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Leonardo TH-73 AHTS (Advanced Helicopter Training System)

2020 MODERN

History of the Leonardo TH-73 AHTS (Advanced Helicopter Training System)

The United States Navy (USN) has selected the Italian light utility helicopter Leonardo AW119 "Koala" as its next helicopter trainer. The The product is an evolution of the earlier AW109 from 1976 and represents a more modern product, the original model debuting in 2000. To date (2020) about 300 AW119s have been produced for global use. The AW119 in service with the U.S. Navy, designated "TH-73" (with some variants operating as "TH-73A"), is currently being evaluated by Navy pilots at the Leonardo facility in Philadelphia (2020).

The project operates under the name Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS).

AW119 was selected by the service to succeed the aging line of TH-57 Sea Ranger light commercial vehicles (B and C models) based on the popular Cold War era Bell 206 (also) base-designated Kiowa by the U.S. Army) and served the U.S. Navy for about 35 years. The 206 series itself was launched in 1967.

The TH-57 fleet will be retired in 2022.

The TH-73 prototype first flew on December 20, 2018, and was officially selected by the U.S. Navy on January 13, 2020. The helicopters will be manufactured by Leonardo (officially known as AgustaWestland) by the Philadelphia-based "AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation". Scheduled for delivery to the Navy between 2020 and 2024.

The product will be used to train helicopter pilots in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard for the next three decades.

The specific TH-73A operating model is based on a modernized modified AW119 Mk. II form, which features increased maximum take-off weight (MTOW), better fuel efficiency, higher total power/output, and a new rotor design. The Navy version also includes a Genesys Aerosystems digital "glass" cockpit.

The helicopter can accommodate two crew members (instructor and student) in a side-by-side cockpit layout, with three additional passengers in the rear cabin. Power comes from a Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A turboshaft engine driving a four-bladed overhead main rotor and a port-pointing two-bladed tail rotor. Dimensions include a length of 42.4 feet, a diameter of 35.5 feet and a height of 10.8 feet. Weight starts at 3,325 pounds unladen.

Performance specifications include a top speed of 152 knots, a top speed of 15,000 feet and a range of up to 357 nautical miles.

The shape of the helicopter is traditional, with thick glass fuselage providing excellent visibility from the cockpit. Access to the cockpit seats is via automotive-style hinged doors on either side of the forward fuselage section. The cockpit is located behind a short, rounded nose cone.

The engine is mounted in a casing above the passenger cabin and has a short mast. Passengers enter through conventional sliding doors on the sides of the fuselage. The tail shaft houses a drive shaft leading to the tail rotor.

The peduncle also has a horizontal plane and is bounded by dorsal and ventral vertical planes. For ground operations, the helicopter taxis using a simple four-point landing.

Specification

BASICS

Year of Service

2020

Origins

United States

Status

Active.

Limited service.

Crew

Production

Manufacturer

Leonardo - Italy

Operators

United States

Roles

Training (General)

Develop the ability to become a dedicated student pilot instructor (usually under the supervision of an instructor).

Training (Advanced)

A special advanced training platform for student pilots after completing basic flight training.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

42.5 feet

(12.95m)

Width/span

35.6 feet

(10.85m)

Height

11.8 feet

(3.60m)

Cured weight

3,329 lbs

(1,510 kg)

MTOW

6,283 lbs

(2,850 kg)

Wgt Difference

+?2,954

(+1,340 kg)

POWER & PERFORMANCE

Installed:

1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PT6B-37A turboshaft engine developing 1,000 horsepower driving four-bladed main rotor unit and two-bladed tail rotor unit (facing port side).

Max Speed

175 mph

(282 kph | 152 kts)

Ceiling

15,010 ft

(4,575 m | 3 mi)

Range

525 mi

(845 km | 1,565 nm)

Rate-of-Climb

1,800 ft/min

(549 m/min)