Texas-based M1 Support Services has partnered with Robinson Helicopter Company in California to offer the R66 system for the US Army’s Flight School Next program.
Flight School Next is an ongoing effort to adopt modern preparatory rotorcraft as the military transitions from its aging Black Hawk and Apache fleets.
The selected platform under the initiative will replace training helicopters such as the UH-72 Lakota, which have been operational since the early 2000s.
According to M1, the consortium’s strategy is to pair the Robinson R66 with advanced training tools, including AI-enabled virtual environments, to accelerate learning.
The helicopter will be supported by M1’s management, utility, and maintenance specialty as well as the company’s in-house capability to “schedule, launch, recover, and maintain hundreds of aircraft daily.”
Currently, the R66 has over 1,900 units employed both for military and civil flight competency programs.
“Our holistic solution for Flight School Next features innovative training and simulation technologies that are truly transformative,” said George Krivo, CEO of M1 Support Services.
“M1 will provide high-quality pilot training at a more affordable cost for our partners.”
Alongside M1 and Robinson, other companies publicly tied to Flight School Next include Bell Flight with its 505 Jet Ranger X, MD Helicopters with its 530F, Boeing and Leonardo with the AW119T, and Enstrom Helicopter for its 480B.
The Robinson R66
Robinson’s R66 helicopter can carry up to four passengers or about 1,200 pounds (544 kilograms) of external load.
It measures 30 feet (9 meters) long, has a rotor diameter of 33 feet (10 meters), and an empty weight of 1,290 pounds (585 kilograms).
For its training capability, the platform is equipped with a 4K cockpit video camera, Garmin G500H TXi and GTN750 touchscreen flight displays, impact-resistant windshields, crash-resistant fuel cells, and a night vision goggle-compatible cockpit.
The R66 is fitted with a Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft with an output of approximately 270 horsepower for a maximum speed of 140 knots (161 miles/259 kilometers per hour), a range of 350 nautical miles (403 miles/648 kilometers), and an operational altitude of 14,000 feet (4,267 meters).
About 85 percent of the helicopter’s components are manufactured at Robinson’s facility in Torrance, California.
