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 Editor’s Notebook
By Joy Finnegan
jfinnegan@accessintel.com

Monthly Safety Report

T
he following piece of work able to control a machine with a wide ter Balloon J17983,
has made the rounds of mass speed band of 10 mph between top speed Total solo 107.00
e-mail blasts within the fly- and stalling speed. Pilot Capt. * * *,
ing community for years. It e. While low flying in a Shorthorn the pilot Solo in type 32.10
is obviously of doubtful authentic- crashed into the top deck of a horse-drawn Captain * * * of the Hussars, a bal-
ity although parts of it do ring true. bus near Stonehenge. loon observer, unfortunately allowed
I don’t know who wrote it or when it f. A B.E. 2 pilot was seen to be attempting a the spike of his full-dress helmet to
was written (obviously not in 1917) banked turn at a constant height before he impinge against the envelope of his
but it makes me laugh every time I crashed. A grave error by an experienced balloon. There was a violent explosion
read it. pilot. and the balloon carried out a series of
2. There were 29 unavoidable accidents. fantastic and uncontrollable manoeu-
ROYAL FLYING CORPS MONTHLY a. The top wing of a Camel fell off due to vres, while rapidly emptying itself of
SAFETY REPORT fatigue failure of the flying wires. gas. The pilot was thrown clear and
The following safety tips are excerpts b. Sixteen B.E. 2s and nine Shorthorns had escaped injury. This pilot was flying in
from a Royal Flying Corps monthly complete engine failures. A marked full-dress uniform because he was the
safety report. The report was signed improvement over November’s figure. Officer of the Day. In consequence it has
C. St. John-Culbertson, Royal Flying c. Pigeons destroyed a Camel and 2 Long- been recommended that pilots will not
Corps, Colonel, and was dated 21 horns after mid-air strikes. fly during periods of duty as Officer of
December 1917. the Day. Captain * * * has requested an
ACCIDENT BRIEFS
exchange posting to the Patroville Alps,
No. 1 Brief No. 912 Squadron 3
INTRODUCTION. Another good a well-known mule unit of the Basques.
December 1917. Aircraft type B.E. 2C
month. In all, a total of 35 accidents were report-
No. XY 678,
ed, only six of which were avoidable. These rep- It goes on, but you get the gist. I
Total solo - 4.20
resented a marked improvement over the month share it with you not only for a laugh
Pilot Lt. J. Smyth-Worthington,
of November during which 84 accidents occurred, but to give praise to the progress
Solo in type - 1.10
of which 23 were avoidable. This improvement, being made throughout the helicop-
The pilot of this flying machine
no doubt, is the result of experienced pilots with ter industry. Often we focus on the
attempted to maintain his altitude in
over 100 hours in the air forming the backbone negatives—the accidents, incidents
a turn at 2,500 feet. This resulted in the
of all the units. and mistakes being made. But the fact
aeroplane entering an unprecedented
RESUME OF ACCIDENTS is, safety is being focused on and is
manoeuvre, entailing a considerable
1. Avoidable accidents last month. improving. Operators are embracing
loss of height. Even with full power
a. The pilot of a Shorthorn, with over 7 hours technologies such as night vision gog-
applied and the control column fully
of experience, seriously damaged the gles, FOQA, HUMS, enhanced and
back, the pilot was unable to regain con-
undercarriage on landing. He had failed synthetic vision, advanced simulation,
trol. However, upon climbing from the
to land at as fast a speed as possible as autopilots and techniques like scenar-
cockpit onto the lower mainplane, the
recommended in the Aviation Pocket io-based training and just culture to
pilot managed to correct the machine’s
Handbook. improve safety in their operations.
altitude, and by skillful manipulation
b. A B.E. 2 stalled and crashed during an artil- Some day in the future, using what-
of the flying wires successfully side-
lery exercise. The pilot had been struck on ever advanced mass communication
slipped into a nearby meadow.Remarks:
om the head by the semaphore of his observer
Although, through inexperience, this
device is available, pilots will be send-
who was signaling to the gunners. ing around the apocryphal “Helicopter
pilot allowed his aeroplane to enter an
c. Another pilot in a B.E. 2 failed to get air- Operators Monthly Safety Report” and
unusual attitude, his resourcefulness
borne. By an error of judgement, he was it will be a hoot. To imagine the absurd
in eventually landing without damage
attempting to fly at mid-day instead of at incidents in it will make people laugh.
has earned him a unit citation. R.F.C..
the recommended best lift periods, which There will be a day when helicopter
Lundsford-Magnus is investigating the
are just after dawn and just before sunset. safety has improved so much that the
strange behavior of this aircraft.
d. A Longhorn pilot lost control and crashed accidents that happen today will be
No. 2 Brief No. 847 Squadron 19
in a bog near Chipping-Sedbury. An error inconceivable. You are doing the hard
December 1917. Aircraft type Spot-
of skill on the part of the pilot in not being work now. Stay the course.

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 Feedback
Personal|Corporate Commercial Military
Single Parent
In the Carson Helicopters S-61 case
(see “Hersman: Public Use Aviation’s
Orphan,” January 2011 Rotorcraft
Report, page 10), you have a certified
operator operating a type-certificated
aircraft contracted to a government
entity, so it isn’t a true “orphan,” just a
single parent.
The true “orphan” is where a gov-
ernment entity is operating a non-
type-certificated aircraft (military sur-
plus). This is more like a street orphan,
as there is no oversight in mainte-
nance or operations, no requirement
for certified pilots or mechanics,
maintenance programs and TBOs are
whatever the operator says that they
are. No one is responsible for over-
sight. Most operators in the public use
sector follow the manufacturer and
FAA recommendations but without
oversight.
George Quackenbush
Aviation Advisor
Santiago, Chile
Public Use Oversight
Government agencies like the U.S.
Forest Service, National Park Service,
Bureau of Land Management, and
state and local agencies have been
contracting with “legitimate” com-
mercial helicopter operators for
decades. This is not a case to point
fingers at public use operations as the
“party at most fault.”
This accident occurred because
of faulty oversight by the Forest Ser-
vice. This is an agency that does not
seem to be held accountable for its
actions or in this case, inaction. The
FAA most likely had regular visits to
Carson as they held certificates in all
of the major areas; Parts 133, 135, 145,
etc. The aircraft they operated were
civil certified. The reason they were
classified as “public use” is because of
the definition in FAR 1.1 regarding
exclusive use to a government entity
for more than 90 days.
Name Withheld
Do you have comments on the rotorcraft industry or recent articles and viewpoints we’ve published? Send them to: Editor, Rotor
& Wing, 4 Choke Cherry Road, Second Floor, Rockville, MD 20850, 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.
4 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1
03_RW_020111_Feedback_p04_05.indd 4
Public Service
▶ R&W’s Question of the Month
What are the most important
steps you take during a pre-
flight safety check?
Let us know, and look for your and others’ responses in
a future issue. You’ll find contact information below.
Organizational Culture
I think that the Carson accident (see
“NTSB: Weight Miscalculations,
Improper Oversight Led to Crash,” Jan-
uary 2011 Rotorcraft Report, page 10)
can be explained by organizational
culture! And I would also like to share
the idea that: “All helicopters should
be picked up like an old lady.” Always!
Luis A. Martins
Maintenance Inspector
Brazilian Air Force/MI-35m
NTSB Findings
Could Mr. Coultas be correct? (See
“Co-Pilot Disputes NTSB Report,” Jan-
uary 2011 Rotorcraft Report, page 11.)
Perhaps, but that still doesn’t explain
several of the findings by the NTSB.
Lee Benson
Senior Pilot (Ret.)
Los Angeles County Fire Department
Hover Check
A flight that did not involve a hover
check almost ended in disaster, cir-
ca 1970 (see “The Ever-Stylish Hover
Check,” Safety Watch, October 2010
page 60). It was my last flight on the
job, taking off from a confined area in
the Canadian Arctic. I was so relieved
to be going home after three months
of work flying a Bell 47G-2. Up collec-
tive to climb vertical above the trees at
less than gross. The right skid hooked
a stump and the joy ride started—full
left cyclic and heading for the trees,
full right cyclic and heading for the
Training Products Services
?
trees. After three of these
I was above the trees
and traveling sideways at great speed.
Finally able to control flight, I returned
to the main camp and landed very
shakily. I vowed never again to leave
without the hover check and when
I had a flight school this was one of
the necessary checks students were
trained to perform.
Gerry McArthur
Consultant, Vega Helicopters and Gem Air
Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba
Looking Ahead
Responding to “Year in Review: Look-
ing Ahead” (December 2010 issue,
page 22), General Atomics’ Jeff Nash
submitted the following list of subjects
that he’d like to see in the coming year:
• Aircraft interior completions (com-
pletion centers and MRO in general);
• People (Who’s who at various aero-
space companies);
• FAA Safety Team-related items;
• Night vision developments;
• Cool new avionics;
• Updates from AgustaWestland, Sikor-
sky, Bell, Boeing, Eurocopter, American
Eurocopter, Robinson, Schweizer, etc.
• HAI events;
• Glass cockpit stories;
• Foreign operators;
• FAA & NTSB news (required inspec-
tions and accident findings); and
• Flight training and simulators.
Jeff Nash
Technical Writer/Editor, Specialty Engineering
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
51095-RotorW
1/20/11 10:56:49 AM
ervices

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 This month from
Personal|Corporate Commercial Military Public Service

30 Departments
12 Rotorcraft Report
20 People
20 Coming Events
23 Hot Products
51 Classified Ads
51 Ad Index

Columns
3 Editor’s Notebook
4 Feedback
(Above) A Cobham EFIS-equipped Enstrom 480B will be on
display at Heli-Expo. (Below) Disputes have arisen in a CV-22 10 Meet the Contributors
crash investigation in Afghanistan. (Right) Robinson’s R66.
46 Offshore Notebook

Features
cover story
52 Right Seat
54 Military Insider

24 ■ Turbine Time for the Masses

12
Pilot report on the R66 Turbine from Torrance, Calif.-based
Robinson Helicopter. By Ernie Stephens, Editor-at-Large

30 ■ Heli-Expo Expectations
Previewing various exhibitors at the 2011 version of the world’s
largest helicopter convention. By Dale Smith

34 ■ Electronic Maintenance Tracking

Technology is a tool for today’s modern helicopter maintenance
technician. By Dale Smith

38 ■ Hiring Best Practices

Where can you find the best pilots, crew, mechanics and support
staff? By Chris Baur

42 ■ Training News
Sikorsky reveals CH-53K virtual reality center. CAE to take over
CHC Helicopter training. By Rotor & Wing staff

6 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

04_RW_020111_TOC_p06-07.indd 6 1/20/11 11:55:15 AM

 Vol. 45 | No. 2
February 2011

Public Service Training Products Services

ONLINE
24 www.rotorandwing.com

THE ROTOR & WING COLLECTIVE

• Check out our newest outlet for helicopter news—The Rotor & Wing Collective.
This free weekly e-letter features an in-depth Story of the Week, Top News Picks,
Helicopter Jobs and links to Rotor & Wing’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Sign up now
and we’ll keep you up-to-date about all the happenings in the helicopter world.

PODCASTS & WHITE PAPERS

• A podcast from NSF is available at aviatontoday.com. Aerospace registrations and
standards expert Jeff Carr, business development manager for U.S. Midwest, helps
listeners understand the dangers of counterfeit parts, how they can infiltrate a
supply chain and what can be done to prevent that from happening. Listen to this
free podcast at www.aviationtoday.com/podcasts

WEBINAR
• Tune in Wednesday, Feb. 23 for “UAS Civil Airspace Integration: Progress and
Challenges,” a webinar from Avionics Magazine. Featured speakers include John S.
Walker, President of JS Walker Group Aviation Solutions and Co-Chairman of RTCA
Special Committee 203, Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Register for the webinar today
at www.aviationtoday.com/webinars

DIRECT TO YOUR DESKTOP: CHECK YOUR E-MAIL

FEBRUARY 1
• Digital edition of Rotor & Wing February 2011. Electronic version with enhanced web
links makes navigating through the pages of Rotor & Wing easier than ever.
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 21
• Rotor & Wing’s Military Insider. Get the latest updates from helicopter defense
companies around the world, from Military Editor Andrew Drwiega.
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 21
Get connected: • HOT PRODUCTS for Helicopter Operators—Latest in equipment upgrades, performance
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Become a fan of Rotor & Wing on
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The editors welcome new product information and other industry news. All editorial inquiries should be directed to Rotor & Wing magazine, 4 Choke Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA; 1-301-354-1839; fax 1-301-762-8965. E-mail: rotorandwing@
accessintel.com. Rotor & Wing (ISSN-1066-8098) is published monthly by Access Intelligence, 4 Choke Cherry Rd., 2nd Floor, Rockville, Md. 20850, USA. Periodical postage paid at Rockville, Md. and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: Free to qualified individuals
directly involved in the helicopter industry. All other subscriptions, U.S.: one year $99; two years $188. Canada: one year $129; two years $208; Foreign: one year $149; two years $278.
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04_RW_020111_TOC_p06-07.indd 7 1/20/11 11:55:28 AM

 © 2011 Cobham plc. All rights reserved.

EDITORIAL
Joy Finnegan Editor-in-Chief, jfinnegan@accessintel.com
Andrew D. Parker Managing Editor, aparker@accessintel.com
Ernie Stephens Editor-at-Large, estephens@accessintel.com
Andrew Drwiega Military Editor, adrwiega@accessintel.com
Giovanni de Briganti Paris Bureau Chief
Claudio Agostini Latin America Bureau Chief
Barney O’Shea Pacific Rim Correspondent
Joe West United Kingdom Correspondent
Contributing Writers: Lee Benson; Ron Bower; Shannon Bower;
Igor Bozinovski; Tony Capozzi; James Careless; Keith Cianfrani;
Steve Colby; Frank Colucci; Pat Gray; Frank Lombardi; Douglas
Nelms; Ray Prouty; Ann Roosevelt;
Dale Smith; Terry Terrell; Todd Vorenkamp; Richard Whittle.

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

Eastern United States & Canada

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

International Sales, Europe/Pac Rim/Asia

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

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

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

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

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 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.
His helicopter background includes flying the longest oce-
anic rescue mission in history, flown in a USAF HH-60G
Pavehawk. Chris is also type rated on numerous helicop-
ters to include BH-206, SA-365 and HU-369. He flew Part
91 and Part 135 commercial helicopter operations in the
Northeast during the 1980s.
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 of which was with a U.S. Marine Corps
MV-22 squadron), and twice with British forces in Afghanistan
(Kandahar and Camp Bastion), as well as from numerous
NATO and British exercises. He has reported on rotary forces
across the world, and in doing so has flown in a wide variety
of rotorcraft on training missions, exercises and operations,
including the Osprey, Apache, Rooivalk and many others. He
has an extensive military library of around 400 books.
Pat Gray is our “Offshore Notebook”
contributor, having flown in Gulf of
Mexico helicopter operations for 20-plus
years. Prior to that, he was in Vietnam in
1958 as a young paratrooper. While there,
he flew with a French aero club and earned a Vietnamese
pilot’s license. He returned in 1964 as an Army gunship
pilot with the Utility Tactical Helicopter Co., the first
armed helicopter unit deployed in combat. He retired
from the Army Reserve as a chief warrant officer 4, with
more than 30 years active and reserve service. Gray’s civil
helicopter experience covers crop dusting and Alaska
bush, corporate, pipeline and offshore flying.
AndRew Parker is Managing Editor of Rotor & Wing, and
Associate Editor for rotorandwing.com. He has served as
10 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1
05_RW_020111_MeetCon_p10_11.indd 10
“
U.S. Army Spc. Garrett Hernandez
b
Managing Editor for Avionics magazine,
as well as Aviation Maintenance. He has
covered the aviation industry for six years,
following four-plus years as a reporter for
local newspapers in Northern Virginia.
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.
Dale Smith has been an aviation jour-
nalist for 24 years specializing in business
aviation. He is currently a contributing
writer for Rotor & Wing and other leading
aviation magazines. He has been a licensed
pilot since 1974 and has flown 35 different types of general
aviation, business and WWII vintage aircraft. In his spare
time he moonlights as a award-winning aviation artist.
ERNIE STEPHENS, Editor-at-Large, began
flying in the 1980s, earning his commer-
M
cial pilot’s license and starting an aerial
photography company as a sideline. In
his regular job as a county police officer,
he was transferred to the department’s new aviation unit, soo
where he served as the sergeant in charge and chief pilot an
until his retirement in 2006. In addition to Rotor & Wing, Me
Ernie (aka “Werewolf ”) has written for Aviation Mainte- em
nance. He enjoys meeting our readers and flying a variety
of helicopters. thr
ac
co
RIchard Whittle, longtime Pentagon
vis
correspondent for The Dallas Morning an
News, writes regularly for Rotor & Wing H
about military aircraft and other related top- to
ics. Simon & Schuster published his book, de
“The Dream Machine: The Untold History of the Notori- bo
ous V-22 Osprey,” in April 2010. It is available through www. cre
amazon.com. saf
em
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
FLIGHTSAFE
1/20/11 11:28:20 AM
 CEOs on Training
A SERIES

“Metro Aviation trains with FlightSafety

because both go beyond what’s required
in the interest of enhancing safety.”

