Greetings all!
Any of our esteemed colleagues have any Kiowa Warrior time? It seems that the Army has denied issuing Apaches to the unit that I’m headed to, so I’ll be flying Kiowas in two years instead. While I’m not too distraught over this (hey, I get to fly something, right?) I’ve heard varying opinions on the little bugsmasher. Just wondering what everyone else here thinks.
Thanks!
Get familiar with this term. Overtorque It comes from being underpowered or overburdened. perhaps both. lol. Anyway it beats not flying at all.
Mog
I’ve actually got a few hours in the OH-58D. I got to fly around a while when I was a troop FSO in 3-7 CAV at Ft Hood. Also a few hours in a Bl;ackhawk. My next door neighbor at Ft Hood was a maintenance check pilot. Always pays to get in good with the Warrants. I actually wanted to fly choppers when I first came in the Army, until the Docs took a look at my eyesight, they told me I would be lucky if iI could see well enough to fly a desk. Oh well, at least I didn’t let civilian ground school that I took in college go to waste. I liked the OH-58D alot. it was able to get into areas that the Hawk was not. Neat little bird.
I’ve got some time in the B206 Jetranger, H-500D and H-300C. I’ll take the H-500D every day and twice on Sunday. It seems like every time we respond to a Helo crash up here in Alaska it’s a Jetdanger that over torqued or ran out of right tail rotor at altitude. I also heard from one of our HH-60G drivers (who used to fly Kiowas in the Army) that they’re having problems with the OH-58Ds. Namely they have over loaded them so much that their performance is really hindered. I hear that if you loose one of the motors, it’s an immediate autorotation as she won’t cut it with one engine anymore.
Just what I heard, but hey…flying beats walking.
Is it a Guard unit??? If so you’ll probably flying OH-58C’s.
Salbando,
Yep, its a Guard unit, but they do have Warriors, not Charlie models. I’m going to AT with them in August, so I’ll get a good look at the birds then.
As a student of Close Air Support, I’ve heard a lot from guys on the ground praising the Kiowa for always being overhead and that’s what I’m really looking to do.
Gino, were you in Iraq with 3-7? One of our alums was a tank platoon leader there with them and he really talked up the Kiowas. Then again, I always liked the idea of having ground and aviation units in the same larger unit. The small combat team just seems to make sense.
Anyhow, thanks guys, for the advice, etc.
No, I was in 3ID in Iraq, with 1-39 FA (MLRS). I misspoke. It was 1-7 CAV at Hood, not 3-7 CAV.
Gino,
Cool, I’ve heard several rather interesting stories from 3ID guys and will be interviewing some of the Vipers Apache drivers for my next book. If you’ve got any interesting helo-related stories you saw over there, drop me an email.
Oh, and Sal, the Kiowa’s engine out performance is like that because it’s only got a single Allison 250-C30R engine. [;)]
Jon,
My bad.[:0] I guess I misunderstood what the ex-kiowa driver was telling me. He did give me a link to an on line article on what I was trying to describe, but it looks like they’ve already identified a fix. Here’s what it said :
Since the last OA conducted in 1994, the Army determined that modifications in mission and equipment over time have created a deficiency in the Kiowa Warrior autorotation capability. In general terms, the cumulative addition of new equipment caused the weight of the aircraft to increase dramatically, meaning that in the event of an engine failure or other similar occurrence, the aircraft lost some of its original autorotative capability, causing the aircraft to descend faster and experience an extended ground slide upon touchdown. As a result, the Army developed a two-phase Safety Enhancement Program (SEP) to reduce the safety risk to Kiowa Warrior aviators. The SEP consists of both training and material changes.
An improved version of the T-703 (R-3) engine will be installed which provides higher reliability and double the current overhaul interval, greater hot day power, and a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC). The FADEC provides automatic rotor speed control, inflight restart, and performance recording, as well as more precise fuel metering capabilities. Additionally, an integrated body and head restraint system, a cockpit air bag system, and energy absorbing seats will be installed to enhance survivability in any crash situation.
Anyway, like I said before…“flyin is better than walkin” and being an ex-11B (yes I can admit it now, the cat’s out of the bag) and now a USAF SAR dude, I speak from experience.[;)]
Good luck and have a ball.
Sal,
Too cool! I found that article online too. Good stuff. I’m not too keen about this single engine stuff. I thought the Army was going away from that (a friend who is a Warrant and SIP told me there’s no future in the Army in single engine aircraft). A second engine would help a lot there, but again, weight, and where the hell do you put it?!
Anyhow, while we’re on the subject, does anyone know if there is a resin update set for the ESCI 1/48 OH-58A kit? I want to do mine up as a KW and I really don’t wanna scratchbuild. Then again, I may have to. Oh well…
Cheers all…