Volume 44 Number 3 Summer 2021

VOLUME 44 - NUMBER 3 - Summer 2021

This ex-US Army UH-60 Black 69 Hawk, VH-UHS, is one of two DRF Luftrettung upgrade H145s...Leonardo Next Generation Civil put into service by Aerotech in Adelaide, South Australia for Tiltrotor moving towards completion...First Biofuel H145 flight... fire fighting. Fitted with 4,000 RotorX to enter eVTOL market...TAI design approval...etc... litre belly tanks and snorkels for refilling from any water source, the aircraft are also the 90 first Australian commercially owned Black Hawks to go on Spring 2021 the CASA register after efforts to certify ex-Australian military Black Hawks failed to pass CASA scrutiny. 75 74 83 84

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91 88

89 The Collective Column 68

A Fairey Tale 87

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76 US Army introduces upgraded UH-60V...Leonardo hand over latest HH-139B...Venom and Viper reach milestone...First CH-47F Chinook for Singapore Air Force delivered etc... Avia Press Associates 2021

Spring 2021 78

Page 67 IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE 50 YEARS have passed since Agusta carried out the first flight of the shapely A109 at their Cascina Costa factory, but we remember at the time thinking how well the Italian flair for design had surely given the company a big head start over its competitors in the light twin market. The 2.4 tonne eight seater, with its four-blade articulated rotor, semi-rigid two-blade tail rotor and retractable landing gear certainly looked the part, but mechanical challenges meant it took a little over four years from the first flight on 4 August 1971 to certification and entry into service. Since then the basic model has been considerably improved and upgraded, with the current 3 tonne class AW109E Power, AW109S Grand, and GrandNew typifying the success of the aircraft. In fact over 1,600 aircraft have been sold over those 50 years, whilst the company itself found a firm foothold in Philadelphia where it established its first A109 support centre as North American sales lifted off. Whilst the lengthy gestation gave rivals, including the Bell 222, a chance to catch up, nevertheless the A109 was the first of a new generation and as such has a guaranteed place in history. * The US Army next generation FARA (Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft) and FLRAA (Future Long Range Assault Aircraft) competitions are beginning to look distinctly wobbly and very expensive to the outside observer. The Army’s project manager has already said that the original performance requirements for the future rotorcraft “are not compatible” with the law of physics and that the schedule previously set for the competitive fly off in the FARA programme is not attainable either. FARA sees Sikorsky with its advanced compound Raider X coaxial rotor design going head-to-head with the much simpler , which now uses the company’s Model 525 rotor and transmission system after abandoning various shrouded tail rotor options. Whilst the latter offers far less technical risk, it doesn’t meet the performance levels promised by the Raider X, provided of course that reliability and field maintenance issues are not an issue for the latter. These same features are in play with the FLRAA, where Sikorsky Boeing remain very coy regarding progress with their larger compound coaxial offering, the SB-1 Defiant X. In this competition the partners are up against a Bell tiltrotor, developed from the V-280 Valor which has already completed its full demonstration programme and has now been retired. With Bell now looking again at folded proprotors on tiltrotors to further increase range and performance, one wonders where FLRAA will eventually go.

Page 68 DRF Luftrettung upgrade H145s DRF Luftrettung has begun upgrading its fleet of Airbus H145 from the four-blade to a five-blade configuration, in a three year programme that also involved modifications to the transmission, exchanging batteries and software updates. Previously the company took delivery last December of a brand new five-bladed H145 from Airbus, which entered operational service in the Stuttgart region in March and provided further confidence for the retrofit programme. This first retrofit was carried out the trials prove successful and demonstrate Above: This Airbus H145 of ADAC Luftrettung was demonstrated at the beginning of June, using in cooperation with Airbus at their the viability of the UAV operations, the partners believe that both the urban and sustainable aviation fuel in its Safran Arriel 2E Donauwörth factory, providing initial engines. The biofuel is manufactured by Total from experience for the DRF technicians and rural areas of Ireland could benefit hugely, recycled cooking oil. a template process for all the following both from the testing and development of retrofits. Future conversions are being drone research and the services that can TAI design approval carried out in the DRF hangar facility at follow. the company’s Operations Centre at Turkish Aerospace Industries has now Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport. In Leonardo Next Generation Civil received design organisation approval from addition to upgrading its own H145s to Tiltrotor moving towards completion the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (SHGM) for the development of large the new configuration, DRF also plans in Industry sources have revealed that the helicopters, in particular the T625 Gökbey future to offer the retrofit to external Leonardo Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor multi-role twin-engine machine currently clients too. (NGCT) demonstrator should be moving under test. This 6 tonne class helicopter is Meanwhile the first conversion is into the final assembly phase by the end of presently powered by two 1,300shp LHTEC being deployed to the DRF Luftrettung this year, at the company’s Cascina Costa CTS 800-4-AT turboshaft engines, but is due Villinger-Schwenningen station, based at the facility in Italy. The basic airframe is already to be re-engined with an indigenous Schwarzwald-Baar-Klinikum in Baden- in manufacture, using an AW609 tiltrotor Württemberg. Here the helicopter will be fuselage modified to accept a straight wing powerplant, being developed by TUSAS on standby 24/7 at the only night station in and Vee tail unit. Engine Industries, and will be produced for the region. As Christoph 11 the aircraft is on This fuselage, originally from one both commercial and military use. call to the German Red Cross for missions of the prototype BA609s built under the Securing design organisation across 12 districts in the area, with crews original Bell-Agusta partnership approval for large aircraft will be followed by carrying out over 1,700 missions annually. In programmes, is due to begin the component obtaining separate type certificates for each addition to getting emergency doctors to installation phase during 2022, in helicopter or aeroplane being developed in locations quickly, the helicopter is conjunction with partner companies under the future. In the case of the T625 this will equipped to act as an airborne Intensive the European Clean Sky 2 programme, with follow the completion of the current flight Care Unit (ICU) and is also used for the fast Leonardo saying the demonstrator is on and ground tests programme, expected by and gentle transport of ICU patients schedule for a 2023 maiden flight. 2023. between hospitals.

MoU signed for first Irish vertiport First Biofuel H145 flight ... London-based Skyports and Future Mobility ADAC Luftrettung has carried out a first flight with an Airbus H145 rescue helicopter, D- Campus Ireland (FMCI) have signed a HYAJ, using sustainable aviation fuel in its Safran Arriel 2E turboshaft engines. The Memorandum of Understanding to establish demonstration, carried out at the air rescue station at Munich’s Harlaching Clinic in the a new consortium aiming to operate presence of ADAC, Safran Engines, and TotalEnergies executives, was Ireland’s first passenger and cargo vertiport followed by the signing of a long term agreement between ADAC and Safran Engines to at Shannon Airport on the Irish west coast. further develop the use of sustainable fuels. Two other companies, Artrain which Biofuel is currently certified and approved for aviation use in a maximum blend operates Unmanned Air Vehicles and also of 50 percent, mixed with conventional Jet-A1 kerosene and the demonstration flight used trains operators, and aviation and property a 40 percent blend, but the goal for Safran is to reach a 100 percent sustainable fuel target, developer the Shannon Group have also using residual waste from the food industry with no negative effect on agricultural food signed up. production. The aim of the partners is to set up The Biofuel fuelling the H145 is a second generation development, produced Ireland’s first air taxi service as well as by TotalEnergies at its refinery in Normandy from recycled cooking oil. With this fuel ADAC routine drone flights, under beyond visual- estimates it could achieve a 33 percent reduction in Co2 emissions across its fleet which, line-of-sight (BVLOS) technology, with a with more than 50,000 missions and over 3.3 million km (2,050,524.93 miles) flown per year, base at the FMCI which is located adjacent equates to a reduction of around 6,000 tons of Co2. to the airport. BVLOS trial flights could Safran and ADAC are now launching the next stage of the project with one rescue begin this coming September, with the helicopter in Cologne. This will study all aspects of biofuel usage on the H145, with an Vertiport becoming operational in 2022. If operational evaluation to start as early as this summer.

Page 69 and with a new tank divided into four compartments and holding 4 tonnes of water that can be loaded within 60 seconds. The automated system will also add up to 400 litres of foam agent. A patented digitally controlled discharge system allows the compartment flaps to be opened in pairs or alternatively, and to adjust the opening angles, thereby increasing the water discharge time. In addition all the SP-32 systems are electrically heated, allowing it to be deployed in severe winter conditions, at temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees C. Series production of the Ka-32 takes place at Kumertau Aviation Production Above: RotorX in Chandler, Arizona has proposed a carry mining equipment in the rugged Enterprise in the Republic of Bashkortostan, new quadrotor, the e-Transporter which marries the terrain of the Alaska range. Able to carry out main rotor design of its Phoenix A600 helicopter to in the southern Urals, where over 240 Ka-32s over a ton of cargo in a pilot-optional a new eight-seat cabin and technology from partner have been built to date. A prototype of the Advanced Tactics Inc. configuration, the eTransporter could new Ka-32A11M will be present at MAKS support essential tasks in that environment 2021, and plans to start according to the project team. supplying the aircraft to customers in 2022. RotorX to enter eVTOL market RotorX, based in Chandler, Arizona which Kamov Ka-32A11M for fire fighting Leonardo and Rescue Corps new took over kit helicopter manufacturer Russian Helicopters is planning to introduce cooperation Rotorway International, is planning to enter an upgraded Kamov Ka-32A11M fire fighting Leonardo and the Italian National Alpine and the eVTOL market with a new quad-rotor helicopter at the MAKS 2021 International Speleological Rescue Corps have renewed a design dubbed the eTransporter. The Aviation and Space Salon, being held in cooperation agreement for the joint aircraft would capitalise on the proven main Zhukovsky outside Moscow in July. The new development of new capabilities, including rotor design of the Phoenix A600 helicopter variant will feature more powerful VK- more effective technologies and training. and features a cabin for six passengers plus 2500PS-02 turboshaft engines, a glass Originally signed in December 2016, the two pilots and a predicted endurance of cockpit with new generation and a agreement has now been extended to a around 1.5 hours. new, more efficient and multi-functional fire further three years. The company has partnered with extinguishing system. In 2020 the Alpine Rescue Corps Advanced Tactics Inc in Torrance, California The uprated engines will provide carried out over 10,000 missions, more than which has been working on fuel and electric improvements in the hot/high performance in any year since the Corps was formed in powered multi-rotor heavy transporter of the helicopter, increasing the payload 1963, and many of these missions involved technology for over a decade. Its eight- capacity by 1,600kg (3,527lb) under such the use of helicopters to provide urgent engined Black Knight Transformer first flew conditions, whilst the new avionics include medical rescue. The new agreement entails in 2014 and the company has received technical solutions already in service on the setting up a joint working group to exchange support from both the US Marine Corps and Ansat and Mil Mi-38 helicopters, technical-operative information for an the Air Force to develop the concept. The together with additional navigation, opto- appropriate assessment of Leonardo rescue company will now provide rapid prototyping electronic and search equipment options. helicopter technical specifications, mission expertise for the partnership. Pilots will also be able to use night vision equipment and cabin layouts, to further RotorX hopes to start testing the goggles. improve efficiencies. The two partners will eTransporter in 2022 and has already The new SP-32 fire fighting system also jointly evaluate new rescue and received interest from a mining company in has been developed by specialists from the adaption techniques for helicopters to meet Alaska, to trial the experimental aircraft to Mil & Kamov National Helicopter Centre, modern operational needs, as well as ... and Safran trial chip fat in an Arrano engine. developing the necessary navigation, geolocation and target mapping systems. Two weeks after Safran Helicopter Engines demonstrated the use of biofuel in the first Training activities, to be carried out at the flight of an Airbus H145 helicopter of ADAC Luftrettung, powered by Arriel 2E engines using Leonardo plant in Sesto Calande, will include a 40 percent biofuel and 60 percent Jet-A1 mixture, the company has now run an Arrano techniques for using the rescue winch in engine on 38 percent biofuel at its Bordes plant in south-west France. The biofuel has combination with the use of the stretcher. been produced from used cooking oil and Safran is now running operational trials with an Sesto Calande is the base for the H145 based in Cologne and, in parallel, planning to set up similar tests with other main training academy for Leonardo helicopter operators. Helicopter customers, where personnel The ground run at Bordes marks the first step of a strategy to deploy sustainable assigned to helicopter rescue operations are aviation fuel (SAF) in engine test cells at all Safran Helicopter Engines plants. By the end trained from all over the world. of this year the company plans to use at least 10 percent SAF at all its French facilities. Safran engines are already fully certified to operate on up to 50 percent SAF, including biofuel, and the ambition is to obtain a 100 percent biofuel approval by 2023. The company says that by emitting much less carbon throughout their entire life cycle, these fuels could help reduce aviation CO2 emissions by up to 80 percent.

