the Cali-
fornia Army National Guard.
After reading "Just Pure Hell" in the
September issue of the DIGEST, I
would like to express a few personal
opinions concerning the Army's protec-
tive flight clothing and equipment, and
its policy regarding the proper way to
wear and utilize this gear.
First, I would like to address the
flight clothing and equipment itself. The
introduction of the Nomex flight suit
has made a significant impact in the
battle to reduce thermal injuries due to
postcrash fires. However, because the
Army elected to issue a two-piece No-
mex suit instead of the single or one-
piece flight suit, certain problems have
'een created.
Among the early problems with the
two-piece suit were (1) zippers that
failed or ripped out in the crouch; (2)
buttons that dropped off the pants and
shirts like dead leaves from a tree; (3)
not properly locating the pencil holder
on the sleeve of the shirt; (4) flaps of
compartments on the pants that inter-
fered with the movement of the collec-
tive in LOH aircraft; (5) shirttails that
were too short and did not remain
tucked into the trousers; etc.
Although some of these problems
have been corrected, it must be pointed
out that certain areas will never be
properly fixed until the Army abandons
the two-piece flight suit to satisfy those
senior commanders who insist it must
"look like the fatigue uniform." A flight
suit should be a single unit in order to
provide maximum protection to the
aviators and crewmembers, and elimi-
nate certain design deficiencies which
have been identified in recent Army
aviation safety publications.
A recent FLIGHTFAX published by
the U.S. Army Agency for Aviation
Safety described serious burns received
by an enlisted crewmember because his
N omex shirt was not properly tucked
into the trousers. One of the reasons
why it became common practice to wear
the shirt out of the trousers was the
continuous retucking being accom-
MAY 1974
plished by crewmembers after either
performing preflight inspections/main-
tenance or just bending over to unload
the aircraft or similar stretching move-
ment. True, this retucking is not a prob-
lem for pilots who generally remain
stationary while actually in flight, but
a one-piece suit will eliminate this
problem for crewmembers. Additionally,
it must be commented that one-piece
flight suits are just more comfortable
than two-piece suits.
Now, let's address the age old prob-
lem of either tucking the trousers into
the leather boot or wearing the trouser
legs over the boot as designed. The
Army's Natick Laboratories, in a letter
to then USABAAR in October 1970,
stated that the trouser legs should be
bloused over the boot with the adjust-
ment tabs tightly secured over the boots.
The letter also noted that the boot is
designed basically so that trouser legs
should not be worn inside the boot tops
and still maintain a proper fit.
In the article "Just Pure Hell," CPT
Nowlin pointed out that his Nomex
trousers provided excellent protection
except for an area where the Nomex
fit too closely to his skin on his left leg
because his trousers were tucked inside
his boots.
Who determines how the flight suit is
to be worn? Well, that decision is left
with the major Army installation/post
commander. And, there is no standard
or consistent policy Army-wide. Some
commanders permit the trouser legs to
be worn over the boot, while others re-
quire the legs to be tucked into the boot.
Obviously, the first question asked by
Army aviators is, What does the home
of Army Aviation, Fort Rucker, re-
quire?
Unfortunately, the Aviation Center
requires aviators and crewmembers to
tuck in their trouser legs. The policy
even requires aviation personnel wear-
ing one-piece flight suits to tuck in the
trouser legs. The time has come for
the Army to formulate a standard policy
for the proper way of wearing the
present two-piece Nomex flight suit.
This policy would not be deviated un-
less required by special circumstances.
This standard policy would make it
mandatory for sleeves down and snug
around the flight glove; the shirttail
tucked into the trouser; the trouser leg
adjusted over the boot; and the front of
the shirt fully closed and the collar
worn up with the tab secured over the
neck opening.
As far as the other protective flight
equipment is concerned, if properly
worn it will provide a maximum degree
of protection. This includes the SPH-4
helmet, flight gloves and leather boots.
Naturally, a one-piece Nomex flight
suit would eliminate most of the cloth-
ing problems. And besides, think of the
money the Army would save on replac-
ing those buttons.
Captain John H. Schleimer
A viation Safety Officer
California ARNG
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
The following was received from the
Director of Army Aviation:
Dear Captain Schleimer:
The discrepancies you described re-
garding protective flight clothing and
equipment are well taken. Since these
problems have previously been recog-
nized, the labs have addressed the
problems. One can now find the newer
Nomex with improved zippers, buttons
that stay on, and longer shirttails. New
Nomex trousers are tapered for better
appearance and to reduce interference
with collective sticks in LOHs.
Proper wearing of Nomex and other
flight clothing has often been an emo-
tional rather than a functional issue. It
is true that commanders determine
uniform policies within their commands
and it has been noted that more con-
sideration is being given toward wearing
uniforms in a more functional and safe
manner.
The Army is presently committed to
two-piece Nomex. While it is generally
considered that a one-piece suit is su-
perior, there are some advantages in-
herent in a two-piece design:
a. A greater number of sizes can be
accommodated because shirts and
trousers may be fitted individually.
b. Trousers may be removed inde-
pendently in cold climates to facilitate
certain body functions.
c. In hot climates the shirt may be
removed when performing nonflying
functions.
d. Damage to either trousers or shirt
does not cause the whole flight suit to
be discarded.
The issue appears to be appearance
rather than the capability of either suit
to provide better protection. Appear-
ance of flight crewmembers is an issue
which will probably never be resolved
to everyone's satisfaction. The Aviation
Directorate and Life Support Equipment
offices are concerned with this problem
and are monitoring and promoting
changes to Nomex flight gear to im-
prove its basic function of protection
and also its appearance.
James H. Merryman
Brigadier General, GS
Director of Army Aviation
21
New Fuel Contamination Test Kit
A
NEW FIELD Fuel Contami-
nation Test Kit has been de-
veloped by the U.S. Army Mobility
Equipment Research and Develop-
ment Center, Ft. Belvoir, VA. The
kit consists of an aluminum case
approximately 27 inches long by
21 inches wide by 13 inches high,
not including the handles on each
side. The kit has a pressure equal-
izer valve. The total weight includ-
ing all equipment is 60 pounds.
All necessary equipment is en-
cased in foam within the case. The
equipment provides for three pri-
mary tests: API Gravity, Free
water to 1.5 ppm by the Aqua-Glo
Method, and Solid Contamination
by the ASTM D2276 Method.
The kit requires no outside util-
ities and can be manually carried
22
Myron Wolfe, DAC
by one or two men. It can be used
in a laboratory, field, pipeline or
filter separator (equipped with a
quick disconnect fitting).
Reports from the field at this
time indicate that the new Fuel
Contamination Test Kit will be an
invaluable tool for detecting free
water and/ or sediment in fuels. It
is easy to handle, easy to use and is
capable of furnishing extremely
accurate results. The reliability of
the equipment was found to be
extremely accurate when compared
to the base laboratory equipment.
The kit is now going through the
process of being assigned a Federal
stock number and line item num-
ber. It will become part of TOE
equipment through type classifica-
tion.
Mr. Wolfe is commodity engineer
for Fuels Handling Engineer
Branch, U. S. Army Mobility Equip-
I ment Research and Development .
Center, Ft. Belvoir, VA
MAY 1974
complete kit
container
The kit set up as required
for laboratory operation
23
Cblonel Walter.F.
T
HIS IS A PROUD moment
for Army aviation, but its
fullest and richest appreciation will
be realized through vision which
embraces both past and future.
In backward glance, one sees not
a faceless body called Army avia-
tion, but a great multitude of faces
-personalities-who, in the hour
in which the inception and develop-
ment of Army aviation rested in
their hands, were not found want-
ing. Minds keenly alive to the
potential of Army aviation, they
eagerly seized upon its inherent
promises; and imaginatively, boldly,
courageously and with unyielding
determination labored unstintingly
to fulfill its promises at any price,
even that of life itself. Many senti-
ments are evoked by this view of
Army aviation past: admiration,
praise, affection and, ever so pro-
foundly, a gratitude which ad-
dresses itself to the great and good
men, who comprised the very spirit
and body of Army aviation, and to
the Lord and Creator of each one
of them because He brought them
into being and charged them with
the "awesome responsibility of un-
selfish and dedicated service to
their nation.
How easy it is in the same
effusion of gratitude to pivot our
vision to Army aviation's future
with all its promises and challenges
and to do so with great hope and
complete confidence. There are
many reasons to anticipate that the
succession of great and good men
will continue, but none so im-
pressive as the conviction that the
Master Designer has not found His
design for them to have become
either faulty or obsolete.
