LIFESUMMER 2008 / £3.99 www.helicopterlife.com

CzechCzech PADPAD

TWO SCARY TAILS HAI HELIEXPO FIDAE IN C HILE H ELICOPTEROS DEL PACIFICO H ELI-SKIING IN SAINTE FOY

HELICOPTER LIFEis theHIGH LIFE

HELICOPTER SUMMER 2008 LIFE COVER STORY

Show & Tell Guide 4 Czech Police shows and conferences. Aviation Unit 32 Jakub Fojtik The Editor’s Letter 5 reports on the his - tory and experi - Aerial Forum 6 & 10 ence of the Czech Sven Atkin expresses his heartfelt views police since their inaguration in Letters to the Editor 7, 11 & 16 1948 until today Flying Crackers 8, 9 Fabulous FIDAE 40 Helicopter Life visits the biggest and most popular Two Scary Tails 12 airshow in Latin America, and watches the A380, Philip Amadeus has the Bone and others beat the air been involved in two major and Helicopteros del Pacifico 46 potentially fatal hel - Georgina Hunter- icopter crashes, he Jones visits a fire- explains how it felt fighting and spray - and what he learnt ing helicopter from these funda - company in the mental experiences south of Chile and sees how they Heli-Camper 18 work with the Helicoptet Life discovers the 1970s and 80s Hueys they bought dream of a Winnebago Heli-Camper from Germany PremiAir @ Battersea 22 Chilean History & Wines 52 Helicopter Life Helicopter Life visits a selection of vineyards and reports on how hotels along the length of Chile PremiAir Aviation and Von Essen HeliSkiing 56 Group are improv - Georgina Hunter- ing the 1950s built Jones visits Sainte Battersea and how Foy in France where they see its future a new ski company, role in London Venture Ski, are heli - copter skiing from The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power 24 their beautifully built A new rival to Goodwood’s Festival of Speed chalets, all of which are in tune with the HAI HeliExpo Hits Houston 26 local environment Georgina Hunter- Jones looks at this Helicopter Futures 61 year’s helicopter show in Texas and Book Reviews 62 examines what was new and what was Accident Reports 64 simply a revamping of older helicopter House & Helicopter 66 technology!

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 3 SHOW & T ELL HELICOPTER G UIDE 14 July - 20 July 2008 FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIR - LIFE SHOW Tel: +44 (0) 1252 532800 SUMMER 2008 Email: [email protected] Website: www.farnborough.com HON. EDITORIAL BOARD Captain Eric Brown, CBE, RN 7 october - 9 october 2008 The Lord Glenarthur, DL HELITECH EUROPE 2008 Jennifer Murray Airpot Cascais, Estoril, Portugal Michael J. H. Smith Tel: Barney Payne: +44 (0) 20 8439 8853 Wing Cdr. Ken Wallis, MBE, RAF Email: [email protected] EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / PILOT Website: www.helitecheurope.com Georgina Hunter-Jones [email protected] 3rd August 2008 CREATIVE DIRECTORS SKEETER HELIMEET [email protected] Eastleigh,. Hampshire COPY EDITORS Evangeline Hunter-Jones, JP Email: ChrisThomashelimeet@east - John Wilson leigh.gov.uk CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Website:www.eastleigh.gov.uk/ Philip Amadeus, Sven Atkins, Ian Hentley, Jakub helimeet Fojtik, Barry Pearson, John Wilson CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY 9th August - 10th August 2008 Philip Amadeus, Sven Atkins, Sanna Cobb, John Garon, Alan Norris, Helicopteros del Pacifico, Ian CHOMONDELEY PAGEANT OF POWER Turner, Jiri Svatos, Ivo Bilek, Frantisek Cervicek, Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire Pavel Nehybka, PCR LS, Venture Ski, Patrick Ticket hotline: 01264 882215 SPECIAL THANKS TO Dave Smith CPL(H), René Acklin at Termas Email: [email protected] Cauquenes, Françoise Massoc at Calyptra, Silvia Website:www.pageantofpower.com Vogel at Alpacas Machali, Vilma Vega at FIDAE ADVERTISING Telephone: +44-(0)20-7430-2384 11 November - 13 November 2008 [email protected] DUBAI HELISHOW 2008 SUBSCRIPTIONS Mediac Communications & Exhibitions LLC Go to our website or turn to page 16 Po Box 5196 Dubai UAE [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1293 823779 WEBSITE Fax:+44 (0)1293 825394 www.helicopterlife.com Email: [email protected] COVER PHOTOGRAPH Website: www.dubaihelishow.com Czech Police Aviation Unit by Jiri Svatos, a technician at CPAD 22 February - 24 February 2009 HAI HELIEXPO 2009 HELICoPTER LIFE is published quarterly by FlyFizzi Ltd. orange Convention Centre, 59 Great ormond Street Anaheim, California, USA London, WC 1N-3 Hz . Phone (703) 683-4646 Copyright © FlyFizzi Ltd. 2008. ISSN 1743-1042. Fax: (703) 683-4745 All rights reserved. opinions expressed herein are not neces - Email: [email protected] sarily those of the pub lishers, the Editor or any of the editorial Website: www.heliexpo.com staff. Reproduction in whole or in part, in any form whatever, is strictly prohibited without specific written permission of the Editor.

4 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 T HE EDITOR S LETTER

hile is a young country,” said which has a long history here, and the winemaker Françoise Massoc, Chileans are very in tune with avia - C“and I find that exciting. Chile tion and its importance. At FIDAE it very much seems a combination of was also clear that they are becoming old World sophistication and New very aware of environmental issues, World experimentation.” particularly in the southern region Even to a visitor, Chile seems like and towards Antarctica. Moreover, an interesting combination of past the government is very sympathetic and future. The economy is stable, towards foreign investment, and has unemployment is low and, thanks to been for a long time. copper production, in which it leads However, it is important to remem - the world and has 54% of the market, ber that ‘Si’ in Chile means “Yes, I Chile has no debts. Strangely, Chile’s hear you,” not “Yes, I agree”! wealth can be attributed to two for - In Chile, I found Miracle in the lower ground where he believed they mer presidents, neither of whom Andes by Nando Parrado, which tells were. There were no good communi - receives a particularly good press: the story of the october 1972 crash of cations, no mobile phones, no excel - Salvador Alende and Augusto the twin turboprop Fairchild FH- lent radios, so it was impossible to Pinocet. Alende nationalized the cop - 227D. The Fairchild was carrying the “phone home ET!” And yet, there per mines, and Pinocet put in place Uruguayan rugby team, the old were , so it was possible to the incentivized tax regime, using Christians, to Chile, and it crashed in rescue the survivors once the site had young economics students whom he the Andes. The survivors were forced been found. Without helicopters, even sent to Harvard for training. This to become cannibals to stay alive, and if it had been known where the sur - regime remains in place today. they ate those in the plane who had vivors were, it would not have been Travelling around Chile, you have not been so lucky. possible to rescue them. the feeling that there is a lot of room Their story is well known, but this However, what has not changed for growth in the helicopter market, book, written in 2006, is by one of most of all through the ages is the in both the private and commercial the survivors, who climbed the incredible will of man to survive spheres. There are large local compa - 17,000 foot high mountains, and was against all the odds. This same nies, of which Helicopteros del finally rescued seventy-two days after instinct makes us create planes and Pacifico in Temuco is one, and the crash, despite having himself been helicopters, and continue to improve Spanish and American companies unconscious for three days. our environment when all else seems have interests in the market. Rescue arrived by helicopter. Bell lost. The miracle, of course, is man’s However, most helicopter flying is 47s were used to search for the plane, enduring will and imagination. done by the and the police, and Hueys for the rescue itself. This spirit is obvious in many of and the civilian companies seem to be Ironically, on the first day of the res - the stories in this magazine: Philip limited to the same areas. There is cue, the weather was so bad that Amadeus surviving two major inci - fire fighting and spraying, air ambu - some survivors had to remain at the dents; the Czech police aviation unit’s lance, some heli-skiing and some crash site by the plane for another changes through communism and fishing-related tourism, but there is day, waiting for good enough weather capitalism; the changes, however little use of small general aviation to enable the helicopters to fly, but commercially inspired, in avalanche helicopters, and helicopter schools eventually they made it. Eight people control, in the HeliSkiing story, and are rare. died, nineteen survived. the SpitfireWomen in the early days on the other hand, Chile is well This is an incredible story of its of female fliers. suited to helicopter flying, as it is a era. There were planes, hence the That same spirit makes us want to long, thin country with fairly stable crash, but they were new to that sort fly helicopters, to make aviation work weather patterns. There are many of high altitude low density flying in for our environment, not against it. areas, particularly in the fjords in the bad weather. The pilot underestimated south of the country, where only heli - the strength of the wind, and this led copters can land. There is a lot of pri - to the plane’s descent in the middle of vate flying, but mostly fixed wing, the mountains, instead of on the HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 5 A ERIAL FORUM North by North West Sven Atkin has always wanted to be a helicopter pilot: The website for Heli-North West said, ‘Drop in for a Cuppa and talk Helicopters’ And he wanted to find out more.

elicopters have long been my their experiences, or about how they based at City Airport Manchester. passion, ever since my parents found things to be whilst learning. The Gary explained that helicopters are Hpaid for a pleasure flight in a Bell website for Heli-North West thus seemed becoming more prominent at City Airport 206L Jet Ranger when I was thirteen very inviting, because it said ‘Drop in for Manchester, for several reasons. years old. Since then, I’ve never wanted A Cuppa and Talk Helicopters’. I wanted Primarily, in the last ten years, people to do anything but fly these modern fly - to find out more! have made a lot of money in the property ing carpets. Twenty-three years later, this At Heli-North West there are only two market. Consequently, they have more is my first foray into writing about heli - instructors, Gary Cooper and Dave disposable income to spend on leisure copters. I wanted to find out how a heli - Greenwood, although they are interview - activities. Helicopter ownership almost copter flying school operated, and the ing candidates for a third Instructor. doubled in the last ten years. People are types of people who take part in this truly Administration is conducted by Sharon fed up with traffic congestion and wait - fascinating area of aviation, whether for Meakin at weekends, and by Joanne ing for long periods in queues because of business, pleasure or to earn their living Jones during the week. the volume of traffic. Helicopters offer a by flying helicopters. Heli-North West is a unique helicopter flexible and time-saving option. I arrived at City Airport Manchester school for its size, because it has all the In recent years, helicopters have (formerly Barton Aerodrome) to meet entry-level piston training helicopters: received more media exposure. TV series Gary Cooper, the proprietor of Heli- two Robinson R22s, two Enstrom 280X, have been made about Police and Air North West, on a bright, sunny Sunday a new Schweizer 300cbi and two 4-seat Ambulance helicopter crews, raising their morning, but a bit apprehensive about Robinson R44s. They also have access to profile and public awareness of their work. what to expect. I was once a student at a two Jet Rangers for anyone The TV series Eye in The Sky was produced fixed wing school, but there I always felt wishing to learn on turbines, or convert to by Granada TV in Manchester, and was very much on my own while learning. I them. Heli-North West is the newest and aired in 2007. It provided a fascinating rarely got to talk to other students about the largest of the three helicopter schools continued on page 10 s n i k t a n e v s y b s h P a r g o t o h P

6 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters continue on pages 11 & 16

59 Great ormond Street, London WC1N-3Hz, England. own shortcomings, which are, of Telephone: 020-7430-2384, Fax: 020-7430-2384, Email: [email protected] course, not mentioned in their replies Please include your name, address, home and daytime phone numbers. (Spring 2008 issue) to my letter to Helicopter Life published in the Winter Helicopters in team has been in training and prac - 2007 issue. So, I will give just one tising hard since 2006...... " Have example of the many bits of misinfor - Dear Georgina, they nothing better to do? mation handed out by the BMAA to me It is with some wry amusement I went to the first four World during my short and very frustrating that I read the RN article in Helicopter Championships - time with them to give the reader an Helicopter Life, about 845 Sqn in Germany, UK, Russia and Poland. insight into this disorganization. Iraq. once again, the RN seem to I did the Middle Wallop event with After the annual inspection of the air - have conveniently forgotten that Fred Harries in my Hughes 500. craft, the operator is given 30 days to the lion's share of helicopter lift in We were doing really well in the have the a/c flight tested by a BMAA Basrah, including IRT, has been Nav Ex until Fred suggested that approved test pilot. on applying to provided by the RAF for the last we stopped for lunch at Bucklers them for a list of local test pilots, I was fewyears. Whilst I would not like Hard - which, of course, we did. given the website chapter reference to to dismiss the RN entirely, they do We were over an hour late for our obtain the complete list of test pilots. so love to dismiss the efforts of the timed arrival at Wallop, but we did Sure enough, up popped the list headed: boys in light blue (or desert tan in answer most of the questions cor - ‘Approved BMAA Test Pilots’. So far this case!). And by the way, the rectly. The Judges were clearly so good! I ‘phoned about 8 fairly local RAF are still there! Best wishes, confused and we were placed 4th people over a period of time but got George Williams, Reading, UK in that event! Naturally, we then nowhere due to a variety of reasons – retired from the Championships. not answering the phone (due to being I have many similar stories. The Skyrover out of the house perhaps- perfectly nat - World Championships used to be ural) the engaged tone for several hours so much fun! It is sad that they (probably someone using the computer Dear Georgina, have now degenerated and have with only one phone line) and many Great magazine keep up the good become such very serious / boring other similar problems leading to work. Further to the discussion on events. All of this practising is inevitable delays. (In their defence it the co-axial system your readers ridiculous. I think that the organis - must be said that the majority of these might like to know that both the ers should give all competitors the people are unpaid volunteers who have Cierva Grasshopper and the UAV rules one hour prior to the start of day jobs probably not connected with Sprite, referred to by Prof. Reg each event - like they used to at the aviation and work their hobby from Austin, can both be found in The Helimeets at Middle Wallop. They home). When I did finally get to speak Helicopter Museum located at were brilliant events and really with these guys, some were only Weston-super-Mare, sorted out the men from the boys approved on weight-shift machines and www.helicoptermuseum.co.uk. (and girls!). could therefore not fly my 3 axis Ikarus. Best wishes, Thank you for the great magazine. one was not a test pilot at all, another John Philips Best wishes. had given up test flying two years pre - David George viously, yet his name was still listed. I British Heli Team finally tracked down a chap who was an Training NZ Micro Licences approved test pilot and ‘yes, he was rated on the Ikarus,’ but unfortunately, Dear Georgina. Dear Georgina he was not current and it would be I read, with both interest and Whilst I have no desire to enter sometime in the future before he could amazement, the article "British into a long and protracted argu - test mine. By this time the 30 days were Heli team training" in the Spring ment on this subject (and this is the gone and I was due to leave for Nz. I 2008 edition of "Helicopter Life". last I will write on it) I feel I must would have to try again next year. I really do not understand why answer this outrageous ‘cop-out’ Next year arrives, another annual people are taking these by the BMAA who, it seems, will inspection done (the a/c hadn’t flown Championships so seriously - "The blame someone – anyone- for their continued on page 11 HELICOPTER LIFE,Summer 2008 7 FLYING

