Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight

what is it?

The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is an American medium-lift tandem-rotor transport helicopter powered by twin turboshaft engines. It was designed by Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol following Vertol's acquisition by Boeing. Development of the Sea Knight, which was originally designated by the firm as the Vertol Model 107, commenced during 1956.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 15.2 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 267 km/htop speed
• range 1,019 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 24passengers
• size 11 tmax take-off weight
• built 46made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 68 years ago, in 1958.
• 🏎️Top speed is 2.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Rotor of 15.2 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 1,019 km: 6× Amsterdam to Brussels.

turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.

spec sheet

first flight

1958-04-22

introduced

1964

retired

2004

status

still flying

number built

46

role

transport helicopter

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Boeing Rotorcraft Systems

engines

2× General Electric T58-GE-16 / T58

crew

5

passengers

24

length

13.7 m

rotor diameter

15.2 m

height

5.1 m

max take-off weight

11 t

top speed

267 km/h

cruise speed

265 km/h

range

1,019 km

ceiling

5,182 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.