Heliweb Magazine - April/May 2017

APRIL/MAY 2017 VOL 39

XTI AIRCRAFT

TRIFAN 600

PART HELICOPTER, PART PLANE IS THIS THE START OF A VTOL REVOLUTION?

CONTINUING KATHRYN THE LEGACY: PURWIN

HELI-EXPO 2017 DALLAS HIGHLIGHTS

RESCUE 116 IRISH COAST GUARD

AVALON 2017 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION

NAVY HELICOPTER TRAINING WILL IT TAKE A CALAMITY?

2 | heliweb magazine

44

INSIDE

THE APRIL/MAY ISSUE 36 52 “WE’RE GONE”

THE CRASH OF IRISH COASTGUARD 116

By Ryan Mason

COVER STORY:

XTI AIRCRAFT TRIFAN 600 IS THIS THE FUTURE OF VERTICAL LIFT?

By Ryan Mason

WILL IT TAKE A CALAMITY?

WILL THE NAVY DECIDE ON A NEW TRAINING PROGRAM AND AIRCRAFT BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT?

By Dan Goure

70

KATHRYN PURWIN

CONTINUING THE HELINET LEGACY

By Ryan Mason

ONE YEAR LATER

THE NORWAY INVESTIGATION

By Colt Roy

62

76

HELI-EXPO 2017

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM DALLAS

By Colt Roy

AVALON 2017

AUSTRALIAN AVIATION ON DISPLAY

By Kane Arlow

COLUMNS & FEATURES

Helipix From the Desk of Whirly Girls The Instructors Station Straight & Level USHST

HeliNews Rotorheads

74 6 16 18 20 22 24 26 88

PUBLISHER EDITOR Ryan Mason ryan@heliweb.com

DEPUTY EDITOR Ali Mason ali@heliweb.com

Grab your free subscription to the print or digital mag at

heliweb.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: TIm Pruitt

Colt Roy

Seth Lasko

Jason Jorgensen

Dan Foster

Jeroen Vanveenendaal

Ralf Block

Roelof Jan Gort

Scott Dworkin

Ed Simmons

COPY EDITOR: Duncan Brown duncan@heliweb.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ben Fouts

Jessica Kanellos

Brian Parsons

Lauren Brown

Jason Jorgensen

Matt Johnson

Dan Foster

Michael Rocks-Macqueen

Scott Dworkin

Tim Pruitt

DIRECTOR OF SALES Ross Ansell ross@heliweb.com

Want your images in the magazine? Tag us on social media or email your shots to info@heliweb.com:

HELICOPTER ART Marc Veenendaal marc@mpvdesign.com.au

#HELIWEB

is a publication of Airborne Productions P.O. Box 3134 Alpharetta, GA 30023 TOLL FREE: 844.435.4932 PHONE: 770.308.6448

EMAIL: info@heliweb.com

April/May Issue Cover:

The XTI TriFan 600 is causing waves in the VTOL world with their revolutionary electric powered solution. Read our story on the new tech.

Redering by XTI

All material published remains the copyright of heliweb. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the written consent of the publisher. Editorials published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Content within heliweb is believed to be true and accurate and the publisher does not assume responsibility for any errors. Unsolicited editorial manuscripts and photos are welcomed and encouraged. heliweb cannot be responsible for return unless submissions are accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Photos submitted by mail or electronically become property of heliweb unless otherwise specified. Copyrighted photographs must be clearly marked, otherwise they become property of heliweb. Deadline for all advertising is the first day of each month for the following months edition. Information about rates, requirements, etc. is available upon request.

H eliweb is a prou d mem b er of t h e f ol low i n g as s o ci ations

2006 Agusta A109S Grand Serial Number 22019

2002 Agusta A109E Power Serial Number 11148

2006 Airbus EC135 P2 Serial Number 437

2008 Airbus EC135 P2+

F����� Q������ 2016

Serial Number 660

YEAR IN REVIEW 







Leonardo strengthens its position in the UK as it begins operating as Leonardo MW Ltd. a new single entity for its UK-based operations. Leonardo MW Ltd. brings together two distinguished brands with great technological heritage: Westland in helicopters and Marconi in electronics.

Leonardo receives a 30 aircraft order from Sino-US, China's largest EMS operator.

Leonardo’s contract signed with Sino-US includes the AgustaWestland AW139 and AW169 helicopters.

Canadian EMS operator Ornge signs support contract for AW139 helicopter fleet. The six year contract extends logistics support and maintenance services. Ornge recently added an 11th AW139 to its fleet in support of critically sick and wounded patients.

2013 Airbus EC135 P2+

Five AW169 orders from Lease Corporation International and Helikorea will be delivered in 2016 and 2017. Specialist Aviation Services signed a Framework Agreement for a additional six AW169’s with deliveries expected between 2017 and 2019. Currently, there are almost 150 AW169 signed contracts which includes; firm orders, framework contracts and options.

F����� Q������ 2016 SOURCE LEONARDO-FINMECCANICA

Serial Number 1107

EWPS O W E R O EA M1 0N9 E AVAILABLE

SALE 53 = 13%

FOR

OF

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TRADING RANGE:

•

$900K

$3M

TO

Collaboration Created In China To Establish In-Country Assembly of Bell 407GXP’s After consecutive quarters of increase in 2015, Power inventory stabilized in 2016 with 53 Powers currently for sale. As bid / November 1, 2016 Bell announced avolume signedshould framework agreement Shaanxi Aviation a welcome change compared to the dismal of 2017, quarters in the firstwith increase sale gaps close, transaction Industry Development Co. Ltd. (SAIDC), a subsidiary of Shaanxi Energy Group, and Xi’an Power transaction volume of 2016.

Helicopter Company Ltd. (XHC).

/ A109SP GRAND NEW

GR S establishment A 1 0in 9their Bell will work with SAIDC and XHC of a company for the assembly and resale of Bell 407GXP helicopters for government and government-related customers A N G E : $ 1 . 8 M T O $ 4 M ABLE FOR SALE 24 = 9% OF F LEET • TRADING R A I L agreement in China.A VThe also provides for collaboration to develop in-country maintenance, training and customer support capabilities. As a part of this framework continue through fourth quarter 2016, remained stable during 2016. As Grand New deliveries New supply / Grand have Grand agreement, the parties agreedhas to negotiate a 5-year agreement by to purchase 100 we expected to see more straight Grand’s enter the market in the beginning of 2017. Yet straight Grand pre-owned inventory Bell 407GXP helicopters. These helicopters will be focused on several missions, including decreased by 2 serial number’s compared to end of third quarter. Another 3 Grand’s & 2 Grand New’s are available for sale off helicopter emergency medical services and law enforcement missions.

Both segments combined, inventory for sale has risen by 16% over 2016.

AND

2002 Airbus EC120B

market.

Enhanced Comfort & Technology For The Short Light Single Engine Markets AVPRO, INC.

410.573.1515

900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412 Fax: 410.573.1919 M Group, an T S . C OAviation J EMecaer NovemberW1,W2016 Bell Pand acclaimed designer and R Othe W. AV E‐mail: info@avprojets.com Annapolis, Maryland 21401 ���� Q������ 2016 manufacturer of high-end cabin comfort systems, announced their collaboration for Tthe MAGnificent interior designed for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X. OEM NEWS

©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2016 - All Rights Reserved

Serial Number 1300

Bell Helicopter Expands Its Customer Support Network In China

November 2, 2016 Bell announced a plan for significant growth in its aftermarket support UBS P���O���� networkI�������� in China. O������ Zhenjiang Aerochine Aviation Limited, located in Zhenjiang City, By the end ofJiangsu AugustProvince, 2016, there was 1,364 pre-owned for sale, or has been announced as Bell helicopters Helicopter’savailable newest Authorized Customer 6% of the in-service Inventories of young pre-owned helicopters (0-10 years old) only Service fleet.

Facility. made up 5% of the in-service fleet, a 3% decrease since July 2016.

Visit www . aVprojets . com request quarterly market updates!

Bell Helicopter Expands Its Aeronautical Accessories Brand Product Line In Canada

The pre-owned inventory MDBell Helicopters, Airbus and Bell Helicopters eachCanada November 11,for2016 announced that itHelicopters has received approval from Transport equal 6% of the in-service is in line withwindshield. the overallLikewise, averageVan for all helicopters.

Currently, Airbus has more (TCCA) for thefleet.

Bell Which 206 polycarbonate Horn Aviation received TCCA approvalavailable for the Bell main blade. than 160 young helicopters for206B sale,composite the most of anyrotor manufacturer.

Both products are now available through Bell Helicopter’s T�� E������� F����� A������� 30 M������ F����� H���� Aeronautical Accessories brand for installation on aircraft for Canadian operators.

At the end of August 2016, Airbus Helicopters’ Ecureuil fleet reached the impressive AMAZING VALUE FOR A milestone of 30 million flight hours. The durability of the fleet currently represents L42% ofEW AIRCRAFT Courtesy of Bell Helicopter IKE-N Airbus Helicopters’ in-service fleet.

AVPRO, INC.

410.573.1515

WW W.delivered AV P R O E T Sand . C Owas M built with safety The first Ecureuil was in J1977 and low operating Annapolis, Maryland 21401 E‐mail: info@avprojets.com costs 6958 as top priorities. Over the years, the Ecureuil family has been able to adapt SN to©Copyright market - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2017 - All Rights Reserved developments and to address key mission segments.

900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412

2008 Airbus EC155 B1

Fax: 410.573.1919

Serial Number 6825

� � � � work Q � � �segment. � � � 2 0 1 6With the Today, the AS350 (renamed H125) has become the unparalleled leader in the �aerial introduction of a wider cabin on the EC130 (renamed H130), the Ecureuil family has been able to expand its market footprint further, especially in the tourism O EandMmedical N Etransport W S segments.

are over 5,000 Ecureuil Helicopters’ flying in 119 different countries with more thanA1,800 customers SUPER PUMA Currently, RETURNS TOthere SERVICE IMMEDIATELY VAILABLE After months world-wide. on the ground the Super Puma EC225 LP and AS332 L2 have had their EASA temporary Source: Airbus Helicopters/Honeywell/Rotor Magazine flight suspension lifted and are cleared to return to service. Aircraft will be upgraded with a Type B 2nd F F toMincreased ARKE T and O periodic PPOR T U Nfor I Tchip IES stage main gearbox planet gear and will beO subject daily inspection detections.

MEXICO RECEIVES FIRST H175 The first of the 7-ton class H175 has arrived in the Americas and will be operated by Transportes Aeros Pegaso. This aircraft, along with a second to be delivered in 2017 will be used in the off shore oil and gas industry preforming platform transportation and exploration activities.

SN 2968

H175 H160 PROGRAM MILESTONES After 200 hours of accumulated flight testing on two prototypes, Airbus Helicopters in Marignane, France, 2001 A IRBUS AS350 B3 IRBUS AS350 BA 1993 ABernard IRBUS AS350 2009 A IRBUS AS350 B3 is happy to announce the validation of the 1990 H160sAaeromechanical configuration.

Fujarski,B2 Senior Vice President in charge of the program has announced that vibration levels on the410.573.1515 new twin

AVPRO, INC. 900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412 engine helicopter “setW. new standards and crews”. A thirdFax: 410.573.1919 prototype WW AV P R O J ofE Tflight S . Cexperience O M for passengers E‐mail: info@avprojets.com will enter the certifications process next year as the campaign beginsAnnapolis, Maryland 21401 testing the new Turbomeca Arrano H160 engines in both hot and cold environments. ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2016 - All Rights Reserved

2012 Airbus EC155B1

EC155, DAUPHIN B1 & N3 PRE-OWNED MARKETS EC155 S A VAILABLE









S ALE 13 = 9.6%

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Sikorsky S-76D VIP helicopter receives expanded EASA validation.

Serial Number 6958

$7.95M

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With very little movement in the EC155B1 market Avpro currently has one serialYnumber E A Runder I Ncontract R E (2009 V I Eserial W number 6847 w/ 1000 TTAF, VIP) and is now exclusively listing the highest quality preowned B1 (2012 serial number 6958 w/ 450 TTAF, VIP) offering the finest pedigree and Summit Aviation to list authorizations. best value forof money on the market.

SN 6825 adds Sikorsky S-76D

SN 6847

F LEET • P RICE R ANGE : $1M

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$8M

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EC145 PRE-OWNED MARKET

Skyline Helicopter Technologies and Sikorsky officials have announced the signing A VofA an I L Aagreement B L E F O Rauthorizing S A L E 9 Skyline, = 1 . 4based % O Fin FLively, L E E T Ontario, • P Ras I C Ea R A N G E : customer support center for the S-76 helicopter.

$1.950M

The 145 market segment has shown significant increase in demand compared to previous quarters over the last year and a half. Avpro has closed on two aircraft (2007 w/ TTAF 550, Hoist FP/RP at $4M after 6 U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)w/ issues emergency airworthiness months – 2013 TTAF 150, Dual Configuration, Hoist FP at over $7.5 after 12 months). Further directive for S-92 helicopters.

Sikorsky S-92Avpro helicopters mustcurrently now undergo bolstering demand has two 145s under contract and new listings coming soon. Reach out inspections every 10 hours under theinformation terms of on a two newlate emergency to us for model EMSairworthiness Aerolite configured ships available soon.

SN 9087

directive issued by the U.S. FAA.

AVPRO, INC.

SOURCE SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORP / LOCKHEED MARTIN

W W W. AV P R O J E T S . C O M

900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412 Annapolis, Maryland 21401

S76D

AVAILABLE FOR SALE 5 = 6 % OF FLEET

2005 Sikorsky S76C+

410.573.1515

Serial Number 760599

Fax: 410.573.1919 E‐mail: info@avprojets.com ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2016 - All Rights Reserved

•

TRADING RANGE:

$11M TO $12M

S76D supply is stable with 5 serial numbers for sale. One pre-owned retail transaction was recorded last year.

S76C++ AVAILABLE FOR SALE 18 = 9% OF F LEET

•

TRADING RANGE:

$4M TO $6M

S76C++ supply has retracted slightly to 18 aircraft for sale; a 50% increase in supply, compared to fourth quarter 2015. 85% of the current supply is utility/OGP configured.

