rotor wing 200909
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
The Bell 429 Pilot RepoRT
NVG Technology Update
Helitech 2009 Show Preview
September 2009 Serving the Worldwide Helicopter Industry rotorandwing.com
NVG Training: Civilian Vs. Military
01_RW_090109_Cover_p1.indd 1 8/18/09 4:15:53 PM
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AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING.At Bell Helicopter, we have a long history of hit products. And our customer support has been a hit for 15 consecutive years. We wouldn’t put our name on just anything. So it’s no surprise that Bell has certified over 130 Customer Service Facilities in 32 countries around the world. While they all meet our premier standards, 26 have gone gold, 48 have gone silver and six of them have just gone platinum, receiving our highest certification in customer service and support for three consecutive years. Making our Customer Support Facilities yet another hit with our customers.
© 2009 Bell® Helicopter Textron Inc., all rights reserved
866.562.4791 [email protected]
02_RW_090109_TOC_p2-3.indd 2 8/19/09 4:31:07 PM
3September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazine©2009 by Access Intelligence, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.Publication Mail Sales Agreement No. 40558009
ServicesProductsTrainingPublic ServiceMilitaryCommercial Personal|Corporate
Features Cover STory
28 ■Bell 429: A New Hope Pilot report on the spacious cabin, avionics, handling characteristics and versatility of the new helicopter from Bell. By Ernie Stephens
36 ■NvGs Made Simple Explaining how night vision goggles can benefit flight operations. By Chris Baur
42 ■Helitech Preview The world still needs helicopters, and Europe’s Helitech is poised to reflect a resilient market for rotorcraft. By Andrew Healey
48 ■NvG Training Comparing the similarities and differences in civilian and military approaches to night vision training. By Charlotte Adams
Departments10 rotorcraft report22 People
22 Coming Events
24 Program Insider H-1 Update
26 Hot Products
56 Advertisers’ Index
57 Classified Ads
61 Coming Up
Columns 4 editor’s notebook
7 Feedback
8 meet the Contributors
58 Safety Watch
60 public Safety notebook
62 accident Watch
The editors welcome new product information and other industry news. All editorial inquiries should be directed to Rotor & Wing magazine, 4 Choke Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA; 1-301-354-1839; fax 1-301-762-8965. E-mail: [email protected]. Rotor & Wing (ISSN-1066-8098) is published monthly by Access Intelligence, 4 Choke Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA. Periodical postage paid at Rockville, Md. and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: Free to qualified individuals directly involved in the helicopter industry. All other subscriptions, U.S.: one year $89; two years $178. Canada: one year $99; two years $198; Foreign: one year $129; two years $258.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rotor & Wing, P.O. Box 3089, Northbrook, Ill. 60065-3089, USA. Change of address two to eight weeks notice requested. Send both new and old address, including mailing label to Attn: Rotor & Wing magazine, Customer Services, P.O. Box 3089, Northbrook, Ill. 60065-3089, USA or call 1-847-559-7314. E-mail: [email protected]. Canada Post PM40063731. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.
Vol. 43 | No. 9 September 2009
Cover: Ernie Stephens, Editor-at-Large, reports on the Bell 429 (Bell Photo). Above: Eurocopter EC135 “Hermes,” a twin-engine helicopter designed for
VIP use. Bottom: Night vision technology and training .
36, 48
42
AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING.At Bell Helicopter, we have a long history of hit products. And our customer support has been a hit for 15 consecutive years. We wouldn’t put our name on just anything. So it’s no surprise that Bell has certified over 130 Customer Service Facilities in 32 countries around the world. While they all meet our premier standards, 26 have gone gold, 48 have gone silver and six of them have just gone platinum, receiving our highest certification in customer service and support for three consecutive years. Making our Customer Support Facilities yet another hit with our customers.
© 2009 Bell® Helicopter Textron Inc., all rights reserved
866.562.4791 [email protected]
02_RW_090109_TOC_p2-3.indd 3 8/19/09 4:31:25 PM
4 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
800-251-7094 • 423-538-5111 • P.O. Box 3689, Bristol, TN 37625 Visit our new website at www.edwards-assoc.com
We get it. We do the same thing for helicopters. From repurposing a helicopter to a new role, repairing a trusted machine or needing
a new helicopter completed to your own exacting specifi cations, our reputation for making your mission-specifi c helicopter a reality
is legendary. We’re Edwards & Associates, Inc., the helicopter company that’s dedicated to seeing your Performance Exceeded.
You’re a guardian. Ready at a moment’s notice to assist and save. You’re one who restores life.
By Joy Finnegan
License to Learn
If you are a regular reader, you will have seen Ernie Stephens’ last col-umn about having fun, which is what Ernie is off to do. But every-
one has their own definition of fun. So let me tell you a little bit about myself and that might explain what I think is fun.
My background is more about aviation than journalism, even though I find myself at the helm of this amazing publication. I have been involved in the aviation indus-try since the age of 15 and decided that I wanted to learn to fly. My dad, a pretty traditional guy but supportive as always, took me to the nearest local airport, Sims-bury TriTown in Simsbury, Conn. I took a “discovery lesson” and was hooked.
I continued with lessons there and eventually began working behind the counter to earn money to take more les-sons. I soloed just after my 16th birthday (and promptly called my mom to come pick me up from the airport since I didn’t have my driver’s license yet).
Even at that young age, I knew that I had found the most unique career path—aviation. Someone told me about Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and said that if I truly wanted to be a professional in the aviation industry, that I should consider going to college there. I did go to school there. It was a won-derful place where I lived and breathed aviation. I can remember being in the uni-versity center bookstore and seeing the latest issue of Rotor & Wing on the shelf, picking it up and reading it, and thinking to myself, “That has got to be the coolest magazine ever made.”
At that time, one of my mentors, Dave Jensen, was the editor. Jensen was editor for nine years. Of course, I didn’t know him then. But eventually I would meet Dave Jensen, Kathleen Kocks, John Persi-nos, Jim McKenna and of course, Ernie,
among other editors who have been for-tunate enough to have had a chance to run the show at Rotor & Wing.
Meanwhile, I pursued a career as a professional pilot, starting out as a flight instructor, moving into charter, the commuter airlines, and eventually to a regional airline. I also worked for a couple of aircraft manufacturers, Cessna and Galaxy/Gulfstream as a contract adminis-trator. I have dropped skydivers, flown car parts and checks in Learjets and a DC-3 in the middle of the night, and taught flying at a U.S. air base in Spain.
Along the way, I always had an inter-est in journalism. I was active in my high school newspaper. I was a part of the ERAU Avion student newspaper staff all the years I attended. As a matter of fact, I met my husband while working on the Avion. Years later, when I was looking for a job after 9/11, I got offered the oppor-tunity to manage an aviation magazine and found it an amazing way to blend two things I thoroughly enjoy—aviation and journalism.
I remember back at ERAU when I test-ed for my instrument rating. The check pilot was one of the older, more experi-enced (I might even say crusty) examiners working at Riddle at that time. He put me through the ringer on that check ride. It was a hot summer day in Florida. We entered holding pattern after holding pat-tern and shot approach after approach. He gave me so many unusual attitudes under the hood to recover from, I thought I might puke. And I never get airsick. I thought that ride would never end.
When it was over, the examiner and I sat down for the debrief. At that point I didn’t know whether I had passed or not. I’m sure you know that feeling of uncer-tainty. He critiqued everything I had done and fortunately, with credit to my excel-
lent instructor (Mason Aldrich, you know who you are) and lots of rote emergency procedure training, I had done well. He passed me and then said something you probably all have heard, “This is your license to learn.”
I remember that moment so well. He was trying to let me know that no mat-ter how great it felt to get that ticket and how much I thought I knew, it was just the beginning. Really, my flying education was only about to begin. We learn quickly in the aviation business just how true those sentiments are.
In my background, you can see that helicopter experience is not among my qualifications. But I am looking at this opportunity as another license to learn and I am thrilled with the prospect of learning about this highly unique facet of the aviation industry. Ernie Stephens will stay on as our editor-at-large and our new managing editor is Andrew D. Parker.
In spite of the changes, we here at Rotor & Wing are going to continue to provide you with the most interest-ing, readable rotorcraft magazine in the industry. Most of the regular columnists and writers you have come to know and respect will continue on with us.
We encourage you to visit us online at www.rotorandwing.com, join the helicop-ter groups on our professional networking site called Aviation Professionals Network (www.avpronet.com), become a fan on Facebook by searching Rotor & Wing and follow us on Twitter: @rotorandwing.
In this issue you will find four amazing feature stories. Two focus on NVG tech-nology and training. Ernie Stephens flew the Bell 429 and shares his insights. And we have our Helitech Preview that takes a look at what to expect at this year’s Helitech show in Duxford, England. Now this is what I call fun!
Editor’s Notebook [email protected]
03_RW_090109_Ednote_p4-5.indd 4 8/19/09 4:35:16 PM
800-251-7094 • 423-538-5111 • P.O. Box 3689, Bristol, TN 37625 Visit our new website at www.edwards-assoc.com
We get it. We do the same thing for helicopters. From repurposing a helicopter to a new role, repairing a trusted machine or needing
a new helicopter completed to your own exacting specifi cations, our reputation for making your mission-specifi c helicopter a reality
is legendary. We’re Edwards & Associates, Inc., the helicopter company that’s dedicated to seeing your Performance Exceeded.
You’re a guardian. Ready at a moment’s notice to assist and save. You’re one who restores life.
03_RW_090109_Ednote_p4-5.indd 5 8/19/09 4:35:35 PM
6 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009
Access Intelligence, LLC 4 Choke Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor
Rockville, Md. 20850 - USA Phone: 1-301-354-2000, Fax: 1-301-354-1809
E-mail: [email protected]
EditorialJoy Finnegan Editor-in-Chief, [email protected] D. Parker Managing Editor, [email protected] Stephens Editor-at-Large, [email protected] Persinos Online Publisher/Editorial Director, [email protected] Giovanni de Briganti Paris Bureau ChiefClaudio Agostini Latin America Bureau ChiefBarney O’Shea Pacific Rim CorrespondentJoe West United Kingdom CorrespondentContributing Writers: Charlotte Adams; Lee Benson; Ron Bow-er; Shannon Bower; Igor Bozinovski; Tony Capozzi; James Care-less; Keith Cianfrani; Steve Colby; Frank Colucci; Pat Gray; Frank Lombardi; Douglas Nelms; Ray Prouty; Ann Roosevelt; Simon Roper; Terry Terrell; Todd Vorenkamp; Richard Whittle.
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For photocopy or reuse requests: 1-800-772-3350 or [email protected]
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04_RW_090109_Feedback_p6-7.indd 6 8/19/09 4:40:43 PM
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7September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
ClarificationThe caption for the image on pages 26 and 27 of the August 2009 issue stated that it was an unmanned K-MAX aerial truck. Several people wrote in to point out that, in fact, there was a person on board and he can clearly be seen in the photograph. To clarify, the photograph was taken during Lockheed Martin and Kaman testing in July. There was a safe-ty pilot on board, as can be clearly seen, but the pilot was there for safety purpos-es only. For an update on the program, see Rotorcraft Report, page 17.
Red Vs. White LightsI believe the primary cause for mid-air col-lision accident over the Hudson River in August was failure of the “See and Be Seen” concept. This failure is demonstrable in the low-altitude environment where the visual background is confused by building structures. Both aircraft were being flown in the same direction, with the helicopter being overtaken by the fixed-wing aircraft.
This is precisely the scenario where helicopter visual conspicuity is most vital, yet it is precisely the situation that the FAA ignored when the certification rules for Part 27 helicopters were written. FAA requires Part 27 helicopters to use avia-tion red anti-collision light lenses, where white lights would be 80 percent more visible to following aircraft. Airplanes, on the other hand, are allowed to use red, white or red/white split lenses.
I have twice petitioned the FAA Administrator to allow the same provi-sion for helicopters as for airplanes and have twice been rebuffed, on the bogus basis that a white, aft-facing strobe would cause reflection in the cockpit, despite the fact that a different section of the FAR already addresses that possibility. The two provisions in question are as follows:
27.1401(a)(1) Consists of one or more
approved anticollision lights located so that their emitted light will not impair the crew’s vision or detract from the conspicuity of the position lights; and
27.1401(d) Color. Each anticollision light must be aviation red and must meet the applicable requirements of §27.1397.The second petition, which pointed
out the fact that I was only requesting a change to 27.1401(d) for color and not (a)(1) for vision impairment, was dismissed out of hand on the basis that the FAA had “more important things to consider.”
Now that ineffective red strobes have become an apparently important factor in a high-profile fatal mid-air accident, perhaps the old saw that FARs are writ-ten in blood will be proven true again. This regulatory change will be written in the blood of another nine victims of FAA indifference.
Howie Fuller Senior Auditor
CharterX Wyvern Consulting
V-22 ResponsesEditor’s Note: The following comments are responses to Giovanni de Briganti’s column on page 48, August 2009 issue.
ObsoleteThe U.S. Marine Corps “needs priority” on today’s battlefield(s) clearly subordi-nates V-22 enroute cruise speed in favor of conventional VTOL positioning, logis-tics and C4ISR (manned and unmanned) support. Current enemy tactics have “val-ue obsoleted” the tiltrotor.
Dave Smith Consultant, Gardnerville, Nev.
Full PotentialYes, let’s invest $29 billion on Giovanni de Briganti’s “other technology.” How about putting him out in the middle of an Iraq desert and asking him how he would like to get picked up? There are some very bright people working to improve the V-22. Mr. de Briganti should look at its full potential.
Tom Boyle Owner
3-D Technologies
Scrap ItFolks, as a former marine aviator with several hundred flight hours as a CH53 crew chief, I suggest that the U.S. Marine Corps scrap the V-22. It won’t replace a CH46. Never, ever.
Steve Eaton
Sky's the LimitTransition through new technology is likely to result in some teething problems. Once they are addressed, the sky will be the limit for this magnificent machine. I dream to operate it!
Capt. V.V. Deshpande
Waste of TimeMore than money, the V-22 is a waste of time (which can not be recovered) and effort that could have been better spent. There are better options available for anybody ready to see them with an open mind.
Name Withheld
Do you have comments on the rotorcraft industry or recent articles and viewpoints we’ve published? Send them to Editor, Rotor & Wing, 4 Choke Cherry Road, Second Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA, fax us at 1-301-354-1809 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Please include a city and state or province with your name and ratings. We reserve the right to edit all submitted material.
▶ R&W’s Question of the Month How could the Hudson River mid-air accident have been prevented?Let us know, and look for your and others’ responses in a future issue. Drop us a line with your thoughts at: [email protected].
?
04_RW_090109_Feedback_p6-7.indd 7 8/19/09 4:41:05 PM
Meet the Contributors
8 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Honeywell and Soloy Aviation Solutionsrecently received STC approval for theLTS101 engine retrofit program in Brazil.“This is a significant announcement,”said Doug Kult, Sales Director, HoneywellHelicopters, “because Esquilo operatorswill now have the opportunity to cost-effectively retrofit their helicopters withthe latest in engine technology.”
LTS101 PerformanceCharacteristics:
Take Off Rating 732 SHP
Max Ng take Off 106.6%
Max MGT °C 923
Quick Facts:
• STC awarded in Brazil forLTS101 retrofit on Esquilo
• Exceptional high-hot margins
• Reduced fuel burn
International Update
Honeywell and Soloy now offering theLTS101 engine in Brazil
overall operational expenses.
Nick Parkinson, Sales Director,
Soloy Aviation, said, “This is
the LTS101’s advantage over
other systems. It has better
performance at higher
density altitudes and, at the
same time, burns less fuel.
This is no small consideration
during this time of escalating
fuel costs.” Depending on
location and the actual cost
of fuel, this factor alone can
save you or your customers
a lot of money.
As industry leaders in
customer support, Honeywell
and Soloy provide a suite of
aftermarket services that are
second-to-none. “Factory
support, parts, and rental
engines are readily available,
and there is no reason that a
Honeywell-powered Esquilo
will ever be grounded due to
a long-term powerplant
problem,” stated Parkinson
of Soloy.
For additional information contact:Honeywell – Doug Kult, Sales Director, 1-602-231-1238Soloy Aviation Solutions – Nick Parkinson, 1-360-754-7000
Improving power, performance, and support services at a lower operating cost for the Esquilo.
©2009 Honeywell International Inc.
The LTS101-600-3A and
LTS101-700D-2 engines
provide the Esquilo increased
high-hot margins, which
is especially significant
given Brazil’s operational
environment, while reducing
fuel consumption. With the
ever-increasing cost of fuel,
operators who fly the Esquilo
now have viable engine
alternatives that will reduce
Advertorial-Soloy_Ad_01:Layout 1 6/11/09 2:33 PM Page 1
Charlotte adaMs covers aviation and defense technology. She has written for Aviation Maintenance and was the editor-in-chief of Avionics. She also writes for the A r m e d Fo r c e s C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d
Electronics Association.
Chris Baur is a dual-rated ATP with more than 11,000 hours, a certified aircraft dispatcher and flight instructor. He is a retired military pilot who served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force (ANG) and currently is a captain at a major U.S. airline. His helicopter background includes flying the longest oceanic rescue mission in history, flown in a USAF HH-60G Pavehawk. Chris is also type rated on numerous helicopters to include BH-206, SA-365 and HU-369. He flew Part 91 and 135 com-mercial helicopter operations in the Northeast during the 1980s.
lee BeNsoN is a retired senior pilot for the Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Before he was named senior pilot, Lee ran the aviation section’s safety and training programs, including organizing the section’s yearly safety meeting with other public
agencies and the press.
