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features Texas show sets record attendance..............................................23 Erickson modifies Aircrane helicopter with enhanced avionics for pilot situational awareness.......................................................28 Metro Aviation delivers first H145 T2 to Dare MedFlight .29 Russian adventurer rescued after world record attempt ends in crash.........................................................................30 AgustaWestland completes EASA certification of AW169..32 heliweb magazine - Under New Management.........................46
From the cluttered desk of - Ryan Mason..............................4 The toolbox - Brian Parsons........................................................6 The instructors Station - Lauren Brown..................................8 Straight & Level - Ben Fouts................................................... 12 #helipix........................................................................................... 16 events.............................................................................................. 20 index................................................................................................ 29 Behind the lens - Jay Beckman................................................ 42 Training Directory........................................................................ 26
on the cover
Farewell ‘Phrog’..................................... 36
Retirement after 50 years in service
Story by Ryan Mason
Photos by Robert Ruotolo & Damon Duran heliweb.com
PUBLISHER & CHIEF EDITOR: Ryan Mason ryan@heliweb.com CONTENT EDITOR: Adam Johnson adam@heliweb.com DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Ali Mason ali@heliweb.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPERS: Tim Pruitt Damon Duran Robert Ruotolo Seth Lasko Scott Dworkin Jim Mumaw Daniel Griffiths CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ben Fouts Brian Parsons Lauren Brown Adam Johnson
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AgNav
august 2015
3
Ryan Mason
from the cluttered desk of… Nine years ago I was working the beat as a police officer in the midwest. During one of the numerous festivals we were ‘voluntold’ to work annually, I found myself working traffic early one morning training a rookie officer in traffic direction before the festival opened. I watched as a brown and tan colored Enstrom F28F landed next to where we were standing to provide joy flights for festival attendees. After one flight I was hooked and less than 30 days later I began taking flight lessons in the very same helicopter type. The rest as they say ‘is history’. If you had told me on that cold October morning that in nine years I would be sitting here typing my first editorial for my own magazine, I would have dismissed the idea as absurd. However, life has a funny way of completely altering plans when you are not paying attention. So over the next several years, I started becoming more and more interested in the publications I couldn’t wait to read as a student, and I started writing a blog about each flight for no one in particular. I started offering a few photo’s here and there to publications ‘field photos’ sections, hoping to be published to then submitting a few stories for consideration. Before I knew it, my fledgling writing and aviation photography hobby had become a business and I found myself after years of trying, being hired to provide photography for several Ryan Mason Publisher & Editor heliweb magazine
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helicopter manufacturers and writing stories for multiple aviation publications both here and internationally, while also writing for several law enforcement magazines. The advantage to this unintentional baptism of fire I often found myself in with multiple deadlines for multiple publications in the same month, is that over the years I have been given some amazing photographic and writing opportunities. I also consider it a privilege to have the chance to highlight some of the ‘quiet achievers’ in the industry. Being given the opportunity to write about operations that may go unnoticed in the helicopter industry. As many of you already know, this is a very small industry, but one that provides amazing opportunities to many. The helicopter industry is a close knit community, full of personality types that will bend over backwards to help each other, much like how I was raised. If you don’t know the right person to contact in this business, it is almost a certainty that you know someone who knows someone else who can help. In my experience, this industry will give you back what you put into it and I look forward to putting the passion I have for this industry into everything I do with the magazine, meeting and highlighting some of the unsung heroes and making heliweb the magazine that you can’t wait to see what is inside each month.
helinews
august 2015
5
Brian Parsons
the toolbox
Your personal minimums check list Every day, helicopter owners and operators
gaining their A&P ticket have been alive, I thought
are constantly bombarded with maintenance
it prudent to start from the beginning to cover
issues, from in-operative position lights to engine
as much of how I approach certain tasks and to
changes. Each task has its own set of circumstances
cover things I have learned along the way, as well
that have to be considered, and contingencies put
as lessons I have learned from making mistakes
in place prior to performing any maintenance or
in this business. With that in mind, I wanted to
taking the aircraft out of service from an owners
start my first column talking about your personal
or operators perspective. Things like, how long will
minimums, the ‘must have’s’ before starting a task,
the ship be out of service? How will it affect our
as well as the environmental, mechanical and
flight schedule? Are there any special regulatory
knowledge base considerations we as maintainers
considerations, such that exist in relation to 135
must make.
operators regarding maintenance, where 135 operators are held to a tighter more stringent
Before you begin to perform any type of
maintenance program for their helicopters that
maintenance task, Consider Title 14 CAR FAR
carry How much will the repair or replacement
43.13 (a) & (b) where we as maintainers are
cost? What type of maintenance expertise will be
required to use the methods, techniques, and
required to complete the task? To name just a few.
practices prescribed in the current manufacture‘s maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued
When I was asked to start writing this column, I
Airworthiness prepared by the equipment
thought long and hard about topics I wanted to
manufacturer, or other methods, techniques
cover, as someone who has been maintaining
and practices acceptable to the Administrator.
helicopters longer than a lot of the younger guys
We are required to have the tools, equipment
Brian Parsons has been an A&P Mechanic for over 30 years, currently the Director of Maintenance for the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office Aviation Section, Brian is in charge of maintaining four AS350B2’s and the agencies Cessna 182. Brian is a Marine veteran, holds a commercial pilot certificate, and is also a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for Hillsborough County. Parsons maintenance experience includes factory training on Bell, Airbus and MD helicopters, in addition to several engine types.
