I know it might be natural to celebrate the AW609 as a piece of tech and hope for the expansion of aviation and its associated industries but.....

By 2015 few things are remarkable, in this context I mean the people wanting to go flying for business or pleasure are likely currently doing it and when the No1 idea for a customer from AW's own people is that group of hyper wealthy who "just must have the latest thing" - then doesn't the AW609 become a technology demonstrator before it's a serious commercial offering?

Yet even here there is one significant issue AW have over looked, even with that customer base. The cost of the pilot. I don't know what it costs to train for and maintain the appropriate licence but I imagine it's high, I also imagine the pool of talent is small. I can see the sulking at having to pay up for a pilot who you have little leverage over because there are few alternatives!

As for the oil and gas industry... It could be a case of very bad timing, seems to me the ambitions there are to cut costs not pile them on. In any event is the aw609 able to take off / land off shore with current procedures / regulation.

Pittsextra,
Good comment, but I believe the actual piloting tasks and training "difficulty" is quite reasonable. I had a chance to fly the 609 simulator for a few hours, and frankly, it was a pleasure, and not very different than conventional helis. I felt the mix of controls and displays was the best I have seen in quite a while. The limits in the transition between heli and plane are clearly displayed, and the controls automatically keep the nacelle angle proper as you accelerate or decelerate.
I have heard it said the Powered Lift transition is easy, and the sim can help maintain currency in emergency procedures. The US Marines have little difficulty with the much more complex Osprey from a pilot standpoint.
For those who take my comments on efficiency of the type to be criticism of the type overall, I must say that I feel it has a distinct and legitimate place in our spectrum, just an expensive place.

If you want to fly at the "jet" speed....Use a jet....
If you want to land anywhere...Use a helicopter....
If you want both.....:mad:
In the story of the aviation the "hybrid" have always bad reputation like "motorized glider"...Bad motorized plane and bad glider... :E
I think the AW 609 is a really good machine....But too expansive and fragile for the civilian market