Keith CiaNfraNi contributes this month’s Accident Watch column. A retired U.S. Army lieu-tenant colonel, master aviator, and Army instruc-tor pilot, he is rated in both fixed- and rotary-wing. While at the U.S. Army Safety Center, he was an advisor to the director of Army safety and served as an aviation safety officer and accident investigator. He authored many avia-tion safety articles in the center’s Flight Fax magazine. He holds a master’s in aerospace safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Keith is a certificated flight instructor and has flown commercial aircraft for more than 20 years in and around the New York City area. A risk-management instructor, he teaches at Drexel University and at The Philadelphia Military Academy at Elverson.
aNdrew healey trained as a Royal Navy navigation officer and pilot with front-line tours flying anti-submarine Sea Kings from aircraft carrier Hermes, and Wasps off Antarctic patrol
ship Endurance. Before leaving the navy with an ATPL(H), he was awarded a Queen’s Commenda-tion for Valuable Service in the Air for his part in the rescue of seamen from a burning ship in the English Channel. As a civilian, he flew Jet Rangers,
A-Stars and Agusta A109s for a charter company near London.
douglas NelMs has more than 30 years as an aviation journalist and currently works as a free-lance writer. He formerly served as managing editor of Rotor & Wing. A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot, he specializes in writing about helicopters.
erNie stePheNs began flying in the 1980s, earning his commercial pilot’s license and starting an aerial photography company as a sideline. In his regular job as a county police officer, he was transferred to the department’s new aviation unit,
where he served as the sergeant in charge and chief pilot until his retirement in 2006. In addition to Rotor & Wing, Ernie (aka “Werewolf ”) has written for Aviation Maintenance.
terry terrell is a UGA graduate who gained his early aviation experience as a U.S. Navy fixed-wing instructor and U.S. Coast Guard aircraft commander, where his service included SAR in Sikorsky S-61s. ATP licensed with ratings in both jets and helicopters, and more than 16,000 hours total flight time, Terry served as a cross-qualified captain and safety special projects officer with Houston’s Transco Energy, which operated the first Learjet 55s and a fleet of more than 30 TwinStars. He later served in multiple organizational capacities with Atlanta’s Kennestone AVSTAT Helicopter Ambulance Program and Georgia Baptist LifeFlight during their notable operational years, speaking on behalf of emergency medical transportation throughout the community.
riChard whittle, longtime Pentagon cor-respondent for The Dallas Morning News, writes regularly for Rotor & Wing about military aircraft and related topics. Rick is the author of a book on the V-22 Osprey that Simon & Schuster
will publish in April 2010.
05_RW_090109_MeetCon_p8-9.indd 8 8/19/09 4:52:31 PM
Honeywell and Soloy Aviation Solutionsrecently received STC approval for theLTS101 engine retrofit program in Brazil.“This is a significant announcement,”said Doug Kult, Sales Director, HoneywellHelicopters, “because Esquilo operatorswill now have the opportunity to cost-effectively retrofit their helicopters withthe latest in engine technology.”
LTS101 PerformanceCharacteristics:
Take Off Rating 732 SHP
Max Ng take Off 106.6%
Max MGT °C 923
Quick Facts:
• STC awarded in Brazil forLTS101 retrofit on Esquilo
• Exceptional high-hot margins
• Reduced fuel burn
International Update
Honeywell and Soloy now offering theLTS101 engine in Brazil
overall operational expenses.
Nick Parkinson, Sales Director,
Soloy Aviation, said, “This is
the LTS101’s advantage over
other systems. It has better
performance at higher
density altitudes and, at the
same time, burns less fuel.
This is no small consideration
during this time of escalating
fuel costs.” Depending on
location and the actual cost
of fuel, this factor alone can
save you or your customers
a lot of money.
As industry leaders in
customer support, Honeywell
and Soloy provide a suite of
aftermarket services that are
second-to-none. “Factory
support, parts, and rental
engines are readily available,
and there is no reason that a
Honeywell-powered Esquilo
will ever be grounded due to
a long-term powerplant
problem,” stated Parkinson
of Soloy.
For additional information contact:Honeywell – Doug Kult, Sales Director, 1-602-231-1238Soloy Aviation Solutions – Nick Parkinson, 1-360-754-7000
Improving power, performance, and support services at a lower operating cost for the Esquilo.
©2009 Honeywell International Inc.
The LTS101-600-3A and
LTS101-700D-2 engines
provide the Esquilo increased
high-hot margins, which
is especially significant
given Brazil’s operational
environment, while reducing
fuel consumption. With the
ever-increasing cost of fuel,
operators who fly the Esquilo
now have viable engine
alternatives that will reduce
Advertorial-Soloy_Ad_01:Layout 1 6/11/09 2:33 PM Page 1
05_RW_090109_MeetCon_p8-9.indd 9 8/19/09 4:52:45 PM
>>
ServicesProductsTrainingPublic ServiceMilitaryCommercial Personal|Corporate
10 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Next Steps for Army AATE/ITEP ProgramThe U.S. Army has issued a Request for Information as the next phase in development of its Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP). The ITEP is a 3,000-shp engine program “based upon Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine (AATE) technology development,” the Army stated in its RFI, issued on July 22. The ITEP is planned as a replacement for the T700-GE-701C/D engines that currently power the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64D Apache and date back to 1978. The engine is also used to power a wide variety of helicopters, from other U.S. military services as well as commercial and foreign military helicopters, such as the S-92, S-70, NH90 and EH101. The Army issued its initial announcement for a growth engine replacement in 1998, although launch funding did not become available until the 2007/2008 timeframe.
Two U.S. companies are competing for the ultimate production contract for the ITEP—GE, maker of the original T700/CT7 family, and the Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC), a 50/50 joint venture created in 2007 between Hon-eywell and Pratt & Whitney to develop AATE technology. Both companies are now in the science and technology (S&T) phase of demonstrating the AATE tech-nology for the future ITEP. ATEC designat-ed its future ITEP engine the HPW3000, while GE is offering its GE3000.
The U.S. Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on the engines late last year. The Detailed Design Review has also been completed and the Critical Design Review (CDR) will be con-ducted this December, with validation and full engine testing expected to continue through 2011. The AATE program is being conducted under a $109-million contract for each competitor.
GE stated that it had initially been selected as the winner of the AATE com-petition and awarded the contract. “Sub-sequently, the Army decided to also award a similar contract to the competition. Additionally, GE has distinguished itself by being selected for five AATE compo-nents—turbine technology ceramic matrix composites, advanced power turbine, mechanical systems, compact high-power combustor and advanced compressor,” a company spokesperson said.
Full S&T development and testing for the AATE is expected to last through fiscal year 2012. The recently released Army RFI reflects that ITEP development will enter engineering manufacturing development (EMD) in FY2013 with the two contractors who will continue development of their can-didate engines through preliminary flight rating test and flight demonstrations, before down selecting to contractor in FY2016.
Objectives of the new engine program are based on comparative parameters of the -701C, providing a 25 percent improve-ment in specific fuel consumption, a 65 percent increase in power-to-weight ratio, a 35 percent reduction in production and maintenance costs and a 20 percent increase in engine design life.
Reduction in the SFC is considered par-amount, considering that under current combat conditions in Iraq and Afghani-stan, the Army estimates the cost of fuel to be $30 per gallon when delivered by truck to an aviation unit 600 km (324 nm) inland, and $400 per gallon when delivered by CH-47. A 25 percent reduction in SFC equates to a 12 percent reduction in direct fuel consumption, or an estimated savings of 9.4 million gallons per year.
The Army states that the ITEP is focused on “development and qualifica-tion of a new centerline, turboshaft engine
that is needed to support modernization requirements necessary to ensure the Apache and Black Hawk remain opera-tionally effective well into the 21st century.” It also noted that “additional Black Hawk lift capability is needed for hot/high oper-ating conditions and a significant increase in aircraft mission radius capability, up to 500 km (270 nm), is desired for both the Apache and Black Hawk helicopters.”
As the program transitions into EMD, based on the Army’s RFI acquisition strat-egy, it requires the two contractors to install and demonstrate their engine’s performance and ease of installation and integration. The primary objective is to have a drop-in configuration with mini-mum cost and complexity to accomplish the installation.
The HPW3000 configuration will be a two-spool engine designed for drop-in installation. It reportedly will require less power to start and reduce overall installation costs. It enables the use of a battery to start, providing the Army the option to eliminate the need for an auxiliary power unit (APU).
GE stated it could not discuss the tech-nical aspects of the GE3000, simply that it will be a new centerline engine, able to start with or without an APU.
A lower retrofit cost is also expected, since the new engine will fit into the current mounts without a need for rede-signed fittings or any fuselage changes. ATEC claims its engine will feature a 25 percent growth capability within the same installation envelope in anticipation of future helicopter performance and growth requirements, while GE simply stated that the GE3000 “is designed to meet specific requirements set forth by the Army for its future platform requirements.”
ATEC also pointed out that it is a “green” engine, not only operating at a
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Services
11September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
■ commercial
american eurocopter opens customer Service, Fleet operations center Grand Prairie, Texas-based American Eurocopter has officially launched its U.S. customer service and fleet operations center (CSFC). The facility, located at the company’s Grand Prairie site, will serve as a global service and logistics network, along with sister fleet operations facilities in Europe (in La Durane, France) and Asia (Hong Kong, China). The CFSC opening followed an event in mid-July commemorating American Eurocopter’s 40th year of business in the U.S. Opening the new CSFC “is not just a move to a new location with new technology,” explains Larry Roberts, vice president of sales, marketing and customer support, but “a major step forward for our business, and part of an initiative designed to bring our customer service and support to the top of the industry.” The company is investing in local repair and overhaul facilities, and beefing up supply chain and training services. American Eurocopter has also reorganized its marketing, sales and customer support functions into a single entity.
The company has high hopes for the future of its services and products. During the 40th year event, Rusty Weiger, deputy program executive officer for U.S. Army Aviation, noted that the UH-72A program “has accomplished what few—if any other—major programs have achieved: staying on price and schedule this far into the project, and I see no reason why we can’t continue this performance. I also believe the Lakota program’s reputation will position us—even with today’s budget constraints—to grasp future opportunities that may arise, which will be a win for the U.S. Army, EADS North America and American Eurocopter.” For more information on the Lakota testing to meet the armed aerial scout require-ments, see page 12.
Amer ic an Eu ro copter traces its roots to 1969, when Aerospatiale and LTV Aero-space formed Vought Heli-copter in Texas. The Euro-copter subsidiary employs 750 workers in the U.S.
Rotorcraft Report
lower SFC, but producing fewer emissions, having a lower noise footprint and pos-sessing the ability to operate on alternative fuels, to include biofuels.
Current combat assault specifications for the UH-60M Black Hawk with the T700-701D engine under 4,000-ft, 95°F conditions include a mission radius of 233 km (126 nm) with a payload capacity of 3,190 lbs at a max gross takeoff weight of 19,401 lbs. Expanding the current -701D from 2,000 to 3,000 shp would increase Black Hawk empty weight by 200 lbs, but could retain the same payload while increas-ing fuel consumption and reducing mission radius to 190 km (103 nm). The 3,000-shp ITEP engine will enable retention of the same max gross takeoff weight and payload, but with reduced fuel consumption that will increase the mission radius to 271 km (146 nm). An ITEP engine on the UH-60M would either extend the mission radius with an external payload of 9,000 lbs from 65 km (35 nm) to 135 km (73 nm), or would allow the ITEP engine with an improved trans-mission to carry a 9,000-lb payload 135 km, while the -701D-equipped UH-60M would be restricted to just over 5,000 lbs.
For the Apache powered by the -701C engine, the new ITEP engine would increase range from 260 nm (140 nm) to 325 nm (175 nm) and payload from 3,400 to 4,500 lbs.
Both competing engines are expected to exceed the Army’s requirements, as well as minimize the Army’s current T700 logistic footprint. Program development cost for the ITEP is estimated at $500 million. However, annual direct operating and support (O&S) cost savings are estimated at around $80 mil-lion per year. This includes a savings of $44 million in engine O&S costs and $9 million in fuel for the UH-60 fleet of 1,500 aircraft, and $24 million in engine O&S costs and $3 million in fuel for the AH-64 fleet of 700 air-craft. Based on those estimates, the Army’s development cost breakeven point is 6.25 years. —By Douglas W. Nelms
Various Eurocopter helicopters in U.S. and Texas state livery conduct a demo flight during a July 10 event in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Eurocopter and American Eurocopter execs Lutz Bertling, Phillipe Harache, Marc Paganini and Eric Walden take a moment to examine an Alouette III on display.
For daily and breaking news involving helicopters, go to: www.aviationtoday/rwBecome a fan of Rotor & Wing on FacebookFollow us on Twitter: @rotorandwing
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12 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Rotorcraft Report
■ Military
EaDS lUH Platform Meets Key U.S. army armed aerial Scout Profile
A standard, commercial EC145, the platform that serves as the baseline for the UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), has completed a series of successful high/hot flight demonstrations. These tests proved it is able to meet the U.S. Army’s demanding high altitude/high temperature mission profiles for both current and future armed aerial scout, according to EADS.
Operating from Alamosa, Colo. with a takeoff elevation of more than 7,500 feet and carrying a simulated 2,300-lb mission equipment package (MEP), the Lakota platform (to be known as the Armed Scout 645 once missionized) suc-cessfully hovered-out-of-ground-effect
(HOGE) at a density altitude of 6,000 feet and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This requirement was included in the Army’s Sources Sought document issued in October 2008 and reflects the evolving armed aerial scout mission environ-ments faced by U.S. forces operating in theaters such as Afghanistan. The dem-onstration flight not only validated the aircraft’s high/hot hover capability but also confirmed tail rotor authority and controllability with the simulated MEP payload in hover-out-of-ground-effect conditions at a weight of 7,407. These numbers represent a 201-lb increase from the previously certified capability.
A subsequent flight with the simulat-ed MEP payload validated the aircraft’s long-range endurance capability—com-pleting a 2 hour, 30 minute flight with a 35-minute fuel reserve.
“This series of successful flights with a Lakota platform clearly demonstrates our team’s ability to meet the Army’s demanding high and hot operational requirements with a full combat mis-sion package. We did so with a platform that provides broad commonality to the successful UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter flying in the Army inven-tory today,” says David R. Oliver, EADS North America’s CEO.
“We have met the most stringent requirements of the Army,” said David Oliver, CEO of EADS North America at a Washington, D.C. press conference in reference to the high/hot testing of the EC145 conducted in Alamosa, Colo.
“This is a capable system. The Army will need it soon and will need it for a while,” Oliver continued.
EADS Photo
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Rotorcraft Report
13September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
■ Public Safety
Quick thinking beats fire A rapid response and quick thinking by Ultra Helicopters pilot Wayne Norris saved his life and that of a passenger, following a fast-spreading engine fire in a Bell 204C helicopter (the 204C is an early civilian version of the UH-1).
Norris was doing long-line work, hoisting a water bucket over Easterville, Manitoba in Canada on June 15, 2009, when he noticed “dark smoke coming out of the 204’s hellhole in his rear-view mirror,” says Ultra Helicopters chief pilot Josh Poirier. The hellhole is an area in the aft cabin that runs from the transmission to the bottom of the aircraft and houses hydraulic and electrical connections. “Wayne dropped the bucket and line, then made an abbreviated final approach to the nearest base just a mile away.”
Norris’ fast reaction saved his and his passenger’s lives. “It was two minutes from the time Wayne noticed the smoke to the time he landed,” Poirier tells Rotor & Wing. “A minute after landing, the helicop-ter’s engine compartment and mast were engulfed in flames. Had he tried to make it to a further base, which he considered doing, the machine might have broken up in air.”
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the cause of the fire. Ultra Helicopters is headquartered in Peace River, Alberta. It provides charter helicopters for fire suppression, oil and gas exploration, medevac and air taxi services.
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Ultra Helicopters operates various types, including the Bell 204C, 205A-1, 206 and 206L3, as well as the Eurocopter AS350 FX2 and Robinson R44.
An engine fire engulfed this Ultra Helicopters Bell 204C, forcing a quick response from the pilot.
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14 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Rotorcraft Report
customer support through continued investments
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Helping you focus on your core business, flying
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TURB-enhancing-200x273_R&W_uk.indd 1 30/07/09 17:01:29
■ CommerCial
aW139 Begins Service with Bel airDenmark’s Bel Air has taken delivery of its first AgustaWestland AW139. The 12-seat aircraft will be used for offshore transport services. At a handover ceremony that included Prince Henrik of Denmark, consort to the Queen of Denmark Margrethe II, Bel Air dubbed the helicopter “Spirit of Agusta” to honor the “fantastic support [AW has] provided since the very beginning,” said Susanne H. Lastein, managing director for Bel Air.
The AW139 is the first of a series of helicopters that Bel Air will receive. The company has also become an AgustaWestland service center for the AW139 in Denmark. According to AgustaWestland, more than 150 AW139s are operating in the offshore capacity around the globe.
■ CommerCial
NTSB: maryland i-70 Helicopter Victims mulled Driving The National Transportation Safety Board (N TSB) has released a preliminary report on the I-70 helicopter crash in Maryland that resulted in the deaths of the pilot and three passengers. The Robinson R44 helicopter struck a guy wire that crossed I-70 near Boonsboro the night of July 23 and crashed just off the roadway. Advanced Helicopter Concepts (AHC), a nonprofit charity and helicopter pilot training organization based at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), was maintaining the helicopter for a private owner, who is a trustee for the Advanced Helicopter Youth Foundation (AHYF). While the NTSB report did not reveal who piloted the R44, media outlets have identified the pilot as Jeffrey Nordaas, 24, of Columbia, Md. Two of the passengers—Niall Booth, 43 and George Tutor, 39—were
employees of AHC. Kim Felix, 48, was the other passenger.
