JULY 2016 VOL 30
ALEA EDITION VISIT US AT BOOTH #540 IN SAVANNAH
SAFETY IN THE SUNSHINE STATE SEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF AIR SUPPORT OPERATIONS
SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF AIR SUPPORT IN THE CALIFORNIA CAPITOL
A TRUE PRO HOW TO BE THE BEST AT WHAT YOU DO,IN AND OUT OF THE COCKPIT
THESE BLADES TURN MORE. More Capability. More Safety. That’s why the H125 AStar is the leading U.S. law enforcement helicopter. With advanced safety features, an open cockpit, excellent visibility and low maintenance requirements, it’s backed by Airbus Helicopters’ HCare three-year warranty. H125 – a multi-mission workhorse. Made in America. Time for an All-Star law enforcement aircraft? AStar delivers.
2
Important to you. Essential to us. www.airbushelicoptersinc.com
heliweb magazine
Visit us at ALEA Booth #110
INSIDE
THE JULY ISSUE
58
COVER STORY:
SAFETY IN THE SUNSHINE STATE SEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF AIR SUPPORT OPERATIONS
By Ryan Mason
SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S AVIATION AIRBORNE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CALIFORNIA CAPITOL By Ryan Mason
EUROPEAN HELICOPTER ART GRAPHIC ARTIST WINS COMPEITION TO HAVE ART FEATURED ON HELICOPTER
A TRUE PRO PROFESSIONALISM
By Richard B. Stone & Steve Sparks
40 32
MONTHLY COLUMNS & FEATURES
BELL 525 CRASH INVESTIGATION BEGINS IN TEXAS
By Ryan Mason
44 23
Helipix
6
Editors Notes
16
The Toolbox 18 Whirly Girls 20 Straight & Level
22
Helinews
28
Heliart
38
Rotorheads
70
Behind the Lens
76
heliweb.com
PUBLISHER & CHIEF EDITOR: Ryan Mason ryan@heliweb.com DEPUTY EDITOR: Adam Johnson adam@heliweb.com
Subscribe to Heliweb Magazine & grab free helicopter pics for your digital devices.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT: Ali Mason ali@heliweb.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPERS: Tim Pruitt Damon Duran Seth Lasko Ed Simmons Scott Dworkin HELICOPTER ART: Marc Veenendaal marc@mpvdesign.com.au CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ben Fouts ben@heliweb.com Jessica Kanellos jessica@heliweb.com Brian Parsons brian@heliweb.com
Lauren Brown lauren@heliweb.com Adam Johnson adam@heliweb.com GRAPHIC DESIGN & ART DIRECTION: Troy Dominy Troodon Design Co. troy@troodon.us
Show off your heli pics & videos by hashtagging your posts with:
#HELIWEB is a publication of Airborne Productions P.O. Box 3134 Alpharetta, GA 30023 PHONE: 844.heliweb FAX: 904-623-4354 EMAIL: info@heliweb.com
All material published remains the copyright of heliweb. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the written consent of the publisher. Editorials published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Content within heliweb is believed to be true and accurate and the publisher does not assume responsibility for any errors. Unsolicited editorial manuscripts and photos are welcomed and encouraged. heliweb cannot be responsible for return unless submissions are accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Photos submitted by mail or electronically become property of heliweb unless otherwise specified. Copyrighted photographs must be clearly marked, otherwise they become property of heliweb. Deadline for all advertising is the first day of each month for the following months edition. Information about rates, requirements, etc. is available upon request.
Heliweb is a proud member of 4
heliweb magazine
A vAilAble i nventory
F����� Q������ 2015
Agusta A109E
sn 11657
Agusta A109E
sn 11773
Agusta A109E
sn 11784
Airbus AS350B-3
sn 3820
Airbus AS350B-3
sn 4183
Airbus AS355N
sn 5594
Airbus EC155B1
sn 6825
Airbus EC155B1
sn 6847
Airbus EC145
sn 9087
Bell 407GXP
sn 54626
Bell 407
sn 53796
Bell 407
sn 53850
Bell 407
sn 53939
Bell 407
sn 53986
Bell 429
sn 57021
OEM NEWS* H135
Introducing H135 P3/T3 Increased Gross Weight/Useful load – Ideal for hot/high Upgraded engines - PW 206B3 & Arrius 2B2Plus Four-axis digital autopilot Upon certification, scheduled for 2016, the H135 will feature the Helionix cockpit suite which has identical design/structure to the H225, H175, H160 and H145
H145
Visit www . aVprojets . com to receiVe Your QuarterlY market updates!
Formerly known as the T2, the h145 is now in operating worldwide. Upgrades to the already popular helicopter include: All new FADEC engines providing improved performance, increased fuel capacity, new duplex hydraulic actuator and the unmistakable Fenestron tail rotor Operating on the Helionix suite featured on all new AH models the Active Vibration Control System maximizes passenger comfort while the shrouded tail rotor dramatically reduces noise signature. Airbus Helicopters strives to produce a machine that can reduce the cost of operations by improving maintenance OEM planning and extending TBO intervals
NEWS
The EC145e was also launched in 2015 and offers a single-pilot VFR alternative for twin-engine operations. With increased payload and range capabilities under normal operations and in hot/high capabilities the ship C145e can haul 3,800 lbs. of payload 2 0 1 5 lbs.) � � � � (3,900 - roughly equal to the empty weight ofQthe � �aircraft
& ANN O
UNCE
MENT
F�����
Q����
S*
�� 201 5
November 9th, 2015 announced During the Dubai Air H160 become the a signed Letter of Show, Unite Inten d Arab Emira S Internationa first Bell Helicopter t with Horizon Intern At HAI 2015, Airbus Helicopters launched the H160 as the latest and greatest medium lift helicopter. R NEW tes, Bell ational Flight The all new Turbomeca Arrano 1A promises to provide 20% less fuel burn with unparalleled design CTURE unparallele l Flight Academy is training center in Acad the d flight trainin based at M A N U FA the PT2, second prototype, entering into testing, many achievements have Withpment and innovation. Al Ain Intern Middle East. The emy to ILESTONES g. Develo PROGRAM M Horiz ational Airpo 5-hours inspection work cards validated. 175 withkts VNE, 15,000 ft. in altitude and been reached: alreadycturing Nove REPLACEMENT ering and Manufa mber 19th, rt and deliveon d for 2020, HELICOPTER incentive Engine. Initial fielding is planne te governmentrs 2015 rice Conv RESIDENTIAL P ention During the VH-92A ,677,064 fixed-pand two test aircraft and integra OMPLETES National 407GXP to and Exhibition in d a $1,244 S-92 aircraftH175 onal SIKORSKY C Business Neva Germ the Navy awardeSikorsky for 21 operati y will use its in-production da, in certified been has H175 any. the rotorcraft ation) medium-sized 2014, Aviat class Bell 7-ton of new-generation its as and 7, Developed The aircra ion Asso announced t Corpor it will be On May options to t, Sikorsk ft will be outfitt ciatio the the industry. in first production : Sikorsky Aircraf the contrac latest and most stringent regulatory requirementsthe accordance with the of its kindImprovements ed for Corpo sale of the first n contract with e contractor in 2023. Under executive interior. (source of opera defens ding simplified comfort, passenger for seat per Bell volume U.S. increased safety, flight conclu enhanced rate te an include throughou latter se the production s and install t lines, the t Germany. and VIP transport to meet customer demands and exceed their expectations. Aircraft, a purchaand effectiveness maintenance, civil producand costbusine ss mission system of Sikorsky F�����
defined
ition the military helicopter its $9B acquis y brand, as well as ation disposed of its Martin completed (Lockheed the Sikorsk logy Corpor y observers Lockheed Martin will maintain Availability, >1000 Flights Operated, >15,500 Passengers Transported, >95% Commercial Flights Operational some industr United Techno >90% In July 2015, July. Lockheed Martin ions, which heavy twins. in and S-92A lackluster growth project announced December and S-76D medium 16th, 2015 including the a lagging profit margin ighted. its first flight. announce *Source: Airbus Helicoptersnd helicopter made saw that Turbo In Bordes, France, AVPRO, INC. 410.573.1515 because it propeller to deemed short-s ompou Arrius 2R meca has Bell and apparently) and a pusher Raider semi-c Fax: 410.573.1919 is in engine that S-97 Turbo rotors received the among them, M but civil use900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412 O C . S T E J O R P AV W. W W hours alrea EASA engin meca were pleas tions powers the E‐mail: info@avprojets.com Annapolis, Maryland 21401 in May when l, contra-rotating dy logged rigid coaxia ed to Bell 505 Jet e type certifi advancement at military applica) high level technology combines two Ranger looking mainly cation Online major is S-97 a y AIN of maturity by Arrius variants, the logged Sikorsk strator, Sikorsky the 2R is X. With seven millio for its at entry-intorotorcraft. this year. (source to the X2 demonwith a conventional expected stration tour service. A follow-on to offer unman flight on a demon nable Raider unattai the h speeds tched dispatc achieve December y intends to the cards. Sikorsk ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2016 - All Rights Reserved
S76C+
nal serial with one additio ured. last quarter VIP config remained stable period; both S76C+ supply traded over the same of Fleet: 13% rs Percentage serial numbe Sale: 19 Available for
S76C++
S76C++ supply Q2 2014.
is stable with
9 serial numbe
Percentage
9
: $1M - $3M
Trading Range
VIP configured.