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helinews and test apparatus necessary to assure the completion of the work
from both a safe handling perspective, as much as it is from a personal
in accordance with the accepted industry practices, including any
safety viewpoint to prevent injury.
special tools required by the manufacture or their equivalent. Ask yourself the questions, do you possess the knowledge to begin a
If you have been in the helicopter maintenance business for a while,
particular maintenance task? Do you have the tools and equipment
you know there is no such thing as a routine maintenance task. It’s
necessary to complete the task, as well as the technical data and
a helicopter, so something else is always going to be worn out or
testing equipment? Do you have the training, skill level & experience
broken when you start looking over the components you remove
required to perform the task?
or checking your timed part hour log, or my personal favorite, diagnosing intermittent issues that can take substantial time and
The questions above cover some of the regulatory items that you
effort to diagnose and correct to ensure the aircraft is safe to fly. We
would have to consider if you want to successfully complete any
tend to develop our own customized “Personal Check List” that will
maintenance task you decide to undertake. But what about the
also over time become the prelude to each and every approach to
personal considerations, such as one’s physical condition and fatigue
maintaining a helicopter. The thing that needs to be identified quickly
levels? Stress and mental preparations all play an important part
as a maintainer, is to recognize when the daily routine becomes less
in any successful completion of day to day maintenance tasks and
routine and more ‘going through the motions’ if you will. When it
specialized maintenance work in the same way a pilots physical
becomes mundane there is a tendency to slack off and be less than
condition and mental state play into their ability to fly the aircraft we
diligent. As someone who knows how to recognize the signs in
maintain.
myself after decades of doing this job, the secret to ensuring you are doing the best job you can in maintaining aircraft is to know when to
As maintenance staff, you must consider the personal safety issues
walk away and take a break to refresh yourself, to return with a fresh
as well. Working on ladders and maintenance stands and platforms,
approach. The lives of the people who sit in the seats of the aircraft
working with heavy items either by lifting by hand or overhead hoists,
you maintain when it takes of depend on you to make sure that you
Chemical exposure, adequate electrical protection, exposure to the
have done your job.
environmental elements such as heat and cold, all again play a big part in any type of maintenance operation. What about specific resources needed to complete a maintenance task? Do you have the parts inventory you need on hand and enough consumable like grease and oils to complete the task or account for any do overs or additional issues found? Do you have adequate waste disposal for hazardous materials such as fuel, oil and batteries that may need to be either recycled and replaced or disposed of if defective. Although the last few listed items may not be required to complete a job, proper disposal of hazardous materials is important
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august 2015
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Lauren Brown
the instructors station
Beyond IFR — Exploring the wide ranging application of ATDs The simulation market is one that is always in a constant state of change due to the rapid changes in software, hardware and regulations that pertain to FAA certification of aviation training devices. When an organization looks at the cost of training in simulators, either by renting the time and instructors to facilitate the training at a providers facility, sending their staff to an authorized training center with FAA certified simulators or purchasing their own training device, the cost of simulation training, along with the added benefit and elimination of the risk factors associated with performing all training scenario’s in a live training environment with risk to both pilots and aircraft, the option of simulator based training is one that continues to grow in popularity based on the obvious benefits in cost reduction and risk offered. Something that is still a battle fought over conference tables in both large and small aviation businesses is the move towards simulator training versus real world training and the discussion by training professionals and management on how to maximize how
Aviation Training Devices (ATDs) can be utilized in training scenarios that will benefit pilots other than just for IFR training? When compared to the typical price of an FTD and Full Scale Simulators (FSS) there is often an incorrect industry assumption that an ATD is less capable than the other devices because it costs less, however that is not necessarily the case. ATDs also tend to get a lot of attention for their many benefits in training hours that can be credited toward the instrument ratings, and while they do make excellent IFR trainers, their capabilities are far more vast in their application within the helicopter training market than a simple procedural or IFR trainer. Ever-changing technology in the simulation world, especially advances in the last decade pertaining to visual systems, plug and play simplification of once complex instrument clusters and other necessary cockpit realism and functional hardware items, coupled with online connectivity that has allowed integration of real world scenario based enhancements like real time live ATC control, have opened the door to a myriad of other important training
Lauren Brown - Director of Operations, Elite Simulation Centers
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helinews scenarios that can be accomplished on by the use of ATD training devices. ATDs offer training benefits to pilots at every level of experience. Some may not realize that FAA approved simulators like our own TH22 (R22), TH100 (not sure what helicopter this emulates), MH350 (AS350/H125) and S623T(Sikorsky S62?) helicopter ATDs are FAA approved for 7.5 hours credit toward a helicopter Private Pilot Rating, in addition to 50 hours toward the Commercial Rating, 25 toward ATP and 10 (currently) toward Instrument ratings, which when compared to actual flight training cost of a helicopter that ranges from $230 an hour for a small piston helicopter to many thousands when you switch to a turbine powered helicopter or twin turbine. So the savings offered in
simulator training versus real world are not just beneficial from a risk mitigation standpoint for owners and operators, but for the student pilot paying for his own initial ratings, the savings made in the first ratings on the way to your first paying helicopter job can be substantial and the difference between several thousand and several hundred dollars invested in a section of required training hours. With the advances already mentioned, student pilots are able to work on their radio communication skills with live ATC interaction through any simulators that are wired for internet connectivity. Elite Simulations was an early adopter of technological and training advantages offered by online ATC technology. This is especially beneficial for foreign
students who may need a little extra help in an environment that is safe and poses no threat to other traffic as would occur in a live lesson in an aircraft, and is also a way for pilots to practice without the absolute need for an instructor to be present while practicing transitions from various airspace classes without the added stress of a very busy traffic pattern of real world aircraft. Active ForeFlight integration allows pilots to learn and use their iPad EFB first in the safer, controlled environment of a simulator; which is also great for learning the nuances and procedural requirements of new avionics installations that may have just been fitted to an operational aircraft. CFI candidates can rehearse one of the more difficult tasks of talking about each task and movement aloud while going
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through the actual motions on the trainer in an environment that can be tailored to their learning style for best retention. The visual system enhancements made available to the simulation industry with technological advances made over the last several years for companies like Elite that are not tied to a proprietary system are limitless. Custom designing of full airports, entire states or region environments are available now as an add on to the customer at a 10th of what would have cost many hundreds of thousands of dollars previously to be custom made for each client. What was once a very sparse environment and a lack luster experience for students has turned into an adventure for students. Detail around airport environments allow lessons
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to be taught about airport markings, hover taxiing, brownouts, emergency landing locations, or fine tuning skills such as pinnacle landings and confined area approaches by landing on detailed scenery such as oil rig platforms, rooftops and anything else that can be imagined. The capabilities of ATDs continue to expand almost monthly thanks to innovators in the industry that continue to push the simulation envelope like John Venema, CEO of ORBX Simulation Systems, who’s early efforts starting in 2006 have snowballed into one of the largest and most innovative companies in the commercial simulation business, developing scenery packages for North America, Australia, Panua New Ginea, Canada, Europe that include real world POI reference points that appear on sectional maps and realism and fidelity that prior to 2006 was thought of as impossible. The innovations Venema’s company ORBX and their talented team of developers have been able to incorporate into the simulation world is staggering when you compare their work to what is offered in the base level product offered by Lockheed Martin, who produces the industry standard non-proprietary simulation base platform used by many simulation companies, purchased by Lockheed in 2010 when Microsoft decided to abandon the platform for more game oriented future development. Lockheed Martin has continued to develop the platform to incorporate realism previously unheard of in the simulation world, much like Orbx was able to do as they continued to work on improvements for many years that has lead to a close partnership that continues to yield results for both companies and the users of the platform. ATDs offer more benefits now than ever before and should not be overlooked as an effective and extremely beneficial training tool on many levels. The goal of every training exercise should revolve around safety. Simply put, when a fully utilized an ATD will increase the knowledge and skills of pilots and ultimately increase safety, proficiency, and confidence at every stage of training, leading to safer pilots and lower cost overheads for the industry.
