El.fly - Harbour Air går for elektrisk - BCA

MAY
31

BCA Digest Business & Commercial Aviation

Harbour Air To Convert Fleet To Electric Propulsion

Apr 22, 2019Graham Warwick | Business & Commercial Aviation

Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane airline, has partnered with motor developer magniX to convert its fleet to electric propulsion. The companies plan to replace the radial piston engine in one of the airline’s de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers with the startup’s 750-hp electric motor. The “re-motored” aircraft is expected to fly by the end of 2019 and will be used as the test aircraft for supplemental type certification of the conversion. Harbour Air plans to begin commercial service with the electric-powered Beaver in 2022, says magniX CEO Roei Ganzarski and wants to convert its entire fleet of almost 35 seaplanes, including the larger DHC-3 Otter and DHC-6 Twin Otter.

The Vancouver-based airline operates 12 routes to islands and other locations in the Pacific Northwest. A typical Beaver flight lasts 10-20 min. “We can do that with today’s batteries, let alone with 2022 batteries, which will provide longer range,” Ganzarski says. “Harbour Air understands what we can do today. For Seattle-Vancouver, they use a Cessna Caravan. We can’t do that with today’s batteries,” he says. “We can’t do 200 mi., but a Beaver flying 65-70 mi. between islands does make sense.” Harbour Air operations also lend themselves to electric propulsion, with frequent stops during which batteries can be recharged. Ganzarski says, “A 20-min. flight, 20-min. charging, and Harbour Air’s turnaround times are 30 min. to 1 hr. They can do this without changing the aircraft or their business model.”

At 750 hp, the magni500 motor is significantly more powerful than the Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine powering the DHC-2. But Ganzarski says operators already are reengining their Beavers with the more-powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop. “If they are looking for more power, we can make it clean. And an electric motor is not affected by altitude,” he says, noting piston and turbine engines lose power with altitude. The cost of “re-motoring” an aircraft like the Beaver “should be equivalent to reengining with a PT6,” says Ganzarski. But the operating cost should be significantly less because of the lower maintenance required by electric motors. “The five-year life-cycle cost should be 20-80% cheaper than today.” Under the partnership, Harbour Air will help with engineering of the modification and hold the STC to convert its own fleet and those of other operators. The plan is to begin with certification of the Beaver, then move on to the DHC-3 Otter, DHC-3T Turbo Otter and the DHC-6 Twin Otter. MagniX will be responsible for all aspects of the electrification, including the charging infrastructure, he says.

Hacket av ladestasjoner - Les denne før du lader - Curt Lewis

This Common Practice Could Get Your Phone Hacked at an Airport


Turns out, those "charges" aren't exactly free.

Imagine you're de-boarding a flight and after pulling out your phone to switch it off of "airplane mode," you realize you're at 15 % battery. "Yikes," you think, as you remember that you left your charger at home, and with your one-hour layover, you're going to need some juice, so to speak. Luckily there's a seat next to a column at a gate that has a USB outlet where you can grab a charge. But maybe you should reconsider this innocuous practice.

The transportation industry was the second-most attacked sector-a huge jump from its 10th place in 2017-according to in a recently-released study from the 2019 IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index that shows how cybercriminals are changing their techniques to hack devices.

What's their secret? The low battery life on your phone.

"Plugging into a public USB port is kind of like finding a toothbrush on the side of the road and deciding to stick it in your mouth," said X-Force Vice President Caleb Barlow in an interview with Forbes. "You have no idea where that thing has been." Since USB connections can be modified by cybercriminals, malware can be downloaded or installed on your phone without your knowledge once you plug in.

Additionally, Barlow pointed out that a rogue cord itself could be hazardous: "If you see an Apple charging cord, you're likely to grab it or just plug into it. But inside this cord is an extra chip that deploys the malware, so it charges your phone, but now I own your computer."

How Do I Avoid Being Hacked-Because I Need to Charge My Phone!
"Plugging into a public USB port is kind of like finding a toothbrush on the side of the road and deciding to stick it in your mouth."

Barlow recommends passengers [remember] to bring a portable power bank and plug it into a standard electrical outlet in the wall. A portable charger is also worth your money, and its convenience (you can take it anywhere, not just the airport) cannot be understated. Also, if your phone has a "Low Power Mode" make sure to turn it on and leave it on during your travels. "Airplane Mode" will also save you precious battery power. If you must, use your regular charger (bring it from home) and plug it into an electrical socket instead of a USB port, which can pass data.

Kritisk bok skaper bølger - Forfatter/flyger saksøkt og frikjent - Curt Lewis

Judge tosses airline's $10M libel suit against pilot, saying importance of safety debate outweighed harm

Alan Eugeni's book about his time with Air Georgian was at times sensationalist, but 'on a matter of significant public importance,' the judge wrote


Pilot Alan Eugeni, author of the self-published book The Next Plane Crash, and former pilot for Air Georgian, at a hanger in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, in October 2017.Dario Ayala for National Post

An Ontario judge has thrown out a major regional airline's $10-million libel action against one of its former pilots, ruling the lawsuit had an unduly chilling effect on discussion of air safety.

