Seen at Heli-Expo 2015

Guy Norris
The AW609 was shown in Bristow livery with the name of its regional airline, Eastern Airways, painted on the starboard side.
The AW609 was shown in Bristow livery with the name of its regional airline, Eastern Airways, painted on the starboard side.
735 exhibitors, including 116 first-time participants were at the show. Some 57 aircraft were on the show floor including this Sikorsky S-92, shortly to take up search and rescue missions around the coast of the U.K.
The advanced design features of the Airbus H160 included this unusual ‘biplane stabilizer’ – split into two joined surfaces to provide adequate pitch authority while, at the same time, presenting a smaller surface area to the downwash of the main rotor.
The faired rotor hub on the H160 mock-up is a design concept that reduces drag but, for the moment, adds weight and is not yet a defined feature for the production version.
The tips of the H160’s low-noise ‘Blue Edge’ main rotor blades are angled back to reduce vortex interaction for quieter operation.
The accentuated cant of the H160’s Fenestron tail rotor is designed for increased yaw control and enables greater payloads
The all-composite H160, previously known as the ‘X4’ will be equipped with the same Airbus Helicopters-developed Helionix avionics suite installed on the EC145T2 and EC175. Other innovations include an electrically actuated landing gear.
The Composite Helicopter company of New Zealand says it will offer an entry-level KC630 five-seat helicopter powered by a Rolls-Royce 300 turboshaft engine as well as a mid-level KC640 with a Rolls-Royce M250-C20B. The six-seat KC650 will likely have a Honeywell LTS101 engine.
Bell Helicopter’s full commercial line-up was on display, including the new 505 (pictured) here and the 525.
Having come through difficult times since the first delivery in September 2008, the French-based Guimbal Cabri program saw its best year yet in 2014 when 27 machines were delivered. The company expects to deliver 44 Cabris in 2015 and 58 in 2016.
One of the most unusual aircraft on show was the Elytron proof-of-concept VTOL convertiplane. First test flights are planned for sometime this year.
The Marenco Swisshelicopter SH-09 light-single began flight tests last October.
MD Helicopters celebrated a decade of business as a Lynn Tilton company at the show.

Helicopter Association International’s HELI-EXPO 2015 in Orlando, Florida ended on March 5 after a bumper event attended by 18,272 show goers. Highlights included the unveiling of the long-anticipated Airbus Helicopters H160 and the announcement of a study between oil and gas service provider Bristow Group and AgustaWestland to optimize commercial operations of the AW609 ––  the most positive indication yet of a broader industry endorsement of the tilt-rotor concept. (All photos by Guy Norris.)

Guy Norris

Guy is a Senior Editor for Aviation Week, covering technology and propulsion. He is based in Colorado Springs.

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