Helicopter By Kenneth I. Swartz

ouch down at any heliport in the Canada final assembly line for new AS350B3 and EC130 T2 helicopters for world today and there is a good Canadian customers. (All photos by the author except where noted.) T chance that some of the local helicopters are showcases for Canadian across the St. Lawrence River from Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for flight technology. Montreal. Three brothers – Douglas, training and (SAR) For more than six decades, Canada Nicholas and Theodore Froebe – living use. Meanwhile, ’s has been the world’s second largest civil in Homewood, Manitoba developed the factory in Niagara Falls, New York was helicopter market – with nearly 3,000 in first Canadian “helicopter” to get literally minutes from the border, and in service today – but over the past 40 airborne in late 1938. The aircraft, 1947 it began delivering Bell 47Bs to years, Canadian companies have also powered by Gipsy from a Great Canadian civil customers. become important developers and Lakes biplane trainer, got all three In the 1950s, the Canadian civil producers of advanced wheels off the ground during a series of helicopter fleet expanded with new systems. “hops,” reaching altitudes of up to three models of the and the The best known companies include feet (1 m). (The Froebe helicopter is now introduction of the Hiller 360, Sikorsky Pratt & Whitney Canada, Bell Helicopter on display at the Western Canada S-55 and S-58, as well as military Canada, Aviation Museum in Winnipeg, deliveries of the Piasecki HUP-3, H-21 Canada Limited and CAE. But there are Manitoba). and H-44, and Sikorsky H-19, HO4S-3 countless other Canadian companies After World War II, Sikorsky and Bell and H-34. The first Sud Aviation (later making helicopter components and Aircraft competed for the first helicopter Aerospatiale, now part of Airbus providing support services. sales in Canada. Canadian Pratt & Helicopters) SE3130 Allouette II Whitney Limited (as P&WC was then helicopter was delivered to a Canadian Early Rotorcraft in Canada known) had been formed in 1928 and customer in 1958; it was Canada’s first was a major producer of piston ; turbine-powered helicopter. anada’s first rotorcraft were a pair it was also the post-war sales agent for Attempts to develop an indigenous of Pitcairn imported in in Canada. In 1947, helicopter development and production C1931-1932 by Fairchild Aircraft of P&WC began delivering the first of capability, however, were long stymied. Canada, based in Longueuil, Quebec, seven Sikorsky S-51s to the Royal In August 1945, Intercity Airways began

Vol. 60, No. 3 1 development of the Sznycer-Gottlieb plant near Ottawa in Arnprior, Ontario The PT6 – The Core of SG-VI Grey Gull helicopter, which flew from 1954 until 2004 when the CH-113 for the first time July 9, 1947. It received fleet was retired. Canadian Power a Canadian Certificate of Airworthiness In late 1962, the Canadian n 1957, P&WC hired a small team to on March 15, 1951, becoming the first government ordered the first of 41 develop new small gas turbine helicopter designed, built and certified Sikorsky CHSS-2 Sea King helicopters for Iengines. The first engine the team in the British Commonwealth. Two were the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The designed was a small , which built, but it was never put into contract win meant that P&WC had to was taken over by the parent company production. (The surviving prototype is become a helicopter manufacturer and in the US and put into production as the on display at The Reynolds-Alberta develop and integrate a new weapons JT12 (J60); the version, the Museum, Wetaskiwin, Alberta.) system, which was new for the engine JFTD12 (T73), powered the Sikorsky Efforts by of Fort Erie, manufacturer. The first four Sea Kings CH-54 Tarhe and S-64 Skycrane. Ontario to enter the helicopter industry were manufactured by Sikorsky, but the The PT6 was the next engine with Doman Helicopters of Danbury, remaining helicopters were built in developed by the P&WC team. The Connecticut were short lived. The Canada at Longueuil, and later St. engine was designed as a free turbine Doman-Fleet LZ-5 was developed and Hubert, Quebec. The first Canadian so that it could be utilized in helicopters flown in Canada and was aircraft to fly was RCN No. 4005 at and fixed-wing aircraft. The first simultaneously Type Certificated in the Longueuil on April 9, 1964 – 50 years helicopter (or aircraft for that matter) to US and Canada in 1954, but it similarly ago this year. fly solely with PT6 power was the never entered production. While P&WC was assembling the Sea military-focused Hiller Ten99 in July However, when the Canadian Kings in Longueuil, across the St. 1961. It was followed in early 1962 by government cancelled the ambitious Lawrence River in Cartierville, a suburb the high-speed, experimental Piasecki Avro CF-105 Arrow supersonic of Montreal, was developing 16H-1 Pathfinder helicopter, the rigid- interceptor in February 1959, it the innovative CL-84 tilt wing aircraft. rotor Lockheed XH-51A helicopter in negotiated a US defense production The prototype CL-84 made its first hover late 1962, the twin-engine Kaman sharing agreement as part of a on May 7, 1965. Three additional, K-1125 helicopter in early 1963, and the commitment to buy American jet improved CL-84-1s were built in the Lockheed Model 286 helicopter (the interceptors. early 1970s. All total, the CL-84 made planned civil production version of the York Gears of Toronto (now part of more than 700 flight test and military XH-51) in 1965. None of these aircraft, Northstar ) won a contract in evaluation flights in Canada and the US, however, went into production. the early 1960s to build the forward and but ultimately lost out to the P&WC’s entry into the commercial rear rotor transmissions for the enthusiasm growing for the , helicopter business was the PT6T-3 Vertol Model 107 and Jarry Hydraulics of instantiated in the XV-15. The counter- Twin-Pac engine developed in the late Montreal (today part of UTC Aerospace rotating technology of the CL- 1960s with the support of the Canadian Systems) won a contract to design and 84, however, was used by Canadair (now government, which wanted a twin- build the for the CH-47 Bombardier) in the 1970s to develop the engine version of the Bell UH-1. The Chinook; after which, Canada placed an CL-227 Sentinel VTOL unmanned Twin-Pac entered service in the early order for 18 Vertol 107 tandem aircraft system (UAS), and the evolved 1970s, powering the Sikorsky S-58T, helicopters to equip RCAF and Army CL-327 Guardian in units, known as the CH-113 Labrador. the 1990s. Piasecki Helicopter and later operated a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)

