HAI Convention News 03-08-17

HAI

MARCH 8, 2017

Convention News

®

WEDNESDAY

AINONLINE.COM

Pylon Aviation takes keys for first Bell 505

Bell Flies into the Future with FCX-001 Concept Helicopter Bell Helicopter took the wraps off a mockup of its FCX-001 concept helicopter yesterday morning here at Heli-Expo. The FCX-001 will be a platform to test future rotorcraft technologies that could eventually find their way onto Bell’s production models. For more details on the FCX-001, turn to page 10.

the 505 under Canadian registration until FAA approval is in hand. FAA and EASA certification is expected by the end of this month, according to Bell.

The first two production 505s are earmarked for pilot training at the Bell Training Academy in Fort Worth, Texas. Urschel’s 505, configured for utility operations,

MARIANO ROSALES

by Matt Thurber Bell Helicopter delivered the first customer 505 Jet Ranger X, S/N 3, to Chandler, Arizonabased Pylon Aviation owner Scott Urschel on Tuesday afternoon at Heli-Expo 2017. Bell received type certificate approval for the five-seat light single helicopter from Transport Canada in December and Australia’s CASA on March 1. Urschel will operate

DALLAS

Continued on page 29 u

Military

Avionics

Continued on page 141 u

OEMs

Engines

Russian Cold War Gunship on Display CAT II/III for Helicopters

Sikorsky Gains Visibility under LM

Rolls Aims To Reduce Lifecycle Costs EASA Okays H175 Enhancements

A flying example of a Russian Mi-24D Hind gunship is here at Heli-Expo, offering attendees a rare glimpse of a Cold Warera relic. page 24

During the “State of Sikorsky” address, company president Dan Schultz extolled the benefits of being under Lockheed Martin’s wing for the past year. page 9

Engine maker Rolls-Royce is developing new dual channel Fadec and control systems that will lower costs and provide health monitoring data. page 23

CMC’s new CMA-6024 GNSS landing system allows helicopters to shoot approaches to CAT II/III minimums at helipads. page 18

Helicopters

The Airbus Helicopters H175 supermedium twin received EASA approval for a weight increase and flight into limited icing. page 30

MARIANO ROSALES

MD Helicopters CEO Lynn Tilton attracted quite a large crowd yesterday afternoon during a press conference at the company’s booth.

To find out what she said, see page 4.

HeliOffshore and GE Aviation are working on a data sharing system that aims to increase the safety of offshore helicopter operations.

Big data will improve safety for offshore ops

by R. Randall Padfield Like the distant lights of an offshore oil platform on a clear night, big data is appearing on the horizon of the worldwide offshore helicopter industry.

HeliOffshore, the safetyfocused association of the offshore oil industry, and GE Aviation have agreed to develop and implement a

global safety management system specifically for the offshore helicopter industry. GE is contributing its extensive data and analytics technology and expertise, while HeliOffshore will provide its expertise in safety analytics and analyses to provide insight into how operators, manufacturers and the oil and gas industry can

HÉLI-UNION TAKES AW139 UNDER LCI CONTRACT Héli-Union has taken delivery of its first Leonardo AW139 under lease from Lease Corporation International (LCI). As a helicopter operator that specializes in the support of oil and gas production across five continents, Héli-Union will use the rotorcraft to support its activities in Asia.

“It is fitting that Héli-Union is working on fleet strategy, developing leasing solution for the first time, to take benefit of the growth potential of the Southeast Asian region,” said Patrick Molis, Héli-Union president and CEO. “We are delighted to be working with LCI Helicopters, who have been highly responsive and extremely supportive to our requirements. We look forward to futher developing our relationship over the coming years.”

As a major customer for the AW139, LCI (Booth 2620) has taken delivery of 23 rotorcraft of this type. They are all being flown for various missions including emergency medical services, search and rescue and support for offshore oil, gas and wind energy installations. —S.C.

improve the safety of offshore helicopter operations.

Under a program called InfoShare, HeliOffshore has already laid the groundwork for sharing data and information. Under this program, offshore helicopter operators exchange information about safety events and have begun to share data, including data from health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) and flight data monitoring. All of

this data is rendered anonymous to protect participating individuals and companies.

“The ability for multiple stakeholders to share safety data that helps target actions faster to enhance safety in the frontline is a huge step forward,” said Gretchen Haskins, CEO of HeliOffshore, about the agreement with GE. “GE’s track record of delivering in the fixed-wing sector will help us make this a practical reality for our industry.”

“With the power of GE’s Predix behind the safety leadership of HeliOffshore, this team will have state-of-theart tools to analyze helicopter operations and provide insight to help drive safer operations across the entire offshore rotorcraft space,” added Jim Daily, chief digital officer for GE Aviation.

And for those who might be skeptical about the benefits of tapping this growing trove of data, consider this quote from author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective, the iconic Sherlock Holmes: “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist the facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” o

Making case for helos, Airbus gains customers

by Charles Alcock Airbus Helicopters will introduce a new VIP customer at Heli-Expo on March 8 as evidence of its growing success in convincing newcomers of the benefits of rotorcraft transportation. “We signed contracts with 20 new customers last year, and seven of these have never before operated helicopters,” Airbus Helicopters Inc. president Chris Emerson told a press conference at the show on March 7.

According to the Europebased manufacturer, the renewed emphasis on all aspects of customer support under the HCare initiatives, introduced by Airbus Helicopter group CEO Guillaume Faury, has been another key factor in improved sales. “It’s all about listening to the expectations of new customers and responding to their needs,” Emerson explained.

“Our new VIP customer, for instance, is taking our new ab initio training.”

Faury told reporters that

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Airbus is now focusing intently on using helicopters to provide more efficient transportation for businesses and individuals needing to move around and between congested cities.

“Our new City Airbus program is about using new technology to bring this concept to life,” he said.

The Airbus exhibit at Heli-Expo is packed with rotorcraft and evidence of its customer support investments. One significant product that can’t be in Dallas this week is the new H160 twin, which is busy with flight certification work in France. Two prototypes of the aircraft introduced at last year’s show in Louisville, Kentucky, have now logged just over 360 flights.

Other celebrities expected at the Airbus exhibit this week are members of the Dallas Cowboys football team, which uses an H145 to move between their various facilities in Texas. o

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Van Horn’s composite 206L rotor blades near FAA okay

by Mark Huber Van Horn Aviation (Booth 6906) is continuing flight testing of its new composite main rotor blades for the Bell 206L at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona, after performing the first flight in February. “While our Long Ranger main blade is based off of the [206B] Jet Ranger blade that we certified last year, we made some modifications to the design beyond just the 22-inch increase

in length,” said Van Horn president Dean Rosenlof. “So the 206L is essentially a new blade. We’re thrilled that our Long Ranger blades performed well enough to go from ground to hover to 100 knots and turns in our first test session.”

Like the Van Horn 206B main rotor blade, the Van Horn 206L blade features carbon-fiber skin and spars, an efficient

New composite main rotor blades for the Bell 206L are now being tested by Van Horn Aviation in Mesa, Arizona.

The $3,500 blades are expected to have a 20,000-hour service life, four times that of the OEM blade.

Rescue hook bumper lights way

by Curt Epstein Cargo hook and hoist specialist Breeze Eastern is using the spotlight of Heli-Expo to show off its new illuminated bumper, which is designed for quick and easy installation on any of its hook assemblies.

On display at the Breeze Eastern booth (9334), the new bumper, which is expected to receive certification later this year, was developed to meet customer demands for greater illumination and visibility when performing hover rescues in darkness or low-light conditions. Powered by a pair of long-life rechargeable batteries, the illuminated bumper, which consists of 14 integrated LED light elements, is suitable for military or commercial use, and it has an expected

NASA-designed laminar-flow airfoil, tapered tip and a combination of stainless steel and nickel abrasion strips that cover the entire length of the blade for erosion and lightning-strike protection.

The 206L blade, however, is 22 inches longer to match the original OEM design. Van Horn expects FAA certification of its 206L main rotor blades at the end of 2017 with a 20,000-hour service life—four times that of the original blade—and overhauls every 5,000 hours.

Van Horn blades install identically to the OEM blades and overhauls are estimated to cost $3,500 and take no longer than two weeks. Overhauls can be performed by authorized blade repair stations. o

ROUND-THE-WORLD HELICOPTER PIONEER TRAVELS TO HELI-EXPO Ron Bower, one of the friendliest and most well-known living helicopter pilots in the world today (among the likes of former Red Bull aerobatic pilot Chuck Aaron and Princes William and Harry and their uncle Prince Andrew of England) is at Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas with his wife Peggy to meet old friends and make new ones, and to promote his new website, www.bowerheli.com.

The website details his 55 years as a pilot—including his two record roundthe-world flights in Bell helicopters in 1994 and 1996—and his experience as a businessman and entrepreneur.

But more than just a tribute to Bower’s numerous accomplishments, the website—created by his daughter Sharron with help from Peggy and son Shannon (also an experienced helicopter pilot)—provides nuggets of wisdom Ron has picked up over the years—like this one, for instance: “Flying around the world is like raising kids. When you’ve finally figured out how to do it the right way, you’ve finished.”

—R.R.P.

service life of 5,000 hours or five years of field service, according to the manufacturer. The new bumper easily fits around the coupling assembly of the rescue hook and is field replaceable without having to disassemble the hook components, and it can operate in extreme temperatures.

The FAA recently approved the use of the company’s three rescue hooks with any of its rescue hoists. Previously they had been limited to specific hoists, and the change provides greater flexibility for operators. “These are practical product improvements designed to help operators accomplish their rescue missions more safely and effectively,” said company president Rodger Hahneman. “We are pleased to offer them to the helicopter rescue community.” o

AEROLINEAS EJECUTIVAS IS MEXICAN LAUNCH CUSTOMER FOR AW169 Business aviation services provider Aerolineas Ejecutivas signed a deal yesterday at Heli-Expo for a Leonardo AW169, making it the launch customer for the medium-twin helicopter. Celebrating the deal were (l-r): Aerolineas Ejecutivas director Alejandro Alonso and commercial sales director Adolfo Nieto and Leonardo Helicopters v-p of commercial business for the Americas Bob Brant and senior v-p of worldwide commercial business E. Dalmasso.

www.ainonline.com • March 8, 2017 • HAI Convention News 3

by Curt Epstein MD Helicopters CEO Lynn Tilton described the company’s situation as a “good news, bad news story,” during a press conference yesterday at Heli-Expo.

“The good news is we are oh so busy, the bad news is we are oh so busy,” she told the crowd gathered at the company’s booth.

She noted that of the more than 50 helicopters the company will build this year, all will have block changes, such as glass cockpits.

“We may have been a bit late to the game but we have finally taken every aircraft over into glass and digital, and I think we’ve done it with some gusto,” she said.

Tilton credited the company’s military contracts for the transition. The company was able to embrace new technology research and development that comes with certifying military aircraft and reinvest into new programs. That enabled the company to develop programs such as the 6XX singleengine helicopter, the mockup of which is on display at the MD booth (9349) with a newly-certified EMS interior from Air Ambulance Technologies. While

she admitted that testing for the upgraded Rolls-Royce C47 E3 is taking longer than expected, Tilton told AIN the 5,500-pound, clean-sheet design is expected to fly by the end of the year, and the company could achieve certification by the end of 2018.

Specifications call for a maximum speed of 160 knots, with a range of 500 nm and a 20,000foot ceiling. It will feature a Genesys Aerosystems flight deck, Macro-Blue tactical displays, mission management system from TekFusion Global, all-new S411 main rotor blades from HTC, a four-blade tail rotor, boosted flight controls and digital three-axis autopilot.

The 6XX will share a cockpit with the company’s latest generation 530G, which is currently under construction for a Malaysian launch customer.

Tilton said the company had focused on its single-engine line, as that was where its best market lay, but it has also decided to now turn its attention to the flagship 902 twin-engine platform and again compete in the higher end of the civil market.

“It is an amazing aircraft that we did not keep up in terms of necessary innovation and the eradication of obsolescence,” she explained. There has been an extensive investment in the platform, she added, which will lead to the MD969 that will carry the Genesys Aerosystems glass cockpit that is expected to be certified this June, a fouraxis autopilot (to be certified by the end of the year), more power for the Notar anti-torque system and upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada powerplants.

The MD969 is also expected to have a military capability.

According to Tilton, MD Helicopters switched cockpit suppliers from Universal Avionics to Genesys due to timing of certification and the potential upgrade capabilities offered by the Genesys system.

In what is described as a costcutting measure, MD Helicopters has taken strides to bring more production in-house,

MD Helicopters CEO Lynn Tilton said that the company’s new, clean-sheet MD6XX will fly in late 2017.

