With the swish of pens on March 4 at Heli-Expo 2015, Rolls-Royce senior vice president Jason Propes and Composite Helicopters CEO Peter Maloney sealed a deal to explore the development of a turbine helicopter with an advanced composite fuselage. Built from Maloney’s trademarked EvoStrength technology, the Composite Helicopters KC630 is one of three helicopter variants under development at the company. Each is constructed from a full monocoque fuselage fabricated entirely from rigid composite materials, promising excellent impact, corrosion and fatigue resistance.
“This is the first time we are showing the helicopters in a professional environment, and we are seeing that the helicopter community is ready for us. We are moving into high-tech composite construction, which creates a strong, robust airframe with a design TBO. The response is overwhelming–56 signed declarations of interest, and we expect 30 deposits in hand this week [at Heli-Expo]. We are targeting type certification by the end of 2017,” Maloney told AIN. “Rolls-Royce has been very supportive throughout our development program, and we are looking forward to a long and productive relationship with the company,” he continued.
Echoing Maloney, Rolls-Royce’s Propes said, “The Rolls-Royce RR300 is an ideal choice for the KC630, with the right mix of power, reliability and economical operation. We, too, are looking forward to continued discussions and the progression of the KC630 through the type certification process.” The RR300 engine was developed out of the legacy of the Rolls-Royce M250 engine line, which has more than 235 million flight hours across 31,000 engines powering more than 100 different types of aircraft.
The Composite Helicopters agreement was one of several Rolls-Royce (Booth 3228) made during Heli-Expo 2015. The company also agreed to extend its fleet operator agreement with Canada-based helicopter touring company Alpine Helicopters for support of the company’s M250-powered fleet of helicopters.
