Boeing today announced that the AH-6i light attack/reconnaissance helicopter successfully completed its first flight on Sept. 16, seven months after the company started work on the prototype aircraft.
During the 36-minute flight at the Boeing Rotorcraft Systems facility in Mesa, Ariz., the helicopter demonstrated its flight characteristics and several handling maneuvers.
Speaking today at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, Al Winn, Boeing vice president of Apache Programs, said that Boeing experimental test pilots have subsequently flown the helicopter over the Arizona desert on multiple occasions as they test the platform’s capabilities.
The AH-6i program, launched by Boeing at the 2008 AUSA meeting, is intended for international customers. The AH-6i features flexible mission configuration, an integrated digital cockpit, combat-proven design, the highest payload in its class, an integrated and qualified weapons system, and a communications package that enables connectivity with other aircraft and ground stations.
The AH-6 is based on the civilian MD 530F.
Boeing will produce the AH-6i at its facility in Mesa and is responding to inquiries from potential customers around the world.
A tourist tour helicopter, a Eurocopter AS 350 BA (N401LH), operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours and a Piper PA-32R Lance (N71MC) today collided and crashed into the Hudson River (New York). The Piper was heading from Teterboro Airport to Ocean City, NJ, with 3 people aboard. It’s believed that the helicopter had 6 people aboard. Nobody survived.
According to CNN the plane “had a wing sheared off and began “corkscrewing” into the water. The helicopter “dropped like a rock” after the collision”.
This summer the world’s first flying hotel will take off! The aircraft called “Hotelicopter” - a custom-built helicopter, actually the largest helicopter ever produced, will feature 18 luxuriously-appointed rooms for adrenaline junkies seeking a truly unique and memorable travel experience. On June 26th, 2009 the Hotelicopter will start to its 14 day Inaugural Summer Tour to/from New York - via Charleston, Freeport/Bahamas, Montego Bay/Jamaica, Santo Domingo/Dominican Republic, Nassau/Bahamas, Miami.
A California Tour and European Tour will follow in July.
Each soundproofed room is equipped with a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless internet access, and all the luxurious appointments you’d expect from a flying five star hotel. Room service is available as well.
(Boeing) Boeing today announced a new rotorcraft program, the AH-6 light attack/reconnaissance helicopter.
Designed on a combat-proven platform with a heritage of successful service with U.S. Army Special Operations, the AH-6 is designed to meet the current requirements of international military customers while maintaining flexibility for future growth.
“Boeing has been approached by several potential customers seeking light attack and reconnaissance capabilities in a flexible rotorcraft platform,” Dave Palm, director of Boeing Rotorcraft Business Development, said today at the Association of the United States Army’s annual convention in Washington, D.C. “We believe this system is a perfect fit for those customers seeking long endurance, proven performance and 2,000-pound payload within an affordable helicopter.”
The AH-6 features an Electro-Optical/Infrared forward-looking sight system as well as a mount for weapons that have been qualified on the aircraft, including Hellfire missiles, the M260 seven-shot rocket pod, a machine gun and a mini-gun integrated with a sensor system. A communications package allows the AH-6 to connect to other aircraft and to ground stations.
Boeing will produce the AH-6 at its Rotorcraft Systems facility in Mesa, Ariz., and will draw on that organization’s existing secure supply base to ensure on-time, on-cost delivery.
I just found a nice video series on Youtube, featuring a Bell 206 Jet Ranger training flight. Unfortunately the instructions are in French, but it’s fun to watch anyway.
The Boeing Company, U.S. Army leaders, supplier representatives and other guests celebrated the first flight of the AH-64D Apache Block III helicopter this week in Mesa, Ariz. Just prior to a ceremony attended by more than 300 people at the company’s Apache production facility, the aircraft was flown by two Apache-rated aviators - U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard Cody and an Army experimental test pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Rucie Moore.
Experimental test pilots - one U.S. Army soldier and one Boeing teammate - initially flew this Block III prototype aircraft over the Arizona desert on June 27 in preparation for this week’s ceremony.
Block III improvements include increasing digitization, the joint tactical radio system, enhanced engines and drive systems, capability to control UAVs, new composite rotor blade and landing gear upgrades. The new blades, which successfully completed flight testing in May 2004, increase the Apache’s cruise speed, climb rate and payload capability.
The Army awarded Boeing the first Apache Block III contract in June 2005. In accordance with contractual milestones, Boeing plans to begin Low Rate Initial Production in April 2010 and to deliver the first production AH-64D Apache Block III in June 2011.
I decided to create a list with aircrafts built in China, but looking confusingly similar to western types. I’m not generally claiming that they were copied. Some might have been built in license, some might use officially licensed parts.
This list will occasionally be updated. Please leave a comment if you know further types.
China Star CS2000
Looks like: Boeing 787
AVIC ARJ21
Looks like: Douglas DC-9 / McDonnell Douglas MD-80/90 / Boeing 717
Shanghai Y-10 (canceled in 1983)
Looks like: Boeing 707-320
I just found a pretty nice photo at airliners.net.
What an awesome shot out of an Aviootryad Varna Kamov Ka-26! Great scenery, colors and angle. Makes a nice desktop wallpaper.
This Sikorsky Piasecki X-49A “Speedhawk” flight test video has emerged on YouTube. Piasecki Aircraft is near the end of its initial test run of the X-49A vectored thrust-ducted propeller (VDTP) compound helicopter, a modified Sikorsky H-60. By late October the Sikorsky Piasecki X-49A “Speedhawk” did 24 test flights with a total of 19 hours flight time. [Source]
It will be interesting to see if and how the US Army will use this strange ugly bird. Maybe it will be used for some MEDEVAC missions. It will be difficult to fly for sure, with this heavy propeller engine mounted on its tail.
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