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R22 Pilots Wins
Championships
 Japanese Pilot Mitsuo Aoyama flew his
Robinson R22 to win the Rosemary Rose Memory Cup (first place) in the Free Style
event at the llth World Helicopter Championships in August. The Free Style
event allows pilots to be creative in their exhibition. Aoyama demonstrated the
R22's unparalleled maneuverahility and his precision [lying skills, complete with
music and a colorful smoke show.
The World Helicopter Championships provide an international opportunity for
the world's best pilots to demonstrate their flying and navigation skills. This year in
countries came together August 5 through 11 to compete in five events: Navigation;
Timed Arrival, Precision Flying, Slalom. and Free Style.
Aoyama also flew in the other foul events at the Championships as a co-pilot
for Alpha Aviation President Shizuka Saito. The two have competed as a team
each of the last four years, winning Gold medals in 1999 and 2000.
 Austrian Peter Mennel flew his R22
with his wife Martina to claim the Bronze medal for overall score. They came in
just five points behind the winning
Russian crew that flew an MI2. Additionally, the pair was instrumen-
tal in Austria's Gold medal for total team scores. The Mennels received
the highest score of the Austrian team. Austria competed with three
helicopters and crews. Dr. Mennel is a doctor of law and the CEO of Bank Sparkasse in Bregenz.
With seven years of helicopter experience, he has just over 1,000 hours in the R22
helicopter and 1,600 total helicopter
hours.
Martina, a middle school home economics teacher, does not have a helicopter
license, but she proved invaluable to Peter.
"The navigation portion was tough because she doesn't fly herself, but there is
a lot of work a co-pilot must do in each of the tests. She did very well and I'm
proud" she said of his wife.
Heliflite Toasts 25 years with RHC
 Located at Bankstown Airport, New South
Wales, Australia, Heliflite Pty. Ltd.
reached another milestone with 25 years as Robinson Helicopter Company
distribu[or this year.
"Robinson Helicopter Company has been privileged to have Heliflitc as its dis-
tributor for the past 25 years," said Frank Robinson, founder and president of
Robinson Helicopter Company. "When we first met Lyndsay Edmonds, very few
people in the aviation industry had even heard of Robinson. Heliflite and its staff have
lone an exceptional job, not only introducing our products to the Australian
market many years ago, but in establishing them as the most prominent and popular
helicopters in Australia. It has been a great pleasure working
with Heliflite, and we look forward to a continued successful association in the next 25 years."
Heliflite imported the first R22 into Australia in 1980 after placing orders for
seven aircraft in 1977. The R22's popularity in Australia has been phenomenal
ever since with its appeal to first time privat e owners, training facilities, and cattle
muskterers. The R22 went on to become (hi largest selling civil helicopter in Australia.
In the early 1990's Heliflite imported the Robinson R44, providing the
Australian market with an affordable, class-leading four-seat helicopter. Like the
R22, the R44 has become an extraordinary success Down Under.
With more than 350 new, overhauled and pre-owned Robinson helicopters
currently in Australia, Heliflite's extensive operation goes beyond helicopter sales to
include service, spare parts, and safe flying support. All services are availablc after
hours. Heliflite's spare parts division provides new, overhauled~ and second-hand
Robinson helicopter components and accessories 24 hours/seven days a week,
with next day delivery in Australia.
Heliflite engineers have overhauled Robinson helicopters in Australia for near-
ly two decades. Its service center team includes four fully qualified RHC factory
trained engineers (mechanics) plus engineering support staff on board with
Heliflite's two Most experienced engineers, General Manager/Chief Engineer
Peter McGee and Peter Hoyle, having served the company for 16 years and 18
years respectively.
Heliflite established a professional pilot training school in 1976 which has trained
hundreds of local and overseas students and assisted graduates into positions, with
many going on to build major helicopter pilot careers throughout the world.
