Original subtitles

Narrator: POWER.

STRENGTH.

PRECISION.

THE CH-47 CHINOOK IS A BOX FULL OF SURPRISES.

Man: THE CHINOOK IS THE FASTEST HELICOPTER

IN THE U.S. MILITARY INVENTORY.

Narrator: IT LOOKS LIKE A LUMBERING GIANT,

BUT THIS HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CAN MOVE LIKE A BUTTERFLY.

Man: YOU CAN DO THINGS IN A 47

THAT YOU CAN'T DO WITH ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: AND IT CAN STING LIKE A BEE.

[GUNFIRE]

OVER FIVE DECADES, IT'S TAKEN A BEATING.

Man: THEY WERE GETTING SHOT DOWN FAIRLY FREQUENTLY.

Narrator: AND MADE MORE COMEBACKS THAN ROCKY.

Man: IN THE INSIDE

IT WAS AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT HELICOPTER.

Narrator: BUT ITS BIGGEST CHALLENGE

IS YET TO COME.

2010.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN.

AMERICA HAS BEEN AT WAR WITH AL QAEDA AND THE TALIBAN

FOR EIGHT LONG, BLOODY YEARS.

[GUNFIRE]

IN DECEMBER, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

ANNOUNCES A MAJOR TURNING POINT FOR U.S. FORCES.

President Obama: OUR COALITION WILL SET A GOAL

FOR AFGHAN FORCES TO BE IN THE LEAD FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY NEXT YEAR.

Narrator: COALITION TROOPS

VOW TO LEAVE THE REGION FREE OF TALIBAN CONTROL.

[GUNFIRE]

Brian Lutz: WE'D BEEN IN AFGHANISTAN TO THAT POINT

ABOUT NINE YEARS,

AND THE TALIBAN WAS KIND OF REASSERTING ITSELF

ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

Narrator: BRIAN LUTZ WAS A HELICOPTER PILOT

AND A U.S. ARMY CAPTAIN

IN THE PAKTIKA PROVINCE FOR ONE YEAR.

Lutz: THE GOAL WAS TO STABILIZE THE REGION,

SUPPORT THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY,

AND ESTABLISH RULE OF LAW THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

Narrator: TO SUCCEED, THE ARMY MUST OPERATE DAILY

IN AFGHANISTAN'S RUGGED MOUNTAINS.

IT'S A MISSION THAT DEMANDS AIR SUPPORT

FROM A ONE-OF-A-KIND HELICOPTER,

THE CH-47 CHINOOK.

IT'S WHAT THE ARMY SENDS

WHEN THE IT NEEDS POWER AND PAYLOAD IN A SINGLE PACKAGE.

THE CHINOOK'S TANDEM ROTORS

MAKE IT ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE AIRCRAFT

ON THE PLANET.

Guy Clouse: WE'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF

THE CH-47F CHINOOK HELICOPTER.

THAT'S THE ARMY'S WORKHORSE FOR HEAVY LIFT

AND MASS TRANSPORT ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK'S DUAL ROTORS

MAKE IT POWERFUL ENOUGH TO FERRY TROOPS AND HEAVY LOADS

TO HIGH ALTITUDES,

AND FAST ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE IN A HURRY.

Clouse: THE CHINOOK HELICOPTER

HAS TWO 60-FOOT-DIAMETER ROTOR SYSTEMS,

SO THEY'RE COMPLETELY EQUAL.

AND THEY BOTH CAN BE MANIPULATED

TO MANEUVER THE HELICOPTER IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

Narrator: THROW TWO HONEYWELL TURBOSHAFT ENGINES INTO THE MIX,

AND YOU HAVE AN AIRCRAFT

THAT CAN CARRY UP TO 28,000 POUNDS.

THE CHINOOK'S MOTTO:

"YOU CALL, WE HAUL."

Clouse: WE HAVE TWO OF THESE ENGINES

GENERATING OVER 5,000 HORSEPOWER APIECE.

THESE ARE THE MOST POWERFUL ENGINES

ON ANY U.S. MILITARY HELICOPTER.

Narrator: THAT KIND OF POWER

IS EXACTLY WHAT ARMY AIRBORNE OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN NEED.

Clouse: POWER IS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO ALTITUDE

BECAUSE THE AIR GETS THINNER,

IT TAKES MORE POWER TO KEEP THE HELICOPTER IN THE AIR.

BECAUSE OF THE POWER THAT IT HAS,

IT CAN WITHSTAND THAT THIN AIR

BETTER THAN ANY OTHER HELICOPTER.

Narrator: A FULLY LOADED CHINOOK

CAN EASILY CRUISE UP TO 8,000 FEET,

BUT THE ALTITUDES IN AFGHANISTAN EXCEED 10,000.

IN PAKTIKA PROVINCE,

THE CHINOOK'S ENGINES MUST BE PUSHED TO THEIR LIMIT,

AND MAYBE BEYOND.

FOR U.S. SOLDIERS,

AFGHANISTAN'S PAKTIKA PROVINCE IS ESPECIALLY TOUGH.

Lutz: THE TAGLINE MY BATTALION COMMANDER USED CONSISTENTLY WAS,

"THERE ARE NO ROUTINE MISSIONS IN PAKTIKA PROVINCE."

Narrator: THAT'S BECAUSE PAKTIKA PROVINCE

LIES ALONG THE 1,600-MILE DURAND LINE,

ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS BORDERS IN THE WORLD.

TO STOP THE TALIBAN FROM GAINING GROUND,

U.S. TROOPS MUST PATROL THE ENTIRE LENGTH.

Lutz: OUR GUYS WERE MOVING OUT INTO THE MOUNTAINS

TO TRY AND CATCH FOREIGN FIGHTERS,

FIND SOME OF THEIR SUPPLY, LIKE ARMS AND ARMAMENT,

BEFORE IT GOT DISTRIBUTED OUT TO LOCAL TALIBAN FIGHTERS.

Narrator: GROUND TROOPS SPEND WEEKS IN THE MOUNTAINS

TRYING TO CONTROL THE TERRITORY.

WHEN THEY NEED A RESUPPLY, THEY TURN TO ONE AIRCRAFT:

THE CH-47 CHINOOK.

SHARANA AIR BASE, AFGHANISTAN.

CAPTAIN BRIAN LUTZ AND HIS CREW

READY THEIR CH-47 FOR A ROUTINE MISSION.

AN URGENT REQUEST COMES ACROSS THE RADIO.

Lutz: WE GOT A CALL LETTING US KNOW

THAT THERE WAS A UNIT

THAT HAD BEEN IN AND OUT OF CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE DAY

THAT NEEDED AN EMERGENCY RESUPPLY.

Narrator: 30 MILES TO THE SOUTH,

A PLATOON OF INFANTRY SOLDIERS WAGES BATTLE WITH THE ENEMY

ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE 8,000 FEET HIGH.

[GUNFIRE]

AND THEY'RE ALMOST OUT OF AMMO.

Lutz: IF THEY DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT AMMUNITION

TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY,

THE LAST COUPLE DAYS THAT THEY SPENT OUT THERE

CHASING AFTER THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE FOR NOTHING.

Narrator: LUTZ AND HIS CREW

QUICKLY LOAD THEIR CHINOOK WITH CARGO THEY CALL "SPEEDBALLS."

Lutz: SPEEDBALLS IS A FANCY TERM

FOR A BODY BAG FULL OF WATER, AMMO, AND FOOD.

IT'S KIND OF MACABRE BECAUSE IT'S A BODY BAG,

BUT IT'S SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN ZIP IT UP, IT'S WATERPROOF,

AND YOU CAN TOSS IT OUT OF THE BACK OF AN AIRCRAFT

RELATIVELY QUICKLY.

