Rotor Torque

An interim investigation into the crash could not determine its cause. Numerous theories have been floated but have since been discredited or have been unable to be proven due to lack of evidence, such as mechanical failure or one of the pilots being accidentally shot.

The four-man board of inquiry to investigate the accident comprises Chief of Land Staff Command Brigadier Paul O’Sullivan, Colonel Trevor Jones (an instructor and former CO of the School of Army Aviation), Colonel David Pascoe (former commanding officer of the Oakey Aviation Workshop Battalion) and Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Ellis (former commanding officer of the SAS Regiment).

The Inquiry will determine whether any immediate action is required to prevent a recurrence of the accident; what actions should be taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident or to reduce to an acceptable level the probability of another incident occurring from the same causal factors; whether disciplinary action is required; and determine any actions necessary to eliminate inadequacies of any service, equipment, training, orders, instructions, procedures, publications and so on.

The inquiry is open to the next of kin and the public. The decision on whether the inquiry’s findings are made public will be made by the Defence Minister once the final report is completed in September or as soon as possible thereafter.

Certification for EC 135

The German aviation authorities awarded the Eurocopter EC 135 twin VFR Day/Night certification under JAR Part 27 in mid-June.

The certification applies to both the Turboméca Arrius-2B and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206B powered EC 135s. Additionally, some components of the helicopter—engine isolation and systems redundancy—have been certificated to the higher JAR Part 29 standard.

The certification milestone was achieved after a two-year, 1000-hour flight test program involving three pre-production aircraft. Serial production is now underway.

Robinson is now offering factory rebuilt Robinson R22 Betas for $105,000 USD with a brand new warranty.

80 Australian Aviation August 1996

US Army Makes Chinook Upgrade a Priority

The United States Army is planning to spend $4bn USD on a comprehensive upgrade of 300 of its Boeing CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift helicopters under the Improved Cargo Helicopter (ICH) program.

Under ICH the Chinooks would be upgraded with off-the-shelf digital avionics while vibration would be reduced and the engines would be upgraded. The US Army has estimated that the ICH upgrade would cut existing operating costs from $2340 USD an hour by nearly 25%, saving $2.3bn USD in operating costs over the 20-year life cycle of the 300-aircraft fleet.

Upgrade production is scheduled to begin in 2002. Initial funding for the upgrade has already been transferred from the Black Hawk procurement budget.

Further Delays for NSW/ACT Rescue Services

The NSW State Government has delayed announcing the winning tenders for the Sydney and Canberra-based helicopter rescue services until September.

The contracts for the existing three Sydney-based services were due to expire on July 1, but the NSW Government has temporarily extended the contracts until September, thus delaying the start-up of a Canberra-based service until at least November. Under a significant restructuring, the three Sydney-based services will be reduced to two and a new service established in Canberra to serve the ACT and surrounding NSW, largely financed by the NSW Government. The basis for the ACT service will be Dick Smith’s donated S-76 helicopter, however Mr. Smith has threatened at times to take back the aircraft because of the prolonged delays of the whole process and the insurance and maintenance costs he is incurring in the meantime.

Crashed Helicopter’s ELT Fails

The Bell 47 which crashed near Derby in WA in late June with four people on board was fitted with a fixed C91A ELT which failed to function properly because the coaxial cable connecting the ELT and its antenna snapped in the crash.

The ELT did activate, but its signal was not picked up by the satellite. The signal was only receivable within a kilometer or so of its source and was only detected a day later by a rescue aircraft dispatched to the crash site after one of the crash survivors had walked for 21 hours to raise the alarm. Sadly, one of the four occupants of the helicopter died during the 24 hours which elapsed between the crash and the arrival of rescuers.

The outspoken Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association claims that a portable ELT would have been far more appropriate, this being the fourth time this type of outcome has occurred in the past year alone.

P&WC Engines for New Bell & PZL Helos

Pratt & Whitney Canada turboshafts have recently been selected to power Bell’s new light twin, the Bell 407, and a new model of PZL-Świdnik’s W-3 Sokół.

Bell has selected the PW206D, a derivative of the new PW200 series, to power the 427. The PW200 has already been selected to power the Eurocopter EC 135, MDH Explorer, and Agusta A109 Power twins.

Meanwhile, Poland’s PZL-Świdnik has recently chosen the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-65 to power a new variant of its W-3 Sokół multirole utility twin. The Polish-powered Sokół was awarded US FAA certification.

