D E L I V E R I N G G L O B A L C O V E R A G E O F T H E H E L I C O P T E R I N D U S T R Y

I S S U E 3 2

MA

Y/

JU

N

20

05

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Aussie ems The

Cutting edgeof

AntarcticaFlying the 7th Continent

1

1453 24 34

ISSUE 32

C O N T E N T S

r E g U l a r f E a T U r E S

From the Editor 3

New Products and Services 5

New Deliveries and Orders 9

Flight Dynamics 12

Job Opportunities 60

Personal Profile - David Muñoz Abalos 64

flYINg THE SEVENTH CONTINENTA pilot’s account of the unexpected

challenges encountered while

flying in one of the last great

frontiers – Antarctica. 14

MaINTENaNCE – THE PIlOT’S rOlEBill Reid looks at why the ‘right pilot’

for the job is one who cares

properly for the equipment

he or she flies. 24

MaSTErS Of THE MaTTErHOrNAir Zermatt is the guardian angel of

the Swiss Alps – on stand-by 24-7 to

rescue injured skiers and mountaineers,

operating in some of the most awe-

inspiring but perilous terrain. 34

flYINg IN THE POOlKen Brown tells of the varied and

demanding life as a ‘pool pilot’ for

PHI in the Gulf of Mexico. 43

THE CUTTINg EDgE Of aUSSIE EMS – COVEr STOrY

Australia tightens the safety net

with the introduction of a unique

safety system. The Aviation Safety

Network is up and running,

but what is it? 53

COVEr SHOT bY ned dawson

©2005 Bell® Helicopter Textron Inc., all rights reserved.

the 429

JOB #: M6529TITLE: 429 CORPORATE ADPRINT PRODUCER: DENISE SWIERC (972) 830-2403PROJECT/TRAFFIC MGR.: KRISTIE KINGART DIRECTOR: STEPHEN LOHRSHIP: 5/12/05PUBLICATION & INSERTION DATE:Heli Ops – May/June

PUBLICATION: DO NOT PRINT DOTTED LINE OR BELOW

Agency Approvals: INITIALS DATE

Proofreader _______ _______

Copywriter _______ _______

Art Director _______ _______

Creative Director _______ _______

Account Exec. _______ _______

Supervisors: INITIALS DATE

Acct. Sup. _______ _______

Mgmt. Sup. _______ _______

Prod. Mgr. _______ _______

Client Approval: INITIALS DATE

_______ _______

M6529-3 • Bell Helicopter Duped from M6529-1 by: byn

Path: ClientsA-L:BellHelicopter:Jobs:MJobs:M6500Jobs: Proof #2Trim: 210mm x 297mm Bleed: 220mmw x 307mm Live: 180mm x 257mmPage 1 of 1 Date: 5/3/05 Time: 4:00 pmInks: 4/C Revised by: tn CPS CheckOut: _________

M6529-3_210mmx297mm.indd 1 5/12/05 5:42:13 PM

3

Mark Ogden

f r O M t h e e d i t O r

PUBLIsHeRNeville (Ned) Dawson

edIToRMark Ogden

dePUTy edIToRrob Neil

PRoJeCT ManaGeRCathy Horton

PRoofReadeRbarbara McIntosh

desIGngraphic Design Services ltd

PRe-PRessCrosspoint Media ltd

PRInTInGPrint World

ITaLIan CoRResPondenTDamiano gualdoni

sCandInavIan CoRResPondenTrickard gilberg

RUssIan CoRResPondenTMaxim Kuzovkov

edIToRIaL addRessOceania group Intl. PO box 37 978 Parnell auckland New Zealand PHONE: + 64 21 757 747 faX: + 64 9 528 3172

eMaILinfo@oceania-group.com

weBsITewww.heliopsmag.com

is published by Oceania group Intl. Contents are copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Most articles are commisioned but quality contributions will be considered, whilst every care is taken Oceania group Intl accept no responsability for submitted material. all views expressed in HeliOps are not necesssarily those of Oceania group Intl.

I recently attended a going away

function for Peter Hollier of the NSW Rural

Fire Service, here in Australia. RFS uses,

rather than owns or operates helicopters,

and it was pleasantly surprizing to hear

attendees discussing some of the articles

that had appeared in HeliOps, and how

these had been of real interest and benefit

to them.

It’s become even more apparent how

HeliOps has become such a valuable tool

for not just pilots and operators, but the

wider industry, which encompasses such

diverse industries as Oil & Gas, mining

and seismic, through to the Fortune

500 companies that use helicopters as

corporate transportation. The feedback

we have been receiving lately has shown

us that HeliOps is becoming a ‘must have’

by those spearheading the direction of the

civil helicopter industry worldwide.

In my last editorial, I touched on the

issue of the introduction of Night Vision

Goggles (NVGs) across the industry and

the different treatment that various

authorities are taking to their introduction.

I received a bit of flak from an Australian

operator for my criticism of the Civil

Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and its

protracted process for the introduction of

NVGs. I accept his point of view,

although I don’t necessarily agree with it.

The good news is, that following

recent work done by the Victorian Police

Air Wing and significant co-operation

between CASA and the Helicopter

Association of Australasia (HAA), a

workable use of NVGs in Australia may

not be far away.

The Australian Transport Safety

Bureau (ATSB) has also just published a

research paper on the use of NVGs in Civil

Helicopter Operations which provides a

good roundup of the issues involved with

the introduction of NVGs. The Bureau

(http://www.atsb.gov.au) has also produced

a paper concerning the risks associated

with aerial campaign management (as a

result of a series of helicopter accidents

during a locust spraying campaign). The

reason I raise these two papers is that

they both have a common theme – risk

management. There is no doubt that the

proper application of risk management

to helicopter operations is essential,

especially when NVGs are introduced into

the equation.

Our article on helmets in the last

issue, also attracted much feedback. One

reader noted that his experience with

helmets was not good.

He said that he was yet to wear a

helmet that did not increase his fatigue

level, especially while doing vertical

reference work, and that his David Clark

headset with Oregon Aero options was

a whole magnitude quieter than any

helmet he had worn. He believed that

headsets were great at protecting the

wearer from the ‘fatigue accident’ that

wearing a helmet could cause. As I noted

to the writer, I spent several years as a

crash investigator and looked at many

accidents which did, and many that did

not involve helmets. My research indicated

that it was technically impossible for the

headset to be quieter than a helmet, if the

helmet is being used with CEP or ANR that

is tuned to the aircraft. Also, the headset

cannot provide the impact resistance that

a helmet can. I have seen many people

survive helicopter accidents because they

were wearing helmets and I have seen

deaths in otherwise survivable accidents

because helmets were not being worn.

I have never seen a death caused by a

helmet being worn.

Modern helmets do not weigh enough

to really cause fatigue. I wear an Alpha

day in and day out and have not suffered

fatigue as a result of the helmet, but as I

don’t do vertical reference work, I won’t

say it can’t happen. I suggest however, as

I did in the article, if you decide that you

are going to wear a helmet, find one that

works best for you, and is best suited for

the work and aircraft being flown.

Having said all that though, it is good

to hear from our readers – and even if

we don’t always agree, the discussion is

worthwhile!!!

Keep it coming! n

THE ONLY THING IT LACKS IS AN EQUAL.

THE NEW BENCHMARK.

The AB139 is more than a new aircraft; it is the new benchmark for executive helicopters. Designed from the ground up to meet the rigorous standards of those who demand the best,the AB139 surpasses all other medium twin-engine helicopters in speed, performance, safety, ride quality, and passenger cabin space. From its sleek design to its state-of-the-artHoneywell avionics to its luxurious accommodations and low noise signature, the AB139 is setting new standards.

2301 Horizon Drive, Ft. Worth, TX 76177-5300, tel 817.278.9600, www.bellagusta.com

7649_2 Corp_VIP_HeliOps.indd 1 5/20/05 7:20:43 AM

n e w p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v i c e s

Windows from Tech-Tool Plastics are the helicopter replacement windows

of choice for airborne law enforcers. That’s because every window we make

is hand crafted for superior clarity and a perfect fit right out of the box.

Only Tech-Tool Plastics offers Cabin Comfort windows, which actually

expand the space in cramped cockpits…and our easy-to-use

window slides are ideal for photography and observation

missions. What’s more, Tech-Tool designs and builds

windows for virtually every model helicopter in

service with law enforcement around the globe.

The most wanted windows in law enforcement.

Tech-Tool Plastics Inc., 7800 Skyline Park Drive, Fort Worth TX 76108 USA1-800-433-2210 1-817-246-4694 fax 1-817-246-7402 www.tech-tool.com

TT P13 ads HO.indd 1 5/6/05 2:10:19 PM

NEW 480 DaMPErThe LORD Corporation has announced that Enstrom Helicopter Corp. recently received certification for the newly designed elastomeric dampers for the Model 480B. The elastomeric dampers are offered for retrofit of fielded Model 480B helicopters and have been incorporated on new production aircraft. Designed by LORD, the dampers replace the current hydraulic dampers and according to the company, the dampers have already shown to improve ground operation, ride and handling qualities. Further, the dampers are expected to decrease maintenance costs. LORD said that the 480’s increased power generated from the turbine engine created performance and reliability challenges for the hydraulic main rotor damper. Building on more than eight decades of experience designing unique solutions to manage vibration, motion and noise in aircraft, LORD began the improved damper development by reviewing damper load and motion data generated from an instrumented aircraft. An elastomeric damper was designed based on the flight test data and LORD’s analysis of the 480B aircraft dynamics. The elastomeric damper entered bench and flight test certification in 2002, and achieved FAA certification for use in January 2005.

DUbaI’S fIrST VIP HElICOPTEr SErVICEHeli Dubai, a company established by the Government of Dubai, has been officially launched in Dubai. His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Commander of UAE Armed Forces, established Heli Dubai in 2004. The company intends to provide a new standard of helicopter services both in Dubai and the UAE. The company also has further plans for expansion into the regional and global market, both onshore and offshore. The flagship aircraft is the Agusta 109E Power. Configured as a five passenger VIP corporate transport aircraft, the helicopter offers a full leather interior, air-conditioning, a quiet cabin, and twin-engine safety in the most powerful helicopter of its class in the world. At present Heli Dubai has two of these aircraft operational with two Agusta Grandes on order for delivery in 2006.

NEW TraINErS frOM gEOSIMGeoSim recently showcased its new 206 Rotor Wing Synthetic trainer (CAZ04) at the Australian International Air Show. The Synthetic trainer boasts a CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) FSD2 cat B accreditation which affords 20 hours for instrument rating, as well as currency and recency credits in Australia. The company says that during the Air Show the trade days saw a number of military and civilian pilots test the trainer, with the majority of the pilots commenting on the realistic handling and superior training capabilities of the machine. The cockpit mock-up of the CAZ04 replicates that of the Bell 206 with a fully functioning radio stack and instrumentation. GeoSim says that through one of its associate companies, it is also able to offer a DIS/HLA capability, making it an ideal training device in a military application. GeoSim’s new trainer is priced at around AU $89,000. The company is also able to offer wrap-around screens, dual controls, customised scenery and a motion platform to those companies wishing to expand their standard 206 platform. GeoSim is able to offer the market to other Rotor Wing trainers including the R22 and AS350.

VErTICal aDVaNCESikorsky Aircraft has announced plans to build and fly an X2 Technology demonstrator helicopter by the end of 2006. The X2 demonstrator will feature a coaxial design (two rotors on the same axis) and a ‘pusher prop’ to supply auxiliary propulsion that will enable the aircraft to reach high speeds of 250 knots.

UP-TO-DaTE COCKPITThe FAA has granted STC approval for the installation of the Chelton FlightLogic synthetic vision EFIS systems in the Bell 204/205. The systems feature the Chelton primary flight display with forward-looking synthetic vision, a multifunction moving map display, GPS WAAS, full FMS, helicopter TAWS, air data computer with fuel totalizer, solid-state strap-down AHRS, master caution voice warning system, digital flight recorder, and NVG compatibility.

n e w p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v i c e s

rEga aDOPTS NEW TECHNOlOgYSwiss Air-Rescue (Rega) has adopted FLARM (Flight Alarm), a small collision avoidance device containing GPS technology developed by u-blox AG.FLARM was initially developed to reduce glider aircraft mid-air collisions. It couples a u-blox GPS receiver and a radio transceiver that can broadcast the position of any aircraft to other pilots who employ the system. It then uses acoustic and optical alerts to warn pilots of any possible conflicts, or of fixed obstacles like cables or antennae, to significantly reduce the risk of mid-air accidents. FLARM was introduced in early 2004 and within a year and a half, 90% of the Swiss and Austrian glider aircraft were equipped with the system. In spring 2005 there were already more than 2,500 FLARM devices in use in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand and South Africa.

