DA Form 5701-228: OH-58A/C & TH-67 PPC Free Download

DA Form 5701-228: OH-58A/C & TH-67 PPC Free Download – US Army helicopter pilots and flight crews rely on precise performance planning to ensure mission safety, especially when operating the OH-58A/C Kiowa and TH-67 Creek helicopters. DA Form 5701-228, officially titled OH-58A/C and TH-67 Performance Planning Card, is the standardized tool designed specifically for these aircraft.

Whether you’re preparing for hover operations, cruise flight, or calculating weight and balance, this form helps aviators quickly determine critical performance limits under varying environmental conditions. Issued in March 2016 by the U.S. Department of the Army, it remains the go-to document referenced in Training Circular (TC) 3-04.12, Aviation Mission Planning Forms.

Download the official DA Form 5701-228 PDF here:
https://armypubs.army.mil/pub/eforms/DR_a/pdf/ARN4337_a5701-228_final.pdf

What Is DA Form 5701-228?

DA Form 5701-228 is a Performance Planning Card (PPC) used exclusively for the OH-58A/C (Bell Kiowa scout/utility helicopter) and TH-67 (Bell TH-67A Creek primary trainer, based on the JetRanger). It consolidates all essential flight performance data onto a single, easy-to-use two-page card.

  • Proponent: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)
  • Date: March 2016
  • Previous editions: Obsolete
  • Reference: TC 3-04.12 (Aviation Mission Planning Forms)

This form ensures pilots comply with aircraft limitations for torque, gross weight, center of gravity (CG), and power margins—critical for safe operations in hot/high conditions common across U.S. training bases and forward operating areas.

Why Performance Planning Matters for OH-58A/C and TH-67?

Helicopter performance is highly sensitive to pressure altitude (PA), free air temperature (FAT), gross weight, and fuel load. The OH-58A/C and TH-67 are single-engine aircraft with limited power margins compared to modern twins. Using DA Form 5701-228 helps pilots:

  • Avoid exceeding maximum torque or gross weight limits
  • Verify safe hover (IGE/OGE) capability
  • Calculate accurate fuel burn and bingo times
  • Maintain proper weight and balance for departure and landing
  • Confirm safe pedal margin for anti-torque control

Filling out the card is a required step in pre-flight mission planning per Army aviation doctrine. It directly supports tasks in aircrew training manuals and reduces risk during hover, takeoff, cruise, and landing.

Key Sections of DA Form 5701-228 (Page-by-Page Breakdown)

The form is logically organized into clear tabular sections for rapid completion:

1. Hover Data

  • Aircraft gross weight and fuel
  • Current and maximum PA/FAT
  • Load available (IGE and OGE)
  • Maximum and continuous torque available
  • Hover torque requirements (IGE/OGE)
  • Maximum allowable gross weight (IGE/OGE)
  • Safe Pedal Margin (Yes/No check)

2. Cruise Data

  • Altitude/FAT, gross weight, VNE
  • Indicated airspeed (IAS) and true airspeed (TAS)
  • Fuel flow and torque at various profiles
  • Maximum rate of climb/endurance and maximum range speeds

3. Fuel Management

  • Start/stop times and fuel quantities
  • Fuel flow (PPH/GPH)
  • Burnout time and bingo/reserve fuel

4. Arrival Data

  • Maximum PA/FAT and landing gross weight
  • Torque and hover limits at destination conditions
  • Maximum allowable gross weight (IGE/OGE)

5. Weight and Balance

Departure Data and Landing Data include:

  • Basic weight, crew, passengers, cargo, baggage, external loads
  • Moments and center of gravity calculations
  • Allowable CG range (VMC/IMC)

6. Remarks

Plenty of space for notes, mission-specific data, or additional calculations.

The card even includes separate areas for multiple takeoff/landing scenarios when conditions change by more than 5°C, 500 ft PA, or 200 lbs.

How to Use DA Form 5701-228? (Step-by-Step)

  1. Gather current weather (PA, temperature) and mission load data.
  2. Enter aircraft basic weight and fuel.
  3. Pull performance data from aircraft flight manuals or approved charts.
  4. Calculate hover, cruise, and arrival limits.
  5. Complete weight & balance and CG.
  6. Verify all values stay within limits and note safe pedal margin.
  7. Brief the crew and file the card with mission paperwork.

Pro tip: Update the card if environmental conditions or aircraft weight change significantly during the mission.

Who Uses This Form?

  • Active-duty, National Guard, and Reserve Army helicopter pilots
  • Flight students training on the TH-67 at Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker)
  • Instructors and evaluators
  • Aviation units still referencing legacy OH-58 systems or conducting familiarization training

Even though the U.S. Army has retired most OH-58A/C and TH-67 airframes in favor of newer platforms like the UH-72 Lakota, DA Form 5701-228 remains part of the official aviation mission planning toolkit under TC 3-04.12.

Official Download & Fillable Resources

✅ Direct official PDF (blank):
Download DA Form 5701-228 Here

Search “DA Form 5701-228 fillable” on authorized Army sites for digital versions compatible with mission planning software.

  • DA Form 5701-58 (OH-58D Kiowa Warrior)
  • DA Form 5701-60 (UH-60 Black Hawk series)
  • Other cards in the 5701-series for AH-64, CH-47, etc.

All are available through the official Army Publishing Directorate (armypubs.army.mil).

Conclusion: Safety Starts with Proper Planning

DA Form 5701-228 is more than just paperwork—it’s a proven safeguard that has supported thousands of safe flight hours for the OH-58A/C and TH-67 fleet. By systematically documenting hover power, cruise performance, fuel reserves, and weight & balance, U.S. Army aviators maintain the highest standards of operational readiness and risk management.

Ready to plan your next mission?
Download the latest official DA Form 5701-228 today and keep your performance data at your fingertips.