flightglobal.com 28 January-3 February 2020 | Flight International | 27
KOPTER SH09
On top of that, Kopter claims the SH09 will
be the first CS-27 aircraft to have a combined
cockpit-voice and flight-data recorder as
standard. “We are really anticipating some-
thing that is eventually going to be a regula-
tion,” says Riccobono.
In addition, achieving as smooth a ride as
possible is important, says Riccobono,
because Kopter’s intention is to achieve
instrument flight rules (IFR) certification
from 2022, for which it is developing a four-
axis autopilot.
“If the platform is already stable, then de-
veloping the autopilot is really no big deal.
That is why we are investing in making the
aircraft not just certifiable but very pleasant to
fly,” he says.
The desire for IFR certification also drove a
switch from the original Safran Electronics
avionics to Garmin’s IFR-capable G3000H
suite, allowing early customers a simple, min-
imal-cost upgrade.
Despite tweaks here and there, the funda-
mental design of the SH09 has not changed
from the original concept. It still has a single
FADEC-equipped 1,020shp (750kW) Honey-
well HTS900 engine – a compact but power-
ful turboshaft originally destined for Bell’s
ARH-70 Arapaho programme – coupled
with a five-blade bearingless main rotor and
a shrouded tail rotor that Kopter calls
the Maestro.
NEGLECTED MARKET
The idea, which the company was espousing
even in its Marenco days, is to develop a new
helicopter in a segment of the market long
neglected by the other manufacturers. While
Airbus Helicopters has its H125 and H130,
and Leonardo Helicopters the AW119, none
of these are particularly recent designs.
In addition, Lowenstein says, there has
been a lot of interest from operators in switch-
ing from twin-engined rotorcraft to the SH09.
“For me this is not a surprise: this is a helicop-
ter that can do many of the twin missions at
the cost of a single.”
Despite the seemingly endless delays – ser-
vice entry is now likely to be late 2020 or early
2021 – sales have stayed strong: Lowenstein
says the first three years of production are
“solidly” sold out and “we have some
customers ordering for the fourth and fifth
years already”.
He says: “It shows to me that people are
really waiting for this aircraft.”In addition, the arrival of a new helicopter
with new capabilities could also stimulate the
segment, says Lowenstein. “If the equation is
right then we can significantly resize the mar-
ket,” he says.
He draws an analogy with the service entry
of the Leonardo Helicopters AW139, which
significantly expanded demand for medium-
or intermediate-twins. “We think we can pro-
duce the same kind of effects. People are not
excited to replace their helicopter with the
same old helicopter.”
The fact that two production lines are al-
ready planned speaks volumes about Kopter’s
ambitions; Lowenstein also does not rule out
additional assembly facilities if required by
regional demand, particularly in China, or if it
is a condition of external investment.
On top of that, there is a recently an-
nounced agreement with Korea Aerospace
Industries (KAI) covering an intention to co-
operate on “local assembly, production, cus-
tomisation and sales” of the SH09 in South
Korea. The collaboration could eventually
extend to production for export too.
“What Korea is interested in, like many
Asian countries, is modern technology,” says
Lowenstein; without a helicopter like the
SH09, Seoul would be obliged to replace ahuge fleet of single-engined helicopters with
aircraft based on elderly designs: “Basically
the same as they have”.
Joint working parties have already been es-
tablished with KAI as the companies attempt
to firm their initial tentative agreement. These
groups are examining what requirements the
SH09 could address and also how KAI could
participate industrially in the programme.
“If the current exploration phase shows
positive results, we are ready to set up a joint
industry product in Korea to allow us to serve
Korea and some other export needs,” says
Lowenstein. “We are talking with KAI about
joint market approaches to governmental op-
erators but equally for some governmental
markets that could be covered from Korea.”
What that means in practice is that Kopter
is open to the creation of a military variant of
the SH09. “A helicopter like ours is a very
versatile mission platform,” says Lowenstein.
The size of the cabin, payload, and customisa-
tion potential means “you can paint it khaki
and put some special equipment into it”.MILITARY VARIANT
He lists potential missions such as training,
liaison, scouting, or observation. “This is to-
tally within the scope of the platform,” he
says. “If there are opportunities coming by we
will certainly grab them. When we sign the
Korean deal you can imagine a khaki version
might be in the scope [of that],” he says, con-
firming that talks with KAI have broached the
subject of a military trainer.
However, anyone looking for an armed
variant is likely to be disappointed: “That
is not in the scope of a Swiss company,”
he says, drily.
Of course, the lofty talk of years of double-
digit production are meaningless if Kopter
does not introduce the SH09 to service in a
timely fashion; the patience of would-be cus-
tomers is not infinite, after all. “Today the
question for me is not if we get the certifica-
tion, but when,” says Lowenstein, noting that
complex developments mean that sometimes
targets slip.
“I can only measure it [by] the reaction of
our customers. The customers we have today
in our portfolio are with us despite the [time-
line] shifts. They know why we are shifting
and know that they will get a better product in
the end. We have had zero customers putting
a knife to our throats [saying you have to get
this done now]: they want a safe, mature
aircraft that will come to service rather than
a quick, short development with issues that
appear afterwards.
“All our customers are supporting us
on this track,” adds Lowenstein, quipping
that if Kopter fails to meet its 2020 or 2021
target for certification then “we might change
the CEO”. ■“Customers want a safe,
mature aircraft that will come
to service rather than a quick,
short development with issues
that appear afterwards”
Andreas Lowenstein
Chief executive, KopterSH09 is powered by a single
Honeywell HTS900 engine
Dominic Perry/FlightGlobal