Nick
My last word on this thread - I know I will never get you to change your public opinion! You will be able to get the last word by replying, which should keep you happy!
Subject of the thread: "EC225 receives European IFR certification". Is it called "Which bits of the EC225 are certified to recent versions of JAR29"? No, so who actually hijacked the thread first? Your hijack was aimed at rubbishing the opposition for commercial reasons, mine aimed at redressing the balance 'cause I like to see fair play (no, I don't work for EC) . So we're even!
Not quite - I still didn't get you to verify my take on the gearbox lube system, but I guess your silence does that for you.
You are right that its black and white whether the aircraft is either fully certified to some recent version of JAR/FAR29 (S92) or only partially - well mostly actually (EC225). However does that necessarily mean that the S92 is safer? I would say not necessarily because are we sure that the latest standard of JAR/FAR29 is a higher standard in all respects than an earlier certification basis? Have look at the bird strike criteria - I am speaking from memory here but I think you will find that FAR29 calls for a 1kg bird whilst BCARs (British cert requirements) called for a 1.8 kg bird - the L2 met that years ago. (Could this be the only case where Americans are lighter than Europeans?!).
You have to look very carefully at the small print before buying a helicopter and anyway there's a lot more to safety than certification requirements.
Have a nice day now!