Army Aviation Digest - Jun 1968

8/12/2019 Army Aviation Digest - Jun 1968

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UNITED

OF ARMY AVIATION ACSFOROF THE ARMY

COL Edwin l . Powell Jr.

U. S. ARMY AVIATION SCHOOLMG Delk M. Oden

COMDT U. S. ARMY AVIATION SCH O OLCOL M. H. Parson

lTC J . R. Dome, ChiefRichard K. Tierney EditorWilliam H. SmithDiana G . WilliamsJohn P. Jones

Harold G . linnHarry A . PickelDorothy l. CrowleyAngela A . Akin

, U. S. ARMY BOARD FOR AVIATIONCOL Warren R. Williams

AND LITERATURE DIVPierce l . Wiggin , ChiefWilliam E. CarterJack DeloneyTed KontosCharles MabiusPatsy ThompsonMary W . Windham

RMY VI TION

1GESJJUNE 1968 VOLUME 14 NUMBETWO S COMPANY, BUT IS THREE REALLY A CROWD?LTC R. J. FarwellJUNGLE SURVIVAL, CPT Clifford M. McKeithanAACVOC, MAJ William S BayerMEDEVAC - CHINOOK STYLE, CPT Jasper K. Champion XV -l l STOL RESEARCH AIRCRAFT, LT George ZumentsWHAT S NEW IN IFR PROCEDURES? MAJ William H. GardneWE KEEP THEM FLYING, LT Vincent R. GuerrieriTHE FLIGHT CHAPLAIN , Chaplain (MAJ) Robert G SwagerMEASURING UP TO OUR PROFESSION , CPT Ronald J. PicheGET HOMEITIS, MAJ Paul R Riley, Jr .VIEWS FROM READERSCRASH SENSESTRANGER IN THE COCKPITFILTERS, SCREENS, AND STRAINERS, Ted KontosPEARLSTHIS IS HOT Inside26TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMY AVIATION Back

The mission of the U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST is to provide information of an operatioor funct ional nature concerning safety and aircraft accident prevention , training maintenanoperat ions , research and development av iation medic ine, and other related data.The DIGEST is an off icia l Department of the Army periodical published monthly undersupervision of the Commandant , U. S. Army Aviat ion School. Views expressed herein arenecessarily those of Department of the Army or the U. S. Army Aviation School. PhotosU. S. Army unless otherwise specified . Material may be reprinted provided credit is given toDIGEST and to the author , un less otherw ise indicated .Articles, photos , and items of interest on Army av iat ion are invited. Direct communicationauthorized to : Editor, U. S. Army Aviation Digest , Fort Rucker , Ala . 36360 .Use of funds for pr int ing this publication has been approved by Headquarters Departmof the Army, 3 November 1967.Active Army units receive distribution under the pinpoint distribution system as outlinedAR 310-1. Complete DA Form 12-4 and send directly to CO AG Publications Center 2Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore , Md . 21220. For any change in distribution requirements initiaterev ised DA Form 12-4.National Guard and Army Reserve units submit requirements through their State adiutageneral and U. S. Army Corps commanders respectively.For those not elig ible for official distribution or who desire personal copies of the DIGEpaid subscriptions 4.50 domestic and 5 .50 overseas , are available from the SuperintendentDocuments, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington D. C. 20402.


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This article does not in any way necessarily rep-resent official ritish Ministry of Defence policyIt is a personal view of the author who is the

ritish Liaison Officer at t Rucker

T -0'5t hree

N OBODY would deny that thehelicopter gunship is now anessential part of American Armyaviation. The conflict in Vietnamhas proved this, if proof was need-d, and operational use has provided the proving ground for avariety of weapon systems and alsoh licopter gun ship tactics. As aresult th e Hue y gunship , th e UH-1C with its weapons systems, is nowan integra l part of all ground op er-ations in Vietnam.

The dev lopmen t of the heli-copter gunship was dictated byoperational nec ssity with a resultthat converted troop ca rrying hel-icopters were, and still are, use dJUNE 1968

CO lnpany Bu IsOne might update a World War II adage toread liThe VC you don/t see is the one thatshoots you down. With such a thought inmind the author writes that ideally a heli-

~ o p t r gunship should have a crew of threeto provide 360 0 visibility in the horizontalplane 180 0 downward in the vertical planeand 60 0 upward

ea l l y a CrowwclLieutenant Colonel R. J Farwell

for this role, with all the att endantdisadvantages this posed . Conse-quent ly, . notwithstanding th e fact.that a contract for a sophisticatedadvanced aerial fire support systemwas placed in 1966, which promis d prototyp rollout in April 67(th e Cheye nne) and productiondelivery in 69, there was a greatdemand for an interim helicop tergunship as ea rly. as possible BellHelicopt r Company is m tingthis n ed with the HueyCobra.

The performance character isticsof both the Hue yCobra and theCheyenne are well known and willnot be repea ted . I n general any-thing th HueyCobra can do the

Cheye nne can do better. Both ha vea hi gher speed, smaller frontalsilhoue tte, greater firepower, andb tter armour than th e currentUH-IC gunship. But, and it s avery interesting bu t, they alsoboth have a smaller crew, smallerby half.

It is th is aspect which in teres tsme personally. t also undoubtedlyin teres ts an y other army which isconsider ing th e introduction of agunship into their aviation, but isnot forced into pr ecipitat actionby bing involved in a currentconflict.

When considering th e crewnecessary for any vehicle it isessential to consider the mission of

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that vehicle and its tactical employm nt. The missions for thearm d helicopters hav been statedto b three: direct fire support;escort particularly in escort ofairmobile forces and all that thisntails; r connaissance and secu

rity. Lack of numbers, which otherarmi s ar likely to suffer, maygreatly r duce the number ofmis ions which the armed helicopter can accept. However ingeneral, the armed helicopter givesthe ground commander a n whighly mobile and flexible formof firepower, whose uses arelargely dictat d by their availability and the imagination of theircommander.

Their main limitations are vulnerability to concentrations of wellaimed machinegun fire and airattack. Experience in Vietnam,with the UH-IC gunship indicatesthat it can take a great dea l ofpunishment from .30 and .50calibre MG , contrary to priorbelief. No information is currentlyavailable on any h avier weapons,though press reports indicate thatthe 35 mm Oerlikon gun mayshortly be used by the Viet Cong.t would also appear that the

majority of attacks on helicoptergunships are delivered either fromthe side or rear, which is notreally very surprising.

Evidence from Vi etnam indicatesthat vulnerability to ground fire isreduced by using weapons withstand off capability, by provisionof adequate covering fire duringthe pullout from an attack run,and by rapid appreciation of theenemy ground threat by good allround observation. In low intensityconflicts and in highly mobileop erations the enemy you see andengag is frequently not the onlyen my in the local area. The WorldWar I and II fighter pilot adage

The Hun you don't see is the onethat shoots you down is by nomeans out of date.

There is no evidence as to vul-2

nerability to air attack which maybe mounted by fight r aircraft or ,in the not so distant future , byhostile helicopters. However, it iscertain that th eir vulnerability willbe reduced if they are capable offiring back and if they have ad -quate warning of an attack.

Curr nt tactics employ gunshipsin fire teams of two, for mutualsupport, and as many fire tamsare committed to the battle as areconsider d necessary. Attack formations and patterns are dictat dby enemy dispositions, t rrain,weather, and th battle plan. Twogunships were considered necessaryto give the ess ntial covering fireduring the break from an attackor when sudd nly fired on, andwas undoubtedly influenced by thecapabilities of the UH-IC gunship.

How will the HueyCobra andCheyenne compare with theUH-IC? Undoubtedly their heavier firepower and the Cheyenne'smore sophisticated sighting systemwill m an they can give greaterand more effective fire support.But what of their vuln rability?I have heard the argument thattheir high r speed will give themgreater protection. I believe scientifically it has be n proved that,over 40 knots and below 400 knots,variations in airspeed mak littledifference to hit probability. So Ido not belirv that because theHueyCobra can attack at 190 knotsand the Cheyenne at 220 knots,agains t the 110 knots of theUH-IC , it will make the new helicopter gunships v ry much lessvulnerable, although it will undoubtedly reduce their hit probability slightly.

Armour protec tion will be moreeffective, and this too will slightlydecrease their vuln rability, as willtheir smaller frontal silhouette.However, their side silhouette iseven larger than the UH 1 C sothis may not be an advantage afterall. But in one very importantfundamental they will be worse

off: they will only hav two pairsof yes whereas the UH-IC hasfour.

At present the UH-IC gunshiphas xc llent all-round visibility.The four crewmembers, because ofthe human attribute of p ripheralvision can keep watch ov r thearea around and under the h licopter, with the exception of asmall area to the immediate rear.They can also engage targ t infour diff rent directions simultaneously.