Alan Eugeni's book about his experiences at Air Georgian - where his starting salary as a pilot was $32,000 - was at times provocative and sensationalist and lacked input from the airline, said Justice Shaun O'Brien.

But she found the public importance of debate about the company's safety record outweighed any damage done to the firm, an Air Canada sub-contractor.

"Mr. Eugeni spoke out on a matter of significant public importance," concluded the judge in a 16-page written decision released this week. "He caused limited harm to Air Georgian with his self-published book, but was silenced by a much more intimidating litigant ... I consider the balance to weigh in favour of protecting the expression."

The pilot had asked that the case be dismissed before trial under the province's relatively new anti-SLAPP legislation, designed to combat defamation suits that suppress important public discourse. (SLAPP stands for "strategic lawsuit against public participation.")

Eugeni criticized Air Georgian's approach to safety and maintenance in a book and in interviews with the National Post, criticisms that were echoed by other current and former crew members with whom the Post spoke as part of a 2017 investigation into the airline's safety record. A Transportation Safety Board report last year also raised systemic concerns about the airline's maintenance practices.

Georgian, which carries 1.5 million passengers a year on 63,000 short-haul flights under the Air Canada Express banner, has strenuously rejected the complaints, noting it is one of just a handful of Canadian carriers that have passed a rigorous international safety audit.

Air Canada ended its contract with Georgian after the Post's investigation. Their deal is slated to end next February as another company - Jazz Aviation - takes over its flights. Both Air Georgian and Air Canada have denied the end of the contract is connected to the Post's investigation or to Georgian's safety record.

In the wake of the Post's reporting Georgian threatened to sue both the newspaper and another pilot, but proceeded only with a suit against Eugeni.

Mr. Eugeni appears to have made minimal efforts to verify his serious allegations

The airline said that while the ruling validates some of its concerns, it disagrees with the bottom line and plans to appeal.

The judge's assessment of Eugeni's book "confirms the position (Georgian) has taken from the outset - that Mr. Eugeni has been pursuing his own agenda with little regard to the objective facts," said Air Georgian lawyer Matthew Law.

The ruling should also give "considerable pause" to the Post in repeating such allegations, Law said.

Eugeni said Wednesday it felt "wonderful" for the case to be dismissed, and that he stands by everything he has said about his former employer.

Under the SLAPP process, the judge first had to decide if the airline had a reasonable case, and if there was a reasonable possibility that Eugeni's defences could fail at a trial.

One of those defences was that the statements were true, but the judge noted that Air Georgian had submitted evidence contradicting some of Eugeni's allegations, including claims he experienced four emergency landings and that all his simulator training was in the middle of the night.

"His wording at times is provocative and sensationalized," said O'Brien. "While Mr. Eugeni's focus was on telling his own story, he appears to have made minimal efforts to verify his serious allegations."


Air Georgian carries 1.5 million passengers a year on 63,000 short-haul flights under the Air Canada Express banner. But their deal is slated to end next February. Peter J. Thompson/National Post

Regardless, the pilot's lawyer, Howard Winkler, conceded for the purpose of the pre-trial motion that a reasonable trier could rule Eugeni had no valid defence.

That meant the case came down to whether the public's interest in hearing Eugeni's views about air safety outweighed any harm done to Georgian's reputation.

O'Brien said that possible harm - mostly an increased turnover in the company's staff - seemed minimal and was more likely to stem from other reasons, like an industry-wide shortage of pilots and articles in the Post. Eugeni's book sold only 247 copies before Georgian convinced Amazon to remove its listing, and the libel suit prompted the pilot to take down his own website selling it.

Meanwhile, the book's disappearance suggests the suit impeded the pilot's ability to express himself, said the judge.

"He has said he does not feel free to pursue an important conversation about the safety of regional airlines and, in particular, Air Georgian," wrote O'Brien. "In other words, actual libel chill is in issue here."

Winkler said the ruling is among about a dozen so far under Ontario's 2015 SLAPP law, which will be further tested in two Supreme Court of Canada appeals this November.

"It's a victory for freedom of expression," he said of the decision. "Its application was exactly as the legislation intended, and that is to end costly, protracted litigation by those in a superior power position against those who are speaking out in the public interest."

