The CH-47 Chinook Helicopter
- Av Geek Blog
- Oct 23
- 5 min read
The CH-47 Chinook helicopter is one of the most well recognised helicopters in the world today. Designed during the cold war but still flying today, the Chinook is one of the most battle proven and technically advanced aircraft in military aviation history. This multi-mission aircraft is proven in cargo, troop transport, search and rescue, casualty evacuation, special operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions. In this blog post, I take a look at this aircraft, how it came about and what makes it so unique.
History of the CH-47 Chinook
The CH-47 Chinook was designed during the cold war and refined over decades of combat and is still flying today. The story of the Chinook helicopter began in the late 1950's when the US Army identified a gap in its aviation capability. The CH-37 that was used at that time was underpowered and limited by range. The contract was given to VERTOL aircraft corporation but Boeing later acquired this company. By 1962 the Chinook had officially entered service with the US Army. The CH-47A was pushed into service as the Vietnam War escalated and immediately proved its worth. In the conflict, the Chinook proved invaluable for transporting troops and equipment as well as recovering other downed aircraft. By the end of the war, the Chinook had recovered over 11,500 aircraft.
Specifications of the Chinook
The Chinook has a height of 18 feet, 11 inches, a length (from rotor tip to rotor tip) of 98 feet, 10 inches. The length of just the fuselage is 51 feet. The helicopter is powered by two Honeywell T-55 engines. The Chinook has a gross weight of 54,000 pounds.
The Chinook has a range of 400 nautical miles on internal fuel and a top speed of 170 knots. This makes the Chinook one of the fastest helicopters in the US inventory. The Chinook has an impressive service ceiling of over 20,000 feet. This means that the aircraft can operate in high altitude environments where other helicopters cannot go.
The feature of the Chinook that makes it stand out is undoubtedly its tandem rotor design. The aircraft's unique tandem rotor design was intentional as it eliminated the need for a tail rotor. This provided stability while also allowing the full fuselage space to be used for storage. The rotors span 60 feet in diameter and are positioned at the front and back in order to balance the lift. This tandem configuration gives the Chinook its superior lifting capability and compact ground footprint (and its iconic look).
The interior of the aircraft has seats for 33 troops and their gear. However, it can be configured to hold up to 44 seated troops, 24 medical litters or a combination of both. The aircraft can also be configured for specialized missions including MEDEVAC, Search and Rescue and disaster relief operations. Underneath the Chinook are three hooks for exterior lifting. These can be used for moving artillery, vehicles or emergency supplies.
The airframe is a blend of traditional aluminium alloys and composite materials. This helps to reduce vibrations and improve durability. The airframe is designed to be durable with an emphasis on survivability in combat conditions.
The Chinook, is not just used as a military helicopter. Chinook helicopters are also used as firefighting aircraft as they can go places where tankers cannot go. The Chinook can be equipped with water buckets or internal tanks, dropping thousands of gallons of water all at once. To find out more about how aviation is used to fight fires, check out this blog post here: https://www.avgeekblog.co.uk/post/how-aviation-is-used-to-fight-fires
Modifications and upgrades
Over the years, the CH-47 Chinook has been upgraded with the latest technology and to improve performance. The CH-47 is the standard army version of the Chinook while the MH-47 is the Chinook designed for special operations forces.
Date of entry - Model number
1962 - CH-47A
1966 - CH-47B
1967 - CH-47C
1982 - CH-47D (This was the biggest upgrade to the helicopter to that point)
1988 - MH-47D (This version was specifically for special operations)
1995 - MH-47E
2004 - MH-47G Block 1 (This version included advanced avionics)
2007 - CH-47F (This version modernized the aircraft)
2020 - MH-47G Block 2
The MH-47G is the most advanced version of the Chinook, designed for special operations. This version is equipped for stealthy insertions and extractions behind enemy lines, fast rope deployments, low level flying and aerial refueling. The MH-47G has a refueling probe that sticks out the front of the helicopter for inflight refueling. The MH-47 was used to extract the operators whose helicopter went down during the Bin-Laden raid.
Features of the Chinook
The Chinook has a very versatile mission set. From combat and disaster zones to mountain tops and oceans, the Chinook is a key lifeline for disaster relief, military aid and aerial firefighting. The Chinook can deliver clean water, field hospitals and emergency shelters into devastated zones.
The Chinook can load and unload via a ramp at the back of the aircraft. The rear ramp access on any terrain is not restricted by tail rotor clearance. This allows the tandems to operate on unprepared, mountainous positions and execute the pinnacle landing capability. The tandem rotor design provides increased stability and control, maximum agility and ease of loading and unloading as well as superior performance in wind. The Chinook can do water landings. These can be achieved by gently setting the helicopter onto the surface of the water as passengers and cargo are offloaded by boat or ramp.
The Chinook has a crew of 3 - a pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer. On some high stakes missions, a fourth crew member may be added for extra support. In combat, the Chinook is often escorted by AH-64 Apache helicopters
Chinook Operators
The US Army is the largest operator of the Chinook but it is not the only operator. The Chinook is operated by more than 20 other countries including Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Netherlands, UAE, Spain, Greece, India and others.
It is clear that the Chinook helicopter is a unique aircraft and invaluable to many military forces around the world. Its continuous upgrades has allowed it to be kept in service for all these years all around the world. Its versatile nature allows it to operate a variety of mission sets from conflict to humanitarian relief. The Chinook is expected to fly for over 40 years more, good news for its many adoring fans around the world who want to catch a glimpse of this iconic aircraft.
Have you ever spotted a Chinook? Let us know by leaving a comment below or on our X and Instagram accounts. Don't forget to follow @avgeek_blog on X and Instagram to be kept updated when our next blog post drops.
Thanks for reading.
Instagram: @avgeek_blog
X: @avgeek_blog
Email: geekofairlines@gmail.com
Date published: 23 October 2025
Comments