pavelow44 Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 They're also old and creaky. One was recently donated to an aviation museum after it was damaged in Iraq and the mechanics discovered that that very aircraft had been involved in a Medal of Honor action - in Vietnam in 1971. Yeah, the Marines really are flying around in Iraq in helicopters built when the Beatles were still together. Not good. They aren't the only ones either. Sad....yes.....but it just goes to show how tough the helicopters are. Yeah they have a bad track record with maintenance and crashes. BUT!!!! they ARE still around. Same thing can be said for the H-53. When you talk about workhorses.....they are just a couple that define the word. Cheers Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete "Pig" Fleischmann Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 (edited) I know about the HH-47, I was one of the first here to suggest that this was the very reason why it won CSAR-X. But right now its future is written in Jell-O and as for the CH-53K...Ideal world we would have a fleet of MH-53X and HH-92s to take over for the MH-53M and HH-60G respectively (the CV-22 can go do its own thing). But development on an AFSOC CH-53K variant would have had to already started and Sikorsky backed the H-92 during CSAR-X. And the Air Force, cash-strapped as it is, will need to go to Congress and say "We need money for a Pave Low replacement." "But we just allocated you money for the Osprey." "It can't do the same job. We need a newer H-53." No Air Force officer in DC will say that to Congress. The only things Sikorsky was allowed to resubmit were maintainence and manpower costs related to lifecycle maintainance of the HH-92. A different platform was not allowed or requested by the USAF. That said, had the Air Force not specifically requested a bid for a medium lift helicopter in the RFP, the -53K might have been Sikorsky's proposal. and so it goes... Regards, Pig Edited June 21, 2007 by Pete "Pig" Fleischmann Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trigger Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 The only things Sikorsky was allowed to resubmit were maintainence and manpower costs related to lifecycle maintainance of the HH-92. Is that all the three companies were allowed to resubmit? A different platform was not allowed or requested by the USAF. True, and if I gave the impression that Sikorsky decided not to submit the -53K at this time, I apologize. I believe the article I quoted was referring to the initial proposal which was - as you said - for a medium lift helicopter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete "Pig" Fleischmann Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Is that all the three companies were allowed to resubmit?True, and if I gave the impression that Sikorsky decided not to submit the -53K at this time, I apologize. I believe the article I quoted was referring to the initial proposal which was - as you said - for a medium lift helicopter. Hey Trigger, Yes-Lifecycle maintainance and related manpower costs were all each competitor were allowed to resubmit. It will be very interesting to see what happens. Inserting my own opinion now-I hope the whole thing gets deep-six'd for a complete rebid with different/wider parameters; and Sikorsky puts up the -53K..but what do I know-I just build models. Regards, Pig Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark S. Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Gents: Think it's pretty much a lock for Boeing. They should have the most accurate data on maintnenance and reliability based on their MH-47's. The data from Sikorsky can't be much more that extropolation from some civilian data on the S-92. Don't know about the Merlin variant. Certainly more data but with the Presidential helicopter going their way doubt Congress would want to see them get the rescue chopper. Just my $.02 Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaveFE Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Ok, I'm confused. Are you saying the Chinook can't do the mission? No, I said they were dreading picking up the mission because they are pretty strained on their crews as it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PaveFE Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 They're also old and creaky. One was recently donated to an aviation museum after it was damaged in Iraq and the mechanics discovered that that very aircraft had been involved in a Medal of Honor action - in Vietnam in 1971. Yeah, the Marines really are flying around in Iraq in helicopters built when the Beatles were still together. Not good. The U.S. Air Force H-53s (now MH-53Js and MH-53Ms) were also flown during Vietnam. 66-14433 retired recently, but was the first to fly 10,000 hours, which was years ago. Some of the one's we're flying now have over 13,000 hours. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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