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MARCH 2021 THE MAGAZINE OF HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

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March 2021 | Vol. 33 No. 4

PUBLISHER 55 James A. Viola EDITOR Gina Kvitkovich

DEPUTY EDITOR Christine A. DeJoy

GRAPHIC DESIGN

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SAVAGE SAC © 2021 Helicopter Association International. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FEATURES ROTOR (ISSN) 0897-831X is published quarterly by Helicopter Association Inter- national, 1920 Ballenger Ave., 4th Flr., Alexandria, VA 22314‑2898.

26 HAI International Partners Team Up Subscriptions: Visit rotor.org/subscribe to Fight COVID to sign up for your FREE subscription. HAI forum for global collaboration provides connection, best practices. Permissions: No part of this publication By Jen Boyer may be reproduced, adapted, used for commercial purposes, or distributed without prior written permission from HAI.

32 First Person: The Salvador Allende Rescue To request permission, contact the editor at: ROTOR Editor, 1920 Ballenger Surrounded by debris, 850 miles from land, a merchant mariner floats Ave., 4th Flr., Alexandria, VA 22314-2898 and waits. 703‑683‑4646 | [email protected]​ . By Thomas McKenzie Trademarks: ROTOR®, HAI HELI-EXPO®, and ROTOR Daily® are registered trademarks of Helicopter Association International. 38 HAI Launches Safety Reporting Program Disclaimers: All statements of fact and for Members expressions of opinion by contributing authors are attributable to those authors Operators find that sharing ASAP reports generates significant alone and may not reflect the views of HAI. Moreover, HAI cannot guarantee the operational benefits. completeness or accuracy of information By Bryan Burns provided by contributing authors, and HAI will not accept liability for any injuries or damages caused to the reader that may result from the reader’s acting upon or 44 HAI Salutes Excellence in Vertical Lift otherwise relying upon the content con- Celebrating the best in vertical aviation. tained in this publication. Readers are strongly advised to follow all laws and regulations, to rely on their professional knowledge and experience, and to confirm 55 Ninth Annual Photo Contest Winners any information presented in this publica- tion before acting on the basis of such Great photos of helicopters in 2020? Why, yes, we have some. content.

The publisher has not tested any of the 68 A 360-Degree Approach to IIMC products advertised in this publication, nor has it verified any of the statements Pilots must practice skills to avoid IIMC if possible, to recover when needed. made in any of the advertisements. By Scott Boughton Postmaster: Please send all address changes and correspondence to:

ROTOR® 1920 Ballenger Ave., 4th Flr. Alexandria, VA 22314-2898 703-683-4646 | [email protected] 2 ROTOR March 2021 www.rotor.org DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS

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MARCH 2021 THE MAGAZINE OF HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL Stacy Sheard ON THE COVER: Roberto José Garcia Executive Jet Management/Fanatics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Hernandez earned himself an Honorable Commercial Aviation A Mention in this year’s ROTOR Magazine Photo 360° Contest with this January 2020 shot of a VICE CHAIR Approach Colombian Air Force Huey II conducting a Randal R. Rowles to IIMC firefighting mission in a nature park in Helicopter Institute Inc. AVOID ... RECOVER ... TRAIN Fort Worth, Texas, USA Colombia’s Antioquia Department. Garcia Commercial Aviation Hernandez’s split-second timing forces the First Person The Salvador Allende viewer to wait—just like the two figures in the Rescue TREASURER Huey—to see where the water will fall. Turn to Jeffery Smith p. 55 to see more great photos of helicopters. ROP Aviation Teterboro, New Jersey, USA General Aviation

ASSISTANT TREASURER Jack Matiasevich Southern California Edison Co. Chino, California, USA General Aviation DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 6 From the Board 74 Flight Path James A. Viola What Can HAI Do for You? Sarah Louise Snell Helicopter Association International By Jeffery Smith Alexandria, Virginia, USA 76 Future Faces 8 President’s Message HAI AMT Scholarship Winner CHIEF OF STAFF AND CORPORATE SECRETARY Planning for the Future Alec Dockery Roxanne R. Fox By James A. Viola By Jaasmin Foote Helicopter Association International Alexandria, Virginia, USA 10 IMHO 78 Recent Accidents Raising the Bar for sUAS & Incidents DIRECTORS By Alan Frazier Douglas K. Barclay 80 Accident Recovery Kachina Aviation Nampa, Idaho, USA 12 Advocating for You Quick Thinking Commercial Aviation Ushering in 2021 By David Jack Kenny By Cade Clark and John Shea Jan Becker 84 Fly Safe Becker Helicopter Services Pty Ltd Marcoola, Queensland, Australia 15 ROTORWash CFIT Still Gives Us Fits Commercial Aviation X HAI Briefs By Zac Noble

X B. Adam Hammond HAI on Social 86 Last Hover Tennessee Valley Authority X 5 Dos & Don’ts for Insuring Helicopter Services Maria Rodriguez Knoxville, Tennessee, USA Your Aviation Business Government Service X In the Spotlight: Sgt. Javaughn 87 Index of Advertisers Harrison, UAS Operator, US Army Mark A. Schlaefli 88 Last Look Redding Air Service X Rotorcraft Events Redding, California, USA Insite Commercial’s Robinson R44 Commercial Aviation 24 FlyOver By Mark Bennett Black Hills Helicopters/TAG Aviation Nicole L. Battjes Novictor Helicopters and a Bell 407 Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Commercial Aviation WHERE’S MY ROTOR? LEGAL ADVISER Subscribe or Renew at Update My Mailing Address H. Bryan Brewer III Crowell & Moring LLP rotor.org/subscribe Log into your rotor.org web account to update Washington, D.C., USA Your two-year subscription your mailing address, OR send updates to

SPECIAL ADVISER – UAS to ROTOR is FREE. [email protected]. Scott Burgess, PhD Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Rule, Texas, USA March 2021 ROTOR 3 CONTRIBUTORS QUESTIONS • REPRINTS • FEEDBACK • SEND TO [email protected] OR CALL 703-683-4646

Mark Bennett Cade Clark Thomas McKenzie Mark Bennett worked for HAI’s VP of government affairs, Thomas McKenzie is a retired US McDonnell Douglas Helicopter/ Cade Clark has directed Coast Guard chief public affairs Boeing for a decade, then in 1999 association advocacy programs for specialist with experience in cofounded an aerospace-only nearly 20 years. Growing up, he Alaska; Washington, D.C.; New marketing agency. With 30 years worked at an FBO where Cade York City; the San Francisco Bay of photography and design experience serving learned to fly, washed planes, got in the Area; and 42 other US locations. His final the aerospace and defense industries, he mechanics’ way, idolized the old-timers and their assignment was on the Coast Guard’s National founded AeroMark Images to shoot and write for stories, and deepened his love for all things Strike Force Public Information Assist Team, a both industry and media. general aviation. four-person crisis, emergency, and risk communications disaster-response unit. Scott Boughton Jaasmin Foote Scott Boughton, an outspoken Jaasmin Foote joined HAI as the Zac Noble advocate for improved safety association’s social media manager Zac Noble joined HAI as its deputy through focused intentional in March, just a week before the director of flight operations and training, is a veteran Part 135 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. technical services after 11 years of instructor/check pilot. Currently an She holds a bachelor’s degree in flying in the air medical sector. A IFR pilot in command in the EC135, part-time English and is currently pursuing her master’s in US Army veteran, Zac’s aviation production test pilot, and vice chairman of the marketing. Jaasmin is responsible for all the cool career spans more than 35 years. He is a HAI Training Working Group, Scott holds posts on HAI’s social media platforms. Follow dual-rated ATP, a dual-rated CFII, and an A&P rotorcraft ATP and CFII certificates. us, drop by, and say hi! with IA privileges.

Jen Boyer David Jack Kenny John Shea Jen Boyer is a 20-year journalism David Jack Kenny is a fixed-wing John Shea joined HAI as director and public relations professional in ATP with commercial privileges for of government affairs in 2019. He the aviation industry, having helicopter. He also holds degrees came to HAI from the National worked for flight schools, OEMs, in statistics. From 2008 through Association of State Aviation and operators. She holds a 2017, he worked for AOPA’s Air Officials (NASAO), where he was rotorcraft commercial instrument license with Safety Institute, where he authored eight interim president in 2018 and lead government CFI and CFII ratings. Jen now runs her own editions of its Joseph T. Nall Report and nearly affairs representative since 2017. Previously, as a public relations and communications firm. 500 articles. He’d rather be flying. legislative staffer, John advised multiple members of Congress on transportation policy. Bryan Burns Gina Kvitkovich Bryan Burns is president of the Air Gina Kvitkovich joined HAI as Dan Sweet Charter Safety Foundation. He has director of publications­ and media Dan Sweet joined HAI as director 30-plus years of experience with in 2011 after decades of honing her of communications and public fixed-base operators, serving as skills in writing, editing, and relations in 2017. He previously the GM for Signature Flight publishing. As editor of ROTOR, served in the US Navy as a Support, Jackson Hole Aviation, and Vail Valley she is responsible for every error in the photojournalist. After leaving the Jet Center. A private pilot, Burns holds a BS magazine that you’re reading—and for some of Navy, he worked for Oregon-based Columbia degree from Florida Institute of Technology. the good stuff, as well. Helicopters, performing public relations, communications, and trade show management work for more than 22 years.

WRITE FOR ROTOR Got something to say to the international helicopter industry? We’re listening. Email story ideas, manuscripts, or questions to [email protected]. Visit rotor.org/write for more information.

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By Jeffery Smith What Can HAI Do for You? Everything you need help with.

’VE BEEN ON THE HAI BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, but I’ve been associated with the organization for almost two decades. One of the most common ques- I tions I’m asked is: What can HAI do for me? The best answer is: What do you need help with? I’ve been a line pilot, middle manager, safety officer, aviation manager, director and chair of a regional advocacy group, and public spokesperson. In each role, I’ve taken advantage of HAI resources to better meet my challenges. Can HAI help you get a better job? (Yes.) Can HAI work with elected officials to provide needed relief such as Payroll Support Program funding ($179 million and counting!) and an excise-tax holiday during the pandemic? (Yes.) Can HAI help you and your colleagues in the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) industry be safer? (Yes.) Can HAI pursue a national aviation policy that won’t allow the airspace to be carved into micro-jurisdictions? (Yes.) Can HAI work with regulators to get more designated pilot examiners, restore human external cargo operations, or shorten the wait for Part 135 approvals? (Yes, yes, and yes.) HAI isn’t an annual trade show; it’s an international member services organization. Although HAI HELI‑EXPO® is an important revenue stream for the association, as treasurer, I can tell you

Jeffery Smith holds the that member dues, while very much needed, don’t come close to covering the expenses position of treasurer on the incurred by HAI’s work on issues that affect the global helicopter industry. And because HAI is a HAI Board of Directors. He is not-for-profit organization, any revenue beyond expenses goes directly back into creating and chief helicopter pilot for ROP delivering member services. Aviation and has worked with the Eastern Region Helicopter We’re also fortunate to have hundreds of HAI members who volunteer to address industry Council for more than 15 issues, taking time out of their busy schedules to give back to the industry that feeds them. In years, having served as the my opinion, THAT is what HAI is about: a community of peers working to address their common group’s chairman for 5 years. Jeff is a US Army veteran and problems. has accumulated more than Art Fornoff and the other 15 folks in the room when this organization was formed in 1948 10,000 flight hours, including weren’t trying to amass member dues or find a revenue stream. They were motivated by a over 700 hours in military and commercial helicopter air different purpose. Although the civil helicopter was only two years old, these farsighted ambulance missions. operators understood that, though they were competitors, they had to all band together to ensure a safe, sustainable, and economically viable industry. No small task, then or today. I will say that HAI needs to communicate better and make it easier for all our members to enjoy the benefits the association offers. Through recent polling, we found that most people who work for HAI member organizations don’t know that they are automatically members too. That’s right—everyone who’s an employee of an HAI member company can access all the information and resources for HAI members, including direct access to HAI’s technical, regulatory, and legislative staff members. Other HAI members-only benefits include several programs aimed at improving operational safety, discounts on attending or exhibiting at HAI HELI‑EXPO and HAI education courses, as well as opportunities to promote your organization in HAI media. In HAI’s working groups, members can take on a leadership role by tackling industry issues. ROTOR Daily, ROTOR magazine, weekly webinars, the Washington Update newsletter, on-point safety videos—HAI provides our community with information, data, and one-on-one contacts for your questions. Is your company an HAI member? If not, why not? And if it is, then ask your company’s HAI member representative to update your HAI company roster with all staff who should enjoy our benefits (or contact [email protected] for help). You’ll quickly learn what HAI can do for you.

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By James A. Viola Planning for the Future Coming soon: new initiatives for HAI and global safety.

HOPE THIS EDITION OF ROTOR MAGAZINE FINDS YOU HEALTHY and doing well in 2021. I was looking forward to seeing you all this month at what would’ve been my I second HAI HELI‑EXPO® as your president and CEO, but as you know, we had to alter our flight plans to adjust to changing conditions. We’ve now fully shifted gears to planning HAI HELI‑EXPO 2022, which will be held in Dallas, Mar. 7–10, with exhibits open Mar. 8–10. Mark your calendars now, and please plan to bring all your business associates, employees, and friends. Everything is bigger in Texas, and we’re certainly planning a show to match. In the meantime, I hope you’re keeping up with all the things HAI is doing during this pandemic to ensure that you’re ready to shift gears and get back to business. As you’ll read in this edition of ROTOR, your association staff has been hard at work for you. Thanks to our Government Affairs team, HAI members have received more than $179 million in US Payroll Support Program funds (p. 12). Meanwhile, HAI’s Member Services Department is moving online the content and events previously scheduled for New Orleans, so you won’t have to skip a beat in your professional development (p. 17). We’re also launching a new, members-only

James A. Viola is HAI’s safety program (p. 38), and of course you’re reading and hearing about all this due to the president and CEO. After a excellent work of the MIC (Marketing, Information, and Communications) Department. career as a US Army aviator, But we’re not done yet. HAI surveyed the global vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) industry he joined the FAA, where he to help us understand what you need today and what will help you achieve future success. served as director of the Office of General Aviation Safety Based on your feedback, we’re drafting a five-year strategic plan for the association’s activities Assurance before joining HAI. and growth. This plan will then go out to you, the HAI member, for your review and comments. A dual-rated pilot, Jim holds Please watch for this document in the next 60 to 90 days. And if you already have something to ATP ratings in both airplanes and helicopters and is a CFII. say, don’t wait—drop me a note at [email protected]. Jim can be contacted at One of the bigger changes that has occurred in the past 12 months has been the expansion [email protected]. of what started in 2005 as the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST). At that time, the global helicopter community—manufacturers, operators, associations, and regulators—joined together to reduce the worldwide civil helicopter accident rate by 80% in 10 years. In 2019, the IHST recalibrated, incorporating as the International Helicopter Safety Foundation (IHSF) with a vision of zero accidents. The IHST/IHSF has been globally recognized for its work in advancing helicopter safety. Its regional safety teams, each of which leads safety efforts in its geographic area, have made significant contributions in developing and sharing effective, relevant safety initiatives for the helicopter industry. A change of leadership within several IHSF stakeholders, compounded by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, precipitated a review of the IHSF. In addition, we’re on the cusp of a tremendous expansion in VTOL aircraft and operations, including civil tiltrotors, new vertical flight technology, and eventually autonomous VTOL operations. The new organization for advancing the safety of international vertical flight—including all VTOL aircraft—is the Vertical Aviation Safety Team, or VAST, which will pursue a data-informed, regionally based, consensus-driven approach to eliminating fatal accidents in the global VTOL industry. Beginning Apr. 15, you can visit vast.aero to learn more. Our support for VAST reflects HAI’s duty to protect the future of our industry by ensuring its safety.

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© 2020 Robinson Helicopter Company. Robinson and R66 are registered trademarks of Robinson Helicopter Company. Equipment listed above is optional. IMHO By Alan Frazier Raising the Bar for sUAS Standard tests are available to evaluate pilots, equipment.

ITH THE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS OF FAR LOWER OPERATING costs and reduced risk to operational personnel, small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) will W play an increasingly large role in public safety and professional applications. But before they can, a national standardized process for evaluating the remote skills of sUAS pilots must be defined and implemented. Currently, US operators must possess an FAA remote pilot certificate to operate a commercial sUAS. The FAA’s remote pilot exam covers a broad spectrum of topics, but interestingly—and some would say disturbingly—it includes no practical exam. Consequently, we have no national standard for remote pilot flying skills. While the FAA exam provides a good evaluation of remote pilot knowledge, including critical subjects such as airspace and communications, the lack of a practical exam leaves a void that potentially increases the liability exposure of individuals and entities using sUAS. Enter NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a nonregulatory US agency. NIST has created a set of standard test methods for organizations seeking to credential sUAS Alan Frazier currently serves as pilots or evaluate sUAS equipment. These test methods, which are being standardized through a senior fellow at Georgetown University. He is assigned full ASTM International, encompass four “test lane” protocols: Basic Proficiency Evaluation for time to NIST, where he works Remote Pilots (BPERP); Open Test Lane; Obstructed Test Lane; and Confined Test Lane. They are to develop sUAS standard easily performed using materials readily available at any large hardware store. test methods. A 40-year law enforcement professional, Al is After seeing the potential of these tests while participating in a NIST exercise, I was greatly an airline transport pilot rated impressed by their promise for agencies seeking to internally credential sUAS pilots or serve as to fly single- and multiengine a credentialing resource for others. The test methods are already being used as the basis for airplanes, helicopters, gliders, and sUAS. statewide credentialing of emergency responders in Colorado and Texas, and many other state and local emergency response organizations, as well as Canada, also are utilizing them. For a look at what all the excitement is about, let’s discuss the most basic of the four test methods, the BPERP. It can be administered in 10 minutes using three omni bucket stands, a 50-ft. tape measure, a stopwatch, and a test area of 50 ft. by 20 ft. During the BPERP, the remote pilot must conduct takeoffs and landings from and to a 12-in.–radius circle, climb to specified altitudes of 10 ft. and 20 ft. agl, and conduct yawing turns as well as forward, reverse, and traverse flight maneuvers. The goal is to capture still images of 36 targets placed within 2-gal. buckets fastened to short test stands constructed from 2-by-4 and 4-by-4 lumber. The test consists of one maneuvering phase and two traverse flight phases. Agencies set their own benchmark scores for passing the test. I’ve had the opportunity to administer the BPERP to both novice and experienced remote pilots. The test methods were unanimously endorsed by every pilot I’ve run through the course. The NIST test methods represent an excellent way for organizations to raise the bar on their remote pilot credentialing and sUAS equipment evaluation. Their adoption also promises to fill the void created by the absence of an FAA remote pilot practical examination and further mitigate risk in the areas of sUAS accident prevention and civil liability defense. Over the next two years, the Airborne Public Safety Association will be presenting several NIST sUAS Standard Test Methods Train-the-Trainer workshops. The four-hour complimentary virtual introductory courses and the tuition-based three-day in-person certification course are appropriate for experienced sUAS pilots who serve as trainers. They are also suitable for supervisors and managers within sUAS units. I highly recommend them.

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Ushering in 2021 New year, new Congress, new leadership … same politics.

