5 Commonwealth Road

Natick, MA 01760

THE NEHC ORGANIZATION

NEHC Operating Members

What do YOU want to see in the Newsletter?

Please send any comments and/or submis-

sions to info@nehc.org. We look forward to

hearing from you and continuing to improve

and expand our newsletter!

NEHC Officers President

Paul Montrone

Treasurer

Steve Shapiro

Secretary

Tom Rea

NEHC Board of Directors Darryl Abbey, Chairman

Chris Harrington

Greg Harville

Bob Jesurum

Joe Miara

Paul Montrone

Doug Sherman

Rob Smith

Christian Valle

Affiliate Member/ Director Designees

Boston MedFlight

Suzanne Wedel

Friends of Flying Santa

Brain Tague

Aero Club of New England

Deirdre O’Connor

AirSure Limited

Conklin & deDecker

Life Flight of Maine

New York State Police

Survival Systems Inc.

Industry Member/ Director Designees

American Eurocopter

Scott Dodge

Bell Helicopter Textron

Jeanette Eaton

MD Helicopters

Bob Caldwell

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

Vaughan Askue

Aerial Boston Photographers

Aerial Productions, LLC

Cannon Aviation Group Inc.

Granite State Aviation LLC

JBI Helicopter Services

Massachusetts State Police Air Wing

NationAir Aviation Insurance

New Hampshire Helicopters

Thermo Fisher Scientific

United Technologies

SERVING MANY INDUSTRIES—SAVING MORE THAN TIME

www.nehc.org April 2009

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear NEHC Members,

You may have noticed that this newsletter and our most recent one have had a different look. The goal

this year is to increase the number of times the newsletter is published and to add extra pages of content

to the publication. We hope you will be pleased with the result.

In addition, in an effort to help promote the business of our Affiliate, Operator & Industry Members, we

are offering them, at no cost, the opportunity to place an ad or content in each edition of the newsletter.

If you are an Affiliate, Operator or Industry member and you haven’t yet taken advantage of this opportu-

nity, please contact our Newsletter editor, Greg Harville at 603-929-2477 or

greg.harville@latonaassociates.com.

We want to make this a meaningful and useful publication that our Members look forward to receiving,

and to that end, we welcome any input you might have on our new format and look. We are happy to

receive advice, critiques, letters to the editor, ideas for stories, and photos of helicopter activities in New

England.

We hope you will join us on April 16th at the West-

ford Regency for our Annual Membership meeting.

At this meeting, Members will elect a slate of Direc-

tors, whose terms have expired. Please take a mo-

ment to fill out the ballot, and return it to us, by

one of the methods listed, no later than April 14th.

Also at our meeting, Survival Systems, based in

Groton, CT, will be presenting highlights of their

basic sea survival training programs. Their pro-

grams have impacted thousands of lives every day.

There will be a special door prize, an underwater

egress training class, courtesy of Survival Systems

raffled off at the end of the evening. It promises to

be a great night and you won’t want to miss it!

Paul M. Montrone

President

Massachusetts State Police Air Wing

2

Boston MedFlight’s, State-of-the-Art, Sikorsky ready for service

We're delighted to announce our new Sikorsky S76C++, which puts Boston MedFlight at the forefront of helicopter technology. "The Sikorsky S76 is equipped with state-of-the-art technology that we believe will exceed the required minimum for helicopter EMS operations in the future", says Charlie Blathras, Chief Operations Manager at Bos-ton MedFlight.

This technology includes advanced ground proximity warning systems, a fully digital-ized cockpit, high-tech weather radar, air traffic avoidance systems, and a fully inte-grated Night Vision Goggle capability.

Because of its advanced features, the helicopter will fill an important niche among the specialty mis-sions Boston MedFlight flies each year, says Blathras. "Some of our missions require additional personnel and equipment, including missions with incubators for newborns, or missions where we need balloon pumps to support cardiac patients. The Sikorsky significantly improves our ability to carry more weight for those missions." The S76C++ is capable of flying at speeds greater than 175 mph, it can carry a 3,300 lb payload, and has a range of 400 nautical miles.

