Latest from Mark Huber
Fuel
French Military NH90 Helicopter Flown on 100% SAF
A French NH90 military helicopter has made its first flight running one engine on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.
Maintenance and Modifications
Hartzell Appoints Second Brazilian Service Center
Hartzell Propeller has appointed Diamond San Paulo as its second service center in Brazil.
Regulations and Government
AviationManuals Posts Solid Growth
Compliance and safety specialist AviationManuals reported growth of its client base and revenues in 2022.
Aircraft
Gulfstream Gets $124M USAF Mx Award
Contracts supporting USAF C-20 and C-37 aircraft run through 2031.
Avionics
Foresight MX HUMS STC'd for Sikorsky UH-60A
GPMS's Foresight MX health and usage monitoring system has received FAA supplemental type certificate approval for installation in Black Hawk helicopters.
Engines
GE Explores Rotorcraft Operations Center
GE center would provide remote engine diagnostics and analytics for rotorcraft customers.
Rotorcraft
Global Medical Response Opts for More Bell 407GXi Helos
Air ambulance provider Global Medical Response operates 220 Bell helicopters for various missions in North America.
Engines
CEO Hill Says Turbine Engine for HX50 To Cost Under $100k
Hill Helicopters is taking on the ambitious task of developing its own turbine engine for the HX50 helicopter.
Rotorcraft
Life Flight Network Adds Four Bell 407GXi Helicopters
Air ambulance provider Life Flight Network has expanded its Bell helicopter fleet to 29 with the recent addition of four Model 407GXis.
Engines
Hill Says Turbine Engine for HX50 To Cost Under $100k
According to Hill Helicopters, the unit cost of the GT50 turbine engine for its HX50 helicopter will be less than $100,000.
Regulations and Government
Helicopter Pilot Arrested for Drunk Driving on Way to Work
A helicopter air ambulance pilot on his way to work was arrested for drunk driving after passing a sheriff's deputy's car.
Airports
Volatus To Build Vertiport Near Penn State University
Volatus plans to build an eVTOL vertiport at the Bellefonte Airport near Penn State University later this year.
Rotorcraft
Hill Helicopters Tops 700 Orders
Hill plans to begin flight testing of its HX50 helicopter later this year.
Engines
FAA Approves New Hartzell Starters for Robinsons
Hartzell Engine Tec has received FAA PMA for its Sky Tec HT starters for Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters.
Aircraft
Enstrom Flies First New-production Helo Since Reopening
Enstrom flies its first new production helicopter since reopening in May 2022, a 480B.
Rotorcraft
Pentagon Office Faults Progress on Rotorcraft Programs
DoD's Operational Test and Evaluation office raps Grey Wolf, Chinook, and King Stallion for multiple deficiencies.
Rotorcraft
Police Kill Man Lasing, Shooting at Helicopter
A 33-year-old Detroit man who opened fire on state police helicopter was fatally shot by officers on the ground.
Regulations and Government
Bizav Groups Praise SMS NPRM Comment Reprieve
The FAA has extended the deadline for comment on its NPRM for mandatory safety management systems to April.
Rotorcraft
Bell's Civil Helicopter Deliveries Surge in 2022
Despite a decline in deliveries of Bell military helicopters last year, the company delivered 176 civil helicopters in 2022, up from 156 the prior year.
Engines
Leonardo AW09 Switches To Safran Power
Leonardo will fly its latest AW09 single turbine engine prototype with Safran's Arriel 2K engine.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Continues Market Leadership in 2022
Airbus Helicopters reported that it received 374 orders and made 344 deliveries last year.
Rotorcraft
Used Single-engine Helicopter Sales Fell in 2022
Sales for preowned, single-engine helicopters were down 12 percent in 2022 as supply dwindles.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Delivers 5,000th Black Hawk Helicopter
Sikorsky delivered its 5,000th Black Hawk Helicopter to the U.S. Army, which plans to fly the type for at least another 40 years.
Accidents
Maker of Defective Rotor Pin Agrees to $10M Settlement
A defective rotor pin triggered the 2021 fatal crash of a Bell 212 in Canada resulting in a worldwide fleet grounding.
Rotorcraft
Kaman Ending Production of K-Max Heavy-lift Helicopter
Kaman will discontinue its K-Max, saying production of the heavy-lift helicopter is not a "compelling" growth opportunity.
Accidents
No Witnesses, Video for Fatal Bell 407 Gulf Crash
NTSB preliminary report notes that no eyewitnesses or video exists in investigation of a Bell 407 that crashed on takeoff from Gulf Coast energy platform.
Charter & Fractional
Private-equity Firm RedBird Boosts Blade Stake
Redbird Capital Partners has taken a 5 percent stake in Blade Air Mobility.
Rotorcraft
CHC Divests Babcock's Former UK Offshore Operations
CHC Helicopter Group is selling Offshore UK following competition finding.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Bombardier Says 2022 Results Will Top Expectations
Bombardier says 2022 financial results will be better than forecasted.
Rotorcraft
European Rotors Moves To Madrid in 2023
The 2023 European Rotors conference will be held in Madrid from November 28 to 30.
