2014 I ISSUE 3

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24 CORPSMEN SAR TRAINING
As part of Exercise Southern Frontier 2014, Navy corpsmen and flight surgeons are participating
in continuous search-and-rescue training with the Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal’s SAR
flight crew.

28 COMBAT CASUALTY TRAINING IN PARAGUAY

The eerie whistle of a mortar round pierces
the calm as the unmistakable cracks of
incoming rounds augment the disarray that
surrounds you. To the seasoned combat
veteran, the experience of a fight and years of
training to acclimate to the sights and sounds
of battle can allow that Soldier to operate at
peak performance. However, one sound alone
has the ability to rattle nerves and send fear
into even the most seasoned Soldier. “Medic!”

30 CARGO POCKET ISR

32 ARE TWO HEADS BETTER THAN ONE?

THE COAXIAL KAMOVS
The coaxial system is a trademark of almost
all the helicopters developed by the design
bureau that was founded by the talented
Russian engineer, Nikolay I. Kamov, in 1948.
Kamov’s development of such systems
was a notably protracted process involving
enormous design and testing efforts and
immense funding.

54 OFF TO THE DESERT

The rotors chomp through a screen of dust as the CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter leaps into the sky
to conduct an area familiarization of Twentynine Palms as part of Integrated Training Exercise 4-14
on June 8, 2014.

58 PHROGS LAST FLIGHT

62 WEIGHTY SUBJECT – THE SUBJECT OF SHOCK-LOADING

All helicopter pilots understand the piloting difficulties
inherent in aerial winching and hoisting operations. In the
past, however, the dangers of “shock-loading” helicopter lift
devices were not so well understood. CHRIS SMALLHORN
examines the issue and explains why shock loading is
something that all operators need to understand.

ISSUE 3 I 2 014
4
 THE TEAM
EDITOR
Mark Ogden

DEPUTY EDITOR
Alan Norris

SUB EDITOR
Leigh Neil

EUROPEAN EDITOR
Alexander Mladenov

NORTH AMERICAN EDITOR

John Persinos

PROOFREADER
Barbara McIntosh

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Dot Design

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5
 Will this one
go right?

D
espite a few false starts and some failures to finish other
helicopter projects, the US Army is putting its toe in the
water again and developing another helicopter project.
Army is proposing to contribute US$217 million towards
a four-way contest to develop a future Army rotorcraft.
It has already provided US$6.5 million to each of four
organisations vying for the ultimate contract.
The US Army development record since the days of Black Hawk and
Apache has not been a good one. With all good intention, this design
is intended to replace already established and well-used capabilities.
The contest involves two established players, Bell Helicopter and
Sikorsky/Boeing as well as startups AVX Aircraft and Karem Aircraft. All
the proposed design concepts are radical departures from traditional
helicopter design.
Known as the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) aircraft, it is intended that it
would be the forerunner for a family of helicopters that would eventually
replace the UH-60 Black Hawk, the AH-64 Apache, the CH-47 Chinook
and the OH-58 Kiowa, probably the most successful aviation programs
run by Army.
With the US forces, especially the Army facing significant and deep
budget cuts well into the foreseeable future, it will be interesting to see if
this program will survive or result in production aircraft, regardless of how
sensible it may seem or even how well it may be run.
The four contestants are proposing some unique designs and
concepts. Bell is continuing to push tilt rotor in the V-280 Valor. It is
designed to have a cruise speed of 280 knots and carry a crew of four
with 11 troops.
Sikorsky/Boeing is proposing the “Defiant”, leveraging off Sikorsky’s
work from the X2, using a pusher propeller and counter-rotating, coaxial
rigid main rotors. The X2 managed to set a published maximum speed of
250kts in level flight but the Defiant team are aiming for a 230kt cruise.
The remaining two proposals are variations on tilt rotor and coaxial
rotors. AVX is proposing a helicopter utilising coaxial main rotors and
ducted air fans on each side of the fuselage. Karem Aircraft, is offering a
tilt-rotor design, with a claimed speed of 360kts.

6
 FROM THE EDITOR

The Army expects to select the two finalists by June 2015. The two winners
would then build prototypes for a fly-off to begin sometime in 2017.
The prize could be worth billions, or will we see another broken project?
The US Army does not have a good track record over the past 30 years when
it comes to helicopter programs. The Comanche program ended up running
nearly 22 years and cost nearly 7 billion dollars only producing two prototypes
and without going into production. Then its replacement, Bell’s Armed
Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) based on the 407 sank.
I really hope for the continued development of the helicopter industry that
this program works out. Based however on recent records and the inability
these days of the US military to bring in major programs within reasonable
timeframes, I just have a feeling that unless there are some significant changes
in the way the Army does business, the ghosts of programs past will rise again.

7
 INDUSTRY NEWS

APACHE FIRST DECK LANDING QUALIFICATIONS

AH-64E Apache Guardians from 1st Armed Reconnaissance Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment have conducted deck
landing qualifications aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) off the coast of Hawaii, a first for the E
model of the Apache.

UNMANNED SW-4 FLIES

AgustaWestland has completed a
demonstration of its Unmanned Aerial
System/Optionally Piloted Helicopter to
the Italian Ministry of Defence. Based on a
modified single-engine
SW-4 the aircraft successfully completed
the planned missions with a safety pilot on
board. The basic aircraft has been developed
as a result of cooperation between
AgustaWestland and PZL-Swidnik with both
the development phase and flight trials,
undertaken in Italy and Poland

8
 INDUSTRY NEWS

NEW USAF HELICOPTER GROUP

The newly formed 20th Air Force helicopter operations group assumes control of the helicopter squadrons across
USAF 20th Air Force from 2014 following its current provisional status and will be based at F.E. Warren Air Force Base
to provide helicopter support to ICBM missions.

SUPPORT CONTRACT FOR KONGSBERG S-97 RAIDER

Kongsberg Defence Systems and AgustaWestland have signed an agreement for
POWERED ON
extending and increasing co-operation relating to Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul
FOR FIRST TIME
of dynamic components including gear boxes for the NH90 helicopter and the Sikorsky has turned
AW101. This will be a major part of the support solution for the AW101 Norwegian on the electrical power
All-Weather SAR Helicopter contract for 16 AW101s ordered at the end of 1013. for the first time to
the S-97 RAIDER
prototype signaling
successful installation
of the avionics system.
The successful
powering on means
that the cockpit
multifunction displays
and control display unit
are operational and the
aircraft will undergo
electrical power and
avionics Acceptance
Tests for the next
several weeks.

9
 INDUSTRY NEWS

UK PAVE HAWK CRASH DUE TO BIRD STRIKE

The US Air Force has released its official report on the fatal crash of one of its Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk on 7th
January 2014 on the coast of Norfolk, UK.
The Accident Investigation Board found clear and convincing evidence that multiple bird strikes caused the mishap
by rendering the pilot and co-pilot unconscious and disabling the Trim and Flight Path Stabilization systems. It was
noted that at least three geese penetrated the windscreen and in addition, at least one goose hit the nose of the
aircraft disabling the Trim and Flight Path Stabilization systems. With both the pilot and co-pilot unconscious and the
Trim and Flight Path Stabilization disabled, the cyclic stick was free to move randomly. The helicopter banked left to a
point where it had no vertical lift, and coupled with a lack of pilot input to correct the roll, the Pave Hawk impacted the
ground approximately three seconds after being struck by the geese.

DONALDSON FILTERS FOR

GERMAN CH-53GA UPGRADES
Donaldson Aerospace & Defense has
been selected to provide air filtration
systems on 40 CH-53Gs that Airbus
Helicopters are upgrading to the
CH-53GA configuration for the German
military in 2015.

10
 Game Changer: MH-60R with AN/APS-153(V)

Making Romeo the World’s Most Valuable Player

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Featuring the sharpest ISAR, Automatic Periscope Detection/Discrimination, and a fully integrated IFF
Interrogator. The AN/APS-153(V) radar offers long-range detection for the smallest of targets.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY WITH A GLOBAL REACH

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11
 We Fly frontline
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We Maintain

The Powerful Difference

Columbia Helicopters is the only commercial operator of the Model
234 Chinook and Vertol 107-II, the civilian models of the CH-47
Chinook and H-46 Sea Knight. The company’s aircraft operate globally
in extreme weather conditions, and are supported by one of the most
exceptional maintenance facilities anywhere in the industry.
Columbia’s fully functional maintenance facility is a one-stop shop,
able to meet all depot level maintenance requirements for internal and
external customers.

www.colheli.com
503-678-1222
12
 INDUSTRY NEWS

AAR AWARDED NEW VERTREP CONTRACT

The US Military Sealift Command has awarded AAR Airlift
division a contract to provide vertical replenishment services
to its 5th and 7th Fleets in the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian
Gulf, and Indian and Western Pacific oceans. The contract is
valued at approximately $34 million.

AW149 ACHIEVES MILITARY CERTIFICATION

The Italian Directorate of Air Armaments has issued the Type Certificate for the AW149 following certification trials with
the Reparto Sperimentale di Volo (RSV), the Italian Official Test Center based at Pratica di Mare Airbase, near Rome,
with operational evaluation tests to follow.

13
 INDUSTRY NEWS

STAR SAFIRE SENSOR SELECTED FOR NORWAY AW101

FLIR Systems will supply Star SAFIRE 380-HDc system for the Norwegian fleet of AW101 helicopters to be used
in Norway’s All Weather Search and Rescue Helicopter program. Deliveries of the AW101 helicopters to the Royal
Norwegian Air Force will begin in 2017 and continue through to 2020.

WILDCAT MISSILE
CONTRACT
The UK Ministry of
Defence has signed
a contract valued
at $135 million with
AgustaWestland to
integrate, test and
install the Future
Anti-Surface Guided
Weapon Heavy and
Light missile systems
onto Royal Navy AW159.
The Wildcat will be
able to carry up to four
launchers, two per
weapon carrier, each
with up to five missiles.

14
 frontline
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Everything we do,
We do with passion

AgustaWestland is a world of people united by a great strength: passion.

Passion for technology, innovation, forward-thinking, delivery and above
all; our customers.
Passion is the energy behind the people that keep our rotorcraft in skies
the world over.

LEADING THE FUTURE

agustawestland.com

15
 INDUSTRY NEWS

BRAZILIAN MILITARY TRIAL CAMCOPTER S-100

A series of trials for the Brazilian Navy have taken place near San Pedro, Brazil, from the Brazilian Amazonas Class
Ship APA of the Schiebel unmanned helicopter Camcopter S-100. Demonstration flights were conducted using
scenarios agreed with the Brazilian Navy and evaluated various payloads during both day and night at ranges out to
44 nautical miles with target detection out to 90 nautical miles.