S76C+ AVAILABLE FOR SALE 27 = 17% OF FLEET

•

TRADING RANGE:

$1M TO $2.5M

After a dramatic increase in supply over the first half of 2016 and a slight decrease third quarter, supply is on the rise again during fourth quarter to 27 s/n’s for sale. Another 4, currently off market aircraft are set to enter the market in the coming months.

W W W. AV P R O J E T S . C O M

AVPRO, INC.

900 Bestgate Road, Suite 412 Annapolis, Maryland 21401

410.573.1515

Fax: 410.573.1919 E‐mail: info@avprojets.com ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2016 - All Rights Reserved

www.avprojets.com

Avpro, Inc. is one of the world’s largest brokerage and acquisition companies, With over 25 Years of experience – representing both buyers and sellers globally.

Performance. Integrity. Reputation.

info@avprojets.com l 900 Bestgate road l suite 412 l annapolis, maryland 21401 l tel 410-573-1515 ©Copyright - Avpro, Inc - Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions ® 2017 - All Rights Reserved

W W W . A V P R O J E T S . C O M

April/May 2017 | 5

PHI Air Care 4 based in Redding, California sits awaiting a call as the sun sets. Photographer: Michael Piper

A PJ Helicopters Bell 206L3 sits ready to replace 230Kv power lines in Oakland, CA. Photographer: Garin Klinker 6 | heliweb magazine

#helipix A Bell 407 in the California High Country sits awaiting its passengers during a snow survey. Photographer: Patrick Metcalfe

Situated in Kazaviaspas, Kazakhstand, this H145 sits waiting to load a patient at a scene. Photographer: Baur Nurbekov April/May 2017 | 7

A PhilJets H130 flies over Palawan in the Philippines during a ferry flight. Photographer: Igor Maminta

8 | heliweb magazine

#helipix April/May 2017 | 9

Aspen Helicopters H130 flying in Colorado with the colors of Autumn as a backdrop Photographer: Hal Williams

A Bell 206 conducting long line training at Mountain View Helicopters in Alberta, Canada Photographer: Raymond Bergeron

10 | heliweb magazine

A flight of two CH-47 Boeing Chinooks flies over Afghanistan in 2011. Photographer: Justin Redmond

An AS350BA leaves the airport on a routine maintenance check flight in Washington Photographer: Ray Duran

April/May 2017 | 11

#helipix 12 | heliweb magazine

A Michigan State Police Bell 407GX departs on a mission from its base at Willow Run Airport in Michigan. Photographer: John A. Harris

April/May 2017 | 13

www.maunaloahelicopters.com | 808-334-0234

14 | heliweb magazine

April/May 2017 | 15

䄀甀最甀猀琀 ㈀ ㄀㔀 ㌀

COLUMN

PUBLISHER

From the Desk Of...

Getting it Right Well, Heli-Expo 2017 is over for another year,

what our purpose is. As we have evolved, I think

In the mainstream media’s rush to be first,

and boy what a show it was. From show open

we are starting to find our place in the industry.

oftentimes, the truth takes a backseat to

to show close, our team was jumping one end

Along with our focus on impacting global

speculation or best guesses, which we are not in

of the convention center to the other trying to

helicopter safety, we want readers to see that

the habit of doing.

cover as much of the show as possible.

we are not a magazine that will provide a biased view. I like to call it “retro-journalism.” Back to the

It may be my previous background in law

An impossible request when you consider

glory days of publishing, before the term “fake

enforcement that drives the thought process

the amount of requests for attendance to

news” was even a thing. We strive every day

behind our approach to news coverage, but it is

press events from exhibitors outnumber the

to bring you the biggest stories in the industry

also about doing the right thing. Someone has to

time you have in a day by about double the

and highlight those who deserve it - be they

be the news source that doesn’t rush to be first,

amount of hours you have.

individual pilots, operators, manufacturers or new

but instead concentrates on facts and accuracy. I

products for the market.

prefer that be us, and if it takes us a little longer to

Watching our team out on the floor

get a story completed, then so be it.

bouncing from event to event makes me

We broke several stories in the lead up to the

grateful beyond words that our team of truly

show this year. Some that were not so well

Helicopter crashes are a good example. We

dedicated rock stars that worked from show

received at the time by companies involved

certainly don’t report on every crash that

open to show close, and many late nights

in the stories. Although some of our stories

occurs, but sometimes there is a one that has

processing images, video, and story content

actually helped drive attendance to see certain

significance to the industry, like the loss of the

to make sure we succeeded.

products at the show as mentioned in one press

crew in the Bell 525 test aircraft or the Super

conference when a company CEO referenced a

Puma crash in Norway that we have to report on.

For those who have never attended Heli-

leaked image we were provided that somewhat

As is all too evident in the world of social media,

Expo, for us, each day is like trying to herd

“let the cat out of the bag” for them as we

things can spread fast, and having been the

chickens and cats across a highway while

published our story.

person who knocked on the door to tell someone

juggling chainsaws. But like everyone else,

their loved one is no longer with us, I never want

we thrive off the excitement that the show

But what was initially thought of as a bad thing,

our publication to be the first place someone

brings. Many people stopped me to tell

became a drawcard, the CEO mentioning how

learned of the passing of a family member first.

us what a great read the magazine is for

it had worked in the company’s favor, driving

them, which was fantastic. Several people

many to look at their new product out of curiosity

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the

commented on our layout being a fresh

thanks to the media coverage.

booth to tell us how much they appreciated the

approach and a breath of fresh air.

magazine, it means a great deal to us that you I tell everyone in our team that I want our

took the time out of your day during the busiest

One particular visitor to the booth, an Army

publication to be the one people rely on for

show of the year to tell us how we were doing.

aviator said that he loved our magazine

correct information. I often repeat “we are not

Without you, the industry wouldn’t be what it is

because we are not afraid to tackle hard

interested in being first, we are interested in

today. Be safe!

stories and don’t just publish press releases.

being correct.” to our team. For that reason, you

He went on to say how much he enjoyed our

won’t see us sharing mainstream media stories

feature on crash resistant fuel tanks and that

on industry situations as they unfold, as they have

he had watched all of the TV news coverage

a tendency to be very incorrect at times.

Ryan Mason Publisher & Editor

from our partner KUSA on the story as well.

That particular interaction stood out as it made me realize that without actually saying it, people have begun to realize 16 | heliweb magazine

Ryan has worked in the aviation media field for the last nine years. Providing video, photographic and written content for U.S and international aviation publications. Also a former police officer, Ryan has written for numerous law enforcement publications, specializing in technology, tactics, police equipment and airborne law enforcement. Ryan purchased heliweb with a goal of providing real stories on real issues in the industry and giving back to the industry through efforts to promote safety in helicopter operations.

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by Earning Your Trust Every Day Your Complete Aviation Insurance Resource Jim Gardner, President 1640 Powers Ferry Road, Bldg. 14 Ste. 300 • Marietta, GA 30067 678-278-2100 • Fax: 678-398-7038 www.jagardner.com April/May 2017 | 17

COLUMN

WOMEN IN AVIATION

Whirly Girls

A n o t h e r Ye a r, A n o t h e r S u c c e s s !

Well, the sun did not shine for us like it did last year for the inaugural Give it a Whirl event, but despite Mother Nature’s unpredictability and a day of low visibility, it still worked – almost too well!

The second annual Give it a Whirl event took place on Sunday before the first day of Heli-Expo 2017 began in Dallas this year. We were fortunate enough to be granted permission to use the facilities at Dallas Executive Airport whom we cannot thank enough for the fantastic modern venue that we given access to for this year’s event.

The staff were incredible and accommodated our every need. Even when before the doors opening for the event, it was evident by the line of adults and parents lined up around the building in the rain - that the word had indeed gotten out before our arrival that this was THE event to attend for youth interested in helicopter aviation.

We knew coming to a bigger city would likely have a more significant impact, but as we do not get RSVP’s for the event, we do not know what our numbers are going to be until the day of the event when doors open and boy were we surprised. Dallas did not fail to impress – that is for sure. We prepared two hundred and fifty giveaway bags, and every single one was given out during the event with requests for more even after running out.

With two years under our belt, we have learned many lessons. One of those is that if you host an event like this.

Children will come by the bus load!

Just like the popularity of International 18 | heliweb magazine

Women of Aviation Week events, we see bigger crowds every year, the WOAW events that have seen steady increases in attendance over time until the point they now have to book people in advance so as to not run out of space early. We are not there yet, but who knows!

Our mission for the day was one of providing education about the industry and what it provides. Our principal sponsors for the day Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter and Heliweb Magazine all assisted in that endeavor offering much more than we could have hoped for. Airbus Helicopters delivered an AS350 that was able to give over 100 children rides, despite the low visibility.

Lindsay Cunningham and her army of helpers were exceptional as they already had a contingency plan in place that still allowed the kids to ride, even with the reduced visibility at the airport. Flying attendees low level around the airport and staying below the ceiling that held between 500 and 700 feet throughout the event.

The weather thwarted Bell Helicopter, who had been scheduled to provide rides on the day with a Bell 407 alongside Airbus. Their team, however, still absolutely ROCKED IT with a fully staffed educational booth that remained packed all day as the Bell team provided all children in attendance an understanding of helicopter dynamics, complete with demonstration models attendees could keep.

Our long list of other sponsors of the event just blew us away with the giveaways, booths with educational opportunities and talks given to all the attendees on the day.

We truly could not have accomplished what

we have in the two years we have been running this event without the corporate support offered by the many businesses who step up each year to help us put on this event. The real rock stars are our sponsors who make it all possible. Not to mention providing sponsorships for our members every year to further their flight training experience and professional development opportunities.

The event would also not be possible without the army of volunteers required to make the event run smoothly. From our own volunteer Whirly-Girls - to the many businesses that provided gifts and donations, to the team of photographers provided by Heliweb that captured the smiling faces of the hundreds of children that attended, we thank you.

We were also fortunate enough to host our annual Whirly-Girls scholarship and awards banquet again later that same evening.

The event was packed to capacity with Whirly Girls, sponsors, and guests. Again this year we gave out a record amount of scholarships and also changed our format to include a casino night at the end of the banquet that was well received by all.

It quickly became apparent to many in attendance whom to watch out for at next year’s show in Vegas at the tables during downtime, that is for sure.

We also had record attendance at our booth, graciously provided by HAI each year, where we also had record attendance and sales in our store of our merchandise.

A sincere thank you to all the volunteers, Whirly-Girls and our generous sponsors who made this year’s show and our events a huge success. See you in Vegas!

Left: Children that attended the Give it a Whirl event were treated to many activities, including this aeronautics lesson from Bell Helicopter.

Below Middle Left: Participants in the flying portion of the event pose with Whirly Girls Ronnie Johnson, Krista Holstrom, Abigail Stogdale, Megan Dukes, and the organiser of Airbus Helicopters helicopters that provided rides, Lindsay Cunningham.

Bottom Left: As the doors to Give it a Whirl opened, the team was met with hundreds of interested children that had arrived for the days festivities.

Bottom Right: Whirly Girls Scholarship winners pose for a photo during the Whirly Girls Awards Banquet (see next page for a full list of the winners) Below Right: Whirly Girl Ronnie Johnson accepts the Livingstone Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of mentor Diana Stanger, who was awarded for her dedication to furthering women in aviation.

April/May 2017 | 19

COLUMN

SIMULATION

The View Matters

2017 Scholarship Recipients

If you are not interested in exploring Consider the increased level of realism Simulator visual systems have become the upgrade or enhancement options of that can be achieved by demonstrating a much more detailed and more capable Advanced Mountain Flight Oregon Aero CRM/AMRM your simulator graphics yet, I suggest challenging search and rescue mission in over the last decade, even at the Aviation Training Scholarship Instructor Training at the very least exploring what is mountainous terrain with weather layers Training Device (ATD) level. People have Melissa Wnorowski (WG 1850) Scholarship currently included on your trainer. and variable wind. With the enhanced come to expect graphics on their sims Sami Challburg (WG 1921) & if you are flying Elite graphics, the terrain will simulate dangerous For instance, that areFree at leastYouth as good asAviation a computer Event Airbus Flight Sherri Spagnola (WGan 1357) Training Scholarship training device with external graphics, conditions for the pilot flying the simulation game, even if the operator intends to Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018 Cathleen Perdok (WG 1133) the originalRobinson graphics Helicopter include hidden The enhancement typically also means have pilots fly in mostly IMC conditions R22/R44 Safety gems that can be great additions to the real-world charts and approach plates during training. ATD manufacturers are Antipodean and EmbryCourse Scholarship pilot training, and also a lot of fun. used by the pilots training will match up, typically all using the same few visual Riddle Wire and Obstacle Amy Hartt (WG 1941) Scholarship Presentations depending on who made your package and scenery generation programs, so the Environment Awareness I recommend is finding how accurate it is. external visuals betweenFeb. companies Course Scholarship One of these Robinson Helicopter R66 the Sunday, 25,can 2018 oil rig platforms that exist.

The platforms look very similar. Although the standard Michelle Hovey (WG 1355) Safety Course Scholarship have helipads that you can land on of Some sims have also had alignment errors graphics have vastly improved over Elena Dawson (WG 1932) Embry-Riddle Commercial course, and even navigation aids, usually occur at certain airports, meaning following the last couple of years, they can be Tues-Thurs, Feb. 27-March 1, 2018 Helicopter Pilot Ground Survival Systems USA NDB or DME so you can fine tune your a precision approach to minimums will not enhanced even further thanks in part School Course Scholarship Aircraft Ditching visually line up to the runway in the graphics, skills in the middle of the ocean. Add in to third-party add-ons and custom Sabine Buehlmann (WG 1363) Course Scholarship some weather and wind and the scenario but is being followed perfectly on the graphics designers. Go to www.whirlygirls.org Abigail Stogdale (WG 1878) & for more information. navigation aids on the instruments.

This type can be tailored to any pilot skill level.

FlightSafety International Sami Challburg (WG 1921) of simulation error can also be206 corrected Why bother improving or customizing Bell Scholarship My company keeps a list of the latitude Whirly-Girls and longitude for each ofMemorial the known with the custom scenery. Jessica Kanellos (WG 1771) the graphics on your training device?