Only pilots that have completed the Federal Avia-tion Authority's rigorous Part 135 training program are able to fly the S76, says Rick Ruff, Aviation Site

Manager at Boston MedFlight. "We are in a higher tier of FAA regulations than general aviation operators. So, as part of our training, check airmen will come and fly with us – mostly at night – to ensure that we can safely conduct operations with passengers and patients on board." Boston MedFlight pilots have already completed a total of 24 hours on a high-tech simulator based in West Palm Beach, Florida, as part of a two-week training course that also involves 60 hours of classroom instruction.

"There's more automation in the cockpit, more safety devices, and a more capable auto-pilot. All of Boston MedFlight's aircraft are safe and effective, but the Sikorsky is the next step up in terms of technology", says Ruff.

The Sikorsky is expected to go into service in March, replacing the fleet's Dauphin heli-copter, which is currently up for sale.

In honor of Boston MedFlight founding member Dr. Erwin Hirsch, who died tragi-cally in May 2008, we have placed the ini-

tials 'EH' on our new helicopter.

— Open Invitation to All Helicopter Flight Schools and Flight Instructors—

Join the New England Helicopter Council and help grow the New England Helicopter community.

NEHC was created to foster and promote rotorcraft aviation in New England, to provide a forum from which to provide heli-copter education and safety related information; to develop constructive programs and policies for rotary wing aircraft; and to create an environment where our members can exchange information and enjoy the camaraderie of like minded helicopter enthusiasts. Join us at the membership meeting on April 16. Identify yourself as a CFI-H and be our complimentary guest.

11

1. For a thunderstorm to form the atmosphere must having certain characteristics. These factors include:

A. Air temperature greater than 30° C, dew point greater than 10°C and cumulus clouds. B. Daylight to heat the earth’s surface, an on shore flow of tropical moist air and a temperature inversion aloft. C. Sufficient water vapor, an unstable lapse rate and an initial upward boost. D. The tropopause must be lower that about 25,000 feet, rapidly building cumulus clouds and a moist air mass.

2. A thunderstorm cell during its life cycle progresses through three stages, which are defined as:

A. Cumulus, mature and dissipating. There are distinct transitions from one stage to the next which helps pilots decide when it’s safe to fly under the thunderstorm.

B. Updraft, mature and downdraft. It is virtually impossible to visually detect the transition from one stage to the next. C. Cumulus, mature and microburst. D. Cumulus, mature and dissipating.

3. Although most cumulus clouds do not grow into thunderstorms, every thunderstorm begins with the cumulus stage. What is the key feature of the cumulus stage?

A. An updraft. B. Downdrafts striking the earth’s surface. C. A cold downdraft coexisting inside a cumulus cloud along with an updraft. D. Precipitation beginning to fall from the cloud base

4. What event normally signals that a thunderstorm has entered the mature stage?

A. An updraft. B. Downdrafts striking the earth’s surface. C. A cold downdraft coexisting inside a cumulus cloud along with an updraft. D. Precipitation beginning to fall from the cloud base

5. What event normally signals that a thunderstorm has reached the dissipating stage?

A. An updraft. B. Downdrafts striking the earth’s surface. C. A cold downdraft coexisting inside a cumulus cloud along with an updraft. D. Precipitation beginning to fall from the cloud base

6. Which of the following lists contains hazards associated with thunderstorms?

A. Tornados, turbulence, icing, hail, lightening B. Stratus clouds, turbulence, icing, hail, lightening C. Lenticular clouds, tornados, hail, lightening D. Fog, precipitation static, squall lines, microbursts

7. Which of the following items is not a correct thunderstorm avoidance tactic?

A. Don’t land or takeoff in the face of an approaching thunderstorm. B. Fly under the thunderstorm only when you can clearly see the ground on the other side of the storm. C. Avoid flying within 20 miles of any severe thunderstorm D. Clear the top of a known or suspected severe thunderstorm by at least 1,000 feet altitude for each 10 knots of wind speed at the cloud top.

8. You cannot avoid penetrating a thunderstorm. Which of the following tactics is recommended to help you sur-vive your encounter with the storm?

A. Plan your course to take you through the storm in minimum time. Make a 180° turn if you’re in the storm for more than 5 minutes. B. To avoid the most critical icing, establish a penetration altitude below the freezing level or above the level of -15° C. C. Adjust power to fly at maximum endurance airspeed. Adjust power as needed to maintain this speed and to hold altitude as precisely as

possible while you’re in the storm. D. If your aircraft is equipped with an autopilot, engage heading and altitude hold to minimize your flight time through the storm.

