NOVEMBER 2016 VOL 34
MILITARY SPECIAL ISSUE
CH-53 HAWAII CRASH MORALE, TRAINING, AIRCRAFT READINESS LISTED AS FACTORS DURING HMH-463 CRASH INVESTIGATION
U.S ARMY RETIRES HUEY
UNDERSTANDING AIRWORTHINESS
UK CHINOOK CENENNIAL
HELLENIC ARMY PROFILE
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INSIDE
THE NOVEMBER ISSUE DISPELLING HELICOPTER INSURANCE MYTHS WHAT HAS CHANGED ? By Ryan Mason
HELLENIC ARMY
GREEK ARMED FORCES STAY COMPETITIVE THROUGH AIRCRAFT UPGRADES By Niels Roman
44
COVER STORY: CH-53 HAWAII CRASH INVESTIGATION
MORALE, TRAINING, AIRCRAFT READINESS LISTED AS FACTORS IN HMH-463 CRASH KILLING 12 MARINES By Jason Paladino & Zachary Stauffer
36 52
UNDERSTANDING AIRWORTHINESS PART 2 OF 3 DO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW? By Matt Johnson
SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY
UK ARMY CHINOOKS TAKE HISTORIC FLIGHT By Cliff Ibell
UH-1H ARMY RETIREMENT The iconic Huey retires from its last post in Yuma, AZ By Mark Schauer
COLUMNS & FEATURES
40 62 58
Helipix From the Desk of The Toolbox Whirly Girls Straight & Level The Instructors Station Helinews Rotorheads Behind the Lens
6 16 18 20 22 24 26 68 76
PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Ryan Mason ryan@heliweb.com
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Damon Duran Ed Simmons Joe Fernandez Todd Miller Jeroen Van Veenendaal Mike Rocks Macqueen
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 DIRECTOR OF SALES: Ross Ansell ross@heliweb.com
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November Issue Cover: United States Marines’ CH-53E Helicopters from HMH-463 Squadron in formation.
Photo by: Lcpl. Aaron Patterson
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W W W . A V P R O J E T S . C O MNovember 2016 | 5
#helipix Canadian Air Force winch training operations in the EH-101 in Canada. Photographer: Brett Emsland | heliweb 666| heliweb magazine heliwebmagazine magazine
Presidential Airlift MV-22’s and C5’s on the ramp at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. Photographer: Jason Jorgensen
Starflight/Chautauqua County Sheriff MD900 on the pad at Hamot Hospital, New York. Photographer: Deb Weaver
November November2016 2016| |77 November 2016
Leonardo Helicopters AW189 during flight testing near Cascina Costa, Italy. Photographer: Marco Bianchi.
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#helipix
November November 2016 | 9
A flight of two Aerospatiale Gazelle’s on a delivery flight to Calgary, Canada. Photographer: Simon Longworth
German Army EC135 on a training flight outside Buckeburg, Germany. Photographer: Mikael Olsson
|heliweb 10 1010|| heliweb magazine heliwebmagazine magazine
Billings Flying Service CH-47D Chinook after completing firefighting duties. Photographer: Michael Piper
Flying tuna spotting missions with an MD500D of the coast of Tuvaluva. Photographer: Taylor Hutchins
November2016 2016| |1111 November
#helipix | heliwebmagazine magazine 1212| heliweb
Columbia Boeing CH-47D picking up a load of water to drop on a fire in Kentucky. Photographer: Angelica Barnett
November | 13 November2016 2016| 13
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November 2016 | 15
C O L U M N | PUBLISHER
From the Desk Of...
Perseverance We a l l k n o w s o m e o n e o n s o c i a l media that is always posting about how fabulous their life is, with endless streams o f c o m m e n t s f r o m “ f r i e n d s” known only online patting them on the back for their good fortune and seemingly amazing life. When in reality; their real-world life is not nearly as e xc i t i n g a s t h e s t o r y c o n c o c t e d of their life on social media. The sad reality of social media is that people can purport to be whoever they want to be, and anyone who doesn’t see them on a day to day basis is n o n e t h e w i s e r. In the job market, a “Facebook life” that has discrepancies with the real world can be an issue. As we have all seen in this election season, social media is essentially the wild west, where people are emboldened by no fear of consequences to degenerate i n t o “ i n t e r n e t w a r s” o r “ t r o l l i n g ” a n o p p o s i n g v i e w, contrary to their own. This is the new standard of social media; where common courtesy and personal interaction gives way to insults, obscenities, and put-downs that have become the norm as civility takes a back seat. The world of employing new pilots is no longer just about reference checks. An essential component of a preemployment background check now includes checking the p o t e n t i a l e m p l o y e e ’s s o c i a l media pages and seeing how they interact with people. This kind of research in a tour operation is now becoming common. Big tour companies deal with many cultural and social backgrounds, making it essential to check as thoroughly as possible on 16 | heliweb magazine
backgrounds for potential hires. A real concern for an operator where a negative review has the potential to go viral. In a worst-case scenario, a complaint leading to mass cancellations and financial consequences to the operation. All because the operator did not do enough due diligence on their hire before putting them in a helicopter with a c u s t o m e r. I was talking to a friend the other day who was speaking on the importance of networking and her view that in this small i n d u s t r y, t h e r e a r e n o t s i x , but two degrees of separation b e t w e e n p e o p l e i n t h i s i n d u s t r y. Meaning that if you don’t directly know someone, a few phone calls will find you someone who does. This exact scenario happened earlier this week when a friend of mine called me asking if I knew someone that he was looking to do business with. I didn’t know the person well enough, so I reached out to another friend, who gave me all the information needed through speaking to connections in four countries - all in the space of about 20 minutes. That is the reality of the internet age, information is readily available through so many sources and can be only a text message a w a y. If you think the answer is to lock down or sanitize your social media feeds before applying f o r j o b s , I w o u l d n ’ t b o t h e r. I t i s a l r e a d y t o o l a t e . Re m e m b e r, i f
you are divisive, inflammatory or lead a life on social media that differs from reality to the point that people question your judgment, that can be the difference between being hired or not. No amount of sanitation or locking down your profile can h i d e w h a t i s i n p e o p l e ’s m e m o r y. If your internet persona is that o f a c o c k y, l i f e o n t h e e d g e , “s a f e t y b e d a m n e d ” t y p e p i l o t because you want to impress g i r l s o r f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y, y o u o u g h t t o r e t h i n k y o u r s t r a t e g y. Along with sanitizing your posts being pointless, locking out your profile to public views is also similarly fraught with little chance of success. Those helicopter industry friends and other pilots you are friends with simply because you share a love of helicopters are the same people that a hiring manager is going to call and ask questions. Those friends already see your feed because they are already on your friend list, making any strategy like that a fruitless e n d e a v o r. M y a d v i c e a b o u t s o c i a l m e d i a? B e n i c e , h a v e h u m i l i t y, k e e p the divisiveness and rhetoric to a minimum and live the life you do, not the one you want people to think you do. Above all – Be Safe and think about your potential audience before pressing the “post” button.
Ryan Mason Publisher & Editor
Ryan has worked in the aviation media field for the last nine years. Providing video, photographic and written content for U.S and international aviation publications. Also a former police officer, Ryan has written for numerous law enforcement publications, specializing in technology, tactics, police equipment and airborne law enforcement. Ryan purchased heliweb with a goal of providing real stories on real issues in the industry and giving back to the industry through efforts to promote safety in helicopter operations.
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November 2016 | 17
C O L U M N |MAINTENANCE
T h e To o l b o x
We ight a n d Bal an c e Safety is the sole purpose of weight and balance in a helicopter. By ensuring that the machine is operating well within the helicopter design’s stability and flight control envelope while achieving the maximum performance and service life of the engine and airframe components. A helicopter loaded incorrectly will not be able to perform in-flight safely. Any exceedance outside of the center of gravity limitations could result in the inability to control the helicopter. And as we should know, the limitations are typically stated in inches or millimeters to the left or right and forward or aft of the center of gravity, with little room to spare. It’s important to know where to find the specific limits for your helicopter when it comes to establishing the Center of Gravity. There are several places one can find the data required for your helicopter. The first place I would look is the FAA published aircraft specifications and Type Certificate Data Sheets, the manufacturer’s maintenance manual and the current aircraft flight manual, as well as CFR Title 14 FAR Part 27. These publications combined will typically list most if not all of the required information to perform a weight and balance on your helicopter properly. Information can also be found in FAA Advisory Circular AC 120-27E. All helicopters are designed to meet specific manufacturing requirements of USC Title 14 FAR Part 27 and are operated in a particular weight range depending on the category for which they are certified. If a machine is designed for maximum weight, the idea would be to obtain as high a useful load weight as possible without overstressing the design of the helicopter structure 18 | heliweb magazine
and components. For instance, a normal category helicopter will produce optimum weight carrying abilities only while conducting normal operations. Anything outside of the normal category by exceeding the certified gross weight or conducting flight operations outside of the “normal” category would be placing undue stresses on a helicopter, which it is not designed to handle. The Gross Weight of the helicopter is defined within the Type Certificate Data Sheet. Typically, the maximum it can weigh in any operational configuration including the crew, fuel, oil and payload, and still operate within the provisions of its certification is the gross weight. Once the helicopters Empty Weight Center of Gravity is established, either by an actual weighing of the aircraft by the manufacturer or a maintenance facility. Careful calculations are made for installed and removed equipment; it’s up to the pilot to use the helicopter weight and balance chart found in the weight and balance section of the helicopter flight manual to calculate the CG for that day’s flight operations. Frankly, there is no need for a mechanic to do daily weight and balance calculations unless of course there are daily equipment changes. Many helicopters operate in remote areas where resources are limited. Often operators are required to perform multiple tasks on a daily basis, where equipment changes are required three or four times a day. One of the reasons it is so important for a mechanic to properly establish
the (EWCG) Empty Weight Center of Gravity or more specifically, the Center of Gravity of the helicopter with only the required equipment; because that is the pilots starting point for properly loading the helicopter for the next mission. Imagine if you will, a helicopter suspended from a string located at the exact center of the rotor mast, perfectly balanced in the longitudinal and lateral axis, this would be the EWCG. Now as a pilot, add fuel, passengers, and equipment to remain within the loading range specified in the weight and balance section of the helicopter flight manual in a manner as to not unbalance the suspended helicopter, when most helicopters only have inches to spare within their Center of Gravity range. Typically, a helicopter should have an actual re-weight completed in conjunction with the established overhaul/inspection interval. Either by a calendar inspection or operating time, the manufacturer has most likely listed such an interval in the maintenance manuals. And, depending on your type of operation, your operating specifications and the local authorities will also dictate how often an actual reweigh should be completed. Keep in mind to always follow the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions when performing any service on your helicopters. Safety is always paramount.
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.
