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Aviation History
2004
2004-03 - 0023.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION APPROVAL DAVID LEARMOUNT/ LONDON Helideck improvements get green light from ICAO Proposed changes are aimed at making night-time approaches easier for pilots Proposed major improvements to helideck lighting, particularly for off shore landing sites, have been given the go-ahead as a world standard. The principal aims are to reduce helideck glare and overcome the "black hole" effect sometimes expe rienced as helicopter pilots conduct their night-time final approaches toward the touchdown aim point. The changes have been developed following two years of research spon sored by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and the results have been so impressive the International Civil Aviation Organisation is putting the system forward for adoption. "These modifications will make it easier for the pilot to locate the helideck among the general oil rig lighting," the agency reports. CAA research project manager David Howson says: "This work has identi fied a number of helideck lighting improvements that will increase the safety of operations to offshore The proposed major changes to helideck lighting are aimed at reducing glare helidecks at night. All pilots who have seen the new lighting have been very enthusiastic." In anticipation of international agreement, the CAA has issued interim guidance to the UK industry to encourage oil rig and ship opera tors to upgrade their helideck light ing systems as soon as possible. Guidance includes instructions to change the perimeter lighting from yellow to green and, "where practi cal", replace deck-level floodlighting with a high-mounted system in a safe area on the inboard side of the helideck. The proposals suggest a circle of yellow light around the yel low-painted aiming circle with a green-lit H-mark at its centre. Performed by the CAA with UK- based research company Qinetiq, the research has been carried out at the NAM K14 platform in the Dutch sector of the North Sea, but work for land heliport lighting has also been carried out at Longside Airfield near Aberdeen, Scotland and continues at Norwich International airport in eastern England. REORGANISATION Rolls-Royce revamps service network Rolls-Royce has unveiled a revamped service-centre net work for its widely used Model 250 turboshaft and turboprop engines. The network has been reduced from 27 locations to 20, with one new member added - Hellenic Aerospace Industry in Greece. The new network includes Rolls-Royce-owned facilities in Brazil, the Philippines and the USA; independent service cen tres in Australia, Canada, Japan, Malta, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the UK and USA; and companies in Germany, Greece, Italy and Taiwan focused on providing indigenous support to military operators. Existing authorisations were up for renewal, and network members have signed new six- year agreements setting increased customer-service requirements. Centres are sup ported by an updated network of repair facilities authorised to overhaul Model 250 modules, says Rolls-Royce. HELICOPTERS KATE SARSFIELD / LONDON India's Pawan enters police sector India's Pawan Hans Helicopters (PHHL) has made its first foray into the police aviation arena. The New Delhi-based company has begun a two-week trial with the capital's police force deploying a Bell 206L LongRanger to co-ordinate a range of security-related operations cov ering traffic and crisis manage ment, as well as law enforcement and anti-terrorism surveillance. "This is the first time a police force in India has used a heli copter," says PHHL general man ager Mandip Singh. He suggests the success of the trial could lead to a long-term contract with the Delhi police and trigger interest from other forces around the country, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to co-ordinate day-to-day police operations on the ground. "The Indian government, which funds the nation's police forces, will have to be persuaded that air support is an effective and worth while expense," Singh says. The LongRanger, which is being supplied free by PHHL, Singh says, is fitted with a forward-looking infrared camera and helicopter movements are monitored from the police control room. Police helicopter work will be a vital extension to PHHL's opera tion which accounts for 35% of its business. Mandip says: "We are involved in government transport, tourism and commercial transport between the islands and the north-east states where the road network is poor." PHHL operates a growing fleet of 31 helicopters, the bulk of which are used to service its thriving operation, which accounts for the remaining share of its business. "We will take delivery of two Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins in August and Sept ember, bringing the Dauphin fleet to 21," Singh says. PHHL is also seeking to grow its light and medium helicopter fleets and is evaluating up to two new machines in each category. Ownership of PHHL is split between the Indian government and the country's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, with a 78.5% and 21.5% share respectively. EVS APPROVAL Max-Viz has received supplemental type certification for its EVS-1000 enhanced vision system on the Bell 212, 412 and 412ER the first in a series of planned approvals on helicopters. Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Erlanger Health System is the first customer. SARATOGA UPGRADE New Piper Aircraft is offering Avidyne's FlightMax Entegra integrated flightdeck as an option on its Saratoga HP/TC and Piper 6X/XT six-seat piston singles. Aircraft with the upgraded cockpit are to be avail able from next month. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 27 JANUARY - 2 FEBRUARY 2004 Z1
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