Реклама Google — средство выживания форумов :)
В 1959 правительство Великобритании, в целях снижения затрат, сократило число подрядчиков на производство авиатехники, что, в свою очередь, вынудило многих производителей сливаться с другими фирмами и образовывать более крупные предприятия. Компании Fairey Aviation (бывшая тогда подразделением Bristol), и компания Saunders-Roe вошли в состав Westland. Это привело к трудностям в производстве двигателей для винтокрыла. В последней конфигурации (модель Y, заказчик — BEA) винтокрыл Rotodyne должен был оснащаться ТВД Rolls-Royce Tyne (5,250 л.с./3,910 кВт), перевозить 57-75 пассажиров либо груз около 8 тонн с крейсерской скоростью 370 км/ч. Было обещано правительственное финансирование на сумму порядка 5 млн фунтов стерлингов. Однако по ряду причин королевские ВВС Великобритании отказались от закупки аппарата. Одновременно появились проблемы с силовой установкой: двигатели Tyne не обеспечивали достаточной мощности для аппарата с возросшей скоростью и грузоподъемностью, а компании Rolls-Royce было отказано в необходимом, по мнению компании, финансировании этой части программы и предложено производить конструкторские изыскания по новым двигателям за собственный счет. В это же время выяснилось, что, несмотря на некоторые успехи разработчика, шумность реактивного несущего ротора не удалось снизить до приемлемых (для городской эксплуатации) пределов.
however, unit costs were deemed too high for very short hauls of 10 to 50 miles, and the Civil Aeronautics Board was opposed to rotorcraft competing with fixed-wing on longer routes.[16] Japan Air Lines said they would experiment with Rotodyne between Tokyo airport and the city itself.[17] The U.S. Army was interested in buying 200 of the Type Y Rotodyne to be manufactured by Fairey's U.S. licensee, Kaman Helicopters in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Government funding was secured again on the proviso that firm orders would be gained from BEA. The civilian orders were dependent on the noise issues being satisfactorily met, and that importance made Fairey develop 40 different noise suppressors by 1955
In 1959, the British Government, seeking to cut costs, decreed that the number of aircraft firms be lowered and set forth their expectations for mergers in airframe and aero-engine companies. By delaying or withholding access to defence contracts, the British firms could be forced into mergers. Saunders-Roe and the helicopter division of Bristol were incorporated with Westland, and in May 1960 Fairey Aviation was also taken over by Westland. By this time, the Rotodyne had flown almost 1,000 people for 120 hours in 350 flights and made 230 transitions between helicopter and autogiro — with no accidents.[19] The larger Rotodyne Z design could be developed to take 57 to 75 passengers, which with the Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprops (5,250 shp/3,910 kW) would have a cruising speed of 200 kts (370 km/h). It would be able to carry nearly 8 tons (7 tonnes) of freight and British Army vehicles would fit into its fuselage. Government funding of some £5 million was promised. The expected order from the RAF did not appear — they had no particular interest in the design, with the issue of nuclear deterrence to the fore at the time. The Tyne engines were starting to appear underpowered for the larger design. Rolls-Royce were told that they would have to fund the engine development themselves.
However, the end came when the interest shown by BEA declined to order the Rotodyne due to tip-jet noise concerns and a request for a military order was also turned down. Funding for the Rotodyne was terminated in early 1962.[8] The corporate management at Westland decided that further Rotodyne development towards production status was not worth the investment required.