2017 / ISSUE 01
magazine
No One Left Behind Our exclusive Q&A with Airbus Helicopters CEO Guillaume Faury 5 things you may not know about the AS350 Ecureuil
AW169 Certified by FAA
Golden Jubilee BO-105
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Column
Telling a story, creating a style by Nicola Zamperini Telling the helicopters industry in a way that everyone understands, so that everyone will seize the essential news. Telling an industry with a clear and design-oriented style, with a touch of Italian pride. It’s a simple modus operandi. It’s our vision of storytelling, it’s our mission. Helicopters fly with grace and elegance: since 2014, we try and make these unique traits a trademark of our publication. So as you’re reading this words, we’re proud to unveil our latest effort, the new born in the Helipress family. It’s called Helipress Magazine and it’s a full digital magazine based on the composition of each single page like a single crafted piece. Our stories on Helipress.net do find enough space and length on internet, but that’s a work meant for a website aimed at a very specific audience. And we thought that the same audience would have enjoyed even more the chance to get different formats for reading and sharing. What it does not change with Helipress digital magazine is the approach to the industry’s storytelling: we’ll write stories for anyone who has a real passion for helicopters. For anyone, even those who are not pilots, technicians or aviation experts. We’ll keep an eye open to politics, economics and international scenarios, a Helipress’ trademark we tried to imagine as a mean to figure out what will happen next to the industry. Helipress’ audience is today founded on its 30,000 average readers per month as well as a community of nearly 30,000 followers on Facebook with a very high engagement, a real sign of trust and affection. Now we’re setting off on a new adventure: delivering a digital magazine in the social network feeds of those who are into the helicopters industry. There’ll be no waiting for the printing process, no waiting for shipping, you’ll not simply take the risk of missing an issue. Let us know what you think about the magazine. We got a compass in our mind: it points on our readers sentiment. This Magazine is yours.
No One Left Behind 4
by Nicola Zamperini and Stefano Silvestre
Our exclusive Q&A with Airbus Helicopters CEO Guillaume Faury
How the main helicopter manufacturer of the world is copying with the O&G crisis? Working along with Defence and parapublic biggest stakeholders and keeping up a very close contact with customers worldwide. It can look simple, but that’s of course it’s not an easy task. That’s why no one can explain better what is going to be next for the helicopters industry, that’s why no one will be left behind by Airbus Helicopters. That’s why 2017 will be (again) the year of Guillaume Faury. We asked Airbus Helicopters’ CEO some of the most difficult questions of the industry: what’s the outlook after another weak year, the future for EU manufactures with the new US administration, the X6 project and more. He replied in his trademark charming and firm style.
Mr Faury, as you pointed out, 2016 was “probably the most difficult year of the last decade”. Do you see any chance for a market upturn in the next 12 to 18 months? In 2016 – like in the previous two years - we had to operate against a very challenging environment on a variety of levels. The fact that we maintained such a level of activity in this environment is a testimony to our resilience and to the benefits of the transformation plan we launched three years ago. I do not want to make any predictions about what lies ahead in terms of market upturn. We have to be prudent, look for opportunities to grow and continue to execute our transformation plan.
What about the transformation plan? What’s the road map? It is precisely thanks to this transformation plan that we remained resilient against the challenging market backdrop. The transformation plan we launched in 2014 has enabled us to improve our competitiveness, optimize our costs and develop our international footprint. The plan is progressing very satisfactorily and we remain committed to three main goals: customer satisfaction, quality & safety, and competitiveness. In terms of customer satisfaction we are making progress in all segments of the market and we will continue to work hard to achieve these safety & quality objectives. We also need to remain agile and adapt the plan to our environment on a permanent basis.
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Looking back at 2016 deals in Singapore, Kuwait, UK and all the worldwide commercial efforts, what of these successes have been the most important from a strategic point of view? Those three military campaigns have all been of strategic importance for the company in 2016. The UK MFTS contract has confirmed Airbus Helicopters as a key partner of the UK Armed Forces and is another testimony of the success of the H135 in military flight training worldwide. The selection of the H225M by Kuwait and Singapore is also proof that this helicopter, which has now been ordered by eight different nations worldwide, meets the requirements of some of the most demanding military operators out there.
What about the new US administration and the protectionist policies announced in the last months? Do you see any impact for Airbus Helicopters’ market shares in the US? It is still very early to be able to give reliable predictions. The US market has been at a record low in 2016, and if there is an effect it can, in my opinion, only be positive. Going forward, our intention remains to be a market leader in North America and to continue to build on our successful product range, both in the military and commercial segments.
In 2016 the global Airbus Helicopters fleet was approximately based on 12,000 helicopters, in service with more than 3,000 operators worldwide. How you will manage to be even more close to AH customers? Customer satisfaction is a priority for the company, and this goes beyond the delivery of a new helicopter. We need to keep our customers flying and we work hard to provide them with the necessary support and services to carry out their operations efficiently, safely and cost-effectively. To achieve that goal, our company has implemented a network which spans around 150 countries and works around the clock to bring solutions right to our customers’ doorstep. We have also developed a full offer of connected services that can bring considerable value by making a lot of tasks easier, reducing complexity and eliminate the potential for mistakes.