70% are rs for sale and
Sale: Available for
us. Two
red to previo
sale compa numbers for
of Fleet: 3%
No transactions
: $5.9M Trading Range
occurred since
- $9M
17th, 2015 located in Bell anno China unced Chon Service Facili ’s Chongqing gqing Provence, certified maint ty. CQGA has a as Bell’s General Aviation (CQG newest autho for Bell 407 enance facility andCivil Aviation Admi rized Custo A), nistration offers non-s mer of first certifi aircraft. CQGA is ed Bell 412 an established pecialized maint China Part 145 enan missions. aircraft to be operated operator and recen ce capabilities tly in China Buying or and used received the sellin for fire-fighting like to discu g an helicopte r is abou ss current market cond t having good informati itions or on to mak woul e infor please cont d like to discuss the sale med decisions. act me at W W W. AV or acquisitio If you any time PROJET *CREDIT n of a helic would . TO BELL S.COM opter, AVPR O, INC 900 Bestgate Road, Suite 41 . Annapolis, Mar 2 yland 21401
S76D There have GP configured. the end of last F � � � � � Q � � � � � � 2 0 1 5 ships are utility/O market at for sale. All ed from the with 3 ships M A N Ur was F A remov CTURER NEWS remained stableto date. One serial numbe r, S76D supply : $14M - $15M This quarte ned transactions this year Trading Range been no preow FINMECCANICA HELICOPTERS tage of Fleet: 4% Percen AgustaWestland3Rebranded as Finmeccanica Helicopters: As410.57 part 3.1515 of a wider overall corporate reorganization plan that merges quarter. 9 ble for Sale: aerospace, defense and security .573.191 AVPRO, INC. Availa Finmeccanica's assets, AgustaWestland has been renamed Finmeccanica Helicopters. m Fax: 410 d, Suite 412 E‐mail: info@avprojets.co gate Roa 01 Finmeccanica announced the change at the end ofland 214 last month, effective January 1, 2016. 900 Best JETS.COM
Annapolis, Mary
©Copyright
- Avpro, Inc
- Aircraft Sales
& Acquisitions
® 2015 - All
410.573.15 15
Fax: 410.573.1 E‐mail: info@a 919 vprojets.com
©Copyrig ht - Avpro,
Inc - Aircraft
Sales & Acquisiti ons ® 2016
- All Rights
Reserved
Rights Reserved
Through superior customer service and beneficial long term relationships, we offer impeccable performance, Integrity and reputation.
O ICEBIRD AW169’S P PRROJECT W W W. AV Leading rescue service operator expands their AgustaWestland helicopter fleet and adds the new generation AW169, marking a milestone in “Project Icebird”. AW169s to be delivered in 2020 with Full Ice Protection System. AW169 to feature a jointly developed customized configuration for emergency medical service/search and rescue. Over 150 AW169s sold worldwide so far, including options and framework contracts.
AGUSTAWESTLAND SIGNED CONTRACTS NJ POLICE
Currently, there are 5 and 3 year training contracts for EMS operator STARS of Canada and New Jersey State Police Department in the U.S., respectively and both customers operate AW139 helicopters. The combined training agreements will deliver more than (Source Finmeccanica Helicopters) 2,600 simulator flight hours.
A109E POWER Last quarter the supply of A109E Power’s has continued to increase for the 3rd consecutive quarter. The influx of supply however has stabilized with (only) 3 new serial numbers for sale. Two serial numbers traded to retail buyers, a dramatically low volume in what is typically the busiest quarter of the year.
Available for Sale: 63
Percentage of Fleet: 16%
Trading Range: $500K - $4M
A109S/SP Grand/Grand New supply was relatively stable last quarter. Over this period, five A109S/SP’s traded to retail buyers, a steady volume compared to the previous quarter – currently with only one under contract.
Available for Sale: 22 Percentage of Fleet: 7%
Avpro, Inc. is one of the world’s largest brokerage and acquisition companies, With over 25 Years of experience – representing both buyers and sellers globally.
Supply at Current Trade Level: 12 Month Trading Range: $1M - $4M
AW139 Supply has started to grow again last quarter to 22 AW139 for sale, 60% of which are VIP configured. Two further corporate configured serial numbers are set to enter the market this quarter. Only one VIP configured aircraft has traded to a retail buyer in the last 21 months. Currently, 1 serial number is under contract.
Available for Sale: 22
W W W. AV P R O J E T S . C O M
Percentage of Fleet: 3%
Trading Range: $5M - $14M
AVPRO, INC.
900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412 Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410.573.1515
Fax: 410.573.1919 E‐mail: info@avprojets.com ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2015 - All Rights Reserved
w w w. avprojets.com
Whether you are selling, acquiring or just considering your options, contact us today for your in-depth expert market Analysis.
Performance. Integrity. Reputation. info@avprojets.com l 900 Bestgate road l suite 412 l annapolis, maryland 21401 l tel 410-573-1515 ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2016 - All Rights Reserved
W W W . A V P R O J E T S . C O M July 2016
5
#helipix An AS-350 in the snow at high altitude in Northern California. Photographer: Ray Farmer
The “C Hawk” one of few certified civilian UH-60s in operation over Pensacola. Photographer: Antonio Gemma More’ 6
heliweb magazine
A South African Sunset with BK-117 and MD 500C Photographer Hendreiv Vorster
An Austin Police EC-120 rests on the ramp in Austin, Texas. Photographer: Brian Papke
July 2016 2016 July
7 7
Santa Rosa County, California Lifeguard 407 at night. Photographer: Antonio Gemma More’ 8 8
heliweb magazine heliweb magazine
#helipix
July 2016
9
Los Angeles County Sheriff AS-332 arriving at Long Beach Airport. Photographer: Jason Jorgensen
An RAF Chinook on operations in Wales, UK. Photographer: Peter Lewis
10 heliweb heliwebmagazine magazine 10 heliweb magazine 10
A Leonardo Helicopters AW189 in testing in the United Kingdom. Photographer: Simon Pryor
July2016 2016 1111 July
#helipix
A Texas DPS EC-145 prepares for takeoff Photographer: Tim Pruitt
12 12
heliweb magazine heliweb magazine
July July 2016 2016
13 13
heliweb magazine www.maunaloahelicopters.com | 808-334-0234
14
July 2016
15
From the desk of
One Year and Counting... Ryan Mason
narrative of every cop being a bad cop. Never more evident than the events unfolding in Dallas, As we approach the Airborne Law Enforcement Texas that the world witnessed as officers scrambled to protect the Association (ALEA) very citizens that were protesting conference in Savannah against them. Five of which lost this month, I am reminded that the opening day of the their lives for doing so. Officers are still out there on the street ALEA conference last year every single day, despite the hate in Houston, Texas. and vitriol spewed against them. This was the day we let the They do it for the same reason I world know that Heliweb did… To make a difference. was under new ownership. To be that one person that stands Not only did we pull together our whole team that first up for the downtrodden and less fortunate, to step in an act when no month, but we started on what one else will. To be the only ones was to be the most stressful, yet rewarding year. We have learned a running toward the gunfire, while lot! We have made many mistakes, everyone else runs away from it. It but learned from every single one, takes a special kind of person to be in law enforcement, and I am and grown from it. proud to say I was one of them. The ALEA show every year holds You will also see profile pieces a special place in my heart. ALEA on law enforcement pilots in is the one time a year I get to Rotorheads. For the same reason, immerse myself in my old life. I you will also see many law was a police officer before taking the helm as publisher of Heliweb. enforcement feature stories in the magazine. There are endless For me, the ALEA show is where stories to tell of heroics performed I get to hang out with old friends every day all around the world that I have made in the law by brothers and sisters in blue. enforcement community. We get If we have a chance to cover to talk, laugh and share stories from the street that only cops can the real things that airborne law enforcement does, then that is relate to. It is like coming home exactly what we will do. every year I go to this show. I am surrounded by “my people”. Stories like the one we shared last With the current climate of hatred month of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Air Unit and towards law enforcement, you SWAT team going out of their way will often see stories of law to make an incredible memory for enforcement agencies here in a little boy named AJ. A child who the magazine. A small effort in has suffered more in his 11 years trying to counteract negative than most of us ever will. media view projecting a false
16
heliweb magazine
This was not something they were directed to do. This was something they stepped up to the plate for because it was the right thing to do. I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to tell some of those stories. I was once told by one of my older wiser supervisors after being out of the job for six months and lamenting how much I missed the job. “You may have left the day to day grind, but you have lived the life, and any cop you speak to for more than five minutes will realize that your blood still bleeds blue just like the rest of us. You will always be part of the thin blue line.” I still miss it every day for one reason or another, but I am fortunate that I still get the chance to immerse myself back into that world more than some. For those who will not be at the show. We see you. We know how hard you work every day to make a difference and to protect those who cannot protect themselves in a profession that is often thankless. For those who will be at the show, see you there, and until then, watch your six.
Ryan Mason Publisher & Chief Editor
HELICOPTER PARTS SALES Check Out our Huge Inventory! Over One Million Items!
We have a large inventory of quality parts from reputable sources, for outright sale and exchange.
ACCESSORIES • COMPONENTS • INSTRUMENTS Airbus Helicopter, Bell Helicopter, MDHC, Schweizer, Sikorsky, Lycoming, Rolls Royce, Turbomeca
Check out our website! WE BUY: • Light and medium turbine helicopters • Parts, components and inventories • Distressed and run-out airframes
Toll Free 800-585-7004 USA & Canada Only. TEL: USA 1+608-756-3632 • FAX: USA 1+608-756-2606 Falamos Português
email: info@tradewindinternational.com
www.tradewindinternational.com
We Earn Our Wings
by Earning Your Trust Every Day Your Complete Aviation Insurance Resource Jim Gardner, President 1640 Powers Ferry Road, Bldg. 14 Ste. 300 • Marietta, GA 30067 678-278-2100 • Fax: 678-398-7038 www.jagardner.com
July 2016
17
T h e To o l b o x
FAA & IBF Filters Brian Parsons
Earlier this year, as some of you may recall the Federal Aviation Administration issued a revised policy statement regarding the certification of Barrier Filter installations in rotorcraft. Policy No. PS-ASW-37/29-7 relates to these Barrier Filter installations and the new regulatory guidance and compliance methods for obtaining an STC. (Supplemental Type Certificate). Manufacturers of these systems have been around for years and have successfully installed this type of filter system on certificated rotorcraft all over the world. Barrier Filter systems are different from particle separator systems. The filter element covers the entire intake system providing for a more efficient filtering media for rotorcraft engines and does not require any bleed air to operate, Thus reducing the effects of airborne particles that otherwise might be ingested by the engines while not reducing the engine power requirements. Where the Particle separator or swirl tube type systems typically use bleed air, therefore, reducing the available air flow to the engine. The intake air is directed to a swirl tube or vortex generator. Any dirt particles are thrown radially outward by centrifugal force so that they may be ejected overboard by the bleed air from the engine. Both systems have proved themselves over the years as an effective means of reducing foreign object ingestion into the engine preventing any premature engine removal and engine compressor
18
heliweb magazine
replacement due to excessive blade erosion, clogging of turbine sections and P2 air bleeds. However, in my humble opinion, the advantages of a Barrier Filter system over the particle separator are many. Including ease of maintenance, cleaning and replacement of the elements. Less weight and a means to alert the pilot to an impending bypass due to clogging. Particle Separator swirl tubes become clogged, ejectors and housings are cumbersome and sometimes difficult to access for cleaning, replacement of the particle separator sometimes requires removal of the entire intake system and plenum chambers. Additionally, many OEM’s have recognized the benefits of a Barrier Filter System and have included them as standard equipment on new aircraft deliveries So, now you can talk filters, what does this new FAA policy have to do with certification of a Barrier Filter. Frankly, everything. The FAA said the system is necessary because “the increased usage of IBF installations on rotorcraft require guidance to ensure safe and standardized installations.” That guidance, however, has prompted fears that approvals for new IBFs may become tough, if not impossible to obtain, or it may prevent the operator from using the filters. Executives from Donaldson Corporation and Aerometals (formally Aerospace Filtration Systems, Inc.) are quoted as saying. “If allowed to proceed, the proposal would significantly restrict and may likely prohibit any future IBF development programs, and would significantly impact the benefits of these engine protection devices.”
