2 0 0 7

A U G U S T

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CIVIL HELICOPTER INDUSTRY I N T E R N A T I O N A L

I S S U E 48
 ISSUE 48

C O N T E N T S

32

PHOTO: MARK BOWEN 22 52 43

cover feature: axess to europe

r e g u l a r f e a t u r es In a world where technology and the Internet has changed the way we

From the Editor 3 communicate and do business, you’d think the demand for executive travel
would be declining. Once upon a time a similar assumption

New Products and Services 5 was made about paper... 22

Legal Counsel – Beware of the the big and the small of henley air
11
handshake, and always sweat the small stuff Henley Air’s small, solid foundations cast a very big footprint at Rand Airport.
The apparent oxymoron of “ostentatious minimalism” that could accurately be
Aviation Insurance – Protecting used to describe Henley Air, seems to be an effective answer to economic
the Pilot – Part 1 13 prosperity in uneasy times in South Africa. HeliOps visited Henley Air and
32
15
found a successful company with a unique approach to helicopter aviation.
Safety Column – Time out

Flight Training – R22 Rotor Stall – School ground for the tri services
Fact or fiction? 17 The Defense Helicopter Flying School was honoured by the presence of HRH,
Prince of Wales, as they celebrated 10 years of flight training success

Flight Dynamics – Main Transmission 19 with the school generating over 200 new pilots a year. 43

Personal Profile – Yuri Kazachkov, turning passion into profit

Russian Helicopter Team, Moscow, Russia 21 Many people involved in the helicopter industry dream of running their own
company, but what are the pitfalls that lie in wait for those who wish to
The Last Word – Pilot error – Part II 64 combine their passion with the quest for profit and independence? 52
 from the editor
Just over a month ago, two but there are as can be seen, significant
CEO
media helicopters collided in shortcomings to rule-based safety.
Neville (Ned) Dawson
Phoenix Arizona while covering a I guess my point is that while the rules
PUBLISHER police chase. The collision resulted may say one thing, human limitations
by mark ogden
Cathy Horton in the loss of the pilots and news and even error will always find ways
crews onboard. There were no less than of unintentionally jumping that line
EDITOR five news helicopters in the air at the of defence. Operators, pilots and even
Mark Ogden time covering the same news. While it customers need to be sure that there
is extremely sad that accidents such as are other systems at work whether they
deputy editor this happen, considering the number of be training (e.g. CRM), procedural (e.g.
Rob Neil helicopters that can swarm onto an event, placing height or lateral limitations), or
it is perhaps surprising that accidents such technological (radio, TCAS etc) to help
US EDITORs
as this don’t happen more frequently. prevent aircraft coming together. Preferably
Aaron Fitzgerald
An accident investigation course that there should be multiple “things” in place
Greg Davis
I am involved with here in Australia uses to stop that human error or limitation
the factual element of a 1988 accident screwing with the intent.
legal EDITOR
Robert Van de Vuurst involving a mid-air collision between two On another note, it seems the
light aircraft at a major (controlled) airport. manufacturers are still going great guns
european EDITOR The students are required to analyze the with sales, but hopefully the stock and
Sarah Bowen facts and produce a report. It is certainly credit markets “correction” won’t pinch the
interesting to see the different perceptions industry growth too much. Now there are
technology editor
of what may have “caused” the accident aircraft in the marketplace and there is a
Nick Lappos
but the one thing that strikes me in many worldwide market with few impediments,
of the papers is that the students highlight pilot and engineer availability is becoming
safety editor
the failure of the pilots to maintain an issue. Even Australia has now
Phil Croucher
separation in accordance with VFR. Even recognized this and has added avionic
ITALIAN CORRESPONDENT the preliminary report produced by the and mechanical Aircraft Maintenance
Damiano Gualdoni NTSB into the Phoenix accident reproduces Engineer to the Migration Occupations
in part the FAA AC 90-48 pointing out, in Demand List. With the average age of
scandinavian CORRESPONDENT “Pilot s should keep in mind their licensed engineers in Australia reportedly
Rickard Gilberg responsibility for continuously maintaining being in the late 50s, the changes to the
a vigilant lookout…” Migration on Demand list will, according to
proofreader Now while I agree that these are the the Government, help ensure that General
Barbara McIntosh rules under VFR and the regulators do keep Skilled Migration visa applicants who have
pointing out this obvious requirement, recognized skills in aircraft maintenance
DESIGN
the fact is that pilots don’t go flying into will be awarded additional points for a
Graphic Design Services Ltd
each other deliberately! And with the points-tested visa, making it easier for
PRINTING possible mixing of EMS, law enforcement them to come to Australia as skilled
Print World and media helicopters in the same space, migrants. Now all we have to do is make
or even numerous helicopters attacking the pay and conditions attractive!
EDITORIAL ADDRESS
something such as a fire, there are Enjoy this issue which we’ve travelled
Oceania Group Intl significant limitations to “see and void”, the globe to bring you.
PO Box 37 978, Parnell
particularly “unalerted see and avoid.” Safe flying! n
Auckland, New Zealand
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau
PH ONE: + 64 21 909 699
(ATSB) back in 1991 published a research
FAX: + 64 9 528 3172
document titled “Limitations of the See
EMAIL and Avoid Principle”. In that publication
[email protected] (available on the ATSB website at atsb.
gov.au), which summarizes research up
WEBSITE RESEAR
CH RE

until then, it highlights the limitations of

PORT

www.heliopsmag.com
human sight and the effects such as pilot
is published by Oceania Group Intl.
workload, environment and even cockpit
Contents are copyright and may not be reproduced design can have on the chances of a pilot
without the written consent of the publisher. Most seeing another aircraft. So to make a rule
articles are commisioned but quality contributions that says basically “look out so you don’t
will be considered. Whilst every care is taken hit each other” is fine and reasonable,
Oceania Group Intl accept no responsibility for Lim
See-and itations of th
-Avoid e
submitted material. All views expressed in HeliOps Princip
le

are not necessarily those of Oceania Group Intl.

3
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new p r o d uc t s a n d se r v ices

Two-day crash survival factors course

Eagle Eye Solutions will be holding a two-day training program on crash survival factors
on October 4th and 5th in the Greater Cincinnati Ohio Region. The course evolved out of
a passion for a better understanding of crash survival dynamics and will offer a deeper
understanding of the physics, but also the how and why of survival factors.
Helicopter Crash Investigation Instructor Jack Cress will be teaching the course,
which will include reviews of factors leading to serious injuries in helicopter crashes,
injury types and probabilities, flight regimes and associated injury risk, and FAR/
MIL-spec occupant protection requirements as well as discussion of injury reduction
UV cable marking technologies. More information can be found at www.helicopterseminars.com.

improvements
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performance

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new p r o d uc t s a n d se r v ices

S-92 takes to the skies in Denmark

Denmark’s S-92 has made its first revenue flight for CHC Denmark from their base
in Esbjerg. CHC will operate three S-92s for Maersk Oil and Gas following a recently
renewed contract for five years, where the S-92s will replace a fleet of Super Pumas.
Two more S-92 helicopters are scheduled to enter service during the latter part of
2007. This new beginning for the S-92 in Denmark is further validation of the aircraft’s
capabilities, and comes some 42 years after the delivery of the SAR S-61, which is today
still operated by the Danish Air Force.
Company growth
in India
Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd, India’s
offshore air logistics company, has
grown to a fleet of 18 helicopters, a
47 percent marketshare for offshore
operations in the country.
The company’s main base is located
at Juhu Airport, Mumbai and some
of the forward bases are located at
Bhubaneswar, Vizag, Rajamundry
and Pondicherry on the east coast of
India. There are now a total of 225
employees working for GVHL, whose
primary business is to transport
crew and cargo of E&P companies to
the offshore locations across India’s
coastlines.
The company is part of the US
$400M Vectra Group comprising
of 18 companies in six countries,
and is also looking to enter the
international market in the near
future.

Customers
commend MDHI for
product support
A resurgent MD Helicopters
captured the number two position
for overall product support and
service excellence among rotorcraft
OEMs in a recent survey. Sikorsky,
Eurocopter, Agusta, and Aerospatiale
trailed MDHI in the rotorcraft
segment, where overall ratings for
product support and service fell
by 1.53 percent. MDHI also topped
all other rotorcraft OEMS in the
categories of “Authorized Service
Centers” and “Cost of Parts”.
Improving product support has
been a top priority for Lynn Tilton
since her company acquired MDHI
in 2005 and she is pleased the
improvements have now been
acknowledged.
2 0 0 7
A U G U S T

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE CIVIL HELICOPTER INDUSTRY I N T E R N A T I O N A L

I S S U E 48

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Heliops
Cover
43.in
dd
1

Subscriptions 1 year (8 issues) 2 year (16 issues) 12/1

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new p r o d uc t s a n d se r v ices

New General Manager for RRTM

Eric Hamon has been named General Manager of Rolls-Royce Turbomeca,
replacing Pacal Legrand. Hamon joins RRTM from Deloitte & Touch, Paris, where
he was Manager within the Multi-National Companies Department.

Royal visit for UK’s

helicopter museum
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His
Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh
recently visited the world’s largest dedicated
rotorcraft collection at The Helicopter
Museum near Weston-Super-Mare. The
Duke renewed his acquaintance with a
number of helicopter types he flew in the
50s and 60s, including the sole surviving
Queen’s Flight Whirlwind HCC.Mk.12.
The Royal couple inspected a Wessex HCC.
With the 333, what you see
™

Mk.4, and the Queen remarked that she

had forgotten how large it was compared
is what you get.
with the S-76 now in Royal Flight service.
The Duke unveiled a plaque marking the
opening of the new Conservation and
Engineering Hangar, which will also be
used for the hands-on training of future
helicopter engineers in conjunction with
the City of Bristol College and other
training providers.

New JAA ATPL(H) theory

course launched
CAPT announces new modular training
course covering the JAA ATPL(H)
theoretical exams. The course is geared
towards working professional pilots
Unparalleled visibility.
holding an ICAO ATPL(H) with over 1,000
hours multi-crew. With further approvals Impressive performance.
it is planned to extend to those with more
modest qualifications. Ideal for any patrol mission.
Three modules based on Phil Croucher’s
Simply stated, it’s the best patrol helicopter.
“Professional Helicopter Pilot Studies”
will be spread over a 45-week schedule,
amounting to 650 hours of study, with pre-
exam classroom time as an option.
An online version of the Canadian
CPL(H) is currently planned under license
by Premier Helicopter Training, in BC,
Canada, with an estimated completion
date of late 2007. A version for the FAA
and Canadian ATP is expected soon
afterwards. More information at www.
captonline.com.

www.sacusa.com
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 legal counsel

