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Government Affairs

Government Affairs



Return on Investment
The past two decades brought rapid expansion in airborne policing south of the border, as U.S. law enforcement, politicians, and the paying public saw value in having a friendly eye in the sky. That trend may now be reversing, as recession-weary municipalities struggle with smaller budgets.



HAI president testifies before Congress
Sept. 23, 2009, Alexandria, VA – HAI president Matt Zuccaro testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Aviation Subcommittee on Wed., Sept. 16.


MP calls for review of Cougar Flight 491 crash
Aug. 28, 2009, St. John's, N.L. - The Defence Department has failed to do the necessary followup review of the crash of Cougar Flight 491 off Newfoundland, the MP for St. John's East charged Thursday.


Sikorsky delivers HELOTRAC RL® enhancements
Aug. 27, 2009, Stratford, CT. – Sikorsky Aerospace Services today announced it has delivered enhancements to the HELOTRAC RL® maintenance management system for the U.S. Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program.


Boeing receives $1.15B contract for 15 Canadian Chinooks
47fAug. 12, 2009, Halifax - The Boeing Co. has announced that it has received a US$1.15 billion contract from the Canadian government for 15 new CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.


Freedom's Flying Memorial
During a time when our country is currently at war, it is more imperative than ever to acknowledge, honor, and preserve what has made our country what it is today.


Helicopter crash happened in blinding Afghan dust
July 8, 2009, Kandahar, Afghanistan -  A helicopter crash in Afghanistan that killed three soldiers happened when the aircraft clipped a security wall.


On Balance of Probabilities
Civil litigation is not all that civil. Once a lawsuit has commenced, it can be acrimonious and take several years, exhausting those involved whether they be pilots, engineers, operators, or even the lawyers themselves.



Military heli to join search for missing man
June 18, 2009, Picton, Ont. - A helicopter from CFB Trenton has joined provincial police in the search for a missing elderly man in the Picton, Ont., area.


TSB issues update on Sikorsky S-92A accident
mgb1June 18, 2009, Gatineau, Que. - The TSB is well into a comprehensive investigation of the accident of a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, Cougar Helicopters Flight 491.


Families of passengers file lawsuit against Keystone
June 17, 2009, Philadelphia. PA - The families of 15 passengers who died in the crash of a Sikorsky helicopter off Newfoundland and the sole survivor are suing a subsidiary of the company in the U.S.


Upholding TSB’s Mandate
The mandate of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is to advance transportation safety in Canada. The TSB is an independent agency and reports to Parliament through the Queen’s Privy Council.


NBAA applauds approval of new FAA Administrator
May 22, 2009, Washington, DC  – The NBAA today issued a statement following the Senate approval of J. Randolph “Randy” Babbitt as the next FAA administrator.


Military to decide whether N.L. S&R sufficient
May 11, 2009, St. John’s  N.L. -  Defence Minister Peter MacKay says it’s up to the Canadian military to decide whether a beefed up search and rescue presence is needed in St. John’s, N.L.


Canada's new fleet of navy helicopters need engine changes: subcontractor
Oct. 27, 2008, Halifax - Canada's new fleet of maritime helicopters, already projected to be about 20 months behind schedule, are going to need added engine horsepower because they're heavier than originally expected.


Armstrong: CF Selection Policy Flops
The Canadian Forces likely has a policy guiding helicopter selection – but it isn’t working. The CF has already lost its first super-expensive Cormorant and with it three crew members due to crew errors and that helicopter’s complexity. (Three other crew members survived.)



Canada, EADS sign agreement for research and technology development
June 6, 2008, Ottawa - Dr. Colin Carrie, parliamentary secretary to the Honourable Jim Prentice, yesterday announced that NRC has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with European Aeronautic Defence and Space to cooperate on aerospace research and technology development.


Barry Rempel new chairman of the Canadian Airports Council
rempelcacnewsMay 5, 2008, Ottawa - The Canadian Airports Council today announced that Winnipeg Airports Authority president and CEO Barry Rempel has been elected chairman of the association.


