Joint Aviation Command (JAC) of the UAE Armed Forces has signed an agreement to acquire three AgustaWestland AW609 tiltrotor aircraft at...
Joint Aviation Command (JAC) of the UAE Armed Forces has signed an agreement to acquire three AgustaWestland AW609 tiltrotor aircraft at the Dubai Airshow.
The agreement makes, JAC the launch customer for the type, with first delivery expected in 2019. The agreement also include option for three more aircraft.
The JAC will use the tiltrotor for improving its search and rescue capabilities. The AW609 with its unique tilting propulsion unit, can take off/land like a helicopter and cruise with higher speed like a turboprop aircraft.
During take off/landing, the engine rotates into vertical position, and for the cruising phase, the engine rotates to horizontal position, with the lift provided by the wings.
The AW609 has twice the speed and range of typical helicopter. It has a speed of 275 knot (510 m/h) and range of 750 NM (1389 km), which will enable JAC to expand its operational capabilities.
The longer range and higher speed combined with the hovering capability made the AW609 ideal candidate for JAC's requirement.
The JAC currently operates with fleet of 11 AW 139 helicopters in the SAR role.
The order is a big relief for AgustaWestland, since the second AW609 prototype was involved in a catastrophic crash during flight testing on October 30, in Italy. The crash completely destroyed the aircraft and killed the two pilots on board raising questions about the future of program.
Since then, the flight test activity which have clocked over 1200 hours has been suspended, pending investigation by Italy's ANSV air accident investigation board.
Weighting just five tonnes, the AW609 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turboshaft engine and features a composite fuselage and wings, an advanced touch-screen cockpit and full fly-by-wire digital controls.
The commercial AW609 was chosen over the larger, heavier, and more capable Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor used mainly by U.S. Marine Corps.
