One Standard. Every Environment. Every Mission.
Helicopter safety training and aviation consulting for utility, construction, firefighting, NVG, and Department of Defense operations — FAA-aligned, IHST and VAST informed, and built from 39 years of real-world helicopter experience across every major industry environment.
Request Training or Consultation ›Who We Serve
ARC provides helicopter safety training and aviation consulting for utility helicopter operators, powerline and energy companies, aerial construction contractors, and government and military aviation programs across the United States and globally. Every service is developed in alignment with 14 CFR Parts 91, 133, and 77, FAA Advisory Circulars, IHST and VAST industry standards, and NWCG helicopter operations guidelines and built from decades of real-world helicopter operations across utility, construction, firefighting, NVG, and tactical aviation environments.
What We Do
ARC delivers helicopter safety training, aviation auditing and compliance, and operational consulting across utility powerline operations, aerial construction and heavy lift, fire suppression, night vision goggle training, and Department of Defense aviation support.
Every program is built from direct field experience and developed in alignment with federal aviation regulations, FAA Advisory Circulars, NTSB safety guidance, and industry standards established by IHST, VAST, and NWCG. Precision and safety are not optional in these environments — and neither is the preparation behind them.
Why It Matters
There is a difference between meeting a standard and being prepared for what the environment actually demands. ARC was founded by a veteran pilot with 39 years and 11,500+ flight hours across military special operations, utility, construction, and firefighting aviation — because the gap between legal currency and operational readiness is exactly where incidents happen. We exist to close it.
Request Training or Consultation ›Helicopter Safety Training and Aviation Consulting Services
Helicopter Utility Safety Auditing
Helicopter utility safety audits and operational reviews for powerline operators, energy companies, and utility aviation teams. ARC identifies risk, strengthens FAA-aligned compliance, and improves real-world performance in high-voltage and complex low-level field environments.
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Helicopter Construction Consulting
Helicopter construction consulting and aerial lift planning for external load operations, heavy lift projects, and infrastructure builds. ARC delivers risk mitigation, rigging guidance, and safe execution support for contractors and operators in complex job site environments.
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Helicopter Fire Suppression Training
Helicopter fire suppression training and consulting for aerial firefighting operators, contract fire crews, and government aviation programs. ARC covers drop execution and timing, crew coordination, and hazard awareness in fast-changing fire environments, built from U.S. Forest Service carded aerial firefighting experience.
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Night Vision Goggles (NVG) Training
Helicopter NVG training for pilots operating in low-light and nighttime environments. ARC covers visual awareness, depth perception challenges, night flight risk identification, and disciplined execution — FAA-aligned and built from hundreds of real night operational hours.
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Military and Tactical Aviation Consulting
Military helicopter consulting and Department of Defense aviation support for government units, tactical programs, and defense contractors. Focused on mission readiness, operational planning, crew coordination, and safety execution in non-permissive and high-risk environments.
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Helicopter Safety Training — ESAT™
ESAT™ (Elevated Standard Aviation Training) is helicopter safety training built for pilots in utility, construction, and high-risk environments. It covers external load operations, decision-making under pressure, and FAA-aligned safety practices. LLOA is available now, with new courses being added soon.
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Built on Decades of Real-World Experience
ARC was founded by David Tappe — a veteran helicopter pilot with 39 years of experience and 11,500+ flight hours including over 10,000 as Pilot-in-Command across utility, construction, firefighting, and tactical aviation environments worldwide.
David's background spans military special operations with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment — the Night Stalkers — combat operations in Afghanistan, U.S. Forest Service carded aerial firefighting, over 5,000 powerline hours in utility aviation, and international NVG instruction for NATO forces. He holds an ATP Rotorcraft-Helicopter certificate with type ratings in the H225, CH-47D, AS-332, and SK-61.
ARC is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business — SDVOSB — serving helicopter operators, energy companies, government programs, and aviation teams across the United States and globally. Every service is built from the cockpit up, not the classroom out.
Why Operators Trust ARC
Real-World Experience
Every program ARC delivers is built from direct operational experience — not curriculum theory. Utility powerline operations, aerial construction, wildfire suppression, night vision goggle training, and Department of Defense aviation support. Thousands of hours in the environments where mistakes are not recoverable.
Regulatory Alignment
ARC training and consulting is developed in alignment with 14 CFR Parts 91, 133, and 77, FAA Advisory Circulars, NTSB safety guidance, and industry standards established by IHST, VAST, and NWCG. External load and rigging work is held to the same discipline — OSHA 1910.269 and 1926, ASME B30.9, B30.10, and B30.26, ANSI Z359.11, FAA SAFO 18013, and 14 CFR §27.865/§29.865. Every service meets the standard and goes beyond it.
Veteran Founded. Mission Driven.
ARC is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business founded by a Night Stalkers veteran with 39 years and 11,500+ flight hours across military special operations, utility, construction, and firefighting aviation. The mission does not change. Safe, effective operations in environments where preparation is everything.
