Priority 1 Air Rescue (P1AR) was recently awarded a five-year contract by the Arizona Department of Safety (AZ/DPS) to deliver multiple initial to advanced level synthetic and live flight training for all AZ/DPS Bell 429 search-and-rescue (SAR) pilots, hoist system operators, and paramedic rescue specialists operating at their three aviation units in Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff.

The initial phase of the training is conducted at the P1AR Search and Rescue Tactical Training Academy (SART/TAC), beginning with instructor-led ground school and synthetic training utilizing P1AR’s advanced aircrew mission simulators (AAMS) and hoist procedural towers (HPTs).

P1AR SAR instructors then travel to the various AZ/DPS aviation facility locations to conduct the second phase of hoist training, conducting the live flight component, including basic hoist operations, helicopter swift-water rescue, vertical surface/cliff rescue, advanced NVG SAR mission, and then progress to scenario-based training in both day and night environments.

“We are honored to have been selected by the AZ/DPS to support their wide variety of lifesaving air ambulance and SAR missions throughout the State of Arizona,” stated P1AR director of training Jason Schelin.

“P1AR has provided synthetic mission training since 2012 and live flight mission training for over 25 years. Conducting the initial phase of the ‘blended’ program with synthetic mission training utilizing our AAMS and HPT before their live flight phase significantly increases safety and student performance while providing our students a more comprehensive and progressive ‘crawl, walk, run’ paced course of learning. We look forward to continuing our solid relationship with the AZ/DPS, supporting their highly capable and indispensable lifesaving program in Arizona.”