Bell AH-1 Cobra

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Bell Model: AH-1. Nickname: Cobra
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Helicopter
> FAA Category and Class: Rotorcraft/Helicopter
> Engine Description: single turboshaft

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/7/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 2
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: —

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 70
> Date First Flown: 5/25/1990
> Location First Flown: Fort Rucker Army Airfield, AL
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: ATTC, Dimitrov

Recollections: I flew the Cobra and the Apache (see that writeup) the same day.  I sat in the front of the Cobra (where the “stick” or cyclic is a shortened, side-stick-like inceptor) and flew most of the flight.  The stick didn’t make it very easy to fly, it seemed to be heavy, with quite a bit of lag between input and output.  My logbook shows the model as being the “AH-1H” which, unfortunately, I can’t find anything about except some reference to a “super cobra” with the USMC (the one I flew was, for sure, Army).  It MAY have been a twin engine version, perhaps in test.  The serial number was 67-15603. It was a great experience to be able to compare and contrast the old (AH-1) and the new (AH-64).

Years later, while serving at an FAA test pilot, a Cobra project came along (improved hover performance by use of an aerodynamic mod) and I got all excited at the idea of flying from the back seat, with a REAL cyclic.  Sadly, the chain of command didn’t support me (or the other test pilot in the office who was helo qual’d) doing the project, so we delegated it.