Page 32 - AAA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012 Online Magazine

ROTARY

VERTICAL LIFT

Helicopter travel in
the Northeast USA
made easy

Earlier this year, the Associated
Aircraft Group (AAG) introduced the
AAG Excalibur Card, a pre-paid flight
card programme that AAG says allows
wielders to pay only for occupied flight
units in its Sikorsky S-76 executive
helicopter fleet. AAG President
Scott Ashton described the card as
a breakthrough innovation for the
travelling executive. “The AAG Excalibur
Card provides users with flexibility,
occupied hour pricing, and access to the
newest fleet of S-76C helicopters in the
Northeast [US],” he said.

Bell and Cessna open Asia-Pacific service
facility in Singapore

Bell Helicopter and Cessna Aircraft Company have announced the opening of a new
regional service centre in Singapore at Seletar Aerospace Park. According to the press
release, the facility aims to provide customers a one-stop shop for comprehensive
repair, completion, fulfilment, maintenance and customisation solutions. The almost
15,000-square-metre centre has hangars for both Bell Helicopter and Cessna craft,
in addition to a paint booth, warehouse, overhaul and maintenance shops, offices and
ramp. “The grand opening of our Asia-Pacific service centre brings to life a vision of Sikorsky S-92
providing exceptional support to our current and future customers in this important obtains FAA
growth region,” said John L. Garrison, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter. “It is certification for Sea
the result of years of planning for an increased presence in Asia-Pacific that is a key
market for both Bell Helicopter and Cessna.” State 6 conditions
The FAA recently approved Sea State
6 certification for Sikorsky’s S-92
Russian-made helicopter, completing the S-92A
helicopters get new emergency flotation system sea state
avionics system expansion. “Many of our operators,
particularly those in the North Sea and
Russian Helicopters announced earlier Canadian waters, require certification
this year that a system to help monitor higher than Sea State 4 because of the
flight conditions, autopilot landing and winter conditions they face,” said Peter
collision avoidance will be installed Barner, lead landing gear designer
on all new helicopters they produce, for the S-92 helicopter. “Now, despite
beginning in 2015. According to very severe weather conditions, even
Russian Helicopters, the new avionics more critical offshore oil missions and
system could potentially even allow search-and-rescue operations can
the helicopter to automatically select be performed with great confidence
an unprepared landing site in an [thanks to the new certification].”
emergency, by updating and refining Sikorsky says it expects certification
cartographical information. from Transport Canada soon.

32 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM