heliweb - January 2015

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january 2015

Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters Celebrates its 50th Anniversary from one to 70 in 50 years: (part 2)

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features Eagle 407HP receives FAA certification.................................4 Hot blooded, but cold feet ......................................................10 Safety Bulletin History of helicopter safety in New Zealand Performance in 2014 so far.......................................................20 Metro Aviation delivers fourth EC135 to Massachusetts State Police....................................................................................29

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columns events.................................................................................................6 the anatomy of aviation insurance........................................12 training facts.................................................................................16 NTSB reports.................................................................................26 heli-specs.......................................................................................28

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january 2015

Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters Celebrates its 50th Anniversary................8 From One to 70 in 50 Years: (Part 2)

Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

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Eagle 407HP receives FAA certification Eagle Copters Ltd, a world leader in helicopter sales, leasing, product development and engineering, proudly announces the receipt of Federal Aviation Administration certification for its Eagle 407HP. Less than two weeks after announcing its Transport Canada certification, Eagle Copters is extremely proud to announce the receipt of FAA certification for their Eagle 407HP conversion program. By virtue of a Supplemental Type Certification (STC), the upgrade replaces the OEM- installed Rolls Royce C47 turbine engine with a ‘next-generation’ Honeywell HTS900 turbine engine, significantly improving the Bell 407 helicopter’s high altitude and hot ambient temperature performance.

“We’re very excited about gaining FAA certification so soon after Transport Canada certification,” said David “Spyke” Whiting, VP Sales and Marketing for Eagle Copters. “We would also like to extend a ‘thank you’ to both Transport Canada and the

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Federal Aviation Administration for their close coordination throughout the entire certification program, without which, this monumental accomplishment could never have been achieved.”

Among the standout advantages offered to operators seeking even better performance from the Bell 407—considered to be one of the most versatile helicopters in operation today—the Eagle 407HP conversion introduces increased shaft horsepower, improving the payload capability and ultimately resulting in increased capabilities of the helicopter over a wider operating spectrum. Additional key benefits provided by the Eagle Copters conversion include increased speed, reduced fuel consumption, and the incorporation of a true dual-channel FADEC engine control system.

“This program would not have been possible without the excellent team we have assembled at Eagle Copters,” Whiting additionally proclaimed. “Our thanks go out to them both for their perseverance and for having the foresight to run the certification programs virtually in parallel.” The company reports three firm orders have been taken over the recent holiday break with a significant increase in interest in the program. For more information, contact sales at helicoptersales@eaglecopters.com or visit www.eaglecopters.com.

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events

January 28-30, 2015 Int’l Military Helicopter 2015

July 15-18, 2015 ALEA Expo 2015

London, UK militaryhelicopterevent.com

Houston, TX alea.org

March 2-5, 2015 HAI Heli-Expo

July 20-26, 2015 EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2015

Orlando, FL heliexpo.rotor.org/

Oshkosh, WI 920-426-4800 airventure.org

March 29-31, 2015 2015 Army Aviation Mission Solution Summit Nashville, TN quad-a.org/2015summit/

March 23-25, 2015 CHC Safety & Quality Summit Vancouver, BC Canada chcsafetyqualitysummit.com April 28-30, 2015 Aerial Fire Fighting Europe 2015 Zadar, Croatia tangentlink.com

September 16-19, 2015 China Helicopter Exposition Tianjin, China helicopter-china-expo.com September 22-24, 2015 Sustainability 2015 Montreal, QB Canada vtol.org November 17-19, 2015 NBAA Las Vegas, NV NBAA.org May 19-21, 2016 HeliRussia 2016

May 5-7, 2014 Forum 71 - Transforming Vertical Flight Technology

helirussia.ru

Virginia Beach, VA vtol.org

July 18-24, 2016 Farnborough International

May 19-21, 2015 EBACE

UK, www.farnborough.com

Geneva, Switzerland, www.ebace.aero

July 25-31, 2016 EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2016

May 21-23, 2015 HeliRussia 2015

Oshkosh, WI 920-426-4800 airventure.org

helirussia.ru

July 20-23, 2016 ALEA Expo 2016 Savannah, GA alea.org

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November 1-3, 2016 NBAA Orlando, FL NBAA.org July 23-28, 2017 ALEA Expo 2017 Reno, NV alea.org October 10-12, 2017 NBAA Las Vegas, NV NBAA.org July 9-14, 2018 ALEA Expo 2018 Louisville, KY alea.org October 30-Nov. 1, 2018 NBAA Orlando, FL NBAA.org

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on the cover

Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters Celebrates its 50th Anniversary From One to 70 in 50 Years: (Part 2)

by Kim Rosenlof Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, a division of aerial sightseeing company Papillon Airways, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015. With an official

anniversary celebration planned for late March, Papillon has unveiled a new logo for its 50th anniversary year and will be announcing additional celebrations throughout the year.

Papillon’s story begins in 1963 when general contractor Elling Halvorson began construction work on a fresh water pipeline 13.5 miles across the Grand Canyon for the National Park Service (NPS). Halvorson and his company used a variety of light, medium and heavy-lift helicopters during the four-year project, spending 25,000 flight hours moving pipe, people and

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equipment into areas nearly one mile below the rim of the Canyon. After he received so many requests from workers and visitors to charter helicopters to view the grandeur of the Canyon, Halvorson established Grand Canyon Helicopters in April 1965 using a Bell 47G. Based at the original Grand Canyon Airport built near the South Rim in 1927 (and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places), Halvorson’s Grand Canyon Helicopters offered a different experience than its competitor, Grand Canyon Airlines, which flew passengers from the same airport in fixed-wing Cessna C-207s.

cast your web Just two years after founding Grand Canyon Helicopters, Halvorson purchased Grand Canyon Airlines and moved both operations in 1967 to the newly opened Grand Canyon National Park Airport (KGCN) in Tusayan, Ariz., about 6 nm from the South Rim. With the airport conveniently located just off of Arizona Highway 64 (later U.S. Highway 180), Halvorson’s tourism business grew, requiring the addition of new buildings, maintenance facilities and the acquisition of several Bell 206 helicopters.