November 2016 | 19
C O L U M N | WOMEN IN AVIATION
Whirly Girls
Give it a Whirl 2017! The Whirly-Girls return to Heli Expo 2017 to host the second annual youth event “Give it a Whirl,” dedicated to teaching kids about the world of helicopter aviation. The event will again be free to the local community and aims to provide hands-on learning experiences to those in attendance through static displays, aviation-related games and activities, and the ultimate hook – free helicopter rides! The event is scheduled to be held on Sunday, March 5, 2017 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Dallas Executive Airport, proudly sponsored by Texas based Airbus Helicopters Inc. and Bell Helicopter, two of the world’s largest helicopter manufacturers, who are joining forces to provide young, aspiring pilots
with their first flight. Participants will get to see the helicopters and meet the pilots that operate them in their very own community.
we are creating something that will be remembered for a very long time.” Said Whirly Girls President Joanie Shultz.
“The impact we saw in our first event was fantastic, and Whirly-Girls International is thrilled for what’s in store in Dallas. What better way to learn than to get up close and personal with the aircraft, test out the simulator, play with charts, and get creative with crafts and activities. Innovation in education is our goal;
Planning for this event is underway and the Whirly-Girls would love to have additional sponsorship to help us inspire the future of helicopter aviation. Support comes in all sizes, so please feel free to contact Jessica Kanellos at 724-2553688 to see how you can support this fantastic event.
Jessica Kannelos is a certified helicopter flight instructor and the Vice President of Whirly Girls International, a 501(c) organization with the purpose of providing scholarships, mentoring and other programs to aid women in the helicopter aviation field. Jessica also heads up the organization of the Give it a Whirl event each year.
A Whirly-Girls International event committed to educating and introducing kids to helicopter aviation. Sunday, March 5, 2017 from 10am - 2pm Dallas Executive Airport Be a part of this amazing event. Contact Jessica Kanellos at wg1771@gmail.com or 724-255-3688 to learn how.
Give It A Whirl is a subsidiary of Whirly-Girls International 20 | heliweb magazine
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C O L U M N | FLIGHT TRAINING
Straight & Level
The Dar win Effect When you were growing up I’m sure it was a safe bet you didn’t wear a helmet when riding your bicycle. It was also likely you weren’t put in a car seat as a small child either. It was common to ride in the back end of a pickup truck and there wasn’t too much concern by parents, regulators, etc. What a difference a few decades makes. Today a child on a bicycle without a helmet, or a child without a DOT approved car seat would be reason for police to contact child protective services. I might be exaggerating a bit here, but there is cause for concern. While safety mitigation when initiated by a pilot is an excellent thing, when it is initiated and mandated from a state or federal level, it can be good intentions that have gone too far. The term safety has been used as a tool by regulators to have a free hand at over-regulation of freedoms and the pushing away of logic in favor of fear based decisions on what “could” go wrong before anything ever has. The courts continue to reward the irresponsible and those lacking common sense. How does a woman spill coffee on her lap and win millions of dollars because the coffee was too hot? If it were the company’s fault, I could see paying for a new pair of pants and any direct medical bills. If it was the plaintiff’s fault, she should have been chastised for being foolish. Right? Somewhere along the way we have lost our independent thought process and sense of responsibility. The last two decades seem to have gone from pride in work and 22 | heliweb magazine
achievement to “victim mentality” and rewarding victims with substantial payouts from insurance companies. This holds true in any form of work safety related accident, or people “falling” in Walmart to get compensation. As a business owner it is imperative to have property liability insurance for the accident prone customers, worker’s compensation insurance for the accident prone workers, Temporary disability Insurance, managers’ malpractice insurance, in case one of your manager’s fires someone unlawfully and the list goes on. Now, in addition, you must now provide health insurance. I bring this up because it has arrived in the aviation world. If a passenger falls boarding your helicopter and injures themselves, expect that your insurance agent will be on the phone trying to mitigate this before it gets to one of those billboard posting injury attorneys or “Ambulance Chasers” as they are often referred to. While the “victim” may not have a very good case against the company, the attorney knows exactly what amount the insurance agency has in mind to settle out of court so that it doesn’t go to jury trial. They know how to coach the victim and what words to use and how to say it in court. The attorneys collect a substantial percentage of that reward and then can look for the next client. In recent years it has become quite lucrative to go
after any company, manufacturer, or wealthy individual. All of this affects you directly. Your cost of insurance, buying aircraft, fuel and related services continue to climb due to irresponsible attorneys and so called victims that know injuries can be like winning the lottery. When did the clumsy become the beneficiary? Why are the productive hard working people of this country constantly being blamed and drained for the unproductive system abusers? When you are flying as a commercial pilot or as an instructor you have a target on your back. Your decision making as the pilot in command will be scrutinized and faulted by an attorney who has no right to do so, but has every intention to score on the settlement. All of us in the flying community are connected and co-dependent on each other to make good decisions and avoid the courtroom. The aviation industry may seem robust, but it is very fragile. Large awards given to plaintiffs, paid for by insurance companies, will come directly out of your pocket. Keep your i’s dotted and your t’s crossed and remember to make decisions that are in the best interest of safety. We are a small, yet targeted industry. Each accident can cause a chain reaction of potential regulatory changes and increased insurance premiums. It chips away at the freedom remaining in being a pilot.
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 twenty-four years old — he is the owner of Mauna Loa Helicopters, operating three bases in Hawaii and one in Alabama.
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C O L U M N | SIMULATION
The Instructors Station
Value A dde d Moti on Cu es In several previous columns, I touched upon some of the pros and cons of adding motion platforms to aviation training devices. With this category of the training device, motion will not provide any additional flying credits toward ratings but adding motion increases cost. What is the cost variable? Well, there is a formula for the cost of motion: Performance + Size = Cost. A Level D simulator (as used by Flight Safety for example) is a large technical marvel with a flight deck, integrated visual system, and enclosure. To acquire the level of certification needed for type ratings, a six degree of freedom (6 DOF) is one of the requirements to be FAA certified. The six degrees are pitch, roll, yaw, heave, sway, and surge. So using our formula, Six DOF + Large Mass = Very Expensive. Naturally, the smaller the platform, the less performance (fewer DOF) = less expensive. So to determine the value of motion for any training program can be determined by a quick “cost – benefit” analysis. What training will transfer to the cockpit? Will it make safer pilots? Will it save the student time and money? Will the motion expense add marketing value or provide a competitive advantage? Motion is only as good as the engineering (there are AATDs that claim to be “full motion” but only provide 3 DOF mechanics where the yaw axis turns around the nose of the aircraft (hint, aircraft do not). Motion is also only as good as the flight model, or data fed to the motors. My point; the value of motion can be limited due to many factors regardless of expense. A “try before you buy” approach, as I mentioned in previous columns is the best approach.
AATDs with external visual systems provide illusory motion or in simpler terms, optical illusions. When flying in visual scenery, the brain interprets this as motion, which in visual scenery like P3D, these changing shapes are 3D objects you would normally see while flying. The brain tells the pilot that they are accelerating, decelerating, climbing or descending in three-dimensional space, tricking you into the feeling of experiencing motion, which can often lead to sickness if visual movements are not inline or lag from the motion platform. Why the science lesson? The traditional 6 and even 3 DOF motion platforms are old and expensive technology that is beneficial only in the realm of larger certified simulators. There are new motion constructs for simulation that are affordable, like high definition electric actuators with only inches of movement, which are sufficient to give the trainee the “feeling” of movement needed. The exaggerated movement provided by older technology can often be detrimental to training transference in FTD or AATD training devices. Motion “cues” integrated with quality visual motion enhances the brain’s concept of realistic movement. Effective motion cues on a training device using high definition electric actuators provide a great training platform for teaching basic maneuvers such as hovering, hover turns around the nose, mast, and tail, hover taxi, quick stops, and decelerations. Also providing
the benefit of advanced maneuvers including hovering autorotations, low-level autorotations, standard autorotations, 180-degree autorotations, running landings, demonstrating vortex ring state, the list goes on. It is the “seat of the pants” feel of ground impact during various maneuvers like the tilt of a slope landing touchdown and how a helicopter “feels” in a settling with power situation that adds tremendous value to training. Many schools no longer do touch down autorotations because of the risk to property and life. Motion cues bring back the ability to feel a successful maneuver. The pilots training in an AATD with motion also tend to take the landings and autorotation lessons more seriously, because they can feel the difference between landing softly or not, and typically try to avoid the latter. The “heave” axis augments the visual motion by providing the expected positive “G” sensation upon entering an autorotation and the negative “G” sensation at the bottom flare of autorotation. Small movements of actuators eliminate the transport delay. Thus eliminating the feeling of air sickness and enhancing the brain’s perception of motion. With advancements in recent years, the option is becoming easier to incorporate at a reasonable cost. The AATD helicopter market is making huge strides in the options available, and the training value increases dramatically. Helicopter simulation procedural training will never be the same.
Lauren Brown is the executive Director of Elite Simulation Centers in Oviedo, Florida. She is also a cross country air racer and an avid writer on simulation technology, and proponent in the use of simulation technology for application in real world flight training. Lauren is also a commercially rated fixed wing pilot pursuing her rotorcraft addon.
24 | heliweb magazine
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November 2016 | 25
H E L I N E W S | INDUSTRY HEADLINES
ERICKSON INC. DECLARES CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY After rumors surfaced Monday of a brewing crisis at Erickson Inc. it was announced today after days of emails and calls to the company went unanswered that it and certain of its subsidiaries had filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Erickson stated that they would continue business as usual, hoping to exit bankruptcy in early 2017.Erickson
has been the subject of much industry speculation since the purchase of Evergreen Helicopters, the company’s competitor in heavy lift operations in Oregon and abroad in 2013 for $350 Million, which came with the companies 64 helicopters. Further adding to the companies spending, Air Amazonia was also purchased, adding fourteen helicopters. While those purchases added extra capabilities for the company in both foreign and domestic business, that business has ebbed and flowed since 2013, with the loss of eight fire contracts with the U.S Fire Service that had previously contracted the company’s iconic Air Crane’s to perform firefighting duties.
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fate in the last few years, with the portfolio reaching a high of $28.10 in May of 2013, but by the same time the following year, lack of consistent performance resulted the bottom falling out on company stock prices, plummeting on the NASDAQ index to .99c a share. The current 52 week average for EAC shares on the NASDAQ topped out at $2.83 cents, finishing the day today at the close of markets after the announcement at an all time low of .18c a share, a large dip in price often seen as announcements of this type are shared with the global market. In documents obtained under the FOIA, Heliweb Magazine was able to view all court filed submissions by Erickson, some of which list thirteen equity security holders for the company, nine of which are listed as less than one percent equity holders with shares numbering between just under 73,500 shares to as low as 294 shares. Accounting for only two percent of the total equity of the 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
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business. Major equity holders located in New York control the other 98% stake in Erickson Inc. One of which, through several subsidiaries controls 47% of the business, the other major stakeholder having the controlling interest with a 51% stake in the business. President and CEO Jeff Roberts said, “Unfortunately, Erickson is not immune to the numerous business challenges currently facing the helicopter industry which have placed downward pressure on operating results and asset values. Operational integrity and safety continue to be our top priority, and this restructuring will in no way interfere with our performance and commitment to customer satisfaction. We have examined a number of alternatives and are convinced that a formal restructuring is the most effective path forward. We anticipate a controlled process that better positions us to serve our customers. We appreciate the work of our largest creditors, board, investors, and employees who are committed to transparent and timely communications with
our customers, prospects, vendors, suppliers, partners and key regulatory agencies.”
a financially stronger company at the conclusion of an expeditious bankruptcy process.”
