At EBACE 2010 show in Geneva our reporter met with Emilio Dalmasso – Senior Vice President Commercial Business Unit to learn more about the new product – the GrandNew Helicopter.

This year AgustaWestland has unveiled the GrandNew, an evolution of the highly successful Grand helicopter. Mr. Dalmasso could you please explain us what was the main goal of developing the new aircraft?

The development of the GrandNew was the normal evolution of the helicopter that we wanted to achieve. When considering the extraordinary success achieved by the Grand on the world market in few years with over 250 orders logged before getting contracts for the new variant, we believed the product deserved a further enhancement with the provision of state-of-the-art technology to become an even more competitive helicopter.

What are the main differences between the Grand and the GrandNew?

The GrandNew is the next generation of the Grand helicopter. It features the latest in technology, concerning the avionics and also production technology, for instance the more extended use of composite material for the airframe. However the main improvements were made in the avionic system, with a new digital glass-cockpit.

Can we expect any differences in performance between the models?

The new variant features the Grand’s unmatched performance already much appreciated on the market. We focused our studying to reach the state of the art in avionic technology, as far as flight performance we were already clearly far ahead compared to our competitors.

What are the advantages of the new product?

The GrandNew retains all of the winning features of the Grand helicopter which are basically the payload and unequalled cabin space, performance and safety. But more advantages in terms of operational capability were added. The GrandNew features a completely new digital avionic system including a synthetic vision EFIS with embedded flight management system, terrain awareness and warning system, highway in the sky, flight recording and many other functionalities.

What are the benefits of those systems for pilots?

The aircraft provides the pilot with a new level of situational awareness, meaning that it is able to operate at night and in harsh weather and environmental conditions thanks to the new technologies that we implemented.

We increased flight and mission capabilities. Flight management system, which is integrated in the EFIS, allows the pilot to fly automatically from take off to landing utilizing the available terrain and navigation database.

How large is that navigation database?

The navigation database is global. It basically defines the elevations and the profile of the Earth. It is used for creation of the virtual synthetic world which is presented on the EFIS system and which we call synthetic vision.

The aircraft has already secured EASA certification. Are you going to launch the process of the Russian certification?

Russian certification is under process. In mid of April our engineers met MAK aviation authorities and soon a new meeting will be scheduled to formalize the progresses and to update the agenda Being the GrandNew built on the same certification basis as the previous version of the Grand we expect that the validation of the new version will go smooth. This will be simply an amendment to the existed type certificate of the Grand.

What is the difference in terms of the price between the Grand and the Grand New?

We’ve a 10-12% difference in the price between the previous Grand and the GrandNew for the 2011 deliveries.

How many orders has AgustaWestland already received for the GrandNew?

We got more than 50 orders in two and a half months since the launch of the programme in February this year. The first helicopter will be delivered to a Portuguese customer who made the order at HeliExpo.

And what’s the actual delivery period?

In general it’s 10-12 months.

How many GrandNew helicopters do you expect to produce in the nearest future?

In 2010 we’re going to produce 7 units of the GrandNew and then another 40 in 2011. Now all the customers who already booked the Grand in the last 2 years and waiting for the delivery in 2011 or 2012 would definitely shift to the GrandNew.

Does that mean that you will not produce both models simultaneously?

There’s no possibility to have both models. I didn’t get any termination for the Grand because of the launch of the new variant – all the Customers are really happy to get the enhanced version.

But do they feel happy with the increased price?

They get more and they’re ready to pay. 10% is not that a large increase considering the benefits of the improvements.

What is the prime market for the Grand New?

The helicopter has been designed to meet various civil applications requirements. We think that the VIP/corporate market will be a significant target for the GrandNew as it was for the previously manufactured Grand. We aim for example at the area of the BRIC countries (particularly Brazil, Russia, India). It will satisfy the Russian customers especially. And then we’re very strong in Europe also.

And why have you chosen the name GrandNew? May be one day after another update you will get the next version which will be newer than the GrandNew?

At this stage we don’t foresee any changes of the name and configuration. The GrandNew is such a big step forward in technology and avionics that we can not envisage any major improvement in the nearest years to justify the rebranding.

Is it so easy for the pilot to shift from the Grand to the GrandNew?

A specific training is required because of avionics changes. Pilots can be trained at AgustaWestland Training Academy in Sesto Calende.

Have you already provided the service-support for the GrandNew?

All the service centers that normally support the AgustaWestland range of light twin types are ready and suitable to maintain the GrandNew this means that the neo appointed Aerosouz will be capable to support the Grand here in Russia in the Moscow region.