OREANDA-NEWS. August 22, 2016. Most people can agree that airplanes are pretty amazing machines. However, on the third Sunday of every August, the global community comes together to celebrate World Helicopter Day and the thousands of helicopters worldwide in an industry that provides jobs to millions of people.

Honeywell has been in the helicopter market for over 50 years and has content on numerous platforms, ranging from engines to navigation to health monitoring systems. Customers in various industries around the world from emergency medical services to the military rely on Honeywell technology to make daily tasks safer and easier.

Power for Performance

Honeywell provides power for a number of platforms. The LTS101 and HTS900 engines can be found on many commercial helicopters around the world and the T55 is currently in use on military helicopters, including the Chinook used by the U.S. Army. The newest member of Honeywell’s engine family, the HTS900, helps engines perform in hotter and higher environments and is characterized by its light weight and low-specific fuel level consumption.

  • Since it was delivered in 1975, more than 2,100 LTS 101 engines have been delivered to customers around the world.
  • The LTS 101 engine powers many different helicopters including the Bell 222, the Airbus BK117 and AS350, as well as the Avicopter AC311.
  • To date, more than 6,000 T55 engines have been produced, logging some 12 million hours of operation on the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and MH-47 helicopters.
  • The HTS900’s increased shaft horsepower output improves the payload capability of the helicopter by 40% at 12,000 feet.

Systems for Safety

In addition to the engines needed to carry out important tasks, Honeywell provides customers with services necessary to keep crew and passengers safe and comfortable while in the air. The Aspire 200 Satellite Communications System provides voice and data connectivity while the Sky Connect Tracker System delivers total situational awareness and helps dispatchers manage aircraft with a complete tracking and communications system.

In addition to communication and tracking, it’s also important for helicopter pilots to be aware of what’s going on around their rotorcraft. Honeywell helps make this easier with the Mark XXII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), which lets pilots know if they’re too close to terrain, are descending excessively and many other key pieces of information. Think of it like a GPS on steroids.

  • The Aspire 200 Satellite Communications System provides connectivity through the Inmarsat I-4 satellite network, which has worldwide coverage.
  • Sky Connect Tracker System allows pilots and dispatchers to send text messages back and forth to communicate simple messages to each other.
  • EGPWS was first introduced by Honeywell in 1996 and has helped significantly reduce the risks associated with controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), windshear and optional runway incursions/overruns. It is applicable on both airplanes and rotorcraft.