MD Helicopters (MDHI) is set to deliver the first Pratt & Whitney Canada 207E-powered Explorer to its UK distributor Police Aviation Services this week, two months after the engine received certification in the USA.
The new powerplant will enhance the Explorer's performance at high altitudes, on hot days and with one engine inoperative. "Explorers equipped with 207E engines will gain more than 2,000 ft (610m) in hover capability [on a hot day]. Operators will also benefit from an 11% increase in horsepower on take-off," says MDHI.
Meanwhile, the Mesa, Arizona-based manufacturer has awarded Unison Industries a multi-year, $4 million contract to provide wiring harnesses and electrical panels for the Explorer. The deal expands Unison's harness business beyond engines and involves production in Fort Worth, Texas, and Saltillo, Mexico. Unison's contract could be expanded to include the MD 500 and MD 600N.
Source: Flight International
