AW189 REACHES THE FIRST 1000 FH

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1 Summer 2015 AW189 REACHES THE FIRST 1000 FH AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that the AW189 Fleet Leader operated by Bel Air has just passed the 1000 flight hours milestone after only 10 months from the aircraft s entry into service. The aircraft had already exceeded the milestone of 600 flight hours in just six months of operation while demonstrating exceptional availability and mission effectiveness. Bel Air has two AW189s in service performing long range offshore transport missions in the North Sea, and in October 2014 signed a contract for a third aircraft. The event marks a milestone for the first new generation aircraft in its category in decades and for the helicopter that has become the outright market leader in its class. The achievement of this important result was possible thanks to a strong collaboration between the companies within the fleet improvement programme which was established by Bel Air and AgustaWestland. This all new approach to effective, flexible and efficient fleet management is supporting Bel Air as it expands its operations in support of the North Sea oil and gas industry, as well as carrying out offshore wind turbine support and ad hoc helicopter services. Bel Air currently operates two AW189 helicopters which are logging over 150 flight hours each month in the challenging North Sea operational area. Bel Air Aviation A/S was established in 1994 and is a Danish owned offshore helicopter company. It has its main base at Esbjerg Airport and operates flights there to offshore oil and gas installations as well as wind farms in the North Sea.

2 news EXTENSION OF LEONARDO PASSWORD TO 3 MONTHS Since the launch of AgustaWestland s Customer Portal Leonardo in February 2014, the number of customers using this service has grown rapidly. More than 800 customers are now making use of Leonardo, with over 4500 users activated. In order to facilitate the accessibility to the portal, the password validity is now extended by 3 months. Furthermore, the time of automatic logoff due to inactivity has been increased to 3 hours. RDSG RELIABILITY DATA SHARING GROUP The AW139 Reliability Data Sharing Group (RDSG) programme is open to all Customers/Operators and establishes a monthly exchange of data with periodic meetings. The result of the analysis of the group s data will also be used as an input to drive reliability & maintainability improvements within the AW Product Improvement initiatives. All the Customers/Operators interested in subscribing to the RDSG, or who would like to receive additional information, are invited to contact AW139 Product Support Engineering at: RDSG.mbx@agustawestland.com and/or AW139.mbx@agustawestland.com AW169 TRAINING SOLUTION NEWS Engineer Training As announced in the Winter edition of the AW Newsletter, the training solution for Maintenance Engineers has been in place since April One Full Interactive Maintenance Training Simulator has been purpose-built and used for the Practical Training of Airframe, Engine and Avionics Engineers. Training for Airframe Engineers includes the Engine element minimising operator cost and provides one single and integrated training path, consisting of 4- week theory and 2-week practical training. The Avionic Engineers course consists of 4 weeks theory and 2 weeks practical training as well. The maintenance training is augmented by the use of the AW designed and developed 3D base Virtual Maintenance Trainer, allowing for superior learning effectiveness for a large number of maintenance tasks. Pilot Training The qualification of the AW169 Flight Training Device (FTD) at the A. Marchetti Training Academy in Sesto Calende, Italy, was achieved earlier this year and the device has already been successfully used for the first Customer Pilot Training Courses. The FTD features a high performance visual system and provides for effective training for pilots in the use of automated flight data, systems integration and other procedures including situational awareness and decision making under normal, abnormal and emergency conditions. The first Customer Pilot Training Course, which started in July has been successfully conducted, with customers from various countries using the AW Learning Content Management System (LCMS) based on theory courses and the AW 169 Flight Training Device. The Distance Learning package has now been implemented on the whole AW Family (namely the AW139, AW169 and AW189) as is also available through the On Line Training Academy. SUMMER CERTIFICATION NEWS Maintenance Training Our Maintenance Training Organisation capability has been extended to cover the US Satellite in Philadelphia for Chinese Civil Aviation Authority approval. Flight Training The AW169 training courses have been certified by EASA. 2

