VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019

n n e t h R . W i l s o n A w a r d s Finalist B e s t i n C a n a d i a n B u s i n e s s M e d i a IN CANADA: 500 Trillium Dr., Unit 23, Kitchener, ON N2R 1E5 IN THE UNITED STATES: 701 S. Main Street, Fall River, WI 53932 ARE YOU ON INSTAGRAM? We recommend you check out one of our favorite accounts, @mikeinthesky_, specializing in aviation photography. Read the Magazine Online verticalmag.com/issues Like us on Facebook facebook.com/verticalmag Follow us on Twitter Follow @verticalmag HAVE A GREAT PHOTO TO SHARE? WE WANT TO SEE IT! If you have a helicopter-themed photo you’d like to share, post it to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/verticalmag, or share it on Instagram using the hashtag #verticalmag. Our weekly winners have their photos featured on our home page and in Vertical Daily News, our daily email newsletter. Subscribe to Vertical Daily News verticalmag.com/subscribe Shop Vertical Merch shopcanada.mhmpub.com shopinternational.mhmpub.com Watch videos on Vimeo vimeo.com/mhmmedia Follow us on Instagram Follow @verticalmag Follow us on LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/vertical-magazine 12 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 As we move about the countryside, or indeed, from country to country plying our trade, we invariably come across items that have been lost, discarded or are awaiting repurposing. I’m not sure about those of you transiting urban airways, but those of us in more austere environments always come across various articles of flotsam that speak to our genetic predisposition to collect. Once we convince ourselves that it is no longer anyone’s property, we then say to ourselves: “What can I use that for?” I can recall lunchroom stories of aban- doned military sites in the Arctic with all manner of trucks, tractors and heavy equip- ment just left to the elements and there for the taking. Oh, if only we had big enough helicopters in those days! The story I have to recount here involved much lighter fare, but with a weighty safety lesson nonetheless. If you work in a maritime environment, you will at some point be parked on a beach somewhere with time to spare. Many years ago, it came to pass that after finishing his job and having dropped off his client, a colleague of mine was left to his own de- vices on an expansive and beautiful beach in southern Labrador. The weather was pleasant and there was lots of daylight left. No need to kick the tires and light the fires with any undue haste. While walking along the beach, he came upon an abandoned net buoy. Obviously it had broken loose from its mooring and Mother Nature had conveniently deposited the buoy in front of our pilot. Now, these net buoys are not your two-liter pop bottle type. They are about three feet in diame- ter and blaze orange in color, with a black reinforced rope loop at the bottom. They are inflated, made of industrial rubber and are certified to survive a nuclear attack. It was quite a find, and our resourceful pilot immediately thought (you guessed it): “What can I use this for?” It just so happened that our beachcomber pilot had a boat at home, and this net buoy would make the best mooring float ever! So he immediately liberated the buoy from its worthless presence on the beach and laid it inside the cabin on the rear floor of the helicopter. This buoy was destined for greatness. Having started the helicopter, the pilot departed the beach en route to his base on the island of Newfoundland. If you’re familiar with the geography of the area, you know that there is a rather large damp area between Labrador and Newfoundland called the Strait of Belle Isle. It is damn cold no matter what time of the year it is, and for a single-engine helicopter without floats it requires about 7,000 feet of altitude to com- fortably cross it. Being a fine day, getting to 7,000 feet would not be an issue. It just takes a little time. Our pilot continued his spiral climb and considered his current state. Good weather, serviceable aircraft, lots of fuel and the ma- rine equipment acquisition of the century! He was very proud, and rightfully so, of his gathering skills. Enough dithering. Let us stay focused on the matter at hand, which was crossing the strait. As our pilot approached 7,000 feet and began his turn south, he could feel something rubbing against the back of his head. It was but a minor distraction, maybe a Labrador mosquito hitching a ride south, but it was persistent and did not have that buzzing bloodsucking sound that accom- panies all Labrador insects. He turned around to the sight of a huge orange ball still expanding and quickly over- whelming the back seat. Imagine our pilot’s surprise. A dying star turning super nova would not have created the same visual effect. Air pressure is a wonderful thing and very helpful in the appropriate amounts. Released from its constraints of 29.92 atmospheric pressure, our buoy decided to try on the back of the helicopter for size and quickly started to encroach on the front seat as well! Our pilot thought it might be time to begin a slight descent to try to rein in our buoy’s uncontrolled expansion. While exploding balloons are very popular at parties, they tend to be frowned upon in aircraft. Particularly small aircraft. The pilot’s surprise would likely have turned to horror had the orange beast blown up. But as with most aviation anecdotes, this one has a happy ending. You will be delight- ed to hear that all parties — the pilot, the buoy and the helicopter — all made it back to base safely, and the buoy no doubt went on to perform heroically for the balance of its career marking the boat mooring. But now, whenever I see anyone on an air- plane with an unopened bag of chips… If you’re familiar with the geography of the area, you know that there is a rather large damp area between Labrador and Newfoundland called the Strait of Belle Isle. It is damn cold no matter what time of the year it is, and for a single-engine helicopter without floats it requires about 7,000 feet of altitude to comfortably cross it. FOCUS ON SAFETY // GEOFF GOODYEAR COLUMN BUOYS WILL BE BUOYS info@tech-tool.com | 1.800.433.2210 | www.tech-tool.com • Hand-crafted windows with high clarity & superior optics. • Engineered & field tested for ease of installation. • Fast and friendly customer service. Reduce your AOG, as we stock inventory of all 407 Windows.* SHIP TODAY! * Only clear & light grey windows are in stock. For all other colors, expect a 5-7 day turn-around time. 42YE ARS OF DE DI CATE D W IND OW- ONLY M A N U FACT U RING ! 4 0 7NE E D S F OR A L L YO U R i i i i i i Click these icons to see the range of products we offer i Join the movement today at spidertracks.com/vertical Safety driven, customer led innovation. Spidertracks is excited to announce a brand new feature suite — making the aviation community a safer place to live and operate. Virtual FDR™ high-resolution tracking Improved interface and navigation Live global weather overlays Feature-rich mobile apps Airplane pilots often become incensed when they first hear that helicopters might be more difficult to learn to control and fly. Con- trolling a helicopter safely to the full extent of its capabilities, especially at slow speeds, requires skill and a thorough understanding and appreciation of helicopter dynamics. The basic visual flight rules (VFR) helicopter is very unstable and control forces cannot be trimmed out as with airplanes. Helicopter pilots must have their hands on the controls at all times. Airplanes, boats and automobiles are propelled forward by a thrusting force in line with the length of the vehicle. The basic he- licopter, however, has a main rotor mounted above the airframe that thrusts upward, and another rotor at the rear that thrusts side- ways. The airframe moves ahead through the air when the pilot tilts the main rotor forward with the cyclic and increases main rotor blade pitch with the collective. Lateral cyclic movement controls direction. The main rotor rotation tends to turn the airframe in a horizontal plane in the direction opposite to the rotor spin (Newton’s Third Law). To counter this twisting motion and keep the helicopter flying straight ahead, the pilot moves two foot pedals that apply a variable anti-torque force from the sideways thrusting tail rotor at the back of the airframe. The amount of tail rotor thrust needed to keep the airframe in trim depends on airspeed and the main rotor collective pitch angle. At speed, helicopter stability is aided by airflow along the sides of the airframe (keel effect). As the helicopter slows, the keel effect lessens and the torque effect increases. This requires more tail rotor anti-torque thrust. At a slow speed, just before hovering, the helicopter loses all forward translational lift and will pitch nose up, descending rapidly, unless the pilot adds enough power and forward cyclic to maintain the approach. Using airplane parlance, the helicopter will stall just before landing — but because it has vertical lifting capability and subtle forward speed control, the stall situa- tion is overcome. In slow flight, the combined airframe torque and tail rotor thrust moves the airframe sideways in the thrust direction. The pilot prevents this with lateral cyclic, causing the airframe to roll along the longitudinal axis. With the landing gear now uneven with the ground, touching down on flat ground is handled as if it were a slope. Suffice it to say, learning how to fly a helicopter can be frustrating. Imagine watching a video of a helicopter hovering at altitude facing the camera at close range. You see the helicopter almost stationary in front of you moving ever so slightly up and down, left and right, and twisting gently about the vertical axis. One skid of the landing gear is hanging lower than the other. This hovering out of ground effect (OGE) maneuver requires high power and substantial aerodynamic thrust from both the main and tail rotors. Intense concentration at the controls is needed to remain as stable as possible. All the while, the spiraling black hole known ominously as the vortex ring lurks below the helicopter, waiting to take control away if the pilot allows the weight of the helicopter to descend too quickly, and then pulls collective to stop the descent. Similarly, if the pilot applies excessive tail rotor thrust, the tail rotor can suddenly lose effectiveness and the airframe will start spin- ning out of control. In an OGE hover, the pilot works hard to keep the helicopter stable and tries to minimize power and tail rotor thrust to stay well away from the vortex ring and loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Many dual rated pilots fly helicopters the way they fly airplanes, keeping their speed up to remain safe. Because a helicopter is capable of slow flight, the airplane pilot will be tempted at some point to slow down. If you don’t have an understanding of the intricacies and hazards associated with slow flight, this is where things can go very wrong. Sudden uncontrolled descent in the helicop- ter’s rotor downwash is the cause of many accidents, and if the pilot survives, he or she often has no idea what has happened. Some pilots have a natural feel for slow helicopter flight, and learn from training how to avoid vortex ring descent and loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Others have great difficulty understanding these phenomena and are in potential danger each time they slow down. So, let’s review. The helicopter airframe with a tail rotor attached at the back is suspended below a spinning main rotor system, which drags the airframe and its contents through the air. The airframe wants to twist