A Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigation report (A10P0242) released on May 13 identified disrupted fuel flow as the likely cause of the crash of a Transwest Helicopters Ltd. Bell 214B-1 helicopter, which was fighting fire approximately 20 nautical miles northwest of Lillooet, British Columbia. The helicopter lost power, touched down hard on uneven terrain, and rolled over onto its side. The 2 pilots escaped with minor injuries.
During the July 29, 2010 flight, after the pilots successfully carried out 12 water drops with the helicopter, the engine lost power. The pilot-in-command (PIC), seated in the left-hand seat, turned the helicopter left and downhill and descended toward an open area to land. As the helicopter neared the ground, the PIC leveled the helicopter and reduced the rate of descent; however, the main-rotor struck the terrain on the right side, and the helicopter came to rest on its left side facing uphill. The tail broke off, and the tail rotor assembly landed 30 feet away. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and there was a small post-crash fire.
Investigators found that the engine fuel control unit (FCU) was contaminated with metallic debris, which likely disrupted fuel flow and caused the engine to lose power. A review of maintenance procedures was undertaken by the TSB, which revealed that overhaul procedures and documentation were unclear and lacked detail, and that recurring component failures were not tracked and monitored as required by the approved maintenance organization. The absence of tracking and monitoring FCU failures increases the risk that component problems will not be fixed before failure.
The investigation further noted that inspections did not include complete disassembly of sub-component parts of the FCU, and some FCUs were misidentified when incomplete modifications were carried out.
Shortly after the occurrence, Honeywell, the FCU manufacturer, issued 2 service bulletins for the misidentified FCUs, reducing the time between overhauls from 2400 hours to 1800 hours, and later recalled all these FCUs.
Bell Helicopter has announced that Anthony Moreland will return to Bell Helicopter as managing director, North America. In this role, Moreland is responsible for all sales and marketing activities in the United States and Canada.
"Anthony is a valuable addition to Bell Helicopter with extensive sales and marketing experience, as well as established relationships with customers around the world," said Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter's executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. "We are very excited to have Anthony on our team as we continue to expand our commercial business in North America beyond."
Most recently, Moreland led the North America and Global Accounts team at Sikorsky Aircraft. During his previous tenure at Bell Helicopter, Moreland held a number of sales and marketing roles with increasing responsibility culminating in the role of executive director of Commercial Business Development and Marketing.
In addition to his professional business experience, Moreland has a strong background in rotorcraft aviation as a decorated military officer in the United States Army, qualified on both the Apache and Cobra attack helicopters. Moreland earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing degree from Southern Illinois University. His extensive accomplishments include four Army Achievement Medals and five Army Commendation Medals for meritorious service and the Leadership Award from the U.S. Army at Fort Rucker.
DART Aerospace has announced the launch of its new Tail Rotor Pedal Lockout Kit for AW109 and AW119 aircraft. This new member of the interior accessories product family is another one of DART's safety enhancing products that locks the tail rotor pedals in place to prevent inadvertent interference by passengers. The Rotor Pedal Lockout Kit has received approval from the United States Federal Aviation Administration. Transport Canada and European Aviation Safety Agency approvals are expected shortly.
The New DART Tail Rotor Pedal Lockout Kit is designed to disconnect the co-pilot's tail rotor pedals from the flight control system when the co-pilot dual control sticks are removed, preventing interference with flight controls and increasing safety during the flight.
Key benefits include:
- Quick and easy locking and unlocking of the pedals
- Improved safety
- No need to remove or re-install
- Compatible with existing pedals
Visit the Tail Rotor Pedal Lockout Kit page in the DART Aerospace website for more information on the product and approvals.
FlightSafety International is pleased to announce that its first AgustaWestland AW139 full flight simulator has entered service at the company’s Learning Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. The first Initial Pilot course using this new Level D qualified simulator is now underway.
"We are pleased to announce the entry into service of FlightSafety’s first AgustaWestland AW139 full flight simulator," said Greg McGowan, Senior Vice President Operations. "Adding the AW139 training program demonstrates our commitment and ability to serve the growing number of Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, Offshore, Firefighting, and Search and Rescue operators who value and rely upon the high quality training we provide."