To have viewed Army aviation
past and future is to have sighted
upon two points of reference so as
to identify as accurately as possible
the present with all its dignity,
responsibilities, prerogatives, op-
portunities and challenges. The
past is history well documented and
indelibly recorded; the future with
all its promises and challenges is
yet to be recorded, but can be only :
after the present is faithfully re-
corded. What excellence will pres-
ent Army aviation enjoy as it
passes into history? It seems that
it is not too much to hope for that
it will not only bear the character-
istics of Army aviation past but
also will be matured and strength-
ened so as to remain a living legacy
of noble service wholly worthy to
be ceded to Army aviation future.
Convinced that all men past,
present and future live in the pres-
ence of the unchanging God, it is
much more than opportune on this
occasion of tribute paid to Army
aviation past, that we should speak
our thanks to our Creator, sound-
ing also our hopeful petitions that
Army aviation present and future
may know no less of the favor
which He showered upon the great
and good men who are its past.
Our heavenly Father, praise and gratitude issues
eagerly from our lips for the great and good men
You have called to our nation's service in Army
aviation. Hear now our prayer that Army aviation
future may one day inherit through us the legacy
of Army aviation past. Make our hearts pure, our
wills strong, our courage unfaltering and our pur-
poses noble. We thank You, Father, for this privi-
lege of national service. May we never be found
wanting in our response to Your call to greatness
and goodness. Amen.
25
AnATC
Clooronco
Tokos Tho
Worry Out
or Borng Closo
Hubert C. Pate, DAC
Academic Instructor
Department of Academic Training
U. S. Army Aviation Center
Army one two three four five
cleared to Pensacola Regional Air-
port via Hartford two departure,
Crestview transition Victor one
ninety eight Gonzales intersection.
Maintain four thousand. Departure
control frequency will be two three
seven point five squawk zero four
zero zero just before departure
exists. It is the responsibility of the pilot to
accept or refuse the clearance issued. In
order to be assured of the proper separation
the pilot must operate in strict compliance
with each part of the clearance. If the pilot
cannot comply with any specification of a
clearance, he should immediately notify
A TC so that an amended clearance may be
issued.
The most important guiding principle to
remember is that the last A TC clearance re-
ceived has precedence over related portions
of the previous clearance. An amended
route does not affect the altitude (unless the
altitude is also amended) or vice versa.
The separation provided by compliance
with an A TC Clearance is in accordance
with standards established for the type of
air traffic control being used. Conventional
control (nonradar) utilizes longitudinal
(time spacing), vertical (altitude spacing)
or lateral (distance spacing) separation.
This emphasizes the importance of proper
position reporting by the pilot in order for
the controller to be able to determine the
relative positions of the aircraft under his
control.
Radar control provides more positive
lateral and longitudinal separation by de-
termining the position of each aircraft in
reference to the other. Vertical separation,
J
UST WHAT IS an ATC clearance? Just
what is air traffic control? Who are these
voices which have no faces that we hear
and talk to?
An air traffic clearance is an authoriza-
tion by air traffic control for the purpose
of preventing a collision between known
aircraft, for an aircraft to proceed under
specified traffic conditions within controlled
airspace. Air traffic control is a service
provided for the purpose of promoting the
safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air
traffic including airport, approach and en-
route traffic control service. The voices with
no faces represent the highly trained air
traffic control specialists who are responsi-
ble for providing the air traffic control
service.
An A TC clearance is really a contract.
The party of the first part (ATC specialist)
agrees to provide separation from known
air traffic for the party of the second part
(pilot) if the party of the second part com-
plies with the clearance issued by the
party of the first part and follows approved
ATC procedures.
lt is very important that there be com-
plete understanding between the controller
and the pilot on the meaning of each item
of the A TC clearance. There should never
be any guessing games about what the con-
troller or the pilot is expected to do.
lt is recommended that the pilot make a
written record of olearances at the time they
are received, and even though there is no
requirement for reading back a clearance
(unless requested to do so) the pilot should
. verify, by a readback, any portions which
are complex or about which any doubt
in this case, is normally provided by as-
signing the aircraft different altitudes. Con-
trollers use enroute holding, rerouting or
altitude changes when traffic conditions are
such that proper separation standards can-
not be maintained without change of rela-
tive position of one or more aircraft.
An initial A TC clearance is issued for an
aircraft to depart and proceed to its destina-
tion airport or to some point along the
route toward its destination. The farther-
most point of the initial clearance is de-
termined by traffic conditions. Amended
clearances are issued enroute as necessary
for proper separation and control. The
clearance items are issued in a standard
sequence. An understanding of the clear-
ance sequence and clearance terminology is
of great value to the pilot in receiving, re-
cording, understanding and complying with
clearances issued by A TC.
Here is a look at the sequence and some
of the terminology used. The sequence is as
follows:
a. aircraft identification
b. clearance limit or approach procedure
c. departure procedure or SID
d. route of flight
e. altitude data in order flown
f. holding instructions
g. any special information
h. frequency and beacon mode informa-
tion
Anyone clearance may not contain all
possible items of the complete sequence,
but the items issued should be given in the
proper order. The significance of these
items is as follows:
Aircraft identification: The radio call
sign of the aircraft cleared.
" Clearance limit: The farthermost point
to which the aircraft is authorized to pro-
ceed without further clearance. When pos-
sible, the destination airport will be spe-
cified as clearance limit. When traffic
conditions do not permit clearance all the
way, the aircraft will be cleared to some
control point short of destination. Normally
the controller will issue further clearance
at least 5 minutes before the aircraft ar-
rives at the clearance limit, but if the air-
craft arrives at the clearance limit without
further clearance (except when two way
radio failure occurs) the pilot is expected
to enter holding and request further clear-
ance.
Departure procedure or SID (standard
instrument departure): When necessary,
direction of takeoff/turn or initial heading
to be flown after takeoff will be specified at
airports where airport traffic control service
is provided. These items will be specified
only after obtaining the information from
the pilot at airports where airport traffic
control service is not provided. At airport
for which standard instrument departures
have been established an SID, including a
transition, will be assigned when appro-
priate. If a pilot does not wish to accept an .
SID he should so inform ATe.
VFR conditions on top, the pilot assumes
four additional responsibilities: his own
separation from other aircraft; altitude
selection in accordance with the semicircu-
lar rule for VFR flight; maintaining VFR
conditions; and advising A TC of altitude
changes.
Holding instructions: Holding instruc-
tions are not normally included in the
initial clearance. If the aircraft arrives at
its clearance limit without additional clear-
ance, the pilot is expected to begin holding
and immediately request further clearance.
If there is no holding pattern charted at the
clearance limit fix on the enroute chart
used, he should hold standard using the
course on which he arrives as the inbound
course to the fix. If there is a charted hold-
ing pattern at the clearance limit fix, he
should hold in the charted pattern.
If holding instructions are issued, the
clearance will be different for fixes with
and without charted holding patterns. If
there is no pattern charted, the following
will be issued:
Direction of holding with respect to
the fix, specified as one of the eight general
points of the compass, i.e., north, northeast,
east, etc.
Name of holding fix.
Radial, magnetic bearing, course, air-
Route of ftight: The aircraft is issued
routing to enable it to proceed to its clear-
ance limit. Routing information includes
one or more of the following: airway, route,
course, heading, arc (if an approach pro-
cedure using distance measuring equip-
ment) or vector. If any part of the route
beyond a short range clearance differs from
that filed, the clearance must include the
routing to be expected in a further clear-
ance. The expected routing must provide
the routing which will carry the aircraft to '
its destination or back to its filed route.
Altitude data: Normally only the al-
titude for the first leg of flight is issued in-
itially and amended altitude clearances are
issued enroute as necessary. There are three
types of altitude assignment: I
Maintain: Used to indicate that the
pilot must maintain the assigned altitude
until cleared to leave it. In the initial clear-
ance the term "maintain (altitude)," it is
obvious that the pilot must climb to the.
altitude. Enroute changes will specify
"climb/descend and maintain altitude."
Cruise: A word used instead of "main-
tain" to signify to the pilot that climb to and
descent from the assigned altitude may
commenced at his discretion without further
clearance from ATC. "Cruise" is normally
used only for short flights in uncongested
areas and is authorization for the aircraft
to proceed to and make an approach at the
destination airport.
Maintain VFR conditions on top: As-
signed only at pilot's request in lieu of a
specific altitude. When cleared to maintain
way number or jet
aircraft is to hold.
Left turns if nonstandard pattern is to
be used.
Outbound leg length in nautical miles
if DME is used, otherwise length in
minutes.
Expect further clearance time or ex-
pect approach clearance time as appro-
priate.
. If there is a charted holding pattern, the
following will be issued: .
Cleared to (name of holding fix).
Hold (direction of holding).
