Australian Aerospace CEO Jens Goennemann is confident that operating restrictions on the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 turboshaft that powers the ADF’s MRH 90 helicopters will soon be lifted.
“With the MRH engine issue, despite being more in the hands of RTM and they [in turn] being more in the hands of Turbomeca, because the issue is more in the workshare of Turbomeca, we are on good track,” Goennemann told media in Canberra on November 24. “Last week we saw the visit [to Australia] of Turbomeca CEO Pierre Fabre and I’m confident with what he brought along – good news that we will get rid of the two hour cool down period and the five hour boroscopic inspection [requirement] very soon, which is of course negatively influencing the operation of the MRH in the field.”
“We … have to prove [the solution] to the authorities, but again I am very confident in what we can bring to the table.”
The restrictions were put in place as an interim solution following the three month grounding of the MRH after a catastrophic engine failure on an ADF MRH in April.
