Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

A Leonardo AW101 completed high-altitude performance testing last week in Buena Vista (KAEJ) and Leadville, Colorado (KLXV). The tests were conducted as part of a performance improvement program to raise engine power and main gearbox torque rating to 117 percent.&nbsp;

 


The high-altitude testing was used to confirm the three-engine helicopter’s ability to recover and land safely in the event of engine failure. Buena Vista is situated at an altitude of 7,950 feet while Leadville is North America's&nbsp;highest-elevation&nbsp;public-use airport&nbsp;at an altitude of 9,934 feet. Leonardo said, “Power consumption testing future-proofed the aircraft for impending certification requirements.”&nbsp;

 


The test helicopter was shipped to Baltimore, where it was reassembled and then flown 1,600 nm to Colorado. After testing, it was ferried back to Leonardo Yeovil, UK via Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland. It will be delivered to its customer, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security&nbsp;by year’s end.&nbsp;

 


Leonardo's AW101 has a maximum takeoff weight of 32,187 pounds and is in service with a variety of militaries worldwide including the Canadian armed forces, whose variant is known as the CH-149 Cormorant.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Leonardo AW101 Takes On Leadville

Tri-engine Leonardo AW101 helicopter completes OEI high-altitude testing at famed Colorado airport.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Purchase marks continued investment in critical-care aircraft

Avincis Takes Delivery of Two New Airbus H145s

David Donald

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Boeing is working on more improvements for the Apache and Chinook

Boeing Advances Apache and Chinook Rotorcraft Development

Sikorsky’s 210-knot compound helicopter appears in Paris

S-97 Raider Highlights Sikorsky Advances

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Agency says manual supplements should list fuel safety margins

FAA Flags Fuel Risk in Rotorcraft Sideward Maneuvers

The latest 412 utility version gains its first African sale

Tunisia Signs for Subaru Bell 412EPX

Aircraft armament specialist offers the HH-60W’s hybrid gun system for export sale

FN Debuts Helicopter Gun Systems

Honeywell will provide the MV-75 Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft with its ECS and APU

Bell Selects Honeywell for MV-75 Tiltrotor Systems

Matt Thurber

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

In this article

Leonardo

More In Rotorcraft