AVX Aircraft Company today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in New Jersey to study technology approaches to improve fuel efficiency in vertical lift aircraft.  AVX is a member of the Vertical Lift Consortium, Inc. (“VLC”) and responded to the Army request for proposal in 2011, administered by the VLC, to reduce operational energy (fuel) consumption in rotorcraft using its patented AVX Technology, consisting of coaxial rotors and two rear ducted fans.

The VLC was formed at the request of the U.S. Defense Department by members of the vertical lift industry as part of a Department initiative to improve the long-term development of the military vertical lift aircraft and the vertical lift sector of industry.  The VLC is comprised of manufacturers, academia, suppliers and non-traditional contractors involved in the vertical lift  industry with a common goal of providing for long-term advancements in the vertical lift sector.

The contract awarded to AVX was evaluated and selected in a competitive process by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in New Jersey with assistance from Service evaluators and OSD staff.  The proposal from AVX, to be studied under the contract, is to reduce OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Armed Scout mission fuel usage by 30% while proving full-mission capability under hot/high 6000ft/95°F conditions.

Using AVX’s Technology that was submitted in response to a prior U.S. Army Request for Information for an Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) aircraft as a starting point, AVX will conduct optimization studies and analyses to increase fuel economy through improvements in main rotor and ducted fan aerodynamic efficiency.  The current AVX Technology already provides for a 20% fuel saving because of its inherent efficiencies.  AVX Technology, including the significant increase in fuel efficiency, could be incorporated into an OH-58D upgrade in the 2015 time frame.

Commenting on the contract, Troy Gaffey, President and Chief Engineer of AVX Aircraft Company, said, “We are extremely pleased and look forward to reporting the findings we will develop under this contract.  AVX Technology is flexible and scalable so that we can apply the data obtained from this study to other larger mission aircraft as well as future aircraft.”

Work on the contract will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters of AVX Aircraft Company and will begin immediately.  AVX expects to complete the program within seven months.

About AVX:  Based in Fort Worth, Texas, AVX Aircraft Company is an engineering design, horizontally integrated manufacturer, and marketer of advanced helicopters incorporating the Company’s revolutionary and patented helicopter technology (“AVX Technology™”).  As described on the Company’s website www.avxaircraft.com, AVX has developed and patented a unique helicopter configuration — coaxial rotors and dual ducted fans. The Company’s aerospace engineers and executives are highly experienced in managing all aspects of engineering design, marketing, sales, finance, program management and have other areas of expertise in the aerospace and rotorcraft industry.