The policy calls for propriety power information that ‘s hard to obtain from engine manufacturers and seeks potential operational restrictions, such as helicopterspecific payload limitations–that could make installation unviable.” The FAA has acknowledged that there is no safety concern with IBFs certified by these power assurance checks. “There’s not an unsafe condition; we have not identified an unsafe condition,” Rotorcraft Directorate manager Lance Gant told the crowd at an FAA town hall at HAI Heli-Expo 2016 in March. Matt Fortuna, the general manager for Donaldson, also noted that IBFs have been installed on more than 7,000 helicopters and have collectively accumulated more than 20 million flight hours over 20 years. “They have an established history of zero safety incidents,” added Lorie Symon, Executive Director for Aerometals. You can find a copy of the draft policy statement as well as the format required for public comment at http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_ docs/policy/ I would like to hear if you have any additional information or comments, send me an email at Brian@heliweb. com
Brian Parsons is the Director of Maintenance for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (FL) Aviation Section, where he also serves as a ReserveDeputy.Brian is a US Marine Corps veteran,and holds a commercial helicopter pilot certificate. Parsons’maintenance experience includes factory training on Bell, Airbus, and MD Helicopters, in addition to several engine types.
SNEAK
In April of 2016, we visited with this state of the art HEMS provider utilizing the new H130T2 in Northern California. Learn more about their operation in the September issue.
S E P T E M B E R
PEEK
2 0 1 6
Enloe Flight Care Chico, California
July July2016 2016 19 19
Whirly Girls
Ashlyn Parker I first heard of the Whirly-Girls in late 2012; I was a brand new helicopter student who was not too set on the idea of a women’s pilot club. I however relented and finally became a member in March 2015 and started applying for the available 2016 scholarships. When I joined the Whirly-Girls, I was a 700-hour Certified Flight Instructor at a flight school in Washington State. Like most flight instructors, I was concentrating on building time so that I could move on to bigger and better things. At the end of December 2015, I received a wonderful Christmas gift in the form of a phone call from the Vice-President of Scholarships, Coleen Chen, informing me that I had been awarded the 2016 Agriculture Air Services scholarship! I was beyond excited and started planning my trip to both Louisville, Kentucky, for the Awards Banquet and HAI Heli-Expo, and to Florida, where I would complete my training. The week in Kentucky was fantastic! Meeting all the amazing Whirly-Girls and hearing everybody’s story was a great experience. I also managed to create some other contacts, including the GM of Survival Systems USA (where I later traveled for the dunker course). I even landed a job interview while I was in Louisville. It was a trip for the books.
20
heliweb magazine
After attending Heli-Expo, I was on my way to Okeechobee, Florida, to learn some agriculture flying! The company who sponsors this scholarship, Agriculture Air Services, is fantastic. I do not think I have ever met kinder more genuine people. The owner, Brian Parker, whom I did most of the flying with, puts his people and safety first. We started our first day getting acquainted with the Bell 206 I would be flying and after some warm-up, we got right to work. Ag turns and low-level flying were first on the list. I was not too sure what to expect. Coming from a state where agriculture is king, I have seen the operators out working, and I have even had students from the agriculture world. I was very happy to find it is a challenge and lots of fun. Agriculture flying gets a bad rap for being dangerous, which it certainly can be if precautions are not taken. Brian and his employees put safety first, from his well-maintained fleet of Bell helicopters to the techniques he teaches. It is all about getting the job done safely and efficiently. Day two started with a new location and some new types of turns and learning all about the GPS spray systems that are used, which included setting and
tracking courses. We tossed in some forestry flying techniques and landing on the loading truck platforms, which is a whole different kind of challenge. The day ended with a job offer, which I was certainly not expecting. When it was all said and done, I had accumulated around 12 hours of time over three days in the Florida sun. I came out of the training with a new respect for agriculture pilots, some new friends, and a new career path. The Whirly-Girls are a fantastic group of people who spend their time encouraging and empowering young women to be the best that they can be. I have no doubt that they have been invaluable in getting me where I am now in my career. I will forever be grateful to this organization for the opportunities given to me, and for the ongoing support and jump-start in my career. The hard work is not over. Making my way into the agriculture world is going to take lots of time, patience, and hard work, as there is much more involved than simply flying the helicopter. Because of all the hard work already done, I will be joining the talented few that take care of the world’s crops. I will be the first female pilot that Agriculture Air Services has ever hired, and I cannot wait for this next adventure.
HeliNwspaper_ad_110718.ai
We get you flying faster.
1
2011-07-18
DynaFlight
AirAg E-Series
Integrated Flight Guidance Instrument (IFGI) & embedded Processor
The premier independent supplier of PT6 turbine engines and components worldwide.
DynaGrip Control
Entire system weighs less than 7 pounds (3 kilograms)
Our inventory is in stock in our warehouse and ready for
DynaFlight
AirAg PRO & SeisBag PRO
fast delivery! We provide exchanges and sales on a wide variety of engine models and on serviceable turbine engine parts.
C
Processor
M
334.361.7853 | sales@utpparts.com | utpparts.com
5:10:03 PM
Y
CM
MY
Composite Tail Rotor Blades CY
CMY
K
for 206B/L, OH-58A+/C and UH-1 Series
Integrated Flight Guidance Instrument (IFGI)
DynaGrip Control
Entire system weighs less than 10 pounds (6 kilograms)
GPS Systems for Aerial Applicators & Seismic Operators dynanav.com
Van Horn Aviation www.vanhornaviation.com 1.480.483.4202
DynaNav Systems Inc. Toll Free 1-877-333-9626 E-mail: sales@dynanav.com July 2016
21
Straight & Level
Living in a Van...
Ben Fouts
What an education I have received over the 19 years as a helicopter pilot and 16 years as a business owner! I have seen so many faces over the years and last year tallied my 2000th check ride given as a pilot examiner. From every walk of life and nearly every corner of the globe, it has been a pleasure to see those students walk through the doors and move up in the industry. However, with any pursuit in life, success is not guaranteed, and it should not be. Not everyone is cut out to be a professional, and the system is set up to weed out the pretenders. One should be wary of a system where all are going to succeed no matter the level of participation or amount of study and sweat put in. So how do you separate from the pack and get in a position to be successful? Is there a particular route or a path that gives a higher probability than others? Is it school dependent or instructor dependent? To some degree, the flight school you attend could be a factor. However, I want to focus on the absolute number one factor in a student’s success as a pilot. There is a common denominator for being successful, and it has nothing to do with grades in school. It has nothing to do
22
heliweb magazine
with individual smarts or good genetics it has everything to do with work ethic and dedication. If you want to be the perfect candidate as a pilot for a job, you need to invest yourself. If flying is something you love, spend the time and never stop learning and volunteering yourself in every aspect. Every day spent at a flight school is an opportunity. Take advantage and find out how it works, spend some time at the hanger and help with an inspection. Clean the hanger for the mechanics and show them that you are serious about growing. Do the jobs that others do not like to do. Clean helicopters, office space, help with the lawn. Ask to sit in on a ground school. What could it hurt? You get extra repetitions and further burn the material into your brain. All things are noticed. You may have to go way out of your comfort zone. (I am an admitted introvert who struggled to feel comfortable around people.) There is an opportunity, and it is waiting for the next person in line willing to put in the effort. What are you gifted with the United States? The world’s most advanced and developed aviation industry. With the number of flight schools, charter companies, airports, and open environment for learning. There is no reason you cannot succeed
if you apply yourself. Nearly 70% of the world’s pilots are taught within our borders. It is an enormous industry admired worldwide. Jobs are not just for the son of a senator or the very well connected as it is in many countries, it is for anyone who will apply themselves. You may need a 2nd job or live in a van down by the river, but that is what builds character and tempers your resolve. (I have had some students who lived in their vehicle and bought a Gym membership so they could shower. You know who you are… I even built an outdoor shower at the flight school to accommodate the “dwellers.”) Every single “dweller” was a resounding success. Why? They had their priorities straight. They were there to absorb everything they could from the flight school, get through the training quickly and then move forward. Enjoy the arduous journey to becoming a professional! By no means is it easy. I still wake up excited to go to work and see what wild adventure waits. Be grateful you live in the greatest aviation loving country in the world with the keys to your future in your hands. Ben Fouts is a career helicopter pilot, business owner, successful entrepreneur, and passionate flight instructor. In addition to his role as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner —a position he’s held for fifteen years, since he was just twentyfour years old— he is the owner of Mauna Loa Helicopters, based in Kona, Hawaii.
Heliweb ALEA ad.
480.399.0242 • www.digitalsynergydesign.com July 2016 23 graphic design | logo design | print media | photo retouch | web
BELL
525 CRA
24 24
heliweb heliweb magazine magazine
ASH IN TEXAS
July 2016
25
T
he highly anticipated Bell 525 Relentless suffered a substantial setback to the program Wednesday, July 6 th , with the crash of the first 525 test vehicle. A bright orange variation that had just completed a full year of test flights. The 525 Relentless was on a test flight that departed the Bell Helicopter Xworx facility in Arlington, Texas. The helicopter crashed at 11:45 am, approximately 54 miles from the Xworx facility, three miles northwest of Italy, Texas. A small farming community located in the southern portion of Ellis County. 26
heliweb magazine
Bell Helicopter confirmed the loss of both pilots in the crash in a statement issued this afternoon.