about its vertical axis, but sideways thrust from the tail rotor prevents this. As the helicopter moves forward, the nose will pitch upward as the aircraft translates into forward flight, unless the pilot moves the cyclic for- ward to prevent this. When main rotor pitch angle is increased or decreased to alter lift and supplement speed, airframe torque is similarly increased or decreased, requiring more or less tail rotor pitch to counter it. With more airspeed, airframe keel effect increases and the sideways drifting tendency decreas- es, requiring less lateral cyclic input. People looking up to see a helicopter in slow flight are fascinated by how graceful these aircraft appear, and many get the urge to learn how to fly as a result. In truth, these complex machines are difficult to manage and control in flight, and much more of a challenge than they might appear to be. 14 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 People looking up to see a helicopter in slow flight are fascinated by how graceful these aircraft appear, and many get the urge to learn how to fly as a result. FOCUS ON TRAINING // ANDY ROE COLUMN HELICOPTER DYNAMIC CONTROL FlightSafety is Here For YOU Your Success Your Satisfaction Your Proficiency Relax. Our instructors work to ensure YOU have an exceptional training experience with a positive outcome. Be the very best. We are committed to helping YOU achieve and maintain the highest level of skills and safety. Count on us. We all have the same goal: providing YOU with the highest-quality training and outstanding service. flightsafety.com • 314.785.7815 • A Berkshire Hathaway company 16 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 By the time you read this column, Aeronav, the company I own and operate, will be cel- ebrating 15 years in business. I have much to be grateful for, not least the people I’ve worked with and for. Whether it was helping with leasehold improvements or equipment purchasing and set up, it took the proverbial village to raise this company to where it stands today. I often reflect on the past, the takeaways, the people; but it’s always the lessons learned that stand out the most. One of my favorite tech school instructors gave me a simple handshake during our grad ceremony, followed by some unfiltered words: “Congratulations,” he said. “You now know enough to be dangerous.” Hardly words of inspiration, but there was a funda- mental truth in them. In tech school and in our day-to-day jobs as aircraft maintenance technicians/ mechanics, we often don coveralls, which afford us the ability to keep our everyday clothes clean, as well as promote a compa- ny brand and image. Often these garments have large pockets, which serve at times as convenient tool-carrying compartments. As a student and then an apprentice, I was of- ten warned to never carry tools of any sort in my pockets. The reasons were varied, but the most obvious was the potential to do damage to an aircraft or a component of an aircraft while walking past, working on, or sitting in one. In my company’s first year in business, life was scattered at best. I was hungry, motivated and eager to win over clients and new work. We managed to secure a repeat client who operated a fleet of Airbus AS350 helicopters. On one occasion, we had been onsite for several weeks carrying out vari- ous levels of avionics and electrical systems maintenance and repair. As I transitioned from one aircraft to the next with a screw- driver in my hand, I was approached by the client, who proceeded to hand me some work order related paperwork. I placed the screwdriver in my back pocket, handle down. As my eyes bounced from the pages to the aircraft I was approaching, I quickly placed the paperwork on the skid tube step and hopped into the pilot seat. As I sat down, I felt uncomfortable and took the ex- tra measure to readjust myself and ensure I was seated square in the seat as I scanned the cockpit and looked over the new instal- lations we had just completed. In no short order, I felt a pop from behind me. My body slipped backwards in the seat a distance of mere microns but it may as well have been measured in inches as I knew in that split second the damage had been done. I was semi-anchored to the seat; I could not move sideways, and had to pull myself forward in order to dislodge the screw- driver tip from within the seat’s lower back rest. The seat had just been reworked with new leather and was in pristine condition. I reached behind me to pull the screwdriver from my pocket and uttered some colorful words as I turned to survey the damage. I was mortified. The damage itself was mini- mal, but it was the idea that I had done the exact thing I was warned not to do years earlier that made me feel sick. I knew there was no excuse for what had happened, and immediately brought it to the attention of the client. They understood it had been a mistake — albeit a negligent one — and even saw the funny side (by that evening, a band-aid had been placed across the hole I had made). However well they took it, I was acutely embarrassed. I wanted to fully own what I had done, and insisted on having the seat covered with new material. It was by no means an inexpensive repair, but I cer- tainly learned my lesson. Tools have never graced my pockets since. There is certainly a truth behind the state- ment my instructor shared with me. We are armed with knowledge and skills and trained over time to become chameleons to the environments in which we work. We adapt, we learn, we help, we succeed and at times, yes, we fail. But failure produces a lesson, and hopefully helps guide the way to future success. As another saying goes: You don’t learn anything from doing every- thing right. FOCUS ON MAINTENANCE // JOHN CARINHA COLUMN TOOL CONTROL As a student and then an apprentice, I was often warned to never carry tools of any sort in my pockets. The reasons were varied, but the most obvious was the potential to do damage to an aircraft. 18 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 I was talking to a pilot the other day who had just completed his long line training, and I asked him what he was going to do with his new long line skills. I was curious because his current job was not necessarily one that you’d think would require a long line pilot. “Well, I would like to show my boss that there is a better, safer way to long line,” he said. “But I really cannot say anything to him about it because he is stuck in his ways and he thinks he knows better.” Unfortunately, his reply was something that I have heard many times over: “My boss is stuck in his ways.” So, what happens when a boss is stuck in his ways, especially in a time when it is hard to find good employ- ees? Usually, it goes something along these lines: They can’t retain frontline staff and the employee turnover increases, while experience and expertise decrease. Safety is jeopardized, leaving the potential for accidents. The competition then takes the business. Oftentimes it is the companies that have been in business and successful for many years (usually decades) that can become very stuck in their ways. A culture was created early on and ingrained for genera- tions of employees. The good news is that it doesn’t matter what the culture is, or how long it has been there, change can happen at any time. How, you ask? Those of you who have worked for companies or individuals that are very set in their ways may not believe it is possible. Let’s use the example of a company that is going through a period of higher than nor- mal employee turnover. It is a company that requires long days and long rotations. While the workload and schedule was fine in the past, the newer generation of pilots are not necessarily OK with it. Yes, the first instinct may be to tell them to go find another job somewhere else — but the company may not have much of a choice if they are short staffed. The company must acknowledge the shift in culture. As the older pilots retire, the company’s frontline employees — upon whom it builds its success and reputation — aren’t as experienced and don’t have the same “old school” culture. The frontline staff do not want to work the way the com- pany has traditionally expected its senior management to work. The commitment and dedication to working long days for extended weeks at a time is shifting. That can mean higher turnover, less experience — and potentially safety issues. With the combination of increased competition and the decrease in experience, the company is left in a vulnerable position. It cannot rely on its past success to take it into the future, and must make a change. What does the company do? There a many different ways to create change, but one method is to use the ADKAR model created by change man- agement specialists Procsi. This company defines change management as: “The process, tools and techniques to manage the people side of change to achieve a re- quired business outcome,” with the goal of “improving an organization by altering how work is done.” Its ADKAR model highlights five outcomes that people need to achieve for lasting change: awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. First, they need awareness of the need for change. Leaders need to ask what is (and isn’t) working. The answers must then be communicated, along with why it is import- ant to make changes. Second, there needs to be a desire to support the change. Again, the leader must explain the benefits of making changes, and address any fears that employees may have in regard to the changes. Then, the knowledge of how to make the change must be in place. This means setting up any new skills training required to make the change successful. This could include new technology in the office, for example. It also means getting people working and thinking in teams and setting reasonable targets. Next, is ability. Train the basics and start small, so that there can be little wins along the way to the big win (new change). Make adjustments as needed along the way. Often you will find that when you make a change to one thing, you need to make changes to something else, too. Lastly and most importantly for making lasting change, ensure there is reinforce- ment. Human nature tends to propel us back to what we know and what is com- fortable, even if it is dysfunctional. Most of us don’t like change, so provide ongoing coaching for those that need extra support. At the other end of the spectrum, identify those that advocate or back the change and make sure to have them help spread the message. Having good role models within the organization can be key. The important thing to keep in mind throughout the process is that change takes time, it is definitely not easy, and you may have to make adjustments along the way. But remember, change can be a good thing — especially if it’s for safety’s sake! It doesn’t matter what the culture is, or how long it has been there, change can happen at any time. FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP // KIM HUTCHINGS COLUMN CREATING CHANGE FOR SAFETY’S SAKE 20 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 I started writing about the difficulties of gaining experience these days and was discussing it with colleagues. We all felt the requirements are just too stringent and are causing the pilot shortage. We started flying for pay with just a couple hundred hours, so it is hard for us to relate to pilots today, who may need 1,000 or more to do the same. As I pondered this, I reflected on something that happened to me early in my career that supported the need for experience. The ink was still wet on my licence. I was flying a turbocharged piston that was a good performer (when it wasn’t overloaded). I dropped some