HRT’s UH-1 helicopter at 8,000 feet and litter with patient on the wire after a 500ft fall on mountain side.
Nestled in the north west corner of the US, just north of Seattle is Snohomish County and the operating base of their Helicopter Rescue Team. The HRT conducts approximately 80 rescues a year, predominantly mountain rescues of hikers. Two of their team, Chris Moriarty and Bill Quistorf, took the time out for a chat about their setup, the operating area and its challenges and the skill sets within the organisation.
The Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team operates 2 helicopters.
SnoHawk 10 is a highly modified Vietnam era Bell UH-1H – Fast Fin and tailboom strake kit, Bell 205 tail boom, Bell 212 Tail rotor/gearboxes, more powerful Lycoming T53-L703, Garmin G500H’s, NVG-compatible cockpit – which is the main workhorse for rescue missions and training. It is a beautiful looking ship. A typical mission would include 5 crew and a range of role equipment operating up to 9000′ elevation. Depending on the nature of the site and casualties the crew may have to offload people and equipment and/or burn fuel for sufficient power margin.
Chris Moriarty is a Rescue Technician (or Tech) with HRT. And Bill Quistorf is the organisation Chief Pilot.
SnoHawk 1 is a Hughes 500-P (military NOH-6P) which flew in Vietnam with Alpha Troop, 3/17 Air Cavalry. It was a specially modified machine for covert CIA/Air America style missions with 4 bladed tail-rotor, an extra main rotor blade and (now removed) oversized engine exhaust muffler. SnoHawk 1 can provide law enforcement and missing persons support. It was used to fly more regular police patrols but budget reductions have curtailed the flying hours possible.
The HRT team itself is unusual in that it consists of only a few full time salaried members and then a pool of approximately 30 volunteers who man a roster. Skill sets of the volunteers include rescue technicians, flight medics, crew chiefs, pilots, and ground support personnel. These people have their own separate day jobs and interests that then come together to form the capability. On any particular day when the HRT is activated the rostered on team members will meet at the ‘Taylor’s Landing’ base and assess the callout mission.
Team training is conducted twice a week. A number of other agencies also use the base facility for training and there is a tower mounted Huey frame avaliable for rappelling drills.
Mountain rescue makes up most of the HRT callouts. Note the cloud ceiling on the hills in background.
Sérgio Costa has 25 years of experience with PC based flight simulators and heads up the Helisimmer website team. Helping others and bring the simulation hobby to those that don’t know it yet is something he loves to devote time to as well.
Virtual reality hardware and software have crossed a threshold where their use in supporting helicopter training and currency/recency provides an amazing experience. In this episode we break down what you can expect and what you will need to get started.
Hopefully you will never look at computer helicopter flight simulators the same after listening to this podcast episode. Sérgio Costa is the editor and founder of Helisimmer.com which focuses on the fairly niche market of – not surprisingly – PC based helicopter flight simulation. On the site you can read reviews of a number of different flight sim software solutions and add-ons from a helicopter perspective.
Until recently I have spent very little attention or interest on PC helicopter flight sims. Mainly due to poor experiences in the past with flight models and how they flew but also just due to access to the real thing. I did use a home flight simulator during instrument flight training on fixed wing and rotary which certainly helped (the Cessna 172 matches a Blackhawk close enough in performance for instrument approaches).
Virtual reality headsets – model shown is a HTC Vive. The technology is now good enough to impact how aviation training is conducted.
Then 3 months ago I discovered where virtual reality(VR) technology had got to. My perception of PC flight simulator software for helicopter simulation has changed forever. Given the high cost of operating a helicopter, the cost of traditional fixed simulators and the increasing adoption of VR by consumers – my call is that all student helicopter pilots will be using VR during their training faster than most people will think.
It is amazing!!!