The HueyCobra crew will havvisibility over an arc of 120 0 eachside of the nose, a total of 240 0 but they cannot see under thaircraft and are blind behind .However, a crew of two should beable to maintain an effectivewatch over this forward arc. TheCheyenne will have similar visibility from the cockpit with theadded advantag that the gunnerwill have a sight giving 3600traverse below the helicopter. However there is very considerabledifference in maintaining a watchand being able to see, since once aweapon sight is used the field ofview is immediately reduced fromabout 150 0 to 20 0 All this meansthat both the Cheyenne andHueyCobra are going to be largelyblind to a large segment behindand undern ath the aircraft.Before too much is read intothis, it is vital to know just howmuch importance to attach to thisall-around watch, as opposed tovisibili ty. This is very much apersonal opinion and only in combat in Vietnam can this be formed.Unfortunately I do not have thisexperience and hav to rely onhearsay evidence from Vietnamveterans. I have discussed this witha number and am convinced thatit is vitally important. All havestated that they would be mostreluctant to go into combat withou t ei ther of their door gunners ,and the idea of putting blinkers

to reduce this angle of vision toU S RMY VI TION DIGEST


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20 0 on them, to simulate the viewthrough a sight, did not thrill themeither. They seemed to valu themequally as giving all-round watch,and for controlling additional separately operated weapons.So what is the requirem nt forvisibility in th ideal helicoptergunship to enable it to do its job,which essentially means flying an dfighting at low level and being ableto live in the forward areas? It ismy opinion, based on my experi-nce gained at Fort Rucker, thatthe crew of the ideal helicoptergunship must hav , as essential360 0 visibility in the horizontalplane, 180 0 downward in the vertical plan , and 60 0 upward. Thecrew must be able to maintain aneffective watch over these arcs,particularly the side and rear, andthis cannot be achieved by using anarrow angle sight. t is also highlydesirable that when a target isbeing engaged by one crewmemberanother crewmember should beable to take over the responsibilityfor watching the fringe areas whichhe cannot then adequat ly cover.

It is now nec ssary to look at theduti s of the crew. I have not considered weapon systems and theiroperation, but oth r duties are ofinteres t. The aircraft has to becontrolled at high r speeds thanwe now use and possibly at loweraltitudes than today. Navigation isgoing to be very important, particularly as the operating altitudes arereduced, and although variousadvanced aids will b fitted theywill still have to be op rated andmonitored. The aircraft has to becommanded, and this may involvecommand over other aircraft aswell, and fought in response to theconstantly varying tactical situations. Communications have to bemonitored and this usually involvesthree wireless sets and maybe more.And the weapons systems have tobe manned.

There is also the work of rearming weapons and refueling, fre-JUNE 1968

_-,. ' ....ridiculous to restrict ts effectiveness y

not giving it n dequ te crewquently at a forward supply pointwher there is no spare manpowerto assist, and minutes wasted inthis could be very precious.

From this we can deduce thecrew size. Undoubtedly ther aresome sterling aviators who say thatthis can all be done by a pilot andcopilot/ gunner. In fact, there maybe some who feel that they don'tr ally even need a copilot gunner.

However, my own p rsonal viewis that for optimum utilization andeff ctivene s of the airborne weapons system th crew must consist ofthe following: An aircraft commander who is also the pilot; agunner / navigator who is also thecopilot; and a gunner observerwho is also the crewchief. Thegunner / navigator would b responsible for observing the forwardarc and controlling weapons, andthe gunn r/ observer for observingand controlling weapons in therear arc.

This makes a crew of three. Notas man y as at pr sent used inVietnam but I think ufficient.

The problem of co t effectiv -ness, that awful word that politicians and financial wizards havemade soldiers hate, has a definitebearing here. The helicopt r gunship of the future is going to beex tremely costly, and it would beridiculous to restrict its ffective-

ness by not giving it an adequatecrew.Some years ago a story wasgoing around about an Air Forcesquadron station d in Alaska. Ithad just been re-equipped withtwo-plac attack fighters to replacetheir single-seat ones, and the oldpilots had been converted on tothe new type. This had not beena welcome chang and many andheated had been the arguments forand against the two-place ships.

Shortly after this a new commanding officer was posted in, andafter his first flight he was immediately qu stioned as to hisviews on the current arguments.

Well, he said after some thought,as you all know I've pent most

of my life flying single-place ships.However, I think the terri tory uph re is cold and hostile and I 'mfor the two-place ship - since ifyou have a flameout you'll beawful cold and lonesome out thereand your navigator can ke p youwarm, and don't forget if you runout of food you can always eatthe b. Pilot morale immediatelyrose, and receipts for jerked navigator were soon on offer.

I 'm not suggesting that weshould consider gunner stew, butrather that instead of one coursewe as pilots should at least beentitled to two. ~ a ~ T

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Jungle Survival or, How earned ro S op Worryingnd love rite Jungle Captain Clifford M McKeithan

THE TROPIC sun sent rivers ofperspiration coursing down theback of my aching neck as Istrained to see down the bushyjungle path. My lungs w re almostbursting as I held my breath myears cocked to hear the slightestsound. Beside me an Air Forcemajor clad in a sweat soaked flightsuit tensed suddenly and motionedfor me to get down. The elephantgrass had barely stopped swayingas I heard the quick padding ofbare feet along the trail we hadbeen waiting to cross.

From out of the noon blacknessof the jungle appeared the dimin-utive forms of the Negrito head-

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hunters naked but for a scantybreech cloth and armed with vi-cious looking bows and poison tippedarrows. Th bright sun in the clear-ing made their sharply filed teethglisten as they spoke rapidly to a hother. Their nostrils flared as theysniffed thc air for a scent of us.By the grace of a favorable windthe scent of our p r piring bodiesdid not reach them. With achinglungs and blood pounding in myears I watched as their feet passedwithin yards of our hiding placcand disappear d down the trail.

Th air exploded from my lungsand my straining muscles wentflaccid as I knew we had a brief

respite from capture. After a rest toget our lungs functioning normallywe cautiously stole across th trailand m lted into the darkness of thejungle beyond. s we slowly madeour way farther and farther fromthis latest contact with our pursuers my mind recounted theevents which had cast an Armyand Air Force pilot together in asurvival and evasion situation.CPT McKeithan shares his experi-ences encountered while attendingthe Pacific Air Force Jungle Sur-vival School in the Phillipines. Theschool highly respected by all serv-ices proved to be a match foreven the most cunning aviator.U S RMY VI TION DIGEST


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We were t ught the use of flares which could mean life or de th to us

Bright and early the next morning, we were introduced to varioushelicopter pickup devices in use.Each of us was given an opportunity to hang in the old st andardhorse collar. Later in the period,each student received an actualpickup by a UH-19 using thejungle penetrator, a device whichcan be lowered through the junglecanopy to pick up a downed aviator. We were also shown the useof a compact lowering devicewhich allows one to get down safelyfrom the tops of trees as high as150 feet. We then were shown astatic display of animal snares andtraps along with an assortment ofpun i stake traps used by the VietCongo

That afternoon, we were brokendown into groups and introduced toan NCO instructor and a Negritoguide for the upcoming field instruction. A quick trip by UH-19put us into an area of dense jungle,where we set up a base amp. Carlito, our Negrito guide, demonstrated how to cut and handlebamboo safely, then showed ushow to quickly fashion a shelterfrom bamboo and banana trees.

We went to work and found thatCarlito's skill made the task look

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deceptively easy. By the time wefinally finished our shelters to thesatisfaction of Carlito's critical eye,the black of the jungle night hadsettled upon us. We cooked ourevening meal of diced Spam andboiled rice over a communal fireand passed the ev ning exchangingwar stories. It was at this time thatthe Army pilots held the edge, aswe regaled the jet jockeys withour tales of what the war isreally like.

Our first full day in the junglepassed quickly as we learned howto signal aircraft with flares, smoke,mirrors and radios. Each man wastaught to guide in a rescue chopper by giving him trial headings,listening to his sounds and correcting the headings. The remainder ofthe day was spent in escape andevasion training. Carlito demonstrated how to move through thejungle silently. When we tried it,the noise resembled a Chinese firedrill. He then showed us how tomove through the thick undergrowth and simultaneously eraseour tracks. We were then put outto conceal ourselves. After a 30-minute period, Carlito would at tempt to find us.

We applied all the lessons we had

learned and moved slowly andpainstakingly so as to leave notrail. Quite self-satisfied, we hid andawaited Carlito's futile efforts tofind us. We smugly watched himmove up the trail, confident thathe would pass us by. We werestunned as he stopped, sniffed theair, and walked straight to ourcleverly concealed hiding placeMumbling to ourselves, we returned to camp to find the res. ofthe group already there. They, likewe, had not reckoned with Carlito's ability to track by scent andhad hidden upwind of the trailWe had learned a valuable lesson.That night around the campfirethe topic for discussion was thingswe had learned rather: than thewar tal s of the night before.

Day number three came and theinstructor informed us that Daddy's going to take you on a hikethrough the woods. We woundslowly through the woods, stoppingperiodically as Carlito pointed ouedible plants and showed us howto identify poisonous plants. As wewandered along, we gathered plantswith which to prepare a gourmemeal that evening. The afternoonwas spent in learning to tap watefrom bamboo stalks, hanging vinesU S ARMY AVIATION IGEST


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banana tree stumps, and the wondrous muluchbe tree. We foundthat with patience one could gather -enough water from plants totake a complete bath.

That evening, we set about thetask of cooking our plants in thenative manner, in pots fashionedfrom sections of bamboo. Even withour amateur gastronomical abilities,the meal was a .splendid success andeach man went to his bunk with afull stomach.

The morning of the fourth dayfound us breaking base camp andpreparing for the escape and evasion problem beginning that afternoon. We went through our equipment and selected those items wewanted to take along. My buddy,the Air Force major, and I electedto travel lightly for speed andsilence.

s we worked, the ground ruleswere explained to us. We would belifted to an assembly point and released along a road. One hour laterthe Negrito headhunters (Headhunters? Egad ) would be released to pursue us. Ouradrenalinlevels came back to a shade abovenormal when we were told that theNegritos would not be after ourheads but the three chits we carried, each entitling them to a rationof rice. It was hoped that the chasewould lend an air of authenticityto the problem.