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Ben Fouts
straight and level
Fly like you train Train like you fly After working in the helicopters in this industry now for almost 20 yrs. I think there is knowledge that needs to be shared with those on the front lines of instructing. I learned some hard lessons throughout my career. Luckily we haven’t had any injuries to speak of, but there have been some helicopters that if they could talk, would probably wish they never had some of my instructors or students at the controls over the years. Learning from these mistakes is the key to long term survival as a business and maybe short term survival as an instructor. You will often hear old timers in this industry use the term ‘If I had known then what I know now’. But in my case, the follow up would be ‘I would have invested much more in the
training of my instructors instead of letting them learn “on the job”. It took far too long for me to recognize as a business owner that we needed to spend a lot of time training instructors on the many aspects of the job. Like performing remedial and preparatory tasks that make instructors think about the bigger picture in the educational process and force them to look at things from outside the cockpit, like reviewing accident and incident reports published by the FAA, ways to fly defensively to protect the machine and your student from exceeding limitations, and most importantly to keep everyone safe. We have developed a comprehensive training
Ben Fouts is a career helicopter pilot, business owner, successful entrepreneur and passionate flight instructor, based on Kona, Hawaii. Opening Mauna Loa Helicopters at the age of 23 as a single helicopter operation, that now boasts 22 helicopters and 6 fixed wing aircraft between Mauna Loa’s 3 locations in Hawaii on Kona, Honolulu and Kauai, with an additional flight school based at Troy University in Alabama on the mainland. Ben is an FAA designated pilot examiner, having conducted over 2000 examinations in his almost 15 years acting in the role of a DPE, since being granted the designation at the age of 24. Ben has flown over 8300 hours in helicopters and worked for several large operations in addition to his ownership of Mauna Loa Helicopters, Hawaii 12
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program at Mauna Loa for our instructors that typically takes 10-15 flight hours with one of our Chief Instructors just to become qualified to take on the responsibility of a student. This approach should have been done from day one I have had the privilege over my career to fly a lot of different airframes, starting with the R22 and progressing to the Bell 407, MD500 and many more. Each has its advantages. The Robinson R22 however, is still my favorite helicopter to fly. However, it is also the one that I am most cautious with. It is a safe machine when flown within its operating envelope and that is where problems can occur. If you operate it within parameters on each and every flight and can anticipate student mistakes, like energy management in autorotation and go-arounds, you will be fine. However, if you don’t begin your flight training in the R22 and think you can get a few hours in it and be proficient, it is likely to not end well. I like the R22 helicopter because of its handling characteristics. The ability to be proficient in the R22, will certainly give each pilot the skills that is well recognized in the industry, with the term often heard among pilots and flight instructors ‘if you can fly the R22, then this helicopter will be no problem’. If you have 1000 hrs of helicopter time and the majority of that as an instructor doing maneuvers in a light piston helicopter, your hand eye coordination skills are going to be pretty sharp, which benefit anyone in a training environment where split second recoveries are often necessary. Flight instructors are some of the most under appreciated assets in the industry. They are paid poorly, work long hours, have to understand the psychology of how learning is transferred and the many barriers to being an effective instructor. When you consider that every learner’s method of comprehending what is taught varies greatly from student
to student. Some are visual learners, some are book learners, and just to further complicate the situation, you must also factor in blended learners, who want a mix of both. Knowing your students currency of knowledge transference can be the secret to ensuring their retention of what is taught and them being the most effective and professional pilot out in the real world of aviation. The industry has the incorrect perception that instructors are low time pilots that are not good enough to be flying tours straight and level because they don’t have a magic number of flight hours to meet insurance requirements, set by people
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who have no idea about the realities of the industry. They often work second jobs, just to make ends meet. They earn every .1 they put in their logbook, but often put in a full hour for every .1 in their book. It is not uncommon for a flight instructor to arrive at work and spend 10 hours at the flight school, but leave at the end of the day with 3.1 hours or less in their log book. When you factor in that a conscientious instructor will prepare their flight lesson, any ground school material and training aids, as well as planning out the days flight and goals to accomplish in tune with the student’s competency level, it equates to less than minimum wage in most cases. To all of you on the front line, my hat goes off to you. The mental fatigue of instruction is no joke. The reality of being a first time flight instructor is that it will likely be the hardest job you do in this industry, but when you look back on your career years later, you will see that in actuality it is an incredibly rewarding role. Not with cash or belongings, but in seeing your student progress, gain confidence, obtain a certificate and start a career. It really is a tough role to play as a newly minted flight instructor. This industry is backwards when it comes to flight training, that is for sure. In helicopter flight training, the guy who barely just got out of flight school himself is expected to immediately step into the role of teaching what he just learned to a new guy. In other industries this is the polar opposite. You just went from being a student earning his wings, to being the only guy that can keep you and your student safe is something goes wrong. The decisions you make are crucial and you are teaching in the most unforgiving FAA certified aircraft in the world. It does not benefit you, your coworkers or your student to come to work with life’s baggage and distractions.
