YouTube – Boeing 234
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Specifications
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Primary Function:
Crew: Seats: Exteral Payload: Engines: Horsepower: Length: Height: Rotor Diameter: Weight Empty: Max. Weight: Cruise Speed: Max. Speed: Climb Rate: Ceiling: Range: First Flight: Year Deployed: |
civil transport
two 44 passengers 28,000 lbs. Textron turboshafts 2 x 4,075 s.h.p. ea. 52 ft. 1 in. 18 ft. 11 in. 60 ft. 0 in. 26,450 lbs. 50,900 lbs. 167 mph 172 mph n/a fpm 15,000 feet 950 miles 8/19/80 1981 |
The helicopter could be configured to carry all passengers, passengers and cargo, or all cargo. There were long range and extended range versions of the Boeing 234, depending on the fuel tank sizes.
Innovative for the time, the Boeing 234 features tandem three bladed rotors of fiberglass reinforced construction. The nose of the commercial helicopter version protrudes beyond the cockpit to house the weather radar. The radar together with advanced avionics enables use of the helicopter day and night, in virtually all weather conditions.
The first three Boeing 234 helicopters were used as transports starting in 1981. They carried freight and passengers from Scotland to off shore North Sea oil platforms.
The Boeing 234 can carry up to 44 passengers. It is fitted with a rest room and small kitchen. Fuel tanks were originally fitted into the fuselage fairings. For long range helicopters, passenger seats were removed for additional fuel tanks. Cargo versions of the helicopter could carry up to 20,000 lbs. internally or up to 28,000 lbs. from a sling beneath the helicopter.
To allow for heavier payloads, the long range fuel tanks have been removed from the fuselage sides of helicopters used for logging operations.
Unlike their military models, Boeing 234 helicopters were built in limited quantities. Six went to British Airways, three to Helikopter Services, Norway, one to ARCO, Alaska, and three to Taiwan, for a total of thirteen in all.
Columbia Helicopters has now acquired eight of the Boeing 234 helicopters built. They are used primarily for logging and for fighting blazes. One helicopter was damaged beyond repair, and three are being operated in Taiwan.
In fact British Airways Helicopters bought six BV234LR aircraft, but two crashed. The second crash killed 45 people and the type was withdrawn. I was a design engineer on the project.
Final comment on the 234 – When it was built, the company was Boeing-Vertol as Boeing kept the Vertol name for many years. So to be correct your index page and 234 should read Boeing-Vertol 234 Commercial Chinook.
Thank you for the information Neil. Although we would like to list the helicopter with its proper name, as a concession to search engines, which show few, if any, searches under “Boeing-Vertol 234 Commercial Chinook”, there are a number of searches for “Boeing 234”.
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