Airwaves Feb 13

Transcription

Airwaves Feb 13

I n c o r p o r a t i n g
t h e
O f f i c i a l
J o u r n a l
o f
t h e
Volume 02 / Issue 01 / February 2013
History reveals a short list of willing
entrepreneurs that have tried to fill the void
but none succeeded in gaining the required
traction. Some were perhaps unlucky. Some
lacked the management skills required to
mitigate financial loss. They tried, they failed.
Having said that, there are two current
events, still in their infancy, that have
potential to step up to the plate. We need
to acknowledge the Wide Bay Australia
International Airshow and also the SAAA’s
“Ausfly” event held for the first time
in September this year, as legitimate
candidates. But it’s a monumental
task and having talked first hand to the
organisers of both these events, you have
to wonder if it’s beyond the realms of
From little acorns however, mighty oaks
do (and can) grow. I’m quite sure that the
members of the Schofields Flying Club
could not have imagined what they were
about to unleash when they chose to
celebrate the Australian Bicentenary in
1988 by putting on an airshow at RAAF Base
Richmond. What they in fact created were
the foundations of a show that has now
become one of the biggest aviation events
on the planet. Was it providence? Was it
good fortune? Was it skill? Was it foresight?
It was probably all of these mixed in with a
bit of risk and a bit of drive. And it worked.
is to work up a plan for the ultimate event
in all its aspects and then present it to one
or more of the current event Committees
that we know and trust. This way we get to
express our needs, they get the opportunity
to value judge the proposal, to see if it fits.
At least this way we would have both sides
of the fence represented and I imagine
as grown-ups we would most likely come
up with a final concept that might just
satisfy everyone, that might just work.
see organisers battling to embrace both.
It’s generally one with the other tacked on.
Perhaps we should take a fresh look and
give them both equal billing. We understand
the need to generate revenue from the
public but organisers must also see at
least equal revenue opportunities in the
trades. Sure the needs are different but by
simply extending the show a day or two, all
parties could be catered for in a relevant
and productive operating environment.
As much as post event surveys have a place,
they’re not always the answer. What we
need to create is a pre-event concept with a
sensible pre-event questionnaire attached
that would allow potential trade participants
If the above sounds simplistic well it is! I
make no apologies for that. Having said that,
we have all seen promoters struggle with
an event’s concept and management. Too
many times we’ve seen extreme pressure
put on what are mostly volunteer teams.
It’s just not fair and reasonable to expect
people who willingly give extraordinary
amounts of their time in the interests of the
cause (generally in return for a t-shirt and
cap and a thank you Barbie), to be tasked
with the responsibility of creating, managing
and taking full financial responsibility
for an event they all hope we enjoy.
Photo courtesy of The Australian International Airshow
So how do we get another event up and
running and most importantly how do we
guarantee that those attempting to establish
one feel the need? Well in a lot of respects
that’s up to us as active players in the game.
Too many times I’ve seen the enthusiasm of
event organisers sorely tested by pessimism
and reluctance and to such an extent
that they find it hard to justify the effort.
If we think everyone’s getting it wrong the
best thing we can do as an industry segment
the opportunity to express interest, register
concerns and offer recommendations
or advice. This way, by the time an event
Committee began their planning processes,
they would have a concrete proposal/
framework/structure to consider.
A significant challenge we seem to
constantly wrestle over is the focus. Should
it be a trade show or should it be an
airshow? Can it be both? Neither concept
is mutually exclusive yet we quite often
When it’s all boiled down what we as
industry participants need from a show
is a strong audience of aviation decision
makers be they owners or operators.
What the general public needs is quality
entertainment. Perhaps each event
Committee or governing Board should
have in their mix, representatives capable
of generating both or at least capable
of recommending how to get both using
their knowledge and experience. I for
one would have no hesitation in working
as part of a group whose mission was
to develop the ultimate event blueprint.
Would I be alone? I sincerely hope not!
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aw13feb13
There are reasons for this but it begs
the question - how good would it be and
perhaps more significantly how important
is it to get something in place when the GA
sector is under the pump and clearly not
in a growth phase? There is evidence of a
strong desire to fill this space but as yet
there is no firm stake in the ground. This
is something we must address. Surely this
is something we need to fix. But how?
possibility to establish the criteria required
to generate and guarantee sustainability.
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On the eve of the running of
the eleventh edition of the
Australian International Airshow it is perhaps timely to
take a look at the current
Aviation event calendar and
acknowledge the fact that
Australia is still without an
established General Aviation
“showcase” event that runs in
the alternate years.
volume 02 / issue 01 / February 2013
01
AIR
Avalon 2013 –
Bringing the Best Downunder
2
Player Profile –
Tracey Redman-Slater
3
Australian Teams Progress in
Airbus ‘Fly Your Ideas’ Challenge 4
Edmo Asia Pacific –
Quality & Excellence “Whatever It
Takes”
5
Rising To The Challenge
6
Busy Year Ahead for
Evolving Association...
8
Insure My Aircraft
Getting The Most Out Of Your
Aviation Insurance
8
de Bruin Aeromaintenance
Seeks Key Approvals…
9
KIWI Update –
News From ‘Aotearoa’
9
Aviatex 2013 Expo and Trade
Show Launched
10
Garmin Platinum
Complete Avionics
11
First Expedition E350
Now Gracing Australian Skies 11
From THe Helicopter editor 12
Avalon Airshow 2013
AHIA Updates
12
CASA issues new CAAP
For Off-Shore Operations
14
Singing for your supper? 15
Night Aerial Firefighting
– A Hot Topic?
15
Publisher Helix Aviation
Editors Airwaves: Tony Shaw
AHIA JOURNAL: Rob Rich
Advertising
[email protected]
cONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rob Rich, Tony Shaw, John Nicolson,
Brett Radcliffe.
Avalon 2013 –
Bringing the Best
Downunder….
Every two years almost
200,000 people make the trip
to Avalon Airport, forty five minutes drive South West of Melbourne, to witness and participate in one of the world’s most
prestigious aviation events,
the Australian International
Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition.
Things have definitely changed since the
first aviation event was held at Avalon in
1957 when the head of the Port Melbourne
Government Aircraft Factory G.J. Churcher
OAM, decided to put on a display for
the company’s employees. Things have
definitely changed too since members of
the Schofields Flying Club ran an airshow
to celebrate the Australian Bicentenary
in 1988 at RAAF Base Richmond and
then again in 1991 to celebrate the 70th
anniversary of the RAAF. These two latter
events were eventually to provide a catalyst
and the initial drive to form
a foundation that has, over
time, nurtured and grown
what was an embryonic
and informal event concept
into one the world’s largest
aviation expositions.
Editorial Submissions
Airwaves: [email protected]
AHIA: [email protected]
Mailing Address
PO Box 266, Lismore NSW 2480
Publishers general disclaimer
All the articles, comments advice and other material
contained in this publication are by way of general
comment or advice only and are not intended, nor
do they puport to be, the correct advice on any
particular matter of subject referred to. No reader
or any other person who obtains this publication
should act on the basis of any matter contained in this
publication without first considering and if necessary
taking appropriate professional advice upon the
applicability of any matter, advice or comment herein
to their own particular circumstances. Accordingly,
no responsibility is accepted or taken by the authors,
editors, or publishers of this publication for any loss or
damage suffered by any party acting in reliance on any
matter, comment or advice contained herein.
02
Government), Honnery cut his aviation teeth
serving in the RAAF Specialist Reserve.
Articulate and savvy, no doubt a product
of his heritage, Honnery’s diplomacy,
attention to detail and clear vision
have seen the event’s reputation grow
to such an extent that it now ranks
with the likes of Farnborough and
Paris on the international stage.
So is Avalon just an Airshow? No way.
It’s a sophisticated, multi-faceted event
consisting of three interrelated elements, an aviation
spectacle – an aviation
trade show and a congress
of National and International
aviation, aerospace and
defence conferences, forums
and seminars the latter
of which provides for the
exchange of ideas between
professionals, industry and
government regulators.
“Our mission
is to take
Australia to
the world
by bringing
the world
to Australia”
Much of the credit for the
success of the event must
be given to its long term
servant Ian Honnery. As
CEO and a Board member
of Aerospace Maritime and Defence
Foundation of Australia Ltd, the event’s
parent entity, Honnery has overseen the
growth and development of the airshow
and exposition since it was moved to its
current location in 1992. Originally a lawyer
by profession and with degrees in Law
and in Arts (majoring in Economics and
advertising deadline
Bookings 2nd Friday of the previous month
Photo courtesy of The Australian International Airshow
Upcoming editions
and their themes:
March 2013
Technology
April 2013
Regional Development
May 2013
Business Aviation
June 2013
Tertiary Education
July 2013
Defence
August 2013
General Aviation
Perhaps the ultimate success of the event
lies in Honnery’s belief in an overarching
philosophy which brings an element of
simplicity to the cause and no doubt allows
him to manage a complex mix of activities
with a true sense of purpose. “Conceptually,
I like to view Avalon as a convention of
aviation enthusiasts, people flying in from
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The event’s development has been
carefully managed again using a very
simple philosophy which Honnery
explains. “Our mission is to promote
the development of Australian aviation,
aerospace and defence capabilities and
industrial resources and we do this by
providing an international showcase. Our
mission is to take Australia to the world by
bringing the world to Australia. We place
an enormous emphasis on encouraging
international delegations – Chinese, Indian,
European, North American, Russian, to
come to Australia to see what Australia
has to offer and to be able to engage
PROPELLERS & GOVERNORS
September 2013 Manufacturing
October 2013
around Australia and around the world in
order to be a part of a huge aviation event.
Our purpose is not just to give the public a
spectacle, even though that’s an important
part of it, it’s not just to make the public
aware of aviation and excited about aviation,
that’s an important part of it, it’s not just
about arousing interest and excitement
amongst young people in pursuing careers
in aviation, that’s an important part of
it. One of the really important parts of
this event is to create a forum in which
there can be engagement with industry
– engagement between industry and
government, industry and customers
and industry and suppliers, to generate
economic activity within the broader
aviation, aerospace and defence sectors.”