Expect further clearance time or ex-
pect approach clearance time as appro-
priate.
Special information: This includes any
necessary information not otherwise con-
tained in the clearance.
Frequency and beacon code informa-
tion: "Controllers will inform pilots of the
departure control frequencies and, if appro-
priate, the transponder code before take-
off. Pilots should not operate their trans-
ponders until ready to start the takeoff roll
or change to the departure control fre-
quency until requested."
When you "roger" an ATC clearance it
means that you have received and under-
stood the clearance. It also means you are
entering into a contract with the controller
which is binding on both parties except
when exercising emergency authority. A
change may be made only with prior notice
and agreement between both parties. The
controller will clear; the pilot must adhere!
< a ~ ~
USAAAVS
This article is reprinted from FLIGHT COMMENT, the Canadian Forces Flight Safety publica-
tion, with minor editing to clarify Canadian terminology for our readers
Games People Play
"CLEARING ONE'S Yard-Arm" (CYA) is a
game by no means reserved for sailors or those
of a nautical bent. CY A is played everywhere-even
on Army posts-and is especially popular with
supervisors. Football, golf and baseball may be sea-
sonal favorites but CY A is a year round pastime . . .
and anyone can play.
Most CYA players were originally participants in
the more orthodox game of MA (Mission Accom-
plishment) and similarity between the two games can
lead to some confusion. Still, the best way for a
beginner to become proficient is to study the great
games of the masters. Watch the experts at play and
then decide for yourself. Is "Clearing one's Yard-
Arm" the game of the future or is there more real
satisfaction in "Mission Accomplishment"?
30
The account which follows is of an imaginary
game, but it does indicate the extremes to which
CY A players can go.
PITCH OUT'S PUNCHOUT
L T Pitch out was a keen young pilot, well liked
by his unit buddies and a real ball of fire and fun on
Friday nights and at unit parties. A gay young
bachelor, he was enjoying his first tour after gradua-
tion from flight school. After all, at 22 years of age,
who could ask for anything more than a sleek, fast
aircraft in which to bum around the sky.
One bright spring morning L T Pitchout roared off
on a routine low-level navigation training mission.
Forty-eight minutes after takeoff a telephone call
from a rather confused farmer's wife advised the post
commander that a pilot was nursing minor injurie
in their farmhouse 185 miles northwest of the airfield.
Pitch out had punched out moments before his air-
craft crashed into a rocky, pine tree ridge. Post
Rescue launched its helicopter and while Pitch out
was being safely returned to the post, an accident
investigation board was convened.
After burning the midnight oil for a couple of
weeks, the board members packed up and went home,
leaving the wreckage, which was in a very inaccessible
spot, under the pine trees. The bound volumes of
their investigation, findings and recommendations
were duly signed, sealed and sent on their merry way
to travel from desk to desk, through the musty
chambers of various headquarters until "Pitchout's
mchout" was finally laid to rest; another statistic
~ an accident rate graph, another colored slide for
a commander's briefing.
Essentially, the board "found" that the young
lieutenant's aircraft had been serviceable and func-
tioning properly on impact. Pitch out was able to fill
in the details. En route at 500 feet he had encountered
some scattered stratus and had descended below the
cloud. The scattered condition rapidly became over-
cast. Flying down a valley, Pitch out suddenly realized
that he wasn't going to clear the ridge ahead. He
attempted to pull up but decided to eject when he
felt the aircraft contact the trees (the board con-
gratulated him on his decision). The facts were quite
clear and the board stated them as such. Pitchout
admitted that he had "pressed on into deteriorating
weather conditions which forced him to descend to
maintain visual contact with the ground." However,
some other observations were made by the investi-
gating team:
Pitchout had not had breakfast on the eventful
day.
Pitchout had just returned from two weeks leave
and this was his first flight.
Pitchout-along with others-had not signed the
unit reading file for this quarter.
Now Pitchout was relatively inexperienced and
had been in the unit less than a year. But his unit
MAY 1974
II r kNOVJ 11-If= WIN& FE:LL OFF ... BUT
ASk HIM IF HE'S +lAD BREAKFAST. /I
commander, LTC Gung Ho, had a multi-year and
a multi-type background. He was naturally perturbed
at the loss of the aircraft and the close call for the
young lieutenant. He became even more concerned
when his commander arrived without warning and
suggested, in the strongest terms, that Gung Ho shape
up his operation or else. . . .
Obviously LTC Gung Ho's operation was some-
what "loose." Operations control seemed nonexistent.
Pitchout had just returned from two swinging weeks
with his new Corvette, and yet he arrived back at the
post and set off on a low-level navigation mission
without so much as a quick taxi test. Failing to sign
the unit reading file is not a prerequisite for flying
into the trees but it does indicate a somewhat lax
attitude on behalf of all concerned. FortUnately,
Pitch out was still alive, but a valuable aircraft had
been destroyed. What could be done to prevent a
similar mishap in the future? Half a mile of shattered
airplane and an injured pilot adds up to lots of zeros
below the line. The only plus factor in this type of
occurrence is in its preventive value. If some lessons
can be learned and then applied. . . .
This was the point where LTC Gung Ho could have
31
GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
made the opening moves in a serious game of MA-
but instead, a classic example of CY A developed.
HOW LTC GUNG HO PLAYED CYA
LTC Gung Ho called a unit flight safety meeting.
The ASO briefed on the dangers of continuing
a mission in deteriorating weather conditions.
The ASO exhorted the pilots to have breakfast
every morning.
Army flying manuals and regulations were to be
signed as "having read." Furthermore, a new memo
was placed on the unit bulletin board to be signed
when the other publications had been reviewed.
The visibility limits for low-level navigation
missions were raised from 3 to 5 miles.
All pilots returning from leave were to have a
dual checkout.
Pitchout was given a checkride by an SIP and
returned to the flight line stamped "serviceable."
A copy of the flight safety minutes was im-
mediately sent to higher headquarters.
LTC Gung Ho was satisfied. He was fairly con-
fident that the commander would be satisfied-and
he was right. Young L T Pitchout was just an inex-
perienced "tiger" now duly chastised. The operation
had been tightened up and everyone could sit back
and relax. Even those flight safety characters could
hardly complain. "Pitchout's Punchout" would soon
be forgotten and the unit could carry on doing its
job-just as before.
HOW COULD LTC GUNG HO HAVE PLAYED MA?
It is doubtful if LTC Gung Ho could start a real
game of MA by himself. He probably needs some
coaching from a higher supervisory level. Although
his CY A moves are in the right direction, their value
in most instances is negative.
The flight safety meeting was expected-although
no one could remember when the last one had taken
place. According to the minutes, all pilots were
briefed about pressing on in bad weather (but two
were on TDY, one was on leave and one was at
school). Since special flight safety meetings were so
few and far between, the response from the unit
32
\'OK,..Y I'M COVER .... ER ... I ME:AN ....
YOU'RE SA1=E TO GO. II
might be "Ho hum, here we go-the old flight
safety routine." Instant switch-off.
If LTC Gung Ho is to play MA he must evaluate
himself and his whole operation in terms of the
objectives established by the service. His attitude
towards the flying operation creates the atmosphere
in which his subordinates work. If Gung Ho merely
pays lip service to the goals of the organization, then
Pitchout's Punchout will be just one of many failures.
Regular, programmed unit meetings with Gung Ho as
a participating, decisive chairman should be the rule
rather than a quickie CY A move when things go
wrong. At one of these regular meetings the post
flight surgeon could be on hand to give a forceful
talk on the advantages or necessity of having some
food intake before flying. The ASO "exhorting" air-
crews to gobble up their Cheerios is hardly speaking
with any authority.
What about signing all the pubs monthly instead
of quarterly? Well, if Gung Ho's troops aren't signing
every 3 months, it's doubtful that they'll be leaping
up, pen in hand, to sign on the first of every month.
Army flight manuals and regulations aren't getting

any more exciting. "Sign as having read" has come
to mean "sign as having signed." Obviously some
system must be established for aircrews to be advised
of any changes in orders or procedures but not to
the point where the pilot has writer's cramp before
he reaches his aircraft.
Gung Ho increased the limits for VFR to 1,000
and 5. In effect he is saying to his pilots, "I don't
trust you, you Souls on Board. You'll drop me if
given half a chance." The next time someone tickles
the trees, Gung Ho will say to the commander, "See
that, and I even added on some extra limits for
safety!" Of course the original limits were quite
.cceptable and provided an adequate operational
training situation. If Gung Ho continues with this
line of play, he will eventually fudge himself into a
position surrounded by all his aircraft in a locked
hangar.
