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courtneytincher · 6 years ago

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U.S. Marines receives final production-era UH-1Y Venom

Bell Helicopter delivered the final production-era UH-1Y Venom to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC).

The Defense Contract Management Agency has reported on 14 January that the final production-era UH-1Y Venom helicopter was delivered to Marine Aircraft Group 39, Camp Pendleton, California.

When a UH-1Y Venom comes off the production line, it weighs more than 11,800 pounds. During the helicopter’s production phase, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Eric Strong has delivered that weight many times. Most significantly, he played a leading role in the program’s historic bookend deliveries.

With anxiety looming due to unfamiliarity, Strong, a Defense Contract Management Agency Bell Helicopter, or DCMA Bell, government flight representative, delivered the first Venom to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303, Camp Pendleton, California, in 2007.

Eleven years later, steeped in platform expertise, Strong, now serving as DCMA Bell’s chief of flight operations, delivered the final Venom to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, Camp Pendleton, California, in 2018.

“This was an incredible opportunity for me that never happens,” said Strong, who was a captain at the time of the first delivery. “I feel very privileged to have been a part of this program that has undoubtedly made a huge impact on Marine Aviation.”

Photo by Lance Cpl. Clare McIntire

That impact began in the mid-90’s when the Marine Corps launched a plan to upgrade its aging, 1970’s-era UH-1N Twin Huey (utility) and AH-1 Super Cobra (attack) helicopters. The UH-1Y Venom and the AH-1Z Viper were selected to serve as the latest helicopters within Bell Helicopter’s H-1 family. After scrapping initial plans to remanufacture Venoms using Twin Huey airframes, the “new build” production phase began in 2005.

“Early on, the H-1 Upgrades Program shifted focus to fielding the UH-1Y ahead of the AH-1Z,” said Marine Corps Col. Vic Argobright, the DCMA Bell commanding officer. “This was largely due to the need to replace the aging UH-1N aircraft at a faster pace. Shortly after delivering the first aircraft, the UH-1Y began operating off of ships on (Marine Expeditionary Unit) deployments and in Afghanistan. Because of the need to support operations all the while training aircrew and maintainers, having a steady stream of quality aircraft was critical in supporting a successful transition.”

With warfighter lives on the line, the shift from factory floor to operational unit only takes place after a final list of critical steps are taken.

“As production aircraft complete initial flight tests with Bell, those aircraft are presented to DCMA quality assurance personnel and aircrews for additional acceptance test and inspection,” said Strong. “My role is to conduct both maintenance actions review and in depth inspection of each aircraft to ensure contract adherence. Once inspections are complete, the DCMA pilots will conduct final flight test in accordance with (Naval Air Systems Command) requirements. When flight tests are complete, we sign log books and test vellum completion documents to prepare aircraft for DD-250.”

The Department of Defense Form 250 is the Material Inspection and Receiving Report that is required for most contracts for supplies and services.

“The aircraft is prepped for delivery and we begin flight ferry planning for delivery to the receiving unit,” Strong continued. “Delivery flights to the west coast are normally completed same day and deliveries to the east coast normally take two days.”

In the defense contracting game, an aircraft’s final-delivery often serves as a program’s measuring stick. Was it delivered on time? Was it delivered at cost? Did it meet quality and lethality standards? Much like a family photo crowded with wide smiles and perfect haircuts, these end-product answers don’t tell the whole story. DCMA’s fleet of acquisition professionals navigate many key points throughout the contracting process to ensure picture-perfect deliveries.

“It would be important to note that DCMA Bell is comprised of many centers of excellence in the Fort Worth area, and a satellite office in Amarillo,” said Bryan Lester, a DCMA Bell quality assurance supervisor. “They are comprised of the (contract management office) management, to include the program integrator, the contracts and supply groups, the Drive System Center building the gearboxes, the Rotors and Composites Center building all composites and blades, and the Amarillo Assembly Center for aircraft assembly. The exceptional efforts of all DCMA personnel working in these areas, as one team, provides the ability to meet our agency’s mission and ensure quality product is delivered to the warfighter.”

With all of these rotating parts, communication is vital to program success, according to Shea Lea Vandivere, DCMA Bell H-1 program integrator.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Clare McIntire

“There is an extensive amount of coordination that goes on behind the scenes between the contractor, NAVAIR and within the multiple centers of DCMA Bell that takes place across a multifunctional support team within each organization,” said Vandivere. “The greatest success is the teamwork that goes into getting these aircraft out to the warfighter to support their mission, which is challenging considering all of the coordination and communication that must occur to ensure that from contract execution to final delivery of these aircraft.