Phone: 07 3272 9800 Email: [email protected]
www.propcare.com.au

aw13feb08
In this issue:
AIR
Despite the obvious clarity of purpose,
the event is sometimes viewed by the
aviation business community as skewed
heavily in favour of defence and the public.
Honnery has particular views on this. “We
put a lot of effort and a lot of resources
into promoting the event overseas. One
of the reasons we do that is to promote
international military participation in the
event which as you can imagine is the star
attraction. That’s what gets people there
and even though I’m from a general aviation
background, I like smaller aircraft, the fact
of the matter is that I recognize that it’s the
big boom and zoom aircraft that have the
sex appeal. If the lead act at the concert
can get everybody excited, I’ll happily
hang in there on their coat tails!” There is
however a strong underlying commitment
to support all forms of Aviation in Honnery’s
overall event strategy.
“People say that this
is one of the best
events in the world
in terms of access
to the people they
need to talk to and that is particularly
the case in the defence industry. In the
general aviation area, people consider it
to be one of the most colourful, interesting
and varied shows around because it does
portray aviation in all of its variety and
excitement. We know the general aviation
industry is struggling in Australia and I think
it will continue to struggle, regrettably,
because that’s my passion, my background,
but we’re not going to give up on it. Most
of the other airshows around the world
with the exception of Oshkosh have very
little general aviation on display, they’re
normally focused on the military, corporate
or the heavy end of commercial aviation.
It is of fundamental importantance to us
both philosophically and practically to use
Avalon to be a promotional showcase for
general, sporting and recreational aviation
because as an article of faith we believe
that that’s somehow or other important
strategically to the country economically,
industrially and perhaps even militarily.
Again the philosophy is simple. “We’re up
there with the significant international
shows, the top half dozen shows”, says
Honnery, “but our show is different – it’s a
multi-faceted show. When we first elected
to put on the event our guiding vision was
to put on a show which incorporated the
very best of the existing major airshows
around the world. We wanted to take the
best features of Paris, the best features of
the Royal International Air Tattoo and the
best features of Oshkosh and combine them
into one event because Australia couldn’t
support its own International Air Tattoo, its
own Oshkosh, its own huge Farnborough
or Paris and I think we’ve done that.”
Success and a healthy reputation are great
things because they provide the sense of
security needed for ongoing investments
in growth. But is the current location for
the show a good place in which to invest?
Despite its exposure to the elements
and recent speculation about Avalon
Airport becoming
an international hub
Honnery thinks so.
“We have a long
term agreement
with Avalon Airport
which takes us through to 2025 and whilst
ever the Airport remains operationally
suitable for the purposes of staging a major
international event and whilst ever we have
the support of the Victorian Government
we’ll be staying here. We don’t see any
disadvantages in recent announcements
in relation to the approval given by the
Federal Government to a change to the
long term lease of the Airport to enable it
to be used for international flights. In fact
the more permanent facilities there are at
Avalon the better it’s going to be for us and
it’s going to be a considerable amount of
time before the level of operations become
in any way challenging for the event.” And
in terms of growth, what are the plans?
“You never say no to growth, you always
aim for it because it’s part of the incentive
for improvement. The real thing is not
growth, it’s improvement. What we seek to
do all the time is constantly innovate and
improve and I think we’ve been successful
in doing that over a period of time.”
“But our show is
different – it’s a
multi-faceted show”
Few would deny that after ten successful
editions, Avalon’s reputation is now secure
with strong recognition on the international
aerospace and defence industry calendar.
Photo courtesy of The Australian
International Airshow
In terms of the event’s future, things
certainly seem secure and recent
scheduling issues, particularly with the
Australian Formula One Grand Prix don’t
concern Honnery. “We have an agreement
with the Victorian Government that goes
through to 2015 and we would expect that
to be extended. We are, in terms of value for
money, one of, if not the most, economically
attractive because the multiplier that they
get out of the airshow is far greater than
the multiplier they get out of other major
events. There won’t be a clash of fixtures in
2013 and frankly I think even if there were
a clash in years to come I’d be prepared
to go head to head with the Formula One.
Having said that, the real reason that we
don’t want to clash is not in terms of the
market, people coming to the show, it’s
basically accommodation availability.”
Player Profile
Tracey Redman-Slater,
Certified Practising Accountant
and keen Aviator
The Accounting profession, and in
particular Tax Accounting, has come
a long way. It’s no longer the refuge of
the ultra-conservative or a place often
frequented by men in dark suits devoid
of sensitivity and with sometimes limited
personality. No, it’s all changed and
there’s probably no better example of
that change than Tracey Redman-Slater.
Born and bred in rural Victoria, Tracey
completed her HSC at Wodonga High and
then aged 18, headed for Melbourne to
complete tertiary studies. The plan for the
future wasn’t all that clear as Tracey recalls.
‘I went to Latrobe University and dropped
out then went to Monash and did an Arts
degree. After graduating I applied for several
jobs, one as a flight attendant for Ansett – I
failed the medical because they said I was
too thin!’ Still without a firm career pathway
she applied for and got a job as a PA to the
Director of Marketing at HIH, Australia’s
second largest insurance company at the
time, but within two years she found herself
retrenched. ‘Retrenchment leads to new
opportunities. In
some situations,
retrenchment
is positive’. This
was Tracey’s firm
view at the time.
Diploma of Accounting and subsequently
a Master of Practising Accounting.
For Tracey there was early evidence of
an interest in Accountancy but it never
really jelled. ‘At age 18 I wasn’t ready to
be an Accountant but then later in life
it comes to you that you are ready to do
something and then you do it. Perhaps
with the benefit of hindsight I should have
deferred Uni and got a job and waited for
things to fall into place. It may have been a
simpler career pathway if I had done that’.
The process of consolidation continued
after graduation and for the next decade
Tracey worked in small suburban accounting
practices before opening her own practice
specialising in taxation and strategic
business planning in 2009. But life was not
yet complete, there
was the need for
another challenge.
Aviation and the
concept of flight
had surfaced in
2008 when, on an overseas trip, Tracey
visited the Smithsonian National Air and
Space Museum in Washington State. ‘It’s
the most amazing place and seeing the
original Wright Flyer just made something
click.’ A subsequent visit to Arlington
National Cemetery confirmed it. ‘They had a
display about women pilots in the war years
and I knew then it was time to learn to fly.’
“Seeing the original
Wright Flyer just made
something click”
Now in her mid-twenties, Tracey realized
that it was time to address the future in a
more considered way and the decision was
made. ‘I thought the world needed another
Accountant’ were the words she recalls
using. She applied for enrolment again at
Monash University and was politely told
that admissions had closed for the coming
year. ‘Pretending not to listen I said “I’ll
see you tomorrow at 9am.” She kept the
self-made appointment, was accepted on
the basis of her previous academic record
and proceeded to study for a Graduate
Now 50 hours into her PPL Tracey is looking
at the upside of flying. ‘Flying will definitely
give me new options, new ways of exploring.
I can pack a file, take my laptop and enjoy
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aw13feb09
with Australian companies irrespective
of size to create a forum for the mutual
exchange of benefits and opportunities.”
03
AIR

being somewhere else.’ Not that this is the
only motivator, there’s also the effective use
of time that appeals. ‘When I go to national
seminars I often meet colleagues that have
driven for 16 or 17 hours to get there and
I tell them that what they really need to be
doing is flying – getting a pilot’s licence and
hiring a light plane for the week. It’s amazing
the reactions I get from people when they
realize that I know a bit about aviation!’
It seems that a straight private pilot’s
licence won’t be enough for this budding
aviator. There’s an aerobatics endorsement
on the agenda as well. ‘I’ve flown aerobatics
in an Extra 300 and a Pitts Special. On
a recent trip to New Zealand I was lucky
enough to find an experienced Japanese
pilot from Melbourne building up his hours
in Queenstown. I had just had a trip to
Milford Sound cancelled because of poor
weather. ‘Kazue said “what are you going
to do, you need to do something” and I
said well, I’d like to do aerobatics, which
I don’t think he was expecting, I think he
thought I just wanted to go sightseeing!
So he took me to +5,-3”. I was hooked.
Although it’s difficult to get Tracey off the
subject of flying there comes a time when
recreational passion has to give way to
consideration of professional expertise.
Now a Fellow of the Taxation Institute
of Australia, she spends much of her
time providing taxation advice to small
businesses, generally with turnovers of
less than $2 million. Whilst she has an
admirable reputation for precision and
attention to detail her overriding philosophy
is to make money matters simple. ‘Being
pro-active and innovative is one thing
but keeping the philosophy and workings
simple and easy to understand is what
really matters. We have to accept that we
Australian Teams
Progress in Airbus
‘Fly Your Ideas’
Challenge….
are living in an age of increasing financial
complexity, a situation many of my clients
find difficult to comprehend. Accordingly,
my team work very hard to ensure that,
wherever possible, we operate and
communicate in a way that makes it easy
for our clients to engage and understand
our recommendations and advice’.
An equally strong interest lies in the area
of strategic business planning. ‘One of my
favorite things about accounting is that it
gives you the ability to analyze a situation,
to look at the strengths and weaknesses
of a business and make changes that
can significantly improve prospects. It’s
a great feeling to know that the advice
you give can make a real difference’.
There is no doubt that Tracey Redman-Slater
will always achieve what she has set out to
achieve. It doesn’t really matter whether its
accounting or flying, the passion and the
principles are the same and the philosophy
is simple. Don’t promise what you can’t
deliver and don’t embark on projects
you can’t complete. This is one focused
individual who cares as deeply about her
clients and her life’s work as she does
about the great achievements of our early
aviators. It’s nice to think that it’s possible
to balance the needs of your clients with
the need to fly and satisfy both. Dream the
impossible dream if you like. Well this is
strong evidence of the possibility. Perhaps
it’s willpower, perhaps it’s passion, perhaps
it’s drive, perhaps it’s just being organised.
