August 2009 Serving the Worldwide Helicopter Industry rotorandwing.

com

Franco-German
Heavy Lift
Offshore Hazards
Giovanni de Brigantis
Paris Wrap Up

UAV
REVOLUTION
 ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MACHINES WE OFFER
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 Vol. 43 | No. 8
August 2009

Personal|Corporate Commercial Military Public Service Training Products Services

24
Departments
10 Rotorcraft Report
16 People and Events
20 Program Insider
Australia to Upgrade Tigers

Columns
4 Editors Notebook
8 Meet the Contributors
46 Technology Today
47 Classified Ads
Cover: Boeings A160T Hummingbird UAV. Boeing photo. Above: A Quantico demo to the U.S. Marine Corps 48 Eurowatch
of the UAV K-MAXs cargo capability. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin. Bottom: Modifying the existing
platform of a U.S. Army CH-47F could make it a contender in the Franco-German heavy lift search. 50 Advertisers Index

Features 52 Law Enforcement

54 Military Spin
cover story
24  UAV Revolution
A momentous contract for these unmanned, heavy-lifters has
competitors busy; the future is here. By Richard Whittle
30
30 Franco-German Heavy Lift
A look at the two-nation initiative to develop this rotorcraft using
an existing transport helicopter design. By Thomas Withington

34  Offshore Hazards
Finding that tiny, unmarked patch on an offshore platform is hard
enough; basics better be covered. By Pat Gray

40 Paris Show Review

This was not your typical Paris Air Show. But it did give helicopters
their chance to shine. By Giovanni de Briganti

The editors welcome new product information and other industry news. All editorial inquiries should be directed to Rotor & Wing magazine, 4 Choke Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor, Rockville, Md.
20850, USA; 1-301-354-1839; fax 1-301-762-8965. E-mail: rotorandwing@accessintel.com. Rotor & Wing (ISSN-1066-8098) is published monthly by Access Intelligence, 4 Choke
Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA. Periodical postage paid at Rockville, Md. and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: Free to qualified individuals directly involved in
the helicopter industry. All other subscriptions, U.S.: one year $89; two years $178. Canada: one year $99; two years $198; Foreign: one year $129; two years $258.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rotor & Wing, P.O. Box 3089, Northbrook, Ill. 60065-3089, USA. Change of address two to eight weeks notice requested. Send both new and old
address, including mailing label to Attn: Rotor & Wing magazine, Customer Services, P.O. Box 3089, Northbrook, Ill. 60065-3089, USA or call 1-847-559-7314. E-mail: RW@omeda.com.
Canada Post PM40063731. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.

2009 by Access Intelligence, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Publication Mail Sales Agreement No. 40558009 Aug us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g magazi n e 3
 Editors Notebook
By Ernie Stephens
Forget Work and
Have Some Fun
T
his, my friends, is going to be
a two-part editorial. This first
part contains a recommenda-
tion directed at each and every
individual who reads Rotor & Wing,
from the CEOs of the industrys lead-
ing producers, to the summer intern
who found a copy of this magazine on
the table in the break room. It has to do
with something that happened to me a
couple of weeks ago.
I dont fly as much as I used to, but I still
get to pilot a helicopter a couple of times a
month, if Im lucky. Its mostly to do aircraft
evaluations for this publication. When I
Fun. Always try to get fun in!
Philip Johnson, Architect
do, Im focusing on safety, of course, but
Im also paying close attention to things
such as how the aircraft handles, whether
or not the avionics are user-friendly, and
dozens of other characteristics. A couple
of weeks ago, I was getting a biennial flight
review. So, instead of paying attention to
those kinds of nuances, I had to be just as
focused on executing the requisite maneu-
vers and hitting the numbers while being
graded. (It was extra interesting, because
I had not been in that particular model of
aircraft in over two years.)
Fortunately, I managed to prove that
I was still capable of driving helicopters
with some degree of proficiency and
just the least little bit of flair. But before
being told to return to the hangar, the
flight instructor said, Were done. Do you
want to just fly around for a while? (Hes
a smart guy, but that was sure a stupid
4 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
question.) For a short, but glorious 30
minutes, I had a chance to do something
I havent done in several years. I flew
around with no particular place to go, no
particular mission to complete, and no
particular time fuel notwithstanding to
finish by. And even though I didnt really
go anywhere spectacular, it didnt matter.
I got to enjoy the sights, the sounds, the
feel and even the smell of flying for fly-
ings sake.
And therein lies the point of the first
part of this months editorial.
When was the last time you set aside
your professional responsibilities and
just piloted or rode in a helicopter for the
pure enjoyment of it? And if you happen
to work in this industry but would rather
eat broken glass than actually go up in
the air, when was the last time you just
walked around a helicopter and admired
the technological hocus-pocus that
makes such an ungainly looking con-
traption fly?
Do yourself a favor once in a while
and just savor the enjoyment of being in
or around helicopters. Take a ride. Soak
in the view. See what your neighborhood
looks like from 500 feet. If you dont like
to fly, bring a pal or child to the flight
line. Surprise them with a ride, if you can.
Have fun watching them discover verti-
cal flying machines. Itll put you back in
touch with the joyful side of this indus-
try, and remind you of how incredibly
cool all of this is.
That leads me to part two of this piece.
For several weeks Ive been telling my boss
that I miss flying, and how I wish I could
get out this office more and visit the mem-
bers of our beloved aviation community.
But running a magazine takes quite a bit
if time and desk work. I just dont get very
many chances.
One day, he said, Ernie, how would
you like to be the editor-at-large for Avia-
tion Today and Rotor & Wing?
Nope. I didnt know what an editor-at-
large was, either.
He said an editor-at-large goes to all
of the aviation shows, visits businesses
that serve the helicopter community and
serves as the liaison between Rotor &
Wing magazine, our big aviationtoday.
com website and the world.
How could I refuse?
So, the bad news is that this will be
my last issue as editor-in-chief of Rotor
& Wing. The really, really good news is
two-fold. First, Ill now have more oppor-
tunities to be out among the people and
machines that Ive loved being around
and writing about all these years. And sec-
ond, Rotor & Wings new editor-in-chief
will be Joy Finnegan, who was the boss at
one of our sister publications. Shes been
in the aviation industry for more than 30
years. She will be introducing herself to
you in this spot next month.
They say its nice when things come
together just right, and this is one of those
things. We get a great person at the con-
trols running the magazine, and I get more
time to see what youre doing at your place
and share the photos, videos and stories
with everyone via the magazine and the
website. It cant get much better than that
unless my boss issues me a company heli-
copter to get around in!
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
Youre a guardian. Ready at a moments notice to assist and save. Youre one who restores life.
We get it. We do the same thing for helicopters. From repurposing a helicopter to a new role, repairing a trusted machine or needing
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is legendary. Were Edwards & Associates, Inc., the helicopter company thats dedicated to seeing your Performance Exceeded.

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P.O. Box 3689, Bristol, TN 37625
 4

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EDITORIAL
Ernie Stephens Editor-in-Chief, estephens@accessintel.com
John Persinos Online Publisher/Editorial Director, jpersinos@
accessintel.com
Giovanni de Briganti Paris Bureau Chief
Claudio Agostini Latin America Bureau Chief
Barney OShea Pacific Rim Correspondent
Joe West United Kingdom Correspondent
Contributing Writers: Charlotte Adams; Lee Benson; Ron Bow-
er; Shannon Bower; Igor Bozinovski; Tony Capozzi; James Care-
less; Keith Cianfrani; Steve Colby; Frank Colucci; Pat Gray; Frank
Lombardi; Douglas Nelms; Ray Prouty; Ann Roosevelt; Simon
Roper; Terry Terrell; Todd Vorenkamp; Richard Whittle.

ADVERTISING/BUSINESS
Joe Rosone VP & Group Publisher, jrosone@accessintel.com
Randy Jones Publisher, 1-972-713-9612, rjones@accessintel.com

Eastern United States & Canada

Carol Mata , 1-512-607-6361, cmata@accessintel.com

Western United States & Canada

Norman Schindler 1-818-888-5288,
nschindler@accessintel. com

International Sales, Europe/Pac Rim/Asia

James McAuley +34 952 118 018, jmcauley@accessintel.com

DESIGN/PRODUCTION
Joanne Moran Graphic Designer
Tony Campana Production Manager,
1-301-354-1689 tcampana@accessintel.com

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Sarah Garwood Audience Development Director,
sgarwood@accessintel.com
George Severine Fulfillment Manager, gseverine@accessintel.com
Customer Service/Back Issues 1-847-559-7314 rw@omeda.com

LIST SALES
Statlistics
Jen Felling ,1-203-778-8700, j.felling@statlistics.com




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6 ROTOR & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | AU G US T 2 0 0 9

 Feedback
Personal|Corporate Commercial
Love it or Move
Concerning a recent article on your
website, High Fliers in Hamptons Irk
Ground-Bound, that states East Hamp-
ton Airports complaint hotline registers
about 100 calls each summer Friday and
Sunday, about 95 of them complaining of
helicopters, I say, Let them eat cake. We
should empathize with residents of the
Hamptons? What we need is an incen-
tive program that provides scholarships
for the old money Hamptons residents
to take helicopter lessons and then finance
the purchase of their own machines. This
would be a wise use of tax money. If they
want to be free of helicopter noise, they
should move to a neighborhood where
residents cannot afford them.
Howie Fuller
Greenville, NH
Presidential S-92?
Sikorsky has been the leading example
of [producing] Presidential helicopters.
The S-92 was already in action when
Do you have comments on the rotorcraft industry or recent articles and viewpoints weve published? Send them to:Editor, Rotor &Wing, 4
Choke Cherry Road, Second Floor, Rockville, MD 20850, fax us at 301-354-1809 or email us at rotorandwing@accessintel.com. Please include a
city and state or province with your name and ratings. We reserve the right to edit all submitted material.
YOUVE BEEN FEATURED!
Dont assume theyll read your article.
R&W_Third Hor.indd 1
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m
Military Public Service Training Products Services
R&Ws Question of the Month ?
Has the helicopter industry
seen the worst of the recession?
Let us know, and look for your and others responses in a
future issue. Youll find contact information at the bot-
tom of the page .
they asked for bids. Except for the special found your website in search of updates
interior, avionics and secret technology on what is happening with the investiga-
that will be installed, the S-92 is already tion. Is there another place to be going?
proven, tested and produced. Though I am not a student, is there
Bruce Ray something that I can be doing to help out
Former HH-60 Instructor Pilot on this? My son, like many others, is not
US Army strong on believing that our voices will
make a difference. While I am in no way
Another Silver State Victim involved financially on his loan, I still
Regarding the story, Silver State Heli- think what happened there is an atrocity
copters: What Really Happened (see and would like to see something done,
R&W, March 2009), my son was one [hopefully] justice.
of the students affected by this fiasco. I Name Withheld
Place your press directly in the hands of those
who matter mostyour customers and prospects,
with custom reprints from Rotor & Wing.
October 2008 Serving the Worldwide Helicopter Industry rotorandwing.com
Sorting Out
NVG Rules, Ops
Corporate Helicopters:
Clear of Turbulence?
EMS:
SPEED, SAFETY IN
THE GOLDEN HOUR
integrated publishing solutions
800.290.5460 I rotorandwing@theYGSgroup.com
The YGS Group is the authorized provider of
custom reprint products from Rotor & Wing.
10/27/08 4:20:01 PM
Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 7
 Meet the
Contributors
Chris Baur is a dual-rated ATP with more
than 11,000 hours, a certified aircraft dispatcher
and flight instructor. He is a retired military
pilot, who served in the U.S. Army, U.S. Coast
Guard and U.S. Air Force (ANG) and currently
is a captain at a major U.S. airline. His helicopter
background includes flying the longest oceanic rescue mission in
history, flown in a USAF HH-60G Pavehawk. Chris is also type
rated on numerous helicopters to include BH-206, SA-365 and
HU-369. He flew Part 91 and 135 commercial helicopter opera-
tions in the Northeast during the 1980s.
James Careless is a long-time contributor
to Rotor & Wing. He has written for other avia-
tion magazines such as our sister publications,
Aviation Maintenance and Avionics, as well as
other industry publications.
Giovanni de Briganti has covered the
aerospace and defense industry since the begin-
ning. Born in Italy, he lived in Texas, Virginia
and South Australia before settling in Paris. He
is currently editor-in-chief of www.defense-
aerospace.com, a news website, having previ-
ously worked for Defense News, Armed Forces Journal and vari-
ous European defense publications, including two that he founded.
A self-avowed total helicopter person, he has been covering Euro-
pean issues for Rotor & Wing since the mid-1980s.
Steve ELROY Colby Lt. Col., U.S. Air
Force (ret) began his helicopter career 28 years
ago as a USAF helicopter mechanic. He flew
UH-1N, HH-1H, MH-60G, HH-60G, AH-6,
MI-8, and MI-24s for the Air Force. He is dual
rated fixed- and rotary-wing, a CFI and A&P.
Pat GraY is our Offshore Notebook contribu-
tor, having flown in Gulf of Mexico helicopter
operations for 20-plus years. Prior to that, he was
in Vietnam in 1958 as a young paratrooper. While
there, he flew with a French aero club and earned a
Vietnamese pilots license. He returned in 1964 as
an Army gunship pilot with the Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter
8 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Co., the first armed helicopter unit deployed in combat. He retired
from the Army Reserve as a chief warrant officer 4, with more than 30
years active and reserve service. His civil helicopter experience covers
crop dusting and Alaska bush, corporate, pipeline, and offshore flying.
AndRew healey trained as a Royal Navy
navigation officer and pilot with front-line tours
flying anti-submarine Sea Kings from aircraft
carrier Hermes, and Wasps off Antarctic patrol
ship Endurance. Before leaving the navy with an
ATPL(H), he was awarded a Queens Commen-
dation for Valuable Service in the Air for his part in the rescue of
seamen from a burning ship in the English Channel. As a civilian,
he flew Jet Rangers, A-Stars and Agusta A109s for a charter com-
pany near London.
Frank Lombardi began his flying career in
1991 when he graduated with a bachelors of
science in aerospace engineering. Frank became
a police officer for a major East Coast police
department in 1995, and has flown helicopters
in the departments aviation section since 2000.
He is a commercial pilot with both fixed-wing and rotary-wing rat-
ings. Frank remains active in test and evaluation, and holds a mas-
ter of science degree in aviation systems-flight testing. He joins
Rotor & Wing as a law enforcement columnist.
RIchard Whittle writes the Program Insid-
er stories for R&W and covers many aspects of
the military. Rick is also the author of a book on
the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor scheduled for publica-
tion by Simon & Schuster in April 2010.
THomas Withington is a French-based
freelance defence writer and analyst. He has
contributed articles to a range of defence publi-
cations and mainstream media across Europe,
North America, the Middle East and Asia. He
has performed major consultancy projects for a
range of blue chip private sector and public sector clients. He is a
research associate at the Centre for Defence Studies, Kings Col-
lege, London; an associate member of the Royal Aeronautical
Society (RAeS); and a Member of the RAeS Air Power Group.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
cost-effective performance

The Honeywell LTS101 retrofit program is now certified in

Brazil for the Esquilo helicopter. In partnership with Soloy Aviation
Solutions, Inc., the LTS100-600-3A and LTS101-700D-2 are now
available for retrofit into Esquilo helicopters. With increased high-hot
margins, the 3A and D-2 engine retrofits reduce operating costs,
maintenance requirements, and fuel consumption. Together with Honeywells global network
of repair centers, the 3A and D-2 engines provide powerful operational solutions.

For enhanced efficiency, reduced cost and world-class support services, look to Honeywell
and Soloy to keep you mission ready.