The requirement for pilots returning from leave
to have a dual checkout is worthy of an MA player
(after a few days off a litt1e dual with an experienced
pilot never hurt anyone). But the real value of such
a ride will depend again on the attitude of the super-
visory staff which, in turn, influences the behavior of
the line pilots. So often this checkride is just a mutual
buddy-buddy trip. The flight becomes a casual touch-
and-go practice rather than a professional workout
to get rid of the cobwebs. (These trips also contain
the seeds of disaster.)
Finally, there's LT Pitchout, the prime mover in
all this. He's now back in the harness-fit for duty.
But is he? The flight surgeon has given him a clean
bill of health and the SIP has given him a check-ride.
No problems. What did Gung Ho expect? Did he
think Pitchout would go and fly into the trees again
-or forget to put his gear down? No, Pitchout may
continue his flying career for 20 years and never have
another incident-or he may not be so lucky. If he
doesn't make it, he will become a topic for bar talk.
The old heads will gather round, "He was an accident
looking for a place to happen." "I knew he'd never
MAY 1974
hack it. Remember the time when he punched out?"
These are the disappointing comments which mean
that somewhere, sometime, someone sloughed off his
responsibility to a young Pitchout. It isn't good
enough to hope the young pilot will make it and then
hide behind earlier prophesies when he plows in.
Why didn't someone speak up earlier? Why didn't
the experienced pilots take Pitchout aside and give
him the benefit of their years behind the stick? Why
didn't Gung Ho recognize that Pitch out needed some
personal attention, training and regular evaluation.
Why ... ?
WHY LTC GUNG HO PLAYS CYA
This is the most difficult question to answer with-
out having access to the clockwork in Gung Ho's
head. The incredible paradox is that Gung Ho thinks
he is furthering the aims of flight safety. In effect, he
is doing just the opposite. Perhaps:
Gung Ho turned to CY A because it was easier
to play. Authority is lots of fun if you can get rid of
the responsibility that goes with it. MA demands
effort. In the case of Pitchout, it demands a careful
appraisal of a pilot and an operation. This is a difficult
task but essential if the squadron is to develop with
any prospects of growth and success. Rather than
search for the root causes and try to prevent a
recurrence, Gung Ho found it easier to have his
aircrews sign a few pieces of paper.
Previous experience had convinced Gung Ho
that it was best to look out for himself. A few extra
restrictions on the unit wouldn't hurt and would prove
he was "tightening up."
The goals of the service had become secondary
to personal objectives. Let's see, "I've got two more
years to my 30 so if I can just keep my nose
clean .... "
The sad story of Pitchout's Punch out and the
ensuing account of LTC Gung Ho's gamesmanship
are, of course, completely fictitious. No one would
go to such great lengths to avoid facing up to re-
sponsibility. And by the way-how's your paper-sign-
ing hand?
33
Lieutenant Colonel
Carlton L. Schelhorn
T
HE FUNDAMENTAL ARMY aircraft inspec-
tion policy in use for more than 20 years has
been dominated by a system developed as the out-
come of a study conducted in 1951. It was estab-
lished for a fixed wing aircraft environment based on
U.S. Air Force experience.
Though age alone is not, in itself, an indictment,
one must consider "suspect" a preventive mainte-
nance program that has witnessed the shift from al-
most totally fixed wing to a preponderantly rotary
wing inventory, from reciprocating engines to tur-
bine engines, and the resultant changes in roles and
missions.
Two questions now arise: Is this system outdated
and ready for change? Can aircraft inspection re-
quirements be decreased and operational readiness
increased without degrading safety, reliability or
maintainability? A recently completed study says
"yes" to both questions.
Contributing substance to the suspicion that cur-
rent procedures have outlived their usefulness is the
34
fact that while scheduled inspections have been, and
continue to be, the single greatest contributor to
maintenance downtime (NORM), no significant,
sustained effort has been directed at scrutinizing,
changing or validating these procedures. This is im-
portant when one considers the millions of dollars
and man-hours that have been expended in reducing
aircraft downtime caused by lack of parts. Dogmatic
adherence to the "old line" becomes extremely ques-
tionable when, along with other factors, one recog-
nizes that for many years Army aviation personnel of
all grades and ranks have complained that aircraft
are subjected to unnecessary maintenance actions-
particularly the frequency and number of scheduled
inspections. Consideration of commercial airlines' in-
spection policies also makes it apparent that Army
aircraft preventive maintenance inspection systems
are overdue for an intensive examination.
Broad and intensive operational usage of military
helicopters during the last decade has resulted in the
development of a wealth of data on helicopter main-
tenance and inspection requirements. This informa-
tion is contained within the maintenance records
collected through military service reporting systems
and from the know-how of skilled aircraft mainte-
nance personnel. Piecemeal use of these data has in-
creased operational readiness rates for aviation units
and flight schools.
Many inspection schemes and organizational
changes have been tried since 1966 to attain higher
operational readiness rates and provide for a sys-
tematic examination of aircraft. The current Army
Aircraft Preventive Maintenance Inspection System
calls for scheduled inspections at predetermined in-
tervals-the Preventive Maintenance Daily, the Pre-
ventive Maintenance Intermediate at 25 flight hours
and the Preventive Maintenance Periodic at 100- to
300-flight-hour intervals. In addition, inspections may
be necessitated by special situations, conditions or
incidents.
This system of aircraft inspection has several dis-
advantages-
MAY 1974

UBAAAVB
Lieutenant Colonel Carlton J. Schelhorn, until recently, was the action
officer for Project I NSPECT in the Aviation Office, ODCSLOG, DA.
He is now Assistant for Aviation in the Safety Office, u.s. Army Mate-
riel Command
It is estimated that the current system of sched-
uled inspections takes up 30 percent of all mainte-
nance man-hours per flight hour required for the
entire fleet.
It produces wide fluctuations in inspection man-
power requirements since the workload is not usually
equitably distributed throughout the daily, inter:-
mediate and periodic inspections.
As currep.tly organized, the inspection system
leads to excessive amounts of deferred maintenance
since there is a tendency to postpone needed work
until the aircraft is due for a periodic inspection.
Deferred prolongs the amount of
time needed for completing a periodic inspection,
backs up aircraft in the inspection cycle and fre-
quently results in a minor maintenance deficiency
becoming a major problem.
The current inspection cycle contributes to the
uneven and use of personnel, support
equipment and facilities because of poor workloading.
The current inspection system is relatively in-
35
UPDATING AIRCRAFT INSPECTION
__
Inspection concepts
flexible and does not allow reasonable changes in
inspection intervals when reliability and maintain-
ability improvements would permit.
These disadvantages have been recognized. Phased
inspection and running inspections have been tried
in different units, some with good results. The prin-
cipal obstacle that has not been overcome has been
the inability to identify control inspections to
ensure they are performed when required. What is
needed is a new scheduled inspection concept fol-
lowed by deliberate action to prove it will provide a
safe, reliable and maintainable aircraft with minimal
downtime.
To address this problem, in March 1971, the U.S.
Ann.y Air Mobility Reseach and Development Lab-
oratory (AMRDL) began a study, "Analysis of
Army Helicopter Inspection Requirements," to
evaluate existing aircraft maintenance scheduled in-
spection schemes and to develop an optimal inspec-
tion system. A computer model has been developed
for comparison of alternative, practicable inspection
schemes for Army light observation, utility, attack,
medium cargo and heavy cargo helicopters. The pri-
mary objective of a new inspection concept is to
36
make aviation units more efficient and to increase
aircraft readiness, mission reliability, and
nance cost savings.
The program is directed toward determining when
and what to inspect on the basis of cost effectiveness.
For purposes of the analysis, cost is expressed in
terms of maintenance man-hours expended for
scheduled inspections, preventive maintenance, un-
scheduled maintenance and the total maintenance
requirement.
An optimum inspection system is one that provides
maximum cost effectiveness. Many effectiveness in-
dicators must be applied to an inspection system an.
are ultimately related to the comparative frequency
of preventive repairs versus unscheduled repairs. Pre-
ventive repairs are preferred because flight schedule
disruptions are less frequent, secondary damage due
to premature failure is minimized and repairs are
generally less costly. Moreover, unscheduled repairs
due to failures reduce mission safety and reliability
and decrease operational readiness. The important
quantitative measures of an inspection system's effec-
tiveness are the aircraft safety, reliability, maintain-
ability and readiness attained with the system. Also
significant are such qualitative characteristics as the
flexibility to permit p'lanners to schedule inspections
efficiently and the system's adaptability to diverse
operating schedules, conditions and
m.ission demands.
For this analysis, all inspection concepts have been
defined in terms of-
The period of time over which the air-
craft is inspected.
Interval-Number of inspections per cycle.
Component Mix-Components inspected at
each interval.