“Without this collective effort of our entire team of contracting, engineering, finance, flight operations, manufacturing, quality assurance, program management, supply chain, and other support functions, this program would not be successful in getting this mission capable aircraft out to the warfighter on time and on budget,” she said.

Now that the Venom production run is complete, Argobright’s team will turn their full attention to sustainment — to maintain and prolong the program’s battlefield capabilities and effectiveness.

“The transition from production to sustainment is not a distinctive event,” Argobright said. “In fact, DCMA Bell has been working the sustainment effort for a number of years. We continue to partner with Bell, NAVAIR, (Naval Supply Systems Command), and the (Defense Logistics Agency) to ensure the USMC gets the support they need. The H-1 program is currently in a critical phase of the sustainment effort with their first Performance Based Logistics contract planned to award next year, all the while working the stand-up of organic capability at Fleet Readiness Center East. DCMA Bell is supporting all sustainment efforts from conducting proposal evaluations to ensuring quality parts are getting to where they need to be on time.”

Much of the sustainment effort will have little to do with Strong. His DCMA Bell responsibilities have shifted to support the last phase of AH-1Z Viper deliveries, but his first-and-last delivery role will keep his Venom experience special.

“There are very few times in a career that you can see the impact you have made, and I feel extremely lucky to have been a part of the beginning and the end of the UH-1Y Upgrade Program,” said Strong.

With his 11-year Venom journey complete, another ending approaches its horizon. Strong is scheduled to retire in 2020. His UH-1Y memories will soon find their own chapter within the adventure of a long military career.

He recalled one of his favorite memories from the early days of the UH-1Y program. Strong said after 1,200 hours in a UH-1N, he was well aware of its weight and power limitations. During his third Venom delivery, he and the aircraft’s pilot, now retired Marine Corps Col. Nick Hall, realized how capable and powerful the UH-1Y was.

“We had just departed Penal Army Airfield in Arizona after a fuel stop,” said Strong. “Two Apache aircraft had lifted from spots on the north side of the airfield. As we began to parallel their flight path, they increased speed to around 140 knots indicated. We matched the speed with ease, and as I glanced at Col. Hall he just smiled. I began to pull pitch to increase speed again. You could clearly see the Apache pilots trying to increase speed by the forward movement of the rotors. As we passed the Apaches and began to pull away from them, Col. Hall said ‘I bet those guys didn’t expect to see that.’”

from Defence Blog

Bell Helicopter delivered the final production-era UH-1Y Venom to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC).

The Defense Contract Management Agency has reported on 14 January that the final production-era UH-1Y Venom helicopter was delivered to Marine Aircraft Group 39, Camp Pendleton, California.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Clare McIntire

With warfighter lives on the line, the shift from factory floor to operational unit only takes place after a final list of critical steps are taken.

The Department of Defense Form 250 is the Material Inspection and Receiving Report that is required for most contracts for supplies and services.

With all of these rotating parts, communication is vital to program success, according to Shea Lea Vandivere, DCMA Bell H-1 program integrator.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Clare McIntire

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djtrumpnetwork-blog · 7 years ago

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The F-35 Could Be Headed Into Combat in 2018

Marine Corps Times The Marine Corps is sending the F-35 to the Pacific and Middle East. The America’s newest fighter jet, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, might finally see combat in 2018. According to the Marine Corps Times, the U.S. Marine Corps is sending the jet on two overseas patrols next year, to the Middle East and the Pacific. The Middle Eastern tour could see the jet sent into combat over a number of regional conflicts the United States is currently embroiled in. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || ).push({}); The Marines are sending detachments of F-35Bs on two Marine Expeditionary Unit cruises, with the Okinawa, Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit on the USS Wasp and the West Coast-based 13th MEU on the USS Essex. USS Wasp will be headed into the Asia-Pacific, where one possible stop is off the coast of North Korea. USS Essex will be headed to the Middle East where it could visit Syria/Iraq, Libya, and Yemen. U.S. aircraft have conducted airstrikes over all three areas, and the F-35Bs of the 13th MEU could conduct some of their own. Marine Expeditionary Units are unique self-contained combat units capable of air and ground missions that travel in amphibious task forces. A typical MEU consists of approximately 2,200 marines and sailors and is centered around a marine infantry battalion reinforced with tanks, light armored vehicles, artillery, engineering, communications, medical, and logistics support units. A MEU also typically embarks up to 30 aircraft, including F-35s, MV-22 Ospreys, CH-53 Sea Stallions, AH-1Z attack helicopters, and UH-1Y Huey utility aircraft. Previously, MEUs embarked about six AV-8B Harrier jump jets per cruise, and it’s likely each will sport the same number of F-35Bs. Aside from scheduled training missions, MEUs sometimes have no agenda at all other than to provide a roving, battalion-sized rapid-reaction force capable of showing the flag, amphibious assaults, raids, conventional and unconventional land warfare operations, rescues of downed pilots, evacuating Americans from crisis areas, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions. MEUs are basically packages of heavily armed Marines that cruise around in amphibious ships for months at a time looking for trouble. The Marines declared its F-35B jets initial operational capability in 2015, meaning the aircraft were capable of at least some of the range of combat missions the aircraft will eventually be capable of. For ground attack missions, the F-35B is armed with the 1,000 pound GBU-32 satellite-guided Joint Directed Attack Munition (JDAM) and the 500 pound GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb. For air combat, it carries AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. Read more at Marine Corps Times Donald Trump Network Read the full article