T’S THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE NEW YEAR, Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The commit- and Congress and the states are busy legislating. tee’s Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation I The first session of the 117th Congress has Subcommittee is chaired by Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and seen some historic moments in its first few months, Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). A more detailed while state legislators have already started their mad overview of committee makeup can be found in HAI’s dash toward adjournment. Before we look at where members-only Legislative Action Center. Congress is going, however, let’s do a quick review of where we’ve been since we last reported. COVID Relief Passing COVID-19 relief legislation was a top legislative Leadership Changes priority both at the end of the last Congress and the Democrats now control the Senate by a razor-thin beginning of the new session. At the conclusion of the margin, but Democrat and Republican Senate 116th Congress, lawmakers passed a $900 billion coro- leaders reached a power-sharing agreement for navirus aid package that was attached to a $1.4 trillion governing their chamber. This agreement is government funding bill. The relief package included based on a similar deal from 2001, which is $284 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) the last time the chamber was divided and $20 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan 50–50. Under this agreement, the (EIDL) program. Democrats control the committees The legislation allows businesses to deduct expenses and assume the majority with Vice associated with their forgiven PPP loans, in addition to President Kamala Harris’s expanding the employee retention credit intended to tie-breaking vote. There have prevent layoffs. The package also included $15 billion for been only three prior instances renewal of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) for air car- of an evenly split Senate, in riers and made important changes to the program’s 1881, 1953, and 2001. award calculation, providing a 15% increase to account House and Senate com- for a discrepancy based on forms some air carriers origi- Visit HAI’s mittees have organized, and nally filed to report their salaries and benefits. HAI Legislative Action Center multiple freshman members worked closely with Congress to ensure HAI members rotor.org/lac joined the two dedicated to were included in this important program and to resolve transportation: the US Senate the funding discrepancy, and those efforts have paid off: Committee on Commerce,­ Science, and Transportation as of this writing, HAI members have received more and the House Committee on Transportation­ and than $179 million in PSP funding. Infrastructure. The House committee maintains its lead- Pivoting to the 117th Congress, President Joe Biden ership under Chair Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.-04) and released the “American Rescue Plan” as a legislative Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-Mo.-06). The commit- proposal to address the continuing effects of the COVID- tee’s Aviation Subcommittee is chaired by Rick Larsen 19 pandemic. On March 11, President Biden signed into (D-Wash.-02) with Garret Graves (R-La.-06) as ranking law the largest stimulus package that Congress passed member. through the budget reconciliation process. The measure In the Senate, the gavel changed hands with the new includes a new $3 billion program for aviation manufac- Democratic majority. The Senate Commerce Committee turing workers that would help prevent involuntary fur- is now led by Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and loughs of thousands of workers at some 5,000

12 ROTOR March 2021 aeronautical repair stations and similar avia- As the 117th Congress settles in for its hasn’t changed. Yes, the country has new tion businesses and roughly 1,500 aero- two-year term, state houses across the leadership, the Senate changed parties, space manufacturers. nation have convened for their compara- and politics seem to get more partisan with The legislation also includes $15 billion tively shorter sessions. Many state legisla- each passing election. But what hasn’t for air carriers and $8 billion for airports, tive sessions will adjourn by April and May. changed is the human element. Our with $100 million specifically for general A handful of states, such as Illinois, elected officials are still human, despite aviation airports. Other notable items in Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, how political cartoonists skewer them. President Biden’s relief plan include a new New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Focusing on this human element will grant program for small-business owners in and Wisconsin, meet throughout the year. allow us to take our industry in a new direc- addition to the PPP. Throughout the legisla- With adjournment dates set for late spring tion. It takes a human touch to have an tive process, HAI worked with committees to early summer, state legislators are on an impact. We need to tell our story to our leg- of jurisdiction to ensure the rotorcraft expedited time frame to finish their legisla- islators, so they know and understand our industry received adequate financial sup- tive work and set state budgets. problems and pinch points. We need to port in the relief package. describe how different solutions can Now that Congress has wrapped up this State Legislatures remove roadblocks and allow businesses to latest relief package, lawmakers will next The legislative process in the states may thrive and grow. The PSP is a good exam- turn to appropriations work as well as a seem to occur at lightning speed compared ple of how this human-focused outreach potential infrastructure package. These leg- with the slower pace of the federal legisla- provided more than $179 million in funding islative vehicles provide opportunities for tive process. This is an important lesson for for HAI members. HAI to pursue important priorities for the our grassroots efforts. Getting to know We need to be advocates for ourselves vertical flight industry. As the industry your state elected officials early and work- and our industry. We belong to a unique moves forward with advanced air mobility, ing with them in the run-up to the state industry that does an incredible job of help- congressional policy discussions involving legislative session is paramount. ing others through the many types of mis- vertiports, urban planning, intermodal trans- Because events move so quickly in the sions we fly, missions that often could not portation, and availability of power for elec- state legislatures, it’s important to be a part be accomplished by other means. We do trical charging take on increased of the dialogue and provide resources and good work for good people, and that’s a importance and ramifications. HAI contin- perspective on issues that affect our indus- good story. Help us to tell that story. ues to engage with the committees of try. Use the run-up time before the session As part of our outreach efforts, please jurisdiction on these issues. begins to meet with your state legislators. consider signing up for HAI Action Alerts This is a great opportunity to brief them on (https://p2a.co/fl36o27) to stay informed of Safety Policy issues important to your company, serve the most important rotorcraft-related gov- Of course, no edition of “Advocating for as a resource during the short but intense ernment developments and to directly You” would be complete without recogniz- session, and then continue to expand your engage with your elected officials when ing the importance of safety and how the network and strengthen relationships certain bills are up for a vote in Congress. rotorcraft industry can work toward improv- throughout the year. Just fill in your name and contact informa- ing in this area. HAI’s safety team has done tion, and HAI will notify you when major impressive work in creating new safety The Human Element legislation is up for a vote. programs and providing new training oppor- The new year has brought in a new With all that’s new this year, let’s com- tunities and resources to operators and Congress and new leadership, but the poli- mit to contact our elected officials and pilots to improve safety in their daily opera- tics remain the same. Is it cynical or pessi- develop new relationships or strengthen tions. It’s important to educate lawmakers mistic to say that politics is the same, existing ones. Don’t know where to start? and other policymakers about this work as regardless of who’s in power? Well, sure, Reach out to us at [email protected] and these discussions will inform the process you could read it that way. You could find let us help. as Congress looks at various safety initia- lots of websites to support that theory as Here’s to a much better year than last. tives and potential policy paths. well. But the human element of politics After 2020, we can only go up.

March 2021 ROTOR 13 FIND THE FUTURE

SAVE THE DATE

7–10 MARCH 2022 | DALLAS

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON CONVENTION CENTER

EXHIBITS OPEN MARCH 8–10 HELIEXPO.COM ROTORWA H INDUSTRY DATA, TOPICS, ADVICE, HAPPENINGS, ISSUES, AND NEWS TO KEEP THE ROTORS TURNING

HAI BRIEFS A Full-On Approach to Helicopter Safety

HAI BEGAN MORE THAN 70 YEARS AGO with industry partners and refocused our accidents, HAI believes the best way to to promote and advocate for the young but safety efforts on providing tangible improve safety in our industry is by helping burgeoning helicopter industry. While HAI resources for the helicopter community, people become safer pilots, maintenance continues that role today, the group also including those targeted at helping pilots technicians, operators, and aviation profes- makes a significant and sionals,” Viola continues. robust contribution to “We believe we can safety programs for our HAI promotes a 360-degree approach to lower the industry accident industry. With the goal of reducing accidents, one that addresses culture, rate significantly by reducing accidents and sav- addressing human factors,” ing lives, HAI’s safety pro- processes, training, and the appropriate use of Viola adds. “HAI continues grams address culture and technology to reduce aviation risk. to promote a 360-degree systems for people, air- approach to reducing acci- frames, and technology. dents, one that addresses “Over the past six months, with key avoid or recover from IIMC, one of the culture, processes, and training, and the stakeholders, HAI has completed a top-to- leading causes of the Jan. 26, 2020, appropriate use of technology to reduce bottom review of our safety programs,” Calabasas, California, accident. aviation risk.” says James Viola, president and CEO of “With human performance issues as a Previously addressed as a holistic HAI. “We’ve strengthened our collaboration causal factor in the majority of aviation approach, the 360-degree approach ➤

HAI annually runs a workshop, Mil2Civ ON Transition: Finding a Job in the Civil SOCIAL Helicopter Industry, to help military pilots and maintainers move their skills to the civil helicopter industry. This year, that workshop was held online as part of the /HelicopterAssoc HAI@Work webinar series. During this Feb. 18 webinar, six industry professionals shared their experiences in transitioning /HelicopterAssoc from a military to civil career in helicopter aviation, as well as a wealth of tips to help those hoping to make the jump in the /heliexpo @HELIEXPO #haiexpo future. Our social media posts about the /HeliAssoc @HeliAssoc webinar reached nearly 20,000 people who may have missed the live webcast. To catch /company/helicopter up on this, or any HAI@Work webinar that -association-international you missed, visit rotor.org/webinar.

/HelicopterAssoc #haiexpo

March 2021 ROTOR 15 ROTORWA H

➤ uses language familiar to pilots and points in the video where the pilot could through every opportunity, including recur- encourages them to use every resource have made a different decision, resulting in rent training,” Viola says. “That training they have available. a different outcome for the flight. must address every aspect of a pilot’s per- “A pilot’s approach to safety shouldn’t formance, from training for specific aircraft mean they take the fastest, easiest method FRAT and ASAP and procedures to learning better aeronau- of assessing the risk of a flight,” says Viola. Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT): HAI tical decision-making processes. “Most pilots have years of training to rely has partnered with a commercial provider, “For pilots, the development of a per- on, developing their own safety culture NGFT Solutions, to expand the scope and sonal safety culture must begin on the first along the way. When they combine knowl- accessibility of its legacy FRAT program day of flight school and then never stop. edge and awareness from those two ele- into an expansive suite of free, customiz- Each flight is another test of our commit- ments, along with the appropriate use of able safety tools optimized for mobile and ment to fly safely, which is our highest technology, they’re taking a 360-degree offline use. A transition to the new applica- duty,” Viola continues. approach to safety.” tion is planned for later this year. “Aviation operations, too, must build a HAI’s safety program contains a variety robust safety culture where each person is of resources and tools to help pilots Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP): empowered and encouraged by manage- strengthen their safety culture and provide A robust hazard reporting program is con- ment to take personal responsibility in assistance and training where needed. sidered essential to improving safety, and improving operational safety by following These program elements include the small helicopter operators with limited policies and procedures and reporting iden- following: resources sometimes struggle to field tified hazards.” these programs. In response, HAI has part- 56 Seconds to Live nered with the Air Charter Safety Safety Management Systems HAI is proud to support the recent release Foundation (ACSF) to provide HAI mem- HAI strongly recommends that all aviation of 56 Seconds to Live. This video, produced bers with an Aviation Safety Action operations adopt a safety management by the US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST), Program (ASAP) that provides third-party system (SMS), a practice endorsed by avia- portrays a fictional pilot’s rapid loss of con- support for the reporting of aviation hazards tion regulators and safety organizations trol over his aircraft after attempting to con- and events (see p. 38 to learn more). around the world as the best way to sys- tinue VFR flight into IMC. Helicopter safety tematically manage aviation risk. An SMS experts say the film doesn’t exaggerate the A Lifetime of Training addresses safety culture and also incorpo- dangers of UIMC. Because most accidents involve human rates an ongoing process to address identi- The video is a core element of a training error, improving safety in the helicopter fied hazards, manage risk, and improve the program that will be available in the coming industry often focuses on training. “We organization’s safety performance. months. That program will examine various must continue to address safety training Flight Data Monitoring Programs HAI supports the establishment of a flight data monitoring (FDM) program by helicop- ter operators conducting paying-passenger aviation activities, as that data can be used to reduce accidents and improve safety across that industry sector. However, the association doesn’t recommend mandating specific equipment across all missions and platforms.

WATCH Additional Information 56 Seconds “Anyone who wants to know more about to Live improving operational safety should visit

Helicopter pilots who continue VFR flight into IMC have, on average, 56 seconds to live; learn more at the safety section on rotor.org, our web- ushst.org/56secs. site,” says Viola.

16 ROTOR March 2021 Jim–Professional Development

HAI BRIEFS HAI HELI‑EXPO Events Move Online

WE’RE ALL DISAPPOINTED THAT WE won’t get to ogle shiny helicopters and Industry Forecast: meet with friends and business associ- Operators Plan % ates at HAI HELI‑EXPO 2021. But while 52 our in-person show in New Orleans was to Grow Yes canceled this year, HAI is making sure Does your organization plan to Maybe you can still take advantage of educa- expand its business in the next tional opportunities that are normally pre- No five years? sented at Expo. I don't know One highly attended event every year HAI conducted a global survey of mem- is the Manufacturer Technical Briefings bers and nonmembers early this year. (MTBs), where airframe and engine man- While we are still compiling the data, ufacturers provide updates on their prod- here’s some promising news: more than 27% ucts. Besides providing information half of operators responding (52%) indi- needed for safe and efficient operations, cated they plan to expand their business these briefings meet FAA requirements within the next five years. Expansion for renewal of inspection authorization areas include equipment (60%), person- % (IA) certificates as well as for aviation nel (43%), and new mission segments 14 maintenance technician (AMT) credits. (40%). Sponsored by Concepts NREC, Concorde 7% Aircraft Batteries, and DART Aerospace, Look for more insights from our survey in the 2021 MTBs were held virtually the next issue of ROTOR. Mar. 22–25, beginning at 12:00 pm east- ern time (UTC‑4) each day. Also popular every year at HAI HELI‑EXPO® is HAI’s Flight Instructor Refresher months ahead. These popular, free safety education ses- Course (FIRC). This year, HAI and the Helicopter Institute sions will be provided throughout the rest of the year, brought the training, traditionally a big part of the educa- scattered among other interesting HAI@Work topics. The tion program at the show, directly to participants—as the webinars are held live every Thursday afternoon at only FAA-approved virtual FIRC in the nation. 4:00 pm eastern time (UTC‑4). Visit rotor.org to register The helicopter-only course was held online and to catch any webinars you may have missed. Mar. 21–22, 2021, from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm eastern time (UTC‑4). It covered the latest updates in regula- tions and helicopter flight instruction techniques from Watch for Rotor Safety Challenge sessions leading industry professionals. appearing as part of the HAI@Work webinar series The class was designed for flight instructors who: in the months ahead. These free safety education ■ Wish to renew their instructor certificates under CFR Part 61 or sessions will be provided throughout the year. ■ Wish to maintain their qualifications as chief instructors or assistant chief instructors for pilot The HAI staff is already planning for a robust lineup of schools certificated under CFR Part 141. industry meetings, education sessions, and networking Other participants who took the course to broaden events at HAI HELI‑EXPO 2022, scheduled for Mar. 7–10 their aviation knowledge will receive a certificate of in Dallas, with exhibits open Mar. 8–10. You’ll get your completion. chance to see those shiny helicopters and to join the Finally, watch for Rotor Safety Challenge sessions vertical aviation industry for educational and networking appearing as part of the HAI@Work webinar series in the opportunities.

March 2021 ROTOR 17 18 Insurability in a Challenging By Christine A.DeJoy “Maintaining

Market” WATCH ROTOR March 2021 business. insurance companies andpolicies for your good broker should connect you with theoptimal works for theoperator, nottheunderwriter, anda a broad poolof insurers. Remember, thebroker broker who specializes inaviation andhas accessto with underwriters, it’s all themore criticala tofind kers toobtaininsurance rather thanwork directly States require aviation operators togo through bro- rise. Andbecause moststate regulators intheUnited coverage isbeingreduced andpremiums are on the a hard market for aviation insurance,which means out paperwork andquoting you aprice come policy page. Abroker’s jobentails much more thanfilling to obtaining thebestcoverage. Building strong relationships with brokers and underwriters iscritical Insuring Business YourAviation 2 1 alike. Thisisespecially true now, when we’re in DO insurer and broker as just numbers on a insurer andbrokerasjustnumbers ona DO N’T thinkall brokers andunderwriters are N’T viewyour relationships with your more likely that will happen. ter theunderwriter understands your business,the maintain therelationship for thelong term.Thebet- they’re working with aclient, insurers want to underwriting managerat Global Aerospace. Once client,” says ColinBruno, senior VPandsenior and hearingabout thecompany directly from the someone’s office, visiting abase, walking around, replacement for face-to-faceinteraction, sitting in a betterinsuranceriskthanothers.“There’s no organization from your competitors andmake you important are thequalities that distinguishyour ate andtheir monetary value, but even more insurers want toknow how many aircraft you oper in assessingwhether toinsure acompany. Sure, Underwriters depend heavily on such relationships personal, one-on-one relationship with them. ducing you tounderwriters andhelpingyou foster a renewal time. He or shecanplay akey role inintro - -

ISTOCK/NIKOLAYI ISTOCK/NIKOLAYI can quantify andmeasure your trainingresults. ny’s program for anobjective, outside perspective that gest bringinginathird partytoevaluate your compa- Whatever your trainingmethods,industry expertssug- wire environment, IIMC, or while usingnight-vision goggles. tional missions, such asflying inmountainous terrain, the scenario-based trainingaswell that isbasedon your opera- whether simulator or in-aircraft based.Insurers encourage to suggest affordable training options for your operation, more important.” Goodbrokers andunderwriters will beable writer’s knowledge of your trainingprogram ismore and line managerat USAIG. “As themarket hardens, eachunder vital,” says Kevin Kovarik, senior VPandrotary-wing business improve andmake yourself thebestoperation possibleis “Showing you’re doing everything you cantocontinually because it demonstrates your attitude toward safety. undertakes issomething mostevery insurer wants toknow, minimums.” Indeed, thetypeof trainingyour operation especially look for trainingthat goes above andbeyond FAA head of general aviation for North America at Allianz. “We from clients about training,” says David Watkins, regional 5 4 3 underwriter. greatly enhancesanoperator’s attractiveness toan during theprevious, soft market. Long-term viability insurers don’t want toassumeasmuch riskastheydid which expertssay will continue at leastuntil October, and theywant your business tolast.In thishard market, confident of their operators’ stability andgrowth plans, pilots andmaintenance techs?Underwriters want tobe nance costsbut inmake andmodel timeamong your port theolder aircraft inyour fleet,not only inmainte - retire andothersmove on? What’s your ability tosup- growth plan?Apool of pilots topull from asveterans and planningfor thefuture. Doyou have acompany row, soshow themhow you’re maintaining continuity passenger density—and, therefore, liability exposure—is electronic news-gathering or utility operator inwhich density, for example, generally posesmore riskthanan for one. Atouror offshore operator with high passenger than your fleetsize? Your operation’s exposure torisk, gram with your brokerandinsurer.“We love tohear DO traincontinually—and shareyour trainingpro- terms. DO assured your operation will beinbusinesstomor DO look tothefuture. Insurers want tobe N’T assumeoperation sizedictates insurance What’s more important toanunderwriter - - learn moreabouttoday’s aviation insurancemarketplace. eral aviation for North America, Allianz. Listentotherecordedwebinar to tive, AssuredPartners Aerospace; andDavid Watkins, regionalheadofgen- manager,senior underwriting Global Aerospace; Joelsalesexecu Heining, - business linemanager,and rotary-wing USAIG; ColinBruno, senior VP and inaChallengingMarket”: Insurability Kevin“Maintaining Kovarik, senior VP Thanks tothepanelistsonSep.24,2020,HAI@Work webinar, uinely apparent.” employees’ attitudes andactivities that make theculture gen- the flashy accolades up on thewalls, but it’s really the of the people when you walk intheroom. You canhave all Aerospace. “You canfeel it inthepresence andtheawareness a sales executive with brokerage firm AssuredPartners ted toastrong safety culture, it sells itself,” says Joel Heining, the company. “Whenyou’re on-site at ashop that’s commit- many visibleways your businesssupports safety throughout strate your company’s value—in thisinstance,through the which in-person visits give you anopportunity todemon- fairly limited. Your company’s safety culture is another area in March 2021 ROTOR

19 20 IN By James A.Viola Upper Hand Weeks: The

Warrior WATCH ROTOR THE March 2021 SPOTLIGHT clarity.] hasbeeneditedfor [Note: thisinterview lengthand and how hisunitworks with mannedaviation assets. South Korea abouttheaerialadvantage provided by UAS with Harrison viaZoomfromthesoldier’s in station duty Viola, himselfaformer US Army helicopterpilot,spoke careers. in-demand military campaign, 12 intheUS soldiers starring Army’s latestmarketing that information tohisfellow soldiers.Heisalsooneof ing threatsonthegroundandinairthenrelaying tems (UAS), Harrison acts as powered pilotlessaircraft, andtheUS Army usedrecon- and thehelicopterairambulancemission. includeradar,by thecivilindustry night-visiongoggles, innovations laterwidelyadopted their countries.Military bers, theirfirsthelicopterridetookplacewhileserving Soldier is“eye in thesky”for ground troops, pilots. US Army Sgt. Javaughn Harrison, UAS Operator, M In lateJanuary, HAIPresident andCEOJames A. World War experiments with Isaw thefirstmilitary “What’s YourWarrior?” which focuses on12 for thecivilindustry. For many HAImem- a sourceofbothpersonnelandnew ideas ILITARY ROTORCRAFT HAVE LONG BEEN operator ofunmannedaircraft sys- ment indroneapplications. As an est example ofthemilitary’s invest- Army Divisionisthelat- 1stInfantry by thecivilrotorcraft industry. expected tobeincreasinglyutilized human flightcrews, dronesare operating costsandlessriskto advantagesoflower thetwin With 211,000 generalaviation aircraft. pared witha2019 estimateofnearly drones,com- tered nearly869,000 Today,States. the tems (UASs, ordrones)intheUnited civil useofunmannedaircraft sys- the FAA releasedguidanceonthe 1960s. Butitwasn’t that until2005 naissance dronesin Vietnam inthe Sgt. Javaughn Harrison oftheUS “The UpperHand,” identify agency hasregis- -

pilots andhave apost-flightconversation ofhow the our flightlogs.Oncethat’s done, we go over totheother through, includingcleaningoff the aircraft and filling out Yes, oncewe land, we have our Do you doapost-flight on your vehicles? ft. ft.another 1,000 upand200 infront. The generalrule ft. is,for every1,000 they goup,we go Do you maintain a certain deconfliction altitude? tects everyone’s aircraft, helicopterandUAS. sight whenthey’re performing engagements. That pro- infrontofthem,soas nottobeintheirlineof distance gets totheirspot,weheightand canadjusttoacertain ft.1,000 above them. That way, whenthesupportedunit close by, tolaunch we try firstsothat we cangetatleast inourrespective locations.Butifwe’reget established launch atleastanhourbefore they do,sothatwe can If we’re far away fromthesupportedunit, your U What’s anormal launch-and-recovery cycle for ourselves. we’reunmanned teaming]training, notmakingfools of the actual live flightsandtheMUM-T[manned ciency. Essentially, we practicesothatwhenwe getto We dodifferent phasesoftrainingtoattain topprofi - mission? H help themnavigate throughit. going touse,andourjobwas tobuildaroundthatand They showed usmapsofalltheflightroutesthey were sion would beandhow we were goingtoexecute it. from the Apache andBlack Hawk pilotsonwhatthemis- aircrew commander, andIwent outtogetthebriefing Harrison: Itwent pretty smoothly. The payload operator, manned andunmannedcombinedmissionlike? and unmannedmissions.What wasyour first realize thebenefits ofconducting bothmanned Viola: Somecivil rotorcraftoperators don’t ow doyou prepareforamanned–unmanned AS? post-flight details to go togo post-flight details we try to to we try

