Thank you all very much for all your posts - v interesting. Great picture too.
I think that the Air Corps has come round to the idea of two pilot ops in all aircraft types. Also agree that CH-47 is a great platform, and the RAF, as much as I hate to admit it, are very good at using it. However, I still believe that the Air Corps, and indeed the forces in general, would benefit from a bigger and more capable BLUH.
SS - definately take the point about Aircrewmen being a good start for NCO pilots. Having just come through the APC pipeline I can safely say that some very good QHI's started a ACM. In addition, some of them say that they might not have passed the APC if they were not crewmen first, and these are very good pilots.
Even if we do not manage to get S-70, do most people think that we should formalise the rear crew training and try to make it a bit more comprehensive? As mentioned above, it's a great way to cream off NCO pilots. Also makes USL's a bit easier. Also accept the point about NVG's - I'm obviously just a bit crap at it. Very glad to hear that the crewmen fired the TOW / SS11. Having thought about it, no reason why not at all.
Any more news on what BLUH will be, or if the project has been canned, or will we go for a completely different "solution" altogether?