Black Hawks

    Being a black hawk pilot would be my first choice in my aviation career. The UH-60 Black Hawk has been operational in the United States Army since 1978. There are different varities of the Black Hawk, the S-70 is the export version of the multi-mission UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.

    In the United State’s military there are over 2000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters variants that are in service. And there are over 600 that are exported. There are over four million flying hours logged away with the Black Hawk helicopteres. The logged hours come from training and combat missions that took place in places like Grenada, Panama, the liberation of Kuwait, Somalla, Afghanistan, Iraq and many other humanitarian and rescue missions.

    The main function of the Black Hawk helicopter is as a troop carrier. (I would love flying awesome soldiers, they’ll say, “Ewell (sounds like you’ll) get us there.”) and logistical support aircraft, so just making sure ground troops have all the info they need. It can include functions like medical evacuation, command-and control, search-and-rescue, armed escort, electronic warfare and executive transport missions. (I think it would be really cool to fly down in to an area of operarion with a hummer handing from me and drop everyone off will I give support from the sky) The S-70  Black Hawk helicopter can fly for 11 fully equipped soldier or four litters. And when flying through high risk places the helicopter has the ability to tolerate small arms fire and most high-explosive, medium-calibre (23) projectiles.

The S-70 Black Hawk has a crew of three. The pilot, the copilot, they sit at the flight deck. And one crew member in the cabin. The S-70 can have a AFCS (automated flight computer system) instoled to help make piloting easier. The S-70 Black Hawk has many great multi-usage weapon systems. The S-70 can use a hellfire ant-armour missle that is laser-guided. The S-70 can carry 16 hellfire missiles. It carries the missiles in the external stores support system (ESSS). The ESSS can carry up to 10,000 pounds of payload. Tne S-70 Black Hawk can mount 7.62mm or .50-calibre machine guns in the windows. And to keep it safe from laser targeting systems it can use a Goodrich AN/AVR-2B laser threat warning system that will tell the crew when someone is trying to shoot them down.

To talk to troops and its command the S-70 is equipped with a voice and data communications suite including VHF, UHF communications, an identification friend or foe (IFF). It has two general electric turboshaft engines, the United State’s Army Black Hawks are fitted with the latest version, the 701D, it is rated at 2000shp.

I would love to be a Black Hawk pilot. My duties would be to navigate and communicate under combat conditions. Operate aircraft in all types of weather conditions during the day and night with night-vision. And carry out any orders my commanding officer tells me. This is one of the hardest jobs I can think of but I am up for the challenge.