Sikorsky CHSS-2 No. 4005 was first Canadian-assembled Sea King for This Boeing Vertol 107 – known as the CH-113 Labrador in Canadian service the Royal Canadian Navy. It made its first flight at Longueuil on April 9, – was used for search and rescue from 1964 to 2004. Several of the 1964. Test pilots Seth Grossmith (RCN) and W. Ross Lennox (P&WC) are components were made in Canada. at left. (Photo by W. Ross Lennox/author’s collection)

2 VERTIFLITE May/June 2014 The PW&C PT6 design team. Allan Newland, chief designer, is the tall man in The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T Twin-Pac combines two PT6 power the middle. (Copyright Pratt & Whitney Canada. Used with permission.) turbines driving a common output gearbox. It was P&WC’s first production turboshaft, ordered in 1968 by Bell Helicopter for the Twin Huey. (Copyright Pratt & Whitney Canada. Used with permission.)

airliner and Canadair PW200 Turboshaft Success Challenger , respectively. The n 1983, P&WC’s announced plans to government in build a high power engine with low Ottawa also began to Ifuel burn for the emerging light twin explore opportunities market. The aim was a new generation to increase Canadian turboshaft in the 400 – 500 shp (300 – manufacturing 375 kW) range, though this was soon participation in the increased to 500 – 800 shp (375 – 600 helicopter industry to kW). The goal was to achieve a 10% to offset imports of 12% lower fuel burn than existing more than 150 engines, and a 15% to 20% reduction in helicopters a year that fuel burn compared to a PT6B of similar BHTC started building the at Mirabel in 1989. Niagara were used to support power. Helicopters took delivery of the Bell 412SP in 1991 to fly tourists over natural resource The design that would become Niagara Falls. (Niagara Helicopters photo/author’s collection) development. known as the PW200-series features A market study three major rotating components: a , -Bell 212, military UH-1N recommended that Canada seek a single-stage turbine powered the Twin Huey, and the AH-1J Sea Cobra “world product mandate” to build light single-stage centrifugal compressor, attack helicopters sold to the US Marine twin helicopters in Canada for domestic while a single-stage power turbine Corps (and pre-revolutionary ). The and export use that could also launch drove the front-mounted gearbox. At Twin-Pac-powered Bell 412 entered development of a new P&WC turboshaft the heart of the PW200 is a high-speed service in 1981. engine. 8:1 centrifugal compressor with an P&WC developed the PT6B-36 In late 1983, Ottawa announced that impeller rotating at 58,000 rpm to turboshaft for the Sikorsky S-76B in the it had accepted proposals by Bell produce high pressure ratios. mid-1980s. The S-76B was originally Helicopter Textron and Messerschmitt- The PW205B first ran on February 7, developed for “hot and high” military Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) to establish light 1987 and first flew on October 6, 1988 in operations, but most were sold for twin helicopter factories in Quebec and the Bo 105LS B-1 testbed aircraft X-01 at executive use where passengers valued Ontario respectively, with the financial MBB Canada in Fort Erie, Ontario. the PT6’s outstanding reliability. participation of the two provincial P&WC’s huge technological governments. investment eventually paid off when the Creating a Canadian Unfortunately, the large forecast PW200 was selected to power seven Helicopter Industry demand for light twin helicopters in the new light twin helicopters developed in 1980s failed to appear after the world the 1990s and 2000s. The first n the mid-1970s, the Canadian oil price collapse of 1986 that grounded production helicopter to use the PW200 government bought Toronto-based hundreds of helicopters working the oil was the MD900 Explorer (PW206 and Ide Havilland Canada from Hawker and gas sector (see “Offshore Canada,” PW207E); the engine was also selected Siddeley and Montreal-based Canadair Vertiflite , Jan-Feb 2014). This dampened to power the (PW207D), Bell from General Dynamics to protect their demand for new aircraft, but led to the 429 (PW207D1), AgustaWestland manufacturing capabilities and develop development of more fuel-efficient AW109E Power (PW206C) and AW109S new export products, such as the Dash 8 models of helicopters and engines. Grand (PW207D), Kazan Helicopter

