What experience do you have on the Chinook?
A fair amount actually. Certainly enough years of operations to understand the difference between DASH, (which gives utterly unmistakeable “positive stick gradient” with no cockpit indication - when I flew them) and LCTs which give a level fuselage attitude and present indications in the cockpit. “One for each rotor head.” These are what had a manual mode. Not DASH.
Maybe I misunderstood your post?
As I explained, I never flew the A model, so was unaware of the ‘fixed gear.’