Viable Options
 

Just a question for the open forum, for my own interest really as I have no vested or commercial interests in the next question, however..

Do you guys think that a 9 seat Tilt rotor (Bell 609) could offer much competition in the UK civil sector both Exec Business travel and offshore ops / SAR etc to the current players AW 139, S-92, EC225?? The price apparently is $15M per ship currently.

Please give some reason for your opinions, practical, financial or legal, I'd be interested to hear.

Incidentally for my part, due to its range and speed, I think that perhaps it is worth consideration for medivac or business travel.

:ok:

The great challenge is the need in many areas for hard Cat A procedures (full engine failure coverage for all takeoff/landing areas), which challenge helicopter payloads and which might diminish 609 payloads to nil.

I don't know how many helipads require hard Cat A, users can please fill in the details.
I also don't know the 609's Cat A capability from small helipads, someone else might.