Rotor Torque

Nine Passengers and Crew Were Recovered Immedi-ately After the Accident, Which Happened in Clear and Calm Conditions. The Pilot of the Black Hawk, Captain Mark Bingley From Townsville Based 171 Aviation Squadron, Was Brought Aboard Kanimbla but Later Died as a Result of Injuries While Being Treated by Specialist Medical Staff. Of the Eight Survivors, Seven Re-ceived Minor Injuries Ranging From Soft Tissue Lacerations, Broken Ribs and Bruising.

A Four Day Search by Hma Ships Kanimbla, Newcastle and Success and a Raaf Ap-3c Orion Failed to Locate the Missing Man, Trooper Joshua Porter, a Member of the Perth-based Sas Regiment. It is Believed Porter Was Trapped Inside the Wreckage as the Helicopter Sank.

The Black Hawk, One of Four Embarked on Kanimbla, Was Conducting a Training Exercise in Preparation to Possibly Evacuate Australian Citizens From Fiji in the Event of a Military Coup When the Accident Occurred.

“all I Know is the Accident, Happened as the Aircraft Was Coming to Land on the Deck,” Adf Chief, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston Told a Media Conference Only Hours After the Accident. “something Happened; It Landed Hard on the Deck and Went Over the Side. ” Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, an Iroquois and Black Hawk Pilot Himself With 500 Hours on Type, Did Confirm That All Members on Board the Aircraft Had Com-pleted Helicopter Underwater Escape Training and Were Wearing Flotation Devices.

The Seven Injured Crew, Along With Their Deceased Colleague, Were Transferred to Noumea Aboard Hmas Newcastle and Were Flown Back to Townsville by C-130j Hercules on December 1.

The Adf Has Commenced a Full Investigation Into the Cause of the Accident Although It is Unlikely That the Wreckage of the Black Hawk Can Be Recovered.

“one of the Complica-tions We Will Have is We Probably Won’t Have Helicopter Wreckage to Establish Whether There Was Any Mechanical Problem,” Air Chief Marshal Houston Said. “my Thoughts Are It’s Probably Gone Forever, Given the Depth of the Water. But We Will Investigate Everything and Hopefully We Will Find Out Exactly What Happened. ” This Accident is the Fourth Involving an Australian Black Hawk and Brings to Five the Number of the Type to Be Lost in Accidents.

Chc Australia Wins Nsw Hems Contract

Just as Australian Aviation Was Closing for Press, Chc Australia Was Announced as the Preferred Provider of Rescue Helicopter Services in Sydney, Wollongong and Orange for the Next Seven Years, With Three One-year Extensions.

The Surprise Announce-ment Was Made by the Nsw Minister of Health, John Hatzistergos, on December 8.

Chc Australia Will Com-mence Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Hems) Operations at the Three Bases From April Using an Interim Fleet of Bell 412ep and Classic Helicopters Until the Delivery of Agustawestland Aw139s and Eurocopter Ec 145s Commences From January 2008.

An Analysis of the Nsw Hems Contract and the Fate of the Nrma Careflight and Westpac Lifer Saver Rescue Helicopter Services Will Appear in the March Issue of Aa.

Seasprite Decision Deferred

Defence Minister Dr Brendan Nelson Has Deferred a Decision on the Fate of the Navy’s Super Seasprite Heli-copter Project to Next Year.

Dr Nelson is Due to Visit the Us in December to Sign a Jsf Memorandum of Understanding, and is Also Reportedly Scheduled to Meet With Officials From Kaman Aerospace, the Project’s Prime Contractor. Kaman is Believed to Be Digging in Its Heels Regarding Possible Financial Compensation to Defence for the $1 Billion Project Which is Now Running More Than Five Years Late.

