April 8, 2022 | Local, C4ISR, Security
June 23, 2020 | Local, Security
Talon Helicopters AS365 Dauphin ready to fight fires at night
Talon Helicopters of Richmond, B.C., is ready to take on nighttime fire attack missions with its night vision goggle (NVG) approved Airbus AS365 N2 Dauphin — the only Transport Canada approved NVG night fire attack medium helicopter in Canada.
The nine-passenger aircraft, configured with a night vision cockpit and cabin, has been approved for day and night fire attack operations with the Simplex Model 301 belly tank, which can hold up to 901 litres (238 gallons) of water.
Peter Murray, president of Talon Helicopters, said the company is taking advantage of the benefits and safety factors of NVGs, and “the ability to not have a grounding time.”
Talon's AS365 is approved to fight fires at night with the Simplex Model 301 belly tank, which can hold up to 901 litres of water. Heath Moffatt Photo
He added: “With doing initial attack at night... if a fire starts at 11 p.m. and you're on it at 11:30 p.m., of course you're going to reduce the impact the fire makes if you're on it six or eight hours earlier than if you got on it in the daylight. . . . So we're right on the leading edge of all this.”
The NVG certification for the Dauphin has been a multi-year project for Talon. Murray said the company has had the capabilities to fight fires at night for just under a year now, but recently received approval from Transport Canada for all part 702/703 operations with NVGs, which includes flying passengers at night.
All of the company's pilots have completed basic NVG training, and “the AS365 pilots have done advanced NVG [training],” said Murray, “so they can go into remote areas and land at night with NVGs.”
Murray said the Dauphin outfitted with the Simplex tank is 30 per cent faster than other belly tank-equipped mediums. “It's a fast tank for this machine. With the snorkel stowed, it's 140 knots VNE. . . . With the snorkel on its 120 [knots]. If you're going out to do initial attack and go a distance, you're going to go there at 140 knots and you're going to get there faster,” he said.
The Simplex tank has an easy install process with four hard points on the aircraft, and can be removed just as easily for a different mission configuration. “You can probably do the whole hook change and remove the tank within 20 minutes or a half-hour,” said Murray. In place of the belly tank, the Dauphin can be equipped with a 350-gallon FAST Bucket for daytime wildfire operations.
A multi-mission helicopter, Talon's Dauphin is also used for medevac, search and rescue, aerial lift work and passenger transport operations. “We call it the Swiss Army knife of helicopters because we have a full approved stretcher kit (we got that approved in Canada), and then we have the hoist as well; we're approved for day and night hoisting” using Transport Canada approved crew harnesses and evacuation equipment, and a 300-foot hoist cable with a 600-pound load limit.
Along with its night fire attack and nighttime hoist certifications, Talon is approved for night hover entry/exit.
The aircraft has a number of STC'd avionics upgrades including the Garmin GTN 750 touchscreen navigator, helicopter terrain awareness warning system, traffic collision avoidance systems, and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast.
Building on the company's NVG firefighting capabilities, Murray said Talon is looking into collecting data on daytime and nighttime fire attack operations to evaluate the difference in the cost of fighting the fires and the cost of losing resources like trees, as well as structures.
For example, “what would happen if we put 20,000 litres of water around one burning tree at nighttime... what would we have in the morning? Would it be a mop up for a couple of days, instead of a two-month production?” he said.
While the current Covid-19 crisis has delayed these data-gathering initiatives, Murray said the company is still working to pursue them in the near future.
https://www.skiesmag.com/news/talon-helicopters-as365-dauphin-fight-fires-night
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February 9, 2021 | Local, Aerospace
Magellan Aerospace and General Electric Aviation Canada Sign Memorandum of Understanding for F414 Engine Sustainment in Support of Boeing Super Hornet Bid for Canada Future Fighter Competition
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Magellan also has a longstanding relationship with Boeing and provides aircraft components to Boeing for all major programs including the F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet. “Providing engine and fleet maintenance support for the RCAF is part of the DNA of Magellan's Mississauga facility,” said Haydn Martin, Vice President of Business Development, Marketing and Contracts of Magellan Aerospace. “Magellan has been the sole provider of RCAF jet fighter engine support since the 1950s and our workforce takes pride in helping Canada's air force achieve the highest standards of flight and operational readiness.” About Magellan Aerospace Corporation Magellan Aerospace Corporation is a global aerospace company that provides complex assemblies and systems solutions to aircraft and engine manufacturers, and defence and space agencies worldwide. Magellan designs and manufactures aeroengine and aerostructure assemblies and components for aerospace markets, advanced proprietary products for military and space markets, and provides engine and component repair and overhaul services worldwide. Magellan is a public company whose shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MAL), with operating units throughout North America, Europe, and India. About General Electric Aviation Canada GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, as well as integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. In turn, GE Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of GE. Follow GE Aviation on Twitter and YouTube. Forward Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may be forward-looking statements or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. When used herein, words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend”, “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by the Corporation in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Corporation believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause the Corporation's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Corporation's Annual Information Form (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Corporation's forward-looking statements. The Corporation has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210208005019/en/ Contacts For information: Daniel Chaisson Director, Corporate Business Development Magellan Aerospace Ph. +1 978 423 9257 William “Cole” Massie Media Relations GE Aviation Ph. +1 513 288 4489 william.massie@ge.com https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/magellan-aerospace-and-general-electric-aviation-canada-sign-memorandum-of-understanding-for-f414-engine-sustainment-in-support-of-boeing-super-hornet-bid-for-canada-future-fighter-competition
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Analysis: With $30 billion in new deals, Canada hopes to send U.S. a message on defence
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