Business Jet - Alvorlig uhell som skapte store forsinkelser ved flyplassen - Curt Lewis

Cessna 560XL Citation XLS+ - Runway Excursion (Spain)

Date:	30-MAY-2019
Time:	c. 12:00 UTC
Type:	Cessna 560XL Citation XLS+
Owner/operator:	Air Hamburg
Registration:	D-CGAA
C/n / msn:	560-6173
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Unknown
Location:	Alicante Airport (LEAL) -    Spain
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Amsterdam-Schiphol International Airport (AMS/EHAM)
Destination airport:	Alicante Airport (ALC/LEAL)

Narrative:
A Cessna 560XL suffered a runway excursion after landing at Alicante Airport, Spain.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/225628

MAX - Oppdatering - Curt Lewis

First on CNN: Despite crashes, Boeing proposes no simulator training for 737 MAX pilots Washington (CNN)Boeing's proposal to bring back the 737 Max has included a computer-based training program that, like requirements before two crashes involving the aircraft, does not involve hands-on simulator training before allowing pilots to resume flying the troubled aircraft once it is no longer grounded, CNN has learned. Following the crashes involving Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines in October and March in which 346 people died, some pilots and aviation consultants criticized Boeing for the aircraft's training requirements that previously involved a short, self-administered online course and no simulator time. While the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet announced any decisions on final training requirements, Boeing's training proposal for the aircraft's updated software included computer lessons without mandated simulator training, according to a pilots' union and a source familiar with the discussions. The training proposal has not been previously reported. The proposal to require only computer-based training could save airlines money and time when the FAA lifts flight restrictions on the Boeing-made aircraft. When the 737 Max initially went into service, as a selling point, Boeing told airlines it was similar enough to previous versions of the aircraft that they could avoid more extensive simulator training, CNN previously reported. A full-flight simulator can range in price from roughly $6 million to $15 million and can cost hundreds of dollars per hour to use, according to a spokesperson for CAE, a simulator manufacturer that has sold 737 Max simulators to airlines. Dennis Tajer, spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, said some pilots in his group found Boeing's draft training materials to be "inadequate." Tajer said his group believed Boeing's proposed training materials related to the plane's MCAS system, which is designed to push the nose of the airplane down if it senses an imminent stall and is believed to have played a role in both crashes, needed improvement in terms of presentation and content. "If you are going to hang your hat on computer-based training, it better be the best of the best if you don't have simulators going with it," Tajer said. One person familiar with the proposal says pilots on one major US airline could complete re-training its 737 Max pilots in 30 days. Tajer said the Allied Pilots Association does not oppose additional simulator training if consensus is reached that that should be required, but he said his group remains more concerned about ensuring pilots have the information they need in flight checklists that explain procedures. He said Boeing did provide supplemental training modules that contained informative diagrams his group found "to be quite good." "We want to tell Boeing that this is a global issue, and we are imploring Boeing not just to provide optionality about how deep the training goes. Tell the FAA what you think should be mandatory," Tajer said. Mike Trevino, a spokesperson for the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, told CNN his group does not believe simulator training should be a prerequisite for returning the 737 MAX to service. A spokesperson for Boeing said the company is in the process of finalizing 737 Max training requirements for submission to the FAA. The crashes involving Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air sparked international debate about training requirements for pilots learning to fly updated aircraft models. In April, an FAA panel concluded in a draft report that simulator-based training is not necessary for pilots who flew the previous version of the 737. While international regulators met with the FAA in Fort Worth, Texas, last week and discussed training requirements for the 737 MAX, no conclusions about those requirements have been announced. An FAA spokesperson said in a statement, "Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell has said repeatedly that no final decisions have been made on pilot training or modifications to emergency procedures on the Boeing 737 Max. The FAA is focused on the 737 Max and ensuring its safe return to service." Following the FAA meeting, Canada's director general of civil aviation, Nicholas Robinson, said his agency Transport Canada wants to see Boeing's final training proposal before deciding on whether simulator training should be required. Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights, a nonprofit travel-consumer group, told CNN flight restrictions on the 737 Max should not be lifted unless pilots receive additional simulator or in-flight training that involves handling the plane with the updated MCAS system turned off and on. "Boeing and the FAA said in 2017 this plane was safe. Then after the Lion Air crash in October they said it was safe. Now we should trust them a third time without any real re-training?" Hudson said. https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/30/politics/737-max-computer-simulator/index.html Back to Top