ALL IMAGES COURTESY US ARMY ALL IMAGES COURTESY US ARMY been flying ever sinceIgottothisunit.But first live flight was Augustofthat year. I’ve inschoolstarted in Arizona in2018, andmy I’ve beenflying for aboutthree I years. H we canmake it. babytaking stepstomake sureit’s thebest It’s stillagrowing process,sowe’re still of thesmallthingswe’re abletocontrol. to execute itasbestwe canandbuildoff least for thisunit.Butwhenwe do,we try you ofthing. type as well. Soit’s help-me,help- aconstant out, soit’s great; we want tohelpthemout to provide rightnow. They want tohelpus able touseusmorethanwhatwe’re able seem hopefulaboutus. They want tobe are somenaysayers. But,overall, thepilots I’ll becompletelyhonestwithyou, there there? or aretheresomenaysayers out you doandhow you’re helping them, Do all thepilots understandthework next flight. takethatinformation tains—and ontothe flight went—the goods,thebads,sus- Warrior?” campaign about popular military careers. Your “What’s Army’s the in soldiers 12 1of is Harrison ow long have you beenflying? We don’t at getalotofMUM-Ttraining, our Shadow guys. is flying intheStates forour UAS guys— the onlythingI’d say ismuch different from they worked reallywell withUAS. Iguess new andchallenging, butinbothcountries, spaces we couldflyandoperatein. to lineupthesame,asidefromair flight hours we couldfly. Mostofittended ferent airspacesavailable, thedifferent In ourbriefings, we were toldaboutthedif- and thosetwowere completelydifferent. goes, we went fromGermany toPoland, almost airplane-like, given that it weighs approximately 450 lb. and has a wingspan of nearly 25 ft. 25 nearly of awingspan has and lb. 450 approximately weighs it that given airplane-like, almost appears drone The aircraft. unmanned unit’s the Shadow, the launches Division Infantry 1st Army’s the from A team able toleave thebase. on COVID quarantine,soIhaven’t been In Korea,we [asoflateJanuary were] still rules foroperations? you have tolearndifferent setsof big difference betweenthethree?Do and now you’re inKorea. Is therea So you flewinA into awholenew world ofUAS. ferent country. Ikindofsubmergedmyself flying atschool toflyinginacompletelydif- definitely anew experience—to gofrom simulators. ButonceIgottoEurope,itwas up, soIwas doingmostofmy flyingin hours, andallourequipmentwas packed up togoEurope,sowe had limitedflight by thetimeIgothere,unit was gearing Working withthelocalauthoritieswas rizona, inEurope, But asfar asEurope - sure themthey’re safe. camerathatlooksafterrity them,toreas- accomplished. We’re basicallyabigsecu- We’re makingsurethey gettheirmission canfeelground andinthesky secure. need todetect. That way, theguys onthe out there,oranywe oftheitemsortargets ground troopsandpilotsdetectany threats It meansI’mtheeye inthesky. I’mhelping to you? Hand” andtheroleit signifies mean What doesthenickname“TheUpper the future. having ablastwithit.I’moptimisticabout meet alotofdifferent people,andI’mjust education fromthis,greatexperiences. I happy.I’m very I’moutheregetting agreat you’ve foundyour career. happy inU It soundsasthough you’re very Ha! Yeah, pretty much. essentially. of. TheShadow isasmall airplane, U So notlikethecomparatively small about 450lb. It’s about24,25ft. inwingspan andweighs H AS people intheStates tendtothink ow big isaShadow? AS aviation, likeyou feel March 2021 ROTOR

21 ROTORWA H

ROTORCRAFTEVENTS

CANCELED JUL. 26–31 OCT. 12–14 The following events have been canceled APSCON 2021 2021 NBAA Business Aviation for 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 Airborne Public Safety Association Convention & Exhibition pandemic: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (NBAA-BACE) Learn more at publicsafetyaviation.org. National Business Aviation Association ABACE2021 Las Vega, Nevada, USA Originally scheduled for Apr. 13–15, 2021 JUL. 26–AUG. 1 Learn more at nbaa.org. Asian Business Aviation Conference & 2021 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Exhibition Experimental Aircraft Association OCT. 31–NOV. 2 Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA SHIFT AMTC21 Conference AAAA 2021 Summit Learn more at eaa.org. Association of Air Medical Services Originally scheduled for Apr. 21–23, 2021 Fort Worth, Texas, USA Army Aviation Association of America JUL. 27–29 Learn more at aams.org. IMDEX Asia 2021 EBACE2021 Singapore NOV. 3–5 Originally scheduled for May 18–20, 2021 Learn more at imdexasia.com. 9th Asian/Australian European Business Aviation Association Rotorcraft Forum JUL. 27–29 The Vertical Flight Society TBD SCHEDULED RCA-UMSA 2021 Learn more at vtol.org. The following events were on schedule as Rotorcraft Asia and Unmanned Systems of mid-March: Asia Singapore Learn more at rca-umsa.com. 2022 2021 AUG. 6–8 Fulton County Airport KUSE​ MAR. 7–10 —Aircraft Auction EXHIBITS OPEN MAR. 8–10 MAY 8 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association HAI HELI-EXPO 2022 Delaware Aviation Museum Open Wauseon, Ohio, USA House and Pancake Breakfast Learn more at aopa.org. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Georgetown, Delaware, USA Learn more at aopa.org. SEP. 7–10 47th European Rotorcraft Forum The Vertical Flight Society Helicopter Association International MAY 10–14/VIRTUAL Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom Dallas, Texas, USA Forum 77: The Future Learn more at vtol.org. More information coming soon! of Vertical Flight The Vertical Flight Society Learn more at vtol.org. OCT. 10–11 2021 Tax, Regulatory & Risk Management Conference MAY 18–20/VIRTUAL National Business Aviation Association EBACE Connect Las Vegas, Nevada, USA European Business Aviation Association Learn more at nbaa.org. and National Business Aviation Association Learn more at ebace.aero.

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26

ROTOR March 2021 HAI InternationalPartners A ranging from regulations and standardization to from regulations topical and standardization ranging and global operational, concerns to regional, discuss meeting gather ration. in a quarterly participants virtual Program practices through best ational well collabo standardsas as - the promotes IPP common safety andoper organizations, onJun. announced 30,2020. was (IPP), of that initiative, HAI’s International Program Partnership industry. (VTOL) piece A key andlanding takeoff vertical best practices. HAI forumforglobalcollaboration provides connection, By bringing together ofglobalhelicopter the leaders By bringing Team UptoFightCOVID international collaboration the within association’s commitment to increase Viola James A. the announced and CEO California, T HAI HELI-EXPO 2020 HELI-EXPO IN ANAHEIM,T HAI

newly appointed HAI President appointed HAI newly - Wing for ofIndia(RWSI), Promotion andAssociation Society Rotary Helicopter (HAC), ofCanada (EHA), Association European Helicopter Association (HASA), Africa Southern Helicopter Helicopter of (BHA), Association Association British Australian (AHIA), Helicopter Association Industry to include the Helicopter Chilean (ACHHEL), Association coordinates the program. who andInternational Martino, Chris of Operations Affairs their members,”the facing issues Director Senior says HAI on a platform to share theiradvice, andobservations input, ofhelicopter around leaders the providing world associations firefighting suchissues as or the coronavirus pandemic. In the first nine months, HAI’sIn the first nine months, expanded has IPP program “In this first year, onbig-picture items, IPP is the focused By JenBoyer

ISTOCK/WARCHI ISTOCK/WARCHI to support the UK government during the pandemic. Through Through the government the UK pandemic. during to support helicopter theand system enhancing civil ability industry’s around the world. Fauchon In Britain, created a database to thedue inpart extreme the industry circumstances facing collaboration, missionto increase delivering onits begun already the has IPP pandemic, Formed the during COVID Support forCOVID BHA MobilizesUKIndustry partnerships.” to expand the BHA ourinternational really helped has around the world group inJapan, This Australia, andIndia. However, more contacts even mewith connected the has IPP Europeable and Britain. to between stay on issues well versed Tim CEO BHA Fauchon. that “Through I’m connection, European Helicopter for many years,” Association explains oftheir own. support orprovided issues fellow from onspecific members support group’s have members either received formation, several Since the connections. build personal also members IPP tional collaboration firefighting during activities. practices interna that- onbest spoke support and Ray Cronin, president ofAHIA, America, South Chile andacross in andissues ing operations firefightpresented onaerial president ofACHHEL, Loreto Moraga, member IPP national focus, aninter with sessions other conference IPP.” Inadditionto oration through the result ofourcollab content adirect as include international we were able to and and attendees, presenters among both tional participation tunities for more interna there were considerable oppor the conference all virtual, was November,”last “Because says. Martino HAI’s Virtual Aerial Firefighting Conference says. Martino in participation, tional helicopter that have associations interest expressed of Helicopter to addi- Industry, istalking HAI Japan (AHIJ). “Here in the UK, I’ve been in close contact in close I’ve“Here the with been in the UK, andglobalissues, regional, In additionto local, discussing during IPP paidfor ourdividends industry “The - - - - - Association for Promotion of HelicopterIndustry, Japan Australian HelicopterIndustryAssociation (AHIA) Associación ChilenadeHelicópteros (ACHHEL) Helicopter Association of SouthernAfrica Helicopter Association of Canada(HAC) European HelicopterAssociation (EHA) British HelicopterAssociation (BHA) International Rotary WingSocietyof Partners India (RWSI) HAI (HASA) (AHIJ) others. the IPP, he’s able to share been this work and inspire the government payment system, where it could long take as went billsforimmediate into payment, helicopter services time.Without card took credit card to the ensure credit quickly, aircraft Fauchon needed for andapplying the CCS needed.” andhangarsavailable if offices, services, from helicopter operators to fuel everything with database Fauchon “It says. didn’t take long before we hadanenormous it to everyone,” and opened we had a big industry knew to participate. willing FAAservices 135)andother “flyers” Part andsupport operators (muchmercial airoperator like certificate (AOC) of that response. country’s COVID part as used to card paycredit helicopter for civilian services could inGreat apply Britain government for agency the aninitialbudget of£1.5million.Any with (CCS), Services government’s procurement agency, Commercial Crown up through set card payment theA credit British system was theavailable during pandemic. use for government agency developoffice a thathelicopters civil program to made the Trans­ When the COVID pandemic began inthe first quarter pandemicbegan When the COVID “While we started the database with our members, we we ourmembers, the with database westarted “While Fauchon then went ofcom buildingadatabase about Fauchon then hit a wall of red tape. The agencies calling Fauchoncalling Theagencies tape. ofred then hitawall of 2020,Fauchon investigating howto began mobilize portation Ministry, governmentportation andaUK cabinet from the UK Civil Aviationfrom the Civil UK Authority (CAA), the UK helicopter industry to support that the to helicopter UK support industry Fauchon representatives with worked country’s National Health Service. country’s National Health Service. program. Great Britain already had a military hadamilitary already Great Britain authorities (HACA) aid to civil authority program, authorityaid to program, civil ­helicopter to assistance civil whereby military assets assets whereby military operators to create a could be mobilized to mobilized could be ex-military and civilian andcivilian ex-military support civilian efforts efforts civilian support together of ateam in times of need (much (much ofneed in times contacts and pulled contacts andpulled like National US background and Guard troops and and Guard troops dug into his military dug into hismilitary are mobilized assets gencies). Fauchongencies). emer of US in times March 2021 - - ROTOR

27 28 operations during the the during operations The team used a field afield used team The (below) belonging to medical personnel to northern England for Sunderland as a safe Nightingale Hospital first wave of COVID. COVID. of wave first transportation from BHA’s HACA set up up set HACA BHA’s provide counsel on Nissan (building in Nissan

ROTOR background) in Sunderland in landing zone. field hospital in London to March 2021 helicopter industry in the UK inthehelicopter UK industry ofthe British utilization increase to hisefforts members IPP Fauchon fellow with shared Distribution Chilean Vaccine ACHHEL Supports twohours. within ensures that gram oneisready Fauchon pro says hisHACA Yet, when ahelicopter is needed, to areas. is limited more-rural for helicoptersand rail, the need byroads Kingdom well served With the ofthe majority United well. as distribution vaccine It ready to stands support restrictions. were by COVID limited crews to helpingfirefighting moorland local fire with when facilities equipmentbetween and staff transfers ofmedical for the from government, UK a number of services vided that to twoweeks. payment andhe’s timeto twomonths, working to shorten whocould orders purchase employees use to reduce the on hold, Fauchonwaiting able to find was government three months as and to hoursofcalls receive After payment. Since its beginning, Fauchon’sSince beginning, its pro- has program HACA - to citizens in outlying areas. Chile now has agreements with with agreements Chilenowhas areas. inoutlying to citizens to helpwere deliver used the firstPfizer-BioNTech vaccines delivery. andlaw Since enforcement late 2020,military aircraft At to ramp the upvaccine began sametime,the country get patients to larger intensive with hospitals care services. reach capacity. More to were required helicopter transports distribution. vaccine prepare to the helicopter support Chilean industry Chile’s helped Hisexperiences response. COVID Moraga In January 2021, Chile’sIn January to began areas in rural hospitals

IMAGES COURTESY TIM FAUCHON CMY CY MY CM K Y M C IMAGES COURTESY TIM FAUCHON Rotor Full-Page2021copy.pdf12/16/212:33PM 30 personnel. Ecocopter An Ecocopter AS350 Pfizer vaccine doses doses vaccine Pfizer (above) arrives with with (above) arrives delivery with Karla Karla with delivery Avendaño (below) Rubilar Barahona, Chile’s minister of family and social

ROTOR celebrates the the celebrates development. pilot Claudio for medical for medical March 2021 Moraga says. “YetMoraga says. helicopters need to they deliver directly help,” operators can the howcivilian government to see support. to manage helicopter Moraga andACHHEL out to reached soon structure, FEDACH or noaviation infra littlemany with areas to reach that it needed had. However, realizing much BHA’s as Fauchon government, Chilean theworking with hadbegun nization, general aviation orga (FEDACH), acivilian Aerial Federation The Chilean schedule. vaccine aggressive its to meet creative support rain, Chilerequired and mountainous ter considerablewith rural autumn that wave March. ofinfections as could come soon as potentialbeat ofage inaneffort over60years the to citizens four makers vaccine vaccination andrecently to all opened HAI INTERNA “As working with FEDACH began arrived, more vaccines thin country A long, TIONAL P - - - AR TNERS TEAMUPTO FIGHTC lations for that country. ofregu development inits de Aeronáutica (DGAC), Civil Chile’ssupport aviation regulator, civil the General Dirección will help Thisinformation Moraga dures. contribute to and to help ourcommercial with operators.” Their helicopter are pilots. private members We were able that areas andotherto are airports. rural hospitals notnear OVID continued CAA’s template proce Fauchon the shared and Moraga, with regulations portation the FAA’s trans vaccine gel. cold onlywith vaccines rently transporting iscur ACHHEL ities, health authorChilean consultation with hazardous material. In ice, a usingdry vaccine tation of the super-cold ing the safe transpor includ and procedures, routes, data ontiming, donated flights to gather afew with program ery helicopter deliv vaccine HAI’s shared Martino the began ACHHEL ------

IMAGES COURTESY LORETO MORAGA IMAGES COURTESY LORETO MORAGA Moraga says. excited the helicopter to thesee with vaccines,”very arrive vaccines. time foran hour of drive the temperature-sensitive away 45km hospital, andsouth ofthe congested city, saving ofSantiago, north to asoccer field(SCLC), next to Buin the from the personnel Municipal deVitacurafor medical Airport vaccines second-dose 25 Pfizer by acompany pilottransported donated by Ecocopter and flown helicopteran Airbus AS350 larger on Feb. transport 4, where upfor theircrowd lined shots. byacheering greeted was vaccines of85Pfizer-BioNTecha case helicopter, The helicopter anda pilot. Airbus supplied carrying Suma Airdonated Aéreos the 30-minuteServicios flight. place took a Jan.vaccines Santiago 25,from to Quillota, “The informationa “The that was I throughreceived IPP the in a participated ACHHEL COVID The first Chilean helicopter flight transporting “These were very successful flights, and the people were people were and the successful flights, were very “These AUDIO MANAGEMENTUNIT WITH THEAMU6500 ENHANCE YOUR AWARENESS SITUATIONAL WWW.BECKER-AVIONICS.COM “The relationships built demonstrated theirvalue, and we’re justgetting started.” through theIPPhave already the have IPP andwe’re demonstrated already their value, the relationships builtthrough transport, vaccine on COVID says HAI’sthe exists, IPP Viola. “As bythe collaboration shown ofhelicopters use effective around the world is exactly why to remotevaccines areas.” We in used onthose were able protocols to develop based thatand weshared information ourvolunteer with operators. around the world beforefrom associations wedidthe flights, We ofthe planning. part valuable alotofinformation received of initiatives.” that wouldlike to the to use IPP collaborate types onthese Wejust getting started. more from to want organizations hear Sharing information and best practices that informationSharing andbest promote the ACHHEL’s operators to deliver able be to workwill directly with wherea program the government authoritiesand health to develop aviation,with transportation, at havinglook conversations “As we’ll wedomore flights, safety measures,” says Moraga. other countries to ensure strong 3D Audio 3D HELPING YOUPRIORITIZEYOURACTIONS. PERCEPTION OFYOURSURROUNDINGS 3D AUDIO Bluetooth Connectivity Bluetooth Stereo Music Stereo Crystal-Clear Digital Audio Digital Crystal-Clear IMPROVES YOUR March 2021 Up to 12 Transceivers 12 to Up Up to 12 Receive-Only 12 to Up Customer Configurable Customer Plus more! Plus ROTOR

31 32

ROTOR March 2021 I On the afternoon ofThursday, On the afternoon landing after 8,shortly Dec. The recorded. ever man andmachine in one of the operations longest rescue in mission a thathistoric part of would test thetaking limits goggle work inthe Little HH-60. he’d didheknow endup York, Island,New onLong Base tosome night-vision fly December, he went to Francis Gabreski Air National S. Guard daysAir National free that Guard, when hehadafew so fraud. financial brokering the movement oruncovering aircraft, of narcotics, Heselling played differentsometimes cartels. criminal roles, inhiswork targeting incovert operations useful pilot proved mariner floats andwaits. Surrounded bydebris,850milesfrom land,amerchant The First Person By ThomasMcKenzie But he was also Capt. Baur ofthe AirForce Baur US Capt. also York hewas But New Salvador Allende and Border Protection). His experience as a dual-rated adual-rated Protection). Hisexperience as and Border tigator Customs (nowUS for the Customs US Service inves acriminal working as was Baur Chris (USCG), first for US Army Guard and the then US Coast the N DECEMBER 1994, AFTER YEARS SPENT FLYING SPENT 1994, YEARS N DECEMBER AFTER Salvador Allende Salvador -

have the range this toreach vessel. refuelthe can in flight.” chief. you guys “But you Meaning: away. were far ships mission,butthose stilltoo rescue Guarda hadlaunched TheCoast Scotia. ofNova southeast the shiphadsunk. at next 9:30pm.Byearly morning, thecalls received firstdistress Rescuers transmitting anSOS. Allende’s gave captain the order to abandon shipandbegan progressively the larger andtaking inwaves rolls, awash the the With vessel. deck bilizing listto port, a45-degree cargo, desta inits shift acritical hadcaused seas rice. Heavy Texas, Freeport, from to Helsinki, Finland, aloadof with transiting aMerchant with of33,was crew carrier Marine the Ukrainian-flagged details: One, theDistrict USCG’s mid-Atlantic relayed region, grim the why samelanguage; don’t to youtalk him?” “Hey, I’ve got Guard the onthe Coast phone.You speak guys offlying. approached bythe supervisor was Baur at the base, “We don’t really have anything that reach can it,” finished The The voice from on the phone, thatBaurknew ofa chief Allende ’s last known position was about 850 miles ’s 850 miles about was position known last Rescue Salvador AllendeSalvador , a cargo -