In describing the current UH-l inspection scheme
within this terminology, the cycle would be 100 hours
with the interval being 25 hours. For a "phased"
inspection system a portion of the aircraft is inspected
at the end of each interval until all components are
finally covered by the end of the final interval. The
cycle is then repeated. Table 1 shows a 50-flying-
hour interval with a 200-hour cycle-phased scheme.
The time base for the cycle/interval consideration
might be either calendar time or aircraft flying hours.
The selection of the cycle-interval-component Ipix
combination was based on analyses of component
failure characteristics. The characteristics considered
included not only failure rates but, more importantly,
he time component failure during which de-
terioration of that cOlnponent can pe detected as
unacceptable: Some components remain in a detect-
able deteriorating condition for a long time pefore
failure occurs, while others fail suddenly without
The 100-flight-hour interval, 800-
flight-hour cycle phased inspection
should direct maintenance
man-hours without degrading reli-
ability
warning. Considering that failures are randomly dis-
tributed in time, the probability of detecting un-
acceptable deterioration is much greater for com-
ponents that exhibit detectable deterioration than
those that do not as shown in table 2.
One can readily see that with the many possibilities
of phased, nonphased, periodic, intermediate/peri-
odic, calendar and flying-hour-based sCllemes, along
with the myriad of components involved for each
aircraft, the matrix of consideration becomes cumber-
some and difficult to manage. Approximately 40 dif-
ferent schemes were considered during the study.
To assist in selecting the best scheme, a computer
program called Model for Analysis of Vehicle In-
MAY 1974
- ---- -- ----
spection Schemes (MAVIS) was to pro-
vide a systematic method for evaluating the cost and
effectiveness of competing inspection schemes.
On the basis of MAVIS computations, the schemes
that best accomplished the study objectives from a
quantitative point of view
The 50-hour/lOO-hour Intermediate/Periodic
Inspection based on flying hours.
The 30-day/120-day Intermediate/Periodic In-
spection based on calendar time.
The 100-hour/800-hour Phased Inspection
based on flying hours.
A calendar inspection system offers a scheduling
advantage over systems based on flight-hour
Under the calendar concept, inspection schedules can
be planned well in advance to avoid problems created
by the random arrival of aircraft at inspection points.
However, the calendar system suffers from irregular
flight usage, causing aircraft with low usage to be
inspected too often while those with peak usage are
not inspected frequently enough. Moreover, the bene-
fits of calendar scheduling can be maintained only if
aircraft are inducted into calendar checks when they
are due regardless of flying hours logged since the
aircraft's last check. When required maintenance or
repairs cause an aircraft to remain in calendar check
for prolpnged periods, the calendar time over which
it is available for use before the next check is short-
ened accordingly. This situation inevitably produces
lower overall aircraft availability and consequently
higher operating costs. .
N early all systems based on a flying-hour cycle
can be adapted to a calendar interval. However, in-
herent disadvantages to calendar scheduling require
that each application be considered individually, in-
cluding such factors as the size of the opelling unit,
average usage, flight priorities and inspection turna-
round time.
Phased inspection concepts offer several inherent
advantages over the intermediate-periodic schemes.
The most significant is the avoidance of severe ciisrup-
tions to the aircraft operating schedule since the
downtime at each inspection point is shorter than for
a periodic inspection. Each inspection point repre-
sents a smaller, more manageable work package.
Greater flexibility is also offered in aircraft checklist
design, which can be made to cover selected areas of
the helicopter at each interval. The range of spe-
cialist skills, test equipment and related needs re-
quired at anyone inspection point can therefore be
reduced, as can the number of personnel-induced
problems created by the inspection function. For a
long phased cycle, components with high reliability or
long deterioration times can be stretched to longer
inspection intervals.
37
UPDATING AlRCRAFT INSPECTION
Based on this analysis the 100-flight-hoQf interval,
BOO-flight-hour cycle phased inspection scheme ,has
been as the most effective inspection
concept for the five basic helicopter types considered
in the study. It has been also recommended that this
concept be evaluated in the field.
In order to test the concept, the Department of the
Army (DA) established Project INSPECT. The proj-
ect two phases. Phase I involves- .
Development of a inspection program
and preparation of the individual related checklists
for the UH-IH and CfI-47C helicopters.
of a field evaluation test plan to
compare the schemes developed in the UH-IH and
CJI-47C iilspectipn programs with the intermediate/
periodic stl1eme currently applied to the aircraft
being tested.
Phase which began in October 1973, consists
of the 12-month field test plan developed
under Phase I, analyzing the results, and preparing
related reports. .
In Phase I, the UH-IH data base was expanded
and updated and the process to select the best in-
spection program for the UH-IH was reapplied. As a
result pf the analytical process, the 100-flight-hour
interval, BOO-flight-hour cycle phased inspection sys-
tem was selected.
The UH-llf checklists were completed in April
1973 and validated as being workable, realistic, and
capable of accomplishing the study objectives-in-
creasing aircraft readiness and reducing maiI1tenance
cost.
Compared to the current inspection program, the
new reduced aircraft maintenance downtime should
provide a monthly reduction of from 2.5 percent for
38
25 flying hours to 7 percent for 80 flying hours, and
reduce direct maintenance man-hours per flying hour
by about one hour without degrading reliability.
While relatively modest, the improvements represent
a 43- to 45-percent decrease in maintenance down-
time and a 20-percent decrease in maintenance man-
hours per flight hours. Table 3 lists the current in-
spection concept and the number of components to
be inspected. It should be noted that the operational
rates are for maintenance downtime only.
Six aviation companies at Fort Campbell, KY, are
currently programed for participation in the second
phase of the test. Three test companies will use the
phased inspection system, and three companies will
use the standard intermediate/periodic inspection
system. The field evaluation test plan will define the
measures that will be used in deciding the compara-
tive performance of the test and control units. One of
the means of comparison will involve calculation of
operational readiness, mission reliability, achieved
usage, man-hours per flight-hour and spares usage.
A second field test is being conducted at Fort
Hood, TX, using the CH-47C checklist which had
also been developed as a Phase I objective. The test
will use a single assault support helicopter company.
Results will be compared against other similar units
worldwide and with historical data of the test unit.
The concept under consideration in Project
SPECT is important since it will provide not only a
means of updating aircraft inspection programs for
the current fleet but even more important, a method
for selecting the preventive maintenance appropriate
for future systems. The availability of a valid, effec-
tive technique for evaluating competing inspection
90ncepts promises to be an important technique for
life cycle costing and other major decision-making
requirements relative to the utility tactical transport
aircraft system, the advanced attack helicopter and
heavy lift helicopter systems now on the horizon. It
is significant to note that, while the Deputy Chief of
Staff for Logistics, DA, has maintained overall
cognizance of the program, many major commands,
agencies and organizations have actively participated
in the project. Project INSPECT has benefited from
the scrutiny and resulting commentary of aviation
experts at all levels. As a result, the concept is re-
ceiving widespread acceptance and represents a co-
ordinated effort to solve a problem of serious concern
to aviation maintenance managers and commanders.
The plan has been put into action and the game
is underway to determine if the "phased" aircraft
maintenance scheduled inspection concept that won
the pap(;!r game can win in a real operating environ-
ment.
Only time will tell.
t
,.
THE TROUBLE
WITH AVIATION
SAFETY ...
IS PEOPLE
Maior Roy P. Hooks
< 3 ~ ~
Directorate for Prevention, Operations and Education USAAAVS
T
o SIMPLIFY justification of that statement,
let's categorize our folks into three groups:
support personnel, aircraft crewmen and supervisors/
commanders.
Support personnel receive outstanding training in
our service schools. Let's assume that unit on-the-job
training (OJT) programs adequately supplement and
reinforce service school training. Generally, they are
provided with adequate tools, facilities, policies and
procedures with which to safely accomplish their
MAY 1974
jobs as well as contribute to the overall safety effort
of the unit. Yet, support personnel continue to be
listed as a cause factor in aviation accidents. Is this
due to a lack of knowledge, supervision, motivation
or a lack of all of these?
Certainly we have the finest training program pos-
sible at this time for both enlisted and officer aircraft
crewmen. All of the aviator crewmembers volunteered
for the aviation program, so it is not as though they
are doing something they would prefer not to do.
39
THE TROUBLE WITH AVIATION SAFETY
We have adequate policies and procedures to guide
crewmembers to safe mission accomplishment. Con-
tinuous unit and formal training is provided through-
out their career development. Yet, crew error con-
tinues to be a major cause factor in aviation
accidents. Is this due to a lack of knowledge, super-
vision, motivation or a lack of all of these?