F35 Helmet at RAF Boscombe Down The RAF have commenced flight testing of a next generation aircrew helmet developed for the F35 Lightning II Joint (left). Helmet Integrated Systems Ltd (HISL) will develop the helmet for Vision Systems International (VSI). The advanced Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) provides a range of infor - mation, including off axis targeting and cueing, day/night infra-red imagery, and flight information, directly onto the inside of the helmet visor, and incorporates a virtual head up display which enables information currently restricted to forward line of sight in a cockpit panel mounted system, to be viewed wherever the pilot is looking; the F35 will in fact be the first tactical New generation RAF fighter jet to fly without a conven - Helmet in testing for the tional HUD in the cockpit. Joint Strike Fighter HISL have developed a comput - erised system, which scans and including home heating oil, which her colleagues in the RAF, never suf - measures the head of the individual made it a preferred choice for the pilot enabling the resulting data to fering any abuse and being judged first flights. By the end of the year only on her ability to do the job. be used when forming the internal or early next he hopes to attempt the mouldings of the helmet. Lear Jet circumnavigation but there Saint Exupery Explained? are some technical challenges. Boidiesel World Flight in a A former Luftwaffe pilot says he shot Lear Jet down Antoine de Saint Exupery as Sea King Fulfilment the French writer flew his P-38 off A pilot is hoping to fly a Squadron Leader Sue Jones com - the coast of France in 1944. But Lear Jet around the world on manded all air movements out of Horst Rippert, now 88, who claimed biodiesel in the next year. Douglas Basra in southern Iraq last year for a 28 victories during the Second Rodante and his group Green Flight six-month stint that began in June: World War, says he would not have flew a Czech-built L-29 to about She also served earlier in her career

opened fire if he'd known his P 16,000 feet in last october h with the Royal as a o favourite author was flying. “If I had t o

on biodiesel and is hoping the FAA g

married man and father of two. r

known it was Saint-Exupery, I would a will let him take the same aircraft on P “These are medical matters of per - h

never have shot him down,” Rippert C

an eight-stop trip across the U.S. o

sonal privacy; we will not comment u told the London Daily Telegraph r t

later this year. He'll need the fre - e

on individual cases,” a Ministry of s y

quent fuel stops because the L-29 o

Defence spokesman told the f was purposely built with short range How Times Change h i

Telegraph. Now remarried to a man, s In the 1970s The Founder of the L to discourage defections. It was also the Sea King pilot told the Telegraph Helicopter Club of Great Britain flew designed to run on a variety of fuels, that she's received full support from 8 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 FLYING C RACKERS

but the police wouldn’t allow to Kadera to fly home. Kent Air Ambulance to fly at Night For the first time Kent will have an Air Ambulance avail - able in the County at night. A unique collaboration between Kent Air Ambulance, Sussex Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust means that a Police helicopter kitted out with life saving medical equip - ment will be flying between the hours of darkness until one thirty in the morning, with a paramedic available to answer emergency medical calls. David Philpott, Chief Executive of the Air Ambulance said ‘This is a big step for the Air Ambulance. Until now we have only been able to fly our helicopters during daylight hours. It would cost well in excess of £1 million each to equip our own helicopters with lights and night flying vision to allow them to safely fly in the dark. By ultilising the police helicopter which already has this equipment fit - ted we believe that more lives can be saved.’ Hotel 900, the police MD902 helicopter has been flying in Sussex since 1987. It has for some years carried a para - Agusta A119 Koala operated medic who is, and will continue to be funded by South by Italian company Heliops East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust. However this landing at the ski resort of new initiative, which is funded by the Air Ambulance, not La Thulle in Italy to take only ensures that it will continue to fly at night with a skiers up the Ruitor Glacier. paramedic, but also allows it to also cover its neighbouring Photograph by ‘Patrick’ counties of Kent and Surrey as well. If the collaboration is successful, the Air Ambulance will enhance the night fly - his Brantly to a village green, looking for a dog breed - ing service further by putting a specialist doctor on er from whom he was to buy a puppy. Being unable to board.The Air Ambulance service costs £3 million annual - find the place he picked up a local boy on the green, ly to stay airborne. Receiving no funds from the govern - who showed him the breeder's house and, while Tony ment or the National Lottery the charity is entirely depend - was in buying the dog, looked after the helicopter, ent upon the generosity of the public to support the two before being escorted back to the green, plus a pound for his trouble. Times are different now: The Chicago Tribune reported: An Illinois pilot who tried to beat traffic and fly his son to a tennis match -landing his ski- equipped 1949 Piper Clipper on a snow-covered golf course - is being investigated by the FAA. Police k

C arrived at the scene Saturday afternoon after ‘con - i r t a cerned’ neighbours called to report a ‘crash’, and P y s found pilot Robert Kadera, and his 14-year-old son e t r

u trudging through the snow. “We're all pretty dumb - o C founded,” said Lincolnshire Police Chief Randy h P a r Melvin. “I don't have any idea what the guy was g o t

o thinking. He was going to park his plane across the h P street, like nobody would notice.” The golf course owner said no trespassing charges would be filed, HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 9 continued from page 6 Gary has 3500 hours of flight time and The school started in April 2006, Gary look at the North West of England from is type rated on all the school’s aircraft. Cooper told me, with one the air, and showed numerous points of The Schweizer 300cbi is his most recent and one Enstrom 280X. There were origi - interest, and all the history behind them. type rating. Dave Greenwood has 5000 nally six students, and now, less than two City Airport Manchester sees signifi - hours and is type rated on all the school’s years later, there are now forty, one of cant helicopter movements when the local aircraft except the and the whom is female. They have access to nine football teams are playing at home. Both MD 500 and 600. helicopters. Heli-North West has 100% home and away fans are amongst those The school possesses all the entry-level retention of students once they’ve earned flying in to the airfield, and their pilots can types of helicopter because the MD their PPL(H). This is very appealing, as it be found sampling the culinary delights of believes that different students have very means that some of the students fly togeth - the Clubhouse as they wait for their pas - different requirements. People come in er whenever possible. Gary impressed sengers to return from the game. different shapes and sizes, and so there upon me that students are pro-actively Heli-North West students come from a must be a range of helicopters that fits encouraged to talk to each other about wide range of backgrounds: IT specialists, them all. Those of us who are built more their experiences, irrespective of where car re-sprayers, mechanics, doctors, a generously would probably opt for some - they are within the syllabus. This has hygiene manager and even some retired thing larger than the Robinson R22, espe - proved very beneficial, and it has also people, to name a few. Gary stressed that cially if planning to take friends and fami - helped students cement friendships and to this dispels the myth that helicopter flying ly flying once you have your licence. cultivate a very friendly social aspect to is for the rich and privileged. You find Another very important factor is cost. learning to fly. Gary also said that some everyday people from all walks of life with Students may be on a budget, and here students chose his company because they one thing in common, an interest in and they can choose the helicopter most suited felt the social/fun aspect of learning to fly love of helicopters. to their financial situation. with Heli-North West made it more attrac - Gary explained several of the attrac - Heli-North West offer PPL(H) training, tive than other schools, and enabled like- tions of learning to fly at City Airport trial lessons, gift vouchers, ground school minded individuals to enjoy themselves, Manchester. The ease of flying training, and self-fly hire of all their aircraft. Gary both on the ground and in the air. This is a because the airfield is not a big commer - advised that they currently have an appli - very important consideration in any poten - cial airport like Manchester or Liverpool. cation in to become a Type Rating tial student’s mind, but it does not detract This means that, once airborne, you can Training organisation, which would from the friendly, highly professional and generally transition away to where you expand their services even further. well-organised way in which the school is want to go without queuing behind a Heli-North West prides itself on the run. It totally complements it. Cessna 172, a 737 and any other time that is spent with potential students The future of Heli-North West looks aircraft that happen to be ready for depar - prior to commencing training. They listen bright, their growth in two years signifi - ture. This translates into more value for to all the students’ requirements, and cant. Should you be thinking of learning to money per flying hour. City Airport answer the myriad of questions they ask. fly helicopters, I can heartily recommend Manchester is also very accessible from Gary said that this approach had helped them. So, drop in for a cuppa and a chat the M62 and the M60, ring road. him to glean students from other schools. and talk helicopters!

10 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer2008 M ORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

continued from page 7 understanding of CAA systems. in the newly formed LAA, when this since the last one) and I was finally The reason for the extreme differ - shambles can hopefully be remedied able to get it flight tests by the ence between the CAA and the to the benefit of all its members. agents who sold me the a/c in the BMAA is that the CAA is staffed by King regards first place. However, they had not professionals available 9 to 5 each Michael G Wiltshire been on the original list of working day. The operatives in the ‘Approved BMAA Test Pilots’ – field are also professionals and easily Helicopter Safety Evenings Thanks a bunch BMAA! available to contact (they are not out The reader may judge for him/herself shopping or down the pub and there - Dear Georgina, the reference to –“Mr Wiltshire’s fore unable to answer the phone). The subject of Helicopter safety is apparent lack of ability or under - The CAA system, which can be quite always being discussed but I would standing of CAA systems” – when I onerous at times, leaves little in the like to bring to your readers attention relate the following: way of ambiguity so there can be no the hard work of a few individuals I have been flying every year for the misunderstanding. They have more who are actually trying to further past 36 years, a lot of that time fly - than one phone line so their comput - helicopter safety in a unique way. ing with my own a/c both fixed wing er does not hog the only available Captain Gary Spender is a Corporate and helicopter, so I have, of necessi - one. Whilst I appreciate the BMAA Pilot who works from the South ty, had to deal directly with the CAA does not have the huge resources of West of England. As well as being and its many departments on many the CAA, they should at the very an experienced Pilot he has spent issues. Yet, all have been dealt with least use those that they have with much of his youth in software devel - efficiently and I have no complaints some degree of efficiency. Sadly, opment and has been one of the driv - nor indeed have I received any com - they do not and it is perhaps fortu - ing forces behind this project. Gary, plaints – over 36 years! – So much itous that this DIY outfit will soon be a passionate advocate of safety, has for my apparent lack of ability or taken under the wing of the old PFA continued page 16 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Two Scary Tails Surviving one major helicopter incident is lucky, surviving two is incredible

STORY AND PICTURES BY PHILIPAMADEUS

ne of a helicopter pilot’s I say no. You’ve had a mid-air colli - the lever so I grabbed the throttles, biggest worries is losing a sion, what do you say?” He replied “I looked at him, then pulled them both otail rotor. It’s happened to me always say I’m the safest pilot to fly back all the way. twice and I wasn’t injured either with, as the chances of another mid air We were in a pretty steep nose P h o t time. So with a bit of luck and skill, it are millions to one.” down attitude, but at least it was all o g r can be coped with. Hours later, at 2000 feet near Leeds, a corn fields below. I didn’t know if he a P a h

Katana light aircraft chopped off our tail, had cyclic control. I just locked my C o u

Twin Squirrel vertical fin and tail rotor complete. seat harness and waited. When Paul r t e s

The first occasion was back in The spin was quite exciting! So sud - started a flare, I knew that unless the y o

August 1997. I was sitting in the left den that my port sliding door blades came into the cabin, or we f P h i hand seat of a Twin Squirrel, while a detached, never to be found. The wind caught fire, we should have a good L i P a

very good friend of mine, Paul took my maps, sunglasses, even my chance. m a d

Moran, was flying. I actually asked headset. My first instinct was to grab With no fin or rotor we were yawed e u him that day, “Paul, I sometimes get the controls, but I could feel Paul fly - 60 degrees to the right. Paul flared s asked if I’ve ever had an accident and ing so I let go again. He had lowered back and to the side. I knew we would

12 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Philip Amadeus and the Agusta 109

roll, so I grabbed the door handle and covered my head. With collective to cushion we touched down softly, but immediately rolled onto our left, then spun 180 degrees as the blades thrashed themselves to destruction. I was later told tracked us as 30 seconds from impact to ground. I had mentally determined to exit my door, but now next to me was a wall of flattened corn. Paul was above and I thought, ‘If I don’t move quick, he’s going to fall on me!’ I unclipped, got into the rear, climbed the seat backs and threw his pilot’s door up and open, climbing out onto the side. Paul unclipped in turn and the only injury between us was bruising to his leg as he fell down. I gave him a hand up, then we both jumped down and ran away laughing and exhilarated. When all we could hear was the ticking of the cooling P h o metal, I climbed back in and threw out our Nav Bags and t o g r kit. I phoned the emergency services whilst kneeling on P a h

s my map to stop it blowing away. Local farm hands ran P h up so I asked them the address so we could be pinpoint - i L i P a ed. A newspaper later reported that ‘the pilot was in m a d shock, down on all fours, unaware of where he was…’ e u s An RAF Sea King took us to hospital for checks, but the Katana pilot declined to fly again that day. He had

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Agusta 109 dented and damaged landed in a field nearby, with broken pro - I thought the aircraft was coming apart. I instantly lowered the col - peller, smashed canopy and a cut to his lective, pulled both throttles back to their idle stops and selected gear hand. I never met him, but he was an ex down, in three quick, instinctive motions. I made another Mayday. WWII pilot, so I really have been brought A witness on the ground reported seeing the machine spin ‘as if the down by the Luftwaffe! blades had stopped and the body had turned’. Biggin Hill is at 600 feet above sea level, so the ground below me was only 900 feet or less Agusta 109 away, steeply sloping in places and covered in small irregular woods. Forward now nine years to october 2006. I came out of the spin pointing to a paddock. I knew I was down - I’m off in one of our six Agusta 109’s, on a wind, but this was going to be the place anyway. My eyes went from short five minute flight from Redhill field to rotor RPM and back to field. I had no time to check ‘Three Aerodrome to Biggin Hill Airfield. This Greens’; the wheels were either down or they weren’t. I had no time to was to take two regular clients from their shut off the engines. I knew speed was important to keep straight, but private jet to London heliport. Just after levelling of at 1400 feet, I heard a bang and despite full left pedal, the Remains of the aircraft rolled into a right hand turn. Agusta 109 tail I put out a Mayday call and varied the collective power to see if I could affect the yaw, which would indicate a jammed rotor, but no luck. I knew I had lost any tail rotor effectiveness and would have to make an engine off landing. At least I was flying and maintaining height. Redhill Aerodrome came round into view, but as it’s a grass field, I decided to continue the right turn and make my land - P

ing on one of the hard runways at Biggin. h o t

This was to help with an expected fast run- o g r a

on and to reduce the chance of wheels sink - P h s

ing in and a rollover. b y P

Cross-controlling with the cyclic to the h i L i left I managed to fly a mile or so toward P a m

