PATHFINDER HLZ STUDY GUIDE 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND STEP
BY STEP SOLUTIONS
◉ emergency exits by A/C
Answer: 4 on UH-1
6 on UH-60
11 on CH-47
6 on MV-22B
2 on OH-59
◉ preferred landing formations
Answer: Trail, echelon left, echelon right bc they will limit sand and
snow into A/C
◉ formation when you would use run-in landing
Answer: echelon
◉ A/C equipped with land-safe system
Answer: CH-47F, UH-60M
,◉ Pathfinder's Primary Mission
Answer: Provide navigational aid and advisory services
◉ Pathfinder's Secondary Mission
Answer: advice and limited aid to units planning airborne or air
assault missions
◉ What must be done before Pathfinder's move on to secondary
missions?
Answer: train and perform routine maintenance on equipment
◉ Air assault planning sequence
Answer: The ground tactical plan, landing plan, air movement plan,
loading plan, staging plan
◉ Lowest level to unilaterally conduct air assault operations
Answer: division level
◉ Lowest Level to plan air assault operations
Answer: battalion
◉ Lowest level to conduct air assault operations
, Answer: company
◉ Elements of landing plan
Answer: availability, location and size of landing site, flexibility for
changes to landing direction and formations, supporting fires,
MEDEVAC plan
◉ Advantages of single LZ
Answer: concentration of combat power, facilitates control of
operation, concentrates supporting fires, better security for
subsequent lifts, reduces # of flight routes, centralizes resupply ops,
concentrates efforts of personnel and engineers, requires less
planning
◉ Advantages of multiples LZs
Answer: avoids grouping assets in one location, rapid dispersal of
ground elements to accomplish tasks, reduces enemy's ability to
detect and react to initial lift, forces enemy to fight in more than one
direction, reduces troop congestion, eliminates a/c congestion,
difficulty for enemy to determine size and force of friendly forces
◉ air movement plan elements
Answer: flight routes with overlays, air movement table (no grid)
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND STEP
BY STEP SOLUTIONS
◉ emergency exits by A/C
Answer: 4 on UH-1
6 on UH-60
11 on CH-47
6 on MV-22B
2 on OH-59
◉ preferred landing formations
Answer: Trail, echelon left, echelon right bc they will limit sand and
snow into A/C
◉ formation when you would use run-in landing
Answer: echelon
◉ A/C equipped with land-safe system
Answer: CH-47F, UH-60M
,◉ Pathfinder's Primary Mission
Answer: Provide navigational aid and advisory services
◉ Pathfinder's Secondary Mission
Answer: advice and limited aid to units planning airborne or air
assault missions
◉ What must be done before Pathfinder's move on to secondary
missions?
Answer: train and perform routine maintenance on equipment
◉ Air assault planning sequence
Answer: The ground tactical plan, landing plan, air movement plan,
loading plan, staging plan
◉ Lowest level to unilaterally conduct air assault operations
Answer: division level
◉ Lowest Level to plan air assault operations
Answer: battalion
◉ Lowest level to conduct air assault operations
, Answer: company
◉ Elements of landing plan
Answer: availability, location and size of landing site, flexibility for
changes to landing direction and formations, supporting fires,
MEDEVAC plan
◉ Advantages of single LZ
Answer: concentration of combat power, facilitates control of
operation, concentrates supporting fires, better security for
subsequent lifts, reduces # of flight routes, centralizes resupply ops,
concentrates efforts of personnel and engineers, requires less
planning
◉ Advantages of multiples LZs
Answer: avoids grouping assets in one location, rapid dispersal of
ground elements to accomplish tasks, reduces enemy's ability to
detect and react to initial lift, forces enemy to fight in more than one
direction, reduces troop congestion, eliminates a/c congestion,
difficulty for enemy to determine size and force of friendly forces
◉ air movement plan elements
Answer: flight routes with overlays, air movement table (no grid)
