Canada considers buying cancelled VH-71 helicopters

November 2010 - Canada has confirmed that is is considering bidding to buy the VH-71 Kestrel helicopters that are now stored after the Presidential VH-71 program was cancelled.

The Canadians would use these near aero time airframes as "hanger queens" to donate spare parts to the  CH-149 Cormorant fleet operated by the Canadain military for search and rescue missions - the CH-149 Cormorant and VH-71 Kestrel are both based on the same EH-101 airframe.

More details on the Vancouver Sun newspaper website link below

Vancouver Sun OTTAWA — The Defence Department is looking at whether it should buy U.S. President Barack Obama’s helicopter cast-offs as spare parts for the Canadian air force’s Cormorant search-and-rescue choppers.

Preliminary discussions are underway on the possible sale of the US101 helicopters to Canada. The aircraft, which were to form the new fleet of “Marine One” presidential helicopters, are similar to Canada’s CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue choppers which, at times, have been grounded because of a lack of spare parts.

There could be as many as eight of the helicopters available for sale - for more see the link below.

Read More on the link below

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Canadian+Forces+Obama+chopper+cast+offs/3755855/story.html

VH-71 - current status ?

Where are the nine VH-71A airframes currently - with the project in limbo pending further progress with the new VXX program aircraft TV-2 through TV-5 and PP-1 through PP-5 are believed to be currently stored.

A report from the US suggests that approx 6 VH-71 airframes are stored with Lockheed Martin at Owego in NY state - I would assume that the balance of the fleet are hangared at NAS Patuxent River.


If you can provide any more details on the current disposition of the nine VH-71 airframes then please let me know - thank you.

The VH-71 Kestrel - Test Airframes

The VH-71 Kestrel - The Test Airframes



The VH-71 program has used a number of helicopter airframes for testing and development.

Five Test Vehicle helicopters ( TV-1 to TV-5 ) and five Pilot Production helicopters ( PP-1 to PP-5 ) have been delivered to the US.

In addition some related testing has used the AgustaWestland US-101 development airframe known as "G-17-510" at Yeovil, UK.


Below are brief details of each individual helicopter built

Test Vehicle 1 - EH-101 "TV-1"

TV-1 was quickly acquired after the VH-71 bid had won the contract in early 2005. TV-1 was built in Italy as an EH-101 Series 410 TTH helicopter destined for the Italian Navy as serial MM81495.

It arrived at the Lockheed Martin plant at Owego, New York in June 2005 painted in a light grey colour scheme. It soon accquired "VH-71 TV-1" titles and moved on to NAVAIR at NAS Patuxent River in November 2005.

TV-1 acted as a template with similar shape, size, capacity and dimensions as the VH-71 itself and allowed VH-71 contractors and US military to gain some familiarity with the basic core design before the purpose built VH-71 aircraft arrived.

Was TV-1 issued with a US Navy six digit Bureau Number tail registration while operating in the US ?

TV-1 was returned to AgustaWestlands in Italy during 2008 having completed its role in the VH-71 project - upon return to Italy it has been operating serialled as CSX81495.



Test Vehicle 2 - VH-71A TV-2

TV-2 was the first purpose built VH-71 airframe. It was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-2 first flew on 3rd July 2007. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-002. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In November 2007 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 95-0105 callsign REACH 278 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.

A LM report states that TV-2 has flown over 50 flight hours

It is likely that this and all other VH-71 test helicopters would have been issued with a US Navy six digit "Bureau Number", a tail serial registration number - this number is unknown to me

TV-2 was assigned to the US Navy for trials - current location is unknown but maybe at Pax River ?



Test Vehicle 3 - VH-71A TV-3

TV-3 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-3 first flew on 27th February 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-003. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In March 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 01-0195 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.

TV-3 was assigned to Lockheed Martin at their Owego, New York site - it was the first airframe to be fitted with mission systems to validate inflight data. Used to test the Presidential communications suite.

TV-3 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

TV-3 current location unknown but maybe at Owego, NY ?


Test Vehicle 4 - VH-71A TV-4

TV-4 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-4 first flew on 19th March 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-004. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In April 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 94-0069 callsign REACH 484 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.

TV-4 was assigned to Lockheed Martin at their Owego, New York site to join TV-3

TV-4 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

TV-4 current location unknown but maybe at Owego, NY ?


Test Vehicle 5 - VH-71A TV-5

TV-5 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. TV-5 first flew on 11th December 2007. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-005. Before delivery to the US it was painted in an olive green colour. In December 2007 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 01-0194 callsign REACH 489 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA.

A LM report states that TV-5 has flown over 51 flight hours

TV-5 was assigned to the US Navy for trials - current location is unknown but maybe at Pax River ?

TV-5 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?



Pilot Production 1 - VH-71A PP-1

PP-1 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-1 first flew on 22nd September 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-101.

In November 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 89-1191 callsign REACH 360 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme. LM announced that this aircraft would undergo a two month ground based vibration test prior to flying to Owego for the installation of mission systems, communications suite, Presidential interior and exterior livery

PP-1 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

PP-1 current location unknown ?


Pilot Production 2 - VH-71A PP-2

PP-2 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-2 first flew in February 2008 ( do you know that f/f date please ? ) . It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-102.

In March 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 96-0005 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA using the callsign REACH 285. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme.


PP-2 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

PP-2 current location unknown ?


Pilot Production 3 - VH-71A PP-3

PP-3 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-3 first flew on 29th November 2008. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-103.

In December 2008 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 96-0002 callsign REACH 292 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme.

PP-3 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

PP-3 current location unknown ?



Pilot Production 4 - VH-71A PP-4


PP-4 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-4 first flew on 13th January 2009. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-104.

In February 2009 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 96-0065 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme.

PP-4 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

PP-4 current location unknown ?



Pilot Production 5 - VH-71A PP-5

PP-5 was constructed by AgustaWestlands at their Yeovil factory in Somerset, England, UK. PP-5 first flew on 2009. It was operated in the UK using the British B Class registration of G-17-105.

In April 2009 it was flown to the nearby RNAS Yeovilton and loaded on to a USAF C-17 transporter serial 97-0048 for airfreighting to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland, USA. It is believed it left the UK painted only in a yellow primer colour scheme.

PP-5 - US Navy tail serial number unknown ?

PP-5 current location unknown ?




US 101 - G-17-510

AgustaWestlands own aircraft used for the VXX sales bid as the "US-101" - this first flew on 26th September 2006 - by 2009 it was operating marked as "AW-101".

Olive green colours. Used for a variety of manufacturers tests and trials including the uprated GE CT7-8E engine.

During 2008 it operated from the GE facility at Victorville, California testing the hot & high performance of this new engine model. The cockpit has also been updated to include 5 10" x 8" LCD colour displays.

In early 2009 it was seen in the US undergoing inflight icing trials - flying behind a CH-47 Chinook fitted with water spraying gear at altitude to test the formation of ice on the AW-101 / VH-71 in flight - great photo on Flicker - take a look via

LINK to Flicker photo of Icing Trails


In April 2009 it was seen operating at Baltimore, Maryland with several engine panels painted light grey plus red panels on the rear boom.

By 2009 it was testing the revised and strengthened Articulated Tail Rotor - shown at the Paris Air Show with green engine panels in June 2009.

On 30th June 2009 G-17-510 made a precautionary landing in a farmers field in Devon, England about 15 miles away from its home base at Yeovil, Somerset.

Click on the photo below to read a short local news article on this incident



Increment 2 Aircraft - these upgraded VH-71B helicopters should in theory if funding and project go-ahead can be resurrected be built by Bell Helicopters in Texas, USA.