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg Offers Hope - but Few Details - on the 737 MAX The latest good news from Boeing is that there isn't any new bad news. CEO Dennis Muilenburg met with investors at a conference on Wednesday and gave no indication that new trouble has cropped up in the effort to fix the grounded 737 MAX jet. The CEO is focusing on updating the software that underpins the jet's flight-control system. "Once we complete the software update on the MAX, I'm very confident that airplane will be one of the safest airplanes ever to fly," he said to the crowd. "And we know getting the MAX back to a healthy state is key to a broader, healthy business." The back story. The Federal Aviation Administration met with its international counterparts on May 23 in Texas to review the software changes-Boeing's proposed fix for the jet, which has been grounded world-wide since mid-March. Investors had hoped for news about when the MAX can carry passengers again, but acting FAA administrator Dan Elwell didn't provide a concrete timeline. What's new. Boeing has been making "clear and steady" progress since the FAA meeting, Muilenberg told the conference. He also said Boeing has made progress on pilot training, another key issue. The 737 MAX was designed to fly like the prior iteration of the 737 platform, called the 737 NG, which means people qualified to fly the NG could pilot the MAX as well, without additional flight-simulator training. That could change. If it does, reintroduction of the MAX into commercial service might be delayed. "[We've had] a good discussion [with pilots and regulators] around training requirements and capabilities like computer-based training and simulator training," Muilenburg said in response to a question. "So I saw that as another way point of progress." It wasn't a lot of detail from the CEO, but at least it indicates no new issues have surfaced recently. Looking ahead. Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr revisited his timeline for a reintroduction of the MAX in a Wednesday research report. He believes the FAA could still approve Boeing's fix by the end of June, but said the potential for additional pilot training could add some time before the MAX is flying again world-wide. That would have a transitory impact on cash flow and earnings, but implicit in Muilenburg's comment and von Rumohr's report is a belief that the 737 MAX will fly again, with only minor modifications. That is a controversial idea to some stakeholders, but it is still the prevailing sentiment on Wall Street. Boeing stock was down 1.9% in Wednesday afternoon trading, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off by 1.2%. Boeing shares have fallen 18% since a MAX jet flown by Ethiopian Airlines crashed on March 10, raising concern about the safety of the jet following a crash last fall. The Dow is down 1.7% over that period. https://www.barrons.com/articles/boeing-ceo-progress-fixing-737-max-jet-51559153208 Back to Top

Helikopter - Mer om Airbus Helicopters H160 - FINN

France fast-tracks Joint Light Helicopter Programme launch to 2021

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has announced that the launch of the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger; HIL) programme has been brought forward to 2021.

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has announced that the launch of the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger; HIL) programme has been brought forward to 2021.

The HIL programme, for which the Airbus Helicopters’ H160 was selected in 2017, was initially scheduled for launch in 2022 by the current military budget law.

Launching the programme earlier will see the delivery of the first H160Ms to the French Armed Forces fast-tracked to 2026.

During a visit to the Airbus Helicopters headquarters, the Minister revealed the full-scale mock-up of the H160M that will be presented on the Ministry of the Armed Forces stand at Paris Air Show next month.

The Cheetah

 The helicopter was also given its official name and will be designated as “Guépard” (“Cheetah”) by the French Armed Forces.

The H160 was designed to be a modular helicopter, enabling its military version, with a single platform, to perform missions ranging from commando infiltration to air intercept, fire support, and anti-ship warfare in order to meet the needs of the army, the navy and the air force through the HIL programme.

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said: “We are proud that the HIL is considered a strategic programme. I would like to thank the Ministry, the French Defence Procurement Agency DGA and the armed forces for their trust and for the close collaboration which helped create the conditions for the programme to be brought forward within the framework of the current military budget law. This will make it possible to speed up the replacement of the older generation of aircraft, while optimising the support and availability of the French State’s helicopter fleet."

He added: “Our teams are committed to delivering an aircraft in 2026 that meets the needs of the French armed forces in terms of availability, performance and capability, thus enabling it to rapidly become the new benchmark on the world’s medium-lift military helicopter market.”

Imperial War Museum stiller ut på London tube stasjon - IWM

COME AND SEE A SPITFIRE AT LONDON BRIDGE STATION

PART OF D-DAY 75 To celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, for one week only we've installed a replica Spitfire in London Bridge station. Come down and see one of the most iconic aircraft of all time! The Spitfire played its part in the Normandy invasions. The Spitfire Mk.IX provided essential air support for the D-Day landings as a fight-bomber. Yet it also played a less likely part. Barrels of beer were strapped to their bomb racks and flown over the channel to the troops in Normandy. It was only when a call came from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, pointing out that this was technically exporting beer without paying tax, that this brief role in the Spitfire's history came to an end. Alongside our activity at London Bridge, we're also hosting a digital exhibition on D-Day 75 at London Waterloo. Come down to either station to learn more about the biggest combined naval, military and air operation ever seen, and pick up a free limited edition D-Day 75 newspaper for your journey home!

El.fly - Embraer goes electric - AW&ST

Embraer Launches Brazilian Electric Propulsion Cooperation

May 30, 2019Graham Warwick and Joe Anselmo | The Weekly Of Business Aviation

Embraer

SAO JOSE DO CAMPOS, Brazil—Embraer is to cooperate on research into aircraft electric propulsion with WEG, a Brazilian manufacturer of electric drivetrains for vehicles.

The cooperation will include flight tests in 2020 of an EMB-203 Ipanema single-engine agricultural aircraft modified into an electric propulsion testbed.

The cooperation will involve pre-competitive research and development to adapt WEG’s electric drivetrain experience to aircraft propulsion. Embraer says electric propulsion has the potential to improve the environmental sustainability of aviation, and enable new configurations and new market segments.

Under the agreement, the companies plan laboratory testing of an electric drivetrain followed by integration onto the Ipanema for testing in a real operating environment. Embraer has indicated that hybrid-electric propulsion is a potential option for a regional aircraft now under study.

