Final Romeo Maintenance Trainer Ready for Students

By Clark Pierce, Editor, Jax Air News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Personnel from Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit Jacksonville (CNATTU Jax) and Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic cut the ribbon on the avionics maintenance trainer for the MH-60R (Romeo variant) Seahawk at NAS Jacksonville June 26.

"This MH-60R avionics maintenance simulator marks the end of a four-year process to develop the aviation technical training necessary to positively impact to the fleet through the professional development of MH-60R maintainers," said CNATTU Jax Commanding Officer Cmdr. James Beaudry. "We appreciate all the hard work by civilians, Sailors and contractors to get all four Romeo simulators up and teaching."

HSL-44 Commanding Officer Cmdr. Sean Haley represented Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic at the ceremony. He said his squadron is scheduled to receive its first pair of Romeos in January.

"We're starting maintenance training now, so our mechanics and technicians are ready to support our transition from Bravo to Romeo next year. In the meantime, the 'Swamp Foxes' are still fully operational with four Bravo detachments currently deployed. Next year, we'll operate as a dual-platform squadron for about four months until the sundown of the Bravo," said Haley.

Simulator Technical Director Mike Muehlbauer, of Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic, said the avionics maintenance simulator is the final trainer added to the wing's schoolhouse.

"The reason we had enough space to add the four new Romeo simulators is that when the Paul Nelson building was constructed in 1991, it was designed to support the Navy's transition from the SH-3 to the SH-60 platforms. Now, almost 20 years later, we're transitioning from the SH-60s to the MH-60s. Until the SH-60 sundown is complete, we will operate three avionics maintenance trainers — an SH-60B, an SH-60F and our new MH-60R," said Muehlbauer.

Larry Williams, the MH-60R avionics instructor, said the new simulator not only provides more realistic training but also saves money.

"Compared to the Bravo and Foxtrot simulators, this Romeo is our most complex and realistic hands-on trainer in the schoolhouse. It simulates more than 200 gripes or malfunctions that you may find in the fleet. One of its unique features is the virtual test set. This touch-screen computer system brings up appropriate test sets used to diagnose gripes according to the manual. This eliminates our school having a million dollars' worth of test gear that could be better deployed with the fleet."

Tim Frantzen, MH-60 training systems program manager for NAVAIR, said the AMT (avionics maintenance trainer) represents the latest, most sophisticated teaching platform in the Navy.

"When more Romeos start rolling in on the NAS Jacksonville flight line, and the ATs are called out to troubleshoot a discrepancy, there's a high likelihood that they've already dealt with the discrepancy in this schoolhouse."

"With all four Romeo trainers up and teaching, CNATTU Jax now leads the fleet with the latest and greatest technology," Frantzen added.

In addition to the avionics maintenance trainer, the other three maintenance simulators are: the composite maintenance trainer (CMT); the automatic flight control system trainer; and the weapons load trainer. There is also a full-flight Romeo simulator for pilots and aviation warfare systems operators.

Muehlbauer said the CMT offers Navy instructors automated tools and training scenarios for much more effective, hands-on student training and evaluation.

"The MH-60R CMT trains technicians to maintain the helicopter's airframe, power plant, power train, hydraulics, auxiliary power unit, flight controls, blade de-ice, vertical indicator display, automatic flight control computer, stabilator, blade fold, pylon fold, rotor brake, chip detector, landing gear, and fire extinguishing systems and control/instrument panels, among other focal areas," he said.

The Romeo simulators are part of the Navy helicopter Concept of Operations (CONOPS) approved by the chief of naval operations in 2002. Under CONOPS, the SH-60B and SH-60F Seahawk variants are being replaced by the more robust MH-60R. When the HSL/HSM transition is complete around 2015, Romeo squadrons will be homeported at both NAS Jacksonville and NS Mayport. 


"With all the new squadrons arriving at NAS Jacksonville, the helicopter simulator operators have become very busy," said Muehlbauer. "We must be extremely flexible in order to meet to the continuously changing training needs of the wing."