Thanks to Massimo PIRALLA for these images from Louisville , KY …
Heli-Expo 2016
All posts tagged Heli-Expo 2016
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
Turbomeca to offer S-76C+ engine upgrade program.
Louisville, HAI Heli-Expo, 2 March 2016
Turbomeca (Safran) will introduce an engine retrofit program to enable Arriel 2S1powered S-76C+ operators to upgrade to the Arriel 2S2 S-76C++ model. This engine upgrade will be conducted alongside an airframe retrofit program provided by Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin company.
Upgrading to S-76C++ configuration with Arriel 2S2 engines will deliver improved mission capabilities including greater take-off and cruising power, reduced pilot workload and higher payload.
Certified in 2005, the Arriel 2S2 is eight per cent more powerful than the Arriel 2S1. The engine delivers take-off power at 923 shp, cruise power of 832 shp and a maximum One Engine Inoperative (OEI) rating of 1033 shp. The 2S2 also features a dual-channel FADEC Arriel 2S2 meets the highest market standards in terms of reliability and robustness, with a TBO that has been extended to 3,850 hours.
Turbomeca Vice-President Support and Services Franck Saudo commented, “This upgrade program is a great opportunity to offer our customers greater performance and added value with the Arriel 2S2 which is an already proven high-performance engine on the S76”.
The engine retrofit upgrade will be available for order in the second quarter of 2016.
Around 12,000 Arriel units have been produced, of which 700 are Arriel 2S1 and 2S2, together logging 45 million flight hours. Ranging from 650 to 1000 shp, the Arriel engine family powers over 40 different helicopter types.
Arriel is the best-selling helicopter engine solution in its class. An Arriel-powered helicopter takes off every 15 seconds – all day, every day.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
Finmeccanica and Era sign EMS platform development MoU for the AW609 TiltRotor program.
- Addressing concepts around operations, regulations, support, configurations, commercial aspects towards certification of the first civil tiltrotor
- Almost 60 customers have already chosen the AW609 globally to perform several missions
- Successful collaboration between Era and Finmeccanica has resulted in Era becoming the largest civil operator of AgustaWestland helicopters
Rome, 2nd March 2016 – Finmeccanica and Era Group Inc. (Era) announced today the signing of a platform development Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the AgustaWestland AW609 TiltRotor program. The announcement was made at Heli-Expo (Louisville, Kentucky) during an official ceremony.
Under the MoU, Finmeccanica Helicopter Division and Era will engage in joint activities in support of AW609 program development for the emergency medical service (EMS) market including concepts around operations, regulations, maintenance, configuration optimization, as well as identifying possible areas of enhancement or modifications. The partners would provide contribution to flying activities towards aircraft maturity and address commercial aspects for potential future AW609 acquisitions.
The signing of the agreement sets another major milestone for the development of the first commercial tiltrotor towards FAA certification. This exclusive agreement further strengthens the long established partnership between Finmeccanica Helicopter Division and Era, the largest global operator of AgustaWestland products such as the AW119, AW109 Power, AW139 and AW189 covering offshore transport and rescue operational requirements. By joining forces through their respective expertise and know-how, the partners are moving towards a marketing and operational preparation stage for its future EMS operations. The agreement to further develop the potential capabilities of the AW609 marks a significant step towards the production of an aircraft type that will provide a unique emergency medical service solution in the future. EMS operators will leverage on the 275 knot maximum speed and 750 nm range of the AW609. With approximately twice the speed and twice the range of a helicopter combined with its all-weather capabilities, the AW609 can dramatically reduce the time it takes to support emergency tasks in demanding conditions.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
Airbus Helicopters boosts its HCare material support offer.
- Simplified and reshaped offer to better serve customers
- New HCare Smart by the hour contracts
- HCare Easy Repair now covers more than 800 components
Louisville, Kentucky (USA), 3 March 2016 – Through the launch of HCare, Airbus Helicopters simplified and reshaped its material support services to provide a more easy-to-use service, performance guarantees, competitive pricing and larger coverage. The objective of the enhanced Material Support offer is to enable operators to be the most agile and competitive in the market place thanks to controlled costs, a reduced administrative burden, secured mission success and a reliable supply.
“The HCare Material Management offer is a key area in which we innovate to improve on a daily basis,” said Matthieu Louvot, Executive Vice President of Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters. “HCare transforms the vast improvements we are making in our operations into firm commitments to our customers.”
