Helicopter Life Looks Flew to Kazan to at the New Interna - Observe the Helicopter Tional Venue for Championships

H Winter 2014 / £3.99 E WInTER 2014 L I C www.helicopterlife.com HELICOPTER O HELICOPTER P

T including gyroplanes E R L I F E

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t LIFE COVER STORY e COVER STORY r

0 Flight Show & Tell Guide 4 UKs 1st B429 HEMS

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4 LIFE Aviation shows and conferences. Georgina Hunter-Jones watches the unveiling The Editor’s Letter 5 of the new Bell 429 in Wiltshire and looks at Aerial Forum 6 & 7 the flying characteris - Arjan Dijksterhuis tics and suitability of the machine Letters to the Editor 10, 12, 13 Flying Crackers 8 & 9 Payerne Airshow Tommaso Munforti photographs the Payerne airshow New Technology The Bell 505 has its 11 first flight 38

Competition in Kazan HeliTechAmsterdam Brenda McNicoll Helicopter Life looks flew to Kazan to at the new interna - observe the helicopter tional venue for championships. This is HeliTech her story about a new event 14 46

Seven at a Blow EC135T3 John White David Oliver never have so many flies the upgraded Rotorways graced Airbus Helicopter and one garden at one gives his opinion time. John White looks at how it was arranged 18 54

Marathon Training Broncho Aviation 26 Book Reviews 58 reports on the Hellenic Navy at CAA Legislation changes 59 Marathon, their train - ing and their future Accident Reports 64 helicopters House & Helicopter 66

HELICOPTER LIFE is the HIGH LIFE HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 3 S how & T ell T he e diTor ’ S l eTTer G uide HELICOPTER his month, the Bath Bus Bell is having a very dynamic year, Company has started a bus serv - not only does it have three new heli - LIFE Tice with a machine powered by copters reaching completion, it also has biomethane gas generated entirely from just unveiled the first Bell 429 to be 3 March - 5 March 2015 WInTER 2014 human and food waste. The vehicle can used by a UK Air Ambulance charity. HAI HELIExPO travel up to 300km (186 miles) on one The Wiltshire Air Ambulance has a Orange County Convention Centre tank of gas, which takes the annual contract for ten years with Heli Charter, Orlando Florida HON. EDITORIAL BOARD waste of about five people to produce. the Bell UK distributor, and will start http://heliexpo.rotor.org Captain Eric Brown, CBE, RN The gas is produced at Bristol The Lord Glenarthur, DL using the Bell 429 on 1st January 2015. 19 May- 22 May 2015 Jennifer Murray sewage treatment works, which This year has generally been a much EBACE Michael J. H. Smith processes around 75 million cubic better one for helicopters and helicopter Geneva Airport, metres of sewage waste and 35,000 flying. There have been jobs available, Switzerland tonnes of food waste each year. A total schools have been busier and helicop - On a more optimistic note, Patrick http://ebace.aero/2015 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / PILOT of 17 million cubic metres of bio - Ky, EASA’s Executive Director, Georgina Hunter-Jones ters are being bought and sold again. [email protected] methane, enough to power 8,300 But, even so, most companies are apparently sees the problem of over- 21 May- 23 May 2015 regulation with great clarity and wants CREATIVE DIRECTORS homes, is generated annually at the warning that life will never go back to HELIRUSSIA [email protected] plant through a process known as the madness pre 2008. And, of course, to make changes. However, as we IEC Crocus Expo, anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic diges - in the latter part of the year the UK lost know “between the idea and the reali - Moscow, Russia COPY EDITORS Gerald Cheyne tion is the process whereby oxygen ty...falls the shadow”. Let’s hope this http://www.helirussia.ru/en/ a lot of Russians to sanctions, which CONTRIBUTING EDITORS starved bacteria breaks down may continue to adversely affect the idea makes it into black and white. Broncho Aviation (Kuit and Kievit), Gerald 29 May- 31 May 2015 Cheyne, Arjan Dijksterhuis, Brenda McNicoll, biodegradable material to produce market. One regulation that has become HELIExPO UK Tommaso Munforti, David Oliver, John White methane-rich biogas. Before this can be Interestingly, as it becomes a slight more sensible for gyrocopters is that Sywell, Northamptonshire, CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY used in a vehicle the biogas has to possibility that the UK might leave the factory built gyroplanes are now England UK Broncho Aviation (Kuit and Kievit), Gerald undergo a purifying process whereby EU, so EASA regulations are starting to allowed to fly over congested areas, http://www.heliukexpo.com Cheyne, Arjan Dijksterhuis, Brenda Mc Nicoll, Tommaso Munforti, David Oliver, Stephen carbon dioxide is removed and propane come more into force. However, the although still adhering to the normal Peek, John Phillips added. The biomethane bus produces work generated, and the complications rules of the air they no longer have 11 June - 13 June 2015 SPECIAL THANKS TO 30% less Co2 than normal diesel buses. created by these regulations, mean that the overflight restriction. This has not EUROPEAN HELICOPTER SHOW Dave Smith ATPL(H)IR, Does this mean that one day soon the timeline cannot be adhered to as yet been withdrawn for kit helicop - Prague-Kebley Airport there be a helicopter powered by strictly as the CAA might like. One ters, but could be a step in the right Czech Republic ADVERTISING Telephone: +44-(0)20-7430-2384, human waste? Perhaps not immediately, such variable here is the conversion of direction. http://www.eurohelishow.com [email protected] but it does mean that the steps are there all flying schools to ATOs. As the CAA The next ‘big thing’, which will start SUBSCRIPTIONS and the possibility has been created. I 25 June - 28 June 2015 Go to our website or turn to page 54 explain, in the CAA section on page early next year, is the run-up to the GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED [email protected] look forward to hearing details about an 59 , the EASA requirement for all General Election, and with it the Goodwood WEBSITE aeroplane powered in the same way, as Registered Training Facilities (RTF) increase in politician-induced helicopter near Chichester, West Sussex www.helicopterlife.com inevitably that will come first. providing private pilot training, to traffic. Politicians have a lot to say, to https://grrc.goodwood.com/section/festival-of-speed Blog Another exciting (and fast moving) become Approved Training as many people as possible and, http://www.helicopterlife.blogspot.com See Helicopter Life on Facebook & Twitter development is the first flight of the Organisations (ATO), has been post - although they can say much of this by 16 September - 19 September 2015 Bell 505 JetRanger Lite. The new light poned until April 2018, following a text and email, screen and post, they all CHINESE HELIExPO Bell flew in November, and apparently decision made on 9 October 2014 by know that nothing really beats an on- Industry Base of The AVIC Helicopter COVER PHOTOGRAPH went from the hover to 60 knots, the European regulator. site presence. If anything the more they The first Bell 429 Air Ambulance in the UK, Free Trade zone of Tianjin Port cruised without problems and landed There appear to be other delays as can get away without an in-flesh (Airport economic zone) run by HeliCharter on behalf of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Trust safely. More tests will be run soon. well:

s appearance, the less it is wise to do so P http://www.helicopter-china-expo.com/ Picture Gerald Cheyne i l Jeremy James writing in the l Possibly because of the Bell 505, or i or this is what they believe. And heli - h HELICOPTER LIFE is published quarterly by FlyFizzi Ltd. P perhaps simply because of their age, it Helicopter Club of Great Britain copters are the best vehicle around for 6 October - 8 October 2015 n h

59 Great Ormond Street o has become very hard to find Bell 206 magazine says: HELITECH INTERNATIONAL J poli-transport. Expect a lot of Squirrels

e of the Air (SERA) come into force on Happy Christmas from everybody Docklands, UK ISSN 1743-1042. t have sold them and owners been given r u

http://www.helitechevents.com All rights reserved. Opinions expressed herein are not neces - o a good price for those that do come on December 4 this year, but despite this at Helicopter Life magazine. sarily those of the pub lishers, the Editor or any of the editorial C h fact we are no further forward in hav - P the market. The JetRanger is around 50

staff. Reproduction in whole or in part, in any form whatever, a r

g years old so it just shows that light heli - ing a definite text of the rules now

is strictly prohibited without specific written permission of o t

the Editor. o than we were in the summer.” h copters do have endurance. P 4 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 5 A eriAl F orum Royal netherlands Air Force celebrates 50 years of the Alouette 111

Words and pictures by Arjan Dijksterhuis

Alouette 111 celebrates 50 years of flight

get people out of the water! The Alouette II was found to be small and it had it’s limitations in range which resulted in the demand for a larger and more powerful helicopter for the Search and Rescue operations. A committee was formed to make a recommendation for a new type of light-utility helicopter. Multiple types were considered, however, the decision came from on high that only one type of helicopter could be chosen. After a period of recommendations, evaluations and negotiations the decision was made in favour of the French Sud Aviation SE-3160 Alouette III. The prototype of the Alouette III made its maiden flight on 28 February ifty years of the Alouette 111! No other type of air - manoeuvres that the Grasshoppers demonstration team 1959 and its design is based on the Alouette II, its smaller craft has been operational within the Dutch used to fly back in the old days when they were well predecessor. Another advantage was that many parts were Fdefence for such a long time and even though she known in Europe. compatible. The new helicopters also replaced most of the is an old lady she is still going strong. Only four of the The big flood in 1953 made it clear that more helicop - Piper Super Cub and the DHC-2 Beavers. A contract for original seventy-seven are still operational and these are ters were needed. The Royal Netherlands Navy operated twenty-one helicopters, worth 23 million Francs, was operated by 300 Squadron, which is based at Gilze-Rijen with only one Sikorsky S-51 ‘Dragonfly’ helicopter dur - signed by the Army which had to pay for the helicopters Air Base in the south of the Netherlands. ing that period. Two years later, in June 1955, the first which were being operated by the Air Force. More of this The Royal Netherlands Air Force celebrated the 50th three of thirty-five OH-23B Ravens arrived. This was the type were bought afterwards, with a total of seventy- anniversary of the Alouette III on Friday 12 September first type of helicopter within the Royal Netherlands Air seven helicopters. 2014 with a reunion of former employees who have Force. Almost four years later, in March 1959, the first worked with or on this type. The Portuguese Air Force two of eight Alouette II helicopters arrived that were In the next issue of Helicopter Life you can read more and the Belgian Navy Heliflight attended with two and bought for Search and Rescue/Tactical Air Rescue about the fifty years of Alouette III operation with the one Alouette III respectively to celebrate the anniversary. (SAR/TAR) operations. Royal Netherlands Air Force, including the Grasshoppers During the open days and the reunion, a trio of The OH-23 Hiller proved not to be that suitable for period, deployments abroad and more. Alouette IIIs flew a demonstration with some of the search and rescue operations. A rope had to be used to

6 HELICOPTER LIFE, Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE, Winter 2014 7 F lyinG C rACkerS F lyinG C rACkerS