NEW RAF
CHINOOK
The first of the RAF’s
fourteen new Mk 6
Chinooks have been
delivered to the Chinook
Force based at RAF
Odiham in Hampshire.
The new aircraft are part
of a $17 billion investment
to update, replace and
support all of the MoD’s
helicopter capability
over the next decade. All
14 new aircraft will be
delivered by the end of
2015 and are on track to
be fully operational by
early 2017.

16
 INDUSTRY NEWS

AW139 FOR BANGLADESH AIR FORCE

The Ministry of Defence of Bangladesh has signed a contract for two AW139 to be delivered by the end of 2015 and
will be operated by the Bangladesh Air Force for maritime search and rescue and other utility missions. The contract
also includes a support and training package and marks the establishment of the first dedicated maritime SAR
helicopter fleet in the country.

FIRST T129 ATAK HELICOPTER IN SERVICE

Turkish Aerospace Industries have delivered the first T129 ATAK Advanced Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance
Helicopter to the Turkish Armed Forces. This is the first of an order for 59 tandem two-seat, twin engine helicopter
specifically designed for attack and reconnaissance purposes and developed from the combat proven A129CBT.

17
 INDUSTRY NEWS

APACHE FIRST DECK LANDING QUALIFICATIONS

The Brazilian Navy’s Naval Aviation has signed a contract for a major midlife upgrade of eight Lynx Mk21A helicopters.
The contract, valued in excess of US$160 million, includes replacement of the aircraft’s engines with the CTS800-4N
from LHTEC, navigation display suite and mission avionics. The upgrade will begin in 2015 at the AgustaWestland plant
in Yeovil, United Kingdom and will be completed by 2019.

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18
Full Support For MD500 anD Bell MeDiuMS
avionics i Sheet Metal i in-House engineering i interiors
Custom Completions i aircraft painting
Composites i engine Management i parts Sales
24/7 Field and tech Support i StC/pMa program i MD 500 & Bell MeDiuMS Specials

www.phoenixheliparts.com I +1 480-985-7994 19
 INDUSTRY NEWS

200TH NH90 DELIVERED

The 200th NH90, a Tactical Transport Helicopter variant, has been delivered to the Belgian Defence and will be
operated from Beauvechain Air Force Base by the 1st Wing.
The NH90 program has now flown more than 50,000 flight hours logged in operational service.

COLOMBIAN ARMY ORDERS S-70I

The Colombian Army has contracted to buy two S-70i Black Hawks add to five S-70is that arrived early 2014
to be operated by the Special Forces of the Colombian Army’s Air Assault Division. Colombia is the first South
American country to buy the S-70i and are expected to be delivered by the end of 2014, and then flown by
Colombian aircrew to the Army Special Operation Aviation Military base in Tolemaida.

20
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21
 INDUSTRY NEWS

303mm in. Bleed

297mm Trim
277mm Live

ROYAL NAVY SUB-HUNTERS ENTER SERVICE EARLY

The UK’s next generation of the submarine-hunting Merlin Mk2 has entered service with the Royal Navy four months
earlier than planned. Embarked on HMS Illustrious, the Merlin Mk2 took part in Exercise Deep Blue, simulating anti-
submarine warfare, maritime patrol and casualty evacuation. The new helicopters are part of a $1200 million programme
to upgrade the Royal Navy’s existing fleet of aircraft with a further 15 aircraft arriving at Royal Naval Air Station
Culdrose over the next 18 months.

300TH UH-72A LAKOTA TO U.S. ARMY

Airbus Group has delivered the 300th UH-72A Lakota helicopter to the US Army and will serve with the Missouri
National Guard. The aircraft was delivered in the Security and Support Battalion configuration, which expands
the capabilities for missions ranging from disaster response to border security operations.

22
 DELIVERS HOPE.
WHEN ALL SEEMS HOPELESS.

Typhoon relief. Guiuan, Philippines.

COMBAT · HUMANITARIAN · LOGISTICS · RESCUE · SPECIAL OPS

Around the globe, V-22 Ospreys are making a critical difference in humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions—delivering
food, water, medical supplies and time-sensitive cargo to those in need. The V-22’s unique blend of helicopter flexibility, high
speed and long range provides timely aid to remote areas that would otherwise be unreachable, saving lives in the balance.

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 BY LANCE CPL. LUIS A. RAMIREZ

24 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 25
 Southern Frontier is an annual bilateral training exercise between
the RAAF and the United States Marine Corps with a primary focus
on offensive air support and enhancing military interoperability.

A
s part of Exercise Southern Frontier 2014,
Navy corpsmen and flight surgeons are
participating in continuous search-and-
rescue training with the Royal Australian Air Force
Base Tindal’s SAR flight crew.
Southern Frontier is an annual bilateral training
exercise between the RAAF and the United States
Marine Corps with a primary focus on offensive air
support and enhancing military interoperability.
The purpose behind the joint SAR training is
to teach sailors proper procedures in case of an
emergency, including how to assess a patient
in order to stabilize them for the flight, as well
as importance of treating the patient in a time
efficient and effective manner before getting them
on a helicopter.
“As trained medical personnel, we are taught
how to help patients,” said Navy Lt. Krista Koch, a
flight surgeon with Marine Wing Support Squadron
171. “However, as part of the SAR crew here, we
learn the importance of being able to extract a
wounded individual from different locations.”
As SF14 continues, SAR pilots present sailors
with different scenarios including winching down
from a helicopter in an open field, treating a
patient and preparing a patient for a medevac in
dense woods.
“Back in (Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni,
Japan), we treat our patients inside the clinic,” said
Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeff Francisco, a hospital
corpsman with MWSS-171. “Being out here in a
deployed environment and being able to take part
in this kind of training is a great opportunity. Being
in a helicopter and flying to different locations and
learning how to treat potential patients is a one of
a kind experience.”
Francisco said that his experience with the
Tindal SAR flight crew has sparked an interest
in SAR operations and looks forward to the
opportunity to take Navy SAR training.
With continual training taking place, each of
the six Navy medical team members will progress
to advanced SAR exercises including nighttime
medevac’s and time restraint exercises. v

26 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 27
 T
he eerie whistle of a mortar round
pierces the calm as the unmistakable
cracks of incoming rounds augment the
disarray that surrounds you. To the seasoned
BY ERIC R. LUCERO combat veteran, the experience of a fight and
years of training to acclimate to the sights and
sounds of battle can allow that Soldier to operate
at peak performance. However, one sound alone
has the ability to rattle nerves and send fear into
even the most seasoned Soldier. “Medic!”
Amid the chaos, a voice sends the alarm that
a comrade is down. Instantly, with no regard for
his own safety, the medic moves through harm’s
way to get to his fallen brother. Now is the time to
put his years of training and experience to use. It
is time to save a life. It was with this scenario in
mind that U.S. Army South recently conducted a
tactical combat lifesaver course subject matter
expert exchange with Paraguayan military forces
June 16-27. The course was broken into two
separate two-week classes focusing on tactical
combat casualty care guidance and casualty
evacuations under fire.
Paraguay sent more than 80 special forces
soldiers and members of the National Anti-Drug
Secretariat, Paraguay’s anti-narcotics department
of the national police, to take advantage of the
knowledge U.S. medics acquired during their
experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. “They’re
doing plenty of real-world missions right now and
this training will greatly assist the Paraguayan
forces in saving lives and maintaining a combat-
ready force,” said Sgt. 1st Class Efrain Perez,
operations and plans noncommissioned officer
for U.S. Army South’s assistant chief of staff for
medicine.
T 
 he Paraguayan military and security
forces maneuver routinely in operations against
guerilla organizations such as the Paraguayan
People’s Army, an insurgency group operating in
remote areas of the country, or against narcotics
cartels.
In a struggle against deadly opposition, the
Paraguayans hope the combat medical care
knowledge gained in the exchange can literally
be the difference between life and death. Each
2-week class started with classroom instruction

28 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
detailing critical skills such as checking a
casualty for wounds, treating for shock, applying
tourniquets and how to administer IVs. Later, the
students were tasked with taking the knowledge
learned and applying it in a simulated firefight.
“The Soldiers who are training in this exchange
are teammates,” said 1st Lt. Pablo Solis, Joint
Battalion of Special Forces for Paraguay. “Within
a team, trust is essential. This information they
have learned during these classes will allow our
Soldiers to operate with the utmost trust in each
other’s ability to perform expedient medical care in
the event we sustain casualties during operations.”
Moving in small, five-man teams, each group was
asked to engage the enemy, move to a simulated
casualty, assess the fallen soldier, and treat and
evacuate him under fire
To add to the reality of the training, the
Paraguayan air force agreed to support the
exchange by providing aerial MEDEVACs via a
UH-1 Huey helicopter. The medics that boarded
the aircraft with the simulated casualty were
tasked with securing the wounded soldier, then
administering an IV catheter while the helicopter
was in flight. In these scenarios, seconds mean
lives. As the teams maneuvered through their
tests, confidence grew and the actions performed
became less about trying to solve a new puzzle,
and more about muscle memory
Army South conducts several medical SMEEs
throughout the year with numerous partner nation
forces within the command’s area of responsibility.
These exchanges allow each army to gain a deep
appreciation for one another and build cohesive
practices that allow for a smooth transition should
the need arise for a multinational coalition force
to deploy. “It’s important to conduct exchanges
like this to maintain our relationship with Paraguay
and at the same time pass along information that
can make a significant impact for both of our
countries,” said Perez. “New global challenges
require combined efforts from different forces
from different countries,” said Solis. “This
exchange provides us an opportunity to learn from
each other so that we can work well together in
the future.” v