#TheF-35CouldBeHeadedIntoCombatin2018

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technologyofweapons-blog · 7 years ago

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(List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons) This is a list of all of the active squadrons that exist in the United St...

(List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons) This is a list of all of the active squadrons that exist in the United States Marine Corps, sorted by type. Most squadrons have changed names and designations many times over the years, so they are listed by their current designation. (Squadron designations) The basic tactical and administrative unit of United States Marine Corps aviation is the squadron. Fixed-wing aircraft squadrons (heavier than air) and tiltrotor squadrons are denoted by the letter "V", which comes from the Spanish verb "volar" (to fly). Rotary wing (helicopter) squadrons use "H." Marine squadrons are always noted by the second letter "M." Squadron numbering is not linear as some were numbered in ascending order and others took numbers from the wing or the ship to which they were assigned. From 1920 to 1941, Marine flying squadrons were identified by one digit numbers. This changed on July 1, 1941 when all existing squadrons were redesignated to a three-digit system. The first two numbers were supposed to identify the squadrons parent group but with the rapid expansion during World War II and frequent transfer of squadrons this system fell apart. (Rotary-wing aircraft) [Marine Helicopter Squadron] The squadron is responsible for the helicopter transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Cabinet members and VIPs. In addition to its VIP transport role, it is also tasked with operational test and evaluation (OT&E) of new flight systems for Marine Corps helicopters.[2] The squadron flies the VH-3D Sea King the VH-60N Whitehawk, and the MV-22 Osprey. These were due to be replaced by the VH-71 Kestrel,[3] however that program was cancelled in April 2009.[4] Lastly, HMX-1 provides support to training at The Basic School, providing aerial insertion for various training events, as well as MAGTF Air component orientation to the student officers. (Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadrons) Heavy helicopter squadrons were first formed in 1966 when the Marine Corps began flying the heavy lift CH-53 Sea Stallion during the Vietnam War.[6] Their primary role is moving cargo and equipment with the secondary role of transferring troops ashore in an amphibious assault. All squadrons have transitioned from the CH-53 Sea Stallion to the larger and more powerful CH-53E Super Stallion.[7] The CH-53Es are the most powerful helicopter in the U.S. military inventory today.[8] Due to a reorganization in Marine aviation, HMH-366 was reactivated in 2008[9] at MCAS Cherry Point. [Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron] The squadron trains newly designated (i.e., winged) Naval Aviators, conversion pilots, refresher pilots, and enlisted aircrew on the CH-53E Super Stallion. (Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadrons) The Marine Corps’ light attack squadrons are composite squadrons made up of 18 AH-1W SuperCobras or AH-1Z Vipers and 9 UH-1Y Venoms.[17] The primary missions of the Cobra is close air support, forward air control, reconnaissance and armed escort,[18] while the Huey provides airborne command and control, utility support, supporting arms coordination and medical evacuation.[19] The AH-1W is due to be upgraded to the AH-1Z Viper as part of the H-1 upgrade program which will see both the AH-1 and UH-1 get greater power, improved avionics and an 85% commonality of parts.[20][21][22] The transition to the UH-1Y was completed in August 2014 when HMLA-773 flew the UH-1N for the last time.[23] Due to the need for more light attack squadrons, the Marine Corps began adding new squadrons in 2008.[24] HMLA-467 and HMLA-469 are the newest squadrons. However, as a result of force structure reductions, HMLA-467 is scheduled to be deactivated by the end of FY16. [Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron] The squadron trains newly designated (i.e., winged) Naval Aviators, conversion pilots, refresher pilots, and enlisted aircrew on the AH-1W SuperCobra, the UH-1Y Venom, as well as transition to the newer AH-1Z Viper variant. (Tiltrotor Aircraft) [Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadrons] Marine tiltrotor squadrons are new units operating the MV-22 Osprey with their main mission being assault support. The Osprey offers twice the speed, five times the range, and can fly more than twice as high as the helicopters it is replacing.

