Esperia Aviation Services S.p.A. Orders A Grand Helicopter
May 13, 2009
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that Esperia Aviation Services S.p.A. of Italy has signed a contract for one Grand light twin helicopter. This six cabin seat-configured aircraft will be used for passenger transport purposes operating from its base at Rome’s Urbe Airport. This contract further strengthens the leading role played by AgustaWestland in the Italian commercial helicopter market adding a new customer who has chosen the best selling light twin model to start passenger transport operations at Rome’s Urbe Airport.
A partnership between AgustaWestland and Esperia launched in April 2008 was aimed at establishing the first helicopter hub in Italy at Rome’s Urbe Airport. This collaboration is seeing Esperia building new hangars, hospitality and office areas to offer passenger hospitality services, passenger transport provision and corporate helicopter management services while AgustaWestland is establishing a helicopter maintenance centre for its helicopters. The two companies are now committed to further expand this partnership with additional similar initiatives in other parts of Italy.
The Grand has set a new standard in the light twin helicopter class providing levels of cabin space and payload previously only available with larger, more expensive helicopters. The spacious cabin and interior crafted to the highest standards provides unequalled comfort. One of the Grand’s most acclaimed features is its superior performance with a maximum cruise speed of 155 kts (287 km/h), a maximum range of 432 nautical miles (800 km) and an endurance of over 4 hours. The Grand additionally features advanced avionics and high levels of safety, low operating costs and excellent customer support. Its two powerful turboshaft engines provided with electronic control (FADEC) ensure a full Cat. A/Class 1 capability. Highly aerodynamic, the Grand is fitted with advanced composite rotor blades that reduce noise level well below ICAO limits. Orders for over 270 helicopters have been placed by more than 140 customers in over 30 countries worldwide, in order to perform several tasks including VIP/corporate transport, EMS, SAR and HPS.
Esperia Aviation Services is the new brand in the Business Aviation segment that sets the highest standards in term of quality and safety, far exceeding regulations requirements. Esperia, operating from its main base at Rome’s Urbe, provides to its valued customer high personalized flight services. At the same time, Esperia is involved in the development of aeronautical infrastructure to guarantee an adequate environment to business improvement. Thanks to the expertise of its management, Esperia could provide a wide range of tailored solutions from fleet management services to membership of a selected club.
AgustaWestland Launches Helicopter Tactics Training Programme
May 13, 2009
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, announced today at the ITEC 2009 exhibition the launch of a Helicopter Tactics Training Programme for military helicopter crews to help them prepare for deployed multi-national operations, especially in conflict zones where risks can be significantly reduced by pre-deployment tactics training.
The AgustaWestland Helicopter Tactics Training Programme is designed to train crews in how to best deal with threats present in current operational theatres and conflict zones, and improving the ability of crews to achieve their missions while reducing risk to aircraft and personnel. The training programme builds on initial work already carried out for the European Defence Agency and is supported by instructors with recent experience of deployed multi-national operations..
John Ponsonby, Senior Vice President Training, AgustaWestland speaking at ITEC said “With the growing demand for helicopters from many nations to support multi-national forces on deployed operations we believe the training we can deliver will bring major benefits to the safety and capabilities of these crews in theatre. There are many nations whose helicopter crews do not have the experience of operating in high threat environments or as part of a large multi-national force that will benefit significantly from our low cost Helicopter Tactics Training Programme.”
The training utilises low-cost, networked simulation devices which allow all crew members to train as a team and as a single or multi-ship formation in a collective environment. The training also develops the crew’s skills to maximise interoperability with other aviation assets or ground units in a multi-national task force environment.
AgustaWestland is a provider of professional training services to a wide range of military, commercial and industrial customers around the world. Operators are assured of receiving highly effective training solutions, designed to meet their requirements to achieve high levels of individual, team and collective performance and to enable customers to fully exploit AgustaWestland’s high capability aircraft by use of integrated learning environments. AgustaWestland is committed to offering the best training services as essential enablers in the delivery of mission capability to operators. The “A. Marchetti” Training Academy in Italy and Training Academies located in Philadelphia, USA, and in Yeovil, UK, utilise the latest e-learning, part-task maintenance and procedures trainers through to full mission and state-of-the-art Level D flight and mission simulators.
AgustaWestland’s Oil & Gas Seminar in Brazil Brings Operators and Industry Together
May 5, 2009
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, recently held an Oil & Gas Industry Seminar in Rio de Janeiro, as part of its strategy aimed at getting closer to its customers. The focus of the event, attended by over 60 delegates, was on oil and gas industry helicopter operations in South and Central America, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, where a number of AgustaWestland helicopters including the AW119Ke and the AW139 models are largely used for offshore purposes. The seminar follows the successful event held in Singapore in 2008 involving oil and gas activities focused on Asia and Australasia.