NTSB notes that on the day of the accident, the helicop-ter flew from FDK to Hager-stown Regional Airport (HGR) to transport passengers, fol-lowed by sightseeing rides for an AHYF event. After finishing business meetings and the rides, the pilot called another AHC employee to ask about weath-er conditions for the return flight to FDK. The employee “informed the pilot that the weather conditions were ‘miser-able’ with severe thunderstorms in the area,” the NTSB report states. He offered to drive to HGR to pick up the pilot and passengers, but the pilot said he would “wait out” the storm, call-ing the employee back around an hour later, at around 10:00 pm. According to NTSB, the employee relayed that the rain had stopped, but said it was still
foggy with wind and lightning in the area. He renewed the offer to pick them up with a car or minivan. The pilot again said he would wait out the storm, and NTSB estimates that the helicopter took off from HGR at around 10:15 pm. “The HGR air traffic control tower closed at [10:00 pm], and there were no known communications with the helicopter,” the report continues.
One witness driving east-bound on I-70 described the helicopter appearing to fly into “low clouds,” and turn around to head west when it hit the power lines, crashed into the ground and “burst into flames.” Another witness said the heli-copter was flying parallel with the interstate when it “seemed to be getting lower” and faded out of view, followed shortly after with “sparks in the sky.”
The helicopter struck an
unmarked steel guy wire about 70 feet high that ran across I-70 near mile marker 37. According to power company records, a power fluctuation took place at 10:26 pm. Two power lines below the guy wire were also damaged. The resulting fire severely damaged the R44’s cabin, a majority of the main rotor gearbox and all the drive belts. NTSB took the wreckage to a storage facility in Clayton, Del. Initial inspection of the air-frame, engine and drive system does not indicate mechanical malfunctions. The helicopter’s most recent inspection took place in March 2009. AHC hired the pilot in January 2009. He amassed a total of 630 hours of flight experience, and held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for rotorcraft and instrument helicopter opera-tions, as well as a commercial pilot certificate.
From left to right, Susanne H. Lastein, managing director for Bel Air, Prince Henrik of Denmark and Ian Savage, regional sales manager of AgustaWestland’s commercial business unit, prepare to board the AW139.
Bel Air’s first AW139 in action.
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customer support through continued investments
EN ANCING
Helping you focus on your core business, flying
You want to take your business to new heights. You need tailored products, services and policies. Because you have chosen Turbomeca as your trusted partner, we focus on understanding your business
and we continuously invest to expand global service and production capabilities, standard-setting design and engineering, and your 24-7 after-sales service. Meeting your needs every day is our priority.In the industry since 1938, Turbomeca is the world’s leading manufacturer of helicopter engines. more at turbomeca.com
TURB-enhancing-200x273_R&W_uk.indd 1 30/07/09 17:01:29
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16 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Rotorcraft Report
■ Military
Canada Places Order for 15 New CH-47F Chinooks Boeing has obtained a $1.15-billion contract for 15 new CH-47F Chinook heavy lift helicopters from the Canadian government. As part of the agreement, Boeing will partner with Canadian companies and issue supplier contracts. Initial support tied to the contract is estimated at more than $500 million, with future investments reaching a potential of $2 billion to the Canadian industry in support of the CH-147 fleet over the next 20 years. Areas of support could include aircraft maintenance, training, engineering and supply chain management.
Mark Kroenberg, vice president of international business development for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, describes the contract as a “win-win” for both parties, adding that it has “created opportunities for new partnerships to further grow our already large supplier base in Canada.”
Boeing will manufacture the 15 Chinooks at its Rotorcraft Sys-tems facility in Ridley Township, Pa. They will feature two 4,700-hp Honeywell engines and be capable of transporting 21,000 lbs (9,525 kg) of cargo. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2013 and run through 2014.
Meanwhile, Boeing Defence UK conducted the first flight of its Chinook Mk3 in June at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Royal Air Force (RAF) Boscombe Down facility. Boeing’s group of suppliers for the Mk3 reversion program includes QinetiQ and GE Aviation Systems, who are working with RAF to convert eight Mk3s for compatibility with the Royal Air Force fleet of 40 Mk2s. The eight helicopters, which will be based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, are scheduled for delivery from late
2009 through 2010. Defence UK is a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.
■ PubliC ServiCe
Hai Gives Safety award to Stat Medevac Alexandria , Va.-based Helicopter Association Intl (HAI) recently awarded STAT MedEvac for its outstanding safety record in 2008. HAI gives the award to members who demonstrate an excellent safety record. STAT MedEvac, a nonprofit service of the Center for Emergenc y Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, flew a total of 11,300 hours last year. The unit also received an FAA Diamond Certificate for 2008.
Dan Nakles, manager of business relations and development, says both awards reflect the hard work of “our pilots, medical flight crews, maintenance techni-cians and support staff.” STAT MedEvac operates from 17 sites under a consortium of hospitals—UPMC Presbyterian Shady-side, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pitts-burgh and UPMC Mercy Hospital.
A UK Chinook Mk3 goes airborne for the first time during a June test flight at the Boscombe Down facility.
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Rotorcraft Report
17September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
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■ Military
Marines Seek Helicopter UaV assistance The U.S. Marine Corps, eager to reduce the number of troops exposed to roadside bombs laid to ambush convoys in Afghanistan, took a step Aug. 5 toward producing unmanned helicopters to deliver supplies to forward operating bases (FOBs) in that rugged country. Kaman Helicopters and Lockheed Martin Corp’s Systems Integration division received $860,000 to demonstrate their unmanned K-MAX. The Marines gave Boeing Co. a separate $500,000 contract to demonstrate its A160T Hummingbird.
The Corps wants a nearly autonomous helicopter that can deliver 10,000 lbs of cargo in sling loads within 24 hours to a range of 150 nm, hover either in or out of ground effect at 12,000 feet density alti-tude and fly at 15,000 feet with a full load of cargo. In a Request for Proposals, the Marines said that the goal was to find a machine that could do all that by February 2010. But in meetings with the companies, Corps officials avoided calling the demonstrations a fly-off, an industry official told Rotor & Wing.
The manned version of the K-MAX, a 5,100-lb helicopter that can lift 6,000 lbs of external load at sea level, has seen use in logging and construction since 1994. The far lighter Hummingbird—about 2,500 lbs empty—was designed for reconnaissance, but Boeing says it will demonstrate that the aircraft can carry at least 2,500 lbs of cargo the required distance in fewer than six hours.
The Marines haven’t said whether they’ll actually buy either entry, but industry officials expect the service to procure anywhere from 12 to 70 unmanned cargo re-supply helicopters once the technology is proven. Winning all or part of such a deal could be far more lucrative than that: the Army also wants such a system, and while it doesn’t have a similar program yet, its need could far outstrip the number the Marines might buy. —By Richard Whittle
A K-MAX shown with ground operator at USMC’s Quantico base.
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18 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Rotorcraft Report
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■ Training
Sikorsky Delivers Training S-300C to UnD aerospace Stratford, Conn.-based Sikorsky’s Global Helicopters unit in Horseheads, N.Y. has handed over an S-300C to the University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace). The university, which has been using Sikorsky helicopters to train students since 1983, will incorporate the S-300 into its training program. Describing the helicopter
as dependable and safe, Don Dubuque, UND’s fleet manager and director of extension programs, explains that the school uses the S-300C “because it is a good training platform.” Ken Polovitz, assistant dean of student services, adds that UND Aerospace has more than 800 students enrolled in helicopter and fixed-wing training programs, “and more and more of them are becoming interested in the helicopter industry as a career track.”
The S-300C becomes the seventh Sikorsky helicopter in its fleet. UND Aerospace has three more S-300Cs on order that are set for delivery this year.
In a separate development, Sikorsky has received an order from the National Police Agency (NPA) of Japan for an S-92. The helicopter will carry out search and rescue (SAR) and special-mission operations in the country. Japan’s NPA, which has used Sikorsky helicopters since 1996, also oper-ates two S-76Bs for SAR, transportation, utility work and other special needs.
■ ProDUCTS
night Flight Concepts, gladstone Team Up Gl adstone Aerosp ace (GAC ) of Ottawa, Ontario has established a strategic business alliance with Night Flight Concepts (NFC). The goal of the partnership is to “leverage each [other’s] respective know-how, experience and resources,” in the aerospace, defense and security (ADS) markets. Port St. Lucie, Fla.-based NFC will work with Gladstone on various joint programs, including night vision training and maintenance support. Night Flight will help expand the Canadian company’s reach in the U.S., while Gladstone will help NFC increase its presence in Canada’s ADS markets. The two plan to collaborate on international markets as well.
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www.rolls-royce.com
In today’s world, customers want more for less. This simple yet powerful
concept is behind the RR500 Turboshaft from Rolls-Royce. This new
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its class – all at reduced ownership costs. A powerful equation from a
powerful source – Rolls-Royce. Trusted to deliver excellence.
A legacy is built one engine at a time.
RR300 Turboshaft
RR500 Turboshaft
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2106_RR500 Launch_RtrNWng.indd 1 4/9/09 2:02:50 PM
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20 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Rotorcraft Report
■ CommerCial
american eurocopter achieves oDa FAA has granted organization designation authorization (ODA) to American Eurocopter, Grand Prairie, Texas. The approval enables the helicopter manufacturer to act on behalf of the U.S. regulatory agency when issuing and certifying supplemental type certificates (STCs). The designation “will allow us to be more responsive to market demands and significantly improve our reactiveness to [customer] requirements,” says Allen Andress, vice president of operations.
“In giving us this responsibility, the FAA has determined that we possess the integrity and skills to do STC work on behalf of the government,” explains George Sparling, director of certification for American Eurocopter. “After we receive FAA approval, we issue the STC,” he adds. Through July, American Eurocopter has received more than 450 STCs from FAA.
■ PubliC ServiCe
Five aW139s Join agusta order bookItalian manufacturer AgustaWestland (AW) has received orders for five AW139s—four from the government of Trinidad and Tobago and one from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). The LAFD helicopter (example shown above) will join two AW139s that conduct search and rescue (SAR), aerial firefighting and medevac operations in the city and surrounding areas.
AW will build the LAFD helicopter at its manufacturing plant in Phila-delphia, Pa. The company says LAFD chose the AW139 for various reasons, including safety, performance and economics. Battalion Chief Joseph Foley notes that LAFD “can respond faster with increased loads in an aircraft that exceeds current safety standards.”
Trinidad and Tobago’s Air Guard (TTAG) will use the four AW139s for various missions, including law enforcement, SAR, disaster relief, surveillance and drug interdiction. Worth around $348 million, the agreement signifies the establishment of the first SAR helicopter unit in the South American island nation off the coast of Venezuela.
AgustaWestland will partner with Bristow Caribbean, UK-based FB Heliser-vices and Helidex of East Rutherford, N.J. to manage the AW139s. Training will primarily take place in Italy, the UK and the United States. Operations will be carried out from Piarco Intl Airport and from offshore patrol vessels, in partner-ship with the Coast Guard.
■ ProDuCtS
SkybooKS lite to Serve orange County Fa Jack sonv il le , Fla .-base d Sk yB O OKS has introduced Lite, a user-managed version of its aviation maintenance management program. The launch customer for SkyBOOKS Lite is the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), which will employ the program for its fleet of two Bell 412 and two UH-1 helicopters.
SkyBOOKS COO John Willis explains that while the Lite version reduces operator costs, “it will still provide AD/SB [airworthiness directive/service bulletin] and maintenance manual revision services, although daily updates will be user-man-aged.” Operators can still use all the SkyBOOKS functions in the full program, as well as alert ser-vices and warranty tracking.
John Wilson, OCFA’s director of maintenance, notes that SkyBOOKS Lite “will allow us to man-age all compliance requirements and revisions within one program.”
Meanwhile, SkyBOOKS has added updates to its full software suite. Based on recommendations from customers, SkyBOOKS release 4.1 contains sum-mary task cards, a minimum equipment list (MEL)/Discrepancy module and improved warranty com-ponent tracking. Users can create summary task cards from all items that appear on the “Due” list, and an optional certification statement can serve as a return-to-service logbook entry. Among the fea-tures of the MEL/Discrepancy module are tracking operational limitations and maintaining the MEL historical log. The warranty component tracking function allows users to add warranty data and asso-ciated documents on the component level.
American Eurocopter President and CEO Marc Paganini (left) receives a certificate for organization designation authorization (ODA) from Charles C. Harrison, acting manager of FAA’s Rotorcraft Certification Office.
AgustaWestland Photo
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Rotorcraft Report
21September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
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■ Products
Alaska cAP to use FLIr EVsPortland, Ore.-based FLIR Systems has received an order for 20 enhanced vision system (EVS3) cameras from the Alaska Civil Air Patrol (CAP). The Alaska CAP fleet will use the EVS3 cameras for various missions around the state. Aerospace Instrument Support of Denton, Texas—which is an FAA/EASA approved repair station and EVS3 distributor—will perform the CAP installations. The order includes an option for 10 additional cameras.
■ sErVIcEs
certs for urs, AhlersThe Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has issued CAR 35 approval for United Rotorcraft Solutions and Ahlers Aerospace night vision lighting modifications on the Bell 412. URS and Ahlers’ efforts to obtain FAA approval for the lighting mods are ongoing. The two companies have also obtained an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for night vision lighting mods on the BO105. FAA also granted a Part 145 repair station approval to URS for maintenance and modifications on the MD Helicopters MD500.
FLIR Systems EVS3 camera
■ MILItAry
camcopter PartnershipA new division Boeing Co. has created to capitalize on the boom in unmanned vehicles announced Aug. 11 it is teaming with Schiebel Industries AG to offer the tiny Austrian firm’s Camcopter S-100. Vic Sweberg, director of Boeing Unmanned Airborne Systems, said the companies already had bid on a U.S. Special Operations Command contract for an unmanned aircraft system to be used for surveillance and reconnaissance. The Camcopter made a bit of Paris Air Show history this year as the first UAV to fly at the storied venue. “There’s a variety of customers interested,” Sweberg said at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Conference in D.C. Hans Schiebel, director and owner of Schiebel Industries, said the S-100 has hard points that can accommodate a variety of sensors.
06_RW_090109_RCR_p10-25.indd 21 8/19/09 5:06:04 PM
22 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Rotorcraft Report
PEOPLE
September 22–24: Helitech 2009, Cambridge, U.K. Contact Reed Exhibitions, phone +44 (0) 208-271-2155 or visit www.helitech.co.uk
September 22–24: Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) & Standardization Conference, Orlando, Fla. Contact DMSMS, phone 1-937-426-2808 or visit www.dmsms.org
September 22–25: 35th European Rotorcraft Forum, Hamburg, Germany. Contact ERF, +44-220-395-8692 or visit www.erf2009.org
September 29–October 1: International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST)’s Third International Helicopter Safety Symposium, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Contact IHST, phone 1-703-684-6777 or visit www.ihst.org
October 5–7: Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. Contact AUSA, phone 1-703-841-4300, toll free 1-800-336-4570 or visit www.ausa.org
October 19–20: 2nd International Forum on Rotorcraft Multidisciplinary Technology, Seoul, Korea. Contact AHS Intl, phone 1-703-684-6877 or visit www.vtol.org
October 20–22: National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 62nd Annual Meeting & Convention, Orlando, Fla. Contact NBAA, phone 1-202-783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
October 25: Wings, Wheels & Rotors Expo, Los Alamitos, Calif. Contact: 1-562-598-6659 or visit www.wwrexpo.net
October 26–28: Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC 2009), San Jose, Calif. Contact AAMS, 1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org
October 26–29: DoD Maintenance Symposium & Exhibition, Phoenix, Ariz. Phone 1-877-606-7323 or visit www.sae.org/dod
November 2–5: International Air Safety Seminar, Beijing, China. Contact Flight Safety Foundation, phone 1-703-739-6700 or visit www.flightsafety.org
November 4–5: Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance, Phase 1, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact Grey Owl Consultants, phone 1-204-848-7353 or visit www.greyowl.com
November 15–19: Dubai Airshow, Dubai, UAE. Contact Fairs & Exhibitions, phone +9714-286-7755 or visit www.dubaiairshow.aero
November 30–December 1: Human Factors in Aviation Safety, Los Angeles, Calif. Contact USC Viterbi School of Engineering, phone 1-310-342-1345 or visit www.viterbi.usc.edu
November 30–December 3: The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, Orlando, Fla. Contact I/ITSEC, phone 1-703-247-2569 or visit www.iitsec.org
2010:February 20–23: Heli-Expo 2010, Houston, Texas. Contact Helicopter Association International (HAI), phone 1-703-683-4646 or visit www.heli-expo.com
March 17–19: Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) Spring Conference, Washington, DC. Contact AAMS, phone 1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org
March 23–28: FIDAE 2010, Santiago, Chile. Contact FIDAE, phone 56 2 873 9752 or visit www.fidae.cl
April 7–10: Aircraft Electronics Association Convention, Orlando, Fla. Contact AEA, phone 1-816-347-8400 or visit www.aea.net
April 14–17: Army Aviation Association of America (Quad-A) Annual Convention, Fort Worth, Texas. Contact Quad-A, phone 1-203-268-2450 or visit www.quad-a.org
Te x t r o n I n c . h a s appointed John L . G a r r i s o n , J r. a s president and CEO of its Bell Helicopter subsidiary. He takes
over from Richard “Dick” Millman, who worked in various roles for Textron for 43 years, becoming Bell’s president and CEO in January 2007. Garrison comes from Textron’s Industrial segment.
