Enstrom Helicopter (Booth 4517) says that its new TH180 two seat trainer should receive FAA certification by the end of this year, with EASA and Transport Canada certification to follow shortly thereafter. Enstrom is currently flying its second—and first fully conforming—prototype TH180. A third prototype is undergoing static tests and will be added to the flight test program shortly. Enstrom said it holds “a number of letters of intent” for the TH180.
Flight testing to date has included handling and controllability surveys, load surveys and continued systems development. Upcoming tests include fully defining the performance envelope and the FAA-mandated 100-hour ground run.

“We are very happy with how the aircraft is flying,” said Enstrom senior test pilot Bill Taylor. “There have been no real surprises. In fact most of the issues we’ve run into have been with the test equipment, not the aircraft, itself. It’s really a good little helicopter. We look forward to accelerating this test program and getting the aircraft onto the market.”

Flight testing resumed in May after the first test aircraft was destroyed during a hard off-airport landing in February 2016. The pilot walked away with only minor injuries. Preliminary indications are that a piece of flight-test instrumentation in the main drive system failed and disconnected the engine from the drive train. The company announced the TH180 in 2014 and plans to use the type certificate basis and rotor system of the larger three-seat 280FX to speed development.

The TH180 is powered by the new 210-hp Lycoming HIO-390-A1A piston engine, and will be initially certified with Garmin avionics. It features an engine governor and electric clutch switch, robust landing gear and a useful load of 700 pounds. Maximum gross weight is about 2,250 pounds, including a standard 40-gallon fuel capacity. The TH180 also features the company's signature fully-articulating, high-inertia main rotor system and unblocked tail rotor.

Target price of the TH180 is less than $400,000. Company officials said it should post direct operating costs of around $175 per hour, burning less than 12 gallons per hour.

Enstrom is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chongqing General Aviation Group and is located in Menominee, Mich.