9. Microbursts can be found almost anywhere that there is convective activity. What are the typical characteristics of a microburst?

A. Less than 1 mile in diameter as it descends from the cloud base to about 1000 – 3000 feet AGL. In the transition zone near the ground the downdraft changes to a horizontal outflow that can extend to approximately 2 ½ miles in diameter.

B. Downdrafts can be as strong as 6,000 feet per minute. C. Horizontal winds near the surface can be as strong as 45 knots resulting in a 90 knot shear (headwind to tailwind change for a traversing

aircraft) across the microburst. D. All of the above.

10. There are several types of inflight aviation weather advisories including AIRMET’s and SIGMETs. A SIGMET advises of weather that is potentially hazardous to all aircraft. In the conterminous U.S., a SIGMET will be is-sued for tornadoes, lines of thunderstorms, embedded thunderstorms and hail greater than or equal to ¾ inch in diameter.

A. True B. False

Summer Flying—Thunderstorm Quiz

Answers will be posted on the NEHC Website on May 1, 2009. Please visit www.nehc.org.

10

Are You Planning to Fly Within 60 NM of Washington, DC?

You probably already know all about the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) that has been established around Washington, DC. This DC ADIZ is a 30 NM ring centered on the DCA VOR that begins at the surface and extends up to, but does not include, FL 180. There are a number of equipment and flight planning re-quirements that must be met in order to enter this airspace.

But, are you aware that FAR Part 91.161 requires special awareness training for pilots flying under visual flight rules within a 60-nautical mile radius of the Washington, DC VOR/DME? Even if you don’t plan to fly in the ADIZ, this area between the 30 NM and 60 NM radiuses contains a large number of landing sites, all of which are technically ‘off-limits’ to VFR helicopters – until you complete Special Awareness Training.

The good news is that the training is not difficult, it’s readily accessible on the FAA’s Safety Website, and it’s free. For more information please use the following web link:

https://www.faasafety.gov/login

Need A Lift? Call JBI Helicopter Services

Specialists in aerial application of dry and

liquid materials, power line patrol, rooftop HVAC installation, concrete pouring and construction support, mountaintop

radio antenna construction & maintenance, and forest fire fighting.

JBI Helicopter Services is a Bell Helicopter Customer Service Facility for Bell 206B, 206L, 407 and the 427 model helicopters.

FAA Repair Station # FTYR033E

720 Clough Mill Road, Pembroke, NH 03275TEL: (603) 225-3134 FAX: (603) 224-9050

sales@jbihelicopters.com

LifeFlight of Maine

In a recent press release, LifeFlight of Maine was named Program of the Year by the Association of Air Medical Services. LifeFlight’s mission is to deliver rapid-response critical care services anywhere in Maine, connecting patients with appropriate trauma center care. The statewide medical helicopter ser-vice is based in Lewiston, at Central Maine Medical Center, and in Bangor, at Eastern Maine Medical Center. LifeFlight uses AgustaWestland A109 helicop-ters, equipped with state of the art navigation systems and medical equip-ment. The program is fully IFR certified and uses night vision goggles to pro-vide the highest levels of safety. Its aircraft are capable of rapid scene re-sponse in tight landing zones as well as long distance inter-hospital trans-ports.

For more information please visit www.lifeflightmaine.org.

In recent industry news Sikorsky Aircraft Corpora-tion announced

the successful first flight of its S-76D™ helicopter, the latest version of the S-76® family. During the flight, test pilots ma-neuvered the prototype through taxi, hover, hover turns, and forward flight up to 40 knots. Among the S-76D™ helicop-ter’s features are all-composite, flaw-tolerant main rotor blades; an advanced Thales avionics system and autopilot; dual speed rotor with active vibration control; powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada 210S engines; a quiet mode for enhanced public acceptance; and an optional Rotor Ice Protection System (RIPS) for all-weather capability. This milestone test

flight is the result of more than three years of design, devel-opment and testing of the first prototype aircraft. The S-76D™ helicopter is scheduled to enter production with certi-fication, and customer deliveries in 2010.

For more information www.sikorsky.com

3

Here we are in the midst of the greatest economic downturn in eighty years. The stock market is at twelve year lows, property values are down as much as forty percent, banks have ceased lending for all intents and purposes and yet the aviation insurance market continues to march down the path of effective premium reductions.

