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Bell Agusta BA609 program managers plan to resume flight testing with Aircraft No. 1 in Arlington, Texas before the end of 2004. The commercial tiltrotor is expected to convert from helicopter hovering to fixed-wing cruising flight within 30 days after the return to flight. An identical second prototype assembled in Cameri, Italy will begin flying in the first quarter of 2005. Program managers expect four test aircraft to accumulate around 3,000 flight hours leading to joint FAA/JAA certification in 2007. First customer deliveries will start soon thereafter.

The first BA609 logged about 14 hours of hovering time in nine flights from March to May 2003. In helicopter mode, the tiltrotor took off at gross weights to 14,850 lb and achieved speeds to 100 kt. In airplane mode, the six- to nine-passenger BA609 is expected to cruise at 275 kt.

Bell Helicopter has a flight test stand in Texas to permit helicopter-airplane conversions on the ground. Unlike the military V-22 with nacelle tilt fully controlled by the pilot, the civil BA609 has a "gated" conversion corridor which enables the pilot to "beep" the proprotors down from 90 to 75 to 60 to 0 degrees in steps. "It makes a lot of things better for the civil market," explains Bell Agusta executive marketing director Don Barbour. " We now have a consistent configuration to teach pilots." While the V-22 can convert from helicopter to airplane in as little as 18 seconds, the BA609 will convert in a fixed 40 seconds.

Three pilots -- two from Bell and one from Agusta -- flew the initial BA609 tests and concluded the aircraft handled very much like the VeMSIL -Vehicle Management Systems integration Lab. The pilot-in-the-loop systems simulator puts actual BA609 nacelle actuators, cross shafting, and control components through tiltrotor conversions. "The pilot really gets to fly the machine in the laboratory," says Jack Gallagher, director of Bell Agusta programs.

"Having the ability to simulate the entire range of aircraft and software operation is not only safer and more predictable, but much more cost effective." Feedback from initial flight testing refined the flight control software in the lab. "We've adjusted the VeMSIL down to the reality of the aircraft and they correlate perfectly," says Mr. Gallagher. Predicted drive train power losses also proved greater than the actual aircraft.

Initial pilot impressions also noted the unfurnished aircraft was unexpectedly quite and smooth. "Those two things really encouraged us," says Mr. Barbour. Cockpit and cabin noise was well below the 97 dB target, and vibration was low even without a vibration suppression system installed. "Our [vibration] target was better than any existing helicopter, and we actually exceeded our expectations," said Mr. Barbour. "The vibration levels were about the same as a commercial business jet."

The four BA609 prototypes will be instrumented for different flight test tasks. Aircraft No. 1 will be dedicated to primary handling qualities, flight control certification, and envelope definition. No. 2 will perform an engine vibration survey, expand the flight envelope, and undergo cold weather testing. BA609 No. 3 will be the icing test aircraft, and No. 4 will be the avionics certification example.

The instrumented prototypes will telemeter strain, temperature, and torque gauge data to the ground via a Bell-developed data collection systems at Arlington and Cameri. The two facilities are connected by T1 lines to speed data reduction. "The processing has improved greatly since we did things in the '70s and '80s," notes Mr. Barbour.

Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company has a backlog of more than 60 BA609 orders from civil and government customers. The two partner companies split content about 50-50, with the transmission, tail, empennage, and rotor controls made in Italy.

Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC), AAI Corporation and Textron Systems Corporation have agreed in principle to form the core team to develop, produce and market the Eagle Eye Vertical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VUAV) System. Each Eagle Eye System consists of one or more Eagle Eye tiltrotor UAVs, ground control equipment, payload, communications and integrated logistics support. Team Eagle Eye will integrate Bell tiltrotor technology with the AAI One System control and downlink, Textron munitions solutions, and LMC network-centric technologies and low-cost composite structures.

Bell first flew the 2,000-lb Eagle Eye in 1992 to demonstrate a vertical takeoff UAV (VUAV) that takes off and lands like a helicopter but cruises with the speed and efficiency of a fixed wing airplane. The proof-of-concept demonstrators accumulated over 90 hours, and achieved 200 knots in level flight with a 210-lb payload. Though the seven-eighths scale demonstrators are no longer flying, Bell is currently building two full-scale VUAVs -- one for the US Coast Guard and the other for marketing demonstrations. US Coast Guard plans now call for 69 operational Eagle Eye VUAVs (tentatively RQ-10s) to fly from US Coast Guard National Security Cutters, Offshore Patrol Cutters, legacy vessels, and land bases.

