Rotor Torque

The MD 600N has been flying since November 22 1994, while certification and development work is expected to be completed some time next year. First deliveries would occur immediately after certification.

Results from testing of the MD 600N thus far have been encouraging and company officials say indications are that the aircraft will comfortably meet predicted performance specifications.

Cracks Found In Hughes 300

A Bureau of Air Safety Investigation report into the fatal crash of a Hughes 300 off Aspendale Beach in Melbourne in February has identified metal fatigue as the likely cause. The helicopter broke up in midair and crashed into the water about 50m offshore, killing pilot Mr Roland Neihardt.

The preliminary BASI report found that cracking in attachment lugs on the tailboom support strut had been allowed to develop over a considerable timeframe, and that in this case the cracking went undiscovered as it was covered with polyurethane paint.

The CAA responded to the report by ordering the inspection for cracks in the centre frame and cluster fitting of all 47 Australian registered Hughes 300s.

US Army Unveils Attack Black Hawk

The US Army took the helicopter world by surprise at the Army Aviation Association of America convention in Atlanta recently when it unveiled for the first time an attack helicopter development of the Black Hawk, designated AH-60.

According to sources quoted by Jane’s Defence Weekly, two aviation platoons have been operating the aircraft in special mission roles since 1990, with the aircraft also seeing service during the Gulf War in 1991. The attack helos were converted from existing MH-60Ls.

As exhibited at Atlanta the AH-60 was armed with Hellfire antitank missiles, two 30mm cannon, two 7.62mm miniguns and a 19 round rocket pod. Other options include Stinger AAMs, a 40mm grenade launcher and external fuel tanks.

Other features include auxiliary fuel tanks in the main cabin, a chin mounted Hughes AAQ-16 FLIR and laser designator (for Hellfire), weather radar and HUD. Normal crew complement is four, and it has a max speed of 193kt (358km/h), a normal cruising speed of 120kt (222km/h) and a four hour endurance. The 10,700kg max takeoff weight AH-60 will also be fitted with an inflight refuelling probe from later this year, to match the refuelled range of the MH-60L.

New Zealand Wasp Replacement Bids Open

The New Zealand Government has opened tenders for six naval helicopters to replace its ageing Westland Wasps. The six new helicopters will equip New Zealand’s two Anzac frigates and two modernised Leander frigates. The specification calls for the aircraft to be fitted with a search radar, FLIR, ESM, ASW torpedoes and antiship missiles, probably either the BAe Sea Skua or Aerospatiale AS 15TT.

Restricted deck and hangar space on the two Leander frigates dictates the size of helicopter required, ruling out the larger Sikorsky Seahawk and Kaman Seasprite, and leaving the Westland Super Lynx and Eurocopter AS 565SA Panther as the main contenders.

New Zealand expects to spend about $NZ200m on the six helicopters, with a selection expected to be made by the end of the year. Contract signature would be early 1996 and the first deliveries are expected to coincide with the delivery of the first Anzac frigate in 1997.

Australia has a similar requirement for helicopters for its Anzac frigates, and later the upcoming Offshore Patrol Combatants, and both countries are exchanging evaluation data. However a joint selection and order seems unlikely at this stage. A full update on the RAN’s helicopter is featured in this month’s Defence Update column on page 72.

Dutch Order A Blow For Eurocopter

After months of intense debate and competition, the Dutch Ministry of Defence has ordered 30 AH-64D Apaches ahead of the Eurocopter Tiger to meet its requirement for an attack helicopter.

The Dutch air force will take delivery of 30 AH-64Ds (without the Longbow millimetre wave radar) from early 1998, while in the interim it will operate 12 US Army AH-64As on loan from early 1996 to build up operational experience with the type. The selection was announced on April 7 after having been postponed from January.

The Dutch Ministry of Defence had announced its preference for the Apache last December, but other factors in the selection included its proven reliability, ready availability and the falling value of the US dollar, while the Tiger is technically unproven, has yet to be ordered into production and was not available until later in the decade. Responding to the decision Eurocopter said it “deplores most of all … that a vital opportunity to contribute to the building of a Europe united in its political, military and economic aims has been irrevocably missed.”

The Dutch contest is seen as a dry run for the hotly contested British requirement for 90 attack helicopters, a decision on which is due in July. The main contenders for this contract are again the Tiger and Apache, plus the GEC Marconi/Bell AH-1W Cobra Venom.

Rescue Helicopter For Canberra?

Prominent businessman and newly elected AOPA President Dick Smith has pledged to donate his Sikorsky S-76 for use as an emergency medical and rescue helicopter for the Canberra region.

Mr Smith has agreed to donate his S-76 on the provisos that the helicopter is technically suitable for use as an EMS and rescue helicopter, and that more importantly the Canberra and region community is prepared to sponsor part of the costs of such a service’s operations and not leave all the funding up to the Territory government.

The ACT Minister for Emergency Services Barry Humphries said that within hours of the offer his office was fielding calls from potential corporate and individual sponsors for an emergency helicopter, but it is the ongoing operating and support costs of such an operation that has been heavily criticised from a number of areas.

Careflight executive director Ian Badham has suggested that the price of such a service if run along the lines of his operation would be as high as $2m per year, when the costs of crew wages and training and aircraft maintenance were taken into account. He also suggested that the cost of converting the S-76 into an EMS helo would be as high as $500,000 and that as many as 10 full time staff would be needed to man the operation. Mr Smith has suggested that the operating costs per hour of the S-76 would be around $2000.