After the Super Puma accident in Norway what will be the future of the H225 Platform? We are now in the return to service phase for the H225, with over 110 aircraft flying worldwide with commercial and military operators. However we are still facing a specific situation in the North Sea, where we need to regain trust from operators and passengers. We are working jointly with the authorities and the operators, in full transparency. Ultimately it is up to the customer to decide which aircraft best meet their needs, but I am confident that the H225, which continues to successfully carry out some of the most demanding missions across the globe, will support offshore operations worldwide.
Is the X6 project going ahead? The concept phase of the X6 program was launched in June 2015 and is progressing at a good pace. The objective of this phase is to evaluate the major architectural choices for this helicopter, while involving a wide range of customers. The official launch of the program will take place at the end of this phase. The X6 will incorporate the technologies best suited to the needs of the civilian market in the next decade and beyond.
“We need to keep our customers flying and we work hard to provide them with the necessary support and services” Guillaume Faury Airbus Helicopters CEO
Last question about the latest Airbus helicopter, the H160. Thinking ahead at the next decade of development, what could be the features of the next generation helicopters? In spite of a challenging market environment, we kept innovating at a fast pace in 2016 in order to better serve the needs of our customers in the mid- and long-term. This is what we are doing with the development of the H160: it is, quite simply, a next-generation helicopter, designed to set new benchmarks and bring along a totally new experience for our customers. But we are also exploring other avenues, for instance with the Clean Sky 2 high-speed demonstrator project. This is a very exciting project with which we want to demonstrate “affordable speed” for future helicopters. Urban air mobility is also high on our agenda, with the CityAirbus project having been launched early in 2017, and with first autonomous flights expected in late 2018.
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photo: Mirco Dell’Oro
Editor’s choice
AgustaWestland
AW-139
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NHV wins UK-based H175 contract with Ithaca Energy The NHV Group today announced a new contract with Ithaca Energy UK Ltd (Ithaca) to provide helicopter services in support of their upcoming drilling project at the Harrier Well in Block 30/6. The operations are expected to start Q2 2017. Flights will depart from NHV’s base in Aberdeen to the harrier well, which is approximately 150nm from Aberdeen. NHV will support this project utilizing the stateof-the-art H175 aircraft, an Airbus Helicopter’s Super Medium type. The H175 is specifically designed to meet evolving mission needs in the oil and gas industry. Being the launching operator for this aircraft type, NHV’s H175s have accumulated extensive experience in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Ghana and Denmark since 2014. NHV Group ultimately will increase its fleet to 16 of these newgeneration helicopters. NHV started operating out of Aberdeen at the beginning of 2016 and announced the opening of a new hangar, apron and passenger handling facilities last October. A third H175 helicopter will now be allocated to the Aberdeen base, allowing NHV to deliver a service which is tailored to the new customer’s requirements. NHV’s base manager Jamie John commented: “The award of this contract and working with a new partner strengthens NHV’s presence in Aberdeen. We look forward to the beginning of what we believe will be a long and successful partnership with Ithaca”.
The AW609 TiltRotor programme is expected to start icing trials soon following recent ground and flight testing activities. These advances have been made in support of FAA certification, which remains on track for 2018. The third prototype, based at Leonardo’s facility in Philadelphia, performed several weeks of unrestrained ground testing and, more recently, flight trials that allowed avionics and all systems to be fully tested. During initial flights, the aircraft performed basic hovering and maneuvering and patterns around the airport, concluding with hover landing. Additional flights up to altitudes of 4,000 feet with Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) are planned shortly. The aircraft will undergo icing trials in Marquette, Michigan, through the winter. The tests will ensure the AW609 can fly in known icing conditions and reach operational standards not currently available in any other commercial aircraft. The fourth AW609 prototype is now located within the main production area of the Philadelphia facility’s assembly line to ensure a smooth transition to the first production build aircraft, also planned for 2018. 10
Milestone Aviation places €200M firm order with Airbus Helicopters
Milestone Aviation Group Limited, the global leader in helicopter leasing, announced a €200 million firm order with Airbus Helicopters including H145, H135 and H175 helicopters. Delivery of the aircraft on order is scheduled to begin in mid-2017 with deployment into emergency medical service and other parapublic segments. Milestone’s current helicopter fleet includes over 60 Airbus Helicopters consisting of H130, H135, H145, H155, H175 and H225s with a cost of nearly USD $1 billion. In 2016, Milestone acquired 10 Airbus H145s largely supporting global EMS missions and believes there is significant opportunity for this light-twin aircraft. “Milestone was very active in emergency medical services and other parapublic segment in 2016, and this order gives us near-term availability for H145 and H135 aircraft to support growing demand for new technology in these segments,” said Milestone President and CEO, Daniel Rosenthal. “We are honoured to partner with Milestone and General Electric. As the owner of the largest and most diverse fleet of commercial Airbus Helicopters in the world, they have truly innovated the helicopter industry and are uniquely placed to bring new technology and financing solutions to operators across missions,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “We are very pleased that Milestone is supporting operators with Airbus helicopters across diverse segments of the industry such as emergency medical services, police surveillance, search and rescue, utility, fire-fighting and oil and gas crew transport.” The H145 offers operators a large cabin, next-generation avionics, and powerful engines, positioning it as a desirable replacement across a variety of lifesaving and utility missions. Likewise, the H135 offers significant technology and performance improvements and is the staple twin-engine platform in the global EMS market. The H175, Airbus Helicopter’s new generation mediumsized rotorcraft, delivers on all counts with its long range, smooth ride, excellent payload lift and outstanding cabin comfort.
