News & Information

ASOG Article of the Month | May – June 2023

ASOG Author | Patrick Ryan

Countless aviation accidents can, in some ways, be connected to mistakes in flight preparation. Flight preparation is a shift from normal “feet on the ground” life to a dynamic flight situation. Preflight briefings are an essential part of flight preparation and provide a critical period for team building and a moment to gather and review all pertinent operational information related to an upcoming flight. This is especially true for crews who operate in the Aerial Work or Multi-Mission sector.

Preflight briefings should help all crew members, e.g., pilots, sensor operators, hoist operators, flight nurses, etc., understand all phases of flight and what actions are required. Additionally, it should help all crew members know the status of the aircraft and associated equipment, plus any particular hazards or events related to the flight. To maximize safety and achieve the best flight results, all crew members should make it part of their DNA to conduct high-quality preflight briefings.

Every aircrew should focus on critical objectives and elements when conducting an excellent preflight brief. To achieve this, your future preflight briefings should include the following briefing objectives and elements.

Briefing Objectives

When conducting any preflight briefing, all crewmembers should cover the following objectives:

• Confirm crewmembers’ roles and responsibilities
• Foster questioning and feedback, plus develop crew synergy
• Review mission or flight requirements
• Review all phases of the flight to their appropriate level of detail
• Examine specific operational plans and discuss expectations
• Ensure complete understanding and agreement on the correct sequence of actions under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions.

Important Elements

The specific elements of a preflight briefing should include the following:

• Review the fatigue state of crewmembers
• Review the status of passengers
• Review the status of ground support personnel and organizations
• Review the status of the aircraft (e.g., inoperative items, recent repairs, etc.)
• Review the status of specialized equipment (e.g., sensors, down-links, hoists, etc.)
• Review the departure and arrival airports, routes, and alternate airfields
• Review takeoff, departure, approach, and landing conditions (e.g., weather, runway conditions, special hazards, etc.)
• Review navigation procedures, including the intended use of digital systems
• Review on-board and off-board communication procedures
• Review emergency or abnormal procedures as applicable (e.g., rejected takeoff, diversion, missed approach/go-around, engine out, bird strike, etc.)

Conclusion

Conducting effective briefings is an integral part of flight preparation. Without proper preparation, a crew will not have the necessary SA (Situational Awareness) to fly safely and efficiently. Briefings are necessary at various points in the flight, from the base of operation before taxiing to the departure runway through taxiing to parking.

Additionally, preflight briefings should be tailored to the specific conditions of the flight and focus on the items relevant to a particular phase of a flight (e.g., takeoff, en route, area work, landing, etc.). Most importantly, briefings should be interactive, allow for dialogue between all crewmembers, and be conducted during low-workload periods.

So, the next time you fly, apply the essential elements and objectives of an excellent preflight briefing. Doing so could make a big difference between having a “good day at the office” or NOT!

ASOG 2023 Focus Area | News & Information, Events & Networking

Soursce | ASOG Desk Editor (Patrick Ryan)

For our first event of this size and a reconnaissance run of our association to field such opportunities, the feedback from many of those who attended was good, and the lessons we learned were noted. Above all else, finally, meeting fellow ASOG members in person was great. Plus, make new connections and learn something new, all in a great historical aviation environment.

Once again, we validated that there is a need for our mission of providing the means or place to collaborate and improve the non-rated aircrew member's professional place in the Multi-Mission or Aerial Work aviation sector. It was a fantastic opportunity and venue for ASOG members, followers, and special guests to focus on aircrew roles, new technologies, sensor operations, and work-related opportunities.

Besides very open, informative, and follow-on discussions during three days of seminars "and" networking in the Multi-Mission Hanger, some of the noteworthy highlights of the conference consisted of the following:

Diamond Aircraft – The team (Mario Spiegle, Stefan Hiam, Jakob Bauer) from Diamond Aircraft flew their new DA-62 MPP VANGUARD aircraft into the expo from Wiener Neustadt Austria for Multi-Mission specialist to get first sight on this new multi-mission capability. The hands-on experience was tremendous for both ASOG attendees and the general public. The aircraft was parked in the Multi-Mission Expo (MME) hanger along with other exhibitors (and the ASOG Networking Zone), allowing for a great mix of technologies within one area.

