HELICOPTER

www.helicopterlife.com Autumn 2011 / £3.99 Lnow includinIg gyroplanFes E HeliTech Sâo Paulo Premiers new Hovers Ahead Helicopters

HELICOPTER LIFE is the HIGH LIFE HELICOPTER AuTumn 2011 LIFE COVER STORY First Flight Show & Tell Guide 4 Sâo Paulo Hovers 32 Aviation shows and conferences. Georgina Hunter-Jones flew to Brazil to see for The Editor’s Letter 5 herself the reputed heli - copter capital of the Aerial Forum 6 & 10 world, with more heli - Rob Hields reviews another aerial eatery copters movements than any other city. Letters to the Editor 7 & 11 World News 57 & 20 Flying Crackers 8 & 9 A variety of writers, look at the latest heli - World Speed Record 12 copter news and events. AgustaWestland What are companies in Twenty-five years the old world doing to after it won the world beat the recession and speed record the how the new world is Westland Lynx has benefitting from the been restored by a growth in helicopters. group of apprentices. Le Bourget and other shows 2011 42 Politics: US Debt Affects the FAA 13 Georgina Hunter-Jones Le Bourget 2011 had a Greek Heros 14 new helicopter the LIsa Heaney joins Air1 HAD1-T, and further and HeliAir Bulgaria to movements on envi - watch and participate ronmental issues in in the lifting by Mil aviation. And Arjan Mi-8 (supported by an Dijksterhuis reports on MD500) of two trans - the Tiger Meet. formers into a very tight space. USS Bataan 50 Carlo Kuit and Paul Rio Helicopter Hub 24 Kievit join one of the David Oliver Libyan support ships, looks at the growth of US Osprey V-22 carrier, oil rigs off Brazil’s the USS Bataan, and see eastern coast and how how the Wasp Class that has affect the amphibious assault ship increased number of works with its fleet. helicopters in Rio de Janeiro Book Review 58 Becoming a Bush Pilot 26 CAA Legislation changes 59 Ralph Arnesen continues with the his - Whirly Girls & other Sponsorships 62 tory of his career in the field of helicopter fly - Accident Reports 64 ing both civilian and military. Here he lives House & Helicopter 66 the life of a bush pilot.

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 3 S how & T ell G uide HELICOPTER

20 September 2011 BGAD - BUSINESS AND GENERAL AVIATION DAY LIFE Hangar 1, Cambridge Airport, UK http://www.bgad.aero AuTumn 2011

27 September - 29 September 2011 HON. EDITORIAL BOARD HELITECH DUxFORD Captain Eric Brown, CBE, RN Imperial War Museum The Lord Glenarthur, DL Duxford, near Cambridge, UK Jennifer Murray http://www.helitechevents.com/duxford Michael J. H. Smith Wing Cdr. Ken Wallis, MBE, RAF 1 October 2011 WHIRLY GIRLS SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / PILOT http://www.whirlygirls.org Georgina Hunter-Jones [email protected] for more details see page 62 CREATIVE DIRECTORS 11 October - 12 October [email protected] AIR MED & RESCUE CONGRESS CHINA COPY EDITORS Shanghai, China Evangeline Hunter-Jones, JP John Wilson Contact Rob Rich Tel: +61 415 641 774 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Ralph Arnesen, Arjan Dijksterhuis, Lisa Heaney, Email: [email protected] Rob Hields, Paul Kievit and Carlo Kuit, Bastian Liebermann, David Oliver 12 February - 14 February 2012 CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY HAI HELIExPO 2012 Ralph Arnesen, Gerald Cheyne, Arjan Dallas, Texas, USA Dijksterhuis Lisa Heaney, Comandante Hamilton, Rob Hields, Paul Kievit and Carlo Kuit, Joâo Phone: 703 683 4646 Carllos Marques, Alan Norris, David Oliver http://www.rotor.com SPECIAL THANKS TO Dave Smith ATPL(H)IR, Paul Herbert, Claudio 27 March - 1April 2012 Agostini, FIDAE 2012 ADVERTISING Santiago di Chile Telephone: +44-(0)20-7430-2384, Phone 562- 8739797 [email protected] www.fidae.cl SUBSCRIPTIONS email: [email protected] Go to our website or turn to page 54 [email protected] 25 May - 27 May 2012 WEBSITE AEROExPO UK www.helicopterlife.com Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire Blog http://www.expo.aero/uk http://helicopterlife.blogspot.com

19 September - 20th September 2012 COVER PHOTOGRAPH THE HELICOPTER SHOW Agusta 109 landing at Helipark, Carapicuiba, Farnborough, UK Sâo Paulo, Brazil. http://www.thehelicoptershow.com Photograph by Georgina Hunter-Jones HELICOPTER LIFE is published quarterly by FlyFizzi Ltd. 6 November - 8 November 2012 59 Great Ormond Street THE DUBAI HELISHOW London, WC 1N-3 Hz . Contact: Julia Cuthbert Copyright © FlyFizzi Ltd. 2011. Mediac Communications and Exhibitions - UK ISSN 1743-1042. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed herein are not neces - E-mail: [email protected] sarily those of the pub lishers, the Editor or any of the editorial http://www.dubaihelicoptershow.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 , Autumn 2011 T he e diTor ’ S l eTTer

âo Paulo, I was told, has more work, but people certainly do take helicopter movements than any their families to the beach by helicop - Sother town in the world. ter, and it was debated that people Moreover: the residents use their heli - might take their children to school copters like motorbikes; there is a that way. helicopter flight every two minutes; Sâo Paulo itself is a wonderful 420 helipads in the city of Sao Paulo; town, very vibrant and lively and full the police have a helicopter constant - of street art. One area, called ly circling the town because there is Liberdade, is the Japanese part of Sâo so much crime; even school children Paulo and the largest congregation of war zone but Libya actually was one are taken to school by helicopter Japanese people outside Japan with and we have an informative article because it is so dangerous and there immigration starting around 1908. from Paul Kievit and Carlo Kuit about is a unique helicopter service run Ironically, I left Sâo Paulo, which I their time spent on one of the support from a suburb called Tambore run had been warned by many was dan - ships the USS Bataan. and operated entirely by women, gerous, unhurt, and flew back in a While the world worries about including the pilots. London (one of the safest cities in the Greek debt, helicopter companies are With so much information, or pos - world) which was on fire and rioting. continuing to work as normal. Lisa sibly disinformation, about the huge I approached my house and saw the Heaney, who works for Air 1 in growth of helicopters in Brazil’s most smoke of a burning bus a couple of Greece, writes about her first experi - expensive town (Sâo Paulo is the streets away and spent the night lis - ence working with a heavy lifting 10th most expensive town in the tening to the circling of two twin team using the Mil Mi-8 and the world) it wetted the appetite and I Squirrels overhead. The Squirrels, H369. decided to go there to find out for incidentally, were not at all invasive, It is an interesting time to be flying myself if any of this was true. either because cameras are now so but a difficult time to be trying to get However, although once in Sâo good that the pilots can be out of ear- a job. While in Europe and America Paulo I could see for myself there shot when in eye-shot or because the this is the result of the recession, in were lots of helicopters and lots of pilots wanted those householders who Brazil there is plenty of work, but helicopter movements, it was not still had a house to get a good nights there are not enough experienced easy to get exact figures. This is not sleep. I estimated the Squirrels were pilots, and in the Middle East aviation because pilots and managers are around 1500 feet and very quiet. is feeling the effect of the Arab unwilling to talk, far from it, but London may have seemed like a Spring. Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP because official statistics are few. commented that when advertising is

s Somethings, though, I was able to e

n not available in old markets compa - o completely discount: there is no all- J -

r nies move to new markets, this, how - e female helicopter company based in t n ever, is harder for pilots to do. Some u

h Tambore or anywhere else, nor do the a countries, Brazil for example, will n i police have a constantly circling R22 g r only employ their own nationals, o

e in Sâo Paulo City, in fact they didn’t g

other countries, India is a good exam - :

m have any Robinsons at all and use the o

t ple, do employ foreign pilots but not t Schweizer for training and AS350s o

B foreign companies, and even where

, for most of the EMS and fire fighting s e ex-pat pilots are allowed to work u q r a there is the question of language. m s

o China is looking to be a helicopter l l r

a growth market, it is possible that C o unemployed pilots should start taking â o J

: Chinese lessons. P o t h P a r g o t o h P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 5 A eriAl F orum Armathwaite Hall in Cumbria Robert ‘noshmore’ Hields on the art of flying and eating

Jane and Jack Havakin with the Big Red EC130 and Noshmore on the lawn at Armathwaite Halll

t is with great pleasure I have the chance to write about one history that inhabits it, and the lake that stretches before it, it of my personal favourite country house hotels. I have is a house of perfect and irresistible atmosphere”. Not my Iknown of Armathwaite Hall for many years, going back to words unfortunately, but they most certainly sum up the my days as a touring motorcyclist, (Vincent Black Shadow), atmosphere of the house and grounds. and my early experiences rock climbing in the Lake District I had the pleasure of dinner in the Lake View Restaurant a with my older brother, Ronny. We often used to camp at couple of years ago, and the attention to detail from the staff Braithwaite outside Keswick and just south of lake suggests nothing but pride in the quality of the food, and that Bassenthwaite, primarily because Arkid, (Yorkshire for my of the service, with a slightly aristocratic team spirit that adds brother), fancied the bird behind the bar in the local pub, but he to the hushed atmosphere of expectation, after pondering and also had climbing friends who lived in the village. So, apart finally ordering the food. The sound of real corks being with - from learning a bit of Yorkshire Viking dialect, you may have drawn, and then presented by the waiters for that first ‘nose’, picked up that there is a lot of “Thwaite’s” mentioned in the alongside polished crystal glasses, was exciting, and added to article. Well, just to clear things up for our lesser travelled, or the charm of the whole experience. It will remain with me for overseas readers, the word Thwaite is thought to have come a long time indeed. from the Viking word Pveit, which means cutting and adopted However, on the evening of our flying visit, it was indeed into English. In the local Cumbrian dialect, Thwaite means a time, or rather lack of it, that steered us to the relatively new

piece of ground, cleared from the forest, no longer in common Courtyard Bar and Brasserie. Although I hold a night rating s d l e use other than as part of a name! for helicopter flying, I don’t advocate using it other than a i h t

If you fancy a trip by helicopter to the Lake District, I can last resort, and always where I know I have a decent chance r e B recommend Armathwaite Hall. If you are looking for a peaceful of landing on level ground should I be forced to do so! o r romantic break with the wife and kids, or just the secretary, f

Therefore being non-resident, and fairly short of time the o y then look no further. Brasserie seemed the logical solution. The Brasserie is bright s e t r

In the words of Hugh Walpole; “Speaking of romance is and cheerful, with a modern fresh feel to it, very well fitted u o there anything more romantic than Armathwaite Hall with its and not over-crowded. A small observation I made was that C s e r

lovely habit of drawing Bassenthwaite in a sheet of Silver or one resident gave it a slightly Scandinavian feel by constantly u t C Orange to its very doors? With the trees that guard it and the continued on page 10 i P

6 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 l l eTTerS To The e diTor Letters continue on page 11

59 Great Ormond Street, London WC1N-3Hz, England. Telephone: 020-7430-2384, Email: [email protected]. Please include your name, and email or phone. Calidus corrected

Dear Georgina, of flying at speeds well above 300 mph! And while the I enjoyed the Summer 2011 article on the new Calidus Rota theoretically had a maximum speed of 110 mph, Gyroplane (Superbug takes flight), and write to correct Hill’s experience was that aircraft’s top speed was 85 – a slight inaccuracy: 90 mph, so he knew all that stood between him and It was the RAF, not the US military, that used Cierva death was the unique flying characteristics of the C.30A ‘Rota’ Autogiros to calibrate the coastal radar, a Autogiro. significant but little-known part of what latter came to Pretending that he was unaware of the FW 190, which be called the ‘Battle of Britain’, and therein lies an had looped upward from below the Rota and was then even more obscure tale of how this rotary-wing aircraft positioned in preparation for a strafing run with its took on two top-of-the-line German fighters – and sur - cannons and machine guns, sweating profusely with vived! his hand on the stick, Hill waited until the last moment Flying Officer Norman Hill detailed, in a 1963 maga - before tilting the rotor head backward causing the Rota zine article, the procedure by which radar calibration to slow and flare upward, and the German plane to was achieved. He described the flight of July 14, 1943: pass harmlessly overhead. Hill then pushed the stick "Working with CHF (Chain-Height-Find), Rye3, I had hard to port causing the Rota to turn and dive towards to orbit about a dozen marks on land and sea. Special the ground, a manoeuvre the German pilot declined to markers were first dropped for the sea runs, around follow. But even as Hill struggled to regain control of which the smallest possible orbit had to be maintained the Autogiro that was locked in a steep dive, a second for a period of three to six minutes, at altitudes of two, FW 190 appeared and closed for kill. Again Hill’s fly - three, and four thousand feet, while the special squeg - ing ability and the aircraft’s capabilities saved the day ger aboard transmitted signals to the radar stations." as he deliberately turned directly towards his attacker, But such activities and reconnaissance missions in both presenting the smallest possible profile to the which the Autogiro ventured into harm's way always attacking aircraft and likely scaring its pilot, a tech - carried with it the possibility of confrontation with nique which worked. The second aircraft broke off the enemy airpower, which had previously only been a attack at what seemed the last minute and passed theoretical consideration. As American Army Air below the Rota. The entire encounter had taken only Corps Lieutenants H. Franklin Gregory and Eric three minutes, used up most of Hill’s fuel, but carried Nichols discovered in testing the Kellett YG-1 the planes considerably inland where he was able to Autogiro in 1936 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the continue in steep but controlled descent to a safe Autogiro’s turning and descending abilities could out - landing while the FW 190s, presumably, returned to maneuver fighter planes which generally only had one their bases across the English Channel. Hill had born pass, but those drills, conducted during artillery-spot - out the experience of Gregory and Nichols seven years ting exercises, did not feature live ammunition. before. However, on that 1943 July afternoon, Flying Officer NB: Before descending for a landing, Hill actually Hill was about to discover what it was like to face real only noted one FW 190 remaining, presumed to be his ammunition and real enemy pilots determined to down first adversary. While the English pilot prayed that the the Autogiro. second FW 190, which had engaged the Rota at a The sun was setting late on the July afternoon as much lower altitude, had crashed, he was never able to Hill was completing his final calibration exercise – he ascertain if that was so. passed through some disturbed air and realized for the first time that there were other aircraft in the area. Yours sincerely, When trying to find the cause of the disturbance, he Bruce Charnov first noticed an aircraft flying below his position and Ph.D J.D. FRAeS became alarmed when realizing that it was a well- armed German fighter, a Focke Wulf FW 190, capable continued on page 11

HELICOPTER LIFE, Autumn 2011 7 F lyinG C rACkerS

start popping up, it's ‘when.’ And, Hilda Hewlett owned and ran a fly - Stealthy Toy Production for proponents of the technology, the ing school at Brooklands motor rac - A popular Chinese toy company is answer to that is sometime within ing circuit in Surrey. She learned to taking the secret weapon in the dead - the next five or six years. fly there and on August 29th 1911, at ly U.S. raid on Osama bin Laden's the age of 47, became the first British Pakistan compound and turning it Chinese Flying Saucer woman to be issued with a pilot’s into kid's play – offering a A Chinese farmer who worked as an licence. Hilda taught her Naval offi - “Operation Geronimo” stealth heli - automobile mechanic and designed cer son to fly later the same year. copter scale model kit that come in and built at least one ultralight that pairs of two, just like in the real-life flew before crashing, has now built Flying Motorcycles, Robin events. “The fuselage, nose and tail a flying saucer. Shu Mansheng's were all modified to reduce the Christopher Malloy an Australian hel - project is powered by eight motorcy - craft’s radar cross-section,” reads a icopter pilot has built a flying motor - cle engines mounted vertically. They product description on cycle. It took him two and a half drive individual fixed-pitch wooden DragonModelsUSA.com, the U.S. years to complete and uses technolo - propellers. The engines are arranged distributor of Dragon Models gy from the Chinook and the Israeli in an inner and outer group of four Limited. “This 1+1 package will engines each. An open cockpit locat - even allow modelers to recreate the ed in the center is mounted above raid on Bin Laden’s hideout!” spokes that both support the engines and extend to an outer circular ring. Supporters will be hoping for a more positive outcome than the innova - tor's last attempt.

Turtles close JFK with Love-In One morning in June, 150 love- struck turtles turned JFK’s runways into an obstacle course. At 6:45 a.m. flying car, as well as motorcycles Watch out for wind turbines pilots of aircraft from New York themselves. His ‘Hoverbike’ will Regulations and technological reported the reptilian couples, who apparently be able to reach an altitude restrictions suggest it may not hap - clearly hadn't heard the tower's take - of 10,000ft and speeds of over pen very soon, or at all, but some off clearances, were blocking the 100mph, although at present it has researchers believe aerial turbines runway. The air traffic controller, only been tested while tethered. It will be tapping high-altitude winds who kept cool throughout the weighs 270 kgs. Information and pic - for power generation sometime in episode, alternated between wildlife tures from: www.hover-bike.com. our future and perhaps within the reports, dispatching ground person - decade. For researchers, the mother nel to rescue turtles and issuing take - Food for Flying lode would be to maintain flying off clearances. The turtles were just A Boeing 737-800 carrying 171 pas - electric generators in the jet stream. doing what comes naturally and sengers out of Amsterdam for Paris Scientists estimate the energy there apparently the big noisy things in was, according to KLM, "the first air - could provide for current worldwide their way weren't going to stop them line in the world" to operate a com - power needs 100 times over, annual - mercial flight on biokerosene (a used 100 Years of Women Pilots cooking oil, Jet-A mix), with more to ly. That doesn't mean it could happen m o C

come. KLM said that by September .

and, for now, developers are focus - 2011 is not only the celebration of e k i

2011, it will begin 200 more flights, B ing on developing tethered products 100 years of Naval flying it is also r e v for deployment at altitudes below 100 years of female pilots in the flying the same route, and using the o h

same 50-50 blend of fuel. Details h 2,000 feet. According to some, the United Kingdom and the two cele - P a r

brations come together in the person regarding regulatory issues are not yet g question isn't ‘if’ these products will o t

clear. The biofuel portion of the fuel o of Mrs Hewlett. h P 8 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 F lyinG C rACkerS

mixture that KLM used for this latest flight was not Why you should read the NOTAMS derived from the camonila or jatropha plants. (The An elderly Chicago-area pilot who sthought the pilots of a plants have earned attention for their high oil content pair of F-16s circling her were just admiring her award- and low agricultural impact.) KLM used a cooking- winning 1941 Piper Cub now knows why they were really oil-based fuel produced by Dynamic Fuels in a joint there! Myrtle Rose, 75, admits she didn't check NOTAMs venture between Syntroleum and Tyson Foods. More or even turn on the radio in the blue-and-yellow Cub she information to follow. calls Winston when she went for a hop from her fly-in community last August and strayed into a USA presiden - Jumping on the DB Cooper Flight? tial TFR. When the fighters appeared, it apparently never Is an Oklahoma woman who was eight years old in occurred to her they might be on official business. 1971 really DB Cooper’s Niece? D.B. Cooper was the "I thought, 'Oh, well, they're just looking at how cute the passenger who was made famous in 1971 when he Cub is," she told the Associated Press. hijacked the Seattle to Reno Boeing 727 at It's not clear whether the fighter jocks attempted to escort Thanksgiving and jumped out with $200,000 in cash her to an airport but it may not have done any good. Rose and a parachute. A woman now claims that DB was got back in the cub, waving at the F-16 pilots and headed really L.D. Cooper, and he's been dead since 1999. home. D.B. Cooper is the name that has stuck with the The airstrip in the affluent Chicago suburb of South hijacker, who identified himself as Dan Cooper, possi - Barrington soon filled with police cars. bly after a comic book character who was his hero. When he jumped out, the aircraft was flying at night at approximately 10,000 feet over Oregon. He was never found. Marla Cooper, who is working on a book on the subject, says her memories have come rushing back over the past few years. The real LB Cooper was a Korean Veteran and, his family say, quite tough enough to have survived the jump in appalling weather. No body was ever found. s d n i m Helicopters at Hurlingham e v i t

P For the first time, the Concours d’Elegance, which a C

f has been at Hurlingham Club for twenty years, had an o y

s aviation theme, featuring a World War 11 e t r Supermarine Spitfire and the EC135 Hermes u o C Helicopter. Moreover, visitors were allowed to drop s h P a off the heliroute which passes along the Thames, r g o behind the club, and land their helicopters on the t o h

P cricket lawn.

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 continued from page 6 and this roaring thing, this invisible giant or demon, flew like appearing in his bath robe from the adjoining Spa whilst we the wind among them, throwing men over, striking some dead were choosing a meal, much to the amusement of a couple of and wounding others, until the whole army fell into panic”. Asian children who were sat down with their parents eating. The phenomenon of the Helm wind, which can last for days, The food was typical, generous, top quality and well pre - is caused by a collision of two weather systems among the sented. Jane went for the Cumberland sausage with mountains. It generally originates in the long valley running caramelised onions, creamed mash and a red wine sauce. North and south near Crossfell, and it is said that the clouds Jack opted for the fish of the day, Sea Bream fillets with new coming up from the East do not mingle with those coming from potatoes and a small separate, well presented side salad. The the West, but form long lines with a lane of clear sky between fillets were lightly pan fried and accompanied by a lemon them, and the wind beneath forms an acute disturbance over a butter sauce, capers and wild mushrooms. Having already curiously localised area, sometimes in one valley, sometimes in taken in a cooked breakfast and a huge crab salad for lunch, I another. opted for the steak burger, (home-made), served with the I wrote an article about this wind and the Lake District house hand cut chips, salad and relish. All the food was weather about 15 years ago, when I circulated a quarterly excellent Brassiere quality, although Jane did comment on the newsletter to my students and clients, called simply, ‘Attitude’. sausage not being ‘course’ enough for Cumberland. Being Unfortunately I have lost most of the original drafts, but that from Aspatria, she should know I suppose. one was the result of a short break I had in the Lakes one sum - The hotel is splendid, offering traditional rooms in the mer, which turned into a wet and windy one. To give you an house, and more modern annex accommodation. The Spa is example, I was sitting having a cup of tea in the Keswick pen - welcoming and relaxing, and well worth a visit. cil museum, on my ninth visit that week. I can remember that it Well, before you jump in the helicopter and transition off was the only time I have seen Japanese tourists with untidy to that magical part of Britain, here is a stern warning. Read hair, waddling towards the door with umbrellas resembling the weather forecast. Please! Don’t forget that the Lakeland badly eaten skate wings! “Velly windy” I said to my new slitty- tourist board didn’t dig out those valleys and fill them up eyed acquaintance, as he sat opposite me shaking with cold. with water to entice tourists. And for those of you who don’t “Ress, velly” he acknowledged. I tried to explain the signifi - know, and I suspect the majority, the Lake District is the cance of the Atlantic low pressure, and the reading of 979 mil - home of Britain’s only named wind. The ‘helm’ and YOU libars in the mountain rescue post window, when I suddenly can’t fly in it! In fact in full force you can’t walk in it either. realised from his blank smiling expression that we had exhaust - It had the power to turn back an Army of Normans. “They ed his entire English vocabulary. “Ah-so, it is the Helm Wind” heard a roaring sound behind them. It was louder than any - I said slurping off the last dregs before leaving for the next thing they had heard before. The water of the lake rose up to indoor tourist attraction. the sky in clouds of spray, and their regiments and horsemen Well don’t let me put you off going, I have given you the were struck great blows and hurled to the ground by some - extreme conditions, but its worth remembering that 15-20 knots thing invisible. Every tree was lifted from its roots and flung wind at sea level, can give you a rough time in and around the among the soldiers, whilst branches and all sorts of things mountains, and most of you I suspect will be flying two-bladed hurtled through the air. Camp equipment flew away, knights helicopters, susceptible to low-g conditions. Also be fully once down among their kicking horses never got up again, aware that there is regular weekday activity from the RAF, and overseas military jet pilots training in the Lakes, so do your homework first. If the weather is good, fly through the mountain valleys with sufficient height to cope with an engine failure, keep a good look out, and constantly keep an eye on the wind’s direction and strength. If it’s not that good you can approach Armathwaite from the North, it’s easy to find at the North end of the lake. Don’t forget to book in, and make your final approach from the south, landing on the grassed area near the croquet lawn. The staff sometimes produce a portable wooden H, but I would be tempted to remain twenty yards or so clear of this as it looks a little flimsy. Also, allow some distance from the sloping grass terrace should anyone get curious and wander

over rotors turning. Enjoy your visit! P h o t

Craft : EC 130 B4 G HAVI o g r

Crew: R N-Hields. Captain/Navigator/Radio Ops/Flt-Eng. a P h

P2. Jack Havakin. P3/4/5/6,occasionally 7. Jane Havakin. s r

Jane and Jack Weather. Light Northerly wind, good visibility, broken cloud, o B h

Havakin in the all above highest peaks. i e l d

drawing room at Radio Service . Very Basic but friendly, with London s Armathwaite Hall Information/Squawk 1177 mode Charlie.

10 HELICOPTER LIFE, Autumn 2011 m ore l eTTerS To The ediTor

continued from page 7

Chinese GA Fly-in Chinese Air Med & Rescue

Dear Georgina, Dear Editor, I was fascinated to read that China was having its first Please find attached information about an inaugural GA Fly-in somewhere near Beijing. Is this true? And, helicopter event which has had little coverage in the if so, what aeroplanes and helicopters does China have international helicopter community. China has to fly in? recently begun to release airspace for general aviation I read in your magazine that helicopters have to file a use. In particular, this will allow helicopter SAR and flight plan every time they fly (Editorial Summer HEMS to develop. The world has not yet had time to 2011). If that is so, what happens in a case like this? analyse the commercial aspects of this significant Does every person who flies in file a flight plan? Or is change. there some blanket coverage that covers them all. I am Please note an update on the Chinese helicopter fleet merely imagining what it would be like if every plane (or lack of it). China only has 130 civilian helicopters. that flew into Oshkosh had to file a flight plan: Air By comparison USA has 12,000, Canada 2,680, Traffic Controllers nightmare! Australia 1,880 and New zealand 791. Best wishes, So, China will need some help in the coming decades. Herbert Munn Some observers say they are hoping to obtain 1,000 helicopters in three years; however, that figure is not 20th September - 25th September AOPA says: In a step achievable without significant international investment. toward building the general aviation industry in Kindest regards, China, AOPA-China is hosting a five-day General Rob Rich Aviation Summit in Beijing in September. Australia & New zealand Representative Air Med & Rescue Congress China 2011 (Organised by the Pyxis Consult Co Ltd - Shanghai)

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wORdS And PICTuRES AguSTA wESTLAnd he Lynx World Speed Record helicopter has been The team of AgustaWestland apprentices have spent restored, 25 years after it won the record, in a four over 25,000 hours researching the configuration of the air - Tyear restoration programme undertaken by a team craft, de-modifying the aircraft, locating the original parts of AgustaWestland apprentices. wherever possible, sourcing missing parts, rebuilding the The record breaking Westland Lynx helicopter, which is aircraft and finally repainting it in its distinctive world still the official holder of the helicopter World Speed speed record colours with all the logos of those companies Record, was unveiled by AgustaWestland’s CEO Bruno that assisted the original project. Spagnolini. The 11th August 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of Bruno Spagnolini said “To have held the world helicop - the Westland Lynx helicopter setting a new world helicop - ter speed record for 25 years highlights is an outstanding ter speed record of 249.1 mph (400.87 kph). The Lynx hel - achievement by all those involved in the project and the icopter, registered G-LYNX, flew a 15km course across development of the rotor blade technology that was key to the Somerset Levels at 500 ft on a calm hazy evening back the successful record attempt. The apprentices are to be in 1986 with Chief Test Pilot Trevor Egginton at the con - also congratulated on performing an excellent restoration trols and Derek Clews, Flight Test Engineer alongside. of this historically important helicopter.” The average speed achieved over two runs was 249.1 mph Following its World Record breaking flight in 1986 the (400.87 kph), beating the record held by a modified Mil aircraft went on to become the test bed for CTS800-4N ‘Hind’ helicopter by over 20 mph (32 kph). engines and was heavily modified before finally being retired from development flying in 1991. In January 1995 P h

the helicopter was donated to the Helicopter Museum o t o g

where it was preserved and put on public display, then in r a P

2007, AgustaWestland agreed to undertake the restoration h a g

of the aircraft back to its World Speed Record configura - u s t a

tion. The aircraft returned to Yeovil, where it was original - W e s

ly built, and the team of apprentices set about the major t l a n

task of restoring the aircraft to as close a condition as pos - d sible to that on its record breaking flight.

12 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 l oCAl P oliTiCS or G oSSiP ?

uS debt Crisis affects FAA

n August, the New York Times reported that dozens However, the situation was partially resolved by a tem - of FAA inspectors were continuing to work without porary funding measure, on August 5th which at least put Ipay, having been asked to stay on the job and to 4,000 FAA workers back in employment. This expires on charge government travel expenses to their personal September 16th and President Obama is said to be insist - credit cards to keep airports operating safely. ing that the impass, which is due to a difference between This was, they explained, because the U.S. House of Congress and the Senate about employees and unionisa - Representatives and Senate had left town for the summer tion, be properly sorted out this time. without ending the ten day old stalemate over reauthoriz - The current situation appears to be still somewhat con - ing the finances behind the FAA. The FAA's previous fused, with some workers returning to the FAA while air - temporary funding measure expired July 23, reportedly port construction workers are still unsure of their future causing the immediate layoff of about 75,000 people position. either directly employed by, or contracted to work for, However, even if they are not paid air traffic con - the FAA. The shutdown also prevented the FAA from trollers can now go back to riding in the cockpit. collecting approximately $30 million per day in airline Reviving a pre-2001 programme where traffic con - ticket taxes. After failing to pass a temporary funding trollers were welcome to ride jump-seat in airline cock - measure for the FAA, the Senate began a five-week-long pits in order to familiarize them with flight-crew proce - ‘district work break.’ dures, the FAA said: Newspapers said that Democratic leaders in “This [Flight Deck Training] gives our new generation Washington were screaming loudly over the impasse, of air traffic controllers a chance to see and hear what the labeling Republicans as "terrorists" and "holding the pilot is experiencing so they know exactly what is hap - nation's air traffic control system hostage." pening on the other end of the microphone." This, apparently, all stemmed from the Republican FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt explained. "As a refusal to allow the government to raise the debt ceiling. pilot, I think this important training will give controllers This, as we now know, lost the USA its Triple A credit a richer picture of the airspace system." rating and lead to a huge fall in stock markets, not only The program aims to improve safety by giving air traf - in the USA, but across the world. It also led to major fic controllers a greater understanding of the pilots' expe - complaints from China, who holds much of the US debt. rience and workload in the cockpit. Controllers can take Had the Senate not acted on funding the FAA before up to two trips per year, and cannot take the training in returning to work in September, the FAA was on track to conjunction with any leave. lose a total of $1.3 billion in ticket tax revenue. Never mind the money - feel the turbulence. uK Airspace Olympics 2012

he Olympic airspace situation still remains slightly The site is found at: unclear, although there will apparently be a user http://olympics.airspacesafety.com/ Tmanual issued nearer the time (July 2012) which and is clear, easy to read and well worth keeping tabs on will explain all the details. The Olympic airspace site as the games get nearer. says: The airspace decisions are the result of meetings “The UK Government has indicated that airspace between the CAA, Department of Transport and the RAF restrictions will be placed around all Games venues. The and it appears that the Olmpic Restricted zone will be major restrictions will be centred on London and the controlled by a new RAF unit called Atlas Control. It is Olympic Park and will run from 14 July 2012 to 15 said that it will have twelve radar positions and twelve August 2012. A smaller set of airspace restrictions will radio frequencies and give a capacity for 150 aircraft day then be put in place for the London 2012 Paralympic and night. Clearly this is a significantly different service Games from 16 August 2012 to 12 September 2012” from the present time.

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 13 Flawless Precision on a grand Scale

words and pictures by Lisa Heaney

t’s officially the first day of summer in Greece and, ferry flight in the MD 500 E, but also two ferry flights as if I ever needed a reminder, I check the OAT. It is with the Mi-8, photo & video flights, a spectacular sun - Ialready 20 degrees at 7am. It’s expected to reach 30, rise formation flight and precision external load on a well before mid-day. ‘Hot and high’ operations are grand scale! Believe me, the next three days deliver guaranteed. much more than I expect and for a new heli-pilot, it’s a My day starts at a modest 6am, preparing for the fantastic learning experience. increasingly earlier starts that will face me over the next This mission will see the joining of two forces: AIR 1 few days. The mission ahead will entail not just one Helicopters, Greece and Heli Air, Bulgaria. It is a first

14 HELICOPTER LIFE Autumn 2011 time collaboration for the two companies, so the pres - becoming the very best in their field rather than just a sure is on for both to perform flawlessly. AIR 1 jack-of-all-trades. AIR 1’s expertise lies in the less Helicopters, Greece are Aerial Utilities and Agriculture glamorous side of the helicopter industry; Aerial specialists operating in Greece but expanding into the Spraying, External Load and Power Line Stringing. EU & International markets. The owner has 40 years of Heli Air, Bulgaria has a strong reputation across the globe aviation experience and as a result has high expecta - and has been established as a company for over twenty tions of himself and his team. This mindset filters years. They too hold the same values as their co-team; through to his company whose philosophy is that of striving to be the very best at what they do in every possi -

HELICOPTER LIFE Autumn 2011 Marking out the exact spot for the load

Care has to be taken or the load will spin round

Briefing on load distribution A very tight spot

ble sense and not just trying to offer aerial services, Their giving a ‘helicopter friendly’ departure procedure. This team have worked in some very hostile environments and saves us fuel and time, which is great given we are at near dealt with some extremely challenging operations. Heli max gross and will now save us an en-route fuel stop. So, Air are also specialists in External Load / Aerial Crane, direct-to we go. Aerial Inspection & Surveillance, but have the added We arrive in the beautiful and medieval peninsula of string to their bow of EMS, UN Missions, SAR and Fire Monemvasia, South West of Athens. The peninsula hous - Fighting. es a fortress, where our mission will take place. It is apparent that between both teams there is a strong Our arrival sparks a theatre of people, snapping pic - regard for the other’s professionalism, a strong team ethos tures and showing increasing curiosity about our mission and admirable respect for one another. to move two transformer sub-stations and their housing. I speak to our Captains and eventually the inevitable Never have I encountered so many people wanting to question of hours comes up. Each of our Captains has know more about transformers! well over 10,000 hours and several type ratings, on all The Fire Department and Police arrive and before long manner of different helicopters. They must have bucket our audience will be in for another treat: the arrival of loads of stories to tell and experience to share. I have Heli Air and their Mi-8! quite some way to go before I clock the same. I get the opportunity to play ‘Approach’ and bring in My first ferry flight starts with AIR 1 team. On arriv - the MI-8 to our temporary heli-port. As the crew disem - ing at the heliport in Koropi, a short distance from Athens barks, AIR 1 and Heli Air meet again. Moments later AIR International, we fuel, preflight, and wait and wait... and 1’s fuel truck and mobile heli-port arrive. Although the wait... When your flying on someone else’s pocket, you Mi-8 won’t be landing on this helideck! don’t fly until you know everything is ‘good to go’. The area is buzzing with people marveling at the spec - As soon as we have confirmation that the Heli Air tacular aircraft before them. The Greek electrical compa - Bulgaria team is at their first re-fuelling checkpoint, hav - ny arrives with their ever-increasing team. Now the work

ing departed from Bulgaria, it’s time for our departure. y

really starts. e n a

We have zero wind and, sadly, Athens International is on For those not familiar with this Russian Mi-8, here is e h a

a 03 configuration. For us, this means a zigzagging, s

some technical data. The Mi-8 (designated ‘HIP’ by i l

‘around the houses’, fuel-burning departure, as the heli - h

NATO) first took flight in 1961. Depending on the config - P a r port is in between the two ILSs of Athens International. uration, some Mi-8s hold up to 32 passengers, including g o t

We get lucky with our controller who obliges us by o

the necessary 3 crew (2 pilots & 1 flight engineer). Its h P 16 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Heli Air Bulgaria’s Mil Mi-8 and Air 1’s MD 500. Formation flying with a difference.

weight varies from 6,800 kg - 7,400 kg with a MTOW After a few more hours of work, we break for some (IGE) in ISA of around 11,600 kg. In short, it’s a giant R&R before meeting up at the drop zone to iron out any beast of a machine. I’ve never seen a Mi-8 up close and final details. personal. I expect it to be quite cumbersome, but I have to At 6pm the helicopter teams meet to discuss the best admit, I’m growing to like this Russian giant a great deal. course of action for the mission again, just in case any - The Mi-8 has rarely been surpassed in its capabilities and thing has been missed in the initial Site Survey. All still remains a popular aircraft for all manner of missions actions and recommendations agreed in the initial survey across the globe including: SAR, UN Missions, Military have been taken care of. There are no safety issues, the Missions, Medivac as well as the flying crane for External weather data forecasts favorable conditions. At this stage, Loads. the mission will go ahead. The MD 500 by contrast is a quick and nimble machine A briefing to the electrical company ground crew will but with immense lifting capabilities. It’s not just a work - start at 7pm. Given the nature of the mission, communi - horse, but more of a “Stallion work-horse” and just as cation is going to be key to its success. No easy task given keen on the eye! With a Standard Empty Weight of around we have two different native languages and are communi - 686 kg and Maximum Gross Weight of 1610 kg. If you do cating in English. I count around 50 personnel taking part the math, its not too far off the lifting capabilities of the in the briefing. I listen to the translation back to Greek of Mi-8, per kg of its own body weight! each and every sentence from the Captains to the electri - The Transformers and their housing each weigh in at 2 cal company. The briefing takes some time and at times 1/2 Tons! The Mi-8 can take the load, but given the hot its a painful process, but so very necessary. As one of our and high conditions, the team agree to strip down as much Captains states, it is better to talk for ten hours and fly for y e

n of the equipment as possible. Doors, fixtures, fittings and only one. a e h oil are removed. The teams work on their aircraft, unload We wrap up around 9pm, time to get to bed for a a s i

l and secure equipment, re-fuel and prepare as much as pos - before-sunrise wake up call of 5am. f o sible. They are tired and its getting warm too and yet our Once on site, we confirm weather, pre-flight, and check y s e t teams even have take the time to introduce our spectators equipment. Everything is in order, everyone in position r u o to their respective aircrafts and tell them a little bit about and we are green for go. I’m iat the drop zone, camera C h

P ready. Then the sound of blades cutting the air starts. a the mission. There is no ego or glory in the Aerial Utilities r g o field. Everyone, including the pilots, is used to getting The sun is low on the horizon and before I know it, I’m t o h their hands dirty. witnessing the Mi-8 and MD 500 in formation flight. The P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 17 first circuit around the zone check’s everything from the Air 1’s MD 500 ready to lift the air before the lifting starts. Everything looks good from a smaller items flight perspective, so we start lifting. Again, cameras... check. I anticipate the Mi-8’s arrival. I’m not prepared at all for the experience of the down - wash. Even with safety goggles, mask and safety hat, I think its pretty safe to say, I’m going to be washing dirt out of my pores for days to come. Surrounding obstruc - tions in the confined area seem to be trapping the down - wash and amplifying it before blasting it through the gaps to he outer perimeter. I’m literally sand blasted with downwash, at almost 40m away. I’m at the first checkpoint of 3 perimeters, acting as one of the outer Marshalls. An over-excited spectator waits for the ideal opportunity to try to sneak a closer look. Just in time, I grab her and caution her back. I learn that when it comes to safety, you expect everything and anything to go wrong and plan for that accordingly. The inevitable chain of disaster events from a simple error could have started with just that one person taking one more step. team a margin of error to position the transformers if less After a while, I am relieved of my Marshall duties to that 0.5m either side, as they slip the item through the allow me access into the center of the storm. I re-position housing opening at the top. Sounds demanding enough, myself. True to the hurricane’s eye, the eye of the down - then when you realize the items are to be positioned into wash is also much calmer. I’m no longer digging my heels a confined area with approx. dimensions 2.70 m x 3.80m into the ground. At this point I really appreciate the true x 2.00 m, not to forget the 8 lines men assisting with the magnitude of what is being achieved. positioning, directly inside and outside the confined area. Each transformer has dimensions of 1.10m x 1.60m x On top of this the aircrew are positioned vertically above, 1.60m. After the transformers are ready, the metal hous - at around 60 ft. ing must be positioned first and then the transformers are We have been cautioned and given specific instructions to be positioned inside the housing. This gives the Mi-8 on handling the load, by Heli Air as the load will most likely start to turn and once it does its hard to stop and it The transformers rotates fast. This is when good communication, no devia - and their housing tion from instructions and only key personnel giving hand weigh 2.5 tonnes signals becomes vital to ensure the safety of all personnel and no damage to the cargo. The Mi-8 circuits four loads to the drop zone with pre - fect precision and on top of this, has to deal with a change in wind direction, forcing a new approach and take-off configuration. Whilst the Mil is in the air and carrying out the exter - nal load positioning, the MD takes off to go and take the aerial photography and film of the mission. Once everything is completed the Mi-8 drops back, while the MD continues to buzz around carrying the lighter loads to finish the task. I have just witnessed some amazing teamwork and an amazing mission.

y

Once everything is finished, there are loud cheers and e

n

a claps from the ground crew and lots of thumbs up. I look e

h

a

s

around at all the dirt ridden and tired but smiling faces. i

l

s

Everyone seems to agree it has been a very successful h

P

a

mission. Tomorrow, it’s another early start for me, but r

g

o

t

now its time for a ferry flight in the Mi-8. o

h

P 18 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 PhotograPhs Courtesy of lisa heaney 3 l i a 0 f n

t d i d n e

g g t

h r ‘ e e h e

o M s t

c i a e l n

n M d t i

i g h - r 8 i g a

i h d s ’ e Around the world lan-Ude Aviation Plant’s Mi-171 helicopters Kazspas 2011 took part in an exercise, Kazspas 2011, with UKazakhstan’s rescue teams. The exercise was at Kazakhstan’s EMERCOM train - ing base Rocky city - Astana. The goal was to develop the rescuers skills in complex weather environments, while performing rescues and other necessary operations using the different types of equipment required. The exercise included salvage and rescue operations exercise on land and water, firefighting using water dropping systems, transportation of EMERCOM vehicle using external sling-loading systems, unloading of res - cue ATVs for simulated emergency response on chemi - cal plants, using Mi-171 helicopters. The helicopters were also used to practice disembarking canine rescue teams from the Mils in an out-of-ground-effect hover for future work in earthquake zones, and aqualung rescuers using the winch. Enstrom 480B Certified in China r e t P o

nstrom Helicopter Corporation has received couldn’t have come at a better time,” commented C o r CAAC civil type certification of the 480B turbine Enstrom’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Tracy u e d

helicopter in China. The 480B joins three other Biegler. “We’ve already seen that the 480B’s rugged n a

E g n models of Enstrom helicopters now certified in China, design, low cost, and flexibility are popular with Chinese i l t i e

including the current production piston powered 280FX. customers. Now that the certification hurdle has been r B

“We’ve had a good relationship with the CAAC since cleared, those customers can move forward with confi - f o y our first aircraft certifications in the mid 90’s. It’s always dence on acquiring new aircraft.” s e t r a pleasure to work with them,” said Enstrom’s Director Enstrom delivered the first Chinese 480B to long time u o C of Engineering, Bill Taylor. “We are excited to be customer Wuhan Helicopters. The 480B is equipped with s h P a

adding the 480B.” a Garmin GPS system, an Isolair agricultural spraying r g o

“With the expected growth in the Chinese market, this system, and a Safe Flight Powerline Detection System. t o h P 20 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 ukranian Antonov delivers horses n Antonov AN12 belonging to Ukrainian compa - ”Our generous runway length of 1,965m/6447ft can sup - ny Meridian Airlines landed at the Cambridge port these heavy machines, and our ground staff are AAirport in the east of England. The freight air - familiar with handling these very specific types of char - craft, chartered by Intradco, one of the world's leading ters”. bloodstock air transportation specialists, arrived from He added: “We regularly welcome horses, from within Nimes, France with eight horses and grooms. the European region and are seeing a growing number of Cambridge Airport regularly welcomes race horses on bloodstock specialists using the airport. We are also their way to Newmarket racecourse, but this is the first exploring options for implementing the Pet Passport time long distance endurance horses have arrived, and on scheme so we can take cats, dogs and ferrets”. such a heavy aircraft. The AN12 spent two days at Cambridge before its Archie Garden, Cambridge Airport Director, said: next charter to Prague in the Czech Republic EC135 for dunkirk Sea Pilots

he sea pilots of Dunkirk guide some 5,800 ships Tday and night every year in to port. 1,450 of these are assisted by helicopter. Dunkirk in France and on the North Sea has some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and the port has opted for the EC135 to continue offering opti - mum availability and top-notch safety to ships requiring their services. The EC135 will be replacing an AS355 Ecureuil/AStar that first entered service at the facility in 2000. years now.” “The helicopter is a unique tool for our maritime When a ship arrives in the Dunkirk port area, the pilot pilots, as it can take over in situations where our ships station sends out an on-board pilot to guide the vessel to can't handle the mission and continue to ensure complete the port’s entrance. Since 1990, nearly 35,000 ships have safety,” said Didier Payen, Head of Dunkirk’s pilot sta - been served by helicopter, with 77 percent of them tion. “The choice of the EC135 was based on the air - employing a hoist for the boarding process. craft’s performance; the feedback we share with By using a helicopter, the pilots can be transported Eurocopter and engine manufacturer Turbomeca; and the more quickly to ships located further away than can be experience acquired by sea pilots at the port of served by marine craft. Bordeaux, who have been using the EC135 for several

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 21 unmanned Little Bird demo

hales and Boeing are in trials on the Unmanned Little Bird, which involve landing on a moving Tplatform. In the demonstration in New Mexico in June the ULB landed on a moving, vehicle mounted 16 x 16 foot platform with a 1.8 m NATO standard grid. In addition to showing the ability to land the project demonstrates the ability to land using Thales designed radar system. They show that the demonstrator based on MAGIC ATOLS (Automatic Take Off and Landing System) developed by Thales, is able at any given time, to provide the relative position of the drone in relation to the platform and ensure flight guidance and control with a better accuracy than GPS. The system operates at a long range independently of GPS signals, in all weath - er conditions. UAV landings with no external pilot are thought to be a key advantage for both Army and Navy operations. ambridge Airport appoints new Airport girl Power Infrastructure Director to support growth CCambridge Airport, the East of England aviation hub, has appointed Sheila Kissane as Airport Infrastructure Director with immediate effect. Sheila, will work closely with the airport's CEO Robert Marshall, and Airport Director Archie Garden to support the on-going commer - cial strategy of increasing business, regional and general aviation activity at the airfield. This is a new role at the airport and has been introduced to maximise airport resources and bring together the existing infrastructure to better serve the development of the business. dart Quick Release Helibasket P h o t o g r a P h s B y m B o e i n g a n d C a m B r i d g e a i r P o r t

22 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 P h o t o g r a

P navy Flies Osprey h s B y k i e mV-22 on Biofuels v i t a n d k u i t

S N avy Secretary Ray Mabus told the press The MV-22, a multi-mission aircraft flown by the that this first tilt-rotor biofuel flight “brings Marine Corps, combines the abilities of the helicopter Uthe US one step closer to reducing dependence with the speed and range of an aeroplane. on foreign oil and becoming more energy secure and Mabus said: “As these types of biofuel certification independent.” tests continue on the Osprey and other aircraft, we In August, the ‘Blackjacks’ of Air Test and make steady progress toward the energy goals I laid Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 flew the tilt rotor air - out in October 2009. Those goals are aimed first at craft at altitudes of up to 25,000 feet on a 50/50 blend improving our warfighting capability and reducing our of camelina based and standard petroleum based JP-5 vulnerabilities, but they will also increase our energy (aviation) fuel. The camelina sativa plant is a US efficiency and help lead the nation toward a clean grown, non-food feedstock plant. energy economy.”

EC155 Rio is not Only for Carnival

Rio de Janeiro’s Helicopter Hub words and pictures by david Oliver

vast and geographically diverse country, Brazil has large reserves of natural resources and sub - Helisul Taxi Astantial oil reserves and although Sao Paulo has Aereo Bell 206 the highest density of helicopter operations, Rio de Janeiro is the centre for many offshore oil support heli - copter operators. Most are based Rio’s Aeroporto Jacarepagua which stared life as Compagnie Générale Aéropostale stepping stone for flying mail between Natal and Buenos Aires as part of a larger project linking France and South America in 1927. Recently one of Brazil’s oldest and largest helicopter companies, Lider Aviacao, began to establish the airport as one of its major hubs for the offshore oil and gas sup - port sector . The company was awarded its first contract from Brazil’s national oil company, Petrobas, in 1972, and today Lider operates more than 50 helicopters, repre - Helisul Taxi Aereo senting nearly half the fleet servicing the Brazilian oil Robinson R44

and gas market. Another operator at Jacarepagua, r e v i Aeroleo Taxi Aereo, also has a long history of providing l o d i

logistical air support sector for Brazil's oil industry and v a currently operates ten helicopters including EC 225 d f o

Super Pumas and AgustaWestland AW139s. y s e t

The first AW139 operator in Brazil was Senior Taxi r u o Aereo, which began to operate the medium-twin helicop - C s h ters for offshore transport from Jacarepagua in May P a r g

2007. The company’s fleet comprises seven AW139s, o t o four Eurocopter AS 365N3 Dauphins and four S-76C+. h P 24 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Helibarra Taxi Aereo EC155

A third AW139 operator is Omni Taxi Aereo which undertake work for the police and governors of Rio de offers offshore and onshore air transport solutions all Janeiro and during the busy tourist season, its over Brazil, as well as air medical services and execu - JetRangers are heavily engaged in flying six-minute cir - tive transport with a fleet of AW139s, Bell 212s, EC cuits of the statue of Christ on top of a 1,000 ft peak that 135s, AS 365s and S-61Ns and S-76s. towers over the whole city. Every fifteen minutes from Since 2008, Helibarra Taxi Aereo, part of the United dawn to dusk, the Helisul’s helicopters take off from the Helicopter Services (UHS) group, has flown about Dona Marta helipad, located in the Tijuca National Park, 1,000 offshore hours with its fleet of Eurocopter EC at the base of Corcovado Mountain and the Christ 135s and EC 155s at Jacarepagua and is looking to Statue, or Morro da Urca located facing the famous expand its fleet to cope with growing demand. Sugar Loaf mountain. Other tourist flights operators One of the largest helicopter operators in the including Marica Taxi Aereo use the Helisight helipad Brazilian offshore sector Brazilian Helicopter Services on the shore of Rio’s Rodrigo De Freitas lagoon. (BHS), a subsidiary of CHC Helicopter Corporation Maintenance of Helisul Bells, and its Robinson R44 operates a fleet of eighteen aircraft which include seven contracted to Globo TV, is carried out at its Hangar 29 at EC 225s and two S-92s. Jacarepagua Airport. A resident maintenance, repair and Not all the operators based at Jacarepagua are devot - overhaul (MRO) contractor at the airport is Ultra-Rev ed to offshore oil support. HeliStar Taxi Aereo provides Helicopteros which is licenced to carry out C checks on a VIP air transport service with a Beechcraft King Air AW109s, AS 350s, Bell 206s, EC 120s and Sikorsky S- and a Gulfstream as well as AW109E Grand and 76s, as well as Level III repairs on Pratt & Whitney, AW109S Power helicopters. Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca turboshaft engines. Helisul Taxi Aereo, established in 1972, operates a While Brazil’s helicopter boom should be welcomed large fleet of Eurocopter AS 350 and Helibras HB 350s, by OEMs and operators alike, there are serious pilot and Bell 206 JetRangers and LongRangers. The compa - shortages looming as the country faces increased ny operates out of several locations in Brazil and has demands of offshore support for oil platforms being built recently added Electronic News Gathering (ENG) to its further off the coast, and support for the Football World list of operations, providing services to Brazil’s largest Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, only two television network, Globo TV. Helisul’s Ecureuils also years later.

Brazilian Helicopter Services Sikorsky S92s Becoming a Bush Pilot words and pictures by Ralph Arnesen

he next step or phase in my career after three er on and dining facilities next to the hanger and the heli - years in the US Army in Vietnam, a short term as pads. The engineers were mostly Australians and Tan instructor and charter pilot, and two years in Americans. It was a nice mix of people. I soon found out Thailand and Laos was to find a job down in Singapore. that the main job was on the rigs. I even exchanged time Here I found NUH, an American company flying Bell drilling for helicopter lessons. Drilling for oil was very 205s in Indonesia. It was a steep learning curve learning interesting and being such a small rig the process was to fly in the oil patch as they call it. Later, I went to work simple and easy to understand once you learned the lan - for Schreiner Airways that had a contract with Pelita Air guage and what the different pieces of equipment did. Service flying the SA330F/G. I was doing the same work The following photo shows an aircraft that has just but the aircraft were newer and fewer accidents. NUH had a short shaft failure. This is the one-way clutch and suffered from a poor spare parts supply chain, the pilots shaft that takes the power from the engine and transfers were bringing in spare parts with them from Singapore it to the gearbox, at the same time provides a freewheel - coming off their free time. Larger items like rotor heads ing capability in case the engine stops. In this case, the came in a mail bag after the customs had gotten their engine went to topping and the rotor RPM went down. pay. John who later went to work for Air New zealand, did a My first assignment was in Balikpapan on the east good job of putting it in. However, It took a few days to coast of Borneo or Kalimantan, as the Indonesians call it. jack the aircraft up and shore under the skids while the The NUH base was right next to the airport on the beach. engineers changed the short shaft and checked the They used portacabins with a porch to have a sun down - engine. Later the aircraft was flown a short flight to the

, 26 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Here we had just had a shaft failure

base and a more detailed inspection made. ready the positions of the feet and machinery was We were sent up to Badak, north of Balipapan for a week marked out. While this was being done the rig was at a time and longer if there was a rig move scheduled. A being broken down and our loadmasters were getting rig is moved by helicopter, about 600 loads. They were the pieces positioned and slung up. Parker rigs, especially designed to be moved by helicopter. The picture above shows what a normal rig site The loads weighed about 4000 pounds a piece and could be looks like in the jungle. This particular rig was in Irian lifted by a Bell 205 and flown to the next site without refu - Jaya near the sea and there had been a lot of rain so elling as long as the distance wasn’t too far. Two aircraft the area was almost impossible for the tracked cranes flying about 8 hours a day would take just over a week on a to move and the helicopters had to pick up the pieces short move for just the drilling rig, after the move there was where they were. drill pipe, mud, casing, and a lot of other things before In addition to the rig itself, there was the camp and there was a break. the drill pipe to place on the pipe rack which was very A rig move as with any other project has to be thought near the drill rig. There were a number of special loads out as to which loads are going first so as to take the light which did not fly very fast or stable, these could cause loads first and gradually increase the weight until a fuel a little anxiety. The Schlumberger hut was a square stop was needed. At the same time the loadmasters have to container and heavy so when you got it in the air it make sure that they go in the right order. would start to rotate very slowly but would get faster There were a number of things to do before moving the no matter what you did. In the extreme it would start rig itself, the site had to be prepared. Mostly the an elliptical orbit and the load would become very Indonesians walked into the new site an started the cut unstable, the only solution was to put the hut down down the trees until it was big enough to bring in the saw into the trees while hovering and stop the rotation. All mill which was a Volkswagen engine with the blade this takes fuel and this load had to go when the heli - attached to the flywheel, this rolled on a ladder-like affair copter had the minimum to make the new site. To drop and the logs rolled under it to saw 3x12 inch planks. These the load was not an option, never mind the cost of the planks made up the subfloor of the rig and when this was equipment, it would take months to get another out

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn2011 27 Left: Rig site at Iran Jaya. Most rig sites in the jungle looked like this one.

Below Left: Load master.

Below right: Lifting water from a barge.

and the rig would be sitting still. thing with floats is that it limits the airspeed and has a All the diesel fuel and fresh water had to be flown into dramatic effect if the engine quits and you have to do an the site, either from a base camp or a barge. In fact a lot autorotation! of the rig moves were to or from a barge if the distances The plus side of bush flying is that you are self-reliant were too far. and I learned a lot about drilling for oil. When flying the In addition to the loadmaster, the pilots had to work Puma we started off with an engineer in the left seat but almost opposite each other to avoid two aircraft waiting after a while we got Indonesian co-pilots from the to pick up or set down a load. It also might have an air - Indonesian Air Force. They needed to get more time and craft waiting for fuel while one was on the refuelling experience as there was little flying for them until they pad. It all required teamwork. The competitive spirit of did tours to East Timor. Later we also got a few young some nationalities didn’t make things easy. pilots who had got through the official training school. A We also had some rigs offshore, most of them were few of these still had the cigarette burns on their arms only a few miles out from the base camp at Balikpapan from the instructor for making mistakes, not the best way n

but there was one we flew to that was just at 200 nautical e

to learn. Most of the Indonesian pilots were nice guys s e miles in the South China Sea, Natuna. The Pumas had n r

and after a while did a good job. I met one of my co- a floatation gear around the nose and the sponsons but the h P

pilots years later in Stavanger while he was there for l Bell 205s used floats instead of skids. My initial check- a r

simulator training, he was now working for Mobil Oil. f out on the float aircraft was very interesting. We landed o y

After four years of working two months on and one s e on the water and shut down, big deal you think, now t r

month off, I had a girlfriend and decided to get married, u start it up without being tied to anything. You start the o so working in the jungle was not going to work and to C s engine having put in full left pedal. As the blades begin h P

tell the truth I wanted a change of scenery, so I went a r

to rotate the aircraft turns in the opposite direction until g o

back to New York. t the tail rotor takes affect, this can take a while. The other o h P 28 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 27-29 Sept 2011 Duxford New for 2011 Helitech Duxford will be hosting its own conference programme in state of the art conference facilities alongside the main exhibition

Chaired by helicopter specialist and journalist Andrew Drwiega

Sessions will include: Flight Data Monitoring Offshore Wind Farm Development The Environment - R&D Safety Blue Light’ Operations BHA Guest Forum

Proudly sponsored by Bell Helicopter, the conference will be free to attend with your Helitech visitor or exhibitor badge. Places are limited so be sure to book in advance for the day/s that interest you.

For more information and to register for free visit www.helitechevents.co.uk/helilife

Conference sponsored by

Organised by: Join our social media networks Aerospace & Aviation Exclusively supports Helitech HeliTech Preflight September 27 - 29 2011

eliTech 2011, Europe’s largest dedicated heli - the latest evolution of the EC145 and includes new copter exhibition, will be at Duxford from 27th Arriel 2E engines, advanced cockpit design, modern September to 29th September, and is expecting H avionics, 4-axis autopilot and (uniquely for the EC145 some interesting new events. As well as the old which previously had a standard tail rotor) Eurocopter’s favourites three new helicopters are due to make their fenestron tail rotor. It has developed in line with UK debuts at HeliTech this year: the Eurocopter EC145 Eurocopter’s policy on environmental helicopters. First T2, the Guimbal Cabri G2 and the Aeridas HAD1-T. deliveries are anticipated for 2013. Eurocopter EC145 T2 Guimbal Cabri G2 Launched earlier this year at HeliExpo in Orlando, the Designed by Bruno Guimbal, a former senior engi - EC145 T2 will be on display in the UK in a new neer at Eurocopter, development of the Cabri has utility/rescue configuration. The multi-role helicopter is focused on safety and performance. With a high inertia three blade rotor system it is said by the company to be s more stable and easier to fly than some popular two seat e n o J designs and its state of the art instrumentation ensures - r e t

simplicity of engine and fuel management. The Cabri is n u h

the first two seat helicopter type to meet the stringent a n i g

EASA CS-27 and FAR-27 regulations. Covering all heli - r o e

copters up to a maximum gross weight of 3,175 kg, g d n

these regulations ensure that a rotorcraft is able to a

, r e

absorb high levels of energy generated in an accident t P o

without significant injury to its occupants. The Guimbal C o r

Cabri G2 represents a significant step forward in terms u e s

EC145 used for trials of crash protection levels for small helicopters. Its h P a

with the fenestron tail r

design incorporates sophisticated energy absorbing seats, g o t

four points safety harnesses and a Formula 1 derived o h P 30 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Heli Air Design. This is Heli Air Design’s first venture into the two seat light helicopter category and HAD1-T can also be offered to customers as a kit for amateur con - struction. Powered by a 160 hp Solar T62 converted aux - iliary power unit, the HADI-T has a maximum take-off weight of 1,543 lbs, including 728 lbs of disposable load. Currently designed to JAR-27 requirements, its fuel tanks are explosion resistant. The first flight of the prototype is due to take place in the third quarter of 2011 and the company is hoping to achieve CS-27 certification by 2013. HeliTech Exhibition Manager, Brandon Ward, said: “We are delighted that companies are choosing HeliTech to show these new helicopters in the UK for the first time. It really is testament to the breadth of visitor that HAD1-T at Le HeliTech attracts.” Bourget 2011 All the major manufacturers will be represented at HeliTech, and their local agents. There are a number of impact resistant fuel cell. helicopters for sale at the show, both new and second Cotswold Helicopter Centre is the UK distributor for hand, so it should be possible to pick up a good bargain. the Guimbal Cabri G2. Andy Moorhouse of Cotswold There are also all the support systems and companies Helicopter Centre said, “Guimbal have spent a great deal involved in helicopter production, management and fly - of time and energy developing this innovative two seat ing and the media surrounding it. helicopter. We’re looking forward to pilots and potential The show has a full conference programme sponsored customers being able to see this ‘in the flesh’ during by Bell Helicopter. Conferences include the current hot HeliTech, which offers us a valuable platform to demon - topic: windfarms and looks into their connection with, strate all of its features.” and use of, helicopters. There will also be conferences on the environmental approach to helicopter flying, and the Aeriades HAD1-T increasing use of helicopters in the police service. Aeriades, the regional aerospace cluster for the Visiting HeliTech is free for anyone involved in the Lorraine region of France, will be displaying a prototype helicopter industry, or flying helicopters either as pilots helicopter. First unveiled in June this year at Le Bourget or students, or anyone interested in becoming a pilot. Air Show, this Helicopter, named HAD-1T, has been Helicopter Life will be there on Booth 318. Come and developed by one of the cluster’s member companies visit us, see the latest magazine and have a chat. e r t n e C r e t P o C i l e h d l r o W s t o C f o y s e t u o C

h Cabri G2 P a r designed by g o t Bruno Guimbal o h P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 31 The Future Hovers over Sâo Paulo by georgina Hunter-Jones