Now supervisors/commanders are our people who,
as a rule, have the most experience and training. They
have been provided all the tools necessary for an
effective accident prevention program: numerous
publications with policies, procedures, philosophy,
guidelines and sample programs. They have suffi-
cient subordinate leaders and staff personnel to de-
velop, implement and monitor an effective safety
program. They have the authority to reward those
who comply with and exceed the standards and to
discipline those who violate the rules. They have
great latitude in planning their operations, organizing
and staffing their units and directing and controlling
their unit activities. Inspections and assistance visits
help them detect weaknesses and potential problem
areas as well as provide recommendations on how to
correct deficiencies and improve programs. They are
at liberty to request assistance from higher head-
quarters and other agencies. Yet, supervisory error
continues to be listed as a cause factor in many
aviation accidents. Is this due to a lack of knowledge,
supervision, motivation or a lack of all of these?
Let's examine these three key points-knowledge,
supervision and motivation.
Knowledge: Knowledge is acquaintance with
facts, all that has been perceived or grasped by the
mind. It is easy to see, then, how a lack of knowledge
could contribute to human error as a cause factor
in accidents. The aviator who doesn't know emer-
gency procedures is likely to have an accident in the
event of an emergency. The mechanic who doesn't
know how to use a torque wrench is likely to apply
incorrect torque to a bolt and set the stage for an
accident.
Consideration of two aspects of knowledge may
give us some insight into what we must do to ensure
adequate levels of knowledge, and Why. These are
the process of developing knowledge (education) and
the determination of the level of knowledge or pro-
ficiency (quality control) .
Service schools are the foundation of our military
education system. We contend, however, that a well-
planned and supervised unit training program is
equally essential to an adequate level of knowledge.
There are at least two psychological factors that sup-
40
port this contention: learning and memory.
Learning is not at all a simple process that can be
counted on to occur automatically or to have perma-
nent effects. While conditioning probably underlies all
learning, its effectiveness varies.
Transfer of training is the basis for all our educa-
tional and training efforts. In other words, something
learned makes it easier to learn something else.
Learning to walk enables us to learn to run. Learn-
ing to play the piano makes it easier to learn to play
the organ. Paradoxically, there is a problem in trans-
fer of training in aviation-habit interference. Transi-
tion from one aircraft to another requires transfer of
training. Unfortunately, aircraft differ in many ways.
These differences can impede transfer of training.
While middle "e" is the same on a piano and organ,
sometimes reversals of control-display relationships
in different aircraft cause habit interference. Pilots
have inadvertently cut the throttle or mixture con-
trol when they intended to reduce rpm. You can see
how habit interference could affect an air traffic con-
troller adjusting to a new radar set or a repairman
working on a new piece of equipment.
Memory is the capacity to recall or recognize pas
learning. Unfortunately, human memory is fallible.
The unreliability of memory has of course been
recognized in aviation-witness the many checklists
in use. There probably are several causes of for-
getting. One of the most important in adult human
activities is called retroactive inhibition. This is the
adverse effect subsequent learning has on the reten-
tion of what has already been learned. Have you sat
in a classroom for 6 or 7 hours a day and at the end
of the day tried to recall what you learned the first
hour? Had a little trouble, didn't you? That's retro-
active inhibition. Its most adverse effect is found
when subsequent learning involves exposure to ma-
terial similar to that previously learned.
From this quick look at the impact of learning
and memory on knowledge, it becomes obvious that
a unit training program is necessary to ensure ad-
equate knowledge. This program must be designed
to reinforce and expand knowledge, promote and
direct experience and provide for continuous evalua-
tion of performance. In this manner we develop
knowledge in our people and then maintain a high
degree of quality control over that knowledge.
Supervision: Supervision is the art of ensuring
compliance with actions and orders. Failure of
leaders to supervise properly can only result in a
breakdown of discipline, deterioration of job per-
formance and accidents. All assigned tasks, or duties,

nave inherent responsibilities. No one can rid him-
self of his responsibilities or obligations. So how do
we pinpoint supervisory error? It's all a matter of
degree. Probably the best method of determining
degree of responsibility of a supervisor is by reference
to job descriptions. Supervisory error usually en-
compasses more than one supervisor or one level
of supervisors, since to supervise is to oversee or
direct. Although the first-line supervisor may be most
directly responsible for an error, someone else is
responsible to see that he does his job properly. Thus
the cliche that the overall responsibility rests with
the commander.
The two most important aspects of supervision are
(1) the ability of the supervisor to relate the size of
the job to be done-the mission requirements-to
the available resources, and (2) the willingness of
the supervisor to remain sufficiently detached from
the details of tasks to ensure efficient management of
all functions through proper planning, organizing,
coordinating, directing and controlling.
To supervise properly, the supervisor must become

proficient enough in the area which he is checking to
recognize deviations from standards. He must super-
MAY 1974
vise in such a manner that the progress of work is
checked without unduly harassing subordinates. But
first and foremost, he must get out and make the
effort!
Motivation: Given knowledge and proper super-
vision, one still must be motivated-must have the
impulse or desire that moves one to action-to per-
form his tasks properly. Symptoms of poor motivation
may be similar to those of complacency: failure to
use checklists, to perform by-the-book maintenance
or to follow regulations. The most apparent dif-
ference is attitude. The results are the same.
Let's take a brief look at how motives are gen-
erated. Our most basic motives are generated by
physiological requirements-biological needs for
such things as food, water and air. While these needs
motivate us to activity, they do not guide us to acquire
satisfying or socially accepted responses. This acqui-
sition depends upon two behavioral processes, in-
strumental learning and internalization, that are
brought about by outside sources.
Instrumental learning is the modification of be-
havior under circumstances where reward or the
avoidance of punishment is contingent upon the oc-
currence of a specified response. This is the funda-
mental way we learn to satisfy our needs. In adults
this is obscured by our continuous activities and is
modified by human ability to transmit, receive and
understand verbal and other symbols. We can read
or be told how to behave or achieve a goal. The
application of the principle of instrumental learning
in the conduct of a safety program is obviously the
commander's responsibility.
Internalization is the process whereby a child
learns parental and social standards of behavior and
develops its own internal model of these standards.
Although most internalization occurs in the pre-adult
years, the process still occurs in adults as leadership
establishes standards and sets an example for adults
to follow.
It is evident that although motives are internal
drives, they can be influenced by outside sources. We
can properly motivate our personnel through applica-
tion of the principles of leadership.
Human error in accidents can be reduced by an
understanding of man's strengths and limitations and
an evaluation of his characteristics and behavior dur-
ing the phases of selection, training and utilization.
A well-planned, rigorous unit training program,
active supervision and constant efforts at proper
motivation will help to eliminate people trouble from
aviation accident prevention.
41

UBAAAVB
42
LTC Bissell, a senior Army aviator, is commander of the HSC Flight Detachment, Ft.
Sam Houston, TX. Prior to his present assignment, he was chief of the Officer instruc-
tional Division, Education and Prevention Directorate, USAAA VS, Ft. Rucker, AL
Mr. Ugly, the personification of accident tragedy, is a grim reality
to many, including inve,stigators who probe through the wreckage
of Army aircraft searching for clues as to the cause of the crash
HEY, MR. UGLY,
WHO INVITED YOU?
Lieutenant Colonel Donald F. Bissell
H
AVE YOU EVER witnessed a major car ac-
cident? If you have, you can never forget the
sudden shock you felt the instant you knew the
inevitable was going to happen; nor the sinking
sensation you had as you realized no one could
prevent it. It was too late. Then came the crash and
the sound of metal crumpling, bending and breaking
as it smashed against vegetation and ground. Simul-
taneously, a cloud arose to envelope the site like a
dust devil spinning over a freshly plowed field. And
when the dust had settled, you gazed in horror and
disbelief at the twisted and scattered remains. In a
fraction of a second, both property and life, with all
its dreams, hopes and joys, had vanished. And you
thought: If only the tire hadn't blown ... if only the
driver had checked it and mounted the spare . . . if
only the car had been moving slower . . . if only the
ditch had not been there .... And it had happened
in a fraction of a second. But had it? Or was it just
the end result of a sequence of events that allowed the
disastrous Mr. Ugly to make his entrance?
MAY 1974
Every accident is somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle
made up of numerous pieces of different sizes and
shapes. Some contribute to the accident directly; and
some, indirectly. Others contribute t o ~ , injuries of
occupants. As one segment is joined to another, the
puzzle takes shape. Finally, when the last piece falls
in place, it's all over. Unwittingly, we-the human
element--connect these segments. And while an ac-
cident may occur in a fraction of a second, it has
actuaily been long in the making.
Let's take a look at a recent Army aircraft accident
that has been purposely selected because it is not
spectacular and does not introduce any novel or
one-in-a-million kind of cause factors. It contains
the same type of cause factors found In most accidents.
