Anyone flown (or fly) the Huey?
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Anyone flown (or fly) the Huey?
FORT WORTH, TX On December 7, 2001 The New York State Police successfully conducted the first flight of a UH-1 modified with a Bell Helicopter Textron Huey II Upgrade package.
The modification upgrade installation was performed by Helipro - East Coast Division facility located in Wappingers Falls, New York.
This is the first of three planned Huey II upgrades for the New York State Police.
According to the New York State Police, these aircraft will conduct fire fighting, fish stocking, search and rescue, as well as general law enforcement operations.
Jeff Pino, Senior Vice President for Bell Helicopter said today, "This first flight is important because it launches the first public use Huey II in the United States. This provides continuing evidence of the on going success of this very important program for both Bell Helicopter and the New York State Police."
Bell Helicopter Textron has sold 75 Huey II modification upgrade kits to date to customers in the United States to include the United States State Department, South America and the Pacific Rim.
The Huey II is playing a critical role in the on going US sponsored counter drug programs in Colombia and surrounding countries.
The Huey II upgrade incorporates commercial improvements developed during the last 20+ years from experience gained in the commercial 205/212/412 fleet. The Huey II upgrade eliminates the current onerous airworthiness problems manifest in the current UH-1H.
This is accomplished by extensive replacement of drive train and airframe items with new components as well as major structural upgrades.
The modified Huey II is then able to be fully supported by Bell Helicopter Textron with product support, logistics, and spares.
In addition the Huey II benefits with performance enhancements which allow increased gross weights of 10,500 internal/11,200 external.
The modification upgrade installation was performed by Helipro - East Coast Division facility located in Wappingers Falls, New York.
This is the first of three planned Huey II upgrades for the New York State Police.
According to the New York State Police, these aircraft will conduct fire fighting, fish stocking, search and rescue, as well as general law enforcement operations.
Jeff Pino, Senior Vice President for Bell Helicopter said today, "This first flight is important because it launches the first public use Huey II in the United States. This provides continuing evidence of the on going success of this very important program for both Bell Helicopter and the New York State Police."
Bell Helicopter Textron has sold 75 Huey II modification upgrade kits to date to customers in the United States to include the United States State Department, South America and the Pacific Rim.
The Huey II is playing a critical role in the on going US sponsored counter drug programs in Colombia and surrounding countries.
The Huey II upgrade incorporates commercial improvements developed during the last 20+ years from experience gained in the commercial 205/212/412 fleet. The Huey II upgrade eliminates the current onerous airworthiness problems manifest in the current UH-1H.
This is accomplished by extensive replacement of drive train and airframe items with new components as well as major structural upgrades.
The modified Huey II is then able to be fully supported by Bell Helicopter Textron with product support, logistics, and spares.
In addition the Huey II benefits with performance enhancements which allow increased gross weights of 10,500 internal/11,200 external.
What's it like?
Stories to share?
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from the Fort Worth Star
ARLINGTON - Nearly four decades ago, UH-1 Huey helicopters built by Bell Helicopter Textron first carried U.S. soldiers into battle.
If all goes as planned, U.S. Marines will still be flying into the world's hot spots 20 years from now aboard Bell-built - and rebuilt - Hueys.
The first of the next-generation Hueys - the UH-1Y - was unveiled Thursday at the company's flight test facility at Arlington Municipal Airport.
"This is a very important milestone for ... us as we continue to transform Marine aviation," said Lt. Gen. William "Spider" Nyland, the deputy commandant overseeing the Marine Corps' air arm.
Rather than buy new helicopters, the Marines decided several years ago to save money and have Bell rebuild their aging fleet of Hueys and Super Cobra attack helicopters.
Already over budget and behind schedule, the program is an important one for the Marines and for Bell. The Fort Worth manufacturer has changed top executives and cut jobs in recent months because of delays in the troubled V-22 Osprey program and slow sales of commercial helicopters.
Over the next 10 to 12 years, the Marines plan to spend an estimated $4.5 billion to give 100 Hueys AND 180 Super Cobras a new lease on life.
