Helicopters Canada July August 2010

HIGH-TECH ‘Mission Kits’ pg 16 • A Versatile leader pg 24
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Catching On! B.C.’s West Coast Helicopters

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July/August/September 2010
Volume 31: Issue 4
departments
Cover Story
Catching On! 4 Editorial
pg 20 The power of innovation
6 On the Fly
Canadian industry news
8 MacDonald
Respecting the
'Golden Hour'
10 Dixon
Getting it right
11 Bellamy
In the line of fire
34 Armstrong
Pilot pay packages
COVER
The Katz family fishing
excursion made possible by
West Coast Helicopters.
features
High-tech
12 Angels From Above ‘Mission Kits’
The AgustaWestland AW-139 would be a worthy option for pg 16
the Canadian Coast Guard when it renews its fleet.
15 Seeking New Heights

Honeywell survey shows modest growth for 2010.
16 High-Tech ‘Mission Kits’

Canadian aerial policing units have plenty of high-tech tools
in their arsenals. Mike Minnich checks it out.
20 Catching On!
‘‘
B.C.’s West Coast Helicopters has beefed up operations
and is tackling a variety of new challenges.
If everyone is
24 A Versatile Leader
The CH-47 Chinook continues to set the pace as a strong thinking alike,
Canadian connection.
27 Building a Top Shop then someone
’’
Commitment to quality helps Alpine Aerotech soar.
A Versatile
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e-mail: ncuerrier@annexweb.com – George S. Patton
July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 3

editorial
The Power of
Innovation
Matt Nicholls
Working to Find a
Winning Formula
C
ountless examples in the corporate world of late remind us says the consortium fills a significant void in Canada, helping to advance
an organization’s success lies not only in its ability to aerospace technologies while building strong relationships between
respond to its customer’s needs, but also in identifying Canadian and international OEMs, and Canadian material, equipment,
growth opportunities and creative ways to overcome component and software suppliers. It’s a unique partnership he suggests
challenges. could set a precedent for product development partnerships in other
Such an approach is pertinent for all aerospace manu- areas of the aerospace industry.
facturers and rotary- and fixed-wing operators, but it can be even more “We’ve been attempting to put together in Canada a national consor-
effective when companies pool resources to share ideas. This is tium to run collaborative projects for the last eight or nine years,” McKay
precisely why the formation of the Canadian Composites Manufacturing says. “There have always been some great discussions between our
Research and Development consortium (CCMRD) in early June is industry partners, but we’ve never been able to put a package together
so noteworthy. that will financially support it. Thanks to the Boeing organization, it
The partnership brings together major aerospace companies and provided the financial commitment needed and got government agencies
small- to medium-sized enterprises to develop and transform the latest and industry partners involved to participate in putting this together.”
technical and academic knowledge into practical solutions to enhance Pete Hoffman, Global Research and Development Strategy Director
Canada’s global competitiveness. for Boeing Research & Technology, concurs, stating the partnership “is
Formed in co-operation with the Composites Innovation Centre part of our long-term focus of working together with industry, universi-
(CIC) in Winnipeg, National Research Council Canada’s Institute for ties and research organizations to advance Canada’s role in providing
Aerospace Research (NRC-IAR) in Ottawa, and The Boeing Company, high-technology, high-quality materials and components for the aero-
the partnership includes leading aerospace companies from across the space industry.”
country including: Quebec’s Bell Helicopters and Avior Integrated
Products; Ontario’s Comtek Advanced Structures; Convergent Showing no boundaries
Manufacturing Technologies and Profile Composites in British Columbia; Exploring new frontiers in the Canadian Aerospace industry was also
and Manitoba’s Bristol Aerospace, a division of Magellan Aerospace Ltd., front and centre at the On the Wings of Innovation Conference in
and Cormer Group Industries Inc. Windsor, Ont., June 4-6. The event brought together some 120 experts
‘‘
from more than 40 organizations to
showcase advanced technologies and
The event was about thinking share ideas for future growth.
Rod Jones, executive director of the
Ontario Aerospace Council, said the
of new ways to meet the challenges event was about getting the thought
’’
processes going and thinking of new
of tomorrow. ways to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Finding creative ways to innovate
and diversify operations is a running
theme throughout this issue of
The CIC will play an administrative role in the mix, while member Helicopters, particularly in Bill Tice’s cover story profiling B.C.’s West
companies will participate in carrying out projects across the country. Coast Helicopters (“Catching On!,” pg. 20). The story illustrates how
The NRC-IAR acts as technology advisor, and Boeing will provide finan- proper R&D coupled with the courage to implement new ideas helped
cial support, project guidance and technology organization. transform the operation into a strong, diverse, more competitive busi-
The CCMRD is also in line with Canada’s Industrial & Regional ness. It’s a challenge many operators face every year.
Benefits (IRB) policy and plays an integral part of Boeing’s IRB program Striving to innovate and a creative, fearless approach – it’s a winning
associated with the Canadian Forces’ acquisition of 15 CH-147 Chinook formula for rotary- and fixed-wing operators, and all Canadian
medium-to-heavy lift helicopters (for more on the CH-147 Chinook, aerospace manufacturers. At Helicopters, we look forward to highlight-
see“ A Versatile Leader” pg. 24). ing the partnerships and accomplishments of all Canadian aviation
Sean McKay, executive director of Canadian Composites R&D Inc., companies in this and future issues.
4 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

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Ornge
Adds to
Its Fleet
O
ntario’s Ornge EMS has
taken delivery of the first
of 10 AW-139 medium
twin helicopters.
Produced at the
AgustaWestland production
facility in Philadelphia, Pa., the
helicopter is equipped with an
advanced full aero-medical inte-
rior and is the first EMS-
configured AW-139 in North
America featuring the Full Ice
Protection System (FIPS) for
flights in known icing condi-
tions with real all-weather Ontario’s Ornge EMS service will be that much more efficient with the addition
capability. of the AgustaWestland AW-139 medium twin helicopter.
The delivery of the aircraft
follows the recently achieved America. “The AW-139 will significant role in the ongoing through FIPS, as well as the
TCAA certifications for the enable Ornge to significantly efficiency and success of the many other capabilities and fea-
FIPS system with EASA and enhance its operational capabil- EMS operation. tures of the AW-139, this heli-
FAA certifications already ities thanks to outstanding per- “As innovators in transport copter will provide our pilots,
achieved. The AW-139 is the formance, dedicated mission medicine, Ornge is always in paramedics and patients with
first helicopter in its weight cat- tools and a state-of-the-art de- pursuit of cutting-edge advances unparalleled safety and opera-
egory to receive FIPS icing system which is a first on in aviation that will positively tional flexibility in the sky.”
Certification. the world helicopter market. impact our efforts to deliver The AW-139 is capable of
“We are proud to deliver the This ensures Ornge will suc- excellence in patient care,” he carrying up to four litters and
best medium twin helicopter cessfully accomplish the mis- said. “We believe the FIPS- four medical attendants, in the
for emergency medical service sion of saving lives even in the equipped AW-139 represents a most spacious cabin and with
duties to such a leading aero- most demanding weather con- major step in that advancement, the best power reserve of any
medical operator and to the ditions when other types would and we are proud to be the first other helicopter in the medium
benefit of the large community be confined to the hangar.” system of our kind in North twin-engine class.
they serve,” said Lou Bartolotta, Dr. Christopher Mazza, America to take receipt of one. For more on the
executive vice-president of mar- president/CEO of Ornge, said “With greater ability to AgustaWestland AW-139, see
keting and sales, North the new helicopters will play a respond to our environment “Angels from Above,” pg. 12.
SkyTrac Systems Provides Support

SkyTrac Systems of Kelowna, B.C. will provide flight support in July to mechanical difficulties.
for a HeliVenture between Belgium and Southern California. SkyTrac’s DSAT-300 was chosen for its portability, battery life,
The historic trip will cover more than 9,000 nautical miles over and ease of use.
the North Atlantic Ocean and across the North American continent. “After receiving various demo versions of flight following soft-
Crewing the R44 Clipper II will be pilot Paul Bossens of Micro ware programs, it was clear SkyTrac was the best choice for us,”
Matic Research (MMR) and co-pilot Peter Koekelkoren. It marks Bossons said. “It is easy to use, has a choice of different maps and
the second endeavour after a 2007 attempt was unsuccessful due is usable from every computer connected to the Internet.”

CAE Adds New Executive
Keyvan Fard has been named Executive Vice President of Business HELICOPTERS MAGAZINE
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PRODUCTION ARTIST Gerry Wiebe
executive committee.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
The newly created position is meant to help expand and generate lasting original equipment KENNETH ARMSTRONG, MIchael Bellamy,
manufacturer (OEM) relationships and business alliances across the civil and military segments. James Careless, paul dixon, neil
macdonald, Mike Minnich, Peter pigott,
Fard has a strong background in the aerospace industry. He worked at Pratt & Whitney Canada for Kenneth swartz, bill tice,
30 years, where he assumed positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, customer support and steFanie wallace, blair Watson
marketing organization. Account Manager ryan culver

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Canadian Helicopters Grows, Adds

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Nampa Valley Helicopters Inc. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Alison de Groot