MIKE STANBERRY
President, Metro Aviation

Mike Stanberry, a helicopter and

single-engine fixed-wing pilot,
holds marketing and business
degrees from Louisiana State
University. He co-founded Metro
Aviation in Shreveport, Louisiana,
in 1982, bought out his partner a
few years later and has presided
over its steady growth ever since.
Stanberry serves as vice president
of the Air Medical Operators
Association, a safety-focused
EMS industry organization he
helped found. He’s also active
in the Helicopter Association
International and Association of
Air Medical Services, earning
the AAMS’ Jim Charlson award
for his significant contributions
to air medical transport safety.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Robison

M
ike Stanberry was a contractor specializing in erosion “FlightSafety wrote the book. Its simulation-based training is
control when he decided that he needed a helicopter to obviously superior – you can cover so many more critical areas.”
access far-flung worksites. One thing led to another and In particular, he’s enthusiastic about FlightSafety’s new
soon he was running a fledgling aviation company, operating Level 7 helicopter training devices, which deliver comprehensive
an EMS service for a Shreveport, Louisiana, hospital. Today yet cost-effective training tailored to an operator’s specific
Metro Aviation is one of the nation’s largest EMS contractors, mission – whether that’s EMS, law enforcement, offshore,
employing 180 pilots flying 70 helicopters in 38 locations. corporate transport or news gathering.
Stanberry vigorously promotes safety both at Metro and
throughout the national EMS community. “We looked at
accidents and identified four primary initiatives that could
contribute significantly to safety,” he says. “Improved cockpit
vision, operational oversight, coordinated safety management
and insistence on the best professional training available.”
He’s put that insight into practice at Metro. He’s on pace
to certify all of his pilots for night-vision goggles. He’s helped
develop and is installing cockpit video and audio recorders
both to review and correct cockpit procedures and to combat For more information, please contact any of our Learning Centers or call Scott Fera,
crew complacency. And he’s implemented a comprehensive Vice President Marketing: 718.565.4774. Our headquarters are at the Marine Air
Terminal, LaGuardia Airport, New York 11371-1061. Email: sales@flightsafety.com
safety management system, ensuring an uncompromised
emphasis on safe operations. As for training, Stanberry says, flightsafety.com A Berkshire Hathaway company

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05_RW_020111_MeetCon_p10_11.indd 11 1/20/11 11:28:29 AM

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Personal|Corporate Commercial Military Public Service Training Products Services

■ MILITARY | CRASH INVESTIGATION

Disputes Arise from Afghanistan CV-22 Crash Probe

A lengthy investigation into the fatal
April 2010 crash of a U.S. Air Force
Sp e cial O p erations Command
( A F S O C ) C V- 2 2 B O sp re y i n
Afghanistan was inconclusive—and
ended with a senior general disputing
the chief investigator on a key finding.
Don Harvel, an airline pilot who as
a Texas Air National Guard brigadier
general led the eight-member Aircraft
Investigation Board, concluded that
one of 10 contributing factors was
power loss in both the Osprey’s Rolls-
Royce AE 1107C-Liberty engines. But
AFSOC’s vice commander, Maj. Gen.
Kurt Cichowski, declared in an adden-
dum to the investigation that “the pre-
ponderance of evidence in this report
does not support a determination of
engine power loss as a substantially
contributing factor.”
Harvel, who retired from the Air
Force as scheduled three months before
AFSOC released his report Dec. 16, told
Rotor & Wing the disagreement couldn’t
be resolved because the Osprey’s flight
incident recorder (FIR), which records searching the wreckage. “I have a feeling site in a helicopter a month and a half
engine data and instrument readings, it’s still out there,” he added. later but were told they couldn’t land
was never recovered, though searchers Four hours after the crash, which because of a risk insurgents had planted
retrieved a variety of classified gear at occurred at 12:39 a.m. local time April explosives there. Speaking after he left
the crash site. 9, two Air Force A-10 “Warthog” air- the Air Force, Harvel said he believed
“Nobody in operations knew the craft dropped four 500-lb bombs on the FIR—built to withstand a crash—
flight incident recorder existed, and the wreckage, as an Army commander might still be intact but may have been
very few maintenance personnel knew recommended, so it wouldn’t have to buried by the A-10 bombing or taken
it existed,” Harvel said, because the be guarded. by scavengers.
fact that the CV-22B carried a FIR was Even so, an Army unit from a nearby Brig. Gen. OG Mannon, who
somehow omitted when the Air Force forward operating base later recovered became vice commander of AFSOC
Osprey’s manual was “translated” from the Osprey’s left engine and other last fall after Cichowski was promoted
the Marine Corps MV-22B manual. parts, Harvel said. Harvel and other to lieutenant general and assumed other
“The only ones who knew it was on the board members were flown over the duties, told reporters in December that
airplane were the ones that actually had
to test and maintain it,” Harvel said of For daily and breaking news involving helicopters, go to:
www.aviationtoday/rw
the FIR, and none of them took part in Become a fan of Rotor & Wing on
Follow us on @rotorandwing

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no search for the FIR had been made
after the wreckage was bombed and,
absent new evidence, none would be
undertaken. Harvel signed the report,
rvices making the investigation complete,
Mannon said.
The crash was the first involving
the Air Force version of the Osprey,
a tiltrotor transport primarily flown
by the Marines that can swivel two
wingtip rotors up to take off and land
like a helicopter and forward to fly like
an airplane. The CV-22B that crashed,
the lead among three carrying Army
Rangers on a night raid against an
insurgent target, touched down a quar-
ter mile short of its intended landing
zone, a desolate area five kilometers
east/southeast of the village of Qalat, at
about 80 knots.
The Osprey hit with its landing
gear down and rotors up at more than
80 degrees, or nearly the 90 degrees
used to land like a helicopter. It raced
across the flat, sandy earth in what
some aboard thought was a fast roll-on
landing, then its front wheels bounced,
struck the ground and collapsed. The
nose plowed into the soft soil, then
hit a two-foot-deep gully, flipping the
aircraft tail-over-nose onto its back,
crushing the cockpit and slamming the
fuselage into the ground upside down.
Killed in the cockpit were two Air
Force 8th Special Operations Squad-
ron crew members: pilot Maj. Randell
D. Voas, 43, who was in the left seat,
and Senior Master Sgt. James B. Lackey,
45, a flight engineer seated in a jump
seat between Voas and the copilot. Cpl.
Michael D. Jankiewicz, 23, of the 3rd
Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and
an Afghan woman interpreter, whose
name was withheld, died in the cabin.
The copilot, thrown from the aircraft
in his seat, survived. Also surviving
were another Air Force flight engineer,
13 Rangers, and a male Afghan inter-
preter, all of whom had been kneeling
in the cabin, wearing safety harnesses
attached to the floor. Some were seri-
ously injured.
Potential causes ruled out by the
investigation included enemy fire, a
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
05_RW_020111_RCR_p12_22.indd 13
Rotorcraft   Report
“brownout” landing that disoriented V-22 can land like a helicopter on one
the pilot or vortex ring state, the cause of its 6,150 shaft horsepower engines.
of the worst Osprey crash in history, The engines might have lost power due
in which 19 Marines died at Marana, to compressor stalls caused by the right
Ariz. on April 8, 2000, during an opera- quartering tailwind combined with the
tional test of the V-22. high pressure altitude where the crash
Harvel and Cichowski agreed on occurred—5,226 feet above sea level—
nine contributing factors: inadequate or by mechanical failure, Harvel said.
weather planning, a poorly executed In concluding that no power loss
low visibility approach, an unexpect- occurred, Cichowski cited a lack of any
ed 17-knot tailwind, a “challenging crew discussions or recorded warnings
visual environment” on a moonless before the Osprey crashed as well as a
night, crew “task saturation,” the copilot Rolls-Royce study of the recovered left
becoming distracted and spending too engine and analysis by the Naval Air
much time looking outside the aircraft Systems Command (NAVAIR), which
instead of at instruments, the crew runs the Osprey program. “The prob-
pressing to achieve their first combat ability of an engine failure, less than two
mission in Afghanistan, and an “unan- seconds prior to impact, was assessed
ticipated high rate of descent.” as being highly remote,” Cichowski
Harvel concluded that while Voas wrote. Rolls-Royce concluded that
flew his approach too fast and was “the left engine was operating at time
surprised by the tailwind, the highly of impact,” he added, and NAVAIR’s
skilled pilot most likely was attempting analysis “indicated” that “a single engine
an emergency roll-on landing because failure was unlikely.” —By Richard
he lacked enough engine power to fly Whittle
around or land in helicopter mode,
as opposed to accidentally flying the The complete report, including
Osprey into the ground. witness statements, is
If so, the CV-22B must have lost available at www.afsoc.af.mil/
power in both engines, Harvel said, as accidentinvestigationboard/index.
a driveshaft connects the rotors and a asp
■ services | Maintenance
Come Together: Bell Integrates Six Subs
Fort Worth, Texas-based Bell Helicopter Textron has consolidated six support
and service divisions under its corporate brand. Five former subsidiaries now fall
under the Bell Helicopter banner: Edwards & Associates of Piney Flats, Tenn.,
Louisiana-based Rotor Blades (Broussard) and Acadian Composites (Lafayette),
Bell Aerospace Services (Bedford, Texas) and Ozark, Ala.-based U.S. Helicopter.
Bell will continue to offer parts and accessories using the brand of the sixth
company affected by the action—Aeronautical Accessories, also of Piney Flats.
Bell President & CEO John Garrison notes that integrating the subsidiaries
“allows us to offer our customers a more complete support and service solution—
from the time they buy a new Bell Helicopter to the time they retire their fleet.”
Other Bell affiliates Edwards Rotorcraft Solutions of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Corpus
Christi, Texas-based McTurbine and SkyBOOKS (Jacksonville, Fla.) are not part of
the integration effort.
The international Bell network of service and support locations now encom-
passes 13 locations, employing more than 1,700 people. The business sector con-
tributes more than a third of the company’s annual revenue, according to Bell.
For a full version of this story, visit www.rotorandwing.com
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 Rotorcraft   Report
■ Commercial | Accident Investigation
Carson Helicopters ‘Scapegoat’ in NTSB Crash Probe
A close look at documents from NTSB
and a company it’s placing much of the
blame on for a 2008 helicopter crash
reveals a sharp contrast in viewpoints
from government investigators and
the operator—Perkasie, Pa.-based
Carson Helicopters—as to what led
the Sikorsky S-61 to fall from the sky.
With all the ‘he said, she said’ allegations
flying from NTSB investigators, Carson
and the copilot who survived the crash,
it’s hard to pinpoint exactly the real
cause—it depends on who you talk to.
Throw in claims of evidence tampering
and the picture just gets cloudier.
Franklin Carson, president of Car-
son Helicopters, issued a scathing open
letter Jan. 12 to dispute the findings of
NTSB’s two-year probe into the crash.
The helicopter, which was under con-
tract with the U.S. Forest Service, went
down on Aug. 5, 2008 near Weaver-
ville, Calif. Nine people died, including
seven firefighters and the pilot, while
four others were injured, including
copilot William Coultas, who disputed
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05_RW_020111_RCR_p12_22.indd 14
NTSB’s findings following a Dec. 7
public meeting where board members
revealed the accident’s probable cause.
NTSB pinned much of the blame
on Carson Helicopters, while acknowl-
edging the role of improper oversight
by FAA and USFS. Among the rea-
sons cited were Carson’s “intentional”
understatement of the helicopter’s
empty weight, altering of the power
available chart and practice of using
above minimum specification torque
figures. But the company disagrees:
“Carson strongly believes that the acci-
dent was caused by the loss of power to
the #2 engine due to contamination in
the fuel control, which the NTSB chose
to ignore even after reviewing indisput-
able evidence brought to its attention.”
Franklin Carson also asserted that
NTSB disregarded the copilot’s “direct
testimony that he saw signs of power
loss in the #2 engine immediately prior
to the crash,” adding that investigators
“ignored his direct reading of the actual
air temperature at the scene in favor
of manufactured data that fit their
preconceived narrative.” The company
president also claims that NTSB mis-
handled important evidence related to
the probe, including losing parts from
the fuel control unit (FCU).
Carson also challenged the notion
that the error on the weight chart was
intentional. The company “is not dis-
puting that a Carson employee submit-
ted incorrect information on the empty
weight of the aircraft and the perfor-
mance chart, but NTSB’s suggestion
that it was condoned by the company is
totally false and misleading.”
He notes that Carson Helicop-
ters has been bound by limitations of
being part of the investigation team,
but “in light of NTSB’s arbitrary and
one-sided hearing” on Dec. 7, the com-
pany could not “stand silently by while
NTSB ignores an ongoing safety-of-
flight issue by trying to make Carson a
scapegoat.”—By Andrew D. Parker
Read the full version of this story at:
www.rotorandwing.com
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
1/20/11 11:17:30 AM
 Rotorcraft   Report

■ Public Service | Law Enforcement

AW Bolsters Bulgarian Border Police

Two AgustaWestland AW109
Powers and one AW139 have
entered service with the Bulgarian
Border Police. AgustaWestland
handed over the helicopters during
a January 15 ceremony at Sofia
Airport (SOF) with Bulgarian
government and police officials.
Night
Vision
The AW109s and AW139 will
AgustaWestland
conduct airborne law enforcement,
surveillance and border patrol
missions as part of the European at its finest
Union’s Schengen Zone. The A109
comes equipped with a moving map display, NVG-compatible cockpit, searchlight,
weather radar, FLIR camera, radio suite and loudspeaker. Bulgaria already flies one
AW109 Power, which began operations in 2010.

■ Commercial | Services

All Together Now: Russian Helicopters

Consolidation Finalized
Russian Helicopters JSC has completed consolidating all of the country’s helicopter
manufacturing and service entities. As part of the final stage of a process to “centralize
control functions” that began in 2008, the UIC Oboronprom subsidiary acquired 75
percent of Rostvertol, increasing its equity in the company from around 23 percent.
Russian Helicopters also owns majority stakes in the following companies:
• Helicopter Service Co. (100 percent);
• Kamov (99 percent);
• Kazan Helicopters (66 percent);
• Kumertau Aviation Production Enterprise (100 percent);
• Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (72 percent);
• Progress Arsenyev Aviation Co. (75 percent);
• Reductor-PM (81 percent);
• Stupino Machine Production Plant (60 percent); and
• Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (75 percent).
  Other partner organizations include AirTaxi Service (interior completions and
maintenance), RET Kronshtadt (training, navigation and avionics), Tranzas (software
and simulators); CSTS Dinamika (technical training for pilots and engineers), BETA
AIR (testing equipment and avionics) and Ural Works of Civil Aviation (helicopter
engine repairs and components).

■ services | Components

Kaman Aerostructures Opens Mexico Site 3227 W. Euless Blvd.

During a ceremony in late 2010 involving local and company representatives, Kaman
Euless, TX 76040 USA
Aerostructures officially opened its new manufacturing facility in Chihuahua,
817.571.0729 Fax 817.283.5432
Mexico. The Kaman Aerospace subsidiary will initially make extrusions and sheet
FAA Repair Station - C73R723N
metal details at the site, which will eventually employ up to 500 people. Kaman plans
www.aerodynamix.com
to invest $10 million in the facility, which will ship parts to Kaman Aerostructures’
sales@aerodynamix.com
U.S. branch or directly to the end user.

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 Rotorcraft   Report

■ Military | Airframes ■ Products | Avionics

Four Eurocopter Types Go Airborne FAA Grants Becker

Eurocopter Photos Eurocopter completed the initial
runs of four airframes in late
2010—the second prototype
EC175, the Tiger HAD and NH
Industries NH-90 tactical transport
helicopter (TTH) for both France
and Spain. The EC175 (shown at
left) took off December 17 from the
manufacturer’s plant in Marignane,
France for a series of basic handling
and system checks. The 45-minute
flight comes about a year after the
first EC175 prototype took to the
skies. Eurocopter and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) are
developing the EC175. The initial pre-serial French Tiger HAD (fire support and
destruction) carried out its maiden flight the same day in Marignane. Eurocopter
will test the French Tiger HAD along with the Spanish Tiger HAD over the next
several months. The manufacturer has also completed initial flights for the French
and Spanish (shown below) versions of the NH90 TTH. The French variant is
being transferred to the Official French Flight Test Center in Istres, following a
one-hour flight at Marignane. Eurocopter Espana assisted with the first flight of
the Spanish NH90 TTH, which features GE CT7-8F5 engines. That airframe is
being moved to Eurocopter’s facility in Albacete in preparation for flight tests
leading up to full qualification from the Spanish Ministry of Defense.
DVCS6100 Cert
The Miramar, Fla.-based U.S.
subsidiar y of Becker Avionics
has obtained an FAA production
certificate for its DVCS6100 digital
voice communication system. Becker
Avionics Group President & CEO
Roland Becker notes that production
will begin “immediately” for the
DVCS6100. The company has also
received an order for the DVCS6100
from Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee
County MEDSTAR. Lee County will
upgrade its Bell 430 with the system,
with Sarasota Avionics performing the
installation as part of the completions
process for the helicopter.
■ Military | Attack
U.S. Army Orders
Arrowhead Sensors
Lockheed Martin has secured a
$15-million U.S. Army contract to
supply its VNsight low-light-level TV
capability for the Boeing Apache’s
Arrowhead modernized target
acquisition designation sight/pilot
night vision sensor (M-TADS/PNVS).
The Lot 1 contract covers 65 VNsight
sensors and spares for two Apache
battalions. Lockheed Martin’s Missile
and Fire Control division will produce
the VNsight lens and its Akron, Ohio-
based Mission Systems and Sensors
unit will supply the camera.

■ Products | Wiring
■ services | Maintenance
LaBarge to Supply
PAG Purchases Avcenter MH-60S Wiring
Atlanta-based Precision Aviation Group (PAG) has reached an agreement to Kaman Aerospace has inked a
acquire Avcenter, a repair station in Dallas, Texas, that focuses on wheels, brakes $1.6-million agreement with LaBarge
and accessories. PAG plans to use the agreement to increase maintenance, repair Inc. for cockpit wiring harnesses
and overhaul (MRO) services to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. President on the Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk.
& CEO David Mast notes that since finalizing the transaction, PAG has “made Production of the wiring harnesses is
substantial investments in tooling, equipment, training and inventory” to expand set to take place at LaBarge’s facility
Avcenter’s services. Under the arrangement, Avcenter becomes a subsidiary of in Berryville, Ark., with completion
Precision Avionics & Instruments (PAI). scheduled for April 2011.