For more information, visit www.honeywell.com/helicopters

For LTS101engine retrofit information, call Doug Kult at 1-602-231-1238
2009 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.
Personal|Corporate Commercial Military Public Service
Cougar Accident Raises Questions Over
30 Minute Rule
Cougar Helicopters Flight 491 lost tail failure, the pilots were making a controlled
rotor drive about a minute before it descent to land in the water after the loss
crashed into the ocean off Newfoundland of MGB oil pressure, and were at about
on March 12, killing 17 of the 18 people on 500 feet above sea level. Three seconds
board. The aircrafts flight data recorder afterward, the pilot cut off the engines to
had stopped working but investigators attempt an engines-off landing.
were able to piece together information Its showing us that there was con-
from the health and usage monitoring trol remaining and the guys were doing
system (HUMS) and flight control their best to get the helicopter down on
computer. Canadas Transportation Safety the surface, said Mike Cunningham,
Board (TSB) says that, at the time of TSB investigator-in-charge. The main
The S-92 wreckage shortly after being recovered from rotor was working throughout
the ocean off Newfoundland. The flight data recorder the descent. Fellow investiga-
was found to be inoperative. tor Allan Chaulk explained to
Rotor & Wing that following
the gearbox oil loss, heat was
transferred to the tail rotor take-
off pinion gear. The gear rotates
at six to seven times the speed
of other gears in the assembly,
and it wasnt able to sustain that
without lubrication.
Its at the top of the gearbox
and the first thing to fail, he
continued. Photos on the TSB
website (http://tsb.gc.ca) show
the teeth of the pinion gear
completely stripped.
The interval between the loss
of transmission oil and contact
with the surface was approxi-
mately 10 minutes. The investi-
gation determined the helicop-
ter struck the water at a mod-
erate speed. The pilot may
have also flared before meeting
the surface. Despite this, the
helicopter hit the water with a
significant impactreportedly
20Gnose upward and banked
slightly to the right.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
10 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Training Products Services
All flotation devices failed as the
helicopter hit the three-meter seas. The
damage done ... during the impact was so
significant that ... it might be unreasonable
to expect that this (flotation) system could
have even operated, said Cunningham.
And would it have made any difference?
If it did, is pretty hard to say.
One of the bags was ripped right out
of its housing, he continued. This failure
is still under investigation.
Under Part 29 certification rules
for rotorcraft, failures that result in the
loss of lubrication to the drive train
must allow for 30 minutes of flight time
afterthe crew is presented with the cock-
pit warning. However, a clause notes
that, if a failure mode is determined to
be extremely remote, the 30 minute
ruleno longer applies.
In an accident update communiqu,
the TSB stated: the investigation has
revealed that, even though the Sikor-
sky S-92A MGB was certificated to
meet requirements of (FAR 29), there
is a perception in some areas of the
aviation community that the MGB can
be run in a dry statethat is, without
lubricating oilfor 30minutes. FAR29
does not require run-dry operation of a
gearbox to meet the 30-minute contin-
ued safe operation.
Based on the applicable guidance
material at the time of certification, the
lubrication failure modes of interest were
limited to the failure of external lines, fit-
tings, valves, and coolers. This practice
was consistent with industry experience,
which had found that loss of lubrication
tended to be associated with external
devices. Therefore, the possibility of a
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

Examination of the wreckage of the S-92A
by the Canadian Transportation Safety
Board showed two of three mounting studs
that attach the oil filter assembly to the
main gearbox had failed.
failure at the oil filter was considered to be
extremely remote.
During its examination of the heli-
copter wreckage in March, the board
discovered two of the three mounting
studs that attach the oil filter assembly
to the main gearbox had failed. An FAA
directive then ordered the titanium
mounting studs be replaced with steel
studs. That directive grounded the
91-strong f leet of Sikorsky S -92As,
including Cougar Helicopters aircraft,
until the studs were replaced. This pro-
cess is now complete.
The TSB says a metallurgical exami-
nation of the titanium mounting studs
revealed fatigue cracking and thread dam-
age. The board is still trying to determine
the origin of the fatigue cracks.
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m
Sikorsky was made aware of the
potential problem last August, when an
S-92A was forced to make an emergency
landing in Australia after losing MGB oil
pressure. The company issued an Alert
Service Bulletin in January, asking that
operators replace the studs within a year,
or by 1,250 flight hours.
The families of 15 passengers who
died in the crash and the one survivor,
Robert Decker, are suing Sikorsky, its
maintenance subsidiary Keystone Heli-
copters and the parent company, Unit-
ed Technologies Corporation. Decker
(27) managed to escape through a
window to be rescued by the crew of
another Cougar helicopter. On reach-
ing hospital in St. Johns, Newfound-
land, he was put on life support and a
Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e
RotorcraftReport
Transportation Safety Board of Canada
ventilator: however, he is now said to
be recovering at home.
Cougar resc ue te chnic i ans Ian
Wheeler and Stephen LeMessurier
were later commended for their actions
during the rescue mission. Wheeler
is credited with reaching and sending
Decker up to the rescue helicopter
while waiting in the ocean. LeMes-
surier was recognized for his efforts to
save one of the other people aboard the
helicopter, though she did not survive.
At press time Sikorsky commented,
our prayers continue to go out to the
families of all those lost in this accident.
It is our policy to not comment on
pending litigation except to state that
we will appropriately defend against
these claims. By Andrew Healey
11
 RotorcraftReport

Commercial

Bell 429 Gets

Certified
Its officialthe Bell 429 light twin
helicopter has received certification
from Transport Canada Civil
Aviation (TCCA). With the FAA
having also granted its certification,
the floodgates are open and Bell
is scheduled to begin delivering
429s to its North American clients.
According to the Fort Worth,
Texas-based company, more than
Photo courtesy of Bell Helicopter
300 letters of intent to purchase
429s have been received to date. Bell Helicopters 429 has achieved Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCAA) and FAA certification.
The Bell 429 has room for up
to eight people and is equipped with a full glass cockpit. Capable This is an outstanding helicopter and one that is really resonat-
of a maximum cruise speed of 142 knots and a maximum range ing with our customers, says Dick Millman, president and CEO of
of 350 nm, the 429 can carry up to 2,700 lbs. It is powered by Bell. I am extremely proud of the Bell team for the work they have
two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D1 engines. Safety fea- done to create the 429.
tures include a composite hub and rotor system, FADEC and an The Bell 429 is aimed at the corporate, EMS, law enforcement
Integrated Instrument Display System (IIDS) to reduce in-flight and utility markets. Time will tell if it can unseat Eurocopters
demands on pilot attention. popular EC-135, which currently dominates the EMS market.

Commercial

Sikorskys X2 Technology Demonstrator Achieves Milestone

Stratford, Conn.-based Sikor-
sky Aircraft Corporations X2
Technology demonstrator
has completed two test flights
that included full engage-
ment of the unique propel-
ler for the first time. In one
hour of testing conducted in
two flights, the aircraft flew
at speeds reaching 52 knots in
one test and 42 knots with the
Sikorskys X2 demonstrator during a test flight around Horseheads, N.Y.
propeller providing forward will relocate to the companys
thrust in the second flight. Development Flight Center in
The X2 Technology demon- West Palm Beach, Fla., before
strator is designed to reach the end of July for continued
speeds of 250 knots, twice as test flights leading up to the
fast as an average helicopter 250-knot speed record.
travels today. The demonstra- The X2 Technology dem-
tor has accumulated more than onstrator combines an inte-
three hours of successful flight grated suite of technologies
time at Sikorskys facility in intended to advance the state-
Horseheads, N.Y. The aircraft of-the-art, counter-rotating
coaxial rotor helicopter.
It is designed to demon-
strate a helicopter can cruise
comfortably at 250 knots,
while retaining such helicopter
Photo courtesy of Sikorsky
for emerging missions, includ-
ing rapid air medical response
for the civil market and recon-
naissance, attack, and special
operations missions for the
military market.
The program is progress-
ing extremely well both tech-
nologically and from a future
applicability standpoint, says
Mark Miller, vice president of
research and engineering.
Certainly weve got much
more to do, but interest con-
tinues to grow among both
the military and commercial

attributes as good low speed sectors in how this technology

handling, efficient hovering
and autorotation safety, and
a seamless transition to high
speeds. Sikorsky is maturing
this technology in preparation
might improve current opera-
tions and enable new missions
that today are simply not pos-
sible with the current helicop-
ter flight limitations.

12 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

 RotorcraftReport

Public Service Commercial | observation Photo courtesy of Eurocopter

New MD500E for The Last New B0105

Hawaii County After sitting in the Eurocopter Canada
Hawaii County is getting a new MD500E plant for the past four years, the twin-
to replace its aging Chopper One. The engine predecessor to the EC135 has
new helicopter, which the Hawaii County a new ownerDam Helicopters of
Fire Department will operate, will handle British Columbia, which purchased
rescue services and be based at Waiakea the helicopter for about $2.23 million.
Fire Station. HCFD Chief Darryl J. Oliveira Dam Helicopters BO105 LS will be
says that buying the new MD500E makes inspecting power lines, surveying for natural
more economic sense in the long run, given resources, conducting EMS missions and
that the 27-year-old Chopper One would flying sightseeing tours. Duncan Wassick,
require $800,000 to refurbish. The older owner of Dam Helicopters, snapped up the
an aircraft gets, the more expensive it gets aircraft, noting that the price helped with
to maintain it, Oliveira told West Hawaii the decision. The BO105 has the same
Today. Instead, MD Helicopters is giving maximum payload of 2,500 pounds, but
Hawaii County $238,000 trade-in credit on only costs half as much, he says. It is true
Dam Helicopters of British Columbia will use its
the old Chopper One. that the BO105 has an analog cockpit, as BO105 for various missions, including power
opposed to the EC135s computers, FADEC line inspection and resource surveying.
and glass cockpit. But my customers dont
Photo courtesy of MD Helicopters

Hawaii Countys Fire Department will use this
MD500E as a replacement for Chopper One.
care about that. They just want a twin-engine helicopter. Besides, I like to work with
technology that has stood the test of time, as the BO105 has.
German firm Blkow Engineering designed the BO105 in the 1960s. When the BO105
started test flights in 1967, Blkow had become part of Messerschmitt-Blkow-Blohm. It
subsequently became part of Eurocopter in 1991. There were 1,407 BO105s built, finding
work in police, EMS and military applications. Dam Helicopters BO105 LS will be flying
a variety of missions. Eurocopter says that 1,008 BO105s are still in service. As a group, this
aircraft has logged more than seven million flying hours.

ME406 Series ELT for Fixed Wing and Helicopter Applications

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2009 Artex Aircraft Supplies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Worldwide coverage Rod antenna available in white or black

Position accuracy within 3 km for helicopter use

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TSO-C126, ETSO-2C126, Transport Canada,
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Cobham Avionics Artex Products, 800-547-8901 Aurora, OR 97002, USA Email: sales@artex.net www.cobham.com/artex

www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 13

 RotorcraftReport

Public service

NASA Rotary Research

Not Confirmed
Hold your horsesNASA does not have
approval to spend $26.1 million on rotary
wing researchat least not yet. Recent
media reports quoted NASA aerospace
engineer Odilyn Maria as saying the
agency would spend this money on
subsonic rotary wing projects in FY2010.
These projects were supposed to develop
Training and demonstrate an active rotor system
that could change rotor speed in flight,
Seven Win Bristow Apprenticeships according to industry reports.
Seven well-qualified students have won apprenticeship positions with Bristow However, according to NASA spokes-
Helicopters, from a field of nearly 120 competitors. Varying in age between 17 and 21, person Beth Dickey, the presidents budget
the seven young men are currently studying at Air Service Training, Perth. They are all request for NASA in fiscal year 2010 is still
beginning the second stage of their apprenticeship programs, and are working toward under consideration by Congress. Transla-
their Category A3 Licenses. If they succeed, all seven will gain full aircraft maintenance tion: The money isnt in the bank yet.
engineer qualifications. We at Bristow are very mindful that we can harness talent at a A check within the budget request,
very young age through the apprenticeship program. We recognize that apprentices can available online at www.nasa.gov/news/
make your organization more effective, productive and competitive by addressing your budget, confirms a $26.1 million request
skills gaps directly, says Phil Mitchell, director centralized operations, Bristow, Eastern for subsonic rotary request. But, unless
Hemisphere. I had heard about Bristow and knew they were one of the largest helicopter Congress okays the funding, it is a non-
companies in the area, so I knew this was a great opportunity, says 21-year-old apprentice starter.
Ross Bisset, whose older brother is already working in the helicopter industry. I found out
that, unlike many companies, you dont need an engineering degree to get into Bristow, Military
adds apprentice Andy Patterson, 17. All of the apprentices will be posted to Bristow
Helicopters base in Aberdeen, Scotland. With its ties to the North Sea oil industry, the Lockheed Delivers
Aberdeen heliport is the busiest in Europe, with 40,000 flights annually. 200th Common
Cockpit
Public service | training Lockheed Martin has provided the U.S.
Navy with its 200th Common Cockpit
Test Pilot Becomes Astronaut avionics suite. The equipment is designed
The European Space Agency has selected AgustaWestland Senior Test to be used in the U.S. Navys MH-60R
Pilot Tim Peake to be an astronaut. Peake will be the first-ever British and MH-60S multi-mission helicopters.
astronaut to join the European Astronaut Corps (EAC). He is one of Built using commercial-off-the-shelf
Tim Peake
four successful candidates chosen for the EAC, which currently has (COTS) hardware, the Common Cockpit
eight astronauts. In his new position, Peake will be trained to fly to the International Space standardizes flight operations on both
Station. He and his three EAC teammates were chosen from 8,413 applications. Navy helicopter models. Each uses four 8 x
In an official ESA release, Peake said he is delighted to be selected for the European 10-inch color displays that are compatible
Astronaut Corps. I think that the space industry is going to play an increasingly impor- with night vision devices. To date, 47
tant role in overcoming many of the challenges that humankind faces, and to be a part of Common Cockpits have been made for
ESAs team working towards that goal is a great privilege, he added. the MH-60R, the Navys newest anti-
Peake joined the U.K. Army Air Corps in August 1992. After gaining his wings in June submarine/anti-surface warfare helicopter.
1994, Peake was posted to Germany as a Gazelle pilot. Subsequently, he became a qualified The 153 Common Cockpits that have been
helicopter instructor and was exchange posted to the U.S. Army, where he flew Apache heli- produced for the MH-60S perform ship-
copters. He used that skill on returning home to train British Army Apache AH Mk.1 pilots. to-ship vertical resupply. According to
After training as a rotary-wing test pilot, Peake retired from the U.K. military following 17 Lockheed Martin, the cockpit has logged
years of service. He then joined AgustaWestland, test flying Apache and Lynx helicopters. more than 250,000 flight hours since
deliveries began in January 2000.

14 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING.
At Bell Helicopter, we have a long history of hit products. And our customer support
has been a hit for 15 consecutive years. We wouldnt put our name on just anything.
So its no surprise that Bell has certified over 130 Customer Service Facilities in 32
countries around the world. While they all meet our premier standards, 26 have
gone gold, 48 have gone silver and six of them have just gone platinum, receiving
our highest certification in customer service and support for three consecutive years.
Making our Customer Support Facilities yet another hit with our customers.

866.562.4791
csfsupport@bellhelicopter.textron.com
2009 Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., all rights reserved
 RotorcraftReport

PEOPLE

PAS Technologies has
promoted Donald
Spriggs to serve as
the companys chief
te chnolo g y of f icer.
Spriggs will oversee
long-term technology initiatives for PAS.
Spriggs, who joined Kansas City, Mo.-
based PAS Technologies in 2006, most
recently served as vice president of product
development.
Rep. Brad Klippert, R-Kennewic,
Wash. has been appointed to the Joint
Committee on Veterans and Military
Affairs. Klippert, a Benton County sher-
iff s deputy serving his first term repre-
senting the 8th legislative district, is a heli-
copter pilot who recently was promoted
to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He has
coming events
served more than 21 years in the U.S.
Army National Guard and Reserve.
R Srinivasan has been appointed as
Managing Director, Helicopter Complex,
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
He will head the Helicopter Composite
Manufacturing and Barrackpore divi-
sions, and Helicopter MRO, Rotary
Wing Research and Design Centre.
Ste ve Ols on ha s
joined XRI Testing as
business unit manager
for its facility in Cleve-
land, Ohio. Prior to XRI,
Olson was the owner of
Olympia Foundry and Fabrication, a cast-
ing facility in Monett, Mo. He replaces
Bob Henchar, who has joined the XRI
Technical Consulting Group.
Waco, Texas-based
Blackhawk Modifica-
tions has appointed
Bobby Patton as dis-
tributor program man-
ager. He was formerly
director of sales for Raisbeck Engineering,
where his duties included its OEM con-
tract with Hawker Beechcraft.
Jimmy Ravenne is the new general
manager of Chromalloys turbine engine
repair and maintenance facility near Paris,
France. He comes from Honeywell after-
market organization Secan, where he
served as integrated supply chain and site
leader. Ravennes other experience includes
vice president of engineering and mainte-
nance for Brit Air/Groupe Air France and
with SR Technics in Zurich.

