Stuart Knoll

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  Afghan sand doomed downed U.S. copter - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 11/10/2001    Last Visited: 8/8/2002  

  Stuart Knoll of Marine Air Group 16 at Miramar Air Station in San Diego, where the helicopter was based.
  
  Two Marines were killed in the crash outside Kabul, Afghanistan's capital.
  
  The helicopter, loaded with water, sandbags and other supplies, weighed 65,000 to 67,000 pounds at takeoff, close to its maximum capacity of 69,750 pounds.
  
  "Sometimes when you're operating at the extremes of the envelope of an aircraft, you can wind up getting compressor stalls," Knoll said.
  
  The report indicated the compressor stalled in December and again Jan. 16 and 17.An adjustment was made, and the aircraft flew well two days before the crash.
  
  The wrecked helicopter was destroyed to keep it from the enemy, so investigators couldn't examine the engine.
  
  Afghan sand is far finer than the pebbly sand at California bases, investigators said.

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  ArabNews: Exclusive: Floating Air Base Boxer Packs a... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 3/27/2003    Last Visited: 4/21/2003  

  Stuart Knoll is the commanding officer of MAG-16 [Marine Air Group], and has nine squadrons in his charge; eight flying squadrons and one Marine aviation logistics squadron, with a total of about 70 aircraft."As the battle progresses, we plan on moving off naval shipping to go ashore to Iraq to support the movement of the ground forces to Baghdad," he said."We are waiting for the ‘final preparation.'"
  
  "This is the largest amphibious task force since the Korean War," said Col. Knoll, who has a squadron each of CH-53 and CH-46 on board.But yesterday it was the winds that are currently a big concern to everyone.Col Knoll said he's worried about his helicopters as they are built to only withstand winds up to 60 mph.

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  Charlotte Observer | 04/06/2003 | Rescue of POW full... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/7/2003    Last Visited: 4/7/2003  

  Stuart Knoll, the commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 16, who was flying one of the other copters in the operation."That's how close you are in these missions between success and failure.Sixteen people would have died."
  
  The commandos dodged enemy fire as they barged into the hospital.

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  FindLaw Legal News - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 8/7/2002    Last Visited: 8/7/2002  

  Stuart Knoll of Marine Air Group 16 at Miramar Air Station in San Diego, where the helicopter was based.
  
  Two Marines were killed in the crash outside Kabul, Afghanistan's capital.
  
  The helicopter, loaded with water, sandbags and other supplies, weighed between 65,000 pounds and 67,000 pounds at takeoff, close to its maximum capacity of 69,750 pounds.
  
  "They were operating at over 9,000 feet.They were very heavy.And sometimes when you're operating at the extremes of the envelope of an aircraft, you can wind up getting compressor stalls," Knoll said.
  
  The report indicated the engine compressor stalled in December and again on Jan. 16 and 17.An adjustment was made and the aircraft flew well during a test two days before the crash.
  
  The wrecked helicopter was destroyed to keep it from being scavenged by enemy forces so investigators couldn't examine the failed engine.
  
  Sand in Afghanistan is far finer than the pebbly sand found at bases in California, investigators said.

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  JS Online: Chippewa Falls soldiers played role in... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/4/2003    Last Visited: 4/5/2003  

  Stuart Knoll told The Chippewa Herald in Chippewa Falls."This time Chippewa Falls had some representation; I only wish we had a couple of Leinie's to toast with after the mission."
  
  Knoll and Maj.
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  Lynch from her captors," Knoll told the Chippewa Herald."When I was flying back to our base on the USS Boxer and looked over at my co-pilot, I realized that the two of us were both from Chippewa Falls and had just taken part in a very significant mission.Not until after landing did I realize that the rest of the country was aware of what our task force had done that night."
  
  Knoll is the commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 16 based in San Diego, and Wall is a pilot and a maintenance officer of helicopters on the USS Boxer.

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  Leader-Telegram Online - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/4/2003    Last Visited: 4/6/2003  

  Stuart Knoll, far right, participated in the rescue of American prisoner of war Pfc.
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  Knoll and Wall flew CH-46 helicopters on the nighttime mission.
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  Stuart Knoll said."This time Chippewa Falls had some representation; I only wish we had a couple of Leinie's to toast with after the mission."
  
  Knoll and Maj.
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  Knoll is the commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 16 based in San Diego.
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  Knoll said two squadrons flew the Army Rangers and Navy SEALS into the landing zones near the Saddam Hospital to rescue Lynch.
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  "When I was flying back to our base on the USS Boxer and looked over at my co-pilot, I realized that the two of us were both from Chippewa Falls and had just taken part in a very significant mission," Knoll said.
  