3 FROM RHODE ISLAND (USA) ON THE WAY TO PORTO WITH AN AW139 Securing support for Flight Management Corporation along the 5,719 nautical mile route from Rhode Island, USA to Porto, Portugal provided the customer with a great opportunity to establish relationships with the European Service Centres and also with the AW (Italy) personnel that they would normally not work with. For the long ferry flight across continents, a primary and secondary POC for maintenance as well as a Customer Support POC for both AW in the USA and AW in Italy were provided to Flight Management Corporation, in the event assistance was required during the journey. A discrepancy was noted during the trip, and the relevant AW Service Centres in Italy and USA were in direct communication, both with each other and the customer, to ensure that the issue was resolved rapidly, despite the geographical challenges. It truly was a team effort, using the AW Global Customer Support Network. Captain Tal Golan said: Flight Management Corporation would like to express its sincere appreciation to AgustaWestland Customer Support. From the initial planning phase, to pre-departure, and all the way to our destination, AgustaWestland was with us. AgustaWestland s Customer Support communication and quick response when needed were testimonies to a commitment to their customers and an ongoing effort to constantly improve Customer Support. The AW139 has excelled, and exceeded our expectations in regards to performance and endurance. This was truly an extraordinary trip with an extraordinary aircraft. news 3

4 NEW VERTICAL CARGO NET FOR AW189 The new Vertical Cargo Net kit P/N 8G2550F00311 has been designed to increase baggage compartment rating (+20%) and usable volume for baggage storage. Loading capability increases from 300kg to 360 kg, the maximum payload height is 700mm, while the maximum payload mass is 360 kg. Loading and unloading cargo from both LH and RH baggage doors is possible, both independently or simultaneously. Technical Bulletin BT has been issued to provide instructions for this new installation. engineering 4

5 NEW FEATURES ON AW FAMILY IETP (AW189, AW169 AND COMING SOON ON AW139) Within AW189 IETP (Issue 6), three new features have been incorporated. Search command using the Effectivity filter: this new functionality makes it possible to identify all the Data Modules applicable to a specific optional equipment and/or customisation, using the effectivity code, the kit P/N or its description as search criteria. This search can be performed for all the Manuals included within the IETP (AMP, IPD, AWDP, AFIP, etc.) Maintenance Tasks Overview (AMPI DMs 89-A A-028E-P (EASA version) and 89-B A- 028E-P (FAA version) has been updated by inserting the applicability and effectivity on the right side of each maintenance task listed. This makes it possible to identify more quickly and clearly which tasks can be avoided, because it is not aligned to a specific helicopter configuration. Wire Lists (DMs included within Section Section Helicopter description of AWDP) have been updated with the specific link to AWDP manual that points exactly to the W/D sheet that shows each item. For example, if you need to see the Wiring lower reported, when you select the Data Module, the IETP opens the selected sheet. engineering THIRD-LEVEL ACTIVITIES ON AW109 TR BLADES In the continuous commitment to deliver excellence in maintenance capabilities expansion, the following Temporary Maintenance Instructions (TMI), focused on Composite Tail Rotor Blades maintenance on AW109/ AW119 models, have been issued: TMI Tail Rotor Blade, Pitch Arm Assy Replacement TMI Tail Rotor Blade, Static Balancing TMI Tail Rotor Blade, Painting As completed previously with other helicopter components, the process of validation has seen AW Product Support Engineering and Rotors System Design & Development departments defining the most effective and safest process to provide authorised MROs with the ability to handle maintenance procedures on critical parts of the rotors. Similar instructions, applicable to Main Rotor Blades, are already undergoing the validation process and will soon be released through dedicated publications. Should you need any additional information, do not hesitate to refer to the point of contact provided within the Customer Support & Training Worldwide Directory. 5

6 customer focus FAASA & FIRE FIGHTING The FAASA Group (Fumigación Aérea Andaluza SA), founded in 1966 in Palma del Rio, Córdoba, Spain, by the pilot Sebastián Almagroand, consists of a number of companies operating in the aeronautical sector. There is a special focus on activities related to the forest environment, and civil emergency, requiring air support for an immediate response where the emergency occurs. Initially, its activity was mainly located in Andalusia, but it soon spread to other parts of Spain. First and foremost, it works for governmental entities. FAASA also specialises in Aircraft Maintenance and it has a training centre which includes AW119 type rating, both initial and recurrent, for pilots who have been sent for training by other operators. From its foundation, the company provided plant protection services all over Andalusia and, in the 1980s, it began the complex task of forest defence and aerial surveillance, soon becoming the first company in the Spanish aeronautical market to have two divisions, fixed wing and helicopters. The first helicopter was based in Andalusia. Throughout the following two decades, the company increased its helicopter fleet in order to expand its services, and it developed its fire fighting operations in Portugal and then in Chile where a local permanent branch (FAASA Chile) was established in Today, the FAASA business model is based on operating its aircraft in fire fighting activities throughout the year, attending to demands of its customers in both hemispheres. FAASA aircraft and crews operate in Spain and Chile ensuring the maximum use of the assets as well as increasing the experience and capability of crews. FAASA is currently a global player in fire fighting activities and operates more than 75 aircraft throughout Spain, Portugal and Chile. Furthermore, FAASA operates and maintains 25 AW119 and 2 AgustaBell helicopters in its AW Authorized Service Centre at Palma del Rio, representing the first worldwide Commercial Operator for number of AW119 helicopters in service. Its AgustaWestland helicopters amass 5,000 flight hours each year, which, cumulatively, amount to more than 70,000 since the start of the Koala operations. FAASA is supported by AW Customer Support & Services Italy, and collaborates daily with AW Engineering, Logistics and Support departments to reach the highest levels of fleet availability and to enhance its fire fighting operations. With this purpose, FAASA and AgustaWestland are currently collaborating in the upgrade of the AW119 fleet to the latest AW119MKII model, with the introduction of additional auxiliary kits to improve AW119 flight operations and FAASA s Repair & Overhaul Capabilities. 6