August 13-15LABACE 2009, Sao Paolo, Brazil. Contact ABAG,
phone +55 115-032-2727 (International) or 1-202-783-9000 (NBAA) in
the U.S. Web: www.abag.org.br/labace2009/site_labace.Labace1.htm
August 17-2142nd Annual Comprehensive Short Course in
Rotary Wing Technology, State College, Penn. Contact: Phone: 1-814-
863-0602; Web: www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/rotary-wing
August 27-302009 Open German Helicopter Championship,
Mengen-Hohentengen, Germany. Contact FAI, +4121-345-1070 or visit
www.fai.org/fai_news_03_07
Sept. 2-3R&Ws Search & Rescue Summit and
Helicopter Heroism Awards, Hyatt Regency, Reston, Va.
Visit: www.SearchandRescueSummit.com
September 11-13131st National Guard Association of the
U.S. General Conference & Exhibition, Nashville, Tenn. Contact:
NGAUS, 1-202-789-0031 or visit www.ngaus.org
September 22-24Helitech 2009, Cambridge, U.K. Contact: Phone:
+44 (0) 208-271-2155 ; Web: www.helitech.co.uk
September 22-24Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and
Material Shortages (DMSMS) & Standardization Conference,
Orlando, Fla. Contact DMSMS, phone 1-937-426-2808 or visit www.
dmsms.org
September 22-2535th European Rotorcraft Forum, Hamburg,
Germany. Contact: +44-220-395-8692 or visit www.erf2009.org
September 29-October 1International Helicopter Safety Team
(IHST)s Third International Helicopter Safety Symposium,
Montral, Qubec, Canada. Contact IHST, phone 1-703-684-6777 or
visit www.ihst.org
October 5-7Association of the United States Army (AUSA)
Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. Visit www.ausa.org/news/
meetings/annualmeeting2009/Pages/default.aspx
October 19-202nd International Forum on Rotorcraft
Multidisciplinary Technology, Seoul Korea. Contact AHS
International, phone 1-703-684-6877 or visit www.vtol.org
October 20-22National Business Aviation Association 62nd
Annual Meeting & Convention, Orlando, Fla. Contact NBAA,
phone 1-202-783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
October 25Wings, Wheels & Rotors Expo, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Contact: 1-562-598-6659 or visit www.wwrexpo.net
October 26-28Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS)
Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC 2009), San Jose, Calif.
Contact AAMS, 1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org
October 26-29DoD Maintenance Symposium & Exhibition,
Phoenix, Ariz. Phone 1-877-606-7323 or visit www.sae.org/dod
November 2-5Intl Air Safety Seminar, Beijing, China. Contact
FSF, 1-703-739-6700 or visit www.flightsafety.org
November 4-5Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance, Phase
1, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact Grey Owl Consultants, 1-204-848-7353
or visit www.greyowl.com
November 15-19Dubai Airshow, Dubai, UAE. Contact Fairs &
Exhibitions, +9714-286-7755 or visit www.dubaiairshow.aero
November 30-December 1Human Factors in Aviation Safety,
Los Angeles, Calif. Contact USC Viterbi School of Engineering,
1-310-342-1345 or visit www.viterbi.usc.edu
November 30-December 3The Interservice/Industry
Training, Simulation and Education Conference, Orlando, Fla.
Contact: 1-703-247-2569 or visit www.iitsec.org

16 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

 RotorcraftReport

Products

Sikorsky to Build S-92 Cabins in India

Sikorsky Aircraft has announced plans to make S-92 cabins in India. In June, Sikorksy made
public an agreement with Indias Tata Group. Under the arrangement, Tata Advanced
Systems will manufacture S-92 cabins at a new facility to be built in Hyderabad. The first
S-92 cabin delivery is due in 2010.
Sikorsky President Jeffrey Pino notes that
M
Indias aerospace market is poised for signif-
C

16
B 2009 Cobham Avionics. All rights reserved.
icant growth, and we are thrilled to have the
CMY
SLUR

opportunities to support that growth and

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to tap into the capabilities of Indias highly

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Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons,

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says he believes that the manufacture of

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the S-92 cabin in India is a significant first

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step in the growth of India as a global hub

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Michel Merluzeau, principal of G2

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ily of companies includes Tata Steel, Tata
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www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 17

 RotorcraftReport

Commercial

Bell Goes After

Eurocopter
Bell Helicopter has filed its own
lawsuit against Eurocopter. The suit
comes after a June 16 incident at
this years Paris Air Show. According Products
to Reuters, a French bailiff turned
up at Bells booth armed with legal Simplex
documents, forcing the company to acquires Helipod
remove panels from its 429 to allow International
inspection. Eurocopter previously filed a lawsuit against Bell for patent infringement, Simplex Manufacturing, which makes
based on the accusation that Bell illegally copied patented Eurocopter landing gear aerial applications systems for helicopters,
technology and used it in developing the 429. The Paris incident interfered with Bells 429 has acquired Helipod International. The
flight schedule, and was somewhat embarrassing for the U.S. company. Bell is asking the purchase gives Simplex access to Helipods
U.S. District Court for damages to cover one-quarter of the cost of running its Paris Air certified accessory products for Robinson
Show booth, including expenses related to sending company personnel to the show and helicopters, including cargo pods, spray
the shipment of the 429. Eurocopter is not commenting on the lawsuit. systems and other specialty items.
Helipod represents an important mile-
stone in our overall strategy of acquiring
Public service value added product lines and businesses
that are focused on the aviation industry,
EMS Helicopter Cuts Lines says Simplex COO Mark Zimmerman.
An EMS helicopter operated by Air Evac EMS unintentionally shut down traffic on Route We are very excited to be partnering with
50 in Greenwood, W.V. on June 17, 2009, after clipping some power lines. The Bell 206B Peter [Maloney, founder/CEO of Helipod]
helicopter, transporting a six year-old seizure victim, hit the lines after taking off in dusk and look forward to his assistance in devel-
conditions from Route 50. The helicopter landed safely, but the strike caused a fire. It was oping new technologies and expanding
quickly extinguished by local firefighters. While a ground ambulance took the patient to our line of FAA-certified products.
Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, the Bell 206B was pushed off the road and the Under the deal, the two companies will
downed power lines were repaired. merge their distribution networks. How-
Due to the setting sun in the West, ever, Simplex will continue to manufacture
neither the pilot nor the crew were able to products in the U.S., while Helipod will
visualize the wires, according to Air Evac maintain is plant in New Zealand. We
President & CEO Seth Myers, as reported were impressed with their large distribu-
by the CONCERN Network (which tracks tion network and their extensive product
such incidents). No one was injured. line, says Maloney.

Military

U. S. Gives Pakistan Russian Choppers

When Pakistans government
asked for helicopters, the U.S.
came through by providing
four Russian-built MI-17
cargo helicopters to the
Pakistani Army.
The additional helicopters
are meant to enhance Paki-
stans capabilities in current
operations against militant
extremists, and its efforts to
care for hundreds of thousands
of Pakistanis who have been
displaced from their homes by
the fighting, a statement from
the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan
said. The U.S. is in the process
of identifying additional MI-
17s that may be made available
to Pakistan in the future.
Why would the U.S. gov-
ernment provide an ally with
Russian-built helicopters,
rather than rotorcraft made at
home? The reasoning was that
the U.S. had them on hand, and
Pakistan already operates this
model and so would have no
difficulty absorbing them on Pike, director of the intelligence
short notice, explained John site GlobalSecurity.org.

18 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

 unique.

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and discover how Aviall can lower your costs and lift your profits! Aviall Delivers.

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 PROGRAM INSIDER
Australia to Upgrade Tigers
Australias latest defence capability plan
(DCP), released July 1, reveals plans to
upgrade or replace three types of helicopters
in service with the countrys Defence Force
(ADF). In particular, it looks at modernizing
the mission equipment to its Eurocopter
Tiger fleet, to ensure the Australian
Tigers retain currency with operational
requirements. The new DCP predicts a
new phaseor phasesto maintain the
effectiveness of the capability. This project is
expected to provide system upgrades to the
Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH),
consistent with the parent Franco-German
Tiger program.
The upgrades may include weapons,
engines, software, aircraft mission manage-
ment system and ground support system
upgrades. The package is expected to cost
between A$100 million and A$500 mil-
lion ($80m to $400m). The DCP says that
Defense will commence work on develop-
ing this phase for government consideration
after 2016. Last month the Australian DoD
flagged more specific modifications to the
Tigers, to improve their interoperability
with the armys battlefield command-and-
control system. DoD officials told Austra-
lian Senate defense budget hearings that
the modifications include improved data-
CONTRACTS
Tyonek Fabrication Corp., Madison,
Ala., was awarded a $5.7-million contract
for the OH-58 Kiowa airframe for 340 each,
control box, part number 635107M100.
Work is to be performed in Madison, with
an estimated completion date of May 31,
2012. Tyonek was also awarded a $6.9-mil-
lion contract for 344 each, de-ice control
and indicator unit for the UH-60 A/L
Blackhawk. Work will also be performed
in Madison, with an estimated completion
date of Nov. 30, 2011.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Hurst, Texas,
was awarded a $51.5-million contract for
20 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
linking, to support transfer of targeting and
situational awareness.
Australia remains in the delivery phase
for its Tiger fleet. Twelve ARHs are currently
in service with six more under assembly, at
Australian Aerospace at Brisbane, and four
more to come. Two squadrons, the 161st
and 162nd, have been formed at Darwin as
part of the Armys new ARH regiment.
If, as widely predicted, France sends
some of its own Hlicoptre dAppui Pro-
tection (HAP)-variant Tigers to Afghani-
stan, Australia is expected to send at least
one observer to join them. If the political
decision is taken, an initial three air-
craft from the ALAT (Aviation Lgre de
lArme de Terre) 4th Airmobile Brigade
will be dispatched.
The HAP combat support Tiger is
said to be technically and operationally
ready for deployment, with two years of
operational training with the elite 4th
Brigade under its belt. The DCP also sets
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) dates
for new Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
Seahawks and F-model Chinooks for the
Army. Australia wants to achieve IOC
with its replacement Seahawks for both
the cancelled Kaman SH-2G (A) Seasprite
and existing S-70B-2 fleets between 2014
the purchase of five 412EP aircraft along
with logistical support, spare parts package,
special tools, and training. Work is to be
performed in Quebec, Canada (88 percent),
Piney Flats, Tenn., (8 percent) and Fort
Worth, Texas (4 percent), with an estimated
completion date of Dec. 31, 2010.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford,
Conn., was awarded a $60.4-million con-
tract for the procurement of four UH-60L
aircraft uniquely configured of the Brazilian
Air Force. Work is to be performed in Strat-
ford with an estimated completion date of
Nov. 30, 2012.
and 2016. First pass approval (initial
agreement) to procure 24 Sikorsky MH-
60Rs is scheduled for between now and
mid-2011. Second passformal acquisi-
tion approvalsshould happen between
mid-2010 and mid-2012.
The new aircraft will replace RANs 16
existing Seahawks, which are scheduled
to be withdrawn from service by 2019.
The acquisition is forecast to cost between
A$500 million and A$1.5 billion ($400m
to $1.2bn). The Army will not achieve
IOC with its seven new Boeing CH-47F
Chinooks before 2016. In the meantime,
it plans to issue tenders later this year for a
deeper maintenance support capability for
its six existing CH-47D aircraft. The DCP
says that government approvals to proceed
with the CH-47F acquisition may not
occur until mid-2012. This is despite Aus-
tralia lodging a $560-million Foreign Mili-
tary Sales (FMS) acquisition application for
the aircraft with the U.S. DoD in April.
While FMS remains the planned pur-
chase mechanism, the DCP says that the
Australian industry is expected to realize
work opportunities on the new aircraft
through design and fitment of additional
mission equipment to the CH-47F, once
they are delivered to Australia.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Owego, N.Y.,
was awarded a $13.9-million contract for the
procurement of specialized test equipment
used to perform depot-level repairs to the
common cockpit avionics suite components
for the MH-60. The equipment consist of
one audio management computer, one relay
assembly, one flight management computer,
one mission computer, and the communica-
tion systems controller testers. Work will be
performed in San Diego, Calif. (50 percent),
Owego (25 percent) and Farmingdale, N.Y.
(25 percent), and is expected to be com-
pleted in October 2010.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
 RotorcraftReport

Military

VH-71 Job Losses

Unaffected by
Congress
Attempts to revive the VH-71 by
Congress will not change how many
j obs are b ei ng lost at L o ck he e d
Martin. A week after the program
was terminated, we announced that
we would end up laying off up to 750
people, said Troy Scully, a Lockheed
Martin spokesperson. Congressional
efforts to bring back the program wont
change this fact: Unless Congress
passes a bill and the President signs
it, we have to continue to follow the
direction of our client and terminate
the program, he told Rotor and Wing. Lockheed Martins VH-71 Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin
While efforts to revive the VH-71
program in some shape or form continue, new positions for those displaced by actual job losses, and who will be affected
Lockheed Martin has been trying to find the cancellation. Final information as to by them, is expected soon.

www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 21

 MTrax Maintenance Tracking Version 2.0
Keeping close tabs on your aircrafts maintenance is a top priority. Tdata com-
puterized the solution to this problem by developing MTrax, a maintenance
tracking program. Now the company has released version 2.0 of MTrax.
With just one license, owners and operators can track an unlimited number
of aircraft. Functionally, MTrax keeps an eye on ADs, service information,
life-limited components, inspections, overhauls, and even publications.
It can meter its tracking on hours, cycles, RIN and/or date. The programs
structure meets FAA record-keeping requirements, and MTrax
can produce reports based on due lists, summary lists, mainte-
nance status, and full detail reports. For securitys sake, MTrax
Autobackup function creates a complete, verified time-stamped
backup of files everytime they are accessed. When autobackup
files are opened, the work can be seen at different points in the
past, before changes were made. Details about MTrax 2.0 can be
found at www.Tdata.com.

AMETEK Fuel Gauging System

Accurate fuel gauging is an absolute must in aircraft. Unlike a car, you just cant pull
a helicopter off to the side of the sky when the fuel runs out. This is why Carson
Helicopters Sikorsky S-61 cockpit/avionics upgrade, which was just approved by the
FAA and Transport Canada via a supplemental type certificate (STC), includes an
AMETEK fuel gauging system. Unlike older passive probe systems, AMETEKs uses
active capacitance probes, fuel quantity signal conditioners, low-level sensors, high-
level sensors and pressure transducers to provide accurate fuel measurement. The
AMETEK fuel quantity signal conditioner processes signals from active fuel probes
located in the tanks. It calculates fuel contents, and produces 05 VDC outputs for
the cockpit display system. For accuracy, each tank has an independent signal con-
ditioner. The forward and aft tank systems include an independent low-fuel level warning function. The AMETEK system is made by
AMETEK Aerospace & Defense. For further information: www.ametekaerodefense.com.

Merlin S333 AATD Simulator

Merlin Simulation has just delivered its first Sikorsky S333 Pro Series AATD flight
simulator to Rotors of the Rockiesa flight school based at Rocky Mountain Metro-
politan Airport in Broomfield, Colo. The new S333 simulator offers new generation
features such as advanced technology, superior visual imagery, and true flight model-
ing that was previously only available in high-end flight training devices. According to
Merlin, the S333 simulator offers a nearly 180-degree field of view using high resolu-
tion graphics; high fidelity cockpit and systems replication, including engine start up
and shut down with all of the associated malfunctions; and an easy-to-use instructor
station with record/playback functions. The S333 also has a Garmin 530 GPS/Nav/
Comm moving map display. All told, this AATD provides students with a realistic and
complex flight environment, with lots of room for things to go wrong. Find out more at www.MerlinSimulation.Com.

22 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

AviIT eManWeb
eManWeb is a web-based solution to carrying and constantly updating aviation
technical manuals. Made by AviIT, eManWeb is a server-based product that allows
companies to save, edit and store technical documents formatted in PDF, SGML
and XML. These documents can then be accessed by pilots and maintenance
personnel via ethernet or wifi connections on desktop/laptop computers, PDAs,
and tablet PCs. The EManWeb solution has recently been adopted to store and
distribute all Metro Aviation technical publications, OEM applications, ERP
programs, electronic files, and other company maintenance documentation
to all authorized users via the eManWeb portal. Very seldom does a product
come along that has the potential to truly and substantially reduce work load,
increase productivity and assure compliance with the Federal Aviation Regula-
tions like eManWeb, said Milton K. Geltz, Metro Aviations managing director. A demo
version of eManWeb can be obtained at www.aviit.com/Default.aspx?tabid=87.

REBTECHs Night Vision Cockpits

REB Technologies night vision systems are catching on with EMS providers. In fact,
Air Evac Lifeteam EMS recently contracted this Bedford, Texas supplier of NVG
equipment to modify 32 more of its EMS helicopters, following REBTECHs success-
ful modification of 17 aircraft. Through its REBTECH division, the company pro-
vides a total NVG package to include NVG modification kits, NVG goggles and flight
training. The NVG kits include modifications to the existing cockpit lighting and
cabin lighting as well as external lighting such as the beacon and positional navigation
lights. Meanwhile, Aero Instruments, another division of REB Technologies, handles
the installation and servicing of NVG equipment within the aircraft. This includes
internal modifications to instruments, avionics as well as external modifications to
displays. The end product represents the most advanced and convenient NVG system available today in the civil market. REBTECH is
a distributor of NIVISYS NVAG-6 night vision goggles, the only TSOed NVG on the market, REBTECH currently holds 18 rotorcraft
STCs with several more in progress. Want to know more? Check out www.rebtechnologies.net.

