Bell Helicopter is unveiling a single-screen instrument panel concept for its V-280 Valor next-generation military tiltrotor. The panel currently is installed in the V-280 mock-up, which will be on display in the Pentagon’s courtyard from June 2 to 4. The panel display is a collaborative effort among Bell, partner Lockheed Martin and Los Angeles-based Inhance Digital; the companies have been working together on the concept for the last 18 months.  

While the team is likely a decade away from developing a system for a flying aircraft, it already has some definite ideas about its architecture. Bell was able to draw on technology developed for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter, including “smart helmets” with PDAS (pilot displayed aperture systems), as well as ideas from commercial off-the-shelf technology. “The pilots who will be flying this aircraft are today’s eight-year-olds,” said Jeremy Chavez, project engineer on the V-280 program. “The aircraft would become operational during the 2025 to 2030 time frame, so we looked at trends where cockpits were heading: more touchscreen interactive capabilities. We looked at the technology currently on the commercial market and who the pilots will be operating the aircraft in that time frame. They have grown up with iPads, pinching and swiping screens. That kind of thing will be highly intuitive to them.”

System Survivability Is Key

While the panel is still in the concept stage, the team is focusing on developing a product that can incorporate and present an enormous amount of data and imagery to the pilots from both their own and other aircraft in logical sequence and is ballistically survivable. One idea on the latter is to construct the screen from a series of small mosaic displays that stitch together a larger image. “If a round pierced the screen it might take out one or two tiles, but the rest of the screen would function around it, sort of like poking your finger through a screen door. The screen is still intact; you just have a localized area where the screen is not functioning,” Chavez said.

This survivability is particularly critical since most of the switchology aboard the aircraft will be eliminated and replaced with inputs made directly on the touchscreen. “You won’t have all the toggle switches you have in today’s cockpit, but there will be back-ups that we will develop with the survivability group,” Chavez said. “With the mosaic design, you don’t lose the entire screen. You can move information off the damaged area or the display control system would be smart enough to know not to display critical information in the damaged area and would automatically move it off to the side… Beyond that we are still developing failure modes and how we want to mitigate those risks.”

The V-280 team is also looking at ballistic-resistant materials for the display. “A ballistic-tolerant screen is something we are looking at,” said Chavez, “like bulletproof glass on an armored car. But we don’t want to put something out there that is ballistically tolerant but constantly fails.”

Chavez sees the instrument panel, smart helmet and data projected onto the windshield as providing a triple-redundant system, able to display enough data either in concert or independently to ensure safety of flight. “A lot of the flight-critical information is going to be distributed across the [helmet] visor screen and the windshield. As on the F-35, the visor integrates with PDAS sensors on different parts of the aircraft to provide a 360-degree spherical view of the world around you. That would just be streamed into the helmet and distributed across the visor as the operator wants to customize it,” he said.

Keeping Pilots Focused

Another critical challenge is keeping such a massive display from overwhelming the pilots with information or tempting them to fly with eyes only in the cockpit. “It is a massive display and it is very eye-catching, but the last thing we want is for pilots to be mesmerized by it. They need to be eyes out as well. That will be a balancing act that we develop over time,” Chavez said.

Sensors will detect aircraft condition, and system logic will display only the most critical information needed under any given conditions. Chavez gives some examples. “If you are entering a brownout at 100 feet agl, all displays go to a primary flight display; if your radar altimeter goes to 50 agl, certain information would vanish and the display would give you just the most critical information, such as an attitude indicator. There will be a predetermined logic to the system.”

Perhaps the giant display’s most impressive ability is to integrate data from the PDAS to provide a giant outside window with synthetic vision during limited or zero-visibility situations. “It’s basically the same as looking outside. That is definitely where we are headed with this display,” Chavez said.

A fatal tailboom separation on a Bell UH-1B in 2013 inspired Aircraft Structural Repair (ACSR) of Stevensville, Mont., to design the Bart tailboom motion-detection system. Bart is currently being offered under FAA Part 337 field approval pending supplemental type certificate (STC) approval.

The system is named after pilot Bart Colantuono, who perished in the crash while logging in heavily wooded terrain near Detroit, Ore. Witnesses reported that when the helicopter was just above the trees, they either saw or heard the load of logs release early and hit the ground hard. After looking up, they saw the helicopter’s tailboom separate from the fuselage; both descended through the trees. The fuselage hit the ground inverted and the tailboom came to rest about 140 feet away. Tailboom fittings on UH-1s can fracture after many years of service.

ACSR president Dustin Wood worked with UH-1 operators in developing the Bart system.

Bart installs via a fuselage plug and consists of a rod encased in tubing to the interior of the tailboom and extending forward into the fuselage where a micro switch is attached to the airframe. Upon failure of an upper left hand tailboom fitting, longeron, or attach bolt, the switch will illuminate the master caution panel indicating “tailboom.” Requiring two days to install, it has been fitted to three UH-1Bs and has already proved its worth, according to Wood.

On February 14 this year, the Bart tailboom warning light illuminated on a UH-1B performing Part 133 external loading as part of a logging operation. Concurrent with the tailboom light and the master caution warning, the pilot reported hearing a loud boom. He immediately removed all left pedal input, released the load and landed without incident using minimal left pedal. An inspection of the helicopter revealed cracks in the left-hand tailboom fitting as well as the sheet metal former on the upper left-hand tailboom bulkhead. Visual inspections immediately before this flight did not reveal any harbingers of a problem such as visible cracking or rivet smoking.

