“Perimeter”

Helicopter crashes in Hawaii, killing four

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories HelicoptersTags , , , , 2 Comments on Helicopter crashes in Hawaii, killing four

An S-61N operated by Croman was transporting an external load for the military

12:10 p.m. PT Feb. 23, 2022

S-61A hard landing Croman
File photo of a Croman S-61 taken in 2014 — not the helicopter that crashed in Hawaii Feb. 23, 2022. Photo by Bill Gabbert.

A privately owned helicopter under contract to the US military crashed Tuesday in Hawaii, killing all four on board. The S-61N operated by Croman Corporation was supporting a training operation at the Pacific Missile Range Facility. It occurred at Barking Sands in Kekaha on the island of Kauai. Everyone on board were Croman employees, according to the New York Times.

The helicopter, N615CK, was transporting an external load when it crashed.

From Hawaii News Now:

Brian Beattie, director of operations for Croman Corporation, said the Sikorsky S-61N had just retrieved an object from the water and was trying to drop it on the ground when something went wrong. The company’s choppers are used to retrieve material used in open ocean testing at the missile range.

“Something caused that helicopter to accelerate and go down,” said witness Chris Turner. “It tweaked to the right and then immediately went straight nose-down in an accelerated speed ― straight down with like one second. That was it.”

The Pacific Missile Range Facility is a Navy base on the western edge of Kauai where the military tests missile defense technology and personnel conduct exercises.

When the most recent contract for Type 1 helicopters was awarded by the US Forest Service in 2020, five of the 28 helicopters were Croman ships.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family, friends, and co-workers of the four people who lost their lives Tuesday.

Update at 12:39 p.m. PT Feb. 23, 2022

Shortly after we posted the article, Brian Beattie left the following comment.

Croman Corp 2/23/2022

Pacific Missile Range Facility personnel responded to the crash of a helicopter operated by Croman Corp, shortly after 10:00 Hawaii time on February 22, 2022. The Helicopter was conducting routine training operations at the Pacific Missile Range Facility under contract to the US Navy.

The four crew members, all Croman employees, were fatally injured.

The crew members are:

Daniel Maurice; 64, Chief Pilot, Check Airman and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner
Patrick Rader; 55, Command Pilot, Check Airman
Ericka Tevez-Valdez; 42, Mechanic and Aircrew
Mathew Haider; 44, Mechanic and Aircrew.

Dan Maurice’s residence is Lyle Washington. Patrick, Ericka and Matt are residence of Kauai.

The FAA, NTSB and US Navy are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday and will investigate the accident.

Croman Corp, based in White City, Oregon has provided Commercial Air Support Service to the US Navy at PMRF since 2007.

The loss of Dan, Patrick, Ericka and Matt will leave an empty space in the lives of all that know them. Each, in their own way, represents the best in all of us and should be held up as role models to be honored.

Brian H. Beattie
Croman Corp

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom.

Two Blackhawk helicopters go down near Utah ski area

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories HelicoptersTags , , 5 Comments on Two Blackhawk helicopters go down near Utah ski area

There were no reports of serious injuries

3:18 p.m. MT Feb. 22, 2022

Blackhawks landing LZ Snowbird Ski Area Utah
Blackhawks landing at an LZ near Snowbird Ski Area in Utah, seconds before encountering trouble. Image via KSLTV.

Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters went down this morning near a ski resort in Utah. It occured during a training exercise in American Fork Canyon near Snowbird.

As explained by Jared Jones, the Aviation Public Affairs Officer for the Utah National Guard, two of their helicopters were on short final to land in fresh snow at a frequently used LZ on National Forest land just outside the Snowbird ski area. “As it landed the snow kicked up and probably lost sight of the ground,” Mr. Jones said.

One of the helicopters had difficulty and ended up on its side without any main rotor blades. Mr. Jones said a piece of a rotor blade struck the second helicopter which then landed and remained upright.

There were no serious injuries, and the crews rode down the mountain on the ski lift.

