A multi-engine, instrument rated pilot, James Wynbrandt has been an AIN and Business Jet Traveler contributor since 2003. His in-depth reporting and insightful features have won more than a dozen editorial honors, including two National Business Aviation Association Gold Wing Awards (2019; 2021), and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Barron’s, Fortune, Forbes, and Smithsonian Air &amp; Space. He has flown his Mooney M20K 252 on assignments throughout North and Central America and the Caribbean. Wynbrandt is also the author of Flying High (Wiley &amp; Sons), a biography of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, as well as histories, references works, and books on a variety of other topics from major publishers. He lives in New York City.

Contributor - Business Aviation

James Wynbrandt

Erickson (Booth 7545) and Sikorsky Aerospace (Booth 7532) signed a&nbsp;development agreement to incorporate the latter’s Matrix Technology into Erickson’s fleet of S64 Air Cranes, providing supplemental autonomous flight capabilities to enhance pilot’s firefighting capabilities, the companies&nbsp;announced at Heli-Expo on Wednesday&nbsp;

 


“The Northern and Southern hemisphere fire seasons are starting to merge, and we're also seeing the fires intensifying,” said Hayden Olson, v-p and general manager of Erickson Aerosystems. “We need to be able to fight fires at night and in reduced visibility conditions. This technology is going to give our pilots that ability, so they can focus on the mission.”

 


As for choosing Sikorsky to help craft a solution, Olson said, “The&nbsp;Air Crane was a Sikorsky type certificate at one point in time. We have a shared DNA, and Sikorsky’s number-one value is safety.”

 


Sharing the podium with Olson in what was billed as a “fireside chat” to announce the agreement, Sikorsky Innovations v-p Chris Van Buiten said,&nbsp;“We've been developing autonomy technology for 10 years, and not for small drones, but for big airplanes and helicopters: 12,000 pounds and up.” He&nbsp;noted Sikorsky is now flying an optionally-piloted UH-60 Blackhawk outfitted with a similar system at its West Palm Beach, Florida facility.

 


A demo flight of a Matrix-equipped S64 is expected sometime next year, the companies said. Matrix also captures a vast amount of data, and Erickson believes that can provide keys for optimizing firefighting operations in the future.&nbsp;

 


Though initially intended to augment the aircraft’s standard two-pilot crew, when the system is fully matured, Sikorsky plans for Matrix-equipped aircraft to be operated either by two pilots, one pilot, or autonomously, simply by toggling a switch between the three options. That selection would be based on the task and the danger involved.

 


“If the horrible day ever happens and we're tasked to drop concrete on the Fukushima nuclear reactor,” Van Buiten said, by way of example, “we'd be delighted to flip the switch on 'zero' [crew members] and have this big heavy-lift machine operate unmanned to save the day.”

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

Erickson Bringing Sikorsky’s Matrix Tech to Firefighting Fleet

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News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

HAI Heli-Expo 2020

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Illinois MRO/FBO Flightstar Expands with New Hangar

The addition will support Flightstar’s MRO growth

Jet Parts, DAS Aviation Merger To Improve Efficiency

Combines component repair and overhaul and parts services companies

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Gulfstream Steps Up Investment in Customer Support

New customer support leader Lor Izzard is building on earlier improvements

Back on the Plate, Pre-buys Still Face Post-covid Challenges

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