Skyhorse Aviation

05/10/2021

Featuring by Airbus Helicopters, our AS350 B3+
ZS-RWT in NRG’s yearly Calendar!

With fall weather upon us, it’s time to unpack those warm sweaters and why not switch out your backgrounds with our October picks:
On the civil operators side, check out Skyhorse Aviation’s taken during an Xcite™ electromagnetic and magnetic survey flight over the Steenbras dam in the Hottentots Holland mountain range to map aquifers for the drought-stricken Cape in South Africa in 2018, which was experiencing its worst drought on record.
Photo by NRG - New Resolution Geophysics.

Download both full calendars here 🗓️🖼️: https://www.airbus.com/helicopters/2021-helicopter-calendars.html

Which helicopter will you choose for your October wallpaper?
👍 if you selected the H125
❤️ if you selected the Tiger

14/09/2020

Welcome Sexy Rexy to our fleet. ZS-REX joined NRG's fleet today, an 2007 AS350 B3+ with only 1700hrs on. One of the Best Looked After AS350's out there.

27/08/2020

NRG Australia has been very busy with Xcite surveys in WA since airwork could restart in Australia with the Covid-19 pandemic. They also welcomed a new truck for transporting the survey equipment all over Australia, fitted with a hydraulic lift for easy loading of the Xcite loop and equipment. Photo credits: Alan York and Keith Fisk.

10/07/2020

External load lifting is where the AS350 really comes to play. The AS350 can be easily configured with a long list of optional equipment to suit whatever the mission demands. With its lifting power, endurance and heavy-duty composite construction, the AS350 is always up for the most demanding hot and high external load missions. With a 1400kg cargo swing, Vertical Reference Window, Radar Altimeter and Cargo Mirror fitted as standard for all sling machines. We stock a variety of strops, remote release hooks, Cargo nets and multi -legged strops for any sling mission.
Thanks to a wide and unobstructed cabin, the H125 can be easily reconfigured for cargo transport, medical evacuation, SAR, law enforcement, high-density passenger transport and fire fighting. Our HeliFire Monsoon Bucket for fire fighting is unique as it works with a pneumatic system that the Pilot can control the amount of water taken up per lift up to 1200l total and can be opened and closed in flight for multiple drops. A quick release skid mounted utility basket allows for 150kg of cargo to be carried without reducing seating capacity.

01/07/2020

For our Passenger Transport and Charter options, all our AS350 helicopters are fitted with leather seats, robust slip proof floors, or carpets for a more corporate experience.
Airconditioning is available on some machines for those Africa summer days and cabin heating is standard.
We also have a 7 seat configuration available, allowing 2 passengers to sit alongside the pilot where needed. 3x Large Cargo compartments for baggage and even Golf Bags, and an optional Utility Basket for more bulky baggage if needed. Fixed Emergency Floatation gear can be fitted for over water operations with an 8 man life raft with Survival kit, life vests, Medical kit, Satellite phone, PELT and GPS.
With an open cabin and all seats facing forward, passengers can enjoy a 180° view outside, and experience the Cockpit and the same view as the pilot with the large windows all round.

25/06/2020

Our 12th and final member of our fleet is ZS-SSC. An 1988 Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II turboprop twin engine, fourteen seat utility aircraft manufactured and designed by Reims Aviation in cooperation with Cessna with just over 11000 hours. Based on the Cessna 404 Titan airframe with two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-112 turboprops with 500hp each, the F406 is suited perfectly to accommodate small payloads. It is capable of carrying two to three Euro pallets, but a cargo pod is also available in case extra capacity is needed.
The F406 is a cantilever low-wing monoplane of conventional aluminium and steel construction, with retractable tricycle-type landing gear and cruciform tail section. It uses essentially the same fuselage as the Cessna 404 Titan, the wings and nose from the Cessna Conquest I – although with redesigned nacelles to accommodate the Pratt & Whitney engines – and the empennage (except for the tail) from the Conquest II. The landing gear is designed for use at unimproved airports, and features the trailing-link concept used on the Conquest I and II.
In terms of performance, this translates to a maximum cruise speed of 246kt (283mph)at 15,000ft, a certified ceiling of 30,000ft and a range of 1,200nm (1,380 miles). Also, climb rate is put at 1,850ft a minute, and with a maximum fuel capacity of just over 1,800l, the aircraft has an endurance of more than six hours (with 45-minute reserves), although this can be extended if necessary by another hour by fitting extra fuel tanks in the engine nacelles.
As a former survey machine, ZS-SSC was bought in 2017 by NRG and is a dedicated full time survey platform renowned for its suitability to survey and surveillance missions with all relevant mods and STC’s already in place. As a twin-engine aircraft the F406 complies with all safety recommendations and aviation regulations for operating in hostile environments. As opposed to single engine aircraft, the F406 is approved for extended over water operations

