Rotorpilot said:
"The S92 has just trials done, a completely different situation. I would like to know how many "unreliabilities" will be found in the S92 after 40,000 operational hours "
comments:
1) The EH-101 banks on "Maturity" but can't stay operational. Take it one way or the other, Rotorpilot, either the EH-101 is mature at 45,000 hours or it isn't. Which one? If it is mature, then why does the customer have these problems? If it is not mature, just say so and we would agree!
2) 40,000 hours is not much at all, in any way, and is certainly not enough to brag about. A typical military fleet of one type helicopter in the US military gets 40,000 hours each MONTH. When you want to talk maturity, try for the first million hours because 45,000 is peanuts. Both aircraft are immature, I think.
3) Also, the use of 45,000 hours as proof of fitness begs the question, "How did those 45,000 hours go? Any problems?" I have heard that the EH-101 has the worst record of any development helicopter in recent history, as bad as the V-22 Tilt Rotor, which is developing a whole new technology.
4) I hear that S-92 has some kind of guaranteed cost per hour to the commercial operators, like a whole aircraft power by the hour. Does EH offer that? Anybody know the rates for either?