CH-47 Chinook

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter.  Its top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s.  It is one of the few aircraft of that era, such as the C-130 Hercules and the UH-1 Iroquois, that is still in production and front line service with over 1,179 built to date.  Its primary roles include troop movement, artillery emplacement and battlefield resupply.  It has a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external-cargo hooks.

 The Chinook was designed and initially produced by Boeing Vertol in the early 1960s.  The helicopter is now produced by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems.  Chinooks have been sold to 16 nations with the US Army and the Royal Air Force (see Boeing Chinook (UK variants)) being the largest users.  The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters.

General characteristics

Crew: 3 (pilot, copilot, flight engineer)

Capacity:

 33–55 troops or

 24 litters and 3 attendants or

 28,000 lb (12,700 kg) cargo

Length: 98 ft 10 in (30.1 m)

Rotor diameter: 60 ft 0 in (18.3 m)

Height: 18 ft 11 in (5.7 m)

Disc area: 5,600 ft 2 (2,800 ft 2 per rotor disc) (260 m 2 )

Empty weight : 23,400 lb (10,185 kg)

Loaded weight: 26,680 lb (12,100 kg)

Max. takeoff weight : 50,000 lb (22,680 kg)

Powerplant : 2 × Lycoming T55-GA-712 turboshaft , 3,750 hp (2,796 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed : 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h)

Cruise speed : 130 kt (137 mph, 220 km/h)

Range : 400 nmi (450 mi, 741 km)

Ferry range : 1,216 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,252 km [ 87 ] )

Service ceiling : 18,500 ft (5,640 m)

Rate of climb : 1,522 ft/min (10.1 m/s)

Disc loading : 9.5 lb/ft 2 (47 kg/m 2 )

Power/mass : 0.28 hp/lb (460 W/kg)

Armament

 up to 3 pintle mounted medium machine guns (1 on loading ramp and 2 at shoulder windows), generally 7.62 mm (0.308 in) M240 / FN MAG machine guns

Avionics

 Rockwell CAAS (MH-47G/CH-47F)