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EDITORS’
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EDITORS’ CHOICE
& YEAR IN REVIEW: 2010
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 Editor’s Notebook
By Joy Finnegan
Year in Review
T
he year is closing. Overall, 2010
was not such a bad year—it
could have been worse. The
helicopter industry saw some
milestones and continued to take
orders throughout the year, though not
at the pace some would like. The civil
helicopter market remains depressed
as a result of budget cuts and the reces-
sion. The military market remains solid
but the future is unclear. What impact
will the drawdown in Iraq and Afghani-
stan have on future helicopter orders?
Helicopter financing was a contin-
ued challenge this year. As we reported
in our February issue (“Helicopter
Financing Tight but Not Terminal”),
there is a credit crunch with banks
ratcheting up lending standards, high-
er interest rates and increased scrutiny
of borrowers. There is nothing wrong
with that but when honest, decent,
proven businesses cannot get the loans
they need to purchase helicopters,
then it is a problem. This problem per-
sists. But once the funds open up again,
there should be a pent-up demand that
needs to be filled. This probably won’t
be a rush like the glory days, which
were a bit unrealistic with speculators
buying delivery positions. But, there
are businesses that need additional
assets and are ready to buy, who are
simply waiting until the banks come to
understand, once again, how financ-
ing a helicopter can and will make
them money. Part of the problem lies
with the mergers of numerous banks
and the loss of helicopter-savvy loan
officers. With education, due diligence
and clean paperwork, hopefully, prog-
ress on financing will be made in the
coming year.
A continued focus on safety per-
vaded the industry with numerous
programs to reiterate the need for
caution, judgment and training to help
prevent accidents. NTSB Chairman
Deborah Hersman spoke to Rotor &
Wing early in the year (March 2010
4 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
jfinnegan@accessintel.com
issue) to discuss the NTSB’s advocacy
of “raising the bar.” Hersman stressed
that just meeting the minimums was
not enough and that OEMs and opera-
tors should stretch to improve safety,
including adding equipment, even if
it is not regulated. She also stressed
assuming personal responsibility, say-
ing, “We’ve seen a lot of voluntary
measures taking place absent FAA
requirements.”
The FAA did finally propose stricter
rules for helicopter operations in an
October notice of proposed rulemak-
ing, and is seeking comments to those
proposed rules. The NPRM proposes
changes for air ambulance operators, all
commercial helicopter operators and
all Part 135 aircraft (both helicopter
and fixed-wing). Among the proposed
rules for HEMS are the use of HTAWS,
employing lightweight aircraft record-
ing systems, mandating flights be con-
ducted under Part 135 and amend-
ing the VFR weather minimums and
IFR ops at airports/heliports without
weather reporting. The complete list of
proposed rules can be found at: www.
faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemak-
ing/recently_published. The comment
period is open through Jan. 10, 2011.
During Heli-Expo, OEMs touted
their successes. AgustaWestland CEO
Guiseppe Orsi unveiled the Grand-
New, an updated version of the Grand
with a new avionics package, etc. Bell
CEO John Garrison acknowledged the
company had a “challenging” year and
also called the 429 an “amazing helicop-
ter” and the first designed through the
Maintenance Steering Group 3 pro-
cess. Eurocopter President and CEO
Lutz Bertling highlighted the Bluecop-
ter program, which aims to lower noise
and reduce CO2 and NOx emissions.
Sikorsky President Jeffrey Pino said
Sikorsky Innovations was working with
the U.S. Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop
active rotor technology. MD Heli-
copters CEO Lynn Tilton introduced
the company’s new president, Robert
Molsbergen. Frank Robinson of Robin-
son Helicopters announced the pricing
for the new R66 was set at $770,000
with a $75,000 deposit, but cautioned
the price could go up soon.
Late in the summer, Robinson Heli-
copter announced that legend Frank
Robinson would retire and son Kurt
Robinson would assume leadership of
the company. The younger Robinson
assured devotees of the company that
“the rest of the company’s management
has been in place for two decades” and
that there wouldn’t be much in the way
of changes. “We’ve all been taught in
the ways of Frank, and we understand
this company and how it runs,” he said.
Also in the summer, Sikorsky’s
X2 reached 225 KTAS on its way to
250 KTAS. Just a few weeks later, on
September 15, the X2 unofficially set a
new world speed record for a helicop-
ter, achieving 250 KTAS during level
flight at the Sikorsky Development
Flight Center in West Palm Beach,
Fla. An impressive milestone. Now
we will see what product Sikorsky can
delivery based on this technology (See
Rotorcraft Report, page 12).
Kudos to Sikorsky for taking the
reins and pushing forward instead of
doing things the way they have always
been done. Which brings us to the gov-
ernment procurement process. This is
an issue that has been a challenge. Do
we need newer, more efficient ways
to get the military what they need as
quickly as possible? Commercial-off-
the-shelf (COTS) products such as the
UH-72A Lakota are meeting the needs
of the Army and saving the taxpayers
money. Don’t get me wrong. There
is a need for procurement security
and fairness. But when it comes at the
expense of the warfighters, the success
of their missions and innovation, then
we need to review “how we’ve always
done things.” Here’s to 2011!
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
 THIS MONTH FROM
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16 DEPARTMENTS
12 Rotorcraft Report
18 People
18 Coming Events
21 Hot Products
49 Classified Ads
52 Coming Up
53 Ad Index

COLUMNS
Above: Russian Helicopters Mi-171 simulator at CSTS Dinamika. 4 Editor’s Notebook
Bottom: Frank (center) and Kurt (right) Robinson with FAA
officials during the presentation of the R66 type and production 9 Feedback
certificates. Right: ASU offers various NVG training programs.
10 Meet the Contributors

FEATURES 48 Public Safety Notebook

50 Right Seat
54 Military Insider
22 ■ Year in Review: Looking Ahead On the Cover:
Rotor & Wing has complied a list of more than 600 news items,
features and product announcements from 2010 with the goal Graphic rendering of Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider.
of gaining reader feedback about the following question: What See story page12. Image courtesy of Sikorsky.
industry coverage would you like to see in the various online, print
and e-mail offerings from Rotor & Wing?

29 Editors’ Choice Product Guide

Rotor & Wing asked its editors and contributors to send in their
opinions about the most innovative and unique products in the
13
helicopter market. These are the editors’ choices in six distinct
categories. By Rotor & Wing staff

30 ■ Training
36 ■ Safety
40 ■ Panel Upgrades
42 ■ Maintenance Upgrades
42 ■ Facilities
46 ■ Pilot Equipment

6 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0

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December 2010

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 Feedback
Personal|Corporate Commercial Military
Counterpoint: Open Season
for Helicopter Competition
Shannon Bower’s commentary on Air
Force helicopter programs (see “USAF
Combat SAR,” November 2010, page
46) rightly concludes that there is no
“Easy Button” when it comes to solv-
ing the challenges plaguing defense
acquisition professionals in the Pen-
tagon. However, the premise of his
opinion piece completely undermines
his own point, as he outlines a justifi-
cation for doing just that: taking the
easy way out.
The author starts with a rather
scathing indictment of the acting
Undersecretary of the Air Force for
Acquisition, Mr. David Van Buren.
It is important to point out that Mr.
Van Buren inherited the CSAR-X pro-
gram, as well as the Common Verti-
cal Lift Support Platform (CVLSP)
requirement. It is unfair to so strongly
and broadly blame a single individual
for the woes of a system that has long
fought to balance the needs of the
warfighter with the obligation to bring
best value to the American taxpayer.
It is not easy work and Mr. Bower’s
assertion that a public servant is serv-
ing in such a thankless job for personal
gain does not hold water.
Each of us has a solemn obligation
to the men and women serving in our
armed forces, an obligation to equip
them with the right technology for
their missions, as quickly and afford-
ably as possible. The author’s prem-
ise that the best way to do that is to
avoid competition and sole source bil-
lions of dollars of helicopters for criti-
cal national security programs runs
contrary to our country’s economic
model and our Secretary of Defense’s
initiatives for this industry.
The need to replace the Air Force’s
legacy Hueys for CVLSP, as well as
its depleted and antiquated fleet of
combat search and rescue (CSAR)
helicopters, are well chronicled. Air
Do you have comments on the rotorcraft industry or recent articles and viewpoints we’ve published? Send them to: Editor, Rotor
& Wing, 4 Choke Cherry Road, Second Floor, Rockville, MD 20850, 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.
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
Public Service
Force officials went to great lengths
in 2002 and thereafter, justifying the
need for a new CSAR aircraft, with
great emphasis placed on the desire
for a modern helicopter more robust
and reliable than the legacy assets,
with significantly greater cabin vol-
ume. Eight years later, Mr. Bower does
not recognize the Air Force’s strong
case for the original CSAR-X program,
suggesting rather that they settle for
what they can get as conveniently as
possible.
In terms of CVLSP, the author
asserts that the H-60M “could eas-
ily fulfill” the requirements for the Air
Force Huey replacement program.
Mr. Bower is correct in the same way I
would be correct if I said an 18-wheel-
er “could easily fulfill” my requirement
to move a desk, chair and several
lamps into my home office. Sure, the
18-wheeler can do the job, but is it
what I really need?
Secretary Gates has rightly chal-
lenged Pentagon acquisition and
industry officials to search for and
produce the best solution, consider-
ing affordability, fair competition and
risk. The author suggests a solution
for the CVLSP program that does not
represent the benefit of competition
and may be excessive for the taxpayer
to bear, which is what you have when
you replace the aging Huey fleet with
the much bigger and more expensive
to acquire and operate H-60.
Participants of the U.S. industrial
base work to develop and compete the
best, most technologically advanced
solutions to equip our military. Case in
point, our Philadelphia-manufactured
AW139 was designed from incep-
tion as a modern Huey replacement—
offering the same footprint with 30
percent more volume and 50 per-
cent more payload. Furthermore, the
acquisition and operational costs of
the AW139 are significantly less than
a Black Hawk. I make these points
as a way to ask: what is wrong with
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E
Training Products Services
going through the process of having a
competition?
I trust that Pentagon acquisition
professionals will do the right thing
when presented data. Years of failed
defense acquisition programs do not
justify a case to discard competition
altogether in pursuit of the path-of-
least-resistance. Rather, I would argue
that we have an obligation to redouble
our efforts to correct the causes that
led to the ills of our current system.
While Mr. Bower’s commentary is
probably well meaning, the fact that
programs such as CSAR-X have failed
to get off the ground does not mean
that the Air Force should turn to a
“one size fits all” approach to procure-
ment. After all, competition is the
engine of ingenuity and the “checks
and balances” of excessive costs.
If, after a fair, transparent, merit-
based competition, the Air Force or
any other service forgoes competition,
when more economical and efficient
options are available in the market-
place, so be it. The impact of skipping
the critical steps of competition will
have serious long-term consequences
for both the warfighter, in terms of
having the best technology for the
mission, and the taxpayer, when it
comes to holding the line on costs.
I cannot accept the notion that we
would just throw up our hands and
give up; rather, I prefer the American
way: let’s compete and let the best
solution win.
R. Scott Rettig
Chief Executive Officer
AgustaWestland North America
9
 Meet the Contributors
CHRIS BAUR is a dual-rated ATP with
more than 11,000 flight hours, a certified
aircraft dispatcher and flight instructor. He is
a retired military pilot who served in the U.S.
Army, Coast Guard and Air Force (ANG).
Chris is currently president of Hughes Aerospace.
LEE BENSON is the retired senior pilot for
the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Before he was named senior pilot, Lee ran
the aviation section’s safety and training
programs, including organizing the section’s
yearly safety meeting with other public agencies and the press.
SHANNON BOWER is a 7,000-hour, dual
ATP with type ratings in Bell 206s, Gulf-
streams and Cessna Citations. He has oper-
ated on five continents and is a longtime
photographer and contributing writer for
Rotor & Wing. Shannon is the vice president
of Bower Helicopter Inc., a firm that helps people buy, sell and
refurbish helicopters.
KEITH CIANFRANI is a retired U.S. Army
lieutenant colonel, master aviator and Army
instructor pilot, he is rated in both fixed- and
rotary-wing. He holds a master’s in aerospace
safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Uni-
versity. Keith is a certificated flight instructor and has flown
commercial aircraft for more than 20 years in and around the
New York City area.
STEVE “ELROY” COLBY, Lt. Col., U.S. Air
Force (Ret.) began his helicopter career in
1979 as a USAF helicopter mechanic. As a
USAF pilot 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.
ANDREW DRWIEGA, Military Editor, is a
senior defense journalist with a particular
focus on military rotorcraft. He was the
editor of Defence Helicopter for seven years.
Andrew has reported on attachment from
Iraq three times (the latest with a USMC MV-22 squadron),
and twice with British forces in Afghanistan (Kandahar and
Camp Bastion), as well as from NATO and British exercises.
THIERRY DUBOIS is a long-time contribu-
tor to Access Intelligence publications. He
has been an aerospace journalist for 12 years,
specializing in helicopters since 2006. He
writes on technical subjects, both for profes-
sional media and a popular science magazine in France,.
10 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
FRANK LOMBARDI began his flying career
in 1991 when he graduated with a bachelor’s
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 department’s avia-
tion section since 2000. He is a commercial pilot with both
fixed-wing and rotary-wing ratings.
DOUGLAS NELMS has more than 30 years
of experience as an aviation journalist and
currently works as a freelance writer. He has
served as managing editor of Rotor & Wing.
A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot, Nelms
specializes in writing about helicopters.
MIKE REDMON is an ATP rated pilot with
CFI, CFII, and MEI privileges. He began fly-
ing helicopters for the U.S. Army and then
moved to civilian fixed-wing flying. After six
enjoyable years in helicopter EMS, he is back
to flying airplanes. Helicopters he has flown
are the UH-1, OH-58, AH-64, BK-117, A-109E, BH-430, and
BO-105.
ERNIE STEPHENS, Editor-at-Large, began
flying in the 1980s, earning his commercial
pilot’s license and starting an aerial photogra-
phy company as a sideline. In his regular job
as a county police officer, he was transferred
to the department’s new aviation unit, where
he served as the sergeant in charge and chief pilot until his
retirement in 2006. In addition to Rotor & Wing, Ernie (aka
“Werewolf”) has written for Aviation Maintenance.
TERRY TERRELL gained his early avia-
tion experience as a U.S. Navy fixed-wing
instructor and U.S. Coast Guard aircraft
commander, where his service included
SAR in Sikorsky S-61s. Terry served as a
cross-qualified captain and safety special
projects officer with Houston’s Transco Energy, and later with
Atlanta’s Kennestone AVSTAT Helicopter Ambulance Pro-
gram and Georgia Baptist LifeFlight.
TODD VORENKAMP currently flies Euro-
copter HH-65C helicopters for the U. S.
Coast Guard at Air Station Humboldt Bay,
Calif. He served 11 years in the U.S. Navy
flying the Boeing CH-46, Sikorsky SH-3 and
MH-60S helicopters. He is the former editor-
in-chief of Rotor Review, the Naval Helicopter Association’s
quarterly publication, and is a trustee of the association.
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
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■ MILITARY | AIRFRAMES

Sikorsky to Build Two Prototypes Based on X2 Technology

Sikorsky Aircraft has uncovered plans to build two prototype light tactical
helicopters (LTHs) based on the X2 Technology demonstrator that unofficially
claimed the helicopter world speed record in September, reaching 250 knots
(288 mph) at the company’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Joy Finnegan

