Kitchener Aero’s 4th ENG Helicopter for CTV

The Electronic News Gathering or ENG industry has evolved a great deal from its early days with a cameraman hanging out the side of the helicopter or fixed wing aircraft trying to capture a shot and then rushing the footage back to the station for airtime. ENG helicopters and their pilots today give news organizations a rapid and direct response to quick developing and changing stories. The “News” as a business segment is intensely competitive regardless if it is local, national or international.  Being the first to reach a scene and get a story makes all the difference. As an “industry”, ENG has grown in size and importance to the point where it now holds a position as a standalone part of the rotorcraft world with its own special interest association – The National ENG Helicopter Association (NEHA). The association publishes guidelines for its industry - pilots, engineers, photographers, reporters and station management – with a goal to keeping their industry and operations safe. It works alongside other “alphabet” groups as well – bringing interaction and professionalism to the ENG job and operations.

In a nutshell – ENG is all grown up. In keeping with its maturity, it has driven its own unique technology development to answer challenges that have come along. The ability to shoot, edit and transmit multiple images in real time with announcers on-board is commonplace today. Getting there has taken time.

Just sending TV signals from a fixed location can be a challenge. ENG requires the ability to do it from a moving platform. Stabilized camera technology and microwave transmission refinement have brought the age of “real-time” ability to the ENG world. Coupled with that, lighter, more compact, higher resolution cameras and editing equipment have evolved. But like anything that comes from the technology world what is new today, will be dated tomorrow. Upgrades and changes are ongoing and every evolving.

During Q1, 2011, Kitchener Aero Avionics (KAAV) completed and delivered a new ENG helicopter for the CTV television network. This is in fact the fourth helicopter that KAAV has now modified for CTV. The current project represents another “first” for KAAV and CTV as this is currently the only High Definition capable, ENG Helicopter in the Canadian broadcast industry. It is quite likely one of, if not the most advanced and highly integrated ENG platforms anywhere in the world today. The new helicopter went into full service the end of January with CTV in Toronto.

About this special missions mod . . .

This new ENG helicopter project started with a base Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. It was delivered to KAAV in the fall of 2010 and arrived by road with the fuselage having just received an overhaul and repaint. During the ENG installation, a fresh engine and rotor blades were installed into it at the KAAV hangar.

The special ENG equipment that was integrated into this unit included a Flir UltraMedia HD Camera (Hi-Definition), MRC Strata PTX-PRO Microwave System, NAT AA97-CTV Custom Audio/ICS System, three (3) Iconix HD Cameras (Forward & Aft Talent plus a Tailcam) and two (2) Motorola 2-Way Radios.

The cockpit also received a “special missions” upgrade that included a Garmin G500H Flight Display System, which also displays ENG Video to ease Pilot workload. Other cockpit avionics includes a Garmin GNS 530W WAAS GPS/Nav/Com, King KY-196A VHF COM, Garmin GTX 327 Transponder, L3 Skywatch Traffic Systems, NAT AMS-43 Panel and FreeFlight TRA3000 Radar Altimeter System. KAAV handled the engineering, design and installation along with the avionics sales and STC for the project. The project took four months to complete.

CTV ENG Background and Comments . . .

Scott Gibson, Manager, Engineering Projects at CTV Inc. has overseen the development of all CTV ENG projects. According to Gibson, the network uses their helicopters to tune of about 600 flight hours per year.  

 

Each CTV ENG project is a step forward from the last. Scott says this HD unit started with the “TV gear” – “it was all new in this current build. One example is the multi-image display for the main monitor. We used much better talent cameras this time as well to improve the look. A new COFDM microwave system has been installed to give us better range for live transmission. The Evertz HD2020 is a piece of equipment that provides all the switching and processing of audio and video in the helicopter. In the past we would had several pieces of equipment to perform the functions that the 2020 is doing”. According to Gibson, the ENG helicopter is a news tool that helps keep their station number one “and we are always open to using new equipment and ways of gathering and showing the news.”

 

The latest CTV ENG rotorcraft is based in Toronto. It replaces one that has been in continuous service since 2003. Another Bell 206-L is based in Vancouver and was placed in service in 2004.

In discussing the scope and make-up of the overall ENG operation at all CTV stations, Gibson reports that in Toronto they have two dedicated pilots and a rotating crew of three to four cameramen/technical operators. Vancouver uses more pilots, but a similar number of cameramen/technical operators. Vancouver also uses their helicopter for some promotional work while CTV Toronto has theirs basically for breaking news, special events and the CP24 morning show traffic and news coverage. While the Toronto helicopter has not been used in community events as such, Scott says that they have had it at the last two of their very popular “open house” events at the CTV studios, just north of the downtown area. At these events they have had the public see it, sit in it and ask questions of the pilots and technicians. Given the unique qualities and capabilities of their ENG units, it begs the question if CTV makes its footage open and available to community needs – for example police investigations, Transport Canada and the like?  In response, Gibson says “We try and keep our independence from the Police and such, but will help if requested in something like a search and rescue, fire or such.” 

KAAV Background

Kitchener Aero’s focus is the corporate, commercial, and general aviation avionics markets. In the 30 plus years that KAAV has been in business, they have been responsible for many industry firsts. In addition to conventional avionics sales, installation and repair, the firm has become highly regarded as Canada’s Special Missions Specialists. The company has developed a strong niche in helicopter avionics and provides some unique mods and STC work over and above the conventional avionics sales, service and support.

For additional information about KAAV, visit them on the web at – www.kitcheneraero.com. Or feel welcome to call Barry Aylward at 1-800-928-4669.