Rotor Torque

Kaman Reveals Its Aerial Truck

Kaman has ventured into the commercial helicopter market for the first time in four decades with its K-Max medium lift helicopter.

The design sees a return to the twin, two bladed intermeshing design of the Kaman H-43 Huskie but there the similarity ends. Kaman has teamed with Textron Lycoming with the latter providing its 1,800shp T53-17A turboshaft engine, a commercial variant of the T53-703 AH-lS Cobra engine.

Kaman stresses that the new machine has been designed as an aerial truck and not as a people carrier, being able to lift 2,730kgs for an empty weight of l,860kgs. The prototype aircraft has flown 25 hours and will soon be joined by a second aircraft. Kaman is aiming at certification in the latter half of 1993.

Mdh Notar MD900 Named Explorer

McDonnell Douglas Helicopter’s MD900 commercial Notar helicopter which is expected to make its first flight late this year has been named Explorer.

In announcing the new name, the MDH president said that it reflected the true spirit and intent of the helicopter. The twin engine design utilises two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206B turboshafts each of 600shp. The helicopter has a fully augmented digital engine control system but also has a mechanical backup control system on the collective lever. The integrated instrument display system has completed its tests and is now being refined to production standard. Customer deliveries are expected to commence towards the end of next year.

Sikorsky Introduces Civil S-92 Full Scale Mockup

Sikorsky Aircraft recently put on display its full scale mockup of the S-92 medium civil helicopter which it intends to market to commercial operators.

The advanced technology 19 passenger helicopter is designed to be less expensive to maintain and operate than current aircraft in its weight class and is seen as an S-61 replacement. It will serve the needs of the offshore oil industry as well as commuter operators, aeromedical and SAR operations.

The S-92 is derived from Black Hawk military technology and incorporates the latter’s dynamic systems including the transmission and drive train, an aluminium airframe with composites in selected areas, and a highly integrated avionics package. The latter will include electronic flight and engine instrument crew advisory systems, dual digital automatic flight control systems, health and monitoring systems as well as flight data and cockpit voice recorders. The aircraft will have H-60 wide chord main rotor blades. Maximum takeoff weight will be 22,220lbs for a cruising speed of 160kts and a maximum range of 400nms.

Sikorsky will base its decision to proceed with the S-92 prototype on customer response and an in depth marketing study that will be completed by December this year. Aircraft deliveries would be scheduled for late 1996. Not surprisingly, a military version of the S-92 is also proposed.

Wires Still Cause Problems

Recent accidents involving both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft has sparked an inquiry by Standards Australia into the wire strike problems.

They are calling for suggestions for the proposed marking of overhead cables. Agricultural accidents account for more than 50% of such accidents. REVISED PROGRAMME FOR BOEING/SIKORSKY

Rah-66 Comanche

Following the US Department of Defence decision earlier this year not to proceed with development of the Comanche scout/attack helicopter, the US Army has sought approval for an extended development programme.

It is understood that the DoD has agreed to a demonstration/validation programme which will see core Comanche technologies developed and demonstrated, concluding in 1997. Specifically the LH TEC T800 engine, the Westinghouse Longbow radarand the avionics will be demonstrated in three flying prototypes which will reflect the lower budget and increased timescale. The aim is to achieve a smooth transition to engineering and manufacturing development should approval to proceed be gained.

Helicopter Growth in Us GA Market

The FAA has predicted that over the next 12 years, the US helicopter fleet will expand by nearly 50% to 10,800 making it the fastest growing sector of the GA market.

At the same time the fixed wing single market will only grow by a few percent to some 168,300 aircraft. The multi engine market will show a similar trend to 23,200 aircraft.

Interestingly, turbine engined helicopters will outnumber piston helicopters by almost three to one, the forecast figures being 8,000 and 2,800 respectively. At the same time, the growth in predicted helicopter flying hours is expected to be in the order of 76% while overall flying operations will only grow by 0. 7% annually.

Pyrmont Heliport Noise Test Query

Claims have been made that the standards applied in the testing of helicopter noise are inadequate in that they do not take into account how people react to helicopters.

The claim has been made by the head of the Department of Architectural and Design Science at Sydney, Associate Professor Fergus Fricke, as tests commenced on the proposed heliport at Pyrmont. Initial tests show that noise levels registered in nearby residential areas were between 75 and 78 decibels which is well below the Australian standard of 85 decibels.

It is hard to image how whether you like or dislike helicopters could be considered as a reasonable test of helicopter noise. Perhaps weighting factors such as whether you have ever been rescued by a helicopter or had a family member medevaced would have to be considered!

Us Army Seeks New Training Helicopter

The US Army is seeking proposals to meet its requirement for 157 helicopters for its initial entry rotary wing training programme. Evaluation of competing helicopters will commence in July this year with a contract to be awarded in December and deliveries to commence a year later; final deliveries are expected in mid 1995.

There isa possibility of a further 157 aircraft being required depending on whether the Army takes over primary training for US Navy helicopter pilots. Aerospatiale, Bell, Enstrom and Schweizer attended a service’s bidders conference at Fort Rucker, Alabama earlier this year, with likely contenders being the AS 350, Bell 206, Enstrom TH-28 and Scheizer Model 330. The requirement is for a single turbine light helicopter to accommodate two pupils and an instructor.

Resurgence of Single Engine Helicopters

Engine manufacturer Allison is predicting greater growth in the single engine turbine helicopter market than that for twins over the next decade.

