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Camp Pendleton's Confined Area Landing Training
by U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels
September
21, 2019
Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom crews with Marine Light Helicopter
Attack Squadron (HMLA) 469, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39, 3rd
Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), conducted confined area landing (CAL)
training on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on June 25, 2019.
A CAL is a type of landing that requires the pilot of an
aircraft to land in a compact landing zone. It may also involve a
string of maneuvers around obstacles, such as trees, powerlines, and
buildings.
This training prepares pilots for the unpredictable circumstances
they may encounter in a combat zone. The moderate and predictable
year-round climate and terrain of Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp
Pendleton makes the base an ideal training environment for these
exercises.
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U.S. Marines with Light
Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469 perform confined area
landing (CAL) training with a UH-1Y Venom on Marine Corps
Base Camp Pendleton, California on June 25, 2019. CAL
training is held for new pilots to get familiar with landing
the UH-1Y Venom on tough terrain areas that other aircraft
platforms don’t have the capability of doing. (U.S Marine
Corps photo by Pfc. Andrew Cortez)
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“The aircraft will have more power when its cooler, which means
you can put the aircraft in a tighter landing zone and be able to
take off,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Joshua Gornto, UH-1Y Venom
pilot, HMLA-469.
According to Capt. Gornto, helicopters are
the most versatile platforms in operation within the Marine Corps.
He believes it is vital that HMLA-469 conducts this type of training
regularly. Being able to land the aircraft in these confined areas
during training gives HMLA-469 Marines assurance that in combat,
they will have quick access to the Marines on the ground.
With the assistance of aircraft crew chiefs, pilots can essentially
have eyes on obstacles below and behind them while landing in
confined areas. The crew chiefs observe and inform pilots of
obstacles around them to ensure the aircraft lands safely.
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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Dalton
Hasbrouck, aerial observer, Light Attack Helicopter Squadron
(HMLA) 469, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39, 3rd Marine Air
Wing (MAW) looks for any strange movement on the ground on
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California on June 25,
2019. CAL training is held for new pilots to get familiar
with landing the UH-1Y Venom on tough terrain areas that
other aircraft platforms don’t have the capability of doing.
(U.S Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Andrew Cortez)
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“Crew chiefs are responsible for the largest field of
regard,’ said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Preston Eisele, weapons and
tactics instructor crew chief, HMLA-469. “We must have high
situational awareness to ensure the safety of the aircraft along
with the crew.”
The crew chiefs also have the responsibility
of manning weapons in case of enemy threat so that the pilots can
focus on maneuvering. Communication between all elements of the crew
is essential for safety and mission accomplishment.
“It takes
a great deal of crew coordination,” added Sgt. Eisele. “Talking crew
chief to crew chief or crew chief to pilot during this training is a
good team building exercise.”
The pilots and their crew
perform CAL exercises on MCB Camp Pendleton's Pacific coast,
mountainous terrain at different elevations, and simulated city
neighborhoods used to train in urban combat scenarios called
military operations on urbanized terrain (MOUT) towns.
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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt.
Preston Eisele, weapons and tactics instructor crew chief,
Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469, Marine Aircraft
Group (MAG) 39, 3rd Marine Air Wing (MAW) watches the
aircrafts surroundings on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton,
California on June 25, 2019. CAL training is held for new
pilots to get familiar with landing the UH-1Y Venom on tough
terrain areas that other aircraft platforms don’t have the
capability of doing. (U.S Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Andrew
Cortez)
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“The unique part of Camp Pendleton is its diversity,” said U.S.
Marine Corps Capt. Anthony Matacotta, UH-1Y Venom pilot, HMLA-469.
“We can land on the coast and then in the mountains without having
to leave the training area.”
The squadron is just one of
eight 3rd MAW squadrons stationed at MCAS Camp Pendleton, and the
CAL is just one type of training that they need to perform. Camp
Pendleton’s interconnected land, sea, and air ranges allow the
squadron to perform dozens of different types of training, including
live-fire training with fully-functional ammunition and rockets, in
conjunction with other air and ground units.
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