Hughes OH-6 Cayuse - Price, Specs, Photo Gallery, History - Aero Corner (2024)

FAQs

How fast is the Hughes Oh 6 Cayuse? ›

The Cayuse set 23 world records in the 1960's, including a 2,213 mile non‑stop flight from California to Florida, a sustained altitude record of 28,218 feet, and a speed record of 172 mph.

It was utilized primarily in service with the US Army in Vietnam and used extensively for enemy observation, one of the most dangerous helicopter assignments during the war. The “Loach” was also engaged in joint air mobility attack missions.

A sobering statistic: Out of 1,419 Loaches built, 842 were destroyed in Vietnam, most shot down and many others succumbing to crashes resulting from low-level flying. In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost.

In 2010, the Sikorsky X2 shattered the existing helicopter speed record by reaching a mind-boggling speed of 250 knots (287 mph/463 km/h) during a test flight. This remarkable achievement earned the X2 the title of the world's fastest helicopter, a distinction it still holds to this day.

Nicknamed "Loach", after the acronym LOH for Light Observation Helicopter, the nimble OH-6 Cayuse, built by Hughes Helicopters performed missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters could not.

Long before the Vietnam conflict had ended, the “Huey” (its original Army designation was HU-1A, for Helicopter, Utility, Model 1A) was probably the most recognizable helicopter in the world because of its appearances on nightly newscasts. More than 5,000 Hueys operated in Vietnam; around 2,500 were lost to enemy fire.

The UH-1H was exported to many countries and is still in service in some of them. However, the Huey was gradually withdrawn from US service, being replaced by the UH-60 Black Hawk and its variants. However,the Marines still operate a heavily modernized variant, the Bell UH-1Y Venom.

The FAA doesn't prohibit helicopters from operating in most places, so you should be able to land one in your backyard if you can do so safely. And no law says you have to build a helipad to land.

Reliably smooth and efficient, the Bell 206L-3 is among the safest and most popular turbine helicopters in the world. With capabilities originally designed for military use, it's primarily utilized today for commercial and corporate operations and is an ideal choice for business and leisure charter air travelers.

Is it cheaper to maintain a helicopter or plane? ›

Helicopters are generally more expensive to operate and purchase than standard, similarly sized fixed-wing aircraft and are generally produced in smaller quantities. Because they have so many moving parts, servicing them can be expensive. They also require a lot of fuel to keep them aloft.

The designation OH stands for “observation helicopter,” but don't let the name fool you; flying an OH-6 was the single most dangerous job in Vietnam.

Over 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, and most of those were the door gunners that protected the helicopter, its crew, and its transports, from their exposed position. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks.

If you asking why helicopters were pushed overboard during the final Vietnam evacuation, it was because so many were flying out of Saigon and there was no room on deck to land more.

The Chinook is a tandem-rotor helicopter capable of reaching speeds in excess of 170 knots, making it the fastest in the U.S. Army. It features a triple-hook cargo system, allowing it to carry heavy payloads, such as bulldozers, 155 mm M198 howitzers, or 40-foot cargo containers.

The CH-47F is considered the world's fastest military helicopter with a maximum speed of 315 km/hr (196 mph).