New Upgrade Delivers 12 Percent Increase In Single Engine Hover Weight For Eurocopter BK117 Helos

Flight testing of the LTS101 engine upgrade from Airwork New Zealand for the Eurocopter BK117 has recently been completed, Honeywell announced Sunday at Heli-Expo 2010.

All flight testing has been completed and paperwork has been submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand. A Supplemental Type Certificate is anticipated shortly. This will be followed shortly afterwards by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA certifications.

The LTS101 upgrade, which updates the engines to the LTS101-850B-2, delivers 15 percent more take off power and 18 percent more power for hot day operations.

"The LTS101-850B-2 engine is a drop-in replacement with no external changes," said Paul Vidano, vice president, Militaries and Operators, Honeywell Aerospace. "Operators can upgrade their engines during normal scheduled inspection intervals or through direct purchase and core credit."

"Flight testing revealed the Honeywell-powered BK117 exceeds the BK117 C-1 performance," said Kevin Johnson, group CEO of Airwork. "The LTS101 upgrade will provide significant benefits for BK117 operators."

BK117

One Engine Inoperative (OEI) power increases by 14 percent, providing a 12 percent increase in maximum OEI hover weight, which increases safety during single engine operations. Hot day takeoff power increases by 18 percent, resulting in a 13 percent increase in maximum takeoff gross weight. A 20 percent hot day continuous power increase results in a 25 percent reduction in the time to climb from sea level to 10,000 feet, a three-minute savings.

The LTS101 engine family has accumulated more than 10 million flight hours of operation.

FMI: www.honeywell.com