Delegates attended from a number of service providers and operators such as Senior Taxi Aereo, ERA Helicopters, Bristow, Petrobras, Heli-One, PFC Energy as well as other companies comprising Pratt & Whitney. The delegates were able to listen to briefings by aviation experts, helicopter operators, regulatory authorities and oil companies and to share views about offshore operational safety, regulation and future challenges facing aviation support for the oil and gas industry. An AgustaWestland Oil&Gas Industry Seminar is planned to be held in Europe in 2010.
Emilio Dalmasso, Vice President International Sales OGP Industry, AgustaWestland said “Gathering offshore operators, service providers and companies to share common views on the sector and enable them to show their needs and expectations for the future is a self-evident example of how AgustaWestland is committed to staying close to its customers. These seminars provide an exceptional opportunity to demonstrate what AgustaWestland has done so far to support offshore players worldwide and what can be done further to help them maximizing their capabilities to reach their business targets”.
Briefings were also given of operators “real-life” experiences of introducing and operating the AW139 in the offshore oil and gas support market. The AW139 has, in only a few years, established itself as the leading helicopter in this market, outselling all other medium twin helicopters. The AW139’s superior performance, cabin space and modern technology have proved popular with operators around the world. The type has been able to meet several stringent operational and safety requirements such as the one of Shell Aircraft International which fully approved it for worldwide use by Shell companies in 2007, being compliant with JAR/FAR29 and offering Class 1 performance, HUMS, advanced navigation systems and the availability of a Level D flight and mission simulator to name a few.
Over 430 AW139 helicopters have been purchased so far by more than 100 operators in over 40 countries. Approximately one third of orders have been for the offshore oil and gas transport market.
Dassault’s Falcon 2000LX Awarded EASA and FAA Certification
April 30, 2009
(Saint-Cloud, France, April 30, 2009) – Dassault Falcon announced today that the newest
member of the Falcon family of business jets, the 4000 nm Falcon 2000LX, has received
certification from the FAA. EASA certification was granted on April 23rd. The first
delivery will be made in early May.
“The Falcon 2000LX offers the lowest operating costs of any airplane in the large cabin
class and is an ideal solution for today’s challenging economic times,” said John
Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon. “It’s the most fuel efficient airplane
in the large cabin class which means a lower fuel bill and lower fuel emissions. It can
land and depart from short airfields so you can land closer to your destination and beat
your competition to grow your business.” The Falcon 2000LX is even more fuel efficient
than smaller airplanes including the newest of mid-sized business jets.
The 4,000 nm range 2000LX offers the same spacious, quiet interior as the 2000EX
EASy but the capability to serve a more extensive city pairs. The 2000LX will be able to
connect New York to Moscow; Paris to Mumbai; Dubai to London and Hong Kong to
Brisbane non stop. It also offers a 10 to 15% climb speed improvement (over the Falcon
2000EX) allowing it to reach 41,000 ft in just 18 minutes. The Falcon 2000LX comes
standard with the award-winning EASy flight deck which has won high marks and praise
for its integrated features and intuitive displays
Joint Efforts
The 2000LX program involved the joint efforts of Dassault Falcon and Aviation Partners
Inc. in Seattle, Washington. Dassault is responsible for new production aircraft while
Aviation Partners, the owner of the FAA Supplemental Type Certificate, is responsible
for the retrofit of in-service Falcon 2000 aircraft
API developed this High-Mach Blended Winglet specifically for the already-optimized
Dassault Falcon wing design. Modifications such as reinforcing straps on the upper and
lower wing panels and servo actuator door to accommodate the increased loads were
needed. The final result is a baseline wingspan for the 2000LX that is six feet nine inches
longer than the 2000EX while adding minimal weight.
The Falcon 2000LX is powered by the same highly reliable Pratt & Whitney Canada
PW308C engines as the 2000EX. The PW308C is rated at 7,000lbs thrust (ISA + 15C)
and recently passed 220,000 flight hours on the Falcon fleet.
Maiden flight for Brazilian maritime patrol aircraft P-3, modernised by Airbus Military
April 29, 2009
• This is the first of nine aircraft acquired by the Brazilian government
Madrid, 29 April 2009 – The maiden flight of the first Brazilian P-3 aircraft upgraded at Airbus Military’s facilities in Getafe (Madrid) took place today.
The event was attended by the P-3 programme’s Brigadier General, the head of the programme, the resident Brazilian team as well as executives from Airbus Military.
This maiden voyage represents a further milestone in the programme to modernise nine (9) P-3 aircraft for the Brazilian government, and marks the culmination of the equipment development and installation phase, and the start of flight tests to certify the mission and avionics systems.
