In the past few years there have been great innovations in safety, training and technology and Canadian helicopter operators and manufacturers have been at the leading edge on numerous implementations and improvements.
Some of these innovations feature, the Bell 429 (glass cockpit IFR) manufactured in Mirabel, Quebec and in the future, the Bell 525 Rentless, (a new super medium category incorporating fly by wire) a strong candidate to enter the offshore Oil & Gas market with launch customer PHI in 2015.
In 2013, Paul Spring of Phoenix Heliflight, was awarded the Eurocopter Canada’s Innovation in Safety Award for his lifelong promotion of Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring (HFDM) recorders. Way ahead of his time in onshore domestic operations, this feature has become a necessity for offshore operations.
Cougar Helicopters, operating in the hostile environment of Atlantic Canada, have made important innovations in offshore commercial Search and Rescue. They were the first to employ the Sikorsky 92 in full All Weather SAR operation. Cougar has provided the backbone to Search and Rescue operations for numerous Oil & Gas organizations as well as supporting the Canadian Coast Guard.
Gemini Helicopters offers a pilot operator with the knowledge and ability to handle two jobs; one is to fly a helicopter, and the other is to operate remote oil and gas wells that are not accessible year round by road. A innovative example of efficiency and leverage. During a typical day, a pilot operator might make 20 landings on the R44.
CHC Helicopters has installed the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) on all heavy helicopters replacing up to 40 pounds of documentation. This iPad-based flight bag weighs under a pound and a half and has all the necessary materials loaded in app form. EFB will also provide flight crews with powerful tools for routing, fuel planning and weight and balance calculations.
Airborne Geophysical Surveys and Exploration by helicopter-borne transient electromagnetic (HTEM) survey system (aka towing a bird) is now a very popular seismic tool in the harsh onshore/offshore terrain in Canada. Operations require highly skilled crews and management to perform this specialty helicopter flying.
The Innovation theme across Canada supports and promotes a market-oriented, consumer-driven Oil & Gas industry by investing in initiatives that will improve the competitiveness, profitability and future of Helicopter applications.
For additional information
Contact Michael Nagel @ +1 604 616 2662