“It is nice to see operators and mechanics working together to come up with solutions that can save lives,” said ACSR’s Wood.

The team behind Lord’s hub-mounted vibration suppressor (HMVS) technology has received the American Helicopter Society (AHS) Grover E. Bell award.

 The award is given for an outstanding research and experimentation contribution to the field of vertical flight development brought to fruition during the preceding calendar year. It was created by Larry Bell, founder of Bell Aircraft (now Bell Helicopter Textron), in 1957 in honor of his older brother, Grover, who was killed in an aircraft crash in 1913. The team, composed of Lord, the U.S. Army and Sikorsky Aircraft, received the award May 6 during AHS International’s 71st Annual Forum and Technology Display in Virginia Beach, Va.

Designed to reduce weight, eliminate vibration and deliver a smoother helicopter ride, the HMVS system seeks to actively cancel rotor-induced vibration at its source. Compared with traditional hub-mounted passive treatments, HMVS provides enhanced vibration control at a greatly reduced weight. The HMVS team at Lord includes Mark Jolly, Ph.D., manager of mechanical and sensing research; Russ Altieri, senior staff engineer; Gregory Fricke, Ph.D., staff engineer; John Nagle, staff program manager; and Dan Kakaley, engineer.

HMVS was demonstrated aboard a Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk at the U.S. Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate at Fort Eustis, Va., in March last year as part of the Active Rotor Component Demonstration program. Flight regimes included progression from a hover to 150 knots, autorotations and 60-degree-bank turns. The HMVS cancels the largest vibratory loads near the source of the vibration, which is the main rotor hub, thus keeping the loads from propagating into the airframe. In preliminary flight-testing, the HMVS was found to reduce vibration significantly, reducing weight by 30 percent compared with the standard bifilar anti-vibration system on the Black Hawk.

The HMVS is composed of a housing mounted on top of the main rotor hub that contains four brushless electric ring motors, each fitted with a tungsten mass. Electrical power comes from the slip ring powering the rotor anti-icing system. As the main rotor blades begin to produce vibration loads in forward flight, the masses move closer together in phase to counter it. One pair of masses spins in the direction of the main rotor and the other spins opposite at four times the speed of the main rotor.

After several years of delays, Airbus Helicopters delivered its first H175 super-medium twin late last year and is slowly ramping up production while it campaigns the finished helicopter on a worldwide marketing tour. AIN sat in on one such demonstration earlier this year in Houston with oil and gas producer (OGP) company pilots who fly to rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. OGP and search-and-rescue operators provided key design input on the H175. In general, they praised the helicopter’s handling, utility of its intuitive Helionix avionics suite (developed in cooperation with Rockwell Collins), auto hover, roomy and comfortable cockpit, cabin layout (including ease of passenger egress), and low cabin vibration and low exterior noise levels.

Airbus emphasized the latter during the successful demonstration of a low-noise IFR approach to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southwestern France in May. The approach procedures were flown using accurate lateral and vertical guidance provided by Egnos, the European satellite-based augmentation system (Sbas), and in the presence of airplane traffic simultaneously approaching and departing to/from airport runways, which proved the suitability of these helicopter-specific procedures to achieve simultaneous non-interfering aircraft and rotorcraft IFR operations at a medium-size commercial airport.

More Functionality Coming

While the H175 produces less exterior noise than older helicopters, noise inside is more in line with that inside traditional helicopters, a trade-off for the expansive windscreen and large pop-out passenger windows that facilitate rapid egress in the event of a water ditching. The H175 has a few notable other misses. The positioning of the emergency float system, robust enough to handle Sea State 6, required that the cargo door be positioned fairly high up the fuselage, necessitating the use of a ladder for loading and unloading, a process that can be a little awkward. The pipework for the single-point refueling, while shrouded, intrudes into the baggage hold. And while the oversized passenger windows provide the opportunity for rapid egress and spectacular views, they do make it difficult for the air conditioning to keep up with what typically is found on an airliner; however, the cooling is noticeable. It is a two-zone system that precludes the typical Hobson’s choice of freeze or fry in the cockpit and each passenger has his own individual overhead gasper. The H175 does not have an auxiliary power unit, but one engine can be run on the ground while declutched, providing power to cool the cabin before aircraft loading.

As customary throughout the industry when a new helicopter is first delivered, not all systems and capabilities are complete. Notably, on the H175, the rotor anti-icing remains in flight-test and full system approval is not expected until 2018 or 2019, according to François De Bray, Airbus H175 marketing product manager. A test aircraft was recently snow testing at Courchevel in the French Alps, where one of its Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-67E turboshafts was removed and replaced after exceeding operational limits in the approved flight envelope. The SAR kit and inlet barrier filters will be available in 2017, De Bray said. In SAR configuration, the baggage hold can be accessed from the cabin.

The H175 is currently certified for single-pilot VFR operations; De Bray said Airbus is investigating single-pilot IFR approval, but it “is not a priority” as most OGP and SAR operators fly with two pilots. The Helionix system features redundant flight computers, a four-axis autopilot and an easy-to-use auto hover that automatically corrects for wind. Other noticeable features automatically keep the helicopter stable in challenging situations such as brown-out or inadvertent IMC encounters. Toggling two beeps on the cyclic activates the “recovery mode” that restores the latest heading, speed and altitude; and automatic hover can kick in at 150 feet.