Page 70 Island Express Helicopters settle Bryant lawsuit The widow of US basket ball star Kobe Bryant, killed with their eldest daughter and seven other occupants when the pilot of their Sikorsky S-76B helicopter became disorientated in fog and crashed in California on 26 January 2020, has settled a lawsuit against the operating company, Island Express Helicopters. The settlement, which is also against subsidiary OC Helicopters and the estate of the deceased pilot, includes compensation for surviving Airbus introduce European-made H175 fuselage relatives of the other passengers killed in Airbus Helicopters has unveiled a European-manufactured fuselage for the H175 super- the accident. medium helicopter, in an effort to overcome concerns regarding the level of Chinese According to papers filed with the content in the aircraft. The bare all-metal fuselage shell, including the cockpit and cabin US District Court in Los Angeles, the terms structure has been produced at the Marignane production plant, following a five year of the settlement are confidential and development initiative but could yet be replaced by a new generation composite structure known only to the settling parties. if this provides sufficient cost and survivability advantages. The company has previously proposed a military version of the H175 to meet New logistics building for Leonardo UK the UK requirement for a Puma HC.2 replacement but is facing possible sanction issues Leonardo UK is to replace eight old regarding China’s participation. Currently the Harbin Aircraft Industries Group (HAIG) warehouse buildings in Yeovil, with a new manufactures the main fuselage, main rotor, fuel system, flight controls and landing gear. £30 million single-site logistics facility, In 2018 Airbus proposed an 18 passenger variant of the H175, adding two additional seats spanning an area of nearly 20,000sq.metres in the cabin in a layout similar to the H225 Super Puma. (215,278sq.ft) and incorporating This latest move likely underlines the company’s determination to challenge environment and climate change features, Leonardo for the Puma replacement contract, which could require up to 40 aircraft to be focusing on sustainability. These will ordered from the eventual winner. The first helicopters are required to enter service by include rainwater harvesting tanks, full LED 2025. lighting throughout, a heat recovery system in the main warehouse and a modern office also invest in plant and equipment percent of the Marine Pilot transfers at the temperature control system, as well as a installation and warehousing transition port. bank of electric vehicle charging points. activity as the development progress. The helicopters are fitted with The project will see a part of the the 4-axis Helionix to old factory, that used to be owned by GKN Helionix world fleet leader significantly reduce the pilot work load, Aerostructures before they left the site at The Aviator Group in Australia has become the end of 2017, being demolished and the with three large multi-function displays, the world fleet leader for the Airbus new building centralising two existing on- two touchscreen GPS/Nav/Comm GTN-750 Helicopters Helionix avionics system, with site logistics facilities, as well as replacing and a TAS620A Traffic Advisory System. six rented warehouse units off site on local more than 2,600 flight hours flown on an The flight deck is also night vision goggle trading estates. Bringing everything under H135 helicopter operating in Port Hedland, (NVG) compatible, which allows the one roof is expected to be much more Western Australia. The aircraft supports service to operate on a 24/7 basis in an efficient and environmentally friendly. Marine Pilot transfers for the Pilbara Port efficient and reliable fashion. The new facility will help support Authority and the Port of Portland Hedland, The Aviator Group is a leading Leonardo Helicopters’ global fleet through the busiest bulk commodity port in the specialist provider of Helicopter Marine the warehousing of components, spares and world, with more than 500 transfers per Pilot transfers, operating in a number of tooling, with construction work beginning month and a 99.9 percent on-time busy Australian ports, and carrying out this August and due to be completed in performance despatch rate. more than 15,000 transfers annually. Quarter 4 2022. The building is expected to A second H135 fitted with the Current locations include the ports of become fully operational in 2023 and will Helionix system has also been employed at Mackay, Hay Point and Gladstone, as well initially be operated under a ten year Portland Hedland since April 2020 and has as Port Hedland. Port of Newcastle commercial contract by transport and already reached over 1,400 flight hours, with services will also commence in November logistics company Kuehne + Nage, who will the two aircraft together responsible for 94 this year.

Page 71 the UK, and the first full-scale prototype of the aircraft is expected to be rolled out in late July. This will be followed by initial ground runs in late August and a tethered first flight in late September. If all goes well untethered vertical take offs and landings will begin in early 2022, followed by forward flights only and then through full transition from vertical take offs to forward flight and back to vertical mode for landing. The five-seat eVTOL aircraft is expected to be capable of travelling at over 322km/h (200mph), with a range of over Above: Seen here in Virgin Atlantic colours, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency 161km (100 miles) and using city centre Vertical Aerospace VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft has (EASA) type certification of the aircraft, with helipads in competition with conventional substantial backing, with a first flight targeted for the latter also developing some of the helicopters of similar size, but virtually silent this autumn and first deliveries in 2024. avionics and the autopilot system, whilst in operation. Rolls-Royce is focusing on development of the electric propulsion system. European Rotors trade fair rescheduled Avolon sign provisional order for 500 Virgin Atlantic expects to order The European Helicopter Association (EHA) Vertical Aerospace eVTOL VA-X4 between 50 and 150 VA-X4s, for a proposed and recently retitled European Union service network operating from hubs at Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) claim to be International leasing company Avolon, London Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and receiving strong support for the revived based in Dublin, Ireland has signed a Manchester airport in northern England, European Rotors trade fair and conference, provisional $2 billion order with Vertical carrying passengers on routes of up to scheduled to take place in Cologne, Aerospace for up to 500 eVTOL VA-X4 193km (120 miles). In the United States Germany on 16-18 November this year. The aircraft. If confirmed, deliveries will begin in American Airlines has provisionally agreed event previously had to be cancelled in 2020 2024 to a new affiliate company, Avolon-e. to take 250 aircraft plus options for a further and again delayed from a proposed date The agreement will see the 190. The US airline also plans to work with earlier this year, due to the ongoing COVID- company join Microsoft, Rolls-Royce, Vertical Aerospace to develop passenger 19 pandemic and international travel Honeywell and American Airlines as equity service and infrastructure in the US restrictions. investors in Vertical, working also with Virgin domestic market. The EHA now says a number of Atlantic, who will be a VA-X4 launch airline Composite aerostructures for the market leaders have already registered for customer in Europe. VA-X4 are being developed and the face-to-face event. These include Airbus Rolls-Royce and Honeywell are manufactured by Solvay, headquartered in Helicopters, Bell, Leonardo Helicopters, already supporting plans to complete Brussels but with several factory locations in Safran Helicopter Engines, Pratt & Whitney Canada, H+S Aviation, RUAG, Aerometals Hill Helicopters HX50 doubts and Boeing Global Services. The show will Despite new claims by HX50 helicopter developer Hill Helicopters that the five-seat luxury see for the first time EASA teaming up with aircraft has now notched up 218 advance sales, with non-refundable deposits, some EHA to organise an accompanying Rotorcraft general aviation industry veterans are beginning to doubt the reality of the project and and VTOL Symposium at the venue, to its timetable. Hill began taking orders for the HX50 in August 2020, when it first released include presentations from manufacturers, information on the project and now says it has orders from 28 countries to date, even research organisations, national aviation though a prototype is not due to fly until next year. organisations and safety professionals from The company, based in Rugeley, Staffordshire says it is building three HX50 across the industry. Sharing their latest prototypes and is also developing its own 500shp GT50 turboshaft engine and digital developments and exchanging their cockpit avionics for the aircraft. It is also moving into a new development facility, with experiences and ideas with regulators is space to assemble the prototypes and test rigs needed for ground testing. Later it plans expected to be key to developing future to build a larger 23,226sq.m (250,000sq.ft) production facility with an adjacent heliport, safety policies and improvement actions. A when it expects staffing to grow from the current 45 approx employees to 150 in 2023, when comprehensive set of training and production of the helicopter is due to begin. educational sessions on-site as well as Initially the aircraft will only be available as an experimental category kit-build online is also planned. model, to bypass full certification requirements, although Hill says the kits will only be The venue for European Rotors available for construction by the customer alongside its licensed engineers in the factory 2021 is Hall 8 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, environment. This supervision is expected to speed up the amateur assembly and result including the Congress Centre North facility, in a finished product within two weeks. where the organisers and the authorities are Critics of the programme believe it is far too ambitious, with unrealistic time already working on setting up all the scales and doubt Hill can produce such a sophisticated helicopter at the quoted base necessary precautions to ensure health and selling price of £495,000. They also point to the imminent arrival of eVTOL aircraft with a safety of exhibitors and attendees. similar passenger capacity, albeit without the performance and range attributed to the Further information, including HX50. Despite this Hill is continuing to progress design work on some of the aircraft’s opening times and prices is available at secondary systems, as well as boosting the marketing programme with new videos on www.europeanrotors.eu. social media channels.F

