TenCate and Marenco Announce Supply Deal

TenCate Advanced Composites, has been chosen by Marenco Swisshelicopter as the main supplier of composite materials for its next generation, lightweight helicopter.

The SKYe SH09 is a single engine helicopter and made its first flight in October 2014. The SKYe SH09 features a full composite airframe as well as all-composite main and tail rotor blades; it is equipped with glass cockpit, avionics systems and the Honeywell HTS–900–2 turbine engine.

With a cruise speed of 270 km/h (145 knots) it is not only one of the fastest single engine light helicopter in its class, but also offers very long-range – in excess of 800km (430 nautical miles) with standard fuel tanks.

TenCate will supply the Swiss helicopter maker an Epoxy resin that’s known for its toughness and ability to be used in out of autoclave fabrication conditions. Frank Meurs, Group Director of TenCate Advanced Composites EMEA, said;

We are very pleased to have been chosen by Marenco Swisshelicopter for the supply of our system based materials for this new and important project. This complements our global growth strategy in thermoset materials, not only from our facilities in the United States of America, but also from our facility in Langley Mill, United Kingdom.

The SKYe SH09 is scheduled to go into production within the next 12 to 16 months.