The Coast Guard VUAV passed its preliminary design review in late January. First flight of a risk reduction prototype is expected in late 2005 or early 2006, and a production system of three air vehicles and two ground control stations will be aboard the first new National Security Cutter in late 2006. Bell is pursuing other prospective VUAV customers including the US Marine Corps.

The US Naval Air Systems Command has completed preliminary design review on the armed helicopter package for the Navy/Sikorsky MH-60S. The Navy expects the integrated package of weapons, sensors, and aircraft survivability equipment to achieve Initial Operational Capability on Block 3A MH-60Ss in 2006. Current plans call for 52 armed helicopter kits to be installed on deployed aircraft as needed.

The Armed Helo package includes the Raytheon AAS-44A FLIR with laser designator, external weapons mounts for up to eight Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, M3M 0.50 caliber door guns, and M240D 7.62 mm window guns. The integrated defensive suite will be built around the Northrop Grumman AN/APR-39B(V)2 radar warning receiver and AAR-47(V)2 flare-and-chaff dispensers. A TAMMAC (Tactical Aircraft Moving Map Capability) Lite digital map is meant to enhance situational awareness. Air vehicle enhancements include internal auxiliary fuel tanks, floor armor, and provisions for an air refueling probe.

Most of the weapons and subsystems in the Armed Helo package are already in the US Navy inventory. Lockheed Martin will provide software to interface the AAS-44A and other elements of the package with the MH-60S Common Cockpit. Sikorsky Aircraft is to reinforce the installation points for the flare/chaff dispensers and make other minor platform changes. The Navy will do its own Armed Helo integration at Patuxent River for test flights starting in mid-2005.

The US Marine Corps is working toward a CH-53X Operational Requirements Document this year and a Milestone B decision to proceed with development aiming toward Initial Operational Capability in Fiscal 2015. An Analysis of Alternatives completed in November 2003 found a new-build helicopter fleet more economically and operationally attractive than a re-manufacturing program. Plans now call for 154 new CH-53Xs.

Marine requirements focus on a sea-based heavy-lift helicopter to fit existing ships. The current CH-53E hauls around 12,000 lb externally over 110 nm. The notional CH-53X threshold capability calls for 27,000 lb over 110 nm. Objective capability is 30,000 lb over the same distance. The CH-53X is expected to hover at 78,200 lb at 3,000 ft and 91.5F, 29% heavier than the CH-53E. To achieve the desired performance, the new helicopter will combine a high-efficiency swept-anhedral-tip rotor system driven by three new 6,000 shp-class engines. General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell have already suggested alternative five possible powerplants. The CH-53X is also expected to incorporate an integrated cockpit and fly-by-wire flight controls.

As US Army leaders continue to praise the Comanche cancellation, the service is developing requirements for an accelerated procurement of 368 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters to fly the RAH-66 mission and replace the OH-58D. The low-cost ARH is a modification of an existing aircraft to serve the Army for 15 to 20 years. The interim aircraft is expected to tolerate 7.62 mm fire and accommodate a modest Mission Equipment Package. "This is not to be a Comanche Lite," said Army Deputy Program Executive Officer for Aviation Paul Bogosian at the AHS Forum. Eurocopter President and CEO Marc Paganini was nevertheless quick to suggest the sophisticated Tiger, possibly built in cooperation with a US partner.

US manufacturers are meanwhile responding to the Army's ARH Request For Information and waiting to see how the requirement for an OH-58D replacement shapes up. Bell Helicopter plans to offer improvements for the Kiowa Warrior or new ARHs based on the Model 407 or 427. Even with the arrival of the ARH, the Kiowa Warrior will not be totally replaced until 2012 to 2016.

The cancellation of the Comanche is funding a range of other Army Aviation requirements, including 322 civil-certificated Light Utility Helicopters primarily for operations in the Continental United States but potentially deployable in permissive environments. Additional aircraft may be ordered directly by the National Guard. Initial Operational Capability is expected in 2006 with production scheduled from Fiscal 2005 to 2011.

Among the technologies harvested from the Comanche program is a common Fly-By-Wire control system for the AH-64D and UH-60M, an improved Radar Electronic Unit and Image Intensified television for the Longbow Apache, and hardware and software from the Integrated Communications, Navigation, and Identification suite. Significantly, Mr. Bogosian said the Army will invest no more in the LHTEC T802 turboshaft developed for the RAH-66. The engine has nevertheless been selected by both teams proposing to build Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) prototypes.