Page 72 l The Bristow Group has confirmed four contract extensions through April 2024 with offshore oil and gas companies Equinor, Shell and Neptune, to support crew change services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The current contracts with the three companies were previously due to expire on 30 April 2022, but could now run Above: This Airbus H175 helicopter, based in Esbjerg, Denmark is operating on beyond 2024 as each new contract also includes two 12 months a new contract with offshore pipelaying company Allseas in support of the options for further extensions. Energinet Europipe II Branch pipeline project, which aims to transport gas from Bristow has partnered with Equinor for more than 20 years Norway to the Danish and Polish markets, as well as end users in neighbouring and will continue to use its Sikorsky S-92A helicopters to provide countries. the normal challenges around entry into service. The trial will crew change flights out of the Bristow bases in Bergen and Florø. precede the delivery of four H160s to PHI to service an offshore support Among the Equinor assets offshore Norway is the Statfjord B contract for Shell in the Gulf of Mexico. platform one of the oldest on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and The new H160 is expected to bring a step change in operating standards with 68 patents and an unprecedented suite of pilot aids to the largest oil discovery in the North Sea. Equinor has partnered substantially reduce crew workload and reduce the risk of pilot error. They with Shell and Neptune on flights from Florø since May 2017, hence include the world’s first ground helipad assisted take-off procedure allowing a the decision by the latter two companies to also extend their fully automated take-off, with a vortex ring state pre-alerting system and contracts in line. recovery mode to automatically regain steady flight in difficult circumstances. l Milestone Aviation has signed a Purchase/Leaseback contract with the NHV Group in Ostend, Belgium for a Leonardo AW169 helicopter, the UK, Denmark and Australia ceasing to be distinct from Babcock’s. l registered G-NHVT (cons. number 69134) on 1 July and allocated to Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA) has leased two new Leonardo AW139 support missions in the UK for the Italian oil and gas company ENI. helicopters, cons. no. 31789 and 31792 to Angolan offshore operator The aircraft is being based at Blackpool Airport for offshore flights BestFly. The first aircraft was handed over at Leonardo’s Vergiate in the Irish Sea and Liverpool Bay areas. facility on 29 June. Milestone already had eight helicopters leased to NHV for Both helicopters were originally intended for the Chinese a variety of missions including oil and gas, air medical, wind farm market but this order was cancelled and ADA took over the aircraft, operations and military training. The diverse fleet includes two each which have now been upgraded to the latest AW139 standards. The of the AW139, Airbus EC145C2, H145T2 and H145D3 helicopters, with helicopters will replace two existing seven year old AW139s, based an average of just nine years. The AW169 now represents a new type in Luanda and outfitted for medevac duties. Each aircraft is ex- to enter service with the company. pected to fly 30-50 hours per month carrying out the medevac and a l One of the bidders for the upcoming UK Maritime and Coastguard search and rescue role plus ad-hoc work. Agency Second Generation Search and Rescue programme The aircraft are being supplied by ADA on an initial five (UKSAR2G) has withdrawn from the process, Serco Ltd had been year lease that could be extended and potentially widened to in- short listed for the Lot 1, Lot 2, Lot 3 and Lot 4 tender invitations. clude additional aircraft. Operations will be carried out under Best- The remaining bidders, including Bristow Helicopters who hold the Fly’s own Air Operator’s Certificate, with the company developing its current contract, should receive the tender documents in August. own pilot and engineers in accordance with Angolan law, that calls l The Milestone Aviation Group is to lease a five-bladed Airbus for more indigenous employment. Angolan personnel will be trained H145D3 helicopter to Al-Sharqiya Aviation (ASA) in Oman for on the new machines at the ADA Aviation Centre. BestFly has con- onshore and offshore passenger transportation and emergency tracts in Angola with several major oil companies such as Total, Exxon medical services across the Sultanate. ASA is the only commercial and BP. helicopter operator in Oman and the lease marks the first five- The venture with BestFly is ADA’s first in Angola, although bladed H145 to be delivered to a customer in the Middle East. the company has aircraft located in several other African countries, To support the phasing in of this new type into the ASA including two helicopters placed in May in Zambia and South Africa, fleet Milestone is providing a number of training slots and also a and machines also in Nigeria. Previously BestFly has had a close re- state-of-the-art Disaster Management kit for emergency situations. lationship with Heli-Union, which has provided extensive opera- l CHC Scotia has been awarded a new North Sea contract by TAQA tional and maintenance support, but the change in the local Bratani to provide helicopter transport services between Dyce and employment laws sees the operator now in a transition phase to be- the Brae oil fields, 217km (135 miles) north east of Aberdeen. come more self sufficient. l Originally operated by Marathon Oil the two offshore platforms, Brae Milestone Aviation and Wiking Helicopter Service have agreed a Alpha and East Brae, were purchased by TAQA early last year, with three year lease extension of an Airbus H145 helicopter, utilised by Brae Alpha receiving an extension to 2030 and East Brae due to be Wiking for sea pilot and offshore windfarm operations in the German decommissioned in 2023. sector of the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions. The new contract represents a loss for Bristow Helicopters, The aircraft, registered D-HOAG (cons. number 20178), first which previously held the contract for many years and more recently entered service with Wiking in June 2018. l has been operating a Sikorsky S-92A on a daily service to the two Danish wind farm company Ørsted has paused the use of platforms before returning to Aberdeen. CHC Scotia is due to take helicopters to support its Walney wind turbines project off the coast over the contract on 1 September. The company will also operate of Cumbria, which used a dedicated heliport built at Sandscale on flights to the nearby Harding platform, which lies 322km (200 miles) the edge of Barrow-in-Furness. A five year contract to provide two offshore Aberdeen and was previously serviced by Babcock. CHC Airbus H135 helicopters for the project was awarded to Babcock MCS began flights to this field on 1 July. CHC had expected a Offshore in 2018, commencing on 1 April that year, but this was proposed takeover of Babcock Offshore, announced last March, to ended prematurely in March this year. be cleared by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) by One of the aircraft was flown back to Babcock’s facilities at the end of June, but this has not happened as the regulator issued Staverton airport in Gloucestershire in November last year, although an initial stop order instead pending a possible investigation. it did return to Sandscale for some ad-hoc support during March. Explaining the delay, the CMA said it had reasonable grounds for The other helicopter remained at the Cumbrian base until the suspecting that the acquisition would lead to CHC’s operations in end of this April and was flown to Staverton for temporary stor- Page 73 occurred, though turbulence, a sudden movement and/or low gravity situation, the Ministry is encouraging helicopter operators to fit the devices on a voluntary basis and is developing a guide for installing cockpit videos. However it has yet to insist on the installation of such equipment and is intending to ask for feedback from the industry in a consultation document before making a decision. The authorities do admit however that there is “growing evidence from operators who have found cockpit videos and recorders a useful means of monitoring and improving day to day operation”. Meanwhile the owner of the R44 that crashed, who is also the parent of one of the fatalities, has developed her own $5,500 in- l The Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation has ordered a fifth flight data recorder, and is now promoting it worldwide. The Leonardo AW109SP GrandNew helicopter for delivery in October this recorder was approved last December by the Civil Aviation year. The company’s four existing AW109SPs are operated on the Authority. Louisa Patterson has also urged the Coroner at a recent Doctor Heli emergency medical services network but this new inquest into her son’s death to recommend that data recording aircraft will primarily be used for training. Shizuoka Air Commuter devices be made compulsory in all aircraft with ten seats or fewer, also operates an Airbus H130 and three EC135 helicopters, with one as they are currently exempt from such legislation. of the latter dedicated to a contract with Shizuoka Broadcasting l Blackpool based HeliSpeed has signed a new agreement with System for the past 12 years. Gloria Aviation in South Korea to provide specialist pilot-training to l Two Airbus AS355 helicopters retired from the New Zealand Police the company, drawing from its pool of helicopter instructors. air support unit have been donated to the Museum of Transport and HeliSpeed has already successfully placed many aviation Technology aviation collection in Auckland, with the first, ZK-HKG professionals in Asia with multiple operators throughout the region, (Police 1), placed on display on 1 July, following refurbishment by using its HeliTrax database of over 2,000 highly trained helicopter Airwork (NZ). pilots and engineers. The second aircraft, ZK-HDG (Police 2), will be unveiled to l The president of Clearnet, a helicopter management and hire the public at a later date. Both helicopters took part in countless company based in Tokyo, was arrested in early June on allegations search and rescue and law enforcement missions across the country of using a company helicopter to take customers on pleasure flights during their years in service, before being decommissioned in 2019. and to venues, in breach of Civil Aeronautics Board regulations that l The Vietnamese Civil Aviation Service (CAS) has validated the require government authorisation for such flights. Hideomi Sato is Type Certificate for the Mil Mi-171A2 helicopter, opening up the reported to have admitted to the allegations but defended his domestic market for this latest variant of the Mi-8/Mi-17 family. The actions by telling investigators that the threshold for gaining air validation comes 15 months after the CAS and the Russian Federal transport business approvals is set too high. Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) signed a working agreement on Sato is correct in that it can take a long time to obtain airworthiness issues to support and simplify the validation of permission to offer paid helicopter transport services, with Russian aircraft exported to Vietnam. companies needing to accept government audits after permission The first foreign operators of the Mi-171A2 were is granted and increased costs to meet security and other Kazakhstan and India but the Type Certification has also been requirements. However the authorities suspect that he had earned approved by the aviation authorities in Colombia and South at least $730,800 from flights dating back to at least August 2017, Korea and is also planned to be validated in China, Brazil, including $3,100 for transporting 16 people without official Mexico, Peru and other countries. Certified in Category A, the permission from a Tokyo heliport to a golf course in Shizuouka Mi-171A2 features upgraded engines, and avionics systems Prefecture. and can carry out a range of operations in temperatures from A second individual, Kazuma Nakamura, who runs an minus 50 to plus 50 degree C in mountain, desert, tropical or aviation travel agency in Tokyo, is also facing prosecution for arctic climates. More efficient X-shaped tail rotor and new allegedly organising eight of the 16 people, but has claimed he profile composite main blades help increase the payload by didn’t believe his role was illegal. The transport plan was organised up to 25 percent over older Mi-8/Mi-17 aircraft, with up to 4 by the golf course, which jointly owns the helicopter used for the tons of cargo in the cabin or 5 tons on an external sling. flights, and Sato sometimes flew the aircraft himself. It is 60 years ago since the original Mil Mi-8 made its first l Efforts are being made by enthusiasts in Australia to save and flight on 24 June 1961 in an initial single engine V-8 form. It wasn’t preserve the very first helicopter put into service by the Victoria until 1962 that the first twin-engined V-8A flew, powered by the new State Police, an Aerospatiale SA365C Dauphin, registered VH-PVF TV-2-117 turboshafts, especially designed for the helicopter. Mass (cons. no 5042) which was delivered in 1979 and served until 2001 production began in 1965 at the Kazan Helicopter Plant (factory No. before being withdrawn from use. Nicknamed “Daphne” by the 387) and since then over 13,000 civil and military Mi-8/Mi-17s have general public, the aircraft was involved in search and rescue been delivered from the Kazan plant and a second production line operations during the deadly 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, was set up in 1970 at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant. shot up by a perpetrator during the 1987 Hoddle Street Massacre l The Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation Z-8L helicopter was and evacuated people to safety during the 1983 Ash Wednesday displayed in public for the first time on 1 July, during celebrations bush fires. The efforts to save the aircraft and place it in a museum in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to mark the 100th anniversary of are being led by Mark Whorlow of Essendon in West Victoria, who China’s Communist Party. This latest upgraded variant of the Z-8 has set a A$20,000 target on a Go Fund Me platform to save and family (a reverse-engined Aerospatiale SA321 Super Frelon) has relocate the helicopter for eventual display. been in service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force since at l A New Zealander on the run for five weeks from assault charges least 2020 when it took part in training exercises. handed himself in to police in style on 27 May, after chartering a l The New Zealand Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation helicopter to fly him from his rural hideout in North Otago to Authority is continuing to defer a decision to mandate the Dunedin Central Police Station. En route, accompanied by a installation of recording devices in Robinson helicopters, five years Prisoners Advocate who himself was a former inmate now on parole, after a recommendation to do so was put forward by the Transport the fugitive, James Bryant, stopped for a meal of champagne and Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). The Commission oysters. recommended in-flight video cameras and data recorders be used Police had previously warned the public that Bryant was in the helicopters in its investigation report on a 2015 fatal R44 crash, considered dangerous and should not be approached, but in the that followed a mast bumping incident, causing the aircraft to break event boredom and worry about being labelled a danger to the up in flight. public led to Bryant’s surrender. He apparently paid for the Whilst it was not established why the mast-bumping helicopter charter in advance.

Page 74 Summer 2021

Leonardo Helicopters brought the Safran Aneto engined AW149 demonstrator to the UK in March for prolonged trials and demonstrations in its bid to secure the MoD New Medium Helicopter contract. The selected aircraft will replace four types currently in service, including the Aerospatiale Puma HC.2 and SA365N Dauphin, and the and 412 Griffin. US Army introduces upgraded UH-60V The US Army expected to introduce the new Sikorsky UH-60V Black Hawk utility helicopter into Army National Guard (ARNG) service by the end of this July, with the first aircraft being delivered to the Eastern Area ARNG Aviation Training Site at Fort Indiatown Gap, Pennsylvania. The UH-60V is a retrofit conversion of the older UH-60L variant, with many upgrades, including the modernised open architecture similar to that found in the latest UH-60M production model. This commonality is expected to Enhanced Little Bird) helicopter later this Above: The US Army demonstrated the upgraded reduce pilot training costs, allowing UH-60M year with the 160th Special Operations Sikorsky UH-60V Black Hawk variant to senior qualified pilots to only require a unit-level ARNG officers on 13 July in preparation for the Aviation Regiment (SOAR). The 51 strong aircraft joining the ARNG fleet. transition to fly the UH-60V. Senior ARNG fleet currently comprises of 15 AH-6J, 26 MH- aviation officers have already witnessed a 6J and 10 MH-6M, all especially configured flight demonstration and information update for special operations. longer composite main blades with on the UH-60V in preparation for the type Since first entering service with symmetric airfoils, which replace the old entering service. the 160th SOAR in the early 1980s, the single metal blades. Inside the cockpit, three new The Army plans to convert 760 engined helicopters have been regularly multi-function displays and a new mission legacy UH-60L Black Hawks to the UH-60V upgraded to expand their role and processor are expected to keep avionics configuration, with the aircraft expected to survivability. This work has included a Block technology up to date for a further ten years continue in service well into the future. II MELB rework in 2004 which introduced a of service. six-blade main rotor and four-blade tail Geoff Downer, Programme Leonardo hand over latest HH-139B rotor, replacing the original four and two- The Italian Air Force took delivery of its blade rotor blades to reduce noise levels Executive officer for the Army Special latest Leonardo HH-139B helicopter in a and contribute towards a 544kg (1,200lb) Operations Command, says they are also ceremony at the company’s Vergiate increase in maximum gross weight. Block II looking ahead to a possible Block IV MELB, production plant on 25 June. The aircraft, also added a crashworthy fuel system and in the event the Future Attack coded 15-65, is one of at least ten HH-139B “plank” external seating for four additional Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) cannot meet upgraded variants to be produced to date. armed soldiers. its needs. Of the two contenders, the Bell 15-66 through 15-70 are also expected to be The new Block III features a new Invictus lacks a passenger cabin, leaving the delivered shortly. The HH-139B is Sikorsky RaiderX as the only potential MELB dedicated to a range of specialist missions machined airframe, taking the structural including search and rescue, fire-fighting service life of the aircraft back to zero, and replacement. More will be known when the and as a Slow Mover Intercepter to identify introduces a stiffened and extended tail FARA contract is awarded at the end of and guard against intrusions into Italian air boom to both offset the additional loads FY2024, with a replacement decision for the space. from the more powerful tail rotor and to current MELB then likely to be made in The handover coincided with a ensure clearance for new 32cm (12.5inch) 2026. tour of the factory by the Italian Minister of Defence Lorenzo Guerini and the Air Force Oops, they did it again Chief of Staff Gen. Alberto Rosso, A US Marine Corps Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopter from the 1st Marine accompanied by Leonardo Chief Executive Air Wing dropped an 2m (8ft) long by 2m (6.5ft) wide by 2m (8ft) high steel shipping Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo Helicopters container into the sea off the western coast of Okinawa, Japan on 13 July whilst between Kisona and Tonaki islands. The helicopter had been returning from exercises at military Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo and ranges in Irisuna with tools, ready to eat meals and a small quantity of fuel in a sealed can, other senior managers. The facility at and was enroute to a beach landing zone at the Tori Station in Yomitan. Vergiate boasts more than 1,000 employees, The incident was at least the third involving objects falling from Marine Corps assembling several types in the company’s helicopters in Japan since late 2017, when a cockpit window detached from a CH-53E in helicopter portfolio, with components from December that year, falling onto a school playing field near Futenma Air Station. A second Leonardo’s centres of excellence elsewhere incident on 27 August 2019 saw a CH-53E lose a cabin window over water off the Okinawa in Europe brought together for final coast. assembly to build complete helicopters. Operations by the Marine Corps on Okinawa have long been controversial with local residents, who have consistently objected on noise and safety grounds to the Upgraded Little Bird for SOAR presence of the military there. The US Army is expected to introduce a At 20th July Marine Corps officials were still assessing whether the container was Block III upgraded variant of the long- salvageable The unit was lying at an unknown depth and weighed in excess of 1,361kg serving Boeing AH-6 MELB (Mission (3,000lb).