Flight Training platforms since they can beScholarship placed all Well, developing graphics in an ATD Garmin GTN & G500/600 Megan Dukes 1340) or over the world within the(WG graphics, Consider a police department that operates or simulator is not just a gimmick for Course Scholarship you can ask your manufacturer if there their fleet of helicopters from a building owners, operators, and pilots. There is Melissa Hanthorn (WG 1877) Whirly-Girls Helicopter are any hidden on your sim. and ramp rather than from an airport. real training value added by investing in Add-on Flight Training Nightincluded Flight Concepts Night These areas are usually never in custom scenery packages. Before I go Scholarship Vision Goggle The range of options and examples I the ATD’s original external visuals.

WhenInitial Pilot into detail, please note that you cannot Nancy Bradshaw Qualification Scholarship could give regarding enhanced scenery custom scenery is built, it is made from make any changes to your current ATD Sarahthat Snellinclude (WG 1701) are nearly endless. We are fortunate real aerial and ground photos without potentially voiding the FAA that technology is constantly evolving every real-life detail. This police department approval and warranty. You must also and allowing for more customization. would now be able to train on the simulator check with your ATD manufacturer to The bottom line is that increasing verify compatibility with your system with by flying approaches in various weather realism on a simulator is not just configurations to and from their actual base any custom scenery. for “wow-factor” or gamers, but will of operations, helping make the transfer of help students and pilots of all levels knowledge from sim to aircraft seamless.

The external visual graphics that come Other great uses for custom scenery include experience get more out of their training “stock” or non-upgraded on most sessions and if given the opportunity, accurate VFR like, water towers, and sports ATD’s is detailed enough to show allow pilots to switch up the routine. fields that define a local area. waterways, roadways, power lines, airport environments and other features Lauren Brown is the executive Director of Elite Simulation Centers in Oviedo, that would be important to pilots. Where Florida. She is also a cross country air racer and an avid writer on simulation they lack detail, is in the terrain and technology, and proponent in the use of simulation technology for application elevation features, finite details on the in real world flight training. Lauren is also a commercially rated fixed wing pilot ground, and other items like FBO’s, pursuing her rotorcraft addon. terminals, and helipads.

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COLUMN

FLIGHT TRAINING

Straight & Level

Student Solo Probably to this day it is still the flight that stands out most in my mind. I can remember flying out to an old sugar cane field where a long abandoned airstrip stood. It no longer saw daily use, but it was a perfect spot for us helicopter students to get a chance to practice without having to worry about any air traffic control.

It was 1997, and I was going on my first solo flight. My instructor must have known something I did not because although I studied and trained, I was not sure I would do so well if the time came that he was not next to me correcting my errors.

I had trouble with the radio work coming in and out of Honolulu airport and didn’t feel I had a strong handle on the R22 when it came to emergency training.

Well here it is 20 years later, and I still have trouble with the radios in and out of Honolulu, and I am sure I could always use a brush up on emergencies in the R22.

On that day, my Austrian-born pizza delivery guy/helicopter flight instructor stepped out of the aircraft and said to me: “Go and take it for a pattern and come back and land here. I will be waiting for you.”

I felt like Arnold Schwarzenegger had just handed me a rifle and trusted me to save the world! I remember having so much adrenaline pumping through my body that after an abrupt pick up to a hover, I was on my way and making a left-hand pattern around the old cane field singing at the top of my lungs.

22 | heliweb magazine

I had nobody next to me. Just me and a helicopter and I knew at that moment that I could achieve anything I wanted to in aviation. After all, I was soloing a helicopter! Who could stop me now?

Preparing a student for a solo is a big job.

You have to be able to let go of instructing and correcting the student and transfer the responsibility.

The student should be correcting things without your prompting, and somehow you have to decide whether or not this person not only meets the regulatory requirements to fly an aircraft alone, but you also must make a call on their personal judgment and their adherence to safety. How do they react under extreme pressure? Will they revert to their training or will they panic?

The guidance for an instructor is available in the form of handouts, advisory circulars, and a bunch of regulations. Not much when you think of the weight on your shoulders to make a huge decision that impacts somebody’s flying future, their lives, and the aircraft should anything go wrong.

A mishap here, and you bet the FAA is coming for you. You have everything to lose after working so hard to earn the privilege to teach others. Just because you met all the regulatory requirements and signed all the endorsements, crossed all the T’s and dotted all the I’s doesn’t necessarily mean you will not be held accountable in the event of an accident.

So how do you know your student is ready to solo? I am not sure that I have an ironclad answer for this. You have to make sure you take every precaution. As a professional, you must know your job duties and the ins and outs of the rules to ensure compliance for yourself, the company you work for, and your customer.

Even after all of that it still comes down to a gut feeling on letting a person fly by themselves. Do you need to be sitting next to them or have they demonstrated otherwise? Do they make decisions that err on the side of caution?

You can write all the regulations you want and make the FARs 10 times thicker. It will not make you safer. You can put a thicker seatbelt and more emergency gear on the helicopter and make everyone install a radar altimeter on his or her aircraft. It will not make flying a helicopter any safer. The deciding factor in the success of any flight is the pilot in command and his ability to make good judgment calls.

When in doubt trust your gut. If you have a student that you just aren’t sure about and can’t exactly put the finger on why he or she makes you feel uneasy, don’t solo them. Get a second opinion or maybe transfer them to another instructor. Trust your instincts. The regulations, pamphlets, handouts, the scholarly advice of the FAA will all tell you when your students are legal to solo. Your intuition will tell you when they are ready.

Ben Fouts is a career helicopter pilot, business owner, successful entrepreneur, and passionate flight instructor. In addition to his role as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner — a position he’s held for fifteen years, since he was just twenty-four years old — he is the owner of Mauna Loa Helicopters, operating three bases in Hawaii and one in Alabama.

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COLUMN

SAFETY

United States Helicopter Safety Team

EUROP

Fatal Accid 2015 17 2016 12 Reduction:

CANADA

Fatal Accidents 2015 3 2016 2 Reduction: -33.33%

USA

Fatal Accidents 2015 17 2016 17 Reduction: 0.00%

MEXICO

Fatal Accidents 2015 2 2016 1 Reduction: -50.00%

BRAZIL

Fatal Accidents 2015 6 2016 5 Reduction: -16.66%

MAJOR REGIONS NOT PROVIDING STATISTICS Australia, South Africa, Africa, China, Indonesia 24 | heliweb magazine

GLOBAL HELICOPTER FATALITIES 2015-2016

PE (32 Countries)

dents 7 2 -29.41%

RUSSIA (CIS) Fatal Accidents 2015 10 2016 12 Increase: +20.00%

JAPAN

Fatal Accidents 2015 2 2016 0 Reduction: -100.00%

INDIA

Fatal Accidents 2015 3 2016 1 Reduction: -75.00%

NEW ZEALAND

Fatal Accidents 2015 3 2016 2 Reduction: -33.33%

April/May 2017 | 25

COLUMN

SAFETY

United States Helicopter Safety Team

Accident Rates Decrease Instead of column content this month, we thought an illustrated view of the wins and losses on helicopter accident rates and fatalities was worth highlighting.

With all but two IHST regions showing large scale improvement, the number looks set to continue to decrease, thanks to the strong commitment for the industry to perform better, be it a hard landing or a serious accident. The main focus of the industry needs to be constant improvement, which we are seeing in these metrics.

The International Helicopter Safety Team gathered accident information from countries across the globe in March of 2017. The indications are positive in that the international helicopter safety organization is seeing an encouraging trend towards safer civil helicopter operations since the last annual tabulation of worldwide helicopter accident rates.

Preliminary 2016 data was gathered

by IHST from fifty countries conducting helicopter operations in various mission profiles. The data gathered showing that most countries have decreasing accident rates for both fatal and nonfatal accidents.

Looking forward, the individual working groups of IHST will continue their focus on providing more available safety education resources that the team hopes will lead to further reductions in fatal accidents around the world.

26 | heliweb magazine

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UF HEALTH OPENS PANAMA CITY BASE ShandsCair, a University of Florida Health HEMS program based at UF Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida continued its rapid expansion in the south with the April 25, 2017 launch of the programs fourth base, located in Bay County, Florida, stationed at Bay Medical Sacred Heart Hospital. Sacred Heart is the Florida Panhandle’s only level two trauma center.

With the opening of the new Sacred Heart base, ShandsCair continues their ongoing relationship with Med-Trans Corporation. The new program will be operated using a Bell 407.

The program will begin operations temporarily stationed at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center until a purpose built facility is constructed that will be located permanently on the campus of Gulf Coast State College nearby.

The new program’s Bell 407 GX will have a response radius of 75 nautical miles, and 240-nautical-mile hospital transfer range that allows ShandsCair to respond for patient transfer missions in Florida, south Georgia and southern Alabama.

ShandsCair recently celebrated their 35th anniversary of providing emergency medical care by way of road ambulances that respond via 911 dispatch in the Gainesville, Florida area that later expanded to provide critical care transportation by air using fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

ShandsCair now operates HEMS bases in Gainesville, Summerfield, Perry, and now Panama City, Florida.

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April/May 2017 | 29

HELINEWS

PHILJETS CONTINUES RAPID GROWTH, ADDING BELL 407, H130 AND H145 TO FLEET In line with its plans of holding a stronger position in the aviation industry in Asia, PhilJets Group confirmed during the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) in Shangahai in April that the company would be accepting delivery of its latest addition of Bell 407 GXP Helicopter to its fleet this month.

In addition, PhilJets also expects the arrival of two Airbus H130 and one H145 later this year – bringing the boutique aviation group’s aircraft lineup to reach ten Helicopters and two Business Jets by end of the 2017.

PhilJets’ first participation to the ABACE marks its ambition to develop closer ties within the Chinese market, explaining further its visions of strengthening its business relationship with China and North Asian Business Aviation communities.

The company became a member of ASBAA in 2015 and has been on a fast-paced growth since adding eight brand new aircraft to its fleet within a twelve month period.

The new aircraft are expected to be available to the PhilJets’ clientele in the second-half of the year – the company forecasting reaching full capacity by 2018.

Geoffroy Cahen, Head of Sales & Marketing, explains: “Business Aviation has been growing in the Philippines and PhilJets has been a strong advocate. Now that the Philippines and China are getting much closer, we believe PhilJets is well positioned to provide Chinese businessmen and business travelers, the most suitable aviation services for their requirements”.

Kisha Roxas, Marketing and

Communications Manager added “We are starting in the community and we shall be more involved, now that we reach a size critical enough to play an active role in the Business Aviation scene in Asia Pacific. We are looking for more partnerships”.

With the brand new Airbus, Bell, Bombardier and Cessna aircraft on the frontline, PhilJets is confident and well-positioned to cover extensive market segments from VIP charters to high net worth tourists for both regional and international travelers.

Established in 2013 and headquartered in Manila, PhilJets Group and its subsidiaries PhilJets Aero Services Inc and PhilJets Aero Charter Corp, provide Global Business Aviation Services in the Philippines and within the Asia Pacific region.

With more than 50 employees, its range of activities include general aviation services, aircraft management and operations, VIP Flights Services, charter operations, helicopter tours, aerial work, aircrafts sales, spare parts pales, maintenance repair and overhaul services, technical support and advisory services.

30 | heliweb magazine

BELL HELICOPTER AND UNITED ROTORCRAFT DELIVER FIRST HEMS 429 TO OPERATE IN CHINA “We are proud to partner with United Rotorcraft to deliver the first HEMS Bell 429 to our friends at Reignwood,” said Patrick Moulay, Bell Helicopter’s executive vice president, Commercial Sales and Marketing.

“There is a critical need for HEMS in China and we are honored Reignwood has selected the Bell 429 to assist in life-saving missions.”

in the Asian nation as regulations begin to relax that allow more commercial based operations that was initially driven by the need for medical helicopter operations.

Gradually operators have been given more freedom to operate commercially as the industry has continued to grow in an effort to keep pace with the international market.

United Rotorcraft installed the medical interior which consists of a machined aluminum floor, additional medical crew seating configurations, and product improvements for patient care and access. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with a rescue hoist and other program specific support equipment.

“This delivery and Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) validation for the medical interior represents a two-year effort to bring our product into China and we are delighted to be working with Bell Helicopter and entering this new market segment,” stated Frank Graham, senior director of Global Sales and Marketing for United Rotorcraft.

“We are confident this will be the first of many opportunities in China available to us because of our product’s CAAC validation.”

Bell has continued over the last year to make significant headway in the growing Chinese market as the helicopter industry matures April/May 2017 | 31

HELINEWS

CHC CONTINUES GAINS, REPORTS MULTIPLE NEW CONTRACTS FOR SAR AND OIL AND GAS Coming back with a vengeance from their chapter 11 filing with all guns blazing, CHC has in the last sixty days announced multiple new contracts and contract extensions spanning both their oil and gas sector work in the North Sea, to their Search and Rescue capabilities in Australia.

On April 5th the company announced 5th that it has been awarded a new contract with Faroe Petroleum to provide helicopter services in support of their exploration drilling program at the Brasse Field in the North Sea’s Norwegian Continental Shelf. The operation will begin in summer 2017, flying from CHC’s base in Bergen, Norway flying the S-92.

Faroe Petroleum’s drilling program is expected to last for an initial period of approximately 70 days and the contract

32 | heliweb magazine

includes an option to extend CHC’s services beyond this initial period.

Further announcements came on May 7th and May 11th, 2017 that announced the purchase of two additional S-92’s for an additional Statoil SAR contract that will see CHC providing SAR response to Statoil platforms through 2020, with and extension option through 2024 available.

The May 11th announcement from the company’s Australasian headquarters in Perth announced the successful bidding of a contract to provide Search and Rescue operations on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy that will run for fifteen months until a national contract is signed for all of the Australian Armed Services search and rescue operations that will be decided at that time.

The services were previously

provided using the Sikorsky S-76, but were recently upgraded to use the Leonardo Helicopters AW139. The helicopter will be based at Nowra, in New South Wales and provide search and rescue coverage for all naval helicopter operations in support of aircrew training and Royal Australian Navy Fleet exercises in the local sea training areas.

“CHC is very proud to be awarded this interim contract with the Australian Navy and to be able to stand the service up quickly for them,” said Vince D’Rozario, Regional Director, CHC Asia Pacific. “I would like to thank Navy for the opportunity to serve them and recognize our experienced team at CHC who put this service together with speed and professionalism.”

BABCOCK SCANDINAVIAN AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE FIRST TO RECEIVE HEMS AW169 Babcock Scandinavian Air Ambulance announced the arrival of the first of four AW169s given the name MediFlight 5950 as the service moves to replace their fleet of older AS365 helicopters for the more spacious and modern AW169 helicopters.