Leonardo AW609 programme moves forward
Milestone Aviation places order for Leonardo AW169 and AW139 helicopters
Leonardo and Milestone Aviation Group Limited, a leader in helicopter leasing, announced at HAI Heli Expo 2017 in Dallas a new contract for nine aircraft – six AgustaWestland AW139 and three AW169 helicopters – expected to deliver in 2017 and 2018. The order, valued at €90 million, reaffirms Milestone’s commitment to the Leonardo “family” with an order book now consisting of AW169, AW139 and AW189 helicopters. “Milestone has had great success with both the AgustaWestland AW139 and AW169 in 2016, and we continue to see an array of opportunities for these aircraft across missions around the globe,” said Daniel Rosenthal, President and CEO of Milestone. “The majority of the helicopters in this order have already been placed with customers to support contracts beginning in 2017 and 2018.” Milestone leased seven AgustaWestland AW169 aircraft in 2016 into geographically diverse emergency medical service segments, reinforcing the lessor’s focus on enabling life-saving missions globally. Milestone also leased 11 AW139s in 2016, with most of those helicopters serving non-oil and gas missions, proving the versatility of the aircraft. “We are thrilled Milestone believes strongly in the capability and value delivered by Leonardo’s “family” of new technology, efficient, multirole helicopters,” said Daniele Romiti, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters. “We look forward to Milestone’s partnership in growing the fleet and operator base for the AW169, AW139 and AW189 through innovative lease and debt solutions.”
CHC Helicopter Celebrates 70 Years of Service CHC Group (OTC PINK: HELIQ) (the “Company” or “CHC”) today announced the beginning of a year-long celebration of the operator’s 70-year history since its humble beginnings as a crop dusting operation in British Columbia in April of 1947. CHC traces its roots back to Carl Agar, A.H. “Barney” Bent and Al Stringer, the three Canadian Air Force veterans who founded Okanagan Air Services on April 18, 1947. Over the next seven decades, CHC evolved from a single helicopter to a global leader in offshore transport, search and rescue, utility and emergency medical services. “Our entire team recognizes that we are standing on the shoulders of some of the giants in the rotorcraft industry,” said Karl Fessenden, president and CEO of CHC Helicopter. “We recognize, appreciate and value the achievements that have helped build our legacy, and appreciate the contributions from our leadership and the many men and women who have worked hard across our business and over many years to support our customers.”
Bel Air AW189 helicopters exceed 6,000 flight hours in North Sea operations
The two AgustaWestland AW189 super medium twin engine helicopters operated by Bel Air of Denmark have exceeded 6,000 flight hours as of January, setting a new milestone while demonstrating exceptional availability and mission effectiveness performing long range offshore transport missions in the North Sea. This outstanding result was possible through the strong cooperation between the operator and Leonardo’s customer support team. This achievement confirms Bel Air as world fleet leader for the AW189 model in a demanding operational environment. Bel Air has more recently reached even greater levels of capability upon installing the Limited Icing Protection System (LIPS) onto its two AW189s. LIPS permits flight within a known and defined envelope of icing conditions provided that the capability to descend into a known band of positive temperature is available throughout the intended route. A unique feature in the super medium category, LIPS allows operations in more severe weather conditions when other competing types are confined in the hangars. Bel Air has also opted for the 8.6 tonne Maximum Gross Weight upgrade to give its customers greater levels of payload. An existing AW139 operator and the official Leonardo Service Centre for the AW139 and the AW189 in Denmark, Bel Air is benefitting from the unique operational, training, support and management advantages of the family of new generation helicopters, thanks to the introduction of the AW189 model into their fleet. This all-new approach to effective, flexible and efficient fleet management is helping Bel Air as it expands its capabilities in support of safe operations for the North Sea oil and gas industry, as well as carrying out offshore wind turbine support and ad hoc helicopter services. With agreements for over 150 units, including orders and options, and over 30 helicopters delivered to customers worldwide for offshore transport, SAR and transport duties, the AW189 is the outright market leader in its class. The AW189 is unique in having a 50 minute ‘run-dry’ capable main gear box, exceeding current certification standards and offering unmatched safety and reliability for long range offshore operations. A Full Ice Protection System (FIPS) is also available on demand, allowing the aircraft to operate in full icing conditions.
