Boeing Chinook News from Kansas

 

 

 

 

CH-47F Chinook helicopters Arrive at Fort Riley

 

 

" Sortie One "

 

 

20 September 2012: Flight Lead Ship 10-08802 gets tied down on the ramp at Marshall Airfield, Fort Riley, Kansas, by S3 Incorporated's Standardization Flight Instructor Roy Payne after completing the ferry flight from Millville, New Jersey. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

 

 

Thursday, 20 September 2012: Four brand new CH-47F Chinook helicopters arrived at Fort Riley, Kansas, following a two day ferry flight from Millville, New Jersey.

On Monday, aircrews from S3 Incorporated, headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, departed their temporary duty location of Fort Riley, Kansas, and proceeded to Millville, New Jersey, to pick up and deliver the first four of the scheduled ten brand new Chinook helicopters to be stationed at Marshall Field.

On Tuesday, the aircraft (tail numbers in chalk order - 10-08802, 10-08804, 10-08807, 10-08806) were thoroughly preflighted and operated to ensure they were ready to depart on the 1,300 mile ferry flight to Marshall Airfield, Fort Riley. No discrepancies were noted that prevented departure.

On Wednesday, the aircraft departed Millville Municipal Airport (KMIV) and proceeded to Wheeling, West Virginia (KHLG) for fuel.

Following a two hour turn for fuel and lunch at Wheeling, the aircraft headed westward to layover on the civilian side of Gus Grissom Air Reserve Base (KGUS) for an overnight stop.

Along the way, the flight flew mid-field over Neil Armstrong Airport (KAXV), near New Knoxville, Ohio.

Grissom Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of Kokomo, Indiana. The facility is a joint use civil airport/military base with the Grissom Aeroplex which provides general aviation and charter service. It is named in memory of astronaut and Indiana native Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, who, along with fellow astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee, perished in the Apollo I fire at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34 in 1967.

For the aviation enthusiast, there is an aviation museum located on the airfield with many fine examples of specilized aircraft definitely worth seeing.

Bright and early Thursday morning, the aircraft departed Gus Grissom and headed to Quincy Regional Airport (KUIN), Illinois, for fuel and lunch. The aircrews were met by many excited personnel on the ground eager to see the large helicopters. They all received a grand tour of the new airframes.

 

 

20 September 2012: Four each CH-47F Chinook helicopters, refueled by Great River Aviation and ready to go, prepare to depart Quincy Regional Airport (KUIN), Illinois, enroute to Marshall Army Airfield (KFRI). Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

 

 

The afternoon flight was uneventful in clear conditions. Arrival at Marshall Field (KFRI) was at 1410 local time. Unit personnel, families and local news crews were on hand to greet the aircrews, while Boeing personnel quickly lended a helping hand in securing and post-flighting the aircraft.

The S3 Incorporated New Equipment Training Team (NETT) will spend the next six months training flight crews to fly and operate the new helicopters. LSI of Jacksonville, Florida, will dispatch a team of classroom instructors to conduct academics, while Boeing personnel will provide all the required maintenance to keep the fleet airworthy during the same time frame.

 

 

Video

 

 

View the videos of the new CH-47F Chinook helicopters enroute to the new home at Fort Riley, Kansas. It is recommended you Right Click and select "Save As" to download the videos to your computer for play back as the files are somewhat large.

 

 

Click-N-Go Here to view a video of the CH-47F Chinook helicopters during a fuel stop at Quincy, Illinois. [3:41, 79.8 Mb, audio included].

 

 

Click-N-Go Here to view a video of the CH-47F Chinook helicopters arriving at Fort Riley, Kansas. [1:29, 6.7 Mb, audio included].

 

 

" Sortie Two "

 

 

26 September 2012: Sortie Two of the CH-47F Chinook helicopter aircraft delivery ferry flight to Fort Riley awaits departure in the early morning light at Millville Municipal Airport, New Jersey. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

 

 

UPDATE: Sortie Two containing the second four aircraft - tail numbers in chalk order 10-08803, 10-08805, 10-08808 and 11-08094 - departed Millville on 26 September, followed the same flight route and arrived at Marshall Field in the evening of 27 September 2012.

 

 

27 September 2012: Sortie Two of the CH-47F Chinook helicopter aircraft delivery ferry flight to Fort Riley is caught up in bad weather for most of the day at Gus Grissom Airport. Fog and low ceilings grounded the flight until late in the day. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger image.

 

 

 

Related Information

 

Tail Number History

 

 

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