Rotor Torque

The C-17 Was Returning to Australia From an Operational Tasking in Europe When the Opportunity to Bring the Mrh 90 to Australia Early Was Capitalised on.

The Helicopter Was Delivered to Local Eurocopter Contractor, Australian Aerospace, for Acceptance Testing.

A40-004 Was Expected to Enter Service During July and Be Delivered to the Army’s 5 Aviation Regiment Headquarters in Townsville to Join the Mrh 90 Test and Training Program.

Meanwhile, the First Australian Assembled Mrh 90, A40-005, is Expected to Make Its First Flight by the End of August.

Navy 805 Squadron Disbands

the Ran’s 805 Squadron Was Officially Decommissioned for the Fourth Time in the Squadron’s History at Hmas Albatross, Near Nowra, on June 26.

The Decision to Decommission the Squadron Was Taken After the Rudd Government Cancelled the Long Overdue Sh-2g(a) Seasprite Project Earlier This Year.

“past and Present Members of the Squadron Had Achieved a Number of Good Results Despite Difficult Circumstances,” Said Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Greg Combet, During the Decommisioning Ceremony.

“the Limited Release Achieved by the Seasprite Helicopters Enabled Navy to Train Personnel at Hmas Albatross in Aeroskills and Mechanical Expertise, With 29 Attaining Qualifications as Aeronautical Maintenance Tradespeople.

Members From 805 Squadron Will Be Transferring Into Other Squadrons and Support Roles. ” the Squadron’s Standard Was Lowered and Presented to the Outgoing Commanding Officer of 805sqn, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Royals.

805 Squadron Was Originally Formed in August 1948 as the Fleet Air Arm’s First Fighter Squadron Based at the Royal Naval Air Station Eglinton in Northern Ireland.

Previously Decomissioned Three Times Since Inception, 805 Squadron Was Raised Afourth Time in Australian Service on February 28 2001 in Preparation for Navy Taking Delivery of the Seasprite.

Personnel From 805 Squadron Are Being Transferred to Other Squadrons, and Public Servants Attached to the Squadron Are Being Redeployed Within the Defence Material Organisation.

Army Chinook Heavy Landing Incident

an Army Ch-47d Chinook Was Damaged in a Heavy Landing Incident Near Townsville on June 25.

The Chinook, From C Squadron, 5 Aviation Regiment, Was Making a Landing Approach at the Military Operations in Urban Terrain Facility at the High Range Training Area, and Sustained Damage to Its Undercarriage and Fuselage.

None of the Crew or 16 Army Personnel on Board Were Injured.

The Directorate of Defence Aviation and Air Force Safety and Army Have Commenced an Investigation Into the Incident.

Army Black Hawk Crash Suppressed

a Report Into the 2006 Crash of an Army Black Hawk Off Fiji Has Revealed Another Black Hawk Was Heavily Damaged During a Similar Manoeuvre in East Timor in June Last Year.

Following a June 30 Report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Federal Opposition Leader and Former Defence Minister Brendan Nelson Admitted He Knew of the Timor Accident, Which He Described as a “heavy Landing”, but the Adf Said It Felt No Need to Report It as It Wasn’t Considered “newsworthy”.

No-one Was Seriously Injured in the Timor Incident, but the Black Hawk Did Suffer Category 4 Damage and Has So Far Not Been Repaired.

An Adf Spokeswoman Told the Newspaper the Helicopter Will Return to Service Next Year.

Pasb Twin Squirrel G Inspection Rebuild

the Nsw Police Aviation Support Branch (Pasb) Completed a Mammoth Strip Down and Rebuild of Its as 355n Squirrel, Vh-phx ‘polair 2’, for the Helicopter’s 12 Year G Inspection.

Pasb Engineer Senior Sergeant Colin Richards Told Australian Aviation the G Inspection Took Exactly Seven Months and One Day to Complete.

“the Helicopter Was Completely Stripped Down to Nothing,” Said Ssgt Richards. “we Removed the Tailboom, Engine and Gearbox, Doors, Windscreen and Skids – the Cabin Area Was Really the Only Part Left Identifiable. ” During the Rebuild Process, the Pasb Engineering Team Fitted Two Wolfsburg Radios and Partially Made Its Cockpit Instruments Nvg Compatible.

“the Rebuild Process Allowed Us to Make the Internal Configuration of the Helicopter the Same as Our Other Three Squirrels We Operate for Crew Commonality. ” Polair 2 Was Resprayed in a Dark Blue and White Scheme Matching the Pasb’s Polair 1 and 4.

A Similar Inspection Will Be Undertaken on the Pasb’s as 350b2 Vh-phb ‘polair 3’ Starting in July Next Year, Which Will See the Helicopter’s Low Vis Grey Scheme Repainted Dark Blue and White.