Bell will strip the old helicopters down to their frames, make necessary repairs and then modernize them by adding new high- performance engines, transmissions and rotor systems, high-tech electronics and other state-of-the art components.
The result, Nyland said, will be helicopters that can fly faster and carry twice the troops and equipment twice as far as the existing helicopters.
Just as important, Nyland said, the rebuilt Huey and Super Cobras will share 85 percent of their parts. That means the aircraft will be easier to maintain and repair. And the Marines will have to buy and stock fewer spare parts, saving money and freeing up space aboard the Navy's amphibious ships that transport the Marine expeditionary units.
Fulfilling those promises, however, is proving harder and more expensive than planned.
The program is about a year behind schedule. And the estimated cost of rebuilding 280 helicopters has grown to $4.5 billion from $4 billion in the past year.
Bell has had to share in the pain of the cost increases. Textron, Bell's parent, reported in October that it was taking a $73 million write-off because of cost overruns at Bell, largely on the H-1 program.
Those overruns, as well as numerous other problems, led to the firing by Textron in late September of Terry Stinson as Bell's chairman and chief executive.
Col. Doug Isleib, the Marine program manager overseeing the Huey and Super Cobra rebuilding, said he believes that the major problems have been resolved and that the program is making good progress.
The task of tearing down the old helicopters and repairing and modifying the airframes proved more challenging than expected, Isleib said.
Bell expects to fly the new Huey for the first time in the next few days and to turn it over to the Marines for flight tests early next year.
"I'm a Huey pilot, so I'm really excited by this airplane," Isleib said.
The first rebuilt Super Cobra was delivered to the Marines a year ago. It has since been undergoing flight testing at the Patuxent Naval Air Test Center in Maryland and has logged more than 176 flight hours to date.
"We've been flying for over a year without any real technical problems," Isleib said.
In the next few months, Bell will deliver two more Super Cobras and a second Huey to the Marines for the flight testing which, if all goes well, will continue into 2004. At that time, the program is expected to begin operational evaluation testing, which means flying the aircraft in missions and conditions designed to simulate how the Marines will use them.
Even if all the technical and operational obstacles are surmounted, Isleib said the Marines will continue to face budget battles, in the Pentagon and in Congress. The helicopter program will be competing for funding at a time when the armed forces are also trying to buy new aircraft like the V-22 Osprey and the Joint Strike Fighter, which will be built in Fort Worth by Lockheed Martin.
But Terry Dake, Bell's senior vice president and a retired Marine general, said at the rollout ceremony, "There is no group that can fight more tenaciously for funding" than the Marines.
If all goes as planned, U.S. Marines will still be flying into the world's hot spots 20 years from now aboard Bell-built - and rebuilt - Hueys.
The first of the next-generation Hueys - the UH-1Y - was unveiled Thursday at the company's flight test facility at Arlington Municipal Airport.
"This is a very important milestone for ... us as we continue to transform Marine aviation," said Lt. Gen. William "Spider" Nyland, the deputy commandant overseeing the Marine Corps' air arm.
Rather than buy new helicopters, the Marines decided several years ago to save money and have Bell rebuild their aging fleet of Hueys and Super Cobra attack helicopters.
Already over budget and behind schedule, the program is an important one for the Marines and for Bell. The Fort Worth manufacturer has changed top executives and cut jobs in recent months because of delays in the troubled V-22 Osprey program and slow sales of commercial helicopters.
Over the next 10 to 12 years, the Marines plan to spend an estimated $4.5 billion to give 100 Hueys AND 180 Super Cobras a new lease on life.
Bell will strip the old helicopters down to their frames, make necessary repairs and then modernize them by adding new high- performance engines, transmissions and rotor systems, high-tech electronics and other state-of-the art components.
The result, Nyland said, will be helicopters that can fly faster and carry twice the troops and equipment twice as far as the existing helicopters.
Just as important, Nyland said, the rebuilt Huey and Super Cobras will share 85 percent of their parts. That means the aircraft will be easier to maintain and repair. And the Marines will have to buy and stock fewer spare parts, saving money and freeing up space aboard the Navy's amphibious ships that transport the Marine expeditionary units.