Perhaps it’s using past experiences to
shape the future or just keeping matters
simple, keeping things in perspective. It
doesn’t really matter because it works.
You know things must be on the right
track when you can honestly say that you
wouldn’t change a thing. Looking back,
Tracey Redman-Slater has no regrets. “If
I had my time again I wouldn’t change a
thing, I’m comfortable with the journey
so far, I’m enjoying my work and learning
to fly. I’m really happy just doing what I’m
doing, working hard for my clients and
taking any opportunity I can to explore
new horizons, new opportunities”.
Two Australian teams
have made it through to
the penultimate round of
the Airbus ‘Fly Your Ideas’
global challenge. ‘Team
3’ representing The Royal
Melbourne Institute of
Technology and ‘Aeridium’
representing The University
of Adelaide will join a further
100 semifinalists in round
two of the competition.
618 teams representing 82 nationalities
originally entered by submitting a one
page proposal. The teams were asked
to submit ideas to address one of the
following challenges: “Energy”; “Efficiency”;
“Affordable Growth”; “Traffic Growth”;
“Passenger Experience”; or “Community
Friendliness.” These have been identified
by Airbus as six key challenges of the 21st
century for a sustainable aviation industry.
The concepts proposed by the Australian
teams were:
Team 3 (Passenger Experience)
A Personal In-Seat Entertainment System
(PIES) that improves the flexibility, safety
and usability of Personal Entertainment
Devices for in-flight entertainment.
Aeridium (Efficiency)
Medium size blended wing body aircraft with
morphing airfoil capability for aerodynamic
optimisation of flight segments.
The teams now have until 12th April 2013
to explore, test and develop their concepts.
While the idea remains in the hands of the
students, an Airbus mentor and expert have
been assigned to each team to support,
inspire and challenge the competitors.
aw13feb10
“Fly Your Ideas offers a unique opportunity
for the students involved to gain valuable
04
insight into this cutting-edge industry which
today supports over 56 million jobs and
35% of global trade,” explained Charles
Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President
Engineering and Patron of Fly Your Ideas.
“I am delighted to see the enthusiasm
of the teams and our Airbus experts who
are committed to sharing their know-how
with these students from around the world
who are the innovators of the future.”
The students are battling it out to be one
of the five final teams to present their idea
to a panel of Airbus and industry experts
at Airbus in Hamburg, Germany on 12th
June 2013. The Awards Ceremony will
take place in Paris on 13th June 2013
at the UNESCO headquarters. At stake,
are the first prize of €30,000 and the
chance for the winning team to host an
‘innovation week’ on campus run by Airbus
experts. The runner up team wins €15,000.
The 2013 ‘Fly Your Ideas’ challenge is
being proudly supported by UNESCO to
underline the central role of engineering
in creating a sustainable future and to
inspire a new wave of engineering talent.
About Fly Your Ideas 2013
• 6089 students registered for Fly Your
Ideas 2013
• 2556 students, 618 teams, 82
nationalities participated in Round 1
• 441 students, 102 teams, 48
nationalities involved in Round 2
• 200+ Airbus mentors, assessors
and experts involved.
Competition Calendar
• Round One: September 2012 –
December 2012 (One page proposal)
• Round Two: January 2013 – April 2013
(102 teams chosen to deliver a 5000 word
report and a short video)
• Round Three: May 2013 – June 2013 (5
teams chosen to present to a jury of Airbus
and industry experts)
• Final presentation (in Germany) and
awards ceremony (in France) – June 2013.
Team “Aerudium” members Jeremy Yu, Oliver Durance, Sophie Dawson, Tony Huang and Simon
McDonald are confident of success
AIR
Edmo Asia Pacific
- Quality and
Excellence
“Whatever it Takes”
The joint venture company, Edmo Asia
Pacific, would take a lead from Edmo U.S
and endeavour to capture regional market
share. It was a bold move set to challenge
the dominance of a major multinational
company with firm control of the market
worldwide. It also represented a new
career opportunity for John De Meo, long
time National Sales Manager at Rossair.
“After leaving Rossair I worked for several
years in roles away from aviation but it
wasn’t the same. I had a long association
with the aviation industry and I had a lot
of connections so when I was offered the
position at Edmo to start up the Australian
office from the ground up, I saw it as a
great opportunity to re-connect, to get
back into an industry
that I really enjoyed
being a part of.”
John De Meo, Edmo’s General Manager
acknowledged that our customers’ needs
were the most important thing for us”.
Struggling for growth and with an urgent
need to optimise business performance, the
company called in Martin Pike, an external
business consultant to undertake a review
and develop optimization strategies. “The
staff had experience with aviation products
and markets but sought advice on business
strategy, an effective human resources
structure and the mechanics to grow and
sustain the business over time” says Pike.
“We set about identifying areas of weakness
and implemented basic business principles
to lay the foundations for Edmo Asia Pacific’s
growth. These areas included keeping the
business structure
flat to maximize the
right staff in the right
roles, with a particular
focus on sales and
building relationships
with distributors.”
“We here at Edmo
believe people come
to us as customers
but end up staying
with us as friends”
Starting up a new
company from
scratch in a market
dominated by several
major multinational
companies is a big
call at the best of times. Add to this the
events of September 11 and it would be
fair to say that the first year was tough. “I
guess you could say that the odds were
against us but we persevered, We grew the
business by word of mouth and by providing
“old fashioned” customer service. We
Quality control is also high on Edmo Asia
Pacific’s business agenda. “We maintain
a quality system that ensures that all our
service, support and products meet our
contractual requirements” says John De
Meo, “our quality systems are continually
evaluated and improved so that we maintain
the highest possible standards. Quality is
the responsibility of every employee here.
We encourage and empower them to
recommend improvements to our quality
system, to record and identify problems
of quality non-conformance and also to
recommend solutions. The management
team has personnel trained to accomplish
internal audits to ensure that our quality
system is in accordance with the standard
defined in AS/NZS ISO9001:2000.”
With a modern, well equipped warehouse
and offices centrally located in Adelaide,
Edmo Asia Pacific is geared to provide same
day dispatch to all areas of Australia, New
Zealand and Asia for stocked items and
overnight delivery to most destinations
within Australia. The company also has
access to an extensive range of stock
Mathew
Marshal,
Edmo’s
Sales
Executive
Over the past decade, Edmo Asia Pacific
has grown, from modest beginnings, to
be one of the largest and most respected
wholesale distributors of aircraft parts to
the general aviation sector specializing
in avionics, installation supplies, test
equipment, hardware and pilot supplies. A
team of 7 now oversees a business with a
multimillion dollar annual turnover. Despite
the rapid growth, the original philosophy still
remains. “We here at Edmo believe people
come to us as customers but end up staying
with us as friends”, says John de Meo.
EVEN IN THE MOST REMOTE AREAS
Over time, Martin Pike
worked with John De
Meo and the company’s Business Manager
Rebecca Gligoritsch, identifying successful
products, optimizing the company’s product
range, developing marketing strategies,
keeping the brand in the market and
keeping abreast of competitors’ pricing. “As
expected, the first few years were tough”
says De Meo, “but we worked hard, we
became a close knit team and we started
to make good business decisions.”
High levels of service are an essential
element in Edmo Asia Pacific’s business
plans and perhaps the reason for the
company’s ongoing success. “It takes more
than the sale of quality products to make
a successful enterprise” says Rebecca
Gligoritsch, “it takes ultimate service. To
Edmo Asia Pacific, service means meeting
the needs of each and every customer,
effectively and successfully, time and again.”
Rebecca
Gligoritsch,
Edmo’s
Business
Manager
KEEPING YOU CHARGED
EDMO Asia Pacific, are proud to be a Distributor of Startpac products.
To find out more, or to order your StartPac, call EDMO today.
aw13feb04
In early 2001 a number of
Australian investors entered
a joint venture agreement
with a major US based
distributor to represent and
distribute avionics products
and pilot supplies in Australia
and the Pacific Rim.
located at Edmo U.S’s facilities in Spokane,
Washington on the US West Coast. The
company distributes for all the major
aviation brands including ACK, Ameri-King,
Anodyne Electronic Manufacturing (AEM),
Artex, ASA, AvMap, Buller Enterprises,
Comant, David Clark, Dayton Granger, Dorne
& Margolin (ITT), Flightcom, Icom, Jeppesen,
Kannad, Kroy, Mid Continent Instruments,
Northern Airborne Technology (NAT), Oregon
Aero, Sandia Aerospace, Shadin Avionics,
Start Pac, Thomas & Betts, TKM Radios,
Vertex,and Whelen Lighting. “At Edmo Asia
Pacific, the continuing expansion of product
lines and services is an indication of the
guarantee that we will meet the needs of the
aviation industry now and in the challenging
years ahead” says Rebecca Gligoritsch.
STARTPAC, the leader in ground power, offer a wide selection of
reliable and lightweight portable starting units, power supplies, &
Ground Power Units (GPUs).
Reliable, efficient and long-lasting, StartPac offer both lithium & leadacid units for Aviation in a range of sizes and types.
p.
f.
e.
w.
1300 133 256
08 8182 5711
[email protected]
www.edmoap.com.au
05
AIR
Rising To The
Challenge
A key player in Victoria’s
aerospace industry is
GippsAERO, the aircraft
manufacturing division of
Mahindra Aerospace; the
only fully fledged utility
aircraft manufacturer based
in Australia. The company’s
flagship product is the GA8
Airvan, an eight seat utility
aircraft, built to handle
the gruelling conditions of
the Australian outback.
GippsAERO has been successful in
exporting its versatile GA8 Airvan around
the world, including into diverse regions
such as Africa, North America, Asia and
Europe. Now the aircraft manufacturer is
expanding its factory to accommodate the
production of two new aircraft types, the
GA10; a 10 seat utility turboprop which is
due for certification later this year and the
GA18, an 18 seat twin turboprop which is
due to start prototype production next year.
