What Good Hoist Training Looks Like: A Buyer’s Guide

P1AR Team · September 14, 2026

We often work with agencies who understand the importance of training their aircrews but do not know exactly where or how to begin. With many feeling the budget “crunch” everywhere, and flight hours becoming evermore limited, many agencies are turning to 3rd parties like Priority 1 Air Rescue to help bolster their training and proficiency requirements.

When selecting a training provider, agencies can follow this buyer’s due diligence guide here to help them find the right provider for their training needs. Our buyer’s guide for hoist training examines 6 key questions agencies should ask of providers, namely:

Instructor qualifications and experience. An experienced rescue specialist isn't automatically an experienced instructor. How is the instructor vetted? Who observes them? Who determines whether they're competent to teach a particular aircraft, mission or technique? Are they easy to work with and do they have the requisite experience training different types of individuals from an EQ / learning perspective?
Organizational experience and proven performance. Organizational reach can go a long way in updating your agencies procedures, EPs, and best practices. In this line of work, the organization and team behind the instructors matter just as much as instructor experience. There's a meaningful difference between “I've personally done this before” and “our organization has trained this mission hundreds or thousands of times across multiple customers, aircraft and operating environments.”
Aviation insurance coverage. This is a big one. Agencies often assume its own aircraft policy covers a third-party instructor climbing aboard and conducting hoist training. Does it? What happens if the instructor is injured? What happens after an aircraft incident? Your agency could be liable for millions of dollars in damages should something go awry. Sidenote: P1AR maintains non-owned aircraft liability insurance coverage on an annual basis.
Safety/risk management. What happens when the instructor thinks a maneuver shouldn't proceed? Is there an organizational risk framework behind that decision, or is everything dependent upon one person's judgment that day? Check with the provider for safety checklists, risk management frameworks, or safety management systems that back up training.
Operational oversight and QA. This is a critical one. Who checks the instructor? Who updates the training? Who investigates an incident or near miss? Who handles a customer complaints? Who identifies that three instructors are teaching something three different ways? Without operational oversight and QA your agency may be at risk of introducing unnecessary operational complexity and risk.
Learning management & objectives. Are you doing a check-the-box exercise or getting a real training engagement? Does the training provider maintains an approved organizational qualification syllabus specific to the training being delivered that establishes Training Learning Objectives (TLOs), task performance standards, student evaluation procedures, grading criteria, & performance measurement standards?
Source and ownership of training materials. Does the training organization bring their own source training materials or are they just rehashing stuff they found on the internet? Do instructors have the right to use the curriculum, presentations, photographs, videos and materials they're presenting? With the proliferation of social media / internet, piracy has become more commonplace but may put your agency in conflict with copyright law violations.
Certifications and accreditations. Have the training provider's training programs undergone formal compliance reviews, independent audits, & approvals by Civil Aviation Authorities, FEMA NETC/NETD, or other recognized government, regulatory, or aviation oversight organizations?

With the pressure on agencies to offer more capabilities and services to their constituencies, it is crucial that the demand be met with proper training and professionalism, which in turn helps the entire market do better.

As always, we are here to answer any questions should you be evaluating (or updating) training programs for your agency.