By Thierry DuBois
Honeywell Aerospace and China’s Avicopter signed a “strategic cooperation framework agreement” to consider equipping the latter company’s helicopters with Honeywell engines and avionics. Rishi Singh, Honeywell’s business and general aviation leader in the Asia-Pacific region, told AIN that his company is slated to provide avionics and engines for Avicopter’s proposed “next-generation single/twin,” which has yet to be given the green light to proceed.
On the Avicopter AC312, the civil version of the Z9 (itself a license-built Eurocopter Dauphin), Singh referred to “preliminary discussions” on an Apex avionics suite. Honeywell is also vying to supply avionics for Avicopter’s seven-metric-ton AC352, the Chinese counterpart of the Eurocopter EC175. Singh specifically mentioned Tcas, EGPWS and FMS for the AC352. AIN understands that the AC352 is in an early phase of final assembly.
Honeywell is already supplying the LTS101-700D-2 turboshaft engines for the two-metric-ton-class AC311, which is now certified. Avicopter plans to deliver the first AC311 this month. On the AC313, a heavy twin certified last December, Honeywell is providing a health and usage monitoring system (Hums) and is now looking at the Hums aftermarket for other helicopters in service in China.
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2012-12-06/honeywell-avicopter-sign-deal-engines-and-avionics