Question about the UH-1A Huey

[Collector5516]

Can someone please tell me how many passengers/pilots these early Hueys could carry? I think I read there was only 1 pilot and up to 6 passengers but wanted to confirm. Thanks!

[Bud]

Can someone please tell me how many passengers/pilots these early Hueys could carry? I think I read there was only 1 pilot and up to 6 passengers but wanted to confirm. Thanks!

 

There were two pilot's controls in the cockpit, five pax seats across the rear bulkhead that housed the main transmission. The UH-1B added enough floor space (with a much more powerful engine, the L-5A)two additional single seats that could be placed to face outboard, forward or rear facing. The UH-1A (or XH-40 originally) was very under powered and on a warm day probably would not be able to hover with that many people aboard and I doubt that they ever carried that many at all. The Army only bought 100 of them before the UH-1Bs started replacing them.

[Collector5516]

There were two pilot's controls in the cockpit, five pax seats across the rear bulkhead that housed the main transmission. The UH-1B added enough floor space (with a much more powerful engine, the L-5A)two additional single seats that could be placed to face outboard, forward or rear facing. The UH-1A (or XH-40 originally) was very under powered and on a warm day probably would not be able to hover with that many people aboard and I doubt that they ever carried that many at all. The Army only bought 100 of them before the UH-1Bs started replacing them.

 

Bud - Thank you very much for your informative response. You've been a great help!

[hawkdriver]

Part of the confusion on the Huey's is that it is classified as a single pilot aircraft, but the military always used two pilots. Has to do with one pilot getting shot with a load of troops, that is bad ju-ju. Also, it is tough for a pilot to both fly, navigate, and manage radios. So, one pilot flew the aircraft, the other "managed" the cockpit.

[Bud]

Part of the confusion on the Huey's is that it is classified as a single pilot aircraft, but the military always used two pilots. Has to do with one pilot getting shot with a load of troops, that is bad ju-ju. Also, it is tough for a pilot to both fly, navigate, and manage radios. So, one pilot flew the aircraft, the other "managed" the cockpit.

 

Correction-

 

one pilot had to watch the roads in order to reach their destination (called "IFR" flying for "I Follow Roads")while the other actually flew the aircraft.

 

(running for a bunker)

[US Victory Museum]

I suspect the true number is classified since all the

various published manuals of the HU-1 Iroquois aka UH-1

"Huey" contain dis-information; however, I can offer

an estimation extrapolated by observation.

 

On April 29th 1975 (Ngày mất nước), Air America evacuated

the US Embassy and CIA station personnel, as well as the

Marine guard detachment posted at the embassy. Over the

years and in countless bars I have heard war stories from

hundreds of marines and a few special ops army cooks of all

ages who claimed to have been aboard that last chopper.

Therefore, by numerical observation, I can say that the

HU-1 is capable of holding not more than a full division

and not less than three quarters of a division.

 

I hope this helps. ;-)

[Bud]

I suspect the true number is classified since all the

various published manuals of the HU-1 Iroquois aka UH-1

"Huey" contain dis-information; however, I can offer

an estimation extrapolated by observation.

 

On April 29th 1975 (Ngày mất nước), Air America evacuated

the US Embassy and CIA station personnel, as well as the

Marine guard detachment posted at the embassy. Over the

years and in countless bars I have heard war stories from

hundreds of marines and a few special ops army cooks of all

ages who claimed to have been aboard that last chopper.

Therefore, by numerical observation, I can say that the

HU-1 is capable of holding not more than a full division

and not less than three quarters of a division.

 

I hope this helps. ;-)

 

 

Here's a historical fact to discount all those last guy out stories.

 

By agreement in the Paris Accords, all US military and naval forces departed Vietnam in February 1973, fully two years and two months before the fall of Saigon. (With the exception of the USMC Embassey Guards)

[hawk3370]

Can someone please tell me how many passengers/pilots these early Hueys could carry? I think I read there was only 1 pilot and up to 6 passengers but wanted to confirm. Thanks!

 

As stated in a couple previous replies it depended on several conditions and what model huey you were flying. They always had a pilot, co-pilot and usually a crew chief and in combat a gunner. The A and B Mod were so under powered that on a hot day getting off the ground with 4 fully loaded troops and your four man crew was a hassel. The C Mod had a L-9 engine but had the 540 rotor system which really put a drag on the engine and with a four man crew and 14 rockets plus 5000 rounds of mini-gun it was a real sensitive aircraft to get off the ground and keep it flying. The D Mod had an expanded cargo bay and could fit 6 fully loaded troops (US) and around 8 ARVANS depending on the temp and altitude you were working at ie low lands or mountains.

 

A relative of the Huey the AH-1G Cobra had a crew of two plus various mountings of rockets, mini-guns, 40mm, 20mm etc. The AH-1G had the L-13 engine but was somewhat under powered when fully loaded. We seldom topped off the fuel on on occassion when working in the mountains in Loas we cut back on the amount of rockets we loaded as well. On one mission I personally pulled out 6 ARVAN Rangers who were the last survivors of their unit during the Lam Son 719 operation. I had expended all my ord and was low on fuel, we couldn't get a slick to come to their rescue due to their being all tied up as well so I figured I would give it a try. I landed and had one ARVAN get on the ammo bay door on each side of the aircraft and two on the skids one forward at the cross over tube and one aft on each side. They put their belts around the strut to keep from falling off and out we came. Took them to Lang Vai and dropped them off. So I can say that the AH-1G can carry up to 6 un-equipped ARVANs and a two man crew, providing you are not loaded with fuel and ord.

 

Don't know if this helps any but its my insight having flown over 1800 combat hours in the various models of huey and the AH-1G.

 

Terry