One reason given for such a resurgence for singles has been that the EMS market is felt to be approaching saturation point. It has been known for sometime that the singleengine Bell 206 is one of the safest aircraft in the world, including fixed wing. Many a single engine pilot would tell his twin engine counterpart that he is half as likely to experience an engine failure!

Robinson R44 Base Price Announced

Heliflite, the Australian agent for the Robinson Helicopter Company, has advised that the R44 four place helicopter is going into production with a base price of $US 235,000.

Heliflite has advised that it has been authorised to accept deposits on the new helicopter for 1993 delivery. The R44 which began flight testing in March 1990, is a completely new design, but incorporates many of the two place R22s features and design concepts. The cabin configuration has two plus two seating with dual controls. Cruise speed will be 113 knots with a VNE of 130kts. Useful load is1,000lbs and the operating costs are estimated to be $105 per hour.

Heliflite has pointed out that the basic cost and the operating costs are one third those ofan equivalent turbine competitor. FAA certification and first deliveries are anticipated in 1992.

Rolls-Royce Gem Helicopter Engine Reliability Improvement

Rolls-Royce has announced a three fold improvement in premature removal rates of the Gem 42 over earlier models of the engine.

The major UK users of the Gem 42 are the Royal Navy and the Army Air Corp who are reported as being well satisfied with the latest Gem which saw rigorous service in naval Lynx helicopters in the 1991 Gulf conflict. As well as installing the new engine in the latest Mk8 naval version and the Mk9 army version of the Lynx, existing variants are to be retrofitted.

Teledyne to Enter Helicopter Engine Market

Teledyne Continental Motors, makers of a range of piston engines for light fixed wing aircraft is about to launch into the helicopter market with a development of its Voyager 370 IOL-370 liquid cooled engine.

Teledyne is stressing the advantages of liquid cooling which eliminates “thermal shock”. This occurs when an air cooled engine is shut down after operating at high power, a particular feature of helicopter operations where high power is needed for landing.

It could be expected that Teledyne will be seeking to interest the current users of Lycoming engines, namely Robinson, Enstrom, Hiller, Rogerson and Schweizer. The four cylinder IOL-370, which weighs 150kg and has a 60% ethylene glycol and 40% water system, is currently rated at 145kW (195shp) for fixed wing operation. Teledyne has stated that mating a suitable gearbox would be relatively simple and that the motor would operate at 156kW (210shp) at 2,700 – 3,000rpm for helicopter operations. It is expected that the new motor will be in production by early next year. BELL’S 230 GAINS CERTIFICATION

Canadian and USA authorities have recently given the Bell model 230 type certification.

First deliveries of the Canadian built twin are expected late this year or early next. Allison’s 250-C30 will power the new helicopter and it will be offered with fixed gear or wheeled undercarriage.

Bell’s 206 Longranger will also be improved to offer an increase AUW of 4,450lbs, from the present 4,150lbs. The new model will be a Longranger IV. It will be powered by Allison 250-C30L giving 490shp.

Two reasons are given for Japan’s surplus of civilian helicopters. Firstly, like many other countries around the world Japan faces an economic downturn; and secondly, recent changes to the depreciation laws on new helicopters has meant it is no longer as economically viable to own a helicopter. Yet another instance ofa government policy derailing anindustry virtually overnight.

To reduce the glut of helicopters, Japan’s largest helicopter lessor conducted an auction in early March, in an effort to sell more than 30 helicopters. Many of the helicopters up for auction were very low time machines. This is understandable when you consider that of the 1,200 helicopters on the Japanese register, the average flight time per year is just 200 hours. One Japanese pilot, who trained in Australia two years ago and has since worked for a golf tour company, said that many ofthe privately run golf/helicopter organisations had run out of clients, and this particular pilot had flown only 4 hours in 2 years! It didn’t stop him from drawing a salary of around $Al00,000 though!

Eurocopter Tiger Combat Helo Delayed

Eurocopter has announced that defence cuts in the German budget will cause the introduction into service of the Tiger combat helicopter to slip at least a year (refer p. 59 April AA).

Delivery of France’s first Tiger has been affected as a result and is now scheduled for the end of 1998. Whilst the German order has been cut to 138, the French order remains at 215. The delay will not affect Eurocopters participation in the competition for a new attack helicopter for the British Army as reported in May AA. The Tiger prototype, which has been flying for a year, will bejoined by a second aircraft mid year.

Darwin Heliport Development

Action Helicopters has been successful in gaining approval for the development of a rooftop heliport, overlooking Darwin harbour. A restaurant is a planned inclusion beneath the rooftop pad. Both general charter and tourism flights will be the main heliport use.

No Tmuch Joy in These Flights

In Sydney recently, there have been a couple of cases of “grab the dollars and run”, where the greater implications of the operation were perhaps not considered.

The first was a pilot who gained permission from the owners of the old Luna Park site to conduct joyrides around Sydney, with a boat taking prospective customers from Circular Quay. Ten points for initiative, but minus fifty for the timing – he did not have a noise licence for it, and the flights caused some serious noise complaints from residents in North Sydney, right when the HAA was about to do the noise tests for the controversial CBD pad at Darling Harbour. The ill feeling stirred up could affect the HAA’s chances, and after eight years of effort, they will feel somewhat cheated if they miss out because of these joyrides.

The second case was at Eastern Creek for the Motorcycle Grand Prix. An area was allocated for joy flights, but with the fine weather, the crowds were bigger than expected, and the area around the helipad soon became inhabited. The joyride flight path overflew these people, and also with the prevailing wind, blew dust onto the track The operator was concerned by these aspects, but unfortunately continued the flights until told by a senior policeman to stop