HELICOPTER PREPARATION FOR VESSEL SHIPMENT

TM 55-1520-238-S

d. Area Clearance. Area of operations will

identified to indicate the helicopter

be cleared of all unneeded equipment and

from which it was removed, and ex-

vehicles to allow free movement of helicop-

act installed position. Rotor blades

ters; cleared area must accommodate a he-

for each helicopter must be kept as

licopter turning radius of at least 40 feet

sets, matchmarked with mating

(80foot turning circle).

hub components, to maintain blade

balance and calibration of the deic-

NOTE

ing system. Improper fit, imbalance,

or component damage may result

A towbar (item 10, table 31), or equiva-

from parts mismatched or incorrect-

lent, will be used for towing and maneuver

ly assembled.

of helicopters.

Unless otherwise directed, mount-

e. Crane. A dockside crane will be available

ing hardware and pivot pins will be

to hoist helicopters aboard the vessel, ex-

reinstalled after component remov-

cept Roll On/Roll Off (RORO) vessel load-

al, to prevent loss or damage.

ing.

Smaller, hardtohandle hardware

NOTE

items should be bagged and at-

An onboard vessel crane may be used to

tached to related components, to

load helicopters from dockside.

prevent loss or damage.

37 HELICOPTER PREPARATION FOR VESSEL

38 HELICOPTER LOADING AND TIEDOWN ON

SHIPMENT.

VESSEL.

Preparation of the AH64A helicopter consists of pre-

The prepared helicopter airframe and removed and

liminary safety procedures (grounding, explosives

packaged components will be loaded and secured on

deactivation, fuel level adjustment, etc.); helicopter dis-

the vessel in accordance with instructions provided

assembly (removal, folding, or stowage of certain heli-

herein.

copter components) to obtain required shipment pre-

39 HELICOPTER OFFLOADING.

loading condition (fig. 31, 32 or 33); and cleaning,

preservation, packaging, and marking of helicopters

Detailed procedures are included for offloading topside

and components.

and main deck loaded helicopters to dockside upon ar-

rival at the shipment destination.

310 PREPARATION FOR USE AFTER SHIPMENT.

CAUTION

Complete instructions are included to enable helicopter

assembly, reconfiguration, refueling, checks and test

Each removed component will be

flight of helicopters after vessel shipment.

colorcoded, tagged, or otherwise