Sérgio and I chat about our experiences of virtual reality, unpack the technology that makes it up and go into the hardware and software you will need to install effectively a full sized Huey in your living room just by putting on a VR headset. Then when you are done with the Huey you can swap it for a Bell 206, R22, R44, B412, H125….. 🙂
Cadets and students trying out virtual reality helicopter sim (DCS:Huey) in Brisbane, Nov 2017
When researching headsets you will come across a number of types. The ones that we are talking about today are PC (Windows 10) powered rather than standalone headsets such as those that use a phone or Playstation. The power of modern PC graphics cards are required to provide the level of experience to make this viable. You will also find reference to ‘Mixed Reality’ headsets. Mixed Reality is the term that microsoft has created to group their virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies. AR references digital information overlayed on the outside world that you are looking at in much the same way that a HUD works.
The ‘best’ headset is subjective. If you are tempted to purchase in 2017/early 2018 then look at the HTC Vive (what Sérgio and I have), Oculus Rift which has been out for a while and is a proven product and the Samsung Odyssey. Each has different pros and cons – price, hand tracking resolution, screen brightness, field of view, resolution – but should all be suitable for flight sim needs and are the pick of the current offerings. A high resolution headset recently raised $4 million on Kickstarter but hasn’t been manufactured yet. Its final performance and successful delivery is still to be proven.
If you do not currently have a high performance gaming PC then you will unfortunately also need to factor that in your costs. And then the helicopter controls you need to purchase… Look it is not cheap but compared with the next best offerings in physical based simulators with multiple screens VR is a compelling business case.
Screenshot from the Dreamfoil AS350/H125 model in X-Plane 11
A good demonstration of the difference that head tracking provided by VR headsets makes to a helicopter flight sim experience
A pilot providing a detailed comparison of performance and flight model of DCS:Huey vs the real thing.
X-Plane and Robinson R66 model – more feedback and an opinion on the virtual reality experience of helicopter flight.
360 degree video example – wearing a VR headset allows you to look around inside this video tracked to the direction you are looking. This doesn’t have the 3D effect of software such as the flight sims but is still very immersive – putting you in the scene. Powerful tool for training or for capturing lessons and description of helicopter manoeuvres.
Sérgio demoing helicopter flight simulator (not virtual reality) and controls at a recent expo.
Chart showing relative performance of different graphics cards – virtual reality needs a beefy hardware setup especially when combined with flight sims.
Do you have a question about setup, hardware, software, training uses for virtual reality for helicopter simulation? Have feedback for others on how you found it or tips? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Randy Mains has operated across many parts of the helicopter industry (military, mustering, instructing, EMS, VIP and more). He has a special interest in helicopter crew resource management.
As helicopter systems, engineering and processes continue to get safer, the human component becomes the focus to further improvements in accident rates. Randy Mains shares his 20 CRM Diamonds in this interview.
Randy Mains was 22 years old when he deployed to Vietnam to fly UH-1H Hueys. On return to the US with over 1000 combat flight hours and a Distinguished Flying Cross (Randy shares the story of this in the interview) he found the US helicopter market flooded with other returned aircrew.
A night with a friend over a shared case of Australian beer resulted with Randy flying in Australia on remote outback cattle stations before a stint in PNG.
Later, souring of Iranian international relationships saw Randy leaving a Bell instructor trainer position on the last civil flight out of Iran. Taking up an emergency medical services (EMS) pilot role in Texas then became the start of Randy’s long and continued focus in this part of the industry. It is where much of the focus of his books and CRM training efforts are focused.
In the US the EMS sector seems to have a high proportion of single engine, single pilot VFR/IFR operations compared with twin engine, two pilot IFR operations in other countries. He has had a number of close calls himself including inadvertent IMC (flying into cloud) and approaching to night flare lit sites with overhead wires.
Randy’s later experiences flying in the middle east and simulator check and training with pilots from around the world gave him the chance to see how EMS is done in other countries.
Since then Randy has returned to the US with a focus on reducing the EMS accident rate and with in the helicopter industry in general. Randy is a regular columnist with Rotorcraft Pro magazine, a speaker at medical and helicopter events, author and runs a Crew Resource Management Instructor course focused on helicopters.
“Antennas Up” – a visual prompt to remaining vigilant and looking for a link in the error chain forming
Do you have a question for Randy about helicopter crew resource management or about something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Andrew Gutsell is a New Zealander who is part of the Alpine Rescue Service in the Everest region.