INDICaTOr WITH aTTITUDESince the product launch of Mid-Continent Instruments’ Lifesaver® Attitude Indicator (AI), five original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) now offer the Lifesaver® which is the only AI currently offered with a built-in battery backup. The Lifesaver® provides up to one hour of illuminated emergency attitude reference, even if every other vacuum or electrical system in an aircraft avionics panel fails. OEMs are required to offer a back up, but the next-best option, according to the company, is a three-piece system that may not provide one hour of operation, is not fully automatic, and weighs more than four times as much (16lb versus 3.7lb). The Lifesaver® outlasts the nearest competition with a service life that’s more than three times as long - 7,500 hours. Anti-reflective glass and internal emergency lighting enhance visibility and reduce pilot fatigue. In addition to the OEM market, the Lifesaver® is making a substantial penetration into the aftermarket. A large range of aircraft currently use the Lifesaver®; general aviation, corporate, regional and helicopters.

flYINg ON THE OUTSIDETyler Technologies, a division of Tyler Camera Systems, manufactures the Tyler Special Operations Platform (TSOP) which has received approval to be used to carry crewmembers outside the helicopter. Previously, personnel were carried externally under ‘Public Use’ or ‘Experimental’ categories. The new change to the TSOP STC allows crewmembers or other persons necessary for the conduct of external load operations to be carried in accordance with 14 CFR section 133.35.Primarily, this amendment now allows utility and powerline customers to use the TSOP for external load operations (i.e. a workman on the platform). It will also assist airborne law enforcement agencies that do not carry ‘Public Aircraft Operations’ insurance to utilize the TSOP under FAA Part 133.35. The TSOP consists of externally mounted cargo platforms on each side of the helicopter for transporting and deploying personnel. Additionally, the TSOP provides utility and powerline companies with an external work platform. In the post 9-11 era, this equipment is also expanding the counter-terrorism capabilities of law enforcement agencies worldwide.

NEW MOUNTMeeker Aviation and AirFilm Camera Systems have announced that they had received an FAA STC for a new AS350 / 355 Lower Left Hand Down Post camera / sensor mount. Designed and manufactured by AirFilm and sold through Meeker Aviation, the mount offers the following distinct features:• 120lbpayloadcapacity,includingsensorssuchastheFLIR

StarSafire series, Ultra 7000-8000 series,Wescam MX-12, Model 12DS series, Polytech and Taman sensors.

• solidbilletaluminum,bolttogetherconstruction.nowelds• easytoinstall,mountclampsdirectlytoairframe.No

fastners added or removed from original airframe. Install or remove in minutes.

• mountweight,6lb• optionalGenIIdovetailcertified,easesremovaland

installation of payload.

JaPaNESE SEE IN THE DarKFLIR Systems, Inc. has received a contract from the Japanese National Police Agency (JNPA) to provide its latest generation Star SAFIRE® III airborne camera system to support local operations and counter-terrorism missions. The systems will be used throughout Japan on rotary wing aircraft.

N E W D E l I V E r I E S a N D O r D E r S

fIrST fOr NOrTHErN IrElaNDNorthern Ireland’s first police helicopter is in the air. The Eurocopter EC135 will be based at Aldergrove in County Antrim. It will be used to pursue criminals, manage parades, search for missing people and gather video evidence. It will be flown by a civilian contract pilot who will work with two police observers. Police plan to use it 18 hours a day, seven days a week. Previously the force had mainly relied on the Army for aerial reconnaissance, although there was a police plane.

SaraWaK gOES frENCHSarawak police recently took delivery of an RM12 million Ecureuil AS 355N. The helicopter is the second of its model to be deployed for use by the Sarawak police. The first took to the skies in 1990.

braND NEW S-61 fOr fIrE SEaSONHawaiian operator Pacific Helicopter Tours have introduced what has to be the best utility configured S-61 to the Southern California fire season. After an extensive rebuild the 61 started its contract wearing the distinctive USFS paint scheme. According to CEO Tom Hauptman, “you could eat off the floor of this helicopter”.

PaWaN EUrOCOPTErSPawan Hans Helicopters Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Eurocopter for the purchase of two Dauphin AS365N3 helicopters, with an option to purchase two more.

bC HElICOPTErS gET 10TH CbIBC Helicopters, a flight training school and charter operator in Abbotsford, British Columbia recently took delivery of their tenth 300 CBi. Owner Gerry Friesen, took delivery of the aircraft at the Schweizer factory and flew it 2,400 miles to Abbotsford, the fifth new CBi that Friesen has flown on this route. The Schweizer, as well as being used in the flight school is being used for photography, reconnaissance, and other charter roles. In 2001, the flight school switched to an all Schweizer 300CBi fleet. “The CBi’s flight characteristics and safety record make it the best training helicopter in the world. These aircraft provide excellent operating margins, which are critical for conducting our demanding mountain flying training course. Likewise, the roomy cabin allows us to cater to a variety of students and charter customers alike,” Friesen said.

Tel: (800) 275-0883 or USA (360) 546-3072 Fax: USA (360) 546-3073

info@OnboardSystems.com / www.OnboardSystems.com

CARGO HOOK EQUIPMENT

Contact Us For Our CargoHook Equipment Catalog!

• Cargo Hook Suspension Systems

• TALON™ Belly Cargo Hooks

• TALON™ Long Line Cargo Hooks

• Onboard™ Weighing Systems

Helicopter Load&

Lifting Solutions

N E W D E l I V E r I E S a N D O r D E r S

THE rISE Of THE PHOENIXCanadian operator Phoenix Heliflight has added a very distinctive EC130 to its fleet. The one of a kind paint scheme will be seen around the country as the 130 is used for charter work, seismic, and oil field support. The unique paint scheme carries on the tradition of impressive paint schemes that Heliflight started on their previous EC120.

SIKOrSKIES gO fISHINgSikorsky Aircraft and the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Department of Xunta de Galicia in Spain have marked the purchase of two S-76C+ helicopters due for delivery in June. The Xunta’s main mission is search and rescue over sea and land, and fisheries surveillance and inspection. Secondary missions include support of emergency medical services, civil protection, security activities and general logistics work. The Xunta de Galicia’s search and rescue service provides Coast Guard coverage off northwest Spain. Created in 1990, it was the first of its kind in Spain and the second in Europe. The service had previously leased its helicopters, but it had selected the S-76C+ in April last year.

HElITaNKEr fOr KOrEaThe Korea Forest Service (KFS) has ordered a second S-64E Aircrane Helitanker with a comprehensive firefighting component package. The components include a 2,650-gallon (10,000 liter) tank, a flexible hose ‘Hover Snorkel’, and ‘Water Cannon’. The S-64 will also be outfitted with a single point pendant rigging system for external load lifting operations when the helicopter is not being used for fire suppression. The helicopter will feature advanced items such as cockpit voice recorders and communication and navigation systems from Rockwell Collins and Garmin. A substantial spare parts, support, and training package within the purchase agreement includes ground school and flight training for pilots and a ten week technical training course for mechanics. Erickson will build the S-64 Aircrane within the current planned production schedule, with delivery to the Korea Forest Service slated for December 2006.

HElISUrESTE EXPaNDS HEMS aND SHUTTlE flEET Spain’s Helisureste has added a sixth Agusta A109 E Power to its fleet. The aircraft, which is based in Teruel, will be placed on a HEMS contract and will operate in the Aragon province. The company took delivery of its latest fleet addition in March and anticipates that it will log between 250 to 300 hours per year. As well as acquiring the sixth Power for HEMS work, the company should receive two new Bell 412EPs in the coming months, which will increase their 412 fleet to twelve.

12

f l I g H T D Y N a M I C S

In this issue’s Flight

Dynamics column

we have published

a response that we

received to Mott

Stanchfields article

on autorotation which

appeared in the

Nov/Dec 2004,

Issue 29 of Heli Ops.

I have met mott as he once

worked at Enstrom, and I have no doubt

that neither my hours nor my abilities

will ever approach his. However, while

I have the greatest respect for Mott

Stanchfield, one needs only to look at our

industry insurance premiums these days

to realize that his feelings about touch-

down autorotations need to be seriously

questioned.

As an industry, we bend more metal

practicing autorotations than while

engaging in any other single activity.

A small but growing number of CFIs,

and a few in the FAA are coming to the

conclusion that we spend too much time

in practicing a maneuver that can be

reasonably dangerous when not executed

perfectly. Even the US Army, with all of its

infinite resources, has abandoned training

touch-down autorotations due to the

numbers of accidents incurred.

The single greatest factor that

determines the successful outcome

of an in-flight power failure is where

it happens. If the pilot cannot reach a

reasonable landing spot, being the best

autorotation king in the world will do no

good. An analysis of HAI accident statistics

shows that only in some 7 to 8% of the

power-related accidents reviewed during

2003, would currency in touch-down

autorotation training have possibly made

a difference to the outcome. On the other

hand, 13 to 14% of the training accidents

occurred during run-on landings and

touch-down autorotations.

According to some industry statistics

that I saw a few years ago, the odds of

a power failure in a turbine-powered

aircraft are one in about 79,000 hours, and

I agree with Frank Robinson that properly

maintained piston aircraft have an equal

to, or better record than the turbines do.

Again, a search of the accident statistics

shows that the odds of breaking the

helicopter during touch-down autorotation

practice is much higher than the odds of

an actual engine failure. Experience shows

that if the pilot can execute a power-

recovery autorotation, and also a hovering

auto, he has all the skills necessary to

execute a real emergency landing if the

need should occur.

Further analysis of accidents gives us

some hints on how to keep autorotation

practice as safe as possible. In our factory

training programs we emphasise the

following safety practices to try to lessen

the odds of a training accident. There is

nothing that sends a worse message than

busting an aircraft during safety training!

What is the point of risking an aircraft in

training for a maneuver that isn’t likely to

happen? Never chop the throttle. This is

an invitation for an engine failure, both in

a turbine and piston aircraft.

In a light turbine, or a correlated

piston helicopter, all the pilot has to

do to enter a realistic auto is to gently

bottom the collective. If the collective is

down, the needles are split, and/or the

manifold pressure or torque is less than

what is necessary to turn the blades in

flat pitch on the ground, the helicopter

is in autorotation. As Mott states, any

residual power that might be feeding the

rotor is immaterial and will not affect

training. Keeping the engine RPMs up

helps ensure that it will stay running.

Piston engines rarely quit dead; usually

(although not always) they fail slowly, and

with the exception of one particularly light

helicopter, split-second reactions getting

the collective down just aren’t warranted.

In our factory training, we do not

teach touch-down autos except for

hovering autos. We do recognize that they

are required for a CFI ride, and have a

procedure for teaching them in that case.

The outcome of the auto is not decided

until the flare. When the auto is initiated,

it is understood that it will be a power

recovery. If during the flare, everything is

perfect and the outcome is not in doubt,

then the throttle is gently rolled off.

There is less embarrassment in rescuing

a poor auto with a power recovery than in

breaking the helicopter!

If touch-downs are to be practiced,

the wind must be at least eight knots and

the temperature below 85°F. Otherwise

we wait for a better day. Doing a power

recovery with a slight amount of forward

airspeed makes a huge difference in the

power needed for the recovery. In the

case of the touch-down, a bit of forward

movement during the landing gets the

nose down and helps keep the tail rotor

clear of the ground. If you are doing power

recoveries, watch the manifold pressure

or torque on a full stop auto and then a

recovery using even just one rotor blade

diameter of forward movement - power

required can be as little as half.

Also, teaching the student to get the

nose over during the recovery (or landing)

has the advantage of preventing him (or

her) from pulling pitch during the flare

and thus pulling through the down-

wash, or banging the tail on the ground.

Landing into the wind is the biggest factor

contributing to a successful landing in an

actual auto once a suitable landing spot

is reached. There is a growing group of

instructors who feel that in a CFI ride, an

endorsement for touch-down autos should

be allowed just as a spin endorsement is

sufficient for airplane CFI rides.

Helicopter flight instruction needs

to evolve just as multi-engine airplane

training did in past years. No one in his

right mind pulls engine failures on take-

off any more. As helicopter pilots and

instructors, we need to be aware that one

of the reasons for our exploding insurance

premiums is the number of helicopters

damaged during flight instruction. As an

industry, we need to consider that we

might be putting too much emphasis

on training for an emergency that is so

unlikely.

Sincerely,

P Bayard duPont, CFIDirector of Product SupportEnstrom Helicopter Corp

15

FLYING SeventhContinent

Antarctica is one of the last great earth-bound frontiers

for man. The helicopter is vital to life ‘on the ice’ and

invaluable to its exploration – but as DusTin BlAck

explains, this last frontier presents some unexpected

challenges for the helicopter and its pilot.

the

Photos by dustin black

16

Like so many peopLe, I had a preconceived notion of what Antarctica was – a barren inhospitable desolate place of endless ice and wretchedness. I was to discover that I could not have

been more wrong.

