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Agusta Westland AB139 for Irish Air Corps

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  • #91
    Air Corps Receive first AW139 helicopter

    The Minister for Defence Mr. Willie O’Dea is pleased to announce that the first of four AW139 helicopters ordered for the Irish Air Corps was accepted from Agusta Westland at Vergiate near Milan, Italy earlier today.


    Air Corps pilots have now commenced training on the AW139 in Italy. Training will continue until late October when the second helicopter will be ready for acceptance trials. Following acceptance of the second helicopter, both AW 139 helicopters will be scheduled to arrive in Baldonnel in mid-November 2006.

    The Air Corps will use the aircraft for a range of duties including transport of special operation units of the Defence Forces, air ambulance, overland search and rescue and VIP transport.


    The AW139 utility helicopter was selected by the Department of Defence in December 2004 following a tender competition. In January 2005, Minister O’Dea signed a contract for the purchase of the 4 AW 139 helicopters at a cost of €48.4m, inclusive of VAT. The four helicopters are being built at the Agusta facility near Milan, Italy.


    The AW139 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67C engines. The helicopter has a large unobstructed cabin with sliding doors which allows for easy access and egress for troops and equipment. In the cockpit the aircrew have a fully integrated digital avionics and cockpit display system, which includes a duplex autopilot, flight management system with GPS and a radio navigation system.


    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    A total of 6 helicopters are being purchased for the Air Corps at an overall cost of €60m approx. 2 Light Utility EC135 helicopters have already been supplied by Eurocopter SAS and are in operational service.

    AgustaWestland are supplying 4 AW139 Utility Helicopters, two of which will arrive in Baldonnel in November. The other two will be delivered in the first six months of 2007.

    The four utility helicopters will be operated by the Air Corps in general purpose military operational and training roles. Primary taskings will include training and operations with Special Forces, security and aid to the civil power, military exercises, infantry interoperability training and limited troop transport. They will also be used to perform air ambulance, inland Search and Rescue, aid to the civil community and VIP transport tasks.



    Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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    • #92

      beautiful , but what's with the yellow outlines on the windows?
      Dr. Venture: Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?

      Dr. Venture: Dean, you smell like a whore

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      • #93
        They are Pop out windows, for removal in an emergency. It doesn't matter what colour the heli is, they all have these. The Puma had it around the door if I recall correctly


        Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

        Comment


        • #94
          Originally posted by Goldie fish
          They are Pop out windows, for removal in an emergency. It doesn't matter what colour the heli is, they all have these. The Puma had it around the door if I recall correctly
          right, I just never noticed before, I guess the green make's them stand out more, thank's GF
          Dr. Venture: Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?

          Dr. Venture: Dean, you smell like a whore

          Comment


          • #95
            Sometimes the door pops out rather than the plexiglass.

            Sometimes the line is a subdued colour. It doesn't really effect camoflage in flight, as the shine from the plexi cancels it out...


            Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

            Comment


            • #96
              what's that orange protrusion just before the tail boom?...it doesn't seem to be on other AB139's
              Dr. Venture: Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?

              Dr. Venture: Dean, you smell like a whore

              Comment


              • #97
                Its on some of the others. I Know CHCs models have them. Possibly something to do with the flotation gear?



                Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                Comment


                • #98
                  Originally posted by Goldie fish
                  Its on some of the others. I Know CHCs models have them. Possibly something to do with the flotation gear?

                  http://www.dgualdo.it/helics-phieh-mdb-001.htm
                  could it be a rescue beacon?, you know if the heli went down in th ocean, it would detach and float on the surface to mark the spot and send out a distress signal automatically, might also explain the bright orange colour.
                  Dr. Venture: Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?

                  Dr. Venture: Dean, you smell like a whore

                  Comment


                  • #99
                    "but what's with the yellow outlines on the windows?"

                    I think this was only for production and should not be on machines when delivered.

                    Comment


                    • Looks like AW held up their end of the bargain on the time of delivery, let's hope the two on option are ordered before the offer runs out.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by pym
                        Looks like AW held up their end of the bargain on the time of delivery, let's hope the two on option are ordered before the offer runs out.
                        Whats the point when the fly boys won't use them to the full extent of their specification. They won't fly them at night (even without NVG which they have) and the medium choppers won't carry underslung loads unless they're under 300kg. You might as well carry that in the cabin of the aircraft. I can tell you I'm not too impressed with them sic(AC).
                        Once more unto the breach, dear friends

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                        • Why won't they carry more than 300kg underslung?


                          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                          Comment


                          • Its "unsafe" because they haven't the necessary experience or training despite the RAF running training courses in Baldonnel. The new AW's were bought for the lift capability, they can carry a 105 underslung, well within limits. It's embarrassing watching civvies using aircraft to their potential. Irish Lights pilots carry underslung loads to the lighthouses of over 500kgs on smaller choppers and the SAR boys operate in all weather/night etc. aren't the civvies supposed to be looking at the AC and think "I'd love to be able to do that" instead of the other way round?
                            TBH I don't blame the aircrews. Operational parameters come from the top but ever since the tragedy of the Dauphin in Wexford they've stepped too far back into the comfort zone. They have ceased to be an effective support corps for operational units of the army. Don't get me wrong, they do a hell of a lot of good work but there civvies who doing it just as good.
                            Once more unto the breach, dear friends

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by client
                              "but what's with the yellow outlines on the windows?"

                              I think this was only for production and should not be on machines when delivered.
                              The orange marking around the windows are there to identify the emergency exits and will be permanent as I understand it. The orange frisbee type object to the rear of the heli is an Emergency Locator Transmitter.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by Saracen
                                Its "unsafe" because they haven't the necessary experience or training despite the RAF running training courses in Baldonnel. The new AW's were bought for the lift capability, they can carry a 105 underslung, well within limits. It's embarrassing watching civvies using aircraft to their potential. Irish Lights pilots carry underslung loads to the lighthouses of over 500kgs on smaller choppers and the SAR boys operate in all weather/night etc. aren't the civvies supposed to be looking at the AC and think "I'd love to be able to do that" instead of the other way round?
                                Do you want to give the AC a chance to actually use the helis before dissing them?

                                Originally posted by Saracen
                                Don't get me wrong, they do a hell of a lot of good work but there civvies who doing it just as good.
                                What civvies are doing army co-op?
                                "The dolphins were monkeys that didn't like the land, walked back to the water, went back from the sand."

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