Rotor Torque

The clean-sheet design RACER draws on Airbus Helicopter’s X3 experimental compound demonstrator, which validated the compound aerodynamic configuration – a combination of a traditional main rotor and lateral propellers.

“This new project … aims to bring increased speed and range at the right cost, thanks to a simple, safe and proven aerodynamic formula,” said Airbus Helicopters’ chief executive Guillaume Faury. “It will pave the way for new timesensitive services for 2030 and beyond, setting new benchmarks for high-speed helicopter transportation.”

Airbus Helicopters said it will spend €200 million on the RACER program, as part of the Clean Sky 2 European research program, which will be built around simple architecture to ensure safety and cost-efficiency.

The RACER’s box-wing design, while protecting passengers from the pusher propellers during ground operations, will provide part of the required lift, helping to alleviate load on the main rotor resulting in the rotorcraft needing less power from its pair of Safran Helicopter Engines RTM322 turboshafts.

The engines will drive the craft’s five-blade main rotor and also power six-blade pusher propellers mounted on each wing via a gearbox and bearingless, flexible driveshafts through the upper part of the box-wing to generate thrust for forward flight.

Airbus says the box-wing and pusher propeller combination will reduce power demand by 10 per cent in forward flight resulting in an increase in range. Additionally, an ‘eco mode’ will be tested by the engine manufacturer to demonstrate an electrically-powered rapid restart of an idled engine in flight to further generate fuel savings and increase range.

The RACER’s airframe will be manufactured from metalliccomposite materials designed specifically for low weight and low recurring costs. It will also be equipped with a new high voltage direct current electrical generation system, also contributing to a reduction in weight.

Final assembly of the RACER prototype will begin in 2019 with flight testing from 2020.

Tiger ARH Hellfire shot with Shadow UAV designation an ADF first

A laser designator from an RQ‑7B Shadow 200 UAV has been used to guide AGM-114 Hellfire missiles launched from an Australian Army Tiger ARH onto simulated targets for the first time.

The manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) firings were conducted by1 Aviation Regiment (1 Avn Regt) during gunnery training activities in the Mount Bundy Training Area, east of Darwin, in June.

“MUM-T is an exciting new concept that we will embrace coming up in the near future,” commanding officer of 1 Avn Regt LTCOL Hayden Archibald told Australian Aviation last November.

“We are now looking at how you bring an unmanned system’s tools and situational awareness into the cockpit to further refine the situational awareness of that crew to then maximise their effect on the battlespace.”

The Shadow, operated by Army’s 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment (20STA) based at Enoggera, near Brisbane, provided the Tiger ARH’s crew with spotting and tactical reconnaissance before using its onboard laser designator to identify the target.

During July, 1 Avn Regt Tiger ARHs were also working alongside US Army AH-64 Apaches and US Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobras during Exercise Talisman Saber.

Toll Helicopters donates Bell 212 engine to Aviation High School

Toll Helicopters has donated a surplus Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T turboshaft engine to the Aviation High School in Brisbane for use as a hands-on training aid for students.

The engine, previously installed in one of Toll Helicopter’s Bell 212s that had been used for peacekeeping missions in the Timor region and firefighting operations in Australia, was formally presented to the school on June 23.

“Our Bell 212 has been upgraded with new engines so we are delighted to be in a position to be able to donate the engine to Aviation High School to support hands-on learning activities for its students,” said Toll Helicopters’ general manager Mark Delany.

“To be able to pull apart and reassemble a turbine engine will greatly increase their knowledge and understanding of how a helicopter engine works.” Aviation High School’s head of aviation Jack Clarke said the opportunity for students to interact with and learn from real equipment is invaluable.

Optionally piloted Airbus makes first autonomous flight

Airbus Helicopters began autonomous flight trials of its VSR700 optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) in June.

Based on the Guimbal Cabri G2, the VSR700 is being jointly developed by Airbus Helicopters and the original manufacturer of the G2, Helicopteres Guimbal, as a ship-based tactical surveillance UAV.

The initial flight trials of the VSR700, with a safety pilot onboard, are focusing on refining Airbus Helicopters’ automatic flight control system, maturing other technologies associated with autonomous flight and examining the suitability of the G2 platform for the role.

Sea trials of a manned Cabri G2 have also recently taken place from a French navy frigate.

Airbus Helicopters says the VSR700 will be capable of carrying a range of mission equipment with its maximum payload of 250kg while it will have an endurance of around 10 hours. It also said the VSR700 could also be developed for use in land-based military operations to carry out intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance missions.

