# HT-18

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Helicopter Training Squadron 18 HT-18 Insignia Active 1 March 1972 - present Country United States of America Branch United States Navy Type Rotary Training Size Approximately 290 Part of Training Air Wing Five Garrison/HQ NAS Whiting Field Nickname "Vigilant Eagles" Colors Red, blue, and white Anniversaries March 1, 1972 Commanders Current commander CDR T. C. Viger Insignia Call sign "Factory Hand"

Military unit

**Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHTEEN** (HT-18) is a [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) helicopter training squadron based at [Naval Air Station Whiting Field](/source/Naval_Air_Station_Whiting_Field) in [Milton, Florida](/source/Milton%2C_Florida). The squadron's mission is helicopter pilot training for U. S. Navy, U. S. Marine Corps and U. S. Coast Guard Student Naval Aviators and for selected foreign military flight students from basic helicopter flight training through winging, the squadron also provides indoctrination flights for Midshipmen and Flight Surgeons. Student Naval Aviators report to HT-18 for helicopter training upon completion of primary flight training conducted in the [T-6B Texan II](/source/Beechcraft_T-6_Texan_II) U. S. Navy primary flight trainer. HT-18 flies the Leonardo TH-73 Thrasher. The Squadron's nickname is "Vigilant Eagles"

## Mission

Transition student aviators through basic and advanced rotary wing pilot training.

## History

**Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHTEEN** (HT-18) was established on 1 March 1972 to assume the role of advanced helicopter pilot training from the existing [Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT](/source/HT-8) (HT-8) leaving HT-8 as the basic phase training squadron. The establishment of HT-18 was necessary to meet the increasing requirements for helicopter trained pilots in the expanding [helicopter](/source/Helicopter) community of the Navy, [Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps), and [Coast Guard](/source/United_States_Coast_Guard). The squadron was initially equipped with [TH-1L Iroquois](/source/Bell_UH-1_Iroquois) helicopters from HT-8. In the early 1980s the squadron's TH-1Ls were replaced with a fully instrumented version of the popular commercial Bell 206 Jet Ranger designated the [TH-57C Sea Ranger](/source/Bell_206). HT-18's sister squadron HT-8 had been operating a non-instrumented version of the TH-57 designated the [TH-57A Sea Ranger](/source/Bell_206) since the late 1960s for basic helicopter training.

On 7 October 1985, HT-8 and HT-18 became "mirror" squadrons with both squadrons conducting training from basic through advanced training and awarding of wings with both squadrons using the TH-57A for basic phases and the TH-57C for advanced phases. By the end of the 80s the TH-57A had been replaced by a version of the Bell 206B-3 designated the [TH-57B Sea Ranger](/source/Bell_206). From the late 1980s until 2024, HT-18 has been training and winging Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and select foreign military pilots using the TH-57B basic helicopter trainer and the TH-57C advanced helicopter trainer. In 2024, transitioned to the TH-73 Thrasher and current employs it as its sole advanced helicopter training aircraft.

In both 2002 and 2019, Helicopter Training Squadron 18 received the Adm. John H. Towers Flight Safety Award from [The Order of Daedalians](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Order_of_Daedalians&action=edit&redlink=1) for their safety record.[1]

## See also

- [History of the United States Navy](/source/History_of_the_United_States_Navy)

- [Naval aviation](/source/Naval_aviation)

- [List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons](/source/List_of_United_States_Navy_aircraft_squadrons)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Puczko, 1st Lt. Pawel. ["Helicopter Training Squadron 18 Receives Adm. John H. Towers Flight Safety Award"](https://www.dvidshub.net/news/323157/helicopter-training-squadron-18-receives-adm-john-h-towers-flight-safety-award). *Defence Visual Information Distribution Service*. Retrieved 9 February 2024.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_numeric_names:_authors_list))

## External links

- [HT-18's official website](https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/tw5/ht18/)

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v t e Active United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons Category:Aircraft squadrons of the United States Navy Electronic Attack (VAQ) 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 209 Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW) 113 115 116 117 120 121 123 124 125 126 Strike Fighter (VFA) 2 11 14 15 22 25 27 31 32 34 37 41 81 83 86 87 94 97 102 103 105 106 113 115 122 125 131 136 137 143 146 147 151 154 192 195 211 213 Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ) 1 3 4 7 Fleet Fighter Composite (VFC) 12 13 111 204 Fleet Logistics Support (VR) 1 46 48 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 61 62 64 Carrier Fleet Logistics Support (VRC) 30 40 Carrier Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission (VRM) 30 40 50 Patrol VP 1 4 5 6 8 9 10 16 22 23 24 26 30 40 41 42 43 45 46 47 60 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 90 91 VPU 1 2 Unmanned (VUP) 19 Training (VT) 4 6 7 9 10 21 22 27 28 31 35 86 Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (HM) 14 15 Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 14 15 21 22 23 25 26 28 84 85 Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) 35 37 40 41 46 48 49 50 51 60 70 71 72 73 74 75 77 78 79 Helicopter Training (HT) 8 18 28

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