The US Coast Guard's New Helicopter Hits the Skies | MH-65E Dolphin | USCGAS Atlantic City

[@JBHRN]

The men and women of the USCG deserve the highest praises and accolades. The MH-65 is a bargin for the US on the whole & an exceptional airframe that is commensurate with the men & women who fly it. The helicopters are both old & new; these are the same airframes that entered servicen 1980's! As aircraft are rotated through Elizabeth City, they are completely stipped down, over hauled & what what emerges on the other side is virtually a new helicopter. If airframe is severely damaged, it is retired. (Very few airframes have been retired) However, they will need to be soon retired... nothing lasts forever A key difference in the Eurocopter & Sikorskies (MH-60s) (also a great aircraft0) is the the H60s has a finite service life (20,000 flight hours) & due to flight over salt water, are retired when they reach that end point. As the MH-65 is composite materials, their service life is limited by what is found when they go through overhaul. The topic of American vs European manufactuering... So that requires us to go back in history to the HH-65 A. 51% of the aircraft had to be US produced. This led to the Lycoming LTS 101 engines being installed vs the turbomeca engines. This led to the aircraft being power limited & issues from the governors on the engine reguling the power output. The Alpha model required pilots to be very smart & diligent in management of the performance of the aircraft. Often, the aircraft operated with only a 10% power margin when in a hover in ground effect. In the event of a engine failure, it was unlikely the aircraft would have single engine flyout performance. So as a result of a rule to satisfy a 51% American made aircraft, the aircraft was modified. This placed our Coasties at risk. The Bravo model was an avionics upgrade that came in early 2000 or so. This reduced weight & improved pilot interface. There was an event which took place in the Med, during Gulf Storm II, that resulted in 2 exceptionally skilled pilots making a single engine landing to a Coast Guard Cutter in the Med. Their options, ditch in the water, land in Syria, or attempt the landing to the boat. They did an amazing job and landed it to the boat. Both pilots received Air Medals. The provided testamony to congress... the new engines were coming to the HH-65 Then came Charlie... And every aircrew in the H65 community was asking "Got Charlie?" Turbomecca opened a plant in Grand Prarrie Texas & they started making Ariel 2c2 engines. The increase in performance was unbelieveable. The airframe became more capable & the margin of safety was improved for our Coast Guard Aviators after more then 2 decades of flying an aircraft that was under powered. All of the Avionics, engines & everything but the base Airframe came from the US. The entire airframe is maintained & supported here in the US. The MH-65 is, and has been, one of the "smartest" helicopters in the US Military Inventory. Good things, stand the test of time. For example, the Huey is up to the Zulu model. I do not think that there are many airframes of in the US military that are still in service after 43 years. My point... How many HH-65s (or MH-65) are in the the "Bone Yard" at Davis Monthan AFB? NONE! There are a little over 100 MH-65s in service for out nation and they all began their service mission in the 1980's. When was the last time you had the body of a Car last more then 10 years. The MH-65 is a work horse like no other helicopter operated by our brave service members. HH or MH? The first H is a designator for for SAR. M is multi mission. The designation changed when the HH-65 was employed into the Helicopter interdictions mission for counter drug operations. Sorry this was so long... Just felt like the record needed to be set straight.

[@alexs.4340]

The MH65E is the best 4.5 heli on the market today. The only model i see for USCG after the MH is the h160 or aw139. SAR missions require a fast cruise speed helicopter. Btw with the Echo model the MH65 will be in service till 2040.

[@alexbennett702]

60s have been extended beyond their 20,000 hour life limit and the USCG is transitioning to solely H-60's. The USCG is buying up "old" navy 60's with 4000 hours and transitioning them to T models.

[@jgdwick4067]

Best heli out there!

[@glhmedic]

This helicopter has been around for decades so it’s not new just upgraded.

[@salwurstman6879]

So exactly what the narrator said? Cool.

[@JetPilot1956]

I flew the “A” model in the late eighty’s early nineties’s. The 51% American concept made the aircraft an incredible piece of junk for the mission. It was maneuverable and the avionics package and autopilot were impressive. It just had a tough time hovering out of ground effect. As for single engine performance in an engine failure, the remaining engine was a guaranteed to transport to the scene of the the crash. The officer in charge of the procurement of this airframe probably got a meritorious achievement medal when they should have gone to jail for waste and abuse of government funds. Same goes for whomever was in charge of the HU-25A/B/C model falcon jet. Especially for the drone engines they hung on them. All that airplane turned out to be was a multi engine jet trainer for the airlines. I even remember a USCG academy graduate flying to GTMO with take off flaps extended in order to make the sortie result in a higher flight time for the day. In defense of those who were responsible for the HH-65E, well done. From what I’ve been told about the performance and capabilities of the Echo model, it’s about time. Fly safe.

[@JBHRN]

Agreed... I flew the A, B, & C... the best comparision I say to compare the 65 to the 60 is like "David" and "Goliath." The Arieal 2c2 was a huge upgrade and increased the safety margin. However, those who flew the Alpha, became very good at power management. On the Alpha, If you lost an engine in the hover over the water, you pulle pitch to 91.5% Nr, set wings level, ball centered and hoped for the best with your finger on the float switch. Fly smart & safe... stay ahead of the plane. John

[@alexbennett702]

I'm convinced somebody in congress was hooking up their buddy at airbus with the contract for this aircraft. It makes terrible aircraft for the majority of the CG aviation missions. Glad they're transitioning away from it

[@JBHRN]

@@alexbennett702 Things turned around for the MH65 with the Charlie Model. I flew The A, B, and C models. With the D and E model, this is an exceptionally capable aircraft. The aircraft has been in serice since the 1980. I came back from more then once because the capability of this aircraft. This is rare for military aircraft. With the engine upgrade that came with the Charlie model... this fixed about 90% of the issues with Tupper Wolf. The H65 is also the only helicopter in the inventory that can land our legacy cutters. What the USCG deserves, if legitamate funding to upgrade the fleet and aircraft. The USCG accomplishes so much with so little. Junt my $0.02.

[@jmcclain8237]

To the pilots, what's your opinion of the Raider and do you believe it would be good for search and rescue?

[@alexs.4340]

The MH65E is the best 4.5 mtow helicopter on the market today. Too bad it's for military purpose only, like the Panther MBe.

[@longjonsilvers802]

Bright red?!?

[@CAPEjkg]

S-92?

[@Ch1n4Sailor]

It’s ORANGE, NOT Red

[@Underwaystudios]

That color is called Coast Guard Red. it has a formula of it's own and specific to the CG

[@keepmoving.3043]

That's a wrong decision. They It should choose the CH47D.

[@lewistasso8866]

Hahahahahaha!! Yeah, a Chinook! Right!

[@pamsylvester6187]

Why is America buying foreign helicopter when we have Bell and sikorsky

[@mr_beezlebub3985]

Because Airbus made a good product that suits the Coast Guard's needs.

[@glhmedic]

The took the best helicopter and it’s built here in the USA

[@pamsylvester6187]

@@glhmedic Airbus is headquarter in Europe

[@ChristophePochari]

lol, because this Aerospatiale machine is unsurpassed by any American chopper

[@pamsylvester6187]

@@ChristophePochari leave it to the Democrats to change the rules. Was 70 % of the aircraft had to be made in America