The Air Force major and I setout,moving rapidly at first to gainthe advantage of distance. Then webegan to move more carefully, covering our tracks and staying downwind of the native hunters. Eachtrail and each clearing became athing to avoid as we worked ourway to high ground. We found arugged area of steep hills and deepravines, where movement was limited to a few feet a minute to prevent leaving a trail. By a deviousroute, we made our way to athickly wooded peak and made apocket under some thickly thatchedbushes.JUNE 968

From this vantage point, wecould survey the area for a halfmile in all directions and couldnot be approached silently. Thesun was setting as we finished ourmeal and began a shift system ofsleeping and maintaining watch.f we could remain undiscovereduntil the rescue helicopters cameat 0900, we would be home free.

The heavy black night was thelongest I had ever experienced. Onmy watch shifts, I could hear therustle of small animals in the brushnearby and the occasional, almostsilent, movement of a Negritosearching the ravine below us. Mystraining eyes fooled me into seeingblurry shapes moving all around us.I had to fight an impulse to throwa rock or stick at the imaginedassailants.

When at last, the first light ofmorning greyed the sky, I was ableto dispel the imaginary hunterslurking behind my back. I wokemy companion and we silentlybroke camp and moved slowly anddeliberately toward our pickup

point. Several times, we had tocircumvent a hut or farm. To becaught now would be a big letdownafter our successful night.

A most blessed sound was thewhop-whop-whop of the ap

proaching helicopter. As it camealmost above us, I popped thesmoke end of a MK-13 flare. Thehorse collar snaked down twice andwe were on board, heading forhome.

s I sat on the jet back to Saigon, I recounted the things I hadlearned in the past week. Now Iwas confident that I could surviveon my own in the jungle. Then Ithought of what I would say to theASTA Platoon leader concerningmy R&R. 'Well, I had the lastlaugh there. For three days afterthe course ended, transportationwas not available back to Saigon. Iwas forced to spend my time waiting at the Clark AFB Officers'Club, stuffing myself on fresh saladsand sampling that fine SanMiguel beer.

Several times we had to circumvent a hut or f rm


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CVOCThe Army Aviation Commanders Vietnam Orientation Courseoffered at the U. S Army Aviation School, Ft Rucker, is basedon lessons learned and the combined experience of RVN returnees.If you are an Army aviator heading for Vietnam you may beeligible, depending on your actual or anticipated assignment

I N EARLY 1966, senior Armycommanders determined that arequirement existed for properlyorienting senior field grade Armyaviators on the facilities, operations, conditions, and local procedu res used in the Republic ofVietnam.I t was determined that a newcourse should be developed whichwould include all appropriate sub-jects desired to completely orientthese aviators before th eir deploy-ment to Vietnam. Fur ther, Department of the Army would controlthe input to this course.

The Deparment of Tactics atFort Rucker would have proponency for presenting the newcourse at USAAVNS.

Based on interviews from se-lected Vietnam returnees, feedbackdata from RVN, commanders re-ports, and lessons learned, a proposed program of instruction wasconceived.

In May 1966, the draft programof instruction was prepared andsent to Vietnam for review omment from the field. Concurrently,concept approval for the newcourse was requested and receivedfrom the Assistant Chief of Staff

Maior William S Bayer

for Force Development, Aviation,Washington, D. C.

After r e ~ i v i n g comments fromRVN , further staffing was con-ducted on the proposed programof instruction, and finally in July1966 USCONARC approval forthe course was requested. Approvalwas granted; thus the Army Avi-ation Commanders Vietnam Orien -tation Course (AACVOC) began.Now, let s see what this newAACVOC offers to the Army avi-ator. The course is 2 weeks longand consists of an input of 17 stu-dents per class, 6 classes per year,and is taught at the U. S ArmyAviation School, Fort Rucker, Ala.The student must be a rated Armyaviator, a member of the activeArmy or a reserve componentwhose actual or anticipated assign-ment is to an Army aviation com-mand or staff position in Vie tnam,and he must have an interim secretsecurity clearance.

The course is continually updated, offering the most currentinformation. This S based onlessons learned and the combinedexperience of R VN returnees.

Students attending the coursereceIve practical instruction

airmobile planning and supportoperations. This includes a seminarduring which students can questionrecent returnees on actual condi-tions and types of operations con-ducted in Vietnam. They arebriefed on the latest aviation hardware and are introduced to newsystems used in Vietnam.

The subjects covered in theprogram of instruction are presented by instructors with previousVietnam experience. These in-structors are from practically everyUSAAVNS instructional department. The scope of instructionpresented by each departmentfollows.

Tactical subjects: This annex tothe program of instruction provides a historical, geographical, andorganizational background essentialto understanding United Statesinvolvement in Vietnam. It provides the organization of aviationand non-aviation units locatedMAJ Bayer selected his topic tohelp keep Army aviators and com-manders advised of the trainingand orientation the Army s Avia-tion School is providing for itsVietnam destined commanders.U S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


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in country that are essential to anunderstanding of the various U. Sefforts in Vietnam. t also containsinformation on supply and mainte-nance problems relating to new orcritical material used in RVN byU. S forces. Finally, instruction isprovided to develop aviation pro-cedures currently in use.

The Special Subjects Division,Department of Tactics providesinstruction to familiarize studentswith components of the Decca nav-iga ional system and the Deccachain in Vietnam.

Department of Rotary WingTraining: A briefing is presentedon the tactical instrument systemto include ground equipment flightprocedures, pilot responsibilities,flight planning, and air traffic con-trol. Almost without exception, allrotary wing aviators graduatingfrom the Army Aviation School areissued a tactical instrument card;therefore, it is essential that allfuture Army aviation commandersunderstand this system and thepilots capabilities and limitations.

Department of AeromedicalEducation and Training: This classcovers the medical units located inVietnam to include their supportcapabilities and limitations. A dis-cussion is conducted on variousreported medical problems en-countered and their preventionand control. This includes, but isnot limited to, insect, sod andwate.r borne diseases, heat prostra-tion, fungus diseases, and physicalfitness.With this newly conceived Viet-nam oriented course now beingconducted at the United StatesArmy Aviation School, ample op-portunity is available for all seniorArmy aviation command and staffofficers, whose anticipated assign-ment is to Vietnam to attend andfurther enhance their knowledgeof problems e.ncountered there.JUN 968


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Medevac Chinook StyleAs the flight engineer started lowering the cable by a mechanicalhoist a burst of machinegun fire rattled the ship. The flight en-gineer was seriously wounded and the crewchief slightly wounded

THE TIME WAS early November1966, and the 4th U. S. InfantryDivision had iust moved into ablocking position near the Cambodian border in South Vietnam. The4th had been incountry for only acouple of months and was still getting adiusted to this different typeterrain and concept of warfare.The 4th Division and the 3rdBrigade of the 25th Infantry Divisionhad been moved in to stop any infiltration or mass attacks on thenearby Pleiku area.A platoon of the 4th was overrunabout 1800, iust before they wereto dig in for the night, and receivedheavy casualties. The iungle was sodense and the platoon's position soremote from any clearing that couldserve as a landing zone that theHuey Dustoffs (medevacs) couldn'tbe brought in. The trees in the areawere over 100 feet high, and withthe density altitude at about 6,000feet, the Hueys were unable tohover out of ground effect andhoist in the casualties.10

Captain Jasper K. Champion

A Kaman Huskie HH-43, AirForce crash rescue helicopter, fromnearby PleilCu Air Force Base wascalled in for a hoist medevac. Theaircraft was able to recover threewounded men before a North Vietnam Army rocket launcher literallyblasted it out of the sky. The threewounded were killed and the crewseriously iniured. Another Huskiewas able to pick up the survivors.After the rescue ship had landedat 4th Division forward commandpost, I talked to the pilot about thepossibility of getting some of thecollapsible canvas litters that the .Air Force uses for this type of mis-sion. Our CH-47 unit had been unable to procure any through normalsupply channels. He replied, Buddy,come on over to the base (PleikuAir Force Base) and I'll give youall I've got.Henceforth, our CH-47 aircraftsupporting the 4th Division had acollapsible litter aboard.About 1800 one afternoon, oneof our ships got an emergency call

to hoist medevac about a dozenwounded from the iungle. Againthere were no LZs and the treeswere too tall (over 100 feen forthe Hueys to safely hover out ofground effect and pull the woundedout. The ground commander reported a secure area with no contact with the enemy, so our JlHookproceeded inbound to the approximate position.The iungle canopy was so thiCkthat no smoke grenade would penetrate it, making the search for thewounded almost impossible. Throughradio direction by the ground com-mander, who could hear the aircraft and thus direct it, the Hookhovered close to the spot. As theflight engineer started lowering thecable by a mechanical hoist, a burstof machinegun fire rattl$d the ship.CPT Champion offers a method ofhoist medevac with the CH-47 heand other members of his unit utilized in Vietnam. He relates of theproblems encountered and methodsused to overcome them.

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CH R CTERISTICSLength, 23' 3Height, 8' 6Wingspan, 26' 2.4Engine, 317 hp Allison T -63-A5AGross Weight, 2,600 poundsVmax, 200 mph plus (predicted) ;150 mph at 45% power(realized )

of th e wing spar carry-through.Rigid sheet and tubular steel mountings support the engine at the sidesand top of the accessory drive case.Loads are distributed to a transversebulkhead and the upper sides ofthe engine box. This box is part ofa stainless steel enclosure which provides a fire and heat barrier for therest of the fuselage. Further barriers are located inside the enginebox to isolate the hot portions ofthe engine from the gears and accessories.

