Defence News
Army 'Chooks' ride again
30 March 2010
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Army CH-47D Chinook helicopters have commenced summer operations in Afghanistan.
The pair of ‘Chooks’, operated by Rotary Wing Group 5, will spend the next eight months providing airlift support to the International Security Assistance Force in Southern Afghanistan.
The Townsville-based helicopters were airlifted into Afghanistan aboard Air Force C-17A Globemasters less than a month ago. Since then the aircraft have been reassembled and put thorough a rigorous testing program to prove they are ready to operate in the hot and high location.
Commanding Officer of Rotary Wing Group 5, Lieutenant Colonel David Lynch said the detachment will be embedded with the United States Army 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.
“We have inserted our two Chinooks into the company to bolster their capacity to do heavy lifting throughout Regional Command (South),” Lieutenant Colonel Lynch said.
The aircrews, too, have had to complete local area orientations before being cleared to fly operationally.
“During local area orientations we conduct door gunnery, fire flares, and we practice dust landings,” Aircrewman Technician, Corporal Nicholas Baxter said.
“It’s to see what type of environment we’ll be operating in for the next eight months.”
The Australian Army first flew Chinooks in 1972 and the current D-model has been in service since 1995.
Powerful and reliable, the twin-turbine engine, tandem rotor helicopter is ideally suited to airlift and cargo support roles in inhospitable environments. It can lift 11 tonnes with its underbelly hook, cruise at 220km/h, and operate with a combat radius of 240km.