32 Pictures by Georgina Hunter-Jones and others - see individual pictures Autumn 2011

âo Paulo currently has 600 helicopters and 215 owned and on their owner’s initiative, landed on the roof helipads, and a lot of factors came together to cre - and began picking up escapees from the fire, who had Sate that vibrant helicopter world. Firstly, in 1972, congregated on the roof. In a heroic rescue, helicopters there was a huge fire in a block of flats in the Andraus saved 300 people, probably the biggest individually region of Sao Paulo. The fire spread up the building and inspired helicopter rescue of all time. However, just two people were jumping from windows or attempting to years later there was a further fire in another tower cross to adjacent buildings on ladders, when helicopters block, the Joelma Building, and this time helicopters arrived at the scene. The helicopters, mostly privately were unable to reach the scene, owing to the plethora of 33 Four helipads and one emergency roof Helicentro, pad in Sâo Paulo. built in 1994 radio aerials on the roof. This led to a directive that there of 4.4%. Since then the Brazilian economy has continued must be a helipad on the roof of every newly built build - to grow, even during the world recession, and in 2010 ing in order to allow emergency access to the building if economic growth in Brazil was 7.5%. it caught fire. During this period there was also a huge increase in At the same time Brazil was starting the process to the urbanisation of population. In the 1940s only 31.3% democracy after eighty or so years of dictatorship and of Brazil’s 41.2 million population lived in cities, com - military rule. In 1974, General Ernesto Geisel became pared with 1991, when it had increased to 75.5% of the president and started the democratisation of Brazil. 149 million population. Much of this growth in the cities Between 1974 and 1980, while the world was in reces - is due to industrialisation, which increased from 1947 to sion, Brazil entered a period of growth. This was created 1992 from 20% to 39% of GNP and led to people mov - partly by industrialization and partly by economic diver - ing to the two major cities, Sâo Paulo and Rio de sification and government-backed schemes. Janeiro, looking for jobs and in need of housing and Unfortunately, it was followed by a period of terrible transport. inflation, which continued through the eighties and into Unfortunately, the infrastructure did not keep pace the nineties, leading to stagnation and finally to an eco - with the need. There is a Metro system and there are nomic crisis. The Government of 1994 attempted to alle - buses, but the Metro has been described as ‘living Hell’, viate this crisis by instituting the Plano Real, which and, as one local newspaper put it: there are fewer bus pegged the Brazilian Real to the US Dollar. Although the shelters than helipads. Consequently, Sâo Paulo is now a Plano Real did eventually reduce inflation it also ensured city with between 16 and 17.5 million cars. high prices relative to other countries. In spite of this, So, in the late 90s and early 21st Century Sao Paulo foreign currency continued to come into the country and was a town with rapid growth, both economically and in 1998 Brazil received an IMF led support plan of 41.5 socially, booming businesses, and poor infrastructure. billion dollars. In 1999, the Brazilian Central Bank There was a growing underclass of people who ‘followed unpegged the Real from the US Dollar. Brazil had more the money’ but could not get jobs, which led to a huge than met its IMF target and in 2002, Brazil had growth increase in crime. It was almost inevitable that business -

Campo de Marte, named s e

the fifth busiest airport n o J -

in the world in terms of r e t

movements in 2010 n u h a n i g r o e g f o y s e t r u o C s h P a r g o t o h P 34 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 on a flight to Torrance and asked for the Robinson deal - ership for Brazil, which he still holds. His salesman Gualter Garcez Pizzi explains: “we are a young country, we grasp opportunities when they arrive.” Robinson is now one of the best selling helicopters in Brazil with 300 R44s and R22 in Sâo Paulo and 450 in the whole of Brazil. Pizzi adds that Audi Helicopters have already firm orders for 60 Robinson R66s with the first one arriving in time for LABACE (Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition) in August. Audi is so happy with the Robinson dealership they are building a new and bigger service centre away Heliccentro have the MD from their current base at Campo de Marte. Dealership. Inset: Ricardo Robinson was not the only helicopter manufacturer Zuccolo MD Dealer interested in the opportunities of Brazil. Aerospatial (later part of Eurocopter) had been in Brazil since 1978, men looking around for better ways to travel from home when it started Helibras in coalition with a local compa - to work would hit on helicopters as the best means of ny CDI (Companhia de Distritos Industriais de Minas transport. One Brazilian banker told me: “we are all Gerais). In 1992, when Aerospatial became Eurocopter, stressed in Sao Paulo, we have to get to work but the it owned 70% of Helibras, and found itself the only Metro is impossible and driving takes two hours to cover major manufacturer with a plant and base in Brazil. It a few kilometres. I have been robbed twelve times. How now has a factory in Itjuba, a training centre in Sâo can you arrive at an appointment fresh and on time?” Paulo and a maintenance organization in Rio de Janeiro, Flying in Sâo Paulo grew up gradually through the and a contract with the Brazilian government for fifty 1980s. Comandante Hamilton, a newly trained pilot who EC725s. In 2010, of the 1032 turbine helicopters in wanted to earn his living by flying, says: “Sâo Paulo had Brazil 544 were Eurocopters. Turbomeca, a major sup - only a few helicopters in 1986. I was one of the first peo - plier for Helibras, grew up alongside Helibras and has a ple to use a helicopter in Sâo Paulo. There were some training centre at San Jose dos Campos. AS350Bs and some Bell Jet Rangers.” In 1994, the first base solely for helicopters in Sâo He looked at other countries for inspiration and saw Paulo was built: Helicentro. Helicentro was designed that in the USA they used helicopters for newsgathering and built by its owner Ricardo zuccolo, to hangar his but there was no similar service in Sâo Paulo. So, in own helicopter and those of his friends. At the time the 1986, he started his Electronic Newsgathering Business (ENG) with one AS350, doing all the flying himself. Comandante Hamilton Hamilton based his company at his own hangar in flying the AS350. He Alphaville, Barueri, Sâo Paulo. Helipads were not so reg - started his ENG com - ulated then and there was no dedicated helicopter air traf - pany in 1986 with one fic control, as there is now. Of the air traffic control he AS350 helicopter. n o

t says: “I just spoke with the Congonhas airport when I l i m a flew. Or, if I was in that area, I spoke to Campo de Marte h e t airport.” n a d Flying in the late 80s and early 90s was, he said, “very n a m

o easy and the helicopters could land anywhere in town C d without any problems.” n a s

e Comandante now employs three pilots including his n o

J son and has three R44s. Hamilton’s company had one of - r e t the early R44 ENG models and he helped the Robinson n u h family create the type. When Helipark opened at a n i g Carapicuiba in 2000 Hamilton moved there as it has bet - r o e ter access to maintenance and better security. g y

B At the same time other people were spotting business s h P

a opportunities with helicopters. Marco Audi, a young r g

o entrepreneur, heard that Frank Robinson was looking for t o h helicopter dealers outside the USA. He immediately got P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 There are between 16 Agusta has its maintenance and distribution centre at Helipark. In and 17.5 million cars in 2010, there were 120 Agustas in Brazil, most in Sâo Paulo. Sâo Paulo city. majority of helicopters were Bells, so zuccolo designed base. By 2009, he had enough helicopters (and he added the hangars to be suitable for two-bladed helicopters, some aeroplanes) for his own hangar and he now has ten making room for four or five helicopters. “There was,” helicopters and four aeroplanes. He employs 19 pilots and he explains, “no idea that Sâo Paulo would have so many 40 administrative staff. helicopters in the future.” In the late 1990s and the early 21st century, with the zuccolo imported earth to build the heliport high exponential growth of helicopters there was also a growth above the local area to make it quieter and safer for his in the support services they needed. Two new heliports neighbours. In 1996, AgustaWestland invited Helicentro were built: Helicidade, five nautical miles from Campo de to be an Agusta service centre, and here zuccolo’s engi - Marte, in 2000, which has an elevated landing pad and neers assembled 20 or 22 Agusta 109s for the growing eleven helipads below and the largest of the heliports; market. However, in 2000 Agusta did not renew their Helipark. contract with Helicentro, and moved their service centre Joâo and Regina Velloso created Helipark in 2000, at to the newly built Helipark. zuccolo looked around for Carapicuiba, just outside Sâo Paulo. Built on some family another major manufacture to service and discovered MD land it opened in January 2002. Both Joâo and Regina fly Helicopters. Since 2000, Helicentro has been the MD helicopters and, as Joâo is a doctor, they were particularly service centre and agent and there are currently seven interested in the medical benefits of helicopters. They MDs flying around Sao Paulo. zuccolo has hope for chose the particular place because it is high above the more commercial sales in the future. local area, in an area of good visibility and has room for By 1997, a visiting science writer referred to Sao expansion. As manager and to develop the heliport they Paulo as The City of Helicopters, reported on the number employed Élson Sterque, who had already had 30 years in of helicopters flying overhead, and that news was being the military involved with helicopters. reported from them on TV. At that time the majority of Helipark currently has 170 registered clients and has 45 helicopters were flying out of Campo de Marte, (named helicopters at the park at any one time. It has an Agusta the fifth busiest airport in the world in movements in service centre, as well as engineering for all types of heli - 2010) and Congonhas, the major internal airport. Lider copter except MD, which is done at Helicentro. Helipark Air Taxi, who recently sold 49% of their stake in the off is now enlarging and building hangars over the other side shore market to Bristow Helicopters, was based at a heli - of the valley. These will take in another 120 helicopters, pad on the side of Congonhas at that time. with a forecast for a further expansion to take in another In 1999, Jorge Neto Bitar started Helimarte from 200 helicopters by the end of 2012. Campo de Marte, he says: “I had a dream – I was looking One helicopter manufacture is not well represented in s e for a job that involved flying and a friend suggested we Sâo Paulo City: Sikorsky. While there were, in 2010, 104 n o J - went into partnership.” Sikorskies in Brazil and both S92s and S76s are used on r e t n

They started with one R22 and “half a JetRanger”. For the oil rigs, they are said to be “too big for the helipads” u h a few years he was flying on a partly freelance basis for a in Sâo Paulo City, and so there is only one Sikorsky S76 a n i g number of clients. However, business really ‘took off’ in in the city and that is owned by the government, who r o e

2003, when there was a sudden burst of businessmen have a ground-level helipad. g s e wanting to use his helitaxi service to fly into the city. In As the number of helicopters increased so did the num - r u t C 2003, Jorge bought out his partner and got a professional ber of helipads in downtown Sâo Paulo. Rodrigo Duarte, i P 36 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Military police AS350. All Helicopter traffic-lights EMS rescue work is done at Campo de Marte by the military police. Inset: Robinson Dealer Inset: Col Gambaroni with Gualter Garcez Pizzi an EMS pack. President of Abraphe (The Association of Helicopter Pilots ly, led to a shortage of experienced pilots. This in Brazil) says there were around 250 helipads in central Sao shortage is so severe there is currently a debate in Paulo at the beginning of the 21st century. As many of them Congress whether it might be possible to employ were not registered it was hard to be exact. At the time there highly experienced foreign pilots on short contracts were reputed to be 420 helicopters in the city. until the experience level amongst Brazilian pilots At this time there was also an increase in the number of has increased. helicopter accidents and incidents and consequently in 2005 Oil and gas and VIP flying are not the only a dedicated helicopter Air Traffic Control was instituted. increasing helicopter markets, there is also an Based at Congonhas Airport, this ATC covers the whole of increase in the need for heavy lifting helicopters and central Sâo Paulo, and helicopter pilots must request clear - EMS flying. To meet the heavy lifting requirements ance to enter the area. Major Carlos Bento, Chief Air Traffic Helipark Taxi Aereo have bought a Kamov Ka- Controller says: “HeliATC really helped keep control of the 32A11BC from Russian Helicopters, a part of UIC situation. (It).. reduced as a fact, the number of Resolution Oboronprom, and may, if the need increases, consid - Advisories from TCAS aircrafts arriving at Congonhas air - er buying more. They currently have contracts for port. As a control position, it really contributes to maintain - work in the Amazon, where the helicopter is much ing a high level the safety of the airspace.” better for sustainability as no roads are needed and However, things are now changing in Brazil and there far less damage is done to the local environment. have been vociferous noise and pollution complaints, many There are two types of EMS flying in Brazil: of which have been taken up by the newspapers. This has led medical transport between hospitals, which can be to changes in the local government and helipads are being done by civilians, and EMS Rescue, which is only more strictly registered to ensure that they are not too close done by the Military Police. Colonel Gambaroni of to schools or residential areas, and that they comply with city the Gruparemnto Aereo explains that EMS is the fire and safety regulations. Duarte explains, in 2009 ANAC responsibility of the Fire Department in Brazil, and (Brazilian CAA) changed the rules of helipad flying and the Fire Department belongs to the Military Police. insisted on municipal authorisation to renew a licence or This is because historically the Military and Civilian build a new helipad. The result has been a fall in the number Police both had helicopters and also because there is of helipads from around 250 to 215, and Abraphe is expect - Military police ing a further 40 or 50% decrease as helipad licences come up train on the S300 for renewal. The number of accidents, which was rising until 2009, has now started reducing, which is probably a combination of things including the HeliATC, greater pilot awareness and the reduction of the number of helipads. s e There are currently 1,538 helicopters in Brazil, 600 of n o J

- which are based in and around Sâo Paulo City, and the num - r e t ber is growing. However, as Duarte points out, they are also n u h some of the best trained helicopter pilots in the world, a n i g licence restrictions are very strict and only Brazilian pilots r o e are allowed to work in Brazil. While the latter is good for g s e job security, it has also, with the recent growth of the oil and r u t C

i gas market and the increase of helicopters in Brazil general - P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 37 a shortage of sufficiently experienced pilots outside the in particular is increasing, but whether it will continue to police. “In Brazil,” explains Colonel Gambaroni, “we do increase in Sâo Paulo city itself is a moot point. It seems not have short term military contracts and pilots stay in likely that helicopters in the city have met their ‘full-up’ the military for 25 years or more, consequently, they are point and that with increasing regulation from the ANAC not looking for civilian flying jobs when they leave.” and the local government it will become rather more There are 100,000 employees in the Sao Paulo state restricted. However, that is not to say it will reduce to police of whom 87 are pilots and 400 are employed in anything close to European levels. Clearly, the need for the air support unit on eleven different bases through the helicopters in Sâo Paulo city is still paramount, and much state. The Sâo Paulo city police base is at Campo de may depend on whether the city government, in line with Marte, in the north part of the city. There are four or five its restrictions on helicopters, also improves the infra - pilots working on each base, and the advantage of having structure and safety of the town. eleven bases is that if there is an emergency call any - Comparison: Statistics 2009 where in the state can be reached in 15 minutes, reducing UK: population 61,838,154 Area 94,060 sq miles the length of time a patient must wait to get to hospital. number of civil helicopters approx 1,053 Training for the police pilots is lengthy. Pilots must Brazil: population 193,733,800 Area 3,287,597 sq first be policemen and have done three years in the miles, number of civil helicopters approx 1,538. police force before they can be considered for pilot train - ing. Once accepted on one of the courses (the police had ten classes this year) they do ground school and ab Initio Pilot training on a Schweizer 300, at Campo de Marte. Once they have a basic licence they will do further type training, this is done on individual bases. However, they must have 500 hours before they are allowed to go onto any advanced training such as EMS, or fire fighting, in which the aerial police support the ground fire fighters. “This,” explains the Colonel, “allows them to get lots of worthwhile experience before they get difficult work.” The police have only had one accident, and that was at Helicidade was an Air Show when a couple of abseillers, descending built in 2000 from a helicopter had their rope cut by a kite sent up by kids in the watching crowd. “Even the children,” explains Colonel Gambaroni, “did not realise what effect the kites would have.” At the moment the military police (they are known as Black Eagles) have twenty-one AS350s, two S300s and one EC135 on loan for VIP transport. They will be buy - ing EC135s and EC145s in the future and although they do not currently use NGVs, they expect to do that in the future. Training for this will be partially on simulators, which are increasingly being used in both military and civilian training. Congonhas Airport, with Flying in Brazil generally and in the Sâo Paulo region Lider heliport in blue

Bell 430 pilot Aureo Bradley with Andreia Zwetsch and me at Helipark.

