onsdag 30. september 2020

Farsund Lufthavn Lista inviterer til lagring av fly - NRK

Fikk denne fra en observant leser. Vel, jeg kan uten videre si at Lista skiller seg ut fra Victorville, Pima eller Alice Springs på flere måter som kan være en utfordring. Luftfuktighet, saltinnhold og temperatur er tre elementer som må tas i betraktning. OK, Sola har jo mange parkerte fly, så hvorfor ikke Lista? (Red.)

Vil ha parkerte fly til Lista: – Vi har god plass

Koronakrisa har tvunget flyselskaper til å sette flyene på bakken. Nå trengs det parkeringsplasser.

Sjekk hele artikkelen her: https://tinyurl.com/y6m67m63


Arne Mikalsen i flytårnet på Farsund Lufthavn Lista. Han er klar til å ta i mot inntil 150 fly.

FOTO: LARS EIE / NRK

Lars Gunnar EieJournalist

Publisert 15. sep. kl. 07:55 Oppdatert 15. sep. kl. 15:58

– Vi har fått flere henvendelser fra flyselskaper fra Norge og fra utlandet, sier Arne Mikalsen.

Han er styreleder i Farsund Aircraft Storage. De har et mål om å kunne parkere over 100 fly.

Den tidligere militærflyplassen på Lista i Agder er nå i privat eie.

– De trenger et sted å sette flyene sine over lang tid. Vi har god plass, sier Mikalsen.

Selskapet søker nå Luftfartstilsynet om å få lov til å ta ned større fly på flyplassen.

Helikopter - Norsk Luftambulanse mottar den første 5-bladet H145 - Airbus

 




Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation receives first ever five-bladed Airbus H145 helicopter

#newH145 #Innovation #Research #HEMS @AirbusHeli @Luftambulansen @SafranHCEngines

Donauwörth, 30 September 2020 Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first five-bladed H145 to the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation. This new version of its best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter brings a new, innovative five-bladed rotor to the multi-mission helicopter, increasing the useful load by 150 kg while delivering new levels of comfort, simplicity, and connectivity. It received certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in June and is now ready to take on a wide variety of missions.

“I would like to thank the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation for their trust in our helicopters and especially in the H145 family of helicopters. I can’t wait to see this new version in operation, contributing to the success of life-saving missions,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “Our teams have worked hard to bring this enhanced multi-mission helicopter to the market quickly.”

“We’re proud to be the first operator to use the new five-bladed H145 for our research and development projects,” says Hans Morten Lossius, Secretary General of Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation. “The increased useful load and the smooth flight make the new H145 the perfect choice for these purposes, which aim to further push the boundaries and enhance Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in Norway and in the whole air ambulance community.”

The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, founded by Norwegian doctor Jens Moe in 1978, is the mother company and owner of the Norwegian Air Ambulance. It brought HEMS to Norway by opening a first base near Oslo, using a BO105 helicopter rented from Germany. Today, Norwegian Air Ambulance operates all 13 HEMS bases in Norway and all 4 bases in Denmark using a 100% Helionix-equipped fleet of H135s and H145s. This helicopter is dedicated to support the Foundations important work to improve the HEMS operations.

The new version of Airbus’ best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter was unveiled at Heli-Expo 2019 in Atlanta with launch customers announced for all civil and parapublic mission segments.

Certification by the Federal Aviation Administration is under review and expected soon. The certification for the military version of the five-bladed H145 will be granted in 2021. The H145 is developed jointly with Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The first delivery by the Japanese cooperation partner is scheduled for early next year.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. It includes a high performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its class.

 

 

© Copyright Airbus Helicopters - Celian Bauduin

Mid-air i går - Hercen nødlandet wheels up - USMC F-35B havarerte - ASN Check live ATC

 

Status:
Date:Tuesday 29 September 2020
Type:Silhouette image of generic C130 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Lockheed KC-130J Hercules
Operator:United States Marine Corps
Registration:166765
C/n / msn:5565
First flight:
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage:Substantial
Location:near Salton City, CA (   United States of America)
Phase:En route (ENR)
Nature:Military
Departure airport:?
Destination airport:?
Narrative:
The U.S. Marine Corps confirmed an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during air-to-air refueling, causing the F-35B to crash. The pilot of the F-35B successfully ejected and is currently being treated.
The KC-130J belly landed in a field.