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Welders Canada Ltd., to ensure a smooth transition. executive officer of Canadian PRESIDENT MIKE FREDERICKS
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COLUMN
Respecting the
‘Golden Hour’
Why Heliport Classification
Neil MACDONALD Is a Growing Concern
D
r. R. Adams Cowley coined the “Golden Hour” in the simplified, means no obstacles in the “defined” area.
mid-1960s, and it refers to the concept that a critical So, why is this so important? The question is, how many suitable
trauma patient needs to be transported to a qualified patient-carrying helicopters are out there today that can meet H1 clas-
trauma team within 60 minutes of injury or risk sification standards? The answer? Not many.
death from shock or its complications (Roy R. Banks, This is not simply a one-dimensional, helicopter performance
D.O., “Triangle of Death,” May 2002, JEMS). issue. Some heliports were originally built to a H2 or H3 standard,
Today, most would agree the critically injured will benefit more only to have trees or new buildings intrude into the defined area. This
from early care intervention than not. This is a significant concern in came to light recently in British Columbia when a couple of hospital
rural settings where hospitals serve a larger area. With this in mind, heliports were classified H1, and could no longer accept some helicop-
how are we doing here in Canada? Are we getting our critically ill to ters the government had contracted medical services for. The result is
a hospital inside the Golden Hour? The answer is, well, sometimes. some critically injured patients are being transported by helicopter or
It takes quite a team to make this happen: paramedics, hospitals, fixed-wing to an airport, then ground transported to or from the hos-
health authorities, doctors and nurses, Transport Canada. I may have pital — clearly falling outside the Golden Hour.
caught you by surprise here, but TC does have a role in ensuring This caught the attention of the Truck Loggers Association (TLA),
critically ill patients arrive at a hospital in time to save their lives. the official voice of independent forest contractors in B.C.’s coastal
TC is the regulator that oversees heliport certification. Heliports region. Don Bendickson, current past president of the TLA and a log-
must meet certain standards in order to be able to accept helicopter ging contractor out of Campbell River, is quite concerned. “We do not
traffic. Heliport operators themselves have to satisfy TC that the heli- want to see a situation where regulations increase the time it would
port conforms to those standards. This is not new, and there’s no need take for an injured logger to get treatment at a hospital,” he said.
to go into detail here. In fact, Blair Watson chronicled this very well in “Closing a hospital helipad to all but multi-engine helicopters would
the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Helicopters. do just that.”
Heliport operators (hospitals, or perhaps more appropriately, Michael Essery, Director, Airevac/Critical Care Transport Program
regional health-care authorities) use TC standards when designing a for the British Columbia Ambulance Service, agrees. “We use helicop-
heliport. They stick to these standards where they should, use the ters to provide scene call response, and to transport critically unstable
‘‘
patients,” he said. “It will not help a
patient if we have to drive 1/2 hour to an
Are we doing all we can airport rather than transport them
directly to the hospital. The situation is
not ideal, but we are still safe, and feel
to assist the critically ill? we have always been safe.”
’’
Given the new classification stan-
I’m not so sure. dards for heliports, it presents an inter-

esting argument: are we doing all we can
to assist the critically ill? I’m not so sure.
Are we placing that group at risk to
proper lighting, put up a windsock to attract helicopters. They do all make another, the general public, safer? And is this not the same
that is required in the regulations. TC comes out, has a look, and clas- group? Maybe it’s time to get all members of the “team” together to
sifies (non-instrument heliports) as H1, H2, or H3 depending on certain work out the issues arising from heliport classification and how it
criteria relating to performance capabilities of the servicing helicopters. affects the critical Golden Hour.
The problem is once this happens, operators may believe they can
receive any helicopter transporting a patient. But this is not the case. Neil MacDonald is a lawyer with Harper Grey LLP, practising in aviation
An H1 classification means the heliport can only be served by multi- law. He holds an ATPL-H, and flies as an air ambulance captain on heli-
engine helicopters capable of maintaining at least 4.5 metres (15 feet) copters in B.C.nmacdonald@harpergrey.com. This is not a legal opinion.
above obstacles, in a “defined” area, with one engine inoperative. H2 Readers should not act on the basis of this article without first consulting a
classification is limited to multi-engine helicopters, while H3, over- lawyer for analysis and advice on a specific matter.

e
’

COLUMN
Getting
it Right
How the Deepwater Horizon
Paul Dixon Disaster Connects to Aviation
I
write this column on the last day of May, as oil con- technology while lacking the knowledge that only comes with experi-
tinues to spew into the Gulf of Mexico from the ence to anticipate problems and the skills required to extricate them-
Deepwater Horizon with no apparent end in sight. selves from situations when they do develop. Tony Kern talked about
With the “top-kill” having failed, there is specula- the human factors, questioning how a probationary first officer, flying
tion that it may be well into August before the well with a captain she had just met for the first time, could be comfortable
can be contained. Once the well is plugged or some- enough to be texting on her cell phone as the aircraft was taxiing, five
how brought under control, the cleanup will take years and it will be minutes from takeoff.
generations before the eco-systems recover. This will all pale in com- Human factors, attitude, positive or negative (bad) – the reality is,
parison to the time, effort and money that will go towards apportion- an aircraft either has a positive attitude or a negative attitude. Nothing
ing blame on one side and ducking responsibility on the other. good comes from a negative attitude, as a review of TSB and NTSB
So, what does this have to do with commercial aviation in Canada? reports will confirm. The same applies to the human side of the equa-
Let me connect the dots. Already, blame is being laid on various “sys- tion. Corporate attitude flows to the boardroom and fuels the front-
tems” at every level, from front-line production to the highest levels of line operations. An organization can have all the systems, processes,
government; as in “the system failed.” Every day, the mainstream policies and protocols in place; meet or exceed every possible regula-
media gushes forth about system failures across our society – legal, tion. But, that is only the beginning – it has to be the way the organiza-
health-care, education, etc. These systems are often spoken of in terms tion lives and works.
that imply they exist as living organisms, capable of autonomous There is only one way to do things, whether it’s running a multi-
action and independent thought, so that when they “fail” they do million-dollar business or changing a bicycle tire – the right way. All
so of their own free will in a manner that could not be predicted too often, we hear that common refrain about how there isn’t enough
or foreseen. time to do the training or inspections. If you don’t have time to do
But, nothing could be further from the truth. Systems, no matter things right the first time, when will you ever have time to fix it? The
how complex or simple in nature, are merely an extension of the Deepwater Horizon is beyond “fixing.” In aviation, you can’t provide
people who design, operate and maintain them. When a system fails, inexperienced and marginally qualified pilots with any degree of train-
it’s because one or more people either did something they weren’t ing after the crash.
‘‘
If you do it right the first time,
there’s a good chance you will
Safety culture starts at the very top never have to fix it, because it
won’t be broken. To use a sports
analogy, things may bend and they
of the organization – it can never be may stretch, but they won’t break.
’’
To continue with the sports analo-
driven up from the bottom. gies, you will only play as well as
you practise. The biggest talent
that top-flight professionals such
as Wayne Gretzky and Michael
supposed to do or failed to do what they were supposed to do. Jordan had, apart from an extra-large dose of raw ability, was their
At this year’s CHC Safety Summit in Vancouver, several speakers willingness to practise longer and harder than anyone else. They didn’t
referenced the February 2009 crash of the Colgan Air DHC-8-400 practise the things they did well, they practised the things they didn’t
outside Buffalo, N.Y. Doug Weigman talked about a corporate safety do well. They acknowledged their own shortcomings and worked
culture (which would be the human side of a SMS), defining it at the hard to overcome them.
personal level as “the way you behave when no one’s watching” and In the sporting world, the gap between success and failure can
from the corporate level as a “leadership issue.” The main message? appear frustratingly slim, but there’s always next season. In the real
Safety culture starts at the very top of the organization – it can never world, there may be no alternative to success.
be driven up from the bottom.
Gene Cernan spoke of inexperienced pilots as being too reliant on Paul Dixon is a freelance photojournalist living in North Vancouver.

COLUMN
In the Line
of Fire
Aerial Firefighting Is a
Michael Bellamy Tie That Binds
A
ramp attendant in Winnipeg once sardonically emulate what nature does best – make it rain. The reality is, what is
described our fuel stop as the “Great Canadian Air already burning is lost, so it’s best to deny the fire further fuel. Hovering
Race.” Yes, it’s an annual pilgrimage: helicopters hop- with a long line, beating the tree tops with rotor wash and then concen-
scotching from airport to airport, crossing the country trating the load in one spot is just asking for trouble. As one retired B.C.
in a quest for rising fire indices. This annual aerial forest officer told me, it makes no sense to inflict water erosion on a few
firefighting migration may end in Dryden, Kamloops, square metres when the fire is spreading rapidly in all directions. A concen-
or any centre with a valuable forest to protect and has become a trated drop directly into a pocket of intense flame soaks some charred logs,
Canadian summer icon. And among the pilots and engineers who crew but also blows the fire out the sides into dry fuels.
these ships, a strong camaraderie exists, for every summer they abandon I’m also beginning to suspect flying with a bucket directly on the
their home and families to chase fires. hook is becoming a lost art. It requires considerable skill and experience
The helicopter is at times very demanding of a pilot and never more to be accurate, but once learned, the helicopter becomes a safer, faster
so then when fighting forest fires. Caught up in the clamour of frenzied and much more effective tool in slowing the advance of a fire.
calls on the radio, it’s often a user’s fight for coherency. We want to There are pilots whose long-line skills are almost perfect; however, far
respond, but that’s what we are there for, to be effective in controlling the too many accidents are directly attributable to slinging a bucket in
fire. The helicopter is the quickest resource that forestry has to subdue a this way. Settling with power, a scenario pilots encounter more often than
fire and that’s our mandate. The goal is not to put out the fire – a tanker they like to admit, and the inadvertently losing visual reference in dense
or helicopter will never do that – but hopefully we can prevent the fire smoke compounded by the lack of basic flight instruments on the left
from spreading until the firefighters on the ground can get to it. That side, are two common hazards. Numerous machines milling about in
being the task, we strive to get the bucket filled to capacity and on target dense smoke is bad enough, but when pilots are restricted to only looking
as fast as possible. out the long-line bubble on left side, it’s just a matter of time before the
It also begs the question, why does the B.C. Forestry constantly inevitable happens. Insisting on using a long line no matter what the task
demand a bucket on a long line when experience has taught us this pressures pilots without developed or current skills into often dangerous
impedes the effort on both counts? I have heard how the long line does situations.
not fan the fire, when in fact the opposite is true. A medium manoeuvr- Long days, high temperatures, erratic schedules and a radio system
ing in the hover with a 100- or even a 130-foot line (30.4- to 45.7 metres) that constantly deluges a pilot’s ears with the clashing of repeater switch-
‘‘
ing can create an incredible fatigue
factor. Add to that specious knowl-
Corporations that recognize edge with jurisdiction over a heli-
copter’s potential, and exasperated
and encourage employee

pilots may base their contribution
’’
on the hour meter and not the fire.
I appreciate the long line and
expertise seldom fail. advocate its use when conditions

warrant, but a pilot should always
have the autonomy to decide how
best to employ his or her helicopter.
generates substantial downwash. Helicopters fitted with tanks are Most have gained extensive fire experience and perhaps the B.C. Forestry
embraced by the Forestry, yet a bucket suspended 7.4 metres below the should start capitalizing on this resource. Corporations that recognize and
helicopter is spuriously regarded as no longer effective. encourage employee expertise seldom fail; there is just too much enthu-
The long line certainly has its advantages when dip sites are confined siasm for the task to even entertain the thought.
or when the fire crew need you to fill a Port-a-Tank deep in the trees. But
when trying to arrest an active fire, or during initial attack, the long line This is Michael Bellamy’s debut column for Helicopters. The native of
impedes the helicopter’s potential. Spruce Grove, Alta., has been flying fixed- and rotary-aircraft in a
The primary task for the bucket on initial attack is to subdue the fire’s variety of capacities since 1971, and is an accomplished author of other
aggression and moisten surrounding fuels. It’s always a good strategy to books, including Crosswinds.

