Special ops aviators hone skills for desert, over-water.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates--They operate in some of the most dreaded environments for helicopter pilots--over treacherous sands and the corroding waters of the Persian Gulf. Frequent helicopter maintenance and preventative check-ups have become the pilots' mantra for Group 18--the air wing of the United Arab Emirates' special operations command.

Group 18, established in 1997, is highly secretive. Its main missions reportedly are to guard and fly the royal family and protect the country's oil platforms--the main source of wealth for this Gulf country the size of Maine. Certain influences from the 160th U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the Night Stalkers, also have trickled into Group 18.

Group 18 pilots fly the Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin. the EC 155 and Augusta Westland AE 139, which are used for VIP support, said Staff Major Mohammed Ali Amer, a training officer with Group 18. Additionally, the AS 355 is used as a light attack scout helicopter and as a basic training platform. The Eurocopter AS 565 Panther is employed in light assault, and the AS 330L Puma, now under modernization at IAR S.A., Romania, is used in medium assault. Boeing's CH-47 Chinook does the heavy assault and heavy lift.

The aircrews are trained to operate in temperatures that can reach 100 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, said Ali Amer. "The sun is very aggressive and can cause excessive damage resulting in high rates of parts replacements," he said during a presentation at a military show in Abu Dhabi.

The desert and the heat pose many challenges to helicopter operations, he said. The flat terrain and poor relief create serious navigational problems. The high-density altitude degrades aircraft performance. Mobility and communications also can be impaired. Erosion eats up the main rotor blades, as well as the tail rotor blades, said Ali Amer. "Group 18 has made it a requirement for all aircraft to have an active sand-filter system," he said. "It is standard procedure to fly with the sand-filter system turned on from taxiing to mission complete." Filters have to be removed frequently to prevent blockage, he noted.

At the end of a mission, the helicopter engine also needs to be cooled down properly, he added, to reduce the risk of excessive temperature changes, which could potentially crack the engine. The engine is cleaned up with fresh water, Ali Amer explained. The inside of the craft has to be cleaned of sand in all areas. "With the arrival of the glass cockpit, the personnel need to be careful to not scratch or damage the cockpit display," he said.

When not flying, choppers are kept inside a hangar to prevent exposure to blowing sand. "We have applied an ultra violet protection film on the windshield of some aircraft," he said. "This UV protection film does not reduce visibility during day or night flight."

During operations, the pilots also need to be attuned to the limitations of the aircraft, said Ali Amer. "We have to make sure that all personnel are briefed on proper hydration and wearing the proper clothing," he said.

One of the most critical problems encountered in the desert are brownout conditions, said Ali Amer. "This can reduce orientation resulting in a hard touch down," he said. Consequently, the aircrew completes basic and advanced desert training that emphasizes the techniques that are meant to minimize the hazards resulting from brownout conditions, he explained.

Pilots learn how to fly without night-vision goggles just by using their flight instruments.

For night flights, crews use the night-vision goggles, forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and terrain identification and obstacle detection systems, Ali Amer said. NVG flight training is conducted frequently to maintain "a high level of proficiency and confidence during night operations," he added.

Many of Group 18's missions are conducted over the Persian Gulf, which means that the helicopters are constantly exposed to salt water, said Ali Amer. "The effects of corrosion from salt water on an aircraft can be dramatic," he stressed. "Aircraft that have flown in a salt-water environment have to have the engines and aircraft structure rinsed with fresh water immediately after the flight."