Mahindra Aerospace has been the
key in helping to expand market share
and drive growth. Adapting Mahindra’s
global approach, GippsAERO recently
announced a Global Support Network,
signing new spare parts and support
dealers. This means enhanced support
for Airvan customers and better access
to spares through a network of support
hubs, which were strategically allocated
following a rigorous qualification process.
The Gippsland based manufacturer has
seen the appointment
of 14 dealers in the
last 12 months,
enabling them
to penetrate the
American, European
and ASEAN markets
more effectively.
The GA8 Airvan continues to develop
and expand market opportunity through
a range of industry sectors. The latest
option for passenger markets is the new
Aspire Interior which
was announced earlier
this year. The Aspire
features leather seats,
lined interior and plush
carpet; this optional
extra is expected to
be extremely popular
with both tourism and
private operators.
“The Victorian
Government has
strongly supported
GippsAERO with
funding to upgrade
the facilities at
Latrobe Regional
Airport”
The new dealer
partnerships
were selected
to help support
growth and sales
in their allocated regions, a part of
GippsAERO’s global market strategy,
whilst retaining a local approach.
“Improved customer
access to specific
product information
through our new sales network, social
media, website and global support network,
means that in 2013 representation will be
easily found” commented GippsAERO CEO
Terry Miles , “We anticipate that customers
will appreciate a positive experience in
dealing with GippsAERO and its associates.”
In 2013 GippsAERO/Mahindra Aerospace
will be participating in multiple air
shows including Avalon International
Air Show, Sun-n-Fun, Friedrichshafen,
Oshkosh, AOPA and many more.
The Victorian Government has strongly
supported GippsAERO with funding to
upgrade the facilities at Latrobe Regional
Airport. This has enabled the construction
of a new development hangar at the Latrobe
Valley factory, which is fundamental to
the manufacture of the prototype model
of the GA18, an eighteen seat twin
turboprop based on the GAF Nomad.
06
AIR
The opening marked the completion of
a manufacturing facility that will allow
GippsAERO to commence work on the
prototype GA18. Aviation Minister,
Honourable Gordon Rich-Phillips officially
opened the hangar, alongside Latrobe City
Mayor Sandy Kam and Mahindra Aerospace
Executive Director and CEO Arvind Mehra.
The development hangar is significantly
larger than other hangars at the GippsAERO
factory; and has been
purpose built to match
the height and wingspan
of the largest GippsAERO
product to date. The
company will soon boast
a family of 5, 8, 10
and 18 seat aircraft.
investment for several years to come”.
On the 20th December, Latrobe City
Council hosted an event to celebrate the
official opening of the GA18 Development
Hangar at the GippsAERO factory, an
initiative that was funded by Council.
GippsAERO and Mahindra Aerospace
are also assessing the options for the
production of the 18-seat twin turbo prop
aircraft. The Latrobe City Council is in close
consultation with GippsAERO and Mahindra
in an effort to retain locality for this major
manufacturing project which has the
potential to provide up to 300 aerospace
related jobs in the region. GippsAero
CEO Terry Miles said the company was
“running a specific information gathering
program to ensure fair assessment of the
opportunities each state can bring to the
table for GA18,” given it will be “a large
GippsAERO continues to support the
Latrobe City Council and is associated
with a number of local, not for profit
organisations that assist the youth of
Gippsland through work experience
placements, industry tours and
apprenticeship opportunities.
based on the very successful GA8 Airvan.
The first flight took place at GippsAERO’s
home base at Latrobe Regional Airport
in eastern Victoria on May 1st 2012.
approved the GippsAERO development
flight test team to proceed with further
test flights focusing on performance
aspects and system installations.
GippsAERO/ Mahindra Aerospace have
also successfully completed the first flight
of its new aircraft, the GA10. The aircraft,
which is the first single engine turboprop
to be designed and manufactured in
Australia, is a 10-seat, multi-role aircraft
The GippsAERO GA10 team is now making
headway with the development and
certification program. Test Pilot, Tony
Morris, whose career has seen him test
fly over 250 aircraft, recently assessed
the GA10 development model and also
All GippsAero aircraft are designed
to be leaders in their class in terms
of safety, passenger comfort and
economics, making them ideal for
Australian commercial operations.
The local government is also in full support
of the global exporter and will partner with
the aircraft manufacturer by contributing
to the company’s 2013
Avalon Air Show display. The
partnership also provides
La Trobe City a great
opportunity to showcase
the benefits of living in the
valley and the varied job
opportunities on offer.
“Leaders in their
class in terms of
safety, passenger
comfort and
economics”
Is having multiple personalities really such a bad thing?
Meet the GA8 Airvan. Designed and built in Australia for the rugged
outback, the Airvan excels in STOL situations, and boasts a full-fuel
payload of over 590 kgs. Eight seats, multiple configurations,
and a unparalleled safety record make it the perfect solution for
countless applications. Your adventure awaits.
awaits
Learn more at mahindraaerospace.com.
aw13feb05
HUMANITARIAN A ID
SKYD I VE PLATFORM
F R EIGHT HAULER
LOW-COST SUR V EILLANCE
RECREATION A L WORKHORSE
PASSE N GER TRANSPORT
07
AIR
Aviation/Aerospace Australia
(A/AA) is set for a watershed
year, with an unprecedented
range of events, activities
and issues planned for 2013.
Established in mid-2010, A/
AA’s overarching objective is
to contribute to the long-term
health of Australia’s aviation
and aerospace sector.
The Association is celebrating its first
anniversary as the new-look peak industry
body for
Australia, and
its agenda and
objectives have
been strongly
welcomed
by the wide
cross-section
of industry it
represents. CEO
Jim Carden has been instrumental in the
Association’s re-birth and continues to drive
an informed and expansionary agenda.
consultants, safety auditors and even a
recreational flying company out of China’,
says Carden. ‘While these corporate
memberships continue to grow nationally
and indeed internationally, the Association
is also focusing on the challenges
facing local industry here and now.’
Two new divisions of the Association
are being unveiled in coming months,
focusing on the development of young
industry professionals and the unique
issues and opportunities for women in a
sector traditionally dominated by men.
These are among the key issues that
members consistently report in terms
of the sustainability and future health of
aviation and aerospace in Australia.
2013 will also see a new focus by the
Association on the critical challenges
facing the manufacturing sector, and
how Australian aviation and aerospace
companies
can develop
more efficient,
productive and
competitive
practices to
help position
themselves in
the new global
economy,
and to capitalise on opportunities
in Asia and beyond. ‘Continuing the
focus on international relations, the
Association will also continue to expand
its international reach with a number of
strategic partnerships under development
with international and regional bodies
spanning the broad spectrum of
aviation and aerospace manufacturing,
safety, trade, sustainability, skills and
professional development’ says Carden.
“Continuing the focus on
international relations,
the Association will also
continue to expand its
international reach”
Carden joined A/AA in June 2012, having
previously been Head of Government and
Public Affairs at Qantas Airways. Prior to
joining Qantas, he was Head of Corporate
Relations at Brisbane Airport, where he led
the Airport’s engagement with government,
community, media and stakeholders on
controversial projects including the approval
of the Airport’s New Parallel Runway, and
major infrastructure projects including the
domestic and international terminals.
‘A/AA’s membership attests to the diversity
and quality of Australian industry, with
recent recruits including regional airports,
lighter-than-air manufacturers, international
engine developers, pilot trainers, technology
A/AA will continue to work with state
governments in support of their
international trade activities, and will once
again work with the Victorian Government
on its Super Trade Mission program, which
this year includes proposed return missions
to China and India and new missions to
markets including Vietnam and Indonesia.
Insure My Aircraft
– Getting the
Most Out Of Your
Aviation Insurance
Although it may be hard to
believe when you are sitting
surrounded by aircraft and
associated products at the
Avalon Air show, the aviation
industry is quite small in
Australia. Even smaller still is
the aviation insurance industry.
There are four local insurers in Australia and
a handful of underwriting agencies giving
access to the likes of Lloyds of London and
various other international insurers. Some
of these insurers deal direct with aircraft
owners and operators while others only deal
via Insurance intermediaries (Brokers).
With such a relatively small market to insure
your aircraft, the question is, how do you
get the most out of your insurance? “The
answer is simple, use a specialist aviation
insurance broker”, says Brett Radcliffe,
founder of AFOOFA Insurance Brokers. “All
the aviation insurance brokers in Australia
are real professionals and really do a great
job. The key is to find a broker that you
trust and feel comfortable with, you can
be confident from there that you are going
to get the correct policy for your needs.”
“A broker works by speaking with you to
get the relevant information needed to
insure your aircraft and your operations.
They advise on the correct covers you need
and any issues that may cause problems.
They then put this information together in
a tender and tender your insurance to the
relevant aviation insurers and negotiate
insurance terms on your behalf. They
will then present you with the terms best
suited to you and organise cover with
the insurer on your behalf. Furthermore,
if you have a claim down the track, they
are there to help you every step of the
way through to settlement of the claim”.
“One piece of advice that cannot be
stressed enough is that once you have
decided on a broker to work for you, stick
with that broker unless you have good
reason not to. Getting multiple brokers
to quote at the same time is not going to
make the insurance better for you. It just
means that the insurers see the same
quote requests from multiple brokers at
the same time and they don’t like it”.
“The key is to
find a broker that
you trust and feel
comfortable with”
A great example of how specialist aviation
brokers are making like easier is AFOOFA
Insurance Brokers. They have developed
the website www.insuremyaircraft.com.au
which enables you to enter and submit your
details online. AFOOFA Insurance Brokers
will then source quotes from all Australia’s
top aviation insurers for you and advise on
the best option for you, free of charge.
In overview, Brett Radcliffe’s advice is
clear “If you want to make sure that you
are getting the most out of your aviation
insurance dollar, get online to
www.insuremyaircraft.com.au or contact
a specialist aviation insurance broker”.