Textron has also hired Frank T. Con-nor as executive vice president and CFO of Bell. He comes from Goldman Sachs, where he was most recently managing director of Telecom Investment Banking.
EADS North Amer-ica has hired Gary M. Bishop as vice presi-dent of its Armed Scout
645 program. Bishop, who served 20 years in the military, previously led the industry team for the U.S. Army’s Apache Longbow programs in Mesa, Ariz.
Bobby Wilks, 78, a longtime helicop-ter and U.S. Coast Guard pilot who assisted with numerous rescue operations, died on July 13 in Woodbridge, Va. Wilks is cred-ited as being the first African-American to become a captain in the Coast Guard, as well as the first to command a Coast Guard air station. He amassed around 6,000 flight hours in his career with 18 aircraft types.
The United States Senate has confirmed Deborah A.P. Hers-man as the 12th chair-man of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). She will serve a two-year term as chairman and continue on as a
board member for a five-year term ending Dec. 31, 2013.
Bristow Group has promoted Eliza-beth D. Brumley to chief financial offi-cer. She has served as acting CFO since April 2009. Brumley has worked for Bristow since November 2005.
B r e t t G a r d n e r is the new director of sales and marketing for Becker Avionics. He comes from the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he was a major on voluntary assignment as an Army Reserve company commander. Gardner, who holds a com-mercial rotorcraft license, has worked for a number of helicopter manufacturers, including American Eurocopter, Bell Heli-copter and MD Helicopters.
com
ing
even
ts
06_RW_090109_RCR_p10-25.indd 22 8/19/09 5:06:24 PM
Rotorcraft Report
23September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
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Now STC’d for Bell 412!
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7_RtrWng_HfPg_AUG09.indd 1 7/8/09 3:
■ Public Safety
becker intercom chosen for Phoenix PD
■ ProDuctS
faa issues certification for l-3 trilogyGrand Rapids, Mich.-based L-3 Avionics Systems has obtained technical standard order (TSO) authorization and an approved model list (AML) supplemental type certificate (STC) for its Trilogy ESI-100 electronic standby instrument. Trilogy was developed as a backup for glass cockpit avionics and designed specifically for Part 23 aircraft.
The AML STC “allows the Trilogy ESI to be installed in a variety of cockpits,” explains Larry Riddle, vice president of business development for L-3 Avionics. The unit combines altitude, attitude, air-speed and optional heading data on a 3.7-inch active matrix LCD screen.
■ commercial
rr300 to Power eagle 300tRolls-Royce has secured an agreement to provide its RR300B1 engine for RotorWay International’s new Eagle 300T helicopter. The development of the RR300-B1, the second new model in the engine program, came together quickly since its launch in 2007, with production and deliveries starting in 2008. Ken Roberts, president of Rolls-Royce’s Helicopter Engine business, notes that RotorWay’s selection of a gas turbine engine for the Eagle 300T is an opportunity “to demonstrate the power, versatility and benefits of the RR300 engine.” Under the deal, deliveries are scheduled to run through 2017.
The Phoenix Police Department has selected Becker Avionics’ DVCS6100 digital intercom and audio selector panel for its new Eurocopter AS350B3. American Eurocopter is currently finishing the AS350B3 and will install the Becker unit during completion. Describing the DVCS6100 as “ideal” for the Phoenix PD, chief pilot Phil Tilford says the police unit chose the intercom for its ability to manage and control all audio sources in the helicopter.
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06_RW_090109_RCR_p10-25.indd 23 8/19/09 5:06:37 PM
24 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
>>
Towards a safer world.
AgustaWestland tailors solutions for you.
agustawestland.com
DA VINCI. YOUR SOLUTION.
As a global leader in helicopters, AgustaWestland offers you complete solutions designed
specifi cally for you and your mission. From vertical lift support of military and police forces to
corporate and offshore transport, to the demands of disaster relief, SAR and air medical operations.
AGAE_DaVinci_ReW200x273.indd 1 30-07-2009 12:39:39
CONTRACTSHurst, Texas-based Bell Helicopter has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to collaborate on helicopters for Indonesian government agencies. Bell will manufacture model 412EPs in North America and PTDI will assemble them at its facilities in Bandung, Indonesia.
Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Md. has obtained a $142-million follow-on contract
for 55 additional Arrowhead modernized target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) kits for the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter. Lockheed Martin has also won a follow-on U.S. Army performance-based logistics (PBL) contract for the target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision sensor (TADS/PNVS) and modernized TADS/PNVS systems on the AH-64 Apache.
MACRO Industries, Inc. of Huntsville, Ala., has received a $9,514,350 firm-fixed-price contract for 357 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter armor panel ship sets and 36 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter armor repair kits. Work is set to take place in Huntsville, with completion scheduled by Sept. 30, 2010. U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., awarded the contract on Aug. 5, 2009.
pRogRam inSideRH-1 UpdateThe U.S. Marine Corps’ new UH-1Y Huey has now entered full rate production, with the Corps scheduled to have 21 aircraft by the end of the year, according to Marine Col. Harry Hewson, H-1 program manager.
The AH-1Z being developed in conjunc-tion with the UH-1Y as part of the Marine Corps’ H-1 upgrade program is still in low rate initial production (LRIP) and not expected to be declared IOC (initial opera-tional capability) until sometime in 2011. Decision on full rate production is expected in first quarter FY2011, Hewson says.
The requirement numbers for both the UH-1Y and AH-1Z have been increased, with the AH-1Z going from a planned acqui-sition of 180 aircraft to 226, while the UH-1Y has gone from a planned 100 to 123. The Marine Corps has also switched the produc-tion priority ratio for the two aircraft. It was initially planned that production rate would be two Cobras to one Huey. “We’ve now switched that ratio to roughly two -1Ys to one -1Z in order to get the old UH-1N out of the fleet as quickly as possible,” Hewson says.
“They are becoming more and more chal-lenged in the heat and high density altitude. We’ve put so many missions systems on them that they have very little left to give for the wide variety of utility missions that we use them for. So [the plan] is to push the Yankees ahead of the Zulus to get them out there.”
The drive to replace the AH-1W is somewhat less, with the -1W being “a much younger aircraft than the UH-1N,” he says.
The AH-1Ws are at about the 6,800-hour mark, “with some life left in them. They are a relatively overpowered aircraft with a fairly light weight for the two (1,680 shp) T700 engines, and do very well in high pressure altitudes. We’re doing some upgrades to the -1W just to see it through to that 2020 time frame when the last one will be inducted.”
There are currently 162 AH-1Ws in the fleet, all of which will be remanufactured into -1Zs. The remaining 64 AH-1Zs will be new-builds. The AH-1Z has now been equipped with a new nose-mounted, three-barrel M197 20mm cannon to increase its firepower. The M197 is an electrically powered, lightweight derivative of the six-barreled M61A1 Vulcan Gatling type cannon, built by General Dynamics Arma-ment and Technical Products, and capable of firing 1,500 rounds per minute. The M197 is currently fired using linked ammo, but will soon be going to linkless feed ammo, Hewson says. “This provides a significant cost reduction and reduces jamming.”
While the AH-1Z is the Marine Corps’ heavy attack gunship, the UH-1Y is also being heavily armed, carrying a comple-ment of three different types of machine guns, to include the older lightweight M240 (previously M60) 7.62-mm machine gun, the GAU-17 7.62-mm mini-gun and the 50-cal. GAU-21 machine gun.
“It can also carry 7.62-inch rocket pods, either seven or 19 per side. These were all carried forward from Vietnam, except the unique thing now is the Advanced Preci-sion Kill Weapon System (APKWS). This
is a laser-guided package that is put on a standard 2.75-inch rocket to give precision guidance for the rockets,” Hewson says. “The APKWS will be qualified for both the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z.”
The AH-1Z line has now started taking deliveries of the Lockheed Martin Target Sight System (TSS), designed for day/night/adverse weather target acquisition and des-ignation, he explains. The TSS is mounted in a Wescam gimbal “that has its own on-board distance measuring units that are constantly comparing [the target] position location to the aircraft. It is an extremely stable sight sys-tem. Once we get it fielded, it will be the best battlefield sight system out there.” The first production TSSs were installed last June, and “will be on every -1Z,” Hewson says.
The new UH-1Ys will be equipped with Bright Star Block II sensors built by FLIR Systems, “which is a very good sensor,” he says. “It’s not quite the performance of the TSS, but the -1Y is not a Hellfire hard core shooter.”
Along with the Bright Star sensor, the UH-1Y is getting a new satellite commu-nication system to provide a satellite link network, as well as a new Command and Control package that will provide video data links from the aircraft sensors, as well as give ground commanders the ability to sit in the back of the aircraft with their own radios or laptops which they can plug into the system. They can also upload ROVER, or Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver, which receives camera images from nearby aircraft and UAVs, then integrates with other target-ing software. —By Douglas Nelms
06_RW_090109_RCR_p10-25.indd 24 8/19/09 5:07:02 PM
Towards a safer world.
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AGAE_DaVinci_ReW200x273.indd 1 30-07-2009 12:39:39
06_RW_090109_RCR_p10-25.indd 25 8/19/09 5:07:14 PM
26 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Headsets Designed for Helicopter UseGermany’s beyerdynamic has unveiled two new headsets developed for use in helicopters—the HS 600 digital adaptive noise reduction (DANR) Rotor and HS 200 Rotor, which features passive noise attenuation. The HS 600 DANR uses a microprocessor with a software algorithm to eliminate background noise, as well as the accompanying feeling of pressure on the ears. The headset comes with a coiled cable and a Nexus U-174/U jack plug. Two batteries power the HS 600 DANR, and a XLR connector is available for onboard power supply. The HS 200 Rotor also uses a coiled cable and Nexus jack plug. Each aviation headset comes with a five-year warranty. Contact beyerdynamic at 1-800-293-4463 or visit www.beyerdynamic.com.
For the month of September
Helicopter RGB Lighting from MagnarayMagnaray International of Sarasota, Fla., is offering advanced red-green-blue (RGB) fluorescent lighting systems for use in maintenance operations involv-ing helicopters. The company says that RGB lighting provides an alternative to high intensity discharge (HID) and other lighting sources, leading to savings in energy and replacement costs. Magnaray describes the HID lighting as powerful and imposing, but not as energy efficient as RGB. “Even though HID lights may appear to be quite bright, they are also very expensive to operate in terms of energy and maintenance,” explains Bob Malone, president of Malone Controls, a San Jose, Calif.-based company that designs and installs controls and energy-related systems. Magnaray President Larry Leetzow adds that quality of light is more important than quantity of light. Magnaray is a division of the World Institute of Lighting and Development Corp. For more information contact Magnaray Intl, 1-941-755-2111 or visit www.magnaray.com.
Two-Way Borescope Helps Inspect Tight AreasEast Longmeadow, Mass.-based GenScope has introduced its Arti-flex borescope, which is designed to provide flexibility and control in tight areas with multiple turns, where accurate inspections are hard to accomplish. The borescope is intended for aerospace and precision casting industries, as well as off-line inspection labs and the automotive industry. It features EasyGlide two-way articulation and a rugged, fused fiber-optic image bundle with more than 10,000 flexible glass fibers. Arti-flex is available in various diameters as small as 2.5 mm and in different lengths. The device is compatible with video adapters, digital cameras and battery-powered light sources. Company representatives are available to assist with system selection and training. For more details about Arti-flex, call GenScope at 1-800-839-9038 or visit www.genscope.com.
07_RW_090109_HotProd_p26-27.indd 26 8/19/09 5:30:52 PM
27September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
AS350/355 Air Conditioner Features Lightweight DesignDART Helicopter Services (DHS) has released an air condi-tioning system for the Eurocopter AS350 and AS355 series. Developed around customer requests, the system weighs 50 lbs, which the Piney Flats, Tenn.-based company says is much less than other systems currently available. All of the main components of the system can be mounted on the transmission deck, keeping the baggage compartment free and easing main-tenance. The system uses aluminum microfin heat exchangers for the condenser and evaporators, which are lighter and more compact. For additional information, contact DHS at 1-800-556-4166 or visit www.darthelicopterservices.com.
Safety Glasses Protect Eyes from Sun, Forceful ImpactsGateway Safety is offering 4x4 Sport safety glasses, which protect the eyes from extreme impact as well as ultraviolet rays. The Cleveland, Ohio-based company says the glasses deflect 99.9 percent of UV-A and UV-B rays. Part of a line that includes the 4x4 Style and base 4x4 versions, the Sport model is ideal for outdoor jobsites. Features include polycarbonate lenses with an anti-scratch coating, a soft nosepiece and flexible temple tips. The 4x4 Sport comes in four colors—sunset red, horizon blue, iridescent green and ster-ling silver. Contact Gateway Safety at 1-800-822-5347 or visit www.gatewaysafety.com.
Latitude, Technisonic Partner on RadiosCanadian firms Technisonic Industries and Latitude Technologies Corp. have teamed up to upgrade the TDFM 7000/7300 series of multiband FM radios. The Technisonic radios will include a new software option featuring the ability to control Latitude’s Satellite Gateway S200-SG11. The S200-SG11 will supply satcom, f light tracking and mes-saging services via the TDFM display and controls. The combination of the units will free up panel space necessary with multiple radio controllers, according to the companies. For more information about Technisonic Industries, Mississauga, Ontario, call 1-905-890-2113 or visit www.til.ca. Victoria, BC-based Latitude Technologies can be reached at 1-888-966-5599 or www.latitudetech.com.
07_RW_090109_HotProd_p26-27.indd 27 8/20/09 12:59:51 PM
28 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Corporate | Ems
a spacious cabin, three big multi-function displays, smooth handling
and tremendous versatility should make the 429 a success for Bell.
By Ernie Stephens, Editor-at-Large
I t’s a big deal when a manufac-turer introduces a new heli-copter model. It’s the culmi-nation of years of designing,
engineering, testing and tweaking, interspersed with artist conception drawings, full-scale mock-ups, flying prototypes and then a number of fully-functioning machines that are available for aviation journalists and a few potential customers to fly.
It’s during the early months of the demonstration flights that the breath-holding really begins. Will the com-pany’s new helicopter be a hit or a miss out in the real world?
Bell Helicopter has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride with its helicopter designs. The bubble-canopied Bell 47 enjoyed wide acceptance on both the battlefield and the private sector, followed by the wildly popular Jet Ranger, the first helicopter designed with the corporate executive in mind.
Then came the dark days at Bell.First, it was the Bell 419, a new,
single-engine design that never got
out of the starting gate. Next, a mili-tarized version of the much-loved 407, dubbed the Armed Reconnais-sance Helicopter, was cancelled by the Pentagon for running behind schedule and over budget, leaving the company with little to show for the millions of dollars it had invested in an aircraft that was never delivered. And there was also the twin-engine 427, a design that was expected to capture the corporate and emergency medical service market with its wide cabin and high-end avionics, but cus-tomer interest was lackluster.
Bell Helicopter is now showing off several flying examples of its new model 429, “The only intermediate twin designed in the 21st century for your evolving mission require-ments,” according to the company’s color brochure. It’s been shown off at factory open house events, the Paris Air Show and several private sessions. Rotor & Wing was granted one of those private “get acquainted” sessions while one of its three, fully
The Bell 429: A New Hope
429 SpecificationsSpeeds at maximum gross WeightVn 155 kts.Vh cruise 150 kts.Service ceiling 20,000 ft.Hige (max gW SL iSa) 14,130 ft.Hoge (max gW SL iSa) 11,280 ft.maximum Range 390 n.m.maximum endurance 4.2 hrs.
accommodationsplace 7minimum crew 1passengers 6
capacityStandard Fuel 215 U.S. gals.aux. Fuel (optional) 40 U.S. gals.cabin Floor Space 32.7 sq. ft.cabin Volume 204 cu. ft.baggage compartment Volume 74 cu. ft.
Weightsmin. empty Weight (SpiFR) 4,245 lbs.empty Weight (Standard config.) 4,425 lbs.max. Useful Load (internal, SpiFR) 2,755 lbs.Useful Load (Standard config.) 2,575 lbs.max. gross Weight (internal) 7,000 lbs.max. gross Weight (external) 7,500 lbs.cargo Hook capacity 3,000 lbs.
powerplanttransmission Rating 1,100 shp.
Source: Bell Helicopter
08_RW_090109_429Pirep_p28-35.indd 28 8/19/09 5:36:14 PM
29September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
Pilot Report
“The 429 is the kind of product that will energize the marketplace,” says Bob Fitzpatrick, senior vice president of Business Development and Commercial Programs. “Its design makes it adaptable for different market segments. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D1 engines, the 429 has a phenomenally smooth ride and a power-to-weight ratio 20 percent greater than any helicopter in its class.” B
ell H
elic
opte
r p
hoto
s
08_RW_090109_429Pirep_p28-35.indd 29 8/19/09 5:38:14 PM
30 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Corporate | Ems
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operational frames was in Paris. I went to fly it.
Bell Helicopter brought one of its 429 demonstrators to the Heliport de Paris, a fairly busy facility buried in the middle of a densely populated part of the city. I was there when it landed.