As most of you have probably picked away, remember? It expired two months
up by now, a lot of my column topics ago. In all likelihood, the insurance
involve everyday issues that have arisen coverage probably died with it. If you
in my law practice. I’ve been representing have a mishap for which your customer is
by robert van de vuurst people in the helicopter business for responsible, good luck trying to convince
HeliOps’ legal counsel columnist over 20 years, and some of the issues I’ve its carrier that they need to pay up
seen develop have made me shake my because you and the customer “shook on
head and say, “every time I think I’ve seen it.” And, when they don’t, are you really
BEWARE OF it all…”
Let’s look at a couple of issues that I’ve
going to sue your customer for indemnity
because his carrier used the language of
HANDSHAKE DEALS, addressed recently. First, the “handshake”
deal. We’ve all been there before – admit
the certificate to avoid coverage? We both
know the answer to that one.
AND it. You’re doing business with a good
customer that you’ve known for years.
Now let’s look at another somewhat
common mistake – failure to sweat the
ALWAYS SWEAT The multi-aircraft services contract that details, somewhat akin to the old rhyme
which begins “For want of a nail the
THE SMALL STUFF
you signed a few years back expired by
its terms two months ago, and there’s no shoe was lost.” Let’s put a little twist on
automatic renewal clause in it. You keep the above example. Instead of a contract
telling yourself that as soon as you get one that has no renewal clause, imagine that
of those thingies called “A Round Tuit” that you have an agreement that allows you
you’ll sit down with the to renew, but you have to give notice
customer and hammer of renewal at least 60 days prior to the
out a new agreement. In expiration of the term. You’ve read that
Insurance – Is there the meantime though, part, no problem, and since you have
you’re too busy and four aircraft, 12 pilots and a couple of
anything that is nearer
you don’t want to call mechanics, you need to keep working.
and dearer to all of your attorney and have You tickle your file to send in the renewal
him take care of it notice well ahead of time. You send
our respective hearts because he’s too damn it in, to the person that you normally
expensive. And, deal with, who is the nice lady at the
in this industry? besides, you had beers customer accounts payable department.
with the customer Unfortunately, there’s another part of the
“Am I covered?”
just last week and were contract that you forgot about – a little
is the first question told that everything was something called a “Notice” clause, which
just ducky. No big deal, states, as is also common, that any notices
that we all ask right? or communications under the contract
Wrong. Consider have to be sent to the person who actually
ourselves if something this potential problem, signed the agreement (normally a little

bad happens. which is only one guy called the President). Two months
of many: later, on the last day of the contract,
Insurance – Is there the customer tells you to move your
anything that is nearer equipment off the ramp, because they’ve
and dearer to all of our respective hearts decided to go with a competitor. Wait a
in this industry? “Am I covered?” is the minute, you say, I renewed our agreement
first question that we all ask ourselves 60 days ago. Guess again. In a lot of
if something bad happens. Let’s say you jurisdictions you may not have, because
had cross-indemnities in the expired the one little detail that you didn’t
agreement, which is fairly common. pay attention to – who the notice was
You indemnify the customer for your supposed to go to – didn’t get complied
negligence, the customer indemnifies with. If you’re in a jurisdiction which
you for theirs, and both of you procure follows the common rule that “a contract
insurance certificates which add the other says what it means and means what it
party as an “additional insured” to cover says,” then you probably just lost. Instead
the indemnity obligations. But what if of watching the checks come in, you now
the insurance certificate states, as is very have to figure out what to do with four
common, that the carrier’s obligation is aircraft and a bunch of pilots that are out
limited to liability “arising out and related of work. All for want of a nail. So make
to the Services Agreement dated XYZ, sure that you always sweat the small stuff.
2004?” That Services Agreement has gone It’ll pay off, I promise. n

11
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 A V IATION INSU R ANCE
more dangerous, hull rates and liability insurance policies can cost 10 percent of
rates increase, which is why many the helicopter’s value each year, some
commercial operators do not offer flight flight schools and commercial operators
training. While finding employment in choose to buy liability-only coverage,
by chris esposito the helicopter industry is sometimes which is typically set at a $1,000,000 per
difficult, and asking to see an insurance occurrence/ $100,000 per passenger limit
policy is something that would leave for flight schools. The helicopter itself is
Protecting the Pilot most job-seeking pilots weak-kneed, it
may save the pilot a substantial headache
self-insured, so the operator assumes all
responsibility for any damage that might
Part 1 in the future. One should be wary of
commercial operators who offer time-
occur to it. Many operators correctly
assume that if there are no claims in ten
building or occasional instruction, as this years, the money saved on insurance
Even when an operator’s may not be covered on their policies, and could buy another training helicopter.
thus would open the operator and pilot A pilot at an operation which
insurance policy is adequate, up to potential lawsuits. has liability-only coverage should be
Most insurance companies offer open concerned with how an operator plans to
pilots can still be held liable
pilot provisions in their policies; this handle a damaged helicopter. Since the
for damages. Knowing how the means that a pilot meeting the insurance instructor may be held liable for damages,
company’s minimum requirements he/she would want something in writing
policies work may keep you safe may fly the helicopter and coverage will from the operator promising not to hold
still be in place. The issue with offering the instructor liable for any damages that
from potential litigation.
time-building is that the low-time pilots may occur. Many operators assume the
building hours usually do not meet the money saved each year by not buying
pilot requirements of the policy. While full hull coverage would be used in the
the operators usually accompany the event of an accident. Human nature
low time pilot with an instructor or proves otherwise, and it is a possibility
higher-time pilot, anyone with less than that instead of losing thousands upon
the hours required in the open pilot thousands of dollars, the operator will try
provisions would be excluded, and once to find someone else to blame. Having a
they are manipulating the controls the document that clearly waives their right
insurance company is likely to decline to hold the pilot liable is invaluable in
the claim. All the insurer would have such an occurrence.
to do is look at the logbook of the low- For student pilots or those working
time pilot; if he or on additional ratings,
she has been flying knowing what type
the helicopter when of insurance policy a
they are not listed Asking to see an flight school has could
on the policy and save you a lot of money
they do not meet the insurance policy in the future. Choosing
open pilot warranty, a school with a solid
no coverage would
is something that reputation means the
be provided. This is would leave most school is not likely to
As pilots, many of us simply assume certainly something come after a pilot in
an operation has adequate insurance most low-time pilots job-seeking pilots the event of a loss,
coverage, be it an instruction and want to avoid. even if they do have
rental outfit or a charter operation. Pilots working weak-kneed, but it a liability-only policy
Unfortunately, due to the expenses at a flight training that excludes damage
establishment
may save the pilot a to the helicopter
inherent in helicopter insurance policies
and the somewhat lax regulations probably know the substantial headache itself. It would be far
governing insurance requirements difference between too damaging to the
(if indeed the country has any), some liability-only coverage in the future. school’s reputation
operators do not carry adequate and full-flight and their potential
insurance on their helicopters. coverage. The latter student base if the
As a pilot, knowing that an operation offers full protection school tried to come
carries some sort of insurance is not for the helicopter operator while the after a student or renter for a mistake,
enough to protect you. A commercial helicopter is on the ground or in the as mistakes are going to occur at a flight
operation may be insured for tours and air, and in the event of a total loss, the training operation. The more you know
aerial surveys, but instruction is typically operator would be reimbursed for the full about aviation insurance, the more likely
excluded for this type of operator. Since value agreed upon at the policy’s start. it is that you will avoid potentially costly
instruction and rental is statistically Due to the fact that many helicopter mistakes when choosing a school. n

13
 safety column
Modern life is stressful and it is hard knowledge that you are going to get one,
to keep aviation in isolation – it is very and it allows you to take that little bit
important not to let what happens extra stress because you are going home
outside into the cockpit. We are all soon. What state of mind is a pilot in
by PHIL CROUCHER hostages to other peoples’ expectations then when he/she has worked solidly for
and attitudes, and it often seems that three weeks, but is then told that they are

time out within an hour of waking up, we have an

attitude all of our own, especially after
going to be staying in one of the backsides
of the world for another three? This is a
the toast has been dropped on the floor favorite trick of many companies. My first
and everyone’s had their bite out of you. job in Canada was taking over from such
Stress – Make it work for you
There is also an increasing tendency to a pilot, whose stress rating was probably
instead of against you. live further and further away from the not helped by the thought of likely divorce
place of work. Even though the accepted proceedings! If you get to the state that
maximum, for most airlines anyway, is 90 you never want to see a helicopter again,
minutes, this gives plenty of time for it all I would suggest that you are chronically
to build up. fatigued and should get some time off
Although it is accepted that a little immediately.
stress is good for you and keeps you The commonly accepted sources
on your toes, continuous, unrelenting of stress are the usual suspects; death,
stress is not, and which is why we need divorce, moving house, etc. In fact there
proper time off with which to recover. is a long list of items on the Life Change
The fight or flight response that is the Events Scale, ranging from the death of a
basis of the stress process actually brings spouse (100) to minor violations of the law
all the relevant hormones, organs and (11). A visit from the in-laws rates 29!
muscles into line at once, whereas the However, the common denominator
unwinding process does it one organ at a behind them all is change; something
time. Muscles can only contract or relax, that humans in general don’t like anyway.
and it takes a specific procedure to make So, rather than the stock answer of
them relax properly. The problem is that removing stressors to reduce your stress
just thinking about a defensive action levels, because they are often immovable
can cause you to adopt a posture without objects, learning to handle change would
consciously realizing
it. This is how hidden
fears or anger can create
muscle tension, especially
Although it is accepted that
in the cardiovascular
or digestive systems. a little stress is good for you
Thus, stress disorders are
caused by chronic, long and keeps you on your toes,
term over-activity.
Although many continuous, unrelenting stress
authorities restrict the
is not, and which is why we
number of flying hours
per duty day, my own
need proper time off with
preference is to rigidly
enforce days off, on the which to recover.
basis that it is more tiring
to be sitting around at
work than to be flying.
After all, if you are away from home probably be more productive, since it is
anyway, you may as well work, and once the perception of stress that is the real
you’ve sat around for several hours you problem. If you cannot change
can be well out of the mood. the situation, change the way you think
Part of the benefit of a day off is the about it! n

15
 MD Helicopters is on the rise, shedding the past for a bright future.
The amazing turnaround is already well under way:
Deliveries are up: 20 year-to-date — 43 expected during 2007
Recently captured the No. 2 position for overall product support and
THE PHOENIX service excellence in Aviation International News survey
IS RISING AOGs are down: By 90%
Fill rates are rising: 75% within 24 hours; 91% resolved within 5 days
Backlog: Reaching over $300 million
The industry’s passion for the MD platform burns bright, its former glow reignited by
new deliveries and highly praised customer support. www.mdhelicopters.com
 flight training
maximum allowed of 131 BHP for takeoff the centre of the rotor disc is stalled due
and 124 BHP for cruise. On an average to low rotational velocity. Further out on
day at sea level you reach the maximum the disc we have an area known as the
allowed power at around 23 inches of MAP, autorotative driving area, which pushes
a long way short of the possible MAP limit the blade forward when the collective is
by ROB RICH of say 28-29 inches. The reason the R22 is fully lowered and keeps the RPM within
less likely to be involved in an overpitching safe limits. In the event the rotor is allowed

R22 – Rotor Stall

accident is twofold: firstly, although it to slow down, the inner stalled area will
means overstressing the airframe, you can increase in size and move outwards. Any
use some of that unused MAP to save your descent will also increase the area because