7 RETROFIT TCAS II IN THE NORTH SEA Highlights on TCAS II System: technology AW139 capability enhancement through TCAS II system is available now for retrofit installation on AW139 Long Nose and AW139 Long Nose Enhanced Helicopters, equipped with PRIMIS EPIC Phase 7 Avionic Suite. Application is through BT First retrofitted helicopters in O&G operations in the North Sea Technical Information (ref BT ) TCAS II is an Airborne Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Advisory System that operates without the support of Air Traffic Control (ATC) ground stations. TCAS II interrogates ICAO-compliant transponders of all aircraft in the vicinity and, based on the replies received, tracks the slant range, altitude (when it is included in the reply message), and bearing of surrounding traffic. From several successive replies, TCAS calculates a time to reach the CPA (Closest Point of Approach) with the intruder, by dividing the range by the closure rate. This time value (TAU) is the main parameter for issuing alerts. If the transponder replies, from nearby aircraft, includes their altitude, TCAS also computes the time to reach co-altitude. TCAS II can issue two types of alerts: Traffic Advisory (TA) to assist the pilot in the visual search of the intruder aircraft and to prepare the pilot for a potential Resolution Advisory (RA); Resolution Advisory (RA) to recommend manoeuvres that will either maintain or increase the existing vertical separation from an intruder aircraft. When the intruder aircraft is also fitted with TCAS II, both TCAS coordinate their RAs through the Mode S data link to ensure that complementary resolution are selected. TCAS II is designed to provide reliable surveillance out to a range of 14 nautical miles (nmi) and in traffic densities of up to 0.3 aircraft per square nmi (i.e. 24 aircraft within a 5 nmi radius, which is the highest traffic density envisioned over the next 20 years). The surveillance function provides the range, altitude and bearing of nearby aircraft to the collision avoidance function so threat determinations can be made and the information displayed on the traffic display is accurate. In addition, TCAS II can simultaneously track at least 30 transponder-equipped aircraft within its surveillance range. CHC Specific information First on the field retrofit on three aircraft at CHC Den Helder prt 145 organisation With the introduction of the TCAS II capability in the North Sea, CHC responded with the AW139 to most stringent final customer requirements, gaining additional AW139 contracts. 7

8 SERVICE CENTRE CONFERENCE At AgustaWestland we are on a journey of transformation with Service Excellence which is designed to perfect our performance towards our customers. The goal is to provide best-in-class levels of service, to improve fleet availability and increase customer satisfaction. In this, the AgustaWestland Service Centre Network has been identified as one of the main elements which will benefit from this transformation process. In particular, AgustaWestland has developed challenging Customer Service plans taking into account the effective support that this Service Centre Network can offer to AgustaWestland and its customers, all of which has led us to setup a brand new Service Centre Policy. Our first Service Centre Conference (Vergiate, September 15 16th) will not only be the occasion to reinforce collaborations, align procedures and standards of the support network, but also to roll out this new policy to AgustaWestland Service Centres. A summary of the event, and results, will be detailed in the next AW Newsletter. We appreciate your feedback and comments and we are pleased to provide you any further information. Please, don t hesitate to contact us, at the following address: leonardo.mbx@agustawestland.com 8 The information and the images contained in this document are for reference only and can be amended any time without notice. They cannot be reproduced without the written approval of AgustaWestland and do not constitute and/or cannot be interpreted as a commitment for AgustaWestland. The applicability, compliance and compatibility of the information and the images contained, have to be verified directly with AgustaWestland.