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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 0233.PDF
il£U ZXPO >~JZ Arizona's Airstar confirms order for first MD630Ns AIRSTAR HELICOPTER, a Grand Canyon, Arizona- based tour operator, will be the launch customer for the newly unveiled MD 630X if McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) decides to go ahead Flight International, 1-7 February). AirStar has placed a $20,000 deposit on each of the first two MD 630Ns, a seven-to-eight seat stretch version of the NOTAR (no tail rotor) anti-torque system- equipped MD 520N. AirStar president Ron Williams says: "We're extremely excited about the MD 630N. For years, we've been discussing tour opera tors' needs with manufacturers and now MDHS has responded." MDHS could decide to go ahead with the new NOTAR heli copter "as early as April", says its general manager Dean Borgman if it "...warrants enough interest". MDHS will build a second prototype if the MD 630N receives the go-ahead, says chief engineer Carlo Rao. "The next one will be filled with instrumen tation, whereas the first prototype is being used mainly for basic handling qualities and perfor mance work," he says. The first aircraft's arrival at Heli-Expo was one of the surprises of the show. Rao likens development of the helicopter to a classified pro- MD 630N makes gi-and entrance with Airstar order gramme from its sister company's "Phantom Works". In a walled-off part of MDHS' Mesa, Arizona, site, a small team of engineers stretched a 520N airframe (itself a converted MD 530F demonstra tor), by installing a 760mm plug aft of the bulkhead separating die cabin and pilots' seats. To compen sate for die larger cabin, a 710mm plug was inserted into die tail- boom. Instead of an aft plug, the next prototype will have a length ened tailboom built in one piece. Rao also confirms reports that the 63 ON suffered engine prob lems on an early flight, which forced it to make an emergency landing from " about 10ft [3 m] or so". MDHS says that the pro gramme has otherwise been fault less, achieving 2Oh flight time to date and a maximum speed of 130kt (240km/h) in forward flight. Odier changes to the helicopter include a new, heavy-duty, drive system to cope with additional power available from the Allison 250-C30R turboshaft. A sixth blade has also been added to the rotor, to provide more lift for the heavier machine, while the skids have been lengthened by lm. • MDHS has won an order for up to nine MD 520Ns from the Los Angeles Sheriff's department. Three of the helicopters will be delivered by mid-1995, while the remainder could be handed over by the end of 1996. The LA Sheriff's department is the ninth law-enforcement agency in the USA and abroad to select theMD520N. 3 Upgraded A.109 may be on the way AGUSTA HAS declined to comment on reports that it is developing an upgraded A.109 turbine twin which will be avail able with three engine options. Industry sources suggest that the Italian company has tested an improved Allison-powered vari ant and is about to begin flight tests of a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW200-powered version. Agusta now produces two basic versions of the eight-seat heli copter, the Allison 250-C20R/1- powered A.109C and the Turbo- meca Arriel 1K1-powered "hot- and-high" A.109K2. The company delivered seven K2s, but no Cs, in 1994. It is thought that an improved range is under development which will feature avionics upgrades and all three engine options. The Italian manufacturer will say only that it is looking at several options to improve the A.109, which could include a "fan-in- fin" tail rotor. A totally new heli copter is unlikely, the company admits, given the depressed mar ket and its investment in certifi cation of the A.109. US-based Agusta Aerospace is scheduled to deliver the first corpo rate-configured A.109K2 to a Mexican customer by April. The air craft, the first K2 sold to Mexico, fea tures a new interior offering reduced noise and vibration. The A.109K2 was selected over die Bell 230, based on its hot-and-high performance, Agusta says. J AlliedSignal works on new versions of LT101 turboshaft ALLIEDSIGNAL ENGINES is working on growth plans for the LT101 turboshaft as a possible future engine option for die Bell 430, the US Coast Guard (USCG) HH-60 Dolphin and a heavier BK117 under study at Eurocopter. The two-stage growth option would increase engine rating over the LTS101 750B1 by 10% and 20%. "There are a lot of people showing interest," says die compa ny, which inherited die engine with its 1994 purchase of Textron's Lycoming division. AlliedSignal has discussed the plan witJi Eurocopter and die USCG. Hardware for the "compressor growth plan" is being developed this year, with testing due in 1996 and planned introduction of the 10% growth engine in 1997. The first growdi stage revolves around development of a revised impeller and related casing changes. Increased running tem peratures required for the 20% growth step will require the intro duction of further blade cooling. • NEWS IN BRIEF • SEXTANT AVIONICS Sextant Avionique says that its Avionique Nouvelle (AN) series of helicopter avionics has been selected for the Eurocopter EC. 120, EC.13S and future EC. 165. The AN series consists of liquid- crystal multi-function dis plays, dual-screen vehicle- and engine-management display, global-positioning navigation system and air- data computer. SFIM will supply the automatic flight- control system. See HAI report, P9. • AIRWORK DEAL UNC Airwork has won a three-year, $3.5 million, repair and overhaul contract from the US Army to support Allison 250-C30 engines used on the 160th Special Operations Regiment's McDonnell Douglas 530FFs. 10 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 8 - 14 February 1995
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