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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 31, 2012 20:53:48 GMT 12
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Post by hardyakka on Feb 10, 2012 13:06:54 GMT 12
They're Here!!Giant jet delivers new choppersThe RNZAF have receive eight new NATO NH90 helicopters to replace the Vietnam era Iroquis One of the world's largest jets has delivered the first of the air force's new helicopters, thanks to some help from flour. The powerful new European NH90 helicopters come into RNZAF service this year, replacing the venerable, Vietnam-era Iroquois. Two NH90s were packed inside the massive Antonov AN-124 and flown to Ohakea from Marseilles, France, where they were built. According to Squadron Leader Carl Smith, getting the Antonov with its 73.3-metre span wing span into Ohakea involved careful planning. Things like stop signs on the perimeter road had to be removed and distance-to-run marker boards identified as obstructions because the engine nacelles came close to them while taxiing, he wrote in the latest Air Force News. If the Antonov were to turn too tightly while following some taxiway lines it might drop its main wheels into the soft grass verges, or have its wingtips hit the Fire Station. But after a great deal of planning and some temporary taxiway lines made from flour the arrival and departure went smoothly. The AN-124 is an ex-Soviet military jet now operated commercially out of Moscow. It is an occasional visitor to Auckland for large cargo movements such as Americas Cup yachts. Air Force News listed some of the big aircraft to visit the base in the past, including Lancaster bombers and B-17s from World War Two, to Valiant, Vulcan and Victor RAF bombers and the massive C-5 Galaxy aircraft flown by the US Air Force. - © Fairfax NZ News
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 10, 2012 13:50:49 GMT 12
Is this the second batch? It would be great if one of those Antonovs can come in with two more the weekend ofthe airshow so it can be there on display. That'd be cool.
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Post by ErrolC on Feb 10, 2012 14:22:51 GMT 12
Is this the second batch? It would be great if one of those Antonovs can come in with two more the weekend ofthe airshow so it can be there on display. That'd be cool. The Defence PR 'machine' pushed out links to photos and videos (Flickr, Youtube etc) over the last few days, but they are of the December 6 arrival (as seen in stuff released via the media on Dec 7th or so). Maybe it is meant to co-incide with the Air Force News? Are the future ones going to be flown in? Remember the first two were at the testing airfield, and had to leave it before it closed for a few months, so this might note be the normal level of service.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 10, 2012 16:45:18 GMT 12
Oh right, so these will be the ones that we briefly had photos here from, but I was asked to remove them by the RNZAF.
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Post by beagle on Feb 10, 2012 20:07:11 GMT 12
2 more next month I heard
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Post by ngatimozart on Feb 10, 2012 21:45:22 GMT 12
Is this the second batch? It would be great if one of those Antonovs can come in with two more the weekend ofthe airshow so it can be there on display. That'd be cool. The Defence PR 'machine' pushed out links to photos and videos (Flickr, Youtube etc) over the last few days, but they are of the December 6 arrival (as seen in stuff released via the media on Dec 7th or so). Maybe it is meant to co-incide with the Air Force News? Are the future ones going to be flown in? Remember the first two were at the testing airfield, and had to leave it before it closed for a few months, so this might note be the normal level of service. IIRC because the manufacturer (Nato Helicopters) has been late in delivery NH are having to fly out the NH 90's by Dneipers Antanov at NH's expense. Dave probably a silly question but what reasons did the RNZAF give for asking you to remove the images? I would have thought that they would have been appreciative of free publicity.
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Post by ErrolC on Feb 10, 2012 22:10:34 GMT 12
... Dave probably a silly question but what reasons did the RNZAF give for asking you to remove the images? I would have thought that they would have been appreciative of free publicity. I assume it was a timing thing. Video on Youtube (released 3 weeks ago) Flickr photos (released today) www.flickr.com/photos/nzdefenceforce/
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 10, 2012 23:02:05 GMT 12
The photos had not been cleared by the CO for public release.
