US Army intensifies aviation safety measures amid surge in helicopter accidents

The US Army is intensifying its focus on aviation safety and training amid a troubling rise in helicopter accidents.

The US Army is reevaluating its institutional training model for aviators as its helicopter fleet transitions to a sophisticated mix of manned and unmanned systems, according to Maj. Gen. Mac McCurry, former commander of the Aviation Center of Excellence and current chief of staff at Army Futures Command, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

McCurry emphasized the high cost of training aviators and the need to optimize the approach as the Army integrates new technologies, such as the tiltrotor aircraft selected for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program in December 2022. 

The Army has also opted to shift away from developing a new manned helicopter for attack and reconnaissance missions, instead favoring increased use of unmanned aircraft. McCurry noted that critical decisions regarding the training model are expected within the next year, focusing on how to best prepare aviators before they join the operational force. One key issue under review is whether the current basic training aircraft are suitable.

Following the retirement of the Bell TH-67 single-engine trainer in late 2013, the Army replaced it with approximately 200 dual-engine LUH-72A Lakota helicopters. This decision faced some controversy over the cost and complexity of the new trainers. "Nothing is off the table," McCurry said. "We are examining all options for the right aircraft and training model moving forward." The integration of advanced simulation technology is transforming the Army's aviation training curriculum, with a growing emphasis on virtual and augmented reality tools. “With the rise of virtual reality and augmented reality, we need to explore how these technologies can enhance training efficiency without relying solely on actual aircraft or full-motion simulators,” McCurry noted.

The urgency to perfect basic aviator training is underscored by the Army's recent spate of Class A mishaps—incidents involving either fatalities or damage exceeding $2.5 million. Just this month, an AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed during routine training at Fort Novosel, resulting in the death of the flight instructor and injuries to the student. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. In the first half of fiscal 2023 alone, over a dozen Army aviators lost their lives in helicopter crashes, prompting a temporary aviation-wide stand-down in April 2023.

Although the stand-down was lifted after a comprehensive review, the accidents persisted. Five months later, an MH-60 Black Hawk from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment crashed during a training mission, claiming the lives of all five crew members onboard.

Fiscal 2023 recorded the highest death toll for Army soldiers since the US withdrawal from Iraq in 2011, with 14 fatalities across 10 Class A mishaps. Typically, Army aviation mishaps result in the deaths of six crew members annually, with a Class A mishap rate of just under one per 100,000 flight hours. 

However, the current rate stands at 3.22, more than double the highest rate recorded in over a decade, according to data from the Army Combat Readiness Centre. The branch is “constantly monitoring accident rates and analyzing causal factors,” McCurry stated. “Over the past two years, we’ve specifically examined formation flying, the operation of aircraft in close proximity, and the conditions under which these tasks are performed.

Recently, we've also focused on how our aviators adapt to changes in tail rotor effectiveness due to environmental conditions.” Earlier this year, the Army launched an initiative aimed at reinforcing basic training, known as the aviation standup. “Interrupting the cycle of accidents and refocusing on fundamentals tends to yield positive results,” McCurry noted. 

In response to the persistent safety challenges, the Army is considering a new approach to aviation safety awareness. The idea is to mandate that every aviation unit allocates time annually to emphasize safety, irrespective of their accident rates. “Rather than waiting for accident spikes, we are exploring whether a routine annual focus on safety could be beneficial,” McCurry added.