Service ceiling should be 19,600 feet; R44. However, due to the RR300’s 23-gph hover ceilings, in and out of ground effect, fuel burn, the R66 carries 75 gallons of will be 12,800 feet and 14,300 feet, respec- fuel, while the R44, which burns 15 gph, tively. Mtow is slated to be 3,200 pounds. carries 47 gallons. First delivery is pegged for next year’s Initially, all major R66 components, fourth quarter, but the company will begin including the engine, will have a TBO of Certification and delivery deadlines production only if it receives enough 2,000 hours, although that is likely to be orders. It plans to manufacture five Sap- extended over time to perhaps 2,200 slip to the right for new sans next year, with a ramp up to 40 per hours. The RR300 weighs about one-third year in 2016. of the Lycoming IO-540 that powers the by Thierry Dubois and Mark Huber The $1 million aircraft is aimed at mar- R44 and produces 225 shp (continuous). kets such as Russia, CIS countries, Asia, Forward speed on the R66 increases Both product support and research and Singles Africa and Latin America. It will enter slightly to 117 knots and the service ceil- development have taken hits in the European Union and U.S. markets begin- ing increases to 14,000 feet. Eurocopter Bluecopter ning in 2016. The R66 will have hydro-pneumatic industry as cash flow and current sales Eurocopter is planning to fly an EC120 engine controls as opposed to Fadec, and shrink, while future orders are clouded by light single powered by a diesel engine, Robinson R66 the traditional “six-pack” steam gauges important changes and growing uncertainty instead of the usual 504-shp Turbomeca In 2007 Robinson announced its first instead of an integrated dis- in key customer sectors. Arrius 2F, next year. The Bluecopter name turbine helicopter, the Rolls-Royce RR300- play. The R66’s main rotor chord is slightly In helicopter EMS (HEMS), stricter patient refers to Eurocopter’s desire to improve the powered R66. Three aircraft are currently wider than the R44’s, but the diameter is transport protocols in some markets have environmental performance of its helicopters. in flight test and Robinson now anticipates the same. Its fuel system meets new and significantly reduced flight operations, and While the EC120 will be a demonstrator, certification in this year’s first half. The more stringent crashworthiness standards. new FAA Part 135 rules governing HEMS will with an expected 40-percent cut in fuel company plans to finalize dealer agree- The R66 features the same T-bar cyclic as consumption, it is likely that future Euro- ments, deposit policies and a price for the that in the R44 and is designed for easy include equipment mandates that are expected copter light rotorcraft will use this tech- pilot transition from the R44. to drive up costs, perhaps resulting in addi- nology. The engines will provide significant Robinson R66 tional operator and program consolidations. advancements in noise and emissions. The RotorWay Eagle 300T Offshore operators have seen oil prices main challenge is weight, but Formula 1 Kit helicopter company RotorWay nearly halved from record highs of $145.29 technology could provide the materials to launched a new to-be-certified design per barrel on July 3, 2008, while natural gas make the engine lighter. Eurocopter has aimed primarily at the training market in prices have plunged even more precipitously. rechristened the diesel a “high-compres- July 2009, but the company’s plan to have Collapsing property and other tax revenues sion engine.” The airframer has yet to a non-conforming prototype ready to fly have strained governmental budgets, particu- choose the engine supplier, but Turbomeca by early this year appears to have been is a likely contender. R66, believed to be near $1 million, early delayed. RotorWay now hopes to have a larly at the state and municipal levels, and the this year and achieve full-rate production helicopter airborne by the middle of this overall economy has crimped air-tour and Eurocopter Bluecopter next year. Company founder Frank Robin- year and certification by the end of next year charter operators. son thinks that R66 production could so customer deliveries can begin in 2012. It Certification programs for new helicopters eventually reach 150 to 200 annually. should be noted, however, that RotorWay continue to move to the right as tighter The R66 is bigger than the piston-pow- has never before produced an FAA-certi-