The fixed-wing business grew as well, and in 1972 Halvorson partnered with John Seibold, who founded Scenic Airlines in Las Vegas in 1967. Together the two men began building the airplane tour operator business, eventually leading designing and building an upgraded version of the deHavilland Twin Otter that Halvorson called the Vistaliner. Since the first Vistaliner became operational at Grand Canyon Airlines in 1983, the company has acquired and modified more than 40 Twin Otters into the patented Vistaliner configuration, which is still being used today.

In 1984, Halvorson purchased a helicopter sightseeing company on Kauai, Hawaii named Papillon Helicopters. According to an article in the Winter 2010-2011 issue of Rotor magazine, Halvorson “thought the name Papillon Helicopters was perfect for a tour company. Thus we changed our trade name to operate as Papillon Hawaiian Helicopter in Hawaii and Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters at the Grand Canyon.”

Papillon continued to expand its operations at the South Rim, opening a new terminal at KGCN in 1995. That year, the company also expanded its relationship with the NPS by winning a contract to operate helicopters for the Park Service at the Grand Canyon. For 13 of the past 19 years, Papillon has exclusively operated the NPS rescue helicopters, currently an MD 900

Explorer and Bell 407. According to the NPS website, these helicopters flew a total of 617.8 hours in 2013, including 89 hours of search and rescue/medevac missions and 219 hours of fire fighting/support. In 2009, Papillon pilot Bryce Barnett was honored by the Helicopter Association International (HAI) for his role in rescuing a party of 16 rafters who had been stranded on a ledge in a side canyon after flashflood waters washed their rafts downstream. Papillon’s Utility and Contract Division also supports the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Defense, Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Game and Fish, Tucson Electric Power and the Bar 10 Ranch.

With the Las Vegas tourism base significantly expanding in the late 1990’s to an estimated 40 million annual visitors today, Papillon began to see a shift in demand from the Grand Canyon South Rim to the Las Vegas area. Seven years after opening a terminal at McCarran International Airport (LAS), Papillon purchased a facility in 2004 on the Boulder City Municipal Airport (KBVU) about 15 nm southeast of Las Vegas and began offering air tours from this location to Las Vegas

skyline, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead Recreation Area, and the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. Five years later, at a cost of $9 million, Papillion opened a new passenger terminal at Boulder City that serves as the departure point for many helicopter tours and all fixed-wing tours heading to the West and South Rims. With more aircraft now based out of Boulder City than at the South Rim, the Boulder City facility also houses the company’s administrative headquarters, flight operations, and the director of maintenance, although sales and marketing functions are run out of Las Vegas.

Papillon also operates terminals at the Grand Canyon West Rim in Peach Springs, Ariz., and at Page, Ariz. In its 50 years of operation, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters’ aircraft have flown approximately 995,500 hours for a total distance of 99,812,000 miles, and more than 7 million passengers on 1,500 air tours.

january 2015

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Hot blooded, but cold feet As fall fades away and winter weather arrives, safety experts from the United States Helicopter Safety Team aim to put a freeze on helicopter accidents. The USHST is focused on a vision of zero accidents, and so far, total accidents have decreased significantly creating much needed traction heading into winter. As a result, the USHST wants to ensure that the helicopter industry doesn’t slip in the wrong direction and reverse these positive trends.

To “break the ice,” the USHST offers several tips to mitigate certain risks associated with winter flying. Everyone plays an important role as we crank up the thermostat on safety.

Dress for Success Personal comfort is a major factor when it comes to safety. Just think back to the last time you rushed through a winter activity seeking shelter as quickly as possible to warm your hands and feet. Urgency can be a powerful force influencing human behavior and a false sense of urgency is even worse; it can tempt even the most professional of flight crews into taking shortcuts. It’s

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amazing what humans will assume from a safety perspective when their bodies are uncomfortably cold. Those assumptions can be dangerous, however, so make sure “urgency” doesn’t turn into an “emergency” for you this winter flying season.

Outdoor performance wear is an easy way to improve personal comfort levels to be able to handle the cold. Even summertime batting gloves can offer great thermal protection while providing finger flexibility for completing hands-on tasks around helicopters.

Such specialty items also make great gifts for helicopter professionals. Remember, cold soaked parts on the helicopter will cause shivering discomfort to uncovered hands and fingers.

Insulating the body from harsh temperatures can help maintain focus and fend off distractions caused by Old Man Winter.

Preflight and Ice Helicopters left in freezing temperatures can cause major transformations in your equipment which can lead to unintended consequences. Never assume anything when you mix freezing

cast your web temperatures with metal, rubber tubing, fluids, and/or control surfaces. As always, make sure ice, snow, and frost are completely removed from your helicopter prior to engine start. The only ice you want involved in your flying career is the amount you shovel into your soft drink at lunch.

Crews should approach preflight activities with the upmost respect. Airworthiness issues caused by cold weather can literally wreck your day. Ice is one wintery element that should be on every pilot’s mind.

In January 2013, the FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin SW-08-03R3 addressing safety issues regarding airframe ice/snow on turbine-powered helicopters.

The bulletin alerts crews to completely remove snow and ice from suspected and unsuspected areas on the helicopter. This action will help prevent possible power loss caused by ingesting such wintery elements into the engine.

For additional information regarding airframe icing, please read Matt Rigsby’s article “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” .

White-Out leads to Wipe-Out Pilot induced white-outs are dangerous situations. These conditions can develop any time helicopters are taking off or landing in snow-covered areas. The rotor downwash picks up snow particles and re-circulates them through the rotor systems like a large mixing bowl. This can happen even on bright, sunny, and clear days. This zero visibility situation creates a feeling like you are flying inside a giant snow globe.