Narrator: OUT OF ALL THE SUPPLIES

THE CHINOOK WILL DELIVER,

THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER MAY OUTRANK THAT OF AMMO.

Lutz: WATER'S ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL,

YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY WITH ALL THE GEAR

THAT THEY'RE CARRYING AT ALTITUDE.

YOU KNOW, WITHOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

I MEAN, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.

Narrator: LOCKED AND LOADED,

THE CHINOOK LIFTS OFF

AND HEADS NORTH TOWARDS THE FIREFIGHT.

EVERY MINUTE COUNTS FOR THE MEN ON THE GROUND.

[GUNFIRE]

Lutz: THEY'D BE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA,

AND SOMEONE WOULD START SHOOTING AT THEM,

AND THEN AS SOON AS THEY'D START TO ENGAGE,

WHOEVER IT WAS WOULD KIND OF SCATTER.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, RANDOMLY THEY'D JUST START GETTING HIT

FROM ANOTHER SPOT.

SO THEY CONSISTENTLY WERE TAKING CONTACT.

Narrator: LUTZ AND HIS CREW FLY INTO DANGEROUS TERRITORY.

BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

THE CHINOOK'S SIZE MAKES IT A VERY TEMPTING TARGET.

ITS TWO BIG ROTORS COME WITH A HEAVY PRICE.

THEY LEAVE THE CH-47 EXPOSED AND VULNERABLE.

A LUCKY POT SHOT CAN EASILY BRING IT DOWN.

Lutz: YOU CAN'T PUT ARMOR ON ROTOR BLADES.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

YOU'VE GOT SOME BASIC ARMOR PLATING IN THE AIRCRAFT

UNDER SOME OF THE CREW STATIONS,

BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK'S SPEED AND STRENGTH

MAKE IT THE GO-TO BIRD FOR THE MOST DANGEROUS OPERATIONS.

BUT AS A RESULT,

SOME OF THE LARGEST LOSSES OF LIFE IN AFGHANISTAN

HAVE BEEN IN CHINOOKS.

AROUND A HUNDRED U.S. LIVES LOST.

AS MANY AS 30 AT A TIME.

THE TEN-MINUTE FLIGHT TO THE COMBAT ZONE IS TENSE.

Lutz: THERE'S A LOT OF MOUNTAINS

THAT KIND OF FUNNEL INTO THIS LARGER VALLEY,

AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF THESE, UH, SPURS

THAT KIND OF SHOOT OFF OF THAT

AND THAT ARE VERY STEEP RIDGELINES.

SO THERE'S NOWHERE REALLY THAT YOU COULD PUT A FULL AIRCRAFT

AND BE ABLE TO JUST LAND IT AND SET IT DOWN.

Narrator: LUTZ LOOKS DOWN AT A MOUNTAIN RIDGE

THAT DROPS SHARPLY ON EACH SIDE.

THE SUMMIT IS LESS THAN FIVE FEET WIDE.

Lutz: CHINOOK'S A BIG AIRCRAFT.

FIRST THOUGHT WAS, UH, YEAH,

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LAND THERE,

UM, NOT EVEN PUT THE REAR TWO WHEELS DOWN.

Narrator: BUT TURNING BACK IS NOT AN OPTION.

AMERICAN TROOPS ARE COUNTING ON THE SUPPLIES.

Lutz: THE FLIGHT ENGINEER IMMEDIATELY PIPED UP WITH,

"I THINK WE CAN JUST PUT THE RAMP ON THE TOP OF THE RIDGELINE

AND WE CAN OFFLOAD FROM THERE."

Narrator: IT'S A DARING SOLUTION.

TO MAKE IT WORK, LUTZ MUST MAINTAIN A STEADY HOVER...

JUST A HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE NARROW RIDGE.

THIS IS CALLED A PINNACLE LANDING.

IT CALLS FOR NERVES OF STEEL.

Lutz: THE AIRCRAFT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

ARE KIND OF INHERENTLY A LITTLE BIT UNSTABLE.

UP IN THE MOUNTAINS LIKE THAT

THERE'S A LOT OF, LIKE, WIND CURRENTS.

SO, IF YOU CATCH A PARTICULARLY STRONG GUST

AND THOSE ROTOR BLADES ARE MOVING PRETTY FAST,

SO IF THEY CLIP SOMETHING,

IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BRING THE AIRCRAFT DOWN.

Narrator: LUTZ HAS TO CONDUCT THIS PINNACLE LANDING

IN THE MIDDLE OF TALIBAN TERRITORY.

AND THE ENEMY IS ON TO HIM.

[GUNFIRE]

ONE WRONG MOVE,

AND THIS RESUPPLY MISSION WILL TURN TRAGIC.

[GUNFIRE]

CAPTAIN BRIAN LUTZ'S CH-47 CHINOOK

HOVERS PRECARIOUSLY ABOVE A RIDGELINE

IN THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN.

DIRECTLY BELOW,

AN ENTIRE PLATOON IN DESPERATE NEED OF SUPPLIES.

Lutz: I WAS TRYING TO STAY

AS LIGHT ON THE CONTROLS AS POSSIBLE

SO THAT I DIDN'T MAKE ANY SUDDEN OR DRASTIC MOVEMENTS

WHILE WE WERE, YOU KNOW,

TRYING TO SET THE RAMP RIGHT ON THIS NARROW RIDGELINE.

Narrator: LUTZ FIXES HIS EYES FIRMLY ON HIS DISPLAYS

AND EXECUTES A TEXTBOOK STATIC HOVER.

THE GUNNER KEEPS WATCH FOR ENEMY FIRE.

Lutz: THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS PORTION

OF THE MISSION.

YOU'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION,

AND YOU'RE MOST VULNERABLE

AS YOU'RE JUST KIND OF SITTING THERE HOVERING.

Narrator: THE RAMP TOUCHES DOWN.

THE CHINOOK'S CREW QUICKLY UNLOADS.

LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER, THE CHINOOK TAKES OFF.

IT LEAVES 1,000 POUNDS OF AMMUNITION AND SUPPLIES

IN AMERICAN HANDS.

Lutz: GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE RESUPPLY

AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS AT ALTITUDE

WHERE YOU MAY HAVE VERY LIMITED SPACE TO DROP OFF,

THE CHINOOK WAS 100% THE BEST AIRCRAFT FOR THE JOB.

Narrator: IN AFGHANISTAN,

CHINOOKS HOIST THEIR MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF 26,000 POUNDS

AT ALTITUDES OF OVER 16,000 FEET,

LIFTING MORE AT GREATER HEIGHTS

THAN ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE ARMY'S INVENTORY.

Lutz: THE CHINOOK IS KIND OF THE BELLE OF THE BALL

FOR A LOT OF STUFF IN AFGHANISTAN

BECAUSE WE CAN TAKE A LOT OF WEIGHT, UH,

REGARDLESS OF THE ALTITUDE.

Narrator: BEFORE THE CHINOOK,

GETTING CARGO TO THE FRONT LINES WAS A CHALLENGE...

ONE THAT HIT HOME MORE THAN EVER IN THE KOREAN WAR.

[ARTILLERY FIRE]

1953.

[GUNFIRE]

AMERICAN-LED U.N. FORCES ARE CAUGHT IN A STALEMATE

WITH CHINESE-BACKED NORTH KOREAN COMMUNISTS.

Roger Connor: FOR MOST OF THE CONFLICT, THE FRONTLINE WAS STATIC.

Narrator: ROGER CONNOR IS THE ROTARY WING CURATOR

AT THE NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

Connor: THE U.S. DEPENDED

ESSENTIALLY ON HAVING MORE AMMUNITION

THAN THE ENEMY HAD TROOPS TO ABSORB IT.