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 29
 BY JEFFREY SISTO, NSRDEC PUBLIC AFFAIRS
R
esearchers at the U.S. Army Natick
Soldier Research, Development and
Engineering Center are developing
a pocket-sized aerial surveillance device for
Soldiers and small units operating in challenging
ground environments. The Cargo Pocket
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
program, or CP-ISR, seeks to develop a mobile
Soldier sensor to increase the situational
awareness of dismounted Soldiers by providing
real-time video surveillance of threat areas within
their immediate operational environment. While
larger systems have been used to provide over-
the-hill ISR capabilities on the battlefield for
almost a decade, none of those delivers it directly
to the squad level, where Soldiers need the
ability to see around the corner or into the next
room during combat missions. When Soldiers
and small units need to assess the threat in a
village, or in thick canopy terrain where traditional
ISR assets cannot penetrate, the CP-ISR can
be deployed to provide that capability. “The
Cargo Pocket ISR is a true example of an applied
systems approach for developing new Soldier
capabilities,” said Dr. Laurel Allender, acting
NSRDEC technical director. “It provides an
integrated capability for the Soldier and small
unit for increased situational awareness and
understanding with negligible impact on Soldier
load and agility.” NSRDEC engineers investigated
existing commercial off-the-shelf technologies
to identify a surrogate CP-ISR system. Prox
Dynamics’ PD-100 Black Hornet, a palm-sized
miniature helicopter weighing only 16 grams, has
the ability to fly up to 20 minutes while providing
real-time video via a digital data link from one
of the three embedded cameras and operates
remotely with GPS navigation. Tiny, electric
propellers and motors make the device virtually
30 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
undetectable to subjects under surveillance. The
size, weight and image-gathering capabilities
of the system are promising advancements that
fulfill the burgeoning requirement for an organic,
squad-level ISR capability, but more work still
needs to be done. Several efforts are underway to
develop three different aspects of the technology
to ensure it is ready for the Soldier and small unit.
The first of these efforts is focused on a redesign
of the digital data link to achieve compatibility
with U.S. Army standards. The second focuses
on developing and integrating advanced payloads
for low-light imaging, allowing for indoor and night
operations. Lastly, researchers are continuing
to develop and enhance guidance, navigation
and control, or GNC, algorithms for the CP-ISR
surrogate system. This will allow the airborne
sensor to operate in confined and indoor spaces,
such as when Soldiers advance from room to
room as they are clearing buildings. In November
2014, NSRDEC will collaborate with the Maneuver
Center of Excellence, the Army Research
Laboratory and other organizations to support the
Army Capabilities Integration Center’s Manned
Unmanned Teaming (Ground) Limited Objective
Experiment, or LOE, by demonstrating the current
capabilities of mobile Soldier sensors. While the
final system could be different from the surrogate
system, NSRDEC is focused on proving the basic
capability first. v
 STORY BY ALEX MLADENOV
PHOTOS BY ANDREY ZINCHUK / OAO KAMOV

32 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 33
 The coaxial rotor configuration creates lift and in
the same time eliminates the torque reaction and
the resultant requirement for a tail rotor.
COAXIAL V. CONVENTIONAL
The coaxial rotor configuration creates lift, and
at the same time eliminates the torque reaction
and the resultant requirement for a tail rotor.
Two identical three-blade main rotors, installed
on a common rotor mast (often referred to by
the Russians as a rotor column) turn in opposite
directions, mutually canceling the torque – thanks
to their common axis of rotation. In this way,
torque is countered without any loss of power.
In conventional helicopters (those using the
so-called classic main and tail rotor system), the
tail rotor is used to counter torque reaction (the
so-called reactive momentum), which is created
by the main rotor, which tries to turn the fuselage
in the opposite direction.
In “conventional” helicopters, any change in
power (and associated change in the amount
of lift created by the rotor system) results in an
imbalance of yaw, which must be countered by
application of “pedal” to control the pitch (and
thus thrust) of the tail rotor. Pilots of conventional
helicopters are required to adjust the thrust
created by the tail rotor constantly in order
to keep the helicopter balanced all the time,
and this design feature incurs a number of
negative consequences.
From an energy point of view, the optimal
design would provide all available power for lift
and propulsive force in any given flight regime.
Comparing coaxial and conventional designs
(assuming the same power is consumed for
auxiliary needs such as generators and hydraulic
pumps, etc.), the coaxial system has no losses
since all of the available power is used for
generating lift. However, a conventional design
requires power to drive the tail rotor (typically
between 10 and 12% of the power supplied to
34 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
the main rotor shaft). From a lift point of view, this
power is considered a complete loss.
With a coaxial rotor configuration, there is no
imbalance of yaw with changes in power. The
pedals are used to create a difference in torque
between the two rotors to produce yaw.
The coaxial layout has another useful design
feature related to the hover, where the useful
mutual interference between the rotor systems
reduces the amount of engine power needed. This
welcome effect is caused by the narrowing of the
downwash created by the top rotor (by 15-20%)
and thus the bottom rotor is capable of pushing
down additional air to increase the downwash
cross-section diameter, which requires less power
for a given amount of lift.
Another positive aspect is that the contra-
rotating rotors reduce the energy losses
caused by the downwash twisting, which in
turn reduces the parasite power losses. Flight
test experiments and other research has shown
that coaxial rotors have between six and 10%
better aerodynamic efficiency than conventional
rotor configurations. When this is combined
with the power lost in driving the tail rotor, the
overall efficiency advantage of the coaxial over
conventional configurations is between 16 and
22%. In practical terms, this advantage translates
into a static ceiling of 1,600-3,200 ft (500-1,000m)
higher, and a rate of climb between 780 and
980 ft/min (4-5 m/sec) faster than conventionally
configured machines.
As might be expected, the notably taller rotor
mast of coaxial helicopters creates more drag.
However, flight tests of helicopters performing
the same role, such as the Mi-28 (conventional)
and Ka-50 (coaxial), have demonstrated that
there is no difference between these two types
 The KA 52 is used for both
landborne and waterborne
operations in support of
Special Forces.

