DAY 3 March 1, 2018 HAI PUBLICATIONS Convention News Now more than ever, youth are the future. Attracting them to careers in aviation isn't just about the industry's ability to add a few more customers. Instead, it's about using aircraft as tools to help them realize their dreams as pilots, engineers, technicians, and even firefighters. New On-Demand Alliance Airbus, Blade partner to expand › page 3 Helisim’s U.S. Expansion KASHEA KLOSS KASHEA Airbus, Thales training venture › page 6 Pilot shortage forecast darkens R-R Shifting to Electric? by Marisa Bojiuc New vehicles on the Mounting evidence shows there is a real The study forecasts an even larger toward their fixed-wing certificates. Similar horizon? › page 8 shortage of pilots and mechanics, and this shortage of 40,613 certificated aviation programs are also being offered by other is especially true for the rotorcraft industry, mechanics in the next two decades in the airlines. Pilots also find the fixed schedules according to a study conducted by the Uni- U.S. At the international level, 70 percent offered by the airlines a powerful incentive Renewable versity of North Dakota (UND) in partnership of operators find it harder to hire mechan- to give up flying for smaller companies with with Helicopter Foundation International ics and 75 percent of those hiring mechan- irregular schedules. Energy Ops? and HAI. They delivered results of the study, ics were only able to find personnel with The study didn’t analyze the attraction to Wind turbines instead of “UND-HAI Rotorcraft Pilot and Mechanic less than the desired experience. “More young people of advanced technology found Supply Forecast,” yesterday at Heli-Expo. The than 57 percent believe that the inability in modern aircraft, but this could be taken fossils fuels › page 17 study aims to quantify the helicopter pilot to hire mechanics in the coming years will into account in future research. “That is and mechanic shortage over the next 20 years. interfere with their growth and expansion something we talked about. It didn’t come out Artex Avoids Li-ion According to the study, helicopter labor plans,” according to the study. in the survey, but it’s something that could supply continues to drop, with the annual Further, China is poised for aggressive help increase the pilot supply a little bit,” said New ELT uses alkaline deficit of helicopter pilots now at 370 this expansion, which will result in more labor Elizabeth Bjerke, associate dean and profes- page 18 year, and that number is only expected to supply issues worldwide as personnel are sor at the UND department of aviation. batteries › grow to 490 in 2036. The cumulative pro- attracted to China with offers of larger salaries. There are large expectations placed on jected shortage of helicopter pilots in the As the industry continues to collect data, the shoulders of the newest generation. Airbus Embraces U.S. between 2018 and 2036 is 7,649. New it is finding that more helicopter pilots are While they are considered digital natives, helicopter pilots entering the rotorcraft transferring to the regional airline indus- they still desire structure and job security, BLR's FastFin field have equalled those becoming inac- try due to attractive incentives. For exam- according to the study. For those willing to Factory installs for H125 tive or retiring, which has unbalanced the ple, GoJet’s Rotor Transition Program begin the path to become helicopter pilots, industry since 2009. offers $26,000 for helicopter pilots to train continues on page 21 › page 20 There’s no turning back from our eVTOL future by Mark Huber The electric vertical takeoff and landing eVTOLs allow the experiment to go (eVTOL) revolution is upon us, and there one step further by eliminating complex likely is no turning back. That is the mes- main and tail rotor systems and adding sage from a growing number of opinion wings to the design to improve range leaders at this year’s Heli-Expo. and speed. “We’re not trying to invent That list includes AHS International a mechanical horse” by electrifying a executive director Mike Hirschberg, who helicopter, he noted. And while eVTOLs points out that more than $1 billion has could conceivably replace some helicop- been invested in vehicles and related ter missions on the low end of the spec- research before regulations are finalized trum, Hirschberg said the overall impact AMBROSE BARRY for the category. And the roster of compa- likely would be additive since they lack he said. “But again…we’re also looking at will have to follow all of the certification nies involves includes major players such the size and power to replace helicopters the way we assemble things. They would requirements that we have in place, plus as Airbus, Boeing, Bell, Embraer, Intel, in