Chinooks still going strong

Photo By Monica Guthrie | Staff Sgt. Daniel Enus, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, washes Chinook #659, called Raggedy Ann, Feb. 16, at the Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, flight line, Baghdad.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

02.17.2008

Story by Spc. Monica Guthrie 

3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division

Pfc. Monica K. Smith, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Her name is Ann and she has been deployed since 2005. She took care of troops in two different units before joining the Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division last December. She is Chinook #86-01659.

"We call her Raggedy Ann or Little Orphan Annie because she's been around so long," said Sgt. Jimmy Fletcher, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd CAB.

Before Raggedy Ann came to 3rd CAB, she worked with the 1st Cavalry Regiment stationed at Camp Taji. At the time, Co. B, 2-3 Avn. Regt. was using Chinook #185 but discontinued use because of cracks in its sheet metal, said Fletcher.

Chinook #185 was sent back to the States and Ann moved to Company B.

"We spent half a day at Taji and brought it down that night," Fletcher said. "We flew a couple of missions and then put it in phase where 603rd (Aviation Support Battalion) spent almost a month in phase to repair all the sheet metal damage ... it runs like a champ, minus a few gremlins."

Though few aircraft have been around as long as Ann, Chinooks as a fleet have a strong lineage dating back to the Vietnam War.

The first Chinook, designated an YHC-1B, was produced by Boeing in 1961 for the Army and Air Force as a medium-lift helicopter. Four years later, during the Vietnam War, Chinooks were first used in combat and by 1968 had logged 161,000 hours in flight, carried 22.4 million passengers and transported more than 1.3 million tons of cargo.

That heritage continues with today's Chinook fleets. To date, Company B has moved over 12 million pounds of cargo and 55,000 passengers, said Cpt. Kurt Blankenship, commander of Co. B, 2-3 Avn. Regt.

"We move mail, (passengers), equipment, anything to keep as many trucks off the roads as possible with the (improvised explosive device) threat," said Chief Warrant Officer Rodger Howard, standardization instructor pilot with Co. B, 2-3 Avn. Regt. "We take everyone: Army, Marines, Air Force, the Special Forces guys, foreign soldiers, prisoners, anyone who asks or needs to be moved."

After the Vietnam War, plans were developed to upgrade the fleet of A, B and C-models into what is now the CH-47D. In 1982 the first D-model aircraft were delivered; the upgrade was completed in 1994. Since then, only two D-model aircraft were created to replace aircraft losses during the Persian Gulf War, making some of the D-models' airframes more than 40-years-old.

It's the same airframe, but it's been remanufactured," said Lt. Col. Alex Covert, commander of 2-3 Avn. Regt. "Helicopters in general are maintenance-intensive. With Chinooks, every 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 hours there is a scheduled inspection. A lot of times we replace parts or items. You almost rebuild it completely, but it's essentially the same airframe."

The constant inspecting and maintaining of the aircraft adds to the Chinooks' durability over the years.

"The Chinooks have a lot of inspections for safety and the replacement of parts," said Staff Sgt. Daniel Enus, Co. B, 2-3 Avn. Regt. "As long as we follow the maintenance program set forth, the birds will last forever."

• Date Taken: 02.17.2008
• Date Posted: 02.17.2008 14:47
• Story ID: 16447
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