MARIANO ROSALES

Tilton touts tech, unveils MD6XX

including the single-engine fuselages, construction of which was formerly split between Monterey, Mexico, and Mesa, Arizona. All fuselage production has now been returned to Mesa. She claimed that each part manufactured in-house results in savings of 35 percent, which could be reflected in the helicopters’ bottom lines.

The company will also soon be bringing training in house, offering specialized programs for police, rescue, military tactical, weapons, night vision goggles and specialized mechanic

training both on premises in Arizona and deliverable on site.

For the past five years the company’s aircraft in operation in the harsh environment of Afghanistan have recorded a 98 percent operational readiness rate, the highest of all aircraft in theater, according to Tilton, who wants to bring that level of performance to MD’s civil fleet.

MD doubled its number of field reps over the past year, and Tilton encourages direct communication between the company and customers using the recently enhanced MyMD.aero portal. o

Cicaré makes Heli-Expo debut

by Mark Huber

Under a memorandum of understanding signed yesterday at Heli-Expo, Astronautics Corp. of America (Booth 9949) and Vector Aerospace (Booth 1612) will collaborate to obtain supplemental type certificates (STCs) for installation of the Astronautics RoadRunner electronic flight instrument (EFI) and pursue EFI retrofit applications for numerous helicopters, including the Airbus AS350and Bell 212, 412 and UH-1.

The Roadrunner EFI is designed as a drop-in replacement for current attitude direction indicators) and horizontal situation indicators, both primary flight instruments. No modification of the instrument panel is required, and Astronautics has developed a simple wiring connector that eliminates the need for complicated wiring upgrades.

“This MOU with Vector will help get the RoadRunner EFI to market faster so that more operators can take advantage of the enhanced safety and reliability this product offers,” said Dan Ryan, vice president of business development at Astronautics.

—R.R.P.

Vector Aerospace v-p of business development for airframe and avionics solutions Elvis Moniz (left) and Astronautics president Chad Cundiff sign an MoU to pursue STCs for the Roadrunner EFI installations in several helicopter models.

The products of Argentine helicopter maker Cicaré are on display at Heli-Expo for the first time this year, including its innovative SVH-4 training device and single-seat Model 7B kit helicopter. The company has appointed Deaga USA (Booth 4324) as its exclusive distributor. Deaga has recently opened an office and hangar at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona, where it intends to assemble and distribute the SVH-4, 7B, and ultimately other Cicaré models.

The SVH-4 is basically a Model 7B attached to an adjustable ground-based platform, which allows liftoff, then normal hover and hover taxi all at the safe controlled altitude of three feet agl. The FAA has approved the device for the first 10 hours of flight training, according to Cicaré’s Raul Oreste, chief commercial officer.

The SVH-4 provides the new helicopter student with numerous benefits over training in a conventional helicopter early on, he said.

“It makes it easier for the student because he doesn’t have the stress of the instructor or the stress of flying in a helicopter alone. It makes it so you are learning gradually,” Oreste said.

4 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

“In the first stage it [the device] is locked on the floor. You can’t move so you can control only the collective and the pedals.

The worst thing you can do is go around and around and around.

So that is for two hours.”

Once the pedals are mastered, he added, “you can release

MARK HUBER

ASTRONAUTICS, VECTOR COLLABORATE ON ROADRUNNER EFI

Augusto Cicaré said his company’s SVH-4 training device takes the stress out of learning to fly a helicopter.

the platform and you can move around with the cyclic. It makes it more friendly. It takes away that fear for a person who is starting from scratch.”

Deaga USA is a subsidiary of DEA General Aviation Holdings, a $1 billion publicly traded Chinese company with diversified aviation interests that include

engine manufacturers Hirth and Mistral and aerobatic aircraft company XtremeAir. DEA holds the distributorship for Cicaré helicopters in China, Southeast Asia and North America. Chinese customers already have ordered 48 SVH-4s, and deliveries should commence from Arizona within several months, the company said. The price is estimated at approximately $150,000 each, and financing and leasing options likely will be available, a Deaga USA spokesman said.

The company noted that the SVH-4 had appeal beyond straight flight training, including for fixed-wing pilots who merely wanted to experience the sensation of rotorcraft flight in a relatively risk-free environment and as high-end entertainment.

Cicaré Helicopters patriarch Augusto Cicaré is also making his first appearance at Heli-Expo in more than 20 years. A self-taught engineer and pilot, Cicaré built and flew his first helicopter, the CH-1, in 1958. It was the first helicopter of South American origin.

Oreste said the company hopes to have a certified, Part 27 twoseat aircraft available within “three to four years.” o

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Kaman is rejuvenating its K-Max

by Kerry Lynch Kaman Aerosystems is planning to begin delivery this spring of the first of its newly produced K-Max K-1200 heavy external-lift helicopters. The first K-Max will be shipped in April, with the second

in May. Both are headed to Lectern Aviation in China and will be used for firefighting operations for the China Department of Forestry.

The first deliveries will mark a return for a helicopter that has

been out of production for more than a decade. The K-Max was certified in 1994, but Kaman ceased production in 2003 after delivering 38 of the distinctive intermeshing-rotor model.

From a production line dormant since 2003, Kaman is back in the K-Max business.

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6 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

Kaman (Booth 9756) in 2015 announced plans to resume production of the helicopter, saying it had continued to receive requests for the K-Max and demand had reached the point to support the return of production.

In January, Kaman delivered the first airframe from the re-opened production line in Jacksonville, Fla., to its plant in Bloomfield, Conn., where it is undergoing final assembly and flight test. The second was to follow over the next several weeks.

“Delivery of the first K-Max aircraft to our customer is scheduled to take place during the second quarter of this year, following completion of the remaining assembly and testing at our Bloomfield facility,” said Drake Klotzman, Air Vehicles & MRO (AVMRO) division general manager, in announcing the delivery of the first airframe. “Producing the initial airframe is an important milestone for the program.”

Klotzman said assembly, certification, inspections and flight test would continue over the next several weeks. While the aircraft does not need to be re-certified, Kaman is undergoing the certification process for its production line since it had been quiet for a number of years.

“Our experienced employees are working diligently to complete the first aircraft in order to have deliveries to customers begin this spring with multiple deliveries to follow during 2017,” Klotzman added.

In announcing the decision to restart production, Kaman expected an initial new production run of 10. Terry Fogarty, director of business development for K-Max helicopter programs, said the initial run remains at 10, and a decision would be made in 2017 about the size of the second run. The first 10 will be delivered throughout 2017 and 2018.

The company has been positive about the interest it’s received in the helicopter since the announcement. Fogarty said it is picking up as the company nears the first delivery. As well as Lectern, Kaman also had named initial customers Rotex Helicopter of Switzerland and Helicopter Express of Chamblee, Ga. o

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The Dallas Executive Heliport/Vertiport lives up to its name with amenities befitting a business aviation FBO.

Dallas Executive Heliport affords showgoers easy access

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8 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including Heli-Expo’s convention center. While past locations in Louisville, Orlando, Las Vegas and Anaheim each had their own perks, Dallas stands out because of the Dallas Executive Airport Heliport/ Vertiport. Adjacent to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, the Vertiport plays a unique role in this year’s Heli-Expo, as it is reserved for rotorcraft demos and demo flights.

Opened in the mid-1990s, the heliport/ vertiport features a 169,000-sq-ft flight deck, conference rooms and a pilots’ waiting area. It is different from other heliports because it is elevated and was designed for rotorcraft and tiltrotors such as Bell’s Osprey V-22. Up to two tiltrotors and three helicopters can use the facility at the same time. Anyone who operates a rotorcraft may fly into the vertiport, but it is mainly used by law enforcement, traffic watch, private charters and media helicopters. Darrel Phillips, the manager of the vertiport, told AIN that approximately 900 to 1,000 flights take off from the facility annually.

Phillips has been working there since April 2014. However, he grew up in the Dallas area and knew of the vertiport for years before coming on board. He, along with the vertiport staff, helps pilots flying into the facility use all of its services, including parking and local transportation.

Ultimately, it is Phillips’s job to ensure that everything in the vertiport is working safely and appropriately, since there is often a high volume of traffic. For this reason, he also pays close attention to the impact the rotorcraft have on the environment.

The vertiport follows strict environmental regulations to ensure the helicopters do not disturb the surrounding neighborhoods. For example, the vertiport will see high volumes of helicopter activity during the week before and during Heli-Expo. Besides sending out public

notices, workers scheduled special routes for flights (such as along the adjacent freeways) to keep noise away from residential areas. Phillips explained, “We are very concerned with the public and public input on noise, so we do monitor noise. It is very important for us to make sure we’re a good neighbor at all times.”

Some rotorcraft scheduled for display during Heli-Expo began arriving at Dallas Executive Airport approximately one week before the show. The helicopters were then flown to a pad loading area adjacent to the convention center where Phillips and his team set up time slots to move them into the convention center in an organized and timely manner. This year, more than 60 aircraft flew into the vertiport for the static display and exhibit area.

During the show, the vertiport is dedicated to manufacturers for demo rides in their rotorcraft. Parking is not available, but the area is open for dropping off and picking up Heli-Expo attendees. For the most part, the vertiport operates this year as it did during the 2012 show, the last time it was held in Dallas. Those attending Heli-Expo can stop by Booth 12138 in the convention center to book a tour of the vertiport. Attendees may stop by the booth any time during the show’s display hours, because tours are operating on an as-needed basis.

Looking forward, Phillips sees big plans for the vertiport. There is currently a request for proposal to provide fuel services, which currently are not available.

Once approved, fuel could be available before the end of 2017. Phillips said the fuel service could help the vertiport become a full-service facility that would be open full time during the day and offer self-service fuel at night. Phillips also says some military services have shown interested in a contract with the vertiport if the fuel facility comes through. o

Since being absorbed into the Lockheed Martin fold a year ago, Sikorsky has been working to improve customer support.

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MARIANO ROSALES

DAY 2 HAI 2017 AIN Convention News 1/2 Page (non bleed) 4.875” W x 12.5” H

Sikorsky gains more visibility under Lockheed Martin’s wing

by Curt Epstein As it passed the first anniversary since its year instituted several programs, notably acquisition by Lockheed Martin, integra- hiring more than 100 additional staffers in tion “has gone better than I expected,” the customer support division, developing said Sikorsky president Dan Schultz, a 24/7 AOG response team, and developspeaking at the company’s Heli-Expo ing four forward parts stocking locations, press conference on March 7. He noted which according to Sikorsky vice president that the helicopter manufacturer has been for commercial systems and services Dana completely severed from former owner Fiatarone, has reduced the time needed to UTC, and that has had benefits for the supply urgently needed spare parts from airframer now. “That means a lot to us days to in some cases hours. both in the people and being Fiatarone noted the company aligned with a bigger company, now has the ability to conduct but more importantly, it’s the real time HUMS monitoring way we go to market,” Schultz during flight, which will provide said. “Between us, when we go additional situational awareness out there internationally to a forto the pilot, relaying any abnoreign country, we go as Lockheed malities immediately to a ground Martin and Sikorsky together.” operations center, and allowing In that first year under new the operator to be prepared to ownership, the Sikorsky S-92 fleet deal with the situation upon the surpassed 1 million flight hours, Sikorsky president helicopter’s arrival, rather than Dan Schultz and has tallied 1.1 million at presfirst having to download the data ent since the type entered service in Sep- upon landing. tember, 2004. According to the company, In the training segment, Sikorsky flight hours for the model were up 20 per- announced it is “working to enter into” an cent year-over-year in 2016. agreement with Bristow, which would estabIts stablemate, the S-76, of which lish the operator’s Bristow Academy as the more than 800 have been built over the manufacturer’s preferred supplier for abpast four decades, has logged over 7 mil- initio training. The deal would allow cuslion hours. The latest version, the S-76D tomers of the S-92, S-76, S-70i, Blackhawk now has more than 50 in operation and and Sikorsky light helicopters to complete has now exceeded 10,000 flight hours. a Sikorsky-certified training curriculum.

Schultz noted the VH-92, the next gen- “Sikorsky and Bristow have shared a history eration presidential transport helicopter, for more than 40 years, and this is a promwill fly for the first time this summer. ising new direction for our relationship,” In his initial press conference as said Schultz. “We are proud to now provide Sikorsky head last year, Schultz explained an initial training capability that enhances he was disappointed in the company’s safety and proficiency of the pilots operating response to customer support. “We kind the Sikorsky fleet around the world.” Followof lost our secret sauce of how we take ing completion of the agreement, training care of our aircraft,” he noted. “A lot of courses are expected to begin later this year our customers were upset with us.” To rem- at Bristow’s locations in Titusville, Florida, edy the situation, the OEM over the past and Carson City, Nevada. o

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Bell Helicopter president and CEO Mitch Snyder (left) said the FCX-001 concept helicopter will test future rotorcraft technologies and methods of implementing them.

