Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Serving The Worldwide Helicopter Industry
Serving The Worldwide Helicopter Industry
com
Exclusive Interview:
NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman
HEMS Safety Awareness
Flying into the Abyss
Offshore Operations
EASA Rotorcraft Symposium Report
Plus: Original MASH Pilot Richard Kirkland
Welcome
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32 Departments
10 Rotorcraft Report
18 People
18 Coming Events
24 Hot Products
55 Classified Ads
59 Ad Index
61 Coming Up
Columns
On the Cover: The AW139, photo courtesy of AgustaWestland, is
favored by many offshore operators. (Above) A LifeFlight of Maine
helicopter responds to the scene of a motorcycle accident. Photo by
Michele Barker. (Bottom) NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman.
4 Editor’s Notebook
Features 7 Feedback
8 Meet the Contributors
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
26 ■ NTSB’s Deborah Hersman 56 Safety Watch
Q&A with chairman of the U.S. safety agency. By Brian F. Finnegan 58 Military Insider
32 ■ HEMS Update 60 Law Enforcement Notebook
Safety awareness up, but wave of regs expected. By Charlotte Adams 62 Public Safety
36 ■ Flying Into the Abyss
Night ops over water is a special environment. By Dan Deutermann 26
40 ■ The Extra Mile
Challenges in the offshore oil and gas industry. By Andrew Healey
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Publication Mail Sales Agreement No. 40558009 M A R C H 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G MAGA ZI N E 3
Editor’s Notebook
By Joy Finnegan
jfinnegan@accessintel.com
Focused on Safety
O
ur focus in this issue is safety. that beyond her voluminous credentials Aviation Association (EBAA); Robert
Five of our features this month lies a true desire to improve the safety Carter, principal inspector of air accidents
are related to this theme. Before of the aviation industry and specifically at the UK’s Air accidents investigation
telling you about the safety fea- the helicopter industry. She didn’t pull branch (AAIB); Francesco Paolucci, a
tures in this issue, I want to let you know any punches and was very direct with flight test engineer with the Italian civil
that we will be conducting our Rotor & her answers. Although she had a typical aviation authority (ENAC); as well as
Wing Safety & Training Summit again bureaucrat’s entourage with her during engineers, operators and of course, the
this year in Denver, Colo. on June 8 and 9. the interview, she rarely relied on their OEMs. The European helicopter com-
Please make note of the dates. We’d love input. As you will see, her answers to munity seems laser-focused on improving
to have you attend. our helicopter-related questions were safety as well. Learn about what initiatives
I can announce for the first time here well-versed and thoughtful. They were are in works on page 48.
in the magazine that our keynote speaker also refreshingly candid. You will find that In this issue we are also taking a
will be none other than FAA Administra- article on page 26. moment to celebrate the lives of two
tor Randy Babbitt. This is a great honor Also find within that story a sample larger-than-life figures from the history of
and hopefully a show of solidarity from risk matrix, something Chairman Hers- helicopter piloting.
the FAA with the rotorcraft world. More man talked about as a low tech, inexpen- The first is Richard Kirkland. Author
news and session topics for the Rotor & sive way to reduce risky operations. It of the book, “MASH Angels,” Kirkland
Wing Safety & Training Summit to come. takes up one page with the hopes that if served in World War II and the Korean
In this issue, first and foremost, we operators need a sample, they could easily War. It was during the Korean War that
had a rare, exclusive opportunity to get pull it out and use it. helicopters became “the” mode of trans-
one-on-one with National Transportation We also have a story that looks at the porting wounded soldiers from the battle-
Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Deborah strides made by HEMS operators that field and led to greater survivability.
Hersman. She was sworn in as the 12th have improved safety in that world. We Injured soldiers were taken to mobile
NTSB Chairman on July 28, 2009, follow- talked to some of the leaders in the indus- hospitals called MASH (mobile Army
ing her nomination to the post by Presi- try and asked how they have improved the surgical hospital) units, familiar to all from
dent Barack Obama and confirmation by safety of their operations. It is a fascinating the long-running television show and
the U.S. Senate. look at this complex work. Find that story, novel on which it was based, “M*A*S*H.”
Her two-year term as chairman runs by Charlotte Adams, on page 32. Kirkland has many amazing stories, not
until July 2011. She is also serving a sec- Next, Dan Deutermann offers his only about the MASH days, but about
ond five-year term as a Board Member, insights about night flight over water, keeping a helicopter in his back yard,
which expires on Dec. 31, 2013. Hersman when the horizon disappears and visual among others. Kirkland is a national hero
has been an NTSB board member since cues are almost non-existent. This is a and treasure. See story, written by our
June 21, 2004. special type of flight environment and managing editor, Andrew D. Parker, start-
She has been the board member on should not be taken lightly. Dan’s exten- ing on page 44.
the scene of 17 major transportation acci- sive experience in this realm gives special In addition, we take a look at the life
dents, including the crash of a Maryland credence to his recommendations. He and times of another hero, Gerry Ventrel-
State Police EMS helicopter in Forestville, calls that realm “The Abyss” and that story la, a Vietnam War veteran. He trained on
Md. in September 2008 and the mid-air begins on page 36. the Bell OH-13 and graduated to become
collision involving a sightseeing helicop- Another of our safety focused features a Bell UH-1 combat assault pilot in Viet-
ter and a single-engine plane over the takes a look at the European perspec- nam. He flew 813 combat hours and was
Hudson River that killed all nine people tive. European Correspondent Thierry awarded 18 air medals for his service in
aboard the two aircraft in August 2009. Dubois attended the 3rd Annual EASA that conflict. He has been nominated for
Hersman has also chaired the public Rotorcraft Symposium and reports on induction into the Illinois Military Avia-
events hosted by the NTSB, including numerous initiatives that are in the works tion Hall of Fame this summer. Stories
the September 2009 meeting announcing and opinions expressed by European from his amazing career start on page 52.
four safety recommendation letters con- rotorcraft luminaries, such as Vittorio As soon as we button this March issue
taining 19 recommendations concerning Morassi, chairman of the new European up, the Rotor & Wing staff will be on their
helicopter emergency medical services Helicopter Association (newEHA); Brian way to Houston for Heli-Expo and by the
(HEMS). Humphries, who is both the chairman of time you are reading this, the show will be
In the process of conducting our inter- the British Helicopter Association (BHA) over. The April issue will be chock full of
view with Chairman Hersman, we found and the CEO of the European Business Heli-Expo news and announcements.
AW139
NO OPERATIONAL LIMITS
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© 2010 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
John Persinos Online Publisher/Editorial Director, jpersinos@
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: Charlotte Adams; Lee Benson; Ron Bow-
er; Shannon Bower; Igor Bozinovski; Tony Capozzi; James Care-
less; Keith Cianfrani; Steve Colby; Frank Colucci; Pat Gray; Frank
Lombardi; Douglas Nelms; Ray Prouty; Ann Roosevelt; Simon
Roper; Terry Terrell; Todd Vorenkamp; Richard Whittle.
ADVERTISING/BUSINESS
Joe Rosone VP & Group Publisher, jrosone@accessintel.com
Randy Jones Publisher, 1-972-713-9612, rjones@accessintel.com
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Joy Park Graphic Designer
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1-301-354-1689 tcampana@accessintel.com
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CAE
regulations clearly directed IFR training
and regular IFR filing; yet the reality was the Rotor & Wing mistakenly identified the photo on the left as an exterior view of a CAE Eurocopter AS350B2 flight training
device on page 4 of our Show Day edition from Heli-Expo. The correct photo is on the right. We regret the error.
aircraft were seldom properly equipped for
serious IFR use. Tactical multi-ship training conditions at the scene, at the surface are tors do not require or support anywhere
missions, both in the U.S. and overseas, iffy. These are among some of the rea- near the instrument training levels that
were regularly conducted VFR in weather sons that the only helicopter flying done equal proficiency; or, do not have the train-
as low as 200- to 300-foot ceilings and 1/2 regularly at night or in marginal weather ing properly directed from above to ensure
to 1/4 mile visibility—in rain, snow, fog, etc., (outside the military) is by the HEMS or proficiency compliance.
even at night—this was before NVGs. For police aviation communities. The Europeans are way ahead of the
many military trained pilots; this “VFR at The police aviation community is most- U.S. in this area. It is now or will soon be
all costs” approach carried over to the com- ly centered on lighted, urban areas and directed that night HEMS will be conduct-
mercial world—it is all they had known. seldom fly if the weather is truly IFR. This ed in twin engine, autopilot equipped, seri-
Additionally, to properly equip an IFR- leaves the HEMS community, which is ously IFR-capable aircraft, flown by IFR-
capable aircraft that is to be flown single- often required to fly outside of urban envi- proficient pilots—period. Canada already
pilot, it needs an autopilot. Helicopters are ronments, at night, to locations with no has required a similar approach for EMS
inherently not as stable as airplanes—with real-time weather information. To be flying operators, and their safety record reflects
few exceptions you can never “trim up” a an inherently unstable aircraft, single-pilot, the difference. There will be those in our
helicopter to fly straight and level—hands at night, without autopilots, at relatively low helicopter community who will argue with
off, even in the smoothest of air. You take altitudes, in areas with little to no external what I say; but I have been flying a very long
your hands off of one or more controls or visual reference—where it is all but impos- time and am fundamentally correct.
divert your attention away from the imme- sible to see anything past the windshield; The EMS industry in the U.S. needs
diate task of flying, and away the aircraft and yet state they are legally “VFR” because a complete re-thinking of what they
will go. For a pilot to fly alone (single-pilot) an area weather report says so, is absolute are about. Yet, until the FAA mandates
in a non-autopilot-equipped “IFR capable” insanity. The HEMS accident record of the many of the more expensive and time-
helicopter in IMC, especially at night, is past several years supports this. consuming requirements, nothing will
quite daunting. It was very interesting to read your change. The HEMS industry in the U.S.
Thirdly, airplanes always fly from air- comments—the vast difference in mindset is, in many ways, capitalism at its worst.
fields to airfields that almost always have between the commercial airplane world
weather reporting of some degree—at and the commercial helicopter world is William Page
least ASOS. This presents a relatively accurate. Yet to simply state that ‘staying Pilot
black or white level of information on instrument proficient’ is key to accident
whether to go or not. The vast majority of reduction, and ultimately survival, is far Correction
helicopter EMS (HEMS) flights are to/ removed from the reality. Because of the In the Executive Outlook section on page 26
from open areas; away from airports, inadequate nature of much of the equip- of the January 2010 issue, Becker Avionics
without point weather reporting capabil- ment and flight environment, EMS flying was erroneously referred to as Becker Aero-
ity. You can call all the weather briefers at night requires a level of instrument pro- space. To Becker Avionics and anyone else
you want; but when your destination is ficiency that equals or surpasses what the who might have been confused by the refer-
20-plus miles (or more) from a weather airlines train to. Yet, with very few excep- ence, please accept our sincere apologies.
reporting facility, their ability to interpret tions, most commercial helicopter opera-
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.
1.800.FLY.BELL bellhelicopter.com
Personal|Corporate Commercial Military Public Service Training Products Services
AgustaWestland Receives
Maritime AW109 Order
The Bangladesh Navy has placed an order for two
AW109 Power helicopters from AgustaWestland.
The AW109s will conduct search and rescue, surface
surveillance, maritime security and economic zone
protection ops. AgustaWestland plans to hand over the
helicopters—which will be equipped to fly from the
frigate BNS Bangabandhu—in 2011. The agreement
also contains provisions for training, including VFR/
AgustaWestland
IFR conversion training, instruction for maintenance
engineers and initial operational maritime training with
an AW109 Level-D flight simulator.
Ducommun Wins currently operate seven EC135s each. Eurocopter is working on two additional contracts
V-22 Assembly Deal that would bring the combined fleets of the two units to 51 EC135s as part of a helicopter
modernization program.
Bell Helicopter has issued a contract for
Ducommun AeroStructures (DAS) to ■ TRAINING | EMS
provide titanium longeron assemblies
for the MV-22 tiltrotor. Developed in SRT Instructs San Antonio Med Unit
partnership with Boeing Rotorcraft San Antonio Fire Department’s Medical Special Operations Unit (MSOU) recently
Systems, the V-22 Osprey can function completed two training courses with SRT Helicopters of Bakersfield, Calif. The courses
in both VTOL and STOL modes. A covered basic rescue swimmer and basic short haul rescue training. Lt. Robert Dugie
subsidiary of Carson, Calif.-based explains that some of the sessions “were conducted in challenging weather conditions
Ducommun Inc., DAS will assemble the which included freezing temperatures and snow flurries.” He adds that the training “was
left and right longerons at its facility in extremely realistic in every aspect and was invaluable for us as a team working with
Coxsackie, N.Y. another city agency.”
■ Training | StandaRdS
■ COmmerCial | Safety
This Eurocopter EC135 has joined the fleet of the EastCare air medical
program, which Pitt County Memorial Hospital runs.
erickson receives
Oregon OSHa award
Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) has designated
Erickson Air-Crane a SHARP employer.
Under the safety and health achievement
recognition program (SHARP), companies
who display comprehensive and effective
health and safety programs. SHARP
companies are given a limited exemption
from programmed inspections.
■ miliTary | aiRfRaMeS
assembly of First
Pitt County Memorial Hospital has taken delivery of a new Eurocopter EC135 for its
EastCare air medical service in North Carolina. Based at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional
S-70i Wraps Up
Airport (RWI), the EC135 is part of a fleet upgrade that also involves Eurocopter PZL Mielec in Poland has nearly finished
delivering two EC145s this spring—scheduled for April and May 2010. The EC145s will putting together the initial S70i Black
be stationed at Pitt County Memorial’s heliport (NC91) in Greenville, N.C. The group of Hawk, Sikorsky reported in January.