A ventilating f low of air isbranched from the oil cooler inletsunder each wing root and directedto the coolest portion of the enginebox. It then flows to progressivelyhotter sections and is rejoined withthe oil cooler f low where it is ex hausted on either side as the sec-ondary f low of the jet pump formedby the engine exhausts issuing fromthe trailing edge of the wing fillets.Access to the engine box is by removal of the stainless steel bottompan of the enclosure. Stressed aluminum hatches are provided in theupper and .lower fuselage surfacesto allow access to the engine andblower.

Power for the propeller is takenoff at the rear power takeoff pad

LT Zuments is an aeronautical engineer working on the XV-II A project in th e pp lied Aeronautics Di-vision of the U S Army AviationMateriel Laboratories, Ft Eustis,Va His article is based 6n knowl-edge gained while working with theaircraft.

JUNE 1968

The shrouded propeller increases static thrust by 90 percentas in a helicopter installation. Powertransmission is via a 1 0 8 -inch tubular steel shaft turning at 6,000 rpmto the aft .gearbox which supportsthe propeller and reduces the speedto 2070 rpm. The 7 -foot long shaftis supported by a fiberglass housingcontaining intermediate be r ingsevery 15 inches. A constant speeduniversal joint allows the drive tobend through 0 iust ahead of theaft gearbox. The shaft, housing,and gearbox are removable fromthe aft end of the airplane.

The XV-11 A has proved the feasibility of the unique systems incorporated on the aircraft. Within avery restrictive f l ight envelope 150mph, 1.5 g.), the aircraft attained150 mph at 45 percent maximumpower and a rate of climb of 2,000feet per minute. A takeoff groundroll of 200 feet has been achieved.

The shrouded propeller increasesstatic thrust by 90 percent over asimilar open propeller, and providesthrust augmentation up to 100 mph.Above this speed, shroud drag overcomes any thrust increase.

Both the boundary layer controlsystem and the variable camberwing have proved their potential forattaining high l ift coefficients. Al ift coefficient of 4.5 has beendemonstrated in flight test.

The a II fiberg ass constructionhas proved to be structurally adequate, with minor skin repairs andstructural strengthening easily accomplished. Drag has been ex tremely low due to the smooth skinsurfaces made possible by the in herent characteristics of fiberglass.

A 30-hour fl ight test program isunderway to provide further performance and stability d a t a ~

17


20/68

What s New in IFR ProceduresThe author covers some of the more significant of recent IFR changesin hopes that it will encourage Army aviators to fully use the annualwritten examination study guide before taking the exam

ONE OF THE MOST wornout salutations around isWhat's new? - or the equivalent. f that question were asked

in the world Army aviationinstrument flying, you might getan answer something like this:

N ot much really, al thoughthere are new requirements foralternates. You can hold at yourdestination, if necessary, when theweather is bad. Special card helicopter pilots can't descend 100feet below minimums any more,but any instrument rated rotarywing aviator can cut publishedvisibility minima in half down toY of a mile. Sliding scale is onthe way out and TERPs is in,bringing new approach plates forall airfields. And there's MDA,HAA, DH, and HAT , revisedcopilot requirements, RVR, andyou can initiate a straight -in approach if you have the visibilitybut not the ceiling. But as youcan see, instrument flying hasn'tchanged much while you've beengone.

t isn't quite as bad as it sounds,but there is no question that 1968will be remembered as a year ofchange in instrument flying for theArmy pilot. The reason for this is 'two-fold. First, in February a new

18

Maior William H Gardner

AR 95-2 was published. Second, byMarch the new TERPsized (tocoin a word) approach plate hadbeen published in FLIP for mostArmy and Air Force airfields.Eventually, all approach plates,military and civilian, will beTERPsized.Since the new AR is based onTERPs, it might be appropriateto discuss it first. Just what isTERPS'? It stands for T RminalInstrument Procedures is preparedby the FAA, and is known in someArmy circles as TM 11-2557-26.TERPs establishes the terminalinstrument criteria for all locations where the United Statesexercises jurisdiction over instrument procedures in terminalareas.Specifically, TERPs establishesthe obstruction clearance requirements for all segments of allapproaches and de termines theminima for each. As the endproduct of TERPs is the approachplate and it is this that all pilotswho fly IFR must understand ,TERPs will be looked at in termsof the new approach plate format.At right is a reproduction ofthe Patterson / Wright - PattersonAFB NDB (ADF) / ILSRWY23Rapproach.

Several differences between thisformat and the old format arereadily apparent. Some are moresubtle. For example:

GCA information is given alongwith approach control, tower, andground control frequencies (asapplicable) in the upper left-handcorner of the approach plate. BothPAR (precision approach radar)and ASR (airport surveillanceradar) are available at WrightPatterson AFB. The frequenciesand other data are found in theIFR supplement, however.

Minimum safe altitudes within25 nm and 100 nm are not shown.Instead, enclosed in a rectangle arethe figures 2,600 and 3,000, and1350 and 315 0 arrows are depicted.The minimum sector (or safe)altitude within 25 nm for the areanortheast of the 1350 -315 line is2,600 feet and 3,000 feet in thearea to the southwest. These quadrants or sectors will never be lessthan 90 0 and often one altitudeis shown for the entire 25 nmradius.MAJ Gardner recently graduatedfrom the Department of RotaryWing's Examiner Course and basedhis article on knowldge gained there.He also is slated to write nextyear's writ on the subject.

U S RMy AVIATION DIGEST


21/68

NDB(ADF)/ ILS R Y 2 R Al l08 US F )DAYTON APPROACH CONTROL

1 ~ . 9 3 ZJ.1PATTERSON TOWER126.2 289.6GNDCON335.8PAR/ASR

1/Ii 2 46

NOTE : ILS available on active runway only

MISSED APPROACHTo 3000 on 230 0within 10 NM

LO ...M 49 . 2700? ? q o ~

MMRightwithin 10 NM

Glide Slope 3.00 0

S NDB-23R1340-1516 (600-1) 1340-1516 600-1Y2)

NDB(ADF)/ILS RWY23R

D

1400- 2576 600-2)

12600 i

ELEV 824


22/68

What s New in I R Procedures?The glide slope angle for the ILSis shown.Categories of aircraft as definedby TERPs are as follows:

Category A Speed 50-90 knots orweight 30,000 lbs or lessCategory B Speed 91-120 knots

or weight 30,001-60,000 lbsCategory C Speed 121-140 knots

or weight 60,001-150,000 lbsCategory D Speed 141-165 knots

or weight over 150,000 lbsCategory E Speed over 165 knots- weight not considered(Speed is based on 1.3 times thestall speed in the landing configuration. The OV 1 and U 21 arepresently the only Army aircraftlisted in category B. Pending development of TERPs helicoptercriteria, U. S. military helicoptersmay observe aircraft approachcategory A regardless of weight.)

The landing minima block isbroken out by category as necessary.

For a straight-in ILS approachto runway 23R for categories Athrough D we see: 1023/ 24 200200-Y2 )- The 1023 is the DH, or decision height. Decision height applies only where an electronic glideslope provides the reference fordescent, as in ILS with glide slope

or PAR. t is the height, specifiedin feet MSL, at which a missedapproach shall be initiated if therequired visual reference with theairport environment has not beenestablished.- The /24 is the RVR or controlling visibility factor whenreported for this runway. (RVRwill be discussed in a subsequentparagraph. )- The 200 is the HA T, orheight above touchdown. This indicates that although the field elevation is 824, the elevation at theend of the runway (touchdown)is 823 because the DH is shownas 1023. The figure is published -to2

assist the pilot in interpreting theapproach plate.- The figures (200-Y2) are theminimums for the approach. Thesefigures are used as the basis fordetermining if existing and forecast weather will permit use of theairfield as a destination and fordetermining whether an alternateis required.

For a straight-in ILS approach without glide slope, anADF approach, and a circling, adifferent set of figures is published.Note that for circling the minimavary for different categories ofaircraft. Considering the ADFapproach, again for categories Athrough D: S-NDB-23R 1340-1516 (600-1)

- 1340 is the MDA, minimumdescent altitude. DH is used onlyfor precision approaches. MDA isthe lowest altitude to which descentshall be authorized in proceduresnot using a glide slope, unless therunway environment is in sight andthe aircraft is in . a position todescend for a normal landing.

- The visibility (-1), however,is 1 mile and RVR is not authorized for this type of approach,although it is a straight-in approach to a runway with RVR. Byits very nature, RVR is neverauthorized on a circling approach.

- 516 is the HAA or heightabove aerodrome. HAT is applicable to precision approaches only.The HAA is the actual height ofthe MDA above the field which,because of TERPs criteria, is oftenless than the published minima.- (600-1 ) represents the minimums for planning purposes.

The new approach plate alsoincludes runway lighting information in the block depicting the field.HIRL in the example (and foundin the legend for instrument approach procedures) stands for highintensity runway lights. The circledV symbolizes visual approach slope

indicator and the circled Al is thesymbol for U. S. standard (A)lighting system. For further information see the inside back coverof any low altitude instrumentapproach procedure volume.

There are several other minorchanges in format which are selfexplana ory.

In addition to the new formatfor approach plates, TERPs hasintroduced RVR which is discussedin the new AR 95-2. RVR information is determined electronicallyby a device known as a transmisometer which measures visibilitydown the runway in feet. t is aninstantaneous reading and cannotbe forecast.