All the switchology and controls in the comfortable cockpit are located along the panel and pedestal and can be equally accessed from either pilot position. The instrument panel has lots of extra space for add-ons such as a landscape format multifunction display that could be used to display infrared imagery on SAR-equipped aircraft.

Thanks to the Pratts (1,776 shp each), the H175 has good one-engine-inoperative performance and easily meets the Category A, PC1 requirements for takeoff at maximum weight of 17,180 pounds. The H175 has already established several time-to-climb records, most notably 19,685 feet (6,000 meters) in just 6 minutes, 54 seconds. Test pilots said that they had experienced maximum climb rates in the region of 4,500 fpm.

The maximum usable fuel load from the five-tank system is 695 U.S. gallons, more than 4,500 pounds. That gives the H175 a maximum range of 600 nm and a good radius of action under a variety of load conditions: 265 nm with seven passengers plus 10 percent and a 30-minute reserve or 136 nm with 16 passengers plus 10 plus 30. And that’s with the passengers weighted at 242 pounds each, so there’s not a lot of creative math pumped into the equation. A high-density layout is available with 18 passengers. The main cabin volume is 434.37 cu ft and the baggage compartment adds another 95.35 cu ft.

The H175 has held up well under stress so far; launch customer NHV, an OGP company that operates in the North Sea, placed its first two aircraft into operation a week after delivery last December and are reporting a dispatch rate of better than 90 percent.

The H175 was designed to meet the MSG3 maintenance standard. Its tall cowling facilitates access to a variety of systems, and the flared exhaust stacks help whisk heat away more quickly from the work area. A variety of ladder attach points are built into the fuselage, enabling quick climbing. The engines, main gearbox and rotors all have an initial TBO of 5,000 hours.

De Bray said the H175 is 5 to 7 percent less expensive to operate than competitive aircraft. “Yes, this helicopter was late, but what we have now is a really mature helicopter that is entering service,” he said. “It fits well with the Gulf of Mexico.”

Boeing Defense will begin production of the AH-6i Little Bird light attack and reconnaissance helicopter in Mesa, Ariz., by the end of the year. The manufacturer declined to name the first buyer, which the U.S. Army has previously identified as the Saudi Arabia National Guard. The latter agency will acquire 24 international Little Birds through a foreign military sale (FMS).

“We are starting up a production line this year…and this aircraft will be in production,” Bradley Rounding, Boeing manager of attack helicopter business development, told reporters in Philadelphia on May 22. “So that’s a significant event for our team.” Boeing expects to build two helicopters per month and complete deliveries to the launch customer by December 2017.

Mesa-based MD Helicopters, formed from the former McDonnell Douglas commercial helicopter division, will supply the fuselages for the first 24 helicopters, Rounding said. Boeing will perform final assembly, flight test and delivery.

The Army awarded Boeing a $234 million FMS contract last year to supply AH-6is to Saudi Arabia. The Little Bird international variant was contained in a huge arms deal the U.S. and Saudi governments negotiated in 2010. “So far we have one (customer),” Rounding said. “We have a number of others we are working with and we’re excited about future opportunities.”

The AH-6i borrows from Boeing’s development of the AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter and the A/MH-6M Little Bird used by U.S. special forces. Its integrated digital cockpit is Apache-derived, with a “state of the art” mission computer that manages weapons systems and sights, Rounding said. The production aircraft is fitted with an L-3 Wescam MX-15Di imaging turret with laser rangefinder and designator, but its open systems architecture supports different sensors.

There are two weapons stores on each side of aircraft, allowing for a weapons mix that includes an M-134 minigun, .50 caliber GAU-19B machine gun, M260 seven-shot rocket pods and up to four semi-active laser Hellfire missiles. These were derived from special forces helicopters. “They’ve developed and qualified all of the weapons on the aircraft,” Rounding said. “When we developed this program, we reached back to those weapons that were already qualified for special operations and we pulled them forward to the airframe we ultimately called the AH-6i.”

The wing stores also support 30-gallon conformal fuel tanks on each side, providing an additional 60 gallons of fuel, or about two and a half hours of endurance. Another option the AH-6i accommodates is a 63-gallon “Goliath” internal auxiliary fuel tank.

Boeing was conducting development testing on an AH-6X production standard helicopter in advance of starting the production line. The first production-configuration AH-6 made its maiden flight on April 18, 2014.

Bell Helicopter inked a deal with Russia’s JSC Ural Works of Civil Aviation (UWCA) on Monday to assemble new 407GXP singles for UWCA in Russia to speed their inclusion on the country's civil aircraft registry. As part of the deal, UWCA agreed to acquire “several” 407GXPs by the end of this year. The helicopters will be assembled at the UWCA facility in Yekaterinburg.

“This is a key milestone for Bell Helicopter that we expect will lead to further opportunities within the Russian market,” said Patrick Moulay, Bell vice president of global sales and marketing. According to UWCA chairman Artur Schtankov, “We believe the Bell 407GXP’s performance and operating cost make it the right helicopter for the Russian market.”

Bell unveiled the 407GXP in March. Compared with its progenitor, the 407GXP incorporates more functional avionics, a power push on the Rolls-Royce 250-C47B/8 engine to 862 shp, slightly lower fuel consumption and 500-hour longer TBO on the main transmission. The extra power also provides for a 50-pound payload increase and better hot-and-high performance.

Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider semi-compound helicopter made its first flight on May 22. A follow-on to the X2 demonstrator, the S-97 combines two rigid coaxial, counter-rotating rotors and a pusher propeller to achieve speeds unattainable with a conventional rotorcraft.

The maiden sortie took place at the manufacturer's development flight center in West Palm Beach, Florida. It lasted approximately one hour, during which pilot Bill Fell and co-pilot Kevin Bredenbeck took the aircraft through a series of maneuvers designed to test hover and low speeds. With first flight achieved, the Raider is now moving onto,  “demonstrating key performance parameters critical to future combat operations including armed reconnaissance, light assault, light attack and special operations,” Sikorsky said, referring to the needs of the U.S. Army. The S-97 can be developed to carry six troops and external weapons. It has two aircrew. Cruise speeds are predicted to reach 240 knots.

“With the Raider aircraft’s unmatched combination of speed, maneuverability and acoustic signature, Sikorsky Aircraft is ideally positioned to provide the military with essential mission-specific capabilities. With this flight, we have started the demonstration of solutions to not only near-term capability gaps but also solutions for future vertical lift needs,” Samir Mehta, President of Sikorsky Defense Systems & Services, said.

In addition to military missions, Sikorsky is exploring commercial applications for the S-97. “In a commercial role, applications could include VIP transport, offshore oil support, search and rescue and medevac. The speed of the S-97 Raider makes it an interesting option,” Chris Van Buiten, vice president of Sikorsky Innovations, told AIN. Another feature for both civil and military operations is that the S-97 is relatively quiet. The rotor has a lower blade tip speed, there is no tail rotor and the pusher propeller can be shut off during hover and operations at normal helicopter flight speeds.

The program is 100 percent funded by Sikorsky and its 53 industry partners. GE Aviation provided a YT706-GE-700R turboshaft, part of the T700/CT7 family, for the single-engine rotorcraft. This 2,500-3,000 shp, FADEC-controlled engine is currently used in the Sikorsky MH-60M for the U.S. Army Special Forces. United Technologies Aerospace Systems provided the flight control computers, air data system and prop drive. Triumph provided the gearbox.

“The S-97 is much more production-representative than the X2, which was a single-seater,” Van Buiten said. The X2 was designed to prove the physics of the X2 configuration, whereas the Raider is rather designed to demonstrate the operational value to customers. According to Van Buiten, significant improvements have been made in several areas of the design including the fuselage, flight controls, drive train and rotor system.

The final assembly of a second prototype is to be completed this year. A demonstration tour of the Raider is planned for 2016.

A CHC Helikopter Service Sikorsky S-92 equipped with dual Universal Avionics SBAS-flight management systems recently performed the first localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approach to Runway 07 in Florø, Norway. The helicopter, LN-OQM, was piloted by John Olav Ofstad and Morten Kufaas on a transit flight from Bergen to Florø, which—in support of the offshore oil and gas industry—is the first Norwegian airport to be equipped with LPV.

CHC’s S-92 is equipped dual Universal Avionics UNS-1Espw SBAS-FMSs and uses four-axis fully coupled modes in the pseudo-ILS mode down to circling minimums. According to the flight crew, the FMS, auto-arming and auto-activation were simpler to set up than with other approach types.

LPV capability for both rotorcraft and airplanes is one of the future navigation concepts embraced for Europe’s Sesar and the FAA’s NextGen roadmaps. Use of these procedures alleviates airspace congestion, saves fuel and improves safety, Universal Avionics said.

Sikorsky will cut approximately 1,400 production-related jobs, the company announced this week. “Sustained decreases in oil prices continue to drive significant declines in capital investments by oil companies in offshore oil exploration projects,” a spokesman explained. The consequence is reduced production of medium and heavy helicopters. Demand also remains soft for “certain international military products.” The 1,400 layoffs include a mix of employees and contractors.

The job cuts affect Sikorsky’s facilities in Poland, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The measure is effective immediately and will take place over the next 12 months. As a result, the company will vacate smaller satellite facilities and consolidate the remaining production volume into larger campuses in Poland, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Workers at the current factory in Bridgeport, Conn., will be relocated to Stratford, Conn. “We will work closely with the employees to ease the transition, and with all our employees, customers and suppliers to ensure continued delivery on all our business commitments,” the spokesman said.

In April, Sikorsky lost out to Airbus Helicopters in a major tender in Poland. At the time, the company said it was “extremely disappointed.” It was bidding with PZL Mielec, offering the S-70i Black Hawk and possibly also S-70B Sea Hawks.

Kaman Aerospace announced on Friday that it will restart production of the K-Max K-1200 heavy external lift helicopter. The K-Max was certified in 1994 and the production line was shuttered in 2003 after 38 were built. The helicopter can lift up to 6,000 pounds externally and is powered by a single Honeywell T53-17 turboshaft flat rated to 1,500 shp (takeoff).

An initial new production run of 10 is expected, with first deliveries in early 2017. Kaman estimates unit price at $7.5- to $8.5 million. Relaunch customers include Rotex Helicopter of Switzerland and Helicopter Express of Chamblee, Ga. The helicopters will be manufactured at Kaman’s facilities in Jacksonville, Fla., and Bloomfield, Conn.

