THE U.S. ARMY’S ENTIRE FLEET OF CHINOOK HELICOPTERS IS GROUNDED RIGHT NOW. THE 400 AIRCRAFT AREN’T FLYING BECAUSE FUEL LEAKS IN THE ENGINES ARE CAUSING FIRES.

THE CH-47 CHINOOK IS THE WORKHOUSE OF THE U.S. ARMY AND HAS BEEN SINCE THE 1960’S. IT CAN HAUL GEAR OR TROOPS, SUPPORT DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS OR MEDICAL EVACUATIONS, AND WAS A FAMILIAR SITE IN BOTH THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS.

FAULTY O-RINGS LED TO RECENT ENGINE FIRES IN A HANDFUL OF HELICOPTERS. IT’S BELIEVED ABOUT 70 CHINOOKS ARE IN NEED OF REPAIRS, BUT THE ARMY GROUNDED ALL OF THEM SOMETIME THIS PAST WEEKEND OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE FIRES.

AS SOON AS REPAIRS ARE MADE, THE CHINOOKS SHOULD BE BACK IN THE AIR.

IN ADDITION TO THE U-S MILITARY; ITALY, SOUTH KOREA AND CANADA ALSO USE CHINOOK HELICOPTERS.