Features Innovations UAVs
MaxVis reaches special helicopter milestone

“This important milestone demonstrates our continuing commitment to the rotary wing community,” said Max-Viz Vice President Business Development Lou Churchville. “Max-Viz knows helicopters. We have experienced and tenured helicopter pilots on staff who understand the unique challenges and missions flown by helicopter pilots.”

Max-Viz Enhanced Vision System helps pilots see better at night, in bad weather and through smog, smoke, haze and light fog. Emergency medical, military, Coast Guard and fire-attack aircraft using Max-Viz’s system experience higher mission completion rates and greater safety, avoiding traffic, obstructions and inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions.

“Our air ambulance flight crews are reporting that not only can they see terrain features and manmade structures at night, but they are seeing fog and cloud formations and concentrations of precipitation during the day, thus enabling them to pick safer routes ahead,” said Brendan McCormick, chief pilot of rotary wing for Helijet, based at Vancouver International Airport in Canada.

Helijet operates the Sikorsky S76C+ in air ambulance configuration, equipped the Max-Viz EVS-1500. McCormick credits the company’s investment in enhanced navigation and safety equipment for a greater level of service and reliability. “We’ve been able to go places where previous contractors couldn’t,” he added.

“Helicopter shipments of the Max-Viz Enhanced Vision System increased by 35 percent in 2011, and the company anticipates as much as 50 percent growth in 2012 as the systems are becoming more popular with a wider group of rotary wing users,” Churchville said.

Revenue charter and standard corporate transport operations report increased on-time departures and a smoother ride for clients based on the ability to see and avoid weather systems and clouds.

Corporate passengers, patients, offshore oil rig commuters and other passengers know their pilot can see and react to situations that may not be viewable with the human eye in limited visibility environments and at night. Max-Viz transforms situational awareness and effectiveness, and enhances pilot confidence and operational safety.