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 35
A KA-27 about to
land on a Russian
Navy ship off the
coast of Siberia.
in the power settings required to maintain the
same forward speeds. This can be explained by
the phenomenon of positive mutual interference
of both rotors in horizontal flight – the so-called
“biplane box” of the coaxial system, which results
in a fraction less power being required to create lift
(so-called inductive power). In addition, the coaxial
scheme has none of the power losses associated
with driving a tail rotor, or any of the additional
drag created by the tail rotor (especially in relation
to the negative interference between the tail rotor
and the fin), or the additional drag created by the
forced sideslip inherent to the flight behavior of
conventional helicopters (in order to eliminate
this sideslip a pilot has the option of banking the
helicopter). It is also possible to reduce the drag
of the coaxial helicopter further by incorporating
a retractable undercarriage – a feature of the
36 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
Ka-50/52, which has the same top speed as that
of its conventional counterpart, the Mi-28A/28N.
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
The coaxial rotor scheme allows for
smaller dimensions and weights than those of
conventional designs. In the case of coaxial and
conventional helicopters of identical weights, with
identical engine power, the overall dimensions of
the coaxial machine can be made around 35-40%
smaller.
Among the factors contributing to the reduction
in overall dimensions is the ability to reduce rotor
diameter in the more efficient coaxial system. With
no tail rotor, a coaxial machine also needs no tail
boom and associated transmission components
extending beyond the main rotor’s diameter.
If a coaxial and conventional helicopter were
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 37
38 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 39
 to have main rotors of the same diameter, as a
rule, the latter would have a lower take-off weight
because of the lower aerodynamic efficiency
and the power loss associated with the tail rotor
assembly. With the need to mount and drive its
tail rotor, the conventional helicopter’s dimensions
would be approximately 20% larger than those of
the coaxial design with the same rotor diameter.
STABILITY AND CONTROLLABILITY
PERFORMANCE
The coaxial helicopter also boasts less
longitudinal and directional inertial momentum,
which in turn provides better stability and
controllability performance.
The most important consideration in assessing
the stability and controllability performance of
the coaxial helicopter relates to its aerodynamic
symmetry. This can be explained by the fact that
the aircraft’s aerodynamic symmetry provides
a set of important handling qualities, and most
importantly, simplicity of control.
Symmetry is clearly evident in fixed-wing
aircraft, which all have symmetrical properties
in terms of dimensions, weight and thrust. It is
difficult to imagine fixed-wing aircraft with different
wings or powered by engines developing different
thrust. Should this be the case, such a non-
40 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
symmetrical aircraft would have to fly either
with bank or sideslip, and the relationships
(couplings) arising from the alterations in thrust,
directional and lateral balancing would make
its handling unusual and difficult compared to
symmetrical machines.
Nevertheless, most helicopter makers
worldwide have embraced the non-symmetrical
(conventional) design because of a perceived
simplicity, which in fact is illusory, as it is a
complex and costly undertaking to design
an effective tail rotor and transmission with
acceptable service-life and performance.
The aerodynamic symmetry of the coaxial
design is possible thanks to the lack of torque
reaction on the helicopter’s fuselage, with the
relative proximity of the top and bottom rotors, and
their positive mutual interference resulting in small
differences in the lift they create in a balanced
position. The contra-rotating rotors compensate
for each other and the lateral momentum created
by the difference in the height of the rotors is
negligible. With no tail rotor, there is no permanent
lateral disruptive influence acting on the stabilizer,
which in a conventional helicopter influences its
stability and controllability.
The coaxial design provides a harmonic
combination of effective control and aerodynamic
dampening to give good controllability. There is
no relationship (coupling) between pitch and yaw
control inputs because all the control channels
(pitch, bank and yaw) are independent of each
other. As a consequence, the coaxial helicopter is
sufficiently simple to control and can be flown by
pilots of limited experience.
The coaxial helicopter is also free from the
relationship (coupling) between the change
of power (cyclic) and the controllability in yaw
and bank. By contrast, any maneuver in a
conventional helicopter that involves changes
in engine power settings (such as accelerating
or decelerating, changing altitude, steep turns,
etc.) are accompanied by overbalancing in yaw,
which the pilot has to counter with either bank or
sideslip. The continual changes in the relationship
between movement in the vertical and horizontal
planes make handling complex and requires
skilled, trained pilots. These characteristics of
conventional helicopters make their handling much
more complex at low level such as when landing
in small spaces, and when flying in hot and high
environments or emergency situations.
By comparison, coaxial helicopters are
relatively simple to control; in terms of stability,
controllability and maneuverability, they have
significant advantages over their conventional
counterparts. The well-known Kamov test pilot
Nikolay Bezdetnov (who flew the Ka-50 during its
maiden hovering and forward flights) describes
flying a coaxial helicopter as being “as easy as
the walking on the street, thus freeing all human
resources for solving tactical tasks.”
MANEUVERABILITY
The combat effectiveness of an attack
helicopter is defined by many factors, but
maneuverability is undoubtedly among the most
important of these. The maneuverability, in turn,
is closely related to stability and controllability.
Controllability performance is defined as the
relationship between the movements of the
controls and the resultant changes in helicopter
movement parameters, while stability describes
the acceptability and simplicity of controlling
the helicopter. In the combat aircraft world,
maneuverability describes the ability to place an
aircraft (whether for attack or defense) into the
most advantageous spatial position relative to the
target. This requires changes in both the flight-
path and the angular position of the aircraft relative
to that flight-path.
During any maneuver, two different tasks have
to be solved simultaneously – the first is to move
in the desired direction, while the second involves
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 41
This KA32 spends
most of its time
working the oilfields of
Northern Siberia.
achieving the required altitude relative to the
target. In real-world maneuvering, these two tasks
are solved together, but when the maneuvers are
analyzed they can be considered as separate
components.
A change in direction can be accomplished by
curving the flight-path (pulling ‘g’) or alternatively,
by utilizing “flat” maneuvers in which a significant
amount of sideslip is used. The “flat” maneuvers
are among the helicopter’s bag of tricks and
relate to its hover and low-speed flight abilities.
The helicopter’s best-known “flat” maneuver is
its ability to change its nose direction rapidly
while maintaining a hover. Kamov designers
maintain that the use of “flat” maneuvers in
combat gives the helicopter significant tactical
advantages. In this regard, it is noteworthy that
the coaxial helicopter has virtually unlimited
capability to perform “flat” maneuvers, as the
coaxial layout endows it with unique handling
and maneuvering advantages over conventional
helicopters. The coaxial design provides all the
42 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
required functionality related to the generation
of lift and propulsive forces as well as achieving
controllability in yaw, bank and pitch. In general,
the control system is independent of the angle of
sideslip. In combination with the lack of tail rotor,
this enables the coaxial helicopter to demonstrate
virtually unlimited ability to perform “flat”
maneuvers at high angles of sideslip.
By contrast, a conventional helicopter is limited
in its sideslip performance because any change
in sideslip incurs changes in the tail rotor’s angle
of attack, which disturbs its work especially in
high-speed flight. There is a limit to how much a
tail rotor can flap before becoming a serious flight
safety threat, as there is the possibility of collision
between the tail rotor blades and the tail boom
structure (there are no effective flapping limiters to
counter a sharp increase in sideslip). In addition,
the stress on the tail rotor increases sharply with
the increase in flapping, and this is also a limiting
factor for the amount of sideslip permitted.
With no tail rotor to consider, and the
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HELIOPS FRONTLINE 43
 Two of the Kamov
Co-Axial brigade fly in
formation, the KA52
leading the KA27.
independence (decoupling) of the directional
control system from the sideslip angle, the coaxial
helicopter can achieve a considerable angle of
sideslip (with a high onset rate). In addition, the
vertical fin and stabilizers of the coaxial helicopters
do not impose any limitation on sideslip
performance, because their design takes into
account the possible changes in the entire sideslip
envelope (up to 180 degrees).
The Ka-50 is reported to have introduced
and mastered a brand-new “flat” turn maneuver
featuring sideslip angles of up to 180 degrees left
and right at speeds of up to 48–54 kts (90–100km/
h), while in a high-speed flight, the maximum
permitted sideslip is 90 degrees, in which case the
bank angle is close to zero.
The “flat” turn is a combat maneuver that
allows the helicopter to point its fixed weapons
towards a target in the shortest possible time. As
a consequence, it no longer requires the helicopter
to have a heavy and complex turret for pointing
the gun in different directions. In addition, the
44 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
“flat” turn expands the envelope for employing the
rocket armament. Overall, this maneuver offers
significant agility advantages against either air or
ground targets.
The absence of a tail rotor gives another
notable advantage, namely the ability to utilize
all the effectiveness of the aircraft’s directional
control system to attain high yaw rates. The over-
effective directional control system of conventional
helicopters cannot be used to its full extent
because of tail-boom strength and aerodynamic
limits.
Coaxial helicopters also incorporate rudders
in their directional control systems. This increases
(smooth) control effectiveness in high-speed flight
and also contributes to increased maneuverability
and agility. A pilot can easily apply full left or right
pedal, at a high rate, which ensures rapid onset
and high angular rates of turn.
Altitude does not have the effect on the
directional controllability of coaxial helicopters
that it does on conventional helicopters, which are
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 Combat effectiveness of an attack helicopter type is
being defined by many factors and it is of note that
maneuverability is among the most important of these.
severely affected with increases in altitude. At their
OGE ceiling, conventional helicopters cannot turn
without losing altitude.
The coaxial helicopter can also use the “flat”
turn during take-off and landing irrespective of
wind speed or direction, which means it can land
safely even in a strong tailwind. This can be an
important consideration for landing in confined
spaces or when having to avoid obstacles during
the final part of an approach, providing additional
operational and tactical advantages.
MANEUVERS UNDER ‘G’
There are two aspects to be considered
in relation to g-force when maneuvering – the
maximum allowable g-force and the capability
to pull this g-force effectively. The maximum
permitted g-force takes into consideration the
strength of the main rotor components, alternating
loads and the capabilities of the control system
boosters. It depends on the specifics of the control
system, a helicopter’s overall controllability, the
amount of power available and the responsiveness
of the power-plant, as well as the permissible rotor
rpm. In general, the maximum permitted g-forces
for both coaxial and conventional helicopters are
very similar.
However, the ability to pull g differs between
coaxial and conventional designs because the
controllability performance of the former is much
more effective in pitch, allowing for a faster
pitch and g-force rate. This is possible because
of the smaller inertial momentums of coaxial
helicopters and the larger control momentums
due to the longer arm of application of the forces
to the rotor hubs because of the spacing between
them. This feature also allows rapid changes
in flight-path without speed loss. Conventional
helicopters have a slower entry into a maneuver
46 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
and the subsequent increase in g-force reduces
speed further.
This particular feature of the coaxial helicopter
enables more effective and safer entry into a
dive. During this maneuver, the cyclic is pushed
forward, the g-force is reduced, the flight-path
is curved down and the fuselage pitch rate
increases. At this point, the pilot is required to
reduce the pitch rate by pulling the cyclic, and as
a result the blades tend to develop a noticeable
flapping. If pitch controllability is poor, as is the
case with many conventional helicopter models, it
is possible for the main rotor blades to collide with
the tail boom in this flight condition. There have
been many accidents directly attributable to this
phenomenon in conventional rotorcraft.
HORIZONTAL MANEUVERS
Maneuvers in the horizontal plane are divided
into straight-line and curved maneuvers. The
commonest straight-line maneuvers include
accelerations and decelerations, which in combat
situations are performed close to the ground. For
a combat helicopter, the ability to move rapidly
from one point to another while flying in close
proximity to the ground enhances survivability
significantly. Coaxial helicopters boast significant
advantages in low-speed horizontal maneuvering
which enhances both their combat effectiveness
and survivability. These advantages are possible
because of the greater excess power available to
pilots of coaxial helicopters – due to the absence
of a tail rotor – and the better aerodynamic
efficiency of the coaxial rotors compared to
conventional systems. As a result, coaxial designs
accelerate faster from the hover and take less time
to reach the best tactical speed in any direction.
The maximum allowable speeds sideways and
rearwards also define a helicopter’s capability to
Other Russian attack helicopters
also employ conventional rotor
systems such as the Mil Mi-28N,
a pretty formidable foe.
move from one point to another expeditiously,
which can be an important consideration in
combat conditions. The coaxial helicopter can
leave the hover in any direction as fast as the
maximum speed of control-travel allows. In
contrast, the conventional helicopter is constrained
by the limitations of a tail rotor.
Curved maneuvers in the horizontal-plane are
subdivided into coordinated turns (performed in
the same way on both coaxial and conventional
helicopters), and the brand-new maneuver called
“voronka” (pit). The tactical significance of the
latter is that it allows a helicopter to remain over
a target for a prolonged time while aiming and
firing its weapons accurately, despite a negative
pitch angle. Normally, a negative pitch angle would
result in forward acceleration away from the target
which would require multiple firing passes, lower
the probability of striking the target and increase
the chances of enemy air defenses shooting the
helicopter down.
The “voronka” is a pure combat maneuver,
which can be performed effectively by a coaxial
helicopter only. It is performed at speeds between
54 and 100 kts (100 and 180 km/h), with negative
pitch ranging from 30–35°, and in fact can be
regarded as a turn with a significant amount
of sideslip, in which pitch and bank angles
exchange places. During the maneuver, the
resultant component of the rotor lift parallel to
the horizontal plane points towards the center of
the “pit cone” and is compensated by the inertial
forces created by turning the helicopter in a circle
with a sideslip angle of 90°. The “voronka” is only
possible because of the coaxial helicopter’s ability
to sustain significant sideslip angles and move
sideways at high speeds.
Another curved horizontal-plane maneuver
is the forced turn used for changing direction
rapidly. It can be used effectively in ground target-
firing runs as well as in air combat in the forward
hemisphere (head-on). The coaxial helicopter can
apply a significant amount of sideslip in the forced
turn, which increases its effectiveness. This is
because the coaxial design has no limitations in
bank rates and can perform a turn with a bank
angle of up to 60° in order to have a smaller turn
radius. Pulling such a bank angle in a short time is
not possible for conventional helicopters because
of bank rate limitations imposed by the tail rotor.
Coaxial helicopters also have significant
advantages when performing all “three
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 47
48 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 49
The traditional rotor
system of the Mil-17.
dimensional” maneuvers, especially turning while
in climbing, when large amount of sideslip angle
and high yaw rates are required. When performing
3-D maneuvers, coaxial helicopters can reach
pitch angles of up to 90° and bank angles of
between 130 and 140°.
It is also worth noting that the combination
of the aerodynamic symmetry, stability and
maneuverability makes it possible to design
highly-effective and reliable automatic stabilization
and control systems for coaxial helicopters,
which enables automation of a number of flight
modes – including fairly complex ones. One of the
most complex flight regimes is “terrain following”
utilizing obstacle data provided by a nose-
mounted radar and a digital map. It is possible to
automate this function in a coaxial helicopter to
allow it to follow terrain and avoid obstacles under
the control of an autopilot – a potentially significant
aid for a combat pilot in an area saturated with air-
defense weapons.
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
The higher rotor disk loading inherent in coaxial
designs would suggest inferior autorotation
performance to conventional helicopters.
However, data from flight tests reveal that the
minimum descent speeds in autorotation of
coaxial helicopters, compared to conventional
50 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
counterparts of equal disc loading, are lower. This
can be explained by the “biplane effect” of the
coaxial rotors, which causes less inductive power
loss. In addition, in the autorotation mode, the
tail rotor of conventional helicopters consumes
some power, which in turn leads to an increase
in the rate of descent. As a result, there is a little
difference between the descent rates of coaxial
and conventional helicopter models.
In real-world conditions, a coaxial attack
helicopter has a descent rate between 8–10%
greater than a conventional helicopter in the same
class with lower disk loading, but the difference is
not considered to be significant in terms of landing
performance. This is because coaxial helicopters
are much easier to control in landing with their better
controllability. Coaxial helicopters flare with a faster
pitch rate because of their better controllability
in pitch and their smaller overall dimensions. In
addition, they have a slower landing speed than
conventional helicopters because of the lower flaring
altitude. Slower landing speeds contribute to a safer
landing, especially in rough terrain.
The coaxial design also has better directional
stability in autorotation. Real world auto-rotations
are performed with rotor rpm between 3-4% cent
lower than conventional helicopters, which in turn
reduces the rate of descent by 400–590 ft/min
(2–3 m/s).
frontline
TAP
FOR MORE
INFO
The newest addition
to the Kamov Co-Axial
family is the KA226.

