MILITARY AVIATION
The AH-64 is a two-seat attack helicopter powered by two General Electric T700 turbo-shaft engines, with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the rotor shaft. The crew sit in tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot-gunner. The crew compartment is armored against 23mm gunfire fired from ZSU-23/4s. The helicopter is armed with a 30mm M230 chain gun which is slaved to the gunner's helmet-mounted gunsight. The AH-64 carries a range of external stores on its stub-wing pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles Hydra 70 general-purpose unguided 70mm rockets, and AIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles for defence. In case of emergency the pylons also have mounting points for personnel transfer.
death traps!
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a versatile, twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. The contra-rotating rotors eliminate the need for an anti-torque vertical rotor, allowing all power to be used for lift and thrust. Its top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) was faster than 1960s, and even many contemporary, utility and attack helicopters. Its primary roles include troop movement, artillery emplacement and battlefield resupply. There is a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external-cargo hooks. It has replaced the CH-54 Skycrane as a lifter.
Chinooks have been sold to 16 nations, the largest users are the U.S. Army and the Royal Air Force . A commercial model, the Boeing-Vertol Model 234, is used worldwide for logging, construction, fighting forest fires and supporting petroleum exploration operations. The H-47 is now sold by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. As of December 15, 2006 Columbia Helicopters, Inc of Aurora, Oregon has purchased the Type Certificate of the Model 234 from Boeing. Currently the company is seeking FAA issuance of a Production Certificate to produce parts with eventual issuance of a PC to produce aircraft.
Rating: User: spiney 2007-02-24T17:38:37.997Z
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