AW ..... "Siamo pronti" .....

[richelieu]

"Siamo prondi ad assumere la guida di questo programma" ..... così dichiara AgustaWestland circa il futuro del convertiplano BA609 .....

DATE: 21/02/10
SOURCE: Flightglobal.com

HELI-EXPO: AgustaWestland to learn BA609 fate by end of June

By John Croft

AgustaWestland CEO Giuseppe Orsi says the long-delayed decision on whether Bell Helicopter will cede its majority share in the BA609 civil tiltrotor program to minority partner AgustaWestland will be made by the end of June.

“The deadline to close one way or another is the end of June,” Orsi said at a press conference in Houston on 20 February as part of the 2010 Heli Expo show. “We have said we are ready to take the lead on that program.”

Orsi in September told Flight International that AgustaWestland parent company, Finmeccanica, had “authorised us to conclude negotiations within certain conditions to reach this important achievement", and more recently, that the two companies have been discussing a “restructuring and optimization of the programme” and have been evaluating the “best way forward” to ensure the success of vectored thrust twin-turboprop aircraft.


©Bell/Agusta

He notes test flight activities for the first two prototypes “are progressing” while the two additional aircraft will join the test flight programme in 2011 and 2012, respectively. “I am convinced the tiltrotor technology based on the BA609 continues to be one of the most highly anticipated concepts ever, dramatically expanding the possibilities of what an aircraft can do,” he says.

Finmeccanica has said there is a market for 500 aircraft within 10 years of first delivery, including 40-50 for the Italian government. Orsi says BA609 certification in the US and European Union is on schedule for 2013 and that more than 80 of the $29 million aircraft have been ordered so far by 40 customers, including government agencies.

Luca Peruzzi in Italy contributed to this report.

[richelieu]

i collaudi, dopo la piena acquisizione del programma da parte di AW, procedono .....

"AgustaWestland Takes Full Ownership of The BA609 Programme" .....
http://www.agustawestland.com/news/agus ... -programme

"FARNBOROUGH: AW609 nears 1,000h of flight testing" .....
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ng-401293/

..... e, già dallo scorso anno, erano state annunciate migliorie al velivolo .....

"AgustaWestland AW609 TiltRotor Aerodynamic Improvements Set To Boost Performance" .....
http://www.agustawestland.com/news/agus ... erformance



Ora si pensa, nell'ambito di un'iniziativa europea, ad un suo possibile successore .....

AgustaWestland could fly a larger “next-generation civil tiltrotor” (NGCTR) by 2020.
Propelled by internal company studies and research that began in 2000, the larger tiltrotor project is now being pushed to the next level with $328 million in new funding from the Industry/European Union’s CleanSky2 initiative.
While AgustaWestland is quick to point out that nearly 60 percent of this funding will go to program partners, the residual will provide a substantial catalyst.

Fonte ..... "AgustaWestland Pushes Ahead with Larger Tiltrotor" .....
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ ... -tiltrotor
.

[richelieu]

Complimenti ai piloti .....

Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that three of its AW609 test pilots have received from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots the prestigious Iven C. Kincheloe award and were recognized at the Society’s annual gala.

Fonte ..... "AW609 Test Pilots Receive Iven C. Kincheloe Award" .....
http://www.agustawestland.com/news/aw60 ... eloe-award

SETP ..... "Iven C. Kincheloe Recipients" .....
http://www.setp.org/winners/iven-c-kinc ... ients.html


Chi era Iven C. Kincheloe ..... http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsh ... sp?id=1113


1950's -- Captain Iven C. Kincheloe Jr. is pictured here with the X-2 rocket research plane.
Kincheloe, the personification of the "born pilot," went from flying model airplanes at age 5 to soloing on his 16th birthday to becoming America's "first spaceman."
.

[sochmer]

Parlando di AW... in arrivo un ulteriore upgrade del gross weight...

http://helihub.com/2014/10/30/agustawes ... ght-aw139/

Sono curioso di vedere che cambiamenti comporterà alla cellula e ai sistemi interni...

