BOEING CH-47 D CHINNOK

El Boeing CH-47 Chinook es un helicóptero de transporte pesado, biturbina y con rotores en tándem. La Boeing en Philadelphia, fabrica, moderniza y soporta al Chinook para: United States Army, Army Reserve, National Guard y operadores extranjeros.

La misión principal del Chinook en el U.S. Army es el movimiento de tropas, artillería, munición, combustible, etc, y como segunda tarea la de evacuación médica, recuperación de aeronaves, combate contra el fuego, etc. En el U.S. Army National Guard y en la mayoría de los operadores internacionales los Chinooks realizan estas últimas misiones.

El U.S. Army ha operado una gran variedad de CH-47 desde sus primeras entregas en 1962. De los casi 750 Chinooks que operaron en la Guerra de Vietnam unos 200 fueron perdidos en operación de combate.

Después de la guerra se decidió modernizar a la flota de Chinooks en servicio en el nuevo CH-47D. Boeing completó su primer modelo D en 1982 y concluyó su programa en 1994. Solo dos modelos CH-47 fueron construidos para reemplazar los perdidos en la Guerra del Golfo, todos los otros modelos D son aeronaves modernizadas.

Los CH-47D tienen palas de material compuesto, sistema eléctrico e hidráulico mejorado, triple gancho de carga, aviónica y comunicación nuevas y un motor mas potente que puede manejar las 25000 Lbs de carga paga, cerca del doble de la carga del Chinook original.

A mediados de 1990 Boeing y el Ejército se pusieron de acuerdo en resolver que la flota de los Chinooks deberían tener una segunda modernización. Esto extendería el servicio de los CH-47 mas allá del 2030.

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a twin-turbine, tandem-rotor, heavy-lift transport helicopter. Boeing in Philadelphia manufactures, modernizes and supports the Chinook for the United States Army, Army Reserve, National Guard and several international customers.

The Chinook's principal U.S. Army mission is movement of troops, artillery, ammunition, fuel, water, barrier materials, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. Secondary missions include medical evacuation, aircraft recovery, fire fighting, parachute drops, heavy construction, civil development, disaster relief and search and rescue. In the U.S. Army National Guard and among international customers, Chinooks often devote most of their flight hours on these secondary missions.

The U.S. Army has operated a variety of CH-47 Chinook models since first taking delivery in 1962. Shortly after entering Army service, Chinooks were deployed to Vietnam, where CH-47A, B and C models served with distinction for a decade until the war's end in 1975. Of the nearly 750 Chinooks in the U.S. and Republic of Vietnam fleets, about 200 were lost in combat or wartime operational accidents.

After the war, Boeing and the Army began planning a major fleet upgrade that led to development of the CH-47D. Almost 500 early model Chinooks went through an extensive modernization process in Philadelphia that produced an essential new CH-47 fleet. Boeing completed first D-model deliveries in 1982 and concluded the program in 1994. Only two U.S. Army CH-47Ds were built to replace aircraft losses in the Persian Gulf War. All other D models are modernized aircraft.

The CH-47D remains the U.S. Army standard and features composite rotor blades, an improved electrical system, modularized hydraulics, triple cargo hooks, avionics and communication improvements and more powerful engines that can handle a 25,000-pound useful load, nearly twice the Chinook's original lift capacity. The CH-47D Chinook already has been the U.S. Army's prime mover for 20 years, and was a central element in U.S. Army operations in the Persian Gulf War, where more than 160 Chinooks carried U.S. and Allied troops in history's largest aerial assault to outflank Iraqi forces and cut off their retreat from Kuwait.

In the mid-1990s, Boeing and the Army agreed that the Chinooks fleet should undergo a second modernization program. This will extend CH-47 service well beyond 2030, virtually guaranteeing that Chinooks will handle U.S. Army missions for at least 75 years. Boeing is currently developing the CH-47F, scheduled for first production in 2004, and is under contract to modernize at least 300 Chinooks to the new F-model standard, which features reduced vibration effects, an integrated cockpit control system and more powerful engines with digital fuel controls. These improvements will make the Chinook fully compatible with 21st century operational and war-fighting requirements and improve the aircraft's efficiency and effectiveness.

U.S. Army Special Operations Forces also operate 36 Special Operations Chinooks, designated as MH-47Ds and MH-47Es. The MH-47Es are among the most advanced rotorcraft in operation today. They incorporate fully integrated digital cockpits; forward-looking infrared, terrain-following/terrain-avoidance radar; long-range fuel tanks; and aerial refueling capability. Special Operations Chinooks perform low-level, high-speed flight for infiltration and exfiltration of Special Operations teams at night and in adverse weather. Boeing and the U.S. Special Operations Command are currently discussing a Special Operations Chinook upgrade program that will provide a fleet-wide common avionics suite and several other system improvements.

Characteristics Características	Information Información	Characteristics Características	Information Información
First Flight Primer Vuelo	19??	Engine Motor	2 TEXTRON Lycoming T55-L712
Seating Capacity Plazas	2 / 33	Power Potencia
Empty Weight Peso Vacío	23401 Lbs	Hover Ceiling O.G.E. Estacionario O.G.E
Maximum Weight Peso Máximo	50000 Lbs	Hover Ceiling I.G.E. Estacionario I.G.E
Vel. Cruise Vel. crucero	143 Kts	Service Ceiling Techo de Servicio
V.N.E. V.N.E	Kts	Maximum Range (Std) Alcance (Std)