The U.S. Army has selected M1 Support Services to run Flight School Next, a contractor-owned, contractor-operated helicopter training system worth up to $10 billion over 26 years. The programme will use the Robinson R66 as the Army’s next primary trainer at Fort Rucker, Alabama, replacing the current setup centred on the Airbus UH-72 Lakota.
The award covers initial rotary-wing pilot training and consolidates aircraft, simulators, instruction, maintenance and related support under one integrated model. Army officials want the new structure to modernise entry-level helicopter training while reducing long-term costs and improving student pilot proficiency.
The programme is designed to train about 800 to 1,500 pilots a year, roughly in line with the Army’s current annual output of new aviators. The R66, a five-seat turbine-powered helicopter, gives Robinson a major role in military flight training and places the aircraft at the centre of a significant shift in the Army’s aviation pipeline. The final number of helicopters to be delivered has not been disclosed.