Rotor Torque

Rotortech 2014 is being held over Saturday May 24 and Sunday May 25 at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Run by the Australian Helicopter Industry Association, entrance to the exhibition space isfree, with a delegate fee to attend the conference program.

Sea Kings leave Nowra for final time

Three former RAN Sea King helicopter airframes left HMAS Albatross near Nowra for the last time on March 24.

The airframes, which had been in storage and covered in spraylat environmental wrapping since retirement in 2011, were carried through Nowra on the back of flat-bed trucks on their way to Port Kembla for loading onto a ship for transport to the UK. There they will be dismantled and their components used to support other Sea Kings that remain in service. “When I began my 35-year Navy career, I cut my teeth on Sea Kings when I first qualified as a young maintainer back in 1976, and I have been involved at various levels in their logistics support and maintenance over subsequent years,” Daryl Varcoe, logistics manager with the Navy Aviation Systems Program Office told Navy Daily. “Like many at Albatross of my age, farewelling them is a time of mixed emotions. To many, they are an old and loyal friend who have served them well and looked after them throughout their Navy careers. ” The Sea Kings were retired after 34 years of service in the RAN and have been replaced in the transport and replenishment role by theMRH 90s of 808SQN. One of the retired aircraft, callsign ‘Shark 07’ has been retained and is on static display at the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm Museum at Albatross.

Work begins on RAN Romeo industry support facilities

The Maritime Helicopter Support Company (MHSCo), a joint venture company of Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, commenced work on its support facilities for the RAN’s fleet of MH-60R Romeo combat helicopters on March 26.

In a ceremonial ‘first sod’ event held at the Albatross Aviation Technology Park near Nowra, work commenced on two new buildings which will comprise an 8,300m2 deep maintenance workshop and hangar and a 3,100m2 spares warehouse as part of MHSCo’s agreement to provide the Romeo fleet with through-life support services.

Training by NUSQN725 is underway on Australia’s first four MH-60Rs at NAS Jacksonville in Florida, and the first aircraft are due to arrive in Australia by the end of the year.

Work on the facilities is being overseen by Sikorsky Helitech. The ceremonial first sod was turned by MHSCo President Rod Scotty, the DMO’s Head of Helicopter Systems Division RADM Tony Dalton, and by Shoalhaven City Councillor Allan Baptist.

New Chinook facilities close to approval

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Darren Chester has announced the planned $54. 8million Replacement Chinook Facilities Project at Townsville has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for approval.

The project will see new hangar and maintenance facilities constructed to support the seven new Boeing CH-47F Chinooks currently on order for the Army under Project AIR 9000 Phase 5C.

“If approved, the facilities project will provide new and upgraded working accommodation, new maintenance hangars, storage and workshop facilities, and a simulator building,” Chester said.

Pending final approval, construction is expected to commence later this year and be completed by mid-2017.

HNZ expands in the northwest

HNZ Australia has expanded its operations in the northwest of Western Australia by adding two new AS350 B3 Squirrels to its fleet in the region.

The company says it has placed the Squirrels at Karratha to supplement its marine pilot transfer operation and to capitalise on single-engine work it was missing out on through only having larger machines in the area.

“The oil and gas companies have all moved to large volume machines and consequently we have found a good source of revenue for the smaller, more cost-effective B3s,” HNZ business development manager Australia Brenton Davis said.

One of the B3s has been equipped with full-time emergency pop-out floats for extended overwater operations, while the other is fitted with a cargo-swing which allows it to carry up to a tonne on a hook.

Airbus & Avicopter sign joint production deal

Airbus Helicopters and Avicopter (part of the Aviation Industry of China – AVIC) have signed a joint production agreement for 1,000 EC175 and AC532 helicopters.

The 20-year agreement formalises the production arrangement for the EC175/AC532 which was jointly developed by the two companies from a common platform. Under the agreement AVIC will produce the AC532 for the Chinese market, while Airbus Helicopters will offer the EC175 to the global market.

Both machines have been designed for offshore support, VIP and executive transport, search & rescue, and other missions. The EC175 was certified by EASA in February and is due to enter service with launch customer Bristow Helicopters later this year.

CareFlight Queensland marks five years in Dubai

CareFlight Group Queensland is celebrating five years since it commenced its safety instruction program through the provision of training to Dubai’s Police Force Air Wing.

In five years, three CareFlight instructors have spent more than 2,000 hours training more than 70 Abu Dhabi Police pilots and 40 aircrewmen in search and rescue operations and night vision goggle-equipped flying.