Frasca EC-135 Flight Training Device

Frascas EC-135 flight training device (FTD) is a dual certified (JAA FTD 3 and JAA
FNPT 3 MCC) trainer for the Eurocopter EC-135 helicopter. Frascas EC-135 FTD fea-
tures a TruVision visual system with 200-degree horizontal x 60-degree vertical field
of view for the pilots. The system uses high-resolution projectors to create realistic
imagery drawn from Frascas highly detailed database. The EC-135 FTD also includes
simulated EFIS and VEMD displays, flight test validation data, electric control loading,
multi-channel sound simulation and NVG compatibility. Meanwhile, Frascas Auto-
test utility uses a series of sensors and software to automatically fly the FTD though the
required JAA maneuvers, record its performance and allow the FTDs performance to
be compared to flight test data from an actual EC-135. The German Bundespolizei has
received dual certification for their Frasca-built EC-135 FTD. Learn more about this simulator at www.frasca.com.

www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 23

 MILITARY | UAV

ROTORCRAFT
UAVS
The UAV revolution is gaining
steam and vertical lift. Unmanned
helicopters may soon be resupplying
troops in Afghanistan. By Richard Whittle

U
nmanned aerial vehicles of the
fixed-wing variety have proven
their worth to the military
beyond doubt during the past
15 years or so, especially since U.S. troops
went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now,
with a lag time less dramatic but still remi-
niscent of the four-decade gap between
the dawn of powered flight and the debut
of the first useful helicopters, interest in
rotorcraft UAVs is clearly taking off.
In a perfect world, I would have the
capability of a Reaper or a Predator but
not be tied to a runway, said Maj. Thomas
Heffern, whose job at the U.S. Marine
Corps Combat Development Center is to
study how the Corps can best exploit the
explosion in UAV technology. Being run-
way independent, Heffern noted, means
vertical lift.
The U.S. Air Forces fixed-wing MQ-1
Predator and newer MQ-9 Reaper, per-
haps the most famous UAVs in the U.S.
military inventory, have become techno-
logical stars in the wars in Afghanistan and
Iraq. The Defense Department, especially
under Secretary Robert Gates, cant seem
to get enough of them. Equipped with
reconnaissance gear and weapons, Preda-
tor and Reaper provide military com-
manders and the CIA, reportedly the
ability to search out and track insurgents
and terrorists around the clock and attack
them with missiles and bombs before they
know whats about to hit them.
A UAV that could do all that but take
off and land anywhere, rather than relying
on runways, would be a hot item, Heffern
ventured. Whoever can crack the code
on that, thats going to be interesting to an
expeditionary, amphibious organization
like the Marine Corps.
A Brief Background
Small observation helicopter UAVs, such as
Japanese firm Yamaha Motor Co.s RMAX,
have been flying industrial missions for
years, and the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) has been work-
ing just as long on advanced UAV rotor-
craft concepts for the U.S. military. DARPA
has studied concepts as futuristic as an
unmanned rotorcraft gunship that could
fly as a wingman for manned U.S. Army
helicopters, whose pilots would control the
UAV by voice command.
Rotorcraft UAVs arent quite there yet,
and may not be for a while, but defense
contractors are increasingly busy working
on medium-sized helicopter UAVs that
can conduct intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR), carry air-to-ground
weapons, and perform a range of other
missions, from serving as communications
nodes to carrying cargo. In the not-so-
distant future, vertical lift UAVs may even
perform combat search and rescue opera-
tions, some experts predict.
Vertical lift UAVs and concepts for them
come in all sizes, and the military is seriously
interested. The U.S. Navy, as the service that
leads Defense Department Joint Explosive
Ordinance Disposal programs, gave Honey-
well a contract in 2008 for the companys
Tarantula Hawk, a video camera-equipped
micro UAV that can fit into a backpack. The
T-Hawk, which looks more like an appli-
ance than an aircraft, will be used by bomb
disposal teams to hover over and examine
suspected bombs before the teams set
about defusing them. Under the $65-million
contract, Honeywell will provide 180
T-Hawks, 90 ground control units, training,
spare parts and other support.

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The military is eager to start using larger
vertical lift UAVs, too. The Navy earlier this
year conducted sea trials with Northrop
Grumman Corp.s MQ-8B Fire Scout, a
30-foot-long unmanned helicopter, and
plans to deploy Fire Scout aboard ships as
an ISR and targeting aircraft. The service
scheduled operational test and evaluation
of the Fire Scout this summer.
The Navy eventually plans to arm Fire
Scout as well, but cargo transport may be
the next military mission vertical lift UAVs
take on. The Office of Naval Research asked
industry this past January to propose cargo-
carrying vertical lift UAVs for the Marine
Corps. The ideal candidate, the ONR said,
would be a shipboard compatible, high
speed VTOL platform that is autonomous,
affordable, rugged and reliable.
The agency said it was interested in
UAVs that might be fielded within five, 10
or 15 years. The ideal long-term solution,
it added, would be a vertical lift UAV that
could carry 1,600 pounds of cargo to four
separate locations at speeds of 250 knots
or better and to a radius in excess of 285
nautical miles, or 328 statute miles. Those
distances and speeds would rule out a UAV
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m
that flew like a conventional helicopter,
and such goals may challenge industry for
years to come. With thousands of addi-
tional Marines being sent to Afghanistan
this year, the Corps decided the time had
come to buy an unmanned helicopter for
resupply missions.
Getting supplies to remote Forward
Operating Bases, or FOBs, in Afghani-
stan has proven a challenge for all armed
services deployed to that rugged country.
Theres no doubt that this is the most dif-
ficult terrain that Ive ever seen in 33 years
to actually walk across, operate in, or to
fight in, Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser,
commander of Combined Joint Task
Force 101 in Afghanistan, said in a recent
teleconference with Pentagon reporters.
Schloessers command, he noted, leases
donkeys from local Afghans to get supplies
up some difficult mountain peaks.
UAV RFP
For those reasons, the Marine Corps War-
fighting Laboratory at Quantico Marine
Base, Va., issued a Request for Proposals
on June 1 for what it calls the Immediate
Cargo Unmanned Aerial System. The
Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e
The UAV Revolution
The Northrop Grumman
MQ-8B Navy Fire Scout.
Northrop Grumman Photo
requirements make it clear that the winner
will be an unmanned helicopter.
The winning UAV will have to deliver
at least 10,000 pounds and ideally 20,000
pounds of cargo within 24 hours to a round-
trip distance of 150 nautical miles, or 172.5
statute miles. It will have to fly at 15,000
feet density altitude and be able to hover at
12,000 feet density altitude either in or out
of ground effect. How many trips the UAV
might make to deliver all that cargo within
the 24-hour time limit wasnt specified, but
the RFP said the smallest element in a cargo
package shall be equivalent to at least a stan-
dard wood pallet measuring 48 x 40 inches
loaded with at least 750 pounds of cargo and
preferably 1,000 pounds. The aircraft also
will have to operate autonomously but be
equipped to let Marines on the ground con-
trol it beyond line-of-sight when delivering
supplies, meaning it will need to carry a satel-
lite communications dish.
The goal of the program is to get
Marines off the road by delivering sup-
plies to small units by air instead of by truck
convoy, explained the Combat Develop-
ment Centers Heffern, who had no role
in evaluating bids but has worked on the
25
 Military | UAV

An unmanned K-MAX aerial truck delivers

2,500 pounds at 13,600 ft density altitude
during summer flight tests in the Colorado
Rockies. Lockheed Martin and Kaman
Aerospace are preparing to demonstrate the
aircrafts unmanned cargo delivery capabilities
to the U.S. Marine Corps later this year.

26 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

 The UAV Revolution

Aerial photo by Chad Slattery

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 Military | UAV
resupply problem. Given the demand for
helicopters in Afghanistan already, using a
UAV for such jobs also should ease the bur-
den on manned Marine Corps rotorcraft
that can be used to deliver supplies but are
needed for a variety of other missions, too.
There also could be some other areas
where it may potentially be a game-chang-
er, Heffern said. There may be situations
where the risk of ground fire or weather
may be so elevated that were unable to take
manned aviation into particular areas. The
Marines may be more willing to assume
that risk with an unmanned system, he
continued. The Marines got at least three
responses to their RFP, with major differ-
ences among the entries.
K-MAX
Lockheed Martin Corp.s Systems Integra-
tion division at Owego, N.Y., partnered with
Kaman Helicopters of Bloomfield, Conn.,
to offer the beefiest entry, an optionally
manned version of Kamans K-MAX. The
manned version of the K-MAX has been
used since the 1990s for logging and other
medium-lift jobs, but Kaman has sold only
a few. The K-MAXs empty weight is 6,000
pounds, and with its two intermeshing syn-
chropter rotors, which cancel out torque,
and no tail rotor to bleed power from its
single engine, Kaman boasts that the aircraft
can lift its own weight in payload.
Hummingbird
Boeing Co. also bid on the Marine Corps
contract with its A160T Hummingbird, a
35-foot-long helicopter UAV whose claim to
fame up until now has been its ability to stay
aloft for long periods 18.7 hours in a 2008
test. The Hummingbird was developed by
the ever-inventive Abe Karem, who also
devised the fixed-wing UAV that evolved
into the Predator. The Hummingbird uses
Karems rigid Optimum Speed Rotor, whose
revolutions per minute can be adjusted for
maximum efficiency at different altitudes
and cruise speeds. DARPA and the Army
funded the development work and Boeing
took over Hummingbird when it bought
Frontier Systems Inc. in 2004. Designed for
endurance, the Hummingbird is light
about 2,500 pounds empty and according
28 Roto r & Wing maga z ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
to Boeing can carry up to 2,500 pounds of
cargo in addition to its fuel.
Game On
Going into the competition, Lockheed
and Kaman officials were confident the
K-MAXs superior lifting ability would
give their entry the edge needed to win the
Marine Corps contract. They require that
you have to deliver 20,000 pounds of cargo
over a 24-hour window, said Dan Spoor,
vice president for rotary wing programs at
Lockheeds Owego division. Thats the key
requirement. We can handily meet that
requirement. The K-MAX also has a car-
ousel cargo hook that allows it to carry four
separate loads and drop them at four loca-
tions, said Salvatore Bordonaro, president
of Kaman Helicopters. We actually call it
the aerial truck, Bordonaro explained.
The companies tested a K-MAX flying
autonomously in June 2008 for the Army,
whose Aviation and Missile Research,
Development and Engineering Center at
Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is very interested
in the optionally manned K-MAX, though
that service has no plans as yet to buy a heli-
copter UAV for cargo hauling. The Army
tests were flown with a safety pilot aboard
because Federal Aviation Administration
regulations severely limit unmanned air-
craft flights in domestic airspace.
In those tests, Lockheed and Kaman
proved that an operator on the ground
using a ruggedized laptop computer with a
joystick could control the K-MAX through
a data link. Team K-MAX, as the companies
are calling their partnership, also showed
that the aircraft could take off autono-
mously, pick up and deliver a 3,000-pound
sling load, and change its preplanned route
in flight. For the Marine Corps competi-
tion, Lockheed is installing a satellite com-
munications system in the K-MAX to allow
ground operators to control the aircraft
when it gets beyond line of sight.
A typical mission for the Marines, Spoor
said, might be to deliver food, water, ammu-
nition and medical supplies to a FOB locat-
ed 75 miles or so from a hub base. A ground
operator at the hub would put the aircraft
into a hover at around 50 feet and hold it
there while Marines hooked cargo loads
to the K-MAX. The aircraft then would fly
a preprogrammed route autonomously at
12,000 to 15,000 feet to one or more FOBs.
At each FOB, a Marine on the ground with a
handheld control station would take control
of the K-MAX as it approached, put it into
a hover, release one or more of the cargo
loads, then return control to the aircrafts
mission management computer.
They can proceed back to other FOBs
or to the hub with a series of ground control-
lers operating it along the way, Spoor said. It
has the full capability to be flown unmanned
autonomously, he added, but because the
K-MAX has a cockpit, if you want to ferry it
between locations with a pilot, you could do
that. You kind of get the best of both worlds.
Boeing officials said they were confident
their Hummingbird could do what the
Marine Corps wants. The requirement,
observed Boeings Mike Lavorando, A160T
deputy program manager, breaks down to
delivering at least 2,500 pounds and ideally
5,000 pounds of cargo every six hours, and
the 150-nautical-mile round-trip require-
ment is no problem for an aircraft that has
shown it can fly literally all day and much of
the night, on one tank of gas.
The Hummingbird, Lavorando added,
offers its own advantages. Should the
Marines decide they want their UAV to
carry cargo faster than 7080 knots, the top
speed most any helicopter would be able to
fly hauling a sling load, he said, the A160T
can be fitted with an aerodynamic cargo pod
that would let it fly as fast as 140 knots. Lavo-
rando said the company was still designing
a system to carry sling loads but already had
flown the A160T with a cargo pod, though
not to 140 knots. A 40 x 48-inch pallet load-
ed with 750 pounds of cargo wont fit into
the pod, but in principle the Hummingbird
offers the faster podded resupply capability,
Lavorando said. Getting cargo delivered in
half the time, basically, that you could do
with a sling load would be a big advantage.
The Hummingbird has flown a mission
profile such as the Marine Corps wants
autonomously, but as the competition
began, Boeing was still working to equip
it with handheld and beyond line-of-sight
control systems. John Groenenboom, Boe-
ings A160T program manager, said the com-
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m

pany would meet the beyond line-of-sight
requirement by attaching a satellite dish to a
static mast above the Hummingbirds rotor.
Lavorando said the Hummingbird
could have an edge in the competition
because it was designed from the ground
up as a UAV. Boeing has been able to flight
test the Hummingbird in the high desert
near Victorville, Calif., under an authoriza-
tion given to DARPA by the FAA. All the
development done has been unmanned
and all the lessons learned from that have
been incorporated into the aircraft and
into the control system, Lavorando said.
Starting with a manned platform and try-
ing to unman it is very difficult.
The Hummingbird also would offer the
Marines more than just a way to get cargo
to remote FOBs, he added, though supply
delivery is all the Corps is officially seeking.
The aircraft has internal storage capacity
that could be used to carry other payloads,
such as sensors and communications gear,
Lavorando said, So it could be conducting
a resupply mission, at the same time pro-
viding a communications relay capability
for the troops, and it could be conducting
ISR missions while its hauling cargo.
Beyond that, the U.S. Special Opera-
tions Command has tested a Humming-
bird carrying a foliage-penetrating radar
called FORESTER to detect ground troops
moving beneath jungle canopy, confirmed
Maj. Wesley Ticer, a spokesman for the
command. The radar works best when
used from a hovering platform, which
enables it to distinguish the speed differ-
ence between the hovering aircraft and the
troops as they move on foot.
Boeings Groenenboom said the com-
pany also has begun experimenting on
its own with arming the A160T by flying
it with three dummy Hellfire missiles
attached to one of two stub wings added to
the fuselage. That is one of the visions our
customer has eventually for helicopter
UAVs, Groenenboom said.
Fire Scout
With the Marine Corps still evaluating
the bids, Northrop Grumman declined to
release any details about how its Fire Scout
could meet the programs requirements.
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m
In an e-mailed response to questions
from Rotor & Wing, Mike Fuqua, busi-
ness development manager for Fire Scout,
would say only that the aircraft can carry
a significant amount of cargo in pods
that have been designed for this increased
requirement. How much cargo the Fire
Scout could carry, he added, would depend
on time, speed and environmentals.
Fuqua also noted that, in addition to
being chosen by the Navy as a vertical lift
UAV for ISR missions at sea, Fire Scout was
the Armys choice as a helicopter UAV to
perform ISR, targeting and communications
relay missions under that services Future
Combat Systems program. The Defense
Department ordered the Army to cancel
Future Combat Systems on June 24, but
Fuqua commenting before that said the
fact that Fire Scout had been a mature pro-
gram of record in two services should make
it the obvious choice for the Marines.
A Version of the AH-6
Another arm of Boeing, its Rotorcraft Sys-
tems unit in Mesa, Ariz., has been develop-
ing an unmanned version of the companys
AH-6 Little Bird helicopter, whose manned
and armed version is flown by the Armys
elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regi-
ment. Boeing considered but decided against
entering the AH-6U, as the unmanned Little
Bird is designated, in the competition for the
Marine Corps cargo resupply contract.
It was the companys decision to bid
only one platform, and then the decision
was made that the platform to be bid was
the A160T, said Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
spokeswoman Carole Thompson.
Even so, Dino Cerchie, Unmanned Lit-
tle Bird program manager for Boeing, said
it wasnt inconceivable that the Marines
could decide later that the AH-6U would be
a good choice for cargo resupply missions.
Weve been working with the Marine
Corps Warfighting Laboratory, helping
them develop their CONOPS (concept
of operations) for precision delivery and
resupply, Cerchie said. Theyve already
seen us demonstrate this capability.
Boeing has been developing the
unmanned Little Bird since 2003, and in
recent years has demonstrated various UAV
Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e
The UAV Revolution
missions, such as communications relay
using a high bandwidth link with phased
array antennas. That gave the AH-6U the
ability to communicate with multiple aircraft
and ground units simultaneously, Cerchie
said. The unmanned Little Bird, which
weighs just under 2,000 pounds empty, has
carried cargo loads up to 870 pounds and
could carry as much as 2,000 pounds, he
added. The company also has studied arm-
ing the unmanned Little Bird with missiles,
rockets and even .50-caliber machine guns.
In 20052006, since it was such a new con-
cept, we had a pretty broadband approach to
demonstrating anything and everything to
everyone, Cerchie explained.
Since then, under an Army contract,
Boeing has been using the unmanned Little
Bird in AH-64D Apache Block III tests as a
stand-in for the Sky Warrior, a new Army
version of the General Atomics Aeronautical
Systems fixed-wing Predator flown by the
Air Force. Boeings Apache Block III gunship
helicopter is being equipped to allow its crew
to control Sky Warrior and the UAVs sen-
sors and communications relay gear in flight.
Sky Warrior isnt far enough along to be used
in tests of that capability, so Boeing has flown
the unmanned Little Bird as a surrogate.
I think all current and future variants
of all manned (military) aircraft are going
to have some level of UAV interoperability,
Cerchie said. The Apache, being the cor-
nerstone, is probably going to have a little
more than most.
Other Contenders
American companies are not alone in mov-
ing to cash in on vertical lift UAVs. Schiebel
Group of Vienna, Austria flew its little
Camcopter S-100 unmanned helicopter at
Le Bourget this year the first time a UAV
had flown in that storied venue, according
to a company news release. Other compa-
nies playing include Saab of Sweden and
Swiss UAV of Niederdorf, Switzerland,
which in May announced that they would
collaborate in developing and marketing
unmanned helicopters.
VTOL UAVs are the future, said
VTOL historian and vertical flight consul-
tant Michael Hirschberg. Its not a matter
of if, its a matter of when.
29
 Military | Heavy Lift

