02:38 pm - Tuesday
Latest variant of the AW-101 makes Paris debut
Paris, France - AgustaWestland at "Paris Air Show 2009"
(WAPA) - AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, announced that the latest variant of the AW-101 medium lift helicopter is making its debut at Paris Air Show. The latest variant of the AW-101 features new more efficient main rotor blades, new more powerful engines, a new cockpit display system and a new up rated tail rotor. These technology upgrades enable the AW-101 to fly faster, further with more payload, whilst improving performance in extreme conditions. This latest version of this helicopter is already in production and available to export customers.
The new main rotor blades incorporates an improved plan form, new aerofoil sections and an advanced aero elastically tailored structure to provide reduced vibration, 10 knots additional cruise speed and 650 kg additional lift capability over the previous AW-101 main rotor blades. The blades first flew in September 2006 and have now completed a flight test programme during which the AW-101 was flown at speeds up to 198 knots and at altitudes of 13,000 feet. Aircraft have also been flown at weights up to 16,500 kg - 1,900 kg over the normal Merlin gross weight and 900 kg over the current AW-101 maximum gross weight.
The project represents the latest generation of rotor technology developed under a jointly funded AgustaWestland and UK Ministry of Defence rotor technology development and demonstration programme.
This variant of the AW-101 has also recently completed a series of icing trials giving the aircraft the same exceptional icing clearance of the previous variants, allowing flight in known icing conditions. In 2008 the AW-101 successfully conducted aerial refuelling tests between with a C-130 Hercules tanker, further demonstrating the aircraft’s mission capabilities. (Avionews)
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Direttore Clara Moschini