InsureMyAircraft.com.au
Aviation Insurane
as easy as Trim,
Pump, Power.
Insurance
quotes
from all the
major aviation
insurers in
Australia
in one place,
free of charge.
A/AA CEO Jim Carden
08
aw13feb02
Busy Year Ahead
for Evolving
Association….
PH: 03 5674 6664
AIR
de Bruin
Aeromaintenance
Seeks Key
Approvals…
South Australian based
maintenance facility de
Bruin Aeromaintenance
is progressing well
towards recognition as a
CASR Part 145 Approved
Maintenance Organisation.
The company is also seeking CASR Part 42
Approval that will provide it with a degree
of regulatory independence and thus the
opportunity to operate more efficiently and
inspections, rebuilds, refurbishments and
detailed maintenance audits’, says Mr
Barlow, ‘maintenance capabilities extend
from class A and B aircraft turboprops
to pistons, twin to single engines.
Barlow has an experienced eye for the future
and is confident of the company’s long term
prospects. Born in Coventry, UK and with
licences in both Avionics and Airframes, he
would like to see the company expand the
scope of its operations. ‘Our main focus is
to bring in more external work. We currently
devote a percentage of our resources to
maintaining de Bruin Air’s charter fleet but
we are planning to significantly expand
the scope of our operations. We have a
particular interest in turbine aircraft. We
have a great deal of expertise available
and full licence coverage to work on TPE
331 and PT6 power plants and we’re keen
to look at extending our service to include
Falcomposite’s LN27-RG Furis
KIWI Update – News
From ‘Aotearoa’
John Nicolson
With another Australian
International Airshow and
Aerospace and Defence
Exposition at Avalon
approaching, it is worth
reviewing the results
achieved on the New
Zealand stand in 2009.
In 2009, 7 companies participated
on the New Zealand stand in Hall B,
and 2 companies associated with the
stand, exhibited outside. There were
also other New Zealand companies with
stand-alone exhibits in 2009 – ANZES,
Safeair and IMS New Zealand.
de Bruin’s Mt Gambier based maintenance facility.
autonomously, and has recently received
CASR Part 21 Manufacturing Approval with
the backing of de Bruin Engineering, the
group’s precision machining and fabrication
operation. The company’s Chief Engineer
Darren Barlow is confident that their
professional approach to the planning and
execution of submissions will successfully
deliver these key approvals by the middle of
2013. ‘Our expositions are currently being
put together and we have a case manager
with our local CASA field office so we are on
track to obtain CASR Part 145 and CASR
Part 42 approvals hopefully in June 2013’.
de Bruin
Aeromaintenance
is a wholly owned
subsidiary of the
de Bruin Group,
a diverse family
owned company with
extensive interest
in aviation and premium lifestyle products
including the production and international
marketing of award winning Wagyu beef. The
business focuses on aircraft maintenance,
structural modifications, major rebuilds
and insurance repairs, aircraft inspections
and avionics installation and repair.
turbine helicopters and business jets.
We also plan to focus on the promotion
of our comprehenisve in-house avionics
installation and repair capabilities. We
have invested significantly in resources,
particularly test equipment, in an effort to
produce a well-equipped, first class facility’.
In terms of regulatory change and its impact
on the aircraft maintenance sector Barlow
has clear views. ‘We’ve embraced the new
changes in regulations and coming from
England I’m used to the Part 145 and
Part 42 models. In terms of safety it’s an
essential development. At the end of the
day, the current rules
weren’t working as well
as they could and as
much as some people
don’t like change we
see it as sensible, in
fact quite logical given
the circumstances.’
“We’ve got a lot of
irons in the fire and
we intend to grow
significantly”
Located on South Australia’s Limestone
Coast, the company operates from a
comprehensive facility at Mt Gambier
airport. ‘Our first-class engineers have
extensive experience servicing a wide
range of aircraft, specialising in major
It seems the future for de Bruin
Aeromaintenance appears bright. With
comprehensive hangar facilities, a highly
experienced engineering team and
convenient positioning only one hour’s
flight from Adelaide and Melbourne, the
company is well placed to capitalize on
much anticipated growth in the aircraft
maintenance sector. It’s been a long time
coming but Darren Barlow is confident. ‘I’m
an optimist, we’ve got a lot of irons in the
fire and we intend to grow significantly’.
One of the 2009 exhibitors, The New
Zealand Defence Industry Association
(NZDIA) will be back in 2013, sharing a
stand with Safeair. NZDIA has made a
long term commitment to the Australian
market. It will again be promoting
its members and their capabilities
to the defence and civil sectors.
Most of the other companies exhibited
on the New Zealand stand in 2009 to
determine if the market was right for them,
increase awareness of their products and
services, cement relationships and identify
new prospects. It is clear that the exhibition
created the opportunities these companies
were seeking as evidenced below:
Marops, Auckland: Specialises in
interactive 2D and 3D graphics, training
and technical projects. The company
has grown its presence and is now well
established. It visits customers regularly.
Metrology Group, Hamilton: Provides
complex precision engineering and
calibration services. The company met
a visiting German company and is now
an established supplier to Rolls Royce.
Coincidentally, Metrology Group, and
some other New Zealand companies,
Precision engineered components
from Metrology Group
supplied the specialist tools and fixtures
required to remove the engine from the
Qantas A380 that had the uncontained
engine explosion when leaving Singapore
in November 2010. The opportunity to
become involved in this work results from
the German contact at Avalon 2009.
Spider Tracks, Palmerston North and
Trac Plus, Dunedin: Both companies make
tracking solutions for aircraft and other
vehicles. They have now developed strong
customer bases in Australia and globally.
Auckland Air Charter Ltd, Auckland: Aerial
target towing and special mission services.
The company has a range of contracts
in Australia and undertakes a variety of
defence and civil work at short notice.
Falcomposite, Auckland: Composite
high performance kit aircraft. The
company made progress with a significant
potential customer but a contract
did not eventuate. Falcomposite has
invested in other work globally but is still
open to other Australian customers.
ATCANZ, Christchurch: Airport and air
support services. Company principals
are currently undertaking other work but
retain a watching interest in Australia.
Aviation New Zealand, Wellington:
Industry body. It now has relationships
in Australia and more widely.
As a result of participating on the New
Zealand stand at Avalon 2009, of the 9
companies, 3 signed contracts at the show
or immediately after, 7 have an established
Australian market with ongoing business/
relationships, one has a reactive approach
to Australia and one is focusing on other
markets but would welcome Australian
customers. Some of the companies
now have much wider international
business as a result of contacts made,
and knowledge gained at Avalon 2009.
The New Zealand stand in 2009 would,
therefore, be considered successful.
We expect other exhibitors in 2013,
with the right product and service
solutions, and the right preparation and
follow up, will also be successful.
John Nicolson is CEO of Aviation New Zealand, a
peak industry body that champions New Zealand
companies and product/service solutions to
international audiences. It encourages the
development of scale through collaboration and
connects international customers to product and
service solutions developed in New Zealand.
The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of
the NZ Aviation Industry Association. Visit
www.aviationnz.co.nz for full company details.
09
AIR
Aviatex 2013 Expo
and Trade Show
Launched
Aviation businesses from
across Australia now have a
new opportunity to showcase
their latest products and
services following the launch of
Aviatex 2013.
Aviatex 2013 will also form the trade
component of the annual Wings Over
Illawarra Air Show, which is fast becoming
a ‘must-do’ event on Australia’s aviation
calendar, having attracted 15,000
visitors in 2012 and expected to
welcome more than 20,000 in 2013.
Aviatex organisers Mark and Kerry
Bright of Bright Events Pty Ltd believe
Aviatex will meet an important need
in the Australian aviation industry.
To be held from 3-5 May 2013 at Illawarra
Regional Airport—just 80 minutes’ drive
from Sydney’s Mascot and Bankstown
airports—Aviatex 2013 will bring an exciting
new expo and trade show opportunity to
the heart of Australia’s aviation industry.
“Australia’s defence and large commercial
aviation sectors are well serviced with
international air shows and trade expos,
but the rapid growth and change in
Australia’s smaller commercial, general,
recreational and sports aviation sectors
demands a conveniently located trade expo
tailored to this market,” Mr Bright said.
Aviatex 2013 is the
first of what will
become an annual
event that, while
offering opportunities
for defence and large
commercial aviation
organisations, will
primarily cater
for the smaller
commercial, general,
recreational and
sports aviation sectors that form the
bulk of Australia’s aviation industry.
The three day event
is sure to attract
exhibitors and visitors
from across Australia’s
aviation industry
including suppliers,
buyers, associations,
operators, media,
pilots and enthusiasts
to explore the
latest equipment
and services,
hear briefings and seminars and build
business networking relationships.
Friday 3 May and Saturday 4 May will be
‘trade-only’ days, before the exposition
opens to the public on Sunday 5 May 2013
to coincide with Wings Over Illawarra 2013.
Exhibitor bookings are now open, with
options ranging from 3m x 3m indoor
exhibition stands through to 675m2
outdoor tarmac spaces to showcase
visiting aircraft and large equipment.
“Exhibitions have been proven to be
the most effective marketing and
networking opportunities available to
businesses and government agencies.
“In a digital age we often overlook the power
of face to face contact and the Illawarra
Regional Airport provides a picturesque
and conveniently located setting for players
in this dynamic industry,” Mr Bright said.
To book an exhibition space or obtain
more information about Aviatex
2013 visit www.aviatex.com.au
“The three day
event is sure to
attract exhibitors
and visitors from
across Australia’s
aviation industry”
2013
SUNDAY 5 MAY 2013
Illawarra Regional Airport, Albion Park
10
aw13feb06
Crowd attendances are expected to exceed those of 2012
AIR
Complete Avionics
PLATINUM
Gold Coast Airport based
Complete Avionics Pty Ltd
has been awarded Garmin
Platinum Dealership Status,
the first to achieve this
significant sales milestone in
the Asia Pacific Region.