Granted, Antarctica is the driest,

windiest, coldest, and most distant place

from humanity on Earth, but it is also

one of the most vibrant and contrasting

places I have been. Flying helicopters

there was the culmination and ultimate

test of my 22 years of aviation experience

that has included military flying in Bell

Hueys and Cobras, and civil work in the

Gulf of Mexico flying Bell 206 Jet Rangers,

412s, and 407s, and Bolkow BO-105s for

Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI).

For the past nine years, PHI has been

flying helicopters under contract for the

National Science Foundation in support

of McMurdo Base in Antarctica. I was

given the opportunity to travel to an

environment which was in total contrast

to flying in the Gulf of Mexico and join

their ice-based operation.

PrePPing UPBefore embarking on my first season

‘on the ice’, I was required to attend

qualification training in the AS350B2

ASTAR and the Bell 212. Having been

a ‘Bell man’ all my life, a bit of ‘habit

reconditioning’ was necessary for me

to become accustomed to the AS350’s

clockwise-turning rotor – the opposite

of what I’m used to – and it required

an interesting change in motor skills

making opposite pedal inputs for power

applications. When landing the AS350, if I

wasn’t gentle in my technique, the tangs

(metal spring bars) connected to the rear

of the skids could cause a bit of a dance

– a bit like riding a pogo stick, and quite

amusing for those watching I’m sure!

En-route to the ice, I spent a week in

tOP RiGHt: Mt erebus is barely

recognizable in the background

–highlighting why the majority of

aircraft accidents in Antarctica are

caused by loss of visual reference.

abOVE lEFt and MiddlE: not

exactly the hilton – two examples

of field camps set up in the

taylor Valley.

abOVE RiGHt: Maintenance

teams are regularly flown in to

check or repair remote automated

weather stations.

My first exposure

to the continent was

the ice runway and

an outside temperature

of -30°c (-22°F)

with clear blue skies

and no wind…

17

Christchurch, New Zealand, undergoing

classroom instruction in cold weather

survival, Antarctic Treaty familiarization,

and sea-ice conditions. Here too, I

received the mandatory cold weather

clothing issue from the US Antarctic

Clothing Distribution Center that

included a wide range of layers – all of

which I was advised to take. However,

having packed some items before leaving

the States, I did not need all the issued

gear so, except for a few mandatory

items, (a large red parka, special air

insulated boots, bear paw mittens, and

outer layer wind pants), I was able to

lighten my load and return a few items –

including the itchy wool undergarments,

which brought me under the personal

cargo weight limit of 70 lb (31.75 kg) per

person.

We deployed aboard a US Air Force

C-17 to Antarctica where my first

exposure to the continent was the ice

runway and an outside temperature of

-30°C (-22°F) with clear blue skies and no

wind – quite pleasant actually.

abOVE: Lenticular clouds shroud

Mt erebus – the mountain which

26 years ago, claimed the lives of

257 people on a sight-seeing trip

onboard an Air new Zealand DC-10.

lEFt: An external cargo basket

attached to the left side of the

airframe, could carry a maximum

of 200 lb and was used to transport

equipment to outlying locations.

A good rule of thumb

when operating at

these altitudes was

to never assume you

could do today what

you did yesterday.

18

crosswind and wind shear meant there

was no way to approach into wind. I

opted to make the landing another day!

AirsPACeThe only controlled airspace on the

continent is at McMurdo where the US Air

Force has established Class D airspace

around the ice runway. The airspace and

approaches are checked each year by the

FAA, just as they would be at ordinary

land-based airports, to ensure that all

navaids and systems are functioning

properly for each published approach.

Since the helicopters are flown

single-pilot and do not have 3-axis

autopilots, they do not meet instrument

flight rule (IFR) requirements. However,

in an emergency, such as inadvertently

entering instrument meteorological

condition (IMC), helicopter pilots can

request a ‘no-gyro precision approach’,

although obviously the preferred option

is to divert elsewhere and wait for

conditions to improve.

erebUsMount Erebus is an active volcano

on Ross Island rising from sea level to

13,444 ft AMSL. An Air New Zealand DC-

10 passenger jet hit this mountain 26

years ago killing the 257 people onboard,

highlighting the fact that for even the

most sophisticated aircraft, the Antarctic

will always be a challenge.

on the iCeInitial orientation flights over the

area of operations took three days to

complete and we only flew the local area

– specifically Ross Island, Marble Point

staging area, the Dry Valleys, Mount

Erebus, the Windless Bight, the Royal

Societies Range, Black Island, Beaufort

Island, White Island, Minna Bluff, Kukri

Hills, Asgard Range, Olympus Range, and

the upper Plateau.

Dual GPS was mandatory for each

aircraft and was essential, as magnetic

compasses are useless in the Antarctic

with a magnetic deviation of 140°E at

McMurdo! The magnetic South Pole is

nearly 1,600 miles north-west of the

geographical South Pole.

Each area of operations had its

own challenges and awe-inspiring

beauty. Since flights were conducted

single-pilot, the expectations on each

crewmember were high. Although flight

planning was done as a group and the

more experienced pilots proffered their

practical knowledge, the successful

execution of the task fell to the

individual.

My two greatest challenges were

weather and wind – the weather because

it moved so fast and didn’t always match

the forecasts, and the wind because of its

force and rapid changes of direction. On

one occasion when I attempted a landing

at 7,500 ft, the combination of tailwind,

abOVE: sir edmund hillary arrives

at Lake hoare Camp.

abOVE RiGHt: For odd-shaped

loads the riggers would make fins

out of plywood or bamboo poles

with flags to stabilize

them in flight.

Dual GPs was

mandatory for each

aircraft and was

essential, as magnetic

compasses are useless

in the Antarctic.

19

There were three camps at Erebus, as

well as several seismic sites, two radio

repeater sites and a crater observation

site. Aircrews were required to use

supplemental oxygen above 10,000 ft,

breathing from an oxygen cylinder via a

nasal cannular. Since the only

de-icing facility in the helicopter was

in its fuel control system, flights up Mt

Erebus were only conducted in clear

weather conditions and the use of

the aircraft performance charts was

mandatory for flight planning. A good

rule of thumb when operating at these

altitudes was to never assume you could

do today what you did yesterday.

Sling loads required significant

finesse at lower elevations and a great

deal of attention to detail at 13,000 ft.

Although the temperatures ranged from

-20 to -34°C (-4 to -29°F), the density

altitudes (DA) were often around 12,000

ft. Consequently, there was often little

difference between power-available and

power-required, which did not leave

much margin for error.

Most of the heavy lifting was done by

the 212s, which were equipped with cargo

hooks capable of lifting 4,000 lb and had a

maximum gross weight of 11,200 lb.

The AS350s moved the smaller loads

and teams. Each AS350 was equipped

with the DART Aerospace cargo system.

An external cargo basket, attached to

the left side of the airframe, could carry

a maximum of 200 lb. Internal cargo

compartments could carry an additional

364 lb on the left side, and 320 lb on the

right and a tail-boom compartment, 55 lb.

With a max gross weight of 5,212 lb, each

AS350 was also equipped with a Swing

Sling (a cargo hook configured inside a

separate mounting frame attached to

the undercarriage of the aircraft which

allowed the hook to move fore and aft,

as well as sideways) capable of lifting

1,500 lb.

Since most of the cargo was moved

using slings, several configurations were

available. Cargo nets were by far the most

stable loads to fly. We had several double

or stacked loads, one on top of the other,

separated by a swivel and clevis line.

Long lines were flown with two pilots for

safety. Most loads were flown with

a ‘Becky Rig’ using a clevis, swivel and

15 or 30-ft cables. Loads ranged from

150-2,300 lb and for odd-shaped loads the

riggers would make fins out of plywood

or simple bamboo poles with flags to

stabilize them in flight.

own CLoUDAn unusual phenomenon that

occurred at altitude during certain

weather conditions was helicopter blade

contrailing where the combination of

pressure, temperature and moisture

as the blades moved through the air

produced a situation where we made

“There was often little

difference between

power-available and

power-required, which

did not leave much

margin for error.”

abOVE: Mt odin towers

above a Phi As350 b2 while

dropping off scientists in the

wright Valley.

our own cloud. I had never encountered

this before, nor was it ever taught in any

classroom I sat in. More than a few times

the 212s were unable to land because

they would send themselves ‘IMC’.

I found that the AS350B2 (as an

airframe) performed very well at these

altitudes. Typically, helicopter controls

become sluggish at higher altitudes,

with a need to plan approaches using

slower airspeeds and allowing room to

adjust. I did not find this to be the case

with the AS350 whose controls remained

responsive throughout. Regardless of

type though, at higher true airspeeds,

more allowance had to be made for every

helicopter’s inertia.

Since the camp on Mt Erebus was

only a few miles away from McMurdo, it

was essential that pilots planned using

the helicopters’ rate-of-climb charts.

The manufacturers’ engineers spent a

lot of time researching these pages – and

guess what? They do work! However, we

still tended to leave room for safety and

edged towards the conservative when

interpolating data. There were several

variations in aircraft weight depending

on installed equipment so it was essential

that the pilots used the correct flight

manual charts.

Contacting the camps to get up-

to-date weather conditions helped

the pilots in their flight planning and

often determined a flight’s feasibility,

as the exact temperature and DA from

the camps allowed for more accurate

calculations.

One scientific study necessitated my

flying back and forth under the exhaust

abOVE: After landing on the

rock glacier in the beacon

Valley, i thought, “this is

what it must be like to land

on Mars!”

plume of the volcano with a scientist

aboard measuring the gases with two

laptops, and an IR photo sensor. After

doing the performance calculations I was

able to fly at altitudes of 17,800 ft PA or

nearly 16,000 ft DA and accomplished

the flight without reaching any system

limits on the airframe or engine. This

was a new record for me in altitude work,

and I was very happy with the aircraft’s

performance.

working with the eLeMentsFlying over the vast expanse of the

Windless Bight could provide a surreal experience due to the contrast of white snow underneath against blue sky above – almost the wrong way around. The Antarctic terrain has a gradual rise from sea level at McMurdo to 10,000 ft at the South Pole, some 800 miles away! Without a radar altimeter, it is difficult for a pilot to determine height above the

lEFt: Aztec Mountain in

the beacon Valley

The contrasts in

geographic shapes

and colours are

comparable to those

of the Grand canyon.

ground, and during overcast conditions,

nearly impossible. Loss of visual reference

has caused the majority of aircraft

accidents in Antarctica.

Landing in the Bight posed other

challenges including whiteout conditions,

lack of terrain features by which to judge

distances, and/or hidden crevasses.

While the wind would sculpt the surface

snow much like it does sand in a desert,

giving the ground some definition, I

found that a slow deliberate approach,

leaving me room and power to choose

whether to terminate or to go around,

worked best. A constant scan outside the

aircraft was essential.

One of our tasks was to fly

maintenance teams to check or repair

various remote automated weather

stations scattered about Antarctica.

During approaches to these

stations, winds on the surface could

cause snow to blow, giving a false illusion

of forward speed. A technique I used

to overcome this was to position the

helicopter near the weather-site

antennae and use the antennae to judge

my rate of closure.

Sea ice posed other unique challenges.

During the course of the summer season,

the sea ice changes in thickness and

porosity. Surface melt leaves pools of

water that are easy to distinguish,

but the hazard lies in what cannot be

seen – the thickness of the ice. When

helicopters operate on sea ice,

crews must rely on others to drill holes

to check the thickness and water content

in ice chips. While the pilot keeps the

helicopter light on the skids, crews climb

out and drill several holes to

measure ice conditions. We required

36-inch thickness for the 212s and

24-inches for the AS350s.

The Dry Valleys are so named

because of the lack of snow accumulation

at lower altitudes. These valleys

are some of the most spectacular in

Antarctica. The contrasts in geographic

shapes and colours are comparable to

those of the Grand Canyon – or flying on

a distant planet! Glaciers feed freshwater

lakes and during the summer season,

streams run from melting ice.

The bulk of scientific work in

the Valleys was done when teams

lived in the field. Helicopters supported

these camps with equipment and

personnel on a rotational basis.

As one scientific group finished its

research, another team moved in.

Flying the Dry Valleys covered

all aspects of flying and tested the

capabilities of the aircrews and

machines. Confined areas with only one

way in and out were common.

The terrain was uneven, filled with

large rocks and deep gullies. Altitudes

exceeding 10,000 ft AMSL, strong shifting

winds, and fast-moving storm systems

required a lot of preparation and flight

planning.

Despite its hazards, aviation is

essential to life and exploration in

Antarctica with several groups from

various countries constantly flying a

myriad of different aircraft types; Bell

212s, Eurocopter AS350B2s, MIL-2s,

Dauphins, Lockheed C-141s, C-17, C-130,

C-5, Ilyushin Il-76, Antonov AN-3s, and

De Havilland Twin Otters.

I learned some valuable lessons from

my time in Antarctica –chief among them

being; know and understand the limits

of your aircraft; take into account the

environment you are working in…and

take nothing for granted!