The German Army presently uses

CH-53G aircraft to provide heavy lift for
its armed forces. Despite undergoing a
recent upgrade, these aircraft are aging.
However, the new Sikorsky CH-53K
version could prove an attractive airframe
for the Franco-German requirement. Photo courtesy of NATO.

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By Thomas Withington
T
France and Germany o say that it is an ambitious prod-
uct would be an understatement,
but to say that it is impossible
want to procure a would be exaggeration. However,
France and Germany have certainly set
common heavy lift themselves a difficult task. Both countries
want to procure a common heavy lift
helicopter. This will helicopter. Germany needs to replace its
Sikorsky CH-53G aircraft by around 2020,
while the French armed forces, which have
be a difficult and not previously operated a heavy lift rotor-
craft, have discovered the need for such
ambitious task given a machine in the canyons of Afghanistan
and in the wide open spaces of Chad, west
Africa, where the Arme de Terre (French
the numerous needs Army) have a major peacekeeping opera-
tion. Moreover, both France and Germany
of both countries. are mindful that, as well as requiring a
means to move heavy equipment and
troops into areas bereft of airstrips, they
also need an aircraft that is capable of per-
forming humanitarian assistance opera-
The NH Industries NH-90 is one of the largest
helicopters currently in production in Europe.
Using the NH-90 as the baseline aircraft for the
Franco-German heavylift initiative would require
the aircraft to undergo serious, and expensive,
modifications.
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m
Design Challenge
tions such as the evacuation of large num-
bers of civilians from disaster areas, or the
movement of food and medical supplies.
Although the out-of-service date for the
CH-53Gs illustrates just how pressing Ger-
manys need for a new heavy lift helicopter
is, history may not be on Paris and Berlins
side. The pan-European Airbus A400M
turboprop military airlifter, which involves
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United
Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium and Luxem-
bourg, is currently running around fours
years late regarding its service entry with the
Arme de lAir (French Air Force), the launch
customer. The situation for pan-European
helicopter programs looks little better. The
NH Industries NH-90 troop transport and
naval helicopter, a joint program involving
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and
Portugal, is suffering delays of up to two years
for the NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) ver-
sion of the aircraft to enter service.
The Franco-German heavy lift initiative
can be traced back to 2006, when the Min-
istries of Defence of France and Germany
announced a wish to acquire a new heavy
lift helicopter and released a Request for
Information to this end. Both countries are
looking for a rotorcraft which can lift up to
13 tons, or 70 fully-equipped troops, more
than 540 nautical miles (1,000 kilometers).
Photo courtesy of NH Industries
The maximum take-off weight of the heli-
copter is in the region of 35 tons.
Eurocopter has been tasked by the
governments to devise a design which
could fulfil this requirement. The company
has looked at developing its own heavy
Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 31
 Military | Heavy Lift
lift helicopter before, unveiling a concept
design for such an aircraft at the Berlin Air
Show in 2006 as a potential replacement
for Germanys CH-53Gs. The aircraft was
envisaged to have three powerplants, each
producing 6,700 horsepower (5,000 kilo-
watts), a maximum 650-nm (1,200-km)
range and a 160-knot (300-kilometres-per-
hour) top speed. However, the company
is reaching out to American and Russian
partners to develop a design capable of
meeting France and Germanys require-
ments, and it would appear that plans by
the company to develop its own heavy lift
helicopter have, for now, been shelved,
although this is denied by Eurocopters
32 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Dominique Maudet, executive vice involvement of the EDA in the project
president of Governmental helicopters. indicates that the cost of developing such
When speaking to Rotor & Wing at this an aircraft themselves will just be too much
years Paris Air Show, he emphasized that for the French and German governments
Eurocopter was not necessarily pledging combined. We will need a big budget to
that the heavy lift helicopter will be a com- start from scratch, concedes Maudet.
pletely new design, but it could be. Either Instead, the company is looking at exist-
way, the aircraft is a big in both scope and ing aircraft designs which can be modern-
size: two to three times bigger than the ized to meet the requirement, and plans to
NH-90, notes Maudet. pick and choose elements and concepts
The procurement of the helicopter from other aircraft for the design, which
will be performed through the Euro- will eventually fulfil the Franco-German
pean Defence Agency (EDA); an organiza- requirement.
tion of the European Union tasked with France and Germanys strategy for pro-
deepening pan-European cooperation in curing the heavy lift rotorcraft is essentially
armaments procurement. However, the simple. A standard, existing heavy lift heli-
copter design will be used as the base-
line airframe that will then be extensively
A Eurocopter EC-725 Caracal of the
French Air Force. Apart from the modified to meet the requirements. The
NH-90, this is one of the largest candidate aircraft are the Boeing CH-47F
helicopters operated by the French Chinook, Mil Mi-26T and the Sikorsky CH-
armed forces. It is a development of 53K. Experiments to find the ideal airframe
the companys Super Puma/Cougar
have already begun. In November 2008, the
family, although any further increase
in size of this aircraft to meet the French DGA (Dlgation Gnrale pour
Franco-German requirement would lArmement) procurement agency received
almost certainly be impossibly a Mi-26T on loan, which was flown for a
expensive. series of flight trials at Istres Air Force Base
in the south of France near Eurocopters
headquarters and factory near Marseilles.
Broadly speaking, French Army officials
who participated in the test flights found
the Mi-26T to be a satisfactory airframe,
although with a five-person crew, a sub-
stantial modernization of the types avion-
ics will be required to reduce the aircrafts
flight crew from five to three people. How-
ever, the Mi-26T is a relatively inexpensive
option, costing around $10 million per unit.
Moreover, Eurocopter could share the avi-
onics development with the Suhoptnyje
vojsk Rossjskoj Federcii (Russian Army)
which operates the aircraft, and which plans
to upgrade all 16 in its fleet.
The Sikorsky CH-53K would bring its
own attractions as a candidate airframe for
conversion into a heavy lift platform. Firstly,
Photo courtesy of French Air Force
Germany is familiar with operating the
CH-53G type. Secondly, the CH-53, which
has over 40 illustrious years of US Navy
and Marines service under its belt, would
provide France with a maritime heavy lift
capability by virtue of its design. Heavy lift
from the sea is a particularly important
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

The Russian giant Mil Mi-26T heavylift helicopter is the design which closest meets the
requirements for France and Germanys future heavy lift helicopter. However, the aircraft would
require major modifications to operate with the countries armed forces.
capability for the Marine Nationale (French
Navy) in particular, which took delivery of
the Tonnerre and Mistral amphibious sup-
port ships in 2006, which have large heli-
copter decks with a forward landing spot
strengthened to accommodate a CH-53 or
Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey-sized aircraft.
The Boeing CH-47F solution is, per-
haps, the dark horse. On one hand it could
be one of the more expensive options,
but on the other hand, would offer a high
degree of commonality with Europes other
Chinook operators; principally the Neth-
erlands, Italy, Greece, Spain and the United
Kingdom. This could help to reduce costs
all around to operators through the pos-
sible pooling of maintenance assets and
spare parts. Moreover, both the Sikorsky
CH-53K and CH-47F aircraft are at the
start of their assembly. This could allow
Eurocopter to bleed off airframes from
the existing production run for the U.S.
Marine Corps and the U.S. Army, and con-
vert them into the heavy lift aircraft either
in the United States or at Eurocopters
facilities in Europe.
On one hand, the promise of American
participation, and therefore American
jobs, in the heavy lift helicopters produc-
tion could be a key factor in encouraging
Boeing or Sikorskys full participation for
the project. However, both the French and
German governments will be under con-
siderable pressure from trade unions and
parliamentarians at home to ensure that
www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m
jobs building the future heavy lifter remain
in Europe. Either way, Eurocopter will have
to walk a delicate line should it choose an
American design as the baseline airframe.
However, Maudet notes that American
participation would bring major benefits:
The U.S. coming into the project would be
a strong asset.
In fact, Reuters reported in March 2009
that American participation in the project
is looking increasingly likely, following dis-
cussions of the program by Department of
Defense officials. Despite that the CH-47F
is expected to remain in U.S. Army service
until at least circa 2030, with the CH-53K
flying with the USMC until at least 2040,
both services will have to consider what
heavy lift rotorcraft solution will fulfil this
role for each service after these airframes
retire. Having a heavy lift helicopter devel-
oped with European assistance and ready
to enter service in the 203040 timeframe
could offer significant cost savings to both
services. Moreover, commonality with
European operators would help to reduce
the support costs of the aircraft for the
Army and the Marines.
The project has also received significant
endorsement from the European Union
(EU) with General Henri Bentegeat, chief
of the EUs Military Committee, which
gives military advice to the EUs Political
and Security Committee (which in turn
oversees EU foreign and defence policy).
He endorsed the heavy lift program during
Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e
Design Challenge
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense
the EDAs Helicopters Key To Mobil-
ity conference, which studied methods of
addressing the perennial issues of rotary
shortfall across the European continent in
March this year.
Although a Franco-German initiative,
with the program now under the auspices
of the EDA this will enable other European
countries to participate in the project and,
crucially, bring development funds to the
table during what promises to be an expen-
sive acquisition.
The final requirements for the helicop-
ter are expected to be agreed by France
and Germany by 2009 and, according to
Maudet, Eurocopter will have a full con-
cept definition of the aircraft by 2012. The
signing of a contract for the helicopters is
expected to follow soon afterwards with
initial deliveries scheduled for 2017.
This seems an optimistic schedule as
it is entirely possibly that the program
could be subject to delays. The path of
pan-European defence projects has not
always run smoothly, with the A400M
and NH-90 being two notable examples.
However, US participation in the initia-
tive could bring the vital technical exper-
tise required to build such a large rotor-
craft. Apart from Russia, the United States
is the only country which has succeeded
in developing heavy lift helicopters and
crucially, future U.S. Marines and Army
requirements may bring much-needed
developmental funding.
33
 TRAINING | OFFSHORE

SAFETY & TRAINING

FOR OFFSHORE OPERATORS
Weather, mechanical failure, airspace congestion,
crowded helidecks, fuel issues, crane operations,
take your pick. Constant vigilance and anticipation
of dire consequences are your companions for all offshore flights.

By Pat Gray

M
any years ago, a friend and
I were discussing the job
prospects of joining an off-
shore helicopter company as
line pilots. He was adamant that the only
over water time he cared about logging
was sitting on the commode with his
monthly copy of Rotor & Wing.
As for me, I saw opportunity knocking
and have logged more than 7,000 hours fly-
ing over the Gulf of Mexico spanning some
23 years. They were good years without a
single worry about sharks, swimming or
other ocean flying hazards. Concern, yes.
But certainly not fear.
Like many helicopter pilots throughout
the world, I enjoyed a sweeping variety
of flying jobs during 40-plus active years
sitting in the front seat of more than a few
types of helicopters.
This discussion is about flying offshore
in support of the oil and gas industry. I have
made a list of some offshore flying hazards
that I am familiar with and are recognized
by most of the offshore operators.
We will examine some of the conditions
that have unique impact on offshore flying.
Weather
There is no specific government weather
forecasting for offshore flying in the Gulf
of Mexico. Through the years, there have
been several private weather services that
provide custom weather briefings. The
larger, better-equipped helicopters have
avionics that can upload real-time radar
pictures, but the old standby is still the pilot
and observer reports from destination
platforms. Radar cannot yet detect fog and
though normal fog can be forecast rather
easily, sea fog is a different story. Its a phe-
nomenon caused by a sudden differential
temperature in the water surface and the
overriding air. It is thick and persistent.
Even seagulls are grounded in sea fog. Haze
over water can be a serious problem lead-
ing to IFR flight even though you have the
required minimum visibility.
I once flew over Vermilion Bay south of
Lafayette, La. in heavy haze and the color
of the sky matched the water color of the
bay, making any reference to the horizon
impossible. You can go on the gauges or
onto the deck low level until the barrier
islands come into view. Once you are far
enough offshore, the water color and
the sky have enough contrast to define a
horizon and you can proceed at the recom-
mended VFR altitude, even in heavy haze.
Thunderstorms are always a threat.
There are many times when they move
directly over the platform from which you
are operating. Besides hail, lightning and
heavy rain, wind is the most treacherous
hazard. Most heli-decks are made of steel
plates and with metal skids there is little
friction to hold the aircraft in place. Non-
skid paint is used on the decks and it helps
to stabilize the aircraft but not up to the
standards of Earth. Especially if the deck
is wet.
Aircraft Tie Downs
Blades are tied down routinely the same
as with onshore operations. Offshore, the
entire aircraft has to be tied down at cer-
tain times such as: on platforms that allow
two or more aircraft operations; if the
possibility of high winds could occur; and
for overnight parking. A high-risk factor
comes into play relative to undoing those
tie downs prior to flight. Too many times

