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Post by Calum on Mar 13, 2012 16:42:19 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 13, 2012 17:13:16 GMT 12
Quite nice looking except the big zit on its nose.
Why the VH registration? Are there contracted from a civil company? Or is that just a delivery registration?
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Post by Calum on Mar 13, 2012 17:29:39 GMT 12
I quite like the Zit. I does need whiskers though
It is a delivery rego. They will go on the state register once they accepted by the RAN.
Like our A-109's they are not be owned by the RAN but leased. They aren't maintained by the RAN either, just flown by RAN aircrew.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Mar 14, 2012 11:18:10 GMT 12
Nice looking helicopter.
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Post by beagle on Mar 14, 2012 12:07:42 GMT 12
bloody nice looking chopper.
Has one of the contenders got these with their tender for the new training chopper.
Would I be right in saying they are looking at one school for training all rotary pilots on the same machine or not.
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Post by Calum on Mar 14, 2012 12:44:17 GMT 12
bloody nice looking chopper. Has one of the contenders got these with their tender for the new training chopper. Yes, Raytheon do (disclaimer I work for Raytheon so I'm biased) Would I be right in saying they are looking at one school for training all rotary pilots on the same machine or not. Yup, it is supposed to be here at Nowra. The RFT for this project is out at the moment. The 3 429's we are currently getting are to repalce the A-109's that were leased under the original RAN RMI project. The 3 429's are being leased under the RMI2 project which will wind up when the new Air 9000 Phase 7 Helicopter Aircrew training System (HATS) comes into service (IIRC that is around 2015-17) |
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Post by ZacYates on Mar 14, 2012 15:09:54 GMT 12
Nice machine! Thanks for the pics.
I must say I'm surprised they've gone with a skidded type, as opposed to wheeled. (and yes, I'm aware of the Squirrels and Hueys :-P )
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Post by beagle on Mar 14, 2012 20:12:22 GMT 12
So just pilot training, no crewman training as well ?
It's a great looking aircraft but does a pilot training aircraft need to have all the extras such as room for 6 passengers and clamshell cargo doors etc.
People are going to say our Makos will take 6 pax but ours have a multi role.
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Post by Calum on Mar 15, 2012 8:15:51 GMT 12
Nice machine! Thanks for the pics. I must say I'm surprised they've gone with a skidded type, as opposed to wheeled. (and yes, I'm aware of the Squirrels and Hueys :-P ) The 429 is a brand new design. The first new design helicopter in this class for quite a while. I guess they went with skids because it’s simpler. But from what I’ve read there has been request for a wheel version from other customers so Bell are currently developing a wheels option. |
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Post by Calum on Mar 15, 2012 8:28:54 GMT 12
So just pilot training, no crewman training as well ? It's a great looking aircraft but does a pilot training aircraft need to have all the extras such as room for 6 passengers and clamshell cargo doors etc. . Like the A-109’s that the RAN leased under RMI 1 the 3 bell 429’s are leased as an interim helicopter to keep navy aircrew around/employed post the failure Sh-2G(A). (RMI stands for Retention and Motivation Initiative, a typically silly name) This page explains the RMI project From www.australiandefence.com.au/archive/defence-business-raytheon-rmi-win-strengthens-a9k-ph-7-bid-adm-november-2011Also well as providing advanced training they do crewman training, Navy PR and other stuff (civil aid etc,). The size of the 429 and the clamshell doors make it a useful light utility helicopter as well That link also mentions the cost of these to the RAN. The RAN are paying $26 million AUD for 4 years service at a rate of 1500 hours a year (for the fleet). That’s for 3 brand new aircraft just off the production line. To me that is incredibly cheap for such a capable aircraft. I wonder what the RNZAF operating costs would be for a comparable number of A-109’s? |
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Post by beagle on Mar 15, 2012 14:33:50 GMT 12
Ok roger that.
So they were probably not in the running when we looked.
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Post by Ykato on Mar 15, 2012 16:34:01 GMT 12
Great Pics Calum V  |
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Post by mcmaster on Mar 15, 2012 16:55:26 GMT 12
Yep great pics Callum, good to know whats going on at Nowra. Is that at the other side of the base?
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Post by Calum on Mar 15, 2012 17:08:05 GMT 12
Yep great pics Callum, good to know whats going on at Nowra. Is that at the other side of the base? yeah thats over the back near the end of 08 Quite a few buildings over there now |
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Post by corsair67 on Mar 15, 2012 23:55:40 GMT 12
Yep, awesome photos, Calum - and they actually look a lot better in the flesh than the previous images of the 429 I had seen online.
By the way, do you know if there will also be a Summer and Winter uniform version of the 429 in RAN service, like there was with the A109s?
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Post by Calum on Mar 16, 2012 8:14:54 GMT 12
No all be grey as they were straight off the production line .
The A-109's were used and the RAN didn't want to repaint them as it was an added cost
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Post by mcmaster on Mar 16, 2012 12:07:35 GMT 12
Calum do you know if they have started of will build a LHD training pad along the lines of all the others they have at Nowra? For that matter HMAS Choules too or maybe these boats are so big the issue of rotor clearance is not so great.
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Post by Calum on Mar 16, 2012 12:19:17 GMT 12
Calum do you know if they have started of will build a LHD training pad along the lines of all the others they have at Nowra? For that matter HMAS Choules too or maybe these boats are so big the issue of rotor clearance is not so great. No idea sorry. there is an exsiting flight deck trainer here but it's FFG/FFH like. |
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Post by Calum on Mar 16, 2012 20:41:58 GMT 12
The cargo compartment which is pretty huge and can accessed via the clamshell doors or doors on the side as well as directly behind the rear row of seats  . In my estimation it's taller than a Seahawk and nearly as long as one. |
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Post by corsair67 on Mar 17, 2012 10:53:13 GMT 12
In my estimation it's taller than a Seahawk and nearly as long as one. The Bell 429 is certainly much bigger than I thought they'd be. That was the first thing I noticed with the A109 when I saw one in Canberra for the first time; how compact they are, and how cramped the front cockpit is. |
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