Fulfilling those promises, however, is proving harder and more expensive than planned.
The program is about a year behind schedule. And the estimated cost of rebuilding 280 helicopters has grown to $4.5 billion from $4 billion in the past year.
Bell has had to share in the pain of the cost increases. Textron, Bell's parent, reported in October that it was taking a $73 million write-off because of cost overruns at Bell, largely on the H-1 program.
Those overruns, as well as numerous other problems, led to the firing by Textron in late September of Terry Stinson as Bell's chairman and chief executive.
Col. Doug Isleib, the Marine program manager overseeing the Huey and Super Cobra rebuilding, said he believes that the major problems have been resolved and that the program is making good progress.
The task of tearing down the old helicopters and repairing and modifying the airframes proved more challenging than expected, Isleib said.
Bell expects to fly the new Huey for the first time in the next few days and to turn it over to the Marines for flight tests early next year.
"I'm a Huey pilot, so I'm really excited by this airplane," Isleib said.
The first rebuilt Super Cobra was delivered to the Marines a year ago. It has since been undergoing flight testing at the Patuxent Naval Air Test Center in Maryland and has logged more than 176 flight hours to date.
"We've been flying for over a year without any real technical problems," Isleib said.
In the next few months, Bell will deliver two more Super Cobras and a second Huey to the Marines for the flight testing which, if all goes well, will continue into 2004. At that time, the program is expected to begin operational evaluation testing, which means flying the aircraft in missions and conditions designed to simulate how the Marines will use them.
Even if all the technical and operational obstacles are surmounted, Isleib said the Marines will continue to face budget battles, in the Pentagon and in Congress. The helicopter program will be competing for funding at a time when the armed forces are also trying to buy new aircraft like the V-22 Osprey and the Joint Strike Fighter, which will be built in Fort Worth by Lockheed Martin.
But Terry Dake, Bell's senior vice president and a retired Marine general, said at the rollout ceremony, "There is no group that can fight more tenaciously for funding" than the Marines.
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Gotta love THAT paint-scheme!
Yeah, about 2500 hours in UH-1/H and V's. Beats the hell out of flying 206's anyday.
They are kinda like a Timex. They take a beating and keep on ticking...
But, of all makes/models I've flown, It's hard to beat the Loach. Fun, Fun, Fun!
Yeah, about 2500 hours in UH-1/H and V's. Beats the hell out of flying 206's anyday.
They are kinda like a Timex. They take a beating and keep on ticking...
But, of all makes/models I've flown, It's hard to beat the Loach. Fun, Fun, Fun!
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One thing you need to know about the Huey II...it is not type certificated in the United States, or any other country as of the present date, and Bell has no interest in gaining approval for this ship in commercial operations...
Bell developed the modifications for foreign military sales...so the only folks in the states that can use the "Huey II" are public service types that operate the ships in the "public service" category. Don't think they can be approved for commercial use in Europe or the UK.
There are upgrades available for 205A1's to incorporate these changes....the ship becomes a 205B after you incorporate a long list of STC's that bring the ship up to a similar configuration as the "Huey II".
Bell needs to go evaluate each 205 and give their blessing on the upgrade to the 205B model configuration after the incorporation of the non Bell STC's, and additional airframe upgrades referenced in Bell service bulletins.....
Another interesting point..the original "Huey II" installed a 212 style nose assembly on the front of the helicopter...so the ballast weight for the added equipment in the tail would be moved further forward, affording less dead weight installed...looks like the ship in the picture skipped this mod....
As of this date, Bell will not support any type certificated former military Huey...they only support the ones the public service agencies use....unless they are type certificated of course....
Go ahead...call up Bell and ask about the availability of the Huey II upgrade for a restricted catagory UH-1H Helicopter....you get the courtesy dial tone real fast.....
[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: rotormatic ]
Bell developed the modifications for foreign military sales...so the only folks in the states that can use the "Huey II" are public service types that operate the ships in the "public service" category. Don't think they can be approved for commercial use in Europe or the UK.