Erickson stated in their press release CFO, David Lancelot, commented, on the matter that their aim was to “We are fully supportive of a creditor save the jobs of the companies 700 support agreement that certain of our employees employees, of which 300 first lien lenders and second lien note are located in the company’s home holders have entered into which is state of Oregon. expected to result in approximately $60 million in new financing from a group of our note 25-85% holders. This financing ice! will provide sufficient off list pr liquidity to fund Call Today! ongoing operations in the ordinary Used Bell parts are %50 off! Chosen for value and service course during our
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November 2016 | 27
HELINEWS | OEM BRIEF
X2 DEMONSTRATOR TO BE DONATED TO SMITHSONIAN AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM Sikorsky stated in an announcement made in late October that it would be donating the experimental X2 aircraft to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The X2 achieved the fastest (unofficial) rotorcraft speed on September 15 th, 2010 when it reached a top speed of 260 knots (300MPH/417KM/h) during a test flight in West Palm Beach Florida, flown by test pilot Kevin Bredenbeck. Sikorsky designed the X2 Technology Demonstrator with a $50 Million dollar budget, commencing development in 2006, taking its first flight in
August 2008. “We are honored to have our helicopter join the ranks of the aircraft at the Smithsonian,” said Mark Miller, Sikorsky’s vice president of engineering and technology. The X2 demonstrator had a short 22 hours of operational testing over 23 flights, taking its last flight on July 14 th, 2011. Although the test aircraft was only in operation a short time, the helicopter was lauded by many in the technology sector. The X2 gaining multiple awards, including the Collier Trophy in 2010, the 2009 Popular Mechanics Breakthrough
Innovator Award, Popular Science’s 2009 “Best of What’s New” award and was designated “One of 2009’s Best Inventions” by Time Magazine. Technology from the X2 project was later used in the development of the S-97 Raider, now being marketed by Sikorsky as a high-speed scout attack helicopter for the military.
CHINA CELEBRATES TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF S-92 OPERATIONS
November 1st, Sikorsky celebrated the ten year anniversary of the S-92 helicopter operating in China.
Strategy & Business Development, Nathalie Previte. “We’re excited to celebrate a decade of operation of the S-92 helicopter in China. As we celebrate one million flight hours flown by customers throughout the world, we thank all operators for their continued trust, firm support and confidence in Sikorsky.”
“Sikorsky holds a long-standing relationship with China, providing more than 30 years of service to the China civil aviation industry,” said Sikorsky’s Vice President of
In 2006, Sikorsky delivered China’s first S-92 and S-76 aircraft to customers. Thirty-five S-92’s and one hundred and twenty-five S-76 aircraft operate in China and throughout Asia, including
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the newest variation, the S- 76D helicopter. The majority of these aircraft perform offshore oil transportation missions. Sikorsky began deliveries of the S-92 in 2004 and has delivered more than 275 S-92 helicopters globally. Eleven nations fly the dual-engine, S-92 helicopter for their head of state missions. As part of the S-92 helicopter fleet’s one million flight hour milestone, Sikorsky has launched a “Thanks a Million” campaign to thank customers, employees, operators, and suppliers for achieving this milestone in an impressively short time.
SIKORSKY
C H - 5 3 K S U P E R S TA L L I O N P A S S E S I N I T I A L M I L I TA R Y O P E R AT I O N A L T E S T I N G Announced after testing in West Palm Beach, Florida on October 21st, Sikorsky announced the CH-53K King Stallion’s successful completion of initial operational testing by the U.S. Marine Corps to verify the key capabilities of the heavy lift helicopter. The week-long operational assessment by Marine Corps pilots, aircrew and maintainers marked an important step in support of a Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Milestone C decision early next year. “This successful operational assessment by the Marine Corps is a clear sign of the maturity and the robust capability of the King Stallion,” said Dr. Michael Torok, Sikorsky Vice President CH-53K Programs. “This was a key requirement in support of the upcoming Milestone C decision, and its success is another important step in our transition from development into production.” The U.S. Marine Corps’ initial operational testing included external lift scenarios of 27,000 lbs. (12,200 kgs) in hover and a 12,000 lb. (5,422 kg) 110 nautical mile radius mission. Ground events included embarkation/debarkation of combatequipped troops, internal and external cargo rigging, tactical bulk fuel delivery system (TBFDS) operation and medevac litter configuration. Overall, post evaluation interviews of aircrew, ground crew, and flight surgeons revealed a high regard for the operational capability demonstrated by the King Stallion. This customer assessment is a pre-requisite to Milestone C and is intended to minimize risk to successfully
pass the U.S. Marine Corps operational evaluation (OPEVAL) phase for a future full rate production decision. “OT-B1( Operational Test) is a critical milestone for the program because this is the first time an operational test has been done utilizing an ’All Marine’ crew,“ said Col. Hank Vanderborght, U.S. Marine Corps program manager for Naval Air Systems Command’s Heavy Lift Helicopters Program. “All test objectives were met, and the aircraft performed very well. This further increases our confidence in the design, and is another critical step to successfully fielding the CH-53K.”
increased capacity can take the form of a variety of relevant payloads ranging from an internally loaded High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) to up to three independent external loads at once. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Program of Record remains at 200 CH-53K aircraft. The first four of the 200 “Program of Record” aircraft are scheduled for delivery next year to the U.S. Marine Corps, with another two aircraft to follow. Two additional aircraft are under long lead procurement for parts and materials, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2020.
The operational testing was based out of the Sikorsky Development Flight Center (DFC) in West Palm Beach, Florida, where CH53K development flight test is continuing to make excellent progress now with all four Engineering Development Model (EDM) aircraft in flight status. The King Stallion will carry three times the external payload of the predecessor CH-53E equating to a 27,000-pound external load over 110 nautical miles under “high hot” ambient conditions. The King Stallion’s
November 2016 | 29
HELINEWS | OEM BRIEF
POLAND DOES ABOUT FACE IN POLITICAL FALLOUT FROM FAILED CARACAL DEAL In an about-face of sorts relating to the failed bid to purchase fifty Caracal helicopters, that were to be manufactured and assembled in Poland, Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski said that he had expressed interest in a modified deal with Airbus Helicopters in a letter sent in late October to French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault. In the letter, Waszczykowski stated that the Polish government was interested in
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pursuing a smaller deal than that arranged by the previous political party before the Polish PiS took political power in Poland in the last election. The previously signed contract for fifty Caracal Helicopters, based on the H225 airframe and would have seen the development of local jobs through the deal with Airbus agreeing as part of the deal to assemble the helicopters in Poland using local labor sources.
The announcement of Poland’s desire to pursue a smaller deal with Airbus Helicopters comes on the heels of significant political fallout from the announcement of the canceled deal, worth a reported 3.2 Billion Euros. With France’s President Francois Hollande postponing a visit to Warsaw in the wake of the scrapping of the deal by the new political party in Poland.
HELIBRAS INTRODUCE FIRST H225M IN NAVAL COMBAT VERSION
Helibras and Airbus Helicopters presented the first H225M in naval combat configuration this month. The Helicopter was developed and assembled locally by Helibras, Airbus Helicopters’ subsidiary in Brazil, the new H225M version, designed to meet the requirements of the Brazilian Navy, with mission capabilities including anti-surface warfare and maritime surveillance. The H225M is built around a Helibrasdeveloped tactical mission system that includes an APS-143 surveillance radar, advanced self-protection systems, and signals intelligence capabilities. The first H225M equipped with two AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, while the
cargo bay accommodates a dedicated sensor operator console providing the mission commander with an overview of the tactical situation. An automatic identification system (AIS) also allowing crew members to gather information on surface vessels. “I am particularly proud to present this new version,” said Helibras president Richard Marelli. “This latest and unique version of the H225M is a testimony of the hard work our teams have been doing here in Brazil in close collaboration with Brazilian military customers. It also demonstrates our ability to effectively transfer technology, skills and knowhow to Brazil, and our commitment to
support the development of the country’s aerospace industry”. The helicopter was unveiled this week in Itajubá, Brazil, and will be the first H225M in naval combat version to be delivered to the Brazilian Navy, expected in 2018 after the end of military certification trials. It is part of a global order of fifty H225Ms for the Brazilian armed forces, twenty-six of which have already been delivered to the Brazilian Air Force, Navy, and Army. Helibras is in charge of the complete assembly of H225Ms in Itajubá; that includes integration of mission equipment, flight line activities and industrial acceptance. With a target to achieve 50% of national content by 2020.
November 2016 | 31
HELINEWS | EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
HELINET CEO KATHRYN PURWIN APPOINTS JAMES MCGOWAN AS NEW PRESIDENT Helinet Aviation, one of the largest and most respected helicopter operators on the West Coast, announced November 3rd, the appointment of Jim McGowan as President. Jim brings over 28 years of aviation experience and is formerly from FLIR Systems Inc. While there, Jim held various management and leadership positions for FLIR’s government and commercially focused segments. Most recently, he served as Vice President within the surveillance division and was responsible for domestic business development for government airborne, maritime, land and man¬portable systems and radar solutions. Jim also oversaw the development and execution of the company’s commercial
sales and distribution strategy for outdoor and tactical enforcement handheld and weapon-¬mounted thermal imaging products. McGowan held a variety of leadership positions within the aviation industry before joining FLIR. Jim’s previous experience includes developing and managing the fleet and special mission aircraft market at Pilatus Business Aircraft, and leading aviation system engineering and field service operations at Envirovac Inc. Before that, Jim performed in aircraft engineering and FAA Repair Station roles at Alaska Airlines and McDonnell Douglas, respectively.
“Jim brings a wealth of experience from all facets of the industry, and I look forward to having him be a key contributor to the continued growth and expansion of Helinet,” said CEO Kathryn Purwin. “He understands our culture, commitments, and disciplines and I feel fortunate to bring him on board as we expand upon our nearly thirty-year legacy of providing superior service.” Helinet offers a multitude of services ranging from VIP charter, emergency patient and organ transport, electronic news gathering (ENG), to film and television production. Its technology division is a leading provider of surveillance solutions for law enforcement agencies throughout the country. “I am excited and honored to take on this role at Helinet and look forward to working closely with Kathryn and the Helinet team,” said McGowan. “The old aviation adage, ‘you will never do well if you stop doing better,’ comes to mind as I look ahead at leading the Helinet organization to do more, better.” McGowan holds a bachelor’s degree in Aviation from San Jose State University and is also a certificated FAA A&P mechanic. He is fluent in the German language and is a named inventor on numerous United States patents.
