Heliweb Magazine - October 2016

OCTOBER 2016 VOL 33

WHEELS TO

ROTORS MARK BRERETON’S INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF NEVER GIVING UP ON HIS DREAM OF FLIGHT

SWEDISH ARMED FORCES REACH 10,000 HOURS IN BLACKHAWK

UNDERSTANDING AIRWORTHINESS WRITING YOUR PILOT RESUME

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INSIDE

THE OCTOBER ISSUE

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COVER STORY: WHEELS TO ROTORS MARK BRERETON’S STORY OF NEVER GIVING UP ON HIS DREAM OF FLIGHT

By Ryan Mason

HELITECH 2017 AMSTERDAM

All the news from Europe’s biggest helicopter exhibition

By Louis Buszuk

WRITING YOUR PILOT RESUME Tips and Tricks

By Ross Ansell

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COLUMNS & FEATURES

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UNDERSTANDING AIRWORTHINESS PART 1 OF 3 DO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW?

By Matt Johnson

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SWEEDISH ARMED FORCES BLACKHAWKS REACH 10,000 FLIGHT HOURS

By Gunnar Akerberg

Helipix From the Desk of The Toolbox Whirly Girls Straight & Level The Instructors Station United States Helicopter Safety Team Helinews Rotorheads Behind the Lens

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Ryan Mason ryan@heliweb.com DEPUTY EDITOR: Ali Mason ali@heliweb.com ASSISTANT EDITOR:

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Duncan Brown duncan@heliweb.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPERS: Tim Pruitt Seth Lasko Scott Dworkin Jason Jorgensen Gunnar Akerberg Roelof Jan Gort

Damon Duran Ed Simmons Joe Fernandez Todd Miller Jeroen Van Veenendaal Mike Rocks Macqueen

HELICOPTER ART: Marc Veenendaal marc@mpvdesign.com.au CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ben Fouts ben@heliweb.com Jessica Kanellos jessica@heliweb.com Brian Parsons brian@heliweb.com Lauren Brown lauren@heliweb.com DIRECTOR OF SALES: Ross Ansell ross@heliweb.com

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GRAPHIC DESIGN & ART DIRECTION: Troy Dominy Troodon Design Co. troy@troodon.us

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September Issue Cover: Enloe Medical Center FlightCare H130T2 over Chico, California.

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W W W . A V P R O J E T S . C O M September 2016

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#helipix Bristow EC225 in Aberdeen, UK returning from flight testing. Photographer: Jonathan Ruxton

HeliAlpin EC120SkyCrane perched on a helipad in the mountains of Germany.

Photographer:Michael Mario Lang “Iron Maiden� from HTS on a break between fires Photographer: Piper

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Jamaica Defense Force Bell 407 on the ramp at sunset Photographer: Maj. Brian Lundy

September October2016 2016 7 7

Pilot Aaron Fitzgerald pilots the photoship of the Red Bull Air Races in Las Vegas, NV in 2015 as storms approach. Photograp

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#helipix

pher Joerg Mitter

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#helipix Landing on a tuna boat of Tuvaluva in an MD500. Photographer: Taylor Hutchins

Waiting for the fog to clear in Houston, BC. Photographer: Rob Girard

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DRF Germany BK-117 on departure. Photographer: Sophia Rosenberg

September 2016 1111 October 2016

#helipix

An R44 returns from an agricultural spraying m

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mission in Canada Photographer: Sean Pinn

September 2016 1313 October 2016

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September 2016

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C O L U M N | Publisher

Perseverance Many in this industry have struggled to get where they are today. That’s a fact. Some struggled to make it through training, to pay for training, and even to be considered worthy of training because of their gender. For pilots that were in Vietnam, like one of my friend’s fathers, perseverance meant survival.

Laying low in the jungle after being shot down in a Huey for days, while the enemy searched for him, trying to locate the pilot of the aircraft that lay smoldering, only a dozen feet from the hole in which he was concealed.

What I am getting at here, is that everyone has struggled in this business. Certainly me. We struggle every day to make sure everything runs smoothly; the next magazine issue is on track for deadline, the social media pages and website are updated and running smoothly.

It sometimes seems like an endless hamster wheel. But through it all, we persevere. Not just me, but our whole team. We persevere to make the magazine great. To make it something, that everyone can’t wait to get every month.

The one thing we never do is quit. There is no such word in my vocabulary. I try to impress that upon everyone that has a part in the magazine, our team never quits. No matter what the challenge, we adapt, learn how to overcome the obstacle, or in some cases, go around it. That is part of thinking outside the box. A tool that can’t be taught, but is very evident in so many in the helicopter industry.

That is one of the many things I love about this industry; there

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are many just like me. They might fail, but they get back up, time and time again because they persevere. There is nothing more satisfying than watching someone that you know has a fighting spirit and never quit mentality, finally succeed at their goal. Whether it is getting that elusive rating, hitting an hour minimum they have been working towards, or landing the flying job that they started out in the industry with an ambition to become.

In our cover story this month, you’ll get to know Mark Brereton.

Having spent time with him over several meetings, I have to admit; he is one of the most inspirational people I have met in this business. Sure, I have met people with inspirational stories of overcoming the odds, but his story is one filled with the raw grit of determination never to let something that happened to you limit what you become.

He chose to get up each day, work hard towards his goals, each one step at a time and check off the list of the things he set out to accomplish. That list, by the way, is truly staggering once you have a read through his experience.

I won’t give it away. You’ll have to read his story in this month’s issue.

I have four children that range in age from fifteen down to six, and the perseverance talk is something they all know. I had

From the Desk of the same conversation about perseverance with a friend in the industry, and my ten-yearold son in the same week. My son, having a bad game of baseball, was showing poor sportsmanship after being struck out, even though his team was supportive – because they knew he gave it everything he had, which is all we ever ask of any of our kids as parents.

When I speak to my kids about perseverance, it varies very little from how I talk about it with adults.

I talk to them whenever they are questioning their abilities or skills. Especially in the sporting environment.

Let’s face it, sometimes, kids can be horrible. I teach my kids never to give anyone the satisfaction of reacting, if their goal is to belittle them or feel they are better than them, covering for their insecurities.

I talk about picking yourself up and throwing yourself back into whatever challenge it is you face, head first until you succeed at it. We don’t quit, neither should you. No matter what the challenges you have.

Make them your success.

Ryan Mason Publisher & Editor

Ryan has worked in the aviation media field for the last nine years. Providing video, photographic and written content for U.S and international aviation publications. Also a former police officer, Ryan has written for numerous law enforcement publications, specializing in technology, tactics, police equipment and airborne law enforcement. Ryan purchased heliweb with a goal of providing real stories on real issues in the industry and giving back to the industry through efforts to promote safety in helicopter operations.

September 2016

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C O L U M N |MAINTENANCE

T h e To o l b o x

The C o s t o f Mai n ten a n ce Maintenance is, of course, a necessary component of any successful helicopter operation, necessary, just like fuel and oil.

I think that some might argue that maintenance is an expense that chew’s away at the bottom line.

Perhaps in some operations that may be true.

You have to wonder about an owner or operator who would stand and argue the cost of maintenance or to replace a part or component in his or her helicopter because it will hurt revenue. The flip side would be, what is the cost of not completing the required maintenance? Unfortunately, all too often, that question gets answered by tragedy.

Some of us have experienced these types of operators in our careers. What is it about a helicopter owner that will spend hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars on a helicopter, yet get totally out of control over an oil filter that costs a few hundred dollars.

I know mechanics who often work long hours behind the scenes, much of the time without much rest or even gratitude, except what comes via their paycheck. Having to deliver on time and budget while sometimes being pressured to cut a corner here and there is a stressful position to be put in.

Have you ever rolled the dice?

This business we are in, is unforgiving, so why stack the deck? It’s difficult enough, if not impossible to predict when a machine will have an unscheduled maintenance event, right? I’m of the opinion

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that proper maintenance will significantly reduce unplanned maintenance events which in turn will keep the helicopter operating safely and generating revenue. So what can we as maintainers do?

Manufacturers Preventative Maintenance Programs are prime examples of methods to identify and correct potential issues that would cause an unscheduled maintenance event. These are weekly and hourly inspections sometimes conducted at 10 hours or 7-day intervals.

A savvy maintenance mechanic will have the necessary parts and equipment to complete a preemptive strike on most any type of situation that may present itself at a time when it is crucial to the operational success of the business. Granted, we can’t always be ready for every single type of glitch that occurs, but we can certainly prepare for the most common ones.

No one should know the intricate workings of that helicopter better than the person who is responsible for the proper and safe maintenance of his or her machine.

This individual should be aware of which seals are susceptible to leaks, which light bulbs are always needing to be replaced, and just how to re-seat the number two radio in its rack when it suddenly stops working.

That person should know which parts are required for scheduled airframe and engine inspections, another no-brainer that should happen without fail. A skilled maintenance technician should also know how many hours are remaining before any scheduled event on each airframe they maintain, and if you don’t know it off the top of your head, at least know how to find out in a moments notice in available documentation.

After all, we are professionals in this business, right?. It’s our job, and our responsibility to know these things about our machines.

If this is something, you lack when you look at your skills, training, and experience.

If that is the case in an honest selfevaluation, seek out extra training, work towards knowing these facts and figures as it will certainly help you in long range planning for the success of the operation you work for as well as helping you in your daily work.

These traits and skills include you as a person as well. As I mentioned in an earlier column, recognizing symptoms of fatigue and other physiological conditions that could have adverse effects on judgment and cloud one’s judgment when it comes to making critical decisions and performing safe helicopter maintenance.

I would like to hear from you, send me a note to brian@heliweb.com

Brian Parsons is the Director of Maintenance for the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office (FL) Aviation Section, where he also serves as a ReserveDeputy. Brian is a US Marine Corps veteran,and holds a commercial helicopter pilot certificate. Parsons’maintenance experience includes factory training on Bell, Airbus, and MD Helicopters, in addition to several engine types.

September 2016

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C O L U M N | WOMEN IN AVIATION

Whirly Girls

Rachel Bahr

Meet the New Breed For this installment of the Whirly-Girls, we decided to touch on the other side of the coin.

We often feature accomplished pilots, who have had long and prosperous careers but don’t talk enough about those who are just entering the helicopter business.

Rachel Bahr is so new to the helicopter industry that you can almost still see the factory creases in her flight suit, but she is trailblazing her way into the industry after starting down a career path that she realized was not where her passion lay.

