adding a third attitude indicator and a four-axis autopilot. Leonardo and Kopter confirmed that Kopter’s name,
Switzerland location, and brand will remain, though the latter may undergo some alterations to better align with Leonardo’s branding. Plans for US production in Lafayette, Louisiana, are unchanged. “Te idea isn’t to interfere but to help as needed, as they’re
so close to certification,” says Leonardo’s Roberto Garavaglia, senior VP of competitive analysis and strategy. “For instance, we may have a facility they can use, saving them from having to build one.” Leonardo’s Kopter news came on the heels of the Italian
manufacturer having won the US Navy single-engine IFR training helicopter contract with the AW119, on top of a steady year of sales. When not counting a large Qatar order in 2018, Leonardo sales in 2019 were up slightly from those of the previous year. “Te civil market remains interesting,” Garavaglia says,
echoing the sentiment of many other manufacturers. “Many areas remain weak, though they’re coming back some. Tis is geopolitics at work, and we’re trying to learn how to play that. We find ways to continue business without making predictions. Tere is life in the industry. It simply requires an exercise in creativity.”
Kaman
At Kaman, innovation remains strong. Since restarting production of the K-Max helicopter in 2017, Kaman has delivered 13 of the aircraft. In 2019, the company delivered four helicopters and plans to maintain an output of four to five a year, not including military orders. Te recent surge in wildland fires and the US Forest
Service’s new “call when needed” firefighting contracts have led to increased interest in the K-Max, says Roger Wassmuth, Kaman’s senior director of business development. A high- altitude workhorse, the aircraft is becoming a favorite for government contracting. “Te Forest Service began putting telemetry equipment
on its contract aircraft to see if operators were actually doing the work within the scope of the contract—weight, altitude, etc.,” Wassmuth says. “Tat’s one thing K-Max operators never have to worry about.” Te unmanned version of the K-Max underwent critical
design review in late 2019 and was on track to have completed that process for its software in early 2020. Tat aircraft is expected to take its first flight later this year. It’s designed to be completely autonomous and features a fully redesigned system from the one used by the US Marines between 2011 and 2014.
Among the biggest news announcements at HAI HELI-EXPO 2020 was Leonardo’s acquisition of Swiss OEM Kopter.
2020 Q2 ROTOR 41
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