Strong export sales for the SW-4 single-engine helicopter could prompt Polish manufacturer PZL-Swidnik to develop a stretched, twin-engined version.
The company said at last week’s Helitech show in Duxford in the UK that it is in talks with Rolls-Royce to power the new variant with the UK firm’s 650shp (485kW) 250-C30 engine.
The SW-4 – which has the 455shp 250-C20R engine – won CIS approval in July and is in line for UK, and subsequently European Aviation Safety Agency certification by early next year (Flight International, 5-11 July).
“Whether we develop a stretch very much depends on export sales of the current variant, but we are very excited about prospects in both Russia, which has been a very strong market for us, and Europe, where we are competing with the [Eurocopter] EC120, but at a much cheaper base price of $900,000,” the company says.
Rolls-Royce, which has supplied PZL Swidnik’s engines for 25 years, signed a letter of intent at Helitech for 10 250-C20R engines.
MURDO MORRISON/DUXFORD
Source: Flight International
