Paris Le Bourget Air Show

Soon to be unveiled Turbomeca engine

Day One at the Paris Le Bourget Air Show, and you have to give Bell a prize for this one. They and Turbomeca have produced what was probably the only interesting thing at the show - speaking from a helicopter viewpoint - the New JetRanger to be....

Turbomeca have made the Arrius R2 engine specially to meet the necessities of the new Bell Short Light Single helicopter. Or the JetRanger Lite.
So far we have been told that it will use some of the dynamic parts of the B206 - ie it will be a teetering head and use the same gear box, but that many parts including the cockpit, skids and, I think John Garrison said, the fuselage will to totally new. Garrison declined to name the helicopter - that will be done at HeliExpo, but he did say that the engine will be fully tested by the beginning of 2014 and they hope to do text flights in 2014 and have certification after that as soon as... It will almost certainly be on the same type rating.

Well done Bell.

Arrius R2 engine

Other than that there has not been much new at the show. We were told some more about the Relentless - see the Summer edition of Helicopter Life magazine - and the V22 is doing well.

Eurocopter and AgustaWestland have briefings tomorrow - so maybe a couple of 'almost new's from there...
Sikorsky is not here - but they are busy with tenders - more of that later -

No MD, but they don't do Paris do they.