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F E B R U A R Y

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 44
Your solution.
As a global leader in helicopters, AgustaWestland offers you complete solutions designed specifically for you and your mission. From vertical

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AgustaWestland tailors solutions for you. agustawestland.com

F u r t h e r o n. Everywhere in the future.

 ISSUE 44

Two INL Air Wing

Huey IIs on a recon
C O N T E N T S
flight east of Kabul.

38 56

Cover Shot: Ned Dawson 24

r e g u l a r f e a tu r es

From the Editor 3

New Products and Services 5
HeliOps Subscription Form 8
48

Personal Profile – Robert Dyck, Class II

Helicopter Instructor, Abbotsford BC, Canada
In My Opinion: Robert Van De Vuurst
– Heli Expo – Go on! You love it!
Flight Dynamics – Figuring for yourself
the best high speed and range cruise
speed for your heli
15
Battling the Power of Opium (Part 1)
HeliOps spends time with the crews on the front line in one of the
17 world’s most difficult wars – Afghanistan’s war against drugs. 24
All Hell Breaks Loose in Sierra Leone
19 Civilian pilot, Cassie Nel, lives to tell his story of the catastrophic
series of events that brought down a Mi-24 Hind – one of the

Maintenance Update – “I Need More” –

adding more fuel than an aircraft has
been designed to hold
Safety Column – Rescuing SAR –
The transition from military to civilian
operation
The Last Word – Is this the end of the
Vertical Programs Office?
world’s toughest helicopters. 38
21 Halo over the Kiperousa
The mighty muscle of the Mil Mi-26 is tested beyond its limits
in a daring salvage operation to free a grounded cargo carrier. 48
23
Risk Management - Defying Murphy’s Law
Understanding and managing risk is an integral part of large and
64 small business. Phil Croucher looks at how the helicopter industry
is accelerating its acceptance and use of Risk Management. 56
 f r o m t h e edito r
PUBLISHER
Neville (Ned) Dawson
EDITOR
Mark Ogden by mark ogden
deputy editor
Rob Neil
US EDITORs
Aaron Fitzgerald
legal EDITOR
Robert Van de Vuurst
european EDITOR With the industry boom of the last couple
Sarah Bowen of years, has come the roll-on effect that
pilots are now in short supply. The industry
technology editor
was in the doldrums for so long, that those
Nick Lappos
with the right experience and hours in
the industry, especially in specialist areas
safety editor
such as Papua New Guinea, pretty well
Phil Croucher
sat tight, enjoying having a reasonably
Maintenance editor well-paid job at the time. There was no
Russell Goulden need to train replacements as there wasn’t
a significant amount of work and there
ITALIAN CORRESPONDENT was little turnover in people. Customers
Damiano Gualdoni could afford to stipulate high experience
levels. Then a range of factors converged
scandinavian CORRESPONDENT – experienced pilots from the Vietnam era
Rickard Gilberg started to retire, the military began holding
on to their experienced people, and then
PROJECT MANAGER
the boom sought for so long finally arrived.
Cathy Horton
Now there are a lot of sectors starting
proofreader to hurt and customers are going to have
Barbara McIntosh to accept less experienced people than
before. Does this mean that they are any
DESIGN less capable? I believe not. Many of the
Graphic Design Services Ltd younger pilots I have met, understand
and appreciate concepts such as risk and
PRINTING safety management (without a war to
Print World make their appendages bigger), and they
are more likely to think about what they
are doing. If customers are smart, they
EDITORIAL ADDRESS
should consider the young pilots coming
Oceania Group Intl
through and develop induction processes
PO Box 37 978, Parnell
to bring these young people up-to-speed.
Auckland, New Zealand
This is particularly true in areas where
PHONE: + 64 21 757 747
specialist expertize is needed – whether
FAX: + 64 9 528 3172
that is long-lining, EMS/SAR, or operating
EMAIL in high mountainous conditions. Many
info@heliopsmag.com of these young’uns have good thinking
ability – we just need to weed them off
WEBSITE complete reliance on GPS and other things
www.heliopsmag.com electronic. If customers don’t develop a
way of “growing” pilots and engineers, then
is published by Oceania Group Intl. they may face a future of having to pay a
Contents are copyright and may not be reproduced lot of money for the ever-dwindling pool of
without the written consent of the publisher. Most “olds and bolds”.
A while ago, I mused about the positive
articles are commisioned but quality contributions
move by the US Army to introduce a
will be considered. Whilst every care is taken
civilian-design, light utility helicopter into
Oceania Group Intl accept no responsibility for
the support fleet. In these days of military
submitted material. All views expressed in HeliOps
helicopter operations around the world,
are not necessarily those of Oceania Group Intl.
it is easy to forget about the significant
contribution made by civilian pilots and
companies supporting international peace-
keeping and military support operations.
In this issue, we visit Afghanistan to take
a first-hand look at a new drug eradication
operation being conducted to stop the
increasing flow of opium from this area
to the rest of the world. In the first part of
a two part story, we join the DOS INL Air
Wing – a team of brave civilians fighting
the war against terror in the most effective
way possible – by targeting it at its roots.
Ned Dawson and Rob Neil will be
returning to Afghanistan in March 2007
during poppy season to accompany the
Air Wing as they provide air support for
the ground eradication force whilst they
cut poppies. Having already watched these
people at work, they are very much looking
forward to sharing more with readers
about these people who are prepared
to risk their lives to make a meaningful
difference in the world.
Anyway, the one piece of news that
seemed to come from nowhere, was
Textron’s announcement of the departure
of Michael Redenbaugh as President and
CEO of Bell. Textron’s press release’s only
comment on Michael’s departure was,
“Under Mike’s leadership, Bell achieved
many significant program and product
milestones and reinvigorated its growth
prospects. We appreciate Mike’s efforts and
wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
I don’t know what the manoeuvrings
were behind Mike’s departure, if indeed
there were any, but I can only say that I
saw a new Bell Helicopter company arise
under Redenbaugh with a workforce that
regained strong morale and a belief in the
organization. The civilian customers were
coming back to a company that was giving
Eurocopter some competition again in
new aircraft and ideas. Richard Millman,
Redenbaugh’s successor has big shoes
to fill. To the new CEO, I really hope the
impetus that Bell has regained can be built
upon. To Mike, we here at HeliOps wish
you all the best for the future and believe
there’s a civilian industry out there that
has appreciated your efforts in rebuilding
Bell. HAI just won’t be the same! n
3
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ne w p r oducts a nd se r v ices
DART adds Bell 210
to bag of tricks
DART and its affiliate, Apical,
have announced that the Bell 210
has been added to the FAA STC
approval of the Tri-Bag Emergency
Flotation System with optional
Rafts. In addition to the 210, the
EASA certification also includes the
212, 412, 412EP, 412CF and AB412,
AB412EP models. The approval also
BBA Aviation lands EC175
BBA Aviation announced that APPH, its landing gear and hydraulic system integrator,
had signed a contract with Eurocopter to design, develop, certify and manufacture
the landing gear system for the EC175. This seven tonne utility helicopter is a joint
development program between Eurocopter and Harbin Aviation Industries Group of
China. The market for this program is expected to be up to 1000 helicopters, with a
production life cycle of 20 years. The value of the contract for Original Equipment and
spares is anticipated to be in excess of US$100m of revenue, with the first deliveries
expected in 2010.

performance
calls out the D412-630-023/-024/-

Better
033/-034 DART float compatible Heli-
Access-Steps. The Tri-Bag Emergency

technology
Float Systems can integrate two 10-
man reversible life rafts into the mid
floats; an advantage over alternate starts with better
systems that require storage of rafts
within the cabin space. The float Nobody does it better than BLR.
system with rafts from Apical also
weighs less that the OEM 412 float
system without rafts.
Making aircraft safer and easier to fly is our
passion at BLR Aerospace. From Tailboom Strakes
and FastFin™ for helicopters, to Winglets and
Vortex Generators for fixed-wing aircraft,
Air Methods STC
BLR delivers aerodynamic improvements for
for EC135
safer, more efficient, more cost-effective
side-facing seat
operations. Thousands of operators are
Air Methods Products Division
has received an FAA STC for their
reaping the benefits of dramatic, proven
EC135 Side Facing Utility Seat performance enhancements, and
Installation. The seat is mounted demand continues to grow for BLR’s
on the right side wall of the aircraft
must-have technologies.
and can be folded up or removed
from the aircraft quickly, without So if you want better performance,
the use of tools. The seat itself is
start with better technology.
manufactured by Martin-Baker.
The seat can be used in multiple
And when it comes to
applications where configuration technology, nobody does it
flexibility is critical. Air Methods better than BLR.
Emergency Medical Interiors are
available with this seat to provide
a location for a third attendant Visit us at Heli-Expo,
that can be quickly converted to a Exhibit No.1028.
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BLR Aerospace
up or removing the seat.
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Part 27 and 29.

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backlog of major components has been reduced by 95% compared to this time last year.
ne w p r oducts a nd se r v ices
New
Rescue Service
put to work
Two AW139s from the
new Abu Dhabi-based
Falcon Air Services attended
and provided assistance
for a fire at the 34-storey
Fortune Tower under
construction on Shaikh
Zayed Road in downtown
Dubai in January. At least
four labourers lost their lives
while over sixty others were
injured, five critically. FAS
provides a 24/7 SAR service
to the UAE Armed Forces
through its Military Support
Operations with a fleet of
412EPs and AW139s. Most of
those trapped in the building
under construction were
located on the top floors
– between the 31st and 34th
floors.
Central Copters FlightSafety
updates to a truck to provide online
Central Copters, a multi-service helicopter company training for
providing construction, fire suppression, personnel transport,
and natural resource exploration services has purchased a K-
Garmin products
MAX for oil and gas exploration.
FlightSafety has entered
The K-MAX is specifically designed for vertical reference
into an agreement with
flight, an important feature for external load work. It has a
Garmin to become a
6,000-pound (2772 kg) on-the-hook capacity, with a 5,000-
preferred online training
pound (2268kg) capability at 8,000 feet (2446 meters). K-MAX
provider for Garmin panel
is capable of precisely placing critical supplies, equipment or
mount avionics products.
water in confined or inaccessible areas.
The online training launch
product will be for the
Garmin G1000®, a completely
integrated avionics system
specifically designed and
certified in a broad range of
aircraft models. It boasts
an all-glass flight deck
that presents flight
instrumentation, location,
navigation, communication,
and identification data on
large-format, high-resolution
displays.
2 0 0 7
F E B R U A R Y

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 44
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ne w p r oducts a nd se r v ices

DART has CHC EC225 in Norway

Canadian approval CHC announced that it had been awarded a new contract from TOTAL E&P Norge
for Spacepod AS for the provision of helicopter transportation services from Stavanger and

DART has received Transport Kristiansund, Norway, commencing in early 2008. To support this contract, CHC will
Canada certification of its Fwd deploy an EC225, the first deployment of the type in Norway. The contract is for
Opening Spacepods and additional three years, plus three two-year options, and is anticipated to generate incremental
Spacepod Upgrade Kits that will revenue of approximately CDN $9 million per year.
provide AS350/AS355 operators
with another cargo expansion
solution. DART will now offer
two optional Spacepod designs;
the new Fwd Opening Spacepod
and the original Upward Opening
Spacepod. Both designs feature a
lightweight sturdy construction,
two or three locking latches for
additional security and a gas spring
that dampens swing and supports
the door in the open position. All
Spacepods are easily installed;
removal and re-installation take
only minutes, and increase cargo
carrying capability by 5.5 ft3 / 100 lb
per side with a net weight increase
of only 13 lb.
Additional upgrade kits for older
model Spacepods are also
available. Existing Spacepods™
can be upgraded with the
Automatic Door Opener Upgrade
Kit (replaces the prop arm with
a gas spring that dampens swing
and supports the door in the
open position), the Fwd Opening
Upgrade Kit (converts an upward
opening Spacepod door to a
forward opening door) and the
Door Fwd Opening Kit (replaces an
upward opening Spacepod door
with a forward opening door).

