Airbus Helicopters Flightlab To Test UAM Technologies

Airbus Helicopters has started in-flight tests on board the European aerospace group's rotary-wing Flightlab facility. The platform-agnostic flying laboratory is exclusively dedicated to maturing new technologies for the company’s current helicopters and future fixed-wing and eVTOL aircraft designs.

Specifically, Flightlab will be used to test hybrid and electric propulsion, autonomy, noise reduction, and improved maintenance and safety technologies. Flight tests on noise reduction began in April 2020 focused on buildings’ impact on people’s sound perception with a view toward applying the data to sound modeling and regulation of urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft. Later flights in December concentrated on evaluating the rotor strike alerting system.

Other tests to be conducted this year include a camera image-detection solution to enable low altitude navigation, dedicated health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) for light helicopters, and engine back-up system that provides emergency electric power in the event of turbine failure. Testing in 2022 will evaluate a new ergonomic design of intuitive pilot flight controls that could be applied to traditional helicopters and UAM vehicles.  

“Investing in the future remains essential, even in times of crisis, especially when those innovations bring added value to our customers by targeting increased safety, reduced pilot workload, and reduced sound levels,” said Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even.

AINsight: NTSB Can Do Better on GA Investigations

While the NTSB has a worldwide reputation for conducting meticulous, thorough investigations into airline disasters, I don’t believe this extends to conducting general aviation accident investigations, in part because of its frequent delegation of the on-scene portion.

On-scene investigations for GA accidents are often handed off to the FAA to collect the facts and circumstances and forward this information to the NTSB so it can accomplish the analysis and determine the probable cause. In situations like this, the probable causes are most commonly ascribed to pilot error, even at times when the investigations are, in my opinion, inconclusive, at best.

This is highlighted in a new documentary film, Invisible Sky. In brief, the film documents the 2006 crash of a Cessna 206 on approach to Monroe County Airport near Bloomington, Indiana in night IMC. All five aboard the aircraft died in the crash.

The NTSB delegated the on-scene accident investigation to the FAA and ultimately determined that the probable cause of the accident was pilot error caused by the pilot’s continued descent below decision height and not maintaining adequate altitude above the trees while on approach. The NTSB’s conclusions did not make sense to the accident pilot’s father, also a pilot, and he engaged his own accident investigation that revealed information that had either not been discovered by government investigators or was ignored.

NBAA: Remote ID Drone Rule Raises Privacy Concerns

While broadly supporting the FAA’s recently published Remote Identification (RID) final rule for drones, NBAA is expressing continuing concerns about privacy protections. Under the rule, RID information would not reveal personal identification data to the public but could disclose the location of the drone and drone operator, NBAA noted.

NBAA has advocated for shielding such information from the public while making it available to law enforcement along with other security and safety agencies. Such privacy protections benefit not only a company’s confidential business but also the consumer, the association added.

“The FAA hasn’t fully addressed any components of privacy and security raised by the community,” said NBAA director of air traffic services and infrastructure Heidi Williams. “The final rule is a great starting point for RID, but it introduces new concerns that need to be addressed.”

“For decades, NBAA has focused on protecting privacy and security for our community. We want to keep the door open for continued efforts to find a reasonable solution to privacy and security risks created by compliance with this rule,” added NBAA v-p of regulatory and international affairs Doug Carr.

Issued in late December, the RID rule applies to drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds. Manufacturers have 18 months to begin producing drones with RID and operators have another year after that to start using drones with RID.

Jet Aviation Finalizes Hawker Pacific Integration

Jet Aviation has finalized its integration with FBO/MRO chain Hawker Pacific, which it acquired in 2018. As a broader part of this effort, the company has also introduced a new logo and revamped its website following a year of gathering feedback from customers and employees. Jet Aviation and sister company Gulfstream Aerospace make up the aerospace division at parent General Dynamics.

All of the former Hawker Pacific locations are now Jet Aviation branded with the exception of the joint-venture Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Centre, which will retain its existing name. That joint-venture operates a large FBO/MRO at the city’s Hongqiao International Airport, as well as a smaller passenger facility at nearby Pudong International Airport.

The Zurich-based company’s new logo—which represents an airplane’s vertical stabilizer as well as a stylized J and A—reflects the “simple, understated elegance of a single-solution service offering, while ensuring that the company’s employees…are front and center,” the global service provider noted.

