Recent News

RAF’s Fl Lt Goodman awarded DFC; first female to win the award

Rotorhub.com Andrew Drwiega March 9, 2008 Flight Lt Michelle Goodman DFCFlight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman, Royal Air Force, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for her actions and leadership on 1 June 2007, as a Merlin AW101 aircraft commander of an Incident Reaction Team (IRT), based at Basra Air Station in ...

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First woman DFC wears her uniform with pride

The Times Michael Evans, Defense Editor March 8, 2008 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3508222.ece "This could be a bit dodgy" were the final words spoken by Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman to her Merlin helicopter crew before they took off to rescue a wounded comrade under heavy fire in one of the most dangerous parts of Basra ...

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HH-71 CSAR-X Team Successfully Demonstrates Aerial Refueling Flights

PR Newswire - 2/21 The Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland HH-71 Team successfully conducted aerial refueling tests between an RAF AW101 Merlin Mk3 helicopter and an Italian Air Force KC-130J tanker, ...

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UP CLOSE WITH THE HH-71
Production-standard BERP IV advanced main rotor blades
  • BERP IV productionized in 2007
  • Minimize brownout (21,500 successful combat desert landings using the BERP rotor blade)
  • Reduce internal noise and vibration effects on crew and passengers
  • Produce 15% better downwash velocity than required by the RFP
  • Quiet, less detectable by the enemy; delays enemy load/preparation timeline for guns/MANPADs/RPGs
  • Comfort — low vibration and low noise increase warfighter preparedness and situational awareness
  • Improve hover performance
  • Reduce cruise fuel consumption
Large, Unobstructed Door
  • Cabin access designed by Flight Engineers (FE), Aerial gunners (AG) and Pararescuemen (PJ)
  • Supports rapid, safe IP and PJ hoists
  • Stokes litter remains horizontal
  • No external obstructions (sponsons, probes, steps, etc.)
  • Work upright in cabin and unobstructed by guns, ammo, radios, walls
Smaller and Clearer LZ
  • Brownout is the #1 cause of helicopter accidents in combat. The HH-71 effectively eliminates brownout
  • Advanced, production-standard BERP IV blades push dust, sand and snow away from landing area
  • Never lose visual contact with ground during approach to landing
  • Faster, safer landings with or without coupled landing
  • Smaller footprint improves survivability, with more landing options and less hover time for faster, safer rescues
360-Degree Overlapping Threat Suppression
  • Right gun-mount and hoist design allow for simultaneous hoist and gunnery, with superior field of fire
  • 360° coverage and 200° overlapping coverage
  • Able to fire aft gun while simultaneously conducting AIEs (fast rope, rappel) from the ramp
Triple Redundant Engines
  • Adds 15 knots of top-end speed
  • Allows sustained cruise in combat or adverse weather even if one engine disabled (OEI)
  • Significantly reduces the size of the avoid zone during low-speed, low-altitude maneuvers
  • Can fly Two Engines Operating (TEO) to conserve fuel and extend range/endurance during ferry flight segments