The audio was posted by JetScan1 over at LiveATC.net, you can listen to it for yourself here: https://tinyurl.com/yxfqq8uv.

Sjekk F-35B som går i bakken her: https://tinyurl.com/y2ahu2sf


Photo: USMC

Ikke grei den der....

Fra Twitter - Ferskt bilde i går; fuel spruter, og prop #1 er skadd. Godt jobba av flygerne, og heldige som fant nypløyd mark som ikke ga gnister........

USMC F-35B




Mid-Air Collision over USA - KC-130 og F-15 nylig

 Mer detaljer straks de foreligger, men det er bilder av en C-130 som har nødlandet i en åker, tilsynelatene med mindre skader. En F-15 har havarert. 

Heder til Garmin for Autoland programmet - AIN

 

AIN Alerts
September 29, 2020  

Garmin Chief Test Pilot Honored for Autoland Program

 - September 29, 2020, 11:55 AM

The Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) honored Tom Carr, Garmin director of flight operations and chief test pilot, with the 2020 Iven C. Kincheloe Award for his role in the Garmin Autoland flight-test program. Presented in a virtual awards ceremony last week, the award recognizes outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing.

SETP established the Iven C. Kincheloe Award in 1958 in memory of the veteran flight test pilot and U.S. Air Force Korean war ace. It is considered the highest honor from the group.

The Kincheloe Award in particular recognized Carr for his role as the experimental test pilot in the Autoland flight test program. Carr has flown hundreds of approaches and fully-automated landings using Autoland in the Columbia 400, Piper M600, and Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet, including tests involved as part of the FAA certification program. 

Carr has a 42-year career in experimental flight test, including as director of flight operations and chief test pilot at Garmin for 17 years. His experience spans 192 different aircraft types ranging from gliders to four-engine jets.

“His dedication to the advancement of flight testing, along with his perseverance and pioneering vision, have played a vital role in bringing innovative Garmin products to market and into the hands of our customers," said Phil Straub, executive v-p and managing director of aviation.


Symptomatisk for koronasituasjonen - Boneyard i Alice Springs straks full - Australian Aviation

Australian Aviation

 



News30 September 2020
https://australianaviation.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Alice-Springs-boneyard-September-2020-600x336.jpg
Alice Springs boneyard nears new
capacity

The Alice Springs boneyard appears to be reaching 

its new expanded capacity of 100 aircraft after the 

NT government invested $3.5 million into the site. 

Read more

viation Daily Roundup, Sept. 29 - AW&ST

Her er oppdateringen: https://tinyurl.com/y5mrlq4v 

Helikopteret med mayday - SH kommenterer


 Nyhetsvarsling fra Statens havarikommisjon:

Statens havarikommisjon undersøker alvorlig hendelse med helikopter utenfor Sola lufthavn

Fredag 25. september var Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation S-92A, LN-ONQ på vei tilbake til Sola etter en tur til plattformen West Elara. Under nedstigning fikk besetningen et varsel om at oljetrykket på hovedgirboksen hadde sunket. Under den videre flygingen mot Sola steg oljetemperaturen og besetningen sendte nødmelding og gikk ned til en høyde på 200 ft. De forberedte seg på å lande på sjøen dersom oljetrykket skulle forsvinne helt. Landingen på Sola var udramatisk og helikopteret ble fulgt til parkering av mannskaper fra brann- og redningsavdelingen. Havarikommisjonen ankom Sola samme kveld, og startet innledende undersøkelser. Så langt er det ikke funnet noen forklaring på det som skjedde.

Les hele artikkelen

tirsdag 29. september 2020

Vanvittig prosjekt igangsettes i Bodø - Nettavisen Økonomi

Staten skal bruke seks milliarder kroner på å flytte Bodø lufthavn 900 meter. Alle pengene går tapt, ifølge ny rapport.

21.06.20 17:56

Det har lenge vært en drøm for Bodø-politikere å få flyttet flyplassen. Begrunnelsen er at de vil bygge ut byen med en ny bydel. Men flyplassen hindrer denne utbyggingen.

Dermed er det tenkt å flytte rullebanen med 900 meter og bygge en flunkende ny flyplass i Bodø til en prislapp på seks milliarder kroner. Noe av begrunnelsen kommer etter jagerflyene forsvant fra byen, og ble flyttet til Ørlandet i Trøndelag.