native trappers at a fishing camp and was told there was a backhaul. This all happened during “freeze-up,” when much of Canada relies on helicopters for transportation. My passengers showed up with their stuff, and I stood there using four-letter words as I surveyed the pile of guns, beavers, ducks, geese, moose meat and fish that I was somehow supposed to take off with. Muttering under my breath, I started loading the machine. Luckily (?), I had utility baskets on the sides of the aircraft that handled the bulky stuff, but as I loaded up, it didn’t seem like the pile was diminishing. It became apparent that every time I turned my head to load the aircraft, someone threw more birds on the pile! The calm they exhibited at my vituperative onslaught when I caught them told me they’d played this game before. I was finally loaded up and ready to go. In a move that preceded airbags in cars by several years, I had packed ducks and geese around the front seat occupants to protect them in the event of a hard landing. With all secure, I went to full throttle. This apparently was a signal for everyone in the camp to gather in front of the helicopter, grinning. Brimming with confidence, I calculated how many “extra” RPMs I might need to clear the trees in front of me. At this point, I had such a death-grip on the stick it seemed it might melt. Inhaling deeply, I pulled pitch, rotated and “went for it.” As I climbed, I saw adults and children spinning and smiling under me, like Julie An- drews in the Sound of Music. I recall thinking it would be a soft landing if the engine quit. As the trees approached, I started to worry a bit, as it appeared that the tips of the blades were barely going to clear — con- firmed seconds later as the fuselage passed through two tallish trees like kicking a field goal. Suddenly, the low-rotor horn sounded. “Right on schedule,” I thought, as I lowered the collective slightly to recover RPM. As I milked the collective, at tree-top level, with all those people still running beneath me, I felt a bit like Wile E. Coyote, cranking that handcar as he chased the roadrunner. Finally, the trees gave way to lake and I could dive, get some airspeed and silence the horn as the RPM came back into the green. I leaned back and smiled with pleasure at another successful takeoff. Thankfully, the remainder of the flight was uneventful. After landing to disgorge my passengers, I walked around the front of the aircraft. There I discovered (by tripping on it) a steel wire, roughly the size and consistency of very thick guitar string, hanging off the pitot tube. It was wrapped tightly around the tube, trailed over the toe of the left skid, and thence down the left side of the aircraft for about 40 feet. Since this put the wire well past the tail rotor, which was on the same side, I felt momentary pride that I always flew in trim. At this point my finely honed “pilot instincts” took over. I ignored the wire while there were people around, then looked about furtively and disposed of the evidence. Then I began to plot the cover-up. If you’re wondering where the wire came from… so was I. After some surreptitious investigation — and upon being informed by local police that there was no radio communication with the camp — I brilliantly deduced that I now owned an HF antenna. My luck being all bad, I had to go back to the camp (it would have been ok with me to fade from the memory of those people). As I landed, I was rehearsing the explanation and apology in my mind to make sure it all came out right. As everyone gathered around, I did my best to put on a brave face (and decided to play dumb). The local chief walked up to me. “You make a lot of work for me!” he said. “What do you mean?” I replied. “You see those two trees?” “Yes, I flew between them when I left here the other day.” “We know,” he said. “Our trapline radio antenna was between those two trees.” “Oh? Did I hit it?” I asked. He looked me straight in the eye. “Uhh... You hit it alright, and the radio was yanked from the tent and went bouncing through the camp, and we all tried to catch it but it got away. And then Hector…” he pointed his thumb at a young man with bandages all over his face and an arm in a sling, “… tackled it, and you dragged him through the camp and then over all the logs and stumps between here and the lake. It’s a good thing he got wedged under a fallen tree or you would have taken him waterskiing!” In retrospect, that take-off was even more of an accomplishment than I’d thought! After some surreptitious investigation — and upon being informed by local police that there was no radio communication with the camp — I brilliantly deduced that I now owned an HF antenna. FOCUS ON OPERATIONS // COREY TAYLOR COLUMN EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER PARTNER WITH ERA. Partner with Excellence. Leasing Solutions for any mission, anywhere in the world: • Oil & Gas • Search & Rescue • Emergency Medical Services • Utility • Firefighting • VIP/Corporate Full Service Operating Support. Premium Partnerships. Era offers a full spectrum of customizable leasing solutions ranging from a dry-lease to complete operational support including any combination of training, maintenance and flight crews. +1 713.369.4700 www.erahelicopters.com 22 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 FieldOpsPhotos WE HIGHLIGHT PHOTOS SUBMITTED THROUGH VERTICALMAG.COM, FACEBOOK.COM/VERTICALMAG & INSTAGRAM @VERTICALMAG Firefighting crews practice fast roping with a Mil Mi-8 MTV-1 helicopter. DARKO MARETIĆ PHOTO A Benefis Mercy Flight Airbus EC135 illuminates the night during landing zone training. ZACH STRICKLIN PHOTO 23 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 A Boeing AH-64 Apache sits with star trails in the background during “Operation Devil Storm” with Taskforce Wolfpack at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. JEFFREY RAMOS PHOTO An Aerospatiale Alouette III, NHIndustries NH90, and Westland Sea King are captured after takeoff in formation. MICHAEL MOORS PHOTO An Aerospatiale Alouette III, NHIndustries NH90, and Westland Sea King are captured after takeoff in formation. MICHAEL MOORS PHOTO 24 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 FieldOpsPhotos Pilot Megan Fink flies a Bell 407 during hover exit training with Parks Canada wildfire crews in Banff National Park, Alberta. PETER BEETS PHOTO 24 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 An Aerospatiale Alouette III, NHIndustries NH90, and Westland Sea King are captured after takeoff in formation. MICHAEL MOORS PHOTO 25 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 WANT DAILY UPDATES? VERTICALMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE Get your FREE Vertical Daily News subscription to get the most up-to-date industry news and press releases, every weekday, delivered straight to your inbox or smartphone. 02 07 04 09 05 10 06 03 08 WHAT IS IT LIKE TO FLY A HELICOPTER WITH A TABLET? We test Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomous technology in its SARA S-76 demonstrator. NTSB RELEASES MORE DETAILS ON S-97 RAIDER ACCIDENT The coaxial main rotor blades of the S-97 prototype intermeshed during flight testing in 2017. THE OFFSHORE HELICOPTER INDUSTRY: TREADING WATER Will 2019 provide a measure of stability for the offshore transport sector after another turbulent year? FLYING THE CH-53K HELICOPTER INTO A BROWNOUT A Sikorsky experimental test pilot talks about flight testing the CH-53K in degraded visual environments. SIKORSKY & BOEING REPORT PROGRESS WITH SB>1 DEFIANT The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant performed a successful second test flight on April 5. BRISTOW COMMENCES VOLUNTARY CHAPTER 11 PROCEEDINGS The company voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. OFFSHORE HELICOPTER INDUSTRY ‘IN DIRE NEED’ OF CONSOLIDATION Era’s president and CEO said the current industry structure in the offshore helicopter business is not sustainable. PRESIDENTIAL HELICOPTER UNDER BUDGET; STILL FACES CHALLENGES Estimated costs for the VH-92A are lower than expected, but the program has seen some delays. HOW CURTI PUT A PARACHUTE ON ITS ZEFHIR HELICOPTER The Zefhir helicopter team explains how they put a ballistic parachute on the aircraft. TOP10 Here’s a recap of our 10 most popular online stories since our last print edition was published. 01 CITYAIRBUS PERFORMS TETHERED FIRST TAKEOFF The demonstrator performed a tethered “jump” at Airbus’s Donauwörth, Germany, facilities. VIEW OUR TOP 10 NEWS STORIES ONLINE OR IN DAILY NEWS! The Bristow Group has become the latest company in the struggling offshore oil-and- gas transport sector to file for Chapter 11 protection from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, revealing debts of $1.88 billion in its May 11 filing. In a message to the company’s clients on Bristow’s website, Don Miller, its president and CEO, said the filing was “the best path forward” for Bristow and its stakeholders. “Bristow’s financial condition reflects the challenging market circumstances that also affect our competitors,” he said. “Chapter 11 will allow us to continue normal course operations while we reorganize our financial structure, which is a critical step towards best positioning our company financially and operationally for the long term.” The filings span Bristow’s U.S. entities and two of its Cayman Islands subsidiaries (Bristow Group Inc., BHNA Holdings Inc., Bristow Alaska Inc., Bristow Helicopters Inc., Bristow U.S. Leasing LLC, Bristow U.S. LLC, BriLog Leasing Ltd. and Bristow Equipment Leasing Ltd). Its other non-U.S. businesses are not included. Bristow said all of its businesses will con- tinue to operate “in the ordinary course” throughout the Chapter 11 process. “This process will allow us to strengthen our balance sheet, achieve a lower and more sustainable debt level and emerge as a stronger company,” said Miller. “For clients, it is business as usual at Bristow.” Prior to the filing, Bristow entered into a restructuring support agreement with its senior secure noteholders, and secured a $75 million loan from some of those, with a commitment for a further $75 million in financing. Bristow said this will allow it to fund its global operations “and make con- tinued investments in safety and reliability” during the Chapter 11 process. Bristow’s filing followed just two months after fellow offshore transport provider PHI began its own Chapter 11 process. The first major victim of the downturn was CHC Group, which filed for Chapter 11 bankrupt- cy protection in May 2016. It emerged from its reorganization 10 months later much leaner, having secured additional funding and shed 137 aircraft from its fleet — large- ly through the rejection of over 80 leased aircraft. It was in part because of this that Waypoint Leasing itself filed for Chapter 11 protection 26 Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International RotorBeat BY OLIVER JOHNSON Bristow files for Chapter 11 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM june/july 2019 VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 27 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 CITYAIRBUS DEMO PERFORMS BLADE EXPANDS TO ALL TETHERED FIRST TAKEOFF NYC-AREA AIRPORTS RotorBits In early May, Airbus announced the first takeoff of its electric urban air mobility demonstrator, CityAirbus. According to an Airbus spokesperson, the event saw the CityAirbus team achieve one of the key milestones in their demonstration program: a tethered “jump” that was con- ducted at Airbus’s facilities in Donauwörth, Germany. “This was meant to further assess the performance of the propulsion and flight control systems, as well as a few other data points,” the spokesperson said. The