Meeting the Bell 429As I walked out onto the apron, the first thing I noticed was the skid assembly. I had seen artist conception renderings, mock-ups and action photos of the Bell 429 before I arrived in Paris, and these skids were not the same. Originally, the forward portion of the tubes gently curved up and inboard, disappearing into the fuselage just behind the chin windows. Basically, it looked like the design used by Eurocopter on the EC120 and EC130. The skids on the 429 demo that sat in front of me, however, curved up and terminated inches above the
This executive transport interior makes good use of its relatively cavernous 204 cu. ft. cabin volume. The 429 also has a separate but generous 74 cu. ft. baggage compartment.
08_RW_090109_429Pirep_p28-35.indd 30 8/19/09 5:40:48 PM
31September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazine
Pilot Report
W W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
ground. (I later discovered that Eurocop-ter didn’t appreciate those similarities, resulting in Bell’s decision to make the alteration I was seeing.)
To me, the Bell 429 looked like a chubby 407, with its wide fuselage, slightly bulging windows and thick engine hous-ing. In the back was a tall, notched, shark’s tail-shaped fin that looked remarkably like the vertical stabilizer found on the Schweizer 333, and a horizontal stabilizer akin to its own 407 and 430 cousins.
C-FTNB was a light blue over dark blue 429 outfitted with an executive trans-port interior that made solid use of its rel-atively cavernous 204 cu. ft. cabin volume, while leaving room for a separate but gen-erous 74 cu. ft. baggage compartment. For customers who want to put the aircraft to work as an air medical transport platform, the forward wall of the baggage compart-ment can be removed, using the space to make an even larger EMS suite with a set of aft-facing clamshell doors for stretcher loading and unloading. Headroom in any configuration is excellent, as is ingress and egress through the double doors set in the port and starboard sides. (Sliding doors are available.)
Up front, Bell rejected analog instru-ments and installed a single-pilot IFR-certified glass cockpit in a low panel that doesn’t obstruct the pilot’s field of view. Digital information includes IGO, OGE and Cat-A profiles, weight and balance calculations, exceedance monitoring and a primary limit indicator; a specific spot on the primary multi-function display that shows whichever engine or rotor parameter is closest to being exceeded at any given time.
Cockpit seating is comfortable, even for me, a 5-ft, 10-in, 240-lb pilot. Switches, circuit breakers and flight controls were appropriately positioned, with further adjustments available from the seats and pedals. As in the aft cabin, shoulder room was plentiful and there was enough head-room for pilots who choose to wear hel-mets and night vision goggles when flying.
But while exterior design, interior ergonomics and overall beauty are things to admire in a helicopter, how the aircraft
handles in the sky is where “the rubber meets the road,” if you will.
Air Manners The brochures for the Bell 429 list its empty weight as 4,425 lbs and its maxi-
mum gross internal weight at an even 7,000 lbs. With myself and three Bell representatives onboard, the twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D1 power-plants, rated at 572 SHP each, were able to launch somewhere in the neighbor-
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32 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Corporate | Ems
hood of 6,200 lbs of helicopter, fuel and people into the hot, mid-day sky with plenty of power to spare.
The smooth air found between Paris and our destination, a hospital landing pad 37 nm away in the city of Dreux, gave the 429 every opportunity to show
off its flying manners. In a 100-kt cruise, the ship provided a smooth ride that was neither twitchy, nor aloof to my control inputs. Abrupt maneuvers, such as banks and dramatic speed changes were crisp and provided just enough control feed-back to hint at where the envelope edge
might be. Specific performance informa-tion was easy to find and interpret on the three big multi-function displays.
Cabin noise with headsets off was about normal for an intermediate twin-engine finished with an executive-class cabin.
A Closer Look Although Dreux Hospital Center is one of the first medical facilities in Europe to have a helicopter GPS approach for IFR arrivals, ours was a visual landing at the trauma center’s elevated pad. The stop was part of a scheduled photo oppor-tunity for a local television station who learned of the hospital system’s interest buying one or two 429s.
As the media people talked to the Bell representatives, I took a closer look at the 429’s two-piece composite tail boom, which Bell says is stronger, more fatigue tolerant and requires less maintenance at significant weight savings over other designs. The tail rotor system is designed with one two-bladed unit in front of another two-bladed unit. The addition of swept blade tips gives the system a more
“I think I’ve owned just about every kind of headset—and a number of them have
been pretty good. But none of them compares to Zulu. When I put it on I notice a
whole different kind of quiet. Zulu is so comfortable, I don’t feel like I’m wearing a
headset at all. And when I put on music, it’s amazing! With today’s technology, the
Bluetooth feature is one of my favorites. It’s so much easier to pick up your phone
to open or close your flight plan. I love Zulu and have had everyone try it on the
demo flights.” Zulu. Change Your Mind.
Zulu Changed My Mind.—JENNIE MITCHELL, Aircraft Sales, pilot
www.LightspeedAviation.com 800.332.2421
™
Bell 429 Features
■ Certified to meet or exceed the latest airworthiness and occupant safety requirements from the FAA, TCAA and EASA
■ Certified for single pilot IFR and all Category A profiles■ Certified to 20,000 ft. maximum operating altitude with operating tempera-
tures from -40° C to 51.7° C■ Fully adjustable crew seats move fore and aft, up and down, and include adjust-
able lumbar support■ Pedals adjust fore and aft■ Track-mounted seats allows cabin seating to be reconfigured or removed in
minutes for maximum utility■ Optional clamshell doors open with minimum effort and hug the fuselage for
operation in strong winds or while the aircraft is running■ Fore and aft CG tolerances permit flexible load distribution without the need
for added ballast■ Lateral stability permits 600 lbs to be hoisted outside of skid gear■ Wheeled landing gear option planned for 2011
Source: Bell Helicopter
The Bell 429 sports a single-pilot IFR-certified glass cockpit in a low panel that doesn’t obstruct the pilot’s field of view. Digital information includes IGO, OGE, Cat-A profiles, weight and balance calculations, exceedance monitoring and a primary limit indicator.
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“I think I’ve owned just about every kind of headset—and a number of them have
been pretty good. But none of them compares to Zulu. When I put it on I notice a
whole different kind of quiet. Zulu is so comfortable, I don’t feel like I’m wearing a
headset at all. And when I put on music, it’s amazing! With today’s technology, the
Bluetooth feature is one of my favorites. It’s so much easier to pick up your phone
to open or close your flight plan. I love Zulu and have had everyone try it on the
demo flights.” Zulu. Change Your Mind.
Zulu Changed My Mind.—JENNIE MITCHELL, Aircraft Sales, pilot
www.LightspeedAviation.com 800.332.2421
™
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34 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Corporate | Ems
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neighbor-friendly noise signature, and is more efficient.
I had to step aside from the aircraft as hospital staffers brought a stretcher out to stage an EMS arrival for the camera crew, but also to try to get a feel for work-ing around the 429 had it been config-ured for medical transports. The results were positive. Flight nurses felt the floor height of the rear cabin was suitable for side entry, and envisioned an even easier ingress/egress scenario if the demonstra-tor had been equipped with the optional rear-facing clamshell doors.
The Sprint Home En route back to Paris, I pushed C-FTNB into a 130-KIAS sprint across the French countryside in search of any unwanted cabin noise from ill-fitting doors or win-dows. None was detected. Meanwhile, the aircraft continued to handle smooth-ly with no unpleasant sensations.
While on approach back at Heliport de Paris, it occurred to me to look for something I discovered several years ago while flying Bell’s not-so popular intermediate twin, the 427. The problem was lateral instability, for lack of a better description, that felt like a cross between translating tendency—the sideways thrust caused by the tail rotor—and a Dutch roll that appeared at zero airspeed a few above the deck. It was very annoy-ing in the 427, but completely absent when I held the 429 above the asphalt in a 4-foot hover. I was pleased.
Assessing the Aft Cabin Even though my time at the controls of the Bell 429 had ended, the evaluation was not yet over. I wanted to see what the ride was like in the aft cabin where VIPs, aircrews and medical patients alike would be if the helicopter becomes the popular police, medical, offshore and executive transport platform Bell and parent company Textron hope it will be.
The aft cabin area is very spacious for a helicopter. An average size passenger won’t have to suffer the annoyance of their knees bumping into the knees of those seated across from them, or the
cramped feeling of a low ceiling and tight shoulder room. The windows, which I had already noticed were fairly large, seemed even larger when seated in the back of the Bell model 429. Enjoying aerial views of the Eiffel Tower and the Cathedral of Notre Dame did not require a trunk-twist toward the door. Even the barely notice-able bulge that was engineered into the window played a role in enhancing vis-ibility by allowing me to see slightly fore, aft and down while in straight and level flight. And even though I didn’t play with it, Bell offers a dual-zone climate control system for added passenger comfort.
Findings All-in-all, the Bell 429 is a good aircraft. It flies well—not great, not remarkable—but well. It is, however, comfortable, has
plenty of power and it even looks fairly nice. Its impressive list of manufacturer-offered features is, in my opinion, the helicopter’s biggest plus. With a little picking and choosing of options, it has the strong potential for being the right helicopter for a variety of purposes.
A lot of operators are looking for a good, strong, intermediate twin right now. The EMS market , which Bell unashamedly wants to grab control of with the 429, is especially interested in a ship with a large aft cabin for rendering in-flight medical assistance, the redun-dancy of two engines, and a single-pilot IFR avionics suite. The only thing left for Bell to do is to make the price and delivery times attractive. If the company can do that, they may have the hit they’ve been waiting for.
The forward wall of the baggage compartment can be removed allowing the space to make an even larger EMS suite with a set of aft-facing clamshell doors for stretcher loading and unloading.
08_RW_090109_429Pirep_p28-35.indd 34 8/19/09 5:42:38 PM
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More and more helicopter operators worldwide are recognizing that comfort is not a luxury — and they’re turning to Air Comm for the heating and air conditioning solutions they need.
Air Comm has a range of advanced air conditioner features and benefits you won’t find in any other
system, including leak-free Torq-Lok refrigerant fittings and refrigerant bypass to prevent detrimental compressor cycling.
Air Comm also has the most global and comprehensive support in the industry with a power by the hour program, on-site training, 24-hour parts delivery and more.
ACC 1P RW08.indd 6 7/16/08 8:48:45 AM
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36 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
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If you ask pilots about Night Vision Goggles
(NVGs), you will normally get one of two responses: I
wouldn’t fly at night without them or I have no interest
in flying with them, period! Perhaps you are undecided
about whether NVGs fit into your program.
By Chris Baur
N ight vision goggles, NVGs or simply “goggles,” certainly have their share of controversy, but not if you speak to the pilots that routinely fly with them. If you are currently undecided, please read on, and hopefully after our visit you will have a
better appreciation of where the technology, resources and regulatory process resides today.
Vision Information A discussion about night vision goggles would not be complete without first understanding the limitations of the human eye. The eye has many components, the pupil, iris, cornea, retina, optic nerve and other factory-installed components that all work together creating an interpretation by the brain we understand as vision. Focusing on night vision requires a look at the receptor cells, called rods and cones, located in the retina. These cells absorb and process the visible light that enters the eye.
According to the American Optometric Association, “the dual recep-tor system of rods and cones allows the human eye to maintain sensitivity over an impressively large range of ambient light levels.” Rods control dark adaptation and cones provide more refined detail and show color resolu-tion. To get the best night vision it can take upwards of 30 minutes to allow the photo pigment chemical rhodopsin (also known as visual purple),
NVGs Made SiMple
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37September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
Night Vision
to take shape in the rods and provide the benefits of illumination and adaptation in darkness. Once the adaptation is complete, it can be quickly reset if you are exposed to bright light. If you have ever exited a movie theater into daylight, or had a cop shine his flashlight directly into your eyes at a drive-in theater, well the reaction is the same—you lose your night vision, and may not be able to see anything until the light and photo pigments return to equilibrium.
Another key component on the ante-rior wall of the eye is the fovea. The rea-son it’s worth mentioning is that during reduced visible light, there is a central blind spot. This occurs because of the concen-tration of cones in the center of the fovea. This phenomenon can also be called the night blind spot. To eliminate this, one must look 15–20 degrees above, below or to the side of the object to engage the rods. To defeat this limitation one can be trained to use the proper scanning procedures. Knowing the limitations of human eye can greatly prepare pilots to overcome night vision design flaws.
Just in case you were wondering how animals get around so well at night without goggles, many animals are manufactured with an extra layer of tissue in the anterior wall called a tapetum lucidum. This tis-sue reflects the incoming light, increasing the light level for the photoreceptors and creating “eyeshine.” We have all seen a dog, deer or maybe a larger (hungry) critter’s eyes glowing at us in the night hours. This is a result of the tapetum lucidum.
Since the human eye was not designed to see in the dark as well as animals, espe-cially nocturnal ones, we rely on strategies and technology to get the most effective vision. (Hopefully your drive-in theater date didn’t have eyes that “eyeshined” back into that flashlight.)
Evolution of GogglesNight vision technology dates back to the 1950s and is based on photocell imagery of electromagnetic radiation. Initially cre-ated for the infantry, it was adapted for aviation use by the helicopter community. I received my introduction to NVGs while attending flight school in the U.S. Army
(Purple Flight 83-11) during the Aeroscout phase of training.
At the time, it wouldn’t have mattered if there was any controversy or mixed feelings about NVG flying, since if the Army would have wanted you to have feelings, they would have issued them, and the Army removed mine, along with my wisdom teeth. I would relate flying a helicopter with these early AN/PVS-4 goggles to flying a helicopter with a large cardboard refrig-erator box over my head. Even worse was having to fly NVGs during the day with “day filters” installed at the end of the tubes, with an unaided safety pilot. It was like staring into a murky green swimming pool!
Amazed by the ability of NVGs to amplify ambient light, and eventually transitioning to “cut-away” goggles, we forged an uneasy, if not resilient relation-ship that would outlive a couple mar-riages, three services and a multitude of different aircraft.
In the Army we were able to fly night, low-level, contour and nap-of-the-earth (NOE), in familiar and unfamiliar terrain. In early night vision goggles, the power supply all hinged on just one battery. A battery that might fail without warning, and had the minor issue of overheating and exploding.
If I experienced goggle failure while in a hover, the technique called for the pilot to smoothly lower the collective and apply some forward cyclic until locating the ground, and the motion stopped, kind of like my last Boeing 767 landing in Hong Kong. Since the goggle assemblies were designed for use by ground troops, they were adapted to attach to our flight helmets with Velcro, metal snaps and surgical tubing. When properly installed, the “full face” would completely cover our eyes, eliminating all prospects of periph-eral vision. Did you know that much of our vision is peripheral?
Then there was the issue of visual acuity and goggle focus. NVG pilots had to either “fly the blurs” in order to read the flight instruments, or reach up and focus one of the goggle tubes out of the infinity position to see the gauges. To offset the weight of the goggles on the front of the helmet, pilots
would fashion their own counterweights derived from Velcro-covered pouches or even metal bandage boxes, filled with lead fishing weights. Since none of the aircraft lighting was compatible, the crew chiefs would cover interior lighting with card-board and 100 mph tape, using chem sticks to illuminate the cockpit.
Even so, the goggles required some illu-mination to provide adequate resolution of the terrain. Yet, in an urban setting or area of heavy illumination, the goggles tubes would shut down. It was almost impossible to see “wires” contributing to the mounting number of NVG accidents in that time. While not easy to use or particularly com-fortable, we all quickly adapted and learned to work within the limitations of the NVG equipment of that era. Tremendous credit goes to the early pioneers of who developed these goggles for aviation use and created the early training programs that evolved into what we enjoy today (see related story on NVG training on page 48). I mention this history because much has changed since then, and if you’ve only heard the war stories, you are truly missing out. As I men-tioned, the “full face” NVGs eventually gave way to “cut-aways,” which restored unaided peripheral vision in addition to allowing the NVG pilots to tilt their head to scan the instruments or recover from an NVG fail-ure. The AN/PVS-4 gave way to AN/PVS-5, providing lighter, more capable goggles.
Helmets and mounting brackets became standardized with clip on, swing away NVG mounts, connected to switch-able, non-exploding dual battery packs, lasting 80–100 hours today. Aircraft light-ing was vastly improved both in the cock-pit and along the aircraft’s exterior. The advent of adjustable intensity “slime lights” made NVG formation much easier. The latest generations of AVS-9/4949 and NIVISYS NVAG-6 are extremely capable, robust devices, resulting from decades of experience and improvements.
During my tenure in the Air National Guard, we flew HH-60 NVGs single ship, two ship formation and during in-flight refueling. I also flew the HC-130 on NVGs and found the same principles of helicopter NVG flying worked equally as well. We
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38 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
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flew both training and tactical missions over water, desert, urban and mountain-ous terrain, and everything in between. I’ve flown NVG chase to HMX-1 carrying more than one U.S. President and a visiting Pope, all in urban areas without experienc-ing any of the goggle tubes shutting down as in earlier models.
We transitioned between instrument and NVG flight with much precision. Oddly, during a long oceanic rescue mis-sion, we were asked not to refuel at night. But if we did, the preference was for the crew not to use the NVGs. Fortunately, we had all brought NVGs with us, and chose to wear them since we were far more comfortable flying at night with NVGs, especially mid-air refueling, than flying unaided. Although we had several other great contributors on this 15-hour mission, the NVGs really helped save our bacon that December night in the North Atlantic.
