MIDWEEK UPDATE 9 APRIL 2014
1 Plan your weekend
2 Forthcoming events
3 TNPA awards helicopter pilotage contract to Denel Aviation
4 Kenyan flag carrier set to add a total of nine Dreamliners to its fleet
5 Alenia Aermacchi Roll-Out of first M-346 for Israeli MOD and the Israeli Air and Space Force
6 AW139M Departs FIDAE for South American Demonstration Tour
7 Seeing Double: Two C-130Js Delivered to Korea
8 With six deals locked in, FIDAE confirms Airbus Helicopters' leading presence in Latin America
9 Rate Card
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11-13 April: SAA Pilot's Association Zebula Airshow and fly-in. Contact: Paul Weich: pdweich@mweb.co.za
28 April-1 May: PASA SA National Skydiving Championships, Wonderboom Airport. Contact: Peter Lawson 012 566 6535: greatfun@mweb.co.za
Set up of display area must commence on 30 April 2014 and clearing of display areas to be completed after 16h00 on 4 May 2014. Please confirm your interest in the event before end of business on 4 April 2014.
Yours sincerely,
Kevin J Storie
General Manager - Aero Club of South Africa
3-4 May: SAC Free State Regional Aerobatics, Parys. E-mail: change@mweb.co.za
10 May: SAAF Museum Annual Airshow, AFB Zwartkops. Contact: Lt. Col. O'Connor 012 351 2290 E-mail: oc@saafmuseum.org
7 - 11 May: Vulintaba National Hot Air Balloon Championship in Newcastle KZN. Members of the public can book rides by sending an e-mail with detail to info@champ.co.za confirmation of the price per person will be confirmed by e-mail.
9 to 11 May: Battlefields Fly-in. Contact 034 218 1641 E-mail stay@battlefieldslodge.co.za
18 May: Parys Pylon Time Trials - All comers. Contact Scully Levin
E-mail: flyboys@global.co.za
24 May: Ladysmith Airshow
24 May: Lowveld Airshow (Nelspruit) Contact: Willemien Hodgkinson
E-mail: willemien.hodgkinson@ffa.co.za
29 to 31 May: President's Trophy Air Race. Contact Robbie Myburgh E-mail: website www.sapfa.org.za.
31 May New Castle Airshow
1 June: Baragwanath Airfield celebrates its 95th anniversary. The original airfield was created in 1919, with the Johannesburg Light Plane Club being formed in 1926. The club is still in operation today at the 'new' Baragwanath south of Lenasia and we are planning a good old fashioned fly-in to celebrate South Africa's aviation heritage and its future with a wide variety of aircraft present at the airfield on the day (old rubbing shoulders with new) and some great entertainment in the form of live music, vintage cars and motorcycles and period dress competition.
Please RSVP to Courtney Watson with your name, names of your guests, your aircraft type and Registration e-mail: cwatson@stithian.com 083 642-3565. Information will be available on the Johannesburg Light Plane Club website and updates and notices will be sent via E-mail Courtney.
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Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is pleased to announce that its helicopter service will from April 1 be undertaken by Denel Aviation which was awarded the contract after a competitive tender process.
Denel is South Africa's global leader in the supply of strategic defence, aerospace and security products and services. Even though Denel is extending its technology and services into the civil and commercial environment, Denel Aviation has been active in the civil aviation sector for some time now and well versed in civil operations and the civil regulatory environment.
During March Denel was on site in Durban and Richards Bay checking and ensuring that everything would be ready regarding the operation from April 1 as expected.
The contract, as per the RFP is for a two year period, with an option to renew for a further three years.
In terms of the contract Denel Aviation will provide a total package of aviation solutions to TNPA. This includes providing the Authority's 17 cadet helicopter pilots, which have completed their courses and achieved their commercial helicopter pilot's licence, with practical experience. Denel will also continue training TNPA's six trainee helicopter engineers who have already completed the first year of their course at the Denel Technical Academy.
The contract is structured such that for the first year the service will be undertaken entirely by Denel pilots. Thereafter the ratio will reduce by 20% per year for the next four years after which TNPA will take over the service. The awarding of the contract to Denel Aviation can be credited to the company's extensive experience in aviation which incorporates maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) upgrades, systems integration and flight testing.
Denel's experience matches the terms of the TNPA contract which is a civil aviation contract intended to transfer TNPA pilots to ships and has no commercial aspects to it.
For 17 years the Authority has outsourced its helicopter service although it owned the helicopters and the related infrastructure. “When we reflected on this and our transformation mandate, some three years ago, we realised that we cannot have an operation that is not reflective of the South African demographics, hence the decision to train our own pilots and engineers that are reflective of the country's demographics,” said TNPA's Chief Executive Tau Morwe.
“Our vision is a long term one to develop a pool of pilots that will be able to adequately take up position in the commercial aviation sector,” he said.
“As a company we are committed to the transformation of the aviation industry through skills development and training. Part of this contract is to provide the mentorship and guidance to TNPA pilots to enable these people to carry out the necessary tasking when they have qualified,” said Mike Kgobe Chief Executive Denel Aviation.