President Jeffrey Pino said that having proven the X2 design as a company, “we have
full confidence we can now mature the technology for the U.S. Army’s light armed
reconnaissance helicopter size.” Self-funding the design of a new LTH, the Sikorsky
S-97, and manufacturing two Raider prototypes, he continued, “will help military
aviation evaluate the viability of a fast and maneuverable next-generation rotorcraft
for a variety of combat missions.”
Sikorsky submitted an X2 aircraft design to the Army’s Armed Aerial Scout
(AAS) program in March 2010, responding to a request for information. Similar
Sikorsky President Jeff Pino unveils to the X2 demonstrator that topped the speed record, the S-97 Raider prototypes
the S-97 Raider in late October. will feature twin coaxial counter-rotating main rotors and a pusher propeller. Pino
said that as a company, Sikorsky watched over the years as four major helicopter
programs under development in the Department of Defense disappeared: the armed reconnaissance helicopter that Bell had
won; the presidential helicopter that Lockheed Martin had won; an emerging requirement for the CH-47 possibly to go to
the Air Force; and the CH-53K Marine heavy lift, which Sikorsky won. “And for whatever reason, budgets, lack of execution,
three of those programs are gone. ARH was gone. VH was gone. CSAR cancelled. Only one is left and we’ve got it—thank
God—CH-53K. It sent a bigger message to us at Sikorsky,” said Pino. “It said that at this point in the life cycle, it appears that
our biggest customer is unwilling to invest major dollars in future technology. That’s the real message it sent us.” Therefore,
the company decided to move forward on its own. “We understand that the government is moving forward with an industry
coalition to develop these kinds of ideas and we will continue to participate in that coalition,” he said. “But clearly, we want to
go a little faster than we would assume any coalition would go.”
Pino said that Sikorsky will build two S-97 Raiders “mostly on our own company funding. We have not asked nor received
one dime from the Federal government in any way, shape or form. And we like that at this stage.” Although Pino did note later
that Sikorsky would be looking to its partners to take on 25 to 30 percent of the funding. For the armed reconnaissance mission,
the S-97 Raider will have space aft of the two-pilot cockpit for armament and auxiliary fuel. In an assault configuration, the
cabin affords space to accommodate up to six fully loaded 320-pound troops.
In addition to flying at nearly twice the speed of a conventional helicopter, the Raider prototype will incorporate other key
performance parameters critical to combat operations—increased maneuverability, greater endurance, and the ability to oper-
ate at high altitudes. According to Sikorsky, the prototypes will feature reduced turning radius and acoustic noise signature,
while significantly increasing payload, flight endurance and hot and high hover capability compared to other light military
helicopters.
The 9,000-pound basic aircraft, which will be able to lift 10,500 pounds, will be 33 feet long and carry two crew members
side-by-side. The flight controls will be fly-by-wire. “[It will have] about a 2.7-hour endurance right on top of current capability,
but the idea is if you are not going to carry these troops, we will build this aircraft to carry additional fuel and/or a second load
of ammunition so that the mission flexibility is increased to the point where if it were all fuel, we think we could put five or six
hours on a station,” said Pino. Sikorsky will conduct the S-97 Raider development program according to military standards.
The company expects the first major milestone in the program,—a preliminary design review—in 2011. First flight, projected
in four years, could depend in part on the pace of development and customer need. “We have a team that’s assembled under
Sikorsky Innovations who are fully charged to build,
design and fly within 50 months,” said Pino. For daily and breaking news involving helicopters, go to:
www.aviationtoday/rw
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■ PRODUCTS | AIRFRAMES
Robinson R66
Gains FAA Certs
FAA presented the type and
production certificates for the R66
to Robinson Helicopter during
a ceremony in late October. The
approvals allow the Torrance, Calif.-
based company to begin deliveries
of the Rolls-Royce RR300-powered
R66. Development of the five-place
helicopter traces back to 2001, but
really started taking shape in 2005
with the selection of the RR300.
■ PUBLIC SERVICE | POLICE
MD State Police
Buy Six AW139s
Maryland State Police’s Aviation
Command has placed an order
for six AgustaWestland AW139s.
Valued at around $71 million,
the agreement calls for delivery
in early 2012—18 months after
contract award. The AW139s will
join MSP Aviation Command’s
Medevac fleet program. Plans call
for AgustaWestland to build the
AW139s at its Northeast Philadelphia
airport (PNE) manufacturing plant
in Pennsylvania.
■ COMMERCIAL | AIRFRAMES
Metro Inks 12-
Eurocopter Deal
American Eurocopter has reached
an agreement to supply a dozen
helicopters to Shreveport, La.-based
Metro Aviation. The MoU covers a
mix of types—EC130s, EC135s and
EC145s. The fleet additions will help
expand Metro’s Aircraft Operations
division. Metro currently operates 71
aircraft, 61 of which are Eurocopter
variants. Separately, Metro will
install an EMS interior on an
EC145 for Sentara Norfolk General
Hospital’s Nightingale Regional Air
Ambulance. Completions will take
place in Shreveport, with delivery
projected in March 2011.
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Rotorcraft Report
■ PRODUCTS | DRIVE SYSTEMS
Bell to Develop Future Drive Systems
Under a $30-million agreement, U.S. Army Aviation’s Applied Technology Directorate
is teaming with Bell Helicopter to develop drive system technology as part of the
Future Advanced Rotorcraft Drive System (FARDS) program. The five-year contract
calls for Bell’s Xworx division to work with the directorate on more than 18 drive
system advancements, including demonstrations of the main rotor gearbox and tail
rotor drive shaft.
■ MILITARY | UNMANNED
K-MAX Presented for Navy Cargo Role
Lockheed Martin and Bloomfield, Conn.-based Kaman Aerospace have formally
proposed the K-MAX in response to a U.S. Naval Air Systems request for an
unmanned cargo helicopter. In April 2010 flight trials, the companies displayed the
helicopter’s ability to hover at 12,000 feet with a 1,500-lb sling load and drop 3,000 lbs
of cargo, among other performance requirements under the Navy program.
U.S. Army Photo/Spc. Sean Harriman
A U.S. Army Boeing CH-47
Chinook lifts off with a German
Army bulldozer at Camp Marmal
in Afghanistan. The 4th Combat
Aviation Brigade’s 4th Infantry
Division moved the bulldozer to an
outlying base on Nov. 3.
■ PUBLIC SERVICE | EMS
Russian Ka-32s Going to EMERCOM
Russian Helicopters has received an order from EMERCOM for five Ka-32A11BCs.
The helicopters, designed by
Kamov, will be configured for
the medevac role, while also
being equipped for firefighting
missions. The agreement
follows a joint program
established in November 2009
between Russian Helicopters
and EMERCOM’s Aviation
Department.
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 Rotorcraft Report

■ MILITARY | NIGHT VISION

Elbit Wins Cobra NTSU Deal

Elbit Systems of America has secured a $45.5-million IDIQ contract from the Naval Surface
Warfare Center’s Crane division for a night targeting system upgrade (NTSU) for the
AH-1W Cobra. Work will occur in Merrimack, N.H. under the five-year agreement.

■ COMMERCIAL | UTILITY

Erickson S-64F
Enters Service
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
■ COMMERCIAL | ENG
has incorporated an Erickson S-64
Japanese Newspaper Receives GrandNew helitanker into its operations. The
helicopter will be used to install more
than 50 percent of the transmission
lines for Sunrise Powerlink, a 120-mile
power project in California. Featuring a
2,500-gallon water tank, the “Sun Bird”
will also fight wildfires with the San
Diego Fire-Rescue Department during
fire season.

■ SERVICES | SATCOM

SkyNode to Serve
CH-146 Fleet
AgustaWestland

Latitude Technologies Corp. has

agreed to provide up to 95 SkyNode
S200 satcom systems for the Canadian
Department of National Defence’s fleet
AgustaWestland and Kaigai Aviotech Corp. have handed over a GrandNew to the of Bell CH-146 Griffons. The contract
Asahi Shumbun, a newspaper in Japan. The helicopter will be used for electronic also includes Latitude’s Sentinel
newsgathering and aerial photography. Equipped with a gyro-stabilized camera software management system, which
under the tail boom, it is the first GrandNew ordered from Japan, and will be the will work with the SkyNode equipment
first in the ENG industry when in enters service in early 2011. to supply secure data communication
system for the Canadian forces.

■ PUBLIC SERVICE | EMS

Eurocopter Delivers EMS Helicopters

American Eurocopter has equipped various EMS units with new airborne
tools in recent weeks. The manufacturer has delivered an AS350B2 (shown
here) to the Suffolk County Police Department’s Aviation Section in Long
Island, N.Y. It joins a fleet of two AS350B2s and an EC145.
EastCare, which provides air medical in eastern North Carolina, recently
incorporated two EC145s and one EC135P2+ into its fleet. Air Methods sup-
plies pilots and mechanics for the University Health Systems service helicop-
ters, which replace a fleet of three BK117s.
Eurocopter has also received an order for one EC145 from the University
Eurocopter

of Mississippi Medical Center. PHI Helicopters will operate the EC145 under
the hospital’s Department of Helicopter Transport AirCare program, based
in Jackson, Miss.

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 Rotorcraft Report

TOGET in a partnership based on constant improvements

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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 15
 Rotorcraft Report
■ PUBLIC SERVICE | POLICE
Chiefs Award Kern County Police Unit
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has given its Excellence in
Police Aviation Unit
Skip Robinson Photo
award to the Kern
Cou nty Sher i f f ’s
Office Air Support
Unit in California.
The IACP and Bell
Helicopter award
recognizes achieve-
ments of aerial law
enforcement units.
Kern Sheriff ’s has
totaled more than
50,000 hou rs of
accident-free flying
since operational
launch in 1975.
■ TRAINING | SIMULATORS
Russian Helicopters Inks Training Pact
Russia’s Center for Scientific and Technical Services (CSTS) Dinamika is partnering
with Russian Helicopters to develop and produce technical training units (TTUs)
for helicopter pilots and maintenance personnel. The cooperation agreement also
involves marketing the TTUs. According to Russian Helicopters CEO Dmitry
Petrov, the teaming represents a “strategic transition” within the company, “from
selling just the helicopter as a separate product to selling its entire lifecycle,
including servicing and modern means for the preparation and training of flight
personnel.” CSTS Dinamika makes simulators for a variety of Mil helicopter types,
including the Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-171 and Mi-35.
■ MILITARY | AFGHANISTAN
CH-47s Aide in Election Ballot Transport
Members of the International
U.S. Army Photo/Spc. Jeanita C. Pisachubbe
Election Committee and
Afghanistan National
Police loaded ballot boxes
onto a U.S. Army Boeing
CH-47 Chinook in Kunduz
Province in September. Task
Force Mustang, 4th Combat
Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry
Division, was responsible for
picking up and transferring the
ballots from the Afghanistan
parliamentary elections, which
were held on Sept. 18.
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■ MILITARY | AIRFRAMES
S-61Ts to Combat
Afghan Drugs
Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS)
has received an order from the U.S.
State Department for another pair of
modified S-61s. The utility helicopters
will be used for drug interdiction
efforts in Afghanistan. Sikorsky signed
an IDIQ contract with the State
Department in early 2010 covering up
to 110 S-61s, ordering 17 total through
early November.
■ SERVICES | ACCESSORIES
Aeronautical
Accessories Gains
Bell 429 STC
FAA has issued a supplemental type
certificate (STC) to Piney Flats, Tenn.-
based Aeronautical Accessories
for modifications on the Bell 429.
Included are automatic door openers
and protector kits for the crew floor,
passenger floor and fuel filler area. The
Bell affiliate has also obtained recent
European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) certification for a number of
packages, including high visibility crew
doors, skylight and tail boom antenna
for the Bell 407; low-skid crosstubes
for the Bell 412/412EP; and passenger
restraint system for the 206A/B.
■ MILITARY | ATTACK
EADS AAS-72X
Takes to Skies
First flight of the EADS North America
Armed Aerial Scout 72X technical
demonstration aircraft (TDA) is
set to take place in December. The
company is preparing to fly the first
of three demonstrators. The program
will evaluate the helicopter’s mission
equipment package (MEP).
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 Rotorcraft Report

■ TRAINING | MILITARY

Macedonia Fields
Combat Helos
For the first time in its 18-year independent
history, the Republic of Macedonia has
deployed combat helicopters out of its
borders for participation at the “Logical
Decision 2010” multinational military
exercise in Hungary. The deployment of
Macedonian Air Force helicopters started
Oct. 3 when two Mi-24V Hind-E and
one Mi-17 Hip-H with 35 personnel left
Petrovec AFB on their way to Papa AFB
in Hungary where Logical Decision 2010
took place from October 4-15.
Apart from Macedonia, NATO mem-
bers Hungary and Belgium also deployed
aircraft at the event, while France, Poland,
Austria and the UK were acting as observ-
ers. Macedonian Air Force participated
with three Elbit Systems-upgraded heli-
copters: a pair of FLIR-equipped Mi-24Vs
of the Combat Helicopter Squadron and
a single Mi-17 of the Transport Helicop-
ter Squadron. The Hungarian Air Force
sent two NVG-equipped Mi-17Ns and
one Mi-8T. Those Mi-17Ns received
upgrades with NATO-compatible avion-
ics and equipment in Russia during 2008.
Szolnok Helicopter Base also took part
in the exercise with few Mi-24D/V-1/P
gunships, though only in daylight condi-
tions as Hungarian Hind fleet is short of Critical Moments.
Ultimate Control.
night-vision capabilities.
The Belgian detachment was made
up of five Agusta A109Bas (three in anti-
tank and two in transport setup) and
accompanying personnel of the Belgian Discover the Benefits of Enhanced GPS
Armed Forces’ Helicopter Wing of the for Offshore and SAR Operations
Air Component. The first day of the event
unexpectedly ended with real mede- • All-weather Precision Landing (LPV)
vac mission for Hungarian detachment • High Performance Hover-Hold
that was called to perform night-time • Worldwide Primary Means Navigation
evacuation of civilians from a toxic sludge
catastrophe that happened at the Ajkai
Timfoldgyar aluminum plant, which is
Proud Supplier of Avionics Solutions
located in a town 160 kilometers south- For More Than 25 Helo Types
west of Budapest. It’s worth noting that in
performing this urgent and demanding
medevac mission, the Hungarian crews
used night vision goggles and managed
to evacuate 17 civilians from Kolontar to
MONTREAL • OTTAWA • CHICAGO www.cmcelectronics.ca
Budaors.— By Igor Bozinovski

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 Rotorcraft Report

PEOPLE
Fort Worth, Texas-based Rotorcraft
Services Group (RSG) has promoted
Gar y Potochnik , DAR, to vice
president of quality and certification.
A certified holder of DAR maintenance
and manufacturing ratings, Potochnik
previously managed one of RSG’s
subsidiaries. The company has
also hired Arturo Saldana as vice
president of sales. Saldana will serve
the role for all the group’s divisions,
including RSG Aviation, RSG Products
and RSG AeroDesign.
PremiAir group operations director
Christopher Forrest is the recipient
of the British Helicopter Association’s
Eric Brown award, which recognizes
contributions to the UK’s helicopter
industry. Forrest manages PremiAir’s
rotorcraft and fixed-wing certificates,
its type rating training organization and
the London Heliport facility.
Phoenix-based Honeywell Aero-
space has promoted Mike Madsen to
president of its Defense & Space busi-
ness unit. A 20-year
employee of Hon-
e y w el l , M a d s e n
previously served
as vice president of
the company’s Air-
lines Customer Business group within
the Air Transport & Regional (AT&R)
unit.
Dr. Kevin Hutton, founder of
San Diego-based Golden Hour Data
Systems, has been elected to a fifth
one-year term as president of MedEvac
Foundation International. Other new
board members include Shock Trauma
Air Rescue Society’s Linda Powell
as vice president, treasurer Johnny
Delgado of AtlantiCare EMS and
secretary Russell MacDonald from
Ornge.
Bell Helicopter has selected four
teams as winners of its 2010 Lawrence
D. Bell Pioneer award. A total of 14
employees took first in four catego-
ries—productivity, service, innovation
and growth. For productivity, the win-
ners are Anthony Bergerson, Daniel
Burns, John Rogus, Paul Russell
and Robert Chris. Eric Nottorf,
Denver Whitworth and Vance
Cribb took top honors for service, and
Royce Moore, Richard Pae, Monte
Smith and Stephen Stalnaker for
innovation. The award for growth went
to William Fulton and Jonathan
Silvester.
EMS provider Med-Trans Corp.
has appointed Rob Hamilton vice
president of business development. He
will be based at the company’s head-
quarters in Lewisville, Texas. Hamilton
previously worked for Air Methods.
Show Low, Ariz.-based Aero Prod-
ucts Components Services has hired
Rick Lewis as an outside sales consul-
tant. A Six Sigma certified Green Belt,
Lewis comes from Aeronautical Acces-
sories, where he was vice president. He
has also worked for AAI sister company
Edwards & Associates.

Feb. 23–25: Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Winter
Symposium, Washington, D.C. Contact AUSA, phone
1-703-841-4300, toll free 1-800-336-4570 or visit www.ausa.org
March 5–8: Heli-Expo 2011, Orlando, Fla. Contact HAI, phone
1-703-683-4646 or visit www.heli-expo.com
March 16–18: Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS)
Spring Conference, Washington, DC. Contact AAMS, phone
1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org
coming events
May 17–19: European Business Aviation Association and
NBAA’s EBACE 2010, Geneva, Switzerland. Contact EBAA,
phone +32 2 766 0073 or visit www.ebaa.org
May 19–21: Intl Helicopter Industry Exhibition (HeliRussia
2011), Moscow, Russia. Contact HeliRussia, +7 495 958 9490 or
visit www.helirussia.ru
May 24–27: AirMed World Congress 2011, Brighton,
UK. Contact AirMed at +44 (0) 162 283 3448 or visit www.

March 22–25: Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Annual
Convention & Trade Show, Reno, Nev. Contact AEA, phone
1-816-347-8400 or visit www.aea.net
April 17–20: Quad-A Annual Convention, Nashville, Tenn.
Contact Quad-A, 1-203-268-2450 or visit www.quad-a.org
April 19–21: 56th Annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar
(CASS), San Diego, Calif. Contact Flight Safety Foundation,
phone 1-703-739-6700 or visit www.flightsafety.org
May 1–6: Medical Transport Leadership Institute, Wheeling,
W.V. Contact AAMS, 1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org
May 2–5: 2011 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston,
Texas. Contact OTC, 1-972-952-9494 or visit www.otcnet.org
May 3–5: American Helicopter Society Intl 67th Annual
Forum and Technology Display, Virginia Beach, Va. Contact
AHS Intl, phone 1-703-684-6777 or visit www.vtol.org
airmed2011.com
June 20–26: 49th Annual Intl Paris Air Show, Le Bourget,
France. Contact Paris Air Show, phone +33(0)15 323 3333 or visit
www.paris-air-show.com
July 20–23: Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA)
Annual Conference, New Orleans, La. Contact ALEA, phone
1-301-631-2406 or visit www.alea.org
Aug. 17–19: 8th Australian Pacific Vertiflite Conference on
Helicopter Technology, Gladstone, Australia. Contact AHS Intl,
phone 1-703-684-6777 or visit www.vtol.org
Sept. 27–29: Helitech Duxford 2011, Duxford, UK. Contact
Reed Exhibitions, phone +44 (0) 208 439 8886 or visit www.
helitechevents.com
Oct. 10–12: Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual
Meeting, Washington, D.C. AUSA, phone 1-703-841-4300, toll
free 1-800-336-4570 or visit www.ausa.org

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■ MILITARY | AIRFRAMES ■ SERVICES | MAINTENANCE

Bell OH-58F to Kaman Expands with Mexico Facility

Feature CASUP Kaman Aerostructures inaugurated its new manufacturing facility in Chihuahua,
U.S. Army Aviation has awarded a Mexico during a ceremony on November 10. The complex—which will initially
new designation to the Bell OH-58— build extrusions, sheet metal details and components—is expected to eventually
the F model Kiowa Warrior. The employ as many as 500 people. A division of Bloomfield, Conn.-based Kaman
OH-58F will feature a cockpit and Aerospace, Kaman Aerostructures plans to invest up to $10 million in the
sensor upgrade program (CASUP) Chihuahua site.
with several enhancements, including
three new multifunction displays,
upgraded cockpit control hardware
and software, nose-mounted sensor,
aircraft survivability equipment
(ASE) and redesigned aircraft wiring
harness.

■ PUBLIC SERVICE | POLICE

Wichita PD Air
Section Turns 40
Mesa, Ariz.-based MD Helicopters is
helping promote the 40th anniversary
of the Wichita PD’s Air Section, which
flies an MD500E. The unit has tallied
more than 50,000 hours of service
since 1970, currently averaging up
to 1,000 flight hours per year. Full-
time staff includes Lt. Paul Shields,
supervisor and pilot, pilot Peter
Dolieslager, TFO Bradley Carver and
David Frye, director of maintenance.
Wichita PD originally flew a Hughes/
Schweizer Model 300C before
moving to the MD500E in 2003.

■ MILITARY | AIRFRAMES

CH-53K Begins
Systems Checks
Aircraft systems testing on the
CH-53K has started at Sikorsky’s
new systems integration lab (SIL),
a 10,000-square-foot facility at the
manufacturer’s headquarters in
Stratford, Conn. The heavy-lift
aircraft is a replacement for the U.S.
Marine Corps CH-53E. The complex
includes five labs dedicated to various
systems—avionics, electrical power,
engine control systems, electronic
flight controls and hydraulic flight
controls.