Eurocopter variants is set to replace a fleet of three BK-117s operated through a lease with Aircraft 0001 went into assembly in August
Air Methods. 2009, powering up for the first time late
last year. A subsidiary of Sikorsky, PZL is
the final assembly center for the S-70i, an
international variant of the Black Hawk.
AgustaWestland
come with a law enforcement
AW119Ke Added to package similar to this NYPD
YOU’VE BEEN
in 2008 as part of a fleet modernization
and enhancement program, placing orders
for three AW119Kes. AgustaWestland
plans to deliver the first three helicopters
in third quarter 2010. All four helicopters
will perform various missions, including
FEATURED!
border patrol, special operations and
firefighting. Each will come equipped with
Don’t assume they’ll read your article.
a law enforcement package, including night
vision goggles (NVGs).
■ trAining | SimuLAtoRS
■ MILITARY | TECHNOLOGY
csfsupport@bellhelicopter.textron.com 866-562-4791
PEOPLE
Columbia Helicopters’ aircraft systems (UAS) group, and Bob as president of Bell Helicopter Textron
board of directors Manaskie will serve as GM of the heli- Canada Ltd. Cardinali has taken a posi-
has elected Nanc y copter aftermarket group. Kaman has tion as senior vice president of integrated
Lematta as its next also named John Shelanskas acting supply chain for Cessna, also a Textron
chairman. She replaces director of the operations support group. subsidiary.
Wes Lematta, her In another recent move, Kaman Corp. Cobham has named John Devaney
husband and founder of the company, has created a new division within its non-executive director and chairman
who passed away in December 2009. Aerospace Group—Kaman Composites— designate. Under a succession plan, Dev-
Nancy Lematta says that there will be appointing James Larwood as president. aney—currently executive chairman
no change in operations at Columbia, He was formerly president of the com- of National Express—will take over as
stressing that she “feels comfortable in pany’s Precision Products division. Cobham chairman from David Turner
knowing how he would have wanted his Textron subsid- in May 2010.
company managed in the future.” iary Bell Helicopter Canadian satcom provider SkyTrac
Bloomfield, Conn.-based Kaman has promoted Barry Systems has appointed Malachi Nor-
Corp’s Helicopters division has appointed Kohler to president of dine to head its systems integration team.
general managers to newly created prod- its Canadian affiliate. The company says the team will assist
uct groups. Tim Bates is the new GM of Currently vice presi- operators with various software and hard-
the blade and subcontract product group. dent of Bell’s Commercial Programs divi- ware issues, including data collection,
Terry Fogarty will lead the unmanned sion, Kohler will replace Eric Cardinali access and transfer.
March 17–19: Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) Spring July 19–25: Farnborough Intl Airshow 2010, Farnborough, England.
coming events
Conference, Washington, DC. Contact AAMS, phone 1-703-836-8732 Contact FIA, phone +44 0 1252 532800 or visit www.farnborough.com
or visit www.aams.org
July 14–17: Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA) Annual
March 23–28: FIDAE 2010, Santiago, Chile. Contact FIDAE, phone 56 Conference, Tucson, Ariz. Contact ALEA, phone 1-301-631-2406 or
2 873 9752 or visit www.fidae.cl visit www.alea.org
April 7–10: Aircraft Electronics Association Convention, Orlando, Aug. 21–23: National Guard Association of the United States
Fla. Contact AEA, phone 1-816-347-8400 or visit www.aea.net (NGAUS) 132nd General Conference, Austin, Texas. Contact
April 14–17: Army Aviation Association of America (Quad-A) NGAUS, phone 1-202-789-0031 or visit www.ngaus.org
Annual Convention, Fort Worth, Texas. Contact Quad-A, phone Sept. 7–9: 36th European Rotorcraft Forum 2010, Paris, France.
1-203-268-2450 or visit www.quad-a.org Contact ERF, phone +33 15 664 1235 or visit www.erf2010.org
April 21–22: Search and Rescue 2010, Aberdeen, Scotland. Contact Oct. 5–10: Helitech Europe 2010, Estoril, Portugal. Contact Reed
Shepherd Group, phone +44 0 1753 727015 or visit www.shepherd. Exhibitions, phone +44 0 208 271 2155 or visit www.helitecheurope.
co.uk/events/44/search-and-rescue-2010/ com
May 3–6: 2010 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas. Oct. 5–10: FAI 104th General Conference, Dublin, Ireland. Contact
Contact Offshore Technology Conference, phone 1-972-952-9494 or FAI, phone +4121 345 1070 or visit www.fai.org
visit www.otcnet.org/2010/
Oct. 11–13: AAMS Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC),
May 4–6: European Business Aviation Association and NBAA’s Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Contact Association of Air Medical Services,,
EBACE 2010, Geneva, Switzerland. Contact EBAA, phone +32 2 766 phone 1-703-836-8732 or visit www.aams.org
0073 or visit www.ebaa.org
Oct. 19–21: National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 63rd
May 11–13: American Helicopter Society International 66th Annual Meeting & Convention, Atlanta, Ga. Contact NBAA, phone
Annual Forum and Technology Display, Phoenix, Ariz. Contact AHS 1-202-783-9000 or visit www.nbaa.org
Intl, phone 1-703-684-6777 or visit www.vtol.org
Oct. 25–27: Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting,
May 11–13: 55th Annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar Washington, D.C. Contact AUSA, phone 1-703-841-4300, toll free
(CASS), Tucson, Ariz. Contact Flight Safety Foundation, phone 1-800-336-4570 or visit www.ausa.org
1-703-739-6700 or visit www.flightsafety.org
November 1–3: AHS International Meeting on Advanced
May 20–22: Intl Helicopter Industry Exhibition, Moscow, Russia. Rotorcraft Technology and Safety Operations (Heli Japan), Ohmiya,
Contact HeliRussia, +7 495 958 9490 or visit www.helirussia.ru Japan. Contact AHS Intl, 1-703-684-6777 or visit www.vtol.org
May 25–27: Heli-Pacific, Queensland, Australia. Contact Shepherd November 2–4: Dubai Helishow 2010, Dubai, UAE. Contact Media
Group, phone +44 0 1753 727015 or visit www.shepherd.co.uk/ Communications & Exhibitions, phone +44 0 1293 823 779 or visit
events/40/heli-pacific-2010/ www.dubaihelishow.com
www.aviationtoday.com
15686
13323
Rotorcraft Report
U.S. Marine Corps/Alex C. Sauceda
Soldiers from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit survey the area around Corail, Haiti
in late January before boarding a Bell-Boeing MV-22. The U.S. Department of Defense
budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes a request for 30 MV-22B Ospreys for the
Marines and five CV-22B troop transport versions for the Air Force.
■ Military | AiRfRAmes
rescue missions.
The Navy budget also includes $897
million for the Marines to buy two new
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. AH-1Z Super
Cobras in addition to converting eight
AH-1Ws into AH-1Zs and 18 Bell UH-1Y
Hueys into UH-1Zs—an increase of five
H-1Zs of both types over fiscal 2010. Bell
had been building new UH-1Y Hueys but During a training exercise, a 25th Combat
only modifying old AH-1Ws into AH-1Zs Aviation Brigade CH-47D Chinook lifts
until last year. The new-build Super Cobras one of 28 targets at Pohakuloa Training
were added after the Marines found that, Area, on Hawaii’s Big Island. Defense
Secretary Robert Gates is seeking
because of losses in Afghanistan and Iraq
funding for 42 Boeing CH-47 Chinooks
and old AH-1s simply wearing out, they for the Army.
were going to fall 40 short of their need
unless they started building new ones.
The Navy and Air Force budgets
include $2.6 billion to buy 30 more MV-
22B Ospreys for the Marines and five The Navy’s research and development The Air Force, which uses relatively few
CV-22B versions of the tiltrotor troop budget also includes $95 million to shut helicopters, is requesting $218 million for
transport for the Air Force—the number down the VH-71 presidential helicopter six HH-60G Pave Hawk special operations
scheduled under a five-year contract project, which Gates cancelled last year, versions of the aircraft, three as replace-
awarded in 2008 to Bell and Boeing, which saying the project had doubled in cost and ments for Pave Hawks lost in combat. —By
make Ospreys under a 50-50 partnership. fallen six years behind schedule. Richard Whittle
By Brian F. Finnegan
On a snowy February
morning, U.S. National
Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB) Chairman
Deborah A.P. Hersman,
left, sat down with
magazine in
her L’Enfant Plaza office
in downtown Washington,
Photo by Brian Finnegan
W
e were joined in the chair- tive is always something that’s an evolu- a committed company safety culture or the
man’s office by N T SB tion. You have try different approaches. I bottom-feeder.
Executive Officer Thom think our preference would always be to We had to level this playing field some-
Zoeller, Deputy Director of go through a normal regulatory process how. If FAA was not going to put for-
Aviation Safety for Regional Operations because FAA houses the expertise to make ward regulatory requirements for safety
Jeff Guzzetti, the Chairman’s Confiden- the objective decisions, to do the research, enhancements, we wondered where else
tial Assistant Cresence Stafford, and to bring together the stakeholders in the we could look to achieve some parity, to
NTSB Public Affairs Officer Keith Hol- industry … and really, perhaps, achieve the raise the bar. We followed the money and,
loway. We began by discussing Chair- right conclusion. frankly, it was pretty simple. We feel that
man Hersman’s stated mission to “raise Our recommendations are fairly broad CMS has an obligation when they are
the bar” for what I called the rotorcraft and we’d like for FAA to make the right reimbursing a company and should do
industry’s struggle to find its way with decision. What we’ve found throughout their due diligence.
financing and safety and the competing our history, though, is that we can only wait R&W: Has the Safety Board given con-
priorities that they present. up to a point. The FAA does have huge sideration to addressing any recommenda-
Rotor & Wing: I’d like to start by talk- challenges. They have over 500 open rec- tions to the insurance industry?
ing about your “raising the bar” philosophy ommendations from the NTSB right now. Hersman: To my knowledge, we
with respect to transportation in our highly It is a burden for them. The question you haven’t. We did have an insurance consul-
regulated industry, particularly helicopters. have to ask is ‘How do they prioritize those tant on one of the panels for the HEMS
What does that raised bar look like for 500-plus recommendations?” hearing and we’ve had insurance folks on
rotorcraft? One way that we help them prioritize other panels. We understand that there are
Hersman: One of the challenges we see is through our Most Wanted list. We had a number of ways to skin the cat and we are
at the Safety Board is that people are often issued recommendations on HEMS [heli- looking at those opportunities now.
just meeting the minimums. But some- copter emergency medical services] and The Safety Board is very persistent and
times the minimums just aren’t enough. for years they went unheeded. After wait- we’re trying to be flexible in the way that
Unfortunately, it takes a fatal accident and ing for a year, two years, we made the deci- we look at things. The recommendation
recommendations from the Safety Board sion to add HEMS to our most wanted list. that you just asked me about—regarding
to identify that. That’s really what our rec- R&W: In Safety Recommendation the accreditation process—is a demonstra-
ommendations do—address areas where A-09-106, you ask the Centers for Medi- tion that we are willing to think out of the
the existing rules, regulations, laws and care & Medicaid Services (CMS) to devel- box and not pursue just the sole regulatory
requirements aren’t enough to identify the op wide ranging ‘minimum safety accredi- path. It’s a good point and I have taken the
gaps and the holes in the safety net. tation standards for HEMS operators that opportunity to meet with insurance com-
“Raising the bar” is stretching a little bit, augment the operating standards of 14 pany staff in the past to ask them what we
doing something that might get pushback. CFR 135.’ Do you see accreditation stan- could do.
It gets people thinking about where they dards on the next Most Wanted list? R&W: After the August 8, 2009, midair
want to be. I’ll share with you a quote that Hersman: This is one of those situa- over the Hudson River, both the FAA and
I have often used from Roslyn Carter. tions the Safety Board had tried to address the Safety Board were quick to issue rec-
“A good leader takes people where they through the FAA. After years of inaction, ommendations.
want to go, but a great leader takes people we needed a new approach. When we held Hersman: The FAA convened a work-
where they need to be.” For example, Bell our public hearing last year on helicopter ing group about five days after the accident
Helicopter and American Eurocopter are EMS issues, the curtain was raised on and their recommendations came out a
both working with Appareo to install a many industry practices regarding com- few weeks after that. Our recommenda-
flight recorder on all their new produc- petition and scarce resources. We saw that tions preceded the FAA panel’s recom-
tion helicopters. Their decision to install the scales are not balanced. mendations, but they were very similar.
that equipment on newly manufactured You can have one operator with newer, There were a lot of synergies there.
helicopters raises the bar. That’s exactly better safety equipment and you can have R&W: Was there collaboration?
what we want to see—voluntary action another without extra safety equipment Hersman: No.
leading the way. If they can do it, others can installed, such as TAWS [terrain avoidance R&W: Is it appropriate to collaborate?
do it, too. warning system] or night vision goggles. Hersman: The Safety Board feels there
R&W: When Congress gets involved, Even though they are clearly in different is value in us being able to understand
things happen differently than when it’s financial postures competing for the same what’s going on with the industry and the
just the FAA and others. Do you feel a need business, if they are being reimbursed FAA, but we also value our independence
to bypass the lengthy FAA regulatory pro- through Medicare, they are getting paid a and we think it’s important for there to be
cess and go straight to Congress for a law? flat rate. However, the taxpayer receiving some separation. The public is counting
Hersman: The Safety Board has been service doesn’t get to pick between the on us to take an independent stance and
around for over 40 years and being effec- good investment with high standards and have a critical eye about what’s going on in
NTSB
In the past 25 years, the number of HEMS operators in the state of Missouri has more than tripled. While a concern, the NTSB Chairman says it is trying to
ensure anyone operating in a geographic area regardless of whether it is “one operator or 15 operators, they are doing so at the highest level of safety.”
the industry and with the regulators. We Wanted list and how it serves its purpose. Police led us to believe that they were will-
have to be the watchdog of the regulators, It helps us to identify, of those hundreds of ing to be industry leaders when it came to
so to speak. open recommendations, which ones we adopting and making change.