A focused marketing campaign, revamped
website, Airshow attendance, and continual
presence in targeted publications has
been the likely key to exceeding the USD
$1,000,000 qualifying purchase target for
2012, achieving the unprecedented Garmin
PLATINUM status in the Asia Pacific Region.
General Manager, Rodney Wood says
“We’ve been close to this milestone a
few times, 2012 was a good year with all
our staff now extremely proficient with
Garmin’s range of avionics products. We
were simply able to turnover a large volume
of quality installations in record times
while remaining within the customers
budget. This generated more work as our
reputation and marketing strategy spread
throughout the industry, culminating in
the KingAir G1000 retrofit last October
which was achieved within budget and in
less than 30 working days, setting another
milestone for the region. I believe our
installation staff would be some of the best
in the country. It’s not uncommon now to
see multiple glass cockpit installations
taking place in our hangar at any time.
We’ve always had extremely high wiring
standards and quality, however the
customers rarely see this behind the
instrument panels and trim workmanship,
what they do see every hour they fly, in great
detail is the instrument panel. We have truly
focused on presentation of the instrument
panel with quality layout, painting, and
engraving on par with new aircraft. This
Identity Usage Guidelines
Correct Usage:
Consistent presentation of our corporate I.D. is critical to maintaining a quality image
in the marketplace. Our signature mark, which consists of the Garmin logotype and the
shaded blue pointer, has been precisely crafted to enhance our brand presentation.
do”, he says, “the E350 can carry five adults
out to its maximum 720 nm range and do it
from a 450 metre runway. That’s something
special. We think the E350 will fit the bill
beautifully in Australia as a station aircraft
and for use by public instrumentalities,
utility operators of all kinds, float operators,
not to mention private adventurers –
expeditioners if you like”, he adds.
has been made easier with our in-house
panel cutting and engraving CNC machine,
which has also been extremely cost
effective compared to the days of structures
engineers fabricating panels by hand.
We’re looking forward to repeating the
milestone in 2013 and already have
some significant installations booked.”
Thinus Nell, Garmin’s field representative
in Australia is equally pleased with the
achievement. “We are thrilled to have
Complete Avionics as our very first
Platinum Award Dealer in the South Pacific
Region! This award for their exemplary
sales and service to customers in 2012
is representative of the long standing
relationship held between Complete
Avionics and Garmin over the years. We
are pleased for them to have reached
this incredible level with us in 2012!”
First Expedition
E350 Now Gracing
Australian Skies
The first Found Aircraft Canada
Expedition E350 aircraft is
now flying in Australia in the
capable hands of its owner,
North West Queensland
cattleman Alister McClymont.
In 2012 Complete Avionics supplied and
installed more than 10 Garmin G500/
G500H/G600 systems and more than 30
GTN Series units along with numerous
traffic systems, Satellite Radar systems,
Flight Decks, and the Garmin Legacy
products (GNS Series) this ensured that the
Garmin Platinum threshold was comfortably
exceeded. This positions Complete Avionics
as the dominating Garmin Aviation Product
provider for Australia and the Asia
Pacific Region.
Complete Avionics Pty Ltd provides full
avionics service, including scheduled and
unscheduled maintenance, installations,
modifications, and component repairs
and exchanges. It is a member of the
RAAA and Aircraft Electronics Association,
and holds dealerships for all the major
avionics providers including Garmin,
Avidyne, Rockwell Collins, Honeywell,
S-TEC, Cobham, PS-Engineering, L3
Avionics Systems, ASPEN Avionics,
Sandel, Shadin, and many more.
Garmin Brand Guidelines
As such, it’s usage will be restricted, and only authorized by specific request of
Garmin’s Marketing Communications department.
McClymont ordered the aircraft after
thoroughly researching its suitability
for supporting his pastoral businesses,
including commissioning a report from
Townsville based engineer Steven Hegarty
who visited Found Aircraft on a North
America trip, taking the opportunity to both
fly the aircraft, observe the production
process and assess the feasibility of
effecting delivery via dis-assembly,
containerisation and local re-assembly.
This was the strongly preferred option
over flying the aircraft out and Hegarty
found the process very straight forward.
With highly favourable feedback and
showing the resolve typical of successful
rural operators, McClymont backed his own
judgment and thus becomes the Australian
launch customer for the type. “I’m very
pleased with it”, he says, “it’s fast, it hikes
along at 150 knots plus, gets airborne
quickly, and climbs very well despite the
heat up here.” The Expedition’s Australian
agent Bryce Ducker is in no doubt about the
aircraft’s credentials and also its relevance
to the Australian market. “This aircraft redefines the way we think about big piston
singles, and what they ought to be able to
The E350 comes standard with many
performance modifications that are
usually only available as an aftermarket
upgrade. These include a high performance
Lycoming IO-580 engine which produces
a best-in-class 315 horsepower, an
advanced STOL kit, which includes wingtip
extensions, vortex generators and large
fowler flaps and a Garmin 500 glass
cockpit. Its cantilever wing also means no
wing struts to significantly reduce cruise
speed. The tail wheel version of the E350
recently received FAA certification as a
separate model and is now in production
in Canada. “Bigfoot” comes with either
a 315hp normally aspirated or a 320hp
turbo charged Lycoming engine.
The E350’s Garmin G500 glass cockpit
Ducker feels confident the aircraft will
continue the fine tradition utility aircraft
from Canada have established in Australia.
“The Canadians know a lot about building
rugged utility aircraft “ he says, “corrosion
proofing, low maintenance design and so
on, all of which is reflected in the E350.
These aeroplanes are put together with
care and attention and it shows”. And
what about the future? Ducker is equally
confident. “Now there’s a new kid on
the block and he’s a serious contender
for the title of class leader where big
piston singles are concerned.”
PLATINUM
DEALERSHIP
The first
Garmin Leading Edge Award
11
for the Asia Pacific Region
has been awarded to
Found Aircraft Canada build the Expedition Canadian tough.
Now flying in Australia, the Expedition raises the bar for serious property or touring aircraft.
315 big Lycoming horses. 160 knots cruise. STOL. One piece wing. Four doors. Five seats.
720 nm range. Glass panel. Carbon fibre clad steel tube framed cabin for utmost safety.
Three year warranty. FAR 23 certified. 680 kg useful – haul full 44's, or dirt bikes if you want.
Or dress it up and go to town. The Expedition – the refined utility.
aw13feb01
for Elite Performance
during 2012.
aw13feb07
COMPLETE AVIONICS
Ph: 0411 498 330 [email protected] www.bryceduckeraircraftsales.com
11
Helicopters in focus
From the
Helicopter Editor
On behalf of the AHIA members I would like
to thank the team at Aviation Trader for being
AHIA’s Founding Sponsor - Media. They have
generously allowed us to use Airwaves as the
Official Journal of the AHIA. This is the third
edition of Airwaves, now published every
month - except January. In particular, I would
like to make special mention of our Airwaves
Editor, Tony Shaw, who patiently helps me write
this column. Thanks Tony and your team!
Bush fire crisis. As I write this editorial, I am in
awe of the people who are fighting the hundreds
of fires now raging across our countryside. The
control of fire resources and their allocation
appears to be first class. The aircraft fleet helping
the ground teams is enormous. Both aeroplanes
and helicopters are playing an important
role with fighting the terrible fires. Aircraft
types are getting larger and more capable.
Listening to ABC Radio News is an emotional
experience at present. A concerned small
town resident, surrounded by a dangerous
fire, told of watching half a dozen helicopters,
including “Elvis” the Erickson S-64 Air-Crane
Helitanker taking water from the local water
supply lake every few minutes and heading
to the fire front. His laconic statement said it
all, “The choppers are just doing their job –
but a bloody good one at that! Without their
help we would be gone!” Well done guys.
Looking back on 2012. The major event for
the Association was our inaugural meeting
at Bankstown on 10 Nov ’12. Our Founding
Corporate Patron, Aerospace Australia Limited
(AAL) announced timely sponsorship and
legal assistance to the AHIA to complete
the registration process as a not-for-profit
association. Ian Honnery, CEO of AAL, organisers
of the Avalon Airshow 2013, also announced
support for the AHIA at the Avalon Air show. The
meeting resulted in the AHIA Steering Committee
morphing into the AHIA Board. Peter Crook was
appointed President; Mark Scrymgeour, Vice
President and Rob Rich, Company Secretary.
Events coordinator. As Peter Crook and Mark
Scrymgeour reside in Sydney, it was agreed
Brisbane based Company Secretary, Rob Rich
would run the AHIA office and be the AHIA Events
Coordinator for both the Avalon Airshow 2013
and Rotortech 2013 to be held in conjunction
with the Pacific 2013 Conference in Sydney. (Rob
was involved with both these in the past). This
will allow Peter and Mark to attend to the more
important work liaising with CASA in Canberra
and the heavy end of the helicopter industry.
In addition, most of the potential helicopter
problems (and AHIA challenges) are expected
to be initially in the SE Australia. Experts
indicate by 2014, (after Pacific 2013) we can
expect the focus to move to the rural, mining,
oil and gas operations in northern Australia.
12
AHIA Seminar
Updates - Avalon
Airshow 2013
Trade Day Tue 26 Feb ’13.
Rob Rich – Helicopter Editor
AIRWAVES
E: [email protected]
Mobile: 0415 641 774
Growth rate for 2012. At the end of the year,
CASA helicopter registrations passed 2018.
In June 2012 registrations totalled 1,867, an
increase of 151 over the final six months of
the FISCAL year. Looking back to Jan ’12, we
can see a growth rate of 16% for 2012 – a
record from all accounts! By comparison,
the aeroplane fleet barely made 1%. These
good rotorcraft figures were challenged by
some senior executives; especially sales
people from the turbine helicopter OEMs
who reported a slowdown in orders.
An answer to the puzzle? My thanks to those
who helped solve the controversy flowing
from the 2012 CASA figures. It was agreed
turbine sales were slow; but the OEM agents
were hoping for a better 2013 after mid-year.