FEATURE
LEFT: FB Heliservices in the U.K. uses the

AgustaWestland AW-139 to
support search-and-rescue operations.
(Photo courtesy of AgustaWestland)
BELOW: The AW-139 stands out for the

Spanish maritime safety agency
SASEMAR. (Photo courtesy
of AgustaWestland)
Angels
From Above
The powerful AgustaWestland AW-139 is definitely Coast Guard worthy.
By Peter Pigott
T
hroughout history, various cultures have depicted after the AB-139’s first flight in 2001, Bell withdrew from the project.
goddesses and angels swooping down to rescue and Agusta forged ahead, and the helicopter was redesignated the
care for the critically injured. Soteria, for example, AW-139. The development risk was spread around a number of
was the Greek goddess of safety and deliverance from international companies including Pratt & Whitney in Canada,
harm. Today, in many parts of the world, and soon to Honeywell in the U.S., Poland’s PZL Swidnik, Germany’s Liebherr,
be in the provinces of Ontario and Alberta, those and Japan’s Kawasaki.
angels and goddesses take the form of AgustaWestland AW-139s. The AW-139 was built at Agusta’s Final Assembly Line in
And there’s a chance the Canadian connection with the AW-139 Vergiate, Italy, with a second assembly line set up at the Agusta
could grow even more. The aircraft is a worthy option for the Aerospace Corporation plant in Philadelphia, Pa. The first AW-139
Canadian Coast Guard, which will be, in-the-not-to-distant future, from the U.S. facility was delivered in December 2006, and a sec-
renewing its aging fleet. South Korea, Ireland, Trinidad and ond assembly line was added in February 2008. Parts and compo-
Tobago, Estonia, Cyprus, UAE, Pakistan, Japan and the United nents for both lines come from the same sources and the aircraft are
Kingdom are all using AW-139s in maritime, SAR and/or EMS roles identical whether assembled in Italy or in the U.S.
with a high degree of success. A new-generation medium twin-turbine helicopter with inher-
ent multi-role capability, the AW-139 can carry up to 15 passengers
History lesson at high speed. Its Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C turbines,
The development of the reliable AW-139 is an intriguing story. On together with a state-of-the-art five-bladed main rotor, deliver a
Sept. 8, 1998, the Finmeccanica company Agusta, and Bell high cruise speed and an outstanding power-to-weight ratio.
Helicopters, agreed to establish a joint venture to develop two new The engines with full authority digital engine control (FADEC)
aircraft: the BA-609 tiltrotor and the AB-139. The potential existed have a maximum continuous power of 1,531 horsepower (1,142
that the latter would be built at the Bell plant at Mirabel, Que. for kilowatts) each and give a maximum cruise speed of 290 kilometres
North American and Pacific Rim customers, however, four years per hour and a maximum range (without reserves) of 750

kilometres. Due to its power reserve, safe ration,” says Clegg. “The choice of AW-139s AW-139s next year. The Alberta Shock
flight is ensured with one engine inopera- was made by the Victoria police after an Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) has
tive (OEI) at maximum take-off weight. extensive review and the feedback is they flown more than 18,500 missions with
The AW-139 can climb at a rate of 10.9 have been performing very satisfactorily Eurocopter BK-117s since 1985. And while
metres/second and its maximum and cruise since their introduction last year when it’s more expensive to operate a rotary air
speeds are 310 km/h and 306 km/h respec- they replaced Bell 412s.” ambulance than a fixed-wing air ambu-
tively. Its maximum range and service ceil- lance, one of the helicopter’s key advan-
ing are 1,250 km and 6,096 m and endur- Home-grown appeal tages is it can transport a patient from bed
ance is five hours, 56 minutes. The machine In Canada, two non-profit charitable orga- to bed, eliminating the need for transfers
weighs approximately 3,622 kg and the nizations, STARS and Ornge, will be using by ground ambulance to and from airports.
maximum take-off weight is 6,400 kg.
Because it is a brand new helicopter, it
comes as no surprise that its leading-edge
technology includes a Honeywell Primus
Epic fully integrated avionics system, a
four-axis digital Automatic Flight Control
Systems (AFCS) and large flat-panel colour
displays in the cockpit.
Multi-purpose workhorse
The AW-139 is used worldwide for a wide
range of applications including executive/
VIP transport, EMS/SAR (emergency medi-
cal service/search and rescue), off-shore
support, fire fighting, law enforcement,
paramilitary and military roles. Depending
on the configuration, the passengers are
transported on crashworthy seats in three
rows of five, two forward facing, one rear-
ward facing, in an unobstructed cabin with
flat floor with a flight-accessible baggage
compartment at the rear of the cabin.
Alternatively, the interior can hold six
stretchers and four attendants in medevac
configuration.
The aircraft has a plug-type sliding door
on each side of its cabin, with separate
crew doors to allow easy access to the
cabin. The large baggage compartment (3.4
m) is accessible from the cabin and exter-
nally through large doors on both sides.
CHC Helicopters is a prominent opera-
tor of AW-139s and currently has 19 air-
craft in operation, 12 on order and options
on another 22. Brian Clegg, VP flight
operations for CHC, maintains there will
be a healthy market for AW-139 operations
in the future.
“CHC has deployed its AW-139s pri-
marily in oil and gas roles and we are very
satisfied with the operational and safety
record of the aircraft,” Clegg says. “It’s a
fully automated, new technology aircraft
with good range capability and excellent
performance.”
CHC operates two AW-139s on a long-
term contract for the Victoria police in
Australia and three AW-139s for the
Maritime and Coast guard Agency in the
U.K. “These are all in a SAR/EMS configu-

FEATURE
ABOVE: The Korean Coast guard is one of many countries

around the world employing the services of the AW-139.
(Photo courtesy of Agusta Westland)
RIGHT: Powered by strong engines and state-of-the-art rotors,

the AW-139 boasts multiple uses for the U.K.’s Maritime and
Coastguard Agency. (Photo courtesy of AgustaWestland)
Also, a helicopter response is dedicated primarily to critically ill or

injured patients in remote area access. advisor to monitor the process. The main priorities for Ornge were
“I can say STARS’ goals were established to find an aircraft that cabin size, range, dual pilot IFR and WAAS/GPS. Ornge undertook the
would fly further, faster, have greater patient capacity and de-icing, most strenuous analysis not only of what aircraft are appropriate for our
and eventually hoisting capability,” says Cameron Heke, senior needs, but as importantly, the companies behind those aircraft.
public relations advisor for STARS. The AW-139’s higher cruise “The AW-139s were the most technologically advanced rotor-wing
speed allows for reduced response times, which are vital to the aircraft in the industry at the time. Its competitors had no known icing
survival of the patient: lifesaving and time-sensitive treatment can capability, less range, much smaller cabin and were incapable of carry-
begin sooner, as they reach the necessary trauma centre earlier. ing the weight Ornge requires. The AW-139 will give us the additional
STARS hopes that, in addition to saving 15 minutes for every hour horsepower we require during hot and humid days and will also pro-
flown, the new AW-139 helicopters, funded by individual and corpo- vide us with the margin of safety should we encounter icing condi-
rate donations, will set a new standard with in-air patient care and have tions.”
better all-weather flying capabilities. So, what did the Ornge pilots think of the new helicopter?
“The feedback we have received from the pilots,” says Tracy, “is they
Ontario connection love the AW-139 because of its incredible power and capability,
The Ontario Air Ambulance Services changed its name to “Ornge” in leading-edge technology and it has one of the most advanced diagnostic
2005, and the name is not an acronym – it was chosen to reflect the maintenance programs available in the industry today.”
distinctive colour of the aircraft. Over the years, Ornge has received
excellent service from its S-76s fleet but felt Sikorsky did not have a New horizons?
replacement product available. That’s where the AW-139s come in. Ten Having conquered much of the world with its AW-139, AgustaWestland
new AW-139s were purchased in 2008 to replace the aging fleet. would be a strong contender in any EMS/SAR competition. Whether
“Ornge went through a rigorous procurement process and issued an with STARS or Ornge, or the Canadian Coast Guard, the AW-139 is
RFI (request for information) with pricing,” says Jennifer Tracy, direc- destined to be the present-day version of Soteria, the goddess of safety
tor of corporate communications for Ornge. “We also hired a fairness and deliverance from harm.

FEATURE
Seeking New Heights

Honeywell Sees Modest Growth for 2010 Despite Weak Survey Results
By Stefanie Wallace
A
lack of economic growth prospects and limited new The demand for law enforcement helicopters, like this EC-120B,
order intake may contribute to what look like dreary continues to be solid. (Photo courtesy of Edmonton Police Service)
deliveries of new civil use helicopters over the next five
years. Expected EMS helicopter demands were high in North America and
The results of Honeywell’s 12th Turbine-powered Europe, with 29 and 20 per cent respectively.
Civil Helicopter Purchase Outlook predict steady utili- According to Honeywell, the improvement in oil prices and the
zation trends and weak new aircraft purchase expectations for the prospects for increased oil demand may be the reason for a two per
five-year period of 2010-2014. But Honeywell remains cautiously cent jump – from six per cent last year to eight per cent this year – in
optimistic operating levels will see modest growth in 2010. the need for oil and gas production aircrafts. Survey results showed
The 2010 civil turbine helicopter report is based on results of a Africa and the Middle East continue to hold the highest regional
customer expectations survey, an evaluation of consensus forecasts, demand rate for aircrafts in this segment with 46 per cent, followed
and a review of factory delivery rates and analysis of future helicopter by 19 per cent in Asia and the Pacific regions.
introductions. This year, 1,074 chief pilots and flight department The need for new aircraft in other segments, such as media and
managers of businesses operating helicopters globally were surveyed. firefighting, fell well below the rest. Only 4.5 per cent of prospective
The most common regional purposes for new helicopter pur- spending goes toward the tourism and sightseeing industry.
chases remain the same as several past survey results, Honeywell Survey results also indicate maintenance costs, avionics capabili-
notes. Corporate, emergency medical services (EMS), law enforce- ties, aircraft age, cabin size and contract mandated upgrades factor
ment and utility helicopters are expected to account for more than 80 into North American purchase plans. At 32 per cent, North America
per cent of global sales during the five-year forecast period. Operators still holds the greatest regional share of prospective buying, despite a
surveyed said corporate and law enforcement uses were the top appli- 26 per cent decline over last year. European buying prospects for the
cations new aircraft purchases would go toward, with “substantial estimated five-year market also declined to about 18 per cent of
demand [existing] for new corporate use helicopters in nearly all global shares. Asian purchase plans fell 10 per cent, but Africa and the
world regions.” Middle East increased their plans by 17 per cent. Latin America’s new
The second most common use was the law enforcement sector, purchase expectations increased by more than 100 per cent compared
with 16 per cent of total demand. Survey results showed the highest to 2009’s survey results.
interest in law enforcement helicopters reigns in North America, “The decision to acquire new helicopters is nearly always driven
“accounting for about 22 per cent of regional demand,” with Asia by the age of the current aircraft, which is usually reflected in an
coming in a close second at roughly 18 per cent. operator’s desire for better technology,” said Carl Esposito, vice-
Utility and EMS helicopter usage each came in at 15 per cent of president of marketing and product management for Honeywell
the total projected demand for 2010. A significant increase in utility Aerospace.
purchase plans was noticed in African and Middle Eastern operators, Compared with last year’s outlook, total purchase expectations fell
with utility helicopters accounting for 32 per cent of purchase plans. about eight per cent internationally, with little trade-up expectation.