Having graduated Clemson University with a Psychology degree in 2015, Bahr’s goal at the time was to continue her education and become a lawyer. Shortly after being admitted into law school, however, she came to the realization that life in courtrooms and cubicles was just not what she wanted for herself. She yearned for a non-conventional life like that of her parents.

Bahr’s parents, Tom and Alexis Bahr, according to Rachel, have never had a “conventional” job. Both working in the film industry as stunt and marine coordinators on movies for her whole life. Bahr met helicopter pilot Harry Marshall, a pilot for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, who was a friend of her father’s when he landed an R44 on the family’s property in Anderson, South Carolina.

Her father told Marshall that as a condition of him being able to land on their property, that he had to take his daughter for a flight in his helicopter. It was that flight where she knew this was the kind of job that she wanted to do as a career.

After talking at length with Marshall, who lives close to Atlanta’s Peachtree-Dekalb Airport, Bahr decided to head to Atlanta to see what flight schools had to offer in a larger city, as there were no

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close by schools in South Carolina.

It was there she met with Alister, owner of Atlanta Helicopters, who she immediately hit it off with and decided to commence her flight training with his company.

In just four short months, Bahr went from getting into a helicopter for the first time as a student, to a qualified private pilot. Gaining her rating in June of this year, followed quickly by her instrument rating, which she obtained in two months, although switching to the R44 and flying with Blue Ridge Helicopters to complete that portion of her training.

Bahr said she has been fortunate, in that she started training right when the company was very busy, so she had the opportunity to tag along and fly left seat in the R44 for multiple photo missions, real estate flights, and even ball drops. This allowed her to build some valuable experience in the aircraft while not coming out of her flight training budget.

Coming in blind to the industry somewhat, Bahr has had to learn many things outside of just the flying side. One that she was

unaware of was, of course, the Whirly-Girls, which she found and promptly joined in August of this year. After being encouraged to look into the scholarship offerings, Bahr applied for the Robinson Safety Course Scholarship. Also submitting an application for an ongoing training Scholarship, that if selected, will allow her to make the transition from private pilot to commercial rating, although she is getting close to the hour requirements already, having already accumulated 115 hours.

She attributes that to being in the right place at the right time and the fact that learning to fly is her sole job at the moment, which by osmosis during flight training, had her spending many hours in the hangar studying when she was not training. That, in turn, saw her able to pick up several extra hours as she was able to tag along regularly on jobs in the R44.

When asked what she would share with other females looking to take the plunge into flight training, she said “just get out there and do it. If you are passionate about it, make it happen.”

September 2016

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C O L U M N | FLIGHT TRAINING

Straight & Level

Be a Good Instructor When we went to school, there was a way of short term learning material used to pass a test. I employed that liberally while getting my education so that I didn’t need to commit any more time to certain classes I found unbearable than I needed to.

My room was a flash card assembly center, and I could breeze through nearly all tests by memorizing subject material, key phrases, and definitions. All to being regurgitated on test day. As soon as the exam was over, my memory would be flushed, and the process began again.

Not useful from a learning standpoint, but it worked well for tests and grades. The system is still this way today. As a student who didn’t care to learn the material but only to pass a test, memorization worked like a charm.

I applaud my teachers for trying to make the school material more interesting and applicable to life, but all of us in the class knew that we were never going to use trigonometry in “real life” The teachers had an impossible task.

How can you get a student to invest themselves in a subject when they know that the material is not relatable, usable or enjoyable? The only advantage the teacher held, was that a student would need to pass the course to get into college.

Creating as many of you would recall, a large group of unmotivated listeners.

So how do you push the student beyond the rote level of learning to achieve a higher standard of retention?

What can you as an instructor do to depth test student’s knowledge to see if they fully understand the material, and eventually problem-solving? In

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our business, problem-solving skills are essential and may very well save their lives one day. It takes time and a thorough understanding of the psychology of learning to become an effective teacher.

Many of us use our experiences as a student pilot, learning from a CFI as the basis for later teaching new students. This method can be both good and bad, depending on how your instructor approached each of the challenges faced throughout your training.

You, as the teacher, and no longer the student, are now responsible for evaluating your student’s knowledge base. If they don’t know the material, and you are their only instructor, guess who they look at if they don’t pass their checkride due to not knowing everything that is required of them.

Methods like scenario based training are proven to work, as it puts the student into the decisionmaking process and forces them to make the decisions that may need to be performed in an emergency.

Never stop questioning and challenging your student, in the long run, it will make them a better and safer pilot. Make them explain the who, what, why and how of a situation so they can show not just you, but when the time comes, the DPE that’s examining them that they have an understanding of what they are doing.

This kind of training brings the student beyond the memorization

level. Just memorizing material is easy, but you can find gaps in knowledge pretty quickly. If you create situations that require problem-solving, whether it is weather related, performance related or emergency related. Use questions that require the student to think and use his knowledge gained through ground school to correctly solve the puzzle. Make an emergency scenario where the flight manual listed emergency procedure isn’t the best way to handle the situation.

This will do two things; test the knowledge of the student, and help identify their strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, you bring the material alive and make it relatable to real life.

This forms a bond between the student and their studies, opening their mind to how important the details are in aviation. Anybody can fly, but becoming an aviator is a journey of dedication.

A flight instructors job is not to fly; that is merely the benefit of the position. The flight instructor must spend that student’s money like it is their own, and look for ways to make it an efficient and engaging learning experience.

Enjoy the journey because it goes quickly. It isn’t long before you earn the position of flying commercially in the larger turbine equipment.

The days of instructing and guiding the newcomer pilots gone, but the experiences and insights gained will last a lifetime.

Ben Fouts is a career helicopter pilot, business owner, successful entrepreneur, and passionate flight instructor. In addition to his role as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner —a position he’s held for fifteen years, since he was just twenty-four years old— he is the owner of Mauna Loa Helicopters, operating three bases in Hawaii and one in Alabama

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C O L U M N | SIMULATION

The Instructors Station

You Ge t Wh at You P ay F or The simulation industry varies considerably through a range of products from home flight sim programs through custom airline models and military aircraft identical in every way in simulated procedures and functionality. How do you know which is right for your operation? To answer this question, you need to examine features and capabilities carefully, compare these to your organization’s goals for using the sim, and not be distracted by first-glance features.

One problem is, thanks in part to the ease in which people can share information, customer expectations are higher than ever in regards to realistic flight simulators. However, the typical Aviation Training Device (ATD) level simulator customer, someone looking for a non-airline, non-military FAA approved training simulator, has not increased their spending budget to align with the expectations.

The only way to meet in the middle between simulator realism and customer budget is to compromise.

A simulator used by the airlines for type ratings is on an entirely different playing field than most simulators considered by flight schools, police departments, universities, and tourism operators. Those multi-million dollar sims don’t compare to an ATD simulator costing 2% of what a substantially larger level D simulator offers feature for feature, but this doesn’t mean that an ATD isn’t entirely capable of meeting the training goals for your operation.

Compromises can come in may different forms. In many cases, ATD’s can use replica hardware produced for much lower costs than OEM aircraft parts as often employed in commercial simulators for realism. For instance, a simulator

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manufacturer is likely capable of using real Garmin G1000 avionics panels in their simulator, but the customer typically will not want to pay for a brand new G1000 in a trainer when alternative replication hardware is available for one-tenth of the cost.

It doesn’t mean the replica is wrong; it just means a compromise was made to ultimately save the end users money at the expense of perhaps “looking” less realistic (which is not always the case, some replicas look identical save for the product branding.) The same form, function, and ‘knob-ology’ can be replicated in its entirety. Making the training value the same, yet, at a fraction of the cost.

Consider some possible training goals for many operators; pilot proficiency & safety, instrument rating training perhaps, logging approaches for currency if already IFR rated, learning to fly with a new GTN 750, G1000, or emergency procedures training. All of these tasks would be very efficiently accomplished with the use of an FAAApproved Aviation Training Device and would save the operator money in the long run.

More often than not, I witness people sit on a trainer to do a demo flight, and the GPS screen never moves past the “press enter” page. What did that person get out of a demo flight if they never tuned and identified a frequency, loaded versus activated an approach, or even turned the heading bug?

Trade shows or in-person visits to simulator manufacturers are highly recommended, but you should honestly consider preparing a short list of common training tasks that you’d like to ensure the system accomplished that you can test during your demo flight.

Ensure the instructor/operator station is easy to use as well. Also factor in the ability for the simulator to perform multiple roles. Many simulators can be easily configured to run multiple aircraft, handy if your company operates multiple airframes. Sure, compromises sometimes have to happen when it comes to the physical equipment in the simulator if you would like it to perform as a fixed wing and rotary aircraft, but factor those choices into your final decision.

Everyone wants to stretch a dollar as far as it will go. Whether your budget is for a $30,000 or $300,000 simulator solution, consider whether the features you’re paying for will satisfy your organization’s goals and that you aren’t paying for more than you need.

Remember, spending more money does not always equate to a better product in this market. It may just mean you’re paying for something less functional than you need, but checks all the boxes in the aesthetics department but falls short in the usefulness of the end product for the people using it, and ultimately, you, who will be paying for it.

Lauren Brown is the executive Director of Elite Simulation Centers in Oviedo, Florida. She is also a cross country air racer and an avid writer on simulation technology, and proponent in the use of simulation technology for application in real world flight training. Lauren is also a commercially rated fixed wing pilot pursuing her rotorcraft addon.

September 2016

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C O L U M N | SAFETY

United States Helicopter Safety Team

Protecting What’s Important Wearing the proper flight gear is critical for ensuring the safety of occupants. It is sometimes argued that wearing a helmet, flight suit, proper boots and gloves are not necessary. However, it is that one time when a helicopter goes down unexpectedly that this equipment’s value pays off.

F L IGH T S U I T S Flight suits are probably the most visible of PPE being worn by flight crews. While in mild weather conditions they feel just fine, but having to wear a full flight suit in hot and humid weather has a tendency to change one’s attitude.

Flight suits can be comfortable in some ways, and uncomfortable in others. In either case, they must meet certain criteria to provide adequate protection. First, they must be long-sleeved and made of a fire-resistant material such as Nomex®. It is not wise to operate with short-sleeved or polyester flight suits for various reasons. Polyester exposed to fire responds much like shrinkwrap. It will shrink and adhere to the body in a very dangerous and damaging way.

Along with a long-sleeved fire resistant garment, one should always wear under­wear. The way a flight suit provides protection is it provides a layer of air between the user and the clothing. Before launch, it is important to have the flight suit zipped up, gloves on and tucked in the sleeves, sleeves down and secured around the gloves, collar up to protect the neck, and legs zipped and long enough to provide coverage over the boots.