[richelieu]

Un accordo interessante .....

Helicopter services provider Bristow has agreed to work with AgustaWestland to optimise the AW609 for commercial operations, as it endorses the capabilities of the first civil tiltrotor aircraft to enter certification testing.
AgustaWestland displayed an AW609 emblazoned with the Bristow brand in the Heli-Expo exhibit hall.

Fonte ..... "Bristow endorses AW609 for commercial ops" .....
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ps-409721/

Inoltre ..... "Bristow Commits To Being Partner and Customer for AW609 Civil Tiltrotor" .....
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ ... -tiltrotor

Quello che dicono i piloti collaudatori ..... "Test Pilots Say AW609 is Easy to Fly" .....
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ ... 9-easy-fly
.

[richelieu]

Il comunicato congiunto di Bristow e AW .....

"AgustaWestland and Bristow Sign Exclusive Agreement for the AW609 TiltRotor Programme" .....
http://prod-app-01.bristowgroup.com/_as ... eement.pdf

[richelieu]

Un convertiplano molto 'ossequioso' ..... il '609' ..... fa l'inchino .....

"Il convertiplano AW609 di Agusta Westland si inchina davanti a Matteo Renzi" .....
http://www.adnkronos.com/fatti/cronaca/ ... OyZPJ.html

[richelieu]

Marina ed Esercito lo stanno prendendo in considerazione ..... ovvero ..... come poter rinunciare ad un nuovo, costoso 'giocattolo' ?

But now, there's new interest in the aircraft by the Italian Navy and Army as both look to tilt-rotors to boost capabilities.
Strategy documents issued in recent months by the Army and Navy listed tilt-rotors as high on their shopping lists, just as AgustaWestland announces a series of planned upgrades for the AW609.

Fonte ..... "Italian Military, Industry Eye Tilt-rotors" .....
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defens ... /25044839/
.

[giragyro]

Bel colpo quello dell' accordo con bristow , detengono quasi il monopolio del mercato da e per le piattaforme petrolifere nel mare del Nord e non solo. Mi incuriosisce molto pensare a come si svolgerà' l'addestramento di evacuazione rapida con un conservatorismo ribaltato....

[flyforever85]

Scusa non ho letto gli articoli che hai riportato, ma per fare un sunto veloce, che fine aveva fatto il bA609? Lo "conosco" da anni ma per un bel po' non ne ho piu' sentito parlare

[richelieu]

Scusa non ho letto gli articoli che hai riportato, ma per fare un sunto veloce, che fine aveva fatto il bA609? Lo "conosco" da anni ma per un bel po' non ne ho piu' sentito parlare

Ti rimanderei a quanto viene scritto su Wikipedia ..... http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW609 .....
e, in particolar modo, alla versione in lingua inglese ..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW609 ..... ben più aggiornata e ricca di informazioni e note di quella, in verità assai povera, in italiano .....

[flyforever85]

Scusa non ho letto gli articoli che hai riportato, ma per fare un sunto veloce, che fine aveva fatto il bA609? Lo "conosco" da anni ma per un bel po' non ne ho piu' sentito parlare

Ti rimanderei a quanto viene scritto su Wikipedia ..... http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW609 .....
e, in particolar modo, alla versione in lingua inglese ..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW609 ..... ben più aggiornata e ricca di informazioni e note di quella, in verità assai povera, in italiano .....

Grazie, a quanto pare va avanti ma molto a rilento... poveri quelli che l'hanno ordinato nel 1999!

[sochmer]

Sarà ma il 609 non mi convince... come ho detto molte volte lo considero un dimostratore tecnologico per un futuro convertiplano, di dimensioni e specifiche differenti, prodotto da AW

L'idea me la da la poca volontà nel portare avanti il 4° prototipo (o il primo 609 di produzione... non so come venga chiamato in azienda)

Il tutto è però dettato dal lancio della linea del 169 e il potenziamento di quella del 189 che vanno a discapito proprio del 609 e del 139 (leggera riduzione della produzione... 1 ogni 9 giorni al posto di 1 ogni 7)

[richelieu]

Il 609 conquista un record .....

