Rotor Torque

Together, we’ll offer a strong portfolio of helicopter solutions to our global customers and accelerate the pace of innovation and new technology development. ” Sikorsky could prove a good fit for Lockheed Martin as the two companies already cooperate on the MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ (24 of which are being delivered to the Royal Australian Navy) and the VH-92 presidential helicopter programs. While Lockheed Martin has not said if it will retain theSikorsky name, the company has said it will place the helicopter manufacturer within its Mission Systems and Training (MST) business unit, which already works with Sikorsky on the Romeo and VH-92, and not its Aeronautics division, which builds the F-35 and F-16 fighters and the C-130J transport.

Lockheed Martin said the deal, which will effectively cost US$7. 1 billion after tax benefits, should be completed by the end of 2015 or in early 2016.

The acquisition will also increase the size of Lockheed Martin’s Australian footprint. LockheedMartin and Sikorsky are joint venture partners in MHSCo – Maritime Helicopter Services Company – which is based at Nowra to provide through-life support for the RAN’s MH‑60R fleet, while Brisbane-based Sikorsky Helitech is a fully-owned subsidiary of Sikorsky Aerospace Services and provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for Sikorsky helicopters in the region.

Sikorsky-built helicopters in Australia include the Navy’s new Romeos and retiring S-70B-2 ‘classic’ Seahawks, the Army’s S-70A-9 Black Hawks, and civil S-76 and S-92 helicopters used by commericial operators, predominantly in support of the oil and gas sector. (Sikorsky builds the MH-60R’s airframe with Lockheed Martin responsible for mission system integration. ) Sikorsky parent company United Technologies Corporation announced that it would divest Sikorsky on June 15.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin has announced it will undertake “a strategic review of alternatives for its government IT and technical services businesses, primarily in the Information Systems & Global Solutions business segment and a portion of the Missiles and Fire Control business segment”. Divesting its government and commercial IT business and acquiring Sikorsky suggests Lockheed Martin is taking a renewed focus on defence and aerospace as its core business.

AW169 achieves EASA certification

AgustaWestland’s light-intermediate AW169 attained EASA type certification on July 15, allowing for first customer deliveries for the more than 150 on order to begin. Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A turboshaft engines, the 4. 6 tonne class AW169, a smaller version of AgustaWestland’s popular AW139, achieved type certification in less than five years after its program launched.

The first AW169s will be delivered from AgustaWestland’s Vergiate, Italy final assembly line. A second assembly line is being established at AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia plant in the US.

A flight training device and a maintenance training simulator are already operational at AgustaWestland’s Sesto Calende Training Academy in Italy, while a Level D full flight simulator will be available from mid-2016.

AgustaWestland says it expects the AW169 to attain FAA certification before the end of the year.

Bell starts Valor construction

Assembly has started on the fuselage of Bell Helicopters’ first V-280 Valor prototype, Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit AeroSystems is designing and building the Valor’s composite cabin and cockpit and expects to deliver the component to Bell’s facility in Amarillo, Texas later this year.

The first flight of the tilt‑rotor Valor prototype, to be powered by a pair of GE Aviation T64‑GE‑419s, is anticipated in the second half of 2017.

The V-280 has been designed as a competitor for the US Army’s joint multirole technology demonstrator (JMR-TD) contract, the precursor to the Department of Defense’s estimated US$100 billion (A$137 billion) Future Vertical Lift program to replace up to 4,000 UH-60 Black Hawks and AH-64 Apaches after 2030.

First EC135 T2+ for HATS accepted

Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has formally accepted its first of 15 EC135 T2+ helicopters for the ADF’s Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) during a ceremony at Airbus Helicopters’ Donauwörth, Germany facility on July 23.

“Airbus Helicopters is thrilled that Boeing and the Commonwealth of Australia have demonstrated their confidence in our product by accepting this first EC135 T2+ on time and on budget as part of a world-leading high-tech Helicopter Aircrew Training System for the ADF,” said Airbus Helicopters’ head of governmental sales for Australia and the Pacific, Peter Harris.

The first helicopter, HATS01, which will become N52-001 ‘841’ when in service, first flew on January 16 following contract signature between BDA as prime contractor and the Commonwealth in November last year.

“The next steps involve training of initial Boeing and Commonwealth aircrews and technicians here in Donauwörth before shipment to Australia in January 2016,” Harris said.

BDA’s HATS program manager James Heading said that the company’s team has been conducting engineering evaluations, and ground and flight test activities, and is fully satisfied with the results.

Jet Ranger X development gathers pace

Development of Bell Helicopter’s 505 Jet Ranger X continues to gather pace with a third flight test vehicle joining the program in mid-July as hot and high flight testing concludes.

In late June, Bell flew its 505prototype on a 14-hour ferry flight from its facility in Mirabel, Quebec to Colorado for high altitude flight testing. While in Arizona, the 505 conducted hot weather testing in temperatures of 41oC.

Bell’s new 7,650m2 Jet Ranger X production facility in Lafayette, Louisiana has been completed. Once fully staffed, Bell aims to produce more than 200 Jet Ranger X’s per year.

