Rotor Torque

A February 25 Ministerial Statement Said “the Decision to Progress the Project via a Competitive Tender Was Consistent With the Kinnaird and Mortimer Procurement Reforms,” and That the Tender Process Would Be “cost-capped”.

The Decision Will See Evaluations of the Mh-60r and Nfh90 Undertaken by Navy and Dmo Personnel Over the Next Few Months, With the Selection of the Winning Contender Expected to Be Followed Closely by Second Pass Approval Early Next Year Due to the Urgent Nature of the Requirement. “this Schedule Will Enable the New Helicopters to Be Delivered From 2014,” Minister Faulkner Said.

For a Detailed Analysis of the Issues Surrounding Phase 8, See Page 32 of the March Issue of Australian Aviation.

Robinson R66 Available for Order

Robinson Helicopter’s All-new Five-seat Turbine Offering, the R66, Became Available for Cus-to the Helicopter Making Its First ‘public’ Display at Heli-expo 2010 in Houston, Texas, in Late February.

The R66, Powered by Rolls- Royce’s New Rr300 Turbine, a Modernised Derivative of the Rolls-royce Model 250, Has a Base Ex Factory Price of Us$770,000 (a$879,500), With Customers Required to Pay a Us$75,000 ($85,600) Nonrefundable Deposit When Ordering.

Standard Equipment and Features Include Hid Landing Lights, Leather Seats, Stereo Audio Panel, Large Baggage Compartment and an Open Interior Configuration.

Serial Numbers for R66 Orders Will Not Be Assigned to Customers and Delivery Dates Not Confirmed Until After the Type’s Faa Certification is Awarded, Expected to Be Late This Year.

First Customer Deliveries Are Expected in Early 2011.

Announced in March 2007, the R66 Will Be Sold Through the California Based Manufacturer’s Dealer Network With Robinson Currently Accepting R66 Dealer Applications.

Second Pass Approval for Army Chinooks

Defence Minister John Faulkner Has Announced That the Government Has Given Second Pass Approval for the Acquisition of Seven Ch-47f Chinooks for the Australian Army.

The Acquisition of Additional Chinooks to Initially Complement and Then Replace the Army’s Six Existing Ch-47ds, Which Have Been Substantially Upgraded in Recent Years to a Standard Not Dissimilar to the F Model, Was Originally Flagged by Then Defence Minister Brendan Nelson During the 2007 Election Campaign, and Was Confirmed by the Labor Government in Last Year’s Defence White Paper and Subsequent 2009 Defence Capability Plan Under Project Air 9000 Phase 5c.

“these New Helicopters Will Give the Adf a Robust, Deployable Medium Lift Helicopter Capability Out to 2040,” Minister Faulkner Said. “capability and Support Issues in the Current Chinook Helicopters Will Be Addressed With the Acquisition of the New Model Aircraft, Which Will Bring Safety, Supportability and Operational Benefits to the Adf. ” the First Two Ch-47fs Will Enter Service in 2014, and All Seven Are Planned to Be in Service by 2017.

Nq Rescue Joins Queensland Ems Network

the Mount Isa Based North Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service (Nq Rescue) Has Secured Approval From the Queensland Government to Be Included in the State’s Aeromedical Retrieval Network to Provide Medical and Rescue Services to the State’s Greater Northwest.

The Approval Comes After More Than a Year of Trying Negotiations Between Nq Rescue and the Department of Emergency Services, and is Subject to the Rescue Service Meeting Strict Operational Guidelines Set Out by Emergency Management Queensland Including Helicopter Type, Medical Interior Configuration, Communications and Navigation Equipment, and the Standards Required of the Personnel Operating Them.

Currently, Nq Rescue is Without a Helicopter, Having Returned Its Leased Bell 206l Longranger, Vh-zow, to the Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service (Operators of the Agl Action Rescue Helicopter) in November.

However, Securing of the Government’s Approval Breathes New Life Into the Helicopter Rescue Service, Which Launched in Early 2007 Using a Leased Bell 206 Jetranger.

“nq Rescue Embraces the Challenges Ahead in Securing the Funds Required to Place an Appropriate Rescue Helicopter Service in the Northwest,” Said Alex Dorr, Ceo and Founder of Nq Rescue, Who Now Needs to Raise the Required $1. 5 Million to Source and Operate a Bk117 – the Service’s Desired Type. “nq Rescue Acknowledges the Enormity of the Task Ahead but Equally Sees the Overwhelming Benefit This Service Will Bring to the Entire Northwest Region and the People Who Live Here. ” Nq Rescue (Previously the Mount Isa Community Helicopter) Hopes to Be Operating a Bk117 and Providing Hems to the Remote Communities in Northwestern Queensland by Year’s End. Assuming the Funds Are Raised and a Suitably Equipped Bk117 is Found, Nq Rescue Will Carry a Queensland Ambulance Service Paramedic on Every Mission.

