Latest from Mark Huber
Rotorcraft
Pandemic Pounds New Helicopter Deliveries
While deliveries of new civil helicopters collapsed, OEMs were buoyed by their military business.
Avionics
Astronautics RoadRunner EFI Approved for Medium Bells
STC validations from EASA, Transport Canada, and Mexico’s AFAC are expected shortly.
Charter & Fractional
Guimbal Cabri Helicopters Remotely Serviced by Precision
Precision Support Services has competed multiple remote inspections of Guimbal Cabri helicopters.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
HeliValue$: 'The Worst Helicopter Market in 40 Years'
Used helicopter values sink under the pressures of pandemic, cheap oil, and scarce credit.
Rotorcraft
NASA Chief: Uncrewed Aircraft 'Safer'
The agency's administrator touts advanced UAM technologies.
Aircraft
Blackhawk's King Air 350 XR Upgrade Kit Gets FAA Nod
Blackhawk Aerospace has received FAA STC approval for its XR Upgrade Kit for the King Air 350-series twin turboprop.
Avionics
Daher Certifies HomeSafe Autoland in TBM 940
Daher has received both FAA and EASA approval of its HomeSafe emergency autoland system on its TBM 940.
Maintenance and Modifications
Wysong Enterprises Keeps First Responders Airborne
The helicopter MRO has worked on more than 20 aircraft during the Covid-19 pandemic in the last 12 weeks.
Maintenance and Modifications
Ruag Opens New Paint Shop in Oberpfaffenhofen
RUAG Oberpfaffenhofen’s new paint and drying shop is now operational.
Airports
SkyBridge Plans Bizjet MRO Complex at Miami Opa-Locka
The proposed 500,000 square-foot facility at Opa Locka will include hangars, offices, a hotel, and support buildings.
Regulations and Government
EASA Grafts Cybersecurity Onto Certification Standards
New EASA cybersecurity standards include helicopters.
Avionics
Leonardo AW139 Gets Honeywell Primus Epic Upgrade
The new Honeywell Primus Epic Phase 8 software will be available in the Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin.
Rotorcraft
NHV's Airbus H175 Fleet Tops 40,000 Hours
NHV’s fleet accounts for more than 60 percent of the Airbus Helicopters H175’s 66,000 flight hours to date.
Maintenance and Modifications
Bell Buys Chinese MRO Zhenjiang Aerochine Aviation
Bell is acquiring Zhenjiang Aerochine Aviation Limited to increase its MRO capacity in China.
ATC
FAA's New Urban Air Mobility ConOps Raises Questions
Morphing existing helicopter VFR corridors into dedicated urban air mobility routes is among the challenges identified by critics of ConOps 1.0.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Marks 60 Years in Japan
Airbus Helicopters marks 60 years in Japan with new maintenance facility, orders.
Accidents
Helo Accidents Fall During Pandemic
Reduced helicopter flight activity translated into fewer accidents during the first six months of 2020
Accidents
NTSB: Los Angeles Newscopter Hit Drone
A-Star sustained minor damage after "an inflight collision with a hard object of polycarbonate construction."
Aircraft
Leonardo Lands First Commercial IFR AW119Kx Order
Leonardo announced the first commercial and EMS order for its IFR-certified AW119Kx single-engine helicopter.
Rotorcraft
Helicopter Laserer Gets Federal Prison
A California man who lasered a sheriff’s helicopter in 2017 has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
Rotorcraft
Congressmen Continue Push for Safer Helo Fuel Tanks
Two Colorado congressman are continuing push for mandatory crash resistant fuel systems (CRFS) in all helicopter air ambulances.
Regulations and Government
Counterfeit Kamov Helicopter Ring Busted
Moldovan police raided a factory in Cruileni allegedly making unauthorized copies of Russian Kamov-26 coaxial rotor utility helicopters.
Aircraft
Stratos 716X Personal Jet Makes First Flight
The Stratos 716X single-engine, 4-6 seat personal jet made its first flight July 2 from the company’s plant in Redmond, Oregon .
Rotorcraft
Airbus H160 Gets EASA Nod
Airbus Helicopters’ medium twin H160 received EASA type certification approval on July 1.
Rotorcraft
Horizon Academy's Bell 505 Fleet Tops 1,000 Hours
UAE's Horizon International Flight Academy achieved the milestone with the 12 Bell 505 light singles it's received since January.
Rotorcraft
Aaron Brings Helicopter Upset Training to Southern Utah
Chuck Aaron's helicopter upset and instrument training coming to Southern Utah University.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Swiss Researchers Develop Fast 'Detect and Avoid' Tech
New detect and avoid technology identifies other fast-moving objects in as little as 3.5 milliseconds.
Rotorcraft
Bell Expanding Virtual Training Offerings
Bell is expanding its virtual training offerings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rotorcraft
HAI Members Pledge 'Covid Clean'
The Helicopter Association International's "Covid Clean" program seeks to reassure rotorcraft customers.
Maintenance and Modifications
EASA Approves Five-blade Airbus H145
Customer deliveries of the new Airbus Helicopters H145 D3 will begin later this summer.