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helinews My best advice to you is to drop your baggage at the door and keep your focus sharp. You can pick it up at the door on your way out. When I interview graduating students for a flight instructor position, one of the first things I like to tell them is that you are not being considered for a position here to fly, you are being considered for a job as a teacher. Your role is to make the training efficient, and to view spending the students tuition money like its your own and not view them as a cash cow on the way to you gaining enough hours to punch out into your next role as a tour, ENG or spray pilot or wherever else the industry takes you. The first piece of advice I would give any prospective student out there that is looking at the helicopter industry and a career as a pilot to become wealthy, turn away now and choose something else. Working in the helicopter industry is not something anyone I’ve ever met gets into looking to get rich from the earnings, it is for the love of aviation, the looks on students and passengers faces as you take them up for that first time and of course, because it’s the coolest job you’ll ever have!.
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Right: A U.S Air Force MV-22 captured recently in Wales, U.K Image by Daniel Griffiths
Red Bull helicopter pilot Chuck Aaron prepares to pull pitch in California as the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s H125 departs behind. Image by Jim Mumaw
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Left: U.S Navy S-70 Sea Hawk from HSC-3 ‘Merlins’ painted by Shanye Meder on approach in California Image by: Damon Duran
august 2015 2015 august
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events September 1-4, 2015 Erupoean Rotorcraft Forum
July 18-24, 2016 Farnborough International
Munich, Germany www.erf2015.dglr.de
UK, www.farnborough.com
September 6-8, 2015 Helitech Int’l Helicopter Expo
July 25-31, 2016 EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2016
Excel, London www.helitechevents.com
Oshkosh, WI 920-426-4800 airventure.org
September 16-19, 2015 China Helicopter Exposition Tianjin, China helicopter-china-expo.com September 19-21, 2015 AMTC 2015 Long Beach, CA www.aams.org September 22-24, 2015 Sustainability 2015 Montreal, QB Canada vtol.org November 13-15, 2015 HAC Convention Vancouver, Canada www.h-a-c.ca November 17-19, 2015 NBAA Las Vegas, NV NBAA.org February 29-March 3, 2016 Heli-Expo 2016 Louisville, KY www.heliexpo.rotor.org May 19-21, 2016 HeliRussia 2016 helirussia.ru
July 20-23, 2016 ALEA Expo 2016 Savannah, GA alea.org November 1-3, 2016 NBAA
October 30-Nov. 1, 2018 NBAA
Orlando, FL NBAA.org
Orlando, FL NBAA.org
November 13-15, 2016 HAC Convention
July 14-19, 2019 ALEA Expo 2019
Edmonton, Canada www.h-a-c.ca
Houston, TX alea.org
July 23-28, 2017 ALEA Expo 2017
October 22-24, 2019 NBAA
Reno, NV alea.org
Las Vegas, NV NBAA.org
October 10-12, 2017 NBAA Las Vegas, NV NBAA.org November 10-12, 2017 HAC Convention Ottawa, Canada www.h-a-c.ca July 9-14, 2018 ALEA Expo 2018 Louisville, KY alea.org
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#helipix bonus helinews
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles is located at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Flying four MH-65D Dolphin Helicopters Providing a Search and Rescue helicopter 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is responsible for protecting the coastal area of Southern California from Dana Point to Morro Bay. In addition to SAR, Air Station LA helicopters provide Homeland Security Patrols for the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Pot Hueneme in Ventura County. Photo by Scott Dworkin
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Summer in Houston, Texas this year brought many things to the oil capital of North America. From the unwelcome early rain and subsequent flooding to the arrival of the Airborne Law Enforcement Conference to Downtown Houston, held this year at the George R. Brown convention center on the southern edge of the city. The annual ALEA convention bought more than just helicopters to the city, but almost 1400 temporary residents from the airborne law enforcement community, including vendors, instructors, course attendees, staff and contractors to the city for the 5 day event held July 15-18. ALEA reported the highest conference course attendance in the annual conference’s history, with the total number of attendees, just a few short of 1400 people, that comprised of industry vendors, tactical flight officers, pilots, law enforcement unit administration personnel, course instructors and guests. The show began with the fly in on Monday morning of the helicopter’s used by many vendors to showcase their products as their booth centerpiece. The Houston Police department were the host agency for this years conference, presided over during the opening ceremony by Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland Jr. and supported by the HPD aviation unit staff who were on hand during the show to speak with attendees at the MD Helicopters booth where their MD500E was on display, complete with new Churchill Navigation system onboard to enhance their search capabilities and pinpoint accuracy while searching for suspects from the helicopter. There was a total of 762 exhibitors that attended the show in 179 booths, exhibiting everything from aviation insurance, to FLIR technology, the latest in night vision technology and large displays from OEM’s showcasing their latest law enforcement platforms being targeted towards the airborne law enforcement market. The night events at the ALEA convention are always highly attended, usually with a great line up of entertainment and local food. This year as no exception with the dual sponsored annual lighting of the pig and pig picking banquet hosted by Cobham and FLIR, complete with giant sized Jenga that proved to be a hit at the Bayou music center. Other events included parties hosted in the convention hotel ballrooms by Airbus helicopters and Bell helicopter and the MD Helicopters party, hosted at the House of Blues Houston that kept the crowd well entertained and fed while they danced the night away. The final day of the conference started with the presentation of the annual scholarships provided to children of airborne law enforcement
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officers immediately following the annual ALEA members breakfast and meeting sponsored by Agusta Westland. The final days activities included last minute visits to the show floor for last minute meetings with vendors and service providers before the fly out of aircraft from the convention center commenced as the show floor closed at 4pm. The final annual event and highlight of the show, was the annual ALEA award ceremony, where individual officers, airborne law enforcement units and unit maintenance staff are recognized for their outstanding service to the community and airborne law enforcement. The Houston Police Department was also presented a recertification plaque to celebrate their successful completion of being the only unit to receive a recertification as an accredited unit from the Public Safety Aviation Accreditation Commission (PSAAC). The award was presented by PSAAC board president Jim DiGiovanna, Executive Director Dan Schwarzbach and Kurt Fritz, outgoing president of ALEA, having served 4 years as president of the organization, who will be succeeded by Steve Roussell, who was currently serving as the Western Region Director for ALEA. The Houston ALEA show set records for attendance and again proved to be a popular show for vendors and attendees alike, providing an inviting environment where vendors can speak freely with potential clients without the hustle and bustle typically experienced at larger shows. ALEA once again put on a great show with their small army of volunteers and staff pulling off what is likely the show that others will be measured against.
