AW609

AgustaWestland Signs Key Suppliers for AW609 TiltrotorAgustaWestland signed agreements yesterday at the Farnborough International airshow with three key suppliers for its AW609 civil tiltrotor. These major agreements follow a trail of contracts signed with AW609 component suppliers since AgustaWestland acquired the tiltrotor program last November. Pratt & Whitney Canada will provide the PT6C-67A, a new PT6 turboshaft derivative designed to withstand the AW609’s transitions between vertical and airplane modes. Engine certification is slated for 2015. Rockwell Collins will supply its touchscreen Pro Line Fusion embedded display system (EDS), a version of Fusion for turboprops and light jets that embeds the processing hardware and software into the “smart” touchscreen displays. The new avionics system, announced last October, offers touchscreen control on the 14-inch primary flight displays and a head-up guidance system capable of displaying synthetic vision, among other features. Fusion EDS will be installed on the fourth airframe, which is scheduled to fly in 2014. Finally, BAE Systems will provide an upgraded flight control computer for the AW609’s triple-redundant fully digital fly-by-wire flight control system. The computer, which is expected to receive TSO certification in 2014, will include the AgustaWestland control laws and flight control software, as well as the engine Fadec. FAA and EASA certification of the AW609 is expected in the first half of 2016.