Newcastle Rescue Crew Receives Bravery Award

on June 20, Six Members From the Newcastle Based Hunter Region Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Received the International Maritime Organisation’s (Imo) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

Pilots, Captain Ian Mcfadden and Captain Ian Osborne; Crew Chief, Graham Nickisson; Aircrewman, Peter Praniess; and Rescue Crewmen, Glen Ramplin and Nathan Langham Were Awarded for the Rescue of 22 Crewmembers From the Bulk Carrier Pasha Bulker After It Ran Aground on Big Ben Reef in Rough Seas Off Newcastle Harbour on June 8 2007 (See Rotor Torque – August 2007 Issue).

The Helicopter Crew Was Recognised in Federal Parliament on June 24 by Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese and Leader of the Nationals Warren Truss, Who Offered Their Thanks on Behalf of the Federal Parliament.

“the Crew’s Commendations Show the International Significance of Those Events, and Put Our Rescue Service Up There With the Best in the World,” Said Sharon Grierson, Member for Newcastle.

“the Commendations Are an Appropriate Recognition of the Bravery, Skill and Professionalism Shown by the Rescue Helicopter Crew. ”

Aw Develops Upgraded Grand

Agustawestland is Reportedly Developing an Upgraded Version of Its 109s Grand.

Rotorhub. Com Says the New Grand, Known as the Aw109sp, Was Developed to Meet the Specific Requirements of Rega – a Swiss Air Ambulance Operator – and is Thought to Be Fitted With Features Currently Flying on the Aw109n Nexus and Aw109luh Variants.

Full Details About the Aw109sp Are Not Expected to Be Made Public Until February Next Year Just Before Heli Expo 2009.

The First 109sp Prototype, Registered I-easf, Flew in May With a Second Due to Fly Shortly.

According to Rotorhub.

Com, Agustawestland Has Denied the Upgraded Improvements to the 109sp Are Anything Significant, but the Italian Based Helicopter Manufacturer Has Commenced a New Manufacturer’s Serial Number Range, 22201, for the Type.

The 109sp Will Likely Be Classed as an Upgrade to the Grand Rather Than Becoming a New Type for Certification Purposes.

German Eurocopter Employee Spies for Russia

a German Engineer Working for Eurocopter Germany Has Admitted to Selling Information to the Russian Secret Service.

According to a Reuters Report the 44 Year Old Male, Known Only as Werner G, Provided a Russian Intelligence Agent With Low Value Technical Information Including Manuals, Files and Cd-roms Containing Details of Various Eurocopter Civilian Helicopters During Several Meetings Between 2004 and 2006 in Germany, Austria and Croatia. In Exchange Werner G Was Paid €13,000.

Federal Public Prosecutor Hans-juergen Foerster Said the Documents Could Be Used to Assist Another Helicopter Manufacturer to Save on Development Costs and Offer Its Own Product at Cheaper Prices.

Werner G is Currently Facing Trial for Espionage and Could Face Up to Five Years in Jail in Germany if Convicted.

Lm and Kaman Demonstrate Unmanned Kamax

Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace Recently Demonstrated an Unmanned K-max Helicopter Capability to the Us Army and Marine Corps at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

During the 45 Minute Demonstration Flight the K‑max Autonomously Took Off and Flew to Pick Up a 1360kg Slung Load Beforedelivering It to a Predetermined Location. The K-max Performed a Series of Precision Manoeuvres at the Pickup and Drop Zones.

Using Lockheed Martin’s Kineforce Mission Management System, the Single Operator Used Both Spoken and Data Commands to Control the K-max, Which Also Showed Off Its Ability to Autonomously Re-plan and Detour From Its Designated Route.

“the Us Army is Interested to See How Industry Has Adapted Manned/unmanned Teaming Technology, Originally Developed for Aerial Scouting Operations, for Unmanned Cargo Re-supply by a Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft,” Said Ray Wall, Chief of the Us Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate’s Systems Integration Division.

“successful Expansion of This Technology Into Afghanistan and Iraq Would Help Alleviate the High Operational Demand for Chinook and Black Hawk Helicopters, Which Are Forced to Carry Supplies When Their Greater Priority is to Carry Troops and Other Personnel. ”

Briefs

• Jan Domanski Has Been Appointed Managing Director of Sikorsky Aircraft Australia Limited – Helitech, and Replaces Glen Battershill Who Recently Resigned.

• the Dmo is Preparing a Request for Tender to Provide in-service Support Management, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply and General Services in Support of the Navy’s as 350ba Squirrel Helicopters.

• Two Bell 407 Ems Helicopters Collided Mid Air on June 29 Claiming Six Lives. Both 407s, One With a Patient on Board, Were on Approach for Landing at the Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Collided During the Early Afternoon Less Than a Mile From the Hospital Helipad. O