Two autonomously piloted K-Max flew for the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan between 2011 and 2014, delivering 4.5 million pounds of cargo. Lockheed Martin and Kaman successfully tested an unmanned K-Max for firefighting operations in November. In one hour, the unmanned K-Max lifted and dropped more than 24,000 pounds of water onto the target fire. In March, an unmanned K-Max successfully flew a mock medevac mission. Civil versions of the manned aircraft have long been used in construction, firefighting and logging applications.

Sikorsky is proceeding with flight-testing more unmanned “autonomous” helicopters, and is planning to add a Black Hawk to its Autonomy Program next year.

The U.S. rotorcraft manufacturer’s Matrix Technology program launched in mid-2013, giving helicopters various degrees of automation. To date, the only Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA) to fly is a modified S-76. It features fly-by-wire controls and a number of sensors and has completed autonomous takeoffs and landings. It has also performed flights where it avoided obstacles and autonomously selected a landing zone.

“SARA has, to date, flown more than 75 hours of engaged, unmanned time with Matrix technology, and we have a robust schedule to continue to expand the flight test envelope,” said Igor Cherepinsky, chief engineer for Sikorsky’s Autonomy Program, in mid-May.

In 2014, Sikorsky acquired a Black Hawk military helicopter, which it is now inducting it into the program. The idea is to “further our efforts to demonstrate the optionally piloted capabilities in a military platform,” Cherepinsky went on. Reconfiguration of the aircraft is in process, and the Black Hawk is scheduled to fly “sometime in late 2016.”

Sikorsky has been involved in related programs with the U.S. Army and Darpa (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency). The former effort involves UAV-UGV (unmanned air vehicle-unmanned ground vehicle) collaboration. Darpa, meanwhile, awarded Sikorsky a contract in the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (Alias) program, which envisions a “tailorable, drop-in, removable kit” that would incorporate high levels of automation in existing aircraft, enabling a smaller crew.

Airbus Helicopters is here exhibiting a full-scale mockup of the H160 medium twin, a long-awaited successor for the Dauphin family designed to lock horns with the AgustaWestland AW139 on the 12-passenger market. Previously codenamed X4, the clean-sheet design features Blue Edge main rotor blades for quieter operation, a canted fenestron tail rotor for increased payload and the Helionix avionics suite, developed in-house, that can also be found on the EC145T2 (now renamed H145) and the EC175 (now H175). Other innovations include a fully composite airframe, a biplane stabilizer–for improved main rotor efficiency–and an electrically actuated retractable landing gear.

The first flight of a prototype is planned for this year with entry into service in 2018. The H160 was unveiled at the U.S. Heli-Expo show in Orlando, Florida in February.

For an offshore oil-and-gas mission, the H160 will offer class 1 takeoff performance for 12 passengers and a 120-nm radius of action. In search-and-rescue, hover out of ground effect can be maintained at up to 5,000 feet and range reaches out to 450 nm with a 20-minute reserve. The “smooth cruise speed” will be 160 kts, without a counter-vibration system.

Airbus Helicopters’ marketing people see this as equivalent to the AW139’s performance, “for one metric ton less.” The H160 is said to be in the 5.5- to 6-ton category (12,000 to 13,000 lbs), while the AW139’s optional mtow has been raised to 7 tons (15,400 lbs). Airbus estimates the H160 will have a fuel burn advantage of 15-20 percent over the AW139.

The five Blue Edge blades, already seen on an EC155 demonstrator, will bring a 3 dB improvement over the noise level of a production EC155. The shape also helps lift–the enhancement is expected an increase in maximum gross weight of up to 220 lbs. The 12-degree-canted tail rotor is the first such design with a shrouded fenestron. It combines its antitorque role with a vertical-lift component, which is said to increase payload by some 90 lbs.

The third major aerodynamic feature is the biplane stabilizer. It keeps its function in forward flight and increases stability in approach, according to its designers. It also reduces the masking effect such a surface has on main rotor thrust–the bottom line is another 110 pounds of payload improvement.

In systems, the electric landing gear is seen as lighter and safer than its hydraulic equivalent. For safety, the key is to eliminate high-pressure hydraulic fluid lines below the cabin floor.

The Helionix suite is very close to that of the EC175, based on four 6-inch by 8-inch displays. A major difference is the return of the overhead panel for engine controls. Cursor-control devices and a touchscreen will be optional.

The airframe is all-composite, most materials on the H160 being similar to those found on the military NH90. Airbus expects a reduction in maintenance needs and “maximized occupant safety.” An innovation on the bearingless Spheriflex rotor hub is the use of thermoplastics for lower-cost manufacturing, reduced weight and, above all, damage tolerance–any cracks would propagate very slowly.

Due to an increased need for power, the 1,100- to 1,300-shp Turbomeca Arrano 1A is now the sole-source engine for the H160. However, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210E, which was previously an option, will still be installed on the first H160 prototype.

The design of the H160 has not been only about technical details, as the designers have also played close attention to styling. One driver in this was the history of the company, but the style bureau also wanted to show that this is a new aircraft and to give it a strong identity, “which could make it as recognizable as a Dauphin.”

Three prototypes–dubbed PT1, PT2 and PT3–are to participate into the flight-test program. They will be joined by a pre-production aircraft (PS01) in flight tests. An EC155 demonstrator has been used in helping refine the Blue Edge blades, the stabilizer and the canted tail rotor and it will continue to support the H160’s development.

