JOHNSON CITY, N.Y., 9 June 2005. BAE Systems in Johnson City, N.Y., completed the first flight test of the Boeing CH-47 Chinook Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS), which replaces a relatively old flight-control system on CH-47D helicopters.
Boeing is upgrading 300 of those aircraft to the F-model for the U.S. Army. Its digital design is to improve reliability, maintainability, and flexibility, and include a built-in diagnostic system for detecting and analyzing system failures and faults.
"The CH-47 has been in service with the Army for more than 40 years and still represents a benchmark in capability and versatility," said Sean Bond, vice president of Aerospace Controls for BAE Systems.
Following flight tests, BAE Systems is set to start building the DAFCS for first deliveries early next year. In addition to about 450 U.S. Army Chinooks, military units worldwide operate about 350 CH-47s that are potential candidates for the flight control upgrade, company officials say.
