helicopters

After the Airwolf TV series concluded, the cosmetically modified Bell 222, serial number 47085, was sold and became an ambulance helicopter in Germany.

Aired from Jan. 22, 1984, until Aug. 7, 1987, Airwolf is an American action military drama television series where an enigmatic loner at the behest of a shadowy government organization steals a supersonic military helicopter from its twisted creator and uses it to fight the bad guys around the world.

The flight-capable Airwolf helicopter was a cosmetically modified Bell 222, serial number 47085, sometimes unofficially called a Bell 222A. During the filming of the series, the helicopter was owned by Jetcopters, Inc. of Van Nuys, California.

Whatever happened to the Airwolf helicopter after the show ended?

‘Destroyed in 1992 due to pilot error during a storm — killing three aboard,’ says Ken Miyamoto, Produced screenwriter, former Sony Pictures script reader/story analyst, and former Sony Studios liaison, on his Quora space The Tao of Screenwriting/Movies/TV.

‘The series Airwolf ran from 1984–1987, telling the story of a renegade pilot that goes on missions with an advanced battle helicopter as part of a deal with an intelligence agency to look for his missing brother.

‘In the show, the helicopter was a supersonic prototype (that even had an “evil” twin) attack helicopter that could be disguised as a civilian aircraft — a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” That’s why it’s called Airwolf.

‘Here’s the Airwolf insignia patch.’

Miyamoto continues;

‘After the series concluded, the cosmetically modified Bell 222, serial number 47085, was sold and became an ambulance helicopter in Germany.

‘On June 6th, 1992, it crashed on the side of a mountain during a thunderstorm, killing all three crew members.

‘The helicopter had just saved a little girl suffering from heavy burns on a mercy mission from Berlin to the Cologne University Burns Unit in Köln. After delivering her to safety, it was headed back to Berlin when it and the crew encountered unexpected weather. The visibility was reduced to nearly 100 feet due to fog amidst an oncoming thunderstorm.

‘Pilot error caused the helicopter and its crew to impact near a rock quarry close to Halbeswig at 100 MPH. The rotor blades clipped the tops of several trees and then crashed on the mountainside.

‘A local farmer heard the explosion and notified emergency services. It took them over an hour to find the crash site.

‘When it was found, the helicopter was broken in half and the engine was destroyed.’

Miyamoto concludes;

‘A replica of Airwolf was created in the early 2000s and from 2007 to 2015 was displayed in a Tennessee museum until it was sold to a collector.

‘The replica is now on top of a $250 million mansion in Bel Air, California.

‘RIP Airwolf — and its onscreen pilot Jan-Michael Vincent (he passed away in 2019).’

Check out The Tao of Screenwriting for more fun Movie/TV discussions, as well as screenwriting and film industry insights.

Photo by Tennessee Museum of Aviation and Unknown

There are many scenarios in which tube artillery can engage attack helicopters.

Sometimes called helicopter gunships because of their heavy armament, modern attack helicopters have two primary roles: first, to provide direct and accurate close air support for ground troops; and second, the anti-tank role to destroy grouped enemy armor. Attack helicopters are also used as protective escorts for transport helicopters, or to supplement lighter helicopters in the armed reconnaissance roles. In combat, an attack helicopter is projected to destroy targets worth around 17 times its own production cost before being destroyed.

But how do helicopters avoid being shot down?

‘Nap of the earth flying, mostly,’ says Jay Snead, an aviation expert on Quora.

‘The great feature of a helicopter is its ability to hover behind cover. if you can’t see it, you can’t hit it. The Apache Longbow mounts a sensor tower above its rotors so that it can observe without exposing itself to view.

‘They can hide behind a ridge or down in the trees to make themselves an unattractive target for a ground-based missile.

‘To defend itself from other aircraft, its ability to hide close to the ground makes it difficult for a high-flying aircraft to get a radar lock on it. When under attack, it can deploy flares to decoy heat-seeking missiles. It can even carry Sidewinder or Stinger missiles to shoot back.’

Nevertheless, attack helicopters can still be shot down by tube artillery. An anonymous former US Army soldier recalls on Quora;

‘We actually ran a fire mission once that simulated a 155mm engagement of a terrain-masked helicopter known to a forward observer to be hovering below a ridgeline at about 2 km. The known position was relayed to FDC where they had to think about a solution. Then the helo was engaged with a low trajectory HE projo and fuze solution timed to function in an airburst just after the ridge position. The resulting rain of steel would have neatly taken down any helicopter in that location.