22/06/2020

Number 11 is ZS-HIH. She is a 2014 AS350 B3e or H125 as they are called now with an Arriel 2D engine and 847hp (de rated from 952hp). Bought brand new for NRG’s Middle East operation she was ferried via West Africa and Europe in 2014 where she still operates doing Geophysical Surveys and accumulated just under 3500hrs.
In 2020 Airbus announced upgrades to the H125, with the full 952hp power as standard, and available as software upgrade for current models. This in turn boosts the maximum external load to 1,140kg (2,150lb), a 140kg increase on the current limit; the hover OGE ceiling also rises by 1,500ft to 12,640ft, from 11,150ft now and 30min Take Off Power with optional enhanced thermal protection. With the upgrade the FLI (First limit indicator) displayed on the VEMD can now be used with a remote display via Bluetooth on your phone or tablet, enables easier engine parameter monitoring during sling load operations.
The extra power offered by the H125 raises the bar within the single-engine helicopter market to reach levels never attained up to now by such platforms and confirms the superiority of the H125 in terms of payload and value for money.
With a massive 5000hr TBO and 3year / 2000hr warranty on engine, The H125 outclasses all other single-engine helicopters for performance, versatility, low maintenance, and low acquisition costs, while excelling in high and hot and extreme environments.

18/06/2020

Our 10th Feature is ZS-RUG, a 2006 AS350 B3+. With her famous and unique paint scheme, she is well known and been futured in many magazines and marketing material. She was bought in 2010 and ferried to the Middle East via East Africa and the Emirates where she did Geophysical Surveys for nearly 9 years. In 2019 she was ferried all the way back via Europe and West Africa for her 12year Major Service and repaint. With over 9500hrs, this machine Impressively averaged over 850hrs a year and over 70hrs a month in the last 10 years (that’s including her 12year and wx downtime), there aren’t many helicopters that do that. Operating in Conditions from -20° and snow in winters to a scorching +50° in the summers with massive mountains and lots of desert, sand and poor visibility, this machine was exposed to every extreme. Flying at Max All up weight for up to 12hrs a day in the summers, she worked hard, and showed just how reliable and capable they are.
With over 30 million flying hours through the AS350 range, the AS350 B3 is a helicopter that can fly virtually in every part of the planet, performing the widest range of operations possible, from the highest peaks of the world to heavy loads transport
ZS-RUG is now based at Wonderboom Airport in South Africa with her new NRG color scheme and the dedicated machine for all the Xcite Time Domain Electromagnetic Surveys in Southern Africa.
She is loved by every pilot flying her, and she has a special “soul” that you just can’t help but fall in love when you behind the controls. A True Legend, and in absolute Pristine Condition she continues to impress where she goes.

15/06/2020

Number 9 is another Porter, ZS-XTR. She is a 1996 Pilatus PC-6 with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 Turboprop engine with 550hp (de rated from 680hp). She used to be on a Swiss register, first operating in the Sahara Desert and then in the Swiss Alps with snow ski’s doing Scenic Flights and Skydiving. She was bought and ferried to South Africa in 2013 and joined ZS-PWS as NRG’s fixed wing platforms for Gravity or Magnetic and Radiometric surveys. With NRG’s patented Thermal Control system for the GT2A total field gravimeter, translates to exceptional accuracy and repeatability of data. ZS-XTR recently came out of a 14year major service at NRG’s in house AMO facility, with their meticulous workmanship and attention to detail, she is in pristine condition.
The Pilatus Porter PC-6 has earned its reputation as a workhorse with a cabin volume of more than three cubic metres and a total payload of over 1,000 kg. Two large sliding doors on both sides of the cabin allow easy access to the cabin for loading and removal of freight. When extra space is needed, the passenger seats can be quickly removed and stowed in the additional seat stowage area behind the cabin. The standard floor hatch enables a platform for a wide range of surveillance functions without the necessity of any design changes.