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ENDURANCE 12
NFH 3 h 30 m TTH 4 h 15 m
MAXIMUM SPEED
130 knots
CRUISE SPEED
175 knots
MTOW
11 T
By Sea, By Land A new spec-ops tool for the Italian Navy
by Francesco Marino “Per mare, per terram”: Italian San Marco Marine Brigade’s motto suits perfectly for the brand new asset the Marò received at the very beginning of 2017. That’s quite a new specops tool for the Italian naval forces, and a new step forward to an ambitious European aerospace programme. The NHIndustries MH-90 is basically a custom version of the NH90 helicopter, specifically made for Italian Marina Militare: it has been delivered in February 2017 to Sarzana Helicopters station Maristaeli Luni. The MH-90 features all of the main assets of the naval version (which the Italian Navy called SH-90 NFH), while main and tail rotors are optimized for naval deployment while the rear ramp and the avionic suite drops a hint of what the helicopter is meant to perform on terrestrial operations. The new NH-90 version has been in fact specifically designed to support San Marco Marine Brigade’s amphibious operations without losing dual use and multi-role capabilities.
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Golden Jubilee Innovative technology continues to leave its mark on Airbus’ helicopter fleet today Customers around the world value the BO105 for its versatility, robustness and reliability More than 400 aircraft still in use
This month marks 50 years since the BO105 embarked on its maiden flight, on 16 February 1967, in Ottobrunn near Munich. Conceived as a two- tonne-class light multi-purpose helicopter, cutting-edge technologies and materials led to the BO105 being the first helicopter to feature a rigid, hingeless rotor head made of titanium and glass-fibre-reinforced rotor blades. “The BO105 has made a name for itself above all for its versatility, robustness and reliability. The fact that it is still being used 50 years after its maiden flight speaks volumes for the high quality of this helicopter. As a pioneer of modern helicopter technology, the BO105 continues to influence our product range today,” said Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Airbus Helicopters in Germany. What became known as the Bölkow rotor significantly reduced maintenance costs when compared to traditional rotor heads with flapping and lead-lag hinges, as fewer moving parts were required. Furthermore, the BO105’s special rotor system enabled it to perform with a higher degree of agility and manoeuvrability – capabilities for which it is still renowned today.
Key figures
History Since the helicopter’s first delivery in 1970, more than 300 customers around the world have purchased a total of some 1,400 aircraft which have been operated in air rescue, as a police and military helicopter, as well as for VIP, passenger and cargo transportation. The largest customer was the German Armed Forces with more than 200 orders. Some of these aircraft remained in service until December 2016. Some 400 aircraft – around a third of the total number of helicopters manufactured – are still in service today. The longest-serving BO105 carries out aerial work on the Falkland Islands. In particular the H135 and H145 light helicopters went on to profit from the BO105’s technological achievements. The current successor model to Airbus’ BO105 is the H135. With its hingeless and bearingless rotor head, it has an advanced rotor system with a high carbon-fibre content to extend its service life. In addition, the H135 boasts further innovative features, such as a glass cockpit, an autopilot system and the shrouded Fenestron tail rotor system to further improve the safety and sound levels of the helicopter. In its role as a pioneer of technological progress, Airbus is working on future-focused programmes also today: among them are the X6 helicopter for the heavy segment, which is set to enter service during the next decade, or the City Airbus project, an air taxi for major urban areas.
The BO105 was the most innovative light helicopter of its time. With the introduction of its hingeless main rotor head, the BO105 paved the way for the bearingless rotor systems of today’s helicopters. With some 400 aircraft still in service today the BO105 is appreciated around the world for its versatility, reliability and quality.
In total, the BO105 fleet has clocked up more than 8 million flight hours around the world. Airbus Helicopters continues to offer comprehensive service for the light helicopter and guarantees the delivery of spare parts in the long term.
Reached a speed record of 404 km/h in 1975 Broke a long-distance record by flying more than 1,714 km Was the first helicopter to perform a loop And is still a guest in many aerobatics shows. Was used as a “polar heli” for a research programme in the Antarctic Is a movie star in several action films (e.g. James Bond/Spectre, The Expendables 3)
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% Civilian
37
% Military
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1963
% Parapublic
Some 300 customers worldwide acquired more than 1,400 BO105. The entire fleet has reached more than 8 million flight hours. Airbus continues to provide service support and spare parts.
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1984
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photo: Salvo Di Marco
Editor’s choice
Italian Police AgustaWestland
UH-139C
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“The best office with the best view”
story by Ludovica Angelini
Our tribute to Cpt. Ranjan Limbu, killed in August 2016 when its Fishtail Air helicopter crashed while performing a HEMS mission near Kathmandu “Namaste from Nepal”.