Vol. 60, No. 3 3 The first firm customer for the P&WC PW200 turboshaft was the MD900. This MD902 was flying customers at Heli Expo 2014 at the MBB Helicopter Canada flight test team with the PW205B powered Anaheim Stadium. Bo 105LS B-2 X01 during the official “first flight” for media at Fort Erie on October 13, 1988.

Ansat (PW206C), and the unmanned February 2012, P&WC celebrated the France, and was considered a major Boeing A160 Hummingbird. delivery of its 75,000th engine, a PT6C- commercial breakthrough. Like the On the strength of MBB’s extensive 67C delivered to AgustaWestland for an AW139, the EC175 is targeted at the evaluation of the PW200 on the Bo AW139. offshore oil and gas market where PT6 105LS and Bo 108 research aircraft, the During the Bell and Agusta reliability is well established. PW206 was selected as one of two collaboration, Bell/Agusta Aerospace With an eye to capturing a slice of engine options for the new EC135 (the Company also selected the PT6C-67A to the Bell “Huey” upgrade market, Global other being the Turbomeca Arrius 2B). power the innovative AB609 (now Helicopter Technologies, in partnership AW609) tilt rotor. For takeoff, the with DynCorp, developed the UH-1H New Generation turboshaft is now being rated at 2,400 Global Eagle powered by the PT6C-67D. shp (1,800 kW), the highest rating of any Temsco Helicopters subsequently PT6-Powered Helicopters PT6. The prototype 609 flew under PT6 acquired the rights to the PT6C-67D t the 1995 , Agusta power on March 6, 2003. powered UH-1H and Bell 205A-1. displayed a mockup of a new The Airbus Helicopters EC175 flew for In the early 2000s, P&WC identified Asingle-engine eight-seat the first time in Marignane, France on an opportunity to develop a new helicopter called the A119 Koala that December 17, 2009, powered by a member of the PW200 family in the would use the cabin and rotor system of P&WC PT6C-67E engine. This was the 1,000 shp (750 kW) class for new the A109E. P&WC finally entered the first time a P&WC engine had flown on a generation intermediate and medium single-engine helicopter market when brand new helicopter developed in size helicopters. The PW210 was deliveries of the 1,000 shp launched in February 2005 (750 kW) PT6B-37A- and incorporates powered A119 Koala began technology from other in 1998. P&WC engines, such as a Meanwhile, in 1997, single stage compressor Agusta began development similar to that used on the of the 15-seat AW139 to fill PW600 turbofan. a gap in the market The PW210 powers the between transport aircraft Sikorsky S-76D (which first like the Bell 412 and flew on February 7, 2009 Eurocopter Super Puma. To and entered commercial power the new aircraft, service in early 2014) and Agusta and its partner Bell the AgustaWestland selected the PT6C-67C to AW169, which flew at the provide excellent Category Cascina Costa plant in A single engine on May 11, 2012 and will performance. The prototype enter service later this year. AB139 flew on February 3, Airbus Helicopters has also The initial two AgustaWestland AW609 prototypes use the P&WC PT6C-67A rated 2001 at Vergiate, Italy and selected the PW210 engine at 1,940 shp (1,447 kW); production aircraft will have an uprated version with 20% (along with the Turbomeca deliveries began in 2003. In more power.