Just the time, the piace, the people and the vehicle
are different.
The flight was a hight medical evacuation mission
to transfer a patient from one post hospital to another.
The crew, on 24-hour standby, consisted of the pilot,
copilot, medical aidman and crewchief. When in-
43
HEY, MR. UGLY
formed of the mission, they immediately began
routine preparations. The UH-IH Huey had already
been preflighted, and flight planning, weather briefing
and' flight filing were accomplished according to
normal operating procedures. The patient and a
physician who accompanied him as "on-board" at-
tendant arrived for departure. Takeoff was normal,
and VFR (visual flight rules) night flight of 1 hour
plus 30 minutes estimated time en route was now in
progress.
The door is opened for Mr. Ugly. Everything
appeared to be strictly routine, but already three
major segments of the real-life puzzle were locked
in place, inviting the entrance of Mr. Ugly. Although
the pilot was instrument qualified and familiar with
the area, he had failed to maintain instrument pro-
ficiency because he intended to leave the service
within 60 days. Similarly, the copilot who was newly
assigned and receritly rated had not maintained flight
proficiency following graduation. This was his first
mission. In addition, the pilot elected to fly visually
after receiving the forecast of "questionable" flight
weather (which was proven not to be just question-
44
able, but plain bad) at his destination. A fourth
puzzle segment was introduced when, for one reason
or another, the pilot decided to fly from the left
seat, positiorung the inexperienced aviator in the
right one. This may have been a carryover from tours
in the Republic of Vietnam. Based on crew experience
and proficiency, knowledge of the aircraft, area and
terrain, and the fljght conditions, the pilot should
have been seated in the right seat where all the
necessary instrumentation is most readily accessible.
Inside the cabin, the crewchief and the medic were
helping the doctor administer intravenous fluids and
oxygen to the unconscious patient strapped on a
litter secured to the aircraft. The doctor was wearing
Civilian clothes and low quarter shoes. He had re-
quested protective clothing but none was available,
and he was not provided a protective helmet con-
taining a microphone alid headset. Tbis meant that
the medic had to remove his own helmet to hear the
doctor's instructions. In addition, because he had
not been briefed, the doctor did not know how to Uf"
the safety belt especially designed to protect hiL
while giving him freedom to Care for his patient. More
puzzle segments had joined the others, opening the
door wider for Mr. Ugly.
Then another segment fell in place. The "question-
able" weather detetiorated. Visual reference was now
impossible and instrument procedures had to be
implemented. After arriving over their destination;
the crewmen aborted their first landing attempt at
the hospital helipad, and elected to change the touch-
down site to a pad near a civil airport that offered
a selection of instrument-type approaches.
The crew initiated an approach using a glide slope,
localizer, marker beacon and ADF instrumentation.
However, the instrument approach required the use
of a navigational radio aid that was inoperative. The
maintenance form in the aircraft's logbook showed
that this unit had been repaired and was functioning
properly. In reality, unauthorized maintenance had
been attempted, the problem had not been corrected
and improper entries had been made in the forms.
Still more pieces of the puzzle were now firmly in
place.
A missed approach was accomplished due to
weather and a second approach to the airport Was
established. By this time, the Huey had been airborne
1 hour plus 45 minutes, adding new segments to the
puzzle. With the low fuel supply, would there be
enough to handle all contingencies? Would there be
an accessible alternate airfield in case the airport
remained below minimums for landing? It is reason-
able to speculate that there was considerable stress
in the cockpit as the flight progressed.
Enter Mr. Ugly. The second approach was
continued. Only one piece of the puzzle was still
missing. It materialized after the crewchief and medic
unbuckled'their seat belts to help the pilots sight the
ground. Suddenly, out of their side windows, they
spotted trees and a clump of bushes through a fog
bank, and they caught a glimpse of powerlines and a
telephone pole in the beam of the landing light. Before
either could shout a word of warning, the aircraft
crashed 2 miles short of the runway, dramatically
announcing the arrival of Mr. Ugly.
When the dust settled, the aircraft was on its side.
The pilots and patient strapped in place weathered
the episode in their respective positions. The medic,
crewchief and doctor became flying missiles in the
_
bin. Had the doctor been overheard, he might have
aid, "Quid inferorum? Supra!" or translated, "What
the hell! Over!" providing the general feeling of all
concerned. Miraculously, there was no fire and, de-
spite the severity of the crash, no deaths or serious
injuries resulted although the aircraft was destroyed
at a cost of approximately a quarter of a million
dollars. Needless to say, the aircraft was quickly
evacuated.
Locking the door on Mr. Ugly. What could
have been done to keep the unwanted, yet clearly
invited, Mr. Ugly out of the picture?
Numerous errors combined to cause this accident.
They included errors in judgment, mainteriance and
supervision. The first known cause factor was the
pilot's decision to fly visually after receiving the
forecast of questionable visual flight weather at the
destination. Why? This is a pure judgment decision
and can be attributed to his lack of confidence in
his proficiency in instrument flight procedures. The
investigation disclosed that the crewmen did not
check weather conditions at their destination prior
to diverting to an alternate airfield, nor was it
provided by approach control.
These factors were crew errors. However, the
supervisor was directly responsible. The assumption
by the supervisory chain of command that standard-
ization and instrument training were being conducted
and proficiency maintained was probably the most
MAY 1974
glaring error of all.
The physician's escape without serious injury was
particularly noteworthy, but it does not lessen the
serious lack of supervision in crew standardization
and training, including related equipment. Protective
clothing was not available for him. He was not
briefed even in the simplest internal operations of the
aircraft, including such a basic measure as securing
the seat belt. Again, why? How much is a passenger
or crew briefing worth in time, money, injuries to
personnel or successful mission accomplishment?
(Prior to this flight the doctor had made inquiries
about future aviation medical officer training. Now,
other specialty fields interest him!)
All of the factors involved in this mishap could
have been prevented. Supervision and command
emphasis on accident prevention must be positive
and ongoing.
Brigadier General James H. Merryman, Director
of Army Aviation, once remarked about another
aircraft accident. His words are equally applicable
and appropriate to this and all other Army aircraft
accidents, and bear repeating. He said:
"My concern lies in thinking past the tangible
evidence surrounding this accident. Clearly, responsi-
bility will be addressed and rieither you nor I will be
outwardly involved. Yet when we read of an accident
of this nature, purposeless, dangerous, and terribly
wasteful, we need to look at ourselves and ask what
we each have done within the aviation community to
ensure things such as this do not occur.
"With this question in mind, I suggest that we
look inward to evaluate the extent to which each of
us in positions of responsibility can reach to influence
the actions of our personnel. Once this p'ersonal
evaluation is complete, let us make every effort to
push ourselves the full distance and develop such a
sense of responsibility toward each other and our
program that in the event of future mishaps we can
be confident that we have done all that was possible
to prevent such an occurrence.
"What I am talking about is the need for LEAD-
ERSHIP ... and PROFESSIONALISM!"
As a commander with attached aviation units,
an aviation unit commander, an aviator, safety officer
or safety specialist, are you aware of your role in
accident prevention? Are you personally involved?
Are you really doing everything you can to lock the
door on Mr. Ugly?
45
,
Personal Equipment & Rescue/Survival Lowdown
I
Fluorescent Orange Survival Panels
I noticed in a pair of my Nomex flight trousers on
the white tag sewn into the seat of the trousers that
under #2, "A survival panel of fluorescent orange
material is located within the right thigh pocket to
aid in air search and rescue of downed crew-
members."
My question is where are the survival panels? And,
if they are taken out prior to the N omex being
shipped to the field, how do we go about ordering the
survival panels?-ASO
Originally, the two-piece Nomex tropical uniform
was developed for aviation personnel. The initial
procurement contract required that an aviation per-
sonnel survival panel marker be placed in the right-
hand thigh trouser pocket. However, due to the
urgent requirement in Southeast Asia, the N omex
uniforms were fabricated and shipped without the
panel marker. In June 1971, the N omex uniform was
adopted as a standard for armored vehicle crewmen.
Because the tanker has no requirement for the panel
arker, it was made a separate item of issue for
o.41rcrewmembers. To order the panel, submit a
requisition through established supply channels. The
federal stock number is 8345-140-4232; the descrip-
tion is panel marker, survival, aviation personnel; and
the authority is SB 700-50.
Remove the panel marker from the N omex trous-
ers prior to any laundering or turn-in of the trousers
for repair or replacement. If not removed, the panel
will become stained by the Nomex dye. Obviously,
the large reflective area provided by the panel marker
increases the chances of downed crewmembers being
located.