52 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
VORTEX RING STATE
Flight tests, wind tunnel tests and experiments
in Russia (initially the Soviet Union) in relation
to vortex ring state have demonstrated that
both coaxial and conventional designs have
approximately similar behavior.
FLIGHT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
When comparing the flight safety specifics
of coaxial and conventional helicopters,
numerous factors such as reliability, fail-
safe qualities, fatigue resistance and combat
survivability must be considered. It is worth
noting the importance of the “human factor”
in ensuring safe flight operations. In this regard,
the coaxial design has the advantages of
inherent simplicity of control, better controllability
and maneuverability performance, as well
as higher aerodynamic performance than its
conventional counterpart.
Another flight-safety factor is the helicopter’s
dimensions, where the coaxial design also enjoys
an advantage. A smaller helicopter has better
flight safety performance when flying close to
obstacles or at low altitude, which is a very
important consideration for combat helicopters.
The dimensions of the coaxial design depend on
the rotor system’s diameter, so it is considerably
less likely that a coaxial helicopter will damage
either its horizontal stabilizer or fin when flying
close to obstacles. Moreover, the loss of a
stabilizer or fin – for instance, in a hard landing
following autorotation – would not affect
subsequent flight safety.
In contrast, the loss of a tail rotor in a
conventional helicopter would be likely to cause a
crash – or at least a near-crash situation.
It is sometimes claimed that a potential
drawback of the coaxial layout is the possibility
of a collision between the blades of the two
rotors. However, the rotors have been designed in
such a way (i.e. of semi-rigid type and separated
widely) as to avoid this happening. This has been
borne out in flight and ground testing, and based
on its experimental work, the Kamov Company
concludes that there is no probability of blade
collision within the entire flight envelope cleared
for operations – even including aerobatic flight.
Opponents of the coaxial configuration often
claim that coaxial helicopters cannot perform
right turns because of the danger of closure of
the blades of the top and bottom rotors. However,
Kamov designers insist that the Ka-50 can turn
in either direction, with high rates of control input
of either pedal, and that the aircraft can perform
“flat” turns, forced turns, climbing turns, climbing
or descending spirals, or turns in a dive. They
say there are no limitations when applying either
pedal to its stops, and accordingly, there are no
limitations imposed for either right or left turns.
In contrast, conventional helicopters all suffer
from the well-known inability to use full pedal
travel because of the limitations imposed by the
tail rotor design. v
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 53
54 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
BY CPL. CODEY UNDERWOOD

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 55
 T
he rotors chomp through a screen of dust
as the CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter
leaps into the sky to conduct an area
familiarization of Twentynine Palms as part of
Integrated Training Exercise 4-14 on June 8, 2014.
The pilots and Marines with Marine Medium
Helicopter Squadron 774, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing,
Marine Forces Reserve, deep in austere desert
and surrounded by more than 100 square miles of
barren training area, shook off the year-old rust to
refresh their piloting proficiency.
ITX 4-14, the largest Marine Corps Reserve
training exercise with more than 4,000 Marines and
sailors participating from units across the United
States, focuses on aggregating forces from all
over the nation for two weeks to train. This helps
demonstrate the ability to rapidly assemble and
employ the Marine Air-Ground Task Force for global
contingency operations. The area familiarization
was the first flight operation during the two-week
exercise and the first time the pilots had flown in a
desert environment since last year’s ITX.
“The crawl–walk-run methodology was used
for today, being the first day of flight (operations)
during the exercise,” said Capt. Stacy Martinez,
a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter pilot with HMM-
774. “(The pilots) had to practice landing on the
unimproved surface before we conduct training
with Marines in the back of the bird.”
Taking off and landing in a desert
environment introduces the pilots to many new and
unfamiliar obstacles. The unit is based out
of Norfolk, Virginia, where the training areas
have improved surfaces such as flat ground and
solid pavement.
“Generally, back at Norfolk, our landings are on
solid ground, whether it is a flight line or a grassy
field,” said Martinez. “Everything is a perishable
skill. Just because we did it last year doesn’t mean
that we can do it smoothly today.”
The differences between the two training areas
are night and day to the pilots. The Sea Knights
kick up pounds of dust while landing in the harsh
unimproved desert, blocking the pilot’s view of the
landing area.
“This area is drier, dustier and much harder to
see than where we normally train,” said Lance Cpl.
John Buckly, a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter crew
chief with HMM-774. “The pilots have to rely on the
other Marines in the aircraft to watch for obstacles
blocking the (landing zone).”
As battalions and squadrons progress through
the training, they are required to integrate together
as a cohesive team though shared planning,
briefing, rehearsals, execution and debriefing.
This interaction builds inherent understanding
that Marines must possess in order to fight as a
complete MAGTF. v

56 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 57
 BY SGT. MELISSA KARNATH

58 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 59
 F
our CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters of
Marine Helicopter Squadron One took
to the air for the final time from Marine
Corps Air Facility Quantico July 16, 2014.
T 
 he dual-
propeller aircraft were flown to Florida where they
will be transferred to the State Department. “
 The
46 is one of those aircrafts that’s probably the
most stable platform that you can find using
tandem rotors,” said John Morgenstern, the
field service engineer for HMX-1 for the last 50
years. “The tandem rotors allow the weight of the
aircraft to be evenly distributed between each
rotor.”
M

 arines affectionately named the aircraft the
“Phrog” from its appearance resembling a frog.
T 
 he
aircraft’s use spans from the Vietnam War through
the Iraq War.
The “Phrog” functions as a rotary wing work
horse — moving troops, supplies and equipment,
and conducting search and rescue missions. The
“Phrog” was used to recover Army Private Jessica
Lynch, a prisoner of war, from Iraq in 2003.
T 
 he
“Phrog” has been a versatile and effective
aircraft for the Marine Corps due to some unique
characteristics.
“
 There is no tail rotor. So you can
land on ice and not slide, Morgenstern said. “The
46 can also land one end on the side of a mountain
and hover the opposite end. “
 You can’t do that
with many airplanes.”
D 
 uring the last decade the
newer and more modern MV-22B Osprey has all
but completely replaced the venerable “Phrog.”
60 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
T

 he Osprey is a dual-tilt rotor aircraft, which
can take off, hover and land like a helicopter, but
achieve high speed by flying like a fixed winged
aircraft. It features a high fuel efficiency, a longer
travel distance than the Sea Knight and has dual
characteristics which allow it to perform a vast
number of missions.
“
 We all knew the MV-22B was
coming,” said Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Green, a CH-46
crew chief with the squadron.
“A lot of us ‘Phrog’ guys had a hard time
letting go. Many Marines lateral moved to work
with M-22s or other aircraft communities.”
F 
 or
approximately 50 years the squadron has been
using the “Phrog” to provide direct support for
its most esteemed mission — to provide direct
support to the president of the United States.
The squadron is also the primary Operational
Test and Evaluation unit for Marine assault
support helicopters and related equipment, which
supports the Marine Corps Combat Development
Command. W 
 hen the last CH-46 from the
squadron departed on its final flight at sunrise with
Green and Morgenstern were aboard.


“Knowing it will be the last time I start up the
aircraft, knowing it will be the last time I taxi out,
the last time I can hang out one of these windows,
it is one of those things you treasure,” Green said.
“When that goes away, it’s gone, and it’s never
similar to any other platform — it will never be the
same experience as a Phrog.” v
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 61
 All helicopter pilots understand the piloting
difficulties inherent in aerial winching and
hoisting operations. In the past, however,
the dangers of “shock-loading” helicopter
lift devices were not so well understood.
CHRIS SMALLHORN examines the issue and
explains why shock loading is something
that all operators need to understand.

62 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
62
 THE DANGERS
OF SHOCK-LOADING

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 63
63

T
here was a time, not so long
ago, when the critical risks
associated with the shock
loading of helicopter hoist wires were
not appreciated. I recently spoke
with a colleague who has worked
as a crewman in military and civilian
helicopters for more years than he
cares to remember. He told me of
some of his early experiences doing
cliff winching where taking shock
loads on the hoist was not all that
uncommon. While not intentional, a
slip of a person from a cliff edge, over-
control of the aircraft in poor visual
conditions or perhaps over-eager
winching techniques with some of
the older equipment, often resulted in
sudden application of excessive loads,
otherwise known as “shock loading.”
The associated risks and just as
importantly, why the risks exist – were
not taught in training. After another
colleague suggested that an article on
shock loading during winching may
be of value to both military and civilian
helicopter operators, I subsequently
fielded a question with regard to fast
roping military teams from a rope
64 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
64
A crewman prepares to
deploy a diver from a
French Navy helo during
maritime exercises.
attached to a winch hook, and I said
to myself, “Why not jot down some
thoughts about shock loading during
hoist operations?” Let it not be said
that I can’t read the tea leaves!
I would like to think that throughout
the helicopter industry, the cautions
relating to shock loading during
winching or hoisting have become
well known. Even if this is so, one can
never have too much information on the
“whys?” and “what fors?” applicable
to our craft. Hoisting of personnel from
beneath a helicopter is a risky business
at the best of times. To minimize
the risks it is the responsibility of all
operators to understand them, and
more importantly, to understand what
mitigations are available, whether by
way of technique or engineering.
ENGINEERING
So what exactly is shock loading?
Let’s look at a few common engineering
terms used in cable dynamics and
loads. A cable has what is called in
the engineering world a Working Load
Limit (WLL) which is the maximum
load that should ever be applied under
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 65
65
 The HH60 Pavehawk is a much
sought after CSAR asset for
the USAF and is seen here
during training in Afghanistan.
any conditions. Note however, that
the WLL is based on the load being
uniformly applied in a straight line
pull. The Flight Manual rated loads
applied for operations takes this into
account and you may be reasonably
assured that the load limit in your Flight
Manual is significantly less that the
cable WLL. The “Breaking Strength”
is an average loading at which cable
samples were found to break under
laboratory conditions, in straight line
pull, using a constantly and predictable
increasing load. The Breaking Strength
is not used for design or cable load
rating purposes – the WLL is used
instead. Shock Loads are those loads
which exceed the static (or simple
hanging/straight line) load, caused
by rapid movement changes such as
swinging loads, impacting or jerking. I
would assume that all readers who are
somewhat experienced in hoisting or
winching missions are thinking, “Yep,
I’ve seen each of those at some time.”
Steel cables, such as those used
on helicopter hoists, are actually like
a rope, in that they stretch – although
to a far lesser degree. The amount of
stretch is directly proportional to the
length of cable deployed and the load
66 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
66
being carried. The more cable that is
deployed and the greater the load, the
more physical stretch is exhibited by
the cable. The more stretch that the
cable is capable of undergoing, the
more it is able to absorb shock loading.
In short, the more cable deployed
the more the cable can absorb shock
loading, and the shorter the cable,
the more susceptible the cable will
be to damage or catastrophic failure
from shock loading. This brings up an
important note – arguably the most
critical part of the winching process
where shock loadings may occur is in
the last few feet of the recovery. Here
the rescue crewman and/or survivor
are trying to access the cabin where
it is most likely that a slip or fall may
occur, imparting heavy shock loads to
the cable. Furthermore, the shock loads
in this position are also likely to have
a lateral aspect, with a small swing
developing. Maintaining little to no
slack in the cable is imperative during
this phase of the recovery.
THE MATH
In order to understand the
magnitude of force that can be applied
to a cable under a shock loading
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 67
67
68 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 69
 Figure 1 – Cable
Stretch, 3/16inch
stainless steel cable
Stretch vs Cable Length
Static Mass - 600 lbs, Stretch - 0.334%

