The Helicopter Blade Balance Facility’s whirl tower has traditionally been used to balance helicopter rotor blades at Fleet Readiness Center East. However, the H-53K program is opting to use the universal static balance fixture (USBF) instead of the whirl tower to balance its blades, because the USBF can accommodate the increased length and weight of the blades for the new helicopter. (Photo by Kimberly Koonce, Fleet Readiness Center East)