Rotor Torque

Based at Brisbane’s Archerfield Airport, Polair 2 is an ex-German EMS machine and is fitted with a Garmin G500H avionics suite, FLIR camera, TrakkaBeam A800 searchlight, and a loudspeaker audible from 2,000ft. Polair 2 is flown by a SLSQ pilot and crewed by two tactical flight officers from the QPS’s Helicopter Support Unit.

SLSQ has been operating another BO105 for QPS, Polair 1 VH-NVH, from its Carrara base on the Gold Coast since September 2012, which has now completed over 5,000 taskings.

Polair 2 will cost $3 millionover the next 12 months as part of the Queensland government’s $18 million budget for police helicopters over four years.

Helicopter rescue founder receives Gerhard Kugler Award

Pioneering Australia’s first civil helicopter rescue service more than 40 years ago, Ian Badham has been recognised for his contributions to helicopter aeromedical retrieval by the international rescue helicopter community.

A former journalist and volunteer surf lifesaver, Badham was presented with the GerhardKugler Award at the International AirMed World Congress on June 5 in Rome, Italy for outstanding lifetime achievements in the medical transport community.

“The contribution which Ian has made to develop Australia’s rescue helicopter services is equal in importance to the achievement of Reverend John Flynn from 1928 when he established what became the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” said MedEvac Foundation International chair Dr Kevin Hutton during the award ceremony.

Ahead of the summer of 1973, Badham was instrumental in developing and proving the concept of ‘surf rescue’ by helicopter. With a $25,000 sponsorship from the then Bank of NSW, now Westpac, the Wales Rescue Helicopter Service saved the life of a swimmer in the surf off Bronte Beach using a Bell 47G.

Badham then helped to develop the concept of dedicated helicopter medical retrieval services andco-founded CareFlight, which began operations with an AS350B Squirrel in July 1986 operating from Sydney’s Westmead Hospital.

“It’s been a long journey from my early days as a teenage surf lifesaver at North Cronulla,” said Badham. “Over the past four decades I estimate that more than half-a-million Australians have been rescued or flown by the expanding network of Australian rescue helicopter services. Although many lives have been saved to date, even more helicopter bases are needed across Australia so medical teams can reach road crash and other trauma patients quickly and when they need it most. ” Badham is currently based in Darwin to support CareFlight’s operation of the Top End Medical Retrieval Service operating a 10- year contract for the Northern Territory government.

Moorabbin-Melbourne airport helicopter service launched

A new helicopter transfer service between Moorabbin Airport, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, and Melbourne Airport, in the outer north-west, was officially launched by Victorian Minister responsible for the Aviation Industry, Gordon Rich- Phillips, on June 18.

The ‘Heli-Express’ service is operated by Air Melbourne using a fleet of three AgustaWestland A109E Power and A109S Grand machines, and cuts the 90-minute or more road trip to just 12 minutes.

On arrival at Melbourne Airport’s Mercedes dealership helipad passengers are then met by a limousine for short transfer to the terminal with the 48-kilometre trip in a VIP-configured seven-seat A109 costing $274 per head.

“The service is aimed at timepoor businesspeople who wantto maximise their time but we think there will also be a fair bit of take-up from people who want to add an extra dimension to their holiday such as honeymooners,” Air Melbourne director John Borg said. “It is about double the cost of a taxi fare but parking is free at Moorabbin so there are no additional costs. And of course there is the certainty of getting to the airport on time. ” The introduction of the Moorabbin-Melbourne airport service follows the recent launch by Air Melbourne of helicopter flights from Melbourne’s CBD Yarra River helipad to Melbourne Airport.

ATSB update on Antarctic AS350B2 accident

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is continuing to investigate the December 1 2013crash in Antarctica of Helicopter Resources AS350B2 VH-HRQ during a scientific research operation.

According to an investigation update released on June 16, the ATSB reported VH-HRQ was operating with another helicopter to transfer a scientist and two field training officers (FTO) to a penguin rookery at Cape Darnley 360km to the west of Davis Base when the accident occurred.

