Public Safety Notebook: Paying the Price

摘要

Hello, fellow rotorheads. I must start this article by mentioning the recent Heli-Expo, held in February in Houston. Shannon Bower (another frequent contributor to Rotor & Wing) and I had the great pleasure of arriving in Houston via a Bell Helicopter 412 from Seattle with our trusty mechanic Jim Ring. I also must comment on the industry buzz. My first helicopter flight was 40 years ago and I have never seen the helicopter industry more dynamic than it is today. Outside of shortages of good people and products to sell, from the CEOs of major companies and mid-level aftermarket companies to pilots and mechanics, everyone I spoke with was brimming with optimism. Last time I wrote about helicopter acquisition, I indicated that this column would have some thoughts on liability and intellectual property. Years ago, when Alaska Helicopters bought the Hiller UH-12E, intellectual property issues weren't high on its list of concerns.