Author: Admin
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Jun
21
2016
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Posted by Admin
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For several decades now, illegal immigration and security along the Mexican border has been a political hot potato for citizens and legislators alike. Politicians have thrown it back and forth, hoping the potato would cool. Well, thanks to a certain 2016 U.S. presidential candidate turning up the heat, it seems the illegal immigration issue is hotter than ever. The fall of 2015 found Donald J. Trump making statements like, “Not only will we (the U.S.) build a wall on the Mexican border, but Mexico will pay for it.” That, and many other soundbites, turned a political potato into a political fireball, and the issue is once again on the American public’s front burner.
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Categories:
Company Profiles
Helicopter Sectors
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Jun
13
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Being the president of Airbus Helicopters is one of the great responsibilities in the rotorcraft world. Over 23,000 employees generate over $6 billion in revenue while manufacturing and delivering some of the top flagship aircraft in the industry. The leader of this global OEM must be driven, yet calm and calculating. So one wonders: Would Chris Emerson be the president of Airbus Helicopters had he not seen a photo of a naked man wearing a résumé to cover his front and backside?
Admittedly, that’s quite a question, and one that requires travelling to find the answer. Which is exactly what that newspaper photo inspired young Emerson, then a student at the University of Alabama in the early 1990s, to do. He recalls, “Unemployment at that time was rather high. This guy in San Francisco had posted his résumé on two billboards that covered his front and rear. I thought: Wow, is it that desperate? What am I going to do to stand out?”
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Categories:
Human Interest
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Jun
13
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Last month, the Professional Helicopters Pilots Association put out a statement regarding the Los Angeles Area Helicopter Noise Coalition (LAAHNC) Ongoing Efforts to Solicit Complaints Against Helicopter Noise which read:
The Professional Helicopter Pilots Association is troubled with the LAAHNC’s ongoing efforts to solicit helicopter complaints from Los Angeles residents. Although we encourage people to utilize the Federal Aviation Administration’s automated helicopter noise complaint system when they are bothered by helicopter noise, it appears the LAAHNC may be encouraging people to “game” the system and make multiple complaints on single incidents or simply complain about any sort of noise and attribute that noise to helicopters. The LAAHNC also continues to proclaim that no progress with regard to helicopter noise has been made.
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Categories:
Regulatory
Helicopter Sectors
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Jun
06
2016
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Posted by Admin
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For the aerial firefighting industry, 2016 is evolving into a transitional year. Fleet modernization is accelerating along with retirements of aging, legacy aircraft.
Specifically, operators are focusing on technology which will enhance safety, reliability, and capabilities. To cite one example, Helimax Aviation is in the final assembly stages of a 2,500 gallon internal water tank installation on its former US Army CH-47D Chinooks, with FAA certification anticipated by June 15th of this year. Upon certification, the tank is to be installed in its two Chinooks for the 2016 fire season, with USFS approval.
The system will be capable of multiple drops of varying capacity on the same spot, drawing water from sources as shallow as 18 inches. Turnaround times will be reduced, given the greater volume of water compared to the 2,000 gallon bucket system currently used. Other advantages include less downtime attributed to bucket failures, and long-line problems.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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May
31
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Once the stuff of science fiction, unmanned helicopters are increasingly becoming a part of daily life. For instance, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Fire Scout unmanned helicopter program, using both the small MQ-8B and the Bell 407-derived MQ-8C, provides the Navy’s littoral combat ships (LCS) with eyes in the sky that enhance both situational awareness and precision targeting. Furthermore, the Lockheed Martin/Kaman Aerospace K-MAX unmanned helicopter has distinguished itself by flying unmanned cargo missions for the Marines in Afghanistan, and is also being configured to support civilian applications such as firefighting, forest management, humanitarian aid, and oil & gas industry support. Meanwhile, about 2,400 Yamaha RMAX remotely controlled helicopters are being employed for crop-dusting around the world. Yamaha is also teaming with Northrop Grumman to develop an autonomous RMAX for the military called the R-Bat (Rotary Bat) for intelligence gathering.These are just some of the unmanned helicopters in use today, with more in development.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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May
23
2016
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Posted by Admin
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We’ve all been there. Flying with our student during the test prep phase of the training lifecycle, confirming what we set out to do so many hours before. That is, to present the FAA a qualified, proficient pilot applicant who is capable of exceeding all test standards set before them. You’ve done this many times before; it’s just a walk in the park. So you walk through your FAA exam checklist to verify nothing has been missed:
Training records complete? ✔
Logbook endorsements complete? ✔
FAA Examiner scheduled? ✔
Complete confidence your student is ready to take this checkride? Well … not so much.
During test prep, you notice that the student isn’t consistent with each maneuver or task you present. Although your student’s flying is OK, there’s this little voice in your ear and a knot in your gut that’s making you uncomfortable: They’re just not ready for this checkride! Then your student completes a picture-perfect autorotation and you ignore what you believed to be true just a few moments earlier.
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Categories:
Training
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May
16
2016
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Posted by Admin
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It certainly wasn’t my intention to be on drugs when I addressed FAA regulators at the “Meet the FAA Regulators” session at HAI Heli-Expo 2014. Two hours prior to that talk, I literally couldn’t walk. My back suddenly went out causing excruciating lower back pain, something that occurs every three years or so due to years of competitive tennis and decades in the cockpit. Still, I needed to tell the regulators that they missed a real opportunity to draft meaningful new rules to stop the unacceptable HEMS accident rate. Throwing a mix of over-the-counter painkillers down my throat, I gingerly made my way to the convention center.
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Categories:
Safety
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May
09
2016
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Posted by Admin
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When talking to Frasca International President and CEO John Frasca, one quickly discerns that not only does F begin his last name, but that letter coincides with other words relevant to who he is and what he does: Family and Flexibility.
It’s telling that the current generation of Frascas do not shine the light of success on themselves. Rather, the company website and brochure only speak of the founding father. Not even John Frasca is profiled. In an age of self-adulation and promotion, that may seem somewhat quaint … and refreshing. However, this lack of limelight is not surprising when you hear the humble way the son’s promotion to leadership in 2011 was announced to Frasca International’s staff—and to John Frasca himself. “We were just having a summer company party out at the airport with all of the employees, and Dad picked up the microphone and said, ‘Oh, by the way everybody, John’s taking over; he’s going to be president,’” says Frasca.
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Categories:
Career Development
Company Profiles
Human Interest
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May
02
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Many of the greatest adventure stories begin with three simple words: There I was…. This tale of a pioneering aviation company in the setting of insanely turquoise blue waters, white sandy beaches, cascading waterfalls, and lush mountain jungles deserves an adventurous introduction. So ...
THERE I WAS sitting in a car wash parking lot at a busy intersection in downtown Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. (We’ll get to the water and jungles later.) I’m knocking back a frosty Presidente beer and chili dog empanada.
After four days in this country, I am starting to feel “Dominicanized.” I’m thinking I could live in this paradise and frequently nurse a cold beer. But the nagging question is: Where would I work?
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Categories:
Career Development
Company Profiles
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Apr
26
2016
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What is your current position?
I currently serve as the director of training and standards for CHI Aviation. In my position I coordinate training, in concert with department heads, for all company employees including pilots, mechanics, fuel truck drivers, etc. On the standards side, I participate in auditing, receiving feedback, and assisting the standardization committee in ensuring standards are created and met. I also perform duties as a captain in both the CH-47D and AS-332L1 aircraft.
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Categories:
Human Interest
Career Development