“On July 6, 2016, a Bell 525 was involved in an accident while conducting developmental flight test operations south of our Xworx facility in Arlington, Texas. Unfortunately, the accident resulted in a loss of two crew members. This is a devastating day for Bell Helicopter. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our teammates and have reached out to their families to offer our support. Bell Helicopter representatives are onsite to assess the situation and provide any assistance to
local, state, and federal authorities. At this time we ask for your understanding as we work through all of the details. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.� News media coverage from the location where the aircraft went down showed little remaining of the prototype. The formal investigation into the crash will likely take many months to determine the factors that led to the crash. The NTSB was headed to the crash scene at the time
“This is a devastating day for Bell Helicopter. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our teammates�
of the report. Early media coverage of the scene detailed an interview with two witnesses that claim to have seen the helicopter come into contact with wires or a utility pole before the aircraft impacted the ground. However, follow-up reports stated that there had been
no power outages in the area, and all wires in the vicinity appeared to be intact. The crash resulted in a substantial fire that consumed a majority of the helicopter wreckage, blackening the top of a utility pole near the crash site.
Helicopter debris was mainly localized at the crash site. The tail boom of the 525 was seen a substantial distance southeast of the main wreckage and appears from media footage to have no fire damage and an angled tear at the point of separation.
201627 27 JulyJuly 2016
CHICAGO HELICOPTER EXPERIENCE ACQUIRES NEW H130 Chicago Helicopter Experience announced in July a strategic alliance with Airbus Helicopters, Inc., having received an H130-series helicopter from the eminent aircraft manufacturer.
chopper will be unveiled and conduct its inaugural flight Thursday, July 14, 2016. CHE plans to eventually convert its entire fleet of helicopters to an exclusive fleet of H130’s.
With this acquisition, CHE becomes the first helicopter tour provider in Chicago to incorporate the world class Airbus Helicopters aircraft into its fleet. The sleek new
Trevor Heffernan, Founder & CEO of Chicago Helicopter Experience said, “We are extremely excited to receive our first H130 from Airbus Helicopters, This Spreading The Wings of Insurance Protection Inc. enhanced to Helicopter Owners and Operators. aircraft type will become the core of our fleet as we work towards converting our entire fleet exclusively to
f
FALCON
H130 helicopters. The H130series represents the best-inclass - delivering the safest, quietest and cleanest fuelburning capabilities in the industry. With this new helicopter, we are looking forward to more passengers from all over the world flying with Chicago Helicopter Experience to discover the very best vantage point of our beautiful City of Chicago.” Treg Manning, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Airbus Helicopters, Inc. said: “The entire Airbus Helicopters team is pleased and honored that Chicago Helicopter Experience has chosen the H130-series as the right aircraft to build its growing aerial tourism business.
INSURANCE AGENCY
Falcon Insurance is one of the largest independently owned insurance specialists in the country. Our professional staff has decades of experience in aviation insurance, and we are uniquely qualified to provide insurance protection for helicopter owners and operators. We are dedicated to serving you with insurance coverage that sets the standard for the industry. Call today for same day quotes and coverage or visit our web site.
Austin, TX: 1-800-870-0557 Columbus, GA: 1-888-405-1055 Dallas, TX : 1-800-880-0801 Frederick, MD: 1-888-815-2471 Houston, TX: 1-800-880-8822 Kerrville, TX: 1-800-880-4545 Lakeland, FL: 1-800-881-9688 Las Vegas, NV: 1-888-552-7270 Los Angeles, CA: 1-800-624-8856 Scottsdale, AZ: 1-800-880-3597 Soldotna, AK: 1-888-543-5548 St. Louis, MO: 1-800-880-8644
w w w. f a l co n i n s u ra n ce. co m
PO Box 291388, Kerrville, TX 78029
NOMEX FLIGHT SUITS Fire retardant and the #1 choice of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. Nomex jackets and shirts also available!
HELICOPTER HELMETS New Kevlar® Helicopter Helmets available w/ single or dual visor assembly, general aviation avionics, lighweight crushable earcups w/ sensiform air seals, Confor™ foam custom liner and optional 6’ coil. Factory new & fully guaranteed! $905.00 - Single Visor Assembly $990.00 - Dual Visor Assembly
GOVERNMENT SALES, INC. 51 Years in Business!
69 Francis Avenue • Hartford, CT 06106 860-247-7787 • fax 860-586-8020 www.AviationHelmets.com Most orders shipped within 24 hours. We ship worldwide via air freight. Visit our 14,000 sq. ft. facility.
28
heliweb magazine
Helinews
SAFRAN TO SUPPLY NEW UK TRAINING FLEET ENGINES Safran has been selected to supply engines for the training aircraft selected for Rotary Wing training under the UK’s Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) programme. Safran Helicopter Engines will provide Arrius 2B2Plus and Arriel 2E turbines for the fleet of Airbus Helicopters H135 and H145. Safran maintains its position of preferred engine manufacturer for helicopter training operations. Bruno Even, Safran Helicopter Engines CEO, said
“UK military pilots have trained using our engines aboard Gazelle and Squirrel rotorcraft for 40 years. We are glad they will keep using Safran engines in their future H135 and H145 training operations”. Arrius and Arriel engines are already contributing to training operations in the United States, Australia, France, Germany and many other countries. The Arrius 2B2Plus and Arriel 2E combine state-of-the-art technology with best–in-class
reliability. With a growing market share of the H135 market, the Arrius 2B2Plus is currently in demand for operators conducting missions in demanding environments. One of its advantages is better performance in hot-and-high conditions, enabling the H135 to carry more payload at the same altitude. To date, Safran has delivered more than 3,150 Arrius engines to 430 customers in 60 countries.
July 2016
29
SIKORSKY S-92 SURPASSES ONE MILLION FLIGHT HOURS The global fleet of Sikorsky S-92 helicopters recently surpassed one million flight hours, in an impressively short time of less than 12 years. “We are incredibly thankful to our customers, suppliers and employees for reaching this milestone, and we are tremendously proud of the S-92 helicopter’s industry-leading safety record,” said Sikorsky President Dan Schultz. “Sikorsky is committed to providing worldclass customer support and technological advancements to our customers who select the S-92 helicopter for their most demanding missions in some of the world’s toughest conditions.” With more than one million fleet
30
heliweb magazine
flight hours of service, and an accident rate less than 1/10th the U.S. Civil Multi-Turbine engine helicopter rate, Sikorsky believes the S-92 helicopter sets the industry standard for safety and reliability. The S-92 was certified to FAA/ EASA harmonized Part 29 requirements, as amended through Amendment 47. It led the way by being the first aircraft certified to this rigorous standard and by meeting or exceeding oil and gas industry requirements. The availability rate of the S-92 fleet averages more than 95% each month. In this milestone year, the American Helicopter Society International honored the S-92
helicopter program with the Harry T. Jensen Award for its outstanding safety record. In 2002, the S-92 helicopter was honored with the prestigious Collier Trophy. Since 2004, Sikorsky has delivered more than 275 S-92 helicopters, predominantly to operators serving the worldwide offshore oil and gas industry, and for civil search and rescue. Eleven nations fly the dual-engine, mediumlift S-92 helicopter for their head of state missions. In May 2014, Sikorsky was selected to build the next U.S. Presidential Helicopter Fleet, the world’s most advanced executive transport helicopter, using the S-92 platform.
Helinews
ROBINSON ANNOUNCES GARMIN G500H NOW AVAILABLE FOR R44 Previously available only on the R66 Turbine helicopter, the G500H system is a combination Primary Flight Display and Multifunction Display (PFD/MFD) which provides flight instrumentation, moving map navigation, and situational awareness on dual screens. Garmin’s Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technology is an option for the PFD, and either Garmin FliteCharts or Jeppesen Chartview instrument charts are options for the MFD. The G500H system screens are centered in a newly designed instrument panel that also includes traditional instruments. A Garmin GTN 650 or 750 navigator is required with the G500H and sits just below the displays within easy reach of either pilot seat. The list price for the G500H system is $35,700, not including the required GTN navigator.
July 2016
31
A TRUE
PRO
Flying helicopters seems like a simple matter, jump in the cockpit, flick on a few switches, crank the engine(s) and off we go. Hollywood would have us envision a swashbuckling pilot clad in a fancy boomer jacket, sporting fancy sunglasses, and carrying their flight gear over their shoulder while decked out in a flashy stylish uniform. If you were about to put your life in this person’s hands, would you truly feel comfortable and secure? The development of a professional pilot, especially one who is looked up to by his or her peers, is a long and methodical process. It all starts during initial training and slowly develops as experience is accumulated.
The main attributes of a professional pilot include paying attention to details and doing the “right thing” regarding safety. Running a checklist, obtaining adequate rest, conducting a meaningful preflight, seeking input from others, and making sure that nothing is hurried or 32
heliweb magazine
assumed. “Trust but Verify” serves as the right mindset for the professional pilot in the cockpit.
Personal Minimums However, when we least expect it, we sometimes find our careful preparations for operations in flight to be lacking. From this comes the real struggle for good aeronautical decision making, especially when safety is of the utmost importance. When is it appropriate to turn around, to shut down an ailing system, to abandon the approach, to go around, or to cancel the flight? At these moments, when time is of the essence, the most delicate decisions and choices must be made. When all elements are considered, including input from other crew members, the safest option may be the best choice even when it is hard to make. The most reliable option is called for when continuing the flight is “dangerous.” The specter of danger while in flight is one
The Attributes of a Professional Pilot By Richard B. Stone & Steve Sparks that should cause all pilots to reexamine their level of comfort when it comes to establishing personal minimums. Specific personal minimums should be clear in one’s mind regardless if you are carrying passengers, extra crew members or are simply alone. The secret to maintaining your minimums may be examining alternatives if you continue an unsafe flight. Running into a cloud bank or low visibility for a VFR only rated pilot is high risk for a loss of control issue. This situation calls for a decision long before entering the cloud or losing visibility. A helicopter pilot on the way to lift an injured person could determine that night and reduced visibility may make it necessary to move the patient to a safer pickup point instead of risking the helicopter, the medical team, and the pilots. All pilots must understand that safer choice may cause criticism of decisions at the moment, but rarely will the safer choice be criticized later.