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COLUMBIA HELICOPTERS HIRES MARK JOHNSON AS V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F H U M A N R E S O U R C E S Columbia Helicopters announced November 14th that Mark Johnson has joined the company as Vice President of Human Resources. Johnson joins Columbia Helicopters from a long career of progressively more senior roles including leadership of the Human Resources function in a variety of regional and global companies including large industry segment leaders like Wacom, Standard Insurance, and Tektronix, and special- ized niche companies like SRSM Inc., Serena Software and WebTrends.
“Columbia Helicopters’ leadership position in the industry is a testament to the quality of its people,” said Johnson. “I am thrilled to be joining Columbia, and for the opportunity to serve employees around the world who are so committed to the success of Columbia’s customers.” Johnson joined Columbia Helicopters in early October of this year, reporting directly to Rankin.
Columbia Helicopters is the world leader in commercial heavy-lift helicopter operations. The company owns, operates and maintains a fleet of Columbia Model 234 Chinook helicopters, Columbia Vertol 107-II helicopters, and Boeing CH-47D helicopters. These aircraft are operated around the world, supporting construction, logging, fire-fighting, petroleum exploration and military operations.
“Mark’s breadth of experience in Human Resources and his “customer service” philosophy is an excellent fit for Columbia. We are a complex business and we have a diverse employee base working across the globe in highly specialized roles. Our people are truly the reason we are so successful. I am confident that Mark is the right leader to drive Columbia’s commitment to supporting our people.” said Columbia Helicopters CEO and President, Jim Rankin. Johnson also shares a unique connection to Columbia Helicopters: Early in his career Johnson was a wildland firefighter, which provided substantial experience with helicopters including Columbia Helicopters’ own aircraft.
November 2016 | 33
H E L I N E W S |STC WATCH
BELL HELICOPTER AND MERCAER AVIATION ANNOUNCE MAGNIFICENT INTERIOR FOR BELL 505 Bell Helicopter, together with Mecaer Aviation Group, a designer, and manufacturer of high-end cabin comfort systems, announced a collaboration to produce the MAGnificent interior for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X during the NBAA convention in Orlando, Florida this month. “Bell Helicopter continues to raise the bar for our customers in bringing innovative and welldesigned offerings to our product line,” said Patrick Moulay, Bell Helicopter’s executive vice president of Global Commercial Sales and Marketing. “We are
34 | heliweb magazine
proud of our continued relationship with Mecaer to promote this differentiated interior in our VIP product lines.” The Bell 505 VIP interior will be manufactured at MAG’s Cabin Comfort Systems at headquarters in Monteprandone, Italy. Customers can choose from a variety of materials and seating configurations, multiple storage consoles and trim options with the installation of the MAGnificent interior option on the 505 Jet Ranger X. “We are proud to extend our MAGnificent interior to the Bell 505,”
said Armando Sassoli, co-general manager of Mecaer Aviation Group. “This new MAGnificient interior for the Bell 505 provides an added level of comfort and technology that is unique for each customer.” Bell Helicopter and Mecaer recently unveiled a MAGnificent interior upgrade for the Bell 525 Relentless, Bell 429 and now follows with an interior option for the 505 JRX. The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is one of the most highly anticipated helicopters in development, with over two hundred pre-orders that are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2016 after certification.
#HELIART Marc’s latest work is an artist rendering of an NH Industries NH-90 Military Helicopter
Want to see more of Marc’s amazing helicopter sketches? You can find his work on Instagram @marc_mpv
Although not a classically trained artist, Marc Veenendaal uses art to convey his vision as an industrial designer daily. Marc holds a bachelor of industrial design degree and draws aircraft art as a creative outlet from the daily grind as one of the most in demand industrial designers in Australia. Marc developed his love for sketching in university and now uses his illustrations of helicopters to express his love of aviation, which he shares through his instagram account that has over fifteen thousand followers. Marc uses the work of many photographers as inspiration for his art, in adition to using his imagination to create fictional aircraft, and artists impressions of aircraft not yet announced.
November 2016 | 35
Dispelling INSURANC Myths 3636| heliweb | heliwebmagazine magazine
S
CE
uppose for a minute that you want to start a helicopter-based business. Business plan? Check. Capital and investors? Check. Helicopter? Check. You begin to explore your insurance requirements – and quickly, frustration and confusion sets in. Time after time, you are confronted by the promise of a tidal wave of paperwork, ravenous expenses, and stonewalling insurance companies. It’s terrifying. But is it all true? Through this multi-part series, we are going to explore the myths about helicopter insurance and hopefully disprove a few along the way. We will share the knowledge from what we learn along the way, as well as getting valuable insight from industry professionals who know the facts of a business that can often be confusing and frustrating to navigate without help. In our first segment, we will take on the top three most popular myths. These are the myths you would probably hear early into your search for helicopter insurance. To assist us in answering some of your questions about the insurance industry, we have recruited the help of Matt Drummelsmith, President of Aviation Specialty Insurance - one of the aviation industry’s leading insurance brokerage Firms. In this Q&A segment, we will ask Matt about common myths and let him explain why the misperception exists and what the industry is doing now compared to “the old days” when these myths were the unfortunate reality of the insurance side of owning a helicopter.
November 2016 | 37
ASK THE EXPERT| AIRCRAFT INSURANCE Myth #1: Applying for insurance, get ready for a tidal wave of paperwork.
Myth # 2: Insurance costs will eat you alive.
Heliweb: Prospective applicants are often discouraged from applying for insurance by stories told by other owners of huge amounts of paperwork and unnecessary delays. Where did these stories come from?
Heliweb: We often hear claims from operators that insurance is the largest business cost for them other than buying a helicopter, Is there any truth in that?
Matt: Up to the 1990’s, insurance companies were still using a great deal of handwritten applications. Even after the rest of the world seemingly moved on to digital and online methods, insurance stayed behind because “that’s the way we’ve always done it”. The best we could do at the time was to offer downloadable PDFs that could be filled out on a computer, while other industries embraced online form filling and other modern technology that made life easier. Heliweb: So this one is true then? Matt: Thankfully, no. The mountains of paperwork required to get insurance is a myth. The process of getting quotes, coverage, and making policy changes is now quite the opposite. Here at Aviation Specialty Insurance (ASI) for instance, we built a digital application process that doesn’t need a great deal of up front information to support your level of risk. We just need a few necessary items to start the underwriting process – and those details we need can be obtained with a few emails or even a phone call as well. I can’t of course promise that every insurance company operates like we do, but we see it now very regularly in the insurance industry. 38 | heliweb magazine
Matt: It depends on what kind of helicopter you buy and what kind of deal you get – I’m sure in some cases this is true. But in reality insurance is one of the cheapest and most cost effective risk transfer tools available. Heliweb: If that is the case, why do so many people go red in the face the moment you mention insurance in this industry? Matt: Many people simply don’t understand or fully appreciate the value of insurance. They’ve never had to use it thankfully, so they view it as an unnecessary expense that they are forced to pay. It’s also an intangible item. Helicopter pilots are tactile people, they like to touch things, when people can’t see or touch what they are spending their money on, it can be frustrating, especially when the buyer has already paid a significant amount of money to acquire the asset they’re insuring. Heliweb: That would be a very tough sell for anyone. How do you fight this perception? Matt: We come at it from a different angle. Insurance provides peace of mind for an operator. Sure there is a chance you will never actually use
your insurance policy in your lifetime – but it is a slim chance, amplified somewhat by the type of flying business you operate. Consider the odds of running a helicopter business for 40-50 years without something happening to a single customer, employee, any expensive equipment, or the facility. If you make a substantial claim on any of these variables, all the insurance premiums you pay over the lifetime of your business may not even account for 1% of the claim check you will receive. Heliweb: So you’re saying that if nothing ever went wrong, or if we knew when losses were coming, insurance would be a much different thing. Matt: Exactly. Some people like to think that, “I’ll never wreck my aircraft.” If we were all that good at predicting the future, insurance rates would be much lower. Until then, we have to stick to more than 200 years of loss data to predict the future. But that’s what allows an aircraft owner to pay $10,000 in premiums for $25,000,000 in liability coverage. That’s what peace of mind looks like.
Myth #3: Insurance companies will stonewall when you need them most. Heliweb: There is an almost universal belief that if you ever make a claim, your insurance company will do everything they can to avoid actually paying the money. Matt: This is a common misunderstanding. Again, I believe
that if the insurance industry as a whole did a better job of communicating with their customers and helping them understand their policies more thoroughly, this myth could all but disappear. Heliweb: So is there an easy way to explain how insurance policies work? Matt: Sure. First, there are many caveats and coverages contained in each policy. Just because one claim scenario doesn’t fit in a particular part of your coverage, that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t fit elsewhere. Keep in mind that insurance coverage, in effect, is a contract. As the policyholder, you’re paying a premium in exchange for a service. The insurance company takes your premium in return for a promise to be there for you when you have a loss. As long as you uphold your end of the deal, and abide by the terms and conditions of the policy, the insurance carrier will uphold theirs. Heliweb: Where do the problems start? Matt: Insurance companies get a bad rap when they determine that coverage doesn’t apply, or a claim is denied. However, a claim is never arbitrarily denied. Again, an insurance policy is a contract stating that your insurance company has agreed to cover you based on the characteristics of the risk
you gave them. As is the case with any contract, there are terms and conditions. In short, there are rules. As long as you adhere to the rules and accurately represent your risk to your insurance company, there won’t be any issues. But, if you break the rules or don’t disclose everything to the carrier up front, you could run into problems. Heliweb: So all I need to do to avoid unpleasant surprises is make sure my insurance company knows exactly what I need to protect? Matt: Yes, it can be that simple. After all, it’s not like your insurance carrier is looking for ways to deny coverage. If your coverage is ever
denied, it’s typically the result of not letting your agent know about any situation changes in your business. We understand that changes occur, sometimes rapidly. If you don’t update those conditions with your agent, your policy won’t match the coverage you need. Some people delay reporting things like adding new pilots, new missions, etc., because they are afraid it may add a great deal to their insurance premium, but this is often not the case at all. The main thing to remember is to operate within the rules of your coverage; that way you shouldn’t have any issues when the unthinkable happens.
Matt Drummelsmith has been involved in aviation his entire life, starting with being raised in a family of aviators and having flown aircraft ranging from a Cessna 152 to a Sikorsky S76, Aviation runs in Drummesmith’s blood. Leading him to eventually found Aviation Specialty Insurance. Matt understands the risks facing pilots and spends time traveling the country to know how to best to address issues faced by his clients, aiming to stay consistently on the forefront of industry developments and trends.