Riegl – Andrew Fuller from Riegl Laser Measurement Systems presented Riegl's broad product portfolio for airborne and UAV-based laser scanning. Andrew also provided hands-on demonstrations of the new Riegle VQX-1 Wing Pod daily at his booth. Based on what we saw, it's a practical and economical solution for the Aerial Surveying & Mapping community.

2Excel – On the Airborne Sensor Operator (SO) side of the conference, it was excellent to hear and discuss how 2Excel manages their SO team across a broad spectrum of multi-mission operations, i.e., from oil spill response, search & rescue, surveillance, and many more. 2Excel senior SOs Phil Thornton and Gary Lovett walked attendees through their recruiting, training, and general flight ops processes & procedures. From an ASOG perspective, Phil and Gary definitely have a model SO program that many flight departments could emulate.

JD2E ISR – One of the drawn attention presentations at the conference was Jonathan Bramley, a.k.a "Swaz" briefing. If you didn't know, Swaz is the Managing Director of JD2E ISR, a leading Sensor Operator training and simulator firm in the U.K. Based on his many years in the ISR business. He gave an excellent briefing on "ISR in Action - Sinking of the Moskva – How Did it Happen?" Based on current events, the presentation was very informative and professionally interesting. Besides Swaz's excellent briefing, he and his team had two mobile training simulators positioned in the ASOG Zone for Expo and ASOG conference attendees to experience what it's like to be a Sensor Operator…especially in the defense sector.

Smith Myers Ltd – One of ASOG's first members, Peter Myer from Smith Myers Ltd, presented and demonstrated the capabilities of Smith Myers ARTEMIS detect-located-communicate mobile phone systems. Seeing how their system is used across manned and unmanned multi-mission operations was fascinating. I also found out that their systems are popular with 2Excel, Diamond Aircraft, Airborne Technologies, and many other ASOG Corporate Supporters who attended. Additionally, I heard that Smith Myers and JD2E are joining forces to integrate the ARTEMIS simulator into the JD2E training and simulation environment.

As I said, these are just some of the great folks that attended and the activities that took place at our first-ever ASOG conference at Sywell Aerodrome this month. Based on feedback from the organizers of this year's Expo at Sywell Aerodrome, who were delighted with ASOG's participation, they are discussing supporting next year's ASOG conference. If so, anticipate more information on this topic in the coming months. Also, please let me know if you want to participate in or support next year's conference.

ASOG 2022 Focus Area: Career Management

Shared By: ASOG Career Center

We received this job announcement from APEM (Tara Nash). They’re looking for an Aerial Survey Task Specialist (ASO) to support their Data Acquisition projects in and around the UK. This presents an exceptional opportunity for individuals seeking an entry-level position in surveying, allowing you to build a career in the GIS sector.

If you’re interested in the job, review the job announcement below and respond to APEM.

Job Announcement

ASOG Focus Area | News & Information

Source | Smith Myers Ltd. (ASOG Corporate Supporter)

PRESS RELEASE

Cellular communications specialist and innovator Smith
Myers announces key SAR role with leading aviation
business; announcement at Multi-Mission Expo, Sywell, UK
2023

Smith Myers has delivered the first of the ARTEMIS systems to 2Excel, to be deployed on aircraft. The announcement was made at the Multi-Mission Expo and Conference, Sywell, UK 2023. Pictured is the new Diamond DA-62 MPP

2Excel takes delivery of Smith Myers lifesaving ARTEMIS mobile phone detection, location and communication sensor
Cellular communications specialist and innovator Smith Myers announces key SAR role with leading aviation business; announcement at Multi-Mission Expo, Sywell, UK 2023

13 June 2023 --- SYWELL, Northamptonshire, UK ---- 2Excel Aviation, the innovative aviation and aerospace services company, and provider of a range of services for special missions including search and rescue, has added Smith Myers life-saving ARTEMIS system to its airborne capabilities.

Biggleswade-based Smith Myers has delivered the first of the ARTEMIS systems to 2Excel, to be deployed on aircraft based in Humberside. The announcement as made at the Multi-Mission Expo and Conference, Sywell, UK 2023.

“This latest contract underlines the fantastic relationship we enjoy with 2Excel. ARTEMIS systems will be integrated with mission systems on 2Excel aircraft and support and extend existing capabilities,” said Andrew Munro, Manging Director of Smith Myers.

