First armed AW-139
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First armed AW-139
New choppers to boost anti-terror force
TWO new helicopters arriving in Baldonnel this month will boost Ireland's anti-terrorist Special Forces.
For the first time the highly trained secretive unit, the Army Ranger Wing, will have modern helicopters available to airlift them to any terrorist incident in the country.
The two Anglo-Italian helicopters will fly in from Italy, where Irish Air Corps crews have been training since July, as the first part of a €49m order for four utility helicopters signed by Defence Minister Willie O'Dea.
The high tech twin engined Agusta Westland AW139 helicopters, the first to be delivered to any military force worldwide, will have a variety of roles.
But training and operations with the elite Rangers will be a key priority.
Up to now they have had to rely on small Alouette 3 helicopters, some of them in service for four decades, for limited troop transport. The new AW-139 fleet, which will be able to carry 32 Rangers in one lift, will also be the first armed helicopters to serve with the Air Corps.
Each helicopter has a range of nearly 300 miles.
To fit in with the Special Forces role, the new helicopters will also have abseiling and fast roping systems allowing Rangers to quickly drop onto high-rise buildings, boats, trains, or buses for an assault. The aircraft will also have night-vision capability.
The first two helicopters are to fly in to the Air Corps base on November 21 with the remaining two AW-139s due in 2007.
However, so far no decision has been taken by the Department of Defence to take up options on buying two further AW-139s.
TWO new helicopters arriving in Baldonnel this month will boost Ireland's anti-terrorist Special Forces.
For the first time the highly trained secretive unit, the Army Ranger Wing, will have modern helicopters available to airlift them to any terrorist incident in the country.
The two Anglo-Italian helicopters will fly in from Italy, where Irish Air Corps crews have been training since July, as the first part of a €49m order for four utility helicopters signed by Defence Minister Willie O'Dea.
The high tech twin engined Agusta Westland AW139 helicopters, the first to be delivered to any military force worldwide, will have a variety of roles.
But training and operations with the elite Rangers will be a key priority.
Up to now they have had to rely on small Alouette 3 helicopters, some of them in service for four decades, for limited troop transport. The new AW-139 fleet, which will be able to carry 32 Rangers in one lift, will also be the first armed helicopters to serve with the Air Corps.
Each helicopter has a range of nearly 300 miles.
To fit in with the Special Forces role, the new helicopters will also have abseiling and fast roping systems allowing Rangers to quickly drop onto high-rise buildings, boats, trains, or buses for an assault. The aircraft will also have night-vision capability.
The first two helicopters are to fly in to the Air Corps base on November 21 with the remaining two AW-139s due in 2007.
However, so far no decision has been taken by the Department of Defence to take up options on buying two further AW-139s.
more pics http://www.flyinginirelandmagazine.c...s.php?album=11
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Not without incident, no doubt lazy media hype over nothing.
Irish Independant
Irish Independant
An Air Corps investigation was underway last night into an incident involving a helicopter from the new €50m fleet after an emergency landing in Cannes.
Two of the AW139 helicopters were on their way to Ireland from Italy when one of them flew into low cloud and had to land in France.
Both aircraft, the first two of a four aircraft order, were to have landed in Baldonnel on Tuesday to be met by military personnel.
Two of the AW139 helicopters were on their way to Ireland from Italy when one of them flew into low cloud and had to land in France.
Both aircraft, the first two of a four aircraft order, were to have landed in Baldonnel on Tuesday to be met by military personnel.
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Hmm, I dont htink this is the first armed 139. I was at Bell in 02 for some training and they had a 139 in USCG colors that was set up to be fully armed. It was pretty impressive. I liked the seats, oh what I would give for the seats!
RB
RB
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The last time I worked with the Irish Rangers they were all normal sized human beings, obviously they have changed their selection criteria. The only way you will fit "32 Rangers" inside an AW139 is if they are little bearded men carrying a black thorn stick and are from the rarely seen breed of Leprechaun's. 
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That has to be a joke ? low cloud so they made an emergency landing at cannes? I know they are relatively low time pilots in the Irish Aer Corps but with that aircraft surely a little low cloud wouldnt get in there way.
Also looks like they were taking the long way home going from Italy down to Cannes instead of up through Switzerland then into France.
Also looks like they were taking the long way home going from Italy down to Cannes instead of up through Switzerland then into France.
There are no limits
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Don't forget that as Military aircraft, they may not have had Diplomatic Clearance to overfly Switzerland. And if you are not instrument rated............
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The pilots that flew the 139 to Irland are all high standard trained pilots with 1000's of hours on various types from S-61's and Dauphins and Gazalee and A111,EC-135 type helicopters. The route choosen was best for the crew.
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CVR I had a laugh at Sean H's post also more like a couple of hundred hours and I dont think you should mention the S61 flying a little bit of a fiasco for the Aer Corps lads, again down to a lack of experience
Hey Guys,
Lets give Sean H a break here, the 139's are a big thing in his local. Just like your outfits first offshore 332's or whatever. Everything is relative - we can all be cynics...
They are by all accounts a fine machine and with regard to the comments about being lightly armed, you've obviously never been got out of a hole due to the covering fire of a GPMP...
Lets give Sean H a break here, the 139's are a big thing in his local. Just like your outfits first offshore 332's or whatever. Everything is relative - we can all be cynics...
They are by all accounts a fine machine and with regard to the comments about being lightly armed, you've obviously never been got out of a hole due to the covering fire of a GPMP...