Antarctica is a place with zero

tolerance for error – and I can’t wait

to get back! n

hether it’s an impromptu

game of golf or a can’t

miss meeting downtown,

Enstrom will get you there in

style. Our helicopters are sleek

and sexy, like this 480B for

instance. Spacious and safe.

Fast and fun. So make the

good life even better with an

Enstrom. Anything else is, well,

just too hard.

W

ENSTROM HELICOPTER CORPORATION tel 1-906-863-1200 fax 1-906-863-6821 www.enstromhelicopter.com

Pilots of the Royal Oman

Police have the utmost faith

in their engineers carrying

out inspections, as seen here

prior to a medevac flight.

S A F E T Y F E A T U R E

Veteran helicopter operator, Bill Reid

shares his wisdom, borne of experience

– on the importance of looking after

machinery and tells why the ‘right pilot’

for the job is one who cares properly for

the equipment he or she flies.

Pilot’s Role

Maintenancethe

STORY bY bill reid

26

ThE hElicopTER industry is one of the most competitive businesses in the world of commerce. Charge-out rates can vary immensely between individual operators and from country-to-country for given types. Often you will hear an operator complaining that a competitor down the road is charging unsustainable rates that will send him broke in six months, and make things difficult for everyone else in the meantime. Regardless of whether this is true or not, the best way to stay ahead of the competition is to keep costs down and to be innovative in the use

of equipment.

An operator’s biggest cost is

maintenance. I learnt very early on,

that the best way to keep maintenance

costs down and remain in business was

to make sure that my helicopters and

ancillary equipment were looked after

and treated as prized possessions. Not

only does looking after equipment pay off

in lower maintenance costs, it leads to

other financial benefits as well. When an

insurance broker pays his annual visit he

is far more likely to offer lower premiums

for a highly polished helicopter in a clean

and tidy hangar; a client carrying out a

pre-contract audit will also look more

favourably at a tidy operation. Trade-in

values will be higher at resale, and in

depressed markets a well-looked-after

aircraft will be the first to be sold.

The ability to extend the life of

components has a major impact

on maintenance costs and nothing

contributes more towards achieving

this than for pilots to remain within

flight manual parameters. It’s a pity

that it is not part of a pilot’s training

curriculum to spend a year or two in a

component overhaul shop, for there they

would learn the consequences of those

occasional over-torques, over-temps,

over-speeds or over-zealous actions that

Above: After a training mission

a Helicsa pilot assists his rescue

diver to rinse off the hoist cable

with fresh water to prevent

corrosion.

Above riGHT: When you are

lifting heavy logs all day,

periodic inspections during

refuelling stops and lunch is a

necessity. Pilot Wade Young has

a close look at the transmission

mounts on his bell 214b.

riGHT: Keeping your helicopter

clean is one of the best ways to

pick up any irregularities.

it’s a pity that it’s

not part of a pilot’s

training to spend

a year or two in a

component

overhaul shop.

27

make the difference between whether or

not a part achieves the manufacturer’s

recommended overhaul life.

As more and more new machines

are delivered with health and usage

monitoring systems installed, it is

surprising to hear how many pilots

gripe about not being able to hide things

– which highlights how much they

must have been abusing their aircraft

in the past!

I see a lot of indifference among

pilots in larger organizations. Some

have an almost ‘we break ‘em – you fix

‘em’ attitude towards engineering and

maintenance. I wonder how many of

them have read the second half of the

flight manual that deals with cleaning

and care. Too many pilots think that

maintenance does not feature in

their job specification, but my

theory is that if it is included in the

flight manual then pilots should not

only know about it, they should be

performing it.

I once took a flying job in Hong Kong;

it was all very ‘British’ in those days,

and one could have been forgiven for

thinking we were in the armed forces

rather than on a commercial operation.

We were all called captains, wore wings,

flew from the military base at Sek Kong,

drank in the officers’ mess and shopped

in the NAAFI. I had always been pretty

fussy about having clean perspex to look

through, so before going out flying on my

first day I got hold of some polish and

began cleaning the windows. Next thing

I was hauled over the coals and told that

pilots did not do cleaning –they had

‘boys’ to do that! I wondered how a pilot

could do a good pre-flight and get to

know his machine if he didn’t clean it

now and again.

Later, when I had my own business

I would tell the ground staff to leave

ToP leFT & Above: The Yuma

based crews of the US border

Patrol are the ‘eyes of the

night’ and both crewmembers

ensure that their AS350-b3 is

in perfect condition to assist

ground units in the capture of

illegal aliens trying to enter the

United States.

leFT: Cleaning his bell 430 and

talking on the phone – proof

that some pilots can multi-task.

i wondered how a

pilot could do a good

pre-flight and get to

know his machine if

he didn’t clean it now

and again.

New Zealand’s leading provider of helicopter heavy-lifting services

Timber extraction, fire-fighting,construction and general external

load work

Fleet of three Mil Mi-8MTV-1helicopters

External loads of up to 5,000kgInternal load capacity of 4,000kg

Specialising in the pick-up, rapidtransit and precision placement of

external loads

We position around Australasia andthe South Pacific

Heli Harvest LtdI8 Page Point, Howick

Auckland I704, New Zealand

Phone: +64 9 534 4803Fax: +64 9 534 4129

Email: info@heliharvest.co.nz

www.heliharvest.co.nz

Above: A thorough pre-flight

is essential for the mustering

pilot. You spend the day

operating at, or below tree top

height – an altitude where you

certainly can’t afford anything

to go wrong.

all the cleaning to the pilots. I had one

engineer who loved to deliberately

put greasy thumb prints on the highly

polished paintwork and watch to see if

pilots would wipe them off. Often, it is

only when cleaning an aircraft that a pilot

picks up and is able to correct a minor

fault that might otherwise become a

major engineering problem. For example,

a loose fastener streaking grime back

in the slipstream may be tightened

before the panel it secures tears off in

flight, with potentially catastrophic

consequences.

While there are clear lines of

demarcation between what a pilot can

and cannot do regarding maintenance,

there are provisions in the regulations

of most countries (at least those

modelled on the FARs), for pilots to

hold maintenance approvals to carry

out specific tasks that once required

licensed engineers’ attention.

Occasionally, manufacturers’ service

bulletins are issued requiring repetitive

inspections of rotor head or tail rotor

components, sometimes as frequently

as every five hours. For a helicopter

operating away from base in a remote

area it might be impractical to have an

engineer on hand, so the law allows for

suitably trained and approved pilots to

perform such tasks.

During my flying career spanning

some 30-plus years, I am proud of the

fact that almost without exception I have

assisted the engineers to carry out all the

routine inspection and major overhaul

work on the helicopters I flew. This gave

me a much greater understanding of my

aircraft and ensured I had them turned

around in the minimum time – another

financial benefit! I have been fortunate

to work with a great many engineers who

were willing to share their knowledge and

put up with a dumb pilot hanging around

the workshop.

WECO HeliOps ad 6-05.fh11 5/9/05 5:02 PM Page 1

Composite

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

We offer a convenientcombination of overhaulservices, exchange units,and component sales forthe aviation community,including:

• Corporate Fixed-WingAircraft • Helicopters

• OEMs • FBOs• Regional/Commercial

Airlines • Military

Call for more information:Headquarters: 800 531-4073or 916 645-8961So. California: 800 691-9326

Free T-shirt! Visit our website:www.wecoaerospace.com/heli

The International Standard in Aviation ServicesWECO is an interna-

tionally renowned over-haul facility specializingin electrical and electron-ic accessories and instru-ment service.

Often, it is only when

cleaning an aircraft

that a pilot picks up

and is able to correct a

minor fault that might

otherwise become

a major engineering

problem.

K YMC

32

HAnd PiCK YOUR PilOTSAny operator employing pilots should

look for people who do not mind picking

up a rag and keeping the equipment

clean. Operators should also look for

pilots who are interested in learning more

about the maintenance of their aircraft

and who are willing to help engineers

carry out inspections. A pilot who is

prepared to clean and learn more about

the machine, will invariably be the kind

of pilot who will also look after it in flight.

It is well worth looking for pilots

with practical mechanical knowledge,

who can work with engineers to address

issues, such as perhaps a lack of a

manufacturer’s sliding door kit, or a lousy

seating position that makes sling work

difficult – instead of those who simply

criticise or complain about a particular

helicopter’s shortcomings.

Because the helicopter industry is

ever-evolving, with people continually

thinking of new uses for these

remarkable machines, there is a big

market for ancillary equipment and

this is where mechanical knowledge

and experience is essential. The fact is

that no one helicopter is perfect for all

tasks, and it is quite rare – at least in

the general charter and utility market

– that a helicopter can be put to work

straight from the manufacturer; it almost

always requires extra equipment in the

form of radios, special windows, lifting

gear, EMS equipment, camera mounts,

spray gear, fire fighting tanks, power

line maintenance equipment or other

specialized gear.

Much of this sort of equipment has

evolved from the ideas of operational

crew – often pilots – suggesting ways for

jobs to be done more efficiently, and then

going ahead and working with designers

and engineers to come up with workable

solutions.

Next time you wonder how operator

XX down the road can operate more

competitively than you, ask yourself

these questions:

l Is that operator looking after his/her

machines better and experiencing

lower maintenance costs as a result?

l Is he or she getting higher utilization

because of more innovative

equipment?

If either is the case, then beware – it

may well be you who will be broke in six

months’ time.

Fly Safe. n

A pilot who is

prepared to clean

and learn more about

the machine, will

invariably be the

kind of pilot who

will also look after

it in flight.

Helitech:05w w w . h e l i t e c h . c o . u k

The largest helicopter exhibition in Europe

27-29 September 2005Imperial War Museum. Duxford. Cambridge. UK.

Contact:Sue Bradshaw

T: +44 (0) 20 8439 8886E: sue.bradshaw@spearhead.co.uk

Spearhead ExhibitionsOriel House, 26 The Quadrant

Richmond TW9 1DL

4277 Vertolet Ad 22/10/04 10:42 am Page 1

34

35

of the MatterhornTwenty Four Seven, the crews of Air Zermatt are ready and

waiting to rescue injured skiers and mountaineers in the

majestic Swiss Alps. HeliOps takes a look at the company

and a few of the operating challenges its pilots face in this

awe-inspiring terrain.

Masters

commercial work such as air-taxi and

lifting tasks.

With a fleet of helicopters that

includes the Lama, AS350 B2 and B3,

and its newest addition – an EC135,

Air Zermatt’s is a year-round rescue

operation. The winter work is primarily

that of recovering injured skiers. In

summer, it is the recovery of injured

climbers, hikers and car-accident victims.

The company needs to have three or

four helicopters available for rescues, and

although they fly around 1,200 rescue

missions annually, Switzerland’s small

size means rescue flying-hours are not

large, with most flights averaging only 30

minutes or so. As a result, income derived

from rescue work alone is not enough to

support the fleet, and commercial work

is required to supplement the company’s

earnings.

Challenging MissionsAir Zermatt is required to have a

helicopter on site within 20 minutes,

which allows about five minutes for the

start and 15 minutes flying time to a

rescue site. About 10% of the company’s

rescue work is done at night (when on-

site requirement time is 35 minutes).

Much of Air Zermatt’s rescue work is

Nestled at the foot of the

Matterhorn is the village of Zermatt, one

of Switzerland’s largest summer and

winter resorts – where bicycles, horse-

drawn sleighs and electrically-powered

cars transport the town’s population,

which boasts of having no fossil-fuelled

vehicles, with one exception – helicopters.

The well-equipped heliport at Zermatt

is home to four helicopters owned by

Air Zermatt Ltd, a company known for

its pioneering work in alpine air-rescue.

Regularly operating in all weathers to

altitudes of 4,500m (14,764ft), Air Zermatt

also has another four helicopters based

further down the Rhone Valley, between

Visp and Raron and at Sion Airport.

Air Zermatt’s helicopters are always

on stand-by, ready to transport injured

skiers or mountaineers to a doctor or

hospital in the valley, or to conduct inter-

hospital transfers to ensure patients

receive the best treatment at the most

appropriate facility. The strategic

placement of its helicopters along the

valley means that Air Zermatt’s patients

can be treated by the doctor in the

village within minutes, or be at one of

the hospitals in Valais within 12 to 15

minutes. When not being used for rescue

work, the helicopters are employed in

sToRY and PhoTos bY ned dawson

oPPosITe PaGe: of the 1,200

rescue missions air Zermatt

carries out annually, 20 – 30%

require use of the winch.

36

so Air Zermatt has chosen helicopters

that can perform well at these extreme

altitudes – in particular the Lama.

The usual crew for a rescue mission

includes the pilot, a doctor and a

paramedic who also acts as the crewman,

although specialized crewmen are

normally used for commercial work.

While many rescue missions are to skiing

stations where the helicopters are able

to land, about 20 to 30% require winch

operations.