NVGs in Alaska
The FAA has approved the use
of NVGs for one of Alaska’s air
medical programs. The goggles
should make a big difference
during Alaska’s winter months,
improving safety for the crew
and at the same time increasing
emergency care access for
communities once cut off because
of the dark. LifeGuard is the first
civilian air medical program in the
state certified by the FAA to use
the goggles.
ne w p r oducts a nd se r v ices
Keystone issued
standard
airworthiness
certificate for
the first S76C++
manufactured
in Coatesville
In mid-December, Keystone
was issued its first Standard
Airworthiness Certificate by
the FAA for the first S76C++
manufactured in Keystone’s
Coatesville, PA plant known
as the ‘Heliplex’.
Emirates-CAE
gets Bell
Emirates-CAE Flight Training
has become an authorized
Bell helicopter training
facility for operators of
the 412 helicopter across
the Middle East and Asia.
Emirates-CAE Flight Training
is approved by both the
FAA and the European Joint
Airworthiness Authority.
The 412 full flight simulator
is certified to FAA Level D
standard.
TT ad HO2.indd 2
Action at MD
New MD distributor Action
Aviation has placed deposits
on 30 new MD helicopters
which are planned to be
delivered over the eight
years that they have been
appointed to cover several
countries in the Middle East
including the United Arab
Emirates, the Indian Sub
Continent and Scandinavia.
The purchase will include at
least 20 Explorers, with the
Saudi HEMS
balance made up by 600N,
Abdul Latif Jameel Co – sponsored Saudi HEMS operation is 520N, 530F and 500E.
the first pre-hospital emergency care air ambulance transfer
service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
By Royal Decree, the Saudi Red Crescent Society (SRCS) is
responsible for pre-hospital services in Saudi Arabia. SRCS Textron Indian
will provide the air ambulance service through Saudi HEMS.
training
Launched in mid-December after undergoing awareness
training and successful drills at highways and hospitals, the academy
unit will provide air patient transfer with two air ambulance Textron is planning to set up
configured BO 105 LS A3s. training facilities for pilots in
India to further consolidate
its position in the Indian
aviation sector. According
ACROHELIPRO get bigger
to the company, the biggest
ACROHELIPRO is to build a new, 60,000 plus square-foot issue for customers in India is
state-of-the-art helicopter maintenance, repair and overall not aircraft or helicopters but
facility at the Langley Airport. The new facility will replace the availability of pilots. Both
four shops currently operated by the company, and enables Bell and Cessna are likely to
ACROHELIPRO to increase capacity within its avionics, jointly develop the training
airframe and structures and fabrication operations. facilities in India.
We see your needs clearly.
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place to land, a beautiful vista or another aircraft in a hazy sky, the
only thing you want to see between you and “it” is nothing.
Thanks to nearly 40 years of designing and building the best
windows in the industry, that’s exactly what you’ll see.
Plus, your window will fit with little or no trimming and
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6/23/05 1:43:09 PM
ne w p r oducts a nd se r v ices
Nordic Moves
Airlift Holding has made an
agreement with Norsk Helikopter
AS about the purchase of 100% of
the shares in Lufttransport AS and
Lufttransport AB. Together they
make the Nordic countries largest
air ambulance company with 13
helicopters and 14 aeroplanes.
Airlift sees this as an interesting
possibility to expand and better
the air ambulance capabilities
within the Nordic countries. The
agreement with the current owners,
Norsk Helikopter, includes also
Lufttransport AB Sweden. These two
companies merged together will be
worth 500 Million Norwegian Kroner
and will have 250 employees.
Helisureste
updates fleet
In recent months, Spanish operator
Helisureste has acquired two new
109E Powers and a 412EP, all put to
work on air ambulance contracts.
These are direct replacements for
two 109Cs and an earlier 412. The
three new aircraft are:
4 Bell 412EP EC-JXQ based in Baza,
Granada Province, to cover that
province and Jaen
4 AgustaWestland 109E EC-JKP
based in Sevilla city, to cover
Sevilla and Huelva
4 AgustaWestland 109E EC-JUS
based in Málaga.
Madurai readying for Chinook and
helicopter tourism Vertol 107 type
The groundwork for launching helicopter services certificates go
linking India’s Madurai with tourist destinations to Columbia
in the southern districts has begun.
The FAA has approved
A high-level team from Pawan Hans Helicopters
the transfer of the Type
have met the Collector, T. Udhayachandran, and
Certificates for the Model
Airport Authority of India officials to study the
234 Chinook and Vertol 107-II
feasibility of operating regular helicopter services
helicopters from Boeing to
to nearby tourist spots, including Kodaikanal,
Columbia. These certificates
Thekkadi and Rameswaram. Efforts are on to
introduce the first service on April 14, the Tamil New will give the company
Year’s Day. The proposal is to connect Kodaikanal, access to all materials and
Palani, Rameswram, Thekkadi and Kanyakumari manufacturing details of the
with 12-seater helicopters. The need to link complex helicopters that
Karaikudi to promote heritage tourism is also under the company operates. The
consideration. All these destinations can be reached company will soon apply for
in less than thirty minutes by helicopter from an FAA Production Certificate
Madurai. for both aircraft.
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ne w p r oducts a nd se r v ices

Turbomeca’s Arrius 1A1 certified

The Arrius 1A1 engine, with a take-off power of 463 shp, has been
certified by EASA. The Arrius 1A1 will power the AS355 NP. The first
production engines at the certification standard are scheduled for
delivery early in 2007. A new HP turbine has been integrated in
order to increase emergency power for improved OEI performance:
the FADEC-controlled 1A1 has a higher thermodynamic OEI rating
which means the helicopter can retain Category A performance
hotter, higher or heavier.

L-3 Wescam launches new technology

L-3 WESCAM announced that its flight-proven multi-spectral MX-
15i imaging turret is now available with True HD technology and
Enhanced Local Area Processing (ELAP). These two state-of-the-art
technologies work together to deliver the industry’s finest day and
night-time imagery. The company says that the system sets itself
apart from competitive digital HD imaging turrets, which offer only
720p HD, WESCAM’s MX-15 True HD System is capable of outputting
True HD-1080p, 1080i, 720p and analogue video formats.
Utilizing a miniature 1080p HD camera (1920 x 1080 pixels) for
both EO Zoom and Spotters, WESCAM’s HD technology provides
higher resolution and better imaging performance over stand-alone
720p HD systems. In addition to the MX-15’s HD technology, its
IR and EO day and night imagery capability is further enhanced
using proprietary real-time ELAP image processing. The system’s
high-speed on-turret processing and advanced signal processing
algorithms provide increased standoff range, improved feature
recognition and maximum haze penetration.
AFS Certifies
High-Performance Engine Inlet
Filter for 205A1/UH-1H
AFS has received an STC and PMA from the FAA for an Inlet
Barrier Filter (IBF) system for 205A1/UH-1H series helicopters.
This first-ever certified high performance filter for the Bell
205A1 allows operators to maximize engine protection while
reaping performance and maintenance benefits utilizing
proven technology. This new IBF features interchangeable
filters and a new, sealed engine intake plenum engineered
to replace the lower performance inertial particle separators
or FOD screens. The new STC/PMA filter system can assist
helicopter operators with a protection capability not
previously available for a variety of mission applications,
such as remote seismic and energy exploration work, desert
operations, fighting fires, as well as urban flight operations.
The new IBF filters out more than 99 percent of dirt, sand,
ash, and fine particulates, ensuring the engine has the
maximum protection possible for any mission scenario and
allowing peak power through to TBO.

STARS goes for CAMTS

The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport
Systems (CAMTS) will conduct an accreditation visit of the
Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) during February
this year. STARS says that it has committed to this voluntary
accreditation process in a search for excellence and
benchmarking in air medical transport and care. The purpose
of the site visit will be to evaluate the program’s compliance
with nationally established medical transport standards.
The results will be used to determine whether, and the
conditions under which accreditation should be awarded to
the program.

13
Protecting the
engines of freedom.

Protecting the
engines of the world.

If you need effective engine protection, you need AFS.

AFS leads the industry with high-performance, engine inlet barrier filtration systems for
commercial and military propulsion systems. Our military systems are serving around the
globe and the results are impressive — increased capabilities and reduced operating costs.
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior fleet has been accumulating significant operating hours in Iraq
under the harshest conditions, and their engines are reaching Time Between Overhaul limits.
A true testament to the value of AFS inlet barrier filters.
Wherever you find hard-working helicopters, you’ll find AFS systems. From the desert of
Iraq to the desert of Arizona, AFS systems are protecting engines, enhancing performance,
and delivering a range of benefits that help operators do what they do best.

