Army upgrading helo pilot training under Flight School Next, seeks new aircraft
“We will teach them to be integrators and flight integrators on the back end of that, but we want them to be masters of their craft, of being able to fly a helicopter the old-fashioned way,” Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus said.
By Ashley Roque
on June 03, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Task Force Sentinel surveys the southern border
US soldiers assigned to Task Force Sentinel, operate a UH-72A Lakota at Dona Ana County International Airport, Dona Ana, N.M., on Feb. 22, 2025.(US Army/ Pfc. Dominic Atlas)
WASHINGTON — Senior Army officials said they’re on a new quest to revamp how aviators learn to fly helicopters, and have announced plans in a new notice for a contractor-owned, contractor-operated aircraft to train them.
As part of its new Flight School Next initiative, on Monday the service published a solicitation to industry to potentially replace its UH-72A Lakotas, which the Army has used as trainers since 2015, as well as a request for pilot instruction and, potentially, simulation capabilities.
“The US Army is looking to industry to provide solutions and methodologies that cover contractor provided academic instruction, flight instruction, training aids and devices, simulation (if required), aircraft, aircraft parts, and aircraft maintenance,” the service wrote in the publicly available notice.
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/06/army-upgrading-helo-pilot-training-under-flight-school-next-seeks-new-aircraft/
