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-73A "Thrasher" systems, helicopter aerodynamics, and instrument navigation. Additional flight support training is conducted in a full-motion helicopter flight simulator. The familiarization stage consists of 11 flights including 1 solo flight. After mastering such skills as hovering and autorotation, students continue onto instrument flying and receive their first instrument rating upon successful completion of the syllabus. 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.