Six leading New Zealand aviation companies – Aeronet, Eye in the Sky, Flightcell, Salus Aviation, Spidertracks/Air Maestro, and TracPlus– will be showcasing their products and services at the Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC) Annual Convention and Trade Show. Hundreds of aviation companies, operators and executives will attend the largest annual gathering of the Canadian helicopter industry from October 29 to November 1, 2024 at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“It is great to see a strong and growing presence of the New Zealand aviation industry at the HAC Annual Conference and Trade Show, demonstrating its increased commitment to the Canadian market,” said Rip Takhar, Commercial Advisor at New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the New Zealand government’s international business development agency, which is hosting the New Zealand contingent attending HAC. “Our large contingent of aviation companies want to leverage the conference to foster meaningful partnerships and collaborations, and to use it as a platform for new product announcements, showcasing the cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions they can bring to Canada’s aviation needs.

New Zealand and Canada share a passion for helicopter operations – fueled by their similar landscapes and remote challenges – and a vision for aviation excellence. “We have much in common, and this provides a unique opportunity to collaborate, innovate and grow together in aviation,” said Mr. Takhar. “By sharing expertise and best practices, we can collectively drive advances in safety, sustainability and economic development, ultimately strengthening the bonds between our countries and our industries.”

A helicopter powerhouse

New Zealand has one of the highest per capita use of helicopters in the world, and its wider aviation industry is known for being internationally competitive with very high standards of quality and innovation. “Our companies participating at HAC 2024 are growing rapidly and are keen to increase their international presence,” said Mr. Takhar. “All are already active in Canada and this event is an excellent opportunity for them to strengthen relationships with existing and new Canadian customers.”

Aeronet has been hard at work over the last two years rebuilding Aeronet’s technology stack, from the ground up. With the launch of Aeronet 5.0 just around the corner, the company is excited to be able to show HAC 2024’s visitors a sneak peek of the new look. Come along and see them at booth #213!

Eye in the sky recently received approval for its Cockpit Video, Audio & Flight Data Recorder by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Working with the International Validation Branch under the bilateral agreement with New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the cockpit video recorder has been awarded an Approved Model List (AML) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) certificate that can be used for multiple helicopter types. The small yet powerful device is an all-in-one unit consisting of a forward-facing HD camera mounted within the aircraft cabin. The device records a 160-degree HD image of the pilot control inputs, the view out the front window and importantly, flight data captured from the instrument cluster. It also records cockpit ambient noise, intercom and radio transmissions and GNSS data recording aircraft ground speed, altitude, heading and position.

Flightcell looks forward to growing its Canadian customer base and strengthening its relationships in the Canadian aviation through its offering of customizable Industry Solutions for mission-specific applications and offer Voice, Data and Tracking systems. The technology uses the most effective and lowest-cost protocols over cellular and satellite networks and a cockpit video, audio and flight data solution. “New on the market is our SATVOICE solution for long-range communication as a replacement for HF radio and the use of an Iridium Certus 100 terminal, providing reliable midband satellite data,” said Philip Hutchings, Key Account and Sales Manager.

Salus Aviation will take advantage of the 2024 HAC Convention to engage with the Canadian operators on ways of working together across their Safran engine module exchange program, fleet retirement and repurpose program and ongoing MRO and parts support to the region. “One year after launching our new brand at HAC, our business continues to grow and evolve and our team looks forward to catching up again with Canadian helicopter operators to discuss our extensive service offering and product portfolio,” said Greg Edmonds, Chief Executive Officer of Salus Aviation.

The company also recently announced the signing of a purchase agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) for the acquisition of a H145//BK117 D-3 helicopter. This agreement marks a significant step in Salus Aviation’s fleet replacement program. More recently, the company appointed Brandy Ferguson as Vice President – Sales and Business Development – Americas. Brandy joins Salus Aviation at a pivotal moment as the company is currently entering a new phase of growth. Her primary responsibilities will include securing new business, building relationships with operators, enhancing Salus Aviation’s presence in the EMS sector through fleet disposal contracts and managing component and engine sales.

Spidertracks and Air Maestro are taking advantage of the 2024 HAC Convention to unveil an industryleading multi-solution offering for the first time in their history. By strategically combining multiple globally recognized product suites into one integrated system, they have achieved a newfound level of efficiency for the aviation industry worldwide. This comprehensive and customizable solution seamlessly links safety, operations and fleet management into a secure, integrated system.

Since last year’s event, Air Maestro has maintained momentum by launching a software integration with Web Manuals. “We’ve provided the ability to view and download Web Manuals’ documents within our platform, eliminating the need for document duplication and enabling synchronized folders, categories and alerts,” said Nina Wedding, Product Manager at Air Maestro.

With this latest integration, Spidertracks and Air Maestro continue to lead the way in innovation and safety within the aviation industry.

TracPlus is set to showcase the latest version of its leading common operating platform at the upcoming 2024 HAC Convention. Their solution unifies data from aerial and ground assets into a single, real-time operational view, enabling faster resource deployment and more effective mission outcomes.

“We’re excited to demonstrate how our platform is not just benefiting mission-critical operators, but is also transforming wildfire response across Canada,” said Todd O’Hara, Chief of Product of TracPlus. “Our recent integration with Canadian fire agencies is leading to improved coordination and resource allocation during critical fire events.”

Beyond firefighting, TracPlus continues to support a wide range of Canadian aviation operators, from emergency medical services to offshore operations, enhancing safety and operational efficiency across the sector.