In a culmination of a busy month of flying, at both Patuxent River (MD) and in the high desert of Colorado, an all-Marine crew took the Corps’ newest light/attack helicopters through the 1,000-hour mark recently.

Flying a functional check of the Stability and Control Augmentation Software in preparation for a test of the UH-1Y’s Automatic Flight Control System, the crew of Maj. Pat Lindauer, Maj. Dean Putnam and crew chief Sgt. Aaron Jameson rolled the program into four digits to score the latest achievement for the H-1 Upgrades program. Of five test aircraft, two (AH-1Z-1 and UH-1Y-1) are currently flying high-altitude tests in Alamosa (CO). While the others continue to achieve test objectives here, according to program officials.

“Last month Z-3, and Y-2 both exceeded 30 flight hours for the month, while Z-1 and Y-1 exceeded 20 flight hours,” explained Robin H. Locksley, H-1 Upgrades Flight Test Team leader. “These availability rates (of flight test aircraft) are an excellent indicator of future performance, as the specification only calls for planned availability of 25 flight hours per month. During four of the last five months, the flight test team has exceeded the number of planned test events and is on glide-slope to exceed the planned events for May as well.”

Contributing to the overall achievement of the test team are the individual milestones accrued by each of the test aircraft. “Y-2 recently reached the 100 flight hour mark,” Locksley continued. “Z-3 is projected to reach the 100 hour mark this week. Z-1 will reach the 500-hour mark this week if the weather is good in Alamosa.”

After more than 12 hours of cross country flying that included a fly-by of the Bell plant in Texas where they were built, as well as several over night stops, AH-1Z-1 and UH-1Y-1, arrived on the high desert plateau of Western Colorado to begin high altitude testing last week, according to Lt.Col. Nick Hall, Government Flight Test director for the H-1 Integrated Test Team here.

Testing where high density altitudes exist closer to ground level allows the team to test the aircraft’s performance and handling close to the ground, but still where the air isn’t as thick as at sea level, according to Hall. “With the field elevation at 7,500 feet above sea level and favorable conditions (low winds and warmer temperatures),” Hall explained, “we can conduct hover performance both in and out of ground effect, low airspeed sensor characterization and low airspeed critical azimuth testing efficiently.”

Active duty Marines assigned to the test program here play a pivotal role in each of the milestones achieved by the integrated test team, which is comprised of both military and civilian members representing the Marine Corps, Navy, civil service, contractor support and Bell Helicopter.

“My maintenance Marines have done a phenomenal job,” said Marine Capt. Jack Abate, H-1 Upgrades Maintenance Officer here. “Gunnery Sgt Billy Potts, Staff Sgt Gregory Shaw, Sgt Michael Montanez, and Cpl. Adam Phipps are currently supporting Z-1 in Alamosa, Colorado, two crew chiefs, Staff Sgt Eric Jazak and Sgt Skylar Panter, flew in the back of Y-1 cross country to Alamosa and will stay to support as a maintenance crew.

“I also have Marines here who are involved with all maintenance to get each bird on a flight schedule everyday,” Abate explained. “In addition to these duties they also perform reliability and maintainability tracking, publication validation, maintenance procedure validation and logistics verification. They are very interested and involved, and with both developmental and operational test responsibilities they keep busy.” In addition to turning wrenches and keeping the aircraft available for tests, the Marines assigned to the team provide a more important asset to the team – a warfighter’s perspective.

“I am impressed with their insight and maturity when making suggestions for solutions to known problems,” Abate added. “The Marines also work closely with civilian maintenance personnel and have made an excellent influence on them also.” In addition to the Marines, the other members of the team are proving the efficacy of the integrated team concept, according to Locksley.

“The safe and efficient execution of this program is a testament to the professionalism and attention to detail the members of this team exhibit each and every day here in Hangar 109 and the engineering buildings, off site at Alamosa, and at the Bell Plants down in Texas,” Locksley said. “This effort would not be possible without the tireless efforts of the H-1 Upgrades integrated team of military, contractor, and civil service professionals. Working shoulder to shoulder, this team will deliver these aircraft out to the warfighters.”

This latest milestone, as well as the flights taking place in Colorado, add to an already impressive lineage – H-1 aircraft have totaled more than 27,000 flight hours since 1958 when the “granddaddy” of all H-1’s, the HU-1, was delivered. Since then, more than 16,000 H-1 helicopters have been produced making it the most successful military aircraft in aviation history.

Remanufacture of the Marine Corps’ UH-1N and AH-1W aircraft to the more than 80 percent identical UH-1Y and AH-1Z is expected to save the Marine Corps approximately $3 Billion in operating and support costs over the 30-year expected lifespan of the aircraft. The UH-1Y and AH-1Z share a common drive train, rotor head, tail boom, avionics, software and controls.
[ANN Thanks John C. Milliman, PMA-276 PAO]

FMI: www.navair.mil