To help prevent helicopter self-induced white-outs, pilots should minimize time spent hovering over unpacked snowy areas. If landing on unprepared landing zones, be ready to abort anytime conditions become suspect. No one is forcing you to land in milk jug-like conditions. If this occurs, abort the mission and land somewhere else. It’s ok to get cold feet in these dangerous situations close to the ground.

Adequate preparation for fending off the cold is crucial, while shortcutting safety for gains in personal comfort will certainly chill your day. Remember, the most important safety device in a helicopter is YOU. Like Santa, check your list twice this winter season. Please don’t get cold feet on this one.

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jim gardner

the anatomy of aviation insurance

Shopping for aviation insurance the broker system There is a persistent misconception that all aviation insurance agents work for the insurance companies. First, there are two kinds of agents: captive agents and independent agents or brokers. In the auto insurance industry, companies like State Farm or Allstate have a large network of captive agents who sell insurance policies exclusively for that insurance company and no one else. Sometimes they are employees of that company. Often times they are independent contractors with an exclusive agreement to sell only that company’s products. The term “direct write” is often used to describe this system. Either way, when a buyer talks with one of these agents, he is going to get a quote from only one insurance company and must, therefore, shop elsewhere for other quotes. While captive agents are knowledgeable, capable, and bound by the same ethical standards as all insurance

agents, they are under no obligation to act as an advisor to the buyer or to find alternative insurance options outside the product line of their company.

Independent agents or brokers work for the client. They have contracts with several insurance companies that sell the same products. They develop their business by cultivating clients who use their services to find several options from which the client can choose, according to the client’s priorities; whether that be price, coverage, quality of company, or a combination of several factors.

One big difference between the aviation insurance market and the auto insurance market is size. While there are more than 2000 auto insurance companies in the United States, there are only 15 companies who offer aviation insurance. Like the larger auto

Jim Gardner has spent 37 years in the aviation business. He started his aviation insurance career in 2003 after a distinguished 30 year military and commercial aviation career serving as pilot and aviation operational manager.

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cast your web insurance market, aviation insurance companies have their preference of what type of risk they choose to insure.

For instance, there are only three companies that will insure an agricultural applications risk. There may be as many as five and as few as one who will insure rotorcraft operations. A standalone air ambulance service that uses piston aircraft based in West Virginia will discover that there is a single company willing to insure their risk.

Because of the small and unique slope of the market, the aviation insurance companies have found that using the broker system gives them the ability to economically create a wide network of agents. Only one company sells aviation insurance directly to the public and only for non commercial light piston aircraft.

For the underwriters, there are a couple

of downsides to the “broker system.” First, the broker’s loyalty lies with the client, not the underwriter. They understand this and are perfectly comfortable knowing that the broker is going to get other quotes from competing companies to offer the client. They are more concerned that the broker is honest, appropriately licensed, competent and knowledgeable in aviation insurance, and can properly advise the client on the provisions and value of the coverage offered. That is why they have a qualification process to approve each agent or agency before they offer them a contract to sell their product.

Second, unless some sort of priority system is established, the underwriters could be inundated with multiple quote requests from different agents for the same risk, creating a huge workload.

Since they can’t assign territories to

independent brokers, the industry has adopted a first-come, first-served priority system. The underwriters will assign a new customer to the first agent who brings them a valid quote request.

To every agent that follows, they will inform them that they are “involved” with another agent and can’t disclose the quote. Since the customer did not specify who he preferred to get the quote, this is a very logical and fair way to sort it out. The potential customer gets a fair quote through a qualified agent, based on the information given to the underwriter. If the customer prefers a different agent, they have the option of providing that agent with a “broker of record” letter which the underwriter will honor.

While a buyer could easily get a dozen quotes from several different auto agents (without a duplication

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of insurance companies), the aircraft owner or operator may only find two or three quotes, depending on the nature and history of his aircraft operation or business. Once a new aircraft owner discovers that a full-service aviation broker that can provide all these quotes, the big question becomes “which one?”

Airplane owners and aviation operators employ three basic approaches to finding a broker or agent: The “Shotgun” Approach, Assign Markets, and Hire an Exclusive Broker.

“I need a quote” is the mantra of the shopper who is looking for insurance and doesn’t particularly care who he gets it from or what insurance company provides it. He usually assumes that all insurance policies are the same and is shopping for price. He has asked several, maybe even a dozen, agents

to provide a quote. Most brokers find this approach aggravating. While they aren’t afraid of competing for the business, nobody likes to be treated like a number. Underwriters don’t like this approach because it puts them in a nowin position of having to sort out who got there first and of breaking the “bad news” to several brokers. (This is usually when the broker finds out the potential client has been looking elsewhere. It is not the highlight of their day.)

Some customers haven’t established a satisfying relationship with one broker or just prefer to deal with several different brokers. They also understand the limited markets available to provide insurance for their particular operation.

They will assign each aviation insurance company to a different broker through a broker of record letter. The net effect is that they have turned those brokers into

“captive agents” who are now trying to sell them something. This is a perfectly acceptable practice to the underwriters.

Depending on the size of the account, many successful brokers prefer not to participate in this process because they could put in a great deal of effort with nothing to show for it in the end.

Interviewing and hiring an exclusive broker is the preferred method employed by the vast majority of aviation insurance buyers. Many large operations consider it “outsourcing” their aviation risk management needs. They look at their broker as a trusted adviser and a good broker will work hard to earn that trust.

There isn’t a single aircraft owner or operator in the world who doesn’t want to reduce the cost of insurance. A good broker can make a big difference. The way that you choose that broker is up to you.

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january 2015

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International Helicopter Safety Team

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training facts

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Training safety or training safely?