Embraer is the latest manufacturer to announce an electric propulsion demonstrator aircraft. Airbus, with Rolls-Royce and Siemens, plans to modify an Avro RJ regional jet to flight-test a 2-megawatt hybrid-electric propulsion system in 2021. United Technologies Corp. is modifying a Bombardier Dash 8 Q100 regional turboprop into a testbed for a 2-megawatt hybrid propulsion system for flight in 2022. Several startups are converting smaller aircraft to electric power.

Embraer also is working on an electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicle under an agreement with Uber’s Elevate aerial ridesharing initiative. Airbus is flying two eVTOL demonstrators, Vahana and CityAirbus, while Boeing company Aurora Flight Sciences has flown the eVTOL Personal Air Vehicle.

Alvorlig luftfartshendelse i Trinidad og Tobago- ASN

Date:	30-MAY-2019
Time:	12:54 LT
Type:	Boeing 737-2A1 Adv.
Owner/operator:	Venezolana
Registration:	YV502T
C/n / msn:	21598/512
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 80
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Port of Spain-Piarco Airport (POS/TTPP) -    Trinidad and Tobago
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	Port of Spain-Piarco Airport (POS/TTPP)
Destination airport:	Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS/SVMI)

Narrative:
Venezolana flight VNE1303, a Boeing 737-200 registered YV502T, suffered an uncontained no.1 (left) engine failure after departure from Port of Spain-Piarco Airport (POS/TTPP) and returned for a safe emergency landing.

Flydagen Sola den 15. juni

Denne Yak-52 er fotografert av undertegnede i Tau treningsområde i dag

GA havari i Sveits - ASN

Date:	30-MAY-2019
Time:	17:30 LT
Type:	SAN/Jodel D.140R Abeille
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	HB-SFR
C/n / msn:	521
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Near Promenthouse river, Gland, VD -    Switzerland
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	La Cote Airport (LSGP)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The light plane crashed under unknown circumstances just after takeoff from La Côte Airport (LSGP), Prangins, Vaud. 
One occupant died in the crash, two others survived. 

F-86 aerobatics - London, Ontario - UAS Vision video

Siden dene har amerikanske merker antar jeg at den er US bygget. Noen nordmenn var så heldige å fly CF-86 på CFB Chatham. Noen av disse kom rett på Albatross. (Red.)

F-86 Sabre Airshow Aerobatics

Paul Keppeler performs aerobatics in his North American F-86 Sabre at Airshow London 2018 in London, Ontario.

The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States’ first swept wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights in the skies of the Korean War (1950–1953), fighting some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history.

Considered one of the best and most important fighter aircraft in that war, the F-86 is also rated highly in comparison with fighters of other eras. Although it was developed in the late 1940s and was outdated by the end of the 1950s, the Sabre proved versatile and adaptable and continued as a front-line fighter in numerous air forces until the last active operational examples were retired by the Bolivian Air Force in 1994.

Its success led to an extended production run of more than 7,800 aircraft between 1949 and 1956, in the United States, Japan, and Italy. Variants were built in Canada and Australia. The Canadair Sabre added another 1,815 airframes, and the significantly redesigned CAC Sabre (sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CAC CA-27), had a production run of 112. The Sabre is by far the most-produced Western jet fighter, with total production of all variants at 9,860 units.

Droner - Sør Afrika øsnsker å levere blodprodukter med droner - UAS Vision

South Africa to Start Delivering Blood by UAV

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS), the non-profit responsible for vein-to-vein blood distribution, wants to make a big investment in a UAV network to transport blood products. It is waiting for Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval to begin a test service.

At a launch of the initiative at North Eastern Radio Flyers near Sandton today (29 May), the Service demonstrated an unusual fixed wing tilt rotor vertical take off and landing (VTOL) drone. It has a refrigeration facility to keep blood products within required temperatures.

Ghana and Rwanda have recently started to transport blood to clinics with the use of drones. The SA blood drone service could soon be a step ahead of these countries. The Service wants to provide patients with their specific types as it is regarded as medical best practice to do so. Ghana and Rwanda only transport O negative blood, the type that is suitable for all recipients.

The SA blood service also plans to transport the product in a refrigerated environment. And it does not want the unit being flown to be subject to potential stresses from catapulting at take-off, and retrieval of the UAV by net, as is done in Ghana and Rwanda.

The project would be the first use of a drone in the public health sector in SA. A proposal ten years ago by the SA National Health Laboratory Service to transport blood and sputum samples from rural clinics to laboratories by UAVs was abandoned even though trials were successful.

The suggestion for the Blood Service to use drones came from the KwaZulu Natal health department in talks a year ago about SA’s high rate of deaths from bleeding by woman who have recently given birth at rural clinics. After dropping for a couple of years, maternal deaths in SA rose in 2015, and although it has since fallen, the rate remains high.

In the latest year for which comparative international statistics are available, 138 mothers per 100,000 live births died in SA soon after delivery. This gave SA a rank of 121 out of 183 country positions, with Finland, Iceland, Greece, and Poland in joint top position with 3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Excessive blood loss is a significant cause of maternal death in the weeks following pregnancy.