It’s how Ranjan Limbu, a helicopter pilot in the country of the world’s highest peaks, says hello. He’s just 25 and he already sits in the right seat of a AS350B3 operated by Fishtail Air in the Himalayan mountains. He speaks like a veteran, he loves to take pictures of helicopters and he served during one of the most devastating natural disasters of the last 50 years: the earthquake in Nepal of April 25, 2015. Later in that year he told us how his passion for photography was born and how difficult it is to work in a helicopter in Nepal. Ranjan also offered us his unique perspective on the days that forever changed his country and we started sharing messages, stories, our different lifes from half the world away. Sadly, that was his last year on this earth. Later in 2016 Cpt. Ranjan Limbu lost his life when its Fishtail Air helicopter crashed while performing a HEMS mission near Kathmandu. This is our tribute to him.
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Ranjan, let’s start from you. Who are you and what do you do for a living? My name is Ranjan Limbu, I’m 25, I’m a helicopter pilot and I work with Fishtail Air Pvt ltd since 2010.
How did you became a helicopter pilot? I am from Charali, in the eastern part of Nepal. There I spent most of my childhood. We had a army base nearby and I used to run a mile just to have a glance of Army helicopters. And i think its in my blood too: I have always loved aviation since I have been a kid. It’s the best office with the best view.
When did you start your taking pictures of helos? Since i start working with helicopter. Being a helicopter pilot you get the chance to visit and see many beautiful places that many people dreams of. I just can’t help myself rather to grab my camera and take pictures.
What is your favorite helicopter? AS350 series, because she’s making my dream a reality.
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You work for Fishtail Air in Nepal: have you worked during the earthquake in last april? Yes, I flew a lot for the rescue and relief flights after the earthquake.
Can you tell us your story and your opinion about that sad event? On April 25th , it occurred at 11:56 Local time. I was in Lukla with Capt Reto (CEO of Heli Linth, Mollis Switzerland). Mobiles and Tv were temporary disrupted by earthquakes. News started coming about death tolls and about avalanches in the Everest Base camp. Due to bad weather we were forced to be on ground that day but on 26th, on the very first light of the day, we started rescuing the injured first from the Everest base camp. Capt Maurizio Folini also joined us in the Everest base camp rescue some days later. After two weeks, we all returned back to and started working around Kathmandu area.
Helicopters made the differences during the emergency. Due to difficult terrains and villages with no road connection, people and government we forced to rely on helicopter for rescue and to transport food, medicine and temporary shelter materials. We Nepalese were overwhelmed by the help we received from all around the world. That sad event helped all the nepalese to unite and work as a team to overcome the grief.
What’s the situation now in Nepal after 6 months? Now the situation is under control. People have already returned to their daily routine. Every private and government offices and school are running smoothly as before.
Have you worked with Mr Maurizio Folini and Mr Simone Moro? With Simone I didn’t get a chance to fly but I flew a lot with Maurizio. He is a very skilled pilot, I got a chance to learn many skills with him.
Does Nepal need a proper HEMS network? At present conditions, we are using our machine for sight seeing, aerial work, taxi flight, rescue flight and whatever it comes. For a emergency rescue mission, we have two hospital with rooftop helipad inside Kathmandu valley. Although we accommodate doctor, oxygen and stretcher for rescue mission, we have no outfitted aircraft with all the medical equipment vital to monitoring and treating injured or ill patients like REGA helicopter. It would be nice to have a dedicated air ambulance in our country.
What are the most difficult parts of working as a helicopter pilot in Nepal? We have difficult terrains, quick changes in weather and ultra high altitudes. They definitely makes helicopter pilot a difficult job in Nepal.
What are the best parts of working as a pilot in Nepal? Nepal is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity due to its unique geographical position and altitude variation. The elevation of the country ranges from 60 meters above sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8,848 metres. This wild variation fosters an incredible variety of ecosystems, the greatest mountain range on earth, thick tropical jungles teeming with a wealth of wildlife, thundering rivers, forested hills and frozen valleys makes flying in Nepal soo memorable and beautiful.
You’re 25 now: what are your dreams as a helicopter pilot? I just started my career and I have a very long way to go. My life goals are dedicating my entire life in helicopter industry and serving my country. And I also would like to continue my rotographer career alongside.
What kind of operations do like the most? I love every work related with helicopter. May it be helping on ground, cleaning, carrying sling loads, taxi flights. But i love doing rescue flights: I get a huge life satisfaction rescuing people.
What camera do you use? I sometime use GoPro but most of my picture are captured by Iphone5s and a Sony 5100.
Do you think that the social media will help spreading the importance of aerial work? I think so. Besides sharing pictures in social network and being able to know pilots from all around the world, I get a huge motivation from their works. Helicopter pilot forums, aviation blogs, and training pages always inspires and motivate me to get better and learn many things from them.