0 .2 5 0 0

0 .2 0 0 0

Stretch (m)
0 .1 5 0 0

0 .1 0 0 0

0 .0 5 0 0

0 .0 0 0 0
0 15 30 46 61

Payed out Cable Length (m)

condition we must first explore the is a measure of stiffness of the cable

math and physics of the problem.
In order to simplify, we’ll assume
our cable acts like a simple spring.
This is not a leaping assumption, but
an engineering reality. The cable,
like a spring, has a spring constant
defined by the amount of “stretch” or
elongation that will occur for a given
static weight. The spring constant
and is a fixed value for any given length
of cable. A typical helicopter winch
cable is a wound 3/16 inch steel
cable. A reasonable figure to work
with for our purposes is that the cable
will stretch approximately 0.334% of
the payed out cable length with a static
600lb (272.15kg) mass hanging from
the hook.

The spring constant is calculated from two fairly simple (metric) formulae:
F = k*x
or
k = F/x
where
F = Force (in Newtons, N)
Shock Loads k = spring constant (in Newton per meters, Nm-2)
are those loads x = cable stretch or elongation (in meters, m)

which exceed Note that mass must be converted to force – so:

the static (or F = m*a (Newton’s Law)
simple hanging/ where:
F = Force in Newtons (N)
straight line) m = mass in kilograms (kg)
a = acceleration in meters per second squared (ms-2) and in the case of a
load, caused by mass being affected by gravity, the acceleration value equals 9.8066 ms-2.
rapid movement
Our 272.15 kg mass therefore equates to a force of:
changes such F = 272.15 * 9.8066 = 2668.87 N
as swinging For a 61 meter (200ft) cable with 0.334% cable stretch, the cable will
loads, impacting stretch 0.2032 meters (8 inches)

or jerking. Therefore, for that 61m cable:

k = F/x = 2668.87 / 0.2032 = 13134.18 Nm

70 HELIOPS FRONTLINE

Spring Constant vs Cable Length
70000
Spring Constant (N/m)
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
0 10
If we plot force v. elongation, the
slope of the curve remains linear until
the cable reaches its elastic load
limit. The elastic limit is the point at
which the cable will no longer return
to its original length after a load is
removed. At the elastic load the cable
is said to “yield”. Now, unlike a natural
fiber rope, steel once it has yielded,
actually elongates faster for a given
increase in load than it did before yield.
Therefore, exceeding a yield limit in a
steel cable is not where we want to be,
and manufacturers fortunately ensure
the yield limit is sufficiently high that
our static loads don’t come close.
Accordingly, we need only consider
the linear portion of the curve. Note
that the spring constant, k, varies for
a given length of cable. The graph at
Figure 1 shows the amount of stretch
or elongation for a static 600-lb
(272.15 kg) mass for varying lengths
of payed out cable. Using equation 1
(opposite page), Figure 2 shows the
The amount of force required to affect a given
amount of stretch will increase dramatically for a
shorter length of cable, as there is less available
cable to stretch.
Figure 2 – Spring
Constant, 3/16inch
stainless steel cable
20 30 40 50 60 70
Cable Length (m)
spring constant (k) for varying lengths
of payed out cable. Note that the
spring constant becomes exponentially
larger, the shorter the payed out length
of cable, which makes sense as the
amount of force required to affect a
given amount of stretch will increase
dramatically for a shorter length of
cable, as there is less available cable
to stretch.
So as you can see, there is very
little stretch in a cable, and critically,
the amount of stretch is significantly
less when the cable is shorter; but
what little there is, is all important in the
business of absorbing shock loading.
The more stretch, the more energy
absorption the cable can facilitate.
The level of stretch controls the critical
issue of deceleration of a mass once a
shock load is “taken up.” That is to say,
the time taken to slow down a load that
is rapidly applied to a cable is less – the
shorter the cable. The longer the cable,
the more spring is evident, hence it will
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 71

take slightly longer to slow down the
load. The resultant rate of deceleration
is all important when it comes to the
magnitude of shock load that is applied
to the cable. The magnitude of the
loads can be extraordinary, as we will
now calculate.
The term “shock loading” is, in the
purist sense, a little misleading – but
suitable for our purpose. If we think of a
shock occurring in a very short period
of time, that is in a fraction of a second,
then we are on the right track. When a
mass falls it builds energy. The mass is
accelerating towards the ground, and
for the short periods we are talking
about, drag and friction are negligible.
The mass accelerates towards the
ground at the acceleration provided
by gravity, that being approximately
72 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
A Canadian Forces
Cormorant during
winching operations off
the coast of Nova Scotia.
9.8ms-2. So a mass accelerating towards
the ground for ½ a second would be
traveling at approximately 4.9ms-1. Note
that in that 0.5 second the mass would
fall 4 ft (1.2 m), which is pretty extreme.
Provided good cable management
techniques are employed, it is highly
unlikely to occur except possibly on
yacht rescues.
Firstly, let us assume that the
crewman and survivor have fallen for
0.5 of a second, and once the cable
begins to take the load it requires 0.15
seconds to stop the fall, or decelerate
the mass to zero speed. The period
of deceleration will vary depending on
the length of the cable. It is this rapid
deceleration time that causes the shock
loads and the rate of deceleration can
be calculated as follows:
 a = v/t
where
a = acceleration, in this case deceleration (meters per second squared, ms-2)
v = velocity = 4.9 ms-1
t = time = 0.15s
a = 4.9/0.15 = 32.37 ms-2
Remembering that F = m*a
F = 272.15 * 32.37 = 8890.23 N

To put this figure into context, it is the equivalent of 906 kg (1,998.6 lb) of mass,
or 3.33 times the original weight of our crewman and survivor. It is this force, or
load, that the cable must absorb in order to carry the “shock load.”
Note that the deceleration time is critical and will be directly dependent on how
much cable is payed out. In the example above, had the deceleration occurred
in 0.1 second the resultant dynamic force applied to the cable would be the
equivalent of 1,360kg (2,994lb), or five times the original weight.
The calculations above are relatively simple and valid only for the specific
examples discussed. Here we have used simple Newtonian physics to give you
an appreciation of the loads involved. The pure engineer will use work and energy
relationships with a knowledge of cable elasticity. Results using this method will
yield similarly alarming results.
In addition to the effect on the cable and hoist mechanism, an understanding
of these calculations will show how dramatically shock loadings can impact on the
flyability of the aircraft. It is not difficult to imagine the effect of a brief and almost
instantaneous effective weight increase, equivalent to several extra people, applied
to the helicopter when maneuvering in sometimes marginal conditions.

BEYOND THE CABIN

Hopefully, in light of these simple examples, you can appreciate how easily
extraordinary loads can develop. Cable management techniques are critically
important in ensuring that cable damage, or worse still cable failure, does not
occur. In using the term cable management
we should extend this beyond the cockpit/cabin
to the maintenance arena. Like the rest of an
aircraft, the cable is an aeronautical product
that requires detailed and regular inspections,
coupled with a rigid maintenance regime. In my
experience most organizations have got this
aspect well under control. However, here are
some basic “motherhoods” to check off in your
mind and ensure your team is on top of their
game. Cables require:

• Washing and oiling – extremely important in

salt environments
• Regular inspections. Traditionally this has
been done visually looking for broken strands,
kinks, corrosion etc. The visual method is still
important – however equipment that x-rays
the cable while washing and oiling it does the
best job.
• Hoist inspections and pre-flights must include
assessing the unit for smooth running – no
binding or restrictions, and ensuring the cable
winds correctly on the drum.