The simulator is equipped with a Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite configured for single and dual pilot operations. It features a four-axis autopilot, GPS with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) capabilities, a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), and an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS).
It also features FlightSafety’s latest advances in technology. The VITAL X visual system displays highly realistic scenes optimized for a wide variety of mission-specific training scenarios and low level flight operations. It offers increased scene content, vastly improved weather features, and enhanced levels of detail for optimum cueing. The simulator is Night Vision Goggle qualified and equipped with a 220° x 60° field of view glass mirror display that provides superior optical performance.
Pilots also benefit from MATRIX, FlightSafety’s Integrated Training System. It includes DeskTop simulators for classroom instruction, a Graphical FlightDeck simulator for systems integration training, and the SimVu simulator session debriefing system.
FlightSafety provides training for helicopters manufactured by AgustaWestland, Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter, and Sikorsky, as well as mission specific training programs for other aircraft types, at its Learning Centers in Dallas, Texas; Lafayette, Louisiana; Tucson, Arizona; West Palm Beach, Florida; and at the Farnborough airport in the United Kingdom.
The Night Vision Awards selection committee announced today that they are now taking nominations for the 2013 Night Vision Awards Show to be held in Orlando, Fla. at the Airborne Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) annual conference. Awards will be presented to recipients on Thursday, July 18 at an awards reception from 4:30-6 p.m.
"The last awards held at ALEA last summer was a great event and ended up being standing room only," said Aviation Specialties Unlimited Director of Sales and Marketing Hannah Gordon. "We had record attendance and a great field of recipients. We hope attendees from ALEA will come out and help us honor the winners at this show."
The Night Vision Awards are an awards series with recognition events held throughout the year hosted by ASU, Night Flight Concepts, Vertical Magazine and Rotorcraft Pro Magazine. The purpose of this event series is to promote operational leadership and excellence in the use of night vision, in North America and around the world.
"Vertical Magazine is delighted to once again partner with the night vision community to support its efforts to recognize and raise awareness of the benefits of night vision technology,"said Publisher Mike Reyno. "These awards play an important role in celebrating the achievements and the ongoing excellence of the law enforcement units using NVGs."
Additional awards will be presented at NightCon 2013 in Dallas in September.
"The Night Vision Awards series provides an important opportunity to recognize leaders in night vision operations and showcase their NVG achievements," stated Night Flight Concepts president Adam Aldous. "NFC is pleased to join forces again with ASU and the other sponsors — as we did in 2012 — to produce the Night Vision Awards and celebrate the achievements of these organizations demonstrating leadership, success and commitment to night vision operational excellence, safety and community awareness."
"We at Rotorcraft Pro are thrilled to partner in this event, which supports the night vision community and the crews using NVGs," said Editor in Chief Lyn Burks. "Night vision technology, and the operators using it, have had a significant impact on improving safety in our industry and they deserve to be recognized."
Night Vision Awards will be given for the following categories:
- 5-year service award
- 10-year service award
- Community Awareness award
- Mark of Excellence award
- International Advancement Award
Nominations are currently being accepted for ALEA award show. Any flight operation using any Night Vision systems is eligible for consideration. Award nomination packets can be downloaded or filled out at www.nightvisionawards.com. Operators must be present at ALEA in order to be eligible for entry for the awards. Nominators are asked to submit photos, videos and stories about their use of Night Vision Systems along with their nomination form. Applicants are asked to email supporting materials to scott@brandingiron.com. A full list of previous winners and award description can be found on www.nightvisionawards.com.
DART Aerospace announced that the Rear Locker Extender that increases the baggage compartment capacity by 21 inches is now FAA and TCCA approved for Bell 206A/B/L/L1/L3/L4 and 407 (including 407GX) aircraft.
Constructed from a high quality, rugged composite, the rear locker extender is a perfect lightweight solution to stow extra sets of golf clubs, long-handled shovels or other awkward items that are normally impossible to stow. The DART rear locker extender is up to 15 percent lighter than other available options, making it the best alternative for operators.
DART offers competitive lead time and acquisition cost.
GAL Aviation Inc. of Montreal, Canada and engineering and STC provider, AEROTEC Concept of Toulouse, France have formed a strategic alliance. The combination of engineering capabilities of AEROTEC Concept with the manufacturing capabilities of GAL Aviation, results in a true design-build, plug and play integration for aircraft cabinetry, interior components, and cabin reconfiguration.
