The New York Army National Guard is now operating the CH-47F, the Army’s newest version of the Chinook dual rotor helicopter.
Five Chinooks in total started operating from the Rochester Army Aviation Support Facility by early November. The final three arrived on Oct. 29 and two others arrived earlier, according to the Army. The rotorcraft are attached to Detachment 1, Company B, 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation.
Members of the company learned how to fly the aircraft for two months at Hunter Army Airfield in Savanna, GA.
The CH-47F has several improvements over the CH-47D, meant to make it more reliable and keep it flying for longer. This version includes new avionics, a redesigned ramp and rear rotor pylon, and new countermeasures against ground to air missiles.
The aircraft’s fuselage has also been redesigned to make it more corrosion resistant and to more easily be prepared for shipment inside C-5 or C-17 cargo planes.
“For the Soldiers, it is a very big deal because of all the enhanced capabilities the aircraft provides, which is above and beyond the ‘delta’ model,” Capt. Brendan Flansburg, commander of Detachment 1, Company B, 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation, said in a statement, referring to the CH-47D in comparison.
The upgraded avionics system, called the Common Avionics Architecture System, consists of digital displays and readouts called a “glass cockpit.” It provides a more user-friendly system, allowing pilots to manage the mission more effectively, Flansburg noted.
The newer Chinook also includes an autopilot system that makes it easier for pilots to fly, hover, and land in snow or dust with low visibility.
The New York Army Air National Guard CH-47 crews are part of the 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Company B, with additional elements in Maryland.
The CH-47F is produced by Boeing [BA] and was first fielded in July 2007.