FEATURE
High-Tech
‘Mission Kits’
Tools That Make Aerial Policing a Success
By Mike Minnich
T
he successful police use of helicopters for everything in his headset so he can follow
from routine patrols to airborne vehicle pursuits, the tactical situation on the
missing-person searches and counter-narcotics recon- ground, but any significant development there will also be explained
naissance is vastly enhanced through the specialized by the TFO over the intercom.
equipment that supports these duties. Sgt. Al Mack at Durham (Ont.) Regional Police describes that force’s
Currently, state and local law-enforcement authori- highly secure and versatile digital comms system – that he spent several
ties in the United States, and 21 in Canada, operate more than 600 years helping design – and which may be unique in North America.
helicopters. And while an experienced pilot-observer team, a limber “We developed an application employing the Motorola iDEN
small helicopter and an appropriate suite of radios can achieve a lot system on the Telus public-switched cellular network,” Mack
during daylight aerial policing, the fact is a large proportion of explains. “We have our entire police service, including our helicop-
patrols and call responses occur in the hours of darkness. This has ter, arranged into three broadband comm channels or ‘groups’ and
resulted in the acquisition of a dizzying array of specialized sensor any user – be it a squad car, base unit or the aircraft – can broadcast
systems, enhanced navigation capabilities and multi-faceted com- to everyone in that group, or just input selected four-digit user ID
munications packages in support of these vital missions. numbers for private conversations.”
What follows is an analysis of key add-on equipment categories Fully operational since 1999, the network saw the number of
that turn a general-purpose light utility helicopter into a high-tech cellular towers in Durham grow from 18 to 62. When a voice or data
crime fighter – makes and models of specialized equipment most message is sent, it gets broken into six discrete portions by the first
prevalent with Canadian law-enforcement air units. tower it encounters, and the complete message is not reassembled
until it arrives at the recipient’s radio. (Mack notes that Durham’s
Enhanced Communications Bell 206 helicopter also has traditional aviation radios for ATC inter-
Police helicopters need to communicate with not only air traffic action by the pilot.)
control, police dispatchers and multiple patrol cars, but also fire “In addition to being highly secure, this system also incorporates
departments, ambulance services (including aerial) and disaster- the ability to ‘roam’ outside Durham and interact with any other
rescue teams – across a wide range of frequencies, in analog and police force or other entities that we might require,” he adds.
digital modes, and in encrypted or clear-speech systems. Overall, there doesn’t seem to be any obvious consensus regard-
It’s this enhanced communication that can make the difference ing the makes and models of radio suites chosen for Canadian police
when trying to apprehend criminals, says Dan Riopel of the Calgary helicopters, but some recent research in the U.S. reveals the most
police force. “Cockpit resource management is absolutely vital when popular units used south of the border include the Technisonic
you’re doing police flying,” says Riopel, who’s been flying one of TDFM-6148, the Motorola 5000 and the Wulfsberg P2000.
Calgary’s Eurocopter EC-120s since 1998. “To stay safe when you’re
relatively low and maybe doing a lot of ‘yanking and banking,’ to Picture Perfect: Imaging Systems
follow a target on the ground means that my tactical flight officer Camera and recorder systems that offer magnified video-image cap-
and I talk to each other constantly, so we each maintain maximum ture in both daytime (electro-optical) and nighttime thermal (infra-
situational awareness. For that, we have hot mikes for intercom, and red) modes provide both the means to spot and track a target on the
there’s a push-to-talk switch on the cyclic for when I need to contact ground, and also to have a record of that interaction for later use as
air traffic control. Generally, I don’t need to broadcast to the other evidence in court. Every Canadian police helicopter has such a unit
police units, and the TFO doesn’t need to talk to ATC, so we can mounted under the fuselage, and the chosen dual EO/IR camera
keep things simple. Of course, there are also selector switches to systems all seem to come from either FLIR Systems (its 7500 or 8500
change radios for when we do need to change frequencies.” models) or L3 Wescam (models in use include the MX12, M12-650
Riopel usually also has a police radio active in the ‘background’ and M12DS-200).

“Our current camera system – an L3 Wescam M12-650 – was
purchased through funds allocated from the Civil Assets Seizure
program, and represents the second time we’ve upgraded since the
initial suite of equipment in our original helicopter back in 2000,”
says Const. Dave Saunders, who’s been a technical flight officer at
York (Ont.) Regional Police for all those 10 years, and has logged
almost 4,000 flight hours.
Unusually, York’s EC-120 air-
craft is equipped with not one but
two 12-inch Avalex monitors (one
in the rear cabin), which allows a
second TFO to be carried on some
missions, and also vastly improves
the training environment for
new TFOs.
“There’s a lot of information
that can come up on the monitor,
from camera imagery – we have
that system turned-on continu-
ously during operational flights –
to data on the moving-map dis-
play, and we’ve found that some-
times six eyeballs are a lot better
ABOVE: An intricate array of high-tech equipment than four,” says Saunders.
helps Canadian aerial police helicopters, like Imagery from the on-board
Edmonton’s EC-120B, successfully patrol the skies. cameras must be recorded, of
(Photo courtesy of Edmonton Police Service) course, and for that purpose the
RIGHT: Canadian police helicopters use FLIR or Avalex 8200 family of digital video
Wescam imaging systems to help operations. recorders seems to be the most
(Photo courtesy of Eurocopter Canada) commonly specified product.
Winnipeg’s Choice
Sprucing up the new Eurocopter EC-120B
On May 7, the City of Winnipeg and Province of Manitoba Manitoba employ the Motorola FleetNet system, so our communi-
announced the winner of the contract for a first-ever police heli- cations package will let us talk to virtually everybody,” Dalal notes.
copter for Manitoba’s capital city. The newly established Winnipeg Regarding personnel for the air unit, Dalal says advertise-
Police Service Air Support Unit will operate a Eurocopter EC-120B. ments for two full-time civilian helicopter pilots (and possibly one
The $3.5-million project has also gained $1.3 million in provincial part-timer to backfill for vacation periods, etc.) will be placed
support for the operating expenses, and this is expected to shortly, and TFO training will be achieved with the assistance of
become an ongoing annual subsidy. their opposite numbers in Edmonton and Calgary. The exact plan
Winnipeg Police Detective-Sergeant Dave Dalal has been for this TFO training is still being formulated and, similarly, the
involved in this proposal virtually from the inception, and recently arrangement for aircraft maintenance services had not been
detailed the timeframe for delivery of the aircraft as well as some finalized.
specifics of the specialized-equipment suite. Home base for Winnipeg’s helicopter has not been deter-
“We anticipate taking delivery of the aircraft this October, and mined, but the likelihood seems to be hangar space in some por-
we’re hoping that the Air Support Unit will be fully operational tion of Winnipeg International Airport.
within a month after that,” he says. “All the mission-specific fea- Dalal notes he and some other Winnipeg Police members
tures that we’ve chosen will be installed by Eurocopter Canada, have already joined ALEA (the U.S.-based Airborne Law
so the helicopter should arrive in Winnipeg ready to go.” Enforcement Association), and they anticipate access to some
Those extra features include a FLIR 8500 camera, SX-16 valuable training and operational knowledge through this well-
Nightsun spotlight, NAT 250-001 public-address system, a Novanet respected professional organization.
Strata digital data-downlink system, the Paravion Augmented “We want to express our sincere thanks for all the advice and
Reality System map display, an Avalex 8240 digital video recorder, help we’ve received over the past year or so from such estab-
and an Avidyne Traffic Advisory (collision-avoidance) System. lished police-helicopter operators as the RCMP, York Region,
The aircraft will also have both air conditioning and an enhanced Calgary and Edmonton,” said Const. Nick Paulet, who’s worked
heating system. with Det.-Sgt. Dalal on the project. “Their support was unbeliev-
“All police and other emergency-response organizations in able, and much appreciated.”

FEATURE
LEFT: The RCMP’s AeroComputers UltiChart LE-5000

mapping system is a boon in residential street
searches. (Photo courtesy of RCMP)
BELOW: Like other Canadian aerial policing units,

