The Challenge:
The Colombian armed forces faced significant issues in combating narcoterrorism due to a shortage of trained helicopter pilots, equipment, and maintenance personnel. They were in need of a regional training hub and effective resources and approaches to pilot training programs to enhance counternarcotics operations.
Our Solution:
Cambridge leveraged our extensive counternarcotics mission experience, and our in-country logistics capability, relationships, and resources to develop a customizable aviation maintenance schoolhouse model that has proven tremendously effective. We have repeatedly implemented this model, scaled to specific customers, students, sites, and budgets with great success. We provided the full range of helicopter services to assist Colombia in building their own capability to fly and maintain aircraft autonomously. This included hands-on and over-the-shoulder training and mentoring, and consistent procedure, techniques, and standards for:
- Rotary Aircraft Maintenance and Maintenance Training
- Instructor Pilot Standardization and Aircrew Training
- Aviation Logistics and Airframe Transition Support
Results:
Cambridge positioned the Colombian military to self-sufficiently manage the Regional Helicopter Training Center mission responsibilities, flight operations, and maintenance. Nationalization was completed in 2019, meeting the US Government’s aggressive three year timeline.
Today, we continue to deliver on Building Partner Capacity aviation projects to bolster the capabilities of Partner Nations. For example, we have applied our schoolhouse model to establish another Regional Helicopter Maintenance Training Academy at the Advanced Rotary Wing Training Center in Colombia. Thus far Cambridge has trained and graduated thousands of international students.
