Park Ki-hyun, a flight instructor with the 609th Training Wing of the Republic of Korea Navy Aviation Command and a graduate of our university’s Department of Flight Operations, has become the first helicopter pilot in Navy history to achieve 10,000 accident-free flight hours. Park reached this remarkable milestone during a training flight on the 23rd, following a career that began in 1991 when he took on the mission of protecting Korea’s maritime territory as a Navy helicopter pilot.

After being commissioned as a Navy ensign in 1991, Park served as an active-duty pilot for approximately 19 years and six months, carrying out a variety of maritime operational flights. After retiring as a Navy lieutenant commander in 2010, he was appointed as a civilian flight instructor for the Navy the following year and has since devoted himself to training the next generation of pilots.

Over the past 15 years, Park has trained a total of 378 helicopter pilots, including 347 from the Navy, 28 from the Marine Corps, and three from the Air Force. He has operated various helicopter types and currently trains junior pilots using the Bell 505 training helicopter.

Maritime flying requires a high level of piloting skill and safety management because visual reference points, such as terrain features, are limited, while sea fog and sudden weather changes are common. Pilots often need to conduct prolonged low-altitude and low-speed flights, making thorough preparation and strict adherence to safety procedures essential.

Park emphasized that this achievement was not his alone, but was made possible by the support of fellow pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance personnel, and many other colleagues. He expressed his commitment to continuing to train elite helicopter pilots who will safeguard Korea’s seas, drawing on the experience and expertise he has accumulated throughout his career.