Rotor Torque

Cml Cobras

California-based Flight Operations International is offering refurbished ex-US Army Bell AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters for civil use in operations such as logging and firebombing. Work to convert the Cobras to civil configuration is minor and involves stripping them of any weapons capability and fitting civil radios. The civil Cobras would sell for around $US1m and would be capable of lifting loads between 1800kg (3965lb) and 2200kg (4850lb). The AH-1S is powered by a Textron Lycoming T53-L-703 driving a similar tail and main rotor system as fitted to the Bell 212. The US Coast Guard ship the Polar Star visited Melbourne in March on its return to the USA from Antarctica. On board were two HH-65 Dolphins. (Steve Allsopp)

Marines Ah-1w/Uh-1n Upgrade Likely

The US Marine Corps is likely to decide this September to proceed with a programme which will see Bell fit the service’s AH-1W SuperCobras and UH-1N Huey with a common four-bladed main rotor and the AH-1Ws with a new cockpit. A USMC study found that upgrading the UH-1N would be more effective than ordering new-build Sikorsky UH-60s, while a similar study underway on the AH-1W versus the AH-64 Apache is expected to find a similar result. The Marines would upgrade 100 UH-1Ns and 180 AH-1Ws with a common dynamic system comprising two 2625shp (1955kW) General Electric T700 turboshafts, APU, four-bladed pusher tail rotor and a four-bladed composite main rotor. The UH-1Ns’ fuselages would also be stretched slightly because of CofG considerations. Upgraded UH-1Ns would be redelivered from 2005, AH-1Ws from 2003.

Westland Rolls Out First Production Eh 101

GKN Westland rolled out the first production EH 101 Merlin for the Royal Navy at its Yeovil production plant on March 6. The first aircraft, RN01, is due shortly to be joined by RN02, which will be the first Merlin fitted with the anti-submarine warfare mission systems suite. Merlin operational performance acceptance trials at the Royal Navy’s Intense Flight Trials Unit are due to begin in mid 1998. Full production is now well underway, with more than 80 aircraft ordered for the UK’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy and the Italian Navy. Westland sees worldwide sales prospects for as many as 700 civil and military EH 101s. The Royal Marines is a potential customer when it comes to replace its Sea King HC.4s.

A 129 International For Italy

The last 15 of 60 Agusta A 129 Mangusta attack helicopters the Italian Army has on order will be delivered in A 129 International configuration but without the International’s LHTEC T800 engines. Apart from the T800s, the A 129 International features a five-bladed main rotor, upgraded transmission and 20mm gun, among other improvements. Agusta will likely offer the A 129 International to meet the Australian Army’s requirement for a reconnaissance and fire support helicopter.

Briefs

Sikorsky is studying offering its S-92 Helibus with Turbomeca Rolls-Royce RTM-332 turboshafts in place of GE T700s as an option.

NRMA Careflight’s president Dr Luis Gallur has called for Federal Government intervention in the NSW State Government’s plan to axe NRMA Careflight’s 20 dedicated medical retrieval specialists and replace them with rostered-on junior doctors. Dr Gallur says the 20 specialist doctors form the heart of Careflight’s world-standard service.

Rotary plans to raise $50,000 within the Canberra region for the area’s forthcoming rescue helicopter service, while another unnamed non-profit group has pledged $20,000. The service is expected to have annual running costs of around $2m, paid for by the NSW and ACT governments, corporate sponsorship and community donations.

Sikorsky is considering increasing the production rate of its S-76 helicopter if current strong sales continue. Sikorsky currently plans to build 24 S-76s this year, compared with just 10 in 1993.

A lower than forecast inflation rate has meant that the US Department of Defense has been able to afford an additional 172 Black Hawks for the US Army, with an initial 36 UH-60s (including eight HH-60Gs for the USAF) included in the DoD’s FY1997 spending plan.

Eurocopter has recorded a record FF1.3bn ($A333m) loss for 1995, on revenues of FF9.3bn ($A2.4bn). An exceptional charge of FF2.5bn ($A641m) brought total losses to FF4bn ($A1bn).