34 ROTOR & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | AU G US T 2 0 0 9 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M


pilots have left a skid tied down and paid
the price when applying takeoff power.
Mechanical Failure
It can happen anywhere, but over water it
takes on a more serious aspect due to lack of
landing choices. Even with floats, a helicop-
ter is not a very good substitute for a boat.
Bird Strikes
Helicopters have a few things in common
with birds, but mostly, we fly in each others
airspace continuously, whereas airplanes
just sort of transition. There are a lot of
birds around the Gulf Coast, many of them
chicken size or larger. Strikes are common
and some can result in major damage and
injury. There is an accident involving a
large helicopter with fatalities that is under
current investigation by the NTSB, with
bird activity being one of the suspected
contributors. The photo you see (below
right) is from an actual in-flight strike on
another helicopter while it was turning on
final to land. The mallard duck was pierced
and impaled on the roof wire cutter.
Cranes
Almost every platform in the Gulf has a
boom-type crane affixed to the rig. They
are in heavy use from sun up to sun down.
Because of the tight space on the rigs, many
of these cranes will impose on the heli-deck
operating space. Nowadays, there are few
incidents concerning helicopter operations
and crane operations where they are in
conflict, but it was not always so. There will
be more on this later.
Landing on Work Barges
A work barge is not fixed to the ocean floor
like a regular oil platform. It is a shallow
draft barge that can be anchored over a
site to do various things like laying pipe,
erecting fixed platforms, digging under-
water pipe ditches, etc. There is a beehive
of activity aboard one, including multiple
cranes in operation. Almost all have heli-
decks and are supported by helicopters.
Landing on one in high winds and turbu-
lent seas can be a real experience because
they bob up and down and laterally at
the same time. Due to the crowded barge
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
deck, there is usually only one way into the
heli-deck and one way out, and neither is
rarely directly into the wind. The pilots
choice sometimes comes down to: Should
I let the barge bang into my skids or should
I bang the skids onto the deck? Either way,
it is a thrill to land and take off, especially in
a quartering crosswind and it takes a great
deal of skill to do it smoothly.
Wind Socks/Indicators
All the platforms with heli-decks have
some type of wind indicator. The pre-
ferred is a woven wind sock but some use
a metal flag that can swivel with the wind
direction. You would think that it would
hardly be needed when you can look at
the wave action as you approach, but the
direction of the waves can be a false indi-
cator. The actual wind can cut across the
wave action and could be as much as 180
degrees off the perceived direction.
Poorly Marked Decks
There are no air traffic control towers on
the platforms. The pilots only source of
information about the landing deck is the
painted information thereon (and the wind
indicator that is, hopefully, also visible from
the heli-deck). Like runway and taxiway
information, there is a painted code that
can offer a great deal of information. Maxi-
mum allowable weight is a critical one. The
deck can be overstressed depending on the
engineering of the braces, etc. Included in
this information are obstruction clearances,
no hover areas, no tail rotor areas, passen-
ger exit and entry points, aiming circles for
a touchdown point and takeoff and land-
ing directions. The allowable length of the
Shown here is one of many offshore dangers:
the impact of a large water fowl on a helicopter.
Photo by Pat Gray
AU G US T 2 0 0 9 | R OTOR & W I N G M AGA ZI NE
Water Birds
aircraft is also stated. Due to obstructions,
some platforms do not permit omnidirec-
tional takeoffs and landings. Its one way
in and one way out. All landings offshore
are not directly into the wind, meaning an
offshore helicopter pilot must be extremely
wind sensitive for takeoffs and landings.
Blowouts & Poison Gas
A blowout is when the oil well or gas well
pressure exceeds the capping capability
and the product (either oil or gas) shoots
wildly out of the well, usually catching fire.
These incidents take place during normal
well drilling and also with older wells that
are being maintained. The well or drilling
activity takes place at a distance measured
in feet from where the helicopter deck is
located. In some cases, the entire platform
is destroyed along with everything on it.
Poison gas (hydrogen sulfide) is a well
by-product that can sometimes accompany
hydro carbon extraction and seep into the
atmosphere. It is deadly but rarely encoun-
tered. All drilling companies have detectors
in place, just in case. Nevertheless, it could
be a hazard to helicopter pilots who work
near the drillers and over crews.
Gas Venting
It becomes necessary to vent gas off of
platforms on occasion, usually for pro-
duction or maintenance reasons. To keep
the gas away from the platform, a long
boom is installed, usually on the down-
wind side of the prevailing wind. The
gas is pumped through this boom and
sometimes ignited (called a flare), but
sometimes it is not. If a helicopter were
to fly through this gas and get sucked into
the engines, there would be an immedi-
ate overtemp and possible damage.
Fuel
Fuel can be a logistics problem. Two things
that make it a hazard are availability and
contamination. Fuel must be transported
by work boat from the shore to the desig-
nated rig, off-loaded via crane, positioned
and connected. It comes in bulk contain-
ers, usually 500 or 1,000-gallon capacity.
There are two main helicopter support
functions in the Gulf, keeping in mind
35
 training | Offshore

that there are quite a few other functions.
First is the transport of personnel for crew
changes and the second is field support. Oil
field workers who man the platforms often
work schedules of seven days on and seven
days off. The larger helicopters that can
carry 10-plus passengers do much of the
crew changes and fly routes directly from
the home base, to as far out as 200-plus
miles offshore. They drop off 10 passengers
and pick up 10 more to return home. They
use a lot of fuel. Field support is done using
the smaller helicopters. A field could be a
100-square-mile area where a customer
may have as many as 10 to 35 platforms.
The smaller aircraft is constantly on the
move within this field and could be refuel-
ing five or more times a day. Many of the
days refueling operations are hot refuels,
or rapid refueling (RR), due to the limited
number of refueling points in the Gulf and
that only one helicopter at a time can take
on fuel. This means that others awaiting
their turn will have to circle the platform
until the deck is clear.
Fuel quality and quantity are criti-
cal. There are numerous quality control
inspections done daily, monthly and yearly
on these fuel systems. Quantity is checked
daily and the level is reported to the heli-
copter company via phone or radio.
Each helicopter company provides its
own fuel and decides where it wants to
establish refueling locations offshore. It
does depend on what oil companies they
have contracts with when determining
these locations. Fuel consumption from
the location must be monitored carefully
to assure availability. It is a constant exercise
to operate the offshore helicopters with
minimum legal fuel so payload can be
maximized. It is critical that fuel be avail-
able when the fuel stop is flight planned.
Fish Spotting
Small single-engine airplanes are used
to find schooling fish, usually just off the
beach. As many as five of the airplanes are
stacked up directing the boats to those fish,
and their attention is mostly on the fish,
not the airspace. Care must be used when
nearing these operations.
Crowded Airspace
On a daily basis, there are at least 500
helicopters operating offshore in an area
from Mobile, Ala. to Port Mansfield, Texas.
This arc contains some 88 helicopter bases.
A good guess is that the majority operate
from the shore to about 100 miles out.
Most operate below the 3,000-foot seg-
mented circle of even/odd altitudes estab-
lished by FAA guidelines. Destinations
are shared by almost all of the helicopters,
regardless of the helicopter operator who
has a contract with a particular customer.
With the exception of the towered air-
ports on the beach, and a few company-
controlled locations, the use of the VHF
radio, and published procedures, is the best
defense against midair collision.
Passengers
There is no comparison of passenger man-
agement in helicopter operations versus
airline operations. Passengers in the heli-
copter world have no seat assignments or
boarding passes. The life vest goes on the
body, not under the seat. Passengers open
and close their own doors and talk to the
pilot. A passenger sits in the copilots seat
and helps the pilot look for airborne traffic.
Passengers load and unload their baggage
and tools. If qualified, a passenger might
even refuel the helicopter.
Sometimes these do-it-yourself things
go awry. An incident some years ago
occurred when an experienced passenger
was sitting in the copilot seat and he lodged
his foot between the cyclic stub and the
vertical seat wall. The helicopter crashed
into the sea, but not before the passenger
apologized to the pilot. The pilot survived
but the passenger did not.
Tools have been thrown into spinning
rotors, baggage doors have been left open
or unlocked, passengers on the heli-deck
have been hit by moving helicopters, and
some have walked into tail rotors. In spite
of being told repeatedly, there are some
that insist on undoing their seat belts even
before the skids are down on the deck.
How do you manage your passengers
when you have to fly a very complicated
and attention-demanding aircraft? Do
the briefings and hand out briefing cards.
Some of the oil companies have videos of
how to conduct yourself around the heli-
copter, as do the helicopter operators.
Safety and Training
Every large helicopter operator in the Gulf
has a safety and training department that
meets or exceeds FAR Part 135 require-
ments. What is unique here in the Gulf
of Mexico, is an organization called the
Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference

Five Year Gulf of Mexico Offshore Helicopter Accident Data

Number of Accidents Number of Accidents Aircraft Damages Aviation Accident
Aircraft Category Injuries Severity Classification Rates

# Acc # Fatal # Fatal # Acc

# # # Eng
Year Pax Crew Injured Fatal Minor Substantial Total
Loss 100k Hrs AccHrs
100k 1M 100k Flt
Accidents Fatal Related Occupants Stages
2004 10 4 2 16 6 7 15 0 3 7 2.77 1.11 3.99 0.79
Chart courtesy of HSAC.

2005 8 2 2 16 7 18 5 0 4 4 2.05 0.51 1.21 0.61

2006 6 1 1 4 3 5 2 1 1 4 1.48 0.25 0.48 0.48
2007 7 2 0 4 5 6 3 0 5 2 1.70 0.49 1.02 0.54
2008 2 1 0 4 1 0 5 1 0 1 0.49 0.24 1.14 0.16
Yr. Avg. 6.6 2.0 1.0 8.8 4.4 7.2 6.0 0.4 2.6 3.6 1.70 0.52 1.57 0.52

36 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

 Water Birds

(HSAC) that is an industry model for flown by aircraft type, i.e., single engine, passenger control, and heli-deck design
propagating safety. multi-engine, light, heavy and medium. and size issues. (See chart on page 36.)
Born of tragic circumstances in the 70s, Accident categories cover power loss, tail Compilation allows the safety manag-
(a crane/helicopter collision aboard a heli- rotor, tie down procedures, loss of control, ers of the various companies to focus in
deck with multiple fatalities), HSAC has loose cargo, CFITW, fuel management, on problem areas and develop training
matured into a world-class leader in open fuel quality, obstacle strikes, weather, scenarios that address those problems. The
dialogue and unprecedented cooperation
on safety related issues. The motto of the
organization is Safety Though Coopera-
tion. They meet three to four times annu-
ally in two-day work sessions, but are in
continuous contact throughout the year,
working to resolve issues of major concern.
Train with the best: S-300CBi

The knowledge and insight garnered dur-

ing their sessions are put to use through
communications with the entire Gulf
Coast helicopter community, plus the oil
producers and drillers. A key publication
they use is the HSAC Recommended Pro-
cedures (RPs).
There are currently 21 RPs covering
all of the hazards referred to in this article,
plus additional hazards.
The amount of concentrated radio traf-
fic in the Gulf has got to be the heaviest in
the U.S., if not the world. HSAC also pub-
Lowest cost of ownership.
lishes a pilot information and frequency Preferred by instructors and pilots.
card. Ten pages, very small print. They
Designed for the flight training mission.
make it into an accordion fold so it will fit
in the pilots shirt pocket. You could not Simply stated, its the best training helicopter.
operate offshore without this information.
The group has alliances with many govern-
ment agencies such as fish and game, cus-
toms, FAA, military, mineral management
and U.S. Coast Guard, all of whom attend
the meetings. HSAC works closely with
the Helicopter Association Intl (HAI). The
single most important thing that results
from HSAC activity is the implementation
of their well-thought-out safety practices
into the training manuals of the offshore
helicopter operators.

Statistics
Through the years, HSAC has devel-
oped and shared a comprehensive acci-
dent reporting and recording program
referred to as an Operations and Safety
Review. It is a compilation of statistics
based on the types of accidents and the
types of helicopters involved. Operational
inputs cover passengers per day and per www.sacusa.com
year, average flight duration, total hours

Schw P2 RW.indd 13 3/13/09 1:59 PM

www . r o t o ra n d w i n g . c o m Au g us t 2 0 0 9 | R oto r & W i n g maga zi n e 37
 TRAINING | OFFSHORE

two recordable accidents in 2008 of computer-assisted classes and

were the smallest number since the in-flight training using the helicop-
statistics were first recorded in 1984, ters. A small company, HeliWorks,
and a milestone. Pensacola, Fla., operates four single-
Is offshore helicopter flight engine helicopters from Abbeville,
more dangerous than onshore La. and Beaumont, Texas. Bob
flying? I think not. Its the same old Wade, the Gulf Coast manager, uses
story that we have heard again and a program similar to Rotorcraft

Photo by Pat Gray

again: procedures, procedures. Leasing, but it differs in that they
As always, when the pilot departs only hire well-experienced pilots
from the established procedures with offshore backgrounds.
and ad libs the operation, then the Flight Safety International (FSI)
risk increases. The Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference meets several times has opened a training facility in
each year to discuss safety-related issues in the Gulf Coast.
Lafayette, La., and is concentrating
Training Michael White, simulator technician for its efforts toward the Gulf Coast
Are personnel being trained for the repeat- Era, said they can give the pilot human fac- helicopter market. The facility manager,
able accident scenarios that seem to recur tors training by simulating scenarios such Amparo Calatayud, said that they have
on a much-too-frequent basis? Interviews as crowded deck space, crane operations Level D simulators for the S-76 and S-92
seem to indicate that they do. Simulators and obstructions. They can crank in actual that provide IFR training. FSI is in the pro-
or flight training devices (FTDs) are begin- weather conditions such as fog, haze and cess of obtaining two level 7 FTDs in Bell
ning to make their mark on the Gulf Coast. low clouds. Broussard, La.-based Rotorcraft 407 and AS-350 configurations. They will
Era Helicopters, of Lake Charles, La., has Leasing Co. operates mostly single engine provide the VFR training for operating in
been employing a Frasca FTD for a while. aircraft. Their training programs consist the Gulf environment.

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15804
 COMMERCIAL | MILITARY
PARIS AIR SHOW REPORT
This years show
gave rotorcraft a rare
opportunity to shine
in its own right.
O
ne welcome by-product of the
global recession is that this years
Paris Air Show was largely free of
the boring succession of multi-
billion dollar deals for Airbus and Boeing
airliners that have dominated past editions.
And, as orders and hard news in the mili-
tary fixed-wing field were also few and far
between, rotary-wing aviation had a rare
opportunity to shine on its own.
And, as luck would have it, helicopter
manufacturers had a number of new,
or nearly new, products to exhibit, and
announcements to make.
The two European majors, playing on
their home turf, both managed to exhibit
significant products for the first time
in Paris. A year after first unveiling the
concept at the Farnborough Air Show,
40 ROTOR & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | AU G US T 2 0 0 9
AgustaWestland brought to Paris a full-
scale mock-up of its latest military heli-
copter, the AW-149, in a variant designed
to compete for the Turkish governments
Utility Helicopter Program (TUHP). The
other competitor is a variant of Sikorskys
Black Hawk; which Turkey has been oper-
ating for 20 years or so.
Although Paris was not its true pre-
miere, as it had been unveiled at the IDEF
defense exhibition in Istanbul in late April,
the TUHP 149 generated significant inter-
est on its first appearance at a major show.
The TUHP149 was displayed in fully-
armed configuration, carrying a full range
of weapons including rocket pods, guided
missiles and cabin-mounted automatic
weapons. A point of interest is that, unlike
its predecessor, the highly successful com-
mercial AW139, the AW149 is fitted with a
complete avionics suite developed and pro-
duced by AW. In addition to moving profit
margins back to AW, the use of proprietary
avionics also ensures that the company is
not held hostage to the perhaps conflict-
ing priorities of a vendor when it urgently
needs modifications or major changes.
The TUHP 149 is designed to carry a
standard Turkish Army nine-man infantry
By Giovanni de Briganti
squad, in addition to two pilots, flight engi-
All photos by Ernie Stephens
neer and two gunners. AW says that, at a
pinch, it can seat 18 soldiers in its 11-cubic-
meter cabin (and 3-cubic-meter stowage
compartment), but they would have to be
very small soldiers indeed, to judge by the
size of the seats fitted to the mock-up.
The Turkish government was expect-
ed to announce the winner of the TUHP
competition, which calls for a total of 109
helicopters (plus 110 more to follow later)
for seven different government depart-
ments, in early July, but as this hasnt hap-
pened, the decision will slide back until
the autumn.
This will allow AW to pursue the 149s
development. The company plans to fly
an engineering testbed by year-end, with
the first prototype to follow in mid-2010.
It then plans three years for qualification
no civil certification is planned lead-
ing to initial deliveries in the second half of
2013. The engineering testbed, by the way,
will consist of an AW149 fuselage mated to
AW139 drive-train.
The company has not yet begun to
market the AW149, as it prefers to wait
for first flight, but it is confident that the
design will find as sizeable a market as its
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