‘There are many scenarios in which tube artillery can engage helicopters. Wise helo drivers don’t loiter and put themselves into such positions. Tube artillery is amazingly agile in the right hands.

‘In this scenario, an FO detected the helo long before the opposing forces were even aware of the presence of the artillery. The artillery and helo were not in the line of sight. The helo would have needed external assistance to detect the presence and location of the batteries.

‘You might think you’re safe down there. You’re not.’

Photo by U.S. Army, Pinterest

The commonality between the UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper aircraft enabled critical component supply chains to remain active during AH-1Z production for the USMC.

Bell has restarted UH-1Y Venom helicopter production for the first international operator. Crestview Aerospace has completed manufacturing the first of eight cabins at the Crestview Florida facility. The aircraft will complete the final assembly at the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center. The helicopters are part of the 2020 US Department of Defense contract awarded to Bell for the production and delivery of eight UH-1Y and four AH-1Z helicopters for the government of the Czech Republic.

“Crestview Aerospace is honored and grateful for the opportunity to team with Bell on the continued production of the UH-1Y cabin for the first international customer,” said Paul Kohlmeier, senior vice president, Strategy and Business Development, Crestview Aerospace, in a Bell news release. “Crestview continues to build in the same high quality and reliability into the international Venom helicopters that underpin the aircraft currently operated by the United States Marine Corps around the world.”

As already reported, Bell delivered the final UH-1Y for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) program of record in April 2018 and has continued to produce and deliver the AH-1Z Viper as part of the H-1 production contract for 349 H-1 aircraft, consisting of 160 UH-1Y and 189 AH-1Z.

The Bell UH-1Y is a combat-proven utility helicopter slated to support the USMC and Czech Republic missions for the next four decades. The Yankee engages threats, delivers or exfiltrate personnel, and performs under the most punishing operating conditions, making it the ultimate tactical utility helicopter. The Bell UH-1Y was first deployed with the USMC in 2009. The “Yankee” operates in the most extreme environments, from Arctic cold to desert heat.

The Venom and the Viper are based on the Vietnam-era family of Huey helicopters, the UH-1 Iroquois, and the derivative AH-1 Cobra. The modern variants share 85 percent of their parts including a common tail boom, engines, rotor system, drivetrain, avionics architecture, software, and controls. The commonality between the aircraft enabled critical component supply chains to remain active during AH-1Z production for the USMC.

“Time, logistics, and man-hours are all strategic resources,” said Mike Deslatte, vice president, and H-1 program director, Bell. “Commonality helps ensure everything between the Viper and Venom, from manufacturing, maintenance, and upgrades, remains seamless while simultaneously providing lower program and life cycle costs. It’s a real tactical advantage on multiple levels.”

The UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft are specifically designed and produced for expeditionary operations. Together, they provide a full spectrum of military operations, unlike any other helicopter duo.

Bell anticipates USMC production through early 2022, followed by continued production for foreign military customers. Bell has two signed Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases in production, Bahrain and the Czech Republic.

Photo by Bell

Marcus Luttrell did not witness the CH-47 Chinook helicopter being shot down, as seen in the movie.

Based on the non-fiction book by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson, the acclaimed, 2013 American biographical military action movie Lone Survivor dramatizes the US Navy SEALs’ counter-insurgent mission Operation Red Wings which took place on Jun. 28, 2005, in Afghanistan. During the mission, a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team was given the task of tracking down the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The film was written and directed by Peter Berg and stars Mark Wahlberg (Marcus Luttrell), Taylor Kitsch (Michael P. “Murph” Murphy), Emile Hirsch (Danny Dietz), Ben Foster (Matthew “Axe” Axelson), and Eric Bana (Erik S. Kristensen).

While the movie was based on actual events, it has been noted that it contained a number of historical inaccuracies.

For instance, Luttrell did not witness the CH-47 Chinook helicopter being shot down as seen in the film, Guy D McCardle, Jr. (Check out his Space here for more interesting content), Army officer during OIF I and OIF II (2003-2004), explains on Quora.

‘At about 1140Z, two CH-47 Chinooks from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) were approaching the base of Sawtalo Sar, the last known position of the SEALs on the ground in Operation Red Wings. The call signs of these quick reaction force helicopters were Turbine 32 and Turbine 33.