It is critical that flight suits fit correctly. Far too often flight suits are too tight; they are meant to be loose fitting. This is based on the ‘Thermos Bottle Principle.’ In other words, centered on layers of material and air. The flight suit, made up of fire resistant material comprises the outer layer; there also needs to be a layer of air. The next layer of material is underwear, then another layer of air. This layering is what protects the individual from thermal attack.

Remember, flight suits are NOT meant to fight the fires, merely to protect the crew member for a short period for them to egress the aircraft.

wearing gloves, remember to tuck them in under the flight sleeve, and velcro the sleeves fully closed. Again, protection is all about coverage.

Gloves also need to be made from fire resistant material. While the goal is to provide the same protection as the flight suit, gloves must also retain the ability for tactile identification.

UN DER GA R MEN T S/SOC KS

BOOTS

Undergarments should always be worn. Going commando is not a wise idea. Any natural fibers or fire resistant materials are acceptable. A good place to look for fire resistant underwear is on NASCAR’s website.

One can also check military clothing sights and look for Fire Resistant Operational Gear (FROG). Due to the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), the USMC has gone all fire resistant clothing in the field for optimal protection. The main thing to remember when dressing is to ensure your shirt is tucked into the pants.

Never should there be any elastic material touching the skin.

GLOVES In the case of gloves, it is essentially the same as the flight suit. When

heliweb magazine

It is widely accepted in the public safety community that flight boots are necessary, however, sometimes the selection process falls short of providing adequate protection.

The primary function of the boots is to provide stability and protection to the feet and ankles. A few characteristics to remember is that they should fit at least 8 inches high on the ankle, can be secured snugly, are fire resistant, and able to be laced all the way up to the top. To get full protection, even the laces need to be fire resistant.

It is important to stay away from zippers. Also, stay away from gum outer soles as those found on most running shoes. Gummy soles melt at very low temperatures.

Dr.Dudley Crosson is an aeromedical safety consultant and expert in aerospace physiology and human factors. Dr. Crosson has been a paramedic, diving officer, lifeguard and rescue swimmer during his career and serves on the United States Helicopter Safety Team Human Factors Working Group.

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Caring for flight gloves is easy. The best way is to put them on and wash your hands in the sink with as hot a temperature as you can tolerate.

Just use soft liquid detergent. Then let them air dry. It’s as simple as that.

Get your copy of the book everyone is talking about!

“Helicopter Pilot and world renonowned stunman Rick Avery’s Biography is a fantastic read, Knowing Rick for several years now, you would never know the amazing things he has done by talking to him due to his humble nature.”

- Ryan Mason

Publisher, Heliweb Magazine

Get your copy at www.rickaverybook.com

A Sydney Helicopters AS350 over Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. Phototographer: James Williams

September 2016

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HELINEWS

HELITRAK RECIEVES FAA CERTIFICATION FOR COLLECTIVE PULL DOWN SYSTEM HeliTrak, a company based in Washington State, gained FAA certification of their new Collective Pull Down (CPD) line of products this month.

Receiving their STC on October 13, 2016, from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA certification supporting HeliTrack’s vision for developing innovative safety products like the CPD which senses low rotor RPM and automatically lowers the collective. The product’s

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response, allowing the pilot time to recognize the low RPM situation.

A pilot’s recognition time in the event of low rotor RPM is a concern with all models of helicopters. HeliTrack is hoping that recognition of the safety value the new product as it makes its debut in rotorcraft like the Robinson R22 will drive sales.

The R22 is widely used for initial training, making it an ideal

solution for the first product. “A primary design goal for the CPD was to improve the probability of a successful outcome in the event of a sudden loss of rotor RPM”, said Chris Nehls, President of HeliTrak.

The CPD is the company’s first safety product to reach the market. The CPD is lightweight (1.9 lbs.) easily installed and is also adaptable to other rotorcraft according to a press release circulated to announce the successful STC process.

LORD RECIEVES FAA APPROVAL FOR OPTIONAL TAIL SKID WEIGHT FOR 206 LORD Corporation announced this month that they had received approval from the FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) for optional installation of tail skid weight on the Bell 206.

STC. Operators will benefit from lower maintenance costs, extended life and reduced vibration without affecting cabin load or needing to drill into the tail skid.

The STC ensures a dynamically balanced tail rotor hub assembly throughout the life of the tail rotor trunnion kit.

The tail skid weight, included in the LORD elastomer tail rotor trunnion bearing kit, is an optional installation, only required as needed to assist in dynamic balancing of tail rotor hub assemblies.

The LORD tail rotor trunnion is specifically engineered for the Bell 206 to reduce maintenance time and keep aircraft in the air longer. Due to selfcentering of the elastomeric bearing in the hub, installation is relatively quick

“This approval is significant, since it is estimated that very few B206 require the tail skid weight for this

and easy with no effect upon the static balancing procedures currently used.

After the elastomeric tail rotor bearing has been installed in the tail rotor hub and blade assembly, installation on the aircraft remains the same.

Dynamic balancing is accomplished with the same balancing equipment and procedures as currently used. The kit eliminates lubrication at 50 hours or after exposure to rain and snow, and eliminates grease from blades and blade feathering bearings – prolonging bearing life and improving aesthetics.

LEONARDO SIGNINGS CONTINUE AT JAPAN AEROSPACE AND HELITECH Leonardo-Finmeccanica continued to show strong performance while other manufacturers report downturns in the wake of the oil and gas slow down.

The company announced several signings during the Helitech show in Amsterdam in October, including a contract signed with Centaurium Aviation Ltd. of Switzerland for an AgustaWestland 109 GrandNew. The aircraft scheduled to enter service in spring 2017 to be operated

by Mountainflyers and will provide heli taxi services from Bern Airport, further expanding coverage due to increased business needs. HeliService

International GmbH also signed a contract for one AW169. Scheduled for delivery in 2017, its mission supporting offshore wind farm missions in the North Sea. The GrandNew model continues strong sales, with a joint announcement by Leonardo and its Japanese distributor Kaigai Corporation during the Japan Aerospace show in Tokyo, announcing a private customer order for a single Grand New, and announcing the delivery of two GrandNew helicopters in Japan.

The helicopters will service the Prefectures of Niigata and Kagoshima

in a HEMS role for Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation and Kagoshima International Aviation.

Leonardo and its distributor Mitsui Bussan’s final sale announced at Japan Aerospace was a purchase of AW139’s by both Nippon TV and Chukyo TV for Electronic News Gathering.

These selections follow the joint announcement made with Mitsui Bussan at the Farnborough International Air Show in July foreseeing the delivery of the 50th AW139 helicopter to Japan by the end of 2016.

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HELINEWS |BUSINESS BRIEF

BELL HELICOPTER STRENGTHENS CUSTOMER SUPPORT CAPABILITIES IN EUROPE Announced at European trade show Helitech, Bell Helicopter and its Authorized Customer Service Facility, Agrarflug Helilift, announced that the partner company is in the process of obtaining an expanded capability to support medium tailbooms for the Bell 212 and 412 aircraft– continuing to strengthen aircraft support for European customers.

Agrarflug Helilift provides field maintenance services for the Bell Helicopter 204, 205, 206A/B, 206L, 212 and 412 model aircraftsin their Bell authorized customer service center.

The company additionally provides services such as customization, aircraft refurbishment and accessory options.

customers an enhanced maintenance service from a centralized location within Europe. Customers will experience improved turnover times, competitive prices, increased customer support solutions and an overall positive development within the European market,” said Agrarflug Helilift CEO, Dennis Beese.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with Bell Helicopter and supporting our customers. It is

our primary focus to ensure that customers’ aircraft stays airworthy throughout its service life.”

“We understand the importance of maintaining the readiness of our customers’ aircraft. As we continue to grow, we will listen to our customers and ensure their aircraft are mission ready anywhere on the globe,” said Neil Jones, manager of Bell Helicopter’s Customer Service Facility Network.

“The addition of medium tail boom support will offer Bell Helicopter

LEE JOHNSON NAMED AS NEW REGIONAL AVIATION MANAGER FOR METRO AVIATION Metro Aviation announced Lee Johnston as the new Regional Aviation Manager for the Midwest region this month.

Lee has been an EMS Pilot since 2001, joining Metro Aviation in 2011 as a lead pilot and then site manager for MedFlight of Ohio. He has over 4,200 hours of flight experience, holds an FAA Airframe and Powerplant

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certificate, and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

“Lee has proven himself to be an exceptional leader, well organized and knowledgeable regarding our customers and their programs,” said Metro Director of Operations Jim Arthur.

Johnson will manage more than 20 bases for the Metro team, beginning early October.

CHC GROUP ANNOUNCES $450 MILLION COMMITTED TO RECAPITALIZATION EFFORT CHC Group, now several months into bankruptcy proceedings, announced on October 12th that the company has entered into a plan support agreement (PSA) with respect to the terms of its chapter 11 plan of reorganization.

The PSA contemplates a comprehensive recapitalization of the Company that will provide $300 million in new capital from its existing creditors, as well as terms for restructured aircraft leases and additional asset based financing commitments of $150 million from its largest lessor and its affiliates. The PSA will be implemented pursuant to a plan of reorganization as part of CHC’s Chapter 11 proceedings that were commenced on May 5, 2016.

The Company expects to submit the Plan to the court in the next few weeks and anticipates emerging from the court-supervised process as quickly as possible with forecasted liquidity of more than $400 million and access to an additional $150 million of aircraft financing.

supervised reorganization process,” said Karl Fessenden, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With the support of the Plan Sponsors, Unsecured Creditors Committee, and The Milestone Aviation Group Limited as our lead aircraft lessor, we look forward to obtaining approval of our restructuring plan, recapitalizing the company, and putting CHC on the path to long-term success. We remain confident that the restructuring we are undertaking will position CHC to capitalize on future growth opportunities as our industry recovers.”

a financial downturn along with several other large operators heavily invested energy production services hit the hardest by the global downturn in the oil and gas sector, the company has however, been transparent in its situation, providing early and frequent information throughout the restructuring process.

CHC is one of the largest providers of offshore helicopter services, suffering

“Executing this agreement enables us to establish a stronger capital structure for CHC and is another critical milestone toward completing our court-

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H E L I N E W S| L A W E N F O R C E M E N T A N D M I L I T A R Y

PSAAC FORMS GROUP TO ASSIST AGENCIES CREATING UAS BEST PRACTICES The Public Safety Aviation Accreditation Commission (PSAAC) today announced the formation of a working group to establish standards for the use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) by public safety agencies.