Narrator: BOTH SIDES FACE THE TOUGH TASK

OF KEEPING TROOPS ON THE FRONTLINES SUPPLIED.

Connor: THERE WAS VERY LITTLE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE,

SO THE ROAD NETWORK WAS ALMOST NONEXISTENT,

NO RAIL LINES.

SO, TO MOVE ANY SORT OF HEAVY SUPPLIES OR EQUIPMENT

REQUIRED A NEW WAY OF TRANSPORTATION.

Narrator: U.S. COMMANDERS SCRAMBLE FOR IDEAS

AND REALIZE THERE'S ONE THING THEY HAVE

THAT THE NORTH KOREANS DON'T:

HELICOPTERS.

Connor: THE HELICOPTER HAD EMERGED

AS A VIABLE MILITARY TOOL AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II.

IT WAS STILL A VERY IMMATURE TECHNOLOGY.

THE FIRST REALLY PRACTICAL TRANSPORT HELICOPTERS

DIDN'T COME OUT UNTIL THE KOREAN WAR.

Narrator: THE BELL H-13...

THE SIKORSKY H-19...

IN KOREA'S RUGGED LANDSCAPE, HELICOPTERS SHINE.

TROOP TRANSPORT.

RESUPPLY.

MEDEVAC.

EVEN SURVEILLANCE.

POSSIBILITIES FOR THE NEW TECHNOLOGY

SEEM ENDLESS.

Connor: KOREA TURNED OUT TO BE VERY IMPORTANT

FOR SHAPING THE FUTURE USE OF HELICOPTERS.

HELICOPTERS WERE SO ESSENTIAL

THAT IT CAUSED COMMANDERS TO REALIZE

THAT THIS WAS A TOOL THAT COULD NO LONGER BE OVERLOOKED.

Narrator: AFTER KOREA,

THE ARMY WANTS TO MAKE ITS HELICOPTERS EVEN BETTER.

BUT PRESIDENT EISENHOWER

AND HIS SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN FOSTER DULLES

HAVE A DIFFERENT PLAN.

Connor: WHEN PRESIDENT EISENHOWER

ENTERED OFFICE IN 1953,

HIS ADVISORS,

ESPECIALLY HIS SECRETARY OF STATE, JOHN FOSTER DULLES,

ENCOURAGED HIM TO USE THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

ESPECIALLY THE NEW HYDROGEN BOMB,

AS A DETERRENT.

Narrator: DULLES BELIEVES FIXED-WING BOMBERS

WILL GIVE AMERICA THE ADVANTAGE IN THE ATOMIC AGE.

HE HAS LITTLE TIME OR MONEY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HELICOPTERS.

Connor: NUCLEAR BOMBERS TOOK AWAY THE ARMY'S EMPHASIS

ON CONVENTIONAL GROUND FORCES.

SO, ARMY GROUND COMMANDERS BECAME VERY ANXIOUS

ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD JUSTIFY THEIR PLACE IN FUTURE CONFLICTS.

Narrator: TOP BRASS

QUICKLY COME UP WITH A CREATIVE SOLUTION.

IN 1954, ARMY MAJOR GENERAL JAMES GAVIN

PUBLISHES AN ARTICLE IN "HARPER'S MAGAZINE."

ITS TITLE: "CAVALRY, AND I DON'T MEAN HORSES."

IT INTRODUCES A NEW ARMY DOCTRINE:

AIR MOBILITY.

GAVIN ARGUES

THAT HELICOPTERS CAN TRANSPORT MORE THAN JUST TROOPS.

THEY CAN TRANSPORT TACTICAL ATOMIC WEAPONS

AROUND THE BATTLEFIELD.

Connor: THE ARMY HAD QUICKLY REALIZED

THAT IF THEY WANTED TO JUSTIFY THEIR PLACE AT THE TABLE,

THEY HAD TO ADAPT TO THIS NEW POLICY

IN THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION.

Narrator: AIR MOBILITY

MAY MAKE HELICOPTERS RELEVANT IN THE ATOMIC AGE.

BUT FOR THE CONCEPT TO WORK, THEY NEED AN UPGRADE.

Connor: UNFORTUNATELY, THE EXISTING HELICOPTER FLEET

WAS NOT CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING

THE ARMY'S NEW ORIENTATION TO ATOMIC WEAPONS.

IT NEEDED ONES THAT COULD LIFT HEAVIER LOADS.

SO, THEY NEEDED TO DESIGN HELICOPTERS

THAT WERE CAPABLE OF MEETING THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

Narrator: ARMY ENGINEERS GET DOWN TO WORK.

DESIGNING THE RIGHT HELICOPTER WON'T BE EASY.

Connor: THE BIGGEST TECHNICAL PROBLEM

OF HELICOPTERS IN THE 1950s

WAS THEIR ENGINES.

MOST OF THE FIRST GENERATION MILITARY HELICOPTERS

WERE USING ESSENTIALLY SURPLUS WORLD WAR II PISTON ENGINES.

Narrator: ENGINEERS EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S CALLED THE JET TURBINE ENGINE.

Connor: THE TURBINE ENGINES WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT A LOT MORE POWER

THAN THEIR PREDECESSORS.

THEY WERE MORE ECONOMICAL TO OPERATE,

THEY TOOK UP A LOT LESS SPACE

SO THAT IT WAS A LOT MORE EFFICIENT FOR CARRYING CARGO.

Narrator: THE ARMY BELIEVES A TURBINE-POWERED HELICOPTER

COULD BE THE ANSWER TO ITS TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

WHAT'S MORE, WHAT IF THEY COMBINED IT

WITH A DESIGN TRIED AND TESTED SINCE THE MID '40s:

THE TANDEM ROTOR.

NEARLY ALL HELICOPTERS REQUIRE AT LEAST TWO ROTORS TO FLY.

CONVENTIONAL CHOPPERS

USE A TOP-MOUNTED ROTOR TO GENERATE LIFT.

AS THE TOP ROTOR TURNS,

IT CREATES THE ROTATIONAL FORCE CALLED TORQUE.

TORQUE CAUSES THE CHOPPER'S BODY TO SPIN AWAY FROM THE ROTOR.

TO COUNTER THIS TWISTING MOTION,

A TAIL ROTOR.

IT SPINS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE MAIN ROTOR,

PROVIDING A COUNTER FORCE

THAT KEEPS THE HELICOPTER STABLE AS IT FLIES.

TANDEM-ROTOR HELICOPTERS

HAVE TWO EQUALLY-SIZED ROTORS MOUNTED ON TOP.

THESE ROTORS SPIN IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS,

NEUTRALIZING THE PROBLEM OF TORQUE.

NO POWER IS WASTED

IN KEEPING THE HELICOPTER POINTED LEFT OR RIGHT.

ALL THE POWER GOES INTO VERTICAL LIFT.

TANDEM-ROTOR CHOPPERS ARE INHERENTLY BIGGER AND STRONGER.

COMBINE THAT WITH A TURBINE ENGINE,

AND THE ARMY BELIEVES IT WILL HAVE A WINNER.

Connor: THE ARMY WANTED ITS NEW TRANSPORT HELICOPTER

TO BE ABLE TO CARRY AT LEAST A FULL PLATOON

OF FULLY EQUIPPED SOLDIERS,

SO THIS MEANT A TANDEM-ROTOR HELICOPTER.

BY ADDING TURBINE ENGINES TO IT,

IT MADE IT ALL THAT MUCH MORE CAPABLE.

Narrator: 1957, WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE ARMY STAKES ITS FUTURE

ON GETTING A STATE-OF-THE-ART HELICOPTER.

IT LOOKS TO THE VERTOL CORPORATION FOR HELP.

VERTOL TRIES TO ANTICIPATE ARMY NEEDS FAR INTO THE FUTURE.

