Customer focus: US Coast Guard

In 2016, US Coast Guard aviation celebrated its 100th anniversary. This service has an illustrious history helping with everything from war efforts to bolstering US borders in homeland security. Below, a closer look.

Article: Heather Couthaud - Photos: US Coast Guards

Article adapted from Rotor magazine.

They changed to orange for missions in the Arctic. Traditionally, US Coast Guard aircraft bear the distinctive “racing stripe” paint scheme – a white body marked with a red and blue stripe. Aboard ice-breakers in the Arctic, someone realised the Coast Guard needed a helicopter livery that would be visible against the snow. Today, its fleet of 100 MH-65* helicopters are painted a bold orange, a sign of the Coast Guard’s versatility in the face of need. Versatility serves in good stead; the Coast Guard is tasked with ensuring the United States’ maritime safety, security and stewardship. A military service and a branch of the armed forces, its missions include search and rescue, homeland security, environmental protection, the interdiction of illegal drugs and migrants, and the enforcement of fisheries laws.

A high volume of missions

It is a visibly huge service. With a total workforce of more than 87,000 – 40,000 of whom are on active duty – the Coast Guard’s presence is recognisable to nearly anyone who has seen its helicopters pass overhead or its boats buzz harbours. The huge ice breakers and cutters – 243 in total – are perhaps its most iconic symbols, yet its 2 groups of smaller “assets” – boats and aircraft – are more ubiquitous, accomplishing a high volume of varied missions. “The Coast Guard is a phenomenal service because we adapt to what is needed,” says Commander Scott Sanborn, operations officer and chief pilot of Air Station Houston. “Depending on the mission requirement, the Coast Guard is always ready to respond with an aircraft, a boat, a cutter, or a combination of assets. We will find a way to make it work.”

201 planes and rotorcraft comprise its airborne fleet. In 1985, the Coast Guard began procuring Aerospatiale HH-65 helicopters* and assigning them to air stations— bases serving a particular geographic region. As the Coast Guard’s primary short-range rescue aircraft, they are equipped with a rescue basket, hoist and sling, and, if necessary, a litter or dewatering pump. A SAR crew comprises 2 pilots, a flight mechanic, and an EMT rescue swimmer.

The Coast Guard service can call on more than 87,000 members, of whom 40,000 are on active duty.

“Carry a signalling device”

Over the course of an 18-year career in which he’s seen his share of rescues, Sanborn’s advice to boaters is: notify someone where you’ll be going and how long you’ll be out, carry a signalling device and wear a life jacket. Spotting a man overboard isn’t always easy. One such case occurred last year. Two fishermen in Galveston Bay went overboard when their boat swamped. The Coast Guard was alerted when the men didn’t arrive back when they were due. For two days, Coast Guard crews searched but, though they located the boat, they couldn’t find the men. On their last leg, with minimal fuel remaining, they spotted something from the window. “He was hanging onto an abandoned oil platform,” says Sanborn. “He’d spent two days there. Finally, he took off his shirt and got the crew’s attention by swinging it around over his head.” Sanborn adds that people who join the service do so because they want to help others. “In the Coast Guard, you get talented folks who are motivated to find a way. There’s a lot of creativity to come up with a solution.”

*MH-65 helicopter: a variant of the Dauphin, it is an enhancement of the HH-65 initial version operated by the USCG.

AIR ZERMATT CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF OPERATIONS WITH NEW BELL 429 DELIVERY

Zermatt, Switzerland (19 May 2018) – Notable transportation and rescue company, Air Zermatt, commemorates 50 years of high mountain operations in the Swiss Alps and celebrates the delivery of a new Bell 429 aircraft. The aviation organization maintains a close relationship with Bell. Its fleet consists of two Bell 429 aircraft.

“There is no better way for us to celebrate such a significant milestone than with an exciting addition to our fleet,” said Gerold Biner, CEO, Air Zermatt. “This Bell 429 is truly customer designed and has incredible performance, especially in the tough terrain of the Swiss Alps. Bell continuously surpasses our expectations in terms of products and customer care, and we are thrilled to receive another beautiful aircraft.”

“We are delighted that after five years of Bell 429 operations, where the aircraft proved its incredible performance in one of the most demanding missions in the world, Air Zermatt chose the aircraft again for its long term twin-engine needs,” said Patrick Moulay, senior vice president, Commercial Business – International, Bell. “This speaks to the incredible trust our customers have in Bell aircraft performance and customer support.”

Air Zermatt utilizes the Customer Advantage Plan (CAP) Premier program for simple and straightforward maintenance cost plans. The plans provide customers with budget certainty, access to Bell’s rotable pool of parts and competitive rates when using a Bell authorized service center, which are available worldwide. To uphold their high safety standards, Air Zermatt’s flight crew train on the Bell Valencia 429 Full Flight Simulator to continuously enhance their knowledge and capabilities of the Bell 429. 

