On the cover: Aviation photographer Dan Sweet (who also has a day job as HAI’s director of public relations and communications) photographed HAI Board of Directors Chair Stacy Sheard at the Fanatics hangar at Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL) on Jun. 8, 2020. An AW139 captain who flies corporate transport, Sheard is also an energetic networker with a passion for helping veterans and, well, just about anybody. She has a personal message to HAI members on p. 6, and her profile begins on p. 26. Photographer: Dan Sweet Pilot: Stacy Sheard Location: Philadelphia International Airport Download PDF View Digital Issue Power PlayPower Play: Will electric motors propel the next generation of helicopters?Power Play Will electric motors propel the next generation of helicopters? Advocating for You As the HAI government affairs team, John Shea and I represent your interests to your elected representatives, advocating for a legal and regulatory environment that will enhance the growth and stability of our industry. I find the inner workings of congressional committees or the tortuous path of a bill through the system to be fascinating. Van Horn Aviation’s Bell 206B Van Horn Aviation, founded in 2001, designs and manufactures tail and main rotor blades for a number of Bell helicopter models. FlyOver: Bonneville Dam Last Hover: James O. Wisecup Former HAI Board Chairman and retired Air Methods Corp. (AMC) Assistant Chief Pilot James O. Wisecup, 71, died Jul. 30, 2020. Wisecup, a 16,000-hour dual-rated pilot, retired from his post with AMC, a helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operator, in July 2019. In June of this year, he was awarded the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in recognition of his 50 years of professional, safe flight. Making Safety Simple (but Effective) One of the worst parts about reading accident reports is seeing how the accident chain was forged, link by link, especially as you know what the final result will be. If it were a horror movie, you would yell at the screen, “Stop scud running!” or, “Find a landing site now!” Practice Makes Perfect When there are only seconds in which to respond, thorough drilling in the appropriate procedures can be crucial to successfully confronting a life-threatening emergency. With no time to puzzle out a response or even read a checklist, survival depends not just on remembering the correct sequence of steps but on having practiced it recently and often enough to execute it precisely and without hesitation—in a situation certain to be more chaotic and frightening than the typical training environment. Recent Accidents & Incidents The rotorcraft accidents and incidents listed below occurred between Apr. 1 and Jun. 30, 2020. The accident details shown below are preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. All information was obtained through the official websites listed below, where you can learn more details about each event. WAI Scholarship Winner Diana Stearns Growing up in Frenchtown, Montana, Diana Stearns was intrigued by her mother’s career as an emergency room / air ambulance flight nurse. But it was a pivotal experience as a teenager that ultimately led her to pursue a job in aviation. Meet Samantha Bean Meet Samantha Bean – Boeing AH-64 Apache Longbow armament/electrical/avionics system repairman Why the H145? The Gulf of Mexico is home to nearly 2,000 offshore oil and gas platforms, from production rigs with a handful of personnel to sprawling drilling platforms. As oil fields are explored and exploited farther offshore, operators must respond to the challenges. PHI responded with the H145. Life Flight Network: Connecting Community with Care A picturesque rural town of 14,000 in northeastern Oregon, La Grande is nestled in a fertile farming and ranching valley surrounded by snow-tipped mountains. The community is fairly isolated, an hour’s drive from the next town of similar size, Pendleton, Oregon, and hours away from larger communities. La Grande is the county seat for Union County, which has a total population of about 25,700 occupying slightly more than 2,000 square miles. HUMS: Not Just for Heavy Iron Anymore What if an operator could tell—just by looking at a computer screen—that a particular bearing on an aircraft was showing signs of premature wear? How would that change how maintenance is planned and conducted? Implementing Flight-Data Monitoring The US National Transportation Safety Board recommends that all Part 135 operators install flight-data monitoring (FDM) technology. But every operation can reap FDM’s safety and operational performance benefits. Best of all, modern FDM equipment is lighter, less expensive, and easier to use than legacy models, placing the technology within reach of small and medium-sized operators. Below are five best practices to help you on your FDM journey. In the Spotlight: Randall Rochon, Vice Chair, Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals In 1976, 38 black US airline pilots—roughly half of all black pilots then employed by US carriers—met for two days in Chicago to discuss how they might increase the number of minority young people seeking to enter the field of aviation; the group ended up founding the Organization of Black Airline Pilots. HAI Board of Directors Elects Officers, Adds Directors and UAS Adviser HAI is pleased to announce the election of three new members to its Board of Directors, selected by HAI members during HELI-EXPO 2020 in Anaheim. Additionally, the board created the role of special adviser for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to consult on shaping the safe integration of UAS into our shared airspace. COVID Clean Program Helps HAI Members Promote Safe Operations Many aspects of our prepandemic lives, such as shaking hands or drinking from public water fountains, may never return, and there can be confusion about what activities are OK. To help its members reassure the public about their commitment to safe practices, HAI has introduced the COVID Clean Program. AHIA Signs On as HAI International Partner HAI is pleased to announce the launch of the International Partnership Program to enhance safety and cooperation across the worldwide vertical lift community. This program will benefit the entire rotorcraft industry by promoting common safety and operational standards and best practices, and by facilitating a collaborative approach to building and sustaining the global industry. Are You Prepared for Flight after COVID? Operations both small and large have experienced a lower volume of flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as layoffs and furloughs. In this environment, keeping your skills current can be challenging. To learn what pilots are doing now to get ready for flight after the pandemic, we surveyed our readers anonymously. Specifically, we inquired about their companies’—and their own—investment in training and the effect the virus has had on their employment and proficiency status. Safety Needs a Safety Culture SMS works when people are empowered to act on safety. I once asked one of our veteran aviation investigators what the toughest part of his job was. His response: seeing in accident investigations the same safety deficiencies over and over again that, for some reason, haven’t been addressed. Seeking Translational Lift Use this moment to prepare for better times. Finding Your Next Opportunity Pandemic or no, these job-hunting tips will pay off.