Airbus plans to begin taking orders in 2016.

French aerospace simultaneously lost one contract, but won another last month. India’s decision in favor of the Kamov Ka-226T for its reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter (RSH) requirement was a blow to Airbus Helicopters, but a boon to Turbomeca. The former’s AS550 Fennec was the losing finalist in the long-running RSH contest. But the latter’s Arrius 2G1 turboshafts will power the Ka-226T – replacing the Rolls Royce Allison 250-C20R/2s that powered the baseline Ka-226A.

In early May, India’s Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the Ka-226T deal that was reached “in principle” during Russian president Vladimir Putin official visit to New Delhi in December 2014. “We expect that an initial order would be up to 200 helicopters (which) will set a record for us and will require closer partnership with the local industry.” said Alexander Mikheyev, general manager of Russian Helicopters. The Ka-226T will be produced under license at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in accordance with the “Make in India” principle. The Russian side is expecting an official confirmation of the deal to come shortly, he added. Rosoboronexport will be the contract holder.

Speaking to AIN at the HeliRussia 2015 show in Moscow last month, Olivier Andries, chairman and chief executive officer at Turbomeca, said: “our partnership with Russian Helicopters, and with India, is crucial.” He noted that Turbomeca has been in India for 50 years and is currently the supplier of engines for most Indian military helicopters. “Through the Ka-226T project we can develop our presence in this marketplace,” Andries added. He said that although manufacturing details are yet to be agreed, “we will probably follow the guidance of Russian Helicopters, but we have to be compliant with the ‘Make in India’ requirement. So, it may well be that these engines will be assembled in India and partly manufactured there.”

Certified in November 2011, the Arrius 2G develops 804 shaft horsepower at emergency setting, 730 shp at takeoff and 622 shp at maximum continuous mode, compared to the Rolls-Royce Allison’s 450 shp at takeoff and 380 shp at max continuous settings. Due to the French engine’s higher power, the rotorcraft’s maximum takeoff weight has been increased from 3.4 to 3.6 metric tons. The configuration of the Ka-226T may have been the crucial factor in its selection: it is noticeably slower than the Fennec, but hot-and-high performance in mountain areas was a key criteria for India, and the coaxial main-rotor layout takes maximum advantage of engine power. The Ka-226T also features a beefed-up VR-226 gearbox and improved avionics, compared with the original Ka-226. The certification trials of the Arrius 2G were performed on two Ka-226T prototypes.

Indian ambassador in Moscow Pundi Srinivasan Raghavan told the Russian media that India will sign an initial a contract for 197 Ka-226Ts. “Details are being sorted out. It will be a joint Indo-Russian project,” he added. The Indian press reported that the DAC has allocated $470 million for the project. Eventually, the number of Ka-226Ts to be manufactured in India may reach 400-500. Initially, India may take a small number of Ka-226Ts built by Russian Helicopters’ factory KumAPP in Kumertau.

In the wake of the Indian selection, the Russian air force is forming a  demonstration-and-utility squadron of these multirole helicopters at Chkalovskaya airbase near Moscow. So far, the service has received 36 Ka-226Vs, placing them all with the pilot training school at Syzran as a tool to prepare students to flying heavier Ka-50/52 strike helicopters. “The new squadron will have 12 Ka-226Vs, with 10 having already been delivered,” Russian Helicopters announced at HeliRussia. Addressing the media, Alexander Mikheyev, general manager at Russian Helicopters, said the Ka-226T has successfully passed trials in Russia and India, and that it represents “an optimal choice for the Indian armed forces.”

Russian Helicopters’ backlog of firm orders was 585 rotorcraft valued at Rouble 490 billion (U.S.$9.8 billion at the then-current exchange rate), the manufacturer announced at HeliRussia 2015 held May 21 to 23 in Moscow. In 2014 the number of shipments stood at 271, compared to 275 in 2013; they were distributed almost equally to local and foreign customers in 11 countries. By number of deliveries, Russian Helicopters is second only to Airbus Helicopters (471 in 2014). It is set to deliver 244 helicopters this year.

Alexander Mikheyev, Russian Helicopters’ general manager, said he expects shipments to range from 230 to 280 helicopters in the period until 2030. If accurate, this prediction would secure jobs for most of Russian Helicopters’ workforce of 46,500 who are employed on 26 projects under the umbrella of the holding company.

“The trend to a reduction in the number of our shipments year on year (during the 2013 to 2015 time frame) can be offset through the introduction of new designs and an increase in both quality and volume of services offered to our customers,” Mikheyev told AIN. “In past several years we have delivered a lot of helicopters, and thus fulfilled a great deal of market demand for our products. This applies both to domestic and overseas markets. A new challenge we are facing now is to provide better aftersales support and maintenance for the global fleet of Mil and Kamov helicopters which has grown recently. In order to keep our market share at some 20 pecent, we need to improve aftersales support, and we also need to add new helicopter models. These changes can help relieve the recent trend of a decline in shipments.”

Last year the manufacturer’s income amounted to nearly Roubles 170 billion, with a profit of Roubles 20.7 billion. Helicopter sales accounted for 83 percent, the rest coming from services and aftersales support. The share of R&D in company’s expenses stood at 5 percent of income.

