Chance to debate fixes for copters

Despite carrying out a wide variety of roles, choppers rarely get the attention they deserve — overshadowed by bigger, faster fixed-wing aircraft.

A helicopter takes off to join fire-fighting operations near Adelaide. Picture: Dylan Coker

Helicopters may well be the unsung heroes of aviation. Despite carrying out a wide variety of roles, from rescues and water bombing to mustering and crop spraying, choppers rarely get the attention they deserve — overshadowed by bigger, faster fixed-wing aircraft.

But this year, for the first time, helicopters will play an integral part in Australia’s biggest airshow, Avalon 2019, with the two-day Rotortalk conference.

The Australian Helicopter Industry Association made the decision to stage “Rotortalk 2019” in conjunction with Avalon to shine a light on some of the issues affecting helicopter operators and their clients.

The two-day conference will be held at Avalon Airport’s conference centre this Wednesday and Thursday.

Day one will be a manufacturers’ workshop, with representatives from Robinson, Sikorsky, Leonardo and Bell making presentations.

Day two will review the impact of regulatory changes on the Australian helicopter industry, examine a piston-engine problem plaguing Robinson R22 and R44 Raven 1 copters in tropical Northern Australia and hear an update on night-firebombing operations.

AHIA chairman Ray Cronin says the piston-engine session was expected to attract a high level of interest due to the size of the problem.

In the past four years almost every helicopter operating in the Northern Territory’s Top End has experienced problems with exhaust valves and overheating, prompting investigations by the AHIA and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

“We’ve got a very big problem that we’ve got to find a cause for. It’s really an engine-heating issue and our committee is working diligently to sort that out,” Cronin says.

“Samples of fuel and components are being gathered and brought back to a central point to be analysed. We know there’ll be a lot of interest in that.”

Although no crashes have been linked to the problem, it has been associated with premature landings and prompted a formal advisory from CASA and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for pilots to “just land it” in the event of any in-flight abnormalities arising.

Cronin says the AHIA hopes to make Rotortalk a regular event at Avalon.

“We’re making ourselves available as a board and it’s a great opportunity for people in the helicopter industry to make a contribution to their own industry,” he says. “There is not that many chances to get together and discuss helicopter issues in depth.”

There are more than 2200 helicopters registered with CASA in Australia, from the relatively small Robinson R22s to the 15-seat twin-engine Leonardo AW139.