One would think that with capital costs escalating, three significant airline losses already oc-curring in 2009 and demand decreasing due to a variety of economic influences, insurers would be taking this opportunity to raise rates and premiums for everyone from pleasure and business operators to the major airlines and OEMs. After all, underwriters have been voicing complaints for years that the premiums have reached pre-Sept 11 lows and the market cannot sustain such under priced insurance coverage. However, despite these complaints and external factors, the market continues to be soft. Except for certain high risk classes of business, avia-tion insurers are willing to expand coverages, raise limits of liability and even cut prices. Why is the insurance underwriting community continuing to behave in this logic defying manner? The answer can be found in a single word: Competition.

Despite the troubles endured by its parent organization, AIG Aviation, like the other insurance operations of the financial services giant, continues to be strong. They are interested in pre-serving market share and are willing to do seemingly whatever is needed to retain business. Other carriers are trying to take AIG’s business away and are willing to make strong competi-tive plays to do so. Long time partners W Brown Ins. Services and XL Aerospace have parted company (W Brown used to perform underwriting services for XL’s general aviation book of business) and XL is now underwriting general aviation on their own. Meanwhile, W Brown has partnered with Catlin Ins, a London based insurance company, and will underwrite GA busi-ness on their behalf. All the other major insurance carriers including AXA, Allianz, Global Aerospace, Phoenix Aviation Managers, Starr Aviation and USAIG continue to be competitive as well. Everyone seems to be jockeying for market position and, ultimately, survival.

While this trend of continued competition may seem out of sync with the rest of the financial world, the net effect is good for aviation insurance buyers. Provided you are not in a class of business considered by the underwriting community to be high risk (read: EMS operators, sat-ellite launch providers, piston engine manufacturers, etc.) and do not have an adverse loss his-tory, you can use the competitive influences that abound in the market to your advantage. Pre-mium reductions may not always be available to you but underwriters are certainly willing to talk about what can be done to improve your overall cost of risk.

Important underwriting considerations continue to be safety systems, training, equipment maintenance and consistent operations. Providing you can address these issues in a positive manner, your insurance broker should be able to help you get good results at your next insur-ance renewal.

Who knows what the aviation insurance market will look like in the next six to twelve months. My advice is, as it has been in previous articles, make sure you have the right insurance broker to represent you in the market and work closely with your broker to determine the best possi-ble approach to marketing your renewal.

So if the aviation insurance market wants to defy gravity, embrace the opportunity that this brings to you. After all, airplanes have been defying gravity since the Wright Brothers showed us it was possible. I wonder which insurance carrier they were working with?

Aviation Insurance: Defying Gravity

Contributed by: Darryl A. Abbey Sr. Vice President, Salem Five Aviation

4

English Language Proficient Endorsement

Are you planning an international flight this summer? Maybe a quick trip to Montreal or over to Nova Scotia? If so, you may need to get a new airman certificate. Here’s what you need to know.

Effective March 5, 2008, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires that private, commer-cial, and airline transport pilots with powered aircraft ratings who operate internationally have a certificate stating that the holder is proficient in the use of the English language. The ability to read, speak, write, and understand English is already a U.S. regulatory eligibility requirement; the FAA Registry began issuing all new certificates with this endorsement on February 11, 2008. The U.S. has notified ICAO that it will extend the U.S. compliance date until March 5, 2009, in order to provide sufficient time for all affected U.S. airmen certificate holders to comply with the ICAO Language Proficiency airmen certificate endorsement requirements. Certificates that are ordered as regular re-placement certificates will include the en-dorsement. You can order a replacement cer-tificate on-line or by mail. You will be asked to register with Online Services if you don't already have an on-line account. Note that there is a $2 fee for replacement airmen cer-tificates.

Airmen who request temporary authority or verification of their airman certificate will not have the English proficiency endorsement until the replacement certificate has been re-quested and the $2 fee paid. If you have ques-tions, you may contact the Airmen Certifica-tion Branch toll-free at 1-866-878-2498.

