Originally Posted by
Baldeep Inminj
I understand the Blackhawk’s will be provided/modified by a 3rd party in the UK - Teeside I believe.
I also heard yesterday that Bell are very likely to attend the party, bringing the 525 Relentless along as their date.
This will be interesting to watch. Blackhawk is combat proven, 149 is ‘jobs for the lads in the SW’, H175 is ‘jobs for the lads in N Wales’ and uses the same avionics as H135 and H145 used on MFTS, and Bell just makes brilliant helicopters.
Popcorn ready!
I wouldn’t advertise the H175 / H145 / H145 avionics commonality if I was Airbus.
it is not MOSA and woe betide anyone wanting to use it for stores management etc.
even in basic O&G operation you pay through the nose for any changes. It’s great for O&G and had every confidence in autocoupling approaches - although the odd moment when trapped water in the pipes initiated a descent whilst turning at low level......
Bell’s rationale is simply “why can’t you wait a little bit longer as you’ve delayed to this point”
quite confident that it won’t hit FOC within next 7-10 years with all bells n whistles attached.
latest events in Somerset indicates that someone has finally recognised where the company should be focused / heading.
timeframe requires an existing tried n tested machine and that narrows field to the Blackhawk or an updated Huey. Budget and fleet numbers points towards the midlife Blackhawk out of Alabama / Teesside at approx 60% OEM price but more importantly - a viable delivery target date as LM/ Sikorsky’s European facility is backed-up with orders now that the world has got a lot more serious and you’ll be lucky to see a machine within 3-4 years.
that was direct from the guys at PZL.