The tiltrotor revolution will swing the balance of power firmly toward US helicopter manufacturers over the next decade, say Teal analysts. Bell's pre-show announcement that it has won preliminary funding to develop its Quad Tiltrotor concept only serves to underline just how powerful a weapon the possession of tiltrotor technology could be in the years ahead. Teal describes the Bell Boeing V-22 military tiltrotor as the biggest single success story of the rotorcraft industry - a remarkable turnaround considering the programme itself almost fell foul of the men holding the purse strings just a few years ago. Teal estimates that the V-22 programme will be worth $9.6 billion in deliveries alone to Bell and Boeing between 2000 and 2009. If additional V-22s are bought for the US Navy and US Army that total could spiral even further. Meanwhile, Bell is now teamed with Agusta on the 8-10 seat BA609, which is already being examined by the US Coastguard in the form of the HV609 as a search and rescue aircraft.
Source: Flight Daily News