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Erickson modifies Aircrane helicopter with enhanced avionics for pilot situational awareness
PORTLAND, Ore., 4 Aug. 2015. Engineers at Erickson Inc. (NASDAQ:EAC), provider of aviation services, announce the design and certification of enhancements to the S-64 Aircrane helicopter — including modern cockpit avionics — to improve situational awareness for aircraft pilots as part of the continuous improvement initiative. Erickson engineers installed and certified FAA-mandated Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) OUT (transmit) systems, which are ADS-B IN (receive) systems combined with global positioning systems (GPS) units with Helicopter Terrain and Awareness System (HTAWS). The HTAWS system provides flight crews with real-time visual and audible information for terrain and obstacles in and around the helicopter flight plan. Erickson staff performed all system design, integration, testing, and certification for the advanced avionics, and has selected Garmin Limited to supply the hardware for the new systems. The modification is FAA-approved and -certified to today’s regulatory requirements, but will also be compliant with the new mandated FAA requirements that will be required by 31 December 2019. Erickson has released the first modified machine to service following successful flight testing.
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The new, state-of-the-art design, test, and certification of the ADS-B OUT system can be applied to any platform, officials explain. “We continue to invest in product enhancing features, such as the ADS-B, to leverage our manufacturing and MRO capabilities,” says Kerry Jarandson, vice president of manufacturing and MRO at Erickson. “Industry-leading product innovation is in our DNA, and we continue to deploy new ideas for our fleet as well as the global customer base we support.” Erickson is a global provider of aviation services and operates, maintains, and manufactures utility aircraft to safely transport and place people and cargo around the world. The company is self-reliant, multifaceted, and operates in remote locations under challenging conditions specializing in Government Services, Manufacturing and MRO, and Commercial Services (comprised of firefighting, HVAC, power line, construction, timber harvesting, oil and gas, and specialty lift). With roots dating back to 1960, Erickson operates a fleet of approximately 80 aircraft, is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA, and operates in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Australia.
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Metro Aviation delivers first H145 T2 to Dare MedFlight Metro recently delivered its ?5th H145 completion and the first H145 T2 in North America to Dare Med Flight, a Leading air medical provider serving North Carolina’s Dare County. As the Launch customer for the H145 T2, Dare County worked closely with Metro Aviation to ensure the new airframe fit their exact mission profile. The H145 T2 is a versatile multi-mission helicopter utilizing Airbus’ recognizable Fenestron tail rotor. MedFLight’s new aircraft is equipped with an full EMS interior, wire strike protection system, air conditioner, dual Nightscanner searchlight, ADS-B in and out-surveillance and a color weather radar, among other features. Metro recently earned a Supplemental Type Certificate (“STC”) amendment for the H145 T2 that covers a full EMS kit and a List of optional
equipment that could be used in other types of operations such as corporate, utility and VIP. The amended STC includes upgraded digital equipment control and configuration panels, allowing each seated cabin crewmember control of Lighting and onboard medical equipment. This H145 T2 generated buzz while on display at the 2015 HELi-EXPO. During the show, Metro Aviation Managing Director Milton Geltz commented, “We are proud to add another first to our resume. We completed the first H135, the first H145 Tl, and now the first H145 T2:’ Metro Aviation operates the Largest, most comprehensive air medical completion center in the world and has completed more H135s and H145s than any other completion center.
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ALEA 9 Avpro Inc.
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Mauna Loa Helicopters 26 Preferred Airparts
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Russian adventurer rescued after world record attempt ends in crash With the odds of survival decreasing by the minute after contact was lost with Sergey Ananov over the Davis straight, between Canada and Greenland, many in the helicopter industry waited with baited breath as searchers continued their efforts to locate Ananov as weather hampered their efforts. Aircraft from both the Canadian Coast Guard and transport Canada were dispatched to the Davis straight to look for the missing adventurer. Having flown almost three quarters of his circumnavigation of the globe in the 2 seater Robinson R22, including a trip across the United States where Ananov spent extra time visiting multiple
states, where he befriended most who met and spoke to the aviator who was on a self funded world record attempt. Things, however did not go as planned when after leaving Iqualit, Canada enroute to Greenland, Ananov’s helicopter suffered an apparent mechanical failure, forcing him to ditch the aircraft in the Davis Straight, where after the controlled decent into mechanical failure, forcing him to ditch the aircraft in the Davis Straight, Ananov exited the aircraft with whatever he could grab in the 30 seconds before the helicopter sank including a life raft, some flares and a dry suit that he was not able to get fully sealed before entering the water as the helicopter sank. Thankfully for Ananov, he was able to autorotate the helicopter close to a nearby ice floe, which he was able to swim to;and where he remained for the next 48 hours. Although Ananov was hopeful of being rescued, poor conditions in the area prevented aircraft from commencing search operations to locate him several times due to visibility. Over the next 48 hours, Ananov slept little as he was joined on the ice floe by several curious polar bears, no doubt attracted to his bright Orange survival suit and life raft. On several occasions, Ananov was forced to confront the Polar Bears when they got too close, once chasing one to the end of the ice floe until it retreated back into the ocean. Polar bears were only one of Ananov’s problems in his 48 hours on the sub zero temperature environment, battling extreme cold and hunger. Ananov became concerned after firing off multiple flares to attract aircraft he could hear passing overhead failed. The flares proved ineffective due to the extreme conditions and cloud cover limiting visibility and rescue crews being able to see the waters surface below.
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Luck was on Ananov’s side, when he heard a Coast Guard helicopter
helinews Ananov arrived in Canada the next day and was in immediate demand for interviews about his ordeal. Ananov received a stuffed polar bear in jest, which he brought along with him on several Canadian television appearances showing his good humor in the face of an event he was lucky to survive on multiple fronts. He was able to return to Russia several days later to a heroes welcome after his ordeal. When asked if he would do it again, Ananov was not able to give a definitive answer, but Ananov certainly has an incredible story to tell.