Inset: AW109 on a helipad in Sâo Paulo city central SP Rescue at nova Friburgo, Brazil January 2011

Jorge Bita Neto by his helicopter

n January this year, a series of flash floods and mud - slides hit the area of Nova Friburgo, in Rio de Janeiro Istate killing aaround 1,000 people and making anoth - er 14,000 homeless. Helicopters from both military and civilian services joined together to help bring supplies into and the injured out-of of the area. Jorge Bitar Neto took helicopters down from his com - pany Helimarte based in Campo de Marte to help with the rescue. Helimarte were employed by a combination of aid agencies and local people and also donated some hours of flying. The aid agencies co-ordinated the heli - copters and the pilots used a unicom frequency to insure separation. Above: result of the mudslide. Jorge said, “the roads were impassable and the only Left: Military Black Hawk. way in and out was by helicopter. There were a lot of hel - Below: Helimarte’s AS350. icopters involved and we brought in water, medication and survival equipment.” e t r a m i l e h f o y s e t r u o C s h P a r Human chain transports g o t goods from the helicopter o h P

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 39 100th EC225 delivered to Bristows

he 100th EC225 was supplied to Bristows in the Malaysia.” said Duncan. oil and gas configuration, but it can be used for Bristow was the launch customer in the Oil & Gas Tother missions thanks to the multi-role helicopter’s market for the EC225 when the type was introduced into designed-in operational flexibility. service in 2005 as well as being the launch customer for Marking the successful association of Eurocopter and the AS332L in the early 1980s. More than 50,000 hours this valued customer, July’s EC225 delivery ceremony have been logged by Bristow’s EC225s, representing was held at the helicopter manufacturer’s Marignane, approximately one-third of all flight time accumulated by France, facility in the presence of Eurocopter President this helicopter type worldwide. Furthermore Bristow and & CEO Lutz Bertling; Mark Duncan, Bristow’s Senior Eurocopter have a Memorandum of Agreement in place Vice President – Commercial; and Bristow’s CFO, for acquisition of the EC175 for which again Bristow Jonathan Baliff; who were joined by Wolfgang Schoder, will be the launch customer, underscoring the special Eurocopter’s Executive Vice President for Programs. relationship and partnership between the two companies. “Eurocopter’s 100th EC225 delivery is a historic s moment, and it is particularly appropriate that we are i r r marking this milestone with Bristow, which was the o n n a

EC225’s launch customer,” Bertling stated. “In addition, l a this latest delivery of an EC225 to Bristow underscores d n a r

the helicopter’s capabilities to meet the most demanding e t P requirements,” he added. o C o r

“We are looking forward to the introduction of our u e eighteenth EC225 increasing our capacity to serve the oil h P a r

and gas market. This aircraft together with the two deliv - g o t ered in June are already contracted to a customer in o h P 40 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Enstrom 480B for Royal Thai Army

nstrom Helicopter Corporation has deliv - ered the first three (of a total of sixteen) E480B turbine training/utility helicopters to the Royal Thai Army. The delivery, at the Royal Thai Army air base in Lop Buri, Thailand, was followed by an official accept - ance ceremony, blessing, and aerial parade. Enstrom’s President and CEO, Jerry Mullins, traveled to Thailand for the first delivery. The 480B was selected in a competitive bidding process that included aircraft from seven differ - ent major manufacturers for a program that includes sixteen aircraft, spares, tooling, and training. Currently deliveries are on schedule, with the next group of three aircraft currently en route to Thailand. First EC120 Twelve Year Overhaul in uK

ero Maintenance Ltd of Walton Wood in Yorkshire have successfully carried out the Afirst UK full 12-year overhaul of an EC 120, plus a new interior and re-spray. Up to now the twelve year inspections had to be carried out by Eurocopter, but an amendment to the MSM (Master Servicing Manual) allows com - panies such as Aero Maintenance Ltd with appro - priate approvals and personnel to carry out the inspection in-house. The aircraft G-OMEM (SN-1006) was the first EC 120 to be imported into the UK and thus the first to be ‘twelve year’ overhauled. Additional to the 12-year overhaul was the 144- month ‘Dynamic Rotating component Inspection’, completed by Aero Maintenance Ltd totally in- e C

n house. a n e t n i a

m EC225 to China moT o r e a The delivery of the latest EC225 to the China Ministry of d n a

s Transport’s Rescue and Salvage Bureau completes the r e t contract signed in 2009 for the supply of two EC225 for P o C i l offshore search and rescue missions. e h

m The Ministry of Transport (MOT) signed on another two o r t new Eurocopter EC225 helicopters in 2009, after having s n e very positive experience with the first two EC225 that s h P

a were delivered in 2007 and used extensively in many r g o search and rescue (SAR) missions, including the 2008 t o h Sichuan earthquake. P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 41 Le Bourget 2011

Words by Georgina Hunter-Jones pictures by Gerald Cheyne

42 Le Bourget 2011

e Bourget Paris Airshow 2011 had a more tentative feel than the earlier HeliExpo, possibily this is because Americans are natu - Lrally more upbeat than Europeans, or perhaps because the beginning of the year is a time of more hope than the middle of the year when early potential has not been fulfilled: either way there was something of the ‘hold off’ in the show. It also didn’t help that there were two days of torrential rain. However, there were still some interesting announcements, the most important from AgustaWestland who took over full ownership of the BA609 project, renaming it the AW609. AgustaWestland also unveiled a new helicopter, the AW189. Other important announcements included a commitment by Russian Helicopters to the European market. Bell Textron promoting their 407 GX and AH, originally unveiled at HeliExpo, and Eurocopter’s dis - play, between showers, with the newly built X3 and promoting their 43 The AW189 unveiled at Le Bourget is in the 8 tonne class and will be used for SAR and more

growing range of environmental helicopters. On the fly at 150 knots over a far greater range than its competi - smaller scale the HAD1-T two-seat helicopter, which was tors owing to its much lower fuel burn. only a drawing and a concept at HeliTech, was there in AgustaWestland are also planning to adopt a common the flesh (well composite) at Paris. cockpit design so that all its new helicopters have an identical look and feel. This they say will contribute to AgustaWestland reducing pilot workload and contribute to safety in the Bruno Spagnolini CEO of Agusta Westland announc - case of an emergency. ing that AgustaWestland would now be continuing the Former government Defence Minister, Geoff Hoon, 609 project without Bell Textron said: “I believe it is in responsible for projects such as the Future Lynx, is now the best interests of the programme for AgustaWestland to employed by AgustaWestland. Rumour has it there will assume ownership and management over the programme. also soon be another British employee, who is currently We consider the tiltrotor concept the answer to the grow - working for the CAA. ing need for an aircraft matching the vertical capabilities of helicopters with the speed, range and altitude capabili - Bell Textron Helicopters ties of fixed wing aircraft. AgustaWestland is investing in John L. Garrison, President and CEO of Bell the next generation of rotorcraft technologies and the Helicopters, explained that AgustaWestland had agreed AW609 and future tiltrotor concepts are part of our inno - to buy full ownership of the 609 subject to US regula - vation commitment.” tions but that Bell Textron were retaining all the V22 To run the AW609 AgustaWestland have formed a US technology. This will allow Bell to focus on investing in company and will now have a base in Arlington, Texas. innovations for the V22. He stressed that Bell are still However, the main AW609 base will be in Cascina Costa, committed to tiltrotor technology. Italy, which will manage the AW609 programme with a Bell signed eighteen contracts for new helicopter sales single Integrated Development Team from Autumn 2011. during the week of the Paris Air Show. A nearby Cameri site will be dedicated to the develop - “The Paris Air Show is an outstanding event for all ment programme for AW609 government applications. things aviation,” said Garrison. “Having the opportunity The AW609 aircraft number 1 will be based in Arlington to spend time with our customers and listen to their and proceed with the flight test programme. AW609 num - needs and direct feedback is priceless. The signed con - ber 2 will be kept at AgustaWestland’s Cascina Costa tracts we received during the show are yet another indi - facility, while two more aircraft will be assembled at cation that the Bell Helicopter commercial product line is Cascina Costa, with aircraft number 3 being used for what our customers want to meet their mission needs.” icing certification testing. FAA/EASA certification is e Bell Helicopters were also promoting the 407 AH and n y e planned in 2015 with deliveries following immediately GX that they had unveiled at HeliExpo earlier this year. h C d afterwards. The 407 AH comes available with a baseline law enfore - l a r As well as their AW609 project, AgustaWestland cement package, and was also shown at ALEA. e g y unveiled the AW189, the latest in their range. This eight B s h tonne class twin, which carries 16 people in the utility P

Eurocopter a r g mode, is destined for the SAR, O&G and VIP markets. It The Eurocopter X3 (X cubed) made its public debut at o t o will be equipped with two GE CT7-2E1 engines, and will Le Bourget. The X3 is based on an EC155 airframe with h P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 44 PhotograPhs gerald Cheyne s y H u n r v g t H d w k d f h a t e p n w l c y t H t p h 4 p h o e a r o p t l v o e c i e e u n e a l e a e a 0 e i r e s i s i h o E n e

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e e l a n n s r t H t t d d s have already reach the goal of 250 knots) but to evaluate the sail structure under torque and wind conditions. Pino pointed out that it was possible that reducing the fairing would be enough to cut drag and boost speed. Sikorsky also hope to have an optionally piloted Black Hawk by the end of the year “By the end of the year,” Jeff Pino said, “we hope to fly an autonomous re-supply mission.” He also suggested Japanese built that fly-by-wire technology will soon be a standard on GEN H-4 was every helicopter the company develops. This includes the floating above X2, Sikorsky’s new CH-53K, the Canadian version of the the IEA booth S-92 and the CH-148 Cyclone. However, it is unlikely it will find its way into the S300 trainer! At Le Bourget Sikorsky were displaying their Canadian multi-role CH-148 Cyclone. Powered by twin GE Aviation CT7-8 turboshalft engines the Cyclone is a derivative of the S92A SAR helicopter. It is designed for shipboard operations and has folding main and tail rotors. Camcopter It has a Rockwell Collins glass cockpit and digital fly-by- S-100 wire flight control system. It recently completed tests and Sikorsky say the first helicopter will be ready for delivery in July 2012.

Russian Helicopters Rostvertol was at the show with its revamped Mi-26T2. Improvements include a glass cockpit, more advanced avionics and night operations capability. The new cockpit means they will no longer need five crew but can reduce to two crew plus a flight engineer. During the show Russian Helicopters signed a deal with AgustaWestland worth 20 million dollars. “Russian Helicopters, part of United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom, and AgustaWestland, part of Finmeccanica Group, have announced signing final agreements on establishing HeliVert joint venture on an equal footing,” said a joint statement. HeliVert will build and operate a plant for assembly of AW139 medium twin engine civil helicopters in Russia. When production starts in the fourth quarter of 2011, it will be the first time a western helicopter has been made under license in Russia.

Smaller Companies IEA the aeronautic certification management company were attracting customers to their booth with the Japanese GEN H-4 flying stool. Their aim is to open up new hori - zons to European markets, and to that end they are help - ing companies to get certification of their products in Europe. To show that even the most difficult product can be given certification they said they would have the GAN H-4 certified to fly in Europe within the next six months. Calidus gyrocopter Composites Aquitaine, makers of the Guimbal Cabri with its French G2 helicopter body had an airframe on show over their owner

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Specifications he HAD-1T was on display at Le Bourget, fully built and nearly ready to fly. The HAD1-T was One pilot, one passenger, three blade main rotor. Tpromoted at HeliTech Portugal in 2010 but was Solar T62-T32 turbine engine. still in ‘drawing board’ form. The Alsace Lorraine Fuselage Length : 7 100 mm based company has since finalised the project and done Width : 1 840 mm a test flight. The fully built helicopter was unveiled Height : 2 586 mm here at Paris Le Bourget 2011 Main Rotor Diameter : 8 000 mm Serolor, the parent company, was founded in 1998 to Maximum speed (VNE): 200 km/hr do precision engineering for the automobile industry, Range with standard tank: 3h 50minutes but recently turned to the idea of building helicopters Service ceiling :5 000 m for a light market. The HAD1-T is its first helicopter Weight: 300 kg and they are curious to see how well it will do in its fin- Maximum weight : 700 kg ished form. For the moment, however, the helicopter is using a APU Solar T62-T32 turbine engine which is out of production, so the company are looking for a more suitable engine to replace it. They are looking around for small, light turbine engines or second hand APUs, but if they cannot find one they may consider having e n one developed for the project. y e h

Operating costs look to be around 300 Euros an hour, C d l a

which Patrick Kurban, says is cheaper than other two r e seat machines. The HAD1-T will be on display at g h P a

HeliTech this year and the company is hopeful that the r g o machine will be in production by 2013. t o h P 48 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 50th Anniversary nATO Tiger meet

he 50th anniversary of the Nato Tiger about fast jets, a few members of the Association do fly helicop - Meet took place at BA Cambrai (Base ters. Not all the Nato Tiger Association-units were present due to TArrienne Cambrai-Epinoy, France) in various reasons like for example operations in the Mediterranean May. An air show was scheduled on the other or budget cuts. side of the village of Cambrai at Cambrai- Missing helicopters at Cambrai were the Puma helicopters from Niergnies on Sunday the 15th of May as well. 230 Squadron, Royal Air Force, and the Royal Navy Merlin heli - Although the Nato Tiger Association is mostly copters from 814 Naval Air Squadron. However, a Merlin was present during a short period of time, probably for the participation in a social activity. The Italian Air Force participated with two AB-212ICO helicop - ters, operated by 21 Grupo, based at Grazzanise. A pair of Czech Air Force Mi-35 'Hind' helicopters were present as well. A French Puma and two Tigre helicopters were noted during the exercise while another pair of Tigre Helicopters and a Puma could be seen during the air show at Cambrai-Niergnies. One of the Tigre heli - copters had been applied with tiger markings, making it a real Security Civile EC145 Tiger Tigre! The Italian and Czech helicopters could be seen dur - ing the air show as well, together with an EC.145 from the Security Civile and an EC.135 from the Gendarmerie. A pair of French civil Alouette II helicopters participated together with an amount of fixed wing aircraft.

SA33B Puma s i u h r e t s k J i d n a J r a h P a r g o t o SE313 Alouette 11 Mil Mi-35 h P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 ate April 2011, the USS Bataan (LHD-5) with its States Navy ship to host an operational squadron of this t

Amphibious Ready Group (BATARG) arrived in type. VMM-263 is the MV-22B Osprey squadron that i v e i

the Mediterranean Sea, three months ahead of serves as the Air Combat Element (ACE) of the 22D k

L d n

schedule. They relieved the USS Kearsage and the Marine Expeditionary Unit. a t i 26MEU (26 Marine Corps Expeditionary Unit) from The BATARG/22nd MEU is deployed to support the u k f

her tasks as part of the continuous presences of the US Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Theater o y s e

Navy Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. The Security Cooperation (TSC) efforts in the U.S. 5th and t r u

BATARG will support the 22MEU and its Marine 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. The BATARG has o C s

Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron VMM-263 (reinforced) assumed responsibilities as Task Force 62 and will con - h P a r

for the second time with the MV-22B Ospreys. duct MSO and provide support as required for coalition g o t

In 2009, the USS Bataan became the first United forces assigned to the Operation’ Unified Protector’ o h P

50 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 uSS Bataan in the mediterranean Carlo Kuit & Paul Kievit visit the Unified Protector for Libya photographs by Kuit and Kievit

which started during 23 March 2011. The mission is to class is capable of transporting almost the full strength reduce the flow of arms, related material and mercenar - of a United States Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary ies to Libya, as called for in UN Security Council Unit (MEU). In total eight Wasp-class ships have been Resolution 1973. This is part of NATO’s contribution to built since 1989, and as of 2011 all eight are active: the broad international effort to protect civilians in USS Wasp (LHD-1), USS Essex (LHD-2), USS Libya from the violence committed by the Ghaddafi Kearsarge (LHD-3), USS Boxer (LHD-4), USS Bataan regime. (LHD-5), USS Bonhommel Richard (LHD-6), USS Iwo The USS Bataan is a Wasp class Landing Helicopter Jima (LHD-7), USS Makin Island (LHD-8). The USS Dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship. The design is Bataan made its maiden voyage in 2000 to the based on the Tarawa class, with modifications to oper - Mediterranean. ate more advanced aircraft and landing craft. The Wasp The name USS Bataan refers back to World War II

