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Tiltrotor technology aims to push the envelope on helicopter top speeds while retaining the ability to land and take-off vertically. The Leonardo AW609 will be the first civilian tiltrotor design to undergo FAA certification and brings with it some unique mission profiles.
Dan Wells started his flying career on the AH-1 Cobra before transitioning to being a US Army fixed pilot flying the twin turboprop Grumman OV-1 Mohawk. After test pilot’s course Dan began to rack up experience on a number of programs – both rotary and fixed wing. They included UH1 Huey, MH-47G Chinook, S-70 Blackhawk, C-130 Hercules and Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey amongst others. Dan was also involved in the X-48 research project flying a blended wing remote piloted aircraft which he flew using the video feed from a camera in the scaled down cockpit.
In 2011 a test flying job for AgustaWestland was posted through the Society of Experimental Test Pilots looking for a tiltrotor test pilot. Dan got the job and has been test flying on the AW609 ever since.
In terms of the main numbers posted for the AW609 you are looking at 275kt VNE, 25,000ft ceiling (currently an engine limitation that may be extended) and range of 750NM. The AW609 is powered by two PT6C-67A engines with a whopping 1,940shp rating giving it flyaway performance at MAUW on one engine.
The biggest difference over other tiltrotors in service and currently being developed is the pressurised cabin allowing for a much higher operating altitude and the ability to fly above many areas of bad weather. There are also advantages in the EMS world that a pressurised cabin allows for patient care.
One of the more interesting test flight schedules that Dan was involved with on the AW609 called for the proving of the ability to transition the aircraft from a forward glide where the prop-rotors are windmilling due to forward incoming air, through to a stable autorotational state when the engine nacelles are rotated to the vertical position and the airflow drives the prop-rotors from rate of descent airflow.
For their work on this testing, Dan and his colleagues Pietro Venanzi and Paul Edwards were recognised in 2014 with the Society of Experimental Test Pilots’ Iven C. Kincheloe Award. This is an award that they share with the Apollo 11 astronauts, Mercury astronauts, B-1B, B-2, NOTAR and Concord test pilot amongsts many other amazing programs.
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Links from this week’s episode:
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List of Iven C. Kincheloe Award recipients recognising outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing
Perlan Project – unpowered, pressurised glider test flight program surfing mountain waves to 90,000ft
Australian Army Aviation Corps 50th
CancelSARWatch podcast episode – story of WW1 Australian Army pilot Frank McNamara being awarded the Victoria Cross
Aeromedical Innovation Australasia – multidisciplinary medical organisation in Australia pushing for the AW609 for rural medical retrievals.
AoA Simulations – developers of the V-22 model for X-Plane flight simulator and who are also working on an AW609 model.
This documentary recounts the story of Matt Gane, a helicopter pilot in the Northern Territory, Australia who required an airlift to hospital following a mustering crash. The film was produced by Aeromedical Innovation Australasia as part of their efforts to lobby for the AW609 as an EMS platform in Australia.
Have a question about the AW609 for Dan or insight into how it will fit into the current aviation market mix? Be part of the conversation around this episode by posting a comment below.