The Denel Aviation relationship with Transnet National Ports Authority supports the vision of the Department of Public Enterprises for state-owned companies to share expertise resulting transformation and the consolidation of services.
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The 787 will form the backbone of the airline's future long-haul fleet, providing greater range, improved efficiencies and outstanding passenger comfort.
"The delivery of our first ever 787 Dreamliner not only opens a new chapter for our airline, but also for Kenya," said Dr. Titus Naikuni, chief executive officer, Kenya Airways. "The 787 will enable Kenya Airways to explore new markets, improve its economic performance, provide passengers with revolutionary comfort, while continuing to contribute towards the sustainable development of Africa."
The 787 is the world's most technologically advanced airplane with composite materials making up 50 percent of the primary structure by weight, including the fuselage and wing. In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to midsize airplanes, the 787 will provide Kenya Airways with unmatched fuel efficiency, using 20 percent less fuel than today's similarly sized airplanes
The 787 will form the backbone of the airline's future long-haul fleet. Photo credit Boeing
"The 787 provides carriers with the flexibility to expand their networks and reduce operating costs, while offering passengers an unsurpassed in-flight experience," said Van Rex Gallard, vice president of sales for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The 787 will be an outstanding addition to Kenya Airways' fleet, providing the cornerstone of the airline's future success and enabling it to continue its mission to connect Africa to the world, and the world to Africa."
Passengers traveling on Kenya Airways' 787 will experience the passenger-pleasing features of the Dreamliner such as larger, electronically-dimmable windows and larger overhead luggage bins. During flight the 787 is pressurized to a lower cabin altitude, has higher humidity levels, advanced air filtration and smoother-ride technology to make the flying experience more comfortable and allow passengers to arrive at their destination more refreshed.
This delivery is the first of nine 787 Dreamliners set to join Kenya Airways' fleet. The deliveries of additional 787s, along with 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes, forms part of the East African carrier's 10-year strategic plan called "Project Mawingu." The plan is focused on increasing the airline's fleet size from 44 airplanes to 107 by 2021 and destinations from the 62 to 115. Currently the Nairobi-based carrier operates an all-Boeing long-haul fleet of six 767-300ERs, four 777-200ERs and one 777-300ER.
Kenya Airways' first 787 is scheduled to begin flying regionally within Africa in the coming weeks, before beginning long-haul service to Paris in early June. Currently the "Pride of Africa" serves destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. To date, more than 130 Dreamliners have been delivered to 17 customers worldwide.
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?The first M-346 advanced trainer for the Israeli Air & Space Force was rolled out today in a ceremony held at Alenia Aermacchi's plant in Venegono Superiore, Italy.
The M-346 will replace the TA-4 Skyhawk currently operated by the IAF. Photo credit Alenia Aermacchi
In July 2012, Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, was awarded a contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMOD) to supply 30 M-346 advanced jet trainer aircraft, to replace the TA-4 Skyhawk currently operated by the IAF, to include ground based training systems in collaboration with other Israeli and International companies.
The delivery of the first M-346 to the Israel Air & Space Force is scheduled for summer 2014.
The roll-out ceremony was attended by officials from the Israeli Ministry of Defence, Israeli Air & Space Force, Italian institutional key representatives, as well as representatives from Alenia Aermacchi and other industrial partners.
Delivery of the first M-346 to the Israel Air & Space Force is scheduled for summer 2014. Photo credit Alenia Aermacchi
This moment is particularly important to Alenia Aermacchi which, in less than two years, has signed the contract and performed the roll-out of the first aircraft for Israel: a result, which marks the excellent team job achieved in strict collaboration with Alenia Aermacchi's industrial counterparts, TOR and Honeywell.
The M-346 has also been recently ordered by Poland that becomes the fourth customer of the aircraft after Italy, Singapore and Israel. A total of 56 M-346 have been ordered so far. The aircraft is already in service with the Italian and the Republic of Singapore Air Forces.
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As the military variant of the extremely successful AW139, the “M” version is expected to attract significant interest from government operators requiring an cost effective “off-the-shelf” multi-role helicopter. The AW139M has all the outstanding features of its AW139 commercial counterpart together with a wide range of military equipment options. These options include dedicated equipment such as armoured cockpit seats to improve crew protection, ballistic-tolerant self-sealing fuel tanks, heavy duty landing gear, high-definition FLIR, defensive aids suite, crashworthy troop seats, mission specific avionics and tactical communications, an external weapon stores system. The AW139M also features a low thermal and acoustic signature and is available with an optional full ice protection system for flight in known icing conditions.
Able to operate from ashore and at sea, the AW139M's high performance search radar, Electro-Optic / Infra Red (EO/IR) device with video recording and downlink, personnel insertion/extraction equipment including a hoist, fast roping and rappelling points make it ideal for law enforcement missions. For battlefield operations the AW139 can carry a range of armament including Heavy Machine Gun pods, 2.75” (70mm) air-to-ground rockets, 12.7mm sniper rifle and 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine guns.