Bell’s FCX-001 concept offers glimpse into future

by Matt Thurber Bell Helicopter’s FCX-001 concept helicopter is just one of the futuristic ideas that members of Bell’s innovation teams have designed. While not intended as a production helicopter, the FCX-001 is a way of examining future rotorcraft technologies and potential ways to put those into action in future helicopter programs. Nevertheless, the concept that the teams came up with

is a fascinating glimpse into the future, and a mockup of that rotorcraft, built by Roush Enterprises, is here at the Bell exhibit (Booth 11249).

During a pre-Heli-Expo press event at Bell’s Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters, Bell innovation team members gave visiting reporters a walk-through view of the concept helicopter and Bell’s V-280 tiltrotor,

using a virtual reality system designed to show off new technologies. Wearing virtual reality goggles, we were able to fly along as a “crewmember” on a virtual V-280 Valor tiltrotor mission that included low-level flying through mountainous valleys, landing at a base under fire from enemy soldiers and blasting an enemy vehicle with a handheld grenade launcher.

The walkthrough of the FCX-001 was much more sedate and illustrated some interesting ideas generated by the innovation teams, which Heli-Expo attendees can see for themselves in the FCX mockup at the Bell exhibit.

With an airframe slightly longer and wider than a Bell 412’s, the composite FCX fuselage frames a glass-enclosed cockpit and cabin poised on aerodynamic main gear legs topped with a slimmed-down tailcone and a tiny vertical stabilizer with no tail rotor. The five main rotor blades look ordinary until their ends, where morphing technology takes over, allowing the last few feet of the blades to swing fore and aft to optimize rotor dynamics. The morphing blades also help control tip noise in real time, and Bell has applied for a patent on the design.

Anti-torque control of the FCX is vectored thrust through vanes in the tailboom, driven by electric motors for quieter operation, eliminating the weight and complexity of tail rotor drive shafts, gearboxes and blades.

Two thermal engines are the main power source for the FCX,

NEW BELL TRAINING SITE UP AND RUNNING IN VALENCIA, SPAIN Bell Helicopter’s worldwide customer service European customers it had been surprised by the 429s) and Air Transport Europe (three 429s). It and support offering took a major step forward interest from South American operators. It is in also has many customers with single aircraft, on February 14 when it opened its first trainthe process of obtaining Argentinian approval including in Russia, and in total, it has around seving center outside the U.S., colocated with Texalong with consent from a range of other counenty 429s in the European region. tron’s Citation service center facility at Valencia tries, including India, Nigeria, Brazil and Chile.

The second bay in the simulator room Airport in Spain. remains empty, but Textron is The first training being carconsidering placing a device for ried out at the new center is inifixed-wing (Citation) pilot traintial, type and recurrent training in ing there. a new Level D simulator configured The EASA Bell 429 type rating as a Bell 429, manufactured by Bell (IFR) takes two weeks (10 working sister company TRU Simulation + days) with 24 hours of training, includTraining. The new-design Odyssey ing 12 hours in the simulator and 12 H device has a curved, continuous hours of ground school. The recurrent screen/display with 11 projectors regimen takes seven hours of training creating a 240-degree-horizontal over three days (including 4.5 hours by 80-degree-vertical field of view. in the sim). EASA also requires a minIt also has a secondary motion base imum of two hours actual flying in the to vibrate the cockpit, making for a helicopter plus a skills test. more realistic experience. An iPad “We’re trying to get closer can serve as the instructor station, to our customers, understand In its first training center located outside the U.S., Bell Helicopter has launched and the simulator is designed to what the customer needs and to operations with a Bell 429 Level D sim at Valencia Airport, Spain. swap out the cockpit module with a know how we can add value,” said different helicopter type.

Bell has a growing number of customers in Glenn Isbell Jr., executive v-p of customer The new Bell Training Academy marks the first Europe, and it has done particularly well with fleet support and services. He forecast that most step in the company’s ambitions to place traincustomers around the periphery of the region, growth would come in the para-public and ing and support closer to its customers. The comsuch as the Turkish national police/forestry (fifpolice rotorcraft segments, following the pany said that as well as receiving interest from teen 429s), the Swedish national police (seven trend already established.

—I.S.

10 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

but there were no specifics given on their provenance.

Of course, flight controls are fly-by-wire, a technology that Bell believes can be adapted from its 525 Relentless and tiltrotor designs to many other rotorcraft types. The lone pilot—yes, there is just one seat for the flight crewmember—will be aided by artificial intelligence and may even be redundant, as the FCX could be optionally piloted. In either case, cockpit displays will also be redundant as the pilot would use augmented reality and a wearable head-up display to manage FCX flight.

Behind the single pilot seat is an elegant cabin outfitted with two rows of four seats and augmented reality features—“for information, entertainment, or communication”—to make flying more comfortable. Quick configuration changes are aided by modular flooring.

The process that resulted in the FCX started with a challenge by Bell president and CEO Mitch Snyder, who wanted to see the ultimate form-followsfunction machine that is a helicopter get some attention on the design side, to make helicopters look more beautiful, according to Levi Bilbrey, creative team lead. The idea was to help Bell’s artistic experts learn more about engineering, and vice versa, by working together and sharing ideas.

Hundreds of sketches whittled down to 12 preceded the FCX, which was number five of the 12. The engineers helped the artists understand the physics that constrain helicopter operation, and the artists helped the engineers cut loose and indulge the creative sides of their brains.

“We put our egos and assumptions aside,” said Bilbrey.

“Can we challenge ourselves and the industry to do a concept aircraft and think about how they might look in the future?” o

Precision Flight’s first helo sim nears FAA nod

California-based Precision Flight Controls expects its Bell 206B/407GX flight training device to soon receive FAA AATD approval.

Precision Flight Controls (PFC) of Rancho Cordova, California, has brought an indevelopment advanced aviation training device (AATD) for the Bell 206B/407GX to Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The company is working in partnership with Ryan Aerospace, Southport, Australia to bring the AATD to the market.

Mike Altman, president and CEO, who started the company in 1991, is a U.S. Air Force pilot with experience in C-141s and C-5s and small airplanes. Bill Grava, director of business development, spent 26 years with the FAA as an air traffic controller and tower and radar supervisor and after that flew business jets, including the Challenger 300 and Embraer 145.

“We teamed up with Chris Ryan of Ryan Aerospace in Australia,” Altman said.

“We saw a market for a highfidelity, midrange-cost training device—an AATD—which

will be the first approval it will get, hopefully later this year, depending on the FAA. We are working toward a level 7 FTD [flight training device].”

Altman added that most of the simulator’s equipment is produced in-house. “We don’t buy a lot of equipment that is off-the-shelf,” he said. “Everything that goes into the flight models we design ourselves.

We control the manufacturing.

We have the capability of doing everything in our machine shop, except sheet metal.”

Most of the devices that PFC has produced are for a range of aircraft types, ranging from a Cessna 172 G1000 to a Boeing 737-800. “A lot of our devices are multitasking, meaning they can be changed on the fly to be used with up to 40 aircraft by doing some simple changes,” he said. “The core software is the professional version of X-Plane [by Laminar Research], which is basically a visual generator for

R. RANDALL PADFIELD

by R. Randall Padfield

us—you can put the aircraft anywhere in the world in real time or simulated weather.”

The external visual system comprises a Quantum3D image generator, which feeds six 4K, 70-inch HD LED-backlit monitors.

The cockpit is positioned on a 3-DOF D-Box Technologies motion platform that provides additional realism and a high level of motion cueing.

Positioning, weather scenarios and equipment failures are controlled from the instructor’s operating station. The AATD’s design makes it possible to

change the instrument panel to a Bell 407 configuration with glass panel displays.

“We will adjust the flight models to replicate the aircraft to the most exacting performance specifications that we can,” Grava said. “This adds realism to the learning experience.

And every switch in the training device works like it does in the real aircraft.”

“The simulator here at Heli-Expo is an all-metal design, because it holds tolerances better than fiberglass and other plastic materials,” Altman continued.

“Chris Ryan, who has a lot of helicopter experience, is the expert on flight control hardware, so he provides the collective, cyclic and pedals. We control all the other design work.

We can create a simulator that is representative of the real aircraft at a much lower price.”

The main customers for Precision Flight Controls products are colleges and universities, flighttraining organizations and operators. “ATP, with some 40 of our simulators, is one of our bigger customers,” Altman said.

The company has a few customers who are looking at the Bell 206B/407GX AATD now.

One is the FAA’s human factors lab in Oklahoma City; another is scheduled to go to China. “We’re a few months from getting the AATD approved. The qualification guys have been committed and are ready to come and check it out when we’re ready,” said Altman. The goal is to have the training device approved as a level 7 Flight Training Device (FTD) as soon as possible after the AATD approval. o

Vector touts ADS-B solutions Canadian helicopter MRO provider Vector Aerospace has received FAA and EASA approval for its ADS-B solutions for Part 27 and Part 29 rotorcraft.

In December the company earned EASA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for its ADS-B solution for the Airbus AS332 L/ L1 Super Puma, the Leonardo AW139, and the Sikorsky S-76.

At the same time, Vector received FAA STC approval to extend the approved model list (AML) for its Part 27 ADS-B solutions to include the Airbus H120/EC120, H125/AS350 and H130/EC130 light helicopter families.

The Part 29 retrofit upgrade, which uses the L-3 Lynx NGT9000 ADS-B transponder, has also received STC approval from the FAA, Mexico’s DGAC and Brazil’s ANAC. “Receipt of EASA certification and the new AML STC for the ADS-B retrofit upgrade broadens our ability to offer this unique solution to customers across the globe,” said Elvis Moniz, the company’s vice president of business development for airframe and avionics solutions. “This upgrade has

generated significant customer interest in recent months, and we are actively supplying ADS-B kits and installation support to operators globally as the ADS-B regulatory mandate date draws closer.” To date, the company has installed nearly 500 of the airborne reporting systems in a variety of aircraft types.

During Heli-Expo Vector (Booth 1612) is displaying an Airbus AS350 fuselage, highlighting its “nose-to-tail” MRO capabilities.

It incorporates the latest version of the company’s crash-resistant fuel tank developed in cooperation with Robertson Fuel Systems, and a sample of Vector’s composite repair capabilities. It will also be used to introduce the Safecraft portfolio of retrofittable safety solutions for the AS350/EC130 family developed in conjunction with Astronautics, L-3, Outerlink Global Solutions, Robertson, Safe Flight and Thales, which cover electronic flight instruments, a new-generation autopilot, a collective cueing system, a powerline detection system, icing conditions detector, and flight data monitoring. To showcase its engine MRO capabilities, Vector will also display

a cutaway Safran Arriel engine and AS350 drivetrain.

The independent MRO announced it has signed a twoyear engine support contract with Italy’s Financial Police, its first contract with the Italian government. The deal covers the Rolls-Royce M250 engines installed on the agency’s fleet of MD500 helicopters.

For the Bell 407 platform Vector is noting strong customer interest in its M250-C4B Value Improvement Package upgrade, a suite of modifications that produce a 5 percent improvement in hot/high performance and lower direct operating costs thanks to 2 percent decreased fuel burn and reduced part attrition. The upgrade allows M250-C47B operators to achieve the same configuration as the M250C47B/8 configuration as found on the current Bell 407GXP. The Richmond, British Columbia-based company is also highlighting its support of dynamic components and turboshafts, as well as turbine engine fuel control units. It has 35 mobile repair technicians on call 24/7, based at 10 locations worldwide. o

12 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

MARIANO ROSALES

by Curt Epstein

DON’T LEAVE ME HANGING, BRO Through the magic of virtual reality, LCI Aviation executive v-p Nigel Leishman experiences what it's like to be hoist rescued by a Leonardo AW189. The experience is open to all showgoers at Booth 3017.

Bell 505 feels the power of True Blue lithium-ion

by Matt Thurber The certification of Bell’s new 505 light single-engine helicopter makes Bell Helicopter the first OEM to receive a type certificate for a new helicopter equipped with True Blue Power’s TB-17 lithiumion main-ship battery. The Robinson R44 received approval for the TB-17, under a supplemental type certificate (STC) issued last October, and Robinson Helicopter has also announced plans to equip the R66 with an optional True Blue lithium-ion battery. The R44 was “the first STC granted by the FAA for lithium-ion battery use as a primary electrical power source, including engine start,” according to True Blue Power, a division of Wichita-based Mid-Continent Instrument (Booth 5717).

The Mid-Continent Standby Attitude Module backup instrument display is also standard on the Bell 505, providing attitude, altitude, airspeed, slip, vertical trend and heading information.

In the Bell 505 application, the TB-17 offers a number of advantages over existing sealed lead-acid (SLA) batteries, most significantly

weight savings. Compared to an equivalently capable SLA, the 16-pound TB-17 weighs about 45 percent less, according to True Blue. The TB-17, like True Blue’s other lithium-ion-powered battery products such as the TB-44 main-ship battery and backup battery systems, uses nanophosphate lithium-ion chemistry, which has proven to be safe and reliable. “Our TS835 emergency battery has been flying for seven years with no incidents whatsoever and more than 1,000 installations,” said True Blue Power director Rick Slater. The company has also certified its larger TB-44 main-ship lithium-ion battery on the Cessna 208 and 208B Caravan and Bombardier Dash-8 100/200/300 series turboprops.