Fact or Fiction? neck; and secondly, the low inertia rotor

system recovers RPM quickly.
the angle of angle of attack on the blades is
increased by the R22’s descent.
Many accidents were caused by the
History – low IAS/low RPM pilot looking at something outside the
Governor hides a lurking threat rotor stall helicopter as it slowed, usually at a good
Since the introduction of the engine The R22 because of its excellent flying safe height. As the IAS slowed through 53
governor about a decade ago, the R22 low characteristics can lead the unwary pilot kts, the minimum power speed for forward
IAS/low RPM rotor stall, the number one into a low IAS/low RPM rotor stall when flight, the R22 will descend if power is not
killer of the R22 helicopter in the eighties, the governor is not operating. This type of applied. This led to the expression “low
faded away. Today most junior instructors accident was once was the greatest cause IAS”, which meant the rate of descent
barely have a grasp on the phenomena. As of fatal accidents in the R22, especially increased as we slowed from 53 kts. This
a result, a large number of students will with early solo students. It was eventually also increased the stalled area, which
flick through the safety notices in the R22 stamped out in the mid-nineties when was now creeping further out to the
Pilot’s Operating Handbook and pay little the engine governor was installed. By autorotative region.
attention to the scant technical information comparison to over pitching, the low IAS/ If the pilot noted the RPM was low, he
on this topic. low RPM rotor stall generally occurred probably moved collective down to increase
often with a reduced power setting and the RPM; however, the excellent throttle
Low RPM rotor stall or over from a height well above terrain. Weight, correlation meant the throttle closed as the
pitching? temperature and density altitude were not collective was lowered. End result, still a
I have been providing Robinson significant factors. low RPM but an increased descent due to
Helicopter Safety courses since 1993, and Research showed 40 percent of the less power being applied. Again the stalled
I’ve observed that many consider the low R22 fatal accidents involved the low IAS/ area will creep further outwards.
IAS/low RPM stall to be the same as over low RPM rotor stall. A lack of knowledge Should the pilot decide to raise the
pitching, a trait of the high inertia rotor about low inertia rotor systems was cited collective at low RPM he will further stall
helicopters such as the Bell 47 but accident as the cause and instructors were teaching the inner section, which moves out into the
data shows the R22 with its low inertia rotor pilots to fly the new R22 as if it was high autorotative driving area, finally making
and derated engine is rarely involved in an inertia rotor machine typical of the older it useless. At this point the rotor stops
over pitching accident on takeoff. helicopters. quickly, as videos have shown. The pilot
In January 1983, the Robinson Factory has one last chance – why not open the
So what is over pitching? Safety Course was introduced, primarily to throttle and speed up the rotor?
Unfortunately, as was shown in the 1982 teach instructors how to handle this high The slowed rotor also slows the engine
Robinson/FAA crisis, instructors moving performance machine. A decade later 4,000 RPM. If the rotor RPM is 80 percent, then
onto the R22 from the Hiller, Bell and pilots had been through the programme the engine can only produce about 80
Hughes piston types taught R22 students and the accident rate plunged by 60 percent. percent of its designed horsepower. At
to use techniques applicable to the older However, the low IAS/low RPM rotor stall some point engine power will not be able
machines. These helicopters were usually still featured in too many accidents. Frank to overcome the drag and the rotor will
underpowered, with heavier rotors and then pleaded with industry to accept engine quickly slow further and snuff out the
usually running flat out during a typical governors. Operators initially refused but a engine. When does this happen??
takeoff. As a result, accidents occurred when decade later they became compulsory. The According to the factory, at 75 percent
a nervous pilot raised the collective too accident rate again dropped dramatically. So +/- 1 percent for each 1,000 ft increase in
quickly and did not notice he had reaching why should we revisit this problem today? DA. Even at flat pitch, the engine will not
maximum power. A recent serious training accident in have enough power to overcome the drag
If the collective was raised further, Queensland is a reminder that rotor stall caused by the stalled region and the rotor
the rotor slowed as drag now exceeded can occur any time you are flying with the rapidly slows with catastrophic results.
the power available. The high inertia rotor governor turned off. Usually, this can occur This is known as a low IAS/low RPM rotor
decayed slowly as its inertia tended to keep on four occasions: stall.
it steady for a few more seconds. As the 1. Training with the governor turned off as
RPM slowed, lift quickly reduced so now part of an approved syllabus. Low RPM warning light is low
collective had to be reduced to regain RPM. 2. During autorotation, when the governor throttle light
Frantic efforts to survive were made harder is turned off by closing the throttle. So how do we avoid this often fatal
because the heavy rotor was slow to speed 3. Harsh handling during cattle herding problem? Treat any governor off operation
up again, even when the collective was with the governor off to allow a more as an emergency, keep your speed above
reduced, initially increasing the sink rate. responsive throttle response. 60 knots in the cruise and do not allow the
Overpitching is usually encountered in a 4. Flying back to base when the governor RPM to fall out of the green. In addition, if
confined area during takeoff, at slow speed, has failed (approved in some countries). the low RPM warning system activates, it
with full power applied. Being hot, high and is really a low throttle warning. Your Pilot’s
heavy does not help when flying a “heavy” So what is low IAS/low RPM Operating Handbook says it all:
rotor system. rotor stall? “Roll on throttle and lower the collective
By comparison, the Robinson R22 Beta (Assuming the governor is not simultaneously to recover RPM”
II engine is derated from 180 BHP to the working). During normal forward flight It is that easy! n

17
 flight dynamics
burden, making the box still lighter and other and the box warps, which changes
smaller. the gear tooth contact. A box that can
Several designs are common. A have perfect contact at every power
stacked planetary gearbox allows many doesn’t exist, but of course at lower power
teeth to contact at once, so the stress the lighter contact means that the tooth
by nick lappos
is spread across several teeth, at least contact need not be as perfect as that at
theoretically. In reality, if the gears are not the highest power.

Main Transmission perfectly held by a close tolerance ring, the

stress might be much higher in some of
The gears themselves are dynamic
objects, with natural vibration modes that

– A wonder of the teeth that contact earlier. This drives

the weight of the planetary gearbox up as
make them subject to high stresses if their
rpm is close to their natural frequencies.

modern engineering more tooth area is needed to overcome the

alignment issues. Also, the large number
Gearbox designers sometimes mount the
gears by their axle shafts and rap them
of big, highly machined parts make the to measure their bell-like tones, or cover
planetary expensive. Newer, so-called split them with fine sand and shake them with
torque gearboxes are being introduced as oscillators to depict their frequencies.
Nick Lappos explains how
the next thing. These typically have one The sand is tossed off the places on the
the transmission is the main “bull” gear and two or more free- gear where the motion is highest, and it
standing pinion gears meshing with the collects at the places where the motion
mechanical nerve center of bull gear, each carrying some of the main is nil (the “Nodes”). This lets the designer
torque. They are lighter, and have fewer see if the gear has sufficient metal in the
the modern-day helicopter. parts to keep the cost and maintenance high stress places, and also lets them
down. Whether planetary or split torque, decide where cracks might form. The
the gearbox’s main challenges are two- vibration tests also clue the designer
fold – carefully orchestrating the meshing as to the rpm where the frequencies of
of the gear teeth and quelling the dynamic the gear are naturally excited, where
responses of the gears. the gear resonates. Resonant conditions
The gear teeth meet where the action can destroy a gear in a few minutes of
is. The spinning gears meet where one operation – I once reached into the hole of
steel tooth pushes against another. Those a test gearbox when a resonance caused
teeth must meet precisely, with no sliding a large gear to come apart and toss itself
or chaffing, but rather a smooth rolling through the gearbox wall. The hole was
of the two surfaces as they push off each large enough to get my forearm right
other. Rolling is easy on steel, so that into it! The resonant regions of the gears
all that is needed is just a film of oil to contribute to the yellow arcs and red lines
lubricate and cool the surface. If the gear on helo rpm gauges, and make compliance
faces slide at the pressures that a helo with operating limits more than just a
transmission must use, the teeth must be good idea.
very strong, and still their surfaces will The heat produced by the
begin to tear each other up, building heat transmission is the product of the power
and shortening life. it consumes, usually about two percent of
To keep the contact surfaces rolling, the total power. If the oil is lost, this heat
curved tooth shapes are used, and early is the enemy we fight, so aux lube systems
test gearboxes are carefully studied. The are sometimes used to cool the gears and
trained eye of the gearbox designer judges bearings until a landing can be made. The
the surface motions of the gears just the vast majority of oil leaks occur in external
way a dentist matches the bite of his oil lines, where many fittings are exposed
The transmission is phenomenally patient’s new teeth using carbon paper. A to damaging shoes and vibration. Modern
light (perhaps 20 percent of the weight test box is run with highly polished teeth transmissions are often internally “cored”
of an automotive or marine gearbox for a few hours under high power, and so that no external lines take oil from one
of the same power), quiet and robust. then shut down so the designer can look section to another, and the only lines are
Reducing the rpm of a turbine engine for slightly worn surface finishes. The the pair to and from the cooler.
from a whopping 20 or 30,000 rpm down finish tells how much sliding or scuffing Should a transmission start to fail,
to 400 or so makes a 50-to-1 reduction is taking place, and what must be done noise, chips and vibration are usually the
necessary. Fitting this into a small, light to change that contact into pure rolling first clues. Yaw licks indicate massive
gearbox usually asks for several stages. motion. A test gearbox can go through half disruption, of course. In transmission
One solution is to burden the engine with a dozen “grinds” as the designers re-curve emergencies, the flight manual often
the first stage, so engine gearboxes now the teeth to make them roll perfectly. calls for reducing power to the minimum,
deliver the output power at perhaps 6,000 This job is doubly hard because the near the best rate of climb speed, to help
rpm, and the main transmission makes gearbox case must be light, and only as reduce further damage.
up the difference. For piston helos, the strong and stiff as needed. As the power Next issue – the shafting and
reduction from 2,500 rpm is an easier is increased, the gears strain against each controls! n

19
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 Yuri Kazachkov personal profile
Russian Helicopter Team was about of heavy showers and lightning flashes all
the pilot
Moscow, Russia getting used
around us. We thought about flying around the
cloud; we tried to the left, then to the right,
to moving but it was no good - the cloud seemed endless.
differently By Russian aviation laws we had to fly to the
For Yuri and his father and the nearest alternate aerodrome, but both fields
operator were already covered by heavy rain. We decided
Mikhail, flying helicopters having to to land somewhere, and found a field which
exercise the
has become more than just other hand!
happened to be a garden shared by people
working there on their tomatoes and potatoes!
a hobby – it’s their life. It took us They stared at us from under the trees where
around 30 they were trying to take shelter from the rain.
The father and son team hours to get used to the major differences. Now As soon as it stopped raining we started the
we have started flying the MI-34, which differs engines and flew away. People around were
have traveled the world to from the others again – it is as maneuvrable amazed – I suppose they were surprised to see a
as the R44 and at the same time it is almost helicopter in their garden!
compete in a vast number of as precise as the MI-2. All the more, the MI-34
was specially designed for helicopter sport and WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR?
helicopter championships, aerobatics. This is a very exciting experience for We came 2nd in the Fender Rigging event in the
World Championship 2005, and 1st overall in the
as well as running their own us, and we want to achieve good results.
Ukrainian Helicopter Championship 2004.