Safety Management We have all seen or heard of automobile drivers who make poor decisions such as continuing at high speed in fog or on wet roads. By endangering other drivers or passengers in their car, they defy accepted norms. In the same way, we in aviation should adhere to acceptable standards and conduct our flight operations in the safest way we know. When considering incident and accident investigations, corporate culture and its influence on safety has been
receiving greater attention, i.e., will management push pilots to complete an operational task? The corporate culture that seeks to know what is happening on the line without meting out punishment is farther ahead in safety. Incidents that are carefully examined can be a new safety tool. This is an essential element in SMS (Safety Management System) training for managers. Safety Management takes commitment and dedication at all levels of an organization. It can be a lofty goal to expect operators to embrace conservative safety decision-
making without knowing they have management’s backing 100 percent, especially when decisions are made in the gray areas. Understanding that “NO� is an acceptable answer must be stressed and supported by all levels of an organization if the safety of the mission ever comes into question. When in doubt, pilots should be encouraged and supported to use conservative decision making that might involve a precautionary landing, a reversal, of course, a more prudent route or a more cautious altitude when faced with a dynamic and changing circumstance July 2016
33
Checklists and Prep Time The use of approved checklists and standard operating procedures (SOPs) while maintaining professional discipline can significantly influence a pilot’s ability to handle normal and abnormal circumstances in the cockpit. Unfortunately, many pilots allow the habit of using checklists to fade over time. Remember, appropriate checklist usage is a resource available for improving performance and enhancing safety. Even if you fly the same aircraft all the time, use the checklist because complacency kills. As stated in Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Section 91.103, the rules require pilots to be aware of all available information in connection with any given flight. Taking this rule seriously means working every listed item and primes the pilot to be aware of all available
34
heliweb magazine
resources. Such awareness can increase safety and improve overall enjoyment of the flight and is an essential attribute of a true professional. Good mental preparation is another mark of a true professional pilot. Too often, pilots do not think enough about preparing for the unexpected. Whether it is the first takeoff of the day or not, a lot can go wrong if crews are not entirely prepared. Many accidents and incidents have occurred because flight crews responded inappropriately to an unexpected event. It is always better to over prepare for a flight than to be caught offguard and be surprised by the unexpected.
An Ounce of Prevention Considering the countless hours spent preparing for a flight, it is simply inconceivable to measure the positive influence accurately this has on overall safety. If we were able to assign a dollar
value to all the efforts spent conducting detailed preflight inspections, obtaining detailed weather briefings, and all the other precautionary steps were taken by crews for ensuring safety, the profits would add up quickly. Unfortunately, many pilots fall prey to complacency and discount the importance of these simple yet important safety steps until catastrophe strikes. A truly professional pilot manages overall risk by investing extra time triplechecking everything while never assuming flight conditions will be perfect. A professional pilot integrates risk management strategies into a robust Safety Management System (SMS) to gain positive results even when they are difficult to quantify on paper. If safety is your #1 priority, embrace both the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits delivered by preventative actions even when the benefits are hard to quantify. Now that is the mark of a true pro!
RR-250 overhaul and repair Parts • Sales FAA CRS #A9UR626J EASA Certificate #EASA.145.5481 Specializing in Rolls Royce 250 Series Engines AOG Technical Services Available 24/7
Hablamos Español Dallas Shop: 10570 Olympic Dr. • Dallas, TX 75220 Toll Free: 800-909-7616 • Ph: 214-351-1284 Fax: 214-351-1286 • www.actionaircraft.com email: mary@actionaircraft.com
ALEAEXPO16_ads_Rotor&Wing 1/21/16 10:21 AM Page 1
Mexico City: Ph: 52-55-2235-1516 • Fax: 52-55-2235-1515 email: support@actionaircraft.com.mx
Image by: Tim Pruitt
July 2016
35
KURT ROTHERT RETIRES FROM AUSTIN POLICE AVIATION Photos courtesy Joe Fernandez Kurt Rothert, long time pilot and officer with the Austin Police, retired recently. Rothert recived the customary final shower during his last flight in one of Austin Police’s H125 helicopters before hanging up the helmet for the last time.
PA
referred
5% ff list pric
SAVE 25-8e! o
irparts
Chosen for value and service
Call Today!
Used Bell parts are %50 off!
Aerospatiale/Eurocopter Bell Sikorsky .... and others • Airframe parts • Engine Parts - PT6A, Allison/RR, Turbomeca, Lycoming, VO/TVO-435 & 540 • Consumables - igniters, spark plugs, filters and much more • Electrical - breakers, switches, relays, connectors, motors • Lighting - strobes, beacons, bulbs, lenses, parts of all kinds • Accessories and parts • Wheels, brakes, pads • Hardware - 12,000 P/N in stock • Instruments, some Avionics • Exhaust parts • Much more... Scan here to get
Free online ! our parts app! inventory Search www.preferredairparts.com Preferred Airparts, LLC Div. of JILCO Industries
800-433-0814 Toll Free, U.S. & Canada
Tel. 330-698-0280, FAX 330-698-3164
sales2@preferredairparts.com Sales Hours 7:15am to 8:00pm EST.
36
heliweb magazine
We Buy Worldwide We are Cash Buyers!
We buy inventories of new surplus parts for nearly anything that flies. Also tired or damaged Cessna twins, Caravans, Citations, engines and propellers.
Gene Hembree is our buyer. Please contact him at 330-698-0280 ext.224 gene@preferredairparts.com
July 2016
37
#Heliart Above: A depiction of the NSW (Australia) AS350. Below: A freehand drawing of a Mil-24 Hind. Want to see more of Marc’s work? Find him on Instagram at @marc_mpv
38 heliweb heliwebmagazine magazine 38
July 2016
39
WHEN ILLUSTRATION BECOMES REALITY Graphic designer sees competition entry become reality on Belgian Air Force Display helicopter for Van Veenendal and several of his friends who now write and photograph European military operations for multiple publications in the aviation community. Graphic designer and Photographer Jeroen Van Veenedaal has had a life long interest in Military Aviation. This love for aviation has now bloomed into a buisiness venture
40 40
heliweb heliweb magazine magazine
It was Van Veenedaal’s affection for all things military that had him submit an entry to the Belgian Air Force who were seeking fan submissions on their facebook page for a new design
for one of their A109 helicopters that was to be used in air show displays. Van Veenendaal selected a wolf for his design, which was later selected as the winner of the online competition that had hundreds of entries. The Belgian Air Force went to work painting the A109 with Van Veenendaal’s design, which now adorns their primary display helicopter that attends many air shows throughout Europe.
Van Veneendaal’s graphic design now features on the side of the Belgian Air Force Display Team’s A109 used in air shows across Europe. Photo: Jeroen Van Veendaal
201641 41 JulyJuly 2016
#helipix 42 42
heliweb magazine magazine heliweb
The first AW169s in Australia, delivered to Linfox, in Melbourne, Australia. Photo courtesy Andrew Griffiths, lensaloft.com.au
JulyJuly 2016 2016 4343
Story & Images by Ryan Mason
44
heliweb magazine
SACRAMENTO COUNTY AIRBORNE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CALIFORNIA CAPITOL
JulyJuly 2016 2016 4545
46
heliweb magazine magazine
Sacramento County, located east of San Francisco in Northern California, is also the location of the California State Capitol in the City of Sacramento. The Sacramento County Sheriff covers a service area of 964 square miles and serves a population of 1.46 million residents. The Sheriff’s Department recognized the need for adding air support in 1977, commissioning the purchase of a single Hughes 300 helicopter, later moving to the acquisition of two Hughes 500’s that served the unit until the year 2000 when the unit purchased three Eurocopter EC120 helicopters (now Airbus H120). Each aircraft was given the STAR designation (which is an acronym for Sacramento Tactical Airborne Response) and issued a permanent STAR number that is not reissued as new or replacement aircraft arrived. The initial EC120s flown by the Sacramento County Sheriff were given the designation STAR 5, 6 & 7.
during an autorotation attempt after engine failure. The crash was later attributed after the completion of an NTSB investigation to the faulty installation of the constant delta P diaphragm in the fuel control unit, which resulted in an increased fuel flow and subsequent catastrophic failure of the engine. Pilot Joseph Kievernagel and tactical flight officer (TFO) Kevin Blount were killed in the crash. During the accident flight, a third deputy was on board the aircraft. Deputy Erik Henrickson was occupying one of the rear seats of the EC120, on board as part of a TFO evaluation flight. Henrickson was gravely injured in the crash, yet recovered from his injuries. Sadly, not enough to return to patrol work and was medically retired from the
agency a short time later due to injuries sustained in the crash. Star 8, also an EC120, was added to the fleet to replace STAR 6 and given the tail number N288JK after lost deputies Joe and Kevin that were lost in the crash. In 1995, the department also acquired two 1966 UH-1H Hueys to assist in SWAT operations. Both of the Hueys are fitted with a BLR fast fin kit and an Aeronautical Accessories fast boom kit. Both also have upgraded Honeywell T53-L-703 engines, improving their hot and high-performance capability In addition to rotary assets, the unit also operates two fixed wing aircraft, a Cessna 210 and a Cessna 206. The 210 is mainly used for VIP or prisoner transportation, and the 206 is primarily utilized to augment patrol operations
The unit has not been immune to loss of aircraft during their years of operation. Tragically, on July 13th, 2005, Star 6 crashed into hilly terrain
July July 2016 2016
47 47
responded to on an as needed call out basis.
and conduct surveillance operations. The Cessna 206 is fitted with an L3 MX-10 and operates an Aerocomputers system mirroring the units helicopter fleet equipment used to accomplish its mission. The unit has moved locations several times over the years but currently, calls Mather Airport in Sacramento County home. The Mather location is centrally located in the county, offering quick response times. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Aviation maintains its staffing requirements with three active duty pilots daily, each assigned a tactical flight officer (TFO) during their shift. The unit augments staffing with three reserve deputy pilots to cover absences when needed. Each Reserve Deputy pilot has served as a pilot with the agency previously before retirement, which makes for an incredibly cohesive team between all flight crews. 48
heliweb magazine
The unit is also staffed with a full time fixed wing pilot, funded directly by the narcotics division. Command staff at the unit are also contributing members of the unit with the unit Sergeant serving as a fixed wing pilot and the unit lieutenant serving as a TFO. The unit Lieutenant also oversees all special operations detachments for the county (SWAT, EOD, negotiators and arson in addition to aviation). Maintenance for all the aircraft is contracted out to a local company. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department budgets four and a half hours of coverage daily for air operations, as does the City of Sacramento Police air unit. Through collaborative efforts, the city and county work together, enabling them to cover nine hours each day collectively with air support operations between the city and county air units. All other calls for service are
The majority of county air support operations required in addition to standard patrol support is a mix of county SWAT team operations and training, aerial sniper overwatch duties during SWAT call outs (airborne use of force) and narcotics surveillance activities that are divided between helicopter and fixed wing operations. To become a pilot for Sacramento County, deputies must first be a TFO within the unit. The only formal qualifications required for candidates to initially become TFO’s for the unit consist of the ability to obtain a second class medical certificate and a Class B commercial truck driving license, which enables them to drive the units fuel truck if needed. TFO’s, in addition to patrol responsibilities, are instructed by the units in house CFI on hovering, pattern work and landings which are refreshed yearly, enabling them to perform basic life-saving flight should the pilot become incapacitated during an emergency. TFO’s are selected from the agencies road deputies and asked to complete a written evaluation and interview for the position. The agency looks specifically for deputies that display a higher than average skill in patrol techniques, a vital skill for airborne operations.
