Farnborough was eventful for the helicopter segment, beginning with the return of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor (first presence in 2006) which drew applause from the crowd for its tilt moving nacelles

Executives of helicopter companies were upbeat at the Farnborough International Air Show as the outlook for helicopters is said to be strong, driven by commercial demand and ongoing military programmes. “I am pretty bullish” was the response of John Garrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Helicopter.

The week at Farnborough was eventful for the helicopter segment, beginning with the return of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor (first presence in 2006) which drew applause from the crowd for its tilt moving nacelles.

Garrison in his Farnborough blog said, “Today capped off a tremendous week at Farnborough when I experienced first-hand the power and manoeuvrability of the V-22 on an incredible flight. This morning we had perfect flying weather and the marines were able to demonstrate the full capabilities of the aircraft. It’s hard to describe climbing 5,000 feet per minute then banking into a 60 degree turn or flying at 280 mph (450 km) and transitioning to a hover in seconds. No other aircraft in the world can do what the V-22 does.”

Bell’s 525 Relentless makes debut

Bell Helicopter’s flagship 525R Relentless made its European debut here. The 525 Relentless defines the super-medium class of helicopters through its revolutionary design, bestin-class payload/range performance and cabin volume, and unparalleled situational awareness and controllability. The 525 Relentless is positioned at the upper end of the medium class market. It appeals to customers who want heavy class capabilities at medium class operating costs.

The programme is built around a customer advisory panel (CAP) which serves as a critical part of the design team. The CAP includes large operators from around the globe in every segment with extensive experience flying Bell helicopters, as well as its competitors.

Bell Helicopter is making steady progress towards a first flight in 2014 followed by an aggressive schedule for flight testing, certification and production. “This helicopter is going to be the best in class for performance, price, speed and capability,” said Garrison.

The 525R is targeting a 500 nm (925 km) range, indicated by the second “5” in the 525R name. The first “5” in the name stands for a fivebladed main rotor, and the “2” represents the fact that it is a twin-engine machine. “The Relentless brand sums up our desire to secure a sizeable share of the global helicopter market place in which the helicopter will compete,” added Garrison.

AgustaWestland pins hopes on new programmes

Elsewhere at the venue, AgustaWestland, an Anglo-Italian company, was pinning its hopes on new programmes, one of which it announced at the show. Graham Cole, Chairman, AgustaWestland, said that the company would be manufacturing a new AW189 civil helicopter in Yeovil, which is expected to create 1,500 jobs in the UK and with export potential of £2 billion.

AgustaWestland’s family of new generation helicopters made their first ever public appearance here. The family comprising the AW139 intermediate twin together with the first prototypes of AW169 light intermediate and AW189-8 tonne class performed at the show. Additionally an offshore configured AW139, a utility configured AW169 full size mock-up and a SAR configured AW189 full size mock-up were on static display. The company in all notched up 70 orders for medium and light helicopters.

Russian Helicopters goes aggressive

Like Bell, AgustaWestland has also been seeking to increase its exposure to non-defence markets. So is Russia, which is going aggressive in its campaign. “Helicopters of Russia” showcased a new civilian model, including the newest medium multi-purpose helicopter Ka-62. The challenging environment has led to companies reworking their marketing strategy.

The Director General of the holding, Russian Helicopters, Dmitry Petrov said, “This year we brought to Farnborough a decent number of models that combine the best traditions and qualities that our customers expect to see. They are a good example of our innovation and capabilities to remain competitive in the global marketplace.”

Traditionally, the highest demand for Russian helicopters has been from the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Russia and CIS countries. Holding “Russian Helicopters” was founded in 2007. In 2011, the income of “Helicopters of Russia” under IFRS grew by 27.8 per cent to $103.9 billion with shipments reaching 262 helicopters.