CHAPTER 5
SIGNALS TO AIRCRAFT
5-1. General
With the introduction of the airplane and helicopter to the combined arms team, a new requirement for communication was added to the battlefield. Ground troops and air forces need to communicate. There will be times when radios cannot be used and visual signals must be used. Therefore, systems of standard visual signals have been developed to allow ground-to-air communication. These systems include arm-and-hand signals used by ground forces to direct helicopters in direct support; devices that can be used to communicate with aircraft; and ground-to-air emergency signals and codes.
5-2 Arm-and-Hand Ground Signals
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are often used to support ground forces by moving supplies and/or personnel. Often, pathfinder personnel will not be available to direct aircraft in support of these efforts. Therefore, the responsibility to guide aircraft will fall upon the ground forces. To be prepared for this effort, the soldier must know these general signals (Figures 5-1 through 5-22).