With the optimal design for passenger mobility and healthcare emergency services, the Bell 429 has the most cabin space in the light twin helicopter market, with flat flooring and seven passenger seating. This cabin can also comfortably fit two litter carriers, another feature significant to the Bell 429. Its 60-inch wide side doors and optional rear clam-shell doors allow for quick and easy passenger and patient ingress and egress. The state-of-the-art technology in the Bell 429 includes a fully integrated glass cockpit, advanced drive system, best-in-class WAAS/ SBAS navigation and IFR capability. 

To see Air Zermatt’s Bell 429 in action, watch Red Bull TV's series, The Horn.

Coast Guard rescues four boaters near Suisun Slough

Video and photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Mendenhall

A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco helicopter crew transfers two boaters to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California, May 12, 2018, after being hoisted from their vessel which ran aground near Suisun Slough. The boat ran aground with four people aboard. The other two boaters were hoisted by the helicopter crew and taken to Napa County Airport.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard rescued four boaters after their 17-foot fishing vessel ran aground near Suisun Slough, Saturday morning.

The stranded boaters contacted Coast Guard Station Vallejo watchstanders via cell phone at approximately 4 a.m., reporting they had run aground with one passenger who was reportedly diabetic. 

A Station Vallejo boat crew arrived on scene and determined a tow could not be completed because the vessel was hard aground. A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was launched to the scene to complete the rescue.

At approximately 7 a.m., the Dolphin helicopter crew arrived on scene and hoisted two of the boaters, including the diabetic boater, and took them to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa. The helicopter then returned to the aground vessel, hoisted the two remaining boaters and took them to Napa County Airport. 

The owner plans to refloat the vessel at high tide. There were no reported injuries.

"Never underestimate the hazards of operating a boat in the delta," said Lt. Cmdr. Joshua Murphy, the Air Station San Francisco aircraft commander for this case. "These individuals were lucky they had cell phone coverage in such a remote location. We're all very grateful that we could help."

The Coast Guard urges boaters to always have a marine VHF radio aboard to communicate with responders in an emergency. Boaters can use VHF channel 16 to reach Coast Guard watchstanders in the event of a distress situation. 

-USCG-

U.S. Coast Guard medevacs 53-year-old man 1 mile east of Satellite Beach

Video: U.S. Coast Guard District 7

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida, hoists a 53-year-old man suffering from chest pains Sunday, April 22, 2018 while aboard a 75-foot tugboat about 1 mile east of Satellite Beach, Florida. The man was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center for further care.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.— The Coast Guard medevaced a 53-year-old man Sunday from the vessel Willy Landers one mile east of Satellite Beach.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville received a call from a crewmember of the 75-foot towing vessel at approximately 12:30 a.m., stating the captain was experiencing heart attack symptoms.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew arrived on scene at 3:15 a.m., hoisted the captain and transported him to Holmes Regional Hospital.

-USCG-

Sikorsky Delivers Alaska's First S-92® Search and Rescue Helicopter

COATESVILLE, Pa., Sept. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE:LMT) today announced that North Slope Borough (NSB), Alaska,  received its first S-92® helicopter dedicated to search and rescue. Acceptance of the aircraft occurred in a ceremony at Sikorsky's commercial helicopter center here.

The helicopter will perform the critical mission of search and rescue operations (SAR) for all NSB residents. The aircraft was selected to provide a safe, efficient and reliable airborne response to aero medical evacuation (medevac), SAR and other emergencies. NSB is located above the Arctic Circle and experiences some of the harshest cold weather conditions in the world, with temperatures as low as -55 degrees C with the wind chill. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, NSB has a total area of 94,796 square miles of which 88,695 are land and 6,101 are water, thus the need for a long-range, all-weather capable aircraft.

"We are pleased that North Slope Borough residents have selected the S-92 helicopter to meet their critical missions in some of the harshest environments in the world," said Sikorsky Vice President, Commercial Systems & Services Dana Fiatarone. "With more than 91,000 search and rescue missions completed to date globally, the S-92 helicopter is a proven multi-mission platform that can perform in long-range, all weather operations." 

In its milestone year, the fleet of over 275 aircraft has surpassed more than one million flight hours since 2004. NSB's selection of the S-92 helicopter adds to Sikorsky's product line operating "on top of the world," as NSB describes the region.

In addition to SAR, 11 nations currently fly the dual-engine, S-92 helicopter for their head of state missions. In May 2014, The U.S. Navy selected Sikorsky for the U.S. Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, using the S-92 platform. S-92 helicopters also perform oil and gas transportation missions, and a variety of transportation missions for utility and airline passengers.

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/S92