demonstration program was then sched- uled to move to Manching, Germany, where the flight envelope opening will be carried out in a restricted airspace. The 2.2-tonne aircraft is fully electric, operating at 800 volts with four batteries. It is designed to carry four passengers for operations in an urban environment. Just one month after launching continuous helicopter flights between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), Blade Urban Air Mobility, Inc. has expanded its service to include LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. “Since expanding our continuous flight service between Manhattan and JFK, we are seeing faster than expected adoption by people choosing to fly to the airport rather than driv- ing,” said Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade. Through its alliance with Bell, Blade’s airport service utilizes Bell 206L-4 helicopters. Certain municipalities in the New York area have designated these helicopters under the “not noisy” aircraft classification. All flights strictly follow New York City noise abatement routes, altitudes, and best practices. in November 2018. Waypoint was subse- quently purchased by another leasing com- pany, Macquarie, for $650 million. In Bristow’s court filings, the company says it, too, plans to return leased aircraft as part of its restructuring. “Bristow has undertaken — and continues to undertake — a comprehensive analysis of its overall fleet in an effort to right-size its fleet,” the papers state. “As an ongoing component of that plan and of the Chapter 11 process, Bristow has identified cost sav- ings to be achieved through a fleet reduc- tion by eliminating leased helicopters that are currently idle, carry above-market lease payments, or that can be replaced with other helicopters within Bristow’s fleet.” At the time of its filing, Bristow operated 264 aircraft in its consolidated fleet, 185 of which it owned. These included 110 large, 85 medium, and 21 small helicopters, and 48 fixed-wing aircraft. To date, Bristow has identified at least 10 leased aircraft — nine Sikorsky S-76C+ helicopters from HeliFleet and an S-76D from Macquarie — that it would like to reject. More, and larger, aircraft will almost certainly follow, with Bristow still holding an idle fleet of Airbus H225s. Among the larger creditors named in the Chapter 11 filing is another leasing compa- ny — Milestone Aviation Group — which is owed $20 million. The filing has followed a tumultuous few months at the offshore giant, which has faced increasingly loud calls from an activist investor for changes at the company follow- ing its bid to acquire Columbia Helicopters in November 2018. Bristow’s $560 million bid for Columbia was initially accepted, with a targeted comple- tion date of Dec. 31. However, Bristow’s stock price plunged after the announce- ment, from over $10 per share to $2.09 per share on Dec. 26. On Jan. 8, Global Value Investment Corp. (GVIC) delivered an open letter to Bristow board of directors chairman Thomas Knudson objecting to the proposed financ- ing of the acquisition, which it said would be “both expensive and highly dilutive to existing shareholders.” GVIC added that it was “prepared to take all actions it deems necessary to ensure shareholders’ interests are fully considered and protected.” Ultimately, Bristow and Columbia mutually agreed to terminate the acquisition, at a cost to Bristow of $20 million. However, GVIC has continued to open- ly criticize the Bristow board, publishing an open letter to Bristow’s shareholders on April 24 to nominate a new board of directors. “Bristow’s board has commit- ted repeated unforced errors and failed to adequately react to evolving industry condi- tions,” it stated in the letter. As late as May 7, GVIC published a “An Investor’s Case for Change” that called a Chapter 11 reorganization “avoidable and ill-advised,” and requested alternative paths forward for Bristow. Bristow has not publicly responded to GVIC’s comments. Airbus Photo At the time of Bristow’s Chapter 11 filing, it had 265 aircraft in its consolidated fleet. Bristow Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 28 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International The president and CEO of offshore transport giant Era has said the current industry structure in the offshore helicopter business is not sus- tainable and is “in dire need” of consolidation. The remarks from Chris Bradshaw were made in a letter to shareholders within the company’s annual report, released April 24, in which he added that Era is “well-positioned” to take part in consolidation opportunities. His comments followed the Chapter 11 bank- ruptcy filings of fellow offshore specialists CHC and PHI, and leasing company Waypoint — and were made shortly before Bristow began a Chapter 11 process. “Those who follow the offshore helicopter business understand that the current indus- try structure is not sustainable, with multiple helicopter operators and leasing companies having already filed for bankruptcy protection and others expected to follow suit shortly,” said Bradshaw. He said a simple restructuring of debt is unlike- ly to address “the fundamental issues at play” — and may in fact only lead to a repeating cycle of restructuring. “In our view, the offshore helicopter industry is in dire need of consolidation, amongst both the operators and the lessors,” said Bradshaw. “Consolidation will not only address the excess capacity in the industry, but will also facilitate better absorption of the significant fixed costs required to run an air carrier.” He said a combination of any two of the three large deepwater helicopter operators in the Gulf of Mexico (PHI, Bristow and Era), would likely result in cost savings that would create significant value for their stakeholders. “We have positioned Era such that the com- pany is secure in a stand-alone scenario, despite the challenging industry conditions, and also well-positioned to participate in value-accretive consolidation opportunities, should they become actionable,” he said. Era’s financial results revealed a profit of $13.5 million in 2018, compared to a loss of $28.6 million the previous year. However, the 2018 figures included $42 million from Airbus Helicopters as part of a settlement of a lawsuit related to Era’s purchase of 11 H225 Super Pumas. “We have experienced many rainy days over the last four-and-a-half years, but our busi- ness and balance sheet remain strong,” said Bradshaw. However, he noted that Chevron’s recent agreement to acquire Anadarko Petroleum Corp., a company that accounted for about 30 percent of Era’s revenues in 2018, is a cause of uncertainty. “We believe the implications for the combined company’s helicopter transport needs will not be known until later in the integration pro- cess,” said Bradshaw. “At this time, it is too early for us to speculate on whether a trans- action will have a positive, negative or neutral impact on our business.” ERA CEO: OFFSHORE SECTOR ‘IN DIRE NEED’ OF CONSOLIDATION BY OLIVER JOHNSON ROBINSON INTRODUCES NEW MEEKER-AIRFILM RECEIVE FLIGHT TRAINING GUIDE EC130 SINGLE POLE MOUNT STC RotorBits An updated flight training guide is now available from Robinson Helicopter Company. The guide addresses many levels of training, from the student pilot trying to find the “hover button,” to the rated helicopter pilot transitioning into a Robinson, to the all-important flight review. The guide provides students and instructors a lesson-by-lesson syllabus, which includes a written test, for each level of instruction. Robinson’s chief instructor, Tim Tucker, said: “This is the most complete and innovative training document I have seen, because it ad- dresses all levels of pilot activity not just from a regulatory standpoint, but also from Robinson’s perspective as to the safest way to train and fly its helicopters.” The syllabi include private pilot ground and flight; R22/R44 pilot qualification; R66 pilot qualification; flight review guide; R22/R44/R66 maneuver guides; and endorsement templates for all SFAR 73 and flight review instructor endorsements. The Robinson Flight Training Guide may be downloaded from the publications section on the Robinson website or purchased with a protective binder and tabs from the company’s online store. Meeker Aviation and Airfilm Camera Systems (Meeker-Airfilm) have received a Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certificate for their EC130 B4/T2 single pole mount (AFM- 130). The AFM-130 Nose Mount is rated for payloads up to 135 pounds (60 kilograms) and can accept all the most popular cameras, sensors, searchlights, and lidar equipment. The companies said European Aviation Safety Agency certification of the mount will be ob- tained in mid-2019. Robinson Image A Sikorsky S-92 and Leonardo AW189 operated by Era Helicopters in flight over the Gulf of Mexico. Dan Megna Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 29 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM TRANSFORM YOUR REALITY A REVOLUTIONARY AND INNOVATIVE COMPANY, BACKED BY THE BEST IN AVIATION. TRU Simulation + Training is part of the Textron family of brands, in company with Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft and Lycoming. Leveraging its connection to aviation leaders, TRU brings you turnkey devices, courseware, training and ongoing support. Discover the TRU advantage through cutting-edge training powered by decades of experience. TRUsimulation.com A TOTAL TRAINING SOLUTION TO MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS. © 2019 TRU Simulation + Training Inc. All Rights Reserved. VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 30 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International Last year at AERO Friedrichshafen in Germany, the Aerospace division of Curti Costruzioni Meccaniche unveiled the two- seat, turbine-powered helicopter it calls the Zefhir. In April, the Italian company was back at AERO 2019 with a major mile- stone under its belt — the successful test of a ballistic parachute designed to bring the Zefhir and its occupants safely to the ground in the event of an emergency, a world first. While ballistic parachutes have been cer- tified on some fixed-wing aircraft, such as Cirrus light airplanes, installing them on helicopters is a trickier proposition due to the overhead presence of main rotor blades. Consequently, helicopters to date have relied exclusively on the ability to autorotate in the event of a power failure, using the upward flow of air through the rotor blades to maintain controllability as the aircraft “glides” to the ground. According to Curti head of strategy Mirco Cantelli, the Zefhir’s parachute system is not intended to replace this autorotative capability, but instead provide pilots with a second option if they are unable to suc- cessfully enter or maintain autorotation. “We know of course the primary emergency maneuver for helicopters is, and still remains, autorotation,” said Cantelli, speaking with Vertical in advance of AERO 2019. “If all of the conditions are OK and you can perform it, it is for sure the best option you have to save your life and probably save the helicopter, too. “But there is no alternative plan in case you cannot perform an autorotation . . . Either you perform an autorotation, or you fall as a stone,” he continued. “We don’t want to replace autorotation as the main emergen- cy maneuver in case of problems, but just offer another extra possibility that now is not present on the market.” Curti demonstrated the Zefhir’s ballistic parachute system in a remotely piloted test on June 22 last year, deploying the parachute from an altitude of 985 feet (300 meters) and a forward airspeed of 30 knots. According