Sea Kings replacement in jeopardy after U.S. company asks for additional funding
April 30, 2008 - Ottawa's bid to replace Canada's 40-year-old Sea King helicopters is reported to be in jeopardy.


Edmonton police to get new helicopter
April 20, 2008, Edmonton - The Edmonton Police Commission last week voted  in favour of acquiring a second helicopter. The Edmonton Journal reports.
READ MORE


HEPAC submits SMS - Industry Self Management proposal to Transport Canada
The Helicopter Engineers and Pilots Association, Canada (HEPAC) has submitted a proposal to Transport Canada for the implementation and auditing of the Safety Management System (SMS) within the Canadian helicopter industry.


Helicopter Association of Canada is seeking new president/CEO
March 31, 2008 - The Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC) is currently accepting applications for the position of president/CEO.



Armstrong: The Russians Aren’t Coming– They’re Here
Today’s topic is the operation of foreign, uncertified helicopters in Canadian airspace – and the conclusions aren’t black and white.




Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada appointment
Feb. 7, 2008, Ottawa - Effective March 3, 2008, Eleanor D. Humphries has been appointed vice-chairperson of the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada for a term of five years.


Air Médic responds to minister's comment
Feb. 6, 2008- The management of Air Médic has responded to a comment made by the Quebec minister of health on the issue of helicopter ambulance use in the province.


HAC president & CEO Brian Jenner suspended
Feb. 4, 2008 - Brian Jenner, President & CEO of the Helicopter Association of Canada, has been suspended with pay for 45 days effective Feb. 1, 2008.


Military requires more Cormorant rescue choppers
Feb. 4, 2008, Ottawa - The Ottawa Citizen reported yesterday that a Canadian military team has determined that 18 Cormorant helicopters are needed for the air force to perform the search-and-rescue role once handled by a smaller number of 40-year-old Labrador choppers.
READ MORE



Steve Flynn of Blackcomb Helicopters wins Medal of Bravery
Jan. 17, 2008, Ottawa - Steven Flynn of Blackcomb Helicopters will receive the prestigious Govenor General's Medal of Bravery.



MacKay blames Liberals for chopper delays
Jan. 15, 2008 - The Halifax Chronicle-Herald is reporting that Defence Minister Peter MacKay is still blaming the Liberals for delays in acquiring a new maritime helicopter.
READ MORE



Delay in replacement helicopters `frustrating,' Hillier says
Jan. 10, 2008, Halifax - The military's chief of defence staff says he's frustrated by reports suggesting delivery of the new helicopters that will replace Canada's aging fleet of Sea Kings will likely be delayed.


ITAR impediments
The federal government needs to ensure that the aerospace industry is freed of ITAR impediments as quickly as possible.


Quebec exports to grow in 2007 before receding in 2008, says EDC
A healthy aerospace sector will drive an increase in 2007 of 8 per cent in the greater transportation sector.


DART Helicopter Services announces EASA approval of their 3 Point / 4 Point Shoulder Harness Kits
integrated_photoNov. 21, 2007 - DART Aerospace Ltd. has received EASA approval of their 3 Point Inertia Reel Shoulder Harness Kits and their 4 Point Shoulder Harness Kits for Certain Bell models.



Robert Donald is CAMC's New Executive Director
Nov. 20, 2007, Ottawa, Ont. - Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council (CAMC) announces the appointment of Robert Donald as CAMC's Executive Director effective Jan. 1, 2008.



Airborne Assistance in Locating Marijuana in Quebec
Nov. 15, 2007, Sorel-Tracy, Que. With the help of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, police from the Sûreté du Québec MRC du Bas-Richelieu have eradicated 46,541 marijuana plants.


What do AMEs, pilots and ballerinas have in common?
Nov. 13, 2007 - The Royal Winnipeg Ballet employs full time dancers and uses independent contractor dancers, on a part time basis. Asked to confirm the “independent contractor” status of the part time dancers, the Minister of Revenue concluded there is no such thing as an “independent contractor dancer”, because, among other things: no dancer is free to dance their assigned roles in a manner that departs from the choreography or the artistic vision of the director; and “independent contractor dancers” do not have an opportunity for profit or loss.