The helicopter chosen for any given

task depends on prevailing conditions

and mission requirements; for example,

pick-ups from the Matterhorn (at 4,748m

or 14,692ft high, are normally carried

out by the venerable Lama – utilizing its

excellent high-altitude performance. The

usual procedure for high-altitude rescues

is to find a suitable landing area as close

as possible to the patient. A mountain

guide then treks to the patient and brings

him or her back to the waiting helicopter.

The helicopter rarely shuts down to

preclude problems starting again in the

harsh conditions.

CoMPRoMise beTween CaPabiliTY and CosT

While the Lama makes most of the

high-altitude rescues, the EC135, with

its superior cabin space, often takes care

of inter-hospital transfers. When Air

done in the Matterhorn and Breighthorn

areas where steep, high mountains and

alpine weather present many challenges.

The higher mountains tower around

3,000m above Zermatt, while the village

itself sits about 1,620m above sea level.

Many of the mountains within 10km of

Zermatt, such as Rimpfaschhorn and

Strahlhorn, exceed 4,000m (13,124ft) in

height and some missions are flown as

high as 16,000ft (4,877m) without the aid

of oxygen.

Winds in the area can reach up to

200km (124 miles) per hour, so pilots

need to know their own, as well as

their helicopters’ limits and be acutely

aware of the local weather. Although

Air Zermatt’s pilots have flown the

helicopters in 100km (62mph) winds, it is

not the wind that is the problem so much

as the tremendous up and down draughts

that occur in the mountains. Pilots

must become familiar with the local

topography, because in addition to its

strength, the wind can swing 180 degrees

in a matter of seconds.

Adding to the pilots’ challenges

are density altitudes that regularly

exceed pressure altitude by as much as

3,000ft. Despite the popular perception

of Switzerland being a cold alpine

land, Zermatt’s summer temperature

can exceed 35oC, resulting in density

altitude of more than 10,000ft – enough

to significantly reduce the power from

any helicopter’s engine and rotor system,

rIGhT: The usual crew for

a rescue mission includes

the pilot, a doctor and a

paramedic who also acts as

the crewman.

Zermatt first began looking for a twin-

engine helicopter, the company examined

types such as the A109, MD 902 and

EC145, before deciding on the EC135 as

the best compromise between capability

and cost. They wanted a large cabin

and good single-engine performance for

air-taxi operations and inter-hospital

transfers. Air Zermatt does a lot of inter-

hospital transfers and needed plenty

of room for monitors, equipment and

people. As much space as possible would

benefit the treatment of badly injured

patients en route when required, and

the B2 and B3 cabins weren’t big enough.

Two engines gave the company more

confidence flying around the mountains

– especially at night – and commercial

passengers preferred to be flown

in a twin.

above lefT: Thomas Pfammatter,

chief pilot for air Zermatt.

above rIGhT: air Zermatt

relies on commercial work to

supplement the company’s

earnings – seen here dropping

technicians off to prepare ski-lifts

for the upcoming season.

BREEZE-EASTERN

HS-20200

AGUSTA BELL 212/412

AGUSTA BELL AB139

MDHI MD902

HS-29700

AGUSTA A109K2

EUROCOPTER AS-350B3

HS-10300

AGUSTAWESTLAND EH-101

EUROCOPTER AS365(HH65)

HS-29900

SIKORSKY UH-60Q

AGUSTAWESTLAND EH101

HELICOPTER RESCUE HOISTS700 Liberty Avenue, Union NJ 07083, USA

Telephone: (908)686-4000 Fax: (908)686-9292 Web Site: www.breeze-eastern.com

AEROSPACE FILTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. 1-636-300-5200 fax 1-636-300-5205 www.AFSfilters.com

How much dirt do you want in your engine?

When it comes to turbine engines, even a little dirt can do a lot of damage.

That’s why more and more operators are replacing their particle separators with

something better: Inlet Barrier Filtration systems from AFS. Our filters block over

99 percent of engine-damaging debris. What’s more, AFS high-technology systems

enhance performance, reduce engine temperatures, and deliver significant savings

— hour after hour, year after year.

For the ultimate in engine protection, the choice is clear: AFS.

A FOD screen amount? r An EAPS amount? r An AFS IBF amount? r

AFS 1P HO.indd 4 5/5/05 12:08:49 PM

Air Zermatt’s EC135 EMS fit was

designed and installed by Aerolight Max

Bucher AG to be light, and easily and

quickly convertible between EMS and

commercial passenger configurations.

When configured for heli-skiing,

the EC135 cabin is big enough to

accommodate six skiers at a time.

The company’s pilots like the

EC135 with its greater OEI (one engine

inoperative) margins than the EC145, with

no necessity to reduce weight to maintain

OEI capability up to 2,000m. Initial

teething problems with the EC135’s main

rotor head dampers have been eliminated

and are now no longer an issue. One

gripe that pilots have with the EC135 is

the inability to turn off its trim system

– which can be done in the EC145. The

pilots are used to constantly flying the

helicopter in the mountains, especially

in windy conditions or doing a sling load,

and find it uncomfortable to be always

having to press a trim release button.

Two other problems noted by pilots

in EC135 operations are the restricted

visibility from the cockpit when flying

loads on long-lines, necessitating their

opening the door to maintain adequate

visual reference, and the significant

downwash, which can be a particular

problem in winter when it can induce

‘whiteout’ conditions during take-off

or landing. Company policy is to have

someone stand in front of the helicopter

at these times to ensure the pilot can

maintain visual reference in the event of

‘downwash whiteout’.

95% TRaining. 5% abiliTY It seems natural to assume that it

takes ‘special’ pilots to fly at the extreme

altitudes and in the extraordinarily

variable weather conditions of

Switzerland, but Air Zermatt believes it

is less about pilot ability and more about

correct training. The company ethos is

that helicopter flying is 95% training

and 5% ability – and that all pilots must

know their limits and stick to them.

There are definitely specialised skills and

techniques required for mountain flying,

but such skills are all derived through

proper training.

As long as there are mountains like

the Matterhorn to challenge them, men

and women will continue to climb. Not all

will succeed, but these days – thanks to

rescue helicopter crews like Air Zermatt’s

– most will live to climb another day. n

Air Zermatt believes

it’s less about pilot

ability and more about

correct training.

MR/MRS/MS:

ADDRESS:

COUNTRY: POSTCODE:

PHONE: ( ) EMAIL:

MY CHEQUE FOR $ IS ENCLOSED TO OCEANIA GROUP

CHARGE MY CREDIT CARD VISA MASTERCARD AMEX

NAME ON CARD EXPIRY DATE

CARDHOLDER’S SIGNATURE:

SuBScriBe to

for 2 years and go into the draw to

WiN anAlpha eagle Aircrew Helmet

(12 issues)

The Eagle features an ultra-lightweight specification

(only 980 grams) and is designed for helicopter

aircrews. The cushioned interior with simple, rapid size

adjustment provides excellent comfort, fit, retention

and balance, while the epoxy resin aramid carbon

fibre shell offers a high level of head protection. The

modular based configuration can be adapted using

a wide range of options, including single or double

visors, semirigid or NVG compatible visor covers. ANR

(Active Noise Reduction) and a choice of boom mics.

ONLY AVAILABLE ON SUBSCRIPTION

Valued at

$US 2,800

PosT: HeliOps Subscriptions PO Box 37 978, Parnell Auckland, New Zealand

Phone: +64 21 757 747

fax: +64 9 528 3172

eMail: subs@oceania-group.com

websiTe: www.heliopsmag.com

#

1Year 2 Years (6 issues) (12 issues)

Aust/NZ/Pacific $NZ 58 $ NZ 116

US/Canada $NZ 65 $NZ 130

UK/Europe/Rest of the world $NZ 75 $NZ 150

T h e M a g a Z i n e T h aT d e l i v e R s g l o b a l C o v e R a g e o f T h e h e l i C o P T e R i n d u s T R Y

deTailssubsCRiPTions

New Subscription Renewal

PRiZe dRawn 1 oCT 2005

LifeafterDEATH

Sumatra’s Tsunami Clean Up

Aussie ems The

cutting edgeof

AntarcticaFlying the 7th Continent

Cover 32.indd 1 7/7/05 10:34:03 AM

43

Any successful helicopter business can only

make money as long as its machinery is

flying. For PHI, one of the world’s largest

operators, this means maintaining a pool of

suitably qualified relieving pilots to fill any

gaps in an ever-changing roster. PHI pilot

KEN BROWN tells of ‘life in the PHI pool’ in

the Gulf of Mexico.

POOLFLYINGin the

PhoTos bY Ken brown

44

flyiNg iN a pilot pool comes

with its own set of challenges, especially

when based in the Gulf of Mexico where

fickle weather and even the local fauna

can conspire against unwary pilots

– guaranteeing that every day is often

demanding, frequently educational – but

always interesting.

As a pool pilot for PHI (Petroleum

Helicopters, Inc.), I fill in for others

who are sick, on vacation, or otherwise

unavailable to fly. The usual pool

schedule is seven days on-duty and

seven days off, though some pilots

work 14-on, 14-off. Most oil and gas

companies’ platform workers also work

some variation of a seven-on, seven-off

schedule.

PHI has nine bases in Louisiana,

three in Texas, and one in Alabama and

provides housing at these bases; generally

five-bedroom mobile homes with two

shared bathrooms, although several bases

also utilize apartments offering a bit

more personal space.

vaRieTY of woRk… and haZaRdsThere is a lot of opportunity for job

variety within the pool if you choose it.

Some pilots elect to bid on particular

jobs, opting for the stability that goes

with them – but that stability also

brings repetition. I enjoy that each new

week may bring a new assignment at a

different base, flying a different part of

the Gulf and sometimes flying a different

type of aircraft.

PHI operates seven major aircraft

types in the Gulf, the most numerous

by far being the trusty Bell 206, which

I fly. Currently, the company operates

the Bell 206BIII, 206L3, 206L4, 206L-1*L3

(an L-1 converted to L3 standard which,

combined with the L3s, make up the

bulk of the 206 fleet), 407, 412, and 214ST,

Eurocopter AStar (which I also fly), Bo-

105, and Sikorsky S-76; the company

also has two S-92s on order. Only the

larger types like the Bell 412, 214ST and

Sikorsky S-76 are used for IFR operations

– primarily the crew-change flights to

and from platforms.

Although some helicopters fulfill

specific roles in the Gulf, one way or

another, most flying entails carrying

people or machinery to offshore oil and

natural gas production platforms or

drilling rigs, and the hazards are the

Offshore platforms

and drilling rigs are

inherently

helicopter-unfriendly

‘collections of

obstacles’.

above: approaches and

departures from the rig’s

helideck have to be done

with caution because of the

number of hazards nearby

– in this case the boom of a

crane and Tv mast.

45

same for all. Unfortunately, by their very

design, offshore platforms and drilling

rigs are inherently helicopter-unfriendly

‘collections of obstacles’, where each

approach and landing places the aircraft

in the ‘avoid’ region of the famous height/

velocity diagram.

And let’s not forget the weather. In

winter, sea fog can develop in less than

10 minutes curtailing operations for the

rest of the day, and it’s common to have

thick fog and wind of up to 20 knots at

the same time. In spring and fall, high

winds are common – often making

starts and shutdowns interesting and

even potentially damaging to many

rotor systems, especially the two-

bladed variety. In the summer, monster

thunderstorms with winds of 100mph or

more can quickly develop, and rip even

tied-down aircraft from the platform

decks and toss them into the Gulf; there

have been at least five such incidents

among the various Gulf operators in the

last three years.

Each June 1 marks the beginning of

the hurricane season that lasts until the

end of November. In 2002, I was forced

to ‘run’ from five tropical storms and

hurricanes in the Gulf. Though storm

tracking is much more advanced today

than ever before, a storm’s exact path and

strength remain unpredictable, and for

us the challenge is to get all of our Gulf-

based customers to the relative safety

of land before the weather becomes too

dangerous.

In 2002, Hurricane Lili produced

peak winds of more than 140 mph and

waves higher than 50 ft – a category 4

hurricane (‘typhoon’ for Pacific readers).

Immediately following Lili, I was assigned

on a ‘special’ (a one time flight) for a

customer looking for a missing platform.

When we reached the area where the

platform should have been – there was

nothing. It had disappeared without a

trace! Eventually the customer found

its missing platform (with the help of a

sonar-equipped vessel) on the bottom of

the Gulf. Lili had ripped it from the sea

floor and sunk it.

I usually fly field ships, pipeline ships,

or specials. A field ship is one that stays

generally within a particular field of

platforms, while a pipeline ship is one

which travels to the various platforms

that contribute to a particular sea-floor

pipeline in order to monitor and service

their flow-meters. Specials vary widely

– anything from retrieving VIPs from

moving vessels to aerial photography.