The piston sales are sound; especially the
Robinson segment now is pushing its share of
the register to around 54%. But many of our
operators are buying second hand machines
directly from overseas. (Similar to people going
“on line” to buy cheaper goods). Explanations
suggest purchasers are using our stronger
dollar to buy second hand machines from
nations suffering lingering debt problems.
Rotortech 2006 study. The HAA ran Rotortech
2006 Conference at Darling Harbour in 2006;
it was a sponsored by Pacific 2006 organisers
(AMDA) and held alongside the Pacific 2006
venue. Research of data from then to now
shows the 2006 CASA Register consisted
of 11,650 FW and 1,300 RW. Today, seven
years later, FW are 12,924 and RW 2,018.
FW increased by only 11% in seven years.
The helicopter numbers moved from 1,300 to
2,018 in the same time – an increase of 55%!
The AHIA has been allocated a 90 seat
conference facility, at no cost, by our
corporate sponsor, Aerospace Australia
Limited. Conference Room 3 will be on
your left after you enter via the main gate.
The flying displays are restricted to the
lunch break and late afternoon to avoid
any noise which may distract delegates at
the various gatherings. The AHIA Seminar
programme on Tue 26 Feb ’12 is as follows.
0930 – 1020. Principle Finance.
Avoiding pitfalls when leasing helicopters.
Presented by Peter Lantrell, Director.
1100 – 1150. Russian Helicopters.
Official announcement of certification
by CASA of the Ka32A11BC. Technical
briefings on Ka32 and Ka62. Several
senior government ministers have been
invited to officiate. John McCormick,
CASA’s Director of Aviation Safety will hand
over the Type Certificate to the Russian
Ambassador. This is a historic event
as the Ka31A11BC is the first Russian
helicopter to achieve CASA Certification.
1200 – 1330. Russian Helicopters.
Corporate Hospitality for invited
guests and media representatives.
Russian Helicopters has grown quickly after
the government reorganised helicopter
production over the past decade. The
company is now marketing in the Asian
region. Recent sales to India and China
have been significant. On 5 December 2012
the Ka-32A11BC was certified by CASA.
It is widely used by Russian emergency
services, especially firefighting agencies.
Pilot licensing tells the same story. Over seven
years the 10,000 FW CPLs moved to 10,509
an increase of 5%. The rotary wing CPL surged
to 2,350 from 1,500 – up by 56% mirroring the
RW fleet numbers. If government GA policies
are failing aviation, then look at the private
aeroplane licence numbers which decreased
to 13,505 from 15,000, a loss of 10% in
seven years. The helicopter private licences
increased from 400 to 795 – up by 99%.
Food for thought - How do we predict the future?
Ka32A11BC
By way of a rough comparison, the EC225
Super Puma is similar in weight to the Ka32А11ВС which has a MTOW of 11,000
kg. Payload in the cabin is 3,700 kg. This
increases to 5,000 kg when carried as an
external load. With two crew it can carry
a dozen passengers at a cruising speed
of 140 kn. It can work as a “flying crane”
for the erection of tall structures. The
coaxial rotors of the Ka-32A11BC have a
number of advantages in hover accuracy
and manoeuvrability, allowing it to perform
complex installation and construction tasks.
The Ka-32A11BC can be employed in a
wide variety of tasks, including horizontal
fire fighting using water cannon in built
up areas. Today, the Ka-32A11BC is
certificated in North and South America,
Asia, Europe and more recently, Australia.
The presentations will include the corporate
history of Russian Helicopters and current
production capability. Also, the official
announcement of the CASA certification by
Global Sales Director of Russian Helicopters
and the Global Sales Director of KAMOV.
This will be followed by a KAMOV technical
presentation on Ka32. Light refreshments
will be served after the presentations. For
more information call Mary Jardine Clarke.
Email: [email protected].
Tel: 0400 228 817.
Civilian helicopter operations
at Avalon Airshow
Flying to Airshow venue. All helicopter
operations are subject to specific
requirements. See Air Shows Down Under
(ASDU) website www.airshow.com.au. In
particular, AIP Supplement (SUP) H01/13
dated 20 Feb 13. A Helicopter Terminal Area
surrounding the ASDU Helipad has been
established. Professional Helicopter Services
(PHS) are the managers of the helipad.
Helicopters intending to use this facility
must contact PHS Operations to obtain
briefing sheets which cover procedures
Helicopters In Focus
associated with the Helicopter Terminal
Area. Enquiries to Ben Hall, Operations
Officer, PHS on (03) 9580 7433 or if not
successful try Ben’s mobile 0411 221 173.
Parking for private owners. All requests
for parking must be approved by PHS
Operations. Contact (03) 9580 7433. An
area suitable for about a dozen helicopters
has been allocated for private parking.
Scenic Flights. PHS will conduct scenic
flights from the helipad. They will use Bell
206, Robinson R44 and Squirrel AS350
helicopters. Tickets for scenic flights can
only be purchased from a ticket office
located adjacent to the helipad. Scenic
flights will start on Fri 1 Mar ’13 at
1400 and will conclude around sunset.
Saturday and Sunday flights run from
0800 to 1800. Tickets are $70 per seat.
Types of helicopters
at the Airshow.
A Hughes TH-55 will be providing a flying
display. Static displays include Bell 429,
Robinson R22, Robinson R44, Eurocopter’s
EC120, EC130, EC135, Augusta Koala AW119, Grand AW-109s, AW-139 and AW 169.
Access to AHIA Conference.
26 Feb ’13.
Ticketing procedures are listed at
www.airshow.com.au/airshow2013/tradeexhibitors/trade-visitors. Please note there
are certain restrictions in relation to dress
and children under 16 years of age. Car
parking fees are shown; although some
days ticket holders can park free of charge.
Other conferences of interest
26 Feb ’13. AUVS Australia: Unmanned
Vehicle Applications – UAS & Beyond.
(0900 - 1600) .
Conference Room 1.
Contact: Ms Peggy MacTavish,
Executive Director, AUVS-Australia.
E: [email protected].
Tel: 0416 381 001. www.auvsi.org/Australia
Army Blackhawk entertaining the crowd
27 Feb ’13. Aviation Skills & Training –
Australia’s Full-Spectrum Solution.
(0900-1200).
Conference Room 1.
To register contact Gregor Ferguson.
Tel: (02) 4739 0466.
regular Rich
Gibson. The act
involves multiple
head on passes
and up to a dozen
explosions. Team
member Skip
28 Feb ’13. AIAC15 – 8th DSTO
International Conference on Health &
Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS2013).
(0900-1300).
Conference Room 1.
Please visit the AIAC15 website
www.aiac15.com for further information.
Stewart says the
show will certainly
thrill crowds. “The
show is a mix of precision aerobatics, head
on sequences and tight passes, all while
surrounded by smoke and balls of fire.”
28 Feb ’13. Safe Skies Australia Seminar
2013. (1000-1200) and 1 Mar ’13
(1000-1130).
Conference Room 4.
Further details on the Safeskies
website www.safeskiesaustralia.org.
You can also contact the organiser
[email protected]
Melissa Pemberton flies a brightly painted
Edge 540 and was the youngest ever female
to be part of the United States Unlimited
Aerobatics team. Melissa says it doesn’t get
any better than being part of the ‘Tinstix’
team. “The feeling when the race finishes
26 Feb ’13. An Effective Crisis Response –
QF32 Case Study. (1400-1600).
Main Auditorium.
Contact: Gregor Ferguson.
Tel: (02) 4739 0466.
26 Feb ’13. Low-Carbon Jet Fuel: The
Industry Flight Plan. (1400-1600) and
27 Feb ’13 (0900-1600).
Conference Room 4.
To register contact Gregor Ferguson.
Tel: (02) 4739 0466.
It’s the first time this innovative show will be
seen in Australia and it’s sure to be a crowd
pleaser, with aerials antics from world class
pilots and a team who love to create a bang.
The team comprises US airshow performers
Skip Stewart and Melissa Pemberton, along
with the pyrotechnic wizardry of Airshow
The ‘Tinstix of Dynamite’ team are part
an exciting line-up for the 2013 Australian
International Airshow at Avalon. The
Australian International Airshow and
Aerospace & Defence Exposition is held
from February 26 to March 3 at Avalon
Airport, near Geelong in Victoria.
TASMANIAN
And a bit of fun!
New dynamite airshow display. What do
you get when you team together some
of the world’s best demonstration pilots
and a pyrotechnics program that really
packs a punch? The dynamic ‘Tinstix of
Dynamite’ display team will bring their
explosive new show to the 2013 Australian
International Airshow at Avalon Airport.
at the end and
Skip and I cross
as the wall of fire
goes off is pretty
tough to compare
to anything else
on earth. If the
audience is
having half the
fun that we are
having, then they
are going to go home wanting more!”
“The show is a mix of
precision aerobatics,
head on sequences and
tight passes, all while
surrounded by smoke
and balls of fire”
SAFARI
COME AND EXPLORE
THIS BEAUTIFUL PART
OF THE WORLD FROM
YOUR OWN HELICOPTER
WITH HELIBIZ...
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MARCH 20
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February 2013
Includes King Island, Strahan, Hobart, Freycinet,
Launceston, Flinders Island and much more.
Live the dream and have real stories to tell!
Bookings essential.
aw13feb03
The Royal Australian Navy will display the
MRH90, SH-70 Seahawk and their historic
Bell UH-1B. Army Aviation will no doubt
have a number of helicopters, which are
yet to be listed. The Royal Singapore Air
Force will have a Super Puma on display.
This machine is usually located at the Army
Aviation Centre, Oakey, Queensland.
Contact Troy: [email protected]
13
publication, especially amongst the light
helicopter owners who found the information
difficult to understand and impractical for
use in the field. Helicopter owners generally
published the CAAP in their Operations
Manual, but larger multiengine operator
followed guidelines laid down by their clients
who were usually international organisations
with tighter standards. The oil and gas
industry tended to follow the European
model rather than the US guidelines which
generally focused on the Gulf of Mexico.