AerospAce FiltrAtion systems, inc. 1-636-300-5200 fax 1-636-300-5205 www.AFsfilters.com Contact AFS for information on systems pending certification.
 Robert Dyck
Class II Helicopter
Instructor
Abbotsford BC, Canada
After an exciting helicopter
career that took Robert
Dyck flying all over
Canada, US, Philippines
and the Persian Gulf,
Robert has found great
pleasure in settling down
in his hometown with an
instructor rating – passing
on his wealth of knowledge
to Canada’s future pilots.
Why did you choose to become a
helicopter pilot?
My passion for flight began very early, but it
was a 15-minute ride in a Bell 47 in 1980 that
confirmed my future in helicopters. In 1988
I enrolled in flight school and the rest as they
say is history! Since then I have achieved over
7,000 hours with night and IFR ratings and I am
type-rated on the R22, HU30, HU50, BELL 47, 204,
205, 206, 212, 412, and the SK76.
What kind of career breaks did you get
to land all those ratings?
Wow, where do I start? My first two summers
were spent flying in the Arctic followed by a job
in forestry, primarily in Canada and the USA.
In this role I carried out forest fire-fighting,
including “Rap Attack”. I also got into the oil and
gas sector where my flying responsibilities were
in exploration, seismic, as well as support. Since
then I’ve also flown Air Ambulance, scheduled
line service and various charter operations
such as movie and television work and aerial
photography. The last few years before I began
instructing were spent flying IFR offshore.
How did you come to switch to
instruction after flying so many
varied missions?
I was flying in the Persian Gulf when the latest
conflict in the Middle East began. I was getting
quite tired of all the traveling around and
wanted to settle down in my hometown. I came
to realize that instructing could be a rewarding
and challenging addition to my career.
personal profile
With so many hours under your belt, valuable lesson and gave me the first white
is there anything that still amazes hair in my beard.
you about flying a helicopter?
The constant challenge! Whether one is flying
What do you find most challenging
from airport-to-airport, or landing on a 9,000 ft
about helicopter instruction?
Staying alive! No, seriously though, one can
mountaintop utilizing the full potential of your
never forget that the student is learning and
aircraft, one must always be at the top of one’s
does not always know when they are getting
game. I constantly remind my students that
into a dangerous situation. It is the instructor’s
there is little forgiveness in helicopters – and
job not only to keep the students safe but to
complacency is unforgivable.
teach them how to think for themselves and
Is there one day in your career that make the right decisions.
stands out above the rest?
What has been your greatest learning
Yes! The day my boss cut me loose for the very
first time! He said, “Pack your things Robby, you
experience?
Very early in my career I chose to follow a
are heading to the Arctic tomorrow”. When I
took off from the hangar that next morning,
power line over a mountain in questionable
weather rather than follow the valley the long
truly solo and now working at something I
had dreamed of for so long, it released a lot
way around. It was a case of “get-home-itis”. As
I topped over the mountain I flew into cloud on
of different emotions. This memory is one of
many that makes me happy to go to work every
the other side. But for the grace of God and an
extremely hard pull on the cyclic, I managed to
morning and truly love my job!
go back out the way I came. That day I learned
Have you had any alarming moments that there is always time to take the long way
during your flying? or wait out the weather. It also proved that it is
MANY! One of the most harrowing has to be always better to be late than to not be at all!
the last flight to evacuate an offshore drill rig
Have you any future career plans?
in the South China Sea before the arrival of
I would like to attain my Class 1 Instructor
Cyclone Lingling. On the way to the rig we
status. In Canada there are four levels of
could see the black wall of the storm coming
instructors. When you get you initial instructors
and it was frightening to say the least. The
rating you start off at class four and remain that
turbulence was the worst I had ever experienced,
way until you have recommended three students
but the real eye-opening part was 15 minutes
for solo flight and three students for their
past PNR (point of no return) where the rig
flight tests. During this time you are under the
called on the radio to advise that visibility was
supervision of a Class 1 or 2 Instructor. Once you
down to zero. With no option but to continue,
have met the requirements, you automatically
we were fortunate to have the visibility open up
become a class three Instructor and no longer
enough to complete an instrument approach.
need to be under supervision. After sending 10
With the storm rapidly approaching we
students solo and 10 students for flight tests, you
loaded our passengers and had an even bumpier
are entitled to take the Class 2 exam and flight
ride home.
test. You need 500 hours of dual instruction time
Since you began instructing, to make it to Class 1, and that’s my goal at the
have any of your students done moment. Once I have this I will be able to train
other pilots to become instructors.
something that has startled you?
During a lesson I was going to demonstrate
What are your views of the Canadian
an engine failure in the hover to a student
helicopter industry?
for the first time. I stressed the fact that I had
At the moment Canada has a healthy economy;
control and he was only to “follow along” on the
oil and gas exploration is high so there is a lot
controls. As I rolled off the throttle the student
of work for pilots. The past summer was hot
pulled the collective all the way up! The aircraft
and dry for a longer than normal period so the
leapt upwards and it took some doing to get
forest fire-fighting sector was very busy. This is
that helicopter back down unharmed. It caught
great news for young pilots trying to get into the
me so much by surprise that it taught ME a
industry as the pilot shortage continues.
How can young pilots better their
chances of a career in Canada?
I have always said that if you want it bad
enough, you will get it. Wanting however is not
always enough; Canadian companies require
a high standard in their pilots. Don’t show up
wearing a suit; show up ready to work with
a good attitude and a solid knowledge of the
aircraft you will be flying. A good understanding
of the limitations of your aircraft as well as
having memorized all the emergency procedures
is what every Chief Pilot will want to see! n
15
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by robert van de vuurst
HeliOps’ legal counsel columnist
Love it
or hate it...
heli-expo 2007 is right
around the corner
“You going this year?” is
always the question, and the
answer that I get from more
than a few is “Yeah, I guess”
with a shrug of the shoulders
and a roll of the eyes.
in my opinion
Come on, people!! Heli-Expo is a lot
of work – yes. Your feet are tired and your
back is sore after three days on the floor
and a couple more beforehand getting the
booth ready – yes. But what’s the deal with
pretending that it’s such
a drag? I’ll be the first to
stand on a box and say it
– I LOVE Heli-Expo, and
I have every year since I
I’ll be the first to stand
went to my first show
on a box and say it –
17 years ago. I LOVE Heli-Expo, and
For me, the trips
to and from the show I have every year since
are the best. I’ve had
I went to my first show
the good fortune to fly
a helicopter on half a
17 years ago.
dozen cross-country
trips from my home
here in Tennessee to
shows in Las Vegas or Anaheim. If you
haven’t seen this beautiful country of
ours from the totally unique vantage
point of a helicopter cockpit, then you
don’t know what you’re missing. Mere
words can’t possibly do it justice. The jaw-
dropping beauty of Sedona at sunrise, or
the Grand Canyon at dusk; Lake Mead,
with its waters so clear, calm, and black
that it presented a perfect (and vertigo-
inducing) mirror image of the cobalt-blue
sky and clouds above it; Monument Valley,
Shiprock Peak, crossing the snow-covered
Rocky Mountains at 10,000 ft.
I’ve run with wild mustangs in Arizona,
and watched
bull elk stare at
me and snort
because I dared
to invade their
territory outside
of Albuquerque.
Then there was the
herd of pronghorn
antelope in 1999
that must have
had 5,000 animals
in it. The best ever
though, was the
huge bald eagle over
Arkansas that soared with me, only a rotor
disc or so away, for a full minute. I’ll swear
to my dying day that that bird looked over
and winked at me. Yeah, it takes three
days, while the folks in the pressurized
tubes at 30,000 ft can get there in three
hours, but so what? They get to look at the
seatbacks in front of them. I’ve stockpiled
memories that will last a lifetime, all
thanks to HAI.
The show itself is always, deep down,
a gas too, isn’t it? Where else but Heli-
Expo can you see in one hall, cutting edge
rotorcraft technology that makes you
nod your head in admiration while, right
down the aisle, is some Rube Goldbergian
contraption that makes you shake your
head and say “every time I think I’ve seen
it all?” I remember an ultralight helicopter
on the floor one year that scared the crap
out of me just looking at it. Does anyone
remember the “LoadRanger” from about
10 years ago? I never did see that thing
again. We’ve seen DeathStar-like battle
cruisers destined for movie fame, and
homebuilt kits destined for too many
NTSB reports – and eventual demise and
ignominy. The Playboy centerfold that got
in a 430 in the static area and flipped her
top off so her boyfriend could take a few
pictures was particularly interesting as
I recall. Add to that the old friends and
business associates that you reconnect
with, and the new ones that you make
– it adds up to a pretty good three days
when you think about it. And, remember,
the alternative is always being back at the
office doing paperwork.
So, admit it, you love Heli-Expo just
like I do. See you at the Show!!! n
17
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by nick lappos
high speed and
range cruise Speed
Figuring out how fast and far
you can go in a helicopter isn’t
easy, and most flight manuals
don’t help very much.
The problem is mostly due to the
fact that the FAA/CAA aren’t required
to publish recommended cruise power
settings and fuel flows, and actually the
need to have a practical cruise power
rating. Since we publish Max Continuous
power now, the regulators balk at a
lower recommended cruise power, even
though most pilots and most engine
manufacturers seem to agree that
something around 80 percent power is
quite right for long-term cruising. On one
helo that I tested, we came up with the
idea of a white-and-green arc to mark the
place above the “normal” cruise power and
the maximum cruise power, and the FAA
reluctantly agreed.
For all the helos we fly, we seem to like
to find the two speeds that satisfy most
cruise situations – the high speed cruise
and the best range cruise. Usually they can
be pulled from the marketing literature
somewhere, or the section II of the RFM,
but you can always determine them
yourself if necessary.
Some thoughts on High Speed Cruise
(HSC): Most helicopters don’t mind about
80 to 85 percent power as good “get home”
HSC powers – works for me with most
modern twins. For the S-76, S-92 and
H-60 models that I am most familiar
with, as well as the modern Eurocopter
types, you get about 145 to 155 knots
true airspeed in most non-stratospheric
conditions, at max weight. The next
15 percent of torque to get to 100 percent
max continuous power only buys a few
knots (maybe 5 to 7 or so), and it costs
lots of gas, some vibration and much more
power with little benefit. The higher the
power and speed, the more the wear on
transmissions, engines, rotors and such.
Generally, the structural airframe and
drive-train stresses build in proportion to
power, but rotors, controls, swashplates
flight dynamics
and bearings are chewed up by retreating
blade stall, which gradually increases
as speed and weight (load factor)
are increased toward Vne. The HSC speed
should stay away from Vne by a bit,
especially if you are maneuvering. Just
knock off some speed (maybe 10 percent
of Vne) to keep the stall stresses down,
or maneuver with lower power (collective)
then reset the power when the wings
are level.
Some thoughts on Range: The best
speed for long range is not where the
range is absolutely optimal, but where it
just falls off from optimal (called .99 VBR
by the engineers). This is because if you fly
right at best range speed, where the fuel
per mile is the lowest, you may give up a
productive 10 knts that could have been
flown if you gave back one percent fuel
flow. This is because the best range place
on the power required chart is usually
a pretty flat curve, so 10 more knots
has little effect on the fuel per mile, but
this 10 knots has a fine effect on the
mission time. Why not squeeze out the
extra speed?
What if you can’t find range info in
the literature? If you have fuel flow gauge
or a good digital gas gauge – no sweat!
Take your aircraft up to cruise altitude at
typical weight and run through speeds
from best climb (Vy) to Vne at 10 knt
intervals, and note the engine parameters,
especially torque and fuel flow, and the
exact airspeed, pressure altitude
(29.92 inches) and OAT. A tip from 25 years
of test piloting: Don’t knock yourself out
to get exactly 100 knts – take instead a
rock-steady 102 if that falls out. Relax at
each point, and be sure that you have
NO climb or descent. Early morning is
best, to be sure that no thermal climbs
or descents spoil your data. Do this for
each season, since OAT is a contributor. To
build a set of maybe five airspeed points
should take 10 minutes or so if you have
a fuel flow gauge. If you have digital fuel
quantity, just set up each point and get
a good stopwatch ready. Beedy-eye the
digital fuel gauge and when it flips down
a digit, start the watch and note the fuel.
Give the aircraft several steady minutes on
the point, and let the gauge flip through
a few digits down, then wait for the next
flip, stop the watch exactly when the fuel
quantity drops, and note the new lower
fuel and the exact number of seconds. In
an H-60, I can get precise fuel flow using
this method in about four minutes per
data point (when you reduce the data,
just note the pounds of fuel burned per
second, and remember that there are 3,600
seconds per hour). Get home and plot the
data on three curves, like this:
1) Power required curve. Plot power on the
vertical axis and true airspeed on the
horizontal axis and you have the classic
“drag curve” or the “cruise chart” in
Chapter 7 of US Military flight manuals.
2) Gas to go a mile. At each speed point,
divide fuel flow by true airspeed,
(lbs per hour/miles per hour = lbs
per mile). This gives the number of
pounds of fuel that will take you one
mile. Make a plot of fuel/mile vs true
airspeed, and fair a curve through it.
The low point in this curve is the place
where your fuel takes you farthest,
your max range speed. Slide your eye
up to 5 to 10 knts in speed from the
bottom where the range just starts to
fall off, to get the “.99 Vbr” that is the
best practical range speed. (How nice
it is to know lbs/mile! Look at your gas
gauge, and divide by the lbs/mile and
you get the miles left in your tanks!)
3) Now plot the fuel flow vs true
airspeed. The minimum in this curve
is your best endurance speed, where a
pound of fuel keeps you up the longest
amount of time (for police guys, this is
the speed at which you can blind the
most drivers with your Night Sun per
tank of gas).
To figure out the long range cruise
speed when there is a strong wind, just
make a new chart like 2) above, but plot it
against ground speed, and make several
new charts, one for each of 10 and 20 knt
head winds and tail winds. The best
range speed increases when you have a
head wind component and decreases
with a tail wind component, by about the
wind speed.
As a note about how old this art
of “knowing your machine” is, Charles
Lindbergh did this stuff with the Spirit
of St Louis when it was first flown, using
a stopwatch, a calibrated gallon bucket
and a tape measure for takeoff distance.
After about six hours of this kind of clip-
board flight test, he knew enough about
his aircraft to take off on the longest flight
in the history of mankind – San Diego,
California to St Louis, Missouri – non-stop.
(Anyone who has not read “The Spirit of
St Louis” by CL should go to the back of
the class. A great book, and his notes from
those test flights are in an appendix!)
When he went to the Pacific to help the
Air Corps, he took similar plots of P-38s
and published his notes for the combat
pilots. It was reported that they gained 10
percent more operational range based on
his notes!
I still have my notes from the first
production S-76, which set a bunch of
range world records back in the early 80s
that still stand. I read the gas gauges every
five minutes exactly, to calibrate the fuel
flow system. I bought a fuel hygrometer to
get the exact density of the gas I bought,
and tossed that data into the pile.
You can do it, too. Give the “clip-board”
flight test method a try. n
19