RVR is never used in con unction with a circling approach.RVR is the controlling visibilityfactor when published and reported for a given runway.

When RVR is published as aminimum, but not reported, therequired RVR may be convertedto equivalent visibility in accordance with the table below and substituted as the applicable visibilityminima.

1600 - 142 0 0 0 %2 4 0 0 23 2 0 0 %4 0 0 0 %4 5 0 0 s5 0 0 0 1 s. m.6000 - 114

An example of RVR terminologycould be measured ceiling 400overcast, visibility . Runway 6visual range 4000.This brings us to the new AR95-2 which, in its eight pages, contains more significant changes to

accepted instrument flying procedures than any other document inrecent years.

Paragraph 3-9 b- Helicopters are authorized to use thelowest approach category minimaand may reduce the publishedvisibility or RVR by as much as500 0 but never to less than one-U. S. RMY AV ITION DIGEST


23/68

quarter mile or RVR 1600'.As long as the legend of the

approach procedures volumes indicates that sliding scale is still applicable to U. S Army, this reductionin visibility may be used in conjunction with sliding scale. Slidingscale is not a part of TERPs andwill eventually be removed fromall approach plates as TERPsspreads to all civilian fields.

The reduction in visibility maybe used for planning by helicopterpilots to determine sui tabili ty of afield as a destination, the need foran alternate, suitability as an alternate, and as the basis for commencing an approach. An exampleof this would be minimums forhelicopters of 200- Y for precisionapproaches. No provision is nowmade permitting helicopter pilotswith special instrument cards todescend 100 feet below minimums.

Paragraph 3-9 Takeoff minima for those aviators possessingthe appropriate Army instrumentqualification when operating aircraft in which they are qualifieda r e -

(1) Standard Airplane Certificate - Ceiling 200', visibility, onehalf mile or RVR 2400', for operation of fixed wing aircraft.(2) Standard Helicopter Certificates - Ceiling 100', .visibili ty,one-quarter mile or RVR 1600',for operation of rotary wingaircraft.

( 3) Special Airplane or Helicopter Certificate-No minima apply. The nature and urgency of themission .along with the inherent riskshould be considered when exer-cising this flight clearance authority. [ I alics ours]

Paragraph 3-9 g (1) - Astraight-in approach may be initiated if the visibility or RVR isreported to be at or greater thanthat published Note, nothingis said about ceiling. The pilot cannot descend below the appropriateMDA or DH unless he establishesvisual contact with the -runway .en-JUN E 968

vironment and can land from hisposition.Paragraph 3-9 g (3) - If uponarrival at the destination airfield,the required minima do not exist,a pilot may not commence ap

proach. He may request ATC instructions to hold if the forecastis favorable and all alternate airfield requirements can continue tobe met.

Paragraph 3-10 - Alternate airfield.a. An alternate airfield is required if the weather conditions atthe destination airfield of an instru

ment flight plan is forecast to beless than the following during theperiod from one hour before untilone hour after the ETA:

( 1) Airplanes.( a) Ceiling - 3,000 feetabove the appropriate landing minImum.(b) Visibility - 3 miles or1 mile more than the appropriate

landing minimum, whichever isgreater.(2) Helicopters.

(a) Ceiling - 1,000 feetabove the appropriate landing minImum. (b) Visibility - 2 miles orpublished minimum, whichever isgreater.

b. An airfield will not' be listedas an alternate unless currentweather forecasts indicate that theceiling and visibility at the alternate airfield will be at or greaterthan the following during the period from one hour before until onehour after ETA.

(1) Airfields for which an instrument procedure or radar minImum is provided in the DODFLIP.

(a) Airplanes-Ceiling andvisibility at or greater than alternate minimum specified in DODFLIP publications.

(b) Helicopters - Same as(a) above except that visibilitymay be reduced by 50 percent.(2) Instrument procedures not

published in the .DOD FLIP or forwhich alternate .minima are notspecified:(a) Airplanes - Ceiling400 feet above the appropriate ap

proach minima; and visibility 2miles above the appropriate published minima.

(b) Helicopters - same as(a) above except that the derivedvisibility may be reduced by 50%.(3) Airfields without an instrument approach.

(a) Airplanes- Conditionswhich permit VFR descent, approach and landing, with visibilityof not less than 3 miles.

(b) Helicopters - Same as(a) above except that visibility maybe reduced by 50 %.

Paragraph 3-12 Copilot requirements. A copilot is required intoknown or forecast instrument conditions.a. Helicopter flight : The copilotmust be helicopter instrument

rated and qualified in the aircraftbeing flown.b. Airplane flight. Commanderswill consider pilot proficiency, mission requirements, and area of op

eration in determining qualifications required for fixed wing copilots. The use of an instrumentrated copilot is encouraged forflights originating or terminating inareas of high density air traffic. Inthis connection, special consideration will be given to major terminals included in the DOD FLIParea charts coverage.

I t is not intended to imply thatthis article contains all the recentchanges to instrument flying procedures; rather it attempts to coverthe most significant changes. It ishoped that it will cause all aviators . o fully use the annual writtenexamination study guide, which isprepared for their benefit, beforetaking the exam in the future. I tis hoped, also, that it will provide you with the basis to provideyour own answer when someoneasks you What's New?

21


24/68

The success of the airmobile con-cept in Vietnam is in large part dueto outstanding maintenance supportA significant portion is provided bythe 4th Group which supports allArmy aircraft in Vietnam

e Keep Them FlyingWAS SITTING in the Saigonheliport, writing a letter whilewaiting for a ride to Vung Tau,

when somebody tapped me on myshoulder. Turning around, I almostfell out of my chair, for there be-hind me was one of my best friendsfrom college.

Mike, what in the world areyou doing here? I said, reallymore from surprise than questionsince I noticed the Medical Serv-ice Corps brass on his collar.

I'm running a dispensary outat Long Binh, was his reply. I seeyou're in the Signal Corps, but that

Lieutenant Vincent R Guerrieri

patch you are wearing says 34thGeneral Support Group. What kindof an outfit is that?Here there was a lull in the con-

versation as our voices weredrowned out by the whispering, yetsomehow thunderous, whop,whop rotor bang of a Chinookmaking its approach. We pausedto watch the lumbering giant, haul-ing a Huey B model on a sling,deposit its cargo in a corner of theheliport, hover for a few seconds,then silently head off in the direc-tion from which it came.

Do you mean you've never

heard of the 34th General SupportGroup (AM&S)? I asked.

No.Well, let's sit down and 1 11tell you all about the most import-ant support unit in the entire war.You have to be talking aboutthe medics, right?LT Guerrieri wrote his descriptionof the unique and important oper-ation of the 34th General SupportGroup while assigned to that unit.Because the 34th has such extensiveresponsibility for aviation in Viet-nam and some unique operations,he felt it would be of interest to all.U S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


25/68

Of course the medics are vitallyimportant, but I'm talking aboutthe concept of airmobility, a reallyimportant factor in this war. Surelyyou'll agree that without the heli.copter we would be in no betterposition than the French were backin the early '50s.

Yes, you're right there, Vince.OK, to start with, let me tellyou that 'AM&S' means Aircraft

Maintenance and Supply. The 34thGroup has the responsibility of supporting all Army aircraft in Vietnam with maintenance, supply, and.depot level component repair forthe entire aircraft. It means justthat- including airframe and powerplant, armament and avionics.And we do it in a way to providethe fastest possible support to thecombat aviation units: with onestop service.

This all means that if the Armyflies it in Vietnam, the 34th Groupeither fixes it, gets the parts forit, sends it back to CONUS foroverhaul, or brings it into thecountry-anything that has to dowith Army aviation maintenanceand supply.

Sounds like a pretty big job.How do you do it?We do it with the only aircraft

maintenance and supply group inthe U.S. Army. The 34th Groupwas designed and built in the combat zone of Vietnam to provide thesupport required by the counterinsurgency operation. And you'reright, it is a big job. Over 5 percent of all aircraft in the Armyinventory are here in Vietnam.

What we've done is locate themaintenance units right with theconcentrations of aircraft andmaintain a centrally located depotfor repair parts. This is why wehave our 765th TransportationBattalion located at Vung Tau, the520th at Phu Loi, the 14th at NhaTrang and the parts depot, whichwe call the Aviation Materiel Management Center, operated by the58th Battalion, at Tan Son Nhut.JUNE 968

. We also have operational control of the floating aircraft maintenance facility. It is operated by theFirst Transportation Battalionaboard the USNS Corpus hristiay and has the mission of per

forming limited depot level component repair. Each maintenancebattalion has located its companiesright with the customer units. Forexample, the 14th Battalion isheadquartered in Nha Trang, butthe 339th Transportation Companyis located at Phu Hiep, the 608that Dong Ba Thin, the 335th is atChu Lai, the 79th and 540th atQui Nhon, the 610th at An Kheand the 604th at Pleiku. Theseunits can, through their location,provide the best possible support.Say, what's this 'one-stop service' you were talking abou t ?

I is about the best thing thatArmy aviators could have asked

for. Remember, I told you wemaintain armament, avionics, airframe and powerplant. Well, whenwe get a ship which needs extensive maintenance, it usually requires maintenance .on more thanone of the major areas of the aircraft.See that Huey in the corner justdropped off by the Chinook? Ithas some fairly extensive crashdamage. See how the mast is tilted?That means it will probably needsome work on the engine and transmission, rotor head and blades.That mangled door, hanging by asingle hinge, will be replaced. Seehow the nose of the ship is damaged? Well, right behind there isa maze of very delica te electronicsequipmen t that will surely needsome looking after. I can't see fromhere how much damage was doneto th e guns, but you can bet they'll

rmament speci lists check nd rep ir gun systems

3


26/68

probably need some work in thearmament shop.

