A Strike Eagle lands off runway, and remembering a "Little Bird's" first flight.
A Strike Eagle lands off runway, and remembering a "Little Bird's" first flight.
An F-15E lands on a taxiway and remembering a light observation helicopter's first flight.
“One cannot reflect concern downward.”
-Maj Gen John O. Moench, USAF
Mission Briefing
The Gunfighters are renowned for their ability to perform military operations in any location and at any time, demonstrating remarkable proficiency in landing and launching aircraft on unconventional surfaces.
Recently, the 366th Operations Group embarked on a resilient basing operation called Garrison Forward, which is divided into two phases. In an impressive display of skill and adaptability, they completed the first phase by successfully landing an F-15E Strike Eagle on the taxiway of Mountain Home AFB on February 13, 2024, instead of using the traditional runway.
Following this achievement, the Gunfighter aircrews are now preparing for the second phase, which involves a challenging task of landing a Strike Eagle on a nearby roadway. This operation will include refueling the aircraft and then safely relaunching it.
The overarching goal of these exercises is to enhance the training capabilities at Mountain Home AFB, equipping the Gunfighters with the skills needed for global deployment scenarios.
Lt. Col Nicolas Tsougas, commander of the 366th Operations Support Squadron, emphasized the importance of these exercises in preparing for agile combat employment. "We may face situations where traditional runways and surfaces are not available," he said. "Our focus is on developing versatile operational tactics to be ready for any situation, with these types of landings as a key emergency option."
The pilots and weapons system officers engaged in extensive preparations for these landings, including digital simulation flights and practice approaches, ensuring they were well-prepared for the real-world operation.
Lt. Col Tsougas noted that the extensive preparation made the taxiway landing straightforward, likening it to technical landings during deployment. "We've previously had to establish forward operating locations in challenging environments, often landing on short runways at night. It's crucial to be prepared for such scenarios in various locations," he explained.
The successful execution of the taxiway landing involved meticulous planning and coordination among the Airmen at Mountain Home AFB. This effort not only ensured that the landing was conducted safely and through the proper channels but also served as additional training for handling Gunfighter Strike Eagles under unique conditions.
Col. David Stamps, the commander of the 366th OG, praised the collective effort of the Gunfighters. "Operation Garrison Forward united members from all groups towards a common goal: to increase the agility and survivability of the 366th Fighter Wing in a competitive global context," he stated. "Engaging in demanding tasks during peacetime is vital in preparing our warfighters for possible future conflicts. I am incredibly proud of our team for formalizing our alternate landing surface operations. Our commitment is to remain combat-ready in any situation, anywhere and at any time."
Moving forward, the 366th Fighter Wing is dedicated to continuously developing and refining dynamic training exercises. These exercises are crucial in sharpening their agile capabilities, ensuring they are always prepared to deploy rapidly and effectively in defense of the United States.
This week in aviation history
27 February 1963: An unforgettable day for test pilots Raleigh Fletcher and James A. Vittitoe as they took to the skies in the newly crafted Model 369 prototype, bearing the serial number 13-0002. This historic event marked the helicopter's maiden flight, a moment that would be officially recognized when it received its F.A.A. registration, N9696F, a little over a month later on the 5th of April.
Now, the Hughes Model 369 wasn't just any helicopter. It was born out of a specific need from the U.S. Army for a Light Observation Helicopter, affectionately abbreviated as "L.O.H." In this high-stakes competition, the Model 369, designated YOH-6A, found itself up against contenders like Bell Helicopter's YOH-4 and Fairchild-Hiller's YOH-5. All three were powered by the innovative lightweight turboshaft engines from Allison Engine Company. In a twist of fate, it was the YOH-6A that emerged victorious, leading to its production as the OH-6A Cayuse, also endearingly nicknamed "Loach" from the acronym "L O H."
The design journey of the YOH-6A was as fascinating as its inception. Initially, it featured a tail boom with an airfoil-shaped cross section. This design worked wonders for forward flight, but it had a limitation – sideways flight was restricted to a mere 5 miles per hour. However, a pivotal design change to a symmetrical cross section tail boom boosted this capability significantly, allowing sideways flight to soar up to 60 miles per hour, about 97 kilometers per hour.
Piloting the YOH-6A was an experience tailored for agility and precision. It was a two-place light helicopter, typically operated by a single pilot. The design featured a four-bladed, articulated main rotor spinning counter-clockwise from an overhead view (with the advancing blade on the helicopter’s right). An ingenious system of thin stainless steel straps connected the rotor blades to the mast, facilitating both flapping and feathering movements, while hydraulic dampers managed the lead-lag dynamics. Originally, there were blade cuffs designed to reduce aerodynamic drag, but these were soon removed from the design.
The tail rotor of the YOH-6A was equally interesting. A two-bladed, semi-rigid design mounted on the left side of the tail boom, it also rotated counter-clockwise when viewed from the left, with the advancing blade positioned on top.
Now, let's talk about the heart of this bird – its engine. The YOH-6A was powered by the T63-A-5 turboshaft engine, also known as the Allison Model 250-C10. This powerhouse was angled at 45 degrees behind the cabin and was rated at 212 shaft horsepower for maximum continuous power, with a 5-minute limit at 250 shaft horsepower for takeoff. The production models of the OH-6A Cayuse later adopted the slightly more potent T63-A-5A (250-C10A) engine. This engine was a marvel of engineering, being a 2-spool, reverse-flow turboshaft engine with a complex 6-stage axial and 1-stage centrifugal compressor, coupled with a 4-stage axial-flow turbine. The turbine was divided into two stages driving the compressor (the gas generator) and two stages powering the output shaft through a gear reduction section.
Today many of us know this small but potent helicopter as the “Little Bird” Boeing’s AH-6 is a direct descendant of the Hughes Model 369.
In case you missed it
Since we’re talking about helicopters and airplanes, here’s an aircraft that does a little of both:
Photo Outlet
The Smoke & Thunder Jet Car is amazing to watch going down a runway:
Post Flight Debrief
That’s all for this week, thanks for reading! If you know a fellow aviation enthusiast that would enjoy these weekly newsletters, then please forward this along. Now you know!
-Tog