US Navy begins TH-73A instructor pilot training

The first two instructor pilots from the US Navy’s Training Air Wing 5 (TAW 5) have arrived at Leonardo’s production facility in Philadelphia to train on the new TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS).

Leonardo Helicopters TH-73A [Leonardo]
The TH-73A in flight. Leonardo

As part of training, the two instructor pilots will receive classroom and hands-on experience with the US Navy’s future training helicopter. The platform will fulfil the advanced rotary wing and intermediate tiltrotor training requirements for the US Navy, US Marine Corps (USMC) and US Coast Guard (USCG) until 2050.

The TH-73A – which is based on the single-engine AW119 commercial helicopter – will replace the service’s ageing Bell TH-57B/C Sea Ranger fleet, which have been in service since 1968. The US Navy plans to acquire up to 130 examples and projects that the new platform will achieve its Initial Operational Capability (IOC) next year.