‘In the clip below from Lone Survivor, we see the Hollywood version of what went on in those two helicopters as they approached the mountain. Marcus Luttrell is shown cheering as he saw his fellow SEALs (and Night Stalkers) coming to his rescue. In reality, Luttrell never saw the helicopters and only heard about the downing of Turbine 33 later while he was still in captivity. He thought the Taliban was making up the story and he didn’t believe it at first.

‘In the attempt to provide assistance to the troops in contact, Turbine 33 took the lead and was approaching a landing zone (LZ) in an open meadow surrounded by scrubby trees about 650 meters from the peak of the mountain.’

McCardle continues;

‘As they prepared to settle on the LZ, a white smoke trail was seen streaking up from the trees below. The projectile impacted Turbine 33’s exhaust duct and exploded.

‘The Chinook rolled over in mid-air after the impact and quickly fell to the mountain below where it became a ball of fire. All 16 men aboard, 8 Night Stalkers, and 8 SEALs died.

‘Still, under heavy ground fire, Turbine 32 turned away hard (knocking the men in the troop compartment to the deck) and began to circle the mountain, looking for survivors.

‘After researching many sources, I saw no evidence that anyone in Turbine 32 ever pointed a weapon at the pilot and demanded that they land. That part of the story seems to be pure Hollywood fiction.

‘A no-fire area was established for a 500-meter radius around the downed helicopter to avoid accidentally hitting any possible survivors.

‘The SEALs aboard Turbine 32 desperately wanted to land to aid and/or retrieve their brothers on the ground, but the Commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) ordered them to return to the airbase in Jalalabad at once.

‘In the film, we see LCDR Kristensen shout “RPG!!!” as he witnessed a projectile trailing a stream of white smoke behind it rushing toward the helicopter. This almost certainly didn’t happen. It was the consensus of the SEALs who witnessed the shoot-down that Turbine 33 was downed by a MANPAD (man-portable air defense) of some kind.’

McCardle concludes:

‘Contrary to what you see in the movie, RPGs don’t leave smoke trails like that. Missiles do.’

Photo by Lone Survivor Movie

Aviators are needed for AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, as well as CH-47 Chinooks, UH-60 Black Hawks, and, in some instances, fixed-wing assignments.

With airlines running a reduced flight schedule and generally not hiring the US Army is open to accepting former aviators and crew members back into the service, according to the Army’s command chief warrant officer for the aviation branch.

As explained by Gary Sheftick, Army News Service, in the article With airlines lagging, Army looking to bring former aviators back, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jon Koziol appeared on a Facebook livestream on Jun. 17, 2020, from Fort Rucker, Alabama, and explained the opportunities to those tuning into the page for the Rotary to Airline Group, known as RTAG, founded to help veterans transition to the airline industry.

“As we are all well aware, this global pandemic has made unprecedented impacts on the world’s economies and our personal way of life,” he said. “Some of those impacts may have directly affected your ability to pursue your goals of working for the commercial sector, specifically the airlines.”

The Call to Active Duty, or CAD program, allows Army Reserve and National Guard aviators to apply for a three-year stint back on active duty, Koziol said. Aviators are needed for AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, as well as CH-47 Chinooks, UH-60 Black Hawks, and in some instances, fixed-wing assignments.

The retiree recall program is also a possibility, Koziol said, and other programs exist for veterans who only served a few years in the branch.

“No matter how much time you have served in the Army, you are still a Soldier for Life and part of this team,” he said. “We could use your expertise.”

Some Army civilian positions are available for aviators on Fort Rucker, he said, directing listeners to check the USAJobs website. In addition, contractor positions are available under instructor and maintenance contracts.

UH-72 Lakota pilots are needed to instruct the Initial Entry Rotary Wing and other courses. He said test pilots are also needed and additional opportunities exist for fixed-wing pilots, mechanics, and others.

“Basically, across the board, there is more than likely a good chance that we can find a spot for you where you can help,” Koziol said.

While there’s no current shortage of OH-58D Kiowa pilots, some other positions may be available for those aviators, said Chief Warrant Officer 5 David J. Stock II, aviation branch warrant officer proponent.

“We do have the ability, in some instances, for the right officer to bring back some OH-58D pilots and use them in a non-flying position,” Stock said.

Koziol said recent studies indicate it may take commercial airlines two or three years to get back to the operating schedules they had before the pandemic.

In addition to the active force, the Army Reserve and National Guard also have positions available for aviators, Koziol said. He explained that positions vary depending upon location and the aircraft in each state.