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High Stakes by Enrico Messina
In 2015 Simone Moro set a new altitude record for a turbine rotorcraft at of 6,705 meters (21,998 feet). But it wasn’t the first high altitude record attempt. Somebody already did it on a rescue mission‌
Nepal, April 29th, 2010. Captain Daniel Aufdenblatten receives an SOS call: four alpinists are affected by hypothermia on Mount Annapurna, at a height of 6,900 metres. The Swiss pilot and an alpine guide, Mr Richard Lehner, take off with a Eurocopter AS350 B3, a helicopter of the local Nepalese company, Fishtalair. It’s the beginning of a historic mission, a 36-hour helicopter rescue operation and three long-line rescue attempts. A desperate challenge that was only partially successful: three out of four alpinists survive. However, the operation remains memorable. Until the rescue mission carried out by Maurizio Folini and Simone Moro at the beginning of 2013, the operations on Mount Annapurna had been the highest helicopter rescue mission in history. At first, it didn’t start well. At the moment of their rescue, the physical conditions of the alpinists were potentially fatal.
After 62 years, the altitude world record in two-seat turbine rotorcraft without payload it’s now an Italian one. In 2015, alpinist and pilot Simone Moro climbed to an altitude of 6,705 meters (21,998 feet) in a ES101 Raven, breaking the previous french record for a turbine rotorcraft in the E-1a category. Moro surpassed the record altitude of 6,658 m (21,843 ft) for a piston-engine E-1a category rotorcraft, achieved by French pilot Olivier Gensse in 2005 with a Guimbal Cabri. And, what is even more impressive, after 62 years, Simone Moro crushed by far the previous record set by Jean Dabos at 4,879 meters.
To make the already bad situation worse, the weather conditions were prohibitive, with wind and turbulences. “When we were approaching the place of the accident, one of the injured alpinists thought he was having a hallucination”, explained Daniel Aufdenblatten at the end of the mission, which earned him and his companion the 2011 Heroism Award, an award of the United States Department of State that is usually assigned in Washington. For all intents and purposes, it was an almost impossible mission. The rescue took place at only a few metres from Mount Annapurna, the tenth highest mountain in the world, 55 km long and 8,901 metres high. Along with the last stretch of mount K2, Mount Annapurna is one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. So risky that it holds the highest ratio between the number of fatal accidents and the attempted climbs, higher than 40%: in other words, one out of two climbs on this killer mountain is potentially lethal.
It’s a made in Italy record: Italian the location (Bolzano airport), Italian the company that produces the ultra-light helicopter (Mantua-based Aviotecnica) and made in Italy, of course, the pilot himself. The record was set on November 12, 2015: the two-seater helicopter ES101 Raven was vying for supremacy on the E1-a category aircraft with maximum take-off weight of less than 500 kg. Simone Moro was equipped with high-altitude clothing and oxygen tank.
Until the rescue mission carried out by Maurizio Folini and Simone Moro at the beginning of 2013, the operations on Mount Annapurna had been the highest helicopter rescue mission in history
Notam and Oxygen Moro’s record has been achieved in a dramatic 27 minutes attempt: in addition to the freezing temperatures (-50 degrees), the operation has been at stakes for a shortage in the breathing oxygen tank, which finished ahead of schedule. It is been crucial detail, since the problem has sanctioned the final decision to return to the ground and give up the next altitude record at 8,000 meters. “Now the goal is the Nanga Parbat in winter, a challenging and absolute difficulty climbing operation - said Simone Moro -. But on my return I’ll try again this record hoping to reach an altitude that gives more longevity to the record, which consolidates my passion for high altitude reached on foot or in the air, and give luster and on the outstanding work of Mauro Piazzoli. That helo was born to him and only him can keep it flying.
A Record lasted 62 Years Simone Moro’s altitude records someway helped projecting Jean Dabos’ attempt even more higher in the aviation history. The frenchman set a record in a pioneer’s era, when the helicopter was quite a new machine around, in 1953. For more than 60 years, no turbine helicopter in the same category had surpassed the altitude record set by Dabos in a SudOuest SO.1221 “Djinn” helicopter.
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photo: Andrea Capoferri
Editor’s choice
350b3
AS
Airbus Helicopters
AS-350B3 29
5 things you may not know about the AS350 Ecureuil
Introduced in the 70s as a substitute of the Alouette II, the popular single-engine helicopter has become a champion of reliability, simplicity and versatility: here are the secrets of its success How can a helicopter fleet pass through the 30 million flying hours milestone? That’s simple: it got to be a a helicopter that can fly virtually in every part of the planet, performing the widest range of operations possible: from the highest peaks of the world to heavy loads transport. The Airbus Helicopters AS350 (H125) Ecureuil (in the US it’s known as Squirrel) is one of the most impressive helicopters ever made: over 6,000 has been built through the years and today there are 5,000 helos in service in
119 different countries around the world. Only in 2015 the total fleet of AS350 Ecureuil exceeded the million and a half hour flight, thanks to the work of more than 1,800 professionals worldwide. The popular single-engine has passed through all stages of industrial evolution of the parent company, starting from the first steps with Aérospatiale in the 70s (with the not so easy task of replacing the iconic Alouette II) until the multiple evolution with Eurocopter and the current consecration with Airbus Helicopters.