For more information regarding ICAO English proficiency, refer to Information for Operators (InFO) 08012 at the following web link:

http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info/all_infos/

December 2008 marked the 79th year of Flying Santa flights to New England’s USCG stations and lighthouses. This holiday tradition was established in 1929 by Capt. Wil-liam Wincapaw, a Maine seaplane pilot, as a gesture of appreciation to the lighthouse keepers, lifesaving crews and their families who stood vigil along our coast. On Christ-mas Day, Capt. Bill would take to his plane and drop packages of holiday treats for the dedicated folks at these isolated outposts. The tradition was carried on for many years by maritime author and historian Edward Rowe Snow, who sometimes visited light-houses as far off as the West Coast and Bermuda.

Friends of Flying Santa continues these flights today, using helicopters to make visits to over 30 stations and lighthouses from Jonesport, ME to Jones Beach, NY. An all volunteer non-profit organization, the Friends hold fundraising events during the year to cover the costs of the program including scholarships for Coast Guard de-pendents. Each December, during three days of flights, we visit with and deliver toys to over 600 CG children. A long list of pilots, many current and past members of the New England Helicopter Council, has helped make this annual tradition a huge success.

To view all the photos from December’s flights as well as additional information about Friends of Flying Santa, please visit our website at www.flyingsanta.org.

Flying Santa

Contributed by: Brian Tague President, Friends of Flying Santa

Established 1984FAA Approved Part 145 Repair Station P49R490N

Specialized Service for Agusta, Bell, Eurocopter, & McDonnell Douglas HelicoptersMajor/Minor Inspections Major Repairs and Alterations Avionics Installation and Repair

For More Information

Steve Fox Director of Maintenance

(888) 732-7324 sfox@portcityair.com

Over 130 Years of Combined Avionics and Maintenance Experience

The Pilots Choice For Maintenance and Avionics

9

Pilot Certificates – On line

There are several Federal Aviation Regulations that pertain to airman certificates. For example, you are re-quired to have the certificate in your physical possession (or readily accessible in the aircraft) while performing duties as a required flight crewmember in a U.S. registered civil aircraft, (§ 61.3) and, if you change your ad-dress you may not exercise the privileges of your certificate for more than 30 days after you move, unless you notify the FAA of your new address (§ 61.60). The regulation also tells you how to replace your lost or de-stroyed airman certificate (§ 61.29).

But, did you know that you can also get a replacement certificate on-line? The FAA offers Airmen Online Ser-vices. When you log into the web site for the 1st time you’ll be prompted to create a user account. Once that simple task is completed, from your computer you will be able to:

Change your address Request temporary authority to exercise certificate privileges

Order a replacement certificate Request verification of certificate privileges

Remove SSN as certificate number Get notices of FAA safety meetings via email.

For more information please visit the following web link:

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/airmen_services/

MD Helicopters, Inc. Sets 15-Year Benchmark on Deliveries Busiest December on Record

Mesa, Arizona, February 22, 2009… MD Helicopters, Inc (MDHI) has announced that it set a 15-year record for deliveries in 2008. The company manufactured and delivered more than 50 aircraft last year, the best performance since 2000 when it delivered 38 aircraft and the most since 1993, when it was still part of McDonnell Douglas Corpora-tion.

Under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Lynn Tilton, MD Helicopter also had its busiest December on record with seventeen aircraft completed. And for the first time since investment funds of Patriarch Partners, LLC purchased the company in 2005, the financial performance is positive.

“We set very ambitious targets for ourselves in 2008,” Tilton said. “Had we managed our supplier base better we would have shipped more aircraft - we delivered the balance of our plan in the first months of 2009. The year-over-year improvements are a credit to the hard work and dedication of our employees who labor each day to produce the finest rotor aircraft in the industry.”

“The love of our aircraft and the excitement it creates when delivered is what keeps me devoted to this company,” said Tilton. “We have rebuilt this company from the customer backward---finding new ways to meet the customers’ needs and desires. We continue to raise the bar. Its what makes this company excit-ing.”

