The Aerial Firefighting Conference is happening in Kelowna on September 20, 2022 at the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence, Kelowna International Airport. And Yellowhead Helicopters, Corey Taylor, Sean Rickards and Jacob Forman are planning on being there with a booth, and a static display of the newest addition to the fleet, the BK117 B2.
The BK117 recently became active after undergoing the usual ownership transfer paperwork & maintenance inspections.
The first promo trip in early August was to the Stewart, BC area where it showed some of its capabilities to clients in the region.
It performed its first medevac flight for the company, flying in just over an hour from the north of Stewart to our Terrace base to meet the BC Ambulance crew. The paramedic and 2 patients, one on a stretcher, comfortably fit in the back of the BK117. The ambulance crew was pleasantly surprised to realize that a second helicopter was not needed for this transport.
Job opportunities for low-time pilots used to be sparse. Typically, their first job would be pushing a broom around the hangar, fuel jockey, working in dispatch learning the ropes with the occasional flying project to build their skills. Now with a growing labour shortage in the industry, helicopter companies and their clients are having to rethink how to operate with fewer higher skilled pilots.
CAMP Systems International & YHL signed an agreement on Aircraft Health Management software for the YHL fleet of helicopters.
The contract formalizes a long-term agreement supporting 21 Arriel engines T-inspection
YHL is expanding its fleet again with two additional BK117 B2 helicopters.
The first two BK117s purchased in the Spring were brought into operation by August 2022.