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 Rotorcraft Report

■ SERVICES | MANAGEMENT ■ PRODUCTS | ENGINES

SAF-Heliportugal Rebrands as UHS Turbomeca:

United Helicopter Services (UHS) group
Progress Hinges

Thierry Dubois Photo

made its first appearance under its new
name at Helitech 2010, where founding on Simulation
companies Heliportugal and SAF For future helicopter turbine
announced further expansion. A major engines, Turbomeca is working on
growth target is Brazil and its offshore compressors with increased overall
Left to right, United Helicopter Services’ executives market—a local operator, Helibarra, is now pressure ratio based on centrifugal
Moacyr Cavichiolo Filho, Helibarra’s head of
part of UHS. A recent addition has also c o m p re s s o r s w i t h v a r i a b l e
maintenance, José Carlos Coelho, Heliportugal’s
CEO, Christophe Rosset, SAF Hélicoptères’ chairman, been Santay Air in Turkey. “We wanted geometries. Increasing the overall
Raimundo Nonato M. Filho, Helibarra’s Director to have a global image and yet retain local pressure ratio helps cut specific
president and Pedro Silveira, UHS’ president. names,” said SAF chairman Christophe fuel consumption (SFC). In turn,
Rosset. Therefore, companies will be designated, for instance: “SAF, member of UHS.” centrifugal compressors allow high
The group operates a total 63 aircraft, including 59 helicopters and four business jets pressure ratio without impacting
and turboprops. Employing 300 people, UHS flies an annual 30,000 hours in missions weight or compactness. Variable
ranging from firefighting to EMS, executive charter, aerial filming, construction, geometries should help maintain a
geophysical exploration and offshore transport. “We took a minority stake [due to flat SFC curve.
Brazil’s rules on company ownership] in Helibarra in June,” UHS president Pedro In a presentation made at the
Silveira said. Helibarra has so far specialized in private helicopter management—it European Rotorcraft Forum 2010
currently has contracts for 16. However, as director Raimundo Nonato explained, in Paris, Turbomeca research chief
the company already has experience in offshore transport, since some owners engineer Eric Seinturier insisted
charter their aircraft out for such operations. Since 2008, Helibarra has flown about recent progress in simulation is
1,000 offshore hours with EC135 and EC155 types. In the near future, UHS may enabling such advancements. This is
purchase more helicopters. According to Rosset, medium twins, like Eurocopter’s all the more important as, when the
Dauphin family and AgustaWestland’s AW139, may be the first category to be pressure ratio increases, compressor
addressed. “There is a potential to use Kamov Ka-32s in Brazil for electric power lines efficiency becomes more sensitive
construction”, Rosset added. —By Thierry Dubois For all of Thierry Dubois’ to “local effects” such as leakages,
coverage from Helitech, visit www.rotorandwing.com surface quality defects, blade tip
gaps, etc. Moreover, operability
■ PERSONAL | AIRFRAMES becomes an issue, with a greater risk
of surge. Unsteady behavior can
Serolor to Offer Kit-Built Light Helo cause high-cycle fatigue. Hence the
France-based Serolor has started building a prototype of need for solid compressor aerody-
Serolor, which so far has specialized in a two-seater for the kit-built market. The small company, namic simulation. A typical com-
precision parts for the automotive sector, the main business of which is in automotive precision pressor steady simulation takes 10
claims to have the right skills to design a
parts, wants to diversify and was promoting its concept hours to process. For unsteady simu-
helicopter.
at Helitech 2010. The HAD 1-T helicopter features lation, this order of magnitude is ten
a three-blade main rotor, a turboshaft and an mtow times higher. Seinturier hinted that
close to 1,500 pounds. Serolor officials insist on this alternative numerical approaches
last peculiarity—the aircraft is not an ultralight. The are under development.
prototype is at the assembly stage in Fameck. First flight is expected by year-end. What’s at stake in turbines is
“We have the right skills to design and manufacture complex components such predicting temperature. Increasing
as the main gearbox,” said Patrick Kuban, one of the project executives. In the mid turbine inlet temperature allows
term, Serolor will probably create a dedicated subsidiary, Heli Air Design, for the to reduce the air flow needed for a
HAD 1-T. Designers estimate that the HAD 1-T’s operating costs should be below given power. Therefore, the size of
EUR300 ($420). This compares favorably to a minimum EUR350 ($490) with a the compressor is minimized. Sein-
conventional two-seater, according to Kuban. A turboshaft is easier to maintain turier pointed out that temperature
than a piston engine, he emphasized. The turbine may well be the main challenge simulation should be very precise,
in the project. The Solar T62 T-32 is no longer in production. It is an APU, still in since a 20-degree Celsius error on a
service on some military helicopters. Serolor is thus looking for second-hand APUs component’s temperature can cut its
to use as engines. —By Thierry Dubois life in half. —By Thierry Dubois

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 For the
month of
December

EuroAvionics Integrates JeppView

Moving map and situational awareness system specialist EuroAvion-
ics has released a new software module for the popular EuroNav V
system. The “JeppView” module can be installed as an upgrade and
allows users to consult and overlay Jeppesen charts. The VFR and
IFR charts are geo-referenced so the respective procedures are repre-
sented correctly in relation to the other maps, terrain and (sensor) data
visualized by the EuroNav V system. The JeppView data and updates
can be downloaded directly from the Jeppesen website and installed
on the EuroAvionics computer using a standard USB key or PCMCIA
card. With the JeppView module shown at right, EuroAvionics raises
situational awareness again to another level. Besides the map data, the
terrain and obstacle information, the TCAS and/or ADS-B overlays, the Flight Plan inputs … now also procedural information
is available at the push of a button. Right when and where the pilot needs it. Contact EuroAvionics, phone +49 (0)72 31 58 6780
or visit www.euroavionics.com

Universal Synaptics Ofers IFD

Conventional test equipment is effective in troubleshooting
hard failures but is severely limited when applied to testing for
intermittent problems. The intermittent failing event rarely
synchronizes with the measurement window during test time.
This testing blind spot is a leading contributor to the extensive
No Fault Found (NFF) problem in avionics. Universal Syn-
aptics’ Intermittent Fault Detectors (IFD) circuit analyzers
were specifically designed to overcome these limitations. The
neural-analog IFD tests all lines in a simultaneous and continuous manner. The result is that the IFD cannot miss intermittent
events. Universal Synaptics’ sensitive analog technology detects low amplitude, high-speed (nanosecond) impedance changes.
The neural architecture of the IFD monitors all of the potential failure points at the same time and in parallel, the number
of circuits or channels that can be tested simultaneously is virtually unlimited and are installed in 256-channel, test module
increments. The IFD’s digital processing provides fast, precise data handling and failure location graphics to facilitate the rapid
isolation of the failure source, which will translate to a significant savings of time, manpower and resources. It is currently in
use with the U.S. Air Force. Contact Universal Synaptics at 1-801-731-8508 or visit www.usynaptics.com

Mid-Continent Launches True Blue

Wichita, Kan.-based Mid-Continent Instruments is offering a new line of
power supply products for general aviation operators, including helicopters.
The True Blue Power series includes aircraft inverters and emergency bat-
teries, all housed in a uniform blue casing. Among the specific products
announced during the recent NBAA Convention are the MD50 500VA
static inverter (shown here), MD26 DC-AC converter and MD835 emergency
power supply. Contact Mid-Continent Instruments, phone 1-316-630-0101
or visit www.mcico.com

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 21

YEAR IN REVIEW

Looking AheAd
What would you like to see from Rotor & Wing?

I
n an effort to provide a snapshot of the hundreds of stories in the helicopter industry that we cover each year, Rotor & Wing
has assembled a list of more than 600 items published from January to early November 2010. These news stories, features and
product announcements ran in the pages of the print magazine, as well as our daily Top Stories at rotorandwing.com, and in
some of our more prominent monthly e-letters and special publications like Heli-Expo Show Day. But the list does not cover
the entire spectrum of Rotor & Wing’s various print, web and e-mail offerings—it is just a sampling of our coverage, as there are many
additional stories available online and through our other distribution channels. While we are fully aware of the potential pitfalls of run-
ning a list like this, in that it clearly points out specific companies who we might not have covered as well as others, that is part of the
reason we wanted to undertake this exercise—to gather feedback about what readers want and open the door of communication with
those companies that might warrant additional coverage. We’re constantly trying to find ways to improve. What would you like to see
in the pages of Rotor & Wing? What areas should we focus on during 2011? Which topics, events, markets and companies do we need
to cover more? Please e-mail your suggestions to Andrew Parker, Managing Editor, at: aparker@accessintel.com

Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month

Organization Announcement Organization Announcement Organization Announcement
AAR Corp. S-92 Cabins from AAR Feb guard orders Another Jan italian Coast guard May
AW119ke Receives AW139
S-61T order Boon for May
Sikorsky Bulgaria orders Two More Feb FAA Certiies AW139 ice June
AW109s System
People: Jefrey Schloesser Sept
Chinese operator Buys Feb nh90 Joins Royal June
People: Steve Peckham oct AW139 netherlands navy
Absolute Fire FASTTrack/PCTrac Apr AW139 delivered to Vih Feb new LiATeC Facility June
Solutions Cougar opens in Libya
FAST Bucket gains May AW, Tata Create indian JV Feb heliClub Purchases June
Patents AW139
Vinair Buys Two grands Feb
new FAST Bucket Patents July AW, Russian helicopters July
Four AW119kes delivered Feb Break ground
Aero Dynamix Schweizer STC/europe Jan to FAASA
Approval AW, Thales Partner July
Maritime AW109 order Mar on ASaC
Schweizer night Vision Feb Placed
AgustaWestland Reveals July
L-3 M949 nVgs Mar AW119ke Added to Mar AW169
Finnish order
AW119 STC Mar AW119ke gains Russian July
india’s Pradesh Begins Mar Certiications
Bell 429 night Vision May Using grand
First FiPS AW139 enters Aug
ALeRT garmin hTAWS June Sharp Places AW order Mar Service

eASA night Vision July British Army extends Mar Weststar Purchases nine Aug
Approvals Lynx Upgrades AW139s

Shadin Avionics/nVgs nov heli-expo: What They Apr Panama orders Six Sept
Said AW139s
AeroSimulators eC135 Sims Join Air Mar
Methods AW109 Power delivered Apr Sloane Mallorca Adds Sept
to Bulgaria AW109e
Aerospace Filtration AFS gains Bell 430 STC Jan
Systems indian Air Force Buys 12 Apr grandnew goes to Sept
AW101s France, Monaco
Bell 430 iBF Feb
Uk Training Center opens Apr Phi Places Ten-AW139 Sept
Brazilian AS350 STC Apr order
AW139 hUMS Web Apr
AW139 STC from Brazil Aug Services Launched First grandnew goes oct
to Vinair
Filters enter Service in Sept Two AW139s Join Apr
namibia Malaysia’s Bomba LifeStar of kansas oct
Receives AW119ke
Brazil Approves AW119 nov Japanese operators Apr
STC Receive helicopters Second AW159 goes oct
Airborne
AgustaWestland Qatar Receives First Jan Apache ioS Program May
AW139 operational Maryland Police Purchase oct
Six AW139s
Two AW139s Resold Jan grandnew nets 50 Since May
to Phi introduction Russia grants AW139 oct
Approval
TAS delivers Brazilian Jan SMS Becomes AW Service May
AW109 grand Center Three AW139s going nov
to goias

22 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

 Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month
Organization Announcement Organization Announcement Organization Announcement
Red Cross AMS Orders Nov ASU Trains Irish Air Corps July Bell Ofers Free 407 June
AW119Ke Power-Up
ASU to Modify San Diego Aug
Air Comm Air Comm Recognized Feb MD500s Quad-A: Manned/Un- June
for Safety manned Options
F4949s Delivered to Aug
Heli-Expo News Briefs Apr Virginia Police People: Robert Hastings June
Air Conditioning System Aug Atwood Uncovers NVG Oct Rocky Mountain Rush June
Warranty Myths
Bell 429 FTD Up and June
1,000th Black Hawk Sept Free Podcasts at Aviation Nov Running
Heating System Today
Main Rotor Eyed in June
OH-58D Heating Sept Aviation Auctions New Website Auctions Sept CareFlite Crash
Agreement Helos, Aircraft
Police Trim Hours, Tap July
Air Methods Air Methods Orders 12 Feb A New Twist on Helicop- Sept Grants to Fly
Eurocopters ter Sales
Textron CEO: Uptick in July
EC135 Joins EastCare Mar BAE Systems Remote Guardians Join Jan Bell R&D
Medical Osprey Fleet
Bell Secures 7-Helicopter July
Air Methods Purchases Mar Army UH-60 FBW On Jan Agreement
Three Sims Schedule
Bell, NRC Sign Research July
EMS Safety Up But Regs Mar Countermeasures Flies Mar Pact
Expected on CH-47D
Hawker Paciic Orders July
Major Mfrs at Heli-Expo Apr Quad-A Technology Apr Another 412
Showcase
MedEvac Foundation Apr Garrison 'Thrilled' to Aug
Pledge CH-47F Chinook Proves Sept Lead Bell
Its Value
Mercy One Bell 429 EMS June Bell Hands Over 1,000th Aug
Interior Progress on Civil Fly- Sept 407
by-Wire
Sikorsky Unveils S-76 June Downey Named LeVier Aug
EMS Interior Becker Avionics WTG900 Goes Airborne Feb Award Winner
Rocky Mountain Rush June MR-510 Personal Locator Apr VIP Bell 407 Goes to Zip Aug
Beacon Aviation
Summit: Efective Safety July
Oicer PocketFMS Foundation, Apr ARINC Hands Over CBP Aug
Becker Team Hueys
Quotes from Safety & Aug
Training Redimec Becomes Becker May Arkansas HEMS Crash Aug
Dealer Kills Three
Mercy One Bell 429 Oct
WAAS Certiied Maxcraft Receives June Vertical Lift Consortium Sept
Becker STC
Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct AD Covers Bell 222 Piston Sept
DVCS6100 to Serve July Rods
Big Order for Bell at AMTC Oct Broward County
Bell's Drier is Penn State Sept
ALEA Law Enforcement Avia- July Bell Helicopter FAS Gets 412EPs Jan Lecturer
tors Gather in Tucson
Kiowa Warrior Band-Aid Jan Bell 407 Maintenance Sept
Police Trim Hours, Tap July Upgrades Costs Drop
Grants to Fly
Scott’s to Support Feb Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct
40th Annual Convention Sept Model 47
in Tucson Mercy One Bell 429 Oct
Van Horn Obtains Bell Feb WAAS Certiied
Alpine Air Support Eurocopter AS365 Sept 206L STC
Dauphin Bell AH-1Z Completes Oct
People: Barry Kohler Mar Op Eval
Appareo Systems Appareo, Bell Team Feb
on CIR Bell Acquires Aviation Mar Big Orders for Bell at Oct
Services AMTC
People: Jerry Stromberg Apr
Aspen Receives Bell Mar FSI Bell 407 Sim Achieves Oct
Pushing Boundaries with May 206/407 STC Level 7
New Technologies
People: Larry Roberts Mar Bell, Northrop Ignite Nov
Fleet Management June Fire-X
Device Bell Wins OH-58D Mod Apr
Contract People: Larry Thimmesch Nov
ALERTS Vision 1000 July
What They Said at Apr Chinese Operator Buys Nov
Appareo Named to Inc. Aug Heli-Expo Bell 429
500 List
Quad-A Technology Apr Army Approves Bell A2D Nov
Aspen Avionics First for Aspen Displays at Feb Showcase Upgrade
Heli-Expo
Frasca Bell 407 Sim Gains Apr Navy’s T-REX at Large Nov
Bell 206/407 STC Mar Level 7
beyerdynamic HS 600 DANR Headset Mar
Joy of Glass Cockpit Apr Air Methods Bell 429 May
Upgrades EMS Interior BLR Aerospace FAA: FastFin Boosts Load July
Heli-Expo News Briefs Apr Span Air Purchases June Bell to Install FastFin on Aug
Bell 429 New 412s
Aviation Specialties STC: Evergreen Bell 214ST Feb
Unlimited Northrop, Bell Team June Exhibitors Go to Portugal Sept
on Fire-X for Helitech