The aircraft is fitted with the FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System) mission system developed by Airbus Military in Spain, which is at the heart of a sophisticated arms system which ranges from maritime patrol to the most comprehensive anti-submarine warfare configuration. The FITS system, designed as a flexible and modular system, can be fitted in any kind of platform, including proprietary Airbus Military platforms such as the C-212, CN-235 and C-295, as well as more complex platforms such as the P-3 Orion and Airbus A319.
The nine (9) P-3 aircraft will be used primarily in marine patrol missions including control of the Brazilian EEZ (exclusive economic zone), border protection, drug law enforcement in the Amazon region and search and rescue missions along an area stretching over 6 million km2 entrusted by the OACI to the Brazilian government (virtually the entire South Atlantic).
CFM Launches CFM56-7B Evolution Engine Program to Power Enhanced Boeing Next-Generation 737
April 28, 2009
Photo caption: Mock up highlighting (in red) the hardware changes being incoporated into the new CFM56-7B Evolution engine. From left to right: outlet guide vanes; high-pressure turbine; low-pressure turbine.
SEATTLE, Washington — April 28, 2009 — CFM International today launched the new CFM56-7B Evolution engine enhancement program scheduled to enter airline service in mid-2011 to coincide with Boeing Next-Generation 737 airframe improvements also announced today.
The CFM56-7B Evolution-powered Next-Generation 737 enhanced airplane/engine combination will provide a 2 percent improvement in fuel consumption, which, in turn, equates to a 2 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Additionally, the enhanced -7B will provide up to 4 percent lower maintenance costs, depending on the thrust rating.
CFM is using advanced computer codes and three-dimensional design techniques to improve airfoils in the high- and low-pressure turbines to improve engine performance. In addition, CFM is improving engine cooling techniques and reducing parts count to achieve lower maintenance costs.
The first engine is scheduled to begin ground testing in September of this year.
In early 2010, the –7B Evolution configuration will begin flight tests at GE Aviation facilities in Victorville, California, paving the way for engine certification in the third quarter. Flight tests on the Next-Generation 737 are planned for later in 2010, followed by aircraft certification and entry into service in mid-2011.
Once certified, the Evolution engine will carry the nameplate CFM56-7BE.
The CFM56-7B Evolution is a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company of Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company. CFM is the world’s leading manufacturing of commercial aircraft engines and has produced nearly 20,000 engines to date.
Final “Increment 1” VH-71 US Presidential Helicopter Delivered
April 28, 2009
The ninth and final VH-71 to be built under “Increment 1” of the US Presidential Helicopter Replacement Programme departed AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility today on its way to the United States for completion by prime contractor Lockheed Martin. The aircraft will depart the UK for the US later this week aboard a US Air Force C-17 transport aircraft.
Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland said at the delivery ceremony “The delivery of the final aircraft today has been achieved just over four years after the contract was awarded in 2005. All the aircraft delivered are completely compliant to the specifications required by the U.S. Government and the progress achieved in such a short period of time is uncommon for an acquisition of this size and complexity. The whole VH-71 team can be proud of this remarkable achievement”.
He went on to say “The VH-71 helicopters meet or exceed all the performance requirements specified in the contract and it remains the only helicopter available today, or in the medium term, that can meet the demanding requirements. The VH-71 delivers much greater safety, speed, range and capability that the legacy aircraft which are now reaching the end of their service life.”
The contract to build four Test Vehicles (TV) and five Pilot Production (PP) aircraft was awarded in January 2005 after an exhaustive evaluation of all solutions. Since then the programme schedule for AgustaWestland has changed by only six months while accommodating over 800 customer changes including 50 major design changes.
The VH-71 is more than an executive transport helicopter – it is a command and control platform that will provide the President with seamless communications connectivity and fulfil the Marine One mission requirements. The VH-71 aircraft will be ready to enter service in late 2010 following installation of the cabin interior, communications suite and other mission equipment. Following delivery of the final “Increment 1” aircraft AgustaWestland will continue to provide technical and logistical support for the fleet of aircraft and is ready to proceed with “Increment 2” or a range of alternative solutions utilising the capabilities of the “Increment 1” VH-71.
The VH-71 is based on the successful multi-mission AW101 helicopter currently serving with seven armed forces and has logged more than 180,000 flight hours, including prolonged combat operations in Iraq and Kosovo.
Airbus Military performs A330 MRTT receiver testing with a French Air Force KC-135
April 28, 2009
Madrid, April 28, 2009- After completing testing of the flight control laws of the new A330 MRTT as a receiver aircraft with the Airbus Military A310 Boom Demonstrator, in which the A310 tanker made more than 80 con-tacts, Airbus Military has further validated the receiver flight control laws of the A330 MRTT with a French Air Force KC-135 Aircraft.
