The systems keep contamination from degrading the performance and reliability of its two, 2,000 shaft-horsepower General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engines. Donaldson Aerospace & Defense Photo
Donaldson Aerospace & Defense is working with Finmeccanica-AgustaWestland to design, develop and produce Inlet Barrier Filter (IBF) systems to protect AW189 helicopter engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) from dirt, dust, salt and foreign objects.
A division of Donaldson Company, Inc., Donaldson Aerospace & Defense expects to receive European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification next spring to install the systems on the 16-19 passenger AW189.
The systems keep contamination from degrading the performance and reliability of its two, 2,000 shaft-horsepower General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engines.
“With the AW189, AgustaWestland has succeeded in bringing longer range, higher capacity and greater endurance to critical missions such as offshore oil and gas support and search and rescue,” said Matt Fortuna, general manager of Donaldson Aerospace & Defense.
“Donaldson is pleased to work with this leading aircraft maker to ensure the highest performance and reliability of these aircraft on those missions.”
At a maximum takeoff weight of at least 18,300 pounds (8,300 kilograms) and a maximum cruise speed of 155 knots (287 kilometers per hour), the AW189 is part of the AgustaWestland family of new-generation helicopters that includes the AW169 and AW139 models.
Donaldson already has received certification of an IBF installation for the 15-passenger AW139 from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Authority, EASA, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
The IBF offers significantly better engine protection and performance with minimal installation impact. For the AW139, it includes two low-drag, conformal fore and aft fairing assemblies with two filters per side that are removed easily for fast filter exchange. Those assemblies are mounted on existing engine doors to create sealed intake plenums.