November 2016 | 39
HELINEWS
UNDERSTANDING
AIRWORT
Last month, in part I of “Understanding Airworthiness,” helicopter DPE Matt Johnson gave us some insight as to how “airworthy” is defined in the regulations. This month continues with part II of this three-part series on “Understanding Airworthiness.” Now that we have established a definition for “airworthy” from part I of our series on Understanding Airworthiness let’s break it down. The first element that makes up the definition for Airworthy is “the aircraft conforms to its type design.” To understand this statement let’s take a look at how an aircraft becomes “certified” and therefore conforms to a “type design.” Imagine for a moment that you have a plan to build a new helicopter, a “normal” basic helicopter under Part 27 standards. As part of this process, you will assemble the parts and pieces of this helicopter necessary for it to function as a flying machine. Once you have your first “test” subject (helicopter) and you are ready to apply for FAA approval on this machine, you will submit a plethora of items as part of the process. These items include all of the drawings, specifications, aircraft limitations and most notably, the airworthiness limitations section of the “Instructions for Continued Airworthiness.” This last section is critical as it is essentially the requirement on how the aircraft must be maintained to keep it in an “airworthy” state. After developing and submitting all of the items above and an
| heliweb magazine 40 |40heliweb magazine
assortment of flight testing, the FAA will issue you a “Type Design” for your particular helicopter. To be clear, this doesn’t mean that you can start making “copies” of the helicopter and selling them just yet; that will require a “Production Certificate.” The “Type Certificate” comes first. The Production Certificate will come after you can convince the FAA that you have the necessary equipment, supplies, and facilities to produce the type certificated helicopter. Once this is accomplished, and the helicopters are built and subsequently inspected they receive the “Standard Airworthiness Certificate” that you have become familiar with by checking for its presence in the cockpit on every preflight. As part of the Type Certificate process, the FAA will produce what is known as a “Type Certificate Data Sheet.” The TCDS will provide you with all of the basics of the helicopter in the way of listing all items required to be part of the helicopter as well as the limitations of the helicopter. TCDS’s are easily found on the FAA’s website; they are an excellent resource for CFI’s (and DPE’s) who may infrequently fly a particular make and model of the helicopter as the TCDS will provide you will the aircraft limitations, etc.
If you have never taken the time to look at a TCDS here is the very first statement in this document: “This data sheet, which is a part of Type Certificate No. XYZ123 prescribes conditions and limitations under which the product for which the type certificate was issued meets the airworthiness requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations”.
THE STANDARD AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE As alluded to earlier, the
Standard Airworthiness Certificate is an important document and
THINESS
PART II
the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew.” (91.203(b) Beyond the regulatory point that it must be displayed in the cockpit area the Standard Airworthiness Certificate has two very important items of information on it. The “Authority and Basis for Issuance” section and the “Terms and Conditions” area. The first area essentially says “this aircraft has been inspected and found to conform to the Type Certificate.” (sound familiar?) The certificate will contain a date of issuance and a signature of the FAA Representative signing the certificate. So, on that particular date that particular aircraft was found to “conform to the Type Certificate.” But what about the duration of the Standard Airworthiness Certificate? Does it expire? No, it doesn’t. This info can be found under the “Terms and Conditions” section. It simply states “Unless sooner surrendered, suspended, revoked, or a termination date is otherwise established by the FAA, this airworthiness certificate is effective as long as the maintenance,
required by regulation to be onboard the aircraft and technically “displayed at
preventative maintenance, and alterations are performed in accordance with Parts 21, 43 and 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, as appropriate, and the aircraft is registered in the United States”. The Standard Airworthiness Certificate is effective as long as the proper maintenance is conducted on the helicopter.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER Next month, in our last installment of this series on Understanding Airworthiness we will circle back to FAR 91.7 – Civil Aircraft Airworthiness specifically paragraph (b) that reads: The pilot in command of a civil aircraft is responsible for determining whether that aircraft is in condition for safe flight. The pilot in command shall discontinue the flight when unairworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur”. In this final section, we will discuss how the pilot goes about determining whether his or her aircraft is airworthy and how to apply a decision logic when an inoperative item is found on the aircraft.
Matt Johnson is a Helicopter FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, conducting Private through ATP level exams in numerous makes and models. His experience spans Air Medical, Law Enforcement, Flight Instruction, and ENG flying. Johnson is a three-time Master Instructor recipient, FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor, USHST representative in the training working group, and FAASTeam Representative for the Greater Cincinnati Ohio Region. Additionally, Matt is an Air-Medical Pilot flying a single-pilot IFR Helicopter in SW Ohio.
November2016 2016| |4141 November
#helipix A US Army CH-47F lands aboard a ship during military shipboard landing training excercises. Photographer: TSGT. Josua Garcia
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CH-53HAW CR
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RASH WAII
Story by
Jason Paladino & Zachary Stauffer
With assistance provided by
UC Berkeley Investigative Reporting Program & Civil Beat
Images by
Lance Corporal Harley Thomas Lance Corporal Maximiliano Rosas Lance Corporal Aaron Patterson HMH-463/United States Marine Corps
Military investigation points to lack of training, aircraft readiness issues and low morale after removal of HMH-463 leader as contributing factors in January 14th, 2016 mid air crash of two CH-53 helicopters off Haliewa, Hawaii. Costing the lives of 12 Marines.
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Marine investigation of a deadly 2016 helicopter collision off Oahu found that pilot error, lack of training and command problems were to blame. The findings are contained in a report obtained by the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley. The families of the 12 victims were recently notified of the Marines’ conclusions. The two CH-53E Super Stallions, the oldest and largest Marine helicopter, were conducting a complex nighttime training mission, flying in formation, when the trailing aircraft slammed into the lead. Witnesses ashore heard and saw a fireball over the water, about one and a half miles from the town of Haleiwa. The impact of the two Super Stallions resulted in a violent explosion with forces “estimated at hundreds of times the force of gravity” and “instantaneously” killed all aboard, according to the report. The crash, which occurred just after 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 14, was one of the deadliest noncombat military accidents in Hawaii history and was deemed “non-survivable.” Months of salvage operations, forensic investigation, interviews and data analysis determined the cause of the accident to be pilot error. The investigation into the Hawaii crash found no evidence suggesting that either aircraft suffered a mechanical failure. But the report highlights a squadron with significant problems including low morale and complacency. Marine officials released a brief statement via email that said: “low aircraft readiness leading to inadequate pilot efficiency, human factors, and the squadron’s lack of focus on basic aviation practices” were the main factors that contributed to the crash. 46 | heliweb magazine
LACK OF TRAINING The pilots from Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay hadn’t flown enough in the weeks leading up the crash to be proficient, according to the investigation. The four pilots had flown for “4, 5, 4, and 13 hours” in the 30 days preceding the mishap. The Marines’ goal for CH-53Es is 15.1 flight hours per month, according to Capt. Sarah Burns, a Marine spokesperson. Many pilots in the squadron felt unprepared, concerned that they were not logging enough flight training hours to be confident to execute basic tasks. Two pilots were not “adequately proficient” in the use of night vision devices. One of them had only flown 2.8 hours at night in the preceding 90 days, with two of those hours coming the night before the fatal crash. The other had logged zero night hours in the previous three months and had not worn night vision goggles in the “local flying area” in over a year. “For an aviator with only 2.8 hours of NVD flight in the last 90 days to be put on a nighttime tactical formation flight using NVDs is extraordinarily irresponsible, bordering on criminal negligence,” Chris Harmer, a senior naval analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, said in an interview. “Those numbers are far too low for basic proficiency, let alone advanced proficiency for a physically and mentally demanding mission like nighttime formation flying using night vision devices.” According to the report, by January many pilots in the squadron felt unprepared, concerned that they were not logging enough flight training hours to be confident to execute basic tasks, such
as safely landing a helicopter at night. Marines use the Super Stallion to carry troops and haul heavy equipment. Radar data showed that the following aircraft, known as Pegasus 31, fell behind the lead aircraft, Pegasus 32. In an attempt to maintain proper formation, Pegasus 31 accelerated toward Pegasus 32 just as the lead aircraft was making a sharp left turn. The two aircraft collided approximately 1,500 feet over the water. The report points out that for pilots who wear night vision devices, “objects will appear further away than they actually are.” Without proper training, “it is challenging to recognize an excess closure rate during low light level conditions.” While the report found that the pilots met qualifications, it concluded that they might have been better equipped to avoid the crash had they logged more recent night vision flight hours.
LEADERSHIP SHAKEUP The investigation also highlighted the effects of a leadership shakeup at Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron HMH-463 that took place three days before the accident — the firing of commanding officer Lt. Col. Edward Pavelka. It said his dismissal was a disruption from the “daily routine and a distraction.” Among the reasons for his relief of command was a “loss of confidence, stemming primarily from (Pavelka’s) inability to improve aircraft readiness.” Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Timothy Irish told newspapers shortly after the crash that Pavelka’s separation was “not due to misconduct.” However, the colonel’s sacking is said to have “significantly disrupted the Squadron and was a contributing cause of this mishap,” according to a letter attached to the
“While the report found that the pilots met qualifications, it concluded that they might have been better equipped to avoid the crash had they logged more recent night vision
November 2016 | 47
investigation from Commanding General of III Marine Expeditionary Force Lawrence D. Nicholson to Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Lt. Gen. David H. Berger.
LACK OF AIRCRAFT READINESS An exchange between Pavelka and Brig. Gen. Russell A. Sanborn mentioned in the report highlighted the outgoing colonel’s concerns. At the time of his dismissal on the morning of Jan. 11, Pavelka told Sanborn that “his relief for readiness was a dangerous precedent to set.” The report notes that Pavelka said he warned, “‘If the General wants up aircraft, the Marines will get him up aircraft,’ implying that readiness reporting will be inflated and corrupted.” He went on to say that his dismissal would put Marines at risk. The investigation notes that Sanborn acknowledged that Pavelka said his ouster was a mistake, but he maintained that Pavelka never said anything to him about safety. In his April interview with investigators, Sanborn reflected upon the
decision to dismiss Pavelka. “In November 2015, I thought — how long am I willing to sleep on whether to relieve (Pavelka)? By relieving this CO, I think I’m going to prevent a mishap.” The new commanding officer, Lt. Col. Eric D. Purcell, formally assumed command of HMH-463 on the morning of the crash. The report said that a break in operations could have mitigated the risks that contributed to the accident. 4848| heliweb | heliwebmagazine magazine
Purcell’s superior officer “underestimated the risk to flight operations” after Pavelka’s dismissal and “failed to recognize the need for an operational pause due to the disruption of command,” according to a letter from Gen. Nicholson, attached to the report. The tragedy in Hawaii highlights systemic problems that have plagued the Marine Corps’ heavy-lift helicopter program in recent years.