As part of their proof of concept, the SA National Blood Service’s first drone project will connect two semi-rural hospitals in Gauteng which are about 9 km apart – Sebokeng and Kopanong Hospitals. The hospital locations were chosen because of the large number of patients at these sites, and the need to meet CAA safety concerns about flight paths and location.

SANBS Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jonathan Louw, says subject to CAA approval, the drone service could be extended countrywide, including to the Western Cape Blood Service, to connect 184 blood banks and seven processing centres with hospitals and clinics.

“We believe that this is an innovative step in the history of blood transfusion. SANBS is determined to improve rapid access to life-saving blood products in rural areas through the use of drone technology. Our concept is globally unique in that we will provide two-way logistics; patients can receive emergency “O negative” blood from one of our blood banks via drone. The same drone can then take that patient’s blood sample to the blood bank for comprehensive cross-matching and then safely and rapidly deliver compatible blood back to the patient” says Dr. Jonathan Louw.

The UAV to be used has a range of about 90 km giving it the ability to reach many rural clinics. It is not envisaged that drone transport will replace ground distribution, but it will give the Service an ability to respond quickly to requests for blood required in the “Golden Hour” in which a patient can be saved with a transfusion. With the UAV having the ability to take off and land vertically, the SANBS will be able to pick up a blood sample, transport it back for cross matching at a blood bank, and then deliver the specific blood type required by the patient.

The drone chosen by the blood service, made by a German UAV startup, Quantum-Systems, was initially designed to be used to carry laser equipment for use in aerial surveys. Quantum-Systems calls the UAV the TronF9, but the Blood Service will give it another name.

Quantum’s competitive advantage is in technology designed to transition from a vertical take off into forward flight with a tilting rotor system. SANBS wanted a VTOL solution as it allows landing and takeoffs in fairly confined areas and does not place the blood payload under excessive g-forces. The UAV takes off and lands using four engines, but the rear motors are turned off and their rotors folded inwards for efficient forward flight.

Quantum and SANBS have jointly developed modifications for the aircraft to be used in a blood products transport role. A refrigerated payload bay, key to maintaining the cold chain in the transport of blood products, has been built into the nose of the UAV.

Louw says the project is about saving lives, but insists it makes strong economic sense, particularly if the use of drone transport can be expanded. The most immediate savings will be on the hire of helicopters to transport patients for blood transfusions and often to get blood to rural clinics. Reduction in operating costs would also come from the introduction of greater autonomy in the UAV system, he says. There will be another benefit to the Blood Service. A UAV system will allow greater blood cross matching, which means that stocks of 0 negative blood, the type that can be universally received, will not be under pressure.

Louw declined to reveal the costs, but says a drone costs “about as much as a car”.

Quantum Systems say that if a longer term Blood Service program emerges, they would consider assembly, manufacturing, and jobs in SA

For the moment, the project’s take-off awaits the go ahead of the CAA, and for the results of an internal blood service competition to find a name for the UAV.

Droner - AESA radar for små systemer som Skeldar - UAS Vision

Leonardo E-Scan Radar for Canadian Surveillance UAS

At the CanSec exhibition (Ottawa, 29-30 May) Leonardo has announced that it has signed a multi-million Euro contract with prime contractor QinetiQ to provide a number of PicoSAR Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA, also known as ‘E-Scan’) radars.

The radars will equip the new unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft that have been ordered by the Canadian Armed Forces. Designed and manufactured by Leonardo in Edinburgh, UK, PicoSAR will be employed by Canadian military units at sea and on land, for both domestic and international operations.

PicoSAR offers high-performance E-scan surveillance capabilities in an extremely compact package. It is ideally suited for installation aboard the Canadian Armed Forces new system, which is based on the lightweight UMS Skeldar V-200 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). With PicoSAR on-board, operators will benefit from a range of modes including high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging and Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI). Together, these will deliver an effective all-weather ground mapping and surveillance capability for ISTAR missions.

The contract is an example of Leonardo’s open approach to partnerships in the service of providing the best solution for a customer’s needs. As well as equipping its own platforms, Leonardo offers its advanced airborne electronics directly to end users and also works with a wide range of industrial partners to provide sensor capabilities for third party platforms. In this case, Leonardo has worked closely with QinetiQ to ensure that the PicoSAR radar is the perfect fit for the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces.

PicoSAR is an extremely flexible system and has flown on more than 10 different aircraft. The radar has been flown in Oceania, the Far East, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, North America and South America and has been acquired by more than 10 customers. PicoSAR is part of a wider portfolio of airborne radars that include best-in-class M-Scan (mechanically-scanning) and E-scan (electronically scanning) systems for both surveillance and fire-control missions.