most mission scenarios. go together differently. We have to look more. Amazon, Honda, Toyota, and Uber. He said reforms to Part 23 certifica- at how are we going to manufacture at a “Think about crash-attenuating seats This isn’t a bunch of hobbyists in tion requirements could go a long way to high rate. We can probably use different and all of the same safety features that garages, and Hirschberg points to a survey making eVTOL design approval of both types of robotics. But it is a change for a have to be the same as currently designed taken of attendees from one of his organi- electric powerplants and occupant pro- company. You’ve got to be able to rapidly on helicopters. You will need all of those zation’s recent conferences showing that tection achievable. manufacture these very quickly. You’re on an unmanned system as well. Now 59 percent thought that eVTOLs would Bell CEO Mitch Snyder agrees. The talking 10, 15, 20, 30 a day, or even more.” we have that intellectual knowledge to become a reality within the next five to 10 company is displaying its concept for an Chris Emerson, president of Airbus design and develop an aircraft to those years. “Electric aviation is really changing urban air vehicle this week at Heli-Expo. Helicopters Inc., strikes a more caution- requirements. So then we have to pull the in what it will be in the future,” he said Bell executive vice president for technol- ary note and urges careful study. “People technology that’s being developed and during a Tuesday afternoon presentation ogy and innovation Michael Thacker “is are starting to build up and gather data so combine it with the demographic infor- at Heli-Expo. “This is really a big deal. meeting with the FAA all the time, and we that we understand what the future proj- mation. It’s going to drive the way we look This is a lot of money. This is technology are having these discussions,” Snyder said ect is going to look like. And by the way, it at designing and developing aircraft.” n that’s really going to revolutionize flight.” this week at Heli-Expo. “We’re working According to Hirschberg, electrical- hand in hand with the regulatory author- ly-powered vertical vehicles provide the ities on how you would certify this and opportunity to eliminate all the things how it would operate in the flight space.” Saudo to succeed Even at Safran typically viewed as drawbacks on heli- What Snyder sees as perhaps a larger copters: transmissions, gearboxes, shaft- challenge is how Bell would shift from Safran Helicopter Engines (Booth C4743) ing, and hydraulics. Basically, the things a comparatively low-volume, high-unit- has announced a change in leadership. that break. Sikorsky’s experimental cost manufacturer to a high-volume, low- CEO Bruno Even will leave the company “Project Firefly” in 2010, which electrifed unit-cost one. He has some ideas along on April 2 and will be succeeded by Franck a Schweizer 300C, allowed engineers to those lines. Saudo, who joined Safran in 2011 and remove a vast amount of mechanical sys- “You know, that’s a whole different way served most recently as CEO of Safran Frank Saudo tems from the aircraft. of thinking about building the product,” Transmission Systems. He will be replaced will be Safran in that role by Eric Valentin, who was pro- Helicopter moted from vice president for production Engines’ new in the French manufacturer’s landing gear CEO in April. INDEX and integration division. C.E. Aero Products Component Services .............. 16 Lease Corporation International.................... 10 Aeromaster .................................................... 21 Leonardo Helicopters ............................ 3, 8, 12 Airbus Helicopters ...........................................4 LifePort .......................................................... 16 Artex .............................................................. 18 MD Helicopters ...............................................17 Aviall .........................................................16, 21 Metro Aviation .............................................. 22 Terrafugia flying car could be real in 2019 Bell ................................................................ 21 Milestone Aviation Group ...............................17 Flying car developer Terrafugia is progress- a newly-enhanced prototype of its Transi- BLR Aerospace ............................................. 20 MROinsider .................................................... 21 ing on its mission to establish a viable road- tion, which it says will be ready for cus- BrightWater Partners .....................................23 Pratt & Whitney Canada ..................................4 able aircraft. The company (Booth N2009) tomer deliveries in 2019. “We are now Cadorath