"Now, if we didn't have onestop service, you can never tellwhen it might be repaired. Afterinspection, that bird will be broughtinto the shop right here, and teamsof experienced, school trained mechanics will get to work on her.The avionics people will make athorough check of the avionicsgear and remove all inoperableequipment, repair it and get it backin the ship as fast as possible. Atthe same time, the sheetmetalworkers will set to the task ofpatching the holes, replacing doors,or whatever else is required tomake the body airworthy again.While this is going on, the armament specialists are making checksand repairs on the gun systems, repairing the defective items theycome across and replacing thosethat cannot be repaired. All theengine and transmission work willalso be handled right here, while24

the other systems of the aircraftare being repaired.

"You can't get service like thison your car back home And itdoesn't happen by accident. Eachof these companies is designed withthis one-stop capability in mind.Can you picture how the processwould be if the engine was repaired here, then the ship washauled to Vung Tau to repair theavionics equipment, then go to PhuLoi for maintenance on the armament subsystem? It sure wouldn'tget the aircraft back into servicevery quickly."

"This one-stop service seems tobe a solution to the problem of getting the helicopter in the air asquickly as possible. But how do youget them back from the field so youcan fix them?""All in a day's work. Each of thebattalions, as well as several aviation units, has a recovery and evacuation mission. This means thatthey go out to the site of the

Did you see how the Chinookbrought that Huey in? . . .there s a lot more to it thanjust going out and attachinga hook to the helicopter andhauling it backdowned aircraft and physicallybring it back. Did you see how theChinook brought that Huey in?Well, there is a lot more to it thanjust going out there and attachinga hook to the helicopter and thenhauling it back."Before that Chinook was evenin the air, a recovery team was-onthe site inspecting and rigging theaircraft, that is, preparing it forthe CH-47 to come in and pull itout. Many times they must securethe area where a bird goes downand work under fire. There haveeven been times when a crew hasgone out and changed an engineright where the chopper wentdown. And by the way, our mission isn't limited to helicoptersonly. We are responsible for allArmy aircraft. So that means if aMohawk or Otter goes down, wego out, bring it back and put tin shape again."

"Very interesting, what aboutsay, you said maintenance and supply, and you haven't mentioned athing about supply. Is that just aminor part of your operation'?""Definitely not Supply is everybit s important as maintenance. ,Without supply there can be nomaintenance, and in an area whereso many specialized parts are needed to keep the equipment operational, we must emphasize it thatmuch more. We have a whole battalion that has sole responsibilityfor stocking repair parts and getting them to the maintenanceunits-fast

"The Aviation Materiel Management Center is located at Tan SonNhut and is operated by the 58thU S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


27/68

Transportation Battalion. With anoperation as large and complicatedas they have, I can't hope to fullyexplain it, but I can tell you thatthey do a bang-up job. Every week,tons of aircraft parts arrive at theAMMC from CONUS by air.These parts must be accounted for,placed into stock, stored andshipped out to the maintenanceunits. This requires vast warehousespace and more computer equipment than you would think.

The parts are shipped throughthe 'Freddy the Freeloader' system.The 'Freeloader' system consists ofa really excellent working agreement whereby the Air Force provides two C-123s each day. Thoseplanes are loaded to capacity withparts needed by the units up country. Priority requisitions-all of ourRed Ball and EDP items go byFreeloader

Wait a minute, what is Red Balland what is EDP?

You remember the famous 'RedBall Express' initiated during WorldWar II to bring gas to Patton'stanks, and how it grew to be sucha big thing? It eventually woundup hauling rations, ammunitionanything urgently needed at thefront. Well, the Red Ball I'm talking about is the same as this, onlynow, instead of using trucks, weare using aircraft, jets if we can.We use the Red Ball to get itemsthat are immediately needed to getan airplane back in the air, whetherthe part is required from theAMMC or from CONUS.

When the equipment is deadlined for parts, or EDP, it meansthat the mechanics can fix it butthey don't have the repair part.We strive to prevent this, and withthe Red Ball Express we havegreatly reduced the number ofEDPs. This has increased the availability of Army aircraft in countryto a point which is in many cases,higher than the worldwide Department of the Army standards.

That sounds good. You mustJUN 1968

have a bunch of topnotch peopleworking in your outfit.Right, and the commander iswell aware of this. He obviouslyrecognizes the wealth of talent andskill in the subordinate units by his

command policies. The GroupHeadquarters provides only policyguidance with minimal restriction'on initiative. And this policy hasworked extremely well in allowingthe men in the units to shine. Lastyear when the command of twoof our battalions, the 14th and the58th, changed hands, both of thecommanders received the Legionof Merit for the fine job they didwhile in command. They didn't getthese awards for nothing, but theydidn't do it alone. Both of thesecommanders praised their subordinates 'down to the man who turnsthe wrench' for their excellent workin keeping the aircraft availabilityso high.Just what kind of training doyour people have?

We have men of just about anyM OS you would think of and someyou wouldn't. From single-enginehelicopter mechanics, fixed wingmechanics, avionics repairmen, air-

craft armament repairmen, groundcontrol and surveillance radar repairmen, aircraft repair parts supply, avionics supply 'and armamentsupply specialists to Engineer equipment repairmen, crane and shoveloperators, legal clerks, communications specialists, finance clerks,ADPS operators and repairmen,and even a draftsman are just someof the jobs in the Group.

And all of these people areschool trained, with the mechanicsreceiving additional familiarizationtraining at our school in Vung Tau.The officer MOSs are not so diverse. Most officers in the Groupcarry a maintenance MOS such asaircraft maintenance, armament oravionics. Of course there are thosenecessary administrative, plans andoperations people. All of thesepeople contribute to keeping theGroup operating efficiently.

What about you, Vince? Whatis your job?

I'm the PIO.I should have guessed Say,

do you remember that Halloweenparty we threw back in 1964? Remember that picture you tookof.

4th Group personnel range from clerks through skilled technicianssuch as below where a specialis t works on omni equipment

5


28/68


29/68

lains in 1965, and with this assignment of chaplains to aviation camea problem of their status, training,and service.

Let us consider the problem ofthe essential training and preparation that a chaplain ought to haveto serve most effectively in an aviation assignment. The problem isobviously twofold. On one handwe have the problem of the chaplain's service in the aviation unit.On the other hand we have theconcern to place the chaplain in amore realistic status in relation toother members of the aviation unit.Basically I am asking: Is therea real need for a flight chaplainwith all that the term implies intraining, pay, insignia, and specialization?

After a year of personal experience with an aviation battalion inVietnam and after querying severalother chaplains similarly assigned,I feel we do have a problem in thisarea. Army aviation is a specialization that sets one apart as especially trained and belonging to whathas been referred to as the flightfraternity.

In the subsequent paragraphs Ishall outline what bearing thistraining and attitude has on thechaplain and on the fulfillmentof his mission within the command.Bear in mind that most, but notall, of the disadvantages accruingto the chaplain under the presentsystem can be and are overcome byindividual chaplains after a periodof service with aviation. H o w e ~ e rthat is a long and expensive way toprepare for an assignment.First, let us think briefly about

the initial impression that the newand untrained chaplain makes inan aviation unit. For the membersof an aviation unit there is a socialmilieu that goes beyond the rankand position structure of the military. Men are not only looked uponin terms of rank or grade but perhaps even more in terms of aviationrelated proficiency. Added to thisaviation oriented rating system wehave the whole spectrum of stories,terms, traditions, psychological

mind set, and acquaintances thatprovide a full-blown social structure and value system.

It is precisely here that the chaplain meets his first problem. Thevalue system in this type of organization says that to be in aviationis a value, to be outside it is tobe valueless. The current systemassigns a chaplain to the unit andhe is an outsider.

Second, we can turn our attention to some rather practical andmore tangible considerations. Chaplains who are currently serving withaviation or have served in the veryrecent past noted their needs: fa-

miliarity with types and capabilities of men and machines, radioprocedures, aviation terminology,area of safety, and operational procedures for various types of missions. To supply these needs, somesort of aviation training is real andurgent, according to. some chaplains who have served in this newand growing field.

Whenever a problem arises anda solution is sought, we do well tosee if there is a precedent. Armyaviation of the type we have todaymight be quite new, but the chaplain given specialty training orspecial ty badges is not new. Thejump qualified chaplain immediately comes to mind-undergoinga short training period, being engaged in a specialized military operation with his unit, drawing extra pay, and wearing a distinctiveinsignia.

Now largely forgotten is theWorld War II glider, but it shouldbe remembered that some chaplains were trained for service withthose units and earned wings asglider pilots.

With wings, the chaplain may not be looked at as an outsider

---

MAJ Swager, an aviation chaplain,tells of the unique situations and responsibilities of such an assignment.He also recommends wings forchaplains and justifies this by pointing out the history of specializedchaplains who have undergone training similar to that of the men withwhom they serve.JUNE 1968

;.;.; . - .