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■ Commercial | Airframes
Tilton Given Living
Legends Award
MD Helicopters President & CEO
Lynn Tilton was named the “Aviation
Entrepreneur of the Year” during 8th
Annual Living Legends of Aviation
awards ceremony on January 20 in
Beverly Hills, Calif. Tilton is founder
and CEO of Patriarch Partners, which
acquired MD Helicopters in 2005.
She is being recognized for returning
the company to profitability and
bolstering support services for existing
MD operators. The Kiddie Hawk Air
Academy-produced Living Legends
event—which included presentations
from actors and aviation enthusiasts
such as Morgan Freeman, John
Travolta, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks
and Kurt Russell—also honored Frank
Robinson, founder of Torrance, Calif.-
based Robinson Helicopter.
Helimart
714-755-2999
MD Service Center, Parts distributor
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
05_RW_020111_RCR_p12_22.indd 17
Rotorcraft   Report
■ Military | Airframes
KUH to Feature Cobham Antennas
The Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH) will come equipped with Cobham antennas
and avionics. A long-term contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) calls
for Cobham Antenna Systems to build the comm/nav antennas in the UK, with
the navigation transceiver coming from U.S. division Cobham Avionics and
Surveillance. KAI will manufacture the “Surion” in Sacheon, South Korea, with
plans for up to 245 helicopters over the next 10 years. The KUH will replace a fleet
of Bell UH-1Hs and MD500s.
■ Products | Maintenance
DART Teams with Heli-Enterprise
Oceanside, Calif.-based DART Helicopter Services has signed a distribution
agreement with specialty rotorcraft tool and work stand supplier Heli-Enterprise.
Under the partnership, DART will distribute the full line of Heli-Enterprise tools
and custom/purpose-built maintenance and work stands.
■ services | Maintenance
Columbia Registered to EN/AS9100
Risk management firm Det Norske Veritas has registered Columbia Helicopters to
the EN/AS9110 aerospace quality standard. The certification will allow Columbia
to increase its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work, as several OEMs
require maintenance organizations to obtain third-party registration. Columbia
becomes one of around 350 companies to receive AS9110 certification, with less
than 100 of those in the United States. Chris Hankland, director of quality, explains
that in addition to meeting requirements for ISO 9001:2008 and EN/JISQ/
AS9100:2004, Columbia has “met the additional EN/AS9110:2003 requirements
to include additional safety, reliability and airworthiness for both military and
commercial aircraft MRO.”
Heli-Expo
Booth
2214
36 years backing the MD 500 product line.
• Authorized Service Center, parts, STCs
• International certifications
• Interior completions, avionics
• Paramilitary/ police equipment installations
From the smallest part to complex components, there’s little we don’t
know about MD 500s
www.helimart.com
California Aero Components
714-755-2999
Component overhaul
f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 1 | R oto r & W i n g maga zin e 17
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 Rotorcraft   Report

■ Commercial | Airframes ■ services | Logistics

Mi-38 Performs Initial Long-Haul AAR Receives

Russian Helicopters
has carried out the first
long-haul flight of the
Mil Mi-38, following
the maiden flight of
Logistics Award
The U.S. Department of Defense has
awarded the AAR Corp. Defense
Systems and Logistics division
with a 2010 Secretary of Defense

Russian Helicopters
the second prototype performance-based logistics (PBL)
airframe in early award. The Under Secretary of
December. OP-2 flew Defense for Acquisition, Technology
800 km (497 miles) from and Logistics presented the award
Kazan to Moscow in late to AAR, Hamilton Sundstrand and
December, arriving at the the Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center-
Mil Moscow Helicopter East. It recognizes the public-private
Plant for further flight partnership that supplies component-
testing. level supply chain support for the H-46
Earlier in the month, Sea Knight and H-53 Sea Stallion.
Russian Helicopters’ second Mi-38 prototype has gone Russi an Helicopters
airborne, conducting a long-haul mission in late December. announced that the sec- ■ Public Service | Police
ond prototype Mi-38 took to the skies for its first flight. Built by Mil Moscow
Helicopter Plant and Kazan Helicopters, OP-2 has already conducted 26 ground Maryland Files Suit
run-ups and seven hover and low-speed checks. OP-2 features Pratt & Whitney
Canada PW127 engines and IBKO-38 avionics from Tranzas, as well as upgrades
Over Helo Crash
to the hydraulic and fuel systems and main rotor blade modifications based on The state of Maryland has issued a
results from testing the first prototype, OP-1. Plans call for Mil Moscow Helicopter lawsuit against the U.S. government
Plant to demonstrate OP-2 during 2011, with full production at Kazan projected to over a September 2008 helicopter
begin in 2013. A third prototype is currently in the assembly stage. The multi-role crash that killed four people, claiming
Mi-38 is intended for passenger transport, search and rescue, offshore and EMS that FAA air traffic controllers failed
operations. to provide up-to-date weather
information and adequate support
■ Military | Unmanned in responding to a distress call. The
Aerospatiale Dauphin, in operation
Unmanned Fire-X Takes Off with the Maryland State Police, was
transporting patients from a car
accident when it went down near
Andrews Air Force Base. The lawsuit
seeks $4 million.

■ services | WAAS

EC135/145 WAAS
Northrop Grumman

Certs Approved
A m e r i c a n Eu ro c o p te r ’s FA A
Organization Designation
Authorization (ODA) has issued
supplemental type certificates (STCs)
for wide area augmentation system
(WAAS) upgrades on the EC135 and
Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter have conducted the first test flight of the EC145. The STCs allow installation of
Fire-X vertical unmanned air system (VUAS). The autonomous flight took place the Garmin GNS430W or 530W with
on Dec. 10 at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. the MEGHAS display system on the
helicopters.

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 Rotorcraft   Report

■ Training | Simulators

Helicopter IWG
Issues Simulator
Guidelines
An international working group (IWG)
under the UK’s Royal Aeronautical
Society has developed new guidelines
for the classification of civil helicopter
flight simulation training devices
(FSTDs). The four-year endeavor

MISSION
seeks to assist International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) efforts
to publish Document 9625, a new
Manual of Criteria for the Qualification

WANTED
of FSTDs.
The helicopter IWG built on a
similar process undertaken for fixed-
wing aircraft. The group plans to sub-
mit a draft of the document to ICAO
in early 2011. Among the most salient
points the group is stressing include
that:
• This is the first time that ICAO
has considered helicopter simulation Bring these capabilities
as a separate subject. to your cockpit:
• An analysis of pilot training tasks • Real-time situational awareness
and licenses forms the basis of the new • Moving maps
device definitions, representing a sig- • Live weather
nificant change in approach to existing • Approach plates
processes. • Checklists
• One of the key aims of the effort is • Flight and maintenance manuals
to improve access to simulation across • Frequencies/call sign lists
the helicopter industry, and therefore • Passenger and cargo manifest
improve safety. • Any other customer created
According to the helicopter IWG, “Windows” based applications,
benefits of the “harmonization effort” software and documents
will include reducing and simplifying
administrative burdens, providing a
more consistent approach for simula-
tor manufacturers, expressing the suit-
ability of specific FSTDs for various
training tasks, and improving the qual- Portable Mission Display
ity of training while reducing costs.
For more information about the
proposed standards, contact Matt
Jennings (training sub-group), matt@
asc-limited.co.uk, Stephane Clement
(technical sub-group), sclement@cae.
com) or Rene Tassan, rene.tassan@
eurocopter.com
A copy of the helicopter IWG
MONTREAL • OTTAWA • CHICAGO www.cmcelectronics.ca
document can be found at: www.
raes-fsg.org.uk/outsiders/

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 Rotorcraft   Report

PEOPLE
Copp ell, Texa s -b a se d Br antly
International has appointed Kyle
Hardman as company president. He
comes from Bell Helicopter Textron,
where he was a principal engineer.
Hardman will assist with efforts to
return the Brantly B-2B light helicopter
back into production.
Aviation Instru-
ment Services (AIS)
has hired David
Perrin as a helicop-
ter component and
instrument sales
rep in Charlotte, N.C. He will also
assist operators with component repair
management and exchange services.
Perrin’s previous experience includes at
Sterling Helicopter in Philadelphia and
StandardAero in Winnipeg.
Aspen Avionics of Albuquerque,
N.M. has promoted Michael Studley
to director of customer service-field
service engineering. He will oversee the
company’s group of field service engi-
neers, which provide technical support
to Aspen’s international network of
Authorized Service Centers (ASCs).
Studley was previously manager of field
service engineering for the northeast
U.S. and Europe.
Two AgustaWestland employees—
Mike Sheppard from the field service
department and Chris Ferguson
from the Integrated Merlin Opera-
tional Support (IMOS) team—have
received Afghanistan Campaign Med-
als. The pair deployed to Afghanistan
from December 2009 to February 2010,
supporting the UK Royal Air Force
AW101 Merlin Mk3’s entry into ser-
vice. Based at Camp Bastion, Ferguson
and Sheppard fielded technical ques-
tions and assisted with modifications
to the helicopter’s ballistic protection
system.
Anthony Sis-
neros is the new
director of con-
tinuous improve-
ment for CIRCOR
Aerospace Products
Group in Corona, Calif. In addition, he
will represent the company’s aerospace
group on the CIRCOR International
Council for Continuous Improvement
and Operational Excellence. Sisneros
was formerly director of operations for
Goodrich’s aerospace engine compo-
nent manufacturing division.

Feb. 23–25: Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Winter May 17–19: European Business Aviation Association and
Symposium, Washington, D.C. Contact AUSA, phone NBAA’s EBACE 2010, Geneva, Switzerland. Contact EBAA,
coming events

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
March 21–24: 38th Annual International Operators
Conference (IOC), San Diego, Calif. Contact NBAA, phone
1-202-783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
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: AHS Intl 67th Annual Forum and Technology
Display, Virginia Beach, Va. Contact AHS Intl, phone
1-703-684-6777 or visit www.vtol.org
phone +32 2 766 0073 or visit www.ebaa.org
May 19–21: International 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.
airmed2011.com
June 20–26: 49th Annual International 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: AUSA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. AUSA,
phone 1-703-841-4300, 1-800-336-4570 or visit www.ausa.org
Oct. 10–12: National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
64th Annual Meeting & Convention, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact
NBAA, phone 1-202-783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
Oct. 17–19: Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS)
Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC), St. Louis, Mo.
Contact AAMS, 1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org

20 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

05_RW_020111_RCR_p12_22.indd 20 1/20/11 11:19:52 AM

 Rotorcraft Report

■ MILITARY | ATTACK ■ PUBLIC SERVICE | BORDER PATROL

Longbow Delivers Italian Guard Receives AW139
400th FCR AgustaWestland
U.S. Army officials joined Lockheed has handed over a
Martin and Northrop Grumman reps second AW139 to
in December to mark handover of the the Italian Customs
400th Longbow fire control radar (FCR) and Border Patrol
for the Boeing Apache at a ceremony in Service (Guardia
Orlando, Fla. Lockheed Martin and di Finanza).

AgustaWestland
Northrop Grumman joint venture During a Janu-
Longbow LLC delivered the milestone ary 14 ceremony
unit to the Army at Lockheed’s facility in Vergiate, the
in Orlando, Fla. Col. Shane Openshaw, manufacturer
Army program manager for Apache, delivered the heli-
called the Longbow FCR a “battlefield copter to Chief of
force multiplier,” adding that the Staff Gen. Michele
system’s targeting capabilities “provide Adinolfi and Gen.
critical support for ground troops Daniele Caprino,
while limiting the aircrew’s exposure I nte r- re g i o n a l
to threats.” Longbow has also obtained Commander for north-
a $26.8-million U.S. Army Aviation and east Italy. The Italian
Missile Command contract to supply Customs and Border
life cycle support and logistics for 246 Patrol Service operates
Longbow FCR systems. another AW139 that entered operations in mid-2009.

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W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 1 | R OTO R & W I N G MAGA ZIN E 21

05_RW_020111_RCR_p12_22.indd 21 1/20/11 11:20:07 AM

 Rotorcraft   Report

■ Military | Cargo Resupply

Helibras will modernize the Brazilian Army Aviation
Command’s fleet of 36 Eurocopter AS350s. Navy Evaluates
K-MAX UAS
Kaman Aerospace and Lockheed
Martin have obtained a $45.8-million
U.S. Naval Air Systems Command

Eurocopter
contract to evaluate the K-MAX
unmanned aerial system (UAS) in the
cargo resupply role. The agreement calls
for Lockheed Martin Aviation Systems
and Kaman to provide two aircraft and
three remote control ground stations
to the Marines by summer 2011, when
a quick reaction assessment will take
place.

■ Commercial | Accessories

PZL Hook Certified

■ Military | Modifications Polish AgustaWestland subsidiary
PZL-Swidnik has secured EASA
Helibras to Modify Brazilian AS350s approval to install an Onboard Systems
Eurocopter’s Helibras subsidiary has won a contract to modernize a fleet of 36 Talon cargo hook on the SW-4. The
AS350 Ecureuils in operation with the Brazilian Army Aviation Command. The cargo hook allows the single-engine
agreement includes a complete rebuilding of three of the helicopters. Terms of helicopter to carry loads up to 650 kg
the deal call for work to start during 2011 and run through 2018. Helibras will (1,430 lbs) using SEI Industries’ Bambi
modify the AS350s at its facility in Itajuba in southeastern Brazil. The military Bucket.
unit first incorporated the EC135 into its operations more than 20 years ago, and
the upgrade effort will extend the service life of the helicopters by at least 25 years, ■ Products | Avionics
according to Helibras.
Among the work slated for the helicopters includes: installation of a glass ITT Splits 3 Ways
cockpit, automatic flight control system (AFCS), autopilot, and new seating. ITT Corp. has unveiled plans to
Helibras will develop the avionics suite for the AS350 with Sagem Avionics and separate its business sectors into three
Aeroeletronica, under an agreement inked in September. Sagem will supply the distinct companies—ITT Corp., ITT
displays and Aeroeletronica will provide the computers and install the system. Water Technology and ITT Defense
Under a separate contract, Helibras handed over three EC725s to the Brazilian and Information Solutions. Following
Armed Forces in December. Part of a 50-helicopter order, the initial trio of multi- the spinoff, ITT Corp. will include the
role helicopters was built in France and final completions will occur in Brazil. company’s current Industrial Process,
Starting in 2012, assembly of the EC725s will occur at the new Helibras produc- Motion Technologies, Interconnect
tion complex in Itajuba. Deliveries are set to continue through 2016. Solutions and Control Technologies
divisions. ITT will rename the new
Defense & Information Solutions
■ services | Maintenance
segment, with products and services

Bell to Support Canadian CH146 to include night vision for helicopters,

electronic warfare, radar, surveillance/
Canada’s government has issued a $640-million contract for Bell Helicopter to reconnaissance systems, weather
support a fleet of Canadian Forces CH146 Griffons. The 10-year Optimized monitoring and navigation, as well as
Weapon System Support (OWSS) agreement calls for Bell to supply management maintenance and engineering.
services, engineering and technical publications, maintenance, spares and For the full story, visit Rotor & Wing
consumable parts for the helicopters. The deal carries four one-year options that, sister publication Avionics at www.
if exercised, could raise the total value to $935 million (Canadian). aviationtoday.com/av

22 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1 www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m

05_RW_020111_RCR_p12_22.indd 22 1/20/11 11:20:24 AM

 For the
month of
February

Heliport Lights from FEC Heliports

FEC Heliports designs and manufactures high quality heliport lighting that is
manufactured to meet heliport guideline recommendations worldwide. With the
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lighting system. www.heliportsequipment.com also offers a full range of products,
including snow melting systems, fuel/water separators, fire suppression equipment, landing dollies, portable helipads, heli-
copter power units, glide slope indicators, heliport rescue equipment and offshore helideck lighting. Contact FEC Heliports
Worldwide Ltd., phone +44 1494 775226 or visit www.heliportsequipment.com

CPI with Automatic FDR & CVR Data Capture

The Techtest Series 503 deployable Crash Position Indicator (CPI) provides a proven emergency
alerting and locating capability and is now the CPI installation of choice for AgustaWestland, Euro-
copter and Sikorsky. In the company’s continuing quest for product improvements, Techtest has
now introduced an optional CPI memory module, which stores data from the aircraft’s flight data
and cockpit voice recorders. Recovery of the CPI beacon therefore provides immediate access to
essential safety data that could otherwise be extremely difficult to retrieve, especially after a sea
ditching. To aid its physical recovery, the CPI beacon includes integral GPS, enabling it to continuously update the COSPAS-
SARSAT satellite tracking system with its post-deployment position. Once retrieved, beacon’s stored flight and voice data can
be read directly onto a hand-held download device for subsequent analysis. These latest enhancements to the Series 503 CPI
offer important safety improvements, which dramatically improve the prospect of rapid post-accident recovery and analysis.
Visit us at Booth 509 at HAI Heli-Expo. Contact HR Smith/Techtest, +44 1568 708744 or visit www.hr-smith.com

Erickson Selects Archangel AHR150A

Erickson Air-Crane has chosen Archangel Systems’ AHR150A air data attitude head-
ing reference system (ADAHRS) and AFC001 automatic flight control for its S-64 fleet.
Archangel supplies Erickson shipsets, consisting of two ADAHRS and two AFCs per
S-64. Archangel has worked closely with Erickson during their TC approval process,
culminating in the initial S-64 retrofit delivery to San Diego Gas and Electric in Decem-
ber 2010. The AHR150A is a cost-effective ADAHRS at low size, weight and power budgets with FAA TSO C4c, C5e, C6d,
C88a and C106 approvals. All software is DO178B Level A running on redundant and dissimilar processors. Developed for
compatibility with fly-by-wire systems, data latencies are low. Air data is RVSM-compliant. The AFC001 has FAA TSO C9c
approval with DO178B Level B software. Product details are available at www.archangel.com/products. Archangel Systems is
an ISO 9001:2008 certified facility. Contact Archangel Systems, phone 1-334-826-8008, ext. 14 or visit www.archangel.com/
about/contact-form

Multi-Function Data Acquisition Unit

The NORTH Flight Data Systems Multi-Function Data Acquisition Unit (MFDAU) is a
self-contained unit that uses internal gyros and accelerometers to track three-dimensional
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mation. Operating in direct alliance with the NORTH FDS Quick Access Recorder (QAR), the MFDAU is the primary com-
ponent of the most comprehensive aviation safety equipment in the market, enabling customers to best manage, train, and
improve the safety and performance of their operations. All NORTH FDS products have been tested to the most recent FAA
DO-160F high vibration rotorcraft standards and are FAA STC’d. The product line will be displayed at HeliExpo 2011, Booth
4437. Contact NORTH Flight Data Systems, phone 1-817-561-9500 or visit www.northfds.com/products.html

www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m F e b r ua r y 2 0 1 1 | R oto r & W i n g maga zin e 23

07_RW_020111_HotPro_p23.indd 23 1/20/11 11:46:12 AM

 PERSONAL/CORPORATE | LIGHT TURBINE

THE RO
T
Robinson Helicopter invited Rotor & Wing to try out the newly
certified R66 Turbine and Editor-at-Large Ernie Stephens
jumped at the opportunity.

