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Black Hawks live

another day

SHOW REPORT P 18

HELI-EXPO 2016

SHOW REPORT

D

espite the current downturn in

the global rotorcraft market,

the big two US manufacturers used

their attendance at the show to

stress their continued investment

in new product development.

Sikorsky, fresh from its Novem-

ber 2015 acquisition by Lockheed

Martin, is arguably most in need

of a new helicopter in its commer-

cial line-up, to bolster the existing

S-76D and S-92 platforms.

Dana Fiatarone, vice-president

of Sikorsky commercial systems

and services, says that studies are

already underway to determine

the market’s requirements for fu-

ture developments.

“We have started talking about

what might be next for us, wheth-

er that’s a medium aircraft, a light-

er aircraft or significant upgrades

to our existing portfolio,” he says.

But Fiatarone was wary about

promising a commercial deriva-

tive of the compound-coaxial,

rigid-rotor S-97 Raider and SB-

Defiant. This would offer signifi-

cantly faster speeds, but at a cost,

so any development would first

need “buy in” from customers, he

says.

Meanwhile, Bell Helicopter’s

new chief executive Mitch Sny-

der reiterated his commitment to

bringing “disruptive technology”

to the rotorcraft market, and hint-

ed at plans to launch an entirely

new design.

Snyder says the manufacturer

is “looking at two or three clean

sheets”, which are “at the study

level right now”.

Although he declines to be

drawn on which segments Bell is

targeting, he admits that “if we

look at all the families there are a

couple of places we could go”.

One logical helicopter for re-

placement is the 412EPI. As part

of its selection by Tokyo for its

UH-X programme, production of

the 5.4t helicopter will eventual-

ly transfer to Japan, leaving a

likely gap in Bell’s line-up.

“That [412 replacement] is one

of the ones we could do,” admits

Snyder, without elaborating.

But Bell is also analysing the

balance between new helicopters

and refreshes of existing products,

he says. It is working on several

advancements, which “we can

bring to upgrades right now”.

Bell had all three of its current

development programmes present

on its stand, which featured flight-

test prototypes of its 505 and 525

civil helicopters, alongside a

mock-up of the V-280 Valor. ■

F

inmeccanica Helicopters has

unveiled a new name and a

pair of critical upgrades for civil

variants of the SW-4 light single

produced by its Polish subsidiary

PZL Swidnik.

Now referred to somewhat

confusingly as the AW009 – de-

spite not being produced by

AgustaWestland – the manufac-

turer will also add a new avionics

suite and an optional uprated en-

gine to the 1.8t platform.

Addressing the media ahead of

the Heli-Expo show, Daniele Ro-

miti, divisional managing direc-

tor, says US Federal Aviation Ad-

ministration certification of the

upgrades is targeted for mid-year.

European approval would follow

around one year later.

The glass cockpit will be pro-

vided by Genesys Aerosystems

and is common to the larger

AW109 Trekker, its skid-equipped

light twin. The optional engine

upgrade would swap the 450shp

(336kW) Rolls-Royce M250-C20R

turboshaft for the 650shp-rated

-C30P variant.

“It is the same family of en-

gine. It will be quite effective as it

brings more power,” says Romiti.

Other modifications include

changes to its flight characteris-

tics to improve comfort and cut

vibration, as well as increasing

control authority, says Romiti.

He believes the aircraft will be

suited to emergency medical ser-

vices operations, police duties

and private operators in the USA.

It unveiled a tentative deal with

Riverside Police Department in

California as part of its fleet re-

placement. It also signed a deal

with Alabama-based AAL USA,

which will manage the avionics

integration and US certification.

Finmeccanica will retain the

SW-4 designation in military use. ■

TECHNOLOGY

Tiltrotor leads the way for military types

Mitch Snyder, the chief executive of

Bell Helicopter, has ruled out future

clean-sheet developments of con-

ventional helicopters for the US mili-

tary once it completes delivery of

the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom.

Snyder is instead putting his faith

in tiltrotor technology and other “fu-

ture of flight concepts” to address

long-term military requirements.

“We’re going to pursue upgrades

to continue to evolve the Yankee

and Zulu, but as far as looking at

new clean-sheet type platforms, all

of our platforms for the future in the

military are not what you’d classify

as a helicopter,” he says.

Snyder has made investments in

futuristic flight technology a strate-

gic priority, particularly in aircraft

types that can move from one loca-

tion to another faster and more

safely than ever before.

“Given the military requirements

we are seeing, there’s nothing there

saying they want to go slower [than

230-250kt],” in the future, he says.

Those aircraft must also be highly

manoeuvrable in hover for military

operations. “There’s lots of technolo-

gies out there, and we’re proving it

with the [V-280] tiltrotor,” he says. ■

ECONOMY

Sikorsky, Bell remain upbeat on prospects

Slowdown will not hamper pursuit of new product developments, say US manufacturers, eyeing clean-sheet designs

Bell showcased its

developmental 525

flight-test prototype

James Drew/Flightglobal

Finmeccanica refreshes SW-4 as civilian AW

PRODUCT

A more powerful engine and

new avionics are being offered

Finmeccanica Helicopters

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