The European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) is expected to certify the Boeing MD Explorer helicopter to "category A" performance levels by the end of the month, according to the manufacturer.
The long-awaited clearance rates the MD 902 version as capable of safely continuing flight during a landing or take-off on a single engine. It will enable unrestricted operations throughout Europe which would have otherwise been curtailed from October onwards, when the helicopter's temporary clearance is due to expire.
Boeing says the JAA clearance will also make the Explorer the first helicopter in its weight classification to achieve category A.
The clearance is specific to the 902 version, which has 8% greater range, 4% more endurance and almost 115kg (250lb) higher payload capacity than the baseline Explorer.
The first 902 was delivered in May to Tomen Aerospace of Japan, where it is also expected to receive category A clearance from the Japan Civil Aeronautics Board later this month.
Boeing, meanwhile, is working with AlliedSignal to clear the 902 for single-pilot IFR (instrument flight rules) operation. Although Boeing admits the work is "-not going as fast as everyone wanted", it expects the 902 to receive clearance from the JAA for single-pilot operation with the revised avionics fit "by the end of the year".
Negotiations over the sale of the Explorer production line to Belgium's Heli Fly are continuing, despite the collapse of the proposed sale of the rest of Boeing's civil helicopter business to Bell Helicopters Textron.
Boeing says the deal is "close to finalisation", although it concedes the expected completion at the end of July is not now feasible.
"Completion could be anywhere up to six weeks away, and even then you can never tell because there are so many things which still have to be ironed out," the US manufacturer warns.
Source: Flight International