Civilian TrainingI had the opportunity to attend a night vision goggle training session at Bell Helicopter at the invitation of Capt. Scott Baxter, assistant chief f l ight instructor. Baxter is a former Army (Royal Blue Flight 85-31) OH-58D pilot, and a current Bell Helicopter produc-tion test pilot. He started the first FAR 141 NVG training program, which created the first FAA accredited NVG training curriculum. For the first time, pilots could partici-pate in a standardized night vision goggle training program, producing a durable, industry-wide, recognized standard with FAA’s accreditation. This qualification as an NVG pilot is recognized wherever you operate. As a NVG pioneer, Baxter has been eager to share his hard work with anyone that is interested in starting a FAR 141 NVG school of their own, and
promoting the safe and professional use of night vision goggles.
Baxter’s student that evening was Capt. Rick Fletcher, who was attending the NVG instructor pilot course. This is a week-long curriculum and I was joining them on the third night. Fletcher is also a former Army aviator (Maroon Flight 76-11) with a diverse flying background with the military, airline, government and manufacturing. He has experi-ence with both night vision goggles and forward looking infrared (FLIR) night vision systems from his tenure as an AH-64 Apache pilot.
Today, Fletcher is a factory pilot for AgustaWestland helicopters. With more than 600 hours of NVG time, he was both experienced and discerning as an instruc-tor student. Now, you might think this is easier because of Fletcher’s experience, but it takes the same level of dedication
NVG terminology ExplainedThere are many terms floating around the industry as to what type of NVGs should be purchased.
Mil-Spec – This term means the NVGs meet the same stringent criteria established by the military for purchasing NVGs. Mil-Spec NVGs can withstand reasonable exposure to the elements and a wide variety of operational conditions and continue to deliver reliable performance. So, assuming you maintain your NVGs in accordance with the FAA’s specifications, you can wear your goggles in a wide variety of temperatures, altitudes, hot and damp environments. Most goggles manufactured today meet the Mil-Spec requirements.
NVG Repair – There are several certified FAA Part 145 service centers that can repair, maintain and perform 180-day airwor-thiness inspections on NVGs and their subcomponents as specified in RTCA/DO-275. For small or medium size organizations that may not have the technical staff or equipment, these Part 145 repair stations can provide a turnkey cost advantage.
TSO – Technical Service Order issued by the FAA Administrator for parts, processes and appliances used on civil aircraft. NIVISYS currently has the only TSO-approved night vision goggle, under TSO-164, the NVAG-6. This goggle is certified and produced for civilian use in civilian aircraft.
Class A, Class B, Class C – These classes have to do with the type of coating or “filter” that is applied to the NVGs in the manu-facturing process. The objective of these filters is to block certain frequencies of light, allowing for the illumination of cockpit instrumentation that would not affect the performance of the NVG. As cockpit lighting and instrumentation evolved beyond blue-green flood lighting and chem sticks to flat panel displays, Class A filters gave way to Class B filters. With the proliferation of HUDs, modified Class B filters and Class C filters became popular. Class B filters are the most common filters in use today.
Goggle Generations 0, I, II, III, IV – Like the Sham-wow and David Hasselhoff CDs, the Generation 0 NVGs were a product of WWII German engineering and not available in any store at any price. Generation I NVGs, such as the Starlight scope, were used during the Vietnam War by ground forces. The lines get a little blurry between Generation II, Generation III and Genera-tion IV NVGs, depending on models and modifications. However, it was with Generation II that NVGs took to the skies with AN/PVS4 and the later AN/PVS5. As the goggle manufacturers evolved from earlier generations of goggles, the eyepiece was increased from 18mm to 25mm, enabling the goggle user to see more with less ambient light, and wear the goggles further away from the eye. This was great for pilots that wear glasses and a lot more comfortable for pilots who don’t. Today, most NVGs are designated as Generation III or III+.
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Night Vision
W W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
and professionalism regardless of experi-ence and occasionally even more to avoid negative habit transfer and adapt to new skills and standards.
After a through briefing and round-table discussion, we boarded one of Bell’s B206B training aircraft, and goggled up using 4949’s. Aside from the NVG panel, the helicopter was equipped with air con-ditioning, making this training flight very comfortable, even in the Texas heat.
Observing Baxter conduct his les-son was amazing; like watching a skilled surgeon at a teaching hospital. Fletcher demonstrated several maneuvers and then instructed Baxter (in the role of student) in these same maneuvers.
Normal approaches, steep approach-es, confined areas, out of ground effect hovering, slope landings and emergency procedures were all part of the syllabus that evening. I was very impressed by the organization of the syllabus and the quality of the equipment and instruction. If you investigate this method of training, you will not be disappointed, and you will have a blast!
NVG NRPM Part 61The FAA recognizes the significant role that NVGs are having in civil aviation, and submitted proposed changes (NRPM) to FAR Part 61 on Feb. 7, 2007. The FAA acknowledges the significant improve-ments in NVG equipment, improved ease of use, and lower acquisition costs of NVG equipment. Under FAR 61.31(k) and 61.195(k), NVG training and qualifications are delineated for pilots and flight instruc-tors for the first time. Visit FAA’s website—www.faa.gov—and look for the publication of the final rule, expected later this year.
U.S. Air Force ANG 101st Rescue Squadron (RQS)I met with Maj. Rodney Lisec, chief of flight standards, aircrew standardization and evaluation for the squadron. Maj. Lisec is an instructor/evaluator pilot, fly-ing NVGs for about 15 years, with over 800 hours of NVG experience, operating primarily in HH-60L helicopters as a special operations and combat search and
rescue pilot. Lisec told me it takes about 10 hours to get comfortable flying with NVGs and about 100 hours to become seasoned in their many complex mission profiles as a NVG pilot. He explained that the Air Force doesn’t fly much during the
day. Most training and missions are flown using NVGs at night, and most of his pilots would not feel comfortable flying at night without them. The HH-60L has all NVG compatible interior and exte-rior lighting. This aircraft is also equipped
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40 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
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with a “heads down” display with a FLIR, adding another dimension in night vision.
U.S. Army Air Ambulance Detachment, NTC-Fort IrwinTo see how much progress NVGs have made since I departed the U.S. Army, I visited with U.S. Army Capt. Josh Thomp-son. Capt. Thompson is a medevac pilot assigned to the air ambulance detach-ment at the U.S. Army’s National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. He is currently flying the military version of the Eurocop-ter EC-135, also known as the Lakota, and has considerable experience flying the UH-60 Blackhawk.
After discussing my Army goggle his-tory with him, he chuckled and told me the Army has come a long way since then. Thompson told me “NVGs are essential to the medevac mission.”
“The areas we operate in the California desert are terrain-challenged and dark. Brown-out landings are not uncommon. While most Army NVG operators have moon illumination restrictions of 23 per-cent illumination and 30 degrees moon angle to the horizon, medevac pilots are exempt. The glass panel displays of the Lakota are great for night vision goggle operations, providing great acuity of the instruments without compromising the sensitivities of the NVGs.”
While this makes it easy to transition between NVG and instrument flight, Capt. Thompson reports this is not nearly as functional as the heads up display (HUD) image that was part of the Blackhawk NVG
package. “Once you get used to flying the NVGs with the HUD, it’s hard to go back,” Thompson said.
If there was one thing he would change, it would be the size of the cockpit area he said. At 6 feet 4 inches tall, the extra room to maneuver the helmet with the goggles on can be challenging.
U.S. Customs & Border Protection, Office of Air & Marine (CBP OAM)Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Supervisory Air Interdiction Agent Tim Bagot assigned to CBP headquarters in Washington, D.C. and discuss CBP’s night vision goggle program. If you don’t know Tim Bagot, he’s a “pilot’s pilot” who’s been flying NVGs for more than 20 years, and just about every type of aircraft imag-inable. Bagot has flown in combat, for two airlines and is a veteran of the early U.S. Customs Drug Air War.
Today, CBP operates almost 300 air-craft, performing missions around the clock in urban, desert, mountainous and maritime environments.
“We view the use of night vision gog-gles as both risk mitigation and a mission execution enhancement tool. NVGs enable us to perform law enforcement operations far more safely in environ-ments where flying without them would severely limit our ability to successfully perform our mission,” Bagot said.
CBP OAM possesses hundreds of Mil-Spec ITT 4949 Gen III NVGs, and is in the process of upgrading to Pinnacle image intensifier tubes. “Training depends on
the experience of the crewmember,” Bagot explained. “Agents who have no experi-ence flying with NVGs are required, at a minimum, to complete a 10 qualification syllabus, where as experienced pilots only require a transition.”
CBP also operates single-pilot NVG missions with pilots possessing more than 50 NVG hours in type, who have flown more than 10 NVG house in the past six months and three hours in the previous 30 days. However, in order to engage in an enforcement action, two qualified NVG crewmembers must be on board.
USCG Air Station Miami: “Busiest Air Sea Rescue Unit in the World”Miami is an amazing place, and so is Coast Guard Air Station Miami. “Often a law enforcement mission turns into a SAR case,” according to Cmdr. Don Taylor, operations officer at Miami Coast Guard Air Station. Within Coast Guard Aviation, Miami has always been innovative in the use of technology to accomplish their mission. Cmdr. Taylor told me they really enjoy the benefits of using goggles, and jokingly wonders how they got by before them. Today, the Coast Guard is 100 per-cent goggle flying in their helicopters and moving in the same direction in fixed-wing aircraft. The Coast Guard is also transition-ing to HUD displays, increasing situational awareness and mission success.
DebriefOnce reserved strictly for the military, there are a host of training and repair facilities, equipment manufactures and FAA support to help you get started. With many helicop-ter accidents occurring at night due to con-trolled flight into terrain (CFIT), a business case can be made for a night vision goggle program in your company. If you are cur-rently flying NVGs for the military or law enforcement, new equipment, techniques and applications continue to move forward, enabling new missions, increased safety and ownership of the night. So, if you’ve been thinking about starting a night vision goggle program, or getting back into goggles after not flying with them for a while, now is a great time to get started.
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AFS 1P Bell congrats RW.indd 8 8/12/09 1:50 PM
top 10 reasons to consider NVGs10. You will see what you are currently missing.09. It will enhance your ability to see and avoid potentially hazardous obstacles.08. Provides greater access to locations unreachable flying unaided at night.07. Can prevent accidents resulting from CFIT. 06. Most new-delivery aircraft are equipped for NVG operations.05. Several FAR 141 schools to choose from, making it easier than you think.04. Pending NRPM mandating NVG use for night helicopter operations.03. New TSO’d goggles are now available.02. Today’s NVGs work well in both urban and rural environments.01. Tremendous increase in safety.
09_RW_090109_NVGtech_p36-41.indd 40 8/19/09 5:54:04 PM
AFS | LE BOZEC | WESTERN FILTER
A certified success. AFS congratulates Bell Helicopter.
AFS is proud to provide superior engine
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AFS 1P Bell congrats RW.indd 8 8/12/09 1:50 PM
09_RW_090109_NVGtech_p36-41.indd 41 8/19/09 5:54:16 PM
42 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
CommerCial | Specialty
More than 45 companies will make their debut at Helitech 2009 as it returns to England this month. The majority are
newcomers to the event, while others took part for the first time in 2008 at Helitech in Cascais, Portugal. At press time 180 exhibi-tors had committed to this year’s show.
While the numbers remain “broadly similar” to those at the 2007 event, Exhi-bition Director Sue Bradshaw says that total floor space is up by more than five percent and several companies have taken larger areas than before. “In com-mon with other sectors of the aviation industry, the rotary wing arena is having to raise its game to cope with the current economic climate. Our exhibitors are
really showing their resilience, with many maintaining or even increasing their marketing budgets,” says Bradshaw.
One of the debutants is Consolite Tech-nology (Booth 1814), a British supplier of night vision equipment, including goggles and compatible lighting systems. It also offers flight training and aircraft modifica-tion services. Another, New Zealand’s IMS NZ (Booth 1917), will display its under-slung load equipment range, including the Cloudburst firefighting bucket and Ground Effect spreader system. The Ground Effect
bucket features a spinner that has been designed to maximize even product spread while using minimal power.
Still with the agricultural sector, Sen-sor Technology (Booth 1713) is launching a new load sensor that combines GPS track guidance with load sensing, and can automatically calculate the cost of complex operations such as crop spraying and water bombing. The HeliNav LoadMaster has an on-board display and computer, and can be swapped between aircraft “in seconds”. It records the exact weight of each load and the total distance flown. All the operator has to do, says the company, is download the data and invoice the customer.
New StabilizationSwedish company DST Control (Booth 1315) is exhibiting its range of electro-optical sensor systems. The company’s Colibri gyro-stabilized micro-gimbal has just two axes but features purpose-built, high-bandwidth torque motors to attenu-ate active vibrations. The company says that combination delivers “a new level of stabilization performance”.
UK-based HeliMedia (Booth 1816) recently supplied Italian operator Helica with a high-definition video system (HDVS) “in a box”. The HDVS is claimed to be the first portable 1080p HD video system to transmit full 1080p video imagery to a net-work of receivers on the ground. It integrates recorder, a moving map, an HD downlink transmitter (with a range >150km), and all the DC conditioning—and the display clips on top. HeliMedia’s Stephen Watson
The world still needs rotorcraft and europe’s Helitech will reflect a resilient market. By Andrew Healey
“Keep Calm & Carry On”
IMS (New Zealand) Ground Effect spreader HDVS “in a box”
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43September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazine
Show Preview
W W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
says, “connect the turret directly to it, and you’re done.” The system, which can be rapidly installed and removed, was com-missioned just before a severe earthquake hit L’Aquila in central Italy: Connected to a Wescam MX-15HDi, Helica was able to support the subsequent relief missions with live airborne HD video imagery of the scene, downlinked to the control center. Bell Helicopter (Chalet 8) promises a full-
scale mock-up of its newly-certified 429 in its chalet and a 407 on the static display. With the 429, it has finally delivered a single-pilot IFR machine to compete with Eurocopter and MD Helicopters, and the OEM expects to attract a lot of interest from Europe’s public service community. The B429 also represents the pacemaker for Bell’s MAPL (modular affordable prod-uct line) technology program.
Eurocopter (Chalet 5, Booth 906) is bringing a clutch of customer-owned singles and light twins, dominated by the VIP EC135 “Hermes” which will take cen-tre stage on its main stand.
Luxury goods manufacturer Hermès has stamped its distinctive signature across the EC135’s exterior and interior design. It now boasts a cabin that is “pure, light-filled and unexpectedly spacious,” according to Eurocopter. Seats have been upholstered in calf leather and certainly look trimmer than your average, overstuffed VIP seats.
No large twins from France, though, so Sikorsky (Booth 817) wins the Helitech round of the UK SAR(H) with an S92-A, all the way from Scotland.
AgustaWestland (Booth 2000, Chalet 3) is bringing two AW139, a SAR model from RAF Valley and an offshore variant, and one of the first Da Vinci specialist rescue AW109s destined for Switzer-land’s REGA.
Turner Aviation (booth 1914) has been selected as an approved repair center by Aircraft Parts Corporation (APC) and will cover Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Turner can now service the complete range of APC DC electrical power systems and Helitech visitors will be able to view a demonstration of the company’s recently launched website. It provides custom-ers with a wide range of online services, including an exchange stock search utility, parts purchasing facility and online status and dispatch reports.
Critical FactorsOxley Developments (Booth 501) has recently delivered a suite of external lights to BAE Systems for use on their HERTI unmanned air vehicle. Following a sale of new wing-tip and tail lights in the latter half of 2008, Oxley designed and built low profile anti-collision lights that, reportedly, combine a robust, lightweight design with a high-intensity output. Size, weight and optical performance are critical factors in external lighting for any aircraft, but for UAVs in particular. The Oxley ROTOX 400 anti-collision light produces an effective intensity in excess of 400 candela. With a protruding
Helica A-Star with HeliMedia HD video system at L’Aquila earthquake scene
An FB Heliservices/Defense Helicopter Flying School AW139
will be on static display for AgustaWestland.
Helitech will mark the first appearance outside Switzerland of
the Da Vinci AW109
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44 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
CommerCial | Specialty
www.sacusa.com
Unparalleled visibility.
Impressive performance.
Ideal for any patrol mission.
Simply stated, it’s the best patrol helicopter.
With the S-333, what you see is what you get.
Please visit us at ALEA booth 434Schw P2 RW.indd 16 4/13/09 11:27 AM
Berlin-Schoenefeld Airportwww.ila-berlin.com
Hosted by
001_ILA_Heli_AZ_RotorAndWing_200x273_en_TL 1 05.08.2009 16:50:48 Uhr
height of less than 50 mm and weighing less than 750 grams, the lights fit small space envelopes and consume very little power. Customized options, including NVIS friendly and covert variants, are also available. All the lights feature high
mean time between failure (MTBF) rates and low through-life maintenance costs.
Host Systems (booth 518) will display a mobile elevating ATC tower. CEO Michael Brunton says that the eight-meter-tall towers are currently in use
with the Royal Air Force in theater. “They are used to establish air traffic control in remote locations, and at various satellite airfields in the UK.”
Each tower is delivered ready to “plug-and-play,” and can be tailored to individual requirements. Typically it is fitted with Park Air radios, Garex voice switch, Audiosoft voice recorder and Vaisala ultrasonic met system. Additional capabilities include radar interfaces and displays, land telephone lines, secure communications, heliport lighting operation and extra connectivity.
Host towers have undergone successful portability trials inside the Chinook and C-130 transport, and can also be trailer-mounted. The cabin can be fitted with ballistic protection and used for border control operations and command-and-control modules.
The towers have particular applications for heliports/helipads and can be easily upgraded to meet increased demand. A host tower in Sao Paulo, Brazil handles an average of 450 “mostly helicopter” movements a day, seven days a week with two operators.