Sergey Ananov arrives in Canada after his rescue from an ice floe that floated close by the area he crashed Image: Solo Helicopter around the world flight circling overhead and launched his 6th and final flare, which was seen by the crew of the orbiting helicopter. A short time later, search and rescue crews aboard the helicopter were able to locate and rescue him from the ice floe and return him to a waiting Coast Guard vessel to provide him medical care.
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AW169 certification —continued Fimeccanica-AgustaWestland announced today the new generation AW169 helicopter has been issued with type certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 15 July 2015. Delivery of the first production helicopters to customers will now commence. AgustaWestland achieved EASA type certification less than five years from the AW169 program launch. Certification in such a short space of time was attributed to strong collaboration between the EASA and AgustaWestland teams. The AW169 was created to meet a market demand for a new generation versatile light-intermediate twin-engine helicopter and has achieved its set goal of greatly reducing the time to market, whilst meeting the most stringent operational and safety requirements set by the certification authorities and by the market.
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The AW169 4.6 tonne helicopter is the first all new aircraft in its weight category to enter the market in more than 30 years, setting new certification and safety standards for the category. The first units will be delivered from the Vergiate final assembly line in Italy. A second AW169 final assembly line is being established at AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia plant while the Yeovil plant in UK plays a key role in the production of rotor blades and the tail rotor transmission system. The AW169 programme has benefitted from UK Government support and has already proven extremely successful in this market for corporate transport and public service duties. A Flight Training Device (FTD) and a maintenance training simulator are already operational at AgustaWestland’s Sesto
helinews Calende Training Academy in Italy, while a Level D Full Flight Simulator will be available in 2016. More than 150 AW169 helicopters have been ordered by customers around the world to date, including 20 orders coming from the growing South American market. Framework contracts and options for a wide range of applications including executive/corporate transport, air ambulance, law enforcement, offshore transport and utility roles are in place as certification is expected to increase demand and customer orders for the 169. Designed with inherent dual-use capabilities, the AW169 is also ideally suited for the wide scope of parapublic and government applications and will be able to meet military and naval requirements. A versatile, new generation twin engine light intermediate category helicopter, the AW169 has been designed in response to the growing market demand for an aircraft that delivers high performance, meets all the latest safety standards and has multi-role capabilities. The AW169 is certified in accordance with EASA CS-29 / FAR Part 29 latest Amendments. FAA certification is expected in the next few months. TThe AW169 can comfortably accommodate up to ten passengers in its large, unobstructed cabin, fitted with a range of customised equipment. The aircraft is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW210A turboshafts. An auxiliary power
unit (APU) mode ensures the continued operation of the environmental control system, radios and medical equipment when the rotors are stopped. The AW169’s avionic suite introduces state-of-the-art technology including a fully digital NVG compatible cockpit with three 8” x 10” large area (AMLCD) displays and touch screen technology with enhanced 3D graphics capability for maximum situational awareness. A 4-axis digital automatic flight control system (DAFCS) with dual Flight Management System (FMS) minimises crew workload, allowing single/dual pilot VFR/IFR operations.
The avionics suite also complies with satellite-based navigation, communication and surveillance requirements and has the capability to perform satellite-based IFR LPV (localizer performance with vertical guidance) approaches to maximize round-the-clock utilisation of the helicopter. Safety enhancing avionics such as Terrain Awareness Warning Systems, airborne collision avoidance systems can be added to the standard avionic configuration. The AW169 features advanced variable speed main rotor which improves efficiency and reduces the external noise footprint. It is also the first helicopter in its category entering the market with an electric retractable landing gear which reduces complexity and maintenance requirements. Furthermore, several advanced aerodynamic solutions have been incorporated into the AW169 airframe under the European Clean Sky Green Rotorcraft GRC2 Drag Reduction programme.
Above: The AW169 demonstrator in AgustaWestland colors has been on show around the world for several years playing a part in the customer adoration of the 169. Over 150 orders have been placed for the airframe, which AgustaWestland has begun producing at its Vergiate, Italy plant. Plans are underway for the construction assembly plant at AW in Pennsylvania..
The AW169 helicopter is part of AgustaWestland’s family of new generation helicopters that also includes the AW139 and AW189. These helicopters all possess the same highperformance flight characteristics and safety features whilst sharing the same common cockpit concept and design philosophy. This approach facilitates synergies for operators of fleets across the 4 to 9 tonne categories in areas such as training, flight operations, maintenance and support.
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A Marine workhorse, the CH-46 Sea Knight has seen combat in multiple conflicts around the world including Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan during its more than 50 years of military service. The nickname of ‘The Phrog’ was affectionately bestowed upon it by Marines due to its resem-blance to a sitting frog. The CH-46 Sea Knight was, by half way through her service life, older than most of the aviators that flew in her. The Phrog was revered for its ease to fly due to the tandem 3 bladed rotor design requiring very little pedal input compared to other helicopters of the era with a more traditional rotor configuration. Its cockpit visibility was regarded as highly superior by who flew it. It commanded the admiration of military leaders due to its overall versatility. Its ability to easily transition mission capability roles from sling loading equipment and supplies, to troop carrying and even its ability to carry 15 wounded Marines on litters in medical configuration if needed.
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Boeing added the Phrog to its inventory in 1960, when it acquired Vertol; the creators of the iconic Piasecki H-21 “Flying Banana”. Shortly after the Vertol purchase, Boeing won the gov-ernment contract to produce what would be known as the CH-46A Sea Knight for both the Ma-rines and Navy in 1961, making its first flight in 1962. Later that same year the civilian passenger variant of the CH-46A, the Boeing Vertol Model 107-II, entered service for New York Airways. The CH-46A Sea Knight was delivered to the military Marine Corps in 1964 and began entered service a year later. Boeing Vertol would go on to deliver in excess of 600 Sea Knights which came as a surprise to some of the people involved in the early years of the CH-46 project, due to early issues associ-ated with foreign object damage (FOD) to the CH-46’s two GE T58 engines. When FOD was ingested into the engines while in a low hover during the loading or unloading of troops, it lead to compressor failures and the grounding of all CH-46 helicopters on July 21, 1966 until an ef-fective filtration system could be retrofitted. Boeing demonstrated their commitment to the Phrog program, through continuous upgrades to the airframe and four subsequent models ending with the CH46E including significant improvements, such as glass cockpit enhancement, that would see the airframe through to its retirement. The Phrog was an iconic symbol of the Vietnam conflict as the television age took hold of the American public. For the first time, footage of helicopters was beamed into households around the country on a daily basis.