ABOVE: ISTOCK/POBYTOV; ALL OTHER IMAGES COURTESY CHRIS BAUR ABOVE: ISTOCK/POBYTOV; ALL OTHER IMAGES COURTESY CHRIS BAUR referring to HF 5696 MHz, the Guard Coast referring to 5696 MHz, HF “I’m pilot. upon5696,”Marine gonna be meafavor,” “Do the morning. a asked Baur in their refueling452), whowouldbe escorts Aerial Transport Refueler (Marine Squadron Holiday Inn,where the hemet “Yankees” Moore. Tech. John Krulder, Sgt. andTech William Sgt. Sengstacken, Maj. Gene andhiscrew: Buschor Graham Capt. other Jolly Pave 08,was Hawk, were Jolly Piloting 14 for preparing flight. the Davin, Rich their flight engineer, Sgt. Master andSenior the crew’s (PJ), pararescueman Tech.Fleming. Dougherty, James “Doc” Sgt. fromthewich deli.’” andwegot youasand inHalifax, Shearwater Air Force Canadian ‘Royal heard back was Base I The whereresponse wewere headed. asked my “Iplugged helmet inand running. engines Paveof two HH-60 Hawk helicopters, their into ofone seat which theafter heclimbed left gear, into hissurvival parking lotandhelped inthe met usual.He was as brief didn’tsquadron, they and meet don’t fly.” rescues,” saidBaur. you. Thisisdifferent from other worried. sounded anythingwith like this.” His mother ant shemight papers need. ofany theher with location import out onarescue,” hesaid,providing mother to say goodbye. his kit and called anda flightthen toilet suits anAWOL packed hastily acouple bagwith of the AirForce’s He planningprotocols. rescue minutes,”well inseven felt differently about posture and their ability inthe “wheels to be accustomed to Guard’s the Coast rapid response Baur, intensesome deliberation at higherlevels. to fly on asked the mission. There’dbeing been asearch, andthen to found Baur be himself was Several hourslater,Several at aHalifax was Baur copiloting Col.Ed wouldbe forBaur Lt. at the arrived When Baur “Well, ifthe weather’s bad,just “I’m with honest just being “You’ve me before called never “Hey, Mom. Listen,I’m going Initially, Then it no rescue. to there be was “Don’t worry, Mom. Iwon’t.” - - search-and-rescue (SAR) frequency where (SAR)frequency search-and-rescue I’m not coming back, or do I leave the bag here I’m the here ordoIleave bag notcoming back, doorway: AWOL He froze bagonthe inthe bed. open ready to leave the hesaw hewas room, his As up? moved clerk when been a mission know time has up.” moved been has until—.” for me? The launchbus is waiting window isn’t waiting for you.” busisoutside RCAF “The the clerk 10,itwas at the hotel frontDec. desk. When Baur’s phone rangat 3:30am onSaturday, Mission Day you brightMonday.” andearly “It’s allgonna come together. See It’ll fine. be thing to happens you?” if some “What doing. and what he was he was forhe worked at Customs himwhere asking the people itwas planning cell updates, with wasn’t Ifit rang off the hook. the mission else did.” nobody whereknow wewere incase were ontheif they samefrequency, they’d Baur. that Iknew “Iputstock inthe Marines. gonna come get me,ifanybody,”who was says the check’s late gonna be this month.” tellgo I guess my in, get visual—and ex-wife “Monitor that for me. IfI reporting. position his radio to guard and keep planned Baur “Oh no,” launchwindow “The sheinterrupted. the How doyoumean could “What that be? “Don’t it,” about worry them. reassured Baur Baur’sThat night, the phonein hotel room “It played through certainly my mindabout Baur hung up and put on his flight suit. hungBaur upandputonhisflight suit. Do I take the bag with me because mebecause Itake the with bag Do The The Salvador Allende How the hell does a hotel How a hotel the hell does - The HH-60 crews werefrom prohibitedcrews HH-60 The going platform. butarescue notasearch asset was firm: thehelicopter plan.Guidancerescue was worked through the night to orchestrate a where the planningcell Shearwater had Base out. andheaded the door decided, Finally, it. will have with todeal my friends he here and Idon’t oneof that means comeback, Iamcoming thebecause IfIleave bag back? descend again, immediately reaccumulating to needed they extraction point, survivor Oncefirst of many at operations. refueling the for KC-130 the aMarine sunrise, after arrived the above weather.ice andclimbed Sometime accumulatingbegan an extra challenge. They on Baur’s onBuschor’s, posing butfailed aircraft working was system Theblade-deicing tailwind. of the rotor to blades the refueling hose.” ofthe proximity to impossible refuel because you can’t get the extended, probe it’s to close says Baur. butsuddenly “Ifyouget lowonfuel manual that says youcan’twith it fly extended,” Buschor.wingman “There’s nothing in the recommendinginto the samefor position, to extenddeciding the andlock refueling probe the coastline the with Pave Hawk’s radarbefore through the clouds andsnow, “painted” Baur so Visibilitycouldn’t They terrible. was anything see Heading Out sunrise. into 90minutes It asnowstorm. before was The crew received at their missionbriefing received crew The On they flew,On they with a 70 kt. now roaring He closed He closed I’m gonna comeback. **** it, join the crews of an RCAF CP-140 CP-140 ofanRCAF thejoin crews lifeboats and in white wooden the couldtowhere find they expect were to of fly set to a coordinates night-vision They (NVG). goggles refueling at orusingtheir night, the turnaround time, beyond started up, taxied, and took off andtook up,taxied, started They off at their aircraft. dropped were beforethe the brief crews during eggs scrambled lukewarm already onscene. Carolina, City, Elizabeth from North Aurora Guard HC-130 andaCoast Baur hadenoughtimeto Baur eat survivors AllendeSalvador survivors March 2021 ROTOR

33 Allende Rescue Letter

ice. At their request, the Marines scouted ahead and discov- “And that’s when we saw this guy, waving his arm like he’s ered an opening in the cloud deck. “It reminded me of the hailing a cab in Manhattan, not in a debris field in the middle Millennium Falcon, the way that KC-130 dove down through of the Atlantic Ocean,” says Baur. “His name was Alexander the hole in the clouds with the hoses out,” says Baur. “We Taranov. That was the first time we met. I would come to dove in after and followed them through.” know him better.” But below, the weather was treacherous. The ceiling was low, ragged, and overcast with poor visibility and rain. They Taranov encountered massive, 30 ft. sea swells, and the wind was a From the Pave Hawk’s right seat, Fleming controlled the hoist while Baur monitored the aircraft torque, engine RPM, sea state, and radios from the left seat. Suddenly, Fleming entered into a hover in the trough between the 30 ft. swells. “The next thing I know, Doc was jumping out of the aircraft and swimming toward Taranov,” says Baur. While Fleming was focused on holding the hover, Baur watched “a wave like in the opening credits of Hawaii Five-0 coming right at us.” Backing up Fleming, Baur verbalized the threat and pulled up sharply on the collective. They departed the hover, orbiting to a safe distance while observing the PJ and the survivor until Doc signaled for the hoist and watched as Doc helped Taranov into the hoist. Doc would then wait below to be hoisted by Davin. “Hey, there’s sharks in the water! They’re eating the Ukrainians,” radioed Krulder, the wingman’s flight engineer. “They’re treating them like a buffet line.” Baur cut Fleming’s radio, sparing him the details as he worked. The Allende survivors had lashed themselves together using ropes or An HC-130 Combat strong 50 kt. More bad news: Baur radioed the Aurora pilot belts. As one shark came up for a strike, it would pull the Shadow refuels an HH-60 Pave Hawk. already on scene but was told the crew had no knowledge others under. Then a body part would bob to the surface. Midair refueling of where the Ukrainians were waiting in their lifeboats. There wasn’t much left. requires precision flying by both pilots, Drawing on his past Coast Guard experience, Baur rec- With everyone safely back in the aircraft, Baur asked Davin even in daylight and ommended working a parallel search. “We were observing to put a headset on Taranov so he could talk to him. “I wanted good weather a fuel slick and debris. My plan was to create a creeping line to find out more about who was with him, how many sur- conditions. search on both sides of the debris and fly up the current.” vivors there were, and if we were searching in the right area. The Marines were willing to join and search with them until Part of me didn’t want to tell Taranov about the sharks,” says they went bingo fuel—meaning they’d reached their minimum Baur. “We would find out later, through a translator, that fuel levels and had to return to base. Taranov had had his own encounter and didn’t want to tell Gradually, they noticed the debris field was changing. us about the sharks.” They were seeing parts of a ship: wooden pallets, furniture, Another quick discussion ensued: Should they put Doc and paper. The wind was strong, but the current was con- back in the water to gather any remains? Absolutely not, sistent; deep blue water from the Gulf Stream, snaked with they decided. It made no sense. Baur agreed and radioed tendrils of whitecaps and surf. This gave them a clear direction one of the nearby searching ships, rolling and listing in the to search, but it was well past the turnaround time. By 12:30 heavy seas. As the captain of that ship struggled to keep his pm, they’d already searched hundreds of miles beyond the vessel upright, members of his crew were casting over hooks extraction point. and lines in an effort to gather the bobbing remains. “I thought “We decided to continue searching, even if it meant dis- that was probably the best solution,” says Baur. “I didn’t feel obeying orders. We’d been told not to search and to turn comfortable putting Doc in the water again.” around no later than 12:30 local, but we made an ethical Taranov, 36, had survived in the cold North Atlantic seas choice to continue in order to save human lives,” says Baur. for nearly two days wearing only a cloth coverall, two woolen Just as they were getting light on fuel again, Rich Davin, sweaters, and an orange life jacket, sustaining himself with Baur’s flight engineer, called out. “Hey, there’s some debris two cans of 7UP that had floated near enough to grab. His over there waving at us!” eyes were swollen shut from the sea and fuel. “He said he

34 ROTOR March 2021 knew the Americans would come, and he never base. The mission would require 10 mid-air missions that lacked both automation and gave up the will to survive. Taranov was thrilled refueling operations for the Pave Hawks. comfort. He donned his NVG and took control to be in that aircraft.” Finally, everyone agreed. It was time to head of the aircraft again. Meanwhile, it was time for a rendezvous back. Once again, the MC-130 declared bingo with another tanker, an MC-130 from Patrick fuel and departed. The 60 crews had benefited Betting the Farm Air Force Base, and another refueling. “The from a tremendous tailwind coming to the They were 327 miles from Halifax when a storm good news is that we now had a full bag of gas,” search, which meant flying into a vicious hit them like a brick wall. They switched to says Baur. “The bad news is that once we’d headwind while returning to Halifax. IMC and broke formation. The Pave Hawks finished, the pilot radioed that he was bingo At twilight, a second Marine KC-130 joined were picking up ice again. Baur’s 60 had a fuel, abruptly sucking up his hoses and leaving the HC-130 on Baur’s wing. Freshly fueled with blade-deicing system, but it often failed, as it us in the middle of the Atlantic.” They were just enough to reach Halifax, Baur decided to did now. He remembered an old deicing tactic maybe 800 miles out to sea with four hours take a break and asked Fleming to fly. He’d had from his Coast Guard days: fly close to the and 20 minutes of fuel and hundreds of miles nothing to eat or drink since departing Halifax water’s surface and use the salt spray to combat from the original pickup location. They required that morning. “I remember opening up this the ice. “We were getting pounded,” Baur says. a lot more fuel to get back to Halifax, and they amazing RCAF box lunch containing a bottle “There were times when I was moving up and had but a single HF radio link to civilization. of orange juice. As I drank it, I could suddenly down at something like 500 ft. a minute. I tried Baur got on 5696 and radioed the Marine see in high-def color. My vision had slowly to climb, but that didn’t work. We were all over he’d spoken to back in Halifax. “I need you, pixilated into a monochromatic noise.” the place.” and I need you now. Given our position, we’ll Baur hadn’t realized how much the flight Buschor radioed. “Hey, Chris. What’s your need more tankers and fuel to reach Halifax.” had depleted his blood-sugar levels. In addition, heading?” Time passed. There was another discussion: he’d been manually flying for 12 hours weighted “It really depends on when you ask,” Baur should the Pave Hawks remain there as the down with his survival suit and gear in a heli- replied. The nose of the aircraft was shifting on-scene commander, or head north to Halifax copter the Army had designed for two-hour wildly, 45 degrees to either side of the direction with Taranov, who needed medical care? He was hypothermic after being in the ocean for two days. An HC-130 crew from Baur’s squadron were on their way, eventually reaching the 60s and providing them with fuel and support before the sun went down. Then, the previous MC-130 tanker returned. “I thought you guys were bingo fuel,” radioed Baur. “Oh, we figured out we had more fuel, so we want to search for the rafts for survivors,” replied the pilot. Time passed. The crews meticulously searched each of the bobbing, empty black life rafts deployed by the various fixed-wing rescue assets over the past few days. “You know, there’s no gold nugget out here,” Baur radioed back. “We got one guy in need of medical attention. The other bodies we saw were consumed by sharks; they’re, uh … deceased. There are no more survivors; it’s time to go.” Baur was adamant on that point. He knew they couldn’t stay out indefinitely. They still had to reach Halifax from the middle of the Atlantic. “This wasn’t some refueling exercise we were doing off the coast of Long Island.” They needed four tankers because the tankers needed fuel to get to them, plus fuel to give Freedom Aero Service Inc. is an established FAA/EASA repair station. them fuel, and fuel to get themselves back to

March 2021 ROTOR 35 of flight in the extreme turbulence. In the right seat, Fleming experience was surreal.” was struggling to don his NVG. “Can’t you hold this thing He flew for another hour on goggles, peering beneath the steady?” cutaways to the instruments. It required all of his mental As they flew, Baur recalls that his ground speed and the acuity to keep the aircraft upright, and that became his only chance of reaching Halifax, Sable Island, or an offshore rig goal. “I didn’t touch the cyclic, and I was careful with the had now evaporated. They’d need another refuel. “I flew for collective input. I didn’t want to overly stress the aircraft or another hour in that weather, conditions in which it was encounter negative-G’s. I was just gonna ride this thing out impossible to conduct a rendezvous and mid-air like a cork. We continued ahead, determined to see who refueling.” would win: us or the North Atlantic. The Marines radioed an hour later: “Hey, we’re between layers at 6,000 ft.” Alright, this is where we bet the farm, thought Baur. Performing a refueling rendezvous at night is challenging. They had to climb into the icing, find clear air to shed ice from the rotors, and find the tankers. A lack of moonlight reduced the goggles’ capability, but they desperately needed the fuel. Leaving the marginal safety of the salt-laden air near the water, both helicopters punched into the belly of the storm, shrouded in ice and punished by turbulence. They climbed toward the break between the cloud layers, hoping to shed the ice and locate the tankers. “Ultimately, we were able to rendezvous and refuel. And it was at that point we realized we were almost home free. Nothing was going to stand in our way of accomplishing the mission and delivering the survivor to safety.”

Home Free Eventually, they left the storm. Baur remembers flipping his goggles up so he could see the lights of Halifax. “My eyes Above: US Air Force When Taranov wasn’t busy dry heaving, the turbulence were watery, not because I was crying but because they just Capt. Chris Baur, age 33. was bouncing him hard between the deck and the overhead burned so bad.” When the lights became more prominent, Opposite: Taranov’s of the cabin. This poor guy survived a shipwreck, and now Davin brought Taranov forward to show him. “The emotion heartfelt letter of I’m gonna pulverize him in the back of the helicopter, thought of it was incredible,” says Baur. “We felt like astronauts thanks to the two HH-60 crews. Baur. At some point, Davin took a cargo strap and lashed returning from space.” Taranov to the deck. Baur would later find the back of his As they approached, Taranov spoke. “America?” helmet covered with dozens of dents, the result of repeatedly “No,” corrected Davin. “Canada.” slamming into the circuit-breaker panel directly behind his Taranov seemed perplexed. “But you’re American? Why head. would Americans come all the way to middle of ocean to Baur asked the KC-130s to scout another rendezvous area. rescue me and take me to Canada?” They radioed back: “Hey, we just broke out. We’re at 25,000 Finally, Baur landed. It had been over 16 hours since they ft.” To meet for refueling, both HH-60s and the tanker needed took off from Halifax. “I felt like we had endured pure hell to find one another, homing in on radio transmissions and and fury but we’d accomplished the mission: that others may visually acquiring one another using NVG. “Two more things live. We pulled together and worked as a team to achieve we’d been ordered not to do,” says Baur, remembering the the impossible, never losing focus, while successfully iden- brief. “Don’t refuel at night, and don’t wear NVG to refuel.” tifying and defeating the obstacles and challenges we “We can’t climb to 25,000,” Baur responded, fighting the encountered.” storm for directional control. While his adrenaline was fading, Once the medical team had taken Taranov away for medical his body continued operating on muscle memory. He recalls care, the crews had run their checklists and shut the aircraft a number of thoughts: How much pounding can this aircraft down, Baur realized he had two new problems. One, he take? At what point will the rotor blades just come off? “The hadn’t been able to relieve himself for 16 hours. And two,

36 ROTOR March 2021 he couldn’t stand on his legs or put weight on them. Another Allende survivor, the second mate, had been picked up by The crew that met the aircraft helped him remove his gear and get the Japanese cargo ship Torungen on Dec. 10. While the air search was out of his seat, but when they tried to use the door’s emergency jettison, officially suspended Monday due to poor visibility, 10 commercial the mechanism failed. “It’s a good thing we didn’t have to ditch,” says vessels continued their search into the night without success. The Baur, “because I probably wouldn’t have gotten out.” bodies of seven Merchant Marines were recovered. The remaining 24 Returning to his hotel room, Baur saw his AWOL bag sitting on the were never found. bed waiting for him, as if nothing in the world had changed. The Taranov, with the help of a Reader’s Digest reporter, wrote letters pararescuemen took him out for dinner. “I remember falling asleep (see below) to the crews of both Pave Hawks, thanking them for “risking while eating pizza. The PJs helped me back to my room, where I passed your own lives to save mine.” He and Baur were briefly reunited before out. I was wiped.” Taranov’s return to Ukraine. In the months to come, the Pave Hawk crews were told they’d been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission. But Baur remembers someone pulling them aside as they were preparing to receive the medals. “The Pentagon decided that since the mission was flown in peace time, they couldn’t award a DFC to the crews,” he says. But they had to pin something on the crews; families and other loved ones had gathered to watch. Baur doesn’t recall what medal it was. “They just clipped it on. ‘HC-130 crews flew with minimal rest in bad weather to support some helicopters.’ That was the award narrative.” In 1998, the crews were presented with the Medal for Valor from the state of New York. Two years later, the Air Force unceremoniously issued the crews boxes with Air Medals inside.

Baur went on to fly the HC-130 in the same squadron and retired in 2007 after 26 years of military service. He later became a senior captain at a major US airline and the president of Hughes Aerospace Corp., one of the largest air navigation services providers, recognized for pioneering NextGen satellite navi- gation with the FAA and ICAO worldwide. A dual-rated ATP, Baur continues to fly helicopters, turboprops, and jet air- liners today. He is recognized as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and holds a BS from Embry-Riddle Aero­ nautical University, an MBA from Brown University, and an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid, Spain.

March 2021 ROTOR 37 P 38 Burns By Bryan benefits. significant operational ASAP reports generates Operators findthat sharing interpret a supervisor’s direction differently direction interpret intended. asupervisor’s was than it day—isn’t always we easy. we forget; Human make mistakes; beings for Members HAI LaunchesSafetyReportingProgram When operators aren’t they aware ordeviations, mistakes of those

ROTOR March 2021 your customers safe—minute by minute, throughout each and the right thing you, your colleagues, that keep will But doing on their day-to-day depends operations efforts. aviation workers aware are that fully the safety ofaviation ILOTS, MAINTENANCE TECHS, AND MOST MOST AND TECHS, ILOTS, MAINTENANCE other maintenance to of the flight deck—can reports submit voluntary HAI. benefit available through member anew (ASAP), Program their employer? That’s possible through now the Safety Aviation Action by the FAAlations penalized without fear of being or terminated by orvio andothers safety-related couldif pilots events actually report tions that could contribute what But to future accidents orincidents. to the them correct opportunity lose or address the condi underlying Under ASAP, aviation throughout employees the company—from - -

HAI/DIANA RUSLI HAI/DIANA RUSLI aviation industry since 2012. aviation industry companies participating forASAP the andgeneral business itator ofASAP, more ACSF managed than halfofall has (ACSF,- facil onlineat third-party acsf.aero). Awell-known the Safety with Foundation AirCharter bility inpartnership sidebar conditions certain below). are (see longas met as bythe FAA reprimanded or being their andlosing certificates, safety-related their occurrences oflosing fear jobs without In March 2021, HAI launched an ASAP reporting capa reporting launched anASAP In March 2021,HAI committee (ERC),whichtypically meetseverytwo investigated byanorganization’s eventreview ASAP Resolution Process.EachASAPreport is action. by theemployerorFAA for furtherdisciplinary events containedinthat report maybeevaluated an employee’sreport isdismissedfrom ASAP, the the intentionalfalsification of information. When is involvedincriminalactivity, substanceabuse,or or thefederal aviation regulations, orif heorshe intentional disregard for companysafety policies from ASAPifhisorheractionsdemonstrate an are protected from punitiveaction. process. However, notalleventsreported toASAP that isacceptedasbeingappropriate for theASAP action againstanemployeewhosubmitsareport Events NotAcceptedbyASAP. TheFAA takes no configuration issues. logbook errors, andOEMaircraft designor airspace violations, altitudeorroute deviations, Examples includeflyinganunstableapproach, deviations from companypoliciesandprocedures. deficiencies, noncompliancewith regulations, or may include(butare notlimitedto)operational Types ofReportable Events. Reportableevents and report significant safety concernsandissues. schedulers, andsoon)useASAPtoself-identify (pilots, aviation mechanics/engineers,dispatchers, safety of aflight. Flightdepartmentemployees of anyeventsorconcernsthat couldaffect the nonpunitive environment for theself-reporting Program (ASAP)fosters avoluntary, cooperative, What ASAPIs.AnAviation Safety Action ASP Defined An employee’sreport maybedismissed - system (SMS) tosystem (SMS) improve anorganization’s both just culture inarobust safety management used isjust onetool ASAP ASAP BringsBigBenefits organization. sports sensus,” Coast–based notes the safety manager for anEast third con inthe helpsneutral to discussion develop party “Having a reports. receive, to review, ASAP andrespond newsletter. In addition,ACSF publishesaquarterlyASAP develop mitigation strategies for theiroperations. taken, toinform theirowntrainingprograms and to usethat data, includingallcorrective actions ACSF ASAP, andthosecompanies are encouraged available tootherorganizations participating inthe identified information from ASAP reports isalso factors whilestrengthening theirjustculture. De- to resolve thoseeventsandaddress allcausal advantage of astructured, collaborative process be reported. Participating companiescantake submit safety events that mightotherwisenever reporting systemthat encourages themto ASAP organization have accesstoanonpunitive ASAP Benefits.Employeesof aparticipating report is closed. completed, theERCnotifiessubmitterthat the that allcorrective actionshave beenproperly policies. including traininggapsorambiguitiesincompany address all causalfactorsrelated totheevent, the committeedeterminescorrective actionsthat Using consensusandanondisciplinaryapproach, analyze, andresolve thereported safety event. present as aneutralthird-party ASAPfacilitator. the AirCharterSafety Foundation (ACSF) isalso standards districtoffice. A representative from qualified FAA inspectorfrom theappropriate flight (pilot, mechanic,dispatcher, asappropriate), anda from theoperator, anemployeerepresentative of three members:amanagementrepresentative to three monthsorasneeded.AnERCconsists ACSF works alongside aircraft operators andthe aircraft ACSF FAA alongside works to After theERCdeterminestoitssatisfaction Committee membersworktogethertoreview, March 2021 -