“i Have Asked for a Little Bit More Work to Be Done,” the Minister Told Media on November 23. “i Was Anticipating a Decision on This Before Christmas but It Won’t Be Until the New Year Now. I Held a Very High Level Meeting Last Week With the Ap-propriate Defence, Naval, Air Force and Defence Materiel Organisation Officials. ” “i Will Take a Recom-mendation to Cabinet as It is a Decision That Needs to Be Made by Cabinet,” He Added.

Dr Nelson is Believed to Be Considering Three Options for the Program: to Persist With the Seasprite and Accept Them at Contracted or at a Possibly Reduced Capability; to Scrap the Seasprite and Re-tender the Requirement for a Ship-borne Helicopter for the Navy’s Anzac Frigates; or to Scrap the Helicopter and the Requirement Altogether, Which Could Possibly Involve Acquiring Some Ex Us Navy Seahawks for Pilot Training and Utility Tasks to Augment the Current Seahawk Fleet.

Boeing Hh-47 Wins Csar-x

Boeing Has Won the Us Air Force’s Combat Search and Rescue (Csar-x) Competition With Its Hh-47 Chinook Ahead of Compet-ing Bids From Lockheed Martin (Hh-71 Derivative of the Agustawestland Eh- 101) and Sikorsky (Hh-92) to Replace the Us Air Force’s Sikorsky Hh-60g Pave Hawk Fleet.

Under the Program, Valued at Up to Us$10bn (a$12. 7bn), Boeing Will Build 141 Production and Four Test Helicopters at Its Rotorcraft Systems Manufac-turing Facility in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, Also Home to the Mh-47g Special Opera-tions and Ch-47f Chinook Programs.

Boeing Says the Hh-47 is Capable of Picking Up Two Downed Crewmembers at 300nm (555km) Radius, Compared to Around 194nm (360km) With the Current Hh-60g.

The Two-stage Csar-x Program Will See an Initial Sikorsky, Have Both Pro-tested the Csar-x Selec-tion Decision by Lodging a Protest With the Us Congress Government Accountability Office.

Lockheed Martin is Protesting Saying That It Believed It Had Offered the Most Capable and Affordable Solution, While Sikorsky is Seeking to Make Sure the Selection Process Accurately Evaluated the Characteristics and Performance of Its Hh-92 and How the Us Air Force Came to the Decision It Did.

Racq Careflight Gives U2 a Ride

Gold Coast Based Racq Careflight Helped Out the Four Band Members of U2 While on Tour in South-east Queensland During November – Not That They Needed Rescuing! Over the Week Prior to the Band’s Performance at Brisbane’s Anz Stadium, Racq Careflight Ferried Band Members Bono, Adam Clayton, ‘the Edge’ and Larry Mullin Jr From Their Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast to the Venue for Sound Checks and to the Concert on the Big Night.

Landing Adjacent to the Stadium, Racq Careflight Utilised Its Bell 412 and as 350ba Squirrel During the Week for the 25 Minute Flight Between the Coast and Brisbane.

The Band Preferred to Do-nate to a Charity Rather Than Hiring a Specialised Corporate Helicopter for the Flights, So Had Gifted Racq Careflight a Donation for the Use of Its Helicopters.

Racq Careflight Pilot, Richard Ainsworth, a “very Keen U2 Fan”, Who is Used to Flying Injured or Sick Patients, Said That Flying U2 Was Without Doubt One of the Highlights of His Helicopter Career.

“i Will Remember It for a Life Time but They Will Prob-ably Forget It in a Few Days’ Time,” Said Ainsworth. “the Drummer (Larry Mullin Jr) Asked Me ‘where Do You Want Me to Sit, Richard?’, So I Told Him That Since He Was the Drummer and is Usu-ally Up the Back, How About Sitting Up the Front for a Change. ” in the Past, Racq Careflight Has Flown the Rolling Stones From the Gold Coast to Brisbane and Only Recently Gave Piano Legend Billy Joel a Ride for His November Gig. Both of These Celebrity Missions Were Performed After Significant Donations to the Charity.

