Article on the UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter - Wescam

UH-72 UPDATEcertification this summer [mid-2010]. And thenof course we’ll cut those into production. So allprogrammes are on cost/on schedule, so I’mvery pleased with that. The fifth variant, theOPFOR configuration, is also looking for FAAcertification in the late summer timeframe.’IN THE FIELDRecapping quantities already fielded, Bristoladded: ‘They’re performing very well. Thecustomers are very happy. As they divest theOH-58s and UH-1s I think they are very pleasedwith this aircraft and the MEP that they arereceiving. And I look forward to the response tothe security support package, as that retrofitprocess and cut into production happensaround the end of this year or early next year. Ithink they’re going to be very pleased with it.’In terms of platform modifications, one earlyUH-72A effort involved the aircraft ventilationsystem. ‘That has worked out very well,’ Bristolsaid. ‘Currently we just have the ECUs in themedevac and VIP variants. That was the onlything approved. But I believe that the customerThe UH-72A is beingdelivered in five mainvariants: medvac; VIP;security and support;observer/controller; andopposing force. (Photo:EADS North America)is very happy with that and there has beensome interest across the fleet to add additionalECUs. But nothing has been approved forthat yet.‘Other than that, there is an engine inletbarrier filter (EIBF) that we have added on toaircraft in certain locations – about 65 aircraft atthis point – where we have done site surveysand that has proved to help save erosion onthe compressor blades. So every time we go tofield – for example, this year we have 11fielding sites – we do a site survey. And part ofthat is looking at the environment. And, if needbe, we will put an EIBF on each engine to helpprotect those blades,’ he said.Bristol noted that other potential platformmodifications ranged from leveragingblade coating efforts from other helicopterprogrammes to integrated healthmanagement systems.‘Right now we’re testing a set of coatedblades at NTC,’ he said. ‘And we look for a twophasedapproach for LUH. One is coating theleading edge and testing that out there in thefield. And we also want to look at coating theentire blade. So that programme is going verywell. We are also looking at hardenedwindshield applications, just because of theenvironments we fly in, and that programme isalso going very well. And then the last thing weare looking at is just a little seed money forIVHMS [Integrated Vehicle Health ManagementSystem], so we’re looking to do some testingwith IVHMS in this aircraft.’He added that one additional modificationcould involve the installation of blue forcetracking capabilities on selected Lakotas.TRAINING UPWith more than 500 pilots and maintainerstrained to date by American Eurocopter atEADS North America’s Grand Prairie, Texas,headquarters and at the Eastern ARNGAviation Training Site at Fort Indiantown Gap,Pennsylvania, Bristol was also quick tohighlight the contributions of the relatedtraining and support activities to the overallprogramme success.‘Here in the programme we have not onlyproduction but we also have the training of thepilots,’ he explained. ‘I’ve trained 360 pilots and184 National Guard maintainers to date, andwe continue to train pilots and maintenancepersonnel. So not only production but trainingA UH-72A in medevac configuration after landingat its new home at Fort Polk, Louisiana, where itis replacing the UH-1 Iroquois. (Photo: US Army)is going very well, as is our sustainment plan. Ithink the customer is very pleased with the fullCLS for the TDA sites and the National Guard isreally enjoying the ability to receive parts in atimely manner. All parts are delivered within 48hours so operational readiness is the highest, Ithink, across aviation. We are consistently over90%. I think that’s a huge accomplishment.’Bristol said although a few aircraft were stillcoming out of Eurocopter’s Donauwörthfacility in Germany, production had largelymoved to the US.‘By the October timeframe we will have100% coming out of Columbus, Mississippi.But that’s just a little bit of overlap in theproduction schedule. Right now almosteverything on my programme is coming outof Columbus… So I think that it’s really a proudmoment for our programme that we areproducing a high-quality product, a verysophisticated aircraft, for the user.’In terms of Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) and FY11fielding plans, Bristol pointed to a schedule of35 aircraft being fielded to 11 locations duringthe current fiscal year, adding that ‘next year,in FY11, we are fielding a total of 64 aircraftacross 20 locations, which is phenomenal’.‘Our most challenging fielding locationsare going to be Hohenfels, Germany, as afull OCONUS CLS site, and then Kwajalein[Atoll]. That’s going to be pretty significant forour team.‘Again, the programme is really doing solidly.I really don’t have any challenges on theproduction side or modifications. The NationalGuard has been a solid team player in helpingdevelop the security support package. So Ithink overall that everyone has been verypleased with the product.’ DH18Defence Helicopter | March/April 2010 | Volume 29 Number 2www.rotorhub.com