Boeing Completes First CH-47F Chinook Flight
PHILADELPHIA, June 29, 2001 -- Boeing has launched another chapter in the history of its longest-running continuous aircraft production program. The new CH-47F Chinook prototype heavy-lift helicopter, the sixth Chinook type designed for the U.S. Army, recently completed its first flight at the Boeing Philadelphia manufacturing facility.
The June 25 flight, which involved hover and basic maneuvers, capped a series of comprehensive system checks leading to takeoff precisely as scheduled in the CH-47F program agreement completed three years ago.
"The first flight was flawless," said Roger A. Krone, vice president and general manager, Boeing Army Programs/Rotorcraft. "Our Chinook Team demonstrated not only technical excellence, but also a total commitment to our U.S. Army customer. The entire first- flight crew-pilots, engineers, technicians and support personnel-accomplished our program-schedule goals with consistently good performance and solid teamwork. They set a high standard for all our production programs."
A Boeing Philadelphia flight crew consisting of Erik Kocher, Chinook program chief test pilot; Randy Wells, test pilot; Joe Schluck, flight test engineer; and John Rose, crew chief, lifted off shortly before 7 p.m., EDT, and remained airborne for about five minutes to validate aircraft handling qualities. "It was wonderful," Kocher said. "The aircraft performed right up to expectations while we completed rotor blade track and balance and crosswind hover as scheduled. The aircraft controlled nicely, and all systems functioned as advertised."
The CH-47F modernization program will sustain the U.S. Army's Chinook fleet to provide rotary-wing heavy-lift capabilities well into the 21st century. Modernization will include aircraft remanufacturing, vibration reduction, improved avionics with integrated digital mission management systems and a digital map, and installation of more powerful Honeywell T55-GA-14A-714 engines. These core elements of the program will reduce operational and support costs to below those of the original CH-47D and provide at least another 20 years of economical and effective service. That means Chinooks will wind up serving in the Army's inventory for more than 70 years, an unprecedented record of service for military aircraft.
The Boeing Company develops and produces military rotorcraft and provides support services worldwide from its production facilities in Philadelphia and Mesa, Ariz. Among its products are the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter, CH-47 Chinook, the RAH-66 Comanche armed reconnaissance helicopter and the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
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Contact Info:
Jack Satterfield
john.r.satterfield@boeing.com
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