Safety, Tech Innovations Drive Helitech Discussions
Europe’s annual helicopter trade show will feature talk of topics ranging from NVGs and advanced HUMS to flying cars and open-architecture software for cockpits.
According to recent reports, the global helicopter market is likely to grow at a combined annual growth rate of 3.4% until 2023, with the increasing usage of helicopters in disaster relief a catalyst for this growth. But how are global OEMs responding to the demand for helicopters that can safely carry passengers in incredibly challenging environments?
Helitech International 2017, Europe’s leading helicopter exhibition and conference, in association with the European Helicopter Association (EHA) will provide a forum for the discussion of such key safety issues when it returns to London Oct. 3 to 5. Now in its 31st edition, Helitech is set to fill the halls of London ExCeL with the latest innovations from the rotorcraft industry’s key players, including Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter and Leonardo.
The three-day event will also include free-to-attend seminars and panel discussions. New to 2017 is the modular-style conference program, which has been designed to make it easy for attendees to drop in and out of sessions and combine them with visiting the exhibition, attending meetings and networking.
A highlight from the 2017 Insights Seminars will be keynote speaker and Russian pilot Sergey Ananov on Oct. 4. The five-time world record holder will discuss surviving a forced landing in the Arctic during an attempt to become the first pilot to circumnavigate the globe in a light helicopter.
A further highlight will be a panel on the evolution of search and rescue (SAR) technology. The Oct. 3 session will provide an opportunity to learn about technologies that will help optimize and improve safety on future SAR missions. Operators involved in the development and deployment of these tools, such as Roy Jenssen, operational advisor for Norwegian SAR and air ambulance operator Luftambulansetjenesten, will share their insights.
From evolving SAR technology to operations, Hernan Lopez, member of the Cooperativa de Trabajos Portuarios General Management, and Ivan Blaffert, manager of the Cooperativa’s Emergency Centre, will discuss the establishment and operation of rescue facilities at the port of San Lorenzo in Argentina Oct. 4.
Further sessions will deliver business intelligence and mission experiences to help the rotorcraft community tackle opportunities and challenges ahead in markets including unmanned aerial vehicles; offshore oil and gas and wind farms; maintenance, repair and operations; and helicopter emergency medical services.
Alongside the Insights Seminars, Helitech will host a series of technical sessions. These briefings, led by OEMs and the supply chain, will highlight the latest advancements in rotorcraft technology and best practice for safe and sustainable operations.
Addressing the priority of flight safety, three sessions will focus on improving the conditions and operational performance of rotorcraft operations. These include a talk by Kim Harris, senior business development manager at Aviation Specialities Unlimited, who will tackle night-vision safety. Harris, who has accumulated more than 3,700 hours of NVG flights, will address Oct. 3 the latest developments in night safety procedures and technologies with insights on his experiences.
Further technical sessions will cover innovation in the industry. Tomasz Krysinski, SVP of research and innovation at Airbus Helicopters, will present an in-depth view of the breakthrough technologies impacting customer satisfaction Oct. 3 while David Perez Pinar from Babcock International Group will reveal the latest technological innovations in remotely piloted aircraft systems Oct. 5.
Register for Helitech here: http://www.helitechinternational.com/register. RWI
