Kaman Aerospace is looking to secure additional sales of SH-2G(E) Super Seasprite helicopters to Egypt and hopes to define a clearer firefighting role for its K-Max medium to heavy lift helicopter in the next few months.
Egypt already operates a fleet of 10 SH-2Gs and is pursuing a requirement for between four and eight additional machines in the search and rescue role.
"We hope to hear something about that in the next 60-90 days," says Joe Lubenstein, president of Kaman Aerospace. "We are also talking to Mexico about providing them with four refurbished aircraft in the same way as we have done with Poland.
"This is an economically viable way for many countries to do business; it gives us a foothold and the ability to prove our aircraft in-country and then hopefully secure additional new-build sales.
"We have had issues with the delivery schedule for the Australian order of Super Seasprites but once we do field the aircraft as we are doing in New Zealand we are very hopeful of winning follow-on orders in both those countries."
Turning to the K-Max line, Lubenstein says clarifying the aircraft's capability in airborne firefighting could drive sales growth, especially as heavy construction, particularly logging, can be extremely cyclical.
Income
"We need to give those operators another means of generating income, perhaps via leasing. K-Max is not a cheap aircraft to buy and we are looking very carefully at the firefighting mission and what we need to do there."
Lubenstein is seven months into his tenure as president of Kaman Aerospace and he is preaching a message that he hopes the industry hears loud and clear - that there is more to the Kaman business than meets the eye. He wants the diversity of his company's operations to be recognised more widely and he thinks Asian Aerospace is the ideal opportunity to pursue that aim.
The recent acquisition of Plastic Fabricating in Kansas and the restructuring of the business into three units is the first step in broadening the capabilities of the company, Lubenstein believes.
Kaman now operates three business units - helicopter programmes, aerostructures subcontracting and helicopter subcontracting.
Source: Flight Daily News