Visual design in the Black Hawk competition

The Boeing rival's engine installation prompts a strongly subjective argument that appearance can influence aircraft procurement. Its engines look poorly integrated with the fuselage, while the Sikorsky Black Hawk has smoother, more coherent lines. The designs are acknowledged as broadly comparable in some respects, and Boeing's layout drew on earlier successful helicopters. The criticism is that saving effort or cost on cosmetic redesign can lose the sale altogether. In this view, a little more work integrating the engines with the fuselage could have changed the competition's outcome dramatically.