By Ernie Stephens
Robinson

Robinson Helicopter’s R66 Turbine was awarded an FAA type certificate on

Oct. 25, 2010, and, based upon the 100 units already on order, is expected
to be as popular as its top-selling piston stablemate, the R44. Base price
for the five-seat, single-engine helicopter is $790,000.

24 ROTOR & WING MAGAZ INE | F EBR UAR Y 2 0 1 1 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

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 Turbine Time

ROBINSON R66:
TURBINE TIME for
THE MASSES

O
kay, I’ll tell you up front that I’ve never
avoided a chance to check out a helicop-
ter, even a bad one. Civilian or military,
big or small, simple or complex, if it can
fly, I want to see what it will do. But I must also
admit that when the call came for me to hop
out to California to do an evaluation on the
R66—Robinson Helicopter Company’s (RHC)
first turbine ship—I felt my toes curl up just a
little bit more than usual.
The debut of the R66—officially named the R66
Turbine—has been one of the most anticipated helicopter
rollouts in decades. No other press conference at the Helicop-
ter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo conference
packs every inch of sitting and standing room like the
Robinson briefing. And no other topic gets the audi-
ence leaning forward in their seats like R66 news.
Each year since 2008, owner and founder Frank

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 Personal/Corporate | Light Turbine
Robinson takes to the podium, makes
a few statements about the health of
the company, shares some sales figures,
then opens the floor for questions.
And each year since 2008, at least the
first three questions are about the R66.
When will the world see the prototype?
How much will it cost? Will it have six
seats, since the R22 has two and the
R44 has four? But year after year, the
bushy-browed engineer would wryly
build anticipation by sidestepping basic
questions with a friendly, non-offen-
sive, “Wait and see,” that would draw a
collective chuckle from the crowd.
Frank Robinson’s masterful building
of anticipation reached its conclusion
when N4512G, a white R66 Turbine
with red stripes, was unveiled at Heli-
Expo in Houston, Texas on Feb. 21,
2010. That’s where I saw it in person for
the first time. I, and most other people
who have any sort of familiarity with
R44s, took one look at the aircraft on
display and said: “It looks different, but
I’m not sure why.”
Any similarity between the R44 and
its newest sibling, the R66, can lull the
observer into thinking the only differ-
ence will be in the powerplant. Not
so. Most of the similarities between
26 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1
08_RW_020111_Robinson_R66_p24_29.indd 26
Robinson
The R66 Turbine is
powered by a Rolls-Royce
RR300 engine that can
deliver 300 shp, but is
derated to 240 shp for
Robinson. Placing the
engine low and at a
37-degree angle saved
headroom, while leaving
room for a separate
baggage compartment.
the R44 and the R66 are limited to the
exterior lines and interior appoint-
ments that the company has made its
own over the years. Even the signature
T-handle cyclic that pilots either love
or hate can be found aboard the R66.
But that’s where most of the similarities
end. The R66 is more new than old.
Lineage
Any serious conversation about the
R66 has to begin with the development
of its two-seat stablemate, the piston-
powered Robinson R22; brainchild of
Frank Robinson, who left Bell Helicop-
ter as an engineer in the 1970s to build a
helo that the general public would have
a better chance of affording. It worked,
too. His 857-lb helicopter was liter-
ally designed on the kitchen table of the
Robinson home, and found its way to
the marketplace in 1979, where it began
a long run of record-setting sales.
With more R22s being sold than any
other helicopter in its class, Robinson
turned his attention to the cries of rent-
al pilots, who wanted an economical
helicopter similar to the R22, but with
room for four people. Enter the R44,
a stretched R22 with a more powerful
engine and seating for four—two in the
front and two in the back. The aircraft
went on the market in 1993, and within
15 years, became the only general avia-
tion helicopter to outsell the R22.
The R22 and R44, in variants that
ranged from float-capable designs
to police models, gained widespread
popularity around the world, forc-
ing the company to move from its
original general aviation-size hangar
at Zamperini Field (TOA) in Torrence,
Calif., to a cavernous, purpose-built
480,000-square-foot manufacturing
facility across the runway.
But like a magician whose audience
wants to see him pull another rabbit
out of his hat, Frank Robinson’s cus-
tomers wanted to see him pull a turbine
out of his plant. And they wanted it to
have all of the features of the $400,000
R44, but the reliability of a turbine-
powered ship.
Robinson had released study after
study showing that the derated four-
and six-cylinder Lycoming piston
engines running in his R22 and R44
were just as reliable (if not more so)
than any turbine, but he could not
argue with the efficiency turbine air-
craft enjoyed in high, hot conditions.
He also knew that the venerable Bell
206B Jet Ranger, which was slated to
cease production soon, would leave
a segment of the light turbine market
looking for a new five-place helicopter
to fill its spot. Fueled by those motivat-
ing factors, and the desire of some of his
loyal customers to transfer seamlessly
into a turbine aircraft, Robinson set his
design team on building the R66.
In just two years, the R66 went
from the drawing board to FAA type
certification, which was award on Oct.
25, 2010. Immediately thereafter, both
the Robinson faithful, and those who
wondered if they could be, came to
Torrence to try out the newest member
of the RHC family. In fact, as of this
writing, Kurt Robinson, who took over
as president of the company when his
father entered semi-retirement in early
in 2010, reports brisk order activity. “I
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
1/20/11 11:52:08 AM

think we have over a hundred [orders
for the R66],” said Robinson, who chose
not to reveal specific customers by
name. “I don’t know if it’s over 110, but
it’s certainly over 100.”
The Finished Product
The closer you look, the less the
$790,000 R66 resembles the R44. First,
the R66’s cabin is noticeably wider than
the R44’s—7.5 inches, to be exact—
which also set the skids six inches wider
than the 86-inch width on the R44. (A
small horizontal stabilizer had to be
attached to the bottom of the tail fin to
help eliminate some unwanted airflow
issues caused by the increased width.)
Other immediately noticeable fea-
tures include air intakes and vents that
help the Rolls-Royce RR300 gas turbine
engine breathe while it’s producing 270
shp; power that’s used to lift a maxi-
mum gross weight of 2,700 lbs to a den-
sity altitude of no greater than 14,000
feet. The designers even installed the
172-lb engine at a 37-degree angle to
make room for every Robinson pilot’s
dream: a separate baggage compart-
ment capable of accepting suitcases,
golf clubs, or 300 lbs of anything else
that needs to come along.
Gone, or so it seems at first inspec-
tion, is the gas cap that’s usually near the
base of the main rotor mast. It’s actually
still there. Robinson’s engineers hid the
fuel port behind a small door, which
also conceals an area that can be used
as a step when inspecting the rotor
head. While the R66 retains nearly the
same measurements from the forward
blade tip to the tip of the tail, the inte-
rior width of the cabin increased from
50.5 to 58 inches, giving the passengers
significantly more shoulder room up
front, and a third forward-facing seat in
the back. Leg room, however, only got
a 1-inch boost over what the R44 was
born with.
Climbing Aboard
It was cloudy, overcast, and the vis-
ibility was nothing to write home to
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
08_RW_020111_Robinson_R66_p24_29.indd 27
mother about, but Robinson test pilot
Doug Tomkins agreed to take me up
in N4512G, the third R66 to come off
the assembly line, and, at the time, still
being used for some final tweaking.
He directed me to the right seat,
which is designated for the pilot-in-
command. Many old-school pilots
poke fun at the spindly looking T-han-
dle cyclic that Frank Robinson person-
ally designed as a weight-saving feature,
but my “horizontally-challenged” body
has always appreciated the ease with
which I could board an RHC aircraft
by tilting it up and out of the way, as
opposed to having to jack my leg up
and over a conventional stick.
The tan leather interior, an option
that’s fairly popular in the R44, provid-
ed a very comfortable seat. The lengthy
nose that gives the Robinson line its
familiar profile makes for a spacious
cabin with an impressive field of view.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see
that the anti-torque pedals had been
improved. The 90-degree opposing
pegs had a couple of inches more space
between them, so that the pilot’s feet
aren’t placed so close together. They
could also be adjusted a few inches
SPECIFICATION
Engine Type
Max Gross Weight
Empty Weight Equipped
(including oil & std avionics)
Maximum Fuel (73.6 gal)
Passengers and Baggage with Maximum
Fuel
Cruise Speed
Maximum Range (no reserve)
Hover Ceiling IGE
Hover Ceiling OGE
Rate of Climb
Maximum Operating Altitude
f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 1 | R oto r & W i n g maga zin e
Turbine Time
fore and aft to accommodate vari-
ous leg lengths, now. The instrument
panel was still all Robinson. It’s old, but
functional mushroom design still had
primary flight instrument in the wide
portion, and secondary instruments
below. Only a few subtle changes were
made to accommodate the different
parameters the pilot of a turbine heli-
copter needs to monitor.
In the piston-powered R22 and R44,
the gauge on the far right of the top row
is a dual engine and rotor tachometer.
In the R66, however, RHC swapped the
engine tachometer for a power turbine
(N2) monitor.
The large manifold pressure gauge
of Robinson’s piston line is replaced by
an engine percent torque meter in the
R66. The engineers also gathered up all
of the caution lamps installed in three
different places across the panels of
the R22 and R44, and relocated them
behind a double-row annunciator
panel above the primary instruments.
Once Tompkins was strapped in,
he completed a short prestart checklist,
then coached me on how to start he
R66. Talk about dirt-simple: Battery
and strobes on, key switched to IGNIT-
R66 TURBINE
Rolls-Royce RR300
2,700 lbs
1,280 lbs
493 lbs
927 lbs
approximately 120 kts
approximately 325 nm/375
miles
over 10,000 feet
over 10,000 feet
over 1,000 fpm
14,000 feet
27
1/20/11 11:52:19 AM
 Personal/Corporate | Light Turbine
ER, press and release the start button
on the collective, wait for the N1 gauge
to read between 12 and 15 percent,
push in the fuel valve on the instrument
panel, and listen to the engine come to
life. If anything goes wrong, just pull the
fuel valve to the OFF position, and the
compressor will continue to blow the
temperature down in the engine.
Flying the R66
After completing an equally simple
pre-takeoff checklist, it was time to go
flying in the deteriorating muck that
was the Torrence-Long Beach area
that day. It would be quick, since we
would be losing VFR conditions soon.
As usual with flying a Robinson
when you haven’t been in one in a
while, picking it up was ugly, but
relatively safe. (I could tell, because the
ground crew, while amused, did not
run for cover.) This is due to the sen-
sitivity of the controls, which is a nice
thing once you get readjusted to them.
And as is also usual in a Robinson,
that readjustment period took only a
couple of minutes.
Climb out past the tower at Tor-
rence was spritely, to say the least.
Pulling in the maximum allowable
28 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1
08_RW_020111_Robinson_R66_p24_29.indd 28
The Robinson R66 Turbine’s instrument
panel bears a striking resemblance
to the R22 and R44, with only a few
changes to accommodate turbine
engine monitoring. Note the new
warning light panel at the top of the
instrument pedestal.
Ernie Stephens
torque (100 percent on the gauge) on
a relatively mild day with an altim-
eter setting of 29.80, produced a climb
that I limited to 1,000 fpm. Not bad,
considering we were probably about
300 lbs shy of the helicopter’s 927-lb
useful load.
The approved test flight area for
Robinson is above the Port of Long
Beach, approximately six miles south-
east of the airport. At 80 KIAS, that
gave me a few minutes to assess the
aircraft’s manners. And the first man-
nerism I noticed was how smooth the
ride was. Yes, most turbines offer a
rattle-free trip. But I guess what made
it so noticeable was that it used to be
common to see the instrument panel
in a Robbie—or any piston helicopter,
for that matter—vibrating all over the
place while in flight. It just didn’t hap-
pen in the R66.
Close your eyes, and the R66’s
hydraulically boosted cyclic and col-
lective will make you feel like you’re in
a Bell 206B. The controls aren’t wishy-
washy. They offer excellent feedback
and response to commands. (And yes,
like the R22 and R44, the cyclic can
be comfortably controlled using just
three fingers.)
Since our track took us directly
to the grassy practice landing area,
which is in the middle of the second
busiest seaport in the world, I asked
if I could execute a normal approach.
Tompkins’ reply was the same as it
would be throughout the short flight:
“Whatever you feel like doing.”
Hauling back on the power until
I reached 60 KIAS was uneventful,
and when I lowered the collective to
begin my decent, there was no argu-
ment from the aircraft. It just settled
towards the turf, politely answered my
call for some hover power at the bot-
tom, and plopped itself straight down
on the ground upon command.
There was plenty of room for a
normal takeoff, but I wanted another
demonstration of the R66’s available
power. So, I pulled the ship up into a
pure vertical climb. Tail rotor authority
never waned, and I was sorry that I had
to transition into forward flight at 900
feet. AGL to avoid going IFR, because
the aircraft felt like it had another few
hundred feet of climb left in it.
It was now time for what I call the
“Giddyap Test,” where I pull in the
maximum amount of available power
to see what the aircraft will do. Again,
the first thing I noticed was how funny
it felt to be in a small helicopter that
wasn’t being rattled all over the sky
by a four-stroke engine. Acceleration
was smooth all the way up to the top
of the green arc on the torque gauge,
which gave us a nice 120-KIAS ride in
zero winds.
Every other maneuver I tried, from
out-of-ground-effect hovers to abrupt
turns, and from climbs to descents,
were met with what could only be
interpreted as an aircraft yawning
from boredom: It was responsive, but
acted as if it could take a lot more if
asked, and I might have asked too,
had the ceilings not begun dropping.
So, I pulled N4512G hard over, and
started back to Torrence to try a couple
of autorotations before the clouds
intruded any more.
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
1/20/11 11:52:29 AM
 Turbine Time

After getting cleared by the tower,

I lined up with runway 29R about
one-fourth mile out, and rolled the
throttle off. The R66 glided towards
the runway at approximately 1,100

Ernie Stephens
fpm, and between 65 and 70 KIAS,
with the rotors at 100 percent rpm and
very few control inputs from me. In
fact, the ride down was so uneventful, I
was able to take couple of seconds here
and there to enjoy the view. At the bot-
tom, Tompkins requested that I roll the
engine back online for a power recov-
ery, which I did after a gentle flare. It
was the way an autorotation should
be, but seldom is when I’m driving: A group of R66 hulls stands ready to be
efficient, effective and calming. competed at Robinson’s 480,000 square-
After standing next to the runway foot assembly building in Torrence, Calif.
to take some stills and video footage The two-seat R22 and best-selling four-seat
R44 are assembled under the same roof.
of Tomkins shooting some autos that
I could post at www.rotorandwing.
com, I hopped back in, and let him air and rotor needles have split, and the are at little league baseball games.
taxi us back to the RHC plant. internal engine temperature is trend- Because as everyone already expected
Shutdown of the R66 was as ele- ing down, and it’s time to shut off the from the mind of Frank Robinson, this
mentary as the start up. After putting battery and put it away. aircraft is a winner, and could become
the collective in the full down position, the premier entry-level turbine heli-
the throttle is rolled off, the engine is Final Impressions copter many people have been waiting
given a two-minute cool down period, In a word: Wow! In 60 words or less: for.
and the fuel valve is closed. Just take Expect the Robinson R66 Turbine to To see videos of Ernie’s flight, go
a few seconds to ensure that the N2 be as plentiful in the skies as minivans to www.rotorandwing.com.

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 COMMERCIAL | EVENT COVERAGE

HELI-EXPO
EXPECTATIONS
A preview of some of the hottest exhibitors at Heli-Expo 2011.
By Dale Smith

I
f you’re a helicopter pilot, operator, technician or just a lover of all things that can hover, then there’s no better place to be
this March 5th through 8th than the Orlando Orange County Convention Center—home of HAI’s Heli-Expo 2011. In
case you haven’t attended in the past few years, Heli-Expo has grown to the world’s largest helicopter event. This year’s
Expo will be the biggest ever. According to HAI, the 2011 tradeshow will take up more than one million square feet of
floor space and feature upwards of 600 exhibitors, 65 helicopters and thousands of attendees. To top it all off, there are hun-
dreds of hours of meetings and educational courses.
With all that floor space and exhibitors to cover—not to mention navigating through the estimated 17,000-plus attendees—
trying to take it all in three-days can be just a bit overwhelming. To help you make the most of your floor time, Rotor & Wing
has assembled a short list of not-to-be-missed exhibitors. So before taking that first step onto the Heli-Expo 2011 floor, let your
fingers do the walking through our list. Your feet will thank you.