Carl Zeiss Optronics (Booth 712), formerly Denel Optronics, is demonstrat-ing the “next generation” LEO-III-HD air-borne observation system. Equipped with up to nine high-performance sensors, the LEO-III-HD reportedly represents a step-change in law enforcement and homeland security observation capability.
The system is said to be able to read vehi-cle registration plates in complete darkness at altitudes up to 1,500 feet, while on-board, real-time data processing capabilities pro-vide image enhancement options including image fusion. Both the daylight TV zoom and spotter cameras feature four focal plane arrays that offer the capability to view points of interest from the visible color up to Near Infrared spectra.
Reduced Mx CostsAerodata (Booth 1516) will be showing a helicopter workstation on its stand oper-ated in helicopters such as the EC135 or Super Puma with German Federal Police.
Aero Quality Sales (Booth 1808) has a new ultra low maintenance battery for the Bell 206L and Bell 407, replacing the stan-
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Berlin-Schoenefeld Airportwww.ila-berlin.com
Hosted by
001_ILA_Heli_AZ_RotorAndWing_200x273_en_TL 1 05.08.2009 16:50:48 Uhr
10_RW_090109_HelitechPre_p42-47.indd 45 8/19/09 6:00:08 PM
CommerCial | Specialty
46 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
15694
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Register Now at www.aviationtoday.com/webinars May 28: Your Survival Guide to The Paris Air Show
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August 27: Safety Snapshot: The FAA, The NTSB, and the Status of Air Safety Regs Today
September 24: NBAA 2009: Predictions, Advice & Insider Information
October 22: Business Jets: Separating Reality from Hype
November 19: The “Editor-in-Chief” Roundtable: Aviation Today’s Top Editors Tackle The Big Issues
December 17: Aircraft Valuations in the Coming Year: The Trends of 2009 and How They Will Affect Values in 2010
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15694 AT Webinar ad_half.indd 1 04/14/2009 9:36:58 AM
right attitude/right approach/right alongside
www.goodrich.com
WHEN LAW ENFORCERSDEPEND ON IT,WE’RE RIGHT ALONGSIDE.
Good news for all law enforcement operators. Whateverplatforms you use for your search and rescue, Goodrichhas a hoist that’s ready and available.
Whether you operate AS350s, EC145s or A109s, there’s a Goodrich hoist you can rely on to provide the perfect solution.
Goodrich is unique in providing the translating drumtechnology, which has the highest reliability in theindustry and no fleet angle restrictions. And Goodrichhas the lowest life cycle costs.
So whichever platforms fly your missions, depend onGoodrich to be right there with you.
For more information about Goodrich rescue hoists, email [email protected]
26418_Goodrich_LAW_ENF_Rotor&Wing_Sep09_273x199:Job number required 11/08/2009 14:35 Page 1
dard 1756 battery. Saft ULM batteries offer reduced maintenance costs while retaining the reliability of nickel cadmium cells.
Air & Ground Aviation (Booth 1212) is showing a new self-propelled starter unit, the U.S.-designed Start Pac Hi-Brd, that provides 300 amps of continuous power to run any 28.5-volt aircraft sys-tem. Total weight of this model is 1600 lbs with a 12-gallon diesel tank. This Start Pac features a heavy-duty steel frame, five removable doors for easy maintenance access, wide tires for traction and stabil-ity, and automotive type steering. Its 140 ampere-hour batteries provide 3,500 peak amps and will start any electrically started turbine engine. Since the batteries provide most of the starting energy, a soft start is guaranteed every time, says Air & Ground.
Air Covers (Booth 1610) has just deliv-ered a load of custom-fitted cockpit covers for RAF and Fleet Air Arm Merlins, which are recently back from Iraq and soon off
to Afghanistan. The covers are heat and weather resistant and designed for use at sea, on land and in desert conditions.
Air Covers’ MD John Pattinson says that, “owing to operational requirements the lead-time for this order was extremely tight, but we had recently invested in addi-tional equipment and have a good rela-tionship with our suppliers. Each cover will reduce maintenance and down-time.” The ISAT 200 is SkyTrac’s (Booth 1409) full-featured Satcom transceiver. It provides automatic, global, real-time flight following, text messaging, data transfer, and sat-phone capability using the Iridium satellite system. The ISAT exceeds AFF requirements and offers improved voice quality, field replaceable battery, a “smart” tray (including a con-figuration module), and either standard or premium data packets.
Latitude Technologies (Booth 706) says that Technisonic’s new multiband FM radi-
os feature software capable of controlling its own “Satellite Gateway” S200-SG11. The new transceiver provides Satcom, flight tracking and messaging capability using the same controls and display. The marriage of these products will provide the most comprehensive communica-tion package in the industry while at the same time alleviating the need for addi-tional panel space. This product union will finally cure the age-old problem of com-municating in distant operating regions. Latitude’s Mark Insley says, “the call and messaging control of the S200 SG11 adds an entirely new element of stay-connected-everywhere to the capa-bilities of this versatile FM transceiver.” Helitech 2009 takes place September 22–24 at the Imperial War Museum, Dux-ford, near Cambridge. Its regular exhibitor reception will take place at the end of Day 1, in the splendid American Air Museum, from 5:00 until 7:00 pm.
10_RW_090109_HelitechPre_p42-47.indd 46 8/19/09 6:00:21 PM
right attitude/right approach/right alongside
www.goodrich.com
WHEN LAW ENFORCERSDEPEND ON IT,WE’RE RIGHT ALONGSIDE.
Good news for all law enforcement operators. Whateverplatforms you use for your search and rescue, Goodrichhas a hoist that’s ready and available.
Whether you operate AS350s, EC145s or A109s, there’s a Goodrich hoist you can rely on to provide the perfect solution.
Goodrich is unique in providing the translating drumtechnology, which has the highest reliability in theindustry and no fleet angle restrictions. And Goodrichhas the lowest life cycle costs.
So whichever platforms fly your missions, depend onGoodrich to be right there with you.
For more information about Goodrich rescue hoists, email [email protected]
26418_Goodrich_LAW_ENF_Rotor&Wing_Sep09_273x199:Job number required 11/08/2009 14:35 Page 1
10_RW_090109_HelitechPre_p42-47.indd 47 8/19/09 6:00:33 PM
48 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Night VisioN goggle traiNiNg:Civilian vs. Military
This Nivisys Industries NVG system includes a set of model NVAG-6 goggles with ITT tubes, power supply, an optional multi-helmet adapter from
HelicopterHelmet.com, record/logbook and custom carrying case. As of this writing, NVAG-6s are the only goggles approved by the FAA under TSO-C164.
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49September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
NVG TraiNiNG
Options abound for training in the use of night vision goggles.
Similarities and stark differences exist between the civilian and
military approaches. Rotor & Wing takes a comprehensive look at
those options, similarities and differences.
N ight vision goggles (NVG) have been used by the mili-tary for decades and by civil-ians for about 10 years. As
the number of users-turned-instructors has grown and the technology has improved, training has increased in both breadth and depth.
Rotor & Wing talked with experts at a number of NVG training organiza-tions, including small civilian opera-tions, aircraft manufacturer-sponsored schools, U.S. Army NVG pilot training, and USAF combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission training. Although these groups differ radically, much of their initial NVG training is similar.
In fact, in some areas military night training is less aggressive than the civil-ian equivalent. Neither Army instruc-tors at Fort Rucker, Ala., nor USAF
instructors of aspiring CSAR pilots of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, teach autorotations to the ground under goggles, whereas this is a standard part of the curriculum in Bell Helicopter, American Eurocopter and Night Flight Concepts (NFC) programs. The Army accounts it an unnecessary risk, and
the Air Force wants to preserve a lim-ited resource—the small of number of CSAR training helicopters. In general, however, military aviators receive more hours of NVG training (independent of mission training) and are taught at much lower altitudes with more dif-ficult tasks, such as nap-of-the-earth
By Charlotte Adams
Computer-Based Training Military and civilian night vision goggle (NVG) schools use computer-based training (CBT) as part of ground instruction. Avstar Media, Addison, Texas, specializes in CBT, and NVG is one of its many offerings.
“We cater to people who want to do [NVG classroom training] in house, says Dick Gilson, vice president. The NVG course, which is hosted on Avstar’s server, takes approximately five hours to complete and includes subjects such as the equipment, its limitations, the physiology of the eye, and operations. Typical users include emergency medical ser-vices (EMS) and law enforcement entities.
CBT has many advantages vs. classroom train-ing, Gilson contends. It’s low-priced, considering that there’s a recession going on and “training is frequently just below magazine subscriptions in priority,” he says. What’s more, students progress at their optimal learning rates rather than at the rate of the slowest class member. Each lesson is designed to take 15 to 20 minutes, the best length according to educational psychologists.
Official approval comes by way of the cus-tomers, who administer their own courses and get the FAA’s blessing. The same material, which is reviewed and updated on a regular basis, is used in recurrent training.
The system generates a different test for each student, something that’s not always done in stand-up training, Gilson says.
Avs
tar
Med
ia Im
age
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50 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
(NOE) flying for the Army and night aerial refueling for the Air Force CSAR students. The military also puts goggles on crewmembers and stresses crew resource management (CRM) more intensely.
Much, however, is similar between the two worlds. Instructors everywhere emphasize the importance of the hel-met fit and goggle focus. “We stress that you don’t fly in pain,” says Del Livings-ton, vice president of flight operations, customer training and aviation safety for American Eurocopter, which runs a flight school in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Virtual Terrain BoardThe virtual terrain board (VTB) is a system that generates terrain scenes showing the effects of different night illumination. It is designed as a classroom training aid, using about a dozen high-fidelity databases of satellite imagery and photography, says Stephen Hatley, president of Night Readiness, the Chandler, Ariz., designer of VTBs.
The company provides scenes that “stimulate,” or drive the goggles, so that students wearing goggles can see what it’s like to use the equip-ment. It can present “simulated” goggle scenes as well. Stimulation is typically used in ab initio training, and simulation in refresher training, Hatley says. His primary customer is the U.S. military.
The current version of the software can vary terrain, percent illumina-tion, and moon elevation and azimuth, among other things. Customized databases are provided on demand.
Although the current system focuses on the effects of varying illu-mination on terrain, the next release, expected in October, will add fly-through capability, as well as some weather effects. The whole system, including all hardware, software, peripherals, training on how to use it, a syllabus and two years of hardware support, are priced at less than $100,000, Hatley notes.
U.S. Army student pilots at Fort Rucker receive six hours of ground school—three hours on goggle operations and three on night vision planning and terrain interpretation, plus two hours on head-up displays and how they couple with the goggles.
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51September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
NVG TraiNiNG
The weight of the helmet, goggles and counterweight can be a source of pain for those new to the equipment. If the fit is imperfect, helicopter vibration can create what feel like “hot spots” on the scalp. If this occurs, training is temporarily halted while adjustments are made.
Focusing the goggles is also a cru-cial skill. Students are “not used to looking at little green and black imag-es right in front of their eyes—they don’t know what to expect,” says Marty Wright, chief f light instructor at the Bell Helicopter Training Academy in Fort Worth, Texas. Focusing is a gradual process, and young aviators sometimes have the goggles only partially focused, so that their eyes are making up for a portion of the focus, he noes. When the eyes tire, the focus degrades. “So you have to teach them about refocusing on a regular basis.” It takes about three nights of using the equipment to figure out what works best for them and “how good a picture they’re supposed to be seeing” through the goggles, he says.
LimitationsAll of the schools, civilian and military, teach pilots to recognize and compensate for the limitations of the goggles, such as the field of view (40 degrees vs. the normal 220 degrees), two-dimensional image, monochromatic coloring in shades of green, and degraded ability to perceive depth and estimate distance.
Perhaps the greatest challenge for students is to learn “to fly in a three-dimensional world with a two-dimen-sional image,” says Chief Warrant Offi-cer Rich McHenry, head of the Night Vision Devices Branch of the Army’s 110th Aviation Brigade at Fort Rucker. Pilots compensate for the drastically curtailed field of view by developing a scanning technique which requires them to move their heads as well as their eyes to pick up visual cues. Scan-ning is the most difficult thing for students to learn, according to Bran-don Briggs, Eurocopter’s assistant chief instructor pilot.
Students also have to learn to look under the goggles to scan the instru-ments, points out John Wardle, director of training for Night Flight Concepts, a training company in Port St. Lucie, Fla. If they try to look at the instruments
through the goggles, “all they would see is a blurry image because the NVG is focused to an infinity distance outside of the aircraft,” he explains. NFC has partnered with Palm Beach Helicopters and others to expand its business.
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52 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Pilots are taught “monocular cues” such as geometric perspective, aerial perspective, retinal image size and motion parallax. “The image is flattened, but because you’re using monocular
cues, your brain puts it into a three-dimensional picture,” explains Capt. John Brunner. He is an instructor pilot and senior evaluator with the USAF’s 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirt-
land AFB, N.M., which trains both spe-cial operations and CSAR pilots.
Retinal image size allows viewers to associate distance with size. For example, an aircraft decreasing in size appears to be moving away. But size can be confusing, as Wardle points out. What looks like a Cessna nearby may actually be a B747 farther away. If you’re flying a traffic pattern at a local airport near a larger airport, this can be dangerous. The ability to look around the goggles helps to correct for this illusion. Things also appear to be closer under the goggles, Wardle says. Because of the two-dimensionality of the goggle view and the brightness of the lights, it’s possible to confuse the planet Venus for an aircraft.
Motion parallax means the farther you are away from objects, the slower they appear to be moving; but the nearer you get to them, the faster they seem to be moving. As a pilot descends and decelerates, he has to keep scanning from side to side to make sure that the trees are going by at a constant rate, Wardle explains. Experience and main-taining currency are key in overcoming the inherent limitations of the NVGs, he says. Each of the visual issues and the countermeasures to them are taught to students from day one.
Ground SchoolCivilian students typically get eight hours of ground school and six hours of flight instruction spread across several days. Students are already licensed pilots, many of them instrument-rated. Military pilots spend a lot longer in the schoolhouse and the aircraft, partly because they’re getting mission training as well as basic instruc-tion on the goggles.
S c h o o l s u s e a b u i l d i n g b l o c k approach, progressing gradually from simple to more complex concepts and maneuvers. The first night at American Eurocopter’s academy includes basic exercises such as traffic patterns and working on depth perception at a hover. “We spend a lot of time the first night getting used to this world of 2D,” says
NVG Flying 101Palm Beach Helicopters offers an entry-level night vision goggle (NVG) course taught in partnership with Night Flight Concepts (NFC), a compa-ny that specializes in night vision pilot training. Rotor & Wing was offered a chance to train with them and experience this advanced technology.
Randy Rowles, one of NFC’s vice presidents and an 11,000-hr heli-copter pilot with ATP and CFII ratings, as well as an FAA rotorcraft exam-iner, escorted me into a classroom where NFC’s one-of-a-kind projection system was at the ready. It allowed me to look at nighttime scenes on a specially made screen that changed accordingly when I looked at them through the NVGs. “This is exactly how wires, transmission towers and other obstacles will look in the real world,” said Rowles.
After classroom instruction on the intricacies of NVG use and care, it was time to go to the school’s outdoor classroom: the Florida Everglades.
Flying with the helmet-mounted, mini binocular-size NVG goggles flipped down in front of my eyes transformed the black void of the Everglades into a bright, green-tinted world that revealed hundreds of ponds, clumps of vegetation and rotor blade-eating water management gear. Had we lost our engine, the NVGs would have let me see a variety of potential landing zones that I would not have seen otherwise. (That’s a really good thing in the area’s shallow, alligator-patrolled waters!)
What I didn’t like was the reduced field of view. Looking through NVGs is like looking at the world through two short pieces of pipe: Seeing things directly in front of you is easy, but things around the periphery require a conscious readjustment of your eyes. It was particularly disqui-eting when I wanted to scan my instruments.
“Don’t worry about looking at the instruments through the goggles,” said Rowles. “Just look down below the eyepieces, see what you need to see, then get back outside.” Sure enough, looking below the eyepieces—or around them, for that matter—took the NVGs out of play when I want-ed to see something that didn’t need to be enhanced. Even if I needed to see directly in front of the aircraft without using the goggles, the proce-dure was simple. All I had to do was turn my head slightly to one side and look around the tubes. It also serves as an emergency procedure if the NVGs fail and there isn’t time to flip them up out of the way.
While out on our training sortie, I tried autorotations, platform land-ings and hovering autos. As Rowles promised, those maneuvers were not very difficult to perform, once I learned how to scan properly while wear-ing the goggles.
Unlike the first-generation night vision goggles of the early 1970s, coming out from under today’s NVGs did not leave me with night blind-ness. The only remnant of goggle use was several minutes of having bright white lights appear slightly brown. Otherwise, I found no huge disadvantages to NVGs.
In fact, they had a manageable learning curve and really enhanced night flight safety. —By Ernie Stephens, Editor-at-Large
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53September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
NVG TraiNiNG
Paul Osterman, manager of simulation and standardization with Eurocopter. After about 45 minutes, students are asked to flip their goggles up and start shooting a normal approach. Their “extreme discomfort” demonstrates to them that it has taken less than an hour to get completely accustomed to the devices, Osterman says. Students then flip down and complete the flight with the goggles.
Successive nights at Eurocopter’s and other schools include confined area operations, slope operations, obstacle identification and avoidance, and emer-gency procedures. Eurocopter includes hydraulic failure, engine failure, spatial disorientation and NVG failure among its emergency procedures. Although pilot evaluation is progressive, there is a proficiency flight evaluation on the final night.