Samfunnsøkonomisk tap

Etter mye dragkamp og tung lobbykampanje fra en rekke Bodø-politikere, er nå prosjektet ikke langt unna første spadetak. I 2018 var statsminister Erna Solberg (H) på besøk til Bodø og lovet at flyplassen skulle stå klar i 2025.

– Dette er en milepæl for Bodø. Regjeringen, Venstre og KrF er enige om å sette i gang by- og flyplassprosjektet i Bodø i den første perioden av planperioden, og den nye flyplassen skal stå ferdig i 2025, sa statsministeren.

Denne uken kom det imidlertid en ny rapport om prosjektet fra Holte Consulting på oppdrag fra Finansdepartementet. Den viser at alle pengene som investeres i prosjektet er samfunnsøkonomisk tap.

Analysebyrået finner ingen samfunnsøkonomisk gevinst med prosjektet, ifølge rapporten.

Hovedhensikten med prosjektet er ifølge Avinor som har ansvar for alle norske flyplasser, at arealene i Bodø kommune skal frigjøres. Og dermed skal det styrke regionens mulighet til videre vekst. Det begrunnes med at investeringen vil gi «verdiskapning, næringsutvikling og bosetning».

Prosjektet har skapt splittelse i Nord-Norge. For mens Bodø er for prosjektet, har den Tromsø-baserte avisen Nordlys gått hardt ut mot prosjektet.

– Rapporten er pinlig for Bodø, og flaut for Nord-Norge, som vil tape på å stille seg bak ønsker som ikke er basert på reelle behov. Men her er regjeringen bondefanget i et kompleks som vil føre til andre flyplasser i nord enten blir nedlagt eller ikke utbygd, skriver Nordlys på lederplass.

Politisk redaktør Skjalg Fjellheim i Nordlys utdyper til Nettavisen:

– Her er fornuften fraværende. Alternativ foreligger, som er langt rimeligere, men vil eller kan ikke benyttes fordi man heller vi kaste bort mange milliarder som aldri vil kunne bli lønnsomt eller gi noen regional effekt. Det er uforståelig at Avinor som har tapt massivt med inntekter og prioriterer knallhardt over hele landet, ikke velger en nedskalert løsning med opprustning og forlengelse av eksisterende rullebane, og nytt terminalbygg, sier han.

Han mener prosjektet er bygget på helt feil premisser, nemlig om en urealistisk befolkningsvekst i Bodø.

– Det er en dårlig ide å rette opp en gammel tabbe med å begå en ny og enda større. Dette er basert på urealistiske prognoser av befolkningsvekst i Bodø, og vil føre til en massiv sentralisering i Nordland. I stedet for å sløse bort så enormt mye penger på å flytte en rullebane 900 meter, burde det være lett å finne alternativ nytte for samfunnet. For eksempel kan man legge disse pengene inn i Husbanken for å gjøre det attraktivt for unge mennesker å etablere seg over hele Nordland, sier han.

Aerospace & Defence Roundup Sept. 28 - AW&ST


Sjekk oppdatering her: https://tinyurl.com/yxlnmzkw 

GA ulykke i fjor på Værnes - SH

 


Statens havarikommisjon har avgitt rapport:

Rapport om luftfartsulykke på Trondheim lufthavn Værnes 26. september 2019 med Cessna Aircraft Company R182, LN-IPR

Da flyet ble landet på rullebane 09, trakk hovedhjulene seg inn mens nesehjulet forble utfelt. Flyet ble påført synlige skader på høyre høydestabilisator. Begge om bord var uskadet etter landingen. Ulykken førte til at Trondheim lufthavn Værnes ble stengt en time. Havarikommisjonens mener at hjulhåndtaket ikke ble plassert helt ned og i låst posisjon da understellet skulle felles ut. Dette har sannsynlig ført til at hovedhjulene ble presset inn da flyet landet.

Les hele rapporten

Korona skaper problemer for hele flyverdenen - Her et par nye eksempler - Curt Lewis

 

Cathay Pacific pilots push for seat at table for restructuring talks


SYDNEY (Reuters) - Pilots at Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd are pushing to be included in restructuring talks at the carrier and will run a newspaper advertisement to drum up public support, a union representing them told Reuters on Tuesday.

The comments come after the group this month declined to apply for more government employment subsidies for its main business units, freeing it from the condition to retain jobs tied to the grants and fuelling worries of layoffs.