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pagedesignhub-blog · 8 years ago

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US Army builders test aircraft carrier drone control software program

New Post has been published on https://pagedesignhub.com/us-army-builders-test-aircraft-carrier-drone-control-software-program/

US Army builders test aircraft carrier drone control software program

The USA Navy has tested a software program package deal as a way to allow aircraft companies strolling it to apply its planned drone air-to-air tankers for communications relay and surveillance obligations.

The MD-5 Unmanned provider Aviation Assignment control System (UMCS) turned into examined under lab conditions the usage of a lorry in the vicinity of the drone, according to US internet site Defence Systems.

In software program terms UMCS is not a large bounce: USN developers plugged existing Task management, making plans and sensor control software into us Military’s Not unusual control Device framework, tailoring every element as required to talk to the “drone” Structures getting used.

“We’ve had the opportunity to leverage many current technologies and skills from different Navy platforms and integrate them into this,” said USN Captain Beau Duarte, in control of the USN’s Unmanned provider Aviation program.

Trying out evaluated UMCS’s capacity to have multiple signals transmitted from a single source, in addition to voice trunking, data sharing ability, and records dissemination. UMCS will even assist maritime Automated Identification Machine sign detection, permitting it to notice nearby civilian ships broadcasting their presence.

This indicates that the USN is calling at drones as relays: that is, a means of extending its conversation and surveillance Structures’ range. Hyperlink 16-well suited aircraft can already exchange tactical statistics in the range of the plane’s very own Structures, so an airborne relay station has the obvious ability for extending the range of allotted surveillance from, say, a plane service’s very own warring parties.

UMCS will sooner or later be utilized in American service with the MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drone. At the beginning conceived as an all-singing, all-dancing unmanned alternative to the conventional naval plane, the MQ-25 will now especially be used for topping up the tanks of manned aircraft – and, it seems, some air and sea surveillance work. The drone is particularly being evolved to be proof against hackers, in keeping with the USN. Updates At the Air Pressure AH-1Z And UH-1Y plane That is the professional opinion of Lt. Colonel: “A prime survivability improves to the AH-1Z/UH-1Y plane, presently inside the latter ranges of developmental flight check here, made its first flights this week on the Bell Helicopter XworX facility in Texas. The upgrade, which includes an incorporated engine exhaust management Machine that then turns the hot exhaust gasses out and far from the plane’s tail increase, quickly accompanied Monday’s ground run accomplishment with the aid of expanding the flight envelope from hover to 120 knots Tuesday.”

“The flight consisted of a six-minute hover,” explained Marine Lt. Colonel David J. Anderson, the H-1 program’s assistant software supervisor for Systems Engineering, “followed via an over-night teardown and inspection. Tuesday, after the Bell group positioned the whole thing again collectively, we took it up to 120 knots.” Bell’s Improve Applications unit has been exploring approaches to enhance the survivability of the Cobra for numerous years, developing a solution through handling the exhaust go with the flow and integrating off-the-shelf additives, then turning the exhaust far from the helicopter’s tail increase.”

“This is the fruits of over a 12 months of design integration effort by using a group of devoted experts,” said Tom Mast, a Bell design engineer On the software. “Not most effective will it similarly decrease the helicopter’s infrared signature, but engineers expect it will assist with decreasing engine exhaust warmness on AH-1Z and UH-1Y tail booms and reducing engine compartment temperatures. The upgraded T-seven hundred engines require greater advanced engine exhaust control than the older, less effective ones. Eventually, the System lets in the engine to perform extra successfully, burning less gas for the same amount of power.”

“The improve, to be able to additionally be carried out to currently fielded AH-1W High-quality Cobras, lots of which are supporting Marine Corps operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, is the first fundamental engineering prototype attempt for Bell’s XworX to benefit the H-1 application.”

