Italian helicopter builder Leonardo continues to work toward FAA certification of the world’s first civilian tiltrotor, the AW609. Part of the aircraft’s certification is proving to regulators that the AW609 can successfully autorotate to a landing following a dual engine failure. The company wants the FAA to consider some flight simulator data gathered to verify compliance with that requirement, in part to avoid potentially damaging a test aircraft during autorotation flight testing.
Leonardo Considers Alternate Compliance for AW609 Certification
Key Takeaways:
- Leonardo is pursuing FAA certification for the AW609, the world's first civilian tiltrotor, with certification targeted for 2019.
- A crucial part of certification involves proving the AW609 can safely perform autorotation landings after a dual engine failure.
- To demonstrate this capability and avoid potential damage to test aircraft, Leonardo is requesting the FAA consider a combination of flight simulator data and actual flight test data.
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