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DND 101
CH-47D

Background — Medium-Lift Helicopter Comparisons — CH-47

Update: On 05 June 2006, the Harper government issued an Advance Contract Award Notice to single-source 16 Boeing CH-47F+s. Since then, there has been no further movement on 'F+s. However, a US Foreign Military Sale Notice was posted in April 2008 which resulted in the transfer to the CF Air Wing at Kandahar of 6 US Army CH-47Ds, arriving in Dec 2008 and expected to be fully operational in Feb 2009.

PPCLI offload from a US CH-47D in the Tora Bora Boeing Model 234 / CH-47 Chinook CH-47 – a Familiar Western Wind
When the new CDS, Gen Rick Hillier, first made mention of new helicopters for the CF, he referred to "heavy lift". Few western helicopters available today qualify to fit that term – almost certainly the helicopter Hillier had in mind was the big Boeing Chinook[1] familiar to the CF from Afghanistan.

Chinook slinging an external load Of course, Chinooks were also familiar from previous Canadian service (eight served as CH-147s from 1974 - '91 when they were sold to the Dutch KLu). The Chinooks had been something of a maintenance burden but their lifting capability has been sorely missed. As a troop carrier and especially as a quick way of moving an artillery piece and its gun crew, nothing has ever replaced the CF’s CH-147s.

Boeing Model 234 / CH-46D Chinook — Specifications

Length (overall): 15.45m (fuselage), 30.1m (rotors turning)

Dimensions: 6.87m max. height, 5.77m shipping height

Rotor diameters: 18.29m (each rotor)

Cabin/hold size: 9.20m L x 2.26m W x 1.95m H, 45.8 cu m

Weights: empty 10185kg, max 22680kg, 12700kg hoist

Performance: speed 295km/h, range 425km (ferry 2060km)

Powerplant: 2 x 2796 kW (3750shp) T55-L712 turboshafts

CH-147 in its final 'low-viz' colour scheme CH-147 on Arctic manoeuvres - note skis CH-47s have the rear ramp and hoisting capabilities desired by DND but, as US workhorses, they are also rather hot properties at the moment. The US Army is upgrading most of its Chinook fleet and intends to refurbish Mobility - US CH-47 refuelling from a KC-130 foreign airframes bought used to modern MH-47G standard. The market is going to be tight. Even if suitable used Chinooks are located, they present the problems of unique engine type[2] and imposing size. However, their performance is unrivalled.

[1] In 1956 Vertol initiated a turbine-powered evolution of its original twin-rotored Piasecki formula (CF CH-125/CH-127 'Flying Bananas' ) The first new Vertol (later Boeing-Vertol) was the Model 107 (CF CH-113 Labrador), the second was the Model 234 (the US Army CH-47). The CF purchased an advanced CH-47C model Chinook, designating it CH-147 (know as Super Cs to Vertol). As mentioned, the CH-147s were sold to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht which later upgraded these aircraft to Super D standard with weather radar, 'glass' cockpits, etc.
[2] The Lycoming (later Avco, later Textron) T-55 turboshaft was unique to the CH-147 in CF service. However, the T55 shared its 'core' with another Avco Lycoming design – the ALF 502 turbofan used in CL-600-type CC-144 Challengers (later CL-601/604s use GE CF34s.)