Army aircrafts Flashcards
What are some types of aviation missions you may do?
- Combat Operations: Close air support, air assault, reconnaissance.
- Humanitarian Operations: Disaster relief, search and rescue.
- Logistics and Transport: Cargo delivery, troop transport.
Describe the 4 helicopters capabilities and roles.
- UH-60 Black Hawk: Utility, medevac, and assault.
- AH-64 Apache: Attack helicopter with advanced targeting systems.
- CH-47 Chinook: Heavy-lift for cargo and troops.
- LUH-72 Lakota: Light utility and domestic operations.
Why do pilots like the CH-47?
Pilot Sentiment:
- Highly valued for its unparalleled heavy-lift capability and stability in difficult conditions.
Why Pilots Like It:
- Exceptional payload capacity (26,000 lbs external).
- Dual-rotor design offers enhanced stability in mountainous and adverse weather conditions.
- Used in a wide range of missions, from troop and cargo transport to humanitarian aid.
Best For:
- Heavy-lift missions, especially in challenging environments.
Why do pilots like the LUH-72?
Pilot Sentiment:
- Generally appreciated for its reliability and simplicity, but not seen as a top choice for high-intensity combat.
Why Pilots Like It:
- Ease of operation and maintenance.
- Modern glass cockpit with advanced avionics.
- Effective for training, search and rescue, and non-combat roles.
Best For:
- Non-combat utility, training, and homeland security missions.
Why do pilots like the AH-64?
Pilot Sentiment:
- Often considered the most thrilling to fly due to its advanced weapon systems and combat focus.
Why Pilots Like It:
- Highly effective for close air support and anti-armor missions.
- Advanced targeting systems like the Longbow radar give pilots a tactical edge.
- Renowned for survivability and lethality in high-threat environments.
Best For:
- Offensive operations and combat missions.
Why do pilots like the UH-60?
Pilot Sentiment:
- Frequently described as the most versatile and balanced aircraft in the lineup.
Why Pilots Like It:
- Multi-mission flexibility, excelling in troop transport, medevac, and combat support.
- Robust design with high survivability.
- Pilots appreciate its balance of speed, agility, and payload capacity.
**Best For: **
- General-purpose utility, medevac, and tactical support.
What are some UH-60 performance specs?
- Maximum Speed: 159 knots
- Cruising Speed: 150 knots
- Range: 320 nautical miles
- Service Ceiling: 19,000 feet
What is the UH-60 crew and capacity?
- Crew: 2 (pilot and co-pilot) plus 2 crew chiefs/gunners.
- Passengers: Up to 11 fully equipped troops or 6 stretchers in MEDEVAC configuration.
What are some LUH-72 performance specs?
- Maximum Speed: 145 knots
- Cruising Speed: 133 knots
- Range: 370 nautical miles
- Service Ceiling: 18,000 feet
What are some LUH-72 power plant specs?
- Engines: Two Safran Arriel 1E2 turboshaft engines.
- Engine Power: 738 shaft horsepower per engine.
What is the LUH-72 crew and capacity?
- Crew: 2 (pilot and co-pilot).
- Passengers: Up to 6 troops or 2 stretchers plus medical attendants.
What are some UH-60 power plant specs?
- Engines: Two General Electric T700-GE-701D turboshaft engines.
- Engine Power: 1,940 shaft horsepower per engine.
What are some CH-47 performance specs?
- Maximum Speed: 170 knots
- Cruising Speed: 140 knots
- Range: 400 nautical miles
- Service Ceiling: 20,000 feet
What is the CH-47 payload capacity?
- Internal: Up to 24,000 pounds
- External (Sling Load): Up to 26,000 pounds
What is the CH-47 crew and capacity?
- Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer/crew chief).
- Passengers: Up to 33 troops or 24 stretcher patients plus medical attendants.
What are some CH-47 power plant specs?
- Engines: Two Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshaft engines.
- Engine Power: 4,733 shaft horsepower per engine.
Describe the components of the helicopter structure.
- Fuselage
- Mast
- Engine
- Main rotor
- Second rotor
What is the fuselage?
Body of the craft
What is a mast?
Cylindrical metal shaft that protrudes upward out of the fuselage.
What does the engine of the craft do?
Drives power upward through the mast to the rotor blades, which are controlled by the pilot.
What is the main rotor used for?
To generate lift and thrust
How is thrust from the main rotor balanced?
By a second rotor. (Usually a tail rotor)
What is a tail rotor intended for?
To account for the effects of torque.
What direction is it conventional for rotors in the USA, UK, and Germany to turn?
Main rotor rotates counter clockwise.
What are some advantages of rotorcraft?
- Takeoff vertically
- Hover
- TOL in places planes can’t
- Perform tasks such as drop cargo/troops in challenging conditions.
What are the helicopter types?
- Single main rotor helicopters
- Tandem rotor helicopters
- Coaxial rotor helicopters
What is the most common design for a helicopter?
Single main rotor helicopters
Describe the single main rotor helicopter.
- Single main rotor generating power with a secondary rotor such as a tail rotor
- Tail rotor is used to offset the effects of torque
What’s one disadvantage of the single main rotor helicopter design?
Some power is used for countering torque, rather than being used solely for lift.
Describe the tandem rotor helicopter.
- Has a front and rear main rotating blade
- Each set of blades rotates counter to the other, meaning torque is automatically offset
- No need for a tail rotor to deal with torque
- Because of this, all of the power from the engine can be used for lift.
- These are some of the fastest and most powerful in existence
Describe the coaxial rotor helicopter.
- Two sets of blades above and beneath each other
- Mounted to the same mast
- Rotates in opposite directions to each other
- This has the advantage of reducing payload and allowing for greater cargo/passenger capacity.
What is thrust created by?
The engine(s)
How is thrust transferred into motion?
Via the mast and rotors
Define drag.
A force which acts against thrust.
What causes drag?
The shape and size of the aircraft disrupting the flow of air as it travels.
What are the types of drag that impact helicopters?
- Profile drag
- Form drag
- Skin friction drag - Induced drag
- Parasite drag
- Total drag
How is profile drag created?
Caused by the frictional resistance of helicopter blades passing through the air.
Describe the two components of profile drag.
Form: Increases as the speed of the helicopter increases.
Skin: Caused by microscopic roughness of the helicopter blades.
Any roughness on the surface causes air to become trapped and drag to increase.
How is induced drag created?
- Caused by airflow circulation around the blades creating vortices
- This type of drag increases when the helicopter is flying at lower speeds and decreases when it is flying at higher speeds.
- During low speed flight, induced drag is the main cause of drag.