Interesting -

All the tufts on the fenestron and the variation between the 2 photos of the size of the endplates on the horizontal indicate that there may be a few "issues".

Maybe they will work out that this is not the best place to put vertical and horizontal surfaces in relation to the fenestron. The 135 has it's little quirks there and look at the evolution.

To me - "The Duke" RAH-66 configuration makes sense - T tail.

To ECD - it probably is because "thats where we always put them."

Like "Topsy" from Uncle Toms Cabin - "I wasn't borned, I just growed!"

FADEC would imply Arriel 2 - goodbye range - bad SFC.

But hey if this was paid for by REGA who have extremely deep pockets - 109K2, 109SP and now this puppy, it won't matter because on a good day you can see from one end of Switzerland to the other end and to get there you will have to pass about 10 rescue helicopters and their fuel facilities! Whats the bet the next time you see this machine is Samedan in CH doing high altitude testing?

As Sid Hudgens said "off the record, on the QT and very hush-hush"

But for the rest of us - nah! Too many Pretzels and Weizen on Fridays for me!

Don't worry folks if this doesn't make sense to you all!

I still think the EC146 name is feasible - given they covered over the EC145 name in the shot below in early testing and they have trademarked "EC146"


http://www.hemsafety.com/wp-content/...-Fenestron.jpg

i hope they put stronger engines in their ec146 or however they going to name it.
We use the EC 145 for EMS in Minnesota and it struggles during the summer. It performs "OK" the winter time but we still cant have full fuel on board.

lets see what improvements EC is coming up on the EC 117/ C2

As I understand it, it's the gearbox that is the limiting factor, ie. it can't take more power from the engines. As the test aircraft looks to be using the same rotor head and blades with the pendulum weights I would suggest it's the same gear box and therefore possibly a BK117 C3 as opposed to an EC145/6 T2 etc.

I hope I'm wrong as it's high time the EC145 was a reality and not just a commercial name.

...i must have forgotten to add the transmission to my post above :(

But i guess there is never enough power in the helicopter we fly today.

30 minutes to launch time [and they are still pretending its not a 145/146]:) but it looks like uprated engines with Fadec are part of the package.....and the project is aimed at the US HEMS market.... so I guess they have been listening...

So... what's the news then?


(A Pruner with a smartphone must be at the launch, shirley).

EC145 T2 is the name of the ship, powered by Turbomeca engines with FADEC (type not known yet), more MAUW than BK117 C2.
EC will start delivery of T2 in 2013.

More details welcome! New main transmission???

New Kawasaki gearbox to take the additional power [source the ZF stand:\!]

Certification is BK117D2 and posted name as above EC145T2

So there is enough remaining for the good old Grandfather Rights... but I suspect it gets less and less each and every revamp......

Eurocopter EC145T2 Video
 

Video of the "new" EC145T2 aka EC146 :ok:

It can't be a 146 - you obviously aren't familiar with EC's numbering logic....;)

Saw the Tango 2 at Heli Expo, sleek looking but nothing to take home about. I guess they learned that the 145 in itself was more up to parapublic missions with the wider cabin space than the 135 and done another hybrid.

I could never understand how those oversized vertical tail stabilizers did not snap tails off on the earlier 117's and the ec145. The size on the ec146 looks a lot safer from that respect at speed. In fact I heard a rumour that a 117 stateside did loose its tail some years back for that reason.?

Mmmm ...


.... could never understand how those oversized vertical tail stabilizers did not snap tails off on the earlier 117's and the ec145 ....... In fact I heard a rumour that a 117 stateside did loose its tail some years back for that reason.? ......

Bolkow .... if by the above you mean the NewYork 'Colgate' machine you need to research that incident ...you will find it had nothing to do with the vertical stabilisers and a lot to do with an improper repair to taliboom vertical spar cracks.


:hmm:

Hi Sinwing,

the vertical stabliziers on the BK117 have an soft area, a predertimined breaking area, which will break, if you mishandle the bird so far, that the blades will reach the stabilisers.
Had happend before - have seen the repair afterwards and you can tick the area with a coin, if you want to know, where it is.
If you handle the bird according to the handbook, it won´t happen...

Greetings Flying Bull

Cutted the fin one time personally at the controls, have seen a second time live and in colour and have heard about a few dozen times about it by ECD.

Thats the reason why the BK have still such an soft area on the right fin.

It's not a question of the RFM, simple a question of wind direction, speed and turbulence and be sure ECD knows everything about. In the RFM you will not find a single hint about it.

In my personally file the wind came with just 20kt gusts right about a 15m away airfield hangar in my 8 o'clock position causing intensive blade flapping during starting up the first engine.

does anybody know if Eurocopter will allow current EC145 operators to upgrade their EC145 fleet with the new engines and transmission from the EC145T2 to improve the performance ?

Up-grade 145 to 145T2
 

Can't see how this would be possible, not just an engine/gearbox up grade, what about the new tail boom, FADAC, 4 axis auto pilot new cockpit instrumentation?

Why did they not upgade the EC145 T2 with the 5 bladed bearingless main rotor? Anybody with inside knowledge?