CH-47s delivered to Army Guard Flight Facility in Rochester

Five CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters will be delivered to the New York Army National Guard Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport, April 22.

The aircraft will arrive on board a C-17 on Monday morning, offloading on CH-47 and the other Chinooks will be delivered on board two Air Force C-5 Galaxies-the largest aircraft in the U.S. military.

The CH-47 helicopter is a twin-rotor craft capable of hauling more than 30 Soldiers and 28,000 pounds of cargo. The helicopter has proven itself invaluable in Afghanistan where the dual engines and rotors allow it to function well in high mountains.

The helicopters will be operated by soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's Detachment 1 of Company B, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation which is stationed at the Patriot Way Armory adjacent to the flight facility. The unit's 60 members are finishing up a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan where they flew CH-47s. They are expected to return to Fort Hood, Texas and begin demobilization during the second week of May.

The CH-47s will replace the aircraft that the detachment originally took to Afghanistan as those helicopters are refurbished.

During the unit's Afghanistan deployment, one CH-47 remained stationed at the flight facility and was available for state emergency missions.

"The delivery of these CH-47 Chinooks to Rochester is good news for the New York Army National Guard," said Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York. "These aircraft are incredibly capable and can be invaluable in responding to emergencies here at home as well as in a combat zone."

In October 2012 a CH-47 based at the Rochester Flight Facility delivered supplies during the National Guard's response to Hurricane Sandy.

Chinooks based at Rochester also flew FEMA supplies in September 2011 during the Guard response missions following Tropical Storms Irene and Lee and in June 2011 a New York Army National Guard CH-47 successfully retrieved a motor boat hung up above Niagara Falls.

The soldiers of Company B's Detachment 1-the other half of the company is part of the Maryland Army National Guard based in Edgewood, Md.-deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. The company was recognized as the Army National Guard aviation unit of the year for 2008 by the Army Aviation Association of America for the company's accomplishments in Afghanistan, including participating in the largest air assault operation in that country since 2002.

In 2009, the detachment's pilots and other Soldiers trained Canadian Forces pilots to operate the CH-47 because all of that country's CH-47s were already deployed to Afghanistan. The detachment also sent Soldiers and helicopters to assist in the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Note to editors: The arrival of the CH-47s at the Army National Guard Flight Facility April 22 is open to the press. The aircraft is expected to arrive at approximately 10 a.m., Monday. Members of the press must contact Chief Warrant Officer Michael Risewick at 585-783-5407 for access to this secure military facility and updates of the arrival time. Aircraft arrival times may change over the weekend.


Source: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - (dvidshub.net) New York National Guard News - 22 April 2013

Photo: A New York Army National Guard CH-47 Chinnok helicopter based at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Rochester, N.Y., hoists a New York State Park Police boat out of the Niagara River June 19, 2011. The Chinook assigned to Det. 1 Co. B. 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation and commanded by Capt. Eric Fritz, retrieved the boat after its crew was forced to abandon it just above the falls. (Photo by U.S. Army National Guard courtesy photo / Lt. Benjamin Postle, Company B 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation)

In this June 2011 photo, an Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter retrieves a boat stranded on the American side of Niagara Falls along the U.S.-Canada border in New York.


(22.04.2013)