Indian AF Baby Rescue helicopter and pilots wasted no time of the UK’s fast-growing expertise “The Bell 407GX has seen tremendous success here in the design and rapid manufacture Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter in setting course back for Leh. The in China,” said Chris Jaran, Bell Helicopter’s vice of composites - a key focus of the pilots carried out a rescue operation woman was still bleeding and the president, China. “The aircraft’s versatility is a key UK government’s long term indus - to successfully evacuate a woman condition of her new born was also differentiator for us. We have numerous customers trial strategy. The NCC's mission is and her newborn baby, who were in critical. The helicopterslanded at Leh performing multiple roles in the same aircraft, and “To be an independent, open-access distress, from a remote and inhos - by sunset. The mother and baby with just a quick interior change, this aircraft can go national centre that delivers world- pitable region of Ladakh in were immediately transferred to from one mission to another.” class innovation in the design and November. The woman was reported Sonam Norbu Hospital at Leh for The Bell 407GX is adaptable to a variety of mis - rapid manufacture of composites to be suffering due to an obstructed further medical attention. sions and features the Garmin G1000HTM avionics and facilitates their widespread delivery and the lives of both mother package and enhanced safety features. The aircraft is industrial exploitation.” and child were said to be in danger. First Chinese Rescue Op able to store critical flight data that can be retrieved area and rushed to a hospital. Policemen transfer injured passen - on an SD card allowing maintenance crews to meas - London Air Ambulance Hosts The place is located in a remote part gers from a bus accident to a hospi - ure and track certain flight parameters. Charity Carol Concert of Ladakh, without any road links, at tal in Shanghai using helicopters in London’s Air Ambulance is hosting an elevation of 16200 feet, with only early November. Three police heli - an exclusive, star studded Christmas a foot track connecting the hamlet to copters were deployed to rescue Carol Concert at St Stephen the nearest village of Pang. This victims after a coach carrying 49 in the Arctic, after the young bear became separated from Walbrook Church on the 10th meant that the IAF helicopters were overturned, killing six and injuring its mother. December. The charity that delivers their only hope for survival. 43. This is the first time for the The Mi-26 was carrying out a routine transport flight in an advanced trauma team to critical - The Siachen Pioneers, a helicopter police in China to use helicopters the Arctic zone, delivering goods from Anadyr to Wrangel ly injured people in London, will fill unit of the IAF at Leh, on receiving in rescue operation. Shanghai Island, when one of the crew spotted a lone polar bear cub Sir Christopher Wren’s enchanting the distress call at 1300 hours on police purchased two EC135s and wandering along the Chukotka shore. The crew carried out church with the sound of Christmas Saturday, quickly planned the mis - one EC155 in 2007. It is not known several sweeps of the area, but there was no trace of the if these helicopters were used in the to raise funds for its life-saving cub's mother. The decision was therefore taken to pick up rescue. service. Three seasoned choirs will the polar bear cub. lead the musical celebration while a AW119 in China The crew landed the Mi-26 and fanned out in search of the London HEMS Award host of well-known faces will bring AgustaWestland and Sino-US Intercontinental polar bear cub. When they found it, it was exhausted and London’s Air Ambulance, the to life the story of Jesus’ birth. announced the sale of an AW119Kx single engine showed no sign of aggression, in fact, it moved toward charity that delivers a 24/7 BBC London presenter Victoria helicopter to a private operator in China. The aircraft them. After giving it some warm food, the helicopter crew advanced trauma team to critically Hollins, actress Donna Air and Lady will be delivered by the end of this year and will be took it on board. injured people in London, has Moss, wife of the legendary British used to perform passenger transport operations in the The crew said the cub was calm during the flight, wan - received a ‘Life Saver’ award from racing driver, will each deliver a country. dered around inside the helicopter, looked around, and biblical message that reveals the true sion. Within minutes, two helicopter - Word 4 Weapons, recognising the Sino-US Intercontinental acts as an official non- made friends with the people who rescued it. They named meaning of Christmas. swere launched under the Command work the charity does responding exclusive distributor for AgustaWestland civil heli - it Umka, after a well-known Russian cartoon about a of Wg Cdr BS Sehrawat, CO of the to and treating casualties of gun copters in China, excluding Hong Kong and Macau, young polar bear Umka who was particularly curious Unit. The valley to Phuang Phirste is and knife crime in the Capital. Bell at Zhuhai Air Show and placed orders for twenty helicopters in about its surroundings. After landing, the crew contacted very narrow and experiences heavy So far this year (1 January to 30 Bell Helicopter announced the sale September 2013 comprising AW119Ke single environmental protection authorities and handed the cub turbulence during afternoons. Severe September), London’s Air of six Bell 407GX aircraft at engine, GrandNew light twin, AW169 light interme - over to them. The Mi-26 crew helped support the popula - s

Airshow China in zhuhai. The air - r Ambulance has treated 1,303 e diate, AW139 intermediate and AW189 super medi - tion of this endangered species, registered in Russia's Red

turbulence in the valley, limited t P

patients, of these 328 were either craft will be used for a variety of o Book of species under threat. The young polar bear is now C um helicopters. The partnership has further expand -

space for manoeuvring and an unpre - i l stabbed or shot. missions from aircraft leasing to e pared dusty surface for landing made h ed the presence of the AW119, GrandNew and in a wildlife reserve on Wrangel Island. n

general aviation. a i AW139 models and introduced the whole Family of Mi-26 helicopters, which are used to transport cargo in the the task even more challenging, the s s u Arctic zone, are the largest heaviest-lifting series produced release said. Composite Centre phase Two r new generation types also including the AW169 and f In November, the official opening o AW189 into China. helicopters in the world, and can transport up to 20 tonnes

On reaching the hamlet, Wg Cdr y s e

Sehrawat got down from the helicop - of the second phase of the UK’s t of equipment and large cargo on an external sling or inter - r u

highly successful National o nally. Mi-26 helicopters are also used in transporting ter and enquired about the woman C Bear Cub Rescued by Russian Helicopters h

P troops, fuel, medical evacuation, and for firefighting. The and her child, using sign language. Composites Centre (NCC) took a The crew of a Russian Mi-26 military helicopter r g

They were safely taken onboard the place. Established just three years o from the Eastern Military District Army Aviation air - helicopter is produced at Rostvertol, a Russian Helicopters t o

ago, the NCC is already at the heart h company.

P base saved a baby polar bear from starving to death

8 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 9 n ew l eTTerS To The e diTor T eChnoloGy For h eliCopTerS 59 Great Ormond Street, London WC1N-3Hz, England. Telephone: 020-7430-2384, Email: [email protected]. Letters to the Editor continued on page 12 & 13 Please include your name, and email or phone. Whilst I was Chief Project Engineer at Westland, I Emergency Breathing System conceived the idea, in 1967, of an unmanned helicopter First Flight of the Bell 505 JetRanger Lite of Plan-symmetric configuration to replace military Dear Georgina observation helicopters which were becoming extremely I have just read your article on Emergency Breathing vulnerable over the battlefield. The UK MOD was affordably priced. With a cruise speed of 125+ knots, System (EBS) for North Sea Helis. I am an offshore ell Helicopter, announced the successful first flight impressed with the possibilities and awarded us a study range of over 360 nautical miles and useful load of 1,500 worker and have been through the training course for of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X™ helicopter on 10th and then a development contract. pounds, the Bell 505 offers best-in-class performance. The the EBS. I have also been through the same course in November 2014. The maiden flight took place at It also became obvious that such systems would have B Jet Ranger X is a multi-mission helicopter, designed to Canada a couple of years ago. The UK system is not as the company’s Mirabel, Québec manufacturing facility. considerable potential for civilian operations. meet a wide variety of missions with its fully flat floor, good as the Canadian system. All my shipmates can not "Bell Helicopter pioneered the short light single market, In 1980, I moved to ML Aviation where we designed increased cabin volume and clam shell doors that will pro - understand why the CAA and the Step Change in and here we are nearly fifty years later, changing the way and developed the “Sprite” System from the start to vide customers the configuration flexibility needed in Safety committee have decided on a system that is the world flies once again,” said Matt Hasik, senior vice meet the British Civil Airworthiness Requirements today's market. It can support a wide variety of operations uncomfortable to use and difficult to retain in your president of commercial programs at Bell Helicopter. “We (BCAR section G) as well as meeting the military air - categories, including the utility segment, corporate and mouth. When I used the system it made me gag. On the have seen tremendous response from the market for the worthiness requirements of Av.P.970 and 32. private owners, and training schools. The combination of other hand the Canadian system uses a mouth piece or Bell 505, and today’s exciting flight marks another step In rigorous rig and flight testing and extensive flight capabilities, performance characteristics and value will be Tit -sorry but that's what it is known as- the same as a toward delivering the high-performance, high-value air - trials, we demonstrated full compliance with those backed by Bell Helicopter's industry-leading customer mouth piece found on sports divers breathing demand craft our customers have been asking for.” requirements. service and support. valve. The mouth piece is both comfortable and easily The Bell 505 was designed based on extensive input The aircraft had several complementary systems The Jet Ranger X is one of three new aircraft currently retained in the mouth. Also, when being used the mouth provided by a Customer Advisory Council (CAC). Bell ranging from two separate and completely independent under development at Bell Helicopter. The company is piece does not make you gag. I hope the powers that be Helicopter unveiled the Jet Ranger X at HELI-Expo 2014 power plants with their fuel supply (it could hover on also developing the Bell 525 Relentless, the world’s first will revisit this subject and recommend a change in the in February and has already received more than 240 letters either one), to two independent communication links of commercial fly-by-wire helicopter, as well as the Bell V- design of the mouth piece. widely separated frequency bands governed by a logic of intent for the new model. “The Bell 505 performed exactly as anticipated today,” 280 Valor tiltrotor for the Department of Defense (DoD) system which automatically selected the link with the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort. Yours sincerely better signal. said Yann Lavalle, senior flight test pilot at Bell Edward Amaira. With this built-in reliability, an aircraft was flown Helicopter. “I am excited to be a part of the history of the over Washington in 1985, landing on the grass beside Jet Ranger legacy, an aircraft that defined the market near - the Pentagon helipad. (A photo was published in “Flight ly 50 years ago.” Drones, WPD and others International” at that time). “We hovered in the Bell 505, performed a low-speed I attach a photo of a Sprite aircraft on the ground and controllability assessment and flew two laps in the local Dear Georgina one returning to alight onto the deck of a US Navy ship traffic pattern. Our top speed today was 60 knots, and the I would like to congratulate you and team in produc - in the Gulf of Mexico. entire flight lasted approximately 30 minutes,” added Eric ing an excellent Autumn Edition of Helicopter Life. It continued on page 12 Emblin, senior flight test pilot at Bell Helicopter. so happens that, once more, it has touched on aspects The customer-driven design of the Jet Ranger X places of my career in helicopter development – that of pio - safety, performance and affordability at its forefront, neering the development of unmanned rotorcraft. blending proven systems with advanced technology and a I was a little piqued to read of a group calling itself sleek, modern design. The Bell 505 features a high visi - the “Drone Pilots Association”. The word “Drone” was bility cockpit equipped with the Garmin G1000H initiated by the gutter press with the aim of adding a Integrated Avionics Suite to provide pilots critical flight sinister dimension to Unmanned Aircraft Systems. A information at a glance. Bell’s newest commercial heli - drone was, of course, an unmanned aircraft used before copter is powered by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine WW2 for the express purpose of providing a dumb air - with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), borne target solely for gunnery practice. They were far which further reduces pilot workload. Additional removed from the sophisticated UAS of today. enhanced safety features include a high inertia rotor sys - I understand the need for a simple and short name tem delivering superior autorotation capabilities. for UAS. I would suggest “Robotic Aircraft” or The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is a five-seat, single-engine, “Aerobots”. They are not “Piloted” but operated. Hence turbine helicopter that is designed to be the safest and eas - perhaps Aerobot Operators Association or “AOA”? iest aircraft to fly in its category while still remaining

HELICOPTER LIFE, Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 11 10 m ore l eTTerS To The ediTor m ore l eTTerS To The ediTor

have had that in Afghanistan). tion. For an essential resource so important to the pub - continued from page 10 The Telegraph and the Royal Aeronautical Society Unfortunately, UK politics prevented all acquisitions lic, haulage industry, businesses and the economy, why magazine) started the organisation now known as except one system comprising two aircraft and a is there no transparent pricing control? During its successful world-wide trials in several WPD. ground control station built into a Swedish Army vehicle. We believe Oil Speculators are stopping the price countries from the sub-tropical climate of Southern Sox, of course, was our Chief Test Pilot at Bristol It was an exciting programme which I am proud to decrease happening quicker for their own profiteering Florida in 1989 to the snow and ice of Northern Helicopters. When the Company was acquired and have led. There is still nothing like it available any - motives." Sweden, Sprite Systems demonstrated their ability to closed down by Westland in 1963, the staff looked for where. All of the FairFuelUK Campaign's Core Objectives perform in numerous military and civilian applica - other jobs, many overseas. Sox set up the powerline Best wishes, can be seen at: tions. One popular civilian application was that of inspection organisation with the South-West Reg Austin http://www.fairfueluk.com/manifesto/FairFuelUK_man powerline insulator inspection. Electricity Board and started operations with a single ifesto.html The aircraft body was designed as a fully-silvered Bell 47 for which he asked me to obtain CAA Faraday Cage which protected its internal systems approval for the operation – which I did! China and the Use of HUDs Howard Cox from all types of radiation whether from high-voltage We had 35 different countries eager to buy Sprite [email protected] powerlines or ship’s radars etc. The former was con - Systems for both civilian and military operations. The Dear Georgina www.fairfueluk.com firmed in the Electricity Board’s facility at aircraft was of modular construction and carried rapid - Thales has always made a big deal of the importance Leatherhead and the latter from radars on Royal Navy ly interchangeable payload packs designed for differ - of HUDs (Head up Displays) in the civil aviation mar - ships at Portsmouth. ent operations. Health and Safety ket, not just because we are a world leader in the I was therefore interested to read your report on the Apart from Powerline Inspection, Sprites could oper - development of these products and have been since the Western Power Distribution Unit’s activities with the ate in a number of other civilian roles including coast Dear Georgina, 70s but because we truly believe they improve safety EC135. Our trials in 1985, flying a Sprite with the guard security operations and lifeboat support. I subscribe to your magazine and have had my in air travel and situational awareness of pilots, mak - Niagara-Mohawk Power Corporation in New York With a Sprite aircraft and Control Station based at PPL(H) which I am in the process of revalidating. The ing their lives better. State near the Canadian Border, closely paralleled each lifeboat station, on receiving a distress call, a most recent issue of your Magazine had an article It seems the the Civil Aviation Authority of China your experience. However, the Corporation’s engi - Sprite would take-off as the lifeboat was launched to relating to health & safety. (CAAC) decided they agree with us. After the publica - neers were most impressed with the ability of the UAV detect the vessel in distress and / or seek for bodies in I was at a Steam Fair in Cheshire this year and purely tion of the ‘Head up Display Application Roadmap’ in to fly in weather conditions in which a manned heli - the sea using a powerful thermal imager. It would then by chance spotted this information tied to the front of 2012, the CAAC has made HUD a priority in order to copter would be grounded. guide the lifeboat to the scene and, if at night, illumi - an old tractor that was being exhibited. It was entitled: improve the safety and efficiency of its airlines. Work with the UK Electricity Board’s EAT research nate the scene. “Get rid of idiots”. Within the next 2 years, all aircraft will have to be station showed that the cost of operating Sprites in the One of the more sophisticated payloads which was The letter was an extract written by L A Bullis of fitted with HUDs, creating a potential market of role was only 1/3 of using a manned helicopter or a available but which was being further improved was Phoenix Arizona printed in a magazine called Harpers, around 1000 aircraft in linefit and retrofit. ground-based team as well as causing far less environ - one to detect and destroy buried land-mines and IEDs. presumably American. I think it is quite apt for today’s Today Thales is the sole supplier of Head Up mental disturbance than either of those earlier methods. Detection was by a combination of thermal imager society. Displays on the entire Airbus aircraft family from Another connection that I had with your feature was and ground-penetrating radar and destruction by a A318 to A350WXB, including NEO and now reaching that Sox Hosegood (Who sadly died in February this powerful pulsed acoustic beam or, if that failed, a “Every day some do-gooder is trying to save us from the 5th generation of Head Up Displays. year and for whom I wrote his obituary published in guided explosive dart. (Our troops would have liked to ourselves. We have so many laws and safety commis - Many thanks sions to ensure our safety that it seems nearly impossi - Giaime Porcu ble to have an accident. The problem is that we need Thales - Media Relations accidents and lots of them. Danger is nature’s way of Twitter:@ThalesPress eliminating stupid people. Without safety stupid peo - ple die in accidents...... With safety, however well intentioned it may be, we are devolving into half-wit - Campaign for Cheaper Fuel ted mutants, because idiots, who by all rights should be dead, are spared from their rightful early graves Dear Georgina, and are free to breed even more imbeciles” The 1 million UK Supporters of the FairFuelUK Campaign call on Danny Alexander to set up an OFT Not totally true but it did raise a smile. Enquiry into the pricing process at the pumps. His call Great magazine, thank you. for oil companies and retailers to lower prices today is a bit rich and opportunistic when the Government Yours sincerely, already takes over 62% in Tax. FairFuelUK has called for a 3p cut in duty since it has proven that cutting Jon Chorlton duty is good for growth, new jobs and lowering infla - e-mail:- [email protected]

