Helikopterulykken - Konsekvenser utenlands materialiserer seg - Avionics

Det ser ingen tegn til at Bell ellee AW promoterer sine produkter i kjølvannet av ulykken. B525 og AW189 burde bli markert bedre. Kanskje også H175 fra Airbus. (Red.)

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Super Puma Setbacks Continue in Singapore

Amy Kluber

Singapore is reportedly putting off its decision to purchase Airbus Helicopter Super Pumas to replace its military fleet after the fatal crash involving a civilian aircraft of that model off the Norwegian coast in April.

 

Singapore announced back in 2015 its decision to replace some of its military’s 32 aging Super Pumas. Airbushad been the leading contender against Leonardo-Finmeccanica to supply those new helicopters in a $1 billion deal. Reuters reported that decision is on hold pending further investigations surrounding the crash. 

 

An EC225LP operated by CHC Helicopter was ferrying 11 passengers from an offshore oil rig for Statoil when it crashed, killing the passengers and two pilots.

 

In investigating the crash, Norway's Accident Investigation Board found indications of fatigue failure in a component of the main gear box.  

 

Norway’s and the U.K.’s civil aviation authorities subsequently grounded all H225 LP and AS332 L2 flights, as did the European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. FAA. Other countries, including Germany and Indonesia, have since followed suit with its military fleets of the aircraft.

 

Singapore had not announced any groundings of its current fleet of military Super Pumas. Its defense ministry also has yet to comment on these reports.