23rd FTS hidden away in Ala.

MAXWELL AFB, Ala. - The 23rd Flying Training Squadron is using virtual-reality (VR) technology to increase their numbers without having to sacrifice excellence. Hidden away at the Army's Fort Rucker in Alabama, where the 23rd FTS is responsible for training helicopter pilots and enlisted aircrews, preparing them for their next assignments. While the AF's rotary-wing community is small, the 23rd FTS has a tall order to fill as the AF’s one-stop-shop for helicopter aircrews. Currently, the squadron produces anywhere from 74 to 85 pilots per year. With the arrival of the new Air Force HH-60W “Whiskey” helicopter, however, those numbers are needed to increase to more than 120 by the year 2023. This is where the “da Vinci” project comes into play. The project, named after famed polymath, Leonardo da Vinci, supplements hours within a flight simulation that translates over into flight hours in an actual aircraft. The idea for project da Vinci was created during the AFWERX conference in Las Vegas in January. (Source: Air University 11/07/19) https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2011043/23rd-flying-training-squadron-revolutionizes-pilot-training/