Page 76 with the AH-1Z losing out to the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian in recent competitions. Nevertheless Bell is continuing to offer upgrade modernisations to ensure both the UH-1Y and AH-1Z maintain a technological edge and combat capability. The aircraft are expected to be in service through the 2040s with the Marine Corps and Bell, with partner , only recently integrated new Link- 16 hardware and software into the AH-1Z for successful demonstration by Marine Corps Above: Turkish Aerospace Industries is moving government to prevent a Chinese take over, test pilots of a two-way connection between ahead with development of the Atak II heavy attack will provide a version of its successful TV3- the aircraft and a ground station. The Link- helicopter with a contract signed with Motor Sich 11VMA or the VK-2500 engines, which offer 16 package includes a new digital moving for an initial batch of engines. The helicopter is between 2500-2700shp. due to make its first flight in 2023 and is currently map, new security architecture and represented by a full scale mock up. Production of the selected engine Advanced Networking Wideboard Waveform would be carried out by TAI in Turkey under (ANW2) datalinks, and enables the aircraft to TAI Atak II moves forward licence, although the two governments have quickly obtain and share information from its Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Ukraine also been discussing TAI taking a 50 percent sensors with other weapons systems on the engine manufacturer Motor Sich signed a share in Motor Sich, which lost a major battlefield. contract on 29 June for the supply of 14 customer when invaded eastern The flight tests will continue turboshaft engines to power initial pre- Ukraine and the Crimea throughout this summer, followed by similar production TAI T929 Atak II heavy attack testing on the UH-1Y and initial fleet helicopters. The new helicopter is due to Venom and Viper reach milestone integration on the AH-1Z in 2022. make its first flight in 2023 and the contract The Bell UH-1Y Venom utility and AH-1Z calls for the engines to be delivered Viper attack helicopters, which share 85 Two more H160s for French Navy between September 2022 and 2025. percent commonality of major systems and The French Armament General Directorate The T929 is described by TAI as a parts, recently completed 400,000 joint flight (DGA) has confirmed an option to add two “much scaled-up version of the Leonardo hours in service. First deployed in 2010, the more H160 helicopters for the French Navy. lineage T129 scout/attack helicopter, with two helicopters are fully marinised and The aircraft will join the fleet of four H160s approximately twice the take-off weight” of operate primarily with the US Marine Corps, ordered in 2020 from Airbus Helicopters, the around 10 tonnes. The company previously having replaced the earlier UH-1N and first of which is currently being assembled at signed a provisional agreement with Motor AH-1W variants. the Marignane factory. Sich to develop a 2,500shp class powerplant The Marine Corps programme of All six aircraft are being delivered for the T929 earlier this year, following the record calls for a total of 349 aircraft, split in a search and rescue configuration and will continuation of a US embargo on the supply between the UH-1Y and AH-1Z, with be maintained and operated by Babcock for of the uprated General Electric T700 engine production continuing at least through 2022 operations from Lanveoc-Poulmic naval air for the aircraft. Instead Motor Sich, which and possibly beyond, depending on foreign station in Brittany, Cherbourg Airport in recently was annexed by the Ukraine sales. The latter have been difficult to win, Normandy and Hyéres naval air station in Provence. They will take over the coastal SAR Plans to upgrade and expand Canadian CH-149 fleet deferred missions currently carried out by NH90NFH and Airbus Panther helicopters, releasing The Canadian government has deferred plans to upgrade and expand its fleet of Leonardo these aircraft to fulfil their main tasks at sea CH-149 search and rescue helicopters, after the project costs exceeded the $1.03 billion aboard French Navy combat ships. allocated budget. The Department of National Defence (DND) has been working with The six helicopters will be Leonardo for at least the last 12 months on a plan to upgrade 14 Cormorants to the latest equipped with a hoist and a modular cabin Norwegian AW101-612 specification and to add two more aircraft, either new airframes or that can be optimised for each mission and reconfigured from the surplus Leonardo VH-71A US Presidential fleet, previously purchased will be certified for the use of night vision for spares recovery. goggles. Babcock will also modify the aircraft The upgrade programme was to have included new flight management, into a light military configuration and communications, navigation and safety systems to meet new regulatory standards, as well as new cockpit displays, avionics, digital AFCS, LIDAR, EO/IR surveillance ball, weather radar integrate the Safran Electronics and Defence and more powerful GE CT7-8E powerplants, as well as other life extension work on the 20 Euroflir 410 electro-optical system. year old aircraft. The DND is now looking at options to reduce the project costs, which could Feedback from the operations is expected to include simply carrying out essential, changes on the aircraft, to meet the upcoming feed in to the development of the military regulatory requirements and replace obsolete parts. In the meantime the Royal Canadian H160M Guépard programme, destined to Air Force is taking steps to increase the maintenance regime and overcome spares shortages replace five types of helicopter currently in to maximise serviceability and operational availability of the fleet. operation with the French armed services. In parallel the DND is revaluating plans to replace five Bell CH-146 Griffon search The six H160s are expected to and rescue helicopters based in Trenton, Ontario with CH-149s as a further cost-saving gradually start operating from the three measure. shore bases from May 2022.

Page 77 SPRING 2021

l The Spanish maritime safety and rescue agency SASEMAR has begun operating a Schiebel Camcopter S-100 drone helicopter from a base in Finisterre in northwest Spain for maritime surveillance, including traffic control, pollution prevention and fisheries control. Fitted with an electro/optical infrared camera gimbal, a Becker Avionics Emergency Beacon Locator and a Shine Micro Automatic Identification Receiver, the S-100 will especially service the national fisheries authority efforts to protect sea- fisheries resources and ensure their sustainable development. The remotely plant, with an estimated completion date of Above: The first Leonardo AW101 helicopter for the piloted aircraft system is delivered by the 30 June 2022. Polish government , made its first flight at the European Maritime Safety Agency and is l The Republic of Korea Navy is upgrading company’s Yeovil plant on the evening of 19 July. being operated by the Spanish authority for eight Leonardo AW159 anti- Temporarily serialled XR285 and still in a primer finish with no national identity markings, the the first time under a Light Unmanned submarine/surface warfare helicopters, to aircraft was restricted to basic flight manoeuvres Operator Certificate. improve operational communication and during this initial session but is expected to expand l Bell is to construct a new Systems enhance interoperability between the the flight test programme over the coming weeks. Integration Laboratory at its Arlington Flight Republic and its allies. The work is being Research Centre in Texas, to support testing supported by the airframe manufacturer, and verification for both the Future Long which has a technical team permanently Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) and the based in the country alongside the Navy to manufacture and deliver three Sikorsky MH- Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft support the AW159 Fleet. 60R helicopters as attrition replacements. (FARA) programmes. The new facility will l The US Naval Air Command issued a new The work will be shared between the perform risk reduction on the air vehicles contract to Sikorsky Aircraft on 25 June for Sikorsky plants at Stratford, Connecticut (40 and their mission systems, as well as nine CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift percent) and Troy, Alabama (8 percent), and helping to develop the software needed to helicopters, with an additional contract the Lockheed Martin avionics and complete weapon system development option for nine more. The Low Rate Initial completions centre in Owego, New York (52 programmes. Production Lot 5 FY2021 order will see the percent). The company is entering its initial nine aircraft being delivered in 2024, FY2021 funding has been Invictus helicopter design and a developed with the Lot 6 option being activated in allocated for the order, which is expected to version of the V-280 Valor tiltrotor to meet FY2022. be completed in May 2025, with Naval Air the FARA and FLRAA requirements The value of the Lot 5 contract is Systems Command in Patuxent River, respectively. $878.7 million, with the Sikorsky element of Maryland responsible for the contracting l The Australian Army has taken delivery of the aircraft cost being $97.6 million for each activity. Boeing has confirmed the receipt of the first two of four Boeing CH-47F Chinook machine. This cost does not include the a $599 million contract from the US Special helicopters at its Townsville base in engines and other Government Furnished Operations Command for 14 H-47 Chinook Queensland, just 10 weeks after their Equipment. For the Lot 6 aircraft, the cost Block II aircraft, to be supplied to the Royal transfer from US Army stocks under a reduces to $94.7 million each, with a total Air Force under the recently approved State Foreign Military Sale contract was approved contract value of $852.5 million. Across the Department Foreign Military Sales by the US State Department. The third and Lot 5 and Lot 6 contracts this represents an agreement. The 14 Extended Range fourth aircraft will follow mid-next year. average unit airframe cost reduction of $7.4 helicopters are expected to give the RAF The two CH-47F arrived at million from the previous FY2020 Lot 4 price. more versatility for both domestic and Townsville aboard a US Air Force C-5 Galaxy The CH-53K starts Initial international heavy lift missions, and mark freighter in a semi-dismantled state on 7 Operational Test and Evaluation this month. the first international sale of the Block II July and are being reassembled for service l The first of four Leonardo AW101 variant. with 5th Aviation Regiment, which already helicopters ordered by the Polish Deliveries are scheduled to begin operates 10 CH-47Fs on heavy-lift support. government in 2019 has been rolled out at in 2026 and the fleet will be supported in The value of the additional four helicopters the manufacturer’s Yeovil plant for initial the UK by more than 450 jobs, including is quoted at $441.6 million (Aus $595 ground tests. The aircraft will replace the Boeing employees providing maintenance million), including eight T55-GA-714A obsolete Mil Mi-14 helicopters used for anti- and overhaul services at Gosport and engines, five AN/AAR Common Missile submarine warfare, with a secondary combat Boscombe Down, as well as being Warning Systems and ten embedded GPS rescue role. The deal includes an offset embedded alongside the military at RAF Inertial Navigation Systems. agreement, with Leonardo subsidiary PZL- Odiham. l Sikorsky Aircraft has received a Swidnik being responsible for future l The Royal Air Force helicopter £26,947,749 addition to a Foreign Military sustainment and assistance in setting up detachment in Afghanistan has been Sales contract, to provide green UH-60M maintenance support at the Lódz Military disbanded and its three Aerospatiale SA330 Black Hawk helicopters to the Royal Aviation Works No.1. Puma Mk.2 helicopters air-freighted back to Jordanian Air Force. The work will be carried l Lockheed Martin has been awarded a the UK as part of the withdrawal of NATO out at the company’s Stratford, Connecticut $129 million contract by the US Navy to forces in the country. Three Puma

Page 78 SPRING 2021

base, due to spares issues and servicing delays, with the Army leasing Leonardo AW139 helicopters in an effort to keep aircrew current. Currently 47 MRH-90 are affected by the grounding decision. l An appeal by Sikorsky Aircraft to have the Bundeswehr heavy-lift helicopter competition reinstated in its original form has led to alternative plans drawn up by the German Defence Ministry now being on hold until at least the autumn and could be scrapped altogether. The Ministry had previously selected the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion Above: Another five Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawks June for Air Force operations, following to replace the ageing CH-53G fleet, but has arrived in the Philippines on 7 June, shipped from shipment from the PZL-Mielec factory in considered the industry proposals as PZL-Mielec in Poland to Clark Air Base to join six uneconomical and decided to go through a aircraft delivered last November. Poland by an Antonov transport aircraft. The five new arrivals joined an initial six S-70i Foreign Military Sale route with the US aircraft that were delivered to Clark Air Base government to reduce costs, rather than helicopters and around 50 personnel from in Pampanga last November. pursue a direct purchase with Sikorsky. Nos 33 and 230 Squadrons based at RAF 16 S-70i Black Hawks, valued at Future developments in the case now await Benson have been providing NATO support $241 million, were ordered for the on a decision by the Dusseldorf Higher from Kabul since March 2015 under Philippine Air Force in 2019 and the final Regional Court, after the First Federal Public Operation TORAL, the name given to the UK batch of five are due for delivery before the Procurement Tribunal rejected Sikorsky’s Element of NATO’s Resolute Support end of this year. In service the helicopters case. l Mission. are being used to boost the heli-lift MD Helicopters has been awarded a $14.5 During the deployment the Pumas capability of the Armed Forces across the million six month contract modification to flew 12,800 hours transporting 126,000 archipelago. Recently this has included provide logistics support for the Afghan Air passengers and moving 660,000kg (1.45 transporting vaccines and personal Force fleet of armed MD530F helicopters. million lb) of freight, with personnel rotating protective equipment to the remote areas The work will be carried out in Mesa, from the UK on a regular basis and of Batanes, Birol and other parts of the Arizona, Kabul in Afghanistan, and Al-Ain in individual aircraft also being swapped as country. the United Arab Emirates, with a scheduled necessary. The last three Pumas on station l Leonardo officially delivered the first TH- completion date of 30 November 2021. were HC.Mk.2s XW231, ZA935 and ZJ955, the 73A training helicopter to the US Navy in a The contract was awarded through latter a former South Africa Air Force ceremony at its Philadelphia factory on 10 the US Army Contracting Command at example overhauled and upgraded for the June. Based on the IFR variant of the Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, drawing from Royal Air Force after being purchased in commercial AW119Kx, the aircraft is the first FY2021 Pseudo Foreign Military Sales 2002. of an initial 68 TH-73As ordered to date, as (Afghanistan) Funds. l l The Spanish Cabinet has approved a part of a total requirement for 130 CAE USA has secured a project level government order for 40 helicopters and helicopters to be delivered over the next agreement with the US Department of three A330 tanker aircraft from Airbus for the three years. Defence to design and develop an initial Interior and Defence Ministries, to be l The Australian Defence Force is reported prototype HH-60W Jolly Green II virtual purchased between FY2021-2025. The to have again grounded the NH Industries reality/mixed reality aircrew trainer. The orders cover 18 H135s to replace eight MBB MRH-90 Taipan helicopter fleet, due to new company is partnering with small business Bo105 and nine BK117s in service with the safety and maintenance concerns. The defence contractor Armick Inc to develop Police, Civil Guard and Customs arms of the suspension is regarded as a precautionary the trainer, which is due to be delivered to Interior Ministry, valued at Euro 261 million, measure and “relates to the application of the US Air Force Moody airbase in Georgia and 18 for the Defence Ministry. the aircraft’s maintenance policy in the during Spring 2022. Purchases for the Interior Ministry helicopter’s IT support system” according to The prototype training device will will be spread over FY2021-2025, whilst the a Defence Department source. enable immersive training in a virtual and Defence Ministry order will be slightly later The department has been working mixed-reality environment for an entire HH- and budgeted for FY2023-2025, to replace with Airbus Australia to correct the issue and 60W crew including pilot, co-pilot and current Air Force and Navy training and in the meantime the Army and Navy are rear-crew special mission aviators. Each communications fleets. Currently the continuing to meet their exercise and crew member will wear a virtual reality aircraft to be retired by the military include operational commitments with the Boeing headset to join the integrated virtual 15 Airbus H120, six McDonnell Douglas Chinook, Sikorsky Black Hawk and Seahawk, environment for the familiarisation and MD500C and eight Sikorsky S-76C and the Airbus Tiger ARH helicopters. This procedural or full crew mission training helicopters. includes last week’s Exercise Sea Explorer sorties, assisted by some integrated The order also includes options and the multi-national Talisman Sabre physical components such as cyclic and for the supply of an additional 23 H135 military exercises that begins in Queensland collective grips and gun mounts. The helicopters for the government services. imminently. completed trainer will be easily l Another five Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk At the beginning of May at least 16 transportable for use as a deployable helicopters arrived in the Philippines on 7 MRH90 were grounded at their Townsville mission rehearsal system.

