Page 14 - World Airnews Magazine April 2021

HELICOPTERS HELICOPTERS

K-model variant is powered by twin Aneto engines “It is coming into a market right now that
Source: Leonardo Helicopters is really ruled by efficiency and cost-effec-

tiveness. Will it be as cost-effective and

efficient as the AW189?”

Meanwhile, the airframer has raised the
possibility of resuming assembly of dedicat-
ed search and rescue (SAR)-roled AW189s

at its Yeovil production plant in the UK.
The site previously built 10 examples for

operation by Bristow Helicopters on its SAR

contract with the Maritime and Coastguard
Agency (MCA), the last of which was deliv-
ered in 2018.
But with the MCA now beginning the
tender process for the next-generation of
that contract, so-called SAR2G, Berna-
scone says that the helicopters could
once again be assembled in Yeovil if
selected by bidders.
“We already did it in the past,” he said,
although says that any such arrangement
would “depend on numbers”, the plant has
the “capability to do it”.
Elsewhere, however, the airframer has

paused plans to build AW189s at the He- ples to be delivered by 2025. “For the time being we do not consider
liVert factory near Moscow. However, just 10 AW189s are currently this as a priority,” said the company. Q
LEONARDO PLANS CONTINUOUS Leonardo Helicopters, Russian Helicopters flown by Rosneft or RN-Aircraft, production Article courtesy: https://www.

HeliVert, a three-way venture between
data indicates.

and oil company Rosneft, had been due to Leonardo Helicopters says the long-term flightglobal.com/helicopters/
IMPROVEMENT TO KEEP AW189 fabricate AW189s for the energy giant’s ambition for HeliVert has not changed leonardo-plans-continuous-

but that local assembly “is purely market
improvement-to-keep-aw189-as-

RN-Aircraft subsidiary as part of a 2014

framework agreement for up to 160 exam- driven”. market-leader/142895.article
AS MARKET LEADER
By Dominic Perry

the CT7 engines, plus adds real-time data the “strong competition” and “tight
transmission. market”.

eonardo Helicopters is continuing Andrea Bernascone, AW189 product “We are extremely optimistic. We are

Lto pursue incremental upgrades marketing and sales engineering lead, says receiving lots of interest - enough to make

for its AW189 super-medium-twin as the the Phase 7 enhancement is “something us optimistic for the future.”

manufacturer looks to cement the 8.6t that we believe will massively increase the He said that the additional power pro-

rotorcraft’s market-leading position. efficiency of the AW189” and help to cut vided by the Aneto-1K engines - 2,500shp Join The Revolution

In addition, the airframer is waiting to maintenance costs. (1,800kW) versus 1,870shp for the CT7
deliver the first example of the K-model A further milestone is also being target- - will appeal to those operators for whom

variant, which features a pair of AW189 ed with the delivery of the initial AW189K hot and high performance is key.

was initially pitched at offshore operators to launch customer Gulf Helicopters The Aneto is not a replacement for the Your team, your aircraft, your partner in safety.

Super-medium helicopters bridge the of Qatar. GE powerplant, he stresses, but simply

gap between medium-class models like Certification for the variant was obtained “is providing the market the possibility to
the AW139 and Airbus Helicopters H160, last year, and service entry was supposed select the right engine for the mission.” Access more information than ever before. Insights from

and heavy-twins such as the Sikorsky S-92. to follow in the second half of the year. Although the AW189 has so far seen off
Their manufacturers had predicted an However, the coronavirus pandemic ap- the threat from the 7.8t H175, it will face Spidertracks gives you visual flight data for your entire

order boom on the back of a strong oil and pears to have knocked the timing; Leon- additional competition in the coming years

gas sector, but an offshore downturn has ardo now offers no guidance on when the with the arrival, likely in 2022, from Bell’s aviation operation — empowering you and your team to

been reflected in slow sales. first shipment is likely to take place. larger 525 Relentless. make safer, smarter decisions.

Nonetheless, with over 70 units in service, Recent images of that helicopter posted “This is quite a tight market and it is quite

the AW189 maintains a comfortable lead on social media show it performing check a small market and another competitor

over its only current rival, the Airbus Heli- flights in Italy. It is in Gulf Helicopters’ could have strong effects on market share,”

copters H175, of which 43 examples have livery but still bears its Italian test registra- said Bernascone.

been delivered, Cirium fleets data records. tion (I-RAIU). He noted the new capabilities promised

In a Covid-affected 2020, Leonardo Heli- But having registered just that solitary by the 525, in particular its fly-by-wire

copters delivered five AW189s, while there order from Gulf Helicopters since its controls – a first for a civil helicopter – but

were no shipments of the H175. 2017 launch, the AW189K has yet to gain said the new rotorcraft’s service entry will
In early March, the Italian airframer sales momentum. be the key test.

gained European certification for the Phase Bernascone remains unconcerned, “It will come to the market and we will wwww.spidertracks.com/insights

7 avionics update on the AW189, which however, noting that the manufacturer see in reality what kind of capability it

integrates the latest FADEC software for is “receiving a lot of interest”, despite will deliver.
World Airnews | April 2021 World Airnews | April 2021
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