Two flights involving 20 contacts have been performed between the first Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A (A330 MRTT) and the French KC-135 aircraft. The support of the French Air Force to the Australian A330 MRTT program has been possible thanks to a technical agreement between the Minister of Defence of the French Republic and the Minister for Defence of Australia on co-operation in the field of defence armament concerning tanker aircraft in which a series of flight trials will be performed with a French tanker and different receiver aircraft.
Since commencement of the second flight test phase last December, Air-bus Military has performed a range of testing; including tanker and re-ceiver flight control laws validation, underwing pod testing, boom data gathering and envelope expansion as well as MIDS, Link 16 and military avionics and mission testing, logging a total of 102 flights.
The A330 Multi Role Transport Tanker (MRTT), a military derivative of the successful A330-200 commercial aircraft, is the most capable air-to-air refuelling solution available today. It has won the last five international competitions where it has participated: Australia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, and the USA.
AgustaWestland Unveils The TUHP 149 Helicopter To Meet The Turkish Utility Helicopter Programme
April 28, 2009
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, unveiled a full scale mock-up of the TUHP 149 helicopter at IDEF 2009 in Istanbul today. The TUHP 149 is the AgustaWestland candidate for the Turkish Utility Helicopter Programme (TUHP). It is a new generation 8.1 ton medium lift multi-role helicopter designed to meet the military requirements of Turkish end users.
The TUHP 149 maximizes the involvement of TAI and additional leading Turkish aerospace and defence companies, including ASELSAN, TEI, ROKETSAN, HAVELSAN, building on the strategic partnership already set up by AgustaWestland and Turkish industries through the ATAK programme.
The TUHP 149 features a wide, constant cross section and unobstructed cabin with large sliding doors. The cabin can be easily reconfigured to meet different operational requirements with the capability to transport up to 18 equipped troops. The leading edge technology, open architecture digital avionics and integrated mission and weapon systems allow the aircraft to undertake a wide range of missions. The high performance twin engine helicopter is designed for operations in all environments day and night.
The aircraft can be configured to carry a wide range of weapons, including rocket launchers, air-to-surface and machine-guns as well as external auxiliary tanks in a variety of combinations. Pintle mounted machine-guns can also be fitted on fixed frame windows or in the doors. Structural provisions for the installation of an external cargo hook, heavy duty rescue hoist and a wide range of other mission equipment are provided.
The TUHP 149, due to its modular design for rapid role re-configuration, is perfectly suited to perform an impressive range of duties including troop transport, battlefield and logistic operations, fire support, SAR and combat SAR, special forces operations, reconnaissance, surveillance, CASEVAC, command control and communication, external load lifting as well as VIP military transport.
The new technology TUHP 149 has been designed from the outset with low support and maintenance requirements to minimize the operating costs and the through life ownership costs. A range of support and training services packages will be available to provide cost effective through life support to meet customer’s requirements. A full “Level D” flight simulator is also envisaged.
AW139 Enters Service With Sky Shuttle Helicopters
April 17, 2009
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the first two AW139 medium twin helicopters owned by Sky Shuttle Helicopters Limited of Hong Kong have entered operational service. An official ceremony, celebrating the entry into service of the aircraft and the opening of a new helipad and passenger lounge at the Hong Kong Heliport, Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal. The ceremony was held on April 16th and was attended by various dignitaries from Hong Kong and Italy.
The 12 seat-configured AW139 helicopters are used by Sky Shuttle Helicopters Limited to provide helicopter shuttle flights between Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen, delivering outstanding levels of performance, comfort and safety.
The new helipad features a roomy and modern 6,000 square feet check in and passenger lounge facility providing high levels of comfort and passenger service. The event marks the start of the second stage of Sky Shuttle’s expansion project which includes the introduction of an additional four AW139 helicopters as well as the building of a second helipad.
Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland commented “It gives us great pleasure to celebrate the opening of the new helipad and passenger lounge of an operator with such a worldwide reputation for excellence. The AW139, thanks to its outstanding characteristics for the task, will provide a major contribution to Sky Shuttle’s expansion project “.
State-of-the-art technology, outstanding performance, low operating costs and the only helicopter in its class to meet the latest safety standards, have made the AW139 the clear market leader. Over 430 AW139 helicopters have now been ordered by over 100 customers in more than 40 countries all over the world performing many tasks including VIP/corporate transport, passenger shuttle services, offshore transport, EMS/SAR, law enforcement, fire fighting and troop transport with civil operators, government agencies and military customers.
Sky Shuttle Helicopters has a long and distinguished history of providing premium helicopter shuttle services and is one of the world’s leading helicopter operators. Sky Shuttle Helicopters is the sole commercial helicopter operator between Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen and has more than 20 years operating experience. Today Sky Shuttle Helicopters operates more than 60 helicopter flights per day, transporting more passengers than any other operator in the region.
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