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Post by beagle on Feb 11, 2012 21:35:04 GMT 12
The guy that showed us thru the Behind The Scenes Tour today said that last Tuesday more arrived. I think we would have heard that on here by now. You will know the guy and Baz will as he went on a bit when we got to the Devon and was mentioning his etc. From Ashburton.
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Post by ErrolC on Feb 11, 2012 21:57:55 GMT 12
The guy that showed us thru the Behind The Scenes Tour today said that last Tuesday more arrived. I think we would have heard that on here by now. It was easy to get that impression from some of the press coverage on the back of the NZDF releases earlier this week.
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Post by beagle on Feb 12, 2012 9:15:38 GMT 12
does anyone know if our TTH's have the auto main blade fold
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chis73
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 86
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Post by chis73 on Feb 12, 2012 13:11:42 GMT 12
does anyone know if our TTH's have the auto main blade fold Not sure, I would think not - manual folding only. The Italian Navy has ordered 10 marinised TTHs that are to have auto folding blades & tail, but these aren't scheduled for production until 2016 iirc. Given that the NZ NH90s came in significantly over the initial budget, and that the ones that have arrived seem to be missing the FLIR turret, I would guess that all 'extravagances' have been deleted. The 2010 major projects report notes that the requirement is only for operating the NH90 TTH from the Canterbury in conditions up to Sea State 2 (ie. fairly calm conditions - presumably due to the non-auto folding blades, lack of a deck harpoon securing system, perhaps weaker landing gear?). This requirement hadn't been confirmed as having been met when the report was published.
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Post by ngatimozart on Feb 12, 2012 16:07:23 GMT 12
does anyone know if our TTH's have the auto main blade fold I have asked at another place I lurk at. There are one or two there who may know such things or may be able to find out anyway.
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Post by ngatimozart on Feb 12, 2012 19:42:36 GMT 12
does anyone know if our TTH's have the auto main blade fold I have asked at another place I lurk at. There are one or two there who may know such things or may be able to find out anyway. The original specs were for manual main blade fold capability.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2012 19:46:13 GMT 12
Will the FLIR turret be added at a later stage?
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Post by beagle on Feb 13, 2012 2:04:09 GMT 12
So hopefully it doesn't take too long to perform that operation for them to get out of the Ohakea wind and into their nice wee revetments
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Post by htbrst on Feb 16, 2012 11:31:36 GMT 12
They have taken their first NZ test flights ! ;D Shame they havent release any photos etc www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6428281/New-helicopters-take-to-the-air-after-long-flight
New helicopters take to the air after long flight
The air force's new helicopters have had their first test flight since arriving in the country, but the results are being kept under wraps.
Defence spokesman Paul Stein confirmed two NH90s were taken for flights on Tuesday with staff from Nato Helicopter Industries (NHI) "to make sure all the controls and instruments and everything were working as they should since being shipped over from France".
Mr Stein said the results of the test flights could not be released yet due to "commercial sensitivity".
Two new NH90 helicopters were delivered to Ohakea Air Force Base on December 6 on board a Russian Antonov AN124 cargo aeroplane – one of the biggest aircraft in the world.
Six more NH90s were still to be delivered, with the Ministry of Defence hoping the next two could arrive as early as next month.
They will be delivered in three more shipments of two helicopters on board the Antonov, with each trip estimated to cost about $1.6 million, but could vary depending on fuel costs.
Nine NH90s were ordered in 2006 at a cost of $771m.
They will replace the air force's Vietnam War-era Iroquois helicopters that have been in service for more than 40 years.
They will be on display to the public at next month's Royal New Zealand Air Force's 75th Anniversary Air Show, along with a number of other aircraft from six different countries.
The French Armed Forces of New Caledonia, Singapore Air Force, Royal Air Force, Australian Air Force, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps will join with the New Zealand Air Force to perform air and ground displays at Ohakea on March 31.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 15, 2012 0:28:01 GMT 12
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Post by ngatimozart on Mar 15, 2012 8:57:55 GMT 12
You are dead right on the muppetts Dave.
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