As the integration of UAS technology into public safety operations has increased, PSAAC has collaborated with the Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA), who is sponsoring this effort, to develop standards that address the safe, efficient and ethical use of small unmanned

aircraft for all public safety missions.

The new standards will provide a set of best practices for agencies already using, or considering the use of small unmanned aircraft.

Adherence to these standards will provide assurance to the civilian community that its public safety agency is operating in accordance with well-established, safe, efficient and ethical practices.

The standards will address such topics as program administration, flight operations and tactics, operator certifi cation, training,

safety, maintenance and the legal and ethical use of sUAS. Members of the working group were selected for their extensive backgrounds in sUAS technology and public safety aviation applications of both manned and unmanned aircraft. A list of members is included.

PSAAC has previously developed aviation standards for law enforcement, fire, and search and rescue. The Standards for Law Enforcement Aviation Units developed by PSAAC have been formally recognized by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as best practice standards for law enforcement aviation units.

The Public Safety Accreditation Commission is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded to promote and advance safe, effective, and efficient aviation operations in public safety through voluntary compliance with best practice standards.

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ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE ORDER TWO ADDITIONAL H225M HELICOPTERS As part of a second phase of expansion of the Thai Air Force fleet program, Airbus announced in October that the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) signed for the purchase of two new multifunction H225M helicopters, the military variant of the H225 made for civilian use.

The new purchase continuing the Thai Air Force’s efforts to modernize their fleet of military helicopters through a multi-year replacement program, launched in 2012.

The two new helicopters are scheduled for delivery in 2019 and will join the fleet of four helicopters of the same type already acquired by RTAF. The Thai Air Force are awaiting the delivery this year from a previous contract for two helicopters that are expected by the end of 2016.

After thorough evaluation, the RTAF have an option in the current contract to further expand its fleet of 225M Helicopters.

“This agreement marks the great confidence in the RTAF H225M aircraft and its proven capabilities

to meet the most difficult missions,” said Philippe Monteux, Director of Airbus Helicopters in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. “We are honored to be a partner in the modernization of the RTAF fleet and we remain committed to ensure full support and comprehensive services for their operations,” he said.

Airbus helicopters also announced in October at the Helitech show in Amsterdam that Leading global helicopter offshore hoist operator Helicopter Travel Munich (HTM) had signed for one H145 helicopter.

The new aircraft - to be delivered in December 2017- will be operated from HTM’s bases at Emden, Norden, Borkum and Helgoland, serving offshore windfarms in the German Bight.

The H145 joins HTM’s alreadyextensive inventory of Airbus Helicopters, that includes eleven H135 Helicopters.

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H E L I N E W S|LEGAL

AIRBUS CONSIDERS LEGAL ACTION AS POLAND CANCELS $3.5 BILLION DEAL In a deal gone bad that is turning into an international incident, Poland pulled out of the largest military purchase in the country’s history on October 4th.

The deal would have seen Airbus Helicopters supply the country with H225M Caracal Helicopters in a deal worth $3.5 Billion USD. The new Polish government, having recentlycome to power after winning the general election, stated that they believed the deal was “not good for the country’s security.”

As part of the terms of the deal, Airbus Helicopters was to take over a factory, maintaining the helicopters in Poland and provide not only defense capabilities offered by the French made H225M, but economic benefits through job creation in the country’s defense sector.

Within days of the announcement that Poland would not be fulfilling the deal struck with Airbus, Reports from several international news media outlets state that Poland is rumored to have already asked other OEM’s to fulfil the country’s military helicopter requirements. It has been alleged that US based Sikorsky, now owned by defense giant Lockheed Martin and Italian Leonardo Helicopters have been told to prepare for likely orders in relation to the collapsed Airbus deal to come from Poland in the near future. Sikorsky and Leonardo already have facilities in the country that can accomodate the millitary’s needs.

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The fallout from the breakdown of the deal has been swift, France’s President Hollande now delaying a scheduled trip to the country after the announcement was made that the deal had soured between the partially state owned Airbus Helicopters and Poland.

Airbus responded to the allegations leveled by poland in an open letter. released on October 11th, signed by Guillaume Faury, Airbus Helicopters CEO, refuting many of the claims made in the rejection of the exisiting contract that had been in progress for four years at the time the Polish government pulled out.

“Airbus Helicopters strongly refutes some allegations reported in media that it has carried out this negotiation process in bad faith. On September 30th, four days before the Ministry of Development’s decision, Airbus Helicopters accepted to extend the validity of its offer at the request of the Ministry of Defence until November 30th.

In spite of a slow negotiation process initiated with the Ministry of Development in September 2015, Airbus Helicopters has remained fully committed to finding an agreement with Poland” the letter stated in part.

Anthony Pecchi/Airbus Helicopters Phot

to

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HELINEWS

EASA LIFTS FLIGHT BAN ON EC225LP AND AS332L2 SIX MONTHS AFTER BERGEN CRASH On the 7th of October 2016, EASA announced that the long running flight suspension of the EC225 LP and AS332L2 was to be lifted, after a fatal accident that occured on the 29th of April, 2016 off the coast of Bergen, Norway. Initial eyewitness accounts reported that it appeared that the main rotor hub assembly separated from the fuselage of an EC225 LP owned by CHC Helicopters. The helicopter was performing transport operations to and from oil rigs in the area, resulting in a fiery crash that killed all 13 onboard.

that there was a potential for further incidents due to the nature of the suspected cause that would likely not be seend in regular inspections.

The daily inspection or after 10 flight hours (whichever comes first) of the chip detectors and oil filter with very stringent criteria.

EASA announced a set of stringent protective measures which allow both helicopter types to return to flight if precautions are taken, that include:

The EASA ruling also stated that all main gearboxes that have suffered from unusual events will be withdrawn from service. Unusual events include external events that might shock the gearbox but without visual evidence of damage.

The decision to lift the temporary flight suspension of the Super Puma EC225 LP and AS332 L2 helicopters from Airbus Helicopters was put in place on the 2nd of June, 2016 after initial investigations raised concerns

An additional safety factor applied to the demonstrated service life of this gear type (Type B), resulting in the time before replacement being reduced to less than half its current value.

Elimination of a specific type (Type A) of 2nd stage main gearbox planet gear involved in the accident by another type (Type B) which has a demonstrated reliable service life.

Anthony Pecchi/Airbus Helicopters Photo

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EASA has been closely monitoring the analysis and tests conducted by Airbus Helicopters along with the joint accident investigation in which Airbus has been assisting. EASA will closely monitor the compliance action taken

by Airbus and operators following the return to service along with operational information.

#heliART

Marc’s latest work is an artist rendering of a USMC MH-22

Want to see more of Marc’s amazing helicopter sketches?

You can find his work on Instagram @marc_mpv

Although not a classically trained artist, Marc Veenendaal uses art to convey his vision as an industrial designer daily. Marc holds a bachelor of industrial design degree and draws aircraft art as a creative outlet from the daily grind as one of the most in demand industrial designers in Australia. Marc developed his love for sketching in university and now uses his illustrations of helicopters to express his love of aviation, which he shares through his instagram account that has over fifteen thousand followers. Marc uses the work of many photographers as inspiration for his art, in adition to using his imagination to create fictional aircraft, and artists impressions of aircraft not yet announced.

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HELITECH International Helitech returned to Amsterdam October 11-13, showing that the industry is still buying helicopters and still have a passion for the latest in technology advancements.

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Story by Louis Buzuk Images courtesy Helitech International

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Operators find inspiration, innovative solutions, and unique educational value at Europe’s leading rotorcraft event Helitech, run in association with the European Helicopter Association (EHA), was held October 11-13, 2016, returning to Amsterdam. The event welcomed operators, pilots, and vendors from across the globe.

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Attendees frequented the 180-plus international exhibitors who showcased the latest products and services available to the helicopter industry – many of whom had never presented at the event before.

The latest innovations from leading OEMs, including Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters, Bell Helicopter, were all on display, while suppliers of MRO services, navigation systems, and lifting equipment were also in high demand.

Sara Cordera from Leonardo Helicopters, who demonstrated a new virtual reality (VR) SAR experience at the event featuring the AW189, commented “It’s been a great show for us. We had a packed schedule of meetings which all went well and our new VR simulator was a huge success in helping to drive traffic to our booth, while helping us develop new contacts in the SAR sector.”

OPERATORS IN THE SPOTLIGHT A new feature to this year’s event, the Operators Forum, saw dozens of business owners from across the globe join to talk informally about issues set to shape the future of the industry.

Hosted by Gretchen Haskins, the CEO of HeliOffshore, attendees discussed how they could make operations more profitable in the long term, as well as exploring how a collaborative approach can improve safety across all markets.

Andrew Shahadi from Marenco Swisshelicopter added: “We were delighted to make our debut at Helitech International this year and the quantity of inquiries at our booth far exceeded our expectations. The event has provided us with the ideal platform to engage with new and existing customers and discuss our new model.”

The offshore industry was the topic of much debate, with René van der Haring, CEO of Heli Holland Group, sharing his views on what he believed had gone wrong with the market. Importantly, he provided the operators with a detailed look at the future and how it will potentially stabilize. diversifying in these difficult times and by attending Helitech International operators have a clearer idea of the solutions and strategies they need in place to succeed.”

EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS The seminar and workshop program at Helitech International received positive feedback, and many of the sessions were full. Attendees flocked to hear sessions from the Association of Air Ambulances, EASA, Flight Ascend Consultancy, AAR Airlift Group, Waypoint Leasing, The Flying Bulls, and the European HEMS & Air Ambulances Committee.

Frank Scheuch, Managing Director of Intellifast GmBH, said: “The Business Leaders Forum provided some great quality insight into the current safety regulations within the industry. It’s a big area of focus for us at the moment, and it was really valuable to hear first-hand from the industry experts within the sector on what the future has in store.”

On day one of the event, to a full room, analysts from Flight Ascend Consultancy provided a detailed review of the oil and gas industry and how its decline has correlated closely with the downturn in international helicopter orders. The impact of CHC filing for Chapter 11 and the grounding of operators’ H225 fleets was also assessed, with delegates informed that around 75% of the global offshore fleet is currently priced below its base value.

The future trends in emergency medicine were also explored on day one, along with their impact on air ambulances and mission equipment.

Steve Wheaton, Assistant Chief of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, presented a unique insight into pre-hospital care trends in the UK, while Fabio Martorana from Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital explained how Italian HEMS operators are planning missions from a national and regional perspective.