The new helicopters will be based in Toowoomba, Lycksele and Östersund, with a fourth backup aircraft that will perform backup duties for the three active bases operating the new helicopters.

The first AW169 to arrive was delivered to Scandinavian Air Ambulance headquarters located at Frösön/Östersund with the second aircraft expected to be delivered to Lycksele anticipated at the end of summer.

Babcock Scandinavian AirAmbulance has bases spread throughout Sweden and Finland and is one of Scandinavia’s largest air ambulance companies.

The company commenced operations 2001 with two helicopter bases in Stockholm and Östersund.

Since then, several bases have been added across Sweden utilizing both fixed wing and rotary assets.

The development in Sweden of centralized specialist care at certain hospitals increased the need for transportation between hospitals.

This results in higher requirements for the medical care during transport

in Sweeden. Babcock Scandinavian Air Ambulance was created with a vision to become the main service provider within the region to provide specialist air ambulance flights in both helicopters and fixedwing aircraft in Nordic countries.

Babcock aims to gain this position within the industry through continuous focus on quality, team effort and active marketing the company states on their website.

wing assets under the Scandinavian AirAmbulance name. Babcock Scandinavian AirAmbulance is part of Babcock International Group.

Babcock Scandinavian AirAmbulance operates with two Air Operator Certificates (AOCs), helicopter operations are run under the business name of Scandinavian MediCopter, while the company operates its fixed April/May April/May 2017 | 2017 33 | 33

HELINEWS

BRISTOW PARTNERS WITH SKY FUTURES FOR INDUSTRY FIRST UAV TESTING Sky-Futures, a leader in drone-based technology, and Bristow successfully conducted their first interoperability test between a helicopter and an unmanned aircraft at Galliano, Louisiana, achieving a major milestone in the companies’ joint efforts to implement a complementary service to clients in the Americas.

The collaborative effort, which was the result of comprehensive planning and safety analysis, was a critical first step in the evolution of a process proving that Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and manned helicopters can operate safely in the same airspace.

For the 20-minute exercise, the Bristow Sikorsky S-92 hovered 500 feet above ground, while the UAS flew towards the helicopter, maintaining a

horizontal distance of 200 feet away from the aircraft. The Sky-Futures unmanned aircraft was stepped up in 100-foot increments to an altitude of 400 feet above ground level (AGL).

The S-92 pilots were able to monitor the position and altitude of the UAS on their iPad during the entire flight, without actual visual contact of the device.

“These interoperability trials provided valuable insight and learning for safe operations between manned and unmanned aircraft using electronic conspicuity technology,” said SkyFutures Chief Regulatory and Training Officer Nick Rogers. “As specific categories of commercial unmanned operations develop, we expect this

technology to become a pre-requisite.

Future airspace must be interoperable and Sky-Futures will continue to work with its trusted partner, Bristow, and regulators globally to safely realize this future.”

“The successful execution of this interoperability test is an excellent step forward to demonstrate that helicopters and UAVs can operate safely as a complementary service, providing additional opportunities for Bristow and SkyFutures to jointly offer a higher level of situational awareness for our aircrews, and safe, new and innovative services to commercial and government clients,” said Bristow Group President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Baliff.

TEXTRON’S ABLE ENGINEERING CHANGES NAME TO ABLE AEROSPACE SERVICES Able Engineering & Component Services Inc. and Able Aerospace Inc. have merged into a single entity named Able Aerospace Services, Inc. The change caps off a progression that began with the company’s early 2016 acquisition

by Textron Aviation Inc. “Able has always worked from one overarching mission, which is to safely reduce aircraft operating costs by providing resourceful component repair, overhaul and 34 | heliweb magazine

approved replacement parts solutions,” said Lee Benson, CEO of Able Aerospace Services, Inc. “Our new name underscores that commitment. It allows us to move forward with the same highlevel purpose, but with added efficiencies that make the most of our position as a Textron company and maximize the value we pass on to customers.”

Based in Mesa, Arizona, Able offers a comprehensive menu

of repair, overhaul and parts solutions for more than 1,400 fixedand rotor-wing customers in 60 countries across the globe. Prior to the merger and name change, Able operated as two separate companies.

Together, the companies developed a cadre of more than 10,000 FAAapproved repairs and overhauls. Able operates from a 200,000-square-foot headquarters located at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport.

AMGH ACQUIRES AIR MEDICAL RESOURCE GROUP, BECOMES ONE OF THE LARGEST HEMS OPERATORS Air Medical Group Holdings, Inc. (AMGH), agreed to acquire Air Medical Resource Group (AMRG) of South Jordan, Utah on April 18, 2017. AMRG has operations in 15 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Lewisville-based AMGH already has hundreds of critical care aircraft in operation. With the acquisition of AMRG it will add 62 bases and new geographies to its customer service footprint.

“AMGH is delighted to add AMRG’s unique and widespread rotor and fixed-wing operations and markets such as Alaska and Hawaii, enabling us to partner to provide medical transport solutions to even more

regions of the U.S.,” said AMGH CEO Fred Buttrell. “AMRG’s President Joseph Hunt and his leadership team have built an enviable record of customer engagement at the local level that will work nicely with existing AMGH operations and we look forward to their service contributions in the future.”

AMRG President Hunt said, “We are joining one of, if not the finest, medical transport organizations in America, and we very much welcome the opportunity to continue to grow as a significant part of that organization. Our commitment to AMGH is to continue to successfully meet and exceed patient expectations for providing the ultimate in medical

care in a safe environment in their emergent time of need.”

AMRG companies include Eagle Air Med serving parts of Arizona, New Mexico, South Dakota, Colorado and Utah; Hawaii Life Flight in Hawaii; Guardian Flight in Alaska, Wyoming and Utah; Gallup Med Flight and MedStar in New Mexico; Aeromed in Puerto Rico; Valley Med Flight in North Dakota, Michigan, Montana, Wisconsin and Minnesota; Alaska Regional LifeFlight in Alaska; MountainStar AirCare operating in parts of Idaho, Wyoming and Utah; AeroCare Medical Transport serving the Navajo Nation in Arizona and the Four Corners region; and Wiregrass Life Flight serving Alabama.

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“WE’RE GONE!” Story by: Ryan Mason

Images by: Robyn Parr-Ferris

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T H E

C R AS H

O F

IRISH COAST GUARD 116

Those haunting words are the last spoken before Irish Coast Guard 116, A Sikorsky S-92 ceases responding via radio and disappears from radar. Upon arrival of a second helicopter, it is clear that something went wrong. Veteran Pilot Dara Fitzpatrick, copilot Mark Duffy and crew members Paul Ormsby and Ciรกran Smith were eventually confirmed lost. The cockpit voice and data recorder recovered from the wreck unearthed a potentially critical issue with the helicopters onboad obstacle avoidance detection system.

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The chilling words of co-pilot Mark Duffy would be the last heard from Rescue 116 as the aircraft came into contact with a rocky outcrop named BlackRock. The small rocky outcrop housed little more than a remotely operated lighthouse and a helipad for maintenance, located several miles from the helicopters intended refueling point of Blacksod, several miles to the southeast.

Unbeknown to the crew, was the fact that Black Rock was not in the database of their onboard Honeywell MK XXII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS.) Honeywell states in the user manual that the EGPWS system fitted to rescue 116 and many other search and rescue

equipped Sikorsky S-92s that “The MK XXII is a Situational Awareness tool, and an alerting and warning device. It is not to be used for navigation of the aircraft.”

Which upon release of the preliminary report by Irelands Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) into the crash, appears, was being used to navigate the aircraft in addition to visual references heard in the audio transcripts during the final minutes before the accident.

At approximately 2210 on March 13, 2017, The Irish Marine Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) requested that Rescue 116 provide top cover for an already responding helicopter from their base in Dublin. The flight that would take Rescue 116 across the country to assist another helicopter, Rescue 118, that

were preparing to respond to a medevac mission off the coast of Blacksod to evacuate a sick crewmember from a fishing vessel.

Rescue 116, with a crew of four, accepted the mission and began preparations to depart, including a full briefing from the Marine Rescue Sub-Center MRSC located in Malin at 2220 hours that included the location of the fishing vessel and the weather as reported by the captain of the ship the helicopters would be responding to.

The Dublin-based Coast Guard Search and Rescue Helicopter a Sikorsky S-92 owned and operated by U.S based CHC Helicopters departed their Dublin base at approximately 2228 hours with Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Copilot Mark Duffy, Winch Operator Paul Ormsby and Rescue Crewmember Ciarán Smith aboard. The first helicopter tasked with the mission from the closer base of Sligo, Rescue 118, departed Sligo for Blacksod to refuel before picking up the sick crewmemeber.

Rescue 118 landed at Blacksod Lighthouse at 2311 and following refueling, left at 2318 to conduct the rescue mission at sea.

At 2303, Rescue 116 indicated to Dublin Air Traffic Control (ATC) that they were routing to either Sligo or Blacksod, and would decide which location to use while in flight. At approximately 2320, the Rescue 116 requested a routing to Blacksod from Dublin ATC to refuel.

TWELVE MINUTES Rescue 116 continued their flight at an initial cruise altitude of 3,000 feet AMSL before climbing to 4,000 feet to cross mountainous terrain in County Mayo. While in flight, Fitzgerald programed “APBSS (Blacksod South) Route” into the FMS during the cruise which Duffy confirmed matched the Operator’s Route Guide.

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Rescue 116 direction of travel

Fitzgerald then briefed the crew on the plan for arrival at Blacksod Lighthouse.

Recorded audio from the cockpit voice recorder revealed Fitzgerald commenting to the team on a number of occasions that it had been a substantial period since she had previously landed in Blacksod.

Duffy indicated that he had also not been there recently. When the helicopter was south abeam of waypoint BKSDA, the crew informed Shannon ATC at 0034 (14th March 2017) that they were commencing their descent to refuel at Blacksod as the retractable landing gear was extended and three green lights were indicated during the descent.

The helicopter descended to the west to a radio altitude of 2,400 feet, continuing descent to the west. As the helicopter approached waypoint BLKMO from the east, the helicopter turned to a northwesterly heading of 293 degrees magnetic, continuing descent until the helicopter leveled off at 200 feet radio altitude while traveling at 80 Knots Indicated Air Speed (KIAS).

Rescue 116 Last recorded position

The helicopter then commenced a left turn onto a southeasterly heading.

During this time the helicopter speed was manually slowed to 75 knots. Pilot Dara Fitzpatrick, a twenty-year veteran pilot and first female search and rescue pilot in Ireland then requested a “direct to BLKMO” selection on the helicopter’s Flight Management System (FMS.) Her stated intent was to complete the APP1 procedure before turning east towards waypoint BLKMO to commence the arrival route to Blacksod Lighthouse.

Fitzgerald then set the Radio Altimeter to 180 feet and the auto-hover height to 150 feet.

The helicopter’s Primus 701 Weather Radar was set to GMAP2 Ground Mapping Mode; the system manufacturer’s manual indicates that this mode provides the best sensitivity for ground mapping of targets.

This mode also disables all ground clutter and sea clutter reduction modes in the unit. Cockpit voice recordings would also later reveal that the Copilot Duffy was using the weather radar to identify terrain features.

Flight data retrieved from the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) card and the FDR aboard the aircraft showed that the helicopter was in stable level flight at 200 feet Radio Altitude, at 75 knots Indicated Airspeed, following a heading of 120 degrees magnetic (approximately) on a track towards waypoint BLKMO. The weather during the flight was marginal, and crew in the rear were also monitoring what they could see with the S-92s onboard Wescam MX-15 but would be unable to respond in enough time to prevent what was about to occur.

Twenty-six seconds before impact, the cockpit voice recorder hears the aural warning from the Honeywell EGPWS shriek “ALTITUDE, ALTITUDE,” the first warning sign that something was wrong.

Fitzgerald misidentifying the reason for the aural alert as a small island below the helicopter stating “just a small little island… that is BLMO itself”. At the time of the aural alert FDR data placed the Helicopter in the vicinity of an outcrop of two rocks, Carrickduff and Carrickad, which are located approximately 0.65 nautical miles to the west of Black Rock.

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We then pick up the final seconds of the flight before impact with the transcribed audio.

EGPWS Audible Warning: ALTITUDE Ormsby: K…looking at an island just in, directly ahead of us now guys, you want to come right Dara.

Fitzpatrick: OK, come right just confirm?

Ormsby: About…twenty degrees right yeah.

Fitzpatrick: OK, Come Right…select heading. Select.

Duffy: Roger Fitzpatrick: Heading Duffy: Heading selected Ormsby: Come right now, come right.

COME RIGHT! EGPWS Aural Warning: ALTITUDE Duffy: FUCK, OOOHHHH! EGPWS Aural Warning: ALTITUDE Duffy: FUCK EGPWS Aural Warning: SMOKE IN BAGGAGE Duffy: We’re gone EGPWS Aural Warning: SMOKE IN BAGGAGE EGPWS Aural Warning: 2 PINGS (ELT) EGPWS Aural Warning: DECOUPLE EGPWS Aural Warning: TOO LOW GEAR Duffy: [Short muffled sound] EGPWS Aural Warning: TOO LOW GE (impact stops further transmissions) The helicopter according to collected data then rapidly pitched nose up, climbing while experiencing large changes in pitch, roll and yaw angles.

During the two seconds before the initial impact as the last audio is recorded.

Following the accident, debris from the helicopter was found on the small rocky outcrop of Black Rock, as well as other debris found floating in the sea to the east of the rock, in addition, wreckage also washed up on the shoreline of counties Mayo and Donegal in the following days. Searchers found the

main wreckage by locating the acoustic beacon attached to the MPFR; located in approximately one hundred and thirty feet of water on the southeast side of Black Rock.

DEBRIS ON THE ISLAND The horizontal stabilizer was found on the rock, adjacent to an outhouse close to the lighthouse. Investigators stating that tiles on the roof of the outhouse exhibited damage consistent with being struck by falling debris.

The horizontal stabilizer showed significant damage and distress, with damage to the graphite tip and leading edge; it separated from the tail rotor pylon at the root. The trailing edge of the root (approximately 20 inches in length) separated from the main structure.