ARTEMIS turns any mobile phone into a rescue beacon, only requiring two antennas to generate a latitude/longitude fix at up to 19 nautical miles (35km), offering a radical and effective alternative to traditional airborne sensors:
• Texting and calls in no service areas
• Possible automatic cueing of EO/IR (Electro -Optical/Infra-Red)
• Deployment as a stand-alone with embedded mapping or integrate with leading mission system providers
• Making missions in low light/ IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) safer and increasing the odds for a positive outcome
• Available in several SWaP configurations for manned/unmanned platforms

“Since inception 2Excel has built a reputation for being highly skilled at creating innovative solutions and quickly turning complex aviation concepts into leading edge capabilities. ARTEMIS, provides an important capability across a number of contracts that demand fully optimised systems,” said Andy Offer, Co-founder and Director of 2Excel Aviation.”

About 2Excel Aviation
2Excel www.2excelaviation.com was founded in 2005 by two Royal Air Force pilots, 2Excel has grown from four people and four aerobatic aircraft to over 500 people and a fleet of 30-plus. In 2018, 2Excel Aviation became 51 per cent employee owned through the creation of an Employee Ownership Trust. 2Xcel is an innovative aviation and aerospace services business working across a range of industries including defence and security, engineering, Search and Rescue and disaster response. Activity is organised around two business lines: 2Excel Aviation, which comprises Capability Development, Special Missions, Insight and Charter; and 2Excel Engineering, which is a Maintenance and Repair Organisation (MRO) for Boeing and Airbus narrow-bodied aircraft.

About Smith Myers
Smith Myers Communications Ltd www.smithmyers.com is an award-winning UK company specialising in the design, development, manufacture and support of application specific cellular network and handset capabilities for Network Operators, Government Agencies, Law Enforcement, Military, and Search and Rescue organisations. Awards include the Royal Aeronautical Society Silver Medal; ADS Security Innovation Awards, British Engineering Excellence Award, and ICCA (International Critical Communications) Award.

For commercial enquiries:
Contact: Andrew Munro, andrew.munro@smithmyers.com

For editorial enquiries:
Contact: Philip Hicks, phil@pravoconsulting.com
M: +44 (0) 7467 510339

ASOG Focus Area | News & Information, Networking Events

Source | ASOG Desk Editor

If you didn’t know, two of our ASOG members (Bryn Elliott and Adrian Harrison) organize a conference for the Public Safety aviation sector every year, i.e., Police Aviation Conference (PAvCon). PAvCon  Europe 2023 will be held in the hangar of the Basque Police Air Support Unit, Durango, on June 6-7, 2023, i.e., right before the ASOG Conference in England.

Monday, June 5, will be a TFO training day. The Conference and associated exhibition will be held on June 6 and 7. If you are interested in the training day, Conference, and exhibition, please confirm your interest early, as space is limited.

For an up-to-date guide to the event and information on how to get there, hotels, and what to expect, see the latest at Bryn & Adrian’s webpage.

PAvCon Europe - The Networking Continues

ASOG Focus Area | News & Information

Source | GA Buyer Magazine

Police aviation has come a long way since flying vintage aircraft to support public safety operations. But police departments worldwide have harnessed or countered this new aerial robotic technology to provide a critical service for every community. So, what does it look like today?

Police Aviation Drones

ASOG Article of the Month | April 2023

Source | Patrick Ryan

It might seem weird if you spend time reading aviation accident reports. Perhaps, for many aircrews, evading such readings is a choice made to guard a belief that “it won’t happen to me.”  However, it’s not weird but practical.

Learning from the mistakes of others, no matter how unpleasant the outcomes of their errors, can improve the knowledge and attitude of any aircrew member (rated or non-rated), no matter the experience level.

Reading the initial reports and final accident investigation findings, even the initial description of these reports, you can learn or spot the error(s) that lead to the accident. Reviewing these reports can be sobering, especially for fatal accidents. However, it’s good practice to strengthen your aviator skills and not fall into traps that others have previously made.

If you read accident reports – and you should – you may ask yourself a common question: why was the pilot or crew doing what they were doing in the first place? Unfortunately, it’s often a rhetorical question that even hindsight struggles to justify.

