HMLAT-303

Marine Light Attack Training Squadron 303
HMT-303 insignia Courtesy of www.military-graphics.com
Active	April 30, 1982 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Fleet Replacement Squadron
Role	Assault support
Part of	Marine Aircraft Group 39 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Nickname	"Atlas"
Motto	"Training The Future of Light Attack"
Tail Code	QT
Engagements	None
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol Robert Morgan

Marine Light Attack Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303), is a United States Marine Corps helicopter training squadron stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Known as the "Atlas", HMT-303 trains newly commissioned Naval Aviators, conversion pilots, refresher pilots, and enlisted aircrew on the AH-1W SuperCobra and the UH-1N Twin Huey. HMLAT-303 is also to begin training with the new UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters. It is part of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW).

Mission

History

Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303) was activated with four officers and three enlisted Marines on April 30, 1982. Today the squadron has grown to over 400 Marines and 45 aircraft. Based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, HMLAT-303 conducts an extensive training syllabus to include: familiarization, navigation, ordnance, terrain, formation, instrument and night vision goggle flight. The squadron periodically deploys to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, where training efficiency is enhanced due to the proximity of ordnance delivery ranges and superb weather conditions.

A UH-1N from HMLAT-303 flies California Representative Bill Brady during the October 2007 California wildfires.

HMLAT-303 has trained AH-1W Cobra and UH-1N Huey pilots for the Marine Corps and Navy for more than 20 years, and has begun training new AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom pilots. HMLAT-303 is the only Marine Corps squadron tasked with training Navy SAR pilots and newly designated Naval Aviators destined to become AH-1W and UH-1N/HH-1N replacement, refresher, and conversion pilots. Although the training mission assigned to HMLAT-303 requires sustained high tempo operations, the squadron had flown over 250,000 Class A and B mishap free flight hours until September 20th, 2011, when a AH-1W Super Cobra crashed during a training exercise, killing both pilots.

In addition to flight training, HMLAT-303 manages the fleet-wide NATOPS standardization program for the H-1, conducts Instrument Ground School for all of MAG-39 aircrew, and is responsible for the scheduling of the AH-1W/Z and the UH-1Y Weapons System Trainers and the AH Aircrew Procedures Trainer.

Unit awards

See also

United States Marine Corps portal

• United States Marine Corps Aviation
• List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

Bibliography

Web

• HMLAT-303's official website
• Information from www.globalsecurity.org