Day two’s sessions were in just as high demand, with the Business Leaders Forum bringing in a large audience of operators who heard a panel discuss fleet finance, the commercialisation of aviation operations, safety and the opportunities in the MRO sector.

Waypoint Leasing suggested that it has seen enough evidence of new contracts being made available to

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say the “bottom had been reached confidently.” However, the helicopter leasing company did urge operators to diversify their businesses, to protect themselves against future downturns, while stressing that OEMs must not flood the market with new models at first sight of a recovery and give time for the market to absorb the supply backlog.

OPRATORS NEED TO EMBRACE UAV’S The afternoon sessions of day two covered the ever growing UAV sector, with visitors hearing SkyFutures and DroneSAR both stress how collaboration must be the way forward, with helicopter operators not being afraid to embrace the technology and use it as a complementary service.

Oisin McGrath, CEO of DroneSAR, said that helicopter operators should see the technology as an asset rather than a threat, highlighting how SAR missions can be assisted

by UAVs to help save lives ultimately. He went on to explain how the company was working on developing devices with a much longer battery life, while terrain capturing software and operating in treacherous weather conditions were two major focuses over the coming year.

HEMS IN FOCUS Day three of Helitech International showcased how helicopters can create efficiency gains for European health services. A high profile panel, including speakers from AFHSH, the Association of Air Ambulances, the European HEMS & Air Ambulance Committee, Leonardo Helicopters and Bell Helicopter, discussed patient care as well as mission safety.

The role of doctors onboard missions was explored with Stefan Becker from the European HEMS & Air Ambulance Committee revealing the findings of research that it can significantly assist with the care for trauma victims. He went on to

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deliver information that proved the benefits that new helicopter bases can have, particularly when it comes to the time advantage it delivers against ground-based EMS.

DEALS SIGNED ON THE FLOOR The exhibition hall at Helitech International painted a positive picture for the rotorcraft industry with OEMs and suppliers revealing new deals throughout the event.

Leonardo, Airbus Helicopters and HeliSpeed, which provides contract pilots to support MRO services across the globe, signed a number of agreements at Helitech International that will see its customer base increase significantly.

Elsewhere, Jet Support Services announced a deal with HeliAir Sweden to take a series of Airbus Helicopters onto its engine maintenance program, including further two H120s.

LONDON 2017 During the event, the organizers announced that the 2017 event will run alongside MRO Europe from the 3rd to the 5th of October, 2017. John Hyde, Exhibition Director of Heli tech International, explains: “MRO Europe complements Helitech International perfectly and, as the leading event in that sector, it will help bring a bigger audience of operators, engineers and R&D professionals through our doors.

We fully expect our 2017 event in London to be the most successful event in the show’s history as a result.

“This year’s event has shown there is a degree of confidence returning to the market. Oil and gas remains in a state of flux, but the industry itself will continue to function and over the next year, or two business will return. It’s important for companies to keep innovating and diversifying in these difficult times and by attending Helitech International operators have a clearer idea of the solutions and strategies they need in place to succeed.”

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WHEELS To Rotors 4444 44heliweb magazine heliweb magazine heliweb magazine

Helicopter Pilot Mark Brereton considers himself and ordinary guy. Left a paraplegic after a motorcyle racing accident, Brereton is anything but ordinary.

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n ordinary life with some extraordinary occurrences is how Mark Brereton describes his life. To see Brereton land a helicopter, you would never think him different than any other pilot. That is until you see the wheelchair strapped to the right side of his helicopter as it lands, realizing there is indeed something that sets Brereton aside from other pilots.

Brereton describes his early life as a teen and young adult as ordinary.

Never very successful at sports or winning much of anything he tried.

Growing up somewhat shy and riskaverse, he nevertheless had a passion for flight and spent much of his time building remote control aircraft, which Brereton said he would fly and regularly crash. He would return to the drawing board and rebuild them to try again. This theme would repeat itself in later life for Brereton.

A native of the United Kingdom, Brereton accepted a role in the British Royal Air Force in the pilot training program. Commencing flight training in the Scottish Aviation Bulldog, Brereton thought at the time he had finally “arrived”; he was living his dream.

Alas, for Brereton, the dream of being an aviator in the Royal Air Force was cut short when he washed out of the program. As an adult looking back at his early life dream, Brereton said “It was my dream, it was shattered, and I did it to myself. I might have had the technical skills to fly, but I was not the confident, self-assured man that they wanted to trust in an expensive aircraft.”

Dreams of flying put on hold for the short term, Brereton instead graduated university with a degree in law and accounting, landing a job as a trainee accountant, working for the global tire giant, Pirelli Tires while serving four years in the British Army reserves as a Royal Engineer.

Upon receiving transfer orders from his company in 1998, Brereton moved to Columbia, South Carolina, Brereton picked back up on his old dream of flight, taking lessons at a local airport in a Cessna 152. More moves followed for Brereton, first to New Haven,

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Connecticut, and then on to the San Joaquin Valley in Southern California in 2000.

It was in California where Brereton indulged in his other passion outside of aviation, motorcycles, making one final move with his company, relocating once again to Rome, Georgia. Brereton began racing road circuits in 2003. Progressing through the ranks all the way to an AMA professional license at the age of 32.

Starting his first professional race in second last, finding himself quickly out of his depth in the professional ranks, Brereton finished his first race third last. Although humbled in defeat, without the backing of a race team, the process of making the cutoff for a professional level race that was televised, and rolling onto the grid with the stars of the sport was to him still an achievement.

Life Changes On the 29th of April 2007, Brereton was attending a practice day at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama.

The track was also the location that Brereton met his now wife Samantha for the first time several years prior.

The original plan for this particular day was that Brereton ahead of an AMA race several weeks later that was to be held at the same track.

Riding a Suzuki GSXR 1000 that day, Brereton set out at a blistering pace.

Approaching the fastest corner of the track at over 150 miles an hour, Brereton touched the front brake of the motorcycle before the turn to slow his approach, the brake lever snapped.

Unable to brake before the turn, Brereton proceeded to shift down a gear to burn off speed, unfortunately, missing the gear, leaving the bike freewheeling into the corner, still at over 150 miles an hour. At that stage, Brereton did the only thing left, touching the rear brake, which caused the bike to lay down and tumble into

the gravel pit off the right side of the track.

Brereton, conscious throughout the ordeal, doesn’t recall being hit by his bike or a specific moment as he tumbled through the gravel, but after coming to rest laying on his back the realization that he could not move his legs. Brereton remarked “the moment I came to and tried to sit up, I knew immediately that I was paralyzed. He had suffered a permanent spinal injury in the crash leaving him a paraplegic.

Thankfully for Brereton, he had broken his back, not his neck, leaving him with full use of his hands.

Brereton said, “You go from being a young healthy motorcycle racer to having zero control of your body in an instant.” Brereton was taken to the University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham for surgery and later transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta to begin rehabilitation to start his recovery. Brereton remembers a sign they put next to his bed that said “Never say “no,” just keep TRYING.” During his final evaluation, after three months of rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center, therapists noticed a tiny, almost imperceptible movement his big toe. The small movement, enough to change his injury classification which opened new doors for his recovery effort.

Over the next few months, Brereton continued to work hard on his rehabilitation. Gradually able to move more as each week progressed, leading to him standing for the first time only five months after his accident. Within a year following the crash, Brereton was able to walk with a walker and climb stairs; although most of his time was still spent in a wheelchair.

People did not forget about the infectious Brit in the motorcycle fraternity. Brereton’s story kicked the motorcycle fraternity into high gear, who began fundraising efforts which eventually helped Brereton purchase a

vehicle that would allow him to travel more easily with a wheelchair. Brereton’s friend and fellow racer Skip Salenius producing stickers with Brereton’s 701 number on them that began to appear on helmets, motorbikes and cars around the country in support of Brereton’s recovery effort.

Brereton’s luck continued to improve marrying longtime girlfriend, Samantha in a ceremony in September of 2007, in front of the entire racing paddock in a triumphant return to Barber Motorsports Complex in Alabama, the location of his accident with family present from both sides, including Brereton’s parents who flew

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in from the UK. Later the same weekend, filled with determination, Brereton, with the assistance of friends, stood up for the first time since his accident at the track.

The Barber track was somewhat of an unintentional catalyst for the couple in many ways. Brereton returned to Barber, exactly four years to the day after his accident, to finish the lap that he stated in 2007.

Mounting a modified Ducati Motorcycle, Brereton was pushed to a rolling start down pit lane in a leather motorcycle racing suit, donated by Brian Van, an AMA racer, and owner of sportbiketrackgear.com. Van had organized the track day, specifically for Brereton to once again, ride his beloved motorcycle on the track, and finish the lap he started several years prior.

Returning Home Returning home after his injury, Brereton returned to work, while also looking for ways to enjoy some of the things he used to do before his accident like being outdoors. It was shortly after coming home that Brereton discovered a bike made for people with disabilities, called a handcycle.

Living in a somewhat hilly area, Brereton found it very tiring due to the single position of the hand pedals. So he set out to find a solution to make it easier.

A self-confessed “amateur engineer,� Brereton decided to mix the world of motorcycling, adding power to the hand cycle, which also added to the safety of the bike, especially when using it on a public road. His modification allowed the bike to travel under power at speeds of up to 25 miles an hour. He went on to sell these commercially as the RoadRACE Power Pod, to help get other disabled heliweb magazine 48 48 heliweb magazine

people into cycling while offering powered assistance when needed.

Returning to flight It was not until 2009 when he met a pilot named Larry Henderson during a trip to Calhoun Airport in Georgia where Brereton discovered that Henderson had a Piper PA28-180 that had hand enabling control the rudder pedals by hand.

After just a few minutes using the hand controls, Brereton knew that it was not for him as in the years since his accident, he was now able to move his legs, which enabled him to control pushing each rudder pedal separately as needed, just as an able-bodied pilot would do.

Pictures illustrating Brereton’s battle back from injury, his marriage to wife Samantha while in rehabilitation and his eventual return to Barber Racetrack to complete the lap he started.

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After a few flights with Henderson, Brereton was convinced to obtain his Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) waiver through a check ride with an FAA DPE. Brereton gained his unrestricted class three medical certificate.

A Chance Meeting Brereton continued to build fixed wing hours until a chance meeting with the owner of an MD500D, Ron Dobbs while stopping in at Calhoun Airport on a flight with wife Samantha. Dobbs offered Samantha a ride in the helicopter at the time, which Brereton remarks was due to the fact “She was slightly better looking than me, but I still managed to get a seat onboard that flight; at that point, I was hooked.”

