Chief Flight Instructor Receives Award From The United States Park Police
Bell Helicopter Training Academy Update:
Skilled helicopter pilot and Chief Flight Instructor of the Bell Helicopter Training Academy (BTA), Marty Wright was conducting a normal training session with the U.S. Park Police pilots in a Bell 412 when one of his trainees witnessed a fighter jet crash. After seeing the “fireball”, Marty said, “Training is over for now,” and flew towards the crash. Thinking quickly, Marty and his co-pilot called the Andrews Air Field tower for help.
Marty located the jet pilot as his parachute was floating down, made sure he was okay after landing and lent the pilot a cell phone to call his wife. The flight instructor also coordinated with the rescue aircraft to show them where the jet pilot and the wreckage was located. For his quick assistance, the U.S. Park Police awarded Marty an appreciation award.
Marty is no stranger to rescue missions. His 22 years flying in the Marine Corps have taught him how to handle each situation with a calm demeanor. “The biggest thing to do when conducting a rescue mission is to stay calm and be there to help,” he says. “Try not to get in the way once the experts get on site and do your best to coordinate efforts until they ask you to leave.”
Marty came to Bell Helicopter to work on the V-22 Osprey program and became a supervisor for the development of a pilot training course. After a few years, he was named the Chief Flight Instructor of the BTA, a role he currently holds today. “The interesting thing about the Bell Helicopter Training Academy is that we do training here that you can’t get anywhere else in the world,” said Marty. “It is due to the quality of flight instructors we hire and the amount of training we put them through before they work with customers. All of our flight instructors have no fewer than 2,500 flight hours and they provide a safety net for our customers and students to learn.”
Marty’s recent award is one of the many examples of how the BTA flight instructors have used their vast flight experience and training to carefully and quickly assist others. It is through situations like these that our pilots prove why they are the best flight instructors to learn from.
About Bell
Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 85 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us.
We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of advanced air mobility.
Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours.
Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; volatility in interest rates or foreign exchange rates; and risks related to our international business, including establishing and maintaining facilities in locations around the world and relying on joint venture partners, subcontractors, suppliers, representatives, consultants and other business partners in connection with international business, including in emerging market countries.