For more information:

www.mdhelicopters.com

In recent industry news, American Eurocopter announced that the U.S. Army’s growing fleet of UH-72A Lakota, light utility helicopters has passed the 10,000 flight-hour milestone in US Army service. This landmark demon-strates the aircraft’s mission performance and reliability in operations throughout the United States. Fifty-eight, of the 128 ordered UH-72As, have been delivered to the U.S. Army and Army National Guard. The Lakota car-ries six passengers and a crew of two pilots in the standard Light Utility Heli-copter configuration and is currently performing homeland security, medical evacuation, logistics and VIP flight missions. The Army is planning to acquire a total of 345 UH-72As through 2016. For more information:

www.eurocopterusa.com

8

Have you noticed that the FAA has changed the Wings program? The original Wings program was created to improve flight safety. The program required general aviation pilots to take 3-hours flight instruction with a CFI and to attend at least one FAA-sanctioned safety seminar. Upon satisfying these requirements the pilot earned a set of wings and, perhaps most importantly, could substitute the Wings completion certificate for the flight review (BFR) mandated in the Federal Aviation Regulations. You may recall that the wings lapel pins got fancier every time an individual completed a succes-sive Wings program thus marking a pilot’s progress through the 20-year program. Phase I wings were plain bronze tone and the highest award consisted of bright gold tone wings with the Roman numeral X and a ring of 10 stars.

Participation in the original Wings program declined and, according to FAA’s tracking data, by 2005 only about 2.5% of eligible pilots participated in the program.

Improving aviation safety through continuing education is still the primary goal of the new WINGS – Pilot Pro-ficiency Program. The program is designed to help each pilot construct an educational curriculum suitable for their unique flight requirements. It encourages pilots to continue their aviation educational pursuits and re-quires education, review, and flight proficiency in the Areas of Operation found in current Practical Test Stan-

dards (PTS), that correspond with the leading accident causal factors.

The most significant incentive to participating pilots is the added level of safety and profes-sionalism that is obtained through adoption of a consistent recurrent training program. Like before, pilots participating in the WINGS - Pilot Proficiency Program to at least the Basic Phase need not accomplish the flight review requirements of 14 CFR part 61, if since the be-ginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in com-mand, he or she has satisfactorily completed or currently holds the Basic or higher WINGS - Pilot Proficiency Program phase in an aircraft (reference 61.56(e)). Pilots who participate in the program throughout each year so as to maintain at least the Basic phase will always have a current flight review as the date for your Basic phase and corresponding flight review will

move as you continue your safety education by participation in accredited FAASTeam activities and courses. All WINGS - Pilot Proficiency Program activity and dates are conveniently tracked on FAASafety.gov.

Who may participate? All pilots holding a U.S. pilot certificate and a current medical certificate when required may participate in the Basic Phase. Other requirements may exist for Advanced and Master Phases. Requests to participate in flight portions of the program should be made to certificated or authorized flight and ground in-structors, flight schools, and FAASTeam Members participating in the program.

The New FAA WINGS – Pilot Proficiency Program

Old Style Wings Award

New AVEMCO Wings

Attention Helicopter pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts

Port City Air / NH Helicopters

Third Annual Helicopter Fly In

Where: Portsmouth International Airport, NH (KPSM)

When: June. Exact date and details soon to be posted.

Details: www.portcityair.com

Contact: Peter Mekelatos at (888) 732-7324

pmekelatos@portcityair.com

Interested in experimental and homebuilt

aircraft? On Saturday, April 4, EAA Chap-

ter 106 is hosting a presentation about

building Rotorway and FX Mosquito

XEL helicopters.

For information contact Penny Bowman

EAA106.Penny@.gmail.com.

5

Special Guests:

NEHC Spring Membership Meeting

Thursday

April 16, 2009

7:00 PM

at the

Westford Regency

219 Littleton Road

Westford, MA 01886

978.692.8200

Heavy hors d’oeuvres and

non-alcoholic beverages

will be served. Cash bar.

Free admission for mem-

bers and $10 fee for non

members, which will be

waived if you join the

NEHC the night of the

meeting

Any members interested in flying into this meeting should contact Maura Kindlan 978.692.8200 ext 595

to make arrangements. Happy flying!

Maria C. Hanna

President

Survival Systems USA, Inc.

Christopher M. Judah

Executive Director

Survival Systems USA, Inc.

AND

Survival Systems was founded in 1982 in response

to a need for a basic sea survival training for per-

sonnel working in the offshore oil industry and

has expanded to instruct pilots, aircrew and pas-

sengers in water survival, aircraft ditching emer-

gency and escape procedures, as well as approved

open-water sea survival. Today, our commitment

to total safety has helped us create a very unique

and realistic approach to a wide range of safety training programs, products and ser-

vices. It is due to the enthusiasm, dedication

and professionalism of our personnel that

Survival Systems has been able to achieve its

reputation for quality. All of our personnel

have been carefully selected for their indi-

vidual fields of expertise in order to give us a

complementary and highly qualified team.

