Sox6, IMHO that's the main issue for DND right now, but looks like they're going to accept the interim helicopters in 2012 without run-dry capability.
Quote from CBC website:
Following the March 12, 2009 crash of the S92 helicopter that killed 15 offshore oil workers and two crew off the coast of Newfoundland, questions started to arise about the Cyclone’s capabilities – specifically about it’s ability to “run dry” for half-an-hour in the event of a massive oil loss in the main gearbox. The fact that the S92 could not fly for half-an-hour after massive oil loss in the main gear box became a key issue after the Newfoundland crash.
Defence Mninister Peter MacKay assured last April that the Cyclone will have so-called “run dry” capability.
“I assure you that there will be rigorous testing, there will be rigorous examination of that helicopter before we take possession of it and it will meet the specifications that we submit to them," he said. "We won't accept a helicopter that isn't safe to fly.”
DND has told the fifth estate that “the run-dry capability specified in the maritime helicopter contract requires the CH-148 Cyclone to be capable of flying for either 30 minutes or a minimum of 60 nautical miles and then conduct a normal landing on a Halifax Class ship, following a total loss of lubricating oil in any drive system component,” and that “The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (DND/CF) have not yet taken delivery of this aircraft. The DND/CF will verify that the CH-148 complies with all performance requirements – including the run-dry capability – prior to Canada's acceptance and delivery of the helicopter.”
Quote from jproc.ca website:
The CH-148 is based on Sikorsky’s civilian H-92 Superhawk and uses a lot of composite fabrication to reduce corrosion. Standard, self-sealing fuel tanks can carry up to 3,030 kg of fuel, and an in-flight refuelling probe allows in-air refueling. Emergency flotation systems under the cockpit and in the tailboom are automatically deployed and are expected to work up to Sea State 5 conditions. If they fail, or aren't practical, a 15-man life raft is installed in each sponson.
The 17 cubic meter cabin is fitted with a cargo handling system with a centerline 1,814 kg/ 4,000 pound capacity cargo winch, floor rollers, and cargo tie-down points. A 6 foot-wide aft ramp allows easy and fast loading and unloading of cargo and troops. A 272 kg/ 600 pound capacity hydraulic rescue hoist can reportedly be added to the helicopter if necessary. The CH-148 should fly for 170 minutes under extreme conditions and fly over 30 minutes with a dry gearbox
From the daily gleaner website:
Interim helicopters are defined as choppers with partial mission capabilities.
According to DND, the interim helicopters will be with "all specified flight equipment and hardware and will include a preliminary version of the mission system software that will allow the majority of the sensors and weapon systems to be operated but not in a fully integrated fashion."
As defined in the amended contract, the interim helicopters will not have final capability in four areas:
* messaging functionality of tactical data exchange capability (an automated data-link capability that provides for the exchange of tactical data between designated units, including the ships and aircraft);
* mission flight endurance (21 minute deficiency);
* single engine operation at high temperature; and
* the mission system software will be a preliminary version.
No operational or airworthiness requirements will be compromised with this approach, says DND. It is for this reason that DND's training timelines will be unaffected, further points out the backgrounder.
Does the 21-minute flight endurance deficiency suggests lack of 30 minute run-dry time based on perhaps only 9 minutes capability from DND-witnessed testing? Perhaps the loss of 2 minutes from the original FAR29 testing is due to higher loading requirement for CH-148 versus S-92a?
See post #1846 for more quotes, plenty of them about...either way it doesn't look like we'll see 30-minute run-dry capability for the S92 in the near future, so the big question now is will the FAA revoke its certification?
Safe flying
Max