Biggin Hill toward my planned descent, but a d e u suddenly, with a horrible wrench, the s machine pitched up and spun. 14 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 AS355 after the mid-air collison with a Katana

I didn’t look at the air speed indicator. I just kept the nose all twin helicopter pilots practice much. down with the ground passing under me, as I flew toward Forward G of G with loss of weight at the back seemed the field. within cyclic control range. I didn’t flare much, as I wanted speed to keep straight. Speed is key to keeping straight. I raised the nose enough to get the main gear onto the Twin pilots don’t practice engine-off, run on landings. I ground first, using the collective as little as possible. As guess (depending on flight experience) you retain enough we rolled across the lumpy grass at about 60 knots I low - skill from flying single engine helicopters in the past. ered the collective slowly to avoid yawing and a rollover. Philip Amadeus is Chief Pilot and owner of RotorMotion. We slewed to the right and came to a halt. I shut down the engines, tried unsuccessfully to radio I heard a any station, then got out. First I saw a missing tail rotor bang and and gearbox, then a shredded lower fin. After telephoning despite full Police and Air Traffic I noticed the port engine exhaust left pedal, the aircraft pipe was missing. I lifted the engine cover and a fractured rolled into a clamp dropped to the deck. This had allowed the exhaust right hand pipe to detach, which hit a main rotor, before smashing the turn tail rotor, causing the tail-rotor and gearbox to depart. The next thing I noticed was the upper vertical fin was leant over at about 30 degrees. I could wave it from side to side. The second event, when the helicopter spun, is thought to have been caused by failure to the stiffness of the upper fin, the structure being much weakened when the gearbox ripped out. I walked away for a second time without a scratch. I hope I won’t need such luck and skill again. P h o Conclusion t o g

r The exhaust clamp was unlifed with no call for inspection. a P h It is now required to be inspected each year. s b y A Fenestron or Notar would have helped prevent the sec - P h i L ond accident, but not the first. i P a

m Flying to a clear area for an engine off using the fin is a a d e good idea, so long as the fin holds up. u s Getting the lever down quick is paramount, not something

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 15 M ORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

59 Great ormond Street, London WC1N-3Hz, England. Telephone: 020-7430-2384, Fax: 020-7430-2384, Email: edi - [email protected] Please include your name, address, home and phone numbers.

continued from page 11 developed an accident database on his website: www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk This has culminated in the development of the Helicopter safety web site, www.helicopterlife.com www.helicoptersafety.org containing the accident infor - mation he has interpreted and updates on the safety HELICOPTER evenings. Following a crash in early 2008 the idea of safety evenings was first mentioned on the Pprune website. The original idea was to get some like minded LIFE individuals together and educate/share safety informa - SAVINGS C ERTIFICATE tion in the hope that it would help slow down the acci - S C dent rate in this country. I believe the lure of ‘beer’ YES P LEASE ! Send me two full years - was also used to help lubricate the talks! 8 exciting issues - of The first evening took place in Newcastle and was well HELICOPTER LIFE attended. The second event took place at Redhill on Monday 14th April 2008. Around 50 people turned up 2 Years (8 issues) only £22.00 (30% savings) and there was a wide range of experience from stu - dents up to notable figures like Dennis Kenyon and I prefer 1 Year (4 issues) only £14.00 (15% savings) Phil Croucher. The CAA were also present in the form Please add £8 for each foreign order and prepay in UK funds. of David Cockburn. Gary refined his slide show to try to make the evening a bit more structured. It started with common causes of YOUR NAME: accidents in the UK, based upon Gary’s accident study, Name (PLEASE PRINT) which led to flight in poor visibility and why you Address should not do it unless suitably qualified and equipped to do so! This included a look at the consequences of City Postcode one accident from the recent past, the options when GIFT FOR: faced with bad weather, and the legal implications of Name precautionary landings. The images were at times (PLEASE PRINT) shocking but they brought home the message! Address An interesting aspect was Gary’s use of ‘photos from City Postcode the cockpit’ when discussing visibility which gave a realistic edge to the general discussion. SEND ALSO TO: There was then a short break and the second part of the Name (PLEASE PRINT) evening kicked off with audience participation. Mutual Address consent led to a discussion on Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE). This was helped by the inclusion City Postcode of videos where unfortunate Pilots happened to be Payment enclosed (Make cheques out to Helicopter Life ) filming at the time. Again this added a realistic edge to the dialog which proved educational. Send form and cheque to: HELICoPTER LIFE Magazine The final session of the evening was held in the pub – 59 Great ormond Street, London WC 1N 3Hz , England no surprises there! This slightly less formal setting Savings are off the £3.99 per issue price. enabled people to voice their concerns on a one to one Please allow 6-8 weeks to receive your first issue. level which I know Gary believes is an extremely use - ful way to educate and get the safety message across. HELICOPTER LIFEis theHIGH LIFE And so to the future. It is Gary’s hope that the momen -

16 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 tum of the safety evenings will continue – and thanks to for a Special Cat airfield for Flying Training only would his driving force I have no doubt that they will! The rise from approximately £150 to £3,600 over five years! idea is to have a few more evenings around the country I voiced my concerns to AoPA, the CAA and to a mem - of the same format, then to continue the concept but ber of the House of Lords. A team from the House of have guest speakers who will concentrate on their areas Lords set about questioning the CAA. The fees rose, of expertise. I think this idea approaches helicopter safe - 2005 and 2006 £435 but as of 2007 had ‘only’ reached ty in a unique way, to quote Gary, “You don’t know £650. In April 2008 the fee increased by almost 100% what you don’t know..” Which I believe to be a true to £1,227. How much in 2009? 2010? representation of most Pilots. In an industry where Friends in the CAA have stated that over the past three there are so many variables to understand this one line years the CAT 1 and CAT 11 Airfields have ‘hijacked’ sums up most of us. I am not saying it’s a lack of this study group and therefore little progress has been knowledge or a can’t be bothered attitude or even a made, and the thirty Special Cat airfields now face mas - failure within the industry but there is no denying the sive increases, closure or cessation of flying training consequences when it goes wrong. operations for the SEP LAND operations, due to rapid There is no way of measuring the success of an enter - and unjustified increases in CAA licence fees. prise like this but even if it prevents one further accident it has to be worth while. The Solution: Best wishes, What is required is for the CAA SRG to agree to relin - Ian Hentley quish responsibility for auditing and renewal of the Special Cat Licence to AoPA for existing Special 32 Special Cat Airfields Under ThreatCategory Licenced Airfields. The CAA SRG can still make a valued contribution to flight safety and receive Dear Georgina remuneration for SRG’s input when an operator seeks to I can write with some authority, having been intimately establish a brand new special cat licenced aerodrome. and passionately involved with creating an airfield for As a result of the publication of the CAA charges for all forms of training over the last 25 years, and all the this special cat airfield, the trustees of Devon Airsports anomalies that it throws up. In 1983, when Eaglescott Eaglescott Airfield have decided not to support the Airfield was created as the new home of the North funding of the aerodrome licence. If the airfield is to Devon Gliding Club, the BGA was invited to view a set remain a Special Cat airfield, then costs must be borne of fields. The Director of operations, Bill Scull, visited by the user. This is Eaglescott School of Flying and its and approved the site. In 1984, the BMAA representa - five to six students, per annum. tive approved the airfield for CAA PPL(D) Microlight So, I urge you to stop the CAA imposing this 100% training, both flex wing and fixed wing. Also during increase in fees for Special Cat Airfields. If not 30 1984, the BPA and the CAA SRG Parachuting represen - Special Cat Airfields may be lost. Yours sincerely, tative visited and approved the field as a BPA Drop Barry Pearson zone for all levels of students. The three National owner/Manager/CFI Eaglescott Airfield Bodies, the BGA, BMAA and the BPA with one visit approved their respective operations and members clubs When Flying Schools close at Eaglescott. By 1988, the CAA issued a Special Cat aerodrome licence for flying training in November Dear Georgina 1988, and Eaglescott School of Flying became an AoPA As an interested party I wonder if you could ask any of FTo and corporate member. In 1989, Devon Airsports your readers if they know the whereabouts of the former had the following training arms: BGA, BMAA, BPA owners of Helicopter Days, aka Biggin Hill Helicopters, and AoPA. All four of these activities continued until in Kent in the UK and how to contact them. 2000, when the parachute centre closed. however, in I have been interested in the US debate over the bank - that time no official visits were required or payments ruptcy of Silver State Helicopters and the disposal of made to the BGA, BMAA or BPA except from individ - their assets in the boneyard in Texas and I wondered if ual membership subscriptions to national bodies. anyone knew exactly how the two cases differ. I am also Currently these figures are BGA £25, BMAA £57 and curious to know what, if any, regulation the BPA approximately £60 per head per annum. JAA/FAA/EASA plan to put in place to prevent these There have been no changes to airfield size. slope, kinds of problems happening in the future, and innocent shape or obstructions on approach.In 2000, the CAA students and workers suffering from a school’s demise. Finance Department announced that the CAA licence Name withheld

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 17 Orlando Heli-Camper In the late 1970s early 1980s orlando Helicopter Airways built six helicopter campervans for the Winnebago Corporation

PHOTOGRAPHS C OURTESY OF O RLANDO H ELICOPTER A IRWAYS

n 1977, Bill McKeown wrote in sell their camper vans. orlando Helicopter Airways Popular Mechanics: “No ancient Fred Clark says: “They were orig - developed two types of Sikorsky for Isultan on record thought of stash - inally built for the Winnebago the heli-camper vision, the larger ver - ing a refrigerator, stove, TV, beds and Corporation and Winnebago used sion a Sikorsky S-58, the smaller ver - bar aboard his flying carpet… (that them for publicity and marketing. We sion a S-55. The S-58 had 94 cubic had to be) created by Fred Clark of later marketed them direct.” feet of living space and could sleep orlando Helicopter Airways, in Ironically the marketing worked up to six, while the S-55 could sleep Florida.” well for his Sikorsky helicopter sales: four. Both had hot and cold running Just as now we like the idea of “Many customers who were first water, including a shower, and extra everyone having a helicopter in his or interested in a fully equipped Heli- sound-proofing as well as telephone her garage, then the idea of travelling camper, later decided that they really and an intercom. The S-58 had a with your own helicopter camper-van didn’t need all the extras, such as the Wright R1850 1525 hp engine, an had a romantic appeal. In reality, kitchens and the showers, and opted airspeed of 110 mph and a range of though, it was only a publicity gim - for the more conventional passenger 350 miles. It carried 266 gallons of mick from Winnebago designed to aircraft.” fuel and had an endurance of 3.5

18 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Inside the Winnebago Heli-Camper

hours. The S55 had a Wright Cyclone and special military projects.” which had history. R1300 engine with 800 hp and a speed Recently, he donated two helicop - Fred Clark has now retired but his of 90 mph. Both had fairly basic VFR ters to the Smithsonian National Air son Brad is manufacturing and mar - only cockpits, more instruments were and Space Museum in Washington keting the Hummingbird helicopter, not really considered necessary, as the DC. one was a S-55 (YH-19) which the first fully FAA certified helicopter idea was to find wilderness miles from was the first in a production run of to be sold in kit form. human habitation and camp, not usu - 1800 aircraft, the other S-52 (Ho5S-1) www.vertical-aviation.com ally where you find an excess of IFR instrumentation. Maximum range in S58 was 350 miles and 300 in S55. The cost in the late 1970s of the Heli-Camper was $300,000, so, not perhaps a toy for every RV or Winnebago owner to play with. Fred Clark himself began com - mercial operations in 1959 in Floorplan as envisaged Florida with two partners. In 1964, by the company they became orlando Helicopter Airways, Inc, their speciality being the operation, modification and sales of Sikorsky helicopters. The company started with the S-52, and moved on to the S-55, S-58 and S-58T. Fred says: “our aircraft have been sold and operated world-wide for numerous purposes, including passen - ger operations, offshore, heavy lift, construction, agriculture, fire-fighting 20 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 1970s imagination; the HeliCamper inside and out

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 21 Beastly Beatitudes of Battersea Battersea is getting a face-lift befitting the only heliport in the World’s foremost financial center

BY G EORGINA H UNTER -JONES . PICTURES COURTESY OF PREMI A IR t is incredible,” says David Moreover, last year was the first to crawling along in traffic wasting McRobert, group MD of year PremiAir had owned the heli - time. Business aviation is the fastest IPremiAir Aviation, the current port and hence were not as aware of sector of growth and so our slot owners of Battersea Heliport in the problem of restricted numbers of restriction will become a factor.” London, “that a financial centre as landings as they are now. As a result Because of this and because of important as London, has only one they had to start a slot allocation the 2012 olympics, PremiAir are place where you can land a helicop - system from 1st May. This, of looking for another landing site to ter. And that even that heliport is course, meant turning away cus - develop for helicopters, probably in restricted to 12,000 movements tomers. Exempt from the restriction the Canary Wharf area. They have (6,000 landings) a year.” are the air ambulance, police, military been searching for a site for several

He has a point: Issy-le-Moulineaux and the Royal Family. years and have found a few which P h o t in Paris has around 15,000 take-offs “Businessmen,” says McRobert, appear to have potential however, o g r and landings a year. Sao Paulo in “are time poor, cash rich. We find says McRobert, “they are all fraught a P h

Brazil has 120 heliports, as mapped that once they have discovered the with challenges.” C o u by Google Earth. Yet London, which viability of helicopters they never As well as looking for sites for a r t e s wants to be the most important look back.” second potential helicopter landing y o f

financial centre in the world, has He adds: “A lot of people believe site, PremiAir are up-grading the P r e only the one heliport and the most business aviation has reached a point facilities at Battersea, including m i a i appalling road and rail infrastructure. where people won’t want to go back building a new hotel next to the heli - r 22 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Battersea Heliport 1961 Inset: Heliport ATC 2008 Far left: Artist’s impres - sion of the heliport 2009

port. As PremiAir’s parent company is Von Essen Hotels, established a sub-committee known as the Noise Action owned by Andrew Davis, which includes Clivden, former Group (NAG). Christopher Forrest, Helicopter operations home of the Astors, and Sharrow Bay and Ynyshir (sic, it Director at premiAir, says, “any pilot who lands at is a Welsh name) Hall, all three star hotels, the hotel-by- Battersea must be briefed and have done a training run the-heliport should be something rather special. with someone who is already cleared to fly into the heli - The hotel will have two floors of underground car port, and who can sign them off.” parking and fourteen floors, with seventy bedrooms and Battersea Heliport was built by Westland in 1959, con - apartments. The original 1960s air traffic control building sequently 2009, when the new heliport will be ready, will is being replaced with a new terminal with a state-of-the- be its 50th anniversary. David McRoberts and the art control centre and conference rooms, to enable busi - PremiAir team think this deserves a celebration that we ness to be done without leaving the heliport. will never forget. That should definitely be something to With the local residents in mind many of studies have look forward to, and no need to NAG; that kind of noise been done on how to reduce noise. Manufacturers’s are should be far more normal for local householders! already aware of the importance of noise reduction and Battersea Heliport as are being encouraged to go further with their research r the work continues i a i and development. Moreover, the BHAB has discovered m e r that a 10 knot reduction in speed makes a significant P f o

y reduction in noise, so that will be ahered to. one study, s e t however, also discovered the problem of ‘virtual noise’ r u o

