"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
...

There was assuredly Undergraduate Pilot Training at Sheppard in
'69-70, but no rotary wing. The USAF helicopter training operation was
moving (as someone pointed out) from Stead AFB which was deactivating
to Ft. Wolters (as I mentioned) and Ft. Rucker, where the Army became
the sole source for USAF/USA rotary wing qualification.

Sheppard might have been an operational training site for USAF
helicopters, but I don't know for sure. HH-3 and HC-53 was done AFAIK
at Hurlburt. I don't think HH-43 "Pedro" was in the inventory any
longer. UH-1 training had been Stead and then Rucker. (Those were the
missile silo service helicopters.)


You're mistaken. USAF helicopter pilot training moved from Stead to
Sheppard in late 1965. Stead AFB closed the following year. In 1969 all
USAF helicopter training was done at Sheppard AFB. Beginning in late 1970
instruction was provided to USAF students at Fort Wolters in the UH-1,
they
would then go to Sheppard for combat crew training. In mid 1971 the USAF
ceased helicopter instruction at Sheppard, and USAF students began
training at Fort Rucker.

http://usafhpa.org/histschool.html

I was at Sheppard in 1969 to 1970 and they were definately chooper training.
And there were quite a few foriegn student pilots as well. Now, you can't
make me believe that our trainees were that bad, now can you