IT PROPOSES ITS NEWLY DESIGNED MODEL 107.

IT'S GOT THR WHEELS,

A POWERFUL TURBE-POWERED TWIN-ENGINE,

AND TWO ROTORS.

Connor: THE ARMY LOOKED AT THE MODEL 107

AND FOUND THAT THIS AIRCRAFT WAS QUITE CAPABLE,

BUT THEY ALSO REALIZED IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO SMALL.

Narrator: VERTOL GOES BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

21 MONTHS LATER, THEY RETURN WITH A LARGER, STRONGER CHOPPER.

Connor: FORTUNATELY,

VERTOL WAS ABLE TO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT VERY QUICKLY,

AND THE ARMY ULTIMATELY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED,

AND THAT'S WHAT WE NOW HAVE AS THE CHINOOK.

Narrator: 1961, PHILADELPHIA.

THE ARMY ROLLS OUT ITS LATEST SOLUTION TO AIR MOBILITY:

THE CH-47 CHINOOK.

THE CHINOOK IS MASSIVE:

52 FEET LONG AND 23,400 POUNDS, EMPTY.

BUT DON'T BE FOOLED.

ITS ABILITY TO DANCE IN THE AIR DEFIES ITS BULK.

Clouse: THE CHINOOK IS THE FASTEST HELICOPTER

IN THE U.S. MILITARY INVENTORY.

IT'S ALSO VERY MANEUVERABLE,

AND THAT IS DUE TO ITS TANDEM-ROTOR DESIGN.

THE TANDEM ROTOR ALLOWS US TO DIRECT THAT

IN WHATEVER MODE WE'D LIKE TO DO,

WHETHER IT'S THE POWER TO HOVER, THE SPEED, OR MANEUVERABILITY.

Narrator: ONE OF THE THINGS THE ARMY LIKES BEST:

A REAR-LOADING RAMP.

Dani Taylor: THE CH-47 IS A REAR-LOADING AIRCRAFT

AND THAT'S A BIG ADVANTAGE TO US

BECAUSE WE CAN ON-LOAD PERSONNEL, PACKS, CARGO,

AND INTERNALLY EVEN LOAD A HUMVEE

FASTER THAN A BLACKHAWK CAN LOAD THEIR FIVE PERSONNEL.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK CAN EVEN LOAD AND UNLOAD IN THE WATER.

Connor: ONE OF THE INTERESTING FEATURES OF THE CHINOOK

IS THAT IT'S SEMI-AMPHIBIOUS.

THIS MEANS THAT FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS, FOR INSTANCE,

THEY CAN ACTUALLY PARK THE BACK END OF THE HELICOPTER

IN THE WATER, LOWER THE RAMP,

AND ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM

DRIVE THE BOAT INTO THE AIRCRAFT

WHILE IT'S SITTING THERE IN THE WATER, AND TAKE OFF.

Narrator: INSIDE ITS CARGO HOLD,

THE CHINOOK HAS 228 SQUARE FEET FOR EQUIPMENT AND SOLDIERS.

THAT'S MORE THAN ANY OTHER U.S. ARMY HELICOPTER TO DATE.

Taylor: OUR CABIN AREA IS OVER 30 FEET LONG.

WE CAN LOAD OVER 15,000 POUNDS.

IF WE NEED MORE SPACE, WE CAN LEVEL OUT THE RAMP

AND ADD MORE CARGO THERE,

AND WE CAN FLY WITH THE RAMP LEVEL.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK IS BIG...

POWERFUL...

VERSATILE.

BUT PROOF OF ITS WORTH ONLY COMES IN BATTLE.

1965, VIETNAM.

COMMUNIST-LED INSURGENTS FROM THE NORTH

PUMMEL THE U.S.-BACKED SOUTH TO THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE.

PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON VOWS TO CRUSH COMMUNISM IN ITS TRACKS.

President Johnson: I HAVE TODAY ORDERED TO VIETNAM

THE AIR MOBILE DIVISION,

AND CERTAIN OTHER FORCES WHICH WILL RAISE OUR FIGHTING STRENGTH

FROM 75,000 TO 125,000 MEN

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

Narrator: IN JUST FOUR MONTHS,

THE U.S. COMBAT FORCE GROWS TO 35 TIMES ITS ORIGINAL STRENGTH.

BUT MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND DOESN'T MEAN CERTAIN VICTORY.

GETTING TROOPS INTO THE COUNTRY IS EASY.

MOVING THEM AROUND FAST ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN AN OFFENSE...

NOW, THAT'S TOUGH.

John Sims: VIETNAM WAS DIFFICULT TO TRAVEL,

EITHER BY FOOT OR BY VEHICLE.

Narrator: CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER JOHN SIMS WAS A CHINOOK PILOT

FOR MORE THAN 27 YEARS.

Sims: THE ROADS WERE VERY POOR.

UH, THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY

WAS FAIRLY MOUNTAINOUS,

THE SOUTHERN PART WAS VERY SWAMPY.

IT... IT WAS AT SEA LEVEL.

THE ROAD SYSTEM WAS VERY BAD.

Narrator: IN SEPTEMBER,

MILITARY PLANNERS RECEIVE A HELPING HAND:

THE CH-47 CHINOOK

ON ITS FIRST COMBAT DEPLOYMENT.

THE CHINOOK QUICKLY BECOMES KNOWN AS A U.S. ARMY WORKHORSE.

THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH GAINING A REPUTATION:

THE ENEMY NOTICES.

[GUNFIRE]

Sims: FROM THE TIME THE CHINOOKS ENTERED THE WAR IN VIETNAM,

THEY WERE GETTING SHOT DOWN FAIRLY FREQUENTLY.

Connor: THE CHINOOK WAS A FAIRLY EASY TARGET.

BECAUSE IT WAS A FAIRLY LARGE AIRCRAFT,

IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN TIGHT SPACES,

SO IT WAS FAIRLY EASY TO HIT WITH A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE

OR HEAVY MACHINE-GUN FIRE.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK HAS JUST ONE GUNNER.

THAT ISN'T ENOUGH TO DEFEND ITSELF FROM ENEMY FIRE.

Connor: THE CHINOOK WAS MOST VULNERABLE FROM BEHIND,

GIVEN THAT'S WHERE ITS ENGINE NACELLES WERE,

AND OF COURSE A LOT OF ITS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

WAS BACK THERE.

OF COURSE,

THAT'S ALSO WHERE YOU'RE UNLOADING YOUR TROOPS AS WELL,

THROUGH THAT REAR RAMP.

UM, SO, THAT WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST PLACE YOU COULD TAKE FIRE.

Narrator: THE ENEMY DESTROYS 62 CHINOOKS.

WITH EACH ONE, THE ARMY'S REPUTATION TAKES A HIT.

Connor: HAVING THE CHINOOK PERFORM WELL

WAS ESSENTIAL TO THE ARMY'S JUSTIFYING ITS PLACE

IN THIS MODERN FORCE STRUCTURE.

Narrator: THE ARMY HAS TO FIGURE OUT

HOW TO KEEP THE CHINOOKS FROM GETTING SHOT DOWN.

ITS ENTIRE AIR MOBILITY STRATEGY,

AND SOLDIERS' LIVES,

ARE AT STAKE.

1966, VIETNAM.

THE CHINOOK PROVES ITSELF AS A VITAL SUPPLY HELICOPTER,

BUT IT'S TOO EASILY SHOT DOWN.

THE ANSWER:

GIVE SOME OF THE BIRDS ADDITIONAL FIREPOWER.

THE ARMY MODIFIES FOUR CH-47s TO CREATE THE ACH-47 CHINOOK.

THE "A" STANDS FOR "ARMED."