"What we want is to make sure if there is some sort of decision with regards to the future of the pilots, that we will be involved in discussions on what the structure looks like," said Chris Beebe, the general secretary of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA).

Beebe declined to comment on whether pilots would offer concessions like temporary salary cuts or unpaid leave schemes as have been agreed at other airlines amid crumbling demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Many Cathay pilots had already participated in a company-wide voluntary unpaid leave scheme, he said.

The union will run an advertisement in the South China Morning Post on Wednesday in its push for a seat at the table for talks on the restructuring plan that is due to be announced in the fourth quarter, Beebe said.

The advertisement will highlight HKAOA-commissioned research in which most respondents said they thought the union's 2,200 members were important to the city's global reputation.

Cathay did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The carrier, which received a $5 billion government rescue package, has refrained from large-scale job cuts but has warned it is reviewing all aspects of its business model.

HKAOA represents pilots at the main brand, Cathay Pacific. Pilots at regional brand Cathay Dragon and low-cost carrier HK Express are represented by other unions.

Several employees have told Reuters on condition of anonymity that they are bracing for major job losses.

Rival Singapore Airlines Ltd has already announced plans to cut around 20% of positions, while Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd has said it will cut nearly 30% of its pre-pandemic staff.

https://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSL4N2GO0RB?il=0

United, pilots agree on schedule reductions to avoid nearly 3,000 furloughs


  • United Airlines' pilots agreed to reduce their hours to avoid furloughs of close to 3,000 pilots.
  • Carriers have turned to a variety of measures to avoid involuntary furloughs such as leaves of absence and buyouts.
United Airlines' pilots approved a plan to avoid furloughs until at least June 2021, the company said Monday, marking the latest cost-cutting deal between an airline and one of its biggest labor groups during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chicago-based carrier earlier this month said it planned to furlough 2,850 pilots, starting Oct. 1, when $25 billion in federal aid that protects airline sector jobs expires. Another 1,000 furloughs were planned for next year. It later reached a preliminary agreement with the pilots' union to reduce minimum hours, essentially spreading schedules out among pilots, and maintain pay rates, which was later approved by union members.

The airline is still planning to cut roughly 13,000 jobs beginning next month. American Airlines is planning to slash about 19,000 jobs. Tens of thousands of other employees across all U.S. airlines have accepted carriers' offers of buyouts or leaves of absence aimed at reducing head count.

Airlines are hesitant to furlough pilots because their training is costly and time-consuming. The deal will keep pilots on the aircraft they're trained on.

While United CEO Scott Kirby has said he doesn't expect demand to return to more than half of 2019 levels without a vaccine, he has emphasized that the carrier should be ready to take advantage of a recovery.

"While we still face a difficult path to recovery, your support of this creative and unique agreement puts us in an unparalleled position of strength when demand recovers," United's senior vice president of flight operations, Bryan Quigley, wrote in a staff note Monday. "In addition to avoiding furloughs, this agreement greatly enhances our ability to bounce back - so we can welcome more passengers and return to the 2019 levels of seat and fleet advancement more quickly."

The deal won 58% approval from United's roughly 12,000 pilots, will make deeper cuts to minimum hours of pilots who are more junior.

Airlines are fighting for new federal funds as October furloughs loom
Labor unions and airline executives are urging lawmakers to provide an additional $25 billion in aid that would preserve jobs through the end of March. Further aid has won bipartisan support in Congress and from President Donald Trump. But lawmakers so far haven't reached a new national coronavirus stimulus package that would include the aid, though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that another relief proposal is possible.

"With this agreement now solidified, we will turn our focus back to Congress to secure a much-needed CARES Act extension to keep our industry solvent until we recover from this pandemic," Capt. Todd Insler, chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association's United chapter, said in a statement.

If airlines get additional aid, the new agreement with pilots would be paused. The deal also included another early retirement option for pilots over the age of 50 with 10 or more years of experience.

United's shares ended the day up 5.1% at $35.94. Delta Air Lines, which is still negotiating with its pilots' union to avoid 1,941 furloughs, added 5.2% to $31.34, while American rose 3.8% to $12.76.

Flightradar24 tatt av lufta - Curt Lewis

 Popular Flight Tracking Website Flightradar24 Forced Offline After "Sustained" Cyber Attack


One of the most popular flight tracking websites in the world has been forced offline after a series of "sustained" cyber attacks. In a series of Tweets, Flightradar24 told followers that the third attack in just two days had crashed the website for at least 10 hours as engineers scrambled to "mitigate" the attack and get the service back up and running.