We don’t want to be involved in their think need immediate action. On the sleep apnea issue, there was a
decision-making process because at some R&W: Regarding fatigue, there is a recognition among the family members
point in the future we might be called to recommendation that the FAA Aerospace of the pilot and the crewmates who served
investigate an accident that resulted from Medical Certification exam for pilots with him. This gentleman snored so loudly
some activity that they’ve taken and we include some kind of sleep apnea analysis in the crew quarters that everyone knew
want to be free to identify any shortcom- (A-09-61). Then you go forward and you when he was there. Our investigators felt
ings without having ownership of them. actually make a recommendation directly they could ask Maryland State Police to
We do need to make sure that we are to the Maryland State Police (A-09-134) be an industry leader and demonstrate to
getting feedback, but we do maintain our that they develop their own sleep apnea other operators how they did this. It wasn’t
independence and we guard it fiercely. recognition program. With the FAA rec- singling them out. We’re saying, ‘How can
Sometimes that means putting a wall ommendation already in place, why would we raise the bar?’ If we have individual
down to separate ourselves. you make a specific recommendation to organizations that are willing to lead, then
R&W: Data indicate that the number Maryland State Police? Also, if it were that’s helpful to everyone in the industry.
one cause of HEMS accidents is inadver- important enough to mention it to the R&W: Is there a process by which you
tent flight into IMC (instrument meteo- Maryland State Police, why wouldn’t you can follow up or give them an opportunity
rological conditions) and you’ve addressed just recommend it to the whole industry? to share how they’ve gone forward?
that with several recommendations, in Hersman: By asking the FAA to address Hersman: Since we’ve made the rec-
particular asking for two pilots or autopi- it on medical certificates, that’s our effort to ommendation to them, it’s open. They
lot. Do you see two pilots or autopilot as a reach the entire population. However, we have an obligation to respond to us about
Most Wanted item? recognize those changes might take some their plans. We also have a concurrent
Hersman: We’re going to be having time to occur. obligation to check in with them to get a
our Most Wanted list meeting two weeks When we go to an accident investiga- status update on how they’re progress-
from now (Feb. 18, 2010). I really cannot tion, especially a fatal accident, we some- ing. Our investigators had such a positive
comment on that until the board adopts a times find an organization who may not experience with the Maryland State Police
new list. I will say that the HEMS issue area want us there and is uncomfortable that leadership that we felt good about mak-
on our Most Wanted list is one of the most we’re investigating. They may not really ing that recommendation to them. Now,
visible and one that has a high degree of want to share information. With the Mary- if they can’t get the resources or execute a
public and Congressional attention. There land State Police, that was not at all what program like that, that’s another issue. It
have been efforts to adopt all of our Most we found. They really wanted to take an was worth making the effort to ask. With
Wanted list recommendations in legisla- internal look and say: ‘This was devastating every organization, adversity makes them
tive vehicles, verbatim, both on the House to us. We want to figure out anything we take a step back and look at their processes
and on the Senate side in the past couple can do to make our operation better.’ Some and procedures and really reevaluate what’s
years. That’s a testament to the Most of our discussions with the Maryland State important and what they want to do.
R&W: We put a message on the Rotor should have regulatory authority over really the only ones for whom the regula-
& Wing Facebook page that we were going all non-military aircraft operating in the tions are written?
to have this interview with you to make national air space? Hersman: Well, the bottom feeders are
sure we at least gave the industry an oppor- Hersman: One particular concern in always going to be a problem in any indus-
tunity to come up with some topics for dis- the Maryland State Police accident, which try. There is always going to be someone
cussion and we got a few comments back. was public use, was that we could not get trying to figure out how to do something
Hersman: Great! This is my favorite a consistent read from the FAA about cheaper and easier. The public can’t figure
part. Questions from the people. whether or not EMS operators should be out how to differentiate between operators
R&W: OK, well here’s one. Should covered by them. Our concern is that it and that is really the tragedy of it. In the
there be a limit on the number of HEMS doesn’t matter whether they are private, absence of regulatory action, you’re going
operations in a given geographic area or for hire, commercial operators or they to have people who are way behind on the
region? (See charts on page 28.) are public use. They are still providing a power curve of safety.
Hersman: The Safety Board is trying to service. We want to make sure everybody For example, we were told that the
ensure that whoever is operating in a geo- is operating at the same high standards. majority of the industry had voluntarily
graphic area or region, regardless of wheth- Maryland State Police were actually seek- adopted risk matrices for making the go/
er it’s one operator or 15 operators, they are ing FAA oversight. no-go decisions. Then we investigated
doing so at the highest level of safety. We They wanted to get the FAR Part 135 accident after accident where an operator
are fully cognizant of some of the pressures Certificate and the FAA couldn’t figure out didn’t have them. Or they would say, ‘Well,
that emerge when you have a competitive whether or not they wanted to do that or they’re not written. We kind of do it in our
market and so that is what was at the heart if they could do that. That is an issue that head.’ Well that’s not assessing risk. It’s so
of our recommendations last September to concerns us. If an operator wants this type easy and it’s cheap. We’ve appended them
FICEMS (Federal Interagency Committee of oversight and to have these standards, to our report [Special Investigation Report
on EMS) and CMS. We think that if there we ought to be doing that. on Emergency Medical Services Opera-
are higher standards, then perhaps you can R&W: Regarding electronic news tions. For a sample risk assessment from
weed out some of the less safe operators. gathering (ENG) organizations, the Safety that report, see page 30]. Print them out or
R&W: I did not find any maintenance Board recommended at the beginning of put them on your computer and use them.
discussion in the last round of recommen- 2009 that FAA host annual safety confer- What’s the weather? What are the lighting
dations, but I did find quite a few mainte- ences (A-09-06) to discuss operational and conditions? What is my experience? These
nance issues in the tour operators recom- safety issues affecting all ENG as well as are pretty straightforward things.
mendations that were published in 2008. those pertaining to their specific region. R&W: Finally, what can we do to ensure
Are maintenance problems a broader issue How can operators and associations work that your message of raising the bar gets
than just with tour operators or were they to support this recommendation? out to the industry and how can industry
just not a problem in these EMS accidents? Hersman: We recognize the value of support the mission of the Safety Board?
Hersman: We make our recommen- organizational leadership. Groups such Hersman: People who read the maga-
dations based on each accident that we as IHST (International Helicopter Safety zine can help by advocating for our recom-
investigate and we see what the issues are. Team) and HAI (Helicopter Association mendations. If they think there are things
I don’t think that means that maintenance International) are many times the ones that they want to see happen, whether it’s
is not an issue across the board because who can put together a collaborative effort. through the rule-making committees they
it’s always an issue. You’ve got to stay on They’re ones that achieve voluntary indus- participate in at the FAA or whether it’s
top of that, especially as fleets age. We did try audit standards and help to raise the through Congress, keep us informed about
not find maintenance issues in Trooper 2. bar. They can reach out to their member- what’s going on. It goes back to what I said
We’ve looked at other HEMS accidents ship in a way that is non-punitive and help at the very beginning of our conversation.
and I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. support them. A lot of voluntary things are being done
By and large, we found that they were We value the role that they can play and out there to raise the bar.
human factors issues. The majority of them we would encourage any efforts that would It is a challenging environment that
were happening at night, or in weather. It’s result in better information dissemination, helicopters operate in. They have mis-
trying to keep pilots out of those higher risk communication, collaboration and sup- sions that I think would probably make a
situations that were a problem. The facts of port for operators in a particular area when lot of other people very uncomfortable.
the accidents are going to speak to us. it comes to safety. Frankly, we’ve seen a lot Every day when they come in and they
Everybody has got to stay on top of mainte- of voluntary measures taking place absent shut it down and it’s been a safe day, that’s
nance. It’s the human, the machine and the FAA requirements. The FAA has not really something they should be proud of. When
environment in which you are operating. been delivering on the mandatory require- you ask how they can help us—it’s by not
Those are the three things. You’ve got to be ments. having accidents. Don’t just take organiza-
on top of that. R&W: But even if the wealthy organi- tional responsibility; take personal respon-
R&W: What about public use aircraft? zations improve like that, you’re still going sibility. Do the right thing when nobody’s
Is it the Safety Board’s view that the FAA to have the laggards. Aren’t the laggards watching.
B
ody 1st paragraph Combat unit
training scenarios must include
a continuum of threat levels
designed to train students to
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A
fter a horrible year in 2008, when declared: “Six fatalities [in 2009] are six too circumstances, the board’s Most Wanted
HEMS fatalities ballooned to many. I don’t want people to think … that List calls for Part 135 on all flight legs with
29, the industry experienced six the system is fixed.” medical personnel on board. An NTSB
fatalities in 2009, according to One disaster in the FAA’s backyard report covering 55 fixed-wing and rotary-
the National Transportation Safety Board probably cranked up pressure on the agen- wing EMS accidents from January 2002
(NTSB). While this may be a statistical cy to address NTSB’s concerns. That was to January 2005 found that 35 of them had
anomaly, safety awareness is high. Rotor & the Sept. 27, 2008, Maryland State Police occurred while operating under Part 91.
Wing spoke to NTSB and operators about crash, killing four of the five on board. Last Sumwalt praised the revisions to FAA’s
several NTSB recommendations. April FAA announced a HEMS rulemak- A021 HEMS Ops Spec, which addresses
NTSB added HEMS to its Most Want- ing project covering, among other things, some concerns about weather reporting.
ed List in October 2008 (see sidebar, page helicopter terrain awareness and warning A021 states that if a flight or sequence
34). The following September the board systems (H-TAWS), radar altimeters, oper- of flights includes a Part 135 segment,
issued 19 recommendations—to FAA, ational control centers, Part 135 weather then all VFR segments must follow the
public operators, EMS agencies, and the minimums for all legs, risk management, (higher) weather minimums and flight
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Servic- flight data monitoring, inadvertent IMC planning requirements in A021 or be con-
es (CMS)—ranging from the installation of currency, and weather reporting relief for ducted under IFR. And it also gives opera-
aircraft safety equipment to evaluation of IFR operations. tors credit for use of night vision goggles
the government insurance system’s reim- (NVGs) or TAWS.
bursement rate structure. While agreeing Part 135 vs. Part 91 A021 also encourages IFR operations
that some progress has been made since Although EMS operators can fly under by allowing operators to use weather
then, NTSB member Robert Sumwalt the less stringent Part 91 rules in certain reporting within 15 miles of the destina-
AgustaWestland
not available.
The main difference between Part 135
and Part 91 is duty hours, according to Jim
Swartz, president and CEO of CareFlite, a
small operator with six helicopters. (The
maximum duty period for pilots in single-
pilot, Part 135 non-scheduled HEMS
operations is 14 hours, while Part 91 has no
duty time restrictions.) The pilot has to be
rested and his situation continuously con-
sidered during flight under either regime,
Swartz said. But operators ought to be
able to reposition aircraft and fly without
patients under Part 91.
With four exceptions, CareFlite flies
everything to the Part 135 standard, said
Ray Dauphinais, vice president and direc- Safety awareness is high at HEMS operators like CareFlite.
tor of operations. These are maintenance 135, according to Ed Stockhausen, direc- accreditation standards and make sure
flights and training flights, which don’t tor of safety. This includes outbound and that only carriers meeting the standards be
carry passengers, administrative flights, positioning legs and even if there are no reimbursed by Medicare.
as approved by the director of operations, medical crewmembers on board. “You can fly an old single-engine air-
and the outbound legs of IFR flights with LifeFlight of Maine (LFM), an “indirect craft that’s been in aviation longer than I
CareFlite medical personnel on board. operator” that owns its helicopters but have and get paid the same amount … for
Outbound IFR flights use Part 91 for contracts with Part 135 operator EraMED a twin-engine IFR aircraft,” said CareFlite’s
weather requirements, Dauphinais said. to fly them. LifeFlight and Era have policies Swartz. “It could be a 206 that’s 30 years
Part 91 lets you use an area forecast, he said. that anytime anybody other than an Era old.” In the free enterprise system, he
CareFlite schedules 12 hours duty time. employee is on the Era-operated aircraft, added, “you cannot expect safety to get bet-
But on the final leg, if a pilot “wanted to go it’s Part 135, said Thomas Judge, executive ter when the incentives are against it.”