12 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 13 HeliTech International in Amsterdam

Mock-up of the AW169

Words Georgina Hunter-Jones pictures Arjan Dijksterhuis

he new look International HeliTech was, for the financing is a growing industry, driven mainly by the first time, held outside the UK, this time in buoyant oil and gas sector, and increasing demand for TAmsterdam in Holland. At the show in October, EMS aircraft. there were 180 exhibitors from 21 different countries Other companies at HeliTech chasing similar deals including over 65 first-time exhibitors. The changes in were Waypoint LCI and Macquarie Rotorcraft. the type of show, from operator led to B2B, was obvious The second avenue was the suggestion by Bristow in the importance given to the conference, rather than to CEO Jonathan Baliff that helicopter OEMs need to give floor exhibitors and demonstrations, as at HeliTechs in better support to manufacturers when it comes to provid - 2012 and earlier. ing after sales service and through-life support. He point - There were a couple of interesting avenues suggested ed out that risk sharing was unevenly balanced in the at the Rotorcraft Forum that accompanied the show. One civil helicopter industry said: was that fleets of helicopters, being moveable assets “We need to share our availability risk with our might be bought by off-shore companies as investment OEMs, so, if we don’t achieve a certain level of helicop - assets, in the way that fleets of jet aeroplanes already are. ter availability, the OEM can provide an aircraft or spare As an example of this, Aoife O’Sullivan, Head of parts or whatever is needed. Right now it is a negotiation Finance at Kennedy’s Aviation in Ireland, cited GE – it needs to be contractually obligated, like it is in the Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) acquisition of the fixed-wing industry.” Dublin based helicopter lessor Milestone Aviation Group What he is suggesting would mean a change in the way Airbus Helicopters EC145 in a $1.7 billion deal. She pointed out that helicopter large operators buy helicopters. In the future, the tendency

14 HELICOPTER LIFE Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE Winter 2014 15 The Bell 429 used by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance a first for the UK

subsidiary INAER Aviation Italia. helicopters, Blue SkyNetwork which featured two new Cobham launched two new products at the show. satellite communication technology solutions, and ATC AW189 is of increasing Firstly, a manually-operated wearable personal overboard interest to the O&G with a compact mobile ATC unit designed for helipads survival system 'Survivor+', which is a new class of mar - market and heliports. Making its first European appearance was itime safety system incorporating a SOLAS-approved the StartStick start battery from Telemeter Electronics. inflatable life jacket and a tethered single person life raft The show came at an exciting time for the helicopter into a compact. And secondly, a Helicopter Emergency will be to buy larger numbers of fewer types of aircraft, but The Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2 and EC145 T2 were market, which now has the best growth since 2010. Egress Lighting System (HEELS). The company claims only if there is some risk sharing with OEMs. on display at the booth. Airbus Helicopters also However, many operators cautioned any hopes of return - this offers superior brightness, making it easier for pas - He said: “when it comes to risk-sharing…some OEMs announced two major services improvements: an extend - ing to the ‘madness’ of 2008. The market is now growing sengers to identify exits after an emergency over-water are ahead of others.” ed Secured Standard Exchange policy offering customers more steadily, and therefore more sustainably, seemed to helicopter ditching. In the past, aircraft contracts have focused on the pur - the possibility of immediately exchanging a part needing be the general impression. Other exhibitors showcasing new products and tech - chase itself, not the life of the aircraft or what is going to repair or overhaul with another serviceable part and a The next event will be held at ExCeL in London from nologies included Pall Aerospace with its PB110D happen in year twenty when it needs spares, Baliff Secured Turnaround Time (TAT) service of 45 days for 6-8 October 2015. explained. “The OEM supply chain needs to be able to equipment repair and overhaul. PUREair dry barrier filters for the Bell 206L and 407 anticipate what will happen in year twenty… not just Bell had the Wiltshire Air Ambulance 429 helicopter what’s happening in years zero to five.” on display at its booth, this helicopter was unveiled on These two avenues were brought together when Baliff 24th October in the UK, and will be in use from 1st voiced his concern about the state of equity capital January 2015. It will be the first Bell 429 to be used for underpinning the helicopter industry. He pointed out that EMS in the United Kingdom. low interest rates had lulled the industry into a state of John Garrison was present on the first day of the show security that would not continue when the interest rates to announce that Bell has made the first Bell 429 go up. “You are going to see a lot of stress in this indus - Wheeled Landing Gear (WLG) sale in Europe. This heli - try from a financial standpoint,” Baliff said. copter will be fitted with the world's first Bell 429 Bristow Helicopter’s have apparently stockpiled $700 MAGnificent luxury cabin interior, created by Mecaer. million to allow operations to continue in unstable eco - The Mecaer Aviation Group was demonstrating its nomic conditions. AW169 VIP mock-up interior cabin at the show. Hardware at the show included the Wiltshire Air Robinson Helicopters’ Kurt Robinson was present Ambulance Service recently purchased Bell 429, in its throughout the whole show. A long awaited Robinson new livery, a Cabri G2, a Hughes 500, a Robinson R44, R66 arrived at the show late on the second day, having and eventually a R66, which took two days to arrive been held up by bad weather in the UK. EASA certifica - from the UK, having been held up by bad weather. tion for the Robinson was finally given this year, four At the show, AgustaWestland announced two contract years after many other countries. signings. One with the Norwegian Norsk Luftambulanse Waypoint Leasing used the Amsterdam event to for an AW169 light twin-engine intermediate helicopter announce a contract with Bristow for the sale and lease - to be used for EMS, the other with Bel Air of Denmark back of two Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. Waypoint also The Guimbal Cabri G2 used who took delivery of its first AW189 super medium heli - announced the establishment of a partnership with by the Helicentre at copter, celebrated at a handing over ceremony during the Avincis. Under the arrangement, Avincis will lease two Lelystad Airport exhibition. AgustaWestland AW139s, which it will operate for its 16 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 17 Seven at a Blow

Roderick Snell with GFLIT JohnWhite with GWHOO Rotorway Record 12th September 2014 Leaving Bagby the weather had turned to marginal VMC , 1000 ft vert and around 5 K viz. Story by John White, Photographs by Stephen Peek We plodded on to Wickenby to fuel again and then to Fenland for even more fuel! If you think the range must be pretty poor , you would be A Rotorway first in the UK: Seven in right, but these wee choppers are all about smiles per mile and they surely deliver on that!! Kevin Longhurst’s garden... never Calling ahead to Stansted, we are told no VFR transit due have so many been seen ... to the weather ( really due to staff shortages no SVFR!!) ...now the pilots aim for ten. Nothing for it but to stop in Fenland overnight and try again in the morning. Nick Beehoo turned out to be a knight in shining armour. he date had been planned tentatively; so many vari - As he was also leaving for the meet at Kevs , he arranged ables to consider. Kevin Longhurst so long a champi - to collect me from my B&B and fly in formation to Ton of the Rotorway in the UK had put the feelers out Stansted. to see how many British registered Rotorways he could have 0740 off we go , initially good with reasonable viz until gathered in his garden in Kent, the garden of England. the solid wall of fog at Cambridge. A quick 180 and back to

Fortuitously, it coincided with my yearly trip south to P Fenland to sit it out.

Southern Helicopters for G-WHOO's annual inspection. h Two hours on the ground and we are good to go,clear

e However, as usual, the good old weather had a few cards t over Cambridge and Stansted, happy days!

f to play before the stars were to align! o 1130 sees us both safely at St Farm where the first class

Leaving Scotland in glorious sunshine as the high pressure t refuelling by David Bull saw us both in the air and enroute

u had settled over the land I made my way south, stopping o to Kent pronto.

s firstly on some moorland to to up fuel ( bigger tanks and h A superb dual formation to Kevs saw us take in some

Kevin Longhurst, owner of the garden a

more power would be nice!) then on to Eshott to properly g great views, over the Thames and even over G-WHOO's

with GKEVL o t Paul Vaughan with GCBJV fuel up for the first overnight stop at Bagby International. o old base on Canvey Island.

P 18 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 19 Iain Brown with GKARN Peter Scheiwiller with GBVTV

The 'Gathering' was easy to find from above, where else in Kent are you ever going to find four Rotorways in one place? Nick and I made six and after a while we were joined by the Exec90 of Peter Scheiwiller, resplendent in his Swiss mountain rescue livery. Many photos were taken for posterity and a warm wel - come from Kevin with refreshments laid on for all atten - dees. The chance to swap experiences and advice was great and hopefully we can do it all again and maybe even increase From left to right: Peter Scheiwiller, Iain Brown, Nick Beehoo, Roderick Snell, the numbers. Paul Vaughan, Kevin Longhurst and John White (author of this piece). Our trip culminated with a three ship formation back to St Farm over flying the eastern Essex countryside en route. Personal distance travelled for this trip 455 miles, not bad for a 'toy' helicopter as some would have it described!!! A big thanks to all who made this possible ( you know who you are!) As I write G-WHOO is having her annual and being upgraded to the cog belt drive system, eliminating the oil leaks . It was really encouraging to see the enthusiasm generated and great to know there are several pilots undergoing their type rating conversion to type. All this and the recent changes at Rotorway HQ make for a promising future. Nick Beehoo with GNJBA

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l n e a o p S e a r s o d o v i n - t c p r s i o ’ r i s e e c t s u i e - e s a 2 t e - e t l 3 . EC145 Delivered to Peru Police Dyfed-Powys Police Join nPAS eru’s Ministry of the Interior has added the final EC145 helicopter to Pthe modernized fleet of the National Police of Peru (PNP). The first four air - craft have already accumulated more than 800 flying hours. In addition to surveil - lance operations and support for parapub - lic missions, the EC145 has proven itself to be a reliable and effective ally in the PNP’s fight against illegal mining in the Madre de Dios region on the border with Bolivia and Brazil. The helicopters have also successfully completed more than 20 sea rescue and MEDEVAC missions in Lima and Callao. The deal for these new EC145s includes a technology transfer program that provided training for EC145 performs police and public service missions in s more than 14 pilots and 20 technicians of the PNP. In Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. With a payload capacity of r e t P

addition, the PNP and the French Gendarmerie have been more than 1.7 tons and a range of 370 nautical miles, the o C i l engaged in an operational exchange program to provide PNP’s new EC145s can transport up to 10 passengers. e h s in-depth training on the tactical uses of these next-gener - They are also equipped with PA systems, a siren and u b r i

ation aircraft. Just a few weeks ago, the PNP participated multi-frequency radios for hub-and-spoke communica - a f in high-mountain rescue exercises in the French Alps as tions. One of the helicopters features a state-of-the-art o y

s olice and Crime Commissioner Christopher specialist teams around Dyfed-Powys’s 4,188 square e part of this program. infrared camera. This new high-definition camera, the t r

u Salmon and Chief Constable Simon Prince have miles, gathering intelligence including using automatic o

