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Aviation History
1992
1992 - 0856.PDF
HELI-EXPO '92 Las Vegas, the gambling capi tal of the world, earned its reputation at this year's Heli- Expo '92, organised by the Helicopter Association Inter national. Sikorsky unveiled its 19-passenger S-92 in mockup form and admitted that "...there couldn't be a better place than Vegas — after all it is the city where people take a gamble". Nearby, in the exhibition hall, Charles Kaman, heli copter pioneer and entre preneur, stood in front of the K-Max utility helicopter prototype, saying: "It's a big business undertaking and a big business risk...but it's also the time of my life." For all the sense of risk, Sikorsky and Kaman seem confident of big pay-offs and are buoyed by optimism that the helicopter business is starting the climb out of re cession. As if to underscore this, Heli-Expo '92, with 371 exhibitors occupying more than 1,050 booths and almost 60 static displays, was 15% bigger than last year' show. Other highlights included confirmation from Bell Heli copter Textron of the Long- Ranger IV and hints of long- range plans for its next gen eration of single turbines. McDonnell Douglas Helicop ters christened its MDX the Explorer. Robinson notched up more than 40 orders for the R44 and announced sales of more than 400 R22s. Internationally, the show was marked by the inaugura tion of American Eurocopter, a subsidiary of MBB and Aerospatiale. Kamov, the Russian giant, fashioned links with Israel Aircraft Industries to promote the Ka-62, which should fly before the end of • the year. Report by Guy Norris and Kieran Daly. Photographs by Craig Schmitman. Sikorsky initiates S-92 marketing study Sikorsky will complete a worldwide marketing study with Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries be fore deciding on the launch of its proposed S-92 medium civil helicopter in December. The launch of a military ver sion could come first. "If interest comes sooner then we'll move out quicker," says Sikorsky pres ident Eugene Buckley. Explaining the basis for study ing the S-92, Buckley says: "Moving on from our S-76A, B and C models, we've moved into what we believe is a market which will be critical in the future — the 19-seater moving people as comfortably as if they were in an airliner. It's a low- risk aircraft." Buckley explains that the S-92 couples the proven dynamic systems, including the transmission and drive train, from the UH-60 Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk with a new, larger airframe. (Flight Interna tional, 25-31 March). In its commercial guise, the S-92' is aimed initially at the offshore oil market, niche mar kets for airline transportation in congested areas and priority cargo. "We have an agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which will finish in December. Based on that, we will decide on what way we should go. We could do a commercial venture by ourselves or in conjunction with partners. We have Euro pean interest," adds Buckley. • K-Max: giving Kaman the time of his life Kaman reveals plans for civil helicopter Raman has revealed details of its first commercial heli copter venture since the 1940s. Company chairman and chief executive Charles Kaman, speak ing at Heli-Expo '92, described the helicopter as "an aerial truck, not a people carrier". Describing the utilitarian in termeshing-rotor helicopter, Kaman says: "We need some thing in tbe helicopter business to make money: we need a vehicle to pay for what it does right now." Kaman and Textron Lycoming have teamed on the programme, formerly known as the multi- mission intermeshing-rotor air craft and now called the K-Max. The engine maker is supplying the helicopter's single l,340kW (l,800shp) T5317A turboshaft, a commercial variant of the T53- 703 AH-1S Cobra engine. The K-Max engine has been de-rated to l,120kW to allow it to achieve higher equivalent power under hot-day or high- altitude conditions. At the lower rating, the transmission will also have "indefinite life," says Kaman. The two companies have put together a deal under which the first set of operators would lease the helicopter for around $l,000/h for l,000h a year. "We call it 'a grand for a grand'," says Kaman. "It's a big business undertak ing and a big business risk...but it's the time of my life," admits the 73-year old entrepreneur. The performance objective of the K-Max is lifting 2,280kg on an underslung hook to a tree- line altitude of 2,450m (8,000ft) out of ground effect. The single- seat aircraft weighs 1,860kg empty and can carry 2,730kg at lower altitudes. Maximum gross weight is 4,775kg.- Designed for logging, fire- fighting, construction, power- line installation and other medium-lifting duties, the inter meshing-rotor helicopter marks a return to the two-blade, twin- rotor design of the Kaman H-43 Huskie. "The only commonality is that it's intermeshing," says Kaman. "The rotorhead is bear- ingless and there are many other differences." The rotor speed is slightly faster than the H-43's 260rpm, at 270rpm. "This kind of rotor system is far more efficient than the tradi tional main-and-tail rotor ar rangement. No power is wasted driving a tail rotor: everything is for lift and thrust," adds Kaman. The prototype aircraft has amassed 25h of flight testing and has achieved lOOkt in forward flight. A second aircraft is under construction at the company's Bloomfield, factory in Connecti cut. Two 1950s H-43B Huskies have been acquired and are being zero-timed to train K-Max pilots. Certification is hoped for in mid-to-late 1993. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1 - 7 April, 1992
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