The ACT Opposition has opposed the plan saying that a helicopter is low on the ACT emergency service’s wish list, and that the money would be better spent on more ambulances (given Canberra’s good road system and access) and other rescue equipment. The ACT Government is presently investigating the proposal further, speaking with the NSW Government and potential corporate sponsors about funding possibilities. An ACT based EMS helo would also provide rescue/medevac services to a large region stretching from the Snowy Mountains to Eden and North to Cowra.

Mr Smith decided to offer his helicopter after he was approached by 12 year old Canberra scout Charles Wilson who bailed up the adventurer at a recent ballooning weekend, asking him to donate money towards an emergency helicopter for Canberra. Mr Smith responded by suggesting that if Canberra can provide the ongoing funding for such an operation he would provide the helicopter.

Bell & IPTN Further Ties

Bell and Indonesia’s IPTN have finalised an agreement which will see IPTN finish and customise 407Ts and 430s and increase work on the N412HP for the expanding Indonesian market.

The work on the 407T and 430 will be performed at IPTN’s manufacturing centre at Bandung. IPTN’s Bandung facility will also serve as the source for all 407Ts, 430s and N412HPs sold in Indonesia. IPTN will also extend marketing and support activities to cover both the 407T and the 430.

The recently formalised agreement was originally signed by IPTN’s President, Director and Indonesia’s Minister of State, Research and Technology Dr B J Habibie and Bell’s Senior Executive Vice President Lloyd Shoppa in December 1994. The agreement should dramatically increase IPTN’s helicopter business, and provide the company with a range of different size helicopters to meet Indonesia’s growing demand for helicopters.

Go-Ahead For US Army Comanche Plan

The US DoD has approved a US Army plan for the Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche that will see the construction of two prototypes, plus six early operational capability (EOC) pre production evaluation aircraft built using current R&D funding, with a possible entry into service of 2007.

The plan was formulated after the December 1994 decision to defer a decision on whether or not to build production Comanches until after 2001. The new plan envisions a go-ahead decision on low rate production by 2003, by which time the six EOC aircraft would have been delivered to a specially formed trials and testing unit that would perform field trials. These aircraft would be unarmed and fitted with the reconnaissance mission equipment package only (including second generation FLIR, high resolution TV, improved laser rangefinder/designator and aided target detection/classification system).

If production was given the green light these six aircraft would be fitted with armament, brought up to full production standard and be augmented by the first two production RAH-66s, allowing the formation of the first operational Comanche unit in 2007.

Now that the restructured Comanche programme has been approved, the $120m of 1995 funding has been released. This money had been withheld after the December 1994 decision to defer a decision on production past 2001. Had this funding not been available Boeing and Sikorsky would have had to scale back the Comanche programme considerably.

The first Comanche prototype was due to be rolled out on May 25 and should make its first flight in November.

Development EH 101 Crashes

The fourth prototype EH 101 crashed during a test flight from Westland’s Yeovil facility in the UK in April, causing the suspension of EH 101 test flying.

The cause of the crash of the naval PP4 prototype was unknown at the time of writing, but it could have been a dynamic component problem. Witnesses who saw the crash said the EH 101 was rotating as it descended. All four crew parachuted from the stricken craft to safety, three of the crew baling out at 10,000ft, the pilot remaining with the aircraft until 1200ft to ensure the EH 101 did not crash into a built up area. The crashed EH 101 was one of two powered by Turbomeca/Rolls-Royce RTM322 turboshafts.

The crash occurred just weeks after the UK MoD awarded Westland an order for 22 utility EH 101s (refer p92 May ’95 M).

Osprey Downwash Problems

A US Defense Department’s Operational Test and Evaluation Office (OT&E) report has expressed concerns over the suitability and mission effectiveness of the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey as it was found to have a “hostile rotor downwash environment”.

An OT&E investigation in the V-22 reported that the downwash from the V-22’s powerful proprotors prevents some important military tasks from being undertaken beneath the aircraft, and that the only way to approach the belly of the aircraft was to face into the downwash and approach from the front right hand side. The report also found that it was virtually impossible for troops to work behind the Osprey while it was hovering.

Sponsorship Sought For Tasmanian Rescue Helicopter

Tasmanian Police are searching for a new sponsor for the southern state’s rescue helicopter service, following Westpac’s withdrawal of support.

The high profile helicopter service is used for SAR and medical evacuation work throughout the state, and costs about $250,000 a year to operate. Until a new major sponsor is found, the costs of the helicopter’s operation will be borne by the Tasmanian Police.

Briefs

The fourth prototype Eurocopter Tiger, configured in the helicopter escort/fire support configuration, has successfully completed its initial ground based gunfire tests at Toulon, France. The fourth Tiger is equipped with a 30mm cannon mounted on an electrically controlled high speed wide sweep turret.

Boeing is to flight test an upgraded Chinook with a dynamically tuned fuselage to reduce vibration, improving avionics reliability.

The United Arab Emirates has ordered seven AS 565SA Panthers and five Super Pumas for anti submarine and anti surface vessel roles. Seven new build Panthers will be delivered, equipped with Aerospatiale AS 15TT antiship missiles, while five current Super Pumas will be upgraded to carry Aerospatiale AM 39 Exocet antiship missiles. Two other VIP configured Super Pumas will also receive upgrade improvements. The Super Pumas will be upgraded over the next six months.

Bahrain has taken delivery of two navalised BO 105s fitted with a Bendix RDR 1500B search radar. The Eurocopter Deutschland modified helicopters will be used for over the horizon detection and targeting for surface vessels fitted with Exocet antiship missiles.