Rotor Torque

Kaman’s baseline Super Seasprite offering to the RAN would be fitted with the Telephonics APS-143 radar, Hughes AAQ-16 FLIR and Kongsberg Penguin ASM, with the Elta AIJM2022 radar, BAeA SearchIR FLIR and BAe Improved Sea Skua ASM offered as options.

An overview of this program and a review of the two contenders will appear in future issues of Australian Aviation.

NTSB Safety Probe Clears Robinsons

The USA’s National Transportation Safety Board’s final report into the Robinson R22 and R44 has cleared the light helicopters of any faults in their design, manufacture or certification approval.

The two year long safety investigation looked into 34 R22 and R44 accidents between 1981 and 1995 in which one of the helicopter’s main rotor blades struck the fuselage. The NTSB cleared the helicopters of any design fault and instead suggested that the accidents were most likely caused by “large, abrupt pilot (control) inputs”. The report did note that instructors may not respond quickly enough against heavy student control inputs and so they should guard the cyclic closely to prevent such handling.

The investigations began in 1994 when the NTSB thought that fatal R22 and R44 crashes due to rotor strike were the result of a design flaw in the rotor system. The NTSB called for the R22 and R44 to be grounded, however instead the US FAA imposed some flight restrictions and changed pilot training requirements.

US Company to Buy into Bristows

The US based Offshore Logistics group has signed a letter of intent to purchase a 50.9% stake of the UK’s Bristow Helicopters.

Offshore Logistics’ Air Logistics subsidiaries fly 188 aircraft on oil and gas field support duties in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, plus several Latin American nations. Offshore Logistics hoped to finalise the acquisition by the end of June. The US giant says its operations and aircraft fleet are complementary to Bristow’s.

A Office Closes

Funding deficiencies have forced the HAA to close its permanent office in Sydney, staffed by Will Stein. The office phones have continued to be answered and the mail collected on a volunteer basis.

Second Helicopter for Lismore Lifesaver

The Lismore based Westpac Lifesaver Rescue service is acquiring a second Dauphin helicopter to complement the example currently in operation, to allow it to provide continuous coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The need for a second aircraft has arisen as the number of missions the Lismore based service is called on to perform grows. On average the Lismore based Dauphin is flying over one mission a day, while the more flights the aircraft undertakes, the more time the aircraft is required to be on the ground for maintenance and servicing. The second aircraft, which should be in operation by the time these words are read, will allow the service to have at least one helicopter online at any one time.

Sharing the flight workload between the two helicopters will also extend the life of the existing helicopter, negating the need for a costly replacement in the near future.

Over recent months the second aircraft has been fitted with specialised medical equipment including an oxygen unit and heart monitor, in addition to upgraded avionics, including GPS and weather radar.

Canadian Naval Helicopter Delayed

Budgetary constraints have forced Canada to delay its Maritime Helicopter Program by a year to save $C150m.

Thirty two shipborne helicopters are required to replace 29 CH-124 Sea Kings which have been in service since the mid 1960s. The ageing Sea Kings will reach the end of their operational lives in 2000 unless they receive an urgently needed upgrade. However the funding cuts do not necessarily mean an upgrade program is necessary. The CH-124s currently require 27 maintenance manhours for every flight hour.

Rooivalks for SAAF

The South African Air Force has finally ordered 12 Atlas CSH-2 Rooivalk attack helicopters in a contract worth $US220m.

The order is the first official contract for the South African developed Rooivalk, and it opens the way for future export sales. Malaysia and even Australia (through the AIR 87 program) are potential customers.

The 12 SAAF Rooivalks will be based at Bloemspruit air force base near Bloemfontein. Missions will include suppression of enemy air defences, counter air strikes, ground attack and support and rear area raiding.

In other attack helicopter news, the US continues to block Turkey’s planned order for 10 additional AH-1W Super Cobras, while Kuwait plans to buy an armed version of the UH-60 Black Hawk (instead of the AH-64A Apache) to meet an attack helicopter requirement. Meanwhile the US has cleared the AH-64D Longbow Apache for sale into South East Asia (but without the millimetre wave radar – clearance for which could come later). Singapore and Malaysia (in particular) are potential buyers.

Cobras for HARS

The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society has acquired two Bell AH-1P Cobra attack helicopters as warbirds, following six months of active negotiation.