“More are flying with these batteries now,” he said, “and we’re working aggressively to get them on more aircraft.”

Unlike many lead-acid battery installations in helicopters, the TB-17 in the Bell 505 is attached using terminal-style wiring connectors instead of the typical

quick-disconnect fitting, which is heavier, costs more and takes up extra space. The TB-17 maintenance cycle is far longer than that of SLAs and nickel-cadmium batteries, with only a capacity check recommended every two years and no routine maintenance required.

This increases ship availability and greatly lowers maintenance costs, which average 60 to 90 percent lower than “older lead-acid and nickel-cadmium alternatives,” according to True Blue Power.

Another reason that the TB-17 doesn’t need a quick-disconnect fitting for frequent removal is that the battery is equipped with built-in heaters that pre-warm it for starts in cold weather, eliminating the need to take the battery inside a warm hotel room or FBO on cold overnights. The TB-17 is rated down to -40 deg C, and at that temperature, it can self-warm in 10 minutes.

The battery is also equipped with self-monitoring electronics, which report real-time battery status to the pilot (in the 505 via CAS messages on the Garmin G1000H avionics).

Pilots will also notice the TB-17’s contribution to improving turbine-engine starting, with much faster starting as well as reduced engine temperatures during the start process. “It doesn’t allow the engine to build up as

Mid-Continent’s True Blue battery and standby instruments are type-certified on the Bell 505.

much internal heat during the start,” said Mid-Continent director of engineering Brett Williams, “with the benefit of less wear-and-tear on the engine.”

Over the lifetime of the lithium-ion TB-17 battery, and other True Blue Power batteries, cost of ownership and operation will be lower. No special equipment is required for battery maintenance, nor does the aircraft’s charging system need to be modified for retrofit applications. Normal ground-power units can be used with the True Blue Power batteries as well, and there are no restrictions on their use. Battery lifetime for a typical helicopter application could be as much as eight to 10 years, according to Slater.

True Blue Power is pursuing other applications for its lithium-ion batteries, and eventually as regulators become more comfortable with the safety of the nanophosphate technology, there should come a time when

the certification process becomes simpler. Instead of the current requirement to apply special conditions to the certification process, it will eventually be a simple matter of facilitating STCs for the TSO’d True Blue lithium-ion batteries.

“We’re seeing a shift in the mood and openness of OEMs and flight departments, [they realize] the need to take a serious look at this technology,” Slater said.

“It’s a matter of not if, but when.

For ‘more electric’ aircraft, there is no technology beyond lithiumion that we can talk about. There is nowhere to get this energy and power density, it just has to be managed properly.”

Operators flying with the new batteries are satisfied with the technology. “On the Dash 8, for the first time, pilots don’t have to get a ground cart to start the engines,” said Slater. A Caravan operator in Africa had no access to a battery cart and was happy to be able to start the engine every time on battery power. “These are tangible applications,” he said.

Here at Heli-Expo, True Blue Power is highlighting the Bell 505 battery and the Robinson Helicopter lithium-ion battery application. To illustrate the use of lithium-ion batteries, True Blue Power brought a Tesla electric car, which uses a similar battery technology, to its exhibit. o

Able shows its versatility with new EMS upgrades

by James Wynbrandt On the heels of opening its Able Maintenance Center (AMC) at the company’s Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport headquarters in Arizona last year, Able Aerospace Services is highlighting here at Heli-Expo its EMS completions and upgrade capabilities. Able, established in 1982, has long provided North American rotorcraft operators with MRO and completion services, but the 22,000-sq-ft AMC brings a more comprehensive approach to providing cost-effective fleet completions and upgrades, according to the company.

Able (Booth 11542) believes the new facility combined with its long experience—which includes more than 10,000 FAAapproved repairs along with certifications from EASA, CAAC, JCAB, DCAT and ANAC— are especially important today.

With EMS operators facing uncertainty about government reimbursement levels for patient transport—for both per-mile

and flat rates—“The need to manage costs will be critical to ensure a balance between payer and operator,” said Heidi McNary, Able’s vice president of engineering. McNary pointed to the company’s green completions and aftermarket upgrades as clear paths to lowering ownership costs.

On the completions side, “We’ve worked with customers to significantly decrease costs via reduced project time,” said McNary, citing Able’s ability to quickly create customized engineering solutions for air medical configurations, make its own PMA parts, deliver missionready aircraft and even provide flight crews, among other efficiencies it offers.

For upgrades, Able can create fixed-price programs to ensure fleets are equipped with modern flight decks in compliance with coming mandates, while creating cockpit commonality that pays additional dividends. Able

At Able’s 22,000-sq-ft maintenance center in Phoenix, the focus is on increasing safety and mission capability while decreasing costs for operators.

recently completed a two-year project for Air Evac Lifeteam, upgrading 90 Bell 206s with digital flight decks that comply with coming HTAWS mandates. “If [an aircraft is] out of service for a mandate [requirement], that’s a great time to upgrade,” McNary noted. Total project costs on the Air Evac upgrades were reduced an estimated 25 percent “by doing all the work in one fell swoop,” she said. Moreover, with all aircraft sharing a common flight deck now, the fleet “is much more flexible, and there’s more pilot flexibility.”

Able also performs six- and 12-year inspections, offers fixedprice repairs on components including transmissions and rotor hubs and has an exchange

14 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

pool for Bell 206 and 407 components, which minimizes downtime for maintenance.

A center of excellence for Bell Helicopter (Able was purchased

by Bell parent Textron last year), the company also has strong relationships with Airbus and Leonardo, as well as with fixedwing OEMs. Able was founded as an electroplating company and acquired its other completions and aftermarket capabilities over time; electroplating is the one specialty that completion and refurbishment facilities typically outsource, as they aren’t equipped to meet the stringent environmental controls that plating processes require. That spectrum of services enables

Able to “maintain the maximum amount of integration in-house,” a crucial factor in controlling projects and costs, McNary said.

Able is also showcasing a new booth here at Heli-Expo, featuring a virtual tour of the company’s facilities, where company representatives can provide more details on its customized solutions. o

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NEWS CLIPS z Shadin Fuel STC Flow System STC’d for R66 Shadin Avionics (Booth 6825) of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, has received a supplemental type certificate for installation of its RemoteFlo Fuel Flow System on the Robinson R66 and Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft, the company announced.

RemoteFlo provides pilots with real-time fuel-flow information on their GPS or flight management system, along with specific range with graphical range rings, fuel to destination, fuel reserve, endurance, fuel used and fuel remaining.

According to Brad Jacobson of Shadin Avionics, “The RemoteFlo has been on the market as a glass-panel replacement for Shadin’s Digiflo, Miniflo and Microflo products on many aircraft types for several years. Now R66 operators can take advantage of the operational efficiency and safety enhancements provided by RemoteFlo.”

Pakistan military opts for Leonardo AW139s

by Samantha Cartaino Leonardo Helicopters (Booth 3017) received an order from the Pakistan Military of Defense for an undisclosed number of AW139s that will be delivered in mid-2017. According to the company, the new helicopters will be used for transport and utility

operations throughout the nation.

The AW139 can reach high cruise speeds of 165 knots and features superior one-engine inoperative capabilities in hot and high conditions. While it has the ability to carry up to 15 passengers, the rotorcraft can accommodate

a combination of mission equipment, litters and medical attendants in the cabin for rescue and patrol missions. According to Leonardo, approximately 970 AW139s have been purchased by more than 240 customers in 70 countries around the world.

This new purchase expands the presence of the AW139 in Pakistan. The rest of the Pakistan Ministry of Defense’s fleet of previously ordered AW139s will be used for emergency medical services and search and rescue missions. o

z Sikorsky S-92 Demonstrates HUMS Capabilities The Sikorsky S-92 has demonstrated the ability to transmit in-flight, real-time health usage and monitoring system (HUMS) data to PHI’s operations control center, Sikorsky (Booth 8114), PHI and Outerlink Global Solutions collectively announced. The capability enables PHI operators to view, assess and track aircraft data and provide additional information to aircraft crew and ground support teams to enhance operational and maintenance decisions. The system is implemented with existing global satellite networks to support the global S-92 fleet. “We now have the ability to predict events by analyzing historical events in real time,” said Metro president Mike Stanberry. PHI currently operates 70 Sikorsky helicopters. The worldwide S-92 fleet has grown to 275 aircraft.

The Pakistan Ministry of Defense has placed an order for an undisclosed number of Leonardo Helicopters AW139s.

Deliveries are scheduled to start this year.

z NGPA Joins JSfirm Job Distribution Network Aviation-only job website JSfirm.com (Booth 11244) recently added the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) as a partner of its job distribution network. Other partners include California Aeronautical University, Flyosk, Aviators and Hot Line.

Network partners offer available jobs directly from JSfirm.com on their websites.

“Partnering with JSfirm.com made it simple to incorporate jobs onto NGPA’s website without reinventing the wheel,” said NGPA executive director David Pettet. “This partnership enhances the user experience for our online visitors by allowing them to see industry jobs in real time.”

JSfirm.com enables visitors to search for available jobs in the aviation industry. These jobs include maintenance, engineering, pilots, accounting, flight attendants and line service positions. While job seekers can post resumes, employers can scan these resumes and post job descriptions.

“NGPA has been a great addition to our growing list of job distribution partners,” said Jeff Richards, operations manager for JSfirm.com. “We are excited to see what the future has in store for the partnership between NGPA and JSfirm.com.”

z LAPD Re-ups with Airbus Helicopters The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is adding four new Airbus Helicopters H125s to its fleet as part of an overall multiyear modernization plan to replace its fleet of 12 AS350B2s.

Two H125s are currently undergoing completion and two more are scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of this year.

LAPD began air support with one helicopter in 1956 and is currently the largest municipal airborne law enforcement operation in the world, employing 75 officer-pilots and tactical officers, operating 17 helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft and flying 17,000 hours per year. It purchased its first AS350B1 in 1988. Airbus produces the H125 in Columbus, Mississippi, and in Marignane, France. At Heli-Expo, Airbus is displaying several helicopters and featuring a virtual reality experience in its booth that demonstrates the technology of the new H160 medium twin that is currently under development.

Air Evac orders Frasca Bell Long Ranger trainers

by R. Randall Padfield Independently owned and operated helicopter air ambulance service provider Air Evac Lifeteam has purchased seven Frasca advanced aviation training devices (AATDs) from Frasca International (Booth 4917) of Urbana, Illinois. Air Evac plans to use the AATDs for recurrent training of its 600 pilots every four months, focusing on HAA operating procedures and flight into inadvertent IMC. The AATD replicates the flight deck of the Bell 206L4 Long Ranger and may be used in place of the actual aircraft for some of the training time required for a helicopter instrument rating. The training devices feature Frasca’s TruVision visual system that uses the same database featured on Air Evac’s current level 7 flight training device (FTD), which it received from Frasca last year.

Air Evac flies some 140 Bell

16 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

206L4s (or equivalent) and 10 Bell 407s from 132 bases in 15 states.

The operator plans to install six of the AATDs in trailers and position them in six states. The seventh “fixed-base” AATD will be positioned at the company’s training center in O’Fallon, Missouri.

Separately, Frasca has sold a Level 7 FTD for the Bell CH-139 Jet Ranger to the Royal

Canadian Air Force (RCAF) No. 3 Flying Training School. The RCAF Simulation Strategy 2025, announced in 2015, calls for optimization of simulation across all RCAF training activities. The FTD is scheduled to be installed in March 2018, with training to begin the following month.

Frasca has provided helicopter FTDs and full-flight simulators to several defense and para-public government agencies, including the German Federal Police, the Republic of Singapore Air Force, the New York Police Department, and the U.S. Army. o

HUNGARIAN POLICE ADDS FLEET OF PRE-OWNED MD902S The Hungarian National Police has added five used MD Helicopters (Booth 9349) MD902 Explorers to its fleet to replace aging Russian Mi-2s. The MD902s were previously operated by Germany’s BadenWurrtemberg and were handed over in January. The Hungarian unit has operated MD500Es since the late 1980s and currently flies three.

The Hungarian MD902s are equipped for night vision and have a three-axis auto pilot, TCAS, digital video, high-performance surveillance equipment and cargo hooks. Adding the MD902 to its fleet makes the Hungarian Police one the largest fleet operators of MD aircraft in Eastern Europe. The MD902s will be based at the Liszt Ferenc Airport in Budapest.

—M.H.