“Broadly speaking, our economic model remains more or less predictable even in the current conditions,” Mikheyev stated. “The problems we are facing or are going to face are also predictable. This gives us opportunity and time to address them and find some cures.” Among problems experienced by Russian manufacturers, he mentioned “high costs of hired capital, inflation and residual effects from escalation of global tensions.” He stressed that none of Russian Helicopters problems are specific, but rather shared throughout the whole of the national economy. “And yet we have rather large portfolio of export contracts. This brings us income in hard currencies, and enables us to partly offset the difficulties arising from the national economy problems.”

The constantly evolving Mi-8/17 family of helicopters accounted for more than half of all shipments in the past several years. Last year, two of the factories–Kazan Helicopters and Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAZ)–assembled more than 150 units. The main export customers are China, India and the U.S. (which bought a total of 63 Mi-17V5s for the Afghan Army in 2011-2014).

Mikheyev does not see a need to develop a replacement: “This helicopter remains very popular in the global marketplace,” he said. Continuous efforts have been made to improve the current factory standard by replacing some metallic parts with those made of composite materials; for example, metallic armor is being replaced by Kevlar. Since its introduction into service the Mi-8 has been constantly improved through numerous modernization programs. “The platform itself is well proven and its production streamlined. We continue working on extending its lifetime resources, avionics and weapons systems.” A new evolution of the highly successful design comes in the form of Mi-171A2, which is equipped with KBO-17 avionics from the Ulianovsk instrument-making design house (UIMDB). It is now under trials with two prototypes and will become production standard starting next year.

The Mi-38, which originally was intended to be a replacement for the Mi-8/17, is now being marketed as a new, improved design. “The Mi-38 is to fill another market niche; it is a unique machine in the class of its own,” according to Mikheyev. The fourth operable prototype (OP-4), powered by Klimov TV7-117V turboshaft engines, began flying last October. Two earlier prototypes, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW127Hs, have been reequipped with Klimov engines. Mil design house hopes to win Russian airworthiness certification by year-end. The OP-4 sets the production standard for Kazan Helicopters, which has already begun assembly of first production example, with delivery planned for next year.

At HeliRussia 2015, Russian Helicopters accepted airworthiness certificates for commercial versions of the Kamov Ka-226T and Ansat-GMSU medium helicopters. At the show, the manufacturer signed contracts for five Ansat-GMSUs with Tulpar Helicopters and Vector. They will be first commercial users of the type. Meantime, the Russian air force, which took six last year, is deciding whether to place additional orders for the Ansat-U, its customized version with the KSU-A fly-by-wire controls from Moscow-based MNPK Avionika (the commercial version has an hydraulic mechanical flight control system). A total of 30 Ansat-Us are operational with the Syzran flying school in the role of training helicopters.

The Ka-226T’s future was secured in December 2014, when Russian president Vladimir Putin paid a visit to New Delhi. India has selected this type for local production under license at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. On May 13, the Indian MoD’s Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the deal. “We expect that an initial order would be up to 200 helicopters,” Mikheyev said. Eventually, the number may grow to 400 to 500, he suggested. The Russian partner is expecting an official confirmation of the deal shortly, he added.

UTC announced on Monday that it will pursue the separation of its Sikorsky helicopter business, subject to final board approval. “Our strategic review has confirmed that exiting the helicopter business is the best path forward for United Technologies,” said UTC president and CEO Gregory Hayes.

According to the U.S.-based group, removing Sikorsky from the portfolio will “better position UTC to focus on providing high-technology systems and services to the aerospace and building industries.” However, the parent company still has to decide whether the move will be in the shape of a sale or a spinoff, and that choice will probably be announced by the end of July, according to Hayes.

Excluding Sikorsky, UTC continues to expect organic sales growth of 3 to 5 percent annually. In March the company released a comparative chart where Sikorsky appeared to be lagging rival helicopter manufacturers, with a margin slightly greater than 10 percent in 2014 and a projected annual growth of about 3 percent through 2023.

More recently, a decline in Sikorsky’s operational expectations for the year—attributed to weakness in the oil-and-gas market—negatively impacted earnings per share by $0.10. A plan for 1,400 job cuts was announced earlier this month. Commercial sales have been much slower than hoped and total Sikorsky sales this year will therefore be down by a single-digit percentage, according to a revised outlook. For the longer term the outlook remains positive as the target revenue is $10 billion by 2025, compared with $7.5 billion last year. Speaking at an investor meeting on Monday, Hayes said Sikorsky is “still a great company.”

Milestone Aviation, the GE Capital Services company that specializes in rotorcraft operational leasing, signed deals with Airbus Helicopters and Bell Helicopter on Monday at Paris 2015. A previously announced agreement for five optional Airbus H175s has been fattened to firm orders for 10 and options on 18. The H175 medium twin entered service last December in offshore oil-and-gas operations and has surpassed 900 flight hours.

With Bell, Milestone signed a letter of intent for 20 Bell 525 Relentless medium twins, which are in the same size category as the H175. Milestone expects they will be used in oil-and-gas, EMS, search-and-rescue and utility missions. If the letter of intent converts into a firm order, deliveries will start in late 2017.

FLIR Systems (Chalet 373) and Airbus Helicopters Deutschland announced the selection of FLIR’s Star Safire 380-HD as the preferred electro-optical system for the H145T2 medium helicopter and the compact 380-HDc system for the H135P3/T3 Meghas.