The EC145 has also been a success in the Americas. only one in the country, will transmit live images to the C spent several months working towards a deal with number plate recognition and video. h

In the USA the government purchased 345 units to command center or ground units, which will optimize P

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r the new National Police Air Service (NPAS) which is A helicopter takes around 12 minutes to search a g

replace the Army’s UH-1Hs. In Latin America, the surveillance and civil security missions. o t being rolled out following a review of air support for square mile at a cost of £160 – an operation that would o h

P England and Wales. take 12 police officers 454 hours at a cost of around Eurofighter new Radar The deal, due to take effect next year, will see Dyfed- £4,680. Powys’s own helicopter remain at Pembrey then be This year (note: 2014) the Dyfed-Powys helicopter has he Eurofighter will be equipped with a new generation of radar replaced at the same airport by an Airbus EC135 helicop - played a major role in recovering property worth more Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH and ter owned and maintained by NPAS. than £120,000, locating 23 vulnerable and missing peo - which will enhance the aircraft’s capabilities and substantially NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado improve the pilots’ ability to survive. During a meeting of the It will see air support for Dyfed-Powys drawn from ple, and transporting seven people with life threatening T Management Agency) signed a 1 billion multiple bases and with a number of aircraft. Emergency injuries to hospital. defence state secretaries of the Eurofighter nations (Great Britain, euro contract to develop a new, electroni - Germany, Italy and Spain) held in Edinburgh, representatives of response will be provided from Pembrey and St Athan, Flying times include Pembrey to Aberystwyth in 24 cally scanned radar, the so-called near Cardiff, and the force will be able to call on support minutes; the equivalent road journey of around 64 miles ‘Captor-E’. from NPAS helicopters at Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, and takes around 112 minutes. The main advantage of the Captor-E is Halfpenny Green, Wolverhampton. The Dyfed-Powys helicopter unit has provided an eye- its ability to perform several tasks practi - Salmon said: “I’ve been determined for this police in-the-sky service for 23 years. Led by Inspector Ian cally simultaneously. This means that the force to improve air cover across Carmarthenshire, Richards and featuring a sergeant, two pilots and five pilot is able to scan a wide area in front Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys. observers, it operates a 10-year-old Agusta 109E Power of the aircraft or on the ground, while “This force covers a huge area - more than half of helicopter. The new arrangements will see seven of identifying ground targets or tracking Wales - and policing locations so far apart brings unique Dyfed-Powys’s nine helicopter personnel transfer to individual flying objects at the same time. challenges.” NPAS. They will cover Dyfed-Powys but will also fly The new technology enables an increased The new service will cost Dyfed-Powys Police around outside the area. range in target acquisition and target £890,000 a year. The existing service cost the force NPAS, funded by all forces in England and Wales, aims tracking and, thanks to the rotating anten - around £1.1m in 2013-14 and is budgeted to cost around to deliver a cost-effective national, borderless service mak - na, a considerably larger field of view, £1.2m in 2014-15. ing use of the nearest aircraft. It aims to improve upon cur - compared to other state-of-the-art combat The air service helps with searches for missing people, rent response capability. Aircraft will be available 24/7, aircraft. suspects and vehicles, casualty evacuation, transporting based at strategic locations in England and Wales.

24 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 25 Marathon Training Words and pictures by Broncho Aviation

ince 1986, the Kotroni Naval Air Base has been additional flight training was conducted on this type to ters were based at Hellinikon Athens International Marathon area on the northeast side of Athens. Naval Air the heart of Hellenic Naval Aviation. This small bridge the gap for the period 2013-2014 in which no new Airport. With the completion of the Naval Air Station Station Kotroni was finished in 1986 on top of the Sairport is situated south of Marathon village in student pilots were to be trained. In 2015, flight training Amphiali, in 1977, all operations were moved to this air - Kotroni hill. With the arrival of all thirteen AB-212s. The Greece. It is home to the fleet of Sikorsky S-70s and on the Alouette III will start or, alternatively, a decision field. Amphiali consists of one helipad, one ramp and Navy Aviation School was founded in 1992 to train avia - Augusta Bell AB-212ASW’s currently in use with the will be made to join forces with the Hellenic Army one hangar and would therefore become too small after tion professionals with a special focus on naval opera - Hellenic Naval Aviation (Elliniko Polemiko Naftiko). Flight School at Stefanovikio Air Base for initial flight the arrival of the AB-212 helicopters. Deliveries of the tions. It is also housed at Kotroni. The flying squadron The two Alouette III’s have been withdrawn from use training. AB-212’s helicopter started in 1979. To facilitate the use was divided into two flights called Sminos. Sminos of the new helicopters, a new airfield was built in the Alouette-3 and Sminos AB-212. Further modernizations (Summer 2013) and are awaiting their fate. In 2012, In the beginning, the Hellenic Naval Aviation helicop - , 26 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 27 The S-70B can conduct passive electronic warfare, attack surface targets with Penguin or Hellfire missiles by which target acquisition is supported by an Infra-Red system. Infra-Red system. Other capabilities in which crews are trained are night flying, Search and Rescue, VERTREP (Vertical replenishment), fast roping and MEDEVAC missions”. For night flying operations no night vision goggles are used. “With the decommissioning of the AB-212EW some years ago the electronic warfare capabilities were taken over by the S-70 fleet as of 2005. These are equipped with advanced electronic intelligence capability and pro - vide valuable information to the Naval Forces at sea. Also the S-70 is able to quickly provide an EOB (Electronic Order of Battle) which is crucial for the Naval Forces at sea” according to Commander Seen on the left wing are 4 Hellfire missiles of an S-70B. Stavropoulos. “Currently one of the AB-212s has been equipped with an experimental in-house developed system which con - sists of a moving map and GPS to show the position of the helicopter. Inputs are received from sonar, radar and AIS in order to combine a holistic view of the battlefield. Furthermore a new Sapphire II FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) system has been installed” according to 1 MEN Commander Savvatis. “The main difference on training compared to the Air Force or Army is that our Naval Aviators are specialized Close-up of a Penguin missile introduced in 1972 by in operations in a maritime environment. This particularly Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace. Once launched the missile includes shipboard operations and special training in ear - is initially guided until the autonomous terminal homing started in 1994, with the delivery of the first S-70B-6s Coast Guard Helicopters Squadron although this is an lier mentioned ASW and ASuW operations. The first phase. Propelled by a solid rocket engine, variants can per - ‘Aegean Hawk’ helicopters which were at first allocated independent organization belonging to the Hellenic Coast form random weaving maneuvers at target approach and continued on page 42 to Sminos Aegean Hawk. Deliveries continued unil Guard General Staff. strike the target close to the waterline. 1998. In 2007 an additional three S-70B’s were delivered “First squadron is responsible for the operational to the unit. training of aircrews and the maintenance of the eight Currently COMHELNAVHEL (Command Hellenic AB-212ASWs currently on strength” according to Naval Helicopters) is the overall organization for all Commander of the Hellenic Navy Helicopter Command naval aviation operations and is also based at Kotroni. Stavropoulos “The second squadron is responsible for Under its command, there are three divisions and two the operational training of aircrews and the maintenance squadrons. The first division is Naval Air Station of eight S-70B-6 and three S-70B helicopters. Kotroni, responsible for all logistic and technical sup - “Our helicopters are capable of performing multiple port. Secondly, there is Naval Air Station Amphiali, tasks. Of those hunting enemy submarines and surface which is available as a back-up airfield. The third divi - targets (Anti-Submarine Warfare-ASW/Anti Surface sion is the Navy Aviation School (Scholi Elikopteron Warfare- ASUW) are high on our tasks lists”. The ASW Naftikou, SEN). The majority of student pilots start with tasks can be performed by both the AB-212ASW as by their training on the Alouette III, but this type is also the S-70s. Both are equipped with medium frequency used for the conversion to the AB-212 or the S-70B-6. variable depth sonars. Three S-70Bs are equipped with Some students continue their initial flight training at the the Low Frequency Helicopter Long Range Active Sonar Army Camp at Stefanovikio. (HELRAS). Last but not least both helicopter types can

The sensor operators are also trained at SEN. deploy the MK-44 and MK-46 torpedoes” as h s Furthermore, all maintenance personnel and all ship’s Commander Stavropoulos highlights. o M f helo teams receive their training at SEN. First Squadron Looking at the ASUW needs both AB-212 as S-70B’s o y s e

(1st Mira Elikopteron Naftikou, 1 MEN) provides the are equipped with surface surveillance radar and AIS t r u personnel, facilities and assets for the AB-212s, where tracking system for detection of enemy surface targets. o C s

2nd Squadron (2nd Mira Elikopteron Naftikou, 2 MEN) Additionally, the S-70s can conduct passive electronic h The full crew of 1 MEN posing with 2 AB.212s P a

r and an Alouette 3. In the middle Commander does the same for the S-70’s. COMHELNAVHEL also warfare, attack surface targets with Penguin or Hellfire g o

t Savvatis. has the operational and administrative command over the missiles by which target acquisition is supported by an o h P 28 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 29 UK’s First Bell 429 HEMS Georgina Hunter-Jones and Gerald Cheyne Winter capture the Wiltshire Air Ambulance unveiling 2014

hen an Air Ambulance trust decides to buy a more important for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance (WAA) the police service currently taking place, WAA were Chris Lear, a trustee of the charity, who has owned sev - new helicopter there is always a question: do which had been sharing the police helicopter for the last recently made an independent trust. They needed their eral helicopters himself, explains that they had a choice Wwe go for what we know, or try for some - twenty-four years and consequently had had no choice own helicopter and, given the current market, they had of four in their price range: The EC135, The EC145, the thing completely different. This question was even in which type of helicopter to fly. Owing to changes in plenty of different types of helicopter to choose from. MD 902 or the Bell 429. WAA. Heli Charter recruited the pilots earlier this year and now have three: Steven Judd, the Group Chief Pilot responsible for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and all other Heli Charter operations fly - ing on the Bell 429, George Lawrence the Unit Chief Pilot at Wiltshire Air Ambulance., and Nicky Smith, who moves from the Kent, Essex and Sussex Air Ambulance service. Pilots are going to the Bell new outlet in Prague for train - ing will be ready for action by January 1st when the 429 goes on line and the charity separates from the police service. Having worked with the police, Wiltshire Air Ambulance were used to having night and day availability, and hence decided to recruit NVG and IFR trained pilots, and to have a full compati - ble NVG helicopter. All three pilots are ex-military. Sebastian Moulin, from European Bell Helicopters explained that Wiltshire is a very busy county in medical terms, hav - ing up until now had working hours of, Bell 429 unveiled at “nineteen hours a day, with the ability to Trafalgar Park in Wiltshire arrive anywhere in Wiltshire within 11 minutes. On average they are called out two to four times a day.” Chris Lear did test flights on all four machines and often does, it came down to their budget. Bell offered Wiltshire have just recruited a Base gave his report. Then the Charity (David Philpott, is the the best deal available with the Bell 429, Chris Lear and Doctor, Ed Valentine. There will be six CEO of WAA) and the trustees, (Mrs Mandy Clarke, the paramedics liked the space and flying characteristics critical care skills paramedics when the Chair, Chris Lear and six others) made their decision. of the machine, and no other helicopter came close. helicopter starts operations with an option The 135 was less spacious than the others, the EC145 When the Wiltshire Air Ambulance worked with the for eleven paramedics in total. While was (like AW109, slightly more than they could afford) police service, the pilots were provided by PAS (the there is always be at least one paramedic so they were soon down to a choice between staying Police Aviation Service) so this will be the first time the on board the doctor flies only if required. with what they knew, the MD902, or trying the charity has had their own pilots, although they are All the paramedics are provided and fund - unknown Bell 429. In the end, Lear explained, as it employed by Heli Charter, under the contract with ed by the South Western Ambulance NHS Matt Baskerville, para - Foundation trust (SWASFT) and the doc - medic, demonstrating tor is a volunteer. The charity chose an the Aerolite interior WAA Bell 429 on the Aerolite Medical Interior package. Western Hospital helipad Ross Culligan, paramedic, said that machine was designed with clamshell doors for rear access to make it they were very happy to be able to work easier to put stretchers into the machine. As previous helicopters with with their own helicopter, instead of hav - clamshell doors had had a problem with doors flapping, Bell have ing to share with the police, as now they designed a special hinged mechanism that allows the doors to fold can decide where to place the equipment back along the fuselage. However, WAA had previously worked with in the cabin, which previously was more the Explorer MD902, which had side entry for stretchers, and, after of a compromise position. For example, some debate about the advantages of either system, decided to stick “the suction unit can now be on the floor with the side-entry for the Bell 429. Matt Baskerville, paramedic, by the patient’s head, and the racking is explained that, this is, “because the ground handlers are generally where we want it.” used to this way of mounting the stretchers” and because, as he point - And the Bell 429 gave the paramedics ed out, keeping the back shut allows more room in the cabin, and a lot of choices. The original EMS allows positioning of the trakkabeam night-sun light under the boom