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 73
 Boats are usually kept
moving forward to ensure
the rotor downwash
doesn’t effect the
winching evolutions.
It is in the cabin, however, that
the “rubber meets the road.” Cable
management is a discipline that must
become second nature to the winch-
and wire-man alike. Ensuring that there
is always minimal cable payed out
(i.e. minimal slack), will go a long way
to reducing the likelihood of a shock
loading incident. Winching directly to
yachts or small boats can be perilous
and should be avoided, particularly
in a rough sea state. The opportunity
for a shock loading incident whilst
conducting winches to a dynamic
vessel provides the opportunity for
snag hazards and sudden weight
application, if the vessel is to drop
away suddenly or the wireman is to slip
or fall overboard. The issue is further
complicated at night, as you might
imagine. Techniques such as Hi-Line
and Floating Line access should be
used wherever possible to reduce the
possibility of a cable snag.
74 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
74
FAST ROPING
Some military and para-military
operators are, through necessity,
attaching the fast rope to the winch
hook – but this is not the preferred
method. It must be underpinned by
rigorous engineering analysis, although
it is unlikely that the manufacturer will
agree that it is a good idea. Typically,
manufacturers do not endorse
abseiling or fast roping from a housed
or extended hook. The ropes used in
these evolutions will absorb much of
the associated loads due to their being
able to stretch. The residual loads,
however, will be transferred directly
to the hook and cable. With very little
extended cable, referring back to our
discussion so far, all of that load and
more will be transferred to the cable.
If this is the only option, and fast
roping or abseiling must be done for
the mission at hand, it is imperative
to approach the manufacturer and

ensure a thorough engineering analysis
has been completed, providing the
necessary safety margins to use this
configuration.
CLUTCHING THE SOLUTION
Hoist systems now coming on to
the market are addressing the issue
through engineering design. Breeze
Eastern, for example, has introduced
a Reactive Overload Clutch (ROC)
that is designed to recognize a shock
loading event and allow the cable to
pay out commensurate with the load
experienced. The best way to think of
this system is that it operates similar to
a drag device on a fishing reel.
Shock loading on cables may not
result in the cable breaking, but will
The distinctive yellow
band designates these
Medevac Blackhawks as
operating in South Korea
along the DMZ between
North and South Korea.
certainly have an affect on the life of the
cable. There is no real way of knowing
how much shock load has been applied
to a cable during its life, or indeed
on any given event. Good SOP is to
educate crews on the dynamics of
shock loading; how to manage it and Shock loading
to report it to maintenance when it on cables may
does occur, so that an on-condition
inspection can be made. The forces not result in the
associated with shock loading can be
cable breaking,
very high and a mismanaged winch
evolution, or snag during a rescue, but will certainly
can easily result in cable breakage. In
that event, at best you’ve lost the SAR
have an affect
asset and can no longer fulfill the task on the life of
at hand – at worst somebody was on
the cable and the dire consequences of
the cable.
that scenario are obvious to all of us. v
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 75

T
he sun is blazing and the weather is
heating up on the peninsula. On some
days, the 90-degree temperature seems
unforgiving. The good news is the Army trains its
forces to defeat the enemy in all elements. Some
units show off that ability as they train to maintain
the winning strategy in a joint venture.
W 
 ith a little
more than a month in country, the 6th Squadron,
17th Cavalry Regiment, with OH-58D Kiowa
Warrior helicopters, spared no time jumping into
the saddle. These cavalrymen drove their spurs
into a joint training mission alongside a combined
arms outfit called the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry
Regiment, based out of Fort Hood, Texas. Both
units recently joined the 2nd Infantry Division on a
nine-month deployment here.
L 
 ike its counterpart
from Texas, the 6-17th Cav. Regt., based out of
Fort Wainwright, Alaska, arrived as a combat
ready force with the mindset to accomplish their
mission here.
“
 The 6-17th Cavalry arrived to the peninsula
fully trained, ready to execute and understand
the Fight Tonight mentality,” said Ltc. Matthew
F. Ketchum, commander of the 6-17th Cav.
Regt. and native of The Dalles, Ore.
B 
 oth units
conducted gunnery at the Multi-Purpose Range
Complex, also known as Rodriguez Range, near
Pocheon, South Korea. They didn’t go at it alone
76 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
BY SGT. 1ST CLASS VINCENT ABRIL
though. The 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion,
2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, a regular at MPRC
with their AH-64D Longbow Apache helicopters
and an organic unit of the 2nd Inf. Div., also trained
with the rotational duo.
Their training began July 1 and continued
for over a week.
T 
 he ground trembled like an
earthquake as tanks and aircraft unleashed a
fury of deadly ordnance on their fictitious enemy.
The realistic training provided a chance to
enhance interoperability among these different
units. “
 It’s definitely a unique opportunity,” said
1st Lt. Demetrios Kolitsos, 1st platoon leader
with Company C, 1-12th Cav. Regt. and native
of Youngtown, Ohio. “It’s been a very good
experience for us thus far. We’ve had a chance
to work with other units out here that we don’t
have much experience with. Korea itself provides
some very unique challenges, and we had an
opportunity to use all of the different assets at our
disposal to meet those challenges.”


One of those assets, the rotary wing aircraft,
played a key role in providing a peace of mind to
the combat arms troops on the ground during the
training scenario.
“
 Working with 1-12th Cavalry, we
were able to display our ability to provide close
combat attack, reconnaissance and security, as
well as the added situational awareness our aerial
perspective can offer a ground force commander.”
said Michael A. Krivensky, commander of Troop A,
6-17th Cav. Regt. and native of Northern Virginia.
“It was a tremendous opportunity to enhance our
training with a genuine ground force element in a
combined arms live fire environment.”

 “So far I’ve enjoyed getting to interact with
One Soldier, who maintains these
reconnaissance helicopters, tells of its ability
to lay down the law in training or real world
situations.
“
 When they call in air support, we
deliver,” said Sgt. Alexander J. Arvai, an OH-58D
Kiowa helicopter crew chief with Troop A, 6-17th
Cav. Regt. and native of Atlanta, Ga. “Wherever
they need firepower, that’s what we do. We deliver
2.75mm rockets, 50 caliber rounds or even the
[HELLFIRE missile].”
T 
 he capabilities of these
forces may, without a doubt, enhance the overall
readiness on the Korean peninsula.
These assets, combined with their Republic
of Korea counterparts, could surely enhance this
fighting force through future combined training.
Arvai looks forward to that opportunity on his
agenda here. 

the ROK army,” said Arvai. “They are a great and
proud people. They cherish the freedom that other
people sometimes take for granted, because
they have a threat right across the border. They
train hard, work well and I’m looking forward to
working with them very much.”
T 
 he participating
units completed their training with zero incidences.
They departed the training area, but not for very
long. These units will soon return mission-focused
proudly representing the Indianhead division, as
they conduct full spectrum training across the
Korean peninsula. v
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 77
78 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
BY LANCE CPL. MATTHEW BRAGG

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 79
 M
arines and sailors with Marine Light
Attack Helicopter Squadron 367
maintain a busy workload week in and
week out in Hangar 101 aboard Marine Corps Air
Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
The squadron’s mission is to maintain each
aircraft and complete assigned missions, as well
as maintaining force readiness and be prepared to
deploy at a moment’s notice.
Known as “Scarface,” HMLA-367 is equipped
with two types of aircraft: The AH-1W Super
Cobra helicopter and UH-1Y Huey helicopter. Both
helicopters are equipped with weapons from the
nose to the tail, making “Scarface” a lethal fighting
force in the air.
“Hueys are amazing machines,” said Lance
Cpl. Killian Desbois, a Huey crew chief with
HMLA-367, and a 22-year-old native of Courtland,
Va. “While they’re primarily a utility helicopter
they provide great support with close ground
operations. We can land and insert a small team of
Marines on the battlefield, take off and cover them
with air support.”
Although pilots are the ones flying the aircraft,
they need someone to watch their back, ensure
the aircraft runs as smooth as possible. That’s
where the crew chiefs come in. Every flight is an
important one, so the crew chiefs inspect the
entire aircraft before powering up and taking off.
“As crew chiefs, the most important thing we
do is serve the pilots when we’re in the air,” said
80 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
Lance Cpl. Keith McLaughlin, a Huey crew chief
with HMLA-367, 23, from Santa Fe, Texas. “When
we’re not flying or getting ready to fly, we assist
the pilots in the inspection and maintenance of
each aircraft. It’s our job to make sure everything
is read before takeoff so there aren’t any
unexpected problems when we get in the air.”
As the pilots and crew chiefs launch from the
flight line in their aircraft, maintenance Marines
stay on the ground to help guide the pilots down
the runway to take off.
“Scarface” conducts numerous flight
operations throughout the week to sustain
familiarity with the aircraft.
The squadron has been an integral part of
MCAS Kaneohe Bay operations and the Asia-
Pacific region through its two years of service
aboard the base.
Though the unit is rarely at full capacity and
often stretched thin with personnel, “Scarface”
still manages to complete its required annual
Marine Corps training, flight training and aircraft
inspections as well as participating in various
exercises and deployments.
“With the Marine Corps beginning to shift its
focus back to the west, we’re going to be busy
with plenty of training and operations,” Desbois
explained. “’Scarface’ has only been a part of
MCAS (Kaneohe Bay) for a couple of years, but I
think we’ve already proven we’re a vital asset in
the Pacific.” v
 HELIOPS FRONTLINE 81
 BY SOFIA BLEDSOE

T
he Army completed a significant milestone in helping to maintain stability in
Iraq now that the U.S. military have departed from that theater of operations.
The Project Office for Armed Scout Helicopters, along with several
representatives from different organizations on Redstone Arsenal, made the eighth
delivery of the Iraqi Armed-407 Bell helicopters to Iraq. Three IA-407s were rolled
away from the Science and Engineering Services, Inc., or SESi, hangar and into a
C-17 military transport aircraft flown by the New York Air National Guard, April 3.
This makes the 24th delivery of IA-407 aircraft and their associated support
equipment, to the government of Iraq. Lt. Col. Chris Mills, product manager for
the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter, who is also leading the charge for the
development and management of the Iraqi Armed-407 program, said that the
program is crucial for the U.S. and for the Army for several reasons. “First, our Army
is providing an armed scout capability to our allies in the country of Iraq,” Mills
explained. “Second, we’re meeting the obligations of a foreign military sales case.
And finally, this delivery showcases the capabilities of the Redstone Arsenal
enterprise.” That enterprise is a total team approach from many organizations
on Redstone. They include the Program Executive Office for Aviation with PM
ASH, U.S. Army Security Assistance Command including the Security Assistance
Training Management Office, Aviation and Missile Command with the Security
Assistance Management Directorate, Aviation and Missile Research Development
and Engineering Center with the Aviation Engineering Directorate and the Prototype
Integration Facility, Army Contracting Command, Army Test and Evaluation
Command with the Aviation Flight Test Directorate and Redstone Test Center,
Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, SESi with the Joint Venture Yulista and
SES, Joint Munitions Command, the U.S. Air Force, Redstone Garrison, the Office
of Security Cooperation in Iraq, and the Iraqi 21st Aviation Squadron in Iraq. “This
is an important milestone in this program,” said Mills. “The PM is the Lead Systems
Integrator, but almost all the major activities on the Arsenal were involved in the
success here.” Three training aircraft, or T-407s, were delivered to Iraq in 2010. The
first production IA-407 was delivered in August 2012. “We’ve been delivering three
a month except for March due to availability of transportation,” said Mills.
T

 hree
prototype aircraft will remain on Redstone in accordance with the Iraqis’ wishes for
the aircraft’s future development and testing. 

“If they change their mind and want us to deliver those, then we will bring
them to a production configuration and deliver them,” said Mills. Hal Ridley, chief
logistician for PM ARH, has made all the deliveries except for two. Mills noted that
this is an impressive feat since each rotations take anywhere between 10-15 days.
“Each time the team returns from Iraq, we’re preparing for the next delivery, so it’s

82 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
a pretty aggressive schedule,” said Ridley.
R 
 idley said the process of delivery has
been impressive. “The first time the team loaded the aircraft in the C-17, it took three
hours,” said Ridley. “Now it takes them less than two hours.” The buildup of each
aircraft has also become vastly efficient. “The first one took about three days,” said.
“Now we’re knocking it out in two.” 