by RUSSELL GOULDEN
‘I NEED MORE...’
There is one thing that a pilot
always wants more of, and
for those of you (non pilots)
already on your feet,
I am talking about fuel.
This article looks at ways we can
add more fuel than the aircraft has
been designed to hold, the certification
implications, and the basic safety aspects
involved in achieving this.
For this article I am going to stay away
from “inflight refuelling”, whether from
another aircraft or otherwise. (I can see
eyebrows raised as you read on).
The first issue is where to put the
extra fuel – inside the cabin or outside
the cabin, as the design requirements
introduce many manufacturing
complications for an internal normal
category tank system.
The second issue, if we have already
decided on an internal system, is what is
its intended use? Is the requirement for a
ferry flight or similar with only essential
crew carried, or is the system intended to
be used for the carriage of passengers in
normal operations?
Ferry Type
The Ferry Type system is usually
a simple system consisting of a tank
or tanks, usually constructed from
aluminium alloy, stainless steel or even
composite. The delivery system can
be pump(s) or gravity feed. A simple
contents system is required, as is a filling
point, a fuel sump drain and an adequate
vent system.
The design described above does not
meet the type design requirements of
the aircraft, so the aircraft ends up being
MAINTENANCE UPDATE
placed in the restricted category while
the equipment is installed, with only
essential crew allowed for the flight.
For a ferry type system, the approval
is usually a one-off for each aircraft
installation, or if an approved series
Modification. (CAR35 or FAA 337 has a
stringent maintenance program covering
its installation or use into another
aircraft.)
For ferry flights, there is usually a
request to allow for fuel to be carried
over the normal gross weight allowable,
which itself requires both careful
consideration and substantiation before
approval can be given.
In several installations I have been
involved with it has been possible to get
up to a 10 percent over-weight approval,
but this is not an automatic approval, as
there are other considerations, i.e. mainly
landing considerations and autorotation
characteristics.
With any fuel system, to get more
range the aircraft’s performance and
fuel burn can be optimized with a fuel
computer system interfaced with a GPS.
Even without a fuel computer, the fuel
use can be maximized by flying at the
“best” altitude for range or endurance.
This is usually from about 6,000 – 7,000 ft,
depending on the helicopter type.
Normal Category Type
As the name implies, a “normal”
category fuel system fully meets the
design requirements of the aircraft and
can be internal or external. This means
that the aircraft can be used to carry
passengers as part of Air Transport
Operations.
It will be readily understood by all
readers that for “passenger transport” all
the safety features built into certification
standards are fully complied with,
especially from a crash-worthiness
point of view. If the tank system is to be
internal, meeting these requirements can
be very difficult to achieve. Essentially
we have to make a tank within a tank.
Imagine the potential for disaster if the
tank were to develop a leak in flight!
This means that a complete tank
system, its pumps, control valve(s),
plumbing, sensors, eg. fuel quantity, low-
level indicating system etc, all have to be
located inside a fuel-proof, fire-resistant
casing or chamber. There also have to
be means of telling if the inner tank has
leaked into this chamber.
We also require any hoses or lines
interconnecting the tank to the aircraft
system to be encased, not only the same
way, but with a means of detecting any
leakage between the tank and the case.
The system can be gravity or pump
feed. With a pump feed system it is
customary to have two pumps, with
each pump supplied by two protected
power sources in the aircraft – from two
sources each in the case of twin-engined
helicopters, i.e. LH pump supplied by
No 1 and No 2 electrical buses.
Different ways of achieving the tank-
within-a-tank concept have been:
4 Stainless steel tank inside sealed
stainless steel case
4 Rubber bladder inside aluminium or
stainless steel case
4 Rubber bladder inside composite case
Note by “case” we mean sealed
against fuel leakage into the cabin with a
fire-resistant and leak-proof case.
Whatever the installation, internal
or external, very important issues that
sometimes can be overlooked are both
electrical grounding of the tank and
bonding. As most helicopters use the
airframe as the earth (-ve), it is important
for correct operation that as well as
supplying electrical power to the tank
and its components, that a ground is
taken back through the same wiring
connector and then to a good ground on
the aircraft.
A poor ground will cause pumps to
stop working and poor bonding could, in
an extreme case (high static build-up due
to poor bonding), cause a static discharge,
which is conveniently close to a fuel
supply... get the picture?
Some examples of fuel systems our
team has created over the years have
been:
4 AS350 400 Liter Internal – Ferry
4 AS360 600 Liter Internal – Ferry
4 BK 117 300 Liter Internal – Normal
4 BK117 400 Liter Internal – Normal
4 BK117 420 Liter External ( 2 x 210
Litres) – Normal
4 BK117 600 Liter Internal – Ferry
4 EC130 650 Liter Internal – Ferry
4 BK117 800 Liter Internal – Ferry
Every one of the above has created
some issue from a manufacturing or
design viewpoint that has presented
challenges to get it both certified and
working safely...but we did it! n
21
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Warfighters of Oregon and the nation.
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operate globally in extreme weather conditions, and are
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Columbia’s exceptional maintenance facility is a one-stop
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503-678-1222

by PHIL CROUCHER
Rescuing SAR
With the recent award of a
major Search and Rescue
contract to a commercial
company in the UK, I started
wondering about the factors
involved in any transition from
military to civilian operation.
First of all, there are two principal
types of SAR procedure:
z Long range Maritime
z Short range (up to 12 nm out to sea),
which may include mountain rescues
and possibly fire-fighting (although
this is unlikely in the UK)
They are very different, although they
naturally share common elements, both
involving Class D external loads. Mountain
rescue often has a greater risk element
because the safety of the occupants will
be less assured in a forced landing. This
exposure can be minimized, but the flying
techniques involved require advanced skills.
Areas Of Concern
(and what to do about them)
The level of safety for the people being
rescued.
By definition, they are in a risky
situation anyway, but within those
parameters they are still entitled to as
much public transport protection as
is possible, or at least the same risk
assessment standards. However, there is
potentially an anomaly under JAR OPS,
in that an AOC is not required because
SAR comes within the definition of aerial
work, and is therefore exempt from the
provisions of JAR OPS 3. Under those
circumstances, up to six “indispensable
persons” can be carried to, during and from
a job, and I guess it all depends on the
argument as to whether the passenger is
“indispensable”. Then again, it is a specific
exclusion inside the relevant paragraph.
Luckily, the companies selected
(particularly in this case) will be of good
reputation and audited thoroughly before
safety column
and after the award of the contract, but
it will still theoretically be possible for
companies with lesser standards and good
lawyers to get away with a lesser service.
In addition, military pilots on duty
in civilian helicopters (if used) do not
necessarily need civilian licenses. Military
training is second to none when it
comes to emergencies and procedures,
but military pilots still need a certain
orientation when it comes to operating in
the commercial world.
Documentation.
A successful rescue depends largely
on fast problem-solving and decision-
making on the scene, because the relevant
information may not be to hand when
the helicopter launches, either because
there isn’t time, or the operations staff
will not know what to do with it in the
first place. For example, looking for a
windsurfer as opposed to a surfer is a
completely different process, because
they need different sea and wind states
and will end up in different places. All
pertinent information is required as
soon as possible, and the support staff
needs to be trained to appreciate the
pilot’s difficulties. Perhaps this is a good
opportunity for introducing a helicopter
dispatcher qualification, or Company
Resource Management (CRM) training for
the whole operation.
In fact, there are so many variables
that no Ops Manual can possibly cover the
eventualities, and the pilot should not be
worried about being penalized for non-
compliance. Ops Manuals also need to be
updated, and there is often a cumbersome
amendment process. It may be better
to have the Ops Manual as a skeleton
policy document containing guidelines
to be used with experience and common
sense, and which doesn’t change often;
and have training material in a separately
maintained Technical Training Manual,
which may or may not be a controlled
document. This could be something issued
by a relevant authority after consultation
with other agencies, such as Coastguard,
Police, and mountain rescue teams,
containing accepted apolitical techniques
from all parts of the industry (with a nod
to liability issues), that could be referred to
by pilots and operators alike.
This would ensure at least a small
amount of standardization, which is
one major problem with training, as
instructors come up through the industry
in various ways and tend to think that
their methods are the best, forgetting that
techniques used in one part of it are not
necessarily suitable for others. In many
cases, a procedure that was developed for
yesterday’s helicopters is still being applied
and nobody has bothered to see if it could
be done better. Re-evaluation should be an
ongoing process, which is something that a
“Quality” system is ideally suited for.
Staffing and Motivation, or Late-in-the-Day
Lack of Interest.
Realistically, SAR duty days are divided
into three periods:
z Arrival, when the pre-flight is done,
the helicopter is set up, weather and
NOTAMs are checked, followed by one
or more visits to the coffee shop and
checking the Internet for other jobs.
z I don’t care anymore – this occurs about
four to five hours later, when the
crews are getting sick of waiting for an
interesting mission to come up. This leads
you up to the final phase, which is.........
z They’d better not call now! The machine is
clean and tied down, all plugs are in, and
any activity now means that you are into
overtime, (although many companies
expect a mission that has been started
to finish with no extra compensation.)
Twelve hour shifts for days at a time
are tiring, and crews need to be able to get
quality rest in between them.
Unfortunately, the reality is that for
many companies, duty times will be the
maximum allowed by law, and little or
nothing will be done to encourage crew
morale. Many bases have no facilities at
all and sports are discouraged in case
somebody breaks a leg. Perhaps a look
could be taken at the shift arrangements
– changing over at midday would at least
reduce the boredom stakes. My own
opinion is that rigorously enforced days off
are more important than the amount of
hours that are flown in the day, although
this is not usually an issue with SAR. If
you are away from home anyway, you may
as well be flying than just sitting around.
Technology.
Referring back to the documentation
issue above, and the potential lack of
expertise back in the Ops office, use
should be made of new technology as far
as possible, even if it does involve more
money for the end user (a small price to
pay for a free rescue!). A good example
is promoting the general use of 406 MHz
ELTs, which are more accurate – actually
down to 1 km rather than around 6 nm
for 121.5 MHz equipment. In this case, if
the homing signal disappears (because the
battery dies, or the unit gets lost in the
deep blue stuff) the search is automatically
restricted to a more likely area.
Search and Rescue is an essential
service that should not be skimped on,
because when it’s wanted, it’s really
wanted, and there should not be a built-in
failure point before it even starts. n
23
C O V E R F E AT U R E
 In an unprecedented move, HeliOps was granted