COCKPIT B50 THE ULTIMATE PILOT’S INSTRUMENT Aviation enters a new era with a multifunction chronograph delivering unprecedented performance. At the heart of this high-tech feat beats a (COSC) chronometer-certified SuperQuartzTM movement specially developed by Breitling for aviation. Equipped with a sturdy and light titanium case, the Cockpit B50 innovates with its huge range of functions, extreme user friendliness, rechargeable battery and an ultra-legible high-intensity display mode. Reliable, accurate, efficient: the ultimate pilot’s instrument.

BREI TLI N G.C OM

CMC’s latest GNSS landing system gives rotorcraft CAT II/III options

by Matt Thurber Esterline CMC Electronics (Booth 3207) is showing visitors its new helicopter cockpit demonstrator and introducing the CMA-6024 GNSS landing system. While not a new product from CMC Electronics, the CMA-6024 has been customized for rotorcraft operations, according to the company, to allow operators to achieve precision approaches to CAT II and CAT III minimums at helipads.

CMC’s CMA-5024 has long been available in a rotorcraft version and provides WAAS LPV approach capability.

It is installed on the Airbus H225, H175, H160 and H145 and some military variants of these ships. The CMA-5024 is a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), while the CMA-6024 adds ground-based augmentation system (GBAS) for more precise (CAT II and III type) approach capabilities.

Both the CMA-5024 and -6024 offer the advantage of standalone installation, without the need to integrate with an aircraft’s existing flight management system (FMS).

CMA-5024 owners who want the upgraded GBAS capabilities don’t have to replace their units but can upgrade to match the CMA-6024 performance. The upgrade for rotorcraft generally requires adding a VHF data broadcast receiver to receive signals from the GBAS ground station plus a software upgrade. An annunciator to indicate the level of service (LPV versus GBAS landing system approach) is also required and can be installed

separately, or with an integrated flight deck as part of normal advisory messages, as is done with Airbus Helionix flight decks.

CMC hasn’t established pricing for the CMA-5024 to -6024 upgrade yet, but according to Tarek Savanekh, production marketing manager for navigation and integrated systems, “We don’t expect it to be that high.”

The target market for the CMA6024 and the upgraded -5024 is medium- to heavy-lift helicopters, but there aren’t many GBAS stations currently available where helicopters operate. “Early adopters will be those who need it and operate in areas where LPV is not possible,” he said.

“Offshore will take a while; we need to invest in ground stations.

“Today there is only a single certified GBAS, Honeywell SmartPath,” he explained, and SmartPath is equipped with CMC’s GPS receiver.

Savanekh expects GBAS to grow fastest in areas such as Russia, Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia, because it is far less expensive to develop GBAS approaches than to commission traditional CAT II and III approaches with their more complex infrastructure requirements.

GBAS can serve an entire airport’s runway structure, where ILS must be installed on each runway end. Also, for areas that have no SBAS capability, going straight to GBAS can be simpler and less expensive, because an airport (or cluster of helipads) can simply add GBAS capability for all of its approaches, rather

than wait for the state aviation regulator to implement SBAS. “You no longer need to compromise on how many approaches you have; you just need to design them,” he said. “I expect China will follow suit, and Latin America. In the future GNSS-based systems will be the primary means of flying an approach.”

The new MFD-3068 is CMC’s first display developed from technology from its

At CMC’s booth (3207), visitors can sample a selection of the company’s CMA-6024 GNSS landing system, CMA-5024 satellite-based augmentation system and MFD-3068.

18 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

acquisition of Barco two years ago. “This is going to be our sixby-eight-inch offering for the helicopter market,” Savanekh said. Germany’s armed forces was launch customer for the MFD-3068, for its CH-53 GS/ GE upgrade program, but CMC is also offering the new MFD for the civil market.

For helicopters equipped with obsolete ED-800 CRTtype displays, CMC’s CMA6800 is a direct form-fit-function replacement.

To help helicopter operators meet upcoming ADS-B out mandates, CMC has updated its CMA-3024 SBAS GPS receiver so it can be used as a qualified position source for ADS-B

upgrades. The advantage of incorporating the CMA-3024 is that it is a full SBAS GPS receiver, according to CMC, “approved as a primary means of navigation in all phases of flight,” so it can also be used for en route and approach phases.

At its Heli-Expo booth, CMC is highlighting for the first time its helicopter cockpit demonstrator, which brings together CMC’s GPS-based Doppler sensor, its head-up display, the CMA-6800 and MFD-3068 cockpit displays and electronic flight bags.

“Our mission is to make sure everything works well together and with whatever else the customer wants to put on board,” Savanekh said. o

Not only has Sikorsky’s Connecticut support center reduced downtime from AOG situations, but the data it compiles also reduces the likelihood of an operator facing an AOG issue in the first place.

SIKORSKY SUPPORT CENTER MINIMIZES AOG BURDEN It is now just over a year since Sikorsky opened its new customer care center in Trumbull, Connecticut.

According to Simon Gharibian, director of fleet management and supportability, the investment has significantly boosted the company’s ability to respond to aircraft-on-ground (AOG) situations within 24 hours, and indeed to reduce the overall number of these incidents.

The facility consists of two large adjacent rooms— one housing the AOG response team, which essentially handles the tactical response to operators’ issues; and the other for Sikorsky’s fleet management team, which takes a more strategic approach to tapping operational, health and usage monitoring data to boosting the overall availability of aircraft. These teams include a mix of specialists, including customer service representatives, engineers and parts logistics personnel.

“Data is big in what we’re trying to do for the customer, but so is human intelligence. So another aspect of the improvements we’ve made is in bolstering the number of boots we’ve got on the ground around the world with more field service representatives,” Gharibian told AIN. “But we’ve also improved the tools that our customers use to communicate information back to us through a new online portal

that makes it far easier for them to do weekly reports on how the helicopters are performing.”

A big part of the improvement has involved having a better spread of workload between genuinely urgent situations and routine tasks that, if not handled efficiently, can result in new urgent issues that could have been averted. “We had to stop the situation in which our people were having to do too many multiple tasks at once and found themselves focusing on the urgent matters and neglecting the routine issues,” said Gharibian.

Essentially, the tactical AOG team now focuses on the urgent, AOG issues, leaving the no-lessimportant, but routine matters to the fleet management team. This approach has led to a 66 percent reduction in turnaround times for AOG situations and a 72 percent reduction in the total number of incidents that had to be dealt with, because more issues were prevented from reaching the AOG stage.

Sikorsky (Booth 8114) now has 20 service centers around the world. The company also has boosted the availability of forward-stocked spare parts at depots in locations in Stavanger, Norway; Aberdeen, Scotland; Brazil and Australia. It is now exploring options to open more of these facilities in the U.S. and Asia.

—C.A.

RADALT? HTAWS? ADS-B? CHECK. CHECK. AND CHECK. To help make flying safer for all of us, the FAA has enacted new rules requiring radar altimeters for all Part 135 commercial helicopter operators – as well as HTAWS terrain alerting for air ambulance operators. Also, most aircraft flying in U.S. controlled airspace will need ADS-B “Out” capability by year end of 2019. For the best in compliance solutions, Garmin is your go-to source. But don’t wait. Dealer installation schedules are filling up fast. For a firsthand look, stop by our exhibit (booth #9536) at HAI or visit Garmin.com/helicopters.

©2017 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

Mountain Area Medical Airlift (MAMA) has tapped Metro Aviation to provide upgrades for its EMS helicopter fleet. In fact, Metro recently completed this Airbus EC135T2+ for MAMA.

Waypoint, Eagle team to manage rotor assets

by Charles Alcock

Metro to upgrade MAMA’s helos

by Samantha Cartaino Metro Aviation (Booth 9342) has been selected to provide upgrades for Mountain Area Medical Airlift (MAMA) helicopters. Metro recently completed an EC135T2+ for MAMA at the company’s Shreveport, Louisiana, facility, and Metro’s PAC International unit is upgrading MAMA’s original EC135. Metro is also providing MAMA with a spare aircraft while the EC135 undergoes modifications and updates at PAC.

“Safety, commitment to customer service and Metro Aviation’s philosophy are just a few of the reasons why MAMA chose Metro Aviation as our aviation provider,” said John Grindstaff, MAMA supervisor. “The strong, collaborative partnership between MAMA and Metro is evident in the recent completion of an EC135T2+ for the MAMA program. Metro incorporated several ideas from the MAMA team into

its existing product line, producing an EMS aircraft that will suit our needs for years to come.”

It’s no surprise that MAMA and Metro have teamed up, Metro said. MAMA was one of the first civilian EMS helicopter services in the U.S. that operated with night vision goggles. Meanwhile, Metro Aviation was one of the first air medical operators to supply its fleet with night vision capability. o

Waypoint Leasing this week launched a partnership with helicopter maintenance and support group Eagle to provide asset management services. The new Global Asset Management Services offering will help thirdparty helicopter owners, such as banks and other financial institutions, to more efficiently manage these assets.

According to Waypoint, the new services will be useful in situations where an asset owner has to deal with unplanned return of aircraft from a lessee. Eagle will provide assistance with remarketing the assets, and, as necessary, provide maintenance support and the opportunity to reconfigure aircraft for new roles. The services provided also include aircraft storage, inspection, contract and supply chain administration, insurance, logistics and asset purchase and sale analysis.

“Waypoint’s experienced inregion sales and relationship management team has remarketed numerous aircraft and our technical team has managed

VECTOR SUPPLIES QUINTET OF SUPER PUMAS TO STARLITE MRO services provider Vector Aerospace (Booth No. 1612) recently supplied five extensively modified Airbus AS332L Super Pumas on a multi-year lease to Starlite Aviation through Dublin-based Vector Financial Services in partnership with Airbus Helicopters.

South Africa-based Starlite deployed

the leased helicopters in Africa to facilitate passenger and cargo operations there in difficult and austere terrain, supplying pilots, maintenance leadership and administrative staff. Prior to deployment the helicopters were upgraded with engine filters, dual Garmin navigation systems, tracking

20 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

systems and other modifications.

Two ships were modified at Vector’s Fleetlands, facility in the UK and three others were upgraded at the company’s facility in British Columbia, Canada. Both locations are approved by Airbus as maintenance centers for the AS332 family.

—M.H.

more than a dozen extensive maintenance and reconfiguration projects,” commented Waypoint managing director Allan Rowe.

“Certain financial asset owners are not equipped to remarket aircraft themselves, and through this partnership with Eagle, we will provide a cost-effective solution to get idle aircraft back to work, addressing a burgeoning unmet need in the market.”

New Life For AW139s

Ireland-based Waypoint and Canada-based Eagle also this week announced a program to reconfigure legacy Leonardo AW139 models for new utility missions such as firefighting, emergency medical support, search and rescue, mining and powerline support and general aerial work and transportation.

The Waypoint Medium Utility Helicopter program will mainly focus on finding new roles for older “short nose” AW139s by reducing weight to allow greater payload and the addition of new mission-specific equipment.

“Reconfiguring an aircraft traditionally used for oil and gas to meet the growing demand for a range of utility missions underscores the aircraft’s versatility and Waypoint’s ability to listen to our customers and provide creative and flexible solutions to meet their needs,” said Clark McGinn, Waypoint senior v-p for sales and relationship management. “Keeping aircraft operating in secondary missions ultimately brings down costs for the entire industry. We look forward to collaborating with Eagle on this program to redefine what’s possible for an independent, operator-focused lessor such a Waypoint.”

Waypoint (Booth 9836), which was launched in 2013, has a lease portfolio of more than 140 helicopters with 28 customers in 30 countries and with a total asset value in excess of $1.6 billion. The company holds orders and options for more than 110 aircraft with a combined value of $1.3 billion that are due to be delivered over the next five years. o

Privately-owned Axnes Aviation (Booth 7452) is showcasing its new MP30 handheld transceiver this week at Heli-Expo.

The Grimstad, Norway, company provides durable wireless intercoms for use in harsh conditions and other demanding applications. More than 850 aircraft worldwide, including helicopters built by Airbus, Bell, Leonardo and Sikorsky, are equipped with Axnes products, according to the company.

The new MP30 handheld transceiver is a smaller, lighter and lower-cost version of the MP50 transceiver that the company introduced at last year’s show.

The MP30’s features include single-band UHF frequencies, full-duplex transmission and reception and built-in noise and echo cancelling. Aircraft-grade

aluminum encases the unit in a waterand dust-resistant housing. Standard equipment includes common headset and microphone connections and a 20-g-certified charging cradle, which integrates with aircraft, boats and ground vehicles.

The MP30 has a battery life with up to 15 hours of continuous operation and 40 hours on standby. The unit has voice activation and push-to-talk; secure voice technology ensures that communications cannot be compromised. The unit’s screen is compatible with night vision goggles.

Options for the MP30 include GPS positioning and AES secure software encryption. With a quantity order, customers can obtain custom headset and helmet connector options. —R.R.P.