As of May 2015, only 23 percent of the fleet was available for use, significantly lower than the Pentagon’s goal of 75 percent. The review found that the Marines neglected to “reset” aircraft, or inspect, refurbish and overhaul them, after more than a decade of “very heavy and hard usage” in the war overseas. By contrast, the review found, the Army’s CH-47D Chinook, a helicopter of similar
One reason these pilots were short on flight hours was that not enough aircraft were fit to fly.
age and profile to the Super Stallion, did go through a reset phase and in turn saw 71 percent of aircraft ready The investigation stated that the squadron’s inability to increase the number to fly. of aircraft ready to fly was, among other LEAST things, due to “inadequate resources and AVAILABLE AIRCRAFT support secured for fleet-wide CH-53E IN THE FLEET maintenance.” The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters The 53E has consistently ranked among were the least available aircraft the military’s most crash-prone across the Marine fleet through aircraft. Since the CH-53E and its the end of the fiscal year 2015. Navy counterpart, the MH-53E Sea Pilots and aircrew Dragon, were first introduced in the early 1980s, 124 sailors and Marines have died in noncombat crashes.
The crash investigation did not delve into reasons why resources were so scarce, but a separate
investigation prepared for the Marine Corps last year, the Super Stallion Independent Readiness Review, found that CH-53E readiness was “appalling,” not just in Hawaii but across the entire fleet.
have had trouble flying enough to stay proficient. One section of the review reads: “Poor CH-53E availability is costing the Marine Corps an entire generation of aircrew and contributing
to the destruction of community morale. Anecdotes are rampant of pilots returning from six-month deployments with only 30 total flight hours and pilots completing their first operational tours with too few hours to become aircraft commanders.”
One reason these pilots were short on flight hours was that not enough aircraft were fit to fly.
In a letter to the Marine Corps Commandant that accompanied the investigation, Gen. Berger wrote,
“This heartbreaking mishap was avoidable. The aircrews of Pegasus 31 and Pegasus 32 were not set up for success.” In August, the Marine Corps began restoring the entire CH-53E Super Stallion fleet. It will take three years to refurbish 147 helicopters and will cost $350 million.
November2016 2016| 49 | 49 November
Remembering the falle Major Shaun M. Campbell
Captain Brian T. Kennedy
Captain Kevin T. Roche
Hometown: College Station, TX Date of Enlistment: Sept. 30, 1999
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Date of Enlistment: July 1, 2003
Hometown: St. Louis, MO Date of Enlistment: Dec. 19, 2005
Sergeant Dillon J. Semolina
Sergeant Jeffrey A. Sempler
Sergeant William J. Turner
Hometown: Chaska, MN Date of Enlistment: Sept 1, 2011
Hometown: Woodruff, SC Date of Enlistment: Aug. 12, 2010
Hometown: Florala, AL Date of Enlistment: Aug. 8, 2008
Corporal Thoms J. Jardas
Hometown: Fort Myers, FL Date of Enlistment: May 6, 2011 50 | heliweb magazine
Corporal Christopher J. Orlando
Hometown: Hingham, MA Date of Enlistment: Aug 9, 2012
Corporal Matthew R. Drown
Hometown: Spring, TX Date of Enlistment: March 2, 2011
en heroes of HMH-463 Captain Steven R. Torbert
Semper Fidelis,
Hometown: Florence, Al Date of Enlistment: Oct. 14, 2004
Sergeant Adam C. Schoeller
Hometown: Gardners, PA Date of Enlistment: March 23, 2008
Lance Corporal Ty L. Hart
Hometown: Aumsville, OR Date of Enlistment: Aug 8, 2012
Jason Paladino is a graduate of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and now works as an investigative journalist for the program, focusing on the military. Paladino’s award winning reporting has been featured on NBC News, in many web news sites and print publications seen worldwide. Zachary Stauffer is a reporter, producer and director of photography for the UC Berkeley Investigative Journalism program and has also worked as a producer and director of photography for PBS Frontline and Al Jazeera America.
November 2016 | 51
HELLEN A V
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Army
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The small nation of Greece continues to maintain its military capability through effective planning and use of proven airframes for their mission amid financial crisis in the country.
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Situated along Highway 8, just west of the capital city of Athens, is the Hellenic Army Aviation’s main transport helicopter base in Megara, Greece. The airbase, home of the 1st Army Aviation Brigade, 2nd Army Corps. The base is home to four helicopter battalions, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Army Aviation Battalions and the 1st Attack Helicopter Battalion. 54 | heliweb magazine
The Army Aviation Brigade, formed in the 1950’s, initially made use of fixed-wing aircraft such as the L-21 Piper Cub. Their main mission of these small aircraft was at the time artillery spotting. These were later supplemented by Bell 47 helicopters for light transport duties. In the 1960’s the
first helicopters with a combat purpose sourced by Greek military forces, with the purchase of Bell UH-1H Huey’s from the United States. The UH-1 coming into service with the Hellenic Army increased the capability of Army Aviation in Greece. Increasing the security level from an airborne
Initially intended for Iran, but due to the Iranian Islamic revolution, these airframes were transferred to Greece once diplomatic ties between Tehran and the US we severed.
protection standpoint to a level much better suited to a country the size and population of Greece. The initial batch of UH-1s was later complimented with additional airframes, along with some similar airframes, with the purchase of several Agusta Bell AB205A Huey’s. In 1981 the Hellenic Army also began receiving the CH-47C, the CH-47’s received by Greece were
In 1994, the Army began modernizing their fleet of helicopters, with the Chinooks upgraded to CH-47DG standard, supplemented by new build CH-47SDs. The Hellenic Army also received their first attack helicopter in the same year, receiving the Boeing AH64A Apache from the United States. Over the next decade, the Hellenic Army have continued the modernization process by obtaining Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbows, most recently, purchasing the European-built
Airbus NH-90TTH transport helicopter. One of the units operating out of the Megara base, the 2nd Army Aviation Battalion (known in Greece as the 2 nd TEAS unit), still operates the legendary UH-1H Huey. The workhorse helicopter, still serving the Hellenic Army many years after being brought into service. The main task for the Huey’s is troop transportation and combat search and rescue (CSAR) duties. Alongside the Huey, the 2 nd TEAS also operate Greece’s newly acquired NH90s covering the same mission profile. The Hellenic Army have so far received eight of the twenty NH-90s ordered. Greece having the option to purchase November 2016 | 55
a further fourteen NH90s as part of the initial o r d e r m a d e b y t h e A r m y, a l t h o u g h w i t h G r e e c e ’s recent economic worries, e xe r c i s i n g t h a t o p t i o n in the future is doubtful, with no funds available t o e xe c u t e t h e a d d i t i o n a l option. Like all nations operating t h e N H 9 0, t h e H e l l e n i c Army struggles with the problems experienced when operating a brandnew type. From training pilots on a completely modern helicopter with complex mission systems – to working out bugs in t h e a i r c r a f t ’s s y s t e m s , not unheard of in any “A” m o d e l h e l i c o p t e r before newer versions are released that offer small improvements to fix issues found in previous models. Operating in an area s u r r o u n d e d b y w a t e r, the Hellenic Army has also been faced with the possibility of corrosion issues due to the sea air operating environment. A potential issue that could compromise the readiness of the NH90 fleet, flight crews wash each helicopter after every flight thoroughly to prevent the chance of corrosion being an issue in the aircraft. Although this is an additional step not necessary for many other countries, their approach appears to be effective, with no corrosion detected in any of their airframes to date in the Hellenic NH90 fleet. One of the other battalions based at M e g a r a , t h e 4 th m y Av i a t i o n B a t t a l i o n , o r 4 t h T E AS , a s t h e y a r e heliwebmagazine magazine 5656| |heliweb
referred to by their Greek crews, operates the Boeing CH47 in both DG and SD variants. Although flying two different models of the Chinook, training between the two offers very little confusion to pilots, the main difference between the two variants consisting only of a weather radar housed in the n o s e o f t h e C H - 4 7 S D. The Chinook’s of 4 th TEAS are tasked with performing heavy lift and transport duties for the Army.
The Ch-47 also performs some other duties as required, serving as an airborne platform for paratroopers to train on for parachute deployments.
the west coast of the United St a t e s . C r e w s a r e v e r y p r o u d of their firefighting role and affectionately call their beloved C h i n o o k “ T h e F i r e St r a n g l e r.”
During the summer months, the CH-47 also serves as a firefighting helicopter used to counter the ferocious fires that can occur during the oppressive h e a t o f t h e G r e e k s u m m e r, causing mass evacuations and states of emergency much l i k e t h e f i r e s i n Au s t r a l i a a n d
T h e 4 t h T E AS a l s o p e r f o r m s a s a VIP and observation/mapping platform when required, the unit also performing VIP transportation when needed, using a Bell 212, and three B e e c h c r a f t C - 1 2 ’s . E a c h o f these aircraft can also be reconfigured to assist in aerial mapping duties as needed.
Niels Roman is a Netherlands based writer and photographer who works full time in the helicopter industry for a Netherlands based helicopter operator specializing in test flight and ferrying operations. Niels specializes in military aviation photography. His writing has been published in both national and international publications over many years, while working in conjunction with two other well known aviation
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UH-1H
H U E Y
58 | heliweb magazine
Army Bids Fa Iconic Huey
arewell to Story by Mark Schauer Images by
Mark Schauer & Chuck Wullenjohn
The U.S Army finally bid farewell to the last of the iconic UH-1H Huey helicopter after almost six decades in service last month. Writer ProfileBidding farewell from its last posting in Yuma, Arizona at the Army’s Proving Grounds facility to be replaced by UH-60 Blackhawks. November 2016 | 59
Their last flight at Yuma Proving Ground occurred on October 20th, 2016 with Yuma Proving Ground commander Col. Randy Murray and Yuma Test Center commander Lt. Col. James DeBoer piloting two of the proving ground’s four Huey’s. Two of the aircraft ferried passengers on a ceremonial pass above Yuma’s three cantonment areas, while the other two carried parachutists from the Airborne Test Force for a final parachute jump onto Philips drop zone as spectators from the proving ground’s staff watched from a nearby shade structure. An iconic airframe of the Vietnam War, the Huey has served as the workhorse of the proving ground’s air fleet for decades. The same airframe that supported testing of the Global Positioning System at Yuma in the late 1970s was still used for state-of-the-art testing up to the first weeks of October. Each of the final four Huey’s has been remarkably well maintained, and the platform’s retirement is bittersweet to Yuma Proving Ground pilots and
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military aircraft enthusiasts throughout the country, particularly those who served missions aboard them during the Vietnam era. “This is the first aircraft I flew when I started flying in 1975,” said Ralph Arnold, who has accumulated over 4,000 hours flying UH-1s. “I was kind of hoping it would be the last one I flew. There’s nothing like flying a Huey: the sound of a rotor blade popping on a Huey is quite distinctive.” “When we got out of flight school in our generation, this was a modern aircraft,” added Gerald Fijalka, a pilot with 38 years of experience. “It’s a wonderful aircraft and a lot of fun to fly, but its day has come.” With capable maintenance personnel and a desert climate, the Yuma Proving Ground has often been the final working home of venerable military equipment. From Korean War-era M101 howitzers to the Vietnam era O-2 Skymaster observation airplane, a variety of rugged platforms have had productive second lives supporting
the Yuma Proving Ground test mission long after having been eclipsed on the battlefield. Eventually, however, a system that no longer has an Army-wide parts system or support structure must be phased out: It happened to the O-2 aircraft nearly seven years ago, and now the UH-1 has joined the list. The arrival of UH-60 Black Hawks at Laguna Army Airfield last year heralded the ultimate end of the UH-1H Huey’s career at the Proving Ground. “I’m sorry to see them go,” said Arnold. “They served our mission here very, very well. They are easily configurable to the different test programs we support. The Blackhawk is a very capable aircraft, but not as easily configurable.” The purpose of Yuma’s helicopters is to support testing, which means modifications to the standard airframe are necessary to meet the mission. Each modification requires airworthiness evaluation and releases to ensure the aircraft functions safely,
a time-consuming process. From specialized equipment racks inside the airframe to camera and sensor mounts on the exterior, Yuma’s airfield personnel over the years made more than 50 different modifications to various Huey’s in the fleet. The final flight of the Huey’s also brought out fond memories from Soldiers who conducted parachute jumps from the airframe. “I was supposed to be on leave, but I signed back in just so I could be a part of this,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Perinon, chief of Yuma’s Airborne Test Force. “I wouldn’t let my team go out on this without my being involved.” Perinon recalled jumping from a Huey for the first time at Fort Lee in his earliest days in Army Airborne. “It was the best jump ever,” Perinon. “You get to sit on the edge, your feet are dangling; it seems like you’re going to hit the skid the first time you ever do it, and you have that anxiety going. Then you get off, and it is the best feeling ever--you want to do it again and again and again.” The Huey’s are departing Yuma, but not flying off into the sunset. All four of the aircraft will have active retirements after distribution by the Defense Logistics Agency’s Law Enforcement Support Office to police agencies in places like Orange County, California and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Mark Schauer is a public affairs specialist at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground. He holds a Master’s Degree in English from Northern Arizona University and has had both photography and writing published in national and international publications.
