While Leonardo awaits FAA certification of its AW609 civil tiltrotor next year, the company has asked the FAA to waive the agency's requirement for one (1) flight-based touchdown autorotation and to permit the company to use a simulator instead.
Dan Wells, Leonardo's AW609 test pilot, told
R&WI Oct. 12 that the company believes it can demonstrate the touchdown autorotation by using the company simulator, rather than run the risk of damaging an AW609 and its parts.
Full article see here Rotor & Wing 12 Oct 2018