91 back” and if it looks like the pilot might director. All flight segments are conducted LFM’s Judge agreed. The current reim-
exceed his 14-hour maximum, Dauphinais under full Part 135 requirements. “When bursement system “incentivizes the lowest
has to be called. It’s a case-by-case decision, medical crew are on board whether it is cost for the most profit—it’s a problem
based on the weather, how long you’ve an outbound or empty leg back home, the when it comes to safety,” he said. LifeFlight
been flying and familiarity with the des- flight is Part 135. If I get on the aircraft, it’s has one of the oldest and poorest popula-
tination, he said. “They don’t call me very Part 135,” he said. tions in the country. Forty-three percent of
often.” If the company anticipates a duty its patients have no insurance and another
time issue, it will reposition the aircraft. As Reimbursement 40 percent are on Medicare or Medicaid.
far as actual flight time goes, a high-time The flat-rate reimbursement structure So LFM is reimbursed at much less than
flight day is typically 3 to 3.5 hours, he of this government program is a sore point cost, Judge said. That’s why it has a chari-
said. The average patient transport flight is with the better-equipped operators. But table foundation.
about 48 minutes. fixing the system won’t be easy. As of early
OmniFlight, a mid-sized operator with February, the Center for Medicare and IFR Infrastructure
around 90 helicopters, flies all legs under Medicaid Services had not responded to LifeFlight views IFR infrastructure as
Part 135, according to Ray Wall, vice presi- NTSB’s recommendation that they evalu- its No. 1 priority. Basically a public util-
dent of flight operations and safety and ate the rate structure. NTSB recommend- ity in Maine, LifeFlight owns two full-IFR
compliance. The NTSB recommended ed, among other things, that CMS establish AgustaWestland AW109 Powers. About
that EMS operators use Part 135 rules pri-
marily for the weather minimums, he said. HEMS Recommendations on NTSB’s Most Wanted List:
OmniFlight’s weather minimums were “a * Part 135 during all flight legs with medical personnel on board—open, unaccept-
little bit higher” than what NTSB recom- able response;
mended. The company flies VFR and IFR *Flight risk evaluation programs—open, unacceptable response;
*Formalized dispatch and flight following procedures, including timely weather
depending on customer need.
information—open, acceptable response; and
Air Methods, a large operator with *Terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS), including training—open, unac-
301 helicopters and around 15 fixed-wing ceptable response.
aircraft, also flies all flight legs under Part
20 percent of its flights are tied to IFR. The Every pilot is given about an hour a month for its part, has 15
nonprofit charitable medical organization to practice IFR without an instructor on communications
has completed 21 GPS approaches, with board. CareFlite has also added a camera- centers around
another 18 in the works. It is building a based recording system on a couple of the country and a
low-level IFR route structure that will link aircraft and plans to add NVGs. centralized opera-
all the GPS approaches and hospitals. LFM tional control cen-
has built 31 hospital helipads and 10 com- Tracking and Dispatch ter at corporate
munity helipads, and worked to provide Although EMS is very competitive LFM’s Thomas Judge headquarters in
fuel trucks at two airports in order to refuel in New England, in an ongoing effort to Addison, Texas. Air
aircraft at remote hospitals. LFM has also improve safety, LifeFlight collaborates with Methods likewise has an operational con-
finished six of a planned 14 automated other providers in the region. All of the trol center that tracks all of its aircraft.
weather observation systems (AWOSs) to programs in New England have agreed to “We have at least one qualified EMS
help fill in the grid. use a Web-based system that allows each helicopter pilot in the control center at
IFR is important to Air Methods, as program to track the others’ aircraft in all times,” Stockhausen said. In addition,
well. The company has 61 GPS non-pre- real time. This system includes DHART OmniFlight is in the midst of a Line Oper-
cision approaches and is developing wide at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in New Hamp- ations Safety Audit (LOSA)—the first
area augmentation system (WAAS) IFR shire/Vermont (Metro), Boston MedFlight helicopter company to have done it.
infrastructures at two of its programs. (Era), UMASS LifeFlight, (Air Methods)
CareFlite is in the midst of an FAA and LifeStar in Connecticut (Air Meth- SMS
IFR infrastructure program, which is “like ods), as well as LFM. This arrangement lets The big news at OmniFlight is its
a test case,” Swartz said. It already has 17 the control centers know when they have Safety Management System rollout, the
non-precision GPS approaches. The com- aircraft going to the same location, so that first SMS under the new FAA framework.
pany flies four AW109 Powers certified for their pilots can communicate with each “The intent is to include every person in
single-pilot IFR and two Bell 222s that don’t other. The communications centers can that process in every aspect of the orga-
fly in weather. At night, outside the local also talk to each other. Both LFM and Era nization,” Wall said. In addition to giving
flying area, the company requires pilots to also follow LifeFlight’s helicopters through risk assessment tools to the employees,
go IFR, Swartz said. “Twin-engine IFR was a satellite tracking system in their respec- there are quarterly audits and daily inputs
the single most important safety upgrade.” tive communications centers. OmniFlight, by employees into a hazard registry. A
senior management SMS council reviews
No Pressure Initiative all events and the root causes of every
type of event.
The National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA) is attacking the pressure problem through OmniFlight sifts and analyzes huge
its No Pressure Initiative (NPI). The foundation of NPI was a survey the association con- amounts of data. Every pilot, technician
ducted of 257 pilots. Thirty-six percent said they sometimes or frequently pressured and clinician has to report anything that
themselves to accept or complete flights; 24 percent said they sometimes or frequently seems amiss, from the smallest thing to
felt pressured by competition to do so; and 23 percent replied they sometimes or fre- an incident or higher, Wall said. Weath-
quently felt pressure from management to do so. er aborts (with details) and duty time
NPI features three layers of protection, including culture, risk assessment and the exceedances also are reported. This event
enroute decision point (EDP). Particularly interesting is the EDP, which “puts hard num- reporting database allows OmniFlight to
bers on a flight, based on airspeed and altitude,” said Kent Johnson, NEMSPA president. track and trend operational data down to
Basically, at night it’s cruise airspeed minus 30 knots and 500 feet AGL. So if your airspeed the problem history of an individual piece
sinks from 120 to 85 knots, the EDP protocol says it’s time to turn around or land. of equipment like a fuel pump. Commu-
EDP is meant to keep pilots from plunging ahead on missions in deteriorating weath- nications within the company are also a
er conditions when, even though they may not know it, they are becoming tentative. It’s high priority. There are daily conference
analogous to the decision height on an ILS approach. When the pilot reaches the listed calls on maintenance and operations and
limitations, he must make a decision. And continuing on the present course, as before, is a monthly telecom to update all employ-
not an option, according to NEMSPA literature. ees on operational issues. There is also a
The association also surveyed 13 pilots who have used the EDP protocol for several compliance hotline run by a third-party
years. Eight-five percent considered it a very effective aid in deciding whether or not to vendor for anonymous safety complaints.
continue flight into marginal weather conditions and 31 percent said EDP had helped CareFlite is implementing an SMS pro-
them decide to abort a flight or significantly alter the flight plan route more than five gram, as well. And Air Methods is part of
times. FAA’s SMS pilot project, including 68 com-
NEMSPA is also working with fatigue expert Mark Rosekind to implement an on-line panies. The SMS encompasses flight oper-
alertness management program. Johnson hopes to have the “Z-Coach” training program ations, communications, maintenance,
available on the NEMSPA website in the near future. repair station and product sectors.
www.helisas.com
2 The HeliSAS® control panel is just 5.75” x 0.75” and weighs only 0.53 pounds.
W W W. r o t o r a n d W i n g . c o M M a r c h 2 0 1 0 | r oto r & W i n g M aga zi n e 35
FLYING INTO THE
ABYSS
Abyss: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm; the
regions of hell conceived as a bottomless pit; night flight
over significant bodies of water.
By Dan Deutermann
I
magine for a moment that a single- layer. The haze effect over water is only craft offshore and that is what you see, then
piloted, passenger-carrying heli- going to be amplified by a hot, calm-wind you need to make a decision as to whether
copter leaves on a VFR flight plan night and visibility could be far less than six you can really press on as if you were in
from its airport-based helipad, miles, making the anticipated island lights VMC on a VFR plan. Even if you are head-
enroute to a remote island 20 miles off- at 20 miles not so visible. Additionally, the ing to a single source of light on the horizon
shore. The flight was intended to take lack of wind significantly adds to the prob- (like a small barrier island), realize that the
off in the late afternoon, however the lem by glassy smooth water eliciting zero visual illusions are plentiful when flying
VIPs were delayed until after sunset. visual reference texture to perceive move- over water. If you weren’t contemplating
Weather is reported as overcast at 6K, 6 ment. Make no mistake about it, overwater using instruments from start to finish on
miles in haze, 28°C, calm winds, and no flight with no visible horizon is an instru- this flight, stand by for lots of drama when
significant weather is forecasted along ment meteorological condition (IMC) and spatial disorientation creeps into cockpit.
the route. The VFR-rated pilot is current with a little extra preflight analysis, you can Your inevitable attempt to rapidly establish
to fly at night, however all previous night anticipate it. an instrument scan will likely lead to a little
flying has occurred overland primarily Now, one might jump to what a prudent more drama, and turning on the search-
at the airport where he is based and, up pilot should do when faced with looking light at lower altitudes to see the water can
until now, there has never been a need into total blackness over featureless terrain, actually induce vertigo. Take the recent
to go to the island at night. Yet the pilot is but all too often pilots have a difficult time EC145 mishap off Captiva in Florida:
quite comfortable with the venture and abandoning the plan they have already set
is looking forward to logging some more forth to accomplish. Therefore a critical The pilot could not remember the exact
night VMC time enroute to the familiar component to preventing fatal mishaps sequence of the final 500-foot descent;
destination. over lakes and oceans, which are caused by however, at some point she remembered
The pilot crosses the coastline and spatial disorientation, is to ensure aviators the medical crew commenting they
wisely elects to engage the flight director. are imprinted early on with the appropri- “couldn’t see anything.” She responded,
As he levels off at 1,500 feet, he thinks to ate mindset regarding this environment. that the flight to Captiva is usually very
himself: “Man, it’s dark … just a couple of Once armed with this correct mindset, dark over the water and there’s “never
boat lights out here to look at—if that’s the decision-making process may perhaps anything to see.” She remembered turn-
what those are. Okay, 15 minutes to go. begin with a more conservative stance and ing on the searchlight and shortly after,
Where is that full moon from last night?” in turn may better serve to prevent flight impacting the water. —NTSB: ERA-
Minutes later, while actively engaged into realms where that pilot’s abilities are 09LA464 Accident, Aug. 17, 2009, North
in a “there I was” story for the captive likely to be exceeded. For this reason, I will Captiva Island, Fla.
audience in back, he fails to notice that refer to the night maritime world as the
the flight director has disengaged and that “Abyss”. With so many helicopter jobs occur-
an insidious rate of descent has begun to To those pilots who have baptized ring over the water, one would hope that
develop. Taking a brief pause in his story, themselves with flight into the Abyss with- somewhere in a pilot’s training, instructors
something suddenly sounds different to out the benefit of instrument skills, I am would set aside some time for discussing
the pilot, and a sensation of pitching up sure you appreciate the analogy and per- this realm. But my observations lead me
begins to take hold. A quick glance outside haps recall the eeriest of sensations from to find pilots more focused on things like
reveals absolutely nothing but pitch black. your experience (unless you are the type how to successfully ditch and what the
A rapid scan to the instruments reveals a who really likes dark places). required equipment might be to meet FAR
VSI showing 1,500 FPM in the “bad” direc- Regardless of the reported cloud levels requirements. Judging from discussions
tion along with a RadAlt blowing through and visibilities, factors such as ambient I’ve had with instructors—both military
200 feet heading for 0. “It can’t be, I was illumination, potential marine layers, no and civilian—they all acknowledge hav-
on...” Splash! winds (for those glass-like surfaces and ing been in places where it is “really dark,”
This type of mishap is hardly unheard increased moisture in the air on warm searching desperately for some light source
of, and not exclusive to the maritime realm. nights) and the lack of any reliable light before they realized they had better get
However, the night maritime environ- sources (supertankers don’t count) must be that instrument scan going and perhaps get
ment doesn’t seem to get the attention it accounted for prior to flight. an IFR pick up, if one was even available.
deserves. The conditions described above All these factors directly contribute to Would you like to guess where most of
are technically VFR flight, but is it really creating an environment that can only be their “really dark” experiences took place?
VMC when you consider that there was no characterized as a place without depth, a Student VFR pilots are told from day
visible horizon? If there were any moon or seemingly bottomless chasm. While not one to stay away from clouds and what to
stars you can bet they would be of no use as every night flight over water is going to do if they inadvertently encounter IMC. It
they were likely obscured by the overcast present a black hole, if you point the air- is treated like an emergency, because that’s
exactly what it is for a VFR-only pilot. What that “legal” rationale to commence aviating. The trick is simply to know if I know their
about situations where there is no discern- Then you can bet it is only a matter of time mindset has lead them to fly strictly using
able horizon, or, at night, a visual surface until they find out the hard way that some their Mark-1 eyeballs.
light reference sufficient to safely control places need more analysis than others, like However, when it is so dark that there
the helicopter? That last part would make the Abyss. For helicopter operations over is no light for NVGs to amplify, then there
it illegal to be VFR if you don’t have it (FAR water, U.S. regulations simply state that the will be no horizon coming through the
135.207), and unless your operation has helicopter must have an emergency flota- tubes, and without a horizon for the eyes
been reviewed by the FAA administrator, tion system for commercial operations and to interpret spatial orientation via mother
flying IFR outside of controlled airspace is make no mention of IFR-related equip- Earth, you will no doubt have to rely on
prohibited below 1,200 feet. ment. The gap between the definition of instruments in the very near future if you
A pilot takes off to fly VFR with a solid IMC and the actual conditions that require decide to press on with your flight plan. If
1,500-foot overcast and six miles in haze. instrument skills is significant when you one is not instrument qualified, or perhaps
Conditions will be VMC over the city all truly look at it, but can be mitigated by only a “little rusty,” the Abyss is not the
night long, no argument there, which is sound judgment through analyzing your place to fly as if VMC, however “legal” it
why the U.S. permits night VFR. So when environment and telling yourself: “if there may appear to be on the ground prior to
the pilot points offshore towards a barrier is no horizon, change the plan.” You could pulling pitch.