The Star Safire 380-HD will be the standard mission system available from Airbus Helicopters for H145T2 operators until at least December 31, 2017, the companies said. The 380-HDc system will be available for H135P3/T3 light helicopters for the same period.

“The selection of the Star Safire 380-HDc provides a major technical advancement to the global airborne law enforcement market,” said Kevin Tucker, FLIR surveillance vice president and general manager. “Traditionally, it has been split between large-turreted systems and much less-capable lightweight systems. Airbus Helicopters has recognized that the Star Safire 380-HDc provides large-system capability, but at little more than half the weight and cost.” o

The Airbus Helicopters H160 medium twin made its first flight on Saturday, June 13, at Marignane Airport, where the manufacturer has its headquarters. The helicopter took off at 9:30 a.m. and the flight, mostly hovering, lasted almost 20 minutes. Two flight-test engineers were on board, along with test pilot Olivier Gensse. “We felt virtually no vibration; this is very promising,” Gensse said. The first ground run took place on May 27.

Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210 engines powered the first flight but they will be replaced, late this year or early next year, with Turbomeca Arranos. The latter will be the only production engine for the H160, since Pratt & Whitney Canada decided not to pursue a growth version of the 1,100-shp class PW210E, leaving the choice to the 1,100- to 1,300-shp Arrano. “This has not changed the schedule for us,” Philippe Couteaux, Turbomeca's executive v-p of strategy and development, told AIN.

Between January and March, Airbus Helicopters started using two new kinds of iron bird to smooth the development of the helicopter. The dynamic integration testbed, dubbed “dynamic helicopter zero” (DHC0), has been designed to ensure the maturity of the flight control system, rotors, drive shafts, gearboxes and engines (initially the PW210E), among other things. It will continue to be used during the flight-test and certification phase. Turbomeca has already delivered Arranos for DHC0.

The system integration testbed, called “System helicopter zero” (SHC0), comprises electric and hydraulic systems and is also a tool for flight-deck development, Gensse explained.

Airbus plans to begin delivering the 12,000- to 13,000-pound mtow H160 in 2018.

Airbus Helicopters unveiled the first artist rendering of the long-awaited X6 on Tuesday at Paris 2015. The X6 is a new helicopter in the heavy category that is now beginning a two-year “concept phase,” with the idea being for it to enter service in the next decade. It will in particular target the oil-and-gas market, with a 19-seat capacity, eventually replacing the H225 Super Puma.

Guillaume Faury, president and CEO, said the new twin helicopter will feature fly-by-wire controls. “It makes sense on a heavy helicopter, driving a lot of capabilities–it improves safety thanks to a reduced crew workload; it [will] have very integrated systems working together; and it will enhance flight envelope protection,” he said.

For its first civil rotorcraft with fly-by-wire controls, Airbus Helicopters has learned lessons from the military NH90 and sister company Airbus, which has such systems on all its fixed-wing aircraft.

Faury did not specify which turboshaft engines the twin will use, but he hinted that some are available–in the right power class–from both Pratt & Whitney Canada and Turbomeca. The latter company yesterday said it has been running extensive tests on its Tech3000 demonstrator, in the 3,000 shp category, aimed at such 10-metric-ton-plus helicopters. Since January, the tests have taken place at both the component and module levels.

“Key technologies of the compressor have already been validated and tests of the combustor and turbine are underway,” the Safran subsidiary said. Full engine tests, integrating these new technologies, will start at the end of the year. Turbomeca is targeting a 25-percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

“We are especially assessing new materials for the combustor and high-pressure airfoils,” Philippe Couteaux, Turbomeca’s executive vice president for strategy and development, told AIN. The principle of a demonstrator is to bring these technologies to readiness level six, “to ensure we de-risk the next step–full-scale development,” he went on.

In addition to burning less fuel, Faury said the X6 will be able to fly longer distances than the H225 and offer a more comfortable cabin. A particular focus has been put on noise, both for passengers and the environment. “We want this helicopter to be a good citizen,” he said, alluding to the market potential for helicopter airlines.

Customer input is being sought during the concept phase, but some decisions have already been made, such as integrating full deicing. In addition to offshore oil-and-gas operators, other prospects are expected to be found in the search-and-rescue, VIP and commercial air transport markets.

The X6“will reach the market when the H225 is still in production,” Faury said. One reason is the development of a military version is forecast to be further away, so the H225M will continue to be in demand, he noted. Airbus Helicopters’ new design office in Poland will be involved early on in the X6 program.

Talking about overall helicopter sales, Faury said the first quarter was better than last year’s despite a “difficult market caused by dwindling oil prices.” The military market over-compensated and the order intake, in value, is thus up by 19 percent, at €1.428 billion ($1.6 billion). The book-to-bill ratio was greater than 1:1 in the quarter, he said.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has chosen the Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Co. (LHTEC), a 50-50 partnership between Honeywell International and Rolls-Royce, to supply engines for the Turkish Light Utility Helicopter (TLUH) program.

TAI and LHTEC officials signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday at the Paris Air Show and now plan further discussions around a contract for CTS800 engines for the aircraft.

Under the TLUH program, TAI will develop an indigenous five-ton, twin-engine utility helicopter, which the program partners would convert with mission equipment for Turkish military use after first gaining certification by EASA. The engine for TLUH will be the same model as those on the current T129ATAK helicopters, with a commercialized version of the Fadec.