32 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 33 close to the body of the machine. Bell 429 Local dignitaries are Looking at the Bell 429 in flight, it is possible to see supporting the WAA For pilots, this is an easy machine to fly: it has a that it flies in a much flatter attitude than most helicop - four-axis autopilot and each engine has its own ters. Apparently, it was designed this way specifically FADEC, and although these are not strictly dual they for EMS flying. In EMS flying it is important to keep do monitor each other’s progress in the case of a the patient as flat as possible, and to this end EMS heli - FADEC failure. Chris Lear, testing the machine, said copters sometimes have to use blocks or pulleys to keep it feels like a big, powerful JetRanger. the patient level. In the Bell 429 this is not necessary. The Bell 429 is flown from the right and is usual - The Bell 429 developed from the Bell 427, which ly flown single pilot, although the software has been was itself originally conceived as an EMS helicopter, developed for single or dual pilot IFR. Wiltshire Air but was discovered to have too small a cabin to be real - Ambulance pilots will fly single pilot IFR. ly effective. The Bell 429, therefore, was developed The body is made in composite material, unusual with the EMS market in mind, and this thought contin - for a helicopter of its size, Bell decided to use com - ued right through to the engineering. As a result the 429 posite material for its lightweight and high tensile has big cowling panels and easy access for spanners and strength, and because it makes it easy to replace engineers. With a normal Part 135 EMS machine, before damaged parts. the engineer can work on the helicopter he has to take Walking around the helicopter it is clear that the out all the EMS equipment, and this can be a day’s 429 has a ‘cut off’ tail boom, and that slices have work. In the Bell 429 the mechanics go in from below, been cut from the back of the tail fin. This was done or, if they are working on the head or turbine, from to improve airflow through the tail rotor, and hence above. They never move the floor or the headliner. This also tail rotor effectiveness. is a great advantage for the mechanics as they save a When Bell were deciding what type of tail rotor day’s work moving all the EMS equipment, and there is to use they did many tests, including some with a no danger of damage to the equipment as it stays in situ. shrouded tail rotor and a NOTAR, but they found In the case of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the helicop - that these types of tail were not effective enough for ter will be run and maintained by HeliCharter, the Bell a helicopter of this size. They also did tests with a distributors, and they will do all the maintenance, charg - huge tail rotor, but although it was very effective the ing for the machine on a per-hour basis. However, small noise could be heard “five miles away”. So, they maintenance jobs can be done on-site. made it smaller, slowed it down, gave it the swept tips it has today and four blades. These blades are set in separate flight paths, and this has the effect of putting the cross-hairs at 90 degrees, which changes the harmonics and decreases noise and vibration. Unusually for Bell, the 429 has low inertia main rotor blades, but it does have four of them. This also helps to reduce the noise level. Bell says that the 429 is the quietest helicopter in its range. Tailrotor has four blades with swept tips, set in separate flight paths, to change the harmonics and decrease noise The FADEC system includes a fuel system that and vibration allows you to monitor the fuel, redirect it in the case s e

n of a blockage, and even, if you have an engine fail - o J -

r ure on one engine, to use all the available fuel in the e t n

u other engine. This was created as a safety feature h

a after problems with helicopters having engine fail - n i g

r ures even when there was still fuel on board the hel - o e

g icopter. D n a

The engine start is monitored by both the soft - D P ware and the pilot, who uses the large digital screens W f

o in the cockpit. As a safety feature, the software pre - y s

Trakka Night sun, note that the e vents the pilots putting the generator on before the t r

WAA does not use the u

o engine and warns him if he forgets it afterwards, clamshell door access prefer - C h using colour coding. The FADEC modulates the P

ring to use the side entrance a r

g start, but if it looks to be getting too hot the pilot o

for stretchers t

o must turn the ‘run’ switch off, and the starter will h P 34 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 35 then continue to motor and cool the engine. WAA Bell 429 uses Wiltshire has a variety of The Bell Helicopter Company worked with Pratt and duck feet on the skids terraine including wet Whitney to develop a workable single engine mode that to prevent them sinking and sloping ground would be easy for the pilots to use. into the soft ground Bell helicopter’s test pilot said: “In most helicopters if you do nothing after a failure then the engine will tend to overspeed or underspeed. The pilot is then going to have to make an input and move the throttle out of detent, and when moving the throttle, because the movement is not lin - ear the pilot will have to move it back and forward to get the result he needs. This is different in the 429 because No 1 engine realises that No 2 engine has had a problem. If I reduce power – just changing collective position, and then the other engine will react – but there is no detent on this machine, so I can move it through the range without any stickiness and it does have linear movement, so it goes where I want it to.” VNE is 155 knots with normal cruise at 130 to 150 knots. The power is one of the major things pilots comment on after flying this machine. It has two Pratt and Whitney Canada PW207D1s, which give 1,100 shp, and the gross weight is 7,000 lbs. There have been changes in the gross weight since the helicopter was first certified and some authorities now allow an all up weight of 7500 lbs. Although these authorities include the Isle of Man, they do not include EASA and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance will be flown with a maximum of 7000 lbs. Heli Charter have a ten year contract with WAA, and there is an option for a change of helicopter after five years.

Unusually for Bell there is a four blade main rotor with low inertia

The Bell 429 will be operated from the base at Devizes Police HQ until another permanent base is found for the HEMS service

36 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 37 Payerne Airshow, AIR 14 Belgian Agusta A109 showing an words and photographs by Tommaso Munforti escape manoeuver

ver a week of flying displays, with 150 people Spitfire, B25, B17 and super Constellation and many involved in the planning and taking three years, other. The most remarkable show was the midday flying while expecting more than 400 visitors; these are O display detailing the complete aviation history of the the numbers of the biggest air show in Swiss Air Force Swiss Air Force. history and one of the most important event all over the During the weekends many aerobatic team were pres - world in 2014. ent as Frecce Tricolori, Midnight hawks from Finland, To celebrate 100 years of Swiss military aviation, 50 Red Arrows, Patrouille de France, Spanish team Aguila, years of Patrouille Suisse and 25 years of PC-7 TEAM Jordan Falcons, and UEA Al Fursan. Swiss Air Force created a mind-blowing event in the In a full schedule the task of defending the rotor-wing skies over Payerne Air Force Base during the first week world was successfully accomplished by the Polish Mil of September with 4 main events, concentrated during Mi 24, the Belgian Agusta A109, the Italian A129, the the two weekends, each with different guests and differ -

French Tigre, the Bo-105 of the RedBull collection and i t

ent main theme: r o

by all the helicopters of Swiss Army from the glorious f

THE SKY OUTWATCH on August 30, ABOVE THE n u

Lama to the modern Ec-635. M

BATTLE FIELD on Agust 31, o s

Last but not least the Air14 will be also remembered a

THE SPIRIT OF AIR DEFENCE on September 6 and M M

as a green event. All possible efforts were performed to o

, 04 AIR14 Heavy Metal and evolution on September 7. t f

reduce the impact on the environment, although it isn’t o

Both static and flying display were rich and varied y t

really an air show without any noise or fuel consump - s e

enough to fill the day from nine to six pm. r

tion, but the flying activities, for example, were managed u o

The core of the show was reserved, as usual, for air - C

so that the amount of fuel used during the show will be s h planes like the EFA, the Polish Mig-29 and the Su-22, P a

approximately the same amount that would normally r F16s from Belgium, Holland and Greece, the French g o have been used in Payerne during normal flight service. t o

Rafale and war birds like F4 Corsair, PD51 mustang, h P 38 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 39 Italian Aerobati team Frecce Tricolori in a crossing pass r u k e s o r e a f o y t s e r u o C s h P a r g o t o h P

French Army Airbus Helicopters Tiger

Hungarian Mil Mi 24

Special Formation: AS332 Super Cougar flying with Swiss F18 dressed with special color of Payerne airshow 2014.

40 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 41 Aviators start with the Basic Pilot Training on the Alouette III. Upon successful completion, the training will continue to the next stage with either the AB-212 or S-70. Both stages consist of a ground school element and flight train - ing. In the second stage, in particular, the student pilot receives advanced naval operations training on every type of warfare being conducted. These trainings will com - mence both during the day as night. The naval pilots are mainly trained for night flying under multiple threats and high level of stress in a VFR (Visual Flight Recovery). “Students train eighty hours on the S-70 in order to quali - fy as a co-pilot. After around five hundred flying hours a co-pilot can transfer to status of pilot, then he has an addi - tional eighty hours of training” according to Commander Tsiros. “Based on our requirements we can train pilots to become an instructor”. Support Every six months mandatory training has to be conduct - staff are ed by all pilots for night operations. Each pilot will go necessary to through this so-called 6 months cycles in which 20 hours maintain night flying is combined with hoisting exercises. Another the helicop - cycle will consist of dipping and ASW operations. The ters level of difficulty is tailored to the experience of the pilots. Training of the S-70 pilots starts on the ‘older’ S- 70B-6 version; to achieve operational status on one of the continued from page 29 three S-70Bs and additional 50 hours of training will be required. Furthermore both units cooperate on regular AB212 pilot stage of training doesn’t differ from training in the other basis, simulator training, with their counterparts of the two branches of the armed forces. The ship borne opera - Spanish Navy (SH-60s at Rota) and in Dubai and Sweden tions focus on land-launch operations, hoisting, fast rop - for the AB-212. “This has proven to be a cost effective way of training our pilots” according to Commander of 1 Lt Commander Tsiros Theodoros, ing, VERTREP and ASW and ASuW operations, espe - of the S-70 squadron cially night operations. To conduct these exercises we MEN Vasileios ‘Vas’ Savvatis. are using SOPS (Standard Operational Procedures) manual in order to conduct these trainings” explains Kotroni Naval Air Station Commander Bekiaridis. He is the first non-pilot in this position. Previously he has been ASO/TSO on the S-70. The helicopter units are either stationed at one of the ‘Meko 200 HN’ Frigates which can host one helicopter or at one of the ‘Kortenaer (Elli Class)’ Frigates which can host one S-70 or two AB-212s. Currently, during 2014, one of the ‘Meko’ Frigates consisting of an S-70, two pilots, two co-pilots, four SENSO’s and ten mainte - nance crew are involved in operation ‘Atalanta’ accord - ing to 1 MEN Commander ‘Vas’ Savvatis. “Currently there are about eighty pilots connected to the units at Kotroni. In practice this means we have two flight crews per helicopter available. In order to meet our operational requirements we train on average two to three new pilots each year, except for 2013-2014 in which we have no Alouette III available for initial train - ing” concludes Commander Stavropoulos. “The trainings path consists of two stages” according Pilots and crew to Commander of 2 MEN Theodoros Tsiros. “All Naval of AB212

42 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 43 Night operations are conducted on regular basis. Every six months mandatory The Coast Guard squadron was established in 2006. The swimming training has to be conducted by all pilots for night operations. Each pilot does The unit operates currently six Dauphin helicopters. pool at Kotroni 20 hours night flying, combined with hoisting Although the squadron is subject to Navy Helicopter Command by means of administrative and operational control, it actually constitutes an independent organiza - tion belonging to the Hellenic Coast Guard. Because there was no previous experience in helicopter opera - tions, the Hellenic Navy is at present providing training to flight crews and maintenance personnel. Its main tasks are search and rescue, pollution control, fishery protection and prevention of illegal immigration. The first Aegean Dolphin arrived in February 2004 at Tatoi-Dekelia AB. The Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG) Helicopter Squadron was commissioned here and was fully operational by June 2004. In December 2005, the HCG Heli squadron moved to NAS Marathon and was placed under the operational command of the COMHEL - NAVHEL in order to expand its operations with the expertise of the naval counterparts. There is a combined training program installed to ensure that the HCG Helicopter Squadron is ready to take full advantage of the Dauphins capabilities. “The plan of the Hellenic Naval Aviation is to estab - lish a broadened Hellenic Naval Aviation Command under the Fleet Command. This will included both heli - copter as fixed wing operations. Furthermore there is an ongoing procedure for the acquisition of new training helicopters. The ambition for the next five years are to maintain and boost operational availability and integrate the fixed wing aircraft into a squadron under a Naval Aviation Command” concludes Commander Stavropoulos.

