By Troy Turner
The U.S. Army’s Fort Rucker is telling local residents not to be alarmed Wednesday by low-level flights that will be conducted in the area for a series of tests and evaluations of aircraft accessibility.
An Army C-12 Huron aircraft will conduct flight inspections in the vicinity of Shell Army Heliport between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.
“These inspections are critical to certifying an instrument approach procedure for the heliport, ensuring safe and reliable operations in all weather conditions,” the Army said in a public service announcement.
“The C-12 will be flown in specific, pre-planned profiles to accurately assess navigational aids and approach paths. As part of this process, the aircraft will operate at altitudes potentially lower than standard helicopter flight levels.
“Residents and personnel in the surrounding area should not be alarmed by the low-flying aircraft. These flight inspections are a routine safety measure and are essential for maintaining operational readiness.”
The twin-engine C-12 is equipped with specialized flight inspection equipment and software. Fort Rucker for years has used such aircraft in support of Department of Defense and FAA inspection missions across the nation.
Fort Rucker is home to the Army’s Air Traffic Services Command, or ATSCOM, which provides airspace and air traffic services support and expertise to Army warfighters, major commands and installations worldwide.
“ATSCOM ensures safety of operations, standardization, and controller/unit certification of Army air traffic control. It develops and provides functional area support and expertise to meet Army airspace and ATS requirements in joint combined environments, and national and international airspace,” its materials say.
Fort Rucker, which recently returned to that name after a short stint as Fort Novosel, is located in south Alabama’s Dale County, near the town of Daleville, east of Enterprise and west of Dothan.
Troy Turner is the founder, editor-in-chief and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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