access to visit the DOS-INL Air Wing’s newest

program supporting the (AEF) Afghan Eradication

Force’s fight to stop the flow of poison flowing

from Afghanistan’s poppy fields, the majority

of which goes to fund global terrorism. In the

first part of a two-part story, ROB NEIL looks at

the challenges of building the infrastructure to

story BY rob neil
PHOTOS by ned dawson & rob neil support this long-term operation.
 Above: Two Air Wing Hueys flying over
one of the few large water sources in
Afghanistan – 30 miles east of Kabul.
Opposite page
top left: The HeliOps team en-route to
Jalalabad to refuel.
top right: ‘Wally” (center) – not your
every-day flight attendant.
The identities of the Air Wing crew are
kept secret for obvious reasons.
bottom left: A CH47 comes into
refuel alongside the INL Huey.
bottom right: Hard to believe that the
9/11 hijackers trained in this Al Qaeda
training camp outside of Kandahar.
26
The entire world is at risk from
the harmful effects of drugs and terrorism
– two evils so inextricably linked that
it is no longer possible to separate them
in the countries where drugs are
sourced. The AEF, supported by agencies
like the Air Wing of the US State
Department’s Bureau of International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement have
established operating bases in Kabul
and Kandahah to provide strategic bases
to stem the tide against the increasing
poppy cultivation.
Perhaps the biggest impediment to
Afghanistan’s successful unification with
the modern world and a return to a life of
peace for its people, is its heritage as the
world’s historical opium capital. The vilely
insidious evil of opium and its derivative
heroin, pervades every aspect of life in
Afghanistan, for which opium comprises
anywhere from 60 to 80 percent of its GDP.
It is a cruel irony that under the
Taliban, the opium crop was ostensibly
banned and opium criminals faced the
death penalty. The “sincerity” of the
Taliban’s assertion that its edicts against
opium crime were because it was contrary
to the tenets of Islam, is in sharp contrast
to a resurgent Taliban’s willingness
to now embrace opium as a source of
funding for arms. Apparently Allah has
had a change of heart about opium
since 2001! From a total of less than
80 tonnes under Taliban rule, the size
of the 2006 opium crop is estimated to
exceed 6,000 tonnes.
There is no argument that opium
money is now a massive source of
terrorist funding. This means that the
world’s war on drugs is a war on two
fronts; it is a fight against the ravages
of drugs on the social fabric of our
societies as well as a fight against the
terrorist zealots who would destroy other
aspects of Western civilization by fear
and violence. Without a doubt, counter-
narcotics and counter-terrorism form a
single, inseparable mission.
Osama Bin Laden might like the world
(particularly the Islamic world) to believe
he funds his terrorist empire from Islamic
charities and family fortunes. However,
with an opium income from a single
Afghan network estimated to have
netted him around US$24 million in 2004,
Bin Laden is obviously nothing more
than the world’s worst narco-terrorist. His
disregard for life clearly also extends to
his people in the Islamic world – those he
claims to “represent”, who, along
with addict infidels, suffer the same
ravages of opium and heroin; it makes
a blatant lie of Bin Laden’s assumed
religious piety!
On the Ground in
Afghanistan
HeliOps’ publisher, Ned Dawson, and
I visited Afghanistan in September 2006
to spend time with the crews on the
front line in one of the world’s most
difficult wars – Afghanistan’s war against
drugs. The leading US agency responsible
for planning, coordinating, and ultimately
achieving US counter-narcotics interests
overseas is the Department of State
(DOS), which works hand-in-hand with
sister agencies such as the Department
of Justice and its Drug Enforcement
Administration for law enforcement
programs, and USAID for alternative
development programs.
The size and scale of DOS’s global With an opium income
counter-narcotics aviation operations
might surprise many people. DOS
operates a massive fleet of aircraft in
from a single Afghan
several countries around the world
– something like 200 aircraft of various network estimated
types and a veritable army of civilian
contracted workers fight an unrecognized to have netted him
daily battle with some of the world’s most
evil and dangerous criminals. around US$24 million
In addition to its work in Afghanistan,
the DOS International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement (INL) Air Wing conducts
in 2004, Bin Laden
aerial counter-narcotic operations in
Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Pakistan, and is obviously nothing
maintains two training bases in the US.
Less than four percent of the Air Wing’s more than the world’s
approximately 1,000–1,150 personnel
are DOS government employees (only worst narco-terrorist.
the senior administration, planning and
oversight positions). The remainder of
27
 There is no doubt as
to the Wing’s ability
to defend itself should
the need arise. Highly
qualified expert gunners
man 7.62mm mini-guns
capable of firing up to
4,000 rounds per minute.
To keep current on using the
mini-guns under NVG, regular
training missions are carried
out in the evening. We went
along for the ride!
28
the Air Wing’s personnel are civilian
contracted workers employed by the
giant DynCorp Corporation.
Not surprisingly, the majority of
current Air Wing staff are ex-military.
Many have served in military Special
Forces around the world and thus are no
strangers to the potential risks inherent in
their new “civilian” roles.
While the Air Wing is an entirely
civilian operation, it logically borrows
much from the combined military wisdom
and experience of its diverse and highly
qualified personnel. Many procedures
and regulations are derived from the
world of Army aviation where time,
experience and lives have honed them
to best effect over many years. The self-
discipline engendered by military life and
encouraged by those in oversight positions
within the Air Wing, has imbued the unit
with an air of total professionalism that is
immediately apparent.
While it might have been possible for
the Air Wing to put on a “show”
for visiting journalists making a single
brief visit, or accompanying the crews
on a one-mission “ride-along”, HeliOps
was privileged to spend a full week
with the Air Wing at its bases in Kabul
and Kandahar and accompany several
day and night missions with free reign
to witness every aspect of the Wing’s
operation and to talk to anyone we pleased.
What we witnessed was not for show and it
was impossible not to be impressed!
HeliOps’ primary host for our
Afghanistan stay was the Air Wing’s
Safety Officer, “Dave”. For security reasons
individuals will not be named, (INL staff
are understandably less-than-popular
with the criminals whose incomes they
affect). Dave, who is one of the Wing’s
few DOS government employees, spent
“27 years, 9 months and 13 days” in the
Army before joining DOS in 2001. While
his professionalism and thoroughness
were unmistakably “Army”, the non-
confrontational, laid-back manner
with which he approached his duties
engendered obvious confidence and
respect from staff.
Despite operating in some of the most
inhospitable, inherently dangerous places
on Earth, the DOS Air Wing maintains
an enviable safety record that clearly
highlights a genuine safety culture. Since
2001, the Air Wing has only lost two pilots
to ground fire (in South America) and
suffered two fatal accidents (also in South
America) resulting from human error.
Considering the missions they fly and the
terrain in which they operate, this is an
outstanding achievement.
INL’s missions vary considerably
between their various theaters around
the globe. While in South America much
of their efforts directly attack drug
crops with intensive spray programs,
in Afghanistan, the Air Wing’s role is
to provide aerial support to the entirely
ground-based poppy eradication program.
INL has only had a presence in the
country since January 2006, but has
already established a program to build
valuable permanent infrastructure that
will serve INL throughout its tenure in
the country, and which it will eventually
bequeath to the Afghan people.
The Right Tools The Helmand Valley may look like
From its (current) two bases in Kabul any other farming community.
and Kandahar, the Air Wing operates a However, come March, the area is
number of well-maintained Bell Huey IIs a mass of colour – signalling the
in direct support of ground operations by start of the cultivation program.
the Afghan Eradication Force (AEF), and
leases a selection of transport aircraft to
fulfil various logistical support roles –
Mil Mi-8s, a Mil Mi-26 and an Antonov
An-74. The additional use of Russian
aircraft and crews for specific roles
is indicative of DOS good sense in Not only are the aircraft
choosing the right tools for the job.
While the decision to use Russian assets ideally suited to the
was originally one of expediency at a
time when it was essential to get the
harsh environment,
operation up and running quickly – a
subsequent objective re-assessment by
State Department officials has recognized
but many of their
their suitability in Afghanistan. Not only
are the aircraft ideally suited to the harsh crews are familiar
environment, but many of their crews are
familiar with Afghanistan from “having with Afghanistan
visited previously”!
The INL Air Wing is now firmly from “having visited
established in Afghanistan. Guy Charlton,
the Senior Aviation Advisor in the US previously”!
embassy in Kabul, told HeliOps that
he envisaged the need for a long-term
29
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the Afghan Government’s eradication
efforts; the long standing poppy
cultivation problem will not be defeated
in one season.
Charlton was effusive in his praise of
the people on the ground – both his own
DOS personnel and the DynCorp civilian
contractors. “This package and the people
that have come in to do this job for the
State Department have been the right
team,” Charlton says. “The people on the
ground here have been nothing less than
stellar.”
Charlton’s comments about the caliber
of people on the ground in Afghanistan
mirrored HeliOps’s own observations of
them. After an initial decision to install
an Air Wing presence was made only in
Summer 2005, the first personnel were
on the ground – with the most basic of
limited facilities in January 2006. The
first helicopters arrived (disassembled)
aboard a US Air Force C17 on 27 January.
Engineers and maintenance personnel
(mostly all ex-military as well) worked
18-hour days at the beginning to get
things underway. With willing assistance
from US Army personnel (the Air
Wing maintains an excellent working
relationship with all of the military
personnel in the theater, all of whom
recognize the Air Wing personnel’s own
military backgrounds), the Air Wing’s
helicopters were flying by 30 January and
conducting initial training flights by 13
February in preparation for the poppy
season from March–April.
This would have been a remarkable
achievement in air-conditioned,

30
comfortable and safe hangars. The fact that
the Air Wing’s people achieved this in the
open air – blasted by desert winds and dust
and under constant threat of bombardment
by Taliban insurgents gives an indication
of their commitment and dedication.
Maintenance continues to be a
constant challenge in Afghanistan’s harsh
conditions. The ever-present fine, talcum-
like dust that is Afghanistan’s most
memorable attribute, is a particularly
troublesome issue that plagues engineers
trying to keep any kind of complicated
machinery functioning properly. Few
machines are more complicated than
helicopters – even the relatively simple
Huey is a highly complex collection of
rotating, vibrating precision components
– so it is yet further tribute to the Air
Wing’s professionalism that it has never
suffered a maintenance-related mission
cancellation.
Everyone in the Air Wing, from
Guy Charlton at the embassy to the
maintenance technicians in the field,
realizes the importance of providing
adequate aerial protection to the ground
eradication forces from the time they
leave their forward operating bases until
they return at day’s end. Careful planning
is involved with every mission the Wing
undertakes. There is no such thing as an
unplanned or un-briefed flight and every
flying hour is carefully accounted for.
The Air Wing’s role is entirely one of
aviation support for ground eradication
forces. It is not a combat unit; its tasks
include medevac, reconnaissance,
command-and-control, light logistics
and general air movement. While well-
armed, its helicopters will only ever fire
in self-defence and there are strict rules
of engagement. It was another sign of the
unit’s professionalism that, despite being
staffed by what many might assume to
be “gung-ho”, “Type-A” personalities, the
personnel all take great pride in the fact top: A 105mm Howitzer stands guard
that they have not had to fire a shot in
over one of the heavily guarded
“anger” in Afghanistan. A great deal of
Forward Operating Bases due to
care is taken in mission-planning to avoid
constant threat of mortar attacks as well
high-threat areas wherever possible.
as RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades).
Tactics above: Following the infamous J’Bad
HeliOps accompanied a night-time Highway back to Kabul from Jalalabad.
gunnery training mission that left no
doubt as to the Wing’s ability to defend
itself should the need arise. Highly
qualified expert gunners man 7.62mm
mini-guns capable of firing up to 4,000
rounds per minute. It would be only the
stupidest of “Talibunnies” who would
risk a hosing from such a deadly stream. ➤
31
 The biggest mosque in
Afghanistan dominates
the Kandahar skyline.
The Air Wing’s experience to date
suggests that the constant presence of its
helicopters over the eradication troops on
the ground, acts as sufficient deterrent
to allow them to complete their work
unmolested.
The Air Wing’s tactics dictate that
as far as potential aggressors on the
ground are concerned, they remain
as unpredictable as possible. Typical
missions comprise three helicopters
– two armed machines and a dedicated
SAR ship. Wherever possible, in suitably
secure locations, the SAR ship will land
and remain on the ground close to the
eradication sites, ready to launch at
a moment’s notice, while the armed
machines patrol over ground personnel.
Other than in emergencies, there will
only be a single helicopter on the ground
at a time.
The poppy eradication work involves
battalions (as they are known) of AEF
personnel cutting poppies at just the right
time in their growing cycle. Spraying
is not a viable option in Afghanistan
with poppies often grown amongst
other legitimate crops, that it would
be imprudent to destroy. There is a
realization by the political authorities
that for many farmers, the poppy is
seen as their best hope of providing
sufficient income for their families.
Part of the international effort to wipe
out the poppy culture involves seeking
viable alternatives for Afghan farmers.
The eradication effort is deliberately
timed to allow those whose poppy crops
are destroyed to still plant and cultivate
alternative crops during the rest of the
growing season.
Harsh Reality
There is some sympathy for destitute
local farmers, and a realization that
they are generally not the “bad guys” in
this battle. Those who encourage – and
even force farmers to grow the illicit
crops – are the villains in Afghanistan.
The hypocritical Taliban
and their sympathizers,
for whom opium was
once a sin against the
Koran, now kill and
coerce those who do
not grow the poppies.
The hypocritical Taliban and their
sympathizers, for whom opium was once
a sin against the Koran, now kill and
coerce those who do not grow the poppies
that once justified the death penalty for
growing them!
Despite the fact that the air assets and
personnel are supplied and funded by the
US State Department, the lead nation in
counter-narcotics in Afghanistan is the
UK. It is interesting to note, that while the
US supplies the assets and personnel for
battling the opium trade, it does so for
the sake of other nations, because almost
none of Afghanistan’s opium reaches the
US – it goes to the UK and Europe. The
international nature of the battle means
that all of the Air Wing’s operations are
coordinated and planned at the highest
political level between international
representatives, the Afghan government
and local provincial governors.
It is also important to note that while
international counter-narcotics missions
might have a higher profile, it is the
Afghans themselves who are ultimately
responsible for the eradication program.
They are Afghan police and soldiers on
the ground who do the leg work, and
it is the Afghan Government and local
governors who must (and who want to)
eliminate the opium menace. In many
parts of the country, eradication is done
independently of international assistance, ➤
33
 and the areas where the INL Air Wing
assists are largely those where local
officials are reluctant (not necessarily
unwilling or defiant) to conduct eradication
themselves. Local political considerations
may well make it difficult for local
authorities to act as they might wish and
it is recognized that local governors may
not wish to destroy their own people’s
perceived “only” income source.
While mainstream media might like to
search out and focus on anything negative
about happenings in Afghanistan, it was
a humbling experience for HeliOps to
witness the efforts by the Department of
State’s INL Air Wing and to see the kind
of people who, largely unappreciated, are
fighting the war against terror in the most
effective way possible – by targeting its roots.
HeliOps will be returning to
Afghanistan in March 2007 to join the DOS
INL Air Wing during poppy season. Having
All the bases that the already watched these people at work, I
INL Air Wing operate very much look forward to sharing more
from are joint-use with readers about the kind of people who
facilities, hosting both are prepared to risk their lives to make a
civilian and military meaningful difference in the world.
personnel. For any who might believe the “gung-
ho” or “macho” image is what drives those