Brereton asked if he could try flying the helicopter with Dobbs assistance, just to see if he could manage the controls, which was immediately evident. He would, However, have to return to the engineering bench to do so. Brereton’s injury meant that he had enough strength and control in extending his legs, but less ability to retract them.

In layman’s terms, would be like driving and only being able to push your foot to accelerate, yet not retract it to let off the gas. Controlling rudder/anti-torque pedals, however, in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft is all push, no pull. Making his ability to move pedals with the type of injury he had, perfect for returning to the flying world.

Brereton possesses good control through his legs but has limited ability to move them sideways, meaning there was potential for his knees to go towards the cyclic.

His challenge was to engineer a brace to keep his feet in position to sit correctly in line with the pedals along with a solution that would allow him to keep his knees clear of the cyclic.

Dobbs, a flight instructor and the owner of flight school Air Adventures, based at Calhoun airport operating several Schweitzer 300 helicopters agreed to train Brereton personally. The relationship between Dobbs and Brereton is one built on trust and caring.

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Ron Dobbs (Pictured with Brereton below left and flying his MD 500D) Brereton credits as the driving force behind him gaining his helicopter rating, never letting him give up and always pushing him to continue.

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Brereton credits the fact that he can fly a helicopter almost entirely to Dobbs encouragement and the fact that he had endless patience with him every step of the way.

Dobbs is a quiet man, and Brereton the more outspoken of the pair.

Brereton talks with a smile when he reflects on the challenges he faced while finding solutions that would work to allow him to train in the helicopter, and Dobbs willingness to help him accomplish his goals.

Brereton while engineering his solution, first considered safety. Never compromising during development to

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ensure that the controls would always be unobstructed throughout any flight maneuvers, Including emergency procedures.

He said he almost came close to throwing in the towel after his first iteration didn’t work, commenting.

“There was one point where I felt forced to quit because my latest kneecontrol solution was just not working.

I gave Ron the opportunity to call time on my efforts to which he responded

“Come on Mark, are you going to let something as small as that beat you?””

Said Brereton. Ron was always there, offering encouragement for me to go back to the drawing board, telling me that we would eventually find something that worked and that he knew I could do it.” He further elaborated.

With Dobbs patience and encouragement, after 40 hours of training and getting used to flying with his self-designed removable knee separator, Brereton sat his private pilot checkride with FAA DPE Bill Riley, achieving a passing grade.After achieving what many thought impossible, Brereton has turned his hand to again giving back

for what he considers the many gifts he has been afforded over the years.

Brereton now gives motivational speeches to children and adults, also volunteering his time to talk at events hosted by the Tiger Flight Foundation, a charity based in Georgia that introduces children to the world of flight. His message centers around never giving up on your dreams no matter what the obstacles and remaining positive in the face of adversity.

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Brereton once highlighted just how capable he was at work when he obtained permission quietly to land the Schweitzer 300 in a large empty parking lot at his office 54

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Brereton takes his audience on a journey through his recovery up to where he is in life today, where he hits home on his message of never giving up on your dreams. “two main themes run through my speaking engagements. The first is my passion for flying; the second is how adversity and failure have forced me to rethink some of my plays and become more creative when it comes to following my passion.

Because my underlying passion for flying, in all its forms, has always remained. And for me, flying in its widest sense includes motorcycle racing, skydiving, scuba, jet-skiing, hand-cycling and ultimately flying a helicopter with t he wheelchair strapped to the skid.”

Brereton doesn’t agree with the commonly used term “wheelchairbound.” Wanting instead, to project a view of disability that is positive. “My belief is that you are defined by what you can do. If my disability does not limit what I can do, then I cannot be defined by my disability.

At t h e e n d o f t h e d a y, I a m a r e g u l a r g u y. I h a v e a f u l l - t i m e job as a Finance professional, a l o v i n g f a m i l y, a n d I h a v e a l l my passions. I have a slightly modified body that is still more than capable of powering me t h r o u g h l i f e .”

As someone who now regularly speaks to large groups of children and adults, giving motivational speeches, “In many ways, my story is one of mediocrity and failure. And that is what I tell the kids I speak to; We d o n ’ t a l l s u c c e e d t h e f i r s t time.

I t ’s s o m e t h i n g t h a t w e a l l s h a r e .

I t ’s h u m a n n a t u r e . Pa r t o f m y message is how we handle it.

Pe o p l e w h o a r e s c a r e d t o f a i l ultimately don’t get to enjoy all t h a t l i f e h a s t o o f f e r. W h e n y o u are not afraid of failure, you will t r y a n y t h i n g .” S a i d B r e r e t o n .

It is something that we all share.

I t ’s h u m a n n a t u r e . Pa r t o f m y message is how we handle it Pe o p l e w h o a r e s c a r e d t o f a i l ultimately don’t get to enjoy all

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t h a t l i f e h a s t o o f f e r. W h e n y o u are not afraid of failure, you will t r y a n y t h i n g .” S a i d B r e r e t o n .

Also speaking to adults, Brereton likes working comedy into his speaking, with the hope of being memorable. Something he perfected when asked to participate in a charity event i n G e o r g i a i n 2 0 1 3 . Pe r f o r m i n g a comedy routine at the event s e a r c h i n g f o r “ T h e S o u t h ’s Funniest Accountant” which he subsequently won, centering his routine around making light of his British heritage, his observations as a Brit in t h e U SA , a n d h i s a m u s e m e n t at being asked to appear to do “s t a n d - u p” c o m e d y.

Brereton stated that he is still d i s a p p o i n t e d a t s o m e p e o p l e ’s low expectations when it comes to disabled people.

Going to a job interview where people are surprised to find out he can drive unassisted or dress and feed himself without help. Brereton once highlighted just how capable he was at work when he obtained permission

quietly to land the Schweitzer 300 in a large empty parking lot at his office, getting a kick out of the reactions as he landed, wheelchair strapped to the skid.

When asked what he would like to do next, Brereton replies after a m o m e n t ’s t h o u g h t “ I ’ d l o v e to help more kids realize their potential and understand that life happens, but you can still achieve what you set out to do.

U l t i m a t e l y, I w o u l d l o v e t o s p e a k to kids nationwide. I would also like to continue progressing through my ratings. Eventually using a CFI rating potentially to help teach someone that has a similar injury to fly if they possess enough movement like I was fortunate enough to r e c e i v e .”

Brereton has taken multiple people with similar injuries flying.

Brereton looks for opportunities to give back to others in the same situation I was. “I especially enjoy taking other people with disabilities flying. I know what it is like to see life from a chair.

And I know how much better

a chair can be if y ou attach rotors to the top, instead of wheels to the bottom. The freedom of movement you get with a helicopter is like nothing else. It is the closest thing to magic.

To just lift off and see over trees and into the distance still gets me every time, it just has to be shared.

It is truly an incredible privilege to be able to fly these machines, and I take nothing for granted.” Said Brereton. Never dwelling on his injury, but continuing to look for opportunities to continue to do the things he used to before being injured, Brereton offers his thoughts on his life after injury “You adapt yourself to your new reality. You do what you can with what you hav e, and you maximize the chances that remain.

Don’t dwell on the past; it’s gone. You live for the now and the future. Life is a one time offer, so don’t waste it.”

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“When you are not afraid of failure, you will try anything�

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WRITING YOUR

PILOT RESUME

By Ross Ansell

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ow do you write a resume for a helicopter industry job?

I bet that is a question as a newly minted commercial pilot, wondering “ok, now what?” that you have asked yourself. Writing the right resume, hitting all the key points and making sure you come across in the right way to be considered for jobs is the very first battle in an industry filled with hundreds of people that are in the same boat.

Picture the scene, you’re the Chief Pilot or the head of HR for a helicopter company looking to employ the best candidate you can find. Say you have posted a job on ChopperJobs.com and find hundreds of applications sitting in your inbox. Settling in to your daily routine, you leave the applications to the afternoon when hopefully you have some free time.

Time is the keyword here, Employers will only spend about 6 seconds looking at a resume, so yours has to grab their attention straight away. Here are some recommended tips to help you avoid common mistakes.

SIZE MATTERS If your resume is over one page, it’s too long, Yup ONE. Cut out all the fluff, be merciless, use bullet points, but whatever you do, don’t make the text smaller to cram in as much as you can!

Monster.com goes on to elaborate in an article posted on their website that less is more, but remember, you are in the helicopter industry and resumes are very generic based

on the content containing a lot of numbers that are paid attention to more than the words initially. A resume should be long enough to entice hiring managers to call you for job interviews, that’s it.

PHOTO For the love of all that is good and wholesome - DON’T PUT A PHOTO ON YOUR RESUME! You are not trying to sell real estate. One, it’s a waste of valuable real-estate on the page. Two, it’s a distraction and a waste of time (remember 6 seconds). And three, if the person reading it is having an off day, it could mean you get cut before you’ve even got a foot in the door.

SOCIAL MEDIA If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, get one! Not only is it a great networking tool and somewhere you will find a majority of the helicopter industry has a presence. But, you can add a profile link on your page to your resume. This is an excellent way for prospective employers to learn more about you and see your recommendations etc. A word of warning - If you don’t think they’ll check out your other public social media like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, think again. Go through and make sure there isn’t anything that could cause you a problem, have friends help critique if need be, or lock it down.

LAYOUT IS CRITICAL Keep it simple, make it flow with pertinent information only!

1.

Contact Information Name, Email, Phone, Location, LinkedIn, Nationality.

2.

Certificates, Ratings and Medical (type and expiration).

3.

Flight Time (round this up and remove the decimals, its cleaner!) TT, PIC, SIC, Aircraft Type, Night, X-Country, NVG, Instrument, Longline etc.

4.

Work Experience. (This is where you remove the fluff, be precise and informative don’t waffle and be sure to use Month and Year.

5.

Training and Education Course, Qualification, Location and Date One of my favorite ladies in the Helicopter Industry is Stacy Sheard, she’s had an envious career and goes out of her way to mentor those entering and transitioning from the military, as well as those already in the helicopter industry. She also uploaded some free resume templates for both Pilots and Mechanics. You can find her on LinkedIn and check out some of the resources she has made available for this exact purpose.

RESEARCH If you are applying for a job and are lucky enough to get an interview, research is where it can make or break you. Even before then, it’s obvious to employers who’s spent a bit of time and got to know their company. Learning everything from their missions, clients, aircraft, to their core values are things commonly overlooked. A few minutes here could get you that all important interview. I’ve even gone so far as to research the people working there especially the hiring managers and Chief Pilots.

