The AW139 is a 6-ton, medium-size twin-engine helicopter developed by AgustaWestland, Italy, with a maximum capacity of 15 passengers.
It has become one of the biggest selling medium twin-engine helicopters, with nearly 300 sold and 100 delivered.
Features are fast, spacious cabin, strong power.
The name of the AW139 can be traced back to the mid-1990s when Agusta developed a 6-ton twin-engine utility helicopter based on the moving parts system developed by the A129 International gunship during its development program.
It was then designated A139.
In 1997, just as Agusta decided to launch the A139 program, the U.S. company sought a new international partner after Boeing Helicopters withdrew from the B609 tiltrotor development program.
In 1998, BELL HELICOPTER and AGUSTA formed a joint venture company “Bell-AGUSTA Aerospace” to jointly develop Bell Helicopter’s B609 program and AGUsta’s A139 program, renamed BA609 and AB139 development program, respectively.
According to Agusta’s market projections at the time, it was estimated that around 900 new helicopters of the AB139 class would be needed worldwide, with 40% for military use and 60% for civilian use. The production life of the AB139 was estimated to be over 20 years.
In November 2005, AgustaWestland bought back a 25% interest in the AB139, which was renamed AW139AB139. The AB139 is a 21st century advanced medium utility helicopter jointly developed by Agustre and Bell Helicopter.
With a takeoff mass of about 6 tons and an effective commercial deadweight of 2.5 tons, it has a maximum cruising speed of 290 kilometers per hour and a range of about 750 kilometers. It can seat 15 people.
Z15 is a 6-ton class 14-16 seat advanced medium multi-purpose helicopter with a maximum ceiling of 7,000 meters. It is jointly developed by China Hafei Group and the company.
Compared with similar models, Z15 has strong competitiveness in safety, reliability, cabin space and comfort, and is favored by many users.
It is expected to make its first flight at the Paris Air Show in 2009.
The Z15 helicopter, co-developed and produced by Hafei and Eurocopter, received 111 orders from 13 companies in North America, Asia and Europe at the Houston Helicopter Expo in the United States, which was the first batch of orders for the Z15.
The Z15 has passed the preliminary design review and detailed design review, and the first prototype has begun to be manufactured.
The Z-15 made its first flight in Marseille, France on December 17, 2009, and has received type certificates from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Zhi-15, a medium multi-role helicopter jointly developed by China and France’s Airbus Helicopters, made its maiden flight in Harbin on Dec 20, 2016.
The development of a new type of helicopter usually needs to go through the stages of preliminary design, detailed design, tooling, mold line and sample manufacturing, parts production, riveting assembly, final assembly, adjustment and test flight.
Traditional development methods only enter the tooling and parts manufacturing stage after detailed design, which takes five years to reach the first flight status.
The hafei Z15 developed in collaboration with the straight, the introduction of the development of the advanced management mode, adopt the method of design and manufacture in parallel, setting up the project team, the preliminary design stage is a simultaneous tooling manufacturing and parts production, integrated security, supply and quality of work and early intervention, the helicopter development cycles from 5 years to 3 years.
The Cooperative Z15 is a 6-ton class advanced medium multi-purpose helicopter, which is jointly operated by Hafei Group and Eurodirect in a 50-50 ratio.
This model is numbered EC175 in the product series of EUzhi and Z15 in Hafei.
In the development stage, Euzhi is the technical leader, and Hafei fully participates in the development and division of labor.
At the Sporting Helicopter Expo in the United States, the Z15 appeared as a one-to-one model.
Compared with similar models, the Z15 has strong competitiveness in safety, reliability, cabin space and comfort, which makes it a strong competitor in the market.
This good market performance indicates that the Z15 project jointly developed by China and France has been pushed to the market and achieved great success.
In November 2008, the first EC175 airframe was delivered by Hafei to Eurocopter in Marseille.
Eurocopter is responsible for the development and production of the Z-15’s main gearbox, tail rotor, avionics, autopilot, hydraulic and electrical, doors and transparent components.
As well as finishing the final systems integration and building two of the three prototypes (first and third).
Hafei will be responsible for the development and production of the fuselage, tail and intermediate transmissions, main rotor, fuel system, flight control and landing gear.
The Z-15 is powered by two 1325 kW (2000 HP) class Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67E turboshaft engines with Full Authority Digital Engine Control System (FADEC).
It has a 5000 hour maintenance time interval (TBO).
The Z-15 has a five-bladed elastic main rotor and a three-bladed tail rotor.
The main gearbox will include two accessory gearboxes, and the clutch will be withdrawn, reducing the cost and weight of the auxiliary power unit (APU).
The Z-15 can carry up to 16 passengers, depending on its configuration.
Easy to use wide sliding doors and oversized portholes.
The Z-15 has a flat floor, omitting any separation between the cockpit and the nacelle.
The aircraft will provide optional undercabin fuel tanks.
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