competition in Russia. WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE TO FLY? We are also very pleased with our result of
We love flying different helicopters; sometimes 3rd place overall in the Russian Helicopter
we fly the MI-2 just for fun or for simple Championship 2005.
freestyle. When we need a comfortable
WHAT IS YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH recreational flight somewhere it is more DO YOU RECALL ANY VALUABLE LEARNING
HELICOPTERS? convenient to use the R-44. I don’t think that EXPERIENCES?
My father and I own a company called Russian there could really be a favorite type for us – The greatest learning experience for me is the
Helicopter Systems which provides a range of every helicopter is great! sport itself. The conditions under which I have
helicopter services. The company operates three learnt to fly have built confidence, and taught
Kamov KA-32 helicopters and performs all kinds
WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE YOU FLOWN IN? me precise and safe flying. Between the sport
We have flown in Russia, Ukraine, UK, USA, training we have to do emergency procedures
of heavy-lift operations, such as fire-fighting in
France, Italy, and UAE. The USA in my opinion training on a regular basis; it is essential. When
Turkey and GSM supports construction in central
brought the most pleasant flying. The situation we prepare for the season, we do autorotation
Russia. Our hobbies are also helicopter-related;
in Ukraine and the European countries is and other failure imitations for at least two
we are into helicopter sport and organize an
almost perfect as well. You can fly more-or-less hours per month.
annual helicopter championship called the
wherever and whenever you want to, provided
Mil’ Cup. We also visit all the major helicopter
you avoid restricted zones, which is very simple HAVE YOU ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR YOUR
competitions in Europe.
compared to the situation over here. Russia, FLYING?
HOW DID YOU GET INTO FLYING? for private pilots, is like one huge restricted We both plan to start helicopter aerobatics on
Both my father and I started with our private area. You have to do a lot of paper work, make an MI-34. This machine does the loops, rolls and
pilot training at Myachkovo airfield in winter loads of calls and receive a huge number of other elements of aerobatics and that’s what we
2002. Our first instructor, Slava Komlev, told us permissions just to fly around. It’s another story would really like to do. This year we are traveling
that there was a helicopter sport that would be if you want to fly to a different airport. It is also across Europe with our helicopter to compete at
very useful for achieving good pilot skills. We pretty much illegal to visit a friend somewhere the French, Italian, UK and (possibly) the German
really loved it from the beginning – it was ever so in the countryside, not to mention towns. National Championships. Of course we will also
interesting. At that time there were no helicopter fly at the Russian Nationals and the Mil Cup.
sporting events in Russia and we decided to HOW DOES THE CLIMATE IN RUSSIA AFFECT
YOUR FLYING? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
organize an amateur championship by ourselves.
The Russian weather makes quite an impact on HELICOPTER INDUSTRY IN RUSSIA?
Our company was created in 2006; we’d had
the life of the private pilot. If you want to fly in In December 2006 we initiated the birth of the
the idea long before but it only became possible
winter you either have to have a warm hangar or Russian Helicopter Industry Association. We
last year.
a special instrument to warm up the helicopter have done this to help get the future of the
WHICH TYPES DO YOU FLY? before starting it. You must be ready to face the industry under control. Now all the companies,
We each have about 500 hours on MI-2 whirl of snow whilst hovering near the ground. manufacturers, training centers and private
helicopters. I have around 80 hours on R44s and The helicopter must also be equipped with owner/operators are separated and it is a
my father has over 300 hours. After passing all anti-ice systems to fly in certain conditions, frightening situation when you see the Russian
the PPL(H) exams we mainly built our hours and this happens frequently. Still, the famous helicopter industry dying. Our country had
through helicopter sport training and we are phrase by Igor Sikorsky “Russia was created one of the leading positions in the world of
currently training on the MI-34S helicopter. for helicopters” is absolutely correct. We have helicopters, and now our laws are out-of-date,
regions in which a helicopter provides the only our manufacturers make several helicopters per
HOW DID IT FEEL CONVERTING FROM THE means of communication with civilization. year and think that it is an achievement, our
MI-2 TO THE ROBINSON? operators provide services for payments that do
Well, we were the first crew in Russia to fly a HAVE YOU EVER ENDED UP IN ANY EYE- not cover costs, and private pilots cannot always
Robinson R44 for sport, so we had to transfer our OPENING SITUATIONS? fly legally because of the heavy restrictions.
MI-2 skills to it. It was very interesting but rather Once we were returning in the MI-2 from a We have put all the interested sides together
difficult. The difference between the piston- Russian helicopter championship in Samara. It’s and are working on these problems. We hope
engine R44 and the turbine MI-2 was huge. The about 1,000 km from Moscow, and the weather the association will be able to negotiate
main problem was that the pilot sits on the left seemed to be perfect all the way. Suddenly with the authorities and lead to improvements
in a MI-2 and on the right in a Robinson, and it though, we noticed a huge black cloud, a wall in the laws. n

21
c o v e r f e at u r e

In a world where technology

and the Internet has changed
the way we communicate and
do business, you’d think the
demand for executive travel
would be declining. Once upon
a time a similar assumption
was made about paper...
 Above: Aviaxess EC130 flying
over Paris on the heli routes

top right: The hangar is rarely full as the

aircraft are out flying some 160 hours a month.

middle right: Aviaxess moved into

Issy-les-Moulineaux heliport in 2002.

bottom right: The team chill out

in their designer garden!

story by Sarah Bowen

photos by Sarah & Mark Bowen
 Statistics have proven that the that face-to-face meetings between
dream of a paperless office was just that – company executives play a significant
a dream. On the contrary, the introduction part in the successful running of a
of e-mail and low-cost printers has business – for these people time is of the
top right: The company manages caused paper consumption to increase so essence.
a wide mix of privately owned much that the average office worker is French operator Aviaxess, based at
aircraft, from R44s to 109s. using a ream of paper every two weeks! Issy-les-Moulineaux Heliport in Paris,
Similarly, corporate helicopter transport responded to the cry for speedy and
above left: The Heliport is so
is following an analogous trend; whilst convenient, no fuss transportation, by
close to the centre you can see the most day-to-day business is conducted launching a newfangled tool for business
Eiffel tower on departure! online, or by telephone, it would be foolish aviation called the “Corporate HeliCard”.
to leave the fate of the most strategic and This avant-garde helicopter time-share
above right: Flying around Paris
vital business decisions in the hands of program gives a fresh approach to
comes with strict regulations about the
a computer, without physical interaction business travel for executives and regular
routes you can operate along.
and discussion. It goes without saying airline business passengers alike. The

24
 The challenge however

was opening the eyes

of business travellers –

making them appreciate

that helicopter transport

is far more cost-effective

that they realize, given

that time is money.

Above: Jean-Frederic Badois prepares

one of the aircraft for service before it
leaves for a charter.

left: One of the two EC130 B4s in their

fleet of fourteen helicopters.

card offers a subscription to an annual was gaining popularity. In the rotary are confident it is the perfect solution,”
block of 25, 50 or 100 flight hours at a world however, a similar scheme had not Aguettant said.
fixed price that can be used throughout yet been implemented. Introducing this For the executive business traveller,
Europe. Unlike fractional ownership, the new way of selling helicopter charter to organizing air transport “on the fly”
hours are not tied to a specific helicopter the corporate market presented unique with regular airlines can be problematic
type guaranteeing the customer flexibility challenges and required a different and expensive, not to mention time-
all year round. For the end user no time approach to management and marketing. consuming and stressful, particularly
is wasted; one phone call and a helicopter “Today, passengers need to travel with heightened security measures
appropriate to the sortie and number of under the best conditions of safety, causing delays at busy airports. The
passengers is ready to take off – almost as effectiveness and budget. Our HeliCard opened a door to an easier
easy as calling a cab! understanding and experience within way of getting from A to B in style and
Frederic Aguettant, President of the helicopter world has enabled us to comfort; the challenge however was
Aviaxess came up with the HeliCard tailor the product, which was originally opening the eyes of business travellers –
concept a couple of years ago, when based around the jet model, to suit the making them appreciate that helicopter
time-share in the business jet industry heavy users of rotary transport. We transport is far more cost-effective that

25
 The R44 is often used for photographic
work as well as some flight training. The
French CAA building is located opposite the
heliport – visible in the distance.

opposite page
left: Minor maintenance is performed
on-site, with larger jobs carried out at a
nearby airfield by a partner company.

right: Eric Gardien is one of Aviaxess’s

commercial pilots. He really enjoys his job and
finds flying around Paris highly rewarding.

26
they realize, given that time is money. and the islands, Belle-Ile, Yeu, and from Paris every time someone needed
According to Aguettant, the deployment of Ouessant,” Pauwels remarked. to fly was not the answer. They decided
the HeliCard has so far proven progressive Flying in Paris does not come without to take action and initiated the first
and satisfying from a selling point of its difficulties, however. There are European “Helicopter Operators Alliance”
view, but the general lack of “helicopter strict regulations about where you can (HOA) – a unique network of partners in
awareness” amongst the general public and can’t fly, and sightseeing tours are various parts of Europe they could call on
is a major issue the company is working virtually a non-starter. This is down to when a helicopter is required in a specific
on solving. “One of our key goals here the regulations prohibiting departures area. They call it an “alliance” because of
is for potential users to discover and from the heliport on circular flights with the strong, trustworthy relationship they
try this incredible productivity tool,” passengers unless a local stopover of at share with each of the partner companies,
Aguettant added. least one hour is made. Then there are both in quality of service to the end
Even customers who do not hold the monuments and stadiums – there are user and in the structure of their pricing
a HeliCard account can benefit from numerous areas of Paris that cannot be policies. There are already more than 38
the company’s innovative ideas, with overflown and pilots must strictly adhere helicopters available throughout the main
the AviaCard, the first “Frequent Flyer to the designated city-belt heli-routes. cities in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal,
Programme” of its kind in the business Separation and altitude along the heli- the UK, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium,
aviation world. The traveler cumulates routes are also an issue the authorities but Vice President of Marketing and Sales,
“units”, essentially frequent flyer points, take very seriously, since Paris lies within Barthélemy Gilles is keen to see the
and can earn quality rewards each time Class A airspace. Helicopter operations alliance grow, and is confident that it will.
a determined level of points is reached. are admitted SVFR with compulsory “We believe it possible to go significantly
The program is so unique because each transponder use. “We have to be precise further with this; building an authentic
minute of flight time is logged and with our altitude – 1,000 ft over the north alliance behind a unique banner opens up
rewarded, whether it’s taken on an R22 and east of Paris (because of Le Bourget opportunities for smaller companies and
helicopter or a Bombardier Global Jet! and Charles de Gaulle traffic) and 1,500 makes it possible for operators to work
Downtown Paris is an ideal location ft over the rest. With the transponder on, together rather than competing against
for this type of operation, strategically ATC have your exact position and altitude each other,” said Gilles.
placed adjacent to business and every second!” Pauwels explained. “There The HOA has many unique plus points
residential areas, and forming the perfect are a number of entry and exit procedures – the main advantages being shared
operating base for transportation in around the heliport and the radio work common experience in the industry, and
and around the country’s capital. Anne can get pretty heavy, but it gets easier the exchange of privileged technical,
Chantal Pauwels, a commercial pilot who with time and experience.” administrative and marketing resources.
recently started flying for the company With the heliport becoming more Typically, smaller operators in Europe
commented that the heliport provides of a business center, the corporate have very few machines and staff, and
an effective link between the city and transport business between Paris and its would otherwise rarely have access to
popular destinations like Deauville, Le surrounding regions was proving really such powerful resources. Since Aviaxess
Touquet and the Normandy coast. “All successful, but the company soon realized is highly pro-active and heavily focused
these places can easily be reached within that HeliCard customers traveling further on marketing, pulling together the assets
the hour, and from Moulineaux there is afield across Europe would need a faster that each company has to offer is very
high demand from customers wanting to and more cost-effective way of gaining beneficial both to them and to the partner
go to the French Britany Coast, Quiberon, access to a helicopter. Sending an aircraft operators. “Uniting forces has given all

27
 left: Although the heliport is concerned a higher level of credibility, passengers, covering everything from
right in the middle of a big city, status and dimension, proof of maturity booking hotels to arranging car hire.
and rigour and the capability to follow the The company has also developed similar
the atmosphere there makes it
best-shared practices. As a result it has time-share solutions for business jets, and
feel like the open countryside.
been possible to target respected national thanks to an agreement with Bombardier
right: The spacious hangar clients and handle valuable international SkyJet and selected operators, they also
is home to a wide variety of accounts,” Gilles added. have a fleet of 65 business jets available
aircraft types, suitable for every Aviaxess believes very strongly in across Europe. Their base at Paris Heliport
type of executive charter. all-round customer care, and since its has a remarkable atmosphere; it’s very
foundation in 2002, has offered a complete chilled out and oozing tranquillity –
concierge service to its clients and their despite it lying right in the middle of

