Is MDHI going to make it?

The EuroCopter VP at the AHS Forum said they view the civil and
military markets as complementary businesses -- both to sustain
production numbers and nurture new technology. I hate to see our
short-term business mentality surrender the long-term market to them.
They're following the same plan Japanese carmakers used here -- grow
market share, set up domestic lines, and take the market.

HW

Helowriter wrote:
The EuroCopter VP at the AHS Forum said they view the civil and
military markets as complementary businesses -- both to sustain
production numbers and nurture new technology. I hate to see our
short-term business mentality surrender the long-term market to them.
They're following the same plan Japanese carmakers used here -- grow
market share, set up domestic lines, and take the market.

HW

HW,

If you were at the AHS Forum, what did you think of Walter
Sonneborne's speech on the state of the US helicopter industry?

Also, what did you think of the Sikorsky CEO's response to the Mil
Helicopter engineers question on the technical feasibility of the
Advancing Blade Concept X2?

Take care,

CTR

Unfortunately, I had to duck out for an XWorx visit before Mr.
Sonneborne spoke. I'm going to try to get a copy of his remarks.

Personally, I think Mr. Finger should have answered Mr. Tschenko(sp?)
-- just walking off the stage seemed a little disrespectful. The
Russians certainly have solid technical insights, but I think Sikorsky
has a new set of answers to the limitations of the coax and the
thruster.

Take a look at the shaft-driven fan in the JSF. That clutch and
transmission could drive a thruster. We'll see.

HW

HW,

While at the Bell Xworx did you get a chance to see the BA609? Were
you their to see it fly? What did you think?

Take care,

CTR

It flew the next day. They were waiting to do a high-speed taxi run,
but I had to leave before that.

The 609 in real life is stylish, neat. I believe there is a market
for civil tilt rotor. I also think there's a market for a high-speed
coaxial. You have to pick your market niches.

More important, that sort of development is what the entire US
rotorcraft industry should be doing --- with the avid support of the US
government support. Europe has targeted rotorcraft as an area of
industrial growth. We seem determined to surrender it to them. Maybe
Boeing will get lucky with the A160 or Dragonfly technologies.

HW