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Farewell ‘Phrog’ —continued The Phrog served continuously in Vietnam, commencing in 1965, flying thousands of missions throughout the war carrying Marines into battle and was an indispensable asset during the fall of Saigon ten years later assisting with the evacuation of Vietnamese nationals from the conflict. On April 30th, 1975. A CH-46 was summoned to pick up the last Marines stationed at the U.S embassy in Saigon, the site of chaotic scenes documented in a historically iconic image depicting Vietnamese nationals crowding around a UH-1H that had landed on a tower of the embassy. A photograph was taken as the ship was besieged by Vietnamese citizens, desperate to escape to America onboard the airlifts taking place from the embassy in the final days of U.S involvement. A Vietnam era Marine pilot of the CH-46 1st. Lieutenant Alex Horster has fond memories of flying the CH-46 during his time
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flying with HMM-263 in country and HMM-165 aboard the USS Iwo Jima. When asked about some of his memories of the Phrog he responded, “having flown the CH-46, along with several other aircraft, both rotary and fixed wing during my military service, the Phrog stands out like an old girlfriend that you remember for the good times. It’s all fond memories when you think back to her.” Major Van Brinson flew the CH-46 from 1997 until his final mission on his last day in the Corps, September 24th, 2010. He also has fond memories of the Phrog, like most who have sat in the pilot’s seat. Major Brinson recalled, “What makes the 46 special is its amazing history. It has truly flown in every climate and place, and has come to be recognized as THE helicopter of the United States Marine Corps. The 46 has been around since Vietnam, and has participated in every theatre where Marines saw action. What also made the Phrog interesting, for me, was the close association that we maintained with the ground side
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of the Marine Corps. On many occasions we would fly to an LZ and brief directly with the ground guys before we launched out on a mission.” Marine veteran Corporal Steve Blazekovich has many fond memories of the Phrog. As a mechanic for HMX-1, the President’s Marine Corps helicopter squadron, he was an integral part of the dedicated team of Marines who kept the fleet of CH-46 Presidential support aircraft operating in top condition, serving for two different presidents. Corporal Blazekovich’s first ride in a helicopter any helicopter was in an HMX-1 CH-46. He recalls with adoration his first flight; A routine training mission in the tightly controlled airspace of Washington, DC during which the formation “Split the Ps”. “I remember flying at low level, looking out the open ramp at the rear of the helicopter to see that we were passing between the Pentagon and the Potomac River. It was an amazing experience. I loved everything about the Phrog.”
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The transition for Marine units from the CH-46 airframe to its replacement, the Bell/Boeing MV-22B Osprey, has been a gradual one, with the flight school graduation ceremony for 1st. Lieutenant Zerbin Singleton. Lieutenant Singleton was the last Marine aviator to be certified as a CH-46 pilot at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, CA as a member of HMM-164 −now VMM-164− on May 23, 2012. Marine Corps Air Wing units on the East coast were the first to begin the transition from the CH-46 to the Osprey. As the Sea Knights were phased out, the transition continued westward until the Phrog’s final operational mission aboard the USS America in October of 2014.
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The transition for Marine units from the CH-46 airframe to its replacement, the Bell/Boeing MV-22B Osprey, has been a gradual one, with the flight school graduation ceremony for 1st. Lieutenant Zerbin Singleton. Lieutenant Singleton was the last Marine aviator to be certified as a CH-46 pilot at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, CA as a member of HMM-164 now VMM164 on May 23, 2012. Marine Corps Air Wing units on the East coast were the first to begin the transition from the CH-46 to the Osprey. As the Sea Knights were phased out, the transition continued westward until the Phrog’s final operational mission aboard the USS America in October of 2014.
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Farewell ‘Phrog’ —continued The ceremonial end for the CH-46 came on August 1st, 2015 at a ceremony held at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center annex in Chantilly, Virginia. The CH-46E, flown by pilots from the last unit to fly the helicopter in active service− Reserve Squadron HMM-774 was joined in formation by the incoming replacement MV-22B Osprey The pair performed a final flyby in formation before landing and taxiing to rest in front of hundreds of military veterans that were both past and present aviators, their families and assembled media. All witnessing the final flight of a military helicopter that has transported hundreds of thousands of troops into battlefields around the world, rescued countless others, and provided everything from troop movements to humanitarian relief roles for global catastrophes such as the 2004 Asian Tsunami. While the Marine Corps may be winding down the operations of the CH-46 fleet, the heart of this military aviation legend still lives on in the civilian world, with the civilian model V107-II still being operated for logging, global support roles and the occasional movie cameo by Columbia Helicopters Columbia, based in Aurora, Oregon, operates a fleet that includes 14 V107-IIs, along side eight of the larger V234 models, the civilian version of the CH-47. The remaining CH-46E helicopters at Marine Air Stations around the country will be transferred to the AMARG Bone-yard in Tucson, AZ for storage, ready to return to battle should their service be called on once more.
