Originally Posted by
AW009
I believe with the ring gear as shown in http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/578...ml#post9392368 the game for AH / H225 in offshore ops (at minimum) is over. It is only a question of time till the final report is presented by AIBN.
A minimum chance might be given, if AH and AVIO would work 24/7/365 on completely new solutions, but those also will be evaluated and certified and this takes time. A stopgap solution I don’t see on the horizon due to the already ordered grounding of Super Puma.
This is meaning the remaining operators have to work with alternate HC-Types. To switch back to AH / Super Puma after approx. one year or more might therefore be a very theoretical question.
To quote former Chairman Gorbachev: "Those who are late will be punished by life itself".
As I said previously I dont know who is right but ...
If you are correct and frankly (given the current financial situation) even if you are not, what you predict may well come to pass.
However, for AH the situation could be much worse than that.
AH are part of EADS and the last episode halved the groups net cash position. The CEO (who knows a very great deal about the Puma) is looking at this strategically and you can bet Toulouse is looking over his shoulder.
We have more than enough 92s to cope and the AW189, H175 and soon Bell 525 are new if slightly smaller options for operators. So a re-engineered Puma may be a total non starter.
So maybe AH will bite the bullet and go for an entirely new machine but as the FT said last time; by the time AH have a really new airframe, the market may have gone.