30/68

The Flight ChaplainMore nearly analogous to the

current situation is the problem ofthe Army Air Forces of World WarII. Like the cavalry of earliertimes but to a greater degree, service in the air involved sudden dan gers, swift action, instant decisions,dash and daring. The unpredict-able factors bred fatalism in someand recklessness in others. To meetthem on a ground of common un-derstanding a chaplain must beable to recognize these facts andtheir implications. 1

t appears that Army aviationfaces the same problem again, 25years later. To solve the problemof the chaplain with aviation thefollowing solution was used: Dif-ferent combat arms have distinctivepsychological problems which affectthe chaplain's work. This is especially true of the Air Force,where fighting , conditions sometimes tend toward recklessness ora degree of fatalism. The intensiveprogram of the Chaplain School allowed little time for a study ofthese matters. This was considered'so important that the Air Forceopened its own school at San Antonio, Texas, in June 1944 to givetwo weeks of special training tograduates of the other school whohad been selected for duty with airpersonnel. . . . 2

The Chaplain Branch has longtrained chaplains for specializedassignmen s in hospital and prisonwork and as instructors. Brieflystated then, we in the Army Chap-laincy have a long tradition ofspecialized training and have recognized its value to fulfill assignments with specialized units.

f we have a problem and iftraining will do a great deal tosolve the problem, what solutions

IHoneywell , Roy J Chaplains of the UnitedStates Army, Office of the Chief of Chaplains,Department of the Army, 1958, p. 231.2Ibid., p. 250.

8

are open to US? I t seems to me thatthere are basically three solutions.First, this could be handled internally as a branch matter. Itwould mean that an orientationcourse could be given as a classroom presentation at the U. S.Army Chaplain School at FortHamil ton, N. Y. There are certainadvantages in that chaplains already at the school for either thebasic or advanced courses couldbe held over for an additional 10days or 2 weeks to receive thetraining. This plan has several obvious disadvantages that can bereadily recognized by the reader.

Second is the program similar tothe orientation course for Armyflight surgeons at the Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Ala. Itis interesting to note that the Armyhas several systems for trainingflight surgeons. One of these pro-grams lends itself particularly wellfor use by a small, selected groupof chaplains. Those flight surgeonstrained by the Air Force for theArmy, following their Air Forcetraining, go to Fort Rucker for2Y weeks of orientation. Thisgroup could accommodate chap-lains for the orientation phase oftheir training, thus relieving anyextra scheduling problems. This arrangement might have some traveland TDY costs involved but itwould appear that it would provide outstanding training.

Third and finally, we have thechoice of full flight training. Thistraining is long, expensive, anddoes not fit the mission of the chap-lain. The Army Chaplaincy doeshave chaplains who are pilots, andthese men might well be assignedas flight chaplains and be allowedto stay current. Such men wouldmeet all criteria for a flight chap-lain but their numbers are too feweven to fill current aviation needs.

t would appear that a flightsurgeon type orientation program

is the most desirable solution.Therefore, here is the recommenda-tion. Many chaplains who havebeen actively involved in Army aviation recommend that an orientation program leading to qualification for specialty insignia, pay, andassignment should be instituted. twould seem to be advisable to givethe chaplain his flight orientationat Fort Rucker in conjunction withthe Air Force trained surgeons.During those periods of instructionon medical records and administra-tion the chaplains could meet forseminars and instruction with anaviation experienced chaplain.

In this arrangement the chap-lain would receive the best possibletraining in the emotional mind-setof the men who serve in Army aviation. By this method he could gainan appreciation not only of theaviator's emotional but also hisphysical limitations. Then he wouldbe in a position to work and speakmore meaningfully to the aviationunit.

Tied in with the emphasis onthe man is the need to understandthe aviation unit's mission, uses,and tactics because to serve theunit and the men in it is the chap-lain's concern and duty. Wherepilot error, worry, and strain affectthe life and safety of all those onthe aircraft, it behooves the chaplain to render the most effectiveministry possible.

The flight chaplain orientationprogram should teach the chaplainthose skills and that knowledgenecessary to handle himself in sucha manner that will commend himand what he represents to the men.The orientation program shouldinclude a liberal dose of aviationsafety. Add to aviation psychology,tactics and safety such things ashistory, terminology, nomenclature,and organization and you havequalified a chaplain who can goto an aviation unit better preparedto render finer service than everbefore.U. S RMY VI TION DIGEST


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JUNE 1968

henc, .W

E

Traits or items that make an aviator s perform-ance professional are quite subtle and basic.let s just how basic

Captain Ronald J. iche

LET'S CONSIDER some traitsthat distinguish between theprofessional and the nonprofessional Army aviator. The distinctioncan be made only by observing howthe -aviator .applies his knowledgeand training. Many of the traitsor items that make an aviator'sperformance professional are quitesubtle and rather basic. So nowlet s just see how basic these thingsare and what we -should do to ensure ourselves and others that wehaven't slipped into a nonprofessional category.Personal A p p e ~ a n c e O n e evening several months ago, I wasfiling for a night flight at operations when two other pilots entered. Their flight suits had notseen the inside of a washing machine for an obviously long time.I t did not require a sharp eye tosee that one of the pilots was wearing civilian shoes, and -the otherdisplayed a portion of a Sport shirtcollar sticking up from under hisflight suit. Besides violating the uniform regulations, these . two individuals impressed me with a complete lack of personal pride and discipline, which in turn indicated anonprofessional attitude towardsflying.Let s follow the example set bythe guy who always presents aneat, clean appearance and wearsthe proper uniform. t doesn't require much extra effort on ourpart. Granted, when operating inthe field for extended periods oftime, it isn t always possible tokeep up our appearance ; however,the effort should be made. Remember, when we fly in and out of military and civilian airfields, we aregiving an impression of Army avi-

ation to members of -other servicesand civilians.

Courtesy-How often have youbeen blasted with sand, dust, andeven small stones by .a pilot whodidn't have enough' courtesy toturn the nose of his aircraft whilemaking a runup? This is very irritating, as is being cut out of thepattern or being forced to make ago-around because of the guy whotakes his good sweet time clearingthe active.A few days ago, while filling outthe book in a helicopter with therotor blades slowly turning down,another aircraft hovered in besideme to park, causing all kinds ofwild gyrations upon the rotor headnot to mention my being shakenhalfway out of the cockpit. Therewere many other parking spots tochoose from but he just wasn'tthinking. Besides being thoughtless,these acts can cause injury to personnel and damage to otheraircraft.

Emergencies-Think back to primary flight school when it was required to have a forced landingarea in sight at all times. f wedidn't the IP simply closed thethrottle to simulate a forced landing, and we suddenly found ourselves in a most interesting situation. Do you know pilots who havebecome too experienced to bother with maintaining this type ofvigilance? f we become complacent about the importance of theseCPT Piche, realizing the importanceof true professionalism in Army aviation, selected his topic in hopethat a review of the basic elementsof professionalism will serve as areminder of its role. o be effectivethey must be practiced daily.

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failed to release the cyclic friction.Don't restrict the use of a checklist to preflight and takeoff checks.Prelanding checks are equally important. f you don't believe so,just ask any pilot who has madea landing with the gear up. Asimple prelanding check will helpprevent such needless accidents.

Proficiency-Some of us interpret proficiency to mean flying 4hours a month for flight pay. Arewe actually accomplishing anythingtoward maintaining our proficiencyby flying straight and level to apoint B or flying circles to logtime? Staying proficient involvesmore than getting the aircraftstarted and breaking the surlybonds of earth. File IFR andpractice a few approaches. Dig inand review a standardization guide.Work on maneuvers that havegiven you trouble in the past.Shooting a normal. approach by thebook can be very revealing if thismaneuver hasn't been practiced forsome time. This is the type of proficiency that counts and pays offwhen the chips are down.

Control Touch - In this areamost of us -feel that a pilot exhibits his true professionalism. Itappears basic enough to fly frompoint A to point and m iwesafely. All Army aviators - havethis capability, so how do we distinguish the real professional aviator from the amateurs on such matters? The professional has a definitepurpose in mind and keeps wellahead of the aircraft. For example,he will not compromise himself onaltitude. f he begins to inadvertently descend from his assignedaltitude, he immediately applies acorrection and continues the application until he has the altimeterreading the exact assigned .altitude,not 50 feet above or below.

When flying a particular headinghe will maintain this heading, nottwo .or three degrees left or right.Those of us who have flown withJUNE 968

the guy who bruises your kneeswith the cyclic stick and flies as ifhe were in a thunderstorm haveseen the extreme end of the spectrum. L et's keep ourselves on theopposite end of the spectrum byflying the aircraft as it shouldbe flown. There is a big difference between herding an aircraftthrough the sky and flying it.Physical Fitness-Army aviatorswho eat in messhalls have no problem availing themselves of a balanced diet. It's there for them ifthey want to ea t it . The problemseems to be overeating Overweightis incom patible with peak effiency. For instance, being over-.weight not only holds up passingyour flight physical, it can makeyou more susceptible to illness .andfatigue. K eeping our weight downnot only makes us feel better butwe also look better. Needless tosay, if you are going to diet, doso under the supervision of your

flight surgeon. Drastic unsupervised crash diets have been reported in connection with severalArmy aviation .accidents.

Every aviator should have somesort of physical fitness program setup for himself. R egular exercise-increases your feeling of well-beingand promotes stamina and endurance. In addition, recreational exercise relieves nervous tension andmental fatigue. Physical fitness isimportant to everyone in all walksof life. but to none is it more iIll 'portant than to the Army aviatorand alrcrewman. Good muscletone, endurance, stamina and selfconfidence generated by good physica l condition are vital to the professional aviator.

These are just a few of the manyways we can measure up to professionalism. We should strive toattain these goals every hour ofevery day. Let's take pride in ourselves and our profession.