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YEAR IN REVIEW
Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month
Organization Announcement Organization Announcement Organization Announcement
Boeing Fifth Army Battalion Jan Training News June Alabama Guard Receives Feb
Using Chinooks UH-72As
Scenario-Based Training June
Chinook at War Feb Luminator Searchlight Mar
Helicopter Enhanced & Sept Chosen
UK Places 22-CH-47 Feb Synthetic Vision
Order HSI to Supply Logistics Mar
FAA Qualiies CAE 3000 Sept for LUH
Apache Trainers Come Mar to Level 7
Online EADS Delivers 1,000th Apr
CAE Gains E-Learning Nov UH-72A
Quad-A Technology Apr Approval
Showcase Three AAS-72X Proto- Apr
Carson Helicopters Joy of Glass Cockpit Apr types Planned
Quad-A: Manned/Un- July Upgrades
manned Options EADS CEO Survives Crash Sept
S-61T Order Boon for May
OEM Involvement in July Sikorsky AAS-72X Readies for Oct
Future Rotorcraft Demo Flight
Carson Develops New Nov
Boeing Secures Rights Aug S-61 Tail Rotor Army UH-72As Log Oct
to AW101 40,000 Hours
Cobham Avionics FAA Issues Cobham Feb
CH-47F in 10th Mountain Aug HeliSAS TSO Elbit Systems Elbit Wins AH-1W Sup- Jan
Division port Deal
People: John Devaney Mar
Vertical Lift Consortium Sept Dust-Of for Low-Viz Feb
Joy of Glass Cockpit Apr Environments
Army Orders 8 Block III Oct Upgrades
Apaches SWORD Obstacle Warning Mar
Digital Audio Control May System
Around the World Oct System (DACS)
Pushing Boundaries with May
Apache PBL Program Oct Helo Enhanced & Sept New Technologies
Wins Award Synthetic Vision
Updating ANVIS for Aug
CH-47 Chinook Trainer Nov LASD Picks Cobham EFIS Nov U.S. Army
Unveiled
Columbia Helicopters Lematta Laid to Rest Feb Around the World: Oct
Boeing/Bell Quad Tiltrotor on Ice Jan Military E-letter
Peterson Among HAI Feb
V-22 Trainers Begin Feb Winners EMS Sky Connect MedCenter Air Picks Sky Feb
Service Connect
People: Nancy Lematta Mar
Ducommun V-22 Mar HEMS on the Prairie Aug
Assembly Deal Nancy Lematta Takes Apr
Chairman's Helm Enstrom CEO Forum During Feb
DoD Budget: 35 V-22s Mar Heli-Expo
Columbia Sends Chinooks June
Dream Machine: Apr to PNG Enstrom: Market Feb
Notorious V-22 Diversity
Continuum CORRIDOR Software Feb
Special Ops CV-22 May Thai Army Buys 16 Mar
Crashes DARPA DARPA Seeks Helo- Feb Enstrom 480Bs
Capable Car
Marines Receive Final Oct Enstrom Wins JGSDF Apr
V-22 Trainer DART Helicopter DART, Flight Mgmt Jan Training Deal
Services Systems Partner
Bristow Bristow Reorganizes Feb Helicopter Training Apr
Apical Industries Floats Feb
The Extra Mile Mar Approved Rocky Mountain Rush June
Heli-Expo: What They Apr DART Gains Transport Feb Police Trim Hours, Tap July
Said Canada STC Grants to Fly
Accidents & Incidents: It’s July Geneva P174 Power Mar LE Aviators Gather in July
All Human Factors Converter Tucson
Quotes from Safety & Aug Acquisition of Elite Apr JGSDF Enstrom 480B Sept
Training Specialty Coatings Goes Airborne
People: John Cloggie Aug Geneva AS350 Dome Apr Era Helicopters EMS Safety Up But Regs Mar
Light Expected
NOTAM 0/3481 Deepwa- Aug
ter Horizon AKV Cycle Counters Aug Era, Priority 1 to Run July
Gulf Base
Bristow Gets NVG Course Sept DART, Hawker Paciic Aug
Approval Team on Parts NOTAM 0/3481 Deepwa- Aug
ter Horizon
Frasca EC225 Sim Dual Sept Montana Fleet Uses DART Aug
Certiied Equipment Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct
Bristow Inks $1.3 Billion Oct DART Catalog Expands Oct Erickson Oregon OSHA Awards Mar
in Deals in Europe Erickson
People: Jonathan Balif Nov Donaldson (also People: Michael Trevino July Erickson Scores High in Apr
see AFS) AS9100 Audit
CAE Sim Standards with Pilot Mar
in Mind DRE Communications DRE-1001 Headset Oct People: David Ford Sept
CAE Introduces 3000 Apr Ducommun Ducommun Wins V-22 Mar SDG&E S-64F Enters Nov
Series Assembly Deal Service
Simulation & Training June EADS N.A. Army Orders 54 More Jan Eurocopter EC135 Joins EastCare Jan
UH-72As Medical

24 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

 Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month
Organization Announcement Organization Announcement Organization Announcement
Paradigm AS350B3 Jan Eurocopter Group Ap- Apr EC120 Tops 10,000 Flight Aug
Delivered points VP Hours
Eurocopter EC175 Takes Feb Eurocopter Vostok Gets Apr HEMS on the Prairie Aug
to the Air New President
Czech Fleet Hits 10,000 Aug
Canada Hands Over Feb Cleveland EMS Unit Apr Hours
AS350B3 Receives EC145
Partnership with Tonji Aug
Helibras to Upgrade Feb U.S. Eurocopter Makes GI Apr University
Brazil Panthers Jobs List
LA Sherif’s Buys 12 Sept
EC145 Joins Lift Flight Feb Three EC130B4s to Join May AS350B2s
Fleet Ontario Fleet
Dauphin Sim Planned in Sept
Eurocopter Variants Top Feb Eurocopter Appoints May Singapore
4M Hours Communications VP
Eurocopter Tiger HAD Sept
VIH Places EC225 Order Feb UM Survival Flight Picks May Tests Begin
EC155s
Air Methods Signs for 12 Feb Mexican MoD Orders Six Sept
Eurocopters V. Kelner Receives May EC725s
AS350B3
Six AS350B3s to Join Feb X3 From Eurocopter Goes Sept
CBP Fleet Sky Roller: Mercedes June Airborne
EC145 Unveiled
EC135s to Serve Spanish Mar STAR Flight EC135s Flood Oct
Police Vision Zero 2010 Com- June Recovery
mittee Named
German Army CH-53A Mar Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct
Goes Airborne Rocky Mountain Rush June
People: Anthony DiNota Oct
Texas DPS Buys AS350B3s Mar HealthNet EC145 Enters June
Service Eurocopter: X3 Classiies Oct
Pawan Hans Orders Mar as Helicopter
Seven AS365s Third EC145 Joins STAR June
Flight STAR Flight Wins Vision Oct
MedCenter Air EC135s Mar Zero 2010
Take to Skies EC145s Join EastCare June
Fleet Single-Engine Simulator Oct
Construction Starts on Mar Launched
Helibras Site Fishtail Conducts Record July
Long-Line Rescue Sufolk PD to Receive Oct
GATE Tested Using EC145 Mar AS350B2
Pall Becomes EAPS July
Heli-Expo: What They Apr Dealer X3 Demonstrator Targets Nov
Said 220 Knots
West Midlands Police Get July
Eurocopter Hands Over Apr EC135Pi X3 Interview at Nov
Police EC145 rotorandwing.com
Kawasaki EC145 Deal July
Parapublic Ops Choose Apr Extended Iraq to Use AS350s for Nov
Eurocopter Crop Spraying

35 years backing the MD 500 product line.

Trust Helimart and the Total Support Group for comprehensive,
worldwide MD 500 attention. Authorized service center, huge parts
inventory, STCs and international certifications, completions,
avionics and paramilitary/police equipment. Simply put, from the
smallest part to complete, customized helicopters, there is little we
don’t know about MD 500s.

www.helimart.com
Helimart Phoenix Heliparts California Aero Components
714-755-2999 480-985-7994 714-755-2999
MD Service Center, Parts distributor Maintenance; overhauls; mods; completions Component overhaul

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 25

YEAR IN REVIEW
Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic Month Company/ Topic/ Month
Organization Announcement Organization /Announcement Organization Announcement
Evergreen Helicopters Wahlberg Among HAI Feb Exhibitors go to Helitech Sept Max-Viz Max-Viz Gains STC Jan
Winners Approval
Frasca EC225 Sin Dual Sept
FAA ADS-B Launched in Gulf Jan Qualiied Helicopter Enhanced and Sept
of Mexico Synthetic Vision
Gen-Scope Arti-lex Borescope Feb
AD Covers Fixing Bolts Jan MD Helicopters Atlanta PD Completes Feb
on A109 Goodrich Goodrich, Sikorsky Feb NVG Training
Partner on HUMS
FAA Issues Icing Recom- Feb Tilton: Pulse of Industry Feb
mendations Helicopter HUMS Update Feb
2K10 Aero Dynamix Gains Mar
Stay Proicient Feb European STC
Milestone Goodrich Mar
EMS Safety Up But Regs Mar HUMS Delivered MD Delivers Police 500Es Apr
Expected
Helinet Helinet Launches Feb FDC/aeroilter Gains June
Focused on Safety Mar HT4Sight MD500 Cert
Clear as Mud? Apr HotSeat Chassis Helicopter Training Apr LE Aviators Gather in July
Tucson
Babbitt Kicks Of S&T May HotSeat Pilot Pro 6.0 June
Summit Police Trim Hours, Tap July
Training News June Grants to Fly
ADS-B: Thing of Beauty June
HotSeat Heli-Sim Aug San Diego MD500 July
Babbitt Addresses June Awarded at Summit Receives Upgrades
Helicopter Crowd
Kaman Kaman Reorganizes Jan People: Gary Dolski Aug
Babbitt: Good Not Good July Aerospace Group
Enough MD Hands Over Police Sept
Allied Bearings Supply Mar Helos
ADS-B Business Case July Sold to Kaman
Vetted ALEA Holds Convention Sept
K-MAX Conducts Military June in Tucson
FAA Denies Liability in July Airdrops
EMS Case MD Explorer Tops 10,000 Oct
Quad-A: Manned/Un- June Hours
Tom Salat Passes Away Aug manned Options
Corporate Helicopters Nov
FAA Updates Night Vision Aug Army Grants Unmanned June Receives MD530F
MMEL K-MAX Deal
People: Gregory Gauer Nov
NOTAM 0/3481 Deepwa- Aug K-MAX Fights Bull Fire Oct
ter Horizon Metro Aviation EMS: Safety Up But Regs Mar
Military Insider Chat Oct Expected
AD Covers Bell 222 Piston Sept
Rods L-3 Electrodynamics SRVIVR Cockpit Recorder Apr MedCenter Air EC135 Mar
Join Fleet
FAA Reveals New HEMS Oct Latitude Technologies Latitude Inks Bambi Mar
Rules Bucket Deal Metro Converts Texas May
DPS Helos
Stricter Helicopter Safety Nov Latitude Secures Apr
Rules Proposed SkyNode Approval Cleveland EMS Unit June
Receives EC135
FAA Requires S-76 Nov Ornge AW139s Get Oct
Inspections Latitude SkyNode HealthNet EC145 Enters June
Service
Falcon Aviation FAS Gets 412EPs, Buys Jan Leading Edge LEA Ofers Training Loan Mar
Services S-76Ds Aviation Program Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct
Sikorsky Starts S-76D Feb Lockheed Martin UH-60 FBW Program on Jan Sandel Delivers First Nov
Assembly Schedule HeliTAWS
FDC/aeroilter Aerometals Acquires Mar 50th MH-60R Goes to Mar Mid-Continent Mid-Continent Wins May
FDC/aeroilter U.S. Navy Instruments Maintenance Award
FDC/aeroilter Gains June Kiowa Warrior Used in Apr People: Cindy Highbarger July
EC135 Cert Rocket Test
ACU for Garmin HTAWS July
FEC Heliports Portable Helipad May Apache Sensor Deal May
(Portapad) Secured People: Shelia Krehbiel Aug
Heliportsequipment.com Nov Lockheed Martin, June People: Marissa Reddick Sept
Sikorsky Join on VXX
Flight Display Systems FDHDR200 HD-DVR Mar TrueBlue Power Oct
K-MAX Conducts Military June
FlightSafety Intl Helicopter Training Apr Airdrops NASA NASA Tests Helicopter Feb
Crash Cushion
Simulation & Training June Quad-A: Manned/Un- June
manned Options Training & Safety: All June
Forecast International Study: Near-Term Growth May Human Factors
in Helicopters Army Extends Arrowhead Aug
Deal Double-Fuselage Helo June
Forward Vision Forward Vision Gains Jan on Radar?
R44 STC Vertical Lift Consortium Aug
Contest Produces Future Aug
Frasca Helicopter Training Apr Lockheed Tapped for Sept Designs
MH-60 Software
Frasca Bell 407 Sim Gains May Just Culture Sept
Level 7 Insider Chat Oct
Night Flight Concepts Nivisys Extends Night Jan
Simulation & Training June Around the World Oct Flight Deal
Bell 429 FTD Up and June Maxcraft Maxcraft Obtains June Atlanta PD Completes Mar
Running Becker STC NVG Training

26 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

 Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month
Organization Announcement Organization Announcement Organization Announcement
Night Flight Trains July Sikorsky Starts S-76D Feb Rockwell Collins Bahrain Buys Collins Mar
Police Unit Assembly Black Hawk Sim
Calstar Finishes NFC Sept CSC Europe Signs Feb Joy of Glass Cockpit Apr
Maintenance Training Eurocopter Deal Upgrades
NVG Webinar Focuses Oct P&WC: Overall Helicopter May Pushing Boundaries with May
on NVGs Market Strong New Technologies
NLR NLR to Study Brownout Feb People: Maria Della Posta May HEMS on the Prairie Aug
Reduction
AgustaWestland Reveals July People: Phil Jasper Sept
Northrop Grumman Quad-A Tech Technology Apr AW169
Showcase Helicopter Enhanced & Sept
Panama Buys Six AW139s Aug Synthetic Vision
Northrop, Bell Team May
on Fire-X Machida Scopes Gain Oct Ascend Flight Informa- Oct
P&W Approval tion Solutions
People: Patrick May
Antkowiak Police MD Explorer Tops Oct What’s New With CAAS? Oct
40,000
Northrop Finishes AH-1Z Oct CH-47 Chinook Trainer Nov
Evaluation PHI Two AW139s Resold Jan Unveiled
to PHI
Bell, Northrop Ignite Nov Rolls-Royce McTurbine Approved for Feb
Fire-X PHI Gets ARINC Radio Feb RR250 MRO
Network
U.S. Navy’s T-REX at Large Nov StandardAero Integrates Apr
The Extra Mile Mar SMS
NTSB See and Avoid Again Jan
NOTAM 0/3481 Deepwa- Aug Cadorath Wins RR250 June
Stay Proicient Feb ter Horizon Award
Chairman Advocates Mar PHI Bolsters Fleet: Ten Aug Bell Ofers Free 407 June
‘Raising the Bar’ AW139s Power-Up
Brownsville Pilot Tried to Apr Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct Corporate Helos Receives Nov
Beat Storm MD530F
PHI Settles Crash Lawsuit Oct
Three Survive Helicopter May Eurocopter X3 Targets Nov
Crashes Phoenix Heliparts Phoenix Heliparts Sept 220 Knots
Certiicate Revoked
NTSB Develops Accident May Russian Helicopters Russians Are Coming, Feb
Course Appeal of FAA Revocation Sept Again
NTSB Probes Near-Midair June FAA Revocation ‘A Oct Russian Helicopters Apr
at Hobby Complete Surprise’ Exhibits at Heli-Expo
Hudson Midair Docket June Precision Heliparts PAG Expanding Atlanta Nov Two KA-32As Go to June
Goes Public Headquarters Azerbaijan
Main Rotor Eyed in June Precision Systems Rotor Azimuth Processors Oct Russian Helos Boosts June
CareFlite Crash Repair Network
Premier Electronics Eye-Lite Camera Mar
Witnesses: Tail Boom June Congress Questions June
Separated PS Engineering PMA7000H Audio Panel Feb Helicopter Purchases
NTSB, FAA Seek Cause of July Red Box International Ground Power Units Sept Ulan-Ude Hands Over Aug
EMS Crash Mi-171s
Revue Thommen TSL-1600 Searchlight Apr
EMS Operators Oppose Aug AW, Russian Helicopters Aug
Equipment Robinson Forward Vision Gains Jan Break Ground
R44 STC
Probe Starts in Arkansas Aug Helos Sent as Russian Aug
HEMS Crash DeVore Wins Robinson Mar Fires Rage
R44 STC
‘Series of Missteps’ Led Oct New Leadership at Sept
to Midair Joy of Glass Cockpit Apr Russian Helicopters
Upgrades
NTSB Seeks Hudson Nov Kamov Ka-32s Fight Oct
Revisions Robinson Sets Price Apr Spain Fires
for R66
Omni Sciences UM, Omni Develop Sept Russian Helos Signs Oct
Missile Defense Philippine Governor Dies May Training Deal
in Crash
Omnilight Vision Zero 2010 Com- June 40th MI-171 Goes Nov
mittee Named Rocky Mountain Rush June to UTair
People: CEO Thomas July Police Trim Hours, Tap July Saft Batteries Ultra Low Maintenance June
Leverton Grants to Fly Batteries
HEMS on the Prairie Aug LE Aviators Gather in July Sandel Avionics Sandel Obtains TSO for Aug
Tucson Heli-TAWS
Omnilight Paramedic Aug
Wins Award NFC Ofers Robinson Aug MSP Aero Installs First Sept
Upgrades Heli-TAWS
Top 10 HEMS Providers Oct
Frank Robinson Retires Sept Sandel Delivers Heli- Nov
People: Don Wilson Oct TAWS to Metro
ALEA Holds Convention Sept
Onboard Systems Talon Cargo Hook Sept in Tucson People: Don Foster Nov
P&W Canada FAS Gets 412EPs, Buys Jan No One Hurt in Training Nov Sagem Sagem CEO Sees Apr
S-76Ds Crash Upswing Coming

