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DND 101 Intro

Background  —  Medium-Lift Helicopter Comparisons  —  EH-101

Update: On 05 June 2006, the Harper government issued an Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) to single-source 16 Boeing CH-47s.

EH-101 – an Anglo-Italian Utility Those who have followed DND’s Maritime Helicopter Project can’t help but  be aware of the  Agusta Westland EH-101. A utility model of the EH-101 was selected as the replacement for CF SAR CH-113s as the CH-149 Cormorant making this type one obvious candidate.

The EH-101 has all of the important features: reasonably-sized cabin, a rear ramp, and can hoist a fair load from its cargo hook. The key advantage of the EH-101 is its third engine – the ‘spare’ engine can be shut down for fuel economy or spooled up when extra power is needed. The powerplants used by Canadian SAR Cormorants are the same engines used by Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawks (CT-7/T700).

AgustaWestland EH-101 (Utility Model)  —  Specifications   Length (overall):   19.53m (fuselage), 22.80m (rotors turning)   Dimen. (folded):   15.75m long  x  5.20m wide  x  5.20m high   Rotor diameters:   18.60m (main rotor), 4.00m (tail rotor)   Cabin/hold size:   7.09m L  x  2.49m W  x  1.83m H, 30.0 cu m   Weights:   max all-up (ext. load) 14600kg, 4535kg hoist   Performance:   speed 309 km/h, range 900km, ceiling 4572m   Powerplant:   3 x 1275kW (1700shp) GE CT-7 turboshafts

The obvious downside to a 3-engined arrangement is the added weight of that ‘extra’ engine and all of its associated gearing. There is also a maintenance burden that goes along with all that machinery. Yet the RAF was satisfied with their Merlin variant [1] and a CF medium-lift EH-101 would have maximum commonality with the in-service Cormorant. In the way is a poisonous relationship between DND and AgustaWestland in the wake of the MHP contest.

[1] The EH-101 variants chosen by Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are powered by European RTM322 turboshafts  (the CH-149 Cormorant has more in common with the EH-101s in service with Italy, being powered by the US-designed General Electric CT-7 engines). Since writing this page, things have gone from bad to worse with the Cormorants and their British counterparts. Having suffered through a number of groundings, the type is now have severe tail rotor problems. Replacement titanium rotor half hubs are expected to be the cure.