For most of the last six months, I have

been substituting on various pipeline

contracts. A typical week of flying for

the pipeline involves making a crew

change to the pumping station platforms

on the first day and spending the rest of

the week flying meter technicians and

their associated equipment between the

platforms that utilize the pipelines to

transport oil and gas to market. Most of

these pipeline jobs have been based at

our Houma, Louisiana base at the Houma-

Terrebonne Parish Airport, (a former

French territory, Louisiana has ‘parishes’

in lieu of counties) which served as a base

for US Navy anti-submarine patrol blimps

and seaplanes in the Gulf during World

War II. Huge concrete supports remaining

from the once-gigantic blimp hangar, can

still be seen from our base.

fRog sTRikeOn a typical day during my last ‘hitch’

(pilot-speak for a week of work in the

Gulf), flying a Bell 206L4, I launched

toward the pipeline company’s base, 14

miles to the west. As I departed I heard

another pilot make an urgent call to the

tower notifying them of his immediate

return to the landing area. I learned later

what caused his excitement. Apparently,

while climbing through about 500ft

after take-off his engine begin to spool

down, the low rotor horn blared and a

big red ‘Low Rotor’ light illuminated on

his caution/warning panel. Immediately

upon dropping the collective, the engine

magically returned to life and continued

to run normally until he landed safely

back at his base moments later. A

subsequent inspection revealed his

engine had ingested a tree frog! Common

in coastal Louisiana in the spring

and early summer, the frogs are

attracted to the warmth and shelter of

the engine intakes.

lefT: not all loads

being taken offshore

are internal. in this case

a load of supplies too

large for the cabin is

rigged up underneath

this 206l.

Each new week may bring a new assignment at a different

base, flying a different part of the Gulf.

46

Despite large pillow-like intake plugs

having been fitted to the 206 overnight,

one of the little green sprites had

obviously found its way into the intake.

He went from ‘frog to FOD’ once the

engine’s suction overcame his suction-

cup-toes just after take-off – causing the

engine to act just as it would in the case

of a compressor failure, and lose power.

When the pilot instinctively dumped

the collective, the engine came back to

life just as it might in a real compressor

failure. After handing the aircraft over

to his maintenance department for a

thorough engine inspection, the pilot took

a spare aircraft and continued in service,

despite the unplanned ‘frog-strike’ – just

another of the Gulf’s unique hazards!

flYing walls of waTeROne day, I recall that by 8.30am as my

pipeline crew were ready for their day’s

work, towering dark storm clouds were

rapidly approaching. I wasted no time

rIGhT: it’s not uncommon for

an aircraft to have to remain

on the platform overnight.

since conditions can change

quickly, it’s standard practice

to tie the aircraft down.

Monster

thunderstorms with

winds of 100mph

or more can quickly

develop, and rip even

tied-down aircraft from

the platform and toss

them into the Gulf.

Every Night, All NightTHE WORLD LEADER IN MULTI-SENSOR THERMAL IMAGING

StarSAFIRE HD Ultra 8500

USA: 1.800.727.FLIR

International: +44 (0) 1732 22 0011

See video of these products at:

www.flir.com

FROM BAGHDAD TO BATON ROUGE

We've Got Your Back

The CDMQ Advantage

FLIR Systems’ unique Commercially

Developed – Military Qualified product

development process provides battle hardened

products at volume commercial prices.

It’s part of what has made FLIR the number

one airborne multi-sensor supplier.

The Most Reliable – The Best Support – Across the Broadest Base of Operations

Visit us at ALEA - Booth #811

060911 FLIR HO Ad.qxd 6/9/2005 8:46 PM Page 1

in departing to avoid getting stuck for

the duration of the storm. Immediately

after filing my flight plan with the

company communications center, I

heard from another pipeline pilot who

had departed minutes earlier, that the

way seemed clearer to the east – the

way I had planned to go. For a while the

sky continued to darken and we skirted

around and between storms. I could

see the eyes of my front seat passenger

widen as we literally flew through walls

of water. I began to wonder if we might

have to abort the trip and fly back.

Fortunately the sky began to clear ahead

as we crossed the coast and the weather

settled down. The rest of the flight

was uneventful, but slow – a 32 knot

headwind resulting in a crawling ground

speed of just 81 knots.

One hundred and six-slow nautical

miles later, we reached our destination.

Having made the required radio calls

and receiving a ‘green deck’ approval for

landing, I circled carefully, checking for

approach and departure path obstacles,

armed the floats and made a stabilized

approach through the avoid-region of the

height-velocity diagram, to the center of

the deck. I then moved over to leave room

for another aircraft, and shut down – my

crew having already departed to start

their work before I’d completed the

cool down. After securing the blade

I headed downstairs to check in with the

platform foreman.

Because I knew my crew would be

busy for at least two hours, my next

stop was the TV room. Thank God for

satellite television! As I waited, another

company’s L4 showed up and its pilot

joined me. As we began to compare notes

about aircraft, pay and benefits – much

to our surprise we heard another aircraft

land. I had parked my L4 all the way to

above: in winter, sea fog

can develop in less than 10

mins curtailing operations

for the rest of the day.

Why just FIGHT fire when you can ATTACK it?Fly more efficiently. Fill tanks more quickly. Fight fires more effectively. Do all this and more with the improved Fire Attack tank from Simplex. New composite materials are significantly reducing tank weights, and we’ll soon introduce a high-speed hover pump that will slash fill times.

The Simplex Fire Attack tank system has always been good. Now we’re making it even better. So don’t just fight fire. Attack it. With Simplex.

1-503-257-3511 · www.simplexmfg.com

Simplex P2 ad HO.indd 1 5/5/05 12:13:54 PM

one side of the platform, and the other

pilot had done the same on the other side

leaving just enough space in the middle

for an AStar pilot to park his ship in

between ours. With his priorities clearly

in place, he joined us for lunch.

Not all offshore platforms have

cooks, but this one did, and a good

one at that. Fried catfish and shrimp

headed the menu and we made short

work of it. The next hour and a half was

an enjoyable story-swapping and job-

comparison session while we each waited

for our customers. The other L4 pilot’s

passengers were ready to go at the same

time as my crew finished, but we had

to wait for the AStar to move before we

could take off as its three-bladed system

didn’t leave us enough room to crank.

Once the other machines had departed

I was able to move over and refuel. One

of my meter technicians pumped the gas

while I watched the fuel gauge until it

reached 585 pounds, which would take

me to my maximum gross and give me an

hour and twenty-five minutes’ flying time

and thirty minutes’ reserve.

The Bell 206L4 is a strong aircraft,

and will hover at maximum weight with

only about 85 percent torque. Of course,

as soon as the helicopter leaves the edge

of the platform and is out of ground

effect, it’s back into the avoid region of

the chart, so 95 percent as we leave the

platform – with power to spare.

an unexPeCTed nighT aT seaAt our next destination, the plan

was to drop off one meter-technician,

and continue with the others to another

platform – hopefully completing two at

the same time. However, Mother Nature

had plans of her own. As we arrived and

dropped off the technician, an ominous

line of storms lay 10 miles to the south.

With the next stop a virtual stone’s-

throw away, only seven miles to the

northeast, I decided to head that way

expecting to get there and have time to

tie down. Unfortunately, the weather

moved very quickly, and when the

platform didn’t answer our request for a

landing clearance, we had no choice but

to turn around and return to our previous

platform before the fast-moving storm

arrived. With the proper clearance there I

landed, shut down, and in light rain, tied

the aircraft to the deck.

A mere five minutes later, as I was

receiving my platform orientation and

safety briefing, the sky began to dump

a veritable airborne river and visibility

dropped to less than 200 metres for

the next two and a half hours. We had

planned to spend the night offshore,

though not at that platform, but as the

rain continued and the visibility failed to

improve beyond a mile or so, it became

apparent that the weather’s cooperation

was over for the day. Luckily the platform

had accommodation to spare and a great

chef!

And so ended another typical day’s

flying in the Gulf – skirting heavy

weather at maximum gross weight and

avoiding, once more, all the various

‘conspirators of the Gulf.’ n

Note: Since this article was written,

the author began working for

PHI’s Emergency Medical Service

subsidiary, Air Evac Services, Inc.,

in Phoenix, Arizona – very much

enjoying the different variety offered

by EMS f lying.

ISN

’T D

IFF

ER

EN

T W

HA

T Y

OU

’RE

LO

OK

ING

FO

R?

CU

STO

M C

OM

PLE

TIO

NS

LA

RG

E P

AR

TS

IN

VE

NTO

RY

RE

CO

ND

ITIO

NIN

G A

ND

EX

CH

AN

GE

44

26

HW

Y #

20

, S

t A

nn

s,

ON

, C

AN

AD

A,

LO

R 1

40

Ph

: 9

05

-38

6-0

33

3

Em

ail:

in

fo@

pa

nte

rra

.ca

Fa

x:

90

5-3

86

-02

35

W

eb

: w

ww

.pa

nte

rra

.co

m

INTE

RN

ATIO

NA

L P

UR

CH

AS

ING

INTE

RN

ATIO

NA

L S

ALE

SFU

LL C

AP

AB

ILIT

Y S

HO

P

90

05

KIL

BY

RO

AD

, H

AR

RIS

ON

, O

H 4

50

30

, U

SA

Ph

: 5

13-3

67

-02

07

E

ma

il: e

wh

@fu

se

.ne

tFa

x:

513

-36

7-1

95

3

We

b:

ww

w.e

wh

eli.

co

m

HEL

I SU

PPO

RT

LTD

A.M.O.58-96

EA

ST W

EST H

ELIC

OP

TE

R IN

C.

CRS#MMZR498G

H E L I C O P T E R S Y S T E M S

Isolair Helicopter Systems • 1620 N.W. Perimeter Way • Troutdale, Oregon 97060 Phone: 503-492-2105 • FAX: 503-492-2756

The Right Choice

www.isolairinc.com Email: sales@isolairinc.com

Isolair Fire Fighting System’s can be found working throughout the world.

We have systems working in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America,

Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Russia, and

we are always looking for new markets and new designs for our customers.

Isolair has many different options for the job you require. We are always

working with the customer and the firemen to deliver new products and find

new ways to fight both forest and residential fires.

When the accident rate in the US

helicopter tour industry became

unacceptable, the Tour Operator’s

Program of Safety (TOPS) was developed.

Following a series of Helicopter EMS

accidents in Queensland, a unique safety

system has been developed in Australia.

The Aviation Safety Network is up and

running, but what is it?

tighteningtheSafety

Net

STORY bY mark ogden

PhOTOS bY ned dawson

C O V E R F E A T U R E

H E L I C O P T E R S Y S T E M S

Isolair Helicopter Systems • 1620 N.W. Perimeter Way • Troutdale, Oregon 97060 Phone: 503-492-2105 • FAX: 503-492-2756

The Right Choice

www.isolairinc.com Email: sales@isolairinc.com

Isolair Fire Fighting System’s can be found working throughout the world.

We have systems working in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America,

Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Russia, and

we are always looking for new markets and new designs for our customers.

Isolair has many different options for the job you require. We are always

working with the customer and the firemen to deliver new products and find

new ways to fight both forest and residential fires.

54

HEMSThe widespread use of helicopters for

emergency medical transport began in

the early 1950s when they were used

to evacuate wounded soldiers during

the Korean War. Their use expanded

greatly during the Vietnam conflict with

statistics proving significant decreases

in mortality as a result of the time saved

in getting patients to medical treatment

– but it took some time for the non-

military world to catch up. It wasn’t until

1968 that it was first suggested that

helicopters be used to transport civilian

patients. The first commercial Helicopter

EMS (HEMS) program focusing on patient

transportation was established in Denver,

Colorado, in 1972.

Research has found that the first or

‘golden’ hour following a serious injury

is the most time-critical period, during

which patient mortality rate can be

reduced by as much as 50% if immediate

and appropriate medical care can be

provided. Hospitals and medical centers

have dramatically increased the use of

helicopters for reaching critically-injured

or seriously-ill patients over the last 10 to

15 years.

In a study of 59 EMS accidents

between 1978 and 1986, the NTSB found

that the accident rate for EMS helicopter

operations was approximately 3.5 times

higher than for other non-scheduled

Part 135 Air Taxi helicopter operations.

Human error – directly or indirectly, was

attributed as the cause of the majority of

these accidents.

In a paper by Susan Baker of the John

Hopkins Center for Injury Research and

Prevention, it was highlighted that

l the death rate among aeromedical

(both helicopter and aeroplane) crews

was three times higher than for

workers in the mining sector.

l From 1980 to 1986 the HEMS accident

rate in the USA was over 13.4 per

100,000 flight hours.

l In 1986, 14 helicopter and three

aeroplane accidents left 13 people

dead.

l While statistics generally improved

and accident rates fell after 1986,

aeromedical accidents in the US still

accounted for 13 deaths in 1998, 10 in

1999 and another 11 in 2000.