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YEAR IN REVIEW
Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month Company/ Topic/ Month
Organization Announcement Organization Announcement Organization Announcement
Scott’s Helo Services Scott’s to Support Feb Sikorsky, ZFL Partner in June Spartanics Finecut-Plus-Rotary Oct
Model 47 Germany
SRT Helicopters SRT Instructs San Antonio Mar
SEI/Mecaer Latitude Inks Bambi Mar Sikorsky Teams with JPA June Med Unit
Bucket Deal
First Two S-61Ts Arrive July Helicopter Training: Army Apr
AW139 SILENS June at State
Ab-Initio Training Vetted Aug
Helitech Preview: Sept Sikorsky Acquires LifePort July at Summit
Exhibitors
ADAT, Sikorsky Creating July Tdata Mtrax Version 2.0 Feb
Sherwin-Williams AfterGlo AD110 Paint Feb Military MRO
Techtest (HR Smith 500-32 Series ELT May
Sikorsky FAS Gets 412EPs, Buys Jan Sikorsky Develops X2 LTH July subsidiary)
S-76Ds Simulator
503 Series CPI Beacon Oct
AVIC Finishes S-76C++ Jan X2 Breaks Rotorcraft July
Airframe Speed Record Telvent DTN RotorWatch Weather Aug
Service
AAR Boosts Sikorsky Jan All-Electric Helicopter July
Collaboration Unveiled Thales Sikorsky Starts S-76D Feb
Assembly
Sikorsky Global Gets Jan S-70i Takes Initial Flight Aug
New VP Soteria Wins SAR-H Mar
IFR for the VFR Pilot Aug Battle
S-70i Assembly Nearly Jan
Done CH-53K CDR Achieved Sept IESI Picked for Euro- Apr
copters
CH-53K Component Jan Pino Presents Award to Sept
Center Opens PremiAir AW, Thales Partner July
on ASaC
Sikorsky Starts S-76D Feb Vertical Lift Consortium Sept
Assembly Dauphin FFS Planned in Sept
Sikorsky X2 Reaches Sept Singapore
Sikorsky, Goodrich Feb 250 Knots
Partner on HUMS Northrop Finishes Oct
X2: 250-Knot Target Sept AH-1Z Eval
CDR for CH-53K in 2010 Feb Realized
Timken Timken to Ofer Bearing Aug
Q&A with Sikorsky’s Feb Rotor & Wing Interviews Sept Repairs
Shane Eddy Sikorsky on X2
Helitech Preview: Sept
Sikorsky Unveils Innova- Feb Job Performance Aides Oct Exhibitors
tions Unit
Game Changer? Oct TrueNorth Avionics S-92 Audio Interface July
Sikorsky Awards UND Feb
Aerospace Sikorsky X2 Breaks 250 Oct Turbomeca Helibras to Upgrade Feb
KTAS Record Brazil AS365Ks
Flight Tests Start for Feb
Second S-76D S-92 Fleet Tops 250,000 Oct Texas DPS Buys Two Mar
Hours AS350B3s
Innovations: Unmanned Mar
Black Hawk Sikorsky to Cut 200 Jobs Oct Turbomeca to Support Mar
Bond Ofshore
Soteria Wins SAR-H Mar Sikorsky Picks Universal Oct
Battle CVFDR Turbomeca Enlists Apr
Rotortech
Assembly of First S-70i Mar Lider Adds Another S-92 Oct
Wraps Up Sagem CEO Sees Apr
S-97 Raider Unveiled Oct Upswing Coming
HIS to Supply LUH Mar
Logistics S-70i Airframe Tests Oct Eurocopter X3 Targets Nov
Complete 220 Knots
S-70 Training Planned in Mar
Columbia State Dept Orders 11 Nov United Rotorcraft Cannon EC130 Features Mar
More S-61Ts Solutions URS Mods
Heli-Expo: What They Apr
Said FAA Requires S-76 Nov People: Luis Vargas May
Inspections
Quad-A Technology Apr Modiied Bell 420s Go to Aug
Showcase CPI Aero Gains Sikorsky Nov Ecuador
Gold
Another Diamond for HIS Apr URS Triples Facility Space Oct
SkyBOOKS Free SkyBOOKS Trial Mar
Sikorsky, Lockheed Join Apr Available Vector Aerospace Vector Receives Rolls- Feb
on VXX Royce Award
SkyBOOKS to Serve Apr
X2 for Army’s AAS? Apr Paradise Joy of Glass Cockpit Apr
Upgrades
State Dept Order is Boon May SkyBOOKS Version 4.3 June
for Sikorsky Released Vector Appoints New Apr
Dealer
SAS Wins Saudi Upgrade May SkyTrac Systems Consortium Gets SkyTrac Mar
Program Satcom JSSI, Vector Ink Service Apr
Agreement
CPI Secures S-70B May People: Malachi Nordine Mar
Weapons Deal Vector Gains West Coast Apr
AW139 STC Issued for Apr Business
X2 Passes 180 Knots May SkyTrac
Sea King Symposium Sept
S-76 EMS Cabin June Helitech Preview: Sept
Developed Exhibitors Winslow Liferaft ReversaSmart Ultra-Light July
Company liferaft
S-70i Nears First Flight June Soteria Consortium Soteria Wins SAR-H Mar
Battle

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BUYER’S GUIDE
EDITORS’
Choice
2010

PRODUCT GUIDE
 Product Guide

Training. There is no

2010 substitute for a well-

EDITORS’ prepared, well-trained pilot

and crew. Our editors looked

Choice at, and recommend, some of

the best available options
Training
currently on the market.

EUROCOPTER INTRODUCES FULL MISSION TRAINER

American Eurocopter has
introduced a new dimen-
sion in flight simulators at its
Grand Prairie, Texas train-
ing center. Referred to as the
AS350 Full Mission Trainer,
the one-of-a-kind system
takes simulated flying two
steps past the usual fare of
pilot training, by adding
fully interactive positions
that permit a tactical flight
officer or copilot (left seat),
and a counter-sniper (left-
rear seat), to train simulta-
neously as a three-person
airborne law enforcement
team. Indra Systems, the
Spanish technology com-
pany that designed and built
the full-motion simulator
for Eurocopter, gives crews an authentic AS350 flight deck and aft cabin interior, while creating a true-to-life flight model of the B2 and B3
variants of the A-Star, along with a virtual “outside world” that offers strikingly detailed scenery from the trainees’ home jurisdiction. The
cities of Los Angeles and Houston were used during development and for its October 8th public unveiling. For the pilot, every airport,
navigation aid, weather and terrain feature is faithfully represented—including names atop skyscrapers—throughout a wrap-around field
of view. For the left-seater, forward-looking infrared and a moving map system are installed and functional. In the back seat, a third team
member, equipped with a weapon simulator, can look out of the opened side door and engage hostile targets. Night vision equipment can
also be used by the participants. “One of the most important things we see in the simulator is the added safety factor,” said Martin Jackson,
president of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association, one of the organizations that helped develop scenarios, such as vehicle and foot
pursuits. “It will give the pilot and the crew better chances to work together.” Once a scenario has been run, a graphic record allows the
crew to review everything from how the aircraft was flown, to the accuracy of the counter-sniper’s shots. Scenarios can be rerun or modi-
fied for continued training. —By Ernie Stephens, Editor-at-Large
AmericAn eurocopter, 1-972-641-0000, www.eurocopterusA.com

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 FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL CONTINUES TO OFFER INADVERTENT IMC TRAINING
FligthSafety International is offering “Surviving Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions,” a course designed to improve the out-
comes of inadvertent IMC encounters. More than half of the flights in a recent FAA review of helicopter accidents began as VFR flights
and then encountering IMC. This course helps pilots lay a foundation for developing a plan to reduce IIMC encounters and for develop-
ing a plan for recovery in case you do go IMC. FSI can custom-tailor instruction to accommodate all sectors of the helicopter industry.
Ground school covers a range of topics like human factors, situational awareness, communications and recovery from IIMC. This course
is available for the Bell 212, Bell 412 and Bell 430 at several locations, including the Fort Worth Learning Center in Hurst, Texas. The
course can be adapted to any helicopter.
FSI stresses that it’s critical to have a
sound and well-practiced strategy to
maintain safety should a pilot encounter
weather unexpectedly. Decisions made
in the first pivotal moments can decide
the outcome. FlightSafety’s course gives
pilots the tools needed to react appropri-
ately. The format encourages sharing of
procedures and experiences with other
pilots and instructors in an interactive
environment that thrives on participa-
tion. Master best practices for the safest
responses to inadvertent IMC. The
course teaches successful strategies to
ensure that flights conform to plan and
doesn’t exceed training or equipment.
Instruction stresses human factors such
as decision-making and breaking the
error chain. Simulator training reinforc-
es ground school and applies the proce-
dures and policies from ground school.
There are two levels, basic and advanced.
Basic is five hours (four in ground school
and one in the sim) and advanced is five-
and-a-half hours (four in ground school
and one-and-a-half in the sim). Flight-
SaFety intl, 1-817-785-0800, www.
FlightSaFety.com

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 Product Guide

ASU’S NVG TRAINING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Looking back at the slow gestation of night vision goggle (NVG)
capabilities in military helicopter aviation, those of us who fly
regularly using NVGs are often baffled by the fact that aided night
flying took so long to become the norm. Of course, the goggles that
military aviators are flying with today are far superior to those that
existed just over a decade ago. Looking at civilian helicopter avia-
tion from the military world, many seasoned NVG military pilots
wonder why use of NVGs in the civil sector has appeared to take
the same slow path of acceptance that the technology did in the
military despite the benefits of the latest night vision technology.
One of the sticking points in the incorporation of NVG flying
in the civilian world has been the need for standardized training
that was, of course, FAA authorized. Other factors have played
a role as well. NVG-compatible cockpits, the cost of equipment,
and operational paradigms have all played a part in the incorpo-
ration of NVG flying in the civil sector.
Several companies in the private sector have become one-
stop-shops for civilian night vision needs. One of those com-
panies is Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU) in Boise, Idaho.
ASU is the sole supplier of ITT Night Vision equipment to
non-military customers. ITT Night Vision and Imaging has long
been a supplier of night vision equipment to the U.S. military.
Allying with ITT, ASU not only handles sales of ITT equipment
to domestic and international customers—both civilian and
military—the company also provides FAA-approved night vision
goggle training, FAA-approved night vision cockpit modifica-
tions, and serves as ITT’s maintenance facility for goggles. ASU
conducts night vision training at its facilities in Boise or at a cus-
tomer’s base of operations. Training programs for NVG aircrew include initial NVG pilot, NVG crewmember, instructor CFI NVG
and recurrent pilot NVG training.
Military aviators with NVG experience will instantly recognize similarities in their military NVG syllabi and the training program
ASU offers. This is not surprising when considering that ASU’s instructors are former military aviators who have been flying using
night vision equipment from the earliest days of the technology in both the military and civilian environments. Additionally, the expe-
rience of ASU’s pilots allowed it to become the first non-EMS FAA Part 135 NVG commercial operator in the U.S. ASU is also the
FAA’s sole instructional facility for NVG certification of FAA safety inspectors.
Like military training programs, the eight-hour ground school portion of the ASU program focuses on the physiology of the eye
and night vision, the atmospherics of night flying, goggle limitations and visual illusions, goggle malfunctions and emergency pro-
cedures, as well as care and feeding of night vision equipment. There is an emphasis on the latter topic that is sometimes missed by
military flight training programs (or forgotten after years of using NVGs). As the sole sales outlet for ITT NVGs, the ASU staff is well
aware of the cost of night vision equipment and they spend a lot of time teaching students how to maximize the life of the goggles by
taking simple and reasonable steps to reduce wear and tear on the goggles and peripheral components.
In the early days of military flight with NVGs, a huge emphasis was placed on knowing the dynamic night environment. Not only
were pilots exposed to lengthy lectures on the lunar cycle, but night flights were designated as “High Light Level” (HLL) or “Low Light
Level” (LLL) based on the phase and position of the moon. Some training was required to be conducted in HLL conditions or vice
versa. After several years of launching training missions in to HLL nights with overcast skies, the practice of designating the light level
and restricting training melted away. Nowadays it is incumbent on the aircrew to be more aware of the night environment and the
limitations present due to the lighting and/or weather conditions present while operating in the dark.
Aside from limitations imposed by the environment, the night vision equipment itself has built-in restrictions beginning with the
fact that aviators will begin seeing the night environment in shades of monochrome green with a limited field of view. The reduction
in field of view from the eye’s 220 degrees to the NVG’s 40 degrees (still a significant increase over early goggles) is the one limitation
that requires the most adaptation for the aviator. ASU’s training in the classroom and later, in the aircraft, exposes a new NVG pilot
to these all-important physical and environmental factors. Recognition of the limits of the night vision goggle equipment and the

32 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

 restrictions posed by the operational environment are the keys to not only maximizing the performance of the NVGs, but they are the
cornerstone of flight safety while using NVGs. There is no argument that night vision equipment is a huge safety improvement over
unaided night flying, but those advantages can be negated if the flight crew does not recognize and respect the limitations of the gear
and the world outside.
It had been over 10 years since I had last flown a Jet Ranger so I was not sure that ASU instructor pilot Kim Harris really wanted me
to lift the bird into a hover between ASU’s hangar and that building right in front of the helicopter. “Are you sure you want me to do the
takeoff?” I asked. “Yeah,” was the reply and I pulled the collective and tried to remember that the right side would be lifting first and the
left pedal would need to be depressed a bit while pulling power opposite of the French helicopter I fly in my day job.
The Jet Ranger jumped off the ground and proceeded to do a bit of a dance over the spot as I immediately became frustrated in
how far my Bell 206 flying skills had diminished after a decade of flying multi-engine helicopters with stability augmentation systems.
Getting the dancing helicopter under control, we taxied out towards a clear area and took off into the darkness towards a darkened
runway while Kim handled the radios for me.
Five minutes into the flight, I was still getting used to the control touch of the Bell and trying to re-learn the cockpit and instrument
scan when Kim mentioned something about doing an autorotation under NVGs. “You want me to do what?” I wondered. I had never
flown an autorotation on NVGs before and it had been almost four years since I had performed an autorotation outside of a simulator.
The aircraft I fly in my day job has a digital engine control system that will not permit training autorotations.
“You better demonstrate one first,” I suggested to
Kim as there was no way I was going to re-learn the Jet
Ranger auto in one frantic descent to the runway. Kim
shot an auto with the ease of parking a car and passed
the controls back to me. “Here goes nothing,” I thought
as I bottomed the collective and tried to do some sort of
decent scan of the instruments in the unfamiliar cockpit
as we descended toward the unlit runway. I don’t know
how much of the auto was mine and how much was
from Kim (most likely shadowing the flight controls),
but I survived to write this article and the helicopter
was able to continue our training flight following the
maneuver.
The training flight was fun as we left the airport and
headed up to the hills around Boise. It reminded me of
my days at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island when we did some landings on unprepared surfaces in the mountains. The helicopter I
fly now has no particle separators for the engines and landing off of a paved surface is one of the fastest ways to owe the maintenance
crews a case of beer. Kim used the helicopter’s spotlight almost continuously during the flight; something I was definitely not used to.
The flying I do for work is not tactical by any means, but I have found that the search light is not always beneficial in the salt air of the
maritime environment when using NVGs. One advantage he showed me in the inland environment was the use of the searchlight as
an aid to determine wind direction based on the relative speed and direction of the blowing dust and pollen while approaching an LZ
and monitoring airspeed and speed over ground.
After over a decade of flying dual-piloted helicopters, I certainly have become comfortable when it comes to sharing cockpit
and flying duties. When Kim gave me a simulated goggle failure, my instincts were to transition to an instrument scan and pass the
controls to the other pilot. ASU instructors primarily train aviators who operate in the single-pilot environment and Kim patiently
explained to me how to best handle the failure as if a seasoned former-Army aviator was not occupying the other seat. Kim then simu-
lated a tube failure of the NVGs—something I had never tried or trained for in the military. This was surprisingly disorienting and
certainly uncomfortable. I feel it would be worthwhile to incorporate this procedure into NVG ops at my unit. Another thing I look
forward to trying “at home” is Kim’s use of a laser pointer to illuminate landing zones or points of interest while we flew around the
hills in near pitch-black darkness. The laser easily reached out to fairly distant ridgelines and was a great training aid and time saver.
Instead of trying to describe the location of an LZ—“the second saddle to the left of the right peak”—all Kim had to do was shine the
laser on the spot and I headed towards it. After a decade of flying with NVGs, I was surprised that I was seeing some new things and
learning new tricks from Kim as I got some nostalgic flight time wiggling the sticks of a nicely maintained Jet Ranger. I felt that the var-
ied terrain around Boise was perfect for both urban and wilderness NVG operations. While much of the ground school was review
for a military NVG operator, I felt like I took a lot of information home from both the classroom instruction and flight with ASU’s
team of experienced instructors. —Story and photos by Todd Vorenkamp For the full story, visit www.rotorandwing.com
AviAtion SpeciAltieS Unlimited, +1-208-426-8117, www.ASU-nvg.com

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 Product Guide

Colorado Heli-ops raises

tHe Bar witH Fits designed
sCenario-Based training
The Colorado Heli-Ops training pro-
tocol includes the latest in FAA-driven
industry changes. FITS, or Federal Avia-
tion Administration Industry Training
Standards, is charged with transitioning
civil ab initio flight training from the tra-
ditionally taught, maneuver-based train-
ing to scenario-based training (SBT).
With the advent of newer technologies
that require general aviation pilots to
process more information and to make
better decisions, FITS training changes
the primary focus of training new pilots
from aircraft maneuvers, to include more
emphasis on aeronautical decision making (ADM), risk management (RM), single pilot resource management (SRM) and learner
centered grading Colorado HeliOps classroom (LCG). Michael Franz, an experienced pilot evaluator, mentor and member of the FAA’s
Safety Team (FAAST), donated his time and knowledge to the staff at Colorado Heli-Ops. During his visit, Franz flew with and evaluated
instructors one-on-one, giving them the ability to show the practical relevance of SBT in flight. Since FITS/SBT training is easily applied
to the content of existing helicopter flight training, the staff at Heli-Ops has already begun its transition and facilitation of SBT and LCG.
This will give its pilots in training (PTs) a comprehensive and efficient platform for their training, and is proven to produce safer and more
aware pilots as technologies continue to advance. Colorado Heliops, 1-303-466-4351, ColoradoHeliops.Com

Cae’s 3000 sim line adds artiFiCial

intelligenCe allowing more sCenario-
Based options
CAE introduced the Eurocopter AS350B3 Level 7 flight training
device (FTD) this year. This inaugural member of the company’s
CAE 3000 line introduces artificial intelligence (AI) to main-
stream civil helicopter simulation. AI is a standard capability for
EMS and law enforcement, said Claude Lauzon, the company’s
vice president of civil aviation services. Although a fixed-base
simulator, you’d never know it once inside due to the excellent
graphics and AI. The AI component increases the realism and
unpredictability of the scene by allowing computer-controlled
“people” on the ground to react as the helicopter lands. CAE will
offer pilots training experiences where “people” react to them.
Police pilots, for example, could “shoot and be shot at” in the sim-
ulation, he said. Figures may wait in the appropriate place or run
toward or away from the helicopter. CAE uses an “AI.implant”
software solution—integrated with a Tropos-6000 image gen-
erator—to populate the scenario with characters who can make
“sophisticated, context-specific decisions and move in a realistic
fashion within their environment,” he said. The AI.implant
software was developed by Presagis, an independently operated
CAE company.
Cae, 1-514-341-6780, www.Cae.Com

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 FLIGHTSAFETY’S BELL 407 FTD GAINS LEVEL 7 APPROVAL BY FAA
FlightSafety International announced that its Bell 407 advanced flight training device has been qualified to Level 7 by the Federal Avia-
tion Administration. “An increasing number of helicopter operators are recognizing the value, efficiency and effectiveness of training
using FlightSafety’s new Level 7 qualified flight training devices as opposed to training in the actual aircraft,” said George Ferito, director
of business development, rotorcraft training. “Operators of smaller, turbine powered helicopters can now benefit from the same level of
professional training we provide our fixed wing and larger helicopter customers as a result of these new devices.” The new Bell 407 flight
training device is located at FlightSafety’s Learning Center in Lafayette, La. It will be used during initial type training, recurrent training,
inadvertent IMC training, and a wide variety of mission-specific and scenario-based programs. The device is designed to replicate the
unique operational requirements of EMS, offshore, law enforcement, electronic news gathering, paramilitary operations and others.
The flight training device allows for emphasis on maneuvers and scenarios not safely or realistically suited for the aircraft. Among these
are engine fires, loss of tail rotor effectiveness and starting problems such as hot or hung starts. The new Bell 407 flight training device is
equipped with FlightSafety’s advanced Vital X visual system that provides the most realistic and comprehensive training scenarios avail-
able for the aircraft. Night vision goggle capability will be added in the near future. FAR Part 135 operators, with their POI’s (principle
operations inspector) approval, can meet the requirements of initial and recurrent training and checks with only minimal actual aircraft
time. FlightSaFety international, 1-337-408-2900, www.FlightSaFety.com

TRAININGPORT.NET OFFERS ONLINE SAFETY TRAINING

TrainingPort.net is an online training provider offering aviation safety and operational
training. TrainingPort.net has recently expanded to include helicopter-specific topics
along with many wide-ranging topics such as fatigue management, cockpit resource
management and weather. Current lessons from such highly respected subject matter
experts as Terry Kelly (safety management systems), Mark Rosekind (fatigue manage-
ment) and Karsten Shein (meteorology), among others. TrainingPort.net has limited
each lesson to 15 minutes based on studies showing that is the optimal learning period.
The company has also gone to great lengths to incorporate different teaching methods
aimed at targeting multiple learning styles. They use audio, visuals, kinesthetic and
other styles to present the material. “My role is to coordinate with the subject matter
experts and build these techniques into the lessons with our writers and graphics peo-
ple,” says Nik Chapman, TrainingPort’s content manager. The company says it reached
out to focus groups early on to determine what was missing from online training and
what was considered excellent content. “Users want a simple, easy to use interface
with excellent content, not box checking,” Scott Macpherson, president. “Users also
wanted a reliable way to keep records,” Macpherson says. “We are excited to add rotary
wing content and maintenance content will be coming in February 2011.” Training
can be customized to each company and their manuals. The system is easy to use and
regularly e-mails those whose training is coming due. The system will alert the training
manager on who is behind as well.
trainingport.net, 1-866-948-7678, www.trainingport.net

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 Product Guide

Continued focus on safety

2010 in helicopter operations will

editorS’ always be important. Our

editors have searched for,

Choice and found, several products

and services that can help
Safety Enhancements
improve your safety focus.

