General Aviation
News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.
Rotorcraft
Covid Drives Spike in Bristow SAR Missions
Bristow says 66 percent of its search and rescue missions in the Gulf of Mexico were Covid-related.
Rotorcraft
Hill Helicopters Tops 342 Orders
Development of its new turbine single helicopter is "right on schedule," according to Hill Helicopters.
Avionics
AGCO Plans Purchase of Appareo Systems
AGCO's acquisition of ADS-B avionics manufacturer Appareo should close in January 2022.
Aircraft
K-State Salina Receives First of 17 New Aircraft
K-State Salina took delivery of its first of five Cirrus SR20 piston singles.
Rotorcraft
Bavarian Police Order Eight Airbus H145s
Bavaria’s new five-bladed Airbus H145D3 helicopters will replace H135s operated by its police force.
Safety
Aviation, Wireless Groups Pledge Cooperation on 5G C-band
A move to cooperate on 5C interference comes after Airbus and Boeing CEOs called on the Biden Administration to delay the rollout of 5G C-band.
Rotorcraft
Spain Orders 36 Airbus H135 Helicopters
Spain's government will use new Airbus Helicopters H135s for pilot training and law enforcement.
Billy Nolen To Head FAA's Safety Org
Nolen, who will lead a team of more than 7,600 FAA employees, succeeds Ali Bahrami, who stepped down at the end of June.
Rotorcraft
Russian Mi-171A3 Makes First Flight
New Mi-171 variant designed to serve offshore energy market.
Rotorcraft
Coptersafety Gets FAA Part 142 Approval
Coptersafety currently offers FAA-approved programs for the Leonardo AW139.
Environment
Aviation Industry Groups Object to Santa Clara 100LL Ban
Aviation groups are protesting the decision by California’s Santa Clara County to ban the sale of 100LL aviation gasoline at two GA airports.
Training and Workforce
Redbird Flight Simulations Plots $2.2M Expansion
Austin, Texas-based Redbird Flight Simulations is expanding its footprint with a new 50,000-sq-ft facility in nearby Kyle.
Aircraft
Textron Aviation Delivers Cessna 206s to West Point
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point will use the Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair HD airplanes for its cadet aviation training program.
Rotorcraft
MD Helicopters Partners With UAV Leasing for Air Taxis
Helicopter OEM and leasing company teams on air taxi, border patrol services.
Rotorcraft
Coast Guard MH-65 Crew Flies Dramatic Niagara Falls Rescue
A crew from Air Station Detroit was called to extract a woman from a car in the Niagara River near American Falls.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Delivers First S-70M Civil Black Hawk
A new-production, third-generation Black Hawk is now available for civl and parapublic customers with FAA restricted category certification.
Regulations and Government
FAA Issues New 5G Interference Airworthiness Directives
New FAA rules would prohibit certain aircraft operations where 5G interference is encountered or likely.
Rotorcraft
Perot Donates Bell 407 To Dallas Police
Texas real estate developer Ross Perot, Jr. has donated a Bell 407 GX to the Dallas police department.
Rotorcraft
Saudis Place Order for 26 More Airbus Helicopters
The Helicopter Company (THC) of Saudi Arabia has ordered 20 light twin H145 D3 five-bladed models and six ACH160 medium twins from Airbus.
EAA Membership Surpasses 250,000 Mark
Approaching its 70th anniversary, EAA has seen its membership grow by 25 percent over the past five years, surpassing the 250,000 mark.
Rotorcraft
Beijing Police Orders First Leonardo AW189s for China
Leonardo has sold its first super-medium AW189 helicopters into the Chinese market.
Aircraft
AIN Announces 2021 Top Flight Award Winners
The second annual AIN Top Flight Awards honor excellence and innovation in business aviation and related fields.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
Helicopter lessor LCI Acquires Nova Aviation Capital
LCI's Nova acquisition boosts its twin-engine rotary fleet to more than 140.
Rotorcraft
Bristow's Leonardo Fleet Tops 500,000 Hours
Leonardo marks Bristow milestone, first Africa sale for AW169.
Rotorcraft
Latest Ka-32 Makes First Flight
Updated Russian coaxial helicopter aimed at firefighting market.
Accidents
NTSB: Aircraft Accident Fatalities Decreased in 2020
Fatalities from general aviation aircraft accidents decreased overall last year amid broad pandemic-induced reductions in flight activity, the NTSB said.
Rotorcraft
Bell Bags New Orders At European Rotors
Bell announced orders for seven new aircraft at the recently concluded European Rotors conference in Cologne.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Delivers Five-blade H145 for Offshore Wind Use
Germany's HTM Helicopters will fly the first Airbus H145D3 for the offshore wind market.
Rotorcraft
HAI Develops New Risk-assessment Tools
HAI has partnered with NGFT Solutions to develop new risk assessment tools tailored to the rotorcraft industry.
Rotorcraft
AAMS: New Air Medical Reimbursement Rules Are Unfair
The air ambulance lobby charges federal rules for the new "no surprises" medical billing act favor insurers and sues to block implementation.