A piece of a leading edge erosion strip from one of the tail rotor blades that was one and a half inches in length was also recovered on the rock and found during the initial investigation phase to fit into a gouge in the horizontal stabilizer mounting structure. The underside of the mounting structure was scraped and distorted from impacts during the crash.

Fractured sections of the Intermediate Gear Box (IGB) center housing, including the oil level sensor and a portion of the chip detector, as well as the IGB fairing which was broken into four distinct pieces were found on the rock.

Also recovered from the rock were fractured sections of the tail rotor blade; each section was less than two inches long. Two tail rotor control cable pulleys were also recovered, one of which was found on the platform at the top of the lighthouse.

In addition, fractured pieces of a

wheel rim were recovered close to the helipad. The remainder of the wreckage, including the cockpit and main compartment of the helicopter, were located in the waters below.

As investigators work towards a final report and continue their investigation, so too will the manufacturers of the EGPWS system. Honeywell noted that they would be continuing efforts to ensure that their data remains as up to date as possible, citing data they were given by a third party that was not identified was the information input into the programming of the EGPWS system that did not show Black Rock within the database.

The AAIU also noted further issues regarding faults with each crewmembers life jackets. Each lifejacket contained an Inbuilt locator beacon and antenna that according to the manufacturer were required to be thirty centimeters apart to operate correctly, yet in the case of Rescue 116, each crew members life jacket had the locator and antenna sitting virtually on top of one another, rendering them useless.

It was unknown at the time of the report if the life jackets were packed that way by the manufacturer or after delivery.

ABOVE: Lost in the crash were Dara Fitzpatrick,Paul Ormsby, Mark Duffy and Ciarán Smith

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#helipix

A Zip Aviation Bell 407 flies over New York City as Photographer Jeff completes one final assignment for his former company before

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e becomming a HEMS pilot. Photographer: Jeff Vogel

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XTI

TRIFA

As the Vertical Takeoff and Lift (VTOL) industry continues to thrive with a seemingly endless stream of concept aircraft and new startups, we take a look at one of the front runners in the evolution of vertical flight and the quest to find the ultimate hybrid between vertical and horizontal flight.

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AN 600

Story by

Ryan Mason Images supplied by XTI Aircraft

March 2017 April/May 2017| |45 45

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T

he world of Future Vertical Lift (FVL) seems to have a new contender almost monthly in this new and rapidly expanding business segment.

Few, however, stand out as legitimate contenders to provide a viable solution that will enter the market within the next decade promising a safe, comfortable, and affordable Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft like the XTI Trifan 600 does.

Serial entrepreneur and futurist David Brody founded XTI in 2012, his second venture into future vertical lift technology after starting the AVX Aircraft Company in 2005. AVX, also a player in the FVL market; is developing multiple platforms like the AVX 509 and AVX 300 prototypes, while also pitching an OH-58D modification package for the US Military.

The 58D variant, called the 58F would see the Army aircraft fitted with a modified system designed by the company that switches out the conventional rotor system for a

coaxial rotor system. Each prototype also features a dual rear ducted fan on a shortened tail in place of a traditional tail rotor with a coaxial main rotor system.

Brody then moved on to create XTI, a company now based in Colorado.

XTI has now been in the process of designing and building the TriFan600, arguably the aircraft that may change the face of personal and corporate aviation around the world as the VTOL aircraft continues to final production.

The hype and buzz surrounding the Trifan 600 have only become more momentous as the new CEO of XTI, Robert LaBelle joined the company in January of 2017. LaBelle, taking over from former Sikorsky CEO Jeff Pino, who was tragically killed in a plane crash while at the controls of his personal P-51D Mustang “Big Beautiful Doll.”

LaBelle was brought in to lead the company after a long and illustrious career in the Navy, after which he

went on to lead the development of the AW609 TiltRotor, then spending three years as the CEO of Leonardo Helicopters US operations before taking over in January as chief executive officer of XTI.

THE NEW DIRECTION LaBelle did not waste any time streamlining operations at XTI, with just under two months in the driver’s seat, LaBelle led the charge with his team to announce a dramatic shift in the development of the TriFan 600.

Developing a vital relationship with hybrid-electric propulsion experts Bye Aerospace, LaBelle and his staff led a redesign that eliminated the VTOL aircraft’s traditional twin turboshaft engines, driveshaft, and gearboxes, freeing up more room and significantly reducing the weight of the VTOL platform.

The changes made, also adding a significant performance increase in power and distance attainable per flight.

The redesign involved replacing the traditional equipment with a turbine driven generator, batteries, and motors to power the Trifan 600. LaBelle and team also reduced the projected purchase price of the Trifan 600 by almost fifty percent with the powerplant shift to hybrid-electric.

Founder of XTI Aircraft, David Brody started another VTOL that designed several concept aircraft aimed at the military market, including this concept of a dual rear fan coaial OH-58 variant called the OH-58F

The cost shift having the added benefit of making the Trifan 600 more appealing to a larger market share.

The lowered price now much closer to that of a medium twin helicopter, with the same carrying capacity, but almost double the range. The cost of the new aircraft now expected to be $6.5 million USD, down from the $12 million USD anticipated from the initial design.

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During our interview with new XTI CEO, LaBelle discussed the long lead times around developing a new VTOL, that is not only a new aircraft but an entirely new classification for global aviation authorities to pass legislation that makes sense to incorporate the new multi-role aircraft into global airspace.

hopefully be in place.

One of the other focus points LaBelle committed to focusing on when taking the new role at XTI, and one of the reasons he immediately pushed for the new VTOL aircraft to be switched to a hybrid-electric power plant. Not only for the price, weight, and performance advantages but to also future proof the design.

LaBelle hopes with the inception of several smaller projects, there will be advancements made in that area before the TriFan 600 is ready for the market and that those decisions will

Using an analogy, LaBelle stated: “you do not buy a new Ford Mustang and expect 10-20-year-old technology inside. With the speed at which technology in this industry advances,

I N V E N T I N G A N E W S TA N D A R D

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switching to this kind of system is what makes sense. By investing in technology that is scalable, we can keep up with advancements in technology to make changes and improve the aircraft throughout the development process if newer technology becomes available.�

LaBelle also envisages ongoing development in the fly by wire technology piece, stating that XTI has not settled on a final design of the cockpit for the TriFan 600. LaBelle sees the cockpit functionality as one of the elements that will continue to

“you don’t buy a new Ford Mustang and expect 10-20-yearold technology inside. With the speed at which technology in this industry advances, switching to this kind of system is what makes sense.�

evolve as technology advances are made in aviation while the aircraft progresses through the design, development, and final certification process.

LaBelle noted that there may also be a need for semi-autonomous

operation of the model in the not-toodistant future, although he reiterates that there will always be a need to have pilots aboard to fly the aircraft manually or to act in the event of an in-flight emergency arising. So the XTI Trifan 600 is not planned at this stage to be a fully autonomous vehicle.

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THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCE LaBelle touts the TriFan 600 experience from a passenger perspective, as one that will be like no other.

The recent power plant switch enabled designers to reallocate space set aside for the traditional power plant opening up a great deal more room for passenger comfort.

The TriFan 600 has the same footprint as a light twin helicopter the size of an Airbus H145, yet will offer more passenger room, the forward, and rear facing cabin seats would not be cramped, even at full extension, passengers feet would not touch, indeed creating a next level offering for travelers.

The ride and performance of the new aircraft will also be quieter and quicker

than a traditional helicopter thanks to the new hybrid-electric engine system.

I M M E D I AT E G O A L S As a future tech company, XTI has a lofty goal ahead of bringing what some see as a fantasy into the world of reality, not just in physical form, but also overcoming regulatory compliance and certification hurdles for the one of a kind design.

The XTI Trifan 600 has captured the imagination of many furthered by the recent almost halving of predicted operating costs of the aircraft when the decision was made by new CEO Robert LaBelle to switch to a hybrid electric powerplant.

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XTI TRIFAN 600 | FUTURE VERTCAL LIFT

The highly anticipated mock up of the Trifan 600 is anticipated to be on display at this year’s NBAA show in Las Vegas in 1/3 scale size for potential new investors to get a better look at what the Trifan 600 concept will have to offer.

The first steps to any project of this size require securing financing, which XTI continues to do through several channels. Initial interest in the model acquired some initial capital to continue operations thanks to the viral sharing of the new concept around the world after launch.

TriFan 600 to be accomplished in the next year to offer potential customers and investors the opportunity to get a personal feel for just how different traveling in a hybrid VTOL aircraft of the future.

The second round of funding was achieved through the vision of previous CEO Jeff Pino’s vision of a crowdfunded aircraft. XTI started a funding effort through crowdfunding website startengine.com where members can back the project and become shareholders for investment as little as $350.00.

As a relatively small company currently, XTI has mainly salaried executives on the payroll now, with contractors providing needed services as required.

LaBelle says this will gradually start to fill in with more staff on the direct payroll as the aircraft continues to reach milestones in the development process.

That revenue stream has been so successful that it has secured funding for the development of a 1/3 scale mock up of the TriFan 600 that LaBelle and team hope to have completed in time for this year’s NBAA show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Although the 1/3 scale model will not have finished interior, plans are underway for a full size mock up of the

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

While all efforts remain focused on the TriFan 600, LaBelle says that the company has already looked to the future at the viability of a TriFan 400 and TriFan 200 model down the track. Both models would mostly be scaled down versions of the 600 catering to fewer passengers and range, respectively.

The company is also looking into other expansion areas, but those are long

range plans to be considered more once the TriFan 600 model is closer to reality.

FUTURE PROOFING XTI has had much interest from all around the globe, from the window shoppers to large corporations looking to invest capital into the business. LaBelle is cautiously optimistic about his outlook in his new position, stating that XTI is still looking for further financing, but wants to make sure that the company strikes the right balance in selecting the right business partnerships for a stronger future.

From both the design and construction angles, where they have decided to use 100% available parts with no bespoke part designs to keep the development process short. The same goes for business investments, where the goal is to innovate and continue moving forward without interruption to bring the TriFan 600 from concept to reality sooner rather than later.

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Taking on the role of CEO, Kathryn Purwin continues to find new growth opportunities for Helinet. One of the most well known L.A area helicopter companies, known for its work in ENG, aerial cinematography, technology services, HEMS, and charter operations. Taking the company from an uncertain future after the passing of husband Alan Purwin, to a position of strength with her determination to continue her husband’s passion they way he wanted it. or anyone who has not met Kathryn Purwin, to describe the first impression of the woman behind the Helinet brand, was that of a softly spoken woman with kind eyes, yet those eyes had a fire about them. Polite, friendly, yet driven is the best way to describe the first impression you get upon meeting Kathryn Purwin.

Purwin has a genuine warmth about her not common in the dog eat dog world of commercial helicopter aviation companies.

Always more concerned with others comfort than her own, with a caring nature that begets her years raising her two children, while husband and industry motion picture pilot Alan Purwin built the business that is now Helinet Aviation Services, a diversified helicopter service provider for a broad range of markets.

Through circumstances beyond her control, her warmth and caring nature is now something that carries into her role as the CEO of one of the largest ENG, Film, Television, Air Medical Transport, and charter operators in the USA. After the death of her husband, industry legend Alan Purwin in September of 2015, Purwin was thrust into a role she never saw herself in, running the company and making decisions that had been made by her husband as the CEO of Helinet.

Before stepping into the role after Alan passed away, Kathryn had been out of the aviation field for almost twenty years.

Kathryn stepping away from the business to raise the couple’s two children, Kyle, now 21, and Michaela, 20.

AN AVIATOR IS BORN Kathryn Purwin has never just been a beautiful face. Earning her stripes in aviation before meeting her future husband Alan, who had just started his business in aviation when the two met.

Aviation was an unexpected passion that became an occupation for Kathryn, who was working toward her double degree in Political Science and History at UCLA

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when she discovered aviation and started flying lessons. By the time she graduated she had earned her commercial and multi-engine ratings, and her original plan to continue to law school had switched to pursuing a career as a professional pilot.

Purwin, a native of Sedona Arizona, worked as a charter pilot eventually flying PIC in Cessna Citations and SIC Westwind and Lear Jets. Purwin also earned her rotorcraft rating and, in addition to several thousand hours flying fixed wing aircraft time, she has over two hundred hours in helicopters.

A CHANCE MEETING Purwin describes the first time meeting her future husband in 1987 at Santa Monica Airport as an immediate and long-lasting connection. Alan had just started his aviation business, West Coast Helicopters, that would later grow through Alan’s dogged determination to succeed and an uncanny ability to invest in sections of the 54 | heliweb magazine

aviation industry that continued to thrive in the Los Angeles and national market.

West Coast Helicopters acquired Helinet Aviation in 1998 and from that time on operated under the Helinet name. Under Purwin’s leadership, Helinet Aviation grew to encompass several other business interests and became one of the leading charter, production, medical transport, and ENG helicopter operations in the Los Angeles area.

In 1993, after seven years of friendship, Alan finally plucked up the courage to ask Kathryn on a date. The rest, as they say, is history. The couple wed on July 7th, 1994 in Big Sur, California

THE LEGEND OF AL AN PURWIN Alan Purwin was many things to the helicopter industry, well respected and admired for his skill as a film and television production pilot and aerial coordinator,

flying on many popular blockbuster movies including Transformers, Armageddon, and over one hundred other feature films. Purwin was driven towards a vision of continual growth After Alan, along with his partner Mike Tamburro, started West Coast Helicopters, the company began blazing a trail in the cut-throat arena of ENG work while providing charter services and catering to specialty aviation services like organ transplant services.

The need to help those less fortunate is what also led Purwin to donate an S-76 to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 1998, just one year after acquiring Helinet.

Purwin’s vision of diversification of his aviation businesses is “what kept Helinet healthy and well positioned during the cyclical periods in the helicopter industry.”

Said, Kathryn. “Helinet was a company that thanks to the diverse portfolio of Production, ENG, Charter and EMS work,

Top Left: Kathryn Purwin was an accomplished pilot in her own right before meeting Alan, blazing a trail as a dual rated pilot in fixed wing and helicopters.

Top Right: Kathryn and Alan Purwin, seen here at their wedding, decided to elope and drove to Big Sur, California where they were married on July 7, 1994.

Left & Below: When Alan wasn’t away on a movie shoot or making things happen at Helinet, he spent all of his time with Kathryn and their two children Kyle (now 20) and Michaela (now 21) pictured below during a family outing.

still continued to grow when others were struggling” she added.