HAI Announces Recipient of the 2008 Robert E. Trimble Memorial Award
Nov. 12, 2007, Alexandria, VA - HAI is proud to announce this year’s Robert E. Trimble Memorial Award recipient, Mr. Anthony ‘Tony’ Reece.  Reece is the Pilot and Owner of Hi Line Helicopters, Inc.


Jean-Paul Fournier - Canadian Helicopter Pioneer
Fournier so became the first Canadian airman to qualify himself solo on a helicopter, in this case a small R-4 Sikorsky, the first helicopter in the world to be mass produced and exported.


No passing the buck – pilots are in charge and responsible
In an industry first, Winnipeg Justice Holly Beard last week found commercial pilot Mark Tayfel guilty on four counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, one count of criminal negligence causing death and dangerous operation of an aircraft.


Helicopter Foundation International Revamps Homepage
Nov. 8, 2007, Alexandria, VA., - Helicopter Foundation International (HFI), an HAI affiliated organization, is now offering more information at the click of a mouse.  The newly remodeled Web site — www.helicopterfoundation.org — brings all the resources needed to keep helicopter enthusiasts up-to-date on the foundation’s latest endeavors.


Helicopter Foundation International Revamps Homepage
Nov. 8, 2007, Alexandria, VA., - Helicopter Foundation International (HFI), an HAI affiliated organization, is now offering more information at the click of a mouse.  The newly remodeled Web site — www.helicopterfoundation.org — brings all the resources needed to keep helicopter enthusiasts up-to-date on the foundation’s latest endeavors.


Helidrome Architecture
625Nov. 7, 2007

By Alex de Voogt
Photography by Alex de Voogt
Designed by Piet Gerards Ontwerpers

010 Publishers
160 pp / 240 x 170 mm / paperback
ISBN 978 90 6450 625 3
published 2007



Pilot Convicted of Criminal Negligence
Nov. 6, 2007, Winnipeg, Man. - A pilot responsible for a dramatic plane crash at a busy Winnipeg street five years ago had no reasonable excuse for running out of fuel, a judge said in a 69-page ruling made public last Friday.


Making someone accountable
And that's the way it always goes ... another real life example of the "swiss cheese model" of accident causation.


Jean-Pierre Mortreux Elected Chairman, Aerospace Industries Association of Canada
Nov. 1, 2007, Montreal, Que. - The board of directors of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) has elected Jean-Pierre Mortreux as its chairman for 2007-2008, following its annual general meeting on Oct. 1, 2007.



Largest Helicopter in the U.S. to Deliver World's Largest Christmas Tree
Nov. 1, 2007, Portland, OR – The largest helicopter in the United States will soon deliver the world’s biggest Christmas tree to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California.


Evergreen Unmanned Systems to Unveil Mobile Unmanned Aircraft System
Nov. 1, 2007, McMinnville, OR — Evergreen Unmanned Systems (EUS) will debut its new unmanned aircraft system (UAS) on Thursday, Nov. 1, in Arlington, Ore., at the Arlington Municipal Airport.


Northstar Aerospace Inc. reports new contracts and orders of more than $50 million
Oct. 31, 2007, Chicago, IL - Northstar Aerospace Inc. received new orders and contracts with potential revenue of more than $50 million during the third quarter 2007.


What's "Canadian" control?
How curious. And, in the immortal words of Lewis Carroll, it gets “curiouser and curiouser!”



HAI Announces Recipients of 2008 “Salute To Excellence” Awards
Oct. 26, 2007, Alexandria, VA  – The Helicopter Association International (HAI) is proud to announce its “Salute to Excellence” award winners.


Editorial: Fall 07
calgaryNay-sayers have their say Some oppose police copters – even in Calgary



Countdown to 2010
I will be the first to admit that I am relatively new to this industry – my other world revolves around fixed-wing charter aviation.



Helo Warriors: Rotary-Wing Renewal in the Canadian Forces
The past several years have brought significant – even fundamental – organizational change and operational enhancement to the Canadian Forces in a process that still has years to run.