The numerous enhancements include:
- The Easy Repair secured turnaround time offer, which now covers 800 components across the range, meeting the vast majority of customers’ repair needs
- HCare Smart “by the hour” contracts, which have been reshaped around customers’ evolving needs:
o Lower minimum hours
o Larger discounts during the warranty period
o No buy-in needed for single-engine aircraft & flexible buy-in possibilities for light twin-engines
o Binding performance commitments from Airbus Helicopters
o Fleet availability support for larger fleets of more than 10 aircraft
HCare is fully tuned in to the expectations of light single and light twin operators and through this new offer, bringing them a crucial business edge on the marketplace.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
Finmeccanica: the AW109 Trekker helicopter performs its first flight.
- The aircraft took off from Cascina Costa facility in Italy EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) certification expected by year end.
- Over 20 units already ordered by customers worldwide
Rome, 2th March 2016 – Finmeccanica announced the maiden flight of the new AgustaWestland AW109 Trekker light twin engine helicopter.
A prototype aircraft took to the air for the first time today at the Helicopter Division’s Cascina Costa facility (Italy). The helicopter performed as expected during the flight which included an assessment of its general handling and basic systems. A total of two prototypes will be used for the programme development as it progresses towards EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) certification, which is expected by year end. The maiden flight marks a key milestone in the development of the new AW109 Trekker. Designed to provide the perfect solution for utility, public services and aerial work operations, the AW109 Trekker maintains the same characteristics of high productivity, excellent flying qualities, high controllability and maneuverability, robustness and high inherent safety features of the Finmeccanica Helicopter Division’s range of light twin helicopters.
Note to editors on the AW109 Trekker First unveiled in February 2014 during Heli-Expo in Anaheim (California), the AW109 Trekker is the latest addition to the Finmeccanica Helicopter Division’s portfolio of class leading AgustaWestland light twin-engine helicopters, and company’s first light twin to offer skid landing gear. With a maximum take- off weight of 3,175 kg (7,000 lb) and with a class leading speed of 168 knots (311 km/h), the AW109 Trekker delivers outstanding payload and performance and cost/effectiveness compared to the nearest competing types in the market. The AW109 Trekker is equipped with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit and integrated avionics to allow maximized situational awareness and reduced pilot workload in any condition. The spacious cabin can accommodate up to six passengers or one stretcher with three/four medical attendants or two stretchers and two medical attendants. The AW109 Trekker can be easily configured for a wide range of roles and is the ideal solution for EMS, utility, SAR, law enforcement, surveillance and passenger transport applications. Firm orders for over 20 AW109 Trekkers have been logged so far by customers in Europe, North America and Asia to perform roles like emergency medical service and utility missions.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
HAI HELI-EXPO – Louisville Kentucky (March 3, 2016) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is delighted to announce that the Bell 407 is continuing to gain traction in Italy with the sale of the first 407GXP to a private customer.
“We are delighted with the traction that the Bell 407 is gaining in Italy,” said Roberto Farnese, Sales Director Western Europe, Bell Helicopter. “The aircraft is proving itself in the region and we are noticing an increase in demand for the Bell 407, particularly in Western Europe.”
The Bell 407GXP is the latest upgrade to the best-selling Bell 407 platform, with added value through class leading performance, payload capability and operating economics. With an additional 50 lbs (22.5 kg) of carrying capability, coupled with the new M250 Rolls-Royce engine that boosts power and fuel efficiency, the Bell 407GXP delivers best in class hot and high performance. The aircraft also features avionics improvements in the weight and balance pages, as well as a transmission TBO extension of +500 hours.
Thanks to Massimo PIRALLA for this image from HAI 2016 Event in Louisville, KY.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
H175 fleet demonstrates its reliability and exceeds 3,000 flight hours in operation with NHV.
· Now in operation with NHV Group in Den Helder and Aberdeen, with more than 3.000 flight hours since December 2014
· First VIP aircraft to be delivered this year; Public Services version on track for 2017 delivery
· Virtual reality experience available at HAI
Louisville, Kentucky, 1 March 2015 – After little more than one year of operations, NHV have reached 3,000 flight hours with their H175 fleet, demonstrating the aircraft’s mission capability and reliability in oil and gas offshore transportation. Early February, the first H175 that entered service in December 2014, reached the 1,000 flight-hour milestone.
“This milestone was easily achieved thanks to the exceptional availability of the aircraft, which is close to 95%” said Eric Van Hal, CEO of NHV Group. “The H175 has proven to be a highly reliable aircraft. I am happy to say that the helicopter really keeps its promises, allowing us to meet the needs of our customers”.
NHV was the launch customer for the new super medium helicopter and has since taken delivery of six aircraft out of 16 on order. The H175 is currently in operation at two of NHV’s bases in the demanding North Sea environment: Den Helder in the Netherlands and Aberdeen in northern Scotland. So far, the NHV fleet of H175s has completed 1,500 flights and carried approximately 22,000 passengers.