Purwin’s continued diversity led to the creation of the company’s technology group in 2009 which caters to technological advances in vision systems and the wireless technology that is relied upon by many law enforcement operations around the United States.

THE LOSS OF A LEGEND The afternoon of September 11th, a national day of remembrance in the United States after the 9/11 attacks of 2001, Was a day that changed the very fabric of everything that Kathryn Purwin knew as her reality. Kathryn was informed of Alan’s death in a plane crash. Purwin was a passenger in the production aircraft that crashed as it attempted to cross a stretch of mountainous terrain

outside of Medellin, Columbia. Purwin and two other crew members were returning to base during the filming of the yet to be released Tom Cruise film “Mena.”

News of her husband’s death hit Kathryn like a brick. Purwin was a household

name to everyone in the entertainment business. Tributes poured in director Michael Bay, Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller, and many more well-known names that were shell-shocked at the loss of Alan.

Alan’s memorial service, held eight days later, on September 19th, 2015.

The memorial service took place in the April/May 2017 | 55

Helinet Aviation hangar at Van Nuys Airport to accommodate the hundreds that had gathered to pay their respects to a man that had become a legend in the aviation world; not just aerial cinematography, but in helicopter aviation for his business acumen.

MOVING FORWARD Purwin insisted that her two children return to college two weeks after the memorial service. Her son, Kyle, returned to Berklee College of Music in Boston where he was beginning his second year.

Her daughter, Michaela, who had been less than two weeks into her first year of college at Parsons in New York City when she learned of her father’s accident and had a more difficult time returning to school.

Purwin agreed to stay with her in her college apartment while Michaela adjusted, and ended up spending nearly four months in New York. Her son took the three-hour train ride from Boston many weekends, so the family was able to spend much needed time together.

Purwin made regular trips back to Los Angeles to meet with the thenmanagement team at Helinet and traveled to Queenstown, New Zealand in November 2015 to visit SHOTOVER, a company that designs and builds gyro stabilized camera platforms that Helinet owns a significant stake of.

It was in January of 2016 that Purwin began to hear reports that Helinet was veering from Alan’s lifelong goals and vision. Over two months, she met with leaders in all of the company’s divisions along with several longtime Helinet 56 | heliweb magazine

An accomplished artist, Alan and Kathryn’s daughter Michaela, 21, painted this portrait of her father, along with several other helicopter themed paintings that now take pride of place in the lobby of the Helinet Aviation offices located at Van Nuys Airport in California.

employees and ultimately decided, in March 2016, to terminate the CEO and COO and step in herself.

For Purwin, it was always Alan who did everything for the business. Once the two were married, Kathryn stepped away from the world of flying to raise the couple’s children.

She would often offer Alan advice as they discussed his ideas, thoughts and challenges and issues he faced day-to-day.

The day to day operation of the business was something that Alan had always done.

PICKING UP WHERE ALAN LEFT OFF

During the previous six months, Purwin had received several offers to purchase Helinet. If she was not the fighting type, Purwin could have easily and quickly divested the company, but as she described “that it would never have been Alan’s wish, to see the business he built carved up and sold to the highest bidder.”

So Purwin did the only thing she knew to do and drew from her years of flying experience and having to prove herself as a capable and competent pilot and got to work.

Establishing herself as the new public Having always been someone that was face of Helinet and putting into action Mesa Policea Aviation havethe been fortunate that as never afraid of tackling an uphill battle, plan to get word out to the the city hasindustry grown, so toothe hasbusiness the aviation that is exactly what she got walking into that thatassets Alan in their to cater to the growth. the Helinet offices the first day on the job agency Purwin built waspopulation not for sale, and was going to be better than ever.

Purwin stated.

Purwin knew she would have an uphill battle, both internally and externally to gain the trust and acceptance of her staff and clients that had revered the quiet bold determination of her husband.

However, it was only a matter of time before both customers of Helinet and its pilots and staff knew that Helinet was going to be okay and was moving forward in exactly the direction that Alan had planned.

Purwin knew that the Helinet team was dealing with questions and uncertainty. She responded with humility and an open door to any of her team with concerns to talk to her about where the company would go after Alan was gone.

Alan Purwin, seen here in the pilots seat of a UH-1H Huey loved to fly and was always able to combine his love of flying with the creative vision of legendary directors like Michael Bay who relied on Alan’s eye and flying skill to get the shots he needed for blockbusters like Transformers and many other movies the two worked on together.

To which her answer was always the same, be it, staff or clients. That Helinet was going to do exactly what Alan would want it to do; continue day to day operations and look for more opportunities to move in the direction Alan had wanted it to grow and to be the company that Alan would be proud of.

Below: The Helinet fleet now numbers thirteen aircraft based at Van Nuys Airport that fly assignments that include VIP charter, ENG,HEMS and aerial cinematography services.

ABC “AIR7 HD” is one of the Fleet of AS350 helicopters owned by Helinet that provide ENG services in the Los Angeles area to several news networks, providing aircraft, cameraman and sometimes on air talent for news and traffic reporting.

April/May 2017 | 57

LEARNING CURVE Purwin faced several challenges initially. Having to quickly absorb how each of the groups that make up Helinet run on a day to day basis, along with how to sustain and grow the business that has sixteen helicopters. Providing VIP Charter, EMS, ENG and charter services, along with a technology group that is a leader in communications downlink technology and

SHOTOVER, a New Zealand based company that Purwin bought a significant stake in as technology was evolving in gyro-stabilized camera systems.

SHOTOVER is now the most recognized brand in aerial filming for movie, TV and live broadcast aerial platforms.

Alan Purwin had an eye for emerging businesses that would be successful, especially in the aerial filming arena.

The purchase of the controlling stake in SHOTOVER

was not his first foray into aerial camera systems. Purwin was also the controlling stakeholder in Cineflex, the system used by almost every helicopter that purchased a gyro stabilized camera before the dawn of the SHOTOVER system being the market leader.

LEADERSHIP Kathryn Purwin recognized that she could not fill Alan’s shoes on her own and quickly established a Board of Advisors that includes four distinguished industry veterans, Jim Adams, Arnold

Alan’s management ability and tenacity for finding the next inv

was not easily replaced, so Kathryn set about installing new bo

that would follow in Alan’s footsteps, including the appointmen President Jim McGowan.

58 | heliweb magazine

Kleiner, Thomas Norton and Vice Admiral William Lee. The newly formed board brings significant executive leadership and board governance to Helinet, with over eight decades of combined operational experience and industry-specific knowledge between the group.

She also immediately began interviewing candidates for the position of COO. After six months and many interviews, she selected

Jim McGowan as Helinet’s COO and President. McGowan joined the Helinet team in October 2016.

McGowan was a 13-year veteran at FLIR Systems before joining the company, having worked in many of the business

leadership positions within the aviation industry before joining FLIR, including developing and managing the fleet and special mission aircraft market at Pilatus Business Aircraft, and leading aviation system engineering and field service operations at Envirovac Inc. “He understands our culture, commitments, and disciplines and I feel fortunate to bring him on board as we expand upon our nearly 30-year legacy of providing superior service.” Said Purwin after announcing McGowan in the role.

vesstment opportunity

oard members and staff

nt of new COO and

April/May 2017 | 59

Kathryn Purwin (far right) continues to build on her husband’s legacy as the CEO of Helinet, supported by staff like new COO and President Jim McGowan and Vice President of Helinet’s Technology Group J.T Alpauigh.

BIG SHOES TO FILL Before Alan Purwin passed away, Helinet through his personal work in the motion picture industry had gained a substantial stake in providing aerial camera services to the motion picture industry through the production services department of Helinet.

That left a wide gap that many tried to fill after his passing, yet no one was “quite like Alan” who had an eye for what looked good on the big screen.

the Sikorsky S-70 and UH-60 in addition to holding a certification for aerial filming drones and can operate SHOTOVER’s large motion picture filming UAS, the SHOTOVER U1.

MOVING UP AND ON With her growing team now going from strength to strength with the right people in the right places at Helinet, Kathryn Purwin’s life has returned to her “new normal”

having switched from raising two now adult children, to becoming the head of one of the country’s largest ENG and helicopter technology providers. A role she never saw herself in.

However, as her life changed dramatically overnight with the loss of her soulmate, it also opened new doors for Purwin to lead the business her husband built. One thing is for certain, Kathryn Purwin has made her husband proud.

That gap was finally filled in March of 2017 when Purwin and McGowan announced that Kevin LaRosa II, a well-known and highly regarded motion picture pilot and aerial coordinator would assume the role of Vice President of Aerial Film Production.

Like Alan Purwin, LaRosa is known for his motion picture work on several Marvel blockbusters, including Iron Man and The Avengers, along with over one hundred other motion pictures under his belt. LaRosa has a vast experience in the industry and is type rated in Learjets, a Lockheed C-130 and 60 | heliweb magazine

Well known Hollywood Motion Picture Pilot and Aerial Coordinator Kevin LaRosa Jr. is the latest piece of the puzzle to fall into place for Helinet, taking on a role as the Vice President of Aerial Film Production at Helinet in March of 2017.

Kathryn Purwin recognized that she could not fill Alan’s shoes on her own and quickly established a Board of Advisors that includes four distinguished industry veterans, Jim Adams, Arnold Kleiner, Thomas Norton and Vice Admiral William Lee.

March 2017 | 61

April/May 2017 | 61

HELI EXPO DALLAS, TEXAS

62 | heliweb magazine

62 | heliweb magazine

‘2017

Story By:

Photographers:

Colt Roy Tim Pruitt Colt Roy Jason Jorgensen Mark Bennett

April/May 2017 | 63

That is a wrap! As just over nineteen thousand

from the information we received, publishing the

Girls commenced Give it a Whirl last year in

attendees put another Heli-Expo in the rearview

first image seen of the MD6XX several weeks

Louisville, and given the immense success of the

mirror for another year. This year attendees

before the show. The 6XX mock up on the floor

first event, added it to their annual calendar.

were treated to the much warmer climate of

maintained a steady interest throughout the

Dallas, Texas, in stark contrast from the previous

show.

Give it a Whirl focuses on youth in aviation,

year’s event held in Louisville, Kentucky where

One big standout in the technology sector at

fostering interest in helicopter aviation by offering

attendees were greeted with cold weather and

this year’s show was the cutting edge virtual

young aviation enthusiasts and even those with

snow. Attendees at the 2017 event saw the

reality market. Priority 1 Air Rescue and Leonardo

just the curiosity to learn more about the world of

customary slew of big announcements from

both showcased first person virtual reality

aviation the chance to immerse themselves in all

vendors large and small throughout the biggest

using search and rescue scenarios, showing

things helicopter.

show of the year.

perspectives of both the rescuer and victim. Both

This year’s event is adding helicopter flights for

displays had an ongoing stream of interested

youth in attendance, generously provided by

The MD booth was a standout at this year’s

parties checking out the newest in simulation

Airbus Helicopters who supplied pilots, aircraft,

event with the yearly press conference held by

technology using the most up to date realism

and many of their staff to assist in the safe

Lynn Tilton drawing large crowds with the formal

available.

transition in and out of the helicopter for those

announcement that development and production of the MD6XX would likely commence in the

PRE-SHOW

given the opportunity to take to the skies for the first time at the event.

coming year.

As we do each year, Heliweb started coverage

The wet Dallas morning couldn’t dampen the

The MD6XX for those that do not know is a

of the show with the fly in of aircraft headed to

spirits of all who streamed inside as doors opened

helicopter based on the MD600N variant that

be center stage at many booths. Followed by the

and the army of Whirly Girl volunteers facilitated

features a four-bladed tail rotor and an updated

annual “Give it a Whirl” event held by the Whirly-

everything from giveaway bags for everyone in

digital avionics suite. Heliweb Magazine reported

Girls, the very popular second annual event held

attendance to arts and craft stations and many

before the show on the existence of the aircraft

the Sunday before the show begins, The Whirly

other educational sessions throughout the day.

64 | heliweb magazine

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sporting design elements from not only the

Canada’s confederation on July 1, 2017.

helicopter industry but fixed wing and even the

Announcements from Airbus Helicopters

As the doors opened to general attendees at the show,

automotive sector, the FCX001 was clearly a

were muted in comparison for the market

announcements of significant sales and unveilings of

crowd favorite throughout the show.

leader, announcing among several other sales

new concepts to the industry were immediately in high

announcements that the company is in the

gear as it is every year on day one of the show. Bell

Of the many features of the FCX001’s initial

process of creating a network of premium service

Helicopter hosted a surprise reveal of their futuristic

design, most notably is the absence of a tail rotor.

centers.

FVL concept FCX001, that proved to be the most

Bell claims this aircraft will feature a new anti-

popular of the big announcements on day one, with

torque system in the tail boom that will forever

These centers will be hand-picked from their

many attendees taking the time to sit in the aircraft to

change safety, noise, and performance on vertical

existing network, based on geographic location,

get a feel for what the future of vertical lift may look like.

lift aircraft. Another game-changing claim from

reputation, and the quality of service provided

the FCX001 is the single pilot seat that will utilize

to Airbus Helicopters customers. The goal is

Although the giant egg-shaped FCX001 is unlikely

augmented reality, and artificial intelligence from a

to “Improve the level of support provided to

to become a production aircraft in its current form, it

computer assisted fly by wire system.

Airbus helicopter operators.” said Anthony Baker,

does sport many features that are likely to be part of

Vice President of Customer Support for Airbus

the continuing evolution and modernization of the

Other announcements by Bell during the show

helicopter over the next several decades.

centered on the Canadian father-son team of Bob

Helicopters.

and Steven Dengler along with pilot Rob MacDuff

Aiming to broaden the availability of parts, repair,

Like the initial renderings of the just released Bell 505,

who plan on taking the first around-the-world

and service that Airbus is known for, the company

the actual aircraft delivered bared little similarity to its

helicopter flight in their privately owned Bell 429,

knows that currently, service at the level they

first iteration, although Bell went the extra mile with this

a first for that aircraft type. The trip dubbed the

want is only currently available from their facility in

aircraft, going straight from digital design to concept

“C150 Global Odyssey” and will be part of the

Grand Prairie, Texas. The company aims to change

aircraft, using a whole new approach.

official celebrations for the 150th anniversary of

that with their new customer-focused initiative.