to Chiara Albertazzi, Zefhir project manager, the parachute was completely open after six seconds and succeeded in reducing the descent rate of the aircraft from 75 feet per second (23 meters per second) to just 25 f/s (7.5 m/s). Although wind caused the aircraft to roll over upon touching the ground, Albertazzi pointed out that “the canopy is designed to ensure the safety of the crew, not of the helicopter.” Curti claims that the acceleration peaks recorded during the test fall within the parameters of crash tests in both the aeronautical and automotive sectors, sug- gesting that “the system is likely to achieve its goal of saving lives.” While the parachute deployment test went mostly as expected, it was more than a year in the making. The first challenge was coming up with a feasible design for the system, which Curti developed in coop- eration with engine manufacturer PBS Velká Bíteš and Junkers Profly, a European market leader in the construction of rescue systems with ballistic parachutes. According to Albertazzi, the design team first established the size of the parachute and ballistic rocket required for the 1,540- pound (700-kilogram) helicopter. Then came the problem of where to position it. The team considered the possibility of ejecting the parachute laterally and using a sliding ring for final positioning. However, because such a ring would be exposed to the elements, the team worried that it could fail when the time came to use it, “so we decided to avoid this and position the para- chute on top of the main rotor,” she said. With the positioning determined, the team designed a non-rotating containment box that attaches to the airframe through a fixed shaft inside the rotor mast. To validate the stability of the design, the box was mounted to a vehicle and driven at high speeds, with no undesirable aerodynamic effects. “After that we performed several tests for the check of the correct opening of the box with the rocket, and the correct extraction of the bag — both statically [and] dynam- ically,” Albertazzi said. She noted that it is critical for the system to eject the cover in a way that avoids sharp edges, which could potentially damage the parachute. But all of this was the easy part, she said. “A big part of the effort for the testing came from the fact that we chose not to perform it with a pilot inside, so we had to somehow create an unmanned version of our helicopter. That was quite a task!” Curti worked with the aerospace faculty at the University of Bologna to develop a remote controlled version of the Zefhir specifically for the parachute test. The test was performed at the Oristano- Fenosu Airport on Sardinia island, Italy. “It’s an area with very little population, so it’s perfect for this kind of test,” Albertazzi said. “First we tested the stabilization BY ELAN HEAD Curti discusses helicopter parachute tests In addition to its parachute, the Zefhir boasts a turbine engine and crashworthy design features. Curti Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 31 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM GTX™ 345 ADS-B “OUT” AND “IN” TRANSPONDER FOR HELICOPTERS © 2018 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. REPLACEMENT TRANSPONDER ADS-B “IN” TRAFFIC AND WEATHER PATENTED TARGETTREND™ INTUITIVE TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY DISPLAYS ON COMPATIBLE AVIONICS AND APPS HERE’S ONE INVESTMENT IN ADS-B THAT ALSO PAYS DIVIDENDS. To learn more, see your Garmin dealer or visit Garmin.com/ADS-B system — so we performed several tests of takeoff and landing — and then when we felt ready we performed the final test with the parachute.” Although the test was performed from 300 meters, based on the results, Curti believes the parachute could be success- fully deployed at any altitude over 500 feet (150 meters), or possibly even lower if the aircraft carries some forward speed. The design team made the decision to stop the rotation of the main rotor blades as part of the parachute deployment sequence. This was for two reasons: first, to avoid air- flow disruptions that could slow the open- ing of the parachute, and also to reduce the risk of injury at touchdown. “What we have observed in helicopter crashes is that often most of the casualties are created by the rotor blades that are out of control,” Cantelli explained. “So we think that if you cannot perform autorotation for any reasons, it is better to touch the ground without any rotating blade.” In the remotely piloted test, this stoppage was accomplished through a deliberate series of steps. The engine was cut off, the collective was raised to decrease main rotor RPM, and then the rotor brake was applied before the parachute was ejected. However, Curti plans to make this sequence automatic in the version of the system that is made available to custom- ers. “We will have a very simple lever that will activate everything, but with no sensor activation, so it will always be at the choos- ing of the pilot,” Albertazzi said. Curti is also working to reduce the weight of the system, which is currently 45 lb. (20 kg). The prototype containment system is made out of aluminum, but the final version will be made out of composite material, similar to the rest of the airframe. Although the company has yet to complete flight testing with the system installed, prelim- inary results indicate that it won’t greatly affect the aircraft’s handling characteristics, Albertazzi said. “We just have to complete the flight envelope with this box on and see that everything is fine — it’s just a matter of time.” With the development of the Zefhir, Curti is drawing on its long experience in aero- space manufacturing as a supplier to Leonardo, among others. Curti is design- ing the aircraft to the meet the European Aviation Safety Agency’s certification specifications for small rotorcraft (CS- 27, comparable to the Federal Aviation Administration’s part 27 certification stan- dards). However, the company initially plans to make the aircraft available as a kit for homebuilders. Eventually, Curti hopes to certify it as an ultralight in the new 1,320-lb. (600-kg) category. Either way, the Zefhir is likely to be flown primarily by recreational pilots — many of whom lack the comfort and proficiency with autorotations that more experienced pilots might have. For these customers, the Zefhir’s ballistic parachute system will likely be a strong selling point, along with its modern turboshaft engine, composite blades, carbon-fiber airframe, and crash- worthy seats and landing gear. “When we speak about small helicopters, not every time the pilot is a very trained and skilled pilot with lots of hours of experi- ence, but for him the helicopter is a hobby,” Cantelli observed. While Curti isn’t claiming to have reduced all of the risks associated with flying helicopters, when it comes to managing power failures, he said, “for sure they will feel safer because they know they will have another chance.” VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 32 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International When it comes to helicopter fuel systems, all available evidence suggests that having some crash-resistant features has a mean- ingful impact on reducing post-crash fires compared to having none at all. However, not all crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFS) are created equal, as is becoming appar- ent in the case of the Airbus AS350/H125 AStar series. The AStar became the focus of a cam- paign to improve helicopter occupant pro- tection following the fatal crash of a Flight For Life H125 in Frisco, Colorado, in July 2015. Although the model’s susceptibility to post-crash fires was a known problem at that point, dramatic video footage of the Frisco crash galvanized public atten- tion, leading to the creation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of a Rotorcraft Occupant Protection Working Group (ROPWG). Many of the ROPWG’s recommendations were incorporated into last year’s FAA Reauthorization Act, which requires CRFS for all helicopters manufactured after April 5, 2020. The law stipulates compliance with many, but not all, of the provisions in Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 27/29.952, which mandates CRFS stan- dards for civil helicopters certified after 1994. The exceptions in the new law are intended to make it easier to certify CRFS for legacy models like the AS350 — which received initial FAA type certification in 1977 — while still providing substantially increased levels of occupant protection, as validated by the ROPWG’s analysis of post- crash fires in survivable accidents. Indeed, complying fully with 27/29.952 is neither easy nor cheap. Airbus certified a retrofit kit solution for newly manufactured H125 (AS350 B3e) helicopters in 2014, but has not yet managed to certify it with the underbelly cargo swing installation used for external loads. The company declined to confirm a report that claimed the installa- tion punctured the fuel system during drop testing, instead telling Vertical, “We are currently in the development phase in order to obtain 27.952 certification of the cargo swing installation and have no comments on specific tests.” Airbus announced at HAI Heli-Expo earlier this year that starting in 2020 it will be making its CRFS standard on all new- ly-manufactured H125s, including those produced at its headquarters in Marignane, France (currently, the CRFS is only stan- dard on H125s produced in the United States). Airbus also announced it will expand certification of its CRFS to AS350 B3 and EC130 B4 models in the same timeframe, and will offer the system at its own cost of $44,000. The company told Vertical that it aims to obtain 27.952 certification of the cargo swing installation by then. “If this certifi- cation was to be delayed, for whatever reason, the standard implementation of our CRFS on all new H125s will be maintained so that all customers — including those equipped with a cargo swing — can ben- efit from this safety enhancement,” Airbus said, emphasizing that even for customers operating with a cargo swing, the CRFS offers significant safety enhancements over the legacy fuel system. Meanwhile, there is a certified CRFS solution for AStar operators using cargo swings: the aftermarket product jointly developed by Robertson Fuel Systems and StandardAero, which was certified to the BY ELAN HEAD AStar fuel tanks differ in cost, but also safety features Designing a tank that can pass the required drop tests with a cargo swing installed has proved challenging for CRFS developers. Heath Moffatt Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 33 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM GDL® 82 ADS-B DATALINK FOR HELICOPTERS 1 MSRP © 2018 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. SIMPLE INSTALLATION KEEP YOUR EXISTING TRANSPONDER ADS-B “OUT” COMPLIANT AUTOSQUAWK TECHNOLOGY GET ADS-B “OUT” FOR ONLY $1,795  . To learn more, see your Garmin dealer or visit Garmin.com/ADS-B standards of 27.952 in December 2017. The Robertson/StandardAero tank is a direct replacement for all AS350 models, includ- ing the AS350 C, D/D1, B/B1/B2/BA/B3, H125, and EC130 B4. Although there was a year-long waitlist for the product when it first hit the market, Robertson ramped up production to meet demand, and now cites wait times of around 90 days. According to Robertson Fuel Systems director of engineering Bill York, designing a tank that could pass the required drop tests with the cargo swing installed was the most challenging aspect of certification. Robertson has a long history of designing and certifying aircraft fuel tanks to more stringent military standards, but “in our previous experience we never had