The elevation of the Himalayan mountains puts them at the extreme of human and helicopter performance. For climbers it can be a 2 week trek out or a 30 min helicopter flight to safety if they find themselves in trouble.
Andrew Gutsell is part of the Alpine Rescue Service run by Air Dynasty that services the region around Mt Everest. The team bases out of Lukla Airport (9,300ft) in order to maintain high altitude acclimatization and consists of a handful of aircrew, doctors, paramedics or nurses at any time. From here the service uses AS350B3 (H125) helicopters to reach Basecamp, the small camps higher up on Mt Everest and villages in the area.
[leadplayer_vid id=”59D185A1AE77C”]
Supplementary oxygen is standard mission equipment with flights right up to the 23,000ft legal limit for the aircraft. For some patient pickups the avaliable performance limits the number of people on board to just the pilot to allow for the weight of the climber. For rescues above this height a team of sherpas will have to recover the patient and bring them down to lower altitudes.
[Tweet “These are big boy mountains! #helicopter #nepal #rescue”]
At the higher camps the helicopters are always kept running rather than shutdown and risk any complications starting in the thin air. Any helicopter that gets stuck up there is unlikely to ever be recovered as there is nothing with the lift capacity at those altitudes to recover it.
Highest KFC? Helicopter Safety Briefing at Everest Base Camp 17000
Weather is also a significant constraint on operations. Flights are mainly done in the morning when the katabatic or downslope winds are smoother. Flying after 2pm is avoided to reduce the chance of being stuck in the mountains with fading light.
Andrew is a New Zealand pilot that started out flying in the mountains of New Zealand and operating to the south island glaciers. He is one of a handful of ex-pat pilots flying in Nepal. In this episode Andrew talks about the environment that you can expect to find in the Everest region and the challenges to operating a helicopter rescue service there.
Andrew and two other New Zealand Alpine Rescue Service team members, Andrew Roy (Paramedic) and Alyssa Lowe (Nurse) have just been awarded the Royal Humane Society (of NZ) Silver Medal for Rescue Services after their actions as first responders at a May 2017 aircraft crash at Lukla airstrip (video at the bottom of this page). The pilot died on impact, the co-pilot later that night and the hostess was flown out to Kathmandu in the morning when the weather cleared. The New Zealand Governor-General will present the awards at Government House, Wellington some time in mid 2018.
The Air Dynasty team and Andrew are featured in the TV series Everest Air.
Kongde Everest Mountain Flight breakfast location. View of Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam.
Bright light and blowing snow. Camp 2 Mt Everest.Andrew and Phunaru Sherpa of International Mountain Guides acclimatising pre Rescue Season. Solokhumbu region. Oxygen system & looking like Heli Stig.Injured climber rescue at 17000′Some of the Air Dynasty Lukla team. Ashish Sundash (ops), Cpt Andrew Gutsell, Padma Lama (Lukla Ops Manager), Paramedic Andrew Roy and Nurse Alyssa Lowe. Proudly flying the NZ flag to represent the historical relationship between NZ and Nepal.Flat light on Rescue ops at 22500″pa. Note Reference markers. Lukla Airport, Nepal. One way airstrip! Photo credit: coldfeetadventure.com
Google Street View of Lukla Airport
2017 Aircraft crash at Lukla airfield where Andrew and co-workers were involved in first response.
Do you have a question for Andrew about flying ops in Nepal or about something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Aaron Kenworthy started The Helicopter Page as a way to learn more about the helicopter industry and to provide a place to share information from around the globe.
The Helicopter Page on Facebook has grown to over 400,000 followers and was started by Aaron Kenworthy
Today we go behind the scenes of the largest helicopter focused Facebook page and perhaps the largest helicopter online platform in the world. With a following of over 400,000 people The Helicopter Page has a huge reach in what is a fairly narrow industry.
Aaron started down the path of helicopter training here in Australia but had to stop due to financial constraints. Taking up a day job to pay the bills he kept up-to-date with the rotary wing world by starting his own Facebook page.