4 VERTIFLITE May/June 2014 Helicopters, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Trans Mountain Pipelines). When development of the P&WC PW200-powered Bo 105LS was shelved, MBB Canada engineers led the development of the PW206-powered version of the Bo 108 and the EC135. Eurocopter Canada Limited (ECL) was formed in 1992 with the merger of the helicopter divisions of MBB of and Aerospatiale of France. At the time there were 125 Aerospatiale and 24 MBB helicopter models flying in Canada. The merger was very beneficial to the Canadian company when it gained sales and service responsibility for the entire French helicopter product line, including the popular AS350B AStar, which has been the top selling factory The PW210 is the latest engine from P&WC. The PW210S powers the Sikorsky S-76D and the new turbine helicopter family in Canada PW210A is used in the AgustaWestland AW169. (Copyright Pratt & Whitney Canada. Used with ever since. permission.) All helicopters are built by the parent Arrano 1A) to power the next- Ontario. Fleet Aerospace in Fort Erie was German and French factories and generation X4 helicopter scheduled to an equity partner and provided MBB shipped “green” to Fort Erie for assembly fly in 2015. with its first office across the street from and completion to customer The largest member of the P&WC the construction site of the new plant. specifications. helicopter engine family is the The first delivery was an MBB BK117 The composite manufacturing has PW127TS, a turboshaft version of the to ALC Airlift Corp. of British Columbia to grown in parallel, with Fort Erie making PW127 engine being develop helicopter emergency medical the engine cowlings for the EC145 and developed by a Russian consortium to services market in Western Canada. The UH-72 Lakota, as well as components for power the 30-passenger Mil Mi-38, first production Bo 105LS flew at Fort the AS350, EC120, EC135 and EC155. In which first flew on August 25, 2004. The Erie on March 13, 1986, while the 85,000 early 2014, the company announced 2 2 PW127TS produces 2,500 – 3,000 hp ft (7,900 m ) factory on 180 acres (73 plans to hire 40 more people to build (1,500 – 2,200 kW). ha) of land officially opened three new composite components for the In May 1993, P&WC opened an months later on June 20, 1986. EC225. engine assembly plant in Lethbridge, Between 1984 and 1988, MBB In February 2014 the company was Alberta. The PT6T Twin-Pac for the Bell delivered 16 helicopters, designated Bo renamed Airbus Helicopters Canada 412 has been assembled here for many 105S-CDN-BS-4, to the Canadian Coast Limited (AHCL). With annual revenues of years and the PT6C family will be added Guard. The first two were delivered by about C$100 million, the company in 2014. MBB Helicopter Corp. in West Chester, employs 250 people at its 135,000 ft2 Together, the P&WC PT6 and PW200 Pennsylvania before MBB Helicopter (12,500 m2) factory and regional offices helicopter engines have accumulated Canada gained full responsibility for the supporting 180 domestic customers more than 50 million flight hours. Canadian market. flying 670 Airbus helicopters. The In 1986, the BK117 entered service company has won a greater than 50% with the Shock Trauma Air Rescue share of the new sales of commercial Airbus Helicopters Canada Society (STARS) in Alberta (flown by ALC and parapublic (i.e. police) helicopters in Limited Airlift) and the Ontario Air Ambulance Canada during the past 10 years. Service (flown by Toronto Helicopters), n March 1984, MBB Helicopter followed by the delivery of a BK117 to Bell Helicopter Canada Canada Limited (MCL) was the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resource Iestablished with a “world product for firefighting use. fter the 1983 agreement with the mandate” to produce the “hot and high” New Bo 105LS helicopters were federal and provincial Bo 105LS helicopter in Fort Erie, Ontario exported to customers in the US (New Agovernments, Bell Helicopter and develop a PW200-powered version York State Police, Highway Textron Canada (BHTC) opened its new of the helicopter, possibly using a five Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency and manufacturing facility north of Montreal blade rigid rotor. CalStar), (Taesa) and (Air near Mirabel International Airport in 2 The new venture was supported by Force and Federal Police) and a few Bo 1986. The original 436,000 ft (40,500 2 the governments of Canada and 105Cs were sold in Canada (Sunrise m ) facility on 151 acres (61 ha) of land