Read About the Birth and Challenges Faced by Australia’s Newest Civil Rescue Helicopter Service in the July 2008 Issue of Australian Aviation.

Coroner Recommends Grounding Exec 162s After Fatal Crash

Victorian Coroner Peter White Has Recommended Casa Immediately Issue an Airworthiness Directive to Ground the Kit Built Rotorway Exec 162 Helicopter, Following the Death of Andrew Mull Who Was Fatally Injured After His Rotorway Exec 162, Vh‑amb, Crashed in a Paddock at Tawonga, Northeast Victoria, on March 29 2006.

Handing Down His Findings in the Coroner’s Court of Victoria on December 22, Coroner White Recommended That Casa Establish Design and Build Standards for the Exec 162, and That All Helicopters Be Test Flown to Meet These Airworthiness Standards Before the Grounding Could Be Lifted, After Finding That the Accident Was Caused by a Tail Rotor Failure.

Further, Coroner White Recommended Kit Construction and Maintenance Should Not Be Undertaken by Any Non- Lame or Non-casa Qualifiedpersons and That Licence Issuance, Renewal or Upgrade to Fly the Helicopter Be Given Once Pilots Have Received Appropriate Endorsement Level Training or in Other Similar Aircraft as Approved by Casa.

In His 37 Page Report Coroner White Says, “i Recommend That the Responsible Federal Authorities Distinguish the Position of Kit Build Helicopters From the Legal Framework Set Up to Apply to Other So Called ‘experimental’ Aircraft, and That Instead of Existing Arrangements, the Need to Develop a Separate and Different Legal Framework for Kit Build Helicopter Enthusiasts, is Now Recognised. ” According to a Casa Spokesman the Regulator is Studying the Coroner’s Recommendations, and That Casa “will Make Decisions in Due Course. ” Designed by Phoenix, Arizona Based Rotorway International, Currently 37 Examples of the Exec 162 Are on the Australian Civil Register

New Us Presidential Helicopter Program Takes Off

the Us Navy Released a Request for Information (Rfi) for the Procurement of a New Fleet of Presidential Helicopters on February 16, Nine Months After It Terminated the Us$3. 2bn (a$3. 5bn) Lockheed Martin/ Agustawestland Vh-71 Program Due to Cost Overruns and Schedule Delays.

Known as the Vxx Presidential Vertical Lift Platform, the 27 Page Rfi Lays Out the Navy’s Updated Acquisition Strategy to Procure Between 23 and 28 Helicopters to Replace 11 of Its 40 Year Old Sikorsky Vh-3ds, and Eight Sikorsky Vh-60s Which Became Operational in the Late 1980s.

The Rfi Discusses Options for Procuring a Mixed Fleet to Fulfil the Vxx Requirements With Either Two Variants of the Same Type or With Two Different Aircraft. One Aircraft Will Have a Fully Appointed Executive Suite Including Galley and Lavatory, While a Different Helicopter Will Carry a Full Load of Command, Control and Communications Equipment.

Specifically, the New Helicopters Will Have the Ability to Carry 10-14 Passengers 150nm to 275nm, Be Transportable in C-17 and C-5 Aircraft, Have a Speed of 140kt While Carrying Mission Fuel, Payload, and Advanced Communications and Defensive Aids Systems.

Likely Vxx Program Contenders Include the Original Opponents, Sikorsky Offering Its Vh-92, and Lockheed Martin/ Agustawesland With the Vh-71. New Contenders May Include Boeing, With Its Ch-47 Chinook, and Bell-boeing, Offering the V-22 Osprey. From Across the Atlantic Eurocopter Could Offer Either Its Nh90 or Ec225 Products.

The New Helicopters Won’t Achieve Ioc Until Between 2017-2023, So the Usn Plans to Invest Us$500m (a$556m) to Keep the Current Presidential Helicopter Fleet Serviceable Until the Long-awaited Replacements Arrive.

Hai Heli-expo 2010 Review the Helicopter Association International’s Three Day Heli-expo 2010 Convention at Houston, Texas, in Late February Featured Several Key Exhibits and Highlights: • Undoubtedly the Highlight Was the Debut of the Turbinepowered Robinson R66 – See Title Pic. Rarely Was the R66 Easily Visible With Attendees Queuing to Have a Closer Look.