"For the third time in two days, Flightradar24 is under attack. Our engineers are working to mitigate the attack as quickly as possible and we hope to be backtracking flights soon. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience. Updates to follow in thread," the service said on Monday night.

The service remained unavailable on Tuesday morning. "Attacks on our systems continue and while we were able to bring services back for a short time, significant instability due to the sustained attacks has forced us to refocus our efforts to mitigate them," a later update explained.

It was not immediately clear why Flightradar24 was subject to a cyberattack but the website reassured visitors that private information was safe. The website sales subscription plans that unlock more detailed information about flights.

Flightradar24 wasn't able to provide an estimate on when the website would be back up and running.

In a normal day, Flightradar24 claims to welcome over two million users and has proved incredibly popular even after the COVID-19 pandemic grounded flights worldwide. The site is often used to track high-profile flights and to provide early information after a crash.

Koronaoppfinnsomheten er stor - Spis ombord i en SIA A380 på bakken! - Aviation24.be

 

Singapore Airlines offers two exclusive dinner options … take-off not included!

Experience Singapore Airlines’ First Class or Business Class dining at home: enjoy a taste of Singapore Airlines, delivered to your home. Order a home-dining experience for two created by our world-renowned International Culinary Panel chefs, paired with your choice of wine or champagne. For a perfect re-creation of our First Class or Business Class experience at home, purchase the all-inclusive package, which comes with the exquisite tableware and luxurious amenities available exclusively onboard our flights.



For more information: visit SIA@home (Singapore Airlines)For two days only (on 24 and 25 October), Singapore Airlines will be hosting dinners on their Airbus A380 double-decker superjumbo, located at Singapore’s Changi Airport.

Join the airline for a memorable dining experience in your choice of cabin class, topped with Singapore Airlines’ award-winning service, you can even watch a movie while you dine!

Savour signature international Singapore Airlines dishes in this unique restaurant. Or enjoy the best dishes from the Peranakan menu, specially designed by acclaimed Singaporean chef Shermay Lee. Pair your meal with two complimentary alcoholic drinks and a free flow of other beverages.

For more information: visit dine on board the A380 at Changi (Singapore Airlines)

Both dinner options are available on KrisShop, the airline’s online shopping site.

If you are a KrisFlyer member, you can redeem your miles for this experience or earn miles when you book.

Long Haul Low Cost Carriers - Ikke særlig lystelige utsikter - AW&ST

 



MAX Fallout - Nok en gjennomgang av lov- og regelverket for sertifisering - Curt Lewis

 


U.S. lawmakers propose airplane certification reforms after fatal Boeing crashes



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Monday introduced bipartisan legislation to reform the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) aircraft certification process in the wake of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes.

The Boeing 737 MAX has been grounded since March 2019 after two crashes in five months killed 346 people. Boeing did not immediately comment.

The committee is set to vote on Wednesday on the proposed legislation that would require U.S. aircraft manufacturers to adopt safety management systems and requires an expert review panel to evaluate Boeing's safety culture and make recommendations for improvements.

The proposal, which has the backing of committee chair Peter DeFazio, a Democrat, and the top Republican Sam Graves would also require manufacturers to complete system safety assessments for significant design changes, ensure risk calculations are based on realistic assumptions of pilot response time, and share risk assessments with the FAA.

DeFazio said Congress can "meaningfully address the gaps in the regulatory system for certifying aircraft and adopt critical reforms that will improve public safety and ensure accountability at all levels going forward."

The prospects for winning approval for the legislation this year remain unclear. On Sept. 16, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee postponed consideration of a separate bill to overhaul FAA aircraft certification.

The same day, House Transportation committee Democrats issued a report that found the 737 MAX crashes were the "horrific culmination" of failures by Boeing and the FAA and called for urgent reforms.

The House bill would extend airline whistleblower protections to U.S. manufacturing employees, require FAA approval of new workers performing delegated certification tasks for the agency and impose civil penalties against those who interfere with performance of FAA-authorized duties.

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson will conduct an evaluation flight at the controls of a 737 MAX on Wednesday, a key milestone as the U.S. planemaker works to win approval to resume flights.