Page 79 Bell retire V-280 demonstrator Bell is reported to be retiring its V-280 Valor tiltrotor technology demonstrator, in order to concentrate on developing its successor for the US Army Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) programme. The company is competing with Sikorsky and its Defiant X compound coaxial design for the FLRAA Black Hawk replacement. First flown in December 2018, the V-280 is claimed by Bell to have reached or exceeded all the speed and agility goals set by the Army under its Joint Multi-Role Technical Demonstration programme, Above: The Royal Air Force has painted one of its Aerospatiale SA330E Puma HC.2 helicopters in a special including low speed agility, long range cruise retro colour scheme to mark the 50th Anniversary of the entry into service of the original HC.1 aircraft on and 565km/h (351mph) high speed flights. 29 January 1971. The aircraft chosen for the repainting, serial XW224, was already due to be repainted this During a total of 214 flight hours, the aircraft year so the extra cost of the special scheme was minimal. carried out 15 sorties piloted by five Army Apart from the original green/grey camouflage colours, the engine housing boasts test pilots, whilst also providing valuable the badges of all the RAF squadrons that have flown the Puma, both as a HC.Mk.1 and a data on affordability and sustainment for use HC.Mk.2. In addition the tail fin is emblazoned with a stylised Union Jack flag and the usual in the next stage of the competition. RAF logo on the cabin door has been replaced with a bespoke Puma 50 logo. During its The Army is expected to release a service career with the RAF the Puma has flown on combat and humanitarian operations Request for Proposals for the FLRAA this around the world, including Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, summer and meanwhile Bell is continuing to Mozambique and the Caribbean. It has also supported emergency operations in the UK, develop its Competitive Demonstration and including flood relief and providing transport in Scotland and Northern England in 2020 Risk Reduction efforts, to provide initial during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. preliminary designs for major subsystems The aircraft chosen for the 50th Anniversary scheme, XW224, was actually first flown and a conceptual weapons system, based on on 17 February 1972 at Westland’s Weston-s-Mare factory and subsequently delivered to RAF Odiham on 2 March for No.230 Squadron. It later moved with the squadron to RAF the data-driven performance. Gutersloh in Germany in 1980 before subsequently returning to the UK for continuing Orders for CH-53K to be scaled back? In comments made to the US House Armed lots and was unlikely to be “grossly below”. to the seven year schedule delay and cost Services subcommittee on 30 June, during a However he thought the ongoing work with overruns due to the main gearbox faults, debate on tactical air and land forces, the US the manufacturer to reduce the unit price as engine exhaust ingestion and other Marine Corps Deputy Commandment for production increases should lessen the problems found during flight tests. Aviation, Lt. General Mark Wise hinted that likelihood of further cost increases. Wise also noted that the cost for the Corps could further scale back its orders In December 2005 the CH-53K the latest Lot 5 batch has been reduced to for the Sikorsky CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter programme was estimated at $70.8 billion, $97 million and is expected to be down to as a result of increased costs. Wise made the which increased to $109 billion including about $94 million in 2022, demonstrating remark in response to a comment from a inflation in 2017 and to $115.5 billion for 200 Republican member of the subcommittee, aircraft in 2019. This followed the that the costs are continuing to move in the who noted that a single CH-53K in the last lot cancellation of 20 helicopters in response right direction. purchased cost “just under $100 million…on a par with a Lockheed Martin F-35B fighter jet”. First CH-47F Chinook for Singapore Air Force delivered The programme of record for the The Republic of Singapore Air Force took delivery of its first Boeing CH-47F Chinook CH-53K has already been scaled back from helicopters in late May, after shipment by sea to Brisbane for its training detachment at 220 aircraft to 200 and Wise admitted that it the Oakey Army Aviation Centre in Australia. Singapore ordered 16 aircraft direct from could drop further, although such a reduction Boeing in 2018, to replace ageing CH-47D helicopters that have been in service since 1994. would likely come from the final production The new CH-47F has a fully integrated digital cockpit with a common avionics architecture system, an enhanced self-protection suite, a satcom communications system, and an advanced cargo-handling system. Previously Boeing were allocated the US registrations N271GG-N286GG for flight testing of the 16 aircraft, with the first being noted flying in Singapore military colours at Wilmington airport in Delaware in July 2020. A second aircraft, N272GG, was seen airborne at the Boeing Philadelphia plant in November 2020. 10 of the 16 aircraft are expected to be based at Oakey, to take advantage of the open spaces and favourable climate in the region.

Page 80 reduction from the current FY2021 budget, as officials adjust funding to concentrate on developments of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) aircraft. $1.56 billion is requested for the research, development and testing of both the proposed FLRAA (Future Long Range Assault Aircraft) and the FARA (Future Attack & Reconnaissance Aircraft). The casualties in the FY2022 budget include the Boeing AH-64E Apache and CH-47 Block I Chinook, with no new- build examples of either type to be purchased. Instead the Army proposes to Above: The HAL Dhruv Mk.III completed ship-borne search and rescue, medevac, law buy just 30 remanufactured AH-64Es, down trials for the Indian Coast Guard in May aboard the enforcement and other key roles. The from the 50 remanufactured and 69 new offshore patrol vessel ICG Sujay. The first aircraft aircraft are fitted with state of the art aircraft ordered this year. Having endured a to enter service were officially inducted in early equipment including surveillance radar, an knock back from Congress over future June. electro-optical pod, medical intensive care Chinook purchases, Army officials have unit, high intensity search light, SAR homer, entered a FY2022 budget line to procure six loud hailer and a door mounted machine MH-47G “Renew” variants and allocated HAL Dhruv completes ship-borne trials gun. $145.2 million to cover this order, plus advanced procurement supporting FY2023 Following the completion of ship-borne 16 Dhruv Mk.III powered by production. Also within this budget base trials earlier this year aboard an Indian uprated Shakti (Safran Ardiden 1H1) are “CH-4F Block II procurement costs, MH- Coast Guard vessel the Hindustan engines and with a full glass cockpit, 47G Block II common procurement costs and Aeronautics (HAL) Dhruv Mk.III helicopter including the HAL Integrated Architecture MH-47G Block II retrofit costs” according to was officially inducted into the Service in Display System, are on order for the Coast early June, in a virtual ceremony held at the Guard, commencing with serial CG855 and the budget documentation. Previously the Coast Guard headquarters in Delhi and at CG856 which have initially been retained by Army had attempted to cancel the Block II the HAL Maintenance and Repair division in the manufacturer for development trials. upgrades on its fleet of 461 CH-47F Bengaluru. The Division is heading up the CG857 and CG858 were thus among the first Chinooks. company’s Performance-Based Logistics to be inducted. Also affected by the FY2022 (PBL) contract with the Coast Guard, which HAL has already established budget is the Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk, is a first for HAL and will run until the end of maintenance support under the PBL with only 24 aircraft in the new request, 2027 to assure the availability of the aircraft contract at two of the bases, with the compared to the 42 ordered this year. If the as required. necessary infrastructure and repair facilities budget survives the Congressional debates Three Dhruv Mk.III helicopters etc, and will bring the remaining two on line over the coming months, then it is due to be were handed over during the ceremony, to this year. activated from 1 October, but few observers be issued to different Coast Guard aviation expect it to remain intact. units. Eventually Dhruv Mk.IIIs will be US Army FY2022 Budget Request Separately, the US Air Force has based at Bhubaneswar, Porbandar, Chennai The US Army FY2022 Budget Request, removed a budget request to purchase a and Kochi around the Indian coast line for released on 28 May, shows a $2.8 billion second batch of eight Boeing MH-139A helicopters next year, following certification delays. An initial batch of eight aircraft have Intrepid Tiger trialled on Osprey been bought in FY2021, out of an eventual The US Marine Corps carried out the first flight of a new electronic warfare package, Intrepid planned order for 84 helicopters to replace Tiger (ITII) on a Bell-Boeing MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor on 15 June. The system is already ageing Bell UH-1N helicopters, used for flown on the AV-8B Harrier, F/A 18 Hornet, KC-130J and UH-1Y, carried in external pods, but security duties at the USAF Nuclear missile this option is not possible with the MV-22B which has no wing stations from which to mount fields, VIP transport in the Washington DC podded payloads. area, and specialist survival training. Instead the AN/ALQ-231 ITII installation has been modified as a roll-on/roll-off The aircraft, which is based on the Leonardo AW139, is required by the Federal rack-mounted internal payload, controlled from a laptop in the aircraft cabin. This is the Aviation Administration to obtain an first time the electronic warfare system capability has been incorporated internally to a updated certification as it includes special platform and is expected to provide a significant improvement in the Osprey’s organic military equipment not covered by the capabilities, providing more options to support Marine ground forces. The system design normal commercial clearance. However includes a number of state-of-the-art upgrades and the Navair Programme Office is testing by Boeing, which is responsible for expected to begin fleet deliveries in FY2023, to achieve Initial Operating Capability by the these works, has thrown up some end of FY2024. unresolved technical issues, which the 42 of the roll-on/roll-off systems are intended to be procured, but the ITII team company and Air Force officials are still are also looking at further developing the design to include a counter-radar capability on working on. The MH-139A had been the KC-130J aircraft, leveraging much of the MV-22B installation technology, including the expected to reach initial operating in-cabin rack-mounted design. capability this year. .

Page 81 Bell restart Venom production Bell has restarted production of the UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter to meet a Foreign Military Sales contract, signed last year by the US Defence Department to provide eight UH-1Y and four AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for the Czech government. Previously the final UH-1Y was delivered to the US Marine Corps in April 2018 under a 160 aircraft contract. The new order sees Bell teamed with Crestview Aerospace in Florida, which is manufacturing the UH-1Y cabin. This assembly is then being shipped to the Bell production facility in Amarillo, Texas for final Grey Wolf certification delay blamed on assembly. 85 percent of parts are shared Above: Bell has restarted production of the UH-1Y Venom with an order from the Czech government with the AH-1Z, which continues to be in faulty readings A delay in certification by the Federal for eight aircraft. Previously manufacturing production there, and this commonality has ceased in 2018 following the completion of an enabled critical component supply chains to Aviation Administration (FAA) of the order for 160 UH-1Y for the US Marine Corps. remain active during the UH-1Y hiatus. Both Leonardo-Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf variants share the same engines, integrated helicopter was caused by inaccurate test programme at Eglin Air Force Base in mission system and dynamic components, readings from an airspeed sensor, according Florida. Currently two aircraft are involved including the four-bladed rotor system to Boeing, which is responsible for the fitting in a joint flight test programme with Boeing out and completion of the basic AW139 and Air Force pilots, which is expected to Korea to develop attack helicopter airframe. The delay resulted in the US Air continue into late 2022. However a The Republic of Korea (RoK) Defence Force deferring procurement of a second decision on entering low-rate initial Acquisition Programme Administration batch of MH-139s from FY2022 to FY2023. production is likely to be decided by the (DAPA) has agreed a programme to develop According to Boeing the fault was end of this year. and field an indigenous attack helicopter for traced to an aerodynamic issue in the 84 MH139s are planned to be the Marines, based on the Korea Aerospace vicinity of one of the airspeed sensors, purchased by the Air Force to replace Bell Industries (KAI) KUH-1 Surion utility which caused the sensor readings during UH-1N helicopters used for nuclear missile helicopter, rather than purchasing a foreign certain manoeuvres to vary, but have now field security in the states of Wyoming, design. been overcome by adjusting an adjacent Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and The Marines already have a fairing. The change is now being validated Nebraska, and for VIP transport in the variant of the KUH-1, the MUH-1 Marineon with the FAA through the ongoing MH139 Washington DC area. for assault operations and wants 24 attack variants to fly from the two Dokdo-class CH-148 crash conclusion amphibious assault ships in service with the An official Board of Inquiry report into the fatal crash of a Royal Canadian Air Force Sikorsky RoK Navy. KAI has been promoting attack CH-148 Cyclone helicopter into the Ionian Sea on 29 April 2020 has concluded that the helicopter designs developed from the aircraft’s autopilot overrode the pilot’s attempt to manually control the helicopter during Surion since 2019, showing models with a low-level tight turn on a NATO training mission. All six crew members on board died in various armament options including the accident. Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire missiles In the report, the authors say that the pilot was attempting to pitch the and rocket or gun pods mounted on stub helicopter’s nose upwards for a “return to target” turn in order to fly back over its parent pylons, and an alternative with an electro- ship HMCS Fredericton, to practise hoisting people onto the deck. To achieve this optical/infrared sensor and a 20mm rotary manoeuvre the pilot attempted to use the rudder pedals to complete the turn, without cannon in a chin turret added to the options. manually disengaging the autopilot system. This was not unusual and there were no The new attack helicopter explicit instructions in the manuals on the necessity to manually switch off the flight programme is expected to cost some $1.4 director. The pilot also appeared to be unaware that the computer would attempt to regain billion, and run over the next 10 years to control near the end of the turn. 2031. Proposals to purchase the Boeing In fact if the autopilot was overridden the computer software accumulated digital AH-64E, already being ordered for the RoK commands, referred to as “command bias accumulation”. This increased as the pilot sent Army were discounted, as was the more manual commands to the computer until the autopilot flight director attempted to acquisition of the Bell AH-1Z Viper. take back total control. The Board of Inquiry noted that the pilot’s training didn’t properly cover certain risks of flying the Cyclone and made six recommendations, five of which involve better training to ensure pilots are aware of the potential problems that could occur if they override the autopilot. The report also recommends that the Air Force consider an engineering change to automatically disengage the flight director when it is overridden in multiple axes or for an extended period of time. A separate independent report, issued by the military’s Directorate of Flight Safety, subsequently argues that automatically disengaging might pose its own risks and says that instead the software and its bias accumulation should be addressed by Sikorsky Aircraft as the manufacturer of the Cyclone to eliminate the fault.

