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At a glance
Measured figures
Chinook HC6A · Length
Single sourceChinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Length · Length
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | Boeing Chinook (UK variants) | Robinson R44 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Transport helicopter[source] | Light utility and trainer helicopter[source] |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Defense, Space & Security[source] | Robinson Helicopter Company[source] |
| Designer | Boeing-Vertol[source] | Frank D. Robinson[source] |
| Status | In service[source] | In production |
R44 Raven II · Length
Single source38 ft 3 in (11.66 m)[source]
Chinook HC6A · 2 ×
Single sourceChinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Rotor diameter · Rotor
Single source2 × 60 ft 0 in (18.29 m)[source]
18.29m[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Rotor
R44 Raven II · Main rotor diameter
Single source33 ft (10 m)[source]
Empty; Chinook HC6A · Empty weight
Single sourceGross; Chinook HC6A · Gross weight
Single sourceMaximum take-off; Chinook HC6A · Max takeoff weight
Single source22,450 lb (10,183 kg)[source]
26,680 lb (12,102 kg)[source]
50,000 lb (22,680 kg)[source]
Empty; R44 Raven II · Empty weight
Single sourceGross; R44 Raven II · Gross weight
Single sourceChinook HC6A · pilot, copilot, two weapon system operators/loadmasters
Single source4 (pilot, copilot, two weapon system operators/loadmasters)[source]
2 Pilots, 2 Weapon System Operators[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · AircrewSource text · numeric interpretation needs review
1/2 (There are 4 seats including the pilot, so there can be pilot and co-pilot, with two passengers, or alternately a single pilot with 3 passenger spots)[source]
Maximum; Chinook HC6A · Maximum speed
Single sourceMaximum; Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Maximum speed · Maximum speed
Single source160 kn (180 mph, 300 km/h)[source]
160kt[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Maximum speed
Cruise; R44 Raven II · Cruise speed
Single sourceMaximum; R44 Raven II · Maximum speed
Single sourceChinook HC6A · 2 × Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshaft free-turbine engines, 3,750 shp ( ) each
Single source2 × Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshaft free-turbine engines, 3,750 shp (2,800 kW) each[source]
R44 Raven II · 1 × Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine
Single source1 × Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 245 hp (183 kW)[source]
Chinook HC6A · Service ceiling
Single source15,000 ft (4,600 m)[source]
Chinook HC6A · 1,980 ft/min ( )Thrust 2x 4,168shp each engine
Single source1,980 ft/min (10.1 m/s)Thrust 2x 4,168shp each engine[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| Primary user | Royal Air Force[source] | — |
|---|
| Number built | 72 (all RAF models)[source] | 6,866+ (through 2023)[source] |
|---|
| Introduction date | 22 November 1980 (with RAF)[source] | 1993[source] |
|---|
| First flight | 23 March 1980 (HC1)[source] | 31 March 1990[source] |
|---|
| Developed from | Boeing CH-47 Chinook[source] | Robinson R22[source] |
|---|
| Variants | HC1, HC1B, HC2, HC3, HC4, HC5, HC6, HC6A, HC7[source] | — |
|---|
| Capacity | 55 soldiers and up to 10 tonnes of freight or equipment[source] | 3/2 / 748 lb (339 kg)[source] |
|---|
| Guns | 2× M134 Miniguns and 1× M60 machine gun[source] 2 x M134 Miniguns, 1 x M60 Machine Gun[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Guns | — |
|---|
| Main rotor area | 5,655.2 sq ft (525.39 m 2 )[source] | 855.4 sq ft (79.47 m 2 )[source] |
|---|
| Blade section | - root: Boeing VR-7; tip: Boeing VR-8[source] | — |
|---|
| Cockpit Avionics | Glass cockpit with a BAE Systems Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS), includes automatic modes such as auto-hover and auto-descend to ease pilot workload.[source] | — |
|---|
| Sensors | Electro-Optical Sensor Turret (EOST) with two infrared cameras and a low-light TV function .[source] EOST turret including two infrared cameras and a low-light TV function[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Electro optics | — |
|---|
| Defensive Aids | Missile Warning Receiver, Infrared Warning Receiver, Radar Warning Receiver, Counter-measure dispensing system (flares).[source] | — |
|---|
| Country of origin | United States[source]Boeing Chinook (UK variants) · origin explicitly stated in the linked current national-inventory row; no inference from operator or shipyard | United States[source]Inventory Origin column; table 6, row 11, cell 3; revision 1376110979; retrieved 2026-09-30 |
|---|
| Powerplant | Two Honeywell 55-L-714A Free-Turbine engines[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Powerplant | — |
|---|
| Reported engine rating | 4,168shp each[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · ThrustSource text · numeric interpretation needs review | — |
|---|
| Flight altitude | 15,000ft[source]Chinook / RAF specification (variant not stated) · Maximum altitude | — |
|---|
| Manufactured | — | 1990–present[source] |
|---|
| Developed into | — | Robinson R66[source] |
|---|
| Fuel capacity | — | Fuel: 100 octane low lead (100LL) fuel or 100/130 octane[source] |
|---|
| Airfoil | — | NACA 63-015[source] |
|---|
| Main tank capacity | — | 31.6 US gal (26 imp gal; 120 L)[source] |
|---|
| Main tank usable fuel | — | 30.6 US gal (25 imp gal; 116 L)[source] |
|---|
| Auxiliary tank capacity | — | 18.5 US gal (15 imp gal; 70 L)[source] |
|---|
| Auxiliary tank usable fuel | — | 18.3 US gal (15 imp gal; 69 L)[source] |
|---|
| Fuel consumption | — | 15 gallons per hour (12 imp gal/h; 57 L/h)[source] |
|---|
| Altitude restrictions | — | 14,000 ft (4,300 m) density altitude or 9,000 ft (2,700 m) above ground level in order to be able to reach ground within 5 minutes in case of fire[source] |
|---|