Which is one of the three phases of a sling load operation?

• A. Preparation and Rigging
• B. Ground crew briefing
• C. Flight planning
• D. Post-flight maintenance

Answer: (A)

In sling load operations, activities are organized into three phases: preparation and rigging, hookup and flight, and rigging down with post-flight tasks. Preparation and rigging is the first phase and includes all the ground work to get ready: inspecting rigging gear, selecting the proper slings, attaching the rigging to the load and to the helicopter, and securing the load so it can be safely lifted. This phase sets the safety and suitability of the entire operation, making it essential that the equipment is ready and the load is properly rigged before any lift.

Ground crew briefing is a safety step that occurs during preparation, and flight planning happens before the operation but is not itself a separate sling load phase. Post-flight maintenance is an after-action activity, not one of the three primary phases of the sling load sequence.