Page 82 l British Columbia based Coulson Aviation signed a short term contract in early July to support fire crews fighting wildfires in the interior of the province. Most of the company’s fleet was already contracted for fire fighting in the Los Angeles basin including four operating on a 24/7 basis, but Coulson was able to release a freshly overhauled Sikorsky S-61L/N to go north from California. The aircraft began the contract on 5 July, stationed near Kamloops, initially for a Above: This Coulson S-61L/N was rushed into service in British Columbia in early five-day stretch but with the province reassessing the need at the July to meet an urgent need for additional fire fighting support following end of that period. The last time Coulson fought fires in British extreme high temperatures and multiple wildfires in the province. Columbia was in 2015. Meanwhile the Canadian Armed forces were put on alert to also support the British Columbia wildfire response, with one affected approximately 400 helicopters worldwide and replacing all Boeing CH-147F Chinook and three Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters four rotor hub step pins on each aircraft would require 20 man hours placed on standby in Edmonton, Alberta and Petawana, Ontario. of work. The aircraft, together with military personnel, were offered to l The AAR Corporation of Wood Dale, Illinois and its Airlift Group transport people and equipment into and out of areas affected by subsidiary based in Melbourne, Florida have agreed to pay the US the wildfires and to provide an emergency airlift capability for government $11,088,000 to resolve false Claims Act allegations, in evacuation of residents and fire fighters if required. The Armed connection with helicopter maintenance services performed by Forces began their deployment on 4 July for an initial two week Airlift on two US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) contracts. period, with regular assessments of the needs being carried out and The allegations involve helicopters owned by Airlift and whether additional federal support is required beyond 19 July. used for moving Department of Defence cargo and personnel in British Columbia has been especially hard hit by wildfires Afghanistan and Africa, where the company is alleged to have failed this summer, aggravated by the unusual heat wave across the to carry out proper maintenance on nine aircraft in accordance with province, which hit temperatures of 49 degrees C and caused contract requirements. Because of this alleged failure, the extreme drying of forest fuels, high winds and lightning strike activity. helicopters would not have been airworthy and so should not have l The Quebec Provincial Government and the Government of been certified by Airlift as “fully mission capable”. The company has Canada have agreed to provide financial assistance of upto $685 agreed to also pay $429,273.69 to resolve a separate Federal Aviation million to Bell Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada and CAE to Administration matter, citing deficiencies in Airlift’s helicopter support projects totalling $2 billion investing in the country, maintenance. including almost $1.6 billion in Quebec. These investments are The issues came to light through a former Airlift employee, expected to create more than 1,000 jobs in the Quebec aerospace who sued under the whistle blower provisions of the False Claims industry and co-op placements for more than 6,200 students. Act and will thus receive a $2,162,160 share of the civil settlement. Bell will receive up to $200 million in federal funding and The final resolution was the result of a coordinated effort between $75 million in loans from the provincial government to support their the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch Fraud Section and Viridis project, which aims to develop and commercialise the US Attorney Offices in Illinois and Florida, with assistance from environmentally friendly aviation technology. The Canadian Prime TRANSCOM, the FAA, and various US military safety and Minister has also announced a federal three year $250 million investigation agencies. Aerospace Regional Initiative, to help the country’s aerospace A statement from the AAR Corporation concluded with a industry to prepare for the post-COVID pandemic economic note that “The claims resolved y the settlement are allegations only, recovery and remain globally competitive. and there has been no determination of liability”, but comments l The fatal crash of a 1979 Bell 212 helicopter, registered C-GYHQ from the US military investigators make clear that the allegations and being operated by Yellowhead Helicopters on fire fighting could have had very serious consequences, and at least put lives at support near Evansburg, Alberta on 28 June resulted in an risk. emergency air directive being issued by Transport Canada on 5 July l A new helipad to serve the OilFields General Hospital in Black and followed by the US Federal Aviation Administration two days Diamond, Alberta is to be built in the coming months to better later, requiring the removal and replacement of identified main rotor accommodate the STARS fleet of air ambulance helicopters. STARS hubs strap pin on Bell 204B, 205A1-1, 205B and 212 helicopters in currently operates a mix of Airbus H145 and BK117 helicopters, with the serial ranges 2001-2070 and 2196-2199. Subsequently on 9 July an occasional Leonardo AW139 also visiting, but is planning to the FAA issued a restricted category variants of the Model 204, 205 standardise on the H145 in the future. and UH-1H helicopters, primarily converted for crop spraying and Demand for a new helipad follows a provincial helipad similar exteral load operations. review carried out on behalf of the Alberta Health Services, which The suspect strap pin, part number 204-012-104-005 with identified major safety concerns with the existing facility and a need the prefix serial FNFS, had to be immediately removed from service for it to be relocated further away from the hospital buildings, but as Bell had determined that they had not been manufactured in still in the grounds. The new construction will require the closure of accordance with the engineering design requirements. As a result the current landing area, requiring a temporary landing site on the strap pins could shear and this is what happened on the private land near the hospital, with patients being transferred to and Yellowhead Model 212, leading to the detachment of the rotorhub from the hospital by ground ambulance. To facilitate this and main rotors in flight. arrangement, landing mats and fencing are being installed at the The failed pin had only 20 hours of service and an temporary location to ensure public safety. inspection of a second Canadian-registered 212 found another pin The new helipad at the hospital is expected to be deformed after only 29 hours of service. The airworthiness directive completed and be fully operational by 2022.

Page 83 l Babcock Australasia has begun operating a new Leonardo AW139 helicopter on behalf of RACQ Capricorn Rescue from their base in Rockhampton, Central Queensland. The aircraft replaces a Bell 412EP and will provide an upgraded capability, including improved range and speed, and a customised aeromedical and search and rescue cabin configuration. Babcock has been operating the Capricorn Rescue service on a 24/7 365 days fifth support centre, joining Enniskillen in Above: This Bell 407Gxi has recently joined the Anne a year basis since 2013 and in 2020 Northern Ireland, RAF Northolt in west Arundel County Police aviation unit in Maryland, completed 449 missions, flying a total of 647 London, Penzance in Cornwall and the main following outfitting by PAC International. hours. More than 300,000 Central operating base in Sywell, Northamptonshire. Queensland residents rely on the 2021 marks Sloane’s 50 collective voice of the sector among central emergency service. anniversary since it was founded by government, peer organisations, media and l The East Anglian Air Ambulance has chairman David George and it continues to the public, supporting and championing agreed a new seven year contract with be the UK’s largest established privately research and good practise in the sector by Babcock Onshore plus options that could owned helicopter company. the delivery of projects and sharing of see the 10 year old partnership continuing l The government of Kyrgyzstan is to learning to improve patient outcomes, into 2031. Under the contract, Babcock will purchase a Kazan Ansat helicopter to delivering funding which enables air provide the helicopter, pilots, ground support fire fighting efforts in the country. ambulance charity development and support and maintenance required on a 24/7 The order was announced by the Emergency becoming the leading central hub of mutual basis from the beginning of June. Minister on 22 June. At the same time he information exchange, support and advice In conjunction with the change to said that the existing Mil Mi-8MTV-1 used in for the community, and finally, achieving the 24/7 operations, Babcock will be upgrading the fire fighting role is to be overhauled. highest standards of governance and the current Airbus H145 helicopters with the l PAC International in Mount Pleasant, compliance, ensuring financial sustainability five-bladed bearingless main rotor, the first Pennsylvania has recently completed a Bell and nurturing the Air Ambulance UK team as air ambulance operator in the UK to 407GXi N890DT, for the Anne Arundel well as demonstrating its impact. introduce this feature. Designated the County Police aviation unit, in Maryland. l The recently elected Mayor of West H145D3, the new version will offer a The helicopter was delivered with a full law Yorkshire Combined Authority, who has smoother ride and 150kg (331lb) greater enforcement configuration, including assumed the Police and Commissioner useful load, plus the potential for longer polycarbonate windshields, Trakka night responsibilities as Lead Local Policing Body endurance without refuelling. scanner searchlight, rappel and fast rope for the National Police Air Service (NPAS) l The Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air insertion systems, night vision compatible has given 12 months notice to the Minister Ambulance has taken up a short term lighting and a CNC Technologies special of State for Policing and Crime for West contract with Sloane Helicopters for a mission suite. Yorkshire to cease the NPAS role. Leonardo AW109 helicopter, to back up its Anne Arrundel County first began The Mayor says that NPAS has existing AW169 during the peak summer police department airborne operations in required a “herculean effort” by all involved months. The AW109 will be based at 1987, using a rented helicopter flown from at times and over recent years there has Strubby in east Lincolnshire until 31 August, Lee Airport. In 1996 the department been “much work reviewing the governance to provide coverage in the busy tourist acquired six surplus Bell OH-58 helicopters and leadership of police aviation”. She also coastal area following the relaxation of from the Department of Defence to launch said that progress has been slow but COVID restrictions and the growth in its own in-house aviation unit. Two of these diminishing resources and “the ever- staycations. The existing AW169, based at aircraft, N153PD and N154PD, remain changing requirements of policing have Waddington, has already seen a growth in call- registered to the aviation unit today. become too great to dismiss”. There is outs with 148 missions in April this year, l Air Ambulance UK, which merged with the already an emerging consensus among compared to 49 over the same month in 2020. former Association of Air Ambulances last Police and Crime Commissioners across Meanwhile Sloane is to set up a year, has set out a five year strategy aimed England and Wales for a new delivery model new support facility at Elstree airfield, north at improving the delivery of professional to be established. of London, acquiring a dedicated new membership activities as well as funding for There has been much criticism hangar to initially offer Leonardo Authorised its beneficiaries. Entitled “Saving More over the years from rank and file officers and Service Centre line maintenance and Lives Together 2021-2025”, the strategy aims NPAS pilots regarding the poor organisation hangarage for its customers. The new facility to increase collaboration and innovation, and availability of the 20 helicopters is expected to be open from early 2022 and “underpinned by a unifying vision,” covering the policing role, since the Sloane plans to later expand its capability according to the charity management. individual police force air assets were into base maintenance and a wider range of The charity has set out five merged into one overarching organisation. services. Elstree benefits from being well strategic goals to deliver the vision, The Metropolitan Police is among placed for fast access into London, with including inspiring commitment to the those individual police forces that has made unrestricted 24 hours operation, dedicated sector through raising funds, generating clear its intent to sever ties with NPAS next ground handling and round-the-clock support and increasing national awareness year, including moving its helicopters from refuelling. The base will be the company’s of the cause, becoming the trusted, national the NPAS base at North Weald airfield in Page 84 property, in a protest against an oil pipeline taking oil from Alberta in Canada to Wisconsin via Minnesota. At least 24 activists were reportedly chained to a pipeline pumping station on the site. A police spokesman said the helicopter was brought in to issue a dispersal order to the protesters, using its loud hailer to get the message across and that unusually dry conditions caused the unintentional dust cloud. The spokesman added that once the helicopter crew realised what was happening they immediately left Above: The Policia Civil do Rio de Janeiro is rapid search, surveillance and pollution the area. 68 protesters received citations scheduled to take delivery of a new Leonardo identification, with 2 Excel Aviation (the and another 179 persons were taken into AW169 (cons. number 69135) in the near future for current fixed-wing contract holder), EEA custody as a result of the unrest. operation by the Coordenadoria de Rescursos Helicopters, Elbit Systems UK and Serco l The SAF Group in France has ordered Especiaus (CORE) special unit. The aircraft will join invited to bid, and finally Lot 4 covers all of three more five-bladed H145 helicopters an AW119Kx, PR-JPC (cons. number 14970), delivered from the Leonardo Philadelphia facility the Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3 requirements but from Airbus for emergency medical service earlier this year. provided by one supplier consortium, (EMS) operations. The aircraft will be based enabling the potential cost savings of such in Grenoble, Valence and Montpellier, Essex back to its previous facility at Lippitts a benefit to be articulated in a single bid. joining three similar helicopters already Hill in the heart of Epping Forest. The old Four companies have been shortlisted in ordered in 2018 and 2020. base had been in use by the Air Support this category with Airbus Helicopters UK, The first of these earlier orders Unit since 1980 and the Metropolitan Police teamed with Draken (previously Cobham (cons. number 21020) was delivered recently was forced to leave there and join NPAS Aviation Services), to compete against and is being assigned to EMS missions in against their will. Bristow, EEA Helicopters and Serco. Belgium, as part of SAF’s wider air medical Bureaucracy and a focus on cutting However Serco pulled out of the running fleet. The French company already operates costs without understanding the before the responses deadline. Once the 55 Airbus helicopters, including a Super consequences by staff with no aviation remaining responses have been received Puma, H135s and H125s. The H145 is experience has been blamed for many of and following negotiation, the MCS expects expected to bring increased capabilities to the failures. The fleet also needs to award the contract in late summer 2022, the EMS mission, taking advantage of the replacement, with almost all the aircraft which will allow the winner/s to establish increase in performance and payload of the each having now logged over 10,000 hours. service from 30 September 2024 for at least five-bladed variant and the spacious flat floor The comments by the Mayor are 10 years. cabin. Currently more than 470 helicopters likely to back up proposals to merge NPAS The new UKSAR2G has a much of the H145 family are dedicated worldwide with the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency broader scope than the current MCA to carrying out air rescue missions. l programme which includes aerial contract, recognising that more than 50 Philips Search and Rescue Trust in New surveillance and law enforcement in its percent of the demand for Coastguard Zealand has placed a new Kawasaki-MBB current tender invitations. aviation today arises from other public BK117 B-2 registered ZK-IIX (cons. number l The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency bodies and that “the scale of this 1099) helicopter in service to support has announced the short list of companies collaboration has never been seen before existing rescue and air medical operations being invited to tender for the UK Second on a Government Procurement”. Despite in the Waikato, King Country, Coromandel Generation Search and Rescue Aviation this, the MCA expects the cost of the new and Palmerston regions in North programme (UKSAR2G), intended to contract/s to be lower than the cost of the Island. Philips operates a mixed fleet of provide search and rescue, aerial current Coastguard SAR and aerial helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft that work surveillance, pollution control, and support surveillance operations and bidders will across North Island, providing air health and for the National Health Service and law need to ensure “they propose a price that rescue services free of charge to the public. enforcement, both offshore and onshore as achieves the aims while remaining The helicopter fleet has now standardised required. The tenders have been split into affordable to the tax payer”. on the BK117 and is claimed to be New l four lots with bid deadlines set at the end The US Customs and Border Protection Zealand’s largest pool of rescue helicopters. l of August. (CBP) are investigating complaints from The Yorkshire Air Ambulance has ordered Lot 1 covers rotary wing aircraft protesters gathered at a construction site in two new five-bladed Airbus H145 with a standard capacity for short range Minnesota on 7 June, who claimed a low helicopters for delivery in Spring and rescue work, with Bristow Helicopters, EEA flying Airbus AS350B (identified as N3949A) Summer 2023, when the two current four- Helicopters Operations (CHC consortium) deliberately blew dust over them after bladed H145s will have been in service for and Serco Ltd initially shortlisted. Lot 2 descending to a height of around 6m (20ft) seven years and due for replacement. The covers rotary wing aircraft with a larger and manoeuvring sideways on to the crowd. air ambulance charity has chosen to replace carriage capacity for long range/multiple The helicopter had been the aircraft rather than upgrading them to casualty rescues. The same three companies responding to a local law enforcement call the new configuration to take full advantage as above were on this short list. Lot 3 is for for assistance, to address the gathering of of the latest technologies available fixed-wing, manned an unmanned aircraft for people after they trespassed onto private and shorten delivery lead times. Page 85 Five crew members in a KAI Surion helicopter were injured at a military base in Pocheon, South Korea on 12 July when the aircraft crash landed on the airstrip there whilst arriving to pick up a patient for transfer to hospital. The helicopter was substantially damaged, with the tail section separated and the main fuselage coming to rest on its port side with broken main rotor blades, windscreens and other damage. As a result of the accident the Army suspended all operations of the Surion pending an investigation into the cause, with medevac operations being taken over by Sikorsky UH-60P Black Hawk helicopters. A Royal Canadian Air Force Boeing CH-147F Chinook helicopter Above: This RCAF CH-147 Chinook came to grief during an exercise on from No. 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Petawawa, Ontario the Wainwright training range near Edmonton,Alberta and had to be roaded across four provinces back to its base for repairs. The trip took was recently transported by road all the way from Edmonton in seven days. Alberta back to base, following a heavy landing during an exercise taking place on the nearby Wainwright Army training range. The seven day trek began on 21 June and took Highway 14 from earlier in April and made its first revenue-earning flight on 21 May. Edmonton to the Saskatchewan border, Highways 40,21 and 14 to The three flight crew escaped with minor injuries and the deck fire Saskatoon, Highway 16 to Highway 1 in Manitoba through crew extinguished a small localised fire. The helicopter came to Winnipeg to the Ontario border, and Highway 17 on to the Petawawa Canadian Forces Base. rest amidst the platform infrastructure, with the main rotor blades The accident occurred during an attempted landing in a shattered, fuselage damage and the emergency flotation gear level grass field on the Wainwright range, when a perception of inflated. drift immediately prior to touchdown caused the flight engineer A US Navy MH-60S Knighthawk search and rescue helicopter to call for the pilot to abort the landing. The helicopter then from Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada crashed at 3566m became unstable with strong lateral oscillations, causing the pilot (11,700ft) in rugged terrain south of Bounday Peak, California on to carry out an emergency landing. This resulted in two of the front 16 July, whilst assisting local efforts to find a lost hiker. The four- rotor blades striking the fuselage and the rear undercarriage to man crew of the helicopter were able to escape from the cabin, collapse. but were forced to spend the night on the mountain when a A recently delivered Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopter of the mission to recover them that evening failed. Philippines Air Force ) was destroyed in a crash on the evening of Instead an overnight kit was dropped to the crew and 23 June, soon after taking off from Clark Air Base, Pampanga on a another attempt made the following morning, with an additional night training flight. All six persons aboard, three pilots and three MH-60 launched from NAS Fallon to provide on-scene crew members, lost their lives in the crash. coordination. However this rescue attempt also failed and a The helicopter, from the first batch of six S-70i aircraft Boeing CH-47 Chinook was called in from Mather Air Force Base delivered last November and in service with the 205th Tactical for its superior high altitude performance characteristics. This Helicopter Wing, had taken off at around 20.00 hours and was helicopter dropped off a ground rescue party that met up with the subsequently reported late from an estimated time of return. A survivors, whilst the CH-47 flew to Mammouth Lakes to refuel. subsequent search found the wreckage near the Rabina Air Base Finally, after the heavy-lift helicopter returned to the scene, the in Capas, Tarlac. Knighthawk crew were safely recovered. The MH-60S meanwhile Following the accident the Air Force grounded all its had to remain at the crash location for an on-site investigation, Black Hawks and launched an investigation into the cause. after which it was removed from the US Forest Service land to a 17 soldiers aboard a Kenya Air Force Mil Mi-17 helicopter were more suitable site for a continuation of the investigation and a killed on 24 June, when the aircraft crashed at Ole-Tepesi on the repair survey. outskirts of Nairobi during a training exercise. A further six The US Navy currently has six dedicated search and persons on board were badly injured in the incident and taken to hospital. rescue units based at Naval Air Stations in the United States, at Early reports from witnesses suggest the helicopter was Lemoore and China Lake in California, Whidbey Island in suffering from a mechanical problem, and struck a hillside Washington, Patuxent River in Maryland, Key West in Florida and obstruction whilst trying to land. A post impact fire saw the Fallon in Nevada. wreckage almost totally destroyed. An Enstrom F-28F helicopter, N8627J, operated by Talaheim Air An almost brand new Leonardo AW139 helicopter, which Service on sight seeing tours at the Alaska State Fairgrounds in entered service with Omni Taxi Aereo at Jacarepagua, Rio de Palmer, was substantially damaged recently in a forced landing Janeiro on 29 April 2021 for offshore operations, was substantially into a nearby empty field, following an attempted . damaged during night training at 19.35 hours on 2 June, following The pilot and two passengers escaped without injury. a blade strike on the Petrobras Ocean Courage oil platform next The helicopter apparently landed with one of the skids to the helideck. becoming caught in the soft ground, which caused the aircraft to The aircraft, registered PR-OTF (cons. number 41573) tip onto its nose and the main rotor to partially sever the tail had been delivered from the manufacturer’s Philadelphia factory boom. Page 86 A Fairey Tale... Rare Fairey Ultra Light 10 year restoration

