Originally Posted by
DuckDodgers
Appears those in SPMAP have decreed AW139 is the only viable option. Some interesting wording in the latest release.
To try to work out if this request might be written around the AW139, I looked at the link provided by FloatersNorthWest in #3 and it provided what seemed like reasonable high level requirements for the helicopter and other contract terms. Is this the "latest release" DuckDodger was referring to? The specifications included:
* Day and night... in adverse weather conditions = IFR
* Endurance: minimum 2.5 hours, preferable: 3.5 hours
* Range: 200 nautical miles (full load & fuel)
* Internal load: minimum 500kg, preferable 1000kg
* Internal volume: minimum 1m³, preferable 1.5 m³
* Passengers: minimum 6, preferable 16 (with baggage and/or equipment of 100kg each)
* External Underslung Load: minimum 1000kg, preferable 1500kg
Now extracting data from (say) the Eurocopter AS365N3 Technical Data brochure (365 N3 06.101.02E) available on-line:
* IFR capable
* Endurance: 4.1 hours (at MAUW on standard tanks)
* Range: 427 nautical miles (at MAUW on standard tanks)
* Internal load: 1014kg (excluding standard fuel load)
* Internal volume: 5.1m³ for cabin excluding cockpit plus 1.1 m³ luggage compartment
* Passengers: 8-13 depending on configuration and whether 1 or 2 pilots.
* External Underslung Load: 1600kg
So with the exception of the preferable passenger load not quite being achieved (the minimum required passenger load certainly is), all the other desirable requirements would (still) be met by (say) an AS365 (N3).
I realise reference is made to further details in the full Contract Notice document at Defence Sourcing Portal, but that apparently needs a user account to access and I am not that keen. Has anyone looked and does this somehow unreasonably narrow candidate helicopters down to just the AW139?
Update: I am not sure how you could squeeze 16 passengers into an "objective" internal volume of only 1.5 m³ so perhaps this was intended as an independent requirement for when the helicopter is carrying cargo rather than passengers?