[Tweet “At that age I didn’t have enough money to afford #flying so I needed another outlet to show my passion #helicopter #ipullpitch”]
At first there wasn’t much to show for his efforts. The ‘overnight’ success came quite a while later as the page slowly started to get traction and a snowballing audience. In this interview Aaron talks about his journey and some of the insights that he has picked up from being tapped into such a large community of helicopter interested people.
In this episode:
World Helicopter Day 2017 revisit
Initial fixed wing and rotary wing training
Starting The Helicopter Page
Initial growth and marketing strategy
Lessons about the industry for new entrants
State of the industry
Differences – Australia vs US
Electric helicopters
Personal branding
[Tweet “This is who I am, where I am, how do I get started in the #helicopter industry. Trying to point people in the right direction.”]
Example post from The Helicopter Page
Aaron helping out with joyflights next to a R44 in Brisbane, Australia where he completed some of his initial training.
Do you have a question for Aaron or about something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Somewhere over Saudi Arabia on the around the world trip
In this episode:
Getting into flying
Group trip to Moscow
Long range flights as charity fundraising
Planning for Africa trip – route, fuel, airspace
Flying over the Sahara
Different types of sand and massive sand dunes
Search and rescue considerations
Live tracker to website and data connection
Haze causing IMC
Changes in equipment and gear carried going into around the world trip
Route planning and timings
8 significant overwater legs Antipodes
Do you have a question for Peter or about something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Matt Barker flew the ARH Tiger for 11 years and wrote many of the manuals and procedures for its use in the Australian Army.
During 30 years of flying with the Australian Army Matt Barker has got to try his hand at a wide range of roles. He has picked up some tales of close calls and funny incidents along the way.
Episode 55 contains the first half of this interview which is also well worth listening too
In the 1980’s the RAAF was directed to transfer its helicopters to the Australian Army. This brought about an urgent need for the Army to increase their pilot recruiting numbers. At that time it would take 18 months of officer training and then another 12-18 months of flight training to get a new pilot to an operational unit. That was a lag time the Army couldn’t afford and the Special Service Officer (SSO) scheme was started which saw new recruits put through a 10 week abridged officer training course (commonly called a Knife, Fork and Spoon course) then straight into flight training.
Matt Barker was on this first SSO course through and shares some of the cultural interplay between these new officers and the rest of the Army. Going into the training he already had his commercial licence flown on R22, Bell 47 G2 and G4 models.
30 years later and Matt has flow Kiowa, Blackhawk, AS350 Squirrel, Tiger and MRH. He is an instructor, has flown Special Operations and was the Standards Officer in charge of developing the operating procedures for Tiger in Australian service from a blank piece of paper.
Flying between buildings while displaying Tiger at the Gold Coast Indy car Race
He has spent time flying over many parts of Australia, PNG, Timor and done stints in the UK, France and the US.
Thanks to Craig Bowman for the introduction to Matt and for feeding me some starting info to tease out the stories from Matt.
Parade to mark the changing of the guard from light horse cavalry to the ARH Tiger.
05 Oct 1987 – Joined Australian Army on Number 1 SSO Pilot course (46 Army Pilot course)
Jan – Jun 1988 – Basic Pilot course on CT4 at No 1 Flying Training School at RAAF Base Point Cook
Jul – Dec 1988 – Rotary wing course at SAA Oakey on B206 Kiowa
Dec 88 – Jan 91- Posted to 161 Recce Sqn at Holsworthy as a pilot on B206 Kiowa
Jan 91 – Oct 91 – Posted to Instructor training with US Army at Fort Rucker on OH58 Kiowa
Oct 91 – Oct 94 – QFI at ADF Helicopter School on AS350 Squirrel
Oct 94 – Jan 95 – S70 Blackhawk conversion course at SAA
Feb 95 – Dec 97 – Pilot, troop commander and SQN QFI at A SQN, 5 Aviation Regiment at RAAF Townsville
Jan 98 – Jun 2000 – QFI and troop commander at ADF Helicopter School on AS350 Squirrel
Jul 00 – Dec 2002 – SQN QFI at 161 Recce SQN at RAAF Darwin. Two stints in East Timor as Troop Commander and Detachment Commander
Jan 03 – Dec 09 – ARH Tiger Flying Standards Officer, posted to Eurocopter Marignane France 2004/05 and AAVNTC Oakey
Jan 10 – Dec 11 – ARH Tiger Instructor Development Officer, Instructor Training Wing, AAVNTC Oakey
Jan 12 – Dec 12 – Flying Standards Officer for ARH Tiger at 1 Aviation Regiment Darwin
Jan 13 – Jul 14 – ARH Tiger QFI with KBR at SAA Oakey
31 Jan 2014 – Transferred from full time to active reserve in the Australian Army
Jul 14 – Present – MRH90 Taipan QFI with Airbus at SAA Oakey.
