SASless, I checked the OEM websites and get the impression those US manufacturers are strong on militairy machines
- Bell; UH1/Cobra, Kiowa, 525 being a fresh civil one.
- Sikorsky; BlackHawk and civil variants, CH53s, a few light ones
- Boeing; Chinooks, Apaches from 30-50 yrs ago, Ospreys
- MD; limited portfolio there was there 20 yrs ago
Bell has been mass producing the 206 since the sixties, a popular series with many derivatives. The new Bell 525 Relentless seems well positioned for the future, but doesn't look extra efficient / high tech / silent compared to other rotorcraft of the last 20 yrs.
I get the impression on the civil side the US companies haven't seen much R&D investmentd during the last 10 yrs and I do not see any future programs getting launched.
Most civil products seem to have a militairy background. Cutting back on that after the wall falling, might have something to do with it. But maybe I missed something, hence my question.
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A FG graph I just found seems to suggest the european manufacturers have taken over. What went wrong in the US, IMO the largest heli market?