H ered R44 on which it is loosely based. Its fied aircraft, suggesting that this timetable

revenues stretch development timetables. The S O T

N luggage bay is large enough for golf clubs. might be optimistic. CEO Grant Norwitz degrees of delay vary considerably and some, I c

M There is one extra seat in back, the pilot said the new helicopter will be priced “less D such as those for the Bell/ 609 tiltrotor, I V A seats are wider and legroom is capacious, than an R66.” The company is currently are not completely related to the macro econ- D and the overall cabin is eight inches wider taking $5,000 deposits on the helicopter. omy. Bell achieved certification for its 429 last Mi-34S2 Sapsan than that of the R44. Empty weight is The Eagle will be powered by a Rolls- year and has begun amping up deliveries. Cer- Russian Helicopters is working on a 1,270 pounds and the useful load comes in Royce RR300B1 turbine that is similar–but tification of more new models, including the turbine version of the Mi-34 light single, at 1,300 pounds, 300 pounds more than an not identical–to the engine used on the Sikorsky S-76D and S-434 and the Robinson the Mi-34S2 Sapsan, to be powered by a RotorWay Eagle 300T R66, is likely this year, but that milestone orig- Turbomeca Arrius 2F. The company plans to inally was expected last year or even earlier. apply for European and U.S. certification. The good news is that these new helicop- The Sapsan (Russian for peregrine falcon) can seat five, including the pilot, and is ters offer buyers significant improvements in expected to have a 143-knot max speed, operating economics as well as upgraded 120-knot cruise speed and 460-nm range. avionics, engines and rotor blades. Mean- while, OEMs are attempting to hold the line on prices at least partially while boosting margins, through aggressive global out- sourcing of major components, and in some cases whole airframes, for new and legacy aircraft from manufacturing partners in

China, Eastern Europe, India, Mexico and R E B U

Turkey. Here are the latest new helicopter H K R program developments. Mi-34S2 Sapsan A I M

44aaAviation International News • February 2010 • www.ainonline.com R66. Preliminary specifications for the Sikorsky S-434 Kamov Ka-226T 2,050-pound two-seater include a 1,100- pound useful load, 500-pound external load, 110-knot maximum cruise speed and 13,000-foot ceiling. The Eagle will carry 80 gallons of fuel, for two hours endurance with a 30-minute reserve.

Sikorsky S-434 The first S-434 flew in December 2008. Sikorsky received an initial order for nine 434s from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior and had delivered two of those

helicopters by the end of last year. FAA T The EC175 is a 50-50 joint program F A R certification for the 434 is expected later C with China’s Avicopter, which calls it the R I A

this year. Y Z15. Avicopter is responsible for the air- K S

The 434 is a derivative of the Sikorsky- R frame, including flight controls. It is also O K I

Schweizer 333 and incorporates several S developing the tail-rotor transmission and system components developed with Northrop the fuel system and is responsible for some Grumman for the Navy’s MQ-8B Fire Sikorsky S-76D equipment integration–the landing gear Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical and the engine. Finally, Avicopter builds unmanned aerial vehicle. The chief differ- the main rotor. Eurocopter’s share consists ence between the 333 and the 434 is the of the main gearbox, the tail rotor, doors, latter’s four-blade main rotor, which reduces electric systems and the avionics suite, noise, improves lift and increases mtow including autopilot. and useful load when combined with a The two firms have invested a total U600 more powerful Rolls-Royce 250-C20W million in a “common standard vehicle.” engine (320 shp for takeoff). The useful From there, they will offer two different sets load of the 434 increases by 655 pounds, to of options and the helicopter will undergo

1,855, compared with that of the 333. The T two different certification processes through F A R

