Air operations

REF 6TP/TRG/005

Roles and terms, rotary-wing drills, extraction, fast-roping, static line and military free fall.

01TYPES OF AIR OPERATION

AirborneParachute

Air assaultHelicopter

AirmobilePlane and helicopter

Air landingPlane

02ROLES

PILOT / CO-PILOT	In command of the entire airframe. Their orders override all others while inside their airframe.
AIR CREW	In charge of the airframe's weapon systems and functions. Pax are not to use airframe weapon systems or functions, such as ramps, doors or interior lighting.
PAX	Personnel on board an air vehicle, other than the pilots and air crew.
CHALK	All pax undertaking a jump or deployment from an air vehicle.
CHALK COMMANDER	The liaison, control and coordination between the pilot and the troops. Responsible for jump briefs, safety checks, timings and orders for the chalk.

03TERMS

HLS	Helicopter landing site. Normally positioned during mission planning, but can also be ad hoc.
RALLY POINT	A pre-planned position in cover, close to the HLS, that troops move to as soon as the airframe lifts off.
PTS	Permission to speak. Ordered when the airframe is close to the HLS (about 1 km out), so the air crew can concentrate on landing.

ROTARY WING

Aircraft orientation

Clock face

The aircraft nose is always 12 o'clock, whichever way it faces on the ground. Knowing this lets patrol commanders give quick, clear dismount orders.

EXAMPLE ORDER

PTL COMD"Charlie, dismount twelve to six through three. Delta, dismount twelve to six through nine. Gunner, face twelve."

Loading

Mounting the airframe

SINGLE ROTOR: SIDE DOORS

DUAL ROTOR: REAR RAMP

SIDE DOOR MOUNT IN BASE

01
The chalk or patrol commander gives the patrol the loading plan.
02
The patrol forms up in herringbone at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions, in sight of the pilot.
03
The chalk or patrol commander requests permission to board.
04
The patrol moves outside the rotor, and mounts at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions.
05
The chalk or patrol commander boards last, and reports "All in" to the pilot or air crew.
06
The pilot lifts off.

Debussing

Dismounting the airframe

SINGLE ROTOR

DUAL ROTOR

Helicopter dismounts must be very quick, to limit the vulnerability of the airframe while it is on the ground. Use the cover around the HLS, then move to the rally point once the airframe lifts off. Practise these often.

Extraction

Request through 56A

A	Own location	Six-figure grid reference.
B	HLS location	Six-figure grid reference.
C	Marked by	Smoke by day. Strobe or laser at night.
D	Remarks	Number of pax. Direction of aircraft approach. Any obstacles. Any enemy contacts. Ask for a read back.

Have all the essential information before calling
Ensure the HLS is a suitable size, level and defensible
Once the aircraft is heard, throw coloured smoke and ask the aircraft to confirm it
When the aircraft is sighted, request permission to board while it is still in the air, to save time

EXAMPLE CALL: THE REQUEST, THROUGH 56A

6-1"Hello 56A. This is 6-1. Request extraction. Over."

56A"56A. Send. Over."

6-1"6-1. Own location grid 123456. HLS grid 127458. Marked by smoke. Six pax. Ingress from west. Trees due north. No contact. Read back. Over."

EXAMPLE CALL: ON THE AIRCRAFT'S ARRIVAL

6-1"Hello Wildcat. This is 6-1. Confirm smoke. Over."

WILDCAT"Wildcat. I see blue smoke. Over."

6-1"6-1. Confirmed blue smoke. Request permission to board on touch down. Over."

WILDCAT"Wildcat. Permission granted. Out."

Fast-rope insertion

Rotary wing

Used when fully landing a rotary air vehicle is not possible. For example, when orders dictate that a troop or patrol infiltrates a building from the top down, fast-roping places the unit on the roof.

CONDUCTED IN	Pairs, assigned by the chalk commander during the brief.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT	None.