Completato in sole 2 ore e 18 minuti un volo di 1.161 km fra gli stabilimenti di Yeovil (Somerset, Regno Unito) e di Cascina Costa di Samarate (Milano).
Ridotti dal 30% al 50% i tempi di percorrenza rispetto alle combinazioni di automobile, elicottero e business jet.
Il convertiplano AW609 punta alla certificazione civile FAA nel 2017.

Fonte ..... "Il Convertiplano (AW609) stabilisce il record di velocità sui 1.000 km: 2h18' dal Regno Unito all'Italia" ..... http://www.finmeccanica.com/-/aw609-record
.

[richelieu]

A seguito dell' incidente che ha portato alla tragica perdita di due piloti collaudatori e del secondo prototipo del convertiplano .....

"AW609 crash kills two pilots in northern Italy" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ly-418429/

..... AW, in occasione del salone di Dubai, conferma il proprio impegno nel programma .....

Speaking at the air show this morning, AgustaWestland chief executive Daniele Romiti declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, but reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the tiltrotor programme.

Fonte ..... "DUBAI: AgustaWestland restates commitment to AW609 tiltrotor" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... -t-418828/
.

[sochmer]

era una mossa prevedibile... come avevo scritto tempo fa, il 609 è il banco prova per il prossimo tiltrotor che agusta sta progettando...


Inviato dal mio iPad utilizzando Tapatalk

[richelieu]

Gli Emirati ci credono .....

AgustaWestland has scored a major breakthrough for its troubled AW609 programme, with a tentative order from the United Arab Emirates Joint Aviation Command (JAC) for three of the developmental tiltrotors, plus three options.
To be configured for search and rescue missions, the JAC will become the launch customer for the variant and help to shape its configuration.

Fonte ..... "DUBAI: AW609 boosted by UAE backing for SAR role" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... le-418902/

Il commento di 'DefenseNews" ..... "UAE Picks AW609 for Tiltrotor Requirement" .....
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defens ... /75501164/

Con la speranza che non faccia la stessa fine del contratto relativo agli addestratori .....
.

[richelieu]

Chi dice una cosa ..... chi ne dice un' altra .....

The United Arab Emirates is denying there are negotiations to acquire V-22 tiltrotor aircraft, despite statements suggesting otherwise from the Bell Boeing team that builds the aircraft.
"There are no V-22 discussions going on at this time," a UAE military official said Wednesday evening at the Dubai Airshow.
That appears to contradict a statement from Bell Helicopter on Tuesday after the UAE selected the AgustaWestland AW609 tiltrotor to be its new search and rescue system.
After that decision, a Bell spokeswoman said the US and UAE are still communicating about the potential of a V-22 sale to the nation.

Fonte ..... "UAE Armed Forces: No Negotiations on V-22 Tiltrotor" .....
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defens ... /75637106/
.

[richelieu]

Terzo prototipo ..... presto l'inizio delle prove a terra .....

"Ground trials near for third flight-test AW609" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... 09-420199/

[sochmer]

Terzo prototipo ..... presto l'inizio delle prove a terra .....

"Ground trials near for third flight-test AW609" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... 09-420199/

sono perplesso.... ma non posso addentrarmi nei particolari

[richelieu]

Si procede, sia pure a piccoli passi, in attesa degli esiti dell' inchiesta .....

Personnel from Italy’s ANSV agency continue to probe the crash, but were only recently able to retrieve the data stored in the heavily damaged combined flight-data and cockpit-voice recorder.

Fonte ..... "HELI-EXPO: Return to flight edges closer for AW609 tiltrotor" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... -t-422548/

[richelieu]

"Abbiamo compreso le cause dell' incidente" ..... afferma Finmeccanica ..... ma si attendono i risultati dell' inchiesta ufficiale ancora in corso .....