York Region’s Eurocopter EC-120B uses the
Spectrolab SX-16 Nightsun to help nab bad guys.
(Photo courtesy of York Regional Police)
Moving-Map Displays
While the pilot of a police helicopter doesn’t generally have to under-
take precise long-distance cross-country navigation, the ability to know
exactly what street and house number your TFO is observing can be
vital – and that’s where moving-map displays come in.
“Our Avalex digital mapping system – with the local streets-and-
addresses database regularly updated through our Regional Municipality
– is a huge aid to how we can manage incident responses,” Saunders
notes. “Being able to designate exactly what structure or property
you’re going to, and see a satellite map of the area in advance, really lets Lighting the Way: Searchlights
us develop that vital mental picture before we’re overhead.”
The Calgary police force have recently updated to Paravion The ability to illuminate a nighttime target on the ground – for the
Technology’s Augmented Reality System, which, developed in conjunc- benefit of the aircrew or investigators below – has always been a basic
tion with Churchill Navigation, merges the moving-map concept with requirement of police helicopters. Every Canadian police air unit polled
the live imagery from the video camera using Global Positioning employs the same product: the Spectrolab SX-16 Nightsun. With an
System technology. intensity of between 30 and 40 million candlepower, a variable beam
“The Augmented Reality System – combined with a feature called width of four to 20 degrees, and the ability to illuminate from as far as
an Inertial Management Unit – basically superimposes the relevant a kilometre away, this unit obviously fills the bill quite adequately.
street grid and street names right on top of whatever the camera is cur-
rently showing on the monitor,” pilot Dan Riopel explains. “Whether Night-Vision Goggles
we’re using day-time video or night-time infrared, the map is overlaid Initially developed for military special-operations purposes in the
and very legible. The TFO can touch a zoomed-in location on the 1960s, night-vision goggles (NVGs) have expanded their utility – and
screen, and we’ll immediately get the full street address. We used this availability – into various private spheres, and especially civilian night-
feature during an actual incident response just on my last set of shifts, time helicopter operations. Able to vastly intensify existing light and
in fact.” provide a green-toned image that reveals objects almost as well as the
Canada’s police helicopters primarily employ the Avalex or Paravion naked eye can in daylight (although with less fine detail), NVGs offer
systems, although the RCMP birds are equipped with the a significant benefit to both the pilot and TFO of a police helicopter
AeroComputers UltiChart LE-5000 moving-map system. at night.
“We just recently acquired NVGs, and are now fully operational
Public-Address System with them,” says Riopel. “They’re working out quite well.”
It seems that only a minority of Canadian users – the Mounties and When it came to training for that transition, the Calgary crews had
Calgary, at a minimum – currently equip their helicopters with a pub- some good luck: their current chief pilot, Cam Dutnall, is a former
lic-address “loudhailer” system. The Calgary force have both their air- Canadian Forces search-and-rescue pilot, and has considerable experi-
craft equipped with Northern Airborne Technology TS-92 units, and ence on NVGs. He and another CF vet who now flies with Alberta’s
have found them valuable. STARS air ambulance service, Alex Baldwin, got together and created
“We used it as recently as last month for a big fire up in Airdrie, the NVG training course for the Calgary police air unit.
where we told people from the air to get back from the three houses “We all ended up doing five hours of NVG work before we were
that were on fire, and to get off the roof of a nearby home,” Sgt. considered qualified,” Riopel says. “Some people wonder if NVGs are
Michelle Cave reports. “That public-address capability works great for of much use over a brightly lit urban area at night, and, of course, that’s
such situations.” not what they’re designed for, but we’ve found that the NVG image

doesn’t ‘bloom’ or dazzle your vision as badly as in earlier product gen- down there on the ground, and you need to look outside the aircraft as
erations when you look down into an illuminated area. well. We plan to acquire night-vision goggles by the end of this year,
“Of course, we’d normally be using the IR camera and not NVGs if and that will encourage this ‘look-out-the-window-too’ mindset. That
we’re looking for a person or vehicle in a built-up area, but we had an technique can give you an important perspective that just focusing on
episode just recently at the edge of town where we were looking for a the camera monitor cannot.
pick-up truck,” he adds. “I spotted one with my NVGs on, and then we “The solution is lots of training, and emphasizing the need to
picked it up on the IR camera and it turned out to be the vehicle we always keep the big picture in mind. That’s why I think it’s extremely
were after.” valuable when we fly with a second TFO in the back seat: you’re less
Riopel says the NVGs really come into their own if the helicopter likely to get everybody fixated on any one input.”
needs to follow a vehicle out into the dark countryside or if ever an
Hardware Store
emergency landing were required while over the city.
“Within the municipality, there may be areas that are dark, and
you’re not really sure…is that a school in there, or is it a wide-open
field?….are there wires? You can look down with the goggles, and
Where to locate high-tech policing tools
either eliminate it or say, yeah, that’s a good area to land in,” he notes. AeroComputers Inc.: www.aerocomputers.com
While there are at least five manufacturers of NVGs in the U.S. – Avalex: www.avalex.com
and approximately another dozen such firms around the world – Avidyne: www.avidyne.com
Canadian police operators seem to have found ITT’s Model F4949 to be FLIR Systems Canada: www.flir.ca
the preferred product. ITT: www.defense.itt.com
L3 Communications Wescam: www.L-3com.com
Complete Package Motorola: www.motorola.com
While high-tech equipment contribute significantly to the needs of Northern Airborne Technology Ltd.: www.northernairborne.com
airborne policing, there increasing sophistication and inter-networking Novanet: www.novanetcomm.com
can also be problematic, says Saunders. Paravion Technology: www.paravion.com
“If there’s a potential drawback to all this technology,” he says, “it’s Spectrolab: www.spectrolab.com
information overload. There can be a tendency to rely too much on Technisonic Industries Ltd.: www.til.ca
some of these systems, and what I try to teach our new TFOs is that the Wulfsberg (Cobham Avionics): www.wulfsberg.com
bad guy or the missing person is not ‘actually’ in the monitor! They’re
WINGS
Produced by
www.wingsmagazine.com www.helicoptersmagazine.com

Careers.ca_halfpage.indd 1 28/06/10 2:38 PM

cover story
Catching
On! B.C.’s West Coast Helicopters
Tackles New Challenges
By Bill Tice
I
f you’re going to have a chat with Peter Barratt you’d
better block some time off on your calendar and be pre-
pared for some serious coffee — strong and dark and
brewed in a European press style coffee maker.
Barratt, who likes to talk and is the boisterous vice
president/operations manager for West Coast Helicopters,
is quick to point out though that his coffee dependence is not respon-
sible for his outgoing persona. “The buzz is all me,” he confesses. “My
brew of choice is dark roast, fair trade, organic, decaffeinated coffee,”
he adds with an emphasis on the decaffeinated.
West Coast Helicopters is a progressive and continually growing
contender in the competitive helicopter business on Vancouver Island
and the rugged and remote west coast of British Columbia’s mainland.
With its steep mountains, vast expanses of water and hostile weather
conditions, the territory is not for the faint of heart or the ill prepared.
It is, however, a place where helicopters are a necessity for everything
from flying medical personnel and supplies into remote First Nations
communities and transporting forestry workers to desolate logging
camps, to fighting wildfires and flying celebrities and business moguls
into luxury fishing lodges.
It’s a lifestyle and a job Barratt has come to love over the years. He
came to Port McNeill on Vancouver Island in 1977 to fly for Okanagan in to, complete with a cavernous hangar, an employee gym, a comfort-
Helicopters, which later became Canadian Helicopters. He never left. able customer reception area and spacious offices, but it hasn’t been an
“I told my boss I would stay here for two years if the fishing was good,” easy ride for the trio.
Barratt jokes. “It was great so here I am,” he continues as he finishes “See that picnic table over there,” Barratt says as he motions over to
his second cup of decaf. the far side of a grassy landing strip at the tiny Port McNeill airport.
Barratt left Okanagan in 1993 to start West Coast Helicopters with “That’s how we started. I was sitting at that picnic table with my part-
three other partners. They bought out one of the partners and today, ners and we had a 206B Jet Ranger and an A-Star “B” model. No han-
three of the original four — Barratt, Terry Eissfeldt and Granger gar. No office. Just a plan to fly 1,800 hours in our first year. We did
Avery — are the principals. You might not know it by looking around 1,802, which was enough to make us profitable and we built every-
the recently completed operations complex West Coast has just moved thing up from there.”

To raise funds for the business, Barratt says in the early days they
worked day and night. “We cashed in all our pop bottles,” he jokes.
“We built the company’s original hangar ourselves with the help of a
friend who was out of work, and I also did some other building proj-
ects with him to make extra money. I was flying during the day and
then at night and on weekends I was banging nails with him on schools
and building outhouses for local parks and campgrounds.”
West Coast Today

Today, West Coast has four bases, including Port McNeill, which also
serves as head office for the company. The other bases are at Nanaimo
and Campbell River on Vancouver Island and at Bella Coola on the
west coast of the mainland. The company has also grown substantially
in terms of equipment and now operates predominantly Eurocopter
AStar Series machines, including three B models, one BA model, and
five B2 models. They also have a 206B Jet Ranger and two McDonnell
Douglas 500D model (MD-500D) helicopters. It’s a fleet that works
well for West Coast as it gives the company a number of choices for
seating and load capacity, which in turn provides them with flexibility
when matching an aircraft to the job at hand.
The AStar B2 and BA models accommodate up to six passengers
each: the AStar B model can take five passengers, while each of the
other aircraft in the stable can seat up to four passengers. In terms of
weight, internal load ratings are from 800 lbs. on the Jet Ranger to
1,650 lbs. on the AStar B2, while external hook load capacity starts at
1,000 lbs. on the Jet Ranger and goes up to 2,200 lbs. on the
largest AStar.
Barratt and his partners are extremely proud of the company’s new
operations centre in Port McNeill, which was completed in early May
LEFT: Heliskiing, and other adventure-based operations, are a strong

part of the West Coast Helicopters business model.
(Photo courtesy of West Coast Helicopters)
BELOW LEFT: The company’s Port McNeill base boasts a new
8,900-square-foot hangar that features four massive overhead doors.
Proper maintenance is critical to the company’s success.
(Photo by Bill Tice)
BELOW RIGHT: West Coast Helicopters’ president/operations
manager Peter Barratt with Terry Eissfeldt, general manager and
director of maintenance, in front of the new operations centre at
Port McNeill airport. (Photo by Bill Tice)