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 51 Two KC-130Js refuelling from VMGR-252 based at Naval Station Sigonella in Sicily. when U.S. Forces and Filipino troops fought against the The 22nd MEU Aviation Combat Element (ACE), Japanese Army. This was in the early hours after the Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263, attack on Pearl Harbor, on the Philippine Islands, Luzon Reinforced), consists of the following: ten MV-22B and Corregidor. After heavy fighting the “Battling Ospreys, four CH-5E ‘Super Stallions’, four AH-1W Bastards of Bataan” had to surrender in April 1942. Two ‘Super Cobras’, four UH-1N ‘Hueys’ and six AV-8B and a half years later, under the Command of General ‘Harriers’ to support the MEU's deployment to the MacArthur, the Philippine Islands were conquered back Mediterranean Sea. from the Japanese. USS Bataan (CVL-29), a light carrier, “The key mission for the MEU and the BATARG as a which earned twelve battle stars in service during late whole is to focus on the Marines on the ground” as Capt. World War II and in the Korean Conflict, precedes LHD- Strickland PAO of 22MEU explains. “All material we 5 in name. The ship was decommissioned in April 1954. have brought onboard allows us to deploy in any combat Currently the BATARG is consisting of the USS theatre or human relief operation such as Hurricane Bataan (LHD5), USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), and USS Katrina (2005) or the earthquake in Haiti (2010). We Whidbey Island (LSD 41). The 22nd Marine Corps train for each mission and are ready to deploy anytime”. Expeditionary Unit (22MEU) comprises of a Command Next to 900 personnel the Amphibious Ready Group Element, Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing (ARG) consist of over 1100 Marines deployed aboard at Team (BLT), Aviation Combat Element (ACE) and the any time. “This is the main difference with operations on Logistics Combat Element /Combat Logistics Battalion a U.S. Carrier which has a more aircraft centric (CLB) 22. approach, furthermore we are closer to the action and we "With this combined Blue-Green (Navy and Marines) have much more lifting capacity” as Capt. Koehler con - team together on the USS Bataan, we become an tinues who has served as an Executive Officer of the extremely flexible force capable of a wide range of mis - Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) before tak - sions," said Capt. Steve Koehler, USS Bataan ing on the command of USS Bataan . “You can see it as t Commanding Officer. “The mission can include Tactical a three legged stool the way we operate’ Capt. Koehler i v e i

Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP), Vessel continues. “We, as USS Bataan, are always in support of k d n

Board Search and Rescue (VBSS), Non Combatant Commodore Steven Yoder and Colonel Eric Steidl, a t i u

Evacuation (NEO), Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Commander of 22MEU, and decide together how to con - k s h

Relief (HADR) and off course full scale beach landings duct our operations the best way in order to deploy the P a r with our Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC’s) and MEU. Off course the Commodore has the final saying as g o t o

Utility Landing Crafts (LCU’s)”. being responsible for the BATARG. The ARG concept h P 52 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 Deployed under control of VMM- 263 are four CH-53Es of HMH- 366 "Hammerheads", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The CH-53E is mainly used for heavy lifting missions as the MV- 22B has fewer capabilities.

has shown great value over the last decade and by com - to work up six months ahead of deploying bringing all bining forces (Navy and Marines) we can provide a lot personnel under the command of VMM-263. The addi - of value add operating in the Mediterranean”. tional aircraft, aviators and mechanics are sourced from Transformers deploy to the Mediterranean the 2nd Marine Wing, in this case from the units based at Currently VMM-263 is deployed with the MV-22B Cherry Point and New River. The composition of the Air ‘Ospreys’ on board the Bataan. The process of transition - Combat Element started in January 2011. We started with ing from CH-46 operations started back in June 2005 basic training and had all our assets working together in when the unit stood down to begin the process of transi - one squadron. Next step was to start integrating into the tioning to the MV-22B. The unit reactivated during 22MEU. For this we had a seven week training period at March 2006 as the first MV-22B squadron in the US the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Marine Corps and was re-designated VMM-263. The (MCAGCC), also known as 29 Palms in order to prepare MV-22 reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) with for our deployment”. the U.S. Marine Corps during June 2007. Being the first “The final part of preparation was to start cooperating squadron operational with the MV-22B VMM-263 was with the ship. This is the normal procedure. As we deployed to Iraq during September 2007 onboard the deployed three months ahead of schedule, for this mis - USS Wasp (LHD-1). sion, we had to finalize some training components during The ‘Osprey’ has been replacing the CH-46 ‘Sea our journey to the Mediterranean. This did not cause any Knight’ on a squadron-by-squadron basis since 2007. difficulties as our service personnel are used to work in This process has to be completed by the year 2019, as by mixed forces and can rapidly adapt to changing situa - then the remaining Sea Knights will be retired. tions.” Lt. Col. Nelms concludes. Currently all eight squadrons on the East Coast have “We currently deployed with the following amount of made the transition to the MV-22B. aircraft on board; ten MV-22Bs (VMM-263), four CH- “The MV-22s are the basis of our VM-263 reinforced 53s (HMH-366), six AV-8s (VMA-231), four AH-1Ws squadron which is complemented with a number of addi - (HMLA-167) and four UH-1Ns (HMLA-167). We have t i v e i tional aircraft” as Lt. Col. Nelms explains, he is the cur - decided to deploy the AH-1s and UH-1s onboard of the k d n rent Air Combat Element (ACE) Commander onboard USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) in order to have more space a t i u the USS Bataan. “We have a predetermined set up of air - available onboard the Bataan for the ten MV-22s. These k h

P craft onboard based on the missions to be conducted; in aircraft are much heavier than the predecessor CH-46E a r g this case a mixture of MV-22Bs, CH-53Es, UH-1s, AH- and need more spacing on the deck as well. By moving o t o

h 1s and AV-8s”. The Lt. Col. Continues “We are starting them over to the Mesa Verde we have a less complex sit - P HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 53 Yellow shirts are Flight Deck Officers or Plane Directors. Aviation ordnance crews (BB Stackers MV-22B or Ordies) wear red Osprey uation on the flight deck which makes daily operations with helicopters” easier with the MV-22Bs” the Lt. Col. explains. “The The Lt Col. Continues “ We have seen a phenomena negative side is that we currently have split tasks over called ‘collective dyslexia’ with our aviators. This means two ships, but when needed we are able to redeploy the mixing up the TCL with the normal collective. Instead of “skids” back onto the Bataan quickly”. pulling up the collective in a helicopter the MV-22B uti - At the time of the authors visit the USS Mesa Verde lizes the TCL and needs to be pushed forward to lift and deployed with the AH-1Ws and UH-1Ns to Greece to gain speed”. The TCL will have the rotors tilted when the conduct training with the Greece Navy out of Naval Air MV-22 is changing from hovering position into flight. Station Souda Bay. Main missions included overland “Our experience when transferring to the MV-22 is that training flights, shooting at the platoon range and lifesav - for new pilots who just graduated it is much easier to start ing courses. The rest of the mission in Greece was flying the MV-22 compared to a CH-46 or CH-53 pilot Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) for the troops. who will be confronted with this collective dyslexia ” the The aviators of the Air Combat Element are hand Lt. Col continues. “The training of new MV-22B pilots selected based on experience. “For us there are two differs a lot from the training on for example the CH-46E, basics to qualify for being deployed in a MEU”. Lt. Col. CH-53E, UH-1N. The flight training is taking place both Nelms details out “All our aviators have to be night at helicopters and turboprop aircraft over a ten week peri - vision and carrier qualified”. The latter qualification has od. And due to the fact the ‘Osprey’ is more a turboprop to be renewed every fifteen days by all aviators. “The aircraft then a helicopter, part of the flying training is con - qualification is specifically important for the ‘Harrier’ ducted on the C-12 King Air at NAS Corpus Christi. The aviators” Capt. zalewski, one of the AV-8 pilots onboard final transition to the MV-22B takes place at NAS explains. “We conduct day and night missions ranging Pensacola. Out of 100 training hours over two-third is from close air support to reconnaissance missions”. being conducted at the simulator. We have excellent simu - The transition from the CH-46 to the MV-22B has not lators capable of training for each scenario; the aviators been so easy. “We had to make the transition from a tan - dem rotor to a tilt rotor aircraft” Lt. Col. Mitalski, Executive Officer of VMM-263, explains. The aircraft is more complex than any other type. For outsiders they look like “Transformers”. The MV-22B has the ability to tilt its rotors, sweep its wing and then change from a hel - icopter into a transport aircraft within a couple of min - utes with the flying characteristics of a turbo prop”. The ACE Commander has over 1500 flying hours on the CH- 46E. “In a way the MV-22B is a turbo-prop aircraft with the ability to hover; and therefore asks new skills from our Aviators. With the introduction of the MV-22B into service we have some new concepts to work with; what is specific to the MV-22B is the Throttle Control Level HSC-28 has deployed two MH-60S Seahawk (TCL) which is different to the collective being used helicopters as part of Detachment 2.

54 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 s t e e e n n h n i e o T r

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PhotograPhs Courtesy of kuit and kievit The MV-22 Osprey is capable of folding the wings and tilting the rotors to fit on the deck of a Landing Helicopter Deck.

MV-22B community is still in progress. “We are still Commander Nelms details out. “The MV-22 is very well gaining new experiences and insights to conduct opera - executing middle weight transport missions and does it tions with the Osprey” Lt. Col. Mitalski elaborates “In fast; however SAR missions, fast roping and in surgeon terms of size the MV-22 is almost the same size as the missions are less capable to be conducted with the MV- CH-46E, however the weight of the Osprey is higher. 22” according to Lt. Col. Mitalski. “Finally we have Therefore currently only ten MV-22s can operate out of more crew on average deployed to support MV-22 opera - the LHDs. Normally we have 12 MV-22s in the squadron tions in order to support the systems. The MV-22 needs when we are land-based. Luckily we need less MV-22s more flight preparation than helicopter operations”. to conduct the same missions with the CH-46s before. In order to have the operations onboard as smooth as Also the MV-22 has given us much more capability in possible Bell Boeing has assigned two of its engineers to terms of distance. We can now have long range opera - the ACE. “It is my second deployment with VM-263 on tions of about 200-300 miles”. What we also had to con - the Bataan” says Willy Abril from the Bell Corporation clude is that we have to revise the way we conduct mis - “Representatives of Bell-Boeing will remain connected sions with the MV-22s, as they have much longer range to the ACE up till the year 2014 when our contract with than any other helicopter type onboard” ACE the U.S. Department of Defense ends. The Bell Corp. is

MV-22B allows mis - sion execution to a range of 200-300 miles.

The MV-22B is mainly used for medium weight transport flights Marines of 22MEU doing live firing exer - cises on the deck of USS Bataan. These exercises take place on a daily basis start - ing as early as 03.00hrs in the morning.

responsible for the Wing and Boeing for the airframe of ducing the MV-22 to the US Marines was not the techni - the MV-22B. Our goal is to streamline the identified cal part, but the negative publicity that the MV-22 got in technical issues; we specifically focus on the issues the press. We have proven the general public the which are not covered in the manual”. Willy Abril con - ‘Osprey’ is a fine aircraft which allows the ACE nowa - tinues “From 2000 onwards we have come a long way; days to move more people and cargo than ever before,” the Marines nowadays only come to us with a few ques - Willy Abril concludes. Today over ninety V-22 Ospreys tions which shows the Support System has been success - have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. ful”. Willy continues “Our major challenge when intro - Marines.

Members of 22MEU sending a message back home to show their gratitude to one of the family members. B ook r eview ultimate Pilot’s Operating Handbook Robinson R44 Bastian Liebermann http://www.bajalipublishing.com IBSBN 978-0-9836962-0-9 £13.99

astian Liebermann has written a ‘must-have’ manual for the Robinson R44, and on read - Bing it my first thought was why is there not something similar for the Schweizer 300. The Ultimate Pilot’s Operating Handbook aims to combine the normal flight manual with a little more depth, interspersing basic explanations with something that might be found in an engineering manual. It struck me, reading the book, that Liebermann has probably, like most of us, spent hours trying to find something simple in the manu - al. He has consequently tried to highlight important matters like speeds, weights, and temperatures and gives useful tips on how these should be used. The book looks at general flying, limitations, emergency procedures, normal procedures, check - lists, loading and performance, system descriptions, awareness training, carburetor icing and conver - sions, and tries to follow through from the past to the current machines. Systems, for example, looks at everything from the basic airframe to the current digital cockpit retrofit. Checklists contains a num - ber of ‘cautions,’ looking at possible problems and explaining what to do should they occur. Liebermann also examines the variety of R44s on the market and explains their differences. In the chapter on The Fuel System, he points out that the older R44s have the all-aluminium fuel tanks, while newer R44s use flexible bladders in aluminium enclosures in order to reduce the chance of post crash fires. The book also has a number of clear graphs and drawings, performance charts and running systems which he explains for those who have difficulty using them. It is a very comprehensive book and well worth The author was born in New York and has lived in both the £13.99 charged by Amazon. My only slight Germany and the USA. He is a media designer and a helicopter complaint is that it would be nice if the quality of pilot and flies in both Europe and the USA. He has a FAA CPL the pictures was a little higher, but that would, (IR) and is an instrument rated instructor. inevitably, increase the price. HELICOPTER LIFE ,Autumn 2011 58 CAA Legislation Changes concerning helicopters and gyroplanes

Flight training rule change for gyroplanes CAA advises aviation industry of Olympics deadlines pe=65&appid=7&mode The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced =detail&nid=2022> that ab initio flight training on gyroplanes will be As the countdown to the London 2012 Olympics begins, restricted to type approved versions only. The CAA had the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued guide - previously allowed flying training to be conducted on lines to the aviation industry to ensure that any necessary amateur built gyroplanes, primarily because, unlike licences and approvals are in place in time for the Games. microlights, there was no certification code available to The CAA said it was putting extra resources into assisting support the development and production of type industry with the increased demand the Olympics may approved gyroplanes. However, there are now several bring, but it also asked companies to plan ahead with type approved gyroplanes on the market, many of which their requirements. are being used for instrument training.. IN 2011/48 - Expected effects of EU Legislation on IN - 2011/52: Fitting Of Emergency Locator Flight Crew Licensing Transmitters to Helicopters Used for of EU Legislation on Flight Crew Licensing Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) are fitted to air - craft in accordance with various regulations and require - Transport Canada EAD CF-2011-17: Bell 407 and Bell ments in order to assist with the alerting and location of 427: Incorrect Assembly of Hydraulic Servo Actuators aircraft and survivors following an occurrence. The ... view Transport Canada EAD CF-2011-17 future European Operations Implementing Rules for Commercial Air Transport (CAT) helicopters are expect - ed to introduce changes to the current requirements for EMERGENCY MANDATORY PERMIT DIREC - UK operators. This IN provides advanced guidance on TIVE Emergency MPD 2011-006-E: Rotorsport UK the proposed changes. MT-03, MTOSport and Calidus gyroplanes: Rotor Blade - Life Limit IN-2011/55: Disestablishment of RAF Lyneham Control Zone (CTR)/Control Area (CTA) & Regularisation of Airspace Transport Canada EAD CF-2011-19: Bell 206L: view Transport Canada EAD CF-2011-19 On 14 December 2010 the CAA informed industry that routine operational flying at RAF Lyneham will cease IN-2011/43: Measurement, Computing and Reporting on 30 September 2011, and that this would result in the of Atmospheric Pressure: Adoption immediate disestablishment of the RAF Lyneham CTR of the Hectopasca and CTA and closure of the resident Air Traffic Control inform industry that this change will also result in the The purpose of this Information Notice is to notify the regularisation of Bristol CTAs 8 and 9, and the adoption adoption of the hectopascal (hPa) as the unit of measure - by Bristol ATC of a number of Visual Reference Points ment for atmospheric pressure within the UK with effect (VRPs). from 17 November 2011. This information will also be promulgated by Aeronautical Information Circular.

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Address O nineteen year old student, Alice, to Russia for GEORGINA HUNTER-JONES made history in the World Helicopter Games. She is delighted: a N 1988 when she flew her mother, standing on paid holiday to see part of the world she had top of a Tiger Moth, in the World’s First All City Postcode D never even considered being available to her.