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 Lashkar Gah, one of the main towns
situated along the Helmand Valley,
sits under a permanent layer of dust.
who would volunteer to put themselves in
danger, I offer the words of an Air Wing
pilot to close this first part of HeliOps’
Afghanistan story – his sentiments are
typical of most who we spoke to:
“I have always believed we are doing
the right thing by being in Afghanistan.
This land has been in constant turmoil for
so long. If we can bring some stability here,
then this country stands a chance – but if the
world backs off from that, the Afghanis
won’t be able to avoid repeating their past
and condemning themselves to war, poverty
and misery.
“It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the
average person out here is just like everyone
else – they wake up in the morning and they
want the same things we want – peace,
security, food on the table and the knowledge
that loved ones will be safe.
“Is it going to be easy? Heck no! This is a
multi-generational problem. No-one alive in
this country has ever known a life of peace.
They need to understand that a life without
war is possible. We – the Western world,
not just the US – need to have the will to
persevere here if these people are to have
any hope.” n

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When simulator instructors inject

multiple emergencies during a flight,

they are often criticized for being

unrealistic. The following story

describes a real life accident involving

a Mi-24 Hind – flown by a civilian pilot

– in Sierra Leone, which illustrates

just how an emergency can escalate

and eventually overwhelm even the

most skilled pilot.

story BY mark ogden

PHOTOS by cassie nel

top: The Hind – not known for its single-
engine performance, was designed as a
brute workhorse with an extensive array
of weaponry for self-protection.
above: Captain Cassie Nel, pilot of the
ill-fated Mi-24 Hind, moments after the
catastrophic engine failure that brought
the aircraft down.
40
Between 1991 and 2002, a bloody civil
war raged in Sierra Leone that killed tens
of thousands and displaced more than
two million people – nearly one-third
of the country’s population. To end the
civil war, UN and British forces disarmed
17,000 militia and rebels in the largest UN
peacekeeping act of the decade. (The last
UN peacekeepers withdrew in December
2005, leaving full responsibility for
security with domestic forces).
With few other options, in the early
days the Sierra Leone Government called
upon the services of a civilian security
company to “import” the expertise
necessary to fight the rebels. However,
international pressure eventually saw
the “mercenary” aspect of the operation
eliminated from Sierra Leone, and the
government let contracts for domestic
companies to provide a number of
the services previously offered by the
international security firm.
One such company was JESA Air,
which won the contract to operate the
Sierra Leone Government’s helicopter
operations, including flying in support
of British forces in the country. Captain
Cassie Nel was one who came to Sierra
Leone to join JESA as a pilot. Nel started
as a medic in the South African Army,
later joining the South African Air Force
where he learned to fly helicopters.
He fought with the South Africans he
fought in the 1982–84 Bush War, and
the Mozambique Raids in ’84 and ’85. He
later flew for the Venda Defence Force
flying Alouettes, BKs, the CASA 212 and
Citation, before taking up a position with
JESA in 1999. Nel’s work for JESA involved
his flying the Alouette III, the VIP Sea
King (of which he was the President’s
pilot), and the Mi-24 Hind. Nel also
trained Sierra Leone personnel to fly the
Alouette, and flew the Hind in the fight
against the rebels.
His flying in Sierra Leone was true
“bush work” and no sophisticated
training aids such as simulation existed.
“The Mi-24 pilots were a close-knit ex-
South African Air Force lot that were
experienced South African War fighters
from the South West Africa/Namibia-
Angola war and Rhodesian conflict,”
explains Nel. “The way it worked was that
one guy started and then he trained the
next, so at the end there were about five to
eight South Africans able to fly the Hind.”
 “In training for the Hind, I did about
20 hours with the boss. He initially sat in
the door and we went through the start-
up and checks. Before takeoff, he would
move to the front seat. There was a stick
in the front but the collective and tail
rotor pedals were very awkward.
It was bad news to fly from the front,”
Nel recalls.
The Story
On 19 October 2000, Nel and his co-
pilot were conducting a routine flight
for British Forces in Sierra Leone, which
included carrying three British and
Australian Forces passengers. According
to Nel, at this stage the Sierra Leone
Government was being assisted by an
International Force comprising about
80 percent British personnel and some
Australians, Kiwis and others.
After takeoff from Kenema airport,
the course was set for a direct transit
to Sulima helipad on the Liberia–Sierra
Leone border. About 15 minutes after
takeoff, as Nel instituted a cyclic climb
from low-level to avoid fog and to climb top left: The first explosions were caused
through some low cloud, he heard a loud by the external fuel tanks, closely followed
bang. “The bang became a continuous, by the rounds of ammunition exploding.
monotonous tone that continued
throughout the accident sequence,” he top right: Investigators photographing
recounts. “There was one small change in what was left of the Hind for the purpose
tone, and that occurred when I reduced of accident investigation.
power.”
Above left: The view from the front-seat
He continued the IFR climb through
fog and cloud patches to 1,000 ft. During of the Hind would have given the gunner
the climb, the Hind’s instruments gave seated here, a front-row seat of the
no hint of any potential problem with impending disaster.
the engines. Then, after levelling off, he
above centER: The charred remains
reduced speed, thinking that the problem
of the engine showing the catastrophic
might be a panel that may have opened
failure.
in flight. However, there were no engine
or “panel open” warning lights and no above right: Investigators thought the
instrument indications to give the pilot cause of the accident was most likely that
any idea of what the problem was – or of
the main bearing supporting the shaft,
the catastrophic emergency he was about
seized on the number one engine.
to experience.
Engine Problem
Running out of ideas, Nel set a return
course for Kenema, the nearest airfield
available. Then he received the first
41
 “This accident
happened just before
real peace broke out
and although the
rebels were nearly
demolished,
we were still at war
with them.”
top: Diagram showing
the accident site.
above left: The Hind in the
role it was intended for – about
to fire on rebel targets.
abovE right: By electing not
to jettison the fuel tanks, this
stopped the machine turning
completely on its side, and
trapping everyone inside.
42
indication of what the problem might be.
“The number two (right)
engine vibration warning flickered
intermittently. It was flickering on and
off but because there were no other
indications and the temperatures and
pressures were normal, I did not shut the
engine down,” Nel explains. “I reduced
speed to about 150 km/hr (about 80 kts)
and the light went out.” It should be
noted that the Hind performance on one
engine is not good; a factor that Nel had
to consider before shutting an engine
down. The helicopter was also flying over
unfriendly territory so he was not in a
hurry to put the machine down. “This
accident happened just before real peace
broke out and although the rebels were
nearly demolished, we were still at war
with them.”
“The Hind was a beast to fly,”
comments Nel. “I once met a Colonel from
the Indian Air Force who saw me doing
a hover landing and said it was the first
one he had ever seen in the Hind. He
had 2,500 hours as an instructor on the
Hind and had never done or attempted
a hover landing as the helicopter was so
underpowered. The Indians generally
did running takeoffs (roll offs) and
landings (roll ons). The stub wing created
24-28 percent of the lift needed during
a roll off.”
Nel then saw a chip warning light
illuminate for the number one engine
and its gas temperature rise to 1,500°C,
(the upper limit of the gauge) and the
engine’s oil pressure rapidly drop. “Almost
straight afterwards, I received the audio
and visual indication that the number one
engine had failed.”
“I immediately pulled up the separate
engine control levers for both engines to
get maximum power and confirmed that
it was indeed the number one engine that
had failed. Number two was confirmed as
okay. I directed the co-pilot to look for a
suitable landing area but although
the gunner was on headset he could
not hear me, and so we showed the
passengers that we were going down and
to assume the crash position.” Nel then
cut the fuel to the number one engine.
“At no stage was there a fire indication
on the panel, nor could I see a fire in the
engine area.”
Going Down
With one engine out and the main
rotor rpm decaying, the Hind’s crew
looked for somewhere to put the stricken
helicopter down because it was not going
to make Kenema airfield, still some eight
miles away. “The co-pilot identified a
spot to our one o’clock but I chose a spot
to our eleven o’clock because I saw a
tented refugee village nearby, and the
swamp I was aiming at appeared to be
bigger with fewer trees. I put the Hind in
autorotation as the main rotor rpm kept
decreasing, lowered the undercarriage
and transmitted a MAYDAY.”
To complicate matters, on final
approach, Nel noted that the number
two engine was starting to fail. “I heard
grinding noises and then saw the number
two engine chip and temperature and
pressure lights as well as others come on.
I did not get a chance to verify all of the
lights that were on, and because I was on A team of people is required to
finals I decided to cut the fuel to number prepare the Hind for a mission
two engine also. against the rebels.
“The noise was getting very bad; lots
of grinding and small explosions. At
approximately 100 ft, I started the flare.
I selected about 10 degrees nose up and
as we came to about 15 to 20 ft, I started
applying collective, ending with a
handful on touch down. I thought we I remember looking
landed quite softly.”
Nel says that a few moments later, at the ground and
he must have “passed out” as he does
not remember anything until he noticed noting that we were at
that the gunner was opening the cockpit
door. “I remember looking at the ground a 45° angle. I looked
and noting that we were at a 45° angle.
I looked to my left and saw for the first
to my left and saw
time that there were flames coming from
the number one engine’s side and forward
panels. Sparks and flames were leaping
for the first time that
over me and the cockpit and I tried to
activate the fire extinguishers, but I didn’t there were flames
see any powder go off. I made sure the
fuel shut-off levers were retarded and coming from the
the individual engine levers were down.
I think I pulled the rotor brake on but number one engine.
the rotor blades had certainly stopped
before I exited.”
43