Marc St-Hilaire, vice-president of GAL stated, "AEROTEC’s broad engineering and design capabilities in business and commercial aircraft, and helicopters, combined with their EASA PART 21J Design Organization Approval (DOA) accreditations made them a perfect choice as a strategic partner. We believe this partnership is a major step in the execution of our strategic plan for cabin system integration products and service offerings."
Johan Clochet, partner/design office manager of AEROTEC Concept commented, "GAL Aviation is a young company full of drive, with an impressive manufacturing expertise and capabilities with a corporate culture similar to our own. We have much to accomplish together."
GAL Aviation Inc., a member of the GAL Aerospace Group of companies, is a NADCAP and AS9100 Certified manufacturer of aircraft interior cabinets and components, light aero-structures, and anti-corrosion treatments including chemical conversion, chemical processing and the application of paint and dry film coatings. The company is a Transport Canada Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 145 Certification for the maintenance, refurbishment, repairs and modifications of aircraft interior components on Transport Category Aircraft. The manufacturing facility is located south of historic Quebec City in St-Joseph Quebec, with a sales office in Montreal, Canada.
AEROTEC Concept, an AEROTEC subsidiary, works on any type of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters with a wide spectrum of design changes, airworthiness and STC certifications. Located in the heart of the European capital of aeronautics in Toulouse Blagnac, AEROTEC Concept works in all sectors of aviation including commercial aircraft, business aviation, general aviation, and helicopters.
Eurocopter has unveiled the next-generation EC175 helicopter in its Executive and VIP versions, which combine "unparalleled" elements of style and comfort with the largest cabin of any medium-sized twin-engine helicopter.
The EC175 Executive and VIP versions – which were introduced by Eurocopter at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland – integrate interior cabin creativity from Peder Eidsgaard of Pegasus Design, whose worldwide reputation results from his work on business jets and super yachts. These aircraft will be Eurocopter’s top-of-the-range products in their segments.
"As of today, airborne luxury and style have a new name: the Eurocopter EC175," said Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President for Sales and Customer Relations. "Through our teaming with Pegasus Design, the highest attention for detail and design harmony unites to create an environment that will please the most discerning travelers."
By working with Pegasus Design in creating the EC175 VIP and Executive versions, Eurocopter brings a unique combination of flowing lines, symmetry and harmony in materials and colors to the helicopter interiors. "The refinement and quality level incorporated by Pegasus Design results from the company’s understanding of high-end customers’ expectations, and makes these helicopters a perfect extension of the finesse and sophistication typically found aboard business jets and super yachts,"Lambert added.
The EC175 VIP is offered in three different styles, all accommodating from six to eight passengers. The first style is "avant-garde," inspired by modern sport cars; another brings the French flair inspired by modern penthouse interiors; while the third is more classical, inspired by the grand villas of Europe.
Features of the EC175 VIP include a unique cabin layout with two seating areas. The forward zone – which incorporates a domed roof that enhances the feeling of spaciousness overhead – provides a lounge atmosphere with facing club seating position for four passengers, while an aft sofa-style seat comfortably accommodates three passengers. Options include electrochromatic windows, an in-flight entertainment system with audio and video interfaces, and wireless connectivity via satellite communications links.
The EC175 Executive version, which was represented with the full-scale mock-up unveiled at EBACE this week, seats nine to twelve passengers in an atmosphere that is conducive to both work and relaxation. It embodies a modern and stylish design, automotive inspired and engineered with durable materials.
Eurocopter’s EC175 is the company’s new medium class twin-engine helicopter, offering excellent range, performance and cruise speeds, while also meeting the most demanding operational safety standards. In all versions, the EC175 Executive and VIP provide a jet-like smooth ride at all speeds and a climate-controlled cabin – even when the main rotor is stopped. Featuring more window area than walls, the rotorcraft ensures panoramic views for all passengers, and it completes the upper end of Eurocopter’s helicopter product line for the business and private aviation sectors.
Having logged the sale of more than 500 helicopters in these two segments during the past five years, Eurocopter is the market leader. With the most extensive range of helicopters dedicated to such applications, Eurocopter offers 12 different models to meet the requirements of the most demanding private and corporate travelers.