OFFICIALLY, IT'S KNOWN AS THE ATTACK CARGO HELICOPTER.

UNOFFICIALLY, "GUNS A GO-GO."

[GUNFIRE]

Ralph Holloway: THE ARMED CHINOOK

REALLY LOOKED JUST LIKE A REGULAR CHINOOK

ON THE OUTSIDE.

Narrator: RETIRED MAJOR RALPH "DOC" HOLLOWAY

SERVED THREE TOURS IN VIETNAM.

Holloway: FROM THE INSIDE,

IT WAS AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT HELICOPTER.

ALL OF OUR SPACE WAS TAKEN UP WITH AMMUNITION AND GUNNERS.

Narrator: THE ACH-47 HAS FIVE .50-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS,

TWO 20-MILLIMETER CANNONS.

IT CARRIES 38 ROCKETS AND A GRENADE LAUNCHER

IN ITS SNOUT.

IT'S MORE THAN JUST A HEAVY LIFTER.

NOW THE CHINOOK IS A FLYING TANK.

Holloway: OUR MISSION WAS TO PROVIDE ARMED HELICOPTER SUPPORT

FOR GROUND UNITS IN VIETNAM.

WHEN WE TOOK OFF,

WE HAD 5,000 POUNDS OF AMMUNITION ON BOARD.

IT WAS QUITE A MACHINE. [LAUGHS]

Narrator: THERE'S NO TIME TO TEST-FLY

THIS MODIFIED WAR MACHINE.

IT WILL HAVE TO BE TRIAL BY COMBAT.

FEBRUARY 1967.

AN KHE, VIETNAM.

HOLLOWAY AND ANOTHER GO-GO CREW HEAD OUT ON AN URGENT MISSION.

Holloway: THIS TEAM UP IN THE MOUNTAINS

NORTH OF THE BONG SON WAS UNDER ATTACK.

THEY NEEDED FIRE SUPPORT.

IT WAS A RUNNING FIGHT OF 4 AGAINST 150 VIET CONG

AND, UH, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE ODDS.

Narrator: TWO CHINOOKS RACE NORTH.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER,

THEY LOOK DOWN AT A GUNFIGHT IN THE JUNGLE.

HOLLOWAY KNOWS HE NEEDS TO MAKE A RESCUE,

AND FAST.

Holloway: THESE GUYS WERE TAKING AN AWFUL LOT OF FIRE.

WE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE

EITHER GOING TO BE KILLED OR CAPTURED,

OR WE WERE GOING TO GET THEM OUT.

THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO GO.

Narrator: GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH FOR A RESCUE

IS A DICEY PROPOSITION.

VIET CONG QUICKLY HONE IN ON THE BIG NEW TARGET.

Holloway: WHEN WE GOT THERE AND GOT CLOSE TO THE TEAM,

WE STARTED PICKING UP A HEAVY LEVEL OF GROUND FIRE.

WE KNEW THAT WE HAD AN IFFY SITUATION AT BEST.

Narrator: THE CHINOOKS PICK A SPOT

JUST OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF FIRE.

HOLLOWAY RADIOS DOWN TO THE SOLDIERS

TO TELL THEM THE PLAN.

ONE CHOPPER SWOOPS IN TO PICK UP THE TROOPS.

HOLLOWAY HOLDS A HOVER

TO SHOW THE VIETCONG JUST WHAT THE GO-GO BIRD CAN DO.

Holloway: SO, OUR TASK WAS TO PROVIDE

THE SUFFICIENT SUPPRESSIVE FIRE

TO ALLOW THE TROOPS TO BREAK CONTACT AND MOVE AWAY.

Narrator: HOLLOWAY WAITS FOR HIS WINGMAN TO DROP.

[WHIRRING]

AND THEN, IT'S GO TIME.

Holloway: WHEN THE WINGMAN LANDED ON THE TOP OF THE HILL,

I GAVE THE COMMAND TO OPEN FIRE,

AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED OUR CURTAIN OF STEEL.

[GUNFIRE]

WE DIDN'T HOLD BACK ANYTHING,

WE FIRED EVERYTHING WE HAD...

[GUNFIRE]

AND AS FAST AS WE COULD FIRE.

EACH ONE OF THE GUNS WAS FIRING 250 ROUNDS A MINUTE.

THE 40-MILLIMETER WAS FIRING 200 ROUNDS A MINUTE,

AND IT'S AN EXPLODING ROUND.

I'M SURE THAT THEY THOUGHT

THAT THE WHOLE WORLD HAD OPENED UP ON THEM.

Narrator: THE FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS

SCRAMBLE INTO THE WAITING CHOPPER.

THE CHINOOKS QUICKLY PULL UP AND RACE TO SAFETY.

Holloway: WE GOT BACK IN FORMATION

AND FLEW OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS AND BACK TO THE LZ

AND UNLOADED THE TROOPS.

IT'S A VERY SATISFYING FEELING.

IT'S A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.

ANYTIME YOU CAN SAVE AMERICANS, YOU'VE DONE ALRIGHT.

Narrator: THE MODIFIED TRANSPORT CHOPPER

PROVES ITS POWER AS A FIGHTING MACHINE.

EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ONLY FOUR,

WORD SPREADS.

Holloway: THE STANDARD CHINOOK STARTED RECEIVING LESS FIRE

SIMPLY BECAUSE THE VIET CONG

WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE EASILY

WHETHER THE HELICOPTER THEY WERE SHOOTING AT

WAS REALLY AN ARMED CHINOOK OR NOT.

Narrator: BY THE END OF THE WAR,

THE CHINOOK IS A GIVEN,

PROVING THAT AIR MOBILITY IS HERE TO STAY.

TWO YEARS LATER, THE ARMY ENDS ACH-47 OPERATIONS.

BUT THE GO-GO BIRD'S LEGACY LIVES ON.

Holloway: OUR USE OF THE ARMED CHINOOK IN VIETNAM

GAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY

TO THE NEED FOR THE ARMY TO DEVELOP HELICOPTERS

THAT COULD HANDLE LARGER CALIBER WEAPONS.

Narrator: AS GOOD AS THE CHOPPER IS,

THE ARMY WANTS IT TO DO MORE.

Sims: EVEN DURING VIETNAM,

THEY REALIZED

THAT THEY WANTED TO INCREASE

THE CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: IN 1976,

THE ARMY DELIVERS ALMOST 500 CHINOOKS

TO BOEING'S PRODUCTION FACILITY IN PENNSYLVANIA.

ENGINEERS STRIP THEM DOWN TO THE AIRFRAME

AND REBUILD THEM FROM SCRATCH.

THE REVAMPED CHOPPER HAS FIBERGLASS ROTOR BLADES,

IMPROVED AVIONICS,

UPGRADED HYDRAULICS,

AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, EVEN MORE POWERFUL ENGINES.

VIETNAM-ERA CHINOOKS HAVE A PAYLOAD OF 10,000 POUNDS.

ENGINEERS CLAIM THE UPGRADED MODEL

CAN LIFT ALMOST THREE TIMES THAT MUCH.

BEFORE THE NEW MODELS DEPLOY,

THE ARMY TESTS THEM TO THE BREAKING POINT.

HOW WELL WILL THIS NEW AIRFRAME HOLD UP IN COMBAT?

1995.

BOSNIA.

AFTER THREE AND A HALF BLOODY YEARS,

THE BOSNIAN WAR FINALLY ENDS.

BUT THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED ETHNIC TERRITORIES

LEAVE THE WAR-TORN COUNTRY ON EDGE.

Christiane Amanpour: IN A FEW DAYS,

60,000 U.S. AND OTHER N.A.T.O. TROOPS

WILL START ROLLING IN TO ENFORCE THIS PEACE.