For a couple of seconds you can see in the video below the two helicopters on short final to land at the LZ near the end of a lift at Snowbird. Then fresh snow kicked up obscuring the image of the helicopters, possibly creating white out conditions. Unusual sounds can then be heard.

Blackhawks down crash Utah
Blackhawks down. Image via KSLTV.

In the video below Mr. Jones briefs reporters on the incident (at about 1:20) while video recorded from a news helicopter over the incident plays in the background.

Helicopter pilots working on wildland fires may sometimes find themselves in similar situations, landing at unimproved helispots and encountering brown out conditions as dust obscures their vision. Attempts at mitigation can include wetting the helispot down with water from portable tanks, from engines, or water drops from helicopters.

Update at 5:53 p.m. MT Feb. 22, 2022

After looking at still photos of the site and a video, it appears that the helicopter that remained upright lost its tail rotor and spun around before it settled on the ground.

Here is another video of the incident.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Rick.

The four-helicopter Quick Reaction Force is back for 2022

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories HelicoptersTags , , , 4 Comments on The four-helicopter Quick Reaction Force is back for 2022

A partnership with SCE and three counties in Southern California

7:28 p.m. PT February 20, 2022

Coulson CH-47 helicopter dropping at night
Coulson CH-47 helicopter dropping at night. SCE photo.

The Quick Reaction Force of Coulson helicopters that fought wildfires in Southern California in 2021 is back this year. It is comprised of two CH-47 helitankers that can each carry up to 3,000 gallons of water or retardant; a Sikorsky 61 with a 1,000-gallon capacity; a Sikorsky 76 intelligence and recon helicopter; and a mobile retardant base that can actively mix up to 18,000 gallons of fire retardant per hour.

In 2021 the fleet:

  • Flew for 433 hours;
  • Made total of 1,836 drops on more than 50 separate fire incidents;
  • Dropped 2,607,496 gallons of water, with 28% being at night; and
  • Dropped 123,455 gallons of fire retardant, 19% dropped at night.
Coulson CH-47 helicopter
Coulson CH-47 helicopter. SCE photo.

Southern California Edison (SCE) contributed $18 million last year to lease the firefighting equipment in a partnership with the Orange County Fire Authority, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and Ventura County Fire Department.

All four of the helicopters can fight fires at night, dropping water or fire retardant.

“The combination of night-flying capabilities — night hovering, night-time filling of retardant and dropping — is what is remarkable and unique,” said Troy Whitman of SCE and a 29-year veteran of fire management. “Taking the full extent of aerial firefighting and going nocturnal is unprecedented anywhere in the world.”

UPDATE Feb. 20, 2022: Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy told Fire Aviation that the four helicopters are scheduled to be on contract for 165 days this year, July 1 through December 12. Coulson has contractual obligations in Australia and South America beginning in mid-December.

Their bases:

  • Orange County S-76, Fullerton Airport
  • Orange County CH-47, Chino Airport
  • Los Angeles County, CH-47, Van Nuys Airport
  • Ventura County S-61, Camarillo Airport

Videos of extreme crosswind landings yesterday at Heathrow

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories MiscTags , 10 Comments on Videos of extreme crosswind landings yesterday at Heathrow
Landing at Heathrow Airport, Feb. 18,2022. Big Jet TV
On this attempted landing at Heathrow Airport, Feb. 18,2022 the pilot decided to go around. Image from Big Jet TV video.

The arrival of storm Eunice at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom yesterday resulted in strong crosswinds and elevated heart rates as airplanes were landing on runway 27L. In many cases, they aborted the approaches and decided to go around.

Big Jet TV was on the scene streaming live for nearly eight hours, providing Olympic-like commentary as the big planes attempted to get on the ground during winds that gusted up to 70 mph. At one time the live stream had 200,000 viewers and about 24 hours later has had more than 6 million views.