ROTOR

39 and reporting culture. We don’t know what may never have been disclosed if it weren’t for But that belief is quickly discouraged in the we don’t know, which is why the employee ASAP. This level of active participation validates wake of these reported events and their positive hazard reports submitted through ASAP are the entire ASAP program. outcomes. “As a safety manager, my job isn’t so powerful. Sharing hazards and other safety Beyond the ability to improve safety, ASAP’s to find blame; it’s to find cause,” says the sports issues can prevent others from making the solution-oriented approach benefits operational organization’s safety manager. “The benefit of same errors. ASAP’s nonpunitive, solution-­ efficiencies and policies. For example, after a having an ASAP is in the results—of gaining oriented focus on safety also supports an large regional air ambulance provider reported knowledge of the unintentional error or safety organization’s just culture. the inability to reach air traffic control (ATC) threat. It’s gratifying we can capture data and The program has posted impressive results in remote areas, its safety manager said, “If find solutions that often prove lifesaving.” so far. As ACSF president, I can attest to the someone in the back has a life-threatening “ASAP was an easy sell to my boss,” says the fact that more than 90% of our 7,000 ASAP medical emergency and we can’t get clearance safety manager for a Part 91 operator. “Our safety reports have been “sole source.” This to get off the ground, that’s a problem.” SMS policy has a statement about no retribu- means more than 6,300 of those safety events The organization developed operational tion, so if a pilot makes an honest error, the procedures to remedy the issue. It now has a FAA and company can’t take punitive action. dedicated phone number to obtain departure And since the ASAP memorandum of under- How to Join clearances. Because ASAP reports are shared, standing is signed by three entities [the employer, its findings will help other operators, as well. the FAA, and the ACSF], it’s a formal promise ASAP The air ambulance company also uncovered that adds strength and trust in the program.” safety-related maintenance issues through Register ASAP. “We identified shortcomings with OEM Sharing Data Benefits Industry HAI members can register at maintenance manuals, which were updated,” Another key benefit of ASAP is that program rotor.org/ASAP. A one-time setup its safety manager explains. “And we drafted participants have access to findings to help fee and annual administration fee content for the AIM [Aeronautical Information other aircraft operators improve their safety based on the number of users is Manual, published by the FAA].” ASAP helped policies and procedures. For example, through required for ASAP participation improve the level of safety within the company ASAP, the air ambulance company identified and member support. and among different certificate holders and what to do when an operator has four helicopters OEMs, and led the FAA to adjust its arriving in a landing zone and ATC is unavail- Sign an MOU policies. able. The operator’s corrective action was to ACSF will organize the co- work with the FAA and a local ATC to develop signing of a memorandum of ASAP Findings Improve Training a procedure for the first aircraft landing on understanding (MOU) between A just culture recognizes that most safety events scene, the second, and so on. These procedures all three parties—your operation, are caused by honest mistakes, which are often are now available to other operators in the area. your local FAA flight standards caused by gaps in policies, procedures, or Sharing safety data has big benefits for ASAP district office (FSDO), and the training. Operators have used ASAP to revise participants, enabling them to use lessons ACSF. Once the MOU is finalized, their flight operations and maintenance manuals learned by others to improve efficiencies and the ACSF will work with you to and close training gaps. even save lives. This is even true of OEMs. begin your program participation. Making such ongoing improvements to “It doesn’t cost us one extra cent to learn Conduct Training company policies and procedures is an important from another’s safety event, and we don’t pay An ACSF representative part of a just culture. “When a pilot isn’t ter- the operators’ costs of experiencing it,” notes will offer train-the-trainer minated in these instances, we can offer remedial the sports organization safety manager. coursework for your company training and take corrective actions to help “We think ASAP is an invaluable program ensure that these events don’t happen again,” if it’s understood and managed correctly,” says ASAP representative as well says the air ambulance safety manager. the operations director of an air tour operator. as for your FSDO and its Participants are encouraged to regularly “This program isn’t for people who like to fly ASAP representative. Then, incorporate information from ASAP reports under the radar. If you really want to create your company ASAP rep will into safety newsletters or team meetings. a just culture and culture of compliance and train fellow employees in the risk management, ASAP opens up and mit- program rules as well as report Is It Really Nonpunitive? igates those pockets of resistance.” submission. One of the biggest reasons not all operators have signed up for ASAP is that some believe ASAP in Action: A Case Study the program isn’t truly nonpunitive. The following case study, provided by a tour

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230-38191 ONE-XH H1013H 850X10875ROTOR.indd 1 12/28/20 10:05 AM HAI LAUNCHES SAFETY REPORTING PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS continued operator, shows why ASAP provides value light on and wasn’t able to set down, so he is that decision. ASAP has gotten us closer to the for both the aviation employee and his or her comfortable flying with it illuminated. Also, mindset that we don’t need ‘macho’ in any way.” organization. the pilot relates that the tour company had The ASAP process helped the operator to The Reported Incident: On one air tour previously told him, “If you’re going to land, focus on deeper issues than the actions of one flight, a chip light flickers. Standard policy make sure you land somewhere that it doesn’t pilot. “This ASAP reporting helped us really requires landing as soon as possible. The light end up in the look at what sort continues to flicker and then turns solid. By news.” With of attitudes are “ASAP more than pays for itself. this time, the pilot is 10 minutes from base. further investi- in the pilots’ He turns around and heads back to the base, gation by the And it’s brought items to our minds when we choosing not to land anywhere closer, despite ERC, what attention that might otherwise train them. And many available options. looked like reck- have fallen through the cracks.” we have to pay The light turns out to be faulty and not a less behavior attention to serious issue. But positive outcome aside, turned into a what we say there are still questions about the pilot’s company pro- during training,” decision to fly for 10 minutes with the chip cedural issue. he says. “When the pilots are in the air, we light on. Outcome: As a result of the ASAP inves- want them to only make aeronautical decisions. The director of operations reviews the tigation, that tour operator has embraced more We encourage them to have a far more con- company’s just culture policy, and he considers conservative aeronautical decision-making servative mindset when flying tours.” the pilot’s decision to be reckless. That is, until and changed its communication and training the pilot explains that decision. protocols. There’s no longer a “go, no matter Is ASAP Worth It? The ASAP Investigation: The pilot tells what” attitude. “Now, we tell them you can The last word on ASAP is best summed up the ASAP event review committee (ERC) that take off and turn around,” the operator notes. by those who’ve used it. “Anyone who’s not he previously had flown in Alaska with a chip “And you can cancel the flight; we’ll applaud using ASAP is doing themselves a significant disservice,” notes the Part 91 operator. “ASAP more than pays for itself,” says the tourism operator. “And it’s brought items to our attention that might otherwise have fallen through the cracks.”

New to Safety? Start Here For those operators who’ve yet to implement an SMS, HAI and ACSF are here to help by providing education, mentoring, resources, and tools. Our teams will take operators through the process of setting up an SMS and getting started with ASAP. As an added bonus, HAI members who participate in ASAP will get free access to the actively managed, Web-based ACSF SMS Tool, which helps teams manage all aspects of safety. Flight departments can use this tool to document aviation safety data, perform risk HAI MEMBERS assessments, and assign corrective actions, Save Money on Your Online Helicopter FIRC! among other things. The platform also serves as an internal reporting program and offers ONLY HAI MEMBERS SAVE $25 on their KING Online Helicopter FIRC. multiple reporting options for each safety event. Log on at rotor.org and visit the Partner Services page under the Users can voluntarily submit reports for an Members tab to  nd this and other great deals, only for HAI members. ASAP ERC meeting and export reports to the FAA’s Aviation Safety Information Analysis Questions? Contact [email protected] and Sharing (ASIAS) system. Visit acsf.aero/ acsf-sms-tool for more information.

42 ROTOR March 2021

Celebrating the Best in Vertical Aviation

Nominations for the 2022 HAI Salutes Excellence Salute to Excellence in Vertical Lift Awards, to be celebrated at OR MORE THAN 80 YEARS, THE VERTICAL and beyond in their work. Whether in a single instance HAI HELI‑EXPO lift community has used the unique abilities or throughout a career, it is these pilots, maintenance 2022 in of our aircraft to make a difference in lives, technicians, flight instructors, safety professionals, oper- Dallas, will communities, and businesses around the world. ators, and industry leaders from around the globe who be accepted Our achievements are the result of an excep- remind us to strive for excellence. beginning tional level of dedication to professionalism and safety For 2021, HAI recognizes the remarkable achievements Jun. 4, 2021. by aviation professionals. of the following honorees across our industry. We con- Visit FEvery year, through its Salute to Excellence Awards, gratulate them and celebrate their extraordinary contri- rotor.org/salute for HAI strives to recognize a handful of these outstanding butions to aviation and their example to the vertical flight more information. members of the vertical lift community who went above community.

44 ROTOR March 2021 EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS

For creative distinction in disseminating information about the helicopter industry

Jeanette Eaton Vice President, Worldwide Strategy & Business Development, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

The daughter of a US Army helicopter pilot, Jeanette Eaton grew up around aircraft and often attended air shows with her father. Yet, her parents didn’t suggest she pursue an aviation career. Her mother inspired her to attend college, while her father emphasized the benefits of a career in engineering. Aviation had other ideas. The defining moment in Eaton’s career path came shortly after she received her electrical engineering degree, on the day she interviewed with Sikorsky and toured a CH-53E Super Stallion. “I was maybe 21, and I was so overwhelmed and impressed with the helicopter,” she recalls. “The engineering, the power, the missions this aircraft could do—it was all so inspiring. I knew then I wanted to work for Sikorsky and work on helicopters.” Eaton spent the first 17 years of her career at Sikorsky. Participating in the company’s leadership development program, she steadily obtained skills, knowledge, and expertise across a variety of positions while earning a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering, an MBA with a focus on manufacturing management, and a master’s in executive management. As she gained knowledge and experience, her passion continued to evolve. Through Sikorsky’s leadership development program, she discovered she enjoyed sales. She loved working with, getting to know, and sharing the stories of her customers. She was a natural communicator and thrived on sharing her passion. Her mentor encouraged her to obtain her FAA ratings to increase her credibility and marketability as an aircraft sales representative. Eaton earned her commercial instrument single-engine land certificate and Jeanette Eaton landed a job at Bell Helicopter as a sales manager. Bell helped her add on her commercial helicopter certificate, and that’s when Eaton really hit her stride. “Some of my most treasured experiences have come from cross-country trips across the United States in helicopters,” she says. “Those experiences are truly the source of my passion, working with customers and flying. We all need to be ambassadors to aviation.” Ten years later, Sikorsky recruited her back as director of marketing, and she was soon promoted into commercial sales. Today, Eaton is responsible for strategy and business development for Sikorsky products worldwide, supporting customers while also finding ways to grow the customer base. At the same time, she’s focused on giving back. “Part of my job, one of the things I love to do, is to celebrate and recognize our customers and help share their stories,” she says. “As a salesperson, I also feel we have to give back to the community.” Eaton is very active in volunteer activities that promote aviation and expose the next generation to aviation careers. She volunteers with the Eastern Regional Helicopter Council and the Whirly-Girls and also donates her time to the Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, Civil Air Patrol, local schools, and other organizations, talking to youths about STEM and aviation careers. Sponsored by “When I think back to my past, I am thankful for those who inspired me,” she says. “I feel if you’re not exposed to something, you don’t know it exists or is possible for you. It’s important to teach [children] to open themselves to new opportunities. Looking back, the things that made the biggest impact and helped me find my passion were when I said yes to opportunities, even when I was a little afraid to do it.”

March 2021 ROTOR 45 HUMANITARIAN SERVICE

For outstanding service in using helicopters to provide aid to those in need

California Army National Guard WATCH the HAI@Work webinar in which we meet 40th CAB CH‑47 & UH‑60 Helicopter Crews the Cal Guard crews Fresno, California, USA

On the evening of Sep. 5, 2020, the rapidly growing Creek Fire in the Sierra Nevada Forest northeast of Fresno, California, had surrounded a large group of campers, hikers, and residents. Without assets to reach the stranded, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office called the California Army National Guard 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) for help. The most deployed unit of Cal Guard, the 40th CAB also provides considerable support to Cal Fire (a department of the California Natural Resources Agency) during the state’s fire seasons, employing its CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for transport and water drops. Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) Kipp Goding was at home when he got the call for help from his brigade commander. Goding, a Black Hawk pilot-in-command (PIC) based out of Fresno, quickly put together a crew that included pilot Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Irvin Hernandez and crew chief UH-60 Black Hawk crew (from left): WO1 Ge Xiong, CW2 Irvin Hernandez, and CW5 Kipp Goding. Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) Ge Xiong. Meanwhile, the brigade commander reached Chinook PIC CW5 Joseph Rosamond, who pulled together his Stockton, California–based crew: pilot CW2 Brady Hlebain, flight engineer Sgt. George Esquivel, and flight engineer Sgt. Cameron Powell. What followed was a harrowing night that tested the limits of crews and aircraft alike. An inferno fueled by bone-dry vegetation, bark beetle–killed trees, and strong winds, the Creek Fire was unpredictable, creating so much smoke that the pilots couldn’t see to fly through it. After navigating Cal Fire airspace closed due to active tanker CH-47 Chinook crew (from left): CW2 Brady Hlebain, Sgt. Cameron Powell, Sgt. George Esquivel, and CW5 Joseph Rosamond. drops, the helicopters were forced to wait an hour until sunset, when night-vision goggles enabled them to see through the smoke. Rosamond’s Chinook arrived first and landed on a concrete boat ramp at the reservoir’s edge. The two helicopters each flew three flights, rescuing a total of 242 people and a significant number of pets from the blaze. “It was really brutal,” Goding says. “We’d return to Fresno, refuel, and head back. In that time, the fire was in a new position. During the day, the wind made it jump over vegetation, leaving green spots. After sunset, the wind died down a bit, and the fire started burning those previously unburned areas. As a result, we were forced to find a new route to the reservoir each time we returned. No two trips were the same route.” The crews pushed the limits of the aircraft in the high altitude and fire-fueled temperatures. Each helicopter reached maximum weight during the night, yet mechanics back at Fresno inspected the aircraft and were able to give the green light to continue. “In many ways, this was much worse than flying in combat,” Goding recalls. “In combat, Sponsored by you don’t see people shooting at you. You focus on the job. In the Creek Fire, you saw the wall of smoke and flames. You were flying into it and seeing the terror on people’s faces. We did the job, just as any of our Guard members would. I really want to emphasize that. We may be the ones who did this job, but we’re all doing these jobs every day.”

46 ROTOR March 2021 W.A. “DUB” BLESSING FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR

For upholding high standards of excellence in flight instruction

Nobuyuki Kosuge Pilot / Flight Instructor, HeliStream, Costa Mesa, California, USA

Nobuyuki Kosuge’s soft-spoken demeanor and dedication to safe, skilled helicopter flight have had an immense impact on countless pilots over the past two decades. Born in Japan, Kosuge grew up near a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force air base, sparking his lifelong interest in aviation. He received a bachelor’s degree in English from Kanda Gaigo University in Chiba, Japan, but never lost sight of his dream of flying. Not long after college, Kosuge visited Southern California on vacation and took his first helicopter flight. He was hooked. In 2001, he enrolled in the HeliStream helicopter flight training school in Costa Mesa, California, and began a six-year journey of obtaining visas, changing schools (and transferring a visa) when one went bankrupt, and applying for a green card. His hard work, along with the support of those around him, paid off. By 2007, Kosuge had his private and commercial certificates, and instrument and flight instructor ratings, as well as flight instructor experience in the United States, ground instruction experience in Japan, and green card sponsorship by HeliStream. Kosuge began at HeliStream as a primary instructor. His professionalism and work ethic soon led to a promotion to instruct for HeliStream’s Customs and Border Protection Rotor Wing Qualification Course, a program he now manages along with many initial qualification courses for other agencies, including the sheriff’s departments Nobuyuki Kosuge for Orange County and Riverside County and the Ontario and Anaheim police departments. He has qualified dozens of law enforcement pilots through these programs. Today, Kosuge serves as HeliStream’s assistant chief flight instructor and FAA Part 135 check pilot. He has more than 10,600 flight hours in 11 aircraft models, with more than 9,000 hours of instruction given. While he no longer provides initial flight instruction, he remains very active with HeliStream’s students, providing stage checks and sharing his knowledge as students progress. “To see our students progress is very satisfying,” Kosuge says. “I enjoy seeing them through each stage as they build their skills and transform into professional pilots.” Kosuge also runs the company’s transition and recurrent training in the MD 500 and AS350, allowing him to provide instrument proficiency checks for many of HeliStream’s law enforcement customers. One of the company’s Part 135 line pilots since 2008, Kosuge also flies a number of utility, photography, charter, and tour flights and serves as a maintenance check pilot. He was also instrumental in developing HeliStream’s safety management system. While many flight instructors may have moved on to different careers by the time they accumulate as much experience as Kosuge, he’s happy to stay in the training arena. “I really enjoy HeliStream itself as a multiple-mission company,” he says. “I started with initial instruction, but as they get more missions and support work in utility, firefighting, and other commercial work, I get to expand my skills and still instruct. The variety makes this a very attractive company.” HeliStream sees Kosuge as one of its biggest assets due to his work ethic and the skills he Sponsored by can share with students. “Nobu’s abilities as a professional flight instructor are exemplary,” says HeliStream CFO Barbara Perrin. “He teaches by example, holding himself to the highest standards Hill Air of professionalism. His students naturally learn from his well-developed and safe habit patterns.”

March 2021 ROTOR 47 LAW ENFORCEMENT

For contributions to the promotion and advancement of helicopters in support of law enforcement activities

John Cooper Safety and Training Officer, Columbus Division of Police, Helicopter Unit, Columbus, Ohio, USA

While John Cooper earned his private pilot single-engine land rating in his teens, it was helicopters that truly captured his imagination. Using money from his full-time paper route and a second job helping scrap Army surplus helicopters for a helicopter operator in Maryland, Cooper earned his private helicopter add-on certificate in an Enstrom in the late 1970s. His training then came to a halt as he sought the funds and a path to a helicopter pilot career. Cooper’s big break came in 1988 when he was hired by the Columbus (Ohio) Division of Police—the division’s robust helicopter aviation unit trained officers to fly. Cooper served as a street officer until he was accepted into the aviation unit in 1991. There, he earned his commercial helicopter certificate and flew as a helicopter tactical pilot. A few years later, he earned his certificated flight instructor rating. In 1996, he became the unit’s safety and training officer. Today, at 57, Cooper is the Columbus Police Division’s longest-serving pilot in the aviation unit and its longest-serving safety and training officer. He has 5,900 hours in helicopters, with 3,500 hours in instruction, and is an FAA helicopter designated pilot examiner. During his 30-year career with the unit, Cooper has also built and strengthened the unit’s safety programs. In his position as safety and training officer, Cooper has two main responsibilities. The first is maintaining and overseeing safety standards for the department’s heliport. The second is overseeing all pilot training for the unit. In 1999, Cooper helped the Columbus Police Division become the first police department in the United States to achieve Public Safety Aviation Accreditation Commission (PSAAC) accreditation. He also led the effort to achieve reaccreditation of the unit in 2012. Columbus Police awarded him its Medal of Merit for both efforts.

John Cooper The Columbus Police Division employs 21 pilots who fly the unit’s five aircraft, one Bell 407GXi and four MD 530F helicopters. Cooper provides primary, recurrent, and transition training, ensuring that every pilot meets rigorous FAA and departmental standards, including two checkrides a year. New recruits to the Columbus Police aviation unit come with everything from no flight experience to full certificates. Cooper helps each of the officers gain the experience needed to obtain pilot-in-command status on the aircraft, placing particular emphasis on safety. “I’m big on safety,” he says. “I put a lot of emphasis on emergency procedures, too. We’ve had four engine failures, and the pilots put the aircraft down safely in some very confined areas. I’ve had pilots come to me afterward and thank me for the training. That’s emphasized for me how important emergency procedures are.” To increase safety, Cooper established an integrated training system for the department, something for which he again received the department’s Medal of Merit. He applied for a grant and added a helicopter aviation training device to his training equipment to conduct training for inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions (IIMC). He also developed aeronautical decision-making models based on realistic scenarios and put all pilots through that training. To enhance realism, Cooper invites local air traffic controllers Sponsored by to participate in instrument and IIMC training. “I love training,” he says. “I love getting into people’s minds and bringing that understanding. I like taking something complex, breaking it down, and making it easily digestible. That’s what any instructor should be doing.”

48 ROTOR March 2021 GOLDEN HOUR

For distinguished and outstanding service utilizing helicopters in air medical transport

University of Maryland UAS Test Site and University of Maryland, Baltimore College Park and Baltimore, Maryland, USA

On the night of Apr. 19, 2019, 44-year-old nursing assistant Trina Glispy waited at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), preparing for kidney transplant surgery. In her eighth year of dialysis for kidney failure, she had begun to lose hope. Destiny had another plan. When Glispy learned she had a match, she was offered a very special opportunity—the kidney could be delivered to the hospital by drone, a medical first that would pave the way for faster organ delivery. Excited by the chance to make a difference, Glispy agreed to the delivery. As Glispy was prepped, an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) team, led by University of Maryland UAS Test Site Director Matt Scassero and UMMC’s Dr. Joseph Scalea, awaited the arrival of the kidney from the Living Legacy Foundation, Maryland’s organ procurement organization. Once secured, the kidney was launched in a custom UAS, complete with real- time monitoring equipment. The drone flew 2.8 miles in 9.52 minutes at 300 ft. to the rooftop helipad at UMMC, faster than a car could have made the trip in Baltimore traffic. It landed smoothly with all organ-monitoring readings in the green. The kidney was soon on its way to the operating room where Glispy waited. The idea of organ transport by UAS was Dr. Joseph Scalea (left) and Matt Scassero with their innovative drone. born two and a half years earlier. Scalea approached Scassero after hearing about a fixed-wing drone test his team had conducted carrying medical equipment across the Chesapeake Bay and asked if the same could be done for an organ. “I was excited about the idea and challenge,” Scassero recalls. “This project was a lot more than a drone flight. We needed to develop a drone with redundancies, to reduce risk, and identify how to track the state of the organ while it was in transit.” Scassero’s team embraced the challenge. The drone was built from scratch with multiple redundancies, all the way down to a parachute that could be deployed automatically or manually to protect the organ. The team also designed the first-ever organ-monitoring system that tracks an organ’s condition in transport in real time, recording and uploading to the cloud temperature, pressure, and vibrations for live monitoring. Medical staff can later remove the onboard SD memory card to review the same data. “Nothing like this had ever been developed before,” Scassero says. “Currently, an organ is tested after harvest and then tested again after arrival to ensure it’s still viable. With our monitoring system, we discovered the kidney we flew remained well within the parameters; I’d even say better than it would have in a car or helicopter. The hope is one day this monitoring technology will replace the need for that second biopsy.” Glispy is doing very well and has returned to many of her former activities. The technology that made her recovery possible has also flourished. Members of the original team partnered with an investor to found MissionGO, a company that’s developing and expanding this technology and increasing organ donation efficiency through a new software product.