C when the listener thinks he has heard a helicopter over - d n

a head when none is present. A psychological problem s e n which needs more research! o J -

r The benefit of Battersea, as far as noise restrictions go, e t n

u is that the approach is mainly along the Thames at 1000 h a feet. only twin engine helicopters may fly NE of the heli - n i g r port and they must be at 1400 feet. The minimum cloud o e g base is 600 feet and in those circumstances all flying s h

P must be done over the river. PremiAir are working close - a r g

o ly with the BHAB and the local council, Wandsworth, to t o h keep noise at the lowest levels possible. The BHAB have P

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 23 Power Rivals Speed

When the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power battles the Festival of Speed for UK domination!

he fight is on! Can the the savvy Helicopter pilot and for the motor racing and helicopter pageant Cholmondeley Pageant of speedboat accelerator.Death by 1000 in their region. The location, between Power overcome its rival the blasts! Birmingham and Liverpool, and next

T n o

Goodwood Festival of Speed? Can The Pageant will be held on 9th and to the Bentley base at Crewe, struck r a the downtrodden north west lay 10th August. It has been organised him as perfect, not least because g n h o

waste to the softie southerners, even by a team of notables led by Lord within a seventy-five mile radius of J y though the weeds have a 16 year Cholmondeley: Peter Ruckett, Simon the castle there are 6.4 million b t e s n advantage? Hope, Stuart Graham, Robin Hurst, households with more than 3 million i s e

of course, we were all told that there John Pattinson (who is in charge of adults, a large number of whom are n o J -

is no competition between the all helicopter activity) and James and in the AB group. He also thought r e t

Festival of Speed at Goodwood and Lucy Hall. There will be an entry fee that the pageant would provide an n u h the Pageant of Power at for those arriving by road, but heli - economic boost for the area, and a n i g

Cholomndeley, that Lord March and copter pilots are the invited guests of reduce unemployment. r o e

Lord Cholmondeley are firm friends, the Marquess. There is a beautiful Car racing will take place on an g y b

and even that Lord March is giving helicopter landing site by the lake, RAC-MsA approved course. The s e r some advice on how to set up the and there will be transport to and cars will include a 1955 Austin u t C i day. But we percipient members of from the site. Healey 100s, an Alpha Romeo, a P n i a

the press know better than that! You The Pageant of Power was Peter 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL m

: s can’t pull the wool (even if it is from Rickett’s inspiration. He saw an Gullwing, a 1930 Bentley Speed 6, a h P a r

local sheep) over our eyes. This is a unfulfilled need for people in the 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB, the first g o t fight for the Classic Car owner, for midlands and the north to have a E-type Jaguar, and many others. Peter o h P 24 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Top: Lord Cholmondeley at Cholmondeley Castle Other pictures: examples of the power and speed to be shown on the day

Ri/uckett realised that many Classic which will include a variety of local celebrities. Demonstrations will Car owners in the north and midlands Eurocopters, a , a Skeeter, a be given by Kneeler oSY Hydroplanes would not be prepared to undertake the JetRanger, possibly an Apache, and and Formula Four catamarans. long drive south to the Festival of many others. Liverpool Helicopter A multitude of stalls, tea in the 750 Speed at Goodwood, and so they will Centre will be at the Pageant and acres of gardens, meandering drives be showing their cars for the first time may be giving rides, but at the time of and the 19th century castle will cre - here, at Cholmondeley Castle. going to press they were still uncertain ate the perfect setting for the Pageant s

i on the helicopter side, there will what exactly would be possible. of Power. The organisers also hope r r o probably be a dis - The new F1 2 seater Hellcat, capable that it will put the Pageant into the n n

a play. There will also be a range of of 0-100 mph in 4.5 seconds, will national calendar, ahead of the L a

m helicopters in the static display, perform test runs with the press and Festival of Speed. o t t o b

. n o r

a Will there be an Apache at Cholmondeley? g n h o J y b t f e L P o t d n a s e n o J - r e t n u h a n i g r o e g y b s h P a r g o t o h P HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 2525 HAI HeliExpo Hits Houston

Story by Georgina Hunter-Jones pictures by Alan Norris, Ian Turner and Georgina Hunter-Jones

his year's HAI HeliExpo the market and several revampings model the 175, a larger version of was held in Houston, Texas of past ideas. The first and most the 145, designed specifically for Tin a hall so large the 17,373 exciting innovation was the the off-shore market and Schweizer visitors seemed almost lost in the Sikorsky X-2, with its ‘suite of tech - (now part of Sikorsky) brought out space, and the 523 exhibitors nologies’ and its resemblance the 434, a 333 with one more (which included 63 helicopters) (although this turned out to be incor - (reminding one of the transition had plenty of room to publicise rect) to a large and well designed from the 330 to the 333) a utility their wares in an attractive manner. gyrocopter. helicopter designed for lifting and There were a few innovations in Eurocopter brought out it latest carrying jobs. Robinson cal capability, which is being wast - Having worked some years ago on Robinson does not yet have a certi - ed by forcing helicopters to fly to the Hughes 500P quiet helicopter fied R66, although there were the airports. By using roof-top helipads programme, Robinson is very aware usual questions at the press confer - the delays and additional noise of of noise conditions. “The R44,” he ence, but he did expound on his airport traffic could be avoided. said, “is currently the quietest heli - thoughts about roof top helipads However, he said, he is already copter around.” He believes the way and the problem of noise avoid - somewhat disillusioned by the noise classification is done, relating ance. He pointed out that the reason response (or lack of it) that he has weight to noise, is faulty, and sug - for having helicopters is their verti - had to his roof top pads. gests that, to the people on the Sikorsky X2 unveiled Inset: aero propeller gy to be put through the main rotor and less to be drawn away by the tail rotor. In traditionally built helicopters with a main rotor and a tail rotor these two aims, of speed and extra energy, are lim - ited both by a condition known as retreat - ing blade stall, and by the energy needs of the tail rotor, which reduces the amount of energy from the engine avail - able to the main rotor. Replacing the tail rotor with a propeller not only reduces the energy needs but increases the amount of power actually generated. Coaxial contra-rotating rotors elimi - nate the by allow - ground, noise is noise and the as a ‘suite of technologies.’ The pro - ing each side of the rotor disk to have a weight or size of the over-flying hel - totype for this, the X-2, was retreating and an advancing blade. This icopter is irrelevant. A re-classifica - launched in Houston. then prevents the instability of more tion of noise would, he believes, At first sight the X-2 looks like a lift on one side than on the other. In the help both the industry and future form of large gyrocopter as it has an case of the X-2 the pusher-propeller relations between the general public ‘aero propeller’ at the back and a co- provides the extra thrust that allows the and helicopter flyers. axial main rotor with a rigid head, helicopter to reach the higher speeds once again Robinson has had a but this is a misleading concept, it while the keep the very successful year in sales, selling actually is a helicopter. For flying machine stable. Moreover, the main 823 helicopters, a new record both controls it will use fly-by-wire (elec - rotor head is double ended in an for Robinson and for the helicopter tronic) technology as opposed to attempt to reduce the negative effects industry. Interestingly, seventy per - mechanical or hydraulic. of reverse flow and turn this into lift, cent of these helicopters were Sikorsky has two main aims in Sikorksy engineers says 80% of the exported outside the USA, some - building the X-2. Firstly, it wants to flow will now be giving extra lift. thing he attributes to the low dollar. produce a helicopter able to fly There have been other coaxial helicop - Robinson said the R66-Turbine faster than the traditional 170 (or so) ters, particularly from Russian manufac - has been flying for several months, knots, they are looking in the region turers, but they have previously always but is not yet ready for certification. of 250 knots; a considerable had a rudder rather thanf a propeller at It flies like a R44, but, of course, increase. Secondly, having the pro - the back, and have traditionally been with a different starting procedure, peller on the back as well as the co- slower than conventional helicopters. there is less vibration than in a R44, axial rotors negates the need for a In the past, other technologies have and the speed and rate of climb are tail rotor, and thus allows more ener - been designed to try and reduce this higher, with good power margins. He may give the R66 a glass cock -

pit, but has mixed feelings about it. s e n

There will not be an autopilot but he o J - r is interested in a good SAS system e t n u

to improve the stability, making it up h a n to the level of an aeroplane! i g r o

Although they have been testing the e g

Rolls Royce RR300 engine, they d n a s have also been using the standard i r r

250-C20 in the machine. o n n a L a

Sikorsky y b s

Since 2005, Sikorsky has been h P a r working on a new technology for Schweizer are now g o t helicopter flight, which it refers to bringing out the S434 o h P 2828 problem with retreating blade stall. one is the ‘tilt-rotor’ a hybrid, half plane half helicopter, which allows the rotors to be in a ‘helicopter’ posi - tion for lift-off, while rotating down into a turbo-prop engine for flight, which allows much greater cruise speed. However, there are some drawbacks with this technology as the tilt-rotor cannot autorotate, and it does not have desirable helicopter abilities such as hovering and low speed stability. There have also been experiments with ‘Mu’ technology, as used in the partially NASA funded Eurocopter EC175 Carter Copter. Mu is the ratio of unveiled at the show speed of the overall helicopter com - pared to the speed of the tips of the though some twenty hours of ground Bristows being the ‘launch cus - blades. If the blade tip and the air - runs have been done, there is no date tomer’. The EC175 follows the craft are flying at the same speed, set for its test flight, which Jeff Pino, EC145 in having a tail rotor instead Mu is 1. Slow the rotor tip speed to Sikorsky CEo says, “will be done of the fenestrom of the majority of half that of the aircraft and Mu is 2. when the time is right.” the Eurocopter range. It was a joint Carter Copter reduced rotor tip speed Jeff Pino also said at the press program with China and the airframe by using weights in the tips. This is conference that Sikorsky had had the will be produced by the Harbin currently in an experimental stage, most amazing couple of years, and Aviation Industry Group. but there have been some problems that last year it produced 70% more The EC175 will be powered by with the prototype. helicopters than in the previous year, two Pratt & Witney PT6C-67E Unlike the tilt-rotor or the Carter reaching a turnover of 11.4 billion engines. It will have a range of more Copter (which really is a gyrocopter US dollars. than 200 miles and be able to carry with wings) the X-2 will still retain 16 passengers. desirable helicopter qualities includ - Eurocopter ing excellent low speed handling, The EC175 medium twin was also Schweizer efficient hovering ability and it will launched at Houston, on a virtual oil Schweizer have designed a 434 for be able to autorotate. So, it does rig with lots of men acting (presum - the utilitarian mode, and already appear to be a totally different con - ably) as oilies, as this was a helicop - have a customer in Saudi Arabia. cept, but as yet Sikorsky have ter designed for a specific mission They are expecting the first delivery revealed few real details and even and almost a specific customer: in June. The 434 will be much like a combi - nation of the 333 and the Fire UAV, it will have four blades for quiet - ness, as well as more power and load capacity and a larger 84 gallon fuel . Improvements include a Rolls Royce 250-C20W engine with a 320 shp maximum take-off power, a useful load of 1,855 lbs and a gross weight of 3,200 lbs, including external load. It retains 333 stability and handling char - acteristics and ‘unparalleled’ energy absorption systems, low control forces and low cabin noise levels . The base price will be US$933,000 with an Lynn Tilton, inset, says hourly cost of US$240. her faith in her cus - 29 tomers has been justified Eurocopter AW139 on AS365 skims the approach to the highway Houston HAI pad

MD Helicopters suppliers made business too compli - particularly from that tenacity which Lynn Tilton, the MD of MD cated in the past, and her mission is to allowed her to rise to the top, in spite Helicopters, said she is now support - simplify. She quoted: “Complexity; of their demoralising mockery. ed by a management team who under - fools ignore it, pragmatist suffer it Patriach Holdings, MD’s parent stand her vision and this has allowed and geniuses simplify.” A quote from company, are looking at buying a VLJ her to turn around the company, get Alan Perlis, an American computer company, it is speculated that this will rid of the problems of the past and scientist, known for his work in pro - be Adam’s Aviation, which has had a finally, after three years, bring her gramming languages. few cash-flow problems in the past. company back to profit. She hopes to Ms Tilton will be going into sever - MD helicopters are looking into deliver 62 helicopters this year. al partnerships in the future, in partic - green issues and will be testing the MD, like some other helicopter ular with CalStar, and will be work - NoTAR in the Gulf region this year. companies, are moving towards what ing closely with Sagem, Honeywell They will also be looking more deeply they called vertical integration. This and Rolls Royce, all of whom were into safety issues, and may replace their means using fewer external suppliers very supportive of her during the ‘bad standard blades and engines. and depending only on those who are years’ when the press were forecast - Bell Helicopters part of the larger company, and con - ing her demise. Bell’s Executive VP of Customer sequently can be trusted to come up on the subject of the press, Ms Solutions, Mike Blake, explained the with the goods on time; supplier diffi - Tilton pointed out that while she had helicopter company’s decision to culties is something she has suffered learnt a lot from her customers, she phase out production of four models, from in the past. MD started out with had learnt very little from the press. the Bell 206B3 JetRanger, the 210, 700 suppliers and they hope to be However, she now hoped that they 427 and 430, by 2010, as streamlin - down to 50 this year. Having so many would learn a little from her, and in ing. This will leave the 206L4 s e n o J - r e t n u h a n i g r o e g d n a s i r r o n n a L a

Jerry Mullins, y b s

Bell 212 belonging to Enstrom CEO, wants h P a

the company to be r

the Delaware State g o better known t Police o h P 3030 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Schweizer 300 landing amongst the Houston high rises Axsys Cineflex camera attached to EC130