Speaking on the sidelines of the Heli-Expo show in Louisville, Clive Scott, AW609 programme manager, said: “We have a very good understanding of the events and have a view of the most probable causes. That is what’s leading us to say we are expecting to resume flight tests.”

Fonte ..... "HELI-EXPO: ​Finmeccanica confident on cause of AW609 crash" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... 09-422670/

Intanto ..... un operatore americano sigla un 'MoU' relativo ad uno studio che potrebbe portare alla realizzazione di una versione dedicata all' emergenza medica .....

Chris Bradshaw, Era Group chief executive, says the exclusive deal – similar to earlier agreements for other versions – will allow it to “understand the capabilities and mission profile” of the AW609, in order to draw up the business case for its operation.
It will also incorporate market research into potential customer requirements, and the design of “a cabin for advanced medical care”, in order to offer “premium emergency medical services”.

Fonte ..... "HELI-EXPO: ​Era signs to lead EMS development of AW609" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... w6-422669/
.

[richelieu]

Si riparte .....

AgustaWestland has made major steps towards getting the AW609 civil tiltrotor programme back in the air with the resumption of tests using the initial prototype and the start of ground runs of the third flight-test article.
However, programme delays now appear to have pushed the certification schedule into 2018, from the previous target of 2017.

Fonte ..... "Ground runs begin for third AW609 prototype as certification slides" .....

Anche qui ..... "Third AW609 Enters Flight-test Program" .....
.

[sochmer]

Moretti parla della nuova "Leonardo"

http://www.helipress.it/schede-1671-com ... ro_moretti

passaggi più consistenti... investimenti per il quinquennio 2016-2020

Gran parte dell’attenzione economica, commerciale e industriale sarà quindi rivolta alle prospettive per l’elicottero militare AW149, al convertiplano AW609 e su un nuovo progetto: l’elicottero AW209, un modello su cui Leonardo mantiene il massimo riserbo ma sul quale sono già stati fatti importanti investimenti economici

In due anni abbiamo sfornato due elicotteri, l’AW169 e l’AW189, mentre l’AW609 è in dirittura d’arrivo: nessuna impresa al mondo ha raggiunto simili traguardi

Quindi... Nuovo elicottero all'orizzonte (la speculazione è che possa essere l'erede del 109), investimenti pesanti per l'AW609 e focalizzazione sulla piattaforma AW149 (AW189 militare in pratica)

[richelieu]

Le ipotesi di heliPRESS sull' ancora 'misterioso' AW209 .....

"Leonardo è al lavoro sul nuovo elicottero AW209" .....

[richelieu]

Secondo Air & Cosmos .....

Le troisième prototype du convertiplane AW609 TiltRotor, le A/C3, a complété avec succès ses essais au sol, qui se sont déroulés sur le site de la Divisione Elicotteri (anciennement AgustaWestland) de Cascina Costa di Samarate, près de Varèse (Lombardie).
Ces tests au sol font suite à la reprise des essais du premier prototype (A/C1) le 15 avril dernier.

Il testo completo ..... "L'AW609 continue ses essais" .....
.

[richelieu]

A scoppio ritardato .....

"Convertiplano sotto sequestro" .....

"Convertiplano, sequestro che fa paura" .....

"SOTTO SEQUESTRO IL CONVERTIPLANO AW-609" .....

A questo punto ..... non posso fare altro che grattarmi la testa .....
.

[richelieu]

L' inchiesta ..... primi risultati .....

Italian investigators believe that flight control laws governing the AgustaWestland AW609 were partly responsible for the fatal crash of the programme’s second flight-test prototype (N609AG) after they initiated an “augmented Dutch roll”.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
In an interim report, investigation agency ANSV says analysis of data retrieved from the AW609’s combined flight-data and cockpit voice recorder indicates that shortly before the accident the pilot in command had detected the “onset of oscillations on the roll axis of the aircraft”.
Although he attempted to counteract the motion by manoeuvring on the roll axis, the tiltrotor’s flight control laws caused it to behave unexpectedly “generating a control on the yaw axis” to compensate for expected aerodynamic effects.
This, says the report, formed “a phenomenon described during the investigation as ‘like an augmented Dutch roll.’”