“Since its entry into service, the H175 has been proving its value and high availability every day with our launch customer NHV, which generated a lot of attention for this helicopter” said Guillaume Faury, President and CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Thanks to its endurance, flexibility, high level of safety, excellent payload and cost-effectiveness, we are shaping the future of the market with the H175”.
Despite the challenging market environment, 2015 proved to be a successful year for the H175 which registered 36 orders and was endorsed by key oil and gas players such as Milestone and Bristow. During the last 12 months, the capabilities of the aircraft have also been expanded through a flight envelope extension in hot and high conditions. The Public Services version was also launched last year thanks to a 7-unit order from Hong Kong operator GFS, with deliveries planned in 2017.
In 2016, the H175 will be deployed in the Gulf of Mexico for Oil and Gas operations by the Mexican customer Pegaso. This year will also see the entry into service of the VIP variant introducing new mission capabilities, as well as the certification of SAR modes. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) extension will be increased to 7800 kg, offering customers a 300 kg payload gain or an increased radius of action of 40 nautical miles.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions today announced that its Avionics & Electronics business unit, in collaboration with Ultra Electronics Flightline Systems, has developed Fortress HUMS, a new compact and lightweight ED-112A compliant Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder with integral Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) capability designed for use on rotorcraft platforms. Fortress HUMS uniquely combines flight data recording and HUMS capabilities in an easy to install and affordable single box solution weighing only a fraction of alternative systems. In a typical installation, overall weight is reduced from 70 lbs. to 13 lbs. (32 kg to 6 kg) versus currently available alternatives.
Fortress HUMS can be quickly and easily retrofitted onto a helicopter to provide a SWaP-optimized single box solution for mandatory flight recording combined with a HUMS solution for maintenance, safety, fleet management and supply chain interface. Its innovative serial communications network of intelligent sensors, connected via a single cable routed throughout the aircraft, enables rapid integration, significantly reduces system complexity, and reduces the amount of time the aircraft needs to be grounded for installation. Fortress HUMS is ideal for use in helicopter applications where operators are seeking to extend aircraft operational life and implement predictive maintenance programs. It can be deployed on both existing aircraft and new builds, deployed as a permanent installed combined HUMS and recorder system for new aircraft construction, or deployed as an upgrade path for customers who implement an initial Fortress Recorder only installation.
“We are very excited to collaborate with Ultra Electronics Flightline Systems to deliver the unprecedented size and weight reduction provided by the Fortress HUMS recorder to the rotorcraft market,” said Lynn Bamford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Defense Solutions division. “Fortress HUMS significantly reduces the time and cost of aircraft installation and through-life operational costs thanks to its network-based approach and extremely low installed system weight.”
“Ultra Electronics Flightline Systems is excited to be teamed with Curtiss-Wright to bring this next generation and game changing technology to market,” said Marc Brodeur, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Ultra Electronics Flightline Systems. “The Fortress HUMS will provide the end user with a significant fleet management capability that enables them to reduce operational costs by making better decisions about maintenance analysis, safety, training and interface to the supply system. This system will provide transformational ability to the customer from crew chief to design engineer.”
About Fortress HUMS
Fortress HUMS is a non-invasive, fault tolerant, and compact solution that combines Curtiss-Wright’s next generation Fortress crash recorder with the revolutionary integrated Health and Usage Monitoring System developed by Ultra Electronics. The resultant product will offer full crash recorder capability coupled with a state-of-the-art HUM system that will offer users a powerful yet light weight and affordable prognostic and diagnostic health monitoring system. Fortress HUMS’ algorithms calculate the remaining useful life of components, enabling significant maintenance cost savingsand increasing aircraft availability by reducing or extending maintenance beyond conservative periodic routines.
Fortress HUMS has a scalable and composable architecture that can accommodate up to 60 smart sensor channels (e.g. accelerometers, tachometers, communications interfaces, and auxiliary data acquisition modules). The distributed sensor network acquires all data parameters required for both HUMS and FDR functions. This includes vibration data for mechanical diagnostics, engine monitoring, and airframe monitoring; platform dynamics for rotor track and balance; analog and digital signals for HUMS usage monitoring, exceedance monitoring and regime recognition; and ARINC 429, analog, and digital signals for flight data recording. Fortress HUMS can operate with the cockpit area microphone, HD Color camera, Recorder Independent Power Supply and ground replay software to provide a complete cockpit voice, video and flight data recording capability. What’s more, Fortress HUMS is easy to reconfigure because sensors can be repurposed, added or removed, and then reprogramed without the need to remove hardware from the aircraft.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
H160 ready to take on the market at Heli-Expo.