Aspen Avionics
Booth Number: 2255
Contact: Anson Grey, manager of helicopter programs, or Mike McKinney, helicopter
sales manager

NOT TO MISS: Demonstration of Aspen’s EFD1000H Pro primary flight display for helicopters.
The “big things in little packages” experts from Aspen Avionics will use Heli-Expo to exhibit the
EFD1000H Pro PFD. Like the fixed-wing versions of Aspen’s versatile products, the EFD1000H
gives operators an amazing amount of display capabilities, versatility and reliability if a unit that
is a direct drop-in replacement for traditional analog instruments. With a list price of under
$15,000, the EFD1000H is the lowest cost glass panel upgrade available for helicopters, accord-
ing to the company.
Aspen says that the EFD1000H is especially attractive to helicopter operators because it
uses a unique solid-state AHRS system, which is resistant to vibration-induced problems that
contribute to the high failure rates of analog instruments.

Aero Dynamix, Inc.

Booth Number: 1337
Contact: Mike Guinn, manager of sales and marketing

NOT TO MISS: ESPN commentator Andy Petree’s night vision imaging system (NVIS)-equipped Bell 206. The night vision
cockpit lighting specialists at Aero Dynamix will showcase the NVIS-compatible lighting system modification recently com-
pleted in ESPN NASCAR commentator Andy Petree’s Bell 206B. The new system features a complete Garmin avionics suite,
including a GNS 530W, 430W, GMA 347, GTX 327 and GDU 620.
The installation also features new Aero Dynamix NVIS-compatible edge lit panels (ELPs) for the switch panel, overhead
switch panel, and air conditioning panel, as well as a custom overlay for the entire instrument panel.

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 Heli-Expo Preview

Becker Avionics, Inc.

Booth Number: 1652
Contact: Markus Schmitz, president/general manager

NOT TO MISS: DVCS 6100 Digital Airborne Voice Communications/Intercom System. Becker Avionics
will be showcasing its latest communications, navigation, surveillance and SAR equipment for airborne and
ground applications. Highlights will include the new DVCS 6100, which according to the company is the
first airborne digital audio selector and intercom system to achieve FAA technical standard order (TSO)
approval in both the U.S. and Europe. The DVCS is specifi-
cally designed for emergency and tactical operators. It delivers
crystal-clear voice quality for both ATC and cabin intercom
communications.
Becker will also display its new MR 510 personal locator bea-
con (PLB). This new ruggedized, multi-platform PLB features
COSPAS-SARSAT compliance, automatic water activation,
VHF/UHF voice communication and a 12-channel GPS system
based on the latest technology to provide detection and accurate
location positioning anywhere in the world.

CAE
Booth Number: 1349
Contact: Alberto Costa, vice president, helicopter training systems

NOT TO MISS: Video of CAE’s new 3000 Series mis-

sion simulator. Along with its usual array of training
offerings, one highlight of this year’s Heli-Expo will be
a video of CAE’s new 3000 Series helicopter mission
simulator, which was recently qualified for training by
the FAA. The simulator delivers a 220-degree hori-
zontal and an 80-degree vertical field of view to create
an immersive, mission-focused experience. The view,
combined with new-generation computer graphics,
provides unprecedented realism for helicopter-specific
training scenarios, including offshore, emergency medi-
cal services (EMS), law enforcement, long line, high-altitude, corporate and other specialized operations.
CAE will also be using the Heli-Expo stage to celebrate other announcements, including FAA’s recent approval of its new
e-Learning for “no classroom” initial and recurrent helicopter ground schools and the company’s recent acquisition of CHC
Helicopter’s training operations.

Cobham
Booth Number: 4028
Contact: Rob Creighton, marketing manager

NOT TO MISS: Cockpit simulator equipped with Cobham synthetic vision. The main attraction of the Cobham booth will
be the opportunity to “fly” Cobham’s new simulator featuring the company’s PFD with highway-in-the-sky (HITS) synthetic
vision. According to the company, the simulator’s system is similar to the EFIS displays that were recently chosen by both the
Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department.
While the new simulator is reason enough to visit their booth, the company comes to Heli-Expo with a host of products
from many of its other divisions, including HeliSAS (helicopter autopilot and stability augmentation system); a new HD video
surveillance system; new NAV/COM radios; ELTs; and aircrew restraint systems.

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 Commercial | Event Coverage

DART Helicopter Services

Booth Number: 4628
Contact: Mike O’Reilly or Steve Joseph

Not to miss: A total of 22 helicopter products and service providers in one booth. Along with developing more than 450
aftermarket helicopter STCs, DART Helicopter Services is the sales and marketing representative for everything rotorcraft—
from a 200-amp starter generator for a Eurocopter AS350 to the Ample Pod luggage carrier for a Robinson R44 and anything in
between. DART represents a growing list of helicopter accessory, parts, products and services providers. Companies that will
have a presence in DART’s Heli-Expo booth will include:

• Absolute Fire Solutions
• Airworthy Products, Inc.
• AKV, Inc.
• Apical Industries
• Aviatech Technical Services
• Bristow Technical Services Ltd.
• Cargo Net Innovations
• DART Aerospace
• Donaldson Aerospace and Defense
• Eagle Copters
• Flight Management Systems
• Geneva Aviation
• HELIFAB, Inc.
• Heli-Enterprise, Inc.
• Heli-Lynx
• RSG Products, Inc.
• Offshore Helicopter Support
Services
• Red Barn Machine, Inc.
• Red Box International
• Spectrolab, Inc.
• Tyler Technologies
• Wysong Enterprises, Inc.

Enstrom Helicopter Corp.

Booth Number: 3321
Contact: Dennis Martin, international sales/program manager

Not to mis s : Cobham (Chelton) EFIS-equipped

Enstrom 480B light turbine helicopter. Enstrom comes to
Heli-Expo celebrating recent fleet orders for the 480B heli-
copter. The Royal Thai Army has ordered 16 480Bs and
the Japanese Self Defense Force has purchased 30. Both
orders are to modernize training fleets. Enstrom is also
announcing that the 480B has recently earned certifica-
tion in China. Powered by a Rolls Royce 250 series engine,
the 480B is currently in service in 18 countries worldwide.
The company is also announcing a number of recent
upgrades to the 480B, including the Isolar Ag-Spray sys-
tem and the Safeflight powerline detection system. Along
with the Cobham 3D HITS-equipped 480B, Enstrom will
also have a new 280FX—the only turbocharged piston
engine helicopter in production today—on display.

Goodrich Corp.
Booth Number: 2142
Contact: Sherry Bergstrom, director of marketing and communications

Not to miss: Vigor HUMS for Sikorsky S-76D. Goodrich Corp. is showcasing its broad range of helicopter technology,
including the Vigor health and usage management system (HUMS). Vigor, currently used on the S-76D, is a new family of full
functionality HUMS optimized for mid‑size helicopters. According to the company, Vigor alerts the user to take corrective
actions to prevent future costly maintenance and advises of unavoidable future maintenance tasks so the user can minimize
operational impact.
Goodrich’s booth will also be home to a host of other products, including rescue hoist systems; engine control and FADEC
systems; actuation, air data and power systems; interior and seating systems; and customized aftermarket support solutions.

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 Heli-Expo Preview

MD Helicopters
Booth Number: 1618
Contact: Debbie Jones, sales and marketing

Not to miss: MD902 Explorer with new VIP SPIFR interior. MD

Helicopters is planning to have a variety of models gracing their
Heli-Expo booth, including an MD530F, MD500E and a factory
new MD902 Explorer—all with new avionics offerings. Along with
its new panel, the Explorer will sport the company’s new high-end
VIP interior, which features a long list of comfort and convenience
enhancements, including a five-place interior with leather uphol-
stered Fischer energy attenuating business seats, leather side panels
and ceiling, additional acoustic sound insulation, cabin/cockpit pri-
vacy window, aft-facing credenza with video monitor and DVD/CD
player, cabin ICS with Bose Series X headsets, LED reading lights,
upgraded wool carpeting, and more.

Night Flight Concepts

Booth Number: 3428
Contact: Adam Aldous, president

Not to miss: NVIO night vision goggle (NVG) computer-based training solution. If you’re among the growing number
of NVG users, then you need to stop by the Night Flight Concepts booth to demo its new FAA-approved NVIO NVG
computer-based training program. The NVIO CBT is an Internet-based, blended training solution that combines self-paced
courseware and practices covering a broad range of NVG-specific procedures and operational scenarios. The interac-
tive CBT program combines 3D graphics with advanced synthetic environments and the latest online training method-
ologies to achieve the highest degree of learning effectiveness and comprehension, while reducing overall training costs.
Complementing the NVIO online CBT is the company’s recently introduced NVG website: www.NVGsafety.com. This is a
new resource website created to help flight departments with night vision systems (NVIS) program management and to pro-
mote safe, effective NVG use.

NORTH Flight Data Systems

Booth Number: 4437
Contact: Jeff Warner, president

Not to miss: CVR/FDR with integrated Iridium satellite modem.

NORTH Flight Data Systems, LLC will use Heli-Expo to introduce its
new flight data system—a multifunction data acquisition unit (MFDAU)
with a built-in Iridium satellite modem. The Iridium modem combined
with the MFDAU’s self-contained 3D movement sensors, engine and
airframe data inputs will provide operators with precise, real-time aircraft
tracking capability without the need to purchase and install a stand-alone
Iridium satellite transmitter and antenna.
NORTH Flight will also be displaying its popular cockpit voice and
video recorders, quick access recorder (QAR) and new high-resolution
color cockpit camera. To ensure that customers realize the true benefit of flight data recording, NORTH Flight will be offering
a complete FOQA analysis and animation service utilizing Part 121 caliber software.

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 Products | Maintenance

Electronic Maintenance Tr
Technology as a tool for helicopter maintenance technicians.
By Dale Smith

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A
friend of mine recently
nce Tracking
asked me why helicopters
were so expensive to buy
and operate. The simple
answer to both parts of the question
is complexity. Helicopters have a large
number of moving parts, designed
for minimal weight and high stress
(fatigue) conditions. Even the ‘simplest’
light helicopter is a true marvel of
mechanical engineering.
This, combined with a low toler-
ance for failure, results in high main-
tenance rates and costs. In a published
report, the U.S. Army stated that its
Ratios of Maintenance Man Hours
(MMH) to flight hours for light turbine
helicopters averages 4:1. Of course,
not all of those MMH hours are actu-
ally spent on working on the machine.
A good percentage is often spent
just researching current maintenance
information so a technician knows
what to fix in the first place.
With apologies to Mr. Bernoulli,
in today’s maintenance compliance
and regulation-heavy world, it’s not lift
force that keeps a helicopter in the air,
it’s paperwork.
“The rotary wing industry is so
complex. There are so many inspec-
tions. New dash numbers on parts
that all have different life limits and
that changes the inspection cycles on
components. People can’t keep up
with it all,” explained Jim Willis, chief
operating officer for SkyBOOKS. “An
electronic tracking system like ours will
automatically update and keep all the
maintenance requirements current.”
Software, Service or
In-Between?
“When you’re talking about electronic
maintenance tracking for helicopters,
you have basically two types,” said Den-
nis Steinbeck, vice president of Avtrak.
“One is what I call ‘Do It Yourself ”
software or a shell program. It’s up to the
user to do all the work to populate their
data and then to keep it current. That’s
probably the most popular form used
in the helicopter market today. Most of
these programs run on the company’s
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Mx Tracking
PC or LAN [local area network].”
Many companies offer these types
of programs, “but one of the best exam-
ples is a simple Excel spreadsheet,” he
added. “There are several problems
with this type of solution—one, there
is no security with the information.
Another is that there is limited access
to the data and, last but not least, they
are a lot of work to keep accurate. I also
think they give people a false sense of
confidence about how they are actually
tracking the information. Most of these
operators ultimately find that they are
not tracking all of the information they
need to be compliant.”
Steinbeck said that another option
for electronic maintenance tracking
is to use a complete service provider.
“Avtrak is not a software company, we
are a subscription service company—
yes, there is software involved as part of
our service, but more importantly we
are staffed with A&Ps and IAs. People
behind the screen who are helicopter
maintenance experts,” he said.
“We provide more than just access
to maintenance tracking, you get full
service, which means when an OEM
issues a revision to their maintenance
manual or there is a service bulletin or
AD, we incorporate that into our sys-
tem and notify the user.”
While Steinbeck’s DIY and com-
plete service solutions represent the
far ends of the options for electronic
maintenance tacking, there are other
products that for lack of a better word,
are referred to as “hybrids.” They are
PC-based but offer some level of Inter-
net connectivity. One example is the
new Sentinel AD tracking product
from Avantext.
“We were one of the first to pioneer
the electronic distribution of airwor-
thiness directives that allow people
to rapidly search and aggregate data
around the AD’s,” explained Avantext’s
president, Kurt Schoenkopf. “I call this
‘AD tracking heavy.’ We provide users
a dashboard that lets them track all the
components they are responsible for
during an annual inspection and notify
them about what is coming due during
35
1/20/11 12:03:45 PM
 Products | Maintenance
the next annual. If there’s an emergency
AD issued, we will be able to flag that
for the maintenance professional’s
attention.”
“We have built a lot of time-saving
applications into the new program
to allow people to pull information
they need,” he added. “It lets them
spend less time searching data and
spend more time doing what they do
best, which is repairing the aircraft.”
While any type of electronic main-
tenance tracking is a great benefit to
users, the web-based packages offer the
added advantage of instantly sharing
information with anyone around the
world. Pilots can keep an aircraft’s flight
time current and can be instantly noti-
fied of any changes to that machine’s
status.
“You have total mobility worldwide
to access the status of any of your air-
craft,” Willis said. “For example, Heliser-
vicio in Mexico is getting 100 to 150
hours per month utilization per heli-
copter, and they operate 40 of them at
a time. Needless to say, they have crews
coming and going all the time at differ-
ent locations. Having access to current
information is critical to their pilots and
aircraft maintenance people.”
“When a pilot finishes his shift he
updates all the hours and information
for that aircraft,” he continued. “Then
when the next pilot comes on his shift,
he can instantly look at all the informa-
tion about that helicopter’s condition.
He can see if there are any MEL items
or flight restrictions that pertain to that
particular aircraft,” Willis said.
“Electronic tracking packages make
this super easy by translating the infor-
mation into our ‘stoplight’ indicators—
green means life’s good, you can con-
tinue to fly. Yellow says it’s approach-
ing a user-defined period until the
next maintenance event. And red says
there’s no flying that helicopter today.”
While it may seem that large fleet
operators may benefit most from this
type of technology, Steinbeck said
that the smaller, one-technician/one-
helicopter operations gain some big
advantages too. “Large operators often
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10_RW_020111_Electronic_Mx_Tracking_Pg34_37.indd 36
have their own quality control depart-
ment to handle this type work and
we have services designed for them,”
he said. “But the small single-aircraft
operators can really benefit by the fact
that Avtrak will assign one of our own
people—we call them ‘Compliance
Specialists’ to support them. These spe-
cialists become a literal extension of the
operator’s maintenance operation.”
When it comes time to plan a main-
tenance event, operators “will have an
expert available to help them,” Stein-
beck said. “What do they need to plan
for? What can they do to minimize the
downtime and maximize availability?
What can they do now to make the
maintenance event more efficient? We
are that second opinion that smaller
operators often need.”
No Complacency
About Compliance
Today ’s electronic maintenance
tracking tools are also proving to be
extremely helpful ensuring that aircraft
are up-to-date and compliant. “We
have a product called NavigatorV that
includes a ‘Profile & Compliance’ tool,
where an operator can actually define
their aircraft by its airframe and major
components including part and serial
numbers,” explained Bob Jones, prod-
uct marketing specialist for Aircraft
Technical Publishers (ATP). “It cre-
ates an electronic compliance record
with one page for each component on
the aircraft. The sheet shows all cur-
rent ADs and SBs and you can easily
keep track of your compliance status.”
Because the information is updated
every night, “the next time the aircraft
comes in for maintenance, a technician
simply opens that aircraft’s file and sees
what needs to be done,” he continued.
“It’s a real popular system.”
“Technically you could do all this
manually, but that leads to errors and
you really can’t afford to miss anything,”
Steinbeck continued. “There’s just a
lot to keep track of. Once you get your
arms around the helicopter manufac-
turer’s current requirement you need
to review the equipment installed
through STCs, which often have their
own inspection requirements and
additional instructions for continued
airworthiness (ICAs). People often
forget to figure those requirements into
their tracking methods.”
“Another critical matter is if you are
a Part 135 charter operator and you
get ramp checked and you are out of
compliance, the cost per violation is
probably two or three times the cost
of an annual subscription to a tracking
service,” he said. “So there are a lot of
important reasons why you want to
have all your ducks in a row when it
comes to this stuff.”
Accurate compliance monitoring
goes well beyond the financial penalty
of a botched ramp check. According to
SkyBOOKS’ Willis, active compliance
monitoring can greatly improve safety.
“Eurocopter released a study say-
ing that 75 percent of accidents were
sadly, repetitively predictable and non-
compliance related. They over-flew
an inspection or the pilots missed the
recurrent training required for what-
ever reason,” he said. “The surprising
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1/20/11 12:03:56 PM