It can be taken as an axiom that, in so far as it concerns most aviation accidents, “airplanes don’t crash, pilots do.” Poor crew decisions are inevitably at the root of such incidents. So, again, If you want to prevent pitfalls in airmanship into which others have already fallen, paying attention to accident reports should be part of your process.

To help you, the ASOG Desk Editor added an area on the ASOG homepage called “Safety.” In addition, the Safety section has links to the Aviation Safety Network. Here you’ll see initial (24/7) accident reports, final investigation reports, and other aviation accident statics. So, what are you waiting for? Start reading!

ASOG 2023 Focus Area | News & Information, Networking

Posted By | ASOG Desk Editor

Outstanding…Another great event for our growing ASOG association and our mission of providing the means to network around the globe, we held another ASOG networking “Meet-Up” last week at this year’s AERO Friedrichshafen Expo held in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

It was a fantastic opportunity and venue for ASOG members, followers, and connections to meet informally and connect in person, focusing on aircrew roles, sensor operations, and work-related opportunities.

As you can see from the pictures, Astrid Ayling and Patrick Ryan (ASOG organizers for this event and Host & Hostess) had their hands full, ensuring the event was a success. According to Astrid, “There was never a dull moment. Besides engaging and networking with fellow members and followers, we made a positive & professional impression on the aviation community. Especially in the Aerial Work or Multi-Mission sector.”

Speaking of that. Our next ASOG in-person event (ASOG Conference & Networking 2023) is planned for 8 – 10 June 2023 at the Multi-Mission Expo in Sywell Aerodrome, UK. As many of you know, It will be an excellent opportunity for ASOs, aircrew members of all shades, and industries from across the spectrum of Aerial Work aviation sectors (commercial, public safety & defense) to meet, network, and learn something new. The Conference will consist of presentations, displays, demonstrations, and special mission aircraft tours. So, if you missed last week’s AERO networking, don’t miss this chance at Sywell…it will be worth your time and effort.

Don’t Forget – We have an ASOG Networking Event Planned for Next Week

Like last year - ASOG will share a booth with AV Buyer & GA Buyer Europe Magazine at AERO Friedrichshafen Expo. Call it the "ASOG Meet-Up Point" or “ASOG Base Camp.” So if you want to:

• Take a break from walking the expo show floor or;
• Expand your circle of contacts or;
• Have fun talking with like-minded professionals.

Make plans to stop by booth A4-321 and enjoy the hospitality. You'll have a good time if it's anything like last year.

*** Also, don't forget to introduce yourself as an ASOG Member****

For More Details

ASOG Host & Hostess

ASOG Meet-Up Event Sponsor

ASOG Focus Area | Industry Support

Source | ASOG Desk Editor

We're happy to announce Aerial Data Service, Inc (ADS) is a new ASOG Corporate Supporter. If you didn't know, Aerial Data Service is a full-service aerial photography and photogrammetric mapping company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ADS excels in collecting geospatial data and converting the information into precise digital mapping and orthophotos. In addition, they take pride in providing their photogrammetric services to clients throughout the Continental U.S.

ADS has focused on cutting-edge technology since 1964, boldly forging a reputation as an industry leader. They manage their own flight operations and survey crews and maintain a fully equipped photogrammetric department - all to streamline service and keep client costs to a minimum. 

For more information about ADS and its services, jump over to the ASOG Corporate Supporter page and "Click" their logo.

ATTENTION – The ASOG Conference & Networking Zone is Expanding!

The Multi-Mission Expo organizers are allowing us to expand our networking zone in hanger 3, i.e., in front of the ASOG networking lounge and meeting rooms at this year’s Multi-Mission Expo (Sywell Aerodrome from 8 to 10 June 2023).

What does this Means To You?

This means we have space for ASOG members, Corporate Supporters, and Guests to set up a table or display free of charge. Also, if you want an exhibitor booth in the ASOG zone, the Expo organizers will provide one for 50% off the regular booth cost to support our association.

So, besides attending the seminars and networking with fellow professionals, you’ll have a super chance to display your services, new technology, or products to a very large ASOG and aviation community in a simple but effective way.

ASOG Conference & Networking 2023 - Details

To reserve your spot in the ASOG zone today, please send your request to info@aso-group.org, and we’ll help you organize it.

