Army chooses M1 for sweeping overhaul of helicopter pilot training

Future Army aviators will learn to fly using contractor-owned equipment under civilian instructors as part of a contract worth up to $10 billion to overhaul the service’s helicopter flight school.

The change, part of the Army’s Flight School Next initiative, shifts the service from its traditional Army-owned-and-operated helicopter training model to one relying on civilian instructors and contractor-owned equipment, including M1’s R66 Robinson helicopters.

On Thursday, the Texas-based company was announced as the winner of a contract with a potential duration of up to 26 years following a solicitation competition that began in December, according to Army statement.

M1 will provide helicopters, simulators, maintenance and instruction, ultimately shifting entry-level pilots away from training on the service’s UH-72A Lakota.

“We are honored to be entrusted with this vital mission,” company president George Krivo said in a statement Friday. “M1 will deliver a fully integrated, innovation-rich training solution designed to develop more proficient Army aviators on time and on budget.”

Training will remain at Fort Rucker, Ala., home of the Army’s aviation branch, which trains an average of 1,250 helicopter pilots annually.

M1 will be expected to maintain that pace by instructing between 800 and 1,500 aviators each year after a three- to four-year transition into the new role, the Army statement said. 

The change is meant to reduce training costs while improving safety and teaching pilots to rely less on technology during their initial training.

Army aviation incidents increased nearly 55% over a five-year span, from 1.3 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in 2020 to 2.02 in 2024, according to Defense Department data released in 2025. 

Most recently, two Army Apache pilots were killed during a routine test maintenance flight near Salado, Texas, on Wednesday.