LongRanger, the 407, 412 and the mission. He is looking towards con - CRoWS (crew remote optical weapons soon to be certified 429, as Bell’s pro - trolled growth as, he said, fast growth station) using a machine gun and a duce for the next decade. can cause a lot of pain. He is expect - camera from inside a HUMV, which Mr Blake said that more customers ing sales in the Enstrom 480B to allows the weapons to be fired without were buying the L4 than the B3, but increase now that the JetRanger is no exposing the crew to the enemy. also admitted there was a lot of com - longer going to be produced. The 2008 HeliExpo was an excel - petition from the soon to be certified Axsys lent show with many participants. Robinson R66-Turbine, which had In 2007, Axsys the defence company General feeling appears to be that the influenced their decision. bought Cineflex which, Aled Miles, healthy state of the helicopter market Enstrom Vice President, said, “was a synergistic will continue in spite of nervous mar - At the ‘Meet the CEos’ conference, acquisition with no losses and benefits kets and the downturn in the US Jerry Mullins, Enstrom CEo, talked on all sides. It has increased Axsys’s economy and its effect on the rest of about Enstrom’s greatest challenge: to military capabilities, thanks to using the the world. Certainly the major compa - make such a small company known to superbly detailed Ciniflex cameras. nies are continuing to innovate, and the world. He said many people in the Before Axsys bought Ciniflex, however, buyers continue to emerge from the aviation world were not even aware the cameras were daylight only. Now, crowd. There is much talk about the that Enstrom existed. thanks to Axsys’s infrared capabilities, age of current helicopter fleets and In 2007, Enstrom sold twenty they have enhanced their performance the importance of the replacement seven helicopters to countries as to night useage.” market, and greener issues as both diverse as Turkey, The Phillipines, The company is also involved in Agusta Westland and Sikorsky look Latin America and the UK. many civilian ventures including film into using bio-fuels. Mr Mullins also believes in vertical work for Planet Earth. They are based FIDAE, in April and Farnborough,

s integration and, consequently, in Grass Valley, in northern California, in July this year will give further indi - y s x Enstrom built a lot of their own parts with other outlets elsewhere in the cations of the future, but for now the a d n in-house, including the main trans - USA. Military ventures include market remains upbeat. a s i r r o n EC145 Life Flight n Breaking down a L

a landing next to the after the show

, s e Houston trunk road n o J - r e t n u h a n i g r o e g

, r e n r u t n a i y b s h P a r g o t o h P HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 31 Jakub Fojtík on the Czech Police Aviation Department, its history and the problems of its new found freedom

32 Czech it OutSummer 2008

he Czech Republic is famous by German and Hungarian planes. planes and banned the service activity. for its delicious beer, for The newly created police units, the After WWII the Czechoslovak Tbeing the most appealing âetnické letecké hlídky (Gendarmerie Aviation Police Unit was restored. In European city – the so-called Aviation Patrols, abbreviation âLH) 1950, the Czechoslovak government “Golden Prague” – and for good ice- were responsible for guarding transferred the anti-aircraft protec - hockey players. After these jewels, Czechoslovak airspace according to tion service to , which this republic has, at least in compari - international treaties (The was already using jet planes. son with other post-communist coun - International Convention on Civil Security Aviation was therefore reor - tries, the most sophisticated police Aviation, signed in 1919). In addi - ganized into the Security Squadron, aviation unit. Its history begins in tion, they provided air support for all which became the first in the world the year 1935. ground police forces. Pilots helped to to use a helicopter (Focke Achgelis History of Czech Police Aviation Units prosecute offenders in hiding. Alas, Fa-223) to carry out police duties! It The Czechoslovak Republic estab - the promising development of the helped to control and direct road lished its first aviation police unit in Gendarmerie Aviation Patrol Service traffic on several special occasions in 1935, for a simple reason: the contin - was interrupted in 1938, when the July 1948. It was also the first heli - ual breach of Czechoslovak airspace invading Germans seized the aero - copter to be used for agricultural

Pictures by Jiri Svatos, Ivo Bilek, Frantisek Cervicek, Pavel Nehybka, PCR LS 33 dusting. The Security Squadron including Nikita Khrushchev and fairs, traffic control and transport of subsequently underwent much reor - Fidel Castro (both in Av-14s, regis - state VIPs and other very important ganization. It was successively tered oK-BYU and oK-BYo). people. renamed the Aviation Department of The second division was Following the Fa-223, one light MoI, the Aviation Department of equipped with helicopters only. It helicopter Mi-1, one SM-2 and Federal MoI, and the Aviation was responsible for many fields of three heavy Mi-4s were purchased. Department of the National Security security, such as air raid precau - The first two Mi-4s were used for Corps. All those reorganizations tions, checks on civilian aviation, prosecuting offenders and undertak - were merely a matter of form, and aero club supervision and prevent - ing preventive actions. The third there was little change in people’s ing Czechoslovak pilots flying out undertook mountain rescue opera - employment. The only substantial of the country (escaping). tions. In 1965, its pilot, Franti‰ek change occurred when the Aviation Incidentally, the ‘security’ pilots âervíãek, managed to save a Department of MoI and its succes - returned in planes from abroad, Yugoslavian tourist with serous sor bodies were divided into two which had been used by Czechs injuries. This was the beginning of divisions. The first was responsible who had emigrated. In the police the ‘rescue era’ character of for state VIP transport. It was field, there was close cooperation Czechoslovak police units. This res - equipped with planes – Aero Ae-45, with ground police units in prose - cue operation was very difficult. L-200, Av-14 (licensed Il-14), Il-18 cuting offenders, the control of air The pilot had no experience in such – and later with jet types – Il-62, Yak-40, Tu-134 and Tu-154. Those planes visited almost all the coun - tries in the world. In 1998, all active planes (Tu-154 and Yak-40) were transferred to the army, and the “transport division” was abol - ished. It is noteworthy that Czechoslovak government planes transported not only the Czech President, Prime Minister and Members of Parliament, but also some very famous passengers,

Used in the 1960s for transport

34 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 work, and he had to land under a pilot, crewman and traffic police - on the long journey towards a dem - cliff. All the while stones were man, flies over Prague and its sur - ocratic political system. The previ - falling near the helicopter. roundings on Fridays, Sundays and ous relationship with Nevertheless, the pilot managed to state holidays. However, the first Soviet/Russian helicopter producers evacuate the tourist to hospital ‘traffic’ use of police Czech heli - changed. The newly created unit, without injury. copters began 10 years earlier, the office of Federal MoI for Air In the second half of the 1970s when the crew of an Mi-4 tried to Department (later the Aviation and the 1980s, the light helicopter measure the speed of cars (by Department of the Federal Police Mi-2 and the heavy Mi-8 replaced counting the time necessary to drive Corps), bought two second-hand the Mi-1, SM-2 and Mi-4s. The new a particular stretch of road) and the MBB Bö 105CBS4s. They were “helis” became real “workhorses” degree of traffic saturation. In this primarily intended for the HEMS in the Aviation Department of MoI respect, the year 1987 was very stations in Prague and Hradec and its successor bodies. They important, because it was then that Králové. In 1992, two Bö 105CBS- helped to rescue people during the Mi-2 belonging to the Aviation 4s were delivered. Alongside them, freshets, forest fires and other such Department of Federal MoI became still in service, there was a large occasions. Since 1980, one Mi-2 the first helicopter to serve in the number of Mi-2s and Mi-8s. The has regularly been used for traffic Helicopter Emergency Medical Mi-2s were used for HEMS; the monitoring. The crew, consisting of Service. In the same year, the first Mi-8 transported police SWAT

base of the Czechoslovak HEMS teams and fire brigade troops. system was constructed, in Prague. The break-up of the The Munich HEMS system with Bö Czechoslovak Federation trans - 105s was chosen as a model. The ferred 6 Mi-2s and 4 Mi-8s to military repair plant undertook the Slovakia. In the newly created rebuilding of the Mi-2 interior. Czech Republic, there remained 9 New liberty – New problems Mi-2s, two Mi-8s and 3 MBB Bö- After 1989, Czechoslovakia set out 105s (one was lost in a serious

HELICOPTER LIFE,Summer 2008 35 accident). The sudden reduction in the number of heli - copters was resolved by purchasing one PzL Kania from the Polish PzL Company, for a short time in 1992/93. This helicopter operated HEMS flights in Prague. The newly created Policie âR letecká sluÏba (Czech Police Aviation Department – PâR LS) then bought two Bell 412HPs. one of these was used prima - rily by police units, because it contained an FLIR cam - era, search lamp SX-16 and other police equipment. The second was fitted with a HEMS interior to transport two patients on a stretcher. This helicopter operated in the The first Czech busiest HEMS station, Prague. In 1994, Bell Helicopter police helicopter a sold two Bell 412HPs to PâR LS. one of them FW223 used in 1948 transported Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Czech Republic. BO105 getting eady In 1996, the last Czech police Mi-2 was written off. for its retirement By this date all Czechoslovak and Czech Mi-2s had spent a total of over 37,000 hours in the air. They had helped thousands of people. In all, five helicopters were lost in the course of their police service. All the PâR LS pilots commemorate them frequently. It is fair to say that the Mi-2 silhouette became a symbol of the Czech HEMS. We are fortunate to be able to see a few police Mi-2s in Czech museums. After the Mi-2s were written off, the Bells and Bös became the leading types. The two remaining Mi-8s were used mostly for the para - chute training of SWAT teams, and only rarely for other transport flights. They served as a back-up for the IMF and NATo Sessions in 2001. Life Today In 2001, PâR LS bought one Bell 412EP. This helicop - ter carries no FLIR or search lamp. Instead, it is equipped with a rappelling rack, and Czech SWAT teams very often use it. In 2003, the two remaining Mi- 8s were written off, and the Bells became the main EC135T2 with full integrated SWAT “transporter”. The Mi-8s were sold to Peru and search lamp Latvia. The lack of light helicopters was solved by buy - ing very modern EC-135T2s: by the end of 2008, eight of these helicopters will have been delivered. Some of them are equipped with a HEMS interior made by the Air Ambulance Technology Company, because the PâR LS now operates HEMS stations in Prague, Brno and Hradec Králové. The other EC-135T2s carry FLIR, laser rangefinder, search lamp SX-16 and digital down - link. The government then decided to transfer the HEMS station in Hradec Králové and Brno into the con - trol of commercial companies (until 2009), so one “HEMS” EC-135 will have to be upgraded to the police variant. In 2006, PâR exchanged one Bell 412HP for the more powerful Bell 412EP, in the “SWAT” version. In total, the Czech police unit operates two Bö 105CBS-4s, three Bell 412HPs, two Bell 412EPs and seven EC- 135s. It is expected that, after the transfer of HEMS sta -

36 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 Czech police doing trials with the bambi bucket

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 37 tions mentioned above, the two old fel - System: Helicopter Emergency Medical lows, the Bös, will be sold off. As men - Service teams (at present based in tioned, PâR LS requires equipment . Prague, Brno and Hradec Králové, but Police helicopters are equipped with: from 2009 Prague will be the sole base). FLIR 2000 FN and Ultra Force II FLIR This task includes the real HEMS flights Systems on Bell 412HP ; enhanced Ultra (transport of doctor to accident and aerial Force IIEP on EC-135; search lamp SX-16 transport of patient to hospital), on Bell 412HP and EC-135 (with in-flight Ambulance missions (aerial transport of changeover infra-red filter;) downlink on stabilized patients between hospitals), Bell 412HP (analog type) and EC-135 support of transplantation teams and In 2001 PAS LS bought a Bell 412EP (digital type;) laser rangefinder (EC-135;) repatriation flights (with Czech patients SAR finder (Bell 412HP;) digital map on from abroad). Bell 412 (portable type) and EC-135 (on c) Service: there are the instrument board;) bambi bucket (vol - three stations in the Czech Republic. Two umes of 495, 795 and 1000 liters – for all of them are operated by army aviation, types;) rescue hoist (all Bells;) rappelling Plze and Perov, and the third, Prague, is rack (Bell 412EP;) NVG goggles (2nd and run by PR LS. These are response teams 3rd generation;) Rescue basket/cage; ELT . of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech The PâR LS provides air support for all Republic, extinguishing fires from the air parts of the Integrated Rescue System of the throughout the country; transporting res - Czech Republic. Police helicopters are based cuers; doing Mountain Rescue Service in Prague and Brno, and there is one special (searching for missing persons etc;) HEMS helicopter in Hradec Králové. transport of crisis staff and security coun - Current Czech Police Aviation Department cils; support of other sections of the activity can be divided into two spheres: Integrated Rescue System of the Czech a) Flights for the Czech Police units (from Republic in case of the state of emergency Praha and Brno bases): emergency and services (Water Rescue Service, Mining response operations (transport of SWAT Rescue Service;) and foreign missions. teams, special police teams, etc.;) deploy - In Summary ing helicopters in search operations In the 1990s, the Czech Republic man - (searching for missing or lost persons;) aged to create an effective police aviation documenting criminal offences and super - unit, able to serve all parts of the Czech vising crowds (especially during mass Integrated Rescue System. The Czech sport or culture events – for example, dur - Police Aviation Department is a signifi - ing the International Monetary Fund or cant and unique emergency component of NATo Committee session;) traffic recon - the state, in the sphere of the internal naissance and traffic control (regular or security of the country, and its rescue during exceptional events – e.g., visit of system. The wide range and number of foreign statesmen;) air control and docu - tasks it carries out make it one of the mentation of police actions (intervention busiest Police units in the Czech Below: In 1996, the last Czech against demonstrators or football hooli - Republic. That Czech Police aviation is police Mi-2 was written off gans – in any subsequent trial, film from fully comparable and compatible with its the FLIR may be used as evidence;) air counterparts in the West European states, protection and surveillance (protection of in equipment and the level of service pro - nuclear power plants, fresh water reser - vided, means that it can be considered a voirs, important persons – e.g., Presidents success. Through the quality of the Putin and Bush during their visit to the Integrated Rescue system, which is part Czech Republic;) state borders regime sur - and parcel of the Czech Police Aviation veillance (regular or operational flights in Department, the Czech Republic has border area against illegal entrants;) train - again taken its place among the most ing flights (training of pilots, technicians developed countries in the world, where or policemen) it belonged when the Czech Aviation b) Flights for the Integrated Rescue Police was established in the 1930s.