11/06/2020

Our 8th feature is ZS-RWT. She is also a 2006 AS350 B3+ with and Ariel 2B1 engine, 847shp, Dual FADEC and 5950hrs. A former FAGC resident was bought and joined our fleet in 2011. She has been around in her life and even been on TV, wrapped as a Police Helicopter for the “Chappie” movie and been the Camera helicopter filming the Tarzan movie in Gabon flown by the famous Stunt Pilot, Fred North.
With the AS350 B3's excellent lifting capabilities these machines can almost lift their own empty weight in the right conditions and makes them ideal Utility machines for Fire Fighting, Long line slinging of external loads or even moving live animals. With a 1400kg cargo hook, utility basket, sliding rear doors on both sides and Auxiliary Fuel tanks this machine is ready for any mission. ZS-RWT showed again the need of machines like this in Ethiopia, slinging essential equipment to building sites in quick turnaround times that will normally take weeks to get there. She was also the helicopter involved with NRG’s design and testing for the patented Xcite Helicopter Time Domain Electromagnetic system. In 2019 she was ferried all the way to the Middle East via Europe where she currently operates doing Geophysical Surveys.

08/06/2020

7th is ZS-PCZ. She is a 2006 AS350 B3+ with and Ariel 2B1 engine, 847shp, Dual FADEC and 4300hrs. She started out as a HEMS helicopter with AMS before she was repainted and in 2011 bought to replace ZS-RSB as a long line sling machine in the DRC where she proved to be a strong lifter. ZS-PCZ is a versatile machine with a quick interchangeable cabin for Utility work with flat floor, fire resistant slip proof floors, fold away rear seats and a 1400kg external cargo hook, or a Corporate cabin with carpets, airconditioning, leather seats and bubble rear windows for more comfortable passenger experience.
In 2005, an AS350 B3 piloted by Eurocopter test pilot Didier Delsalle touched down on the top of Mount Everest, at 8,848 m (29,030 ft), a world record that has been confirmed by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
ZS-PCZ is currently used for NRG’s Xcite Helicopter Time Domain Electromagnetic and Magnetic surveys in extreme mountainous terrain and is just showing again what the performance and reliability of these machines sets it apart of the rest. Doing 7hrs every day at Max All up Weight with a massive 20m diameter loop 30m below in steep mountainous terrain asks a lot of these machines, and they deliver.
She is a beautiful example of a Pristine machine for any role.

04/06/2020

Number 6 is ZS-RSB. 1st of the Big Guns, she is a first generation 2002 AS350 B3 with a Ariel 2B engine and 557kW with 8500hrs. With its excellent Hot and High performance capabilities, reliability, low maintenance required and multiple cabin configurations, the AS350 B3 is hard to beat in the Light Single Engine category.
ZS-RSB started as a Long Line sling machine in the DRC, moving drill rigs, equipment, Drill samples and people. Mines building new exploration camps in the jungle are massively dependent on a helicopter, as everything and everyone are flown in by helicopters till they can make roads. ZS-RSB also has traveled a bit, been in the back of an Illusion 76 to the Middle East where she did some Geophysical survey and on a ship to Australia. She currently operates in Australia as NRG Australia’s dedicated survey helicopter for Xplorer Gradient Magnetic and Radiometric surveys and the Xcite Time Domain Electromagnetic and Magnetic surveys. She is a true example of a work horse and reliability from standing outside in Africa Humid Weather, extreme colds and snow in Middle East and extreme heat of the Australian Outback and she just keeps going. Land Cruiser of Helicopters!

01/06/2020

Our 5th feature is ZS-PWS. She is a 2006 Pilatus PC-6 with just under 8000hrs. When she arrived in South Africa she had less than 100hrs, basically brand new when she was ferried from Switzerland to Lanseria, in just 44hrs. The PC-6 is fitted with an Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 Turboprop engine, with 410kW. The Pilatus PC-6 is a legendary aircraft, known around the world simply as "The Porter". Renowned for its safety and ability to fly slowly, its unique short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities, reliability, excellent safety record and versatility in all terrain and weather conditions have established the PC-6’s reputation as an ideal platform for high resolution airborne surveys. The PC-6 can take off in less than 200m and land in 130m, while carrying a payload of 1200kg. Thanks to its STOL performance, the PC-6 holds the world record for highest landing by a fixed-wing aircraft, at 18,865 feet (5,750 m), on the Dhaulagiri glacier in Nepal.
We can install either the NRG Xtract Gravity and Magnetics system for Oil Exploration or the Xact Magnetics and Radiometric system that makes it the most cost effective means of collecting airborne data. The Porters are also equipped with cabin “trapdoors” that allow the install of Camera equipment for Lidar work.