Firemax Downunder

Superior Helicopters Has Brought Its Kaman Firemax Prototype to Australia for the Current Bushfire Season.

The All-over Red Firemax, N267ka, is Fitted With a Removable 2660 Litre Conformal Tank and Snorkel System Equipped With a Hydraulic-powered Hover Refill Pump. The Pump is Powered by an Existing 50hp (40kw) Accessory Pad on the Helicopter’s Transmission Providing a 25 Second Refill Time.

Based at Bankstown Airport, the Firemax Arrived in November and Was Set to Work Almost Immedi-ately With a Large Fire on the Nsw Central Coast Near the Hunter Valley. Water Sources Close to the Fire Were Located at the Bottom of Steep Canyons and Clearance to Hover Down to Refill With the Snorkel Was Limited. The Tank and Snorkel System Was Removed and Replaced by a 60m Long Line With a 1500 Litre Bambi Bucket Attached to Counter the Confined Area Refills.

North and South Pole Record Attempt

Record Breaking Helicopter Pilots Jennifer Murray and Colin Bodill Took Off From Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Dallas, on December 5 on Their Second Attempt to Set a New World Record for Flying Around the World via the South and North Poles in a Helicopter.

In 2003, the Pair Crashed in Whiteout Conditions on the Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica 58 Days Into Their Journey and Only Two Days After Reaching the South Pole. Flying in a Bell 407, Murray and Bodill Expect to Fly for 169 Days, Visit 34 Coun-tries and Cover 36,206nm (67,080km).

For More Information on the Record Attempt, Visit Www. Polarfirst. Com.

What’s News?

As the Australasian Helicopter Industry Continues to Grow Throughout 2007, a Number of News Items Will Emerge Worthy of Appearing in Rotor Torque.

The Column Tries Each Month to Carry a Good Mix of Local Civil and Military News, So if Your Company, Flying School or Squadron Has Achieved or Accomplished Something Worth Letting Other Readers of Rotor Torque Know About, Email Your Information and Images to Rotortorque@ausaviation. Com. Au for Consideration.

Briefs

• the Us Army Has Ordered an Additional 34 Eurocopter Uh-72a Light Utility Helicopters on Top of the Eight Development Aircraft It Already Had on Order. The Army’s Final Requirement is for Up to 322 Ec 145 Based Luhs.

• Australian Army Pilot Major Scott Watkins Has Been Awarded the Uk’s Third Highest Medal for Bravery, the Distinguished Flying Cross (Dfc). The Queen Presented Maj Scott With the Dfc for His Actions While Flying as a Copilot in a Lynx Helicopter on Exchange With the British Army. Maj Scott Took Control of the Helicopter After His Pilot Was Injured and Repeatedly Came Under Heavy Fire During a 2004 Extraction of British Army Soldiers in the Basra Region of Iraq.

• a Qinetiq Sea King Helicopter Has Success-fully Completed Its First Flight Using Advanced Composite Main Rotor Blades. Lasting for Around Four Minutes, the Flight Was a Significant Mile-stone in the Evaluation of the Carson Helicopters’s Blade for the Uk Sea King Heli-copter, With the New Blades Producing Data Indicating Sig-nificant Performance Gains.

• Md Helicopters Has Appointed Charles Vehlow as President of Md Helicopters. Vehlow is Also Ceo of the Patriarch Aerospace Platform, a Sub-sidiary of Patriarch Partners – a New York Investment Firm Whose Funds Own a Majority Interest in Md Helicopters.

• Vertical Aviation Technologies (Vat), of Orlando, Florida, Has an-nounced a New Quickbuild Version of Its 260l Hummingbird Kit Helicopter. The Quickbuild Kit is De-livered Sitting on Its Landing Gear With 75 Percent of the Airframe Already Riveted and Assembled by Vat Techni-cians, Including the Cabin, Tail Cone, Windshield, Nose, Instrument Console, Landing Gear, and Doors Finished and Installed.