quite that challenging a thing underneath an aircraft or anticipated to be a penetrator,” he explained. “So that required multiple test drops and changes to the bottom construction of both the container and [the] machined aluminum sump plate which holds a lot of the mechanics and the boost pumps at the bottom of the tank.” Elvis Moniz, StandardAero’s VP of business development for airframes and avionics, pointed to that additional engineering as a benefit to all customers of the tank, not just those who operate with cargo swings. The ability of the tank to resist puncturing could be extrapolated to other objects, he suggested: “So if you land on a rock, or a fire hydrant, or anything else than just a flat piece of concrete, that’s what we’re after. We’re actually trying to make this product as real-life survivable as possible.” According to Robertson and StandardAero, while the Airbus system has a riveted aluminum container, their tank has a com- posite container shell strategically designed to help distribute impact loads in a crash. The Robertson/StandardAero tank also has some other premium safety features, including self-sealing breakaway valves, and a float-based rollover vent system that will close off in any abnormal orientation to prevent fuel from coming out of the vent. This is in addition to features intended to enhance the tank’s market appeal, includ- ing ease of installation, cartridge-style fuel pumps to improve serviceability, and com- patibility with OEM and aftermarket fuel filters and baggage extenders, the compa- nies said. The catch: all of this comes at a cost. The Robertson/StandardAero tank is typically sold for between $100,000 and $120,000, around two-and-a-half times the cost of the Airbus CRFS. “I think a lot of people in this market have not had to plan their oper- ations around the investment that’s needed to be crash-resistant, or been informed of the benefits and how they impact their operation,” noted Robertson sales and marketing manager Ashley Sanchez. “So part of this is getting the market comfort- able with the requirements to meet the CRFS standards.” Robertson, StandardAero, and Airbus declined to say whether Airbus may even- tually incorporate the aftermarket tank into its production line for customers who want a more robust CRFS solution. In the meantime, however, Airbus is incentivizing operators of AS350 B2 and earlier models to purchase the Robertson/StandardAero tank by offering training credits to offset part of the cost. “Customers having already installed CFRS kits on their fleet to whom the training credit might not apply are invited to get in touch with their local contacts so that we can evaluate their training needs and make specific offers,” Airbus said. VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 34 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International Heli-Lynx has delivered its latest comple- tion, a heavily customized VIP Airbus H125 to a private customer, as the company establishes a new direction under new ownership. The completion and maintenance, repair, and overhaul specialist, based in Stoney Creek, Ontario, was purchased by Rob Tyler and Bill Kurtin on Jan. 1, 2019. The daily operations of Heli-Lynx will continue to be led by Bentley Thistlewaite and Matt Trahearn, with the company planning to expand its business around the VIP sector, offering customized completions, mainte- nance, and support for private and com- mercial operators. It is also rebooting the “FX” program, which changes the AS350/ H125’s electrical systems and engine for reduced maintenance and operating costs. While the May delivery, to Ted Groesbeck, a businessman based in Texas, was the completion of an order placed before the change in ownership, Tyler said it was an example of the course the company would like to set. “That’s the direction of the custom VIP ships that we want to see, we want to pro- duce, maintain and support; we want to promote helicopters for the private owners, and we want to expand Heli-Lynx’s offer- ing,” Tyler told Vertical. The customization of the H125 was a four- month project. Starting from the exterior, Heli-Lynx created a paint scheme with two tones of grey, meeting in a dynamic arc with clean stripes along the length of the aircraft. “I showed Ted pictures of things I thought would suit his personality,” said Tyler. “Some were a bit too bold; some were a bit too plain, and just from his feedback I got a happy medium for an elegant ship that wasn’t too bright or bold. We then worked with the colors to get the proper blend so that we could match the exterior look with the interior look.” Inside, the avionics were boosted with a Garmin GTN750, G500 and GTN650, a Genesys Aerosystems autopilot, a terrain awareness warning system, a radar altim- eter, traffic collision avoidance system, and satellite weather and music. The interior is fitted with luxury materials, including carbon fiber trim, leather lined doors, and tinted windows. The customized seats were made with perforated leather to keep the occupants cool when flying in hot conditions, which will be made easier with its enhanced air conditioning system. Heli- Lynx also installed sound insulation to keep noise in the cabin to a minimum. Finally, the aircraft is outfitted with emer- gency floats for safety when flying over water. “I’m totally thrilled with the helicopter,” Groesbeck told Vertical. “Bill and Rob are helicopter guys. They know this business and they know what people expect, and they work with a lot of high net worth peo- ple who are spending a lot of money. And I could just tell from speaking with them they were fully committed to making sure the project went right.” Groesbeck said he would be largely using the aircraft for flying himself, his wife, dog, and friends, and wanted it to look great — and feel comfortable. “I couldn’t be happier with the look that Rob was able to obtain with the paint job and the finish out and the quality and the comfort,” said Groesbeck. “This is the kind of helicopter that, for people that know quality, when they get up to it, run their hand over the paint, look at the interior fit and finish — those are the guys who are going to go, ‘This was done right.’ ” Tyler said VIP completions are a growing area for Heli-Lynx. “We’re working with Four Seasons Aviation and HelicoStore in Quebec to try to promote helicopters in general in the Greater Toronto area, and expose helicopters to people who other- wise haven’t thought about how this mode of travel could enhance their life,” he said. The company believes the FX program, which installs new electronics and a Honeywell LTS 101-series engine in the AS350/H125 to create the AS350FX1/ FX2, will have a part to play in growing this sector. “The FX program basically replaces the engine . . . with an engine that has no calendar limit, resulting in longer times between required overhauls,” said Tyler. “This is appealing to private owners and commercial operators who don’t fly enough to get the value out of a time-limited engine, as it is significantly more cost effective to run and maintain.” HeliLynx has produced over 50 FX aircraft under the supplemental type certificate it owns for the conversion, and these are in operation around the world. The company is assembling a team to advance the pro- gram, and is already building an aircraft on spec. Tyler said there was a lot of interest in the FX program in New Zealand, where many of the aircraft are already flying, and added that they may even expand the program to the H130. “We’re studying the viability of it and what we can expand on with the existing STCs we have now,” he said. HELI-LYNX DELIVERS VIP H125; AIMS TO REBOOT FX PROGRAM BY OLIVER JOHNSON Ted Groesbeck (left) stands with Rob Tyler of Heli-Lynx in front of Groesbeck’s new custom VIP H125 helicopter. Oliver Johnson Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 35 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM GTX™ 335 ADS-B “OUT” TRANSPONDER FOR HELICOPTERS 1 Promotional price available on orders placed before Jun. 28, 2019. © 2019 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. ADS-B “OUT” COMPLIANT COMMON TRANSPONDER SIZE BUILT-IN WAAS GPS POSITION SOURCE FLIGHT TIME, ALTITUDE ALERTS AND MORE UPGRADE TO AN ADS-B “OUT” TRANSPONDER FOR ONLY $2,995  . To learn more, see your Garmin dealer or visit Garmin.com/ADS-B To address a growing need for reporting airborne safety hazards, helicopter pilots now have a new website, www.rotor. org/HARP, that aims to provide fast and easy reporting of near misses and other in-flight safety events. The HAI Aviation Reporting Program (HARP) was developed by Helicopter Association International’s (HAI’s) opera- tions department specifically for helicop- ter pilots, with customized data fields for manned and unmanned rotary-wing oper- ations. The program is designed to be accessible from any web-enabled device. HAI said HARP grew out of a discus- sion among members of its Air Medical Services Committee. They felt there wasn’t an effective system for prompt reporting of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS, or drone) activities that could pres- ent a threat to the safety of helicopter air ambulance operators. HARP users can report events in specific reporting categories: drone/UAS event; accident/serious incident; near mid-air collision; wildlife strike/activity; laser event; and other hazards. Clicking on one of the six categories then directs users to the proper reporting source or guides them through a menu of questions or selections related to the event, capturing date, time, location, description, and other key data. HAI said HARP provides the convenience of several different reporting systems within one portal. If another reporting system already exists for the event, such as the National Transportation Safety Board system for accidents and incidents or the Federal Aviation Administration’s system to report laser events, HARP connects pilots to that site. “HARP is not intended to serve as a sub- stitute for other public reporting systems or programs,” said Chris Hill, director of safety at HAI. “We encourage pilots to continue using any effective, responsive system they prefer for reporting hazard- ous conditions. The purpose of HARP is to provide a simple reporting portal that promptly guides users through the reporting steps and ensures that vital safety information is shared with stake- holder operators in the most expedient manner possible.” Hill added that HAI will handle all HARP submissions with “the utmost care and respect” for individual and operator privacy. “We are working directly with NASA to develop strict protocols for secure processing and transfer of HARP submissions into NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS),” Hill said. HARP submissions forwarded to the ASRS will retain 14 Code of Federal Regulations 91.25 protections, which prohibit the use of ASRS reports in any disciplinary action, except for informa- tion concerning accidents and criminal offenses. HAI said its staff is still working to improve HARP. The new program is essentially HARP 1.0, though it is far from a beta-test version of the program. HAI PROVIDES PILOT REPORTING TOOL VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 36 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International Lilium, the Munich-based startup developing an on-demand air taxi service, has revealed its new five-seater air taxi prototype for the first time. The unveiling of the new Lilium Jet, on May 16, came after the all-electric aircraft completed its maiden flight in the skies over Germany earlier in the month. The full-scale, full-weight prototype is pow- ered by 36 all-electric jet engines that allow