• Eurocopter Displayed Its Ec175 Mockup in a New Sar/ems Configuration.

• Agustawestland Unveiled a New Variant of the Agustawestland Grand. The ‘grand New’ is an Updated Aw109 Featuring an Upgraded Avionics Package,including a Synthetic Vision System, a New Flight Management System (Fms) and a Four-axis Autopilot.

• Bell’s Display Featured the First Customer Delivered Bell 429, N911ed, Which Entered Service With Iowa’s Des Moines Mercy Medical Centre Ems Flight Immediately After Heli-expo.

• Garmin Released Details of a New Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (Htaws) for Its Gns 430w/530w Series Navigation Units. Htaws Will Be Available as an Option on New Systems or as a Field Upgrade for Current Systems. When Added, Operators Will Receive Graphical and Audible Alerts of Potential Terrain and Obstacle Conflicts Along the Flightpath.

• Rolls-royce and Bell Signed a Memorandum of Understanding to Explore Options for Retrofitting Bell 206b Jetrangers With the Rr500ts Engine. The Mou Will Allow the Joint Evaluation of Third Party Suppliers to Develop Rr500ts Supplemental Type Certificate (Stc) Retrofit Kits, Replacing the Allison/rr 250 Engines That Currently Power the Jetranger.

• Canada’s Vih Aviation Group Announced the Purchase of Two New Ec225s to Be Used in Support of Its Expansion in the Australian Offshore Oil and Gas Sector.

Heli-expo 2011 Will Be Held Between March 6-8, in Orlando, Florida.

Usaf Buys More Black Hawks for Csar-x

the Usaf Has Ditched Its Csar-x Project to Find the Next Generation of Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter, and Instead Will Buy More Black Hawk Helicopters and Modify These for the Role.

Speaking to Us Media, Usaf Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz Said “a Successor Model” of the Current Hh-60 Pave Hawk Csar Variant of the Black Hawk Would Be Acquired.

The Previous Csar-x Contract Was Awarded to Boeing’s Hh-47 Chinook in 2006, Only to Be Overturned by the Us Government Accountability Office After Losing Bidders Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky Appealed the Decision.

Briefs

• the Us Navy Took Delivery of Its 50th Mh‑60r Romeo Helicopter From Systems Integrator Lockheed Martin During a Ceremony on February 3.

• the First Upgraded Ch-53ga Medium Lift Helicopter for the German Army Made Its Maiden Flight From Eurocopter’s Donauwörth Facility Near Munich in February. The Upgrade, Designed to Extend the Life of the Helicopter Out to 2030, Comprises Improved Digital Avionics, Cockpit Displays and a New Automatic Flight Control System; the Addition of Auxiliary Fuel Tanks; Upgraded Communications Equipment Compatible With the Tiger and Nh90; Flir, Satellite Communication and an Electronic Warfare Systems.

• the ‘team Soteria’ Consortium, Comprising Chc, Thales Uk and Finance Partner Rbs and Offering the Sikorsky S-92, Has Been Selected as Preferred Bidder for the Uk Ministry of Defence’s £5bn (a$8. 9bn) Sar-h Search and Rescue Helicopter Contract, Beating Rival Consortium Airknight (British International Helicopters, Lockheed Martin and Vt) Which Had Offered the Eurocopter Ec225.

• Bell’s New Twin Engine Offering, the Bell 429, Was Not Able to Visit Australia, as Had Earlier Been Hoped, Having Made the Type’s First Appearance in the Region at the Singapore Airshow in February.

• Caloundra Airport’s Helimods Has Designed and Manufactured a New Lightweight Patient Stretcher Loading System Allowing Ems Aircrews to More Easily and Efficiently Load Patients Onboard Helicopters. The Multi- Deck Stretcher Loading System, Manufactured Using Composite Materials and Alloys, Was Designed to Meet the Joint Safety Requirements of Emergency Management Queensland and Ambulance Service of Nsw for Use on Their Aw139 Helicopters.

• Sikorsky’s X2 Advanced Blade Concept Demonstrator Was Expected to Return to Flight Status in March Following the Reinstallation of Its Transmission After the Detection of a Gearbox Manufacturing Problem During Ground Tests in December.

Having Reached 106kt in August, Sikorsky Hopes Its Counter-rotating Coaxial Pusher Prototype Will Achieve 250kt Before the End of the Year.

• Boeing Has Awarded Mincham Aviation a Contract to Manufacture Four Assembly-spare-part Sets for the Ch-47 Chinook After the South Australian Company Was Identified During Recent Boeing Office of Australian Industry Capability (Oaic) Conferences.

Details About the Ch-47 Contract Were Not Disclosed.