Paris Le Bourget 2011, Day One

Tantalising us with windy covers - what is beneath?

Interesting day at Paris airshow: The day started with rain, more rain and rain. Luckily most of the events were able to take place between heavy showers or indoors!
Most important events were the unveiling of the AW189 prototype - which is an 8 tonne class helicopter due to be a larger version of the AW139 and, as Agusta no doubt hope, as successful.
The other big thing of the day was the flight (several between and dodging showers) of the Eurocotper X3 - it was a pretty meaty show with some severe movements both in climb and diving at the ground. Well worth watching, and (I thought) more interesting that the French fighter that followed it.
There were also a myriad of interesting little things at the show : one great surprise was that the HAD1-T the French turbine, 2 seat helicopter trainer was indeed up and running as a prototype. That is pretty quick going for the company, as it was first given a public mention at Helitech last year, when it was just a twinkle in the Alsace Lorraine company's eye!

Here it is: the AW189 - an 8 tonne helicopter