MARIANO ROSALES

Axnes Aviation’s new MP30 handheld transceiver is a smaller, lighter and lower cost version of the MP50 unit, which was announced last year.

Ontic acquires supply chain for several legacy helicopters

by R. Randall Padfield Ontic is highlighting its recent acquisition of a portfolio of legacy avionics products from GE Aviation this week at Heli-Expo, Bob Sadler, director of business development for Ontic, told AIN. The agreement for the acquisition, announced in November, comprises avionics parts for both military and civil aircraft, including electro-mechanical, barometric, gyroscopes and electronics products. Helicopters covered include the Sikorsky Sea King, Leonardo AW101 and AW109 and Bell 204, 205 and 212. Fixed-wing aircraft in the agreement include the Boeing 737, Lockheed C130/J and BAE Hawk.

“We are extremely pleased with the acquisition of the GE Aviation’s legacy avionics parts,” said Gareth Hall, Ontic president and managing director, when the acquisition was announced. “Ontic has been leading the way in supporting the maturing aerospace platforms, and this acquisition allows us to expand and to provide sustenance in legacy avionics

products to these platforms.”

Ontic (Booth 7608), a BBA Aviation company, provides “extended life solutions” for OEM legacy products. What Ontic does, Sadler explained, is assume the responsibility for sustaining the supply of parts for older, legacy aircraft that OEMs still want to be supported for their customers, but for whatever reason, prefer to have this done by a third party. “We sustain the supply chain,” Sadler said, “but we never compete with the OEMs. We support the legacy products for as long as customers need them.”

Ontic’s business model is working. For more than 40 years, Ontic has licensed or acquired more than 4,500 top assemblies from the leading aviation OEMs. Ontic’s extended life solution is provided to more than 3,000 customers worldwide, the company says.

Sadler said Heli-Expo attendees are welcome to a reception at Ontic’s booth from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 8. o

22 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

ESTERLINE LCD DISPLAYS APPROVED FOR S-76S DAC International (Booth 3908) has received FAA supplemental type certificate approval to install the Esterline CMC (Booth 3207) CMA-6800 LCD display on the Sikorsky S-76B/C series helicopter, including the S-76C+/C++ models. DAC president Cisco Hernandez said the new display offers many benefits including “form, fit, and function” replacement for the stock Honeywell

ED-800, in addition to weight savings and reduced maintenance costs.

The CMA-6800 can replace ED-800 cathode ray tube displays, all at once or one at a time, allowing operators to use up the remaining service life of their old displays. The CMA-6800 has been approved for installation on multiple aircraft types and by multiple certifying agencies, including the FAA, Transport Canada and EASA. —M.H.

New crystal tech ups accuracy of PCB’s aerospace test units Engineering and maintenance instrument specialist PCB Piezotronics has developed a new crystal technology for use of certain of its instruments in high- temperature applications. The technology is among several new developments that the Depew, New York, company brought to Heli-Expo 2017.

PCB Piezotronics (Booth 4206) is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of instrumentation that is used by design engineers and predictive maintenance professionals for testing, measurement, monitoring and control requirements in numerous industries, including aerospace.

Among its products are accelerometers, microphones and force, torque, load, strain and pressure sensors.

At Heli-Expo the company announced the UHT-12 (for ultra-high-temperature 1,200-deg F) new crystal technology. Accelerometers designed with UHT-12 provide more accurate measurements and lower noise during large temperature variations, the company said.

This solves the problem of “pyroelectric noise,” which is encountered by gas

turbine engine manufacturers during test and vibration monitoring.

The company also announced its new line of Strain Gage Dual Bridge, fatiguerated load cells, designed specifically for airframe structural, lifetime and fatigue testing. The product is available with standard capacities ranging from 5,000 pounds to 100,000 pounds.

PCB’s Automotive Sensors Division announced the addition of a new series of MEMS DC response accelerometers.

These are designed to improve the precision of low-frequency vibration and motion in aerospace applications.

Finally, IMI Sensors, a manufacturer of industrial vibration instrumentation and a division of PCB Piezotronics, announced the release of Model 357A100, a very high temperature differential charge accelerometer with a UHT-12 sensing element. The sensor is designed to be used in condition monitoring of gas turbines for aviation and power generation, for machinery protection in high-temperature environments and in the commissioning of nuclear power plants. —R.R.P.

MYGOFLIGHT ROLLS OUT NEW IPAD MOUNTS FOR ROBINSON MODELS MyGoFlight (Booth 6820) has developed an iPad Mount for Robinson helicopter models.

The iPad mount can be installed by pilots and is compatible with R22, R44 and R66 helicopters. The new mount secures onto the center spar on the windshield of the rotorcraft, and it can be tightened using a knob to secure it in place. Because the mount is made of aluminum and stainless steel, vibration is minimized. The mount is infinitely adjustable because it does not have fixed-length arms and it can rotate a full 360 degrees.

Also new to the MyGoFlight product line is an ArmorGlas screen protector with EZ-Align for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The ArmorGlas with EZ-Align is available for iPhone generations 6 and 7, as well as the iPad Mini 4

MARIANO ROSALES

Axnes Aviation introduces new handheld transceiver

and iPad Pro. The anti-glare coating, which reduces reflection without interfering with the content on the screen, is also scratchresistant because it is made from Japanese tempered glass. Now ArmorGlas comes with the EZ-Align tool, which is an install tray to help make ArmorGlas installation much easier.

—S.C.

Rolls-Royce works to lower lifecycle costs

by Charles Alcock The never-ending pursuit of reduced life-cycle costs for helicopter operators is inspiring engine maker Rolls-Royce (Booth 10349) to develop new dual channel Fadec and control systems to replace hydromechanical equipment on some legacy turboshafts, which will not only help keep costs low but provide additional health monitoring and data recording capability.

These technology upgrades are in early use on the 650- to 715-shp Series IV members of M250 family today with the Boeing AH-6i helicopter and the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Firescout.

Recently, Rolls-Royce signed an agreement with MD Helicopters to release the upgraded engine, designated the C47E model, for the MD530F. “These systems will improve the reliability of engines, and we expect to be able to introduce increases in TBO [time between overhaul] for some components, resulting in lower dollar per operating hour for customers,” explained Jason Propes, RollsRoyce’s senior vice president for helicopters and light turboprops.

Another recent upgrade for operators, is the Value Improvement Package kit that allows Series IV operators to boost hot and high performance by up to 8 percent. The modification, which went into production in 2016 and is standard equipment for the M250-C47B/8 engine that powers Bell’s new 407GXP, is based on design changes to the impeller, diffusor and first-stage nozzle that

improve air flow. It also delivers more power and up to a 2 percent reduction in fuel consumption.

“This is all part of how we are trying to offer more value,” Propes told AIN. “It starts with providing an affordable propulsion solution and then looking to reduce life-cycle costs for operators, delivering more for the same or lower cost.”

Milestone Logging

This year, the M250 turboshafts are set to pass a milestone of having flown 250 million hours.

The extensive engine family has powered more than 170 different types of helicopter.

Rolls-Royce is also in talks with customers to discuss ways to further improve the process by which performance data is gathered from its engines as part of the drive to reducing operating costs. “We know that the use of data to drive smarter operational decisions is increasingly a desire for our customers,” said Propes.

In the same vein, Rolls-Royce is developing a new engine management unit for the CTS800 turboshaft produced by its LHTEC joint venture with Honeywell. This will provide a clearer and more comprehensive data record from the engine, which powers Leonardo Super Lynx 300 and AW159 Wild Cat military helicopters.

The manufacturer also plans to expand the certified operating envelope of the CTS800 to allow greater mission versatility.

The engine was recently selected

to power Turkey’s new light utility helicopter.

Production continues of the RR300 engine, which provided an affordable turbine powerplant for helicopters at the upper end of the light helicopter spectrum. In March 2015, Robinson Helicopter signed a contract calling for 1,000 RR300s to be delivered over 10 years. Rolls-Royce has no current plans to restart development of the more powerful RR500 turboshaft, which was suspended back in 2012.

New Service App

At this week’s Heli Expo show, Rolls-Royce is launching a new mobile application that will give operators easy access to the Rolls-Royce service network on any smart device. Via clickable links, it will allow customers to locate and contact service locations around the world.

Meanwhile, improved customer support infrastructure is part of a $600 million investment being made over five years at Rolls-Royce’s main U.S. facility in Indianapolis. The company is conducting a complete renovation of its manufacturing plant.

“We’re very proud of our performance in customer satisfaction surveys recognizing our network of third-party and factoryowned service centers globally,” concluded Propes. Its customer support center in Indianapolis operates on a 24/7 basis, supplemented by parts distribution services provided by Aviall. o

Webb steps into safety outreach role at Airbus

by Samantha Cartaino Airbus Helicopters (Booth 7648) announced that Bruce Webb will take over the role as director of aviation education and community outreach. Webb joined the company in 1999 and served as chief pilot since 2000.

As part of the newly created role, Webb will work with industry to improve helicopter safety and strengthen the company’s involvement with aviation organizations. He will speak at industry meetings and conferences on safety topics. In one of his presentations, “Hope is Not a Strategy,” Webb addresses how pilots and crews need to anticipate dangerous situations while also understanding how their reactions can ultimately enhance the danger, he explained. “We need to take into account the human brain,” he said. “We need to stop trying to amend human behavior but instead understand how the brain works so that we can accommodate it.”

He gave the first of two safety presentations, “Flying Blind,” yesterday at Heli-Expo 2017. The second, “Unintended Consequences,” will be presented March 8 at 11:45 a.m. in Room C140.

“My goal is to improve the

Bruce Webb will work with industry to improve helicopter safety.

safety of our industry by developing education programs and promoting a better understanding of human beings,” Webb said. “This industry spends a lot of time making our aircraft safer; I’m promoting spending more time making the human interface safer. That is what I want to accomplish.” o

Milestone Aviation Group (Booth 7520) has leased seven Sikorsky helicopters—five S-76Ds and two S-92s—to Thai Aviation Services (TAS).

The helicopter leasing and finance company is also leasing one Leonardo AW169 to HeliKorea.

One of TAS’s Sikorskys came from Milestone’s existing fleet, while the other six were newly delivered from Milestone’s order book. All of these helicopers, which will be operational by the end of this month, will be used for TAS crew transport and oil field support services for an international oil company in the Gulf of Thailand.

“Milestone has had an important relationship with TAS since 2012,” said Brett Rankin, Milestone v-p of commercial, central and southern Asia Pacific, ”and we were very pleased to collaborate with TAS to secure the helicopters that best fit the needs of their customer in Thailand. Our product and technical teams spent extensive time reviewing TAS’s mission requirements and developing innovative solutions.

Today’s announcement is a perfect example of the unique value and long-term partnership that Milestone brings to customers.”

Meanwhile, HeliKorea’s Leonardo AW169 will be used for emergency medical services in South Korea. ­—S.C.

MARIANO ROSALES

MILESTONE LEASES TO THAI AVIATION, HELIKOREA

YOU CAN KICK THE TIRES, BUT PLEASE DON’T LIGHT THE FIRES Despite not being a brand-new model, Sikorsky’s S-76D still attracted quite a crowd during the opening day of Heli-Expo 2017. The venerable and versatile helicopter is widely used for VIP applications, offshore oil worker transport, search-and-rescue and emergency medical operations. This latest S-76 variant is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S engines, though attendees are not encouraged to fire them up on the show floor.

www.ainonline.com • March 8, 2017 • HAI Convention News 23

Heli-Expo gets rare glimpse of Russian Mi-24D gunship MARIANO ROSALES

by Mark Huber

John Totter flew the Russian Mi-24D “Hind” here to Dallas.

After the Cold War ended you could buy some interesting things on the open market. One of them is on the show floor here at Heli-Expo. It’s a flying example of a 1981 Russian Mi-24D “Hind” helicopter gunship that flew for the Bulgarian Air Force from 1981 to 2005 and is now one of Join & follow us Search for helitechinternational on these social media channels:

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three owned by the Cold War Air Museum in Lancaster, Texas.

The museum bought the trio from Bulgaria, had them crated and shipped, restored, repainted and reassembled. Pilots fly them 30 to 50 hours per year, mainly to half a dozen air shows around Central Texas every year. They are cared for by a volunteer crew of pilots and mechanics.

John Totter flew the Hind into Dallas.

He learned his craft flying Apaches for the Army and MH-53 Pave Lows for the Air Force before retiring in 2008. Later, as a contractor, he flew Russian-issue Mi-17s and Mi-24s in adversarial exercises, “playing the bad guy role. When the opportunity came to fly for the Cold War Air Museum, I was already qualified in the aircraft, I just needed to get recurrent, so here I am.”

Totter says the tractor-like Hind differs markedly from the high-tech and agile Apache. The Mi-24 is built to be serviced in “austere environments by unskilled labor” with a minimum of special tools.

“It’s reliable and doesn’t break.”