Vol. 60, No. 3 5 was initially constructed to produce Army bought 30. The basic helicopter Model 407 airframe. The helicopter was three members of the Model 400 was built at Mirabel and customized for developed in partnership with South TwinRanger light twin helicopter, with the Army in Texas. Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) the total investment of C$512 million (in By 1994, the Canadian factory was and ’s Mitsui Bussan Aerospace; 1983) to be split between Bell and the producing about one-third of the the prototype 427 began flying at governments of Canada and Quebec. In world’s commercial turbine helicopters Mirabel on December 11, 1997. 1986, Bell renegotiated its agreement when Bell launched development of the In 1998, Bell launched the with the governments after making a four-bladed and 430 at Mirabel. development of the Bell 412 Plus, which strategic decision to separate its The Model 430 was a growth version of would be powered by the PT6T-9, with helicopter business, transferring the Model 230 featuring a four-bladed first deliveries in 2001. A total of 26 production of all its commercial rotor system, an 18 inch (46 cm) cabin military 412 Plus helicopters were products to Canada, with the company’s stretch, and more powerful Allison 250- delivered by Bell and Agusta-Bell to the military work conducted in Texas. C40B engines. The prototype began and the Turkish The Bell 206B JetRanger was the flying on October 25, 1994. Coast Guard, but plans for a new version world’s most popular light single-engine Fleet Aerospace (now Fleet Canada) were dropped when Bell and Agusta helicopter and in the summer of 1986, was selected to build the cabins and tail joined forces in 1999 to develop the production began shifting to Canada booms for the 230 and the 430 (until Agusta-Bell AB139. with the first “Canadian” assembled 2005 when Hafei Aviation Industry in In August 2005, Bell marked the JetRanger (serial 3959) flown for the first took over Model 430 component delivery of the 3,000th helicopter from time at Mirabel in October. The first production). Bell built 136 Model 430s the Canadian factory with the delivery Mirabel-assembled 206L-III LongRanger between 1994 and 2008. of a Bell 412 to Offshore Logistics (now III flew in April 1987, the first Bell 212 in The Model 407 mated the proven the Bristow Group). At the time, Bell was October 1988 and Bell 412 in 1989, with LongRanger IV airframe with the four- gearing up to develop a new line of both the 212 and 412 powered by PT6T bladed soft-in-plane rotor system of the MAPL (Modular Affordable Product Line) engines. BHTC installed the P&WC US Army OH-58D and a Rolls-Royce 250- helicopters as well as build Model 407 PW209T Twin-Pac engine into the C47 engine. Molded fairings were added cabins and Model 427 tailbooms for the prototype Model 400A at Mirabel in to the LongRanger cabin to increase the HTS900-2 turboshaft- 1987, but the TwinRanger program was cabin width by eight inches. The Model powered ARH-70A Armed cancelled before first flight. 407 has been an outstanding success, Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) In October 1989, Bell announced the with production reaching 1,500 aircraft program (cancelled in March 2007). A development of the Model 230. A by April 2014. civil version, the Bell 417, was never refinement of the Model 222, the new Bell delivered 13 Model 206LT launched, although Eagle Copters of helicopter was powered by a pair of TwinRangers from Mirabel between Calgary plans to certify its Bell 407HP Allison 250-C30 engines with the 1994 and 1997 as a supplemental type conversion powered by the HST900D-2. prototype (a converted 222) flying at certificate (STC) modification of the The MAPL program evolved into the Mirabel for the first time on August 12, 206L-4, utilizing Tridair’s Gemini ST twin Bell 429 GlobalRanger, a clean sheet 1991. engine conversion kit. design featuring an Instrument Flight In 1991, Bell delivered its 500th In 1996, Bell announced the Rules (IFR) cockpit, a large cabin with helicopter from Mirabel; the same year, development of the twin engine Model rear clamshell doors and elements of annual production passed the 200 427, which mated a pair of P&WC the Model 427 rotor and dynamics aircraft mark for the first time. In 1992, PW207D to a modified system. The development of the MAPL Bell received a major contract to build 100 CH-146 Griffon helicopters – based on the 412EP – for the to replace its existing fleet of CH-118 Iroquois, CH-135 Twin Huey and CH-136 Kiowa tactical and SAR helicopters. Designated the Bell 412CF, the PT6T-3D Twin-Pac-powered Griffon breathed new life into the Model 412, which has become a popular replacement for single-engine Bell UH-1 military helicopters in many parts of the world. In 1993, the US Army selected the Bell TH-67C Creek (based on the Bell 206B-3) to replace the UH-1 in the training role at Fort Rucker. The US Army ordered 157 TH-67Cs and the Taiwan BHTC wheeled prototype at Mirabel in December 1995. This aircraft started life as the Model 222B and 230 prototypes.