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Organised by:
 with the area and procedures has made it
easier to get the necessary clearances to
develop it,” Gilles explained.
The need for helicopters in the Côte-
d’Azur region is growing significantly
and the company is looking at providing
more machines to the area. Until this
happens, however, they will continue to
satisfy the rising demand by obtaining
helicopters from their partner companies.
Currently there is a 50/50 split between
corporate and private flying in the region
– the private sector reaching around 75
percent between June and October, and
the trend inverting during the rest of the
year. Aviaxess aim to smooth out these
fluctuations over the coming years.
The EC130 is a very
It’s not just the corporate sector who
robust, comfortable
benefit from the efficiency of helicopter
and spacious machine, operations in France. The company
with heaps of power. has saved the day a number of times
According to the by transporting urgent freight around
company’s pilots it’s an the country. If a manufacturing plant,
absolute pleasure to fly. for example, runs out of an essential
stock item and must meet an imminent
deadline, it can cost them hundreds of
one of most densely populated cities booking hotels when we have to go away thousands in Euro to shut production
in Europe! Their fleet consists of 14 on a mission,” Pauwels remarked. “The down. The clock is ticking, and sending a
helicopters, most of which are less company is always very professional, and helicopter to collect and deliver the item
than five years old, and although the we get on really well with our customers is a very small price to pay compared to
helicopters are managed and operated too – it’s a real pleasure flying for them.” the huge losses at stake. The freight can
by the company, every one is privately The helicopters fly four to six flights be sent freely with minimal paperwork,
owned. “Not actually purchasing the per day on average and the fleet includes removing the delays associated with
helicopters means we are not tied to aging two EC130 B4s (one of which was the courier services and reinforcing the
machines,” Gilles noted. “We select our first to be delivered in Europe), several smooth running of many industries. This
customers and aircraft very carefully, so AS350 helicopters, an Agusta 109E, Bell type of work requires a quick and efficient
we can continue to guarantee the best 206, SA 365 N1, and a couple of Robinsons. turnaround – something the company
level of comfort. Right now we are close to Gilles noted that the company’s dynamic claims to be quite used to. In fact, freight
reaching our maximum hangar capacity – and individual touch is in the way they and cargo flights make up around 40
the biggest in the Paris region.” provide the client with a momentous percent of their operations, with the
The team consists of six pilots, three experience. “When a customer approaches remainder covering many of the country’s
in operations, one in administration these incredible machines, everything corporate events; the Formula One Grand
and CRM, two Business Development must be exceptional. Nothing and nobody Prix of France, Transat Jacques Vabre,
Managers and two handling mechanics. must disturb this extraordinary moment. Route du Rhum, Marathon des Sables, as
All share an obvious dedication to the Our customers are loyal because they love well as numerous car rallies and football
helicopters with each aircraft in the fleet the ambiance we provide – sophisticated, championships. They broke their record
looked after as if it were a member of relaxed, trendy, and extremely friendly.” for event coverage during 2004 and
the family! Jean-Frederic Badois, one of Three years ago Aviaxess established a 2005, when they won the contract for
the mechanics, even goes to work on his second base in Toulon-Hyère, on the gates “Official Heli Carier” at the Formula One
days off (out of choice!) so he can spend of the French Riviera, 40 km from Grand Prix, operating 40 helicopters and
time with the helicopters. He carries out St Tropez. Presently one or two helicopters performing over 400 rotations! Events like
minor maintenance work on- site, but reside there permanently, but they this prove executive transportation is not
major services are carried out at nearby provide additional aircraft to the base if going out of fashion – quite the contrary
airfield Toussus Le Noble. Pauwels has the season causes demand to increase. it seems.
also noticed the team spirit and likes the Being a military airport, the company With the Paris Heliport buzzing
fact that everybody is very keen to help obtained special permission to run a civil and with helicopter movements on the
out. “It’s inspiring to see people going operation in the area, and is currently the increase, it doesn’t look as if the corporate
out of their way to make your job easier only helicopter operator authorized to do sector is going to be quashed by the
– ground staff are always doing their best so. “The two pilots we have flying at our effects of technology any time soon –
to assist us pilots; pushing the helicopters Toulon base belonged to the corp that good news for the helicopter industry,
out, getting fuel, marshalling us in – even manages the airport, and being familiar great news for Aviaxess. n

30
 TM

7-9 October 2008

Airport Cascais
ESTORIL
Portugal

www.helitecheurope.com

Organised By: Patrons:

Henley Air’s small, solid foundations cast a very big footprint at Rand Airport.
The apparent oxymoron of “ostentatious minimalism” that could accurately
be used to describe Henley Air, seems to be an effective answer to economic
prosperity in uneasy times in South Africa. HeliOps visited Henley Air and
found a successful company with a unique approach to helicopter aviation.

story & PHOTOS by Rob Neil

 Above: Two of the privately
owned R44s belonging to Henley
Air’s many customers. Henley
Air staff are constantly kept busy
moving, servicing and preparing
the approximately 40 helicopters.

right: Henley Air’s two R22

trainers. These busy little aircraft
exceed the 600 hours averaged
by the rest of Henley’s fleet of
owned and leased machines.

Rand Airport, on Johannesburg’s for André to combine his interest in

south-eastern outskirts, is home base to helicopters with his study, he take a job as
South Africa’s biggest small helicopter an apprentice with NAC, which he did.
company – Henley Air. The company, During two years of intense study and
which only began in 1995, operates from lots of hard work, André also managed
an extremely large and impressive hangar to obtain his commercial helicopter
adjacent to Rand’s runway 17/35. The big license and began doing the occasional
hangar used to belong to the country’s commercial flight.
biggest general aviation company, NAC, His dad had started Henley with a
which still operates a maintenance facility single Bell JetRanger and when the time
in different premises on the airfield. came that André decided to join his father
When his father began Henley Air, in the business, they obtained a second
André Coetzee, its current owner, was a JetRanger from Air Mauritius and bought
hard-working university student. It was a small hangar around the corner from
his father who suggested that in order their current location at Rand. They also

34
began a small flight school, using a single staying as small as possible, Henley’s Homeowners around Rand Airport
Robinson R22 Beta. own fleet of aircraft has remained below will be used to seeing
From the start, both André and his relatively small. While the clean, airy, Henley’s R22 buzzing overhead.
father wanted Henley’s own operation spacious hangar contains a massive fleet
to remain as small as possible. To see of privately owned helicopters (mainly
their giant hangar today, one mightn’t Robinson R44s), Henley still only owns
think so, but when its former owner NAC four helicopters – two JetRangers and two
made changes, and decided to part with Robinson R22s.
the building (which used to be its head With the huge number of Robbies
office), André and his father seized the filling Henley’s hangar, it is a good thing
opportunity to purchase it. NAC moved to have NAC – southern Africa’s Robinson No longer just a small
its operational base to Lanseria, but – agent – right next-door.
happily – kept a maintenance facility Henley Air has evolved significantly charter and flight-
operating in another hangar at Rand. from what André and his father imagined
Henley and NAC have maintained a good at the beginning. No longer just a small training establishment,
working relationship ever since and charter and flight-training establishment,
Henley’s current fleet of owned, leased Henley now also specializes in hangaring Henley now also
and customers’ helicopters together and managing privately owned
comprise NAC’s biggest current helicopter helicopters and has around 40 machines
specializes in hangaring
“customer”. on its books. Some of these helicopters are
A strange thing happened as soon seldom used, others are used frequently;
as Henley Air moved into the huge Henley’s guardianship of the various
and managing privately
hangar. Almost like some “critical mass” machines varies with different owners’
phenomenon, it was as if the building’s requirements. In many cases owners owned helicopters and
very size led people to assume Henley will call ahead requesting machines be
was already a huge company and it prepared for flight so that all they need has around 40 machines
immediately began to attract ever- do is arrive and go flying, and then leave
increasing numbers of students and their machines with Henley’s staff upon on its books.
customers. their return. Henley Air arranges cleaning,
Nevertheless, true to André’s aim of servicing and preparation as required.

35
 Johannesburg’s roads are
seldom as quiet as this
photo over the motorway
near Rand Airport
suggests. Helicopters are
a great way to escape
the Johannesburg traffic
– and with no chance of
being carjacked!

36
 While some owners prefer to keep is a good ground school at Grand Central have progressed to owning their own
their machines strictly for their own Airport especially set up to do that, which helicopters – which Henley Air now
personal use, others are happy to have André believes does a great job of it. manages!
their machines chartered or made Despite its “orphan” status, André André has seen things change
available for commercial work. Henley has acknowledges that Henley Air’s school significantly in this regard since the
arrangements to operate a number of such is a perfect “shop front” presence and company began. At the start, typical
machines on a variety of jobs, including gets the right people through its doors. students would have been as likely to sell
flight training at its own school, charter A great many of Henley Air’s students mothers or wives into slavery if necessary
and vehicle tracking. At present, Henley
Air uses five JetRangers, two LongRangers,
two 407s, two twins (a 412 and an EC135),

1
oo
four R44s and four R22s.

#1
H
Another occupant in Henley’s hangar

p
Ti
rt
is an Agusta A109 belonging to a public
pe ma

ns
tio
mining company that uses the machine
S
to fly platinum from its mine to the ra
airport each day. While this helicopter is
O

occasionally available for Henley Air to

use for charters, the mining company isn’t

Less is More
particularly keen on it.
The EC135 is a near-new machine that
is used only once or twice a year by its

(really)
owner, so it does make good sense to have
a professional operation like Henley Air
utilizing it for commercial charter.
With the EC135 and the 412 available
to it, Henley Air is one of the only
companies in South Africa that currently
has twin-engined helicopters available for
charter. The 412, which is owned by Anglo
Gold, is – like the A109 – basically used to
shuttle precious metal (gold, in this case,
naturally enough) between the company’s
mines and secure airport facilities. When
the 412 is required for charter, they are
usually Anglo’s pilots who fly it. Although
André is rated on the 412, it isn’t a
practical proposition to maintain currency
for the number of times he would use it,
so it makes sense to utilize Anglo’s pilots.
Today, Henley Air’s business
comprises around 50 percent mining- It’s not
related contract and charter work, just what you pay
35 percent flight school, with the
remainder being ad-hoc charters and for your cargo hook equipment
odd jobs, including filming and transport
initially—it’s the maintenance costs that can make
for one-off events such as funerals and
weddings. or break your business. That’s why Onboard Systems
Henley Air’s flight school, while
makes hooks that are competitively priced, designed
thriving successfully, has always been “a
bit of an orphan” according to André, and to last and surprisingly inexpensive to overhaul. Visit
a bit like Topsy, has just sort of “growed”.
our website to find out more and get a free catalog.
André now has four instructors working
full-time (in addition to instructing
himself occasionally). So busy has the
operation become, that André struggles to
find enough helicopters and instructors
at times.
The school typically has around 35 360.546.3072
students on its books at a time. Henley
doesn’t run its own ground classes – there [email protected]
www.onboardsystems.com/explore
It is not only the
effective little R44
that is well regarded –
baby brother R22s are
becoming scarcer and
scarcer and are highly
prized as trainers!

top left: This Bell 407 is a Henley

hangar resident.

top right: Three “Henley” Robbies

framed by the tail of another in the
afternoon sun.

right: With the day’s flying over, the

Henley Air hangar begins to fill with
carefully parked Robbies.
 One of the busy R22s
getting the most out
of the day – here
silhouetted against the
Johannesburg skyline on
a late afternoon flight.

in order to fund flying time. Today, 60 becoming scarcer and scarcer and are the issue of their licenses. “It makes for
percent of Henley’s students sign up to highly prized as trainers! great camaraderie here,” he says. “Many
buy their own new machines in which to Of all the helicopters hangared or of our clients are, not surprisingly, high
do their PPLs. managed by Henley, around 80 percent profile businessmen, but when they come
Most of these new helicopters are of them belong to either current or past out here, they’re all just helicopter pilots
Robinson R44s, which are very sought students. André finds it particularly together.”
after aircraft throughout South Africa. satisfying that his students feel Most students think only that they
It is not only the effective little R44 that sufficiently confident in his company are learning from their instructors – and
is well regarded – baby brother R22s are to continue such a relationship beyond as far as flying helicopters goes, this is