The Hellenic Coast Guard operates a fleet of six AS.565 Dauphin helicopters for search and rescue, pollution control, fishery pro - tection and the prevention of illegal immigration.

The Hellenic Navy is conducting night operations without any support technology (e.g. Night Vision Goggles). Each six months a training is conducted in which pilots train 20 hours in different scenarios

HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 44 45 49th Russian Open Competition moves to Kazan Words and pictures by Brenda McNicoll

rina Grushina, Head of the Federation of Helicopter Helicopter Team to fly in the event with his Russian Three other helicopters joined the convoy to Kazan in zAPY back to Russia for a second outing. The trip only Sport of Russia, mobilised the Russian Helicopter crewman Vasiliy Golovkin. the form of three R44s flown by Oleg Puajukas, Jury took in one stop at Druzhiny (this means friendly in ITeam some 750 kilometres to the east of their R22 pilot David Monks set out from the UK courtesy Yablokov and Andrey Orekhov. All four headed off on a Russian) for fuel before pushing on to Kazan. Moscow base to the World Heritage site of Kazan, in of Aeroflot to arrive in Moscow. The interesting part of blue sky day bound for the east. The effortless trip in David and Vasiliy, the least practiced crew in the the Republic of Taterstan, to compete in the 49th the journey started when David met up with Maxim the B407 took no longer than four hours, the epitome of event due to their respective geographical locations, met Russian Open Helicopter Championship. She also Sotnikov and they boarded Maxims Bell 407 at Volen armchair flying straight to Kurkachi Airfield, certain to up just two days before the event officially commenced extended an invitation to David Monks from the British just outside of Moscow to complete the trip to Kazan. have been less arduous than if David had taken G- to get in what practice they could whilst sharing an air - 46 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 47 craft with another crew. Competing against Russia's The current world champions makes the competitors even more competitive. Mil Mi-17 visiting the finest is no mean feat when you have many hours of - Alexander Zupherin and First up, was the navigation exercise. With twenty six games practice under your belt let alone only flying together Nikolay Borov - limbering up crews to go through their paces, this was an all-day event. once a year! for the parallel precision The course was roughly seventy kilometres long. As David and Vasiliy first flew together in Belgium at expected with an all-Russian pack the scoring was the Belgian Open Helicopter Championship in 2013 at extremely close with the highest score of the event being Saint Hubert, where after a day and a half of training an astounding 299.5 out of a possible 300 points, the hon - in David's R22, they pulled a sixth overall place out of ours going to Maxim Sotnikov and Oleg Puajukas. The the bag much to everyone's amazement. They have current world champions zupherin & Burov slotted in to also flown in the Moscow Air Races but all in an R22. second place a mere 0.2 behind the winners. Indeed, the So, to add to exceptionally low flying time together, first five past the post were all above 299 points with the they are now flying an R44 for the first time, they are next three all above 298 points. Our man slotted in at the sharing an aircraft and the maps are all in Cyrillic just second half of the mid field scores not having the best nav - to help David on his way. Still both looked forward to igation exercise that he and his Russian co-pilot could've repeating some of their Belgian success on Russian had. It may be worth mentioning for the purpose of con - soil. versation that David speaks no Russian and Vasiliy speaks Twenty-six crews went head to head in four events no English so how they ever manage to co-ordinate take over four days, the competition was bound to be enter - off remains a source of constant mystery to many. Be taining with the best of the best pitted against each other assured they have, however, conquered the finesse of their for their national title. The new World Helicopter rules respective languages and can both order beers! have an altered format across of all disciplines within Next up was the parallel precision, two aircraft with the competition, where we are all accustomed to seeing chains underneath, the three metre chain must remain on one helicopter at a time executing the discipline, there the ground and the one metre chain must not touch the are now two helicopters on the field at the same time ground and all to be flown through the new course involv - and all events are now of the parallel format. Much ing five runs up the track and four turns, with turn direc - more exciting for the spectators to watch and it certainly tions given on the day, and a precision landing. Again the

The Kamov 18 was another welcome visitor

Prikhodjko & Stavidjuk in the Mi2 do battle with Kurpitko & Zamula in the parallel slalom

48 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 49 Russian pack were all very closely placed with seven out of It would appear the Russian squad are battle Parking at the Hotel the top ten crews scoring over 290 out of three hundred, the ready for next years World Helicopter duBay in Kazan highest score - 299.1! Our Brit/Russian crew failed to create Championship in Poland where the parallel events any magic on new style the course coming half of the way will be showcased officially for the first time in a down the leader board. world event. The Russians have clearly embraced Event three was the parallel fender. Here the co-pilot holds the new regime and are already match fit for Poland on to an eight kilo yacht fender and steers it precisely through next year, or have they peaked too early? a course involving three gates and three barrels. The object is After a week of excellent Russian hospitality and to fly to each barrel via an entrance gate and deposit the fend - with the competition over, the ‘arduous’ task of fly - er in the large tub. The rope lengths varies for each one, start - ing the B407 back to Volen ensued along with the ing with four metres then increasing to six metres and lastly three other helicopters all Moscow bound. Another to eight metres. The event time for this is just sixty seconds. very hard but very enjoyable week in the skies of The Russians were clearly showing their practice regime suc - Russia and some excellent flying. cess as none at the top of the leader board needed the 60 sec - onds flight time. Sotnikov & Puajukas took the event with a penalty free 42 second run, their nearest rival clocking in at Irina Grushina announcing the prize giving just over forty six seconds. The first eight teams home all scored 300 points and our British/Russian team were in up there showing a return to their previous sparkling form in a fault free outing. An incredibly fast performance by many of the Russians with the top of the Russian performers all scor - ing over 285 points. Last up the new slalom. A course of six gates to fly twice, a bucket for a DIY water fill up after the start and then the bucket, hopefully still with water in it, to be placed on a tar - get table where the clear objective is to aim for the middle and with only two minutes 15 seconds for it all to happen in. Only the top four Russians managed to score over 290 points and the top ten all scoring over 277 points. Yet again The prize winners - Maxim Sotnikov Sotnikov & Puajukas won the event scoring 298.7 with their and Oleg Puajukas pick up the over - only penalty being loss of water and their time was a highly Prikhodjko & Stavidjuk in the all winners trophies respectable two minutes and eight seconds with the closest Mi2 do battle with Kurpitko & competitor over ten seconds behind them. Zamula in the parallel slalom All in all a thrilling competition to see the very best of the Russians up against each other with no prisoners being taken and some very good flying over the four events. The overall winners of the event were Maxim Sotnikov and Oleg Puajukas - they won three out of the four disciplines. Their overall score was 1192.5 with their biggest point loss going to the precision event where they dropped a massive, by Russian standards, 5.7 points putting them sixth for that event.

Bell 407

HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 50 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 51 Around the World First Delivery of Enstrom 480B-G Mi38 Certification Tests

ussian Helicopters (part of State Corporation equipped with TV7-117 engines at the Mil Moscow Rostec) has launched the final stage of certifica - Helicopter Plant assembly shop. The second phase of Rtion testing on the Mi-38 multirole helicopter. plant certification tests will run until the end of the year, nstrom Helicopter Corporation celebrated delivery secrets in the aviation world,” said Orlando Alaniz, Testing is being carried out on two prototype models of and will see work completed under the state contract with of the first model 480B-G to Rick Boswell of Director of Sales and Marketing at Enstrom. “That got the helicopter fitted with Russian TV7-117V engines. the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Industry and Trade ENew Hampshire in October. The 480B-G is my attention, and the 480B-G demonstrates we are work - On 3 November 2014, Russian Helicopters’ Mil for 2014. equipped with the Garmin G1000H glass cockpit. ing to change that.” Moscow Helicopter Plant received the fourth prototype The Mi-38 is a medium-lift multirole helicopter, “I’m a tech junkie,” says Rick. “When I heard about “We are thrilled to be a part of the 480B-G program of the Mi-38 in order to continue certification flight test - designed at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in accor - the Garmin G1000H, I had to have it. Partner it with the and proud of our strong partnership with Enstrom,” said ing. The helicopter is built at Kazan Helicopters, also a dance with AP-29 aircraft certification requirements. It is Enstrom 480B, and it’s my perfect helicopter.” Chris Bauer, Aviation OEM Sales Manager at Garmin. Russian Helicopters company. On 20 October 2014, it equipped with highly efficient Russian-made TV7-117 Certification of the 480B-G was completed in July “Both of our products are known for safety and reliabili - successfully completed a series of hover tests and low- engines and an integrated digital flight navigation system 2014, making the 480B-G the only helicopter in its class ty, making the G1000H a great fit for the 480B-G. The speed ground runs, after which it was transported over - with five LCD displays. offering this sophisticated electronic equipment. industry-leading situational awareness features of the land to the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. “I learned to fly helicopters in an Enstrom,” said Rick. G1000H provide Enstrom 480B-G customers great For further flight tests, the fourth Mi-38 prototype will “On my first day of training, I knew this was the right value.” be fitted with the full suite of on-board data acquisition aircraft for me.” Rick was instrumental in upgrading the The 480B-G is the third helicopter model certified for systems. Starting flight tests on the forth prototype avionics in his previous 480B as well. the G1000H and has a stacked configuration. “This con - boosts progress towards the Mi-38’s certification – Roger Sharkey of Sharkey’s Helicopters served as Mr. figuration just made sense in our aircraft” said Eric which is scheduled for 2015. Boswell’s instructor. “The 480B has always been a phe - Gjesdahl, an avionics design engineer at Enstrom. “It The fourth Mi-38 prototype is a pre-series model, nomenal ship, rugged and reliable,” said Roger. “They mimics the current 480B configuration, allowing seam - comprising all the systems and components that would have taken the unbeatable reliability of an Enstrom heli - less transitions. It also makes the screens equally accessi - be installed on the series-produced helicopters of this copter and paired it with the best avionics suite available ble from both seats, which is important in training.” type. It differs from the third prototype in its shock- today, bar none. This is the future.” Sharkey’s Helicopters Inc., is a mid-sized helicopter resistant fuel system, which meets the latest emergency The entire Enstrom team welcomed Rick and Roger at company based in tax-free West Lebanon, New landing fire safety requirements. It also boasts larger their manufacturing facility in Menominee, Michigan. Hampshire and is the oldest and largest Enstrom helicop - windows that serve as additional emergency exits. “The fine team at Enstrom worked hard to make the ter dealership in the world. On 31 October, Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant 480B-G a reality, and we are excited that you are the first Founded in 1959, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation launched the second phase of flight tests on the third Mi- customer for this unparalleled aircraft,” said Tracy designs and produces light single-engine helicopters for 38 prototype. On conclusion of the first phase of flight- Biegler, Enstrom’s President and CEO. the global market. For more information on Enstrom, development testing, the third Mi-38 prototype was re- “Rick says the Enstrom 480B is one of the best-kept visit www.enstromhelicopter.com.

52 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 53 The Thales glass cockpit with Garmin GTN750 GPS nav/comms and GPS sys - tems display. (David Oliver)