SAR i nordområdene - Øvelse på Svalbard - TU

Det er åpenbart for undertegnede, at helikopterkapasiteten til Norge er for svak innenfor vårt arktiske SAR ansvarsområde. Ikke på noen måte å undervurdere innsatsen som Lufttransport og andre sivile enheter utfører på- og rundt Svalbard, men helikoptertypen AS332L1 er for snau gitt den voldsome trafikk som nå er i området. AW101 vil ikke få operere på Svalbard siden det er et militært helikopter, men den opprinnelige utgaven, EH101, var et sivilt helikopter. "Noen" bør derfor bekoste sivil sertifisering av helikoptertypen slik at den også kan operere i regi av Sysselmannen. (Red.)

Beredskap i arktiske strøk
I iskulden teller hvert minutt: Her redder de 100 med helikopter på Svalbard
Redningsmenn fra Northguider-forliset deltok i stor masseevakuering.

• Eirik Helland Urke
• Maritim
• 29. mai 2019 - 19:01

Isfjorden, Svalbard: På akterdekket av Kystvaktskipet Svalbard kjenner jeg den iskalde arktiske vinden svi i ansiktet, idet redningsmann Arne Marius Pettersen resolutt fester meg til redningslina med en krok og gir signal til helikopteret. Sekunder senere rykker det i løkka, og dekket på KV Svalbard forsvinner under beina mine. Der oppe venter det allerede 19 evakuerte passasjerer, jeg er sistemann.

TU fikk følge med de frivillige markørene da Sysselmannen, Lufttransport, Kystvakten, Røde Kors og flere andre aktører i helga gjennomførte en av de største masseevakueringene noen sinne med helikopter på Svalbard. 100 markører ble fraktet med båt til Kystvaktskipet Svalbard i Isfjorden, før helikoptertjenesten ble varslet og en såkalt Mass Rescue Operation (MRO) ble iverksatt.
En slik operasjon går kort sagt ut på å evakuere flest mulig passasjerer på kortest mulig tid. I dette tilfellet skulle vi fraktes med helikopter til Deltaneset, en øde strandstrekning noen kilometer unna i Isfjorden. Der skulle øvelsen fortsette med Røde Kors og videre markørspill.

Helikopteret kan evakuere to personer om gangen med redningslina. Foto: Eirik Helland Urke

Operasjonen ble styrt fra Sysselmannens skip Polarsyssel, der Espen Olsen fra Sysselmannen trakk i trådene som øvingsleder.

Kulde og isbjørn

På Svalbard regnes ikke nødvendigvis folk som reddet selv om de blir fraktet til land. Der venter som regel streng kulde og ublide forhold, og ikke minst faren for å møte på isbjørn. Derfor er det svært viktig å ha godt utstyr og egne isbjørnvakter som er bevæpnet med signalpistol og skarpt våpen.
Det er også et viktig poeng at de som evakueres holder seg tørr under hele operasjonen. Hvis man faller i vannet eller får våte klær øker livsfaren dramatisk.

SARex4-øvelsen

Masseevakueringen og det påfølgende markørspillet er en del av SARex4-øvelsen som har foregått i Isfjorden utenfor Longyearbyen i hele den siste uka. Gjennom ulike aktiviteter i full skala har et stort antall aktører testet og lært mer om utfordringene med de forskjellige aspektene med arktisk beredskap.
En viktig del av bakteppet er den såkalte Polarkoden, som blant annet krever at skip i Arktis skal ha utstyr til å klare seg selv i fem døgn i en nødsituasjon. 
Årets fullskala-øvelse er den fjerde i rekken, og Sarex Svalbard er nå et prosjekt som som skal gjennomføres over to år.

Kystvaktskipet Svalbard og Sysselmannens skip Polarsyssel er uvurderlige ressurser i beredskapen på Svalbard. Foto: Eirik Helland Urke

De reddet fiskerne ombord på Northguider

Redningshelikoptertjenesten på Svalbard trener jevnlig på alle tenkelige scenarier på øygruppa, enten det er skred, snøscooterulykker eller skip i havsnød. Noen ganger er det alvor, som da tråleren Northguider grunnstøtte ved Hinlopen nord på Svalbard i desember. Ingen skip var i nærheten. Da var det bare Sysselmannens to helikoptre fra Lufttransport som til slutt kunne redde de 14 ombord under dramatiske omstendigheter. Alle kom velberget hjem.
Den gang var det redningsmennene Arne Marius Pettersen og Tor Helge Edorsen som hver for seg tok seg ned på dekket av den forliste tråleren.

Redningsmennene Arne Marius Pettersen og Tor Helge Edorsen sammen med Alexander Fjeldsbø på KV Svalbard. Foto: Eirik Helland Urke

På KV Svalbard denne formiddagen får vi se de samme to i aksjon, i effektivt samspill med resten av helikoptermannskapene og mannskapet på kystvaktskipet. Mens det i desember var totalt mørke, er det nå sol hele døgnet på Svalbard. Begge redningsmennene står på dekk samtidig, og koordinerer evakueringen med tydelige armbevegelser og stødig orden i rekkene. Evakueringen av 100 passasjerer går svært effektivt for seg. Puljer på 20 personer blir sendt til akterdekket etter tur. Mens noen heises, får de neste festet heisestroppen under armene. I løpet av drøyt 100 minutter har alle de 100 markørene forlatt skipet i helikopteret.

