Rotor Torque

The helicopter’s 57-minute flight validated the full performance of its systems and engines. Future flights were expected to test specific items of equipment.

With its Navy N52-001 serial number covered over and ‘841’ ‘cab’ number crossed out, the EC135 wears a high-visibility gloss black and yellow paint scheme – similar to that worn by Squirrel and Bell 412 helicopters operated by the UK’s Military Flying Training System – and the temporary German civil registration D-HECG. The first EC135 is due to arrive at HMAS Albatross, Nowra early next year with the 15th and final helicopter expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2017.

Boeing Defence Australia is the prime contractor for the $600 million HATS contract.

Partner Thales is supplying three full-flight simulators and a suite of other synthetic training devices.

Airbus Helicopters is supplying the airframes and Turbomeca the EC125 T2+’s Arrius 2B2 engines.

WA Police air wing temporarily grounded

The sudden resignation of the chief pilot and deputy chief pilot of Western Australia Police’s air wing in early January temporarily grounded the state’s two law enforcement helicopters.

Without a chief pilot the air wing’s remaining two pilots (a third hadalso earlier resigned) were unable to fly as the chief pilot held the Air Operator’s Certificate.

WA Police sought clarification from CASA about some aspects of its pilots and engineers operating the air wing fleet under an alternative private licence capacity.

On January 6, Polair 61 and Polair 62 were approved to resume normal patrol, search and surveillance operations with short-term training and checking functions ordinarily conducted by the chief pilot to be carried out by Victoria Police.

WA Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Anticic told The West Australian that despite three resignations, and with two senior officers leaving in quick succession, the air wing’s fixedwing fleet was able to still perform most tasks usually assigned to police helicopters. “We do this all the time when the helicopter is not in Perth or down for maintenance. We’re notunfamiliar with supplementing the capability through other means. ” The air wing is now seeking to appoint a new chief pilot and fill the remaining two positions as soon as practicable.

“We’ve had one vacancy for some time and helicopter pilots are in high demand,” said Anticic. “We’ll be trying to fill the positions as soon as possible but the problem is identifying suitably qualified people who want to come to fly with the police service. ”

RNZAF transitions NH90/A109 to operations

The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Helicopter Transition Unit (HTU), responsible for the introduction into service of the air force’s new NH90 and A109 LUH helicopters, was officially integrated into 3 Squadron during a mid-December change of command ceremony at RNZAF Base Ohakea last year.

The change of command brings the Air Force’s entire rotary wing transport fleet within 3 Squadron.

Chief of Air Force Air Vice-Marshal Mike Yardley said the integration comes as the new helicopters develop new capabilities. “While we still have some way to go, the NH90 and A109 capabilities are developing well and are on track to be capable of undertaking all tasks currently performed by the Iroquois by the middle of 2015. ” The RNZAF began using its A109 LUHs for initial helicopter pilot and helicopter crewman training in 2014.

Another milestone came just days after the change of command ceremony, with the NH90 making its debut search and rescue mission, retrieving an Austrian hiker who went missing in the Otaki Forks area northeast of Wellington.

“The aircraft performed well during its first search and rescue mission, and demonstrated it is well-equipped to perform this type of task. The crew have also done a great job and performed well under pressure,” AVM Yardley said. “The NH90 will now become responsible for search and rescue missions, casualty evacuation in association with search and rescue, as well as transport forNZ Police and other government and military personnel for national security requirements. ” During the ceremony, the commanding officer of the HTU, Wing Commander Scott McKenzie was appointed as the Commanding Officer of 3 Squadron.

Airbus Helicopters reports on a busy 2014

Having wrapped up a first full year under its new identity, Airbus Helicopters president Guillaume Faury reflected on the company’s successes at a media conference on January 27 in Paris, France.

During 2014, Faury reported Airbus Helicopters delivered 471 civil and military helicopters, booked 402 new orders from across its product range and achieved certification and service entry of three new types – the EC135 T3/P3, the EC145 T2 and the EC175.

In the sales stakes, the EC120/AS350/EC130 family received 176 orders, with the EC145 (115) and EC135 (43) families rounding out the top three most popular types.

With the new year, Airbus Helicopters says it now has its sights on the first flight of the soon-to-be-unveiled X4 medium twin-engine prototype. The X4, designed as a successor to the EC155/Dauphin, is said to feature a new-shaped Fenestron shrouded tail rotor design, a vertical fin-mounted horizontal stabiliser and have a five-blade main rotor with swept rotor tips. Faury confirmed the ‘radically designed’ X4 would be unveiled at Heli-Expo on March 3 in Orlando, Florida.

Commission of Inquiry report released into CH-47D Chinook crash

The Commission of Inquiry report into the circumstances of Army’s 2011 fatal CH-47D Chinook crash in Afghanistan which resulted in the death of Lieutenant Marcus Case was released by Defence on December 18.

Chinook A15-102, callsigned ‘Brahman 12’, suffered a number of large and uncommanded pitch oscillations, colloquially known as porpoising, while on a mission to recover an unserviceable US Army Black Hawk in Zabul province on May 30 2011. LT Case, who was posted to Afghanistan to fly Australia’s fleet of Heron UAVs, was killed during the accident after he was thrown from the Chinook’s rear ramp, while attached by a harness restraint strap. The Chinook subsequently impacted the ground and caught fire.

A Commission of Inquiry was appointed by then Chief of Defence Force General David Hurley in April 2012 to further inquire into certain aspects of the accident following the completion of a technical investigation conducted by an aviation accident investigation teamfrom the Directorate of Defence Aviation and Air Force Safety.

The Commission of Inquiry identified that the CH-47D was susceptible to pitch oscillations during operations at high density altitude. Army’s Chinook pilots believed the helicopter’s advanced flight control system (AFCS) could correct all pitch disturbances, and in the absence of any formal advice or training, the pilot and copilot of Brahman 12 responded incorrectly to the uncommanded pitch oscillations.