The US Army has formulated a common Fly-By-Wire control specification for both the UH-60M Black Hawk and AH-64D Apache and expects to field FBW systems in both aircraft with about 80% commonality. FBW promises to reduce pilot workload and increase safety by enhancing stability and protecting helicopter flight envelopes. Army studies conclude better low-speed handling characteristics are key to reduced accident rates. FBW integrated with other systems may help pilots land safety in brown-out conditions. Electronic controls will also eliminate the heavy, maintenance-intensive mechanical linkages and provide a means to alleviate flight loads and component wear.

Based on FBW work done on the commercial S-92, Sikorsky plans to fly FBW controls in the UH-60M in 2007. The company will begin S-92 FBW integration early next year and expects the system to fly in 2006 and gain civil certification by the end of 2007. BAE Systems is developing the flight control computers, software, and control interfaces. The triplex dual architecture with dissimilar processors is expected to maximize reliability and safety. FBW is projected to eliminate around 100 flight-critical mechanical parts and 250 lb from the S-92, and trim direct maintenance costs 23%.

The UH-60M with FBW may acquire automatic threat avoidance, precision approach, coupled terrain following/avoidance, and other capabilities. Army plans now call for 1,227 recapitalized UH-60Ms with possible follow-on buys. Sikorsky plans to propose both remanufacturing and new-build aircraft to meet the Army's recapitalization goals at about the same cost.

Boeing meanwhile is expected to incorporate FBW in the Block III AH-64Ds. Army plans now call for 284 Longbow Apaches remanufactured from Block I AH-64Ds between 2007 and 2017. However, the service desires 501 Apaches modernized to Block III standards.

Army to Fly Adaptive Infrared Exhaust Suppressor

The Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate at Fort Eustis plans to fly an adaptive infrared suppressor on an AH-64 Apache this September. The adaptive suppressor (previously called the reactive suppressor) works instantly in response to threats detected by the Common Missile Warning System. It imposes a power penalty only when necessary to cool and dilute the engine exhaust.

Initial adaptive suppressor designs used a moving nozzle. A simpler fixed-exhaust version will be tested in an engine ground cell in July. The new suppressor promises a 75% reduction in infrared signature compared to the standard Apache Black Hole suppressor. It also reduces the engine power penalty from nearly 3% to just 1.9%. The Army wants quick deliveries of enough suppressors to outfits several Apache battalions in Iraq.

Agusta Westland Gets VXX Engines

Agusta Westland in the UK has received two General Electric CT7-8E turboshafts for flight testing in an EH101this summer. The 2,500 shp-class engines are the powerplants proposed for the Lockheed Martin US101 Presidential helicopter (VXX). The -8 engine introduces a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) more advanced than the Digital Electronic Control (DEC) on the 2,000 shp CT7-6 previously certificated in the EH101. The new engines are only slightly longer than the -6 version and can be accommodated with minor cowling changes.

Both Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky Aircraft continue risk reduction studies pending a VXX selection expected after the 2004 Presidential elections.

Boeing Plans To Fly Optionally-Manned Little Bird

Boeing now hopes to fly an unmanned AH-6 Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB) by September to begin company-sponsored demonstrations of the optionally-manned helicopter for the US government. Plans call for the Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) demonstrator to retain its conventional cockpit controls, enabling an on-board pilot to fly the aircraft in self-rescue or other scenarios.

Boeing engineers are currently integrating a commercial off-the-shelf control package with a wideband Tactical Control Data Link (TCDL) from L3 Communications and the same control station used on a Longbow Apache for the AMUST Baseline helicopter-UAV demonstration in 2000 and 2001.

Boeing Philadelphia is performing the integration on behalf of Boeing Unmanned Systems in St. Louis. The company bought a new MD530F helicopter representative of the current AH/MH-6 air vehicle In March. The basic platform provides 500 nm range and up to 8 hours endurance with a 1,000 lb payload. Long used by US Army Special Operations Forces, the Little Bird provides a UAV compatible with existing Army support systems.

Plans call for the MELB UAV to fly with a variety of payloads. The initial configuration will include a WESCAM 15D FLIR/TV gimbal with laser designator. The program goal is for the MELB UAV to use the same sensors, mission planning system, as the A160 Hummingbird recently acquired by Boeing.

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