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 Henley Air’s “big” hangar
gets progressively smaller
at bedtime each night
as the huge fleet of
customers’ helicopters is
delicately arranged with
care to avoid hangar rash.

largely true. However, Henley’s customers’ hour sorties and takes place only from a their friends and acquaintances into
positions as champions of industry in controlled airfield, with only one takeoff flying.
South Africa, do not go un-noticed by and landing each sortie. It allows André to André’s intention to be lean and
André or his instructors and they realize watch pilots during the time they spend efficient is also behind Henley Air’s
that they learn a great deal from being flying “Matrix” missions, and gives him minimal fleet size. When viewed
around such people. the opportunity to “hand pick” pilots to objectively, it does indeed seem practical
Charter work, which is André’s remain and progress with the company. and sensible to utilize leased aircraft for
preferred personal specialty, remains an It doesn’t take long for a pilot to build the the company’s work wherever possible,
important part of Henley’s operations. The 700-odd hours necessary to progress to rather than owning, operating and
local mining industry provides much of the small turbine machines (JetRangers maintaining its own expensive helicopters
the company’s charter work. Few charters and 407s). For insurance reasons, pilots – while keeping a hangar full of otherwise
cover more than about 150 miles and for the twins are expected to have at least wastefully idle private machines.
there is little tourism charter to be had 3,000-4,000 hours minimum time. Henley Air’s hangar building is the only
around Johannesburg. South Africa’s game All Henley Air’s instructors have “expansive” aspect of its entire operation.
lodges are typically too distant from Rand come through the ranks of the school’s Everything else (staff numbers, helicopter
Airport for helicopters to be cost-effective students. While there are four instructors fleet) is kept as lean, efficient and simple
charter platforms. flying full time, André doesn’t employ any as possible in order to avoid the situation
Each of Henley Air’s own machines full-time instructors! There is more than of “big company inertia” where it takes
averages around 600 hours each year enough casual work to keep them flying months to make decisions about the
– the flight school’s busy little R22s, full-time and André insists that his policy simplest of things. André is committed to
slightly more. The company uses R44s of not “employing” instructors is in line be always in the position of being able to
to fulfill “Matrix” vehicle tracking with Henley Air’s intention to remain as change quickly when required.
contracts – tracking stolen cars. This is an small and streamlined as possible. Each In a volatile economy like South
extremely busy task in Johannesburg, as instructor flies around 90-100 hours a Africa’s, operating such a globally
crime statistics reflect. The Matrix work month and André has found that their dynamic and unpredictable business
provides an ideal opportunity for Henley’s personal involvement with the school as helicopter aviation, the Henley Air
newly qualified commercial pilots to where they are paid for the flying they do, principle of staying small and flexible –
build time in a relatively benign flying has had a “ripple effect” with instructors albeit in a big shop front – appears to be
environment. Tracking involves one- commonly drawing more and more of an ideal solution. n

41
 story and PHOTOS by sarah bowen

The Defense Helicopter Flying School was honoured by the presence of HRH, Prince of
Wales, as they celebrated 10 years of flight training success with the school generating
over 200 new pilots a year, DHFS are ensuring the next generation of rotor wing pilots
for the tri services.
 Students can use the Griffin
simulator as and when they need
some extra cockpit training.

In the beginning the banks could protect the tens of a fully manual throttle so that we can
The concept of a Defence Helicopter millions they had invested in the program practice engine-off landings. If students
Flying School (DHFS) “vehicle” was born whist subcontracting the work out. SERCo don’t have enough technical knowledge
during the Defence Cost Study of 1994. later left FBS and company became FB they could easily overtemp the engine
The aim was to select a single site for Heliservices, as it is known today. on start-up, and suddenly that’s £250,000
basic helicopter training using contractor- In order to deliver aircrew training to worth of engine written off – a very
owned aircraft and a proportion of civilian all three services, three squadrons were expensive mistake!” By using visual aids
flying instructors to produce high quality brought together; 705, 660 and 60. Each such as engine models and emulators,
front-line helicopter pilots, navigators and deals with different phases of training as which also examine fuel and hydraulic
crewmen for the UK Armed Services. One well as providing refresher and conversion systems in great detail, the risk of this
of the bidders in 1995-96 for the 15-year courses. An extra unit called SARTU, happening are minimized.
contract was a company called FBS; based at RAF Valley in North Wales, also Once through the classroom work,
Flight Refuelling Aviation, Bristow and became linked to the school to boost students sit four exams; Principles of
SERCo each partner owning a third of the the level of SAR training. The DHFS also Flight, Operations, MET and the Squirrel
enterprise. Their bid was successful, and provides advanced multi-engine training Technical Package. The exams are
the DHFS was formally opened in April for RAF aircrew and further special apparently quite tough, probably the
1997 at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire. courses for all three services. But for the equivalent of the commercial pilot exams,
By May 27 the first group of recruits new recruits it all begins in the classroom. but the subjects are covered in just three
had arrived; two Royal Navy, five Army weeks. They sit the papers in-house
and three RAF students. Training In theory… requiring an 80 percent pass mark, and
commenced 3 weeks later and now, ten Before students are let loose on the according to Coulthard, on average 90
years on, the school turns out some 420 aircraft it’s essential they understand percent of students succeed.
students per year; around 180 ab-initio a few basic fundamentals about the Crew Resource Management (CRM)
pilots and 40 crewmen, and a further helicopters they will be flying. Lieutenant training is another highly significant area
200 or so “post-graduate” students. The Commander Adrian Coulthard, DHFS of training and focus. Close cooperation
contract was initially a private finance Chief Ground Instructor explained, “One between crewmen in the cabin and pilots
initiative (PFI) which, at the time was a of the first things we draw attention at the front is paramount in any military
remarkably new idea. It was seen that by to in ground school is the engine and operation, so a two-and-a-half day UK
having a special purpose consortium to throttle system. Unlike a lot of civilian Civil Aviation Authority accredited course
hold the funding and to own the aircraft, equivalents, the Squirrels we use have extension is delivered. CRM training is

44
 Ten years on, the school

is turning out some

420 students per year;

around 180 ab-initio

pilots and 40 crewmen,

and on top of that a

further 200 or so “post-

graduate” students.

top left: Confined area training

plays an important
part in the single-engine course.

left: One of the DHFS 25 Squirrels

on the base at RAF Shawbury.

then consolidated by taking the students with fixed wing is how we’ve always 705 Squadron
out for a day and a half in Griffin aircraft done it. This enables them to develop 705 Naval Air Squadron’s primary
with the intention of getting them into basic airmanship, navigation skills, and initiative is the continuation of students’
field conditions to prepare them for the awareness in the air, and once they’ve single engine Squirrel training.
missions they may one day be flying. got through that we give them a stab at On the single engine advanced course
As four weeks of intense ground school all three services on a 65-80 hour single students start thinking about advanced
comes to an end, the successful ones are engine package on the Squirrel HT1 operations and instrument flying. “They
handed over to 660 Squadron where they (Eurocopter AS350B).” will be facing the challenges of flying
will get their first taste of real hands-on After successful completion of at night, out of clearings and down at
helicopter flying. the single-engine basic course and a low level so navigation skills need to be
basic handling check, students return of a much higher standard.” Coulthard
660 Squadron to ground school for another week explained. “To give students an insight
The primary role of 660 within the before progressing to 705 for advanced into helicopter production, we also try
DHFS is to train the ab-initio helicopter training. 660 also runs a navigator to fit in a trip to Westland.” What comes
pilots in the basics of helicopter flight. induction, a loading course and Harrier next depends on which service they’re
Students arrive from elementary flying VSTOL conversion training, which is going to; students never really know
training, having typically completed 50-90 intended to give student fast-jet pilots where they’ll end up when they enlist.
hours on light fixed wing aircraft, but some experience at hovering and low- Army students graduate first, moving
with no rotary experience whatsoever. speed flight. Since they need the skills onto Squirrels at Middle Wallop. For the
Commandant Captain Martin Westwood to maneuver into confined areas, they Air Force and a small number of Navy
MA, commented on the basic principles practice many of the Harrier approach students, who will go straight onto
of their training; “Starting students off profiles on the Squirrel. operations on type after graduating, it’s

45
yet another trip to ground school before Benson. Later, it disbanded and reformed When SARTU left Strike Command in 1997
starting the multi-engine course at 60 as RAF Advanced Rotary Training to become part of the DHFS, the unit was
Squadron. Squadron operating Griffin HT1 (Bell re-equipped with the Griffin, improving
412 EP) helicopters with the newly training even further. Students graduating
Sixty (R) Squadron formed DHFS. into the SAR field take an RAF SAR
Sixty (R) Squadron was a fighter “By the end of the multi-engine lead-in course before moving to the Sea
unit until 1992. On returning to course, should we need to use Griffins King OCU.
England after 76 years serving overseas, front-line, we’d have produced here a
it took on a new role flying Westland combat-ready Griffin pilot,” remarked Equipment and Training Aids
Wessex HC2 helicopters at RAF the Commandant. From this point Although the DHFS’ 25 Squirrels and
they go straight to their OCUs to learn 11 Griffins are owned and operated by FB
their operational aircraft. The turnaround Heliservices, they are all on the military
is so quick these days, we’ve had people register. The station flies in the order of

They don’t have the finish here on a Friday and start at the 30,000 hours per year, and according to
OCU on Monday, and within a couple Captain Westwood, the partnership has
of weeks of finishing there they could proven a huge success. “The DHFS concept
option of “practice be out on the front-line.” For the would not work without the aircraft’s
crewmen, training is consolidated by engineering reliability and success.
makes perfect” out teaming up with the pilots for the final They’re built for the purpose and they
tactical phase. just keep on working. Of the 25 Squirrels
in the field, so it’s Every multi-engine student works with we’re using 22-23 a day, and the same
SARTU as part of their course to complete ratio goes for the Griffins. The hours we
better they get it an element of winching and mountain have flown over ten years is a testament
flying. The early 1960s saw the first to their reliability and to the maintenance
wrong in here than training of dedicated SAR Crews at RAF provided by the government.” Squadron
Valley by 3 Squadron CFS(H), a lodger unit Leader, Al Dawson added, “We keep most
out there.” parented by RAF Ternhill. In the late 70s, of our helicopters turning all day long,
with reorganization of their fleet, Valley’s because in terms of serviceability it works
training squadron was renamed SARTU. out much better with less starts and

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shutdowns. The largest helicopters we set up, the only simulation option we It’s not only the pilots, however, that
operate burn around 800 lbs fuel per hour, had was to send the pilots over to the benefit from the DHFS latest innovations.
which compared to front-line helicopters Bell-Textron factory in Fort Worth for a Until recently, Loading Trainer Paul
is extremely low. This makes our training week,” Dawson commented. “It was a very Crutenden had to take his crewmen off-
machines a very cost effective platform.” inefficient way of doing things and meant site learn about physical loading and
DHFS has a Bell 412 Simulator on-site, that all sim training had to be done at lashing. Now, thanks to his brainchild,
although like any simulator it has once. Now we can integrate throughout essentially a porta-cabin with the same
limitations. It was recently upgraded from the course procedures that can’t be basic internal dimensions as a Chinook,
a single projector to a wraparound facility taught in the air, such as catastrophic he can teach everything from physically
giving better situational awareness. emergencies, tail-rotor malfunctions, tying equipment in, to performing weight
Essentially it’s a great tool for practicing high risk regimes and things exploding and balance checks to ensure items are
starts, shutdowns, emergencies and all and falling off the helicopter.” The ratio not loaded too far fore or aft, to actually
kinds of operational procedures. The between time in the sim and the real deal driving a Land-Rover in to simulate fast
students can use it as much as they like, is 3:1 in favour of flying. The instructors on-load and offload situations. “Although
and it’s also invaluable for crewmen to see this as a reasonably healthy division, this is not a particularly hi-tech form
actually get involved with the pilots on but no matter how advanced simulation of simulation, we have everything we
their course, taking a full and active role gets, they believe there will always be a need to make this fully-realistic training.
in how emergencies develop and are good proportion of actual flying needed to Depending on service demand, students
handled. “When the DHFS was very first produce qualified service pilots. might move to Merlins, Pumas, or