Narrator: AMERICAN TROOPS PLAN TO ENTER THROUGH CROATIA.

THEY ARE FORCED TO CROSS THE BORDERING SAVA RIVER.

Kenneth Brookins: AT THE TIME,

THERE WAS NO BRIDGE THAT ACTUALLY LED INTO BOSNIA,

SO THE MILITARY DECIDED TO BUILD A BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER.

Narrator: SERGEANT KENNETH BROOKINS WAS A FLIGHT ENGINEER

WITH THE 159th REGIMENT IN BOSNIA.

Brookins: IT WAS IMPERATIVE

TO GET THIS BRIDGE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator: BUT HOURS BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS,

IT'S THE RIVER THAT MAKES THE FIRST ATTACK.

Brookins: OVERNIGHT, THE RIVER OVERFLOWED ITS BANKS

AND ACTUALLY WIPED OUT THE BASE CAMP

THAT THE ENGINEERS HAD SET UP.

Narrator: THE AMERICAN CAMP IS COMPLETELY UNDERWATER.

NOW THE ARMY CAN'T DO ITS JOB.

Brookins: THE ENGINEERING GROUP WAS IN A TOTAL PANIC.

YOU COULD SEE VEHICLES, LIKE 2.5-TON TRUCKS, HALF-SUBMERGED,

BUT YOU CAN'T MOVE THEM

BECAUSE THE GROUND, AT THAT POINT, IS TOO SOFT.

Narrator: THE ARMY HAS JUST THREE DAYS TO BUILD THE BRIDGE

AND JOIN THE REST OF N.A.T.O. FORCES IN BOSNIA.

WITH ITS CAMP SWEPT DOWNRIVER,

GENERALS HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN.

Brookins: THEY REALIZED THAT WHEELED VEHICLES

WOULDN'T BE THE OPTION

TO ACTUALLY GET THE BRIDGE SECTIONS IN THE WATER,

SO THEY BROUGHT IN CHINOOKS.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK HAS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO HAUL.

WHATEVER'S TOO BIG TO FIT INSIDE ITS CARGO

GETS HOOKED TO THE OUTSIDE OF ITS BODY.

PALLETS, SHIPPING CONTAINERS,

HUMVEES.

THE CHINOOK CAN EVEN HAUL A 7,000-POUND HOWITZER

AT MORE THAN 100 MILES PER HOUR.

IT'S CALLED SLING LOADING.

Taylor: THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE

FOR THE CHINOOK TO DO EXTERNAL SLING LOADS

HAS GOT TO BE OUR THREE HOOKS.

WE HAVE A FORWARD AND AFT HOOK

THAT, TANDEM, CAN HOLD UP TO 25,000 POUNDS,

AND OUR CENTER HOOK JUST BY ITSELF,

WITH A SINGLE POINT LOAD,

CAN HOLD 26,000 POUNDS.

Narrator: COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PILOT AND FLIGHT ENGINEER

IS CRITICAL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLING LOAD.

Taylor: DURING A SLING LOAD OPERATION

THE PILOT HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN BELOW HIM,

BECAUSE HE CAN'T SEE IT.

HE'S BASICALLY FLYING BLIND.

HE TRUSTS US AS HIS FLIGHT ENGINEERS

TO BE ABLE TO TELL HIM WHAT'S GOING ON.

Narrator: FLIGHT ENGINEERS GUIDE THE PILOT

BY LOOKING THROUGH A HOLE IN THE CHINOOK'S FLOOR.

ITS NICKNAME: THE HELL HOLE.

Taylor: IN HERE IS WHERE WE ACCOMPLISH

ALL OF OUR CARGO HOOK DUTIES.

EVERYTHING WE DO TO HOOK UP THE LOAD

WILL BE DONE FROM THIS POSITION.

NORMALLY WE LAY DOWN BY THE CENTER HOLE,

ABOUT ALL THE WAY OUT TO OUR HIPS,

SO WE CAN GET THE BEST VIEW POSSIBLE.

Narrator: THE PILOT LOWERS THE CHOPPER OVER THE LOAD.

THE FLIGHT ENGINEER CALLS OUT COMMANDS

TO HELP GAUGE HIS POSITION.

GROUND CREWS WORK TO HOOK UP THE CARGO.

TO KEEP CREWS SAFE, THE PICKUP MUST BE PERFECT.

Taylor: THE MOST CRITICAL POINT OF DOING A SLING LOAD

IS WHEN YOU'RE HOOKING IT UP.

IF WE'RE NOT HAVING GOOD CREW COORDINATION

AND COMMUNICATING WITH OUR PILOTS,

IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE CATASTROPHIC.

[WHIRRING]

Narrator: KAPOSUJLAK AIR BASE, HUNGARY.

BROOKINS AND HIS CREW TAKE OFF FOR BOSNIA.

40 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE CHINOOKS REACH THE RIVER.

NEARLY A HUNDRED BRIDGE PIECES WAIT FOR THEM.

Brookins: THE SETUP WAS

LITERALLY WE WERE GOING TO PICK UP THE BRIDGE

FROM THESE PICKUP ZONES

AND FLY THEM TO THE DROP POINT IN THE RIVER.

Narrator: BROOKINS AND HIS CREW

APPROACH THEIR FIRST BRIDGE PIECE.

FIVE FEET BELOW,

GROUND CREWS SCRAMBLE TO HOOK THE CHINOOK TO ITS LOAD.

THE SOLDIERS WORK ONLY FEET FROM THE CHINOOK'S BLADES.

ANY WRONG COMMAND TO THE PILOT COULD BE FATAL.

AS THE CHINOOK HOVERS ABOVE THE BRIDGE PIECE,

BROOKINS NOTICES A PROBLEM.

Brookins: BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH ICE SATURATION

ON TOP OF THE BRIDGE SECTIONS,

JUST FROM THE NORMAL ROTOR WASH WE GENERATE

WE WERE BLOWING PEOPLE OFF THE TOP OF THESE BRIDGE SECTIONS.

AFTER SEEING A COUPLE HOOKUP PERSONNEL FALL,

WE REALIZED WE COULDN'T CONTINUE THAT.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK'S TWIN ROTORS

CREATE MORE DOWNWASH THAN ANY OTHER CHOPPER.

IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF STANDING IN THE WAY

OF A FORCE-FOUR HURRICANE.

THE GROUND CREW MUST SCATTER.

THE MISSION IS IN JEOPARDY.

IN BOSNIA,

GROUND CREWS MUST ATTACH PIECES OF AN ICY BRIDGE

TO A POWERFUL CHINOOK.

BUT THE CHOPPER'S POWERFUL DOWNWASH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE.

Brookins: WE KIND OF BASICALLY TOLD THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND

TO JUST SET THE SLINGS UP ON TOP OF THE LOAD,

WE WOULD PICK THEM UP,

BECAUSE IT WAS SO DANGEROUS DUE TO ALL THE ICE.

Narrator: SERGEANT BROOKINS AND HIS CREW

COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN:

HOOK UP THE BRIDGE SPAN FROM INSIDE THE CHINOOK.

Brookins: WE HAVE A POLE INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT

WE CALL A SHEPHERD'S HOOK

THAT THE CREW MEMBER IN THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT WOULD REACH DOWN

AND JUST SIMPLY GRAB THE CLEVIS

AND HOIST IT UP TO THE AIRCRAFT THEMSELVES.

Narrator: IT TAKES JUST MINUTES

FOR THE FLIGHT ENGINEER TO DO WHAT GROUND CREWS COULDN'T.

NOW IT'S TIME TO PUT THE CHINOOK'S UPGRADED ENGINES

TO THE TEST.

Brookins: THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN IS ENGINE FAILURE.