DART Aerospace announces the launch of the redesigned DART iPad App, now featuring improved navigation and multiple annotations tools.
Whether you are a mechanic working on the field, a director of maintenance looking for the latest tools or a buyer negotiating new equipment, you can flip through the catalogues like a magazine, zooming in and out by pinching the screen, share pages, or the entire catalog with a friend, bookmark and revisit favorite pages or even add notes or circle interesting facts with the annotation tools. The annotation tools appear when the user holds their finger on the screen for 2 seconds. All annotations are kept in memory and are accessible through the annotation menu. DART’s new app features improved navigation with the addition of a fully functional search box allowing users to search by product family, product description, STC number, keywords, part number or OEM part number.
DART’s enhanced iPad app improves the customer’s experience and transforms each catalog into a dynamic tool. Subscribers of the previous application will be prompted to update their existing app to discover these new features. New subscribers can download the DART Aerospace app from the Apple app store.
Richmond-based Helijet International continues to firmly develop its presence in the North and Central Coast by developing charter business jet services to certain community points in Northern BC, from its Vancouver International Airport base.
Helijet announced it has secured arrangements with existing long term clients to provide Turbojet air service between YVR to/from Port Hardy and Prince Rupert.
Helijet is providing summer-seasonal service to Port Hardy and year-round charter service to Prince Rupert. The service operates on an "exclusive charter" basis, catering to select and interested clients who require a faster, more convenient and hassle free air transport solution. The air service operates from Helijet’s conveniently located Vancouver (south side) Airport check-in facility.
Helijet’s Learjet, configured with 6 passenger seats, is capable of travelling at speeds of over 500 mph, offering clients the fastest way to/from the community points to be served. The Learjet is also available for general charters to other clients at times when the aircraft is not committed to serving existing pre-arranged passenger and/or air medical charters. From YVR, air travel time to Port Hardy is 35 minutes, and just over 1 hour to Prince Rupert.
Helijet President and CEO Danny Sitnam says, "The opportunity to demonstrate our company’s fixed wing expertise by delivering the fastest, most convenient travel solution to North Coast emerging business centres is taken with pride and determination by our team."
Helijet has become a leading air service provider on BC’s North Coast, now providing a significant fleet of single and twin engine helicopters for a total of 14 world renowned sport fishing and ecotourism lodge resorts operating in the Haida Gwaii Islands and the North-central Coast of BC.
Helijet International is a Canadian-owned company, North America’s largest scheduled helicopter service, carrying over two million passengers in the past 25 years. In addition to its scheduled and charter services, Helijet is a major service provider of dedicated medically equipped helicopters for the Province of British Columbia and serves numerous private sector medical assist service clients.
Vortex Helicopters has chosen its fourth AStar aircraft, an AS350 B3e that will join its existing Eurocopter fleet. The new AS350 B3e will support a variety of utility missions that include the expanding oil sands industry in northern Alberta.
"The AStar family of helicopters has a proven track record with our customers in regards to performance, versatility and safety," said Ryan McAssey, President, Vortex Helicopters. "The acquisition of the AS350 B3e made sense in terms of dependability and acquiring the latest technology."
Together Vortex Helicopters’ with Vortex Oil Sands Contracting Inc. have over 25 year’s experience operating in the Alberta oil sands region from both the ground and air.
"The AS350 B3e is a powerful workhorse, thus, a natural fit for Vortex Helicopters to enhance its exclusive fleet of Eurocopter aircraft," said Guy Joannes, President and CEO, Eurocopter Canada Ltd. "We are pleased that Vortex Helicopters continues to support Eurocopter as they commit to servicing their customers’ needs through the reliability of our products."
Vortex Helicopters’ has selected numerous Eurocopter optional equipment items for their new AS350 B3e, including: Dual Hydraulics (increases MGW to 2370 kg), Enhanced Thermal Protection (MTOP extension to 30 min/max), Right-hand Cargo Pod for increased cargo capacity, Enlarged Vertical Reference Window for increased visibility for long lining, Cargo Mirrors to ease maneuverability, Settling Protectors to maintain tail rotor ground clearance, Longline Release for utility operations, Oil and Fuel Filters as well as, a Canadian Audio Package.