Denel to Offer Rooivalk & Oryx

South Africa’s Denel plans to offer its Rooivalk attack helicopter and the Oryx transport to meet the Australian Army’s forthcoming expanded fire support and troop transport capabilities required under project AIR 87.

The revised capabilities required under AIR 87 will become clear when the Army releases its Army 21 force development blueprint due for release in the next few months.

The fire support/reconnaissance element of the program to replace the Army’s Kiowas is well known, but the project may be expanded to include transport helicopters to increase the Army troop lift capabilities—hence Denel’s plan to offer the Oryx, a South African development of the Puma, as well as the Rooivalk attack helicopter.

World Record Civilian Helo Formation

Eighteen Bell 206s and Eurocopter AS 350 helicopters in formation, two JetRangers carrying giant flags, two media helicopters, and Hevi-Lift’s Bell 212 with a 4WD slung underneath was the order of the day above Sydney Harbour on Monday, July 1, when local helicopter operators got together for the spectacular launch of a new Toyota 4WD wagon, writes Mark Fitzsimmons.

The promotional agents for Toyota asked Fred Merret of Merret Services Australia to conduct a feasibility study in March to see if the event could be staged. It was then, after a dozen separate applications were made to the relevant government bodies, that it looked as if it was going to happen and an Australian/World record could be broken.

After many phone calls and formation training for the pilots, over 20 gas turbines were started simultaneously on the southern grass of Bankstown Airport at 11:00 AM.

The formation then departed and headed north towards Hornsby before tracking to the coast to rendezvous with the flag-carrying helicopters and the Bell 212 over the harbour in a scene reminiscent of Apocalypse Now.

At 12:15 PM the formation crossed the Harbour Bridge and into the Lane Cove River where the 4WD was delivered to the waiting Toyota reps. The concept of delivering a new product with maximum effect was certainly achieved, even though it cost Toyota a reported half a million dollars.

Briefs

Robinson distributor HeliFlite planned to have brought five new 180hp (185kW) Robinson R22 Beta IIs into Australia by early August.

The US Navy grounded 154 CH-53 Super Stallions and 45 MH-53E Sea Dragons following the discovery of a problem with a bearing in the type’s main rotor made during an investigation into a Super Stallion crash last May.

Taiwan is building a chain of heliports across the island as part of a plan to legalise private helicopter use and ownership. Work is currently underway on six heliports with the first to become operational next year.

The US Air Tour Association and the Helicopter Association International are concerned that an FAA proposal to ban commercial overflights of the Rocky Mountains National Park could set a precedent and lead to the banning of commercial scenic flights over all US national parks.

Local Schweizer distributor Flightline has already successfully placed four Schweizer 300CB helicopters in Australia—two for flight training and two for mustering. In addition, Schweizer has ordered a 300CB demonstrator which was due to be delivered during July.

The second McDonnell Douglas MD 600N crashed recently. When conducting control reversal tests at 2000ft to evaluate blade flapping, the main rotor struck the tail boom. The helicopter’s pilot was uninjured.

Taiwan intends buying 30 Bell TH-67 Creek trainers to replace UH-1Hs in the helicopter pilot training role.

EMERCOM, Russia’s Ministry of Disaster Response, has signed to buy two more Eurocopter BO 105s and to lease a third to join two already in service.

Kaman founder and CEO Charles H. Kaman has been awarded a 1996 National Medal of Technology, the USA’s highest technological honour.

A McDonnell Douglas-led team has produced the first two hardened and ground steel transmissions for aerospace use. The production of the gears opens the way for the development of aerospace transmissions that are potentially 40% lighter, smaller, quieter, and more reliable than current transmissions.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force became the first military operator of the Super Puma/Cougar Mk2 when it took delivery recently of the first two of 17 Eurocopter AS 532U2 Mk2 Cougars it has on order.

WA tourist operator Slingair Heliwork has won that state’s top tourism award, the Sir David Brand Award, for its role in helping opening up the Kimberleys to tourists. Slingair operates a fleet of 13 fixed-wing aircraft and 18 helicopters which are used to ferry tourists to sights such as Mitchell Falls and the Bungle Bungle ranges.

Aerospace Industries Association of America figures show that for the first quarter of 1996 the Robinson R44 was the best-selling helicopter worldwide, with 18 deliveries. Second was the R22 with 16 handed over.

The French Army has taken delivery of its first Horizon ground surveillance system. The Horizon is a Eurocopter Cougar helicopter fitted with a multimode radar (with search, mapping, and moving target indicator modes) and an onboard operator console.

The US Navy has ordered a third Kaman Magic Lantern laser-based airborne mine countermeasures system