Jerry Dyer shot the video from a platform on top of his van as he narrated what was happening with many of the planes heavily crabbing against the wind gusts. As the aircraft in the photo above aborted the landing a few feet above the runway (at 1:14:10) he shouted, “Ohhhhhhhhh nooooooo…. he didn’t like that!”

“He’s not having that. He’s not having any of that,” he said as another pilot decided to go around. And at other times, “Easy! Easy!”, “Are you sure? Are you sure?” “Drop it! Drop it!”, and “Yeahhhhhh! Nicely done!”

If you have eight hours to kill, check out the video below. Or, just sample it.

ST Engineering plans to convert Boeing 757 into an air tanker

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Fixed wingTags 22 Comments on ST Engineering plans to convert Boeing 757 into an air tanker

Expected to be complete in 2024

Boeing 757
Boeing image.

ST Engineering today announced that its will convert Boeing 757 aircraft into air tankers for Galactic Holdings. The company will draw on its structural modification capabilities that have been used in converting passenger aircraft into freighters to develop this first-in-the-world Boeing 757 air tanker. The prototype is to be converted at one of their airframe maintenance and modification facilities in the U.S.

ST Engineering will undertake the full scope of the program, from design and engineering to certification and conversion.

The model name for the air tanker will be Boeing 757P2T, and is estimated to be completed in 2024. It will have a capacity of up to 7,000 gallons of fire retardant, making it one of the largest aerial firefighting platforms available on the market. The only U.S. air tanker currently in service with a higher capacity is the DC-10 which can carry 9,400 gallons. The 747, currently out of service, was last certified to hold 17,500 gallons, and Russia’s Ilyushin IL-76 can carry up to 11,574 gallons. All other large air tankers in the United States carry no more than 4,000 gallons — most of them less than 3,000.

Aviation week reports that the modifications will include installation of two 3,500-gal. tanks on the main deck and lower deck with interlinking channels and installation of forward and aft release doors. ST Engineering began passenger-to-freighter conversion programs for Boeing 757s in the early 2000s, most notably signing a contract with FedEx for the conversion of 87 757-200s.

ST Engineering said that compared to the current generation of air tankers that are in service, the Boeing 757P2T will be more fuel efficient.

Boeing manufactured the 757 from 1982 until 2003.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Jerome, Gerald, and Dan.

Pilot killed in Tasmania helicopter crash identified

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories HelicoptersTags , , , Leave a comment on Pilot killed in Tasmania helicopter crash identified

The UH-1H went down while working on a bush fire

Tasmania helicopter crash
Photo: ABC News: Damian McIntyre

The pilot who was killed in a helicopter crash February 14 in Tasmania, Australia has been identified as 41-year old Andrew Kerr. The helicopter, a UH-1H, was on a water dropping mission while battling a bushfire southeast of Pipers Brook, Tasmania. The accident was reported at about 3:20 p.m. The pilot was the only person on board.

Below are excerpts from an article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said initial reports suggested the helicopter jettisoned its water bucket and line before the crash. Local man Michael McKenna said he was working in his shed when the incident happened.

“I heard this big bang, something wasn’t right,” he said. “I got to the corner of the house and I saw the helicopter go down.”

Mr. McKenna said it took a few minutes before the helicopter was engulfed in flames.

“Unfortunately, no-one could really help him. He had no chance,” he said.

The victim was remembered as an “outstanding pilot” and “great mate to many” in a social media post from the Tasmania Fire Service’s air operations unit.

The registration number of the helicopter, which was manufactured in 1963, was VH-UHX.

Firefighting helicopter crashes in Tasmania, killing pilot

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories HelicoptersTags , , , , 3 Comments on Firefighting helicopter crashes in Tasmania, killing pilot

Was working on a fire near Pipers Brook

Tasmania helicopter crash fatal
The gray shaded area represents the location of the bush fire near Pipers Brook in northeast Tasmania. Fire perimeter updated at 7:16 a.m. local time, Feb. 15, 2022.

