Posted on 08/31/2022 3:11:29 PM PDT by dynachrome
The U.S. Army has grounded its entire fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters because of a risk of engine fires, U.S. officials said.
Army officials are aware of a small number of engine fires with the helicopters, and the incidents didn’t result in any injuries or deaths, the U.S. officials said. One of the officials said the fires occurred in recent days.
The U.S. Army Materiel Command grounded the fleet of hundreds of helicopters “out of an abundance of caution,” but officials were looking at more than 70 aircraft that contained a part that is suspected to be connected to the problem, officials said.
The grounding of the Chinook helicopters, a battlefield workhorse since the 1960s, could pose logistical challenges for American soldiers, depending on how long the order lasts.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Afghanistan/Kabul and Vietnam/Saigon.
Coming soon, the same in Taiwan/Taipei.
It could also be a material problem. Many such involve faster than normal but still gradual deterioration. If that’s the case, a tech is likely not going to spot it. For that you need an organic chemist and a lab.
A tech installing the part, I should specify. Assuming the previous replacement was up to spec.
Yeah, those birds are ancient, and I'd bet that having teams of mechanics who are where they are because of their race, their gender, whatever -- than who actually know how to keep them flying -- it's madness. I see they're blaming it on a part -- maybe, maybe not.
But hey, those techs are all well-schooled in gender dysphoria and "kill whitey" racism studies, tho', so what a few engine fires?
Material compatibility with different fluid types is right next to improper installation as the most common failure modes with O-Rings.
Nothing a maintenance guy can do about that. You just install what the supply line gives you.
Sure hope they maintain proper pronoun usage while this problem is investigated!
Almost 20 years ago, at an air show at Mira Mar, I spoke to the crew of a Navy Sea Knight CH-46. The shortened naval version of the Chinook.
They said some of them found their father’s names in the continuous kept-on-the-birds flight logs. That was about 20 years ago. Many of the still-flying Chinooks were built in the 1960s and have Vietnam-era battle damage patches.
It’s a tribute to their fixers and to their builders [and re-builders and re-re-builders] that any are still flight worthy MORE than half a century after their birth.
Meanwhile, have you seen a Russian “Alligator?” Makes our helos look like Model-Ts.
‘
Didn’t read your post before replying, but yes indeed. Right on the money.
Russian K-52 “Alligator” attack helicopter. Definitely not 60-year-old tech.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29s7ONaYQio&ab_channel=OdoPuiuEvents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rga-ybQNADc&ab_channel=MilitaryWeapons
Afghanistan/Kabul and Vietnam/Saigon.
————
Ukraine/Russia, Afghanistan/Kabul and Vietnam/Saigon. Our Ukie venture will be strike two for Biden and his war cheerleaders.Everything he does cripples America one way or the other.
It isn’t the first time hookers have been grounded. There was an incident at an early ‘80’s German (I think) airshow where one carrying jumpers had the drive train cease up. It was nasty. That resulted in a world wide grounding. They blamed the c-box. The drive train forward to aft was pulled and inspected. I was crewing Chinooks in the 101st at the time. We had engines eating themselves when I was in Korea.
No excuse for engine failures. They get replaced with new ones fairly often. Those are probably not ancient engines.
The new stuff got canceled decades ago. Seems social programs and MIC pet projects were more important.
I hope read the O-ring wrapper to insure that the package contains an O-ring with the specified pronoun.
“The US Army has no “helos.” They have “copters.””
Army: “Birds are inbound”
Air Force: “Hmm, I seem to detect the aural signature of an approaching rotary wing aircraft”
Navy: “Oooh, a whirlybird!”
Marines(pointing): “Ugh! Ugh Ugh Ugh!”
Does that include Nat. Guard Chinooks?
They are used a lot in search and rescue and in evacuations from floods and fires.
And loudest.
Just normal stuff in my previous life....
Anyone who is or has been associated with US Army aviation will know that “groundings” happen every with all aircraft.
Sometimes the issue can be corrected rapidly, sometimes it takes months.
AMCOM will issue a SOF. Replace / repair as dictated.
Go back to flying.
Ex.
https://www.amcom.army.mil/News/Articles/Article/2285376/safety-of-flight-messages-save-lives/
The Chair Force just grounded their Osprey’s due to a “clutch” problem and now the Army is grounding their Chinooks..... hmmmmmmmmm .....
Oh I get it...
It’s about time for some generals to retire and find jobs as “advisors” and “consultants” for Boeing since they’re involved with BOTH of those machines.... funny, huh?
I figure they see Trump or a Republican taking over after the Republicans take the house..... so musical chairs and flag officers are racing to the money trough of top 10 defense contractors...before the swamp gets drained....
Top 10 largest defense contractors in FY2021:
Lockheed Martin Corp.
Obligations: $40.2B
Boeing Co.
Obligations: $22.1B
Raytheon Technologies Corp.
Obligations: $20.7B
General Dynamics Corp.
Obligations: $17.8B
Pfizer Inc.
Obligations: $13.3B
Northrop Grumman Corp.
Obligations: $12.9B
Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.
Obligations: $7.4B
Humana Inc.
Obligations: $7.1B
Moderna Inc.
Obligations: $6.9B
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Obligations: $5.6B
Isn’t it all so..... funny... how DOD put Pfizer, Moderna, Humana and Regeneron in the “Defense” budget.... just so, so funny.
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