HAI Convention News » March 2, 2007

Rolls-Royce sees 15K helos by 2016
March 19, 2007 - 11:11am

Rolls-Royce projects deliveries of 15,038 new helicopters between now and  2016, worth an estimated $144 billion, plus another $15 billion for engines.

Scott Crislip, president of the Rolls-Royce helicopter and small gas turbine operation, said those figures represent a significant number of new military helicopter requirements that have surfaced since the previous forecast, released at Heli-Expo last year.

Emteq Finds Light In Switzerland
March 19, 2007 - 10:53am

Emteq is a lighting specialist, but don’t call it “Emteq Light.” The New Berlin, Wis.-based systems integrator and FAA certification specialist is becoming a major player. Most recently it reached an agreement for the purchase of airborne lighting systems specialist Flight Components AG of Bachenbulach, Switzerland.
Rotor market attracts Bank of America bucks
March 19, 2007 - 10:50am

World banking giant Bank of America (Booth No. 700), a long-time player in fixed-wing financing, announced yesterday its entrance into the rotorcraft market. Although the bank has financed helicopters on an individual basis in the past, this marks the company’s first attempt at luring a broad spectrum of new clients.
Tiltrotor test program moving ahead quietly in Italy and U.S.
March 19, 2007 - 10:22am

The second prototype of the Bell/Agusta BA609 tiltrotor is now flying in airplane mode, after starting its flight test regimen in helicopter mode on November 9 last year. It operates from Cameri, an Italian Air Force airfield near Milan.
FAA raising the bar on helicopter certification
March 19, 2007 - 8:25am

The FAA’s plans to update certification rules to reflect the improved capabilities and performance of modern helicopters appears to be moving ahead with few hurdles, according to officials with knowledge of the changes proposed last August.
Hickok devises SNI approaches into NYC area
March 19, 2007 - 8:17am

Stephen Hickok of Hickok & Associates, Orange Beach, Ala., announced on Thursday that the FAA performed a successful flight inspection on February 23 of the company’s design for the first helicopter simultaneous noninterfering (SNI) instrument approach in a complex airspace system.

Blue Sky intros portable tracker
March 19, 2007 - 8:15am

Blue Sky Network (Booth No. 3405), a La Jolla, Calif.-based provider of Iridium satellite communication services and equipment, is at Heli-Expo’07 introducing a portable flight-tracking device that it says installs in less than a minute.
Pylon fairing streamlines Hummingbird kit helo
March 19, 2007 - 8:13am

Vertical Aviation Technologies has given its four-place kit helicopter, the Hummingbird, a new look for 2007: a composite carbon-fiber upper fairing that encloses the pylon structure.

Company president Brad Clark said he added the fairing to streamline the look of the helicopter and reduce drag, though he doesn’t expect the change to affect the aircraft’s speed or flight characteristics.
A119 Koala Heads for Africa
March 19, 2007 - 8:12am

AgustaWestland announced that it has delivered an A119 Koala to the Royal Bafokeng nation in South Africa. The small, nearly 800-sq-mi country has a population of around 300,000 people. According to the company, the single-engine helicopter will be used as the personal transport of King Leruo Mototlegi and will also carry other VIPs. More than 100 A119s have been ordered by customers in more than 20 countries.
Donaldson Acquires Aerospace Filtration
March 19, 2007 - 8:11am

Donaldson Co. announced yesterday that it has acquired Aerospace Filtration Systems (AFS) of St. Louis, Mo. The deal, which was inked on Tuesday, calls for AFS to become a wholly owned subsidiary of the worldwide supplier of filters and support. The marriage isn’t new for the two companies; they were selected as a team last year to supply integral barrier filters (IBF) for the Bell 429 and the recently canceled 417.

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