Further the Cobras could be joined by Vietnam vintage Iroquois, if a committed group of Australian veterans led by Ray Novosel are successful. Ray’s group would like to restore and operate an Iroquois as a flying memorial to the Vietnam War and are seeking assistance.

If you think you can help write to Ray care of Australian Aviation and we’ll pass your letter on.

Decision Due on RN AEW Sea King Upgrade

The UK Royal Navy is due to announce its preferred contractor to upgrade its Sea King AEW.2 helicopters in the next month or two.

The RN is seeking to improve the AEW Sea Kings’ long range detection capability and information displays, and add a joint tactical information distribution system datalink in a £100m ($A193m) program.

Bidders include GEC Marconi with a more powerful development of the Sea King F/A.2’s Blue Vixen radar; Lockheed Martin, Hughes and Westland with the Hughes APG-63U; and Racal with the Searchwater 2000.

Allison Forecasts Growth

Turboshaft engine manufacturer Allison has forecast growth of turbine powered helicopter sales by 50% over the coming decade.

Allison’s most recent 10 year sales forecast (developed for strategic planning) predicts that over 9100 turbine helicopters will be required by both military and civil customers over the next decade. Civil sales will continue to grow in number and importance, with Allison’s study showing that 6100 will be required through to 2005. In the same period, Allison says 3030 military turbine helicopters will be needed. The study shows deliveries will peak in 1998 (at close to 800 units), as operators replace aircraft purchased in the last major helicopter sales boom between 1977 and 1982. Military helicopter sales are predicted to remain flat with around 300 built per year.

Daewoo Signs Swidnik Deal

Daewoo of South Korea has signed a memorandum of understanding with Poland’s Sokol, covering the marketing and some production work of the W-3 Sokol twin turbine helicopter.

Under the MoU Daewoo will buy 35 Sokols for sale in Asia. It is also possible that Daewoo could undertake Sokol final assembly work in Korea if its marketing efforts are successful. Meanwhile Daewoo plans to jointly develop and build an upgraded development of the Mi-17, which is believed to have stalled due to a dispute over international rights to the helicopter.

Briefs

The community of Port Stephens raised $15,000 for the Hunter Valley’s rescue helicopter service, through fund raising efforts of the helicopter service’s support group.

Eurocopter handed over the first of 17 new AS 532 Cougars for the Royal Netherlands Air Force on April 1.

Kawasaki has rolled out the prototype of Japan’s first locally developed military helicopter, the OH-X. The two seat OH-X is powered by two 950shp (700kW) Mitsubishi XTS1-10 turboshafts and is designed to replace OH-6Ds in the battlefield reconnaissance mission.

Agusta has contracted PZL-Swidnik of Poland to build 150 fuselages for the A 109 Power between 1996 and 2002.

The Queensland Emergency Services has lowered its helicopter accident response time to 20 minutes, better than the planned 30 minute target time. Changes in work practices, such as 24 hour crewing, allowed the figure to be achieved.

South Korea’s navy has issued a request for proposals for a second batch of 13 ASW helicopters to equip its new KDX class destroyers and to complement the 11 Lynx currently in service. Kaman (Sea Sprite), Westland (Lynx) and Sikorsky (Seahawk) have all responded.

Kaman earned a net profit of $US5.2m on revenues of$US240.0m (up 14%) for the first quarter of 1996.

Contractor Ayers Corp of Albany, Georgia, delivered the first production fuselage for the MD 600N in late April.

A Kawasaki KV 107 has been brought to Woomera where it will be used in the Automatic Landing Flight Experiment (ALFEX) to air drop from 5000ft a 1.5 tonne model of Japan’s space shuttle for landing tests.

The US Navy has awarded Kaman a second contract for the demonstration of the K-Max in the Vertical Replenishment mode for a further 30 days with an option for an additional 180 days. During similar trials between September and October last year the K-Max lifted 4500 tonnes (10,000,000lb) in less than 300 hours.

The Australian Chapter of the American Helicopter Society is holding its inaugural conference, the Australian Pacific Vertiflite Conference on Helicopter Technology in Canberra over July 8 and 9. Contact Beverley Mutch on (06) 268 8497, fax (06) 268 8690. Tell her you read about it in AA.