Our head tour guide was the unit commander who spent the majority of his morning giving us a full tour. We were so incredibly lucky and all feel honored to have spent time with him. The HAATS lobby in the beautiful and modern facility had an impressive display of memorabilia from the 10th Mountain unit training at Camp Hale!
The HAATS facility is a schoolhouse with a primary mission to train rotary wing (helicopter) pilots in power management at high altitudes. Students come from all over the world to train at the facility with hours spent both in the classroom and out flying training missions. The unit has access to millions of acres north and south of I-70 to fly their training missions, often landing on only one skid or wheel at the top of a mountain peak. Yikes.
We visited their classrooms (complete with 3D models of nearby landing zones or LZs), the community and break room as well as the office area where the super friendly and happy support personnel work. The unit has several helicopters in their large hanger where everything is immaculate (definitely cleaner than most garages this time of year!) and with every tool in it’s place. We got to learn about and get in their Lakota, Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters.
Although primarily a schoolhouse, the unit’s experienced flight instructors perform Colorado search and rescue missions west of the Continental divide. This unit works in tandem with local first responders and mountain rescue teams and use their specialized hoist equipment, night vision googles and flight experience to rescue those in need. This team has unique equipment and training that allows them to access remote locations where most civilian aircraft cannot go. And most remarkably, they do not charge for their rescue services and consider it part of their mission to train pilots in some of the most unforgiving terrain on earth. Somehow, Tucker manages all this and more while operating at only 44% of his required staffing level due to federal budget constraints.
One last note, it was impressive to hear how many units these men have been attached to during combat. This tour was the most educational and entertaining two and half hours, thanks to the Lt. Col. and his team.
