Our Mission

The best helicopter pilots in the world are trained here.

HT-8 provides advanced helicopter flight instruction to all US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard helicopter flight students as well as international students from several allied nations.

"The mission of the helicopter portion of training is to teach the skills necessary for flying rotary-wing aircraft and to qualify student military aviators for rotary-wing and naval aviation designations, and a standard instrument rating.” - MPTS

Students selected for the helicopter pipeline receive formal ground training and instruction in the TH-57B/C "Sea Ranger” systems, helicopter aerodynamics, and instrument navigation. Additional flight support training is conducted in the Helicopter Cockpit Procedures Trainer. The familiarization stage consists of 13 flights including 2 solo flights. After mastering such skills as hovering and autorotation, student advance to the instrument rated TH-57C where they refine their instrument flying ability and receive their first instrument rating upon successful completion of the syllabus. A full-motion helicopter flight simulator is used in this stage. Finally, students reach the helicopter tactics stage where they learn the fundamentals of formation flying, low-level navigation, search and rescue and flight using night vision devices. The overall time to train for student aviators is approximately six months.