Accident investigators say that unin-
tended flight into IMC is one of the leading
No moon and lower visibility from the causal factors in fatal aircraft accidents.
moisture in the air on that warm, They point to specific human factors as
contributors to the event. Like the fatal flaw
no-wind night are going to make that mentioned earlier, so many pilots demon-
strate the inability to abandon their current
20-mile trip offshore somewhat sporty. plan of action and replace it with one that
has higher odds of survival. Many regions
of the world prohibit night VFR and simply
say you need an instrument ticket. Others
island 20 miles away, the additional effects even train your brain monthly by picking give it special emphasis and have some
of no moon and the resultant lower vis- one of those no moon nights, maybe with minimum training requirements. For VFR
ibility from the additional moisture in the lots of cloud cover, fly a coast line (ocean or helicopter operations in the U.S., a pilot
air on that warm, no-wind night are going big lake) and see the horizon painted with must have “visual surface reference, or at
to make that 20-mile trip somewhat sporty all those city lights (now you see it), then night, visual light reference, sufficient to
unless there are some instrument skills on look to the water (now you don’t). Think: safely control the helicopter.” For those
standby. Why? Because it is every bit the No Horizon = IMC, get on the gauges! uninitiated to helicopter operations over
same as flying into clouds unexpectedly, My personal philosophy after 18 years water, know this: the opportunities for the
and for some, the experience will lead to an of maritime aviation is to treat going “feet last part of that statement to manifest itself
all-too-tragic outcome. wet” at night (and even on some days) abound, and you will be in IMC.
When instructors are molding a stu- as being in IMC. No exceptions! In the If you are contemplating bringing
dent pilot’s ability to exercise sound “aero- performance of my missions, if I need to NVGs into your operation, take caution in
nautical decision-making,” certain envi- descend below 500 feet over the water, it attempting flights to places where you may
ronments are unfailingly emphasized as is through the use of an instrument scan to have not gone before simply because you
dangerous places to venture, i.e. thunder- get me to a target. Perhaps I will use a flight can now see more on the tubes. Even if you
storms. For helicopters, the opportunity to director, but I will always have set limits, are not going to be operating over water,
go inadvertent IMC is much easier since placed error traps, and have a well-briefed be aware that the Abyss has relatives, and
the ceiling and visibility requirements safety pilot to hold the line (sorry folks, I going “green” is not going to always counter
are less restrictive due to a helo’s unique am one of those that is a real fan of dual- their similar hazards. If I had to look into
maneuvering capabilities. If one is going to piloted instrument flight in helicopters). my crystal ball, I would say that the incor-
make a profession out of flying helicopters, Even when I am instructing in the poration of NVGs is not going to curtail
just know that when it comes to inadver- Abyss on NVGs with a full moon out, I can many inadvertent IMC-related accidents
tent IMC, there are two types of pilots out be on the controls and easily distract copi- in a certain industry that seems so des-
there: those that have done it and those lots of all experience levels long enough perate to get them. NVGs will certainly
that will; especially if pilots are taught they to fly them uncomfortably close to the help in some cases, but the combination
need only analyze clouds and visibility for water or to trip their RadAlt warning horn. of existing regulations, inexperienced yet
legally qualified pilots operating alone, and pilot develops the ability to see the mental VFR). In the U.S., such an event is legal,
the self-imposed pressures driven by the picture that flight instruments provide, he sort of.
pursuit of profits will continue to open an or she will also develop an appreciation The mindset you begin a flight with is
ample number of avenues to circumvent for how fast these new skills may become critical. The intent is to adequately estab-
sound judgment. There is little doubt that degraded from disuse. But with knowledge lish this environment as one to venture
NVGs enhance safety in our profession, comes power, and now that they are armed into with great caution, no matter what
but they also come with a new set of with these new abilities and certifications, level of experience or qualifications you
challenges and will best be discussed in a their confidence is strengthened. Now may have. For the inexperienced, don’t just
separate article. inadvertent IMC doesn’t look so evil, and point to rules to justify your presence if you
Eventually, pilots may undertake instru- if it is encountered on a VFR flight, then all find yourself in degraded visual environ-
ment flight training and on day one the one must do then is start working in the ol’ ments. Don’t treat your instrument skills as
mystery of flying in a degraded visual envi- instrument scan and make a radio call to a backup plan and recognize the potential
ronment unveils itself as the pilot begins ATC for some vectors, right? early by digging a little deeper during your
to learn the complexities of this discipline. What if it has been five months since flight planning so as to anticipate IMC. If
One becomes exposed to the procedures you have flown at night or even practiced you don’t, just remember, the Abyss and its
and techniques for safely operating aircraft instruments? Couple that with flying off- relatives patiently await you.
with no outside references and overcom- shore, heading GPS direct on the modes, The views expressed herein are those
ing the sensations of flight that create illu- well outside of radar coverage, and not of the author and are not to be construed
sions. Illusions with complicated names even talking to ATC. Sprinkle on some IFR as official or reflecting the views of the
like “somatogyral” or “somatogravic” with equipment being degraded or inopera- commandant or the U.S. Coast Guard.
pilot-given names like “the leans” or “false tive (which was acceptable in your mind LCDR Dan Deutermann is a Flight
climbs” will quickly overwhelm a visual- at takeoff because no significant weather Safety Officer who currently flies the
only reference pilot. Hopefully, as the was forecasted and you are, after all, flying MH-65C Dolphin.
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t requires no great leap of faith to of the above,” but their efforts are coordi- are OGP members, they are usually not
accept that the business of flying nated by a group of 18 men and women involved in this particular subcommittee’s
offshore oil & gas operations can representing the International Associa- work. The group reports to the OGP’s
be safer in some parts of the world tion of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP). The Management committee through the
than in others. Developing new energy main contributors to the work of the Safety Committee.
resources is an ever-more challenging OGP Aviation Subcommittee are the oil The principal objective of the ASC is
task and, to get the stuff out of the ground, majors—Shell, Exxon, Chevron and so on. that oil workers flying in offshore helicop-
partnerships often have to be struck with And although it can only issue guidelines ters should be at no greater risk of dying
governments, national oil companies and rather than impose standards, the ASC in an accident than if they were flying
helicopter operators who might not be as now wields significant clout in the offshore on vacation. With cooperation from all
familiar with “western” standards as oth- industry. stakeholders, it is driving for a rate better
ers. But who drives improvements in the With the longest-established aviation than one fatal accident per million flying
riskier areas of production while, at the standards division in the world, Shell takes hours. The airline rate hovers around that
same time, monitoring standards in the a leading part in much of its work (see side- level—and that’s globally, not just the major
more developed areas? These national oil bar, page 42). In fact, most of its standards carriers (see table on page 41).
companies? The relevant regulators? The have been adopted chapter-and-verse by In the past, the committee argued,
operators? Their “big oil” customers? the subcommittee. While many of the the helicopter industr y had be en
The answer, to varying extents, is “all smaller national oil companies (NOC) under-funde d and complacent in
are extremely variable.” Stevens has just bit. Once they’re over it, they’re up and
finished running a small strategy review running.” As a result of this drive, argu-
group within the ASC, which has con- ably, AgustaWestland has carved a niche
cluded that it was relevant and supported with its new-generation AW139—Bristow
by a reasonable suite of advice ordered three of them at Helitech in Octo-
and guidance tools. “The ber (two were delivered in December) and
issue, as ever, is simply anticipates requiring scores more over the
one of implementation, next year or so. Eurocopter’s EC155 is also
particularly among the well-regarded. Legacy types such as the
national oil companies. We Sikorsky S-76 and Bell 412 are now less
are embarking on a process popular offshore.
of education, which is The OGP format can be particularly
intended to open the useful when it seeks improvements in a
eyes of their senior region where several of its members are
management to the involved. For example, if one oil company
fact that if they do expects its people to fly only in HUMS-
have an aviation opera- fitted helicopters, this may be difficult to
tion, there is a risk. achieve if it only contracts a few aircraft in
“The danger is that a number of people a specific region. If its total fleet is 10 times
improving safety, and regulatory improve- have been extremely lucky—so far they that, there is little incentive for the operator
ments had been insufficient and incon- haven’t had an accident. It’s only when you to comply. If however, the oil companies
sistent. Its analysts calculated the baseline open the senior management’s eyes to their band together to demand HUMS-fitted
accident rate for offshore helicopter opera- liability, the wider implications of having an helicopters, then the initiative may cover
tions was 20 per million flight hours and accident—including loss of production and 50–60 of those helicopters and be much
the baseline fatal accident rate was seven reputation—that you start being listened easier to manage.
per million flight hours, with both rising. to. In certain parts of the world the national
Those rates cost the oil and gas industry an authorities, including the governments, Taking Regulators to Task
unacceptable number of lives—and mil- are not as attuned to risk as we now are. Such improvements can be driven by the
lions of dollars—each year. National regulation is extremely limited.” OGP whenever regulation is perceived
Several areas were identified for The OGP compensates for that by as not sufficiently proactive. Stevens can
improvements in airframe design, training, ensuring that its guidelines exceed most, if identify instances during its own incident
management and equipment (see table). not all, national regulatory requirements. It and accident investigations, where he
Applying all of them, Shell estimated, spends a lot of time emphasizing the need believes regulators should have regulated,
would cut the accident rate to 3.2 per mil- to go the extra mile in managing and miti- but didn’t. “One investigation we have
lion flight hours and the fatal accident rate gating risk. “At a national oil company you conducted determined that helicopter
to 1.1 per million flight hours. That would don’t have that driver. Most international simulators are not fully representative of
save the lives of more than 200 offshore oil companies will coordinate with their part- the aircraft in certain emergency situa-
and gas workers over 10 years. ners as a matter of routine.” tions. Clearly, therefore, there is a danger
OGP members adopted the Shell stan- By virtue of its organization, says Ste- of picking up the wrong techniques during
dards. In turn, they committed to paying vens, Shell probably does more than most, simulator training.
the higher contract rates dictated by these but most oil companies demand something “We are working to get the regulators
higher design, performance, and equip- now. “If you look at the Gulf of Mexico now to be more prescriptive in this area and to
ment requirements. for instance, you will see a totally differ- ensure that the flight test data and model-
ent picture than you would have even five ing used by the simulator manufacturers
Lower Accident Rates years ago. In large part, Super Pumas have accurately represents the real aircraft.”
The end justifies the means. Mark Stevens, replaced Jet Rangers. In the field of flight
Shell Aviation air safety and global projects deck monitoring, for instance, at one point Fatal Accidents per Million
director, says: “We have proven statistically Bristow was pre-eminent but PHI is now in Flight Hours (latest OGP
a very strong position.
analysis)
that OGP members have a better accident
rate than the oil & gas industry as a whole, “We’ve been banging on for years about Commercial Airline: 0.9
and active members of the ASC maintain our contract requirements and they’ve Commuter Airline: 3.0
a still-lower one. They are more aware of got the message that it’s not just about Offshore Helicopter: 5.7
the risks inherent in aviation and how to pleasing Shell or Exxon or whatever— Oil Industry (All Activity): 7.7
mitigate against them—even though the they realize the benefits to themselves. It’s
Seismic Operations: 21.9
levels of implementation across the OGP getting over that hump that’s the difficult
VHMS is so successful that the U.S. Army’s 159th Combat Aviation Brigade
achieved a 27% increase in missions accomplished on their BLACK HAWKS
while sustaining an operational readiness rate of 89%.
For every aspect of your helicopter operations, you can depend on Goodrich.
Mission critical systems for defense.
K
orean War helicopter pilot, and Vietnam War memorabilia from his the battlefield and transporting them to
World War II fighter pilot, 50-plus years in the aviation industry. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH)
author, artist, great-grand- His new book, “MASH Angles”—pub- units. The H-13, a military variant of the
father. Many people would lished by Burford Books in late 2009—pro- Bell 47, was also used in Korea. Many of the
relish in accomplishing just one of these vides a detailed account of life in a helicop- medevac ops would take place in Korean-
goals. For Richard C. Kirkland, that’s just ter emergency medical services (HEMS) controlled territory, and the helicopter
where his story begins. Among his hon- unit in the Korean War. Kirkland’s unit— played a new and integral role in the war.
ors are the Distinguished Flying Cross, the 8055 MASH with the 3rd Air Rescue Helicopters from the 3rd Air Rescue
six Air Medals and the U.S. Air Force Group—helped pave the way for modern Group “were given credit for picking up
Commendation Medal. Rotor & Wing military HEMS operators. He flew the 846 pilots and aircrew from behind enemy
visited Kirkland recently at his home in Sikorsky R-5 (H-5 after 1948, S-51 in com- lines,” Kirkland explains, adding that the
Vienna, Va., where his basement features mercial designation) and H-19 Chicka- group rescued 8,373 soldiers from the front
an “aviation gallery,” filled with helicopter saw during the Korean War, picking up lines and transported them to the mobile
and aircraft models and WWII, Korea downed pilots and injured soldiers from hospitals. “Quite a feat for a handful of
taxi drivers,” he says. Kirkland served with
Capt. Sam Gilfand, who was the basis for
the fictional character “Hawkeye” in the
popular 1970s television series, M*A*S*H,
that was based off a Richard Hooker novel.
“They were real people,” Kirkland says.
“The reason we called him Hawkeye is he
could take a wounded [patient] and see
stuff no one else could see. He could save a
patient when no one else could,” Kirkland
says, pointing to a picture of Hawkeye,
“Trapper” (Capt. Michael Johnson in real
life) and himself (see photo page 45). While
noting that Hooker exaggerated “quite
a bit,” in writing the fictional characters,
Andrew D. Parker
From left to right, Kirkland, Capt. Michael Johnson (Trapper) and Capt. Sam Capt. Kirkland takes off in a Sikorsky H-5 from the 8055 MASH. The
Gilfand (Hawkeye) in front of the officer’s quarter’s tents at 8055 MASH aluminum pods were used to transport patients from the battlefield to the
during the Korean War in spring 1953. mobile medical units.
Kirkland says Gilfand “was a great guy, a sions in WWII and 69 in Korea. He initially the Army Air Corps cadet program.” After
great surgeon … and a great prankster, too.” got into flying after joining the Army when WWII, Kirkland flew “many different
While the book and TV series provided WWII came to America. kinds” of aircraft up until the Korean War,
the story from the doctors on the ground, “The country was basically isolation- when he joined the MASH unit.
“it didn’t really get into the helicopter part. ist when the war broke out,” he recalls.
