Rotor Torque

Both aircraft were twin engine Aerospatiale SA365C Dauphins which have been in service for several years and have been involved in a number of dramatic rescues, often carried out in extremely hazardous circumstances.

The first accident occurred during a rescue mission in the Blue Mountains and is understood to have resulted from a power failure shortly after lift off following refuelling.

The second accident involved a wire strike as the aircraft was making an approach to land in poor weather during a rescue mission in the Barrington Tops National Park.

The Chief Pilot and Operations Manager, John Klopper has since confirmed that both aircraft have been written off and that replacements are now being sought. Aircraft being considered are the SA365N, BK117, and Bell 412 with replacement hopefully within three months.

In the interim, the Newcastle service has leased a single Squirrel through Hawker Pacific and the Sydney service has similarly leased a single Squirrel from Eurocopter Pacific, as well as a twin Dauphin for hospital transfers.

In a final comment, John Klopper said that the two accidents were unrelated, and that the Service was now concentrating on obtaining the replacement aircraft in order to continue to provide a service for the citizens of NSW.

France and Russia Join to Develop Medium Helo

Late last year, an important cooperation agreement was concluded between Eurocopter and three Russian companies, Mil, Kazan and Klimov for the development, production, and marketing of the Mi-38, a 14 tonne twin turbine helicopter. The new helicopter will be capable of carrying 30 passengers in airliner comfort and a joint venture company will be responsible for directing and coordinating activities between the various partners, and arranging the various certifications.

The Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant will handle development of the helicopter, whilst Eurocopter will be in charge of cockpit design, the avionics system and passenger compartment. Engine development will be in the hands of the Klimov Corporation, and finallythe Kazan Helicopter Production Plant will be responsible for production.

First deliveries of this unique Western/Russian joint venture are planned for 1999.

UK Mod Issues Itt for Long Awaited Attack Helicopter

The UK Ministry of Defence has invited five bidders to respond to an invitation to tender (ITT) to supply an “off the shelf anti tank helicopter for the British Army.

The five bidders are British Aerospace/Eurocopter with the Tiger, Westland/McDonnell Douglas with a variant of the AH-64 Apache, GEC Marconi/Bell Helicopter Textron with the AH-1W Cobra Venom, Boeing/Sikorsky with the RAH-66 Comanche, and Agusta with the A. 129 Mangusta Interestingly, Kamov has apparently not been invited to tender with the Ka-50 Werewolf (previously known by its NATO designationas the Hokum). Speculation was that Kamov would, after displaying the Werewolf at Farnborough last year, make a bid to be included in any ITT (refer RT November 1992). The ITT calls for a total package including training and support and is expected to amount to some $2bn; with tenderers required to submit initial proposals by October this year, and final fixed price bids in August 1994. The successful tenderer will be awarded the contract in May 1995, for an in service date of 1998.

In addition to the primary mission of anti armour, the helicopter will be required to have an air-to-air capability and to be able to provide ground suppression. In addition the ITT is to include the air launched version of the Shorts Starstreak, which was developed as a surface to air missile.

The requirement is for 100 helicopters but tenderers will be required to show costs for a range of numbers above or below that figure.

Finally, the same aircraft will be required to undertake the scouting role for the attack helicopter, although studies are understood to be continuing into the question of a dedicated aircraft for this role.

Us Army Helicopter Modernisation Programme Experiencing Problems

The US Army’s aging helicopter fleet is presenting problems in terms of diminishing operational capabilities at the same time as there are projected funding difficulties associated with its replacement. All areas including attack and reconnaissance, medium lift and utility elements of the fleet require replacement at a time of diminishing defence funding.

Of particular concern are the AH-1 and the OH-58A/C scout helicopters which have been identified as being entirely inadequate in the light of world developments in these classes of helicopters.

Notwithstanding this, the Army will have to continue to operate the OH-58A/C and the later OH-58D model into the next century at which time they will be over 30 years old.

Despite the updating of the CH-47A/B/C cargo helicopters to the D standard (of which the Australian Army will receive four), the upgrade will only give another 20 years of useful life. Funding delays with its replacement, the CH-47 Follow On (FO) means that on present predictions there will be a significant gap between the end of the useful life of the CH-47D and the CH-47FO.

Compounding problems is the likelihood that the CH-47F0 will be being developed at the same time as the joint service Advanced Cargo Aircraft (ACA) with which there is likely to be some commonality of roles. This could affect funding for the CH-47FO.

Finally, the Army is developing plans to acquire some 500 commercial light utility helicopters to replace the UH-1 at about the turn of the century. The requirement for 2500 UH-60s of which only 1500 are funded stands, but these will be replaced by a Future Utility Rotocraft in about the year 2010.

Eurocopter Admits to Facing a Difficult Economic Environment

In its first year of operations, the new Franco German group, Eurocopter, has admitted that it faced a particularly difficult economic climate, resulting from uncertainty about military budget cuts and a wait and see policy due to the sluggish economy in general.

Operating in a highly competitive environment, Eurocopter nevertheless received orders for 159 helicopters, 57 of which were military and 92% were for export.

The four nation NH 90 project appears to have settled down after funding difficulties between the partners, and the order book is growing. Despite this, efforts to reduce operating costs, stock holdings, and reductions in the work force can be expected to continue.

New West Australian Police Helicopter Earns Its Keep

The West Australian Police department’s recently acquired MBB Kawasaki BK 117 twin engine helicopter is understood to all ready be earning its keep with a successful night interception of a speeding motor vehicle.

The BK 117, a secondhand machine, replaces the Twin Squirrel which crashed last year (refer p55 July 92 AA) and has just been certified to use its night sun search light. Evidently an allegedly stolen vehicle was intercepted running at high speed without lights and forced to stop, using the new light. Looks like a good start for the new machine.

Doubts About Sikorsky

S-92 GO AHEAD Sikorsky Aircraft’s proposed S-92, first reported in this June 92, has been placed on hold by its parent company, United Technologies (UTC) pending further market studies. The 19 seat S-61 replacement was planned to use dynamic and other components from the UH-60 Black Hawk/SH-60 Seahawk military series, combined with a new and larger airframe. Both civil and military applications were envisaged for the new helicopter.

The six months stop on further development is a cautionary move by UTC in view of the world wide downturn in demand for new helicopters.