DOOR PRIZE

Survival Systems will award one HUET (Helicopter Underwater Egress Training) class

at their Groton, Connecticut training facility.

Please join us for this special presentation. It might just save your life.

“My first thought was ‘Okay, I know how to deal with

this.’ And as I cleared my exit, undid my harness and

moved toward the surface, the second thought to run

through my brain was, ‘I knew the egress course was

supposed to be worthwhile, but I really did not think I

would be putting the training to use within 36 hours

of completing it.” Captain K.H. Jones

6

Aviation Safety Conference Comes to Maine

The 9th annual North East Safety Brief is slated to be held on Thursday, April 16, 2009 begin-ning at 0800 at the National Guard Amory in Au-gusta, Maine. This year’s conference, co-sponsored by LifeFlight of Maine and FAA Portland FSDO, is titled Target Zero: You hit what you aim for and sets a goal of zero accidents and incidents for 2009. The one-day conference features workshops on air traffic control accident prevention, helicopter training safety, safety man-agement systems, and EMS safety solutions. The conference, which includes lunch and snacks, is free and open to the public, but does require a photo ID. For more information, please contact Wendell Stadig at 207-262-7140 or John Marino at 207-973-5291.

www.lifeflightmaine.org/news.aspx?id=48088

Salem Five Bank, an established leader in aircraft financing, has expanded their portfolio of services which they offer to the aviation community by adding aviation insurance brokerage and risk consulting expertise to their aviation operations.

Based in North Andover, Massachusetts, the aviation team at Salem Five includes Darryl A. Abbey, a highly respected professional with more than twenty three years experience in the aviation insurance brokerage business and Keith Gra-ham who manages the bank’s aircraft finance operations and has more than sixteen years in aircraft lending. Keith is cur-rently President of the National Aircraft Finance Association, a nationally recognized industry group.

Salem Five can provide services to personal and corporate aircraft owners, passenger and cargo aircraft operators, air-craft, rotorcraft and component parts manufacturers and other individuals or entities with aviation insurance or risk man-agement needs.

“This is a great extension of service offerings for Salem Five. They are known as a top provider of aircraft financing and now will be a top provider of insurance and risk management services as well.” says Mr. Abbey.

For additional information please visit the Salem Five website: www.salemfive.com/aviation

or contact them at (978) 850-5000

Salem Five Bank Expands Aviation Services

Attention—Military Aviators

A number of NEHC members are

current, or former, military heli-

copter pilots. We want YOU to be

a member too. Please join us at the

membership meeting on April 16.

Identify yourself as a military aviator

and be our complimentary guest

7

Mystery Helicopter

Can you identify this aircraft?

The first person to correctly identify this aircraft

will win a coveted NEHC ball cap, as well as im-

portant bragging rights. Please tell us who built

the aircraft and where it’s currently located.

Answers can be submitted on line at info@nehc.org or drop us a note addressed to:

New England Helicopter Council 5 Commonwealth Road

Natick, MA 01760

Helicopter Puzzles

Fill the grid so that every row, every

column, and every 3 x 3 box con-

tains the letters

H E L I C O P T R

E P I L

O H E P

P T I

C H T L

T

T E I O

I C E

C R H L

P E O I

H-E-L-I-C-O-P-T-R Sudoku

C—O—P—T—E—R Sudoku

T O

E P T

P C

C T

R E C

O R

Fill the grid so that every row, every

column, and every 2 x 3 box con-

tains the letters

C O P T E R

A student pilot became lost during a solo cross country flight. While attempting to locate the helicopter on radar, ATC asks,

“What was you last known position?” The reply—“When I was cleared for takeoff.”

The crew of a US airliner made a wrong turn during taxi and came nose to nose with another aircraft, the furious ground con-

troller (a female) screamed: "[Callsign] where are you going? I told you to turn right on 'Charlie' taxiway; you turned right on

'Delta'. Stop right there" Continuing her verbal lashing of the embarrassed crew, she shouted: "You've screwed everything up.

It'll take forever to sort this out. You stay right there and don't move until I tell you to. You can expect progressive taxi in-

structions in about a half hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you. You got that?"

Naturally, the frequency went very quiet until an unknown male helicopter pilot broke the silence and asked: "Wasn't I mar-

ried to you once?"