Anyone still flying the great Boeing Vertol 107?

[kontorshotell]

Did my military service in one of thoose as a frogman and I am curious if it is still being used out there? I am not talking about the Chinook but the smaller and very reliable Boeing Vertol 107

[StopStart]

Lots of CH-46 still about with the US military :)

[Gemini Twin]

Certainly , I would say the biggest commercial fleet is with Columbia Helicopters in Oregon. Still going strong with the USN and Marine Corp too of course.

[Lonewolf_50]

If by "going strong" you mean being sequentially replaced by the CH-60S and the V-22, Navy and Marines respectively, then I guess it's still going strong. :}

Great bird, though, and for my money, the CH-60S is a poor substitute for the VERTREP mission. :mad: #$^@^!#@#$ Navy Helo Master Plan of the 90's ...

[Gemini Twin]

You're right. I should have said "soldiering on" with the USMC.

[kontorshotell]

that very nice to hear. I loved the bird. Did 10 minutes in the driver seat even though I didn't have any licence for it :) :) :) But how are they being used commercially?? I recall they were very rough to fly with. Not the most comfortable thing I have been flying with. For millitary purpose they were great but I have a hard time figuring out how they are used for civil purpose?

Anybody in here who have flown a Vertol 107?

[TheWestCoast]

Sounds like there's one of them chugging around near my house right now!:ok:

Gemini Twin - not sure about using the word "soldier" in reference to USMC!:ooh:

[ian16th]

..or any Marine Corps.

None of them like it!

[sandiego89]

Still heli-logging in commercial service. Just saw one on the heli-loggers show on history channel (in the USA). Think the last japanese government versions were retired last year.

[What Limits]

Still going strong heli-logging over here

Helifor (http://www.helifor.com)

[VertolNut]

Originally the BV 107 was launched by New York Airways for commercial air line service through out the New York area and from the top of the Pan Am building. In fact they started flying them before the Navy & Marines. Columbia Helicopters purchased it's first BV107s from NYA in 1969 and has been gobbling them up ever since then. They utilize them for external heavy lifting. Logging & fire fighting has been their bread & butter for many decades. FYI: Helifor does not own any BV 107s or their bigger younger brother the 234 Chinooks, they are leased from Columbia. CHIs BV107s are now the highest time helos in the world with some exceeding 70,000 hours on their airframes. Of course about the only thing original is the data plate... :ok:

[Ian Corrigible]

The civil Phrog also being famous for lending a hand when the load was just too big for the sled dogs:

http://www.colheli.com/images/photos/ex76.jpg

(Details here (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/292051-rotorheads-around-world-incl-views-cockpit-17.html#post3541135) and here (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/209395-600-000-flight-hours.html).)

I/C

[Roadster280]

I was in the metropolis of Monroe, Louisiana last year, and to my very great surprise, there was a flight of four of them coming in to what passes for an airport in those parts. Digressing slightly, the field had been a USAAF navigator training base in WW2, and they have a nice memorial and museum there.

I'd never seen the CH46 before in the flesh, and had thought they were similar to wokkas, which I've spent a lot of time in, around and underneath. Hell no! They're MUCH smaller, more like Lynx in overall length, but with tandem rotors.

These beasties were battleship grey with NAVY markings, I would assume a training flight. They looked very tired.