Female Wingwalk. In 1994 she broke a World S However, even before they leave Britain strange Altitude Record for light helicopters. things start to occur: Alice turns out to have a Georgina is Editor of Helicopter Life hidden past which is hinted at but not SEND ALSO TO: G magazine, a helicopter lifestyle magazine explained; a helicopter runs out of fuel even which she co-founded in Summer 2004. Name e though the gauges show full; rumours fly that This is Georgina’s second full length book. o Alice had a previous team mate who disap- (PLEASE PRINT)

The first, Atlantic Warriors, about flying r peared. Pete, who invited her on the trip, across the Atlantic in a small plane, sold out Address g assures her nothing is happening, that every- in historic time. She has also written several i thing is normal but Ali remains uneasy, and children’s books including The Twerple who n strange things continue to happen. had Too Many Brains and Ronald the City Postcode a The small helicopters leave the British coast Postage Stamp. stopping for fuel and for night-stops in Georgina is an experienced aviator, who H Holland, Germany, Poland, and Byelorussia has logged over 5,000 hours on fixed wing

u heading always towards Moscow, where the and 3,000 hours on helicopters. She was part games are to be held. As the ‘caravan’ roles on

Payment enclosed (Make cheques out to Helicopter Life ) n of the British team in the World Helicopter Ali meets more members of her own team and Championships in Moscow, Russia (1994) t more of the competing teams; the eccentric Jan Send form and cheque to: e and in Salem, Oregon, USA (1996). from Holland, the huge Joe from South Africa; Georgina has been a member of the Whirly HELICOPTER LIFE Magazine r the sexy Giles from France; Pete’s son the beau- Girls (an International Women’s Helicopter -

J tiful Daniel, a former detective, and Team Association) since 1986, the Colonial Dames, 59 Great Ormond Street, London WC 1N 3Hz , England Leader Kevin, who apparently dislikes both Ali o and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company and Alice on sight. n of Skinners in the City of London since 1995. Savings are off the £3.99 per issue price. Then, over the apparently infinite forest in She sits on various charitable committees. Please allow 6-8 weeks to receive your first issue. e Byelorussia, Ali’s Robinson helicopter has a Presently Georgina is a commercial pilot s tail-rotor failure and it is not an accident. and both a helicopter and Tiger Moth Clearly someone wants to prevent them com- instructor in southern England. peting in the championships, but why? She lives in London with her American FLYFIZZI born husband Hilaire Dubourcq. HELICOPTER LIFE is the HIGH LIFE Publishing Georgina Hunter-Jones JACKET DESIGN BY HILAIRE DUBOURCQ

60 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 HelicopterLife Training and more to place an advert call Paul or email [email protected] see also http://www.helicopterlife.com/advertising.html

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Whirly Girls Scholarships www.whirlygirls.org

Deadline 1st October 2011 Apply now! ou too can win one of the following Whirly Girls selection in mountainous and canyon areas with special Scholarships; I did. But you need to apply now emphasis placed on decision making. It also provides the Ybefore it is too late. skill needed to fly various private and commercial heli - copter missions that require off-airport landings any - Download the forms from the WG website: where in the country, regardless of altitude or terrain. It is www.whirlygirls.org a real confidence-builder, especially if the pilot has very little experience in off-airport operations. It includes ½ Whirly-Girls Memorial Flight Training Scholarship day extensive ground school with 5 hours of flight time Provided by the Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc., this in the MD500. combines the Phelan International and Doris Mullen Flight Training Scholarships. It provides $6,000 and is Aircraft Ditching Course Scholarship given in memory of our founder, Jean, and her husband Provided by Survival Systems USA it gives a deserving Jim Phelan, along with the memory of Doris Mullen who Whirly-Girl the knowledge and skills necessary to react lost her life in a fixed wing accident in 1968. This schol - to an aircraft-ditching emergency, care for herself in a sea arship provides any Whirly-Girl a chance to upgrade her survival situation, and to participate to the maximum current rating. extent in her rescue. The pilot taking this course should have at least a private pilot license and is required to Robinson Helicopter R22/R44Safety Course have no physical limitations that would prevent her from and R44 Scholarship participating in strenuous physical training. Training will Sponsored by Robinson Helicopter, this provides a be at Survival Systems USA in Groton, Connecticut. Whirly-Girl currently flying Robinsons the opportunity to attend the Safety Course. Robinson provides this 3-1/2 Whirly-Girls Helicopter Add-on day course in Torrance, CA, USA, including 5 hours of Fight Training Scholarship R44 flight time. The course is open to any rated helicop - FOR FEMALE PILOTS RATED IN AIRCRAFT ter pilot who has at least 3 hours in the R22 or R44 heli - OTHER THAN HELICOPTERS. Funded by the WGSF, copter. This course is required by most insurance compa - is provided this year in memory of Bob Vetter, WG nies and serves as a CFI refresher. Auxiliary member and husband of Bev WG#459. It pro - vides $6,000 to assist a certificated female pilot, does not Flight Safety International Bell 206 currently have a helicopter rating, in earning her add-on Initial Pilot Scholarship helicopter rating. Applicant will be evaluated for evi - Sponsored by Flight Safety International, this scholarship dence of intent to work in the helicopter industry. is awarded to a Whirly-Girl who possesses at least a Private Pilot Helicopter license and has landing currency American Eurocopter Flight Training Scholarship in a helicopter. This five-day course consists of academic Sponsored by American Eurocopter, it will give a training and six hours in the FTD. Training will be Whirly-Girl the opportunity to attend an AS350 Turbine available at Flight Safety’s Helicopter Learning Center of Transition Course at the American Eurocopter Excellence in Lafayette, LA, USA. Course value $10,000. Factory School in Grand Prairie, Texas, USA.

Advanced Mountain Flight Training Scholarship The Whirly-Girls International Provided in memory of Keiko Minakata, WG# 1339. A non-profit, educational and charitable organization ded - This scholarship gives a deserving Whirly Girl the skills icated to advancing women in helicopter aviation. It was to cope with turbulence, rugged terrain and landing zone founded in 1955 by Jean Ross Howard and originally

62 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 consisted of 13 female helicopter pilots from France, Germany, and the United States. Any woman who has The Royal Aero Club earned at least a Private certificate with a helicopter rating is welcome to become a member. Currently, there are over Trust 1700 registered members representing 44 countries. The primary goals of the organization are as follows: www.royalaeroclubtrust.org 1. Promotion of women in the helicopter industry through Deadline 31 March 2012 scholarship awards, mentoring, public appearances, press Apply now! releases, magazine articles and informational displays in aviation museums; 2012 ROYAL AERO CLUB TRUST BURSARIES 2. Exchange of information among women in helicopter • Aged between 16 years and 21 years? aviation; • Got at least a basic air sport qualification? 3. Promotion of community acceptance of rotorcraft • Want to advance your air sport qualifications but through increasing public awareness of rotorcraft utility lack the funds? and versatility. • Would £1,000 help your air sport ambitions? The Whirly-Girls organization and its sponsors provide a number of impressive scholarships every year to mem - The Royal Aero Club Trust announces its bursary bers. The current list for 2012 follows. For further infor - scheme for young people for the 2012 season. The bur - mation, please refer to www.whirlygirls.org. Scholarship saries include The President’s Scholarships (2 bursaries application deadlines are October 1, 2011. each worth up to £750), the Peter Cruddas Foundation Scholarship worth up to £1,000, the Breitling Bursary also worth up to £750, and the Bramson Bursary which is one of a number of additional bursaries worth up to £500 each to anyone between 16 and 21 years of age wishing to progress their interest in either air sports or aviation. Closing date for applications is 31 March 2012.

Applicants must be UK citizens, resident in the UK, and training and flying can only be conducted at Clubs, Associations or training establishments in the UK. Applications, which must arrive at the Trust by 31 March 2012, are to be submitted through a Sponsoring Organisation, Club or Association. Full details, rules and an application form are available on the Royal Aero Club Trust web site. HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 63 A CCidenT r ePorTS

Robinson R44 11 Raven, G-EEZR The tail rotor contacted a small bush during training was flying with sole reference to instruments, immediate - involving landings on sloping ground. Examination of ly decoupled the autopilot and initiated a climb. He then the tail rotor revealed minor damage and the tail rotor called for HDG mode, which the co-pilot selected, and was replaced. The instructor stated that, although he ALTP mode, which the co-pilot was again unable to was aware of the bush, he incorrectly assessed its engage. position and distance from the tail rotor. The bush has The helicopter subsequently entered VMC over lower been trimmed. The pilot was 64 years old and had a terrain. The SAR mission was completed and the heli - CPL with 9,800 hours, 45 on type. copter returned to base without further use of the auto - matic flight control system modes. Robinson R44 Raven II, G-ODHB The helicopter manufacturer has assisted the operator in The student pilot reported that whilst hover taxiing, the resolving issues highlighted by this event. Initially, the right hand forward entry door opened. He instinctively heading mode selection may not have engaged because looked towards the door and tried to grab it by momen - the airspeed was below the lower capture limit of 50 kt. tarily removing his hand from the cyclic control. By the Additionally, cockpit design for the newer S-92A SAR time he had replaced his hand on the controls and looked variant of this helicopter is being reviewed, with regard forward again, the helicopter was in an unusual attitude to switch positioning and nomenclature, in order to and he was unable to prevent it from contacting the reduce the opportunities for incorrect switch selection at ground heavily. The helicopter operator later inspected times of high crew workload. The pilot was 47 years old the door latch mechanism and was unable to fault its and had 8982 hours, 653 were on type. operation. The pilot was 63 years old and had 78 hours all on type . Robinson R44 VH-ETT The owner-pilot of a Robinson R44 was conducting a Sikorsky S-92A, G-SARC local flight from a private property lnear Kilmore Gap, Victoria, Australia. During low-level manoeuvring at low While carrying out a manually flown SAR mission in speed around a dam, the pilot lost directional control and mountainous terrain the helicopter entered IMC. The landed heavily in the water. The helicopter was seriously commander, who was the pilot flying, called for the damaged; the pilot and passenger sustained minor autopilot HDG (heading) mode of the automatic flight control system (AFCS) to be engaged while turning onto injuries. The investigation found that the helicopter was the pre-briefed escape heading. This was selected by the probably serviceable and that the loss of directional con - co-pilot on his mode select panel but it did not engage. trol was likely to be a result of a loss of tail rotor effec - The commander asked for ALT (barometric altitude tiveness. hold) mode and the minimum safe altitude to be selected Bell 206L4- LongRanger 1V G-PTOO in the altitude pre-select window. Initially, the co-pilot The pilot carried out a precautionary landing at London selected RADALT (radio altimeter hold) mode briefly, City Airport, after the onset of vibration during the then selected ALT as requested. The co-pilot selected cruise. Examination revealed that a bolt, securing balance HDG mode and set the heading bug to the current head - weight assemblies to a tail rotor blade, had failed due to ing. The commander then asked for the ALTP1 mode, the formation of a crack in the bolt shank which propa - which the co-pilot attempted to select several times with - gated in fatigue. The helicopter manufacturer confirmed out effect. that this was the first reported occurrence of this nature Suddenly, while still in IMC, the autopilot appeared to relating to this design of tail rotor system. The pilot was enter a hover mode, which stopped any climb and 46 and had 2,200 hours, 480 were on type. increase in speed as the helicopter tried to enter a hover. The helicopter then adopted an approximately 15 Westland Wasp HASi G-BZPP degrees nose up attitude with a small amount of bank, The Wasp helicopter was in a low hover, about 150 m in and descended. The crew saw HOV (automatic hover from the Runway 04 threshold. The pilot of the velocity) mode annunciated at the top of the Primary Starduster was flying an approach to Runway 04 but was Flight Display (PFD) and the PFD went into the hover not aware of the presence of the Wasp. The Starduster reference page. At this point a gap in the cloud revealed collided with the rear of the Wasp and crashed on the a hill in front of and below the helicopter. The co-pilot runway nearby, coming to rest in an upright attitude but called for an immediate climb. The commander, who

64 HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 A CCidenT r ePorTS

Magni M24C, G-CGRT tipped forward onto its nose. The Wasp yawed uncontrol - The pilot had performed a series of short takeoffs and lably to the right and landed heavily, causing the left landings on a clear day with a 20 kt headwind on the undercarriage to collapse. runway in use. On his fourth takeoff, during a normal The Commanding Officer, RNAS Yeovilton, ordered that rotor pre-rotation procedure, with the stick full back, the a unit investigation be carried out into YFC (Yeovilton rotor rpm rose to 230 rpm but the aircraft’s nose lifted. Flying Club) operations. As a result of recommendations The aircraft pitched rearward and the tail castor contact - made in the investigation report, the YFC introduced a ed the ground. It then lifted approximately three feet and number of changes to its procedures for operations out - began rolling to the left. The pilot attempted to recover side normal airfield hours. These included the establish - by pushing the stick forward, applying full power and ment of a Duty Pilot post with appropriate supervisory full right stick. Despite this attempt, the aircraft gained responsibilities, enhanced ‘booking out’ procedures, approximately 10 kt forward speed, continued to roll left mandatory briefing for pilots, and the mandatory use of a and impacted a ploughed field to the left of the runway. single frequency (120.800 MHz) by all aircraft in the The aircraft ended up on its side but the pilot, who was visual circuit. Additionally, limitations were put in place wearing a helmet and full harness, was uninjured. He regarding mixed (rotary and fixed-wing) flying. The assessed that the cause of the accident was due to a sud - commander of the Wasp had 14,150 hours 2,632 on type. den increase in wind speed during the pre-rotation of the main rotor. The forecast was for an increase in wind AS355F1 Squirrel G-BPRI strength during the day with reported conditions as gusty, The pilot was about to lift from a golf course. After con - increasing throughout the day to 60 kt. firming that the surrounding area was clear, the pilot Instructor’s comments: started the helicopter’s engines. Shortly after starting the The pilot’s instructor commented that although the pilot second engine, he noticed a golf cart on his right side had experienced flying in strong winds on a different that was “travelling at some speed, clearly out of con - gyroplane model, it was his first time flying the M24C in trol”. The cart passed behind the helicopter, sustaining such conditions. He also stated that the rearward move - damage to its roof when it passed through the tail rotor ment of the stick, rotor rpm, strong wind and low disc, and continued for approximately 40 m before stop - aircraft weight would have caused the aircraft to lift off. ping. The pilot was told that a young child had climbed Additionally he noted that the normal takeoff rotor speed into the cart with an adult and had inadvertently stepped is 300 rpm and at 220 rpm the directional control from on the accelerator pedal. The pilot estimated that the cart the main rotor is limited. Therefore the aircraft’s had travelled 80 m before hitting the tail rotor. The occu - response to stick inputs made by the pilot would also pants of the cart were unhurt. The commander was 48 have been less effective. The pilot was 74 and had 2870 years old and 5,928 hours 423 on type. hours of which 31 were on type.

AS355F2 Twin Squirrel G-SWEP The pilot lost control of the helicopter whilst manoeu - vring at low speed to approach a hilltop landing site in quite strong wind conditions. It descended rapidly with increasing forward ground speed, before striking the ground short of the point of intended landing and passing

P through a substantial stone wall. The helicopter was h o t destroyed but the occupants suffered only minor injuries. o g r The investigation determined that an error of judgement a P h s or perception led the pilot to attempt a downwind B y

g approach. A combination of human factors including a e o

r recent bereavement in the pilot’s family was thought to g i n

a have contributed to the accident. The commander was 42 h u years and had 2,045 hours 185 on type. n t e r - J o n e s

HELICOPTER LIFE , Autumn 2011 65 h o r S e & h eliCoPTer

derby day @ Epsom

Pictures by Ian Turner

he Derby originated at a cel - Later the police used airships for ebration following the first surveillance and in 1923 used a Trunning of the Oaks Stakes Vickers (type 61) Vulcan to report on in 1779. A new race was planned, traffic snarl-ups. and it was decided that it should be In 1932, the Met Police experi - named after either the host of the mented using a Cierva C.19 Mark IV party, the 12th Earl of Derby, or Autogiro, G-ABUD, to cover the one of his guests, Sir Charles Derby Day event, probably the first Bunbury. According to legend the use of any rotary wing type on police decision was made by the toss of a duties in the world. However, the coin. The inaugural running of the obervers complained the wings got in Derby Stakes was held on 4 May the way of a clear picture. 1780. It was won by Diomed, a In 1934 the police used a Cierva colt owned by Sir Charles ATC Philip Wright C30P, G-ACIN, autogyro which did Bunbury, who collected prize not have auxiliary wings so giving the money of £1,065 15s. The first four runnings were contested observer a better view. The Met Police clearly saw the poten - over 1 mile, but this was amended to the current distance of tial of air observation and continued using autogyros until the 1½ miles in 1784. Lord Derby achieved his first success in start of the Second World War. the event in 1787, with a horse called Sir Peter Teazle. The starting point of the race was moved twice during the 19th century. The first move, suggested by Lord George

Bentinck, was in 1848, and the second was in 1872. It was P h o discovered in 1991 that the exact length of the race was 1 t o g mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards. r a P h

It is said that the first use of aviation by the police for aer - s i a ial observation was at the Derby. An RAF plane was appar - n t u ently used but it was not equipped with wireless so it had to r n e land near the course to pass on reports of traffic problems. r 66