ASOG Focus Area | News & Information (Aviation Safety)

Source | Jop Dingemans on March 27, 2023, Pilots Who Ask Why.com

Helicopters have a lot of threats to overcome on a daily basis. From tail rotors without redundancy, to all the moving parts and the aerodynamic counter-forces to actually stay in the air. But the biggest threats for air ambulance helicopters (and causes of accidents) aren’t actually mechanical issues, but more operational and environmental factors. To read more…

The 10 Biggest Threats for Air Ambulance Helicopters

ASOG Article of the Month | March 2023

Source | Patrick Ryan

If you plan to attend the ASOG Conference & Networking event at this year's Multi-Mission Expo but are unsure how to maximize your attendance professionally. Here are my recommended tips and practices (based on many years of attending such events) to network and make the most of your time! 

Networking at trade shows & conferences is a fantastic way to meet potential employers, clients, and more. However, if you don't know what you're doing, it can be overwhelming or even cause you to miss some great opportunities. To mitigate this, here are some tips and practices that have served me well over the years.

Flight Planning – Plan Ahead

At trade shows & conferences, networking begins even before you show up. Doing your homework on the event is essential so you know what to look for and who to approach. Besides making all those travel arrangements, study the venue, attendees, and exhibitors.

Based on your interest and purpose of attending, map out your plan using the simple 5-W information-gathering questions:

• Why – Why am I attending?
• What – What are my primary, secondary, and tertiary items of interest (e.g., job search, research new technology, building business relations, finding clients, etc.)?
• Who – Who do I want to engage (again, using the primary, secondary, and tertiary ranking method, i.e., companies, an individual, etc.)?
• When – When is the best time to engage? Use the event schedule and your information from answering "What" and "Who" to build your schedule.
• Where – Where do I go? Like the event schedule, try to obtain the event's floor plan and study "who or what is where."

Preflight - Prepare

Here are two things I do before attending an event, i.e., review my introduction statement (based on why I'm attending) and prepare anything I want people to have or see:

• Introduction Statement – Having an "Elevator Pitch" might be strange, but developing one will help you stay clear & consistent as the hours and days play out at an event.
• Handouts - If you want to provide "leave behind" items with people you encounter, e.g., business cards, brochures, resumes (CV), etc. Prepare and pack them early. "Leave behind" material will allow people you engaged to remember you.

Taxi – Show Up Early

On the first day of an event, I like to do a "Recce Run," i.e., show up early with my planning information to:

• Get my bearings with the floor plan
• ID facilities
• Get a general overview of exhibitors or the layout of seminar areas.
• ID things on my "Who" list without engaging anyone, e.g., exhibit booths, displays, etc.
• Obtain any other helpful information and adjust my plan if required.

Take-Off – Engage Others

Now that you have a good feel of the event, it's time to have fun. If you noticed, I used the word fun. Networking should not be a scary or stressful moment but a positive personal experience. I personally like to meet new people and learn something new.

Don't forget networking is about establishing relationships and connections. Therefore, when networking, avoid being overly forceful. Instead, concentrate on talking and exchanging ideas and experiences rather than trying to push or sell something.

One of my favorite networking practices is introducing my network to others, e.g., walking a new acquaintance across the conference room or trade show floor and introducing them to someone in my network. I found this practice to be very effective in expanding my network at the same time.

On the administrative side of networking, as you engage many people, keep track of any promises or follow-ups you've made with someone you've met. One of the things I do is write notes on the business cards I receive, i.e., I write a note right after I engage a person. Trust me. This will help you a lot right after meeting so many people in a very short period and properly following up.

Post Flight – Following Up

Speaking of following up with others. Building relationships is an important part of networking in addition to simply making connections. Building these connections after a conference or trade show is important. Besides sending an email or making a phone call, I like to:

• Connect with them on LinkedIn or other professional platforms.
• Invite them to join ASOG or other associations.
• Meet up with the person in person, e.g., after the event, at another event in the future, etc.

Whatever you decide to do, personalize your engagement and bring up anything unique you discussed at the event. This will help reassure the person of who you are and the benefits of continuing the connection.

Final Thoughts

Networking at conferences and trade shows takes a little effort, planning, and time. But if done right, it can be fun and result in beneficial professional connections and maybe your next career move!

