View Full Version : New AW139s for the RAAF
KiwiNedNZ
2nd Mar 2019, 02:20
The S76s have finally been replaced.
RAAF AW139s (https://www.heliopsmag.com/chc-rolls-out-new-raaf-aw139s)
belly tank
2nd Mar 2019, 02:23
The S76s have finally been replaced.
RAAF AW139s (https://www.heliopsmag.com/chc-rolls-out-new-raaf-aw139s)
They started rolling them out 12-18 months ago at various bases, I believe none at Williamtown NSW yet though?.
Sir Korsky
2nd Mar 2019, 02:45
and no doubt enjoying that Honeywell Epic :ooh:
gulliBell
2nd Mar 2019, 06:02
Did they order them with the upgraded air-conditioning option?
Air-conditioning? Isn't that what the big fan at this top is for?
Only time I sweat is when it stops....
malabo
2nd Mar 2019, 18:58
First 139 to Nigeria didn't have air-con because customers wanted payload priority and the original gross weight meant it carried less than a 76 even before the air-con. Resourceful engineers cut gasper vents into the cabin windows, resourceful pilots painted out the skylights with house paint. The next ones had air-con. In the sun it is a lot hotter in a 139 than a 412/76. Hope the RAAF bean-counters didn't think of a/c as a luxury.
noooby
3rd Mar 2019, 00:18
Oh Malabo. That isn't quite true is it. CHC had a Global policy of no aircon in any helicopters at that time if it was optional. A silly rule but there you go.
Payload was about as good as the 76 in the 139 even with the lower gross weight. The real difference was in the real world Nigeria DOC's, where the 139 was cheaper than a 76 because the C+ engines couldn't hack it and were changed out every 600-1000 hours. $$$.
31060, 31070 and 31072 all went to Nigeria without A/C. Yes, resourceful engineers put gasper vents in the windows but it was also resourceful engineers that painted out the glasshouse windows so that the pilots wouldn't put their maps up there for some shade. Pilots in NIgeria would never get their hands dirty with housepaint dear boy! Too busy racing home to the bar and the nightfighters.
If CHC were smarter they would have put the A/C in at the start an not saved the dollars. The weight of the old A/C system is about the same as one person with a bag.
The only thing the 139 couldn't do in Nigeria that the 76 always did do, was break the autopilot. The 139 just kept on trucking. LOL
NumptyAussie
3rd Mar 2019, 00:19
Did they order them with the upgraded air-conditioning option?
Would they not have had to place the order a decade ago? I understand these are recycled machines?
gulliBell
3rd Mar 2019, 01:01
Dunno. It was always a mystery to me why they put pimped out recycled 76's on that RAAF contract from day 1. I would have thought with a high-profile and financial client like that they would have bought new toys that exactly matched the job requirements.
NumptyAussie
3rd Mar 2019, 10:27
Ex Ambulance aircraft from Vic and NSW?
Were the Vic machines not clapped out 412's?
Looks pretty flash to me, and with aircon (note the inlet in the top sliding cowl)
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/900x531/aw139_chc_ran_887930924452271d0336654650b2650293ed369b.jpg
Sound like a pretty good job to me, fly a SAR AW139 on gentlemen's hours... home in time for tea and medals!
NumptyAussie
3rd Mar 2019, 12:13
Looks pretty flash to me, and with aircon (note the inlet in the top sliding cowl)
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/900x531/aw139_chc_ran_887930924452271d0336654650b2650293ed369b.jpg
Sound like a pretty good job to me, fly a SAR AW139 on gentlemen's hours... home in time for tea and medals!
Is that not the same machine in the article, the one with NAVY above the door?
this one has RAAF written on it, and no hole.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/903x342/20190303_210948_b6a3bbda7b97a7ac4796ce947488a4475fe5ad95.jpg
gulliBell
3rd Mar 2019, 12:51
Play "spot the difference" - there are quite a few to be had there.
Obviously Navy, as the senior service, they get the aircon and the dual winch and fancy gizmo bolted to the long nose.
industry insider
3rd Mar 2019, 13:47
SYJ is a 2007 build, can’t read the rego on the NAVY branded aircraft.
Self loading bear
3rd Mar 2019, 17:00
C/n 31610 somewhere 2015?
VH-NVE
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1334x750/c085bf8e_81cf_482e_bfb2_b825caddd47c_d6db6d4647595ae46a4fe8a 11e16bafc20de40bb.png
Mark Six
3rd Mar 2019, 19:26
VH-NVE is the one supplied for the RAN SAR service at Nowra. It was an ex UK SAR machine with just a couple of hundred hours on it. FLIR, double winch, autohover, etc. SYJ is ex NSW EMS. Was mostly based at Wollongong. None of the NSW EMS machines had air con.
Mark Six
3rd Mar 2019, 19:28
Looks pretty flash to me, and with aircon (note the inlet in the top sliding cowl)
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/900x531/aw139_chc_ran_887930924452271d0336654650b2650293ed369b.jpg
Sound like a pretty good job to me, fly a SAR AW139 on gentlemen's hours... home in time for tea and medals!
Definitely not the case for the Navy machine. 10 hour day as determined by Navy flying programme. Usually starts around 1200, finishes at 2200.
gulliBell
3rd Mar 2019, 22:24
VH-NVE is the one supplied for the RAN SAR service at Nowra. It was an ex UK SAR machine with just a couple of hundred hours on it...
That's interesting. So the obedient servants of the mother country get the flash aircon to keep them comfy in the stifling hot 25 degree UK summer heat waves. But out in the dominions of Tindal and Pearce etc where it can be 40+ in the shade for days on end they are only worthy of having the big fan on top. Save the expense and the weight of the optional extras.
gulliBell
3rd Mar 2019, 22:32
The boys are on their way back to Nowra from Avalon/Albury in air-conditioned comfort as we speak. So much for the 1200 starts, they've been on the go since dawn it seems. Perhaps a phone call to the union rep on arrival would be in order ;)
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/842x742/screen_shot_2019_03_04_at_07_30_17_026eabb0d0bec312b6c1f4ac5 8a82704a46d5e1c.png
NumptyAussie
3rd Mar 2019, 22:52
That's interesting. So the obedient servants of the mother country get the flash aircon to keep them comfy in the stifling hot 25 degree UK summer heat waves. But out in the dominions of Tindal and Pearce etc where it can be 40+ in the shade for days on end they are only worthy of having the big fan on top. Save the expense and the weight of the optional extras.
Was this particular aircraft the "compensation" aircraft when CHC blew up the UK SAR bid by "engaging" a person with a possible conflict of intrest and is not reflective of the standard of fit on the 3 x busted ass 10 year old machines recently imported from the UK in a desperate attempt to try and persuade RAAF that despite flying 30 year old machines on the contract, they do actually have the best interest of RAAF at heart?....draws deep breath...gotta write shorter sentences...
https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/602579-chc-aw139-den-helder.html?highlight=Den+helder
gulliBell
4th Mar 2019, 01:18
Wow, how groovy, they are "Fitted with four-access auto hover capabilities". That sounds super, all that access.
CHC Australia completes roll out of Leonardo AW139 aircraft for Royal Australian Air Force | CHC (http://www.chcheli.com/New-AW139-RAAF)
You'd think the communications dept could have checked the wording with the chief pilot before sending it out...
Looks like they got some other mods too, can you spot the difference?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/905x749/syjx2_0d42acda5920066061fc1cdc4fa68fa7c6ce6746.jpg