Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Juel Foster | NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (Apr. 20, 2022) Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class...... read more read more
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NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (Apr. 20, 2022) – The “Valkyries” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50 conducted the squadron’s inaugural flight at Naval Station Mayport, April 20, 2022.
Cmdr. Carolyn Peterson, commanding officer of HSM 50, and Lt. Cmdr. Adam Patterson, operations officer, piloted a squadron-owned MH-60R helicopter after the squadron received its initial safe-for-flight certification.
“I’m very proud of my team as they made today possible,” said Peterson. “It’s absolutely fantastic to be a part of this learning organization, working together to create our Valkyrie legacy.”
Since beginning their establishment process on October 1, 2021, HSM 50, with the support of its neighboring squadrons, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadrons 40 and 48, completed its initial certifications, training requirements, and qualifications necessary to reach this first flight milestone.
“I got the opportunity to be the squadron’s plan captain for the first flight, and it was a rewarding and nerve-wracking experience,” said Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Joshua Wetherbee. “I’m so proud of how far we’ve come as a squadron and how much hard work the entire team put in to make this day possible.”
Following this milestone, HSM 50 continues its establishment process and will complete additional certifications and training requirements need to make the squadron mission-ready, enabling it to deploy combat-ready expeditionary MH-60R aviation detachments in support of operational tasking.
“Our team had to build this squadron from the ground up,” said Senior Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic James Parker. “We looked at the examples set by the other squadrons and incorporated their practices into our own, setting the standard for what the future of HSM 50 will look like.”
HSM 50 is the newest expeditionary aviation squadron at Naval Station Mayport.
To learn more about HSM-50 visit: https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/hsm50/
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2022 15:02 |
| Story ID: | 419106 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 318 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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