“Flight Trying out of the grew to become exhausted amendment On the AH-1W Extraordinary Cobra is scheduled to start in October with fielding in March 2005. “Overall performance of the new grew to become exhausted during the last days confirms what we hoped we might see,” Anderson stated. “Bell superior Applications and XworX are residing up to our expectancies they’re cutting their teeth At the AH-1Z and so far, we adore what we see.”

“As Firstly configured, exhaust gasses flowing over the tail increase made for a larger IR signature in both the AH-1W and the upgraded AH-1Z and UH-1Y. Because of more warmness popping out of the up-rated engines within the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, the exhaust heat also started affecting the structure of the tail boom itself. superior non-adverse inspection technology enabled NAVAIR engineers to recognize the troubles as a result of the heating earlier than they became protection of flight issues. “We developed this revolutionary amendment to store lives and decrease help expenses,” stated Kendall Goodman, Bell’s engineering group chief.”

“The XworX engineers, operating with their ‘caviar’ counterparts, fabricated and established the parts for the became exhausted amendment. Complete flight check envelope expansion flights for both the AH-1Z and UH-1Y will continue at NAS Pax River. “We had been going to do this all alongside to gain extra survivability,” defined Marine Col. Doug Isleib, H-1 program supervisor here, “however we observed that what works for IR signature reduction also works to lower tail boom temperatures – making turned exhaust the most effective way to both issues.”

“The H-1 Improvements integrated check crew here presently has completed about 1,800 flight test hours with five aircraft (three AH-1Z and two UH-1Y take a look at the plane, of which all but one AH-1Z are manufacturing representative). The take a look at plane have flown 222 knots, maneuvered from -zero.4 to +three.5 g’s, been properly above the 10,000-foot altitude mark and these days completed their 2nd operational evaluation by means of Fleet pilots.”

“The document from that evaluation is pending. With the became exhaust-geared up AH-1Z again to a flight repute, XWorX artisans are now turning their attention to performing the equal amendment At the 84 percentage same UH-1Y. Flight test on that Y-Model Huey will resume as soon as the change is finished.”

The Primitiveness of Being a test Pilot inside the Mid-Nineteen Forties I used to be a naval pilot at the end of WWII, then became a civilian test pilot. My task become to test-fly experimental F4U Corsairs as well as production models off the meeting line. “take a look at pilot” is an thrilling call that can be given to pilots, like Chuck Yeager, who turned into first to interrupt the sound barrier as well as to many unrecognized folks who take a look at aircraft, small or massive, off of manufacturing strains every running day. My responsibilities required both. Maximum of my friends and I flew production Testing; 5 people additionally flew experimental (the Chuck Yeager types).

Being a test pilot was exhilarating, however, few people recognize some quirky primitiveness of certain equipment whilst I was involved. It changed into Now not the aircraft, best the device used to flight check them. Helmets, as an instance, have been fabric at some stage in WWII, and the U.S. producers have been just beginning to produce jet plane which might finally mandate difficult helmets. The most speed required of the first F4U’s, sold to The USA Army June 30, 1941, changed into 417 mph and its carrier ceiling changed into 36,900 toes. These figures regularly multiplied until the F4U-5 had a service ceiling of forty-one,500 ft. And a maximum speed of 462 mph.

Vought’s first jet turned into off the drawing boards and a prototype was being built. As a consequence, we take a look at pilots for Vought focused on F4U-four’s of which the orders were voluminous, because of the drawing close Korean War.

to test the new F4U-5’s above 40,000 feet., our pilots wished tough hats, pressurized cockpits, and ejection seats. Paradoxically, for three to four months in 1946, we had none of those 3 necessities!

Vought pilots had never seen nor worn crash helmets. Carrying them could supply safety if at excessive speeds the plane hit an air pocket. When I installed a request for a tough hat, Purchasing couldn’t discover a dealer. The navy had Not conventional hard hats yet. Once they did, such hard helmets had been plentiful. however, that turned into Not till late 1946, numerous months after my request. For me, having played football at an eastern college, I was capable of getting surplus football helmets from my college’s athletic department. The electric keep at Chance Vought stressed out them for radio communications. That changed into as near as we were given to tough hats. Even though gaudy, they worked. I have stored (simply my mother stored) my primitive helmet, and it generates many questions at e-book signings.