Defence agreed to all 19 recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry report and says all have now been fully implemented. Of the recommendations, a comprehensive directive on carrying passengers and cargo in all Army-operated aircraft was issued and further education of its pilots about the limitations of the AFCS was undertaken.

The aviation accident investigation report, released in February 2012,made 71 recommendations including improvements in training, policy and guidance to address uncommanded and divergent pitch oscillations, improved guidance on CH-47D ramp operations and a review of aircrew and passenger restraints.

Defence says Army Aviation, in collaboration with Defence Science and Technology Organisation, has developed a detailed understanding of the CH-47D’s handling qualities resulting from the accident investigation and the Commission of Inquiry and has developed a pilot-level training document addressing the more complex issues associated with operating the CH‑47D.

AW189 SAR version EASA-certified

AgustaWestland achieved European Aviation Safety Agency certification for its search and rescue (SAR) variant of the AW189 on December 23 last year.

The certification has enabled deliveries to begin for the first of 11 AW189 SARs on order to Bristow Helicopters as part of its 10-year SAR contract for the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The AW189 SAR variant, designed, developed and built by AgustaWestland UK in Yeovil, southern England, features dual Goodrich rescue hoists with camera system, search radar, L3 Wescam MH-15iHD FLIR/TV system, Spectrolab Nitesun XP searchlight, increased fuel capacity and a SARAutomatic Flight Control System.

The AW189 SAR has a 11. 2m3 cabin to accommodate two stretcher patients and six seated patients alongside the two medical crew.

With a cruise speed of around 145kt, the SAR variant has also been certified with a maximum all-up weight of 8,600kg, an increase of 300kg. According to AgustaWestland, this increase gives the helicopter an endurance of more than five hours or a maximum range of 600nm.

FAA, Transport Canada certify Eagle 407HP

Eagle Copters’ engine conversion to enhance the performance of the Bell 407 achieved FAA and Transport Canada certification in early January.

Known as the Eagle 407HP, Eagle Copters’ supplemental typecertification replaces the original factory Rolls-Royce 250-C47 with a Honeywell HTS-900D-2 turbine engine to improve the 407’s high altitude and hot ambient temperature performance, improving payload capability and reducing fuel consumption.

With three firm orders already, conversions will be initially performed at Eagle Copters’ headquarters in Calgary, Canada. Eagle Copters Australasia, the Australian-based arm, anticipates to begin conversions at its Coffs Harbour Airport facility from around mid-year.

Turbomeca manufacturing parts with 3D printing

Turbomeca has begun using additive manufacturing or 3D printing processes at its Bordes, France facility to produce serial production parts.

Turbomeca’s Arrano and Ardiden 3 test and production engines will feature fuel injector nozzles and combustor swirlers made using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) techniques.

Unlike the traditional manufacturing processes of removing material, SLM manufacturing builds layers, each between 20 and 100 micrometers thick, of fine metal powder to produce complex-shape parts. A computer-controlled laser shoots pinpoint beams onto a bed of nickel-based super alloy powder, to melt the metal in the desired areas.

A traditional fuel-injector nozzle is made up from dozens of different pieces, whereas the component for the Arrano engine is made from one single piece and features unique injection and cooling functions. Additive manufacturing is part of Turbomeca’s ambitious Future Line program to improve and simplify all of its manufacturing capabilities and processes.

Turbomeca has one SLM machine already in service and qualified for mass production, with other machines to be introduced into service in coming years.

New Zealand Navy Seasprites come and go

The Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN) first three of 10 refurbished ex-RAN SH-2G(I) Super Seasprites arrived in Auckland on January 14, only weeks after the New Zealand government announced it had sold five of the Navy’s soon-to-be-retired SH-2G Super Seasprites to Peru.

“Our recent purchase of eight new, more sophisticated Seasprite helicopters meant the older model Seasprites were available for sale and a deal has been struck with the Peruvian government for them to buy them for their Navy,” said Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee.

The sale to Peru, valued at NZ$30m (A$28. 5m) and brokered by a Canadian government agency, the Canadian Commercial Corporation, includes spares and the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles.

The RNZN plans to introduce its new SH-2G(I)s into service before the first of five current Seasprites leave for Peru.

Downturn in oil price a concern for offshore operators

Warning signs are beginning to emerge of a downturn in the global offshore helicopter market following the halving in price of crude oil since mid-2014.

With the oil and gas industry accounting for approximately 40 per cent of annual civil helicopter sales, the drop in oil has yet to lead to a reduction in oil exploration and manufacturing and helicopter manufacturers and operators are keeping a watchful eye for any short or long-term affects.

Though not all doom and gloom, Airbus Helicopters announced in mid-January its worldwide fleet of helicopters serving the oil and gas industries celebrated 10 million flight as at the end of 2014.

Airbus Helicopters says its Super Puma family accounts for almost a third of the hours flown and estimates it has produced approximately a quarter of the 2,300 helicopters used in oil and gas operations.

Navy Romeo training wraps up in Jacksonville

Navy’s NUSQN 725 marked the conclusion its MH-60R Seahawk training operations at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida with a final flight of a RAN ‘Romeo’ around the Jacksonville area.

The first MH-60R delivered to the RAN, N48-001, flew its final sortie on December 4 wrapping up a two-year deployment by the squadron as it prepared to bring the new Seahawk capability back to Australia.

While at Jacksonville, NUSQN 725 flew a total of 1,170 hours, conducted Hellfire missile and Mk 54 torpedo firings, laser targeting operations, night vision device training and joint anti-submarine warfare exercises with US Navy and Peruvian Navy units.