Cassie Nel poses with all the
Air Wing team in front of one
of the two Mi-24s.
WECO HeliOps ad Apr05.fh8 3/3/05 1:46 PM Page 1
Post-crash
The crew then made their way
through the paddy field away from the
burning wreckage. “It was heavy going
and sinking up to my knees in the mud
did not make things any easier,” Nel
recounts. “When we had moved away
from the helicopter, we did a head count
and that was when we realized that one
of the passengers was not with us. I then
saw the Sierra Leonean gunner
C M running
Y CM MY CY
towards where the female passenger was
lying, about five meters away from the
burning helicopter. I also began running
towards her but in a more circular route
to avoid the fire – again the mud was
making it difficult. The gunner and I
struggled until another passenger joined
us, which helped a lot in getting her
away.”
It was then that the aircraft began
exploding. “The first big explosions were
the fuel tanks going up,” Nel says. “The
fuel was running between us on top of the
water, but when we got about 20 meters
away from the wreckage the ammunition
started exploding. We couldn’t do a thing
as the bullets sometimes flew very close
to us. It got so bad we had to run for
cover, leaving the injured passenger in
relative safety.”
Nel had a new satellite phone with an
integrated GPS. Unfortunately however,
he had been carrying it in the lower leg
pocket of his flying suit and it was water-
damaged. Although it would indicate a
signal, it would not dial. While Nel and
the medic who had been on board the
helicopter tried to save the critically
CMYinjured
K passenger, Nel’s co-pilot set

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off to the nearby-tented village. When
Nel attempted to follow him he passed
out and was later brought to by a local
pouring water over him. Later, civilians
from the refugee camp and personnel
from the UN began to provide assistance,
although it was too late for the injured
passenger who had died of her injuries.
What happened?
“The Russians advised me that
they considered it likely that the main
bearing supporting the shaft seized on
number one engine,” says Nel. “So the
initial indication on number two was
misleading, and it was pieces of number
one engine that shot into number two
engine that caused the problem for
number two.” Modern helicopter design
separates the engines by a significant
distance to lessen the chance of one
engine’s problems affecting the other.
“When I got the number one engine
warnings it was already failing and had
damaged number two. So in hindsight
when I heard the noise on the left side of
the helicopter, I should have cut number
one engine and number two would have
not had a problem.
But it was very clear in any case that
the Hind was not going to fly on one
engine. Even if I had shut down number
one engine, I would just have taken the
machine with one engine to the scene of
the accident.”
Although he dumped fuel, he had
elected to not drop the tanks. “The
Russians applauded me for doing that as
it stabilized the helicopter, and on landing
it helped in keeping the machine sort of
upright. They reckon it would otherwise
have turned completely on its side!
Two hours after the accident my boss
questioned me and asked if I had put the
undercarriage down. I could not answer,
as I really could not remember. He later
told me that I had put it down and again
it was something that probably saved
our lives.” Nel explains that the Hind’s
undercarriage has a single wheel main
system and a double wheel nose wheel
construction. “This sank into the mud
and further stabilized the helicopter in
the field.”
So, multiple emergencies can and do
occur, and although modern helicopters
have design features that lessen the
chance of a similar type multiple engine
emergency, many systems in helicopters
are still interdependent. Consequently,
one problem may quickly lead to other
indications and issues. It is the basic
tenet of aviation that we learn from
the past and this is why training, the
dissemination of information and
simulation are so important.
“Hind-sight” can be a wonderful
thing. n

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 story & photos by Rob Krummeck

When a massive cargo carrier is grounded off the

coast of southern Africa, the race is on by salvors to

try and save the ship from the powerful destructive

forces of the sea. It is the mighty Mil Mi-26 that

makes a valiant rescue attempt that no other machine

could have attempted.

50
Throughout the Cold War, the
West often dismissed Russia’s aviation
products as flawed and inadequate. Since
the fall of communism, a very different
picture has emerged and a number of
Russian aircraft have proved themselves
to be without peer. One such champion is
the Mil Mi-26 – previously dubbed “Halo”
in its Cold War guise. This mighty airlifter
has been giving aid and saving lives
throughout the world since its liberation
from communist shackles. In June 2005,
the mighty Halo was tested to its outer
limits of performance.
On 7 June 2005, the bulk carrier
Kiperousa, heavily laden with a load of
thousands of hardwood logs, ran aground
off the coast of southern Africa near East
London. The Kiperousa was stuck fast in
a treacherous reef that threatened to
rip the vessel apart unless it could be
lightened and refloated.
Experts decided that removal of her
deck cargo of nearly 1,600 giant logs
– each weighing several tonnes, would
be sufficient to allow the ship to be re-
floated on the next spring tide and saved.
In the limited time available, the
ship’s salvors, the Tsavlaris Salvage
Group, decided on a combination of
brawn...and more brawn. The company
called upon the services of the massive Above: The first afternoon of the operation
and powerful tug, Nikolay Chiker, and resulted in just 13 logs being lifted from The
the world’s largest helicopter, the giant Kiperousa. By Day Five, the Mi-26 had removed
Mil Mi-26. The 40-meter-long Mi-26 735 tonnes of logs during 8.7 hours of flying.
dwarfs every other helicopter. Its huge
main rotor – the only eight-bladed rotor opposite: The mighty Mil Mi-26 at the start of a
flying – spans an incredible 32-meter daunting race against time to remove 1,600 giant
diameter and its tail rotor, at 7.61 meters logs from the decks of the grounded Kiperousa
in diameter, is only five centimeters less before the treacherous reef upon which it was
than the main rotor of a Robinson R22! stuck, tore the vessel apart.
The plan was to have the helicopter
airlift the massive tonnage of logs from
her decks while the Nikolay Chiker stood
by, ready to haul the big ship off the reef With no way to accurately
when it became light enough and the tide
was right.
weigh each log before
The nearest available Mi-26 – an
Mi-26T (RA 06275) – was in Uganda, 19
flying hours from the grounding site.
lifting, the helicopter
The helicopter’s commander, Nickolai
Voronov, assembled his 10-man crew and crew were forced to rely
after traveling from Russia, picked up
the helicopter and made the long ferry on the tried-and-true
flight to the ship where they were ready
to begin lifting by 9 July – ten days before TLAR (“that looks about
the next spring tide.
While the on-site salvage team, under right”) method of load
the command of Salvage Master Geoffrey
Needham, had been expecting a large
calculation!
helicopter, they were surprised by the
massive size of the Mi-26T. The salvage
51
team had never worked with such a large
machine, and indeed, the Mi-26 had not
previously been used in the maritime
salvage role, so it would be a new
experience for both surface and airborne
crews.
The Mi-26T, with two powerful
11,400 shp ZMKB Progress D136 turboshaft
engines driving its vast rotors, is capable
of lifting as much as 20 tonnes (a greater
payload than a Lockheed C130!), either
as a slung load, or in its cavernous cargo
hold. An initial “estimate” by the salvage
team that the average weight of each
of the Kiperousa’s logs would be around
4 tonnes (calculated on the officially
documented cargo weight divided by the
number of logs), was soon confounded by
the weight of the first log to be removed,
which on its own weighed a massive
16 tonnes.
With no way to accurately weigh each
log before lifting, the helicopter crew were
forced to rely on the tried-and-true TLAR
(“that looks about right”) method of load
calculation! The first afternoon’s operation
resulted in just 13 logs being lifted from
the Kiperousa. Day Two began early and
proved more productive, and as the lift
continued, the team became more adept
and the pace picked up with more and
more logs being lifted. The helicopter was
soon carrying three and then four logs
ashore every 12 minutes.
Although there had been initial
concerns about the safety of those
working beneath the incredible downwash
from the Mi-26’s giant rotor, after a few
days everything settled into an efficient
rhythm and the ground teams became
accustomed to the blast from the hovering
giant overhead.
Several days into the operation, the
helicopter was routinely lifting as many
as five logs simultaneously. On Day Five,
by which time half of the deck cargo had
been removed, the helicopter removed a
staggering 735 tonnes of logs during 8.7
hours of flying. The concentration and
skill involved in maintaining such a pace
must have been extremely tiring for the
crew who proved themselves as tough and
as capable as their big helicopter.
Not surprisingly, the frantic pace
and massive effort took its toll on the
helicopter and on Day Six, a component in
the tail rotor assembly failed, grounding
the helicopter. It took a full two days for
a replacement part to arrive from Russia
and it was two days the team couldn’t
really afford.
Once the helicopter was back in the
air, the pace – which had been hectic
before – picked up even further as the
Mil’s crew tried to make up for lost time.
As the helicopter carted more and more
logs to shore, there was no time to load
them onto waiting trucks and successive
loads were simply dumped on the ground
for later retrieval by the truck crews who
were unable to match the helicopter’s
frantic pace.
It was not surprising that the ground
salvage crews soon began thinking the
Russians considered themselves to be
“robots” when they heard the Russian
word for work, which is pronounced
“rabotya”. lessen the ship’s load as the tug continued Above: Desperate to make up for the
By 20 July, more than 1,000 logs had its efforts, but on 23 July the battle was two days lost waiting for replacement
been removed from the stricken Kiperousa, lost as the Kiperousa’s hull was breached. parts, the Mil crew simply dumped their
which still showed no sign of floating free. A combination of the battering from the loads on the ground – for later retrieval
Throughout the salvage operation, the sea as she remained stuck fast on the reef, by the truck crews.
Nikolay Chiker had been gallantly straining and the pulling and straining by the tug
to hold the ship in place, hoping as it proved too much for the vessel, which had opposite: Several days into the

lightened to move her from the reef as the never been designed to cope with such operation, the helicopter was
tide rose – but to no avail. stresses. routinely lifting as many as five logs
The Mi-26T continued desperately to On 24 July, although Geoffrey Needham simultaneously.
 The 40-meter-long

Mi-26 dwarfs every

other helicopter.

officially declared that the vessel was

no longer salvageable, the work was not
over for the big Mil – the focus shifting
to retrieving as much as possible of the
remaining cargo and valuable equipment
from the ship before it sank. While a
disappointed Mi-26 crew must have
wondered whether the two days lost to the
breakdown might have made the crucial
difference, they can take pride from their
remarkable effort and should take comfort
from the fact that no other helicopter in
the world could have given the Kiperousa
a greater fighting chance. They should
also draw comfort from the fact that
breakdowns do happen – especially when
so much is demanded from a machine
as complex as a helicopter the size of the
Mi-26. n

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RISK MANAGEMENT
Understanding and managing risk is an

integral part of large and small business,

as well as being an important aspect of

occupational health. The helicopter industry

is accelerating its acceptance and use of

Risk Management.

story BY Phil croucher PHOTOS by ned dawson


High risk sectors of the industry,
such as ag-work and logging have
their own inherent dangers.
58
In Professor James Reason’s book,
Human Error, he likens the sequence of
human events in an accident to several
slices of Swiss cheese (the stuff with
holes in). The slices represent each layer
between management decisions and the
final incident (however, this should not
be taken to mean that all accidents stem
from management!), while the holes
represent opportunities for accidents.
On the day that the holes line
up something may happen, so if the
sequence can be recognized, it should –
in theory – be possible to pull some of the
holes out of line and prevent an accident.
A good example of recognizing the “holes”
about to line up was the Australian fire-
fighting pilot who pushed the wrong
button and dropped his water bucket
instead of transmitting a radio call.
Realizing this had probably happened
because he was tired, he landed, picked
up the bucket and went home for a couple
of days to rest.
The existence of a potential error
chain is not necessarily a guarantee
that an accident will occur, but any time
that the holes appear to be lining up, it
should at least be cause for concern and
spark off an investigation. It should be
pointed out that the events in an error
chain may not be sequential and that
they may not even depend on each other;
there could be months between incidents.
There seem to be somewhere between
four to seven links in the “average” error
chain, so in theory, there may be up to
seven opportunities to stop an accident.
When the links in an error chain start to
come together, the risk starts building.
Uncertainty about a situation can
often be a subconscious indication that
risk is present.
One definition of risk is the chance
that a situation – or the consequences of
one – will be hazardous enough to cause
harm, injury or loss. Another is that a
risk arises every time a person is in the
presence of a hazard. Health & Safety
legislation defines a hazard as something
that could be dangerous to persons or
property, and risk in terms of the chance
that hazard could actually cause damage.
The goals of whoever operates
the safety management system in a
company are:
4 Identify any hazards that might be
encountered (eg. wet heli-decks)

