Thierry Dubois is a freelance writer specializing in helicopters, business aviation and aerospace technology. He earned a degree in fluid dynamics from an engineering school in Toulouse, France in the mid-1990s. At an unexpected crossroads, he found his first job in journalism. In 1997, he started working for French aerospace weekly Air &amp; Cosmos in Paris. This lasted until 2000, when he moved south to Lyons. He then became a freelancer, working for various aerospace publications and has been part of the AIN team since late 2000. In addition to writing about business aviation, Thierry shares responsibility for the rotorcraft section. He also is a regular on-site writer for AIN’s daily editions at international airshows such as the Paris, Farnborough, Dubai and Singapore shows, as well as at EBACE in Geneva.
In 2007, he won the Honeywell award for “Best systems or technology submission” at the Aerospace journalist of the year awards. In 2013, he won an Aerospace Media Award for the "Best Safety, Training &amp; Simulation Submission."
In other activities, Thierry moderates international conferences on aviation technology topics. Thierry is married and has three children, who seem to begin enjoying the mountains–as their parents do.

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Thierry Dubois

Swiss start-up company Helips is striving to raise funds that would allow full program launch for a family of three- to five-seat, diesel-powered helicopters. 
René Mouille, formerly director of Eurocopter’s design bureau, is the designer of the Helips concept. The company would develop seven versions of its diesel-powered helicopter. Variants would include a tandem two-seat trainer, an unmanned version, an EMS version and a four-seat VIP version.
The company is considering three engines to power the three-blade rotor: the SMA SR305, a model by German-based Zoche and a Swiss Wankel-type Mistral. All are diesel engines and should, sooner or later, meet Helips’ requirement for 300 hp. “We can easily start with 230 hp,” Philippe Petitpierre, the founder of the company, told AIN.
Petitpierre said his company is months away from finalizing negotiations with investors. “We need $36 million to fly the prototypes, gain certification and get initial production tooling,” he told AIN. From program launch, Helips plans to fly the first aircraft in 18 months and start production 18 months later. Target production rate is 150 aircraft per year after three years of operation.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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Swiss start-up company Helips is striving to raise funds that would allow full program launch for a family of three- to five-seat, diesel-powered helicopte

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News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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