LHTEC T800 INTEGRATION INTO THE AGUSTA A129: A PROGRESS REPORT

A twin engine Agusta A129 Mangusta attack helicopter has been flying with Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC) engines since October 1988. LHTEC, a partnership between Allison Gas Turbines and Garrett Engine Division, has been developing the 1200 SHP-class T800 for the US Army Light Helicopter (LH) program since 1985. A129/T800 integration activities began in early 1988 and advanced through MIL-STD-1553 bus controller/FADEC compatibility testing, loaded helicopter ground rig running and finally flight testing in both Italy and abroad. Recently this helicopter returned from 40 hours of mid-summer desert trials in the Middle East. Both airframe and engines performed well with no flight aborts and no major problems. This capped a two-and-one-half year effort by Agusta and LHTEC to install and test the T800 in a modem production airframe to verify helicopter performance improvements and accumulate experience that the Army will benefit from later in the LH program.