NZ Air Force Purchase of AW109s

[krypton_john]

Hi All,

I've looked for commend on this here but there appears to have been none.
RNZAF - A109 Light Utility Helicopter (http://airforce.mil.nz/about-us/aircraft/a109luh/default.htm)

RNZAF - Air Force Media Release (http://airforce.mil.nz/operations/media-releases/media-release.htm@guid=%7B5e8cf334-b59c-4db3-9d09-eff6321a6365%7D.htm)


The NZ Airforce currently still trains ab-initio rotory wing in Bell 47s! However it has finally obtained budget to replace these fine old single piston skid equipped vfr dinosaurs, with ifr twin retractable AW109s.

For ab initio training?

Does this seem bizarre? Does any other military organisation world wide use such a complex and expensive ship for initial training?

Why don't they purchase some squirrels or AW119s instead? Seems like madness to me?

[RVDT]

You are probably right. Even worse will be transition from UH-1H to NH90!

I guess the PILOTS will now be referred to as "Cyclic Attendants", bit like the "Elevator Attendants". :p

[Heli-kiwi]

Having done my time on 3 Sqn as a techie I can't believe the choices they have made, I'm sure the pilots will be loving it as it brings them into the 21st century at last but unless the flying budget has been quadrupled (which I doubt it has) then there are going to be a lot of pilots scratching for hours each month and they will barely stay current.
It will be interesting to see how the techies adapt to European machines that are nowhere as simple as the Bells. Suddenly those guys that had a wealth of experience on the older types are back to square one.
The only practical reason I could see for the 109 aquisition would be to train the navy guys as well which currently jump from the Bell 47 to the Seasprite.
I thought Squirrels for training and EC225s may have been more practical and proven helicopters for NZs needs (although helicopters with wheels are just plain wrong)
I hope the RNZAF get a good run with these new types because they have to make them last like the trusty old Huey.

[leopold bloom]

AGUSTAWESTLAND (http://www.agustawestland.com/communication_det.php?id_news=395&yy=2008):ok:

[spag]

It will be interesting to see if Australia follows suit in a couple of years ... :}

[droop_snoot]

I can just see the headlines on here from the future sprogs regarding the worthiness of the R22s those of us in the real world had to start out on...................