38

FIDAE Looks at Green Aviation

The largest aviation show in South America. Words and pictures by Georgina Hunter-Jones FIDAE Looks at Green Aviation

IDAE, the biggest South those more interested in helicopters, Elbit Systems Skylark 1, used by the American airshow, took place there was also a feast, with good French Special Forces, and the Fin Santiago in Chile for the input from Sikorsky, Agusta, Schiebel Camcopter S-100, a heli - eighteenth time in April this year, the Eurocopter and Bell, and a wide copter UAV created by the Austrians. inaugural show having been in 1980. selection of military helicopters from As at other aviation shows, there was For the majority of the audience, the the local police and military forces. great emphasis on environmental highlight was the arrival of the The increased use of UAVs issues. Patrick Laureau, editor of the 380 and the chance to talk to (unmanned aerial vehicles) was clear FIDAE News Daily, said that this its pilot Peter Chandler and his co- from the number of them on show, was particularly important in Chile, pilot Ignacio Lombo, and to be including the Predator, which is now “where we have recently seen clear shown over the vast machine. For used by the US military, the Israeli signs of worsening of the environ - sits much higher. Inside the cockpit, the controlling sidestick is left on the left side and to the right of the co-pilot on the right. Peter says that this leads to the ques - tion, “Isn’t it hard to change sides?” His reply is that “the extra compensa - tion of moving from the right to the left-hand seat is worth it!” The British AWAC aircraft was at the show, demonstrating the use of its Carabineros de Chile radar. The aircraft is a converted 707, Agusta 109 and capable of in-flight refuelling. In fact, unlike most aircraft, the AWAC mental situation … for example, the of an Airbus 340 can move immedi - has been modified to enable either recent collapse of big ice chunks in ately into the 380 cockpit and fly it British or US aircraft, which have dif - the Antarctic.” with a minimum of extra training. ferent fuelling probes and methods, to The Airbus 380 was flown in by As Peter Chandler pointed out, even refuel it. its test pilot, Peter Chandler, on the the view on landing is the same The Carabineros de Chile (the ubiq - Saturday two days before FIDAE from both cockpits, whereas in the uitous police force) first started using began. As Santiago had had no rain cockpit of the Boeing 747 the pilot aircraft in 1960. They now have 13 since December, the big aircraft arrived in a flurry of dust, which, said Chandler, “completely hid the aircraft from the watching crowd!” This A380, No. 9 in the series, carried 250 tonnes of fuel for the non-stop flight from France. Its maximum all up weight (auw) is 562 tonnes, but in testing they have flown up to 590 tonnes. The A380 design was originally created for a freighter, but even then everything was done on the understanding that a stretched version of the aircraft could be built, if necessary. Interestingly, as with their helicop - ters, the EADS company has made Eurocopter Dauphin everything standard, and so the pilot AS365

helicopters and 18 aircraft, including four Agusta 109s, two Kawasaki s e n

Bolkow 117s, five Bolkow 105s and a o J - r

Bell 206 JetRanger, which is used for e t n

instruction. There is no integrated u h a n

training school for the police, but the i g

The S-100 is capable r police pilots, all of whom are police - o e

of carrying 55lbs for g

men first and pilots second, do their y 6 hours b h

basic training in Chile, and their type P a r

ratings on the individual machines in g o t o

Italy (A109) or Germany (Bo 117 and h P

105). All the ab-initio training is done m o t t

on the B206. o b 42 Police work includes Search and The Bell Huey gave a Rescue, VIP transport, emergencies, stalwart display in the and surveillance and border control. heat of the afternoon They operate a twenty-four hour service using NVGs. Sikorsky was at the show with a Chilean military Black Hawk. Vice President Steve Estill said that Sikorsky was doing very well in the Latin American region, and the Black Hawk was particularly suc - cessful. Columbia currently runs 65 Black Hawks and has placed orders for another 15. Brazil has bought a series of Black Hawks, and when In the UAV field, the small heli - designed to carry stabilized infrared these are delivered it will have more copter, the Camcopter S-100, has a gimbals, a synthetic aperture radar, than 25. Mexico is also interested in carbon fibre body with a titanium and multi-spectral imaging and round- buying the machine. The S76 is used aluminium main rotor and tail rotor. It penetrating radar. Its MTo (maxi - for VIPs and oil producers. is capable of carrying 55 lbs (25 kgs) mum take-off weight) is 440lbs (200 Agusta Westland has just done for up to 6 hours, and can carry 100 kgs), and the empty weight is 220lbs deals, with Aerolineas Ejecutivas of lbs in its main ‘cargo hold’. It is (100 kgs). It is 122 inches in length, 41 inches high and 49 inches wide, and the main rotor has a diameter of 250 tonnes of fuel 133.9 inches. In addition to military allowed a non-stop use, the Chileans are interested in flight from France UAVs for fire watching and, in particu - lar, the early detection of fires, which threaten so much of their forestry. Brittan Norman, from Britain’s Isle of Wight, was at FIDAE to encour - age the sale and maintenance of their support machines. They are hoping to be able to sell the Defender through - out South America. In 2009, all foreign and British nationals will be required to prove that they can speak English at the level required for clear communica - tion on the radio. Tronwel, an inter -

Mexico and Synergy Aerospace of Brazil, for another 27 helicopters, Sikorksy Black Hawk s e n including 4 119Ke Koalas, 4 A109 o J - r Powers, 5 Agusta Grands and 2 e t n u AW139s. h a

n Bell Helicopters won the Chilean i g r

o Air Force competition to produce a e g fleet of helicopters able to operate y b h reliably from the Andes to the P a r g Antarctic cold. The Chilean Air o t o Force (FACh) is adding 12 Bell 412s h P

m to its current fleet of 20 older Bell o t t

o models. b 43 national language company, has been working hard to ensure that The Bone, the controver - sial B-1 planned all pilots meet the required levels. for the First Gulf War Tronwel was at the show to pro - finally gets used mote the message that, with a little training, the required levels can be reached. They told HL that their show had been extremely successful. The show also featured a large number of guns and weapons, and GPS monitoring devices. one man - ufacturer of these, Sellier and Bellot, started making bullets in Eastern Europe in the eighteenth century, and has been exporting them to Chile ever since. Aerocardal Air Ambulance has a local attitude to small helicopters. FIDAE had 120,457 visitors over the Bo 105 and an extensive fixed- on display during the show, in week and 434 exhibitors from 43 coun - wing fleet. Much of their work addition to the A380, were a range tries. The organisers felt that the show involves insurance-related repatria - of Eurocopters, an Ejercito Huey, had been a great success, but there is tion outside the country but they and many military jets including the still plenty of room to develop the also do air ambulance work within USAF Bone. Chilean aviation market, particularly in Chile and many other types of heli - The Bone is the B-1 Bomber that helicopters, which as yet employs few copter work including fire-fighting, has been used in Iraq since 1998. It companies outside the military. There heavy lifting and VIP transport.. was originally supposed to be ready was, moreover, a strong emphasis at The RI 30 Eaglet (featured in the to fly in 1990, for the first Gulf War, the show on limiting environmental Winter edition of Helicopter Life) but it was not ready in time and was damage, and on using helicopters to has recnetly got a distributor in left at home, the antiquated B-52 promote and aid the environment. Chile, and the German-Russian being used instead; a source of much There appeared to be great anticipation cooperation known as Rotor embarrassment. The Bone has wings for the future of aviation, and several International has been available in that sweep back to 67.5 degrees, and exhibitors talked about the likelihood Chile since the end of 2007. The it can fly faster than 900 mph at sea of growth, both by local companies and distributor, who also flies the RAF level. The noise from its afterburn - from foreign investment, which the gyrocopter, says that he has high ers emphasised the 120,000 lbs of Chilean government is very keen to hopes of the Eaglet changing the thrust its four turbines kick out! encourage.

The Airbus 380 Peter Chandler, sidstick Airbus 380 test pilot

44 Bell 206L LongRanger

Best seat at the show?

Eurocopter were at the show in force.

RI-30 Eaglet has a distributor in Chile Helicopteros in theTemuco Grande

Photographs by Georgina Hunter-Jones and courtesy of Helicopteros del Pacifico

46 Helicopteros in theTemuco Grande

Georgina Hunter-Jones visits Helicopteros del Pacifico in Chile

elicopteros del Pacifico was him in his machine.” realised he would have to train as a started by Carlos Barrie in When they both had landed Carlos helicopter pilot himself. H1990. Carlos was originally a went over to the helicopter, and the Helicopteros del Pacifico’s first fixed wing spray pilot, and much of pilot offered him a ride. As soon as machine was the Hiller SL4, which the land he was spraying was forest he flew the helicopter he realised he Carlos bought in the USA. He chose on the sloping sides of mountains, could use this as a tool for his work. it because it was within his budget. where only aircraft could work. one “I saw the future,” he says. However, Later the company changed to day, while he was flying, trying to there was also an interesting chal - Alouette 2s, which seemed more parallel a steep and difficult slope, a lenge: at that time, most helicopter suitable for the type of spray work helicopter flew next to him. “I could pilots in Chile were ex-military and they were doing. As the company see he was enjoying the slope,” said were not interested in the lifestyle of developed, so did the growth of its Carlos, “and that it was far easier for the crop-dusting pilot, so Carlos maintenance side.

47 Lifting from a barge He soon had a contract to rid Chile of the Pine Shoot Moth, which was devastating the nut industry. His knowl - edge of spraying proved invaluable, both in winning con - tracts and when flying. “I was using techniques which are used across the world of crop dusting pilots, but not known to the ex-military helicopter pilots, so I was able to talk to the forestry owners and managers.” The spraying was especially effective because the compa - ny worked alongside the use of biological methods. In line with the chemicals that were being dropped by the helicop - ter, wasps, which preyed on the moth, were released, creat - ing a double effect. Helicopteros del Pacifico covered the

Preparing the JetRanger for moth spraying

Building the new hangars

Preparing the heli - copters for Portugal Helicopteros del Pacifico started with Lamas

Painting is often done outside because of the temperature inside the hangars

Aerial shot of Nueva Imperial, the heliport outside Temuco

Most of Carlos’s Hueys came from Germany whole area from Conceptión to Valdiva, some two million hectares of forest. After ten years of spraying, Carlos realised that it had been so effective that the moth was almost annihilated, and there would soon be no need for spraying. They therefore needed to look for different types of work for the helicopter. He joined forces with a friend, Claudio Fischer, who ran a company called Patagonia, and in 2001 they bought a Bell Huey, which they adapted for fire fighting work. Adapting the Huey was a business in itself, because it was the first German-built, re-modified helicopter in Chile, and they needed a primary certificate from the Chilean Aviation Authority. obtaining this took three years, during which they were unable to work. In the end, though, the modi - fication was approved, and Helicopters del Pacifico went on to get another modification, for baskets to be carried by the helicopters. At the moment Carlos has another project under consideration by the Aviation Authority, for another improvement to the Hueys. As the company was already work - ing with the forestry owners it was a natural step to start fire fighting. Moreover, Carlos himself was an experienced fire-fighting pilot, having fought fires with fixed wing aircraft since he was 22, and he saw the potential for using helicopters instead of planes. Chile has large areas of land where only forests can grow, and arable or agricultural use is not possi - ble. It is also a very dry country. The combination of these factors leads to forest fires in areas that would be hard to reach without aircraft. Helicopteros del Pacifico now has 100 employees in the fire-fighting season and 60 in the down season. The majority of those downtimers are pilots who will fly on contract for other companies. Carlos is, he says, Cleaning the helicopter after its an ethical employer. The minimum return from firefighting, wage in Chile in 200 dollars a month, preparatory to going out again

50 and he pays well in excess of this, and also allows very liberal rules on time share and time off. “We are a family,” he says, “my workers know my door is always open for them to come and discuss any problem with me.” In the down season in Chile, Carlos sends his helicopters to Portugal to fight fires in forests there. Throughout the world, experienced fire fighting pilots are hard to find, especially amongst Spanish speaking pilots. As a result, Carlos employs a wide variety of nationals, including Peruvians, Columbians, Spanish and even some Canadians, who learn the language. In the 2007 season, there were so many fires that Carlos himself had to fly, and did 100 hours during the sea - son. “I have been flying since I was 22,” he says, “so I really know the business of fire fighting.” As an example, he explains the skill of ‘making an eye’ using fire retardent dropped from the helicopters around houses that the helicopters are trying to protect from fires. During the season the helicopters go out to the local bases, and are self- sufficient there in terms of fuel, oil and human refuelling, returning for engineering. The Hueys are also used for filming and heavy lifting. The company owns twenty-four helicopters, most of which are Hueys UH-1Ds, originally built in Germany under franchise to Dornier. Around twenty-five years ago, 370 of these were sold to the mil - itary in Germany. Helicopteros del Pacifico, in alliance with Patagonia, has bought nine of these, after spend - ing three years arranging for the type certificate, as mentioned above. “on the good side,” says Carlos, “this gave us the opportunity to show our engi - neering capacity, and although we had no income we were building the basis for a good company.” Wherever possible, they continue to buy the former German models, as they find them better finished than the American version. A Short History of Chile