In 2002, the National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA) conducted

a survey to collect data about normal

Air Medical Services (AMS) operations

– assessing the conditions under which

these services fly every day, in order to

compare the ‘everyday’ with accident

situations. This, according to NASA,

would help the AMS industry and NASA

to identify whether there were safety

concerns that needed to be addressed. In

the study, for example, in-flight weather

encounters were cited in 14% of the

reports. Pre-flight weather briefings had

been obtained in 80% of these incidents,

but 75% of the briefings did not match

the actual weather conditions the pilots

encountered.

According to NASA, reporters also

above: One of Careflight

Sydney’s S.C.A.T

paramedics attends

to a seriously injured

motorcyclist in Westmead

hospital’s Emergency

Room, after being

brought in by helicopter.

above rIgHT: This

bell 407 crashed in

Queensland, and was

one of a number of EMS-

related accidents in a

short period of time.

55

cited such oversights as not stopping for

refuelling; failure to obtain or review

correct charts; overflying scheduled

aircraft maintenance; inadequate or

less-than-thorough weather briefings;

and inadequate evaluation of weather

briefings preceding the go/no-go decision.

Patient criticality was reported as a major

contributor to time pressure in 44% of the

reports. Time pressure associated with a

patient’s condition seemed to be present

regardless of whether the patient was

already on-board the aircraft or the pilot

was enroute for patient pick-up.

Despite the huge number of flights

made every year, and the fact that

many lives have been saved through

the use of helicopters, and that the

accident rate is lower than some other

sectors of the helicopter industry, the

incident rate in the USA has caused the

medical fraternity there to question their

extensive use.

AuSTRAliAn ExPERiEnCEThe HEMS experience in Australia has

been generally better and largely fatality-

free over the past five years – except in

Queensland where a series of accidents

caused concern. Since 2000, Queensland

has experienced two fatal EMS accidents;

one a Bell 206 Longranger that crashed

in fog near Marlborough (five fatalities

including the patient) and a Bell 407 that

crashed near Cape Hillsborough (three

fatalities) on the way to pick up a patient.

Another 407 accident while attempting

to drop a liferaft near Swains Reef very

nearly cost two aircrew their lives.

None of the accidents were attributed to

mechanical failures.

Although the industry as a whole has

a good record, some operators recognized

that they needed to be more proactive

in establishing safety systems in order

to make the HEMS industry as safe as

possible, but they lacked resources and

knowledge. Then during a Queensland

Community Helicopter Provider

conference held in Caloundra in late 2003,

it was recognized that HEMS providers

within Australia would benefit from the

development and implementation of a

common, tailored Safety Management

System (SMS). Out of this conference

grew an agreement among some

operators to work together to establish a

standard SMS program for the industry.

WORking TOgEThERAerosafe Risk Management, an

Australian company that specializes in

aviation safety and risk management,

in cooperation with a group of HEMS

providers has developed a program

that addresses safety standards and

procedures that aim to exceed regulatory

requirements.

The founding group, which became

known as the HEMS Safety Consortium

included:

n RACQ and NRMA CareFlights (Gold

Coast and Sydney, Orange)

n Central Queensland (Mackay)

n Capricorn (Rockhampton)

n Energex (Maroochydore, Bundaberg)

n Northern Region Wesptac Lifesaver

(Lismore)

The four Queensland operators

originally teamed with Aerosafe to

develop the program and were soon

joined by the two NSW services.

The HEMS Aviation Safety Network

(ASN) was launched in Brisbane in early

March this year. Recent operators to

join the network include the NSW and

Victorian Police Air Wings. Three EMS

operators from New Zealand have also

registered their interest in the program.

Representatives from CASA and CAA

New Zealand also attended the launch.

Kimberley Turner, CEO of Aerosafe,

lists the benefits that ASN consortium

members are experiencing from the

initiative:

l an opportunity to participate in the

development of a structured approach

to the management of aviation risks

in the HEMS environment

l sharing in economies of scale

l confidence that the system developed

is best practice and will exceed

regulatory requirements

l resource sharing and networking

opportunities

l access to industry leaders in aviation

safety and risk management

l coaching and mentoring of key staff

by industry experts.

Turner says that the project will

encourage standardization in safety

practices as well as streamlining the

development of tailored systems for each

unique operating environment.

The EMS Helicopter Provider

Safety consortium will oversee the

development of a tailored and integrated

safety management system for small

operators. Turner stresses that the ASN

is not an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution, but

rather it dedicates time and resources

to addressing the unique features of

the EMS operating environment and

designing a system to meet the task. The

developmental focus of the project was

predominantly on the hazard and risk

management components of the system

tailored for the specific operational

and business characteristics of an EMS

Helicopter Provider.

The project also aims to provide best

practice solutions at an international

level. Turner says that senior CASA and

ATSB staff have been briefed on the

initiative and appear encouraged with the

program and the self-sustaining nature

of the ASN. CASA has confirmed that

the ASN is consistent with the direction

the authority would like to see industry

take in the adoption of safety and risk

management programs and practice.

The ASN provides training sessions for

company ASN representatives every six

months.

ThE AviATiOn SAfETY nETWORkThe ASN is, in essence, a safety

department for the involved companies.

“Through their involvement in the ASN,”

Turner says, “the individual organizations

have the opportunity to increase their

safety and risk management knowledge

and skills, receive a tailored resource

pack and on-tap support, as well as tools

to assist with the implementation which

will support cultural change.”

The ASN provides an initial resource

Despite the huge

number of flights

made every year, and

the fact that many

lives have been saved,

the incident rate in

the USA has caused

the medical fraternity

to question their

extensive use.

pack to members which includes an

Advisory Standard, on-line toolbox with

a variety of processes, checklists, forms

and guidance, safety promotion material,

and unlimited on-tap help at the end of

the phone.

As a member of the ASN, a company

can nominate staff to represent

the organization on the Aviation

Safety Representative Group at both

executive and operational levels. The

representatives will be involved in

developing agreed standards and will

coordinate annual activity plans which

are company guides to safety activities

for the year. The representatives report

progress on the activity plan to company

executives on a quarterly basis.

The representatives also attend safety

and risk management training sessions

and workshops and in turn, they are

expected to run education sessions for

THE ULTRA -L IGHT H IGH COMFORT HELMET SYSTEM

● Ideal for multi-function helicopter use in police air support, medical andemergency services, forestry and crop spraying

● Exceptionally strong, ultra-lightepoxy resin, aramid and carbonfibre (only 980 gms) and verycomfortable to wear

● Wide range of equipment options

● Rapid and easy adjustment for all head shapes and sizes

● Made by the leading internationalmanufacturer of helmets for military

and commercial aircrews

● Luxury cushioned interior inhibits moisture and reduces heat load, improving comfort and hygiene

Helmet Integrated Systems Ltd.Commerce Road, Stranraer,DG9 7DX, Scotland Tel: +44 (0) 1776 704421 Fax: +44 (0) 1776 706342 E-mail: sales@helmets.co.ukWeb: www.helmets.co.uk

Interactive Safety Products Inc.9825-A Northcross Center CourtHuntersville, NC 28078 USATel: +1 704 664 7377 Fax: +1 704 664 7316 E-mail: sales@helmetsystems.comWeb: www.helmetsystems.com

COMFORT WITHOUT COMPROMISE

HELMETINTEGRATED SYSTEMS

INTERACTIVESAFETY PRODUCTS

4952 146x210+bleed 10-6-05 ALPHA 10/6/05 16:07 Page 1

rIgHT: The gold Coast

is Australia’s beach

playground, as well as

playing home to the bell

412 operated by RACQ

Careflight. The coverage

area spans both water and

mountainous terrain.

Helicopter SupportSolution Providers

Kawasaki MBBBK 117, BO 105

EurocopterAS 350, AS 355, EC 120, EC 135

Bell206, 205, 222

• Avionics Installations• Radome Design, Manufacture, Installation• Police Airborne Support Equipment• Seating Design, Layout, Manufacture• Medivac Equipment Design, Installation• EMS Interior Stretcher Mounts• Cargo Hook System Design, Manufacture• Nightsun Mount Design, Manufacture• Specialised Test Equipment Design, Manufacture• Long Range Fuel Systems Design, Manufacture

DISTRIBUTOR,INSTALLATION & SERVICE for

FDC Aero Filters &Altair Engine Monitoring Products

Avionics / Electrical / Instruments / Component Overhaul / Maintenance / Project & Modification Manufacturing /

Parts Sales / Tooling / Turbine Repair, Maintenance, Overhaul

Contact: Russell GouldenHelicopter Projects / Support Manager

Airwork (NZ) Ltd, PO Box 72-516, Papakura, Auckland, New ZealandPh: 64-9-298-7202 Fax: 64-9-298-1455 Email: russellg@airwork.co.nz

www.airwork.co.nz

Specialists inModifications,

Repairs,PMA & STC’s

Airworks ad 4/1/03 11:40 AM Page 1

safety and risk matters.

The second section addresses

integration and implementation of safety

and risk management, which provides a

lead-in to the third section that addresses

how to practically manage business and

operational level risk in aviation.

The Standard also provides guidance

and tools for safety auditing, education,

promotion and training, hazard and

safety reporting, workplace investigation,

documentation and data management,

effectiveness evaluation of safety and

risk management systems, and provides

support for effective management of

safety committees. The ASN also provides

a way to submit confidential safety-

related reports through a web site.

The final section addresses special

applications of risk management.

According to Turner, there are a few

specialist areas which are common to the

aviation industry that must be considered

in their own context. Many of these areas

are significant to a company and may

relate to such things as the acquisition of

new aircraft, engagement or management

of contractors, or operational matters

such as site coordination, operations

management, contingency and

emergency response planning, or

management of equipment.

QuESTiOningIn an article by the president of the

US Association of Air Medical Services,

he asked if the industry there was

maintaining an awareness of national

issues, standards, and implementing

work to improve the safety of operations.

He suggested that operators perform

self-audits to identify the gap between

current and best practices, assess the

training, operations specifications for

particular geographic environments,

and the possible technology additions

to operations to improve safety. He also

queried how operators accepted missions,

whether they worked in concert and

alignment with the EMS and acute care

medical systems, and whether they

designed and ran their operations based

primarily on a safety systems approach.

Sound familiar? It seems that the

Australian work in developing the ASN

addresses these and many more issues.

It will be interesting to see if a program

such as this could be exported to a

country such as the US where there is

such an obvious need. n

their companies. The ASN will regularly

issue safety promotional material,

including posters, newsletters and

information brochures.

ThE AdviSORY STAndARdAccording to Turner, the Advisory

Standard is the first of its kind. “It

is a document that provides a guide

to the development, implementation

and application of the governance

requirements for running a safe and

effective operation,” she says. The

Advisory Standard contains 30 individual

standards, divided into five sections,

beginning with aviation governance.

“Aviation Governance is aimed at

making sure the organization’s top level

commitment is there and it is real,”

Turner explains. “It includes guidance and

direction for policy-setting, assignment

of responsibility and accountability,

establishment of objectives and targets

and establishment of safety standards for

the company.”

To assist with achievement of these

requirements, the ASN includes an

executive network for senior staff to

share ideas and get help where needed.

A risk advisor is allocated to coach on

palmbeach.indd 2/5/2004, 7:47 AM1

Manufacturer of over 250 diff erentFAA PMA parts for the MD500

Manufacturer of over 250 diff erentFAA PMA parts for the MD500

• AH Helicopter Service, United Kingdom • AvMap Sri, Italy • A&P Helicopters, California • Bell Equipment Co, South Africa • DHD Deutscher Helicopter, Germany • Great Slave Helicopters, Canada • Heli Technik, Germany • Helicenter S. A., Argentina • Hoffman Helicopters, Guam • Jet Systems Helicopter Service, France

• Inter-Island Helicopter, Hawaii • Kern County Sheriffʼs Aero Unit, California • LA County Sheriffʼs Aero Unit, California • Las Vegas Metropolitan PD, Nevada • March Helicopters, United Kingdom • Norwegian Helicopter School, Norway • Norsk Helicopterskoel AS, Norway • Northern Air Support, Canada • Tampa Police Dept., Florida • Aeropower, Australia

Worldwide customers include:

3920 Sandstone Drive • El Dorado Hills, CA 95762phone: 916.939.6888 • fax: 916.939.6555

www.aerometals.aero

60

j o b o p p o r t u n i t i e s

Helicopters of America, Inc. in South Florida

is looking for a new CFI (CFII a plus). Must be

motivated, likeable, smart, current in the R22, have

at least 200 hrs in helicopters, and have SFAR sign-

off. Please no calls, fax, email or snail mail only.