Fonte ..... "AW609 control laws initiated 'Dutch roll': investigators" .....

ANSV ..... Interim Statement .....
.

[richelieu]

Presto la ripresa dei collaudi .....

Those evaluations are being conducted with the third prototype, which had until recently been impounded by a magistrate probing the 30 October accident in the north of Italy.
That aircraft has now been released, says Leonardo, and will transfer to the USA “by the end of September”.

Fonte ..... "FARNBOROUGH: AW609 close to resuming flight testing" .....

[richelieu]

Lieve ritardo nella certificazione e futuri sviluppi del programma .....

Leonardo’s helicopter division admits the certification timeline for its AW609 civil tiltrotor has slipped slightly as a result of last October's fatal crash involving the second flight-test prototype.
However it intends to return the aircraft to flight "in a matter of weeks" and will operate it both airplane and helicopter modes.
Speaking to FlightGlobal at the Farnborough air show, divisional chief Daniele Romiti said “the programme is moving on”.

Fonte ..... "FARNBOROUGH: AW609 certification slips, but test flights to resume shortly" .....
.

[richelieu]

Collaudi ..... si riparte .....

Leonardo's initial AgustaWestland AW609 flight-test prototype has begun transitioning to the company's site in Philadelphia following the resumption of flight tests in late July.
According to tracking website FlightRadar24, the civil tiltrotor (N609TR) traveled from its base at Arlington, Texas on 10 August via Huntsville, Alabama; Greenville, South Carolina; and Richmond, Virginia.

Fonte ..... "AW609 heads for Philadelphia as flight testing resumes" .....
.

[richelieu]

AW609 ..... il terzo esemplare ha iniziato le prove di volo e il programma riprende un nuovo slancio .....

The third Leonardo Helicopters AW609 civil tiltrotor, AC3, recently began flight testing from the company's Philadelphia plant and will soon head to Marquette, Michigan, for cold weather testing and icing trials, the company announced today.
Meanwhile, AC1 has been returned to Italy for modifications, while AC4 is under assembly in Philadelphia.
Manufacture of production aircraft is scheduled to start there in 2018.
Leonardo also reaffirmed its intent to gain FAA certification for the AW609 next year.

Fonte: AINonline ..... "Third AW609 Airborne, Will Soon Start Icing Trials" .....

Anche su FlightGlobal ..... "AW609 prepares for icing trials as flight tests resume" .....

Leonardo AW ..... "Il programma AW609 prossimo all'avvio delle prove in presenza di ghiaccio" .....
.

[richelieu]

AW609 ..... l'ultimo annuncio dell' ormai ex Amministratore delegato Moretti .....

Moretti also says Leonardo will “open the orders” for the new AW609 tiltrotor in the second half of 2017, ahead of service entry for the type “at the beginning of 2019”.

Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "Leonardo bullish on defence helicopter market" .....

[richelieu]

Entrata in servizio nel 2019 ..... secondo Air & Cosmos .....

Le programme du convertible civil de Leonardo, l'AW609, garde pour objectif une entrée en service en 2019.
Selon les dires du constructeur aéronautique, ce dernier finalise la processus de certification avec la FAA.
Au cours de ce printemps, le troisième AW609 d'essais, AC3, a passé le cap de la campagne d'essais givrage artificiel à Marquette, dans le Michigan, aux Etats-Unis.
D'ici la fin de cette année, Leonardo débutera les essais de certification fatigue fuselage en Pologne, ou une cellule servira à cette fin.

..... "Leonardo vise l'entrée en service de son AW609 pour 2019" .....
.

[richelieu]

Ulteriori informazioni da ainonline.com .....

..... "Leonardo Reports Substantial Progress on AW609 Tiltrotor" .....