"Bergen Crash is the writing on the wall" or "the catalyst of doom"
Originally Posted by HeliComparator 
: One point they made which I don't think has been covered on here, is that (they say) there is evidence that the engines and tail rotor were still running / being driven up to the point of impact which, they say, shows the epicyclic did not seize up.
Running engines and running tail rotor must in principle not be a proof that the Epicyclic modules suffered no self-destruction. This seems to me as a very weak argumentation because the two engine drive shafts and the tail rotor drive shaft are below the bevel gear and the epicyclic gears, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnpvtFQowKc
@Jdbelo: Although or just because you are (military? Brazil?) pilot of Super Puma since 1990, may be that you assess the situation a little bit unrealistic? The EC225 crash near Bergen has to be seen in a larger context, under technical and economical aspects and under the tooth of time, especially if the epicyclic gear box will prove as cause.
More than ever, the old adage is relevant 'A liar will not be believed even when he speaks the truth'. This spirit runs like a red thread through the history of (Super) PUMA, NH-90, AH-TIGER, A400M, EUROFIGHTER, EUROHAWK and the UAV-Scenario. The ‘Bergen Crash’ might be the 'Causa finalis' for a mutual gloom and doom. AIBN, Norway CAA and UK CAA know these interdependencies and their serious implications very thoroughly. Therefore they will take their time for the final report, which probably might be the ’coup de grâce’.
AIRBUS Helicopters, AIRBUS Defense & Space and ’Major Tom’ have forgotten in the past, 'the higher the energy of the particle collision, the deeper physicists are able to gaze into the proton, and the more details are revealed'.
Up to now AIRBUS Group is loosing itself within each distinguished project in more or less stupid tactics of cock-and-bull stories about any shortcomings in catch-up development, about gap-fill of quality failures and about lack of delivery reliabilities and this is the cause for having overslept solid corporate strategies. The military must repent and pay for what they have ordered. In the industry however, the rules of supply and demand and of free competition are valid.
This behavior seems typical of an artificial or state-created (Germany, France, Spain, UK) Major Corporation, which is indeed in the meantime pseudo-privatized, but as an European monopolist also lives on hidden subsidies in future. Just have a closer look at the Annual Report 2015 of AIRBUS GROUP. 50% of external revenues are attributable to defense and 19.5 billons Revenues of divisions AH and AD & S are representing 46% of total revenues.
Airbus Helicopters took after deduction of 50 cancellations for government helicopter a total of 181 net orders. The new orders included orders for 38 x H175(!) and 67 x H145. The product sales of Airbus Helicopters presents a total of 53% of external revenues, the remaining 47% were are achieved by services.
In 2015, the order situation was much better: The 383 net orders are divided:
H120 / H125 / H130 series: 163; H135: 49; H145: 107; H155-series, 13;Tiger: 7; NH90: 6; H175: 36 (!); H225-series: 2 (1 = Japan Coast Guard (JCG), scheduled for delivery by the end of 2018). (compare http://www.airbusgroup.com/dam/asset...us%20Group.pdf and http://www.airbushelicopters.com/web...kten_1903.html)
Whilst expectations of crude oil and natural gas industry for the coming three years are lower than previously anticipated (by between -4% and -7% year-on-year) the overall picture remains a long-term growth story with the offshore helicopter industry expected to be relatively resilient as the majority of demand will arise from ongoing production phase support. To take a Pollyanna view of Helicopter Offshore OPs, the coming years will be an important time for the industry as a new generation of medium-class helicopters, such as the S92, H175, AW189 and and soon Bell 525, will continue increasingly their introduction. These models are characterized by technical growth potentials, highly efficient with new advanced safety systems and are, therefore, expected to perform well in the offshore arena. But H225 is trending towards the tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indian ’When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.’
Therefore the “Bergen Crash“ will prove as the key issue for the future of AIRBUS Helicopters as well as for AIRBUS Defense & Space and the aforementioned projects. TIGER (in Australia), NH90 (in Australia and Sweden) and H225-series (worldwide?) are already spinning in a death spiral.
(just my 2 cent or my purely personal assessment of the market situation).
Last edited by AW009; 31st May 2016 at 08:53.
Reason: formatting