Cover Story
LEFT: Good Eats: A group of adventurous helihikers enjoys

a memorable meal atop a soaring peak. (Photo courtesy of
West Coast Helicopters)
BELOW: B.C.’s beautiful, but rugged, terrain makes this a
challenging, but potentially lucrative, environment for a
diverse helicopter operation. (Photo courtesy of West
Coast Helicopters)
of this year. At almost 16,000 square feet, the new building is over six
times the size of West Coast’s original office and hangar, which was just
2,400 square feet. “We have 24 of our 44 employees at this operation
and we were stepping on each other,” Barratt explains. “We had two or
three people in each office. It was just ridiculous. We also needed more
hangar space because of the climate and coastal location here in Port The Team and Safety
McNeill. It’s a corrosive environment for helicopters and up until now,
we couldn’t keep all of our aircraft inside.” Barratt says looking after employees is a top priority for West Coast.
The new hangar, which is an 8,900-square-foot structure supplied “Right up front, I can tell you our employees are number one, and we
by JDG Construction in North Vancouver, B.C., has four massive over- feel strongly if you look after your employees, they will look after the
head doors. Barratt is particularly pleased with an engineering feature company and then everyone benefits.”
that allows the posts on each side of the doors to be moved. “If you At West Coast, it’s a philosophy that reaches well beyond providing
simply open the overhead doors, the new hangar can accommodate the new comfortable working areas and the employee gym, and Barratt
four AStar helicopters,” he explains. “But the building is self-support- stresses it plays a big part in another area the company considers cru-
ing and the posts are on tracks so once you have the doors open, you cial to its success – safety.
can slide the posts to the sides, which means we could fit up to eight “Everyone has to be on the same page when it comes to safety and
helicopters in the hangar if we had to.” we have already had our safety management system (SMS) in place for
The 6,800 square feet of office space on two floors is adjacent to the five years,” Barratt explains. “Having an SMS in place will eventually be
hangar, and the two buildings share common walls on two sides. “We required for all helicopter operators by Transport Canada, but we are
went with a wood frame building for the office space as it is much nicer well ahead of the curve. As a matter of fact, our chief pilot and aviation
to look at than the traditional aluminum square box industrial struc- safety officer, Doug Strachan, has been delivering SMS seminars to
tures that are common in rural areas,” Barratt says, while adding that other operators for Transport Canada and the U.S. Federal Aviation
they went “green” while making the upgrades. The state-of-the-art Authority.”
structure, which was designed with environmental stewardship in West Coast Helicopters’ SMS program is a fully integrated safety
mind, features a three-kilowatt wind turbine for power and a rain catch management and assessment program designed to identify and rectify
roof that can divert enough rain water to fill five 750 gallon in-ground hazards before they occur.
drums. The collected rainwater is filtered through a brand new ultra- “We developed our own hazard identification and reporting system
violet system, which supplies the office and hangar with an abundant and came up with 3,400 hazards,” Barratt explains. “All files are
supply of fresh water. assessed and mitigated using a severity and probability matrix, which
The new facilities also feature a pilots lounge, complete with maps showed the 3,400 hazards could result in 60 incidents. Those 60 inci-
and access to weather forecasts and other planning tools, a full dents could result in 10 accidents, and for every 10 accidents you
kitchen/lunch room for employees, the gym, customer reception area would typically have one fatality. Our mandate is to have no accidents
and offices, and a few additional extras such as specialized drying and or fatalities, so we identify and eliminate the hazards, which is non-
storage rooms for outdoor clothing and fishing gear that is used by punitive. If you have an accident it costs the company money and
recreational customers. reputation so we encourage our employees to turn in hazard reports

and everyone has bought into this.” been done outside and by flashlight. Now, most of it is done indoors.
It’s not just Transport Canada and the FAA that fosters this kind of Our helicopters are also cleaned and lubricated after every flight, and
safety program. It’s become crucial to attracting some large corporate they are looked at every day by one of our mechanics.”
customers who want to ensure the safety of their employees is para-
mount. That includes BC Hydro, which is the primary electricity pro- Going Forward
vider in B.C. “When BC Hydro was looking for preferred suppliers in When asked about the current business conditions for West Coast,
the helicopter business, they sent questionnaires out to over 100 heli- Barratt sighs a little and admits, “we could be busier,” although he adds,
copter companies province wide with questions related to safety sys- “but I’m not worried.”
tems,” Barratt explains. “Companies that passed the questionnaire were He has seen the business go from 92 per cent forest industry work
then audited by Hydro and if they passed the audit, they were put on when they first started out to a mix last year that was split somewhat
the list of approved companies. Only 14 helicopter companies, includ- equally between forestry, tourism and miscellaneous projects – includ-
ing West Coast, are on the list.” ing exotic helifishing, heliskiing, and helihiking adventures.
“We have a tendency to not react to positive or negative markets,”
Maintenance Program he says. “I do think there are too many operators going after too small
Proper maintenance is also key to the success of West Coast Helicopters. of a pie right now, so to succeed in this business you really need to be
Not just as it relates to safety, but also for fleet reliability. “We are strong doing all of the right things and for all the right reasons.
proponents of identifying maintenance requirements before they The helicopter industry in Canada can be a bit of a roller-coaster
become an issue,” explains Terry Eissfeldt, one of the partners and West ride and in a downturn like we are currently experiencing, helicopter
Coast’s general manager and director of maintenance. “We have more budgets are one of the first things to get cut, and when things pick up,
maintenance people than most companies and some of the small items they are one of the last items to be added.
that some operators will skip over, we do on a regular basis. It’s costly, Here at West Coast, we have a safety record that is second to none,
but it saves you money in the long run, and it could save lives. we have well-maintained equipment, some of the best people in the
Eissfeldt says the new hangar also helps with maintenance as work industry working for us, and we are here for the long run. We are con-
that used to be done outside in the elements is now completed inside. fident that when the economy does turn around, everything we have
“We don’t sit our aircraft outside any longer than we have to and when done will pay off and we will be well positioned to move forward,” he
a helicopter comes in at the end of the day, the pilot does a post flight concludes, as he pours another cup of his favourite brew – decaf,
inspection. Before we had the additional hangar space, that might have of course.
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plus a few extras, like the Instrument Rating. The book has been specially designed for the needs of professional or
military pilots seeking to gain an alternative licence, but newcomers to the industry can use it, too, since it assumes
no previous knowledge.
It is a reference book that follows the ATPL(H) syllabus, so you can
use it before, during and after your exams, for the whole of your career!
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suitable for many types of reader.
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Heli_BookAd_Jan10.indd 1 05/02/10 1:5423

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com PM

FEATURE
A Versatile
Leader
CH-47 Chinook Sets the Pace
as a Multi-Purpose Workhorse
BY PHILIPPE CAUCHI
A
n outstanding, time-tested design: it’s the determining
factor behind the success of every great rotary aircraft,
and in the case of the Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Chinook, it’s
precisely why this versatile, twin-engine tandem rotor
heavy cargo helicopter continues to shine on the world
stage. Lauded as one of the most efficient rotary aircraft
in production – the CH-47 Chinook made its first flight in 1961 – it troops. The YCH-1B was born, and it made its inaugural flight on
has performed (and continues to perform) a wide variety of military Sept. 21, 1961. A year later, it was redesignated the CH-47A and
and civilian tasks, most notably filling troop and cargo transport; given the “Chinook” name in honour of the Chinook peoples of the
casualty evacuation; special forces infiltration; downed aircraft northwest.
recovery; firefighting; disaster relief; and peacekeeping. Mark Ballew, a former U.S. Army CH-47 pilot and now senior
Not surprisingly, CH-47 Chinooks have enjoyed a strong pres- manager, marketing and sales, with Tandem Rotocraft at Boeing,
ence in the military realm. The United States flew Chinooks exten- says the Chinook’s design “is the driving force” behind its outstand-
sively in the Vietnam War, and found them effective for artillery ing performance, success on the world stage and longevity.
movement and troop transport used in assaults. Chinooks have also “The CH-47F and MHG are both technologically superior air-
flown under the Islamic Republic of Iran during its war against Iraq craft,” said Ballew. “They possess many unique advantages from
in the 1970s, while England and Argentina both used CH-47s in the being tandem rotor aircraft.” Some of the advantages include:
short-lived Falklands War in 1982. More than 160 Chinooks were increased performance at high altitude and temperatures, because all
used in Kuwait and Iraq during Desert Shield and Desert Storm power goes to lift; increased stability in high wind conditions based
operations in 1991, and Chinooks from several countries have been on having two main rotor systems; superior loading and unloading
used in operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan. At last count, some areas from the aft ramp; and triple cargo hooks for more stable loads.
20 countries worldwide operated more than 900 Chinooks, led by They also possess state-of-the-art avionics, digital automatic
the U.S. with 513, Japan (64), and the U.K. (48). flight control to ensure continuing military effectiveness, relevance
and long-term service for present-day and future war fighters.
Seeds of Success
The development of the CH-47 Chinook dates back to 1956, when Growing Family
the U.S. Department of the Army sought to replace the CH-37 Following the successful deployment of the Chinook CH-47 in
Mojave and its piston-powered engine, with a new turbine-powered 1961, new models were added over the next four decades. The
aircraft. In June 1958, following a spirited design competition, a CH-47 A, B, C, and D provided varying enhancements, culminating
joint Army-Air Force selection board picked a tandem helicopter in the current CH-47F or “improved cargo helicopter” requested by
design from Philadelphia, Pa.-based Vertol, founded in 1940 by the U.S. Army. The CH-47F rolled off the assembly line at the Boeing
Frank Piasecki. The Vertol 107, with a capacity for 20 troops, was facility in Ridley Park, Pa., on June 2006, and had its first flight on
initially designated the YHC-1A, but after three aircraft were tested, Oct. 23, 2006. The improved version of the “D” features more pow-
the prototype was considered too heavy for the U.S. Army’s assault erful 4,868 shaft horsepower Honeywell 55-GA-714A engines, giv-
role and too light for the transport role. Yet, the YHC-1A was ing it “hot and high” performances; “Fly by Wire,” a new Rockwell
improved and adopted by the Marines as the CH-46 Sea Knight in Collins avionics suite; and a longer-life, all metal fuselage. With a
1962. The Sea Knight has since proven to be a successful aircraft and top speed of 196 miles per hour and a cruising altitude of 20,000
is still in service today. feet, the CH-47F is a more powerful and versatile version of its pre-
An enhanced version of the model 107, the larger model 114, was decessor. The CH-47F accommodates 44 combat troops or 24
developed, having the capacity to transport more than 40 combat stretchers, and sports a 52-foot fuselage and 99-foot rotors, giving it

a maximum take-off weight of 50,000 pounds, significantly more
than the original 33,000-pound CH-47A version. Thanks to its
unique rotor configuration, the CH-47 needs just a small landing
pad of 100 feet by 100 feet – underscoring its incredible ability to get
into tight spots with ease.
The Canadian Connection

While military and civilian organizations worldwide have reaped the
rewards of the CH-47 Chinook, Canadians have also had a strong
connection with the aircraft – and it’s a connection that’s growing
stronger each day. The CH-147, as it’s dubbed in Canada, has been
part of the Canadian Forces since the acquisition of eight aircraft
from October 1974 and October 1976. Although two crashed over
that span – the first during its
transfer from the U.S., the second
in Rankin Inlet, N.W.T. –
Chinooks have proven to be
more-than-capable aircraft. They
were first delivered to 450
Squadron of the 10 Tactical Air
Group at CFB Uplands near
Ottawa, notes Lieut.-Col. Roger
Gagnon, who flew the CH-147 in
the 1980s and was recalled to ser-
vice and supervise the introduc-
tion of the CH-47D in Afghanistan.
Some of the aircraft were later
based at CFB Namao near
ABOVE: Canadian military riggers at work in Edmonton. This detachment
Kandahar, Afghanistan. became 447 Squadron in 1979,
RIGHT: Canadian Forces CH-147 Chinook with performing troop and cargo carry-
a slung load. (Photos courtesy of Canadian ing, equipment and land forces
Armed Forces) training, as well as arctic base
replenishment missions.
Training the troops