First flight took place eight months after work on the VSR700 began, and the program is hopeful of achieving a fully autonomous flight without a safety pilot in 2018.

Apache test fires a laser beam

A high energy laser system mounted under the stub wing of a US Army AH-64E Apache has successfully acquired and hit a target during tests of the directed-energy weapon at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

The laser firing, conducted by Raytheon with the US Army Apache Program Management Office and the US Special Operations Command in mid-June, was the first time a fully integrated laser system successfully shot a target from a helicopter, which Raytheon says proves the feasibility of a laser attack from the Apache.

For the tests, Raytheon coupled the laser system to a variant of its Multi-spectral Targeting System (MTS) sensor to provide targeting information, situational awareness and beam control.

The laser system tracked and directed energy on a stationary target at a line-of-sight range of 1,400m while the Apache was flying at a wide variety of flight regimes, altitudes and airspeeds.

Data collected from the tests, including the impact of vibration, dust and rotor downwash from the Apache’s main and tail rotor blades, will help Raytheon develop future high-energy laser systems.

While in an early experimental phase, should a laser attack system be integrated into an Apache’s weapons suite, a laser strike could prove to be more accurate and effective, while being much cheaper, than firing a Hellfire missile at a target.

UK, Norway resume Super Puma Operations

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority Norway announced on July 7 plans to lift restrictions on all commercially operated UK and Norwegian registered H225LP and AS332L2 Super Puma helicopters following the global grounding that was imposed after a fatal accident involving the type in Norway in April 2016.

Despite the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) clearing the type to resume commercial flights in October 2016, both the UK CAA and CAA Norway had held their restrictions in place until further enhancements were made by Airbus Helicopters to develop modifications and improve safety measures for the type.

The modifications includes the early removal of main gearbox components susceptible to premature deterioration, improved maintenance inspection methods to detect early deterioration, more frequent inspections and a reduction in the thresholds for rejecting components based on early signs of any deterioration.

The UK CAA said British Super Pumas could begin flying after individual operators supplied a safety case to ensure that they have met all the necessary measures and had in place procedures, processes, tooling and training for a return to service of the type.

“This is not a decision we have taken lightly,” said the UK CAA’s head of airworthiness John McColl. “It has only been made after receiving extensive information from the Norwegian accident investigators and being satisfied with the subsequent changes introduced by Airbus Helicopters through detailed assessment and analysis.

“We would not have made this decision unless we were convinced that the changes to the helicopters and their maintenance restore the required airworthiness standards.”

Bell 525 resumes flight testing

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Bell Helicopter an experimental certificate renewal on July 7, allowing the Bell 525 Relentless to resume its flight test program.

The return to flight comes exactly one year and one day after Bell’s first Relentless prototype, N525TA, was destroyed when it came down in a field south-east of the manufacturer’s Arlington, Texas, Xworks facility in Ellis County killing two test pilots.

“Bell Helicopter has worked with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA since the accident and we are confident in the resumption of flight test activity,” said Bell Helicopter chief executive Mitch Snyder. “The team is focused on certification in 2018 and we are committed to bringing this innovative and highperforming helicopter to market.”

While the investigation into the cause of the accident continues, it is understood investigators found the 525 prototype experienced rotor system vibration and frequency resonance in its airframe and flight control system seconds before the aircraft broke up in flight.

An examination of the wreckage indicated that main rotor blades had sliced through the helicopter’s tail boom and nose. The NTSB has said it hoped to complete its investigation before September.

Briefs

»» HeliTSA and Aviation Australia commenced their first AW139 B1.3 maintenance training course at Brisbane Airport on June 5. The EASA and CASA‑approved course is aimed at supporting the growing need for qualified AW139 LAMEs within the Asia Pacific.

»» CHC Helicopter has been awarded a two-year contract to provide Quadrant Energy with passenger transfer services to oil and gas installations on the North West Shelf. From July 1, CHC will use two Leonardo AW139s flying out of CHC’s base at Karratha and will use its facilities at Learmonth to provide passenger processing services.

»» Royal Australian Navy 723 Squadron pilot instructor and maintenance test pilot LTCMDR Tony Reyne has added to his considerable list of achievements by clocking up his 10,000th flight hour on June 26, hitting the milestone during a training flight in one of the squadron’s Squirrel helicopters at HMAS Albatross, Nowra.

»» Kaman Corporation’s Aerosystems division said it will continue production of its K-MAX heavy-lift utility helicopter until at least 2019 due to continued demand and interest.