April/May 2017 | 65

66 | heliweb magazine

April/May 2017 | 67

Airbus Helicopters also announced that STAT MedEvac would be the first operator in the U.S.A to operate the Helionix-equipped H135. Stat MedEvac placed an order during the show for three of the new H135s to replace older aircraft in its fleet; the new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2017.

The company also touched on market trends during the many events at the show, detailing a new sales trend that sees helicopters now replacing fixed wing aircraft with many corporate customers globally. With the evergrowing congestion associated with economic development, customers are finding rotor wing transportation simply more convenient as more and more destinations are becoming helicopter friendly. By cutting out ground transportation to and from airports and final destinations, Airbus stated that companies are saving both time and money through the use of rotary assets.

The United States Coast Guard made appearances at the show with both Airbus and Sikorsky events featuring the agency. Both OEM’s aircraft constitute the majority of their fleet between the MH-65/HH-65 Dolphin from Airbus Helicopters and the MH-60T from Sikorsky. During the Airbus event, the 68 | heliweb magazine

Coast Guard detailed that their current cadre of over one hundred MH-65 Dolphins in service will continue to serve the U.S Coast Guard for at least the next decade with the planned upgrades that will be made to the airframe that has now completed over 1.5 million flight hours in service with the Coast Guard.

Sikorsky’s event featuring the agency paid tribute to the USCG’s century of aviation that saw both the MH-65 and MH-60T don centennial paint jobs on many aircraft seen around the country over the last year. The MH-60T in a simple yet bright yellow paint and the MH-65D in a retro white and orange paint as a throwback to the early days of Coast Guard rotary operations.

Leonardo Helicopters had a few big announcements at the show including an impressive lease from Milestone Aviation for six AW139s and three AW169s valued at 90 Million Euro. These deliveries expected in 2017 through 2018, with the aircraft slated to be utilized in a range of EMS and other para-public missions.

Leonardo also spoke on their leap in sales volume of their AW139 and AW169 airframes across the Americas, also detailing the opening of two service centers in Brazil that are now authorized to deliver support for the AW169.

Leonardo’s growth in the rapidly expanding Chinese civil helicopter market continued this year as they announced a partnership with Shanghai Zenisun. Chinese company Sino-US has now ordered 80 civil helicopters for delivery as the market continues to open more for rotary aviation as regulations continue to be relaxed in the once rigid country that was almost devoid of US and European helicopters in any form until recently. The purchase from Sino U.S also included 55 helicopters that are expected to be put into HEMS roles.

Leonardo stated that more than 180 helicopters had been sold in the Chinese market since the company started selling their aircraft in the country. The helicopters sold already include a mix of commercial and public roles to date.

Leonardo’s overall Asian market continued to grow in 2016 as the company announced the sale of its first VIP AW139 helicopter to a Japanese customer. The company completed the delivery of four AW139’s delivered in Japan to complete firefighting and disaster relief operations, bringing the total to 160 helicopters ordered in Japan to date. During Leonardo’s annual press conference, Managing Director Daniel Moretti also confirmed to Heliweb that there was indeed potential development on an aircraft type dubbed the AW219.

The AW219 as we predicted, would be a light twin sized helicopter to rival the H135/H145 HEMS market, although currently that the aircraft was yet to make it from design to concept.

would be relying less and less on outsourced parts opting to bring more of the manufacturing process in-house.

Citing not only the cost associated with 3rd party manufacturing but also the additional cost of sending inspectors to those locations to offer their signature of acceptance.

The company has also been taking cues from the automotive industry as they begin to implement things like nearfield communication to automatically open doors for entry into their aircraft.

The MD902 was sporting an all-new glass cockpit built around the IDU-680 displays from Genesis Aerosystems.

This system will bring 100% digital, open architecture that will allow for upgrades to add additional functionality without the need to replace hardware components. The company also announced six new interior designs which are styled in the fashion of luxury automobiles.

MD reported that after the 2016 announcement of the MyMD.aero portal, customers have reported an improvement in the quality of aftermarket and customer support interactions. MD had scored poorly in aftermarket service results and had been making changes to swing that result into the green.

Robinson Helicopters announced during the show that the FAA had approved a new Inlet Barrier Filter for their R66 turbine-powered helicopters, the IBF was designed by Donaldson Aerospace & Defense and is marketed as an optional filter for helicopters which operate in dusty environments. Robinson delivered an astounding 12,000 helicopters last year, as they continue to claim their dominance as the world’s leading manufacturer of civil helicopters.

Columbia Helicopters had a CH-47D on display at Heli-Expo, boasting an impressive 2800-gallon internal fire attack system, which is also the largest in civilian helicopter aviation. The company reported that it had been a busy year for their firefighting helicopters with some 1500 hours logged in 2016 that spanned fifty fires in sixteen states. So busy in fact, that the display CH-47D was dispatched to a fire before their departure from the show.

The 2017 show like many others prior, was a show where many deals were done, but like every year as the weary board their planes back home, most leave with a sense of exhausted satisfaction that key relationships were maintained, new ones were established, and all had fun at the show.

Lynn Tilton proved good to her word when she announced in 2016 that she planned the development of a new, high-performance single-engine helicopter as she detailed the steps involved in developing the MD6xx during her annual press conference.

Tilton also announced that the company April/May 2017 | 69

WILL IT TAKE

A CALAMI

70 | heliweb magazine

ITY?

The Navy has been planning to replace its fleet of thirty five year old TH-57 helicopters since 2005, but are no closer to a replacement twelve years later.

T

he Navy’s program to train helicopter pilots stands on the precipice of a major technical or human calamity.

Because it is operating obsolescent, 35-year-old TH-57 helicopters that are increasingly difficult to maintain, it is only a matter of time before there is a major incident that brings this critical training operation to a standstill.

The Navy has been planning to replace this dwindling fleet of helicopters since 2005. It is now 2017 and the Navy is no closer to finding a solution. It is time for a new approach, one that leverages best practices from the commercial world of aircraft fleet management.

Story by: Dr. Dan Goure

Lexington Institute with Ryan Mason

Photos by: U.S Navy, Bell Helicopter

& Ryan Mason

Helicopter training for Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel is the responsibility of the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA). The man in charge, Rear Admiral Dell D. Bull, has an impossible task. He must take nascent pilots coming off initial training on the modern T-6 trainer aircraft, and then send them back to the future by putting them into a 35-year-old helicopter without up-to-date avionics, safety features or electronic systems in order to prepare them for flying some of the most advanced aircraft in the world, such as the MH-60R, CH-53 and MV-22 Osprey.

The Navy is in danger of creating a future in which it has the best operational fleet of helicopters and tiltrotor platforms, but an inadequate supply of fully trained pilots to fly them.

Moreover, the TH-57, a derivative of the Bell 206, is no longer in production. If a helicopter is junked, there is no way to acquire a replacement.

April/May 2017 | 71

On

an

so

The U.S Navy’s fleet of TH-57 Sea Ranger training helicopters have been in service over thirty five years, while the decision on what to replace them with has currently taken twelve years with no decision made.

This means CNATRA must pay increasingly exorbitant amounts of money to keep the old birds flying.

The current maintenance contractor, L-3 Communications, has performed a herculean task keeping these old crates flying. But maintenance demands are cutting into the number of aircraft available on a daily basis. As a result, there are reports that the number of daily training flights is declining below demand, creating a throughput problem that will soon affect the readiness of both the Navy and Marine Corps.

A lack of imagination from its acquisition community has contributed greatly to the Navy’s inability to fix its helicopter training program. Navy acquisition sees the problem as one of buying and maintaining helicopters. So it immediately goes ballistic worrying about the money required to buy a new fleet of training helicopters.

W R O N G W AY T O T H I N K A B O U T THE PROBLEM CNATRA’s job is producing qualified, capable pilots in sufficient numbers to meet demands. Ownership of equipment is largely irrelevant so long as all the requirements for training are met.

Even today, maintenance and support for aircraft, simulators and other equipment is performed by private 72 | heliweb magazine

contractors. an average day, only the instructor pilot and the trainees are actually Navy personnel.

Why, in such environment, should it matter who owns the helicopters long as a sufficient number are available on a daily basis to meet demand?

How would a private company reluctant to pay the upfront costs to acquire capital goods handle this problem? It would outsource the job.

It would contract with a services provider who would acquire and maintain the necessary fleet of helicopters, simulators and support capabilities to guarantee the required number of training flights per day. The beauty of this is that the contractor would own the aircraft, be responsible for their upkeep and modernization and ensure the smooth flow of trainee pilots through the system.

This is exactly what the Army and Air Force have done. The Army awarded CAE USA a multiyear contract to provide a turnkey comprehensive training program for fixed-wing pilots.

The work will be performed at a company-owned and operated training center and academic, simulator, with live flying training on both U.S. Army and CAE-owned aircraft. Similarly, Doss Aviation is responsible for the Air Force’s Initial Flight Training program.

This service is provided at the company’s owned and operated facility in Pueblo, Colorado using platforms, curriculum and instructors it provides.

The Army and Air Force programs prove that there is no legal, regulatory or contracting barrier to hiring a services contractor to support Navy helicopter pilot training.

The Navy should hold a full and open competition to provide a complete system for training Navy helicopter pilots. The contractor would provide a fleet of appropriate and modern helicopters, simulators, maintenance and support, even curriculum development and classroom instruction, if the Navy so desires.

One contract, one contractor; what could be more straightforward and simple to administer? The contractor would get paid based on an agreed level of performance, generally defined as training opportunities. Based on the number of training flights the Navy

Bell Helicopter fielded the Bell 407 as the c OH-58 and TH-57 variants as military traine

requires per day, the contractor would ensure that number of aircraft are available.

The Navy gets out of ownership of yet another fleet of helicopters as well as the headache of maintaining and upgrading them. The Navy can still control the training curriculum, the number and character of training flights and use its own personnel as trainers. But it gets rid of the costly and burdensome responsibilities for managing the equipment and training systems that support CNATRA’s mission.The current bidding process as it stands, pits four major helicopter

manufacturers against each other as each aim to provide the next training aircraft for the Navy. Sikorsky, recently acquired by defense giant Lockheed is fielding the UH-60 variant, Bell Helicopter, fielding the Bell 407 GXP single engine turbine, themedHelicopters Airbus UH-72/EC-145T1. are fielding The same a Navytwin engine helicopter as used at Ft. Rucker for initial Army Helicopter Flight Training after the Army phased out their dated OH-58’s for the twin engine FADEC controlled digital cockpit trainer.

The last competitor, Leonardo

Helicopters (Formerly AgustaWestland/ Finmeccanica) fielding the branded TH-119, which as a single engine turbine (one of only two in the field), is the only offering to date that has been configured specifically towards what Leonardo Helicopters believes will improve the efficiency of Navy training and add a new functionality not previously able to be accomplished by the older trainers.

The TH-119 features a rear instructor seat configured to be moveable in four directions, allowing a dual pilot training flight to have an observing flight instructor able to sit in the rear seats,

company’s contender to be the next Navy Helicopter Trainer. Bell previously supplied both the U.S Army and the U.S Navy with The iconic ers that began with the Army over fifty years ago. Bell is one of only two contenders using a single engine helicopter as part of their bid.

April/May 2017 | 73

yet move the rear single seat between the two pilot stations to give a clear visibility of the cockpit instruments and conduct training with a full view of both the cockpit and students flight control inputs.

With the Navy’s selection process now heading towards its thriteenth year without a decision being made, It remains to be seen if the Navy can overcome the critical issues that have drawn out a decision on the most appropriate airframe they should choose for training to well over a decade.

Add to that the task of selecting a service provider that would provide an

end to end training solution to the Navy as suggested earlier - and you have an even worse situation than the current dillema facing the Navy.

A decision on somthing that complex would involve more considerations than are currently delaying the simpler project.

Based on those delays, any holistic solution like an end to end training solution provider could feasably drag out to the point it becomes another generations problem to solve.

Another risk the Navy faces due to its failure to innovate is that when the crisis hits - and it will, is that the

Leonardo Helicopter’s offering, the AW119Kx, is the only helicopter in consideration for the sizeable government contract that has design elements that were included specifically to for the Navy that improve the functionality of the helicopter in a training environment. The Helicopter has a center positioned rear seat that can be moved to look directly over the pilot and co pilot seats that gives an instructor in the back seat the ability to supervise pilots movemnts and reaction time to events as they fly the aircraft. Something that is not possible in any of the other helicopters in the feild of contenders.

74 | heliweb magazine

Pentagon could likely shut down the separate Navy program and ship all the responsibility and resources to the Army’s helicopter training program at Fort Rucker.

The new Secretary of Defense is already looking to consolidate areas of overlapping activity among the services.

Turning Navy/Marine Corps helicopter pilot training over to the Army creates certain challenges given that each service operates differently, but this would still be a better solution than trying to maintain the Navy’s current creaky, inefficient and even dangerous system.

The UH-60 would be the likely contender from Sikorsky as the company could use the selling point of trainees only having to train on single airframe instead of the current two.

April/May 2017 | 75

The crash on April 28, 2016 of an AS332 in Bergen, Norway sent shockwaves through the industry. As footage of a main rotor assembly spinning to earth alone surfaced just hours after the crash, the industry was left wondering what could have caused such a catastrophic separation that cost the lives of all thirteen on board.

Turoy, Norway A year to the day from the date of the incident, the Accident Investigation Board of Norway (AIBN) released a detailed preliminary report on the crash of an Airbus Helicopters EC225LP owned and operated by CHC Helicopters.

The aircraft crashed on rocky shoreline off the small island of Turøy, located near the port of Bergen, Norway. The crash claiming the lives of all thirteen passengers and crew aboard.

76 | heliweb magazine

The one-hundred-page report sheds some light on the likely cause of the crash, using evidence from the recovered wreckage, recorded flight data, and extensive metallurgical examinations.

The AIBN was able to reconstruct the inflight breakup of the main rotor gearbox as part of the investigation, the incident that led to the detachment of the main rotor from the aircraft. The AIBN has determined that the crash resulted

from a fatigue fracture in one of the eight-second stage planet gears in the epicyclic module.

With this report, the Norwegian CAA and the UK’s EASA regulatory boards have both opted to uphold the flight ban on the EC 225 and the AS 332L2 Super Puma helicopters. Many industry insiders had expected this report to contain instead additional safety measures that would allow current flight restrictions to be lifted.