thing to me was that three out of four
of the total accidents were because
the operators failed to comply with
known crew or maintenance compli-
ance issues, airworthiness directives or
service bulletins. They were running
so hard they just inadvertently failed to
comply with the requirements.”
SkyBOOKS provides “the capabil-
ity for users to track crew currency
simulator training for night vision
goggles, auto-rotation requirements
or whatever,” Willis added. “It’s all part
of the value equation.”
Creating ‘Smart Parts’
ADs, SBs, compliance requirements,
annual inspections and just your plain
‘ol maintenance practices—if you said
that it all adds up to a pile of informa-
tion for a technician to keep track of,
you’d be right. But wait, as they say,
there’s more.
“Unlike the majority of fixed-wing
aircraft, which are a fixed overhead
for a business, when you look at the
rotorcraft industry the vast majority
of all helicopters are flown for hire in
one form or another,” Willis said. “As
a result operators are very conscious
about keeping their aircraft flying while
controlling all the expenses associated
with each one.”
That need to keep ‘em flying is why
the significant majority of helicopter
operators practice the art of “part swap-
ping,” or taking a part off of one helicop-
ter and using it on another. While it’s a
perfectly legal and safe practice, it does
however create a bit of a parts tracking
nightmare, which, of course, can be
significantly lessened with electronic
maintenance tracking technology.
“With component tracking you
can actually put on the details of all the
components on a particular helicop-
ter—anything that has a serial number
on it,” Jones said. “Each of those com-
ponents then carries a data record of its
total time, cycles, landings, retirement
index number (RIN) counts—all that
kind of information and their limits.”
“Once they’re tracked, they become
‘smart parts.’ The aircraft may have X
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amount of time and the components
may have Y and Z amounts of time
on them individually—all have differ-
ent requirements for time changes or
inspections,” he continued. “The point
is each part now has the informa-
tion tagged to it. If the part is moved
between ships, it takes its current data
along with it. This eliminates the need
to manually keep track of each compo-
nent as it moves through the fleet.” (If
the technicians remember to update
the electronic logbooks.)
“We’re developing internal cal-
culators that ensure we are helping
technicians track the component and
engine cycles correctly,” Willis said. “If
you don’t the alternative is potentially
violating life-limits or retiring a com-
ponent at 50, 60 or 70 percent of its
intended useful life. That’s an expensive
mistake.” Another “expensive mistake”
that proper component tracking helps
eliminate is an operator’s inability to
prove a component’s total time or
cycles when it comes time to claim a
warranty repair. Willis said that when
SkyBOOKS started offering the com-
ponent tracking capability, the com-
pany surveyed customers, who said this
capability was the “impossible dream,”
it was too hard to track manually.
“It is very difficult to do manually,
but electronically it’s very easy,” he said.
“If the operator keeps their records up
to date it’s easy to validate the hours,
calendar days and cycles for every
part they install. They now have all the
information and documentation about
the component at the point of failure so
they can return that part to the manu-
facturer for warranty repair or replace-
ment regardless of how many airframe
movements are involved.”
Willis also explained that Sky-
BOOKS (along with other electronic
maintenance products) can enable
operators to attach a digital copy of the
original 8130, 8110 or historical service
record to each part to show that they
are using FAA-approved parts with the
original documentation and certifica-
tion attached. “Why is this important?
Willis asked. “Because if you are a Part
f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 1 | R oto r & W i n g maga zin e
Mx Tracking
135 operator you must not only have
a document saying, ‘Yes, I did this,’ but
you must be able to show the certificate
of origin of that part. We can now do
this within our system. We can tie in
the original OEM warranty informa-
tion.”
Easy Does It…
Of course all of these advanced search
and notification capabilities wouldn’t be
much of an advantage if the information
were hard to extract from the software.
Thankfully, that’s not the case.
“One of the things we’ve spent a lot
of time doing is working with usability
consultants and improving the funda-
mental usability of our products,” Avan-
text’s Schoenkopf said. “Improving the
way people interact with the technol-
ogy to get them around an application
quickly and easily. We’ve done exten-
sive studies from an end-user perspec-
tive to make sure we’re capturing the
paths to information as quickly as we
possibly can.”
“We’re working really hard to come
up with what we call ‘Self-Directed
User Interfaces.’ What that really means
is someone can go in and use our pro-
gram with very little instruction,” he
added. “The workflows are very, very
simple. Our system is designed from
the perspective of the way people need
to navigate as opposed to being design-
driven to look pretty.”
“By and large we see this as an
advanced research tool, but we know
that research is not considered billable
hours,” Schoenkopf said. “Anything we
can do to shorten that cycle and help
keep the mechanic focused on the pro-
cess will benefit the end-user.”
“We’ve been helping technicians
keep their information search accurate
and efficient by automating the back-
end process for 40-years,” Jones said.
“Until you see it first hand you just don’t
realize how much time your techni-
cian spends managing all the required
paperwork and documentation—I
can’t imagine doing it manually. There
wouldn’t be time left to actually work on
the helicopter.”
37
1/20/11 12:04:10 PM
 SERVICES | PERSONNEL
HIRING BEST
PRACTICES FOR
HELICOPTER OPERATORS
Where do the best pilots, crewmembers and support staff come from?
By Chris Baur
W
here do the best pilots
and crewmembers come
from? When you listen
to different people talk,
there is a sense they might have a cer-
tain technique for or “secret sauce” for
selecting the best candidate. We’ve all
heard and read disappointing examples
of how bad pilots had penetrated vari-
ous organizations but were identified
over the course of time and eliminated.
I’ve listened to the discussion of which
pilot might be better—military or civil-
ian. So while much emphasis has been
placed on identifying the bad pilot or
crewmember, it would be productive
to discuss how to find the good pilot or
crewmember.
So what makes a good pilot,
mechanic or dispatcher? A good crew-
member is a good employee. A good
employee may mean different things to
several people but there are some com-
mon threads. Does anyone want an
employee that is unreliable, argumen-
tative, or unable to respect and operate
within the rules? A person that will call
in sick on holidays based on both the
Hallmark and Mayan calendar?
So what are the factors that make a
good worker? Is it their pedigree, flight
time, aircraft qualifications, or ability
38 ROTOR & WING MAGAZ INE | F EBR UAR Y 2 0 1 1
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to assimilate into the group? We’ve all
heard the stories about the pilot that
misrepresented their experience. Or
the pilot that is a great stick, but likes
to operate the aircraft at the edge of the
envelope. Then there’s the mechanic
who is knows more about workman’s
comp than troubleshooting a hydraulic
leak. This guy seems to fall more than
Jerry Lewis and Steve-O at a potato
sack race. I’d have to say these types of
employees represent that quintessen-
tial one percent—we’ve got them, as do
many other industries. You need look
no further than our banking industry
for some current examples of “cooking
the books,” pushing the envelope and
falling down on the job. So how do we
accomplish due diligence and avoid
making the costly mistakes of not hiring
the best talent for our organizations?
While there is no perfect way to
accomplish this, there are some com-
mon threads. Who were your mentors?
Who did you enjoy working with the
most, and why? Before you can realize
your staffing goals, you should devote
some time towards quantifying what
you want, not necessarily focusing on
what you don’t want.
Create a recruiting mechanism. Not
getting the pilot applicants you really
want? How do perspective employees
learn about your company and the
opportunities it offers? What is your
reputation as an employer? Do you
advertise or strictly word-of-mouth?
Have you considered subscribing to
one of several professional database
services such as the one offered by
Aviation Today?
This type of online service will
allow potential applicants to discover
factual information about your organi-
zation and submit their qualifications,
applications and referral letters online.
This affords the opportunity to search
across a wide variety of applicants
using tailored criteria. Do you require
applicants to obtain one or more refer-
ral letters from current employees or
other industry professionals? If the size
of your company supports it, have you
considered a sponsorship program to
identify, recruit and refer perspective
pilots? One caveat. To keep the refer-
rals from becoming boilerplate, hold
the sponsor accountable for the people
they recommend. There’s a bonus—all
this activity can occur using one of the
many web-based systems mentioned
above, saving valuable time, resources
and data corruption. (Somehow, you
knew I was going involve technology).
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
1/20/11 12:05:52 PM
 Helicopter Hiring

Now that some potential candidates

Ernie Stephens
are identified, how do you screen them?
It depends on the organization. In my
experience, the U.S. Army spent a lot
of time reporting, saluting, grooming
and saluting. (Did I mention saluting?)
The U.S. Customs Service had me sit
in a chair in a hallway for three hours.
The Air Force spent 18 months pro-
cessing, losing, reprocessing and losing
my flight physical. I guess you can have
perspective candidates listen to Kenny
G until they blackout. It’s a watershed
opportunity for you to discover more
about the perspective employee and
for them to discover more about the
organization.
Another way to avoid expending
valuable and limited training resources
is to allow a prospective employee the
opportunity to respectfully decline
if they don’t see a good fit. Can your
company afford a repetitive cycle of
recruiting, hiring, and training when a likely to present their real persona; the fair opportunity and a consistent result.
new hire quits due to misunderstood starched stiff one or the relaxed one? Is At the end of the interview, give the
expectations? (Did you think it was all this a time to get to know your prospec- applicant the opportunity to ask ques-
about you?) tive crewmember or an interrogation? tions of you and the panel. Take the
There are several tools at your dis- How many people do you need to time to ask if there is anything they’d
posal to aid in the selection process. conduct the interview, a panel of eight like to share about themselves that you
Think about a flight test in either an air- to ten, seated by rank or position, or will haven’t asked. That is another water-
craft or simulator to evaluate basic air- two or three suffice, casually seated? A shed opportunity for a relaxed appli-
manship. Consider a standardized pro- bottle of water? No water? cant to provide some essential informa-
file that is no more than 15-20 minutes. Give some thought to using of tion you may never have known.
Also consider a Line Oriented Flight behavior-based questions, available After the interview, be sure and
Training (LOFT) scenario to evaluate from several vendors. Examples of offer the prospective employee the
their both the candidate’s experience behavior-based questions are: “Tell us opportunity to have a tour of your facil-
and human factors skills. These can be about a time you disagreed with your ity and speak with other employees.
accomplished in a flight training device superiors,” and “Tell us about a time you The background check comes next.
(FTD) or a non-motion simulator, at a had to work with someone you didn’t There are several competent agencies
nominal cost. It will quickly identify the get along with.” While there is not a that can perform the required Trans-
good, the bad and the ugly. right or wrong response to an individu- portation Security Administration
Similar practical scenarios can be al question, the interviewer can identify background checks and more. In fact,
developed for mechanics and dispatch- trends and develop an understanding civilian companies can provide the
ers alike. Enlist the members of your of the candidate’s experience solving same criminal and civil background
team as a great resource to construct problems and leadership potential. checks that the military performs and
the scenarios used in the evaluation This is also an opportune time to ask supply your organization with the
process. technical questions about previous results even faster. Look beyond the
aircraft flown, FAR/AIM, meteorol- difficult. Try a Google search and the
Interview ogy or present an approach plate for popular social networking sites. Maybe
In regards to the interview, do you discussion. your candidate is an amateur alligator
want to make the applicant nervous Strive to keep your process as stan- wrestler, astronaut or Evil Knievel-type
or relaxed? Which candidate is more dardized as possible so everyone has a daredevil. When released by your

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 SERVICES | PERSONNEL

prospective employee, their former great employees get off to a not-so- sponsorship program really helps dur-
employers have an obligation to supply great start when they are left to figure ing the transition. This is also another
their flight records for your inspection. out how to successfully integrate into great opportunity for technology to
an organization. It’s not unusual to extend your resources with computer
Indoctrination 101 have anxiety when starting a new job, based indoctrination and training
So you’ve made your selections and are especially if relocation is also involved. media. Another cost efficient oppor-
ready to move on. Not so fast! Many If your organization can support it, the tunity to impart your culture, company
resources, policies and training using
proven self-paced media. Employees
can accomplish everything from pro-
Exhibition and Conference cessing their healthcare choices, W-4
Date and uniform purchases in a standard-
16-17 March 2011 ized, structured format that doesn’t
Venue drain your administrative staff.
M.O.C. Event Centre This same medium can be used to
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have a familiarity and basis of knowl-
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The leading event for commercial, civil and military aerospace and defence
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A multi-faceted event, with conference sessions, technology workshops, masterclasses and
packed exhibition floor, Avionics & Defence Electronics Europe brings the industry together with hazards, threats and uncertainty?
to discuss the important issues of the day. When you are paying crewmem-
It is the annual event that provides you the opportunity to update your knowledge and bers by the hour, you want them to
skills and understand the evolution in the industry, to be better prepared for the future. receive maximum benefit from their
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Register yourself and your colleagues as conference delegates by 16th February 2011 and Ultimately, we all want to recruit
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Helicopter Conference Session - Modernizing Helicopter Avionics
Panel Discussion - Making the Business Case for Integrating New Avionics
valued customers. Like many projects,
Networking Reception it’s all in the prep work. Think about
what your current process looks like
For full conference programme, details of networking events, exhibits and to and the results you are experiencing.
register online visit www.avionics-event.com
The best talent available doesn’t
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40 ROTOR & WING MAGAZ INE | F EBR UAR Y 2 0 1 1 W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M

B$9(;BB$'B[PPLQGG 

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Employee Loyalty
You’ve done your homework and hired the
best. Now, how do you keep them? Replac-
ing a lost employee costs 150 percent of
that person’s annual salary. To increase the
loyalty and engagement of your employ-
ees follow these 10 basic principles and
action items:
1. Start by measuring employee
engagement. Using a scale of agreement,
a survey can express quantitative mea-
surements of employee engagement.
This can yield a rich source of inexpensive
opportunities to make employees happy.
2. Gather compliments in addition to
concerns. Companies can find out if their
engagement efforts make a meaningful,
lasting contribution to employees in this
way. Engagement is most effectively mea-
sured both quantitatively through scaled
questions, and qualitatively through open-
ended comments.
3. Help your employees to see the big
picture, how they contribute to a function-
ing whole. A ‘chain of customers’ exists
from the bottom of the organization up to
the top. Where outward facing employees
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
11_RW_020111_Hiring_Best_Practices_Pg38_41.indd 41
serve a customer, supervisors must serve
and empower retail employees, managers
must serve and empower supervisors, etc.
4. Close training gaps. Make sure there
are no major training gaps in your orga-
nization. Training should be up-to-date.
Make sure employees know about training
opportunities.
5. Train and encourage seasoned
employees to be mentors. A mentor-
ing program can facilitate dynamic skill
growth throughout an organization.
6. Promote team-building activities
among employee groups. There are well-
documented benefits to creating trust
and acceptance among work groups.
Team-building activities don’t have to be
expensive and can be found through a
simple web search.
7. Build a supportive environment
before addressing compensation com-
plaints. Sometimes dissatisfaction with
wages merits investigation. Often, dis-
satisfaction masks problems. Employees
voice problems in terms of a compensa-
tion issue.
f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 1 | R oto r & W i n g maga zin e
Helicopter Hiring
8. Don’t be afraid to tell them the truth.
Respect your employees through degrees
of transparency. Communicate how your
business is doing at least quarterly. Give
your employees confidence in the future
and information to understand shifts in
corporate policy due to economic or com-
petitive environment.
9. Retrain or get rid of bad managers.
One bad manager can pollute multiple
layers of an organization. Your most tal-
ented employees will be the first ones to
leave in the face of poor management.
Poor managers bring down the morale of
employees, which in turn spills over to the
engagement level of customers and ulti-
mately reflects that group’s performance
and profits.
10. Recognize employee contributions.
Recognition from a supervisor at least two
ranks above an employee makes a mean-
ingful, engaging difference in morale.
Adapted from “The Top 11 Ways to Increase
Your Employee Loyalty” by Kyle LaMalfa,
best practices manager and loyalty expert,
Allegiance, Inc.
41
1/20/11 12:06:30 PM
 Training News
CAE Inks CHC Agreement   42
Leading Edge to Train FAA  43
Bell Trainers Arrive in Iraq  44

Sikorsky

Sikorsky’s new “virtual reality” center in Stratford, Conn. will help designers address assembly and maintenance issues for the CH-53K.

Sikorsky Uncovers CH-53K Virtual Reality Center

Stratford, Conn.-based Sikorsky Aircraft has opened a new 3D “virtual reality” center for the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53K.
Situated within engineering labs at the company’s primary facility in Stratford, the center will incorporate 12 cameras, a head-
mounted display, gloves, a gripping tool and software linked to three computers that will make up the “command center” to
control the system.
Dr. Michael Torok, vice president and chief engineer for U.S. Marine Corps programs, notes that the center will allow “the
team to find production and maintenance issues that typically only could be found during the initial build of the aircraft.” This
will save time and money during the design process, he adds. Mike Miller, vice president of research and engineering, says that
designers “will no longer have to rely on their imaginations to understand assembly and maintenance issues,” instead being able
to “experience them long before parts are fabricated.” Sikorsky received a $3-billion SDD contract in April 2006 to develop the
CH-53K, which is a heavy lift replacement for the Marine Corps’ CH-53E.

CAE to Take Over CHC Training

CHC Helicopter has reached an agreement to transfer all of its
rotorcraft flight training operations to Montreal-based CAE. The
deal includes four CHC full flight simulators in Canada, Norway and
the UK. The long-term partnership involves CAE providing general
U.S. Army/Emily Brainard

courses, pilot provisioning and search and rescue training to more

than 2,000 CHC helicopter pilots and maintenance personnel.
The simulators involved in the transaction are a Eurocopter
AS332L/L1 Super Puma and Sikorsky S-61 based in Stavanger, Nor-
way, an AS332L2 in Aberdeen, UK and a Sikorsky S-76 in Vancou-
ver, B.C. They will compliment CAE simulators in the Middle East
(Emirates-CAE Bell 412 in Dubai), Europe (Rotorsim AgustaWest-
U.S. Army Helicopter Overwater Survival Training (HOST)
land AW109 and AW139) and North America (Sikorsky S-76C+ and
water survival instructor Bob Wood teaches breathing
S-76B in Morristown, N.J. and AW139 through Rotorsim). CAE also techniques using a scuba apparatus to WO1 Jason
plans to launch Bell 412 training in Mexico and India, with joint ven- Sargent, 2nd Lt. Sarah Brakefield and WO1 Clint Moore
ture partner Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. during HOST training.