A pilot was killed in Australia February 14 when a helicopter crashed while working on a bush fire southeast of Pipers Brook, Tasmania. The accident was reported to the police and emergency services at about 3:20 p.m. The pilot was the only person on board. (UPDATE Feb 16, 2022: the pilot has been identified as 41-year old Andrew Kerr.)

From the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

Tasmania Fire Service Acting Deputy Chief Jeff Harper said the northern Tasmanian man was an experienced pilot who had been assisting water-bombing activities as a subcontractor.

Mr. Harper said it was a tragic incident, and that the man had worked on multiple Tasmanian fires in the past.

Firefighting aircraft were grounded after the helicopter crash, and will all be assessed overnight before being deployed again.

The make and model of the helicopter has not been released.

Tasmania helicopter crash fatal

The Tasmania Police said the pilot’s next of kin has been notified.

Since it started several days ago the fire has burned 1,660Ha (4,100 acres). Helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, heavy machinery, and firefighters on the ground have been working to control the blaze. A number of forestry plantations have been impacted and one structure has been destroyed.

The ABC reported that the bushfire had resulted from a registered burn that got away from the “very remorseful” owner, and it had been deemed accidental.

The Tasmania Police is asking that anyone with information who may have seen the helicopter near Pipers Brook just before the crash should call Launceston Police on 131444 or report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800333000 or crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

On January 23, 2020 the three crewmembers of an EC-130Q, Air Tanker 134, were killed when the aircraft crashed while working on a fire in New South Wales.

Fire Aviation sends out our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of the deceased pilot.

Blackhawk helicopter flies for the first time without a pilot on board

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Drone/UAV/UAS, HelicoptersTags , , , , 6 Comments on Blackhawk helicopter flies for the first time without a pilot on board
UH-60 Blackhawk first autonomous flight
UH-60 Blackhawk in first autonomous flight. February 5, 2022. DARPA photo.

For at least two years Erickson Inc. has been working with Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin to develop a new pilot optional nighttime firefighting solution for helicopters, integrating Sikorsky’s MATRIX Technology into a wildfire suppression system. It would enable the S-64 Air-Crane, which was originally manufactured by Sikorsky, to fight wildland fires during the day or night. Fire Aviation first wrote about this project in February, 2020.

Sikorsky is not limiting this pilot optional capability to the Air-Crane, of course. On February 5 they completed the first of what they occasionally call “uninhabited flight” with a UH-60A Blackhawk. On the runway in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, one of Sikorsky’s pilots in a Blackhawk helicopter flipped the optionally piloted cockpit switch from two to zero, exited the aircraft, and walked across the runway.

Moments later the aircraft, identifiable by DARPA’s logo and tail number N600PV, completed a pre-flight check list, started its engines, spun up its rotors, and took off with no crew onboard. All of it happened fully autonomously.

Equipped with ALIAS (Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System), the Blackhawk began executing a 30-minute mission. To demonstrate its ability to adapt to a variety of mission environments, the uninhabited BLACK HAWK navigated at typical speed and altitude through a simulated cityscape, avoiding computer-generated buildings while route re-planning in real time.

The BLACK HAWK helicopter then autonomously executed a series of pedal turns, then maneuvered and completed a perfect landing. Once it shut itself down, the two pilots approached and reentered the aircraft. The OPV (optionally-piloted vehicle) switch was reversed from zero to two, and then the pilots taxied back down the runway.

This flight marks the first time that a Blackhawk has flown autonomously. It illustrates how ALIAS-enabled aircraft can help soldiers successfully execute complex missions with selectable levels of autonomy – and, said Lockheed, with increased safety and reliability.

We wrote last March that the helicopter which may be Erickson’s most well known Air-Crane, the one named Elvis, was being gutted down to the studs, so to speak. The company planed to rebuild N179AC as an S-64F+ that could operate without a pilot in the cockpit or autonomously.

"Elvis", an Erickson Air-Crane
“Elvis”, an Erickson Air-Crane. Credit: Erickson

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Tom, Rick, and Gerald.