Missions To Include Everything From Forestry To MEDEVAC

Eurocopter Canada (ECL) has delivered a new AS350 B3 helicopter to V. Kelner Helicopters of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

“We selected the AS350 B3 for its impressive reliability and ability to lift external loads under a wide range of temperature conditions,” said Frank Kelner, CEO of V. Kelner Helicopters. “The helicopter is ideal for all utility missions such as mineral exploration and forest fire fighting.”  “The helicopter offers excellent maneuverability, great visibility and low vibration levels in the cabin, providing our customers with a true multi-mission workhorse,” he added.

V. Kelner Helicopters was established in 2008 and started its operations with an EC120 B from Eurocopter. The company is part of the Kelner Group of aviation companies, which have been serving northern Canada for more than 30 years. “The Kelner Group has a well-deserved reputation as aviation trendsetters in Canada,” said Mr. Guy Joannes, President & CEO, ECL. “We are honored that they have selected the Eurocopter AS350 B3 to expand their helicopter business.”

The new AS350 B3 will be based in a new hangar in Thunder Bay, which is the transportation and logistics hub for northwestern Ontario, a region with vast natural resources but very few roads. Other missions for the helicopter will include forestry, precision long-line work and MEDEVAC. Northern Ontario is rich in natural resources; it is a major gold and mineral producing region and since 2008 home for Canada’s newest diamond mine.

The AS350 B3 is the “high performance” member of the popular single-engine AS350 family, with a top speed of 140 knots and the capacity to carry a pilot and five passengers in the transportation role or external loads of up to 3,086 lb beneath the helicopter on a cargo hook.

The AS350 B3’s 847-shp Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 turboshaft engine provides the helicopter with the ability to lift maximum loads under hot summer operating conditions. The aircraft is equipped with a number of ECL designed options, easing operations to perform the most demanding utility missions. These options include the enlarged long lining floor window, the aft cargo door hinge kit and the left hand and right hand cargo pods that increase the cargo compartments by 80% over the standard AS350 compartment.

The engine features a dual FADEC (Full-Authority Digital Engine Control) and a dual hydraulic system for power management. The recently delivered AS350 B3 is one of the first in eastern Canada to feature a dual hydraulic system. In the cockpit, the AS350 B3 provides enhanced safety and reduced workload with the Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) for pilots.

FMI: www.eurocopter.com