Westland 30
| Westland 30 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A Westland 30 of Omni Flight operating for Pan American at New York's East 60th Street Heliport | |
| Role | Helicopter |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Westland Helicopters |
| First flight | 10 April 1979 |
| Introduction | 1982 |
| Retired | ca.1991 |
| Primary users |
Pawan Hans Pan Am British Airways Helicopters Airspur Helicopters |
| Produced | 1981-1987 |
| Number built | 41 |
| Developed from | Westland Lynx |
The Westland 30 is a British medium helicopter based on the Westland Lynx. Although Westland Helicopters foresaw a market for the type in VIP, passenger and cargo transport, and off-shore support operations, production remained limited, ending in 1987 after only 41 had been built.
Westland was investigating replacements for its Wessex and Whirlwind helicopters. It studied a larger version of the Lynx for civil use. The civil helicopter was originally named "WG-30 Super Lynx" before being changed to "Westland 30". It shared transmission, rotor blade and other components with the Lynx, but had a new airframe. The Westland 30's rotor system is larger with slower-turning four blade main rotor assembly. The fuselage is a conventionally built structure of aluminium while composites are used for the tail boom.
Westland initially meant the WG.30 for air ambulance and tactical transport military uses. As a civilian carrier, fitted with airstair or sliding doors it could carry up to 22 passengers with a baggage compartment at the rear of the fuselage. Fitted for offshore work the Westland 30-100 could operate with a 250 km radius of action (227 kg fuel) carrying nine passengers out and 13 home. As a military aircraft it could carry 14 troops with equipment, 17 without or six stretchers and medical attendants.
The prototype WG30 made its first flight on 10 April 1979, and made an appearance at the Paris Air Show the same year. Production of the first model, the Westland 30-100, began in 1981, receiving British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) type certification in December 1981, with American (FAA) certification following in December 1982. This was followed in 1984 by the 30-160 with uprated engines.
The first of three Westland 30-100s was delivered to British Airways Helicopters at Beccles on 6 January 1982, to support gas rigs in the southern sector of the North Sea. The type was later used on the scheduled passenger service between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, and remained in service when the company became British International Helicopters in 1986.
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