Now 17 years later, in
January 2013, CASA
has released CAAP
92-4 (0), “Guidelines
for the development
and operation
of off-shore
helicopter landing
sites, including
vessels.” This 107
page publication
is based on the standards specified in
the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s CAP 437
“‘Off-shore Helicopter Landing Areas”.
Charter or in future in CASR terminology, “Air
Transport” operations are required to hold
an AOC. One of the many factors considered
in the grant of such an AOC is the direction
provided by operators to helicopter
crews which combines risk mitigations of
sufficient physical space and helicopter
performance to ensure safe operations.
The helicopter’s performance data,
limitations and handling techniques are
contained in the approved Aircraft Flight
Manual and this information is incorporated
in the operator’s
Operations
Manual. The pilot
in command
responsibilities in
regard to these
requirements are
linked through
the application
of Regulations
138 and 215 of
CAR 1988. Therefore it is vital that an
operator’s performance policy is outlined
in detail in its Operations Manual. Soon we
will see public discussions on helicopter
performance categories which are:
“By late in 2013, we
should see most of
the new material for
helicopter landing
sites both onshore and
offshore completed”
The off-shore industry will see new CASA rules in 2013.
CASA Issues New
CAAP For Off-Shore
Operations.
CASA has commenced
issuing updated advisory
and regulatory publications
used by the heavy helicopter
fleet in Australia. The ongoing
expansion of the offshore
oil and gas industry has
created a demand for more
multiengine helicopters,
resulting in an above average
growth rate in this sector of the
Australian helicopter industry.
At present CASA is overhauling a lot
of legislation and is following the ICAO
rules rather than US FAA legislation
as was the case in the past. By late in
2013, we should see most of the new
material for helicopter landing sites both
onshore and offshore completed.
In addition, a new CAO 20.7.3 Multiengine
Performance Standards will appear later
this year after an extensive review by CASA
and industry. This will bring our legislation
in line with ICAO JAR OPS 3(5), Helicopter
Performance, which is also being reviewed.
No doubt the appearance of new legislation
will require a careful review of company
operations manuals to ensure they are
compliant with the new protocols. Some
industry experts suggest the recent
changes have not yet been clearly
understood and some operators who may
have trouble at their next CASA audit.
In January 1996, CASA updated CAAP
92-2 (1), “Guidelines for the establishment
and use of helicopter landing sites”.
This document consisted of 14 pages
and covered both onshore and offshore
landing sites. However, it was a little used
CASA stated the new CAAP was written to
provide for future regulation of off-shore
helicopter operations under proposed
Part 133 of CASR 1998 and to bring the
advisory material on the design and siting
of helidecks on off-shore platforms and
vessels in the 1996 version of CAAP 92-1
(1) up-to-date with current standards.
A new version of CAAP 92-2 will soon be
issued for on-shore operations. It will be
published in parallel with CAAP 92-4 which
covers off-shore helicopter landing sites only.
The new CAAP 92-4 is available at
http://casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/
main/download/caaps/ops/92_4.pdf
Readers will note the CAAP provides
guidance for design of helicopter landing
areas on off-shore installations and vessels
and ensures helicopters are afforded
sufficient space to be able to operate safely
in the varying conditions experienced offshore. Helicopter companies conducting
off-shore Regular Public Transport (RPT),
Performance Class 1. In the event of failure
of the critical power unit, the helicopter
is able to land within the rejected takeoff distance available or safely continue
the flight to an appropriate landing area,
depending on when the failure occurs.
Performance Class 2. If in the event of a
loss of a critical power unit, performance is
available to enable the helicopter to safely
continue the flight, except when the failure
occurs early during the take-off manoeuvre
or late in the landing manoeuvre, in which
cases a forced landing may be required.
Performance Class 3. Are operations, in
the event of a power failure at any time
during the flight, a forced landing may be
required in a multiengine helicopter but will
be required in a single engine helicopter.
So there is much to be relearned by
our budding Chief Pilots in 2013!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
New & Used Helicopter Sales • Brokerage of Your Existing Helicopter • Product Support
2013 Australian Airshow - February 26 - March 3, 2013.
Avalon Airport, Victoria - Stand: Hall 1, L9
Static: Bell 429, King Air 350i and Diamond DA40-XLS
2013 Heli Expo - March 5 - 7, 2013.
Las Vegas Convention Centre, Las Vegas USA - Bell Stand: N5612
Static: Bell 429 & 407GX plus exciting product updates!
www.hawkerpacific.com
SOLE INDEPENDENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR
A Textron Company
14
If you are planning to attend the above events, speak to us at Hawker Pacific - Bell Helicopter’s
official representative - so we can personally attend to your visit.
For more information please contact:
Geoff Hards
Phone: +61 2 9708 8691 Mobile: +61 478 306 327 [email protected]
Mathew Hardy Phone: +61 2 9708 8610 Mobile: +61 404 886 810 [email protected]
aw13feb14
www.hawkerpacific.com
Every opportunity should be taken to display a company helicopter
– you never know who is in the crowd.
As you read this, Australia
is probably still involved in
fighting one of the worst bush
fire seasons in recent times.
Singing For Your
Supper?
Several decades ago, Ginger
de villa Rose, a young female
helicopter instructor arrived
in Cairns, Qld, from the USA
seeking work in Australian.
She had left behind a US economy gripped
by a recession and few opportunities for a
new instructor. Ginger visited industry icon
Barry Dick, CFI, of the Mareeba Helicopter
Flying School. They had met previously in
the USA at a HAI Expo. Using Mareeba as
a base, Ginger travelled around Australia
looking at rural helicopter operations.
Ginger was invited to be a guest speaker at
a Robinson Helicopter Safety Course. Her
talk to the rather conservative mustering
pilots held their attention as she told them
of her struggle to find a job after obtaining
her commercial licence in the USA.
A small US operator offered Ginger work as
a casual pilot. She decided to go out and
promote the helicopter business in order
to get more flying hours. In the beginning
she went to the local school fetes, business
trade shows, Chamber of Commerce
meetings and any other event that would get
better exposure for her employer. At some of
these events they offered scenic flights as
a door prize or similar. Where possible the
Robinson R22 was used as a static display
so Ginger could meet and greet people,
and hand out brochures about helicopters
being used for work and fun. Eventually,
Ginger made contact with the local
Night Aerial
Firefighting
– A Hot Topic?
emergency services, large corporations
and government agencies. Her hard work
and determination gradually resulted in
more work coming their way and later she
was able to obtain her instructor rating.
So what are the lessons for us here in
Australia? There are about 950 AOC holders
in Australia, of which 250 are helicopter. In
fact, most helicopter companies are small
concerns located in rural areas. Further to
advertising in the local area, a company
should send neatly dressed staff, complete
with a name badge, to visit organisations
such as the ambulance, police and fire
services; both rural and town based.
Good work is often found at government
agencies involved with agricultural, grazing,
forestry and national park activities.
The Australian scene has been better
organised this year with more centralised
control, better aerial capabilities and
standardisation of evacuation procedures,
especially new procedures moving
people to safe evacuation centres rather
than letting them stay at home.
The media is now reporting on ground based
night operations where ground crews work to
keep a fire within pre-planned containment
lines. Recently US based Wayne Coulson,
President of Coulson Aircrane Ltd, was
reported as saying, “Only one thing can
predictably calm the temper of an entire
raging forest fire in a matter of hours: night.
When the temperature drops, the wind dies
down and humidity levels rise, the growth
rate of even the most determined inferno
is significantly reduced. What better time to
try and exercise control over the blaze?”
The internet can be a good marketing tool.
The Queensland Government, for example,
runs free courses on how to submit a
government tender bid. Most states and
territories have websites where you can
view aviation tenders on offer. Tender
responders must not be disheartened if
they are not successful; it is a bit like buying
a raffle ticket! Eventually, it will be your turn.
And finally, an important tip! Regional
cities and smaller towns have a high
turnover of business and government
employees, thus you must constantly be
alert to these changes and be prepared
to meet the incoming replacement and
do your presentation all over again!
Coulson Aircrane have sent two S-61
to Australia for the fire season.
He was referring to their Sikorsky S-61 (now
in Australia) which was recently modified
by Aviation Specialties Unlimited to allow
the use of night vision goggles (NVGs).
Due to its added difficulty, inherent risks
and strict regulations, night time aerial
firefighting has not been popular with
commercial operators, despite many fire
agencies, including the Los Angeles County
Fire Department and Los Angeles City Fire
Department, fighting fires at night for years.
Military pilots experienced with NVGs may
wonder why this delay exists? However,
operating over a fire front with areas of
intense light, extreme infrared radiation
and smoke haze probably causes problems
with the NVGs. Experts believe this can
be overcome with training and some
modification of existing equipment.
Some delays are due to the time regulators
take to approve the modified Operations
Manuals for each operator. This entails a
lot of engineering input; further overloading
the capability of the regulator to provide
timely approvals. To be fair to the regulators,
they are rather lacking in expertise in
this area. Also, the insurance industry
would be watching closely to ensure
risk management with night operations
meets shareholders expectations.
Coulson recently sent two of S-61s, including
their recently converted night helicopter,
to Australia, where the company has a
contract with the National Aerial Firefighting
Centre, in Melbourne, over the 2012-2013
fire season. They plan to demonstrate the
new capabilities to Australians. Wayne
Coulson was quoted as saying, “We do
not have a contract to fight fire at night in
Australia; but, we will be demonstrating the
capability of our multi-mission aircraft.”
“We really honestly believe that, in the next
few years, NVGs will be a very significant
part of the firefighting industry, which
they aren’t now,” said Coulson. “And we
believe, based on what we’ve seen with
fire laying down at night, that our best
opportunity to kill a fire is during the
night, as opposed to during the day.”
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Airwaves Feb 13

Transcription

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