Viking Sky

Den dramatiske evakueringen av Viking Sky 23. mars demonstrerte tydelig behovet for å kunne gjennomføre større evakueringer med helikopter. Det var kanskje den største evakueringen med helikopter fra båt vi har hatt i Norge, der 460 personer til slutt ble heist og fraktet inn til land. Hver gang ble mellom 16 og 22 personer tatt ombord, en operasjon som tok omtrent 30 minutter. Selv om det var god tilgang på helikoptere, gjorde forholdene at bare ett av dem kunne heise om gangen. Også denne gangen gikk det bra, og cruiseskipet kunne til slutt seile til land for egen maskin.
Ferden min fra dekket av KV Svalbard til helikopterkabinen går unna på 22 sekunder. I helikopteret setter tekniker Øystein Røberg fart på vinsjen, samtidig som redningsmann Arne Marius Pettersen gir stadig mer line fra dekk. Underveis rapporteres framdriften på sambandet: "Half way up", "just below helicopter", "just outside cabin".

Les også

Redningsveteran tror ikke beredskapen i Nord-Norge trenger flere helikoptre

Tømmer på 8 minutter

Når helikoptertjenesten på Svalbard iverksetter en MRO-operasjon, kan de på åtte minutter tømme kabinen for alt unødvendig utstyr for den aktuelle operasjonen. Det letter vekten og øker plassen. Da ryker gjerne setene og den medisinske veggen ut døra. Noen ekstra slynger kan bli med for å effektivisere evakueringen.
Normalt er det syv seter bak i kabinen. Responstiden for helikoptertjenesten vil ikke påvirkes av den korte tiden det tar å rydde kabinen, ettersom det fortsatt må gjennomføres briefing og andre rutiner før avgang. Når helikopteret tar av, er det klart til å evakuere 20 personer om gangen.

Espen Olsen fra Sysselmannen leder øvelsen fra Polarsyssel. Foto: Eirik Helland Urke

I prinsippet kan helikoptermannskapet fly minst 12-14 timer i strekk. Etter hvert kan det oppstå et logistikkproblem med mannskapets flytid, helikopternes vedlikeholdsbehov og ikke minst tilgang på nok drivstoff. Det finnes depoter med drivstoff flere steder på Svalbard, og kapasiteten her er økt de siste månedene. Men fortsatt vil det være en begrenset ressurs under en større operasjon, spesielt hvis den er langt unna basen i Longyearbyen. Helikopterne kan fly omtrent fire timer før de må tanke.
Under selve heisingen er det mulig å heise to personer om gangen, noe man gjerne prøver først under en MRO eller hvis det haster å få opp flest mulig. Ofte går man likevel over til enkeltløft på slutten, for å lette håndteringen i kabinen. Noen ganger blir også redningsmannen med opp på hvert løft, slik situasjonen etter hvert ble på Northguider.

Les også

Pilotene forteller: Slik gjennomførte vi Viking Sky-evakueringen

Tettpakket

Selv er jeg den siste som stappes ombord i det ene Super Puma-helikopteret som henger over KV Svalbard. Rundt meg sitter resten av passasjerene i to rekker på hver side, tett i tett. Det begynner å bli trangt for operatørene i kabinen, men det er ikke verre enn at det går greit. Så flyr vi til land på Deltaneset, der øvelsen fortsetter.

Her går markørene i land etter å ha blitt evakuert fra KV Svalbard. Her venter nye utfordringer, som kulde og isbjørnfare. Foto: Eirik Helland Urke

Redningshelikoptertjenesten er godt fornøyd mer erfaringene fra øvelsen.
– Fra vår side gikk øvelsen veldig bra. Vi fulgte planen vi hadde lagt, og det gikk egentlig bedre enn forventet. Samtidig må vi huske at det var optimale forhold for en masseevakuering, både med tanke på fartøyet, de som skulle evakueres, gunstig vær og lite sjøgang. Et hvert avvik fra den situasjonen vil gjøre at ting tar lengre tid. Men vi fikk konstatert at rutinene vi har etablert fungerer, sier redningsmann Tor Helge Edorsen til TU.
Det er Sysselmannen som disponerer Lufttransports to likeverdige Airbus AS332 L1 Super Puma redningshelikopterne på Svalbard, som satt opp med en responstid på henholdsvis 1 og 2 timer. I praksis kan begge ofte være i lufta på en halvtime. Helikopterne brukes også til andre oppdrag og trening på daglig basis.

Evakueringen fra dekk går effektivt unna. Her viser Alexander Fjeldsbø tegn til at to nye skal gjøre seg klare, mens andre heises. Foto: Eirik Helland Urke