01
The chalk commander delivers a brief.
02
The chalk commander assigns pairs.For example: "Smith and Jones, pair 1."
03
At 1 km from the HLS, the chalk goes to permission to speak.
04
When the airframe is in place and the pilot has signalled the chalk commander, you receive the order "Ready for fast rope."
05
Stand ready. Rope down when your pair number is called: "1 GO", "2 GO", "3 GO" and so on.In game (Arma 3 ACE): scroll wheel action 'Rappel Self'.
06
You do not need to call "On the ground". If injured while fast-roping, move to cover your arc where possible, and make your IC aware at the earliest opportunity.

FIXED WING

Static line descent

Fixed wing

Conducted from fixed-wing aircraft, typically at low altitudes (down to 200 m). A static line is a length of webbing attached to the aircraft at one end, and to the bag holding the main parachute at the other. As the jumper falls away, it pulls the main parachute out and begins deployment.

CONDUCTED IN	Chalks, with an individual number assigned to each member.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT	Protective headgear (helmet). Night vision equipment (at night). Static line parachute.

JUMP SEQUENCE

01
The chalk commander issues the jump brief.To include: drop zone and rally point.
02
Gear up.
03
Gear inspection.Chalk commander, and front and rear 'buddy check'.
04
Radios set to the jump channel.
05
The chalk loads into the aircraft, which moves to the DZ.
06
"Stand up"In game (Arma 3 ACE): Standing Static Line > Stand Up.
07
"Hook up"In game (Arma 3 ACE): Standing Static Line > Hook Up.
08
Once hooked up, the chalk performs final equipment checks.
09
"Sound off for equipment check"The chalk sounds off backwards: "10 OK", "9 OK", "8 OK" and so on.
10
"Action stations"Be prepared to jump on the green light.
11
"Red on"The red light is on. The green light will shortly follow.
12
"Green on"The green light is on. The chalk may begin the jump.
13
Jump order: "1 GO", "2 GO", "3 GO" and so on.
14
Once safely landed, each member calls in over the jump radio.For example: "1, on the ground."

Military free fall

HALO / HAHO

Conducted from fixed-wing aircraft. Personnel, equipment and supplies are delivered from high altitude by free-fall parachute. Two techniques: HALO (high altitude, low opening) and HAHO (high altitude, high opening).

CONDUCTED IN	Teams, with a jump order assigned to each team.
REQUIRED EQUIPMENT	Protective headgear (helmet). Night vision equipment and infrared strobe (at night). Steerable parachute. Jump bag, for the primary weapon and backpack. SOLR oxygen mask. Oxygen bottle. Altimeter watch.
HALO COMMS	No radio or proximity communication during the descent unless critical. This includes Discord, TeamSpeak and side channels.
HAHO COMMS	The lead navigator sends bearing and speed over the radio. The flight plan and formation are set pre-flight, but can be adjusted in flight. No other communication unless urgent, or to indicate passing a waypoint.

JUMP SEQUENCE

01
The chalk commander issues the jump brief.To include: jump order, drop zone, rally point, and canopy / AAD altitudes.
02
Gear up.
03
Gear inspection.Chalk commander, and front and rear 'buddy check'.
04
Radios set to the jump channel.
05
The chalk loads into the aircraft, which moves to the DZ.
06
"2 minute warning"
07
The chalk performs final equipment checks.
08
"30 second warning"
09
"Red on"The red light is on. The green light will shortly follow.
10
"Green on"The green light is on. The chalk may begin the jump.
11
Once safely landed, each member calls in over the jump radio.For example: "1, on the ground."

ABBREVIATIONS

AADAutomatic activation device

ComdCommander

DZDrop zone

HAHOHigh altitude, high opening

HALOHigh altitude, low opening

HLSHelicopter landing site

ICIn command

MFFMilitary free fall

PaxPersonnel

PTSPermission to speak

PtlPatrol

SOLRSpecial operations long range (oxygen mask)