The company hosts Robinson's Factory Safety Course in association with
Bankstown Helicopters. Earlier this year a record 60 Robinson helicopter pilots
attended Heliflite's 4th Robinson Factory Pilot Safety Course. Robinson's own
Senior Check/Training Instructor Tim Tucker once again presented the course.
R22 Pilots set new World Record
 Zod Smith wanted to do something
different with her hour building between Private and Commercial licenses. So different, in
fact, that no one could say it's been done before. She approached Capt. Richard
Craske, chief pilot of Tiger Helicopters in Shobdon, England~and asked to break a
world record as a part of her instruction.
Several calls and e-mails to the Guinness World Record Organization soon
ascertained they could very possibly break the world record for the most airfields
visiited in one day by an aircraft. The old record was 57.
Thus began five months of planning. Guinness set parameters for the world
record. It could be attempted by any aircraft, the airfield had to be on a
current chart or publication, it had to have a usable runway of 300
meters, and written permission was to be obtained from each airfield prior to the record
attempt.
The pair chose an initial 120 airfields in Britain that could realistically be
attempted in a day. Due to events and increased security, the military airfields denied
permission. With many airports not having contact information on the charts,
extensive research narrowed the number further.
A dry run to a few more of the airports proved invaluable, as while they were on
the chart, they no longer existed. In the end 103 airfields were chosen and
permission gained three more than the 100 set as a personal goal for the two.
After scveral attempts to work out a route, which kept changing due to avail-
able airfields, the team finally settled on an itinerary that would allow for 12 hours
of flying and four fuel stops. The route was planned down to the minute as more than
half the airports wanted an ETA as a condition of giving landing permission. This
left very little time to find each airport since no GPS was used. To satisfy the
Guinness people, the team would take two pictures at each airport and arranged for a
personal squawk code for the route so
there was back up proof from radar and radio calls.
The two also sought sponsorship to offset the expenses. While airfields in
England charge landing fees, they waived the fee in support of the world record
attempt. Tiger Helicopters offered the helicopter at a discounted rate, AFE provided
flight equipment including charts, RSH Airware provided clothing, and Ken
Anderson of Welland Cars and Carmel Hazan provided financial assistance.
Everything was finally set, except for the day. To get in 12 hours of flying, plus
rest and fueling times Smith and Craske planned tbr early summer when the days
were longer since many airports didn't allow night operations. After weeks of
checking weather almost constantly, the forecast highlighted Wednesday, June 19,
2002. Conditions across the country were
to be clear with the exception of a little mist in one spot. It was now or never.
The team quickly called the 60 or so airfields that wanted a specific day and time
of arrival then moved the helicopter to the starting airfield Derby, the night before
the flight. At 4:20 a,m., June 19, thanks to the airfield owner's willingness to open the
airport early and even provide coffee, the team took off on their journey.
Smith and Craske tried to plan for everything, but were surprised by a few
events. While passing through a military Lone, despite all the previous written
clearinces and prearranged squawk code, the controller had not heard of the helicopter
and assigned a new code. At one airport, he team waited 15 minutes for pre-booked
fuel then was called to the tower to pay landing fees, as the attendant was unaware
Jf the record attempt or the agreement to
waive fees. The team was concerned that the larger airports may have forced the helicopter to
holt thus wasting precious daylight. As it turned out, Smith's precise planning, prior
permission, and exact ETA schedule issured the helicopter clearance in and out
Jf the airport quickly.
"I felt it was important to act in only an advisory way, ensuring Zod made the most
Jf her learning on this trip," Craske said.
"She meticulously organized the planning whilst I guided her, Zod takes the
credit for how the day mirrored the plan."
Of all 103 airfields, only one was missed. Early in the first leg, the team
failed to find a small farm airfield. Unsure what additional delays lie
aheat they
opted to move on and skip that airfield. Perhaps the biggest surprise to Smith
and Craskc was the support. At fuel stops they received warm welcomes,
foot and even press coverage. At almost every airfield people turned out to
take pictures and wave on the team, including those airfields visited in the wee hours of the morning.