Training Safety is using tools to develop a “safe attitude” in pilots, be they Student Pilots, Commercial Pilots or Flight Instructors. It is the responsibility of the Pilot-In-Command (PIC) to utilize all available tools to assess risk, execute the training mission and return everybody in a safe and relaxed manner.

Training Safely is the idea that Flight Instructors, Pilot Examiners and pilots have a stake in safely conducting the flight.

A helicopter training mission should be treated just like any other mission-SAFETY FIRST. Safety during a training mission is just as important as during a mission involving passengers or cargo, maybe even more important considering that helicopter training accidents account for over 22% of all helicopter accidents industry wide-the largest percentage by activity!

always be emphasized when discussing the topics of Training Safety and Training Safely. Too often, helicopter accidents occur, because pilots discount their responsibility as PIC defined by 14 CFR 91.3, stating that each pilot is directly responsible for and is the final authority as to the operation of the aircraft.

Couple this responsibility with the preflight actions required under 14 CFR 91.103 and you begin to understand how important the PIC is in regards to Risk Management. Generally speaking, Risk Management is the identification, assessment and prioritization of risks followed by the application of resources to minimize, monitor and control the probability of unfortunate events taking place. This Fact Sheet provides suggestions for helping pilots mitigate certain risk factors inherent to all helicopter training missions.

Safety Considerations for Flight Training Real World Risk Management The importance of Risk Management should

Aircraft Pre-Flight/Pre-Flight Briefing Verifying the airworthiness of the helicopter by

International Helicopter Safety Team — Training Fact Sheet. IHSTs goal is to reduce the Civil Helicopter Accident Rate by 80% by 2016. www.IHST.org

cast your web conducting a thorough pre-flight is often thought of as being too time consuming, rather than the first line-of-defense for ensuring safety. Discovering aircraft deficiencies on the ground can strengthen pilot confidence and minimize heroic effort in the air. Pilots are encouraged to think of each aircraft discrepancy found and dealt with on the ground as one less emergency situation they would have had to deal with in the air. Numerous in-flight emergencies that ended tragically could have been avoided had the pilots conducted a thorough pre-flight inspection prior to those fateful flights.

Pilots often accept unnecessary risks comparative to their proficiency and skill level. Unfortunately, numerous accidents have occurred, because pilots have put themselves into situations far exceeding their true capabilities.

The willingness to say “NO” When faced with a difficult GO-NO-GO decision, the human brain can play tricks on pilots. Making conservative choices can be a daunting task regardless of one’s flight experience. The courage and willingness to say “NO” is a powerful    defense from getting in over one’s head.

The Abilene Paradox illustrates the importance of saying “NO” when faced with uncertainty. The Abilene Paradox centers on a family vacation, where no individual family members really wanted to go, but everyone resisted in telling anyone else in fear of disappointing others. This paradox serves as a warning to always remember the power of external pressures and the influence such pressures can have over our decision making process in the cockpit.

Remember, it’s easy to say “Yes” and go with the flow, but it takes courage to say “NO” when faced with uncertainty. Listening to that “small voice” in the back of your head can often save you from a lot of headache!   

Spreading The Wings of Insurance Protection to Helicopter Owners and Operators.

Critical Factors Influencing Safety The following factors should be carefully considered, before each training mission to help ensure safety. These factors can have a tremendous influence on the overall success of the training mission: CLEAR AND OPEN COMMUNICATIONS: • Standard Operating Procedures and callouts should be well defined and complied with.

• Establish a healthy Student/Instructor Relationship.

PILOT DISCIPLINE: • Do the right thing right-NO Shortcuts.

• Follow the rules.

• If it’s not right-GO AROUND. THOROUGH PREPARATION: • Be-in-the-moment: Training State of Mind.

• Mitigate distractions.

• Know your personal limitations.

• Know the aircraft’s limitations.

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• Mentally rehearse the entire training mission.

TIMELY INSTRUCTOR INTERVENTION: • Don’t count on the other pilot, because they’re probably counting on YOU! • Positive exchange of the flight controls.

• Established TRUST. Some training events turn ugly, because pilots are not mentally prepared. Always thinking ahead is the name of the game when it comes to Risk Management and safety. Helicopter pilots who think ahead or subconsciously rehearse the “what if” scenarios, are more likely to handle abnormal and emergency situations more effectively and timely.

The Synthetic Environment Helicopter simulators offer a number of benefits making these devices a huge asset in the General Aviation helicopter training market. When employed as part of a well designed training syllabus, simulators contribute to higher quality and lower cost training. First and foremost, helicopter simulators keep pilots safe as they learn complicated and sometimes risky maneuvers.

Secondly, simulation adds a layer of consistency, convenience, and opportunities for practice toward achieving training objectives

in a timely manner. Third, the simulator offers a quiet, less stressful learning environment where tasks can be introduced and explained by the instructor in a more controlled and less stressful environment.

Using simulators, instructors have the opportunity to demonstrate flight control malfunctions such as loss of control or loss of tail rotor, stuck pedals and malfunctions leading to full down autorotations in a low-risk environment. Pilots can also be trained to handle normal and abnormal situations considered too risky to practice in real flight.

There’s no doubt that utilizing helicopter simulation tools can offer a lower cost alternative compared to training in the actual aircraft.

The cost of training in the actual aircraft involves such variables as fuel, maintenance, overhead, and insurance premiums, to name a few. However, the real advantages for simulator based training are increased safety for the instructor/student, better quality training, and additional opportunities for learning.

More information about the IHST, its reports, its safety tools, and presentations go to www.IHST.org.

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New Zealand Helicopter Association

Safety Bulletin History of helicopter safety in New Zealand Performance in 2014 so far We looked at the accident data from 1970 through to the present to establish the overall performance of the industry since it began. Here are some numbers: People: 188 fatalities; 97 of them pilots and crew, 89 passengers. That’s 4 deaths a year, on average.