28/05/2020

4th is ZS-HDL. She is a 1985 AS350 B model, the B Squirrel was the 1st production model of the AS350 with 478kW Ariel 1B engine. The most noticeable difference between the B and newer models is the Main Rotor blades are actually smaller on the B model. She had been standing for a few years without an engine and mostly timex components when NRG decided to buy the machine and put some new life into her. This is our Head Engineer, John Bevington’s pride and joy, as he basically rebuilt the machine from scratch to its current pristine condition. Interesting fact is that she belonged to the family of an ex NRG pilot in Germany before they moved to Namibia with her, it was later sold and imported to South Africa. She is a perfect sea level passenger machine, and used to operate in-between the northern Islands of Madagascar for VIP transfers to secluded lodges. She still flies beautifully and is a very smooth machine.

25/05/2020

3rd up is ZS-RSS. She is a 1990 model AS350 B2, that used to be a B model in the Philippines before getting a Eurocopter Factory B2 conversion in 2005 with zero time components and imported to South Africa. She is one of our machines that can be quickly converted from Utility to Corporate Interior with Leather seats, Carpets and Airconditioning. She has flown a variety work, like Geological Survey and Sampling, Underslung Operations, Geophysical Survey, Camera work and filming, Fire Fighting and Passenger Transport. ZS-RSS is currently based in Madagascar, flying passengers and doing utility work. ZS-RSS was also the 1st machine in the fleet to get a Skyhorse Paint scheme.

21/05/2020

Our 2nd Feature is ZS-RZM! She is a AS350 B2 with 531kW, over 13 000 hours and been working all over Africa in places like Mauritania, Ghana, Congo, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Tanzania, Gabon, Botswana, Zambia and Lesotho. She is also the only AS350 in South Africa that we know of thats fitted with "Squirrel Cheeks" They are Cargo Pods that increases the Side Cargo Capacity with 70%. She also has all the mods for External Camera work capabilities and External removable Fuel tanks for a 4hr endurance. This machine knows how to work hard and has worked in some very extreme mountainous terrain.

18/05/2020

During the rest of Lockdown we will do a cover of each machine in our fleet with a bit of history...
Starting off with NRG's first owned machine and our oldest helicopter, ZS-RZW. She is the only AS350 B1 in Africa and there are only a few of them around in the world. With an Ariel 1D engine and 510 kW, its only 20kW less than a B2, so very similar performance. She has over 16 800 hrs on the airframe that makes her one of highest hour AS350's in Africa, with far over 10 000hrs just on Geophysical Survey all over Africa. She recently had a full 12year rebuild by our in-house AMO, repaint and few Upgrades like full LED light kit, Reposition of Landing and Taxi lights like the B2, Dart foot steps, Dart Baggage compartment locks, leather interior and new carpets. She is kept in Immaculate condition, and has proven to be extremely reliable with very little down time in her life. Still a Favourite for the pilots to fly

15/05/2020

Did you know: NRG's CEO and COO, Ollie and Roger Wright designed the first Gradient Magnetic Boom system in the world. They first started doing surveys using a Hughes H269 Helicopter. Today we use the the Xplorer gradient magnetic boom system on the AS350 helicopter which produces the highest resolution airborne magnetic data available on the market.

10/05/2020

Happy Mother's Day to all the special mothers out there! Here is ZS-RZW, the mother helicopter of our fleet. She was NRG's first owned helicopter and with way over 16 000 hours she is still maintained in immaculate condition. She is very special and loved by the people working with her.
Stay safe out there!

20/02/2020

Xcite making the news again!

https://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/913177/twenty-seven-co-begins-airborne-survey-for-vms-targets-at-rover-project-in-wa-913177.html

The campaign is designed to show the project's potential scale as it will focus on two highly prospective and extensive greenstone belts which are mostly obscured by shallow cover.

05/02/2020

https://www.nrgex.co.za/our-services/xcite-™-helicopter-time-domain-electromagnetics-and-magnetics.html

05/02/2020

Some nice pics from Mozambique and Madagascar, thanks Nick Berriman

21/06/2019

Some pics of ZS-RWT and ZS-RUG ferrying through Turkey, Greece and Italy

13/02/2019

December - February 2019, Skyhorse Aviation has been busy moving and constructing drill rigs in the Lesotho mountains.
Well done to Nic Bradley and Jacque Coetzer for making it look easy!

14/01/2019

Skyhorse has been busy end of last year with the Presidential elections in Madagascar, operating with 4 helicopters. 2 rounds of Campaigning and Ballot collection made a busy October, November and December. At the end it was former president Andry Rajoelina that won return power as Madagascar's new President.

26/10/2018

ZS-RWT - Selous, Tanzania

18/09/2018

Our ZS-RZM recently on a Xplorer Survey in Lesotho.