United Sates Marine Corps CH-46s on a recent trip to New York City. Images captured by Rob Ruotolo
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A name synonymous with aviation photography and instantly recognized by other professionals in the industry is Jay Beckman. A resident of Chandler, AZ, where Beckman lives with wife Kristy and operates his successful aviation photography business Crosswind Images. Beckman says although his passion rests with our fixed wing brethren, he still shoots helicopters every chance he gets and loves nothing more than the satisfaction of capturing a great helicopter image. Regarding capturing helicopter imagery as far more challenging than fixed wing photography, due to the dynamic flying required. He is the consummate ‘quiet achiever’ and prefers to let the images he captures tell the story of the aircraft he shoots in pictures and not words. Beckman has not always been an aviation photographer, which is obvious to some in the way he speaks softly and deliberately about the technical aspects of photography. His his vast technical knowledge hinting at an experience level possessed by few. If you have watched a slomo replay or edited sporting event coverage over the last 30 years, there is a pretty good chance you have watched his work, albeit unknowingly. His work with television networks Fox Sports, CBS, NBC and ESPN just to name a few, have earned him 8 Emmy awards for his groundbreaking work in broadcast television sports. His aviation addiction however, progressed from hobby, to second job and became his full time job in 2011 when Beckman finally realized that aviation was where his heart was, committing full time to running his aviation photography business, Crosswind Images that has been successful ever since. Like many successful photographers in the aviation world, Beckman is also a pilot, possessing a private pilot rating in fixed wing aircraft that he says definitely assists in having aviation knowledge that helps him better judge certain photos and weather situations during air to air photo
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flights. He is a life long Canon photographer, having used their equipment since the days of film, valuing what Canon products offer him as a photographer. Beckman’s work has been featured worldwide in books, magazines and calendars and has placed in Aviation Week & Space Technology photo contests over the years, earning him the coveted position with one of his images featured on the cover of the 2012 contest issue.
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With recognition, also comes more work, allowing Beckman to work with many companies, aviators and classic aircraft that many can only dream of taking photographs of, let alone being part of a formation flight to capture images that are featured on walls of offices, FBO’s and homes around the world. 2015 also saw him hired by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to capture images at this year’s EAA Air Venture show in OshKosh, Wisconsin Attributing his success to others often, Beckman said “I attribute a lot
of my early aerial photography successes to the friendships made by being a member of both the International Society for Aviation Photography (ISAP) and the Arizona Aviation Photographers (AZAP). These groups were key in opening doors and gaining access to both military and civilian flight operations that without the guidance and leadership I was offered early in my aviation shooting career, I might still be standing in the high rise parking lot of Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix hoping for that one shot to come that may never present itself. Jay likes to refer to a favorite quote when talking about aviation photography and the skill involved in capturing an iconic image. That quote is “Aviation is mankind’s greatest blend of science and art”. Which in Beckman’s case, having come from the highly technical world of broadcasting, couldn’t agree more when you factor in the amazing advances made in aviation, as well as photographic equipment that is now available, that makes the blend of science and art in both worlds a perfect match. If you would like to view more of Jay’s work, you can check out his website at www.crosswindimages.com
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Images supplied by Jay Beckman
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For those of you who have read the magazine for the last year or so, you may recognize me as a previous writer for heliweb magazine, or one of several other magazines in both aviation and law enforcement publications that I have been providing content for over the last few years. For those who are new to the magazine, welcome aboard! I look forward to continuing to build on the framework established by the previous owners. Nothing will change for our current advertisers in the magazine as we take over, but what I am looking forward to is producing dynamic and engaging content that keeps you flipping the pages of the magazine and has you excited in anticipation of the next issue. I know as a reader of many publications over the years, the anticipation of getting a new magazine in the mail and the excitement of flipping through the pages to see what great information was inside and what additional knowledge I could gain from the articles and editorials. From industry improvements and technology, to the latest developments from manufacturers on new helicopters, I was hooked! That is the way I want people to feel about heliweb.
based on his extensive experience for the maintenance crews that keep this industry going. Training in the helicopter industry has been a big passion of mine since day one, and I could think of no one better to speak about training topics than Ben Fouts, CFI and owner of Mauna Loa Helicopters in Hawaii, who runs a very successful operation with 3 bases in Hawaii for both tours and instruction, as well as a campus at Troy University, Alabama. Mauna Loa Helicopters operates 22 helicopters, between the Robinson R22, R44 & R66. Ben has passion for this industry much like myself and was my first round draft pick when looking at content providers that would benefit readers in the most diverse way - from the guy off the street thinking about getting into a helicopter to train for the first time, to the seasoned veteran that may just learn something from our new teams
One of the most exciting things I will get to do as the new publisher and editor of heliweb magazine, is being granted the opportunity to deliver news to the pilots, maintainers, flight instructors, businesses and general public about the industry that I am so passionate about. Some of the things you as a reader can look forward to in the next few months of publications, is an immediate increase in content. Starting right here in this issue, you will see several new columns added this month. Brian Parsons, a good friend, pilot and 30 year career helicopter maintenance expert will be joining our team to provide maintenance advice, tips and stories
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wealth of experience. In full disclosure, I am a complete tech nerd. I love nothing more than to fully understand all the latest technology,
helinews what it offers to the industry and what benefit it provides to pilots and operators, so you can look forward to future tech pieces and reviews of technology advances, from helmet technology to the latest GPS and autopilot solutions available to the market. I am also a huge proponent of flight simulator technology, as in a previous life, I designed, built and programmed several Flight Training Devices (FTD’s) from an idea on paper, to an FAA certified unit. I was also part of a team that has designed numerous software and hardware solutions for the market. So we will be instituting a flight simulator/flight training device column that will be written by some heavy hitters in the simulation world. Keeping you informed of all the latest developments in the world of flight training devices and how they can benefit you as an aviator or business. One of the final content additions we wanted to add, was to recognize the eye candy that we all love in publications. We will be doing that in two ways, adding a new #helipix section which will feature the best of content that is submitted to our social media channels or to our news@heilweb.com email by users. Another part of my overall vision, to provide you the reader with dynamic images and content that keep you coming back for more. The final piece of our new content is our photographer feature section, that will put a face to the name and let you hear from some of the guys behind the camera to learn what makes them tick and tell their story of their journey to where they are now. When I started with a camera in my hand many years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I was given constant advice, technical help, mentorship and encouragement from so many in the aviation photography world, this section will hopefully give me a chance to highlight some of the great talent out there and showcase their work, starting this month, with friend and fellow photographer
like to let us know about or want to tell us how we are doing. Please reach out to me, or anyone else here at heliweb anytime. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Jay Beckman, owner of Crosswind Images who’s images grace the walls of offices, FBO’s and homes around the world as well as countless publications.
Our team is very excited to start this journey, and we love feedback, so if you have any questions, have a story you would
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