Machines: 346 destroyed or written off; 228 piston, 118 turbine.

That’s around on billion in lost equipment and lives in today’s dollar terms, and that doesn’t include injury, recovery or those machines that were damaged but repaired.

procedures that we will stop destroying machines and killing and injuring ourselves and others in accidents.

We also took a look at the commercial helicopter industry as it currently stands: 137 commercial operators who own and operate 512 helicopters. 124 ATPL holders are currently active and 1237 CTPL holders are currently active. 47% of commercial operators own 2 or less machines:

Safety has improved over time but since 2000 the industry has plateaued at around 20 accidents a year and 3.6 fatalities. The challenge facing the industry now is tackling that plateau.

With 1154 accidents since 1970, we can safely say that we have had every kind of accident we can have. The approach of the NZHA is to squeeze as much information as we can from the data, and to distribute it as widely as we can. It’s only by using this information to change our operating policies and Machines Owned

It goes without saying that larger operators are better resourced than smaller operators to collect and use safety information to improve their operating procedures and overall safety. That’s what these bulletins are aimed at: getting collective techniques and procedures for good operating out to as much of the industry as possible.

2014 to date: safety performance So far in 2014 there have been 8 helicopter accidents, 4 fatalities (from 3 of the accidents), 7 serious injuries and 4 minor injuries. There have been 4 helicopters destroyed and 4 sustaining substantial damage as a result of the accidents.

Although total accidents for the year to date compares favorably with previous years:

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cast your web The number of reported defects is up considerably in 2014 compared to the previous years:

This doesn’t hold for the human cost to date:

Year to date

Defects reported

2005

69

2006

59

2007

98

2008

80

2009

109

2010

127

2011

128

2012

92

2013

106

2014

177

The large increase is due to the AD for inspections of Fuel Control Unit RSA-10AD1 on R44 II’s – 90 of the reports relate to these inspections – there are 116 R44 IIs in NZ.

Accidents involving power availability Of the 254 helicopter accidents occurring between 2000 and 2012, 49 involved what we termed ‘unrealistic expectations

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The new Zealand helicopter industry is currently on track for its most dangerous year since 2004, which saw 6 fatalities and 1 major injury before the end of August of that year.

The 2014 accidents occurred in the following flight profiles: 

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Accidents

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of power available’. This refers to helicopters being operated at the limits of their performance capability, usually due to a combination of the load carried and the prevailing conditions.

Accidents of this type predominantly affect light utility models: Model

Total accidents

R22

29

Hughes 300

10

R44

6

Hughes 500

2

Other

2

A variety of flight types are affected, which also indicates some of the factors underlying this type of accident. High numbers of private and training accidents point to experience as a factor; ag and transport accidents point to loading and operating conditions as factors: Operation type

Total accidents

Private flight

20

Agricultural

11

Passenger transport

7

Training

6

Other commercial

5

Characteristics of power-related accidents and safety issues “Any factor that affects engine and rotor efficiency affects performance. The three major factors are density altitude, weight, and wind” – Rotorcraft Flying Handbook – FAA-H-8083-21 Those factors (DA, weight, and wind) all bring in to play the critical importance of good planning and clear procedures.

In the accident examples presented in this bulletin it is clear that in the majority of cases no one single factor caused the accident. In most cases, it is the interaction between a prevailing condition and flight planning that lead to a crashed machine. 

International research and findings The International Helicopter Safety Team analyzed 523 helicopter accidents occurring over three years. The most common accident type was ‘Loss of Control’ (41% of all

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accidents). Of the 217 loss of control accidents they identified, 79 were due to performance management issues. “..loss of control predominantly occurs from a human factors point of view. In most cases the underlying cause was the failure to perform specific procedures, execute a proper decision, communicate, or adequately plan”.1 They identified the following three most common types of accidents caused by performance management issues: • Practice autorations during when main RRPM was allowed to decay beyond a recoverable point.

• Hover, takeoff, and landing accidents where a tailwind component was either not identified or underestimated.

• Effects of density altitude on required power were underestimated.

Our own data show a situation almost identical to the IHST result: of a total 264 helicopter accidents since 2000, 116 involved a significant loss of control/performance – 44%.

This bulletin now moves on to the three key components of power availability.

Density altitude The denser the air, the better the performance of the helicopter will be. Generally as altitude increases, the density of the air decreases. There are three key variables affecting this: pressure, temperature, and humidity. Our analysis found 11 out of the 49 accidents had density altitude as the principle cause of the performance reduction that led to the accident. Here is a typical example:

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November 2007. R22 near the Rangitikei River.

The aircraft crashed through a tree canopy after it descended for a closer look at some deer. RPM decreased and the helicopter was unable to be controlled. The helicopter crashed into trees and was destroyed. The loss of RRPM was found to be due to the high altitude and the high temperatures that prevailed, which further reduced the performance of the helicopter.

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The accidents and their investigations highlight the importance of considering the full range of variables that affect density altitude, particularly weight considerations when operating in areas with high elevation:

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December 2006. Hughes 500 at Mount Ruapehu Crater Lake.

Whilst engaged in air transport operations the aircraft moved sideways during lift off and impacted with the side of the Mount Ruapehu Crater Rim. The aircraft was destroyed during the subsequent roll- over. The subsequent TAIC investigation revealed that the takeoff weight was 18 kgs over the maximum allowable.

When this was considered along with the altitude, the helicopter did not have sufficient power to achieve a safe takeoff.

Weight 11 of the 49 accidents were caused directly by helicopters carrying loads that exceeded their performance capabilities for the conditions. Many other accidents saw the load the helicopter was carrying exacerbate the conditions that were

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encountered by the pilot, leading to accidents. These cases show so clearly that the closer a machine is loaded to its limit, the less margin there is for an escape when wind or DA start to affect performance. They also show that setting up procedures to establish gross weight, ascertain density altitude, and consider wind conditions are essential to avoid these accidents.