A RARE tip-jet driven helicopter, the Fairey Ultra Light first flown 65 years ago and later scrapped for spares recovery, has just completed a 10 year restoration programme at the hands of a volunteer team at The Helicopter Museum. The cabin of the two- seat helicopter had been rescued from a farm near Harlow in Essex by the museum founder Elfan Ap Rees in 1977, who spent several years tracing and acquiring missing parts, including the tail boom, engine and rotor blades, before eventually transferring ownership to the museum to enable a grant aid application to be pursued to remanufacture broken glazings and other components. Moved into the museum workshop in 2010 for a team to complete the rebuild, the helicopter was finally completed on 9th July and placed on permanent display a week later. Following completion of the project, Mr Ap Rees said “Grateful thanks go especially to volunteers Mike Lait, Roger Cowie, Geoff Warner, Tibor Erdetz and John Derrick who put in many man hours to see the project through, to the Midland Air Museum for facilitating access to an original Fairey Ultra Light rotor head for copying, to the Apprentice School at Vector Aerospace, Fleetlands who remanufactured a replacement tail unit, and to the Science Museum PRISM Fund for a grant to cover the manufacture of new glazings and sundry smaller items to complete restoration”. * First flown as serial XJ928 (second prototype) 20th March 1956 but grounded 21 June 1956 for substantial modifications including new hydraulic cyclic pitch controls and a new rotorhead to replace the original overhead hanging cyclic stick and tilting head. Purchased by Fairey and civil registered G-AOUJ, the aircraft was reflown on 1 September 1957 and flown to the SBAC Farnborough Air Show the following day for daily demonstration flights. After 12 months spent carrying out training and familiarisation flying, based at White Waltham airfield, Berkshire the helicopter re-appeared at the SBAC Show in September 1958 in Royal Navy colours, cold weather trials and demonstrations to a grand total of just 75 flight hours. Whilst flying daily from the bed of a moving truck Canadian officials at the Ottowa Proving the British Army and Royal Navy upscaled with just 8cm clear on each side and Grounds and Camp Borden, before being instead to the Scout and Wasp helicopters climbing vertically at 3,000ft per minute to relocated in late November to Halifax, Nova (ironically produced at the Fairey Aviation demonstrate its tip-jet performance. Scotia and HMCS Shearwater for Hayes factory following its takeover by A month later, in early October, G- demonstrations to the Royal Canadian Navy. Westland in 1960), GAOUJ was cannibalised AOUJ carried out a demonstration at The last flight there took place on 9th to provide parts for an Ultra Light test rig at Aldershot for the Royal Army Medical Corps, December but the Navy decided the aircraft the Royal Aircraft Establishment at with a modified nose section incorporating was too small for practical operations and Thurleigh, Bedford and the stripped cabin, a hinged port section with an extension to the Canadian Army also felt the limited section sold for scrap. facilitate the carrying of a single casualty on endurance made it of little use in such a It was rescued at the last minute a field stretcher. The pilot was Peter Twiss, large country. by enthusiast Peter Swettenham, who took who joined Ron Gellatly and John Morton to These views echoed the concerns it to the farm in Essex where it was later re- demonstrate the Ultra Light’s virtues. Later of the British military and, although G-AOUJ discovered and acquired by Elfan Ap Rees in October the helicopter, accompanied by was shipped back to the UK, it was notflown a decade or so later for eventual John Morton, was shipped to Canada for again and was abandoned after completing resurrection.

Page 87 Lycoming is to introduce an approximate 13 percent price increase from 24 July for its range of piston engines, powering aircraft and helicopters, including the and R44. The pricing increase will include factory new, rebuilt zero time and overhaul exchange options as well as all small parts and cylinder kits. In real numbers the cost of a Lycoming Rebuilt Zero time 0-540-F1B5 engine will go from the current retail price of $48,303 to $53,879, an increase of $5,576. The company cites “inflation costs associated with components, surcharge increases and ongoing availability” as the main drivers for the unexpected increase, which comes ahead of the normal Lycoming price review held in December each year. Factory Lead Times are l Safran Helicopter Engines has confirmed already at 10-12 weeks and are now expected to worsen as dealers and owners put early that receipt of a US Federal Aviation orders in to beat the 24 July deadline. Administration type certificate for the Arrano The Robinson models affected are the R22 Beta (Lycoming 0-320-B2C engine), 1A turboshaft engine, installed in the Airbus R22 Beta II (0-360-J2A), R44 Raven I (0-540-F1B5), and R44 Raven II (IO-540-AE1A5). Also H160 helicopter. The certification of the affected by the price increase will be the Enstrom F-28/F-280 (IO-360-F1AD), Guimbal G2 1,000-1,300shp class engine comes just over (IO-360-J2A). Schweizer 269C (IO-360-D1A) and other miscellaneous rotorcraft types and 12 months after receiving a European fixed-wing aeroplanes.. Aviation Safety Agency type certificate and now opens the door for the H1160 to enter service in both Europe and the United The UK Civil Aviation Authority has attitude at all speeds in the event of States. certified the Genesys HeliSAS autopilot in adverse roll or pitch, and provides stability l The United Engine Corporation is to the Bell 505 helicopter, offering pilots a engagement throughout all phases of flight develop a new hybrid engine based on the reduction in workload and increasing pilot as well as envelope protection to prevent VK-650V turboshaft, which was designed for comfort over long distances. The system over and under speeding. the Kamov Ka-226T helicopter and offers also provides assistance in the event of Customers for the Bell 505 can 650shp take off power. The engine entering inadvertent IMC conditions. specify HeliSAS on new aircraft before company, based in St.Petersburg, is a HeliSAS is available in two or delivery or the system can be retrofitted to member of the Rostec State Corporation. three-axis configurations, with the two-axis l Aviation Blade Services (ABS) in existing aircraft through a Genesys version including pitch control (altitude Kissimmee, Florida has begun a multi-year hold, IAS hold) and roll control (HDG hold, Aerosystems approved dealer. Bell says Inspection and Repair Training and NAV, vertical navigation mode). The three- that with the latest Garmin avionics, dual- Maintenance Contract to support main and axis version adds yaw control. In addition channel FADEC-controlled engine and now tail rotor blade repairs for the Taiwanese the system is equipped with a stability the HeliSAS autopilot, the Model 505 is fleet of Sikorsky S-70/UH-60 helicopters. augmentation system to automatically today the most advanced short light single The company has partnered with the AMS recover the aircraft to near level flight helicopter on the market. Group and Tawan-based Air Asia to provide the service. ABS is best known for its expertise Air Methods division United Rotorcraft has agreed a joint manufacturing partnership with regarding UH-60 Black Hawk rotor blades as Vita Inclinata Technologies to produce Vita’s rescue load stabilisation system, designed well as the Sikorsky S-55, S-58, S-61, S-62, S- to stabilise swing, oscillation and spin under any rotorcraft. 64, S-70, H-3, CH-54 and Westland Sea King The system has already been tested by the US Army Aeromedical Research main and tail blades. The company holds Laboratory on the Sikorsky HH-60 Black Hawk to control litters during the winching process one of the most extensive libraries of Siko- and Vita is also working with Erickson Helicopters to explore sling load stabilisation on rsky rotor blade maintenance and technical the S-64 Air Crane and other heavy lift helicopters. The Vita system uses sensors and data. proprietary software computing 100 times per second to dynamically stop chaotic l Airbus Helicopters is to acquire ZF movement of the load, while a wireless remote provides operators with precision and Luftfahrttechnik (ZFL) from its parent ZF control, including the ability to steer the load around obstacles and align to the aircraft Friedrichshafen, in order to ramp up its for recovery. The partnership with United Rotorcraft will initially focus on investigating maintenance, repair and overhaul the joint manufacturing capability of the rescue system technology for Vita’s military and capabilities for dynamic components civilian customers, utilising United Rotorcraft’s facilities in Denver, Colorado, which are installed in customer helicopters. ZFL is a close to Vita’s Broomfield headquarters in the same State. repair and overhaul provider for the majority of the German armed forces helicopter fleet The US Federal Aviation Administration 2013 and the 1,280shp 1A variant first flew and a supplier of the Airbus H135 main (FAA) has validated the type certificate for on the H160 three years later. The engine gearbox and Tiger helicopter tail gearbox. the Safran Arrano 1A turboshaft engine features an annular air intake, integrating Bringing the company and its 370 with FADEC (Full Authority Digital inlet guide vanes and a single-stage high- employees in house is expected to allow Electronic Control). The turboshaft powers pressure turbine driving a two-stage Airbus Helicopters to improve its service to the new Airbus H160 medium-twin centrifugal compressor, a reverse flow customers once the deal receives regulatory helicopter and the approval is a major step combustion chamber and a single-stage approval and closes, expected later this in obtaining overall FAA certification for low-pressure turbine driving a reduction year. In 2020 ZFL had revenues of Euro 85.3 the aircraft, expected later this year. The gearbox. The accessory gearbox is driven million. Administration has blamed COVID-19 from the high-pressure shaft. travel restrictions for a 10 month delay in the process, after the European Aviation Safran uses additive Safety Agency certified the H160 in June manufacturing technology for key 2020. components of the engine, reducing the Developed from the Tech 800 part count and simplifying production, and technology demonstration engine, part of claims the Arrano 1A delivers 10-15 the European Clean Sky Programme, the percent better specific fuel consumption Arrano turboshaft was first bench-run in than comparable legacy powerplants.