Smart Global SolutionS offerS riSk manaGement tool

UK-based Smart Global Solutions introduced its software suite for risk management at Helitech 2010. The risk management system
(RMS), marketed as Smart Insight, is hoped to help helicopter operators comply with the 2012 requirement for safety management
systems (SMS). Smart Insight is a broader software tool that can encompass all risk areas of a business—safety, financial, legal, employee-
related etc. Managing Director Darren Edwards insisted that the system is template-based and thus flexible. According to Edwards,
it can be tailored to exactly match the owner’s processes. Hazards are looked at from the prevention and reaction sides. The system is
made of 11 modules for auditing, tracking, reporting etc. The risk module (which includes an ICAO-compliant SMS manual) is available
pre-loaded with hazards, threats, threat controls, events, mitigation, etc. recognized by the aviation industry. In terms of safety manage-
ment, “I have a document” is no longer a sufficient answer, Edwards told Rotor & Wing. Rather, “you have to prove you adhere to these
procedures; this is what we try to assist,” he emphasized. To report occurrences (i.e., safety incidents), forms can be designed by the owner.
Submissions can be anonymous. Occurrences go to junior or senior managers, depending on how serious they are. Edwards explained
that Smart Insight is providing management with live data depicting how the company is actually performing. This is made possible by
the hazard occurrence reporting and flight data monitoring modules. Auditing is the key module. The results of auditing include actions,
which then go to the “tracker” module. “It tells you which task is being performed by whom,” Edwards explained. In helicopters, “it will
help the operator have an SMS in place and prove it adheres to it,” he said. Should a small operator choose to use Smart Insight, “we would
host the implementation,” Edwards said. The operator would thus have its SMS up and running in three to six months. Prices, probably
with a leasing scheme as an option, are not defined yet. Edwards added that Smart’s RMS could be used for the in-the-works international
standard for business aviation-helicopter (ISBAO-H) code of best practices.—By Thierry Dubois
Smart Global SolutionS, +44 0208 619 0600, www.SmartGlobalSolutionS.com

l-3’S SrViVr CVr meetS mandate

L-3 Electrodynamics is introducing the SRVIVR family of cockpit voice
flight data recorders (CVFDRs), a state-of-the-art crash survivable
recorder designed to meet FAA’s mandate for flight recorders. Offer-
ing the smallest and lightest CVFDR on the market today, SRVIVR is
available with a variety of air vehicle interfaces, providing flexibility on
a broad range of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. It is available as a
CVR, FDR, or Combi unit and complies with EUROCAE ED-112. It pro-
vides up to two hours of audio, 25 hours of flight data at 64 to 2048 wps,
TSO-C177 data link recording, and a rotor speed interface. SRVIVR was
also designed to interface directly with digital cockpit display systems via
ARINC-429, RS-422, or Ethernet, potentially eliminating the need for a
separate flight data acquisition unit. SRVIVR is scheduled to be approved
to TSO-C123b, TSO-C124b, and TSO-C177 by mid-2010. l-3, 1-847-660-1790, www.l-3com.com/edi/Srvivr.htm

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 AppAreo SyStemS LAunched GAu 3000
Appareo Systems announced the newest product in its
award-winning ALERTS flight data monitoring (FDM)
system earlier this year, the GAU 3000. The GAU 3000
extends the capabilities of Appareo’s other FDM equip-
ment by adding a modular infrastructure that enables
operators to choose the right hardware package for
their needs. The GAU 3000 continues Appareo’s his-
tory of building small, lightweight flight data monitoring
equipment and adds to that legacy by incorporating
EUROCAE ED-155 compliant crash-survivable flash
memory and ARINC 429 support for avionics such as
radar altimeters, glass cockpit displays and GPS naviga-
tors. With ARINC 429 support, the GAU 3000 will serve
as a centralized hub to record any and all data generated
by an all-digital aircraft. For legacy aircraft, the GAU 3000
will still record important flight data independently of the ship’s electronics using Appareo’s inertial sensing suite comprised of acceler-
ometers, gyros, compasses and a 16-channel WAAS GPS. The GAU 3000 weighs less than 3.5 lbs and consumes just over one-half a cubic
foot of space. Available accessories will include an imaging unit for capturing high-resolution cockpit imagery, a wireless high-speed data
module for simplified transmission of flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) data. AppAreo SyStemS, 1-701-356-2200, www.AppAreo.com

utiLichArt 5100 And rt-600 dF

mAke powerFuL combo
The Aeocomputers UltiChart 5100 moving map
system, in conjunction with the Rhotheta RT-600
direction finder, are a great combination of tools
to aid in search and rescue of persons/aircraft/
vehicles/vessels. The Aerocomputers moving
map has always been a solid performer with easy,
intuitive controls, greatly reducing TFO work-
load, while enhancing situational awareness. The
RT-600 is a direction finder that overlays a highly
sensitive directional signal onto the moving
map. The signal comes from a personal locator
transmitter, aircraft ELT (both old and new fre-
quencies), or other emergency location devices.
The stubby belly-mounted antenna houses the
electronics, freeing up panel space. Oxnard,
Calif.-based AeroComputers designed UC-5100
to meet the needs of law enforcement, public safety, and military clients. Through integration with the aircraft’s onboard camera/IR sen-
sor and other systems, the crew can keep attention focused on accomplishing the mission, not on the operation of the hardware. Proven
in the field by more than 150 agencies worldwide, the UC-5100 mapping system sets a high standard for managing tactical operations in
public-use aircraft. The RT-600 (SAR-DF 517) by Rhotheta was designed specifically for use on board all aircraft, including helicopters.
It is a direction finder system for airborne SAR that operates on all frequency bands used for rescue missions, including emergency fre-
quencies 121.500 MHz, 243.000 MHz and 406.028 MHz (Cospas-Sarsat) as well as channel 16 of the marine band. Emergency beacons
that operate on the Cospas-Sarsat frequency 406.028 MHz can be identified and localized. No additional equipment is required in the
aircraft since the electronic direction finding components are integrated into the antenna. The display and control unit consists of an
80-mm round instrument, and the graphic LCD display permits convenient viewing of localization and Cospas-Sarsat information.
AerocomputerS, 1-805-985-3390, www.AerocomputerS.com And rHotHetA uSA, 1-435 578 1270, www.rHotHetA.com

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 Product Guide

EMS FLEET TRACKER WATCHES OVER YOUR TEAM

Effective fleet management is a critical factor in maximizing
the safety and efficiency of helicopter operations. FLEET
Tracker from EMS Aviation (formerly Sky Connect) offers
a complete tracking and communications solution that is
especially popular among offshore oil and emergency medical
providers. FLEET Tracker is the only system of its kind able
to provide a GPS flight plan with a map that displays the pilot’s
flight plan, giving dispatchers and others fleet situational awareness. Its comprehensive customization of landmarks and map overlays is
also unique. The system’s MMU-II is the smallest cockpit dialer available and includes highly customizable options for pre-stored mes-
sages, forms and phone numbers.
EMS AviAtion, 1-877-821-8429, www.EMSSAtcoM.coM

LOCKHEED MARTIN’S DEVECTOR

As people keep finding more creative ways to put themselves in dire positions, search and rescue providers are challenged to fly missions
into increasingly dangerous situations. Two of the biggest problem areas are reduced visibility, caused by brownouts, fog, rain or what-
ever; and in-flight obstacles—towers, wires, structures, etc. While some technologies and vision aids including forward-looking infrared
(FLIR), shortwave infrared image (SWIR) sensors, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), millimeter wave radar (MMWR) and others
have given flight crews some much-needed support, they all have their drawbacks. Namely, the lack of sharp detail and accurate obstacle
range and elevation information. These shortcomings often point to what pilots are calling “blobology” images—formless color blobs dis-
played on the helicopter’s MFD. Flight crews know something is out there, but they’re just not sure what or where it is. Lockheed Martin’s
new-generation Degraded Visual Environment Correlation Tracking & Obstacle Recognition (DEVECTOR) could just be the light at the
end of the tunnel. Currently undergoing active flight testing, DEVECTOR uses advanced 3-D synthetic vision technology spawned from
a high-resolution digital terrain elevation data (DTED) database and hazard detection sensors to create synthetic images that help flight
crews operate more safely in significantly degraded visual environments. Used alone, or in combination with LIDAR and RADAR, this
fused vision/sensor system will provide a huge leap forward for those operating aircraft in marginal environmental and weather condi-
tions. LockhEEd MArtin, www.LockhEEdMArtin.coM

HUGHES AEROSPACE OFFERS NAV

EXPERTISE
Houston-based Hughes Aerospace Corp.
offers performance based navigation (PBN)
services designed for both helicopter and
fixed-wing aircraft. Hughes is uniquely posi-
tioned to offer not only RNAV/RNP, but
uniquely qualified to deliver the more precise
three dimensional paths of WAAS LPV
and GBAS GLS navigation procedures. The
superior accuracy of WAAS/GBAS provides
lower minimums and a higher margin of safe-
ty than un-augmented GPS. The Hughes team
has global experience with successful PBN design and implementation, consistently delivering significant value to their customers in all
environments—arctic, offshore, desert, jungle and congested metropolitan areas. Hughes Aerospace provides a completely integrated
system, tailored to meet the specific needs of its clients. These turn-key solutions involve PBN crew training, aircraft equipage and FAA/
ICAO regulatory compliance. Hughes also offers a host of other services such as FAA/ICAO-compliant obstacle surveys and air traffic
PBN integration training. They also offer aircraft and facility weather, navigation, voice and data equipment, including VHF, satcom and
802.11. Hughes was selected to participate in the PBN Roadmap for several counties, and is currently working with the FAA in the design
and implementation of the first public WAAS LPV heliport procedures in the world.
HugHes AerospAce, 1-281-591-4729, www.HugHesAerospAce.com

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 COBHAM’S HELISAS:
FINALLY, AN AUTOPILOT FOR SMALL HELICOPTERS
Most pilots will agree that an autopilot is a great, safety-enhancing device
to have aboard an aircraft. But in the helicopter world, autopilots have
been a luxury reserved for big-ticket ships, such as the Bell 412, Eurocopter
EC155 and Sikorsky S76. But it appears that will change within the next few
weeks as Cobham, the Mineral Wells, Texas-based avionics firm, closes in
on FAA certification for HeliSAS, its two-axis autopilot system.
HeliSAS—an acronym for helicopter stabilization and augmentation
system—is a two-axis system that controls the helicopter’s pitch and roll
attitude. Yaw and power inputs remain entirely with the pilot.
HeliSAS consists of four main components. Two of them are servos,
which physically connect to the control tubes that link the cyclic to the
pitch and roll sides of the swash plate. The third is the flight control com-
puter, which serves as the electronic interface between the servos, the air-
craft’s avionics, and the fourth component—a slim control head mounted
in the instrument panel.
As an autopilot, HeliSAS offers heading (HDG), navigation (NAV),
back course (BC), altitude (ALT) and vertical speed (VRT) hold. When
coupled to the Garmin GNS-530, SAS and NAV modes, along with one
or the other vertical hold commands, directs the aircraft along pub-
lished instrument approaches. Once again, power and yaw inputs are
pilot-controlled.
In SAS mode, the system takes an “electronic picture,” so to speak, of
the cyclic’s position, as sensed by the pitch and roll servo arms at the time
of activation. HeliSAS then keeps the cyclic in that position until the SAS function is disengaged by on/off buttons on the control panel,
or either one of the cyclic grips. It is so precise, it will even hold a fairly stable hover.
Should the pilot change the position of the cyclic slightly, HeliSAS assumes it is inadvertent, and returns the cyclic to its original ori-
entation. But if the cyclic is moved to a greater degree, the SAS will assume that the pilot is executing an evasive maneuver and disengage,
thus immediately restoring full control to the pilot.
A second benefit of the SAS is its ability to recover the aircraft from an unusual attitude. If the pilot should become disoriented, Heli-
SAS will gently return the aircraft to straight and level flight, power permitting.
HeliSAS requires physical attachment between the two servos and the tubes that connect the cyclic to the pitch and roll actuators.
Engineers solved this requirement by mounting the 3.4-lb pitch and roll servos under the front seats, and attaching them to the cyclic
control tubes with connecting rods. The HeliSAS computer then marries the system to the aircraft’s avionics.
At 15 lbs total, HeliSAS does not create a significant weight and balance issue. In fact, it was designed with light helicopters, such as the
Bell Jet Ranger and Robinson R44, in mind. And while a price for the unit has yet to be etched in stone, Cobham plans to keep acquisition
costs well below $75,000, and installation time around 24 man-hours. FAA certification is expected near the end of 2010.
Cobham currently has HeliSAS installed aboard a Bell 206B Jet Ranger belonging to Edwards &Associates (E&A), the Piney Flats,
Tenn.-based subsidiary of Bell Helicopter that specializes in custom helicopter completions. E&A, and its sister company Aeronautical
Associates, are working with Cobham to ensure simplicity in installation and integration across a variety of airframes.
Jim Shirey, product line manager at Cobham, invited me to try HeliSAS at E&A’s facility. He paired me up with E&A test pilot Mike
Milhorn for a morning flight around eastern Tennessee. As advertised, our right hands rested in our laps as HeliSAS maintained the
selected parameters, even when buffeted by light mountain winds and turbulence. Our only job was to set and guard our power and
pedal positions. Hovering at 20 feet AGL without touching the cyclic was just plain magical.
For our ILS approach to runway 23 at Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI), Milhorn activated the SAS, NAV and ALT modes, which
rolled the aircraft into a gentle left turn to capture the localizer. Upon intercepting the glide slope, the system switched from ALT to VRT
mode, where Milhorn reduced our power, and let HeliSAS descend us on a book-perfect final approach all the way to decision height.
From all appearances, HeliSAS looks like a nice aftermarket product for the light helicopter market. It isn’t the four-axis autopilot found
on the big, expensive ships, but Cobham has proven the technology, and feels confident that it will work on just about any helicopter on
the market today. See a video of us flying the Cobham HeliSAS at www.rotorandwing.com —By Ernie Stephens, Editor-at-Large
Cobham, 1-817 897 8830, www.Cobham.Com

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 Product Guide

Panel displays and upgrades

2010 to existing avionics

EDITORS’ components can be

expensive and challenging

Choice modifications. Here’s a

selection that includes
Panel Upgrades
something for everyone.

