Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
Julian Moxon/PARIS
HELI-EXPO '96, THE Helicopter Association International (HAI) convention in Dallas, Texas, 22-24 February, comes as the industry continues to suffer depressed sales levels for new helicopters and is dogged by the near-term dumping of surplus military aircraft and an inadequate rotorcraft infrastructure.
That said, it is scarcely believable, based on exhibition bookings for the HAI's 48th exposition that the civil-helicopter business is in the doldrums. As of 5 February, there were 445 exhibitors under contract, compared with a total of 400 for Heli-Expo '95 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the 284 exhibiting companies contracted when the show last visited Dallas, in 1990. HAI president Frank Jensen says that the Association continues to book exhibition space, and he says that there is "a good chance" that 450 exhibitors will be signed up by the show's opening.
While US fixed-wing general-aviation manufacturers are accelerating down the runway of recovery (delivering in 1995 the highest number of new aircraft since 1990), shipments of new US-manufactured helicopters remain stagnant. New civil-helicopter shipments peaked at 1,366 in 1980. This compares to 308 in 1994 and 314 in 1995. Only 365 rotorcraft deliveries are forecast in 1996.
Aastad, a company, which monitors US Federal Aviation Administration registrations to identify new and used turbine- and piston-engine helicopter transactions, says that sales were up slightly in 1995.
Although, representing increased activity in both sectors, the figures include sales of nominal-cost US military-surplus helicopters. "Actual purchases of helicopters by US operators are not nearly as exciting, though still showing positive growth," says managing director Andy Aastad.
Over 70 helicopters will be on display at the convention centre, but no new models are expected to be unveiled. Numerous models will be demonstrated as helicopter manufacturers take advantage of the vertiport built two years ago atop the Dallas Convention Center. Meanwhile, a spot in the static-display area has been reserved for a Kamov Ka-32 utility helicopter. It will be the first appearance of a Russian-built helicopter at an HAI trade show.
HISTORIC BELL PRESENCE
Bell Helicopter Textron plans a major presence at Heli-Expo '96 to mark a significant company event. It was 50 years ago, in March 1946, that the Bell 47 became the first rotorcraft to be certificated for civil use.
Singapore's Asian Aerospace '96, which took place earlier this month, served as a dress rehearsal for the company's starring role in Heli-Expo '96. The US helicopter manufacturer's latest models, the Bell 407 and Bell 430, were unveiled there and they make a repeat appearance at Dallas.
The seven-seat Model 407, which is powered by a single 605kW (815shp) Allison 250-C47, is the long-anticipated successor to the popular Model 206 JetRanger/LongRanger/TwinRanger family. Launched at Heli-Expo '95, the Model 407's FAA certification is imminent, and first deliveries are planned during the trade show. Bell reports advance orders for more than 150 Model 407s.
The Model 430 intermediate twin, incorporates an advanced four-blade main-rotor system and a 460mm cabin, stretch over the present Bell 230. The 430, with either skids or fully retractable wheels, is aimed at the corporate and emergency-medical markets.
Three 407s and one 430 will be on show. Bell's XV-15 tilt-rotor demonstrator is also expected to perform.
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS), which surprised the rotary world by unveiling a flying prototype of the MD600N, earlier called the MD630N, at Heli-Expo '95 1995, plans no surprises for this year's event.
Two Explorer eight-seat turbine twins and an MD500E owned by the Oklahoma City police force will be on the show floor, and a pair of Explorers will be on hand for flight demonstrations. MDHS officials hint that an eight-seat MD600N - one of two flying prototypes - will be on display - if it can be spared from certification flight-testing. FAA certification and first deliveries are expected before the end of the year.
Airstar Helicopter, a Grand Canyon, Arizona-based tour operator, is the launch customer for the MD600N, a version of the NOTAR (no tail-rotor) anti-torque-system-equipped MD520N light single-turbine helicopter, with a 760mm fuselage stretch. A prototype was flown with an Allison 250-C30 engine. A switch has now been made to the Allison 250-C47.
The MD600N has a baseline price of $1.2 million. The aircraft, which features a six-bladed main rotor, aims to bridge the gap between the five-seat MD520N and the twin-engined Explorer, which entered service in late 1994.
Schweizer Aircraft, Enstrom Helicopter and Kaman Aerospace say that they plan no major announcements at Heli-Expo '96, although Elmira, New York-based Schweizer plans to announce a significant sale to a new customer at the show.