smaller AW139, whose production rate
has tripled since 2004, to 90 aircraft/year,
to meet sustained demand.
In fact, the AW139 accounted for 20
of the 50 orders AgustaWestland booked
through the first five months of the year,
and although civil orders have slowed
down, company officials are confident that
the military market will more than make
up for this dip.
The Italian Air Forces long-deferred
order for a new search and rescue helicop-
ter to replace its venerable HH-3Fs is now
expected to be awarded by the end of the
year, and is expected to cover between 12
and 15 AW-101s. (Note that AgustaWest-
land has now adopted the AW designa-
tion for all of its helicopters, including the
A-109 and the EH-101).
Also in AWs backlog are the Future
Lynx (now AW159 Wildcat) for the UK,
the ICH-47 Chinook for the Italian Army
and, of course, the NH-90 program, in
which AW has a 32 percent share. After
many teething problems and delays,
NH-90 production is slowly increasing,
and the consortium should deliver as many
as 42 helicopters this year, including those
held over from 2008 for various reasons.
NH Industries, the NH-90s prime
contractor, exhibited for the first time in
flight an NFH-90 naval variant, this one
belonging to the Italian navy and fitted
with a complete mission system as well as a
heavy store carrier, an MU90 torpedo, and
a Marte MK2/S anti-ship missile.
At the air show, AW also unveiled the
latest variant of the AW101 medium lift
helicopter. Featuring new, more efficient
BERP IV main rotor blades, more powerful
engines, a new cockpit display system and
a new, up-rated tail rotor, this new version
(as yet unnamed) increases payload by
over 900 kg (2,000 lbs) when operating in
hot and high conditions, and allow the
AW101 to operate at its current 15,600 kg
maximum all up weight as well as at the
higher takeoff weights that AW plans for
the future.
With 226 helicopters delivered in 2008,
and new orders steadily if unspectacu-
larly coming in, securing and increasing its
production capabilities is a continuing
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
NH Industries NH-90
objective for AgustaWestland. The com-
pany is mulling the acquisition of Polands
Pezetel, for example, which has built more
than 1,000 of its cabins, and remains a
highly-qualified yet affordable alternative to
outsourcing to the other side of the world.
Eurocopter also brought an almost-new
product to the Paris Air Show, in this case
a full-scale mock-up of the EC175 that it
is developing jointly with Chinas Harbin
Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG) for the
civil market, and which made its European
debut at Le Bourget. Eurocopter says the
program is on course for its first flight at the
end of the year, and it sees a potential market
for more than 800 aircraft over the next 20
years. Surprisingly, however, the number of
orders still stands at 111 units, and has thus
not increased since the aircraft was unveiled
at the 2008 HAI. Or, taking the opposite
view, the program has so far weathered the
recession without a single cancellation.
Most, if not all, of these EC175s will
go to commercial customers. Another
Eurasian product, the Korean Helicopter
Program, which should also make its
maiden flight by year-end, is intended as
Eurocopters lead military product in the
medium twin market.
Launched in 2006 by the Korean gov-
ernment as an UH-1 replacement, the
Eurocopter Tiger HAD
AU G US T 2 0 0 9 | R OTOR & W I N G M AGA ZI NE
Show Report
KHP is a joint venture between Eurocopter
and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
The Korean military are to take 250 air-
craft, and a similar number is expected to
be sold, primarily by Eurocopter, on the
international market, where it will directly
face-off with the AW149. Both are similar
in terms of size, both are due to make their
first flights by year-end, and both should be
ready for initial production by 20122013.
Interestingly, the KHP is to weigh 8
metric tons, compared to 8.1 tons for
the AW149, but it is designed to carry 12
equipped soldiers, rather than the 18 that
AW sees as the capacity of the AW149.
Another Eurocopter initiative was the
unveiling of a Stand-Alone Weapon System
(SAWS) which, although exhibited on an
AS550 Fennec, can be fitted to any of the
companys light and medium helicopters.
The SAWS is composed of a core, including
a mission and firing control computer with
controls and interfaces, and a choice of sen-
sors (FLIR, TV, HUD, etc.), guided (such as
the Denel Ingwe laser-guided missile) and
unguided weapons, such as rockets and
guns. The company says it is intended to
satisfy increased market demand for armed
helicopters by offering an easily configu-
rable and modular package.
During the show, Eurocopters Tiger
HAP attack helicopter performed daily
flight demonstrations. Tiger recently quali-
fied for operational service with the French
Army, which plans to deploy three Tigers
to Afghanistan later this year.
The company continues to compete for
military aftermarket business. During the
show, it announced that it had won a con-
tract to retrofit 26 German Army CH-53G
helicopters for personnel recovery mis-
sions; the contract is valued at 25 million
41
 Commercial | military
euros and the first retrofitted helicopter is
scheduled for delivery in early 2010.
Eurocopter is also waiting for the UK
Ministry of Defence to decide whether it
will go through as planned with the mid-
life update of its fleet of Puma transport
helicopters. Negotiations are very, very
advanced and we are shaving the price
where we can, said a senior company
official, adding, however, that financial
pressures are forcing the MoD to review all
of its procurement plans.
This could mean the Puma update
could be dropped in favor of the replace-
ment of the entire Puma fleet, which could
ultimately make better long-term financial
sense; here, Eurocopter sees an opportu-
nity for the NH-90.
Eurocopter also used the show to dem-
onstrate its green credentials, with the
Bluecopter demonstrator that promises
30 percent better fuel efficiency, and much
lower emissions, thanks to its turbocharged
42 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Services, which will group its customer
support business.
Sikorsky, which posted increased rev-
enues for each of the past seven years, says
it is following a four-pronged business
strategy: growth with margin expansion,
excellence in execution, technological
leadership, and globalization. Its restruc-
turing is intended to make it more global,
Eurocopter EC225 better focused on specific customer seg-
diesel engine instead of a turbine and ments, and better able to continue grow-
other innovations. ing, according to a statement.
Sikorsky used the Paris Air Show to The company had no big announce-
announce that it had completed its restruc- ment or product at the show, but released
turing into three distinct divisions, which some interesting news. For example, it said
it believes will allow better response to that the more than 300 Black Hawk heli-
the market. One business unit, Sikorsky copters operated by the U.S. Army in Iraq
Military Systems, is focused on the U.S. and Afghanistan have logged over 900,000
and international military market, while flight hours without a single material failure
Sikorsky Global Helicopters, announced with the aircraft. It added that, since Febru-
in February, brings together its existing ary 2003, the Black Hawk has maintained
commercial business units. The company an 84 percent mission-capable rate despite
had already launched Sikorsky Aerospace extreme heat, wind, and sand conditions.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

Product-wise, Sikorsky and Elbit Sys-
tems announced at the show that they had
successfully completed the test phase for the
Armed Black Hawk (ABH) demonstrator
helicopter, also known as the Battlehawk.
An optical missile, a laser-guided rocket,
and a 20-mm turreted gun were all fired
during these tests. This clears the way for
Sikorsky to begin marketing conversions
of in-service Black Hawks, and new pro-
duction Battlehawks, to customers world-
wide. The demonstrator configuration also
includes Elbit cockpit displays, a Mission
Management system with digital map, For-
ward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and ANVIS/
HUD helmet systems with cueing capabili-
ties integrated into the avionics suite.
Sikorsky also announced at the show
an agreement for Tata Advanced Systems
Limited (TASL) to manufacture Sikorsky
S-92 helicopter cabins in India, with the
first cabin due for delivery in late 2010
from a new greenfield facility that TASL
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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
EADS/Eurocopter Bluecopter
will build at Hyderabad in the state of
Andhra Pradesh.
Sikorsky is also making progress in
outsourcing its Black Hawk production.
It announced at the show that major
components of the first S-70i (i.e., export)
Black Hawk helicopter have been joined
at PZL Mielec in Poland, marking the
first time a Black Hawk helicopter has
been assembled outside the United States
and signaling a major step forward in
producing Black Hawk helicopters inter-
nationally, according to a statement.
t
s Sthairng!
Letm
So e
t 7000 SERIES
14511
AU G US T 2 0 0 9 | R OTOR & W I N G MAGA ZI NE
Show Report
This helicopter includes a cabin pro-
duced at Mielec, a tail cone made by Turk-
ish Aerospace Industries and a cockpit
section produced by Kaman Aerospace
in the U.S. It is somewhat ironic that the
Black Hawk, a military helicopter once
the companys most domestic product,
has now adopted a truly international
supply chain, while the global network
of risk-sharing partners and subcontrac-
tors that it had originally envisioned for
the S-92, a commercial helicopter, never
materialized.
Bell Helicopters exhibition centered
around its Model 429, the light twin on
which it is counting for future growth in
the commercial market. The company
organized demonstration flights during
the show, and won favorable reviews for
the aircrafts roomy cabin, exceptional vis-
ibility from the cabin, and power.
Although it was hoping to announce
the 429s certification at the show, Bell
7638-44
7639-27
7641-20
02/09
43
 Commercial | military
missed by only a few days, as Transport
Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) granted
its certification on July 1. The 429 has also
completed the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration (FAA) certification requirements,
and Bell expected to begin initial deliver-
ies in July.
Bell currently has about 300 letters of
intent for the 429, which it now hopes to
convert to firm orders and increased
down payments. Over 60 percent of these
orders come from international custom-
ers, so Bell is hopeful that the 429 will help
re-establish the company as a player in the
global marketplace.
Like most aerospace manufacturers,
Bell is jumping onto the green band-
wagon. The companys efforts so far
are limited, however, to creating a new
enterprise wide eco-innovation initiative
aimed at evaluating its products using a
life cycle assessment. In other words, says
Craig Lieberman, who has been appoint-
ed to lead this effort: We have started
to evaluate our products and operations
to determine the total impact of our
manufacturing efforts with the goal of a
substantial reduction in all areas.
What this brings to the table, other than
good will, is unclear, but meanwhile Bell
is stressing the 429s eco-friendly features,
which it says include low noise, lower fuel
consumption and the significant use of
composites to reduce the overall weight of
the aircraft.
Boeings Rotorcraft Division held a rare
press conference at the show, highlighting
not only its venerable Ch-47 Chinook,
V-22 Osprey and AH-64 Apache, but also
44 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
its AH-6i light attack helicopter and vari-
ous conceptual studies it is working on to
meet future heavy lift requirements.
Boeing, despite having only a limited
product range, booked record orders in
2008 and projects strong annual growth
through 2015. In the military business,
this upbeat view is also shared by its
competitors; it is only the commercial
helicopter business that has suffered some
cancellations, and a slowing of orders, due
to the global economic recession. Howev-
er, given the huge backlog of commercial
orders enjoyed by most manufacturers,
with the exception of Bell, any decrease
of orders could have a silver lining, by
reducing the frankly excessive delivery
times that have no doubt dissuaded some
perspective customers.
Russia Redux?
Russias helicopter industry was back with
an upbeat message at the show, after a
decade or two of aimless to- and fro-ing
during which it wasted time and money
and let its Western competitors take a
gigantic head-start that Russia may never
be able to make up.
The Russian Helicopters Joint Stock
Company (RH) managing company, an
affiliate of UIC Oboronprom, said that the
consolidation of the Russian helicopter
industry has entered its final stage, and that
it is aggressively developing its research
and production capacity.
To catch up with its global competi-
tors, RH is finishing its own R&D centre in
Moscows suburban Panki, and new engi-
neering centre, test production line, and
Bell 429
research centre are also nearing comple-
tion, it says. Ultimately, Russian Helicop-
ters wants to take a 15 percent share of
the global market but, in the short term, it
recognized that the challenge is to use its
profits to modernize and to raise the com-
petitiveness of its products, rather than to
offset losses.
The shortest-term target is the launch
of the new Mi-38, Ka-62, Ansat, and Ka-
226T models. However, given the relatively
old technologies of these helicopters, it is
doubtful whether they will raise any signifi-
cant interest in the market.
Russian Helicopters is going to keep
the current production line, retaining
the heavy helicopter segment and gradu-
ally expanding the midsize and light seg-
ments. The main goal is to keep hold of
traditional markets. These are first of all
India, China, Africa, and partly South-
East Asia. The company is planning to
expand to Latin America, become stron-
ger in Southeast Asia, and keep its posi-
tions in India and China.
While building its new product line, RH
will concentrate on offering upgrades for its
family of Mi-8/-17 Hip medium transport
helicopters, for which it foresees stable
demand until 2020 and for which it plans a
glass cockpit (to be completed by the end of
2009) and modern avionics suite.
Despite the abundance of news,
helicopter manufacturers announced
few new contracts or sales during the
show. The total adds up to 19 helicopters,
which is a modest tally by any measure:
10 for AgustaWestland (three AW109s,
five AW119Kes, and two Grands plus
two options), seven for Eurocopter (six
Ecureuils and a single EC135), and two
412EPs for Bell. If the number of sales dur-
ing the show was disappointing, manufac-
turers like Eurocopter and AgustaWestland
are already seeing the beginning of a recov-
ery in the commercial market.
The big, unanswered question at the
show was whether the industry has already
passed the worst of the recession or wheth-
er, in a W recovery scenario, a harsher dip
is to be feared for 2010 before the recovery
begins. And this question remains as valid
after the show as it was before.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
DUXFORD

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 Training | Technology
By Chris Baur
Ground Based
Augmentation Systems
W
hat good is a technology if it
only has one name? Ground
based augmentation systems
(GBAS) is one such technol-
ogy that is part of the FAAs NextGen road-
map. It resides within a category known as
LAAS (local area augmentation system).
Its purpose is to supply a differential cor-
rection or augmentation to the basic GPS
or GNSS, while providing a significant
improvement in accuracy. Instrument
approaches flown with GBAS are called
GLS approaches, otherwise known as
global navigation satellite landing system.
You may have also heard of WAAS (wide
area augmentation system) and want to
know what the distinction between them
is. Are you wondering why we even need
augmentation for GPS/GNSS?
A previous article discussed FAAs Next-
Gen roadmap relating to performance-
based navigation (June 2009, page 60). We
looked at required navigation performance
(RNP) as a game changer, as it provides
greater access, increased safety, and reduc-
tions in both environmental impact and
fuel consumption. RNP has certain accu-
racy limitations that are based on raw
GPS/GNSS data from an aging constel-
lation of satellites. Unlike a monitored
ILS navigation aid, GPS approaches have
no means of providing a real-time alarm,
flag or alert for signal loss, interference, or
satellite clock drift. This is where LAAS
and WAAS come in to provide the alerting
and correction for these potential sources
of error, and providing lower instrument
minimums than raw GPS alone.
46 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Each sector of our industry incubates
and shares different technologies, tech-
niques and procedures. While RNP began
with the airlines, it has quickly spread to
corporate aviation and the military. Like
RNP, GBAS also has its origins in the air-
lines, and now this technology is spreading.
The military version of GBAS is called joint
precision approach landing system (JPALS),
which will allow the military to use GPS/
GNSS augmentation to perform precision
landings anywhere and at any time. The U.S.
military requires the capability at airfields,
aboard ships or temporary ad-hoc locations.
Many former Army pilots can probably
recall the TAC NDB approaches. Imagine
possessing the all weather capability to oper-
ate Category I instrument approaches day or
night, even when surrounded by terrain.
While both LAAS and WAAS provide
signal augmentation, each system uses a
different method to accomplish this task,
and ultimately performs a different service
for the user. WAAS utilizes a network of
ground-based reference stations to detect
minute variations in the GPS/GNSS signal.
This information is routed to master sta-
tions and ultimately geostationary WAAS
satellites where the correction is broadcast
to WAAS-enabled receivers.
In contrast, LAAS is focused on pro-
viding signal augmentation at a single
location. GBAS provides the correction
with a sole VHF signal, broadcast on or
near the local airport site. In comparison to
WAAS, GBAS can provide an accuracy of
one meter or better and provides auto-land
capability for Category I/II/III. Combined
with RNP, GBAS can support curved path
multi mode approaches. These curved
path approaches can be flown in a fusion of
RNP and GBAS, with RNP supporting the
curved path portion of the approach while
GBAS provides the necessary accuracy to
support Category I/II/III minimums.
Pilots flying a GBAS approach will
require minimal training, since GLS
approaches appear the same as legacy ILS
approaches. Unlike a costly ILS system, one
GBAS station can support 26 runway inde-
pendent approaches, supplied in a digital
broadcast on a single VHF frequency. With-
out RNP, GBAS can also provide curved
path approaches and missed approaches as
another feature called terminal area path, or
TAPs. Since this technology is runway inde-
pendent, it can be installed above ground,
even on the roof of a building. GBAS stations
are installed and operational in Sydney, Aus-
tralia, Malaga, Spain, Frankfurt and Bremen,
Germany, Guam, and later this year, Newark,
N.J. In Australia, GBAS-equipped operators
such as Capt. Alex Passerini are enthusiastic
about the results in their Boeing 737 and
Airbus A380 fleets, and see much potential
for GBAS helicopter operations as well. A
single GBAS station can provide a multitude
of approaches to heliports, offshore oil plat-
forms, and independent precision helicopter
approaches at larger airports. This will
provide unprecedented all-weather access in
congested urban airspace, hospitals, conven-
tional heliports and challenging locations
with terrain or obstacle constraints. While
the GBAS technology began with airlines,
the potential for helicopters is huge.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
 Ground Handling

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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M AU G US T 2 0 0 9 | R OTOR & W I N G MAGA ZI NE 47