Secondly, without pressurized cockpits, “in-oxia” (oxygen delivery failure) was our pilots’ major fear, honestly, due to the fact, there was no caution of an oxygen supply malfunction. At altitudes above 15,000 – 20,000 toes., if a leak developed in a pilot’s oxygen supply, there was no manner for him to recognize, and he would literally nod off. some would possibly name it “passing out.” This happened regularly sufficient that we pilots used a simple test with the aid of reducing the leather out of our glove above the right thumbnail. Then, if the thumbnail started turning blue, indicating low or no oxygen, we pushed the stick forward straight away earlier than passing out, hoping we might wake up before the sea or ground ended the whole thing. Personally, I awakened as soon as to see this large water wall right ahead of me. I used to be simply driving at maximum pace. Gravity from the g’s pulling out nearly positioned me under again.

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lightningwolf66 · 8 years ago

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Updates On The Air Force AH-1Z And UH-1Y Aircraft

New Post has been published on http://app2chart.com/updates-on-the-air-force-ah-1z-and-uh-1y-aircraft/

Updates On The Air Force AH-1Z And UH-1Y Aircraft

This is the expert opinion of Lt. Colonel: “A major survivability upgrade to the AH-1Z/UH-1Y aircraft, currently in the latter stages of developmental flight test here, made its first flights this week at the Bell Helicopter XworX facility in Texas. The upgrade, consisting of an integrated engine exhaust management system that then turns the hot exhaust gases out and away from the aircraft’s tail boom, quickly followed Monday’s ground run accomplishment by expanding the flight envelope from hover to 120 knots Tuesday.”

“The flight consisted of a six-minute hover,” explained Marine Lt. Colonel David J. Anderson, the H-1 program’s assistant program manager for Systems Engineering, “followed by an over-night teardown and inspection. Tuesday, after the Bell team put everything back together, we took it up to 120 knots.” Bell’s Advance Programs unit has been exploring ways to improve survivability of the Cobra for several years, developing a solution by managing the exhaust flow and integrating off-the-shelf components, then turning the exhaust away from the helicopter’s tail boom.”

“This is the culmination of over a year of design integration effort by a team of dedicated professionals,” said Tom Mast, a Bell design engineer on the program. “Not only will it further decrease the helicopter’s infrared signature, but engineers expect it will help with decreasing engine exhaust heat on AH-1Z and UH-1Y tail booms and reducing engine compartment temperatures. The upgraded T-700 engines require more advanced engine exhaust management than the older, less powerful ones. Finally, the system permits the engine to perform more efficiently, burning less fuel for the same amount of power.”

“The upgrade, which will also be applied to currently fielded AH-1W Super Cobras, many of which are supporting Marine Corps operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, is the first major engineering prototype effort for Bell’s XworX to benefit the H-1 program.”

“Flight testing of the turned exhaust modification on the AH-1W Super Cobra is scheduled to begin in October with fielding in March 2005. “Performance of the new turned exhaust over the past two days confirms what we hoped we would see,” Anderson said. “Bell Advanced Programs and XworX are living up to our expectations they’re cutting their teeth on the AH-1Z and so far, we like what we see.”

“As originally configured, exhaust gases flowing over the tail boom made for a larger IR signature in both the AH-1W and the upgraded AH-1Z and UH-1Y. Because of greater heat coming out of the up-rated engines in the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, the exhaust heat also started affecting the structure of the tail boom itself. Advanced non-destructive inspection technology enabled NAVAIR engineers to understand the problems caused by the heating before they became safety of flight issues. “We developed this innovative modification to save lives and reduce support costs,” said Kendall Goodman, Bell’s engineering team leader.”

“The XworX engineers, working with their ‘navair’ counterparts, fabricated and installed the parts for the turned exhaust modification. Complete flight test envelope expansion flights for both the AH-1Z and UH-1Y will continue at NAS Pax River. “We were going to do this all along to gain additional survivability,” explained Marine Col. Doug Isleib, H-1 program manager here, “but we found that what works for IR signature reduction also works to lower tail boom temperatures – making turned exhaust the optimal solution to both concerns.”

“The H-1 Upgrades Integrated Test Team here currently has achieved approximately 1,800 flight test hours with five aircraft (three AH-1Z and two UH-1Y test aircraft, of which all but one AH-1Z are production representative). The test aircraft have flown 222 knots, maneuvered from -0.4 to +3.5 g’s, been well above the 10,000-foot altitude mark and recently completed their second operational assessment by Fleet pilots.”

“The report from that assessment is pending. With the turned exhaust-equipped AH-1Z returned to a flight status, XWorX artisans are now turning their attention to performing the same modification on the 84 percent identical UH-1Y. Flight test on that Y-Model Huey will resume once the modification is completed.”

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