March 2021 ROTOR 49 SAFETY

For outstanding contributions to the promotion of helicopter safety and safety awareness

Neo Aik Sia Certified International Safety Manager, Kahului, Hawaii, USA

Neo Aik Sia was destined for aviation from an early age. Fascinated with aircraft, he joined the Junior Flying Club in 1972 in his native Singapore before he could even drive a car. He later earned his private pilot airplane rating six months after graduating from high school. Neo was conscripted into the Singapore National Service shortly after school. Seeing an opportunity to stay in aviation, he opted to leave the service three months later to enlist full time with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) as a pilot officer. Once in the RSAF, he found his calling in safety. Throughout his 29-year career at the RSAF, Neo progressively advanced through the ranks in areas where he could champion safety culture and implement safety programs. Throughout his service, he held multiple positions, including head of accident prevention, senior staff director and lecturer, director of operational development, senior pilot, and squadron commander. Neo was eventually charged with responsibility for all RSAF aircraft, maintenance, and ground safety and accident prevention programs. He developed and implemented a safety management system (SMS) in 2000 that has since proven its effectiveness through reduced accidents and incidents. Now retired from the RSAF, he uses his experience to help develop and refine SMS programs for civilian organizations. After emigrating to the United States in the early 2000s, Neo obtained his FAA airline transport pilot, ground instructor, and advanced instrument ground instructor certificates. He later worked with Air Methods, flying air ambulance, Neo Aik Sia search-and-rescue, and maintenance test-flight missions in multiple locations across the United States. In 2016, Neo was hired as the safety, quality, and standards manager for the Vision Technologies Aerospace subsidiary Aviation Academy of America, a national and international airline flight training academy in San Antonio, Texas. While there, he developed and implemented SMS and quality-assurance system programs aimed at achieving and sustaining a zero- accident record. When an incident occurred, he conducted investigations and used the findings to develop and implement changes in maintenance, operations, and training. Most recently, Neo served as regional safety director at Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. In this role, he was responsible for promoting safety and implementing an SMS program and the FAA’s Aviation Safety Action Program across Blue Hawaiian companies. He was also appointed as an FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) representative. Neo concurrently prepared the companies for external audits by the Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS) and by Starr Aviation’s loss-control consultant. Throughout his career, Neo has been recognized for promoting safety culture while developing effective safety programs that identify and analyze hazards and mitigate the associated risks to safeguard operations. Neo’s passion is driven by the belief that all accidents are preventable. He mentors members of the industry in the need to understand accident causation, human factors, SMS, and the importance of adopting safety excellence and safety culture as a way of life to eliminate accidents. “Building a positive safety culture by changing mindset, attitude, and behavior is the Sponsored by biggest challenge of implementing a safety program,” Neo says. “Without a positive culture, the program is often implemented robotically with minimal effort. I emphasize the need to embrace safety at all levels. With total safety as a lifestyle, we all benefit—ourselves, our families, and our organizations.”

50 ROTOR March 2021 MAINTENANCE EXCELLENCE

For significant and distinct contributions to helicopter maintenance

David Wayne Fox Maintenance Instructor, Bell Training Academy, Fort Worth, Texas, USA

David Fox has been around aircraft since he was old enough to toddle. Some of his most cherished memories are accompanying his mechanic father to the airport. His father was his inspiration as they built kit airplanes together and performed maintenance work on Bell 47s. As a teen in 1970, David landed his first paying aviation job as a mechanic’s helper working on Bell 47 helicopters. Three years later, he joined the US Army and worked as a crew chief, maintaining OH-58, UH-1, and AH-1G helicopters while serving a tour in Korea. When he returned from Korea, David relied on his on-the-job training and self- study to obtain his airframe and power plant certificate. Not long after, he earned his private and commercial helicopter certificates. In 1980, he and a friend founded Helitrans Co. Inc., a Part 135 operator and Part 145 repair station supporting the oil-and-gas industry off the Gulf Coast of Texas. He served as both the director of maintenance and chief inspector, having received his inspection authorization from the FAA. For 20 years, Helitrans operated with a perfect safety record. The company had no accidents, incidents, violations, or forced landings. “My proudest accomplishment is Helitrans’s record,” David says. “Having good people working for you and maintaining and operating the aircraft properly to manufacturer recommendations are to credit for that. I was very serious about following the rules and not cutting corners. Money isn’t everything. Sometimes people lose sight of that.” David Wayne Fox David sold Helitrans in 2000. He enjoyed semiretirement, doing a little maintenance and consulting work, before Bell in 2001 invited him to be a ground school and simulator instructor for its light helicopters at the Bell Training Academy. For that position, he earned his certificated flight instructor rating. David became a fixture at Bell, not just at the training center, but also within the accident investigation and legal departments. He was also the go-to expert for Bell owners and operators around the world on all things related to their aircraft’s operation, performance, and maintenance. He taught every system on the aircraft, sharing his stories and anecdotes to help solidify student knowledge while engaging them to learn. David also taught the simulator portion of students’ aircraft transition training. He developed an exhaustive list of connections and still gets calls from people around the world when they’re stuck on a maintenance challenge. “I’ve been doing this so long, chances are I’ve seen some of the more obscure or unique issues with these aircraft and may have a way to help,” he says. While at Bell, David was instrumental in developing the Bell 407GX and GXi initial pilot transition courses as well as leading and standardizing pilot instruction for light helicopters. David retired from Bell in 2020 and now works part time for the Helicopter Institute in Fort Worth, Texas, providing pilot training. He also still moonlights as a mechanic, providing maintenance services for select clients. These days, David’s most rewarding work is mentoring young mechanics, believing it’s essential for the older generation to share its wealth of knowledge as well as its experience and values. Sponsored by “It’s important to mentor these younger people,” he says. “This is what my dad did with me. He mentored me on how to do things correctly to ensure that when you send an aircraft out, it will come back. Part of that is emphasizing the importance of following the manufacturers manuals and maintenance recommendations and developing a good working relationship with your local FAA inspectors.”

March 2021 ROTOR 51 PILOT OF THE YEAR

For outstanding achievement as a helicopter pilot

Lt. Cdr. Robert McCabe US Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA

US Coast Guard (USCG) Lt. Cdr. Robert McCabe didn’t set out to be a helicopter pilot. He joined the Coast Guard with a desire to be actively involved in humanitarian and search-and-rescue work. While assigned to a ship in Astoria, Oregon, he was inspired watching the MH-60T Jayhawks perform multiple harrowing rescues. He changed his focus and attended flight school after his first USCG tour. McCabe returned to Astoria in 2012 as an MH-60T pilot. After that tour, he was stationed in Sitka, Alaska, before his current assignment at USCG Air Station Cape Cod. Today, McCabe conducts missions across New England, having accumulated more than 2,700 helicopter hours and countless successful rescue missions. In addition to being a pilot-in-command, he is an instructor pilot and flight examiner. On the evening of Nov. 24, 2019, his skills and experience were put to Lt. Cdr. Robert McCabe the test. The fishing vessel Leonardo had suddenly and unexpectedly capsized 24 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, throwing all four crew members into the 50-degree water. Once on scene, McCabe’s crew found a lone survivor in a life raft among the debris field in 10-ft. waves and 30-kt winds. The severely hypothermic survivor was hoisted aboard and successfully stabilized. During the rescue, the sun set and a squall with sleet came in, reducing visibility to a quarter mile and raising the seas to 15-ft. waves. Rather than a typical search altitude of 300 ft., McCabe directed the other pilot to fly a low, 80-ft. air taxi to continue searching the debris field for remaining Leonardo crew members. With their focus mostly outside the aircraft, searching the rough water with spotlights in flying sleet, both pilots became disoriented. The aircraft started to bank 40 degrees, simultaneously pitching more than 14 degrees nose up and rapidly slowing while descending. “The visual inputs we were getting were inconsistent,” McCabe says. “The sleet gave that Star Wars warp-speed illusion in the searchlight beam, making us feel like we were flying at 50 kt. The waves gave us the sensation we were drifting right. Neither was right. I soon realized we had ‘the leans.’ ” Within 10 seconds of becoming disoriented, McCabe announced the aircraft’s state and coached the flying pilot through an instrument transition to stable flight. McCabe’s situational awareness and decisiveness were crucial to avoiding a near- catastrophe. “Admitting disorientation, then transitioning to correction is very, very difficult,” he recalls. “It’s extremely difficult to convince yourself to trust your instruments and make the correct inputs. That experience really brought home that we as a community need to fess up and do everything we can to learn from our mistakes.” Upon his return, McCabe described the event in detail to the air station’s safety department, and information from the flight data monitoring system was used to create an animation of the flight for training. This effort resulted in USCG-wide policy recommendations, including standardizing training in night-vision goggle illusions, developing a manual addressing aeromedical factors of flight, and adding a discussion of spatial disorientation to every annual checkride.

52 ROTOR March 2021 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

For long and significant service to the international helicopter community

Michael K. Hynes President, Hynes Aviation Services, Branson, Missouri, USA

It all started with a $5 airplane ride. It was that ride almost 80 years ago that ignited a fire in Michael Hynes’s belly and led to a very successful, 65-year aviation career. At 17, he joined the US Air Force to become an aircraft mechanic. He was stationed at Palm Beach Air Force Base after graduation and eventually earned his airplane commercial certificate with a flight instructor rating. In the first few years after leaving the Air Force, Hynes and a partner established a thriving airplane flight school, and Hynes started a fixed-base operation, aircraft maintenance shop, and charter service, which was one of the first Learjet corporate operators. He then earned his airline transport pilot certificate in 1959. In the 1960s, after hearing about a Bell helicopter that achieved a top speed of over 150 kt, Hynes saw potential in adding helicopters to his school. Unable to find rotary-wing instruction in Florida, he built three hours of helicopter time at schools around the country. He acquired a Brantly B-2 helicopter in 1967 and taught himself to fly it, earning his commercial and flight instructor certificates in 1968. Using the Brantly and a Bell 47 helicopter, Hynes then formed one of Florida’s first GI Bill helicopter flight schools. Frustrated with limited access to parts for the aircraft, he also formed Brantly Operators, a maintenance and parts resource for the more than 350 Brantly helicopters in use. Hynes’s ties to Brantly soon led to him securing ownership of Michael K. Hynes the two Brantly type certificates, a vast parts inventory, and full production tooling in 1971 when Learjet filed for bankruptcy. Hynes moved his Brantly operation to Frederick, Oklahoma, and created a new company, Hynes Aviation Industries. During those years, he received FAA production certification for the redeveloped helicopter, now called the Brantly-Hynes B-2. He also designed and tested fly- by-wire artificial intelligence systems for drones and remotely piloted vehicles. At the same time, Hynes operated his now Oklahoma-based flight school, assisting former Vietnamese-military helicopter pilots to transition to successful piloting careers in the United States using Hynes aircraft. He was appointed as a designated pilot examiner to support the training and has since administered more than 800 airplane and helicopter flight exams to pilots from 38 countries. Aviation has had its ups and downs for Hynes. He had backed a production loan for his US Army contract himself, and when payments from the Army fell behind, he was forced into bankruptcy and had to sell his Hynes Aviation Industries assets. Undaunted, he changed course and attended college, achieving his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. In addition to teaching high school and adult career and technical education courses, he has taught at Western Oklahoma State College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Altus Air Force Base campus. Hynes was appointed director of aviation education programs at the College of the Ozarks in 2003. He has built 16,500 flight hours in 314 types of aircraft and is one of the few individuals to be awarded both the FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award and its Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Now semiretired, Hynes, who turns 85 this year, currently oversees a $450,000 trust fund that provides annual scholarships for students interested in aviation. When he talks Sponsored by to the next generation of aviation professionals about careers in the field, he also shares an underlying message about his secret to success. “I tell kids to find that thing that gives them a fire in their belly,” he says. “I tell them that when they find it and follow it, they’ve found what will make them successful.”

March 2021 ROTOR 53

Ninth Annual

MAGAZINE PHOTO CONTEST

Great photos of N A YEAR WHEN WE HAD TO CHANGE SO MUCH, some things didn’t change at all. It turns out that ROTOR readers still like photos of rotorcraft, so we once again ran the annual ROTOR helicopters in Magazine Photo Contest. 2020? Why, yes. All of the winning images, shown on the following pages, capture the drama that’s part of Just turn the aviation. You’ll see lives on the line, both literally and figuratively, and a gleaming aircraft set Iagainst a background of fire. You’ll also see one photographer’s memorable end to a perfect day. page. These striking shots, chosen as the top photos in six categories, including the Grand Prize, reflect both the work we do and why we do it. If you missed your chance to enter last year, consider submitting an image this year when the 10th annual ROTOR Magazine Photo Contest opens on Aug. 2, 2021. Show us your winning shots at contest.rotor.org! March 2021 ROTOR 55 Grand Prize Mark Mennie Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Aviation photographer Mark Mennie took the Grand Prize in the 2021 ROTOR Magazine Photo Contest. Mennie shot this photo under medical direction in April 2020 to illustrate the new standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) that had been recently implemented to safely transport critically ill patients with COVID‑19. His photo reminds us of a grim year—but also to be proud of our everyday heroes.

Helicopters/ Drones at Work Julien Botella Le Tholonet, France

Professional photographer Julien Botella captured this heavy-lift Eurocopter AS332 TAKE YOUR and a crew of linemen at work performing cable repairs for BUSINESS HIGHER! Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE), which owns As a market leader with over 35 years of service, we offer and operates France’s electricity personalized rotor financing for a smooth and steady lift off. transmission system. The Super Puma is operated by Services et PERSONALIZED | FLEXIBLE | EXPERIENCED | EFFICIENT Travaux Heliportes (STH), an RTE division that provides helicopter services to assist the company in building and maintaining its electrical grid. In addition to documenting the Specialty Finance Group role of helicopters in electricity AIRCRAFT DIVISION production and transmission, Botella’s perfectly composed 1stsource.com/aircraft | 800 513-2360 | Member FDIC shot highlights the delicate coordination necessary to conduct safe human external cargo operations.

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March 2021 ROTOR 59 Helicopters/Drones in the Military Carsten Vennemann Stuttgart, Germany

The winning photo in the Helicopters/Drones in the Military category shows two US Marine Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallions taking off after delivering a contingent of British Royal Marines to a landing zone during the 2016 Exercise Cold Response in Norway. The military exercises bring together NATO troops to train for harsh-weather operations. In Carsten Vennemann’s photo, the activity of the swirling snow and departing aircraft frames the troop members who will remain behind.

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Deep Discounts Exceptional Service Hotel Rewards Points Flexible Policies Buy-in-bulk hotel rates, with We’re your advocate before, Get credit for your hotel Make adjustments without penalty savings passed on to you. during and after your stay. loyalty program. in case your plans change. People and Their Helicopters/Drones Marilyn Grubb Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada

On the way home from a helicopter ride in the Canadian Rockies to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, their pilot landed on a dry riverbed so that Marilyn Grubb and her husband could share a champagne toast. But Marilyn took away more than just memories from that special day. An avid photographer, she says, “When I saw the reflection of the helicopter, a Robinson R44, and my husband in the water, I captured it!” Her spur- of-the-moment photo took top honors in our People and Their Helicopters/Drones category. Lucky him, lucky her, lucky us. Helicopter/Drone Digitally Enhanced Photos Creigh McIntyre (Creigh Photography) San Diego, California, USA

Photographer Creigh McIntyre created this beautiful-scary composite image that took top honors in the Digitally Enhanced category. McIntyre’s photo positions a gleaming Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk, taken at the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department’s base at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (KMYF), against the ominous background of California’s Valley Fire, which killed four people and burned more than 76,000 acres in 2015.

Helping Hands and Helicopters during COVID-19 Sylwia Tylkowska Zawiercie, Poland

For this new category, Helping Hands and Helicopters during COVID-19, ROTOR wanted to document how the pandemic has affected those in the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) industry, including our many frontline workers. Aviation photographer Sylwia Tylkowska captured this dramatic shot of a patient transfer in Zawiercie, Poland, in April 2020—back when terms such as “PPE” and “social distancing” were just becoming part of our everyday vocabulary. T 68 Warning not ofthe weather inmarginal dangers has pilots offlying problem, fromhowto avoid to IIMC howto recover from it. practices of this aroundfrom the best all facets with world and deal and topulltogether ideas by effort theindustry unified is afocused, weather. There ismovement in right Whatthe direction. isstillneeded Still othersment. have inmarginal more placed onnotflying emphasis investmentequip trainingormadesignificant instrument in increased United States alone. A 360-DegreeApproachtoIIMC to recover whenneeded. Pilots mustpracticeskillstoavoidIIMCifpossible, Learn More USHST.ORG/56SECS How operators doweputanendto accidents? have Some IIMC One thing is clear: there One thing thatthe problem. isnosilverbullet fix isclear: will

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69 It isn’t enough to simply check the METARS they were embracing, they wouldn’t be so eager in a particular airspace type. But how do I tell and TAF. Will this ceiling allow me to maintain to go in poor weather. if I’m 2,000 ft. horizontally from a cloud? How visual reference and safe distance from terrain much reaction time does half-a-mile (800 m) and obstacles in the area? Will flat-light con- Filing IFR visibility really give me? ditions prevent visual reference to the horizon, Another option, and a highly underused one, At the direction of the HAI Board of Directors, regardless of ceiling and visibility? Are there is to just file and fly IFR in the first place. the HAI Training and Safety Working Groups nontraditional information sources, like highway However, we know that many rotorcraft oper- have developed IIMC training resources for webcams, that might help fill in the space ators don’t field IFR-certificated aircraft or the industry, including: between observations? retain IFR-rated pilots. Perhaps now is the time ■ VFR/VMC best practices A pilot needs to consider all available infor- for operators and pilots to consider these ■ Techniques for estimating distances from mation, not just some numbers in a weather upgrades that would dramatically enhance clouds and obstacles minimums table. IIMC is one of the top causes their operational capabilities. ■ Guidance for IIMC decision-making of fatal helicopter accidents. Spending an extra ■ Recommendations for IIMC prevention and moment during preflight planning to avoid IIMC Avoidance: In the Air recovery training. IIMC is worth it. You’ve done your route planning and risk These resources will be published soon; assessment. You’ve decided that taking the watch ROTOR Daily for the announcement Learning to Say “Not Today” flight is the safe, prudent, and legal course or visit rotor.org/safety. The best way to avoid any Here’s one IMC definition accident is to simply not fly. that focuses on what matters: However, let’s address the Management can help with a clear message to if you lack ANY of these— elephant in the room: when pilots that not only is it OK to turn down a flight, proper visibility, visual we do the right thing and but they MUST do so when conditions warrant it. reference to the horizon, turn a flight down because OR the ability to control we don’t believe we can safely the aircraft visually—you complete it, there are often are in instrument meteo- very real consequences. If the helicopter doesn’t of action. rological conditions. fly, people wait longer for medical care, police Then reality happens. The ceiling and visibility ground units go unsupported, oil doesn’t flow, aren’t quite what you expected. But is the Changing Your Flight Plan revenue is lost—the list goes on. weather “bad” enough to change your plans? Pilots need strategies—developed ahead of While a pilot should not accept a flight in This fuzzy area (pun intended), where a pilot time—for determining when it’s necessary to poor conditions in order to avoid the negative still has some visual reference but isn’t in visual alter their flight plan. A technique to help pilots consequences of a turndown, it is difficult to meteorological conditions (VMC), is where evaluate deteriorating flight conditions is the completely remove the pressure to fly, from people can really get hurt. By the time they enroute decision point (EDP), where reaching both external sources and internal beliefs, realize they can’t see enough to safely control preselected minimum altitudes or airspeeds which are often the greatest source of pressure. the aircraft, their sense of spatial orientation triggers the need to make a decision. Management can help here with a clear message is likely not aligned with reality—or gravity, By requiring pilots to take alternative action to pilots that not only is it OK to turn down a for that matter. They’ve forced what they’re when they’ve had to descend or decelerate flight, but they MUST do so when conditions seeing to align with what they’re feeling, below predetermined altitudes and airspeeds, warrant it—they’re being paid to make smart regardless of what the instruments indicate. some of the burden of making that decision is aeronautical decisions. Routine use and sharing Unless a smooth transition to instrument flight removed from the pilot. In a sense, by com- of FRAT, which provide pilots and management is made right at this moment, the outcome is mitting to an EDP, he or she has made the with a structured way to analyze and discuss unlikely to be good. The key is to not let it get tough decision BEFORE taking off. flight risks, is another way to remove emotion this “bad.” Whatever the method for reaching the from the decision to fly. decision, when we realize that our plans must To avoid undue pressure, let’s also educate Defining IMC change, we need to choose one of these our customers and clients about what goes The problem here is that “bad” is an unclear alternatives: into the decision to turn down a flight because term, and allowing ourselves to continue into ■ Turn around of weather. Many clients don’t understand the deteriorating weather without clear guidelines ■ Divert to better weather impact of weather on general aviation opera- can have disastrous results. ■ Land & LIVE tions, particularly at the lower altitudes that VFR define the distances from the clouds ■ Pick up an IFR clearance (if trained and helicopters fly in. If they understood the risks and flight visibility required to operate legally equipped). GRAPHICS AND ERIN HORLACHER, CONTENT, GINA KVITKOVICH,

70 ROTOR March 2021 IIMC Checklist

A helicopter pilot who unintentionally continues VFR fl ight into IMC will very likely II lose control of their aircraft and be dead within an average of 56 seconds.

