Rotor Torque

“the First Few Flights Have Been Unusual, Normally When You Fly a New Aircraft for the First Time, You Are Very Nervous, but With the Ec175 You Feel Really Comfortable and Safe. The Aircraft is Very Stable and There is Very Little Vibration,” Said Alain Di Bianca, Eurocopter’s Experimental Test Pilot Who Has Been at the Controls for Each Flight.

The Seven Tonne Class Ec175 Was Launched in Early December 2005 to Fill the Gap Between Eurocopter’s As365 Dauphin and As332/ec225 Super Puma, and is Aimed at the Oil and Gas Industry for Offshore Platform Transfer Work. Development Work is Split Equally Between Eurocopter and Avic, With Eurocopter to Manufacture It as the Ec175 at Marignane, and Avic to Build It as the Z15.

It is the First New Design From Eurocopter Since the Ec120 Colibri Flew in 1995.

The European Version is Powered by Twin Pratt & Whitney Pt6c-67e Engines With Dual Channel Fadec.

However, Avic Has Indicated Plans to Re-evaluate Powerplant Options for the Z15, With Avic Reportedly in Discussions With Turbomeca About the Launch of a New Engine Family as an Alternative to the P&wc Pt6c.

Eurocopter Hopes to Sell 800 Ec175s Over 20 Years, With 114 Letters of Intent (Lois) Held From 14 Customers Thus Far. European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) Certification is Expected During 2011, With First Deliveries to Launch Customer Bristow Scheduled for 2012.

Other Operators Who Have Signed Lois Include Danish Operator Dancopter, Russia’s Utair, France’s Heliunion and Belgium Based Nhv.

Ec175 ‘prototype 2’ Has Been Retained by Avic While ‘prototype 3’ is Due to Fly by the End of 2011.

Aust Aero Promises 750 Jobs for Nh90

Eads Subsidiary Australian Aerospace Has Promised to Create 750 Skilled Jobs to Build the Nh90 Nfh (Nato Frigate Helicopter) Locally if It is Chosen to Replace the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet of S-70 Seahawks and Cancelled Seasprites.

“the Job Creation and Investment Australian Aerospace is Planning in Queensland and Across the Nation is Unmatched in the Helicopter Industry,” Said Australian Aerospace Ceo Dr Jens Goennemann. “our Competitor’s Helicopters Are Built in the United States – So There’s a Straight Choice Between Creating Jobs in Australia and Jobs in the Us. ” the Announcement Came as an Nh90 Nfh Started Demonstration Flying in Australia, With an Italian Navy Example Arriving on January 24 Aboard an Antonov an-124, and Conducted a Dipping Sonar Demonstration on Sydney Harbour as Part Ofthe January 26th Australia Day Celebrations, and Demonstration Flights for Key Delegates at the Pacific 2010 Maritime Exposition and Conference. The Nfh 90 is Up Against the Sikorsky/ Lockheed Martin Mh-60r ‘romeo’ in the Competition Under Project Air 9000 Phase 8.

“the Nh90 Nfh is, Without Doubt, the Most Technically-advanced Antisubmarine, Anti-surface Ship Combat Helicopter in Its Class,” Goennemann Added. “it Has World Leading Performance Which Would Take Australian Naval Aviation to a New Level of Operational Capability. It Also Features 80 Per Cent Commonality With the Mrh90 Multirole Helicopter Which Australian Aerospace is Now Delivering to the Australian Defence Force. This Will Help the Federal Government Achieve Its Aim of Increasing Effectiveness and Efficiency by Reducing the Variety of Helicopters in Service With the Adf. ” First Pass Decision on Phase 8 is Expected to Be Made by Federal Cabinet’s National Security Committee in Early February, With an Announcement Expected Soon After (See Separate Story, Page 32 This Issue).

Bae Wins Adf Helo Support Work

Bae Systems Australia Has Won Two Major Support Contracts for the Australian Army’s Fleet of S-70a-9 Black Hawks and the Navy’s S-70b-2 Seahawk Helicopters for the Remainder of Both Types’ Service Lives.

The Black Hawk Contract, Valued at $35 Million, Will See Bae Continue to Support the Army’s Fleet of 34 Black Hawks at Its Townsville Base for an Initial Three Years Plus Five One-year Options, Until That Aircraft is Scheduled to Have Been Replaced by the Mrh90.

Bae Has Held the Black Hawk Support Contract Since 1995.

The Seahawk Support Contract Will Run for Seven Years From Next April, Also With Extension Options, and is Valued at $208 Million. The Engineering, Maintenance, and Supply Services Work Will Be Conducted on the 16 Seahawksin a New Nowra Helicopter Support Centre Facility at Hmas Albatross Until These Aircraft Are Replaced by a New Type, Either the Mh-60r or the Nfh90, Under Phase 8 of Air 9000.

Eurocopter’s 2009 Report Card Positive

Eurocopter Met Its Turnover and Delivery Objectives During 2009 While Experiencing a Significant Decrease in Civil Orders.

Eurocopter Saw an Increase in Military Orders Including a Late Order for a Further 51 Uh-72a Lakotas for the Us Army Placed in December.

A Net Total of 344 New Civil and Militray Helicopters Were Ordered Amounting to €5. 8bn (a$9. 1bn).

Highlights During 2009 Included the Rollout of the Kuh (Korean Utility Helicopter), Developed Jointly With Korea Aerospace Industries, on July 31, and the First Flight of the Ec175 Prototype on December 4.

The Tiger Hap Deployed to Afghanistan With the French Armed Forces in July, While the First Nfh90 Was Handed Over to the Dutch Armed Forces in December. Deliveries of the Uh‑72a Lakota to the Us Army and Navy Approached 100.

Briefs

• Bell Helicopter Appointed Ownership of Its Model 47 Type Certificate to Scott’s Helicopter on December 17. From the First Quarter of 2010 All Aspects of Commercial Spares and Technical Support for the Faa Type Certificated Bell 47 Helicopter (H-1, 2h1 and 2h3) Will Become the Responsibility of Scott’s Helicopters, a Bell Approved Customer Service Facility (Csf) Located in Le Sueur, Minnesota.

• the Usaf Has Issued an Rfi to Replace Its Fleet of 62 Uh- 1n Huey Helicopters Under the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (Cvlsp) Program.

The Usaf Requires Up to 93 New Helicopters to Replace the Uh-1n in the Icbm Field Support, Vip Shuttle and Civil Defence Roles. Requirements Include an Ability to Carry Nine Combat-equipped Troops and Four Crew Members. Plans Call for Ioc to Be Declared With Six Operational Aircraft in September 2015.

• the Uk Ministry of Defence Has Ordered 22 Ch-47 Chinooks for the Raf as It Seeks to Bolster Its Rotary Wing Capability.

• the First Four of 12 Lynx Mk9 Helicopters Have Been Re-delivered to the British Army Following an Extensive Upgrade by Agustawestland.