Once a small pool of candidates is selected from the interview process, candidates are then moved on to an operational testing phase, in which they embed with the unit for a period. Candidates are then evaluated in the aircraft on their skill set to determine if their problem-solving skills, communication abilities and resource management skills are adequate while also operating the equipment used in the helicopter. When pilot openings occur, the most qualified and suitable TFO’s are then moved into a pilot in a training role and sent to an external training provider to gain their private helicopter rating. Pilots then return to the unit and begin a year-long internal mission training program with the units in house CFI that runs concurrently with the pilots commercial rating, before being granted a pilot in a command role. All aircraft in the Sacramento County Sheriff’s aviation unit are VFR only, so pilots are not required to obtain
July July 2016 2016
49 49
50 heliweb heliwebmagazine magazine 50
NVG or instrument ratings currently. Training also plays a huge role within the unit. Internal training with other units in the sheriff’s department that may require the use of the department’s helicopters, like the department’s SWAT and K9 unit are regularly conducted. The aviation unit also believes in the value of external training for its crews, providing a budget for various training drills twice yearly with provider Helistream. The training received covers full down autorotations, stuck pedal procedures, manual governing, IIMC and unusual attitude recovery. The unit also trains internally every month for both TFO’s and pilots. The training revolves around currency requirements and other training that may be required internally for TFO qualifications or pilot training as necessary. Having also suffered the loss of an aircraft, the unit is currently in the process of implementing an SMS system that will be managed through self-policing, with minimal policy input steering safety related methodology within the unit. Choosing instead, to rely on each pilot to drive the need for a safe working environment and the desire to come home at the end of every shift, just like road deputies. Between Spring and Fall, the unit is at its busiest. Agency
helicopters respond on a constant basis to events during this time. The response time to most calls for the unit averages under two minutes for being on scene and 2015 statistics reveal an impressive 4,261 responses to incidents. The helicopter was the single response on over 1,100 of those calls. Even with those impressive statistics, the unit only logged 1,588 hours flown for the year. Airborne assets from the department were directly resposible in apprehending over one hundred felony suspects. The unit also responded to an additional three hundred felony assist calls resulting in arrests, sixty-five vehicle pursuits and almost ninety-foot pursuits where the offender was located. The helicopter was also a key factor in finding over sixty missing persons in 2015.
Chief Pilot of the unit Brian Rutledge, when asked about the complexities of managing a county air unit remarked “The unit is self-managed by the proper selection of the aircrew. This unit draws and selects the right personality that does not need managing. The current crew is the typical strong characters that all even each other out. We are all easy going super focused individuals that dedicate not only our 40 hours to this job but our lives. Because of this dedication we are very committed to safety and assisting patrol. One of our mottos as with most aviation units is there is no rank, no seniority while in the cockpit.” With all of the aircraft and safety precautions in place, the unit was still not impervious to budget cuts that have seen the end of many airborne law enforcement units across the country. July 2016
51
In 2009, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department found itself in the position of being in a budget crisis for the first time in its one hundred and fifty years of operational history. The resulting deficit meant that many deputies were laid off for the first time in the agencies history. The other knock on effect, was the shuttering of the aviation unit for 18 months, viewed as an expense the county could not support while in a deficit. Thankfully for the citizens of Sacramento County, the assets of the unit were not sold off at the time thanks to careful planning by the sheriff and command staff at the time. Leading to deputies asking the sheriff to reinstate the air unit when the tide had turned and the future was looking less bleak as budgets again became manageable without cuts. The air unit has not had to look back since the dark times of 2009 thanks to the continued
52
heliweb magazine magazine
commitment of unit and command staff from the agency finding new ways to fund aviation assets and improvements to aircraft equipment. The unit has been successful since the budget shortfall in 2009 in using asset seizure money to finance equipment upgrades, keeping the burden cost low for unit operations while enabling them to keep patrol equipment utilized in the aircraft state of the art. The unit is currently in the process of upgrading mission equipment in the three operational EC120s, having just received the first aircraft (STAR 8) back from completion center Hangar one in San Diego in May of this year. The full mission equipment refit included the installation of a Wescam MX-10 camera system, Trakka Beam A800 Searchlight, Aerocomputer UC-6000, Garmin 650, Technisonic TDFM 9300, A711 mixer panels and Technisonic A790 PA controller.
Hangar One will be completing STAR 5 & 7 for Sacramento County in the coming months. The agency also does lots of community involvement activities, trying to put a human face on law enforcement. Also extending to the air unit being able to attend many community outreach events to educate the public as to what they do, which, along with the support of well-respected Sheriff Scott Jones, ensures that the public has a wide-ranging understanding of the importance of air support to the citizens of Sacramento County.
Sacramento County operates two UH-1H Hueys in addition to three EC-120s and a fixed wing aircraft that operate in city and rural areas. Sacramento County uses their UH-1H Helicopters mainly for SWAT operations, while the EC120 helicopters are used for daily patrols in the county.
July 2016
53
CAPEWELL AERIAL SYSTEMS
PRODUCT TEST
Aviation Life Support Equipment, or ALSE as the industry refers to it, is a serious business when it comes to pilot survival for any aviation operation that flies over or near water as part of their daily flying. Over the past few months, I have been fortunate enough to test several vests from Capewell Aerial Systems LLC. I was sent the TAC AIR G2, fitted with ALPS flotation collar and several others to test. Upon unpacking the vest and laying it out, I was at first confused by what appeared to be many straps, but once I read through the documentation on the vest, I quickly realized that each strap had its place and purpose. Each of the adjustable straps on the G2 can be set for the perfect fit in both height and 54
G2
TAC AIR
heliweb magazine
width. Which as someone who carries all of their height in their torso like myself, I have struggled with many items over the years. Such as bullet-proof vests as a police officer, quickly realizing I would have to have custom made equipment that added an extra two inches to the bottom of my ballistic vests material just to cover all of the exposed areas. I expected the same with this through no fault of theirs. This fully adjustable system was the first thing I have been able to call a perfect fit after making adjustments, without having to return it to a manufacturer because of my body shape. An immediate stand out was the attention to detail and workmanship that has gone into the design of the G2. As many of you have likely seen over the years, it is nothing to receive a new product and find
some errant stitching or other issues after receiving it. Not so for the G2. The construction was solid, and it appears after getting feedback over the years, Capewell has continued to modify and improve the vest over the years. Based on previous experience with some products, adjustable straps once adjusted, are just left to hang. Leaving strap ends to flap in the breeze, which could be a hazard for aircrew. The G2 has gone one step further in the design of this vest, having a two-step retention system on every strap contained in the vest. The first, a simple elastic retention strap, with the second being a fully adjustable velcro/ elastic combo that can be placed anywhere along the belt to secure it further at the end of the strap. A small function, but one I found to be incredibly well thought out and beneficial.
My testing, while not a traditional field test being part of an aircrew, was likely more strenuous than most. When I go out on photo shoots for the magazine, previously I had been using a harness made for the building industry. It worked just fine, but was cumbersome as well as being bright yellow. I had used a previous version of the TAC AIR G2 once in Hillsborough County to be winched into an AS350, so I was happy to find that hooks and attach points were in the same location. One located between the shoulder blades (used for securing inside the helicopter), the other two for lifiting from the front, located
under the front zipper that can be utilized should the crew member be required to go out on the winch with the simple addition of a locking carabiner or hook. The G2’s attach point on the rear of the vest, which is primarily the one I used when not being winched in and out of an aircraft, Is placed well on the back of the vest. This allowed me to attach my safety line to the vest that was then attached to a solid attachment point in the helicopter. This is not always an easy task and can leave you
feeling like a flipped over turtle due to the poor placement of attachment loops on some vests and harnesses.
Construction The actual harness capability of the vest is achieved by two leg straps that connect into the front of the vest via heavy duty clips. In addition to the zipper in the front of the vest, this is further secured by two more chest straps across the front secured with the zipper. Evenly distributing the load when winching, or in the case of an ejection from the aircraft. The feel under load is surprisingly comfortable when you realize that it is accomplished just by
Shown here, is the safety fasteners for the leg and chest straps (above) and front winch harness loops that can be connected to a caribiner for winching directly from the vest. July 2016
55
The Tac Air G2 offers the benefit of the Molle attachment system, allowing the user unlimited possibilitied in customization of their vest to suit individual needs. With the addition of the optional PFD attachment, this ALSE equipment is suitable for use in many airborne applications.
56
heliweb magazine
what it is accomplished just by straps with no padding. One of the most impressive parts of this vests construction is the addition of the well-known “MOLLE� system. Thus allowing aircrews to customize their gear attachment pockets, from gun and handcuff holders to pockets for survival egress air canisters or anything else you want to add to the vest. The best part about a molle system is that the sky is the limit to what you can put on your vest dependent on your mission. For someone like me, the pockets included in our demo version were usually packed with lens filters, lens cloths, GoPro’s and were even big enough for some smaller lenses. This was a novelty for me, being that I usually have to wrestle open a flight suit pocket underneath the harness I usually wear, which is not exactly the easiest thing to do with an open door. Having the G2 and everything accessible
externally was a welcome addition.