David Oliver Flies EC135T3 Words and pictures courtesy of the author and high conditions, and adding new features to the gear heights, high, medium and low to suit the mission. cockpit. The only exterior modifications that identify the P3/T3 The integrated Thales Avionics glass cockpit which are the increased span of the tail plane and the removal he EC 135 has come a long way from its first 1996 followed by the P2/T2 with improved contingency uses LCD-based multifunction display panels has been of endplate fins, the deletion of the ventral fin beneath incarnation as a development of the MBB BO ratings in 2002. The current EC135 P2e/T2e versions fitted with the Garmin GTN750 nav/comms GPS sys - the fenestron and the modified air intakes. 108, a twin-engine light utility helicopter designed announced at Heli-Expo 2011 featured an increase in the T tems with touch screen solutions to reduce pilot work - Trials of the prototype T3 aircraft conducted by as a successor to the BO 105 in the late 1980s. More take-off weight of 40kg (88lb) to allow the carriage of an load with the newly designed Human Machine Interface Eurocopter experimental test pilot René Jörg Nater and than 1,100 have been delivered from the Eurocopter, now additional passenger. These improvements were offered (HMI). For additional cockpit resource management, the flight test engineer Mario Hamers began in July 2012 Airbus Helicopters, facility at Donauwörth in Germany as retrofits for existing P2/T2 aircraft. P3/T3 has a Light Aircraft Recording System (LARS), with three-months of hot trials in the United States from since 1996 and the latest versions, the EC135T3/P3, A military version, the EC635, was launched in 1998, the Appareo Vision 1000 which is a flight analysis tool Lake Havasu City, Arizona and high trials, up to 4,000m, were launched at HeliExpo 2013. since when examples have been delivered to the armed and an additional training support tool, installed as a from Lake County Airport, Leadville and San Luis The Pratt & Whitney PW206B3-powered EC135 P3, forces of Iraq, Jordan and Switzerland. The German standard fit. Valley Regional Airport, Alamosa, Colorado. and the Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 Plus-powered EC135 T3 Army ordered 15 EC135s in 1997 to replace the Alouette The P3/T3 Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) has These were followed by two months of cold weather can carry extended payloads over longer distances than II in the training role while others serve in the light utili - been increased by 30kg to 2,980kg. These measures are trials in the Spring of 2013 with the T3 and P3 at Mike the current P2e/T2e variants and offer improved one- ty and training roles with the Spanish Army and Swiss designed to improve flight performance, power reserves zubko Airport, Inuvik, in the Northwest Territories engine inoperative (OEI) performance at high altitudes Air Force. EC635 P3/T3 variants will be available in and safety margins compared to the previous version Canada, some 100 mile north of the Arctic Circle where and hot climates. response to customer request. EC135 P2e/T2e versions. The P3/T3 will be able to carry the temperature reached -40 degrees C. Hot and high tri - The first production EC135s were delivered to The new EC135T P3/T3 models’ improved features 235kg more payload at 4,575m in ground effect (IGE), als of the P3 in the United States took place between Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht in July 1996 and due to ris - include an increased flight performance in hot and high and 240kg more at 2,135m under ISA +20 degrees C out July and October 2013 at Lake Havasu, Leadville, ing demand, agreement were signed for assembly of the environments, at sea level, during CAT A missions and in of ground effect (OGE). Double Eagle II Airport, Albuquerque New Mexico, type at Eurocopter’s Romania facility at Brasov, at its One Engine Inoperative (OEI) situations. This has been New equipment includes an EASA Class D certified which is 1,785m above sea level, and Dallas. Spanish facility at Albacete, and in Switzerland. By achieved by increasing the length of the main rotor external hoist providing additional lift capability to An early production EC135 T3 made its European December 2007, the EC135 fleet, then numbering 615, blades by 10cm to increase lift at constant engine power, 272kg and a cable length of 90m, an EASA OPS 3 com - debut at the ILA Berlin Air Show in May 2014 and was reached one million flight hours. new lateral air intakes compatible with the inlet barrier pliant external life raft system and a new light weight demonstrated to its launch customer at Trento’s The Pratt & Whitney PW206B-powere EC135 P1 and filter (IBF), modernizing the FADEC flight control soft - easy-to-clean multifunctional flat floor that saves 40kg in Aerosporto Caproni in Italy in July. Aiut Alpin improved Arrius 2B-powered T1 were introduced in ware that 10 percent more thermal take-off power in hot weight. The P3/T3 also has options of three skid landing Dolomites is an Italian mountain rescue and EMS organi - 54 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 55 Main pictures right and left: The EC135 T3 takes off from Trento’s Aeroporto Caproni as cloud obscure the surrounding peaks. (David Oliver) zation supported by local government, commercial spon - Although costs doubled, the increased capability and sors and public contributions and has selected the EC135 availability of the new aircraft was immediately appar - T3 to replace its current EC 135 T2i. Based at Pontives ent. Top: Aiut Alpin Dolomites commercially sponsored EC135 T2i used on the edge of the Italian Dolomites, Aiut Alpin was In 2013 Aiut Alpin responded to 669 call outs. In addi - for mountain rescue missions in the Italian Dolomites. (Aiut Alpin) founded by Raffael Kostner who had been an alpine tion to the mountain rescue missions, it responds to guide since 1969. At the time ad hoc mountain rescue work, sport, traffic and aircraft accidents, evacuation of The Aiut Alpin T3 will be operated was carried out by an Italian Air Force Bell 205 but fol - cable cars and ski lifts, and the transfer of sick patients to by Star Work Sky, based at Piemonte on lowing several deaths of climbers when the helicopter local hospitals. a two-year contract, and maintenance was not available, Kostner chartered a SA315B Lama to The typical crew for a mountain rescue mission com - will be carried out by Helicopters Italia, The author in the left seat, experiences the EC135 T3’s increased retrieve a body in 1985. Two year later he began a moun - prises two pilots, a winch operator, medic, an anaesthetist an Airbus Helicopters and Turbomeca engine performance as it scales the Dolomites. (Airbus Helicopters) tain rescue service with a leased SA316B Alouette III and a mountain rescue specialist. In winter a trained ava - service station at Trento. Its engineers and pioneered the double hoist hook, conceived and lanche dog is also carried. are looking forward to servicing the T3 legally licensed for human cargo, which allows a maxi - In the Dolomites with their changeable weather condi - with its revised maintenance schedule mum weight of 600 kilograms. The long-line fix rope tions, updrafts and high winds, power is everything and that has the intermediate inspection theoretically does not have a maximum length limit but a the Airbus Helicopters team of test pilot René Nater and extended to 500 hours and the periodical 100m rope is normally used. The double hoist hook, engineer Mario Hamers were able to impress Raffael inspection to 1,000 hours, which should which is fixed to the cargo hook of the helicopter, allows Kostner and his pilots, who include two of his brothers, lead to lower maintenance costs and the possibility of fast evacuation of up to four people at a that the EC135 T3 has it in abundance when they demon - higher availability. time, for example to evacuate cable cars and ski lifts. strated the helicopter to its first customer at Trento. EASA certification of the EC135 T3 Each pilot is required to fly at least 3,000 hours before The team managed to dodge heavy thunderstorms that was issued in October 2014 clearing the qualifying to work with Aiut Alpin Dolomites, at least passed through the region that reduced the cloud base to way for deliveries, first to Aiut Alpin one third of which must include working and handling less than 200m, to fly local pilots and technicians over Dolomites followed by P3s to Norsk double hoist hooks. the 2100m Monte Bondone. Aiut Alpin pilot Gabriel Luftambulanse of Norway, and after US Following a 2003 EASA directive to only allow twin- Kostner was impressed with T3’s improved rate of climb certification, to the EMS operator Air engined helicopters to undertake mountain rescue mis - performance, increased power reserves at all conditions, its Methods. sions in Italy, Aiut Alpin ordered a new EC135T2i. stability, reduced vibration level and low sound signature. HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 56 57 B ookS For w inTer CAA Legislation Changes Contact! Britain! concerning helicopters and gyroplanes Delay to Flight Training Legislation 2014. Regulation (EC) No. 216/2008 (Basic Regulation) A woman ferry pilot's life during WW11 The EASA requirement for all Registered Training at Annex IV, paragraph 4(a) requires that aircraft are by nancy Miller Livingston Stratford Facilities (RTF) providing private pilot training, to operated in accordance with their airworthiness documen - become Approved Training Organisations (ATO), will be tation and flight manual. Available in paperback or Amazon Kindle postponed, the UK CAA has confirmed. EASA has issued a Notice of Proposed Amendment to The Aircrew Regulation requires all pilot training lead - address this issue but until this has been effected an n 1942, twenty-three-year-old Nancy Jane Miller ing to an EASA flight crew licence, to take place from exemption has been established to allow operations to joined a group of American women hand-picked by an ATO. Implementation of the requirement for RTFs continue and will be mirrored in other Member States. Irenowned aviatrix, Jacqueline Cochran, to volunteer will now be deferred to April 2018, following a decision This will remain extant until revoked. as pilots with the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). made on 9 October 2014 by the European regulator. Nancy Miller explains in the preface that she wrote Under the original timeframe, RTFs had to become IN-2014/171: The Further Deferment, until 8 April this book on the way home to the USA, aiming to ATOs by April 2015, as part of a package of Europe- 2016, of the Requirement to Hold a Part-FCL Licence explain to her father what her life in the last couple of wide changes to the flight crew training industry. (or a European Validation of a Third Country years had been like. And that is just how it reads - as a Following representations from many in the general avi - Licence) for Aircraft Engaged in Non-commercial wonderfully spunky 23 year old girl who has been ation community, the CAA has worked with EASA to Flights This Information Notice notifies the further involved in an adventure. extend the transition deadline in order to permit work to Deferment, until 8 April 2016, of the requirement to hold The book is a description of her experience flying be carried out to produce a more proportionate alterna - a Part-FCL Licence (or a European Validation of a Third fifty different kinds of military aircraft often without tive set of European rules for private pilot training. Country Licence) for Aircraft engaged in non-commercial instruments and in all kinds of weather, armed only with This decision, which acknowledges the difficulties some flights. minimal checkouts, handling notes for the planes. It is training schools have faced in meeting the original dead - also an American woman's view of British life during line, will enable schools to continue instructing students SARG Policy: Non-Standard and Enhanced Non- the war, the gradual buildup to D-Day, and ultimate vic - for the award of EASA private pilot licences until April Standard Flights in the UK Flight Information tory in Europe. It is a vivid picture of what it meant to 2018, while a more proportionate system is developed Regions contribute to the war effort and what it means to fly. and put in place. The CAA will continue to work with Unusual Aerial Activities (UAAs) wholly contained with - The book is full of funny observations both about the EASA and members of the UK and European GA com - in controlled airspace are processed under either Non- people she meets and works with, her own behaviour munities to develop alternative options, with the ultimate Standard Flight (NSF) or Enhanced Non-Standard Flight and the difference between the English and the aim of providing a high quality pilot training structure. (ENSF) clearance procedures and are subject to prior Americans, including their speech and their attitudes. It Tony Rapson Head of the CAA’s General Aviation Unit approval either by the CAA or specific ATSUs. UAAs are is often extremely witty. She describes one Captain said “This postponement is not only important in itself, events such as an air exercises, trials, aerial surveys, fly - Pennington-Leigh as having a handlebar moustache so but is also clear evidence of EASA starting to deliver on ing displays, formation, balloon or kite flights that could perfect it could be used as an artifical horizon. She is its commitment for ‘Simpler, Lighter, Better Rules for adversely affect the normal operation of other airspace put to work with Captains Fairweather, Raines, and General Aviation.” The CAA said it supports EASA in users and may constitute a hazard to pilots who are not Shine. She finds it hilarious that doing the pattern was its development work and remains committed to making aware of the activity. The CAA requires appropriate prior called ‘circuits and bumps’ and very apt. sure the transition process from RTF to ATO contains the notification of such activities to enable timely co-ordina - She describes the different places she is posted, minimum of regulatory burden. tion and notification and to ensure that any necessary including White Waltham and Hamble and the way Permissions or Exemptions under the Air Navigation women were often billeted with families rather than in ORS4 No.1042: Helicopter Height Velocity Envelope - Order (ANO) and the Rules of the Air Regulations can be barracks. Some of her descriptions of the privations of Requirement under Regulation (EC) No. 216/2008 granted in good time. life in the UK at that time, and the contrast with what that an Aircraft Must be Operated in Accordance she had at home are extremely telling. She is obviously with its Airworthiness Documentation ORS4 No.1051: Upper Torso Restraint for Crew Seats keen on ice cream and highly disappointed by the With the adoption of the Commission Regulation (EU) - Robinson R22 and R44 Helicopters English version of the ice cream she gets at home, and, No. 965/2012 (Air Operations Regulation) a previous General Exemption under Article 14(4) of Regulation in relation to another disappointment, she and some girl alleviation, under JAR OPS 3, for flight by helicopters (EC) No. 216/2008 (Basic Regulation) from Commission friends make up a song in honour of the British weather. certificated in Category A to allow momentary flight Regulation (EU) No. 965/2012 (the Air Operations I found it hugely entertaining and an easy read. You through the height velocity (H V) envelope, as shown in Regulation) Annex IV CAT.IDE.H.205(b)(2) regarding can imagine the girl who wrote in this style and the relevant Flight Manual, has been removed. This pre - the flight crew seat upper torso restraint system on empathize with her viewpoint. You can also see an vents normalised operations conducted with exposure Robinson Helicopter Corporation R22 and R44 helicop - American girl’s view of wartime England, and contrast approval, such as landings and take-offs to offshore oil ters. This exemption will be replaced by derogation under it with the present. Well worth reading. and gas installations, from continuing after 28 October Article 14(6) of the Basic Regulation in due course. HELICOPTER LIFE ,Winter 2014 58 HELICOPTER LIFE Winter 2014 59 HelicopterLife Training and more Winter at to place an advert call sue or email [email protected] Fly Fizzi Books see also http://www.helicopterlife.com/advertising.html AirBox Runway HD selection of books are available from Fly Fizzi books, including: www.helicopterlife.com A Benjamin Franklin Book of HELICOPTER Recipes elicopter Life is half cookbook, half historical, sometimes using the updated LIFE whimsical, information AirBox Runway HD SavingS CertifiCate H S C Atlantic Warrior YES P LEASE ! 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':063&26*3&'635)&3*/'03."5*0/1-&"4&'&&-'3&&50$0/5"$564 &,&0(/.& "7 %%1&22 1/5&".&"-#&16&,,/.%/. -"), ).'/ ".%01/*&$32$/4+!)3& 666".%01/*&$32$/4+ EASA News Company News EASA certifies the EC135T3/P3 Skye SH09 First Flight completed