it to take-off and land vertically, while achieving what Lilium claims is “remarkably efficient” horizontal or cruise flight. The aircraft has a simple design, with no tail, rudder, propellers, or gearbox and only one moving part in the engine. Lilium said this not only contributes to the safety and afford- ability of the aircraft, but has also allowed the design team to focus their efforts on the customer experience in the cabin, from pan- oramic windows to gull-wing doors. “In less than two years, we have been able to design, build and successfully fly an aircraft that will serve as our template for mass pro- duction,” said Daniel Wiegand, co-founder and CEO. “The Lilium Jet itself is beautiful and we were thrilled to see it take to the skies for the first time. With the perfect balance of range and speed, our aircraft has the potential to positively impact the way people choose to live and travel, all over the world.” The Jet has a top speed of 186 miles per hour (300 kilometers per hour) and a range of 186 miles (300 kilometers). Its fixed-wing design means it will require less than 10 percent of its maximum 2,000 horsepower during cruise flight, Lilium claimed. Such efficiency would mean the aircraft would be capable of delivering affordable high-speed connections across entire regions, the company added. The Lilium Jet first took to the air on May 4, 2019, having completed extensive ground testing at Lilium’s headquarters in Munich. The prototype aircraft, which is controlled remotely from the ground, has since begun a rigorous flight test campaign to prove its capability and lay the foundations for certifi- cation of the aircraft. Lilium is aiming to certify at safety standards comparable to those of large commercial aircraft. “Our flight test program will now continue with increasingly complex maneuvers as we look towards our next big goal of achieving transition flight, which is when the aircraft moves seamlessly from vertical to horizontal flight,” said Leandro Bigarella, head of flight test. Lilium plans to manufacture and operate the Lilium Jet as part of an on-demand air taxi service, in which passengers will be able to use the Lilium app to locate their nearest landing pad and plan their journey. The com- pany expects to be fully-operational in various cities around the world by 2025, although trial services will begin earlier in several locations. “Getting to this point has meant tackling some of aerospace’s greatest challenges, but now we’re here we can focus on bringing our vision to life and connecting communities in ways they have never been connected before,” said Wiegand. The latest five-seater Lilium Jet builds on the successful flight tests of a two-seater proto- type in 2017. LILIUM REVEALS NEW AIR TAXI AS IT CELEBRATES MAIDEN FLIGHT Lilium plans to manufacture and operate the Lilium Jet as part of what it said would be a “revolutionary” on-demand air taxi service. Lilium Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 37 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM For missions accomplished Whatever the missions, whatever the times, wherever the places, we’ll get you where you’re going. The flight envelope for Kopter’s SH09 helicopter is being further opened with our no. 3 prototype. Follow its progress at koptergroup.com VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 38 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International ROBINSON DELIVERS 2 MORE BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CADETS TO UND CANADA APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT RotorBits Robinson Helicopter Company has delivered two R44 Cadets to the University of North Dakota (UND). The bright green and yellow helicopters are the latest additions to the university’s growing fleet of Cadets. The new Cadets will be used for training at UND’s helicopter division located at the Grand Forks, North Dakota, campus. “By the fall of 2019, all incoming students will train in Cadets,” said Wes Van Dell, UND’s chief helicopter instructor. “The performance of the Cadet has been excellent in both the summer and winter months. The students particularly like the aircraft’s ease of opera- tion and advanced avionics.” The new aircraft are equipped for visual and instrument flight rules training with a fully integrated glass cockpit featuring Garmin’s G500H 1060 TXi flight display, GTN 750 GPS/COM/NAV, and GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B In/Out. Steeve Lavoie has been appointed president of Bell Helicopter Textron Canada. Lavoie took over the company’s reins on April 28, 2019, as former president Cynthia Garneau began the next phase of her professional career at VIA Rail Canada. Lavoie joined Bell last year as quality site leader. He has more than 20 years of experi- ence in international operations management, program management, aerospace product development, strategic project planning and execution, and process re-engineering. He held various positions at Bombardier from 1996 to 2018, taking on positions of increas- ing responsibility, including the most recent: vice president of industrialization. Norwegian helicopter operator Helitrans has taken delivery of two Airbus H125 helicopters with digital logcards, becoming the first H125 operator able to manage the maintenance history of its aircraft components digitally. Airbus said this will result in better data quality, time savings, and simpler processes, thereby reinforcing flight safety. The helicopters are the first two in a series of seven H125s ordered by Helitrans to be delivered with fully digital logcards. They will be used for a wide range of missions that cover powerline construction and firefighting, as well as sightseeing trips, passenger transport, photography and telecom network development. A logcard tracks the entire maintenance history of critical helicopter parts, from manufacture all along their in-service lives. The digital logcard replaces paper log- cards, prone to loss and error, with digital content stored in a secured cloud. Airbus Helicopters first unveiled its digital log- cards in March 2019. “We welcome this innovative approach to logcard management, which is fully in line with Helitran’s vision of digitising and simplifying processes within the company,” said Per Erick Nesvold, director of mainte- nance at Helitrans. Helitrans has been operating the H125 for almost 30 years from its bases around Norway and is one of the largest helicop- ter companies in the country. With these seven new H125s, Helitrans’ fleet will con- sist of 22 Airbus H125s and H130s. China’s State Grid General Aviation Company (SGGAC) has taken delivery of one heavy twin-engine Airbus H215, becoming the launch customer for the type in China. A subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), the world’s largest utility company, SGGAC performs aerial con- struction and maintenance work along China’s network of high and very-high volt- age power lines. The H215 will join the company’s existing fleet of 15 Airbus helicopters, comprised of H125s, an H120 and an H225. This addition will enable SGGAC to perform new missions such as cable repair, cable laying, cargo transportation, and powerline pylon construction in diffi- cult-to-reach areas. The helicopter comes equipped with a 4.5- ton cargo sling, hoists, weather radar, and a wire-strike protection system. The con- figuration features 17 seats equipped with oxygen jackets for high altitude missions. “Thanks to the H215’s outstanding perfor- mance in high and hot conditions, coupled with strong support and services from Airbus Helicopters, we are confident that we will continue to develop our capabilities performing new utility missions,” said Wu Jielong, chairman of SGGAC. “It’s an honor to see SGGAC becoming the first operator of the H215 in China,” said Marie-Agnes Veve, general man- ager of Airbus Helicopters China. “This achievement reinforces the long-term and strategic cooperation we have developed with the company, which also became a certified Airbus Helicopters’ maintenance, repair and overhaul center in China in 2018.” The H215 features Safran Makila 1A1 engines, the latest generation flight man- agement system, a glass cockpit avionics system and the four-axis autopilot from Airbus Helicopters’ H225. HELITRANS RECEIVES FIRST H125s WITH SGGAC RECEIVES FIRST H215 IN CHINA DIGITAL LOGCARDS SGGAC’s new H215 is the first to arrive in China. Airbus Photo Robinson Helicopter Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 39 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM Your Best Choice for Affordable Helicopter Simulation FRASCA .com 217.344.9200 info@frasca.com “When we had a flight crew go IIMC back in the day, everyone was on pins and needles, waiting to hear if there was an accident. …Now, because of the use of our Frasca simulators, the thought is ‘Ok, tell them to call when they are safely on the ground and if they need a ground crew to pick them up.’ The difference is night and day.” – Tink Sullivan AIR EVAC TRAINS THEIR PILOTS USING FRASCA SIMULATORS. INCLUDING THE NEW HTD. Chief Aviation Simulator Operator and Pilot Trainer, Air Evac Lifeteam Frasca Helicopter Training Device Learn more at Airbus Helicopters has expanded its indus- trial footprint and partnership with China with the opening of an H135 final assembly line (FAL) in Qingdao, China. Airbus said the factory is the first helicopter FAL built by a foreign manufacturer in China, as well as the first H135 FAL outside of Europe. The opening of the FAL follows a cooper- ation agreement signed between Airbus Helicopters and China in 2016 for the purchase of 100 H135s for the Chinese market. Ninety-five of these 100 helicopters will be assembled on the newly-operational FAL from 2019 onwards. Main components including the main fuselage, main gearbox kits and rear fuselage will be shipped to Qingdao from Donauwörth, Germany, and Albacete, Spain, respectively. The 70,000-square-foot (6,500-square- meter) Qingdao plant is comprised of four working stations, a paint booth, ground and flight test areas, and a delivery center. Airbus said the site will employ around 40 people, 23 of whom received on-the-job training in Donauwörth. The first aircraft roll-out from Qingdao is expected to take place in the second half of 2019. Operations will start with an annual capacity of 18 helicopters, which could be doubled to accommodate future growth. “Beginning to manufacture H135s in Qingdao marks the start of a new chapter of Sino-European collaboration, as we become the first foreign helicopter man- ufacturer to open a manufacturing facility in China,” said Marie-Agnes Veve, general manager of Airbus Helicopters China. “This achievement is a testament to our contin- ued commitment to the Chinese helicopter industry and the strong spirit of cooperation that exists between us and our Chinese partners.” Airbus said it has 300 helicopters already flying in China, serving 83 customers. Given the rapid development of the HEMS, public services and offshore wind industries in China, the company anticipates potential demand for 600 light twin-engine helicop- ters over the next two decades. CHINESE H135 FAL STARTS OPERATIONS The Qingdao plant is expected to produce 95 of 100 H135s for the Chinese market under a cooperation agreement signed by Airbus and China. Airbus Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 40 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International FlightSafety International has announced a significant expansion of the training programs it offers for the Sikorsky S-70, offering Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved instru- ment flight rules training in a Sikorsky S-70 Level D qualified simulator. This