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TAILOR YOUR RESUME TO THE JOB YOU APPLY FOR It always amazes me how many people don’t bother doing this! Hiring managers see generic and boring resumes all day long, so when some eye-grabbing stuff crops up, they pay attention.

This can only be done by fully reading the job description and requirements a n d k e e p i n g i t c o n c i s e . Yo u can then fill in the gaps with that all important research y o u d i d e a r l i e r.

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KEYWORDS AND TERMINOLOGY This goes hand in hand in tailoring your resume, use keywords and terminology you see in the job that was advertised as well as terms found on their website.

those core words in the resume can be the difference between your application being auto rejected by the system before it even reaches a real person (trust me, I found that out the h a r d w a y. )

REMOVE THE FLUFF

If they want someone with a safety conscious attitude, show them how you’re a safety ambassador and the things you’ve done in other positions to promote safety.

Here are some of the common “fluff” you see in a resume. Avoid these, as cool as it sounds,hiring managers can’t stand it. They see it over, and over again.

If they happen to use a program like Taleo for online job application submission, m i s s i n g

1.

An objective, you don’t need it and they don’t want to read it so delete it.

2.

Weird or Polarizing Interests.

3.

Third Person Voice.

4.

Bad grammar and punctuation.

5.

Unnecessarily Big Words.

6.

Unimportant Jobs From 15+ Years Ago. 7.

False Info - Seriously, you’re only going to get caught and in this small industry, nothing travels faster than bad news.

READ IT OUT LOUD If only to ensure that when you do print it out, half hasn’t been chopped off and your font choice is legible.

Reading it out loud helps to make

sure it sounds good, flows and is grammatically correct. Printing it also allows you to check how it looks, that way you know for sure it’s ready and not a giant mess. Converting it to PDF is usually preferred but if they specify a format, use that.

GET A CRITIQUE This is probably one of the most important pieces. A second opinion will help you remove any fluff you’ve left in or realize something important you’ve left out. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help and it’s better a friend finds it than the hiring manager who then files your resume in the circular filing cabinet.

Ross Ansell is a freelance contributor who is a certified flight instructor and ATP in helicopters, holding both EASA and FAA commercial helicopter ratings. Ansell is also an instrument rated pilot, CFII and holds a private rating in fixed wing aircraft.

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UNDERSTANDING

AIRWORT In this 3-part series on Understanding Airworthiness, Helicopter DPE Matt Johnson will shed some light on an often misunderstood and overlooked part of our everyday duties as a pilot in command; determining if our aircraft is “airworthy”.

“If you test it they will teach it” -So goes the mantra heard every two years when Designated Pilot Examiners must attend a mandatory training program in order to maintain their Designated Examiner status. The idea is that if DPE’s do a thorough job examining an applicant on a particular task this will in return prompt CFI’s to do a better job teaching their students.

One area that I have encountered as a general weakness with applicants at all levels is that of airworthiness and understanding exactly what it means.

The definition of “airworthy” is an elusive one for those that seek it out.

and comprehend. It has two simple statements, both of which must be taken to heart. The regulation reads as follows:

§91.7 Civil Aircraft Airworthiness (a) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition. (b) The pilot in command of a civil aircraft is responsible for determining whether that aircraft is in condition for safe flight. The pilot in command shall discontinue the flight when unairworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur.

Why does this matter?

Much of what is known about the subject is passed on in the form of tribal knowledge. The meaning may take on two totally different views depending if the explanation is coming from a mechanic or a pilot. However, at the end of the day defining “airworthy” isn’t that difficult and there is only one true definition.

Why is this important?

One of the most important regulations that all pilots must be familiar with is that of 91.7. The title of this regulation is “Civil Aircraft Airworthiness”.

Unlike most of the regulations we live by 91.7 is one that is easy to read

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Note that in paragraph (a) of this regulation it specifically states that we may not operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition. Clear, cut and dry! Right?

While this regulation may read in the simplest of terms we come back to the point of defining “airworthy” and understanding exactly what it means.

So how do we define the definition of airworthy? Where do we find it? Most pilots have some form of the go-to “FAR/AIM” book lying around (hopefully current) or even an app on their mobile device. This is where we go for looking

up regulations and just as importantly, where we find “definitions” for terms found within many of the regulations.

Most of the (general) definitions we need are found in FAR Part 1.1 but what about “airworthy”? Will you find a definition for this ever so important term in FAR Part 1.1? The answer is NO! What about going to the “index” in the rear of the book? NO! Still no indication of what “airworthy” actually means.

All applicants (and experienced pilots) agree that FAR 91.7 is important but when searching for what airworthy actually means they are at a loss. The definition will not be found in that standard FAR/AIM book that so many of us rely on.

FOUND! The search is over. The answer for defining “airworthy” is, in fact, actually found within the regulations but in an area that very few pilots and probably even less students have ever reviewed.

If you go to FAR 3.5 paragraph (a) you will find another set of “definitions”.

First up on this list is “Airworthy”. The definition is simple, short and to the point. Essentially the definition gives us a two-pronged test to define the term airworthy.

THINESS PART 1

The regulation (definition) reads as follows: Airworthy means the aircraft conforms to its type design and is in a condition for safe operation.

The second part of this definition is a mixture of common sense and adherence to other regulations by the pilot and is, at times, a judgement call.

“Conforming to its type design” requires a bit more explaining and we will do that next month in Part II of this series of articles on “Understanding Airworthiness”.

Matt Johnson is a Helicopter FAA Designated Pilot Examiner conducting Private through ATP level exams in numerous makes and models. His experience spans air medical, law enforcement, flight instruction, and ENG flying.

He is a three-time Master Instructor recipient, FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor and FAASTeam Representative for the Greater Cincinnati Ohio Region. Additionally, Matt is an Air-Medical Pilot flying a single-pilot IFR Helicopter in SW Ohio.

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SWEDISH ARMED FORCES BLACKHAWK FLEET ACHIE Story and Images by

Gunnar Ã…kerberg

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10,000

EVE

FLIGHT HOURS

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The Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing fleet, consisting of fifteen Sikorsky UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, (locally designated HKP 16,) reached the ten thousand flight hour milestone during a routine exercise with the Swedish National Police on the 22nd of September, 2016.

The first helicopter to reach the ten thousand hour mark was Blackhawk serial 161228, using the call sign “303”.

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In April 2011, Sweden announced the plan to buy fifteen new UH-60M Blackhawks via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program.

The helicopters were ordered in May of 2011, the first two UH-60M helicopters delivered to its new home base at Malmen, Linköping on a U.S. Air Force C-17 in December of 2011.

The formal hand-over ceremony to the Armed Forces from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) followed in January 2012, and the last helicopter was delivered in April 2013.

Swedish HKP 16 Blackhawk pilots and technicians first trained in the United States, then returning for mission training in Sweden.

The first four Swedish Blackhawk pilots graduated from the US Army Aviation Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama in October 2011.

In April of 2013 the Swedish Air Element, (SAE ISAF UH-60), began its first international mission.

The unit providing medevac alert with four HKP 16 Blackhawks and around 40 personnel All of which were stationed at the International Security Assistance Force based at Camp Marmal, Mazar-e Sharif, in northern Afghanistan.

The unit, callsign ”ICEPAC”, took over operations from another Swedish Armed Forces helicopter unit operating two HKP 10B Super Pumas, which had also been used for medevac mission transports in Afghanistan since April 2011.

The Swedish HKP 16 Blackhawks returned to their home base in Sweden in April 2013 to resume national service following the deployment in Afghanistan.

Helicopters from the Swedish Armed forces participate in training operations in conjunction with the Swedish National Police on September 22nd, 2016. The armed forces reached the 10,000 flight hour mark during this operation. The various units flying the Sikorsky UH-60M have seen deployments to Afghanistan since begining to take deliveries in 2011. Images by Gunnar Akerberg

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Rotorheads

The Boeing AH-6i has an L-3 Wescam MX-15Di imaging turret with a laser rangefinder and designator. If needed, the AH-6i can integrate with other targeting systems.

Scott Urschel

the AH-64, Boeing has a bevy of potential suitors for the more costeffective AH-6i.

Pylon Aviation

Powered by a Rolls-Royce Dual Channel FADEC 250-C30E/1 engine, six-blade main rotor assembly with composite blades, the Boeing AH-6i has an endurance of up to 10 hours (with a 300lb or less payload down to 3 hours for a payload of 2300lbs).

Story by Ryan Mason

Its advanced glass cockpit design provides excellent night vision capabilities using Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and is well-suited for reconnaissance missions.

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The AH-6i has four weapon stations supporting a variety of weapon systems including an M-134D (7.62mm mini-gun), GAU-19/B (12.7mm Gatling gun), M260 (7 shot rocket pod), AGM114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles (M310 launcher) and Laser-guided 70mm rockets. The frame of the AH-6i has been reinforced to support these weapons systems.

The Boeing AH-6i is highly maneuverable and agile, has a small

radar footprint, can utilize a variety of weapons systems and is relatively quiet for a helicopter. Which, according to Boeing, helps make the AH-6i ideal for a variety of roles including Light Attack, Precision Attack, Anti-armor, Close Combat Attacks, Reconnaissance, Security & Escort, Troop Insertion/Extraction and Combat Search & Rescue (CSAR).

Production was expected to start in late-2015, so the production line is already busy manufacturing the AH-6i.

With tight military budgets around the globe, Boeing may have found a niche with the value the Boeing AH-6i offers.

With a reliable airframe and advanced avionics and weapons systems, the battle-proven AH/MH-6 Little Bird will in years to come, rely on technology developed within the AH-64 program to extend the life of a strong airframe that has been serving civilian and military forces around the world since the 1960’s.

There are many instantly recognizable names in the helicopter industry.

Some recognized for their larger than life personas, or for their many achievements and roles within the industry, such as the late Michael Farikh and would be around the world adventurer Sergey Ananov who famously ditched his R22 in the ocean, rescued from an ice floe off the coast of Canada after fears he would not make it.

Scott Urschel is a name that you may not hear mentioned often. But rest assured many people know this quiet achiever in the world of helicopter aviation. With a calm demeanor and quiet tenacity, Urschel has over many years developed a successful business, more ratings than many and flown more helicopter types than some in the industry have flight hours.