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 Safety & training

Barco Sims to Air Methods Gains SMS Level 2

Train Germans FAA has granted Level 2 exit status for Air Methods’ safety management system
CAE and Germany’s defense pro- (SMS) program. The designation signifies that the HEMS operator has completed
curement agency, BWB, have chosen Level 2 under FAA Advisory Circular 120-92. Air Methods becomes the first
Barco simulators to train students at helicopter operator to exit Levels 1 and 2, and is one of eight operators (including
the Army Aviation School in Buck- major U.S. commercial airlines) to achieve Level 2 status.
eburg, Germany. Under the deal,
Barco will upgrade 11 helicopter
simulators with a total of 88 Sim
7 high-resolution projectors. The
school is responsible for training
German Armed Forces helicopter
pilots. The facility houses eight Euro-
copter EC135, two Bell UH-1D and
two Sikorsky CH-53 simulators. CAE
Germany received a related contract
to upgrade the visual display systems
for the CAE-built simulators.

FAA Pilots Train

on Leading Edge
Bend, Ore.-based Leading Edge Avia-
tion (LEA) has won a contract to
train FAA aircraft certification and
instructor pilots. The agreement calls
for LEA to supply helicopter pilot
training for Flight Standards Opera-
tional inspectors and Aircraft Certi-
fication pilots. Courses will include
ground and flight training on various
types, including the Bell 206B3 and
Robinson R44, as well as instru-
ment flight, turbine transition train-
ing, SOPs and emergency response.
President Brad Fraley notes that LEA
will train FAA pilots “in every aspect
of helicopter flight, from primary
through advanced.” LEA operates a
fleet of R22s, R44s and Bell 206s at its
flight school in Bend.

Enflite AS9100B
Certified
Georgetown, Texas-based Enflite has
obtained AS9100B certification. The
division of LifePort completed an
audit that also resulted in the upgrade
of its existing ISO9002:2008 cer-
tificate to ISO9001:2008. LifePort is
a unit of Sikorsky Aerospace Services
(SAS).

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 Utah Police First AS350 Sim Trainees
Utah Highway Patrol Aero Bureau pilots and
crew have completed training in Eurocopter’s
new AS350 flight and mission simulator.
Shown here is one of the bureau’s AS350B2s
during a 2009 mountaintop rescue operation.
Eurocopter
American Eurocopter has com-
pleted course work for the inau-
gural customer of its new AS350
flight and mission simulator—Utah
Highway Patrol’s Aero Bureau.
Capt. Steve Rugg, Aero Bureau
pilots and crew members trained
Bell T-407 Trainers
Arrive in Iraq
Iraq’s Army Aviation Command has
received three new Bell T-407s. The
helicopters will train Iraqi Army pilots
leading up to the delivery of EADS
Armed Scout Helicopters by the end
of 2011. Describing the handover to

on the device, which offers a variety Camp Taji as a “landmark occasion” for
of mission-specific applications, the Iraqi government, U.S. Air Force
including airborne law enforce- Brig. Gen. Scott Hanson added that the
ment, NVG, crew resource man- T-407s are “critical to building a mod-
agement (CRM) and helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) training. ern, dependable capability” in the Iraq
The simulator can convert from an AS350B2 to an AS350B3 and features a Army Aviation Command. Hanson is
full-motion platform, full cabin, autopilot, moving map, FLIR Star Safire II and director of Iraq training and advisory
Spectrolab SX-16 searchlight. Rugg notes that the bureau plans to “work the AS350 mission-Air Force, and commander
simulator into the mix for our training programs, because we can train in the simu- of the 321st Air Expeditionary Wing.
lator in ways that we could not do in an actual aircraft.” Iraq’s Army currently has two recently
He adds that the response from the simulator “was a lot like the real aircraft and qualified instructor pilots, who will
with the realistic environments, we were able to practice our emergency proce- work with U.S. counterparts to estab-
dures in actual mission scenarios.” The unit flies two AS350B2s in support of the lish training courses for the Armed
Utah Department of Public Safety. Scout Helicopter program.

March 2011:
Bell Evolves—How has Bell Helicopter evolved over
the last few years? Rotor & Wing explores both the civil
and military programs and how the company is beefing
up its civil product line to better compete in today’s mar-
ket. We talked with industry experts, Bell CEO John Gar-
rison, as well as Bell top management, including Com-
mercial SVP Larry Roberts and EVP Military Bob “Too Tall”
Kenney, EVP Operations Pete Riley and EVP Engineering
Jeff Lowinger, to find out.
On the Record with Marc Paginini­­—Marc
Paganini has a well-focused vision for taking American
Eurocopter to new heights. It will be a company with a
stream of new and upgraded helicopter models, strong
civil and military sales from a solid U.S. manufactur-
ing and assembly base. It will also be a company with
strong and growing service and customer support
capabilities. Learn more in our interview with Marc by
Bob Cox.

Bonus Distribution: Heli-Expo 2011, March 5-8 in Orlando, Fla. AEA Convention, March 22–25 in Reno, Nev.

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 Rotor & Wing 2010 Safety and
Training Summit

THE FAMILY
TRAINING FOR EFFECTIVE OPERATIONS

A high standard of training solutions including type, recurrent and operational

packages

Full flight simulators to support all phases of training in a cost effective, safe
and realistic training environment

A wide range of normal, emergency and operational flight conditions to

improve safety and drive effective operations

www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m f e b r ua r y 2 0 1 1 | R oto r & W i n g maga zin e 45

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 COMMERCIAL | OFFSHORE
Offshore Notebook
By Pat Gray
Gulf Pipeline Patrol
N
ot all helicopter flights are
over water on the edge of the
Gulf of Mexico. As happens
in all the other 50 states, we
have our share of medical, law enforce-
ment, ENG, aerial applicators and
other overland helicopter operations.
But, in considering the high flight
intensity of our geographical area, it
would be a safe bet to say at least 90
percent of all flights are energy related,
oil and gas for now, and maybe some
wind power or tidal power, etc., in the
future. Who’s to say?
One area of flying, that may sur-
prise some readers, is the use of heli-
copters for pipeline patrol.
The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) requires all pipe-
line owners and operators to inspect
their lines periodically to help in main-
taining pipeline integrity. Most opt to
do so by aerial means, the vast majority
being done by fixed-wing aircraft. We
are talking thousands and thousands of
miles here, over farmland, mountains,
deserts, even through metropolitan
areas. Airplanes are faster in most cases
and no doubt, are cheaper to operate,
but, as the late Paul Harvey would say,
“Here’s the rest of the story.”
A great number of hydrocarbon
pipelines originate here in the Gulf to
begin their journey north. Some deliv-
er gas, others liquid. The lines could
be as far as 150 miles or more off shore
(sub-sea) and they too are inspected
for leaks, which would be evidenced by
bubbles or perhaps an oil sheen. This
is a helicopter task and one that has
been met with many successes over
the years; that is finding and reporting
suspected leaks.
46 ROTOR & WING MAGAZ INE | F EBR UAR Y 2 0 1 1
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w
S
C
You might ask, why would a line of the line can bring in surface vessels De
under the sea leak? These lines are with more sophisticated equipment
required to have a minimum of six feet to fix the exact location of the leak and You
mi
of earth or mud cover when the pipe is begin repairs.
put down. To get it, a trench is dug by The overwater flights certainly will Avi
using what is referred to as a jet barge not account for the large number of you
that uses very high pressure water jets hours flown by helicopters for pipeline the
to dig the trench, the pipe is then set in inspection. Quite a few of the major
the trench and covered. Over the years, oil and gas companies have come to In o
is a
anchors are dropped on it, shrimp fish- realize the value that rotorcraft bring
the
ermen foul nets in it, and movement to the table and they use the helicop- cha
of the sea can uncover portions of the ters from the beach all the way into the
line. There could also be internal cor- interior of the country. Visibility from A m
rosion taking place. the helicopter is unequaled in an aerial the
Though I do not have the exact vehicle, except maybe a balloon basket ded
tec
number of hours flown annually in or the Space Station. The highly vari- imp
the immediate Gulf area, my personal able speed allows more time for min-
experience tells me it is at least several ute examination of an anomaly. The An
thousand and that would only cover ability to land at the site has prevented brin
the sub-sea, marsh areas and maybe numerous potential accidents by the bot
50 miles in from the beach. There are aircrew’s actions in shutting down and
The
hundreds of pipelines lying on the conferring with bulldozer and back- “Mo
floor of the Gulf. hoe operators who were approaching ind
No doubt, it is difficult to fly direct- the lines and were not aware of the avo
ly over a line that has no ground mark- dangers.
ers (sub-sea) and perhaps having a Encroachment is a major concern
crosswind to contend with. GPS can of pipeline companies, some of which
help by establishing waypoints over are the above mentioned excavat- Co
known locations that can keep a rea- ing equipment operators, owners of Mo
sonable track going, plus many pipes mobile homes who place them over Cha
are laid that connect platforms (rigs) the lines, all types of construction LPV
in a network. It is often possible to see projects including barns, swimming Gee
a distant platform from the current pools and homes. Situ
deck you are on, and then fly the track There are many other inspection Phi
between the connecting platforms. processes done during the flights, such Eur
Other problems that arise could be as leak surveys and right-of-way condi- Ad
determining the originating location tion reports, but it is not my intent to Tom
of the bubbles or oil sheen. Underwa- cover those activities. The purpose Cha
ter currents can displace the bubble here is to inform the reader of one of Joe
Ken
pattern and surface winds spread the the many uses of energy industry air-
Rol
sheen indicator downwind from its craft here on the Gulf Coast, especially
source. Once the problems have been one that is so critical to our nation’s
discovered and reported, the owner movement to the green side.
Own
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M
B$9(;B
1/20/11 12:41:07 PM
 Exhibition and Conference
Date
16-17 March 2011
Venue
M.O.C. Event Centre
www.avionics-event.com
Location
Munich, Germany

SES & NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGY

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Dear Colleague,
Your Invitation to the leading event for global commercial and
military avionics and defence electronics
Avionics & Defence Electronics Europe is the annual event that provides
you the opportunity to update your knowledge and skills and understand
the evolution in the industry, to be better prepared for the future.
In one of the most innovative industries, avionics and defence electronics
is always evolving, looking to stay ahead of the game. Keeping up with
the changes in technologies and future industry strategies is also a
challenge.
We are also delighted that the Technical University of Munich, German
Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics (DGLR) and Royal Aeronautical
Society (RAeS) will be hosting a lecture on the evening of Tuesday 15th
March, to which delegates, visitors and exhibitors of Avionics & Defence
Electronics Europe are also invited.
The accompanying exhibition will showcase leading and state-of-the-
art technologies and products displayed by around 60 exhibitors from
Europe and around the globe and will see leading associations and
media from across the sector. A great opportunity to discover what’s new
and up-and-coming in the world of avionics and defence electronics.

A multi-faceted event, Avionics & Defence Electronics Europe brings
the industry together to discuss the important issues of the day, with
dedicated conference tracks for avionics and defence electronics, plus
technology workshops and masterclasses that will provide a highly
important educational angle.
If you are involved in the aviation electronics and defence electronics
market, you cannot afford to miss Avionics & Defence Electronics Europe.
The event will enable you to make important connections that are key to
success in the European and global commercial and defence aerospace
and defence electronics industries.

Another exciting development are the two panel discussions, which will We look forward to welcoming you to Munich.
bring much debate and offering differing sides to the arguments for
both the avionics and the defence electronics professional. John McHale
Conference Director
The conference programme also includes dedicated session on
“Modernizing Helicopter Avionics” looking at trends and solutions from
You can register for Avionics & Defence Electronics Europe
industry on upgrading helicopter cockpits with the latest in terrain
online at www.avionics-event.com
avoidance systems, displays, and other avionics systems.

Conference Highlights
Modernizing Helicopter Avionics
Chair: Jacok Gaetner, Deputy Chief Technical Officer & Vice President of Expertise and Support, Esterel, Germany
LPV Approaches for Offshore
Geert Mansvelt, Business Development Manager, EuroAvionics, Germany
Situational Awareness: New Dimensions
Philip Moylan, Regional Marketing, CMC, Canada
Eurocopter Next-Gen Avionics Upgrade
Additional Conference Speakers:
Tom Maier, Senior Manager, Airbus, France
Chad Cundiff, Vice President, Honeywell
Joel Otto, Senior Director, Commercial Systems Marketing, Rockwell Collins
Ken Crowhurst, Senior Vice President, NavAero, Sweden
Roland Goerke, Cassidian, Germany

Owned and Produced by: Premier Sponsor: Bronze Sponsor and Official Media Partners: Supporting Organisations:
Lanyard Sponsor:

W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M NO V E M B E R 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G MAGA ZIN E

B$9(;BBSSB5RWRUB0DJB,QVHUWLQGG 

13_RW_020111_Offshore_p46_51.indd 47 1/20/11 12:41:18 PM

 WHO SHOULD ATTEND HOW TO REGISTER Exh
We
Representatives from civil, commercial, government and Thu
Choose from 4 simple ways to register for Avionics & Defence
military, of senior management, executives and decision Electronics Europe conference and exhibition. Op
makers from the following sectors: Op
• Register online at www.avionics-event.com We
• Airlines and Operators
• Complete the registration form in this booklet
• End users Op
• Airframers and fax back to +1 918 831 9161
9am
• Systems Integrators • Complete the registration form in this booklet and • Ca
• Prime contractors email to registration@pennwell.com
• Mission Systems • Vin
• Design & Planning • Complete the registration form at in this booklet • *B
• International defence agencies and post to: PennWell Registration (Avionics Expo),
• Departments or Ministries of Defence PO Box 973059, Dallas, TX 75397-3059, USA
• Dignitaries and Officers from the Armed Forces
Early Bird Discount - Register by 16th February 2011
Networking Lecture for Savings
CO
Tuesday 15th March 2011 - 7.30pm
Register yourself and your colleagues as conference
Technical University of Munich / Technische Universitaet
Muenchen delegates by 16th February 2011 and benefit from the Early
Together with the TUM, DGLR and RAeS, Avionics & Defence Bird Discount Rate.
09
Electronics Europe registered delegates, visitors and exhibitors
are invited to join this networking lecture to listen to a 10
presentation on “Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) in the Airline Conference Discount for Association Members
Industry” before enjoying the delightful hospitality and If you are a member of one of the following associations,
refreshments prepared by our hosts. benefit from a 20% discount on conference delegate fees:
1
For further information visit www.avionics-event.com
• bavAIRia
AEA Workshop • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt -
Thursday 17th March 2011 - 10:30-12:30 12
Lilienthal-Oberth e.V. (DGLR)
SESAR – The Airlines Perspective
The Association of European Airlines will be hosting a workshop • Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft- und 1
providing the latest updates and airline perspectives on SESAR, Raumfahrtindustrie eV. (BDLI)
including speakers from the AEA, Lufthansa, Air France, TAP
• Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
Portugal and SESAR JU.
• Middle East Aerospace Consortium (MEAC) 1
Airline Partner Programme • Netherlands Aerospace Group (NAG)
If you are an industry professional working for an airline or 1
operator, then you could benefit from being part of our Airline • Netherlands Industrie voor Defensie en
Partner Programme, including VIP access to all areas, designed Veiligheid (NIDV)
to make your attendance to Avionics & Defence Electronics • Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN)
Europe easy and more enjoyable.
• Institute of Engineering & Technology (IET)
FOR A FULL LIST OF EXHIBITS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES VISIT:
WWW.AVIONICS-EVENT.COM
0

EXHIBITOR LIST, AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2010, INCLUDES:

ACQ INDUCOM CREATIVE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS KONTRON AG ROTOR & WING MAGAZINE 1
ADSE DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR LDRAM SEPTENTRIO SATELLITE NAVIGATION
AIR DATA INC. LUFT- UND RAUMFAHRT �DGLR� MEN MIKRO ELEKTRONIK GMBH SPECIALTY COATING SYSTEMS
AITECH SYSTEMS LTD ELETTRONICA GMBH MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH
ASM*AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS & ESSP SA NDF SPECIAL LIGHT PRODUCTS B.V. TECHSAT GMBH 1
MANUFACTURING  ESTEREL TECHNOLOGIES  NATIONAL AEROSPACE LABORATORY TECHNOTRON ELEKTRONIK GMBH
AVIONICS INTELLIGENCE ESTERLINE CMC ELECTRONICS NLR TYCO ELECTRONICS UK LTD
AVIONICS MAGAZINE EUROAVIONICS NEDAERO COMPONENTS B.V. VECTOR INFORMATIK GMBH 
BAVAIRIA GOODRICH  NETHERLANDS AEROSPACE GROUP VEROCEL
BENCHMARK ELECTRONICS B.V. HEITEC AG PARASOFT DEUTSCHLAND GMBH WIND RIVER GMBH 1
BERNER & MATTNER  HORTEC PENNWELL
BETA-AIR  INDUSTRY MEDIA STAND PRESAGIS  1

For further details on the Avionics & Defence Electronics Europe conference and exhibition and to register online visit www.avionics-event.com

B$9(;B
B$9(;BBSSB5RWRUB0DJB,QVHUWLQGG 
13_RW_020111_Offshore_p46_51.indd 48 1/20/11 12:41:41 PM
 Exhibition Times
Wednesday 16th March - 10:00am – 6:00pm
Thursday 17th March - 9:30am – 4:30pm
ce
Opening Keynote
Open and FREE of charge to all
Wednesday 16th March - 9:00am – 10:00am
Networking Reception
Wednesday 16th March - 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Exhibitor Presentations
Open and FREE of charge to all
Throughout the exhibition opening hours

Opening Keynote Session - Tuesday 16th March 2011

9am – 10:30am
• Capt. Manfred Mueller, Head of Flight Safety, Lufthansa Airlines
• Vincent De Vroey, General Manager Technical & Operations, Association of European Airlines
• *Brigadier General Reinhard Wolski, Director, Army Aviation and Commander, German Army Aviation
* Invited