includes unre- stricted S-70 type rating and ATP courses as well as a 61.58 pilot in command proficiency check. A new FAA-approved S-70A visual flight rules variant course is also offered. The S70 and S-70i training programs and simulators are designed to increase pilot pro- ficiency and enhance safety in both routine and unexpected operating conditions. The simulators are capable of replicating a wide variety of scenarios that enable pilots to expe- rience situations that would be too danger- ous, too impractical or impossible to practice in an aircraft. This includes major systems failures, heavy icing and power loss under hot and high conditions. The simulators are also configured for firefighting scenarios. This new capability includes simulated belly tank/snorkel oper- ations as well as those with Bambi Bucket external loads with emergency jettison. FlightSafety said the VITAL 1100 visual system installed in the S-70i simulator presents visual scenes that accurately depict firefighting sce- narios that can be tailored to the specific area of operations. The simulators are equipped for night vision goggle (NVG) training, with goggles and hel- mets provided by FlightSafety. Veterans with Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk experience can earn an S-70 FAA type rating and ATP through an abbreviated course. Funding for these courses may be available through the Veterans Education Assistance Program offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, FlightSafety said. FlightSafety has served as a factory- authorized training provider for Sikorsky for nearly a 25 years. Highly qualified and expe- rienced instructors provide Sikorsky S-70 pilot, maintenance manager and maintenance technician training using full-flight simulators, production aircraft maintenance trainers and the MATRIX integrated training system. Oceania Aviation’s manufacturing division, Airborne Systems, has been approved as an Airbus supplier, and is in the final stages of achieving a supplemental type certificate (STC) amendment for its cargo pod to allow its use on the right side of H125/AS350 heli- copters. Airborne Systems has been supplying H125/AS350 operators with cargo pods following its first New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (NZCAA) certification in 2011. It has since achieved STC approval from Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “We have complete confidence in our cargo pod and the commercial value it brings to an operation,” said Russell Goulden, gener- al manager of Airborne Systems, Oceania Aviation. “Since our FAA STC, Airbus USA and NZ have purchased several of our cargo pods over the last year, resulting in our approval as an official supplier.” He said the next step was to make the cargo pod available for both sides of the H125. “We are actively working on this with flight tests set for the end of [May],” said Goulden. “Our experience with cargo pods goes as far back as the 1990s for the AS350, AS355 and BK117, making us confident in the outcome.” The cargo pod has been designed to provide optimum user experience, the company said. Produced from lightweight material, Airborne Systems said the pod is “pilot-removable,” reduces drag due to its aerodynamic design and protects its contents from the elements. A single cargo pod offers 265 pounds (120 kilograms) extra capacity and the new STC amendment will allow operators to choose between three configurations: left-hand only, right-hand only, or both sides. Airborne Systems said there are future plans to certify the pod for the EC130 B4, Bell 205, Bell 212, and Bell 412. FLIGHTSAFETY EXPANDS SIKORSKY S-70 TRAINING PROGRAM OCEANIA AVIATION PREPARES ASTAR CARGO POD FlightSafety now offers instrument flight rules training in a Sikorsky S-70 Level D simulator. FlightSafety Photo Airborne Systems is working to gain regulatory approval to allow H125/AS350 operators to use the cargo pod on the left or right side of their aircraft. Oceania Aviation Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 41 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM © 2019 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. GARMIN.COM/HELICOPTERS ADS-B TRANSPONDERS TOUCHSCREEN NAVIGATORS TOUCHSCREEN FLIGHT DISPLAYS TERRAIN AWARENESS RADAR ALTIMETERS FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS TURN “MISSION READY” INTO READY FOR ANYTHING. PRODUCTS SHOWN: G5000H™ TXi, GTN™ 750, GTX™ 345 AND GFC™ 600H COMPLETE HELICOPTER RETROFIT SOLUTIONS VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 42 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International Dart Aerospace has received supplemental type certificate (STC) approvals from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on its new EC/H130 Emergency Float System (EFS). Transport Canada certification was granted in late 2018 for this kit, which is applicable to both legacy EC130 B4 models and the latest H130 from Airbus. The system can now be used in operations across multiples regions covering the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and any others accepting Transport Canada/FAA/EASA STCs without validation. According to Dart, two new major improvements over the previous kit have been brought to the system: compatibility with OEM fixed pro- visions; and the addition of quick release fittings, which the company said allow for the removal of 70 percent of the kit’s weight in less than five minutes without any tools. “This project provided a unique opportunity to revisit our previous design and really examine how we could incorporate the latest tech- nology in float systems to add value for our H130 customers,” said Pablo Bravo, director of engineering at Dart’s San Diego, California, facility. “We looked at ways to simplify the design to make it easier for customers to install and remove the system, which was critical feed- back from existing operators who prefer to reconfigure their aircraft for different missions quickly and efficiently. Specifically, we included quick release hoses that facilitate removal of the floats within just a few minutes — for excellent mission flexibility.” In addition, the new EFS is approved for the latest gross weight of the H130 and features a squib-free electro-mechanical valve made of corrosion-resistant steel. The system can be purchased with or with- out DART’s patented integrated six-passenger liferaft (nine passenger overload). “We used engineering resources from our San Diego and Calgary groups, an AMC partner to facilitate flight testing, and our certification team to leverage our collaborative relationship with Transport Canada to ensure that the project continued to move forward to completion,” said David Marcus, program manager at the San Diego facility. “We truly feel that having an external liferaft option available for the H130 puts operators in a win-win situation in which safety and operational flexibility is increased, and weight is decreased.” This system is targeted at aircraft operating in tourism, VIP transpor- tation, and utility missions. Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) has delivered the first of two ACH145 helicop- ters to an existing private customer as the first step in a fleet renewal program. The two aircraft will be primarily flown from super yachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean regions on behalf of the owner. Isle of Man-based helicopter management and operation specialist Luviair will man- age the ACH145s, as well as an ACH160 that has been acquired. The three aircraft will replace another three currently in service. The second ACH145 will be delivered in the final quarter of 2019 and the ACH160, which will be used for onshore transport, will be delivered following certification. Luviair has operated a fleet of VIP Airbus helicopters for almost 20 years, manag- ing every aspect of its clients’ operations from operational bases in London, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and on board some of the largest super yachts in the world. The ACH145s feature the ACH Line inte- rior cabin concept in a bespoke version designed by London-headquartered Harrison Eidsgaard, which also created the exterior livery inspired by the yacht environment. The ACH160 will have the ACH Exclusive concept for a high level of luxury. “We greatly value our relationship with this customer who knows our aircraft well, and we strongly appreciate their loyalty in selecting the ACH145 and, in partic- ular, the new ACH160 after nearly two decades of operating Airbus helicopters,” said Frederic Lemos, head of ACH. DART RECEIVES MORE EC/H130 EFS STCs AIRBUS DELIVERS ACH145 FOR USE ON SUPER YACHTS The new ACH145 will be primarily flown from super yachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Airbus Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 43 for more DAILY NEWS UPDATES visit VERTICALMAG.COM Crucial Response Avionics for when it is needed most. Proven Solutions for over 50 aircraft types 5-inch FPCDU, UNS-1Fw FMS CHC Group has been awarded a contract from Capricorn Norge AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cairn Energy PLC, to provide helicopter ser- vices in support of Capricorn Norge’s forthcoming drilling program at the Lynghaug and Godalen prospects in the Norwegian Sea. “We are excited to support Capricorn’s first drilling operation on the Norwegian Continental Shelf,” said Helge Nesvåg, CHC sales director for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We look forward to working with their team and their proj- ect partners at Ross offshore.” The operation will utilize the Transocean Arctic drilling rig from CHC’s base in Brønnøysund. There will be up to four flights per week using a Sikorsky S-92A. “We are always looking for opportu- nities to work with new customers across our global operation and are honored that Capricorn Norge AS selected us as the right partner to help them enter a new location,” said Karl Fessenden, president and CEO of CHC Helicopter. “Our experience in Norway along with our strong global standards and proven services will help us make sure they have a safe and reliable aviation partner throughout their project.” CHC ANNOUNCES NEW OFFSHORE CONTRACT CHC will be using a Sikorsky S-92A to service the contract in the Norwegian Sea. CHC Photo VERTICAL MAGAZINE // JUNE/JULY 2019 44 RotorBeat Industry // Operator // OEM // UAS // International On Apr. 22, Vertical lost one of its most fre- quent and beloved contributors. Guy Maher, who wrote and photographed for the maga- zine since its second issue over 16 years ago, was tragically killed when the plane he was piloting crashed on its way from Statesville Regional Airport to Twin Lakes Airport in North Carolina. He was the only person on board. “All of us at MHM Publishing have been shocked and incredibly saddened by the news of Guy’s death,” said Vertical publish- er Mike Reyno. “Guy was a valuable and respected member of the aviation community. Through his contributions to Vertical, Vertical 911, and Skies Magazines, as well as the educational videos he produced through his company Lanier Media, Guy dedicated his life to helping to educate and inform the helicop- ter and fixed-wing communities.” Guy began flying in 1968, and held an airline transport pilot certificate for helicopters and a commercial pilot certificate for single- and multi-engine airplanes, and gliders. He was also a certified flight instructor, qualified to teach single- and multi-engine airplane, heli- copter, and instrument flight. In all, he logged over 17,000 hours, including a long period as an air medical pilot for AirCare Wake Forest Baptist Health. In addition to his career in aviation, Guy soon embarked on a parallel and complementary caree