Airbus Helicopters to pitch H135 to USN RE TH-57 replacement
Thread Starter
Airbus Helicopters to pitch H135 to USN RE TH-57 replacement
Well this competition has been going on for a while with Bell pitching the 407GX(P) - they painted up one up in training colors a few years back for the NHA fly in at Pensacola. Leonardo is pitching the TH-119K and Airbus Helicopters with the H135. It is a weird one - surprised they are not promoting the UH-72A becauase there are several examples with USNTPS at Pax River. On the army side, its already at Fort Rucker doing IERW.
There is an USN exchange instructor pilot with the German Marineflieger EC135 of MFG-5
So any thoughts or bets here?
cheers
Airbus to Pitch H135 as US Navy Trainer Replacement - Rotor & Wing International
There is an USN exchange instructor pilot with the German Marineflieger EC135 of MFG-5
So any thoughts or bets here?
cheers
Airbus to Pitch H135 as US Navy Trainer Replacement - Rotor & Wing International
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,082
Received 2,942 Likes
on
1,253 Posts
I must admit I am surprised they haven't gone for a commonality of fleets but the US services are renowned for not going down that route. The Lakota seems to be doing well and I would have thought there must be some commonality between spares. It's just a shame the US seems to have lost the plot in development and seem to have sat on their hands relying on last generation designs while the rest of the world have moved on.
How many retired US Army Generals sit on the Airbus Board of Directors?
How many retired US Army Generals sit on the Textron (say Bell....) Board of Directors?
How many retired US Army Generals sit on the Textron (say Bell....) Board of Directors?
I must admit I am surprised they haven't gone for a commonality of fleets but the US services are renowned for not going down that route. The Lakota seems to be doing well and I would have thought there must be some commonality between spares. It's just a shame the US seems to have lost the plot in development and seem to have sat on their hands relying on last generation designs while the rest of the world have moved on.
Been a few years since my old buddy was involved in that program, so I am not sure what has gone on since ... but little to be happy about seems to me the way it's been playing.
A single engine trainer seems to me the better idea, in terms of cost to operate, given how good engine reliability has become. I am of course biased, since I learned on TH-57 and Huey's, so I developed that "where is my next landing field" attitude while flying since it was drilled into our heads. A bit of paranoia is healthy, among helicopter pilots, eh?
Bets is Airbus win contract but it is then called in again to relook at it over some unspecified reason in page 976 in the contract and then awarded to a US Manufacturer who happily provides political support to various candidates.