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Mar
07
2022
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Posted by Admin
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The air tour industry has been heavily scrutinized in recent years. Whether for safety concerns by the general public and legislators, noise complaints, or limiting access to National Parks, operators in this sector have been faced with challenging times. Intensify the situation with the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and these companies barely continued to keep the lights on this year. Fortunately, air tour operators are resilient and resourceful with helping to address these types of issues. They provide a valued service to passengers who eagerly seek out this mode of sightseeing and who might not otherwise have access to the unique and beautiful locations throughout the world.
[Read More...]
Tags:
Helicoper Tour Operators
TOPS
Tour Operators Program of Safety
Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
Safety
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Feb
28
2022
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Posted by Admin
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The employee commitment at Erickson Inc. is like that of a great sports team. The employees are the athletes, the coaches, and even the fans. The term “bad ass” is thrown around amongst employees. They proudly display the company colors and act upon the company culture with personal commitment. In 50 years of business, Erickson has become legendary as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operation, and as an aerial services company.
A common phrase heard among Erickson employees is “bleeding orange,” which demonstrates the team’s tenaciousness and drive for safety and service. With nearly 800 employees working worldwide, they strive to save both people and property through aerial firefighting and defense missions, while accomplishing civil aviation services with heavy-lift helicopters. They do this with capable hands and an eye on the mission.
[Read More...]
Tags:
Erickson Composite Rotor Blades
founder of Erickson Air-Crane
heli-logging
Jack Erickson
S-64 Air Crane
Sikorsky S-61
Skycrane
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Feb
21
2022
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Posted by Admin
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Of course the headline above is a smidge spectacular and only a little dramatic. Although the helicopter industry was negatively impacted by the pandemic, it never really shut down.
Reflecting on this time last year, I remember when the Helicopter Association International made this announcement:
“Until the beginning of 2021, all signs had pointed toward a successful show. Over the past week, as second deposits became due for exhibitors, a large number either pulled out or expressed discomfort with attending or exhibiting. The Board of Directors looked at the numbers and made a difficult decision that continuing with HAI HELI-EXPO 2021 was not in the best interest of the industry.”
[Read More...]
Tags:
Lyn Burks Editor
Rotorcraft Pro
Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
Helicopter Event Coverage
Opinion-Editorial
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Feb
14
2022
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Posted by Admin
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Last year may have been a tough year for the world in general due to COVID-19, but there was still lots of good news when it came to the latest and greatest in helicopter technology. Here's what the industry achieved in 2021.
[Read More...]
Tags:
4K cockpit video recording system
AW609 AC4 twin-engine tiltrotor
commercial S-70M
EDAT
electronically distributed anti-torque
helicopter electric motors
hybrid helicopters
S-70M Type Certificate
Vita Rescuer System
Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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Feb
07
2022
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Posted by Admin
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I remember the day my S1 (personnel officer) came into the standardization office and handed me my retirement orders. She asked if I was excited. I had been excited when I submitted for retirement, but now that the orders were in my hand, I was wondering what the hell I did!
It doesn’t matter how prepared you are for your transition; you will feel stress at some point during the process and it isn’t quickly relieved by getting some exercise and sleep. Transition stress is an increased feeling of pressure, anxiety, and/or loss of purpose and direction triggered by a significant period of change or adjustment. Specifically when talking about veterans, transition stress refers to the difficulty of adapting to life after discharge. It is a longing for the way service members lived while on active duty. Other symptoms include depression, loss of identity, difficulty finding meaningful employment, difficulty navigating relationships, and difficulty relating to civilians. Transitional stress is an “identity crisis.” Basically, when you are transitioning, you are losing your identity, and being forced to develop a new one without the support network you had while in the military. If there is anything positive about your transition, it is that everyone goes through it, so you are not alone.
[Read More...]
Tags:
Military to Civilian Transition Helicopters
Military to Civililan Aviation
Categories:
Career Development
Opinion-Editorial
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Jan
31
2022
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Posted by Admin
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Since the 19th century, mountain huts high on the Arolla glacier have been maintained by the Swiss Alpine Club and its guardian/managers. These huts are an integral part of the Alps and local culture. For most of those decades the huts were supplied by people and animals. Beasts of burden and highly conditioned guides got the job done. The journey was long and dangerous because of uncertain, hostile weather. The extreme environment limited access to only a select, conditioned few.
Nowadays, restocking supplies and transporting people is done by helicopter. With a few minutes of flight, the helicopter delivers what would take days to do on foot. Up to 700 kilograms (approx. 1,500 pounds) of supplies are packed in bags big enough to give Santa envy. Helicopters make these mountain refuges surrounded by natural beauty accessible to more than the fitness elite. Food, gas, groceries, and wood are flown in a timely manner to serve adventurous travellers with an overnight, relaxing stay and hearty meal
[Read More...]
Tags:
Air-Glacier
Heli-Skiing
Swiss Helicopter Operators
Categories:
Company Profiles
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Jan
24
2022
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What is your current position?
I am chief flight instructor at the University of North Dakota (UND) and a designated pilot examiner for the FAA. UND Aerospace has been training pilots since 1968 and currently has over one thousand active flight students in fixed-wing, helicopter, and UAS degree programs. As chief flight instructor, I have many responsibilities including the day-to-day operations of the helicopter department, hiring and standardizing instructors, conducting evaluations, and teaching academic classes. We flew a record 126,000 flight hours last year making our home airport of Grand Forks routinely one of the busiest in the country. We’ve operated a number of helicopters over the decades from MD500s to Bell 206s and have transitioned exclusively to the Robinson R44 Cadet this past year.
[Read More...]
Tags:
University of North Dakota Aviation
Wes Van Dell
Categories:
Career Development
Human Interest
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Jan
17
2022
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Posted by Admin
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The American Helicopter Museum & Education Center (AHMEC) in West Chester, Pennsylvania, recently unveiled the crown jewel of its collection: the United States Coast Guard (USCG) HOS-1 that played a leading role in one of the most famous rescues in helicopter history. Also known as a Sikorsky R-6, AHMEC’s HOS-1 (#43-45531) and her crew received accolades for saving survivors of a downed Sabena Airlines DC-4 airliner near Gander, Newfoundland, in 1946, earning her the nickname, “The Gander Express.”
[Read More...]
Tags:
AHMEC’s HOS-1 (#43-45531)
Gander Express
Sikorsky R-6
United States Coast Guard (USCG) HOS-1
Categories:
Opinion-Editorial
Human Interest
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Jan
10
2022
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Posted by Admin
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Best of 2021 - Best of People Remembered
Brian Lacks
Harold Summers
Harry Robertson
Shawn Coyle
[Read More...]
Tags:
Brian Lacks
Harold Summers
Harry Robertson
Rotorcraft Pro Best of 2021 People Remembered
Shawn Coyle
Categories:
Human Interest
Opinion-Editorial
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Jan
03
2022
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Posted by Admin
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Michael Leslie is proving Thomas Wolfe’s “You Can’t Go Home Again” wrong. After years of personal and professional growth, the president and CEO of the long-time aircraft component engineering/manufacturing and overhaul company, NAASCO, returned home to his New York home business. He is not only maintaining the legacy that his father founded with his family in 1984, but expanding it. “When recruiting new team members, I let them know they have the opportunity to become part of a 37-year-old startup,” Leslie says. “What I mean is, the NAASCO of today will be completely reshaped over the upcoming years. Our goal is to become the most dominant force within the areas of our expertise in engineering, manufacturing, overhaul, and distribution.”
[Read More...]
Tags:
Michael Leslie
NAASCO