Survival Equipment One of the first things I check when I preflight all of my equipment is the security of my harness, hard point, and carabiner connections. Previously with my construction type harness, this was a labor-intensive process, as I would have to attach the harness then step into it and secure the four separate belt type attachments on the waist, chest and both legs. Therefore keeping myself tethered to the helicopter unless I wanted to go through the whole process again. Having the G2 made what was a 10-minute process into something that took less than two. Four clicks of the harness strap connectors a zip up the front, and I was ready to go except attaching myself to the strap connected to the hard point. Which thanks to the ergonomically positioned location of the attach point on the G2 as I mentioned earlier, took the whole process a whopping two and a half minutes. Three if you include the safety check I have another crew member do to double check my work. The attached ALPS collar PFD was comfortable to wear attached to the vest, unlike some that are quite constrictive to movement (which is a no go in my business). The ALPS collar also has an easy to spot tactile activation handle that looks like beads, but in the form of the handle, would allow anyone submerged even with zero visibility to know what he or
she had by feel to be able to activate the flotation device. Also included in the front pocket of the vest was a knife pocket, which was already fitted with a survival knife attached that contained a very useful seat belt cutter attachment. I am unsure if this is standard equipment that comes with the G2 or just part of the demo model, but I found that to be an incredibly worthwhile tool, especially when thinking about an evacuation in a submerged dark environment. Capewell had also prepared for that eventuality also, by attaching the seat belt cutter/knife to the vest so it could not be arbitrarily lost when pulling it out for use. The PFD portion of the vest inflates instantly on activation (we went through multiple gas canisters testing this out to ensure consistent results), and it had the same positive inflation results in every activation. Which in the ALSE world is precisely what you want out of a PFD. Having worn this vest now for over 30 hours while airborne and on the ground, I would have to rate it at the top of the list in many ways. From its ease of access/egress when putting it on or off, as well as the comfortability factor. I think you would be hard pressed to find a vest with more thought out functionality and comfort than the Tac Air G2. July 2016
57
SAFETY IN THE
SUNSHINE
58
heliweb magazine
Story & Images by Ryan Mason
STATE
SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA AIR SUPPORT UNIT June2016 2016 59 59 July
60
heliweb magazine magazine
S
eminole County sits just north of Orlando, Florida and is home to a little under 450,000 residents, covering an area of approximately 345 square miles.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Aviation Section, is responsible for providing air support within the county and also provides service for several other city police agencies contained in their service area. Including the county seat of Sanford and the cities of Casselberry, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Winter Springs, Longwood, and Oviedo. The Aviation Section in Seminole County started out modestly in 1995 when the county realized that the sole fixed wing asset that the county used for prisoner transportation was not enough to fit the law enforcement needs of the rapidly growing county. The agency acquired two OH-58C model helicopters through the military surplus 1033 program which were then stripped
and refitted to suit the law enforcement needs of Seminole County. At the time of the unit’s inception, it was staffed by only two pilots, one that covered day shift and the other on nights. Tactical Flight Officers (TFO’s) were not added on a full-time basis for some time, so shifts were staffed with rotating part-time TFO’s. Both of the initial pilots when the unit commenced were sourced from other agencies that already had established air units. The unit commenced operations based in a world war two era military barracks building at Sanford International Airport. The unit still operates from the same location, although have upgraded their building to a more modern purpose built structure.event. The Bell OH-58s were later augmented with another military surplus acquisition of a Bell UH1E Huey in 1999 that the agency
used for firefighting and air medical transport response for the county. The county retired the UH-1E in 2006 as parts became harder to source and a hospital-based air medical helicopter commenced operations in Seminole County. In 2006, the unit was approved to purchase an Airbus Helicopters AS-350 B3, followed in 2008 with the acquisition of a second hand Airbus EC120 that was selected due to its low airframe hours and its previous use as a corporate aircraft. In today’s operations, the agency has a mission profile that continues to diversify in what they provide the county but focuses primarily on supporting patrol operations. The unit is also a primary firefighting asset with their sling load capability and Bambi Bucket. A decision made by the county after the 1998 Florida fires and the need for the county to be prepared for any event.
The unit also provides support to SWAT for insertion in addition to providing search and rescue
July 2016
61
capabilities on the local and federal level. The Seminole County Sheriff’s helicopters can be dispatched at any time to assist in the event of an emergency such as hurricanes and other natural disasters. The unit has never been activated in this role yet, but in an area so prone to hurricane activity, it is likely that it is only a matter of time before they are activated in that capacity. As with most operations, the unit would not be able to function 62
heliweb magazine
without the added assistance of someone to maintain the unit aircraft. Seminole County takes it a step further, with their A&P IA mechanic being sworn law enforcement. The unit’s A&P is Airbus factory trained to maintain the AS350 and also serves as a crew chief in the helicopter during hoist rescue missions. The agencies sworn A&P is also supported by a contract mechanic that has over 30 years of experience with the Astar airframe. The
mechanical staff are also actively involved in the unit’s safety program and serve on the safety committee. In 2014 the unit was approved to purchase another helicopter, this time opting for the newest model of what they were already flying, selecting the AS350-B3e, now known as the H125. The agency opted to fit the helicopter with the latest advancements in safety, equipping the helicopter with a HeliSAS autopilot, dual hydraulics and even a Vision
1000 system that provides video coverage through a wide-angle camera placed in the cockpit. There are also HD cameras installed on the hoist arm and underbelly for use to record mission video during rescue hoist and Bambi bucket operations. The camera systems also allows the pilot to see the hoist operations and the Bambi Bucket to assist in situational awareness. The Vision 1000 system has
already proven its value according to Chief Pilot Steve Farris, the commander of the unit who stated “The system is not there for us to check up on our pilots, it is there to make their job easier. It has also benefitted us from a
maintenance angle where we had an intermittent problem that we were able to refer to the in-cockpit video to see the intermittent problem occurring. This allowed us to show the vendor what the issue was and to help diagnose how to fix it.� July 2016 63
Sergeant Farris and the team liked the system so much that as soon as the STC approval was announced for the Vision 1000 system being made available for their older B3 model, the county retrofitted one into the older B3 due to the value they saw in having the system on board.
Mission Equipment In addition to game-changing equipment for law enforcement aviation like the Vision 1000 and HeliSAS system fitted to the Seminole County aircraft, both of the helicopters in the unit feature AeroComputers, an HD Avalex DVR and in cockpit monitor, L3 MX-10, Breeze Eastern Hoist System and Spectrolab SX-16 searchlight. The unit tries to keep both helicopters in a similar configuration to allow pilots familiarity between the products
64
heliweb magazine
onboard each helicopter to enhance the safe operation of the aircraft. The only difference between the two aircraft currently is the addition of the Garmin G500 H and GTN 650/750 unit that came with the new Airbus H125, which although differing from the B3 model, assists in lowering the pilot workload, therefore giving the pilot more time to fly the aircraft and concentrate on safe operation. While every airborne law enforcement air unit around the country has a running list of “nice to have” and “must have” items, the Seminole County air unit has been very fortunate in support from command staff and the public. Both see the value in airborne operations constantly thanks to the agencies transparent approach to policing. Sergeant . Farris, when asked what equipment was part of the
unit’s wish list of equipment that they don’t have was frank in his response, stating “we are incredibly fortunate to have both a dedicated team and the wholehearted support of our command staff, so we rarely want for much. We are an incredibly safety conscious unit, and it plays a huge part in our daily operations, so we identified the need for more simulator training. Once that need was identified, we realized that traveling out to the Airbus factory once a year was not going to be enough, so we put a proposal together for the purchase of a FAA approved simulator to be based here in our building. The county, seeing the benefit of being able to have an in-house training aid, is supporting our request, and we were able to engage local supplier Elite Simulation Systems to assist with this project. We are working on securing funds to
Seminole County has a wide mission profike that includesfire support via Bambi Bucket. Photo Credit: John Zawicki
July2016 2016 65 65 July
Seminole County’s H125 is equipped with the latest in mission technology including a Vision 1000 in-cockpit camera
build an AS350 simulator right here in Seminole County that we will be able to utilize for recurrency training, IIMC training and even several sections of initial training for new pilots. We are very fortunate in the level of support we get from our agency in regards to the safety of our team and the fact that the county sees the value in being able to provide the right tools to keep our pilots and TFO’s safe.”
Safety For the team at Seminole County, safety is more than a buzz word. In seeing the operations first hand, it is clearly evident that safety is the number one priority for all aircrews. Sergeant Farris explained that the unit had several pilots over the years with large resumes with lots of flying experience, but a positive attitude, motivation, 66
heliweb magazine
and team concept are the most valuable traits looked for in a pilot. Our support comes from routine success on calls for service and proactive efforts. The investment in full-time TFOs, who are thoughtfully selected and professionally trained, understand the complex systems they are given and subsequently do extremely professional work. In fact, the unit has won the ALEA TFO of the Year Award twice. “I really feel that the team of pilots and TFOs we have currently are fantastic. They all work incredibly well together, and safety is paramount. They feel completely comfortable bringing up safety concerns from crew level, all the way through to unit management.” Farris and his team have a “think outside the box” approach where every idea and each suggestion is given equal time to be discussed as a team. The sheriff’s office also hired ALEA Safety Manager Bryan
Smith as a pilot for the agency. “We hired Bryan, not just for his pilot skills, but we wanted to take our safety program to the next level. Having someone of Bryan’s expertise in both law enforcement aviation and safety was a no brainer for us”. The Seminole County air unit hopes that as a team, they will be able to shape their agency’s air unit to be one that others look upon as an example in the industry. The unit is also actively pursuing unit accreditation through the Public Safety Aviation Accreditation Commission (PSAAC) shortly and hopes to take their unit to the next level of safety compliance.
Unit Visibility In uncertain times such as now, where law enforcement seems to be under a microscope for everything, no matter how trivial. In such times, it is common to see law enforcement shy away from media attention which in an unfortunate knock on
effect, actually exacerbates the situation, with no positive stories being shared with the media to counteract the climate of distrust. Seminole County Sheriff’s Office is an exception to that rule, embracing what they do and having an active presence online, especially through social media outlets. The air unit has also played a big part of that, by way of sharing imagery captured from their MX-10 unit, sometimes within the hour of an incident occurring. In 2015, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page had almost 930,000 views of their airborne videos, which has an active following of almost twenty thousand followers, showing that social media, when used to the advantage of law enforcement can have a very positive effect on showcasing what the unit does on a daily basis.
Just like body-worn cameras, the air unit’s onboard cameras have already been used to show the agency’s transparency in several high-profile incidents within the county.
media to give the public the opportunity to see the facts surrounding the incident.
