US Army student pilots fly solo cross-country for first time in decades

Published Jul 17, 07:02 PM UTC

The U.S. Army announced on July 17, 2026, that student pilots will fly solo cross-country for the first time in decades as part of a curriculum overhaul by the 1st Battalion, 223rd Aviation Regiment. The new program follows a series of fatal crashes and a 55% increase in severe aviation accidents between fiscal years 2020 and 2024. Students receive two weeks of cross-country instruction before a check ride, then fly 50 to 100 nautical miles from Shell Army Heliport without an instructor. Second Lt. Kyler Suerth, a West Point graduate, completed his solo flight this week, citing radio calls and civilian-military language shifts as his biggest challenges. Students will take at least two solo flights and up to five cross-country flights before moving to tactical terrain training without GPS. The Army is also moving toward contractor-run training for its rotary-wing program.