As uprated AS355 and EC135 are launched at Heli-Expo, Bell unveils new competitors
Eurocopter is upgrading its AS355 and EC135 light twins and stepping up production rates as rival manufacturers make a concerted effort to take over the European company’s lead in the civil helicopter market.
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Eurocopter is to upgrade its EC135 as new rivals emerge |
Eurocopter launched the uprated AS355NP and EC135P2i/T2i at last week’s Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo show in Dallas, Texas. Powered by the Turbomeca 1A1, which has a new high-pressure turbine to increase emergency power, the AS355NP has improved single-engine performance.
Deliveries of the AS355NP will begin in April 2007. The improved helicopter will be more suitable for aerial work applications, Eurocopter says, because the uprated main gearbox, taken from the popular AS350B3 turbine single, raises maximum take-off weight with sling load by 200kg (440lb) to 2,800kg, increasing external payload by 20%.
Maximum take-off weight of the EC135 has been increased by 75kg to 2,910kg, Coupled with reductions in empty weight, this increases the useful load by 80-90kg, equivalent to an extra passenger or 100km (55nm) more range. Hot-and-high performance has also been improved. The upgrade was certificated last month and deliveries begin in September.
Bell Helicopter’s big announcement at Heli-Expo was the launch of its Model 417 light turbine single, a hot-and-high upgrade of the 417 intended to compete with Eurocopter’s AS350B3 (Flight International, 27 February–6 March). The 417 will fly in April, to be followed in the third quarter by the all-new Model 429 light twin, Bell’s competitor to the EC135.
The main rotor for the 429 was flown for the first time on 28 February. The rotor features composite blades with lower tip speeds and swept tips for reduced noise. Canadian and US certification of the 429 is set for the second half of 2007, followed within 12 months by European approval.
Certification of the Bell/Agusta Aerospace BA609 civil tiltrotor has been pushed back to the first half of 2010, meanwhile.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International