48
 Flight training takes place
in the local area around
Telford in Shropshire.

Chinooks, but the generic loading aspects added. “They can practice with people for all the different sorties we do rather
and principles they learn here will who know what they’re doing, they can than wasting aircraft hours,” Dawson
serve them well throughout their entire make mistakes and corrections, and since remarked. “The crewman guides the pilot
careers.” Crutenden explained. Dawson it’s all done in real time, it’s excellent through landing in confined areas where
agreed that the main benefit of the on-site practice for the future. It’s much harder the pilot has restricted visibility. He looks
facility, is that they can practice loading today for crewmen to learn their trade at the size, shape, surround, surface and
at relevant stages of training and it can prior to the front-line, because the “pipe” slope of the chosen area, and also checks
be refreshed throughout the course, is so fast and they’re getting pushed out for obstructions, wires, and other hazards.
rather than cramming it in all at once. of each individual section so quickly It saves a considerable amount of money
As a result students are prepared to a that training is more compressed. They not having to use flying hours to do this.”
much higher standard for the next stages don’t have the option of “practice makes While the DHFS operates reasonably small
of training and will have learnt about perfect” out in the field, so it’s better they aircraft, students may well progress onto
transportation of cargo to IATA standards. get it wrong in here than out there.” sizable aircraft like Chinooks and Merlins,
“We plan to put some seats down Crewmen also have access to a rear so getting into very small confined areas
the sides to restrict the crew’s access simulator; a simple software package is a skill that needs to be up and running
somewhat and make it feel more like connected to a movement-sensitive from the outset.
the real thing, and if we turn out the helmet and goggles, invaluable for
lights and shut the doors we can make practising the crewman’s role. “It’s our Today’s standards
it a night-time environment,” Crutenden way of getting used to all the procedures While some countries face recruiting

49
 each other very well and as a result ours
Some essential
standards are very high,” Westwood
crewman exercises added. Ultimately the flying training
are practiced on system is not just about teaching them
the ground using how to fly the helicopter but preparing
simulators, saving on them for the next stage so they will be
flight hours. successful out in the field.

And tomorrow?
Thinking about the future, DHFS is
Military Flying Training System (MFTS)
and Westwood is very proud of
their achievements, believing that
essentially they deliver a complete
product to the front-line. “What you
see here is a picture of British military
flying training, and I have no fears about
the future because it’s been a huge
success story and what we’ve got now is
a system that works. We don’t want to
get complacent, but the numbers we’re
getting through now provide a good model
for the future. Ten years into the contract
with five to run is a good opportunity to
take stock of what we’re doing, learn from
the early teething problems and have a
long hard look at the syllabus to make
sure we’re doing things because we need
to and not because we’ve always done
them in that way.”
problems, it seems the DHFS have no same for all three services, and the main The school has grown considerably in
trouble getting people through the door. measure of our efficiency is that ten years and because it was originally
In fact, according to DHFS statistics the the failure rate at the OCUs, which is designed for a smaller capacity of
competition is stiffer today than it was fairly negligible. It’s a very expensive students this has caused a few choking
ten years ago. The same can be said for mistake to send someone forth from here points. Although they have invested
the instructor pool. Initially training was only to find out they can’t handle the in additional assets, Dawson says
delivered mostly by military instructors front-line job, and as they move on from they would like to see the provision of
but over time some retired and became here the cost of flying training goes up simulation capacity grow. “This type of
civilian members of the company. In by an order of a magnitude,” Westwood training is bound to evolve over the next
the early days there were 350 staff remarked. 10-15 years as we progress into the future
applications to fill 55 posts and although “We don’t want to be wasting Chinook, and simulators get better and better. We
the future may see less military and Merlin or Apache hours on people who also foresee the simulation of all sorts of
more ex-military instructors, the military aren’t ultimately going to qualify as additional operations like air to ground
helicopter pilot pool is getting bigger front-line service pilots.” The school gunnery and engaging enemies. I think
and within it there is no shortage of tries to identify people with capacity or it’s the way forward and it will provide
experience. With the school generating awareness issues early on, although the a link between rear crew and front crew
over 200 new pilots and crewman a year, fact remains that people progress simulation.”
whose tours will eventually come to an at different rates, and someone who Although the emphasis of training
end, there’s a good chance that some will initially struggles may graduate as an has not changed since the early days, the
opt to return to instruct. exceptional pilot. “The only way we front-line force continues to dictate how
Fail rates have been fairly constant can judge this is experience. One of people need to be trained and there is
over the years and of all the courses the our reasons for success is our mixture no doubt that this will change with the
DHFS have run they have never even of old and bold ex-military instructors times. NVG training was one addition
approached the fail rate set out in the with thousands of hours, and what they not originally in the syllabus, which now
planning phase of the contract. According don’t know about helicopter flying is not reflects a big part of operations. Further
to Captain Westwood, the most common worth knowing. These guys are excellent fine-tuning may well go on when the
reasons for failure are either difficulties at spotting strugglers and getting them contract is up for renewal in five years
with basic motor skills or not being able through. Married in with that we have time, but nothing is set in stone and for
to cope with the workload capacity as those who have come back from very the time being, it seems the Squirrel and
more and more is loaded onto them. “The recent front-line operations in Iraq and Griffin platforms are doing the DHFS
recruiting entry requirements are the Afghanistan, so the two compliment proud. n

50
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Many people involved in the helicopter industry dream of running their
own company, but what are the pitfalls that lie in wait for those who wish
to combine their passion with the quest for profit and independence?
Phil Croucher gives some handy tips and pointers based on first-hand
experience gathered over his many years in this demanding industry.

PHOTOS by ned dawson

The majority of helicopter pilots are prospect, this article will help smooth and unexpected non-budgeted expenses
quite happy working their way up the your path to success and eliminate are a given. If you are borrowing capital
career ladder, graduating to larger and or reduce some of the more painful and only ask for enough money to meet
larger types as their experience grows mistakes. budget, it will be patently obvious you
and without concerning themselves with don’t know what you’re doing and any
operating their own aircraft. For others, Finance: intelligent lender will not hesitate to
however, there comes a time when they There is a well-known aphorism that show you the door.
feel that life should hold a little more says, “It is surprisingly easy to make a small Usually, things work out cheaper if
challenge and reward, or they come fortune in Aviation, just start with a large you can afford to fork out money from
across an aircraft owner who would like one!” Trust me when I say that you will the start. Buying your own fuel bowser,
to offset the operating costs against some need much, much more capital than you for instance, instead of positioning your
income. In other words, there comes initially anticipate. helicopter to the local airfield for fuel, will
an opportunity to obtain their own Air To run a healthy company you’ll need probably cover all the non-revenue flying
Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and set up as much available and uncommitted and unnecessary landing fees inside three
their own company. capital as you can get, to cover cash- months; but you need to have the capital
This article is not a Business 101 flow requirements. Customers and other available in the first place and paying
course (there are plenty of business debtors seldom pay promptly, but your as you go should be avoided wherever
schools out there for that), but is intended creditors won’t wait for their due pound possible.
to address some of the “gotchas” that of flesh. When running an airline, for You will need an accountant on
are peculiar to the helicopter industry, example, you will find that the major board for the business plan, but never
and which are often not anticipated travel agencies can take up to 6 months ever let them run your business unless
or planned for until far too late in the or more to pay their bills (if they pay at they’ve either been there themselves,
development of a fledgling aviation all), which can cause major cash-flow or have gone to business school and
company. I hope that if you are one of problems. Once the fuel companies don’t actually understand business. Most
those for whom the thought of running give you any more credit, your company accountants thoroughly understand
your own company is an exciting doesn’t have long to go! Emergencies money but are not great business people,

54
as their training makes them very actually need to own the aircraft, but
narrowly focused. Don’t forget though, some countries, such as Canada, expect
pilots have limitations too, since they’re you to at least have “custody and control”.
programed to fly and don’t always realize
If you are borrowing Outside aviation it is common practice
that sometimes more money can be to place all valuable assets into a holding
made by not flying. By this I mean that capital and only ask company that trades only with associated
contract work wears out your machine ones, thus insulating them from
quicker than it would under normal for enough money to unplanned contingencies. Where aviation
circumstances for less money. If you is concerned, it also legally separates the
charge higher prices, you fly less and meet budget, it will be registered owner from the user.
abuse your machines less. Once you let it be known that you’re
A business-plan is needed to raise after an aircraft of any description, you
capital. It is a brief overview of your
patently obvious you will get every man and his dog ringing
proposal, detailing how you mean to you up with whatever they have to offer.
repay the money, together with how don’t know what you’re On the one hand, this can save you a lot of
things will be run including details of work, but it can also be a pain in the neck,
the management team. Like a resume, doing and any intelligent so here’s a tip; get the registration number
it should be short and to the point; of what they’re trying to sell – it could be
somewhere between a quarter and a lender will not hesitate the same machine several times over!
half inch thick and provided it is well Take the time to talk to pilots and
thought-out, need not be too polished, engineers who actually work with the
though it should still look neat, tidy and
to show you the door. type of machine you are considering.
professional. Only those who have extensive experience
Note that although a business plan with a particular type will know the
is important, you will find that your sometimes-obscure pros and cons of
personality, or those of others in the operating that specific machine. You may
proposed organization, will account for at Sourcing Aircraft: find, for example, that your preferred
least half of the decision from a Venture Obviously, you will have to get your model has a reputation for turbocharger
Capitalist. hands on at least one machine. You don’t failure, which then takes at least three
days to repair because it’s hidden behind Failure (MTBF) on avionics equipment and time remaining on its components, since
the engine, which in turn has to be all other component duty limitations. The they must all be inspected and replaced
completely removed. A different model build-date of the aircraft you want can at specified times. Equally important
of that type, however, could have similar be largely irrelevant; what counts is the is the documentation supporting it. It
work done in less than half a day, and can take longer to verify the paperwork
doesn’t go wrong in the first place because than physically survey the aircraft.
the turbocharger is a more reliable version In this respect, be especially careful
and not in such a stupid place. Similarly, with the many apparently “cheap”
a particular helicopter could be cheaper aircraft available, mostly confiscated
to run on paper, but its shorter range on Although a business from smugglers or drug dealers with
full tanks means that you’ll be paying out no acceptable documentation. Their
more landing fees and non-revenue flying, plan is important, only value is scrap. If possible, buy from
thereby bringing the operating cost nearly a company that can provide support,
equal to something more comfortable, you will find that your particularly an engineering-based one,
with greater endurance. and have an independent survey done by
In many cases, a simpler, cheaper personality, or those of a competent engineer.
aircraft will suit. For example, if you want
a helicopter for corporate transport, by others in the proposed Remember:
all means use a 206B-III, but for training There is no such thing as a cheap
or pleasure flying, where the weight-
organization, will aircraft; and more particularly, there is no
carrying capabilities might not be so such thing as a cheap helicopter.
critical, a 206A would not only be cheaper,
but more cost-effective, as its C18 engine
account for at least half Other Equipment:
is not cycle-limited. Never lose sight of the You won’t just need to budget for an
fact that the aircraft are a business asset,
of the decision from a aircraft. Customers may expect you to
not a status symbol. have all sorts of goodies from slings to
You must also consider the data for
Venture Capitalist. FLIR equipment. The total bill for ancillary
rotor or engine TBO (Times between equipment could be as much as that for
Overhaul), the Mean Times between the helicopter!