Even though networking is just basically "Meeting People." There are still some specific tips & practices when professionally networking. Now that I highlighted some of my tips & practices, do you have any networking tips of your own? Comment below and let us know!

ASOG Focus Area | News & Information

Source | GA Buyer Magazine (ASOG Member – Astrid Ayling)

ASOG members…is your professional world focused on manned or unmanned aircraft? Better yet, fixed-wing, rotor-wing, or even LTA? If your interest is manned fixed-wing aircraft, one of our ASOG members wrote an informative article about how fixed-wing aircraft operate in the Aerial Surveying & Mapping sector, i.e., one of many types of ASO offices.

The Fixed-Wing Aircraft of Aerial Surveying & Mapping Article

ASOG Focus Area | Career Management

Source | ASOG Career Center

The Airborne Sensor Operators Group (ASOG), a non-profit international aircrew association, is holding its annual Conference & Networking event on 8-10 June 2023 at Sywell Aerodrome UK. Our event is taking place within the Multi-Mission Expo.

Our association’s mission is to support the careers of our members and the industry sectors that are part of our professional ecosystem. With this, we invite recruiters, hiring managers, and HR Depts looking to hire professionals with exceptional skills in the Multi-Mission or Aerial Work manned & unmanned aircraft sector to attend our event and network like any other attendee.

The demographics of our community range from:

• Non-Rated Aircrew Members (Sensor Operators, Aerial Photographers, Tactical Flight Officers, Hoist Operators)
• Pilots/Operators (Commercial, Public Safety, Defense)
• Engineers & Technicians associated with Aerial Work aviation systems and operations
• Aerial Imagery Analysis and GIS Specialist
• Managers and Business Developers associated with Aerial Work aviation systems and operations
• Educators, Instructors, and Students
• And more….

If you have positions to fill, the ASOG Conference & Networking event will be a target-rich place for you.

Besides coming to the event and engaging potential candidates, and having fun at an aviation expo, we’ll have a “Job Posting Board” in the ASOG Networking  Zone for you to post job opportunities and other career management information.

If you want more information regarding ASOG and the events, take a look at the following links or contact us at info@aso-group.org :

• Airborne Sensor Operator Group homepage -  https://aso-group.ning.com/
• ASOG Conference & Networking 2023 event details -  https://aso-group.ning.com/asog-conference-networking-2023
• Multi-Mission Expo 2023 - https://www.multimissionexpo.com/

The ASOG Career Center job posting board is hot right now. Gage Schultz (new ASOG Member) wants the community to know of this job opportunity. It looks like an excellent job for members living in the U.S. / mid-west. So, if you’re interested, follow the instructions on the job posting and engage accordingly…or network with Gage.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Hey everyone, Mark Smits (ASOG Member) wants the community to know of this job opportunity. It looks like a great job. What I’ve heard from Mark, Woolpert is a good firm to work for. If you’re interested, follow the instructions on the job posting and engage accordingly.

Woolpert, Inc. - Senior Aerial Sensor Operator

ASOG Article of the Month | February 2023

Source | Derrick Brydges, Aerial Powerline Solutions Inc., derrick.brydges@hotmail.ca

Of all the different utility personnel and equipment hard at work across the global energy grid, helicopters and aircrew are probably near the top of the list of platforms and professionals that ensure electrical energy is delivered from the power station to your home safely. If you want to know more about how this is accomplished, Derrick Brydges shares his experiences and thoughts on this unique Aerial Work aviation sector.

My lineman career began with a Provincial Utility in Northern Ontario, Canada, during the mid-'70s involving Distribution and Transmission assets. In 1990 I was recruited to a Provincial TX crew in Southern Ontario whose focus was strictly supporting the 30,000 kilometers of High Voltage assets. My responsibility involved the yearly aerial visual/sensor patrols for this network. I accomplished this role for the next 24 years patrolling 30—40% of these assets per year, utilizing both helicopters and a ground vehicle to monitor the "no-fly zones."

During this career chapter, I was involved in developing this application to support the Utilities' proactive, preventive maintenance approach. This began with visual/ sensor patrols (writing structure numbers on note pads) and developing to sensor patrols (GPS orientation for asset location identification). Post-retirement involved assisting with the creation of a company Linewiseaerial (currently SAM Canada). While on projects, I would also be exposed to the utilization of UAS field applications which I'll touch on later.