With the end of the Cold War, however, Chinooks were with-
drawn from service due to cost concerns. The 447 Squadron was
disbanded and the 450 Squadron inherited CH-135 Bell Twin Huey
CAE to enlighten Chinook operators aircraft. The seven remaining Chinook helicopters were sold to the
The federal government’s decision to order more than $1.156 bil- Netherlands government in 1992 and, for the next several years,
lion worth of CH-147 Chinook helicopters is great news for CAE Canada was without heavy helicopter lifting capabilities.
Inc. The Montreal-based flight-simulation company has been Fortunately, Canada’s role in the war in Afghanistan changed the
awarded a $250-million contract to provide weapons-system scenario. The war created an immediate need for a medium-lift tacti-
training, tactical flight training, gunnery training and a virtual cal helicopter and, in 2006, after years of troops having to ride pig-
simulator for the military helicopters. As part of the agreement, gy-back with other foreign troops on CH-147 helicopters, the fed-
40 CAE employees will work on training and maintenance over eral government issued an Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
the next 20 years, mostly at the Canadian Forces Base in for the Medium-To-Heavy-Lift Helicopter Project in order to acquire
Petawawa, Ont. 16 helicopters. Boeing was among the contenders, which included
The announcement was also big news for the base. CFB the Sikorsky S92, AugustaWestland EH 101 and NH Industries
Petawawa will be home to the Canadian fleet once they begin NH101. On April 7, 2008, Public Works and Government Services
arriving in the summer of 2013. It should provide industry benefits Canada Minister Michael Fortier announced a request for proposal
of $2 billion over 20 years. CFB Petawawa is expected to see for Boeing for the acquisition of helicopters and logistics support for
various infrastructure projects to accommodate the helicopters, 20 years. Later that May, Defence Minister Peter McKay unveiled a
including new hangars, a new ramp, a refuelling facility and a new defence strategy for Canada entitled, “Canada First,” essentially
fenced-in parking area. The project will create 440 jobs. enabling Chinooks to provide necessary military support both here
Petawawa was chosen because it provides the best support and abroad.
to army and special operations forces, many of which are co- Last June, the federal government signed a $1.156 billion con-
located there, while minimizing the associated infrastructure tract with Boeing to acquire 16 brand new CH-147F Chinooks.
costs for the new fleet. From this location, the Chinooks will Delivery is to start in June 2013 at a rate of one aircraft per month.
maintain a high-readiness posture for rapid deployment, said This follows the additional purchase of six previously used CH-147D
General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff. Chinooks in 2008 from the U.S. Army for $290 million, a more
immediate solution for Canadian troops.

FEATURE
ABOVE: Canadian Forces Griffon and Chinook helicopters fly in for-

mation during a training mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
(Photo by Master Corporal Craig Wiggins, Flight Engineer, JTFK
Afghanistan, Roto 8)
RIGHT: CH-147 Chinook pilots Lt.-Col. Colin Hudson (left) and Capt.
Mat Bergeron (right) from the Canadian Helicopter Force conduct a
flight mission in Afghanistan. (Photo by Master Cpl. Angela Abbey,
Canadian Forces Combat Camera)
As noted by Carl Trincia, director, International Chinook Programs

at Boeing in Philadelphia, the Canadian Forces’ new CH-147 “would
be able to perform any kind of mission from the remote part of the
Canadian Arctic to the highest mountains of Afghanistan in the
summer time.”
The Canadian version of the Chinook is notably different from other
models. It will feature huge conformal tanks taken from the “G” model,
giving it a range of 415 nautical miles. It is also going to be equipped
with Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) system, night-
vision goggles and a high-output generating system. This version of the
CH-47 can also be carried by a C-17 with the need of only 15 man-hours
to dismount the main rotors. The new fleet is expected to fly 7,200
hours per year. “The program is on track for introduction into the fac-
tory during the second quarter of next year,” said Dennis Morris, Canada
program manager for the the CH-47 Chinook.
A Fitting Tribute
The growing Canadian relationship with the veritable CH-147 was per-
haps best displayed at 5 a.m. on March 7, 2010, in Kandahar,
Afghanistan. While most of the garrison slept in their beds, soldiers from
the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, the U.S.
Army’s 2-2 Infantry Battalion and the Afghan National Security Forces
prepared to board three Chinook helicopters – two British and one
Canadian. Such air-mobile operations are old hat for the British
Chinooks, but it marked the first time a Canadian helicopter flown by a
Canadian crew would take Canadians into battle.
Flying in formation, the transport helicopters quickly and
efficiently inserted the troops on their objective, which they
immediately seized. It was a proud moment, and a sign of future
successes, now that the versatile CH-147 is once again leading the way
for the Canadian Forces.

profile
Left: A made-over Bell 412 after a

refurbishment, paint and re-wire.
below: Avionics technician Baron
Danish fixes a Bell 212 engine
part. (Photos courtesy of Alpine
Aerotech Ltd.)
Building a
Top Shop
Commitment to Quality Helps Alpine Aerotech Soar
By james careless
T
here are more than 120 Bell Helicopter-authorized spare parts; and provide insurance for helicopters that are being serviced
Customer Service Facilities (CSFs) around the world, but in their shops.
only 12 CSFs scored high enough on the helicopter Achieving platinum level status two years in a row is a real achieve-
manufacturer’s Bell Achievement Ranking System (BARS) ment for Alpine Aerotech. After all, it was launched as a subsidiary of
to win a “platinum level” customer service rating for Alpine Helicopters in 1990, with the initial mission of servicing that
2010. company’s Bell 205, 206A/B&L series and 212 aircraft. What started as
Three of these CSFs are based in Canada, yet only one Canadian CSF a small shop with a handful of people has since grown to an 88-person
— Alpine Aerotech of Kelowna, B.C. — received the platinum level rat- operation operating out of 57,000 square feet of separate hangar space.
ing for the second year running. (For the record, the other two 2010 “The subsidiary started from virtually nothing, with the intent of
Canadian winners were Avialta Helicopter Maintenance and Eagle expanding third party sales to a level of 90 per cent of our overall busi-
Copters Maintenance, both based in Alberta.) ness,” Everson says. “Today, our client list includes Air Methods, Abu
“We won the award because we committed to Bell’s CSF criteria and Dabhi Helicopters, Bristow Helicopters, CHC Helicopters, ERA
we’re pretty good at what we do,” says Alpine Aerotech president Dick Helicopters, PHI Helicopters Inc., the U.S. Army and Navy, and literally
Everson. The team at Bell Helicopter clearly agrees: “We are proud to dozens more.”
call these 12 CSFs part of our global network and are honoured to award
them with the platinum rating for excellence in customer service,” says A Growing Entity
Danny Maldonado, Bell’s senior vice-president of customer support and Alpine Helicopters flies sightseeing, heli-skiing and heli-hiking flights in
chief services officer. the Canadian Rockies. Back in 1990, the fleet was made up of Bell 205,
The platinum level award signifies more than being nice to 206A/B/III & L series and 212 helicopters, adding the B407 model in
customers. According to Bell’s criteria, platinum level CSFs have exten- 1996. This is why Alpine Aerotech’s initial purpose was to design and
sively trained staffs; clean, safe work areas; a good inventory of Bell make combination tailboom and cabin repair fixtures for these aircraft.

HIGH-TECH ‘MIssIon KITs’ pg 16 • A VErsATIlE lEAdEr pg 24
Canada’s national RotaRY-WinG MaGazine

Within a year of starting up, however, differently to last longer and be easier to
Alpine Aerotech was hired by Bristow remove and replace. And some new parts
July/august september 2010 $6.00
Helicopter to build a B205/212 tail boom fix- could help the helicopter do more than its
ture. By 1992, the company was making original designers thought possible.
B205/212/412 and B206 series combination “Ultimately, our STC’d parts solve prob-
tailboom repair fixtures for Bell Helicopter lems that exist with the OEM’s original parts,”
Services and actively canvassing Bell medium Everson says. “For instance, our 212/412
fleet operators for repair work. exhaust ejector systems include a ‘floating
Two years later, Alpine Aerotech received jacket’ that is attached with 10 screws and
its first STC (supplemental type certificate) three clamps. The original Bell part was held
approval from Transport Canada and the in place with 600 monel rivets; you can imag-
CatChing On! B.C.’s WEsT CoAsT HElICopTErs FAA. An STC approval means an original/ ine how long that would take to remove and
SUBSCRIBE TODAY !
TACKlEs nEW CHAllEnGEs
modified part and/or maintenance proce- replace. Moreover, the original OEM jacket
dure developed by a third-party company is was rigidly fastened in such a manner that
FAA-sanctioned for application to the air- when the internal exhaust liner heated up and
1 Year SubScription
craft it was designed for. expanded, the fixed jacket was put under
only
$
2500 all taxes included
uS $35.00 (uSD)
Foreign $45.00 (uSD)
Alpine Aerotech’s first STC was for its
repair and overhaul procedures for the Bell
stress, leading to metal fatigue and cracking
over time. Our floating jacket allows move-
212/412 exhaust ejector assembly. This was ment to deal with expansion and contraction,
Name: ______________________________ followed by STCs for the company’s B212/412 without being stressed and having the ejector’s
Company: ____________________________ cargo mirror assembly, and B205/212/412 operational life shortened.”
Title: ________________________________ forward fuselage step assembly. Since then,
Address: _____________________________ Alpine Aerotech has received numerous FAA Growth Prospects
City: ________________________________ STCs for items such as its B212/412 exhaust Alpine Aerotech is a company built upon pre-
Prov: ________________________________ ejector/deflector assembly, B212/412 oil cooler cision and thoroughness. A visit to its website
P.Code: ______________________________ access door kit and B212 vertical reference makes this clear: Where other companies
Tel: _________________________________ seat modifications, among others. would use their web pages to praise them-
Fax: ________________________________ As the years passed, Alpine Aerotech kept selves in glowing, vague terms, Alpine
e-mail: _______________________________ expanding its capabilities, requiring more Aerotech’s site is very detailed in describing
room to operate in and more staff to be hired. the company’s capabilities, services and
PLEASE CHECK ONE: “Today, we have six combination fuselage and STC’d parts.
❑ commercial aircraft owner/operator
❑ business/private aircraft owner/operator tailboom repair fixtures; a paint removal Ultimately, this precision is a product of
❑ Military booth, two paint booths; resistance, MIG the company’s employees and managers.
❑ Aircraft maintenance/overhaul firm [metal inert gas] and TIG [tungsten inert gas] Given Alpine Aerotech’s success, they are
❑ Airport welding equipment; stress relieving and opti- clearly doing something right. So, what is
❑ Aerospace, airframe & component cal tooling equipment, and a number of com- Everson’s secret to getting the best from his
manufacturer and distributor puter-aided 3-D measurement and cutting staff? “It’s a matter of treating people fairly
❑ Fixed base operator systems,” says Everson. “We are equipped to and with respect, paying fair wages and pro-
❑ Aviation services, consultants and
helicopter sales do all kinds of sheet metal and structural work viding an environment to ensure that the
❑ Government on Bell 204/205, 206, 212/412, 214 and 407 workplace is safe and pleasant to be in,” he
❑ Aviation associations and organizations helicopters, plus Bell piston-powered helicop- replies. “As well, the kind of work we do can
❑ Flying schools, clubs and colleges ters and Eurocopter AS-350s.” be quite creative. Being able to improve upon
❑ Other (please specify) ______________ And that’s not all: Alpine Aerotech can an OEM’s parts – to make them work
PAYmENT: repair and replace avionics on all major better and be easier to service – can be
cheque - Payable to Annex Publishing brands of equipment used in fixed- and rota- quite rewarding.”
ry-wing aircraft, with emphasis on Bell, As for the bottom line? Like the rest of the
Visa Mc AMeX
MDHC, and Eurocopter helicopters. It can fix helicopter industry, Alpine Aerotech has been
Account #: ________________________ composite components; strip and repaint air- fighting the recession. Business has slowed
expiry: ___________________________ craft; and make new parts and tools from due to fewer helicopter flights being flown by
Signature: ________________________ design to manufacturing and testing. their customers, which has resulted in longer
Date: ____________________________ times between scheduled maintenance and
Solving Problems repairs. “But the recession hasn’t stopped us,
TO SubScribe: Alpine Aerotech’s many STCs are a testament and we are looking at ways to deal with it,”
Tel: 866-790-6070 to the company’s ingenuity in fixing Bell heli- says Everson. Asked where Alpine Aerotech
Fax: 877-624-1940 copters. In essence, the “STC’d parts” it has stands today, he responds, “It’s somewhere
Mail: Helicopters Magazine
developed are responses to the realities of between marginal and serious. It’s certainly
c/o Annex Publishing & Printing inc.
maintaining helicopters over the long haul. As got my attention, and we will modify our
P.O. box 530
Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 4N5 certain repairs come up again and again, it behaviour accordingly.”
e-mail: ncuerrier@annexweb.com becomes apparent certain OEM components Still, a company that has gained two back-
www.canadianaviation.com could be improved in materials, function and to-back platinum CSF ratings from Bell is
GST#135274215RT001 Subscriptions non-refundable July/Aug/Sept10 application. Other parts could just be made bound to have a long, successful future.
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HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 28 7/6/10 8:45 AM Helicopte
EMPLOYMENT, SaLES, SErvicE & TraiNiNg
(403) 721-2100 • cp@kmheli.com • www.kmheli.com
Mountain training
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We hire from our graduate students!
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Helicopter 29
CLASS julyaug10.indd 1 7/6/10 8:45
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PM
Pilot and Engineers