WORSE YET, DUAL ENGINE FAILURE.

IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN YOU'RE CONNECTED TO AN OBJECT.

AS THE FLIGHT ENGINEER,

YOU'RE CONSTANTLY INSPECTING THE LOAD AS YOU'RE COMING UP.

YOU'RE ALSO MONITORING THE HOOK THAT YOU'RE CONNECTED TO

BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT ON CORRECTLY OR IF IT'S TWISTED,

IT WILL COMPLICATE THINGS.

Narrator: THE CHINOOKS MUST NOW HAND OFF THE BRIDGE

TO BOATS WAITING IN THE RIVER.

ADDING DANGER,

THEY MUST FLY THEIR LOAD LOW OVER THE TREE LINE.

MINUTES LATER, THE CHINOOK HOVERS ABOVE THE RIVER.

BROOKINS GIVES THE PILOT THE CUE TO DROP

AND WATCHES THE 12,000-POUND BRIDGE SPAN

DROP INTO THE ICY WATERS.

THAT'S ONE SPAN DOWN.

BUT IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.

THERE'S ALMOST 100 MORE PIECES TO GO.

Brookins: IT WAS ALL DAY.

I REMEMBER FROM 7 SOMETHING IN THE MORNING

TO IT GETTING DARK,

WHICH IT GOT DARK AROUND 4:00, 4:30,

SO THAT ENTIRE DAY WAS SPENT AT THAT SITE.

Narrator: IT TAKES HOURS,

BUT THE CHINOOKS ARE ABLE TO BRAVE THE WEATHER

AND GET THE JOB DONE.

Brookins: WE DIDN'T THINK OF IT IN NUMBERS,

WE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO NUMBERS.

WE JUST CONTINUED UNTIL THERE WAS NO MORE SECTIONS LEFT.

IT WAS JUST A NONSTOP EVENT.

Narrator: IT'S THE NEXT MORNING

BEFORE THE BRIDGE IS FULLY CONSTRUCTED.

THANKS TO THE CHINOOK'S POWERFUL LIFT,

THE BRIDGE BECOMES A FLOATING PASSAGEWAY FOR TANKS, ARTILLERY,

AND NEARLY 20,000 AMERICAN TROOPS.

Brookins: DUE TO THE ENGINE UPGRADES,

THE CHINOOK WAS FLAWLESS

IN THE EFFORTS NEEDED FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.

THERE'S NO OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE MILITARY INVENTORY

THAT COULD HAVE DONE SUCH AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

Narrator: IT'S THIS SAME POWER

THAT ALLOWS THE CHINOOK TO SWOOP IN

AND HELP WITH DISASTER RELIEF ON THE HOME FRONT.

AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA IN 2005,

IT'S THE CHINOOK THAT SCOOPS UP WATER FOR FIRES...

AND THE CHINOOK THAT FLIES IN SAND BAGS

TO REPAIR DAMAGED LEVEES...

ARGUABLY THE AIRCRAFT'S PROUDEST MOMENT.

THESE EVENTS PROVE AN UPGRADED CHINOOK,

WITH THE RIGHT CREW,

IS A WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPION.

BUT CRITICS COMPLAIN THAT THE ARMY IS TOO SLOW TO KEEP UP

WITH THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN COCKPIT TECHNOLOGY.

A FULLY UPGRADED CHINOOK SHOULD HAVE MORE POWER

AND BE ABLE TO FLY BLIND.

2009.

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM STEAMROLLS INTO ITS SIXTH YEAR.

[CHANTING]

A MONTH INTO OFFICE,

AMERICA'S NEW LEADER CALLS FOR CHANGE.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

SETS A HARD DEADLINE FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL.

President Obama: BY AUGUST 31, 2010,

OUR COMBAT MISSION IN IRAQ WILL END.

Narrator: BUT TROOPS STILL FACE ALL THE DANGERS OF WAR.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS TO LIFE AND LIMB:

IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES.

IEDs ARE CHEAP,

EASY TO MAKE,

AND LETHAL.

THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AROUND HALF OF ALL THE U.S. CASUALTIES

IN AFGHANISTAN.

THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP SOLDIERS SAFE FROM IEDs

IS TO KEEP BOOTS AND TIRES OFF THE GROUND.

THAT'S WHERE THE CH-47 COMES IN.

Brandon Tipton: IT'S A LOT HARDER TO IED A HELICOPTER

THAN IT IS A VEHICLE.

THE MORE YOU FLY A CHINOOK,

THE LESS CONVOYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE ON THE GROUND.

Narrator: CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 4 BRANDON TIPTON

FLEW THE CHINOOK ON THREE DEPLOYMENTS IN IRAQI FREEDOM.

Tipton: YOU CAN DO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS IN A 47

THAT YOU CAN'T DO WITH ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT.

WE FLEW AT LEAST FOUR AIRCRAFT A NIGHT

EVERY NIGHT FOR A YEAR.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IEDs,

BUT FLYING IN IRAQ HAS ITS OWN SPECIAL HAZARDS.

Tipton: THERE'S NOT ANY CITIES OUT THERE,

SO IT IS JUST FLAT BROWN DIRT.

AND AT NIGHT, YOU CAN'T SEE THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN THE GROUND AND THE SKY.

IT'S ALL THE SAME COLOR.

Narrator: IT'S A LANDSCAPE

THAT LEADS TO THE MOST DANGEROUS SITUATION

ANY PILOT ANYWHERE CAN FACE:

SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

Tipton: SPATIAL DISORIENTATION IS THE INABILITY OF A PILOT

TO FEEL OR TELL WHERE THEY ARE

IN RELATION TO THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH.

IT BECOMES MUCH WORSE WHEN YOU'RE FLYING IN A DUST CLOUD

AND REDUCED VISIBILITY.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING

THE NIGHT WE WENT OUT AND DID OUR MISSION.

Narrator: SPEICHER AIR FORCE BASE, IRAQ.

TIPTON AND ANOTHER CHINOOK TOUCH DOWN WITH THEIR CARGO.

IT TAKES LESS THAN AN HOUR TO UNLOAD THE SUPPLIES.

THEN IT'S TIME TO FLY BACK TO HOME BASE AT TAJI.

BEFORE THEY HEAD HOME, TIPTON CHECKS IN ON THE WEATHER.

Tipton: THEY SAID, HEY, JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW,

THE WIND IS PICKING UP HERE.

SO, WE ROGERED AND SAID, OK,

WE'RE JUST FINISHED DROPPING OFF THE STUFF HERE,

AND WE'RE HEADED HOME.

Narrator: THE CHOPPERS TAKE OFF IN PAIRED FORMATION.

ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT,

TIPTON NOTICES SOMETHING WRONG.

Tipton: OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYES,

AS I'M WATCHING THE AIRCRAFT IN FRONT OF ME,

I CAN SEE MY PILOT WHO'S FLYING WITH ME

JUST KIND OF DO THIS,

WHICH DENOTES TO ME THAT SHE'S GETTING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED.

Narrator: TIPTON QUICKLY CHECKS IN WITH THE REST OF HIS TEAM.

Tipton: I CALLED OVER OUR INTERNAL COMM SYSTEM AND SAID,

HEY, CAN YOU GUYS SEE THE GROUND RIGHT NOW?

AND THE "OH, CRAP" MOMENT

WAS WHEN I GOT THE CONFIRMATION

FROM MY CREW MEMBERS AND THE OTHER AIRCRAFT

THAT NOBODY COULD SEE THE GROUND ANYMORE.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS WE'D FLOWN INTO A DUST CLOUD,

WHICH WE DID NOT EXPECT.

IT'S NOT A SMALL DUST CLOUD.