The success of the program has proven
that the resources needed for program success are resident on Redstone Arsenal
and in the Huntsville area. W 
 hat makes the IA-407 program unique is that the Army
had to take a commercial-of-the shelf, or COTS, platform like the Bell 407 and
conduct a total reconfiguration according to the specifications that the Government
of Iraq wanted. Most foreign military sales, or FMS,
cases on the other hand involve aircraft or products that are already built with some
minor modifications made. “
 The team proved that we could develop and prototype
something here and actually produce it in a reasonable amount of time,” said Ridley. 

The program also showed the Army both the positives and negatives of
using COTS. “
 We knew the concept was possible,” said Ridley, “but there were
risks.” T

 he PM had to take a COTS product, modify it, then test it for military
purposes. “
 It becomes a big challenge for the program because of unique issues
you run into converting commercial products into something for military use,” he
added. “
 Additionally, we had to take contractual concepts, look outside of the box in
several cases because this program is something that a normal contracting process
wouldn’t fit into,” said Ridley. T

 hrough innovative ideas and hard work, the IA-407
program has become a model for possible future developmental FMS cases. “
 We
broke the paradigm to get things done,” said Mills.
“The project office served as the focal point, but we had to leverage all the
capabilities on Redstone.”
F 
 rom conceptual phase in 2009 to final delivery in 2013 is
a relatively short amount of time compared to ‘normal’ developmental programs. “
 I’m
very satisfied,” said Mills. “We’re fulfilling an obligation and an important security
assistance mission. We’ve also gotten to know the customer in Iraq, and it’s
satisfying to know that we’ve given our allies these capabilities that will enable them
to protect their own country, as well as ours in the process.”


Ridley, who has been with the program since its inception, said it is very gratifying
to have been a part of it from start to finish. “
 I’m very proud to be a part of the team
that supplied a good product to the customer, and that they’re very happy with,”
he said. “
 The whole success of the program has been that everybody had to pull
together as a team,” said Mills. T 
 he team made continuous improvements from
day one through its many successors. Mills credited his PM predecessors, Lt. Col.
Jong Lee who laid the groundwork for the program, and Lt. Col. Courtney Cote
who oversaw the majority of its execution. “
 We just put our heads down and started
working to get it done. We leveraged support from across Redstone. It wasn’t just
one organization,” said Mills. v

HELIOPS FRONTLINE 83
 NY GUARD
Takes to the
Skies BY CAPT. JAMES LOY,
642ND AVIATION SUPPORT
BATTALION
N
ew York Army National Guard Soldiers
from the 642d Aviation Support
Battalion, conducted integration Annual
Training in support of their fellow New York
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry
Battalion, here Saturday through Tuesday.
A 
 s the
infantry Soldiers from 2nd Platoon, Company
C, 2-108th, based in Gloversville, New York,
conducted squad movement to contact in
preparation for a squad attach during a live fire,
aircrews from the Rochester-based Company
F, 1st Battalion, 169th Air Ambulance Company,
conducted pre-flight checks for their impending
aeromedical evacuation
of simulated casualties.
“
 The 6-17th
Cavalry arrived to the
peninsula fully trained,
ready to execute and
understand the Fight
Tonight mentality,” said
Ltc. Matthew F. Ketchum,
commander of the 6-17th Cav.
Regt. and native of The Dalles,
Ore.
B

 oth units conducted
84 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
gunnery at the Multi-Purpose Range Complex,
also known as Rodriguez Range, near Pocheon,
South Korea. They didn’t go at it alone though.
The 4th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd
Combat Aviation Brigade, a regular at MPRC with
their AH-64D Longbow Apache helicopters and an
organic unit of the 2nd Inf. Div., also trained with
the rotational duo.
Their training began July 1 and continued
for over a week.
T 
 he ground trembled like an
earthquake as tanks and aircraft unleashed a
fury of deadly ordnance on their fictitious enemy.
The realistic training provided a chance to
enhance interoperability among these different
units. “
 It’s definitely a unique opportunity,” said
1st Lt. Demetrios Kolitsos, 1st platoon leader
with Company C, 1-12th Cav. Regt. and native
of Youngtown, Ohio. “It’s been a very good
experience for us thus far. We’ve had a chance
to work with other units out here that we don’t
have much experience with. Korea itself provides
some very unique challenges, and we had an
opportunity to use all of the different assets at our
disposal to meet those challenges.”


One of those assets, the rotary wing aircraft,
played a key role in providing a peace of mind to
the combat arms troops on the ground during the
training scenario.
“
 Working with 1-12th Cavalry, we
were able to display our ability to provide close
combat attack, reconnaissance and security, as
well as the added situational awareness our aerial
perspective can offer a ground force commander.”
said Michael A. Krivensky, commander of Troop A,
6-17th Cav. Regt. and native of Northern Virginia.
“It was a tremendous opportunity to enhance our
training with a genuine ground force element in a
combined arms live fire environment.”


One Soldier, who maintains these
reconnaissance helicopters, tells of its ability
to lay down the law in training or real world
situations.
“
 When they call in air support, we
deliver,” said Sgt. Alexander J. Arvai, an OH-58D
Kiowa helicopter crew chief with Troop A, 6-17th
Cav. Regt. and native of Atlanta, Ga. “Wherever
they need firepower, that’s what we do. We deliver
2.75mm rockets, 50 caliber rounds or even the
[HELLFIRE missile].”
T
 he capabilities of these
forces may, without a doubt, enhance the overall
readiness on the Korean peninsula.
These assets, combined with their Republic
of Korea counterparts, could surely enhance this
fighting force through future combined training.
Arvai looks forward to that opportunity on his
agenda here. 
 Korean peninsula. v
“So far I’ve enjoyed getting to interact with
the ROK army,” said Arvai. “They are a great and
proud people. They cherish the freedom that other
people sometimes take for granted, because
they have a threat right across the border. They
train hard, work well and I’m looking forward to
working with them very much.”
T 
 he participating
units completed their training with zero incidences.
They departed the training area, but not for very
long. These units will soon return mission-focused
proudly representing the Indianhead division, as
they conduct full spectrum training across the
HELIOPS FRONTLINE 85
 S
uspended from a rope at 100 feet in the
air, five Multinational Battle Group-East
Soldiers outstretched their arms and gave
a thumbs-up, signaling they are OK. With their
adrenaline flowing, the Soldiers were flown in a
“racetrack” flight pattern around the camp in
a rare training opportunity none of them would
soon forget.
Soldiers with 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry
Regiment, who comprise the battle group’s
Forward Command Post, learned the intricacies
of the Special Patrol Insertion and Extraction
System, or SPIES, during a hands-on training
event at Camp Bondsteel, July 18. SPIES
developed as a means to rapidly insert or extract a
reconnaissance patrol from an area that does not
permit a helicopter to land. 
 into their core competencies conducting LRS
“Initially, when you get hooked in and the
helicopter starts to rise up, the wind is blowing on
you pretty hard. You feel the adrenaline and you’re
feeling pretty excited, but I was ready to go. I was
ready to get up there,” said Sgt. Ryan Owens,
an infantryman with 2nd Squadron, 38th Cavalry
Regiment, and a first-time participant in the
training.
C

 reated during the Vietnam War era, the
system allows Soldiers on patrol the opportunity
to rapidly infiltrate further behind enemy lines
while providing elements of surprise and stealth to
reconnaissance elements.
The squadron’s Long Range Surveillance,
known as LRS, Company commander said SPIES
is only used in extreme circumstances in covert
operations where speed is essential.
“
 It’s basically
a non-standard method of getting Soldiers out of
high-risk areas in a way that any adversary really
86 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
wouldn’t expect,” said Capt. Daniel Stephens,
commander of C Company, 2nd Squadron, 38th
Cavalry Regiment. “It affords us the opportunity
to send Soldiers farther behind enemy lines to
assume greater risk in putting them in more
dangerous areas and then pulling them out of
areas.”
F

 or over 40 infantrymen and cavalry scouts
in the training, the look of fear or anxiety was not
readily visible.
Well-trained in their role as the quick reaction
force for any crowd and riot control events arising
in eastern and northern Kosovo, the Soldiers were
excited to participate in the unique instruction,
Stephens said.
“
 We’ve been fulfilling our Kosovo
requirements, which is very critical, but it was
a good opportunity to get the Soldiers back
operations,” Stephens, a native of Brewster, N.Y.,
said. “I think with infantry Soldiers, they tend not
to convey some of their anxieties, but I know there
was definitely a lot of excitement in having the
opportunity to do something that most Soldiers
don’t get to do.”
C
 ertified at the U.S. Army’s Air
Assault School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, two of
the company’s SPIES masters emphasized safety
throughout the exercise, ensuring conditions and
equipment were flawless before anyone rode the
rope.
Staff Sgt. Anthony Ambriz, an infantryman in C
Company, and one of the SPIES masters on the
ground, said safety is paramount to any insertion
or extraction exercise.
“
 The first thing is safety.
There’s so many different safety hazards we have
to mitigate as a SPIES master,” Ambriz, a native
of Lincoln, Neb., said. “We have to make sure
 frontline
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HELIOPS FRONTLINE 87
 nothing bad happens of course.”
A 
 mbriz added
stringent control measures are in place, including
a SPIES master in the helicopter, who maintains
eye contact at all times with the SPIES master on
the ground before taking off, and during any flight
operations.
The trainer on the ground ensures Soldiers
hooking up to the rope are secured and all
equipment is precise. Staff Sgt. Luis Aponte,
another SPIES master, said the safety process
is multi-faceted.
“
 We make sure their safety line
is secure, that they did all the proper knots, all
the harnesses are put on to standard and ensure
all the carabineers are locked to the rope. We
88 HELIOPS FRONTLINE
also check the rope so it isn’t tangled with the
Soldier,” said Aponte, a native of Willimantic,
Connecticut. “On the way up the SPIES master on
the ground to the SPIES master inside the aircraft
is communicating.”


Training for and possibly applying SPIES in a
real-world situation, allowed Soldiers like Owens
to gain familiarity with the system while giving
them a tool to use as LRS Soldiers in the Army.
“
 It’s really neat to know that we can call upon
SPIES if need be, to infiltrate or extract,” said
Owens, a Tryon, N.C., native. “Especially being
within a LRS unit, it’s something really neat to have
in your tool bag.” v
 YO U R F O R C E M U LT I P L I E R .

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