Aviators should have th ir own physical fitness programs

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etHomeitis


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fly at 7,500 feeout the mIx ure woulCii haveof fuel. this was mistake nu- --two.

Since had an instrument checkride coming n about a week,Ed told me to go ahead bnd fly inthe left seat. could practice ADFtr approach atfly to

like the popul cl I U & . . . . . . . - n t a t . , . . t ' I I I ; ~ ~ in w s invented

~ 1 . a ~ ' W . . . . . offers his prescripttonntative medicine. Since allprone to want to ge la tong. tiring trip. hismedicine should be in.medicine cabinets.

the sky was clear, with a millionstars shining brightly. With the a i ~rimm up, we both relaxedenioy: d the flight. About 20ort of Kunsan, we called the

, , , , _ . ' - - and requested a practice ADFpproach. Kunsan tower answered

that we were cleared for a practiceapproach and to remain VFR Theyadvised that numerous iet aircraftwere also practicing approaches-and that their radar was down formaintenance.

We didn t ev n hesitate. We toldthem thank you anyway, but we justdecided we didn t care to get intotraffic with ts in our lOS-knotBeaver. W. said we were reversingcours and returning to our homebase-. Without the radar to keep usadvised of that jet traffic there was


36/68

Get Ha leitistoo good a chan.ce to get run overby big brother.

As w e completed our turn andheaded north, I reached down andswitched to the front tank. Thecenter tank indicated about 4 gallons remaining. On crossing theNDB at Seoul, we could see t.heIights of the city. They looked kindof fuzzy, and I commented to Ed.that there was sure a Jot of hazearound the city. He agreed.

We started our descent as weentered the valley north of the city.We could see the lights of vehiclesmoving north along the highwaywhich goes from Seoul to Uijongbu.We were just about home.

Passing through 4,000 feet, Isuddenly lost visual contact with theground. It only lasted for a momentand we were in the clear again.Hmmm, I thought, must be a fewsmall clouds around. As we passed3,500 feet, without warning wewere in it. Solid, impenetrable. Iyelled at Ed that I was on thegauges and starting an immediateclimb. With all those mountainsaround, I wasn't about to continuethe letdown.

Ed called the tower at Red Cloudand requested their weather. Theysaid -the field was clear, but allaround they could see fog andclouds on the sides of the hills. Thevalley to the south had some .stratusin it but looked like good visibilityunderneath.

As we broke out on top again,Ed called Kimpo. They were sockedin completely with fog. Seoul reported they were open but didn'tknow for how Iong.

By this time our fuel was runninglow. We decided to try for Seoul.We headed south, hit the beacon,and turned inbound on final. Thetower cleared us straight-in. As wecr.ossed the Han River, we were inand out of patchy fog. Touchdownand rollout were normal and wetaxied in to the ramp.

34

While Ed made arrangements forfuel, I went to operations and calledRed Cloud. I got in touch with oneof the pilots of the aviation sectionand asked him to check the weatherthere for me. In a few minutes hewas back on the phone and saidthe field was wide .open. I ex plained what happened and that wemight not get back that night. Hesaid that it was our decision. Ithanked him and hung up.

When Ed came into operations,I told him about the phone call.We talked it over and decided thati f we flew up the valley, we couldstay under any clouds and make itin. By following the road we would

I yelled for Ed to.bring up the flaps.As he did the air-craft lost Iif tanddropped to the pave-ment travelingmuch -oo fast

avoid any hills. Not wanting tospend the night in Seoul, we decidedto try it .Mistake number three.

The field was still VFR as we tookoff and headed out over the city.We stayed at 1,200 feet and turnednorth up the valley. The Jights ofthe cars on the highways, were visible and it seemed that we wouldhave no problem. Then we startedto hit some patchy stratus comingoff the hills. We could still see thehighway and the lights of Uijongbuwere visible, so we continued.

About 5 miles out we called thetower and requested an extendedleft base for runway 27. I had nointention of trying for 09, the active,

as the traffic pattern for it wouldput me close to the hills. Also,wanted to keep those lights in sight.The tower cleared us as requestedand we began our approach.

As we turned final and lined upon the lights, I came back on poweand Ed lowered the flaps t o thetakeoff position. Suddenly, at abou

mile final, we went into a patchof fog. We lost aU forward visi-bility. I slammed in power andstarted a climb. Then we poppedout and the runway was right infront of us Off came the power aswe crossed the fence on the end othe runway.

With the added power, airspeedwas high and as we rounded outthe aircraft started to float, airspeed dropping off, but much tooslowly. We were in a three-poinattitude about 6 inches off theground. I yelled for Ed to bring upthe flaps. As he did, the aircraflost l i ft and dropped to the pavement, touching down at about thehalfway point, but much too fastWe both pulled back on the yokeand stood on the brakes. The aircraft finally stopped about 50 feefrom the fence at the for end. Wetaxied to the ramp and shut down

As we climbed out, one of oupassengers said, Thanks for theride. You guys sure have it softgetting paid for an easy job likeflying. Ed and I looked at eachother and smiled rather weakly. Wedidn't bother to answer.

I learned a numb.er of things fromthis flight. First, don't try to secondguess the weather. Be sure of ibefore departing and check it continually while inflight. Second, besure you have adequate fuel onboard. If we had filled the reatanks before departing, we wouldhave had an adequate reserve ofuel to take us to af ie ld which wasnot having any weather problemsAs it was, we were lucky at SeoulThird, and most important, when indoubt, DON'T. Get-Homeitis cankill you.



37/68

Sir:Major Chapman C. Norton's articleTogetherness in the Feb 68 issue of the

Digest appears to be a little one-sided.As a dual rated aviator, I have noticedoccasionally the discourteous ChopperDriver hovering too close to a fixedwing aircraft. The other side of thepicture is the fixed wing aviator whohas no respect for helicopter rotorwash. Too often I have witnessed fixedwing aircraft taxied or parked (nottied down) in proximity to helicoptersthat were preparing to take off. So,Mr. Fixed Wing Driver, you also havea responsibility in this situation. Use alittle common sense when taxiing andparking on the same ramp withhelicopters.

MAJ ENGLE W. SCOTT222nd Cbt Spt Avn BnAPO San Francisco 96289 Courtesy and common sense when

operating near other. aircraft are attributes of the safety-minded aviator ofall qualifications. Indeed, the professional aviator can never ignore theI1lwhether on the ground or in the air.

The EditorsSir:I 'm writing about your article Co nglomeration of Errors in the Jan 68issue of Aviation Digest. I'd like toadd a little to your story because youmissed some real interesting points.I t was very easy to see that a lot ofthe info in the story came from theteardown analysis performed jointlyby Duane Davis and Lonnie Cunningham, two Aircraft Equipment Specialistsassigned to Quality Audit SpecialPrqjects Branch , Directorate for Quality, ARADMAC, Corpus Christi, Texas.

Dave found out that the fuel controlwas in the emergency or manual position when the engine was received.The engine failed from a violent overspeed of the N l a n d N2. While theexact cause of the overspeed could notbe determined, the pilot who has hisfuel control malfunctioning and triesto fly on manual is asking for trouble.The N2 system did fail though, and

JUNE 1968

this caused the first indication oftrouble.Lonnie looked at the tail rotor blade,

short shaft, pylon mount, main transmission mounts, rpm limit warning detector , tach generator and pieces of thered main rotor blade. He found thecause of the uncontrollable vibration inthe pieces of red main rotor blade foundsome distance from the crash site. Thepieces of blade that Dave found weremissing from the N2 wheel had exitedfrom the tail pipe and one piece hitthe red main rotor blade near the tip.The red blade tip separated in flightand set up vibration reported to havebeen so severe that the pilot's crashhelmet was bouncing around on hishead.

Gene J uelg and his crew in theMetallurgical Lab at ARADMAC Xrayed the red blade tip and found thepiece of high densi ty metal in thehoneycomb of the red blade. Furtheranalysis proved it to be the same typeof metal used to manufacture the Nland N2 blades.

We think that the UH-IB/S40 shotitself down with pieces of its failingN2 turbine wheel. The analysis workis typical of the fine work being performed by the equipment specialistsand lab personnel in the Directoratefor Quality at ARADMAC. We areready to help anyone needing ourservices.

RAYMOND S. FARLEYCh , Quality Audit Special Proj BrARADMAC, Corpus Christi, TexasP.S The lab and analysis work referredto in the story Flight Following -

Cancelled was also done by Bob Perry,an Aircraft Equipment Specialist atARADMAC Our thanks to Mr. Farley for thisadditional information. Analyses offailed and suspect parts are among themost important and productive phasesof aircraft accident investigations. Procedures for obtaining analyses are contained in USAAVCOM Supply Letter33-67, dated 13 September 1967.

The Editors

35


38/68

cr sh s nsthe following 28 pagesprepared by theU. S rmy Board for

viation ccidentR esearch

6

the diamond formationunder the circumstances

- ruled out a go-around forthe -no 4 aircraft onshort final



39/68

I NVESTIGATION BOARD narrative The UHID was flying no. 4 slot position in a diamond formation. RPM bled off rapidly at approach termination, and the aircraft fell to the ground. Initial contact was hard, breaking the tail boom. t spun violently to the right and came to rest on its left side,facing to the left rear of the approach path

Pilot of lead aircraft At the beginning of ourapproach, I would estimate that we were at 2,000feet msl. I recall seeing red smoke marking the LZ.The smoke was not thick enough to obstruct ourvision, although we considered it a possible hazardto air