IT'S A DUST CLOUD

THAT'S 50 MILES WIDE AND MAYBE A HUNDRED MILES DEEP

OF JUST DIRT IN THE AIR.

[WHIRRING]

I WOULD SAY OUR VISIBILITY DROPPED FROM A FIVE MILE,

I CAN SEE EVERYWHERE I'M GOING,

DOWN TO AN EIGHTH OF A MILE OR LESS.

YOU CAN SEE THE WINDOWS,

AND THAT'S ABOUT AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE.

Narrator: THERE'S NO WAY THE TWO CHINOOKS

CAN FLY AROUND THE CYCLONE OF SAND,

OR EVEN SEE CLEARLY ENOUGH TO LAND.

THEY ARE TRAPPED IN MID-AIR...

BURNING UP FUEL...

AND NO WAY OUT.

IN IRAQ,

CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 4 BRANDON TIPTON

FLIES OVER ENEMY TERRITORY,

IN A SANDSTORM,

AT NIGHT.

IT'S A RECIPE FOR DISASTER,

UNLESS HE COMES UP WITH A SOLUTION...

FAST.

Tipton: FOR THE FIRST FEW SECONDS,

IT'S, IT'S SHEER TERROR,

AND I SAID, OK, WE'RE GOING TO USE THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR

TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR

IS PART OF THE CHINOOK'S BRAND-NEW AVIONICS.

Tipton: THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR IS REALLY JUST A COMPUTER

THAT TAKES READINGS

FROM EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON THROUGH SENSORS

AND CAN MANIPULATE THE FLIGHT CONTROLS

WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO DO IT.

Narrator: IT'S AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

CRITICS SAY HAS BEEN TOO LONG IN COMING,

AND TIPTON HAS NEVER USED IT BEFORE IN COMBAT.

Tipton: PILOTS INHERENTLY ARE CONTROL FREAKS.

AND GIVING UP THE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO A COMPUTER

IS ONE OF THE LAST THINGS YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO DO.

WE OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT THERE BEING SOMETHING WRONG.

WITH ANY COMPUTER, GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT.

SO, IF YOU'RE NOT PUTTING THE RIGHT STUFF IN,

IT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

Narrator: BUT IN THIS CASE,

TRUSTING THE NEW AVIONICS SYSTEM IS TIPTON'S ONLY OPTION.

Tipton: WE ENTERED THE DESIRED ALTITUDE AND THE AIR SPEED

AND THEN TURNED THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR ON

AND LET THE AIRCRAFT TAKE CONTROL OF WHERE WE WERE GOING.

Narrator: WITHIN SECONDS,

TIPTON'S CHINOOK IS UNDER THE COMPUTER'S CONTROL.

[RADIO CHATTER]

IT PERFORMS FLAWLESSLY.

Tipton: I KIND OF LOOKED OVER AT THE PILOT I WAS FLYING WITH,

AND WE BOTH JUST DID THE... [INHALES, EXHALES] DEEP BREATH

AND SAID, OK, WELL, THIS THING WORKS LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.

IT'S JUST A HUGE RELIEF.

Narrator: 45 MINUTES LATER,

THE CHINOOKS TOUCH DOWN BACK AT TAJI.

WITHOUT THE NEW COMPUTER,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY.

Tipton: HAVING THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR

IN THE AIRCRAFT THAT NIGHT

MADE MY LIFE AS AN AIR MISSION COMMANDER A LOT EASIER

BECAUSE I KNEW I COULD RELY ON THAT THING

TO BRING EVERYBODY HOME.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR COMPUTER

ONLY BECAME PART OF THE STANDARD U.S. ARMY CHINOOK IN 2007.

BUT SINCE THEN, IN AFGHANISTAN ALONE,

ACCIDENTS DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION

HAVE GONE DOWN 800%.

Sims: THE DESIGN OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM

THAT WE SEE IN OUR NEWEST VERSION OF THE CHINOOK

WILL ALLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO, UH,

TO HOVER HANDS OFF,

EVEN THOUGH THE CREW

CAN'T EVEN SEE OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT,

AND TO SAFELY LAND THE AIRCRAFT UNDER THOSE EXTREME CONDITIONS.

Narrator: THE U.S. ARMY HAS SPENT TENS OF MILLIONS

UPGRADING THE CHINOOK OVER ITS LIFETIME.

STRONGER AIRFRAMES,

ADVANCED DIGITAL COCKPITS,

FLARE DISPENSERS TO DISTRACT ENEMY RADAR.

Tipton: THE AIRCRAFT IS ONLY GETTING BETTER

WITH IMPROVEMENTS.

I THINK THE CHINOOK IS GOING TO BE AROUND

FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK'S GREATEST CHALLENGE NOW:

CAN IT SET A NEW RECORD?

IT JUST MAY BECOME THE LONGEST SERVING AIRCRAFT EVER.

Connor: FIFTY YEARS ON,

THERE'S STILL NO REPLACEMENT FOR THE CHINOOK IN THE PIPELINE.

THIS MAY BE THE FIRST AIRCRAFT

THAT SEES A CENTURY IN SERVICE.

Sims: THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE ABILITY THE CHINOOK HAS

TO CONTINUE TO ADAPT TO ITS ENVIRONMENT

AND TO THE MISSION THAT IT HAS TO DO.

Narrator: OTHER COUNTRIES ARE ALSO SOLD ON THE CHINOOK.

BOEING SHIPS CHINOOKS TO 19 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

MEDICAL EVACUATION,

DISASTER RELIEF,

SEARCH AND RESCUE,

AIRCRAFT RECOVERY,

FIRE FIGHTING.

THE CHINOOK'S RESUME GROWS WITH EACH YEAR.

Holloway: YOU CAN ARM IT,

YOU CAN FLY IT AT NIGHT,

IT WILL CLIMB HIGH MOUNTAINS,

IT WILL FLOAT,

IT WILL REFUEL IN FLIGHT,

IT WILL DO ANYTHING.

Narrator: ICONIC,

VERSATILE,

POWERFUL.

THE CH-47 CHINOOK HELPED DEFINE ARMY AVIATION.

Holloway: THE CHINOOK HAS GIVEN THE ARMY

A LIFTING CAPABILITY THAT WAS DESPERATELY NEEDED.

Narrator: MORE THAN 1,200 CHOPPERS

HAVE ROLLED DOWN THE PRODUCTION LINE.

ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE STILL IN SERVICE.

Connor: THE CHINOOK HAS CHANGED VERY LITTLE COSMETICALLY

OVER ITS LIFESPAN.

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE MOST GLAMOROUS HELICOPTER

IN THE INVENTORY,

BUT IT IS THE ONE AIRCRAFT

THAT YOU KNOW IS GOING TO GET THE GOODS THERE

WHEN YOU NEED THEM.

Narrator: THE UNITED STATES ARMY

PLANS TO USE THE CHINOOK INTO 2040 AND BEYOND.

Connor: EVERY TIME THE TERMINATION DATE

FOR CHINOOK PRODUCTION COMES UP,

UH, IT SEEMS TO STRETCH OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

Narrator: THE CHINOOK.

BORN FROM A PERCEIVED NEED TO CARRY NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

TRANSFORMED IN VIETNAM FROM AN AIRBORNE TRUCK

TO A TACTICAL WEAPON,

AND ADAPTED TO BE THE TIP OF THE SPEAR

IN AFGHANISTAN.

IT LIFTS THE HEAVIEST OF LOADS.

FLIES FASTER THAN ANY CHOPPER IN THE U.S. ARMY,

AND HELPED MAKE THE ARMY'S AIR MOBILITY DOCTRINE STICK.

Holloway: THE CHINOOK IS STILL GOING STRONG TODAY,

AND WITH NO END IN SIGHT.

IT WILL BE HERE FOREVER.