World Trade Center Photo

We received the following comments to this 1979 photo of a Bell 222 from Roger Huffaker on the R&W Facebook page: facebook.com/rotorandwing

That picture is amazing!!!

Doy Lee

Awesome paint scheme.

Shannon Harding

Miss ‘em a lot with all my heart.

Ricardo Aguado

Super helicopters... up to today still.

Hugo du Toit

Who’s Likely to Win AAS?

We received the following responses to a hypothetical question about which company is most likely to win the U.S. Army’s Armed Aerial Scout competition, should the Army move forward following the voluntary flight demonstration (VFD).

With the high level of interoperability, interchangeable avionics, and the fact that it uses Longbow software, the Army would do well to go with Boeing’s AH-6i.

Joe Belsha

Bell, Boeing or EADS, because the a/c their concepts are based on are already in service. Makes the logistics side a lot easier. Bell & EADS have the upper hand as both of their aircraft are larger, twin engine and bigger fuel tanks for longer range/endurance. I’d have to give it to EADS as its a newer design and new build airframe (as opposed to the recapitalized ones from Bell) that could double as a shooter/trash hauler if need be (if all that space in the rear isn’t taken with avionics).

S. Robert Sliger II

Bring back the Comanche. Tested, verified, qualified. Save some tax dollars with a proven ready-to-go aircraft. Instead of throwing money away like the Blue Suit’s and the C-27J.

James M. Stanco

Sikorsky X2!

Doug Warwick

AgustaWestland or EADS

Lee Waller

Robinson... LOL. Depends more politcally then the design, interoperability and performance. I wish they would leave it to the pilots and keep it U.S. made, and apply some common sense to the criteria and performance.

Nick Mancuso

Competition with current aircraft or is this a competition for new manufacturing? I give it to EADS currently. Otherwise I have to say MD knows how to build a pretty good scout.

Blake R. Malo

None. UAS teaming with AH64D Block 3 makes the AAS concept obsolete.

Cody SS Jackson

Kinda like the Comanche project... But different this time?

Tim Reynolds

Sikorsky.

Josh McWilliams

They need to get whatever they pick out of the FAA’s grasp and not require an A&P on whatever they pick next. I personally know its a nightmare.

Andy Sutton

The winner will be whoever can make a helicopter the cheapest, underpowered, and most uncomfortable for pilots.

Felick Vallot

Ford!

Roderick Bertrand

▶ R&W’s Question of the MonthShould the U.S. Army decide to launch a formal AAS competition following the voluntary flight demos, which company is most likely to win it?Let us know, and look for your and others’ responses in a future issue. You’ll find contact information below.Do you have comments on the rotorcraft industry or recent articles and viewpoints we’ve published? Send them to Editor, Rotor & Wing, 4 Choke Cherry Road, Second Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA, fax us at 1-301-354-1809 or e-mail us at rotorandwing@accessintel.com. Please include a city and state or province with your name and ratings. We reserve the right to edit all submitted material.