Weighing in at an mtow of 26,000 pounds, the Hind is a big beast, and a thirsty one, gulping down 235 gph, giving it an endurance of just over two hours. However, Totter said the Hind is “pretty light on the controls,” thanks to its low-pressure hydraulic system, about one-third the pressure on an Apache. “With the Apache you can make inputs and get an immediate response out of it. With the Hind you have to be much easier on the flight controls to prevent it from cavitating,” Totter said.

Visibility out the back of the Hind is limited, hence the rear-view mirrors hung on the fuselage. However, Totter praises the aircraft’s robust air-conditioning and heating. He also notes that the cabin is over-pressurized, making it resistant to nuclear, biological or chemical attack.

Aside from its faults, there is this: It’s fast. With a dash speed of 170 knots and a typical cruise speed of 135 knots, “I had no problem” running down Black Hawks and Apaches, during training exercises, he said. o

Quality Aviation Instruments Rebrands as QAI Aerospace Quality Aviation Instruments recently rebranded as QAI Aerospace (Booth 7103). As an EASAcertified FAA Part 145 repair station, the name change reflects its various worldwide services for avionics, accessories and instrumentation.

Last year, QAI relocated its headquarters to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 15,000-sq-ft facility features a clean-room instrument shop, as well as individual shops for avionics, accessories and more.

Besides its Pittsburgh facility, QAI also has a joint venture with Gulf Helicopters in Doha, Qatar.

—S.C.

24 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

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26 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

by Ian Sheppard Airbus Helicopters and Precise Flight (Booth 4317) have been granted an amended supplemental type certificate (STC) for the latter company’s Pulselite bird-strike prevention system, which is installed on more than 25,000 aircraft (around 84 percent of the world’s business aviation fleet). Some 67 Airbus helicopter models are now covered, including all EC135, H135, EC145, H145 and AS350 models.

Pulselite is a controller that alternately pulses the landing and auxiliary lights of the helicopter to increase its visibility. According to Precise Flight, Pulselite is the “only FAA-approved onboard solution proven to reduce bird strikes for commercial aviation.”

“A growing body of research,” the company explained, “including a recent USDA [Department of Agriculture] advisory, confirms that steady-state lights create a false and dangerous illusion that aircraft are stationery or moving slowly.

When a pulsing movement is added to an aircraft’s exterior lighting, it accentuates the speed and directional movement of the aircraft, thereby increasing aircraft recognition and significantly decreasing bird strikes.

“In addition to reducing bird strikes, the Pulselite system also reduces the chance of midair and ground collisions. Pulsing exterior lights makes a helicopter significantly more recognizable to humans, and more accurately reflects its proximity, speed and directional movement.”

Lindsay Cunningham, v-p of civil programs at Airbus Helicopters, said, “We consider the Pulselite system an important safety option, and we are excited to add these aircraft to the list of models now certified for the system.”

The Pulselite system is available as both a standard safety option on new aircraft from Airbus Helicopters and as an aftermarket modification.

Precise Flight claims studies have found the system to reduce bird strikes by 30 to 66 percent. The company added that the number of bird strike incidents experienced by the industry has increased significantly in recent years, with the resultant effects on safety and repair costs.

It said that, according to the FAA, bird strikes to helicopters have increased more than 700 percent since the early 2000s, while HAI has noted that air medical services report an average of one bird strike every week, with the problem steadily getting worse.

Meanwhile the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Administration has warned the rotorcraft industry that Canada goose populations in North America increased from 500,000 in 1980 to more than 3.8 million today.

During that same period, the snow goose population increased from 2.1 million to 6.6 million.

One Pulselite user is Maverick Helicopters, which flies helicopter tours in the Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam areas. John Mandernach, v-p of maintenance, said the Pulselite system had virtually eliminated what had become a persistent and serious problem with bird strikes. “I preach to everyone who will listen about the effectiveness of the Pulselite system. Since installing the Pulselite system on our fleet, the bird strikes we were experiencing have been virtually eliminated. It’s been over seven years and 250,000 flight hours since our last bird strike.”

Evidence such as this has made Pulse­ lite a prerequisite for Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS) certification, according to Precise Flight. Jen Boyer, TOPS executive director, said, “For more than 20 years, [TOPS] has been dedicated to enhancing helicopter tour safety by requiring our members to meet requirements above those set by the FAA.” Here at Heli-Expo, Precise Flight also is announcing a new partnership with Rigid Industries/TruckLite for its LEDs to be made available in the aviation industry. “The lights will be certified and sold in the rotorcraft industry under the Precise Flight brand,” said Precise Flight CEO Doug La Placa. “The combination of the Pulselite System with [these] LEDs offers rotorcraft operators an entirely new level of aircraft recognition and safety. The LEDs are manufactured in the United States and are backed by a lifetime warranty.” o

TODAY AT HAI HELI-EXPO 2017 WED., MAR. 8

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 FAA: Face to Face

HFI Rotor Safety Challenge Sessions 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Ballrooms C3 & C4; Rooms C140, C141, C142, C146

8:30 am – 10:30 am

Ballroom D

Exhibit Hall Open – Final Day

Manufacturer Technical Briefings 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Rooms C143/149 & C145

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

HFI Online Silent Auction

The Business Case for UAS Operations 8:30 am – 10:30 am

Ballroom D

Exhibit Hall Open

Ends at 4:00 pm. Until then, bid 24/7 at biddingforgood.com/HFI

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Lobby D, Exhibit Level

HAI HELI-EXPO 2017 Show App

HAI Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner* 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm *Separate ticket required for Salute to Excellence Dinner

Download at rotor.org/expoapp or scan me with your smartphone!

Hilton Anatole

Please visit our first time exhibitors!

Pavilion Hall C • Booths #6017– 6526

New This Year! HAI Connect • Booth #4504 a

Demo - Networking Are HAI HELI-EXPO 2017

Enjoy free demonstrations, presentations, and meetings on a range of subjects important to you — all right on the show floor. Times are listed in the schedule to the right.

Meetups: Meet informally with peers; no agenda, just show up!

Utility, Patrol, and Construction (UPAC) • Law Enforcement • Flight Training and Maintenance Instructors Get the Facts: Learn more about critical aviation topics.

ADS-B Equipage Vendor Demonstrations: Do a deeper dive into the technology offered by these aviation leaders.

Fortem Technologies • RMCI • Vector Aerospace • Axnes, Inc. Updates: Get out in front on these important subjects.

FAA Update on Flight Services • U.S. Helicopter Safety Team • Challenges and Opportunities in the Indian Helicopter Industry • Helicopter Foundation International

Wednesday, March 8 Law Enforcement Meetup

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Helicopter Foundation International

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Vendor Product Demonstrations

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Fortem Technologies, Inc.

1:00 pm – 1:15 pm

Vector Aerospace

1:20 pm – 1:35 pm

RMCI, Inc.

1:40 pm – 1:55 pm

Overview of the Indian Helicopter Industry – Challenges and Opportunities

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Get the Facts: ADS-B Equipage

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Flight Training and Maintenance Instructors Meetup

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Thursday, March 9 U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Update

11:00 am – 11:30 am

Utilities, Patrol, and Construction (UPAC) Meetup

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

FAA Update on Flight Services

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Vendor Product Demonstrations Axnes, Inc.

/HelicopterAssoc

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm 1:00 pm – 1:15 pm

/HelicopterAssoc

#HAI_EXPO17

/heliexpo @HELIEXPO

#HAI_EXPO17

GET SPECIAL OFFERS ON OFFICIAL HOTELS FOR HAI HELI-EXPO 2018 WITH ONPEAK. REQUEST YOUR 2018 HOTEL HERE: onpeak.com/HAI2018-Requests

SAE to address inlet barrier filter standards

by Kerry Lynch The FAA, which has long been working on a policy statement for rotorcraft inlet barrier filter (IBF) installations, has turned to the standards-setting organization SAE International for help on two of the most difficult technical aspects surrounding that policy.

The SAE was tasked with developing a “recommended practice standard” on an

alternative means to substantiate that the IBF modification does not exceed engine inlet distortion limits. The FAA also asked the organization to define a means to determine and verify power availability for IBF-equipped rotorcraft.

The FAA made the request as it has been hashing out concerns expressed in response to a proposed IBF policy

it released a year ago. That draft policy generated so much opposition that the agency extended the comment period and then held a public meeting to receive industry input.

Operators, aftermarket providers and other industry groups have expressed concern that the policy would require detailed proprietary engine data that manufacturers tend to be reluctant to share publicly.

In addition, industry executives expressed concern that the original policy included the potential for performance penalties that would render IBFs impractical and would drive up certification costs considerably. The primary aftermarket providers, Aerometals and Donaldson, questioned whether they would be able to remain in the IBF market should the draft policy become final as originally written.

FAA officials have said they will carefully consider the comments, and Lorie Symon, executive director for Aerometals, noted that the “huge industry response during the public comment period really got the FAA to see how important an issue this is to operators and to the helicopter industry.”

Symon said that outdated regulations created some of the obstacles to satisfying the FAA’s requirements in the draft policy.

“The FAA agreed that this is a safe technology. We were just running up against regulations that are decades old and written in such a way that it was hard to figure out alternative methods of compliance.”

Significant Hurdles

Many of the issues of the original draft policy statement have been worked out, but the two remaining issues—inlet distortion limits and power assurance checks— remain unresolved. The issue of inlet distortion limits “comes right down to whether or not we can get the information we need from the manufacturers. We’ve got to solve that dilemma before we can discuss all the different means of compliance,” Symon said.

Obtaining proprietary data “is probably one of the biggest issues that the SAE

committee is going to struggle with,” she said. But she noted that manufacturers are required to release certain data through their type certificate data sheets. “One of the things I would like the SAE committee to explore is whether it is possible to make the inlet distortion limits a part of that information.”

Power assurance checks are a technology issue, Symon said, noting that existing power check data already takes into account effects of potential losses of power from IBF installations.

“We have to resolve these two issues because they are major,” Symon said. “If we cannot come up with an alternative means for us to be able to prove that we are not affecting inlet distortion, we are done. If the engine and airframe manufacturers say, ‘No you can’t have that data,’ then we are done. There is no way around it.”

But Symon expressed hope that the SAE committee will be able to work through these issues. “Unfortunately it is not a short process, but it is a good first step.”

The FAA has not released a timeline for release of a final policy statement.

Timing of the SAE standards was unclear too, but an SAE spokeswoman said that on average, the development of standards and recommended practices could take between 18 and 24 months.

The SAE’s S-12 Helicopter Powerplant Committee is taking the lead on the standards with help from the S-16 Turbine Engine Inlet Flow Distortion Committee. Aftermarket providers, manufacturers, operators and other interested parties will participate.

A virtual committee meeting was scheduled for February 15 to begin work on the standard, with a face-toface meeting to be held on March 9 during Heli-Expo.

“Our hope is that these tasks will result in Aerospace Recommended Practices that can then be referenced in our helicopter advisory material,” an FAA spokeswoman said.

“We are pleased to be working with the FAA on the development of these important rotorcraft standards and appreciate the trust that the FAA has placed in SAE International to use industry standards as guidance material,” said David Alexander, director of aerospace standards for SAE International. o

BELL DELIVERS FIRST BATCH OF HELICOPTERS COMPLETED AT NEW PRAGUE CENTER Bell Helicopter has delivered the first three fully customized aircraft to be completed at its new European Customization and Delivery Center in Prague, the company announced in January. The Model 429 light twins are configured for EMS for Air Transport Europe of Slovakia. Bell’s Prague facility includes a paint booth that can handle all Bell products up to the in-development 525 super-medium twin.

“We celebrated the installation of our brand-new paint facility and delivery center earlier this May,” said Joachim Goldenberg, general manager of the Prague center. “We now have the ability to provide full customization, including maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities, offering a bespoke delivery experience for all of our European customers.”

Bell called the growth of its civil fleet in Europe in recent years “significant,” particularly in the parapublic and EMS sectors. Bell also has a supply center in Amsterdam, owns blade repair shop Rotor Blades in Warminster, England, and counts 16 customer service —M.H. facilities in Europe and Russia.

28 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

NEWS CLIPS Industry pioneer Carl Milko is the 2017 recipient of the Twirly Birds Les Morris award. As the founder of Summit Helicopters, Milko’s career in the industry began as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam in 1965.

After Vietnam, Milko earned a master’s degree in forestry and worked for Evergreen Helicopters. He teamed with four other industry peers to found Summit Helicopters in 1982. Under his leadership, the company now has more than 70 employees and 15 aircraft. Milko was also recognized for his actions as a Bell Jet Ranger pilot, when he rescued stranded citizens during a flood in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1985.