here is some dispute as to to prominence over their battle with resistance from the Mapuche during whether Pre-Hispanic Chile Microsoft Systems, which they the long running Arauco War. Twas the earliest inhabited part accused of stealing their intellectual The Aracuo War is usually said have of South America, as held by those property, in the form of a started with the Battle of who date the Monte Verde archeo - Mapuzugun (the Mapuche language) Reynogüelén, in 1536, between logical site at 12,500 years before- version of Windows. Diego de Almagro’s expedition and a present (BP); or one of the last parts As the Inca Empire expanded, it suc - group of Mapuche soldiers. It contin - to be inhabited, as held by those who ceeded in integrating only the north - ued for some seventy years. After subscribe to the ‘Clovis’ theory, ern part of Chile. Attempts to colo - 1609, each governor of Chile held which says that South America was nize Central Chile were unsuccess - ‘Parlamentos’ with the Mapuche not inhabited until 11,500 BP. ful, thanks to fierce resistance by chiefs: in theory there was a peace Either way, Chile was home to over Mapuche warriors in the Battle of treaty, which was in practice fre - a dozen different indigenous peoples, the Maule. The Maule River subse - quently violated. The Mapuche con - who are generally classified into quently became the boundary tinued to resist the invaders until three major cultural groups: the between the Incan empire and the 1880, and in several extremely northern peoples, who developed Mapuche lands. bloody uprisings they swept the rich handicrafts and were influenced The first European to arrive in Chile Spaniards out of the area. by pre-Incan cultures; the Patagonian was the Portugese Ferdinand Chile long remained the least culture, composed of various Magellan—he of the Straits—on 1st wealthy realm of the Spanish Crown. nomadic tribes, who supported them - November 1520. However, neither only in the 18th century did slow selves through fishing and hunting; Magellan nor Diego de Almagro, economic growth begin. and the Mapuche culture, which who is usually credited with discov - The drive for independence from inhabited the area between the river ering Chile, took much interest in the Spain was precipitated by the Choapa and the island of Chiloé, and place. It was not until the Spanish usurpation of the Spanish throne by lived primarily off agriculture. The conquest, in 1541, led by Pedro de Napoleon's brother Joseph Mapuche were known by the Valdivia, that much of the country Bonaparte. The history of independ - Spanish colonists as araucanos or came under Spanish rule. on 12 ent Chile is usually divided into Araucanians. Today, however, this February 1541, Pedro de Valdivia three stages: first, the ‘Patria Vieja’ term is considered pejorative and the founded the city of Santiago de (old republic), when a national junta term Mapuche is normally used. Nueva Extremadura. In the south of was established in the name of Some 600,000 Mapuche still live in the country, however, Valdivia had Ferdinand VII, the deposed king, on Chile, and recently (2006) they came much less success, and faced strong September 18, 1810. The second 52 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 stage, the Reconquista (the term echoes the embassy, where he committed suicide. Jorge Montt became Reconquista, in which the Christian kingdoms retook the new president. Iberia from the Muslims), was characterized by Spanish In the early 20th century, Chile experienced a period of attempts to reimpose arbitrary rule, which in turn led to great political instability, as the middle and working class - a prolonged struggle under José de San Martín and es fought the established upper classes and the Roman Bernardo o'Higgins, Chile's most renowned patriot and Catholic Church. There were ten different governments a member of South America's Irish diaspora. other rev - between 1925 and 1931. olutionary leaders included the guerrilla leader Manuel In 1920, a reformist president, Arturo Fortunato Rodríguez, the exiled British admiral Thomas Alessandri Palma, was elected. However, he faced a con - Cochrane, who commanded the Chilean Navy from servative Congress that refused to enact his laws. Then 1817-1822, and Don Juan McKenna. came the Night of the Rattling Sabres, in September 1924, Throughout the war, McKenna was second in com - which was provoked by the discontent of young officers, mand to General Bernardo o’Higgins, and in 1814 and led to the establishment of the September Junta and achieved a magnificent victory over the Spaniards at the exile of President Alessandri. Membrillor. o’Higgins’ forces had failed to turn up in General Luis Altamirano led a military coup in 1924, and time for this battle and the Spaniards attacked this was followed by another coup in January 1925, which McKenna, but the Irishman triumphed, despite having a ended in the establishment of the January Junta as interim much smaller force at his command. This victory was, government, awaiting Alessandri's return. The latter unquestionably, the crowning moment of his relatively assumed power in March, and a new Constitution that short but highly illustrious career, and resulted in a increased the powers of the president was approved in ‘Treaty of Peace’, in which McKenna acted as plenipo - September 1935. Alessandri broke with classical liberal - tentiary on behalf of Chile. ism’s policies by creating a Central Bank and imposing a Unfortunately, dissensions arose among members of the revenue tax, and he also undertook violent action against ‘Patriots’, and the ruling Correra family forced the opposition. McKenna to leave Chile. He died after a duel with a The longest lasting of the ten governments in those years member of that same Correra family, in Buenos Aires was that of Gen. Carlos Ibáñez, who briefly held power in on the 21st November 1814. 1925, and then again between 1927 and 1931, in a de Chilean independence was formally proclaimed on facto dictatorship. When constitutional rule was restored February 12, 1818, and the last territory, Chiloé, was in 1932, a strong middle-class party, the Radicals, freed from Spanish rule in 1826. emerged. It became the key force in coalition govern - This brought little social change, however, and Chilean ments for the next 20 years. society remained a bastion of family politics and the In 1964, Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Montalva was Roman Catholic Church. elected president by an absolute majority, and began a In 1881, Chile signed a treaty with Argentina that con - period of major reform. firmed Chilean sovereignty over the Straits of In 1970, President Salvador Allende became president of Magellan, but conceded all of east Patagonia, and lost Chile. Allende was a Marxist and a member of Chile's much of its colonial territory to Argentina. However, Socialist Party. He allegedly committed suicide when this was compensated for by gains in the north where, defeated by Pinocet’s military coup in 1973. as a result of the War of the Pacific with Peru and Augusto Pinocet’s dictatorship lasted until 1989. Bolivia (1879-1883), Chile expanded its territory by almost one-third, and acquired valuable nitrate deposits, the exploitation of which led to an era of national affluence. The 1870s saw a reduction in the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, with more state run laws. In 1886, José Manuel Balmaceda was elected president. His economic policies visibly changed the existing lib - eral policies. He began to violate the constitution, and to establish a dictatorship. Congress decided to depose Balmaceda, but he refused to step down. Jorge Montt, among others, led an armed conflict against Balmaceda, which soon became the Chilean Civil War of 1891. Defeated, Balmaceda fled to Argentina's

HELICOPTER LIFE,Summer 2008 5353 Errazuriz vineyard, near San Felipe in the Aconcagua Valley north of Santiago Treasures of the Sierra Madre

hile is 2610 miles long, bor - Chile was also hit by a form of pro - increase in the licence fee for selling dered on one side by the hibition in the 1920s. This problem, alcohol. There was also a clear indica - CPacific ocean and on most of probably an offshoot of the 18th tion that there would be a slow move - the other by the Andes. There are Amendment, or the Volstead Act ment towards general prohibition. deserts in the north and icy fiord (prohibition) in the USA, led to long - However, Chile was not the United regions in the south, but in the mid - shoremen refusing to load or unload States, and Guillermo Edwards and the dle there is the soft temperate cli - any alcoholic beverages on the League for the Defence of the Wine mate needed for winemaking, and it docks. The Chilean Federation of Industry fought back. Although the pro - is here that Chile’s numerous vine - Labour petitioned Congress for Chile hibition movement did successfully yards abound. to become a dry country, stating that reduce the wine trade in the 1920s, by There are six major wine-growing the working classes were wasting the end of the decade there had been a areas in Chile, all in the temperate their hard earned pay on alcohol. slow movement back to fruition! central area: Aconcagua, Casablanca, Senator Edwards, representing the As Marcela Monsalves, Cellar Door Maipó, Rapel, Curicó and Maule and winegrowers, insisted that 900,000,000 Manager at Viña Errázuriz, explains, Bío Bío (the last currently produces Pesos were invested in wine growing, “In 1938, the Alcohol Law was mainly less distinguished wines, but and that one of the country’s major established, because the per person with potential!) industries would be damaged, possibly drinking average passed 80 litres.” The Aconcagua region is the hottest irreparably, if the longshoremen were The Alcohol Law limited the number of the wine areas, and also the most not put back to work. of hectares that could be allocated to arid, and consequently Errazuriz is In January 1921, the government vine cultivation, and led to increases the only really well known vineyard suggested a list of recommendations: in the price of wine, which still in the area. prohibition on planting new vine - allowed the business to be profitable, Errazuriz was founded in 1870 by yards, prohibition on the manufactur - but limited its chances of expansion. Don Maximo Errazuriz. originally, ing of drinkable alcohol, a tax which In 1938, 106,000 hectares of land the vineyard had 700 hectares of was so high that it made it almost were planted with vines, but by the growing areas, but this has decreased impossible to import alcohol, a beginning of the 1940s this figure over the years, partly due to sales decrease in the number of licensed had been reduced to 92,00 hectares. and partition, and partly because drinking establishments, and an The agrarian reform of the 1960s 54 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 principally consisted of expropri - new market, such as Chile, you ation and did not affect the vine - are obliged, for reasons of time yards: they were considered real and availability, to deal with the agro-industrial companies. larger companies. Chile has too Even under the socialist Allende many small growers for us to government, they were consid - have time to visit them all and ered ‘integrated wine companies’ make a selection, so we deal since they specialized in wine, with the major players. It is sad Santa Cruz vineyard, with production and storage cel - but it is business.” Colchagua Valley lars, as well as industrial and However, all is not lost for small south of Santiago direct-sales plants. vineyards as many small British In 1969, most vineyards changed companies, including Bin Ends their property structure and in Lambs Conduits Street, became public corporations. The London, have started visiting the Alcohol Law of 1938 and the smaller vineyards, and they are land reform both ended with the now regularly taking around military coup of 1974. 40,000 bottles a year for use in Today, the current owner of restaurants and in their shop. HL Erraruriz, Eduardo Chadwick, is a was told that diners prefer wines descendant of the founder. from small, unknown vineyards Errazuriz is famous mostly for its as a form of ‘taste adventure’. red wines and, of the five wines Where Calypra is situated, next HL tasted, four were red: Wild to the Cauquenes River (which Silvia Vogel’s Alpacas Machali has Ferment 2007 Pinot Noir, La means crazy river in the local 350 alpacas. Inset: Termas Caquenes Cumbre 2005 Shiraz (known as Mapuzugun—the language of the Syrah in France), Kai 2005 Mapuch Indians) there are also Camenere and Don Maximano, thermal springs. Here you can the Founder’s Wine 2005 visit the thermal baths and spas Cabernet Sauvignon. of Termas Cauquenes, run by Some three hours drive south, René Acklin, originally from down a long winding road east of Switzerland, and his family. And Rancagus, lies a very different down the road (a rather sporting vineyard with a new young wine - road to be sure) is the largest maker who is just beginning to alpaca stud in Chile, where 350 make inroads into Chilean wine alpacas live amongst the almond circles: Françoise Massoc, at the trees, and are used for wool produc - François Massoc winemaker at Calyptra Vineyard. Here we tion and breeding. This is Alpacas Calyptra vineyard talked about the science of wine- Machli, run by Silvia Vogel. near Rancagua making, saw the laboratory, and Further down the Pan American tasted how much difference there Highway (a beautiful road with a can be between vines grown on dif - touch of eccentricity, which ferent soils, even when they are means your driving is interrupted planted only a few metres apart! by horses, people, dogs and At Calyptra, they originally start - sometimes even chickens), is the ed with traditional Chilean wood - Antumala. The Antumala is a en barrels but have now moved Bauhaus hotel built at Pucon in into steel, which gives a fresher 1950 by the Chilean architect cleaner taste. Jorge Elton. It was created for These smaller vineyards, howev - Czech refugees Guillermo and er, do not export, and are virtually Catalina Pollak, who arrived in unknown outside Chile. Chile in 1945 after fleeing perse - Antumalal, a Bauhaus one Waitrose winebuyer cution, and made it into a hotel hotel built in 1950 on explained, “when you deal with a that remains wonderful today. the lake at Pucon

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 55 enture Ski was founded by Peter Duke and Mark VLivsey in 2005. “We had compatible skills, but different were serious skiers, and interested in back: it is the ultimate challenge.” strengths,” says Mark, “which made furthering the potential of skiing in The company chose Sainte Foy in it a perfect partnership.” as many ways as possible. “Skiing France, near the Italian border, for a Mark came from a background of allows you to challenge yourself and variety of reasons. one was the avail - motor racing and marketing, having discover places you would not other - ability of attractive housing, thanks to worked for Williams in Formula wise be able to reach,” explains the policy of the local mayor and one, and before that in Hong Kong. Mark. “Heli-skiing is the ultimate in British property developer Steve Wells. Peter had a background in account - that, allowing you to go places that Second, the village lies at 1500 metres, ancy, and had been the Finance only a helicopter can reach, and above the freezing level, with mostly Director of an IT company. Both forcing you to find your own way snow and good weather, whereas the Slip sliding away

Georgina Hunter-Jones investigates the challenges of HeliSking from Sainte Foy in France

Photographs courtesy of Venture Ski Left page top to bottom: Agusta 119 Koala arriving at the drop zone. The guide and the pole demarcate the safe landing area. Tape on top of the pole shows the wind direction as an aid for Bearpaws on the pilot. NB the amount of loose the skids snow thrown up by the helicopter’s downwash. While one guide marks the front of the helicopter, the other collects the skis from the box. The helicopter flies off in to collect the next group of skiers. The helicop - ter pilots stay on the ground for as short a time as possible. Right page: rescue of an injured skier by the Gendarmerie AS350

58 HELICOPTER LIFE,Summer 2008 Mountains, run by Mike Bennett, and Blugeon Helicopters, run by Sebastian Blugeon. In Italy they use a much larger and more diverse com - lower slopes have rain and fog. one pany, Heliops, which also does a more surprising reason was the variety of work including mountain closeness of the Italian border, rescue, VIP charter and heavy lifting. which is very important for heli- The heli-skiing season runs roughly skiers. This is because heli-skiing is from January until mid-May, because banned in France, which means that the snow must have settled before you cannot land and take-off on a they can go to the higher areas, peak for the purposes of heli-skiing, where there is no avalanche control, although in Italy you can. as there is on the assigned pistes. Consequently, the Sainte Foy skiers “Flying with skiers,” Mike are picked up from the chalet in one Bennett explains, “can be challeng - helicopter and transported to the ing because they are excited, and you Italian border, where they are col - have to be aware of their safety. lected by a second, Italian, helicop - Usually, the heli-skiers will be ter, which is allowed to fly them up accompanied by a guide, who is the to the peak, whence they ski down. one who opens the doors for them, Venture Ski use two helicopter and makes sure they don’t acciden - companies on the French side, Heli tally lift their skis into the rotors, or walk up the slope into the blades.” At the start of the season, Mike will invite new ski instructors or guides to examine the helicopter. He will then point out all the possible dangers to their clients from the heli - copter, and how to avoid them. The guides learn how to position the clients together, to enable the heli -

HELICOPTER LIFE,Summer 2008 59 copter to fly right up to them, so that there is no need for them to walk towards the helicopter. This makes the performance much safer. “If I can see them I know where they are, and that is safest,” Mike explains. So far he has had no prob - lems, although a photographer did once walk rather close to the blades. Luckily, Mike saw him in time and took off in the helicopter before the photographer got close enough to hit anything.