Accidents where performance deteriorates due to the load carried are particularly prevalent in agricultural operations.

Below are two typical examples: August 2008. R44 near Hawera.

On lift off for the first load of the day the pilot experienced low rotor rpm and attempted to regain flying speed and RRPM by diving into a small gully area. This did not prevent the machine striking the ground and colliding with a power line. The helicopter was written off, although the pilot was uninjured.

Subsequent investigation found that there had been no assessment of aircraft operating weight prior to flight.

December 2004. Hughes 300, Te Karaka.

The helicopter’s skid hit the ground during a spray run when the pilot found the aircraft had insufficient power remaining to climb clear. The aircraft came to rest on its tail section. It was substantially damaged. It was found that the accident was caused by the pilot not reducing load sufficiently to allow for the prevailing density altitude: the operation was carried out at 2,100 ft AMSL and it was described as ‘a hot day’.

But it is a mistake to think that the issue is isolated to ag ops. Skipping power checks in flight or failing to consider

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performance charts when operating close to the margins have caused accidents in all types of operation. The Hughes 500 accident on Mt Ruapehu mentioned above provides a classic case: Ranger A asked the pilot if he could lift 5 people from the lake, or whether he might split the load and “shuttle” them to a higher site from which they could fly off the mountain together. The survey team recalled that the pilot said he would load them and their packs and “see how it goes”, or words to that effect. The pilot said later that he had been operating all day with similar or greater loads without any performance or engine problems.

Wind New Zealand is one of the windiest countries in the world. Not surprisingly, wind is a major factor in many accidents, both fixed-wing and helicopter. In 17 of the 49 accidents, the effect of wind was the main cause of the reduction in performance that led to the accident. A major problem is rapid shifts in wind speed and direction that go undetected by pilots, as in the example below: August 2002. Bell UH-1 Iroquois, Waitomo.

While the helicopter was being loaded for its next run, the wind changed direction. The change went undetected by the pilot, who performed the take-off in the same direction as he had previously. With the tailwind, the helicopter did not reach translational lift, and the pilot aborted the take-off when he thought the helicopter would not clear the fence ahead. The helicopter did not stop in time and collided with the fence, damaging the skid landing gear, the “chin

cast your web bubbles”, and some ventral structure. The pilot was uninjured.

The accidents show this is as much of a problem on descent and landing as it is on takeoff, particularly in mountainous and bush-covered areas where windshear is common:

New Zealand and internationally of experienced turbine pilots getting into trouble in small piston machines due to unfamiliarity with their performance characteristics.

Resilience against the risk •

April 2011. R22 at Maungawera Valley.

On final approach the helicopter encountered downdrafting air causing main RRPM decay. The pilot determined that the landing site was good so elected to continue forward and down into ground effect and land as the RPM decay was minor. Upon landing he caught the skid on snow tussock, the aircraft rolled so he introduced collective to try and control. Further RRPM decay due to the introduction of collective caused helicopter to roll backwards.

•

•

February 2007. R44 Kaweka Forest Park.

On approach to a peak in the park, the pilot misjudged the wind direction and encountered a higher than expected rate of closure with the intended touchdown point. He attempted to retrieve the situation by running the helicopter on to the ground then taking off again. However there was insufficient space for this manoeuvre and the helicopter nosed over. The pilot received minor injuries and the two passengers were seriously injured.

•

•

Other factors involved While this bulletin has concentrated on weight, wind, and DA affecting helicopter performance, two other critical issues cropped up. Although not as common, they can have equally disastrous effects. The first is how the application of carburetor heat can rob power – leading to accidents when the machine is on the edge of its performance envelope: “The helicopter crashed into terrain as it could not maintain sufficient RRPM. Cause: The pilot had applied carburettor heat for the conditions. The application of carb heat reduces available power by 2-3” MAP”.

The other issue is loss of performance due to overpitching – this is especially problematic in training and private operations.

Familiarity with the ‘normal’ performance characteristics of the helicopter is key: there are many examples both in

•

Whilst you can’t control density altitude or wind, you can control helicopter weight. Know the performance capabilities of your helicopter and “Limit your load, don’t load to your limit”.

The wind can be your friend and your foe, some flight manuals contain guidance on the effects of wind direction on hover performance and at low wind speeds (below 8 knots) a change from head wind to tail wind decreases aircraft capability by 7-10%. Tie a tape to the fence or use the smoke from the thermette as on-site wind indicators, and always brief your ground crew to speak up if they feel the wind shift.

Even if you are in and out of a landing site regularly, always ask yourself “What has changed since last time?” Maybe the day is a bit warmer, maybe the QNH is lower, maybe the wind has shifted, maybe the machine you are in today has the engine with 100 hours to run whereas the bosses machine you were in last week had 100 hours since new.

Is it worth slinging some of your payload? The rules contain some flexibility in this area and it gives a last resort option of reducing AUW and improving performance if things go awry.

Calculating helicopter performance capability used to be a confusing paperwork exercise with multiple graphs on a page and much rubbing out of pencil lines. This is no longer the case with smartphone apps available for most helicopter types that let you calculate IGE and OGE performance with relative ease.

If your calculated performance is such that you can’t hover OGE at the intended operating site this should be a warning flag. Think long and hard about what other steps you are going to take to ensure that you don’t put yourself in a position of exceeding power available. And, if the numbers show that you can’t hover IGE ... do you really want to risk becoming another case study for future publications like this?

Burgess, Scott, and the U.S Joint Helicopter Safety Analysis Team.

‘The Reality of Aeronautical Knowledge: the analysis of accident reports against what aircrews are supposed to know’.