NEW HELICOPTER EFIS FOR LIGHT TO MEDIUM

HELICOPTER MARKET
Operators of small, light to medium helicopters operating
under FAR Part 27 (under 6,000 lbs) will soon be able to bet-
ter afford a lightweight VFR EFIS following initial supple-
mental type certification of Aspen Avionics’ EFD1000H.
Aspen Avionics has received its first STC for the new
Evolution Flight Display EFD1000H, a low-cost, lightweight
EFIS designed for the light to medium-weight single and
twin-engine helicopter market. The STC was for the Bell
206, using an aircraft borrowed from Summit Helicopters, a
Bell Helicopter-certified repair station in Roanoke, Va., and
obtained working in partnership with Coatesville, Pa.-based
Keystone Helicopter Corp. The new EFD1000H was devel-
oped for helicopters from the already established fixed-wing
EFD1000, but designed to be more rugged than its fixed-
wing counterpart and thus able to take the beating helicopters
tend to give avionics systems. The new EFIS has already been installed on several public use helicopters that do not require FAA STCs,
according to Anson Gray, helicopter program manager for Aspen Avionics. These include organizations such as the Dale County
Police Department based in Ozark, Ala. Dale County currently operates two OH-58s and an MD-500E, “and do a lot of very heavy fly-
ing,” Gray said. Installation was done by Coastal Helicopters in Panama City, Fla. Aspen is in the process of obtaining additional STCs for
the EFD1000H, and expected to have the Robinson R22 and R44 STC’d by mid-summer, working with Chippewa Aerospace in Myrtle
Beach, S.C. Aspen is working with United Rotorcraft Solutions in Dallas for STCs on the Bell 407 and the Eurocopter AS350. Work is also
being done to obtain certification for the MD500 series of helicopters. Aspen is also looking into certification of the 1000H for larger, Part
29, helicopters such as the BK-117. The EFD1000H consists of two digital displays—a primary flight display and a multifunction display.
Aspen initially anticipated that operators would start with the PFD, adding the MFD at a later date. However, the company is finding that
operators are now choosing to have both systems installed simultaneously, providing reversionary capability, he said. The hardware for
both the PFD and MFD is identical. Key to success of the EFD1000H is its low cost ($14,995 for the PFD and $11,995 for the MFD) and
light weight (2.2 lbs per unit). It is also different from other EFIS systems in that it is modular, capable of being expanded based on the
operator’s needs, Gray said. Putting in both the PFD and MFD allows the operator to remove the old analog “steam gauge” attitude indica-
tor, airspeed indicator, altimeter, VSI, and the turn and bank indicator. This allows weight reductions ranging from nine pounds in an R44
up to 42 pounds in a Bell 205 or civilianized UH-1. It eliminates the need for inverters that drive the original UH-1 flight display system,
Gray said. —By Douglas Nelms Aspen Avionics, 1-505-856-5034, www.AspenAvionics.com

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 THE BECKER AVIONICS DIGITAL VOICE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Becker Avionics offers the DVCS 6100 digital audio selector and intercom system.
The system is designed with a modular philosophy to allow flexibility during sys-
tem integration and to ensure optimum performance and reliability during flight
operations. Each of the six (maximum) audio control units transmits the status of the
selected switches and rotary controls via dual-redundant CAN-bus to the remote
electronics unit (REU). Configuration of the system during integration or usage at
the operator’s site is eased by means of special configuration software from Becker.
The DVCS reduces pilot fatigue by providing high quality sound high reliability.
Operators also praise the ease of maintenance for this system and ability to manage
and control all audio sources in the helicopter. The digital multichannel audio and
intercom system with its software-configurable profiles provides the possibility to
specifically customize the system to meet the demanding multi-role operational requirements. The DVCS 6100 manages all transceivers,
receivers and audio warning sources in one central system and provides simulcast capabilities on eight channels. The company says the
system is superior to any analog system, as it offers crystal-clear voice communication quality, a man-machine-interface (MMI) and out-
standing reliability. The system is scalable and flexible due to its fully configurable software. The system satisfies the standards for night
operation under NVG and military conditions. The audio control units (ACU6100) are available with NVIS green (Mil-Std Green B) and
white backlight and offer emergency and slaved mode operation. Becker Avionics, 1-954-450-3137, www.Becker-Avionics.com

ROCKWELL COLLINS’ CAAS IS VERSATILE

Rockwell Collins’ Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) has a modular open systems
architecture (MOSA), which permits expansion through software upgrades. It works much like
a desktop or laptop computer; install a CD—or with CAAS, a PCMCIA card—then boot up the
system and, voila!, you have a new application. Of course, factors such as safety, security and rugged-
ness make the airborne system a bit more complex. But the principle is the same. CAAS has accom-
modated growth since its requirements were first constructed. Advancements have included more
and newer communication, navigation, surveillance, flight controls and survivability equipment,
along with a brownout hover page. But to accommodate presumptive future growth, Rockwell
Collins recently announced the first major hardware upgrade to CAAS since the system was fielded
in 2003. The hardware upgrade is accompanied by a software upgrade. There are new capabilities
on the horizon for CAAS, such as synthetic vision, wire and obstacle detection, and enhanced situ-
ational awareness in brownout conditions. For the hardware upgrade, CAAS users are preparing to swap out the system’s IBM Power PC
750 processors, now obsolete, with the PPC 7448 processors from Freescale. Designed for embedded network control and signal process-
ing applications, the new PPC 7448s provide twice the operating speed and twice the memory of the old 750s, thus allowing for signifi-
cant systems growth. The software upgrade accompanying the PPC 7448 processors includes application code for backward compatibil-
ity with the older Power PC 750s. It also provides reserves for new capabilities, such as JTRS radio control and data management, terrain
avoidance warning, health and usage monitoring, and cognitive decision aiding, among others. (JTRS, or Joint Tactical Radio System, is
a software-defined voice and data communications technology that is set for U.S. military use this year.) The software also incorporates
capabilities unique to the different needs of CAAS users. rockwell collins, 1-319-295-5100, www.rockwellcollins.com

SAGEM’S INTEGRATED COCKPIT DISPLAY SYSTEM

The Integrated Cockpit Display System or ICDS by Sagem is just what it says—it is “inte-
grated.” The ICDS is a high quality, sunlight readable, flat panel color display with NVG
capability. Depending on the configuration, the ICDS can function as a multifunction
display (MFD), primary flight display (PFD), engine monitoring system (EMS), navigation
display (ND), or a combination of those displays. The engine gages are easily readable on
the middle display and will move over to the pilot’s display if the user wants to employ the
large middle display for moving map-type functions. If the pilot does use the middle MFD,
the engine instruments are always visible on one of the displays. The Sagem product line
can be ordered in an NVG-compatible configuration that looks good. sAgem Avionics, 1-972-314-3600, www.sAgemAvionics.com

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 Product Guide

The care and feeding

2010 of helicopters can be

ediToRs’ challenging. Our editors have

found some tools of the

Choice trade that can help you meet

that challenge safely and
ance Upgrades
Mainten
efficiently.

VT MilTope’s New Rugged CoMpuTeRs go ANywheRe

VT Miltope, a VT Systems company, recently announced a new family of
ruggedized products that represent the next generation of mission critical
rugged computers, HARD WEAR, for demanding military environments.
The company’s launch of its newest rugged family includes clamshell laptops,
convertible laptops, handhelds, and mounted computers, VT Miltope now has
a full spectrum of ruggedized mobile computing solutions and form factors
that meet the growing mission and application needs of today’s military. “Our
military is on the forefront of technological development and one of our biggest
challenges is in the management of critical information. VT Miltope devel-
oped a new family of HARD WEAR computers to provide robust and rugged
computing platforms to meet those challenges,” says Brigadier Gen. (U.S. Army,
Ret.) Tom Dickinson, president and CEO of VT Miltope. “They are designed
and built tough, inside and out, to support our soldiers in the most challenging environmental conditions imaginable.”
VT MilTope, 1-703 739 2610, www.VT-sysTeMs.coM

sheRwiN-williAMs AeRospACe Fill BoNd puTTy good

FoR spoT RepAiR, dRies quiCkly
Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings’ Fill Bond is designed to fill rivets, seams
and small spot-repair areas on the exterior of the aircraft fuselage. This high-
build body filler is available in a convenient epoxy version. Some putties are
extremely rigid but Fill Bond putty is flexible, offers direct-to-metal adhesion
(with properly pretreated aluminum), provides excellent spreadability and
offers a long, workable pot life to give users the right amount of time to apply
material on a variety of aircraft surfaces, including aluminum and composites.
Fill Bond dramatically improves productivity by drying quickly for a fast sand—
usually in just two to six hours. It’s also available in a convenient delivery system,
enabling users to apply putty exactly where it is needed without requiring
additional tools and limiting waste following application. Users apply only as much product as they need and then can put the cap back
on the convenient cartridge containers for later use, saving on material and disposal costs. sherwin williaMs aerospace coaTings,
1-888-888-5593, www.swaerospace.coM

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 Complete leak DeteCtion kit for aviation fluiD
SyStemS from SpeCtroniCS
Spectronics Corp. has introduced the new ALK-365 Aviation Leak
Detection Kit for finding leaks in aviation fuel, lubrication and
hydraulic systems. This kit works with all petroleum- and synthetic-
based lubricants and fluids. At the heart of the ALK-365 kit is the
powerful, cordless and rechargeable OPTIMAX 365 UV LED leak
detection flashlight. Engineered with ultra-hi-flux LED technol-
ogy, the flashlight is four times brighter than other high-intensity UV
lamps, according to the company. The kit also includes an 8 oz (237
ml) bottle of Aero-Brite universal fluorescent dye, which pinpoints
the location of any aviation fluid leaks with a bright yellow/green glow. Rounding out the kit is an 8 oz (237 ml) bottle of GLO-AWAY dye
cleaner, smart AC and DC chargers, a belt holster and UV-absorbing glasses, all conveniently packed in a soft carrying case.
SpectronicS corporation, 1-516-333-4840, www.Spectroline.com

avioniCa’S QuiCk aCCeSS reCorDer iS eaSy to in-

Stall anD lightweight
Avionica introduced the original miniQAR quick access recorder in 1999.
This miniature quick access recorder offers solid-state reliability, 400-hour
recording capacity, and ease of installation. Today, the next-generation
miniQAR Mk II quick access recorder has more than 5,000 installations
worldwide, recording the data of many of the world’s airlines, militaries,
and multinational corporations. Solid-state architecture has achieved
a field proven MTBF maintenance time and money. A variety of inter-
face options are now available allowing for flexibility. Record up to two
ARINC 717 (Harvard Biphase or Bipolar RZ) channels and up to three
ARINC-429 channels (high and/or low speed). Three RS 422/232 pro-
grammable channels are available to support ACMS event recording. Future releases will include an ARINC-429 transmitter to support
real-time ACMS reporting over ACARS. Download options including Ethernet (via the RSU-II or COTS laptop/desktop), onboard
Ethernet, and wireless via secureLINK wi-fi or 3G wireless GSE module (shown here), enable operators to customize download methods
to best fit FOQA/FDM programs and schedule requirements. Easy to install. Installs on most aircraft with minimal alterations. The basic
two GB models record up to 6,000 flight hours of ARINC 717 data. Customer upgrade-ability to 32 Gigabytes is possible to handle dense
ARINC 429 data recording requirements. The unit weighs only 6.5 oz.
avionica, 1-786-544-1100, www.avionica.com

Sherwin-williamS afterglo now

available for CommerCial airCraft
A specialized paint from Sherwin-Williams Aerospace
Coatings and Defense Holdings Inc. allows com-
mercial helicopter rotors and aircraft propellers to
glow in the dark. AfterGlo photo-luminescent paint
kit AD110 is applied to the tips of main and tail rotors
on helicopters, and along the edge of propeller blades
on fixed-wing aircraft, making them visible to ground
crews and other airport-based staff in nighttime conditions. Defense Holdings won a contract to develop the coating in 2004, and formed
a partnership with Sherwin-Williams in 2005. Originally developed for helicopters and jets operating on aircraft carriers, AfterGlo
received certification in May 2008. Rich Martin, president of Defense Holdings, notes that the paint “doesn’t affect the use of night vision
goggles.” Sherwin-williamS aeroSpace coatingS, 1-888-888-5593, www.SwaeroSpace.com

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 Product Guide

Helping keep track of tools,

2010 keeping your technical staff

Editors’ cool, and other ways to

ensure peace of mind is what

Choice our editors found when we

asked what improvements
Facilities
could be made to facilities.

snap-on industrial introducEs lEvEl 5 atc tool control

Precise, efficient tool control can mean the difference between success or failure. Snap-on
Industrial has introduced the Level 5 ATC Tool Control System. The system uses digital
imaging technology and is designed with a keyless entry, PC-based database. Each user as
an assigned ID or key card embedded with a user-specific code allowing the unit to know
who has accessed the system at all times. Digital imaging is used to scan each item removed
or returned. An audio system announces tool issue and return. User log data and time-date
information is available for every transaction. “The Lever 5 ATC system ensures that people
throughout the network know the status of tools and equipment. This means workers can
be assured the tool they need is on hand and available immediately and managers have an
extra measure of confidence that critical assets are being well-supervised,” says Pat McDe-
vitt, manager, business development for Snap-on Industrial. “Companies will see the value
of this system the first day it is deployed.” The Level 5 ATC System can be synchronized to
individual or multiple boxes and can pull data and images from each selected tool box. The
system can create reports, do tool searches, alert for broken tools and tools out of calibra-
tion and check tool custody. Snap-on InduStrIal, 1-877-762-3267, www.Snapon.com

BE cool with Big ass Fans

Building 1244 at NASA’s Langley Research Center is a large facility housing a docking
simulator once used to teach astronauts of the Gemini Project how to dock the lunar
module. Cutting-edge technology still happens in this building located in Hampton,
Va., known for hot, humid summer days. Because air-conditioning was impractical
for the 90,000-square-foot facility with 100-foot ceilings, the facility coordinator went
looking for a solution to help deal with the hot summer temperatures. The Big Ass
Fan’s design creates large volumes of air to move off the fan blade and allows the fans
to operate efficiently at lower speeds. These slow-moving fans generate a large column
of air equal to the diameter of the fan. The air columns are pushed downward, then hit
the floor, and the air radiates outward until it hits a wall and is pushed back up to the
ceiling. Over time that airflow gains momentum and creates a continuous breeze. The
fans use just five cents of electricity per hour with their one-horsepower motor. The
variable speed controls preserve the life of the motor by reducing torque on start-up. Butch Lilly, senior facilities system engineer at Lang-
ley, said the fans were easy to install and added, “We had dead air but now there’s an actual light breeze in the building in all the corners.”
BIg aSS FanS, 877-244-3267, www.BIgaSSFanS.com

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 Machida Offers sMall diaMeter BOrescOpe
Earlier this year, Machida Borescopes introduced the smallest diameter videoscope in
the world, the VSC-3-140-N, according to Jitu Patel, vice president. “Because engines
don’t have large access areas, the smaller the diameter, the better. This 3mm outer
diameter allows access to all areas of an engine, even the smallest cavity,” says Patel.
He adds that the small bending radius allows the user the ability to look all around in
the cavity as well. In addition to the size, the scope has full screen presentation with
image enhancement and portable image archiving. “The unit comes with a 15 inch flat
screen, long life LED lights, SD card and is easy to use,” he says.
Machida Borescopes, 1-845-365-0600, www.Machidascope.coM

hydraulics Keep it siMple fOr clear-Max dOOr

The challenge with any large door is the power system and the integrity of the structure.
The job of the operator for opening a door 20 feet or wider is raising the door panel
smoothly and reliably in minimal time. That heavy lifting takes a toll on the motors and
mechanics. Wilson Doors has a solution for large doorways with the introduction of their
new durable Clear-Max. The door features superior cold-formed steel tube construction
with convenient push-button hydraulic operation. The single panel on the Clear-Max
opens in a single arching motion. When the door is fully open and perpendicular with the
doorway the Clear-Max requires only six inches of headroom. The drive system on the
Clear-Max is simple—just two hydraulic cylinders, a pump, motor and control box. All
components are low-maintenance and efficient. A single push-button actuates the system
to easily raise and lower the door panel. When closed, the hydraulic cylinders keep the
door panel snug against the building for a very tight seal.
wilson doors, 1-800-558-5974, www.wilsondoors.coM

lOw altitude traffic suppOrt systeM

Harris Corp. developed the Low-Altitude Traffic Support (LATS) system to enable low altitude air traffic support for rotary wing aircraft.
The LATS system allows pilots to fly in a controlled low altitude environment by using NextGen automatic dependent surveillance-
broadcast (ADS-B) surveillance technology combined with IP-based radios for voice communication. In addition, each LATS system
is equipped with FAA-certified weather reporting capability enabling the pilot to determine actual weather at the landing site prior to
approach as required by 14 CFR Part 135. The weather is either transmitted over VHF as AWOS or communicated to the pilot by the
local operations center. The entire system is self-contained in an environmentally enclosed 58 x 26 x 30-inch enclosure. The enclosure is
light weight and equipped with lifting rings for easy handling. Using LATS, pilots can communicate with the FAA on their standard VHF
radio while on the surface to receive IFR and takeoff clearances. While in-flight they are in constant voice communication with control-
lers while their position is constantly monitored by controllers using ADS-B technology. Once on the ground following approach, the
pilot is able to communicate easily with ATC to close his flight plan.
harris corp., 1-800-442-7747 x 2428, www.harris.coM

uNited rOtOrcraft sOlutiONs MOVes tO larGer facility

United Rotorcraft Solutions (URS) moved to a larger facility this year. “This move will provide us three times the space we [previously
had],” reports President and Owner David Brigham. “We’ll maintain our current 15,000-square-foot facility as well. Our new facility
will be able to accommodate the growth of URS and help us continue top service to our customers.” Brigham started the company in
2005 to meet the growing demand for systems integration for helicopters, as well as maintenance specifically for the rotorcraft indus-
try. The new facility increases the square footage by 40,000 square feet. Not only did the hangar space increase but the new facility
provides additional office space, a dedicated customer lounge and office and additional parts storage. This move has allowed URS to
bring in new programs this year.
United rotorcraft solUtions, 1-940-627-0626, www.Unitedrotorcraft.coM

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 45

 Product Guide

Pilot equipment is a new

2010 category for Editors’ Choice

EDITORS’ this year. Here are a few

items recommended by folks

Choice who know what pilots want

and need while beating the
Pilot Equipment
air into submission.