Business Jet - SVGS utvikles for stadig flere flytyper - AIN

 Dette er bra greier. Selve begrepet SVGS er gjerne en sekkepost for flere løsninger, men vitsen er å presentere geografiske detaljer, i all slags vær og mørke, på et dertil egnet display, oftest en HUD. (Red.)

AIN Alerts

Embraer Gets Nod for Synthetic Vision Guidance System

 - September 28, 2020, 11:25 AM
Embraer Praetor 600
The newly certified synthetic vision guidance system (SVGS) for the Embraer Praetor 500/600 allows crews to shoot approaches to 150-foot decision heights, 50 feet lower than the standard decision height and thus increasing operational efficiency. SVGS is available for new-production Praetors, as well as a retrofit for the Legacy 450/500 and Praetor 500/600. (Phot:: Embraer

Embraer has received a thumbs up from Brazil’s ANAC and the FAA for its synthetic vision guidance system (SVGS) on the Praetor 500 and 600, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer announced today. This makes it the first business jet OEM to receive SVGS certification, it added.

The newly certified system provides pilots with a dynamic perception of position, trend, and motion that allows pilots to shoot approaches to a decision height of 150 feet agl (SA-CAT I), 50 feet lower than the standard decision height. According to Embraer, this increases operational efficiency and permits access to several airports during inclement weather and lower-ceiling approaches.

SVGS can be used with or without the Embraer enhanced vision system and is now available for new-production Praetor 500/600s. It can also be retrofitted to Legacy 450/500s and Praetor 500/600s at any Embraer owned or authorized service center.

“At Embraer, we are committed to continuously improving our products to deliver the ultimate experience in business aviation,” said Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Michael Amalfitano. “Thanks to our engineering team and partnership with Collins Aerospace, Embraer is proud to offer business aviation’s first synthetic vision guidance system on the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600.”


UAM i California venter på Supplemental Type Certificate fra FAA- AIN


 AIN Alerts

Eco Helicopters Launching Urban Air Mobility Operations

 - September 25, 2020, 8:00 AM
Robinson R44 EcoMax
Test pilot Ric Webb flying the electric-powered Robinson R44. The Electric Power Unit can be seen attached to the bottom of the R44 and provides about 60 minutes of endurance.

Eco Helicopters plans to begin urban air mobility (UAM) charter flights in Southern California with a fleet of Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters that will be converted to electric propulsion as soon as the supplemental type certificate (STC) is FAA approved. Instead of waiting for the STC and then building an operating network with a fleet of electric-powered R44s, the company aims to grow a UAM-type charter business in normal piston-powered R44s and then transition them to electric power. The UAM flights in the four-seat piston singles will begin in the second quarter of 2021.

According to Eco Helicopters, it will share the benefits of what it says will be a much lower cost of operation from the electric motors with charter customers and the owners of helicopters that will be leased back to the operator. “The idea is to not wait for the final STC but to put aircraft into charter and tours and create that business model and keep expanding. Then we swap out the engine and install the electric power unit,” said Ric Webb, Eco Helicopters CEO and owner and founder of OC Helicopters. “We want to get in business now and not years from now.”

Eco Helicopters is an offshoot of charter company OC Helicopters, which is based at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. OC Helicopters, founded by former military and helicopter test pilot Webb, has been flying helicopter tours and charters in California since 2007. The company is located in Palm Springs, California, at the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Innovation Hub and Accelerator Campus. 

Robinson R44 EcoMax

The EcoMax Electric Power Unit attaches to the bottom of the R44, replacing the engine but retaining the existing powertrain.

Webb piloted the first test flight of the R44 fitted with the Electric Power Unit (EPU) and made Guinness World Record flights in the electric R44, including a five-minute flight at 400 feet and 80 knots, the first two-person electric helicopter flight, and speed record of 100 knots, and farthest distance. 

Now Eco Helicopters says it has everything needed to deliver on the goal of a UAM operation, but with electric flight to be added later. OC Helicopters developed a mobile app for booking helicopter flights in 2018, and that will be updated to a new version under the Eco Helicopters brand. A key feature of the app is that users can book an end-to-end trip that includes Uber ground transportation directly to the airport or heliport location where the helicopter pickup/dropoff takes place.

In transitioning to a UAM operation, Eco Helicopters is adopting a different business model. OC Helicopters currently owns or leases its helicopters, Webb explained, but he didn’t want to try to raise funds to pay for more R44s for the EPU-powered fleet. He felt that offering leaseback opportunities, where individuals buy and lease the R44s to Eco Helicopters, would help the company grow faster. Plus it gives buyers an opportunity to make an early investment in an electric aircraft program that is more than a speculative design with hoped-for future certification.