Top: the village of Sainte Foy Main picture: heliskiers making their way down a steep path

60 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 avalanche control, which he describes as the most potentially dan - gerous form of flying. He stresses the importance of not taking the job of flying in the mountains too lightly. “You have to be aware of all the fac - tors involved,” he explains, “the type of snow, wind conditions, stress and tiredness of the pilot, the commercial Peter Duke skiing Inset: Mike Bennett in pressures. All these things can build the AS350 up and distract a pilot from the job, which can be dangerous.” In the past, avalanche risks were dealt with by time and nature, which took perhaps three days. Nowadays, All the helicopters are equipped Mountains, who does avalanche because of the commercial pressure to with ‘Bearpaws’ on the back of the patrol, elucidates: “I fly with two ski get the ski runs open as soon as possi - skids for landing on the snow. The controllers who carry explosives, ble after a big fall of snow, the bearpaws allow the front of the heli - and have a map with specific instruc - patrollers go up the mountains and arti - copter, rather than the back, to sink tions where to drop the bombs, ficially cause the early avalanches. down into the snow. This helps to depending on wind conditions and “There are far more avalanches nowa - keep the tail rotor out of the snow, where the loose snow is. The pilot has days as a result,” Mike explains. which could cause a considerable the ultimate say in everything, includ - For days when the weather is not problem. Some helicopters fly with ing position, and the way the bombs so clement, or for anyone not wish - skis rather than bearpaws, but this are dropped from the helicopter.” ing to ski, Venture Ski offers an adds to the weight. Mike explains The bombs weigh two kilos each abundance of other amusements, that he has to watch the weight he is and the helicopter can carry up to 25 including a swimming pool, spa and lifting, with the passengers wearing of them. Sometimes they need more sauna. In the village and the sur - their ski gear and carrying their and have to go back down the moun - rounding area there are many restau - equipment. This is true even when tain to fetch them. This can take up rants and bars. There is even a crèche using his powerful B3 AS350. to an hour. for any children too young to ski. As yet, Venture Ski have had no Mike himself is a very experi - “We are above all a family-friend - problems with the helicopter, but on enced skier and ski controller, hav - ly company,” says Mark, “who one occasion a heli-skier got into ing done ski patrol for 15 years encourage children to come too.” trouble on the slopes and broke her before he became a pilot. He has The guests agree, one saying she leg. The team called for assistance, lived in the area for 21 years, and he came for that reason alone and was and she was rescued by the local started learning to fly as a result of then delighted to discover both how Gendarmerie Squirrel. Mark Livsey his snow work. He has been flying good the snow was and the emptiness explains that the Gendarmes were for six years and has worked up to of the runs and lifts. very professional and tried to cause her as little pain as possible. However, she had to be airlifted out vertically as that was the only way

P possible with their limited rescue h o t

o resources. g r a Avalanches are a great worry for P h s skiers who go off piste. Mark C o

u explains that nowadays there are r t e very sophisticated methods of pre - s y o vention, including the use of gun - f v e powder to release any loose snow Mark Livsey n t u r before it can cause damage. skiing and in e s deep snow

k Mike Bennett, from Heli i HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 61 Helicopter Futures

AgustaWestland AW139 To Start Search And Rescue operations In The UK

gustaWestland has state-of-the-art technology have East are already operating the announced the introduction made the AW139 the benchmark in AW139 in the SAR role or have Aof the AW139 helicopter its class. A much higher cruise speed ordered aircraft. The AW139’s per - into the Maritime and Coastguard than older generation helicopters formances and features make it the Agency’s search and rescue service. combined with modern search and ideal contender for the next UK Three helicopters provided by CHC rescue equipment will provide the search and rescue requirement. Helicopter Corporation will serve UK Maritime and Coastguard orders for more than 330 AW139s the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency with a highly effective and have been placed by nearly 90 com - Agency under an interim contract efficient SAR capability. mercial and government customers through to 2012 operating from A large number of operators includ - in over 30 countries to carry out a bases at Lee-on-the-Solent and ing Sasemar of Spain, Japanese number of roles including search Portland, South coast of England. Coast Guard, Korean Coast Guard, and rescue, emergency medical The company says that their Italian Coast Guard, Norwegian services, offshore transport, unmatched levels of performance, Ministry of Justice, Estonian Border VIP/corporate transport, law capacity, safety, operational avail - Guard, UAE Air Force as well as enforcement, homeland security and ability, serviceability, economy and operators in Africa and the Middle utility transport. 6262 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 BOOK R EVIEW Spitfire Women of World War 11 by Giles Whittell Harper Press UK £20 www.HarperCollins.com

would say that every that it was a thrilling distraction woman should learn to fly,” from “the ghastly importance of a IPauline Gower, the founder good marriage.” She describes her - of the women’s Air Transport self as a daughter-in-waiting! Auxilliary (ATA) told the Giles Whittell describes the Woman’s Journal in 1942. women: “These were extraordinary “Psychologically it is the best pilots. Unlike those of the RAF antidote to the manifold neu - they flew unarmed, in all weathers, roses which beset modern in so many different kinds of plane woman.” that often twenty minutes’ study of Without Pauline Gower, her their Ferry Pilots’ Notes was the tenacity and her connections, it is only way to familiarise themselves unlikely the women’s group with a new cockpit.” Fifteen would have been formed at all. women died in the course of their There was considerable resist - work, including Amy Johnson, but ance, both verbally and physical - most survived. There are some ly, to women flying, and in one brilliant flying stories, such as case an actual death was attrib - Diana Barnato-Walker, who sur - uted to sugar having been put in vived her first real instrument the fuel tank of one of the women flight only because she had had pilots. But fly they did, and by blind instruction on a napkin in a the end of the war women were club the night before! even being trained ab initio, so Later many of the women learnt great was the need for pilots; and to fly in helicopters, including the so great, by then, was the respect depressed Britain, mocked the behaviour of the highly skillful Lettice Curtis. that their flying skills and tough - American aviators, who lived in the Ritz, and Apologies to Clare and Gerard ness had generated amongst the appeared immune to the indigenous population’s Hoare who sent me this book for men and the politicians. self-sacrifice! Apparently, the American women review in January. As they are rela - The book includes several pilots were no more enamoured of the British, tions I ignored it! Thereby, I did interesting sketches of individu - and one woman aviator, Lettice Curtis, one of the them, myself and (indirectly) Giles als, including the American avia - bravest pilots, came in for particular criticism for Whittell and the readers of tor Jacqueline Cochran, whose her snobbism. Helicopter Life a disservice: this is temperament and behaviour Whittell writes a long and endearing piece on a brilliant book. It is not only remind one forcefully of the cur - Amy Johnson, whose desire for celebrity makes informative about the ATA, and rent CEo of a helicopter compa - one wonder what it would be like if Britney includes information I had not read ny. Interestingly, it was for Ms Spears or Paris Hilton had taken up flying before, but also well written and Cochran and her fellow instead of sex. However, the majority of the witty. My only caveat is that it Americans that the term women pilots were not celebrity seekers but reads as though written by a jour - “pussies” was coined in 1942, as women doing a job, either because their country nalist, but since Giles Whittell is a the war-torn Londoners, used to needed them, or for various personal reasons. leader writer for The Times, this is the Spartan conditions of one delightful gal, Mary de Bunsen, explained hardly surprising. HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 63 A CCIDENT R EPORTS

Robinson R22 Beta, G-OBIL The student pilot had been briefed for a visual circuit Sikorsky S-92A, G-CHCK detail and sent to start-up the helicopter, the instructor The helicopter was on a public transport flight to off - planning to join him once the engine was running. The shore platforms in the North Sea and was over water, helicopter was positioned on the dry concrete apron approximately 65 nm north-east of Aberdeen, when a facing south; the wind was 210˚/12 knots. heavy vibration began, which continued until the end of The student was completing his after-start checks. He the flight. The crew turned back towards the coast and increased the rotor rpm and the aircraft started to rotate a successful run-on landing was completed thirty min - anti-clockwise. He immediately closed the throttle and utes later. There were no injuries. the rpm initially dropped before rising back to 104%. The vibration was found to have been caused by the The aircraft continued to rotate for five or six revolu - detachment of a tail rotor blade pivot bearing following tions across the ground before the tail rotor hit the grass a disbond of the bearing retainer from the flexible spar and broke, whereupon the aircraft stopped rotating. of the blade. Inspection of other S-92 helicopters high - Throughout the rotations the collective remained in the lighted other disbonded bearing retainers. Until a final fully lowered position. The pilot shutdown the helicop - fix is implemented, the has ter and vacated normally. increased the pivot bearing inspection frequency and The governor is designed to maintain the rotor rpm provided more detailed intructions for inspecting the between 97 and 104%. It achieves this by mechanical - bearings. ly opening and closing the throttle, and is only active when the engine is running at more than 80% rpm. If Hughes 269A, N1020Q the pilot closes the throttle with the governor active The 35-year-old commercial rated pilot was practicing and then releases his hold on the throttle, the governor a steep approach to an airfield, when she flared too will re-open the throttle, as happened in this case. low to the ground and the tail rotor struck the ground. The pilot stated he had inadvertently applied left pedal Subsequently, the tail rotor drive shaft failed and the as he opened the throttle, thereby placing an anti-clock - pilot was unable to maintain control of the helicopter. wise turning force on the aircraft. As the helicopter The rear portion of the right skid contacted the began to rotate he did not consider applying opposite ground and the helicopter rolled over on to its side. pedal because he was concentrating on keeping the air - Examination of the helicopter revealed it sustained craft upright and closing the throttle. substantial damage to the mast, tail boom, and the right skid was torn from the fuselage. No injuries. AS332 L2 Super Puma, G-REDO The crew had been given the task of recovering a casu - Robinson R44, N477SH alty from a fishing boat. on arrival over the vessel, the on April 28, 2008, approximately 1045 central day - helicopter entered a hover at 50 foot and lowered the light time (CDT), a single-engine Robinson R44 winchman to the deck using the primary winch, to con - helicopter, N477SH, was destroyed by a post-crash duct an assessment of the casualty. The winch cable fire after impacting the ground following an was retracted and the helicopter moved away, leaving attempted takeoff from a private field, near Bartlett, the crewman to conduct his assessment. The casualty Texas. The pilot received minor injuries and the one was then moved to the bow of the vessel for recovery. passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter The primary winch was lowered again and the helicop - was owned and operated by the pilot. ter manoeuvred into position. However, when the cable Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a was lowered it failed, approximately one metre from flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal the hook as the load was applied, leaving the winch - Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight was man and casualty on deck. The cable was reeled in and originating at the time of the accident, with an the casualty and winchman recovered with the second - unknown destination. ary winch. The helicopter owner had reportedly purchased the The nature of the cable failure indicated that the cause helicopter, 7 days prior to the accident date. was due to mechanical damage to a majority of strands, Additionally, the helicopter was previously owned by the crew believed it was possibly done when the cable a flight school, and the helicopter had been disassem - lay across the vessel’s bow. bled for shipment, while being offered for sale. The

64 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 A CCIDENT R EPORTS

accident pilot reportedly bought the aircraft and had a Bell 47C-3B-1, N24SD local mechanic re-assemble the helicopter. Preliminary statements from witnesses, and the A Bell 47G-3B-1, experienced a loss of engine power helicopter pilot, to the (FAA) Inspector, who while maneuvering about 25 miles south of Denio, responded to the accident site, indicate that during Nevada. The pilot made a hard forced landing on a take-off the helicopter's tail skid/rotor, hit an embank - hillside. Following impact, the helicopter rolled over ment and the helicopter rolled onto its side. Both and was substantially damaged. the pilot and passenger were able to exit the heli - Neither the commercial pilot nor the passenger copter with only minor injuries; however, the passen - were injured VMC prevailed. The flight originated ger then returned to the helicopter to retrieve a from a private ranch near Denio, about 0700. briefcase. The passenger was severely burned and the The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was helicopter's airframe was largely consumed by the predator control, and the passenger-gunman had just post crash fire. shot a coyote. The pilot stated that a mechanical malfunction occurred as he was circling the injured Enstrom F28C, N56895 coyote about 20 feet above ground level. While on April 18, 2008, approximately 1705 central day - maneuvering he heard a grinding noise and opined light time, an Enstrom F28C, N56895, piloted by a that the helicopter's engine/transmission may have private pilot, was substantially damaged when it made failed. At the time the helicopter's airspeed was about a hard landing during an after the engine 15 miles per hour, and he was unable to perform a lost power during landing approach at Clay successful autorotative descent. County Regional Airport (GPH), Mosby, Missouri. McDonnell Douglas 600N, N160KC Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being The MD600N was being operated as a conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part corporate/executive flight when it received substan - 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant tial damage during a hard landing. The pilot had on board, was seriously injured. The local flight been demonstrating inputs needed to control the originated at an undetermined time. helicopter to the passenger. He was demonstrating a According to an FAA inspector, the helicopter was normal approach to a hover by talking through all the on a left downwind leg to runway 18-36 when the control inputs during a visual approach. The tail engine lost power. The pilot made an autorotation boom separated from the fuselage during the hard but the helicopter struck the ground hard, incurring landing. substantial damage. Hiller UH-12E, N40289 Hughes TH-55, N6358Z on April 4, 2008, a Hiller UH-12E, operated by on April 18, 2008, about 1600 mountain daylight Ascent Aviation, was substantially damaged when the time, a Hughes TH-55 helicopter, N6358z, sustained it struck the ground during aerial taxi and rolled substantial damage when it rolled over following over after landing at La Porte Municipal Airport a loss of control while hovering at the Logan- (T41), La Porte, Texas. VMC prevailed at the time Cache Airport, Logan, Utah. The private pilot, the of the accident. The instructional flight was being sole occupant, was not injured. conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of The public-use flight was conducted for the purpose Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. of demonstrating rotor blade tracking and balancing The ATPL instructor-pilot was seriously injured, and to an aviation maintenance technician class. VMC the PPL sustained minor injuries. Preliminary infor - prevailed. mation indicates the instructor and student were According to the pilot, a gust of wind caught the hel - practicing "quick stops." After completion of the icopter and he lost control. The helicopter rolled over second quick stop, the student made a left turn down - and came to rest on its left side. The tail boom was wind. The helicopter struck the ground, bounced, and buckled, and the main rotor blades were bent and hit the ground again, spinning around and coming to twisted. rest on its left side. The reported winds at the airport at 1551 were from The tail boom was severed and the main rotor blades 230 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 24 knots. were destroyed when they penetrated the cockpit.

HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008 65 H OUSE & H ELICOPTER

New Kit on the Block!?

egasus Helicopter Group Plc the specialist kit hel - in passengers and baggage, with a maximum air speed of icopter company is planning to bring its safe, low- 126 mph and a range of 225 miles. At sea level, the two- Pcost, easy-to-fly, two-seater helicopters to market seater helicopter has a rate of climb of 2000 fpm and an via an admission to the UKs PLUS Market. Pegasus has operating altitude of 18,000 feet. developed the PH-200PJ a kit helicopter that uses break - The PH-200PJ will be sold in kit form to be assembled through pressure jet technology that significantly reduces by the consumer, however the company also plans to offer

the number of parts used compared to a conventional hel - the product pre-assembled. P h o icopter. Most notably the PH-200PJ has no tail rotor, Robert zummo, CEo of Pegasus Helicopter Group Plc, t o g r

therefore no tail rotor gear box, tail rotor drive or tail commented: “At Pegasus, we have a proven technology a P h boom. Likewise, it has no main rotor drive system or that has the potential to transform the consumer helicopter s C o complex transmission for the main rotor. As a result of market. For the first time, helicopters are being brought u r t e these simplifications, Pegasus believes its PH-200PJ is within the price range of the general consumer market the s y o dramatically easier to operate and safer than convention - PH-200PJ?s mechanical simplicity makes it not only inex - f P e al designs. pensive to purchase and assemble, but also affordable to g a s The PH-200PJ is powered by a 250 Hp Gas Turbine operate and maintain.” u s h engine and is able to run on a variety of fuels, including The company plans to demonstrate its prototype single- e L i C jet fuel, diesel, gasoline and kerosene. Weighing just seat pressure jet helicopter at the EEA AirVenture Show in o P t e

800 pounds when empty, it can carry up to 525 pounds oshkosh, Wisconsin between 28 July and 3 August 2008. r s 66 HELICOPTER LIFE, Summer 2008