FORT DRUM, N.Y. (May 7, 2015) -- Soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, celebrated a unique milestone on April 30 when an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter, tail No. 96-00032, or "032" for short, became only the fourth OH-58D to ever reach the 10,000-flight-hour mark.
The unique occasion was met with excitement on the North Ramp of Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield as aviators and maintainers who have operated and cared for the aircraft over the years gathered to celebrate.
"What this accomplishment really highlights is the level of professional, dedicated troopers we have maintaining these helicopters," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew Cook, 6-6 Cavalry Regiment production control officer. "These men and women bust their backs on a daily basis to ensure they turn around a product that is airworthy."
Cook first flew 032 in August 2013 while elements of the 6-6 Cavalry were deployed to Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan. He considers the squadron fortunate to have brought the aircraft back to Fort Drum upon completion of their latest deployment.
"Aside from the aircraft's data plate, there probably aren't too many components on this aircraft that are original," Cook said.
Although 032 has belonged to 10th CAB only since August 2013, she still boasts an impressive overseas service record with four deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and three deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the most recent with B Troop, 6-6 Cavalry Regiment.
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is an aging aircraft, but it has served the Army well for decades as its primary observation helicopter performing the "Aeroscout" mission. The aircraft's longevity is attributed to its reliability, superior performance in the scout role, and its low-cost maintenance, as compared to other Army airframes.
"This is perhaps one of the last major milestones a 58 will see," said Chief Warrant Officer 4 William Kearns, 6-6 Cavalry Regiment standardization instructor pilot. "While the pilots seem to get a lot of the glory, the maintainers deserve just as much praise; they keep us flying at all costs and have always looked at us being in the air as a no-fail mission."
To put the milestone in perspective, it equates to more than 416 days of continuous operation. Only eight Army aviators have ever had the honor of piloting an OH-58D as it surpasses this milestone.
Kearns said he feels a very strong connection to the Kiowa fleet, having amassed more than 5,000 flight hours in an OH-58D, and he has a love for the airframe and the support it has provided Soldiers on the ground since the late 1960s.
"We have always done more with less and that gives us more pride than anything," Kearns said. "Our mission in life is to support the troops on the ground at all costs, and 032 has provided 10,000 hours of that support and training."
Both Kearns and Cook maintain that 032 still flies as well as any other Kiowa in 6-6 Cavalry Regiment's fleet, and they would take her into combat any day.
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