  "Not until after landing did I realize that the rest of the country was aware of what our task force had done that night," he said.

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  Lynch rescue nearly crashed, burned - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/6/2003    Last Visited: 4/7/2003  

  Stuart Knoll, commanding officer of Marine Air Group 16 based in San Diego.
  
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  As things turned out, "we didn't have anyone killed or, as far as I know, even injured," said Knoll, who also piloted a CH-46 in Wednesday's mission.
  
  "And in that kind of environment," Knoll said, "that's a raging success."
  
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  Knoll said a large number of transport helicopters from his Marine Air Group 16 flew the mission from the USS Boxer in the Persian Gulf.
  
  As Knoll and his helicopter crew were approaching the hospital, he recalled, explosions and small-arms fire lighted the sky.
  
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  Soon, Knoll said, "I heard on the radio one of the pilots call and say they had been hit."

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  Marine Corps Times - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 2/11/2003    Last Visited: 11/22/2003  

  Stuart Knoll, commander of Marine Aircraft Group 16, meets with his peers for an Operational Planning Group session in December, they will tackle several suggestions for improving the Corps' transport helicopter fleet. (For subscribers only)

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  Marine Corps Times - News - This Week's Marine Corps... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 11/20/2003    Last Visited: 11/20/2003  

  Stuart Knoll, MAG-16 commander, is preparing to meet other transport helicopter leaders for an Operational Planning Group meeting at Fort Worth, Texas, in December.
  
  "We're going to bring in a lot of the lessons learned while we're there," said Knoll, a veteran helicopter pilot who returned from Iraq on July 25.
  
  Knoll deployed from San Diego on Jan. 17 with Regimental Combat Team 1 aboard the ships of Amphibious Task Force West.
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  "We had to get back so we can be ready to deploy again," Knoll said."There's not much slack."
  
  Holding their own
  
  The war showed the Sea Knights still have some fight left in them, but then again, "we've had 40 years to work the bugs out," Knoll said.
  
  The medium-lift helicopters handled the rugged, dusty conditions well, with just a few engine replacements needed during the conflict, he said.
  
  But the CH-46E still is limited to carrying eight to 12 combat-loaded Marines, nearly half the number it carried 25 years ago.Upgrades and safety items added over the years have reduced its cargo capacity.
  
  "We're looking at a lot of ways to reduce the weight of the airplane," Knoll said.One possible fix: replacing the 400 pounds of titanium armor with lighter plates.
  
  Knoll also would like to see engine upgrades to restore some of the horsepower that has been lost during the life of the helos.
  
  New rotor blades also could boost the payload limits, he said.But with so much attention focused on the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, getting new blades for the old Sea Knights is a hard sell.
  
  "As the group commander, I've got to ask for all the things I can to try to further enhance the capabilities," Knoll said.
  
  The heavy haulers
  
  While the Sea Knights generally held up well, the big Super Stallions had problems.
  
  "It's a little more complicated machine," Knoll said.
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  "We changed about an engine a day out there," Knoll said, and his biggest worry was "running out of '53 engines."
  
  Engine seals designed to keep out the dust "just need improvement, pure and simple," he said.
  
  Bad engines were removed and sent to Signonella, Italy, for repairs, Knoll said.
  
  "We never expected to go through engines as fast as we did," he said."We're still feeling the effects right now."
  
  Armed escorts
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  Knoll led the air package that included six CH-46Es and three CH-53Es from his group, carrying Army Rangers.Several AH-1W Super Cobras, sent in as a distraction element, "went around the city to make noise basically," he said."They were louder than the H-6s who were coming in and shooting."
  
  But most of the time, the helicopter gunships weren't available for transport operations, he said.
  
  "I usually have Cobras around me to protect me while flying," Knoll said."Well, I didn't have them out there" in Iraq.
  
  That's because, during the main combat operations, threats against the transport helicopters dissipated, which made the gunships' support less critical, Knoll said.
  
  While transport and attack aircraft crews likely will continue to train as they always have, some adaptations may be possible, he said.

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  SignOnSanDiego.com > News > North County -- Marines... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 10/13/2003    Last Visited: 10/14/2003  

  Stuart Knoll, commander of Marine Air Group 16, who recommended Treadwell for the decoration.
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  Despite the chaos, a cockpit audiotape reveals Treadwell rising above panic, Knoll said.

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