rom the heart of Switzerland, on the airport of Ground tests performed in the last weeks and months”. Mollis, Marenco Swhisshelicopter AG is proud to The SKYe SH09 features a full composite airframe as announce the completion of the First flight of the F well as all-composite main rotor and tail rotor blades; it SKYe SH09. is equipped with glass cockpit avionics systems and the The SKYe SH09, the latest generation of high per - powerful HTS-900-2 engine by Honeywell. Mathias formance light single-engine helicopter has successfully Senes, Chief Commercial Officer, describes that among achieved its’ First Flight with Chief Test Pilot Dwayne all features, the SKYe SH09 helicopter is being devel - Williams at the controls, manoeuvring the prototype air - oped as a true “vertical take-off Platform” that will he European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) cer - craft in hover in five test flights that lasted approximate - ensure, for our clients and operators, the highest levels of tified the new EC135 T3/P3 by Airbus reliability and efficiency.” ly 20 minutes. usability and multi-mission capabilities. Helicopters, completing a new and important The EC135 T3/P3 offers more than 200 kg of addi - Martin Stucki, Designer, Founder and Chief Executive T The SKYe SH09 is scheduled to enter in production chapter in the development history of the EC135. tional payload in hot & high conditions. Compared to the Officer was pleased to inform that the First flight had within the next 12 to 16 months. Marenco Following in the footsteps of the successful EC135 previous version this helicopter performs better at sea confirmed the preliminary flying and handling character - Swisshelicopter AG already holds over 50x orders and T2+/P2+, the EC135 T3/P3 again sets new standards in level, allowing up to 70 kg more payload for single istics of the aircraft: “This is a milestone in the develop - agreements on the aircraft. terms of performance, safety and reliability for the engine/CAT performances. Its tried-and-trusted safety ment of our program and this success has followed the Keep your eyes on the SKYe. EC135 family of helicopters. This new version, like the standards match those of the EC135 T2+/P2+. extensive component testing-phase and quantity of previous ones, will offer the most competitive operating Notable technical improvements in the EC135 T3/P3 costs in this helicopter class. The nearly 1,200 EC135 include a larger main rotor for more lift, and lateral air helicopters delivered as of today have clocked up over inlets for greater efficiency. The new FADEC software three million flight hours world-wide. provides optimized engine control and the cockpit fea - “When it comes to rescue missions, police surveil - tures the fully integrated navigation, communication and lance, trips to and from oil platforms, wind park mainte - GPS avionics solution GTN 750 from Garmin. nance or private transport, the EC135 T3/P3 upholds our Previous EC135 versions can be fully retrofitted to promise to continuously improve our products,” said bring them up to the technical level of the new EC135 Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Germany. T3/P3. Airbus Helicopters offers special retrofit packages “This helicopter embodies tomorrow’s requirements – that are based on the flight hours of each helicopter. not only in terms of performance and safety, but also of

62 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 63 A CCidenT r eporTS A CCidenT r eporTS that the student pilot could fly a solo circuit. It was to be AS355 Twin Squirrel G-OLCP case, a combination of the Cessna’s aspect relative to the rotor blade tip vortices, or by naturally occurring the student’s second solo on type. The student began The helicopter was hover taxiing from its parking posi - wind, the strength of the wind and the helicopter’s rotor turbulence or wind. Flight conditions more likely to raising collective to lift from the grass surface, but tion towards the runway. As it did so, the tail of a Cessna wash appear to have combined to cause the Cessna to induce LTE include: high power settings and/or slow for - felt the helicopter was right side low. He attributed this 152 parked at a nearby refuelling point lifted and, under overturn ward airspeeds, typically where translational lift is in the to the absence of the instructor in the left seat. He cor - the influence of the rotor wash and a relatively strong process of change and where the relative airflow is with - rected with left cyclic input and continued to raise the surface wind, the aircraft came to rest inverted. Hughes 369, G-CCUO in plus or minus 15° from the 10 o’clock position for collective. The helicopter suddenly and rapidly rolled to Description of the occurrence Shortly after takeoff the pilot experienced yaw control helicopters with anti-clockwise main rotors. the left, causing the main rotor blade to strike the The accident occurred as the helicopter was departing difficulties, resulting in the loss of control of the helicop - For these types there is a greater susceptibility to LTE ground. Once the helicopter came to a rest on its side, for a local survey flight. The weather was fine but ter and a subsequent crash landing. The pilot escaped during turns to the right. (Helicopters with clockwise the student made the helicopter safe before vacating. The windy, with a surface wind of 26 kt from 230º. The heli - with minor injuries. In the absence of any mechanical main rotors are more susceptible to LTE when the rela - student pilot’s instructor commented that the accident copter was parked on a grass area adjacent to a hard abnormalities, the most likely cause of the accident is a tive airflow is within plus or minus 15° from the 2 had been caused by dynamic rollover. apron, by which were situated the airfield’s fuel installa - loss of tail rotor effectiveness. o’clock position and during turns to the left.) AAIB comment tion. Before the helicopter departed, a Cessna 152 had History of the flight Discussion Dynamic rollover occurs when a sideways force, provid - taxied to the installation for refuelling before shutting The pilot arrived to position the helicopter back to its In order to climb vertically into a high hover, a relatively ed by a horizontal component of the total rotor thrust, is down. Its crew, an instructor and his student, had vacated normal operating base following its annual maintenance high power setting would have been required. The wind - applied at the rotor mast while a skid or wheel is touch - the aircraft and the instructor left the scene for a while, inspection. He reported that the weather was good and speed of 15 kt was sufficient to cause the onset of trans - ing the ground or other fixed object. The helicopter piv - leaving his student at the aircraft. the surface wind was from 250° at 15 kt. After a short lational lift whilst in the hover and any shift in the rela - ots around the fixed point and rolls. Any attempt to raise The helicopter started, lifted into a hover and started to delay, whilst some outstanding items from the mainte - tive wind direction towards the 10 o’clock position could the collective to fly away from the problem increases the hover-taxi towards the runway, but as it did so, its pilot nance were resolved, the flight was commenced. The hel - have caused the vortices from the main rotor blade tips horizontal component and exacerbates the situation. noticed the tail of the Cessna start to lift, so he landed icopter was facing into wind and after takeoff, lifted into to impinge on the tail rotor airflow. With the presence of again on the grass. The tail of the Cessna continued to a high hover. The pilot reported that he did not appear to these adverse conditions and in the absence of any Robinson R22 Beta, G-PACL lift and the aircraft came to rest inverted. The student have directional control with the yaw pedals and after a mechanical abnormalities, it seems most likely that a loss After approximately 35 minutes of hover practice with a pilot, whose upper body was inside the cabin of the air - few seconds, the helicopter “started spinning”. As the of tail rotor effectiveness led to the loss of control. The student, the instructor positioned the helicopter over a craft as its tail started to lift, was able to move clear as it spin accelerated, the pilot became disorientated and he pilot candidly commented that he was not aware of the grassed area near the taxiway to do hovering and taxi did so and suffered only a minor injury. The pilot had a lowered the collective lever to land. The helicopter drift - LTE condition and when he gained his PPL (H) in 1984 emergencies, and, as in this flight, a simulated engine CPL, he was 50 years old and had 5,750 hours of which ed to the right into a wooded area beside the apron and it and during subsequent training, which included practical failure in the hover. The instructor landed the helicopter 385 were on type. collided with trees. It came to rest on its side, partly sub - and written tests, he did not recall it being covered in the to check that the surface was suitable and briefed the stu - Discussion merged in a pond. The pilot was briefly rendered uncon - training syllabus. dent on how he would conduct the exercise. The inten - The helicopter pilot commented that the Cessna 152 had scious and woke to find that he was immersed in water. Following a fatal accident in 2003 attributed to LTE, the tion was that the student would operate the cyclic, collec - been parked in a largely downwind position at the fuel He was able to unfasten his harness and escape through AAIB made Safety Recommendation 2003-126 to the tive and yaw controls and that the instructor would oper - installation to facilitate refuelling, and he considered this the shattered windscreen. Witnesses to the accident CAA. It recommended that the CAA should publish, as ate the throttle. The instructor also informed the student to be a contributory factor. The airfield operator reported arrived to offer assistance. widely as possible within the UK, information on the that he would maintain his hands and feet on the controls that both aircraft were parked in normal locations before Background information loss of tail rotor effectiveness. The CAA published this in case he had to quickly resume control. the accident. Although not a stipulation, it was common During the annual inspection the only work affecting the information and included it in training material for heli - Initially the instructor carried out three demonstrations for helicopters departing from the same area to taxi fur - yaw control system was the routine replacement of the copter instructors and examiners. An article was also with the student following through on the controls. The ther west initially, placing themselves over part of the tail rotor gearbox oil. A post-accident inspection of the published in GASIL 1 of 2004 and FODCOM 1/2004 student then took control, as briefed, and the instructor airfield used for agricultural purposes before turning yaw control system confirmed continuity between the was issued. initiated the exercise by saying “practise engine failure towards the runway, so achieving greater separation from yaw pedals and the tail rotor blades, with no defects Current education and training on LTE go” before smoothly closing the throttle. The instructor the apron. In its ‘Safety Sense Leaflet 17’, entitled apparent. The damage to the helicopter indicated that it The CAA advised that the current education and training reported that the student controlled the yaw well, but he Helicopter Airmanship, the CAA states: had been turning to the right. that addresses LTE as a subject includes: felt him apply a left input into the cyclic control and as ‘Always be mindful of the effect your own rotor wash Loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) is a critical low- The relevant EASA Part FCL training syllabus; PPL(H) the helicopter descended the left skid touched the ground can have on others. It may cause problems for lighter speed aerodynamic flight characteristic that can result in Ex 18(d) and the Theoretical Knowledge requirements. first. The instructor immediately applied a right cyclic aircraft in flight, or damage to parked aeroplanes and rapid, uncommanded yaw. If not corrected promptly, this input in an attempt to level the helicopter, which coincid - other surface objects. If hovering, your rotor turbulence can result in a loss of control. It is not related to a techni - Robinson R22 Beta, G-BYCF. ed with the student raising the collective to cushion the can affect others out to a distance of three times your cal malfunction and may occur to varying degrees in all The student pilot was attempting a solo lift from grass. landing. However, the helicopter rolled about the left rotor diameter.’ conventional single main rotor helicopters at airspeeds Whilst applying left cyclic input to correct a right side skid and gently came to rest on its left side. The instruc - In this case, the helicopter (which had a rotor diameter below 30 kt. low condition, the helicopter rolled rapidly to the left in tor shut the engine down and turned off the fuel. The of 10.69 m) was moving away from the Cessna, but as it LTE occurs when the airflow through the tail rotor is what was reported as a dynamic rollover incident. instructor and student then vacated the helicopter through did so it started to pass upwind of it. The guidance above altered or disturbed, rapidly altering the thrust produced Description of the event the aperture where the windscreen had been. The instruc - applies to still air conditions, and may have to be modi - by the tail rotor. The disturbance to the airflow can be The student pilot completed a dual lesson, in fine weath - tor sustained a superficial cut to his knee during t he acci - fied when operating in relatively strong winds. In this caused by the downdraft from the main rotor, the main er conditions, before his instructor vacated the aircraft so dent. Both rotor blades and the windscreen were damaged.

64 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014 65 u S e A n d e h o h l i C o p T e r

WAA Press Day at Trafalgar house by Gerald Cheyne rafalgar House was originally known at In 1995, Michael Wade, another City merchant acquired the Standlynch Park. It was built for Sir Peter house which had been unoccupied for three year and was in a TVandeput in 1733, designed by John James poor state of repair. He restored and refurbished the property, of Greenwich as a villa overlooking the River Avon. but needed ways of keeping the restored building. It is first mentioned in the Doomsday Book in Since 1995, a range of activities have taken place at 1086. Trafalgar Park; films such as Sense & Sensibility, Emma and In 1748, Sir Peter died, leaving Standlynch Park 28 Days Later and other money rasiing events. These enter - to his son. Sir George Vandeput had ambitions to tainments generate the income needed to sustain such a large enter Parliament. He tried to oust the sitting MP for and beautiful memorial to the past. In October 2014, the new Westminster, but failed and found himself on the Wiltshire county air ambulance helicopter, a Bell 429 was edge of bankrupcy. He sold the Standlynch estate to unveiled here. Sir William Young in 1752, who sold it to Henry Dawkins in 1764. By the time of his death, in 1814, Dawkins also owned estates in Wales and Oxfordshire and under the terms of his Will commanded the Standlynch estate to be sold. It was bought by the crown on behalf of Admiral Nelson. The newly founded Earl Nelson created in 1806, needed an estate to compound his triumph at Trafalgar. Parliament agreed by special Act, to fund the purchase in 1813 to be a lasting tribute to Admiral Nelson and the heirs of his family. In 1814, the Standlynch estate became identified as the gift and Parliament required the name of ‘Trafalgar’ to be instated.

66 HELICOPTER LIFE , Winter 2014