Rotor Torque

“this Will Improve the Royal (Sic) Australian Army’s Ability to Participate in Coalition Operations, Enhance the Capacity of Australia’s Defense (Sic) Forces to Provide Lift for Ground Forces and Supplies in Support of Humanitarian Assistance/disaster Relief, and to Contribute to Stability Operations in the Asia-pacific Region,” the Dsca Statement Reads.

As Confirmed in the White Paper the Seven Ch-47fs Will Replace, Rather Than Augment, the Current Ch-47ds. The Previous Coalition Government Had Announced Plans to Acquire Three Ch-47fs Just Prior to the 2007 Federal Election.

Ec and Lm Join to Bid Armed Scout 645 for Us Army Arh Program

Eurocopter and Lockheed Martin Announced on May 4 That They Will Partner to Develop an Armed Version of the Ec145 to Bid for the Us Army’s Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (Arh) Project to Replace Ageing Bell Oh-58d Kiowa Warriors.

American Eurocopter Would Manufacture the Armed Scout 645 at Its Columbus, Mississippi, Plant Where It Currently Manufactures the Uh-72a Lakota Luh, While Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control Division Would Be Responsible for the Integration of the Armed Scout 645’s Targeting and Weapons Systems.

The Us Army Has Yet to Issue a Rfp for Its New Arh Competition After the Original Contract, Awarded to Bell in July 2005, Was Cancelled Due to Cost Blowouts and Delays. Bell Says It Will Wait for the Army to Issue an Arh Program Rfp Before Evaluating Whether to Compete for the New Contract.

Aussie Diesel D2 Nears First Flight

Queensland Based Delta Helicopters’s Diesel Powered Delta D2 is Nearing First Flightafter Six Years in Development.

The D2 is the Brainchild of Graeme Smith and Andrew Reid, and Has Been Designed Around the Deltahawk 180hp (135kw) Dual Turbo-supercharged V4 Diesel Engine as a Low Cost Helicopter to Help Resolve the Avgas Availability Issue in Rural and Remote Areas of Australia.

“i Have Always Been Inspired by Those People Living in the Outback Using Helicopters in Their Daily Work,” Said Graeme Smith. “i Wanted to Make Access to Helicopters Cheaper and the Ability to Use Diesel, Which is Much More Plentiful Than Avgas in the Outback, Would Help These People Become More Profitable. ” the Two-seat D2’s Structure and Systems Were Designed by Queensland Aeronautical Engineer Bill Whitney to Comply With Faa and Car Requirements for Normal Airworthiness Category Certification.

Featuring a Three-blade Fully Articulated Rotor Head With Carbon Composite Blades, the D2 Will Initially Be Available in Kit Form in the Experimental Category for Around a$180,000. Delta Helicopters Says Sales of the Kits Will Be Used to Fund Certification Work to Achieve Normal Category Certification.

The D2 Prototype, Vh‑dhd, Made Its First Public Appearance at the Australian International Airshow, Avalon, in March, Where It Attracted a Lot of Attention.

Casa Makes Changes to Bankstown’s Western Helipad

Casa Has Implemented Changes to the Operational Use of Bankstown Airport’s Western Helipad, in the Northwest Sector of the Airport, in an Effort to Help Ease the Impact of Helicopter Noise and Increase Safety to the Surrounding Community, Particularly the Georges Hall Area.

After Consultation With Industry, Casa Has Changed Helicopter Operations at the Western Helipad So That Only One Pad (the Most Southern) Aussie Diesel Queensland Based Delta Helicopters’s Diesel Powered Delta D2, Which Made Its First Public Appearance at the Australian International Airshow, Avalon, in March, is Nearing First Flight. Refer Text for Details. (Paul Sadler) Will Be Operational, While Departing Helicopters Can Only Do So in the 11 (Easterly) Direction and Arrivals Only in the 29 (Westerly) Direction. No Circuits or Missed Approaches Are Allowed to the Western Pad.

“these Changes Mean Departures or Arrivals Traffic That Used That Area Will Now Use the Main Pad Located Midfield on the Airport,” Said Mario Bayndrian, General Manager Aviation, Sydney Metro Airport Bankstown. “importantly, the Move to the Main Helipad Will Mean Helicopters Will Be Flying at a Higher Altitude When Over Georges Hall Area, Lessening the Noise Impact for Residents of This Community. ” a Notam on the New Operations at the Western Helipad is Available on the Casa Website.

Agustawestland’s A109 Da Vinci Agustawestland Recently Delivered Its First A109 Da Vinci, an Ems Variant of Its A109s Grand, Developed Specifically to Meet the Requirements of Swiss Air Rescue Operator Rega.

Rega’s Chf$113. 5m (a$138. 5m) Project Da Vinci Will Acquire 11 of the New A109s for Mountain Rescue and Air Ambulance Services to Replace Its A109k2s (Based on the A109e Power) and Complement Its Ec145s in Service.