 Military
By Giovanni de Briganti
V-22: Its Time to Move On
T
he V-22 Osprey has had a long,
expensive and very chequered
history, and in addition to highly
publicizedand very deadly
crashes it has suffered more than its
share of criticism. So, initial reports
from the Marine Corps about its glowing
performance in Iraq were received as a
sign that one of modern aviations most
intriguing concepts had finally matured.
Of course, we should have known bet-
ter. A study of the Iraq deployments by
the Government Accountability Office
(GAO), and June 23 hearings by the House
Committee on Oversight and Govern-
ment Reform, laid bare the sorry truth: the
V-22 seriously underperformed in Iraq;
it is unsuited for shipboard deployment;
and it is hideously expensive. So bad was
its performance, in fact, that Committee
chairman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) called
for a halt to its production, saying Its time
to put the Osprey out of its misery.
Despite a spiritedand sometimes
exasperateddefense by Marine Col.
Karsten S. Heckl, commander of Marine
Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (VMM-
162), one of three squadrons that flew
the MV-22 in Iraq, the hearings pretty
well demolished whatever credibility the
V-22 still had. Here are some points that
came to light.
In Iraq, the three MV-22 squadrons
averaged mission capable rates of 68, 57,
and 61 percent respectively, instead of
the objective of 87 percent, GAO found;
Iraq-based CH-46Es and CH-53s were
averaging 85 percent or better.
48 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Availability was not better fleet-wide.
Only 47 of the 105 Ospreys that the Marine
Corps has bought since 1988 are consid-
ered combat deployable, and only 22 of LHA- and LHD-class ships usable by CH-
these 47 were ready for combat on a given
day, according to information provided by
the Corps for the hearing.
Indeed, costs are exploding. The V-22s
research, development, test and evaluation
costs have tripled since 1988, from $4.2
to $12.7 billion, while the number to be
procured was halved, from nearly 1,000 to
less than 500. And a V-22 flying hour costs
$11,000, or 140 percent more than the CH-
46E it is intended to replace, the GAO says.
But did it perform well? Lt. Gen.
George J. Trautman, the Marine Corps
Deputy Commandant for Aviation, noted
with satisfaction during the hearing that
the three VMM squadrons that have
deployed to Iraq have flown over 9,800
hours while executing more than 6,000
sorties, carrying over 45,000 passengers
and lifting 2.2 million pounds of cargo.
But this works out to an average of 7.5
passengers and 366 lbs load per sortie,
which is pretty dismal performance for an
aircraft costing $93 million.
Operationally, the V-22 cannot fly
above 10,000 feet, and as it does not have
a weather radar and its ice protection sys-
tem is unreliable, it is currently prohibited
from flying through known or forecasted
icing conditions. A bit low for Afghanistan,
where it is due to deploy next.
And, although the Marine Corps will
be its largest user, the V-22 is not suitable
for shipboard deployment. Ships can carry
fewer V-22s than its predecessor aircraft
and is only cleared to take off and land from
four of the six operational deck spots of the
46s. Furthermore, rotor downwash is dan-
gerous and can blow people off the deck.
Finally, during testimony it emerged
that, to prevent the V-22s very hot exhaust
from damaging flight decks while the air-
craft idles more than one or two minutes,
sailors are forced to place protective metal
plates under the engine exhausts, and to
reposition them each time it moves.
Congressman Towns summed up
by saying the V-22 has problems in hot
weather, it has problems in cold weather,
it has problems with sand, it has problems
with high altitude and it has restricted
maneuverability weve gotten half the
aircraft for three times the cost.
Clearly, and except for very few, care-
fully selected missions, the V-22 is not up
to the job it was designed for. There are
too many things wrong with it to hope
it can be fixed. As it has already cost $29
billion, it would be very wasteful to cancel
the program, but what else to do? Pretend
its shortcomings and faults dont exist and
then express surprise and regrets when the
next crash kills all aboard? Or when one is
shot down as it lands in a combat zone?
Compared to the flood of money lav-
ished on the banking and mortgage systems,
the Ospreys $29 billion are just a rounding
error. Its time to admit the V-22 is a chal-
lenge that hasnt worked out, and move on
to other technologies that will provide fast,
efficient and affordable medium lift.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M AU G US T 2 0 0 9 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA ZI NE 49

 September 2009:
NVG Technology UpdateConfused about NVG terms
such as NVG-A, NVG-B and wondering what is the difference
and importance of having TSOd goggles vs. non-TSOd gog-
gles? R&W looks at the advances in NVG technology for both
military and commercial operators, and how it might impact
future operations.
Helitech PreviewThe now annual Helitech exhibition
continues to grow and rise in prominence as the pre-eminent
helicopter venue with opportunities for live flight demos. This
year the show returns to Duxford, just outside Cambridge,
England and we poll the exhibitors and organizers for a com-
prehensive preview of what you can expect to find at this
years event.
50 Roto r & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
First Flight: Bell 429R&W editor-at-large, Ernie Ste-
phens, takes his first flight in the long-awaited Bell 429 and
candidly reports what he finds. He then sits down with the
key Bell program managers for a full update on the status of
the aircraft and when we should expect to start seeing Bells
much-anticipated light twin hit the market and get to work.
Helicopter Training: NVG Training Special
ReportThis month we provide a round-up of the grow-
ing variety of training options now available for commercial
operators flying NVG aircraft, and the unique perspectives
and expertise each has to offer. If you are flying NVG or look-
ing at the possibility in the future, you dont want to miss this
Helicopter Training Special Report!
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
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O New and exciting emerging capabilities

Visit www.aviationtoday.com/podcasts to
hear this and other podcasts, covering:
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Avionics i
Rotorcraft
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Aviation Management i
Next-Gen
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Aviation Maintenance
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Aviation Automation and more 

advertiser index
Page# .... Advertiser ........................... Website or Phone Number
49 ...............Aero Dynamix................................................. www.aerodynamix.com
42 ...............Airborne Law Enforcement ...........................................www.alea.com
47 ...............Alpine Air Support..................................................... www.alpine.aero
56 ...............American Eurocopter ................................... www.eurocopterusa.com
13 ...............Artex............................................................. www.cobham.com/artex
19 ...............Aviall............................................................................www.aviall.com
21 ...............Becker Avionics ................................................... www.beckerusa.com
51 ...............Becker Helicopters..............................www.beckerhelicopters.com.au
2 .................Bell Helicopter................................................www.bellhelicopter.com
15 ...............Bell Helicopter Customer Service ...................www.bellhelicopter.com
50 ...............Bower Helicopter ..........www.bowerhelicopter.com or 512-345-1292
38 ...............Carl Zeiss Optronics ......................................www.zeiss.com/optronics
47 ...............Chopper Spotter .....................................................www.jbk.rotor.com
17 ...............Cobham Avionics......................................www.cobham.com/avionics
Page# ....Advertiser ........................Website or Phone Number
5 .................Edwards & Associates...................................www.edwards-assoc.com
49 ...............FEC Heilports .................................................... www.fecheliports.com
55 ...............FlightSafety....................................................... www.flightsafety.com
49 ...............HelicopterHelmet.com.............................www.helicopterhelmet.com
47 ...............Helivalue$ ........................................................... www.helivalues.com
9 .................Honeywell Defense ............................................ www.honeywell.com
47 ...............Keystone Helicopter ..............................www.keystonehelicopter.com
45 ...............Reed Exhibitions ...................................................www.reedexpo.com
37 ...............Schweizer ..................................................................www.sacusa.com
49 ...............Skybooks ...............................................................www.skybooks.com
49 ...............Sun-foil......................................................................www.sunfoil.com
47 ...............Switlik .......................................................................www.switlik.com
43 ...............Teledyne Battery .............................................. www.gillbatteries.com
6 .................Wulfsberg Electronics.......................................... www.wulfsberg.com

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M AU G US T 2 0 0 9 | R OTOR & W I N G MAGA ZI NE 51

 Public service | Police
By Frank Lombardi
Say Thank You to Your
Maintenance Staff
T
he next time youre doing your
preflight and marvel at the com-
plexity of your craft, think about
all of the parts that go unseen,
which must work harmoniously for hours
on end without fail. Lucky for you, your
maintenance staff is intimately acquainted
with all those parts. They have to be, if we
are to provide airborne law enforcement
day-in and day-out, and return safely to
earth without an afterthought.
Before they can put their tools to work
as a combined airframe and powerplant
mechanic, they must first acquire at least 30
months of collective practical field experi-
ence, or learn their job skills during at least
1,900 hours of training in one of about 170
schools certified by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA). Either way, after
completion they must then pass a written,
oral, and practical exam, much like a pilot
does, before finally earning their A&P
license. Each mechanic must then maintain
at least 1,000 hours of work experience
every 24 months, or take an approved
refresher course in order to keep their
license current. Although not required,
they can advance their certifications by
taking courses in avionics and radio equip-
ment as well.
Todays rotorcraft mechanics might be
more appropriately called maintenance
technicians since they must be proficient
in a multitude of areas. They must have
the insight of a cryptologist in order to
understand and interpret the many Federal
Aviation Regulations (FARs), Airworthi-
ness Directives (ADs), Technical Service
52 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Bulletins (TSBs), and numerous other
documents. They must be skilled with a
wrench in order to remove and replace
a faulty engine part one day, and equally
skilled with a multi-meter and soldering
iron in order to fix a scratchy radio the
next day. Modern avionics and mission
equipment of a police helicopter can be a
godsend to a pilot, but when they malfunc-
tion, they can create an electrical nightmare
for the maintenance staff. In todays digital
environment, mechanics must possess
near hacker-like skills to troubleshoot the
aircrafts many electronic signal processors.
They must be perfectionists to an exacting
degree when they tighten fasteners to cer-
tain torque values and measure tolerances
to hundredths or even thousandths of an
inch. Think of that whenever you let your
altitude fluctuate plus or minus 50 feet.
The next time youre on an extended
search thinking about how uncomfort-
able your cockpit seat is, remember all the
positions your maintenance techs contort
their bodies into, in order to remove or
replace parts, or even just to get a good
look at something during their daily aircraft
inspection. You will find them working
through the uncomfortable summer heat
for hours at a time on a ladder servicing
the rotor head, where Id swear its 10 to 15 have us fly the next aircraft into yet another
degrees hotter just a few feet up from the
hangar floor. Even in the bitter winter they
are dependably outside running engine leak
checks, again on ladders, this time under
the dangers of the spinning rotor. If their
job does not involve 24-hour shift-work,
you can bet someone is standing by on-call,
waiting for that phone call asking for help
with an unscheduled maintenance item.
Essentially, our helicopters defy gravity
by virtue of a fine balance of mathematical
equations. Each component works for a
very specific reason, and if a critical one
fails, the results can have obvious far-
reaching consequences. It was once said
(hopefully somewhat tongue-in-cheek)
Mechanics like pilots who fly their craft
so that components reach their full service
life As a pilot, you are neither feared nor
envied, but merely tolerated. Id be willing
to bet that whoever said that was specifical-
ly talking about police aviators, as it would
seem like we have an uncanny ability to
break things better than most. And if your
organization employs its own in-house
maintenance staff, then there probably
exists a special bond between those who fly
em and those who fix em. Once you share
meals and laughs with the people who help
ensure your safety, it is something you dont
ever want to part with.
Our maintenance crews spend their
days diligently inspecting and maintaining
the integrity of our aircraft. I admire their
resilience when they complete a required
inspection, then work on an unscheduled
item, and finally close their toolbox only to
inspection. They do this everyday, because,
after all, it is the nature of aviation. They
knowingly and routinely accept this level
of dedication and perfection required to
keep us flying and free from harm. I speak
for the entire flying community when I say
they do a fantastic job. Thanks guys.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS
HELICOPTER
HEROISM
AWA RD S
Presented by:

For 40 years, the Helicopter Heroism Award

has recognized the most dramatic displays of courage
and heroism involving helicopters. This years award
ceremony will honor the heroism exhibited throughout
the various rotorcraft communities with multiple Above
and Beyond the Call Awards to be presented to
deserving helicopter crews and individuals in addition
to the 41st annual Helicopter Heroism Award.

ii
August 1, 2009 is the nominations deadline

Go to www.SearchandRescueSummit.com for forms and information

Above and Beyond the Call Award nominations will be

considered in each of the following operational sectors:
ii
Public Service
ii
Military
ii
Commercial/Corporate/Private

Winners will be selected by a panel of prestigious individuals from within

the helicopter community and presented at the Helicopter Heroism
Awards Luncheon during the 2009 Search & Rescue Summit on
September 2-3 in Reston, VA.

*When submitting nominations, acts of heroism must have taken place between 1/1/0812/31/08.

ii www.SearchandRescueSummit.com ii 16160
 Military
By Steve Elroy Colby
Old School Fuel Planning
C
omputing available fuel for con-
tingency mission execution is an
art lost to the technology of mis-
sion computers. Sometimes hav-
ing a simple tool to pull from your mental
toolkit or from a page in your kneeboard
can be a godsend during time-critical mis-
sion tasking.
When tasked for a mission that includes
a search, its paramount to properly calculate
all the segments of the search and rescue
which consume fuel. Clearly, you must
calculate the time and fuel consumption for
the enroute portion of your mission. Based
upon mission criticality and/or available
onboard fuel, this may be flown at maxi-
mum continuous speed VH or maximum
range speed VM/R. A commonly omitted
allowance is for sighting checks. Deviations
from planned search patterns to confirm
or ignore a possible sighting often consume
5 percent of total fuel onboard during a
search. Remember to include fuel for the
survivor landing (or hoist) and recovery.
Some turbine aircraft burn substantial
amounts of fuel even at flat pitch while wait-
ing for the medics to package your patient.
Some aircraft cant be throttled back to idle
without bringing an APU online which then
consumes a large portion of the potential
idle RPM fuel savings. Knowing and using
your most fuel efficient idle mode is essen-
tial to saving fuel and maximizing support
time. Knowing your bingo fuel helps make
the idle versus shutdown decision. The
next enroute leg is to the hospital or recov-
ery area. Again speed is dependent upon
patient criticality, available fuel and distance.
54 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | Au g ust 2 0 0 9
Remember to calculate the distance from age. A good rule of thumb is to use recom-
the farthest point in the search area as Mur- mended cruise speed for preliminary route,
phy always seems to put you there when you parallel or creeping line searches, and max
need gas or find your survivor. Sometimes endurance VM/E speed for the concentrated
youll simply have to fly at VM/R to have suf- search portions. Establish a Joker fuel level
ficient fuel reserves to make it to the delivery that triggers a crew decision point for search
site. Delays at the hospital helipad are inevi- continuation or a refueling stop.
table. From the delivery point youll have to One obvious need with this manual
either get to a fueling site or home. Finally, method is a quick means to measure time,
civilian and military regulatory guidance distance and heading for the initial divert
provides the requirements for your VFR and for the various segments without using
or IFR fuel reserve. What results is a simple the navigation computer. Even the most
kneeboard spreadsheet format on which advanced flight management systems dont
you have all the consumables in the top box have the flexibility to quickly calculate seg-
in both pounds and hours and the available ment fuel without manually entering sev-
fuel on the bottom from which you subtract eral waypoints and running the fuel calcula-
the sum of the consumable segments. The tor. Keying in several lat/long takes a long
fuel remaining after these segments is that time and using a plotter and a whiz wheel
available for the search. The planner then is a bit of a pain. I carry in my flight bag,
has to determine at what speed hes going whats called a Declitractor. Ive made a local
to fly his search pattern to maximize cover- modification creating a flexible laminated
plastic plotter scale thats pinned in the cen-
Search & Divert Fuel Calculation Sheet
Fuel Required ter of it. This scale has distance and time (at
nominal VM/R speed) measurements with
a. Enroute # Hrs
1:500 sectional scale on one side and 1:250
b. Sighting Checks # Hrs
c. Recovery Ground/Hoist # Hrs
JOG on the other. You drop the device
d. Trip to Hospital # Hrs centered on your present position, align
e. Hospital Loiter # Hrs the declination grid (adjustable for agonic
f. RTB/Refuel site # Hrs line changes), pull the plotter scale to your
g. Reserve # Hrs destination to obtain time and distance, and
Total # Hrs read the plotter line against the compass for
proper magnetic heading. Quickly put these
Fuel Available
times into your fuel chart and compute the
Total in Tanks # Hrs
appropriate fuel consumption for each seg-
Minus Total Above # Hrs
ment based on required speed. The chart
Total Available # Hrs
for Search provides a quickly calculated loiter/search
Joker = Bingo + 20 min Joker # Hrs time for your mission, taking the guesswork
Bingo = Sum d. to g. Bingo # Hrs out of search and divert fuel planning.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
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