 One less noticeable feature was that the pilot occupied the front seat instead of the rear, the reverse of the AH-1's arrangement.This was believed to be more prudent since the YAH-63 was intended to fly "in the treetops" during "nap-of-the-earth" (NoE) operations, and the pilot needed to have a clear view of the aircraft's surroundings.The first prototype of the YAH-63 (serial 73-22246) made its initial flight on 1 October 1975.