Also recently announced was a new FBO service agreement with European aircraft and charter management provider FlyingGroup for the handling of its fleet throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Wrong Engine Shutdown Causes Global Express Fatal

The fatal crash of a U.S. Air Force special-mission Bombardier Global Express on Jan. 27, 2020, was caused by the flight crew’s error in determining which Rolls-Royce BR710 engine had catastrophically failed and subsequently shutting down the operating, right-hand-side powerplant, according to a USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report released yesterday. Contributing factors were the crew’s failure to airstart the right-hand-side engine and decision to “recover the aircraft to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.”

The aircraft suffered a failure of the left engine one hour and 45 minutes into the flight when a fan blade broke free, causing the engine to shut down. “Approximately 24 seconds after the initial incident, the crew shut down the right, and only operable, engine, resulting in a dual-engine-out emergency,” the USAF said. “The aircraft was approximately 230 nm from Kandahar Airfield when the dual engine out occurred, and neither engine airstarted to provide any usable thrust.”

Subsequently, the crew issued a mayday call to air traffic control stating they had dual engine failure and intended to proceed to Kandahar. However, the jet was outside of the gliding distance to reach Kandahar and, because of the crew’s decision to return there, flew outside of gliding distance to other available landing locations. Ultimately, the aircraft landed in a field, killing both pilots.

Daher Makes First Kodiak Delivery to French Customer

Daher has delivered a Kodiak 100 to Héli-Béarn, making it the first delivery of the utility turboprop single to a French customer. Based at Pau-Pyrénées Airport in southwestern France, Héli-Béarn will use the airplane for skydiving operations.

"The Kodiak’s introduction in France marks another expansion of the global customer base for this highly capable airplane,” said Nicolas Chabbert, Daher’s aircraft division senior v-p and CEO of Kodiak Aircraft.

In a skydiving configuration, the Kodiak 100 is equipped with a sliding door and has a capacity for up to 15 skydivers. With a climb capability of nine minutes and 30 seconds to 12,000 feet, the airplane can fly an average of four rotations per hour for skydiving operations. “It is modern, safe, easy to maintain, and efficient,” said Héli-Béarn CEO Jean-Luc Dartiailh. “With an operating cost 25 percent lower than aircraft currently in service, the Kodiak is the ideal solution to take over from an aging fleet of skydiving platforms.”

Dartiailh added Héli-Béarn became interested in the Kodiak once the company learned of the French airframer’s acquisition of Kodiak.

Bell 412 Turns 40

Bell is marking 40 years of model 412 production this week. Since its introduction in 1981, the rotorcraft manufacturer has delivered more than 1,100 of the medium twin-engine design—derived from the famed Vietnam War-era Huey—across 11 different variants that have collectively logged more than 6.5 million flight hours.

Worldwide, the Bell 412 flies diverse missions, including EMS, offshore energy, law enforcement, and VIP transport. The recently launched 412 EPX, a joint-venture between Bell and Subaru that was developed to support the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JDF), features a 30-minute run-dry main rotor gearbox rated for 11 percent more horsepower, seats 14 passengers, and has the widest loading door in its class. It also has an increased maximum internal weight of 12,200 pounds, an external weight of 13,000 pounds, and can carry up to 5,000 pounds of goods with a cargo hook.

The 412 EPX has a maximum cruising speed of 122 knots and maximum range of 357 nm. It includes the BLR Fast Fin system, a pair of Pratt & Whitney PT6T-9 engines (rated at 825 shp each max continuous), and the second generation of the Bell BasiX-Pro integrated avionics.

AviationManuals, ARC Look to Continue Growth in 2021

AviationManuals and sister company ARC Safety Management finished 2020 with more than 25 percent growth and 300 new clients, the companies announced this week. They begin 2021 with a previously announced suite of services for charter operators as well as plans for software updates and international sales growth.

"The impact of the pandemic has been enormous,” said CEO Mark Baier. “As the aviation industry shifted, we were able to use our agility as a strength to quickly respond to changing customer needs.”

Baier added that expansion markets include Europe, Latin America, Australia, South Africa, and Asia. “Our goal is to expand our international sales beyond the current 30 percent,” he said. “We’re doubling down on our ability to deliver both software and manuals to aviation operators everywhere.” The Washington, D.C.-based companies support a client base that operates more than 4,500 aircraft globally, including more than 60 Fortune 100 corporate flight departments.

Photo of the Week

Getting the Green Light for the Emerald Isle. Capt. Christophe t’Kint shared this spectacular picture of the Northern Lights taken from a Gulfstream G550 that was flying eastbound across the Northern Atlantic approaching Ireland. “It was a beautiful night and we were lucky to see the Northern Lights all along the crossing,” the captain recalled. Thanks for sharing Christophe!

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