KEEN’S PITTSBURGH BOOT IS TOUGH, COMFORTABLE

This boot, with waterproof leather uppers and a waterproof breathable membrane, is built for the elements.
Left and right asymmetrical steel toes, a removable footbed and dual density compression molded EVA &
PU mid-sole provide comfort and help fend off fatigue so you’ve got something left in the tank even after
your shift is through. KEEN adds interlocking torsion plate, an oil and slip resistant non-marking rubber
outsole and 5 MM multi-directional lugs. Available in sizes 7-15; D & EE (1/2 through 12) and colors avail-
able: bison/red, black/yellow, slate/blackberry. Manufacturers suggested retail price is $170. KEEN INC.,
1-800-509-5336 (KEEN), WWW.KEENFOOTWEAR.COM

Aviation Today’s Newsletters

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Learn the details behind current and anticipated joint ventures and mergers, get the latest in purchasing and leasing trends, discover emerging
markets and profit from exclusive Aircraft Value Tabulation & Index and Aircraft Value Analysis tables.
Receive a free trial subscription at: http://info.accessintel.com/avn

AIR SAFETY WEEK

Discover the only award-winning newsletter devoted exclusively to news and analysis of aviation safety. Timely coverage of key safety issues, FAA
regulations, and NTSB investigations. Trends in aviation law, news and analysis of aviation safety technology.
Receive a free trial subscription at: http://info.accessintel.com/asw

17692
www.aviationtoday.com

46 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

 Brightline Pilot Flight Bag–a Whole neW aPProach to helicoPter
Pilot Flight Bags
This bag offers storage, organization and clever functionality. Two main compartments and 25 spe-
cialized pockets to hold everything a pilot needs to carry every day. You get better storage than any big
bag in a small bag. Plus it’s modular. It can be zipped apart into two separate bags: the headset bag for
VFR flight, and the document bag for cross country or IFR flight. Carry only what you need. Made of
heavy, 1000D nylon for a long, rugged life. Exactly the right height for navigation charts, no more bend-
ing or folding your sectional, terminal or enroute charts. Color-coded zipper pulls help identify the
right pocket every time. Brightline Bags, +1-415-721-7825, www.BrightlineBags.com

liteFlite oFFers reFlective sar roPe

Denmark-based LiteFlite is displaying its new “reflective guide line”, a rope with woven-in reflec-
tive stripes. When lighted at night or in dark conditions, it glows and makes the guide line much
more visible below the helicopter. John Holstein, LiteFlite’s technical manager, said the 10-mm-
diameter polyester line is available in bright red and yellow colors. Another product is the quick-
release box, which makes the rescuer more safely connected to the hoist. Sometimes the helicop-
ter has to leave the rescuer on the ground. It happens that the rescuer has to cut the rope because
he cannot release the karabiner if the rope is in tension. In that instance, if the helicopter only has
one hoist, it cannot be of any more help to the rescuer on the ground. The quick-release box solves the problem, Holstein explained. The
rescuer can release with just one hand, up to 330 pounds in tension. Moreover, he can feel, even with gloves, whether the connection is in
the safe (or released) position. —By Thierry Dubois lite Flite aps, +45-7558-3737, www.lite-Flite.aero

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 47

 PUBLIC SERVICE | TRAINING
Public Safety
Notebook
By Lee Benson
Setting the Safety Culture
O
n July 24th, 2010 the heli-
co p te r i n d u st r y l o st a
remarkable man and I lost
a personal friend. Al Brous-
sard was a mentor and resource both
as a pilot and an A&P mechanic to the
southern California helicopter com-
munity. Not many people understood
the Bell 47 airframe from both a pilot
and mechanic perspective as Al did.
I didn’t get to see Al often these days,
maybe three or four times a year. I had
known Al since 1974, when I started
writing this column Al was among
the first to mention it to me. It was
obvious from his comments and sug-
gestions that he had read the articles
and given them some thought. Al’s
input towards expanding the subjects
that I had written about in past articles
has been incorporated in several of
the columns that have appeared here
since. A lot of people will miss him,
including me.
In my last article I expressed my
opinion that the differences in safety
cultures found within various organi-
zations have a profound effect on the
performance of their pilots in regards
to safe flight operations. I further
stated that whoever pays the bills sets
the safety culture. In the end it’s not the
chief pilot or director of operations,
it’s the guy that writes the check that
sets the safety culture. When I first had
this thought, I only went as far as my
surroundings at the time took me. My
20-plus years with Los Angeles County
Fire as a line pilot, safety and training
director and chief pilot had caused me
to realize that the Fire Chief, through
48 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
his management style and capabilities,
got the safety culture that he wanted.
I had a wonderful first-name relation-
ship with P. Michael Freeman, the
Chief of LA County Fire since 1988. He
called me Lee and I called him SIR. P.
Michael is a demanding boss, who will
listen to your concerns, but expects
you to have a good, practical solution
to mitigate your concerns when you
state them. I was in the room on an
occasion or two when someone tried
to dump their concerns on his lap
without a solution, not a good Plan A.
I think a lot of people never learn that
lesson. But I never forgot one thing he
said to me: “I don’t want to attend any
more funerals.” Now, I doubt there’s a
leader in the country at any level who
has stated the opposite. But with some,
safety is just a box to be checked off,
not a goal to be supported. That’s the
difference, the support that comes with
the statement. I knew two things when
P. Michael made this statement—he
would hold me accountable if I failed
to deliver and he would support our
section’s needs when it was his turn
to step up. On a wider scale even
segments of the industry can be rec-
ognized as having a very mature and
robust safety culture. This has affected
the accident rate within those seg-
ments of the industry. As an example,
the offshore oil and gas industry has
a fatality rate during a five-year run-
ning period that approaches half of
the helicopter EMS community. Sev-
eral years ago I attended an American
Helicopter Society meeting in Carmel,
Calif. At this conference, Bob Sheffield,
the director of aviation for Shell Oil,
presented a paper on the risk reduc-
tion and training effort that had been
implemented by the Offshore Oil and
Gas Association. The commitment on
the part of the oil companies to create
the culture that led to this reduced
accident rate was impressive.
This disrupted my “the boss sets
the safety culture” theory because
in the oil and gas industry it was the
customer that made the commitment
towards safety in terms of money
and operational flexibility. But then
I realized that in the case of the fire
department and most public safety
operations, the fire chief, police chief,
boss is the customer and the boss at
the same time.
My final thought on this for now
is, who is the customer in the helicop-
ter EMS business? It’s not the FAA
or the NTSB, they have their roles
but they are not the customer. The
strange thing is, I think we would all
be hesitant to name the patient as the
customer. So who is it? Maybe that’s
why the EMS segment of the helicop-
ter industry has struggled to correct
its safety issue. Some of you may think
that I am pointing at the hospitals as
the customer in an effort to get them
more deeply involved in the culture
of safety that I have spoken about. I
think the blunt truth is that the heli-
copter EMS industry has allowed the
medical side of the house to become
too engaged in flight operations and
not committed to supporting good
aeronautical decision-making by the
operators and pilots.
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
 Ground Handling

International Marketplace

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 49

 TRAINING | EMS
Right Seat
By Mike Redmon
Pressure to be Fast
I
t is common in EMS for lift times
to be documented by dispatch.
It is also a common requirement
for pilots to document any lift
times over five minutes and send this
information to the lead pilot and/or
base manager. In business, there is a
saying “you are what you measure.”
It may seem natural for managers
to want to know why a lift-off took
longer than a pre-determined amount
of time. Personally, I feel that using lift
times as a metric isn’t worth the paper
they are written on because of the
many variables involved in launching
a flight. Was the aircraft inside the
hangar or outside? Was the aircraft
already on standby? Did the pilot
need the time to actually evaluate the
weather? Was the medcrew “slow”
in getting out to the aircraft? The
arbitrary time of five minutes is not
a number borne of science. My main
issue is with the paperwork required
to be turned in by the pilot. Some
pilots, especially new EMS pilots, will
inadvertently sacrifice safety to avoid
explaining why they didn’t meet their
employer’s expectations.
How long does it take a helicopter
to lift for a flight? It takes whatever it
takes. Once again, it takes whatever it
takes. It is a task-oriented procedure,
not a time-oriented procedure. In the
past, I have found myself wanting to
skip using the checklist, doing a poor
walk-around, and generally trying to
speed things up because I felt “behind”
in the launch time. Good judgment
generally evolves from poor judgment
50 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
and I eventually wised up due to the
errors I found myself making. I eas-
ily could have been a statistic with the
items I missed during my rushed pre-
launch preparations.
Hurrying to get off the ground can
cause mistakes and increase the likeli-
hood for errors. You always hear about
the pilot who forgot to unplug the
shoreline cord, remove an inlet cover,
or hot started an engine.
For example, I know a guy who
took off with less than 20 minutes of
fuel and didn’t realize it until he got
the low-fuel lights shortly after lift-off.
The checklist specifically said to check
fuel amount, but as an EMS check air-
man once told me, “who has time to
read the checklist?” So again we come
back to the reality of saving a minute,
but crashing or damaging the aircraft.
The irony of the whole thing occurs
when you rush to the hospital only to
discover it will be another 30 minutes
until the patient can be transported.
Professionalism demands that the
pilot be prepared for any flight by hav-
ing your jacket and other gear already
in the aircraft, keeping your bladder
empty, seat and pedal positions cor-
rect, and radios set up.
Additionally, don’t be lazy and
leave the aircraft in the hangar when
it should be outside. The less you do
at work, the less you want to do, so I
understand how hard it can be to haul
the aircraft out of the hangar at five in
the morning.
Other than that, there is nothing
else you can do to speed up the pro-
cess. Weather-related crashes are the
number one killer in EMS so it is cru-
cial to check the weather for as long
as it takes. You have to do an effective,
deliberate, and hands-on walk-around.
The FAR’s state you must use the
checklist to start. Your passengers rely
on you to not cut corners. All aircraft
passengers are more concerned with
safety than on-time performance.
Once you are ready to lift you still
should take your time. There have
been many episodes of pilots taking
off with one engine at idle, with SAS
systems turned off, and engines quit-
ting at 40 feet because the fuel transfer
pumps weren’t switched on.
A final check of critical items prior
to pulling pitch is essential when flying
EMS. It is amazing what can be missed
when you go from a deep sleep to lift-
ing a helicopter off an elevated helipad
five minutes later.
Lastly, you should always do an
engine instruments check at an IGE
hover prior to departing. This will give
you a chance to reconfirm that the
engines are working properly prior to
pulling into an OGE takeoff. Let that
No. 2 engine quit during a three-foot
hover over the helipad instead of at
50 feet over the hospital parking lot
with no place to go. I always shake my
head when I see a helicopter snatched
off the ground and straight into the air
without a hover pause.
Always remember that if some-
thing goes wrong it will be the pilot
who answers to the FAA, not anyone
else.
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
 PARTS AND SERVICES YOU CAN TRUST...

International Marketplace
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available on the market today. Rotables, avionics & instruments ready to ship worldwide.
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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 51

 January 2011:
Annual Reports— As we approach the start of
each new year, Rotor & Wing surveys its advertisers, key
vendors and suppliers in the helicopter marketplace, and
asks them to tell us what important changes they have
made in the past year, as well as what new products, ini-
tiatives or innovations we might expect to see from them
in the coming months.
February 2011:
Robinson R66—Editor-at-Large Ernie Stephens
was invited by Robinson Helicopter Company President
Kurt Robinson to fly the company’s latest creation—the
R66—in late September. Ernie was quite taken with the
aircraft and its capabilities, saying it is “one of the best
aircraft I have ever flown,” and to “expect to see the skies
dotted with them.” Stay tuned for video coverage of the
flight by Ernie at www.rotorandwing.com
Electronic Maintenance Tracking—Technol-
ogy as a tool for helicopter maintenance technicians.
Dale Smith takes a look at some maintenance tracking
software and what they can offer.
52 W WRW . R ORT O
OTO & RW
A INNDGW IMNAGA
G . C ZOIMN E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
Executive Outlook—Rotor & Wing also asks the
top executives in each of these companies to give a brief
answer to a simple questions regarding what they see on
the horizon for the rotorcraft marketplace in 2011. The
compilation of these answers produces an insightful pre-
diction of what to expect. This year’s Executive Outlook
provides an indispensable planning tool for 2011.
Hiring Best Practices—Regular Rotor & Wing col-
umnist Chris Baur takes a break from his usual technol-
ogy oriented topics and shares insights about where the
best pilots and crew members come from.
Cabri G2—First-time contributor Thomas Skamljic
had an opportuity to fly the Cabri G2 and reports on his
findings from Europe.
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO
WWW R .&
R OW
TOI NR GA NMDAGA
W I NZGI N
. CEO M 52
 Survival Equipment

International Marketplace
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;Vm/'(."+)("%.)% ;Vm/))"&,)."+,+"%,)
lll#V^giZX]cdad\n#Xdb ijgW^cZh5V^giZX]cdad\n#Xdb
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MANAIRCO, INC. (419) 524 - 2121, www.manairco.com
ANVIS 6 HELICOPTER HELMETS (Kevlar helmets and
spares including: HGU models). NOMEX coveralls, jackets,
gloves, etc. factory new, in stock. Sage green and desert
tan. GOVERNMENT SALES, INC., 89 Francis Ave. Hartford,
CT 06106, Tel: (860) 247-7787, Fax: (860) 586-8020.
Catalogue on website: www.aviationhelmets.com

advertising sales reps

Eastern U.S./Canada Central U.S./Canada International
Carol Mata Randy Jones, Publisher James McAuley
607 N. Canyonwood, 4500 Westgrove, Suite 315 Cortijo LoCota, 42, Casa Las Flores
Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Addison, TX 75001 Santa Rosalia,
Tel: 1-512-607-6361 Tel: 972-713-9612; 29551 Campanillas Malaga, Spain
Fax: 1-866-820-4104 Fax: 972 713-0621 Tel/Fax: +34 952 118018
cmata@accessintel.com rjones@accessintel.com jmcauley@accessintel.com

advertiser index
Page# ..... Advertiser.......................................................Website Page# ..... Advertiser.......................................................Website

19 ...............Aero Dynamix................................................www.aerodynamix.com 17 ...............Esterline/CMC Electronics...............................www.cmcelectronics.ca

5 .................Agusta Westland/Italy ..............................www.agustawestland.com
53 ...............Air Technology Engines ................................www.airtechnology.com
51 ...............Alpine Air Support.................................................... www.alpine.aero
56 ...............American Eurocopter .................................. www.eurocopterusa.com
11 ...............Aspen Avionics .............................................www.aspenavionics.com
51 ...............Aviation Instrument Services .............www.aviation-instrument.com
49 ...............Becker Avionics ..................................................www.beckerusa.com
47 ...............Bower Helicopter .....................................www.bowerhelicopter.com
49 ...............Chopper Spotter .........................................www.chopperspotter.com
2 .................Cobham Avionics.....................................www.cobham.com/avionics
25 ...............Heli-mart.............................................................. www.helimart.com
51 ...............HR Smith .............................................................. www.hr-smith.com
49 ...............Keystone Helicopter .............................www.keystonehelicopter.com
51 ...............Machida Inc. ................................................ www.machidascope.com
31 ...............Robinson Helicopter.......................................www.robinsonheli.com
51 ...............Skybooks ..............................................................www.skybooks.com
51 ...............Sun-foil.....................................................................www.sunfoil.com
53 ...............Switlik ......................................................................www.switlik.com
15 ...............Turbomeca ........................................................www.turbomeca.com

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E 53

 MILITARY | AUSA
Military Insider
By Andrew Drwiega
Army Aviation’s ‘Four Horsemen’
On the Record at AUSA
I
t is customary at every AUSA,
the U.S. Army’s annual conven-
tion staged in Washington, DC
during October, for the leaders
of Army Aviation (dubbed ‘The Four
Horsemen’) to openly discuss ‘on the
record’ a wide range of subjects of cur-
rent interest. Those present this year
were: BG Anthony G. Crutchfield, U.S.
Army Aviation Center of Excellence
and Fort Rucker commanding general;
MG James Rogers, U.S. Army Aviation
and Missile Command commanding
general; BG William T. Crosby, program
executive officer, U.S. Army Aviation;
and Col. William Morris, director of
Army Aviation, Pentagon.
One of the first subjects raised
was the perceived requirement in
the Army for a cargo UAS helicopter.
BG Crutchfield stated that the pri-
mary task was to lay out the gaps in
capability within Army aviation and
to identify what was needed. Crosby
added that there is “much potential
that we see in UAS” but that “there are
zealots who think it is time to pull out
of manned aviation—we are not there!
What we are doing is going ahead with
a comprehensive look and we have
focused on RSTA [reconnaissance,
surveillance, and target acquisition]
to date. We are doing manned and
unmanned teaming and breaking a lot
of ground.” He added that his technol-
ogy team is monitoring what the U.S.
Marine Corps was doing.
Regarding the future for the Joint
Multi Role (JMR) helicopter, Crosby
hinted that all variants were being
looked at and that his team was “look-
ing at our S&T tax dollars to facilitate
the development of critical enablers.”
He said that the Improved Turbine
54 R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
Engine Program (ITEP) was applicable
both to today’s Apaches and Black
Hawks and to the future JMR. “We see
that as a critical enabler ... but which
variant do we go after first—those are
the things we have to wrestle with at
the moment.”
The fact that Army Aviation was
stretched also came up for debate.
Crutchfield confirmed that the Combat
Aviation Brigades were currently in a
one year BOG (boots on the ground):
dwell time cycle, but there was little
slack down the line. “Right now we are
maintaining a balance between five-
and-a-half Combat Aviation Brigades
deployed at any time. We still have the
second CAB in Korea, we still have a
presence in SOUTHCOM [U.S. South-
ern Command] as well as in Europe,
and so if something happened we could
muster a force together. But if we need-
ed six or seven CABs at a steady state
then we would have to look to OSD
[Office of the Secretary of Defense] as
we did last year and they directed that a
13th active component CAB was to be
resourced into the force. That will help
us get into reasonable dwell rates for our
soldiers so that we can respond to any
contingencies.”
There is currently much debate
about optionally manned helicop-
ters. Crosby said that the Army’s cur-
rent vehicles were either manned or
unmanned. But “a critical enabler would
be to digitize the flight controls. We
have done some digital automatic flight
control systems for the Black Hawk and
Chinook, which gives you an enhanced
capability,” but that there was nothing
as fully digitised as had been planned
for the Comanche. As he understood it,
“the idea is that the specifics of a mission
and the risks might be so high that you
want to fly as an optionally manned/
unmanned configuration. That is some-
thing that we know is technologically
feasible and there are systems out there
that are doing it today. For us to go back
and retrofit into the existing platforms
that we have—Apache, Black Hawk
and Chinook—[would mean] we would
need to digitize those flight controls
to get that kind of responsiveness. We
have no resources to do that as of today.”
Crosby did say that he saw the
“potential value” of such a system
but asked whether it would be “more
important than the current manned/
unmanned that we are doing,” adding:
“We have to keep in mind that whatever
capability we are thinking of, the Army
has to be able to afford.”
Because of the small BOG to dwell
ratio, there have been concerns about
the amount of time available to CABs
to train before beginning their next
operational deployment. Crutchfield
was keen to ensure that everyone
understood that the country had “the
best trained aviation personnel that we
have ever had. We have the most com-
bat seasoned aviators ever.” He con-
firmed that there were issues in trying
to push all of the training through
fast enough but that “we are meeting
those challenges like never before,
through mobile training teams from
Fort Rucker and other places. They go
to the posts, camps and stations to help
train and it is working out. It is not easy
and it is expensive but it’s working.”
For a more complete version of the
‘Four Horsemen’ discussion at AUSA,
look for the next issue of the Rotor &
Wing Military Insider newsletter or
subscribe for your free copy today.
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
 Anytime. Anywhere.
Information You Can Count On

We’re There!
Rotor & Wing is the most
respected and most
widely-read magazine in
the market, and has been
for well over 40 years and
counting. Whatever you fly,
wherever you go, you can
count on Rotor & Wing.

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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M www.aviationtoday.com/rw
55
J U N E 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G M AGA Z I N E
17796
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