In 1995, Schweizer Aircraft introduced a lower-cost Model 300CB, and the piston-engined training helicopter (priced at $183,000) also returns to the show. Helicopter Adventures launched the programme with a ten-aircraft order. The Textron Lycoming HO-360-series engine powers the Model 300CB. The original Model 300 and the single-turbine Model 330 will also be displayed.
An Enstrom Helicopter five-seat, single-turbine Model 480 in police configuration will be on view at the static-display area. Enstrom's display will include a three-seat piston-powered 280FX owned by Discovery Air, a San Jose, California-based flight-training operation.
Kaman Aerospace will not have a K-MAX "aerial truck" on display at Heli-Expo '96 because the Bloomfield, Connecticut-based helicopter maker is in the enviable position of having placed all its available units into worldwide service. Founder Charles Kaman will be on hand to update the K-MAX and SH-2G Seasprite programmes.
Sikorsky Aircraft officials may be coaxed into revealing more details of the 19-seat S-92 Helibus discussed since 1992 and formally launched in 1995. The medium-lift helicopter, on which flight tests will begin in early 1998, is being developed by an international consortium of companies from six nations, led by Sikorsky. Propulsion, will be provided by two, General Electric CT7-6D, turbine engines.
EUROPEAN MANUFACTURERS
Helicopter manufacturers in Europe are recovering from the same problems of virtually flat sales performance which have hit their US counterparts, although they can reasonably claim that their difficulties have been made worse by the problem of competing in a US market with a continuing weak dollar-exchange rate.
Reflecting the slack market, new developments in the civil market have been rare. Following a prolonged period of stagnancy, however, the European industry is promoting at HAI four new machines to meet the market demand for small-to-medium-sized helicopters.
Eurocopter and Agusta each have two offerings. The Franco-German Eurocopter alliance (Aerospatiale 70%, Daimler-Benz Aerospace 30%) is showing the four-passenger, single-engined, EC120 and the six-passenger, twin-engined, EC135. Milan, Italy-based Agusta will bring its all-new single-engined Koala, and the Power turbine twin, derived from the successful A.109C, both with a seven-passenger capability.
Agusta's public profile has been muted during its change of ownership from the bankrupt Efim group to state-owned Finmeccanica. Behind the scenes, however, the company has maintained its attention to the market and, as the new offerings prove, it has managed to launch, develop and flight-test two new products during the transition period.
Eurocopter remains Europe's biggest helicopter company and, although suffering major problems in the US market in recent years, still claims to be "the world's top-ranking manufacturer of civil/public-service helicopters", with a claimed 38% of total worldwide registrations in terms of value in 1995. It says that its profile at HAI will "...turn more on technology than sales", focusing on customer support, and the "EuroHums" health-and-usage monitoring system in which the complete maintenance documentation of an Ecureuil helicopter has been made available on CD-ROM. Eurocopter says that this paves the way for placing documentation for the entire range on CD-ROM, saving an estimated 30% on costs.
USED-SALES INCREASING
The year saw the consortium selling just 89 machines into the civil market (54 single-engine, 34 light twins, 12 medium-lift twins and 11 heavy-lift twins). Of these, 80% were for export. There were also sales of 53 used helicopters, which form an increasing share of Eurocopter's business.
Certification and delivery of the EC-135 is set for mid-1996, about the same time as Agusta's Power. Eurocopter says that it has "more than ten customers" for the EC135, but declines to reveal actual sales. The VIP/corporate version sells for "around $2.85 million".
Agusta has 20 "sales options or deposits" for the Power, but does not disclose how many of each, apart from stressing that it has "at least one customer in every continent". The price tag is around $2.7 million for the VIP version.
Both the EC120 and Koala first flights were completed during 1995. The EC120 is being developed with Singapore and China to fulfil what Eurocopter sees as a market demand for around 2,000 helicopters to replace the Ecureuil. No sales have been announced yet for the machine, which is expected to cost at least $1.98 million. Certification is due in mid-1997.
At HAI, Agusta president Amadeo Caporaletti will launch the Koala with a new-engine option, giving customers the choice of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-47 instead of the less powerful Turbomeca TM319 now powering the prototypes.
"We will be promoting our two helicopters very strongly," says the company.
Source: Flight International