Sharing Ideas and Experiences
Many times, soldiers in the field come up with
good ideas for the use or improvement of survival
and rescue equipment. Knowledge gained from shar-
ing these ideas or experiences can be very beneficial
in case of an emergency. Following are two sugges-
tions which I believe are worth passing on.
Combat Casualty Blanket
The incorporation of a combat casualty blanket
(space blanket) in the SRU-21P survival vest would
be very beneficial in the event of an aircraft accident.
Even with the installation of the crashworthy fuel
system, the possibility of fire still exists. During egress,
most people will not stop to pick up any survival
MAY 1974
equipment on board the aircraft, so they must rely
on their personal equipment. The combat casualty
blanket, FSN 7210-935-6665, will fit neatly in the
inside pocket of the vest. Folded as received, it
measures 6" x 5" x 2", opens to 56" x 84", and
weighs a mere 12 ounces. The blanket will give
adequate protection against the elements in both hot
and cold climates. In case a crewmember is injured,
the blanket will serve to keep him warm so as to help
prevent or delay the effects of traumatic shock.
This particular blanket is colored OD on one side and
silver on the other. Also, two other blankets are
available. One is OD and silver, weighs 3 ounces,
measures 2" x 2" xl" when folded, and opens to
96" x 56". The FSN is 7210-935-6666. The other
blanket has the same specifications; however, it is
orange and silver and is assigned FSN 7210-935-
6667.
Magnetic Compass
Some SRU-21P survival vests lack one of the most
important pieces of equipment available in the event
an aviator must walk away from a crash site--a
magnetic compass. One could easily remove the mag-
netic standby compass from the aircraft; however,
this presents a problem as there is not usually a crash
ax on board the aircraft and very few pilots carry a
phillipshead screwdriver. The lensatic compass, a
component of the vest, generally is not available due
to shortages in the supply system and also to the
high pilferage rate. It is suggested that a much less
expensive, but just as adequate compass be used. The
wrist compass, FSN 6605-809-5252, will serve the
purpose of the downed aviator as well as the more
sophisticated and expensive lensatic compass. In
addition to being less expensive, this compass requires
less space and weighs less, both of which are im-
portant requirements of survival equipment.
Army materiel, to include personal equipment, is
subject to equipment improvement recommendations
(EIRs). So, if you have a suggestion for improving
a piece of equipment, you should submit your idea
on DA Form 2407 in accordance with TM 38-750,
dated November 1973. The idea should also be con-
sidered for submission as a suggestion to the appro-
priate national maintenance point under the provision
of AR 672-20, "Incentive Awards." You can also
share your ideas with others by submitting them to
PEARL, USAAA VS, Ft. Rucker, AL 36360.
47
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
SAASO Sez
The u. S. Army Aeronautical Services Office discusses
Z
ES OSAASU: If that looks backward to you read on. It was meant to because some people
seem to work this way! Can you imagine buying a swimming pool for your backyard,
contracting for its installation and calling your friends for the opening blast before
determining that you had the space for the pool and met the local ordinances governing its use.
A parallel may be drawn in the development of an airfield, airspace or aviation support facility.
Imagine yourself buying Navaids, support lighting or whatever and constructing a
site for such without first making a procedure study to determine that operational advantage really
will be gained. You may find that your idea won't "fly" either due to obstructions, airspace
problems, signal disruptions or even disrupting the restricted area firing ranges in the approach
or missed approach area. If your airpatch is suitable for large aircraft, the boys in blue can't serve you
unless applied criteria provides for category C and D operations. Other notable examples of putting
the cart before the horse include hangars that are placed inside runway clear zones,
control towers that don't provide full surveillance of the traffic area or airport movement surfaces
and other obstructions that penetrate airport obstruction criteria or affect minimums.
The real point is to get down to the basic building block theory. Some Army airfields just aren't
worth trying to make much more of than their original function-a liaison strip.
It might be more appropriate to change your strip to a functional heliport and plan for a new
airfield. Some others fit logically into station development plans and must be considered as
part and parcel in all short and long range master planning actions. Aviation officers should
be members of the local planning staff and be available to prevent the planning of any obstruction,
be it hospital or smokestack on top of the highest terrain in your only suitable approach area.
If aviation or airspace officers need help or technical advice, call us. USAASO can and will
provide the technical expertise you need to get the best bang for our buck.
A
TC Memorial Display: The Air Traffic Controllers Enlisted Wives Club at Ft. Rucker, AL,
is preparing an exhibit and a memorial to Army air traffic control. It will be located at the
U.S. Army Aviation Museum. The display will feature U.S. Army air traffic control facilities
throughout the world, emphasizing the significant role of Army air traffic control.
Contributions of photographs, documents, facility historical packets and equipment when
available are being accepted by the group. Persons/ groups making donations will be given
recognition with their exhibits. The display will reflect the pride and esprit de corps of air traffic
controllers throughout the Army.
48
Please send your contributions to:
Curator
U. S. Army Aviation Museum
ATTN: SGM Rlyn Pitt
P. O. Box H
* u.s. Government Printing Office 1973-746161/5
Major General William J. Maddox, Jr., Com-
manding General, U. S. Army Aviation Center,
Ft. Rucker, AL, joins with Alabama Governor
George C. Wallace 0 t "" law," of the State
Capitol in Montgomery for the formal dedica-
tion of MAST in Alabama
G
OOD NEWS: Effective 1 April
a general order was pub-
lished by U.S. Army Health Serv-
Command for the redesigna-
n of the Ft. Rucker MEDDAC as
HE U.S. ARMY AEROMEDICAL
CENTER. This action was ante-
dated on 1 January 1974 by the
designation of the ARMY AERO-
MEDICAL ACTIVITY, an augmented
version of the former Office/De-
partment of Aeromedical Educa-
tion and Training (OAET). The
OAET was transferred that date
from USAAVNS to U.S. Army MED-
OAC, Ft. Rucker, Al, to facilitate
the new aeromedical center or-
ganization. The Army Aeromedical
Center organization brings to-
gether through command and for-
mal coordination lines, all the
essential elements of a compre-
hensive and meaningful Army
Aviation Medicine Program. It con-
sists of U.S. Lyster Army Hospital,
the Army Aeromedical Activity,
and the other activities normally
associated with a MEDOAC (den-
tal, veterinary, health and envir-
onment, etc.).
In addition, there is close and
formal coordination with the U.S.
Army Aeromedical Research Labo-
ratory and the other investigative
and research elements located at
the U.S. Army Aviation Center in-
cluding: the U.S. Army Aviation
Center/School (USAAVNC/S)i
Agency for Aviation Safety (US-
AAAVS)i Test Board (USAAVNTB)i
Human Research Unit (USAAHRU)i
and the Human Resources Re-
search Office (HUMRRO) .
The Army Aeromedical Center
structure and relationship with
these (above) organizations will
provide a more fluid productive
exchanqe of data among the vari-
ous professional personnel and
unit resources.
MAST: Effective 1 April, the
Military Assistance to Safety and
Traffic (MAST) was formally insti-
tuted at the Aviation Center. It is
significant that the Army Aero-
medical Center at Ft. Rucker is the
only Health Services Command
TOA unit in MAST. This air evacua-
tion service for the local communi-
ties has been performed for sev-
eral years by Ft. Rucker Flatiron
crews who have countless success-
ful missions to their credit.
Major General Spurgeon Neel, Commanding General, U. S. Army Health
Services Command, dedicates the Army Aeromedical Center, Ft. _________ _______ ____
40
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30
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z
20
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10
o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
64 FISCAL YEARS 1 ST 7
H
4
AL
F
~ ~ T a k e a Minute"" to Consider Safety
I was pleased to note the downward trend in the worldwide Army aviation accident
rate, especially the outstanding results for the first half 'of this fiscal year. This is the
lowest combined rate for the Active Army, National Guard and Army Reserve since
the Army began its accident prevention program in 1958.
The credit for this fine record goes to all the commanders, supervisors and individ-
uals who have made safety an important part of every aspect of Army aviation. The sav-
ings in human lives and suffering, as well as in equipment, are significant, and contrib-
ute to making this a better and more combat-ready Army.
In light of the record of progress, and in recognition of our need to do even better
in this area, I have designated June 1974 as "Take a Minute for Aviation Safety"
month. The purpose of this action is to encourage each of you to "take a minute" to
consider safety in all your aviation activities, and to develop supporting programs of
your own to increase Army aviation safety.
My congratulations and a "well done" to a" who have contributed to the safety im-
provements thus far. May your further efforts make the Army aviation safety program
even more of a success.
General Creighton W. Abrams
Army Chief of Staff
~ ~ ~
USAAAVS

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something which I hope those in Army

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