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RAF CENTENNIAL
CHINOOK t h g i l F e k a T Story and images by
Cliff Ibell
6262| heliweb | heliwebmagazine magazine
KS The 14th September 2016, saw a unique formation leave RAF Odiham on a navigational exercise that took in large part of Southern England. The formation consisted of three Boeing CH47 Chinook Mk4s accompanied by an AgustaWestland Lynx AH9A. The flight, unique visually as all the Chinooks all carried centenary markings for UK Royal Air Force (RAF) squadrons 18(B), 27 and 28. Each aircraft designed and painted by artist and RAF Flight Lieutenant Andy Donovan. The sortie was the culmination of two years’ work, which saw Donovan being commissioned to
create the color schemes and apply them to the airframes ready for each of the Squadrons’ centenary celebration parades. Long gone the days of old when a Commanding Officer would a couple of airmen with some artistic talent to the flight line with the instructions “Here’s some paint, go decorate that airframe.” Today, processes and policies exist that require approvals across many levels of military leadership, guidelines to follow and final permissions granted before a paint can is ever cracked open. The first airframe to receive a centennial makeover was a CH-47 from 18(B)
Squadron. Donovan’s first design that he began planning in in November of 2014. The brief given to Donovan was to tell the story of 18(B) Squadron in the artwork, a challenge in itself, to be able to tell a unit’s whole history with one paint job. The task made more difficult for Donovan by the fact that no historical records existed to reference for the project as a commemorative color scheme had not been painted on a Chinook in 25 years. Once Donovan crafted a design acceptable to the Squadron, the long process of gaining acceptance from the MOD and the manufacturer began. The first of many hurdles for the project gaining engineering authorisation.
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Every airframe has stencil markings denoting safety instructions such as ‘NO STEP’ or annotating refueling points. Some of these markings can be moved slightly while for others, moving them would prove both dangerous and impossible. Moving a NO STEP marking to make a design artistically pleasing and without obstruction could pose serious safety concerns to the operation and maintenance of the aircraft. Likewise, colors used in these markings can pose artistic challenges all of their own. The use of NATO specific markings, such as the national insignia being one. Therefore, all changes to the standard schemes required approval from a complex web of internal departments within the UK MOD. Another complication to Donovan’s project was engineering concerns relating to the airframe itself; some panels given approval for paint, yet others were deemed off limits to avoid ruining the scheme if panels needed replacement during the airframe’s lifetime. Although many designs and considerations had to be worked and reworked with every new hurdle, both Boeing and the RAF engineering authority approved the paint scheme from their technical standpoints, so it was on to the next step - gaining permission from the MOD’s Camouflage Working Group (CWG). The CWG look at proposals and paint types to be used. A variety of colors already exist for use on each particular aircraft type, so this limits the palette available for the design, as new colors required to be manufactured to the right specifications is both costly in terms of time and money. The paint used for the project also had to be chemically compliant with the airframe 64 | heliweb magazine
and its undercoat to limit the chance of damaging the helicopter, while also having the requirement to produce a low infrared (LIR) signature, despite the resulting color scheme being more visible in the end. Once passed by the CWG, then came the logistics of securing the airframe to be used and obtaining permission for the aircraft’s time off operational duties to complete the paint work in the paint shop. At the time the project was commissioned, the RAF’s Chinook fleet were heavily committed to both Operation ‘HERRICK’ and subsequently ‘TORAL’ in Afghanistan, putting a great deal of pressure on engineering maintainers and managers at Odiham RAF base to keep airframes available supporting those operations. Finding a suitable airframe required it to meet certain criteria; the airframe selected had to be less suitable for deployment. This had the team involved eventually settle on looking for an airframe that was scheduled for in-depth maintenance within the preceding 12-18 month period, that would allow a standard paint scheme to be removed as part of the maintenance effort, assisting Donovan in removing a step in his process before applying his paintwork. Once a suitable airframe was identified, a two-week time slot in the Odiham paint shop to achieve Donovan’s paint design. The selected airframe, serial number ZA712 was placed into the hands of James Littlejohn of SERCO and his team. Donovan’s design was then masked off by hand, and the paints applied. ZA712 was given the unofficial name of ‘Poppy.’ Making the deadline just in time for Centenary celebrations held for 18(B) Squadron, held in May of 2015. The second centennial paint, allocated to
27 Squadron. Ended up as more of a last minute task for Donovan. 27 Squadron had wanted a special scheme to celebrate their centenary but operational readiness needs originally limited any celebratory markings on their aircraft to decals that were easily removable should the aircraft need to be deployed rapidly. However, six weeks before the centenary parade, scheduled to be held in November of 2015, Donovan was approached by 27 Squadron to design a more elaborate scheme. Despite operational pressures on 27 Squadron and Donovan himself, he and a small team from the Squadron managed to design and produce the aircraft in just six weeks with full approvals in place (including two weeks in the paint shop with Littlejohn and the SERCO team). ZA683 now christened ’Nellie,’ was ready also ready in time for the centenary parade of 27 Squadron. The third and final Chinook centenary scheme was for 28 Squadron, with work beginning in January of this year. The centennial paint centered on the Squadron’s two main emblems: the Pegasus horse on the Squadron’s badge, commissioned back in 1936 by King Edward VIII, and the crossed Kukri motif, celebrating the Squadron’s long-standing association with the 48th Gurkha Infantry Brigade. A relationship forged in the Far East during the Squadron’s time serving there in the 1960s. Having learned valuable lessons from the previous designs, Donovan and Littlejohn decided to use techniques developed on Nellie to apply blocks of color rather than hand-masking the design onto the airframe. Stencils called ‘sign masks’ were produced from Donovan’s vector art files by RAF Marham. Using these sign masks allowed much more complex shapes to be applied, saving valuable
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Above: The RAF Centennial CH-47’s take flight from RAF Odiham on their only formation flight, adorned with their commemorative tail art deisgned by RAF Flight Leiutenant Andy Donovan. The flight was accompanied by an AW Lynx (pictured right) that served as the photo ship to document the flight for the RAF. 66 | heliweb magazine
time in the Odiham paint shop, despite being incredibly challenging to apply well to a riveted airframe. Squadron 27’s chosen airframe, ZH777; christened ‘Peggy’ by enthusiasts upon final display to the public in April of 2016, ready for the centenary celebrations held at the Squadron’s base at RAF Benson. After the final delivery, it was quietly hoped that the three specials could be brought together as a celebration of both the Squadrons’ achievements and those of the team responsible for creating them. The formation training sortie tested the crew’s skills in planning and executing complex setups for photo missions to record the one-time event. As there was a requirement for a camera ship to record this sortie, 657 Squadron of the Army Air Corps, also based at RAF Odiham readily supplied an AgustaWestland Lynx AH9A for the mission. This type of mission giving added training value as a dissimilar type formation, invaluable for working together on deployments and with neighboring countries who may have dissimilar equipment in overseas deployments.
The formation task putting additional pressure on the Odiham engineering teams, requiring them to prepare three specific airframes for the mission alongside their commitment to providing airframes for imminent deployments taking place at the same time. Donovan, along with being the primary artist for the design of the three aircraft, was made responsible for the planning and execution of the mission to capture the one-time flight. Working closely with Sgt Dave Rose, head of RAF Odiham’s photographic section, on how to best use landmarks and lighting available along the route. A comprehensive planning document was produced showing the planned positioning of the Chinooks in differing configurations, taking intoaccount the sunlight expected at the time of the sortie. The briefing was then given to the
selected crews on the evening before the sortie, followed by a walk-through in one of Odiham’s hangers. The process, known as a ‘ROC drill’ was essential so that all the aircrew involved were familiar with the formation positioning required, ensuring that the sortie could be flown efficiently and safely. After the formation had arrived back at Odiham, a thorough debrief took place, where Donovan described the atmosphere as “about as ecstatic as professional aircrew allow themselves to be.” Asked how it felt sitting in a camera ship, seeing his designs flying together, Donovan said “When I went to university over a decade ago, never in a million years did I think I would be shooting three Chinooks I’d designed over the top of that very same city in weather so good all these years later....”
Cliff Ibell is a UK based retired computer data systems specialist, having worked in air traffic control operations for 33 years before becoming a freelance writer and aviation photographer. Cliff has been published in national and international aviation magazines, books and Military publications extensively and focuses his work primarily on UK Military operations.
