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Blackhawk Altitude Limit


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This topic came up and I figured this would be a great place to ask the guys that fly this machine.

 

How high can a Blackhawk fly?

 

I have found the record landing of around 17000 ft in Alaska and the service ceiling of 19000 ft.

 

I think it must have been used higher in combat ops since Afganistan is higher than AK. Plus it has a 13000 lb payload. That's a lot of available power.

 

Thanks

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Good question. Maybe Chris will chime in with some of his good seasoned wisdom. I'm sure the good boys over at Sikorsky have a definite answer to your question!

 

On a side note, a good, solid, fun aircraft to be part of a crew in. She was my horse for six years.

 

Certainly not the highest by any means, but I recall crewing a mission one night over there to drop off a full load of grunts on a mountain side. Somewhere around 9,000ft at night and during the spring (I think) and we were getting close to our HOGE limit for the conditions and weight present.

 

One of our sister companies balled one up (a near brand new Mike model) around 12,000ft while looking for a crashed C-12 at night during 09'. They hadn't of been very heavy considering it was mostly just the crew (of 4) and possibly a couple observers in the back under goggles. Basically they got slow over the mountains outside of their HOGE limit and got low rotor. Crew walked away, but due to the altitude the aircraft was at, it made more sense to have Pathfinders come in and blow it up rather than risk hauling it out by a -47 or -53. Poor mike model.

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Here are your "basic" Hawk limits, its fresh in my mind because I just did aircraft comparisons for that class:

 

OEI Service CLG: 3700ft

Hovering OGE: 4300ft

Service CLG: 20000ft

 

Just because thats the "limits' doesn't mean it's going to do it either.... what are the engines at? .9 or 1.0? a lot of factors.

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  • 3 weeks later...

An H-60L has landed higher than 19k, but conditions were perfect, including the empty weight (or so I heard :ph34r:​). I'd be willing to bet that the stripped down civilian H-60As could top that, being a few thousand pounds lighter. Highest I've landed is just shy of 14k; was very close to HIGE limits up there because we had aux tanks so we'd have enough fuel to get home. The big rocks here are pretty far from the closest gas station, and they also require the use of O2. I've only gotten to use the oxygen system in Colorado at HAATS, where we couldn't get higher than that, and once in AK. Unless we participate in the setup of Denali's camps in April we don't really have a regular opportunity to train above 14k. The Sugar Bears, the active duty Chinook guys, have the High Altitude Rescue Team (HART) mission, where they help set up camp on Denali each year and are on call for rescue.

 

Of course, TEMSCO has their B3 there as well as the primary bird, the the OP already knew that.

 

Better question, how far can a duck fly?

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An H-60L has landed higher than 19k, but conditions were perfect, including the empty weight (or so I heard :ph34r:​). I'd be willing to bet that the stripped down civilian H-60As could top that, being a few thousand pounds lighter. Highest I've landed is just shy of 14k; was very close to HIGE limits up there because we had aux tanks so we'd have enough fuel to get home. The big rocks here are pretty far from the closest gas station, and they also require the use of O2. I've only gotten to use the oxygen system in Colorado at HAATS, where we couldn't get higher than that, and once in AK. Unless we participate in the setup of Denali's camps in April we don't really have a regular opportunity to train above 14k. The Sugar Bears, the active duty Chinook guys, have the High Altitude Rescue Team (HART) mission, where they help set up camp on Denali each year and are on call for rescue.

 

Of course, TEMSCO has their B3 there as well as the primary bird, the the OP already knew that.

 

Better question, how far can a duck fly?

Heh, I heard this story...

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notes on how to reply to a post in a way that is constructive/positive.

 

I could blow you the f**k up, right now. But I'll take the high road and let you off as being someone who just blindly defends someone who doesent deserve to be defended in this particular manner.

 

84 hours in flight log book. Thanks playa.

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It would be very easy for me to defend myself off the claims that I am embarrassing myself, but every time I shut someone down on this site for talking out of their ass/making blanket statements, they just choose something completely new to attack me with without ever acknowledging anything I had previously said.

 

Therefore, its pointless to continue with this..

 

At least you guys show solidarity and come to defend those who are incapable of defending themselves. :)

 

-Goodbye

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notes on how to reply to a post in a way that is constructive/positive.

 

I could blow you the f*ck up, right now. But I'll take the high road and let you off as being someone who just blindly defends someone who doesent deserve to be defended in this particular manner.

 

84 hours in flight log book. Thanks playa.

Yes, Lindsey obviously is the least helpful person on this site. 🙄 She might seem a little more helpful if you weren't just trying to troll all the time.

 

84 whole hours? Great for you. I think we call that a "slow month" on a deployment.

 

Can't wait to see your newest incarnation. Let's try to make it a little more entertaining this time, shall we?

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84 whole hours? Great for you. I think we call that a "slow month" on a deployment.

 

Okay.. Well lindsay only gets hours when flying to and from the ski slopes in the beautiful state of Washington.. She isn't taking fire or anything, so I'm not going to count any of those hours.

 

That being said it is completely fair to strike all of my 84 hours from the record.. You're right.. I've got literally the EXACT same amount of experience as someone with 0 hours. Might as well have 0 hours... I agree. Private Pilot License is something you can just print out on the internet and the FAA recognizes it and everything..

 

84 hours, PPL.. /scoff.. Clearly 100% worthless.

 

 

I'm happy all that was settled. Now about this dictionary..

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Sure!! :D

 

Let's start by buying you a f*cking dictionary!! :D Shall we??

 

This should be good... what do I need a dictionary for?

 

 

Okay.. Well lindsay only gets hours when flying to and from the ski slopes in the beautiful state of Washington.. She isn't taking fire or anything, so I'm not going to count any of those hours.

 

That being said it is completely fair to strike all of my 84 hours from the record.. You're right.. I've got literally the EXACT same amount of experience as someone with 0 hours. Might as well have 0 hours... I agree. Private Pilot License is something you can just print out on the internet and the FAA recognizes it and everything..

 

84 hours, PPL.. /scoff.. Clearly 100% worthless.

 

Well... Lindsey flies for the Army. So, I mean... she's technically got minimum hours per month/semi-annual period she has to maintain. Blackhawks don't generally fly to ski slopes, unless they're doing a rescue, but that's beside the point. I guess if she's flying her little Robby on the side, up to ski slopes, that's her business.

 

My comment on your hours wasn't directed at how you got them, but that you're touting 84 like it's some number that should cause (who was that... AK?) to suddenly recognize your experience, and be awestruck. When in fact, 84 hours is nothing, and can be gotten in less than a month, particularly on a deployment. Hey, maybe some people are impressed by 84 hours, I won't judge... I just think you chose the wrong audience for that one.

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