N M TOOL IT S H S T EAT THOSE SEON OS

II AVOIANE LEAN OE AT 1 EFOE TAEOFF SHSTOGSES Take a few minutes on the ground to avoid a later IIMC encounter

Use a fl ight risk assessment tool (FRAT) to assess and mitigate mission risks

Create enroute decision points II EOVE (EDP) by selecting a minimum acceptable altitude or airspeed 3 IN THE AI for the fl ight Surviving an IIMC encounter requires When I go below either of prompt recognition and action those minimums, I must You’re in IMC if ONE of these change my fl ight plan conditions is true: II AVOIANE Plan your route 2 IN THE AI I lack proper visibility OR How will en route weather I don’t have visual reference Be alert for and respond to changing conditions impact the safety to the horizon OR weather conditions during fl ight of my fl ight? I can’t control the How will terrain/obstacles along When you go below your EDP aircraft visually the route a ect my fl ight plan? (minimum altitude OR airspeed), do ONE of the following: To survive an IIMC encounter, What conditions will require you must: me to change my fl ight plan? I turn around OR Admit that I’m in IMC If I do end up in the clouds, I divert to better weather OR what’s my plan for recovery? Commit to instruments I Land & LIVE OR Maintain aircraft control If conditions aren’t I pick up an IFR clearance GO for VFR fl ight (if trained and equipped) Keep my composure I say, “Let’s delay” OR Follow my recovery plan Respond decisively BEFORE I fi le and fl y IFR losing visual references Notify ATC

II AVOIANE AN EOVE TAINING 4 IIMC avoidance and recovery are lifesaving, essential skills for pilots Train to stay current, competent, and confi dent in your IIMC skills.

I train regularly to I train in all aspects I train for IMC I use scenario-based I use simulators, aviation training

GINA KVITKOVICH, CONTENT, AND ERIN HORLACHER, GRAPHICS AND ERIN HORLACHER, CONTENT, GINA KVITKOVICH, keep skills fresh of IIMC prevention, recognition training that refl ects devices, and desktop fl ight beginning with the and instrument my typical missions, programs to experience safely the decision to fl y transition, as well environment, and result of poor decision-making as instrument fl ight weather and delay in IMC recognition

IIMC Recovery: In the Air from the ground, what’s next? Up to this point, we’ve looked at ways to reduce the number Depending on the type of aircraft, installed equipment, of IIMC encounters. While these measures should reduce and pilot proficiency, our choices vary. Do we climb to a IIMC incidents, real-world weather is just too unpredictable VFR altitude above the minimum safe altitude and ask for to eliminate them completely. If we want to reduce IIMC vectors to an approach? Do we turn around and try to fly accidents to zero, pilots must plan and train to survive the out of the bad weather? Do we use our knowledge of the encounter. surrounding terrain and attempt a slow descent? Depending on location and aircraft equipment, all of these could be valid Staying Calm choices. One thing is certain: the pilot needs to form his or Your initial reaction to losing visual reference is key to your her unique recovery plan before leaving the ground. survival of an IIMC encounter. Most student pilots learn the Regardless of the specific plan, the pilot should use all 4 Cs for reacting to an emergency at some point in their resources available. Once your aircraft is under control, training: Climb, Communicate, Confess, and Comply. declare an emergency. It helps air traffic control (ATC) clear Bruce Webb, director of aviation educational and com- the airspace around you, gives you another resource for munity outreach for Airbus Helicopters, suggests that we assistance, and even helps protect your certificate (contrary should change those Cs to “composure, composure, com- to some pilots’ fears, the FAA will support your efforts to keep out of the accident database). If you lack ANY of these—proper visibility, visual Of course, ATC wants to help, but they can do more harm than good for a pilot who hasn’t yet regained control of his reference to the horizon, OR the ability to control or her helicopter. Until you’ve established aircraft control, the aircraft visually—you are in IMC. resist making radio calls, entering squawk codes, or changing frequencies. Spatial disorientation, loss of control, and a fatal accident are almost a certain outcome when a pilot fails to posure, and composure.” As in most emergency situations, prioritize aircraft control above all other actions. When not panicking and keeping a clear head is most important. talking to ATC, pilots need to know when to say “Stand by” It’s also important to be aware of what happens to pilots or “Unable.” physiologically during emergencies. Fine motor skills are temporarily lost, and tunnel vision sets in. A person under Train for IIMC Avoidance and Recovery extreme stress will also tend to mirror physical actions from When visibility begins to deteriorate, a pilot must be able to one side of the body to the other (bilateral symmetry). You recognize those signs and make the appropriate decision to may not want your right hand pulling back on the cyclic as land or commit to instruments before spatial disorientation you pull up on the collective with your left hand. sets in, all while under extreme stress. This is critical to This is why pilots need to have a plan in place for encoun- surviving an IIMC encounter and requires very specific skills. tering IIMC: so when the initial loss of motor skills occurs How can you practice those skills? Frequent, effective, and tunnel vision takes over, they have a process to keep realistic training in reacting to IIMC is the final and essential them alive until their composure returns. part of the IIMC solution. IIMC training isn’t the same thing as instrument training. Maintaining Control Bryan Smith, safety program manager for the Airborne Public Conventional advice to pilots in IIMC is to transition to Safety Association, reminds us that it isn’t during the vectors instruments. Then stabilize attitude, heading, power, airspeed, and instrument approach phase that most people are killing and trim, followed by initiating a controlled climb to a safe themselves. Of the 22 IIMC accidents that occurred between altitude. October 2010 and October 2020, exactly ZERO occurred This plan works for many aircraft, but not all. Operators after the pilot had properly transitioned to instruments. of minimally equipped aircraft (for example, no attitude Controlling an aircraft by reference to instruments and indicator) must customize their IIMC plan to fit their unique executing an instrument approach is a key component of situation. The key factor here is that every pilot has a plan IIMC training. However, training in recognizing IIMC for encountering IIMC, has practiced that plan, and is ready conditions and transitioning promptly and appropriately to to commit to that plan during those first critical moments. instrument flight is just as, if not more, important. Scenario-based training, use of flight simulators and Getting Back on the Ground aviation training devices (ATD), as well as recent advance- Now that we are under control and maintaining a safe distance ments in view-limiting device technology have greatly

72 ROTOR March 2021 increased the quality of IIMC training in recent should involve the whole process, from the before even thinking about setting up an years. Like any tools, though, they need to be decision to accept the flight to the recovery approach. (Any pilot in a real-world situation employed properly. from an inadvertent encounter. who feels the need to set up an instrument IIMC training should always include a Many pilots in training are permitted to set approach while still on the ground “just in case” scenario-based course of action for the pilot avionics for an approach while still sitting on should reconsider their decision to launch in to work through that reflects the conditions the ground. While a pilot in a real-world sce- the first place.) or missions that the pilot would be likely to nario should be encouraged to prepare ahead Training in simulators and ATD allows pilots encounter. Simply slapping a hood on a pilot as much as possible, it’s important in training to play out a scenario to its likely conclusion. and telling him or her to recover from an to allow the pilot to build the skills to handle The moment you pause the simulation and unusual attitude or to shoot an instrument the whole process in flight. This should also remove the weather to reveal the aircraft is approach isn’t good IIMC training. The scenario include emphasis on gaining positive control inverted and pointing toward the ground can have a great impact on the training pilot. Spatial disorientation is insidious precisely because it can trick pilots into “knowing” that their instruments are wrong. Sometimes HAI@Work Webinars a person needs to see to believe. View-limiting devices that allow an instructor to slowly decrease visibility can lull a pilot into staying visual just long enough to be rotor.org/webinar extremely disoriented when he or she finally commits to instruments. What the pilot Thursdays at 4 PM eastern time (UTC-4)* thought was the horizon was actually a road, Information You Need, and the pilot’s head and aircraft instruments From Experts You Trust disagree. Doing this exercise in actual flight involves the vestibular system and is the only way to get the pilot truly, physically, spatially disoriented. Experiencing this sensation might just convince a pilot to turn around a little HAI@Work webinars bring you sooner next time or decline to take off in the up-to-date information first place. about market conditions, regulations, training, and careers Next Steps in the vertical ight industry, It’s now obvious that our industry needs to including: provide pilots and operators with a 360-degree • Interviews with industry approach to IIMC prevention and recovery, leaders including procedures, tools, and recurrent, • Mil2Civ Transition: Finding effective, realistic training. This will be an a Job in the Civil Helicopter ongoing process, requiring the input and Industry buy-in of the whole industry—including • Advanced air mobility everyone reading this article. * HAI@Work • Regaining pilot pro ciency You can become part of the IIMC solution webinars may by implementing the steps discussed in this • Maintenance and training occasionally be article (see p. 71 for a convenient one-page rescheduled. Visit compliance summary). Thanks to our industry’s dedicated rotor.org/webinar for the • Elevating vertical ight volunteers and safety professionals, there are latest schedule. through mentoring resources—many of them free—that you can use to improve your ability to avoid or recover Visit rotor.org/webinar to register for this week’s webinar— from IIMC. Visit rotor.org/safety to get started, or catch up on one that you missed in our archive. and spend at least 56 seconds committing to a plan to increase your skills in IIMC pre- vention and recovery.

March 2021 ROTOR 73 74 FLIGHT PATH Sarah LouiseSnell helicopters I’ve flown, Ilike best patients tocritical-carefacilities. My very firstjobin My very aviation was Wisconsin, conducting a mix of conductingamixof Wisconsin, aircraft. Myfirsthelicopterpilot as anaircraft refueleratasmall airport inMcMinnville, Oregon, calls totransportsick orinjured job was for asafari company in One that’s wellIfI maintained! interhospital flights and scene flightsandscene interhospital started in started Alaska infixed-wing I flytheEC145 (BK 117 C-2)in

an air ambulance capacity in in an airambulancecapacity ROTOR the AS350 B3withthe2B1 at age17. Myflyingcareer had tochoose amongthe FAVORITE HELICOPTER FIRST AVIATION JOB March 2021 CURRENT JOB QUICK FACTS Air Methods Wisconsin engine. Kenya. Kenya. hard in the right place at the right time with hard intheright placeattherighttimewith presented themselves becauseI’ve worked widespread, andIthinkmy opportunities have limitedservices. very destinationsthathad loads andunpredictable were always inhigh-altitude terrain with heavy and performance calculations,astheflights Africa reallychallenged my flight-planning skills flyinghelicoptersin 2010.me tostart Flyingin pilot in Alaska andthenin Africa naturally led in Alaska inmy early20s. Working asabush mercial andinstructor’s ratings,thenmy A&P 16 andby my 20hadobtained fixed-wing com- flyingglidersinOregon whenI I started was H successful outcome. ble, well-trained crew createsasafe and nation ofawell-equipped machine andacapa- feeling inhelicoptermissionswhenthecombi- protection inKenya, for Tropic Air. Ilove the are thosefor wildlife rescueand first full-down auto! rational. Iwas hooked frommy tion ofprecisionflying was inspi- of themachine anddemonstra- Trimble Helicopters).Hismastery I attended inOregon(Jerry the owner ofthehelicopterschool lessonwith It was anintroductory helicopter ride. Tell usabout your first wing. career track torotary my add-onratingstoshift my experience, working Istarted on more funthanIwas! After that helicopter pilotswere having alot operations in Alaska. Irealized the helicopter fuel toremoteutility pilot, Ispentasummerdelivering when, asacommercialfixed-wing I becameinterestedinhelicopters career foryou? helicopter aviation wasthe H ow didyou gettowhere you arenow? ow did you decide The helicopter community is small and The issmall and helicoptercommunity My mostmemorableflights son, don’t give up! Also, ifyou stillcan’t hover onyour thirdles- regarding weather andperformance safety. tion, andadheretoyour personalminimums Never compromisesafety for a job.Pay atten- pursuing your path? What advice would you give someone studying theenvironment. or protecting and providing medicalservices, do sowhilesupportingrescueorganizations, tion ofeco-friendlyhelicopters,andIhopeto career. I’minterestedinflyingthefirstgenera- my through community helicopterflying I wishsomeday togive back totheworld and What are your career goals? favor toothersinthefuture. career, andIhopetopay thesame forward gave meachance toprove myself earlyinmy my career. I’msogratefulfor thepeoplewho the rightpeoplearoundmetohelpadvance

COURTESY AIR METHODS COURTESY AIR METHODS and theIFRcapability. performanceponent ofthejob,twin-engine machine, Who doesn’t love tohover?! And Ilove thecrew coordinationcom- helicopter aviation? What still excites you about dependence onfossil fuels. someday willeliminatetheworld’s development oftechnology that dedicationtothe long-standing father inspiresmewithhis to achieve whatever goalIset.My lessons inaviation andinspired me memy Oregon), whotaught first Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile MuseuminHoodRiver, My firstmentorandemployer, Judy Newman (now directorofthe Who inspiresyou? “I love thefeeling in helicopter of awell-equipped machine and a capable, well-trained crewcreates missions whenthecombination a safe and successful outcome.” viability ofhelicopterbusinessesand­ viability Dependence onfossil fuelswillbethefuture limitingfactor tothe helicopter industry? What doyou thinkposesthebiggest threat tothe and emergencyprocedurespractices.It’s anongoingchal- To review beagreathelicopterpilot,onemustconstantly normal What challenges you about helicopter aviation? vide asafe, legal,andeffective flight. ters, andcrew/patient needs topro- of regulations,performance parame - thinking andagoodunderstanding ing profit margins. safety trainingwhilenotcompromis - achieve the bestpossiblelevel of lenge for helicopteroperators to My current jobrequireson-the-go applications. March 2021 ROTOR

75 FUTURE FACES 76 G Desire for ahands-on career led Colorado student topursue A&Pschool. DockeryScholarship Winner Alec HAI AMT Community College inLittleton,Community Colorado. audio engineeringprogramat Arapahoe him useflightsimulatorsa few times.” went tolotsofairshows. I even watched ports togethertolookatplanes, andwe got hisdriver’s license. We usedtovisitair Alec. “He got hispilot’s licensebefore he grandfather, apilot andaviation enthusiast. from spendingtimewithhismaternal for him. maintenance was theperfect career it tookhimawhiletorealize why aviation tion maintenancetechnician (AMT).Infact, but henever imaginedbecominganavia- After highschool, Alec enrolled inan “My grandfather loved planes,” says Alec’s fascination withaircraft was born

ROTOR ROWING UPINCASTLE ROCK, family memberwhowas apilot, Colorado, Alec Dockery hada March 2021 By Jaasmin Foote -

interest inmaintenance] allstarted.” and Iloved it.Iguessthat’s where[my things allowed metowork withmy hands, cars—nothing expansive. Butdoingthese on myandhelpedafew guitar friendsfix went to A&P school,” says Alec. “I worked personal projectswere minimalbefore I answers. and went back tohisrootsinsearch of what vocation would make himhappiest work. Alec thoughtlongandhardabout life. Hewanted, instead,more hands-on a computerfor therestofhisprofessional Alec couldn’t seehimselfsitting infrontof puter information systems. (MSU) topursueanotherpassion:com- ofDenver University State Metropolitan After twoyears there,hetransferred to “I’ve always liked fixingthings,but my However, after twosemestersatMSU, in thefall of2018. Alec discovered HAI’s Northwestern College (CNCC) Community enrolled inan A&P programatColorado tenance] madesense.” I enjoyed fixingthings,so[helicopter main- my othergrandfather was anengineer, and hours written inhispilotlogbook. And then passed away, hehadafew helicopter ered thatbefore my [maternal]grandfather the moreitinterestedme.Ialsodiscov Alec. “The moreIlearnedaboutaviation, came upwithacareerofmy own,” says Ford. grandfather, who hadbeenanengineerat father onhismother’s sideandhispaternal had influencedhimmost:hispilotgrand­ merge thecareersoftwomenwho It was thenthat Alec hadtheideato Armed withhisnew gameplan, Alec “I sortofdidamashupthetwoand -

PHOTO COURTESY DENNIS CLEAVES PHOTO COURTESY DENNIS CLEAVES in Loveland, Colorado. AMT. Infact, healreadyhasaposition at the challenge hisnew ofstarting careerasahelicopter arship—Alec was abletoreach hisgoalandisthrilledby later thanheexpected. Alec was abletograduatein June 2020,onlyonemonth eventually return tolabswork onturbine engines. complete someoftheirwork onlineaswell asto final semester. Luckily, CNCCallowed students to declared apandemicwhile Alec was completinghis dents, hisplanswere delayed by COVID, which was the purchase ofaviation tools.Like many otherstu- thought Iwas capableofbeing asuccessful AMT.” experience andgave meachance becausethey chosen meantthatsomeoneoverlooked my lack of I hadnoexperience in this industry,” says Alec. “Being Maintenance Technician CertificateScholarship, because scholarship board. scholarship opportunities throughtheschool’s joband With thehelpofhisgrandfathers—andWith hisHAIschol- Alec usedhisscholarship toassistwithtuition and “It meantalottomethatIwas picked for theHAI H Save FINAL Plus, enjoypr * L T a E x e AI A s

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ry dawithouHAI “It meantalotto methatIwas picked for the aircraft. ther, hewantsapilot’s toobtain licensetoflyfixed-wing steady careerasan AMT. Just like hismaternalgrandfa- money, andheadaches. correctly thefirst timetosave lives—as well astime, They himtotakehis time andcompletetasks taught most valuable toolsan AMT canpossess:precision. Alec creditshisinstructors withgivinghimoneofthe to learneverythingthatmakes themachine operate.” process offixingsomething,” says Alec. “You reallyget experience andgave meachance becausethey thought Iwas capableofbeingasuccessful AMT.” this industry. Someoneoverlooked my lack of HAI scholarship, becauseIhadnoexperience in Alec hopeshisscholarship a willhelphimmaintain “What’s mostsatisfyingaboutbeingan AMT isthe THE DESTINAO, RIDE. discounte bonusferli (CDP#)1935. March 2021 . ROTOR

77 RECENT ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS

HE ROTORCRAFT ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS LISTED BELOW OCCURRED FROM OCT. 1 TO DEC. 31, 2020. The accident details shown are preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. All information T was obtained through the official websites included below, where you can learn more details about each event. Australia—Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB): bit.ly/2P3ZF1S

United States—National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB): bit.ly/2IueqZa

October 2020 Bell 206 Schweizer 269C Robinson R44 II Point Lookout, NY, USA Rhame, ND, USA Marietta, TX, USA Enstrom 480 Oct. 21, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA028 Nov. 7, 2020 | NTSB CEN21LA081 Dec. 5, 2020 | NTSB CEN21LA077 Woodstock, CT, USA 1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | General 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal Oct. 10, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA016 Helicopter settled into shallow aviation flight flight 1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight water, sustaining substantial No description available. No description available. No description available. damage, after pilot reported entering IMC and a loss of yaw control. Bell 206 Robinson R44 Bell 206 Raleigh, NC, USA Colorado City, TX, USA Zephyrhills, FL, USA Eurocopter AS350 B3 Nov. 8, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA040 Dec. 10, 2020 | NTSB CEN21LA084 Oct. 16, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA023 Silver City, NM, USA 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | General 0 injuries, 2 fatalities | Business 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal Oct. 26, 2020 | NTSB WPR21LA027 aviation flight flight flight 1 injury, 0 fatalities | Positioning No description available. Helicopter crashed for unknown flight Helicopter sustained substantial reasons, leaving a 400-yard debris damage during attempted No description available. Aérospatiale AS355 field. autorotative landing following pilot- Hammonton, NJ, USA reported low-rotor RPM aural alarm. Hughes 369 Nov. 14, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA043 Robinson R44 Honolulu, HI, USA 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Business Morris, IL, USA Robinson R44 Oct. 27, 2020 | NTSB ANC21LA003 flight Dec. 20, 2020 | NTSB CEN21LA095 Pahrump, NV, USA 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | External-load No description available. 1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight Oct. 16, 2020 | NTSB WPR21LA021 flight No description available. 2 injuries, 0 fatalities | Business During external-load operations, Robinson R44 flight pilot reported helicopter lost power Austell, GA, USA Robinson R44 No description available. made impact with trees during Nov. 18, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA046 Clare, South Australia, Australia attempted emergency landing. 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Instructional Dec. 22, 2020 | ATSB AO-2020-064 Robinson R22 flight 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Agricultural Winder, GA, USA No description available. flight Oct. 18, 2020 | NTSB ERA21LA024 November 2020 During attempted landing after aerial 1 injury, 0 fatalities | Personal flight application flight, helicopter collided Helicopter impacted terrain, Agusta A109 December 2020 with vehicle and sustained sustaining substantial damage, after Los Angeles, CA, USA substantial damage. Nov. 6, 2020 | NTSB WPR21LA039 pilot suspected a loss of power. Robinson R44 1 injury, 0 fatalities | Organ transport Marulan South, New South Wales, Hughes 369D flight Robinson R44 II Australia Tuckers Crossing, MS, USA Washington, WI, USA During a steep approach to an Dec. 2, 2020 | ATSB AO-2020-061 Dec. 29, 2020 | NTSB CEN21LA102 Oct. 18, 2020 | NTSB CEN21LA021 elevated helipad, helicopter entered 0 injuries, 2 fatalities | Training flight 0 injuries, 1 fatality | External-load 0 injuries, 0 fatalities | Personal an uncontrollable right yaw, made flight Helicopter made impact with terrain flight impact with helipad, and rolled onto and was destroyed in postcrash fire. While conducting aerial tree its left side. No description available. trimming with suspended saw, pilot attempted emergency landing, but helicopter made impact with trees and terrain and was consumed by postcrash fire.