In this episode:
Heli-Expo 2017 recap
The Chickenbone or Chicken Man story
1996 Blackhawk Crash – counterterrorism role
Dealing with the aftermath of the crash
Instructing
East Timor flying for Category D pilots
Tiger ARH introduction to Australian Army
Huey gunship introduction to armed role
Marine Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course – 160 Marines and 1 Aussie, 80 aircraft
UK Apache Sqn for several months
France to Airbus Tiger training school
Writing procedures for Tiger standards manual
Accidental jettison of 7-shot rocket launcher from Tiger
Introduction to Service parade – risk management plan for helicopters and horses
Matt Barker and Eurocopter Instructor – Fabrice Bonne, back in Australia, November 2005, finishing ARH Conversion course
[leadplayer_vid id=”58C5F3763C9AD”]
[Video] Marine Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course that Matt attended as preparation for writing the manuals for Tiger. He also spent some time in the UK with their Apache training school.
Site of the 1996 crash where two blackhawks collided on approach during counterterrorism training. 18 people were killed. Matt and his crew were directly behind the two aircraft when they hit.Kiowas were used extensively to monitor the Indonesian – East Timor border. This photo was taken in 2002 of Matt while on a pairs reconnaissance mission.“Last bush Trip – Leaving Woomera October 2012 on a RAAF Hercules”
Do you have a question for Matt or about something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Matt Barker in front of an Australian Army Tiger which he helped develop the operating procedures for.
During 30 years of flying with the Australian Army Matt Barker has got to try his hand at a wide range of roles. He has picked up some tales of close calls and funny incidents along the way.
In the 1980’s the RAAF was directed to transfer its helicopters to the Australian Army. This brought about an urgent need for the Army to increase their pilot recruiting numbers. At that time it would take 18 months of officer training and then another 12-18 months of flight training to get a new pilot to an operational unit. That was a lag time the Army couldn’t afford and the Special Service Officer (SSO) scheme was started which saw new recruits put through a 10 week abridged officer training course (commonly called a Knife, Fork and Spoon course) then straight into flight training.
Matt Barker was on this first SSO course through and shares some of the cultural interplay between these new officers and the rest of the Army. Going into the training he already had his commercial licence flown on R22, Bell 47 G2 and G4 models.
30 years later and Matt has flow Kiowa, Blackhawk, AS350 Squirrel, Tiger and MRH. He is an instructor, has flown Special Operations and was the Standards Officer in charge of developing the operating procedures for Tiger in Australian service from a blank piece of paper.
He has spent time flying over many parts of Australia, PNG, Timor and done stints in the UK, France and the US.
Thanks to Craig Bowman for the introduction to Matt and for feeding me some starting info to tease out the stories from Matt.
SOURCE: Australian Aviation The ARH Tiger takes off with the Kiowa following close behind. Mid Caption: 1st Aviation Regiment, Northern Territory, bid a final farewell to the Kiowa on Monday 26 October 2009. A formation of Kiowas, escorted by the ARH Tiger, conducted a fly-over of Darwin. The farewell and flypast departed from 1st Aviation Regiment, Gaza Lines, Robertson Barracks. They flew to Lee Point and then followed the coast to Palmerston and then returned to Robertson Barracks. The B206B-1 Kiowa departed the 1st Aviation Regiment and Darwin for the last time on the 27th October 2009. The aircraft has operated in the Northern Territory since the early 1970s and have been based in Darwin since November 1994. The departure of the Kiowas from 1st Aviation Regiment is a significant milestone in the introduction of the ARH Tiger. 1st Aviation Regiment will now focus on the introduction into service of the ARH Tiger from its home base at Robertson Barracks.