His resume lists references that are more of a who’s who of accomplished aviation professionals. Those listed – some of the most well known in the industry, call him a loyal and trusted friend.

the development of the Hughes (now MD) 369/500 and the Boeing AH-64 Apache as the Chief Test Pilot for many helicopters over his decades of flight experience.

In another industry first, Urschel was the first of only for pilots ever certified to fly pylon racing, the same type commonly seen in the Red Bull Air Racing circuit and the Reno Air Races. Urschel, along with owner of Dillon Aero, Mike Dillon, Tom Hauptman Owner of Pacific Helicopters and Neil Jones Owner of Quantum Helicopters, still the only four pilots ever to be signed off to race helicopters, in an event that took place, only once, in 1995 in Phoenix, Arizona all flying variants of the MD500.

Ultimately the once in a lifetime event honors went to Hauptman, with Urschel in the 520N coming in second followed

by Dillon and Jones at the Phoenix 500.

The idea for the race was originally thought of by Dillon and Urschel who had a constant friendly rivalry. That

rivalry led to the challenge being thrown down by Dillon, leading to a long road of approvals, eventually triumphant with the support of engineering tasks completed by MD to prove the event safe and intervention by Rich Lee to assist in vouching for the safety of the event, leading to the FAA giving once only approval for the event to take place.

When asked about his plethora of ratings and accomplishments, Urschel is typically humble in his response detailing that it hasn’t been a desire to learn, but something that has just evolved over time relating to his many ratings.

His flying resume is expectedly substantial. Having flown for many operations over the last 20 years, aerial videography, long-line, flight test for Aerometals, Donaldson, Belll Helicopter and H5 productions as well as the chief pilot for Vertical Aviation and also served as the chief pilot for Dillion Aero,

Urschel started his aviation career in 1986, gaining his private helicopter rating in 1986. Followed in 1989 with a fixed wing rating, gained in a T34 Mentor in a mere 15 hours. Urschel has gone on to obtain commercial single engine and multi-engine and instrument ratings in fixed wing aircraft, CFI and CFII ratings in helicopters and too many other ratings to the list.

Urschel this year, also became one of only two certified by the FAA to fly aerobatics in a helicopter. Gaining a statement of aerobatic competency in the MD500 airframe after learning the craft from aviation legend, friend, and pioneer of helicopter aerobatics Rich Lee. Many in the industry knew Lee as the flight testing brains behind

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who manufacture and sell mini guns among other things f o r t h e h e l i c o p t e r i n d u s t r y.

As with his accumulated ratings over the years, U r s c h e l ’s r e s u m e o f a i r c r a f t types flown is extensive, to say the least. Having flown all Ro b i n s o n m o d e l s a v a i l a b l e , t h e H u g h e s T H - 5 5 a n d 2 6 9, a l l v a r i a n t s o f t h e M D 5 0 0, t h e

Bell 47G, 206, 206B, 206 L1-L4, 4 0 7, 2 0 4 , 2 1 2 a n d 4 2 9. U r s c h e l has also flown almost every commercial Airbus Helicopter available in the USA, including t h e E C 1 2 0, E C 1 3 0, a l l m o d e l s of the AS350 and AS355, the H135, H145, and BO-105.

Urschel is one of only sixteen pilots in the world that has flown the Airbus/Eurocopter X3

(al Wh bu ins H1 Ro Ra or pla am a h

lso at over 200 Knots.) hen he is not flying for usiness or fun, Urschel also structs in the H125, H135, 145, Bell 206, MD500 and all obinson helicopter models. arely going more than a day two without flying either a a n e o r h e l i c o p t e r, U r s c h e l h a s m a s s e d a l m o s t 9, 0 0 0 h o u r s i n helicopter and almost 2,500

h o u r s i n f i xe d w i n g a i r c r a f t t h a t v a r y f r o m a F o r d Tr i - M o t o r, m o r e than a dozen civilian aircraft and warbirds like the P51D Mustang and North American T 6 A Te x a n .

When not flying aircraft, Urschel spends his time in the business sector of helicopter aviation.

Starting out in business i n 1 9 8 7, U r s c h e l o p e n e d

manufacturing business Urschel Manufacturing, which made aftermarket Jetski and Harley Davidson parts under brand UMI Racing, later moving into making reloading equipment for Dillon Precision for mini guns.

Urschel purchased an MD500D in 1989 under the new business of Pylon Aviation, which was later sold to allow for

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the purchase of more CNC machines for the manufacturing business.

Urschel later purchased an MD500C used for external load work and local TV news gathering. Pylon no longer operates helicopters for hire, instead now focusing on the sale of helicopters worldwide. Pylon is the launch customer for the new Bell 505. Urschel is also the co-founder of Startstick. A portable APU solution for helicopters that can fit in the baggage compartment, available for helicopters from and R44 all the way up to an EC145, 212, 214.

Urschel is also father to daughter Jenna, 29, Kendall 25 and son Caden, who at 13, is taking to

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aviation like a fish to water. “Caden first expressed interest in flying at age nine” said Urschel, who would let Caden take the controls of an R44 and the Astar occasionally under close supervision. The younger Urschel has now flown a list of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft that would make some seasoned aviators envious. “I never pressured Caden to follow in my footsteps; he developed his love for aviation purely by osmosis in being around the many aircraft that he sees living on an airpark. Once he expressed that he wanted to learn, I asked a

friend to give him some lessons, which just fueled his passion for it more, and to his credit, he works at it harder than people twice his age” said Urschel.

A family man to the core, Urschel when not selling or flying aircraft, can usually be found with Caden, exposing him to adventures that feed his son’s passion for adventure.

From diving with whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez to indoor skydiving or deep sea fishing, the bond between father and son is obvious to all that encounter

the pair on one of their many adventures. Caden shares his father’s quiet yet friendly persona and thirst for knowledge in both aviation and adventure, his travels now regularly going viral on social media as he learns to fly new aircraft with his father, or embarking on one of many adventures around the country. At the tender age of 13, you can rest assured that the younger Urschel, like his father, will likely continue going from strength to strength in the aviation world quietly achieving his goals and making a difference.

# r o t oScott r h Urschel eads

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LENS

BEHIND THE

SETH

Story by Tim Pruitt

Photographer Profile

LASKO

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rowing up in small town Pennsylvania, Seth Lasko had, like many others, had a keen interest in photography as a child, but never progressed past disposable cameras until later in life. At the age of 28, the photography bug bit Lasko, and it bit hard. Purchasing his first DSLR barely five years ago, Lasko purchasing a Canon 60D primarily to take photos of wife, Michelle, who at the time was six months pregnant with their first child.

Wanting to capture every moment of the new arrival.

It was in the same month that Lasko was attending a doctor’s appointment with his wife at a Penn State Hershey Medical Center when he was in the right place at the right time as one of the Penn State Hershey Life Lion AS365’s approached the pad to drop off a trauma victim. “As I started shooting that helicopter, the rotor wash and the distinctive sound of the 365 Fenestron as it approached was all it took, I was hooked,” said Lasko.

Lasko had already had an interest in helicopter aviation and worked previously in a hobby shop that sold

RC helicopters, leading to him building a remote control EC-145 scale RC helicopter, which he admits was so intricate that he rarely flew it for fear of crashing it and losing all his hard work.

Although with no actual flight experience to draw from, Lasko has thrown himself into learning every aspect of photography with a constant thirst for knowledge of techniques used in both shooting images as well as the editing process. Spending endless hours shooting helicopters around his area, he has become well known to flight crews, where as a volunteer firefighter, he is often on scene calls with the many HEMS helicopters that service the area around Millersburg, PA. His firefighting work often complete once a helicopter is on scene, Lasko is never far away from his camera.

Enabling him to shoot dozens of scene flight arrivals and departures of models such as the Life Lion AS365N3 and N2, Lehigh Valley Medevac H145, BK117, Stat Medevac H145 and Geisinger Health H145 to name a few.

His photography also spans to the firefighting world, Lasko often shooting candid shots at fire scenes for fellow firefighters, which has led to many other photo shoot requests over the years. His

work has been featured in multiple firefighting publications, news websites, and used for television news stories over the years as well as his helicopter photography featuring right here in the helipix section of Heliweb multiple times, including a two-page spread that features Lasko’s favorite operation, Hershey Life Lion’s AS365N3.

Lasko’s work with Penn State Hershey’s Life Lion program has also seen his work frequently featured by the Life Lion team, which is now licensing Lasko’s photography for use in marketing efforts for the program that includes his images being used on t-shirts, banners, and the operations yearly calendar.

Shooting with Canon cameras since he first picked up the photography bug, Lasko rates his 70-200 lens as his “go to” lens for aerial photography but relies on his 24-70 lens for his candid work shot at fire scene responses.

Although he says he can’t talk about a recent shoot that is still confidential, his favorite shot so far as one that was featured in the magazine recently as one of his other favorites.

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The shot showing the Life Lion AS365N3 on takeoff from straight on as the aircraft pitched the rotor forward enough before takeoff to allow Lasko to capture a full disc rotation.

Having in his words, a long way to go, and many more aircraft that he still wants to shoot, Lasko still has many helicopters on his shoot list, including the AW139, H135, and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk among many others.

Attributing a great deal of his success in a short space of time to many things coming together at once, Lasko detailed that nothing he has achieved in the photography world would be possible without the help of many.

Specifically mentioning his wife Michelle who he often leaves at three am to attend a scene as a firefighter and who he says always encourages

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him to follow his ambition.

Lasko also mentions the mentorship provided by many, including Heliweb Publisher Ryan Mason. Lasko reaching out to Mason through social media while seeking advice on helicopter photography and how to improve his results shortly before Mason took over as the publisher of the magazine. The two have remained friends and talk frequently.

When asked about advice he would give to anyone trying to break into the aviation photography market, Lasko replied “Practice, practice, practice, and when you’re done, practice again.

I remembered a lot of my first images of aircraft

not being that great. I wished that they were better at the time. So I committed to making that happen and seeking out more knowledge to improve, which happened.

Above all, I think in this business, the thing that will gain you respect, is to stay humble. You’ll never gain the friendships and professional relationships you need to succeed in this business with a huge ego.”

“You’ll never gain the friendships and professional relationships you need to succeed in this business with a huge ego.”

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Seth Lasko

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Joe Fernandez now spends a lot of his photography time volunteering to take photos of airborne law enforcement, doing a great deal of work for the Austin Police Air Unit and STARflight.

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Seth Lasko

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To see more of Seth’s work, visit www.facebook.com/Seth-Lasko-Photography

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Photo credit: Dan Megna, Mesa Police Aviation Unit. Mesa, AZ

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