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Metro Aviation on record pace during 30th year
May 25, 2012 By Carey Fredericks
May 25, 2012, Shreveport, La. - Celebrating 30 years in business, Metro Aviation continues on a record pace both with their aircraft completions business unit as well as the air medical operations division.
The company has recently integrated the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) capability into their existing EC145 Single/Dual Pilot IFR (SP/DPIFR) STC utilizing the Garmin GNS 200 Multi-function Display, Honeywell MK21 HTAWS, Avidyne TAS605 Traffic Advisory System, and Garmin GDL 69. A number of flight manual supplements for the individual systems were no longer necessary with the incorporation of the ancillary equipment under this STC.
Company managing director, Milton Geltz stated, "The roll up of the ancillary equipment was in response to the industry desire to remain ahead of the FAA and NTSB recommended changes for HEMS operated aircraft. The STC program included an intensive flight test program performed by Metro Aviation with the FAA Fort Worth Aircraft Certification Office (ACO) flight test personnel. HTAWS testing verified the accuracy of the data in relation to aircraft location. Similarly, the testing of the TAS605 system included flights with a "target" aircraft to verify there was no blinding or shadowing of the system." Geltz also added, "The incorporation of the WAAS capability to the STC was challenging, requiring the incorporation of the type certificated and American Eurocopter STC developed data into our pacckage. We validated the WAAS capability and accuracy by contracting with Hickok and Associates, Inc. to install a 6° WAAS approach at a local airport specifically for the Metro STC development program." Metro Aviation also has an ongoing retrofit program for previously completed EC145 aircraft in cooperation with American Eurocopter to upgrade aircraft with WAAS capability.
This week, the aircraft completions unit for Metro Aviation will deliver the third and final EC145 air medical completion to Sanford Health LifeFlight, and the second and final EC145 air medical completion for Duke Life Flight. Each aircraft incorporate the above mentioned STC along with the recently certified North Flight Data Systems Light Aircraft Recording System (LARS).
