When helicopters go down CAB’s DART prepares for worst-case scenarios

When a helicopter goes down due to maintenance or other issues in a deployed or garrison environment, there is only one team tasked to retrieve the aircraft: the DART.

At Fort Bliss, the 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade enlists the trust of recovering aircrafts to Soldiers of the 127th Aviation Support Battalion.

Formally known as the Downed-Aircraft Recovery Team, the group is comprised of Soldiers from electrical and mechanical backgrounds within a flight battalion.

Each Soldier chosen for the team has a specialized role in the recovery – security, defense operations and repairers specifically trained for the aircraft needing recovery.

“We break the training down into different drills,” said Staff Sgt. Jared Squires, the DART’s noncommissioned officer in charge. “The mission is so critical and time is of the essence. It has to be done with military precision. The Soldiers have to be trained to the level where it becomes muscle memory.”

The DART’s response time depends on the circumstances, the weather and the urgency of the mission. However, if the aircraft goes down in an area where enemy is present, the team must wait until it can get in safely to complete the mission, said Squires.

Most recently, the DART trained with hydraulic rescue tools at a class at the 127th Avn. Regt. hangar and during Iron Focus 15, an annual joint-military exercise held in the desert training environment of Fort Bliss.

“Staying well-trained on equipment to help prevent injury to the crews and damage to the aircraft is a high priority for us,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 William Bush, DART officer in charge. “Training with equipment like the ‘jaws of life’ allows the Soldiers to understand the feelings during a real situation.”

The DART trains and is equipped with tools to cut open an aircraft and safely extract crewmembers. The team also is proficient using fire suppression equipment and a variety of repair tools.

“For as small as this system is, it works wonders and will work very well for what these guys have to do,” said Bush.

In an ideal circumstance, the first person on the scene of a downed helicopter is the technical inspector, a role within the DART.

During his or her assessment, the technical inspector determines whether the helicopter can be fixed and flown again or must be retrieved.

If fixable, the DART performs the necessary actions to repair the damages, said Squires.

However, if it cannot be fixed, either the technical inspector must recommend the helicopter be either extracted or sling-loaded (lifted to safety by another aircraft).

“If it’s in pieces and it’s not worth recovering, it’s the commander’s decision whether he wants to destroy it in place or recover it in pieces,” said Squires.

It is these type of situations the DART trains for but hopes to avoid encountering.