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Rotorheads
Stacy Sheard
Corporate 139 Captain Story by Ryan Mason
68 | heliweb magazine
HAI Board Member, Army Veteran, Corporate, EMS, and Sikorsky Helicopters Test Pilot – Stacy Sheard has been known by many titles in her more than twenty years of flying helicopters. Sheard also has a passion for sharing her knowledge, especially with Military veterans that are leaving the service. She has spent the last six years presenting a seminar at Heli-Success and Heli-Expo on Military to Civilian Transition as it applies to the helicopter world. She started presenting the course purely by accident when standing in for a friend who presented the course and could not get away from her job to attend, so asked Sheard to stand in. Sheard was hooked the first time and hasn’t stopped in six years. Now expanding her speaking engagements from a single one to attending several events each year to share her story and help others that are leaving gain successful employment once they leave the service. Flying more than 20 years, Sheard has worked in several pilot roles throughout her career. Starting out as a warrant officer in 1994, Sheard started her
training as one of the last flight training classes to train in the UH1H Huey before the Army made the switch to training all initial candidates in the Bell TH-567 trainer. She later transitioned into the UH-60A, and later the UH-60L the airframe that she completed the majority of her 1600 hours flying in. Sheard left the Army after eleven years service, finishing her last duty station at Ft. Irwin National Training Center, located in the Mojave Desert in Northern San Bernardino County, California. Her time at Ft. Irwin ironically, is the location that led her to apply for her first civilian flying role. During Army Training flights in the training area at Ft. Irwin, there was one constant point of reference that pilots were able to see in the distance. A beam of light, shooting straight up from the horizon skyward that seemed out of
place. That light, emanating from the Luxor Hotel on the Las Vegas strip far in the distance. That light became a beacon in more ways than one for Sheard, who fresh out of signing her separation papers from the Army, headed for the lights of the Vegas strip, hell bent on not leaving until she had a tour job at one of the several Vegas-based tour operators. Knocking on every single tour operators door looking for her first civilian flying role. Sheard started her first job after leaving the Army
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working for Sundance Helicopters, flying the AS-350, almost doubling her military flight time with the Vegasbased tour operation. Sheard’s next move was to Los Angeles, where she took a role working for Helinet Aviation, flying the S-76A and later an A++ model for Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, a nonprofit HEMS service started by Helinet founders Alan and Kathryn Purwin. Sheard said that moving to the S-76 70 | heliweb magazine
was very natural as the systems in the S-76 were essentially just like flying a Blackhawk, just smaller. She flew the S-76 for several more years before the need to advance her career took hold, and Sheard set her mind to finding a corporate flying role. It was at this point in her career that Sheard started to realize the extreme importance of networking within the helicopter industry and making many connections throughout the field as she
could. A process she has continued to build upon throughout her twenty-year flying career and now passes on the same lessons to military and civilian pilots looking for work through her seminars at Heli-Expo and Heli-Success. Networking was exactly how Sheard found her next role, working for a business owner based in Van Nuys, the same airport she flew out of with Helinet. It was not the first operation she had applied at that she finally found
Left: Sheard poses in front of her current ride, the AW139. Below: Sheard flying as a test pilot for Sikorsky and a shot of her from her Military days in the mid 1990’s where she learned to fly the UH-1H and UH-60.
Giving back to the industry has become a passion, one of which she shares with everyone that wants to listen.
work. Sheard had originally approached an operation that she knew had a corporate helicopter but was looking for a dual rated pilot, which she lacked any fixed wing experience. It was however in that interview where she was recommended for yet another corporate operation that was looking for a pilot for a Bell 430, for which she applied and was hired in 2005.
sending the corporate aviation world into turmoil as businesses looked for ways to cut costs.
Unfortunately for Sheard, the economy took a drastic downturn in 2006,
Helicopters, with their inherent ongoing expenses and initial costs, are usually
one of the first assets to go, which was the case for the Bell 430 that Sheard was piloting at the time that was quickly sold and shipped to Ireland to start its new life flying for an owner in Europe.
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# r o t oStacy r h Sheard eads 72 | heliweb magazine
By this point in her career, Sheard had amassed thousands of flight hours, many of which were in Sikorsky aircraft. When the helicopter she was flying was put up for sale, Sheard hit the job market
again and applied for a job as a production test pilot with Sikorsky. She was hired a short time after that and began working in a job she fondly referred to as “the most fun a pilot can have in one job.�
She worked across a wide spectrum of aircraft in testing, including the S-92, S-76 C++, and S-76D. Sheard loved the fact that production test pilots at Sikorsky were not just required to sit on the flight
line waiting for a test flight. Her job was what she called incredibly diverse and took her all over the world in her time with Sikorsky. Production test pilots were not pigeon holed in their position. Sheard could be required to do functional
checks with customer pilots one day, a test flight the next and be on a ferry flight the next to deliver a brand new customer aircraft the day after, which she ranks as one of the best parts of the job that never made it boring. Also speaking highly of the fact that working with Sikorsky’s c u s tom er
pilots had a great way of keeping you grounded. From being able to share her knowledge, to learning things from customers who had been Sikorsky legacy customers sometimes for thirty or more years.
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One thing that Sheard took away from her time with Sikorsky was her love of different helicopter types. It was that love and passion to learn new airframes that eventually led her to move on to the job she holds currently, a corporate pilot in an AW139, flying for a business owner in the greater Philadelphia area. Sheard loves the challenge of the 139, frequently flown in IFR conditions on 74 | heliweb magazine
flights between the owner’s business headquarters in Philadelphia and meetings held in in New York City. For Sheard, giving back to the industry has become a passion, one of which she shares with everyone that wants to listen. Along with her work as an HAI board member, Sheard will often travel
to continue her networking growth within the industry and advises others to do the same. When asked the best advice she could give new pilots, be they military or civilian that are coming into the civilian market, her advice is simple: NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK! Further stating that this industry is so incredibly small that it is very much a case of two degrees
# r o tStacy o r hSheard eads
of separation in many instances. If you don’t know someone, you will know someone who knows that person. Sheard’s goal is to reach everyone in the Military transition process. A task that she achieves through not just her face to face sessions, but the information she posts as online resources on her linked
in page for personnel leaving the Military aviation world. This all in an effort to reach as many as possible so that they do not have to go through the things that she had to upon leaving the Military with nothing more than the thought of “Ok, now what.” Sheard continues her work every year to improve people’s chances of getting
hired on that all important first interview, along with serving on a commercial seat on the HAI board of directors while also working her day to day flying job. One thing to be sure of, is life never slows down for the perpetually busy Sheard as she continues to blaze her trail in the helicopter industry. November 2016 || 75
LENS
BEHIND THE
Robert
Photographer Profile
Niederwolfsgr
76 | heliweb magazine
Story by Ryan Mason
ruber P
hotographer Robert Niederwolfsgruber lives in the small village of Kleinwalsertal, in the westernmost part of Austria. Niederwolfsgruber came to the photography world through his love of helicopters, developing from one of his two jobs - in the winter months as a ski service technician in the ski fields of the Austrian Alps, where he also volunteers as an alpine rescue technician.
His photography blossoming thanks to visits from rescue helicopters being very common due to the hazardous terrain and many injuries suffered by climbers and skiers in the area. This giving Niederwolfsgruber many chances to hone his photography skills each year before the snow melts and he switches to his second job in the summer months as a scaffolder once the snow melts from the ski fields in the spring. Niederwolfsgruber’s first attempts at photography started by accident in 2007, beginning on a rescue mission where he happened to have his camera with him, taking a few shots. Once he had a chance to
edit the images, it progressed to what he calls in his words “an allconsuming passion” once he saw how dynamic the images were. His first shots of an MBB BO-105, an ADAC rescue helicopter, call sign “Christoph 17.” Although contrary to the dozens of high-quality images available on the internet credited to Niederwolfsgruber, he still credits himself humbly as an amateur in the field, also having a passion for landscape scenery, which is in abundance with the mountainous terrain of Austria. Having an abundance of helicopters in his area to shoot, Niederwolfsgruber ranks the chiseled lines of the Airbus Helicopters EC135 and the classic Lama as his favorite helicopters to shoot. His ground photography of both, showing an eye for showcasing multiple different perspectives of rescue operations in his work area, still ranking air to air photography of helicopters at the top of his list of desires to shoot that he has not yet had a chance to photograph.
Niederwolfsgruber’s occupation as a mountain rescuer allows him closer access to helicopters than most in his area, with helicopters in the winter season coming and going at regular intervals each day. Which he says gives him the opportunity to experiment and get the best out of his photography thanks to the regular coming and going of helicopters to the ski fields. A Nikon shooter, Niederwolfsgruber shoots with a D810 full frame camera, using a wide variety of lenses depending on the situation at hand, including a Nikkor 24-120mm, 70-300mm, and 50mm 1.8 lens for external shots. He also uses a Sigma 15mm fisheye and a Sigma 24mm 1.4 art lens if necessary and employs a Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight on occasion for night shots. Having no previous background or training in photography, Niederwolfsgruber reached out to friend Marc Dickler, a friend and fellow photographer who lives in Frankfurt, Germany who advised him on his first steps in the photography world. Since that time, he has learned everything else he uses for his very dynamic imagery through trial and error. November 2016 | 77
When asked if he has a favorite shot that sticks out as his “best,” Niederwolfsgruber can’t choose a specific shot. He says his work is individually special to him, and each shot has a specific reason that he keeps it, be it the dynamics of the shot or the sky behind having a subtle blue tone that 78 | heliweb magazine
has a few specific clouds that add depth to the shot. Niederwolfsgruber’s work has regularly been published, including magazines Heliweb Magazine, Vertical, popular Italian helicopter website Helipress and has even been selected to be used in calendars released by Wucher Rescue and
Transport, one of the helicopter rescue services that regularly responds to the Austrian Alps where he performs alpine rescue duties. Along with his desire to move further into the air to air side of helicopter photography, Niederwolfsgruber also has a rescue operation that is at the top of his list of operators in the area
Left: Police arrive on the mountain to help search for a missing child. Above: Alpine Search and Rescue helicopters come and go all day in the Alps.
that he is yet to shoot. The subject of RedBull TV’s newest show, Swiss Rescue operation, Air Zermatt that operate two rescue bases around the Matterhorn in Switzerland, close to the Italian border. When asked if he had any advice to share with photographers that looked at his work and wanted to try their hand at photography involving helicopters, Niederwolfsgruber offers this advice to future aviation photographers: “always pay attention to the dynamic of the
picture and look to find a different perspective than you have seen before, keep that camera diagonal and see what you come up with.” Niederwolfsgruber’s photography shows no sign of letting up, showing a seemingly different perspective to each and every shot, no matter the weather condition, helicopter, background or complications of the location. One thing is for sure, the name RobertNiederwolfsgruber is one that you will likely see more of in the helicopter photography business. November 2016 | 79
B e hind t he Lens
Robert Niederwolfsgruber
8080| heliweb | heliwebmagazine magazine
Austrian Federal Police lift off from the Austrian Alps, causing the blades to leave a circular pattern due to the humid weather conditions. Photographer: Robert Niederwolfsgruber
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heliwebmagazine magazine 8282| |heliweb
Robert Niederwolfsgruber
Be hin d th e Le ns
To see more of Robert’s work, visit his website: https://500px.com/robertnwg
Robert is fortunate to have a permanent scenery advantage over competitors with the Austrian Alps directly in view, most days coupled with an unlimited amount of helicopters coming into the snowfields for medical pickups.
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Photo credit: Dan Megna, Mesa Police Aviation Unit. Mesa, AZ
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