On the return journey both machines refuelled at pre-positioned fuel cache at the Amery ice shelf before departing for Davis Base. After refuelling and while climbing through approximately 300ft, both pilots identified reduced surface definition and the loss of a visible horizon and elected to return to the fuel cache until the weather improved.

During a right hand turn, in an attempt to remain visual with the ground, VH-HRQ descended and impacted terrain destroying the helicopter and injuring the pilot, a scientist and a FTO on board.

The second helicopter observed VH-HRQ impact terrain and landed near the accident site with its crew providing first aid and alerting personnel at Davis Base.

Deteriorating weather prevented the injured crew from being extricated before they were flown the following day to Davis and then transferred on to Hobart.

The ATSB said the pilot of VH‑HRQ reported no problems with the helicopter’s performance or systems leading up to the accident. Due to the remote location of the accident, the ATSB has not been able to examine the wreckage of VH-HRQ.

A final report into the accident is due for release in October.

AMSA holds inaugural SAR workshop for helicopter operators

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) held its inaugural Search and Rescue (SAR) Helicopter Operators Workshop in Launceston from June 3-5, bringing together industry professionals and regulatory organisations to build awareness and develop best practice of SAR operations in Australia.

Around 20 participants from government, community, military and commercial helicopter operators discussed issues on the use of emergency locator beacons, air and surface operations, accident site safety and seaborne aeromedical retrievals during the three-day forum.

AMSA’s acting manager, SAR resources and training, Mike Wytcherley, said the forum gave participants the chance to enhance their understanding of SAR operations.

“It’s common for AMSA to task helicopters to undertake a medical evacuation from a ship, rescue people from a capsized or broken down vessel or be involved in other search activities,” said Wytcherley. “The workshop included a session on a simulated ship bridge to give participants the chance to learn more about ship operations, as well as winching and landing considerations. ” The participants were also taken through aquatic helicopter rescue exercises in the Australian Maritime College’s pool, including a demonstration on the use of retrieval equipment and the hazards to surviving at sea.

AMSA envisages its helicopter workshop will become an annual event to help crews involved in SAR operations better contribute to a safe response.

Australian Helicopters orders six AW139s

Australian Helicopters has signed a contract for six new AgustaWestland AW139s to fulfil its Victorian government air ambulance contract awarded the earlier this year.

The 139s will be based at Essendon, Bendigo, Latrobe Valley and Warrnambool airports from January 2016 and will replace the company’s current fleet of five Bell 412 machines.

The Ambulance Victoria contract will see Australian Helicopters provide emergency medical response to more than 5. 5 million people over a 227,000 square kilometre area.

Large Chinese order for Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters has signed a large US$600m (A$639m) order for 123 helicopters to three Chinese operators, as manufacturers begin to target one of the world’s opening markets for civil helicopters.

The large order, signed on July 7, comprises AS350B3e, EC130T2 and EC135T2e types to be delivered over a six-year period with the first delivery later this year.

“It is evident that China’s relaxation of its low-altitude airspace regulations is enabling the country’s burgeoning helicopter market to realise its potential,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Guillaume Faury. “We think these first sizeable contracts are signals that this market is starting to take off. ” Faury said the helicopters would be used for utility work, aerial tours, passenger transport, business aviation, emergency medical services and search and rescue.

Power-on for first Sikorsky S-97 Raider

Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider prototype powered on for the first time during a test at the company’s West Palm Beach facility in Florida on May 28.

Based on Sikorsky’s successful X2 demonstrator, the S-97 has been designed to compete in the US Army’s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) program to find replacements for a number of different helicopter types including the H-60 Black Hawk.

Sikorsky announced and unveiled a full-scale mockup of the S-97 in October 20 last year. The S-97 is planned to weigh about 5,000kg and will be armed with forward firing weapons and be able to carry six fully equipped troops.

Instead of the traditional main and tail rotor combination, the S-97 uses a rigid co-axial main rotor and a rear-mounted pusher propeller, providing safer handling characteristics and faster transit speeds.

Sikorsky’s vice president of research and engineering, Mark Miller said the Raider prototype is expected to fly before the end of the year.