There is also a champion of champions: an Air Maui Helicopters’ AS350 BA delivered in 1991, which logged more than 34,000 flight hours. Honorable mention for a AS350 B2 of the 5 Star Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours, which in 2015 exceeded 1,800 flight hours in just a year (almost 5 hours of flight per day, 7 days out of 7).
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It was not meant to be named Ecureuil
The secret of success of a product is often linked to the naming: Ecureuil is now used quite as a synonymous of AS350, but its fate could have taken a different path. In the 70s the Aerospatiale’s marketing office had a bad idea for naming: Alouette Business. That name was designed to emphasize the concept underlying its design: simplicity, reliability and a competitive price. In the end they choose the more appealing Ecureuil (Squirrel): it was a right choice since the AS350 had really very little in common with the Alouette. Especially in terms of performance.
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There is also a twin engine Ecureuil…
the as350 is recognized worldwide as the king of the single-engine helicopters. The reasons are simple: the helicopter can carry out virtually any type of mission, with almost unbeatable performance at high altitude. But there’s also a twinengine version: the AS355 Ecureuil II or, for the American market, the TwinStar 2. The latest version was introduced in 2007 and it is powered by a pair of Turbomeca Arrius 1A1 turboshafts complete with the AS350 B3 transmission (maximum takeoff weight is set at 2.8 tons). Production has been discontinued at the end of 2016
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…and a Fenestron AS350
The first helicopter to feature the iconic Fenestron tail rotor - today a Airbus trademark -, was the SA341 Gazelle in the late 60s. But the same system has also been tested in 1987 on a Ecureuil specific testbed, called AS350, roughly based on the AS350 B2.The helicopter was used for the development of the Fenestron tail rotor later featured in the single-engine EC130 and never entered serial production.
An Ecureuil climbed the everest
Ain’t no mountain is high enough for the Ecureuil. The AS350 is the most widely used helicopter in the world for the transport and rescue at high altitudes. To certify the quality of the project there is the high-flying world record takeoff in May 14, 2005 on top of Mount Everest.
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Another one exceeded 34,000 hours of flight
It is no secret: the AS350 is the leader of Airbus Helicopters fleet. Almost half of the rotorcraft still in circulation worldwide is represented by Ecureuils and, they also take the crown for the amount of flight hours accumulated in the world from all Airbus-made helos.
169
AW Ready
for US
1 July 2010 AgustaWestland unveils the AW169
T
he AW169 is now ready for the US helicopter market. Just 18 months after the EASA certification, the Leonardo-AgustaWestland AW169 light intermediate twin-engine helicopter has achieved validation by FAA of the United States of its certification, which in other words means that deliveries will begin in USA later in the year.
date, including framework contracts and options, for a wide range of applications including executive/corporate transport, air ambulance, law enforcement, offshore transport and utility roles. Designed with inherent dual-use capabilities, the AW169 is also ideally suited for the wide scope of parapublic and government applications and will be able to meet military and naval requirements.
A versatile, new generation twin-engine light-intermediate category helicopter, the AW169 has been designed in response to the growing market demand for an aircraft that delivers high performance, meets all the latest safety standards and has multi-role capabilities.
AW169: main features
Over 20 AgustaWestland AW169s have been delivered to date to customers around the world (in the US, as AgustaWestland confirmed to Helipress, an undisclosed number of AW169s in VIP version will be delivered later in 2017) for a range of applications including emergency medical service, executive/private transport, utility, offshore transport and wind farm support. An AW169 Level D full flight simulator, delivering advanced pilot training, has been certified and is in operation at the Leonardo Training Academy in Sesto Calende, Italy.