434 also has a larger, 84-gallon fuel tank. C the EASA and the CAAC. R I A

This makes the 434 a stronger-performing Y K S hot-and-high and suitable R Kamov Ka-226T O K I for a variety of missions, including train- S Russian Helicopters is flight testing a ing, patrol and sling-load operations. Price Kamov Ka-226 light twin powered by is expected to approach $1 million. Sikorsky aircraft is thought to be more than 200 the second half of 2012. The lag between Turbomeca Arrius 2Gs. Known as the will continue to produce the 333. pounds lighter than the standard Grand, but certification and delivery stems from the Ka-226T, it is the first coaxial-rotor helicop- AgustaWestland would not confirm this. high number of options (40 to 45)–each of ter to be fitted with Turbomeca turboshafts, which needs to be certified–on this first which raise its operating ceiling to 24,600 Twins HAL Dhruv aircraft, according to Eurocopter. feet. Production is expected to start next AgustaWestland AW109S Da Vinci The Dhruv advanced light helicopter The cruise speed is understood to be year. The manufacturer is touting the per- AgustaWestland has begun delivering a (ALH) by India’s state-owned aeronautical approximately 140 knots. The radius of formance of the Ka-226T “in mountainous tailored version of the AW109S Grand to and defence company Hindustan Aeronau- action offshore at ISA+20, with 16 passen- terrain and hot climates, over water, in Swiss air rescue organization Rega. The Da tics (HAL) is a multi-role, multi-mission gers, will be 270 nm. Maximum range, windy conditions and in urban high-rise Vinci, the result of a set of specifications new-generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton with “very few” passengers, will be 700 operations.” The Ka-226T has an mtow of issued by Rega to replace its A109 K2s, is weight class. It is powered by two 990-shp nm. The EC175 is a seven-metric-ton-class 8,800 pounds and a payload of 3,200 thus not offered to other customers. Turbomeca TM333-2B2 turboshafts that (15,000-pound-class) helicopter. Two Pratt pounds. It can carry nine people, including The cockpit is new and includes a dual have sufficient margins to provide single- & Whitney Canada PT6C-67E turboshafts two pilots. Maximum speed is 124 knots. duplex four-axis digital automatic flight engine performance and Category A will supply 1,775 shp each. With 10-minute emergency reserves, control system, a 3-D synthetic vision and takeoff and landing capability. endurance is 3.3 hours and range is 283 nm. The Dhruv is two-thirds composite by HAL Dhruv Instead of a conventional cabin, the Ka- AgustaWestland AW109S Da Vinci weight for resistance to corrosion, longer 226 can be outfitted with different cabin life, ease of repair and crashworthiness. modules depending on the mission–pas- The helicopter is designed to meet the senger transport, patrol, construction, requirements of both civil and military EMS, firefighting or search-and-rescue. operators. Company sources told AIN that HAL is able to offer any variant of Dhruv Sikorsky S-76D for civil use, and it builds these commer- The latest variant of this now 34-year- cial helicopters to order. HAL has so far old airframe was announced in 2005 and delivered 90 utility versions of the ALH to might receive FAA certification approval defense forces and civilian agencies. Prices later this year. The S-76D first flew on vary according to modifications. February 7 last year. Currently three air- terrain awareness and warning system The current production rate of the craft are in the flight-test program and the (Taws), a Euronav V digital map and a Dhruv is between 20 and 24 per year. The first production airframe was assembled in Max-Viz EVS-1000 enhanced vision sys- company intends to obtain EASA certifica- December at Aero Vodochody in the Czech tem (EVS). The cockpit is equipped for tion for the Dhruv. It is also working on a Republic. The airframe will be shipped to single-pilot VFR operations and is compat- new version that will have a glass cockpit Sikorsky-Coatesville in April for final ible with night-vision goggles. and more powerful engines. assembly. Customer deliveries are slated to The Da Vinci helicopter delivers more begin next year, and Sikorsky claims 100 power through the main transmission with Eurocopter EC175 “delivery position agreements” for the $12 one engine out and has an aerodynamically Eurocopter’s EC175 medium twin million helicopter. Falcon Air Services of cleaner rotor system. This contributes to an made its first flight on Dec. 4, 2009. It is Abu Dhabi will be the launch customer for increased rate of climb and more speed, targeted at the offshore oil and gas market, the S-76D. both of which are important for Rega’s which accounts for most of the 114 While the S-76 airframe remains operations in the Alps. Rega and Aerolite helicopters currently on order. EASA cer- largely unchanged, the -D has significant developed a special EMS interior. tification is pegged for the second half of upgrades in rotors, engines, avionics and Eurocopter EC175 Thanks to its fixed landing gear, the next year, with first delivery planned for Continues on next page u

