PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS Weather Minimums

B-17. A minimum 500-foot ceiling and a 2-mile visibility capability must exist for day and night flying over all types of terrain. The unit commander may reduce weather minimums on a case-by-case basis.

B-18. A visible horizon must exist in two of the four horizontal quadrants at all times. All MH-6J missions must take place under visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Instrument flight rule (IFR) flights are unauthorized.

Winds

B-19. The maximum wind allowed to start the aircraft is 40 knots, with a 20-knot gust spread.

Flight Altitudes

B-20. For training missions, the minimum en route altitude for routes not reconnoitered is 300 feet above ground level (AGL). The minimum overwater altitude is 50 feet. For operational missions, the minimum en route altitude is METT-TC dependent.

Landing Areas

B-21. The MH-6J is capable of landing on any structure that allows clearance for the rotor systems (30 feet) and meets stress requirements. Single-aircraft confined landing areas require a minimum size of 50 feet by 50 feet.

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Shipboard Operations

B-22. The MH-6J can operate day and night from any ship with at least a one-spot helicopter-landing capability.

Aircrew Composition

B-23. The normal aircrew for most training exercises and operational or contingency missions consists of a pilot and a copilot. All overwater flights require a pilot and copilot current and qualified in overwater flight. All aircrews can conduct NVG infiltration and exfiltration, stabilized body operations (STABO), fast-rope insertion and extraction system (FRIES), and aerial suppression operations to urban, mountainous, desert, and jungle objectives, as well as to ships and offshore drilling platforms. Aircrews have training in long-range precision navigation and formation flight over land and water to arrive at objectives at a prearranged time (± 30 seconds).

Aircraft Capabilities

B-24. Table B-1 lists the capabilities of the MH-6J aircraft. Figures B-1 and B-2, page B-5, illustrate specific dimensions of the aircraft.

Table B-1. MH-6J Aircraft Capabilities Aircraft Weight

Basic weight 1,925 pounds

Mission weight 3,100 pounds

Maximum gross weight 3,750 pounds

Aircraft Dimensions

Length blades folded 22 feet 6 inches

Blades unfolded 32 feet 1 inch

Width blades folded 6 feet 5 inches

Blades unfolded 27 feet 4 inches

Height 8 feet 11 inches

Diameter of main rotor 27 feet 4 inches

Aircraft turning radius 36 feet 9 inches

Range and Endurance at 240 Pounds Per Hour

Fuel Tank Endurance

(Hours + Minutes)

Aircrew Passenger Fuel Range (Nautical Miles)

Main 1+20 2 3 110

Main plus one auxiliary 3+00 2 2 240

Main plus two auxiliary 3+50 2 1 310

Airspeed. The cruise airspeed for the MH-6J helicopter is 80 knots.

Figure B-1. MH-6J and AH-6J Aircraft Dimensions

Figure B-2. MH-6J and AH-6J Aircraft Dimensions and Turning Radius SAFETY

B-25. The MH-6J has no seat belts installed for passengers. Each passenger must provide his own means of securing himself. A short length of rope—

wrapped and knotted around the waist with a snap link attached to one end—allows each passenger to secure himself to hard points on the aircraft.

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AH-6J HELICOPTER

MISSION

B-26. The mission of the AH-6J helicopter is to provide a rapidly deployable light attack helicopter to meet the need for precise, small-area target destruction or neutralization, with provisions for close air fire support for ground assault operations.

DESCRIPTION

B-27. The AH-6J is a highly modified version of the McDonald Douglas 530-series commercial helicopter. The aircraft is a single turbine engine, dual-flight control, light attack helicopter. Its primary employment is close air support of ground troops, target-destruction raids, and armed escort of other aircraft.

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

B-28. The ARC-186 (V) VHF provides AM and FM air-to-air and air-to- ground communications. It has a band range from FM 30.000 to 87.975 MHz and AM 116.000 to 151.975 MHz in 25-kHz increments.

B-29. The AN/ARC-210 provides the following communications band ranges:

• UHF, 225.0 to 399.975 MHz.

• VHF and AM, 108.0 to 155.975 MHz.

• FM, 30.000 to 87.975 MHz.

B-30. The SATCOM provides satellite air-to-air and air-to-ground communications.

B-31. The SABRE is a ground radio with capabilities for to-air and air-to-ground communications. Each aircraft has one, although it is not installed in all aircraft.

B-32. The AN/ARC-182 is a multichannel, multimode radio. It is SATCOM, HaveQuick, and SINCGARS capable. The AN/RC-182 can operate on the following frequencies:

• UHF, 225.0 to 399.975 MHz.

• VHF and AM, 108.0 to 155.975 MHz.

• VHF and FM, 155.975 to 173.975 MHz.

• FM, 30.0 to 87.975 MHz.

NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

B-33. The Trimble 3100 Navigation System is installed in the MH/AH-6J only. It uses GPS and LORAN.

B-34. The AN-APN-154 (V) uses VOR, DME, and TACAN.

B-35. The ARGUS 7000 Display is a pictorial navigation instrument that depicts aircraft position, orientation, and direction of flight in relation to landing facilities, navigational aids, special-use airspace. The unit provides real-time situational awareness designed to reduce cockpit workload.

AIRCRAFT SURVIVABILITY EQUIPMENT

B-36. Each aircraft has the APR-39 Radar Warning Receiver System. This passive omnidirectional warning set detects and identifies hostile search and acquisition and fire control radar. It provides audio and visual alerts to the flight crew. Additional survivability equipment includes fire extinguishers, underwater beacons, first-aid kits, and survival kits.

STANDARD MISSION EQUIPMENT

B-37. Some aircraft have FLIR, a passive radar system that provides an infrared image of terrain features and ground or airborne objects of interest.

A standard videocassette recorder can play back recorded images.

B-38. The AH-6J can have two Goliath tanks installed as an IAFS. The tanks provide 62 additional gallons of fuel each. Each tank adds approximately 90 minutes of flight time.

SPECIAL MISSION EQUIPMENT

B-39. Personnel may configure the MH/AH-6J to employ the family of loudspeakers - aircraft configuration (FOL-AC) for PSYOP missions.

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