Page 24 - Flight International (January 2020)

KOPTER SH09

Problems with upper gearbox
housing discovered in 2018
slowed development progress

Kopter

Kopter

Manufacturer has taken commitments covering the first three years of SH09 production
Dominic Perry/FlightGlobal Airframer has trialled

different configurations,
Pozzallo site has enabled
year-round flight testing including changes to
stabiliser end plates
around 300, with a dedicated headquarters in
the Swiss town of Wetzikon and production
locations in Mollis, Switzerland and Lafay-
ette, Louisiana.
Or, as the airframer’s website puts it: “Kop-
ter Group is developing as a full-fledged heli-
copter design, production and services com-
pany uniting all capabilities required for an
OEM with world-wide reach.”
However, development of the SH09 itself
has not proceeded according to plan. As part
of re-evaluation of all elements of the pro-
gramme in the early part of 2018, serious
manufacturing flaws were discovered in an
upper gearbox housing. Riccobono describes
the problem as the “most jeopardising” issue Dominic Perry/FlightGlobal
for the whole effort, which “caused us almost
nine months of delay”. ❯❯

flightglobal.com 28 January-3 February 2020 | Flight International | 25