Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303), is a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

helicopter training squadron stationed at

Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton or MCAS Camp Pendleton is a United States Marine Corps airfield located within Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. It was commissioned in 1942 and is currently home to Marine Aircraft Group 39. The airfiel ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. Known as "Atlas", HMLAT-303 trains newly commissioned

Naval Aviator Naval aviation / Aeronaval is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. It often involves '' navalised aircraft'', specifically designed for naval use. Seaborne aviation encompas ...

s, conversion pilots, and refresher pilots to fly the

Bell UH-1Y Venom The Bell UH-1Y Venom (also called Super Huey) is a twin-engine, 4-blade, medium-sized utility helicopter built by Bell Helicopter under the H-1 upgrade program of the United States Marine Corps. One of the latest members of the numerous Bell H ...

and

Bell AH-1Z Viper The Bell AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is one of the latest members of the prolific Bell Huey family. It is ofte ...

. HMLAT-303 is also responsible for training

crew chiefs. It is part of

Marine Aircraft Group 39 Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California that is currently composed of four AH-1Z "Viper" Cobra and UH-1Y "Venom" Huey light attack squadrons, two MV-2 ...

(MAG-39) and the

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, ...

(3rd MAW).

Mission

The Mission of Marine Helicopter Light Attack Training Squadron 303 is to provide qualitative and productive training to Replacement Aircrew (RAC), Refresher, Transition and Conversion pilots, as well as

crew chiefs. This training is provided in the newly upgraded AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters. RAC students entering the training syllabus are newly designated Naval Aviators from the Naval Air Training Command in Pensacola, Florida. Refresher students are Fleet Marine Force Aviators returning from shore duty billets or military schools. Transition students are Fleet Marine Force Aviators qualified in other aircraft. Crew Chiefs are enlisted personnel who will act as aerial observers and gunners aboard the UH-1Y. This command also instructs refreshers and RACs through intraservice and international exchange programs.

History

Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303) was activated with four officers and three enlisted Marines on 30 April 1982. Today the squadron has grown to over 400 Marines and 45 aircraft. Based at

, California, HMLAT-303 conducts an extensive training syllabus to include: familiarization, navigation, ordnance, terrain, formation, instrument and night vision goggle flight. The squadron periodically deploys to

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station in Arizona. It is the home of multiple squadrons of F-35B Lightning IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MA ...

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

, where training efficiency is enhanced due to the proximity of ordnance delivery ranges and superb weather conditions. UH-1N from HMLAT 303 with rep Bob Brady on board during CA fires in OCT 2007

UH-1N from HMLAT 303 with rep Bob Brady on board during CA fires in OCT 2007

HMLAT-303 trained AH-1W Cobra and UH-1N Huey pilots for the Marine Corps and

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

for more than 20 years, until both platforms were upgraded to the new

AH-1Z Viper The Bell AH-1Z Viper is a twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is one of the latest members of the prolific Bell Huey family. It is oft ...

and

UH-1Y Venom The Bell UH-1Y Venom (also called Super Huey) is a twin-engine, 4-blade, medium-sized utility helicopter built by Bell Helicopter under the H-1 upgrade program of the United States Marine Corps. One of the latest members of the numerous Huey ...

. HMLAT-303 is the only Marine Corps squadron tasked with training UH-1Y and AH-1Z replacement, refresher, and conversion pilots and aircrew. In addition to flight training, HMLAT-303 manages the fleet-wide

NATOPS The Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) program (pronounced ''NAY-Tops'') prescribes general flight and operating instructions and procedures applicable to the operation of all United States naval aircraft and re ...

standardization program for the H-1, conducts Instrument Ground School for all of MAG-39 aircrew, and is responsible for the scheduling of the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y Weapons System Trainers and the AH Aircrew Procedures Trainer.

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. HMLAT-303 has been presented with the following awards:

References

External links

*
Information from ''www.globalsecurity.org''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hmlat-303 * Training squadrons of the United States Marine Corps

Mission

History

Unit awards

See also

References

External links