05 Oct 1987 – Joined Australian Army on Number 1 SSO Pilot course (46 Army Pilot course)
Jan – Jun 1988 – Basic Pilot course on CT4 at No 1 Flying Training School at RAAF Base Point Cook
Jul – Dec 1988 – Rotary wing course at SAA Oakey on B206 Kiowa
Dec 88 – Jan 91- Posted to 161 Recce Sqn at Holsworthy as a pilot on B206 Kiowa
Jan 91 – Oct 91 – Posted to Instructor training with US Army at Fort Rucker on OH58 Kiowa
Oct 91 – Oct 94 – QFI at ADF Helicopter School on AS350 Squirrel
Oct 94 – Jan 95 – S70 Blackhawk conversion course at SAA
Feb 95 – Dec 97 – Pilot, troop commander and SQN QFI at A SQN, 5 Aviation Regiment at RAAF Townsville
Jan 98 – Jun 2000 – QFI and troop commander at ADF Helicopter School on AS350 Squirrel
Jul 00 – Dec 2002 – SQN QFI at 161 Recce SQN at RAAF Darwin. Two stints in East Timor as Troop Commander and Detachment Commander
Jan 03 – Dec 09 – ARH Tiger Flying Standards Officer, posted to Eurocopter Marignane France 2004/05 and AAVNTC Oakey
Jan 10 – Dec 11 – ARH Tiger Instructor Development Officer, Instructor Training Wing, AAVNTC Oakey
Jan 12 – Dec 12 – Flying Standards Officer for ARH Tiger at 1 Aviation Regiment Darwin
Jan 13 – Jul 14 – ARH Tiger QFI with KBR at SAA Oakey
31 Jan 2014 – Transferred from full time to active reserve in the Australian Army
Jul 14 – Present – MRH90 Taipan QFI with Airbus at SAA Oakey.
In this episode:
Punching a nanna while on a joyflight
Deer hunting in NZ using MD500’s ‘coolest thing ever seen’ – was initial reason for wanting to fly helicopters
Special Service Officer (SSO) pilot course
First SSO pilot to SQN
Recruiting video for Royal Military College
Chip light over Sydney nude
Katherine Bachelors and Spinster’s Ball
Passing out on approach to RAAF base Tindal
Field promotion for maintainer
T-aid night approaches
Night flying training
Introduction of NVGs – black tape and cyalume sticks
Melbourne to Sydney Kiowa flight – IIMC, QANTAS jets, low fuel and lions
Matt Barker and Tiger HAP 004 – starting Tiger Conversion Course on the French HAP Tiger, Marignane France, Jan 2005
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[Video] Australian Army Tiger and MRH that Matt Barker flies.
The African Lion Safari was a zoo in the western suburbs of Sydney that closed in 1991. It was still operating when Matt landed there in a Kiowa with no doors on during bad weather.Matt and the mighty Kiowa, Suai East Timor 2002 with 161 Recce SQN“Saying happy birthday to my daughter while in East Timor 2002, using a RNZAF 3 Squadron Huey (that’s me in the door).” – Matt
Do you have a question for Matt or about something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Wing Commander(Ret.) Jack Lynch flew Iroquois Gunships with 9 SQN RAAF in Vietnam
Jack Lynch was a ‘Bushranger’ pilot in Vietnam for the Royal Australian Air Force. These were Iroquois UH-1H helicopters fitted out as aerial gunships which provided close air support to Australian troops.
A pair of low flying Sabre jets over Jack Lynch’s childhood property was the seed for a 50+ year career in and around aviation.
After graduating from RAAF pilots course and being posted to helicopters, Jack found himself in Vietnam as one of the early pilots in the Australian version of an armed UH-1H gunship.
