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U.S. army selects SRT for training

The Brigade's Standardization
Pilot found the SRT training to be very beneficial and very challenging.  "Based on my personal experience with
this course, I believe that specific mountain training courses, such as the one
conducted by SRT, are invaluable training opportunities and should be mandatory
for any unit preparing to operate in mountainous terrain, especially when the
loss rate and their causes are examined in Afghanistan where the terrain and
environment are involved in many more losses than enemy action."

Training consisted of
classroom academics on the effects of altitude on human and aircraft
performance, the influence of weather patterns on local winds, mountain terrain
analysis and its effects on local winds, and flight techniques and procedures
in the mountains. Over the five days of training, each student flew an average
of 2.4 hours per day, starting from an initial operating altitude of 3,000 feet
and culminating in multiple approaches at 10,000 feet.  Each student made in excess of 20
approaches at varying altitudes during the course.

 
According to Christian
Gadbois, President and CEO of SRT Helicopters, "Daily After Action Reports
(AAR's) were conducted to discuss and evaluate the performance of each student
as well as to provide SRT with instant feedback on whether the training was
meeting the needs of these specific students.  Our experienced mountain instructor pilots continuously
monitored student progress and adapted their training regimen as required."