78 ROTOR March 2021 SAFETY Your Most Important Mission

Supporting the global vertical lift industry with a 360-degree view of safety

HAI PRODUCES HAI PROMOTES Programs, tools, and resources to Safety as an essential part in building improve operational safety a sustainable, viable industry

HAI PROVIDES HAI SUPPORTS Safety education and recognition The work of volunteers to address opportunities for vertical aviation safety issues by collaborating with pilots, operators, and maintenance global industry stakeholders technicians

Learn more about HAI safety programs, tools, and resources at rotor.org/safety.

Please watch HAI’s latest Spotlight on Safety videos here: 80 ACCIDENT RECOVERY

ROTOR March 2021 before they flyapart. only ontheirtrainingandairmanshipbutgut-level awareness, aswell, togetailing machines ontotheground Characteristically operatingaircraft atlow altitudes limitedglidingrange,helicopterpilotsmustrelynot withavery Immediate, decisive pilot action averts acatastrophic in-flight failure. Quick Thinking ately abandoned thedip. a “buzzing” vibrationthroughtheairframe. Heimmedi- what hedescribedasa “burring noise” accompanied by the river, justbefore dippingthebucket, thepilotheard the pilottoriver dipsiteandthenthedropsite. (150 ft.) line. The ground-basedairattack crew directed l(317equipped witha1,200 gal.)bucket ona45.72m on abushfireneartheCrawford River. The aircraft was South Wales (NSW), Australia, toconductwater drops surplus UH-1H,was dispatched from Wauchope, New On themorningofDec.7, 2019, VH-OXI, aUS Army– The A H The firstdrop was uneventful. Butuponreturning to ccident mechanical assemblies canpropagateintocompletefailure slopinrapidlyrotating inminutes. mechanical narrow operatewithinvery tolerances.Imbalancesor componentsenablingthisability ELICOPTERS ARE PRIZED FOR THEIR ABILITY TO FLY VERY SLOWLY, FOR FLYPRIZED VERY ELICOPTERS ARE THEIR ABILITY TO By David Jack Kenny ­ degrees opposite itsinitialheading. the collective,” andthehelicopterlandedhardabout180 to idlefailed toslowsothepilot therotation, “dumped right anddidn’t respond toleft pedal.Closingthethrottle where he’d have tobringtheshipahover toland. was sohediverted deteriorating, toasmallclearing landing siteconvinced himthehelicopter’s condition levels ofnoiseandvibrationontheway toanunconfined air attack crew he’d belandingimmediately. Increasing tive was raised.Hedroppedthebucket andradioedthe noise andvibrationreturned, intensifying asthecollec- As hebegantoflyout ofthehover over theriver, the Slowing toa10 ft. hover, thehelicopterbegan yawing right down toahover. Butthe

ISTOCK/ALIAKSANDR BUKATSICH

COURTESY ATSB/TOUCHDOWN HELICOPTERS ISTOCK/ALIAKSANDR BUKATSICH

COURTESY ATSB/TOUCHDOWN HELICOPTERS Touchdown HelicoptersinOctober2015. Neitherthe factured in1964 andregisteredtoNSW-based Support Inc. for civilianuseby Arizona-based Overseas Aircraft theaircraft service, was modifiedrelease frommilitary ated by theUS Army asrecently1980. After its UH-1D, subsequentlyconverted toaUH-1H,andoper but doesmentionthatthehelicopterwas builtasaBell (ATSB) oftheaircraft’s lacks history adetailed life service The finalreport by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau The A Service staff.Service andNationalParksRural and FireService Wildlife the crashsitewas quickly extinguished by thestate’s he was determinedtobeuninjured. A smallgrassfireat from thewreckage andwaswhere takentoahospital, from theairframe. The pilotwas abletoextricate himself the gearbox, mast,rotors,and driveshaft were ejected left ofthepilot,breakingmaingearbox mounts,and Secondary sourcesindicatethattheshipwas manu- Secondary The mainrotorbladesstruck thegroundaheadand ircraft - The Investigation engine outputshaft tothehelicopter’s maingearbox the KamaticsKAflex driveshaft connectingtheaircraft’s During itsinvestigation oftheevent, the ATSB found that upgrade was reported. aircraft’s noritstimesincethe timeinservice total March 2021 wreckage site. wreckage VH-OXI’s main ROTOR

81 82

ROTOR to walk away. A free fall from 30ft. wouldn’t This pilotdumpedlift at10 ft. andwas able difference between life-threatening injuries March 2021 have beennearly asbenign. A shrewd decision madewithoutdelay was the tenance shopthat hadremoved the andreinstalled loose, broken, orslippingfasteners. Moreover, themain- withotherassembliesaswell sion fromcontact as visual, lookingfor evidence offretting, corrosion, orabra- immediate replacement unit.”“with aserviceable evidence ofslippageonthetorquestripes,iscausefor unairworthy. Any looseormissinghardware, including wrench orother means”renderstheentireassembly repair manualthat “evidence ofturning fasteners by maker, Kamatics Corp.,stressesinitsmaintenanceand the ATSB unabletoexplain theirabsence. washers hadapparentlybeenpresentatonetime,with another. Ineach case,witnessmarksindicatedthatthe plates, allowing theflex platestomove relative toone missing fromfour different fasteners connectingtheflex flex plate. the driveshaft matched discolorationonthefailed outer of thereartransmission-mountsupportassemblyunder plate’s width(seephotosabove). Scoringonthesection that hadpropagatedthroughabout90%oftheflex what materialsexamination showed tobeafatigue crack end hadbroken dueto plate atthegearbox holes intheouterflex multiple segments.” shaft hadfractured into plates fromthedrive­ case, though, “the flex single plate.Inthis after thefracture ofa of continuedoperation includes afail-safe feature thatallows upto20minutes between theengineandtransmissioninflight plates ateitherendtoaccommodaterelative movement input hadbroken. The assemblyusesaseriesofflexible Both in-andout-of-aircraft inspectionsarepurely The driveshaft assemblyisn’t field its serviceable; The investigators alsofound thatfive washers were One ofthebolt and anexciting hangar story. The outer flex plate at the gearbox end fractured through the bolt hole hole bolt the through fractured end gearbox the at plate flex outer The (left), leaving a small section remaining (right). ble inthephotographswere assembled correctly. photographs showing that,at thattime,allfasteners visi- hours earlierprovided investigators withquality-control driveshaft whileperforming anenginechange 74.5 flight offers words tothewise. life-threatening injuriesandanexciting that hangarstory sion madewithoutdelay was thedifference between from 50or100, probablyunsurvivable. A shrewd deci- free fall from30ft. wouldn’t have beennearlyasbenign; pilot dumpedlift at10 ft. andwas abletowalk away. A fall apart,thealtitude atwhich thathappensmatters. This rare thatsoonerisn’t better thanlater. And ifthingsdo on howbutit’s rapidlythosesymptomsareintensifying, speed over obstructed terrain. mechanical failure whileoperatingatlow altitude andair ous toahelicopterpilotrecognizingsignsofimpending react—a timeframethatmightseemdownright luxuri- The pilotlikely hadlessthan10 secondsinwhich to Wichita DwightD. Eisenhower National Airport (KICT). Wichita (Kansas) Mid-Continent Airport, now known as the roofofFlightSafety International’s trainingfacility at in theleft engineandtheairplane’s inverted crashinto elapsed betweenthefirstindicationsofalossthrust rific 2014 King Airaccident found thatjust20seconds aren’t uniquetorotorcraft. The NTSB’s analysis ofahor In-flight emergenciesrequiringimmediateresponse The Takeaway because doingsohadn’t beenrequired. vice of VH-OXI’s driveshaft hadnotbeen tracked at thetimeofaccident,however, andthetime inser driveshafts. That recommendationhadnolegalauthority tions inlinewiththosefor Kamatics’s otherhelicopter from historicalrecords,” bringingthoserecommenda- hours ofoperationor, “if thetimecannotbedetermined that includedreplacingUH-1Hdriveshafts after 5,000 the company’s driveshafts for othermodels. strictly oncondition. This was notthecasewithany of How quickly toputtheshipdown may dependinpart In 2018, KamaticssenttheFAA recommendations replacement was done (TBO) limitations; time-before-overhaul lifeany service or shaft wasn’t subjectto time, theUH-1Hdrive­ Army in1980. At that been soldtotheUS driveshaft hadoriginally ATSB thatthefailed Kamatics advised the Kamatics advisedthe - - -

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ROTOR March 2021 flowntwo intotheearthwith pilotsaboard heavy metal There have beenmany Part 121 aircarriers thathave ited tosingle-pilotoperations, or even GA operations. tion (GA) accidents. problem continuestobealeading causeofgeneralavia- Wanted Listof Transportation Safety Improvements, the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB)Most toguaranteean accident. almost certain that often “teases” pilots,luringthemintoasituation rule makers for allowing ittobelegalflyin weather aviation threat. Even experienced pilots can lose focus and fall prey tothis common CFIT StillGives UsFits I By ZacNoble Flying an airworthy aircraftFlying anairworthy intothegroundisn’t lim- Although accidentsrelatedtoCFIT haven’t madethe and studied accidentreports,andI’ve calledout flight intoterrain, orCFIT, accidentsoccur. I’ve read ’VE OFTEN WONDERED HOW CONTROLLED

ence. Prior to coming toHAI,thecockpit was my office. unaided nightandNVG (night-visiongoggles)experi- airplanes, singlesandtwins, VFR, IFR,andaton of both hours inallkindsofaircraft andconditions: helicopters, actively flying for 37 years. I’ve loggedthousandsof “ him for thearticlehecontributedtomagazine, executive Service Standards director, topersonallythank about itthatIreached outtoRick Domingo,FAA Flight Briefing magazinetotheproblem.Ifeel sostrongly entire November/December 2020editionofSafety prevent such athing. who were latestequipmentavailable usingthevery to ”A ‘C’toAvoid.” Funny sometimes how thingshappen.I’ve been isthisissuethatthe FAASo important devoted its

IMAGE COURTESY ZAC NOBLE IMAGE COURTESY ZAC NOBLE descent, and moments later completed a descent, andmoments latercompleteda “Terrain …terrain!” flying theaircraft. The system shouted out, amini vacationthough Iwas taking from tem (TAWS) was stillonthejobeven to, my terrain avoidance andwarning sys- inside, makingmy GPSlooklike Iwanted it awareness. Garmin over situational maintaining oritized changing thesettings onmy display. GNS 530W, inordertobringupadifferent focus my attention inside,ontheGarmin lized approach profile,Ihadthebigideato pleted andradiocallsmade. All was good. runway lightsinsight.Landingchecks com- ing onbright.Ihadtheairportbeaconand approach. Iclicked thepilot-controlledlight- achieve anicestabilizedstraight-in miles out,Icontinueddescendingto ft.I beganadescentfrom5,500 About 10 night. NVG butnotatallvisibleunaidedonadark elevation: aterrain feature easilyseenwith ft.some hillsabout500 above theairport with few surrounding lights.Itdoeshave visual reference. rural flyingwithnogroundlightsorcars for withlotsofgroundlights,and flying, city about 100 nauticalmiles.Itwas amixof I tookoff flightof anddidacross-country was darkwithnocelestialillumination. very was perfectly clear. It miserable. cold astomake flying dark earlybutisn’t so opportunities. Itgets to greatnight-flying Hemisphere lendsitself flying. This timeof year intheNorthern Safety Briefing,Iwas outdoingsome night and for funandtravel.) (I stillfly weekly butdoitto stayengaged I looked up,appliedpower, arrested my Luckily for me,whileIwas focused Yes indeed,you readthatcorrectly. Ipri- Then,- witheverythingsetandinastabi About 20milesoutofmy homeairport, My home-baseairportisinthecountry, This particularnight About threedays before Ireceived FAA his attention during acritical phaseofflight.” pilot, flyinga very highlyequippedaircraft, diverted My accidentreport would have read: “The ATP-rated axis autopilot,diverted hisattention inthe equipped aircraft withafullycapablethree- hours ofexperiencehighly flyinga very “The ATP-rated pilot,withmorethan7,000 wasn’t properlyequipped.” appropriate flightplanning,” or “theaircraft certified,” “thepilot failed toperform the report couldread: “The pilotwasn’t IFR if you choose. ExamplesofaCFIT accident happen becauseofpoordecision-making. nice nightlanding. 440-632-1687 AIRWOLF AEROSPACE STC’s FOR ADVANCED LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES My accidentreportwould have read: You canbreakitdown andoveranalyze it So how doCFIT accidentshappen? They STC’S TB17 MD 369,500 Hiller UH12-E EC120B, H130,EC130 H125, AS350/355 Bell 206/206L More Peace ofMind Super Fast Charging Less Maintenance Less Weight More Life More Power into thegroundonadarknight. TAWS prevented mefromflying my aircraft supposed todo.However, inthiscase,my ratings,andexperience all ourtraining, are tronics prevented anaccident. That’s what you shouldbefocused. Stayfocused Timing iseverything. when price.” head madeapoordecisionandpaidthe destroyed abeautifulaircraft. This knuckle- cockpit duringacriticalphaseofflightand AIRWOLFAEROSPACE.COM Fugere tutum! I don’t like saying thatapieceofelec- Of course,theNTSBandFAA would March 2021 you aboutit. because I’mheretotell of thesituation now Icanmake being. light my actionsthanI’m their assessmentsof have beenkinderin The bottom line: ROTOR

85 LAST HOVER

Maria Rodriguez Remembering HAI’s 2018 Pilot of the Year.

HE 2018 HAI SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE PILOT OF THE YEAR, MARIA RODRIGUEZ of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI), died in a helicopter crash on Feb. 15, 2021. T With her husband, she was co-owner of Caribbean Buzz Helicopters and Buzz Management and also flew as a pilot for the company. She flew former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama in 2017 and became friends with country musician Kenny Chesney when she flew him on visits to the Virgin Islands. In late summer 2017, Rodriguez’s home of USVI was in the path of both major Caribbean hurricanes—Hurricane Irma first, followed by Hurricane Maria a few weeks later. With roads impassable after Hurricane Irma, she walked from safe shelter to her home, which was battered and flooded but still standing. She hiked for an additional two hours to reach the airport. Her hangar was damaged, but the helicopters had survived unscathed. She rolled them onto the ramp and immediately began to fly support missions wherever she could. “Every evac flight started with tears,” says Rodriguez, “but ended with smiles!” As Hurricane Maria bore down upon her home again, Rodriguez moved her helicopters to a reinforced hangar in Puerto Rico. As quickly as possible after the storm passed, she returned to the USVI to again fly support missions. In both instances, Rodriguez documented the devastation to her islands with her camera, posting hundreds of photographs to social media. In turn, these images—often the only photos coming from the region and without compensation to Rodriguez—were picked up by media outlets and reproduced throughout the world. Her images helped convey the destruction sustained by her island home to millions around the world, resulting in forewarning to others in the hurricane’s path and waves of support for the islands. Never seeking the spotlight, Rodriguez continued to serve her community through both flight and photography for the remainder of her life. A

The FAA’s 43rd annual General Aviation and Part To request a paper copy of the survey 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey) is the only source or if you have questions, email of information on the size and makeup of the U.S. [email protected] general aviation and Part 135 eets, the number of or call 1-800-826-1797. hours own, and how people use GA aircraft. The GA Survey is conducted by Tetra Tech, Survey data will be used to determine funding an independent research  rm; a ll responses for infrastructure and service needs, assess the are con dential. impact of regulatory changes, and measure Visit http://bit.ly/GA-Survey to see data aviation safety — so it’s important that you from previous years’ surveys. participate, even if you completed a survey last year, did not y in 2020, or sold or damaged your aircraft.

86 ROTOR March 2021 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

Advanced1st Source Composite Bank ��������������������������������������������� Structures Inc. �����������6959 HAI Gift Store �������������������������������������������������54 NAASCO �������������������������������������������������������������1 acs-composites.com574-235-2037 | 1stsource.com everythinghelicopters.comeverythinghelicopters.com 631-399-2244 | naasco.comnaasco.com 1stAdvanced Source Composite Bank ��������������������������������������������� Structures Inc. �����������5969 HAI: Join HAI �������������������������������������������������� C4 OnPeak �������������������������������������������������������������62 574-235-2037acs-composites.com | 1stsource.com 703-683-4646 | rotor.org/joinrotor.org/join 855-211-4898 | [email protected]@onpeak.com BeckerAeroVironment Avionics, Inc Inc. ������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������315 HAI Online Academy ���������������������������������������87 Pacific Southwest Instruments �������������������� C3 214-734-9477805-581-2198 x1924| becker-avionics.com | avinc.com 703-683-4646 | rotor.org/academyrotor.org/academy 951-737-0790 x134 | pspsilabs.comilabs.com AeroVironmentAirwolf Aerospace Inc LLC ������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������855 HAI: Safety �������������������������������������������������������79 Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd. ������������������������ C2 805-581-2198440-632-1687 x1924| airwolfaero | avinc.comspace.com 703-683-4646 | rotor.org/safetyrotor.org/safety 303-438-5966 | pilatus-aircrapilatus-aircraft.com/enft.com/en AirwolfBecker Avionics, Aerospace Inc. LLC ��������������������������������������� �����������������������������������8531 HAI@Work Webinars ���������������������������������������73 Point Lighting Corporation ��������������������������� 11 440-632-1687214-734-9477 | airwolfaerospace.combecker-avionics.com 703-683-4646 | rotor.org/webinarrotor.org/webinar 860-243-0600 | pointligpointlighting.comhting.com Bose Corporation ���������������������������������������������7 Hammonds Technical Services ���������������������75 Precision Fuel Components LLC �������������������81 316-263-0124 | bose.com 832-456-4532 | biobor.combiobor.com 425-513-6789 | precisioprecisionfuel.comnfuel.com David Clark Company Inc. �����������������������������41 HeliLadder of Blue Moon Designs, LLC �������69 Quality Fuel Trailer and Tank, Inc. �������������������59 401-553-5110 | davidclark.comdavidclark.com Designs,541-350-3748 LLC | HeliLadder.com ���������������������������������������������59, 69 425-526-7566 | qualityfueltraqualityfueltrailers.comilers.com 541-350-3748 | HeliLadder.com EIT Avionics �����������������������������������������������������83 HeliLadder of Blue Moon Designs, LLC �������59 Robinson Helicopter Company �����������������������9 703-478-0700 | eit.com Heli-Mart,541-350-3748 Inc. | HeliLadder.com �������������������������������������������������29 310-539-0508 x219 | robinsonheli.comrobinsonheli.com 714-755-2999 | helimart.com Falcon Crest Aviation Supply Inc. �����������������23 Heli-Mart, Inc. �������������������������������������������������29 Sensor Technology Ltd. �����������������������������������69 falconcrestaviation.comfalconcrestaviation.com Hertz714-755-2999 ����������������������������������������������������������������� | helimart.com 77 44 (0)1869 238400 | sensors.co.uksensors.co.uk 800-654-2200 | hertz.com/hai Freedom Aero Service Inc. �����������������������������35 Hertz �����������������������������������������������������������������77 Spokane Industries, Inc. ���������������������������������43 916-329-7333 | freedomaeroservice.comfreedomaeroservice.com JSfirm800-654-2200 ��������������������������������������������������������������� | hertz.com/hai 62 509-921-8849 | spokaneindustries.comspokaneindustries.com 724-547-6203 | rotor.org/jobs General Aviation Survey ���������������������������������86 JSfirm ���������������������������������������������������������������62 Straube’s Aircraft Service ������������������������������� 11 800‑826-1797 | bit.ly/GA-Surveybit.ly/GA-Survey King724-547-6203 Schools | rotor.org/jobs ���������������������������������������������������42 405-437-7421 | airstraube.comairstraube.com 703-683-4646 | rotor.org/SaveOnFIRC HAI: Attend HAI HELI-EXPO 2022 �����������������14 King Schools ���������������������������������������������������42 Twirly Birds �����������������������������������������������������54 703-683-4646 | heliexpo.comheliexpo.com 703-683-4646 | rotor.org/SaveOnFIRC twirlybirds.org

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March 2021 ROTOR 87 LAST LOOK By Mark Bennett

Insite Commercial Robinson R44 This Robinson R44, enjoying a brief moment in the sun on an otherwise dreary, windy, very chilly day in Commerce Township, Michigan, is a business tool that puts commercial real estate developer Randy Thomas in the sky, where he’s not just above, but ahead of, his competition.

Thomas, the president and CEO of Insite Commercial, explains, “We use it for showing new tenants the market overall.… They can see the density of homes, traffic patterns, and where the new development is going.”

His Robinson is no hangar queen, with Insite putting about 200 hours on the Hobbs meter every year. Nor is the flying all business. “A large part [of our flying] is donating rides to charities.”

This isn’t his first aircraft, either—this R44 replaced an earlier one, which followed more than one R22 over the course of eight years. “Soon, we’ll have an R66,” he crows.

HAI is our industry advocate; they need to hear from you so they know what Visit HAI at to ght for and what is important to you as a rotor.org/join pilot or organization.” “– Grayson Barrows, repair station general manager JOIN HAI FOR MORE THAN 70 YEARS, HAI HAS REPRESENTED ALL ASPECTS OF THE VERTICAL ight industry, promoting safety, professionalism, innovation, and economic viability.

Current HAI priorities include: • Ensuring COVID relief for operators • Developing the global vertical ight workforce • Advancing industry integration of unmanned • Strengthening safety collaboration within the aircraft systems and advanced air mobility international vertical ight industry aircraft