The configuration consisted of 2 x twin M-60 machine guns for the door gunners, 14 M158 rockets and 2 XM-21 fixed forward firing mini guns capable of 4000 rounds a minute. Armoured seats were scrounged and procured to provide some level of protection for the pilots.
Aiming of the rockets and mini-guns was conducted through an aiming reticle that could be swiveled down in front of either pilot. It was then up to the pilot to fly the helicopter to place the aiming point on the target. ‘Danger Close’ is the term used when aircraft are firing close to the line of friendly troops. Experienced crews would be able to lay down fire to within 25 metres and sometimes closer to ground troops in contact requiring incredibly precise flying skills.
The concept of operations was for 2 helicopters to conduct a racetrack pattern such that one helicopter was always on its target run. As the first aircraft broke away the door gunners would open up to suppress the target and at the same time the second aircraft would start its run. The first aircraft would then race at speed back to the start of the pattern ready to start its run as soon as the second aircraft commenced it’s break.
9 SQN RAAF conducted 237,424 missions with 16 Hueys (4 were converted to the Bushranger configuration).
Vietnam. An RAAF crewman fires his M60 at enemy positions whilst expended bullet casings pour from the minigun of RAAF Iroquois helicopter gunship (Bushranger) A2-773 as it sweeps into action.
[leadplayer_vid id=”585288D15FFA9″]
The 9 SQN Iroquois were eventually transferred to the Australian Army which maintained the Bushranger capability almost unchanged right up until 2004.
Painted blades to help the overhead command and control aircraft to guide treetop helicopters on to landing areas.
9 SQN ‘Bushranger’ Huey with armament
Do you have a question about the Bushrangers or something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
Wing Commander(Ret.) Jack Lynch flew Iroquois Gunships with 9 SQN RAAF in Vietnam
Jack Lynch was a ‘Bushranger’ pilot in Vietnam for the Royal Australian Air Force. These were Iroquois UH-1H helicopters fitted out as aerial gunships which provided close air support to Australian troops.
A pair of low flying Sabre jets over Jack Lynch’s childhood property was the seed for a 50+ year career in and around aviation.
After graduating from RAAF pilots course and being posted to helicopters, Jack found himself in Vietnam as one of the early pilots in the Australian version of an armed UH-1H gunship.
The configuration consisted of 2 x twin M-60 machine guns for the door gunners, 14 M158 rockets and 2 XM-21 fixed forward firing mini guns capable of 4000 rounds a minute. Armoured seats were scrounged and procured to provide some level of protection for the pilots.
Aiming of the rockets and mini-guns was conducted through an aiming reticle that could be swiveled down in front of either pilot. It was then up to the pilot to fly the helicopter to place the aiming point on the target. ‘Danger Close’ is the term used when aircraft are firing close to the line of friendly troops. Experienced crews would be able to lay down fire to within 25 metres and sometimes closer to ground troops in contact requiring incredibly precise flying skills.
The concept of operations was for 2 helicopters to conduct a racetrack pattern such that one helicopter was always on its target run. As the first aircraft broke away the door gunners would open up to suppress the target and at the same time the second aircraft would start its run. The first aircraft would then race at speed back to the start of the pattern ready to start its run as soon as the second aircraft commenced it’s break.
9 SQN RAAF conducted 237,424 missions with 16 Hueys (4 were converted to the Bushranger configuration).
Vietnam. An RAAF crewman fires his M60 at enemy positions whilst expended bullet casings pour from the minigun of RAAF Iroquois helicopter gunship (Bushranger) A2-773 as it sweeps into action.
[leadplayer_vid id=”585288D15FFA9″]
The 9 SQN Iroquois were eventually transferred to the Australian Army which maintained the Bushranger capability almost unchanged right up until 2004.
Painted blades to help the overhead command and control aircraft to guide treetop helicopters on to landing areas.
9 SQN ‘Bushranger’ Huey with armament
Do you have a question about the Bushrangers or something mentioned in the episode that you want to ask? Be part of the conversation by leaving a comment below.
