Big-Helicopter Battle Heats Up

Asian Aerospace 2000 -- The battle is heating up among the big helicopters, and both Sikorsky and EH Industries are launching their marketing efforts in this class at Asian Aerospace 2000.

First out of the gate is the 30-35 passenger EH101 helicopter developed by Britain's GKN Westland and Agusta of Italy. Close behind is Sikorsky's 20-passenger S-92, which is on show here as a cabin mockup.

"Let's face it-we're in service, they're not," says Westland spokesman Marc Holloran. "And that's a good selling point."
So far he is right: the EH101 is in production, in service, and has 11,000 flying hours under its belt. Britain's Royal Navy is bringing it on line, the first will be delivered to the RAF in spring, and the first for the Italian Navy has been rolled out. Sales have been won in Canada as the Cormorant (15 will be used for rigorous long-range search and rescue missions), and two are operated in Japan by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.

In contrast, Sikorsky's S-92 is still in development, with two prototypes flying. Canadian offshore oil operator Cougar Helicopters launched the sales effort with an order for five, and Canada's Helijet Airways has agreed to try it out on airline service in the Northeast US.

Meanwhile, far from Asian Aerospace, two preproduction civil versions of the EH101 helicopter, operating out of the Scottish North Sea port of Aberdeen, are being subjected to an intensive and filthy winter flying program.

The 6,000-hour program of simulated sorties is being undertaken by Bristow Helicopters -- eight Bristow pilots have now been trained on the aircraft -- to build what the manufacturer describes as an impressive profile of reliability and maintainability, in rigorous military and commercial service.

This has included several landings by pilots Tim Noble and David Bird with the 35-passenger PP8, on BG International's Armada platform 160 miles off the Scottish coast, which they flew in 55 minutes in horrible conditions including 40 kt northerly winds and snow squalls.

By the end of December PP8 had flown 2,521 hours including flying transatlantic to Canada, and its PP9 rear-ramped utility partner had logged 2,135 hours. It is said that 100% availability has been maintained with both aircraft through well in excess of 1,000 tours and operational sorties.

Westland believes this data building will serve well in competition with Eurocopter's Cougar and Sikorsky's S-92, and sees "the Nordic Campaign as the big one for the moment."

Norway, Sweden and Finland are for the first time selecting a common sea patrol, surveillance and all-weather helicopter, with orders for 50-70 aircraft anticipated around the end of this year.

Westland is currently pitching the helicopter in Portugal, and sees strong sales opportunities for its passenger version in the Asian oil industry and VIP market.