11
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE
ce
rly Wednesday 16 March 2011

09:00 - 10:00 Opening Keynote

10:00 - 10:30 Coffee Break
Conference Workshops Defence Electronics Europe Masterclasses
ns,
10:30-11:30 Developing Safety Critical
10:30 - 12:30 SES and Future Avionics ARINC 661 Standard Workshop Trends In Electronic Warfare and Application Using SCADE
Session 1 Systems 11:30-12:30 Signals Intelligence Technology for Deploying on a COTS
Mastering Integration Complexity RTOS Platform
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch
14:30-15:30 IMA/ARINC 653 Software
Advanced System Integration Timing Verification with
14:00 - 15:30
ATM Avionics Realities and Complexity Reduction with COTS Integration Challenges DO-178B: Function-
Session 2
Ethernet-based and Time- level, Partition-level and
Triggered Electronic Platforms System Level
15:30 - 16:00 Coffee Break
Implementing an AFDX
Panel Discussion- Making Panel Discussion - Trends
16:00 - 17:30 16:30-17:30 End System in Complex
the Business Case for in Defence Spending and
Session 3 Security in Airborne Systems FPGA Logic - Objectives
Integrating New Avionics Procurement in Europe
and Safety Considerations
Thursday 17 March 2011

Conference Workshops Defence Electronics Europe Masterclasses

09:00-10:00
Understanding DO-178-C
08:30-10:00 Avionics Market and Traffic Software Test and Certification: Thermal and Power Management
Certification for Avionics
Session 4 Forecasts Code Coverage Analysis based on of Military Systems
Software
Source and Object Code?
10:00 - 10:30 Coffee Break
ON 10:30-11:30
Model-based approach for IMA
ICH platform early validation
10:30-12:30 Modernizing Helicopter 11:30-12:30 Managing Obsolescence in Open AEA Workshop - SESAR -
H Session 5 Avionics Presentation on CMC’s Military Systems The Airlines Perspective
development of full performance
vertical navigation in a retrofit
CMA-9000 FMS
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 16:00 EFBs and Avionics System BavAIRia Aerospace
Military Communications
Session 6 Certification Challenges Symposium

For full conference programme and speakers visit www.avionics-event.com

B$9(;BBSSB5RWRUB0DJB,QVHUWLQGG 

13_RW_020111_Offshore_p46_51.indd 49 1/20/11 12:41:50 PM
 Conference and Exhibition Registration Form
Date: 16-17 March 2011 Venue: M.O.C. 1. Fax: 2. Website: 3. Mail: 4. Email
Event Centre Location: Munich, Germany Direct: +1 918 831 9161 www.avionics-event.com Pennwell Avionics Europe 2011 Complete this form
www.avionics-event.com Toll-Free (US only): P.O. Box 973059 and email to:
To register, please complete the registration form below and return. +1 888 299 8057 Dallas, TX 75397-3059 USA registration@pennwell.com
Specify Sector of interest: RAvionics RDefence
PLEASE USE THIS CODE WHEN REGISTERING
First Name:
Last Name: R&W MAG †
Position:
Company:
Complete Mailing Address:

Postal code: Country:

Telephone: (+ ) Fax: (+ )
(Registration confirmation will be sent via-email, if a unique email address is provided)
Email:
R Yes please send me the Avionics Intelligence eNewsletter

Business/Industry R Airport Operations Job Function R P

 rogram/Project
R Commercial Operator R Fixed Base Operator R Avionics/Electronics Management
R Business/Corporate R M
 aintenance/Repair/ Engineer R Operatorations Management
Operator Overhaul R Avionics Maintenance R Research & Development
R Aircraft Manufacturer R Test/ATE/Avionics Support Supervisor R Corporate Management
R Avionics Systems Integrator R Military/Government R Avionics Technician/ R Procurement/Purchasing
R Avionics Software R Distributor/Dealer Mechanic R Military/Government
R Avionics Subsystem/ R Engineering Management R Pilot
Component Mfr R Consultant

Individual Full Conference Corporate Plan

(Includes 2-day Conference, Conference Proceedings, Keynote, Exhibitor
Presentations, Exhibition, Networking Reception, Coffee Breaks and Lunch)
R Paid before 16 February 2011 ..................................................................... €920
R Paid on or after 16 February 2011 .............................................................. €980
Individual Day Delegate
R Individual Delegate (Single Day Registration)........................................... €705
(Includes access to Conference on the day, Exhibitor Presentations,
Exhibition, Coffee Breaks and Lunch on the day)
R Wednesday 16th R Thursday 17th
 R BavAIRia RDGLR RRAeS RNAG RNIDV RIET RKTN
Student Full Delegate (Student I.D. required)
(Includes 2-day Conference, Conference Proceedings, Keynote, Exhibitor
Presentations, Exhibition, Networking Reception, Coffee Breaks and Lunch)
R Student Full Conference ............................................................................... €100
For 3 or more delegates, enjoy a 33% discount on each delegate place.
(Includes 2-day Conference, Conference Proceedings Keynote, Exhibitor
Presentations, Exhibition, Networking Reception, Coffee Breaks and Lunch)
R a. Corporate Plan (Group of up to 3 Delegates) .......................€1960 (Save 33%)
R b. Corporate plan (Group of up to 6 Delegates).......................€4715 (Save 33%)
R c. Corporate Plan (Group of up to 9 Delegates) ......................€7050 (Save 33%)
Association Full Conference
Please indicate the Association you are registering under .............................€ 785
RMEAC RBDLI
R Exhibit Floor Visitor Only………………………………….....................FREE
(Includes Keynote, Exhibitor Presentations, Exhibition, Networking Reception)

Exhibitor Full Conference (must be an exhibiting company) R TUM Networking Lecture………………………………….....................FREE

(Includes 2-day Conference, Conference Proceedings, Keynote, Exhibitor
Presentations, Exhibition, Networking Reception, Coffee Breaks and Lunch) Lunch Tickets
R Exhibitor Full Conference ................................................................... €490 RWeds 16th R Thurs 17th ..........................................................................................€35

RConference Proceedings only ...........................................................................€100

Thursday 17 March 2011

Workshops (Includes access to selected Workshops only)
08:30-10:00
Wednesday 16th March 2011 RUnderstanding DO-178-C Certification for Avionics...........................€100

10:30-11:30 10:30-12:30
RARINC 661 Standard Workshop............................................................€55 RAEA Workshop – SESAR – The Airlines Perspective ..........................€100
11:30-12:30 14:00-16:00
RMastering Integration Complexity.......................................................€55 RBavAIRia Aerospace Symposium .........................................................€100
14:30-15:30
Advanced System Integration and Complexity Reduction with
R Ethernet-based and Time-Triggered Electronic Platforms ................€55 Method of Payment:
16:30-17:30 R Check enclosed (in Euro’s ONLY) Pennwell / Avionics 2011
R Security in Airborne Systems ..............................................................€55 R Wire (Wire information will be provided on invoice)
Thursday 17th March 2011 Credit Card: RVisa RMastercard RAMEX RDiscover

09:00-10:00 Please add all selections and total here: €

R Software Test and Certification: Code Coverage Analysis based on
Source and Object Code? ....................................................................€55 Add 19% German VAT: €
10:30-11:30 TOTAL DUE: €
R Model-based approach for IMA platform early validation ...............€55
11:30-12:30 Credit Card Number
R Presentation on CMC’s development of full performance vertical
navigation in a retrofit CMA-9000 FMS .............................................€55 Expiry Date 
Master Classes (Includes access to selected Master Class only) Full Name (as it appears on card):
Wednesday 16th March 2011
10:30-12:30 Card Holder Signature:
R Developing Safety Critical Operation Using SCADE
For Deploying on a COTS RTOS Platform....................................€100 Payment must be received prior to the conference. If payment is not received by the conference date,
the registration fee must be guaranteed on charge card until proof of payment is provided. Make check
14:00-15:30 payable to Pennwell International/Avionics 2011.
RIMA/ARINC 653 Software timing verification with DO-178B: Cancellation: Cancellation of registration must be received in writing. Any individual, exhibitor or corporate registrations
function-level, partition-level and system level ..............................€100 cancelled before 19 February 2011 will receive a 50% refund of registration fee. After 19 February 2011 no refunds will
be permitted. Substitutions may be made at any time by contacting the registration office In writing.
16:00-17:30
RImplementing an AFDX End System in complex FPGA Logic -
Objectives and Safety Considerations ..............................................€100

B$9(;BBSSB5RWRUB0DJB,QVHUWLQGG 

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13_RW_020111_Offshore_p46_51.indd 51 1/20/11 1:56:34 PM

 Training | Weather
Right Seat
By Mike Redmon
Ounce of Prevention
C
ontrolled flight into terrain,
(CFIT) is the number one
cause of fatal helicopter acci-
dents. The overwhelming
majority of these CFIT accidents occur
during inadvertent instrument meteo-
rological conditions (IIMC). The U.S.
military, FAA and various other agen-
cies have all tried to eliminate or at least
mitigate this hazard to helicopter crews
but haven’t had rousing success. IIMC
is a pilot-induced emergency that can
be avoided. I’d like to share my thoughts
on how to reduce these accidents.
With some caveats, the FAA has
authorized the HEMS Weather Tool for
EMS pilots to use. It is a good product
but it is only as good as the information
it has access to. Assume two airports
40 miles apart are reporting CAVU.
The HEMS Weather Tool will predict
CAVU for the low lying swamp that sits
between the two airports. There just
aren’t that many weather reporting sta-
tions in rural areas to make this product
foolproof. We have all seen airports
reporting 10 miles visibility and the
approach end of the runway fogged in.
Weather radar also has shortcom-
ings. The national radar summary is just
a composite picture of what precipita-
tion the single site radars are detecting.
The radar sites can only pick up normal
rain/wet snow to about 80 miles and
intense rain/wet snow out to around
140 miles. That’s the first problem. A
lack of precipitation being displayed
might not mean anything in locations
far from any weather radar site. Take
a location such as Findlay, Ohio. The
closest radar site is 90 miles away.
Another shortcoming is that snow,
especially cold dry snow, doesn’t pick
up on radar very well. Add distance to
52 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1
14_RW_020111_Right Seat_p52_53.indd 52
the equation and the radar screen will
be blank but there could be a lake effect
snow storm at your location. Also, the
radar tilts up a minimum of .5 degrees.
The radar beam will not see anything
below 6,000 feet AGL when it gets 120
miles away. Lake effect snow bands
are many times below this altitude.
Instead of relying solely on the NWS
radar images, I like using the local TV
station’s weather radar. They are very
accurate and can tell you exactly where
the precipitation is located in your local
flying area.
I was burned a couple of times by
WSI. Both times in the middle of the
night. I checked the weather which
looked exactly like it did earlier in the
night. Both times it didn’t register that
the weather information was hours old.
Maybe I missed that fact since I just
got awakened from my “safety nap.” At
some point I realized the weather I was
seeing wasn’t the same as what I had
just read on the WSI. Upon returning
to the base I’d see that the WSI comput-
er was “locked up” and hadn’t received
an update in hours. A simple check of
the METAR time would have clued me
in to the issue.
You can only accept flights that are
above your company weather mini-
mums. Once on a trip and the weather
goes below company minimums, you
have no option but to discontinue the
flight. The decision is not yours to make
anymore. Weather minimums in EMS
have increased over the last few years.
In some circumstances they can be too
high, but following the rules and regula-
tions is a sign of professionalism. The
ability to judge the flight visibility is one
key to avoiding IIMC. This can be dif-
ficult at night when flying over remote
areas due to the lack of ground lights.
This is one of the reasons I went IIMC.
I didn’t see a snow band until I was in
it. I learned if there was any chance of
poor weather to fly where there are
ground lights. Following highways
is great because car lights help judge
flight visibility. Maybe your company
check airman isn’t from your part of the
country and just comes into town for
Part 135 check rides. Ensure you share
with any new pilots the local weather
patterns. Go one step forward and put
the information in the base reading file.
Don’t let the new pilot figure it out one
dark night by himself.
CFIT isn’t solely a function of poor
weather and IIMC. Plenty of helicop-
ters have smacked towers and wires
in broad daylight. Since I was lazy, I
would fly at or above the minimum
elevation figure on the sectional chart.
I would only deviate from that number
for weather or if I knew the location
of obstructions without the use of the
map. I never assumed I would see any
of the towers in my flight path. Tower
lights do burn out from time to time.
When flying lower than the MEF,
ensure you fly a known route. Do this
even if it adds a few minutes to your
trip. I liked following major roadways
when in a new area and my helicopter
didn’t have a moving map GPS. This
helped me in pinpointing my exact
location at all times.
I have a couple of suggestions for
aviation managers, too. First, a moving
map GPS with XM Satellite weather
should be installed in all EMS helicop-
ters. I would also add the terrain data-
base. An even smaller investment is the
ability to get weather on the pilot’s cell
phone. Fly Safe!
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
1/20/11 12:43:52 PM
 Ground Handling
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Military | Technology
Military Insider
By Andrew Drwiega
Budget Shortfalls on NextGen
T
he U.S. Army is not short of
commitments; an ongoing
war in Afghanistan, troops still
engaged in New Dawn in Iraq,
worries over the volatility of North
Korea and a Chinese defense budget
with a recent tendency to climb steeply
with every passing year. In fact, U.S.
forces operate in around 80 countries.
But there was concern among those
attending this year’s AUSA Aviation
Symposium and Exposition in Wash-
ington, DC that substantially cutting
the Army’s budget at this point in time
would be contradictory to the nation’s
requirements. Although the helicopter
has finally come into the spotlight as a
mission-critical system in support of
the soldier on the ground, all is not as
well as it may appear to be.
Army Aviation still has a share of
the annual Army budget in excess of its
size. Col. William Morris, director of
Army Aviation at the Office of the Dep-
uty Chief of Staff (G3/5/7), said during
the first day of AUSA that the Aviation
Branch accounts for seven percent of
the Army, while his colleague, Col. Ran-
dolph Rotte, Army Aviation Division
Chief, said later that aviation was still
benefiting from more than 20 percent
of the total Army budget.
BG William Crosby, PEO Aviation,
wrapping up the first day’s sessions,
said that his remit was to caretake the
$7.06 billion that Army Aviation has.
However, to a great extent the health
of Army Aviation is due in no small
measure to the cancellation of the
Comanche program several years ago.
We are passed that and worries are
surfacing about where aviation will be
post-2025.
Many may deride the idea that such
an outwardly healthy branch of the
Army could indulge itself in such long-
54 Rotor & Wing magaz ine | f ebr uar y 2 0 1 1
15_RW_020111_Military_Insider_p54_56.indd 54
term concerns. But as Crosby stated,
“the only new thing I am buying is
UAVs.” What he meant was that com-
position of the current fleet has been
reliant on the upgrading and modifica-
tion of many well-proven platforms,
but that the design of these will make
them redundant in the face of new
technology available in the post-2025
world. The much-lauded CH-47F is
based on a 70-year-old design. The rest
of the battle-hardened mainstays used
by today’s warfighters fair little better—
the UH-60, AH-64 and OH-58 were
all designed around half a century ago.
The money has been spent on sustain-
ing and upgrading old designs—with
much success, it should be acknowl-
edged. The exception is the UH-72A
Lakota, albeit on off-the-shelf procure-
ment of an existing design (EC145).
But the fact is that a bow wave of
complacency and comfort has resulted
in a lack of investment in Science and
Technology (S&T) that should be lead-
ing the way toward next generation
aircraft. Crosby criticised the existing
S&T budget—a mere $107 million
out of $7.06 billion (or a little over 1.5
percent of the whole budget)—calling
it a ‘pittance’. Individual companies are
making progress through their own
funding, he noted: Sikorsky with its X2
(now being developed into the Raider
program with the Armed Aerial Scout
requirement in mind) and Piasecki’s
X49A Speed Hawk vectored thrust
ducted propeller (VTDP) compound
helicopter program, which aims to
demonstrate potential improvements
in speed (200-plus kts), range, surviv-
ability and reliability. Last year Euro-
copter entered this speed arena with
its X3 demonstrator. Crosby said that
the future lies in high-speed (greater
than 170 kts), fly-by-wire, composites

Att
• S
• S
F
I
C
and signature reductions. “We have to
a
invest in our future” he said.
But the onus has turned towards
T
fiscal responsibility. MG Mark Brown, • A
Deputy for Acquisition & Systems L
management, spoke about the require- o
ment to achieve a two-to-three percent M
net annual growth in warfighting capa- E
bilities without a commensurate bud-
E
get increase. Brown said that the task
had been outlined in 2010 by Army • U
Secretary John McHugh: “We need C
an agile system that rapidly develops, B
purchases, and fields innovative solu-
tions for our soldiers without breaking • 2
our commitment to be good stewards A
of taxpayers’ dollars.” D
To this end, Ellis Golson, Direc- H
tor of Capabilities for Acquisition P
& System Management, Office of m
the Assistant Secretary of the Army
(Acquisition, Logistics & Technology)
• S
said that although the UAS ‘genie was L
out of the bottle,’ it didn’t automati-
cally mean that capabilities such as a Spon
vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) UAS
had to be the immediate way forward.
He too talked about cost-effectiveness
but iterated one of the ongoing chal-
lenges of acquisition—“how to estab-
lish set requirements when technology
changes so fast.” He delivered a cold
reminder about the pace of the acqui-
sition system, saying that it was likely
that it would take seven years between
the Milestone A on the acquisition of
the proposed AAS to the fielding of the
first aircraft. However, it is this length
of time that concerns Crosby today.
“Recently completed analysis indi-
cates the need for a new generation
of vertical lift platforms to start being
fielded in the 2025 timeframe.”
The question remains: how do you
do that on an S&T budget of $107 mil-
lion?
www . r o t o r a n d w i n g . c o m
1/20/11 12:49:54 PM
 

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