4 Identify the risks associated with
them (spinning helicopters)
4 Establish the level of risk for each
scenario
4 Apply rules or design SOPs that will
minimize the risks
The risks encountered in the course of
committing aviation do not always arise
from being airborne; ground operations
can have their own dangers. Consider
such things as a marshaller walking
backwards into a load whilst trying to
remain in a pilot’s field of view so that
the pilot can maintain his or her view of
signals. Outside risk influences include
weather, traffic and obstacles. Internal
ones can be maintenance, fatigue, or
company “culture”.
Hazards need not be technical.
Transport Canada points out that there
are business risks too, such as limited
cashflow for quickly growing companies
who might assign a lower priority to
safety than they should, simply in order
to survive. A high staff turnover may
result in a disproportionate number of
inexperienced pilots without proper
supervision – something that is likely to
become an increasing problem in the next
few years with many senior pilots due to
retire. A proactive safety manager will
be looking for such problems before they
manifest themselves.
In order to eliminate risk completely,
we would never take off at all. However,
that’s not what we’re here for, so we
have to have some method of evaluating
“A skilled pilot who
takes risks is a bigger
problem than an
average one who is
prudent and cautious.”
“Carelessness and
overconfidence are
often more dangerous
than deliberately
accepted risks.”
Wilbur Wright, in a letter to his father.
Game capture is also
very high risk, requiring
excellent situational
awareness while chasing
animals at low-level
through the trees.
risk against a “yardstick”, and to
balance profitability with safety – Risk
Management is the key. For example,
when leaving a confined area it might
be more dangerous to avoid the height/
velocity curve than to be in it for a few
seconds. Part of a pilot’s job is to decide
which risk presents the least hazard; is
the risk of colliding with something when
coming out of the clearing greater than
the risk of having an engine failure? Is it
better to take off downwind into a clear
area – or into wind where obstructions
might stop emergency vehicles reaching a
helicopter in trouble? In other words, the
degree of harm must be measured against
the degree of exposure; the more there is to
lose, the fewer risks a pilot will want to take.
Risk management, therefore, is a
59
 The Risk Matrix shows the
most risky occupations
are on the left, i.e. seismic
and logging. On the left
hand side are factors that
will worsen the situation.
The gradations are meant
to be used as one for
every change in state. i.e.
3 gradations for visibility
indicate 2nm and so on.
A great deal depends on the perception of a risk; the
difference between a pilot’s, the management’s and the
customer’s perceptions can be quite startling.
decision-making tool that can be applied
to either eliminate risk, or reduce it to
an acceptable level – preferably before
takeoff. It involves firstly, identifying a
hazard, analysing any associated risks,
making a decision and implementing it
(with a risk strategy) and monitoring the
results with a view to changing things
if necessary. A great deal depends on
the perception of a risk; the difference
between a pilot’s, the management’s and
the customer’s perceptions can be quite
startling. For example, the point about
political correctness is not the PC itself,
but the need to be seen to be politically
correct. In some companies – as a result
of outside influence – safety is treated
in the same way. As a result, jobs where
common sense has sufficed in the past
have now become bogged down with
60
unnecessary procedures designed to
“cover” somebody, with the result that the
job becomes more dangerous. Go figure!
Analysing Risk
There are many aspects to analysing risk:
4 Where is it?
4 How likely is it to happen? A High
probability means it is likely to
happen. Medium means it has a fair
chance of happening, Low means it is
possible, but not probable, and Very
Low means it will almost certainly not
happen (but never say never!)
4 How significant is it? That is, what
are the consequences? High indicates
irreparable harm. Medium means a
significant impact, and Low means
just inconvenience.
4 What are the priorities? A High-High
risk, means that not only is something
likely to happen, but when it does,
it will cause irreparable harm to
people or property, and thus needs
attention first.
The assessment of risk in a particular
situation will be based on subjective
perception and evaluation of situational
factors. What this means is that the
difference between perceived and actual
risk depends on the amount of control
one thinks one has, and familiarity. For
example, it is a lot more risky to ride a
bike through a busy city than it is to live
near a nuclear power station, yet people
still ride bikes along the high street and
don’t want to live near a reactor. The
former situation allows more “control” (a
cyclist can always get off and walk) and
is more familiar. A person’s perception of
“control” is influenced by his or her fear
of the unknown.
Risk is equal to probability, multiplied
by the consequences of what is proposed
and the degree of exposure. There are
essentially four choices:
4 Elect not to do the job
4 Mitigate the effects of the risk
4 Transfer the risk (eg. buy insurance)
4 Accept the risk (absorb the effects
yourself)
High risk means a high probability
of death, damage or injury, requiring
appropriate procedures and the necessity
to think on one’s feet – which is where
training comes in. Low risk is a normal
situation, where normal precautions are
enough.
It always pays to try and pre-handle
situations as an element of flight
planning, i.e. make as many decisions as
possible ahead of time. Most important,
though, is to always leave a way out. For
example, when dropping water, it may be
necessary to get out of a hot hole with the
load on. It cannot be assumed that the
bucket will work and that the helicopter
will be light enough to escape! Is the
weather closing in behind you? Have
you gone into a confined area and boxed
yourself in? Mountain pilots always have
a way out – even after they’ve landed.
The risk matrix included with this
article works like a drop-down trim sheet.
Along the top, the most risky occupations
are on the left (seismic operations are the
riskiest, with logging a close second). If
your operation is not listed, there should
be something very close.
Along the left hand side are outside
influences that will worsen the situation.
The gradations are meant to be used
as one for every change in state; for
example, three gradations for visibility
indicate 2 nm, and so on.
So, for anyone slinging in hostile
terrain in a 20 knt wind with 2 miles’
visibility, it would pay to be very careful!
Risk Checklist
These are only suggested headings
– there could be many more:
➤ What equipment will be used?
➤ Is it the correct equipment for the job?
➤ Is it in good condition?
➤ Is the load dangerous?
➤ What will it fly like?
➤ How much does it weigh?
➤ What condition is it in?
➤ Boxes should be taped shut
➤ Plastic covering should be taped to
stop it ripping apart
➤ Liquid containers should be sealed
and upright
➤ Hazardous materials must be notified
to the pilot and marked
➤ Hazardous material should be carried
separately
➤ Sharp edges should be protected
➤ Is the pilot qualified and current?
➤ Does the pilot have his or her mind on
the job?
➤ Is the destination sequence clear?
➤ Are the people on the ground briefed
properly?
➤ Don’t stand under the load
➤ Keep the area clear
➤ Be careful of hands when the line
gets taut
➤ Performance requirements
➤ Weight & balance calculated?
You might find it strange not to
accept a risk of engine failure and a
possible wire strike after you’ve
just been hovering OGE in hostile terrain
for the last 15 minutes, but this is
the fine line in the wonderful world
of helicopters. In the words of one
senior pilot: “We do what we have to do,
when we have to do it, in the calculated
risk sense, but we never take a single risk we
don’t have to...” n
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We must tell the FAA that the job’s
not over – maybe the funds are low, but
the FAA’s helicopter industry customers
are still lined up outside the shop door
by nick lappos waiting for service. And what good
things we accomplish for United States’
Vertical operators are quickly felt in the rest of
the world because the flow of aviation
Programs Office improvements has been, up until now,
from the FAA outward to the world
– Funds Cut community.
What still needs to be done?
(Caution: strong acronym activity has
“Their work is finished,” been reported in the vicinity. Readers
are asked to keep their chortles to a
said an FAA official minimum – this is
a glimpse into the
world of those who
dead!
create international
y o u r
ut regulation). To
“ B ring o o u r dead!” take advantage
MAST E R :
out y
C A RT Bring of the revolution
dead!”
in navigation,
’ m n o t
N : “I
aeronautical, and
E A D PERSO communication
h a ck ! )
D technologies,
: ( W
MASTER and turn them
C A RT into operational
improvements,
the helicopter
industry needs criteria
and policy similar to what the FAA is
providing for airplanes. And to help
promulgate that new capability around
the world through ICAO, that criteria
then needs to be coordinated via the
ICAO Obstacle Clearance Panel for
harmonization within Procedures for Air
Navigation Services Aircraft Operations
The Vertical Programs Office (PANSOPS) for our industry globally. Here
resides in FAA HQ, and is the advocate is the short list:
for all “things helicopter” within the
vast bureaucracy of the FAA. Heliport 4 Required Navigation Performance
criteria, IFR routes in the Gulf of Mexico, (RNP) criteria are needed for
new ADSB projects and CAPSTONE for rotorcraft. For our industry, the
helicopters – all of these were the paving Signal-in-Space will need to be
stones that the VPO walked on for its WAAS (or GLONASS/GPS with
customers. Plying itself between the Geostationary Navigation Overlay
folks who approve navaids, the folks who Service (EGNOS) depending on the
make airspace and the folks who certify international application via ICAO
helicopters, these VPO people work for OCP and PansOps). RNP criteria are
us, sell our wishes and try to make our issued as orders for airplanes, but not
needs known. Now we hear that their helicopters.
funds have been cut – eliminated in the 4 Special Aircraft And Aircrew Required
battle that must drive the administrator (SAAAR) policy: SAAAR is issued
to distraction. Which cut harms aviation as Advisory Circulars for airplanes,
the least? and allows operations tailored to the
64
Th e l a s t w o r d
operator’s needs. Rotorcraft policy is
needed.
4 Public SAAAR policy: This is what
the Performance-based Operations
Aviation Rulemaking Committee
(PARC) is working on for airplanes
now that they have their SAAAR
Advisory Circular finished. Captured
within these must be things like
maneuver to land, circling, and other
criteria and policy lacking for our
industry.
Why do we need these changes?
Because when the weather gets bad
enough, helicopters no longer file IFR. It
does no good to fly to “airplane places”
with “airplane procedures”, so we skulk
along under the weather when it gets
really bad. Then we call the accidents
CFIT, and blame the pilot for poor
judgment!
It was seven years ago that I sat in a
twin-engined helicopter that had been
equipped with a specially programmed
Universal Navigation UNS-1 and
Honeywell autopilot. It could take off, fly
to the nearest hospital and then shoot
a precision instrument approach to the
pad, hands off, right down to a five foot
hover. Its flight path was beamed from a
Raytheon ground station. On no approach
did the aircraft deviate more than a foot
or two from the electronic route in its
digital brain. I could tell, because we
passed exactly the same way between
the tall pines at 30 ft along the approach.
It took us one day to write the approach
to this hospital, and one day for Jeppesen
to encode it into the UNS database, which
we loaded by floppy disk that had been
emailed to our team’s trailer. We shot
about 100 of these hands-off approaches
to the hospital, with minimums that
could easily be certified at 100 ft ceiling
and 600 ft RVR.
That S-76 DGPS project took about one
year from the first PowerPoint dream to
hovering at the end of its first approach.
It was a joint team of folks from
Universal, Honeywell, Raytheon, the FAA
Vertical Programs Office, and Sikorsky
that made it happen. One year to get it
flying, but in seven years we have yet to
find its operational capability available
for the helicopter industry.
We’re not dead yet. (Whack) n
LAPD COMPARED.
WON.
CLEARLY.

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Combine this latest HD technology with a microwave downlink system from our sister company Geneva Aviation,
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normal helicopter altitudes. If you’d like to compare for yourself, call Cineflex for a demonstration at 1-530-477-5862.
Like the LAPD, we’re certain you will make the clearest choice.

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 IT WAS INSPIRED BY YOU. NOW IT’S RETURNING THE FAVOR.
Welcome to the incredible result of your own feedback, the most innovative
high-performance helicopter in the sky: the Bell 429. Welcome to the leading edge of vertical lift.
1-800-FLY-BELL bellhelicopter.com
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