Bell Helicopter teaches a similar list of maneuvers. It emphasizes that 90 percent of NVG flight time occurs with only natural illumination—the moon and stars. Only 10 percent of flight train-ing is conducted in an airport environ-ment with ground lights.
Bell says the hardest things for stu-dents are drift control (picking up visual cues) and the sheer foreignness of the goggles. It’s easy for beginners to get lost the first couple of nights, even in their local areas, Wright says. They are used to looking at patterns of lights on the ground and the different colors that make up these patterns. It’s also easy to get “target fixation,” when the pilot just focuses on what he sees through the NVGs. “You start teaching them how to use [the NVGs] as an aid to what they’re doing, not solely what they’re doing.” Students learn to “look around the goggles, over them, under them, and to the sides” to see the light patterns and help judge weather—illumination permitting.
Smaller schools like Longhorn Heli-copters, Denton, Texas, offer similar curriculums at what they say are much lower prices. Longhorn, which is part-nering with Aero Dynamix, charges
$7,600 for its initial NVG course in the B206 and $3,500 for the initial course in the Sikorsky/Schweizer 300C. That’s well below the fees charged by the air-craft manufacturer schools, says Dale Williamson, director of operations.
Military TrainingU.S. Army student pilots at Fort Rucker take initial NVG qualification train-ing in the OH-58D, AH-64, UH-60 or the CH-47. They receive six hours of ground school—three hours on goggle
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54 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
operations and three on night vision planning and terrain interpretation, plus two hours on head-up displays and how they couple with the goggles. In flight school each receives 17 to 20 hours of NVG training.
The first two nights consist of unaid-ed flight. Afterwards students progress through a “structured maneuver list” outlined in a f l ight training guide, according to Chief Warrant Officer Ronald McKinstry, chief of standards for the 110th Aviation Brigade. On the f inal night , there is a 1.5-hour evaluation ride to determine NVG proficiency. Among the more complex maneuvers are single-engine landings, confined area approaches and nap-of-the-earth flight at of 25 feet or less above the ground.
Instructors at Fort Rucker use virtual terrain boards (see sidebar page 50) and train students at 14 to 15 stage fields—remote sites with about six short run-ways, or lanes, a control tower and crash rescue facilities.
Combat SARUSAF aviators aiming to specialize in combat search and rescue operations
have already passed through the initial goggle training that the Air Force’s 23rd Flight Training Detachment con-ducts at Fort Rucker on UH-1Hs and TH-1s. This includes about 7.5 hours of simulated NVG training with aca-demics and a terrain board, as well as 10 hours of NVG flight training. The students then proceed to Kirtland AFB for initial NVG qualification on mis-sion aircraft.
On top of the 17.5 hours of NVG training at Fort Rucker, the Air Force CSAR students transitioning to HH-60G Pave Hawks receive another 35 hours of NVG training. Lockheed Mar-tin handles the classroom and simulator side of training. Students receive 10 hours of classroom and computer-based instruction, as well as 7.5 or more hours of simulator training from the contrac-tor on aided night flying.
Night flight training on the HH-60G is conducted by military instructors. There are five f lights—12.5 hours or more—as well as about five hours of ground training . Nap-of- the-earth f lying is not taught, but students f ly at 50 to 100 feet in contour and low-level f l ight , Brunner says. The two
single-ship and three multi-ship flights include an air refueling check ride and a final mission check ride that typically lasts three hours. When students have passed the course, they are qualified to fly combat SAR missions, but only as copilots. They’ll need at least 100 hours of flight time, including 50 hours on the goggles, at their units before they can qualify for the aircraft commander’s course and advance to HH-60G pilot status, according to Brunner.
Another difference between military and civilian training is the former’s more intense focus on crew resource management. HH-60G crew members wear goggles. Brunner describes the crews as “fused.” Pilots, gunners and f light engineers are trained together in the initial course. The 58th uses a “triangular” concept for the approach phase, where the pilot-not-flying calls out altitude and ground speed, while the flight engineer and gunner call out rates of closure and clear the aircraft to the ground. The pilot will scan for the approach, but all of the crew are trained to cooperate in these high-workload operations. “Under our NVG regula-tions, we have to have all four crew posi-tions filled to fly low-level [below 500 feet],” Brunner adds.
Search and rescue training, at the commander level, also involves learning how to do detailed mission planning on the fly. Combat SAR is very time-sensi-tive, Brunner stresses. The HH-60G is equipped with computer-based mission planning tools, including mission map-ping and beyond-the-horizon mapping data. Pave Hawks also are equipped with a “fused” inertial navigation, GPS and Doppler navigation package, as well as a color weather radar.
Perhaps the most difficult task for the Air Force students to learn is aerial refueling, Brunner says. The procedure involves joining with the tanker, flying in formation with the tanker, getting into refueling position and plugging a six-inch probe into a 23-inch basket at speeds of up to 115 knots “in all sorts of weather.”
Students learning to use night vision goggles are taught that to gain the whole picture they must look around, over, under and to the sides of the goggles, in addition to looking straight through them.
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56 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
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58 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Training | emS
By Terry Terrell
Where the Light is
Current EMS helicopter operational safety statistics, as we know all too well, continue to echo the early 1980s, when medical transport
activities grimly persevered to survive a high-risk professional infancy. In those early days, it was relatively easy to identify that helicopter operators were creating many of their own safety problems by trying to sell their product in an unfamiliar market arena, through sometimes-overstated promises and misplaced operational heroics.
Today’s safety issues are less identifiable, and seem to stem from a shotgun pattern of complex cause factors. A number of con-ferences and meetings have recently con-vened, aiming to improve EMS safety per-formance. Though an assortment of useful intelligence has been produced, many feel that some of the suggested remedies might be missing the mark slightly.
For instance, improvements to heavily emphasized “Operational Control” policies and discipline are not totally inappropriate, but adding artificial and often less-than-efficient layering of control authority does not fully achieve needed improvement in operational decision-making. Preflight errors do not seem to be the weakest part of the mission execution timeline; rather pilots typically make the worst decisions mid-mission. But tightening the operation-al control aspect of EMS is readily manage-able, in conventionally quantifiable terms, so emphasis is allocated accordingly. This, unfortunately, sets up a situation similar to the man who looks for his lost keys under a streetlight. He knows that he couldn’t have
lost his keys there, but that is where the light is, so the search—ignoring all weaknesses in logic—proceeds at full tilt with determined enthusiasm. In looking at some of the factors that have been confirmed as legiti-mately bearing on EMS helicopter safety issues, we find that:■ Night flying is still more dangerous than
day ops. Only 38 percent of all flights occur during hours of darkness, yet 52 percent of all accidents are recorded at night. For weather-related accidents, more than 85 percent occur at night.
■ Takeoffs and landings are intuitive-ly suspected as the most dangerous flight mission phases, but it turns out that enroute segments are statistically worse. A high number of major acci-dents occur during enroute phases, often involving CFIT and eclipsing all risks encountered during departure segments, destination maneuvering, scene operations, etc.
■ Human errors and deficient personnel performance factors are identified in nearly 80 percent of all mishaps. Chief among these is faulty in-flight decision-making, the dominant example being a pilot deciding to continue into dete-riorating weather under the perceived influence of mission pressure. Disregard for weather minimums before takeoff is far less of a problem than the tempta-tion to press on during enroute phases when weather deteriorates. Conse-quently, IFR competency and currency, so that recovery from inadvertently encountered weather conditions can
be quickly and reliably accomplished, is again invaluable to safe EMS ops, as is regular review of priorities between mission urgency and overall discipline.
■ Other factors contributing to high accident rates describe miscellaneous human errors, including failures in following proven standard operating procedures while under the pressure of the medical mission. Delaying remedial action necessary to correct poor deci-sions made earlier in the mission has been cited as specifically problematic. Misinterpreting environmental cues and pilot distraction from onboard medical activity have also been studied.
■ Finally, pressure, either overtly or implicitly, to initiate flight operations quickly is a continuing threat to safety, as it has been consistently in years past.Technologies—such as night vision
enhancement equipment, terrain warning systems, TCAS gear, etc.—are being exam-ined within our industry as possible fixes for weaknesses in EMS operations. However, all of these equipment upgrades, though valuable, are ultimately just tools. Tools can only prove constructive when used with sound judgment and balanced perspective. These competent users can only join the EMS setting through prioritized pilot selec-tion and training cultures within organiza-tions, with an understanding that their most critical safety component will always be quality pilots capable of trusted leadership and good decision-making, able to resist the temptation to search for good operational performance only where the light is.
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59September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
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60 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
By Lee Benson
Pitfalls of Applying Part 135 to EMS Operations
Rep. John Salazar (D-CO) intro-duced the Air Medical Safety Act, HR 1201, to the U.S. Con-gress on Feb. 25, 2009. The bill
requires, in part, “a pilot of an aircraft providing emergency medical services, whenever there is a crew on board, regardless of whether there is a patient on board, to comply with federal safety operating requirements governing com-muter and on demand operations.”
At a minimum, this will require a public safety operator involved in EMS flights to acquire a Part 135 certificate and conduct all operations in accor-dance with this certificate. Some public operators might feel that certain terms and definitions in the Pressler Act, Public Law 103-411, would exempt public safety operators from these requirements.
In speaking with several people about this, the one common stance was that each law would stand on its own as written. Terms such as search and res-cue are meaningless under this bill, and therefore operators should read the sec-tion quoted above just as it is stated.
Rememb er, this i s a le g is l at ive bill, not a rule generated by the FAA through its normal process. I think those of us that suffered through the first years of the Pressler Act will agree that the most difficult part of the pro-cess was the interpretation of what the act meant, because it is not written in FAA-speak.
This law is an equal opportunity disaster waiting to happen. It is harmful
to public safety operators, the taxpaying citizens that support them and private EMS providers alike. The public safety operators will be adversely affected in a number of ways. The bill will disallow the use of non-certificated aircraft for the EMS mission. For supporters of this view, I will point to the Ventura County and Los Angeles County Fire and Sher-iff ’s Departments, and ask them to query the thousands of victims that have been saved by these operations with their Bell UH1s, Sikorsky S70s and Sikorsky H3s to see what they think. None of these aircraft are standard airworthiness certificated aircraft, but I would put my family in any one of them.
The next issue is hoist missions. How do you conduct a hoist mission under Part 135? Before starting down the path of “that’s a Part 133 opera-tion,” go back and read exactly what the bill says. Then realize even if you were to convince the FAA that Part 133 applied, remember that Part 133 D requires single-engine flyaway capabil-ity at the weight and altitude that the mission will be performed. Lots of hoist missions are completed in this country with single-engine helicopters. The hoist missions accomplished in twins are rarely done in conditions that allow a single-engine flyaway. In reality, the second engine just expands the number of places that the helicopter will land in, probably none of them good.
Before getting the impression that I have a less-than-professional attitude
about the inherent risks involved in hoist operations, I’d like to relay that I have performed hundreds of hoists in single-engine helicopters and many more in twins.
You are at less risk in a hoist mis-sion in a single-engine helicopter than in a twin that does not have f lyaway capability. Furthermore, the chances of suffering an engine failure while conducting a hoist mission approach the figure of merit that the FAA used to evaluate extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS) over the Atlantic Ocean when two-engine airliners were first pro-posed for Atlantic routes.
In my opinion, the private EMS operators should look at this law and immediately support a public aircraft exemption from this bill. The reason is simple. Why would you want to force the public safety operators into a posi-tion that requires them to become Part 135 certified and, by doing so, allow them to directly compete with you? I do not believe it is appropriate for public aircraft operators to directly compete with private companies.
That said, on several occasions in my past position, the only way that I could convince my overhead that we could not do a particular mission was to point out our lack of a Part 135 cer-tificate. The missions in question were absolutely appropriate for private oper-ators. What do I say when the Part 135 certificate is hanging on the wall?
Public SErvicE | emS
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61September 2009 | rotor & Wing magazineW W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o m
Air Methods Profile—Colorado-based Air Methods bills itself as “The World’s Largest Air Ambulance Operator” for a very good reason—it is. James Careless takes a look at how this complex operation, dedicated exclusively to air medical transport, runs.
North to Alaska—Alaska’s North Slope Borough Search and Rescue team’s legacy Bell 412 gets a complete Cobham EFIS upgrade, including the world’s first single-pilot IFR approval for synthetic vision in a helicopter.
Pilot Report—The Kaman Sea Sprite is a day/night/all-weather multi-mission helicopter. Our editor-at-large,
Ernie Stephens, flew it recently and provides his insights on this maritime helicopter.
Britain Prepares—Giovanni de Briganti reports from Europe on how Britain is upgrading its helicop-ter force and preparing to deploy more helicopters to Afghanistan.
A New Marine One?—Can the U.S. President con-tinue to fly around in a 30-year old helicopter? The Depart-ment of Defense is seriously reconsidering the need for a new Marine One. But it’s complicated…
October 2009:
November 2009:
Bonus Distribution: AUSA Annual Meeting, October 5–7; NBAA, October 20–22 and AMTC, October 26–28.
Winners of the Helicopter Heroism Awards—Among our winners this year are the crew of MH-60J CGNR 6007, responsible for saving 15 lives while battling har-rowing conditions. Their actions were also crucial to the coordination of the rescue of 42 people in one of the largest cold-water rescues in modern history.
SAR Training—Search and Rescue training covering the gamut from how to fly the right grid to equipment to coor-dination with ground personnel.
Eurocopter Support—Rick Whittle visited Eurocop-ter’s Helicopter Technology Park in Donauwörth, Bavaria to learn about this large center that carries out support work for helicopters which were not originally built by Eurocop-ter, such as the CH53, the Sea King and the Sea Lynx.
Human Factors—Are these buzzwords? Or can focus-ing on our human frailties really prevent problems from occurring? Dr. Bill Johnson, the FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for human factors, offers his expert view.
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62 RotoR & Wing magazine | SeptembeR 2009 W W W. R o t o R a n d W i n g . c o m
Accident Watch
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See and avoid. is it enough?
On a bright and sunny day over the skies of the Hudson River adjacent to the Manhattan Skyline in New York City, two
aircraft collided and fell into the river on August 8, killing nine people. The air-plane was a Piper 32 and the helicopter was a Eurocopter AS350. Anyone who has flown in this area knows the Hudson River and East River Exclusion areas in and around New York City are prob-ably the most congested in the country. There are four major airports—Newark, LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Teteboro—all vectoring traffic in and around that area. With this high volume of traffic, is the see and avoid concept enough to keep the skies over New York safe?
While the investigation continues at the time of this article, there is much speculation about who was at fault and what we can do about it. What is known is that the exclusion areas are congested, very congested. Let’s look at what the area charts indicate about these areas. The Ter-minal Air Chart (TAC) states that there is a high density of uncontrolled fixed-wing and helicopter traffic on the Hudson and East Rivers Class B Exclusions. All aircraft self-announce on 123.075 on the East River and 123.05 on the Hudson River.
The Helicopter Route Chart states that all aircraft are requested to not exceed 140 knots of airspeed. It also recom-mends turning on landing light, position lights, and anti-collision light and to self-announce on frequency 123.05 for the Hudson exclusion and 123.075 for the East
River exclusion. These recommendations do not relieve pilots of compliance with applicable FAA regulations including minimum safe altitudes. It also states that there is a heavy concentration of air tour operations at 500 feet AGL in the vicinity of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and pilots should avoid overflying these areas and maintain appropriate lateral distances. All aircraft in the exclusion are to be below 1,100 feet AGL.
In the exclusion areas, I always fly with the landing light on and self-announce as I’m consistently aware of the environment I’m flying in. The professional pilots who fly in these areas every day are familiar with these routes, with reporting points, and understand the environment they fly in. A fellow pilot friend calls it “Intense Cockpit Airspace Management.” Air safety is now under scrutiny but this situ-ation is not new. I have flown in the New York area for more than 20 years and have had several situations where fixed-wing aircraft flew extremely close to me and were not even aware of it. The develop-ment of the helicopter traffic routes was a vast improvement for aviation traffic and safety. In the late 1980s, while flying for a local operator, I had the opportunity to work with the FAA in developing these routes which are still in use today.
How do we want the FAA to address this issue? At a recent Helicopter Pilots Association conference in Morrisville, N.J., the FAA discussed the large volume of traffic that flies in the exclusion areas. For many in attendance, it was astonish-
ing. The FAA also claimed that they do not want to control the exclusion areas as they already have an abundance of air traffic to vector in that area.
As professional pilots, we know how vital helicopter services are to New York and surrounding areas. So we must dis-cuss the issue of the casual, inexperienced “Sunday” pilot having access to this air-space. Some experts say yes and some say no. Some pilots and experts claim fixed-wing traffic should not be allowed in the exclusion at all. Do these pilots follow the recommended procedures? Do they even have or look at the TAC or Helicopter Route Charts? Do they make themselves known by continually self-announcing on the radio? Believe it or not, there are many pilots flying today who have anxiety and fear of talking on the radio.
Since the mishap occurred, I have been very busy conducting interviews with the local media since the pilot of the Piper was from the Philadelphia area. My comments focus on situational aware-ness, blind spots and the possible need for some changes to include hard altitude restrictions for aircraft in the exclusion or restricting fixed-wing traffic completely. Once again we are talking about risk man-agement and knowing our limitations.
My next column will focus on the aspects of the mishap. We’ll look at what happened, why it happened, what rec-ommendations will be addressed, what we can learn from this mishap and take a look at helicopter operations in the New York area.
By Keith Cianfrani
15_RW_090109_Accident_p62-64.indd 62 8/19/09 6:18:28 PM
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