“I think it’s a little different model than other electric programs out there,” he said. “We put all the pieces of the puzzle together.”

One of those pieces is a partnership with newly formed KiloWatt Aviation, the sales agent for the leaseback R44s, which will be called EcoMax. Buyers will work with Kilowatt to purchase the EcoMax R44 and place it into charter service with Eco Helicopters, where the helicopter will generate revenue for the owner. After the EPU is certified, that revenue should climb significantly because of the much lower operating costs of the electric-powered R44, according to Webb.

“You don’t have to wait five years for an airframe to be developed,” said Gary Bushouse, Kilowatt Aviation’s director of business development. “We are marketing the acquisition of the R44 Raven II with the existing powerplant and when the EPU is ready, at no additional cost, we will retrofit it to allow you to take advantage of the added revenue.”

The EPU will be exclusive to the Eco Helicopters program. “The only way to get an electric-driven R44 will be through our program,” he said. “Taking a larger chunk of direct operating costs out means more profit by operating an eco-friendly aircraft. Any other option will take years, and we don’t see anything with a type certificate on the horizon. This is a total solution. Everything else is an airframer in search of a market.” 

Eco Helicopters is working with another company on development of the EPU, which will give the R44 an initial endurance of approximately 60 minutes, according to Webb. The R44s in the program will be new ones equipped with a Garmin G500H-700L TXi touchscreen display, GTN 650Xi GPS navigator, radar altimeter, and other equipment. As a helicopter charter and tour operator, Webb is well aware of noise issues when flying in a heavily populated metropolitan area. The EcoMax R44 will not only be more environmentally friendly but much quieter than its piston-powered competitors. And this will allow Eco Helicopters to expand into new markets where noise and fuel availability prevent helicopters from operating, including popular tourist locales. “There are locations that helicopter operators cannot operate out of due to restrictions on fuel,” Webb said. “Since we don't need fuel, that opens markets that have never been tapped before.” 


While Webb isn’t providing many details of the EPU technology yet, he did discuss his experience flying the electric R44. The biggest difference between the piston and electric R44, besides the lack of noise and vibration, is the startup time, which is about one minute. “There is no need to warm up the engine,” he said. “You can bring it up to speed and start lifting.” 

As a helicopter pilot, Webb appreciates that unlike a drone or typical electric VTOL aircraft, the EcoMax R44 retains its ability to autorotate safely in case of powerplant failure. 

The EPU replaces the R44’s piston engine, basically bolting on to the bottom of the helicopter, but it doesn’t replace the gearbox and other mechanical connections between the engine and rotor system. The EPU includes the battery system, charger, and electric motor. 

Notably, the EPU doesn’t change the operating parameters or performance of the R44, which makes certification easier. “The EPU mimics the R44 to a tee,” Webb said. “All we are doing is changing out the powerplant and making it green.” But unlike a piston engine that develops less power at higher altitudes where air is less dense, the electric-powered R44 will deliver the same power level at any altitude. "I have 100 percent of the power 100 percent of the time," he said.

What the buyer gets when purchasing an EcoMax R44 from KiloWatt Aviation is the current piston-powered helicopter and a pre-lease on the EPU. The buyer owns the helicopter but not the EPU and at any time can opt to swap the EPU back to the preserved piston engine and keep the helicopter as a normally configured R44. Owners aren’t buying access to even their own helicopters, however. If they want to fly, they have to charter the R44 EcoMax just like any customer, although there is a discounted rate for owners. This helps preserve operational control under the OC Helicopters charter certificate.

The opportunity to make money on leasing the EcoMax back to Eco Helicopters comes because of the low operating costs. The Lycoming piston engine on the R44 must be overhauled at least every 2,200 hours, but Webb said the EPU motor should last 10,000 to 12,000 hours. And electric motors need little if any maintenance between flights as there are few parts that wear out.

Webb anticipates that flying between the 12 Southern California heliports and airports will help with maintaining a charging network for the EcoMax fleet. The EPU can be charged either by plugging into the grid or swapping out the battery. “Theoretically we could swap the battery almost as fast as we can fill it up with fuel,” Webb said.

"We’re looking forward to bringing in the future now," he said. "It’s time, and we’re going to make things better."