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Old 24th Sep 2014, 12:34
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Um... lifting...
 
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Probably not on their own. I gather there were some shenanigans related to breaking down subassemblies in France so they could be reassembled in the U.S. The avionics and 4-axis autopilot (the first ever certified) were rather expensive.

Anyway, that's what we were told. I flew the HH-65A for a number of years, but I never got a look at the ledgers.

The aircraft specification was based upon the constraint of being able to embark aboard a 210' Medium Endurance Cutter, which was really the tail wagging the dog. That made the upper weight limit under about 10,000# and also constrained the aircraft footprint, which eliminated a number of contenders, including anything with a tail wheel. As I recall, the S-76, B-222, and the AS-365 were the only bidders that had a chance. I started flying it a few years after the first deliveries, so I wasn't around during the bids.

At the end of the day, it was probably the best contender of the three, though the 76 might have given it a run for its money.
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