There are upgrades available for 205A1's to incorporate these changes....the ship becomes a 205B after you incorporate a long list of STC's that bring the ship up to a similar configuration as the "Huey II".
Bell needs to go evaluate each 205 and give their blessing on the upgrade to the 205B model configuration after the incorporation of the non Bell STC's, and additional airframe upgrades referenced in Bell service bulletins.....
Another interesting point..the original "Huey II" installed a 212 style nose assembly on the front of the helicopter...so the ballast weight for the added equipment in the tail would be moved further forward, affording less dead weight installed...looks like the ship in the picture skipped this mod....
As of this date, Bell will not support any type certificated former military Huey...they only support the ones the public service agencies use....unless they are type certificated of course....
Go ahead...call up Bell and ask about the availability of the Huey II upgrade for a restricted catagory UH-1H Helicopter....you get the courtesy dial tone real fast.....
[ 19 December 2001: Message edited by: rotormatic ]
Absolutely loved my short time in the UH-1H and Bell 212 (about a 1000 or so).
Sorry Nick, the UH-60 was a better helicopter (and I have more time in it), but give me the Huey to fly, especially the 212.
That wok IS the sound of freedom.
Sorry Nick, the UH-60 was a better helicopter (and I have more time in it), but give me the Huey to fly, especially the 212.
That wok IS the sound of freedom.
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I still remember 158257, alas the last time i saw it, was on the transient ramp in P-cola headed for Davis .... <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
It had degraded a lot since the last time I had seen it, and failed ASPA corrosion inspection.
It had degraded a lot since the last time I had seen it, and failed ASPA corrosion inspection.
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Aussie bushranger UH-1H gunships, still going, although, I wont say "going strong", it is a dieing art. Twin 7.62 miniguns (400RPM each, with 5600 rounds for each), 14 2.75 inch rockets and two twin M60 door guns with about 2000 rounds each (I think). Poor old girl struggled to get of the ground, but my my, I challenge anyone to have more fun than a heavy fire team knocking crap out of a hill with WP rockets at sunset.
la la la, as I go wandering off dreaming of the fun. Hats off to the guys who flew hueys of all kinds in SE Asia. what a legacy you left. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
la la la, as I go wandering off dreaming of the fun. Hats off to the guys who flew hueys of all kinds in SE Asia. what a legacy you left. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
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Of all the Huey's that I have seen they are great looking birds and I thought it would be impossible to make one look bad. However put doors on it and give it a discusting paint job and apparently it is possible.....yuk!!!
What a great machine.
Very honest and nice to fly, and of course they are the quintessential helicopter when it comes to being in the movies!
Kind of like the Zippo lighter or the Harley - you can imagine the director going "No, not that little dinky helicopter, get the cool Vietnam one that makes the great thumping sound!"
Very honest and nice to fly, and of course they are the quintessential helicopter when it comes to being in the movies!
Kind of like the Zippo lighter or the Harley - you can imagine the director going "No, not that little dinky helicopter, get the cool Vietnam one that makes the great thumping sound!"
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Bushranger,
I saw those aircraft in Vung Tau in 1969. OD paint job with Yellow Roos on the doors, I think (memory is a funny thing!) Nice to see some allies there in the thick of things. Great guys, great fighters, and kind of wild after hours. Saw a truckload of Aussies unload in a few seconds to help a mate out in a brief barfight. Glad those guys were on our side!
I saw those aircraft in Vung Tau in 1969. OD paint job with Yellow Roos on the doors, I think (memory is a funny thing!) Nice to see some allies there in the thick of things. Great guys, great fighters, and kind of wild after hours. Saw a truckload of Aussies unload in a few seconds to help a mate out in a brief barfight. Glad those guys were on our side!
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To: rotormatic
Agusta built the AB-205 under license from Bell and it is almost identical to the UH-1 (I don’t know which UH-1 mod is comparable). In Iran these helicopters along with the AB-206s were maintained using US Army maintenance manuals for the UH-1 and the OH-58. These 205s are all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa. They can’t be sold in the USA or certificated by the FAA at least that was in 1976.