· Airbus Helicopters ready to sign letters of intent for the H160
· Development, industrialization and customer support on track for 2018 entry into service
Louisville, Kentucky, 1 March 2016 – After its worldwide debut at Heli-Expo in 2015, Airbus Helicopters is now launching the commercialisation of the H160 with letters of intent available for potential customers.
“The public response to the H160 has been fantastic and we have started discussions with customers for different mission configurations for the H160” explained Guillaume Faury, President and CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Development is now moving forward with two prototypes flying and a third one being built, meaning that we will soon be able to confirm the aircraft’s performance details that are essential to our customers,” he added.
Carrying out twenty percent more flight hours per month than previous developments at the same stage thanks to the System Helicopter 0 & Dynamic Helicopter 0 ground test facilities, the first prototype (PT1) has logged around 100 hours. The second prototype (PT2), that took off on 27 January, has started performance flight tests with Turbomeca’s Arrano engine. The third prototype (PT3) will join its fellow aircraft in 2017 and will essentially be employed to develop the different mission configurations, testing cabin interiors and optionals that will be available to customers.
At this year’s Heli-Expo, Airbus Helicopters is showing the H160 in a digital format, highlighting its inherent multi-role capacities. A dedicated virtual reality corner will allow future customers to visualize the H160 in different seating configurations for oil and gas missions, public services operations (such as medevac and law enforcement) and emergency medical services.
The H160 will pioneer a brand new industrial model, improving competitiveness and customer satisfaction with the final assembly being performed in 18 weeks instead of 36 for the previous generation. Having partnered with Latécoère Services for a state of the art integrated final assembly line for which the first station will be implemented at the end of 2016, the H160 is gearing up to its serial production. This automated moving flow line will be comprised of two production lines, each equipped with several workstations capable of assembling the different H160 configurations.
Airbus Helicopters associated key operators to the EASA-led MSG-3 process so that all inspection or maintenance requirements have been questioned, all intervals have been challenged, and the resulting maintenance schedule will significantly reduce the maintenance burden and improves aircraft availability. The H160 will be as simple to maintain as a light twin helicopter.
The H160 support and services strategy relies on the digital continuity development process implemented from the beginning of the program. Digital servicing enables a seamless management of operators’ evolving business whether it is airworthiness, maintenance, material management, or training. The H160 will implement a paperless multi-support philosophy, enabling a quick and accurate information exchange and allowing our customers to make decisions faster. With the recent signature of the full-flight simulator partnership with Thales and Helisim, Airbus Helicopters also wants to ensure best in class safety from entry into service for its future customers.
HELI-EXPO 2016 – PRESS RELEASE
Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation orders another Grandnew EMS helicopter for new Niigata Prefecture Doctor-Heli base.
- Aircraft to enter service in fall this year, expanding the presence of GrandNew in Japan for emergency medical service
- More than 80 AgustaWestland AW109 legacy of helicopters sold to Japanese customer so far for various roles
- Over 150 helicopters of various types sold by the Finmeccanica Helicopter Division in Japan to date for a range of roles
Rome – 1 MARCH 2016 – Finmeccanica announced today through its Helicopter Division and Kaigai Corporation of Japan that Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation has placed an order for an additional AgustaWestland GrandNew light twin helicopter to perform emergency medical service (EMS) missions in Niigata Prefecture. The aircraft is expected to enter service in the Fall of 2016.
This latest purchase is part of the Doctor-Heli system programme which is intended to provide modern airborne EMS coverage to all prefectures in Japan. The order further expands the presence of EMS-configured GrandNew helicopters in the Japanese market and continues the growing success of the GrandNew and AgustaWestland’s range of AW109 legacy of helicopters in Japan, with more than 80 aircraft sold to perform a number of missions including EMS, law enforcement, executive/corporate transport and electronic newsgathering.
Note to editors on Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation
Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation, in joint venture with Kagoshima International Aviation, was awarded a Doctor Heli contract from Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital in Niigata Prefecture offering the GrandNew after a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process, demonstrating its ability to meet the demanding mission and safety requirements. Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation’s GrandNew features a comprehensive EMS configuration with a cabin layout able to accommodate one litter plus four medical attendants or two litters plus two medical attendants. The aircraft is also fitted with skis and ice detector. Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation, a subsidiary of Suzuyo & Co., is an aircraft operating company located at Shizuoka Heliport. Established in 1991, it provides a variety of operational services, such as disaster relief support for Shizuoka Prefecture, electronic news gathering for local broadcasting companies and charter transport. Its capabilities also include aircraft maintenance, repair and modification services.