56
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The AOC:
If, after the foregoing, you still think you’ll be some sort of
success, you will need to obtain your Air Operator’s Certificate.
This is required by all operators taking money for carrying
passengers. It’s applied for on a form, accompanied by a large
chunk of the money mentioned above, and must cover all
aircraft types you wish to initially include. However, subsequent
additions may cost the same again, so if you know you’ll be
adding a new machine later, it could make sense to try and
include it from the start. Unfortunately, this will cause its
own trouble in the form of additions to the Ops Manual and
further training costs, as pilots must be qualified on the new
type as well, and beware of having too many types in different
performance groups, because the paperwork strain may become
enormous.
Under some rules, you can only hold one AOC in one State,
and your office and aircraft must also be registered there, so
if you want to go multinational, you need to be careful here!
Carefully research the specific limitations and requirements in
your chosen area of operation.
Although you don’t have to send the Operations-Manual
with the application form, things will happen considerably
more quickly if you do. If it’s ready when you apply, some parts
of the application form need not be filled in; you can just refer
them to the Ops-Manual. As it is the primary indication to an
Authority of your operating standards, it makes sense to produce
the paperwork in the best possible way. This is psychological.
Usually, if an Authority sees a well-presented manual on the
shelves, it is more likely to be convinced that the rest of the
Company is likewise (well, wouldn’t you?). You are therefore
doing yourself no favors if you skimp on debts, wondering what went wrong. While your business if they see destinations
the Ops-Manual, no matter how tedious it corporate flight departments do not make and customer names, so don’t put them
may be to produce it! a profit as such, the comments here apply near windows. Movements Boards should
In my experience Ops-manuals are equally to them, as efficiency still helps be constantly updated as they’re a major
usually badly written, often being a copy the company’s bottom line. If you are reference point. What goes on them is up
of somebody else’s (including their bad operating an aircraft by yourself and have to you – just use whatever information
English). Be aware that “acquiring” Ops- no commercial air transport experience you think will be needed (the Authority
Manuals is a favorite form of industrial to fall back on, you ought to realize that will also like to see a board, or at least a
espionage. You’ll probably also find a good office environment back at base is pop-up reference, with pilot qualifications
items in the most illogical places, after very important to the overall operation. and times due).
being added willy-nilly over the years My preferred system is to have a
with little or no thought to context or Pricing Tip: quotes file, which should be loose leaf,
usability. They also often seem to have When customers come to you and each page being filled in whenever a
been typed by someone wearing boxing require a discount, claiming that they customer asks for a quote. If a trip looks
gloves. It wouldn’t be so bad if you were are going to put lots of flying hours your like it’s going to happen, then that page
given time to read it, but you’re usually way, do not give it to them straight away. should be put into a pending file until it’s
expected to do so overnight, at the same The best way is to give every 12th hour confirmed, when it’s put into a Diary file.
time as learning the rest of the Company free, or similar, otherwise they will take The Diary file is simply 32 file holders,
procedures and studying for the exams the cheap flying and try the same trick representing each day of the month
you will no doubt be expected to sit the somewhere else. plus one (for stuff coming up in the next
following day. month), and all prepared documentation
The Operations Department: for a flight is placed in the file for the
Tip: Operations are in immediate control of relevant day. The benefit of this system is
When it comes to software, try to all day-to-day business, the focal point of that information that’s only valid for a day
avoid using word-processing programs – their activities being the Ops-room where, can be put in there as well, which makes
they are simply not capable of handling depending on the extent of your activities, it easy to bring it to the attention of the
documents of this complexity, especially will be found the Operations Staff staff concerned. Don’t forget upcoming
if you want to use lots of graphics, (secretaries and the rest if they can all pilot and aircraft checks – a week or so
which often move every time you open fit in). The role of Operations is to ensure before they’re due.
a document! You will spend more time that the right aircraft is in the right place
trying to fix the problems than learning to at the right time with the right people, Staffing:
use proper desktop publishing software in and that everyone concerned is aware of Imagine you have 4 observers, 4 pilots
the first place. It also pays to make your what is happening and is pre-warned of and 4 machines. At first sight, you could
default printer a PDF writer and print to any problems which may be expected. assume that they are well-matched. Well,
PDF files. You won’t then have the page One of the ways Operations keep track you would be wrong! What is actually
layout changing when other people edit it of events is with Movements Boards. needed is another observer and pilot,
on different computers (you can print to a These should be kept well away from or one machine will be more or less
normal printer from a PDF file). the prying eyes of those who may pinch permanently on the ground. There will

Running Things:
You need as high a utilization of your
equipment as possible. An aircraft on the
ground earns no money. The magic figure
to survive in the small charter world is AS-350/355 FAA/EASA Certified Mount
500 hours per aircraft per year – that’s
revenue hours, ten a week, which doesn’t 150 lb payload capacity,
including qualified payloads:
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60
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always be one in for servicing anyway, Being a Boss: appreciated they will perform to an
but normal servicing outside of majors You will find that, left to themselves, incredibly high standard. In short, if you
could be done outside working hours to most people do their job well enough want your staff to look after you, you have
minimize this. without overt supervision and want to to look after them.
Staff, unfortunately, have benefits, do it well. It’s your job as manager to
which include leave and public holidays, create the environment in which this can Why would you bother?
on top of their legally required rest happen, and then get out of everyone’s So, is the whole process worth it? It
days. You could have over 200 days face. If you continually micro-manage, depends. Running your own company
a year where you will not have a full your staff will end up telling you what is certainly a lot of work, as any self-
crew onboard, and that doesn’t include you want to hear just to make you go employed person will tell you, but it
sickness! It should be remembered that away, and you will be acting on false can be immensely satisfying. It’s not
ground-staff, too, will need replacement information. You will get the best out for everyone, but for those who are
or relief from time to time, so no-one of your staff when you give them the prepared to pay the price of long hours
should be in a position of being the sole ability to make decisions, or assume of hard work, massive responsibility
holder of knowledge regarding any aspect responsibilities, so that their goals align and the constant need to be adaptable,
of your operation. as closely as possible with those of flexible and in three places at once, the
the company. 99% of all organizational rewards are a sense of self-fulfillment and
The Chief Pilot: problems are down to bad leadership. achievement simply not possible for those
The Chief-pilot should not be on the Remember that you’re not as concerned who work for someone else. I once asked
Duty Roster. Their position entails so with what people get up to when you’re a company owner why he went through it
much management that they become there, but with what they do when you’re all, especially when the profit margin was
ineffective on both sides if they try to do not there! so small; after all it would only take one
too much; there’s simply not enough time. Despite what many people think, pilot to burn out an engine and the whole
Any flying they do should be strictly to money is not a great motivator. If people company would have worked the whole
keep current; supervise where necessary are unhappy, they will be just as year for nothing. His reply was that he
and step in when there’s a shortage. unhappy soon after a pay rise. Every was keen on helicopters (fair enough), and
They will be the main point of major study in job satisfaction has found that he ended up with an asset or two (the
reference for officialdom, because they that recognition is a far greater motivator. helicopters) that somebody else had paid
dictate the flying policy of the company. If your staff feel genuinely valued and for. I certainly can’t argue with that! n
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 th e LA S T W O R D
Pilot Error fate that awaits, intervene and stop the are all different every day. All it takes to

– Part 2 inexorable course of events. But after the

fact, you can’t tell the pilots to set the
design a heliport is how to spell H. With
so little repetition and standardization in
radar altitude bug, or check the terrain helicopter operations, it is a testament to
height more carefully. the skill and judgment of helicopter pilots
All pilots make mistakes, nearly all that we have as few accidents as we do.
Pilot Error is a tough call,
the time, but thankfully they are usually The size of a human error is
but it’s a factual reality of small. Humans make mistakes, we are proportional to the improbability of the
inconsistent. Once a day in the world, a error. Pilots keep the aircraft within a few
the aviation industry or hundred people win the Darwin award for feet of the desired altitude for years, then
some act that is atrocious in its stupidity in a moment of inattention, drift off by
any industry where there is
while six billion do marvelously well. hundreds just once. Pilots make hundreds
human involvement. Similarly, the rate of error for a crew can of thousands of fast accurate judgments
be measured. The hundreds of thousands about weight, wind, altitude, temperature
of judgments made each year by a fleet of and maneuver, and then slip in one bone-
pilots yield just a few really lame ones, the headed misjudgment that is a real killer.
stuff of accidents. Nobody is immune, not We pilots all know this; we guard as much
astronauts, test pilots, as we can against it, and when we slip and
or good line pilots. The make that mistake and we catch it, we
stuff of flying stories look into the mirror of our souls and vow
We pilots all know this; told by honest pilots to learn from it. And we do. One great pilot
across the bar is the I know brings a big wind-up alarm clock
we guard as much as we
stuff of how we learn with him when he flies airplanes, so he
what can go wrong, and can set it to ring at one hour intervals so
can against it, and when
how we understand how he doesn’t forget to switch fuels. Why? The
human we really are. deathly silence he experienced once while
we slip and make that
Airliner airplanes IFR was a terrific learning experience.
mistake and we catch it, have perhaps ten times Every pilot can possibly make a major
the safety record of error – we struggle to make the probability
we look into the mirror helicopters, because of that event very low.
the airlines learned Use the frustration and anguish of a
of our souls and vow to a long time ago the pilot error accident to fuel the quest for
key to elimination of better helicopters and better airways.
learn from it errors is to completely Pilot error accidents will be eliminated
standardize procedures. when we make the routes, approaches and
Removing judgment procedures more supportive of “plug and
from the equation will play” operations. Ask, seek, demand better
keep the human’s decision latitude as ways to guide helos on their missions, and
small as possible, and virtually eliminate don’t rest until they are in place. Accept
Some facts that we all must face the random human error from the safety fewer “features” of your helicopter, fewer
about Pilot Error: equation. It is safe to say that every foibles like LTE and jack stall, ask for more
airliner lands on the same runway at every power, better instruments and more tools
About 70 percent of helicopter airport, a runway that is precisely like to fight CFIT.
accidents are caused by crew error. all others, down an approach path, from The bitterness and grief of a loss is
Most involve flight judgment errors, an airway like all other approaches and perhaps worse when we finally realize
either Controlled Flight Into Terrain or airways. This makes airline procedures that our loved one sowed his own fate.
mishandling of fuel or inappropriate relatively repeatable, relatively well- But pilots know we fly unforgiving aircraft
weight/power. Most are not failures rehearsed and in the end, as nearly on difficult missions. We pride ourselves
of control manipulation (the thing we uniform as possible. Uniformity is the key in knowing that, and stand a bit taller in
practice most), nor are they failures of to eliminating human error. our own eyes with the knowledge that
the aircraft (the thing we simulate most). For helicopters, there are no airways, we are truly responsible for our own
Most accidents are caused by a judgment no instrument approaches and the fate. For a lawyer, a mistake is printed in
made minutes or hours earlier; a flaw in last 500 ft to a heliport is completely paragraphs in some file somewhere; for
thinking that is then baked into the flight, different for every heliport on earth. The an accountant, some dollars slip from
casting the fate of the aircraft and crew helicopter is particularly difficult because one place to another; and for a doctor, a
like some ancient curse. Investigating it is taken to odd, out-of-the-way places patient suffers. For a pilot, riding in the
accidents is like deciphering a detective where judgment and skill are the tools. front of his craft, the rewards of a great
story. Often reading the transcript of We have no airways, and literally no flight are displayed on his windscreen
events is like watching a movie where instrument approaches to heliports. The – and the punishment for misjudgment
you want to warn the characters of the wind, weather, power, weight, temperature comes through it. n

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