Iraq-bound helicopter drops in on Dubai

The ninth annual Dubai Airshow has taken off with a series of firsts, including the first public appearance by a UK military helicopter on active duty.

During the air show, the Merlin will be demonstrating its manoeuvrability and performance in daily flying displays to potential customers.

The aircraft, which is manufactured by Agusta-Westland, is fast becoming a workhorse of the UK military, and is considered by some as a worthy contender to the Chinook helicopter, also popular with military pilots.

RAF Wing Commander Andy Turner, who was in Dubai to demonstrate the Merlin's superior performance, said there had been some initial resistance among forces to the use of the helicopter.

"We did encounter some initial resistance to the Merlin from those who believed the Chinook had a certain sanctity in the battlefield," he said.

However, he pointed to the Merlin's comparative safety record in active service as well as a number of other features, including its outstanding performance in high temperatures.

"Merlin has proved highly capable in Iraq this year and there was no change in performance even when temperatures reached 66 degrees, said Turner, who leads the 28 (AC) Squad-ron of the RAF at RAF Benson in England.