New Heli’s on the Horizon
- A109LUH (NZ) Training/ Light Utility Helicopter Project Update
Contract
A109LUH (NZ)
The contract to purchase the A109LUH (NZ) Training/Light Utility Helicopter and a full motion Flight Training Device was signed on 8 May 2008, beginning a long term partnership between New Zealand and AgustaWestland (AW). A significant amount of work was needed by a range of people over the years to reach this point, with the midnight (and weekend) oil being pretty well exhausted in the process.
Deployment
The project team, consisting of WGCDR Patch Nelson (Project Manager), SQNLDR Adam Death (Senior Engineering Officer) and FLTLT Wayne Thomas (Avionics Engineer), along with their families, deployed to the Milan area, in the central north of Italy in mid June 2008.
The project office, sited on the Eastern boundary of the Milan Malpensa International Airport at the Cascina Costa plant, was up and running full-time on 23 June 2008.
The families lived in temporary apartments until houses could be identified. The move to permanent houses, in the town of Varese, took place in early August.
Company
Agusta and Westland, both well known helicopter manufacturers, merged in 2001 to form AgustaWestland. The company is sizeable, with some 9,500 employees, around 2,000 of whom work at the Cascina Costa site where the NZ team is initially based. When the first airframe starts on the assembly line, around mid 2009, the team will move to the production and flight test facility at Vergiate, just north of Milan. Training, and the production of the Flight Training Device, will take place at the training facility located in Sesto Calende, on the southern end of Lake Maggiore.
Italy
The area north and west of Milan is beautiful with lush green bush, large lakes, and mountains running along the northern horizon. There is a very real sense of history everywhere. The weather has provided temperatures ranging from 15 to 40°C and there have been some of the most incredible thunderstorms. The average day is fine and warm (20-30°C) and the air-conditioning is welcome.
AugustaWestland Museum.
Among the general populace, there is very very little English spoken. Although the families started some part-time language training in November 2007, the speed at which the locals speak makes conversations past ‘Good day’, and ‘how are you?’ all but impossible at the moment.
The simplest tasks like shopping for food and clothing has required patience, sign language, and a willing participant on the shop’s behalf.
Fortunately, there are many very friendly people willing to do their utmost to understand and help out, despite the language barriers. There have been some very trying and some very funny moments. Our AW points of contact speak English pretty well, but communication is still a key focus to ensure that words and messages are not misunderstood. Harder tasks like receiving our house packs, setting up bank and Internet accounts, looking for houses and signing lease contracts, have all been done with the assistance of local English speaking relocation agents. Where would we be without them! Italy is beautiful, but they have cornered the market on bureaucracy.
Finally, there are the roads. The intricate maze of motorways and urban sprawl is only navigable with the help of GPS and even that often gets confused. Rules are for guidance only and it is clearly every driver for him or herself. It’s almost fun!
Future
The team will remain in Italy until the conclusion of the acquisition phase, nominally until October 2011.
The first fuselage should hit the assembly line in mid 2009 and the first helicopter will arrive in New Zealand in late 2010, with aircraft being delivered around every two months after that.
There is much to be done and a demanding timeline to be met, but once delivered the A109LUH (NZ) will be a step up indeed.