RNZAF new NH-90 helicopters

[dbcunnz]

Are the RNZAF new NH-90 helicopters going to be another NZ defense blunder

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3...nce-helicopters

[redkiwi]

They seem to be getting a fairly good review over in Australia.

[Ian Warren]

I think another blown outta message , fact is if there was a problem , strength it and rebuild for its requirements , little good engineering go's a long way , mods and allsorts will help other custom , could be helpful to us .

[2fst4u]

Germans are known for perfection as we all well know. When they say "Little clearance available" It probably means "Each person will have to duck 2 centimetres to get out without hitting their heads slightly." Abd by "Heavy boots" they probably mean "2 tonne lead footwear". Probably no need to worry.

[ZKNBA]

I read somewhere on an airliners.net forum that the dutch navy was having problems with the NH90 due to them being too heavy for its ships.

Does anyone know what is going to happen to the Hueys after the NH90s arrive. Are they going to be scrapped or will they be sold on to civilian operators (would there be any value in doing this?). It would be sad to see them mothballed as they have served for so long and are consequently an important part of our military history.

On another note $771 million is a huge ammount to pay for eight helicopters even if it includes spare parts and training (that is $96 million each). Interestingly wikipedia says that the unit cost is 16 million euros which is about $32million New Zealand dollars.

[HueyTeam]

hm, if I went out of the Huey I have more then 2 Centimeters to safe my head. Where is the problem with the NH90 ladies? It´s a middle transport heli, not a CH53. The report of the germans will be true, but I think they will have a platinium edition heli. The Kiwis have the NH90´s (the germans have 2 at this time). What says the NZ Airforce? Are there real life Informations?

[redkiwi]

QUOTE (HueyTeam @ Mar 14 2010, 08:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Kiwis have the NH90´s (the germans have 2 at this time). What says the NZ Airforce? Are there real life Informations?

The majority of ours are still being built. I believe that at this stage one airframe has begun flight testing but certainly hasn't gone into the testing and evaluation stage where they'll start doing things like flying troops etc.

[deaneb]

It always annoys me when these types of discussions arise, especially in the media. When a procurement of this type is made, it takes years of consideration, so how things can be considered a blunder is beyond me. There are only a few helicopters that fit the category NZ requires and this was deemed to be the best out of those. There will always be an element of uncertainty when purchasing something as new as this as well.
As for the fate of the Hueys, that will be interesting to see. Firstly there will be a transition period as the NH90 is introduced, so I would expect to see all the 3 Sqn people move to the NH90 pretty quickly and the Hueys managed by a contractor perhaps until all the NH90s are delivered and operational. Although the hueys are still "military" there is no reason they could not become civil helos as there are UH-1H operating in the civil world (as opposed to the Bell205B - the civil equivalent). Also would assume this would require US approval and the helos would have to be modified for civil use.

[redkiwi]

QUOTE (deaneb @ Mar 14 2010, 10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To would assume this would require US approval and the helos would have to be modified for civil use.

Was that not specifically to do with weapons carrying aircraft? I guess the Americans don't want them to help the 'enemy' with relation to drugs/firearms/terrorism etc.

[deaneb]

My understanding is any aircraft built for military purposes. It would be very easy in the case of the Hueys as there are plenty of ex military machines around, so pretty much a given, unlike the Skyhawks. No it does not apply to just weapon carrying aircraft. When the Andovers were disposed of the British had to approve the buyer.

[redkiwi]

Oh ok, thanks for clearing that up Deane. It's certainly sad to read about the fate of some of the Andovers, at least a few have been crashed and destroyed due to both bad piloting and poor maintenance.

[deaneb]

QUOTE (redkiwi @ Mar 16 2010, 03:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh ok, thanks for clearing that up Deane. It's certainly sad to read about the fate of some of the Andovers, at least a few have been crashed and destroyed due to both bad piloting and poor maintenance.

I guess that is what happens when they end up in Africa flying dodgy oerations for goodness knows who!! The money to be made probably overides any urgency for quality maintenance and safety. The guy who bought them, also bought the ex RNZAF 727. All the purchasing deals seem to have been done through other covering companies.

[Charl]

QUOTE (redkiwi @ Mar 3 2010, 03:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They seem to be getting a fairly good review over in Australia.

No longer...
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/...ne-failure.html

[jastheace]

QUOTE (Charl @ May 25 2010, 05:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No longer...
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/...ne-failure.html

intresting, i was watching one do touch and goes at amberley on tuesday, well it sure had the outline of one, it was darkish!! also watching the f-18's and the c-17's do touch and goes.

[Splitpin]

stop teasing us jas....F-18'S....C-17's.......

[deaneb]

A single engine failure due to an unknown cause is hardly grounds to deem the whole helicopter no good!!

QUOTE (Charl @ May 20 2010, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No longer...
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/...ne-failure.html

[markll]

QUOTE (deaneb @ May 20 2010, 08:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A single engine failure due to an unknown cause is hardly grounds to deem the whole helicopter no good!!

You'd assume they were just playing it safe in grounding the rest of the fleet...

I read that NHI had sent one of the NH90s NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) to Aus to show off and try to convince their defence chiefs to buy that as well, could be thats what Jas saw at Amberly? And on that score, WTH is this all about (from that article on flight global):

QUOTE

commonality in avionics and airframe between the NH90 and MRH90 as an advantage in this competition[/quote]

So, I always thought that MRH-90 was the designation the Aussies gave their NH-90s - that they were the same thing? Is this just a case of some reporter or editor making things confusing when they don't need to be? Far as I can tell, what they meant was "...between the NH90 NFH and the NH90..." ?

[jastheace]

QUOTE (markll @ May 25 2010, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You'd assume they were just playing it safe in grounding the rest of the fleet...

I read that NHI had sent one of the NH90s NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) to Aus to show off and try to convince their defence chiefs to buy that as well, could be thats what Jas saw at Amberly? And on that score, WTH is this all about (from that article on flight global):



So, I always thought that MRH-90 was the designation the Aussies gave their NH-90s - that they were the same thing? Is this just a case of some reporter or editor making things confusing when they don't need to be? Far as I can tell, what they meant was "...between the NH90 NFH and the NH90..." ?

could be, but before the light got too dark i am almost 100% certain that there was aussie roundals on it, oh and as far as teasing goes, i also looked at the two wedgetail 737's (from a distance)

[markll]

QUOTE (jastheace @ May 22 2010, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

could be, but before the light got too dark i am almost 100% certain that there was aussie roundals on it, oh and as far as teasing goes, i also looked at the two wedgetail 737's (from a distance)

Those are wierd - not sure I'd WANT to see them!

Nah, I'm just jealous. Seriously I was over there at xmas/new year time, and I saw more unusual stuff in a month than I've seen here in years! F18s, DC3s, a DC4, ultralights, and even a friggin Eurocopter Tiger...and that was without even TRYING to go spotting!

So, yeah, definitely jealous of ya...

[jastheace]

QUOTE (markll @ May 27 2010, 12:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those are wierd - not sure I'd WANT to see them!

Nah, I'm just jealous. Seriously I was over there at xmas/new year time, and I saw more unusual stuff in a month than I've seen here in years! F18s, DC3s, a DC4, ultralights, and even a friggin Eurocopter Tiger...and that was without even TRYING to go spotting!

So, yeah, definitely jealous of ya...

well i won't mentions the aircraft that i used to refuel, amany blackhawks (got to get right up close and have a real good look at them) dauntlass, yaks, seafire, doves, hunter, l139, B25 firebomber, islanders, PAC750's , then there is the caribou f-111's c-130's


ooops i said i wasn't going to mention those