Despite the long hours and hot midday leg flown into the sun, the support kept spirits
high, Smith says. Upon landing at the final airfield,
Sheffield City Airport, the two were greeted by friends, press, and supporters for a
celebration and photos. The entire trip was 12.3 hours and 102 airports. A certificate
now hangs on their respective walls, The Guinness World Record of the Most
Airfields Visited in One Day.
RHC QUICK STOPS
 Key to the Raven II
Robinson now has one balck molded key which will operate in both the door
and the ignition. The keys will be standard on all Raven ITS and will be installed
on Ravens beginning with Serial Number 1285. Robinson will still supply the keys
in sets of two, just in case you lose one.
 Door Pins Change
All new R44 helicopters will be delivered with new circular door clips to
replace the old cotter pins. These clips will be in all Raven Ils and Ravens from
Serial Number 1240. The clips will be less of a hazard to clothing which could
be snagged by the cotter pins.
 New Clipper Wheels
New wheels are available for all Clippers with pop-out floats from Serial
Number 1256. The wheels slip into brackets on the inside of the skid with
two prongs. The new wheels eliminate the need for blocks and the old Clipper
wheels currently used to ground handle the heliconter.
R44 is First is
firts Piston in Cape Horn
 The Robinson R44 became the first
piston helicopter to land at Cape Horn Island on April 4th this year.
R44 owner Sergio Nuno took his
helicopter to the Island as a part of his film project, which is recording a
re-creation of Charles Darwin's trip from 1832 to 1837 between
Southern Argentina and Northern Chile. Producer and director for the
project, Nuno uses his R44 as a camera and scouting ship.
Cape Horn Island is the southern most point of South America, known for its treacherous
wind weather, and seas. From there, the next pointof
land to the South is Antarctica, more than 600 miles away. The triangle-shaped island
is a remote, uninhabited wasteland with
little vegetation that measures about two miles on each side. Only a few Chilean
Navy personnel stay on the island temporarily to maintain the lighthouse and
radio equipment.
Nuno arranged for a Chilean Navy BO 105 to accompany the R44 to provide
support and~ if needed~ immediate rescue should something go wrong. The water
temperature is just above freezing with 12- to 18-foot waves. The air temperature the
day of the trip was about the same as the
water. If there were an accident, a rescue would need to take place in minutes.
Until 1988, no civilian had landed on the island. Nuno was the first in a
JetRanoer that vear. Since then, several turbine helicopters have gone, yet Nuno's
return would mark the first for a piston. Nuno and his team traveled to Port
Williams, a Navy base 250 miles north of the Cape, to wait for the best weather. The
winds at Cape Horn can be between 20 to 60 knots on a typical day and can
quickly change speed and direction without notice. Weather is also unpredictable. Snow, rain and fog can
all come in the same aftemoon.
After two weeks of waiting at Port Williams, Nuno got the 15 knots or
less of wind at Cape Horn and unlimited visibility required to take off.
 Former Navy pilot Alfonso
Wenzel acted as pilot-in-command with Nuno as co-pilot and camera-man Victor Gonzalez in the back of
the R44. Durin~ the one-hour trim to the islant winds increased to 30
knots in flight and 25 knots for landing. Things were turbulent as they
came over the last set of mountains before the Cape at 6,000 feet. The crew spent two and a half
hours on the island and then battled. 40-knot winds on the way home.
"I would not recommend this experience to pilots with less
experience than Commander Wenzel,"
Nuno said of his 2,600-hour pilot. Nuno did the trip in the same helicopter, S/N 288, he used to film
bird migrations from the United States to the South of Llhile in 1996
with Frank Robinson.
"This ship has flown from Torrance to Cape Horn, 16,000 kilometers, without
one mechanical problem," Nuno boasts. "We needed only to replace the battery,
which was stolen in Central America."
 AUDI
HELICÓPTEROS
Av. Olavo Fontoura, 1000 - Hangar Audi
São Paulo - SP - Brasil - helicopteros@helicopteros.com.br
Fone (11) 6990 5000 / Fax (11) 6990 5001
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