Police Aviation News November 2008

Police Aviation News November 2008 32
time and little more than a thorn in the side of the organisers.
It was the Helitech formula that attracted the exhibitors and provided a good variety of products
for the attending visitors. But there were notable absentees. Eurocopter were there but
whilst their representatives were seen in the halls most of the other major Western companies,
Bell, Sikorsky, AgustaWestland, MD etc were absent or reliant upon local operators
which must have proved a major disappointment for the organisers even if they were claiming
the overall number of attendees ‘exceeded their expectations’. Among the more significant
attendees were Axyss, Bristow Helicopters, Kamov, Powervamp, Pratt & Whitney Canada,
Simplex Manufacturing, TLC Handling, and Carl Zeiss.
The main exhibition hall was pretty quiet throughout the three days but initial reports suggest
that business was being done and new contacts made. This would not be the first
event that undertook an adequate level of business quietly. The lack of numbers could easily
be ascribed to the absence of spotters in this corner of the Iberian Peninsular. Reports of
high air fares from the US must have had an detrimental effect.
The day before the fire fighting conference the EHEST held its annual helicopter safety conference
and the following day was set aside for another Shephard event set aside for VIP
Helicopters.
It will be a while before the dust settles on Helitech Portugal but it looks promising—but vulnerable
to the world financial situation.
Helitech – the original – returns to the Imperial War Museum, Duxford in the UK next year
22-24 September 2009.
In a few days the 2008 Police Aviation Conference will kick-off at Olympia, London with
another varied programme of interesting presentations from an international range of emergency
services professionals drawn from Europe and the Americas.
As the editor compiled the core programme with a mind that others will be standing to say
their piece - and will not be standing up to speak himself [phew!] – it is difficult to bang this
drum too loudly lest it not meet the ideals of the attendees.
That said I believe that the result will serve to inform and to challenge everyone at the conference.
This is not some regurgitation of many long spoken about subjects, this is I hope
mainly something new and primarily features items from those who are at the leading edge
of police aviation rather than figureheads who stumble in the face of real questions. The
subjects mainly cover rotary wing, both large and small but in here you will find fixed wing
light UAV’s and more importantly the tactical side.
I hope that even at this late date you will consider joining us in London. I can guarantee that
outside the conference hall the company is good – second to none – and that the British
beer is no longer the only warm thing on site!