CH-47 Recollections
Now SAS, this is an interesting thread about a truly terrific machine, but can an early ( 1963-1965 ) driver share just a few recollections?
We had three pre-prototypes at the Test Board at Ft Rucker, and they all shared a common hydraulic system reality, which was about an inch of 5606 red stuff being not-so-gently , " shaken, not stirred " by the not inconsequential 3P vibration levels.
Then there was the speed, with a red line set at 130. Fast forward to June 1966 and I started flying a production CH-53A, every one of which was flown to 170KIAS. It held altitude, ( baro or radar ), heading, and attitude, while in the Chinook, one did all that stuff the old fashioned way. My recollection is that it took decades for the CH-47 to catch up, but catch up they did, and in fine style. An effort by Boeing and the Army which we at SA for the most part watched with a little envy, while we limited improvement of the CH-53 to engines, and one gearbox update, until the 53E.
Oh, almost forgot to mention something that surprised me when it happened. After Desert One, and the Army decision to address the special ops requirements in all phases, we saw the development of the MH-60 and MH-47, at 24500 and 54000 lbs respectively. What surprised me was that, at the time they came out, the Hawk had 2-3 kts on the Hook. I cannot comment on what the MH-47 number was based on. I was surprised because at 24000, that Hawk wasn't what one would term.....speedy!
One of my all time favorite helicopter pictures is the CH-47 in Iraq (Afghanistan? ) with it's rear wheels on the roof of a small mountain-side building, while the cockpit is hanging out over the slope to the valley floor. Certainly speaks to the quality of both the aircraft and those indomitable Army pilots.
Thanks,
John