6 VERTIFLITE May/June 2014 (helicopter wire strike protection system) and Dart Aerospace (accessories), Messier- Bugatti-Dowty (landing gear for the V- 22 and AW609) and Héroux-Devtek (landing gear for the CH-47 and CH-53K). On the military side, BHTC provides MRO support for the CH-146 Griffon, IMP Aerospace of Halifax supports the CH-124 Sea King and AgustaWestland CH-148 Cormorant, and General Dynamics Canada and Boeing will support the RCAF’s 15 new CH-147F Chinooks. Summary n 1947, Canada became one of the first export markets for the initial A row of ’ offshore 407s at Galliano heliport, Louisiana in February 2010. BHTC postwar helicopters developed in the has produced 1,500 Bell 407s since the prototype first flew on June 29, 1995. I and has since become the world’s second largest civil market by and Model 429 received a total of C$230 US commercial presence, the new Bell fleet size. million in government financial support, 505 JetRanger X is to be assembled in In the 1970s and 1980s, investments equally provided by the governments of Lafayette, Louisiana and the Bell 525 by leading manufacturers – supported Canada and Quebec. The prototype Relentless in Amarillo, Texas. by the Canadian federal government, Model 429 flew at Mirabel February 27, and the governments of Quebec and 2007 and was certified by Transport Supporting Industries Ontario – helped engender a robust Canada on July 1, 2009. indigenous Canadian commercial In 2010, Bell launched the Bell 412EPI n addition to the nation’s rotorcraft helicopter and turboshaft engine with a new avionics system and the manufacturing industry, Canada also manufacturing industry. PT6T-9 replacing the PT6T-3D/DF Ideveloped a very capable helicopter The benefits include the creation of engine. The new PT6T-9 provides a new MRO industry to support its large fleet more than 2,500 new helicopter 30-second and 2.5-minute One Engine of commercial helicopters. In the 1980s, engineering and manufacturing jobs Inoperative (OEI) rating structure, many of these companies began to since 1984 and hundreds of millions of electronic engine control (EEC) with expand to support international civil dollars in annual Canadian exports. manual backup, and improved CAT A and military helicopter operators. Major single engine performance resulting MRO companies concentrated in from a 11% higher takeoff rating. western Canada include Standard Aero About the Author In February 2012, BHTC delivered its of Winnipeg (engines), Vector Aerospace enneth I. Swartz runs aerospace 4,000th helicopter, a Model 206L-4 to Air of Vancouver (airframes and engines), marketing communications Medical Group Holdings (AMGH) and at Heli-One of Vancouver (airframes and agency Aeromedia the end of 2012, it delivered the first Bell engines) and Eagle Copters of Calgary K Communications in Toronto, Canada. He 407GX featuring a Garmin G1000H (airframes and STC upgrades). was raised in Vancouver, BC and has cockpit. Turbomeca Canada opened its MRO in written more than 600 news stories on Today, the 1,800 people employed at Mirabel in 2003. the civil helicopter industry while the 660,000 ft2 (61,000 m2) BHTC CAE Inc. of Montreal is one of the spending most of his marketing and factory produce four helicopter models: world’s leading developers of helicopter communications career working for Model 206L-IV LongRanger IV, Model full flight simulators (FFS) and military airlines and Bombardier Aerospace. In 407, Model 429 and Model 412EP. New mission rehearsal systems and entered 2002, Ken joined the Board of the helicopters are customized at Mirabel or the civil fixed-wing and helicopter pilot Canadian Air & Space Museum in the Edwards and Associates facility training business by establishing a Toronto and, in 2010, he received the owned by Bell in Piney Flats, Tennessee. network of FFS training centers (see “The Helicopter Association International Since BHTC moved to Canada, Outlook for Simulators” in this issue). “Communicator of the Year” award for European rivals AgustaWestland and Other leading Canadian helicopter his rotorcraft writing. He can be reached Airbus Helicopters have both industry suppliers include SEI Industries at [email protected]. established helicopter final assembly (Bambi Bucket firefighting systems), L-3 lines in the United States. To rebuild a Wescam (electro-optic / infrared, laser imaging and targeting systems),

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