Photo by Spc. Hunter Garciaand Tyler Greenlees / U.S. Army

The 4.5-hour test was accomplished over Chesapeake Bay with a KC-130J aerial refueling (AR) tanker

The CH-53K King Stallion recently aced an air-to-air refueling test, successfully demonstrating long-range logistics support capabilities for the U.S. Marine Corps. The 4.5-hour test was accomplished over the Chesapeake Bay with a KC-130J aerial refueling (AR) tanker.

“The aircraft went to the tanker this week and it was very successful, proving it is a long-range vertical logistic workhorse,” said Col. Jack Perrin, H-53 heavy lift helicopters (PMA-261) program manager, in NAVAIR News Release.

According to the CH-53K test team, the wake survey test assessed the performance of the aircraft when flying behind the tanker in strong, turbulent air. The aircraft’s crew successfully plugged the drogue, a funnel-shaped basket towed behind the KC-130J. These tests were performed at increasing closure rates to ensure the CH-53K can handle the forces on the refueling probe when contacting the drogue during aerial refueling.

“The aircraft was able to meet the desired performance for all engagements,” said Perrin. “The ‘K’ is the long-range enabler that we need now and into the future.”

“The successful air-to-air refueling test reinforces the superior capabilities of the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter and its ability to carry more Marines, cargo, and equipment over longer ranges and in more challenging environments than any other rotorcraft in the world. As the only fully marimized heavy lift helicopter, it will allow the Marines the operational flexibility and reach to fly over open waters to complete long-range missions in support of expeditionary advanced base operations,” Bill Falk, Sikorsky program director, CH-53K, pointed out.

The CH-53K King Stallion continues to execute within the reprogrammed CH-53K timeline, moving toward completion of the developmental test, leading to the initial operational test and evaluation in 2021 and the first fleet deployment in 2023-2024.

Photo by U.S. Navy

‘This is the standard which is better: an AK-47 or M-16 type question,’ Joe Difrancesco, former AH-64 Apache Pilot in the US Army.

The  AH-1 Cobra is a two-blade rotor, single-engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was developed using the engine, transmission, and rotor system of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois. A member of the prolific Huey family, the AH-1 is also referred to as the Huey Cobra or Snake.

The AH-1 was the backbone of the US Army’s attack helicopter fleet but has been replaced by the AH-64 Apache in Army service. Upgraded versions continue to fly with the militaries of several other nations. The AH-1 (AH-1W Super Cobra and AH-1Z Viper) twin-engine versions remain in service with the US Marine Corps (USMC) as the service’s primary attack helicopter.

But what are the differences between Cobra and Apache attack helicopters? And which one is better?

‘This is the standard: which is better: an AK-47 or M-16 type question,’ says Joe Difrancesco, a former US Army AH-64 Apache pilot, on Quora. ‘While I’ve only flown AH-64s, I have extensive experience with AH-1s from joint operations. Both systems may engage the same target, but both come at it from a different series of requirements.

‘From a logistics standpoint, the AH-1 is hands down the winner. The AH-1 has 84% parts commonality with the UH-1. This means spare parts can be split between the two aircraft and dramatically reduce logistics efforts to maintain a certain level of readiness.

‘In upgrade speed, the AH-1 also wins. The flash-to-bang time for AH-1 upgrades is much shorter than the AH-64 with respect to the magnitude of the upgrades.’

He continues:

‘From a purpose-built design standpoint, the AH-64 is the best of the two. While upgrades to an existing aircraft may be made to increase functionality, it is difficult to accomplish some requirements without creating a brand-new aircraft. The AH-64 had a fly-by-wire system, heads-up display [in the form of the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System, IHADSS], thermal sensors, and advanced weapon processors from inception. Having that foundation allows these buggy systems to thoroughly troubleshoot and the bugs run out over several decades. Additionally, having an internal aircraft network bus from the beginning, the communications protocols are well-known and easy to design new avionics for.

‘So, in closing, it depends on what your requirements are. Can you buy a new Bugatti and the dealer service package? Or can you only afford a Ford GT and use O’Reilly parts to service it yourself? Corollary aside, both are amazing machines and both equally deadly on the receiving end.’

Difrancesco concludes:

‘As a pilot, I would choose the AH-64 over the AH-1 for one tiny reason… Wheels versus skids. Skid aircraft have to hover around airports, while wheeled aircraft can just taxi. For emergencies, the ability to land like an airplane with wheels is awesome. Also, wheeled helicopters play much nicer in crowded airfields, especially with lightweight UAS aircraft with respect to rotor wash. But, again, my petty two cents.’

Photo by U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps