Which helicopter's manual release is operated by the air crew?

• A. CH-47
• B. UH-60
• C. Both
• D. Neither

Answer: (A)

When thinking about sling-load releases, the key idea is whether the aircrew has a direct, manual way to jettison the load in flight. The CH-47 Chinook is equipped with a cockpit-accessible manual release mechanism on its cargo hooks, allowing the aircrew to physically release the load in flight if needed. This direct, crew-operated manual release is a defining feature of the Chinook’s sling-load system.

The UH-60 Black Hawk uses a different release arrangement that does not involve a cockpit-handled manual release in the same sense, so it doesn’t fit the description of “manual release operated by the air crew” in the same way. Therefore, the helicopter whose manual release is operated by the air crew is the CH-47.