Marenco Swisshelicopter confirmed an order from Tronrud Engineering for its SKYe SH09 single-turbine helicopter. The confirmation follows a letter of intent signed for the helicopter in 2014 and adds Tronrud to the list of the launch customers for the new helicopter.
based outside Oslo, Norway, Tronrud will use the helicopter to support the development of the Eggemoen Aviation and Technology Park. The park, encompassing 230 hectares, already houses more than 300 employees in both national and international high technology organizations. The new SH09 will be operated for utility and logistics support.

Tronrud has operated helicopters almost from its inception in 1977. CEO Olav Tronrud opted to move forward with a firm contract for the SH09 as the program and Marenco have matured.

Marenco, which was founded in 2007, unveiled the $3.5-million SKYe SH09 single-turbine utility helicopter in 2009 and the first prototype flew in 2014. After the main rotorhead and rotor blades were redesigned, the second prototype flew in 2016 and a third is expected to follow this summer. The company now has 170 employees, and a new 43,000-sq-ft headquarters and production plant at Mollis airfield in the Swiss canton of Glarus is scheduled to open in 2018. The company said it has letters of intent from customers for more than 90 of the SH09s.

The program is checking off milestones with P2 reaching 120 knots at 3,000 feet with “a lot of reserve power,” and has been tested to 97 percent of its maximum takeoff weight of 5,800 pounds. Performance targets include a 5,842-pound mtow, 140-knot cruise speed and 430-nm range.

Featuring a flat-floor cabin and rear clamshell doors, the all-composite large single is designed to carry one pilot and up to seven passengers. Powered by a single Honeywell HTS900-2 turbine with Fadec, the SH09 will also be equipped with the Honeywell HUMS system. Other features include a five-blade bearingless main rotor system and a shrouded tailrotor.