"Hobo" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Kevin Brooks" wrote:

Really? Last I heard the joint Agusta Bell AB 609 civil spinoff had
gained
some seventy advance orders, and made its maiden flight this past March.
So
far you are exhibiting a very low batting average in terms of accuracy
of
your statements regarding this program.

I went to the BAAC website and could not find any specific informtion
concerning advance orders that could be examined.


You need to revisit Google--this same issue popped up earlier this year over
in SMN (IIRC) and there are lists of the firms that have placed the advanced
orders available via the web.

At http://www.aeroboek.nl/ab-027.htm I found the 70 advance orders number,
but it also said that the
aircraft was expected to recieve FAA certification in 2007. No aircraft
have been shipped. I am certainly surprised to find that a tilt-rotor
has found 70 advance orders and so there is *some* commercial interest
in the aircraft, but overall I think it is accurate to say that the
commercial market does not see the tilt-rotor as a competitor to the
standard helo or have significant interest in the idea.

Those seventy-odd orders (the numbers fluctuate depending upon the source
and date between fifty some and eighty some, with the seventies being the
most prevalent IIRC) were advance booked by current rotary operators from
around the world before the prototype even flew, and you don't think there
is "significant interest" in the civil community? On that our opinions will
just have to differ. I assume you are also backing off your earlier
assertion that *only* the USMC is interested in the V-22, since the USAF has
already been a partner in its development for the SOF role, and now the NGB
has even expressed interest in it?

Brooks