Story by: Colt Roy

y Everything was normal during the EC 225’s flight until the moment disaster struck.

The report detailed the flight had just descended from 3000 feet to 2000 feet and had been flying at cruising speed for about two minutes when the second stage planet gear failed.

There were no warnings or other indications given to the crew before a mechanical noise was heard in the

ONE YEAR LATER

April/May 2017 | 77

CVFDR recording, immediately before the main rotor detached from the helicopter.

When the fatigue crack grew large enough to split one of the second stage planet gears, the mesh in the gearbox became disrupted causing the entire gearbox to come to an immediate halt.

Torque from the engines, coupled with the inertia of the main rotor then took over destroying the seized gearbox.

Several of the 17 bolts on the flexible mounting plate aft attachment showed signs of shearing by force “acting from the left” which is conducive with an immediate seizure of the gearbox at the same time as the main rotor inertia torque forces are exerted. The loss of the structural integrity gearbox and the erratic flight control that subsequently came from that loss of structural integrity was the cause of the uncontrolled and forceful movement of the main rotor, which in turn resulted in the separation of the main rotor.

INDUSTRY REACTION Shortly before the AIBN’s preliminary report was released, the oil and gas news site OilandGasPeople.com conducted a survey of some 2500 oil industry workers regarding the potential return of the Super Puma. The survey was carried out to gather a consensus of professionals who travel offshore on a regular basis.

An overwhelming 90.1% opposed the return of the Super Puma, with 9.9% stating they were happy to see it return to service. The survey went on to ask if the workers would refuse to fly on board a Super Puma variant should it be brought back into circulation, and 65.5% stated they would, in fact, refuse 78 | heliweb magazine

to fly, while the remaining 34.5% said they would not object. The survey then went on to ask if traveling in a Super Puma would cause concerns for family members, to which 89% acknowledged that it would cause concern.

Managing Director of Oilandgaspeople. com, Kevin Forbes commented: “We expected a large majority of the oil and gas workforce to oppose a potential return of the Super Puma. However, with over 90% against and two-thirds of the workforce advising they would refuse to get on board, it seems that aircraft operators need to think long and hard about the ramifications of returning the aircraft to service.”

To review the results of the survey, you can visit: https://www.oilandgaspeople.com/ news/13286/two-thirds-of-workerswould-refuse-to-fly-if-super-pumasreturn/ In response to the release of the AIBN report and the continuation of the grounding of the aircraft, a spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority issued a statement that read: “The safety of those who travel on offshore helicopter flights is an absolute priority for both the Norwegian and UK aviation authorities. Following the publication of today’s interim report on the tragic 2016 Norwegian accident the UK and Norwegian authorities have confirmed that the restrictions preventing commercial use of the H225LP and AS332L2 Super Puma helicopters in the two countries remain in place. We continue to work with the helicopter operators, the offshore industries, international regulators, unions and pilot representatives to enhance offshore safety standards still further and all these parties are actively

involved in ongoing discussions.”

IS THIS THE END FOR THE SUPER PUMA? The future of the AS332 Super Puma as an oil and gas transportation aircraft is no doubt in question as the continuation of the grounding order and survey results showing widespread concern from oil and gas workers who primarily travel on the helicopter.

With that hanging over the future of an aircraft that was once synonymous with the oil and gas industry, Airbus is likely looking to other business sectors where the aircraft could best be utilized.

Many of the current AS332 fleet around the world that served the oil and gas market were initially replaced out of necessity by operators put in dire need of replacement aircraft in the wake of the grounding order issued in the weeks after the crash.

The majority of replacementaircraft were supplied by a mix of the Leonardo Helicopters AW139 and Sikorsky S92 helicopter, sourced from manufacturers and leasing agencies around the world.

The latter having had its share of small hiccups in oil and gas transportation with a short grounding that took place to ensure there was not a tail rotor issue after the hard landing of an S92 on an oil rig that caused the main rotor blades to contact the platform deck as a result.

The aircraft were quickly returned to service after inspections were carried out and an airframe wide issue was ruled out as the cause.

Airbus Helicopters also issued a statement from President Guillaume Faury immediately following the release of the AIBN report that read in part: “ We wish to express our deep regret

ANATOMY OF AN ACCIDENT

All images courtesy AIBN

Shown in the images below are recovered sections of the first and second

stage planetary gears, believed by the AIBN to be the causal factor in the April 28, 2016 crash. Links have now been established between this crash and a similar incident in the North Sea on April 1, 2009. Both accidents now believed to have been caused by the same failure, resulting in a catastrophic seizure of the main rotor gearbox causing the main rotor to separate from the aircraft.

Second Stage Planet Gear Diagram EC225/AS332

Fig 1. One of the recovered planet gears showing three of fourteen bearing rollers missing.

Fig 2. Three gears from inside the second stage planetary gear with various stages of damage.

Fig 3. Inner Race showing dents and deformities caused as the main rotor gearbox disintegrated.

Fig 4. First Stage Planet Carrier with cog showing substantial damage to teeth.

Fig 5. Split outer ring gear housing the main second stage planetary gear.

Fig 6. Sun gear from first stage planetary gear.

Fig 7. Second stage planetary gear as it should appear in factory condition.

Fig 8. First stage planet carrier recovered from sea floor with no gears attached bent on upper right.

Fig 9. First stage planet carrier without housing from April 1, 2009 AS332 accident missing gear.

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at this tragedy, and again, we offer our sincere and profound sympathies to the bereaved families. Since the accident, we have been providing our full and complete support to the investigation.

We have had regular technical meetings with the authorities as well as with all relevant helicopter industry bodies.

We look forward to every opportunity to discuss with them the safety recommendations and technical points arising from the report. We are totally committed to transparency in all matters regarding aviation safety and international helicopter regulations.

Indeed, it is the essence of what we do.

In the course of the AIBN investigation, additional elements brought by the 2016 accident showed that there were mechanical similarities between the 2016 accident and an earlier one, in 2009. We were not aware of any related issue at the time of the 2016 accident. The information available to us from the 2016 accident has allowed us to take protective measures that we could unfortunately not have put in place in 2009 based on the knowledge and evidence available at the time, and also because significant parts from the 2009 accident were never recovered. We will continue to work with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and to comply with EASA airworthiness requirements. In the course of the investigation into the 2016 accident, we have implemented a set of protective measures which have been requested and validated by EASA. Nothing in this preliminary report alters this.”

US based CHC Helicopter, the operator of the helicopter involved in Norway also released a statement relating to the company’s ongoing commitment to assisting the AIBN in the continuing 80 | heliweb magazine

investigation along with Airbus.

The company also expressing their continued concern for the family members of those lost in the accident and despite the inital report showing there was no fault on the part of CHC regarding the previously undiscovered issue that was the likely causal factor from the crash, the company reiterated their continuing commitment to improving safety within their operations.

CHC also noted that for the immediate future, the company will continue to use other models to perform the company’s oil and gas transportation missions as the ban on the two Airbus models continue to remain in place.

“We welcome the Accident Investigation Board Norway’s (AIBN) latest report published today (April 28, 2017). The report confirms the progress made to date in establishing a definitive cause.

We remain fully committed to supporting the AIBN’s ongoing investigation.

As we mark the first anniversary of the tragic accident in Turøy, our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those who were lost.

We continue to comply fully with all guidance issued by the relevant authorities regarding the EC225

and the AS332L2. In both Norway and the UK, the Regulators continue to have in place Operational Directives that effectively prohibits the use of these two models. Our global position mirrors this approach for now. We, along with other operators, continue to review this position as the output from the investigations dictate.”

While the industry still awaits a definitive final report, the future for the AS332 and EC225 as commercially viable helicopters is one that despite the company’s ongoing commitment to improving the safety of the helicopter - which may result in an eventual mechanical redesign of the affected parts, will have a tought time recorvering from. With the divesting of virtually all of the AS332/EC225 fleet from the oil and gas market worldwide, it would be difficult for any of the primary companies that operated them to return to the AS332/EC225 airfram now unless it was a specific customer requirement.

All that remains of the Main Rotor Head, Main Rotor Gearbox Assembly and engines of the Airbus AS332 that crashed April 28th, 2016 in Norway. AIBN Photo

Left: The tail of the CHC Helicopters AS332 involved in the April 28,2016 crash is lifted from the water near Turøy, Norway to be transported to

Above: The AIBN employed the use of a magnetic sledge in the

the AIBN hangar

water by the crash site to locate parts buried under sand and silt

at Flesland

on the sea floor as part of the investigation to recover parts.

Airport where investigators worked to reconstruct the helicopter in a n effort to determine the cause of the accident.

ONE YEAR LATER Bergen, Norway

BELOW: AIBN investigators used this hangar located at Flesland

Above: The recovered Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorder

Airport to reconstruct as much of the helicopter as possible in an

recovered from the downed helicopter was recovered intact from

effort to fully understand how the helicopter destroyed itself.

the sea floor. It sits awaiting analysis from AIBN investigators.

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AV A L O N

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONA

Like its European counterpart show in Paris, the biennial show held at Avalon Airport in Melbourne’s west, is the show deals are made that keep the Australian aviation market strong. Exhibitors from global helicopter manufacturers to small startups arrived hoping to make a deal. Record crowds poured in to the must attend event for anyone in Australian aviation market to make it the most successful event held to date.

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N 2017

AL AIRSHOW AND EXHIBITION

Report by: Ryan Mason Photographers:

Kane Arlow Dion Chapman April/May 2017 | 83

Although not as well known as the likes of EAA AirVenture or the Paris Airshow, the 2017 Australian International Airshow is the aviation event of the year to attend for any aviation businesses wanting to sell their aircraft or services to anyone in the Australian aviation market.

Avalon Airport, located approximately forty minutes west of Australia’s second most populous city serves as the location for the biennial show attended by hundreds of thousands over its six-day duration.

Avalon is the second domestic airport that serves local Australian carrier Jetstar, a subsidiary of well-known international carrier Qantas. The privately owned airport was purchased by transportation company Linfox in 1997 and has grown from a regional airport into the second busiest passenger airport of the four 84 | heliweb magazine

that service the greater Melbourne area since beginning passenger carrying flight operations in 2004. The airport also acts as a heavy maintenance facility for Qantas Airways.

The Avalon Airshow as it was known for many years, was first held in after two successful airshows were hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force at the RAAF base in Richmond, New South Wales to celebrate Australia’s bicentenary in 1998 and again in 1991. The success of the air shows put on by a private company then leading to the creation of the foundation that runs the current airshow, named Airshows Downunder.

I recall attending the first Avalon Airshow as a teenager where our family were guests of Hawker De Havilland (an aircraft manufacturer acquired by Boeing Australia in 2000) whom my

The Boeing AH-64 Apache was the ‘Belle of the Ball’ at Avalon. Making its first appearance at the show, both on the grounf and during aerial demonstrations, the Apache was the fan favorite.

Unmanned aviation played a large part in this years show, having their first dedicated pavillion which drew large crowds.

Manufacturers also drew strong interest. The Leonardo AW139 is seeing big sales into the country with 39 now delivered to Australia.

The Toll Transport AW139 (left) is one of eleven that have now been put into service to contract ambulance and search and rescue roles for the NSW Ambulance Serivce.

April/May 2017 | 85

father provided insurance for at the time. My memories of the event were of an extremely wet and muddy walk to the Hawker suite and watching many spectators brave the rain of an abnormally wet October day to see the latest in military and civilian aircraft on display.

It was at this show, seeing the many movers and shakers making business deals, I got my first taste of how much business was done at this airshow.

The following show and every one since was moved to March, virtually guaranteeing a better weather forecast for the event.

Evidenced by the scorching heat of the 2017 show that featured many aircraft from all over the world.

In attendance from the helicopter industry were representatives from Bell Helicopter, Leonardo Helicopters, Airbus Helicopters along with many equipment manufacturers looking to make a deal on the show floor. Many products from manufacturers were also present on static display as well as during the flying display portion of the show.

Although the Australian International Airshow is an event for the public, the event is also structured as a trade

ABOVE LEFT: The show floors stayed busy throughout, including this Airbus booth.

BELOW LEFT: Simulators were a huegely south after item at the show for military training purposes.

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event, with several days of the show dedicated solely to attendance from business entities that are not open to the public.

Bell Helicopter had a 407GX on static display during the event, along with multiple Airbus Helicopters aircraft on static display from the civilian market as well as the company’s military aircraft.

Sikorsky and Boeing made a big splash at the event, bringing the S70 flown by the Royal Australian Navy, while Boeing garnered much attention with the arrival for the first time at the show of the AH-64 Apache that proved to be a drawcard throughout the event.

Airbus maintained a strong presence in the military market as the ARH Tiger was put through its paces for the crowds each day as part of the flying displays, along with the ARH90, the Australian variant of the NH90 manufactured by NH Industries. A helicopter favored by military forces around the world.

While the Australian International Airshow does not work like a traditional trade show, furnishing a never-ending stream of press releases, the one significant announcement of the show came from Bell Helicopter.

The company announcing CASA’s type certificate approval of the new Bell 505

in Australia. Giving the newest helicopter in Bell’s lineup the green light to begin deliveries to its Australian purchasers eagerly awaiting delivery of the world’s most modern short light single helicopter.

Not a small announcement when considering Australia is one of the largest operators of Bell Jetranger helicopters in the world, with a current fleet of the older model aircraft numbering over five hundred still in operation down under.

Attendance at the 2017 Australian International Airshow was the largest crowd and vendor attendance in the history of the show.

Attendance numbers of over 200,000 people though the gates and vendor registration numbering over six hundred vendor booths for this year’s show assured that economic input for the state, estimated to be sixty-five million dollars, promises of an even bigger 2019 show likely to surpass all expectations.

As the Australian Aviation Industry continues to expand their use of helicopter aviation in both civilian and military operations around the great southern land, it is likely that the Australian International Airshow will continue to help foster the continuation of industry growth.

ABOVE RIGHT: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull opens the biennial Australian International Airshow.

RIGHT: The Australian ARH Tiger, made by Airbus Helicopters in France for the Australian Army sits on static display at the show.

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Pilot Profile Diana

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Pilot Profile Diana

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Pilot Profile Diana

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Pilot Profile Diana

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Pilot P

Profile Diana

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Photo credit: Dan Megna, Mesa Police Aviation Unit. Mesa, AZ

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