Contact Name: Eddie Herrera

Contact FAX: 954-943-4541

Firehawk Helicopters has immediate openings

for A&P mechanics. Astar and UH60 experience a

plus, but not essential. Class A CDL with Hazmat

endorsement is required for the position, but can

be attained after employment for experienced

applicants. Having a USFS card is a plus. Expect

extended travel (2-3 months) with generous

R44 pilot needed for a police contract with the

Netherlands Antilles police force. Must have FAA

Commercial and Robinson time. Prefer applicants

with 1000 hrs total/ 200 hrs R44. If sending resume

by email, send in Word format only or paste into

email.

Contact Name: Bram De Roeck

Contact FAX: +599 9 888 2972

Elite Helicopters (www.flyelitehelicopters), located

in sunny central Florida, is looking for a managing

partner. We are looking for a CFI with at least 1000

hrs, most in Robinsons, and lots of instruction

experience. You will be in charge of running our

operations and will receive part of the profits. We

are looking for someone who wants to build a

career with us, not someone wanting to build time

and move on. This is a business opportunity. Must

love to working with people, have a great outgoing

personality, hard working and an ‘APPRENTICE

PERSONALITY’ is a must. Please send your resume

to employment@garycoxe.com.

High Sierra Helicopters is seeking a qualified

individual that meets the requirements of a Part

141 Chief Flight Instructor for training courses

including commercial, instrument, CFI, and CFII.

Applicants should meet SFAR 73 requirements

as well: 50 hrs R22 time, Robinson Factory Safety

Course, SFAR 73 Endorsement.

Those meeting the qualifications as listed in Part

141 and SFAR 73 should forward their resumes

as an attachment in word format. High Sierra

Helicopters is an equal opportunity employer and

offers a competitive compensation package.

Contact Name: Douglas Bawden

Contact Phone: 530-621-2200

Wings Air, a helicopter operator in White Plains,

NY seeks to hire a motivated, hard working,

professional, CFI/CFII. At least 300 hours of flight

time are required: CFI Experience in Schweizer

300s is a must, MD 500 / Bell 206 time is a plus.

We offer a great work environment for the right

individual, with excellent opportunities to grow

with the company.

Contact Name: Javier Diaz

Contact Phone: +1 (914) 287-6450

FAX: +1 (914) 481-6120

We have 2 openings for contract seismic pilots.

Daily rate plus flight pay. Per diem, transportation,

and lodging is provided. AS350 or AS355

experience preferred. Long-line experience is

a must. We will train to proficiency using bag

runner, helipick, carousel, and Kodiak. Schedule is

4 weeks on, 2 weeks off. We operate six 350s, two

205s, and two 355s.

Contact Name: Mike Fergione

Contact Phone: 208-463-1303

FAX: 208-463-1307

We are currently accepting resumes from qualified

individuals for a future opening with our EMS

program in Maui County. Minimum qualifications:

Commercial Rotorcraft with Helicopter instrument,

3000hrs and at least 3years pt135. Preference

given to ATP applicants with 5000hrs in category,

multi-engine, EMS and BH222 experience. Ability

to work respectfully and collaboratively with

others is essential. Please submit your resume to

pilot@pacheli.com or by FAX to 808 871-5806.

ATT: Human Resources.

Testfile-1.indd 1 16/5/05 9:18:47 am

amounts of overtime during the summer season.

We are looking for applicants who want full time

employment, but have openings for seasonal as

well if that’s what you are looking for. Give us

a call with questions, and fax or email you resume.

Contact Name: Paul Milton

Contact Phone: 352-365-9077

FAX: 352-365-0077

A&P wanted by Island Express Helicopters, A-Star

experience a plus. We fly mainly between Catalina

Island and the mainland with an offshore contract

and charter work. Contact Name: Tim or John

Contact Phone: 310-510-2525

FAX: 310-510-9671

j o b o p p o r t u n i t i e s

Full time helicopter flight instructor position immediately available at a busy Part 141 Fixed Wing and Helicopter FAA Approved school. Private, Commercial and CFI. 500 hours rotorwing time desired with a minimum of 50 hrs in 269C and be 269/300 qualified. In addition to flight instruction scenic and photo flights are conducted. School was established in 1944 on Harvey Field (S43) in Puget Sound region of Washington State. Small one bedroom relocation apartments are available on site. Please fax or email resume with references. Company: Snohomish Flying Service, Inc. Contact Person: Christi Otness Contact Phone: 360-568-1541 Contact Fax: 360-568-6034| Contact Email: snofly@harveyfield.com

Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. is now hiring contract rotor wing pilots for its International and Domestic Oil & Gas Business Units. Pilots are required to have a minimum of 1,500 hrs rotor wing experience with 1,000 hrs Pilot-in-Command time, 200 turbine hrs, hold an FAA Commercial Helicopter certificate, and a current FAA class II medical. Rotor Wing Instrument rating and external load experience preferred. Contract positions are for 6 month durations with flexible schedules to include continuous duty and possibility of permanent hire. Compensation is $500 per day with lodging provided. Training will range from 7 to 14 days and paid at a daily rate upon successful completion of the training period. If you are interested and meet our requirements, please E-mail your resume to: resumes@phihelico.com or FAX to 337-272-4232 Attention: Jim Palmer.

Jack Harter Helicopters has an immediate opening for an experienced helicopter pilot for our Part 135 operation. Our operations are primarily tour flights on the island of Kauai. We operate AS350BA and AS350B2 AStars and have recently added

an MD500E. Minimum experience of 1000 hrs of turbine helicopter time is required. Experience in one of the helicopter types we operate is required. Experience in both types is preferred. Wages are dependant upon experience. Benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage. Please send a detailed summary of your AS350/MD500 experience along with your resume and references by fax or email. Contact Person: Casey Reimer Contact Phone: 808 245 3774 Contact Email: jharter1@aloha.net

Pathfinder Aviation (Homer, Alaska) is now accepting resumes. Positions require experience in Bell 206 helicopters. Applicants must possess a Helicopter Commercial/Instrument Certificate with at least 3000 hrs PIC helicopter and meet minimum OAS requirements, which includes 400 hrs of experience flying in mountain/rough terrain (above 5000’ DA). Two years experience working Alaska or remote locations required. Resumes may be faxed to 907 226-2801or E-Mail to fellbob@attglobal.net.

P J Helicopters is currently seeking an experienced longline pilot proficient in Bell 206B/L UH-1 series and MD aircraft. OAS/USFS carded or cardable pilot is required. Employment is through OCT with the possibility of full time. NO phone calls please, E-mail or FAX your resume to (530) 527-1730.

Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI), Air Medical Group (operating under CAMTS guidelines) is seeking to fill BH 407 Captain, VFR positions in Paducah and Madisonville, Kentucky. Pilots are required to have a minimum of 2,000 hrs total (1,500 hrs helicopters), 1,000 hrs PIC helicopters, 500 hrs turbine helicopters, 100 hrs in unaided night operations, one year EMS experience

preferred, and Commercial and Instrument Helicopter ratings. Successful applicants will be at a work ready weight of 215 lb or less. Interested individuals should fax resume to: PHI ATTN: Human Resources 337-272-4232 or email resume to resumes@phihelico.com

Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI), Air Medical Group (operating under CAMTS guidelines) is seeking to fill EC 135 Captain, SPIFR positions in London, Kentucky. Pilots are required to have a minimum of 2,000 hrs total (1,500 hrs helicopters), 1,000 hrs PIC helicopters, 500 hrs turbine helicopters, 100 hrs in unaided night operations, one year EMS experience preferred, and Commercial and Instrument Helicopter ratings. Successful applicants will be at a work ready weight of 215 lb or less. Interested individuals should fax resume to: PHI ATTN: Human Resources 337-272-4232 or email resume to resumes@phihelico.com

Helinet has a vacancy for an ENG pilot in Minnesota. Minimum requirements are: Commercial license (instrument rating preferred), First Class Medical Certificate, 1500 hrs total helicopter, Bell 206 time preferred. Contact Fax: 818 902 9278 Contact Email: ChiefPilot@helinet.com

Maverick Airstar is currently seeking experienced tour pilots. We are looking for motivated, clean cut, team players. Pilots must have a minimum of 1500 hrs, preferably 300 hrs. in turbine aircraft, AS-350 or EC-130 is a plus. Schedule is 4 on 3 off, Daily Rate, medical, dental, paid vacation, safety and yearly bonus. Please send resumes to email or: Maverick Airstar, LLC. Attn: Chief Pilot 6075 South Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas Nevada 89119. Fax: 702 932 7771. Email - kenseyb@maverickhelicopter.com

ACROHELIPRO. The one stop shop that provides you with total helicopter support.

Together we can offer you complete maintenance and overhaul packages that will keep

your costs down and keep your fleet in the air. The world relies on you. Rely on us.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT US ONLINE AT ACROHELIPRO.COM

don’t go missing in action

U.S. Navy imagery used with permission with endorsement, expressed or implied.

Black Cyan

Yellow Magenta

Traction Creative CommunicationsDoc no.: AAI-P57317.01Client: Acro HeliproItem: !Heli-Ops Mag FP.qxdSize: 220 x 307 mmDate: July 7, 2005Fonts: Bank Gothic, Charlotte Sans

Photos: Hi-ResLogos: ReproScreen: 150 lpiFlags: NoProofed: BT

Heli-Ops Magazine FPTRAP AT FINAL OUTPUT!!

64

p e r s o n a l p r o f i l e

below. Finally, with a lot of effort and

luck, we got them into the helicopter.

After we dropped them off at the hospital

we all felt very proud of what we had

accomplished.

hAvE YOu EvER hAd AnY ‘EYE OPEning’ MOMEnTS?Yes, we had a big fright doing a medical

evacuation, when landing on a tight spot

we hit a branch with the main rotor. We

left it overnight and the next morning the

mechanics had to change the four main

rotor blades. We were lucky that was all

that happened.

dO YOu hAvE A fAvORiTE hEliCOPTER?Don´t think I have enough experience to

have a favorite one, but the EC-135 is a

lovely machine to fly.

ARE ThERE AnY gOAlS YOu STill WiSh TO AChiEvE?There are obviously many goals I still

want to achieve - however, my main goal

right now is to grow as a pilot; the rest

will follow.

WhAT’S YOuR viEW Of ThE SPAniSh hEliCOPTER induSTRY?The industry here has been making

some big changes over the last few

years, and in my opinion needs some

‘mentality’ changes within

the heart of the industry for it to move

even further.

WhAT iS YOuR viEW On CRM in A MulTi-CREW hEliCOPTER?I think CRM is very important, but at

hOW MAnY hOuRS dO YOu hAvE And in WhAT TYPES?I’m new to this industry - it is only three

years since I started working as a

co-pilot. I’ve flown about 200 hrs training

on the H269 and Robinson 22, and

approximately 650 hours on the Dauphin

365 C1,C2,N,N1,N2. In addition, I have 50

hours on the EC-135 and a few more on

the BK-117 and BO105.

WhAT WAS YOuR biggEST ‘bREAk’ in ThE hEliCOPTER induSTRY?I did a conversion from my ‘kiwi’ licence

to the British JAR, doing an ATPL course.

A month after I finished I got a call from

my friend Pepe, saying the company he

worked for needed a co-pilot on an EMS

helicopter in northwest Spain. A week

later I was there. That was a good start.

WhAT’S bEEn YOuR biggEST highlighT in YOuR flYing CAREER?I think it would have to be getting my

first flying job so quickly, and with a good

company.

WhAT’S ThE MOST ChAllEnging RESCuE YOu hAvE bEEn invOlvEd in?It was a call to rescue illegal immigrants

that crashed a little boat on a very rugged

coastline. We had the sun going down

behind the mountains, which made it

very difficult to see what we were doing.

The cliff face was only a few meters away

from the rotor disk, and strong gusty

winds were throwing the helicopter

around violently. This was happening

while the rescue crewman and survivor

were hanging on to the winch cable

times hard to achieve in the

cockpit. In some cases it is hard to

put into practice what you are taught in

the classroom.

hOW dO YOu kEEP uP TO dATE WiTh TREndS And TEChnOlOgY in ThE hEliCOPTER induSTRY?By keeping my eyes wide open, searching

the internet and reading industry

publications such as Heli Ops.

WhAT AdviCE dO YOu hAvE fOR AnYOnE WAnTing TO START OuT in ThE hEliCOPTER induSTRY?My advice to anyone who wants to get a

start in this industry is to make a good

choice when selecting a training school,

and enjoy that time as much as you can.

For most of us, to become a helicopter

pilot was a dream. This industry can be

very tough at times, but do not let the

dream fade. Being a helicopter pilot is a

great job.

ARE ThERE AnY AdvAnCES in TEChnOlOgY ThAT hAvE MAdE YOuR jOb EASiER?Yes,flying a brand new helicopter like the

EC-135, with digital displays has made

things much easier. A quick look at one

screen, and you have all the information

you need. n

David Muñoz AbalosAlgeciras, Spain

Flying EMS in the

south of Spain can be a

challenging experience,

especially for a relatively

new pilot to the

industry as Helicsa pilot

David Muñoz Abalos

finds out.