Rapid Response
For most Canadians, the beginning of the workweek is almost certain to be predictable and routine: an early morning meeting, sifting through e-mails, a quick trip to Tim Hortons.


Sea Kings Continue to Patrol Gulf Region
Canada continues to contribute a Naval Task Group that includes the fleet replenishment ship HMCS Protecteur, the destroyer HMCS Algonquin and the frigate HMCS St. John’s with two Helicopter Air Detachments (HELAIRDETs) from 423 MH Sqn, Shearwater, Nova Scotia ...



MHP: Final Approach
The fact that the worldwide market for new medium-lift helicopters could top 2,000 over the next few years helps to explain the huge resources committed to three potential Maritime Helicopter Project (MHP) contenders.


MHP Escapes Axe on Capital Spending
The Maritime Helicopter Project (MHP) is one of a handful of major capital programs to escape a spending freeze imposed by Prime Minister Paul Martin.


Crashed and Burned
Once again the federal government was caught off guard and thousands of Canadians are either stranded or have had vacation plans ruined on the eve of March break (a Toronto tabloid called it March Broke).


And the Winner is...
The name for Canada’s new shipborne helicopters – the Cyclone – is the most suitable monicker the Department of National Defence (DND) could have chosen, considering the whirlwind of controversy that has battered the project since its inception.


Aerospace Policy
The debate over government subsidies and whether Canada needs a national aerospace industry has heated up again.


Pilot Check: Considerations for Transport Inspectors
Do we pilots need proficiency checks? Apparently not. Transport Canada has decided to cancel the requirement for yearly proficiency checks conducted by its inspectors. Beginning January 2007 only qualified company personnel will conduct these evaluations on their fellow employees.


Goodyear: Columnist
In a perfect world regulations would be practical and effective and all of us plying the trade would be implementing and monitoring. At some point this process has appeared to come off the rails. Our regulations are difficult to understand and are sometimes being applied rather heavy-handedly with no regard for field conditions or subjective interpretation, and many of us do the annual training but pay little attention to day-to-day application.


Ottawa View
Rotary-wing aircraft, by their very nature, are obviously the preferred platform for search-andrescue work. Admittedly, their fixed-wing counterparts can cover more ground at higher speed, but helicopters’ ability to fly low and slow, and hover, suits them especially well for SAR.



Passport Daze
I received my latest passport in December. Since Canadian passports must be renewed every five years, this one must be my 12th since I turned 16 in December 1950.



Toronto's Chopper Foes
Although I haven’t lived in Toronto for years, I am still a Torontonian born and bred. Even today, I bear the attitudes and ego that so mark me to other Canadians. But none of my Toronto traits can explain to me why any resident would oppose the use of police helicopters to find missing persons, conduct car chases safely and improve officer safety. Yet this is precisely what a group called ‘Stop The Choppers’ is trying to do.


HAWCS: Calgary's Eye in the Sky
Calgary’s Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety program began as a research project in 1992. Although the project was found to be highly successful, it was deemed too expensive to operate given the Calgary Police Service budget. The project was temporarily put aside until such an operation would become financially feasible.


A New Day Dawns
Well, here we are with a shiny new government – a new and much younger face as prime minister and a largely untried cabinet, but one with interesting possibilities.



Aviation Medicals
This case is loosely based on a true story, I have changed the specifics to comply with patient confidentiality but the message is evident.



It's Boeing - No Surprise!
As was noted briefly in this space in the Summer issue of HELICOPTERS, Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor in late June announced a number of major military procurements...


Chopper Phobia
If we wish to acquire more business revenue and increased profits, we need to convince the general public that helicopter flight is not only convenient but also safe and virtually no threat to the public.



Medication Pitfalls
Many pilots may not consider the risks or problems associated with many prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The following case example will highlight some of these concerns.


The Case for Civilian Helicopter Search and Rescue
Search and Rescue (SAR) includes two quite separate types of operations.  


Custom Compliance for Heli-Operators
Canadian helicopter business owners and operators have enough pressure on their bottom lines today without adding an avoidable financial penalty to the equation.


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