Cost Effective

Throughout my years of utility experience, continuing program support from an Asset Management perspective is paramount, especially considering the cost savings regarding unplanned outage costs. An average repair can be performed at 25 % of the costs for a planned versus unplanned outage (excluding bottleneck generation losses). An appropriate approach to maximize aerial patrols requires preplanning, utilizing circuit history loadings (histograms) along with a defects history to assist with prioritizing a schedule. The utilization of Infrared and Corona sensors provides a strong tactic by detecting any electrical anomalies not visible to the naked eye. Insulators account for roughly 5 – 10 % of a structure's component costs but are generally the most significant factor in system outages.

Attention to Details

Other common anomalies are pressed conductor splices and mechanical connectors that can be adequately addressed, eliminating unplanned outages once identified. Vital to maximizing the effectiveness of these tools, a systems operator must be able to determine between a false positive and a verified anomaly. A combination of certification training, experience, and the understanding of a component's purpose, knowledge acquired from a line's persons background. Some detected anomalies may appear reportable, but the utility may not classify them as significant; hence, before the operation, a clear understanding of what is reportable and what is not should be discussed, along with classification ratings. This process will avoid requesting unnecessary outage applications and requiring a lineman to access a structure due to a false positive.

Another consideration before beginning a patrol is to review all the weather parameters which will affect the optimization of the sensor's performance to achieve maximum returns for specific task requirements. Nevertheless, which combination of sensors or techniques one utilizes, understanding the "art" of the application and one's experience is crucial to success.

Balancing Cost & Efficiencies

Aerial Transmission line patrols require a balance between costs and efficiencies, providing the customer with a thoughtful return on the investment. Several applications are available to provide a proper result per the customers' requirements, including the decision to utilize a UAS or Helicopter application. Public safety, costs, and daily expectations are prime considerations when making this decision. Each application will have its advantages/disadvantages. When utilizing a helicopter, one consideration is to not just to go out "and burn a hole in the sky."

When assessing a Transmission corridor utilizing either lidar, detailed inspections, visible patrols, Infrared, Corona, etc., the expected result is to provide detailed reports with on-time deliverables. These goals for any service provider must be front and center. Adopting this approach will develop techniques, applications, and discipline. An example is the "single pass "solution that LW developed during its inception in 2014. This approach is a joint IR/UV scan along the corridor, our standard approach. Supporting the success of these activities requires a dedicated/ skilled field support team member who will provide current quantitative/qualitative reports for the required timeframe.

Summary

Respectfully, various methods/ sensors are available (I have utilized several brands) for performing Aerial Power line sensor patrols. Regardless of the technique, the goal is to provide a skillful result. The client should also perform their due diligence by researching a service provider's history (references) and requesting proof of worker certification credentials. Success will ultimately reflect on the skillsets/ understanding of an experienced, qualified systems operator and the support team.

About the Author

Derrick began his career with Ontario Hydro (HydroOne) in 1976 as a lineman working on Transmission and Distribution in Northern Ontario. In 1990 he transferred to the Provincial Transmission Travelling Crew to become involved with the Aerial Patrols for the next 24 years. Derrick assisted with follow-up laboratory analysis throughout this period to determine the cause and effect intended for an identified component. The Ontario Hydro Research dept accomplished this work (now Kinectrics) and is referenced in the final published reports. In 2014 Derrick assisted with the creation of Linewiseaerial and, to this day, continues with developments and field activities.

Accomplishments:

• Trade Shows – manage Linewise booth at trade shows.
• Published white papers along with editorial magazine industry articles.
• Keynote speaker at industry events (INMR, EPPRI, CEATI, NADT IEEE)
• Co-author Inspection Program Guidelines, CEATI Report: T183700-3277
• Train & mentor other Linewise Inspectors

ASOG Focus Area | News & Information

Source | Aerial Survey.com

If you didn’t know, one of ASOG’s objectives is to encourage our professional community to share best practices and tips. In this case, ASOG Corporate Supporter “Aerial Survey.com” sent us this article to share with fellow members, i.e., are you getting your money’s worth with your Aerial Surveying & Mapping kit?

Get the Best Price for Your Equipment