Soloy Aviation Solutions (Booth No. N3230) announced here at Heli-Expo that its efforts to sell Honeywell engine conversion kits for Chinese-registered Eurocopter AS350B2s have gotten the green light from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). CAAC issued a validation STC for the modification approving the replacement of the helicopter’s standard Turbomeca engine with the Honeywell LTS101-700D-2. The approval will allow Olympia, Wash.-based Soloy to proceed with negotiations to sell multiple conversion kits to owners of any Chinese-registered AS350B2.
HAI Convention News
March 6, 2013 - 5:50pm
The New Zealand aviation sector is a $10 billion industry, including more than 1,000 aviation-related businesses and organizations employing around 23,000 people, according to Adam Bennett, customer director for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. New Zealand helicopter businesses represent 8 percent of the global industry, from a country with 0.06 percent of the world’s population.
“The country has more helicopters per head of population that any other nation,” said Bennett. “Aviation is in our DNA.”
March 6, 2013 - 5:50pm
Airborne Engines (Booth No. N5804), a subsidiary of M International, used Heli-Expo ’13 as the venue for signing a memorandum of understanding with Rolls-Royce to become an authorized maintenance center (AMC) for the M250 engine line. M International’s Airborne Engines, a supplier of aftermarket technical, MRO and supply-chain management services, will perform the M250 maintenance at its 32,000-sq-ft facility in Delta, British Columbia (Canada).
March 6, 2013 - 5:45pm
Technisonic Industries (Booth No. N1922) is here at Heli-Expo ’13 showing its latest VHF/FM transceiver. The TDFM-136B was designed specifically for operators of forestry missions that require compliance with the Project 25 suite of digital radio communications standards. The 3.5-pound transceiver is a drop-in replacement for existing approved radios. The company is hosting a briefing on its new products for airborne law enforcement and air medical operators at its booth today from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
March 6, 2013 - 5:35pm
A day after revealing its intention to obtain approval to operate its R44 and R22 piston engine helicopters on unleaded fuel (see article on page 10), Robinson Helicopter (Booth No. C23) shared its strategy for doing so. CEO Kurt Robinson and engineering vice president Pete Riedl spelled out the steps required and the technical issues involved.
March 6, 2013 - 5:30pm
The annual Salute to Excellence Awards dinner, held on Wednesday, March 6, was, for the 50th year, the premier evening event of Heli-Expo. HAI encourages the highest standards of professionalism in the helicopter industry, saluting those who deserve to be recognized for their contributions to the rotorcraft community. This year, Helicopter Association International’s Salute to Excellence Awards recognized the achievements and merits of a few individuals and organizations among its more than 3,000 members.
March 6, 2013 - 5:25pm
LMB of Malemort, France, is showcasing a range of its high-performance/high-reliability electric fans, blowers and motors here at Heli-Expo (Booth No. C3504). LMB designs and manufactures both AC (50/60 Hz, 400 Hz and wild frequency) and DC (12-300 VDC) brushless motors used in fixed- and rotor-wing aircraft, as well as in ground military vehicles. The company offers more than 1,000 shelf-qualified products, while its engineering expertise capabilities enable it to quickly design and build these components to meet specific requirements that meet Mil STD 810/461 and RTCA DO-160 standards.
March 6, 2013 - 5:20pm
New Hampshire Ball Bearings (Booth No. N3304) has taken advantage of the opportunity at Heli-Expo ’13 to introduce its Oscimax self-lubricating liner technology to show attendees. The product, according to the company, increases the performance of complex bearing systems and assemblies such as those found in helicopters.
March 6, 2013 - 5:15pm
The rush to synthetic vision and integrated avionics with cursor control for the next generation of helicopters is decidedly evident in this year’s Heli-Expo exhibit halls. While Thales (Booth No. C6428) dazzles attendees in the central hall with its TopDeck suite, MD Helicopters (Booth No. N4121) is wowing them in the north hall with the Universal Avionics system developed for the MD Explorer.
“We’ve decided that touchscreens are not the way to go, for reasons of durability and practicality,” said Grady Dees, director of technical sales for Universal Avionics Systems.
March 6, 2013 - 4:50pm
Cadorath Aerospace recently noted its continued work in developing a total of 900 repair procedures for a variety of Bell Helicopters, including 178 new repairs in 2012 alone.
