Helicopters Magazine

Features Procedures Safety & Training
WILLIAM W. WALSH

September 25, 2008  By Administrator

william_walsh_smallWilliam (Bill) Walsh, born October 28, 1930, grew up in Halifax, NS. At that time Halifax Airport was located within the city perimeter. Bill often visited the airport in hopes of getting a ride in a Gypsy Moth. In 1946 he and a friend travelled to Moncton, New Brunswick to purchase one hour of instructional flight time at the Moncton Flying Club. The cost of this was $8.00 - a full week’s pay. A little later Bill started his flight training at the Halifax Flying Club.   


In the 1950’s Bill earned his commercial pilot’s licence. He went on to obtain his instructor’s rating along with rotary wing endorsements. Bill's background in aircraft maintenance paralleled his pilot history. He obtained his Aircraft Maintenance

 william_walsh
WILLIAM W. WALSH
Fletcher Lake, Nova Scotia

Engineer's Licence (fixed wing) in the 1960’s. Later he added rotary wing and airframe structures endorsements to his AME licence. In 2002 he was issued Transport Canada Ministry Delegation Authority. This delegation grants the holder authority to represent the Minister of Transport in regard to importation and exportation of aircraft.

Bill’s aircraft maintenance experience spans all aircraft categories. He has owned and operated his own commercial air services including; scheduled commercial passenger air services, flight training, recreational and charter air services. He has held the following positions for various employers; Chief Flight Instructor, Operation Manager, Chief Maintenance Engineer, and Director of Maintenance.

Among Bill’s other endeavours was a term contract with Transport Canada where he was assigned to assist in drafting components for an Airworthiness Manual. This was at a time of change in the aviation industry and he brought many years of experience to the table. He was responsible for the import of the BN2B Islander from Falkland Islands, UK. He completed and followed through to approval for Canadian Type Certification for the BN2B Islander (new variant model to Canada). Bill was also instrumental in obtaining from Transport Canada Restricted Certification Authority for the Sikorsky S-76 and in March, 2005 after working closely with the Sikorsky Factory he was able to import the first Sikorsky 92 into Canada. He has performed 'after accident damage' appraisals for various insurance companies both Canadian and American. For financial institutions Bill has conducted pre-purchase evaluations on aircraft, aircraft parts, support equipment, and inventories.

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Currently Bill operates Walsh Aircraft Technicians AMO (Approved Maintenance Organization) and consulting service – drafting Maintenance Control Manuals, Maintenance Policy Manuals, Maintenance Schedules, and Quality Assurance Audits. As part of his consultation services he reviews aviation maintenance systems for conformance with corporate policy and federal civil aviation regulations. 

A long standing member of the Atlantic Region AME Association Bill has participated many times in the Atlantic Region Aircraft Maintenance Conference as a committee member and is now very much involved as a consultant and advisor to the Nova Scotia Community College Aircraft Maintenance Program.

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