1

Courtesy: NZHA/NZAAA and CAA

january 2015

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ntsb reports NTSB Identification: ERA15CA018 Date: October 16, 2014 Location: Prattville, AL Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/15/2014 Aircraft: BELL 206B Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

The helicopter pilot stated that the purpose of the approximate 2-hour cross-country flight was to perform aerial mapping of powerlines. The helicopter was due for a fuel pump replacement at the end of the flight and maintenance personnel requested that the pilot land with as little fuel as possible. He departed with 60 gallons of fuel and thought he would land with about 10 gallons; however, the flight took longer than the pilot anticipated. About 2 hours, 15 minutes into the flight, as the helicopter was in a 50-foot hover over the destination airport, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed an autorotation to a taxiway, but the helicopter landed hard and the tailboom separated. The pilot added that the accident would not have happened if he followed the Federal Aviation Regulation minimum fuel requirements and had properly calculated time and fuel consumption.

The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter and examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB Identification: CEN15TA017 Date: October 17, 2014 Location: Lordsburg, NM Aircraft: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS AS 350 B3 Injuries: 1 Minor.

On October 17, 2014, about 1245 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 helicopter, rolled over on its right side during takeoff near Lordsburg, New Mexico. The pilot sustained minor injuries.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a public use flight.

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the CBP investigators, the pilot reported that during the takeoff he drifted backward and the aft right skid might have hit a rock embedded in the ground. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter.

At 1256, the automated weather observation at the Bisbee Douglas International Airport, Douglas/ Brisbee, Arizona, which was 38 miles west of the accident site, reported: calm wind, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 79° Fahrenheit (F), dew point 39° F, and altimeter setting 30.08 inches of mercury.

The helicopter has been retained for further examination.

NTSB Identification: ERA15LA060 Date: October 25, 2014 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Aircraft: BELL 206B Injuries: 5 Uninjured.

On October 25, 2014, about 1240 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206B, exhibited substantial damage after landing uneventfully at Wellington Aero Club (FD38), West Palm Beach, Florida. The commercial pilot and four passengers were not injured. The local personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed FD38 about 1130.

The owner/pilot stated that she took some friends on a pleasure sightseeing flight. After landing the

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helicopter on a dolly and disembarking the passengers, she observed a large crack on the underside of the passenger side skid. Further examination of the helicopter by a mechanic revealed the following additional damage: impact damage between the main driveshaft and transmission isolation mount; a cracked support at the left forward engine mount; a cracked starter generator mount bracket; and a cracked main rotor yoke. The damage was consistent with a recent hard landing.

The owner/pilot stated that there were no hard landings during the sightseeing flight. The owner/ pilot added that two days prior to the damage being observed, two instructional flights were conducted by another pilot/flight instructor at Palm Coast, Florida.

Following those instructional flights, the owner/pilot repositioned the helicopter to FD38 and did not notice any damage. She further stated that the helicopter was not flown between the repositioning flight and the sightseeing flight.

According to the flight instructor and two pilots receiving instruction, no hard landings occurred during the two instructional flights. Additionally, during a postflight inspection following the first flight, oil was observed around the tailrotor gearbox as the tailrotor gearbox cap had separated. The tailrotor gearbox was then serviced with oil and the tailrotor gearbox cap was secured. A preflight and postflight inspection during the second flight did not reveal any other anomalies.

NTSB Identification: ERA15WA040 Date: November 01, 2014 Location: Boca Chica, Dominican Republic Aircraft: BELL 206B-3 Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious, 1 Uninjured.

On November 1, 2014, about 1145 Atlantic standard time, a Bell 206B-3 helicopter was substantially damaged when it impacted a sugar cane plantation under unknown circumstances near Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. One occupant was fatally injured, one occupant was seriously injured, and one occupant was not injured. The helicopter departed San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic; and was destined to El Higuero, Dominican Republic.

NTSB Identification: CEN15IA046 Date: November 11, 2014 Location: VR 189, GM Aircraft: BELL 407 Injuries: 4 Uninjured.

On November 11, 2014, about 1355 central standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter was ditched on the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, following a loss of engine power.

The pilot and three passengers were uninjured. The helicopter sustained no damage during the ditching.

The helicopter was under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135, as a passenger flight.

Day visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a VFR flight plan.

The flight was originating from VR189, an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

At 1450, the recorded weather at the HoumaTerrebonne Airport, near Houma, Louisiana, was: Wind 190 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 7 statute miles; sky condition scattered clouds at 4,200 feet, broken clouds at 6,500 feet; temperature 26 degrees C; dew point 16 degrees C; altimeter 29.96 inches of mercury.

NTSB Identification: WPR15FA051 Date: December 02, 2014 Location: North Salt Lake, UT Aircraft: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 Injuries: 2 Fatal.

On December 2, 2014, about 1400 mountain standard time, a Robinson R44 II helicopter impacted a twostory building while maneuvering near Skypark Airport (BTF), Bountiful, Utah. The commercial pilot-rated mechanic and passenger were fatally injured. The local flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a post maintenance flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from BTF shortly before the accident.

the top of a building. The main rotor blade and empennage impacted the ground a few hundred feet from the impacted building.

The owner of the helicopter reported that mechanics performed maintenance to the main rotor assembly and the purpose of the post-maintenance flight was to check the “track and balance� of the main rotor blades.

Examination of the accident site by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-incharge revealed that the helicopter impacted the top of a two-story building about 2,000 feet southwest of the approach end of runway 34 at BTF. A postimpact fire occurred that was concentrated at the main wreckage. The main wreckage had impact damage and was partially damaged by postimpact fire. The main rotor and empennage were found within the wreckage debris field. The wreckage debris field was about 880 feet in length and about 400 feet in width and on a 277 degree magnetic heading.

The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

NTSB Identification: CEN15WA070 Date: December 04, 2014 Location: Ponte de Sor, Portugal Aircraft: SCHWEIZER 269C - 1 Injuries: 2 Fatal.