It is forward thinking such as this that sets Seminole County ahead of many other agencies One such incident was an officer- that are slow to adopt a social involved shooting incident media presence, and even in which a suspect fled from if they have one, it is not deputies, rammed multiple actively monitored and often vehicles, and shot at deputies, can be a dumping ground for wounding one. Deputies returned those with low opinions of law fire injuring the suspect. enforcement. The video shot by the air unit, however, showed the offender exit the rear of a vehicle while firing a gun aimed at responding officers. The offender manages to shoot an officer in the ensuing melee and is also shot when his gun jams. All of this caught by the agency helicopter from almost half a mile away at the time of the incident, capturing crystal clear imagery that was released to the
Seminole County sets an example that other agencies would do well to embrace, not just in their efforts to provide transparency to the public, but in their air unit’s efforts to constantly look for ways to improve their safety practices and strive always to find a way to improve their operations. July 2016
67
From Left: TFO Kevin Stein, TFO Timothy Graham, TFO Tom Yeisley, TFO Chris Olortegui, TFO Chris Willis, TFO Daniel Antle, TFO Dean Jasper, DOM J Farris, Pilot Mark Stanley, Pilot Bryan Smith, Pilot Stanley Pruitt, Pilot Robert Crumley, Pilot John Valentino, Pilot Linda Roberts, TFO Danny Casanova.
68
heliweb magazine
Photo Credit: John Zawacki
F
Justin Kallner, Chief Pilot Steve
July 2016
69
Rotorheads Dan Schwarzbach Story by Ryan Mason Images by Dan Schwarzbach & Ryan Mason
heliweb magazine 70 70heliweb magazine
D
an Schwarzbach was born in Austin, Texas. Moving shortly after to Houston, where he would begin his career in police work. Schwarzbach graduated the Houston Police Academy in October of 1980. After completing his probationary period in Jun of 1981, Schwarzbach would spend until 1985 as a patrol officer working the Houston metro area. It was in January 1985 that Schwarzbach was accepted as the newest member of the Houston Police Air Support Unit, taking a position as an observer (the unit now refers to the role as a Tactical Flight Officer).
Working as an observer for almost three years, Schwarzbach was eventually selected to begin pilot training, which was at the time conducted in the units Schweizer 300 aircraft that were also used to conduct daytime patrol duties. Schwarzbach was trained by the department’s in-house instructors from initial training through commercial ratings before being awarded a pilot in command role after completing turbine transition training in the 500C. At the time, department preference, low man on
unit and seniority took so being the the totem pole,
Schwarzbach like many others, started his first PIC role on nights and having only weekdays off. Schwarzbach spent the next seven years working as a line pilot for the air unit, until being offered the role of budget coordinator for the air unit. Schwarzbach was somewhat resistant to the role, as the two previous sergeants that had occupied the role had been nonflying unit members and he was not yet ready to give up flying. A compromise was reached when unit command agreed to let Schwarzbach still work at least one flying shift a week as part of his role, so July 2016
71
the unit was able to capitalize on his prior business experience. The role would see Schwarzbach manage all purchasing of parts and equipment for the unit as well as overseeing all contract maintenance that needed to be carried out on department aircraft. During his time as a line pilot before taking the new role, Schwarzbach said it was nothing for pilots when he first started flying to amass over one thousand hours flying time each year. At the time he joined the unit. The police department had seventeen aircraft, and at least 72
heliweb magazine
one was airborne for twentyone hours of each day. Which is not typical of today’s unit pilots, which after several budget cuts, sees pilots likely to obtain around three hundred hours in a year of flying time at the unit. In 2013, after 33 years on the department, Schwarzbach was approached by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association, of which he had been a contributing member of for many years to take on the role of executive director. Schwarzbach had served in many roles with ALEA over the years since being elected as the South Central Region director in 1998.
Schwarzbach served in that role (which south and north central regions have now been combined into one central region) until 2002. He was then elected to be the secretary of the association between 2002-2003, then being elected to be the president of the organization, a role he filled from 2003 until 2009. Schwarzbach also served as the immediate past president from 2009 through 2011 until taking on the role as Chief Financial Officer for ALEA, a role he filled until his appointment to the paid position of Executive Director in 2014. Although now an integral part of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association,
July 2016 2016 July
73 73
#rotorheads Dan Schwarzbach preparing to hand out one of the many scholarships awarded to ALEA members children in 2015. 7474 heliweb magazine  heliweb magazine heliweb magazine
Schwarzbach is still a member of the Houston Police Department, taking a “phase down” package, where he is still able to retain a paycheck from the police department at half pay, while working for ALEA. Technically, Schwarzbach’s role at ALEA is until 2019, an “extra duty” role, as he is still subject to recall if needed and required to complete all in-service training, firearms qualifications and other mandatory training, the same as if he were working full time as part of the program. Schwarzbach is also a member of the HAI board of directors. Also a deciding factor before joining ALEA in the Executive Director role, as Schwarzbach had just been elected at the time of the job offer and wanted to
continue to serve in that role to see it through, which was also approved by the ALEA board before he commenced his new role. “This was the perfect opportunity that came up at the perfect time for me.” Said Schwarzbach. “The opportunity to begin a phase-down program with the department, while being able to serve the membership of ALEA at the same time was just great timing. There were things that I saw in my various roles within ALEA that I thought we could do better at and directions I believed we needed to go as an organization; this role gives me the chance to steer those directions and open up new opportunities for ALEA as an organization.”
When asked about his plans and wishes for ALEA, it is obvious that Schwarzbach is passionate about what he does, stating “I love public safety aviation. I am hoping that we can begin to transform ALEA into an organization that services all areas of public safety. We do so much more in public safety than just police work. Many agencies have wide mission profiles that see them conducting rescues, fire operations, EMS and even natural resources and utility work. I would like to see ALEA embrace those areas and offer membership and training resources to other areas of public safety aviation, to service all types of public safety aviation operations.” July 2016
75
BEHIND
BRNET BUNDY
LENS 76 heliwebmagazine magazine  heliweb
Brent Bundy is the consumate professional. Known for his attention to detail as a writer, and his keen eye for capturing just the right shot for his work in air to air photography, this Phoenix Police Officer and Pilot for the Phoenix Police Department Aviation Unit talks to us about his journey from police officer to aviation photographer.
B
rent Bundy grew up in suburban Michigan, moving to Phoenix, Arizona to become a police officer with the Phoenix Police Department. After completing the police academy in 1992, Bundy was assigned to Maryvale, one of the roughest precincts in the Phoenix metro area. In 1998, he became a Field Training Officer for a short time before transferring into the detective bureau as a property crimes detective. At that point, Bundy was given his first opportunity to use his photography skills that he had honed since high school. Bundy’s first camera was a 35mm film camera he was able to purchase with graduation money. He went on to take thousands of crime scene photos during his time on patrol, only turning to
aerial photography as his career progressed and he was later a member of the Phoenix Police Air Support Unit. After two years in the detective bureau, Bundy looked into positions in one of the fifty-four specialty groups that the Phoenix Police Department operated. Being part of the air unit was what he was most interested in pursuing. Bundy went on a ride along with the unit for a ten-hour shift, but at the time decided that it was not the right unit for him as he thought it was too slow-paced. Then Bundy began teaching the general instructor course at a local community college as well as instructing at the Phoenix Police Academy, where he would fill in when needed. It would be another two years before Bundy again looked at the
air unit as a possible placement. Due to the fierce competition for positions in the air unit, it would take him two tries before he would finally secure a position in the unit in 2001. At the time, to become a pilot within the unit, you were required to obtain your fixed wing private pilot license, which Bundy began to work on immediately, taking a year to complete. Bundy then went on to gain a commercial rating in the department’s MD 520N, earning his PIC endorsement within the department at around 450 hours total time. Working third shift for the next thirteen years, Bundy was able to fly often. Quickly gaining a departmental “rescue rating” that allowed pilots to operate a Bambi Bucket for fires, conduct rescue operations, and complete tactical insertions once he reached 1500 total hours.
July 2016
77
In 2012, Bundy was asked to become the training coordinator within the unit to train newly assigned tactical flight officers, also being tasked to rewrite the entire program syllabus for the unit TFO’s. In January of 2014, Bundy transferred to the fixed wing section of the unit, flying the department’s fleet of airplanes for transportation and surveillance duties after obtaining his airplane commercial and instrument ratings. The new role also allowed him to transition to a day shift detail. After not doing much photography for the department since leaving the detective bureau, Bundy’s photography had been limited to some air to air shooting for the unit and some ground shots while still taking photos in his own time.
That was soon to change when in 2010, he received a call from the unit asking him to come in to assist on a photo detail. Upon arrival, Bundy was met by a writer for aviation publication Professional Pilot named Woody McClendon. McClendon asked Bundy if he would take pictures of the department aircraft for an upcoming feature in the magazine. The pair hit it off during the shoot. Moreover, for the next four years, Bundy would receive a call once every few months to fly somewhere in the United States to take photos for stories McClendon was writing for the magazine. In 2014, McClendon stopped writing for the magazine. It was shortly after that; Bundy realized that he missed the
heliweb magazine
heliweb 78 heliwebmagazine magazine
travel and taking photos for the magazine. He reached out to friend and mentor in the industry, renowned aviation photographer Dan Megna for advice. Megna told Bundy that if he wanted to succeed and continue in the industry, that he would need to learn how to write. Publications value photographers who can write in addition to taking photos. Bundy took Megna’s advice and contacted the publisher of Professional Pilot Magazine, Murray Smith. Smith challenged him to find a story and submit it for consideration. If Smith liked it, he told Bundy that he could keep writing for the magazine. Since that conversation, Bundy has traveled around the United States doing stories and covering aviation conferences in addition to traveling to Switzerland to cover the unveiling of the new Pilatus PC-24 and Australia to
complete a story on the Royal Flying Doctors Service for the magazine. His commercial work for clients includes having completed work for MD Helicopters and several other aviation based business in the United States and abroad.
When asked about the balance between his Police work and his work as a photographer, Bundy states that he is very fortunate to have understanding bosses in both positions. The flexibility they afford him makes it possible to complete his photography work on his
days off from the department and that doing the photography and writing is his “fun job”. “I get to travel and take photos around the world in my time off from flying helicopters and airplanes for the police department, I could not be more fortunate,” said Bundy.
July June 2016 20167979 79 July 2016
80 heliweb magazine  heliweb 80 heliweb magazine magazine
July 2016 2016 81 June 2016 81 81 July
Behind the Lens 82 82
heliweb heliweb magazine magazine
To see more of Brent’s work, visit www.brentbundy.com
July2016 2016 83 83 July
Photo credit: Dan Megna, Mesa Police Aviation Unit. Mesa, AZ
DEDICATED TO THE MISSION The MD 530F is engineered to meet your requirements for hot-day, high-altitude operation. Equipped with the 650 shp Rolls-Royce 250-C30 engine, the MD 503F operates more effectively in hot, high environments than other helicopters in its class. It offers the performance you need at a lower cost of ownership.