AW169: orders and production
An undisclosed number of AW169s in VIP version will be delivered in the US later in 2017
2 May 2012 Maiden Flight
The AW169 4.6 tonne helicopter is the first all new helicopter in its weight category to enter the market in more than 30 years, setting new certification and safety standards and marking the operational readiness of the whole AW Family. The first units will be delivered from the Vergiate final assembly line in Italy. A second AW169 final assembly line is being established at AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia plant in the USA. AgustaWestland’s Yeovil plant in UK plays a key role in the production of rotor blades and the tail rotor transmission system. The AW169 programme has benefitted from UK Government support and has already proven extremely successful in this market for corporate transport and public service duties. A Flight Training Device (FTD) and a maintenance training simulator are already operational at AgustaWestland’s Sesto Calende Training Academy in Italy, while a Level D Full Flight Simulator will be available in 2016. More than 150 AW169 helicopters have been ordered by customers around the world to
3 July 2015 EASA Certification
A versatile, new generation twin engine light intermediate category helicopter, the AW169 has been designed in response to the growing market demand for an aircraft that delivers high performance, meets all the latest safety standards and has multi-role capabilities. The AW169 is certified in accordance with EASA CS-29 / FAR Part 29 latest Amendments. FAA certification will follow in the next few months. The type incorporates several new technology features in the rotor system, engines, avionics, transmission and electric power generation and distribution systems. The AW169 can comfortably accommodate up to ten passengers in its large, unobstructed cabin, fitted with a range of customised equipment and entertainment systems. The aircraft is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW210A turboshafts. An auxiliary power unit (APU) mode ensures the continued operation of the environmental control system, radios and medical equipment when the rotors are stopped. The AW169’s avionic suite introduces state-of-the-art technology including a fully digital NVG compatible cockpit with three 8” x 10” large area (AMLCD) displays and touch screen technology with enhanced 3D graphics capability for maximum situational awareness. A 4-axis digital automatic flight control system (DAFCS) with dual Flight Management System (FMS) minimises crew workload, allowing single/dual pilot VFR/IFR operations. The avionics suite also complies with satellite-based navigation, communication and surveillance requirements and has the capability to perform satellite-based IFR LPV (localizer performance with vertical guidance) approaches to maximize round-theclock utilisation of the helicopter. Safety enhancing avionics such as Terrain Awareness Warning Systems, airborne collision avoidance systems can be added to the standard avionic configuration.
4 February 2017 FAA Validation
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photo: Robert NiederWolfsGruber
H145
Editor’s choice
Airbus Helicopters
EC-135T1
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HH-3F Agusta manufactured the Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican in SAR version for the Italian m,ilitary. The Aeronautica Militare 15th Storm o received 20 HH-3Fs. The helicopters have been phased out in late 2014.
AB.102 The Agusta AB.102 was a helicopter produced in small numbers in the early 1960s.The aircraft was based on the mechanical components of a Bell 48 that Agusta incorporated into an all-new, streamlined fuselage. Only two production examples were built.
An Italian National Heritage
since 1952 A.101 The Agusta A.101 is the ancestor of the modern AW101. It was a large prototype of a transport helicopter developed in Italy during the 1960s. Despite prospective orders from the Italian armed forces, no buyers emerged and the project was abandoned in 1971.
CH-47C Agusta, through an association with Elicotteri Meridionali built more than 160 Boeing CH-47C Chinooks under license for the militaries of Italy, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Greece and Iran.
Fortune favours the bold by RotorZ Fortunately there still is the French MoD. Fortunately there are still some fierce lessors who keep buying helicopters. If we were to sum up the last few weeks of the helicopters industry in two sentences we could just stop there, pack it up, say goodbye to Dallas and move on to the next big show. Telling what’s the importance of HAI Heli Expo 2017 for the industry is telling how one of the greatest deals of the recent history (the Milestone Aviation contract) has been concluded. That’s it because days before the Dallas show, Guillaume Faury made his real move. And it’s been a good one: welcoming with open arms the French Defence Minister on a visit to Airbus’ factory in Marignane. On that occasion, Mr Jean-Yves le Drian announced the purchase by France MoD of almost 200 next generation helicopters, which basically will be the H160 in a military version. Mr Faury definitely could have avoided the transatlantic trip. Both the deals painted a fairly clear picture of the Industry at this precise moment in history. Without the leverage of large financial investors supporting the aerial work companies, the industry simply cannot stand on its feet. Perhaps it’s the right time for Europe to start thinking of a serious, large and attractive show of its own. This year, HAI Heli Expo was more a ritual than a true manifestation of a healthy industry. We saw a mockup of a helicopter so futuristic that it seems pure sci-fi, set far from reality and more based on a dream that on a plausible industrial platform.
On the Cover
The second of three planned flying prototypes of the new Airbus Helicopter H160 during cold-weathering testing in Yellowknife, Canada in mid January, 2017. Ccertification is targeted for 2018.
Manager Editor and Publisher
Nicola Zamperini
Online Editor
Let’s start betting on traditional and iconic EU events like ILA Berlin, Paris Air Show and Farnborough. Or better: let’s make a big helicopters’ show in southern France, near Italy. Maybe in Marseille. It could be a strong sign of recovery and vitality of our two continental manufacturers and the reborn of an entire industry.
Art Director
If history has taught us anything, is that Europe comes often in the US for the big shows, but the US simply doesn’t.
Stefano Silvestre
Product Manager
Ludovica Angelini Francesco Marino Enrico Messina
Copyright 2014 Gnotilab srl
Alessio Damiano
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So, our invitation in this very first Helipress Magazine Issue is to keep an eye on the profound meaning of these big events going on for some years. Our invitation is aimed at European manufacturers: let’s spend fewer days in the States, let’s make less investment in the US show.
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