required for our
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Full-time and
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Please submit
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EandB july10.
Okanagan Mountain Helicopters

Our school offers the most comprehensive pilot training
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Located at the Kelowna International Airport, the 10th busiest airport in Canada, we are able to offer a
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Call us at 250.491.9FLY (9359)

or visit our website at okhelicopters.com
HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 30
Helicopter CLASS julyaug10.indd 2 7/6/10 8:45
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PM Helicop
In view to writing a book,

I am researching the
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Campbell River, BC V9W 6Y4
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e-mail: info@ebhelicopters.com
complete avionic services Leasing & Sales
www.ebhelicopters.com
Flight Training Available AS350 FX2 & B2
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Box 249, Gold River, BC V0P 1G0 B206L1/C30
Tel: 250-283-7616 Available for Lease
Fax: 250-283-7555
Don Farkas
Tel: 250-287-4421 Fax: 250-287-43522 250-507-9668
dfarkas@shaw.ca
Denis Robitaille
450-750-6249
denis.helico@sympatico.ca
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0 3:30 PM HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 31
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3:30 PM
EMPLOYMENT,
EMPLOYMENT,SaLES,
SaLES,SErvicE
SErvicE&&TraiNiNg
TraiNiNg
Advertisers’
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0 3:30 PM HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 33
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PM
COLUMN
Pilot Pay
Packages
The Many Benefits of
KEN ARMSTRONG
a Life of Flight
P
ilots and engineering staff are drastically underpaid – espe- I know weeks in a remote camp or motel every evening away from
cially when one considers the risks, challenges, time away loved ones can be dreary, but have you ever worked in an office 40 hours
from family and working conditions you must endure. It’s a week? How many family men look forward to a night with the boys,
a common refrain I’ve heard on countless occasions, but a camping/fishing trip, and barbecuing steaks beside the lake? Helicopter
after researching a recent pay comparison of various pro- staff can count on a hundred evenings of these activities during the sum-
fessions and positions, I’d have to disagree. In fact, I would mer. Occasionally, these “holidays” can include a snoring roommate,
argue pilots and engineering staff are actually doing quite well when you perhaps a few insects and maybe some smoke inhalation – from the
consider the overall package of benefits most of you have – some mon- campfire or forest fire. But these are small prices to pay for the gratifica-
etary, others life-style related. tion of flying.
There are many reasons why you should feel good about this profes- One of the costs associated with this profession is divorce. Living in
sion and how rewarding a career it can be. Ever save a life? How gratify- remote areas away from home for lengthy periods of time can place
ing is it to know you’ve plucked people from the abyss of death and significant strain on a marriage – and some fail. Readers who contact me
greatly extended their duration on the planet? Think of how happy you considering a career in this industry are always asked if they have a
have made their families and the resulting esteem you have received for girlfriend or mate who would be adversely affected by working sched-
these “daring” rescues. (Daring in the eyes of the public, but perhaps ules that involve long periods away from home. If this is the case, I
commonplace ops for helicopter crews.) suggest looking elsewhere for a profession. Nobody wants AIDs
How about the charcoal-blackened smiles on the upturned fire sup- (Aviation Induced Divorce) and therefore one should choose their voca-
pression crews when you deliver their supplies or drop an effective load tion, and mate, carefully. For others, this lifestyle can be a blessing. My
of retardant that quells the inferno and allows the troops to “turn the wife and I often wintered in the south after summers of primarily flying
tide?” How many times have you been told by customers that without five-month contracts. Our friends felt my profession was enviable and
your efforts they could never have accomplished their goals? You should dreamed about living our lifestyle.
also appreciate the occasional praise of the engineering staff when they
thank you for the way you treat the machine or reward you with a beer Monetary Reality
(or perhaps two) when you help them repair a snag. This camaraderie Another consideration is monetary compensation. Some helicopter
‘‘youThere
pilots struggle with the fact airline
pilots make more money. But years of
are many reasons why teaching this form of flying as a military
pilot taught me that sheer boredom is
should feel good about

‘‘ insurmountable – regardless of pay.
Another key question that often
comes up is “are you paid enough for
this profession. the hazards involved?” Actually, you

are paid to reduce risk, or at least, man-
age it. If pilots mitigated the dangers by
flying safely and not taking chances,
between professional crew members is another non-monetary reward there would be fewer accidents.
that comes with the trade. Your passengers, from VIPs to “rig pigs” So, what’s the bottom line? Is this position all it’s cracked up to be?
provide projects that are further bonuses when your skills and helicop- If you maintain a positive mind-set whereby you see adverse conditions
ter enable them to complete their tasks. as challenges and do your best to overcome them, it will propel you to
For me, there was never a summer season that passed when I didn’t the top of your profession. Extra effort generates greater rewards…
think, “Wow, I get paid for this? – I’d do it for free.” It was so satisfying and remuneration.
to feel the power when grasping a heavy load out of a confined area and
placing two pieces of equipment together accurately so the bolts slid After 45 years of flying, Ken Armstrong is still passionate about aviation
through effortlessly, or watching a fire-ravaged candling tree quenched and feels blessed to be Canadian — and to have lived and shared the best
by a bucket load, leaving only a puff of steam. of times on our planet.

Committed to protecting Canadian communities.
Ready for the mission. Anywhere. Anytime.
Equipped to meet the growing reponsibilities and tasks of law enforcement agencies, our helicopters
offer safe, versatile and innovative solutions with proven reliability. When it comes to operating
in the toughest situations, our helicopters ensure a fast response time and high performance.
When you think public safety, think without limits.
eurocopter.com
HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 36 1
Eurocopter july 10 heli.indd 7/6/10 10:06
29/06/10 8:45 AM
AM

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HIGH-TECH ‘Mission Kits’ pg 16 • A Versatile leader pg 24

Canada’s National ROTARY-WING Magazine

July/August/September 2010 $6.00

Catching On! B.C.’s West Coast Helicopters

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 1 7/6/10 8:45 AM

WORLD-CLASS SERVICE IN YOUR CORNER OF THE WORLD.

© 2010 Bell® Helicopter Textron Inc., all rights reserved.

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 2 7/6/10 8:45 AM

15 Seeking New Heights

16 High-Tech ‘Mission Kits’

27 Building a Top Shop then someone

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 3

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 3 7/6/10 8:45 AM

of tomorrow. ways to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

4 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 4 7/6/10 8:45 AM

SkyTrac Systems Provides Support

6 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 6 7/6/10 8:45 AM

marketing organization. Account Manager ryan culver

Canadian Helicopters Grows, Adds

Nampa Valley Helicopters Inc. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Alison de Groot

Guardian existing FAA and Transport

Mobility model aircraft, used by opera-

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 7

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 7 7/6/10 8:45 AM

I’m not so sure. dards for heliports, it presents an inter-

8 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 8 7/6/10 8:45 AM

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 9 7/6/10 8:45 AM

10 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 10 7/6/10 8:45 AM

and encourage employee

expertise seldom fail. advocate its use when conditions

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 11

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 11 7/6/10 8:45 AM

LEFT: FB Heliservices in the U.K. uses the

BELOW: The AW-139 stands out for the

12 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 12 7/6/10 8:45 AM

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 13

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 13 7/6/10 8:45 AM

ABOVE: The Korean Coast guard is one of many countries

RIGHT: Powered by strong engines and state-of-the-art rotors,

Also, a helicopter response is dedicated primarily to critically ill or

14 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 14 7/6/10 8:45 AM

Seeking New Heights

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 15

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 15 7/6/10 8:45 AM

16 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 16 7/6/10 8:45 AM

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 17

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 17 7/6/10 8:45 AM

LEFT: The RCMP’s AeroComputers UltiChart LE-5000

BELOW: Like other Canadian aerial policing units,

18 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

HeliJulyAugSep10.indd 18 7/6/10 8:45 AM

July/August/September 2010 Helicoptersmagazine.com 19

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20 Helicoptersmagazine.com July/August/September 2010

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West Coast Today