Agusta built the AB-205 under license from Bell and it is almost identical to the UH-1 (I don’t know which UH-1 mod is comparable). In Iran these helicopters along with the AB-206s were maintained using US Army maintenance manuals for the UH-1 and the OH-58. These 205s are all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa. They can’t be sold in the USA or certificated by the FAA at least that was in 1976.
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Hello Mr. Zuckerman
You are right, most of the Bell type aircraft that Agusta made are not able to be certificated in the States...because when Bell made the agreement with Agusta to produce these aircraft, they made sure there would not be any competition in the states with the Bell counterparts...
How times have changed with the aircraft under development....now they work as a "team"...
Is Bell trying to peddle the non certificated Huey II mod on the Agusta ships in Europe and the UK?
You are right, most of the Bell type aircraft that Agusta made are not able to be certificated in the States...because when Bell made the agreement with Agusta to produce these aircraft, they made sure there would not be any competition in the states with the Bell counterparts...
How times have changed with the aircraft under development....now they work as a "team"...
Is Bell trying to peddle the non certificated Huey II mod on the Agusta ships in Europe and the UK?
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Bell certainly has a Long D***, because they continually step on it. In the last few years it seems they have gone from one of the top producers of Helicopters to a second rate company; adding more models to already outdated airframes.
That coupled with the way they bungled the Military Surplus programs have taken there toll. Eurocopter is kicking their Archaic Butts...
That coupled with the way they bungled the Military Surplus programs have taken there toll. Eurocopter is kicking their Archaic Butts...
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To: rotormatic
I can’t answer your question about the Huey upgrade being marketed by Agusta. Regarding licensing agreements Sikorsky licensed the S-61 and its’ variants to include the HH-3F which I believe was sold to the US Coast Guard by Agusta. It is also my understanding that the US Navy purchases a great deal of spare dynamic components for their SH3-D helicopters from Agusta. I made a comment on another thread that license built helicopters made by Agusta are built to a higher standard than the same helicopters built by the original design companies. That goes for the fuselages, dynamic components and the entire driveline. Bell is the only major Helicopter Company that I know of that builds their own transmissions. Agusta builds the entire helicopter to include making the castings and gears for the transmissions.
I can’t answer your question about the Huey upgrade being marketed by Agusta. Regarding licensing agreements Sikorsky licensed the S-61 and its’ variants to include the HH-3F which I believe was sold to the US Coast Guard by Agusta. It is also my understanding that the US Navy purchases a great deal of spare dynamic components for their SH3-D helicopters from Agusta. I made a comment on another thread that license built helicopters made by Agusta are built to a higher standard than the same helicopters built by the original design companies. That goes for the fuselages, dynamic components and the entire driveline. Bell is the only major Helicopter Company that I know of that builds their own transmissions. Agusta builds the entire helicopter to include making the castings and gears for the transmissions.
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Mr. Zuckerman's opinions on the quality of license built vs original manufactured items is only his opinion. I have made a living helping license manufacturers get their quality up to factory standards. The idea that the original design and manufacturing team cannot meet the standards they themselves set is clearly incorrect.
Also, many helicopter manufacturers make many transmission parts for their transmissions, unlike Mr. Zuckerman's incorrect assertion. Most manufacturers do the final machining, assembly and testing. No manufacturer makes all the parts of their transmissions. All buy bearings, gearbox case castings and the large gear castings from other aerospace manufacturers. No helicopter manufacturer has the facilities, experience or volume to make gearbox castings, for example.
Also, many helicopter manufacturers make many transmission parts for their transmissions, unlike Mr. Zuckerman's incorrect assertion. Most manufacturers do the final machining, assembly and testing. No manufacturer makes all the parts of their transmissions. All buy bearings, gearbox case castings and the large gear castings from other aerospace manufacturers. No helicopter manufacturer has the facilities, experience or volume to make gearbox castings, for example.