Posted on 07/09/2010 1:26:50 PM PDT by SandRat
BAGHDAD – Set to play a key-role in the reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq this summer, an all-in-one aviation unit from Fort Riley, Kan., arrived here in March; one of the U.S. Army’s last active-duty aviation battalions to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
A U.S. Army Chinook helicopter with the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, performs a hover test before departing on a cargo-moving mission from Taji Army Airfield, Iraq, July 7. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Roland Hale.
As the Army draws down in Iraq, aviators with the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment are attacking this logistical monster head-on.
Three hours before take-off, July 7, one of the battalion’s crews gathered to prepare their aircraft for a night of work. For many of the crew it was their seventh mission that week – typical, as in just four months the unit has moved more than one million pounds of cargo. On this mission they would contribute 17,000 pounds to that total.
Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Thomson, senior non-commissioned officer of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, performs a pre-flight check on a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter prior to a cargo-moving mission from Taji Army Airfield, Iraq, July 7. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Roland Hale.
Their ride, the Chinook, is a work-horse; the largest and fastest in the Army’s arsenal capable of carrying tons of cargo, 33 troops or 24 medical litters. In addition to two pilots, the massive helicopter has a crew of three enlisted crew-chiefs, whose duties range from securing cargo to directing the pilots through precision maneuvers.
After a briefing and a check of the aircraft’s systems, the crew set out for their first stop of the night. Under the cover of darkness, the crew took the bird to several stops around Baghdad, shuttling passengers and equipment between bases. The crew welcomed the cooled night air, as the aircraft often serves as an unintentional sauna during the mid-day Iraqi heat.
“Ninety-percent of the time we’re like a bus flying around Baghdad,” said Spc. Shad Cabe, a Chinook crew-chief on the flight, “but sometimes it can get exciting.”
While security here has vastly improved, the Soldiers remember a much more violent time in Iraq – when air assaults were nearly as common as supply runs and every “mission complete” felt like an answered prayer. But now, Cabe said, the Chinooks are making their living with heavy lifting.
The Chinook uses three hooks on its fuselage to carry cargo, or sling-loads. On this night, Cabe guided the pilots to a hover above a 17,000 pound armored-truck, which ground crews attached to two of the Chinook’s hooks as Cabe monitored the load through a hatch in the aircraft’s floor.
The Chinook flew naturally with the added weight, but when the load swayed beneath it, the oscillations felt like a tug-of-war between the aircraft’s twin engines and the truck. The pilot’s calculations indicated their load pushed the aircraft to within a thousand pounds of its maximum weight.
Also special to the mission was the presence of Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Thomson, the senior non-commissioned officer of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. Even though his senior position entails primarily administrative work, Thomson has crewed about a dozen missions this deployment, he said.
Thomson added that at a senior level it’s easy to forget what the troops are doing daily. Crewing flights is the best way to keep in touch with their experiences and needs, he said. All but one of the crew onboard had flown with Thomson at least once before.
“With the responsible drawdown of forces in Iraq and a limited number of aviation assets available, these guys are flying day-in and day-out,” said Thomson. “It’s not how many times or how many missions they fly, but rather the contribution they’re making by moving people around.”
The Army is scheduled to reduce the number of troops serving in Iraq from 82,000 to 50,000 by Sept. 1.
I know somebody in Taji. In fact, they got there on one of those chinooks.
I have 225.6 combat hours flying in a Blackhawk in Iraq. I have to admit that my hat is off to the Chinook drivers because they do not fly in a double teem. Those of us in a Blackhawk always flew in tandom with another Blackhawk in case one of us got shot down. The Chinook guys did not have that safety margin.
I have to add that the Chinooks flew primarily at night,,the Blackhawks flew primarily in the day time.
I have to add that the Chinooks flew primarily at night,,the Blackhawks flew primarily in the day time.
Thanks for your lengthy service.....
Taji weather forcast
Thur 118F
Fri 120F
Sat 122F
Sun 124F
Mon 126F
The person I know was a passenger on the chinook
Aircraft fire fighter
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