New Agusta AW169 announced at Farnborough

[SilsoeSid]

Specialist Aviation Services Orders AW169 Helicopters for Parapublic Missions | AgustaWestland

AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that Specialist Aviation Services has signed a contract today for six AW169 helicopters including firm orders and options. The contract was signed by Henk Schaeken, Group Managing Director of Specialist Aviation Services at the Farnborough International Airshow. The helicopters will amongst others be used for emergency services missions with deliveries commencing in 2015.

http://www.specialist-aviation.co.uk...11July2012.pdf

Henk Schaeken stated that “We see some of our customers expanding the range of missions that they are offering and this requires a larger more capable helicopter. We remain fully committed to the MD Explorer which we believe is the best helicopter in its class, but we have to be in a position to offer our customers more choice.
“The AW169 offers the latest technology and extra size we are looking for, so is ideal for expanding the range of platforms that we are able to offer.”

Anyone else thinking, Winsor, May, HMIC, G4S, White & Case?

The first move by the company’s UK operation into the civil helicopter market came last year when it received £32m of government funding to secure the production at Yeovil of components for the AW169.

AgustaWestland hopes to build civilian helicopter in Somerset | News | The Engineer


I was once asked if I believed in coincidence !!

[Camp Freddie]

Can any 139 drivers qualify this?

it does tend to vibrate like a b***ard as you pass through LDP down to the hover. and you find that your eardrums tickle or the tip of your nose itches or some other part of your body starts to resonate !

[griffothefog]

If you're looking for a rampant rabbit moment....... The BO105, there is no substitute

[noooby]

For sure griffo, as well as the BK117. Same head, just more weight bouncing around!

[chopper2004]

Starspeed

Had a quickie glance at AW web just now and Starspeed has signed up for one.

Starspeed Ltd. Signs Contract for an AW169 Helicopter | AgustaWestland

So thats 4 UK customers so far....with Sloanes / WNAA, Bond (?), SAS and now Starspeed.

On top of that the 3rd prototype flew over a week ago as well.

Third AW169 Performs Its Maiden Flight | AgustaWestland

Cheers

[HeliStudent]

First ENG AW169 ordered

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace are pleased to announce that Japan's leading newspaper ‘The Asahi Shimbun' has placed an order for one AW169 4.5 ton class helicopter. This aircraft, which adds to a GrandNew light twin helicopter already in service with the same customer, will be used to perform Press and Electronic News Gathering (ENG) missions in Japan.

https://twitter.com/HeliNews1

[chopper2004]

On this day 2012

Ten years ago on this day, the AW169 prototype flew for first time (photo courtesy of LeonRdo).




cheers

[Phoinix]

Happy ten 169! It's slowly transitioning into a reliable twin. PH7 is brutal!

[ericferret]

Originally Posted by Phoinix

Happy ten 169! It's slowly transitioning into a reliable twin. PH7 is brutal!

Maintenance doesn't care for it much.

Damper links that last a couple of hundred hours if you are lucky.
A zillion screws to gain access to anything in a return to the 1950's.
If life raft equipped about 10 hours to change a landing light.
Life raft not equipped with a safety system resulting in multiple inadvertant deployments under maintenance.
Hoist not provide with a lifting eye, needs a lash up strop system to remove.

[Phoinix]

Originally Posted by ericferret

Maintenance doesn't care for it much.

Damper links that last a couple of hundred hours if you are lucky.
A zillion screws to gain access to anything in a return to the 1950's.

Let’s see what changes PH6 brought for damper links (min NR = 100% now).
other than that, yes, a screw less would do, but takin apart the 412 each 100 hours is a pain also…

[ericferret]

Originally Posted by Phoinix

Let’s see what changes PH6 brought for damper links (min NR = 100% now).
other than that, yes, a screw less would do, but takin apart the 412 each 100 hours is a pain also…

A couple more.
Battery quick access panels that you can't extract a battery through, just loads and loads of screws to remove the larger panels.
Fitting a main rotor head. 1440 torque wrench applications approx required. Then up to five retorques (every five to 10 hours).
If the head fails to seat after 5 retorques take it off and start all over again. Minimum time for the basic task in excess of 10 hours.
I could go on but the blisters on my fingers from just fitting a head make typing painfull!!!!!!

[Senior Pilot]

And ten years on, we’re on Phase 7 with a 350kg payload increase and some intriguing tail changes 🤔

[handysnaks]

I’m not sure about that 350Kg payload increase SP. I think it is more accurately described as a much better hot and high performance, but I don’t think there is any increase over the 4800kg that is currently available.

[Phoinix]

4600 to 4800 is the only MTOM increase, years ago. Mil version will go 5100, but not civy.
The increase is in performance only, not MTOM.