That was a really important part,” he adds. “Nobody wanted it, but when they bombed Inside the MASH
An author of four published books— Pearl Harbor, it changed overnight. Every- The MASH helicopters were given mis-
”MASH Angels,” “War Pilot,” “Tales of body just signed up. In some places, you sions by Army headquarters to fly to one
a War Pilot” and “Tales of a Helicopter had to stand in line for two days just to sign of a number of pre-determined base camp
Pilot”—Kirkland spends most of his time up.” He decided to apply as a pilot. “They locations.
these days writing and painting, chroni- would divide us up into groups—bomber “They would call us on a landline—we
cling his experiences. Each one of the other pilot, fighter pilot, reconnaissance pilot, had a phone right in our tent—and say
books contains anywhere from 15–20 transport pilot. I wanted to be a fighter pilot there’s a wounded soldier at spot number
short stories, except “MASH Angels,” and was fortunate enough to get it through 23 [or K-23]. We would go and pick him
which is one cohesive story from cover-
to-cover. List of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft that Richard C. Kirkland has
He’d been aiming to write “MASH flown, in order of date, according to his recollection:
Angels” for some time “because it was Helicopters Lockheed P-38 Lightning
a story that just needed to be told. It’s Sikorsky R-5/H-5/S-51 Piper L-4 Grasshopper
another part of that great story that hasn’t Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
Kaman H-43 Bell P-39 Airacobra
been told. It lays the groundwork for the
Piasecki H-21 Bell P-63 Kingcobra
current air medical helicopter program Hughes 300 Fairchild C-82 Packet
that’s all around the world now, and it Hughes 500/500N Douglas C-47 Skytrain
began in Korea.” Bell HU-1 Huey (changed to UH-1 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Iroquois in 1962) Stinson L-5 Sentinel
Flying Roots Stinson L-13
“My dad used to say, if you’re lucky you’ve Fixed-Wing Aircraft Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
Boeing PT-18 trainer C-45 Expeditor/Beechcraft Model 18
got the world by the tail, but if you’re not,
Vultee BT-13 Valiant trainer de Havilland L-20 Beaver
you’re in deep trouble. And I’m lucky. North American B-25 Mitchell bomber
Because I’ve gone through an awful lot,” Beechcraft AT-6 advanced trainer
Saab T-17 trainer Martin B-26 Marauder
Kirkland says, including 103 combat mis-
days, but back then he “had an advan- program at George Mason University, the
tage. [Former Washington Redskins Aeronautical Society of Vienna, and other
Quarterback] Joe Theismann was my local Rotary and Kiwanis-type events.
neighbor. So I think they figured if it was “They love to have me come because
all right with Joe, it must be OK.” they’re not too many people left, I’m one
of the fortunate ones,” he says, pausing for
Family Man a second. “There’s only two people in my
After retiring his wings in 1992, Kirkland squadron that are still alive, and I’m 86
has stayed out of the cockpit. “When I years old.” People who are history buffs
walked away after 50 years of flying, I’d had really seem to appreciate the stories, he
a great career and enjoyed it. Well, there adds. “It’s fun, I enjoy it.”
were some parts I didn’t enjoy so much, Above all, Kirkland is a family man—by
but when I walked away, I said, ‘That’s it, far the most important role he’s played.
I’m through,’ and I haven’t flown since,” he With nine kids, 16 grandchildren and two
Aircraft, Kirk- explains, adding that he still won’t take to great-grandchildren, it’s hard to imagine
land kept a Hughes 500 the air—except on commercial airlines as where he finds the time to write memoirs
in his back yard in Vienna. In addition to a passenger. and paint memories. Spending even a little
company business, he would occasionally “It’s just that I did that, and loved it. But time talking to Kirkland reveals his great
fly his wife, Maria, various places instead everything has an end to it and I shifted appreciation for his wife of 35 years. The
of driving, many times landing in a parking to writing books and painting pictures.” dedication on the third page of “MASH
lot or field near a park, restaurant, or hotel. He still speaks at local organization meet- Angels” helps to sum up his feelings, thank-
Of course, Kirkland wouldn’t be allowed ings around his community, such as the ing Maria “for her continued encourage-
to fly a helicopter from his back yard these McLean Historical Society, the adult ment and inspiration.”
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EUROPEAN
HELO INDUSTRY
STRIVES
TO IMPROVE
SAFETY
At the European Aviation Safety
Agency’s (EASA) third Rotorcraft
Symposium in Cologne, Germany
in December 2009, the European
helicopter industry continued an
By Thierry Dubois open dialogue to improve safety.
I
nitiatives from various parts of (EMS) operators, which are still regrouped engine helicopters.
the world were discussed at the in the European HEMS and air ambulance “Aerial work, private, air taxi and cor-
European Aviation Safety Agency committee (EHAC). Negotiations to inte- porate operations have suffered a major
(EASA)’s third rotorcraft sympo- grate EHAC into NewEHA failed at the drop in demand since the economic slump
sium in Cologne, Germany in December. last minute, in September 2009. NewEHA began,” Morassi stated. EMS, firefighting
Offshore operations are still a major focus, is based in Cologne. and civil protection operations have been
but some speakers warned that real prob- In Europe, 2,000 companies operate stagnating. Businesses involved in such
lems may be somewhat below the radar— a total of 6,960 helicopters. Two-thirds of operations have been doing fine “only
at small operators and/or in remote areas. them have only one aircraft in their fleet. where they benefit from stable relation-
Vittorio Morassi, chairman of newEHA, The European fleet is used for commercial ships and long-term contracts.” Offshore
gave an updated picture of the European missions (28 percent), public service (21 flights for oil and gas companies remain
industry. NewEHA (the New European percent), private flights (16 percent), EMS steady. “Overall, this situation has caused a
Helicopter Association) is the association (10 percent), offshore oil and gas (4 per- lot of job cuts,” Morassi said.
that represents European helicopter opera- cent) and other operations (21 percent). A number of rules impacting heli-
tors, except emergency medical services About half of the fleet is made of single- copters are in the making in the Euro-
pean Union now. “Helicopters are being operating procedures (SOPs), EHEST rep- a flight phase, such as approach. The pass/
included in the EU emission trading resentatives said. fail criterion was approximately 30 percent
scheme (ETS) only for political reasons, spare time available for normal operation.
to please the environmentalists,” Morassi Focus on Training Therefore, some emergency procedures
complained. Another recommendation is to focus were revised so the workload never reached
Regarding CO trading, Morassi said on training to improve pilot decision- 100 percent. “They are now more easily
helicopters below 5,700 kilos (12,555 making before and after inadvertent entry handled by a single pilot,” Paolucci said.
pounds) of MOTW are excluded from into instrument meteorological conditions Bernardino Paggi, an AgustaWestland
the European Union ETS. Still to be con- (IMC). The importance of mission prepa- specialist in new flight test methodologies,
firmed is that operators emitting less than ration and the benefits of installing flight presented how the AW139 was tested
10,000 metric tons of CO per year will be data recorders (FDR) and conducting for category A offshore takeoff and land-
allowed to use a simplified reporting pro- flight data monitoring (FDM, also known ing procedures. EASA approved such
cedure. The 10,000-ton threshold equates as flight operations quality assurance) were operations in July 2009. “We wanted no
to 7,100 pounds of fuel used. highlighted. procedural change between all-engine-
The OPS regulation, which EASA Commercial air transport, including operative and one-engine-inoperative,”
is working on for aircraft operations, is EMS, accounted for 19 percent of the Paggi emphasized. Quite simply, in case of
at the NPA (notice of proposed amend- accidents EHEST has analyzed. General an engine failure, the pilot should not do
ment) stage. NewEHA has requested that aviation accounted for 45 percent, while anything unusual. Otherwise this could
rotorcraft specificity should be taken into aerial work’s contribution was 32 percent. have disturbing aerodynamic effects, Paggi
account. In response, EASA has appointed State flights accounted for four percent. said. AgustaWestland chose to allow some
two “focal points” for general aviation and (See chart page 50.) depletion in the rotor’s rotation speed.
helicopters. There also has been a long- Robert Carter, principal inspector of Tests showed that tail clearance to the
standing disagreement on single-engine air accidents at the UK’s Air Accidents deck’s edge was about 100 meters (330
operations over hostile environments. The Investigation Branch (AAIB), confirmed feet) in the worst-case scenario. This is
industry finds current rules too restrictive. that FDRs have been extremely helpful in when the engine fails at 17 feet, followed
EASA is prepared to reconsider the matter, recent investigations. However, such data by the decision to continue takeoff. The
according to Morassi. “cannot do everything and sometimes takeoff decision point is at 20 feet. The
Some 14,000 comments have been make the investigation even more com- difference between the 17- and 20-foot
received, EASA air operations officer Willy plex,” he said. One probe used data from heights represent the pilot’s reaction time.
Sigl said. First draft rules should appear the helicopter health and usage monitor- Should the engine fail at 15 feet, the takeoff
in April of this year. Then, in October, the ing system (HUMS). It proved useful but should be rejected.
agency will publish a comment response difficult to understand. “Investigations are “We chose a low takeoff decision point
document. The new regulation is to be as complex as ever,” Carter insisted. to ensure the best helideck sight in case of
adopted in 2012. a rejected takeoff,” Paggi said. The 30-foot
NewEHA is also requesting to be More Offshore Ops rotation point is 10 feet higher than the
involved in the development of specific Another helicopter that has become takeoff decision point to allow longer pilot
flight and duty time limitations for gen- common in offshore operations is the reaction time for continued takeoff. It
eral aviation and helicopter operations. AgustaWestland AW139 medium twin. allows a greater deck edge clearance, too.
“Airline rules do not suit our needs. Please Francesco Paolucci, a flight test engineer At the 15,000-pound MTOW, the
keep rules affordable and proportionate,” with the Italian Civil Aviation Authority maximum drop-down was 40 feet. This
Morassi urged EASA. He praised EASA (ENAC) and Nicola Pecile, an Italian Air provides enough height above the sea, tak-
and the European Helicopter Safety Team Force experimental test pilot, explained ing into account the deck’s height.
(EHEST) for working out “recommenda- how the 2006 certification for IFR/night In case of a balked landing, which
tions that are suitable.” VFR single pilot operations was obtained. should take place somewhat laterally away
The EHEST, a component of the Inter- The AW139 had been certified for IFR/ from the deck, the helicopter is never lower
national Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) night VFR dual-pilot and day VFR single than the helideck level, Paggi said.
that aims at cutting the helicopter accident pilot operations in 2003. In the meantime,
rate by 80 percent by 2016, is issuing “con- a new, four-display cockpit configuration TCAS
solidated recommendations” from a wide- had become available, making it eligible for One more valuable insight into off-
ranging accident data analysis. It is thus extended single-pilot operations. shore safety was given by Bristow head of
encouraging the use of safety management Paolucci, Pecile and their team focused centralized engineering Mark Plunkett,
systems (SMS), “based on real safety cul- on pilot workload. The method added the who detailed how a second-generation
ture including risk management and codes time spent in primary tasks (flight con- traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS
of practice.” Moreover, operators should be trols) and auxiliary tasks (communication, II) was fitted onto a helicopter—an AS332
encouraged to establish and apply standard navigation, etc.) over the total duration of Super Puma. Such an installation was until
Chart on the left shows that commercial air transport, including helicopter EMS, accounted for 19 percent of the accidents EHSAT analyzed, with general aviation accounting for 45
percent and aerial work at 32 percent. Incidents most likely occurred during enroute phase of flight, followed by approach/landing, maneuvering and takeoff, as shown on right.
recently deemed impossible. Regulation an update on the experimental period Maintenance Challenges
states that helicopters cannot comply with that began in December for the auto- Giving a different mood to the sym-
TCAS II avoidance procedures, due to a matic dependent surveillance-broadcast posium, Christophe Cubières, a Bureau
lack of performance. (ADS-B) system in the Gulf of Mexico. It Veritas senior engineer, pointed out that
Yet, there is a need. First-genera- is hoped to improve traffic and weather the real world is quite different from the
tion TCAS can’t be relied on for evasive information for helicopters flying to and regulators’ expectations. Bureau Veritas
maneuvers. It is just considered an aid to from offshore rigs. Due to the distance has audited 45 rotorcraft operators in
visually spotting traffic. Yet, in the North from the shore, there is very limited radio recent years. These audits took place in
Sea, “visibility is not great,” as Plunkett coverage and no radar coverage. Position Europe, Russia, the Americas, Asia, the
put it. The need is widespread. In Nigeria, and weather reporting have been continu- Middle East and Africa.
there were 32 airproxes in a few years in ing issues. Moreover, instrument condi- Cubières and his team have seen recur-
the early 2000s. tions exist frequently. rent weaknesses in quality assurance. “It is
Bristow and Rockwell Collins engi- Yet, the Gulf of Mexico is the place for supposed not only to survey the compli-
neers proved the operator’s helicopters some 3,000 operations per day for the U.S. ance of the organization to the regulation
can perform as required. They found a only, Shilling said. To report helicopter but also to measure and improve its per-
place to install the antenna, behind the progress on its route, the existing process is formance,” Cubières pointed out. Except
main rotor. In flight tests, they demon- “convoluted,” Shilling said, as it involves sat- for large operators, SMS will remain a
strated the absence of any blanking. They ellite phones. To ensure aircraft separation, “dusty and pre-formatted book on a shelf,”
were awarded the first EASA supple- the airspace is divided into grid squares of Cubières worried, due to a lack of knowl-
mental type certificate (STC) ever for a 10 nm by 10 nm. The resulting air traffic edge and insufficient resources.
TCAS II on a helicopter. The first TCAS control (ATC) capacity is very small—10 Maintenance training is noted to be
II-equipped Super Puma started operat- aircraft at a time. “weak.” Cubières sees a lack of formalized
ing in the spring of 2008. The FAA and local operators place great standards. He also emphasized a lack of
Bristow is now moving to other types. hopes in ADS-B. The relatively simple sys- records.