The Da Vinci Offers a Larger Cabin Than the A109k2 and Features a Nvg Compatible Efis Cockpit With Dual Duplex Four Axis Digital Afcs, an Embedded Fms, 3d Synthetic Vision and Terrain Awareness Warning System, and a Euronav V Digital Map System.

Agustawestland Told Australian Aviation That While the New Helicopter Was Specifically Developed for Rega, the Italian Based Helicopter Manufacturer Has Developed Equipment and Capabilities Which Enlarge Its Options for Future Product Developments of the Grand.

Several A109s Grands Are Already in Service With Ems Operators Specialising in High Altitude Rescue Operations.

Rega, Which Flew 14,000 Fixed and Rotary-wing Missions in 2008, Will Base Its Da Vincisat Six Locations Around Switzerland, With Final Deliveries Expected During 2010.

Kaman Yet to Sell Ex Ran Seasprites

Kaman Helicopter Has Yet to Find a Buyer for the 11 Ex Ran Sh-2g(a) Seasprites, Conceding the Negative Perception Created by the Developmental Delays and the Subsequent Cancellation Has Made the Sale of the Helicopters “challenging”.

Now Called the Sh-2g(I), Kaman Told Helicopter News Website Rotorhub. Com That the Bulk of the Issues That Surrounded the Ex Ran Seasprites Have Been Fully Resolved. “for Example the Flight Control System – We Put It Into an Egyptian Upgrade and It is Has Been Fully Certified by the Us Naval Air Systems Command,” Said Kaman’s Director of Marketing and Business Development Mark Tattershall. “the Integrated Tactical Avionics System (Itas) – Csc Australia Have Completed the Itas Development, Fully Debugged It, Tested It, and Qualified It. ” Kaman is Taking an Open Approach in Trying to Sell the Seasprites Despite Still Facing Ongoing Issues That ‘come Out of the Woodwork’. “that is Probably the Biggest Challenge That We Face in Selling the Aircraft – the Legacy Issues and the Perception as Well,” Said Tattershall. “that is Why We Are Working Really Hard and Taking This Open Kimono Approach to Putting These Things to Bed. ” Kaman Delivered Its First Upgraded Egyptian Air Force Sh-2g(E) Seasprite in February.

Meanwhile, Dick Smith Has Announced That Despite Receiving a Number of Entries From Investigative Journalists for His Prize Into Research of the Ill-fated Seasprite Program, None Have Met the Criteria. As a Result, the $50,000 Promised by Smith for the Prize, as Wellas Another $50,000 From a Separate Businessman, Have Now Been Donated to Charity.

Briefs

• the Us Navy Has Awarded Bell Helicopter a Us$288m (a$409m) Production Contract for Lot 6 of the H-1 Upgrade Program Comprising Five Ah-1zs and 11 Uh-1ys.

Deliveries Are Scheduled to Begin in 2011.

• Us Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) Temporarily Grounded Six of Its New Uh-1y Hueys in April After Two of the Helicopters Suffered Extensive Main Rotor Gearbox Damage.

Navair and Bell Determined the Problem to Be Faulty Lower Roller Bearing Retainers in the High Speed Bearing Assembly in the Gearbox.

• the French Army Will Upgrade a Number of Its Eurocopter Tiger Hap Attack Helicopters to Allow Them to Be Deployed for Combat Operations in Afghanistan.

The Enhancements Include Air Particle Separators, Rotor Blade Protection, Ballistics Protection, and Secure Communications Equipment.

• the Us Army Awarded Bell Helicopter a Us$60. 3m (a$81. 7m) Contract for 24 Bell 407s for the Iraqi Air Force Under a Foreign Military Sale Arrangement. The Iraqi Ministry of Defense Selected the 407 as the Basis for a New Armed Scout Helicopter.

• Agustawestland Has Revealed Images and Mock-ups of Its Proposed Aw149 Armed Utility Helicopter for Turkey.

The Aw149 is the Armed Version of the Successful Civil Aw139, and if Successful, Will Be Designated Tuhp 149 in Turkish Service, Which Denotes the High Local Content and Assembly. Sikorsky Has Pitched an Armed Version of the Venerable Black Hawk.

• Eurocopter Signed a Contract in Early May to Supply France’s Héli-union With the First Dauphin As365 N3 Simulator. The Dual Qualified Level 3 Ftd and Level B Sim Was Developed in Partnership With Thales and Will Be Operational at Héli-union’s Training Centre in Angoulême, in the Charente Region of France, From 2011.

• the Planned Future Lynx Currently Under Development for the Royal Navy and British Army Has Been Redesignated as the Aw159 Lynx Wildcat. The Aw159 is a Major Development of the Current Lynx Which Will Incorporate New Advanced Sensors and Avionics, New Engines, and an Enhanced Airframe. First Flight of the Prototype Wildcat is Due Later This Year, With Service Entry From 2011.

• France Has Ordered Five Ec725 Caracals From Eurocopter.

The Ec725 is an Advanced Special Forces Version of the Super Puma.