Each year, the Twirly Birds present the Les Morris award as a recognition of lifetime achievement. Sergei Sikorsky presented Milko with the award last night.

z Aero Propulsion Support Celebrates 25 Years Repair and overhaul facility Aero Propulsion Support (Booth 1039) recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in the small gas turbine repair industry. Allan Slattery started the company in Harrison, Ohio in 1992. Today, Aero Propulsion Support is FAA and EASA certified, as well as ISO and AS registered. It works with the military, airlines, turbine shops and brokers covering domestic and international markets. The company offers services in engineering, repair development, CNC machining, laser and micro-welding, heat treat, brazing, thermal spray, specialty coatings, plunge EDM and 5-axis wire EDM, among others.

z Global Aero Eases UAV Insurance Shopping New Jersey-based industry insurance provider Global Aerospace (Booth 8656) has launched an online portal to support the growing number of commercial unmanned aerial system (UAS) users. The web-based portal will allow drone owners and operators the ability to quickly and efficiently obtain an annual insurance policy and pay securely via credit card.

“Global Aerospace has been developing portal technology to simplify access to our insurance products, and help our customers transact business,” said Chris Proudlove, Global’s senior v-p and manager of UAS risks. “Global has been at the forefront of insuring the UAS industry and the development of this portal is another example of our leadership and dedication to providing innovative tools to this rapidly expanding market.”

z Precision Taps Rangr for ADS-B in MD Helos Precision Heli-Support (Booth 10934) has chosen the FreeFlight Systems (Booth 2217) Rangr series ADS-B transceiver as its platform for developing an FAA-compliant ADS-B solution for the MD Helicopters 369, 500N and 600N rotorcraft. The Rangr series prices start at $2,995 and they meet the upcoming 2020 ADS-B out mandate. Units with ADS-B in capability can access free TIS-B traffic and FIS-B weather information on a tablets, smartphones or certain cockpit displays.

“Discussions on ADS-B increased over the past 10 years, and for the most part the reality has set in that 2020 is no longer far away,” said Precision general manager Jerry Guevara. “Our focus is to provide customers with a seamless, low-cost transition so they can continue to fly safely with minimal downtime.”

z PAG Boosts AW139 Spares Inventory Industry parts supplier Precision Aviation Group (Booth 4910) has recently added more than $4 million worth of spares, bringing its total inventory to approximately $40 million and more than 100,000 line items. The additions, intended specifically for the AW139 platform, add 74 unique part numbers to PAG’s existing AW139 rotable pool, available to operators worldwide.

“With the increasing demand for AW139 spares, our investment shows our continued commitment to operator requirements,” said PAG president and CEO David Mast. “Our goal is to provide customers with the part or service they require within hours of receiving the [AOG] request.”

Currently, the Atlanta-based company has 10 locations in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Brazil, with more than 250,000 sq ft of sales and service facilities.

Survitec Group (Booth 5906) manufactures survival and safety solutions for the aviation, marine, defense and offshore markets. Its newest survival suit—the 1000 Series Offshore Wind Energy Suit—looks like something you could find in the zombie thriller The Walking Dead. Maybe there would be more survivors if they had access to this suit. Maybe the apocalypse wouldn’t have started at all.

But this suit doesn’t protect against the unrealistic threat of zombies. The 1000 Series Offshore Wind Energy Suit protects its wearers against the very real, very harsh conditions that the natural world has to offer. It is waterproof and flame-retardant, yet still breathable. Survitec made improvements on the original suit released in 2006 based on feedback from industry experts.

The 1000 Series Offshore Wind Energy Suit is available as an immersion suit with a fully integrated thermal liner or as

Pylon Aviation takes first Bell 505 uContinued from page 1

arrived at the show on Sunday and is featured this week at Bell’s Heli-Expo exhibit. Urschel was a member of Bell’s customer advisory council, which provided input on the 505’s design. He plans to fly the new 505 in charter, tourism and utility operations.

Bell holds more than 400 letters of intent (LOIs) for the 505 and is in the process of converting them into firm orders. The LOIs signed in 2013 were for a base price of $1.07 million, according to Lashan Bonaparte, Bell Helicopter, 505 program manager. More than 100 Bell Mirabel employees are working on the 505, part of Bell’s 900-strong Canadian workforce. By the end of 2018, Bonaparte said, Bell expects to build 150 505s per year, while the total for 2017 may reach half that number. “We have a lot of capacity in Mirabel,” she said.

Meanwhile Bell is working on various kits for the 505, including a cargo hook, mirrors, weighing system, floor protectors and automatic door openers.

The 505’s flat-floor makes reconfiguring the interior easy, with seats easily removable.

Many of the buyers are corporate operators, with the remainder planning to use their 505s for utility operations. United Rotorcraft is developing an aeromedical interior for the 505 and has a mockup on display in its Heli-Expo booth (5310).

Training for 505 pilots will

an uninsulated suit specifically for marine use. While it is approved for use with the crewsaver marine lifejacket range, it can also be worn with compatible harnesses for rope access work. Furthermore, the suit has marine equipment directive (MED) and European technical standard order (ETSO) approvals for transfers by helicopter or boat.

“Survitec is changing the standard for offshore wind energy transportation with the launch of the tri-approved 1000 Series Offshore Wind Energy Suit. By offering products certified for both marine and aviation applications, we can support our customers with a complete range of compatible PPE equipment that provides optimum protection for their personnel,” said Kevin Reid, Survitec head of aviation sales (UK).

Ultimately, this suit will keep you safe from real harm. It doesn’t matter that it can’t protect you against zombies. —S.C.

initially be done at the Bell Training Academy in Forth Worth, Texas, with maintenance training offered in Fort Worth, Singapore and Valencia, Spain.

Pilot initial training will take

Pylon Aviation owner Scott Urschel (left) accepts the keys for the first Bell 505 Jet Ranger X from Bell executive v-p of global sales and marketing Patrick Moulay.

one week and initially will be in the helicopter. Later this year, Bell expects its 505 Level 7 flight training device, built by sister company Tru Training + Simulation, to be qualified. This simulator will be a fixed-base device but will be equipped with a secondary cockpit movement system.

Maintenance training employs a 3-D modeling computer system to help technicians learn their way around the helicopter. This is the first time that Bell has put 3-D modeling into use for maintenance training and should save wear and tear and time, compared to using the actual helicopter as a training tool.

During the design phase, Bell staffed a cross-functional team to design the 505’s maintenance

MARIANO ROSALES

z Milko Receives Twirly Birds Les Morris Award

SURVITEC DEBUTS NEW SURVIVAL SUIT

The latest survival suit from Scotlandbased Survitec is waterproof and flame retardent, yet still breathable.

program, incorporating modern MSG-3 principles to minimize unnecessary maintenance. Some inspection intervals, for example, are double what they would have been on earlier designs.

Access panels are located so they are easy to reach and open using quarter-turn fasteners. Avionics boxes are all located on an easily accessed shelf in the aft fuselage.

A True Blue Power TB17 lithium-ion battery provides stronger and faster engine starts and is fitted with a heater to warm the battery in cold weather, eliminating the need to remove the battery during cold overnights.

The 505 is equipped with a Garmin G1000H integrated flight deck that includes two large displays (PFD and MFD), engine instruments with a power situation indicator and automated power assurance check, ADS-B out, flight monitoring and video input. Options include H-TAWS, traffic, synthetic vision and a second com radio.

Performance turned out better than originally expected, according to Bonaparte. Maximum takeoff weight is now 3,680 pounds, up 30 pounds from the earlier number, and max cruise is 126 knots. The 505 can carry more than 1,500 pounds of useful load and offers maximum range of more than 360 nm or endurance over 3.5 hours. Hoverin-ground-effect ceiling at maximum weight is 14,000 feet, and out-of-ground-effect 12,000 feet.

Power is provided by a Safran Helicopter Engines Arrius 2R rated at 504 shp for takeoff and 457 shp max continuous. o

www.ainonline.com • March 8, 2017 • HAI Convention News 29

Singapore to host first Rotorcraft Asia show

EASA has given the okay to Airbus Helicopters for a weight increase and flight into limited icing for its H175 supermedium twin. Approvals for automated rig approaches and a sand filter are pending, according to Airbus.

by Charles Alcock

H175 gets higher weight, icing nods

by Mark Huber Airbus Helicopters (Booth 7648) recently received EASA certification for several upgrades for the H175 super-medium twin, including a no-cost maximum takeoff weight increase of 661 pounds, to 17,196 from 16,535 pounds. The upgrade can either provide increased payload or an extra 40 nm radius of action.

Flight of the H175 into limited icing conditions has also been approved by EASA, as was certification for snow operations. Approval for automated

rig approaches and a sand filter are pending and expected soon.

Recent certifications for the aircraft have been granted in Russia, Mexico and Australia and certifications are expected soon in the U.S., Malaysia, Canada and Brazil. Oil and gas and VIP configurations of the H175 are now in service, and a public service variant of the aircraft remains under development for delivery later this year to launch customer Hong Kong Government Flying Services.

This new variant is suitable for missions including search and rescue, emergency medical services, border security and law enforcement.

Currently 12 H175s are in service on three continents, with heavy use in the offshore energy services industry with NHV in the North Sea and Africa and with Pegaso in the Gulf of Mexico. Since February, the H175 also has been flying offshore in Aberdeen with Babcock Mission Critical Services. o

Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Center will next month host the Asia-Pacific region’s first dedicated civil helicopter show, Rotorcraft Asia (April 18-20).

Experia Events, which organizes the biennial Singapore Air Show at the same location, launched the show in response to expectations that the Asia-Pacific civil helicopter fleet is set to grow by just over 50 percent by 2025— almost twice the anticipated global expansion of this sector.

Running alongside Rotorcraft Asia will be the new Unmanned Systems Asia show, with a strong focus on the latest drone technology. The co-location of the two events recognizes the growing synergies between the helicopter and UAS industries.

Unmanned Systems Asia will include live demonstrations of drones designed for multiple commercial and defense applications, and featuring aerial, ground and underwater systems.

Rotorcraft Asia, which will have flight demonstrations, is backed by some of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter and Sikorsky.

So far, confirmed aircraft on show will include the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X and Airbus’s new H160 making its Asian debut.

Other prominent exhibitors include BBA Aviation, Garmin, Honeywell Aerospace, L-3 Wescam, Ruag Aviation, Safran Helicopter Engines, Standard Aero and Zodiac Aerospace.

The show also will include a conference on the theme of “Innovation in Rotorcraft.” Presentations from companies such as Airbus, Bell and Sikorksy, will be offered on topics including innovation in maintenance, mission critical services, training and simulation and safety management systems.

Experia is running a VIP buyers program through which exhibitors can be introduced to visitors with specific plans to acquire new aircraft and equipment. Among the VIP buyers already booked for Rotorcraft Asia are representatives from Vietnam’s ministry of public security, Indonesia and Malaysian police forces, Travira Air, Derazona Air, Vietnam Helicopters, PhilJets, BP and Shell.

“The Asia-Pacific region is well-poised to be the civil helicopter industry’s highest growth market in the coming decade,” Experia Events managing director Leck Chet Lam told AIN. “The oil and gas sector, which is driven by market forces, is definitely the one to watch for.”

In support of this contention, Experia pointed to a report on the helicopter services market by Douglas-Westwood that predicted a 3 percent annual growth in oil and gas expenditures between 2017 and 2021.

The report states that the production support component of the market will remain more resilient in oil price compared to exploration drilling.

MARIANO ROSALES

ATP AND MD HELICOPTERS ROLL OUT NEW MD WEB PORTAL

SO...THAT’S HOW IT WORKS! While the focus in the Heli-Expo convention hall is on products and services, attendees should not overlook the educational experiences that are also available. This was exemplified yesterday as attendees Douglas Mohr and John Marshall get a closer look at the inner workings of a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207 via a cutout view.

30 HAI Convention News • March 8, 2017 • www.ainonline.com

Industry information tools and services provider Aircraft Technical Publishers (ATP) has launched the next evolution of the MD Helicopters online portal, which is designed to enhance customer experience and provide extended service capabilities. Through ATP’s Aviation Hub cloud solution, customers utilizing the MyMD.aero site established last year, will now have improved access to maintenance-related information, enabling owner/operators and maintenance providers to manage all maintenance processes from a unified platform. MD customers will continue to log in using the current sign in on the site, and will connect directly to the ATP Aviation Hub’s advanced tools and functionality.

“Our partnership with ATP (Booth 7236) makes sense on many levels,” said Randall Schaffer, MD’s director of aftermarket business development and customer engagement. “Our focus at MD Helicopters (Booth 3949) is to provide exceptional customer experiences. One of they ways we do this is by helping ensure our aircraft are serviced efficiently and effectively through improved access and more intelligent content and information management.” Among the site improvements are an enhanced search functionality enabling users to quickly locate relevant information often couched in lengthy maintenance-related publications.

—C.E.

Join European business leaders, government officials, manufacturers, flight department personnel and all those involved in business aviation for the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2017). Visit the website to learn more and register today.

REGISTER TODAY www.ebace.aero/ain