A Sikorsky S-92 with the antenna located tem has been used by some fixed-wing In Europe, EASA should bring national
above the windshield is close to flight aircraft operators. It periodically transmits authorities closer to operators, Cubières
testing. There are also plans for another information without any pilot or operator suggested. It also should be “more involved
Super Puma variant and the Sikorsky S-76. input. The position and the velocity vector in practical airworthiness matters.”
What about OEMs offering TCAS II on are derived from the GPS. The transmitted David Downey, Bell Helicopter’s vice
new helicopters? “There was skepticism information is available to anyone with the president for flight operation/safety,
but manufacturers’ interest is growing,” appropriate receiving equipment. expressed a concern that the three major
Plunkett said. The painstaking grid scheme thus authorities frame airworthiness directive
becomes useless. The main challenge is (AD) compliance as if there is a major air-
ADS-B not to equip helicopters but offshore plat- line maintenance organization capability.
Offshore safety was decidedly a major forms. Relays are needed on the surface but “The infrastructure for engineers (mainte-
focus at the symposium, as FAA rotorcraft space is scarce on the rigs. Final rules are to nance personnel) to actually comply with
directorate manager Mark Shilling gave be issued in this month. alert service bulletins outside of North
America and the EU is very different. and real aircraft has not been as attractive analyzed 297 business aviation accidents
There are 120 countries or so where Bell as for airplanes,” Del Ghingaro said. and determined that more than one-third
has helicopters.” This may be changing. FSTDs are could have been prevented, if the operator
There is still no Internet access in becoming cheaper to use, according to had implemented IS-BAO, Humphries
many places. “If an operator is flying out in Del Ghingaro. Simultaneously, FSTD asserted. “Insurance companies are start-
remote areas—it can take a year before air- standards are becoming more harmo- ing to understand by cutting premiums,”
worthiness directives actually get to a small nized [see related story on page 12]. he said.
operator flying seismic surveys in Papua Technology is helping, too. Simulating IS-BAO has been in use for fixed-wing
New Guinea,” Downey told Rotor & Wing. the flight of a helicopter is highly complex. operators for some time, and “minimal
In Nepal, the national aviation authority Now, the software and hardware to run adjustment” is needed for the helicop-
only employs two people to oversee com- these real-time models are available at ter industry. IS-BAO is based on ICAO
mercial operations, according to Downey. lower cost. standards and recommended practices. It
At a small operator, a single person can Similarly, visual aspects are more also draws from corporate best practices,
be both the pilot and the mechanic. There- important for helicopter operations, regulations and guidance. Finally, it tailors
fore, Bell Product Support strives to make which take place closer to the ground. ISO9000 principles to aviation. It is already
maintenance as easy as possible for these Simulators thus need larger fields of view recognized as a standard by the European
operators. “We try to avoid special tools and better details. “Visual system technol- Committee for Standardization (CEN).
like an expensive magnifier. We try to use ogy is now available to provide high-fideli- For successful implementation,
tools the operator can find in his standard ty helicopter training,” Del Ghingaro said. “You need commitment from the top,”
toolbox or can be locally procured,” he Humphries emphasized. Implementation
summarized. One of Bell’s ongoing safety SMS and ISBAO starts with a safety risk profile and gap
initiatives is the development of a cockpit Brian Humphries, who is both the analysis. Hazard identification, analysis
information recorder. It can be used for chairman of the British Helicopter Associ- and mitigation then becomes a continu-
flight data monitoring (i.e. quality assur- ation (BHA) and the CEO of the European ous process. IS-BAO was developed and is
ance) and accident investigation. A feature Business Aviation Association (EBAA), administered by the International Business
is that images of the instrument panel can presented the International Standard for Aviation Council (IBAC). IBAC is a coun-
be read by optical recognition software and Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) as cil regrouping 15 business aviation associa-
in turn, can generate graphs. a proven SMS approach available to the tions from around the wold. It represents
helicopter industry. This kind of effort is business aviation at ICAO.
Simulation worth it, he insisted. For example, the fatal There are now more than 200 business
Could flight simulators contribute to accident rate in the North Sea has been aviation operators registered. For newcom-
the targeted safety improvement? Thales halved since the 1980s, notably due to the ers, support is available from other IS-BAO
Training & Simulation program man- use of SMS. IS-BAO is suitable to both registered organizations and IBAC experts.
ager for FSTD (flight simulation training small and large operators. There are approximately 100 auditors
device) development Bernard Del Ghin- Humphries introduced IS-BAO as a around the world, accredited and moni-
garo believes so. He explained how and professional code of practice. A report tored by IBAC.
why the use of simulators may well grow
from small to significant.
“Training is the top category for the Unmanned Ruling
EHEST’s recommendations,” he said. EASA rulemaking officer David Haddon unveiled EASA’s philosophy in a sec-
One benefit of using simulators is heli- tor that could become significant over the coming decades—unmanned aircraft
copters are thus kept for revenue flights. systems (UAS). There are currently 257 unmanned rotorcraft types at various
Moreover, the instructor commands the stages of development or in service in the world. A notable portion of them are
environment, notably in terms of traffic candidates for civil roles, he said.
and weather. Simulators also enable safer “Their safety is not demonstrated but manufacturers face a Catch-22 situation,”
training when it comes to tailrotor failure, Haddon pointed out. Regulators are not willing to develop rules before a need is
entry into IMC and autorotations. Still, in established for such aircraft. But these companies do not want to invest without
a full flight simulator, the trainee will be the assurance a design can be certified and operated in a civil activity, Haddon
closer to the reality of a malfunction. stressed.
“In a real helicopter, malfunctions are “EASA wants to break this Catch-22 situation,” he said. A principle is that base
fake. In a simulator, malfunctions are real,” certification specifications will be chosen from kinetic energy equivalent. A lot
Del Ghingaro said. still has to be worked out. For example, what could be safe separation distances?
Yet, in Europe, only 14 full flight simu- “EASA is committed to develop rules for civil UAS but they will be allowed to
lators can be found for civil helicopters. operate only if they demonstrate equivalent safety to manned aircraft,” Haddon
“Historically, the cost ratio between FSTDs stated. He insisted that the industry must get it right the first time.
FROM Mozart
TO Huey
G
erry Ventrella has piloted 41 Hello Huey Huey, graduating in February 1969. One
different aircraft—fixed and month later the 20-year-old was a Huey
rotary wing—in as many years. A boyish curiosity about aircraft led him “Slick” pilot in Vietnam, flying combat
He’s flown combat missions to request fixed-wing mechanic school, assault, extraction and re-supply mis-
across the globe. He’s been nominated but helicopters flying overhead during sions for the 1st Air Cavalry Division. His
for multiple aviation halls of fame. When basic training captivated him. “I heard sto- company’s call sign was “Chickenman”, a
asked to consider his career, the 61-year- ries about helicopter mechanics getting to humerous nod to the 1966 radio series
old Chicagoan shrugged. “I haven’t done fly missions with flight crews,” he said. “So spoof of Batman (see photo on page 53.)
anything special,” he said. “But it does I applied for a transfer.” Ventrella was thrilled by flying, and
seem pretty bizarre, considering all I ever After basic training he completed refined his skills and techniques such as
wanted to do was teach music.” Bell UH-1 Iroquois and Boeing CH-47 low-level and formation flight. “There
“My parents were musically inclined, Chinook maintenance courses. He was were no nav-aids other than the occa-
and I was drawn in that direction,” he about to deploy as a mechanic when he sional non-directional beacon,” he point-
explained. “The French horn was my risked applying to flight school. “I didn’t ed out. “It was all good old-fashioned
instrument, and Mozart’s concertos think I would pass the application test,” he pilotage and dead reckoning.” But it was
were my favorite to play.” How did he recalled. He did, and soon found himself on-the-job training, with a heavy price. “I
take a seismic leap from horn concertos in the first phase of flight training. saw terrible things,” he said. “Some good
to helicopters? Speaking to him at the friends died.”
Chicago Brauhaus, over an assortment of White-Winged Warrior Ventrella doesn’t dwell on the brutality
photographs dating back to the 1960s, it The rotary valves of his French horn were of war, and punctuates even dark memo-
became clear that the key to the answer forgotten as he took up the balsa-wood ries with humor. During one mission, his
lies with a nickname: Huey. “When I rotor blades of the 1951 Bell OH-13, helicopter was hit by enemy gunfire and
graduated high school in ‘66, we were a Korean War veteran and star of the he landed in a field. With a battle raging
at war in Vietnam,” he said, lifting a popular 1950s TV show Whirlybirds. nearby, his copilot and gunner took the
photo of a helicopter emblazoned with a “I remember the show,” Ventrella said. downed Huey’s M60 machine guns and
chicken. “I felt a patriotic duty, so I joined “I was flying a historic warbird!” During boarded a sister ship, leaving Ventrella
the Army.” advanced training he transitioned to the and his crew chief vulnerable as they wait-
A Teacher is Born
Ventrella went back to Fort Eustis, Va.,
where he’d first learned about helicopters.
Three years and a Bronze Star later he was
there to teach flight controls, test flight
procedures and rotary-wing aerodynam-
ics. “I still loved music,” he said. “But avia-
tion was my life.”
Through the G.I. Bill he earned a fixed-
wing commercial license, followed by a CFI
and CFII. He worked for several years as a
fixed-wing instructor at Chicago’s Midway
Intl Airport (MDW) before becoming an
aviation safety inspector for the FAA, and
then a designated pilot examiner (DPE).
“I enjoyed civilian flying,” Ventrella said.
“But I missed military helicopter opera-
tions, so I joined the Reserves.” He taught
fixed and rotary-wing flight to reservists
Ventrella’s 227th Assault Battalion in Vietnam, part of the 1st Air Cavalry Division, carried the
and reverted to his military rank on mis- call sign “Chickenman,” as seen in this photo taken of Huey maintenance in 1969.
sions in the U.S., Honduras and Egypt, hap-
pily flying Hueys again.
By 1983 he was a chief warrant officer ed for long. He beat the cancer, received neutralize) combats improvised explosive
4 (CW4), a senior-level expert in aviation. his first class medical certificate, and was devices (IEDs) with reconnaissance.
When his reserve command was deacti- back to work (as a contract pilot, flight Fi xe d - w i n g a s s e t s , i n c l u d i n g
vated in 1997, he continued civilian work instructor, weather observer and DPE) in unmanned General Atomics Warriors
as the Army placed him in the Individual 2002. He was 55 years old and eager to and modified Beech/Raytheon Hurons,
Ready Reserve. return to the military. He got his wish— are coordinated with rotary assets such
by 2005, he was back in the Reserves. He as the Boeing AH-64 Apache into a
The Enemy Within continued working and wondered if he “persistent stare,” allowing combat com-
During a routine flight physical in 2001, would be activated. manders to stealthily observe insurgents
he faced his deadliest enemy yet. It was as they scout locations for IEDs. The unit
cancer, and it was closing in on his carotid Soldier On needed experienced pilots and having
artery—the doctor told him he would In 2006, a specialized counter-insurgency instructed in the Huron, Ventrella was
never fly again. battalion was ramping up in Iraq (see ideal. He arrived at Camp Speicher in
Undaunted, he tracked down a spe- Rotor & Wing, “Spies In The Sky,” May northern Iraq in January 2007. It had been
cialist and underwent surgeries, chemo- 2007). U.S. Army Task Force ODIN nearly 40 years since he had first gone to
therapy and radiation. He wasn’t ground- (short for observe, detect, identify and war, and the landscape shift from jungle
From left to right, Lonnie Clark, D company, 227th Battalion, Ventrella and Ken Inabnit, 1st Brigade
“Flying Circus.” All three Iraq veterans served in the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam in 1969.
experience to make the company and the to set the autopilot, they’d be alive.”
task force a better organization,” enthused He gives safety talks and courtesy
Maj. Mike Milo, executive officer of Ven- checks to pilots in flight schools, flying
to desert was dramatic, both literally and trella’s brigade company. clubs and law enforcement agencies,
figuratively. After his final mission, Ventrella was including the U.S. Coast Guard and the
In Vietnam, Ventrella interacted with given an award from the commander of Chicago Police Department. “I try to
the infantry he supported every day. “We the 1st Armored Division, and his 19th pass on lessons learned from accident
were going directly into hot LZs with Air Medal. As he touched down on the investigations, prevention courses and my
troops and pulling them out under hostile runway at Camp Speicher for the last experience as a weather observer.”
fire,” he noted. Unlike other pilots, who time, he was met by the salutes of fellow
returned to their ships after battle, Army aviators, who lined the taxiway in a show Hall of Fame
pilots like Ventrella “lived with our guys of respect. Military retirement hasn’t slowed Ven-
on the ground, eating C-rations cooked Soon after returning home, he was trella down. He is scheduled for induction
over cans of dirt mixed with jet fuel and retired from service as he reached the into the Illinois Military Aviation Hall of
swapping stories.” Army’s mandatory age of 60. “There was Fame this summer, and was nominated
In Iraq, he piloted the Huron covertly, more to contribute,” he told me. “I didn’t for the 2010 HAI “Salute to Excellence”
offering troops he neither knew nor saw his feel done yet.” And he’s not. safety award. In the words of Lt. Col.
assistance through high reconnaissance. James Jenke (Ret.), who’s known him
Experience keeps the change in per- Safety Rules since 1972, “Gerry Ventrella is the ulti-
spective. “I know the war-fighting value A founding member and board of director mate aviator’s aviator. He sets the stan-
of reconnaissance,” he said. “Even though of the Chicago Flight Instructor Associa- dard in every system he’s ever flown.”