Page 88 accompanying this narrative have never been published before, having been sourced from private and corporate archives from around the world…Images of War-US Naval Aviation 1989-1945 by Leo Marriott. Published by Pen & Sword. Price: £14.99 (UK) $22.95 (USA). As the title suggests this softback publication is a collection of captioned photographs from naval archives of aircraft and carriers Fly Navy. View From the Cockpit, 1945-2000.Edited by Charles of the US Navy, beginning with the pioneering efforts in the early Manning. Published by Pen and Sword. Price: £15.99 (UK) $29.95 1900s and continuing into the Second World War. The author has (USA). This softback provides the reader with 95 personal accounts selected over 200 rare photographs to tell the story, but not a from members of the Fleet Air Arm Officer’s Association of highlights helicopter among them as they didn’t enter service within the during over 55 years of naval flying, beginning in the 1940s and period covered. If there’s ever a Volume 2 covering from 1945 continuing through the subsequent decades to the 1990s. onwards, it will be a very different story of course! Meanwhile, The incidents recalled range from the humorous to the bathe in nostalgia! tragic, and will remind the reader of the changes that faced the Gunship Ace by Al J Venter. Published by Casemate. Price: £18.99 naval aircrew operating not just the powerful piston-engined (UK) $24.95 (USA). A 324 page softback, this book is all about the fighters of the earlier decades but also the fast-moving jets that wars of helicopter pilot and mercenary Neall Ellis and his came into service subsequently, and the vagrancies of operating adventures in various African conflicts and a brief spell in helicopters over an unforgiving sea. Afghanistan. His mounts ranged from the armed Alouette 3 in early Accompanied by a wide range of previously unpublished 1970s to the formidable Mil Mi-24 Hind and Mi-8 helicopters on photographs, this is a book you can put down and take up again missions that later included support for the UK Special Forces in over and over again, but is also a fine tribute to the 915 young men Sierra Leone. who lost their lives serving with the Fleet Air Arm during the years The author, an international war correspondent for many in question. years, tells the story well. Tupolev Tu-22 “Blinder” by Sergey Burdin and Alan E. Dawes. 75 Years of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works by James Goodall. Published by Pen and Sword. Price: £16.99 (UK) $28.00 (USA). This Published by Osprey Publishing. Price: £50.00 (UK) $70.00 (USA). 270 page softback covers the history of the Soviet Air Force’s first A hardback landscape book of some 384 pages, this publication is supersonic bomber in quite extraordinary detail. It covers the devoted to the many experimental designs that came from the design and detail of the aircraft, its weapon systems, equipment legendary creators at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in California and and jamming devices, operational use and even includes accident the test ranges in Nevada, initially led by the talented engineer reports from the original Soviet records, with the apportioned “Kelly Johnson”...Initially set up in 1943 to develop in great secrecy blame in each case. what became the P-80 Shooting Star jet fighter the Skunk Works Introduced at the height of the Cold War in 1961, the went on to design and build many more prototypes, including the “Blinder” ranged far and wide carrying out high altitude XF104 Star Fighter, the XFV-1 Salmon VTOL interceptor, and XV-4 reconnaissance and probing missions, with the capability of carrying Humming Bird, the AH-56A Cheyenne attack helicopter, and the conventional and nuclear bombs. Refurbished examples were also much better known U-2 Dragon Lady and SR-71 high altitude sold to Iraq and Libya and details of the training and operations by reconnaissance aircraft, not to mention the F-117 stealth fighter- these Arab countries are also included. Many illustrations bomber and various unmanned programmes of all shapes and accompany the text, but poor quality reproduction and caption sizes. errors unfortunately cloud this aspect. Nevertheless for the serious Working just within the bounds of national security, the aviation historian interested in Soviet aviation of this period, this author has sketched out some 50 Skunk Works projects developed will prove of much interest. over the past 75 years, and whilst his fairly brief introductory In Good Faith – A History of the Vietnam War by Sergio Millar. descriptions may appear confusing at first (deliberately ?), this is Published by Osprey Publishing. Price: £14.99 (UK), £21.00 (US). more than made up for the many pages of photographs gathered This 416 page softback publication is a damning and detailed together from company archives and other sources. investigation into the politics and errors made by a paranoid US A great “coffee table” compendium that you and your administration, desperate to stop the growth of Communism across friends will forever want to be picking up to delve into and learn South East Asia in the 1950-1960s, but almost blind to the fact that more. the Vietnamese people wanted their own resolution to internal Vietnam War Army Helicopter Nose Art Vol.2 by John Brennan. conflict after the Second World War. Published by Fonthill Media. Price: £24.00 (UK), $32.00 (USA). This From President Eisenhower through to President 128 page softback is the result of some dedicated research by the Kennedy and to President Johnson, the author uses released author, with much support from those who contributed artwork in documents and personal interviews to demonstrate how, after the the field for US Army helicopters engaged in the Vietnam War. French abandoned Indo China, the United States stepped into the Profusely illustrated in colour, coupled with captions on the origins same quagmire, naively trying to back a corruption riddled South etc of each piece, the book mainly covers the Hughes OH-6 and Bell Vietnam without either getting involved too deeply or conversely UH-1 but also features the AH-1 Cobra and CH-47 Chinook, plus a not getting involved enough. And not just the politician’s listing of known aircraft that features artwork of some kind or blundered-senior Defence and State advisors and military officers another. also messed up, with the Gulf of Tonkin incident a prime example A must for modellers but also of interest to helicopter of confusion and bad judgements. This volume takes the whole sad historians and researchers. story only from 1945 to 1965, before matters really got bad – there Black Arrow Blue Diamond by Sqdn. Leader Brian Mercer AFC. is a second volume to follow. Published by Pen and Sword. Price: £19.99 (UK). This 200 plus 20th Century Flying Boats by Leslie Dawson. Published by Pen & page hardback, by an RAF fighter pilot whose main claim to fame is Sword. Price: £19.99 (UK). A relatively slim (91 pages) volume, this that he led the Treble One Squadron and 92 Squadron Hunter practical account of flying boat history begins with the first attempt display teams is less about the title and more about the author’s to create a water-borne aircraft in the early 1900s and then goes on life in the Air Force. This seems to have consisted of flying with to cover in more detail the heady days of the 1930s when various pilots who failed to reach his own high standards and off- passengers were transported in luxury across the Atlantic Ocean to duty drinking sessions and “jolly japes”. In between these, there the Americas, rivalling the great steam ships of the age. Efforts to are some interesting anecdotes that provide a better reason to add revive the services after the Second World War failed, despite the this book to the library. Subsequently he resigned from the RAF development of more modern flying boats but smaller flying boats and joined Cathay Pacific Airways as an airline pilot, before finally and amphibians still survive today. Many of the photographs retiring to live near Perth in Western Australia.

Page 89 SUMMER 2021

l Schweizer RSG, which bought the S300C and S333 variants from Sikorsky Aircraft in 2018, has finally relaunched production of the S300C at their Fort Worth facility in Texas. The first aircraft, cons. number S1973, has been issued its Certificate of Airworthiness and is destined for a customer in Senegal, West Africa. Last year the company said it had commitments for over 50 S-300C helicopters in place and expected to deliver 12-14 aircraft by the year end. Covid Pandemic restrictions however delayed this timetable until now. lMD Helicopters has launched a second company’s operating certificate and the Above: Leonardo Helicopters is carrying out pre- US demonstration tour in an effort to lessor is taking legal action to recover the delivery flight tests of a new AW109TK Trekker boost sales, with its MD530F glass cockpit helicopter serial number 22739, at its Vergiate debt and to seize the fleet. Meanwhile enhanced aircraft to travel across Texas, plant. The aircraft, temporarily registered the health ministry has been seeking Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, I-EASR, is destined for the Italian executive alternative air ambulance providers. Missouri and Oklahoma between 20 July company Hoverfly, and will be the first Trekker l In an effort to ease Lebanon’s economic to be operated in Italy, when it enters service. and 11 August. As part of the tour the crisis, the Air Force has begun using its The company, headquartered in Pescara, has helicopter will participate in APSCON in Robinson R44 training helicopters to carry bases at Naples, Massa Cinquale and Milan Linate New Orleans, providing demonstration out 15 minute tourist flights from Rayak Air airports and already operates a mixed fleet of flights throughout the show. Stopping Base and Amchit. The charge, for up to Airbus AS365N2, AS355N, AS350B3, EC130B4 and points during the tour include San Antonio Leonardo AW109S and AW169 helicopters. three passengers is set at $150 and began and Houston in Texas, Baton Rouge in on 1 July. Louisiana, Savannah and Atlanta in If it proves successful the Air Ingenuity which is continuing to obtain Georgia, Nashville in Tennessee, Frankfort Force has plans for more ambitious flights imagery of areas that the parent rover in Kentucky, St Louis and Kansas City in in the future, according to a spokesman, cannot reach. Having overcome previous Missouri, and Oklahoma City. who says they hope “to encourage temporary glitches, Ingenuity is now l 30 helicopters operated by the Russian Lebanese tourism in a new way”. expected to be able to continue flying for company SKOL, based in Kalingrad, are l The Federal Aviation Administration has several more months. the subject of an attempted seizure by the called for inspections on all MBB BK117A, The helicopter is believed to be state lessor GTLK, which claims the BK117B and BK117C helicopters, to capable of individual flights of up to 1km, operator has failed to keep up leasing determine if any bolted main rotor blades lasting up to three minutes, although the payments of $45 million to cover the fleet. are installed and to replace any bolted longest flight to date has been 266m and The helicopters are mostly Mil Mi-8 lead inner weights that could loosen and the cumulative distance by 21 June only variants, some of which were carrying out cause cracking of the open blade trailing search and rescue and air ambulance added up to nearly one kilometre. edge. services as well as United Nations A new Mars helicopter is likely The airworthiness directive has humanitarian contract support. to be a hexa-copter or six rotor design, been prompted by a report of sudden The Russian civil aviation with a mass of about 30kg and carrying up severe vibrations and a cracked open authority, Rosaviatsia, has already reacted to a 5kg payload over a distance of up to blade trailing edge, caused by a loosened by withdrawing the aircraft from the 10km per sortie. lead inner weight. The issue was originally l Omni Taxi Aereo is to take delivery of a identified by the German airworthiness second Leonardo AW189 helicopter in the authorities in March 2005 but the FAA has near future, registered PR-OTY (cons. only recently been notified of the risk. number 89013) and from the Vergiate Approximately 44 BK-117s on the US assembly line. The first AW189 for the register are affected by the directive. Brazilian oil and gas operator, registered l The Mars Ingenuity helicopter PR-OHP, was delivered in 2018. completed a seventh successful flight on Other deliveries in the same 89 8 June, when it flew 106m (348ft) from its series sequence have to date included previous location in the Jezero Crater to a three aircraft for the Bristow Helicopters new site, staying airborne for nearly 63 seconds. This was the fourth different HM Coast Guard contract, two for British landing area the helicopter has used since International Helicopters/AAR Airlift for it was first deployed from the search and rescue duties in the Falklands, Perseverance mother rover on 19 April. two for CHC in Australia and one for CHC The US NASA organisation is Scotia in Aberdeen, one for Vietnam now studying the potential for a larger Helicopters South, and one for the Mars helicopter following the success of Tokyo Fire Department in Japan.

Page 90 BELL 412EPI WANTED S/N 37010 Reg: N16KD 30 TTSN, FAA CofA issue July 2015, Fully Transferable Factory Warranty (start Time Expired / date August 2018) Bell Basix Avionics with four 10.4” Damaged Parts? high-res LCD multi-function display units. The Helicopter Museum Pratt & Whitney PT6T-9 engines is always grateful for Optional Equipment: Wire Strike Protection, Heli-Rappel Kit Provisions, Automatic Crew Door Opener Kit, Kit, Fixed Steps, High Skid Gear, Auxiliary Fuel Kit, Air Con, Fastfin, donations Bambi Bucket Provisions, Interior Deluxe, Seat Airline Kit, Crew Door Mirror Kit, and more Before you skip it email For more details contact: [email protected] Tel: +1 (954) 377 - 0303 email: [email protected] WWW.SCROSS.COM

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