Enhanced System Capacity And IFR Capabilities On The Horizon

By Maxine Scheer

As reported by ANN in 'Aviation Associations Discuss Priorities in Government Affairs', Matthew Zuccaro, President of Helicopter Association International (HAI) sat on a panel with other industry association leaders at EAA AirVenture 2009 to discuss challenges and opportunities in aviation-related government relations. In a follow up interview with ANN, Matt described the unique issues and opportunities facing the commercial application of rotorcraft. 

“The Rotorcraft industry is truly international,” says Zuccaro. As demonstrated on HAI’s website, with a simple click, the content of the site can be translated into 15 languages.  HAI has evolved over the years to affiliate with over 400 U.S. and international organizations that include operators using rotorcraft to provide emergency medical services, sightseeing, aerial photography, transport, and news gathering. 

Matt described a number of major initiatives that were under development that could have a major impact on the US commercial rotorcraft industry.  For example, the crucial role that helicopter transport provides to the 5,000+ offshore oil and gas platforms in the US Gulf Coast where the grounding of 700 helicopters per day (serving an estimated 2.6 million annual passengers in the 250 by 500 mile range) can curtail Gulf oil production by 95%. 

Matt Zuccaro

“The Gulf of Mexico has not been part of the National Airspace System (NAS)”, says Matt. “I sit on the Executive Committee for NextGen and with the cooperation and support of FAA and leaders in the oil and gas industry, the implementation of ADS-B in the Gulf is underway.”  According to Matt, oil producers are providing in-kind contributions valued at approximately $100 million. FAA is overseeing the project and currently expects to test specific quadrants of the Gulf during the first quarter of 2010.

A second initiative is expected to follow in the continental U.S. that provides rotorcraft operators a dedicated low level IFR point and space approach via GPS, enhanced with WAAS.  The system is currently being tested in New York City in cooperation with the Eastern Region Helicopter Council.

“There are tremendous safety and economic impacts associated with these improvements”, says Zuccaro. 

While improvements on the airspace infrastructure look positive, the HAI President expressed concerned about federal legislative proposals which could result in more State control over Heliports. He is also concerned about federal initiatives to limit rotorcraft industry participation in the Notice to Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) process.  “We are behind anything that enhances safety,” says Zuccaro, “but we need to participate in the legislative process.”

HAI is advocating for the development of a National Heliport System that could provide a plan for locating helicopter landing areas along surface transportation corridors such as passenger rail, highways and downtown intermodal centers.

“Most helicopters don’t want to go to an airport,” says Zuccaro.  “Rotorcraft have a door-to-door advantage that is not facilitated by concentrating operations at airports, even if they are general aviation facilities,” says Matt.  He asserted that accommodating rotorcraft activity in more locations where they are useful for emergency response, passenger transport, and medical transport will maximize their benefits to the public and relieve capacity at congested commercial airports where rotorcraft activity is inefficient. 

FMI: www.rotor.com