www.ainonline.com • February 2010 • Aviation International Newsaa45 The company is eyeing a full-size, Continued from preceding page 11-passenger version–the X-Hawk. On u the demonstrator, each of the two six- cabin comfort. It features new composite, foot-diameter lift rotors has five blades. flaw-tolerant main rotor blades and elec- The two rotors are located fore and aft of tric rotorcraft icing protection, dual-speed the cabin. Two smaller shrouded rotors act main rotor with active vibration control as thrusters. The architecture, with its and quiet mode, a marginally quieter tail shrouded rotors, enables the aircraft to

rotor, a health and usage monitoring sys- fly in a city without the dangers usually T F A R

tem, digital four-axis autopilot and a associated with open rotors. Its main C R I glass cockpit that includes integrated dig- drawback is fuel burn, much higher than A Y K S

ital maps. The -D will be powered by two that of a helicopter. R O K

I compound coaxial technology demonstrator

Fadec Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S S engines, each producing 1,050 shp. Tiltrotor and The modular PW210S promises to sim- Compound Helicopters of the 609 has climbed from an estimated helicopter speed record of 216 knots/249 plify maintenance as it has just five major $8 million to $10 million in 1998 to more mph (held since August 1986 by the West- rotating components and a combination Bell/AgustaWestland BA609 Civil Tiltrotor than $29 million today, making it consider- land Lynx). reduction and engine accessory gearbox. Now entering its 12th year of develop- ably more expensive than the 19-seat Sikorsky announced the self-financed The new engine/composite main rotor ment, the Bell/Agusta BA609 program Sikorsky S-92A or AgustaWestland’s own X2 in 2005. The compound coaxial heli- combination will give the S-76D up to appears to be headed for divorce court. For three-engine AW101. But AW is believed copter features fly-by-wire flight controls 1,000 pounds more lifting capacity in hot nearly three years AgustaWestland CEO to be pursuing a large order for the 609 and combines components from existing and high conditions and increase range by Giuseppe Orzi has made no secret that he from the Italian government for up to 50 of Sikorsky aircraft, including the S-76, 50 miles compared with the S-76C+. is displeased with the glacial pace of the the aircraft configured for coastal patrol Black Hawk and CH-53, and other manu- The Thales TopDeck avionics suite 609’s development and it now appears that and search-and-rescue. Officially, orders facturers’ aircraft. All of the components developed for the -D features four six- by negotiations are taking place that would for the 609 stand at 77, but the status of were scrutinized for their ability to eight-inch LCD displays that provide either give AW a majority interest in, or many of those is tenuous at best. Two years enhance the X2’s mission of high forward flight, engine, caution and warning, sys- outright ownership of, the program. Nei- ago some order holders told AIN that they speed and low vibration. tems status, checklists and mission data. ther AW nor Bell will formally comment could not justify continued interest in the Power for the 6,500-pound X2 comes The two outboard screens are PFDs and on the status of these negotiations, but last 609 at a price near or above $20 million. from a single LHTec (Light Helicopter the inboards are MFDs. Data and symbol- year Orzi told an Italian business confer- Yet, the twin P&WC PT6-67A-powered Turbine Engine Company) T800 tur- ogy are automatically transferred to the ence that AW’s parent, Finmeccanica, had 609 would seem ideally suited for a less boshaft rated at up to 1,680 shp. Sikorsky MFD in the event of a PFD failure. The authorized him to negotiate for control of price sensitive, government-backed over- had previously flown the LHTec engine displays are NVG compatible. The track- the program as a means to accelerate water SAR role. The Bell/Agusta 609 has on the RH-66 Comanche scout and attack ball cursor control device allows