By closing this window you acknowledge that your experience on this website may be degraded. Rod Hynes. But here are some things you may not know about the granddaddy of all heavy-lift helicopters: Like several other U. The new helicopter was originally designated the Vertol Model or V Development work on the CH began in and the Chinook took its first flight in That flight — and every other one since — has been powered by a pair of Honeywell T55 engines. Designed to carry about 36 passengers, one Chinook is reported to have carried refugees in a single lift in the waning days of the Vietnam War.
The CH was one of the first two helicopters powered by a turbine engine. The other was the UH-1 Huey. The first fully-equipped Army Chinook, designated the CHA, entered service in August with a gross weight of 33, pounds. The Chinook is the U. Secondary missions include medical evacuation, search and rescue, parachute drops, disaster relief and aircraft recovery. Army helicopter fleet. The Chinook has several means of loading cargo including multiple doors across the fuselage, a wide loading ramp located at the rear of the fuselage and three external hooks to carry underslung loads.
The Chinook's ability to carry large, underslung loads has been of significant value during natural disaster and humanitarian relief missions. The CH can lift close to 48, pounds at 4, feet and 95 degrees F.
Our main mission at the beginning was hauling fuel for the advancing ground forces. Each Chinook sling-loaded four gallon [bladders] of fuel. After we landed, we reconfigured to haul back captured Iraqi prisoners. The Chinook made it possible for the advancing ground forces to keep advancing. They were all over the sky. I remember coming in to this one [forward arming and refueling point], and it was a huge one with 30 spots.
Not only was it always full, but there were always Chinooks circling it, waiting to refuel. Although our primary mission at the outset was hauling fuel, we also carried pretty much everything else over the course of the deployment—artillery tubes, ammunition, food, water—we even slung out an intact, captured [Mil] Mi Hind attack helicopter. It was sling-load-palooza. We were flying the new F model, and we dealt mostly with internal loads. For me, we can talk all day long about fast roping or sling loading underneath the helicopter, but I was always most amazed by how much stuff we could fit inside the helicopter.
The F model makes it incredibly easy to handle internal loads. Just flip the floor panels over and there are rollers, to roll cargo on and off. Prior to the F, you had to use separate roller panels for cargo handling. As a flight engineer in a Chinook doing ring routes, you have to be a master Tetris [video game] player. We played Tetris with the cargo along the entire route. After picking up four PJs [U. Air Force pararescuemen] at a soccer field from a small town about 10 miles from Mount Hood, we sped toward the scene.
We intentionally flew relatively low on fuel to save weight, and got into a hover over the summit. But the summit was only three feet wide and we, as a crew, decided to try to do a two-wheel pinnacle landing in a small bowl just below the rescuers.
We knew it would be a really tough maneuver as the bowl was small and the slope was really steep. There was literally no room for error. The pilots can pick a point in space and hold it there, then go in any direction in exactly one-foot increments. As soon as the wheels touched the mountain, Ford took full control of the aircraft and held it rock solid as three of the pararescuemen exited. With only the two rear wheels touching, and the rotors spinning just four feet above the slope, they acted quickly and calmly.
As each person climbed aboard, the center of gravity of the helicopter changed, but Ford kept the aircraft steady as the three of us in the back acted as his eyes, doing constant callouts. Once everyone was loaded on—after about three minutes—Ford lifted the Chinook back into the air and sped away from the mountain, then handed the controls off to Hoffman. We stand committed to making safety our first and most important consideration.
C coastline began operating Chinook Helicopters at the Abbotsford airport in with the help of his wife Lynn and daughter Cathy. In , Cathy Press took over the business from her father and continues to operate and foster growth to this day. Here are just a few of the amazing and passionate people you will get to know when you start flying at Chinook. From the administrative support staff to the flight instructors who have over , hours and years of combined experience.
It becomes apparent very quickly after meeting them, how passionate they are about your success as a Chinook student. She is a trailblazer in her field and enjoys the day to day challenges of the business. Her leadership focuses on moving towards aviation safety, sustainability and diversity. Director of Aircraft Maintenance Has worked in Africa and Canada with over 20 years of maintenance experience.
He has custom built 5 certified simulators helicopter and airplane , and continues to innovate with leading edge technology to create a new age of flight training devices. Rotor Diameter H Chinook Gallery. Feature Stories. Learn More. Army Depot and Boeing Partner to Repair Apaches and Chinooks December 1, in Defense Boeing teams of field service representatives, engineers and logistics specialists collaborate to modify, repair or overhaul the rotorcraft to like-new condition.
Making a 'Cool' Chinook August 19, in Defense Whether responding to natural disasters or flying into the heat of battle, the CH Chinook continues to be one of the most versatile aircraft ever built. H Chinook Customers. H Chinook Quick Facts. The Chinook is a true multi-role, vertical-lift platform.
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