The second flight test vehicle has begun load development testing while the third 505, fitted with 15 add-on kits, will be used to certify and test for noise and handling abilities.

The 505 program has now logged more than 275 flight hours since the prototype made its first flight in November 2014. Bell says it has a current backlog of 340 letters of interest for the new light single and is on track for FAA certification in early 2016.

Rotortech 2016 dates announced

The Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) has confirmed the dates of the biennial Rotortech conference and exposition to be held on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Rotortech 2016 will be held at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort between May 27-29 and is planned to be bigger than its inaugural Rotortech 2014 event.

“We will have room to park at least 25 small helicopters for visitors and about a dozen medium-sized machines for display in a new parking area near the venue hall,” said AHIA president Peter Crook. “Rotortech 2016 will run across three days and will be bigger than our first event in 2014. Due to demand, there will be more exhibitor spaces available and we are currently in the process of confirming a diverse speaker lineupfor the conference. ” Crook says exhibitors are encouraged to book their landing site or display booth sooner rather than later as Rotortech 2014 was booked out within a matter of months.

Rotortech 2016’s static displays and trade halls will be free and open to the public.

Australian Helicopters unveils AW139 for Ambulance Victoria contract

Australian Helicopters officially unveiled one of its two new AW139s HEMS-configured helicopters to Victorian Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy and other state government officials ahead of commencing its Ambulance Victoria aeromedical retrieval contract next January.

The AW139, one of six on order to fulfill the 10-year contract, was displayed next to an Australian Helicopters’ existing HEMS Bell 412EP at Ambulance Victoria’s Essendon Airport base on July 29.

“We were pleased to demonstrate first hand what Ambulance Victoria [will] be utilising for its emergency medical services from the start of next year,” said Australian Helicopters managing director John Boag. “While the livery of the aircraft was unveiled at the Avalon Airshow in February, there is a considerable amount of configuration and testing that happens in advance of the aircraft going online in order to provide world-class emergency response, patient care and recovery from remote and difficult environments. ” While flightcrews and paramedics continue to conduct type and familiarisation training with the new helicopters, the arrival of the third AW139 from AgustaWestland is expected during September.

For the past five years Australian Helicopters has operated two of the five Ambulance Victoria EMS helicopters based at Warrnambool and Essendon airports. The new contract will add operations at Bendigo and Latrobe Valley with all bases to operate using the AW139.

Ambulance Victoria helicopters responded to more than 1,800 emergencies across the state during the 2014-15 financial year.

Erickson enhances Aircrane with ADS-B, HTAWS

Erickson has commenced installing ADS-B and helicopter terrain and awareness systems (HTAWS) into its fleet of S-64 Aircranes to improve situational awareness for pilots.

Erickson’s first upgraded S-64E Aircrane is now in service fighting bushfires in California following successful flight testing of the new Garmin avionics suite.

Erickson says all of its Aircranes will be compliant before the FAA’s January 1, 2020 ADS-B mandate requirement.

CASA extends aerial application, firefighting exemption

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority announced in late July that its aerial application rating and firefighting endorsement exemption will be extended by a further 12 months to provide certainty for operators preparing for the 2015-16 bushfire season.

The extension to CASA’s EX114/14 exemption was first introduced in September 2014 to then allow pilots and operators responding to the 2014-15 firefighting season a 12-month extension while they transitioned to meet the new CSAR Part 61 requirements.

CASA said the additional extension acknowledged the difficulties the industry may be experiencing in achieving the sufficient numbers of endorsementsby the original exemption deadline of August 31.

Subject to the conditions of the current EX114/14 exemption, appropriately qualified pilots can continue conducting firefighting operations under an AOC that authorises those operations.

CASA said it is committed to addressing issues identified via the flightcrew licensing regulations post-implementation review and encourages pilots or operators seeking clarification to contact their local CASA regional office.

Rescue helicopter reunion to celebrate 40 years of service

The Newcastle-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service will hold a reunion on November 6 as part of the services’ 40th anniversarycelebrations for crew, past and present, former employees and retrieval staff to reconnect and reflect on the past four decades.

The reunion, to be held at Wests Mayfield club, will precede the services’ official 40th celebrations planned for December 6.

“No-one would have envisaged that 40 years on, the rescue helicopter would become such a vital service to our community,” said community liaison and media officer Barry Walton. “Following last year’s successful aeromedical services contract announcement the rescue helicopter’s geographical reach will expand to also cover northern NSW from the mid-north coast to the Queensland border from early 2017. ” Since performing its first rescue on December 6 1975 the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service carries out more than 1,000 search and rescue missions across the New England and north-west, Hunter, mid-north coast and Central Coast regions of NSW every year.

Walton said the service is also hoping to collect any hidden memorabilia or keepsakes to be showcased during a special month-long exhibition at the Newcastle Museum from June next year. “I’d also like to encourage any emergency services partners connected over the years with the rescue helicopter to come along to our reunion event and catch up with staff and crews of the past and future. ” Those wishing to attend the reunion should contact the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service on 1800 155155.