control of development and certification. Even under an mtow of 16,800 pounds. Preliminary helicopter prototype developed for the avionics via virtual control panels on the the most ideal outlook, airworthiness data indicates the aircraft has an unrefueled Army. That program was canceled in cockpit displays and interfaces with the FMS approval is unlikely until at least 2014. range of 700 nm (boosted to 950 nm with 2004 after expenditures of $6.9 billion through the cockpit displayed map, rather The 609 first flew in 2003, and only two auxiliary fuel tanks), a cruise speed of 275 and 20 years of development. LHTec has than the conventional keyboard. This enables prototypes are flying–one at Bell in Texas knots (maximum forward speed 310 knots) developed a successful civilian variant of the system to dynamically build flight and the other at AW in Cameri, Italy. Two and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet. In util- the T800, the CTS800. (Ironically, the plans and provide easy access to other more prototypes scheduled to join the test ity configuration it could carry up to 12 same modified Westland Lynx that set information, including Jeppesen charts program for several years now have yet to passengers plus crew. the current world speed record in 1986 that can be loaded onto the system via materialize. However, in December an AW Despite its tortuous development his- served as a testbed for the CTS800.) flash memory cards. spokesman told AIN that both aircraft are tory, Pier Guargualini, CEO of AW parent The T800 drives the twin four-blade The -D will incorporate the same under construction at Cameri and will join Finmeccanica, sees a big future for the Eagle Aviation contra-rotating rigid main Silencer noise-dampening cabin architec- the test program in 2011 and 2012. The 609, last summer predicting demand for rotors and the Aero Composites six-blade ture used on the -C++. Two main executive number-three tiltrotor will be used for ice up to 500 aircraft during its first decade pusher propeller, or auxiliary propulsion layouts will be available for five to six trials and hot and cold environmental test- of production. system, mounted at the end of the tail- passengers as well as a utility configuration ing, while number four will be dedicated to boom. Sikorsky claims its X2 technology that can accommodate up to 12. avionics and communications validation, Sikorsky X2 Compound is suitable for military missions such as night flight and customer demonstrations. Coaxial Technology Demonstrator assault, armed reconnaissance, close air Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk However, commercial interest in the The X2 first flew in 2008, but 2009 support and combat search-and-rescue, Israel-based Urban Aeronautics is fly- program has waned as development dead- came and went without its achieving Sikor- and unmanned applications. ing its Turbomeca Arriel 1D1-powered lines repeatedly slipped and the unit price sky’s stated goal of beating the world One way Sikorsky might cash in on the Mule UAV. As of mid-December, the X2 was revealed in May last year, when it company had performed only low hovers Bell/AgustaWestland BA609 displayed a mock-up of a possible X2 mili- with safety wires, according to company tary light tactical helicopter (LTH) design CEO Rafi Yoeli. The Mule is the demon- at the Army Aviation Association of Amer- strator for Urban Aero’s concept of an ica annual convention. The LTH mockup aircraft featuring two shrouded main was widely seen as a precursor to a poten- rotors in tandem configuration. tial Sikorsky bid for the Army’s armed scout helicopter program. However, Sikorsky would face substan- tial competition for the contract from both Boeing and an EADS-Lockheed Martin partnership. Both are offering solutions featuring commercial, off-the-shelf air- frames that, while slower, likely present less technical risk and lower unit costs. J

Anand and Madhura Katti contributed to Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk this report.

46aaAviation International News • February 2010 • www.ainonline.com