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.