SAFETY AAR OPERATION DESERT SHEILD STORM 17 JUL 91

File: 970107_sep96_decls5_0008.txt
Page: 0008
Total Pages: 12

Subject: SAFETY AAR OPERATION DESERT SHEILD STORM 17 JUL 91              

Unit: 2D ACR      

Parent Organization: VII  CORPS  

Box  ID: BX001703

Folder Title: ODS SAFETY AAR                                                                                  

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         43







          AETSAC-4SQDN-ASO
          SUBJECT:   Safety   AAF    Des
                                        ert  Shield/Stor.-n

      .-L-.--bnvironment ifid   in   sorie'  cases;   near continuoiis'- -:or)era+-:io
          equ3.p-.ient required more maintenance    than in peacetime operations.
              @1)    High G@oss Weight Flight.       Power limitations of the All-
          IF  made the aircraft unsuitable for high gross weight operations
          from/-@o unimproved areas.          AH-LF crashes 7 and 16 February
          occurred when maximum available power was applied and the
          aircraft settled into the ground from 15 to 30 feet AGL.
          Maneuverability was       also severely degraded as gross weight
          increased.    OH-58 aircraft, oar"-icularly ATAS equinped were also
          loss maneuverable w;th hi@-er gross weight.                   The seasonal
          increase in amb4-ent       temperature was also raoid'--y degrading
          aircraft performance a-, high gross weight.

              (2)     US-60 Passenger Seats.           Aaaroved seating was not
          available for all Passengers.          This @oblem was aggravated by
          ground unit changes in the nu.-,iber of passengers to be flown.
          Availability of the seat assemblies was also low because -they had
          been removed -for antiquated cargo onera-li-ons.

              (3)    New Equi-p.-,ion@, & Modification Work Orders (MWO).            The
             't                                                           I
          un.   received several new aircraft survivability systems during
       --fhis phase of operations.           Adequate tra2'.n2'.ng was provided by
          fielding teams for these aircraft components.               AF-IF aircraft
          were modified by installation of improved particle separator
          (IPS) to reduce engine sand ingestion.           Limited and conflicting
Most unit CUCV
          trucks were turned in for HUMVEEs in January 1991.                     Driver
          training on these vehicles was very lim4-ted prior -lo issue.

              (4)    Aircraft Engines.       Sand ingestion rapidly deteriorated
          performance of A.9-lF aircraft engines.           Ton unit All-! aircraft
          experienced compressor stall during this ohase of operations.
          Two engine     failures    also occurred.         IiS modified aircraft
          was involved in one of the compressor stalls.               AFL-1 operating
          times in a dese.-t environment before comoressor stall ranged from
          11 to 44 flight hours.

             C.   Environiental Factors.       Rotor induced blowing sand caused
          loss of ground reference during many -@ake offs and landings.
          Blowing sand couoled with high gross weight operations left
          little margin for aircrew error.         Sand also erroded rotor blades
          and other aircraft cor,.monen"@s.          Other environmental factors
          included;

              (1)   Temperature.     Slowly rising ambient temperature affected
          both human and equipmen, performance.                Adjust.,ient of     work
          schedule  and compensation 'or degraded aircraft          Performance    were
          advisable  late in the operation.

Document 12 f:/Week-48/BX001703/ODS SAFETY AAR/safety aar operation desert sheild storm 17 jul :01029718421510
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-48
Box ID = BX001703
Unit = 2D ACR
Parent Organization = VII CORPS
Folder Title = ODS SAFETY AAR
Folder Seq # = 43
Subject = SAFETY AAR OPERATION DESERT SHEILD STORM 17 JUL
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 02-JAN-1997