Royal Air Force Chinook: Flight Test Update

In the 1996-1997 financial year, the Rotary Wing Aircraft Division of the Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation of the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom conducted numerous trials on the Chinook HC MK 2 Helicopter for the Royal Air Force. These trials included the Snow and Icing Trial, the Tandem Hook Trial, the Waterborne Operations Trial, the Defensive Aids Suite Trial, and the 24.5 Tonne Envelope Expansion Trial. This paper provides a limited scope description of the background, methodology, results, and lessons learned for three of these trials.