Additionally, the AS350 B3e will be equipped with a Cargo Swing and Latitude Skynode S2300 Flight Tracking.
Transwest Helicopters Ltd., which in October 2011 relocated from the Chilliwack, B.C., airport to a larger facility at the Oliver, B.C., airport, is pleased to announce that the company has expanded its operations again to include offices in Vancouver and Terrace, B.C.
"With this expansion, we hope to collaborate with local businesses and provide a service that benefits the economy of Terrace and all northern communities in British Columbia," said Ernst-Ulrich Maas, president and owner of Transwest Helicopters. "We’ve certainly seen how the Vancouver office has already proven to be an asset to the company as well as to the Lower Mainland economy by utilizing local businesses for some of the third party work required in major component overhaul."
"The expansion of our service area is due to the overall expansion of the business, both in flight operations and on the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) side," continued Maas. "We’re very fortunate to have a strong leadership group that has driven the expansion by servicing our customer’s needs to a consistently high standard and we expect expansion to continue in the future thanks to the experienced and dedicated personnel we have in place."
Transwest Helicopters Ltd., first established in 1958, has many years of experience in forest firefighting, power line construction, ski lift construction and oilfield support. It has carried out hundreds of miscellaneous heavy lift jobs, both in Canada and abroad, with an excellent safety record. The company currently employs 40 people.
Transwest Helicopters operates a fleet of Bell 214B, Bell 412 and Eurcopter AS350 B2 AStar helicopters. Transwest Helicopters is a Bell Authorized Service Center that specializes in major component overhaul and complete refit for the Bell medium family of helicopters and is also a Honeywell Licensed Support Facility.
Prairie Helicopters Inc. is pleased to announce it has completed the purchase of Hudson Bay Helicopters in Churchill, Man., from Great Slave Helicopters (GSH).
"This acquisition solidifies our commitment to Manitoba and complements Prairie Helicopters' current base structure of Gimli, The Pas, and now Churchill, covering all areas of this great province," said Derek Longley, vice president of Prairie Helicopters.
"GSH is very pleased that Prairie Helicopters has acquired Hudson Bay Helicopters (HBH). The current HBH customer mix and its rich history deserves the attention a company like Prairie Helicopters can deliver. HBH and Churchill has been a great experience and we want to thank the good people there for all their support. We look forward to seeing future HBH growth," added Todd Johnson, VP marketing and sales at GSH.
On May 24, the Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, Q.C., Associate Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Delta - Richmond East announced the awarding of a significant subcontract that will create jobs in British Columbia and play an important role in supporting Canada's Medium-to-Heavy Lift Helicopter Project.
Weatherhaven, of Burnaby, British Columbia, has been awarded a subcontract by Boeing for approximately $5.7 million in support of the Medium-to-Heavy Lift Helicopter Project which will help to create high-quality, skilled jobs in the Metro Vancouver area.
"Today's announcement demonstrates our Government's ongoing commitment to ensure our brave men and women in uniform have the equipment they need to conduct their missions safely and effectively for decades to come," said Minister Findlay. "At the same time, our Government is proud to say that our investments in military equipment are contributing to the creation of highly-skilled jobs across Canada - including right here in Metro Vancouver."
Weatherhaven will fit made-in-Canada portable repair and maintenance shelters for the CH-147 helicopters, which the Royal Canadian Air Force will take delivery of in the near future. These portable shelters can be trucked and/or airlifted to locations to meet the Canadian Armed Forces' various needs in the field, both domestically and internationally.
This subcontract is a result of the Government of Canada's $1.2 billion contract award to Boeing in 2009 for the purchase of 15 medium-to-heavy lift Chinook F-model helicopters (also known as CH-147F) to fulfill the Canadian Armed Forces' transport requirements. The new Chinooks will be used in a wide variety of roles, from transporting equipment, troops and supplies within a theatre of operations, to the evacuation of people from the scene of a natural disaster.
The Canadian CH-147 Chinook F-model delivers a world-class capability, which differs from Boeing's standard CH-47F helicopter in that it features extended-range fuel tanks, an upgraded electrical system, and aircraft survivability to meet Canada's operational environment.
The first CH-147F is expected to arrive in the near future - on time and within budget. The helicopters will be based at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ont.