On December 4, 2014, at 1045 coordinated universal time, a Schweizer 269C-1 helicopter impacted terrain under unknown circumstances near Ponte de Sor, Portugal, during an instructional flight. The instructor pilot and the student pilot were fatally injured. The helicopter was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no known flight plan was filed.

Witnesses, who were in the area of the accident site, reportedly heard popping sounds then saw the main rotor and empennage separate from the helicopter as the helicopter flew overhead. Several of the witnesses then saw the helicopter tumble in flight and impact

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heli-specs

AgustaWestland AW109 Power • Total production (all variants): >500 • Certified single-pilot IFR Category “A” single-engine performance.

• Engine: (2) Pratt & Whitney PW206C (takeoff) 640 shp ea.

• Dimensions: main rotor 36.1 ft/11.0 m Tail rotor 6.35 ft/1.94 m • Height: 11.5 ft/3.5m Length 37.6 ft/11.46 m Width 5.28 ft/1.6 m • Empty weight: 3,494 lbs/1,585 kg • Gross weight: 6,283lbs/2,850 kg • Useful load: 2,789 lbs/1,265 kg • External: 3,120 lbs/1,415 kg • Vne: 168 kts/311 kmh • Max cruise: 154 kts/285 kmh

• • • •

Max rate of climb: 1,930 fpm/9.8 ms HIGE: 16,600 ft/5,060 m (ISA) HOGE: 11,800 /3,597 m Service ceiling: 19,600 ft/5,974 m S/E service ceiling 13,100 ft/3,993 m Std fuel: 160 gal/605 lit Max fuel 221 gal/835 lit Max range std fuel (no reserve): 378 nm/700 km Range with opt fuel: 512 nm/948 km IFR Crew: 1 Passengers 7

Bell Helicopter 206B-3 • Total production (all variants): 4,600+ • The safest, most reliable helicopter with competitive operating costs, featuring a high

• • • • • • • • •

• • • •

inertia two bladed main rotor providing excellent autorotation characteristic.

Engine(s): (1) Rolls-Royce 250-C20J HP (takeoff) 420 hp/313 kw Dimensions: main rotor 33.3 ft/10.2 m, Tail rotor 5.4 ft/1.65 m Height: 9.7 ft/2.9 m Length: 39.2 ft/12 m Width: 6.4 ft/2.0 m Empty weight: 1,713 lbs/777 kg Gross weight: 3,200 lbs/1,451 kg Useful load std: 1,487 lbs/674 kg Useful load Alt: 1,637 lbs/742 kg

• • • • • • • • • • •

External: 1,500 lbs/ 680 kg, Vne: 122 kts/226 kmh Max cruise: 115 kts/213 kmh Max rate of climb: 1,280 fpm/6.5 ms HIGE: 13,200 ft/4,023 m HOGE: 5,300 ft/1,615 m Service ceiling: 13,500 ft/4,115 m S/E service ceiling N/A Std fuel: 91 gal/344 lit Max fuel: N/A IFR: n/a VFR Crew: 1 Passengers 4

• • • • • • •

Max rate of climb 1,675 fpm/8.5 ms HIGE 9,850 ft/3,000 m HOGE 7,550 ft/2,300 m Service ceiling 15,100 ft/4,602 m Std fuel 143 gal/540 lit Max fuel 268 gal/1,015 lit Max range std fuel (no reserve) 360 nm/666 km Range with opt fuel 675 nm/1,250 km (Ferry) VFR Crew 1 Passengers 6

Eurocopter AS 350B2 AStar • Total production (all variants) 3,254 First flight 1989 (AS350 B2) • Increased horsepower and max gross weight over

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the AS350BA. • Engine(s) (1) Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 HP (takeoff) 732 shp/546 kW • Dimensions main rotor 35.07 ft/10.69 m Tail rotor 6.10 ft/1.86 m • Height 10.96 ft/3.34 m Length 42.45 ft/12.94 m Width 8.30 ft/2.53 m • Empty weight 2,698 lbs/1,224 kg Gross weight 4,960 lbs/2,250 kg • Useful internal load 2,262 lbs/1,026 kg External 2,557 lbs/1,160 kg • Vne 155 kts/287 kmh Max cruise 133 kts/246 kmh

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Metro Aviation delivers fourth EC135 to Massachusetts State Police Metro Aviation and the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing have partnered since 2009 and Metro recently delivered the fourth EC135 to the department.

“Metro Aviation has integrated the FLIR, Aerocomputers, Helinet downlink and L-3 DVR to assist our crews supporting our public safety mission,” said Lt. Robert Smith, Unit Commander. The modern technology and avionics installed on the twin-engine aircraft are essential tools for the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing.

The Air Wing responds to more than 1,900 mission requests each year and is often called upon to collaborate with state and local incident commanders for search missions, incident and scene assessment, aerial photography, or investigative support and surveillance.

“Working with the Massachusetts State police has been a true pleasure,” said Metro Managing Director Milton Geltz.

“They were very specific on the needs and specifications for their mission profile. The collaborative efforts resulted in a highly sophisticated, adaptable and manageable tool to perform the complex business of airborne surveillance.”

Metro Aviation specializes in law enforcement completions, as well as air medical, corporate and utility. The 160,000 square foot completion center in Shreveport, Louisiana houses departments for production, machining, avionics, paint and installation. Metro completes about 35 aircraft each year.

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Avpro Inc.

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Blue Hill Helicopters

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DynaNav 23 Enstrom Helicopter Corp 15 Falcon Insurance

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Floats & Fuel Cells

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Gov’t Sales

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Heli-Tech 18 HeliBlade 18 HW Farren

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Isolair 4 James Gardner Ins.

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Mauna Loa Helicopters 26 Preferred Airparts

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