The AW139M has all the outstanding features of its AW139 commercial counterpart together with a wide range of military equipment options. Photo credit AgustaWestland
The large constant section cabin with 30% more cabin volume than legacy platforms provides the capability to accommodate up to 15 passengers or 10 fully equipped soldiers on crashworthy troop seats or a wide range of equipment and cargo. The large stowage area to the rear of the cabin is accessible in flight or externally on the ground. Combined, these offer an exceptional transport capability. With the external cargo hook, loads of up to 2200 kg (4850 lb) can be transported to the battlefield. Two large sliding cabin doors aid ingress and egress of personnel. Crew and occupants can be protected by modular armor protection in the cabin and cockpit.
The AW139M is one of AgustaWestland's dual-use concept products, carrying all the benefits of being an “Off-The-Shelf” solution with over 850,000 flight hours of experience with hundreds of operators all over the world. Military operators of the AW139 include the Italian Air Force, Irish Air Corps, Qatar Emiri Air Force, UAE Armed Forces and the Royal Thai Army to name a few.
The AW139M is part of the AgustaWestland Family of new generation helicopters that includes the AW169M and AW149 models, which possess the same high performance flight characteristics and safety features as well as sharing a common cockpit layout, design philosophy and maintenance concept. This commonality will allow more effective operations for customers operating helicopter fleets across the 4 to 8.5 tonne weight categories.
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Two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) ferried from the Lockheed Martin facility here today to South Korea.
ROKAF accepted delivery of these two aircraft last week at a ceremony in Marietta, home to the C-130J Super Hercules production line. These Super Hercs will be flown by ROKAF aircrews, which currently operate a fleet of C-130H legacy aircraft.
The ROKAF's new Super Hercules is the longer fuselage or “stretched” combat delivery variant. Lockheed Martin is also contracted to provide a two-year support program to the ROKAF, including C-130J aircrew and maintenance training.
The ROKAF's new Super Hercules is the longer fuselage or “stretched” combat delivery variant. Photo credit Lockheed
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 115,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.
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A new agreement announced at last week's FIDAE 2014 air show has further underscored Airbus Helicopters' strong presence in the Southern Cone area of Latin America, with contracts and commitments involving military, security and energy-sector customers.
Building on a market leadership position that has seen its turnover double during the past four years, the Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur subsidiary revealed transactions at FIDAE 2014 for its AS350, EC145 and EC155 rotorcraft valued at a total of U.S $54 million.
“This success confirms our helicopter product line continues to meet the demanding operational requirements in this region of the world, which results from the capabilities of Airbus Helicopters' current rotorcraft families and the constant evolution of our product line,” said Alexandre Ceccacci, the Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur.“
The new EC145s will join two helicopters of this type received by the Bolivian Air Force in 2012(© Airbus Helicopters/Cristobal Correa-2014)
Among the announcements at FIDAE 2014 is the Bolivian Air Force's booking for two additional EC145s, which are to be used for missions ranging from support after natural disasters to governmental transport duties. The new order includes pilot training, technical assistance and a logistic package of tools and spare parts to be provided by Airbus Helicopters.
The new EC145s will join two helicopters of this type received by the Bolivian Air Force in 2012, along with six AS332 C1e rotorcraft that were ordered last year by the military service for deliveries through 2016.
With more than 500 EC145s delivered to date by Airbus Helicopters around the globe, this twin-engine rotorcraft is the reference for public services missions across Latin America, where it is being operated in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico - joined more recently by Bolivia and Peru with recent purchases for four and five aircraft, respectively.
Also announced at FIDAE 2014 was an AS350 B3 order from the Ministry of Security of Buenos Aires Province, to be deployed in surveillance, rescue and other applications. This will be the organization's fourth AS350 B3, operated along with five BO105s. As the highest-performance member of Airbus Helicopters' multi-role Ecureuil family, the AS350 B3 outclasses all other single-engine helicopters for performance, versatility, safety, acquisition and maintenance costs - excelling in hot conditions and very high altitudes.
During FIDAE 2014, Airbus Helicopters signed a letter of intent with Peruvian operator Heliflight for two EC145s and one EC155 B1 Dauphin family rotorcraft, to be used in supporting the country's energy industry. This customer currently has two AS350 B3s, which are deployed on missions for mining, as well as oil and gas, including operations in hot and high environments.
The fleet of Airbus Helicopters in the Southern Cone expanded with the deliveries at FIDAE 2014 of an EC155 B1 to a private Chilean client, an AS532 Ale Cougar to the Chilean Army, and the first enhanced EC130 T2 version received in this region of the world - delivered to a private customer.
The geographical region of Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur covers the countries of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Uruguay, for an in-service fleet of some 290 rotorcraft. Based in Santiago, this subsidiary, which has 100 employees, is responsible for the sale and customization of new and used helicopters, commercial support, spare parts distribution, maintenance and training.
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