Black Widow Helicopters Announces Major Order with Aerometals, Enhancing Their Uh-60 Fleet
Black Widow Helicopters, a provider of cutting-edge aerial firefighting and utility mission aircraft, has solidified its commitment to excellence with a significant multi-product order from Aerometals, a precision aerospace manufacturing company.
The order includes 25 engine inlet barrier filter (IBF) for the Airbus H125 platform, along with 22 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) parts manufacturer approval (PMA) approved lightweight straight pipe exhaust systems and IBF for its UH-60 modernization program.
With an unwavering focus on aerial firefighting and utility missions for commercial and public safety operators, Black Widow Helicopters equips its fleet with the latest advancements in aviation technology.
The incorporation of the Foresight HUMS, Spidertracks Spider X, and now the IBFS and lightweight exhaust systems, showcases the company’s dedication to providing customers with cutting-edge standard build list items.
Additionally, the Genesys glass cockpit by XP Services is now available as an optional feature for commercial and public safety clients.
The IBF offers a substantial weight reduction of nearly 50 pounds over the legacy system as well as providing additional mission safety due to being bird strike rated.
These benefits translate to reduced fuel burn due to parasitic drag and minimal effects on aircraft performance. Beyond engine protection from foreign object debris (FOD) damage and filtering particulates and salt nuclei, the IBFS also serves as a safeguard against thermal impact spikes that could lead to premature hot section fatigue for firefighting UH-60 helicopters.
Furthermore, the lightweight straight pipe exhaust system offers an estimated weight saving of approximately 200 pounds and a reduction of exhaust loss compared to legacy hover infrared suppression system.
Renowned for its versatility, durability, and exceptional performance, the UH-60 Black Hawk from Sikorsky has garnered widespread acclaim among operators worldwide. Black Widow Helicopters recognizes the aircraft’s numerous attractive features for commercial operators.
The company’s core business is converting legacy UH-60 Black Hawk aircraft into state-of-the-art aerial firefighting and utility mission-equipped platforms.
Todd Dunphy, head of corporate development at Black Widow Helicopters, expressed enthusiasm about the development, saying: “The Black Hawk possesses all the characteristics sought by commercial and public safety operators, making it an ideal aircraft choice for us to continue adding advanced products for our clients to our standard configuration. By incorporating the IBF and the lightweight straight pipe exhaust system as standard features on our Black Widow UH-60L fleet, we empower our customers with a distinct competitive edge.”
Black Widow Helicopters is set to deliver the Airbus H125 IBF order to a European-based operator and international helicopter leasing company, Heliverse, which is expanding its fleet with an Airbus H125 deployment over the next 12 months.
“We are excited to partner with Black Widow Helicopters offering Aerometals next-generation IBF technology protecting firefighting crews from the elements while preserving aircraft engine power and performance,” said Erik Blanck, director of sales and marketing at Aerometals.