I wasn’t on the front line in Iraq, I realize tion, he completed the University of South- He’s logged more than 14,000 flight
aerial intelligence directly impacts our ern California’s Aviation Safety Officer hours across three continents—nearly
soldiers on the ground.” program in 1976, and has been involved two years in the cockpit. Half of his hours
Ventrella was surprised that two fellow in safety for decades as a CFI, FAA inspec- are fixed-wing, but he considers himself a
pilots had also flown helicopters in the 1st tor and pioneer safety counselor in the helicopter pilot first.
Cavalry Division in Vietnam in 1969. One “Wings” pilot proficiency program. Of all the aircraft he’s flown, the Huey
of them, CW4 Lonnie Clark, had been a “As the Army says, attitudes should is his favorite, and it’s an apt choice.
Bell AH-1 Cobra “Snake” pilot in the same be adjusted to prevention,” he cautioned. Recently retired by the U.S. Army, it’s
battalion, and had probably covered him “The first accident I ever investigated widely described as “durable, versatile
on missions. involved two men and a seven-year-old and able to continue flying after heavy
Ventrella is grateful that he was able to boy. The boy’s father was flying a well- damage.” Sound familiar?
battle through cancer and serve in Iraq, equipped aircraft, but he wasn’t instru- “It’s like an old friend,” Ventrella said
and he’s not alone. “Gerry is always will- ment rated. He got caught in some weath- fondly. “The sound of those blades is bet-
ing to share his aviation knowledge and er and lost control. If he’d just known how ter than Mozart!”
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Safety Watch
By Terry Terrell
T
he business of developing strate- Finally, after interminable suffering, the equipment, most electronic by category,
gies for actions following aviation couple was able to achieve completion has been injected into the aviation mar-
mishaps is not usually a favorite of their awful journey to at least an edge ketplace, contributing substantially to
topic for helicopter operators, but of civilization. Eventually, after several potential survival strategies. Any number
it does represent an area of flight planning, days spent recovering and debriefing, the of “personal locator beacons” can now be
and mission execution, that can prove to group leader became widely lauded for an carried, greatly enhancing the likelihood
be absolutely pivotal where bottom-line extended list of “heroics”, largely imagined that a downed airman or passenger can be
safety concerns are considered. Optimum by an innocently appreciative public. found quickly and easily. Additionally, GPS
strategies dealing with post-crash actions The amazing aspect of this story is not locators are now so common that very few
are usually thought of as so unlikely to be that the uninjured survivor was able to public service organizations, or associated
needed that they receive little attention “force” an eventually successful mobiliza- individuals likely to be involved with search
during mission planning, but the particu- tion to eventual assistance, and that lavish and rescue activities, are not familiar with
lars of one recent anecdote would seem to but misplaced praise was awarded, but that latitude/longitude navigational particulars
illuminate an alternative argument. the victims, and most lay observers, failed and universally standard position locating.
A couple of years ago a news article to appreciate, or even notice, that the rescue And cell phone networks, combined with
came to national light which described helicopter had flown directly to the wreck- handheld radio transceivers accessing any
heroics exhibited by a U.S. Forest Service age of the aircraft, and that the survivors imaginable communications band, make it
employee after the crash of a small aircraft would have realized assistance and rescue increasingly improbable that an air trans-
(it doesn’t matter whether it was an airplane two days earlier than recorded if they had port mishap survivor would ever suddenly
or a helicopter) in the mountains of Mon- stayed with their wreckage. find himself on the ground minus the ability
tana. The Forest Service group leader, it The helicopter community at large to communicate with assistance.
turns out, was one of four persons on board, should be able to draw considerable wis- But the Montana story, availability
as the ill-fated single-engine encountered dom from this story. Operating areas, of of advanced equipment notwithstand-
terrain in a remote setting, at a high eleva- course, are widely variable in terms of envi- ing, provides an opportunity to stress
tion. One occupant was killed on impact, ronmental conditions and population den- a categorically proven and time tested
but three souls survived to deal with some sities, and thinking pilots must always keep cardinal rule of post crash survival. Unless
interesting post-crash challenges. correctly proportioned strategies in mind and until ready assistance can be posi-
A second fatality, after an uncomfort- accordingly. Many flights, taking advan- tively confirmed, ALWAYS STAY IN THE
able night in the cold, imposed itself on tage of the helicopter’s attractive trans- VICINITY OF THE WRECKAGE. The
the group as burns from a post-crash port flexibilities, are conducted in remote downed airframe, whether hosting its own
fire took their toll on another occupant, geographies, and/or challenging weather operating ELT or other beacon, will almost
leaving one survivor with fractures, and conditions. Other operations, for those always be found more quickly (and much
the Forest Service group leader relatively perhaps more fortunate, are conducted in more reliably) than a survivor, or even a
uninjured. The uninjured survivor con- the vicinity of well-populated areas, and group of survivors, on foot.
vinced the fellow with fractures to follow, can offer mission proximities never more Even if an ELT is removed from an
on foot, in a walk out of the mountains, than short distances away from perceived airframe (so that, for instance, it might be
toward envisioned help. access to ready help. Either way, many cases “saved” from a fire threat, and made avail-
During the torturous two-day trek of downed aircraft producing mobile sur- able for “walking” with survivors), and
a helicopter was spotted by the highly vivors involve some element of temptation even if “known” civilization and assistance
stressed pair, and the team leader tried toward the allure of walking in the direction can be reached “just over the next ridge,”
to attract its attention with lots of yelling of imagined comfort and assistance. resist the temptation to strike out on a
and arm waving, but to no avail. Their In recent years a newly upgraded prolif- walking gamble and STAY WITH THE
hellish hike was consigned to continue. eration of contemporarily available survival WRECKAGE!
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Law Enforcement
Notebook
By Frank Lombardi
V
acations are great. They give you 61.57, which, in a nutshell, require you enough actual missions does not preclude
a chance to put the stresses of to have a flight review every 24 months, the need for actual training. There is no
work and daily chores aside for as well as to have accomplished three question that flying mission after mission
awhile and decompress. Occu- takeoffs and landings in the preceding 90 certainly helps to retain skills, since tasks
pying your mind with something other days. But while your currency advocates most often repeated are best remem-
than flying can sometimes be a good thing, your legality or your minimum compli- bered. But speaking for myself, I’d say I’ve
but once you get back in the cockpit, you ance with established rules, it is your acquired retainable experiences more so
may find that the rust sets in rather quickly. proficiency, or by definition, your “ability than retainable skills during actual mis-
Picture this: you walk back into the hangar to perform a given skill with expert cor- sions, especially in the scenarios where
after a nice vacation, greet your evening rectness” that is in need of attention. I’ve scared myself … not my favorite
partner as you relieve the day crew, and Flying is a perishable skill. The issues way to train, by the way. Proficiency is
then almost immediately receive a call to described above should be clear flags best brought back by dedicated training
medevac a car crash victim. that your skills are less than peaked, and flights, where the pilot’s mind is in a mode
As you strap in, you notice it takes you you are cutting into your margin of safety. to receive, and instructor’s mind is in the
an extra second or two to orient yourself When you are out of practice, consider- mode to teach and critique.
on the start-up instruments, but you suc- ably more than your normal amount of If your agency is going to pride itself
cessfully avoid the hot start. You land at pilot attention goes towards performing on being able to respond to a wide
the scene uneventfully, yet you rushed the critical flight skills such as takeoff and variety of specialized missions such as
approach and did not recite your landing landing, and the amount of brainpower tactical insertion, hoist and medevac,
checklist in your head prior. You never left for judgment and decision-making is my feeling is this: If you don’t frequently
even considered what you’d do if you lost decreased. If you are not able to multitask train for it, don’t advertise that you do
an engine (or THE engine, for that matter). other processes such as reciting checklists it. Agencies that are involved in a recur-
Heading off to the hospital in the dark- or running the “what if ” scenario in your rent training program of their own,
ness, it takes noticeably longer for the head at crucial points in your flight, then with an established way of critiquing
sight picture of the helipad lighting to look your task saturation boundary may be and documenting proficiency, stand the
familiar to you as you start your approach. closer than you realize, and in the event of best chance of maintaining the safest of
Damn—you’re so tasked with flying a good a real emergency, your ability to think and operations, while being readily capable
approach, that you forgot your landing act quickly might disappoint you. of conducting their specialized missions,
checklist again. You return to base and Of course on a normal basis, certain and easily satisfying any FAA require-
land, much to the appreciation of your flying skills will be used more than others. ments for currency in the process.
burning calf muscles; it feels like you were FAR parts 61.56 and 61.57 were created in Ideally, upon returning from vacation,
trying to bend the tail rotor pedals during an attempt to help retain the most basic after greeting our coworkers, we should
your platform landing. All these issues of those skills at a bare minimum. But the all make it a point to greet our other
may have been transparent to the rest of unpredictable nature of law enforcement partner—our aircraft! Open the pilot’s
the crew and passengers, yet you know missions means that any of your more manual, do some “arm-chair” flying
your performance was below your best. specialized skills can be called upon at and review emergency procedures, and
A quick check of your logbook shows any time. It is imperative that agencies request a proficiency flight to sharpen
that you are definitely within the currency dedicate ample and frequent flight time to your skills before those in need ask you
requirements of FAR parts 61.56 and continued training and proficiency. Flying to use them.
Bonus Distribution: 2010 Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Convention, April 7–10 in Orlando, Fla.; Quad-A 2010, April 14–17 in
Fort Worth, Texas.
May 2010:
New Technology Sneak Peak—We’ll look at advance- Rotor Blade Balancing—The rotor blade generates an
ments in technological areas like external threat awareness, opera- aerodynamic force unlike any other. With so much riding on them,
tional economics and training. helicopter rotor blade testing is critical.
Bonus Distribution: SeaAirSpace Expo 2010, May 3–5 in Baltimore, Md. EBACE 2010, May 4–6 in Geneva, Switzerland. American
Helicopter Society (AHS) Forum 2010, May 11–13 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Public Safety
By Lee Benson
Suspension of Disbelief
I
recently attended an aerial fire- apples-to-apples comparison. The find- snorkel operations with its Firehawk
fighting conference in Rome, Italy. ings of the accident review board listed the aircraft.
The food was great, the people are mixing of two different agencies working The unit concluded that hovering
wonderful, but I managed some- from the same helispot as a major contrib- four-to-eight feet over water at night
how. Conference attendees came from uting factor to the accident. with poor viability due to rotor wash
all aspects of aerial firefighting. Great I take from the report the following: was unduly risky. At night, Firehawks are
discussions were held in the conference the number of helicopters that can be uti- filled with a fire hose off of an engine. I
itself and more importantly in the bar. lized from one helispot should be limited would caution others to take a hard look
One bar comment comes from an to two, certainly not more than three and at this issue before committing to night
observation over the last 40 years. I don’t then only if they are from the same agency. snorkel operations. The idea of trying to
drink, not a big deal, I never did drink, but The ability of the pilot to maintain spatial scope on goggles with a Canadair aircraft
I have observed at conferences and the awareness of where other aircraft are off a lake, seems a bit sporty to me. But I
HAI Convention that more truth is spo- located is greatly hampered at night. am not a fixed-wing pilot so others will
ken at 11 p.m. in the bar then at 11 a.m. on Differences in protocols among agen- need to address that issue. I am a quali-
the convention floor. The hot issue at the cies for separation and traffic patterns fied helicopter coordinator and have
conference was the use of night vision gog- do not help the individual pilot’s aware- worked helicopters and Canadair aircraft
gles (NVGs) for firefighting. I listened as ness of his flight environment. If you together on many occasions, and I would
various speakers and attendees discussed have a large fire and two independent refuse to attempt it at night.
plans to incorporate NVG technology into helispots can be established with non- Several years ago, a pilot was quoted
their operations. This included Canadair conflicted routing between the helispot as saying that if he would have been
CL-415 and Skycrane operations. Finally and the respective flanks to be dropped allowed to conduct night operations in
on the last day of the conference, I had to on, the number of helicopters can his Hughes 500 with a water drop bucket,
say something. increased accordingly. If two agencies he would have extinguished a Santa
I know that comes as a shock to those are employed, separating the agencies to Ana-driven fire. Let’s say that for once in
of you that know me. What I said is this; different helispots is very desirable. my life I agree with Hillary Clinton, that
Los Angeles City and County Fire Air Pilots must account for the higher pilot’s comment “would require the will-
Operations have conducted more night risk element of night operations. Good ing suspension of disbelief.” The fire went
firefighting operations then the rest of moonlight, lots of ambient light from on to destroy hundreds of homes and the
the world put together. Los Angeles City infrastructure, and a reasonable number politicians grabbed his comment to try
doesn’t use NVGs for firefighting. Coun- of aircraft from a limited mix of agencies and vilify anyone who questioned night
ty pilots do use them for flights over dark working on the fire all reduce risk. The aerial firefighting operations. This was
terrain to and from the fire, but not on gain side needs close attention. Will this in an attempt to move the spotlight off of
the actual drop itself. operation save lives or property? Can their own neglect of the issues at hand.
The only pilot fatality that the Los the night operations add to the safety of The fire pilot community has been
Angeles County Fire Department has firefighters on the ground? If the answer trying to find balance on this issue ever
suffered in 53 years of service occurred in is no, and all we are going to do is put out since. The Los Angeles County Fire
1977 while conducting NVG operations weeds in the middle of nowhere, then pilot who died in that accident was
on a fire. This accident occurred when the I for one strongly believe that your risk Tom Grady. Let’s hope Tom is the only
unit employed much different technology versus gain is out of balance. Los Angeles one that pays the price for the lessons
than we have today and is not a straight County Air Operations evaluated night learned.
The Safety & Training Summit is the only event where you’ll experience
real-world training and learn tips and strategies from helicopter operators
and other veterans in the rotorcraft community.
www.SafetyandTrainingSummit.com
W W W. R O T O R A N D W I N G . C O M M A R C H 2 0 1 0 | R OTO R & W I N G MAGA ZI N E 17071 63
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