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Hey Guys,
Lets give Sean H a break here, the 139's are a big thing in his local. Just like your outfits first offshore 332's or whatever. Everything is relative - we can all be cynics...
They are by all accounts a fine machine and with regard to the comments about being lightly armed, you've obviously never been got out of a hole due to the covering fire of a GPMP...
Lets give Sean H a break here, the 139's are a big thing in his local. Just like your outfits first offshore 332's or whatever. Everything is relative - we can all be cynics...
They are by all accounts a fine machine and with regard to the comments about being lightly armed, you've obviously never been got out of a hole due to the covering fire of a GPMP...
GPMP surley a GPMG?
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I'm with Sean H, the Aer Corps guys had tens of hours, they told me so....
Considering the lack of kit they have had for years and the lack of funding, I would be very surprised if there are more than one or two Aer Corps pilots with more than a thousand hours heli time.
Does anyone have more info on the Emergency landing? Is this another inadvertent entry to IMC, like that time following Mrs. Clinton?
Having said that, it is great that they are finally getting the kit they need to do the job.
Lunar
Considering the lack of kit they have had for years and the lack of funding, I would be very surprised if there are more than one or two Aer Corps pilots with more than a thousand hours heli time.
Does anyone have more info on the Emergency landing? Is this another inadvertent entry to IMC, like that time following Mrs. Clinton?
Having said that, it is great that they are finally getting the kit they need to do the job.
Lunar
Many of the people who are slagging off the Air Corps don’t know what they are talking about. Look at some facts:
1.The Irish Air Corps first started flying choppers back in the early 1960s. Up to the 1999 Dauphin crash in Waterford they never had a fatal crash (including all SAR operations). Name one other military organisation who can boast over 30 years of rotary flying without a fatality (I guess the answer is none).
2.Not only that, but up to that date they still operated every helicopter they ever bought (says something for the maintenance as well as the flying).
3.I’m sure some of you will be quick to point out the fact that the initial SAR was with a VFR Aloutte (onshore only). But you never heard of the two pilots who got distinguished flying medals : one winched a casualty off a cliff face (at night) while another Aloutte hovered close by using his landing light to assist operations. Over the years they completed 1000’s of SAR missions, and you can bet that not all were in summer conditions. So give them some credit.
4.The safety statistics have taken a bit of a hit in the last few years, I believe they have lost an Aloutte and Gazelle (each due to engine failure). But 3 aircraft lost, with one fatal accident, in combined military and SAR operations, is not bad.
5.The Air Corps have always been seen as a training establishment for Aer Lingus and Ryanair. This is why they had to put a 10 year ‘signing on’ period for qualified pilots. With the current boom in aviation you will find a mass exodus of pilots who have done the 10 years service. So I’m not surprised if there is a shortage of pilots with 1000’s of hours.
6.They’re not perfect, but a I’m sure that an unbiased analysis of the Air Corps helicopter pilots (and their fixed wing counterparts) would find they compare favourably with any other military establishment worldwide.
1.The Irish Air Corps first started flying choppers back in the early 1960s. Up to the 1999 Dauphin crash in Waterford they never had a fatal crash (including all SAR operations). Name one other military organisation who can boast over 30 years of rotary flying without a fatality (I guess the answer is none).
2.Not only that, but up to that date they still operated every helicopter they ever bought (says something for the maintenance as well as the flying).
3.I’m sure some of you will be quick to point out the fact that the initial SAR was with a VFR Aloutte (onshore only). But you never heard of the two pilots who got distinguished flying medals : one winched a casualty off a cliff face (at night) while another Aloutte hovered close by using his landing light to assist operations. Over the years they completed 1000’s of SAR missions, and you can bet that not all were in summer conditions. So give them some credit.
4.The safety statistics have taken a bit of a hit in the last few years, I believe they have lost an Aloutte and Gazelle (each due to engine failure). But 3 aircraft lost, with one fatal accident, in combined military and SAR operations, is not bad.
5.The Air Corps have always been seen as a training establishment for Aer Lingus and Ryanair. This is why they had to put a 10 year ‘signing on’ period for qualified pilots. With the current boom in aviation you will find a mass exodus of pilots who have done the 10 years service. So I’m not surprised if there is a shortage of pilots with 1000’s of hours.
6.They’re not perfect, but a I’m sure that an unbiased analysis of the Air Corps helicopter pilots (and their fixed wing counterparts) would find they compare favourably with any other military establishment worldwide.
Sorry for you CVR. You haven't actually contributed anything to the debate, just mention of a rumour. There will always be 'spotters' like you around, we just have to ignore you.
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Routing via South of France would be pretty sensible from North Italy to Ireland. The direct route across Switzerland is high and jagged and very weather dependent.
..and why would you press on IFR, while you have the option of a night-stop in Cannes instead? Good decision, well made!
..and why would you press on IFR, while you have the option of a night-stop in Cannes instead? Good decision, well made!
Thanks CVR, I've finally managed to figure out where you're coming from. To answer your question : YES, I have worked with them. I know several of them working in Aer Lingus, Ryanair, British Airways, City Jet, CHC, AAIU, etc. You’ll find them at the top level in several aviation organisations, so they must be doing something right. They never claim to be Top Gun material (if fact they are all flying civilian aircraft in military colours). But something never changes; you’ll always get someone on the other side of the fence who thinks he knows it all and believes he could do a better job. By the way : what is your gripe with the Air Corps?. Did you fail the aptitude test?.
