The Importance Of Hoist Training

uring his time in the Navy, Cody Berg had the opportunity to collaborate with a foreign ally during a six-month program to demonstrate the use of their new helicopter. The training took place on board an MH60 Romeo helicopter and notably featured a grappling hook attached to the rescue hook used to recover a life ring for honing hoisting skills. This novel device, though not in use by Berg's organization at the time, proved an invaluable asset for hoist efficiency training because in order to retrieve it, one had to be precisely within the footprint of the life ring. There was only a 12” margin of error!

Despite being a seasoned crew member with 18 years of experience and 3500 flight hours across multiple H60 variants, Cody soon realized his hoisting skills were lacking when put to the test. The task at hand? Recovering the grappling hook as quickly and precisely as possible—a seemingly simple operation for someone with Berg's experience. However, as he struggled with the task, it became clear that his hoist precision skills were far from where they should have been.

"My first attempt took 20 minutes. My second, I thought would improve, but it took 45 minutes. The third time, my crewmate had to step in and recover the device before we ran out of fuel!" Berg recounted, humbled by the realization that experience alone did not equate to mastery.

Mastering hoisting techniques requires consistent skill enhancement and staying current with industry standards. At ARS, we recognize the significance of hoist training and are dedicated to empowering rescuers worldwide with the expertise and confidence needed to excel in their missions. Our approach emphasizes hands-on learning through increased repetition to build proficiency.

“I love working for ARS because I still get to be part of the helicopter and rescue community that I worked with while on active duty and now I get to expand my scope outside of military units. I get to work with police, fire, rescue, and civilian organizations that are doing the mission every day”, said Cody.

Following that pivotal training experience, Cody returned with a renewed commitment to tackling challenging training scenarios. His dedication to refining his hoisting skills during that time resulted in enhanced safety, accuracy, and efficiency for his home unit.

We are honored to have Cody as a member of the ARS team, as he continuously enriches our team with his extensive skills and knowledge.

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Cody Berg joined the ARS team after 24 years of Naval Aviation experience as a Naval Aircrewman and rescue swimmer. He continues to be active in the rescue community, qualifying as a swift water rescuer and rescue diver with a local Colorado Dive/Rescue team. He also continues his professional development with the ARS training team and SAR professionals around the world.

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